Cannabis News

little maggie

Well-Known Member
Seems like he should at the very least be suspended until the investigation was over. I think the marijuana IS an issue. If she died with a large dose in her system 3 days after her arrest, where did it come from? It can't be from the day of her arrest. The sheriff reports that it didn't come from the jail- he had it searched. And the issue has changed to keeping "mentally ill" people alive in jail since Bland said she had made a suicide attempt in the past. And now they're considering that she might be someone who self-mutilates.
So obviously it wasn't being stuck in jail with who knows what going on. She was crazy and killed herself. And of story.
 
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little maggie,
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Gunky

Well-Known Member
Seems like he should at the very least be suspended until the investigation was over. I think the marijuana IS an issue. If she died with a large dose in her system 3 days after her arrest, where did it come from? It can't be from the day of her arrest.
It would be significant only if they found extremely high amounts in her blood. As anyone who has ever had to pass a test knows cannabis metabolites linger for weeks; anyone who is a fairly regular consumer will test positive. Most likely that's all it is - she had consumed cannabis recently. In other words, bs. They always rush to publish the victim's positive test result. By now all the evidence is probably thoroughly contaminated and we'll never know how she died.
 

Snappo

Caveat Emptor - "A Billion People Can Be Wrong!"
Accessory Maker
It would be significant only if they found extremely high amounts in her blood. As anyone who has ever had to pass a test knows cannabis metabolites linger for weeks; anyone who is a fairly regular consumer will test positive. Most likely that's all it is - she had consumed cannabis recently. In other words, bs. They always rush to publish the victim's positive test result. By now all the evidence is probably thoroughly contaminated and we'll never know how she died.
I don't understand why cannabis in her system is even relevant. Is this an attempt by law enforcement to pull a flim flam bait and switch of legal and public perception?
 
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little maggie

Well-Known Member
I don't understand why cannabis in her system is even relevant. Is this an attempt by law enforcement to pull a flim flam bait and switch of legal and public perception?
Yes. It is. What I read indicated that she did have a large amount in her system- not lingering metabolites. The police are using the marijuana as an indication of her mental instability. They are making it relevant.
 

Snappo

Caveat Emptor - "A Billion People Can Be Wrong!"
Accessory Maker
Yes. It is. What I read indicated that she did have a large amount in her system- not lingering metabolites. The police are using the marijuana as an indication of her mental instability. They are making it relevant.
It may be relevant to the case that the police want to try to make of it, but it's not relevant to folks in-the-know about the calming and stabilizing effects that MMJ has for the vast majority of users. And after three days without direct consumption, how much effect one way or the other would it have? Withdrawal? ...I submit NOT AT ALL likely to the extent of pushing one to commit suicide. They may try to claim that rebounding from MMJ to an underlying condition of an existing psychosis caused her to lose all touch with reality, but I think it's more plausible that their rough treatment of her was much more likely the cause for her final act of hopelessness, IF, in fact, it was committed by her own hand.
 
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grokit

well-worn member
Big news down under :tup:

Senators give medical marijuana the green light

1437827939161.jpg

Richard Di Natale spearheaded the push for legalising medical marijuana.

Medical marijuana poised to become boom local industry
Bipartisan political support for medicinal cannabis no guarantee for patients
Legalising medical marijuana does not increase teen use: study

Senators from across the political divide will endorse a bill to legalise medical marijuana despite warnings it could create a regulatory nightmare.

Fairfax Media can reveal that a committee made up of Coalition, Labor and crossbench senators will strongly recommend that Parliament pass a cross-party bill to set up a medical marijuana regulator.

Spearheaded by Greens Leader Richard Di Natale, the Regulator of Medicinal Cannabis Bill would effectively make the federal government responsible for overseeing the production, distribution and use of the drug.


The bill was introduced into Parliament last November and sent to a committee in February. After conducting public hearings around the country and attracting almost 200 public submissions, the committee is due to deliver its report on August 10.

Sources say the committee will back the bill despite strong concerns from the Health Department.

In its submission to the committee, the department said the bill would set up a new regulatory system that would create "complexity and uncertainty" and potentially clash with the Therapeutic Goods Act.

Department secretary Martin Bowles warned the bill left important legal and practical issues unidentified or unresolved, "leading to the risk of regulatory gap, overlapping laws and a lack of clarity about the exercise of jurisdiction by agencies and possible inconsistency with other existing laws".

