Support for Industrial Hemp Has Moved into Mainstream Voter approval in Colorado and Washington of ballot initiatives to legalize marijuana has encouraged Kentuckians to increase their efforts to bring industrial hemp back to a state where it was once a major cash crop. If Colorado and Washington are blazing a path for the legalization of marijuana, they want Kentucky to be a national leader in the legalization of industrial hemp. There is no serious effort in Kentucky to legalize marijuana, mind you, but the same federal laws that ban the growing of marijuana also outlaw industrial hemp, a first cousin of pot in the plant kingdom. Despite the passage of the ballot initiatives in Washington and Colorado, it will take a change in those federal laws for marijuana to be legalized for recreational use in those two and any other states, just as it would to legalize industrial hemp in Kentucky. [continues 711 words]
Forty years ago, the United States locked up fewer than 200 of every 100,000 Americans. Then President Nixon declared war on drugs. Now we lock up more of our people than any other country more even than the authoritarian regimes in Russia and China. A war on drugs on people, that is is unworthy of a country that claims to be free. Unfortunately, this outrage probably won't be discussed in Tampa or Charlotte. The media ( including Fox News) run frightening stories about Mexican cocaine cartels and marijuana gangs. Few of my colleagues stop to think that this is a consequence of the war, that decriminalization would end the violence. [continues 576 words]
The effort to legalize industrial hemp reached the Kentucky State Fair on Thursday as U.S. Sen. Rand Paul and state Agriculture Commissioner James Comer promoted their efforts to eliminate federal restrictions that amount to a ban on growing the plant. Comer said he will restart the Kentucky Hemp Commission to advocate the elimination of the federal restrictions. Paul, R-Ky., is a co-sponsor of a bill in the Senate that would take industrial hemp out of the control of the Drug Enforcement Administration so it could be treated like other agricultural crops. Comer also said he hopes for a similar bill to be filed in the Kentucky General Assembly to deal with the issue. [continues 320 words]
FRANKFORT - For a Frankfort press conference, it was a pretty laid-back affair, but the 40 or so proponents of legalizing medicinal marijuana were nonetheless passionate about their cause. State Sen. Perry Clark, D-Louisville, held the press conference to announce "the time has come" to end the "absurd" prohibition on a drug supporters say can alleviate pain, nausea and cure a variety of ills and diseases and that he will again file a bill to make medicinal marijuana legal in Kentucky. [continues 470 words]
FRANKFORT, KY. - Sen. Perry Clark says he plans to try again in 2013 to pass a bill to legalize marijuana for medical purposes. Clark, a Louisville Democrat, has scheduled a news conference for 2 p.m. Thursday in Frankfort at the Capitol Annex to unveil legislation that would make marijuana a schedule II drug, legal for doctors to prescribe. "So far 19 states and the District of Columbia have done this because studies have shown it's effective in treating so many diseases and conditions," Clark said in an interview. [continues 71 words]
Family-Owned 'Budget' Motel Threatened With Civil Forfeiture for Crimes of Guests TEWKSBURY, Mass. -- Russ Caswell, 68, is bewildered: "What country are we in?" He and his wife Pat are ensnared in a Kafkaesque nightmare unfolding in Orwellian language. This town's police department is conniving with the federal government to circumvent Massachusetts law -- which is less permissive than federal law -- in order to seize his livelihood and retirement asset. In the lawsuit titled "United States of America vs. 434 Main Street, Tewksbury, Massachusetts," the government is suing an inanimate object, the motel Caswell's father built in 1955. The U.S. Department of Justice intends to seize it, sell it for perhaps $1.5 million and give up to 80 percent of that to the Tewksbury Police Department, whose budget is just $5.5 million. The Caswells have not been charged with, let alone convicted of, a crime. They are being persecuted by two governments eager to profit from what is antiseptically called the "equitable sharing" of the fruits of civil forfeiture, a process of government enrichment that often is indistinguishable from robbery. [continues 592 words]
