Re: "Wrong on Rights - Mexico deserves sanctions for appalling abuses," Thursday Editorials. This editorial draws attention to a problem that should have been addressed long ago. Congress passed the Merida Initiative in 2008 after lobbying by Bell Helicopter, Sikorsky Helicopter and the Mexican government, ostensibly to stop cocaine and heroin from reaching the U.S. border. Seven years later, no effect has been seen in price, purity or availability of cocaine and heroin in the United States. The Mexican government has received more than a billion dollars mostly for transport helicopters, surveillance aircraft, nightvision scanners, secure communications equipment, forensics and polygraph equipment. Until now, the flow of money has not stopped regardless of the horrid human-rights abuses in Mexico that it facilitated. The Merida Initiative is not only a waste of money, it undermines our credibility as a moral nation. The State Department withholding $5 million is a welcome first step. Suzanne Wills, Dallas Drug Policy Forum of Texas [end]
A Nonviolent Drug Offender Granted Clemency After 2 Decades Behind Bars Adjusts to Life on the Outside DALLAS - The recently released federal prisoner sat down at his sister's dining room table. He pulled out a legal pad and began the letter he had been turning over in his mind for several months: "Dear Mr. President, I am writing you today with the utmost gratitude to personally thank you for granting my petition for clemency on March 31, 2015. Your actions have given me a second chance to start living life normally again and mere words can't express how truly grateful I am for your making this moment possible. The Bible says, 'To whom much is given, much is required,' and I vow to make the most of this unique opportunity that I've been given." [continues 2021 words]
A 69-year-old woman charged with growing marijuana on her property in Stephenville for medical purposes was arrested Thursday by the Erath County Sheriff's Office. Colleen McCool said deputies picked her up, booked her, then drove her home when it was over. She was released on a personal recognizance bond, meaning she didn't have to post any money. "We asked her to sign an affidavit saying she would not flee the area and would show up for her court date," Sheriff Tommy Bryant said. [continues 82 words]
I commend Colleen McCool for her thoughtful, personal letter regarding medical marijuana (cannabis). In thousands of years of documented use cannabis alone has never been shown to cause a serious illness or an overdose death. If cannabis were legal it would be the first treatment that should be tried for myriad medical conditions including but certainly not limited to pain, epilepsy, Crohn's disease, PTSD, nausea, multiple sclerosis and autism. In a recent issue of National Geographic, Dr. Nolan Kane describes what will happen when scientists are finally allowed to study cannabis. [continues 206 words]
Re: Sept. 19 article, "Synthetic High: New drug ban takes effect amid crisis afflicting city's underprivileged." K2 is the Frankenstein spawn of the monumental failure that is the "war on drugs." Legalize cannabis and K2 fades away, as is now happening in both Colorado and Washington. Comparing it to cannabis is akin to comparing a square of Hershey's to Ex-Lax. Similar look, somewhat similar taste - but entirely different things. Do keep in mind: Cannabis is the oldest known medicinal herb and has been used recreationally since the beginning of human history. In all that time not one death has ever been attributed to it. Fact. Anyone who thinks otherwise should open the Google and type "medical marijuana" to begin an education. What you learn will enrage you. It is the most helpful plant on the face of the earth. Continued prohibition is sheer lunacy. STEVE WARREN, SAN MARCOS [end]
Erath County Sheriff Tommy Bryant said the raid on Colleen McCool's home on Sept. 17 was initiated by DPS, not the sheriff's office. "DPS spotted it from a helicopter that was out doing narcotics surveillance," he said. Bryant said McCool was not under investigation by the sheriff's office and not on their radar until they were contacted by DPS that marijuana plants were spotted growing on her property. Chief Deputy Jason Upshaw said the deputies who went to her home had no idea she was a 69-year-old woman. [continues 127 words]
Colleen McCool is not what most people envision when they think of a pot user. But at 69-years-old, McCool is just that. She and her husband live separately on property they own in Stephenville, but what they do still share is a fondness for marijuana, which she says helps them cope with a variety of health issues, including depression. "I lost a son and it really helped me deal with that post traumatic stress," she said. "It also helps with my knee and back problems. It elevates my mood and makes me not notice the pain as much." [continues 609 words]
Re: "More charged in A&M death -- 10 now facing drug charges following Frisco teen's overdose," Saturday Metro story. Anton Gridnev, 19, of Frisco is the latest tragic, preventable drug overdose death to make the news. College Station Medical Center received two calls from his fraternity house asking what to do when someone has overdosed. The caller asked the medical center not to call the police because of "substances" at their location. By the time someone finally did, it was too late to save Gridne v. [continues 146 words]
