80lbs. of Cocaine Washes Up on Beach
December 14th, 2006 by Alex
These bricks aren’t for building houses.
I’m not even sure how to categorize this one, but I’ll go for it anyway. On Tuesday, over 80 pounds of cocaine washed up on the shore of a Hollywood, Miami beach. The huge, cellophane wrapped package was covered in barnacles and other fish shit.
This lead officers to believe it was dumped while being chased by the Florida Coast Guard. Barnacles don’t attach themselves over-night, so this package was floating in the ocean for well over a month.
It’s a pretty damn lucky find for the officer involved. Still, I don’t think many people would know what to do if 80lbs. of white snow just fell into their laps. I’d think it was me getting Punk’d and get the hell off the beach.
[via Miami Herald News]
Curb Cocaine Appetite with Cannabis
December 14th, 2006 by Tim
The New York State Psychiatric Institute conducted a study that suggests cocaine addicts, also diagnosed with ADHD (attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder), are less likely to continue cocaine abuse when marijuana is moderately used.
The clinical trials were tested with a sample of 92 people from ages 25 to 41. After 14 weeks, the reports’ data reveals:
- 39% of the participants, who used marijuana, achieved 2+ weeks of refrained cocaine use
- 26% of the participants, who didn’t use marijuana, achieved 2+ weeks of refrained cocaine use
That’s a 13% difference, which might not seem very significant to most people. However, when you take into account the personal struggles numerous cocaine abusers deal with on a consistent basis, I would have to say that any decrease in cocaine dependence is beneficial.
Chalk another one up for marijuana! Who’s been keeping tally by the way? Weed’s gotta be winning by a landslide.
[via BBSNews]
Salvia Divinorum: Still Legal
December 14th, 2006 by Alex
Looks like another hard-hitting investigation has been wrapped up by a local Orlando, Florida news team. Man those action news reporters are so on the ball!
This time, Local 6 brought their trusty hidden cameras and walked straight into a headshop and *gasp* bought some Salvia Divinorum. How in the hell do they get away with this stuff? Oh yea, it’s completely legal.
Although outlawed in many parts of Europe and 5 states in the US, this drug is relatively harmless. Its effects last for about 3-5 minutes, but you really only get 2 minutes of peak effects. It takes multiple lighters at once or a butane torch to heat the S. Divinorum up enough to release the active chemical, so don’t try using matches.
So what does it actually feel like? Let’s ask a tFS staffer:
After about 2 seconds you get this light-headed euphoric sensation and it feels like you’re getting pulled through a tunnel. You get serious ass tunnel vision. After about 1 - 2 minutes, it’s over. Oh yeah, and it tastes like shit.
That pretty much sums it up. I have no idea how the article by Local 6 is considered news, but at least I get to make fun of it.
[via Local 6]
Calabasas & Co-ops: No Problem Here
December 13th, 2006 by Alex
Now, I’m extremely familiar with the area he’s talking about. I know exactly which co-op he’s describing, what road it’s on and what it looks like on the inside.
None of that has anything to do with his main point, which seems to be the hypocritical nature of having harsh anti-smoking laws in one town and, right across the divide, having a place that legally sells marijuana. Point blank, this doesn’t make sense.
Beyond the fact that different townships are allowed to govern their constituents any way they choose (the basis of democracy), the Calabasas law had just as much to do with littering as it did with health reasons. Calabasas has spent millions re-building the Commons area and creating an upper-class feel. They don’t want it dirtied up with thousands of cigarette butts. I might not like it, but it’s not my call to make.
On the other hand, I just don’t see where he’s drawing the conclusion that smoking weed is equatable to smoking cigarettes - and thus, acting in semi-defiance of Calabasas law. Smoking weed is nothing like smoking cigarettes. It’s not done in public places, there aren’t thousands creating litter from it and it isn’t even close to as harmful to the body.
Still, this seems to stem from a basic mis-conception of marijuana in general. I don’t know of any co-ops in Calabasas, but if there are any you can bet they aren’t in violation of anti-smoking laws. Well, except for those pesky federal Class C Narcotics anti-smoking laws, but that’s a totally different issue.
