Best Colleges for Stoners

The 2008 Princeton Review of the "Best 366 Colleges" is out and for anyone who has "marijuana friendly" at the top of their list of "most important characteristics about my future college," you might want to check out Warren Wilson College in Asheville, North Carolina.

Not surprisingly, the US Air Force Academy tops the list of the least pot friendly campuses, and most of the other US military academies are at the high end of that list.

Here's the entire list of the "Reefer Madness" schools

1. Warren Wilson College
2. Bard College
3. University of Vermont
4. University of California - Santa Cruz
5. Lewis & Clark College
6. Pitzer College
7. Hampshire College
8. New College of Florida
9. The University of Texas at Austin (HOOK 'EM HORNS!)
10. Sarah Lawrence University
11. West Virginia University
12. Wesleyen University
13. Guilford College
14. Skidmore College
15. University of Colorado, Boulder
16. Ithaca College
17. University of California - Santa Barbara
18. Eckerd College
19. Vassar College
20. Oberlin College

Alcohol And Cocaine – But Not Cannabis – Linked To Violent Behavior, Study Says

Damn, I could've told them this!! I always love these studies that they pay so much money for and when the results come out you just look and them and think, "Well duh!" They could have just conducted a survey to potheads...we're too couch-locked to be violent! :) But since so many still think Reefer Madness is actually a legitimate interpretation of what people do after smoking, I guess a study like this might be worthwhile somehow...


Alcohol And Cocaine – But Not Cannabis – Linked To Violent Behavior, Study Says

Victoria, British Columbia:

Cannabis use is not independently associated with causing violence, according to the results of a multivariate analysis to be published in the journal Addictive Behaviors.

Investigators at the University of Victoria, Centre for Addictions Research assessed how frequently subjects in a substance abuse treatment facility reported using cocaine, alcohol, and/or cannabis in the hours immediately prior to committing a violent act. Researchers also evaluated subjects’ personality for characteristics associated with violent behavior, such as risk-taking, impulsivity, and/or disrespect for the law.

Investigators concluded: "When analyses were conducted controlling for covariates, the frequency of alcohol and cocaine use was significantly related to violence, suggesting that pharmacological effects [of the drugs] may play a role in violence. Frequency of cannabis use, however, was not significantly related to violence when controlling for other factors."

The study’s conclusions are similar to the findings of a pair of recent government reports refuting allegations that cannabis use triggers violent behavior. The first, published by the Canadian Senate in 2002, determined: "Cannabis use does not induce users to commit other forms of crime. Cannabis use does not increase aggressiveness or anti-social behavior."

The second review, published by the British Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, reported: "Cannabis differs from alcohol in one major respect. It does not seem to increase risk-taking behavior. This means that cannabis rarely contributes to violence either to others or to oneself, whereas alcohol use is a major factor in deliberate self-harm, domestic accidents and violence."

Most recently, a logistical regression analysis of approximately 900 trauma patients published in the Journal of TRAUMA Injury, Infection, and Critical Care, determined that the use of cannabis is not independently associated with either violent or non-violent injuries requiring hospitalization. By contrast, alcohol and cocaine use are associated with violence-related injuries, the study found.

For more information, please contact Paul Armentano, NORML Senior Policy Analyst, at: paul@norml.org. Full text of the study, "Predicting violence among cocaine, cannabis, and alcohol treatment clients," will appear in the journal Addictive Behaviors. Additional audio commentary regarding this study is available on the August 15, 2007 broadcast of the NORML Audio Stash at: http://audio.norml.org/audio_stash/NORML_Daily_AudioStash_08_15_2007.mp3.

Going organic with your papers

Are you sick of the same old rolling papers? Not interested in flavored or printed papers that contain lots of dyes and who knows what else? You no longer have to settle for anything less than organic. The Happy Husk Company has created the ultimate in natural rolling papers by rolling up a pieces of corn husks. A 3-pack of tubes containing 12 papers each is only $8.99. Plus they come in a very cool little waterproof container that you can use over and over again. Single tubes are also available along with a line of clothing. You've gotta love that happy little dancing corn husk.

But I have to wonder if you could do this yourself with cornhusks off ears of corn in your local grocery store or market? Naturally they would need to dry out a bit before you try to use them but we're growing corn in our own back yard so I have to wonder if we could do this for our own use. Truly something I never would have thought to try before. Someone must have had a MacGuyver smoker around when they came up with these things!

"I think we're dying!" Stupid cop calls 911

"We made brownies and I think we're dead."

"Time is going by really, really, really slow!"

These are just a couple of the brilliant remarks made by office Edward Sanchez when he called into 911 to report an overdose of marijuana by himself and his wife Stacey. Apparently Stacey decided to make some brownies post 4/20 and lifted a bag of weed from his cop car. Or perhaps he brought in the grass himself...we may never know the whole truth. Either way the weed had been confiscated from someone else and Officer Sanchez was supposed to be delivering it to evidence. Read the full news story here.

Here is the complete 911 call made by Sanchez.
Edward Sanchez Calls 911

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And here are a series of follow up calls made by DJ Frane who was just trying to get his hands on this stellar brownie recipe. They claim it was probably a 1/4 oz in the brownies...but if he only had one and she ate the rest of the batch it's no wonder she was on the floor passing out.

DJ Frane calls the Sanchezes Parts 1-3

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Personally I'd say this was just karma catching up with him and his wife who apparently has a bit of a substance abuse problem as it is. Maybe next time they'll leave the weed to those who can handle it or stock up one some munchies before they chow down on pot brownies. Almost everyone knows that eating something will help start breaking down the grass you've ingested.

Weed it & weep! Granny's busted

Seriously - don't the cops have something better to do??


Weed it & weep! Granny's busted

She is 71 years old, a great-grandmother - hardly the type of person you would expect to see in Bronx Criminal Court to answer charges of buying two dime bags of pot.

Yet at the appointed time today, Barbara Jackson will make her way to the courthouse, a colorectal cancer survivor ready to plead her case.

"I smoke it to live," the feisty granny told the Daily News. "I don't think I should have been arrested."

Jackson said she started smoking the green, leafy drug eight years ago - a year after being diagnosed with cancer - to restore her appetite after chemotherapy and radiation treatments.

"After cancer treatments, I was very sick," she said. "I couldn't eat and could not stand the smell of food."

