There's An Antidote for Heroin Overdose, and a Former Addict Is Among Those Working to Spread It Far and Wide Joshua Livernois woke up hazy, sick and splashed with Dr. Pepper in a hospital bed in Salinas, California. He couldn't piece together the events of the previous day or so, and he's still not even sure which year it was, probably 2005 or '06. He'd been using heroin off and on for about 10 years and almost daily for five. [continues 2388 words]
In a June 7 editorial, the Las Vegas Review-Journal claimed, "And no matter how much pot enthusiasts argue otherwise, marijuana is both addictive-one in 10 people who try pot will become hooked on it-and a gateway to more deadly drugs that kill more than 45,000 Americans a year." The gateway theory has been around for decades-long before any research on drugs had been done. Thus, it plainly originated as a product of supposition, not of science. One version of it in the early 20th century said that tobacco always leads to harder stuff. Con man Charles Towns, who ran "clinics" where alleged cures for drug addiction were offered, said, "It [tobacco use] always precedes alcoholism and drug addiction. I've never had a drug case or an alcoholic case (excepting a few women) that didn't have a history of excessive smoking." [continues 175 words]
I'll say this for the drug legalizers: They're persistent. Once again, for the third time in the past 10 years, the usual suspects are back in Nevada with an initiative petition to legalize "recreational" marijuana in the Silver State. We defeated them twice before on 60-40 votes and I hope we hand them another well-deserved setback in November. Led by the Washington, D.C.-based Marijuana Policy Project (MPP), and financed by people like left-wing radical George Soros, fast-talking potheads will try to convince Nevada voters recreational marijuana would be good for our state. Not satisfied with so-called "medical" marijuana, they want to push the legal drug boundaries even further. [continues 507 words]
The risk of developing lung cancer, according to the American Cancer Society, is 10 times higher in those who smoke anything. All forms of smoking, including smokeless tobacco, put the user at increased risk for cancer of any part of the oral cavity, from lip and tongue to mouth and throat. The American Medical Association in an updated report labeled marijuana "a dangerous drug." Tolerance in users develops rapidly and leads to escalating use. These facts should be taken into consideration before voting to legalize recreational use. Many physicians feel continued use can lead to psychological changes. Donna Andress Searchlight [end]
Veterans recently joined a tour of a local dispensary and testing lab to tell their stories of how medical marijuana has improved their lives since they left the military. The tour was hosted by the Las Vegas Medical Marijuana Association, which was formed to promote the medical marijuana industry in Nevada. The association recognizes the use of cannabis to treat veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder and other ailments. "Marijuana changed my whole life," said Cristina Alfonso-Zea, an Army veteran who uses medical marijuana to treat PTSD. "From the time I left the military, I attempted suicide every year." [continues 348 words]
Nevada Voters Should Turn Down Legal Pot At the same time Nevadans will help elect a president, they will also determine whether to legalize recreational marijuana And while it may seem like a no-brainer in a free-wheeling state known for legalized gambling and a lax approach to prostitution, recreational weed comes with health, safety and social costs that make legalizing marijuana a dangerous proposal for Nevadans. State ballot Question 2 in the November election would make it legal for people 21 and over to possess up to an ounce of marijuana for recreational use. A 15 percent tax would be applied to legal pot sales and revenues generated would be earmarked for education. [continues 435 words]
Police and prosecutors across the country have for years beaten back most serious efforts to reform civil forfeiture statutes, which allow law enforcement to seize property from people who have never been charged, let alone convicted, of any crime. But signs abound that justice and due process may eventually prevail. Civil forfeiture laws proliferated in the 1980s as part of the war on drugs and were intended to ensure that crime bosses didn't profit from their shadowy pursuits. But their aggressive application in many jurisdictions has also led to hundreds of high-profile abuses involving innocent people forced to surrender cash, homes, cars, jewelry and other valuables that the authorities merely suspected of being connected to a crime. [continues 333 words]