[via Shandy King]
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- , Drug-Rings
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Tractor Traylor Charged with Aiding Drug Ring
December 13th, 2006 by Alex
When basketball players and cupcakes collide.
Things just aren’t going too well for basketball players these days. Robert ‘Tractor’ Traylor has been charged in association with a recently de-throned drug king.
Quasand Lewis, head of one of largest drug rings ever discovered in Michigan, was sentenced to 18 years in prison. Lewis’ drug cartel, which has shipped over 33 tons of weed to date, allowed him to compile millions of dollars in money and assets.
What’s gotten Tractor Traylor in trouble is letting Lewis fraudulently put choice assets under his name. Cars, property and other items were filed in Robert’s name, even though the items didn’t belong to him.
This doesn’t look good. Being Lewis’ cousin and all, I’m sure Tractor wanted to help the guy out, but associating with the head of a national drug ring is never a smart idea. At least on a business level.
Hopefully, Robert can cop a plea bargain and not have to spend any time behind bars, where cupcakes are much, much harder to get your hands on.
[via Detroit Free Press]
2005 Marijuana Arrests at All Time High
December 12th, 2006 by Alex| Marijuana Arrests Timeline | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | # of Arrests | % Changed |
| 2005 | 786,545 | + 2% |
| 2004 | 771,608 | + 2% |
| 2003 | 755,187 | + 8% |
| 2002 | 697,082 | - 4% |
| 2001 | 723,627 | - 1% |
| 2000 | 734,498 | + 4% |
| 1999 | 704,812 | + 3% |
| 1998 | 682,885 | - 2% |
| 1997 | 695,200 | + 8% |
| 1996 | 641,642 | + 9% |
| 1995 | 588,963 | + 18% |
| 1994 | 499,122 | + 31% |
| 1993 | 380,689 | + 11% |
| 1992 | 342,314 | + 19% |
| 1991 | 287,850 | - 12% |
| 1990 | 326,850 | N/A |
| 16 Years | 9,618,874 Arrests | + 141% |
The numbers are out and it looks like things aren’t changing for drug offenders anytime soon.
The government just released its Uniform Crime Report for 2005 and marijuana arrests have hit an all time high. The sheer amount of arrests is staggering, but there are some other scary numbers when you examine the facts:
- Marijuana arrests account for 42.6% of all drug arrests
- Exactly 88% of those arrested were changed with possession only
- A marijuana smoker is arrested every 40 seconds
Pretty scary huh? Let’s hope that the Marijuana Policy Project, SAFER Colorado and other like minded organizations can change the tide in this seriously uphill battle.
[all data via NORML]
Note to Drug Dealers, Don’t Call 911
December 12th, 2006 by Tim
Among the many people who slang pot in this country, I’ll go out on a limb and say there’s a few complete idiots peppered into the crowd. Well, unlike a needle in a haystack, this guy was easy to find.
In Wichita, Kansas a man called 911 to report an interesting robbery. Apparently, he was held up sawed-off shotgun style and forcefully parted with a pound of herb (roughly worth $1,100).
Shortly after the call, 911 operators notified and directed local officers to the house where the crime took place. The police arrived with some drug-sniffing canines who found more pot and unspecified paraphernalia in the caller’s residence.
Naturally he was booked on several counts of drug charges including intent to sell. The thief has yet to be found. Looks like crime does pay because this “victim” got owned.
[via Kansas City]
Just Say No to Partying Alone
December 11th, 2006 by Alex
A study released late last week suggests that those with social drug tendencies will be a lot better off, both physically and mentally, then those who use alone.
Whether it’s drinking, cigarettes or smoking weed - social and physical drawbacks can be directly linked to those who party alone. The study involved 6,000 students from California & Oregon who were surveyed about their substance use over a 9 year period.
Here’s what researchers found - people who drank, used cigarettes or smoked marijuana alone were:
- less physically healthy
- less likely to graduate from college
- more likely to have substance abuse issues
It’s not looking too good for the loners out there. So, moral of the story is to get messed up with your friends and everything will be A Ok.
[via LA Times]
