Sir Mick Jagger: Rolling Stone calls for 'marijuana to be legalised on Isle of Man'

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After you have finished reading this article you can click here to go back. Sir Mick Jagger: Rolling Stone calls for 'marijuana to be legalised on Isle of Man' Andrew Hough The Telegraph Thursday 20 May 2010 Sir Mick Jagger, the Rolling Stones lead singer, has called for cannabis to be legalised on the Isle of Man to gauge whether it prevents drug-related violence. The 66 year-old British rock star, who was convicted of possessing narcotics in the 1960s, suggested a trial scheme should be carried out on the channel island "to see what happens". In an interview on American television, Sir Mick urged officials to legalise cannabis only on the island, and only for a limited time, to test whether such a ban would work. "The whole question of legalising drugs is fraught," Sir Mick told the Larry King Live show on CNN. "You usually try these things out in very small places. You know, like you try a new product out in a small kind of society or an island somewhere. "In England they always try out new mobile phones in the Isle of Man. They've got a captive society. So I said, you should try – you should try the legalisation of all drugs on the Isle of Man and see what happens." Sir Mick, who is now known for his fitness rather than recreational drug use, insisted his proposal would help prevent violent crime that is normally associated with narcotics trade. He said young people would always experiment with substances despite the obvious negative side effects. "Human beings seem to have a propensity to want to take drugs in some form. "It seems to be the propensity of human beings to want to use them. I think you have to take that as read, you know. "But then what do you do when it affects so many people's lives, and not in a good way? And then also you get a lot of violence at both ends of the scope. So you get violence in some countries." "That's the part that speaks to some sort of legalisation. Because that, you would hope, would help the violence from both ends of the supply line." Sir Mick admitted his amphetamine conviction in 1967, quashed later on appeal, still caused him problems when travelling through America. Sir Mick this week attended the Cannes Film Festival for a special screening of Stones in Exile, a documentary about the making of the Rolling Stones 1972 album Exile on Main Street. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/picturegalleries/celebritynews/7743788/Sir-Mick-Jagger-Rolling-Stone-calls-for-marijuana-to-be-legalised-on-Isle-of-Man.html After you have finished reading this article you can click here to go back.

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US: Legalize marijuana? Californians are divided

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US: Legalize marijuana? Californians are divided

Central Valley Business Times

Thursday 20 May 2010

California voters will choose in November whether to legalize marijuana and allow it to be regulated and taxed. But as of now, they are divided about legalization, with 49 percent of likely voters in favor of this change in the law and 48 percent opposed according to a statewide survey released Wednesday evening by the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California.

Results among all adults were similar: 48 percent favor legalization, and 49 percent are opposed. There are stark differences across political and demographic groups:

• Majorities of Democrats (56 percent) and independents (55 percent) favor legalization. Thirty-four percent of Republicans are in favor.?

• Most San Francisco Bay Area residents (56 percent) are in favor. Residents in other regions are either divided or opposed.?

• Most Hispanics (62 percent) oppose legalization. A majority of whites (56 percent) are in favor.?

• Support for legalization decreases with age. 56 percent of adults aged 18–34 are in favor compared to 42 percent aged 55 and older.

When asked about use of marijuana for medical purposes – an issue in cities where there have been disputes about dispensaries -- 76 percent say it should be allowed, with strong majorities of Democrats (82 percent), independents (80 percent), and Republicans (68 percent) holding this view.

Methodology

The PPIC Statewide Survey is supported with funding from The James Irvine Foundation. Findings are based on a telephone survey of 2,003 California adult residents interviewed on landlines and cell phones from May 9-16. Interviews were conducted in English or Spanish according to respondents' preferences.

The sampling error is ±2 percent for all adults, ±2.5 percent for the 1,598 registered voters, ±3 percent for the 1,168 likely voters.

As a private operating foundation, the Public Policy Institute of California does not take or support positions on any ballot measure or on any local, state, or federal legislation, nor does it endorse, support, or oppose any political parties or candidates for public office. The institute was established in 1994 with an endowment from William R. Hewlett.

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Canada's 'Prince of Pot' extradited to US (Marc Emery)

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After you have finished reading this article you can click here to go back. Canada's 'Prince of Pot' extradited to US (Marc Emery) AFP Thursday 20 May 2010 MONTREAL — Canada's self-proclaimed "Prince of Pot" Marc Emery was extradited to the United States, losing a five-year legal battle to avoid jail time there for selling marijuana by mail across the border, his lawyer told AFP. Arrested May 10 in Vancouver, the 52-year-old Cannabis Culture magazine editor was extradited to Seattle, Washington, said Richard Troberman, adding that his client had already appeared in court in the US city 190 kilometers (120 miles) south of Vancouver. "Marc Emery was in Court (in Seattle) at 2:30 pm (2130 GMT). He is going to plea guilty on Monday to reduce charges," the lawyer said. An ardent advocate of legalizing marijuana, Emery was first arrested in Canada in 2005 on a US extradition request, but was released on bail pending his protracted legal efforts to have him serve time in his homeland if convicted of his charges. He has never been put on trial in Canada. The United States Thursday indicted Emery of conspiracy to manufacture marijuana and distribute marijuana seeds and conspiracy to engage in money laundering. US justice officials say he sold more than four million marijuana seeds over the Internet, three fourths of which were mailed to customers in the United States. If convicted, Emery could be sent to jail for up to five years. Also president of the Marijuana Party of Canada, Emery claims there are five million marijuana users in Canada. In a recent interview he said he was proud and had no regrets about his online marijuana dealership that sold the recreational drug to consenting adults around the world, including the United States. The US Drug Enforcement Administration estimates Emery made close to five million dollars a year from his business. http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hQIMtpp5XHTbJEgArLIAV_r_MhKw After you have finished reading this article you can click here to go back.

