MetaFilter posts tagged with marijuana and law

The Spice Must Flow

furiousxgeorge — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 00:43:40 -0800

(Some links NSFW) Any down on their luck stoner is familiar with so called, "legal bud" Herbs of all kinds have been marketed online to the connectionless or legally restricted that offered a marijuana like high without the legal consequences. Everyone knows they are all scams. It might surprise you, that some were not. Commonly sold under the names Spice or Zohai, mixtures of herbs sprayed with synthetic cannabinoid substances such as HU-210 or JWH-018 have been available online for at least the past four years. This thriving grey market has recently come to a grinding halt. Spice was listed as containing a varying mix of herbal ingredients, some of which could plausibly offer a psychoactive experience. The government in Frankfurt was not convinced that the listed ingredients could account for the reported THC like effects. A study was commissioned that revealed the presence of an unlisted ingredient, a synthetic cannabinoid. Several nations were quick to enact bans. In the United States, a shipment of spice was intercepted by customs agents. Tests of the material confirmed the presence of HU-210, which is illegal under the Analog Act. Spice, and similar products, in a matter of weeks have been made near impossible to find. This is a rare, sweeping victory in the War on Drugs. Will these synthetic cannabinoids never be heard from again, despite potential promise in medical research? Will they be demonized out of our medical culture like their mother drug? Will other individuals find a way to stealthily market similar compounds to those just looking for fun? Time will tell.

No surprises here

Pope Guilty — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 18:34:26 -0800

Salon has an article up which is a pretty solid summary of why marijuana is illegal.

RIP Robin Prosser

homunculus — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 12:03:14 -0800

Robin Prosser was a former concert pianist and systems analyst who suffered from an autoimmune disease similar to lupus for over 20 years. The disease left her in constant pain and made her allergic to most pharmaceutical painkillers. Only medical marijuana brought her relief, but last spring the DEA seized her medicine. Unable to cope with the chronic pain any longer, she committed suicide on October 18th. [Via Andrew Sullivan.]

We know what's best for you.

mullingitover — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 00:53:36 -0800

An excellent example of the consequences of the Supreme Court's Gonzales v. Raich decision: today the United States House of Representatives voted down a bill which would have prohibited the DEA from targeting State-authorized medical marijuana dispensaries. Almost simultaneously, the DEA raided 10 medical marijuana dispensaries in Los Angeles.

The Limits of Free Speech in Schools

digaman — Mon, 28 Aug 2006 09:46:40 -0800

From the guy who brought you the Whitewater scandal and the impeachment of President Clinton for lying about oval antics in the Oral Office, a legal push to make the Supreme Court just say no to "Bong Hits 4 Jesus." Ken Starr's petition to the Court [PDF] makes clear that Starr believes this is no laughing matter, but a chance for the Court to make a landmark ruling that will give school adminstrators the power to limit student speech: "This case presents the Court with a much-needed opportunity to resolve a sharp conflict among federal courts (and to eliminate confusion on the part of school boards, administrators, teachers, and students) over whether the First Amendment permits regulation of student speech when such speech is advocating or making light of illegal substances."

What is this, Bizarro-World?

five fresh fish — Wed, 26 Nov 2003 22:34:30 -0800

The War on Drugs hasn't been working at all well. So let's make it even less sensible: harsher penalties, invasion of privacy, all that jazz. The proposal is surreal, but fits in with the rest of US Drug Policy: rapists aren't denied federal funds for post-secondary schooling, but pot-heads are; you can spend more time in jail for dealing weed than for murder; gonna deal pot, ya might as well deal speed, it's the same jailtime. And now... let's encourage dealers to sell pot with more carcinogenic tars! [link goes to NORML, possibly NSFW, danger: encourages political activism]

Rainbow Farms revisited

trondant — Tue, 02 Sep 2003 21:59:07 -0800

An article in the upcoming issue of Playboy (via MAP) examines in more detail a lethal standoff between a pot-smoking festival organizer and the government. Another attempt to drop out and do as one pleases met with another unhappy outcome. Rainbow farms was previously discussed here.

Munchies

CrazyJub — Sun, 08 Jun 2003 06:48:39 -0800

Ontario land of beautiful parks, vibrant nightlife, and as of June 6th, smoking pot is completely legal. What's striking is the silent acceptance of this by the Canadian public, who overwhelmingly sees the current laws as archaic. Previous discussion.

