Law Atrocious and Horrible Cannabis News

[Baron23]

Federal cannabis arrests jump 25% under Biden​

After a dip during the peak of the pandemic in 2020, federal law enforcement agents and their partners arrested 25% more people for cannabis-related crimes in 2021, during the first year of the Biden Administration.

But while a post-pandemic bump in arrests would have been fair to expect, the biggest jump in cannabis arrests in a decade was not. The nation’s oldest cannabis reform organization NORML noted the 6,606 marijuana-related arrests in 2021 represented the most since the 8,500 arrested in 2011.

This followed Joe Biden’s February 2021 promise he would pursue decriminalization and mass expungements for people with prior cannabis convictions. A month after that promise, word got out that some staff may have been a little too honest with Joe about their past marijuana use, dozens of young White House staffers were asked to resign. So the hopes of cannabis policy reformers were squashed quickly, but the new soaring arrest numbers are certainly salt in the wound.

2021 saw a similar bump in the amount of plants destroyed by the feds and partners, via the domestic eradication program. The 5.53 million cannabis plants destroyed represented 20% more plants than the previous year.

California saw the most enforcement as usual. A total of 86% of plant seizures and 60% of arrests conducted by federal authorities happened in the Golden State.
NORML called the major jump across both categories troubling.

“At a time when the overwhelming majority of voters support legalization, and when more and more states — and even members of Congress — are moving toward this direction, it is troubling to see federal agents and their local partners reversing course and reinvigorating their marijuana-related enforcement activities,” said NORML’s Deputy Director Paul Armentano.

Another subject covered by the organization is the amount the increase in enforcement is costing Americans, when so many are suffering from the biggest rise in inflation in decades and wondering how they’ll afford to fill up at the pump. Coincidently, the state that saw the most enforcement also has the highest gas prices in the country.

“The fact that these interdiction efforts are growing — at great cost to the taxpayer — despite increasing momentum for legalization is a testament to the failure of federal prohibition and unnecessarily burdensome state regulatory policies,” said NORML’s Political Director Morgan Fox.
Fox also noted that if there was a fair playing field for operators to work in, the people this enforcement is happening to may already have made the jump to the regulated market.

“Lack of access to banking services and capital, high barriers to entry into legal cannabis markets, and exorbitant tax rates at all levels of government are clearly hampering the ability of licensed cannabis businesses to compete with the unregulated market,” Fox said.
“The solutions to this situation are beyond obvious at this point, and they don’t involve law enforcement officers putting themselves at risk by dropping out of helicopters or conducting armed raids.”

Fox wants congress to pursue evidenced-based, market-oriented, and justice-focused policies. He believes this is the real policy move, if officials want to make a dent in the ever-booming underground market, now bigger than ever on both sides of the country.

 

[momofthegoons]

WNBA Star Brittney Griner Pleads Guilty To Cannabis Charge As Russia Calls Out U.S. Hypocrisy In Maintaining Criminalization​

WNBA star Brittney Griner has pleaded guilty to illegally—but she says not intentionally—bringing cannabis vape cartridges into Russia.

In a Russian court on Thursday, the American basketball player offered a brief guilty plea for a charge that’s punishable by up to 10 years in prison in the country, where marijuana is severely criminalized. This comes as the White House, which previously deemed Griner wrongfully detained, faces increased pressure to facilitate her release.

Meanwhile, a top Russian government spokesperson asserted that there was nothing improper about the athlete’s February detention at a Moscow airport, and he signaled that the U.S. position on the case was somewhat hypocritical considering that the country also continues to criminalize people over marijuana.

“I’d like to plead guilty, your honor. But there was no intent. I didn’t want to break the law,” Griner said in court, according to Reuters, adding that she wanted to delay giving her testimony in order to prepare.



President Joe Biden recently read a handwritten letter from Griner that asked that the administration not forget about her case or “the other American detainees” in Russia. “Please do all you can to bring us home,” she wrote.

The president also called the wife of Griner on Wednesday to assure her that the U.S. was doing all that it could to secure the her release. However, those efforts have been complicated by the ongoing international tension over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Russian officials have made dismissive remarks about attempts by the U.S. to cast the case as improper or political, with Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexei Zaitsev saying on Thursday that the evidence that Griner broke the law is “indisputable.”

“Attempts to present the case as if the American was detained illegally do not hold up,” Zaitsev said, according to the AP. “The law has been violated, and arguments about the innocent nature of Griner’s addiction, which, by the way, is punishable in some U.S. states, are inappropriate in this case.”

But while the U.S. State Department has said that Griner is “wrongfully detained”—a designation that typically escalates diplomatic efforts to negotiate a release—officials haven’t specifically said why they’ve characterized the case that way. There are several factors that are taken into account when determining whether a person held in a foreign country is considered wrongfully detained.

State Department spokesperson Ned Price talked about the 11-point criteria that goes into those deliberations. If the U.S. believed Griner was innocent or framed, that would certainly be a factor; it’s unclear if the athlete’s new admission of guilt will compromise the diplomatic leverage of the U.S. in the case. However, there are other factors such as political bias against a U.S. national that could constitute a “wrongfully detainment” designation.

On Tuesday, a letter signed by nearly 1,200 Black women leaders was delivered to Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, imploring the administration to act quickly to bring Griner home. The daughter of Martin Luther King Jr., Bernice King, and former Democratic National Committee Chair Donna Brazile were among the signatories.

“While it should not matter because she is an American citizen who is wrongfully detained on foreign soil, Brittney Griner cast her first ever vote in 2020. She voted for you and Vice President Kamala Harris,” the letter says. “More than prioritizing her immediate return in word—you must do so in deed and make a deal to bring Brittney home.”

But the circumstances around the case are complicated, especially in light of the formal admission of guilt. Russia has taken a particularly strong stance against reforming cannabis policy at the international level through the United Nations. And it condemned Canada for legalizing marijuana nationwide.

The deputy of Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in March that legalization efforts in the U.S. and Canada are matters “of serious concern for us,” according to a social media post from the office’s official account. “It is worrisome that several Member States of the [European Union] are considering violating their drug control obligations.”

 

[Planck]

And it condemned Canada for legalizing marijuana nationwide.

I believe I speak for the vast majority of Canadians when I say ru can kiss me where the sun don't shine.

 

[Baron23]

Griner has pleaded guilty to illegally—but she says not intentionally—bringing cannabis vape cartridges into Russia.

What....it jumped into her luggage when she wasn't looking. This is sort of like "guns kill". I swear I've stared at mine for hours and they never once moved. Must be like Toy Story and they only move at night.

 

[Tincandtoke]

I'm at a loss for words regarding the brutality of law enforcement and cannabis
From Russian state police to Biden's hit squads rolling up on V
Every law enforcement agent and the judge should have to face an inquiry in V's case
What judge signs off on that kind of order
Police prove day after day that they are more of a threat than anything else
And they are ALL cowards
These videos that keep coming out and you see who they go after

 

[Baron23]

I'm at a loss for words regarding the brutality of law enforcement and cannabis
From Russian state police to Biden's hit squads rolling up on V
Every law enforcement agent and the judge should have to face an inquiry in V's case
What judge signs off on that kind of order
Police prove day after day that they are more of a threat than anything else
And they are ALL cowards
These videos that keep coming out and you see who they go after

WTF is V?