The department also warns the bill could contravene some of Australia's international obligations under the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs.

But sources say the department is just "flexing its muscles" because it doesn't like the idea of an independent regulator it cannot control.

Senator Di Natale last month conceded there were obstacles to the bill but insisted none of them were insurmountable. He pointed out other countries had managed to legalise medical marijuana without falling foul of the single convention, and said Australia could do the same.

The regulator is necessary because the Therapeutic Goods Administration was set up to process pharmaceutical products and is not equipped to deal with approvals of herbal medicines, he says.

A recent survey by Palliative Care Australia found more than two-thirds of Australians now back the use of medical marijuana. Just 9 per cent of people oppose it.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott last year threw his support behind the legalisation of the drug.

"I have no problem with the medical use of cannabis just as I have no problem with the medical use of opiates," he said.

https://www.reddit.com/r/worldnews/comments/3em5wh/australian_senators_give_medical_marijuana_the/

:clap:
 
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cybrguy

Putin is a War Criminal
Oops... :(

French police seize 6 tonnes of cannabis in drug bust


  • Two people share a cannabis joint (AFP Photo/Fred Dufour)

    Paris (AFP) - French police discovered nearly six tonnes of cannabis resin, known as hashish, in a villa in the southern city of Marseille and arrested three men, the interior ministry said Monday.

    The drug bust came after months of investigation and is one of the biggest seizures of cannabis in France in recent years.

    Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said in a statement that police had tracked the three men believed to be involved in a vast drug trafficking network to Marseille and the nearby town of Vitrolles on Sunday.

    They found 5.6 tonnes of hashish in a villa and another 150 kilos of the drug in a car.

    Cazeneuve, who will visit Marseille later Monday, congratulated officers on their "major success".

    In 2013, French customs officers seized 7.5 tonnes of cannabis in one day, with 5.5 tonnes found in a truck carrying courgettes and another two tonnes in a truck carrying oranges.

    The biggest ever cannabis seizure in France was in 1999 when 23.5 tonnes was seized in one haul.
 

grokit

well-worn member
^ That's a lot of hashish!

In ‘revolutionary’ shift, cannabis to be sold in pharmacies [in Israel]
Deputy health minister says medical marijuana will be prescribed and supervised like medications classified as narcotic
By Tamar Pileggi July 27, 2015, 1:11 pm


Purchasing medicinal marijuana in Tel Aviv. (photo credit: Abir Sultan/Flash90)

Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman announced Monday that pharmacies will be stocked with medical marijuana to ease the often arduous bureaucratic process faced by patients prescribed the drug.

During an address to the Knesset Committee on Drug and Alcohol Abuse, Litzman said the current system of dispensing medical marijuana to patients was unbalanced.

“Today pharmacies give out all kind of drugs, including narcotics such as morphine, and it’s done in a perfectly orderly fashion. So marijuana will be handled the same way,” he said.

“It will be prescribed and monitored by the same standards as other medications,” he added.

Litzman, who heads the United Torah Judaism party, said the move would ease pressure on the overcrowded medical marijuana dispensaries that struggle to serve thousands of Israelis prescribed the drug.

Committee chairwoman Tamar Zandberg (Meretz) thanked the deputy minister for his “revolutionary” decision and hailed the ultra-Orthodox lawmaker for publicly supporting the initiative.

“We heard a revolutionary statement on this issue for the first time in several years,” the Meretz MK said.

“This is huge news. Thank you for publicly stating your principles on this matter. I think many people will welcome this change,” she added.


United Torah Judaism MK Yaakov Litzman in the Knesset, September 15, 2014 (Noam Revkin Fenton/Flash90)

Zionist Union MK Shelly Yachimovich, who also serves on the committee, hailed Litzman’s decision as a humane solution for those suffering from chronic illnesses who are forced to undergo a frustrating bureaucratic process to fill their prescription.

“Cannabis is a source of hope and healing for many when every other medicine has failed,” she wrote in a Facebook post, noting, too, her support for full decriminalization of the drug for recreational use.

Litzman said the Health Ministry would seek to publish a tender allowing additional farmers to grow cannabis for medical purposes, but was being challenged by the current growers on technical grounds. The ministry was hoping to double the number of government-approved cannabis growers in Israel, which currently stands at eight, he said.

