Washington, D.C. - Rep. Sam Farr, D-Carmel, plans on introducing a bipartisan, bicameral bill this week that would make it easier for researchers to study marijuana. "This bill is about helping people," Farr said in a press release. "As more states pass their own medical marijuana laws, it's time for Congress to reexamine federal policy. This bill does just that by supporting research so policy decisions about the role of medical marijuana are based on science and facts instead of rhetoric." [continues 395 words]
BOULDER CREEK - In the wake of raids of marijuana grows in the San Lorenzo Valley by Santa Cruz County's Marijuana Compliance Team, members of the cannabis community are questioning the validity of the actions. After members of the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office Marijuana Compliance Team served 15 search warrants in Boulder Creek on Thursday, growers whose plants were taken complained to advocates the raids weren't done properly. D'Angelo "Cricket" Roberto, a board member of Responsible Cultivation Santa Cruz, received several calls where growers said that officers did not tell some growers what ordinance was violated and did not identify specific parcels for individual warrants. [continues 370 words]
In New York City last month, a 14-year-old died when he jumped from a six-story roof to avoid being caught by the police. His crime? He and some friends were smoking pot. This was a tragic and needless death. Of course no one thinks smoking pot a good or healthy activity for a teenager, but it happens. And it's certainly not something someone should die from. But draconian drug laws turn children in to criminals. That's why I am completely baffled by the Santa Cruz County supervisors' decision to "re-criminalize" pot cultivation. Santa Cruz, which prides itself on its liberal image, has taken the most reactionary position on marijuana at a time when most of the rest of the country is recognizing that legalization, quality control, taxation and management is a far wiser and financially lucrative tactic. Colorado sold $5 million worth of marijuana products the first week it became legal. Believe me, Mr. McPherson, they are not going to stop selling it. The marijuana industry, right now, is the fastest growing industry in this country and Santa Cruz supervisors are choosing to opt out. [continues 218 words]
When even the organization representing local cannabis dispensary operators and marijuana growers supports a tax on pot sales, you'd think opposition to the city and county measures calling for the levy would be a pipe dream. Well, it's still a tax, and medical marijuana patients have voiced their displeasure about the 7 percent levy on dispensary receipts. We wonder if the anti-tax contingent also will vote against the measures, regardless of how people feel about medical marijuana. But it's not unfair to tax pot sales - mainly because the county and city need to find the money to enforce medical marijuana regulations. That's why we're recommending a yes vote on both Measure K in the unincorporated area of Santa Cruz County and Measure L in the city of Santa Cruz. The tax measures require a simple majority vote. [continues 420 words]
Medical marijuana - is this an industry that needs oversight, or what? The Legislature has not regulated pot dispensaries since Californians passed Proposition 215 in 1996, in part because police chiefs and the League of Cities have opposed legitimizing them. Now that has changed, and no wonder. It's crazy out there. Regulating city by city, or country by county, hasn't been good for dispensaries or their neighbors - or for law enforcement. State Sen. Lou Correa is sponsoring a bill, SB 1262, but it is still a work in progress. The Legislature should make it a priority to get regulations on the governor's desk this year. [continues 311 words]
WASHINGTON -- Complaints of a "wink-wink" headache and the $40 prescriptions that qualify thousands for marijuana in California won't work in the newly opened medicinal marijuana dispensaries in the nation's capital. In July, Washington joined a budding number of states to allow medical marijuana to be sold legally. But with the Justice Department and Drug Enforcement Agency calling D.C. home, the district's medical marijuana program varies quite a bit from its California counterpart. In Washington, the dispensaries actually look like medical offices. [continues 896 words]
SANTA CRUZ -- While formalizing new medical marijuana dispensary rules long in development, the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday signaled a quick pivot to another pressing issue: how those shops get their pot. To go into effect shortly after the new year, new dispensary rules impact the approximately dozen shops in the county's unincorporated area. They set limits on hours and location, require background checks for management and eventually ban any new clubs from opening. But a new controversy over growing medical pot has sparked debate on the board and within the county's vibrant marijuana industry. While strict rules are coming on growing pot in dense neighborhoods, the board largely rejected limits the industry viewed as draconian. [continues 503 words]
SANTA CRUZ -- A divided Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a suite of new medical pot rules, adding the county's name to a small roster of California governments to effectively sanction a gray area of green commerce. The 3-2 vote puts into place new restrictions on the operations, location and staff of the approximately dozen dispensaries in unincorporated areas of the county, an effort to encourage good business practices in an industry still viewed as illegal by federal law. Eventually, the new rules will ban any new clubs. [continues 615 words]
