cannabisnews.com: Abusers of Medical Marijuana Law Targeted Abusers of Medical Marijuana Law Targeted Posted by CN Staff on February 19, 2005 at 23:27:10 PT By Laura Clark, The Daily Journal Source: Ukiah Daily Journal Cannabis caregivers and medical marijuana users who cannot produce paperwork showing they are legitimate best beware: the Mendocino County District Attorney's Office is cracking down."Both (Sheriff) Tony (Craver) and I pledge that legitimate medical marijuana users and caregivers will never be prosecuted in the county, at least not as long as I am district attorney," DA Norm Vroman said. "With that in mind, we started looking around. ... We have had people coming from out of the county and out of the state and walking into these places with no paperwork, buying whatever they want, and that is not the way the law reads. What this does is jeopardize the legitimate caregivers and medical marijuana users."As time and staffing and finances permit, we are taking a look at these people, and if they are not within the law we are going to prosecute," Vroman said. Proposition 215, legalizing the medical use of marijuana in California, was approved by voters in 1996. "When it's obvious there is something wrong, like when a woman has four or five people in her care and she has 180 plants, I am hard pressed to see how four, five, six or 10 people would need 180 plants. When we find that (scenario) we can file on them, and we have started doing that," the district attorney said.Vroman said the DA's Office has taken a harder look at caregivers in the last 90 days, following several recent incidents, including one where two people from out-of-state with no paperwork were allegedly buying from a local cannabis club that is reportedly only supplying to people who have designated it as a caregiver. (Vroman said he didn't want to specify who he was referring to, because the case is under investigation.) Due to a change in state law, law enforcement will do even more investigations surrounding medical marijuana.The state is in the process of establishing a statewide medical marijuana card program, but it's not ready quite yet, Undersheriff Gary Hudson said Friday.Once in place, it won't prohibit counties or cities from continuing their own medical marijuana card program, but it will create a standard card that will be recognized statewide, Hudson said. One of the weaknesses of the local cards is that they are unique to the area where they are issued, so a Mendocino County card, for instance, might not be recognized by law enforcement in another county, he said. "Under the new statewide card program, the law is very specific. If an individual presents a valid statewide card and they're within the possession limits set by the law, then they cannot be arrested and they cannot be prosecuted, and that applies statewide," Hudson said.One of the benefits of the local program -- which won't be the case with the state program -- is that law enforcement can search a database to verify whether or not someone's card is valid. The database identifies the grower and the location where he or she is growing the marijuana.In other words, if law enforcement contacts someone in possession of marijuana and that person presents a card, it's easy to check the authenticity of the card, Hudson said."In that respect, it's not much different than what the state card program provides. ... Here's what is different. The state card program doesn't tell you anything about where this person is growing. Now most people growing will probably see that as a benefit; it protects their property, and that information isn't going to be available to law enforcement," he said.The card itself will only have a photograph and an identification number on it. It will not have the person's name, address, physical description or any other identifying information, Hudson said."But if your next door neighbor calls the police to report you are growing marijuana we will have no way to check the statewide card registry to see if there is someone at your address who has a medical marijuana card," he said, noting in this regard the state program is a step back."Under our local program, we can put an address into the database and see if there is a cardholder at that address," he said. So, under the new program if someone calls up to report marijuana at a location, law enforcement will have to handle it like any other call for service and conduct an investigation, Hudson said, noting law enforcement is going to have to work a lot harder to get the