California’s medical marijuana dispensaries are legal in the state, but in breach of federal law. Now feds are cracking down on businesses that distribute the product, telling them they have 45 days to shut down. [More]
marijuana
Mayor Of Florida City Says Marijuana Growing In Yard Isn't Hers
By 7.28.11
On the list of people likely to be growing marijuana on their property, an 84-year-old mayor doesn’t rank near the top. But federal agents found the illegal plant growing on the woman’s property in central Florida. The incident forced her to defend herself at an Oak Hill city commission meeting, at which she said she suspects a political enemy tried to set her up. [More]
Philadelphia Saves $2 Million By Not Prosecuting Pot Smokers
By 7.8.11
Just over a year ago, the powers that be in Philadelphia effectively decriminalized possession of small amounts of marijuana by offering offenders the chance to enroll in a three-hour class that would expunge the offense from their records. Not only did this give Philadelphia police more time and energy to focus on more serious crimes, it has also saved the city a pretty sizable Ziploc bag of green stuff. [More]
Miracle-Gro Wants To Help You Grow Your Medical Marijuana
By 6.14.11
Medical marijuana is legal in 16 states and will reportedly account for nearly $2 billion in sales this year. And even though marijuana growers use any number of major brand-name plant products on their crops, the big companies have shied away from acknowledging this fact… and they certainly don’t openly market to them. But the CEO of Scotts Miracle-Gro wants to change that. [More]
Dutch Seek To End 'Drug Tourism'
By 11.19.10
For those of you who thought it might be worth it to be screened and patted-down by the TSA for your trip to the Netherlands, just so long as you could sit in a “coffee shop” and get stoned without threat of a legal hassle, here’s some bad news. In an effort to curb so-called “drug tourism,” the Dutch government is looking to limit the sale of cannabis to residents only. [More]
Law Enforcement Group: Legalize Pot So Cops Have Time To Fight Real Crime
By 9.14.10
In November, California voters will have their say on Proposition 19, which would make it legal to grow, possess and use up to an ounce of marijuana for personal use. And as that decision day draws near, a group of law enforcement insiders has come out in support of the proposition, saying it would free up the police to focus its efforts on more serious crimes. [More]
Don't Send Your Sheriff A Text When You're Looking To Buy Pot
By 9.7.10
For those of you looking to purchase marijuana via text message, here’s a free tip: Pay attention to the number you’re texting. Just ask the Montana teen who screwed up and accidentally sent his pot request to his local sheriff. [More]
Sacramento TV Station Airs First Ever Ad For Medical Marijuana Dispensary
By 9.2.10
KTXL in Sacramento is toking tooting its own horn a bit this week, claiming that they are the first TV station in the US to air an ad for a medical marijuana dispensary. [More]
V.A. Okays Medical Marijuana For Veterans In 14 States & D.C.
By 7.26.10
Even though more than a dozen states and Washingon, D.C., continue to square off with the federal government regarding the legality of medical marijuana, the folks at the Veterans Affairs Dept. has decided not to penalize veterans who use the drug in states where its permitted for medicinal use. [More]
Oakland Gives Thumbs-Up To Large-Scale Marijuana Factories, Asks "Are You Gonna Eat That?"
By 7.21.10
While L.A. has been cracking down in a harsh way on medical marijuana dispensaries, its much cooler cousin up north, Oakland, is opening its arms to embrace the demon weed. Yesterday, the Oakland City Council approved an ordinance that could take pot-growing out of your basement and into legitimate commercial factories. [More]
Philadelphia No Longer A Total Buzz Kill For Marijuana Consumers
By 6.9.10
The city that brought the world the “blunt” has decided to chill out on folks who toke. As of yesterday, possession of 30 grams or less of marijuana has been downgraded to a relatively minor offense. [More]
Union Organizing California Weed Workers
By 5.29.10
You know an industry has hit the big time when labor unions decide it’s time to organize the workers. So, it looks like California’s medical marijuana workers are about to reach new highs now that the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 5 in San Jose has begun organizing local pot purveyors. Here’s the big question, though: How long before they start showing up to picket non-union shops with a giant inflatable bong? [More]
Marijuana Dispensaries In Montana Firebombed
By 5.11.10
Some residents of Billings, Montana are pretty upset at the burgeoning medical marijuana industry there–CNN says the town of 100,000 has had about 90 applications for storefronts since the state legalized it in 2004, and that the businesses operate with little regulation. On consecutive mornings this past weekend, someone spraypainted “Not in our town” on the sides of two establishments, then threw rocks through the front doors followed by Molotov cocktails. And then they probably chilled out for a while. [More]
Map: Is Your Local Pot Store About To Be Shut Down?
By 5.6.10
Earlier this week, Los Angeles authorities announced that 439 currently legal marijuana dispensaries would have to shut their doors by June 7 or face fines of up to $2,500 a day and possible jail time. Only about 130 dispensaries will remain open after the June 7 deadline. And thanks to the folks at the L.A. Times, citizens of L.A. now have an interactive map showing where the stores to be shuttered are located. [More]
Oakland Is Out Of Weed, City Council Declares
By 5.3.10
Only in the Bay Area does it become an official civic emergency when pot stashes dry up. The Easy Bay Express reports the Oakland City council declared a local public health emergency because supplies of medical marijuana have dwindled. [More]
Should "Legal Pot" Be Made Illegal?
By 4.20.10
For several years, it’s been completely legal for just about anyone in the U.S. to get their hands on K2, a so-called “herbal incense” which also happens to be sprayed with cannabinoids, meaning you should get a similar experience from smoking K2 as you would marijuana. However, it’s recently been banned in Kansas and the state of Illinois is looking into the legality of K2. [More]
Brooklyn Police Close 6 Stores On The Same Street For Selling Pot
By 4.6.10
Up until today, if you lived near a certain street in Crown Heights, Brooklyn and wanted some pot, you just had to go to the nearby variety store. Or the music store. Or the take-out restaurants. MyFox New York says police “made a sweep of the neighborhood” today and shut down six businesses for selling drugs either in the back or right alongside the regular merchandise. They also arrested 8 people, including a few store owners and employees, and are planning more arrests. Video below. [More]
Californians To Vote On Marijuana Legalization
By 3.25.10
Forget New York’s proposal to raise the tax on cigarettes by $1 — California lawmakers have a much cloudier political situation on their hands. Election officials confirmed yesterday that voters will get the chance to say yea or nay to legalizing and taxing marijuana in their state. [More]
