Pot Smoking Politician Defends His Use In Televised Speech

In this video from The Providence Journal at projo.com, Rhode Island house minority leader, Robert Watson, tells his side of the story concerning the DUI traffic stop that occurred on Tuesday in which he was found to be in possession of small amounts of marijuana and a wooden pipe.



Read the full in-depth article and get involved in the discussion at, "The Providence Journal" (projo.com)


Here we have a lawmaker exempting himself from the law because, wait for it... he's in the business of making laws. Being in such a compromising position, he wants us to believe that he had no recourse but to break the law, or else he may face the possibility of not being re-elected, thus losing his job.

Well, Mr Watson, this is the very predicament that millions of Americans have faced over the seventy years that our nation has waged a war against marijuana. The propaganda and prohibitionist programs born in Washington and enacted across the country, even the world, have lead to a state of such social phobias regarding cannabis that even patients fear the ramifications of rumors of their use of this effective medicine.

-PH

Legislators Pass New Restrictive Medical Marijuana Bill in Montana

From Forbes.com:

HELENA, Mont. -- Montana lawmakers passed a revised version of a medical marijuana overhaul bill Thursday after rejecting Gov. Brian Schweitzer's amendment to allow 25 patients per pot provider and to let those providers make a profit.
Legislators in both chambers agreed to the governor's changes increasing privacy rights for patients and procedural changes for accessing the drug. But after frenzied negotiation over the governor's amendments to increase pot access, legislators decided to leave mostly intact the strict regulations included in the bill they passed Wednesday.

In a letter to the Senate president, Schweitzer said he was disappointed with SB423 in its current form, saying the bill had unconstitutional provisions and that he feared the limited access in the overhaul would drive patients to the illegal market for marijuana.

Read the full article at 'Forbes.com'

Breaking News: Ongoing Raids at Medical Marijuana Businesses in Spokane, Washington

(3:27pm PDT)- Just moments ago Kevin Oliver called into the webcast of NORML SHOW LIVE with breaking news about ongoing raids at medical marijuana businesses in and around Spokane, Washington. 

Kevin Oliver of Washington NORML, Steph Sherer of Americans for Safe Access, and members of Cannabis Defense Coalition were conducting a meeting concerning “raid training” for medical marijuana dispensary owners and employees when they learned that raids were occurring at up to four locations.

Loading into four separate vehicles, those in attendance drove to the nearest location of the reported raids. When they arrived at THC Pharmacy, Kevin Oliver reported seeing one police cruiser, several officers wearing vests, a few media crew, and a score of onlookers.

Immediately upon arrival, Kevin asked a uniform police officer, “What’s going on here?” To which the officer replied, “I don’t know.”

Tune in to NORML SHOW LIVE at live.norml.org for breaking news and ongoing coverage of this event!


UPDATE: Locations being raided reported to include: THC Pharmacy, Club Compassion, Evergreen Medical Inc., Medical Herb Providers and Human Connection.
Click here to view a google map created by "Radical" Russ Belville to track the locations of these raids in Spokane.

Feds Send Warning to Colorado Lawmakers

The top federal prosecutor in Colorado sent a letter Tuesday to Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper and some other lawmakers. The letter states that the federal illegality of marijuana should be recognized as barring states from passing legislation authorizing and legitimizing medical marijuana businesses. Currently, a bill limiting marijuana dispensaries awaits Democratic Gov. Brian Schweitzer.

Find out more at 'Businessweek'
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Here we have another story where a push is being made to limit medical marijuana dispensaries in yet another state. These medical marijuana laws, in the states that have them, were passed largely by the people. The people of these communities recognized that we, as a free society, do not have the right to stand between patients and safe access to their medicine. Bills that seek to limit marijuana dispensaries also limit access to patients who are all too often unable to routinely drive long distances to retrieve their medication.

Montana Governor to Decide “Grow Your Own” Bill

A bill that will come before the Governor of Montana this week includes legislation that would allow qualified patients to grow their own marijuana at home. Senate Bill 423, now on its way to the governor’s desk, is an attempt to remove the storefronts and the profit from medical marijuana in Montana.

Read more on KFBB Local News

Indiana Woman, 53, Shot to Death Trying to Buy Marijuana

From Chicago Tribune:

GARY, Ind.- Gary police say a man fatally shot a woman who was making a marijuana purchase for him outside her home.

The sergeant says Coleman and the man sat in the car briefly but then began arguing. Pawlak says she got out of the car and started running when the man shot her.

More from 'Chicago Tribune'
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For patients trying to procure marijuana on the black market, this is their greatest fear. Why then would we disallow them the opportunity of getting their medicine from safe, regulated, law-abiding dispensaries rather than leaving them the only option of turning to the many unsavory, cut-throat dealers operating in the black market? -PH

Medical Marijuana gaining favor in Illinois

From Chicago Tribune:

SPRINGFIELD —— A stricter set of rules and a surprise political alliance are helping build momentum for a long-thwarted effort to legalize marijuana for medical purposes in Illinois. 

In Illinois, doses would be dispensed from a limited number of highly regulated not-for-profits, rather than drugstores. Penalties including potential prison time would discourage attempts to turn a medical prescription into dime bags on the street.

The 'Chicago Tribune' has more.
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If it does pass this time, the bill includes strict regulations which are intended to curb abuse of the program, limiting state legal protection to all but the most severely ill Illinoisans, leaving some in the state who currently use cannabis to abate the symptoms of less than terminal diseases out in the cold. Some progress is better than none at all, but... no one should be imprisoned for cannabis use. -PH

MARIJUANA FOUND ON ANTI-POT LAWMAKER DURING DUI STOP

GOP House minority leader, Robert Watson, who had previously garnered media attention for his statement that the state legislature's priorities are fine "if you're a gay man from Guatemala who gambles and smokes pot" was recently charged with DUI, possession of a controlled substance: marijuana, as well as paraphernalia charges for a small wooden pipe found during a sobriety checkpoint in East Haven, Conn.

While admitting that he was in possession of marijuana, he vehemently denies being impaired while operating his vehicle. His blood alcohol level was recorded at .05 on the breathalyzer, which is under the legal .08 limit.

Read more at 'The Week'