The two Ontario-bound shipments of medical-marijuana products seized by B.C. Mounties a couple of weeks ago contained unauthorized items, police said in a short statement posted on their website. The companies doing the importing, Toronto-based Mettrum Ltd. and Smiths Falls, Ont.-based Tweed Marijuana Inc., have insisted that they received the necessary approvals from federal regulators to import the products, and Health Canada confirms this. But the RCMP statement indicates that what was contained in the shipments seized at the Kelowna International Airport did not match what was outlined in the paperwork. [continues 320 words]
In what seems the natural next step to legalized pot, a Colorado company has brought forward a new vending machine that cuts out the middleman for marijuana sales and gives buyers a speedier, after-hours means of purchasing the drug. It's called the Zazz machine, and it's produced by American Green, United Press International reported. It made its debut at a dispensary in Eagle-Vail, Colo., at the Herbal Elements shop. The dispensary, in turn, set up the machine outside a local barbecue restaurant in Avon, UPI said. [continues 122 words]
Maryland Is Right to Be Cautious About Legalizing Pot, but Decriminalization Addresses Some of the Worst Problems of the War on Drugs In 2010, Baltimore police made 64,525 arrests, and more than 7,000 of them - 11 percent of the total - were for simple possession of marijuana. That represents thousands of hours by Baltimore police, Central Booking officials, prosecutors, public defenders, judges and others, all of whom had better things to do. That year, Baltimore recorded 224 homicides, ranking it among the five deadliest cities in the nation. [continues 698 words]
Re: "Marijuana edibles; New bill unwraps a safety concern," April 11 news story; and "Make pot edibles simple to ID," April 12 editorial. My suggestion for labeling THC goodies is that all of them should be individually wrapped and stamped with a large red X. Children can easily understand that you never eat anything with a red X, much as we were taught about products with skulls and crossbones. Products such as THC-infused granola should not be sold unless they are packaged for single servings and thus marked. Jimi Bernath, Englewood [end]
Wasn't so long ago police officers used to kick Ed Forchion in his nether regions before they'd arrest him. Now, they ask for his autograph. In short: Things have changed for the NJWeedman. "I was at the Statehouse a few years ago, and I had a weed shirt on," Forchion recalled. "I wasn't even there to protest or anything, I just had to run into the bill room, I wanted to read something, but I was banned from the building and I ended up getting kicked in the (groin) and going to jail." Today? "When I went to pick up my city permit for next week's rally, a Trenton cop asked me for my autograph," he said. "Basically, I'm not a wacko now, not some lone dude screaming about smoking weed. Most people agree with me." [continues 465 words]
Possession of Papers, Pipes Remains Criminal ANNAPOLIS (AP) - A new law that will decriminalize marijuana in October involves some ambiguities that police and prosecutors are just beginning to confront. Under the law, possession of rolling papers, pipes and other marijuana accessories will remain a criminal offense. This means a person caught smoking a joint technically could be arrested for the rolling paper, but not the marijuana inside. Also, fines are supposed to go up for anyone caught with the drug more than once, but Scott Shellenberger, the state's attorney of Baltimore County, says it will be hard for police to establish whether a person has been charged before. Since marijuana possession will no longer be a crime, it will not show up in the criminal database. [continues 470 words]
While 'Bootlegging' Is Still on the Radar, Illegal Drug Trade Now More of a Problem It's been about a year since a shift in the RCMP at the federal policing level came into effect. Before Apr. 1, 2013, federal units were identified and assigned to specific areas of mandate - customs and excise, drug enforcement or some other specialization. Now, however, serious organized crime, in general, is the target, irrespective of the commodity. For the Burin-based unit, in addition to how the it does business, the shift meant a name change from Customs and Excise to Federal Policing Operations West. [continues 333 words]
Medical marijuana is a bit of an oxymoron. Cannabis sativa has been on Earth longer than we. Should the day arrive that my doctor gives me a prescription for "medical marijuana," I will go to a proven & trusted source - the black market. Until a few short decades ago, the whole issue would have been ludicrous, even more so than today. Until then, there was no illegality involved. Hemp was widely used because of its durability, much better than cotton. Along came nylon, the new miracle fibre. To take over the market nylon's inventors Dupont had to get rid of hemp, and that could be done by demonizing the sister plant, marijuana. And just by co-incidence, the U.S. government passed laws banning marijuana, so convenient, and so typical of "free enterprise." [continues 139 words]