Kudos to letter writer Richard Shengulette for calling out the drug users who imperil innocent drivers on our highways (May 31 Review-Journal). Back in my day as a police officer, booze was the drug of choice and almost 50 percent of fatal traffic accidents were attributed to it. In this new age of the millennial, we can now add heroin, pharmaceuticals, cocaine, and of course, marijuana, to the list of causation factors. Mr. Shengulette ended his letter by stating that the public should know who the politicians are that promote the legalization of such drugs. I can give him the name of one politician whose name pops up constantly here in Las Vegas as a chief supporter for the legalization of marijuana movement: state Sen. Tick Segerblom. [continues 72 words]
Regarding the drug issue, let's cut through all the political correctness and revert to reality. For most of my adult years, I drove big rigs. Perhaps you are aware of a federal law stating that any driver can be drug tested at any time. I wonder how this would work for all the drug users. As soon as a company looking for quality employees at top wages mentions a drug screening test, half of the potential applicants spontaneously get up and leave. [continues 311 words]
Workers with the state of Nevada are using regulatory power to stop many cancer patients from getting medical marijuana, in an effort to curb pot tourists from California. By law, Nevada allows visitors from other states to use their home state's medical marijuana cards to buy medical weed at dispensaries. This is called "reciprocity." As much as half of Nevada dispensary business comes from reciprocity, especially from California, where doctors typically hand patients paperwork instead of making them go fetch state-issued ID cards. [continues 699 words]
Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Eugene Monroe missed most of the 2015 National Football League season after he tore a shoulder ligament against the Arizona Cardinals last October. After having the torn labrum surgically repaired in December, doctors prescribed Monroe the usual gamut of opioid painkillers like oxycodone to manage his pain. Pain is an accepted part of the profession for Monroe and other athletes. Before NFL games even start, players are shot up with the drug Toradol, which helps numb the body and relieve pain, he said. But Monroe said those numbing effects can be so strong that players often get seriously injured without knowing, sometimes not discovering the injury until days later. [continues 550 words]
Recently we received a letter to the editor in response to Brad Bynum's report "Licensed to ill" (cover story, April 28). The letter claimed, "California medical marijuana cards are only good in California as Nevada medical marijuana cards are only good in Nevada." Pam Graber, spokesperson for the Nevada program, reports in a prepared statement: "The following states have medical marijuana programs and issue medical marijuana cards: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, New Mexico, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington. The Medical Marijuana dispensaries of the State of Nevada are authorized to sell medical marijuana to card holders from the states above if the patient presents a state or local government-issued medical marijuana card." The Nevada card may not be recognized in some states. [end]
Editor: Nevada voters should brace against millions of dollars from out-of-state "Big Marijuana" interests supporting legalization of recreational pot on the November ballot. These corporate pot promoters will try to repeat what worked for them in legalizing marijuana in Colorado in 2012. There, they financially overwhelmed opponents by 5 to 1, spending $3.4 million (90 percent from outside Colorado) in passing legalization. The enormous financial advantage for pro-pot advertising in Colorado overcame opposition to legalization from most all public officials -- across the political spectrum from liberal Democrats, like Denver Mayor Hancock and Colorado Governor Hickenlooper, to Republicans, like Attorney General Suthers and Tea Party favorite Congressman Buck. [continues 70 words]
A Down and Dirty Guide to Getting a Medical Marijuana Card in Nevada It took me a grand total of about two hours and less than $70 to get my medical marijuana card. And then I was able to go to a dispensary, buy pot, and smoke it-fully compliant with Nevada law. The part of my brain that regularly corresponds with my inner teenager checked in with 15-year-old me, and, between spins of Nirvana's In Utero, the young dude confirmed he was stoked. [continues 2307 words]