Regarding the March 28 Inbox letter "Retire, Mitch" by Thomas Clay Jr.: Mitch McConnell shamelessly supports marijuana laws based on racist fictions and tall tales about cannabis-induced mass murder that never happened: "Marijuana influences Negroes to look at white people in the eye, step on white men's shadows and look at a white woman twice." (Hearst newspapers, 1934) "There are 100,000 total marijuana smokers in the U.S., and most are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos and entertainers. Their Satanic music, jazz and swing result from marijuana use. This marijuana can cause white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes, entertainers and any others." (Federal Bureau of Narcotics director Harry J. Anslinger, 1937) [continues 83 words]
We call ourselves a free country, yet it is illegal to use marijuana on a recreational basis. Seriously? Think about this, marijuana funds 60 percent of illegal drug operations across the United States. This market dictated by violence and extortion is really an unregulated form of capitalism. Ever wonder what capitalism would be without regulation? Just look at what the war on drugs has done to America. Some $1.5 trillion spent and nothing gained on the home front when it comes to the usage of drugs. [continues 467 words]
It's no surprise that the shameless hypocrisy and lies of Republicans know no bounds. But there are times when they shock even the most jaded critic with the outrageous whoppers they tell. Consider the flat imbecility of Mitch McConnell's recent response to a constituent's letter urging him to legalize medical cannabis: "The detrimental effects of drugs have been well documented: short-term memory loss, loss of core motor functions, heightened risk of lung disease, and even death." NORML has posted a $10 million reward to anyone who can show one death from an overdose of THC. Nobody has collected it and never will. He goes on: "Second, I am troubled by the manner in which many of the legalization proposals make marijuana available to the public without following the scientific processes of the FDA." [continues 283 words]
State Legislators Are at Least Discussing Industrial Hemp Is industrial hemp - once a major cash crop in Kentucky - about to make a comeback in the state? Maybe although major obstacles would still have to be overcome before Kentucky farmers could again legally grow hemp, which produces strong fibers used in fabrics, ropes and other materials. The biggest of those obstacles is the federal ban on hemp production. While the Kentucky General Assembly could legalize hemp, it will do little good unless Congress lifts the federal restrictions on hemp, a cousin to marijuana. [continues 612 words]
Rapid Rise of Synthetic Marijuana, Bath Salts Discussed At a point in Monday night's drug forum at Corbin High School, Operation UNITE President/CEO Karen Kelly asked everyone in the auditorium to stand up. Then Kelly said the following words. "If you do not know somebody who's been affected by drugs, please sit down." Only two people did. The demonstration showed how drugs have taken a toll on Corbin and the Tri-County region. And it was the focus of the forum called "Addicted: A Dose of Reality." Held at the school's Betty Hamilton Center for Performing Arts, the 90-minute presentation showed the stark reality of how easy and available drugs -- both legal and illegal -- are to students and adults. [continues 790 words]
Synthetic marijuana: It's here and it's a problem CORBIN At 28,251 feet, K2 is the second highest mountain in the world. Located on the Chinese-Pakistan border in the continent of Asia, it's the highest peak in Pakistan. But some say that high's nothing compared to the high they get from a package of K2, which they can easily buy. The Scooby Doo that's become popular in the Tri-County region in recent months has nothing to do with the cartoon character of the same name -- the Scooby Doo that parents of a generation ago used to watch on TV. [continues 3104 words]
Jonathan Miller hit many bull's-eyes. I want to add, in thousands of years of recorded usage not only are deaths from cannabis (marijuana) overdose extraordinarily rare, as he said, they are completely nonexistent. That's safety on a Biblical scale. For Kentucky's farmers: It's interesting that free American farmers may not grow hemp, while communist Chinese farmers can and America's greatest foreign debt is with China. It's time to re-introduce hemp as a component of American agriculture. It's time to end the vulgar and sinful practice of caging responsible adults for using what God says is good on the very first page of the Bible. Stan White Dillon, Colo. [end]