Regarding your Oct. 20 editorial, no further research is needed. The results are already in. If the goal of marijuana prohibition is to subsidize violent drug cartels, prohibition is a success. The drug war distorts supply and demand dynamics so that big money grows on little trees. If the goal is to deter use, marijuana prohibition is a failure. The United States has double the rate of marijuana use as the Netherlands, where marijuana is legal. The criminalization of Americans who prefer marijuana to martinis has no basis in science. The war on marijuana consumers is a failed cultural inquisition, not an evidence-based public health campaign. It's time to stop the pointless arrests and instead tax legal marijuana. Robert Sharpe, Common Sense for Drug Policy [end]
There are certain issues where the tide of public opinion inexorably turns the level of discourse. That's what's happening with marijuana, where only a few years ago California voters turned down a ballot measure legalizing personal use of the drug. But that was so 2010. By this past November, voters in Washington and Colorado had voted to legalize pot. The ballot measures benefited from a long list of leaders who argue that continuing criminalization of personal use was a huge waste of resources -- and that officially regulating marijuana would bring in needed tax dollars. [continues 570 words]
SANTA CRUZ -- Three butane hash oil explosions in 10 days in Santa Cruz and Monterey counties have prompted police to warn of a dangerous trend that has been echoed nationally. Santa Cruz police believe the recent blasts are linked to a fall marijuana harvest on the Central Coast and attempts to preserve concentrated pot for later use. In Wednesday afternoon's blast on Walk Circle, a 29-year-old man was burned on roughly 40 percent of his body, said Santa Cruz Deputy Police Chief Steve Clark. The man remained in critical condition at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center on Thursday, authorities said. [continues 488 words]
The California Supreme Court has brought some clarity sense into the debate over medical marijuana -- but it's only a step forward in what remains a vexing issue for local cities and counties. In ruling Monday that local governments have the authority to ban pot dispensaries from operating within their jurisdictions, the court correctly interpreted the state constitution. Here's what Justice Marvin Baxter wrote: "The California Constitution recognizes the authority of cities and counties to make and enforce, within their borders all local, police, sanitary and other ordinances and regulations not in conflict with general laws." [continues 436 words]
The voters of Colorado and Washington state have made it clear the federal government can no longer get away with confusing the drug war's collateral damage with a comparatively harmless plant. If the goal of marijuana prohibition is to subsidize violent drug cartels, prohibition is a success. The drug war distorts supply and demand dynamics so that big money grows on little trees. If the goal of marijuana prohibition is to deter use, prohibition is a failure. The United States has double the rate of marijuana use as the Netherlands, where marijuana is legal. The criminalization of Americans who prefer marijuana to martinis has no basis in science. The war on marijuana consumers is a failed cultural inquisition, not an evidence-based public health campaign. Robert Sharpe, Arlington, Va. [end]
Although your editorial points out that legal marijuana presents its own problems, it should be pointed out that marijuana was entirely legal for most of this country's history without significant problems. Continuing marijuana prohibition significantly inhibits important medical research. A.Leff, M.D., VP, Amercan Academy Cannabinoid Med, Boulder Creek [end]
If we didn't know better, we'd think the biggest topic of 2012 had gone up in smoke. Just consider the headlines in the Sentinel last week: "Indoor pot bust called county's largest." "Local CHP warns about smoking and driving." And then there was the latest crime report item regarding an armed robbery of a local medical marijuana dispensary, pointing out once again the legal morass medical marijuana has become in California. And, perhaps most significantly, this from the state of Washington: [continues 609 words]
DAVENPORT - On Sept. 5, 2002, the country was debating whether to invade Iraq to rid the country of weapons of mass destruction, just as it was bracing for the first anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. Stocks were still down, but the Oakland A's had just notched their record 20th straight win. Early that morning, 30 federal Drug Enforcement Agency-led law enforcement officers stormed the Wo/Men's Medical Marijuana Alliance, a high-profile collective with a small pot farm outside Davenport, chopping down plants and setting off a furor with lasting impacts on the statewide medical marijuana debate that endures today. [continues 1425 words]
SANTA CRUZ - The state Supreme Court backed off ruling on a closely watched medical marijuana case Wednesday, saying the case was now moot. The move could clear the way for lifting a county moratorium on new pot clubs, after the case led the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors to suspend local dispensary rules. That left local providers in limbo amid a broad federal crackdown and a growing number of California governments banning pot clubs altogether. "It's terrific news," said Ben Rice, a local attorney who represents several local dispensaries. "Everybody's real hopeful that the county's going to engage all these folks again in regulating medical marijuana in the county." [continues 531 words]
Rep. Sam Farr wants to tie the federal government's hands when it comes to medical marijuana dispensaries, joining an effort to cut off funding for a burgeoning statewide crackdown. Farr, D-Carmel, Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Huntington Beach, and Rep. Maurice Hinchey, D-N.Y., are spearheading a bipartisan effort that should hit the floor of the House of Representatives today. During debate on a bill that funds the Department of Justice, the trio are expected to introduce an amendment barring the use of funds to prevent states from implementing medical pot laws. [continues 490 words]