Re: "Synthetic drugs set tragedy in motion," by James Ragland, Saturday Metro column. Ragland makes several good points about synthetic drugs. These are powders of unknown origin and composition. Of course, they're dangerous and too often lethal. The best solution is blindingly obvious: Legalize the real things. Marijuana alone has never been shown to cause an overdose death. Estimates of lethal doses of LSD are more than 100 times a typical dose. Since 1994, Switzerland has given injectable heroin to intractable addicts at clinics. There have been no drug-elated deaths among these addicts. [continues 125 words]
A woman who alleges Harris County sheriff's deputies held her down for a cavity search in a Texaco parking lot contends her rights were violated in a complaint filed Thursday with the sheriff 's office, her attorney said. Charnesia Corley, 21, of Spring, alleges deputies violated her Fourth Amendment protections by conducting a vaginal probe in public without a warrant. In her official complaint, Corley describes the encounter that transpired after she was stopped for a traffic violation around 10:30 p.m. on June 20. [continues 157 words]
Both Parties Are Right to Call for Sentencing Reform The U.S. prison gulag is the bitter fruit of the grotesquely expensive war on drugs and decades of reflexive but counterproductive tough-on-crime policies. The truth is this: Our federal and state prisons incarcerate people at a higher rate than all other major nations - well beyond rates in Russia and China and those under regimes widely regarded as backward and oppressive. With 5 percent of the world's population, the United States holds about a quarter of the global prison population. [continues 434 words]
Adios, "El Chapo." You mean to tell me that a notorious Mexican drug lord who was arrested in February of last year and whose net worth has been estimated by Forbes to be about $1 billion, managed to escape from the Altiplano maximum-security prison west of Mexico City in a poor country where many people earn as little as $6 per day? How did that happen? Take a guess. Money opens doors. But more importantly, in Mexico, it also builds tunnels. [continues 689 words]
Re: "Assets being taken unjustly - Forfeiture laws give states free hand to seize property of individuals simply on suspicion, say Laura and John Arnold," Tuesday Viewpoints. As a retired Michigan police detective, I am keenly aware of my profession's desire to "police for profit." As a property room officer, I handled the cash coming in and the sale of mostly $2,000 cars my colleagues seized. Our local prosecutor received 10 percent of all money seized in the county, ensuring political support. How does this work? [continues 104 words]
Most of us would be outraged by the idea that any government authority could take a person's freedom or property without evidence or due process. That would be contrary to the most basic definitions of liberty that we Texans hold so dear. But this happens all the time in Texas, thanks to a pernicious practice called civil asset forfeiture. Law enforcement can legally seize private property if it merely suspects that the property was somehow used in a crime. We all agree that crime should not pay. We also agree that if a defendant is convicted, the government should have the right to seize both the assets used to commit that crime and any ill-gotten gains. [continues 685 words]
Michael Botticelli Explains the Focus on Misuse of Prescription Medication Michael Botticelli, director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, is reorienting the focus of the U.S. "war on drugs" to make Americans more aware of the dangers posed by domestic prescription drug abuse, as opposed to international illicit drug trafficking. He shared his perspectives with Points during a recent visit to Dallas. In years past, the "drug czar" has tended to focus on issues such as Plan Colombia and fighting international drug cartels. You're taking a different track, almost entirely focused on domestic drug consumption. Why? [continues 876 words]
Re: "The changing war on drugs - Michael Botticelli explains the focus on misuse of prescription medication," Sunday Points. Tod Robberson's interview with drug czar Botticelli highlighted a challenge for us at Homeward Bound - addiction, stigma and too little funding for treatment and reducing demand for drugs. Many of our 5,000 North Texas clients each year are addicted to opiates, a class of drugs including pain medication, as well as heroin. They may have begun with prescribed pain medication, progressed to pills prescribed for others, then often crossed the line to heroin, which is cheaper and easier to get. As people recognize the danger in misusing prescription medications and physicians learn to better recognize signs of addiction, we hope the epidemic will ease. [continues 98 words]
William J. Bennett and Seth Leibsohn: Not So Fast on Legalizing Marijuana Twenty years ago, drug dealers were seen for what they were - criminal and dangerous elements in our society. They were shunned by the mainstream. People who sold marijuana were considered losers, in the business of harming our children. Parents warned their kids to stay away from those known to use drugs. Thanks to the marijuana lobby, what was once scorned is hyped and celebrated - even as the drug has become more potent, with THC, the intoxicating chemical, present at much higher levels than in the 1990s. Dealers run state-sanctioned dispensaries, lobby to further legalize their product and receive positive media coverage when doing so. [continues 594 words]
