The Spliff Committee
7/22/07 Game
Monday, July 23, 2007
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Teacher's Accidental Text Message Gets Her in Trouble
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/tech/news/news-article.aspx?storyid=76828
By Associated PressMURRAY, Ky.
A middle school teacher trying to buy pot was arrested after she sent text messages to state trooper instead of a dealer, police said.
Trooper Trevor Pervine was at dinner with his wife and parents celebrating a birthday when his phone started buzzing with messages about a marijuana purchase. At first, Pervine thought the messages were from friends playing a joke, Kentucky State Police spokesman Barry Meadows said. But a couple of phone calls put that idea to rest, and Pervine responded to set up a meeting, Meadows said.
Authorities say Ann Greenfield, 34, arrived at the meeting point and found Pervine and other law enforcement officers waiting for her. "She learned her lesson. Program your dealers into your phone," Meadows said. Greenfield, a teacher at Murray Middle School, was charged with conspiracy to traffic in controlled substances within 1,000 feet of a school, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia, Meadows said.
She was suspended with pay pending results of an investigation, the Murray Independent School District said in a statement posted Friday on the district's Web site. A message seeking comment left at a listing for an Ann Greenfield in Murray, Ky. was not returned.
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/tech/news/news-article.aspx?storyid=76828
By Associated PressMURRAY, Ky.
A middle school teacher trying to buy pot was arrested after she sent text messages to state trooper instead of a dealer, police said.
Trooper Trevor Pervine was at dinner with his wife and parents celebrating a birthday when his phone started buzzing with messages about a marijuana purchase. At first, Pervine thought the messages were from friends playing a joke, Kentucky State Police spokesman Barry Meadows said. But a couple of phone calls put that idea to rest, and Pervine responded to set up a meeting, Meadows said.
Authorities say Ann Greenfield, 34, arrived at the meeting point and found Pervine and other law enforcement officers waiting for her. "She learned her lesson. Program your dealers into your phone," Meadows said. Greenfield, a teacher at Murray Middle School, was charged with conspiracy to traffic in controlled substances within 1,000 feet of a school, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia, Meadows said.
She was suspended with pay pending results of an investigation, the Murray Independent School District said in a statement posted Friday on the district's Web site. A message seeking comment left at a listing for an Ann Greenfield in Murray, Ky. was not returned.
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Its just a plant...
Check out http://www.justaplant.com/
Its a childrens book about marijuana...
"Enlightened" drug education.
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Study Finds No Cancer-Marijuana Connection
By Marc Kaufman Washington Post Staff Writer Friday, May 26, 2006; Page A03
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/25/AR2006052501729.html
The largest study of its kind has unexpectedly concluded that smoking marijuana, even regularly and heavily, does not lead to lung cancer.
The new findings "were against our expectations," said Donald Tashkin of the University of California at Los Angeles, a pulmonologist who has studied marijuana for 30 years.
The new findings "were against our expectations," said Donald Tashkin of the University of California at Los Angeles, a pulmonologist who has studied marijuana for 30 years.
"We hypothesized that there would be a positive association between marijuana use and lung cancer, and that the association would be more positive with heavier use," he said. "What we found instead was no association at all, and even a suggestion of some protective effect."
Federal health and drug enforcement officials have widely used Tashkin's previous work on marijuana to make the case that the drug is dangerous. Tashkin said that while he still believes marijuana is potentially harmful, its cancer-causing effects appear to be of less concern than previously thought.
Earlier work established that marijuana does contain cancer-causing chemicals as potentially harmful as those in tobacco, he said. However, marijuana also contains the chemical THC, which he said may kill aging cells and keep them from becoming cancerous.
Tashkin's study, funded by the National Institutes of Health's National Institute on Drug Abuse, involved 1,200 people in Los Angeles who had lung, neck or head cancer and an additional 1,040 people without cancer matched by age, sex and neighborhood.
They were all asked about their lifetime use of marijuana, tobacco and alcohol. The heaviest marijuana smokers had lighted up more than 22,000 times, while moderately heavy usage was defined as smoking 11,000 to 22,000 marijuana cigarettes. Tashkin found that even the very heavy marijuana smokers showed no increased incidence of the three cancers studied.
"This is the largest case-control study ever done, and everyone had to fill out a very extensive questionnaire about marijuana use," he said. "Bias can creep into any research, but we controlled for as many confounding factors as we could, and so I believe these results have real meaning."
Tashkin's group at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA had hypothesized that marijuana would raise the risk of cancer on the basis of earlier small human studies, lab studies of animals, and the fact that marijuana users inhale more deeply and generally hold smoke in their lungs longer than tobacco smokers -- exposing them to the dangerous chemicals for a longer time. In addition, Tashkin said, previous studies found that marijuana tar has 50 percent higher concentrations of chemicals linked to cancer than tobacco cigarette tar.
While no association between marijuana smoking and cancer was found, the study findings, presented to the American Thoracic Society International Conference this week, did find a 20-fold increase in lung cancer among people who smoked two or more packs of cigarettes a day.
The study was limited to people younger than 60 because those older than that were generally not exposed to marijuana in their youth, when it is most often tried.
Earlier work established that marijuana does contain cancer-causing chemicals as potentially harmful as those in tobacco, he said. However, marijuana also contains the chemical THC, which he said may kill aging cells and keep them from becoming cancerous.
Tashkin's study, funded by the National Institutes of Health's National Institute on Drug Abuse, involved 1,200 people in Los Angeles who had lung, neck or head cancer and an additional 1,040 people without cancer matched by age, sex and neighborhood.
They were all asked about their lifetime use of marijuana, tobacco and alcohol. The heaviest marijuana smokers had lighted up more than 22,000 times, while moderately heavy usage was defined as smoking 11,000 to 22,000 marijuana cigarettes. Tashkin found that even the very heavy marijuana smokers showed no increased incidence of the three cancers studied.
"This is the largest case-control study ever done, and everyone had to fill out a very extensive questionnaire about marijuana use," he said. "Bias can creep into any research, but we controlled for as many confounding factors as we could, and so I believe these results have real meaning."
Tashkin's group at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA had hypothesized that marijuana would raise the risk of cancer on the basis of earlier small human studies, lab studies of animals, and the fact that marijuana users inhale more deeply and generally hold smoke in their lungs longer than tobacco smokers -- exposing them to the dangerous chemicals for a longer time. In addition, Tashkin said, previous studies found that marijuana tar has 50 percent higher concentrations of chemicals linked to cancer than tobacco cigarette tar.