Jim Hartman is mistaken (Legal Pot - Bad For Nevada, Apr. 2, 2016) regarding many aspects of legalized cannabis (marijuana) in Colorado. Claiming "alarming growth in underage marijuana use" is patently false as noted in the Denver Post (http://www.denverpost.com/marijuana/ci_29313651/after-two-years-debate-remains-over-marijuana-legalizations) reported by Larry Wolk, the head of Colorado's public health department who said, "There's really no statistically significant data yet to demonstrate that there is increased use among adults or teens." [continues 97 words]
Medical marijuana establishments authorized to cultivate or dispense marijuana products were authorized in 2013 by Senate Bill 374. They had to be in unincorporated areas. On Washoe County's website, look up the MME map and you will find almost every parcel in Old Washoe City has been so approved! We have several grow facilities and a proposed 6,500-square-foot grow and dispensary building. Why? Because we are centrally located, have a highway and lots of unused commercial zoning. [continues 92 words]
Out-of-state pot industry promoters are pouring millions of dollars into Nevada to legalize recreational marijuana in this state. To qualify for the ballot, these promoters raised nearly $800,000, with 60 percent from outside Nevada - given by pot industry corporate donors from California, Colorado, New Jersey, Illinois, Texas, Missouri, Massachusetts - and including $250,000 from the Washington D.C. pro pot lobby group, Marijuana Policy Project. Nevadans need to know what this initiative is NOT. This initiative is NOT a Nevada-based libertarian "live and let live" effort to permit limited "backyard marijuana grows." Instead, the initiative will require the Nevada Department of Taxation to be radically transformed into a massive bureaucracy and become the single most powerful agency in state government. [continues 433 words]
While Nevada looks to the prospect of legalizing recreational marijuana, the state is also gazing into a future that puts its teenage population at risk for higher drug use and high school dropout rates if what's happened in Colorado and Washington are any indication of what's destined to occur in the Silver State. According to statistics in those states, the legalization of recreational marijuana resulted in a significant increase in teen marijuana use - Colorado rose to 18.9 percent and Washington is at 17.5 percent. The 2013 Nevada Kids Count data indicate nearly one in five Nevada youth ages 12 to 25 already smokes marijuana one or more times a month. [continues 57 words]
This November, Nevada voters will not only help elect the next president and select our newest U.S. senator, we will also decide whether or not Nevada joins the small but growing ranks of states that have legalized recreational marijuana. I am not a gambling man, but would be willing to wager that Nevada voters will approve the Nevada Marijuana Legalization Initiative on the upcoming ballot. If approved, the measure would legalize one ounce or less of marijuana or cannabis for recreational use for people at least 21 years old. It would also levy a 15 percent excise tax on wholesale sales of marijuana and direct revenue generated from these taxes to support K-12 education. [continues 406 words]
Paiute Dispensary to Be Built on Tribal Land Near Downtown The Las Vegas Paiute Tribe is primed to open the state's first medical marijuana facility on Native American lands. Right next to Downtown Las Vegas. Tribal Chairman Benny Tso on Monday announced the tribe's plans to jump into the Southern Nevada medical marijuana industry full-bore this year. The tribe partnered with New Mexico-based medical marijuana company Ultra Health to build the facility. Ultra Health operates six other facilities in Arizona and New Mexico. [continues 674 words]
Sheriff Ken Furlong blamed a marijuana deal gone bad for a murder that occurred here last Monday morning. And that got me thinking about the "medical" pot shop that will open in Carson City later this year. It was going to open last year, but that didn't happen. In a recent Appeal column, Jim Clark pointed out since marijuana is still illegal under federal law, "no state credit union is going to open an account" for a pot dealer, and that's true for states that have already legalized recreational marijuana, like Colorado and Washington. [continues 500 words]
Re "Liberals should learn from pot regulation" (Let Freedom Ring, July 30, 2015): While I agree with Brendan Trainor's premise that government can screw up policy implementation, I choose to not agree that all government participation in economic strategic planning is bad. Yes, Nevada has had numerous missteps rolling out the medical marijuana dispensaries, but does that really mean that they can do nothing well? What is the alternative to some degree of government oversight, a free-for-all? Government's role is to establish the rules of the game so people and the environment are not ruined by endless greed. Do they get too heavy-handed on occasion? Of course. [continues 154 words]
