Re: Drugs And The Hells Angels, letter to the editor, April 7. I was completely unmoved by George Kosinski's letter whining about "state sanctioned violence against an inanimate object" which he characterized as "such a violent attack against the Hells Angels." Those poor babies and their holy bunker. Yes, every grouping of human beings contains a criminal element. The Hells Angels, however, contain a greater proportion of criminals than the vast majority of other group. The Hells Angels are a bully-boy gang of white skinned misogynists, and if it were not for my deep and abiding respect for the valuable principles of democracy and freedom, I'd be happy if they were collectively exiled to Iran or North Korea where they could experience some real state violence. Wally Keeler Toronto. [end]
But Critics Say Strain Of Uncertainty In Courts Is Making Charter Application Tougher Than Ever Walter Tessling had thoroughly battened down his rural Ontario house, confident that locks and curtains would be enough to foil even the most inquisitive police officer who happened by. What Mr. Tessling hadn't reckoned on was modern technology, in the form a police surveillance aircraft equipped with a camera capable of detecting unusual releases of thermal energy. Waves of heat generated by Mr. Tessling's hydroponic set-up and emanating from the walls of the house gave police an unmistakable clue to the thriving marijuana grow operation within. [continues 987 words]
Canada's two federal justice critics plan to take action on a law that allows convicted drug dealers to pay their lawyers out of money seized from them by police. Marlene Jennings, Liberal MP for Notre-Dame-de-Grace-Lachine, said she will speak to Parliament's justice committee about creating a private member's bill when the House of Commons resumes April 16, or lobby the attorney general to change the law. "If there's a meeting of minds on the issue, we can figure out what and how we can try to effect change on this," Jennings told the Whig-Standard. [continues 1024 words]
Re: "Inquest called into inmate's death," March 31. Although I do not know the circumstances of this particular case, the article said the woman had a long history of drug abuse, and had been arrested for violations of bail conditions. What concerns me is that more individuals could die in police cells, as persons with drug addiction first and foremost need proper medical treatment and supervision. Anyone who has experienced any kind of addiction, whether themselves or family members, knows that what many of these individuals need is help. [continues 159 words]
Northeast - Police say an explosion in a northeast duplex was caused by a drug production operation. The resident of the home was attempting to cook hash for personal use when volatile vapours were ignited by a furnace pilot light, said duty inspector Guy Slater of the Calgary Police Service. The explosion blew out the windows and buckled the interior walls in half of the duplex in the 6800 block of 26th Avenue N.E. around 7:15 p.m. Sunday. Slater said charges are pending. [end]
Marijuana legalization advocates say they are furious with Denver police for arresting more people for misdemeanor possession after city residents voted to legalize the weed in 2005. Mason Tvert, who led the charge to get marijuana legalized, said the group will hold a noon news conference today at the steps of City Hall to decry the findings. Arrests for most minor crimes rose in Denver last year, and rose faster than marijuana arrests, following a change in policing philosophy. [continues 224 words]
"We Are Now in a Race Against Time." When retired Army Gen. Barry R. McCaffrey visited Afghanistan in February for meetings with 23 senior Western and local military, intelligence and political officials, he came away with a cautiously optimistic view of the prospects for reform and political stability there. McCaffrey, a respected division commander in the 1991 Persian Gulf War and commander of U.S. military operations in Central America and South America, now teaches at West Point. A copy of his trip report, written for his colleagues there but widely circulated in Washington and obtained from one of the recipients, included the following blunt observations: [continues 596 words]
State Needs to Meet Responsibilities Before It Claims Share of Revenue What part of accountability doesn't the state of California understand? State government can't be bothered with providing a coherent framework for the dispensation of medical marijuana, but it will be happy to slap a tax on anyone who sells it. On Sunday, the Sacramento Bee reported that the state Board of Equalization has served notice that the sellers of medical marijuana must pay state and local sales taxes. [continues 134 words]
Because Robin Prosser uses prescribed marijuana to ease her chronic pain and illness, she calls it medicine. Because Jeff Sweetin is a federal agent with the Drug Enforcement Agency, he calls it a dangerous drug. And because federal law supersedes state law, making it illegal to grow, sell, purchase or use marijuana, even for health-related reasons, Prosser is out of luck. "From the DEA's standpoint, it's not medical marijuana, it's just plain marijuana," said Sweetin, special agent in charge of the DEA's Rocky Mountain Field Division. [continues 1144 words]