While no association between marijuana smoking and cancer was found, the study findings, presented to the American Thoracic Society International Conference this week, did find a 20-fold increase in lung cancer among people who smoked two or more packs of cigarettes a day.
The study was limited to people younger than 60 because those older than that were generally not exposed to marijuana in their youth, when it is most often tried.
Monday, January 15, 2007
Di worl' no level...
Commentary from "Jackass" in The Jamaica Star
Peep the article here:
http://www.jamaica-star.com/thestar/20070109/cleisure/cleisure1.html
Jackass sey di worl' no level. Jackass sey dem gwaan like sey a ongkly poor people an dem pickney smoke weed.
Jackass sey di worl' no level. Jackass sey poor people pickney get charge fe weed regular, but when dem dead fi a draw a mosly Feds do de deed.
Real recognize real...end prohibition Worldwide!
Commentary from "Jackass" in The Jamaica Star
Peep the article here:
http://www.jamaica-star.com/thestar/20070109/cleisure/cleisure1.html
Jackass sey di worl' no level. Jackass sey dem gwaan like sey a ongkly poor people an dem pickney smoke weed.
Jackass sey di worl' no level. Jackass sey poor people pickney get charge fe weed regular, but when dem dead fi a draw a mosly Feds do de deed.
Real recognize real...end prohibition Worldwide!
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Real Thoro...
Marijuana Timeline In The United States
Marijuana Timeline In The United States
1600-1890s
Domestic production of hemp encouraged
American production of hemp was encouraged by the government in the 17th century for the production of rope, sails, and clothing. (Marijuana is the mixture of dried, shredded flowers and leaves that comes from the hemp plant.)
In 1619 the Virginia Assembly passed legislation requiring every farmer to grow hemp. Hemp was allowed to be exchanged as legal tender in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Maryland.
Domestic production flourished until after the Civil War, when imports and other domestic materials replaced hemp for many purposes. In the late nineteenth century, marijuana became a popular ingredient in many medicinal products and was sold openly in public pharmacies.
During the 19th century, hashish use became a fad in France and also, to some extent, in the U.S.
1906
Pure Food and Drug Act
Required labeling of any cannabis contained in over-the-counter remedies.
1900-20s
Mexican immigrants introduce recreational use of marijuana leaf
After the Mexican Revolution of 1910, Mexican immigrants flooded into the U.S., introducing to American culture the recreational use of marijuana.
The drug became associated with the immigrants, and the fear and prejudice about the Spanish-speaking newcomers became associated with marijuana. Anti-drug campaigners warned against the encroaching Marijuana Menace, and terrible crimes were attributed to marijuana and the Mexicans who used it.
1930s
Fear of marijuana
During the Great Depression, massive unemployment increased public resentment and fear of Mexican immigrants, escalating public and governmental concern about the problem of marijuana.
This instigated a flurry of research which linked the use of marijuana with violence, crime and other socially deviant behaviors, primarily committed by racially inferior or underclass communities. By 1931, 29 states had outlawed marijuana.
1930
Creation of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics (FBN)
Harry J. Anslinger was the first Commissioner of the FBN and remained in that post until 1962.
1932
Uniform State Narcotic Act
Concern about the rising use of marijuana and research linking its use with crime and other social problems created pressure on the federal government to take action.
Rather than promoting federal legislation, the Federal Bureau of Narcotics strongly encouraged state governments to accept responsibility for control of the problem by adopting the Uniform State Narcotic Act.
1936
Reefer Madness
Propaganda film Reefer Madness was produced by the French director, Louis Gasnier.
The Motion Pictures Association of America, composed of the major Hollywood studios, banned the showing of any narcotics in films.
1937
Marijuana Tax Act
After a lurid national propaganda campaign against the evil weed, Congress passed the Marijuana Tax Act. The statute effectively criminalized marijuana, restricting possession of the drug to individuals who paid an excise tax for certain authorized medical and industrial uses.
1944
La Guardia Report finds marijuana less dangerous
New York Academy of Medicine issued an extensively researched report declaring that, contrary to earlier research and popular belief, use of marijuana did not induce violence, insanity or sex crimes, or lead to addiction or other drug use.
1940s
Hemp for Victory
During World War II, imports of hemp and other materials crucial for producing marine cordage, parachutes, and other military necessities became scarce.
In response the U.S. Department of Agriculture launched its Hemp for Victory program, encouraging farmers to plant hemp by giving out seeds and granting draft deferments to those who would stay home and grow hemp. By 1943 American farmers registered in the program harvested 375,000 acres of hemp.
1951-56
Stricter Sentencing Laws
Enactment of federal laws (Boggs Act, 1952; Narcotics Control Act, 1956) which set mandatory sentences for drug-related offenses, including marijuana.
A first-offense marijuana possession carried a minimum sentence of 2-10 years with a fine of up to $20,000.
1960s
Marijuana use popular in counterculture
A changing political and cultural climate was reflected in more lenient attitudes towards marijuana. Use of the drug became widespread in the white upper middle class.
Reports commissioned by Presidents Kennedy and Johnson found that marijuana use did not induce violence nor lead to use of heavier drugs. Policy towards marijuana began to involve considerations of treatment as well as criminal penalties.
1968
Creation of the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs
This was a merger of FBN and the Bureau of Dangerous Drugs of the Food and Drug Administration.
1970
Repeal of most mandatory minimum sentences
Congress repealed most of the mandatory penalties for drug-related offenses. It was widely acknowledged that the mandatory minimum sentences of the 1950s had done nothing to eliminate the drug culture that embraced marijuana use throughout the 60s, and that the minimum sentences imposed were often unduly harsh.
Marijuana differentiated from other drugs
The Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act categorized marijuana separately from other narcotics and eliminated mandatory federal sentences for possession of small amounts.
National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) founded
1972
Shafer Commission
The bipartisan Shafer Commission, appointed by President Nixon at the direction of Congress, considered laws regarding marijuana and determined that personal use of marijuana should be decriminalized.
Nixon rejected the recommendation, but over the course of the 1970s, eleven states decriminalized marijuana and most others reduced their penalties.
1973
Creation of the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA)
Merger of the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs (BNND) and the Office of Drug Abuse Law Enforcement (ODALE).
