Monthly Archives: June 2012

Marijuana DUI Blood limits is Rejected Again in Colorado

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Blood LimitsAs the debate continues for what should be the legal limit to drive unde the influence of marijuana, law makers have still been trying to pass the limit testing. But for the third time in Colorado, a marijuana blood limit for drivers was rejected Tuesday. Lawmakers from both parties argued about how to fairly gauge whether someone is too stoned to get behind the wheel.

The bill would have made Colorado the third state in the nation with a blood-level limit for marijuana, much as the nation has a blood-alcohol limit of .08. Currently, drugged-driving convictions depend on officer observations.

The Colorado Senate fell a single vote short on the bill setting a drivers’ blood standard for THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. The measure failed on a 17-17 tie, one vote short of the number needed to advance it.

Colorado House Committee Pass Marijuana Driving Limits

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DUIThe Colorado state House Appropriations Committee approved a bill that sets a scientific limit for what it means to be too stoned to drive today with a 9-4 vote.

Although the House Committee approved it, the bill must still go before and receive the approval of the full House on a second reading by the end of the day or the bill will stop for lack of time in the session, which the deadline is tomorrow.

If fully approved by the House today, the bill would need a third-reading approval in the House tomorrow. Bills cannot receive second-reading and third-reading OKs on the same day. I know its sound like a lot of work and approvals, but that’s the government for you.

The proposal makes it illegal to drive with more than a certain amount of THC in your system. THC, if you don’t know, is the active chemical in marijuana. The limit of 5 nanograms of THC per milliliter of blood that the bill proposes would be similar to the .08 blood-alcohol standard for drunk driving.

Supporters say the bill is scientifically sound and is needed to send a message that driving stoned is not alright. Opposers say the limit is too low and will result in near-certain convictions of sober drivers.

Early in today’s hearing, at which lawmakers also intend to take up a proposal to legalize civil unions, it appeared the bill might be caught up in a filibuster aimed at the later bill. Republican lawmakers opposed to civil unions repeatedly asked questions about earlier bills that, because of legislative rules, have no hope of becoming law. The pace then quickened, however, and it took about 20 minutes for the bill to clear the committee.

Washington Town Authorizes Marijuana Collective Gardens

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BellevueBellevue Washington has been very quiet when it comes to the medical marijuana issues, but now Bellevue is authorizing medical marijuana “collective gardens” on a interim basis in parts of the city.

Bellevue is the state’s fifth largest city and is considered a suburb of Seattle which Seattle regulates a booming dispensary industry, storefront medical marijuana outlets have sprouted throughout neighborhoods. Bellevue’s ordinance was intended to prevent that from happening.

From a Bellevue city news release:

The zoning ordinance — which only allows the gardens in areas zoned light industrial, general commercial and medical institution and prohibits them within 1,000 feet of schools and churches — gives the city six months to gather public input and consider whether any city codes need to be changed.

Even though Washington’s State law does not allow dispensaries, most medical marijuana dispensaries operate under the broad legal interpretation of the term “collective garden,” which are legal and allow up to 10 patients to collectively grow up to 45 plants. That interpretation has not been formally challenged, although a series of pending criminal charges against other dispensaries may cause it to be.

Bellevue’s ordinance was intended to prevent that, according to the news release. Many cities throughout Washington have taken a zero-tolerance approach despite state law because federal law outlaws marijuana.

Talk Show Host, Jimmy Kimmel, Confronts Obama on Federal Marijuana Crackdowns

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Kimmel During the the 2012 White House Correspondents Dinner, talk show host and comedian, Jimmy Kimmel, made a remark on the legalization of marijuana issue. He said what I’m sure millions of us are thinking and want to say.

“What is with the marijuana crackdown? Seriously, what is the concern? We will deplete the nation’s Funyun supply?” Kimmel said. “Pot smokers vote too. Sometimes a week after the election, but they vote.”