 

[Tincandtoke]

WTF is V?

Sorry
I mean Vitolo

 

[Baron23]

It was kind of a toss up as to whether to put this under Weird or Atrocious Cannabis News and I went with Atrocious as cannabis is fully fucking legal in NY and only the damn police brass would continue to have qualms about ceasing testing of officers. Oh, and alcoholism is rampant in police forces and, to the best of my knowledge, being on prescription narcs is also not cause to be fired.

Its too stupid for words.

NYPD says it will stop testing cops for weed, then reverses course​

The New York Police Department announced on Wednesday that it would continue drug testing officers for weed only hours after a memo issued earlier in the day said that most screenings for pot would end.​

A New York Police Department memo made public on Wednesday advised officers that they would no longer face drug tests for cannabis, although the department quickly reversed course and announced that screenings for weed would continue while the policy is reviewed.

“The New York City Law Department has directed the NYPD to cease all random, scheduled and pre-employment testing for marijuana,” an NYPD spokeswoman said early Wednesday.

“The Department will continue to administer marijuana screenings to personnel when there is indications of impairment and is reviewing its current policies in light of this directive.”

The memo from the Law Department, which was dated July 11, said that such screenings for marijuana are inconsistent with last year’s Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act, which bans repercussions on employees for off-duty recreational cannabis use. After receiving the directive from the city’s Law Department, the NYPD Commissioner for Legal Matters sent a memo to department heads to notify them of the policy change.

“The rationale behind this determination is that there is no test for marijuana that conclusively determines current intoxication, making it impossible to determine by drug test alone whether an employee has tested positive for marijuana because of improper use on the job or use during statutorily protected off-hours use,” reads NYPD the memo.

“Therefore, starting immediately, the Department should only drug test a member of service for marijuana if there is reasonable suspicion that the member is impaired by marijuana on the job in such a manner that impacts their job duties or where there is a federal requirement mandating testing for marijuana use, such as title which requires a Commercial Driver License,” the NYPD memo continues.

News quickly walked back​

However, an NYPD spokesperson said later in the day that police department leaders were talking with representatives of the Law Department about potential conflicts with the policy and federal law. In the meantime, implementing the policy will be put on hold.

“While these discussions continue, there is no change in NYPD policies, procedures, or testing protocols regarding the use of Marijuana by uniformed members of the service,” the spokesperson announced.

NYPD Chief Keechant Sewell subsequently issued a memo to all commanders noting that cops are still banned from smoking weed, writing that “existing department policies that prohibit the use of marijuana remain in effect. Members of the service are not permitted to use cannabis on or off duty and will continue to be subject to random, scheduled, and for-cause drug screening.”

Jennifer Cabrera, an attorney with the cannabis law firm Vicente Sederberg’s New York office, said that police officers should be free from drug screenings for cannabis.

“Officers of the NYPD should be free to consume cannabis in their free time just like any other resident of New York,” Cabrera wrote in an email to High Times.

“Just as officers can enjoy a drink or visit a bar off duty, they should be able to responsibly enjoy cannabis.”

FDNY to end testing for pot​

The Law Department directive also apparently was issued to leaders at the New York City’s fire department. A representative from the Uniformed Firefighters Association (UFA), the union that represents the city’s firefighters, said that its members would no longer be subject to drug testing for cannabis.

“The UFA has been informed that new Department guidelines are forthcoming regarding changes to the current FDNY drug testing policy,” the UFA said.

“We have been informed that the Department will no longer randomly test members for marijuana use.”

The union went on to note that firefighters are not permitted to be high at work.

“Members are reminded that they must be fit for duty when they report to work, and members may still be subject to testing while at work if they appear unfit for duty,” the union said.

A New York State Police spokesman told reporters that the agency has not changed its policy and would continue to test its officers for drugs including cannabis. Under the policy, officers are subject to both random and scheduled drug testing.

Last year, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws issued a statement calling for an end to workplace drug testing for cannabis.

“Suspicionless marijuana testing in the workplace, such as pre-employment drug screening, is not now, nor has it ever been, an evidence-based policy,” wrote NORML deputy dirctor Paul Armentano.

“Rather, this discriminatory practice is a holdover from the zeitgeist of the 1980s ‘war on drugs.’ But times have changed; attitudes have changed, and in many places, the marijuana laws have changed. It is time for workplace policies to adapt to this new reality and to cease punishing employees for activities they engage in during their off-hours that pose no workplace safety threat.”

 

[Baron23]

Yeah, well she ain't a medical marijuana patient in Russia which is where she took her cart. I wonder what enormous sense of entitlement it takes to think you should go to a country like Russia and disregard their laws....and then be shocked when they throw you in jail. Wow.

Brittney Griner Is A Medical Marijuana Patient In Arizona, WNBA Star’s Attorneys Tell Russian Court Amid Cannabis Possession Trial​

Lawyers for WNBA star Brittney Griner, who is on trial in Russia over possession of vape cartridges containing cannabis oil, have presented the court with documents showing that the athlete is a registered medical marijuana patient in Arizona.

While her cannabis patient status in a U.S. state doesn’t change the fact that marijuana is strictly illegal in Russia, with possession punishable by up to 10 years in prison, her counsel apparently hopes that showing the court this evidence, provided by the Arizona Health Department, will help support her case.

Griner pleaded guilty to cannabis possession last week, months after she was first arrested at an airport near Moscow. She’s maintained that she did not intend to bring the cartridges into Russia.

The case has captured international attention, and the White House has been working to secure her release, arguing that she’s “wrongfully detained,” even after admitting to the offense.

Russian officials have contested the U.S. characterization of the appropriateness of Griner’s detention, however, and a spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry went so far as to point out that the U.S. position is somewhat hypocritical given that people are still criminalized over cannabis in both countries. Advocates have argued that the U.S. might be better positioned to advocate for her release if marijuana was federally legal or decriminalized.

At the state level, however, both recreational and medical marijuana are legal in Arizona, where Griner is a qualified patient.

“The attending physician gave Brittney recommendations for the use of medical cannabis,” the athlete’s lawyer, Maria Blagovolina, said, according to The Associated Press. “The permission was issued on behalf of the Arizona Department of Health.”

Griner also recently submitted to a drug test, which did not turn up evidence of any banned substances. The next trial in her case is scheduled for July 26.

President Joe Biden recently read a handwritten letter from Griner that asked that the administration not forget about her case or “the other American detainees” in Russia. “Please do all you can to bring us home,” she wrote.

The president sent a letter back and also called Griner’s wife this month to assure her that the U.S. was doing all that it could to secure the her release. However, those efforts have been complicated by the ongoing international tension over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

With respect to Griner’s “wrongfully detained” status, there are several factors that can lead the U.S. to classify someone as such, so it’s possible that officials aren’t basing the designation on the question of innocence of guilt, per se. It could be the case that they believe Griner is being held for political reasons or as leverage to negotiate a prisoner swap.