1974
High Times founded
1976
Beginning of parents' movement against marijuana
A nationwide movement emerged of conservative parents' groups lobbying for stricter regulation of marijuana and the prevention of drug use by teenagers.
Some of these groups became quite powerful and, with the support of the DEA and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), were instrumental in affecting public attitudes which led to the 1980s War on Drugs.
1986
Anti-Drug Abuse Act - Mandatory Sentences
President Reagan signed the Anti-Drug Abuse Act, instituting mandatory sentences for drug-related crimes.
In conjunction with the Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984, the new law raised federal penalties for marijuana possession and dealing, basing the penalties on the amount of the drug involved. Possession of 100 marijuana plants received the same penalty as possession of 100 grams of heroin.
A later amendment to the Anti-Drug Abuse Act established a three strikes and you're out policy, requiring life sentences for repeat drug offenders, and providing for the death penalty for drug kingpins.
1989
Bush's War on Drugs
President George Bush declares a new War on Drugs in a nationally televised speech.
1996
Medical Use Legalized in California
California voters passed Proposition 215 allowing for the sale and medical use of marijuana for patients with AIDS, cancer, and other serious and painful diseases. This law stands in tension with federal laws prohibiting possession of marijuana.
Domestic production of hemp encouraged
American production of hemp was encouraged by the government in the 17th century for the production of rope, sails, and clothing. (Marijuana is the mixture of dried, shredded flowers and leaves that comes from the hemp plant.)
In 1619 the Virginia Assembly passed legislation requiring every farmer to grow hemp. Hemp was allowed to be exchanged as legal tender in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Maryland.
Domestic production flourished until after the Civil War, when imports and other domestic materials replaced hemp for many purposes. In the late nineteenth century, marijuana became a popular ingredient in many medicinal products and was sold openly in public pharmacies.
During the 19th century, hashish use became a fad in France and also, to some extent, in the U.S.
1906
Pure Food and Drug Act
Required labeling of any cannabis contained in over-the-counter remedies.
1900-20s
Mexican immigrants introduce recreational use of marijuana leaf
After the Mexican Revolution of 1910, Mexican immigrants flooded into the U.S., introducing to American culture the recreational use of marijuana.
The drug became associated with the immigrants, and the fear and prejudice about the Spanish-speaking newcomers became associated with marijuana. Anti-drug campaigners warned against the encroaching Marijuana Menace, and terrible crimes were attributed to marijuana and the Mexicans who used it.
1930s
Fear of marijuana
During the Great Depression, massive unemployment increased public resentment and fear of Mexican immigrants, escalating public and governmental concern about the problem of marijuana.
This instigated a flurry of research which linked the use of marijuana with violence, crime and other socially deviant behaviors, primarily committed by racially inferior or underclass communities. By 1931, 29 states had outlawed marijuana.
1930
Creation of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics (FBN)
Harry J. Anslinger was the first Commissioner of the FBN and remained in that post until 1962.
1932
Uniform State Narcotic Act
Concern about the rising use of marijuana and research linking its use with crime and other social problems created pressure on the federal government to take action.
Rather than promoting federal legislation, the Federal Bureau of Narcotics strongly encouraged state governments to accept responsibility for control of the problem by adopting the Uniform State Narcotic Act.
1936
Reefer Madness
Propaganda film Reefer Madness was produced by the French director, Louis Gasnier.
The Motion Pictures Association of America, composed of the major Hollywood studios, banned the showing of any narcotics in films.
1937
Marijuana Tax Act
After a lurid national propaganda campaign against the evil weed, Congress passed the Marijuana Tax Act. The statute effectively criminalized marijuana, restricting possession of the drug to individuals who paid an excise tax for certain authorized medical and industrial uses.
1944
La Guardia Report finds marijuana less dangerous
New York Academy of Medicine issued an extensively researched report declaring that, contrary to earlier research and popular belief, use of marijuana did not induce violence, insanity or sex crimes, or lead to addiction or other drug use.
1940s
Hemp for Victory
During World War II, imports of hemp and other materials crucial for producing marine cordage, parachutes, and other military necessities became scarce.
In response the U.S. Department of Agriculture launched its Hemp for Victory program, encouraging farmers to plant hemp by giving out seeds and granting draft deferments to those who would stay home and grow hemp. By 1943 American farmers registered in the program harvested 375,000 acres of hemp.
1951-56
Stricter Sentencing Laws
Enactment of federal laws (Boggs Act, 1952; Narcotics Control Act, 1956) which set mandatory sentences for drug-related offenses, including marijuana.
A first-offense marijuana possession carried a minimum sentence of 2-10 years with a fine of up to $20,000.
1960s
Marijuana use popular in counterculture
A changing political and cultural climate was reflected in more lenient attitudes towards marijuana. Use of the drug became widespread in the white upper middle class.
Reports commissioned by Presidents Kennedy and Johnson found that marijuana use did not induce violence nor lead to use of heavier drugs. Policy towards marijuana began to involve considerations of treatment as well as criminal penalties.
1968
Creation of the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs
This was a merger of FBN and the Bureau of Dangerous Drugs of the Food and Drug Administration.
1970
Repeal of most mandatory minimum sentences
Congress repealed most of the mandatory penalties for drug-related offenses. It was widely acknowledged that the mandatory minimum sentences of the 1950s had done nothing to eliminate the drug culture that embraced marijuana use throughout the 60s, and that the minimum sentences imposed were often unduly harsh.
Marijuana differentiated from other drugs
The Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act categorized marijuana separately from other narcotics and eliminated mandatory federal sentences for possession of small amounts.
National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) founded
1972
Shafer Commission
The bipartisan Shafer Commission, appointed by President Nixon at the direction of Congress, considered laws regarding marijuana and determined that personal use of marijuana should be decriminalized.
Nixon rejected the recommendation, but over the course of the 1970s, eleven states decriminalized marijuana and most others reduced their penalties.
1973
Creation of the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA)
Merger of the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs (BNND) and the Office of Drug Abuse Law Enforcement (ODALE).
1974
High Times founded
1976
Beginning of parents' movement against marijuana
A nationwide movement emerged of conservative parents' groups lobbying for stricter regulation of marijuana and the prevention of drug use by teenagers.
Some of these groups became quite powerful and, with the support of the DEA and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), were instrumental in affecting public attitudes which led to the 1980s War on Drugs.
1986
Anti-Drug Abuse Act - Mandatory Sentences
President Reagan signed the Anti-Drug Abuse Act, instituting mandatory sentences for drug-related crimes.
