BANGKOK, Thailand -- When HIV first escalated in Africa and the Caribbean, Asia remained virtually untouched and unaware. But the world's most populous continent is catching up. Today, 25 years into an epidemic that has claimed 40 million lives worldwide, the Asia-Pacific region has the highest number of infections after sub-Saharan Africa. The big question now is: How far will it go? "I don't think it will go the African way," where in some areas up to a third of the population is infected, UNAIDS chief Dr. Peter Piot said in an interview with The Associated Press. But "there's slow but steady growth and with that kind of population denominator, the numbers are staggering," [continues 804 words]
SAN FRANCISCO -- Voters showed compassion for sick people by approving a proposition supporting medical marijuana, but their sympathy ran out when it came to the homeless in a pair of only-in-San Francisco ballot measures. With all precincts reporting Tuesday, 63 percent of voters supported a measure that would allow the city to explore the possibility of growing and distributing pot for medical marijuana patients. It was the first measure of its kind in the nation, and was intended to send a message to federal authorities who have raided medical marijuana distribution facilities in California. [continues 316 words]
SAN FRANCISCO - A lengthy homework assignment will soon land with a thud at the door of each of the city's 440,000 registered voters: an explanatory guide to November's ballot measures running more than 300 pages and costing as much as $2.8 million. Some of the 19 initiatives are so complex or sensitive that politicians have ducked them for years. Citizens and interest groups lined up outside the Elections Department on Tuesday to meet a noon deadline, paying a $200 fee and $2 per word to have their opinions included. [continues 559 words]
SAN FRANCISCO - In the latest tussle between local and federal officials over medical marijuana, the head of the Drug Enforcement Agency was jeered by city leaders hours after his agents raided a club that provides pot to sick people. DEA Administrator Asa Hutchinson was denounced Tuesday while delivering a speech at the Commonwealth Club of California. Audience members shouted "Liar!" when he said "science has told us so far there is no medical benefit for smoking marijuana." Demonstrators outside blew kazoos and chanted "Go away D-E-A" while the smell of marijuana wafted through the air. [continues 415 words]
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- In the latest tussle between local and federal officials over medical marijuana, the head of the Drug Enforcement Agency was jeered by city leaders hours after his agents raided a club that provides pot to the infirm. DEA Administrator Asa Hutchinson was denounced Tuesday while delivering a speech outside the Commonwealth Club of California. Demonstrators blew kazoos and chanted "Go away D-E-A" while the smell of marijuana wafted through the air. Earlier in the day, federal agents seized more than 600 pot plants from the Harm Reduction Center and arrested the group's executive director. Three other men also were arrested. [continues 401 words]
Federal Agents Continue Crackdown On The Centers -- Against The Wishes Of Local Authorities SAN FRANCISCO -- Federal agents raided a medical-marijuana club and arrested four people Tuesday amid an ongoing tug of war between local and federal officials over the sale of pot for medicinal purposes. Drug Enforcement Administration agents seized 630 pot plants from the Harm Reduction Center and arrested the group's executive director, Richard Watts, said David Witty, the marijuana club's chief of security. Kenneth Hayes of Petaluma was arrested in Canada, and Edward Rosenthal of Oakland was also arrested on charges of cultivating more than 100 pot plants and maintaining a place to grow the drug, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Each face up to 40 years in prison if convicted. [continues 342 words]
The smell of burning marijuana wafted through the air as city leaders protested outside a speech by the head of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency hours after federal agents raided a medical marijuana club and arrested four people. DEA Administrator Asa Hutchinson also faced a tough crowd inside the Commonwealth Club of California, where people shouted "Liar!" during his speech, in which he said that "science has told us so far there is no medical benefit for smoking marijuana." "We will protest until this kind of nonsense from Washington, D.C. stops," promised Chris Daly, one of four city supervisors who appeared before the cheering crowd. [continues 652 words]
Federal agents raided a medical marijuana club, arrested the director and three others Tuesday amid an ongoing tug-of-war between local and federal officials over the sale of pot for medicinal purposes. Drug Enforcement Administration agents seized more than 600 pot plants from the Harm Reduction Center and arrested the group's executive director, Richard Watts, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Kenneth Hayes of Petaluma was arrested in Canada and Edward Rosenthal of Oakland was also arrested. They face charges of cultivating more than 100 pot plants and maintaining a place to grow them, according to federal documents. Each faces up to 40 years in prison if convicted. Hayes also operates the club, and Rosenthal supplies him with marijuana, the documents said. [continues 698 words]
Federal agents raided a medical marijuana club and arrested four people Tuesday amid an ongoing tug-of-war between local and federal officials over the sale of pot for medicinal purposes. Drug Enforcement Administration agents seized 630 pot plants from the Harm Reduction Center and arrested the group's executive director, Richard Watts, said David Witty, the marijuana club's chief of security. Kenneth Hayes of Petaluma was arrested in Canada and Edward Rosenthal of Oakland on charges of cultivating more than 100 pot plants and maintaining a place to grow it, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Each face up to 40 years in prison if convicted. [continues 325 words]
His San Francisco State Talk Seeks A Range Of Targets, From Gene-Spliced Food To The Gap SAN FRANCISCO -- Actor Woody Harrelson was back in San Francisco on Monday, barefoot and promoting his eco-activism agenda. But instead of being fined for scaling the Golden Gate Bridge, this time he was stopped by police for running a stop sign on his bicycle. "It was so silly," he said while standing aboard the Mothership, a hemp-and-vegetable-oil powered bus. "The only thing that interfered with us was the cop." [continues 671 words]