SANTA CRUZ - One of the most significant threats to the state's medical marijuana industry since voters approved Proposition 215 in 1996 is going before the state's highest court, with the future of medical marijuana dispensaries at stake. The seven justices will decide whether pot shop regulations violate federal law, agreeing Wednesday to review a lower court decision that not only said they did, but suggested local officials could be jailed for issuing them. The October decision put the brakes on a burgeoning statewide effort to regulate storefront pot shops, including in Santa Cruz County, and has roiled the medical marijuana industry. [continues 511 words]
The rest of the nation appears to be catching up to Santa Cruz County in one unfortunate aspect: marijuana use among teens. According to a new government report released this week, one in 15 high school students in the U.S. smokes pot on a near-daily basis. Near daily. Not only is that a startling figure, it also reflects what appears to be the highest use since the druggy 1970s, and goes against other substance abuse trends showing use of alcohol, cocaine and even cigarettes declining in the same population. [continues 479 words]
Mexican drug cartels are no doubt thrilled with the Obama administration's crackdown on voter-approved medical marijuana dispensaries. So much for change and 2008 campaign promises to respect states' rights. So much for jobs. The medical marijuana industry is one of the few job creators in the current down economy. If Obama succeeds in destroying the domestic medical marijuana industry, international drug cartels will move in to meet demand and reap the profits. This is basic economics. As long as there is a demand for marijuana, there will be a supply. Replacing domestic growers with organized crime groups that also sell cocaine, meth and heroin is not necessarily a good thing. Marijuana prohibition is a gateway drug policy. Robert Sharpe, policy analyst, Common Sense for Drug Policy [end]
Santa Cruz just became the latest county to announce it would "end" the Proposition 36 treatment-instead-of-incarceration program for low-level drug offenses because of a lack of funding. This terminology is confusing and misleading -- even for those who should know better. Proposition 36, the Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act, was approved by 61 percent of California voters in 2000 -- and it can only be undone by the voters. That is, it doesn't "end" simply because the state and county aren't funding alcohol and drug treatment. [continues 537 words]
SANTA CRUZ -- New research suggests that the drug Ecstasy -- used on its own -- does not have residual effects on brain performance, according to a study published this week in the journal Addiction. The Santa Cruz-based Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies contributed $15,000 for an initial 2004 study on Ecstasy use. That work led to a $1.8 million grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse that was spearheaded by John Halpern of Harvard Medical School. The Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies has been conducting research on potential use of Ecstasy to treat post-traumatic stress disorder, and researchers said the new study likely would prompt more research and understanding of the drug. [continues 775 words]
The county Board of Supervisors should heed recommendations by the county Planning Commission regulating medical marijuana dispensaries. If anything, supervisors could strengthen some of the principles adopted by the commission -- but regulations are needed and soon. The board may not take up Wednesday's recommendations until late March, and it's possible new medical pot dispensaries may bud before then. At least seven medical marijuana collectives are known to county officials. The county, unfortunately, has been somewhat helpless to deal with dispensaries, which have been a proliferating problem in many cities and counties throughout California. Cities as different as San Jose and Los Angeles have found they had to enact limits as more and more dispensaries sprung up. [continues 303 words]
SOQUEL -- Nancy Black, called Granny Purps just like the pot dispensary she owns on 41st Avenue, is known for her palate-pleasing recipes for brownies, cookies and other treats containing medicinal marijuana. This holiday season, however, Black and co-owner Phil Hicks demonstrated that their recipe book also includes the secret ingredient to bringing in outsized donations for the Second Harvest Food Bank holiday food drive: a complimentary joint. For every four cans of food they donated to Second Harvest, patients received one pre-rolled marijuana joint, with a maximum of three per day. [continues 534 words]
Shame on all those who condemn victims of accidents before there is any proof of intoxication. Shame on those who make premature statements about the possible use of marijuana for causing the Oct. 22 fatal accident on Highway 1 that took the life of not only the young mother, but the driver of the other car. California Highway Patrol officers said at the scene that Stephen Sibley, whose car crossed over into oncoming traffic, was suspected of using marijuana before the accident. [continues 357 words]