same information available now under the local program."I can see this as tying up officers' time, much more than the system we have now does. It's really pretty simple. Let's say you are outside one day at your house, you smell something, peek over the fence, say Oh my God, there's marijuana next door,' so you call us up, we go into the database, type in an address, and say, Well there is a medical marijuana cardholder next door' ... We are not going to be able to do that with the state card program," Hudson said.Law enforcement will continue to honor the cards issued in Mendocino County until they expire. After that, if people want to obtain a medical marijuana card they will be directed to the state card program, Hudson said.Mendocino County will be one of the pilot counties for the new state card, Hudson said. "They have actually looked to us because of our experience with the medical marijuana program. We had this program; they recognized it seems to be working," Hudson said. Source: Ukiah Daily Journal (CA)Author: Laura Clark, The Daily JournalPublished: Saturday, February 19, 2005Copyright: 2005 Ukiah Daily JournalContact: udj pacific.netWebsite: http://www.ukiahdailyjournal.com/Related Articles & Web Site:Medicinal Cannabis Research Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/research.htmMendocino County Mulls Organic Pothttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20237.shtmlMarijuana Farming Booms in Californiahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread10798.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #28 posted by Max Flowers on February 21, 2005 at 17:34:09 PT Lennon I'd like to think John would approve. I know Paul will. George would have too. And I hope Yoko does (being a quirky artist, I think she will). [ Post Comment ] Comment #27 posted by Max Flowers on February 21, 2005 at 17:32:01 PT Potpal - Give Pot A Chance Hey Potpal, I'm a musician and I'd like to record this tune using your lyrics! It'll spread across the Internet like wildfire (hopefully)!I just have to go over them carefully for syllable count to make sure it all fits in the same way as the original's lyrics. [ Post Comment ] Comment #26 posted by FoM on February 21, 2005 at 13:20:05 PT News Article from The CBC Guilty Verdict for Cannabis Cafe: http://nb.cbc.ca/regional/servlet/View?filename=nb-potcafe20050221 [ Post Comment ] Comment #25 posted by Deboche on February 21, 2005 at 06:50:14 PT Paranoia? ""Think Ritalin is Safe?" at http://www.rense.com/general63/thin.htm" posted by gonepostholeSome time ago, I would have dismissed this article as a paranoid mother who just happened to catch a glimpse at what a lot of medicins have to print in order to be sold and I would have been sure that the medicine would not have been sold unless it was a drug so light that even if the effects were unknown, they couldn't possibly be that harsh. Now, I don't know anything. I think 'these people' are capable of anything [ Post Comment ] Comment #24 posted by runderwo on February 20, 2005 at 21:45:25 PT stroke? In this study, are they referring to "cannabis" again as a mixture of tobacco and hashish, like the UK study that proved "cannabis" causes circulation problems in the brain? Or maybe something strange was in the "three or four" drinks he consumed each time? I'm sure you could find similar anecdotes regarding aspirin, or cough medicine. Correlation doesn't imply causation, especially with a sample size of one! [ Post Comment ] Comment #23 posted by FoM on February 20, 2005 at 21:02:25 PT BBC: Case Prompts Cannabis Stroke Fear February 21, 2005Note: A UK expert has urged caution over the Spanish study. Doctors are warning young cannabis users that they could be at an increased risk of having a stroke. Spanish researchers detailed the case of a 36-year-old patient, with no known risk factors for stroke, who had three following cannabis use. The paper in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery and Psychiatry said the risk may have been underestimated. But a UK stroke expert urged caution, saying more cases would have been seen if there was a significant link. The Spanish researchers estimated perhaps 15 other cases of stroke had been linked to cannabis use. They called for further research to establish the actual extent of the risk. Complete Article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4276457.stm [ Post Comment ] Comment #22 posted by global_warming on February 20, 2005 at 18:02:53 PT What Going ON? Peace and tranquility from gw,..Since I not have