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.
Sunday, April 29, 2007
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."
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."
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."
Friday, April 27, 2007
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.
Friday, April 20, 2007
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.
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.
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.
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
Thursday, April 12, 2007
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."
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."
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Kirsten Dunst Praises Pot
I always knew there was a reason I liked that girl :)
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.”
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