A judge has sided with Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio in the first clash in what is expected to be a major court fight over the legality of President Obama’s executive immigration actions, ordering a fast track for case arguments and hearings.
Two Justice Department lawyers representing Obama in the case had asked for the deadline for their initial response to be delayed until late January.
But U.S. District Judge Beryl A. Howell in Washington, D.C., granted a motion by Arpaio’s attorney, Larry Klayman of FreedomWatch, to move things along quickly. . . . Read Complete Report
from AJC.com Updated: 2:29 p.m. Tuesday, June 4, 2013 | Posted: 10:10 p.m. Monday, June 3, 2013 By Alexis Stevens The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Photo: Seal of the City of Atlanta Georgia USA. SOURCE:Wikipedia (Public Domain)
$2.4M in counterfeit items, 4 pounds of pot seized
If you pay $40 for a $250 pair of jeans, there’s a good chance you aren’t getting the real thing.
The same goes for many of the knock-off sneakers, purses and clothes being sold at Metro Mart USA in southwest Atlanta, according to police. And there was more than high-priced sneakers, purses and clothes being sold in the market.
Vendors were also allegedly selling marijuana — some of it in plain view on the counter, Lt. Scott Kreher with Atlanta police said Tuesday. . . . Read Complete Report
Black Americans were nearly four times as likely as whites to be arrested on charges of marijuana possession in 2010, even though the two groups used the drug at similar rates, according to new federal data.
This disparity had grown steadily from a decade before, and in some states, including Iowa, Minnesota and Illinois, blacks were around eight times as likely to be arrested. During the same period, public attitudes toward marijuana softened and a number of states decriminalized its use. But about half of all drug arrests in 2011 were on marijuana-related charges, roughly the same portion as in 2010. . . . Read Complete Report
New York General Assembly approves medical marijuana bill
The New York General Assembly yesterday approved a bill allowing medical marijuana use in the Empire State.
Assembly Bill 6357 was voted in with a 95-38 vote. The discussion now moves over to the state Senate in the next few weeks, which takes up the nearly identical Senate Bill 4406. If approved, the bill would allow for qualifying patients to receive a doctor’s recommendation to use cannabis. Patients would be allowed to possess up to 2.5 ounces purchased at one of several state-regulated medical marijuana dispensaries.Overwhelmingly, New Yorkers favor medical marijuana legislation. A recent Sienna Research Institute Poll showed that 82 percent of voters agree that physicians should be able to recommend cannabis. . . . Read Complete Report
But it could be a tight squeeze to get the bill through. The Louisiana Senate adjourns next week, leaving little time to have the bill heard, debated and voted on before the politicians leave Baton Rouge for the year House Bill 103, which we’ve written about in the past, originally would have capped felony marijuana conviction sentences at five years. That version failed to clear the House floor last week, so authors amended it to make the penalties a little more harsh. . . . Read Complete Report
Florida medical marijuana advocates claim impending victory
Supporters of legalizing marijuana for medicinal purposes in Florida are sure 2014 will be the year their wish becomes reality.
“Florida is ready to explode,” said Jodi James, executive director of the Florida Cannabis Action Network. “We firmly believe that Florida patients will have legal access to cannabis by November 2014.” . . . Read Complete Report
Marijuana Law Enforcement Cost States An Estimated $3.6 Billion In 2010: ACLU
States together spent somewhere around $3.6 billion enforcing marijuana possession laws in 2010, according to a new study by the American Civil Liberties Union, entitled “The War On Marijuana In Black and White.” That’s the authors’ “best estimate,” though approximations using different methodologies put the cost as high as $6 billion and as low as $1.2 billion.
The paper grabbed headlines Tuesday with its finding that blacks are nearly four times as likely as whites to be arrested for possessing marijuana, despite both races using the drug at about the same rate.
Here are some most startling numbers from the ACLU’s report with regards to the cost of enforcing marijuana laws: . . . Read Complete Report
POT TV – Watch Cannabis Culture News LIVE every Friday at 4PM PT on http://Pot.TV for the latest news and views on pot politics and the marijuana community. In this episode: Glass is blowing up! We talk to Marco Renda of the Treating Yourself Expo about his new glass gallery and glass artist Redbeard about the great Canadian Glass Gathering.
10) MARIJUANA USE HAS NO EFFECT ON MORTALITY: A massive study of California HMO members funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) found marijuana use caused no significant increase in mortality. Tobacco use was associated with increased risk of death. Sidney, S et al. Marijuana Use and Mortality. American Journal of Public Health. Vol. 87 No. 4, April 1997. p. 585-590. Sept. 2002. . . . Complete List
Photo: Blackberry medical cannabis SOURCE: Wikimedia/Mjpression.jpg
TUESDAY, JAN 8, 2013 11:12 AM EST
Aaron Sandusky’s case shows what can happen when federal law opposes state marijuana legislation
A federal court Monday sentenced a California man to 10 years in prison for doing something that’s legal in his state. Aaron Sandusky was convicted in October on federal charges of distributing marijuana — he is one of four defendants in the United States who have faced federal prosecutors over medical marijuana dispensaries in states where medical marijuana is legal.
Sandusky, 42, ran three dispensaries in Southern California’s Inland Empire area. Medical marijuana dispensaries have been legal according to California state law since 1996.
According to reports, Sandusky told the courtroom Monday, “I want to apologize to those with me and their families who have been victimized by the federal government who has not recognized the voters of this state.” . . . Read Complete Report
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Are we on the verge of an American hemp renaissance?
Advocates for hemp legalization are gaining momentum, with Kentucky lawmakers making the biggest push
Kentucky was America’s leading hemp producer in the early 19th century. Now, 200 years later, after a historic election for drug policy has led to a shift for marijuana policy reform in America, Kentucky lawmakers are taking steps to revive the crop.
While advocates for hemp legalization say the plant could bring a wealth of green jobs to Kentucky, deep-rooted drug stigma and conflict with federal law have made passing the legislation unlikely. Nonetheless, two state bills are in the works, while a federal proposal aims to clear the way for state legalization. Lawmakers suggest the bills could at least open up the conversation about hemp, and clear up misconceptions about its use. . . . Read Complete Report