Crack Cocaine Allegedly Found in Bshouty's Car A clearly angry and frustrated Windsor police chief faced the media Monday as one of his officers sat behind bars in Detroit for allegedly trying to smuggle crack cocaine over the border. Const. David Bshouty, with only five years on the job, remains in custody in Detroit after his arraignment for felony possession of a controlled substance less than 25 grams. He allegedly tried to smuggle about three grams of crack cocaine into Detroit on Saturday. [continues 654 words]
Commercial medical marijuana grow operations will be allowed in Calgary, as long as they meet Health Canada and city regulations. City councillors voted in favour Monday of amending a bylaw to allow commercial medical grow-ops to exist in industrial areas, after new rules came into effect April 1 barring patients from growing at home. Under new rules, patients will have doctor-prescribed marijuana couriered from a commercial facility. "What it allows is there will be more control so I support the private sector getting into this and the feds getting out of it," said Coun. Diane Colley-Urquhart on the new rules. [continues 318 words]
The two Ontario-bound shipments of medical-marijuana products seized by B. C. Mounties a couple of weeks ago contained unauthorized items, police said in a short statement posted on their website. The companies doing the importing, Toronto-based Mettrum Ltd. and Smiths Falls, Ont.- based Tweed Marijuana Inc., have insisted that they received the necessary approvals from federal regulators to import the products, and Health Canada confirms this. But the RCMP statement indicates that what was contained in the shipments seized at the Kelowna International Airport did not match what was outlined in the paperwork. [continues 367 words]
Leaves of three, let it be. Leaves of four or more, you'll have to check in with the District of North Vancouver and your neighbours. On Monday, District of North Vancouver council unanimously gave first reading to a bylaw that would ban medical marijuana production and distribution in the municipality. The bylaw is not meant to close the door on medical marijuana, said Mayor Richard Walton. But it does mean any medicinal pot operations will have to apply to the municipality and go through the scrutiny of a public hearing before setting up shop. [continues 281 words]
Workplace drug testing tipped to rise I have used drugs and that is why I am coming forward to tell my story. I am a lawyer and my drug use has no connection with my job. It is a choice I have made. I have had some positive experience with drugs, and of course some bad ones. I have had marijuana and laughed a great deal, but also experienced paranoia and anxiety. I have also had both good and bad experiences with hallucinogens and other drugs. [continues 843 words]
On a sun-kissed, crisp morning as the smoke rose over the crowd of onlookers, John Sinclair started off the high noon event in the Diag alongside his fellow activists, which include Adam Brook and Baby Bri. "Where the powers want our heads to be at, [is] up their ass," says Sinclair as he turns around to see two cops talking with Adam Brook, an activist much like Sinclair, and addresses the officers with "Ah, gentleman. We hope you will obey the laws of Ann Arbor here today [haha]." [continues 633 words]
In 2013, 67 people died of a heroin-related overdoses in Milwaukee County - a 34% increase from the prior year, according to statistics released Monday. The number is an increase of more than 600% from 10 years ago when Milwaukee County recorded nine heroin-related overdose deaths, according to the Milwaukee County medical examiner's office. The medical examiner's office also hit a grim record last year with 216 drug overdose deaths reported in 2013 - the highest number ever and a 29% increase from 2012. [continues 239 words]
Applicants Still Have Long Road To Approval From Health Canada UXBRIDGE -- The Township of Uxbridge will support a proposal from a group of GTA men who want to establish a medical marijuana grow facility on a 115-acre farm off Durham Road 30. Council gave a verbal blessing to the group on Monday and will follow through with a written letter to the federal government stating no objection to the proposal. Obtaining the letter was the final hurdle for the group, fronted by pharmacist Kandavel Palanivel, in order to formalize an application for licensing through Health Canada. [continues 431 words]
The war on drugs has been one of the worst policy debacles in our nation's history. We incarcerate too many people for nonviolent offenses, spend too much money doing it and ruin too many lives -- especially among the poor and communities of color -- all without enhancing public safety. It's time to admit that current laws do more harm than good. It's time to explore smarter, better ways to address the challenges presented by drugs and drug addiction. At the top of the list must be a review of our outdated marijuana laws and a comprehensive study of available alternatives. [continues 503 words]