Earlier this year, Litzman sought state subsidies for medicinal marijuana, after parents of dozens of children suffering from severe cases of epilepsy turned to him for assistance.

Israel has gained a reputation as an expert grower of cannabis for use as a pain reliever for those suffering from serious illnesses, such as cancer, glaucoma and multiple sclerosis. Among Western countries, Israel already has one of the highest per-capita rates of legal cannabis use, with over 21,000 people medically licensed to use the drug.


Meretz MK Tamar Zandberg attends a committee meeting in the Knesset on June 30, 2015 (Issac Harari/Flash90)

Public attitude toward cannabis has been shifting in recent years, not only in support of its medicinal use, but also in calling for decriminalization or legalization of its recreational use.

Last month, a number of Knesset members introduced legislation to decriminalize marijuana that would allow Israelis over the age of 21 to hold up to one plant, 15 seeds, and five grams of pot without penalty.

Under the move, spearheaded by freshman MK Yinon Magal (Jewish Home party), the plant would be legal for private use, with individuals allowed to keep small amounts of cannabis and derivative products in their homes.

Similar bills have been shot down in the past, but legalization activists have high hopes this time, after a group of eight Knesset members from across the political spectrum indicated they would support the proposal.

Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
 

grokit

well-worn member
"Your senator voted for reform
Inbox
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Michael Collins - Drug Policy Alliance actionfeedback@drugpolicy.org
1:30 PM (12 minutes ago) to me


[Grokit],

Last week, the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee voted to allow banks to provide financial services to marijuana businesses without fear of federal prosecution. Thanks to advocates like you, the vote passed 16-14.

This was the first time that U.S. Senators have ever voted on the issue of marijuana legalization for adult use. Your senator sits on the committee and was one of the 16 senators who voted the right way.

Thank your senator for voting in favor of marijuana banking legislation and to continue supporting federal marijuana law reform.

Here is a list of everyone who voted yes:
  • Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)
  • Patrick Leahy (D-VT)
  • Bill Cassidy (R-LA)
  • Barbara Mikulski (D-MD)
  • Christopher Coons (D-DE)
  • Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
  • Dick Durbin (D-IL)
  • Patty Murray (D-WA)
  • Jeff Merkley (D-OR)
  • Brian Schatz (D-HI)
  • Steve Daines (R-MT)
  • Jon Tester (D-MT)
  • Chris Murphy (D-CT)
  • Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)
  • Jack Reed (D-RI)
  • Tom Udall(D-NM)
A majority of states have legalized marijuana for medical or adult use. It’s absurd and dangerous that marijuana businesses can’t access checking accounts, credit cards, and other financial services because banks fear prosecution by the federal government.

Legal marijuana businesses should be treated just like any other legitimate business. And this vote was a huge step toward making that happen.

Your senator needs to know you support their vote. Make your voice heard and help us move marijuana law reform forward on the federal level.

Sincerely,

Michael Collins
Policy Manager, National Affairs
Drug Policy Alliance"
 

CarolKing

Singer of songs and a vapor connoisseur
This is from 2012 but it captured my attention. I am curious if this still goes on? It's sounds kinda scarey.

What is a Drug Inspection Checkpoint and are They Legal?
1
BY BARRY BLUNTMAN ON MARCH 28, 2012BUSTS


Ninjasmoker and I are in the middle of one of the most epic road trips of all time. We departed from Eugene, Oregon on Wednesday, March 21 heading to Denver, Colorado. Why would we drive so far? For the 13th annual Students for Sensible Drug Policy Conference of course! Oh wait, you mean why did we drive instead of fly…let’s just say that when I travel outside of Oregon, I always bring a little bit of Oregon with me. I wish I didn’t have to. If Colorado had a reciprocity agreement with Oregon, I would just fly with my mmj or purchase some mmj when I got to Denver.

However, these are not options for out of state medical marijuana cardholders that are visiting Colorado, so we had to go old school and just drive with it. The first leg of the drive was not that bad. We met up with some activists in the Reno, Nevada area which broke up the trip. It’s always fun to bring some Oregon treats to other areas that are not as fortunate as Oregon and see how people react. The look on people’s faces is priceless lol.