In conjunction with the Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1984, the new law raised federal penalties for marijuana possession and dealing, basing the penalties on the amount of the drug involved. Possession of 100 marijuana plants received the same penalty as possession of 100 grams of heroin.
A later amendment to the Anti-Drug Abuse Act established a three strikes and you're out policy, requiring life sentences for repeat drug offenders, and providing for the death penalty for drug kingpins.
1989
Bush's War on Drugs
President George Bush declares a new War on Drugs in a nationally televised speech.
1996
Medical Use Legalized in California
California voters passed Proposition 215 allowing for the sale and medical use of marijuana for patients with AIDS, cancer, and other serious and painful diseases. This law stands in tension with federal laws prohibiting possession of marijuana.
Old article but interesting....
Marijuana Use Drops Among Dutch Youth
October 5, 2000
Amsterdam, Netherlands
According to a national survey of risk behavior among Dutch youth aged 10-18, marijuana use is on the decline for the first time in 16 years.
The survey, published every four years by the Netherlands Institute for Mental Health and Addiction, showed that 20 percent in that age group had used marijuana at least once, but less than 10 percent had smoked marijuana in the previous month. Among the youth who had smoked marijuana within the past month, a third said they had smoked two or more times a week. The survey also found that a third of the youthful marijuana smokers bought the marijuana from "coffee shops" which openly sell marijuana.
"While NO-RML discourages adolescent marijuana use, the 'Dutch model' of quasi-legalization appears to succeed in two areas where the U.S. policy fails miserably: per capita, fewer adolescents use marijuana in the Netherlands then in the U.S.; and the separation of marijuana from the distribution channels for 'hard' drugs such as cocaine, heroin or LSD."
Marijuana Use Drops Among Dutch Youth
October 5, 2000
Amsterdam, Netherlands
According to a national survey of risk behavior among Dutch youth aged 10-18, marijuana use is on the decline for the first time in 16 years.
The survey, published every four years by the Netherlands Institute for Mental Health and Addiction, showed that 20 percent in that age group had used marijuana at least once, but less than 10 percent had smoked marijuana in the previous month. Among the youth who had smoked marijuana within the past month, a third said they had smoked two or more times a week. The survey also found that a third of the youthful marijuana smokers bought the marijuana from "coffee shops" which openly sell marijuana.
"While NO-RML discourages adolescent marijuana use, the 'Dutch model' of quasi-legalization appears to succeed in two areas where the U.S. policy fails miserably: per capita, fewer adolescents use marijuana in the Netherlands then in the U.S.; and the separation of marijuana from the distribution channels for 'hard' drugs such as cocaine, heroin or LSD."
Thursday, January 04, 2007
Coolest Mother Ever...
Marijuana-for-homework mom gets 3 months
Pennsylvania woman admitted giving 13-year-old son smoky rewards
(from http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15853602/)
GETTYSBURG, Pa. - A woman who admitted smoking marijuana daily with her 13-year-old son to reward him for completing his homework was sentenced to three months in prison.
Amanda Lynn Livelsberger, 30, was also ordered Tuesday to spend nine months on house arrest and a year on probation.
Livelsberger pleaded guilty on Sept. 11 to three misdemeanor counts of corruption of minors as well as drug-possession and paraphernalia-possession charges. She admitted that she had been smoking marijuana with her son since he was 11 and often gave him the drug as a reward.
The boy told police that he was required to do his homework as soon as he got home from school, and then was allowed to smoke pot with his mother, according to court documents. The woman also said she smoked marijuana with two of her son's friends, ages 17 and 18.
Police searched the home April 29 and said they seized small amounts of marijuana, two cocaine straws, and 31 new small glass pipes and bowls as well as other drug paraphernalia. Investigators said the woman told them that she had bought the new pipes to resell them.
Marijuana-for-homework mom gets 3 months
Pennsylvania woman admitted giving 13-year-old son smoky rewards
(from http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15853602/)
GETTYSBURG, Pa. - A woman who admitted smoking marijuana daily with her 13-year-old son to reward him for completing his homework was sentenced to three months in prison.
Amanda Lynn Livelsberger, 30, was also ordered Tuesday to spend nine months on house arrest and a year on probation.
Livelsberger pleaded guilty on Sept. 11 to three misdemeanor counts of corruption of minors as well as drug-possession and paraphernalia-possession charges. She admitted that she had been smoking marijuana with her son since he was 11 and often gave him the drug as a reward.
The boy told police that he was required to do his homework as soon as he got home from school, and then was allowed to smoke pot with his mother, according to court documents. The woman also said she smoked marijuana with two of her son's friends, ages 17 and 18.
Police searched the home April 29 and said they seized small amounts of marijuana, two cocaine straws, and 31 new small glass pipes and bowls as well as other drug paraphernalia. Investigators said the woman told them that she had bought the new pipes to resell them.
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Marijuana Called Top U.S. Cash Crop
By Nitya Venkataraman
December 18, 2006
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/story?id=2735017&page=1
Dec. 18, 2006 — Weeding through the value of the nation's cash crops, a study released today states that marijuana is the U.S.'s most valuable crop and promotes the drug's legalization and taxation.
Drug enforcement officials say the equation is not that simple.
The report, "Marijuana Production in the United States," by marijuana policy researcher Jon Gettman, concludes that despite massive eradication efforts at the hands of the federal government, "marijuana has become a pervasive and ineradicable part of the national economy."
In the report, Gettman, a marijuana-reform activist and leader of the Coalition for Rescheduling Cannabis, champions a system of legal regulation.
Contrasting government figures for traditional crops — like corn and wheat — against the study's projections for marijuana production, the report cites marijuana as the top cash crop in 12 states and among the top three cash crops in 30.
The study estimates that marijuana production, at a value of $35.8 billion, exceeds the combined value of corn ($23.3 billion) and wheat ($7.5 billion).
Pot Tax?
To activists for marijuana legalization, the study confirms a position they've held for years, and uses government stats to support their claim.
"The fact that marijuana is America's No. 1 cash crop after more than three decades of governmental eradication efforts is the clearest illustration that our present marijuana laws are a complete failure," says Rob Kampia, executive director of the Marijuana Policy Project in Washington D.C., a group that focuses on removing criminal penalties for marijuana use.
Kampia, whose comments were included in the study's press release, adds, "Our nation's laws guarantee that 100 percent of the proceeds from marijuana sales go to unregulated criminals rather than to legitimate businesses that pay taxes to support schools, police and roads."