Even though her cancer is in remission, she lost her appetite, Jackson said.

On March 13, she set out to find some more of the illegal drug shehas grown dependent on. She found some close to her house on E.179th St. and began walking down Walton Ave.

Plainclothes cops suddenly descended on her and found the two bags of marijuana on her.

"I am looking for a dismissal in the interest of justice," said Ron Kuby, one of two lawyers representing Jackson. "I would hope the Bronx district attorney's office has more important cases than prosecuting a great-granny for medicinal marijuana."

After her arrest, Jackson was handcuffed and brought to jail. She was taken to the 46th Precinct stationhouse, photographed, fingerprinted and issued a desk appearance ticket that she must answer today.

Her other lawyer, David Pressman, said it's heartbreaking to see a senior citizen who was "just trying to survive" handcuffed and held in police custody for five hours.

Steven Reed, a spokesman for the Bronx district attorney's office, said his office is not aware of the case because it hasn't come into the the DA's office.

Jackson hopes to get a chance to tell her story.

She weighed 99 pounds when she entered Lincoln Hospital in 1998. After surgery and treatments she lost even more weight. Jackson said her doctor prescribed an appetite enhancer, but it made her sick.

"The medicine gave me a terrible headache," said Jackson, who was raising three great-grandchildren at the time. "I was very weak and sick after treatments. I had diarrhea and was vomiting all the time.

"The smell of food made me sick and I was nauseous," she said. "The marijuana calmed me down and gave me back my appetite. My taste buds are gone, but the marijuana helps me get the food down."

Jackson said she puffed marijuana twice a day in the privacy of her home. Jackson, who now weighs 124 pounds, credits the marijuana with saving her life.

"The marijuana has kept me alive; I wouldn't be here if I didn't smoke," Jackson said. "I know it's illegal, but I did what I had to do to make myself comfortable and restore my quality of life."

That's a lot of weed

We used to live in Miami...and every time we would see headlines like this, it usually meant that another even more massive shipment of drugs was going unseen. You know, take down something sorta big as a decoy for the massive one that the goverment has agreed to let through. I mean we all have our own thoughts about the corruption of the governments of the world and the drug trade that has been going on... But Miami is another world so I have to wonder if AZ is also in on the game... :)

With any luck they'll burn what the officers don't take home for themselves & the neighbors will be having a hell of a party lol


BODY FOUND; 2,798 POUNDS OF POT SEIZED

A large drug seizure in Green Valley and the discovery of a body believed to be an illegal border crosser in Cochise County marked a busy early week for the Border Patrol.

On Tuesday, a ranch owner near Skeleton Ranch about 30 miles east of Douglas called authorities after a worker on the ranch discovered a man's body, said Gustavo Soto, Border Patrol Tucson Sector spokesman. The agency didn't know his name or age.

Through the end of March, the latest figures available, the agency has reported 49 border deaths in the Tucson Sector, down slightly from the 55 at the same time last year, figures show.

On Monday, Border Patrol agents found nearly 2,800 pounds of marijuana inside a van in Green Valley. A helicopter spotted two vehicles that appeared to be preparing to load illegal entrants. When agents arrived at West Continental Road and South Camino de Sol, they found the van and a white pickup truck, Soto said.

Agents arrested two Mexican citizens, ages 24 and 25, Soto said. Both vehicles were reported stolen.

The 2,798 pounds has an estimated value of $2.798 million, according to figures from the National Drug Intelligence Center.

Through the end of March, agents in the Tucson Sector had seized 498,815 pounds of marijuana, a 38 percent increase from the same time last year.

No there's something useful!

So we've got the economists on board with decriminalization...and many of the law enforcement officers...so just what sort of logic do we have to use to convince the goverment they could be making a fortune with weed??

According to the report, lifting prohibition and allowing for the taxation of marijuana would save the government approximately $7.7 billion per year in enforcement costs. Of these savings, $5.3 billion would be accumulated at the state and local levels from such expenditures and $2.4 billion at the federal level.

Maybe that's the problem? The states will benefit more than the feds & this is what they have a problem with? ;)


COLLEGE PROFESSOR SAYS THERE MAY BE HOPE, THE FINANCIAL KIND, IN DOPE

College economics professor Carl Moody has endorsed a report advocating the legalization of marijuana, which, according to research done by a Harvard University professor, would create savings and tax revenues resulting in a net gain of approximately $10 to $14 billion annually.

Harvard economics professor Jeffrey Miron's report, published in June 2005, is called "The Budgetary Implications of Marijuana Prohibition," and has garnered the support of over 530 economists from colleges and universities across the nation.

Focusing on federal budgets, Miron's report notes that "prohibition entails direct enforcement costs and prevents taxation of marijuana production and sale."

Moody decided to express his support for the matter because he has long agreed with Miron's argument, despite the controversy surrounding the issue.

"It just makes so much sense. I've done lots of research, never published it, but I looked into it, and the cost of drug prohibition is just enormous," Moody said in a phone interview. "It is controversial, but look who else supports it. I'm with Nobel Laureate winners. If [Nobel Laureate recipients Dr.] Milton Friedman and [Dr.] Vernon Smith can take the heat, so can I. It's just so sensible, why wouldn't people agree?"

According to the report, lifting prohibition and allowing for the taxation of marijuana would save the government approximately $7.7 billion per year in enforcement costs. Of these savings, $5.3 billion would be accumulated at the state and local levels from such expenditures and $2.4 billion at the federal level.

In Virginia, the police, judicial and corrections budget combined is $2,935 million, of which $99.46 million is attributed to expenditures related to marijuana prohibition, the report says.

In addition to these savings, the report says that the tax revenue gains would be considerable. Depending on the method of taxation, anywhere between $2.4 billion ( if marijuana were taxed like an ordinary product ) and $6.2 billion ( if it were taxed like alcohol or tobacco ) would be accrued annually.

Many of the esteemed endorsers of the report, however, think that the economics are only part of the problem about marijuana prohibition.

"Look at the factual consequences: the harm done and the corruption created by these laws," Friedman said in an interview with Forbes magazine. "The costs are one of the lesser evils."

Although the report espouses the view that legalizing marijuana would have many economic benefits, it acknowledges that the social impacts and consequences of eradicating prohibition were not considered.

Moody, however, feels that the social impacts of lifting prohibition would all be positive.