Regarding Jonathan Miller's Jan. 15 op-ed, the drug war is largely a war on marijuana smokers. In 2010, there were 853,839 marijuana arrests in the United States, almost 90 percent for simple possession. At a time when state and local governments are laying off police, firefighters and teachers, this country continues to spend enormous public resources criminalizing Americans who prefer marijuana to martinis. The end result of this ongoing culture war is not necessarily lower rates of use. The U.S. has higher rates of marijuana use than the Netherlands, where marijuana is legally available. Decriminalization is a long overdue step in the right direction. Taxing and regulating marijuana would render the drug war obsolete. As long as organized crime controls distribution, marijuana consumers will come into contact with sellers of hard drugs like methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin. This "gateway" is a direct result of marijuana prohibition. Robert Sharpe Policy Analyst,Common Sense for Drug Policy Arlington, Va. [end]
I want to remind former treasurer Jonathan Miler that marijuana is often referred to as the "gateway" drug. This is because users who first smoke it will often move on to bigger and "better" drugs to get the high they long for - like OxyContin and meth. Ask any recovering addict. Most started out using marijuana. How could this be better for our state? We already have some of the highest drug-abuse rates in the country. Furthermore, how much more of the state's budget can we afford to supplement drug-rehab centers? Legalizing marijuana would only increase the need for more rehab centers. Most importantly though, what about the negative effect drugs and addicts have on our families? How will legalizing marijuana help the already-declining home and family lives of Kentuckians? [continues 54 words]
Kentucky Loses a True Original With the Death of Gatewood Galbraith Gatewood Galbraith, one of the most memorable and iconic figures in the history of Kentucky politics, died in his sleep on Jan. 4 at the age of 64. Galbraith - standing at 6-foot-4, with his booming baritone voice, classic one-liners and signature fedora - was a larger-than-life character. Like a pop star, he was typically referred to as simply "Gatewood." He will be remembered for his many quixotic campaigns - running for governor five times, Congress twice, as well as commissioner of agriculture and attorney general. [continues 2451 words]
When my one-time political rival and always friendly acquaintance Gatewood Galbraith passed away this month, his eulogies invariably noted that his insightful political reform ideas were often overshadowed by his strident advocacy for marijuana legalization, consigning him to the role of perennial candidate and courthouse jester. Part of Gatewood's problem was that he looked the part: often disheveled, always mellow. He also preached an admirably consistent, but widely controversial, libertarian philosophy that scolded government whenever it tried to establish moral standards for society. [continues 957 words]
There have been plenty of eulogies already for perennial candidate Gatewood Galbraith, who died last week at age 64 at his Lexington home, so this column isn't going to focus on his wit, his humanity, his intellect and his toothy grin. No, what hasn't been talked about much is the fact that Galbraith missed a real opportunity to more effectively push for the things about which he cared deeply because of his marijuana activism and because he refused to step onto a smaller stage and run in races he could afford. [continues 584 words]
Gatewood Galbraith, an iconic Kentucky political figure and perennial candidate who won many hearts but never enough votes, died early Wednesday, just two months after running his fifth campaign for governor. He was 64. Mr. Galbraith died at home in his sleep, surrounded by family after suffering pneumonia that was complicated by chronic emphysema. Although widely popular for his wit and unconventional stances, Mr. Galbraith's political life was led outside of Democratic and Republican party machinery, which meant he nearly always trailed in fund-raising totals. Mr. Galbraith ran unsuccessfully for governor five times. He also made failed bids for agriculture commissioner, U.S. representative and attorney general. [continues 1549 words]
Gatewood Galbraith, a perennial candidate for public office who advocated the legalization of marijuana and was one of the most colorful characters on Kentucky's political landscape for three decades, died at his home in Lexington, the Fayette County coroner's office said Wednesday. He was 64. The cause of death was listed as complications from chronic emphysema. Family members found Galbraith unresponsive in his bed Wednesday morning, the coroner's office said in a statement. "He had been sick for several days with congestion in his lungs (and) . had been suffering from cold-like symptoms which had been complicated by chronic asthma and emphysema," the statement said. [continues 1295 words]