A 2005 analysis by Harvard visiting professor Jeffrey Miron estimates that if the United States legalized marijuana, the country would save $7.7 billion in law enforcement costs and could generated as much as $6.2 billion annually if marijuana were taxed like alcohol or tobacco.
Miron's report on the costs of marijuana prohibition was signed by more than 500 leading economists, most notably the late Nobel laureate Milton Friedman, who served as an economist in both the Nixon and Reagan administrations.
By Nitya Venkataraman
December 18, 2006
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/story?id=2735017&page=1
Dec. 18, 2006 — Weeding through the value of the nation's cash crops, a study released today states that marijuana is the U.S.'s most valuable crop and promotes the drug's legalization and taxation.
Drug enforcement officials say the equation is not that simple.
The report, "Marijuana Production in the United States," by marijuana policy researcher Jon Gettman, concludes that despite massive eradication efforts at the hands of the federal government, "marijuana has become a pervasive and ineradicable part of the national economy."
In the report, Gettman, a marijuana-reform activist and leader of the Coalition for Rescheduling Cannabis, champions a system of legal regulation.
Contrasting government figures for traditional crops — like corn and wheat — against the study's projections for marijuana production, the report cites marijuana as the top cash crop in 12 states and among the top three cash crops in 30.
The study estimates that marijuana production, at a value of $35.8 billion, exceeds the combined value of corn ($23.3 billion) and wheat ($7.5 billion).
Pot Tax?
To activists for marijuana legalization, the study confirms a position they've held for years, and uses government stats to support their claim.
"The fact that marijuana is America's No. 1 cash crop after more than three decades of governmental eradication efforts is the clearest illustration that our present marijuana laws are a complete failure," says Rob Kampia, executive director of the Marijuana Policy Project in Washington D.C., a group that focuses on removing criminal penalties for marijuana use.
Kampia, whose comments were included in the study's press release, adds, "Our nation's laws guarantee that 100 percent of the proceeds from marijuana sales go to unregulated criminals rather than to legitimate businesses that pay taxes to support schools, police and roads."
A 2005 analysis by Harvard visiting professor Jeffrey Miron estimates that if the United States legalized marijuana, the country would save $7.7 billion in law enforcement costs and could generated as much as $6.2 billion annually if marijuana were taxed like alcohol or tobacco.
Miron's report on the costs of marijuana prohibition was signed by more than 500 leading economists, most notably the late Nobel laureate Milton Friedman, who served as an economist in both the Nixon and Reagan administrations.
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
No 'Smoking' Gun: Research Indicates Teen Marijuana Use Does Not Predict Drug, Alcohol Abuse
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/02/050211084701.htm
Marijuana is not a "gateway" drug that predicts or eventually leads to substance abuse, suggests a 12-year University of Pittsburgh study. Moreover, the study's findings call into question the long-held belief that has shaped prevention efforts and governmental policy for six decades and caused many a parent to panic upon discovering a bag of pot in their child's bedroom.
The Pitt researchers tracked 214 boys beginning at ages 10-12, all of whom eventually used either legal or illegal drugs. When the boys reached age 22, they were categorized into three groups: those who used only alcohol or tobacco, those who started with alcohol and tobacco and then used marijuana (gateway sequence) and those who used marijuana prior to alcohol or tobacco (reverse sequence).
Nearly a quarter of the study population who used both legal and illegal drugs at some point -- 28 boys -- exhibited the reverse pattern of using marijuana prior to alcohol or tobacco, and those individuals were no more likely to develop a substance use disorder than those who followed the traditional succession of alcohol and tobacco before illegal drugs, according to the study, which appears in this month's issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry.
"The gateway progression may be the most common pattern, but it's certainly not the only order of drug use," said Ralph E. Tarter, Ph.D., professor of pharmaceutical sciences at the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy and lead author of the study. "In fact, the reverse pattern is just as accurate for predicting who might be at risk for developing a drug dependence disorder."
In addition to determining whether the gateway hypothesis was a better predictor of substance abuse than competing theories, the investigators sought to identify characteristics that distinguished users in the gateway sequence from those who took the reverse path. Out of the 35 variables they examined, only three emerged to be differentiating factors: Reverse pattern users were more likely to have lived in poor physical neighborhood environments, had more exposure to drugs in their neighborhoods and had less parental involvement as young children. Most importantly, a general inclination for deviance from sanctioned behaviors, which can become evident early in childhood, was strongly associated with all illicit drug use, whether it came in the gateway sequence, or the reverse.
While the gateway theory posits that each type of drug is associated with certain specific risk factors that cause the use of subsequent drugs, such as cigarettes or alcohol leading to marijuana, this study's findings indicate that environmental aspects have stronger influence on which type of substance is used. That is, if it's easier for a teen to get his hands on marijuana than beer, then he'll be more likely to smoke pot. This evidence supports what's known as the common liability model, an emerging theory that states the likelihood that someone will transition to the use of illegal drugs is determined not by the preceding use of a particular drug but instead by the user's individual tendencies and environmental circumstances.
"The emphasis on the drugs themselves, rather than other, more important factors that shape a person's behavior, has been detrimental to drug policy and prevention programs," Dr. Tarter said. "To become more effective in our efforts to fight drug abuse, we should devote more attention to interventions that address these issues, particularly to parenting skills that shape the child's behavior as well as peer and neighborhood environments."
Indeed, according to the study, interventions focusing on behavior modification may be more effective prevention tactics than current anti-drug initiatives. For example, providing guidance to parents -- particularly those in high-risk neighborhoods -- on how to boost their caregiving skills and foster bonding with their children, could have a measurable effect on a child's likelihood to smoke marijuana. Also, early identification of children who exhibit antisocial tendencies could allow for interventions before drug use even begins.
Although this research has significant implications for drug abuse prevention approaches, Dr. Tarter notes that the study has some limitations. First, as only male behaviors were studied, further investigation should explore if the results apply to women as well. Also, the examination of behaviors in phases beyond alcohol and marijuana consumption in the gateway series will be necessary.
Other study authors include Michael Vanyukov, Ph.D., and Maureen Reynolds, Ph.D., and Levent Kirisci, Ph.D., also of the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy; and Duncan Clark, M.D., Ph.D., of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. The research was funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Monday, November 20, 2006
Man calls police when DEA agents take his pot
By Karl Fischer
CONTRA COSTA TIMES
CONTRA COSTA TIMES
Members of a federal marijuana enforcement team caught a whiff of something familiar Thursday as they walked to lunch in San Francisco -- then confiscated about 2 pounds of pot from a passer-by.