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Canada 'marijuana seed dealer' extradited to US (Marc Emery)

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After you have finished reading this article you can click here to go back. Canada 'marijuana seed dealer' extradited to US (Marc Emery) BBC News Friday 21 May 2010 Canada's so-called "Prince of Pot" has been brought to the US where he is expected to plead guilty to selling marijuana seeds to US customers. Marc Emery allegedly sold millions of marijuana seeds around the world by post. He was ordered extradited by Canada's Minister of Justice Rob Nicholson on 10 May. Mr Emery arrived in Seattle, Washington state, on Thursday and is expected to plead guilty on Monday. Richard Troberman, Mr Emery's attorney, told the Associated Press news agency that his client would plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to manufacture marijuana in exchange for an agreed sentence of five years in prison. Mr Emery, a resident of Vancouver, British Columbia, said he had made $3m (£2.4m) a year before his arrest in 2005. Hisseeds were allegedly traced to illegal cannabis-growing operations in Indiana, Florida, Tennessee, Montana, Virginia, Michigan, New Jersey and North Dakota, according to the US Drug Enforcement Administration. Supporters of Mr Emery claim that Canada's Conservative government, led by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, is instigating a "culture war" by not intervening in his extradition. Mr Emery's wife, Jodie Emery, called on other marijuana activists to shut down Hastings Street, a busy corridor in Vancouver, in protest at his extradition. "My husband committed a crime punishable by only a $200 fine in Canada, yet this Conservative government is sending him to serve up to 25 years in US jail," Mrs Emery said in a press release on Thursday morning. She added: "I promise you, Stephen Harper, we will hound you until you are nothing but an unpleasant memory." http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/us_and_canada/10134872.stm After you have finished reading this article you can click here to go back.

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Medical Marijuana: Eddy Lepp Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison

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After you have finished reading this article you can click here to go back. Medical Marijuana: Eddy Lepp Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison Stop The Drug War dot org Tuesday 25 May 2010 California medical marijuana grower, spiritualist, and activist Eddy Lepp was sentenced Monday to a mandatory minimum 10-year prison sentence on federal marijuana cultivation charges in a case where he grew more than 20,000 pot plants in plain view of a state highway in Northern California's Lake County. US District Court Judge Marilyn Patel also sentenced him to five years probation. He must report to federal authorities by July 6. http://stopthedrugwar.org/files/eddylepp2.jpg Eddy Lepp (courtesy cannabisculture.com) Lepp contended that the plants were a medical marijuana grow for members of the Multi Denominational Ministry of Cannabis and Rastafari and legal under California law. But during his trial, he was not allowed to introduce medical marijuana or religious defenses. He was found guilty of conspiracy to possess marijuana with the intent to distribute more than 1,000 pot plants and of cultivating more than 1,000 plants, which carries a maximum life sentence. According to California NORML (CANORML) and the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat, there were gasps and sobs from Lepp supporters in the courtroom as Patel passed sentence. The sentence was "extreme," Patel conceded, but said her hands were tied by federal law. In a nod toward the current turmoil over the status of federal prosecutions of medical marijuana providers, Judge Patel said Lepp could apply for a rehearing if the laws changed. Lepp and his attorneys plan to appeal the verdict and the sentence. Lepp attorney Michael Hall told Patel the sentence was "incredible." "Incredible is what the law requires," Patel responded, adding that legalizing marijuana appeared to be Lepp's driving passion. "Maybe you want to be a martyr for the cause," she said. Sentencing Lepp, a 56-year-old veteran in ill health, to prison is a travesty and a waste, said supporters. "This case sadly illustrates the senselessness of federal marijuana laws," said CANORML's Dale Geiringer. "The last thing this country needs is more medical marijuana prisoners. Hopefully, we can change the law and get Eddy out of jail before he completes his sentence." "Locking up Eddy Lepp serves no purpose and is a huge waste of life and scarce prison space," said Aaron Smith, California policy director of the Marijuana Policy Project. "The community would be a lot better served if we taxed and regulated California's $14 billion marijuana industry rather than continuing to incarcerate non-violent people like Eddy, who are clearly of no danger to society." http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/586/eddy_lepp_sentenced_for_medical_marijuana After you have finished reading this article you can click here to go back.