ANNAPOLIS (AP) - A new law that will decriminalize marijuana in October involves some ambiguities that police and prosecutors are just beginning to confront. Under the law, possession of rolling papers, pipes and other marijuana accessories will remain a criminal offense. This means a person caught smoking a joint technically could be arrested for the rolling paper but not the marijuana inside. Also, fines are supposed to go up for anyone caught with the drug more than once, but Scott Shellenberger, the state's attorney of Baltimore County, says it will be hard for police to establish whether a person has been charged before. Since marijuana possession will no longer be a crime, it will not show up in the criminal database. [continues 460 words]
Re: "Marijuana edibles; New bill unwraps a safety concern," April 11 news story; and "Make pot edibles simple to ID," April 12 editorial. Concern about excessive or inappropriate consumption of pot edibles is well-founded. Because the effects are not immediate, it's easy to eat more than one might have intended. Packaging labels are useless when the items are out of the containers. The obvious solution is to require addition of a specific flavoring to all edibles, in proportion to the intensity of the THC level. That way, anyone eating it will realize the food is pot-laced. If you go to a party and you're enjoying snacks being offered, you would be less likely to overindulge if every bite made you aware you were consuming a drug. If that flavor was very strong, you might wisely decide just a taste was sufficient. The flavoring need not be delicious-gourmet dining is not the point of edibles. Natural gas has an odor added so people can readily identify its presence-we should do the same with edibles. Nancy B. Weil, Denver [end]
Sales of recreational marijuana may be legal, but organizers of next weekend's 4/20 festival in Denver-billed as the largest in the world- have a fine line to walk. They nearly got the two-day event canceled after the organizers' attorney asked the city to endorse public pot-smoking by attendees. Now, with a permit for Civic Center in hand as of Thursday, Miguel Lopez and other organizers will need to broadcast the illegality of public marijuana consumption - as a concession to city officials- while also protesting Colorado's remaining strictures on cannabis use. They also plan to protest that alcohol is treated differently from pot on public property. [continues 722 words]
Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) signed legislation Monday to remove the threat of jail time for possession of small amounts of marijuana but cautioned against legalizing the drug, as Colorado and Washington state have done recently. Under Maryland's new law, which will take effect Oct. 1, those caught with less than 10 grams of marijuana will be subject to civil fines, starting with $100 for a first offense, rather than criminal sanctions. Fifteen other states and the District have taken similar steps. [continues 815 words]
A Notorious Drug Dealer Is One Of 12 Suspects For An Assault Which Saw A Detective Pistol-Whipped. The criminal has been identified by gardai as a main suspect after a detective who was held at gunpoint was beaten unconscious by the assailant with a gun in a Dublin park. The middle-aged detective, who is attached to Sundrive Road garda station, was knocked unconscious in the attack at Ravensdale Park in Kimmage on March 25. While he is making a good recovery from his injuries, an intensive garda investigation into the incident is continuing. [continues 371 words]
CVS Pharmacy sales of a cold medication that's also used to manufacture illegal methamphetamine have doubled over the past year in West Virginia, according to a Charleston Gazette analysis of sales data released last week. CVS stores are now West Virginia's No. 1 seller of pseudoephedrine, a key meth-making ingredient sold under brand names such as Sudafed and Allegra-D. "CVS stores are really crowding the top of the list," said Mike Goff, a state Board of Pharmacy administrator and former State Police meth lab investigator. [continues 1002 words]
Life-Saving Naloxone May Become Easy to Purchase SACRAMENTO - Slowly, trembling, she inserted the needle into a sponge and continued rescue breathing on the plastic mannequin. This could be her son. One one-thousand. These could be his cold lips. Two one-thousand. She squeezed the clear liquid into the sponge arm of the mannequin. Three one-thousand. Four one-thousand. The constant worry that accompanies having a 25-year-old son addicted to heroin has taken a toll on the retired schoolteacher from a Sacramento suburb, who asked that her name not be used to protect her privacy. [continues 814 words]
The war on drugs has been one of the worst policy debacles in our nation's history. We incarcerate too many people for nonviolent offenses, spend too much money doing it and ruin too many lives - especially among the poor and communities of color- all without enhancing public safety. It's time to admit that current laws do more harm than good. It's time to explore smarter, better ways to address the challenges presented by drugs and drug addiction. At the top of the list must be a review of our outdated marijuana laws and a comprehensive study of available alternatives. [continues 472 words]
CU Pilot Program Aids Students in Commerce City. Commerce city - A handful of high school students in Commerce City identified as high-risk marijuana users can avoid traditional punishment by enrolling in a pilot, school based treatment program created by substance-abuse researchers from the University of Colorado School of Medicine. The cognitive behavioral therapy model is called Encompass. Paula Riggs, a psychology professor and director of CU's division of substance dependence, developed the 16-week program during 20 years of research. [continues 461 words]
