For a religion in which wine plays such a central role, Christianity may prove surprisingly effective at curbing drug use, according to a study. Data analyzed by DrugAbuse.com in "Drugs and Devotion: Comparing Substance Abuse by Believers and Nonbelievers" show a correlation between religious belief and a reluctance to experiment with narcotics. Americans who said they are not religious are more likely to have used a host of recreational drugs, ranging from marijuana and alcohol to Ecstasy and heroin. Nonbelievers in the study, for instance, were 12 times more likely to use LSD and more than four times as likely as than their religious counterparts to try cocaine in the past year. [continues 595 words]
The City of Victoria wants to see supervised drug-injection sites in the city by the end of the year. A lot of work will have to go into making sure their benefits don't come with a lot of unwanted side-effects. Leaving aside the contentious question of whether the city should have such sites, if a site or sites get approval, how do we prevent the areas around them from becoming black holes? Society has largely got past the idea that it is acceptable to kick street people to the curb, and is putting resources into trying to help those who need it. [continues 484 words]
Downtown Windsor will have another place where people can vape or smoke medical marijuana - if Leo Lucier can pull off plans for his Vapelated Vapor Lounge. "I want to set it up like a European cafe," said Lucier, 46, proprietor of the new business at 26 Chatham St. E. Lucier said he intended for the lounge to open on Thursday, but he admitted there's a lot of work to be done. "We're winging it," he said. Although mostly stripped of decor, the address still bears the bar, tables and chairs of its former business, Fidel's Havana Lounge. Instead of alcohol, the shelves now carry an assortment of bongs and candy bars. [continues 488 words]
Sydney - New Zealand's marijuana smokers are in the grip of a cannabis crisis, with demand far outstripping supply, after a police operation this month netted 9,000 plants. The "catastrophic" situation was first reported by online magazine the Spinoff in an article that said New Zealand's most popular illegal drug was "almost unobtainable in any meaningful amount". "Blame it on the police, the gangs, the weather or just the grow cycle of your average cannabis harvest," the website said. "It's dry out there." [continues 318 words]
SAN DIEGO - A sharp increase in illegal pot shops across San Diego has prompted a new outcry from residents, community leaders and the owners of 13 legal medical marijuana dispensaries the city has approved. They say the illegal shops are dangerous because they don't conform to zoning rules designed to ensure businesses selling marijuana are far away from housing, schools, parks, churches and other sensitive uses. The illegal shops are also being called unfair competition for the legal dispensaries, which were more expensive to open because the owners had to pay about $500,000 each for permits, consultants and lawyers. [continues 837 words]
Fentanyl and Oxycodone May Be Getting the Headlines, but the Use of Cheap and Available Speed Is Soaring Dean Foggin sits on the edge of his single bed, winter sunlight streaming through the window onto the white walls, his white robe, white slippers. It is his fifth time checking into this detox facility and, God willing, his last. "I hope this time it sticks, or I don't know what's going to happen," says Mr. Foggin, 53. His shoulders are slight and he speaks at an accelerated pace. "I'm pretty much ready to give up. If I can't make it this time, I'm just not going to try any more." [continues 1299 words]
Former Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders gave one of two keynote talks at the International Cannabis Business Conference in San Francisco last weekend. Dr. Elders had been fired by Bill Clinton after acknowledging to the American people that marijuana has medical uses and masturbation is normal. In 2000 the Clinton Era slurved into a TV show called the West Wing, in which the president was played by Martin Sheen. One episode, watched eagerly by pro-cannabis activists, was reportedly based on Dr. Elders' experience. That turned out to be Hollywood PR - head writer Aaron Sorkin was just trading on the notoriety generated by Elders' firing. [continues 1012 words]
I'm not happy Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia is dead, but I'm glad we as a nation have the opportunity, if Republicans don't obstruct it, to get a non-Catholic replacement appointed to the bench. In previous columns I mentioned how we (minorities) in New Jersey suffer from having an all-white NJ Supreme Court, and the same is true of the U.S. Supreme Court: Religious freedom suffers wherever we have a lack of religious diversity. The First Amendment prevents government from forbidding free exercise of religion, so government cannot regulate beliefs by foisting them or prohibiting them. Religious worship often entails performing physical acts such as consuming substances (e.g., bread and wine, marijuana, hoasca tea) or abstaining from substances or behaviors. Government could not ban performance of these acts in the context of religious procedure any more than it could ban the beliefs whence these actions originate. [continues 944 words]
Government's effort to cage Shona Banda (Marijuana Activist Still Plans to File Civil Rights Suit, Feb. 12, 2016) for using cannabis (marijuana/kaneh bosm) to treat Crohn's disease is vulgar, anti-Christian and should cease immediately. Caging sick citizens who use cannabis is clearly and entirely the work of the devil. God indicates He created all the seed-bearing plants saying they're all good on literally the very first page. Many people know of cannabis as the tree of life and the very last page indicates the leaves of the tree of life are for the healing of the nations. Not one single soul who has the "spirit of truth" supports this act of hatred. Americans must speak up and stamp out this evil. Truthfully, Dillon, Colo. [end]
$996,184,788. That's the magic number for 2015, representing the value of all the cannabis - both medical and recreational - that was purchased in Colorado in year two of retail sales, according to new data from the state Department of Revenue. "I think it's ethical to round that up to a billion," marijuana attorney Christian Sederberg tells The Cannabist. For those who love to geek out on weed math, here's how it all breaks down: [continues 610 words]
