NOT GUILTY: Marijuana Grower With MS faced 5-10 Years for growing 17 marijuana plants
A New Jersey man on trial for growing 17 marijuana plants on his property was found not guilty yesterday of the most serious charge against him, that of operating a drug production facility, which carries a potential 20-year sentence. But multiple sclerosis-sufferer John Wilson, 37, still faces the possibility of five to 10 years in prison, because the jury found him guilty of second-degree manufacturing and third-degree drug possession. It's possible that Wilson avoided conviction on the most serious charge because he cast doubt on the credibility of state troopers who arrested him in August 2008—with a little help from the National Guard.
Wilson maintains that he was growing the marijuana because it helps alleviate his MS symptoms, but Superior Court Judge Robert Reed had ruled that the validity of medical marijuana was a matter for the Legislature and inadmissible in court. Nevertheless, Wilson was able to make one mention of his condition during his testimony on Wednesday, when he contradicted the state troopers who swore they did not discuss why he was growing the drug. "I told them I was not a drug dealer and I was using the marijuana to treat my M.S.," Wilson said.
California Marijuana Measure Set for 2010 Vote, Supporters Say
A ballot initiative to legalize recreational marijuana use in California has received enough signatures to place it before voters next year, organizers said.
The “Tax, Regulate and Control Cannabis Act of 2010” has garnered 680,000 signatures, more than the 433,971 required to be placed on the state’s ballot, said Salwa Ibrahim, a spokeswoman for the measure’s sponsor, Oaksterdam University in Oakland, which bills itself as “America’s first cannabis college.”
“We’re going to keep collecting signatures until we have to turn it in,” before the February deadline, Ibrahim said in an interview today. “They’re from all over the state of California.”
The measure, which must be certified by the secretary of state before it can officially be placed on the ballot, would allow adults 21 and older to possess an ounce of marijuana and cultivate 25 square feet (2.3 square meters) for personal consumption, Ibrahim said. Cities and counties can decide how and if to tax commercial sales and cultivation.
“So for instance, in a Danville or Alamo, if they’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, we do not want dispensaries or any of that in our communities,’ that’s fine, they don’t have to have it,” she said. “But a place like Oakland, where we desperately need the revenue, it would be a perfect fit.”
A Field Poll conducted in April showed that 56 percent of registered voters in California supported legalizing and taxing marijuana.
Rally photos: MS patient John Wilson facing 15 years for 17 plants
Rally at the Somerset City courthouse for John Wilson 12/14/09
Family and supporters of John Wilson demonstrated today in front of the Somerset County Courthouse as jury selection began in his trial.
About 50 volunteers held signs for over 5 hours and passing cars honked their support.
Without healthcare 36-year-old Wilson was using marijuana to help treat Multiple Sclerosis. John has also been enduring an overzealous prosecution on the part of the State Attorney General. He faces first-degree felony charges of ‘Operating a Drug Manufacturing Facility’ after a National Guard Helicopter spotted 17 cannabis plants growing outside his home.
Two state Senators have already appealed for a pardon in a case that has generated national outrage and national media attention. John has been barred by the trial judge from telling the jury that he has MS.
President Obama: Free the Medical Marijuana Researchers!
The War on Drugs continues, four decades after President Richard Nixon commenced hostilities. President Barack Obama--the third president in a row to have used illicit substances in his youth--is no drug warrior. However, he seems unlikely to challenge the disastrous new prohibition.
The president has, however, ended the federal campaign against medical marijuana, ordering administration officials to respect state laws legalizing the drug for medicinal purposes. This policy will grow increasingly important as more states allow use of med-pot (for instance, in November Maine voters legalized medical marijuana dispensaries). Congress should approve legislation introduced by Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), codifying administration policy into law.
Trouble Ahead for Medical Marijuana in California
A display case at Belmont Shore Natural Care showcases a large variety of marijuana types at the dispensary in Long Beach, California. Credit: Corbis
California and Los Angeles have been pioneer sites for the expansion of the legal right to use marijuana. But local officials may now be at the forefront of curtailing some of that exuberance. If the Los Angeles city council has its way, the plethora of largely unregulated medical-marijuana facilities that have become a neighborhood blight in parts of the city may finally be brought under control. L.A. officials and medical-marijuana advocates estimate there may be as many as 1,000 such dispensaries. But in a preliminary vote on Tuesday, Dec. 8, the council indicated its intention to cap the number at just 70.
At the same time, the language of the medical-marijuana ordinance being debated is putting dispensaries under increased scrutiny. At the moment, the proposed ordinance would allow the facilities to accept monetary contributions for their services, a way of finessing the stipulation under state law that dispensaries remain essentially nonprofits. Currently all dispensaries stay in business by selling marijuana, a status that city attorney Carmen Trutanich and Los Angeles County district attorney Steve Cooley believe already violates the nonprofit requirement. According to their interpretation, recent court decisions have shown that marijuana collectives cannot sell the drug over the counter for a profit, although members can be reimbursed for the cost of growing it. "Whatever [the city council does] come up with, we will study very carefully, and if they're proposing anything that is inconsistent with California state law, we will ignore their act and enforce the law as we're sworn to do," Cooley tells TIME.
