While watching the news the night after the election, I heard attorney John Morgan make a couple of outrageous statements about "old" people being the reason Amendment 2, to legalize medical marijuana, was defeated by voters. Just because someone is older than he is does not mean that person is stupid or uninformed. He stated that people older than 65 did not vote for Amendment 2 in general and those older than 75 do not know the difference between marijuana and cocaine. It is not a good idea to categorize people by sex, race, religion or age. As one of those "old" people, I am offended. He should be ashamed of his comments. Chris Cutler Melbourne Beach [end]
Congratulations to all who voted against Amendment 2, to legalize medical marijuana. You have succeeded in leaving this valuable and proven drug in the hands of criminals and organized crime. The article in Thursday's FLORIDA TODAY included a quote from one an opponent, who stated that if legalized, medical marijuana could lead to criminal activities by those who would take advantage of its availability. Could there possibly be anyone naive enough to believe people won't still get cannabis to relieve their suffering and pain? Prohibition of alcohol worked well, didn't it? [continues 292 words]
Lawmakers Have Failed to Keep Up With Evolving Public Attitudes Toward Crime and Punishment. In adopting Proposition 47 on Tuesday by a huge margin, Californians made a statement about the tough-on-crime policies of the last generation that increased prison costs and populations many times over while too often accelerating, rather than reversing, the descent of offenders and often whole communities into cycles of crime and victimization, incarceration and recidivism. Voters made a statement as well about the degree to which drug use and possession had resulted in unnecessarily long prison terms. They called for a new approach. [continues 608 words]
LA Canada High Asks That the District Resume the Practice, Halted in 2010. Officials are considering bringing back drug-sniffing dogs to La Canada High School, four years after they were removed amid concerns over students' rights. Supt. Wendy Sinnette said school administrators asked that the district resume the practice, halted in 2010, to prevent students from bringing marijuana and other drugs onto campus. The issue was discussed last week by board members of the La Canada Unified School District. The district revised its policy on canine searches to bring it more into compliance with students' 5th Amendment rights, but Sinnette said legal counsel recently suggested the language could be even more specific. [continues 411 words]
The New York Police Department, which has been arresting tens of thousands of people a year for low-level marijuana possession, is poised to stop making such arrests and to issue tickets instead, according to law enforcement officials. People found with small amounts of marijuana would be issued court summonses and be allowed to continue on their way without being handcuffed and taken to station houses for fingerprinting. The change would remake the way city police handle the most common drug offenses and represents Mayor Bill de Blasio's most significant effort since taking office to address the enduring effects of the department's stop-and-frisk practices. [continues 144 words]
E-Cig Company Sees Great Opportunity OKLAHOMA CITY - As more states approve the medicinal and recreational use of marijuana, an Oklahoma-based electronic cigarette retailer is looking to build a national franchise. Marijuana is illegal under federal drug laws. But voters in Oregon, Alaska and Washington, D.C., approved ballot measures Tuesday to legalize the recreational use of marijuana, joining Washington state and Colorado. And in more than a dozen other states, medical marijuana is available. The growing availability of legal pot opens the door for Tulsa-based Palm Beach Vapors to market a method for producing a cannabis oil product that can be inhaled through a common e-cigarette, according to CEO and co-founder Chip Paul. [continues 232 words]
Once largely relegated to Baltimore City, heroin use and its related adverse consequences are spreading to every part of the state, and an increasing number of Maryland's citizens are dying of heroin overdoses. This shift reflects national trends showing a 74 percent increase in heroin use from 2009 to 2012 and a doubling of heroin overdose rates in 28 states sampled by the Centers for Disease Control. After a sharp reduction in heroin overdose deaths from 2007 to 2010, Maryland heroin deaths have risen to mirror these increases, reaching 464 deaths in 2013. In Baltimore City, conversely, the number of heroin overdose deaths had declined from its peak in 1999 to a low of 76 in 2011 and has not risen as sharply as it has in other parts of the state. [continues 592 words]
Opponents of the language in Amendment 2 won a somewhat surprising victory by convincing enough voters that the medical marijuana measure contained lax provisions open to abuse. Early polls showed convincing passage at around 70 percent, far more than the 60 percent required to amend Florida's constitution. But with only 57 percent of the vote, the measure failed. Still, that should send a signal to the Legislature and governor that the majority of voters do indeed want the legalization of medicinal cannabis -- but with tighter restrictions that remove loopholes. [continues 263 words]
The failure of Amendment 2 has failed to snuff out the enthusiasm of those who wanted to be part of Florida's fledgling medical marijuana business. Entrepreneurs, investors, companies and others are looking at it as a temporary obstacle on a path toward the inevitable. Industry leaders also are hopeful. "Prospects for medical marijuana in Florida are strong, given that so many voted for it," said Taylor West, deputy director of The National Cannabis Industry Association. The 57 percent in favor "certainly sends a message to leadership in the state," she said. "It seems very likely that the next time it gets on the ballot, it will pass." [continues 890 words]
Dear Friend, I want to thank you. While Amendment 2 needed 60 percent to pass, a significant (and impossible to ignore) majority of voters supported medical marijuana in Florida - 58 percent. Amendment 2 received nearly 500,000 more votes than Rick Scott did, and over 883,000 more votes than the No campaign. The will of the voters is clear: and medical marijuana will be coming to Florida, one way or another. We will be in touch over the next week to let you know the next steps in this fight. [continues 121 words]
The New York Police Department, which has been arresting tens of thousands of people a year for low-level marijuana possession, is poised to stop making such arrests and to issue tickets instead, according to law enforcement officials. People found with small amounts of marijuana would be issued court summonses and be allowed to continue on their way without being handcuffed and taken to station houses for fingerprinting. The change would remake the way the police in New York City handle the most common drug offenses and would represent Mayor Bill de Blasio's most significant effort since taking office to address the enduring effects of the department's excessive stop-and-frisk practices. [continues 1113 words]