In response to the Feb. 7 letter, "No to marijuana," even prohibitionist government quit using the historically discredited gateway theory years ago. However, some people continue believing the lies, half-truths and propaganda which has perpetuated cannabis (marijuana) prohibition. Caging innocent responsible adults who use the relatively safe, extremely popular, God-given plant is vulgar and anti-Christian for a developed nation. Further, Coloradans re-legalized cannabis, and every subsequent poll indicates we continue supporting the end of the farce. A sane or moral argument to continue cannabis prohibition doesn't exist. - - Stan White, Dillon, Colo. [end]
It was in a low-rent town in flyover country, playing a gig in front of a crowd of squares and straights in the Ronald Reagan '80s - the dark days of Just Say No, compulsory D.A.R.E. classes for children, and the crack-cocaine epidemic, all the things that led to our country's current drug-fueled incarceration crisis - when Tommy Chong really blew his audience's minds. Chong and his partner Cheech Marin had been plying their brand of stoner humor for almost two decades, their comedy LPs and films on the Hi-Fis and Betamaxes of cannabis users around the world. (And the pair would separate soon after, when Marin tried to make a break from the THC-fueled typecast and go for a straight-laced acting career.) But on this night and in this town - some nameless "right-wing Christian" place Chong cannot recall - the still-bearded longhairs were not playing to their audience. Still, the crewcuts paid to see these freaks, leftovers from the '60s, in action. And they were curious. [continues 792 words]
Licensed and regulated marijuana stores in Colorado sold $ 996,184,788 of recreational and medical cannabis in 2015, according to the state Department of Revenue. "I think it's ethical to round that up to a billion," cannabis industry attorney Christian Sederberg said Tuesday upon first hearing the 2015 totals. Colorado recreational marijuana sales first started on Jan. 1, 2014. Colorado also collected more than $ 135 million in marijuana taxes and fees in 2015- more than $ 35 million of which is earmarked for school construction projects. Colorado released marijuana tax data for December 2015 on Tuesday, showing a major uptick in month-over-month sales. [end]
Just after Uncle Ike's Pot Shop opened in Seattle's Central District, it boasted in an ad, "Our weed cures Ebola." Knowing that merchants in the new industry weren't allowed to make any medical claims about pot, the fine print disclaimer winked: "If you believe this ad, you are a (expletive) moron." That in-your-face Vern Fonk-on-weed sensibility has helped make Uncle Ike's the state's top-selling pot store, with $1.4 million in monthly sales. [continues 1955 words]
A national Native American church that courts have allowed to possess and distribute peyote soon will open branches in three former Orange County pot shops where they plan to use and dispense marijuana and other illegal drugs as part of religious ceremonies. What's more, church members say almost anyone can join the religion and partake in its hallucinogenic sacraments, regardless of whether they have Native American heritage. Representatives from the Oklevueha Native American Church, which claims over 200 branches nationwide, said they recently signed leases in Costa Mesa, Huntington Beach and Westminster, targeting former marijuana dispensary storefronts where landlords don't mind having pot on the premises. [continues 460 words]
By a narrow 4-3 vote and with the mayor breaking the tie, the Unalaska City Council last week took its first step towards banning local sales and commercial growing, testing, and manufacturing of marijuana products. A local activist promised to put the issue on the ballot in the fall local election, and to oppose officials supporting a ban. Three seats are up for election this year -- two on the council now held by Roger Rowland and David Gregory, plus the mayor's. [continues 456 words]
Charlottetown Man Leading a Petition Against the Legalization of Marijuana. Mitch Reid of Charlottetown is saying no to legalizing marijuana as he feels this would lead more people down the path of drug use. "I'm concerned about the step after smoking weed. For some people, they may go down that path and may not get out of it." Reid has seen his fair share of Islanders struggling with addiction. Three years ago, he started a group through the Christian Reformed Church called Take the First Step to help spread the message of hope through Christ to those suffering from addiction and their families. [continues 282 words]
Mitch Reid may not be aware that he's actually supporting and enabling the devil law (Letter: Petition To Stop Marijuana Plans, Jan. 19, 2016); cannabis (marijuana) prohibition is the doctrine of demons. Cannabis prohibition separates people from receiving the "spirit of truth," which is available to those who "love one another," as described in John 14-16. You cannot love someone and cage him or her for using what God indicates He created and says is good on literally the very first page of the Bible, at the same time. Cannabis prohibition, persecution and discrimination are anti-Christian and clergy should be extra vigilant in protecting themselves from that public sin. Stan White Dillon, Colorado [end]
Take The First Step, a group from the Christian Reformed Church on Mt. Edward Rd. is starting a petition against making pot legal. Take The First Step is trying to spread the message of hope through Christ, to those who are suffering from addiction, and to their families. We are 100 per cent against making pot legal. I know if you ask 10 people about this topic, you would get 10 answers - - all would not be the same. I have talked to a number of people over the last few years who suffer from addiction and the common thread through all their lives - it started with pot. Making it easier for young people to have access to it is bad news. Seventeen per cent will take on an addictive lifestyle. [continues 83 words]
Three of the Four Cases Filed Against Legal Pot Rely on Out-Of-State Funds, Support Three of the four marijuana-centered lawsuits filed against Colorado officials and businesses were organized and at least partially funded by out-of-state anti-drug organizations and socially conservative law firms, a Denver Post analysis shows. Only one lawsuit, filed by the states of Nebraska and Oklahoma, appears to be entirely homegrown. For those who oppose Colorado's marijuana laws, the out-of-state money offers a chance to fight back against what they characterize as a well-heeled marijuana lobby that changed public opinion with misleading messages. [continues 1666 words]