any Niel Young music in my house,and since the only music that fills my ears,Only covers the death cries, of nameless faces whose names,I shall never know, who I will never be able to embrace,That I know, that the wildest creature,Will come closer to me,My flesh, my image, my persona,Holds open the time, for some and not for the many,The beasts are but willing to walk the path,I hope that the one who reveals through this evidence,Will smile, and hold to their breast,Every mother loving baby,Every mother loving child,Shall be praised, and held,By the arms of their lover,Their fever can light,Every forest that hides in the night,Every place that has not been witness,The death of the Christ,MARKS THE PLACE AND TIME,... [ Post Comment ] Comment #21 posted by FoM on February 20, 2005 at 14:57:30 PT Dankhank We only saw him in 2003 and 2004 when he did Greendale which I just love. I love Rust Radio too. I've been listening to it quite a lot this weekend. Go Neil or should I say Keep Going Neil! LOL! [ Post Comment ] Comment #20 posted by dankhank on February 20, 2005 at 14:31:01 PT Rust Radio Love it ...Saw Neil in OKC in 1972, Loved his music before that and since ...thanks FoM [ Post Comment ] Comment #19 posted by Richard Paul Zuckerm on February 20, 2005 at 13:50:53 PT: THERE WILL AWAYS BE SOMEBODY TO ABUSE A FREEDOM There will aways be someone to abuse freedom. There is a knucklehead in every crowd!They should legalize Cannabis! The C.I.A. controls the land in Afghanistan where the Opium poppies are being grown and they launder over $600 billion per year of drug money thru Wall Street, the most notorious being CitiBank, according to www.copvcia.com and www.expertwitnessradio.org. It is such a disgusting hypocrisy!!Yesterday, I found a letter response dated February 17, 2005, from New Jersey State Senator Bob Smith, 216 Stelton Road, Suite E-5, Piscataway, New Jersey, 08854, (Telephone number)(732) 752-0770, (Fax number)(732) 752-1590, senbsmith njleg.org, www.senatorbobsmith.org, which thanks me for writing him for support of [State] Senate Bill Number 2200, which would establish the New Jersey Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act. This past Friday, February 18, 2005, oral argument was heard on motion to dismiss my lawsuit against the Highland Park Public Library, www.HPBoro.com, for their "policy" of a three minute time limit use of the public pay telephone, even when nobody is waiting to use the phone, arrest by three Highland Park policemen for refusal to produce identification, a completely fabricated "disorderly conduct" charge, and the resultant municipal court petty disorderly persons offense "disorderly conduct" conviction. The attorneys representing the cops and library assert dismissal is proper because, among other reasons, under Heck v. Humphrey (U.S. Supreme Court 1994), which requires the criminal conviction to be thrown out before being entitled to sue for damages. I, on the other hand, asserted that Heck v. Humphrey construes the federal civil rights statute, 42 U.S.C. Section 1983, with concerns of federalism, that this lawsuit exclusively asserts violation of the 1947 New Jersey Constitution, in state court, and that therefore the New Jersey Rules of Evidence 803(c)(22) controls to limit such collateral estoppel only to conviction for INDICTABLE offenses and that a municipal court conviction is INADMISSIBLE IN ANY CIVIL COURT, according to the most recent court decision on the matter, namely, Trisuzzi v. Tabatchnik, 285 N.J.Super. 15, 25, 666 A.2d 543 (App. Div. 1995), that the State Constitution's Due Process Clause is MORE PROTECTIVE than the federal constitution's Due Process Clause, that the State Constitution's liberty of speech is broader in scope than the federal First Amendment freedom of speech, and therefore the state courts should not walk in lockstep with the federal Supreme Court decisions. Motion judge Nicholas J. Stroumtsos, Jr., J.S.C., Middlesex County Courthouse, Courtroom 407, 1 J.F.K. Plaza, P.O. Box 964, New Brunswick, New Jersey, 08903-0964, (Secretary's telephone number)(732) 981-3102, (Law Clerk's telephone number)(732) 981-3074, announced at the end of this motion hearing that he will write an opinion in a few weeks.Richard Paul Zuckerman, Box 159, Metuchen, New Jersey, 08840-0159, (Cell telephone number)(908) 403-6990, richardzuckerman2002 yahoo.com, Diploma in Paralegal, New York University, 2003, B.A. in Political Science, Kean College of New Jersey [Kean University], 1987, Buck Private Paralegal. [ Post Comment ] Comment #18 