In his autobiography, The Last Free Man in America: Meets the Synthetic Subversion, Gatewood Galbraith described his efforts to get the letters of recommendation he needed to take the bar exam. As a University of Kentucky law student Galbraith had already taken up the campaign to legalize marijuana that he carried on until his death early Wednesday at the age of 64. He struck out when he approached some prominent men for letters. They initially agreed to endorse the young law student but changed course as they considered the impact of associating with a pro-pot radical. [continues 301 words]
Last year, I wrote a grant proposal on behalf of three organizations seeking a total of about $300,000 from the Bureau of Justice Assistance to fund a mentoring program for ex-offenders re-entering the community. BJA was one of two offices administering Second Chance Act Grants, funding meant to help nonprofit organizations implement programs that would "improve re-entry planning and implementation," the purpose of the Second Chance Act of 2007. After reading Dr. Michelle Alexander's book, "The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness," and hearing her keynote address at the Anne Braden Institute's memorial lecture last week, I feel like the grant was a sham and a glaring example of the government waste we hear is so prevalent. [continues 1408 words]
Regarding W. Bryan Hubbard's Aug. 1 op-ed, the steady rise in drug-sniffing dogs in schools, warrantless police searches, and random drug testing have led to a loss of civil liberties while failing miserably at preventing drug use. With national debt soaring, we can no longer afford to throw good money at bad drug policy. Based on findings that criminal records are inappropriate as health interventions and ineffective as deterrents, a majority of European Union countries have decriminalized marijuana. Despite marijuana prohibition, lifetime use of marijuana is higher in the United States than any European country. [continues 70 words]
On Oct.13, 2005, Lexington police pursued a man suspected of dealing drugs into the breezeway of an apartment complex. During their pursuit, they passed the residence of Hollis King and thought the smell of marijuana smoke emanated from it. They knocked on his door, identified themselves and asked to enter his home. They then heard movement within the apartment, at which point they broke down his door. Police explained that their warrantless and forcible entry into his apartment was triggered by sounds they believed to be consistent with the destruction of incriminating evidence. [continues 587 words]
Arrested in 2004 after a scuffle with police for possession of a loaded firearm and 3.4 grams of crack cocaine, William Freeman of Louisville faced a maximum penalty of life in prison. So it wasn't a difficult decision for him to accept a plea bargain from federal prosecutors requiring him to serve 106 months in prison, including 46 months on the crack charge. Then in 2007, responding to a mounting chorus of criticism that harsher sentences for crack than powder cocaine disproportionately punished African Americans, the U.S. Sentencing Commission reduced the sentencing guideline range for crack. [continues 873 words]
The numbers are staggering: We're losing 82 Kentuckians a month to drug overdose, from the cities to rural areas in Appalachia. Nearly 1,000 of our fellow Kentuckians died from drug overdoses in 2009, more than those killed in traffic crashes. Last year, law enforcement responded to 1,100 meth lab sites across the state, up from 738 in 2009. And Kentucky ranks in the top three of marijuana-producing states. Too many of our children are experimenting with drugs. Kentucky ranked 8th in the nation for abuse of prescription pain reliever drugs among 12- to 17-year-olds, and in Eastern Kentucky the average age when a child first gets high on prescription pills is 11. Drug abuse persists as a serious problem in all 120 counties of the commonwealth. [continues 533 words]
NORML brings in Marijuana advocate and governor candidate Gatewood Galbraith Criminal Defense Attorney Gatewood Galbraith spoke at a NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) meeting on Tuesday in Ferrell Auditorium. Galbraith is running for Governor in November as an independent. He spoke about his life growing up in Kentucky and how he got into politics. But, more importantly, he spoke to students about his reasoning for becoming an advocate on legalizing marijuana. He explained that he suffered from asthma his entire life until one day a friend of his offered him some marijuana. "It cured my asthma just like that," said Galbraith with a snap of his fingers. Since that moment, he decided to get into law so that he could change the legal system to make marijuana legal. [continues 278 words]