Russia has taken a particularly strong stance against reforming cannabis policy at the international level through the United Nations. And it condemned Canada for legalizing marijuana nationwide.

The deputy of Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in March that legalization efforts in the U.S. and Canada are matters “of serious concern for us,” according to a social media post from the office’s official account. “It is worrisome that several Member States of the [European Union] are considering violating their drug control obligations.”

 

[Baron23]

Just when you think our political class couldn't be more arrogant and unresponsive to the electorate, here come the British with a super duper bit of idiocy.

People busted for weed in the U.K. could lose passports under proposed rules​

‘Swift, Certain, Tough’ drug conviction rules could be coming to the U.K., according a White Paper Document published by the Home Office.​

Think twice about smoking a doobie while traveling in the U.K. People in England and Wales could be subject to stricter punishments, including risking losing their passports or driver’s licenses under new rules recently proposed. But some people are worried it’s a thinly-veiled attack on the middle class.


The White Paper document—titled “Swift, Certain, Tough New consequences for drug possession”—was published by the Home Office in July. People charged with drug-related crimes could risk losing their passports and driver’s licenses as the U.K. government ramps up efforts to “tackle the scourge of substance abuse in society.” The Home Office is the government department responsible for immigration, security, and law & order.


Offenders in England and Wales would be subject to a “three strikes”-style system. The system breaks up offenses into three tiers. The Telegraph reports that it’s going to impact the nation’s middle class the most—leading to bans from nightclubs over random drug convictions. And that’s just the beginning: losing a driver’s license and a passport could come next.


The three-strikes system in general is a sentencing structure designed to deter crime faster, but is decried by advocacy groups.

First, anyone caught with illegal drugs would be forced to pay for and attend a drug awareness course, and if they fail to comply, they would receive an increased fixed penalty notice or face prosecution. Second-time offenders would be cautioned, ordered to attend an additional drug awareness course, and face mandatory, random drug testing for a period of up to three months.

People charged with drugs for a third time would be likely to be charged, and upon conviction as part of a civil court order, could be subject to an exclusion order banning them from nightclubs and entertainment venues, and they could have their passports or drivers’ licenses confiscated.


The White Paper explains that drugs cause “enormous harm to children and young people, impacting on their health and their ability to work and learn,” and doesn’t make the distinction between cannabis and drugs.


Leaders agreed.


“Drug misuse puts lives at risk, fuels criminality and serious and violent crime, and also results in the grotesque exploitation of young, vulnerable people,” said Home Secretary Priti Patel.


“We are cracking down on drug use with tougher consequences for so-called recreational drug users who will face the consequences of their actions through sanctions, including fines and conditions to attend rehabilitation courses, while drug offenders could have their passports and driving licenses confiscated.”


The MP continued, “In line with our strategy to tackle the harmful consequences of drugs, we aim to reverse the rising trend of substance use in society to protect the public from the harm and violence of drug misuse.”


The legislation will subsequently go through a 12-week consultation period, taking place about seven months after the government published its 10-year drug strategy.


Researchers found a 72% increase in deaths related to drug poisoning and about 2% increase in “frequent drug users” between 2011 to 2020, being defined as having taken any drug more than once in a month in the past year, according to the latest Crime Survey for England and Wales.


It’s quite the stretch of imagination for a country that commonly consumes cannabis. Private doctors who are on the General Medical Council’s specialist register can legally prescribe cannabis-based products for medicinal use.


According to polling from an industry group, the Association for the Cannabinoid Industry (ACI), one fifth of British adults have tried CBD flower or oil and 58% of respondents overall believe it has health benefits.


Even the U.K. government became a part owner in a CBD company after its emergency loan system was changed.

 

[Baron23]

Oh, still my beating heart. Decades of fighting for researchers to have access to MJ other than the absolute crap grown by U of MS. NIDA/DEA successfully sued by researchers. And the upshot of all of this....one fucking contract for one fucking grower. Unbelievable.


Top Federal Drug Agency Details Plan To Award One New Marijuana Supplier Contract For Research Purposes

The federal government is set to finally contract another marijuana manufacturer to supply cannabis for research purposes, posting a pre-solicitation notice about the opportunity for recently authorized growers.


The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has worked with the same single marijuana farm at the University of Mississippi for more than 50 years, and scientists have been critical about the quality of the cannabis and extracts produced at the facility. Now there’s a chance to break the monopoly and expand the available product pool for researchers.


NIDA posted the pre-solicitation notice last week, notifying institutions that have received Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) approval to cultivate cannabis that they will be able to submit applications to supply marijuana starting on or around July 28. This comes about two months after the agency first published an initial “sources sought” notice to gather information from prospective applicants about their ability to grow and analyze cannabis.


The new notice outlines various requirements and responsibilities for manufacturers. For example, they must be able to “produce or procure cannabis, cannabis extract and other cannabis-derived materials for basic and clinical research, and conduct quantitative and qualitative analysis, stability determination, and recommended storage conditions for these products for approved research.”


NIDA will dictate how much marijuana it needs produced and what types of cannabinoids should be extracted and analyzed prior to being transferred to the agency, which will then distribute the products to research institutions.


“In order to meet present and anticipated needs for phytocannabinoids, the Contractor shall extract cannabis to isolate pure THC and other cannabinoids, obtain cannabis extract of known potencies, manufacture marijuana cigarettes of varying potencies, and provide purified materials and marijuana cigarettes for research and/or to the NIDA Drug Supply program,” the notice says.


DEA has so far authorized at least six more facilities to grow marijuana for research purposes, and NIDA said it will only be awarding one contract for a five-year period, so it’s likely to be an intense competition to become the second federally authorized supplier in the country.


Experts and lawmakers have consistently complained about the current, exclusive supply of marijuana that NIDA has been dependent upon, citing studies showing that the chemical makeup of that cannabis more closely resembles hemp than marijuana available in commercial state markets, potentially skewing research findings.


But it’s not just the supply of government-grown cannabis that’s impeded research; scientists also say that the Schedule I status of marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act is prohibitive on its own, discouraging researchers from taking on cannabis studies.


Even the head of NIDA, Nora Volkow, said that she’s personally reluctant to go through the onerous process of getting approval to study Schedule I drugs like marijuana. Volkow has been repeatedly pressed on cannabis research issues, as well as the agency’s work with respect to other substances like kratom and various psychedelics.


President Joe Biden did sign a large-scale infrastructure bill last year that includes provisions aimed at allowing researchers to study the actual marijuana that consumers are purchasing from state-legal dispensaries. But the legislation, rather than immediately giving scientists access to the products, lays out a fairly long-term plan for considering the issue and then potentially making that happen down the line.


Meanwhile, NIDA also announced last month that it plans to provide $1.5 million in funding to support researchers who can develop a medical marijuana registry to track everything from how patients are obtaining and consuming cannabis to their health outcomes.


The agency has also expressed interest in funding studies on differing cannabis regulatory models that are in place in states across the country.


In May, NIDA separately published a “sources sought notice” for “Analysis of Cannabis and Related Materials for Research,” seeking information from prospective contractors that are able to analyze marijuana samples—including those that come from state-legal dispensaries—for research purposes.