Everything on the trip was going well. I was driving east of Reno for the first time, and I was very excited to see Eastern Nevada and Utah. Things took a drastic turn for the worst on I-80 near Battle Mountain, Nevada. For those of you that haven’t had the pleasure of visiting the fine area outside of Battle Mountain, I wouldn’t be surprised. The area is very remote, there are not that many exits, and seeing anything that is alive in such a desolate desert is rare. Ninjasmoker and I had fought the urge to smoke a bowl the few hours we had been driving from Reno, but decided to sneak one in about twenty miles before Battle Mountain. After a handful of pulls off of the pipe (Rowdy Roddy Piper is it’s name), we backed off and were looking at the scenery.

As with most road trips, we saw several orange construction signs along the freeway. We saw so many of them at this point of the trip, I didn’t really look at them anymore. However, one particular orange road sign caught my eye because it was knocked over on the ground, and the text on the sign was different than my sub-conscience was used to I suppose. I was pretty sure that the sign read, ‘Drug Inspection Checkpoint K-9 1 Mile’…to which I reacted with the comment, ‘what the f#ck was that?’ while pointing like I had just seen a dead body.

Ninjasmoker asked me why I was so worked up all of a sudden. As I was explaining to him what I thought I saw, sure enough, there were more signs lining both sides of the road that indeed read ‘Drug Inspection Checkpoint K-9 1 Mile.’ Instantly Ninjasmoker started spraying Axe body spray like his life depended on it. I slowed down a little bit and rapidly thought in my head about what we should do. Ninjasmoker and I drive more than any other humans I have ever met. For instance, in the last two months we have driven from Oregon to Los Angeles three times, in addition to this Denver trip. Not one time, ever, have we seen or heard of a drug checkpoint. All of our mmj was in a heat sealed bag inside of a duffle bag, underneath a bunch of other bags in the trunk, but that provided little reassurance in this time of need.

We essentially had three choices as I saw it. 1) We could do an illegal, unsafe U-turn on the freeway and head back the other way. 2) We could take the next exit and turn around. 3) We could just face the music and keep driving straight. The unsafe U-turn did not seem desirable, as we were driving a small car and would probably get mangled when we went off-road. Having K-9’s walking around my car didn’t seem like a good idea either, so we decided to take the next exit…That was until we saw about 10 unmarked police trucks, 10 marked patrol cars, and 5 SUV’s. As much as I didn’t want to face the impending drug inspection point up the road, I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that I didn’t want to drive into that swarm of hate!

So, begrudgingly, I kept driving. I thought it was weird that there wasn’t a traffic jam as a result of bringing so many vehicles to a screeching halt on a 75 mile an hour freeway. We were going over some hills, so seeing into the distance was difficult. I expected the drug inspection point to be just over the horizon. We drove for what seemed to be a mile, discussing the legalities of such a search. Then we drove what seemed to be two miles…then three…After awhile I began to wonder what the scoop was with this K-9 roadside shakedown. ‘Did we just barely miss the checkpoint, and drive by when they were just getting ready to set up?’ I asked Ninjasmoker. We agreed that we would take the next exit into Battle Mountain, provided that there wasn’t a law enforcement convention going on like the last exit we were going to take.

After our heart rates were back to normal, we started to wrap our heads around what just happened. As with most scenarios when we need answers, we Googled ‘drug inspection checkpoint.’ What we found out was mind blowing, and VERY important for all marijuana consumers to know. Below is information provided by Flex Your Rights:

“There isn’t exactly such a thing as a drug checkpoint. In City of Indianapolis v. Edmond, the Supreme Court found random drug checkpoints unconstitutional in 2000. Since then, police (particularly in the mid-west) have gotten into the habit of putting signs up warning drivers of upcoming drug checkpoints and then detaining and searching drivers who make illegal u-turns or desperately fling contraband from their vehicles. These checkpoint-like fake checkpoints serve as the functional equivalent of a checkpoint without violating the Court’s prohibition against checkpoints.

We’ve received several emails about this practice over the past couple years and we’ve mentioned it in our presentations, but perhaps this is something that deserves more attention. The prodigious Drug WarRant blogger Peter Guither encountered one of these non-checkpoints over the Thanksgiving weekend, and had some very interesting observations. Most notably, the sign warning of an upcoming drug checkpoint was located shortly before a rest area exit ramp, the intended result being that drivers wishing to avoid the checkpoint would pull in. Peter did not stop, but observed officers in the rest area parking lot using dogs to sniff approaching vehicles.