An easily accessible drug, often called White Lightning, has made its way onto Eastern's campus. The drug, known as "legal cocaine," has become popular for being just that - legal, and cheap. "It won't show up in urine, [and] it's cheap," said Henry Spiller, director of Poison Control in Louisville. "This is why people are buying it, to replace other drugs, like methamphetamine and cocaine." Being packaged as a variety of products, such as bug repellant, bath salts and plant food, the drug has yet to be regulated by the FDA. [continues 607 words]
It's 9:15 p.m. Monday night. A smoky haze blurs the view of the Louisville basketball game playing on the television, the chattering of voices drowning out the commentator's voice. Another puff. Pipes and bongs litter the scene, and the smell of marijuana fills the room. "It's better smoked in a pipe or bong," says Mr. X, a senior at Eastern, who asked to remain anonymous. "All of your friends come over and hang out, and that's what we do - it's like a social event." [continues 1270 words]
I am writing in response to Daviess County Sheriff Keith Cain's editorial in which he suggests that Kentucky's methamphetamine problem is best combated by the continued use of the MethCheck network which is now known as the National Precursor Log Exchange (NPLEx). While MethCheck might be a good tool to block or limit the sale of pseudoephedrine to individuals who are attempting to purchase more than the legal limit, it does not stop "smurfing." Smurfing is when an individual purchases the legal limit of pseudoephedrine and in turn sells it to a third party with the full knowledge that it will be utilized in the manufacture of methamphetamine. [continues 505 words]
Passage of California's Proposition 19, which aims to legalize recreational marijuana, could help ease the spiraling violence of Mexico's drug war. Approval of the statewide ballot initiative on Nov. 2 would allow local governments to tax and regulate the limited possession and cultivation of marijuana for adults age 21 and over. Besides offering the cash-strapped state a new source of revenue and jobs, Proposition 19 would also help pave the way for a much-needed drug policy shift south of the border. [continues 445 words]
FLEMINGSBURG -- Learning about police methods and how the public can help law enforcement is being encouraged through a public forum Oct. 20 at Simons Middle School in Flemingsburg. According to the Crime in Kentucky 2009 report produced through Kentucky State Police, Fleming County had more than 40 arrests for non-narcotic dangerous drugs, in addition to 16 marijuana, four cocaine and one synthetic narcotics arrests in 2009. Arrests have been made through drug raids, tips from the public and incidental discovery of drugs during traffic stops and accident investigations, police said. [continues 343 words]
BIG BEND, Texas -- Hundreds of miles from the nearest big town, on a sandstone cliff by the Rio Grande, Mexican hands have left a few small trinkets for sale and glass jars for money. Unattended, the items are like offerings. There are no people in sight anywhere, on this rocky side of the border or in the tall reeds of the other. The items for sale are souvenirs from the harsh desert sold from a Mexican to an American, paid for entirely on the honor system. The shallow, muddy river is not so much a border between two countries as it is a place where the United States fades into the blue desert mountains of Mexico. [continues 1040 words]
Kentucky's two illustrious candidates for the Senate seat to be vacated by Jim Bunning, Mr. Paul and Mr. Conway, are arguing over financing the War on Drugs. Mr. Paul says that Federal money should not be given to the states to fight what is essentially a local problem. Mr. Conway believes that the War on Drugs cannot be fought on the local level without Federal help. That Federal support for local drug task forces is key in fighting the war. [continues 343 words]
