The former sheriff of Carteret County is facing up to five years in prison after pleading guilty this week to misusing drug funds. Former Sheriff Ralph Thomas, 60, of Beaufort, pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit an offense against the United States, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney General's Office. Former deputy Christopher Cozart, 35, of Morehead City, pleaded guilty to misprision of a felony, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 4, according to the release. [continues 212 words]
Three members of Willie Nelson's band cited in January for possession of marijuana and moonshine were sentenced Wednesday to a $25 fine. Thomas Hawkins, Kenneth Koepke and Dudley Prewitt, via their lawyer, Sampson County attorney Doug Parsons, pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct in a Duplin County court. In exchange, Onslow County District Attorney Dewey Hudson dismissed the possession of marijuana charges. In response to concerns about special treatment, Hudson insisted that this case was handled the same as any other would be. [continues 230 words]
Greenville - The former sheriff of Carteret County admitted Monday in federal court to pocketing thousands of dollars from the sheriff's department over a 10-year period. Ralph L. Thomas Jr., 60, who served as sheriff for 20 years, pleaded guilty to one charge of conspiring to commit an offense against the United States. One of his former drug detectives, Chris Cozart, 35, also pleaded guilty Monday to imprision of a felony, as he knew about the illegal activity of his superiors and failed to report it to authorities. [continues 751 words]
Is the "poor, white man's crack" poised for a comeback? When a new law took effect in 2006 restricting sales of pseudoephedrine, the common cold medicine used to make methamphetamine, meth lab seizures declined in North Carolina by about 40 percent. Those statistics haven't changed much since. "We are holding steady at this point," said state Attorney General Roy Cooper, who described the methamphetamine problem as an "epidemic" in early 2004. "Obviously North Carolina continues to grow in population, and any lab is one meth lab too many." [continues 1394 words]
The drug culture among teens continues to grow and the elixirs of choice are becoming as varied as they are dangerous. All it takes is a quick glance at local crime stories to see that many teens and young adults find these drugs tempting. Where there was once marijuana use and the occasional teen experimenting with cocaine or crack, now grows the use - and production - of methamphetamine and a litany of prescription drugs that are as deadly as they are addictive. [continues 438 words]
Regarding the business end of medical marijuana, North Carolina needs the thousands of jobs passage of HB 1380, the N.C. Medical Marijuana Act, would create. Our state needs the millions of dollars in tax revenue and licensing fees, and the patients and researchers need safe, legal access to medical marijuana. HB 1380 is win/win legislation for everyone. Let's get this bill passed this year. Jean Marlowe Mill Spring The writer is executive director of the North Carolina Cannabis Patients Network. [end]
MOREHEAD CITY - County hospital officials are taking steps to stem the rising use of narcotics among patients, which ranks highest among counties in this part of the state and double the state rate for youth. In an effort to address the potential for abuse of narcotics, Carteret General Hospital is changing the chronic pain management protocol in the Emergency Department. Hospital officials said that because of increased concerns about the abuse of narcotics in the community, the hospital emergency department will discourage the use of narcotics except when absolutely necessary. The hospital is also implementing a review panel to monitor narcotic usage. [continues 353 words]
I usually write about lighthearted things, but this week I want to address some of what we've been reading about the mess surrounding the Carteret County Sheriff's Department. I won't comment on the allegations against the individuals who have been indicted or are still under investigation. I know some of them and honestly can't say I saw this coming. I've been out of law enforcement for a long time now and, although I had occasion to deal professionally with that department, it wasn't a frequent interaction. [continues 404 words]
Last week, Gov. Bev Perdue announced a new research initiative, so we're here to help her. Perdue is faced with the budget from hell, and a prison population that's stretching the state's resources, and, through overcrowding, its sense of human decency. Perdue's new initiative, shared by the state, the federal Justice Department, the Council of State Governments, and the Pew Center on the States, is supposed to figure out how to cut costs while still keeping the public safe. Specifically, the initiative will study the reasons why many young people wind up in prison and recommend new programs to get at the root causes of crime and repeat offenders. [continues 1746 words]