For its part, DEA has also been increasing annual production quotas for marijuana and other substances like psilocybin as demand from the research community has surged.

 

[Baron23]

Trump urges ‘very quick trial’ and death penalty for drug dealers​

Former President Donald Trump called for quick trials and executions of drug traffickers during a Washington, D.C. speech to a conservative political group.​

Former President Donald Trump on Tuesday gave a clue to his vision for a potential return to the Oval Office, saying in a Washington, D.C. speech that the nation needs to get tough on crime and sentence drug dealers to the death penalty. Speaking before the conservative nonprofit the America First Policy Institute, Trump said that drug traffickers should face execution after a “very quick trial.”


“The penalties should be very, very severe,” Trump said during his speech on Tuesday, as quoted by The Hill.


“If you look at countries throughout the world, the ones that don’t have a drug problem are ones that institute a very quick trial death penalty sentence for drug dealers.”


Trump added that the United States would not face the problems associated with illicit drugs if authorities were tougher on crime. He praised other countries that have quick trials for suspected drug dealers.


“It’s terrible to say, but you take a look at every country in this world that doesn’t have a problem with drugs, they have a very strong death penalty for people that sell drugs,” he said.

“It sounds horrible, doesn’t it? But you know what? That’s the ones that don’t have any problem. It doesn’t take 15 years in court. It goes quickly, and you absolutely — you execute a drug dealer, and you’ll save 500 lives,” the former president continued.


At one point in his address, Trump applauded the way Chinese President Xi Jinping handled drug traffickers, recalling a time when Xi told him about “quick trials” for drug criminals in China that he estimated sentenced people in “two hours.”


Trump’s appearance at the America First Policy Institute’s two-day summit marked the first time the former president has spoken publicly in Washington, D.C. since he left office in January 2021. His remarks on harsh punishment for drug dealers came in a speech calling for the nation to get tough on crime and support law enforcement agencies and their officers.

Former President calls for American police state​

Trump said that the country is becoming unsafe for its citizens, highlighting instances of attacks on everyday Americans in cities including Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia that have been extensively reported by conservative media.


“The dangerously deranged roam our streets with impunity. We are living in such a different country for one primary reason: There is no longer respect for the law and there certainly is no order. Our country is now a cesspool of crime,” said Trump, only 18 months after leaving office at the end of his first term.


Trump advocated for what would be a huge increase in police officers across the country, saying that there should be a police car on every corner. He called for a “no-holds-barred national campaign to dismantle gangs and organized street crime in America.” The former president also called for efforts to defeat violence “and be tough and be nasty and be mean if we have to.”


“We’re living in such a different country for one primary reason: There is no longer respect for the law, and there certainly is no order. Our country is now a cesspool of crime,” Trump said.


“We are a failing nation,” he added, only 18 months after leaving office.


Trump also said that encampments of unsheltered people in cities should be relocated to “large parcels of inexpensive land at the outer reaches of the city.” The former president added that such camps should also have tents staffed with healthcare professionals including medical doctors and psychologists.


To fight back against crime, Trump argued that the president should ignore state authority by deploying the National Guard and “go beyond the governor,” completely ignoring the Republican Party’s often repeated support for states’ rights.


“When governors refuse to protect their people, we need to bring in what is necessary anyway,” Trump said, adding that “the next president needs to send the National Guard to the most dangerous neighborhoods in Chicago until safety can be restored.”


Trump has a history of supporting draconian tactics to deal with drug traffickers and other criminals. In 2017, he called then-President Rodrigo Duterte of the Phillipines to praise him for his crackdown on drug dealers that led to the killing of an estimated 12,000 people at the hands of police and vigilantes.


“I just wanted to congratulate you because I am hearing of the unbelievable job on the drug problem,” Trump reportedly said, referring to the country’s rash of extrajudicial deaths.


“Many countries have the problem, we have a problem, but what a great job you are doing and I just wanted to call and tell you that.

 

[Baron23]

Ok, so my question is why do a fucking thing for her much less trade an arms dealer of death and destruction for a self-entitled pro athlete who admitted she took cannabis carts to fucking Russia. FFS....so, why does Biden think she is "wrongfully detained"? As far as I can see, she is absolutely justifiably detained by the laws of Russia which cannot be a surprise to her as she has been traveling there to make money playing b-ball for some number of years.

She plead guilty and while that may have be viewed as a tactical move to appease the courts and perhaps obtain more favorable treatment showing contrition, she also has stated that "she forgot/didn't know that the carts where in her luggage".

Now, I have to say...this is utter fucking bullshit. I'm 70, been consuming mj since I was 15 (not something I recommend, by the by), and I have NEVER lost, forgotten, misplaced cannabis in any form. These carts didn't just jump into her suitcase. She put them there, she took them to Russia, and now everybody thinks we need to bend over backwards to spare her from the consequences of her own actions.

And oooohhhhh, Russia (the evil empire) has her so that should make a difference, right....no. Try it here and see what you get:

"In Japan, possessing anything with THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, is illegal and punishable by a minimum sentence of five years in prison."​

Personally, I can think of a number of other shining examples of humanity that I would trade to Russia for her way before this arms dealer, Viktor Bout

Advocates Demand Biden Take Marijuana Action After Brittney Griner Sentenced To Nine Years In Russian Prison For Vapes​

American basketball player Brittney Griner was been sentenced on Thursday to nine years in Russian prison after being found guilty of possessing cannabis vape cartridges.


The case has captured international attention, placed pressure on the White House to secure her release and prompted calls from advocates and lawmakers to reform U.S. marijuana laws that similarly criminalize people over cannabis.


In a statement on Thursday, President Joe Biden said that Griner’s sentencing “is one more reminder of what the world already knew: Russia is wrongfully detaining Brittney.” The State Department classified Griner as a “wrongfully detained” person and maintained that designation even after she pleaded guilty to the cannabis possession charge.


“It’s unacceptable, and I call on Russia to release her immediately so she can be with her wife, loved ones, friends, and teammates,” Biden said. “My administration will continue to work tirelessly and pursue every possible avenue to bring Brittney and Paul Whelan [who is serving a 16-year sentence over alleged espionage in Russia] home safely as soon as possible.”


At a White House press briefing on Thursday afternoon, Griner’s case was a central focus. National Security Council (NSC) Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby said that the athlete “shouldn’t have even been on trial” because she was “wrongfully detained.”


“Absent that, we find the sentence reprehensible in its scope,” he said, adding that there’s a trend in Russia’s judicial system where foreigners generally face more severe sentences compared to Russians over similar drug offenses.


Still, while a majority of U.S. states have legalized marijuana in some form, including Arizona where Griner is a registered medical cannabis patient, federal law still strictly prohibits marijuana. A first offense for possession of any amount of cannabis under federal criminal code is punishable by up to one year in prison, with sentences increasing for subsequence offenses.


U.S. law might not be as severe, or enforced as consistently, but advocates argue that Griner’s case demonstrates the urgent need for federal marijuana reform, even if it might not directly affect the athlete’s overseas case. Russian officials have been unwilling to accept a prisoner swap that U.S. officials have reportedly floated, which would involve releasing Griner in exchange for a convicted Russian arms dealer.