Kentucky is one of many states grappling with overcrowded prisons. Throughout the nation, states facing budget shortfalls are pursuing alternatives to incarceration for nonviolent drug offenders. A study conducted by the RAND Corporation found that every additional dollar invested in substance abuse treatment saves taxpayers $7.48 in societal costs. There is far more at stake than tax dollars. The drug war is not the promoter of family values that some would have us believe. Children of inmates are at risk of educational failure, joblessness, addiction and delinquency. Not only do the children lose out, but society as a whole does, too. Incarcerating nonviolent drug offenders alongside hardened criminals is the equivalent of providing them with a taxpayer-funded education in antisocial behavior. [continues 69 words]
Kentucky's inmate population -- now at roughly 21,000 -- is growing at a faster rate than any other state's, and the need for action increases every day. As The Courier-Journal's R.G. Dunlop reported last Sunday, almost all state-run prisons and many jails are operating at or above capacity. Kentucky's corrections budget approached $500 million this year. And relying on private prisons to pick up inmate overflow, which is no less expensive than using state-run facilities, has managed to create even more problems. [continues 359 words]
Madison and Clark district courts will host a pilot program to treat drug addiction, the Kentucky Administrative Office of the Courts announced Wednesday. Madison District Judge Earl-Ray Neal will oversee a Drug Court program for misdemeanor offenders in the 25th Judicial District, which covers Madison and Clark counties. Neal is volunteering his time to conduct the biweekly Drug Court sessions, and credited judges Brandy O. Brown and Charles Hardin for their help with the program. "Drug Courts in Madison and Clark counties at the juvenile and felony court level have been a shining example of Kentucky's success in specialty courts," Neal said. "This expansion will allow us to reach a greater number of people and to reach them earlier in their addiction." [continues 310 words]
A proposal to start random drug testing of Shively city employees is facing opposition from a majority of the Shively City Council. Mayor Sherry Conner proposed the idea, which is expected to be considered for a vote at Monday's council meeting. It would require 69 of the city's 81 employees to submit to drug testing for controlled and illegal substances and participate in annual classes about the dangers of workplace drug use and its potential impact on co-workers. The city's dozen public works employees hold commercial drivers' licenses and already submit to ongoing random drug testing. [continues 523 words]
Federal Judge Dismisses Some Claims LOUISVILLE - A lawsuit against Hardin County Schools and the city of Vine Grove stemming from a 2007 search of Brown Street Alternative Education Center students was dismissed Wednesday after a settlement was reached by parties involved the day before. The suit, filed by former Brown Street student Nicole Pendleton, claimed a September 2007 "strip search" of a bus load of students was unwarranted and violated civil rights and state laws regarding assault, false imprisonment and invasion of privacy. [continues 546 words]
If parents didn't have enough to worry about with the ongoing pain pill epidemic, two new drugs have hit the streets and are causing serious hallucinations and even deaths. Teens don't have to sneak into a medicine cabinet or find the nearest drug dealer, when two potentially deadly highs from plants are easy to acquire- and one could be growing right out the back door. The Carter County Drug Task Force had its regular meeting recently while handing out literature concerning the use of Salvia Divinorum and Jimson Weed. [continues 1442 words]
A program that gives people convicted of drug offenses a second chance is celebrating its 20th anniversary nationwide and is seeking local volunteer opportunities. Madison Circuit Judge Jean C. Logue, who heads up the Clark and Madison County Drug Court, said the program is seeking additional volunteer community service opportunities for participants in the program. "We're always looking for good volunteer jobs," Logue said. "They help here at the courthouse, and we sent some people to help the city with cleanup from the ice storm." [continues 668 words]
Members of a committee charged with developing a drug testing policy for students in the Caldwell County School District are shifting their focus toward a new group of students. School Health Coordinator Will Brown, the head of the committee that began its research about two years ago, updated school board members on the group's progress this week. Initially, the committee had focused on developing a random drug testing policy for students involved in extracurricular activities, such as athletics, band and school clubs. [continues 207 words]