Marijuana, Cocaine Use Contrast Dominant Alcohol Culture Whether it is shotgunned in the Blue Zone before a football game or mixed with soda at a section party, alcohol appears to be a dietary staple for most of the student body. For some students, however, partying hard entails far more than liquid intoxication. At Duke, illicit drug users constitute an active minority that operates largely unnoticed. Approximately 68 percent of Duke undergraduates reported drinking in the 30 days before they completed last Spring's National College Health Assessment Survey. Just less than 10 percent said they had used marijuana in that time period. [continues 1436 words]
Students for Sensible Drug Policy," or SSDP for short, is an organization comprised of student-run chapters at more than 100 colleges and universities around the country. Its goal is to achieve "a just and compassionate society where drug abuse is treated as a health issue instead of a criminal justice issue." They work towards this goal by encouraging "young people to participate in the political process, pushing for sensible policies . . . while fighting back against counterproductive drug war policies." Recently, the outreach director of the northeast and mid-Atlantic regions, Stacia Cosner, contacted me in regard to a column I wrote a few weeks ago about medicinal marijuana. She wanted to know if anyone would be interested in starting an SSDP chapter at N.C. State. I told her that I'm sure there are students here who would be interested and that an SSDP chapter would be beneficial to students at State - I'm hopeful I'll be able to find enough students w! ho agree with me. [continues 412 words]
The voters of trendsetting California may well decide this November to legalize marijuana - there's a ballot referendum, and 56 percent of Californians are in favor - and no doubt this would be great news for the munchie industry, the bootleggers of Grateful Dead music, and the millions of stoners who have long yearned for an era of reefer gladness. Seriously, this is a story about how desperate times require desperate measures. Legalization advocates, including many ex-cops and ex-prosecutors, have long contended that it's nuts to keep criminalizing otherwise law-abiding citizens while wasting $8 billion a year in law enforcement costs. That argument has never worked. But the new argument, cleverly synced to the recession mind-set, may well herald a new chapter in the history of pot prohibition. [continues 842 words]
The creators of the Greenville Million Marijuana March Facebook event, which over 7,000 ECU students and Greenville locals have been invited to, are having troubles getting the permits required for the event. The Greenville Million Marijuana March is scheduled for Sunday, May 2, from "high noon to 4:20 p.m." at the Mendenhall Brickyard and will have a picnic, T-shirts and variety of live music from alternative rock to experimental death metal to hip-hop. Bands include An Eternity Incognito, Consume the Stars, HNL, Jakeleg, En Serenade and many others. [continues 682 words]
CIUDAD JUAREZ, Mexico - He was happy to see shoppers, the Ciudad Juarez tourist official made it clear, and yet the fact that he had time to sit down for a beer with us in the middle of the day made him morose. It was the week between Christmas and New Year's, and in happier times, his city would have been swarming with tourists from El Paso. These days, the sight of two lone gringos walking across the bridge had brought him scurrying, waving his ID card like a flag of peace. [continues 697 words]
District Attorney Dewey Hudson reported Friday that the charges against six Willie Nelson band members are still pending and have not been dismissed. "I have been inundated with letters and people asking me about the situation with Willie Nelson that involved his band, so I have decided to give an update today," Hudson said during a press conference he called Friday at the Duplin County Courthouse. "Our office has received the initial investigative report and we have spoken with people in ALE (Alcohol Law Enforcement) about the charges against the band members." [continues 787 words]
A virtual reality simulator at Methodist University will soon help authorities learn how to spot a methamphetamine lab. On Tuesday, the university received a $150,000 federal grant to provide training to social workers, teachers, law enforcement and others who could potentially identify a dangerous clandestine lab. Students who strap on gloves and goggles can take a virtual walk through a house where they have to decide whether a pack of Sudafed, for example, is being used to make drugs or treat a cold based on what they see. [continues 514 words]
A few weeks ago, my fellow columnist Sam Daughtry wrote a piece,"Medical Marijuana: a personal decision," describing some of the issues surrounding medical marijuana use. While it is still illegal under federal law, 14 states have passed legislation legalizing medicinal marijuana, and North Carolina may be set to be the next. There are currently bills in the N.C. House of Representatives, House Bill 1380 and 1383, introduced in the House by Rep. Earl Jones (D-Guilford), which would legalize medicinal use of the herb, license farming of it and tax it as a source of revenue. WRAL reported March 5, that "supporters say legalizing marijuana for health-related reasons would generate more than $60 million in state taxes in the first year alone." The bill passed a vote last year and is now waiting in the Health Committee; state lawmakers could be voting on the bill this spring. [continues 522 words]