The Drug Enforcement Administration agents were near the Philip Burton Federal Building at 1:15 p.m. when a man passed them on the 400 block of Turk Street carrying a cardboard box. The box, emblazoned with the logo of a common brand of hydroponics equipment, reeked of marijuana.
"These agents were hungry, just on their way out to grab a sandwich, when this guy walks past them," DEA Special Agent Casey McEnry said. "They couldn't believe it."
The narcotics agents stopped the man and asked what was in the box. He showed them about 1.5 pounds of marijuana, 12 ounces of hashish and an electronic scale.
Then, in a move that apparently stunned the 20-year-old Eureka resident, the agents took his pot away. While his crime was too minor to prosecute under federal law, the federal government does consider marijuana to be contraband, McEnry said.
"He tried to follow them through the employee entrance when they went back to the federal building. One of the agents looked back at him and said, 'Hey, where do you think you're going? You need to go through the metal detector,'" McEnry said.
Realizing the DEA did not intend to return his stash, the man then called 911 on his cell phone to report the incident to San Francisco police.
"It sounded like he was questioning their authority," McEnry said. "They had shown him their identification, but he kept saying, 'They said they were DEA agents, and they took my marijuana.'"
No officers came to retrieve the marijuana, McEnry confirmed.
In 1996, California voters approved marijuana as a legal treatment for some medical ailments. State and local government have begun to regulate use of the drug, and privately run dispensaries sell the drug to those with medical prescriptions in cities around the state.
But the federal government considers pot an illegal drug, a position upheld in a 2005 U.S. Supreme Court decision.
The man had a medical marijuana card and said he planned to sell the drugs to the Divinity Tree, a marijuana dispensary, for $4,000 per pound, agents said. McEnry said the man planned to use the proceeds to finance a weekend snowboarding trip to Lake Tahoe.
The Drug Enforcement Administration agents were near the Philip Burton Federal Building at 1:15 p.m. when a man passed them on the 400 block of Turk Street carrying a cardboard box. The box, emblazoned with the logo of a common brand of hydroponics equipment, reeked of marijuana.
"These agents were hungry, just on their way out to grab a sandwich, when this guy walks past them," DEA Special Agent Casey McEnry said. "They couldn't believe it."
The narcotics agents stopped the man and asked what was in the box. He showed them about 1.5 pounds of marijuana, 12 ounces of hashish and an electronic scale.
Then, in a move that apparently stunned the 20-year-old Eureka resident, the agents took his pot away. While his crime was too minor to prosecute under federal law, the federal government does consider marijuana to be contraband, McEnry said.
"He tried to follow them through the employee entrance when they went back to the federal building. One of the agents looked back at him and said, 'Hey, where do you think you're going? You need to go through the metal detector,'" McEnry said.
Realizing the DEA did not intend to return his stash, the man then called 911 on his cell phone to report the incident to San Francisco police.
"It sounded like he was questioning their authority," McEnry said. "They had shown him their identification, but he kept saying, 'They said they were DEA agents, and they took my marijuana.'"
No officers came to retrieve the marijuana, McEnry confirmed.
In 1996, California voters approved marijuana as a legal treatment for some medical ailments. State and local government have begun to regulate use of the drug, and privately run dispensaries sell the drug to those with medical prescriptions in cities around the state.
But the federal government considers pot an illegal drug, a position upheld in a 2005 U.S. Supreme Court decision.
The man had a medical marijuana card and said he planned to sell the drugs to the Divinity Tree, a marijuana dispensary, for $4,000 per pound, agents said. McEnry said the man planned to use the proceeds to finance a weekend snowboarding trip to Lake Tahoe.
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
We're Official!
Check us out on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Spliff_Committee
Good lookin out Styles....
(our corporate office...haha)
Check us out on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Spliff_Committee
Good lookin out Styles....
(our corporate office...haha)
Saturday, November 11, 2006
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
New York pot dealers now making home deliveries???
http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/11/06/pot.delivery.ap/index.html
From CNN.com
NEW YORK (AP) -- In a city where you can get just about anything delivered to your door -- groceries, dry cleaning, Chinese food -- pot smokers are increasingly ordering takeout marijuana from drug rings that operate with remarkable corporate-style attention to customer satisfaction.
An untold number of otherwise law-abiding professionals in New York are having their pot delivered to their homes instead of visiting drug dens or hanging out on street corners.
Among the legions of home delivery customers is Chris, a 37-year-old salesman in Manhattan. He dials a pager number and gets a return call from a cheery dispatcher who takes his order for potent strains of marijuana.
Within a couple of hours, a well-groomed delivery man -- sometimes a moonlighting actor or chef -- arrives at the doorstep of his Manhattan apartment carrying weed neatly packaged in small plastic containers.
"These are very nice, discreet people," said Chris, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition only his first name be used. "There's an unspoken trust. It's better than going to some street corner and getting ripped off or killed."
Customer service
The phenomenon isn't new. It has long been the case around the country that those with enough money and the right connections could get cocaine or other drugs discreetly delivered to their homes and places of business.
But experts say home delivery has been growing in popularity, thanks to a shrewder, corporate style of dealing designed to put customers at ease and avoid the messy turf wars associated with other drugs.
"It's certainly been the trend in the past 10 years in urban areas that are becoming gentrified," said Ric Curtis, an anthropology professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice who specializes in the drug culture.
The corporate model -- and its profit potential -- were demonstrated late last year when the Drug Enforcement Administration announced that it had taken down a highly sophisticated organization dubbed the Cartoon Network. DEA agents arrested 12 people after using wiretaps and surveillance and making undercover buys.
Authorities estimated that since 1999, the ring made a fortune by delivering more than a ton of marijuana, some of it grown hydroponically -- without soil -- in the basement of a Cape Cod-style home on 10 acres in Vermont, where an informant reported the smell of the crop was overpowering.
The dealers, working out of a roving call center, processed 600 orders a day -- from doctors, lawyers, Wall Street traders -- even on Christmas, investigators said. Authorities refused to give names, but in one conversation overheard last October, a courier boasted about the ring's upscale clientele, according to court papers.