Chautauqua Speaker Brings Different Viewpoint On Marijuana To Campus Gatewood Galbraith is a free man. As a matter of fact, he is the last free man in America. He said so. He also said that Kentucky is a police state. He said marijuana has saved more lives than any other medicine in the world. And he said that our nation is in more peril than at any time in its history. Galbraith, if it weren't already obvious, likes to say a lot of things. In fact, he's made his name, and likely his career, from it. [continues 895 words]
If there is one thing Steve Hager, former editor of High Times magazine, and Bob Stutman, a former Drug Enforcement Administration agent, can agree on, it's that smoking marijuana might not be the right choice for college students, but it's about responsibility. "Make sure you make getting that education the most important priority while you're at this institution," Hager said Tuesday night in Memorial Hall at "Heads vs. Feds," a legalization debate hosted by the Student Activities Board. "If you don't, you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem." After Stutman was introduced as "the most famous narc in America" and Hager as "the most famous pothead in America," each was given 15 minutes to argue his case for or against the legalization of marijuana. [continues 309 words]
Marijuana, Weed, Green, Pot, Grass, Herb, Reefer, Chronic, Mary Jane, Ganja or Dope. No matter what you call it, marijuana, or at least its legalization, is one of the most divisive issues facing the country today. Tuesday at 8 p.m. in Memorial Hall, the Student Activities Board plans on bringing that discussion to campus as they present "Heads vs. Feds," a legalization debate between Steve Hager, long-time editor of "High Times" magazine, and Bob Stutman, a former New York state Drug Enforcement Administration agent. [continues 405 words]
Attorney General Eric Holder spoke of "a nation of cowards" last week and his words were parsed, dissected and scrutinized by some in the media as an affront to Americanism, but Holder is absolutely correct. Without a doubt we are a nation of cowards and cowardly in many walks of life. What do you call a 10th-grade dropout who becomes the street-level drug dealer? What do you call the college dropout who forsakes his or her education with no legitimate prospects beyond the 'hood? Hero? [continues 306 words]
Once again, a bill that seeks to punish prior use of a controlled substance with an automatic DUI conviction is before the Kentucky legislature. Like its predecessors, Senate Bill5 cleverly attempts to bootstrap an ill-advised rule regarding all drugs onto a rule created for the purpose of measuring alcohol impairment. Under SB5, a driver who tests positive for traces of marijuana can be convicted of "driving under the influence" even if that driver is unimpaired at the time of arrest. [continues 430 words]
This column was filed before Sheriff Lott abandoned efforts to charge Michael Phelps with a crime in connection with the incident. -- Editor. WASHINGTON -- Drink and drive and it's grrrrrrrr-eat! Smoke pot and your flakes are frosted, dude. So seems the message from Kellogg, which has decided not to renew its sponsorship contract with Michael Phelps after the Olympian was photographed smoking marijuana at a party in South Carolina. That's showbiz, of course, but the cereal and munchie company had no problem signing Phelps despite a prior alcohol-related arrest. In 2004, Phelps was fined and sentenced to 18 months probation and community service after pleading guilty to driving while impaired. [continues 676 words]
While the Senate debates the federal economic stimulus package, local drug task forces are optimistic at the prospect of receiving more money for their offices than in recent years. The $819 billion measure passed last week by the House of Representatives includes $3 billion to be allocated over a two-year period toward the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program, the only source of federal funding that multi-jurisdictional drug task forces receive. The Senate version of the stimulus bill, which is currently under debate, contains a one-time allocation of $1.5 billion. [continues 584 words]
Before you venture into Ciudad Juarez, brace yourself to hear Texans tell you that you're crazy. Visiting friends in neighboring El Paso a few days before Christmas, I was immediately warned, "Don't even think about going into Juarez." Just across the shallow creek known as the Rio Grande from El Paso, one of the safest cities of its size in the nation, Juarez is a city under siege, the worst victim of Mexico's growing wars between drug cartels. [continues 675 words]
Inside Kentucky