Some people might have been shocked in September when several UNC students were arrested for selling cocaine. And, if the charges prove true, they probably weren't making the best career choice in the world. I wouldn't be too surprised. After all, illegal drugs are big business. In 2003, the United Nations estimated that the global illegal drug trade was worth nearly $322 billion. Cannabis is America's top cash crop, with a market value greater than corn and wheat combined. In a survey of more than 1,700 UNC students I conducted through Facebook, cannabis use was consistently more common than tobacco use. [continues 423 words]
Lenoir's Libertarian city councilman has entered the 25th District's District Attorney's race. T.J. Rohr, a criminal attorney, is in his second term as a Lenoir city councilman. He was elected as an unaffiliated candidate in a non-partisan race. He said he's held fast to his Libertarian beliefs as a councilman, consistently refusing to vote for tax increases or spending he considers wasteful. In November, Rohr will face Democratic challenger Jason Parker and the winner of May's Republican primary between incumbent Jay Gaither and Shawn Clark. [continues 497 words]
Stop me if you've read this before: Daily reports of drug arrests published in the Observer. A meth lab discovered off Ramsey Street. Residential break-ins all over, many of them committed by people hooked on drugs who steal for money to get enough dope to get them by, until next time. Gangs powered by guns, crack and cash; innocent bystanders hurt, and not just in beleaguered Bonnie Doone. Meanwhile, look to our borderland with Mexico. Have you read "No Country for Old Men"? You should. It's stark. It's brutal. It's what's happening in parts of our Southwest. Last week our top national security officials met with Mexican leaders to talk about the bloodbath that has claimed nearly 18,000 Mexican lives in violence involving drug cartels. It's because we Americans, in this land of plenty, can't control our appetite for drugs. [continues 236 words]
Another reason to stop caging sick humans for using the relatively safe, God-given plant, cannabis (marijuana), that doesn't get mentioned in Tuesday's column, Medical marijuana: a personal decision, is that it is Biblically correct since God indicates He created all the seed-bearing plants - saying they are all good, on literally the very first page (Genesis 1:11-12 and 29-30). The only Biblical restriction placed on cannabis is that it is to be accepted with thankfulness (see 1 Timothy 4:1-5). And "But whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?" (see 1 John 3:17). Jesus Christ risked jail to heal the sick. Stan White Dillon, Colorado [end]
Regarding the March 19 article "Speakers promote cannibis for health": Another reason to stop caging sick humans for using the relatively safe, God-given plant cannabis that doesn't get mentioned is because it is Biblically correct since Christ God Our Father, The Ecologician, indicates He created all the seed-bearing plants, saying they are all good, on literally the very first page (Genesis 1:11-12 and 29-30). The only Biblical restriction placed on cannabis is that it is to be accepted with thankfulness (see 1 Timothy 4:1-5). And "But whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?" (see 1 John 3:17). Jesus Christ risked jail to heal the sick. Stan White Dillon, Colo. [end]
Medical Marijuana. You may have heard the term, and many states are amending laws changing the face of what federal administrators deemed an illegal and harmful drug. Some states currently have programs that allow patients with a doctor's order to purchase and use medical marijuana. The debate continues and may prove to be a leading contributor in how health care reform and public policy is rewritten. While states allow medical marijuana, its usage, possession and paraphernalia still violate federal law. This battle in states' rights versus federal law creates a new war of federalism with a possible Supreme Court case written all over it. One of the major criticisms of cannabis as medicine is opposition to smoking as a method of consumption. The harm caused by smoking can be minimized or eliminated by the use of a vaporizer. [continues 516 words]
Regarding your editorial published on March 11 about marijuana laws, the drug war is largely a war on marijuana smokers. In 2008, there were 847,863 marijuana arrests in the U.S., 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. [continues 95 words]
On your front page March 16 is your article regarding Amy Frink's convicted rapist, torturer and murderer being considered for the second time in two years for release from prison after just 12 years into his sentence of 30 years. His partner in this horrible crime was released on parole in 2008. Since the second man returned to society he has had no less than 23 infractions, but is still in the midst of our society. Before this state's "mutual Agreement Parole Program" went into effect, these murderers would have been sentenced to life imprisonment. Further back into the 1950s they might have paid with their own lives. Now they walk free? My barber is currently serving a seven-year prison sentence, first offense, handed down a year ago, in Brunswick County, for possession of prescription drugs with intent to sell. He had no record. What is wrong with our judicial system? Lowell J. Carr, Southport [end]