Agency Should Get Own House in Order Public support for the legalization of marijuana is on the rise. According to a recent Gallup poll, 58 percent of Americans think it should be legalized. That's a 14 percent jump since Gallup polled Americans in 2009, and a 46 percent jump since Gallup first asked the question in 1969. Recreational marijuana use is now legal in four states, and close to two dozen states have provisions allowing the use of marijuana for medical purposes. [continues 396 words]
Re "Marijuana slows achievers" (Upfront, Dec. 3): There are too many variable factors to point toward different countries' educational statistics to rationally claim cannabis (marijuana) causes lower achievement, unless, truth be told, Washoe Assemblymember Pat Hickey is a Republican cannabis prohibitionist with an agenda. Further, using Colorado's example, once government is forced to regulate cannabis, adolescents have less opportunity to acquire the plant than when the black market regulates it. It's time to stop caging responsible adults who choose to use the extremely popular, relatively safe, God-given plant cannabis. Truthfully, Stan White Dillon, Co. [end]
Washoe Assemblymember Pat Hickey has come out against the marijuana legalization measure that will appear on next year's Nevada ballot. In a prepared statement, Hickey-former Assembly Republican floor leader-said he took that stance in the interest of U.S. productivity after returning from a trip to Vietnam "where I witnessed firsthand the incredible strides our former enemy has made in overtaking America's educational status in the world." Hickey took the position in his email newsletter. Quoting former Vanity Fair editor Tina Brown and California Gov. Jerry Brown, Hickey said pot and low achievement go hand in hand. [continues 82 words]
Well, it's almost over. My class at TMCC called "Welcome to Wonderland-The Golden Age of Psychedelia '65-'67," which wraps up on Wednesday the 18th. This is the second time I've conducted this nostalgic bus ride back to a time that was just a little more remarkable than most, and it leaves me with some unanswered questions. In the class, we re-live the lysergically enhanced music of that rich era (Beach Boys, Stones, Beatles, Dylan, Pink Floyd, etc.) that's now 50 years old. Fifty freakin' years! [continues 418 words]
Civil asset forfeiture (CAF) goes back to our Revolutionary period. Government licensed privateers who raided British merchant ships. Privateers were not pirates. Privateers were licensed by the state to attack and seize enemy assets. Pirates are non-state outlaws who band together to seize any assets they want. There is a lot to like in pirate culture, as any fan of Starz' series Black Sails will attest. But there is even more to like about privateers. Privateers had to follow strict rules that limited collateral damage. [continues 527 words]
Congress tried to end the Drug Enforcement Administration's war on medical marijuana last year. The DEA ignored the clear language of a new law in pursuit of a now-illegal agenda. Now a federal judge has called out the DEA for its unaccountable overreach. Will the DEA ignore a second branch of government to continue one of the country's great policy failures? As the nation's attitude toward marijuana has changed - first with acceptance of medical marijuana and then with the gradual decriminalization of recreational marijuana - the DEA's approach to pot hasn't shifted at all. It relentlessly prosecutes individuals and businesses engaging in commerce legal under state laws. [continues 289 words]
Re "Yes, in your backyard" (Editorial, Sept. 17): Interesting editorial on the marijuana dispensary on Mt. Rose Highway in your Sept. 17 issue, but you ignored a couple of facts. First, the proposed owner/developer moved it there because the original location was too close to his home in Saddlehorn, and he got threatened. Five hundred people there signed a petition to move it. Second, the owner/developer's lobbyist has told the legislature that this is a "nose under tent," and the intention is to sell recreational marijuana. Do the math; there aren't enough medical users per permit to even generate enough money to pay the property taxes. So it's not really medical marijuana establishment, it's a combination liquor store and vape parlor. [continues 189 words]