"It's an unnecessary infringement on rights as a person and the right to do what you want with your body. It's not anybody else's body; it's not the government's. I support [legalization] on philosophical grounds," he said.

His support for the issue of legalization also stems from his view of the negative impacts of prohibition on society and individual freedoms.

"Prohibition leads to empowerment of the law enforcement and police side of government. We're not a police state, but if you stop people from doing what they want it reduces freedom overall. [In situations like this,] police are forced to go undercover or rely on snitches or break into houses [to seek out the criminals.] If prohibition were lifted, there would be a significant shift of usage from alcohol to marijuana, and also from more intense drugs to marijuana, which [in comparison] is pharmacologically mild," Moody said.

Prohibition, in Moody's opinion, is the reason that harder drugs have become more popular.

"[During prohibition in the 1920s,] beer wasn't smuggled in, they took in hard alcohol. Essentially the same thing holds true now. Dangerous, designer drugs are popular because they're easier to smuggle in. You can't fly a plane of marijuana leaves," Moody said.

The report has been summarized in a letter to President George W. Bush, requesting "an open and honest debate about marijuana prohibition" and advocating reform that would allow a system of regulation and taxation similar to that used for the distribution and sale of alcoholic beverages.

"I don't expect significant movement [to change marijuana policy as a result of] the report," Moody said. "This is essentially one drop in a Chinese water torture method to change [the current] policy. Our one drop says 'your policy is stupid.' Sooner or later, reason will win out."

Step away from the cheese kids

I'm sorry, but what the hell is wrong with these kids & people in general who do this crap? I just can't understand why it seems like a good idea to put this sort of thing in your body?? Heroin & Tylenol PM...and then they end up dying? Well duh!

I mean really. Come on kids - weed, it's the healthy choice!! Although at age 11...or even 15 - you still shouldn't be doing it. Can't you find something to amuse yourselves with instead of thinking, "Hey, why don't we go huff some spray paint? Doesn't that sound like fun??" NOOOOO! Maybe it's just survival of the fittest...I apologize for the rant. It just makes me angry at the stupidity!


POLICE KEEP EYE ON DALLAS AS HEROIN MIX SPREADS, DEATHS RISE

Olga Sanchez thought her 15-year-old son had stopped using "cheese," a heroin mixture making its way across the Dallas area.

But this spring, Oscar Gutierrez's brother found him dead in bed.

"He was very purple. He was very cold, cold," said Sanchez, who had been attending drug counseling with her son since discovering his cheese habit last fall.

The deaths of at least 18 teenagers, ranging from ages 15 to 18, have been linked to the mixture of black tar heroin -- a less refined form of the drug -- and Tylenol PM tablets ground into a powder.

The spread of cheese in schools has parents and law enforcement officials worried. Children as young as 11 have been caught with the concoction.

Right now, cheese heroin seems to be a Dallas phenomenon. But experts note that drug dealers are always eager to expand into new areas. Dallas school district police first spotted the trend in 2005.

"Cheese is just a different makeup for mixing with heroin, but it's still heroin," said Dr. Jeffrey Barnard, chief medical examiner for Dallas County. "It's the heroin that's the problem."

Several factors appear to be driving the popularity of cheese. Kids often buy the drug from other kids. It's affordable, selling for about $2 a dosage. And it is usually snorted rather than injected.

"Hopefully we can try to contain it," said Dr. Sing-Yi Feng, a toxicologist at Children's Medical Center Dallas. "The concern is that the stuff is pretty cheap, it's easy to use."

During the 2005-2006 school year, the Dallas school district police arrested 90 students for possession of the heroin/Tylenol PM mixture. The number has soared during the current school year. Through February, 122 have been arrested. The average age of those arrested is 14.

"From an overall perspective, the numbers are very high," said Julian Bernal, deputy chief of narcotics for the Dallas police, who make 6-12 arrests a month for possession of cheese heroin. "The number of heroin users is going up dramatically in the school system."

"The resurgence of heroin in society in 11 to 16 years olds -- that's unprecedented," Bernal said.

Experts say that calling the drug "cheese" is a marketing ploy by drug dealers, along the lines of dying methamphetamine different colors and putting marijuana in candy.

"It becomes much more appealing to younger kids because it doesn't have the stigma, they're not as afraid to get started," said Dr. Collin Goto, a toxicologist at Children's Medical Center Dallas. "They're calling it cheese, they're not calling it heroin."

Experts say cheese usually has about 2 to 8 percent heroin mixed with the Tylenol PM -- which contains acetaminophen and diphenhydramine -- or similar over-the-counter drugs.

As their tolerance increases, some kids may use the drug 10-15 times a day. Others turn from snorting cheese to injecting it with needles.

Gary Hodges, deputy chief of the Dallas school district police, said cheese arrests in the district have nearly equaled those for marijuana, still the leading substance involved in drug arrests.

The deaths have been reported throughout the county. Most of the victims are male, and involve equal numbers of white and Hispanic youth. One girl who died was found with the phrase "Cheese Please" scrawled on her body with a marker.

Authorities say they are just now beginning to understand how widespread the mixture has become and the toll it is taking on Dallas area youth. Even the exact number of cheese heroin related deaths was not known until The Dallas Morning News analyzed medical examiner records and published the results earlier this month.

"Basically, it flew under the radar screen," said Zachary Thompson, director of Dallas County Health and Human Services and a member of the Dallas County task force on cheese.

This isn't the first time the Dallas area has seen an outbreak of drug deaths in teens. In the mid-1990s, black tar heroin had a deadly run in the affluent Dallas suburb of Plano, with as many as 17 fatal overdoses and three more near-fatal.

Young people often don't understand the potential for an accidental overdose, said Carol Falkowski, director of research communications at Hazelden Foundation, an addiction treatment, education and research center based in Minnesota.

"There's no way of knowing ahead of time what the purity of the drug is and even experienced users can get fatal overdoses," Falkowski said.

Dave Cannata's son, Nick, died June 5, 2005, with heroin and diphenhydramine in his system. Nick Cannata, who had been in rehab for a drug problem the summer before, was found dead in his bed in Coppell, a bedroom community just outside of Dallas.

The 16-year-old with a talent for music and drawing had spent the day building a deck with his father before going to a friend's house. Dave Cannata said he knew something was wrong when his son returned home that night, but he decided to delay a confrontation.

