News Feed

The Times-Herald, 14 Feb 2010 - VACAVILLE - A former City Council candidate and three of his employees have been arrested on charges of operating an illegal medical marijuana dispensary about a block from the Vacaville Police Department. Flash Gordon, 30, was arrested Thursday after being identified as the proprietor of North Bay Alternative Healing at 537 Merchant St., police said.

Pueblo Chieftain, 14 Feb 2010 - A Beulah man's conviction 'sets up' patients, some charge. A Pueblo jury took nearly eight hours Saturday to decide that a Beulah marijuana farmer was innocent of cultivating marijuana, but guilty of possessing it.

Denver Post, 14 Feb 2010 - The medical-marijuana grower arrested by Drug Enforcement Administration agents after showing his operation to 9News says he believes the DEA is hoping to make an example out of him. "I'm the poster boy now," Chris Bartkowicz said Saturday in his first interview from jail. DEA agents seized 16 boxes full of marijuana from his Highlands Ranch house near C-470 and University Boulevard on Friday afternoon. It was the same day a news story on his growing operation was set to air on 9News.

Northwest Herald, 14 Feb 2010 - McHenry County Sheriff's police already have seized more marijuana plants in indoor grow operations this year than they did in all of 2008. They busted a dozen houses last year and seized a total of 2,188 plants, including the 1,438 plants found in a McHenry rental home, said Sgt. John Koziol of the McHenry County Sheriff's Office. So far this year, sheriff's police have found 335 plants in three homes compared with the 120 plants they found in two indoor operations during 2008.

Northern Advocate, 14 Feb 2010 - A Law Commission report on controlling and regulating drug use signals that New Zealand is moving ever closer to decriminalised use of illicit drugs, a Northland drug educator says. Northland based MethCon Group director Mike Sabin warned that proposals in the review of the Misuse of Drugs Act could lead to a "breeding ground" of new drug users .

The Daily News, 14 Feb 2010 - Just as medical marijuana commerce was beginning to flourish openly in Tacoma, a Washington State Supreme Court decision sent many patients running for cover. "People are scared," said Mike Allison, a principal behind North End Club 420, one of three new Tacoma exchanges for medical marijuana patients. "And that's too bad because they're sick and they need this medicine."

Chronicle Herald, 13 Feb 2010 - Liberal MP Says Memo Mangled His Comments on Taxes, Marijuana OTTAWA - Liberal MP Mike Savage is complaining that the Conservative party has distorted his comments in a recent radio interview to paint a false picture of his views on taxes, spending and marijuana.

Union Leader, 13 Feb 2010 - GOFFSTOWN - A Weare couple whose son's alleged marijuana distribution ring got them and 11 other people arrested said before his arraignment that drug laws need to be changed. James Cashman, 25, of 64 Burnt Hill Road, Weare, was arraigned in Goffstown District Court yesterday, where Judge Paul Lawrence set bail at $100,000 cash.

Record Searchlight, 13 Feb 2010 - Carla Thompson, Shasta Lake's top planner, recalled that she felt a sense of urgency last summer when interest in opening medical marijuana dispensaries started growing in her city. The nonprofit clinics had already taken root in neighboring Redding. "We knew how many collectives were in the city of Redding at the time, and we had some concern we might see that same thing happen here," said Thompson, Shasta Lake's development services director.

New York Times, 13 Feb 2010 - It has not been terribly difficult to find a seat in the Brooklyn courtroom where three police officers are on trial on charges of abusing Michael Mineo or helping to hush it up. Some seats are occupied by relatives of the three officers; others are taken up by a smattering of apparently recreational court watchers. There are various investigators and lawyers and always at least one representative of the police officers' union.

Washington Post, 13 Feb 2010 - In launching a needle-exchange program recently, the Catholic Diocese of Albany, N.Y., said the decision came down to choosing the lesser evil. Illegal drug use is bad, but the spread of deadly diseases is worse. The medical evidence is clear, the diocese said when it began Project Safe Point in two Upstate New York locations through the local branch of Catholic Charities. Public health studies document that exchanging used syringes for new ones can reduce the spread of blood-borne diseases such as AIDS and even lead drug abusers to treatment and recovery.

Las Cruces Sun-News, 13 Feb 2010 - The state Senate will honor patient advocates on Medical Marijuana Day, today, which coincides with National Medical Marijuana Week, February 13-21. Sen. Cisco McSorley, D-Albuquerque, one of the sponsors of the Lynn and Erin Compassionate Use Act, has introduced a memorial to honor patient advocates, including Erin Armstrong and Lynn Pierson. Speakers including patients, medical marijuana producers and advocates will speak in the Rotunda beginning at 1 p.m. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake

Broomfield Enterprise, 12 Feb 2010 - Broomfield residents and businesses soon will be eligible for a tax rebate for installing solar panels or wind turbines thanks to changes to the city sales tax code approved last week. The changes also waive the requirement that schools, booster associations and parent-teacher organizations collect city sales tax when they host school fundraisers.

The StarPhoenix, 12 Feb 2010 - Biased policies against medical marijuana by Saskatchewan's governing body of medical practitioners are deterring doctors from granting prescriptions, say medicinal pot proponents. The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan's policy doesn't prohibit doctors from prescribing marijuana, but the policy states the college is uncertain of the risks and benefits because evidence of marijuana's advantages is lacking.

The Winfield Daily Courier, 12 Feb 2010 - A medical marijuana bill introduced recently in the state Legislature is unlikely to be seriously considered - much less adopted, a Cowley County state representative said. "I would say that bill probably is not going anywhere, especially after what happened with K2," said Kasha Kelley, R-Arkansas City, late last week.

Calgary Herald, 12 Feb 2010 - Alberta Justice is standing behind legislation that allows authorities to seize property connected to crime, despite a recent judge's ruling that returned a senior's condominium to her. Last Friday, Queen's Bench Justice Alan Macleod quashed a restraining order against a Calgary condo owned by Patricia Thomson.

Aurora Sentinel, 12 Feb 2010 - DENVER - Marijuana dispensaries statewide will be forced to change their business models if state legislators have their way. A bill introduced in the House earlier this month would require dispensaries to be designated as state nonprofits and would allow cities to regulate or ban dispensaries at their discretion. House Bill 1284 is sponsored by Rep. Tom Massey, R-Poncha Springs, and would also impose a one-year moratorium on the opening of new medical marijuana centers.

DrugSense Weekly, 12 Feb 2010 - Electricity is an interesting phenomenon. It gives light to see clearly in the dark. With clarity, we perform better; trip over fewer obstacles. Electricity is often taken for granted, as if it will always be there each time we flick a switch. It's one of those things that isn't missed until it's gone. When the lights go out, everything changes. For fifteen years, the drug policy community has benefited from a knowledge base and information hub that, like electricity, has quietly and efficiently "kept the lights on" to reform cruel and corrupt drug policies.

DrugSense Weekly, 12 Feb 2010 - DrugSense recognizes Patrick Brumm of Madison, Wisconsin for his three letters published during January. Patrick is a new letter writer who wrote during the month in support of the Jacki Rickert Medical Marijuana Act. You may read his letters at http://www.mapinc.org/writers/Patrick+Brumm - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake

DrugSense Weekly, 12 Feb 2010 - LEGALIZE IT By Stace Tackaberry Re. "Don't legalize it," by Carol James, letters, Feb. 1