Legislature Passed Impressive Array of Reforms Texas leads the nation in executions. Texas leads the nation in DNA-proven wrongful convictions. Texas is a leader in the rate of incarceration. All regrettable. All true. What's equally true is this: A bipartisan coalition to improve Texas justice didn't ease up in this year's legislative session. While lawmakers left some important reforms on the table, they did pass an impressive array of bills to make Texas justice fairer, less error-prone and more humane. [continues 452 words]
Congress to the Justice Department: Don't Mess With Texas' Cannabidiol Oil. Marijuana may not be deadly, but for decades politicians have avoided it like the plague. After all, the mere whisper that a candidate isn't "tough on crime" was often enough to sink the next election. But the political landscape has changed, and with sine die in the rearview mirror, Texans may not realize that they just witnessed a minor revolution in the Legislature. On Monday, Gov. Greg Abbott made state history by signing the first-ever bill to relax penalties for a marijuana-related substance ("Abbott signs bill allowing medical use of marijuana oil," Page B3, Tuesday). But don't expect the whole state to turn Willie Nelson. The bill only legalizes cannabidiol oil, which helps treat patients who suffer from serious seizures. [continues 426 words]
Prescription Painkillers Can Prove Deadly, but Alternatives Remain Illegal in Texas. The days before Thanksgiving should be filled with turkey recipes and touch football, building up to the excitement of the Christmas season. For six people in Harris County, however, those days were their last. Over a period of two days in November 2013, half-a-dozen Houstonians died of prescription drug overdoses ("Pain pill OD data largely unsound," Page A1, April 26). Drugs kill someone in Harris County almost every day. None of those deaths are due to marijuana. Our laws fail to reflect this public safety risk, and it is time for a change. [continues 612 words]
I am continually amazed by all the so-called experts moaning that the war on drugs is a lost cause and that nothing has changed in 40 years. This rhetoric spewed by legalizers, libertarians, talking media heads and many in Congress is a tactic that combines emotional capital with fallacious information to seek drug legalization under the guise of liberty, capitalism and countering racial bias. Those of us who have challenged those assertions with facts that prove otherwise have routinely been attacked professionally and personally, accused of nefarious motives for our positions. I have often found these responses laughable while at the same time sad, because supposedly reasonable and intelligent people are hell-bent on destroying the next generation of Americans. [continues 1062 words]
There's even an organized group of us who are fighting to end the drug war every day. Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) is an organization of criminal justice professionals who want to end marijuana prohibition for the same reasons that alcohol prohibition failed us in the 1920s - violent criminal enterprises become obscenely wealthy, and corruption is bred into the ranks of even the most honorable police departments. "Controlled substance" is a bit of a misnomer. Prohibiting marijuana is simply living under the impression that prohibiting a drug, and creating ever-increasing punishments for it, will deter people from using it. [continues 183 words]
Regarding "Wise counsel" (Page B8, Thursday), Houston Police Chief Charles McClelland is to be commended for speaking out against marijuana prohibition. There are positive aspects to legalization that bear repeating. New research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association shows that states with open medical marijuana access have a 25 percent lower opioid overdose death rate than marijuana prohibition states. This research finding has huge implications for states such as Texas that are grappling with prescription narcotic and heroin overdose deaths. [continues 96 words]
Texas Young Republicans, a group affiliated with the state GOP, is publicly backing legislative efforts to decriminalize marijuana possession. More than three-fourths of the group's membership support decriminalizing possession of less than an ounce of marijuana and removing fines that can be levied, according to a survey the group conducted. The House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee discussed proposals late Wednesday night that would reduce the penalties for possessing small amounts of marijuana, and one bill that would legalize it altogether. [continues 266 words]
Regarding the Amarillo Globe-News article (Drug policy creates local outcry, March 29, amarillo.com) for the moment, Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Daniel Hawthorne hides behind the shield, asserting, "I don't have the authority to make judgment calls. That's for a judge to do, not me. That's for a jury to do." Hawthorne's comment is regarding cannabis (marijuana) laws, but in reality, law enforcement agencies and their unions fight to perpetuate cannabis prohibition. I remember police saying 40 years ago that they don't make the laws - - they just enforce them, and if you don't like the laws, change them. Now it seems a cop's job description is to perpetuate cannabis prohibition. A sane or moral argument to cage responsible adults who use the God-given plant cannabis doesn't exist. Stan White Dillon, Colo. [end]