An invisible swath of middle-class New Zealanders are drinking heavily and indulging in drugs, a new survey has found. Fairfax Media's involvement in the Global Drugs Survey on worldwide drug use has for the first time revealed how entrenched alcohol and drugs - both legal and illegal - are in our everyday lives. Addiction medicine specialists say the results have identified key trends in our drug use, and show users fall across a broad spectrum of the population. The survey reveal both interesting and shocking glimpses into the drug habits of the 5731 New Zealand respondents, who had a mean age of 34.7, about half of whom had an undergraduate degree, and 84 per cent of whom were employed. [continues 395 words]
Columbia, SC - It is good news that legislators are considering a law to allow doctor-prescribed use of marijuana. More than 20 states that have approved its use for nausea. The primary reason, as I understand it, is that most pain medication has after-effects of severe nausea. I am prescribed several medications to eliminate the pain I experience due to neuropathy; however, they cause extreme nausea. I certainly would appreciate being able to use medical marijuana to relieve severe nausea, as I am sure many others would be. I believe that legislators will find more and more states approving marijuana for the treatment of nausea. Ronald B. Bolton Aiken [end]
Are aging baby boomers ready to rekindle a long-ago love affair with marijuana? That is a weighty question for cultural anthropologists and cool-eyed business analysts alike as the once celebrated, later maligned, but explicitly contraband cannabis plant goes legit - for the first time in nearly 80 years - in a new era of medical and recreational use. For many who smoked marijuana in their dorms in the '60s and '70s, it was an act of rebellion, a communal experience, and maybe a political statement. Today's product is more likely to be marketed as anti-inflammatory than anti-establishment. And, to the distinct discomfort of some, it may come in a neat corporate package rather than an illicit nickel bag. [continues 788 words]
Here are one or two things you might not know about the safe use of dangerous drugs; and yes, safe is a relative term. I had not seen my pal Frank in a while, and so I was pleased when we bumped into each other. As soon as we had said hello, he invited me to an event - he said he was going to speak at a public health workshop designed to educate those who work with drug users. Frank is a drug user. He uses crack. He is thoughtful and insightful, he has had his share of troubles. He is also the first guy I ever met who has a maintenance crack habit. I had not known that such a thing was possible before I met him. [continues 563 words]
The latest police seizure of Captagon pills, around 12 million this time, must be commended, but until the problem is addressed at the source, the story looks set to continue, and the market will continue to overflow with the drug. Every week or so, it seems, another consignment of the amphetamine is found, whether at the airport, the border with Syria, or at the port. This latest haul was discovered at the Beirut port, and two of the four individuals arrested were port staff themselves. Allegedly headed for the United Arab Emirates, and hidden in bags of corn, this huge quantity of drugs raises many questions. [continues 185 words]
City Council is expected to rewrite Pueblo's moratorium on recreational marijuana businesses tonight to allow three categories of wholesale pot businesses to operate in the city: marijuana growers, product makers and testing companies. The amendments are on the agenda for council's regular meeting at 7 p.m. at City Hall. Also up for action is a resolution to name a new East Side branch of the Pueblo City-County Library District after Patrick A. Lucero, an East High School graduate and Army soldier who was killed in Vietnam in 1968. Lucero's name was recommended to a library district committee that is making the recommendation. Council has its regular work session at 5:30 p.m. [end]
WILLISTON, N.D. - The blood-drenched man had survived a brutal attack: Beaten with brass knuckles, shocked with a stun gun, slashed with a razor blade, then dumped 40 miles away in Montana, he staggered to a farmhouse for help. His path eventually led authorities back to a quiet backyard in this oil boom town. What they uncovered was a large-scale methamphetamine ring. The members of this violent gang were all relative newcomers to Williston. They called themselves "The Family," the feds said, and were holed up in a few campers tucked behind a white-frame house. They had plenty of firepower, too: One of the men had 22 weapons. [continues 2499 words]
Medical marijuana users say they are in a state of limbo after the latest court battle halted implementation of new laws governing pot. New federal laws that would have made it illegal for medical marijuana users to grow their own plants were set to take effect April 1. But Federal Court judge Michael Manson put the new laws on hold, at least temporarily, when he granted a court injunction on March 21. Without the injunction, patients would have had to destroy their plants before April 1 and send notification to Health Canada by April 30 stating that they've stopped production and destroyed their plants, or law enforcement would be notified. [continues 553 words]