Kimmel then posed a challenge to the crowd, which was made up of many celebrities

“I would like everyone in this room to raise your hand if you’ve never smoked pot,” Kimmel said.

Few hands went up.

Noting the crowd’s reaction, Kimmel addressed President Barack Obama directly.

“Marijuana is something that real people care about,” Kimmel said.

Obama, has increased the crackdown on medical marijuana producers across the nation. Kimmel addressed the crackdown and attempted to clarify his 2008 comments that Obama was “not going to be using Justice Department resources to try to circumvent state laws on medical marijuana, in which Obama recently told Rolling Stone.

Attorney General Eric Holder was a guest of The Huffington Post at the correspondents’ dinner. Before it began, a HuffPost reporter noted to Holder that Obama’s reference to “congressional law” was misleading because the executive branch could simply remove marijuana from its “schedule one” designation, thereby recognizing its medical use.

“That’s right,” Holder said.

After Kimmel’s speech, a Holder deputy told HuffPost that there was no coordinated war on medical marijuana, but that some individual clinics were breaking both state and federal laws.

We need more people to stand up and confront Obama’s administrations. After all, they have been lying to us all.

Elementary Teacher Arrested for Marijuana Grow Operation

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Teacher BustedAn elementary school teacher in Florida has been arrested in a marijuana grow operation out of her house. Her husband has been charges along with her.

Deidra Michelle Hanna and Paul Shane Hanna were arrested Sunday at their home in Port Charlotte. They face several charges including cultivation of marijuana and tampering with evidence. They’re being held on $9,500 bond each.

A sheriff’s office statement says deputies found items outside the home that were “consistent with a marijuana growing operation.” Officials later noticed smoke billowing from the home and a strong smell of marijuana. Fire rescue officials were called to the scene and detectives went inside. They found a barrel in the garage that was used to burn marijuana.

With a signed search warrant, detectives also found the garage fully equipped to grow hydroponic marijuana.

Government Going Too Far in Marijuana Fight

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Pot ObamaEven though The Department of Justice maintains that there has been no change in the Obama administration’s medical marijuana policy, we all know that is not true. In a recent statement to Rolling Stone, President Obama said, “I never made a commitment that somehow we were going to give carte blanche to large-scale producers and operators of marijuana – and the reason is, because it’s against federal law.”

However, it also was against federal law in 2008, when candidate Obama did say he would not “use Justice Department resources to try and circumvent state laws” authorizing medical marijuana. Today, the Department of Justice is waging a full-throated war against medical marijuana dispensaries in California and other states that have legalized it. Thousands of dispensaries have been threatened over this last year alone.

In October, a group of California U.S. attorneys announced that they would focus on medical marijuana outlets. They’ve been raiding area dispensaries ever since. Last week, the office of San Francisco U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag stepped up its offensive by going to federal court to force the landlords of Novato’s Green Door Wellness Education Center and Green Tiger dispensary to forfeit their properties.

Obama is right to note that even though California and 15 other states have legalized medical marijuana, its trade violates federal law. But it is one thing for federal law enforcement to investigate dispensaries that have sold marijuana for recreational use and prosecute offenders. It is overboard when prosecutors raid establishments on a wholesale basis, seize their records and assets, arrest individuals and otherwise attempt to drive dispensaries out of business, even if that means denying access to legitimate medical marijuana users. It is ridiculous when the feds go after landlords who rent to businesses that are legal under state law.

South Dakota Mom Helps Sons Distribute Marijuana

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Moms on PotA women in Mitchell, SD has been found guilty of helping both of here sons sell marijuana. One of here sons is 17 years old and the other is 19 years old.

Charlene Stahl, 43, was convicted by a jury Tuesday after a two day trial. Her sentencing will be at a later date on charges of aiding and abetting a drug crime and contributing to the abuse, neglect or delinquency of a child. However, jurors found her not guilty of actually possessing marijuana.

Assistant Attorney General Katie Mallery asked jurors to find Stahl guilty on all three counts.