There was nothing new in your most recent editorial about the federal government's war on drugs ("DEA whitewash," Monday Review-Journal). The logic for legalization of recreational drugs has been common knowledge for many decades, yet the reasons for government resistance have never been forensically addressed. Law enforcement relies heavily upon informants, lots of government-laundered money and citizens who fear and respect the institution. The results of prohibition have been Whitey Bulgers, Drug Enforcement Administration parties and a rebellious population, all of which contribute to rotting the very soul of our once-great republic by undermining the national will. [continues 162 words]
Over-Regulation Only Helps Criminals The fundamental goal of drug decriminalization is to put criminals out of business. It's to bring billions and billions of dollars in black-market, back-room commerce into the sunshine. Prohibitionary policies have done nothing to reduce Americans' demand for currently illegal drugs, and they have cost taxpayers dearly through the militarization of police, crowded courts and the highest incarceration rate in the world. Imagine the results of an armistice in the war on drugs: more resources for community policing, less strain on the justice system and more tax dollars for essential government services. [continues 437 words]
Another Failure of the War on Drugs Each year, the United States spends more than $51 billion on the war on drugs - a war we're clearly losing. The war has become so futile that the federal agency charged with leading the fight has undermined its own mission - and no one is being held accountable. A Justice Department review found that, for years, DEA agents assigned to Colombia indulged in sex parties involving prostitutes supplied by drug cartels. The report found that local police often stood guard during the parties, keeping an eye on the agents' weapons and other belongings, and that three DEA supervisors involved in the parties accepted gifts of money, weapons and other items from the cartels. [continues 354 words]
You want to see how democracy is not supposed to work? Take a look at the hysteria that's going on down at the Washoe County Commission. A couple of hundred NIMBYs are concerned about a medical marijuana dispensary being placed in the Galena Lodge. Public commenters have chosen a scorched earth strategy, attacking and threatening individual commissioners, particularly Kitty Jung, despite the chairwoman's frequent admonishments to act like mannerly adults. They're advocating a "We're inside, close the door to development behind us." [continues 538 words]
Finally, there's a national plan more sophisticated than a soundbite. The gaping hole in the social safety net has allowed far too many Americans to descend into the nightmare of addiction. Nevada, in particular, has been hit hard by the tragedy of heroin addiction and overdose deaths, as a close reading of the obituaries in newspapers around the state reveals. It's no surprise that our last place finish in the number of behavioral health professionals and a severe lack of state funding for treatment has led to 87 percent of Nevadans with drug addiction receiving no treatment last year. Alcoholics fared even worse. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administation's "behavioral health barometer" for 2014, 95 percent of Nevadans who needed treatment for alcoholism didn't get it. [continues 522 words]
Re "A year of living soberly" (Feature story, July 2): This is a subject that is near and dear to my heart. It is a subject I find I must defend over and over in my good, sensible conscience. What is this fascination, nay, obsession, with the concept of addiction? When viewed in a light slightly more favorable, addiction becomes a corn-fed value I force feed myself in times of insecurity: "Up your focus. Focus on persistence. Persist and go further." Where is the line between culturally acceptable behavior and a lifestyle, which needs a stigma? [continues 310 words]
Clark County's first legal medical marijuana dispensary plans to open Monday after months of delays. Euphoria Wellness got final state and county approvals this week, a spokesman said Thursday. The news, a relief for patients and advocates, came more than two years after the Nevada Legislature voted to allow marijuana dispensaries. "It's pretty exciting," said state Sen. Tick Segerblom, who sponsored that bill. "It's one small step, but it's pretty amazing." For its first two days, Euphoria will sell only to invited customers who pre-registered. On Wednesday, it will open to anyone with a state-issued medical marijuana card. The dispensary is at 7780 S. Jones Blvd. in the southwestern Las Vegas Valley. [continues 387 words]