"If I had to do it over again, I wouldn't hesitate to pickup the phone and call 911," said Cannata. "It's alarming the epidemic proportion of kids that are messing with this stuff."

Olga Sanchez agrees. She knew her son Oscar, an 8th grader at a Dallas middle school, sometimes hung out with kids who used drugs, but remembers him as a respectful boy who didn't get into trouble.

She and Cannata want others to understand how deadly heroin can be.

"I would like for kids to realize that lots of other kids have died, that they should look for help, that they could lose their life," Sanchez said.

Cannata said, "At this point in my life, my objective is to save a life."

Willie gets busted

Is it really any surprise? I mean who doesn't know that he smokes? Unfortunately that makes him a prime target...but I'd say the sentencing was VERY fair. Rock on Louisiana!

Willie Nelson pleads guilty to weed

Willie Nelson and his tour manager were spared jail time Tuesday after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor count of marijuana possession.

Nelson and tour manager David Anderson, along with Nelson's sister, Bobbie Nelson, and two drivers, were issued citations on Sept. 18 after Louisiana state troopers said they found marijuana and hallucinogenic mushrooms on the country legend's tour bus during a commercial-vehicle inspection on Interstate 10.

State District Judge Paul deMahy fined Nelson and Anderson $1,024 each and put both on probation for six months. As part of a plea agreement, the citation against Bobbie Nelson was dismissed.

Up In Smoke on 420

This is a great editorial I came across today...and since it's still 420 (actually happy 4:20 to the East Coast - we'll be smoking one soon lol), I thought I would share it.


WORLD GOES UP IN SMOKE EACH APRIL 20

Tomorrow seems like just another day to the average person, but to a number of people, tomorrow's date marks a special occasion where all responsibilities and worries go up in smoke.

Why is there such a fuss about April 20? Why do all the slackers always seem to hype this date? When April 20 finally comes around they are nowhere to be found. What are they doing?

Perhaps they are just taking a day of rest to stay inside, take it easy and study.

However, this doesn't seem likely considering the origins of 420 ( it's pronounced "four-twenty," not "four hundred and twenty" ). April 20 is called 420 because April is the fourth month of the year, and it's the twentieth day of the month.

Supposedly, a dozen California high school students used 420 to refer to the time they would meet around a statue. They eventually turned it into a slang term referring to marijuana so teachers and parents wouldn't understand what they were talking about.

Throughout the years, the term has spread like a wildfire.

High Times magazine got a hold of the term and published an article about the meaning and the slang term became a popular term all over the world.

It no longer seems to be an underground term that teachers and parents don't understand.

People have taken the origins of 420 out of context. The term has many theories about its origin.

To put the urban legends to rest, a review of false origins is needed.

People might believe that the term is used as a police dispatch to refer to marijuana use. A review of police dispatch codes revealed that 420 is not a police radio code for anything, anywhere.

Another false origin is the thought that there are 420 chemicals in cannabis. However, there are only about 315 active chemicals in cannabis, according to High Times.

Some say that it started because the Grateful Dead would only stay in room 420 while touring. This, however is also false, according to Grateful Dead Productions spokesman Dennis McNally.

Whatever the reason for making April 20 a worldwide cannabis smoking day, doesn't matter. It just is, and that's enough reason to fly to Amsterdam and partake in the festivities. It's a day of peace, happiness and paranoia.

The day is not meant to be a rebellious, lawbreaking celebration -- but people are certainly breaking the law if they are in possession of Ms. Mary Jane.

Rather, the day should be thought of as a day to relax and enjoy the gifts that Mother Earth and the shady dude on the corner have provided.

April 20 is not only a day of greatness but also has negative connotations. It is the birth date of Adolf Hitler. It is also the anniversary of the Columbine school shootings in Littleton, Colo.

Every pothead worldwide will embrace 420 tomorrow. Look around when the clock strikes 20 past four and you will most likely notice that a number of your peers have dipped out of class for a quick toke.

If your friend next to you reeks of smoke tomorrow, try not to think twice about it. If you notice a red-eyed kid munching on Cheez-Its next to you, again, don't think twice.

So tomorrow when it's 4:20 p.m., just think -- there are people all over the central time zone lighting up their joints, bowls, bongs or whatever unique contraption they have thought up.

Enjoy the day and be careful.

White & Nerdy

I've always loved Weird Al...but this may be one of his best.

The Definition of 420

You gotta love Wikipedia!

4:20 or 4/20 (pronounced four-twenty) is a term used in North America as a discreet way to refer to cannabis and, by extension, a way to identify oneself with cannabis culture. Phrases such as "420 friendly" sometimes appear in roommate advertisements, indicating that the current occupants are tolerant of cannabis users.[1]

Origins and Observances

It is widely accepted that in the early 1970s, a group of teenagers at San Rafael High School in San Rafael, California used to meet every day after school at 4:20 p.m. to smoke marijuana at the Louis Pasteur statue.[2] [3] Many cannabis users continue to observe 4:20 as a time to smoke communally. By extension April 20 ("4/20" in U.S. dating shorthand) has evolved into a counterculture holiday, where people gather to celebrate and consume cannabis. [4] [5]

420 Campaign

The widespread popularity of 4/20 celebrations in the U.S. has brought about calls advocating for the reform of American marijuana laws. The 420 Campaign urges individuals to become involved in the political process and the drug policy reform movement. Specifically, the Campaign calls for leveraging "April 20th as a focal point every year to concentrate pressure on Congress to legalize marijuana."[6] In addition to contacting state and national legislators, people can take action by supporting organizations—such as NORML and MPP—that represent the interests of marijuana users and other concerned citizens.

By the way, if you can join NORML today for only $4.20 & receive a cool 2006 conference poster.

Happy 420!!!

In honor of this very special day, we've listed our Favorite Stoner Movies...but not in any particular order.

Which one will we watch today? Haven't decided yet but it's about time to revisit How High or Half Baked I think...then we'll order some take out since we'll be too high to actually cook, smoke a few doobsters and just enjoy the evening. Few things are better than when 4/20 falls on a Friday!!

- Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
- How High
- Tomcats
- Dude, Where's My Car?
- Van Wilder
- Half Baked
- Saving Grace
- Evolution
- Road Trip
- Outside Providence

Maybe we should move to Madison, WI

Here is an interesting story we came across:

AFTER 30 YEARS, ANOTHER PUSH TO RELAX POT LAWS

MADISON - Thirty years ago, Madison was at the forefront of the effort to bring the nation's marijuana laws in line with growing public opinion that, among adults, smoking a joint is akin to drinking a beer.

But after three decades, Madison's historic ordinance permitting possession of small amounts of marijuana remains at odds with state and federal laws, putting city police in a difficult position.

And Madison advocates are still pushing for Wisconsin to join other states that have relaxed their laws against pot.

"Once again, from the bottom up, we're seeing an upswing in activism," said Gary Storck, co-founder of the Madison chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws and a medical marijuana activist and patient.

On April 5, 1977, Madison voters passed what is now the nation's second-oldest municipal ordinance still on the books decriminalizing possession of small amounts of marijuana.

The binding referendum - which made its way onto the ballot after proponents obtained 8,800 signatures - went beyond an ordinance the City Council adopted just two months earlier by eliminating any penalty for private possession of small amounts of pot.

Minutes after the February law was adopted, "several persons lit up marijuana cigarets in a hallway outside the council chambers," the State Journal wrote at the time.

By the time Madison's referendum passed, five states - Oregon, Colorado, Alaska, Ohio and California - had decriminalized pot. Madison's ordinance also followed a similar measure in Ann Arbor, Mich., the oldest municipal decriminalization law still in existence.

"Relaxed Atmosphere"

Madison's ordinance 23.20 allows possession of up to 112 grams of marijuana - just under four ounces, or about 112 joints - or up to 28 grams of cannabis resin, or hashish, in a private place.

It prohibits possession in a public place without a prescription or order from a physician or other practitioner, violations of which are subject to a $109 fine. Selling the drug is also still prohibited.

But Madison police Lt. Sandy Theune, commander of the Dane County Drug Task Force, questions whether it would be appropriate for city police to say, "Hey, just feel free" - even in a private home.

"It's still not 100 percent legal," because of state and federal law, Theune said, but "I think it's pretty well known that there's something of a relaxed atmosphere about marijuana in Madison."

Still, Theune said, police are likely to confiscate marijuana, and, depending on the circumstances, could seek to press charges under state law. "There's not always a black-and-white answer to what will an officer do."

"It depends on who it is . . . on both sides," said Ben Masel, a fixture on the marijuana legalization front for decades.

Discretion ultimately rests with the district attorney's office, which determines whether to file charges under state law. In March, District Attorney Brian Blanchard, citing a lack of resources, said his office will no longer file criminal charges against individuals possessing less than 25 grams of marijuana - just under an ounce, or about 25 joints.

Public use has declined dramatically in Madison in the years since the passage of the city ordinance decriminalizing pot, as federal authorities have continued to crack down on marijuana as part of the "war on drugs," Storck said.

"Back then, Madison was a lot more free about cannabis," he said, adding that it was common to walk into the Memorial Union Rathskeller and find people smoking pot in a corner. "Everybody was doing it."

Anniversary

But not everybody agreed on its effect.

Despite a national task force report in 1972 that recommended decriminalizing pot for personal use, the federal Drug Enforcement Administration has steadfastly opposed relaxing the law.

Such moves, the DEA said, would hurt children and public safety by creating increased dependency and treatment needs and open the door to the use of other drugs, while increasing health risks, delinquent behavior and impaired driving. It also argues that the potency of marijuana today is much greater than it was in the 1970s.

Advocates such as Storck counter that there was potent pot back then, and he likened responsible marijuana use by adults to using alcohol or tobacco.

Storck is hoping the anniversary of Madison's ordinance will renew debate, as well as support for changing state law.

About 50 people attended a 30th anniversary celebration of the ordinance last week at a Williamson Street cafe.

The commemoration was marked not with raucous chants or demonstrations, but with a PowerPoint presentation on events leading up to passage of the law. A band performed "cannabis tunes," including Bob Dylan's "Rainy Day Women #12 and 35" with the popular refrain "everybody must get stoned" for the laid-back audience, some of whom stepped outside to smoke pot.

Despite federal prohibitions, other states and municipalities have followed in Madison's footsteps. Twelve states have now decriminalized marijuana for personal use, and 12 states - many of the same ones - have legalized marijuana for medical use.

There are now 29 bills pending in 19 states to decriminalize marijuana or allow its medical use, said Allen St. Pierre, executive director of NORML.

"Today is the busiest period ever in marijuana reform," St. Pierre said.

"Sky Has Not Fallen"

Madison's experience has played a role in the passage of marijuana reform in other cities and states, he said.

"The sky has not fallen," St. Pierre said. "They are still productive people. The children are born with 10 fingers and 10 toes."

A Zogby poll commissioned by NORML in March found that 49 percent of Americans supported removing criminal penalties for the personal use of marijuana by adults, while 48 percent were opposed. The telephone survey of 1,078 likely voters nationwide was conducted Feb. 22-24. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

In Wisconsin, Storck said, "There's some very hopeful things happening."

Last year, then-Rep. Gregg Underheim, R-Oshkosh, introduced a medical marijuana bill after he was diagnosed with cancer, but the bill did not make it out of committee in the Republican-controlled chamber. This year, Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Madison, said he plans to join Rep. Frank Boyle, D-Superior, in introducing similar legislation.

Sen. Jon Erpenbach, D-Middleton, chairman of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, said he plans to hold a hearing on medical marijuana in the Democratic-led Senate this fall.

But Rep. Leah Vukmir, R-Wauwatosa, who chairs the Assembly Committee on Health and Healthcare Reform, said she will continue her opposition to medical marijuana because of concerns about its safety.

Vukmir, a nurse, said she believes it is better for patients to use medications that have been approved or may soon be available than to have people grow their own marijuana.

"I will refuse to put members through the circus of a hearing for a bill that is not going to go anywhere," Vukmir said. "This is nothing more than a backdoor attempt to legalize marijuana, which is not going to happen on my watch."

Kirsten Dunst Praises Pot

I always knew there was a reason I liked that girl :)

Kirsten Dunst Praises Pot

She might have an angelic appearance on the outside, but Kirsten Dunst says “Bring it On” when it comes to marijuana.

"I drink moderately, I've tried drugs. I do like weed. I have a different outlook on marijuana than America does,” Dunst told a British paper, as reported by U.K’s The Sun.