Since the early 1990s, Jean Marlowe has smoked marijuana. She's been arrested four times and spent time in federal prison. It's something she doesn't mind people knowing. Marlowe, executive director of the North Carolina Cannabis Patients Network, a licensed nonprofit organization based in Mill Spring, advocates for legislation to allow people to use marijuana for medical purposes. The organization's goal is to educate the public about medical marijuana legislation in North Carolina. Marlowe spoke about the issue Thursday at a Civitan Club of Salisbury meeting. Along with Marlowe, club members also heard from Perry Parks, the veterans outreach director for the Network. [continues 473 words]
BEAUFORT - Carteret County Sheriff Asa Buck said strict policies for documenting and tracking drug fund money have been in place since he took on the job nearly four years ago. "When I first came into office I implemented a policy to track and document every dollar spent in our drug fund," he said. Buck was elected sheriff in November 2006, moving from deputy to take on the post held for 20 years by former Sheriff Ralph Thomas Jr., who retired. Buck said he can't speak to how drug funds were administered before his administration but said that he saw a lack of documentation that needed to be corrected. [continues 432 words]
When a seizure strikes, Joshua Cook typically hits the ground. His hands clench spastically into fists. His torso contorts. His body shakes uncontrollably for several minutes. The condition first struck the 25-year-old National Guard veteran while he was serving in Iraq three years ago. After receiving a medical discharge, he was prescribed a slew of drugs that either made him sick, caused headaches or simply didn't prevent his convulsions. Then he tried a notorious herbal remedy that's more widely known as a recreational escape. [continues 1079 words]
Law enforcement agencies across Western North Carolina are hauling in loads of drugs this week. Pills, patches and liquid doses are coming in by the thousands. The difference between this and most large drug operations is this one doesn't involve informants, drawn weapons or jail time. The drug holders are coming willingly. Officers are sitting behind folding tables at police departments, pharmacies and grocery stores across the state this week collecting old or unneeded prescription and over-the-counter drugs from the community as part of Operation Medicine Drop. Agencies have already raked in tens of thousands of pills. An Asheville man who pleaded guilty Monday to supplying methadone that killed his friend is the latest example of a growing problem with prescription drug abuse that has had a disproportionate impact on the western part of the state. [continues 727 words]
RALEIGH -- A former Carteret County sheriff and a former deputy who served under him face federal charges alleging they stole federal funds intended for covert drug investigations. Ralph Thomas Jr., Christopher Cozart and unnamed co-conspirators are accused of illegally taking more than $5,000 and putting the drug funds to personal use, according to criminal information filed Monday in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina. The alleged thefts occurred on multiple occasions between about 1997 and October 2006 according to the charges. Thomas retired in 2006 after a 20-year career as sheriff. [continues 205 words]
Who knew that when North Carolina and Duplin County authorities cited members of country music legend Willie Nelson's band on marijuana and alcohol charges in January that it would turn into an uproar that began in Eastern North Carolina and has swept the state. Heck, there's even a song about it that's getting some notice in Tennessee. The matter has divided the rural farming community where Nelson was schedule to play. Some think that agents from the state Division of Alcohol Law Enforcement were just doing their jobs on Jan. 28, when they searched the band's bus outside the Duplin County Events Center in Kenansville, adding that the band members are not above the law. [continues 343 words]
Our children are challenged enough to master reading and writing, math and science in the classroom without the added anxiety of drug abuse, guns and weapons, and the threat of violence out in the school hallways and playgrounds. It's never good news when students carry loaded guns to school or bring in marijuana or physically assault their classmates or even their teachers. The latest report from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction shows that such incidents aren't everyday occurrences at school, with a statewide decrease in such acts from last year, along with a welcome decline in drop-out rates for most school systems. [continues 490 words]
To the editor: What's the problem with some of the members of Willie Nelson's band smoking a little marijuana and drinking bootleg whiskey? The problem is that it's against the law. When somebody gets caught breaking the law, they have to pay the price if they are found guilty. Just suppose that after Willie's show, the bus had been involved in an accident and someone had been injured or killed (your wife, father, child or friend). What would the reaction have been? [continues 162 words]
