Happy Thanksgiving!
November 27th, 2008 by Tim
Hey guys, we’re taking off early for the week to prepare ourselves for some mighty feastings but don’t fret. theFreshScent will be back on Monday Dec. 1, ready to roll with fresh new posts and to spice things up, maybe we’ll chuck in an announcement or two, absolutely free of charge.
Until then, Happy Thanksgiving everybody!
Border Patrol Seizes 7,300 Pounds of Grass
November 26th, 2008 by AlexAt the Otay Mesa Port of Entry, Customs & Border Patrol agents stopped two passenger vans loaded with more than $3.3 million worth of marijuana.
According to the article in the San Diego Union-Tribune:
Each van was “just filled” with wrapped packages of marijuana, Bond said. “… Whereas in a cargo port you may get 10,000 or 15,000 pounds of marijuana in a truck, you never see that in a passenger car for obvious reasons.”
Why do you never see that? Because it’s an extremely stupid thing to do. I guess the old ‘this is such a stupid thing to do that I’m going to do it anyway because no one would believe people can be that moronic so they won’t pay attention‘ logic didn’t quite pass the test.
A third arrest rounded out a big day of seizures for the CBP, when an American citizen living in Tijuana crossed the border using the swift-passage SENTRI system and was found with 255 pounds of pot hidden all over a gold 2005 Nissan truck.
That’s not exactly a low-key vehicle, but it’s not the bling that tipped off the drug-sniffing dog to the payload. The K9 did its job and led to the seizure of $115,000 worth of marijuana.
Sounds like more than few muchachos are going to struggle to find something to be grateful about this Thanksgiving.
Pushing for Pardon: Mark Tynes
November 26th, 2008 by AlexESPN has reported on New York Giants’ place-kicker Lawrence Tynes efforts to receive a presidential pardon for his brother – Mark Tynes.
The video above is a (melodramatic) look into the divergence of both Mark and Lawrence, how one went to become a professional football player and the other started a pot dealing operation spanning from Texas to Florida.
Despite all this, the brothers are still extremely close. Lawrence doesn’t have an issue with Mark being in jail, he believes his brother is guilty and deserves to be punished for his crimes. What he does have an issue with is the jail sentence – 27 years.
Lawrence said:
My brother is not asking for a pardon, he is asking for a commutation, which would reduce his sentence. By no means is he asking to be freed tomorrow. He deserves to be spending time — the 27 years is something that we think is a little steep.
What’s most interesting is the dynamic between brothers, between childhood friends and between the government’s approach to sentencing the entire drug distribution ring. No matter your position, it’s an interesting story with some hard truths, let’s see if Lawrence Tynes efforts are successful.
Lisa Ling Gives Perspective on Pot
November 26th, 2008 by PerryAs a part of her job as drug war correspondent for several news organizations like National Geographic, Lisa Ling has traveled the world and scrutinized both sides of the issue of marijuana legalization.
In this clip, the former Channel One reporter talks about her prior experiences on the topic.
UPDATE: National Geographic’s premiere of Explorer: Marijuana Nation will nationally air Tuesday, December 2 @ 7pm PST.
British Boxer Arrested for Cocaine
November 26th, 2008 by Perry
Bradley Saunders, a boxing medal hopeful in Beijing before being upset in his second fight, was recently arrested after £12,000 (~$20,000 US) worth of cocaine was found in his backyard.
Saunders claimed it was a frame-up job, and added he has been victimized by burglars several times since his early exit from the Olympics. The poorly concealed cocaine was found in a biscuit tin under a sheet of white plastic.
Saunders and his girlfriend were arrested, and then after the two gave statements, were released without being charged six hours later. Police cited an anonymous tip as the grounds for search.
Saunders was widely criticized and editorialized in the British press for comments he made after his early departure from Beijing.
After his Olympics exit, Saunders said:
I’ve been training for two years now – to know I’ve not won a medal has taken a big weight off my shoulders.
CA High Court Rules on MMJ Case
November 25th, 2008 by Alex
A recent ruling by the Supreme Court more clearly defined California’s medical marijuana laws, by creating a precedent for law enforcement to prosecute those who supply MMJ without proper licensing.
Americans for Safe Access, one of the leading MMJ advocacy groups, said ideally the ruling would not have a “tremendous effect” on supply, other than to encourage licensed medical card holders to purchase their medicine from a legal, state-licensed grower as opposed to “on the street.” The case is one example of the many lawsuits anticipated by the ambiguities of Prop. 215, the legislation which legalized MMJ in California in 1996, but failed to address its regulation or dispensation.
Earlier this year the court found employers could fire MMJ users who tested positive for the drug after using it away from the workplace. State Legislature responded by passing a law which would have overturned that decision, but it was vetoed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
This ruling further narrows the scope of Prop. 215 which, although unfortunate for most unlicensed growers, might be a step in the right direction for legitimate supply chains. With that potential legitimacy, more weight is added to the ultimate goal of legalization. Now we just need to see if it pans out as expected.
Hawaii Sees Surge in Medical Marijuana Patients
November 25th, 2008 by Perry
In the last two years, Hawaii has seen an 87% surge in the number of medical marijuana patients.
Hawaii News reports there were over 4,200 patients in Hawaii for 2008 through last month, about 1,000 more than 2007. A narcotics officer attributed it to a growing number of doctors with practices who have been certifying patients.
Hawaii passed medical marijuana laws in 2000, which said patients must be diagnosed by a medical doctor as having a “debilitating” medical condition such as cancer, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, severe pain or seizures.
DMV Sued Over Medical Marijuana
November 25th, 2008 by Perry
Americans for Safe Access, a medical marijuana advocacy group, recently filed a lawsuit against the Department of Motor Vehicles on behalf of Rose Johnson, 53, of Merced, CA, claiming her driver’s license was revoked because the DMV found out she was a medical marijuana patient.
The lawsuit states Johnson had a clean driving record and no accidents in 37 years, but the DMV refused to renew her license after obtaining her medical records and finding out that she was a qualified medical marijuana patient.
According to the DMV, her license was denied due to:
…the cause of [an] addiction to, or habitual use of [a] drug, thereby rendering her unable to safely operate a motor vehicle.
MMJ advocates claim similar policies exist in several other counties, and persists in Merced despite the 2007 implementation of a police policy instructing sheriffs to respect state medical marijuana laws.
You can find a PDF of the lawsuit here.