Why One Patient Gave Up Her State Card For more than a year, Sheila Gerstenzang has carried the card in her wallet: "Medical Marijuana Patient." But she's yet to purchase a single bit of marijuana. After a year of frustration and more than $200 out of her pocket, she gave up and let her card expire in May. Months of delays in opening the first legal Las Vegas-area dispensary have cost investors money and frustrated advocates. But the effect on patients has been the most cruel. [continues 1132 words]
Re "Liberals should learn from pot regulation" (Let Freedom Ring, July 30): While I agree with Brendan Trainor's premise that government can screw-up policy implementation, I choose to not agree that all government participation in economic strategic planning is bad. Yes, Nevada has had numerous missteps rolling out the medical marijuana dispensaries, but does that really mean that they can do nothing well? What is the alternative to some degree of government oversight, a free-for-all? Government's role is to establish the rules of the game so people and the environment are not ruined by endless greed. Do they get too heavy-handed on occasion? Of course. [continues 153 words]
Re "Liberals should learn from pot regulation" (Let Freedom Ring, July 30): Whether one supports or opposes medical marijuana establishments in Washoe County, everyone can agree on one issue. The current site dispensary selection procedure is totally devoid of any semblance of promised transparency. Our politicians certainly waxed poetic last November regarding the need for transparency and integrity in government. Would it surprise you to know that this legislation was specifically written to keep secret the identity of the dispensary owners? Tradespeople were required to sign non-disclosure agreements! Prominent dispensary owners only went public to help with public relations damage control when rumors started circulating. This is not governmental transparency in action. [continues 108 words]
Clark County government decided more than a year ago that it wanted medical marijuana dispensaries to operate in unincorporated areas. We know this because county commissioners last year passed an ordinance allowing the dispensaries, then spent weeks meeting with lobbyists and juiced insiders before awarding coveted licenses. And here we are in August 2015- almost 15 years after Nevada voters approved medical marijuana, more than two years after the Legislature finally authorized the retail sale of the drug to registered patients with a doctor's prescription- and no dispensaries are open in Southern Nevada. [continues 308 words]
The long-awaited grand opening of Nevada's first medical marijuana dispensary happened Friday morning in Sparks. More than three dozen people arrived early to wait in line outside the doors of Silver State Relief, snaking their way along the building and into the parking lot. They filled out forms as they waited, eager to purchase the first legal, commercially sold marijuana in the state. Nevada's first medical marijuana dispensary opens in Reno on July 31, 2015. Andy Barron "I'm way more emotional than I thought I would be," said Aron Swan, general manager of the dispensary. [continues 265 words]
In a recent interview with Yahoo News, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie - - also a presidential candidate - said he wants the justice system to "stop treating the victims of addiction as enemies in a war." He said that the war on drugs has been a failure, and that far too many nonviolent offenders are incarcerated. And we totally agree. The trouble is, Gov. Christie's logic ends there. Gov. Christie calls for treatment and not incarceration for nonviolent, addicted offenders, but also says that marijuana (which he calls a "gateway drug") and other drugs should remain illegal, and that if elected president, he would not allow states to decriminalize pot. While Sen. Marco Rubio agrees with Gov. Christie, many of the governor's GOP rivals, including Sens. Rand Paul and Ted Cruz, support letting states set their own polices. [continues 367 words]
I happened to tune into Sam Shad's interview with Sen. Tick Segerblom on the subject of marijuana, specifically medical marijuana, and why it has taken years to get to where we are today. Ironically, Nevadans voted in two elections to legalize and provide distribution centers to make medical marijuana available to those who may be helped by this herbal medication. I must admit, I was shocked, and perhaps even mildly amused to learn that distribution stores are ready to do business. Wow! About time-after two years! [continues 381 words]