Some high times in southern Oregon – Section leads Oregon in medical marijuana cards
In this August 2009 photo provided by the Rogue Area Drug Enforcement Team via The Grants Pass Daily Courier a marijuana grow site in on Allen Creek Road is seen in Grants Pass. Josephine County has hundreds of grow sites for medical marijuana.
‘‘Not Frank’’ doesn’t want his real name getting around. It could cost him his crop, even if it’s behind a 6-foot electric fence. And ‘‘Not Frank’’ isn’t completely legal himself.
Elsewhere, James Bowman says he’s just another farmer, with Tasers, surveillance cameras and pepper spray, after a plot to steal his crop at gunpoint failed.
‘‘Not Frank’’ and Bowman legally raise cannabis under the Oregon Medical Marijuana Act.
Demand among patients for OMMA cards to get relief from AIDS, glaucoma and other chronic conditions has mushroomed since a 55 percent majority of Oregonians approved the act in 1998.
As of Oct. 1, 23,873 people statewide had cards, a nearly fourfold increase since 2000, according to the Oregon Department of Human Services.
Jamaica lawmaker calls for legalizing small amounts of marijuana for private use
A ruling party lawmaker is urging Jamaica's Parliament to decriminalize possession of small quantities of marijuana for personal use.
Sen. Dennis Meadows, a deputy general secretary of the Jamaica Labor Party, issued a statement on Saturday saying that relaxing laws against marijuana cigarettes - commonly referred to as "spliffs" - would free up the island's courts and police to focus on violent street crime and harder drugs.
"What I am advocating is that ganja, at the level of spliffs for private use, be treated similarly to a traffic ticket," Meadows said.
Frequently asked questions about Medical Marijuana in Washington State
Frequently asked questions about
Medical Marijuana in Washington State
Is medical marijuana legal in Washington? I've heard conflicting answers to this question.
Marijuana possession is illegal in Washington. The medical marijuana law, Chapter 69.51A RCW, provides an affirmative defense for qualified patients and designated caregivers. People who qualify have a valid reason to possess a 60-day supply of marijuana. They may use that reason to defend against a legal action taken under Washington law. However, medical marijuana is not legal under federal law. There is no affirmative defense for people who are arrested or charged under federal law.
I heard the Obama Administration has legalized medical marijuana. Is that true?
No. U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced formal guidelines for federal prosecutors in states that have laws allowing the use of medical marijuana. The guidelines do not legalize medical marijuana. The president directed federal prosecutors to consider appropriate medical use when making criminal charging decisions. The guidelines only provide direction for prosecutors when reviewing medical marijuana cases. The guidelines do not change the laws in Washington state.
Economic boom times for the marijuana trade in Northern California
A bud of legally grown marijuana is held by a cancer patient, in Portland, Maine. Credit: AP Photo
It's boom times for the marijuana trade in Northern California. Rural Humboldt County's economy depends on both the legal and illegal sales of pot, as growers to trimmers to entrepreneurs aim to land quick cash. But some citizens, and the mayor of Arcata, are trying to "rope back in" the business.
It's not easy to tell the difference between legal medical marijuana and illegal recreational pot.
And because doctors are prescribing pot to just about anyone who wants it, these are boom times for the marijuana trade.
Decades after back-to-the-land hippies first moved to rural Humboldt County in Northern California, it remains a mecca for marijuana.
At the plaza in downtown Arcata, there are still wandering, tie-dyed souls playing guitar and bartering for handmade bongs. They openly buy, sell and trade small bags of primo weed.
Nick Larson and his buddy hitchhiked to town to see if the streets truly are paved with pot.
"We've heard stories all the way down. 'Dude, get down to Humboldt. You gotta try their weed, it's amazing!' " he says. "So we get down here and people are like, tossing handouts, and we're just like, 'Oh my god.' Like, whether it be trim or just straight buds, it's just amazing."
In Eureka, the town next door, a long line stretches outside the Humboldt Patient Resource Center. The pot dispensary is marked with the familiar green leaf logo and a Tibetan prayer flag.
New Jersey Likely Next to Legalize Medical Marijuana — awesome.
New Jersey is poised to become the next state to allow residents to use marijuana, when recommended by a doctor, for relief from serious diseases and medical conditions.
The state Senate has approved the bill and the state Assembly is expected to follow. The legislation would then head to the governor's office for his signature.
Gov. Jon Corzine, the Democrat who lost his re-election bid last month, has indicated he would sign the bill if it reaches his desk before he leaves office in January. It would likely be one of Mr. Corzine's last acts before relinquishing the job to Republican Chris Christie.
Mr. Christie has indicated he would be supportive of such legislation, but had concerns that one draft of a bill he read didn't have enough restrictions, a spokeswoman said.
The bill has been endorsed by the New Jersey Academy of Family Physicians and the New Jersey State Nurses Association.
Support for legalizing marijuana grows rapidly around The United States… finally!
The same day they rejected a gay marriage ballot measure, residents of Maine voted overwhelmingly to allow the sale of medical marijuana over the counter at state-licensed dispensaries.
Later in the month, the American Medical Association reversed a longtime position and urged the federal government to remove marijuana from Schedule One of the Controlled Substances Act, which equates it with heroin.
A few days later, advocates for easing marijuana laws left their biannual strategy conference with plans to press ahead on all fronts -- state law, ballot measures, and court -- in a movement that for the first time in decades appeared to be gaining ground.