“Today’s sentencing of Griner underscores the need for domestic cannabis reform,” Martiza Perez, director of the office of federal affairs at the Drug Policy Alliance, told Marijuana Moment. “The U.S. is responsible for exporting the drug war across the globe. It still arrests, incarcerates, and deports people for low-level cannabis arrests and convictions.”

“This makes it incredibly challenging to protect U.S. citizens abroad. We cannot stand on a moral or legal high ground because we don’t have it,” Perez said. “The US must end marijuana prohibition and remedy the harms of mass cannabis criminalization.”


Russian officials have strongly contested the U.S. characterization of the appropriateness of Griner’s prosecution. A spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry went so far as to point out that the U.S. position is somewhat hypocritical given that people are still criminalized over cannabis in both countries.

At her sentencing hearing, Griner pleaded with the judge not to “end her life” over the cannabis offense, saying she “made an honest mistake,” according to Reuters.


“This is playing out on the world stage for everyone to see,” U.S. Rep. Troy Carter (D-LA) told Marijuana Moment in a phone interview on Thursday, adding that Griner has found herself caught in a “political battle that she shouldn’t have been in, as with many, many Americans who have found themselves in similar situations.”


“This gives us an opportunity to highlight the complexity, the hypocrisy and the urgency to level the field on these misdemeanors and criminal on cannabis charges,” the congressman said. “We should use this as a shining example of the things that are wrong in our world, in our country, and recognize that we have opportunities now to fix them.”


Justin Strekal, founder of the BOWL PAC, told Marijuana Moment that it’s “a sad state of affairs that Brittney Griner is a political pawn to one of the few countries that criminalize cannabis more heavily than the United States.”


“As President Biden continues to declare Griner wrongfully detained, he should take steps to uncouple the fact both the U.S. and Russia incarcerate Americans for cannabis possession,” Strekal said.


Steven Hawkins, CEO of the U.S. Cannabis Council, called Griner a “political prisoner” and said the sentence is “an outrage.”


But he also told Marijuana Moment that it should be a “wakeup call for Americans.”


“Her trial and sentence in Russia may seem like an outlier at a time of sweeping acceptance and legalization, but it isn’t. Cannabis remains illegal and possession is harshly punished around the world. The US is no exception,” he said, pointing to a recent Mississippi Supreme Court ruling upholding a life sentence for a cannabis possession charge.


“Thousands of Americans are in prison at this moment for cannabis charges,” Hawkins said. “We call on President Biden to get Griner home safely and clean up our own affairs by granting a blanket pardon for cannabis offenses and encouraging state and local expungement efforts.”


While Biden has taken no meaningful steps to decriminalize marijuana or broadly free cannabis prisoners as he promised on the campaign trail, he did make his first public comment on marijuana policy since taking office last month, reiterating that he doesn’t believe people should be incarcerated over the plant.


But even with the executive authority to grant mass pardons to people with federal cannabis convictions, the administration is still in the process of exploring its clemency options, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said last week.


“A sentence of nine years for possession of a minuscule amount of cannabis product—clearly without ‘criminal intent’—is a travesty, but not especially surprising,” NORML Political Director Morgan Fox told Marijuana Moment. “Brittney Griner is obviously being used as a political pawn, and as such has become yet another victim of the global war on cannabis consumers which has been largely perpetuated by her home country.”

“The chickens of prohibition are coming home to roost, and people like Brittney Griner are paying the price.”

Nina Turner, a former Ohio state lawmakers and congressional candidate, said that Biden must do all that he can to secure Griner’s release in light of the harsh sentencing, and he must also “correct that injustice here in America, too.”


“Far too many people are locked up over non-violent drug offenses,” she said.


Derek Kitchen, a Democratic state senator in Utah said that “marijuana propaganda and disinformation has led to inappropriate criminalization of natural medicine around the world.”


“Now [Griner] is paying the price behind bars in Russia,” he said. “She deserves to come home.”


Several lawmakers, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), called attention to Griner’s case on Thursday, condemning the outsized penalty she’s currently facing without specifically mentioning the cannabis-related nature of the offense.


“Absolutely wrong. Brittney, her family, and friends have been through so much during this ordeal—we must end this,” Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-PA) said. “We must do everything in our power to end this injustice — and force Putin and Russia to release her immediately.”


While Biden only mentioned Griner and Whelan by name in Thursday’s statement, a senior administration official also recently said that they are actively looking into another case of a U.S. citizen, Mark Fogel, who is being held in Russia over a marijuana-related offense to see if the administration can secure his release.


Fogel has not been designated as a “wrongfully detained” person at this point, however. That classification generally escalates diplomatic engagement to secure a U.S. citizen’s release.


There are several factors that can lead the U.S. to classify someone as such, so it’s possible that officials haven’t based the Griner designation on the question of innocence of guilt, per se. It could be the case that they believe she is being held for political reasons as Russia faces international condemnation over its invasion of Ukraine.


Russia has taken a particularly strong stance against reforming cannabis policy at the international level through the United Nations. And it condemned Canada for legalizing marijuana nationwide.


The deputy of Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in March that legalization efforts in the U.S. and Canada are matters “of serious concern for us,” according to a social media post from the office’s official account. “It is worrisome that several Member States of the [European Union] are considering violating their drug control obligations.”

 

[bulllee]

Ok, so my question is why do a fucking thing for her much less trade an arms dealer of death and destruction for a self-entitled pro athlete who admitted she took cannabis carts to fucking Russia. FFS....so, why does Biden think she is "wrongfully detained"? As far as I can see, she is absolutely justifiably detained by the laws of Russia which cannot be a surprise to her as she has been traveling there to make money playing b-ball for some number of years.

She plead guilty and while that may have be viewed as a tactical move to appease the courts and perhaps obtain more favorable treatment showing contrition, she also has stated that "she forgot/didn't know that the carts where in her luggage".

Now, I have to say...this is utter fucking bullshit. I'm 70, been consuming mj since I was 15 (not something I recommend, by the by), and I have NEVER lost, forgotten, misplaced cannabis in any form. These carts didn't just jump into her suitcase. She put them there, she took them to Russia, and now everybody thinks we need to bend over backwards to spare her from the consequences of her own actions.

And oooohhhhh, Russia (the evil empire) has her so that should make a difference, right....no. Try it here and see what you get:

"In Japan, possessing anything with THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, is illegal and punishable by a minimum sentence of five years in prison."​

Personally, I can think of a number of other shining examples of humanity that I would trade to Russia for her way before this arms dealer, Viktor Bout

Advocates Demand Biden Take Marijuana Action After Brittney Griner Sentenced To Nine Years In Russian Prison For Vapes​

American basketball player Brittney Griner was been sentenced on Thursday to nine years in Russian prison after being found guilty of possessing cannabis vape cartridges.


The case has captured international attention, placed pressure on the White House to secure her release and prompted calls from advocates and lawmakers to reform U.S. marijuana laws that similarly criminalize people over cannabis.


