Marijuana News
Postal Service Enacts National Policy on Marijuana Advertisements
The United States Postal Service (USPS) is announcing a new national policy banning the mailing of publications that contain advertisements for marijuana. “It is unlawful to enter as mail…advertisements that seek or offer to buy or sell Schedule I controlled substances, including marijuana,” the policy reads. If USPS personnel identify mail containing such content, they […]
Palm Beach County Commissioners Vote 4-1 to Decriminalize Marijuana
Assuring their citizens have the same civil liberties as those in Broward County, Key West, Hallandale Beach, and Miami-Dade County; on Tuesday the Palm Beach County Commissioners approved a motion by a 4 to 1 vote, officially decriminalizing the possession of less than 20 grams of cannabis. The newly implemented law provides local law enforcement an […]
New Poll Shows Elevated Support for Medical Marijuana Among Utah’s Elderly
As the majority of our God-fearing country slowly accepts the scientific fact that marijuana’s cannabinoids are medicine, a new poll conducted by UtahPolicy finds that six of ten Utahns favor legalizing medical marijuana when prescribed by a licensed doctor. While the Beehive State approved limited access to medical marijuana for children with severe forms of […]
“Cherry Limeaid” Smokes The Competition at 2015 Emerald Cup
Heads up High Times Cannabis Cup, it’s time to roll over and accept the fact that your THC rich event may no longer be the gold standard for marijuana aficionados within the industry – particularly for those skilled cultivators in northern California who prefer their flower to be grown outdoors … and fed with organic […]
New Poll: Canadians Want Government-Run Pot Shops
Motivated by Trudeau’s recent stomping of Harper’s conservative party, Canadians, long identified for their love of hockey, good beer, and all things maple, are anxious for the new Prime Minister of Canada to legalize marijuana just north of the US border – insisting the newest commodity be sold by government-run pot shops, according to a […]
Dallas Texas: Chief of Police Admits Tickets Over Incarceration Is “just so damn practical”
The Dallas City Council and local Police Chief are pondering the cultivation of a much-needed pilot program – similar to the cite and release program scheduled to roll out in the Houston area on January 1, 2016 – Dallas police would instead issue citations to individuals busted with a small amount of cannabis. Currently in the […]
Conservative Republican Pushes for Nebraska Medical Marijuana
A politician from the Cornhusker state of Nebraska is turning to the public in the hopes of building support for LB643, a bill specifically aimed at legalizing smokeless medical marijuana throughout the Great Plains. According to online reports, conservative republican and medical marijuana advocate, Sen. Tommy Garrett of Bellevue visited Dakota City and Norfolk on […]
Washington DC: Marijuana Arrests Plummet Over 90% – Embracing the New Normal
In what now seems like a dark and distant reality, 2,346 people were arrested for simple marijuana possession in Washington D.C. during the 2011 calendar year. But once voters in the District of Columbia sank their teeth into initiative 71, passing it decisively, marijuana legalization/decriminalization became the new norm in our nation’s capital. Ultimately reducing the total number of marijuana related arrests to seven, as of November 6, 2015.
Yep, there’s little doubt this has been an elevated year for the marijuana reform movement, a year whose influence could alter the direction of this country’s marijuana policy for future generations.
California, which first legalized recreational marijuana in 1996, has cultivated strong public support for their 2016 ballot initiative, and looks forward to that critical day in November when they can cast their ballot for full legalization. Would-be Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders planted the seed of true reform via a piece of landmark legislation, hoping to finally snuff out the feds prohibition on marijuana. This action, many believe, compelled Hillary Clinton to reevaluate her fluctuating position on marijuana reform. Mexico’s Supreme Court recently sided with personal liberty and private medical marijuana use; a ruling many believe will end in legalized recreational marijuana south of the border (move over Canada). And last but not least – constituents in Ohio contemplated – and spurned – an ill-conceived and monopolistic initiative that would have handed over Ohio’s recreational marijuana market to the likes of Nick Lachey.
As the remaining states grapple with the new norm, Washington DC’s dramatic decline in smalltime marijuana related arrests demonstrates the socioeconomic value of marijuana legalization. Rather than wasting millions of dollars sending people to jail and ruining lives for getting high, the voting populace in our nation’s capital opted to preserve and protect future generations from having lives trashed and opportunities withheld.