As practiced previously, the fake checkpoint tactic often took place on open stretches of highway, provoking illegal u-turns into oncoming traffic and the disposal of contraband onto the roadside…By steering alarmed motorists into a canine-infested rest area, police could circumvent the need to trigger traffic violations as a pretext for drug searches.”
 

MinnBobber

Well-Known Member
Oh yes, this still goes on. I see these roadside "drug inspections" in my state all the time.
.......................................
hd, are your state's "drug inspections" also phantom ones like the article, where they use signs to scare folks to exit and then nail them?
Or do they really have roadblocks and do a real inspection?
 

hd_rider

Well-Known Member
.......................................
hd, are your state's "drug inspections" also phantom ones like the article, where they use signs to scare folks to exit and then nail them? Or do they really have roadblocks and do a real inspection?

The ones I've seen are the phantom type that attempt to scare people to exit the freeway only to find the police with dogs waiting at the bottom of the off-ramp. And I've seen long lines at those off-ramps, telling me that anyone who exits will be inspected.
 

hd_rider

Well-Known Member
In rise of U.S. vape shops, owners eye new marijuana market

(Reuters) - When Matt and Jen Osmun opened their vape shop in Bethel, Connecticut, last December, they didn't expect to get a boost from the local medical marijuana outlet.

"Sales are going really well, and getting better every month," said Jen Osmun, who started the business with her husband, a former plumber, after he was injured in an accident. Most customers at Grassy Plain Vape & Smoke buy electronic cigarettes to help them quit smoking tobacco, but a growing number are referred by medical marijuana commissaries in the neighborhood - the nearest is about five miles away.

The Osmuns' experience is becoming more common as the number of U.S. vape shops soars and shop owners seek to capitalize not only on the vaping trend, but on the more widespread, and legal, use of medical marijuana.

Since 2008, the number of U.S. vape shops has grown to about 8,500, and the sale of electronic cigarettes and supplies climbed to $3.5 billion, according to Wells Fargo Securities analyst Bonnie Herzog. She expects U.S. use of e-cigarettes and vaporizers to overtake combustible cigarettes in 10 years.

Marijuana represents an additional lucrative market. IBISWorld, a market research firm, projects sales of cannabis for medical use to increase to $13.4 billion in 2020 from $3.6 billion in 2015, largely due to demand from an aging population with conditions such as arthritis, Alzheimer's disease and glaucoma.

GreenWave Advisors, an industry research firm, estimates marijuana sales could reach $35 billion in 2020 if all 50 states legalize marijuana for both medical and recreational uses.

Medical marijuana use is permitted in 23 states and the District of Columbia for a number of conditions, including cancer, multiple sclerosis, severe pain and HIV/AIDS, according to the Marijuana Policy Project. Another 15 states allow patients - often with severe seizure disorders - to use a few strains of cannabis for treatment. Recreational use is legal in Colorado, Washington, Oregon and Alaska.

At many vape shops, the new customers are typically older nonsmokers suffering from serious illness, according to vape shop owners, customers and industry experts.

Patients and medical marijuana groups say they prefer the vaping device for marijuana rather than smoking because they believe there are lower risks. Some states, including New York and Minnesota, prohibit patients from smoking the cannabis. In a vape device, the cannabis leaves or concentrate are heated to a temperature that's lower than required for combustion.

Vaping devices, which can be as small as a ball point pen, also provide medical marijuana users with more privacy, since the vapor released by the heating device is nearly odorless.

"Vaporized cannabis is a really significant trend in both medical and adult use," said Christie Lunsford, a Colorado-based consultant who focuses on issues involving cannabis. "It's consistent, it's almost instantaneous, and it's appropriate for a wide variety of consumers."

NOT A SMOKING CROWD

Tulsa, Oklahoma-based Palm Beach Vapors has opened 14 shops and is in the process of starting another eight, said Chip Paul, CEO and co-owner. He told Reuters that 90 percent of the franchisees eventually hope to capitalize on marijuana-related sales.

Individual stores pay a $25,000 franchise fee and $50,000 for initial stocking, while Palm Beach Vapors helps train workers and set up the store. Franchisees are on average grossing about $20,000 a month, Paul said.

"We think the cannabis market will mimic and mirror the tobacco market," he said. "We think they will see this (vapor) as a safer alternative."