Legislator Says to "Leave the Man Alone" RALEIGH -- North Carolina's singing senator has recorded a song critical of the marijuana and alcohol charges filed against members of singer-songwriter Willie Nelson's band in January. "It just looks like a special effort was made to go on that bus and cite them with marijuana," said state Sen. Charlie Albertson, D-Duplin. The song, called "Leave the Man Alone," refers to the Jan. 28 citations issued to six members of Nelson's band on either possession of marijuana or possession of non-tax-paid alcohol. The band's bus was outside the Duplin County Events Center in Kenansville. [continues 549 words]
RALEIGH -- North Carolina's singing senator has recorded a song critical of the marijuana and alcohol citations filed against members of singer-songwriter Willie Nelson's band in January. "It just looks like a special effort was made to go on that bus and cite them with marijuana," said state Sen. Charlie Albertson, D-Duplin. The song, called "Leave the Man Alone," refers to the Jan. 28 citations issued to six members of Nelson's band on either possession of marijuana or possession of non-tax-paid alcohol. The band's bus was outside the Duplin County Events Center in Kenansville. [continues 547 words]
I'm very much in favor of making cannabis legal for medicinal purposes. It's obvious from all the information out today that it's time to do what's honest and right. The great lie has been exposed. I'm a disabled vet; I suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. I support House Bill 1380. Ralph D. Davis Rockingham [end]
As I search through articles on medicinal marijuana through the Star News, it has become abundantly clear that drug possession, and sales are making our headlines more than they should be. Multiple arrests for cocaine, mushrooms, and marijuana in the past 15 or so days show that this is an issue affecting us all, both in tax dollars, and in misinformation about what really happens in Wilmington. How many of the readers of the StarNews know that there are two methadone clinics here in Wilmington? ...Prescription medication abuse is through the roof. Families torn apart by abuse of opiates such as oxycotin ... It really vexes me that marijuana is classified in the same category as the harmful pharmaceutical substances, and even upsets me more so that it is not legal for medicinal use in North Carolina. From AIDS to pain relief, marijuana has been legalized in 14 other states in our nation. There is a bill (HB 1380) that the General Assembly should be voting on this summer. I am a firm supporter of this bill. I urge citizens to educate themselves on this bill and let (their state representatives) know they support it. The question should no longer be why legalize medicinal marijuana, but why not legalize it? Franklin Oldham, Wilmington [end]
Hobbled by a degenerative back disease and arthritis, there were days when Perry Parks was in near constant pain. He tried Vioxx, epidural steroids and other drugs, but he said nothing seemed to work. Then the Vietnam veteran from Rockingham turned to marijuana. "The results were overwhelming," says Parks, 67. "I now live almost pain free." Tonight Parks will share his story at a town hall meeting at UNC Charlotte hosted by state Rep. Nick Mackey of Mecklenburg County. "The evidence that it benefits patients is pretty much unrefuted," Mackey said Wednesday. [continues 391 words]
There have always been conflicts between the rights of schools and students' First Amendment rights. Beginning with the court case Tinker v. Des Moines, the Supreme Court decided that students don't lose their First Amendment rights simply by walking through their schoolhouse doors. Since that decision in 1969 though, many other court cases have occurred that seek to limit students' freedoms. New Jersey v. T.L.O set the precedent that students have less privacy in schools. The Board of Education of Independent School District No. 92 of Pottawatomie County v. Earls set the precedent that random drug testing of students involved in extracurricular activities does not violate the Fourth Amendment. [continues 491 words]
It's impossible to live in peace while we're under the influence of drug prohibition. There's too much money in the illegal sales, and too many organizations ready to use it to finance violent activities. We need to legalize cocaine, heroin, marijuana and meth in order to reclaim big chunks of the black market. Then we can ease prison overcrowding by releasing drug prohibition offenders, and redirect drug-war spending into rehab, recovery and reintegration programs. Chapel Hil [end]
The sentencing this week of a former Roseboro doctor for his role in selling prescribed drugs to patients who, medically speaking, didn't need them is disturbing on many levels. The most obvious, of course, is the fact that Perry Reese, a once licensed physician, used his profession as a backdrop for the sale of the prescription drugs Oxycontin and Percocet. He was little more than a street dealer plying his trade in an office that was little more than a haven for the illegal activity he was conducting. [continues 438 words]