"We know comedians. We know celebrities," the courier said. "So you might meet a rapper, a singer. We go to a lot of people."
New kind of office pool
One former customer named Lucia, a 30-year-old employee at an entertainment cable network, recalled blatant deals done at the company's Manhattan headquarters. Executives and employees alike would pool their orders as if they were buying lunch together, then await the arrival of a courier, Lucia said.
The cost was $60 for one plastic case holding two grams of marijuana -- a steep markup, but worth it because of convenience and quality, she said.
"It was kind, kind bud," she said. "Yummy stuff."
The emphasis on customer service and satisfaction was evident at one stash house, where agents found more than 30 pounds of marijuana in plain view, already packaged for holiday delivery, court papers said. The packages featured the drug ring's cartoon character logo and the greeting, "Happy Holidays From Your Friends at Cartoon!"
The operation's alleged mastermind, John Nebel, "should have been the CEO of a Fortune 500 company," said his attorney, Steve Zissou.
Instead, Nebel, who is awaiting trial, could get a minimum of 10 years in federal prison if convicted. Prosecutors also are demanding the forfeiture of $22 million in cash, homes, cars, motorcycles and a boat owned by him and his compatriots.
At Lucia's workplace, employees were "bummed" by the news of Nebel's bust, Lucia said. But worries that the office might get raided evaporated, and other dealers stepped in, though "their product does not hold up to Cartoon," she said.
Investigators seized customers' names and addresses from the drug operation's computer logs. But those people face little risk of prosecution, authorities said.
Authorities conceded the home delivery trade will probably survive because of the high demand for marijuana and the low penalties for dealing it.
Under state law, most marijuana offenses "are not treated as very significant crimes," said Bridget G. Brennen, the city's special narcotic prosecutor. "That is why you see the marijuana delivery services proliferating. Their exposure is slight."
http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/11/06/pot.delivery.ap/index.html
From CNN.com
NEW YORK (AP) -- In a city where you can get just about anything delivered to your door -- groceries, dry cleaning, Chinese food -- pot smokers are increasingly ordering takeout marijuana from drug rings that operate with remarkable corporate-style attention to customer satisfaction.
An untold number of otherwise law-abiding professionals in New York are having their pot delivered to their homes instead of visiting drug dens or hanging out on street corners.
Among the legions of home delivery customers is Chris, a 37-year-old salesman in Manhattan. He dials a pager number and gets a return call from a cheery dispatcher who takes his order for potent strains of marijuana.
Within a couple of hours, a well-groomed delivery man -- sometimes a moonlighting actor or chef -- arrives at the doorstep of his Manhattan apartment carrying weed neatly packaged in small plastic containers.
"These are very nice, discreet people," said Chris, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition only his first name be used. "There's an unspoken trust. It's better than going to some street corner and getting ripped off or killed."
Customer service
The phenomenon isn't new. It has long been the case around the country that those with enough money and the right connections could get cocaine or other drugs discreetly delivered to their homes and places of business.
But experts say home delivery has been growing in popularity, thanks to a shrewder, corporate style of dealing designed to put customers at ease and avoid the messy turf wars associated with other drugs.
"It's certainly been the trend in the past 10 years in urban areas that are becoming gentrified," said Ric Curtis, an anthropology professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice who specializes in the drug culture.
The corporate model -- and its profit potential -- were demonstrated late last year when the Drug Enforcement Administration announced that it had taken down a highly sophisticated organization dubbed the Cartoon Network. DEA agents arrested 12 people after using wiretaps and surveillance and making undercover buys.
Authorities estimated that since 1999, the ring made a fortune by delivering more than a ton of marijuana, some of it grown hydroponically -- without soil -- in the basement of a Cape Cod-style home on 10 acres in Vermont, where an informant reported the smell of the crop was overpowering.
The dealers, working out of a roving call center, processed 600 orders a day -- from doctors, lawyers, Wall Street traders -- even on Christmas, investigators said. Authorities refused to give names, but in one conversation overheard last October, a courier boasted about the ring's upscale clientele, according to court papers.
"We know comedians. We know celebrities," the courier said. "So you might meet a rapper, a singer. We go to a lot of people."
New kind of office pool
One former customer named Lucia, a 30-year-old employee at an entertainment cable network, recalled blatant deals done at the company's Manhattan headquarters. Executives and employees alike would pool their orders as if they were buying lunch together, then await the arrival of a courier, Lucia said.
The cost was $60 for one plastic case holding two grams of marijuana -- a steep markup, but worth it because of convenience and quality, she said.
"It was kind, kind bud," she said. "Yummy stuff."
The emphasis on customer service and satisfaction was evident at one stash house, where agents found more than 30 pounds of marijuana in plain view, already packaged for holiday delivery, court papers said. The packages featured the drug ring's cartoon character logo and the greeting, "Happy Holidays From Your Friends at Cartoon!"
The operation's alleged mastermind, John Nebel, "should have been the CEO of a Fortune 500 company," said his attorney, Steve Zissou.
Instead, Nebel, who is awaiting trial, could get a minimum of 10 years in federal prison if convicted. Prosecutors also are demanding the forfeiture of $22 million in cash, homes, cars, motorcycles and a boat owned by him and his compatriots.
At Lucia's workplace, employees were "bummed" by the news of Nebel's bust, Lucia said. But worries that the office might get raided evaporated, and other dealers stepped in, though "their product does not hold up to Cartoon," she said.
Investigators seized customers' names and addresses from the drug operation's computer logs. But those people face little risk of prosecution, authorities said.
Authorities conceded the home delivery trade will probably survive because of the high demand for marijuana and the low penalties for dealing it.
Under state law, most marijuana offenses "are not treated as very significant crimes," said Bridget G. Brennen, the city's special narcotic prosecutor. "That is why you see the marijuana delivery services proliferating. Their exposure is slight."
Check this 1 too...
http://www.theonion.com/content/node/30821
http://www.theonion.com/content/node/30821
Saturday, November 04, 2006
Friday, October 27, 2006
City moves forward on its ban of blunts
http://philly.metro.us/metro/local/article/City_moves_forward_on_its_ban_of_blunts/5387.htmlCITY HALL — The city’s war on drugs yesterday became a war on blunts.
After a City Council hearing that was more an anti-drug public service announcement, the loose cigars available at most inner-city convenience stores and Chinese takeout joints — typically emptied out and filled with marijuana — may soon become illegal to sell.