After Legalization, Pot Traffickers Will Diversify, Says Megan Mcardle I've long supported drug legalization for many reasons, but like many other advocates, I consider the reduction of violent crime to be the main benefit. Deprived of the ability to enforce contracts through the relatively peaceful legal process used by other markets, black markets are accompanied by high levels of violence: gangs fight for territory, enforce business agreements and try to defer defections. The more profitable the black market is, the more incentive there is to use violence to protect your profits, which may be one reason that the introduction of crack cocaine was accompanied by such a huge increase in violent crime. Legalizing drugs cuts into the profits and gives industry players legal means to settle their disputes, so in theory, this should reduce the prevalence, and the brutality, of violent gangs. [continues 496 words]
Proposed Changes to Marijuana Laws Deserve Serious Consideration in the Legislature. Suds-loving Americans raised their glasses Tuesday in celebration of National Beer Day, which commemorated the 82nd anniversary of the re-legalization of beer at the end of Prohibition. While breweries and their fans may focus on the tastier aspects of the day, it is also a holiday for supporters of good government. After all, it marks that rare moment when elected officials admitted to a mistake in law and undid a poorly considered policy. [continues 556 words]
I am writing about the not-so-thoughtful letter from Mickey Spencer:"Do not legalize marijuana"(3-29-15). Spencer did not mention why why he wants to keep marijuana completely unregulated, untaxed and controlled and distributed only by criminal gangs. Obviously Spencer has never read Clint Werner's outstanding book: "MARIJUANA: GATEWAY TO HEALTH: How cannabis protects us from cancer and Alzheimer's disease." If he had he would learn that not only does cannabis not cause cancer it prevents it. [continues 56 words]
Legalize marijuana? No! Society has enough legal substances to abuse. It would be foolish to add fuel to the fire. Having worked as a Narcotics Agent with the Texas Department of Public Safety, I have seen the environment in which marijuana users create and live. Marijuana use is a gateway to the use of harder and more lethal drugs. When the user can no longer get the desired effect from marijuana, many will then try other drugs to get "high." When one talks to and observes the actions of a user under the influence of marijuana, the mental and physical impairment is immediately noticeable. [continues 100 words]
Three men arrested in recent weeks could get life in prison after being caught with small amounts of edible marijuana products, a fact that has sparked an outcry from some Amarillo residents. Potter County sheriff's deputies arrested Eli McCarthy Manna, 30, and Andrew Bruce George, 27, after stopping them for an unspecified traffic violation March 16. The men were found to be in possession of seven purple brownies weighing a total of 650 grams which, being more than 400 grams, triggered the most severe punishment range for drug possession under Texas law - 10 years to life in prison and a fine of up to $50,000. [continues 974 words]
Re: "The Christian case for drug law reform - Marijuana is not God's mistake for the government to fix, says Rep. David Simpson of Longview," March 5 Viewpoints. It is heartening to see Simpson write a well-reasoned piece advocating the repeal of marijuana prohibition in Texas. Even more heartening, he has not been summarily branded a heretic. Simpson's Christian perspective reminds us: "As ye have done unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done unto me." I believe every law has a positive intent. The positive intent of draconian drug penalties must have been deterrence: If penalties are harsh enough, people will not even think about breaking the law. [continues 79 words]
States where it's allowed have seen benefits, say Benjamin Powell and Audrey Redford Last month's legalization of recreational marijuana use in Washington, D.C., has prompted some congressional Republicans to try to undermine the reforms. However, economic theory and the experience of states where marijuana is already legal indicate that legalization creates more benefits than costs. Alaska also legalized marijuana last month. The recreational use and possession of up to 2 ounces of marijuana is now legal in Washington, D.C., for people 21 and older. (In Alaska, it's 1 ounce.) Although the sale of marijuana is still illegal in D.C., gifts of up to 1 ounce are permitted. Marijuana must be consumed on private property, and people are allowed to "home grow" up to six marijuana plants in both D.C. and Alaska. Alaska plans to allow marijuana retailer licensing in 2016, but D.C. has not announced any plans to legalize the sale of marijuana. [continues 492 words]