In a statement on Thursday, President Joe Biden said that Griner’s sentencing “is one more reminder of what the world already knew: Russia is wrongfully detaining Brittney.” The State Department classified Griner as a “wrongfully detained” person and maintained that designation even after she pleaded guilty to the cannabis possession charge.


“It’s unacceptable, and I call on Russia to release her immediately so she can be with her wife, loved ones, friends, and teammates,” Biden said. “My administration will continue to work tirelessly and pursue every possible avenue to bring Brittney and Paul Whelan [who is serving a 16-year sentence over alleged espionage in Russia] home safely as soon as possible.”


At a White House press briefing on Thursday afternoon, Griner’s case was a central focus. National Security Council (NSC) Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby said that the athlete “shouldn’t have even been on trial” because she was “wrongfully detained.”


“Absent that, we find the sentence reprehensible in its scope,” he said, adding that there’s a trend in Russia’s judicial system where foreigners generally face more severe sentences compared to Russians over similar drug offenses.


Still, while a majority of U.S. states have legalized marijuana in some form, including Arizona where Griner is a registered medical cannabis patient, federal law still strictly prohibits marijuana. A first offense for possession of any amount of cannabis under federal criminal code is punishable by up to one year in prison, with sentences increasing for subsequence offenses.


U.S. law might not be as severe, or enforced as consistently, but advocates argue that Griner’s case demonstrates the urgent need for federal marijuana reform, even if it might not directly affect the athlete’s overseas case. Russian officials have been unwilling to accept a prisoner swap that U.S. officials have reportedly floated, which would involve releasing Griner in exchange for a convicted Russian arms dealer.


“Today’s sentencing of Griner underscores the need for domestic cannabis reform,” Martiza Perez, director of the office of federal affairs at the Drug Policy Alliance, told Marijuana Moment. “The U.S. is responsible for exporting the drug war across the globe. It still arrests, incarcerates, and deports people for low-level cannabis arrests and convictions.”

“This makes it incredibly challenging to protect U.S. citizens abroad. We cannot stand on a moral or legal high ground because we don’t have it,” Perez said. “The US must end marijuana prohibition and remedy the harms of mass cannabis criminalization.”


Russian officials have strongly contested the U.S. characterization of the appropriateness of Griner’s prosecution. A spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry went so far as to point out that the U.S. position is somewhat hypocritical given that people are still criminalized over cannabis in both countries.

At her sentencing hearing, Griner pleaded with the judge not to “end her life” over the cannabis offense, saying she “made an honest mistake,” according to Reuters.


“This is playing out on the world stage for everyone to see,” U.S. Rep. Troy Carter (D-LA) told Marijuana Moment in a phone interview on Thursday, adding that Griner has found herself caught in a “political battle that she shouldn’t have been in, as with many, many Americans who have found themselves in similar situations.”


“This gives us an opportunity to highlight the complexity, the hypocrisy and the urgency to level the field on these misdemeanors and criminal on cannabis charges,” the congressman said. “We should use this as a shining example of the things that are wrong in our world, in our country, and recognize that we have opportunities now to fix them.”


Justin Strekal, founder of the BOWL PAC, told Marijuana Moment that it’s “a sad state of affairs that Brittney Griner is a political pawn to one of the few countries that criminalize cannabis more heavily than the United States.”


“As President Biden continues to declare Griner wrongfully detained, he should take steps to uncouple the fact both the U.S. and Russia incarcerate Americans for cannabis possession,” Strekal said.


Steven Hawkins, CEO of the U.S. Cannabis Council, called Griner a “political prisoner” and said the sentence is “an outrage.”


But he also told Marijuana Moment that it should be a “wakeup call for Americans.”


“Her trial and sentence in Russia may seem like an outlier at a time of sweeping acceptance and legalization, but it isn’t. Cannabis remains illegal and possession is harshly punished around the world. The US is no exception,” he said, pointing to a recent Mississippi Supreme Court ruling upholding a life sentence for a cannabis possession charge.


“Thousands of Americans are in prison at this moment for cannabis charges,” Hawkins said. “We call on President Biden to get Griner home safely and clean up our own affairs by granting a blanket pardon for cannabis offenses and encouraging state and local expungement efforts.”


While Biden has taken no meaningful steps to decriminalize marijuana or broadly free cannabis prisoners as he promised on the campaign trail, he did make his first public comment on marijuana policy since taking office last month, reiterating that he doesn’t believe people should be incarcerated over the plant.


But even with the executive authority to grant mass pardons to people with federal cannabis convictions, the administration is still in the process of exploring its clemency options, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said last week.


“A sentence of nine years for possession of a minuscule amount of cannabis product—clearly without ‘criminal intent’—is a travesty, but not especially surprising,” NORML Political Director Morgan Fox told Marijuana Moment. “Brittney Griner is obviously being used as a political pawn, and as such has become yet another victim of the global war on cannabis consumers which has been largely perpetuated by her home country.”




Nina Turner, a former Ohio state lawmakers and congressional candidate, said that Biden must do all that he can to secure Griner’s release in light of the harsh sentencing, and he must also “correct that injustice here in America, too.”


“Far too many people are locked up over non-violent drug offenses,” she said.


Derek Kitchen, a Democratic state senator in Utah said that “marijuana propaganda and disinformation has led to inappropriate criminalization of natural medicine around the world.”


“Now [Griner] is paying the price behind bars in Russia,” he said. “She deserves to come home.”


Several lawmakers, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), called attention to Griner’s case on Thursday, condemning the outsized penalty she’s currently facing without specifically mentioning the cannabis-related nature of the offense.


“Absolutely wrong. Brittney, her family, and friends have been through so much during this ordeal—we must end this,” Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-PA) said. “We must do everything in our power to end this injustice — and force Putin and Russia to release her immediately.”


While Biden only mentioned Griner and Whelan by name in Thursday’s statement, a senior administration official also recently said that they are actively looking into another case of a U.S. citizen, Mark Fogel, who is being held in Russia over a marijuana-related offense to see if the administration can secure his release.


Fogel has not been designated as a “wrongfully detained” person at this point, however. That classification generally escalates diplomatic engagement to secure a U.S. citizen’s release.


There are several factors that can lead the U.S. to classify someone as such, so it’s possible that officials haven’t based the Griner designation on the question of innocence of guilt, per se. It could be the case that they believe she is being held for political reasons as Russia faces international condemnation over its invasion of Ukraine.


Russia has taken a particularly strong stance against reforming cannabis policy at the international level through the United Nations. And it condemned Canada for legalizing marijuana nationwide.


The deputy of Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in March that legalization efforts in the U.S. and Canada are matters “of serious concern for us,” according to a social media post from the office’s official account. “It is worrisome that several Member States of the [European Union] are considering violating their drug control obligations.”

I agree. Why would you try to smuggle anything in a country like Russia . I mean , vape carts in Russia ? Sorry to hear ,but when you play in their ballpark you gotta play by their rules . Russia is also seeking a KGB colonel serving time in Germany for murder. Griner's deal also includes a former Marine being held by Russia . I'm sure there would be just as much public out cry if you or I got busted in Russia .