"My best friend Sasha’s dad was Carl Sagan, the astronomer. He was the biggest pot smoker in the world and he was a genius.”

The “Spider-Man” star also believes that the world would be a “better place” if everyone followed her lead in weaving a web of weed smokers.

"I've never been a major smoker, but I think America's view on weed is ridiculous. I mean — are you kidding me?” Dunst added. “If everyone smoked weed, the world would be a better place.”

How To Moonwalk

You've always wanted to know how to moonwalk like Michael Jackson, right? Well Wiki is telling you how...too bad there's no video but I'd have to guess there are probably some people showing us on YouTube...may have to check that out should I get really bored later lol

How to Moonwalk

Life Insurance For Responsible Marijuana Smokers!

Washington, DC: The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), the nation's oldest and most respected cannabis-law reform organization, today announced that life insurance is finally available for adult cannabis consumers.

NORML has partnered with The McLaughlin Company and a pair of nationally recognized insurance providers to offer life insurance products to responsible cannabis consumers. Previously, adults who self-reported using cannabis ­-- even in moderate amounts --­ were denied life insurance coverage or, at best, offered coverage at a grossly inflated premium. Starting today, cannabis consumers will have access to the same types of life insurance plans as non-users, and they will no longer be forced to pay excessively high premiums.

"Unlike cigarettes or even alcohol, moderate use of cannabis --­ even when used long-term ­-- is not shown to have significant negative ramifications on health or mortality," **

NORML Executive Director Allen St. Pierre said. "As a result, responsible cannabis consumers should not be forced to pay inflated premiums or be denied insurance coverage because of their marijuana use." NORML and its partners hope to expand its life insurance program to offer cannabis-friendly disability and health insurance products later this year.

For more information, please contact NORML Executive Director Allen St. Pierre at (202) 483-5500 or visit: http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=7128.

To listen to an audio message about the NORML Life Insurance program from The McLaughlin Company's Webb Hubbell, please visit: http://audio.norml.org/audio_stash/staff_psa/webb_jazz_test_2.mp3.

** D. Vinson. 2006. Marijuana and other illicit drug use and the risk of injury: A case-control study. Missouri Medicine 103: 152-156 R. Blondell et al. 2005. Toxicology screening results: injury associations among hospitalized trauma patients. Journal of TRAUMA Injury, Infection, and Critical Care 58: 561-570 S. Sidney et al. 1997. Marijuana Use and Mortality. American Journal of Public Health 87: 1-4 Editorial: "Deglamorising Cannabis." The Lancet, Nov. 11, 1995. (346:8985).

Office Space - of a different kind...

All I have to say is that these guys have way too much time on their hands. They took the movie office space and re-cut it to make a slasher movie trailer. This is some funny stuff.

A classic.....

Judge in Anna Nicole Smith Case Charged With Smoking Pot in City Park

Judge in Anna Nicole Smith Case Charged With Smoking Pot in City Park

A judge who had a secondary role in the recent Anna Nicole Smith proceedings was charged with smoking marijuana in a city park, police said Monday.

Lawrence Korda was smoking marijuana while sitting under a tree Sunday, police said. Three officers who were training there saw Korda and field-tested the cigarette, said Capt. Tony Rode, a police spokesman.

The judge was not arrested. He was given a misdemeanor citation to appear in court.

"Judge Korda was not given special treatment because of his status as a circuit court judge," Rode said. "He was provided with a notice to appear. That's exactly what 99 percent of other offenders would have been given for this type of offense."

A message left by The Associated Press at the judge's chambers after hours Monday was not immediately returned.

The fight over control of the former Playboy Playmate and reality TV star's body began in Korda's courtroom. It ended up being heard by Circuit Judge Larry Seidlin, who carved his own slice of celebrity from the televised hearings with his relentless one-liners and blubbering announcement of his decision.

Seidlin allowed a court-appointed advocate for Smith's infant daughter decide where Smith should be buried, and the lawyer decided it would be in the Bahamas.

Korda later heard brief arguments in a related case, seeking to determine the biological father of the baby. He ruled that a Bahamian court had jurisdiction over the child's custody.

This kid I know...Droopy Cock

Drew Peacock...wow. I mean his last name is going to suck regardless but yikes. I actually didn't really realize it either until I saw them write it out...Droopy Cock...sad, sad, sad. And now they're saying they don't intend to change his name either. That poor kid is going to be scarred for life and teased for eternity. Of course, if they do change his name, it's still going to take a while for people to forget what his original name was...but hopefully by the time he reaches elementary school, the world will have forgotten. Kids can be cruel...

You called me what?

By ANTHONY FRANCE
A COUPLE have just realised their howler — after naming their baby son Drew Peacock.
Shocked dad Russell only twigged when he put it in an internet search engine looking for famous namesakes, and was asked: Do you mean Droopy C**k?

The environmental health officer, 31, said: “It was as if I’d been smacked with a right hook.

“I can’t believe we’ve named our son ‘Droopy C**k’.

“I started repeating ‘Drew Peacock’ over and over again. Then I thought — what have we done?
“I went numb and couldn’t speak for two minutes. Then I couldn’t stop laughing.”

Mum Shetal Patel, 28, had also failed to spot the blunder over two-month-old Drew — despite being a registrar’s assistant.

She said: “I thought Russell had seen a ghost when he came away from the computer. We decided on the name a month before he was born — we both loved it straight away.”

The couple, from Bedford, are now concerned Drew’s name will cause him problems in later life.

Russell said: “People at work are already saying, ‘Hey, look there’s Droopy’s dad’.

“But we don’t want to change his name. It is on his birth certificate and other documents.”

DO you have a more embarrassing name? Call The Sun Newsdesk on 020 7782 4105.

How Gross Is This?!?!?

All I'm saying is that a) this is totally whacked out and b) if I was that guy that paid all that money for a first class ticket, I would be raising hell also. I'm pretty grossed out by the fact that if someone dies on a plane they just keep going and move them off somewhere. I can understand moving the body to an area with less people so the entire plane doesn't get freaked out...but first class isn't cool. And then those people had to wait at the end until the body was removed from the plane. That is just not fair by any means. Singapore Airlines' policy with their body locker is pretty smooth I guess...but still creepy. I guess the moral of the story is don't die on a long-haul flight. Ick.