Patients need a doctor's approval to get the marijuana, which is typically available from state approved dispensaries, private growers, and - in some instances - their own plants if they can't afford the cannabis, which is not covered by most insurance plans.

At the same time, vaping devices have gone mainstream as the industry pushes them as an alternative to tobacco. Marijuana dispensaries in some states also sell the electronic devices.

But vape shops, with their larger selection of devices, have seen an uptick in sales especially from consumers who don't want to shop at tobacco stores or head shops, which cater more to recreational use.

"We try to steer our patients to someone who will explain to them the different models and find them the one that is right for them," said JoAnne Leppanen, executive director of the Rhode Island Patient Advocacy Coalition. "You don't necessarily want to go into a place geared for people who want a tie-dyed T-shirt."

The process can be daunting for someone who is seriously ill and struggles to even hold a device because of tremors, arthritis or other medical conditions.

Leppanen said medical marijuana patients "do not want to be associated with recreational use." They also want their privacy. Some patients don't even "want their cars to be seen in a dispensary parking lot," she said.

EARLY INVESTMENT

Most investments in the future of legal marijuana have focused on growing, branding and technology firms, especially those already producing medical marijuana. A subsidiary of Scotts Miracle-Gro Co, for example, purchased General Hydroponics Inc, which is popular with indoor marijuana growers.

A small number of private equity and hedge funds have invested in companies that produce and market the cannabis. Billionaire Peter Thiel's Founders Fund, for example, has invested in Privateer Holdings, which has raised $82 million. Privateer's portfolio includes companies like Tilray - a medical cannabis company in Canada - which has applied for a license in New York.

Privateer has also invested in Leafly, a tech company that helps consumers find cannabis information, doctors and stores.

By contrast, vape shops are still primarily mom-and-pop operations. VaporFi, one of the largest franchises, has grown in two years to 52 stores.

Kevin Cintorino opened Elevated to sell vaping equipment and snacks in Providence, Rhode Island, where medical marijuana users can gather to vape. He came up with the business plan during a college class.

"Why not open a place where we could get the entire patient community together?" he said.

John Avey and his father, Dillard, opened in May a Palm Beach Vapors franchise in rural Council Bluffs, Iowa, to supplement income from their seasonal cement business. Sales have been so good that they're already planning more stores.

"It's like the cherry on top," said John Avey, 25, about the equipment sales for cannabis. (Reporting by Jilian Mincer; Editing by Michele Gershberg and John Pickering)

http://in.reuters.com/article/2015/07/29/usa-ecigarettes-shops-idINL1N10839Q20150729
 

LuckySeed777

Well-Known Member
http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/07/dea-marijuana-120674.html#.VbwdoOnn_qA

"After Obama said he believed marijuana was less dangerous than alcohol, Leonhart lambasted her boss as soft on drugs—and criticized the White House staff for playing in a softball league that included advocates from a drug reform group.

Then, she tried to bigfoot Sen. Mitch McConnell over his farm bill hemp provision; she slow-walked Sen. Chuck Grassley for three years over his questions about the DEA’s improper detention of a San Diego college student; and she was downright dismissive of an inspector general report that showed her agents had sex with prostitutes in Colombia who were paid for by the drug cartels the agents were supposed to be fighting. One by one, Leonhart eliminated all her friends in Congress, even as national attitudes about marijuana were shifting under the DEA’s feet."

Views from the other side,
http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2015/jul/30/marijuana-legalization-DEA-illegal/


"A recent example of the logical abandon of today’s backers of legal marijuana is the plan to defund the Drug Enforcement Administration’s program to eradicate illegal marijuana (DEA/CESP), an $18 million program that eliminates millions of plants a year and arrests thousands of criminals, many of whom were brought here to labor for Mexican drug cartels controlling the marijuana black market.

Yet Congressman Ted Lieu (D-CA) wants to end the effort as a “ridiculous waste” of federal resources, when multiple states “have already legalized marijuana,” use of which should “no longer be a federal crime.” Clearly, the congressman has not thought this through..."
 
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Nesta

Well-Known Member
http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/07/dea-marijuana-120674.html#.VbwdoOnn_qA

"After Obama said he believed marijuana was less dangerous than alcohol, Leonhart lambasted her boss as soft on drugs—and criticized the White House staff for playing in a softball league that included advocates from a drug reform group.