 

[Baron23]

"the new initiative to solicit information about research barriers such as the ongoing Schedule I status of marijuana"

And we are paying for this idiotic study.....my local sanitation and landscape workers could answer why and how Schedule I status inhibits research....pretty fucking much by definition.

Top Federal Health Agency Wants Input On Marijuana Research Barriers, Including Schedule I And Limited Strain Access​

The top federal health agency says that, after thousands of years of documented marijuana use for medicinal purposes, it wants to get to work identifying barriers to cannabis research to help “strengthen the scientific evidence” of the plant’s therapeutic potential.


The National Institutes of Health (NIH) posted a request for information (RFI) on Wednesday titled, “Investigators’ interests in and barriers to research studies on the health effects of cannabis and its constituents.”


In the notice, NIH said that eight of its component agencies are partnering on the new initiative to solicit information about research barriers such as the ongoing Schedule I status of marijuana and limitations on the types of products available for use in clinical trials.


“Cannabis has been used medicinally for over 3,000 years,” NIH said. “Recently, there has been growing interest from health care providers and the public in the potential medicinal properties of cannabis-related products.”


(Following the publication of this article, a NIH spokesperson reached out to Marijuana Moment to say that the agency had prematurely posted the RFI, so the notice will be temporarily taken down and reposted later this month. They said the content is not likely to change.)


While the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved cannabinoid-based therapies for select conditions, NIH acknowledged that the majority of states have adopt medical cannabis programs for patients with various conditions—and it said there is “often inadequate scientific research to support the benefit of their intended use” in those states.


“As a result, there is a need to strengthen the scientific evidence underlying the clinical impact and potential harms of cannabis products for specific diseases and conditions,” the notice says. “Some researchers have reported barriers that hinder an expansion of research.”


The agency listed examples of reported research barriers, including a lack of experience with state and federal regulations for marijuana studies, “unforeseen costs and effort” to obtain research licenses, the “availability of and access to appropriate cannabis and cannabis products/constituents”—including specific strains—and insufficient measurement tools to analyze the impacts of cannabis use.


The note about access to “appropriate cannabis” appears to reference the fact that, for decades, scientists authorized by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to study marijuana have only been able to obtain products from a single source: a government-run cannabis farm at the University of Mississippi.


While DEA recently approved additional manufacturers—and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is actively seeking one new contractor to supply cannabis for studies—many have argued that scientists should also be allowed to get marijuana from state-legal retailers so that their studies more accurately reflect the products being used in commercial markets.


That includes NIDA Director Nora Volkow, who has talked about how she’s personally reluctant to study Schedule I drugs like cannabis because of the onerous federal registration process and supports the idea of letting scientists obtain marijuana from state dispensaries.


“NIH is seeking to better understand these issues and potentially develop strategies to overcome them,” the new RFI says. “To that end, NIH seeks input from the research community regarding these and additional barriers, scientific interests, and needs related to therapeutic cannabis or cannabinoid research.”


“NIH is interested in gathering information about barriers, scientific interests, and needs associated with therapeutic cannabis or cannabinoid research from investigators conducting or interested in conducting research on cannabis, cannabinoid phytochemical constituents, and related compounds (synthetic compounds, terpenes, etc.). Such information will be useful to NIH as it seeks to address the research infrastructure needs and identify areas of interest within this field.”


For this request, NIH said there are six primary areas of interest: 1) a broad overview of what kinds of cannabis studies scientists want to explore; 2) the existing and “desirable” scientific infrastructure for such studies; 3) research barriers like marijuana’s Schedule I status; 4) NIH activities that can “help expand the field” of medical cannabis research; 5) resources needed to carry out the studies—including access to different “marijuana varieties, strains, constituent chemotypes, or specific cannabinoids”; and 6) access to regulatory, clinical and scientific information about the plant and its constituents.


Interested parties have until October 15 to respond to the RFI.


NIH is the main federal health agency that manages 27 different institutes. This notice lists eight that are participating in the initiative, including several that are separately involved in an effort to encourage studies into minor cannabinoids like delta-8 THC as well as terpenes that was discussed in a separate NIH posting late last month.


NIH posted an initial notice about its desire to promote research into minor cannabinoids almost four years ago. Several agencies also held a follow-up workshop in 2018 on navigating the regulatory hurdles that inhibit research into Schedule I substances like marijuana.


Here are the institutes that are involved in this latest notice on research barriers: NIDA, National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), National Eye Institute (NEI), National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institute on Aging (NIA), National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) and National Cancer Institute (NCI).


President Joe Biden signed a large-scale infrastructure bill last year that includes provisions aimed at allowing researchers to study the actual marijuana that consumers are purchasing from state-legal dispensaries. But the legislation, rather than immediately giving scientists access to the products, lays out a fairly long-term plan for considering the issue and then potentially making that happen down the line.


Meanwhile, NIDA also announced last month that it plans to provide $1.5 million in funding to support researchers who can develop a medical marijuana registry to track everything from how patients are obtaining and consuming cannabis to their health outcomes.


The agency has also expressed interest in funding studies on differing cannabis regulatory models that are in place in states across the country.


Separately, a bipartisan duo of congressional lawmakers recently filed a bill to set a federal marijuana research agenda and create a designation for universities to carry out cannabis studies with federal grant money. The legislation from Reps. Scott Peters (D-CA) and Dave Joyce (R-OH) is titled the “Developing and Nationalizing Key Cannabis Research Act,” or the DANK Cannabis Research Act.


The bill filing came on the same week that the U.S. House of Representatives separately voted to approve another bipartisan marijuana research bill that’s also intended to expedite and simplify the process of receiving authorization to study the risks and benefits of marijuana.


That measure, which would not allow researchers to study dispensary cannabis, is expected to be taken up by the Senate in short order before potentially being sent to the president’s desk

 

[Baron23]

I think this is in AUS...right?

War veteran calls for legal overhaul after losing license after driving with Medicinal Cannabis​

An ex-serviceman who uses medicinal cannabis to treat his health issues may lose his licence after he was deemed "under the influence" when a car crashed into him.​

An out-of-control truck crashed into Paul Hardman's ute in Carrum Downs in Melbourne in July last year.
Almost 18 months on, the father-of-two will likely lose his licence because he tested positive to cannabis.
Hardman told 9News that he has been fighting it in court.


"There was no accusation of impairment, it was just me admitting I was a medicinal cannabis user was the only reason I was sent for a blood test," he said.
Enlisting in the army in 2007, the now 40-year-old was deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq.

Physically and mentally wounded, Hardman struggles with PTSD and other disorders.

"It's unfortunate that I'm in a situation where there are laws in place that don't support what the department of veteran affairs is doing for me," he said.
There are calls to change the law so people like Hardman don't have to choose between driving and being pain free.
Campaigners want medicinal cannabis treated the same way as any other prescription drugs. (Nine)

Reason Party leader Fiona Patten said Victorians who have a prescription for medicinal cannabis should be allowed to drive when it's safe to do so.
"We should allow these patients who have finally got great lives back out there and be able to drive when it's safe to do so."