posted by mayan on February 20, 2005 at 13:01:33 PT Thanks, Hope! From the link you posted in comment #1...Demand for cannabis has exploded in the wake of the relaxation of drugs laws, according to senior Scotland Yard officers.But then it states...Police concerns are not supported by the most recent figures from the British crime survey, indicating that cannabis use is falling, though these figures do not fully allow for the effect of reclassification. The Home Office said there was no evidence that the change had led to an increase in demand. The cops are obviously pissed because they have to fight real crime for a change! [ Post Comment ] Comment #17 posted by FoM on February 20, 2005 at 11:56:36 PT Entertainment News: Daryl Hannah Hannah: 'Legalise Marijuana and Magic Mushrooms'February 20, 2004Actress Daryl Hannah has urged politicians to legalise marijuana and magic mushrooms - because the drugs open people's minds. The star has called for substances which are "derived from nature" to be made legal, because she believes they have educational values.Hannah, 44, says: "I'm afraid of chemical-based drugs. But the ones derived directly from nature concern me less. "Things like mushrooms, peyote, marijuana, shouldn't be illegal. "You don't want people to operate heavy machinery while they're on those things, but I have no problem with their use. "It's ridiculous that something can be illegal when it can be so useful for opening minds. "Hallucinogens open all of your senses. They can actually be quite educational and result in epiphanies." Copyright: Thomas Crosbie Media, 2005http://breakingnews.iol.ie/entertainment/story.asp?j=134294614&p=y34z953zx [ Post Comment ] Comment #16 posted by FoM on February 20, 2005 at 10:50:46 PT AlvinCool Here's the NYT's article. I archived it but people can talk about it if they want. I'm waiting for an article that helps us. I'm sure a few good writers are hard at work trying to bring the issue to the surface.http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread20265.shtml [ Post Comment ] Comment #15 posted by AlvinCool on February 20, 2005 at 10:43:29 PT Bush on cannabis I know this isn't the topic but I thought this may offer a long string of cheerful discussion. Maybe FoM will post it. http://www.cnn.com/2005/ALLPOLITICS/02/20/bush.tapes.ap/index.html [ Post Comment ] Comment #14 posted by FoM on February 20, 2005 at 09:43:05 PT For Those Who Are Interested Rust Radio is still on! http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread20257.shtml#26 [ Post Comment ] Comment #13 posted by FoM on February 20, 2005 at 09:00:29 PT goneposthole Good links. My son was given Ritalin and he turned into a little speed freak. Needless to say I threw them out. [ Post Comment ] Comment #12 posted by goneposthole on February 20, 2005 at 08:51:27 PT read this one, too "Think Ritalin is Safe?" at http://www.rense.com/general63/thin.htmdays like these... nobody told me there'd be days like these.Who said that? And, this one, too.http://www.john-lennon.com/songlyrics/songs/Nobody_Told_Me.htm [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by FoM on February 20, 2005 at 08:50:49 PT This Sums Up The Oberver UK Article To Me Police concerns are not supported by the most recent figures from the British crime survey, indicating that cannabis use is falling, though these figures do not fully allow for the effect of reclassification. The Home Office said there was no evidence that the change had led to an increase in demand. A spokesman for the Association of Chief Police Officers said the position of chief constables remained unchanged. 'We continue to support the government's decision to reclassify cannabis.' [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by lombar on February 20, 2005 at 08:43:36 PT About Observer article. I noticed that the numbers cited to support the supposition that there is an increase in demand are based upon siezures. The amount of cannabis et al seized does not necessarily correspond to the amount of cannabis demand/usage. The "authorities" really have no way of knowing how much cannabis is being used or produced because it is illegal. To say that there is a greater demand because the police seized more is not logical. Maybe its just me but I read it as saying 'even though cannabis is reclassified, the police are siezing more because of greater efforts on their part'. Despite the looser laws the narcs are in crackdown mode.The part about 'gangs' switching their attention to cannabis under the new classification is