Re: "The Christian case for drug law reform - Marijuana is not God's mistake for the government to fix, says Rep. David Simpson of Longview," Thursday news story. One of Rep. Simpson's arguments for legalizing marijuana seems to be as follows: Marijuana occurs in nature, and since nature is God's handiwork, it is good and therefore governments should not oppose it. As he states: "I recognize the innate goodness of everything God made .. ." Does this include tobacco? Devastating tornadoes and earthquakes? How about all manner of deadly microbes? All of these are elements of nature. How are these innately good? Louis DeGiulio, Flower Mound [end]
Marijuana Is Not God's Mistake for the Government to Fix, Says Rep. David Simpson of Longview As a Christian, I recognize the innate goodness of everything God made and humanity's charge to be stewards of the same. In fact, it's for this reason that I'm especially cautious when it comes to laws banning plants. I don't believe that when God made marijuana he made a mistake that government needs to fix. Regrettably, that's not the course we have pursued on more than one occasion. In the name of protecting the public, certain substances have been declared evil and contraband. So evil are these substances that state and federal agents are empowered to enforce laws with little to no regard for constitutional protections of individual rights, the sanctity of one's home or the right to travel freely. [continues 276 words]
AUSTIN - Nearly 300 marijuana enthusiasts made their way to the Texas Capitol on Wednesday to persuade tough-on-crime Republicans to loosen their stance on the drug. They were sober and dressed to impress. And though lawmakers may give their proposal some consideration, their hopes are likely to go up in smoke. Undeterred by the conservative leadership's anti-pot position, Shaun McAlister of Arlington left home at 5:30 a.m. to drive to Austin. He was determined to educate lawmakers about the benefits he believes marijuana has to offer. The North Texas Republicans he met with were polite but noncommittal. [continues 699 words]
As a primary care provider, I'm used to seeing medical trends emerge. Right now, I'm paying close attention to the debate over marijuana legalization. Colorado launched legal recreational marijuana sales on Jan. 1, 2014. Last month, the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that Colorado health care providers have experienced "unexpected health effects" from the widespread use of marijuana. JAMA contributors report the state has seen an increased number of patients with severe burns from butane-ignited flash fires. According to their experts, butane is used to extract tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the active ingredient in marijuana. [continues 600 words]
Bills Would Free Use of Extract to Control Seizures Bills filed last week by two Republican state lawmakers might open a door for Texans desperate for a therapy to control severe epilepsy. The proposal would legalize use of a cannabis extract for treatment of debilitating seizures, under a doctor's supervision. The two bill authors, Sen. Kevin Eltife of Tyler and Rep. Stephanie Klick of Fort Worth, deserve credit for sticking their necks out with their proposal, an idea more commonly associated with Democrats. They might leave themselves vulnerable to charges of going soft on use of the marijuana plant, but that accusation would miss the point. [continues 532 words]
John Baucum Steers Republicans Who Want to Change Marijuana Laws A bipartisan coalition has formed to lobby the Legislature to revise marijuana laws and join the 28 states that have decriminalized or legalized use of small amounts. Republicans Against Marijuana Prohibition is one of the groups. We posed questions about the initiative to RAMP's political director, John Baucum, 31, who's also president of the Houston Young Republicans and an account manager for a software company: I'd guess some people are surprised to hear the name of your group - Republicans Against Marijuana Prohibition - since the GOP typically represents the status quo on social issues. True? [continues 801 words]
I fail to see the problem with legalizing medical marijuana. It has shown some astounding benefits for children who suffer from some kinds of seizures. It has shown great benefits for people receiving chemotherapy, those with glaucoma and other ailments. The quotes attributed to Judge Stoudt in the News-Journal seem to imply we cannot pursue legalization of a valuable medicine and the prohibition of an allegedly toxic substance (K2 or synthetic marijuana) at the same time. Why not? This conflict seems to come back to the issue of civil asset forfeiture. This is the means used by police to confiscate assets. Those assets then become the property of the police agency that confiscated them. [continues 88 words]
Finally, a robust and unified effort is under way to reform Texas' flawed marijuana prohibition laws. Advocates, community leaders and organizations from around the state and across the political spectrum have formed a broad coalition, Texans for Responsible Marijuana Policy, which is urging state lawmakers to adopt a more sensible approach to marijuana policy. Texas voters also appear ready for change. A poll conducted around this time last year found more than 3 out of 4 support overhauling current state marijuana laws. Most want to see harsh criminal penalties removed for simple possession or legal access to medical marijuana for people with serious illnesses. [continues 200 words]