Washington DC Marijuana Arrests By The Numbers:
2010: 2161
2011: 2346
2012: 1553
2013: 1215
2014: 895
2015: 7 (as of Nov. 6)
If we were to extrapolate the dramatic decline in our nation’s capital for marijuana related arrests, one can only imagine the lives saved, intellectual property protected, tax dollars safeguarded, and revenue earned from coast-to-coast.
Texas Bust: Daughter of DEA Chief Called ‘Adorable Drug Kingpin’
The head of the Drug Enforcement Administration in Beaumont, Texas, Bill Furay, has long been considered a heavy hitter within the DEA’s underground world of ruthless narcotic officers. And while he’s been famously quoted, telling those who’d listen, “You don’t see many drug traffickers retire,” his 19-year-old daughter Sarah, apparently never got that sermon.
According to a post on Raw Story, the Texas DEA agent worked diligently at creating havoc and mayhem for the Mexican drug cartel along the border. Becoming “the implacable scourge of drug dealers,” and someone who was a “ familiar presence at triumphant DEA press conferences announcing mass arrests and seizures of contraband and proceeds.”
On his way to the top of the DEA food chain, Furay led a large-scale drug bust called “Operation Blood Loss” in 2009, which boosted his professional career within the DEA hierarchy; eventually leading to another massive DEA drug bust in 2010, this time taking on the Sinaloa drug cartel’s activity along the US border.
And he’s apparently been milking that notoriety ever sense…
Most recently, Furay explained his antidrug crusade by pointing out to a group of reporters the obvious, “You don’t see many drug traffickers retire. Either they end up in prison, or they end up dead.” With the irony fueled subtext of his comment underlining the fact that it’s DEA agents like him that turn up the pressure on street level drug dealers.
Looking to follow in her father’s footsteps (sort of), Sarah also created an elevated name for herself within her chosen industry.
The seemingly ironic thing is… she played for the other team. Slinging coke, speed, acid, and whatever else she could get her hands on.
When the daughter’s bedroom was raided, police confiscated “31.5 grams of coke packaged for sale, 126 grams of some chronic marijuana, 29 ‘ecstasy’ tablets, methamphetamine and 60 doses of a drug similar to LSD.”
Unfortunately for Sarah, thanks to DEA agents like her dear old dad, the Lone Star State is known for handing down extremely harsh sentences for drug-related crimes.
Provided her father doesn’t pull any strings – Sarah is now staring down the barrel of at least three felony charges. And according to the Raw Story post, she could face up to 215 years in prison and a fine of $30,000.
As this dysfunctional family drama continues to unwind, one can’t help but wonder if Bill Furay’s understanding of the war on drugs has changed? Particularly now that his own daughter may soon be calling the Texas prison system home for the foreseeable future.
Marijuana Arrests Decline 40 Percent in The Big Apple
According to a new report, those smoking weed in NYC can breathe a little easier knowing the likelihood of their getting arrested for lighting up in certain areas of New York City has been significantly reduced.
Thanks to Mayor Bill de Blasio, marijuana arrests in the Big Apple have declined dramatically on a year-over-year basis. Dropping nearly 40 percent from 2014’s reported incarceration numbers.
Per the New York Post, as of October 20, 2015, a reported 18,000 + pot smokers in NYC had been incarcerated over the peaceful plant; while still a big number, that figure represents a steep decline from 2014’s 29,000 + marijuana related arrests.
Unfortunately, while incarceration has declined dramatically in some areas of the city, there seems to be a lack of equity in de Blasio’s enforcement plan – seemingly based on an individual’s race, class and geographical location.
During 2014 de Blasio informed the NYC police force they were to only issue tickets to those individuals busted with less than 25 grams of pot, rather than incarcerating them. This long-overdue modification was the end result of public pressure being applied to New York’s many district attorneys. After that historic switch, the issuance of tickets for weed became the new norm for some of New York’s finest. Leading to both a dramatic drop and disparity in cannabis-related incarcerations.
One notable example of this discrepancy makes the problem painfully clear.
When compared to the predominately white section of the Bronx known as Throggs Neck (located in the 45th Precinct), Kingsbridge (located in the 52nd Precinct), and mostly Dominican, police in the 45th handed out 415 tickets for the minor possession of marijuana during the first nine months of 2015 — making just 48 arrests. Conversely, cops in the 52nd Precinct of Kingsbridge (also in the Bronx) made 720 arrests and issued 168 tickets.
No doubt, the Big Apple still has a bumpy road to hoe regarding police brutality, race relations and class warfare… but 11,000 fewer lives ruined is definitely a great place to start.
(Photo Courtesy of New York Daily News)