British Airways Moves Dead Passenger to First Class Seat

Monday , March 19, 2007

AP

LONDON — A first-class passenger on a flight from Delhi to London awoke to find the body of a woman who had died in the economy cabin placed in a seat near him, British Airways said Monday.

The economy section of the flight was full, and the cabin crew needed to move the woman and her grieving family out of that compartment to give them some privacy, the airline said.

The first-class passenger, Paul Trinder, told the Sunday Times newspaper that he was sleeping during a February flight from India and woke up when the crew placed the dead woman in a seat at the end of his row.

"I didn't have a clue what was going on. The stewards just plonked the body down without saying a thing. I remember looking at this frail, sparrow-like woman and thinking she was very ill," the newspaper quoted Trinder as saying. "When I asked what was going on, I was shocked to hear she was dead."

Click here to read the Sunday Times story.

British Airways said in a statement that about 10 passengers die each year in flight and that while each situation is dealt with on an individual basis, safety is paramount.

"The deceased must not be placed in the galley or blocking aisles or exits, and there should be clear space around the deceased," the statement said. "The wishes of family or friends traveling with the deceased will always be considered, and account taken of the reactions of other passengers."

Because there was space in the first class cabin, that "allowed the family members traveling with the deceased some level of privacy in their grief," the airline said.

"We apologize to passengers in the first cabin who were distressed by the situation -- our cabin crew were working in difficult circumstances and chose the option that they believed would cause the least disruption," the statement said.

David Learmount, a former pilot and cabin crew member who now writes about the aviation industry for Flight International magazine, said that each airline has to deal with the relatively rare situation on an individual basis. He said that diverting the flight would be an unusual move, and that the captain would be consulted before the crew acted.

"Personally, I think they did the thing that was the best thing to do," he said. "Really, you want as much as possible to isolate the person.

"It's an isolated incident. It's not as if it happens every day, but you do have to take in people's sensibilities when it does happen."

It's Just a Plant :)

Now here's something I would actually want my kids to read...assuming we had any. :) An unbiased look at marijuana from many different sides of the story, and giving a full outlook on the uses of the plant.

You can even read the whole story on their website or buy a t-shirt. http://www.justaplant.com

The Beer Launching Fridge

Well this is a rather cool idea. This guy is getting massive press for this but it really is quite cool. The ultimate gift for the guy who always asks you to bring him a beer whenever you even look towards the kitchen. I wouldn't be stocking it with Miller Lite but whatever - to each his own. Maybe we can get him to come up with some cool idea for smokers?? But what? Hmmmm.

To read more about him, here's his page at Duke


Robotic Beer Launching Refrigerator - These bloopers are hilarious

Blues Traveler Frontman John Popper Arrested

Wow-wee!! That is quite a stash of weapons there, Mr. Popper. I can understand the whole not wanting to be left behind thing but wow, that's like a mini-arsenal. I'm envisioning a 24 moment when Jack Bauer starts pulling stuff out of the arsenal in his truck. Very cool lol. But it is interesting that they're only going to bust him on drug related charges and not for the massive number of weapons....go figure. I guess the penalties are great for the drug offences...



SPOKANE, Wash. — Blues Traveler singer and harmonica player John Popper was arrested after the vehicle he was riding in was clocked going 111 mph, the Washington State Patrol said Wednesday.

Popper, 39, was arrested Tuesday afternoon on Interstate 90 near the Spokane/Lincoln county line, the Washington State Patrol said.

Inside the black Mercedes SUV, officers found a cache of weapons and a small amount of marijuana, the Patrol said. A police dog searched the vehicle, finding numerous hidden compartments containing four rifles, nine handguns and a switchblade knife. Authorities also found a Taser and night vision goggles. The vehicle was seized.

Popper, who lives in Snohomish, Wash., is the owner of the vehicle, which was being driven by Brian Gourgeois, 34, of Austin, Texas, said state patrol Trooper Jeff Sevigney. The vehicle also had flashing emergency headlights, a siren and a public address system, the Patrol said.

"Popper indicated to troopers that he had installed these items in his vehicle because (in the event of a natural disaster) he didn't want to be left behind," the Patrol said in a news release. He also told officers he collected weapons, the Patrol said.

The two men were booked administratively into the Adams County jail and released on their own recognizance. Authorities plan to charge them with possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. Gourgeois will also face a charge of reckless driving, the Patrol said.

Popper did not immediately return an e-mail seeking comment Wednesday night.

Popper achieved fame as a harmonica player and frontman for Blues Traveler. The band won a Grammy award in 1996 for the song "Run-around," which Popper composed.

Popper recently formed a group called The John Popper Project with DJ Logic, which released an album in 2006 and is scheduled to go on the road later this month.

Road Trip

We watched Road Trip last night. It's also one of our stoner classics that we can never watch too many times. Not only is it funny but Amy Smart is in it and you can never go wrong with her...especially when she's getting topless. And Tom Green trying to feed the snake the mice...that guy might be totally insane but those scenes are pretty great. UNLEASH THE FURY, MITCH!!! Or how about Horatio Sanz (Tomcats, The New Guy & Boat Trip) as the waiter in the diner...with the french toast in his pants. Oh man, that scene makes me want to hurl...but DJ Qualls with his "mmmh, it's good" just slays me. I am sure I have used that line so many times since then that it's not funny. And you have to appreciate the stoner references such as High Times Man of the Year...or "How about a fresh towel? Maybe you can roll that up and smoke it." It's just a great movie.

Dude, Where's My Car?

The night before last, we watched Dude, Where's My Car? for what must have been at least the 40th time. We basically don't even need to watch the whole movie because we know exactly what is coming next, if we leave the room and come back we still know exactly what's going on and we can recite most of the film. I guess to some, it would seem like we've seen it too many times and that it must be boring by now...but like so many film classics, it just never gets old. This is a break dancing stripper emergency after all. :) Probably one of the funniest things is their facial expressions, especially Seann William Scott's. That guy is just a maniac.

We actually were trying to watch Joe Dirt but for some reason our DVD player has decided that it doesn't want to play that movie. Which brings up a whole other problem which is the constant need for a new DVD player. It seems that we can't find one that lasts more than a year around us. Perhaps that has something to do with us watching at least one DVD a night...nah, that can't be it :)

How to Clean a Bong

This guy has quite a few movies on YouTube so you'll very likely be seeing more of him soon!

