Pot Odor Not Grounds for Search
March 11th, 2007 by Alex
The AP is reporting on a ruling in Utah that might have some lasting repercussions with police forces across America.
In the case of Bernadette Duran vs. the Carbon County Police, the Utah Supreme Court ruled 4 - 1 against the legality of seizure without a warrant, purely based upon the odor of marijuana emanating from the residence.
The general belief behind the ruling, is that if the Utah Supreme Court ruled that entry and seizure without a warrant (purely based on odor) was legal, police would feel “empowered” to check for other crimes on baseless assumptions. In other words, search an underage teenager for cigarettes if their clothes smelled like smoke or other liberty-eroding processes.
This ruling will be noted by police across the country, and make them think twice before attempting search & seizures on such subjective evidence.
Still, don’t go blazing in a parking lot and expect the police to just look the other way and leave you alone. There’s a difference…
Cocaine Cowboys
March 9th, 2007 by AlexDuring the 80s, Colombian drug lords invaded Miami determined to control the trade by whatever means necessary. It’s what put the city on the map. Cocaine Cowboys is based on a true story of how Miami became the drug, murder, and cash capital of the US, recounted by the folk who made it all happen.
It’s a full-length feature film, nearly two hours long. And boy if you love stereotypes, this movie’s got ‘em. So if this sounds like something that might interest you, watch it. If not, just put it on during a party… I’m sure it’ll capture somebody’s attention.
Avoid Hitting State Patrol Cars @ 70mph
March 8th, 2007 by Alex
It’s been a while since someone has straight-out qualified for our dumbass category, but this guy brings the game to a whole new level.
Instead of waiting for police to actually determine he was doing something illegal and then arrest him, the 54 year old driver (pictured above) decided to slam his Chevy Malibu into a police cruiser at 70 miles per hour.
After attending to the officer with minor injuries, police found 43 pounds of marijuana in his trunk. They also found a few smoked joints and trace amounts of cocaine. After everything was figured out, the driver was charged with possession of cocaine, driving under the influence and trafficking.
If there’s any lesson to be learned here by criminals, it has to be buy a redbull to keep yourself awake and don’t do cocaine while you’re driving. Dumbass.
[via Local 6]
Mouse Party: Drug Education Animation
February 16th, 2007 by Tim
Here is a really excellent interactive flash animation done by the University of Utah.
What it does is simply & effectively explain the different ways that illegal substances interact with the brain. As an added bonus, it’s a pretty damn cool presentation with well-animated mouse characters that fit all the stereotypes of the major drug users in this country.
Marijuana, methamphetamines, ecstasy, heroin, alcohol, LSD and cocaine are all covered and each one affects us in different ways. You learn something new everyday…
Click to view the animation…
Continue Reading
Tennessee Drug Tax?
January 5th, 2007 by Alex
Tennessee, a forward-thinking liberal state, collected $1.8 million in Illegal Drug Tax in 2006. That’s right, Tennessee taxes things that it is supposedly illegal to possess in the United States.
This tax affects all the usual controlled substances - marijuana, cocaine, crystal meth and crack. It even covers illegal alcoholic beverages like moonshine.
In what I expect is a move by police to drop a “double whammy” on any caught drug dealers, not only do they get jailed and fined for regular criminal charges but also on tax evasion. Interestingly, paying the tax up-front can’t be used in any criminal investigation or prosecution.
The tax rates for 2006 were $3.50 per gram for pot and $50 per gram for cocaine. If any state should be charging a cocaine tax it’s California. I can think of plenty Hollywood stars that would either be dropping a habit or making their CPA work overtime.
[via News Channel 5]
Mike Tyson & The Police: Together Again
December 29th, 2006 by Alex
When I saw the familiar shape of letters grouped together, creating the name Mike Tyson, I got a warm feeling that reminded me of my childhood. Jail sentences, chomped off ears, unforgettable quotes and more - good ol’ Mike has always had a place in my heart.
This time, Mike didn’t do anything outlandish like stomp on the hood of some passer-by’s car. He just came close to crashing into a sherriff’s vehicle and then got arrested for driving impaired and possession of cocaine.
The irony is that the jail he was brought to was the same jail that he had done previous anti-drug work with juvenile offenders.
With that said, all the major news outlets are covering this story, so why not bring out the brighter side of Mike Tyson?
Read on for more…
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]