particularly entertaining. Funny how the 'organised gangs' were 'involved' to support a total prohibition a few months ago, but now they are just switching to cannabis. [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by siege on February 20, 2005 at 08:42:42 PT nation-destroying madness. Another kind of invasion ‘never ends’ by accelerating into the United States of America today. It’s the Trojan Horse of MARIJUANA we lose our freedom by the day via a Causing great harmin vasion of unending humanity.Unrestricted illegal and unending legal DEA at 6,000 annually inundates America with a betrayal that will prove more horrific than 9/11 and equally as devastating as the vandals that overran Rome.Our citizens buckle with enemy combatants more deliberate than "The Last Samurai." How payed off is the Bush administration by corporations pulling the strings on our president as if he was another puppet? You be the judge. Our danger is more imminent than Hector’s death by Achilles. Our King Bush stands at the gates of the White House (Troy) oblivious that the Trojan Horse is unleashed 365 a year.Our country is beening massacred by/losing their jobs, schools, medical facilities, language and communities. Diseases we had vanquished in First World America sicken usa **16,000 new cases of tuberculosis, 7,000 cases of leprosy and thousands of cases of hepatitis—for starters. Pareus, Hector’s brother, when seeing the Trojan Horse, said, "Burn it here on the beach." But their father, King of Troy, listened to his counsel who said, "Bring it into the city as a tribute to the gods." In present-day America, Karl Rove, Bush’s counsel, advises with similar arrogance.Trojans brought the wooden horse into the city. Greeks jumped out of its in the dead of night and opened the gates. More Greeks entered.They lit fires that burned Troy. Karl Rove will prove the man who invited the burning of America. He advises Bush that mass DEA is good and Bush vacantly takes Rove’s advice.If you examine America today, DEA is our Trojan Horse. It’s killing our Citizens as surely as the Greeks burned Troy. DEA will add 150 million people to it's rolls in this country by mid century. It will prove our undoing if allowed further countenance in our nation. Just as Achilles brought more of his warriors into Troy. The more power we let the Gov't. have. DEA Where are they planning their next attack? If you think they are all benign, think again. They bleed us of billion's of dollars a year. Does that sound like loyal American? NO! They represent Trojan Horses! This does not include the billions of dollars stolen form the citizens each year. At this critical juncture in history, will the Hector’s, Persaeus’ and King of Troy or even our own ‘King’ of the United States wake up in time to close the gates of Troy? Will we stop the Trojan Horse of DEA from entering? Will Bush’s main counsel, Karl Rove, wisely advise our vacant-eyed president before it’s too late? Will Americans wave flags for our boys in Iraq while our own country burns in chaos and becomes yet more kindling on the ash heap of history with this DEA invasion? The people of Troy made their worst mistake by giving blind faith to their king and leaders trusting they would protect and save them. They were wrong. They died and Troy was lost. Bush can’t see what’s happening from his Temple (White House) and his trusted advisor, Karl Rove, lacks the mental acuity of a coyote as to history and the current reality invading America. Our Congress stands at the portals of time as defiantly out of touch as was the Council of Troy. So what will save this country from the Trojan Horse of the DEA. You, fellow American! Not your inaction. Your action. Not your complaining. Your planning. Not going it alone. Your banding together. Not your mumbling. raised voice collectively. Not your remote. Your finger on the telephone buttons. Not idle wishing. Your action on the Internet. Will you be there? Without your response, this country and your children’s future are as surely lost as the residents of Troy 3,200 years ago. [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by FoM on February 20, 2005 at 08:31:40 PT goneposthole I bet there was a surge while people tried to get a legal grip on how to make money on alcohol sales. [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by goneposthole on February 20, 2005 at 08:24:58 PT 72 years ago today On February 20th, 1933 prohibition was repealed. Do you think there was a surge in beer sales? http://www.todayinhistory.com/s60-02-20-event-results.html [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by FoM on February 20, 2005 at 07:57:51 PT About The Article Hope Posted I read the article and once again it seems that reality is missed. What did they think would happen in the UK? That is the natural result of a capitalistic world. If they would have legalized cannabis and allowed people to grow their own I don't believe there would have been a surge because the money is what makes this happen not cannabis itself. [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by goneposthole on February 20, 2005 at 07:56:17 PT link correction http://www.persecution.org/concern/2002/03/p2.html [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by goneposthole on February 20, 2005 at 06:42:32 PT surge If more cannabis is being used in jolly old England, then it must mean people won't have to look for substitutes like heroin or cocaine. It would mean that the result would be a decrease in hard drug use, would it not? Sounds like peace wants a chance, too. Give it a chance.Drug peace, not matter how it comes, is preferrable to drug war.In China, if you discover Jesus, you're persecuted and sentenced to death. The do-gooders in China need something or somebodies to persecute. Christianity is prohibited in China ferkrissake. Ain't no peace for those pesky Christians in China. It's religion war over there. Must be a budget in the Chinese fiscal policies to fund the persecution of Christians and Christianity. Christians want to serve the Lord, but the China State says you will serve the State. It gets complicated.It is a parallel and it subverts the very nature of the drug war itself, but who cares? No drug war, no government funding, no more cow to milk... can't have that.Now get on out there and do what you are told to do. Serve the State, not the Lord.God bless it all. Serve the Lord and smoke a little cannabis today. He told me I could, so I am going to, so there. As for me and my house, it will serve the Lord. Not some stupid ninny called 'George Bush.' Just who in the hell does he think he is? He should serve the Lord, too. He'd be a heckuva a lot happier.Have a nice Sun-day. christians persecuted in China [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by potpal on February 20, 2005 at 05:31:42 PT comment #1 After reading I'd say it's time to regulated the sale of cannabis rather than leaving it to the black market. But of course those corrupted long ago by those black market forces and in a position to initiate change, like leos and judges etc will fight to keep it that way will have to climb down from the gravy train.Anyway, Bush can now be added to the list of famous pot heads. Booze, cocaine, pot. Did he ever smoke tobacco? Did meth? Wonder if he ever tripped. Any pictures of him with long hair?Okay, this will be my only post of the day...I worked on a parody of Give Peace A Chance, most likely will tweak it some...any input?...it follows: (I can hear it rising up from the land, in unison now, ready, a 1 and a 2...)Everybody’s talking about Viagra, Oxicodin, Vioxx, Celebrex, Ibuprofen, this drug that drug everywhere a new drug Isn’t it the most All we are saying is give pot a chance All we are saying is give pot a chanceEverybody’s talking about Prohibition, confiscation, incarcerations, depression, inspections, rejections, infections, objections, Popeye?, bye-bye All we are saying is give pot a chance All we are saying is give pot a chanceEverybody’s talking about Revolution, evolution, medications, cultivation, creation, divided nations, frustrations, explanations, congratulations All we are saying is give pot a chance All we are saying is give pot a chanceEverybody’s talking about Tom and Rollie, Holy Moly, 420, ain’t funny, FBI, DEA, FDA, CPA, go away Alleluia alleluia All we are saying is give pot a chance All we are saying is give pot a chanceAloha. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by billos on February 20, 2005 at 03:29:59 PT ...................Geeeez...................... funny how it seems there is no such program for people who legally use oxycontin, morphine, etc. and have to be in a similar database. Ever hear of the cops checking a database to see if you have a prescription for a narcotic? (Short of being arrested with it and it's not marked)Orthodox Morons [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by Hope on February 19, 2005 at 23:33:03 PT Drug surge follows change in law http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,6903,1418697,00.html [ Post Comment ] Post Comment