A medical marijuana cardholder has filed a lawsuit alleging Nevada's patient registration system is unconstitutional. James Parsons' complaint says federal agents raided his house in 2010 after getting his name from a state patient database. He says provisions in the state's medical marijuana laws and the actions of state officials violate his Second and Fifth amendment rights and constitutional right to privacy. Parsons, whose lawsuit identifies him as a Clark County resident and former Marine, filed the case without an attorney Tuesday in Las Vegas Justice Court. He declined to answer questions Wednesday, saying he planned to have a press conference later. [continues 363 words]
Thanks for publishing Robert Sharpe's thoughtful letter: "Privacy, freedom at stake in drug war" (7-15-15). I'd like to add that many judges and prison wardens have said that 70 to 80 percent of all property crime and violent crime is "drug-related." Actually almost 100 percent of all so-called "drug-related crime" is caused by drug prohibition policies -- not drugs. When Coca-Cola contained cocaine instead of caffeine and sold for 5 cents a bottle, the term "drug-related crime" didn't exist. Neither did drug lords, drug cartels or even drug dealers as we know them today. [continues 110 words]
Editor: Regarding your July 10 editorial on civil asset forfeiture, vague allegations of drug trafficking don't justify turning protectors of the peace into financial predators. The drug war threatens the integrity of a country founded on the concept of limited government. Warrantless government surveillance, drug-sniffing dogs in schools and random drug testing have led to a loss of civil liberties, while failing at preventing drug use. The drug war is largely a war on marijuana consumers. Based on findings that criminal records are inappropriate as health interventions and ineffective as deterrents, a majority of European Union countries have decriminalized marijuana. Despite marijuana prohibition and perhaps because of forbidden fruit appeal, lifetime use of marijuana is higher in the U.S. than any European country. [continues 82 words]
A recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling should be the final nail in the coffin for the type of drug-interdiction cash seizures that have generated so much bad publicity in Northern Nevada. Nobody likes to see the bad guys get away, but even more important is Americans' constitutional right to protection from unreasonable searches and seizures. An Elko County case involving more than $167,000 taken from a Delaware RV during a traffic stop was held up in federal court earlier this year pending a ruling in Rodriguez v. United States. In April, the Supreme Court ruled that law enforcement cannot prolong traffic stops to wait for drug-sniffing dogs to arrive and inspect vehicles when there is no probable cause to do so. Justices said police cannot detain drivers after issuing them a ticket, even if a driver appears "nervous." [continues 431 words]
LAS VEGAS (AP) - The top federal prosecutor in Nevada wants to appeal an order to return $167,000 seized from a Hawaii man who was stopped twice on I-80 near Elko but never charged with a crime. U.S. Attorney Daniel Bogden said in a statement this week that his office has asked the solicitor general for authority to challenge U.S. District Judge Larry Hicks' June 12 ruling. The $167,000 was confiscated from Straughn Gorman in January 2013, but the case could cost the government more than $300,000 because the judge also put the government on the hook to pay attorney fees and costs that Gorman's attorney, Vincent Savarese, said total at least $142,000. [continues 205 words]
I am writing in response to "Pot dispensary will not ruin your neighborhood" [Letters, June 17]. Clearly the author of that letter does not understand the concerns of the community residing in the area of Mt. Rose Highway and Thomas Creek Road. We are opposed to a marijuana dispensary in that specific location. The proposed location is less than 1 mile from Galena High School and Hunsberger Elementary School. No community impact study was done to inform parents and homeowners that live in the neighborhood of the proposed facility. We were not given any notice of the marijuana dispensary being considered for this location before the license was granted. [continues 90 words]
A federal judge recently sentenced a 31-year-old man with no criminal record to life in prison for running a website. Russ Ulbricht ran the Silk Road on the dark net. Many don't know that Google-style search engines only sweep 30 percent of the internet. The other 70 percent is accessible on The Onion Router (TOR) through a freely downloadable browser. The dark web is perfectly legal, used for legitimate research purposes. The dark web is anonymous, as the digital packets are rerouted over and over through servers in multiple nations. [continues 501 words]
Inside Nevada