DALLAS (AP) - Oregon was forced to bench two players because of failed drug tests days before the team competes in the first College Football Playoff title game, the latest hit to a roster already depleted by injuries. Wide receiver Darren Carrington and running back Ayele Forde did not travel with Oregon for Monday's national championship game against Ohio State after each failed NCAA-mandated drug test. Carrington tested positive for marijuana; the results of Forde's test weren't disclosed. [continues 808 words]
DALLAS - Oregon wide receiver Darren Carrington and running back Ayele Forde will not play in Monday's national championship game after positive NCAA drug tests, coach Mark Helfrich said Saturday. Carrington did not travel with the team to Dallas after testing positive for marijuana. The results of Forde's test were not immediately clear. Helfrich said the team has faced many issues during the season, including injuries. But he insisted that the team is not distracted heading into the first College Football Playoff title game. [continues 350 words]
Re: "Apply due process to forfeiture - Powerful tool has become another government idea gone awry, says David Simpson," Dec. 23, Viewpoints. Thanks to Rep. David Simpson for calling attention to the most corrupting influence in law enforcement: civil asset forfeiture. According to an analysis of 43,000 state and local reports submitted to the Justice Department Equitable Sharing Program, nearly $2.5 billion was seized. In up to 81 percent of the cases, no indictment was ever filed. Civil forfeiture laws presume seized property to be tainted. Property owners must prove in court that their money or property was acquired legally in order to get it back. This is almost always more expensive than giving up the legally acquired property. [continues 109 words]
Regarding "Stockman bill would have banned some asset seizures" (Page B2, Tuesday), if only Steve's Stockman's bill to stop federal seizure of assets could fix bad laws instead of being a political statement. The government's ability to label goods suspicious and take them without any proof of illegalities is Orwellian in its reasoning. The Justice Department claims it's an effective tool, ignoring innocent victims of asset seizure in the fever to stop drug trafficking and organized crime. [continues 68 words]
Powerful Tool Has Become Another Government Idea Gone Awry, Says David Simpson "If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary." - - James Madison, 1788 Civil asset forfeiture, or forfeiture of contraband as it is referred to in Chapter 59 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, is the process by which the state may confiscate assets of an individual that are alleged to be proceeds or instruments of crime. Current law allows such property to be seized even if the property owner is never charged, much less convicted. If charges are brought, the seized property may be disposed of prior to conviction, or in the case of acquittal, does not have to be returned to the owner. [continues 524 words]
Congress Should Listen to What Houston Police Chief Charles Mcclelland Has to Say. Advocates for ending the war on drugs found an unlikely new ally last week: Houston Police Chief Charles McClelland. In an interview with Houston-based radio show Cultural Baggage, McClelland candidly discussed the undeniable facts about our nation's criminalization and prohibition of marijuana, calling the drug war a "miserable failure." "Most police chiefs understand that when it comes to marijuana use, we cannot (continue) to criminalize such a large population of society that engage in casual marijuana use," McClelland said during the pre-recorded interview that aired Friday on KPFT 90.1. [continues 652 words]
Izaiah Ruiz's epilepsy was so severe, his daily life so miserable, that his grandmother says she would have sold her Montgomery County home and moved to Colorado for what many say is a new, miracle treatment: marijuana. But Lori Fountain couldn't make the finances work. As her 6-year-old grandson suffered, all she could do was follow online the progress of patients who sought treatment in Colorado, where marijuana is legal. Their families reported patients suddenly were seizure-free, verbal, able to dress and feed themselves thanks to treatment with a strain of marijuana, a preparation known as Charlotte's Web, which has become something of a national phenomenon. [continues 733 words]
Man Who Had Faced Possible Life Sentence Takes 7 Years Probation. GEORGETOWN - A man whose case made national news when he was facing up to life in prison for possessing pot brownies in Williamson County has pleaded guilty to a lesser charge. Jacob Lavoro, 20, pleaded guilty Wednesday to the second-degree felony of possession of tetrahydrocannabinol, better known as THC, said his lawyer, Jack Holmes. Lavoro agreed to the plea in exchange for a sentence of seven years' probation, Holmes said. [continues 339 words]
Regarding "Advocates of legal pot say it's not if, but when" (Page A1, Monday), I believe that the government should legalize the use of marijuana. However, the government should be in charge of taxing and regulating the substance. By doing so, the government will generate new revenues and lower the number of criminals selling marijuana. This would also allow for police to focus more on major crimes rather than petty criminal charges of marijuana possession. I agree with the fact that the government should place an age limit on the drug. Sam Kretzschmar, Bellaire [end]
Inside Texas