Then, she tried to bigfoot Sen. Mitch McConnell over his farm bill hemp provision; she slow-walked Sen. Chuck Grassley for three years over his questions about the DEA’s improper detention of a San Diego college student; and she was downright dismissive of an inspector general report that showed her agents had sex with prostitutes in Colombia who were paid for by the drug cartels the agents were supposed to be fighting. One by one, Leonhart eliminated all her friends in Congress, even as national attitudes about marijuana were shifting under the DEA’s feet."

Views from the other side,
http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2015/jul/30/marijuana-legalization-DEA-illegal/


"A recent example of the logical abandon of today’s backers of legal marijuana is the plan to defund the Drug Enforcement Administration’s program to eradicate illegal marijuana (DEA/CESP), an $18 million program that eliminates millions of plants a year and arrests thousands of criminals, many of whom were brought here to labor for Mexican drug cartels controlling the marijuana black market.

Yet Congressman Ted Lieu (D-CA) wants to end the effort as a “ridiculous waste” of federal resources, when multiple states “have already legalized marijuana,” use of which should “no longer be a federal crime.” Clearly, the congressman has not thought this through..."
Thanks @AlteredConsciousness - that Politico article is comprehensive & optimistic. It details how the tide is changing in Congress even faster than I had realized. Major gains have been made this year, on numerous fronts, with Republicans leading the way in some cases. There are still bottlenecks, especially with committee heads holding up some bills but the article paints an optimistic picture for the near future.
 

Gunky

Well-Known Member
The author of the first article is the son of a Kentucky Republican state senator. So he plays up Republican help in loosening up the war on cannabis; he carefully avoids mentioning how the Republicans tried to choke off DC's attempt to legalize by preventing the city from spending money on legalization, regulation, etc.
 

macbill

Oh No! Mr macbill!!
Staff member
As reported above,

Congress' Summer Fling with Marijuana


A Senate panel, for the first time, voted in favor of legal, recreational marijuana. Last Thursday, the Appropriations Committee voted 16-14 on an amendment to allow marijuana businesses access to federal banking services...
[The] war [on marijuana] appears to be winding down—potentially quickly. The summer of 2015 could be viewed historically as the tipping point against Nixon’s war on pot, the time when the DEA, a federal drug-fighting agency created by Nixon in 1973, found itself in unfamiliar territory as a target of congressional scrutiny, budget cuts and scorn.

=======================================================
From Motley Fool:

1 Statistic That Demonstrates Why the Marijuana Movement Is So Powerful

[C]reeping its way up the list of important [Presidential Issue] topics that the American public wants addressed is the issue of marijuana legalization.
 
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Wahiker

Well-Known Member
D.A.R.E. Accidentally Publishes Pro-Marijuana Legalization Post
The post, titled “Purchasing marijuana puts kids at risk," was published in The Columbus Dispatch earlier in the day. Its author, Carlis McDerment, is a former deputy sheriff who works with Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP), an international nonprofit devoted to opposing the war on drugs.

McDerment argued in the letter that laws criminalizing marijuana make the substance more accessible to minors.

“I know from enforcing senseless marijuana laws that children only are being put in more danger when marijuana is kept illegal,” said McDerment, who wrote in response to a previous letter to the editor that argued legalized marijuana would harm kids.

“The goal of prohibiting marijuana was to eradicate its use, but in reality, the drug has become infinitely harder for law enforcement to control," he continued in the letter.

While marijuana consumption can certainly be harmful to children, McDerment wrote, “anyone who suggests we outlaw everything dangerous to children would also have to ban stairs, Tylenol, bleach, forks and outlet socks and definitely alcohol… The answer isn’t prohibition and incarceration; the answer is regulation and education.”
 

LuckySeed777

Well-Known Member
Big Pharma-Produced Cannabis Is Likely Coming to the U.S.

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/7925956

"For those hoping that Big Pharma could still be blocked from the medical cannabis scene there is bad news: the deal is done. Look for the first naturally-derived, Big Pharma-produced cannabis product to be on the market by the first half of 2016, perhaps even sooner."

"there are plenty of signs that Epidiolex will breeze through this final stage and will thus have cleared the FDA's testing requirements. For any other drug the remaining details would be purely administrative but Epidiolex is derived from cannabis and that puts a few more hurdles in the way before marketing can begin. There are, however, plenty of signs that government officials are literally paving the way for this new player."
 
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