“She knows what is going on, she’s promoting it and she’s facilitating it,” the prosecutor said.

Defense attorney Mike Fink acknowledged prosecutors proved Stahl contributed to the delinquency of a minor by giving her 17-year-old son cigarettes, but he maintained that prosecutors lacked evidence for the aiding and abetting charge.

“There is no evidence at all that Charlene did anything to bring the marijuana into the house, to repackage it, or to otherwise prepare it for sale,” Fink said.

The brothers have admitted to dealing drugs but testified that their mother did not know they regularly possessed and sold marijuana. The state produced text messages between Stahl and her younger son that Mitchell Police Investigator Dean Knippling testified used coded language to discuss the sale of marijuana.

Rapper, Wiz Khalifa, Get Busted with Ganja

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RapperWell known rapper, Wiz Khalifa, was caught and charged for possession of marijuana at a Nashville, TN. hotel. Khalifa is also known for being married to “It Girl” Amber Rose.

Khalifa 24, real name Cameron Thomaz, was busted last Saturday when visiting the country music capital to perform at Vanderbilt University’s Rites of Spring concert, where he was the headliner.

Khalifa has made no secret of the fact that he is an huge fan of ganja, was ratted on by a few of the hotel guests, after the potent smell of marijuana had reportedly been wafting out of Khalifa’s room. Annoyed guests complained to the front desk personnel.

Hotel workers then contacted the local police who then knocked on Khalifa’s door. When it opened, they reportedly saw the rapper quickly fling the evidence out of the window.  The room allegedly still reeked of marijuana, though, and when authorities asked Khalifa and his companion Lonnie Howard, 27, if there were more drugs in the room, they responded that there was not.  Authorities did find the drug in question on Howard, though.

Reportedly, both Khalifa and Howard finally fessed up to police that they did have the marijuana and were cited for the misdemeanor possession.  The authorities gave them until May 14 to appear at the Davidson County courthouse for booking on the charges.

Pets and THC are Not a Good Combination

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Marijuana Eaten by petsWith more and more places legalizing marijuana, it is becoming easier to access in the open. We all know most things good for the human body does not match with an animals body, including marijuana. These days, pets are encountering more exposure to marijuana and its active chemical ingredient, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). 95% of pets exposed to THCare dogs. Do are notorious for eating just about anything and with marijuana showing up more and more in edible forms like butter, cookies and brownies, it is more tempting for your pet to consume.

TO know exactly what THC does to an animal, there was a colume in the Daily Camera in Boulder, CO that explained like this:

“THC is rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream. Signs of marijuana toxicity typically become apparent within minutes to a few hours. The most common symptoms of toxicity are neurologic abnormalities, including stumbling that potentially progresses to an inability to walk, depression, agitation, dribbling urine, twitching, seizures, pupil dilation and occasionally coma. Death is rare but can occur. About 30 percent of animals exposed to THC will develop gastrointestinal signs including drooling, vomiting and diarrhea. Because THC is lipid (fat) soluble, pets may exhibit mild to moderate symptoms for days as the chemical is slowly released from fat stores.”

If your pet does consume any THC, seek medical attention immediately from your veterinarian and be honest and up front with your veterinarian that your pet was exposed to marijuana. Keep marijuana in higher places out of your pets reach. After all, when a pet does consume THC, he/she does not get high, just really sick.

Connecticut Jumps on Board with their Medical Marijuana Bill

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Medical MarijuanaDavid Fein, U.S. Attorney, says if the state of Connecticut decides to legalize the medical use of marijuana, the federal government won’t go after the seriously ill patients who use the illegal drug but it will enforce federal drugs against those who manufacture and distribute the drug. On that note, Legislation to allow marijuana to be grown and used in Connecticut for medical purposes cleared its third hurdle on Tuesday, when the it was approved it 19-6.

The bill proposes a system for licensing medical marijuana producers, dispensing the drug, and registering qualified patients. The next stop for the bill is the House of Representatives.