Overall, the crime rate is falling, but North Carolina will need 8,500 more prison beds by the end of the decade, and the cost will be around $200 million. Per year. And that's for a prison that would be operating at capacity from day one. What does this tell us? It tells us, for one thing, that structured sentencing has succeeded - if you define "success" as sending more people to prison for longer terms, and don't mind the sticker price. [continues 349 words]
WE HAVE a prime opportunity during the next year or two to step back and take a look at whom we send to our state prisons and how long we require them to remain behind bars. North Carolina state government will partner with the Council of State Government's Justice Center to conduct a "justice reinvestment" study. The study is aimed at analyzing objective data surrounding our criminal justice system and looking at options for redirecting our money that could change the number of people sent to prison while at the same time reducing crime. [continues 367 words]
I sit here today totally disabled. You ask why? I have a disease called Transverse Myelitis. It has left me with numbness and tingling in both legs, an awkward gait and the inability to stand for any length of time without additional pain. I currently take more medications than I can afford on disability income. I do not qualify for Medicaid. After my last visit with my neurologist at Duke, he mentioned that "pot" had shown promise as a way of helping with pain, stiffness and muscle spasms in my legs. I have not tried it because currently in North Carolina it is illegal. I do not drink -- never have, never will because of all of the damage it has done to families over the years. [continues 105 words]
Regarding the Feb. 23 article "These are your grandparents, on drugs," the fact that most N&O readers are mature adults is irrelevant. How many kids in Wake County high schools had to come to history class with a current event from the newspaper, and saw the front-page "grandparent" hitting a marijuana smoke-filled bong? How many kids cut this picture out to show their classmates as their interest in experimenting with drugs has been ever-increasing? With all the anti-drug spots on TV, it would be nice to see a similar ad in the paper occasionally instead of giving kids ammunition against their parents to become users. Nicholas Solovieff Raleigh [end]
State Sen. Charlie Albertson says he can relate to country music legend Willie Nelson. Sen. Charlie Albertson -(D) Duplin A lifelong musician himself, the Duplin County Democrat spent 56 days on a tour bus in Germany in the late '70s and understands how "a bus is sort of like a home to a band," he said So he got upset after state alcohol officers raided Nelson's tour bus in Albertson's home county and cited band members for possession of marijuana and moonshine. [continues 356 words]
In March of 2008, when New Hanover County was considering the purchase of a helicopter for the sheriff's office, authorities said local taxpayers wouldn't foot the bill. At the time, former sheriff Sid Causey said the $683,050 helicopter would be paid for by federal grants and seized drug money. But now that Sheriff Ed McMahon is forwarding money the office received from forfeitures that occurred in local courts during the past few years, that promise appears to no longer hold true. [continues 345 words]
New Hanover County Schools will receive an additional $150,646 in forfeited money from the New Hanover County Sheriff's Office, officials say. The funds are seized money that authorities now suspect should have gone to the schools in the first place. Sheriff Ed McMahon's announcement on Tuesday means that in the past two months he has pulled $323,529.15 from his office's budget and given it to the schools. All the money was seized by sheriff's deputies in criminal investigations and then forfeited to the sheriff's office by way of court orders signed by local judges between the fall of 2005 early 2009. [continues 654 words]
Police, Business Owner Talk Controversial Product An herbal product sold in local head shops as incense apparently mimics the effects of marijuana when smoked. But unlike marijuana, it's legal and undetectable in drug tests. The incense contains a mixtures of herbs and spices along with a compound known as JWH-018, a synthetic cannabinoid first used in scientific research with properties similar to tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) -- the psychoactive substance in the cannabis plant. Serenity Now, a product sold online and at Smoker's Edge in Shelby and Lowell, has been identified as one of the products purported to give users a marijuana-like euphoria. Other products known as "K2," "Spice," "Genie" and "Zohai" are also said to contain JWH-018. [continues 892 words]
Top S.C. Cop Warns of New Threat From Traffickers Quietly Leaving Atlanta and Relocating in Carolinas. ROCK HILL - Mexican drug cartels are fleeing Atlanta and taking refuge in suburban and rural parts of South Carolina, the state's top cop told a Winthrop University audience on Thursday. Reggie Lloyd, director of the State Law Enforcement Division, returned to his alma mater with a warning about new threats from the drug trade. Pushed beyond Atlanta by heavy law enforcement, drug cartels are leaving the former East Coast drug capital and settling in places with lighter police presence, Lloyd said. They're quietly gaining footholds in neighboring Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina. [continues 328 words]
Inside North Carolina