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US: Obama's Drug War Hypocrisy

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After you have finished reading this article you can click here to go back. Scott Morgan Stop The Drug War Wednesday 26 May 2010 The president lacks the moral authority to lock people up for behavior he engaged in as a young man. Still, political realities being what they are, we can't expect him to declare a total cease-fire in the drug war. To his credit, Obama has at least reversed the Bush policy of prosecuting medical marijuana cases in states where it's legal. But Obama may soon be presented with an unwelcome test of character. In November, Californians will likely approve a ballot initiative legalizing recreational pot use. Will Obama ignore the people's will and continue to prosecute marijuana users in our largest state? Well, not if he knows what's good for him. I assure you, the new administration's more tolerant approach to medical marijuana didn't happen because Obama is particularly concerned about the plight of seriously ill patients caught in the drug war's indiscriminate crossfire. It happened because it's no longer politically viable to overturn the will of voters in the war on marijuana. Sure, we'll continue to hear the drug czar whining from time to time about the perils of legalization, but if Californians decide to go through with it, don't expect a federal occupation in the streets of Oaksterdam. Obama's base is decidedly supportive of marijuana reform, thus he has nothing to gain and a considerable hassle to endure should he be foolish enough to stand between Californians and their cannabis. Of course, while I highly doubt Obama will interfere in any meaningful way with the legalization effort in California, I am curious as all hell what he'll say about it if asked. Thus far we've heard the President address marijuana policy in as few words as humanly possible, even when doing so made him look ridiculous. He won't speak one word about any of this unless he's forced to, and it's only a matter of time until that happens once again. Maybe you should be practicing, Mr. President, because another one sentence explanation isn't going to cut it next time around. http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle_blog/2010/may/25/obamas_drug_war_hypocrisy After you have finished reading this article you can click here to go back.

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Showing selected Cannabis News article - Cannabis News: UK: Disabled man walks free after drug conviction (Edwin Stratton) - The Independent

Showing selected Cannabis News article - Cannabis News: UK: Disabled man walks free after drug conviction (Edwin Stratton) - The Independent

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UK: Disabled man walks free after drug conviction (Edwin Stratton)

Liam Creedon

The Independent

Wednesday 26 May 2010

A disabled former rock drummer walked free from court today after being convicted of growing cannabis which he took to treat a medical condition.

Edwin Stratton, 44, from east London, grew the plants to help alleviate the symptoms of the debilitating condition coeliac disease.

He was today handed a three-month suspended sentence after police found him growing a number of the plants at his home in February 2008.

His condition forced him to abandon his career with the rock band One Minute Silence. He now walks with a stick and is in constant pain because of his condition.

Mr Stratton was found guilty last month at Snaresbrook Crown Court in east London of cultivating the drug.

Passing sentence today Judge Tudor Owen said a custodial sentence was unavoidable but added that he was satisfied that Mr Stratton had been cultivating the drugs for what he believed were medical reasons.

He explained: "I take into account your impeccable character and that you were not intending to supply this to anyone else and that you were taking it for what you perceived to be good medical reasons.

"I believe what you say and have no reason to doubt the honesty of what you told me.

"I'm satisfied the major part of your motivation was for medical reasons."

Outlining the daily symptoms of Mr Stratton's condition, which is a form of severe gluten allergy, James Hines, defending, told the court: "He suffers from tremors, constant pain and nausea.

"If he so much as smells fresh bread from a bakery it would be likely to put him out of action for two to three days.

"During those days it can get as bad as him being unable to move and shaking and vomiting. He would require assistance just to get on to his feet."

He added: "By 2004 he was unable to continue his music career. His pain and nausea had become so intolerable that he had effectively stopped working."

Mr Hines said the condition forces Mr Stratton to take a "huge cocktail" of around 50 pills per day, including strong pain killers and anti-depressants, which bring a wide range of side effects.

He added: "Cannabis is capable of replacing all of that medication."

Police found the drugs in Mr Stratton's home in Leyton, east London, following a fire at a nearby restaurant. He was offered a police caution but refused it on principle.

After he was charged, he launched a legal challenge, arguing that the application of the Misuse of Drugs Act against him was discriminatory because other drugs such as cigarettes and alcohol are legal.

His application for a judicial review was turned down in the High Court last year.

The court heard today that leading doctors at an acute pain treatment centre had prescribed him with cannabis-based medication to help alleviate his symptoms, but his local NHS foundation trust had refused to pay for the treatment.

Speaking after the case, Mr Stratton said he would take his case to the Court of Appeal.

He said: "I need to articulate the discrimination in a legal sense. Cannabis is less harmful than legally available alternatives both to the individual and to society, which the Government have acknowledged.

"A custodial sentence is entirely unjust, even by their own yardstick, so I call upon the Government to make the changes that are necessary and ensure justice, equal human rights, equal protection under the law."

He said he would now be forced to buy cannabis on the street which would put his safety at risk and could result in him buying the drug cut with dangerous substances such as iron filings and glass.

He explained: "If I don't, life is intolerable. I have no choice."

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/disabled-man-walks-free-after-drug-conviction-1983668.html

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