Council’s Committee on Licenses & Inspections unanimously approved a bill yesterday to outlaw the sale of “loosies” and other drug paraphernalia, including cigarette wrapping papers. The full Council is expected to approve the measure next month.
“I think it sends the wrong message when you can get a blunt or rolling papers with your Now and Laters or Lemonheads or pretzel sticks,” said Stephen Clay, the medical director at the Gaudenzia drug treatment facility.
Clay said that those coming to Gaudenzia for treatment are asked to write a life story. Many, he said, start their stories at the age of 7 or 8, when they smoked their first blunt.
Activists say the blunts come in more flavors than soda and their easy availability on the streets helps lead to a feeling of “lawlessness.” Blunts are sometimes laced with PCP or cocaine, activists say, for an even greater high.
“It just seems outrageous what’s going on in the city,” said Councilwoman Joan Krajewski. “It is a serious problem plaguing our city.”
According to one major retailer, they would stop selling small packages of blunt cigars if the bill passed. The bill outlaws sales of cigars in packages of fewer than six, except by specialty tobacco shops.
“We have a long history of not selling items of that nature, especially the rolling papers and so forth,” said Lori Bruce, a spokesperson for Wawa. “We certainly will continue to work with City Council and comply with whatever it is that they mandate.”
City Council in brief
• CULTURE City Council approved Mayor John Street’s plan to borrow $150 million for arts and cultural groups in the city. The plan to issue bonds was approved, 11-3, with Councilman Brian O’Neill, Councilwoman Marian B. Tasco and Council President Anna Verna voting against the plan that some say is just a way for Street to boost his “legacy.”
• ELECTIONS City Council approved a ballot question yesterday that will allow voters in May to decide whether to appeal the city’s “right to run” rule. Those hoping to run for elected office in the city must now resign from their current positions. One person caught up in the rule was former Councilman Michael A. Nutter, who was forced to resign from Council last summer in order to run in next year’s mayoral race.
• ELECTIONS Councilman Wilson W. Goode amended his campaign finance bill yesterday, adding language to clarify just who counts as a “candidate.” Anyone who forms a political fund-raising committee, even if not officially declared as a candidate, would be a “candidate” under the new rules.
• PRISONS Council also approved Goode’s ex-offender employer tax credit bill, which grants employers a $5,000-per job credit against business privilege taxes for jobs created for ex-cons. Mayor John Street is expected to sign the bill into law, Goode said.
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Marijuana-Like Compound May Ease Stomach Cramping
http://www.forbes.com/forbeslife/health/feeds/hscout/2006/10/24/hscout535642.html
TUESDAY, Oct. 24 (HealthDay News) -- A synthetic form of a chemical component found in marijuana may help relax the colon and reduce stomach cramping after eating, says a Mayo Clinic study.
Researchers compared the effects of dronabinol and a placebo on colonic motility and sensation in 52 health adults. Dronabinol is a synthetic version of THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, the active ingredient in marijuana.
The study found that dronabinol relaxes the colon and reduces post-eating contractions and cramping. The effect was most apparent in women.
"The potential for cannabinoids to modulate colonic motor function in disease deserves a further look," study leader Dr. Tuba Esfandyari said in a prepared statement.
Currently in the United States, dronabinol is used to prevent nausea and vomiting for cancer patients after chemotherapy. But it's used only when other kinds of medicine for nausea and vomiting don't work. It's is also used to increase appetite in AIDS patients.
http://www.forbes.com/forbeslife/health/feeds/hscout/2006/10/24/hscout535642.html
TUESDAY, Oct. 24 (HealthDay News) -- A synthetic form of a chemical component found in marijuana may help relax the colon and reduce stomach cramping after eating, says a Mayo Clinic study.
Researchers compared the effects of dronabinol and a placebo on colonic motility and sensation in 52 health adults. Dronabinol is a synthetic version of THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, the active ingredient in marijuana.
The study found that dronabinol relaxes the colon and reduces post-eating contractions and cramping. The effect was most apparent in women.
"The potential for cannabinoids to modulate colonic motor function in disease deserves a further look," study leader Dr. Tuba Esfandyari said in a prepared statement.
Currently in the United States, dronabinol is used to prevent nausea and vomiting for cancer patients after chemotherapy. But it's used only when other kinds of medicine for nausea and vomiting don't work. It's is also used to increase appetite in AIDS patients.
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Baby on bong: Court upholds mom's conviction
September 22, 2006 - CNN.COM
http://www.cnn.com/2006/LAW/09/22/baby.bong.reut/index.html
SAN FRANCISCO, California (Reuters) -- A Montana mother who allowed her 18-month-old baby daughter to inhale from a marijuana water pipe was properly convicted, but should not have to spend five years in jail, a U.S. appeals court ruled Friday.
Jessica Durham was photographed allowing her toddler Michala to suck from a marijuana water pipe, also known as a bong, in 2004 by a friend upset about the activity.
"Ms. Durham allegedly remarked that smoking improved Michala's appetite and left Michala lethargic and mellow - a manner she found consistent with her own experience smoking marijuana," Judge Louis Pollak of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals wrote in summarizing the case.
In 2005, a lower court sentenced Durham to five years in prison for unlawful marijuana distribution. She appealed both the conviction and the sentence.
In its ruling Friday, a three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit upheld the conviction but said the sentence exceeded the applicable federal law which calls for punishment of no more than two years in prison.
Copyright 2006 Reuters. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
September 22, 2006 - CNN.COM
http://www.cnn.com/2006/LAW/09/22/baby.bong.reut/index.html
SAN FRANCISCO, California (Reuters) -- A Montana mother who allowed her 18-month-old baby daughter to inhale from a marijuana water pipe was properly convicted, but should not have to spend five years in jail, a U.S. appeals court ruled Friday.
Jessica Durham was photographed allowing her toddler Michala to suck from a marijuana water pipe, also known as a bong, in 2004 by a friend upset about the activity.
"Ms. Durham allegedly remarked that smoking improved Michala's appetite and left Michala lethargic and mellow - a manner she found consistent with her own experience smoking marijuana," Judge Louis Pollak of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals wrote in summarizing the case.
In 2005, a lower court sentenced Durham to five years in prison for unlawful marijuana distribution. She appealed both the conviction and the sentence.
In its ruling Friday, a three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit upheld the conviction but said the sentence exceeded the applicable federal law which calls for punishment of no more than two years in prison.
Copyright 2006 Reuters. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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