Medical Marijuana in MD

cpfeifer — Thu, 27 Mar 2003 06:11:56 -0800

Maryland voted to reduce penalities on folks who smoke marijuana for medical purposes. It's passed the house and is on it's way to becoming law!

The first online provider of therapeutic cannabis:

Badmichelle — Fri, 20 Dec 2002 10:08:46 -0800

Pot in Canada may soon be a click away with the launch of a home-delivery service for medical marijuana over the Internet (more info on Canada's medicinal pot laws here ).

Degaz — Mon, 14 Oct 2002 19:27:15 -0800

Can the current prohibition really be blamed on one guy? First he tells Congress that "marijuana is the most violence-causing drug in the history of mankind" and then World War 2 comes and farmers are encouraged to grow it. After the War, he turns around and tells Congress that it could be used by the Russians to make our men lazy and pacifistic. If he had kept his original argument, our men would be insane killers against the Russian army. What would the country be like if there never was a HARRY J. ANSLINGER ?

botono9 — Tue, 08 Oct 2002 19:19:28 -0800

Nevada prosecutor accuses pro-marijuana group of using drug cartels for funding. A prosecutor has suggested a drug cartel backs efforts to legalize possession of up to 3 ounces of marijuana in Nevada. But an advocate for the proposal says the statement is "an outright lie, slanderous and libelous." Billy Rogers, spokesman for Nevadans for Responsible Law Enforcement (backed by the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP), adds that Gary Booker, a chief deputy district attorney in Clark County, "ought to have his mouth washed out with soap."

triggerfinger — Wed, 14 Aug 2002 06:23:44 -0800

Nevada looking to legalize marijuana. And not just for medicinal use, but for recreational use as well. So far, it looks like there's a good chance it might happen.

xowie — Wed, 24 Jul 2002 19:00:01 -0800

Smoke pot, stay out of jail. As your lawyer, I advise you to read this cartoon by Ellen Forney. See also: Bustcard.

massless — Fri, 05 Apr 2002 02:43:59 -0800

Utah Judge Rules Medical Pot is In via the Utahns for Compassionate Use. "During a preliminary hearing for three patients in Cedar City on Wednesday March 27, 2002 Judge Braithwaite bound patients over for trial and ruled that their medical marijuana arguments do count in a Utah Courtroom even though Utah has different laws than California." My question, of course, is: do you really spell it "Utahns?"

ookamaka — Thu, 21 Mar 2002 19:19:09 -0800

Once-Secret "Nixon Tapes" Show Why the U.S. Outlawed Pot
Ok, I'll admit that I was amused by the fact that 420,000 people were arrested in that first year....

magullo — Tue, 19 Mar 2002 08:16:01 -0800

If citizens voted for it and juries made of citizens refuse to convict other citizens for it ... Where is the dilemma?

emptyage — Tue, 15 Jan 2002 12:25:10 -0800

Phew! It's okay to drive stoned in Idaho now. Assuming you can pass a field sobriety test, that is. To quote the attorney, "just having smoked marijuana doesn't give somebody cause to arrest you for that when driving." This seems to be a technicality, and you have to assume it's going to be overturned. If not, anyone up for a road trip to Boise?

tpoh.org — Sat, 08 Dec 2001 08:53:39 -0800

EU Countries Soften Cannabis Policy. This past week, experts and officials from around the EU met in the central Dutch city of Utrecht to exchange views at the European City Conference on Cannabis policy. (From Radio Nederlands)

twistedonion — Tue, 23 Oct 2001 08:12:43 -0800

nice one! Cannabis laws to be relaxed, maybe...

snakey — Thu, 07 Dec 2000 11:17:41 -0800

Clinton: Pot Smokers Shouldn't Go to Prison Whoa -- now he tells us.

Hankins — Mon, 30 Oct 2000 13:10:00 -0800

Court Finds Mr. Cannabis Guilty of Growing Cannabis (insert similar play on words to evoke laughter here).

cCranium — Wed, 02 Aug 2000 13:18:33 -0800

Man, I love Ontario. Monday afternoon, an amazingly significant court trial ruled that possession of marijuana being criminal is unconstitutional, and that new laws need to be written.