A proposal to establish a medical marijuana grow farm in Uxbridge is no doubt a harbinger of the future and the dawn of change. Regardless of whether Uxbridge ultimately becomes home to such an operation or not, evidence is growing that the marijuana plant and its derivatives offer tangible medical benefits to many patients, including those with multiple sclerosis and children who suffer life-threatening seizures. Medical marijuana can be administered in a number of ways, including an orally-taken liquid and capsules. Growers have the ability to develop strains of the plant that are low in THC -- the compound that creates the "high" recreational users seek -- and rich in cannabidiol, an extract from the plant that has a scope of medical applications. The idea of people simply smoking marijuana to alleviate symptoms falls far short of the broad spectrum of ways the plant can be of benefit to patients and the medical community. [continues 260 words]
STUDIES OF POT'S EFFECTS led to the discovery of cannabinoid receptors on brain cells. The cannabinoid molecules, produced naturally by the body, are chemically very similar to THC, the primary chemical ingredient in marijuana. The receptors are heavily concentrated in regions of the brain that control bodily functions, and they have effects familiar to those who use marijuana - medically or recreationally. Almost a decade ago, Palmetto resident Ryan Roman started using pot to cope with the effects of a rare spinal cancer that spread to his brain. Beating his doctors' predictions, the 31A-year-old is still alive. He credits marijuana that he inhales through a vaporizer or ingests in concentrate form. [continues 1192 words]
OKLAHOMA CITY - Supporters of legalizing medical marijuana on Friday filed notice with the Secretary of State's Office that they are trying to get it on the Nov. 4 ballot. Supporters have 90 days after filing the petition, or a determination by the Oklahoma Supreme Court to its sufficiency, whichever is later, to submit the signatures. They are required to obtain 155,216 signatures. According to information provided by the Secretary of State's Office, the notice of intent to circulate the petition was filed by Oklahomans for Health and Charles "Chip" Paul of Tulsa. Paul is the co-owner of an electronic cigarette franchise company. [continues 203 words]
Now that the state's medical marijuana program has been revived, officials say it will take about 15 months for the first patients to buy the drug legally in Maryland. Shannon Moore hopes her twin sons survive. Her 3-year-olds, Nicolas and Byron, already have lived longer than expected while battling as many as 30 seizures a day from Miller-Dieker syndrome, a disease that causes brain deformities. Moore hopes a marijuana extract will reduce their seizures. "The hardest part is feeling hopeless," the Frederick resident said. "If you've done everything you could, it might not be enough." [continues 1657 words]
RIYADH - Saudi Arabian police have arrested six people and seized illegal drugs worth SR1 billion ($267 million) that were being smuggled into the country from neighboring Bahrain, the Interior Ministry said on Sunday. Spokesman Major General Mansour Turki said five Saudi citizens and one Bahraini had been detained in the operation after police uncovered 22.6 million amphetamine pills hidden inside coils of barbed wire and rolls of plastic. An investigation into the seizure of the drugs turned up a connection to an international drug smuggling ring led by a Syrian national, Turki told the Saudi Press Agency. [continues 147 words]
Canada, U.S. Have Different Laws Governing What Is Allowable Smoke And Consequences The publicity that has accompanied the dramatic relaxing of the marijuana laws recently in several U.S. states, especially Washington and Colorado, plus the Canadian government's somewhat confusing but more liberal attitude toward small amounts of marijuana, has given many travellers the wrong impression - to their horror. Crossing the Canada-U.S. border in either direction with even small amounts of marijuana is illegal. The U.S. federal government still has "a zero-tolerance policy toward illegal drugs, which means that very severe penalties are imposed for the possession of even a small quantity." [continues 392 words]
Accused Pusher Claims $1m A Year In Profits And That Product Is Legal But Cops Beg To Differ TORONTO - Adam Wookey was well on his way to becoming Canada's king pusher of synthetic pot and party pills, court documents allege. But now, the 29-year-old CEO of Purepillz Corp. and Pure Principles Inc. is dealing with the wrath of the Crown attorney ... again. "He's totally immersed in this," Toronto Police Det.-Const. Trevor Karkoulas alleged recently. "He wants to be the king of it all." [continues 1912 words]