 

[CarolKing]

As armed robbers hit Washington marijuana shops, owners say there's a simple solution

In recent months, Washington retail marijuana store owners, industry leaders and politicians have said armed robberies at pot shops have increased, endangering employees, and have emphasized that solutions are needed at both the statewide and federal levels.

www.spokesman.com

On Saturday, a man working at a Tacoma cannabis retailer was shot, the third fatality related to a cannabis shop robbery within four days. On Wednesday and Thursday, two men each accused of robbing or attempting to rob a retail cannabis store were shot in separate incidents in Bellevue and Covington.

In recent months, Washington retail marijuana store owners, industry leaders and politicians have said armed robberies at pot shops have increased, endangering employees, and have emphasized that solutions are needed at both the statewide and federal levels.

While robberies at retail marijuana stores in Washington are not formally tracked statewide, the Craft Cannabis Coalition, which represents over 50 retail stores in the state, keeps an informal tally with reports from members, said the association’s executive director, Adán Espino. It is possible some robberies are missing from the association’s tally.

According to the association’s count, there have been around 67 armed robberies so far in 2022. In 2021 and 2020, the association counted 34 and 27 armed robberies.

Pot shops have long been targets for robberies because of the large amount of cash the businesses have on hand and because there is still a lucrative black market for marijuana, Espino said.

The robbery Wednesday at a Bellevue cannabis store was only the latest in a series, said Molly Honig, the co-owner of Green Theory. In the last year and a half, her four stores in Bellevue and Kirkland have been robbed at gunpoint six or seven times. Police have put a “tremendous amount of work” into solving those crimes, she said, and around half of those robberies have led to convictions.

The next evening, Ryan Evans, director of operations of the local chain Euphorium, said a man put an employee in a headlock and declared he was robbing the store before the store’s ID checker fatally shot him.

“We’re definitely seeing a really ugly trend in the beginning of 2022 and Western Washington,” he said. “Not a lot of relief in sight.”

While recreational marijuana was legalized in Washington in 2012 and most Americans live in places where marijuana is legal in some form, the industry has been shut out of traditional banking services like accepting credit cards since marijuana is still illegal federally.

another robbery …..
OLYMPIA, Wash. — A car slammed into an Olympia pot shop during a burglary early Saturday morning, and it was all caught on surveillance video.
Olympia Police said around 3:30 a.m., a vehicle crashed into the Green Lady cannabis shop in West Olympia. Several suspects immediately got out of the car and stole products from the store.

Store manager Bailey Beckett got the call from the alarm company.
“I gathered my stuff and came in and it was overwhelmed to the max. There were police, glass, and products everywhere,” said Beckett.
Beckett was stunned watching the surveillance footage.
“It made my skin crawl. It just made me feel dirty. People invade my business that I work at. It's like a home to me. It felt wrong,” Beckett said.
Beckett said it wasn’t cash the thieves were after, “They bee-lined it straight for this side of the wall. They didn't look for anything else except for the products.”
Olympia police said the suspects took off in a second vehicle. It was spotted by Thurston County deputies traveling at a high rate of speed. Deputies lost sight of the vehicle.
Olympia PD said both vehicles involved are stolen.
This comes just 24 hours after a pot shop in Tacoma experianced a similar robbery.
A car slammed through the front door, then six suspects jumped out, also only going for products. The suspects exchanged gunfire with a security guard before getting away.
Olympia police said it's reaching out to regional agencies for more information to see if Saturday's burglary matches any other crimes.
Green Lady is offering a reward for information that leads to an arrest.

They actually boarded the windows up and cleaned glass then opened up for business. They have great products.
Its the fucking Wild West.

 

[Fat Freddy]

Health Risks Linked To Working In The Cannabis Industry Are Largely Unknown, But A 27-Year-Old’s Death Reveals The Potential Dangers

Not exactly the most scientific article I've read on the topic but certainly considering one's exposure to upper respiratory diseases this article is worth considering, certainly for those who work in the cannabis grow industry.

 

[Baron23]

“Our sister, Brittney Griner, is an American in peril in Russia. She needs the love and support of her country, sports governing bodies and every athlete on the planet to get released and home to her family. #WeAreBG #BringBGHome #BringThemHome,” the WNBPA tweeted earlier this week.

As noted in another article on this subject that I posted above, I vehemently disagree with this ^^ statement and sentiment. She took fucking cannabis to RUSSIA. It wasn't a mistake, she took it with her to RUSSIA. Just how fucking self-entitled do you have to be to thumb your nose at the laws of your basic repressive and totalitarian dictatorship? I do not have any sympathy for her and do not see any responsibility of America to trade anything for her freedom.

Brittney Griner serving 9-year sentence in the 'land of prisons'​

The 'snowy and swampy area' is home to about two dozen supermax prisons.​

As negotiations to bring Brittney Griner home continue, new reports are providing insight into her current prison conditions.


The women’s basketball star was sentenced to nine years in a penal colony in August after she attempted to enter Russia with 0.7 grams of cannabis oil in her possession. She is serving her sentence in Mordovia, which is also known as the “land of prisons” according to The Nation. The area is home to about two dozen supermax prisons, in a “snowy, swampy area” about 400 kilometres southeast of Moscow.


It is not known which institution is housing Griner. Earlier this month, Maria Alyokhina, a member of the Russian feminist group Pussy Riot who spent almost two years in a penal colony, discussed the conditions she faced while imprisoned, including living in barracks with beds for 80 to 100 women, bathing once a week and having very few, if any, amenities.


In an interview with National Public Radio (NPR), Alyokhina also said that “all prisoners must perform forced labour.” She expects Griner is experiencing similar labour camp-type conditions.


“Our sister, Brittney Griner, is an American in peril in Russia. She needs the love and support of her country, sports governing bodies and every athlete on the planet to get released and home to her family. #WeAreBG #BringBGHome #BringThemHome,” the WNBPA tweeted earlier this week.


Negotiations are continuing in a possible prisoner exchange that could include Griner and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, who is currently serving a 16-year sentence on espionage charges.


Russia is reportedly seeking the release of Viktor Bout, an arms dealer known as the “Merchant of Death.” Bout is currently serving a 25-year sentence in the U.S. for conspiring to kill Americans and providing aid to terrorists, per NPR.


Earlier this week, Reuters reported that Russia has not provided a “serious response” to the negotiations.


“The United States, as we have said, has put a significant proposal on the table. We have followed up on that proposal and we have proposed alternatives,” said Elizabeth Rood, the U.S. chargé d’affaires in Moscow. “Unfortunately, so far the Russian Federation has not provided a serious response to those proposals.”

 

[CarolKing]

If Brittney Griner was an ordinary person like myself we wouldn’t be hearing very much about this. You are taking a real risk doing anything illegal in a country like Russia. They don’t seem to have much affection for her even though she played basketball for their country ‘s entertainment.
Nine years in a labor camp is hardcore. Now Russia has a bargaining tool. It’s all political and she got herself in the middle of it by not taking her oil out of her bag. Maybe not go to Russia to play ball. I agree she doesn’t deserve all this but that’s the risk. I hope she comes home safe. She can write a book!