Wednesday, March 31, 2004

Affidavit for a Search Warrant The Smoking Gun has the actual affidavit for the warrant to search the Dagy family residence based on their electrical usage (see my earlier story). It's an amusing read, particularly when you already know how wrong they were. [Thanks to Patrick] 8:47:14 PM |  drug policy | Links | permalink | comment []

You have the right to remain... dead Michael Newby, a 19-year-old black teenager, was fatally shot 3 times in the back by a white officer. A grand jury has indicted the officer, McKenzie Mattingly, on murder and wanton endangerment charges. Now, three months after the shooting, Louisville police have charged the dead teenager with drug and weapons offences. Now I don't know all the facts in this case (and some we won't know), but their claim that it was only to meet federal regulations seems a bit strange. I wonder if they went to his grave and read him his rights. [Thanks to Jeff Sanderson for the tip.] 7:05:22 PM |  drug policy | Links | permalink | comment []

The Federal Medical Marijuana program With all the demonization of medical marijuana by the federal government, it's important to remember now and then that the feds have been growing marijuana, rolling and packaging marijuana cigarettes, and supplying canisters of this medical marijuana to patients since the mid-1970s. It was part of the "compassionate use" program. Unfortunately it's been discontinued so that no new patients are accepted, but they continue supplying the original handful until they die (something the feds likely hope happens soon). Nikkie at Vice Squad has the info on one of these patients who won the right to fly on airlines with his marijuana. The NIDA website contains some interesting information about the issues related to their growing methods at the University of Mississippi. Of course, just like in Canada, the feds have not shown an ability to grow or roll very good pot - even for medical purposes. Additionally, the government has a monopoly on marijuana for research purposes. If you want to do a study on marijuana, not only do you have to go through years of jumping through hoops and a horrific approval process (one that's much easier if you're a drug company or someone trying to find negative effects of marijuana), but you have to use the crap they grow at the University of Mississippi (forget using a high-quality, high-potency marijuana that might deliver better results with less smoking. 1:02:09 AM |  drug policy | Links | permalink | comment []