This one is how to clean your bong with some rubbing alcohol, salt and hot water. VERY COOL!

How to Smoke a Bong

Just some pretty dorky stoners showing you how it's done...

How to Smoke Weed from a Bong

You loved him in "Smoke weed with Friends" so here he is again, teaching us about smoking from a bong, schwag and getting back up on that horse if you happen to fall off.

Happy really wants to see the movie that would have been at the end of this one...so come on guys, release some more of your personal moments for the world!!

Wash your hands

In an average day your hands will have come into indirect contact with 15 penises (touching door handles etc.)


An average person's yearly fast food intake will contain 12 pubic hairs.


In a year you will have swallowed 14 insects - while you slept!


Annually you will shake hands with 11 women who have recently masturbated and failed to wash their hands.


Annually you will shake hands with 6 men who have recently masturbated and failed to wash their hands.


In a lifetime 22 workmen will have examined the contents of your dirty linen basket.


At an average wedding reception you have a 1/100 chance of getting a cold sore from one of the guests.


Daily you will breath in 1 liter of other peoples' anal gases.


HAVE A GREAT DAY...








... and wash your damn hands!

Gotta love Bone Thugs

Bone Thugs n Harmony - The Weed Song

You know you love it!

Smoking Weed with Friends

Now these are my kind of stoners. These people just look hella cool to hang out with. Anyone know them?? Let's meet :)

Or if you're just cool like them...well I guess we could also meet lol

The guy with the mask kinda freaks me out at the beginning...but it doesn't last long so that's cool. And the rest of the video is pretty dope (lol) so just watch it already.

What about Bill Gates?

You've always wondered who some of the famous potheads are out there...and Very Important Potheads has a pretty good list to get you started.

They've also started a blog with potheads in the news.

Kinda seems like they need to devote a bit more time to getting their links going to the right places but if you don't mind getting lost a few times before you find where you wanted to go, then it's all good. You've got time to kill, right?

Jarhead

We watched this movie a few nights ago and it left me feeling a bit disturbed. The movie is entertaining enough to hold your attention but the plot is basically just these guys becoming "jarheads" or Marines. I guess that could be enough plot for some but it's not really enough for me somehow. The guys go through boot camp, get the required brain washing, get sent off to Iraq for Operation Desert Shield, spend about 200 days in the desert and see no real action and then the war ends.

The acting is good, the characters are interesting and I think the film is really believable. It's supposedly based on former Marine Anthony Swofford's best-selling book about his pre-Desert Storm experiences in Saudi Arabia and about his experiences fighting in Kuwait. "Based on" could mean there's a lot of room for interpretation but having known a few Marines and a bunch of military guys in general, I don't have much trouble imagining that this is not far from the truth....and that is what makes me the most uneasy about the film. These guys are just a bit too crazy at times and a bit too far over the edge. I know the military isn't for everyone and they show that here as well...but wow, they really screw with these guys. And can you imagine being stuck in "the suck" for 200 days doing nothing but drills which seem pointless only so they can mostly keep you out of trouble? Knowing that if you should see action it will probably be friendly fire or some sort of accident that you end up in the wrong place at the wrong time...because they're fighting the war with bombs and not troops. But I guess it has to be better than the life the guys have over in Iraq now with suicide bombers showing up all the time and never knowing just who is on your side. Make no mistake, I have the utmost respect for our troops. But I also know I would never want to be in their place.

If you want to check out the official movie site, here it is. They've got the trailer there and a bunch of other clips Film Info. If you check the Media section there are a few additional clips from the film.

The Rambo Trilogy

It's hard to imagine that I am 27 years old and before this weekend, I had never seen a Rambo movie. I almost feel like I should go to some sort of support group now or something...

We were doing some grocery shopping when Happy came across all three films, just sitting in a row on the shelf and begging to be bought. I know that I've missed out on other films like the Rocky series, the Godfather trilogy and countless other "classics." So when he started talking about adding these classics to our collection of over 500 films - I figured why not.

Conveniently for Rambo, the weather wasn't so great this weekend so we had the chance to watch all three. I'm not sure I can pick a favorite yet but I will say that I found them quite entertaining. Stallone may not say much but he was totally ripped in these movies. And the explosions...well they just don't get much better. I will say that it's not really believable all the time (such as the gas station being set on fire and then the cars and buildings around town all start exploding such as in the first Rambo) but it's still entertaining.

Will I watch them again? Most likely. I don't know when but I don't really see why not. The plot is pretty good and they're certainly good enough to hold my attention. I'm not sure I'll be watching them all in a row because they are pretty long but you can't help but sympathize with John J. Rambo. I mean that sheriff in the first movie totally had it coming.

New Releases: Wild Hogs

This movie seems to be getting a lot of notice at the moment & Happy brought it up last night. It had a huge opening and has a huge cast...and I have to say it looks pretty damn funny. Anyone going through a quarter-life, mid-life or any other life crisis knows how these guys feels and why they're doing what they're doing. And with a bunch talented and funny actors up on the screen, how can you really go wrong?

The official movie site: Wild Hogs

They've got a bunch of things to download to Wild Hog up your computer...and a few games that are pretty fun like building your own hog, which hog are you and so on. They'll at least help you kill a few hours while you're sitting at work.

This movie is on our top of new movies to see and we can't wait!

What's this all about?

You might be wondering what this blog is about and I'm going to tell you...in case you didn't figure it out from the description at the top.

This blog is written by the developers of 420-Movies.com. The idea for the website started while we were in college (we being Blonde Smoker & Happy Toker). We met, fell in love with each other and started a passion for movies & smoking up. The two actually go really well together and we started to search the Internet for great stoner movies...to find that there really weren't any sites devoted to people who love to smoke and watch movies. So we created one. It was simple enough. But we still have our own "normal" jobs which prevent us from spending all our time working on the website...which sucks. But we do our best anyway and hope that everyone is pleased with the results.

Since blogging is taking over the world, we figured it was about time that 420-Movies got its own blog too. This way we can talk about upcoming movies more easily and just spout off about other random stuff we may come across along the way. We can also post our thoughts about movies we've recently watched before we can get them in the database since it takes us a while to get everything processed there.

We hope you enjoy reading this & that you'll leave your own thoughts and suggestions for us regarding movies to watch, new cool products and whatever else is on your mind!