A second application to house a medical marijuana production facility in Chatham-Kent is slated to come before municipal council at Monday's planning meeting. A Nova Scotia numbered company is seeking a zoning bylaw amendment to allow for the production of medical marijuana in a former auto parts manufacturing facility at 566 Riverview Dr. in Chatham. Municipal planning consultant Rob Brown, with Storey Samways Ltd., estimates the company wants to use about half the space in the 196,450-square-foot building. [continues 266 words]
Doctor Opens Storefront For Legal Marijuana London has become the unlikely home of Canada's first storefront one-stop pot shop. Options Clinics Canada at 790 Dundas St. will assess patients and dispense authorizations for them to buy medical marijuana online from about 12 federally licensed commercial producers. When it's delivered, patients will be able to pick up the pot at the counter of the secure facility. "I am fairly certain this is the first of its kind in Canada. I have talked to a couple of (marijuana) producers and they weren't aware of anything like this," said Dr. John Craven, owner/ operator of the clinic. [continues 380 words]
Health Canada announced it will fight the Federal Court's injunction allowing users of medical marijuana to continue under the old regulations. The new federal regulations for marijuana for medical purposes (MMPR) came into effect last year, but were running concurrently with the old Medical Marihuana Access Regulations (MMAR), which were to expire March 31st, 2014. The old program allowed patients to grow their own marijuana or have someone grow it for them, but these grow ops were not regulated, and the government and Health Canada claim the system was open to serious abuse. [continues 360 words]
Though Some Councillors Feel Mammoliti Has Exaggerated Drug Usage By Teens At Events City-owned buildings at Exhibition Place will no longer host popular electronic dance music parties after its board voted 4-3 to ban them. Those in favour argued it would make teens and tweens safer, saying drug and alcohol abuse among minors is rampant at EDM events. Those opposed said it will do the opposite, calling the safety concern a facade meant to cover up a business owner's own financial concerns. [continues 309 words]
Delegates From Dozens Of Municipalities Meet On Weekend To Talk Medicinal Pot, Animal Trapping, Etc. Representatives from the City of Nanaimo are headed to Parksville and Qualicum Beach this weekend to debate a handful of hot topics with other coastal communities. Delegates from dozens of cities, towns, districts and villages will take part in the Association of Vancouver island and Coastal Communities 2014 conference, and will debate a number of resolutions requesting action on the part of the province. Among the list will be a resolution from Nanaimo calling on the province to remove medical marijuana production as a "farm use" for tax assessment purposes. [continues 330 words]
A London doctor opens a storefront for legal weed on Dundas St. London has become the unlikely home of Canada's first storefront one-stop pot shop. Options Clinics Canada at 790 Dundas St. will assess patients and dispense authorizations for them to buy medical marijuana online from about 12 federally licensed commercial producers. When it's delivered, patients will be able to pick up the pot at the counter of the secure facility. "I am fairly certain this is the first of its kind in Canada. I have talked to a couple of (marijuana) producers and they weren't aware of anything like this," said Dr. John Craven, owner/operator of the clinic. [continues 380 words]
The arrest of Joaquin Guzman, leader of the Sinaloa drug cartel, was described by Attorney General Eric Holder as a landmark achievement. Early in the "War on Drugs," spectacular arrests and sensational drug seizures were followed by pronouncements from law enforcement officials that communities were now safer with fewer drugs on the street. The purpose of those pronouncements was to provide validation for the war on drugs. There have been no such assessments following the arrest of Guzman. The arrest will not impact the availability of drugs on the street. [continues 180 words]
When limited stakes gambling was approved in Colorado, the beneficiaries were to be three mountain towns whose economies were stuck on empty. But, "limited" was not what happened to their main streets. Casinos quickly dominated their economies to the exclusion of almost everything else, leaving their small-town flavor behind. Recreational marijuana outlets will not produce that kind of runaway change to Colorado communities. For one, the investment required to open a marijuana outlet is significant in order to comply with the stringent regulatory framework. [continues 323 words]
In Colorado and Washington, the Legal-Marijuana Experiment Wafts Uncomfortably into the Office DENVER - Last month, Colorado diner owner Mark Rose posted an unusual job description: "Looking for part time experienced breakfast cook. Pays well, must be friendly and a team player, could turn into a full time gig by summer. 420 friendly a must." With that public declaration, Rose put himself squarely in the camp of employers acknowledging that marijuana use is perfectly legal in Colorado. Perhaps more significant, it also puts him in the camp of employers who officially don't care if their employees use pot off-duty. The phrase "420" is shorthand for someone who uses marijuana. [continues 549 words]