The purpose of this letter is to provide education about what happens when you visit a medical marijuana dispensary or collective. I have visited the two major collectives in Santa Cruz, as well as the establishments mentioned in Tuesday's front page article. FACT: I have never seen any discarded containers of any kind littering parking lots or common areas of these establishments. Most of these establishments are cleaner and have better security than most retail businesses. FACT: At every visit, in every dispensary, I have left with all packages stapled closed with specific instructions/reminders that I am not allowed to consume any medicines in any public areas of the establishment. FACT: At every visit, I am reminded to be respectful of the neighborhood that the business is in. My experience with these businesses has shown that they are conscientiously monitoring their establishments to ensure harmony with their neighbors and in their neighborhoods. And lastly, medical marijuana consumers come from all walks of life and all backgrounds: I am a middle-aged professional woman who has successfully utilized medical marijuana for the past two years. Yes, I'm a typical stoner and proud of it. If you have never been, I encourage you to visit a collective and see firsthand how they operate. Lois A. Roth, Felton [end]
Soquel Preschool Is Next Door to Store That Specializes in Ice Cream-Laced Pot SOQUEL - Cathy LaTorre, who runs a preschool just off Paul Sweet Road, was shocked this summer when she discovered that the business opening next door to her was a medical marijuana dispensary. "I saw it in the newspaper, and then a parent came in and said what are you going to do about this," said LaTorre, whose school and toddler care program serves 128 families, some of whom are concerned their kid might be exposed to the drug. "Parents want to go to work knowing their child is in a safe place. They don't want to worry about medical marijuana." [continues 706 words]
SANTA CRUZ -- In response to the uptick in medical marijuana dispensaries, county leaders have drafted a long promised ordinance that will require shops that sell the drug to get permits and follow strict rules to ensure safe and equitable distribution. The proposed regulation, which will be considered by the county Board of Supervisors next week, even includes a goodwill clause that requires dispensaries to provide marijuana to the sick even if they don't have the money to pay for it. [continues 775 words]
BOULDER CREEK -- It's no surprise that Santa Cruz County is home to a multimillion-dollar marijuana trade. From pot farms high in the Santa Cruz Mountains to dispensaries in many towns, the flourishing but subtle marijuana economy is the livelihood of hundreds, if not thousands, making it at least as viable as the region's pre-eminent strawberry business. Tuesday, California voters will decide whether to legalize marijuana, not just for the sick but for recreational users, ushering in a whole new audience for the long-established industry. In spite of the anticipated spike in demand, however, the prospect of legalization has put many local growers and retailers, comfortable with the current ambiguities of the marketplace, on edge about what might come. [continues 986 words]
A strong argument can be made that marijuana use should be legal. After all, penalties have been drastically softened in recent years. Equally compelling is the argument that prohibiting marijuana creates disrespect for the law, since so many people openly flout the ban. Prohibition didn't work with alcohol, legalization supporters say, and it hasn't worked with marijuana. Keeping it illegal just deprives local communities of tax revenue from sales and puts money in the pockets of gangsters and cartels. [continues 445 words]
SANTA CRUZ - The sale of medical marijuana is - technically - illegal in Santa Cruz County's unincorporated communities. The drug is banned by federal law, and county building codes don't permit dispensaries. But since passage of the voter-approved California Compassionate Use Act and more recently the Obama administration's decision not to crack down on medicinal pot use, marijuana ventures have increasingly emerged across Santa Cruz. Nearly a half dozen dispensaries, from Soquel to Boulder Creek, sell to the public and many other businesses operate discretely in homes and garages. [continues 512 words]
SANTA CRUZ -- Jon Castaline, a middle-aged disabled handyman, was looking for a place to store his tools and his medicinal marijuana plants. The rental units Jill Escher oversees on Beach Hill were perfect. While the one-car garage below a motel-turned-apartment complex didn't have electricity or water, Castaline was allowed to install one power outlet so he could put up a light and do his handyman work in the storage area. For $145 a month, it was hard to beat. [continues 782 words]
SANTA CRUZ -- A new synthetic marijuana and the resurgence in popularity of a hallucinogenic drug have police and community leaders worried because both substances are legal and for sale in the Santa Cruz area. "I don't know enough about this stuff," Watsonville Police Chief Manny Solano said. "That's what concerns me." "Spice" is a relatively new herbal and chemical product that produces similar effects as marijuana. It does not show up on drug tests and is not regulated. Area smoking shops started carrying the substance about six months ago and Spice started gaining in popularity this summer. [continues 661 words]
Californians have a chance to make history in November when they vote on Proposition 19, which would legalize marijuana for adults over 21. Polls collectively show voters split but leaning toward this momentous stand against failed marijuana prohibition. Ten weeks from Election Day, it's clear how much Prop. 19 has already accomplished for the drug policy reform movement. Prop. 19 is arguably the highest profile voter initiative in the nation and has unleashed a torrent of global interest. The initiative has generated thousands of international stories, explicitly discussing this alternative to our disastrous policies. In particular, Prop. 19 has radically accelerated the public's understanding of the relative harms of marijuana, tobacco and alcohol, validating the widespread suspicion that a fundamental hypocrisy lies at the heart of the outright ban on marijuana -- as evidenced by the endorsement of former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Joycelyn Elders. [continues 426 words]
We, the patients, board members, owners and providers of the Boulder Creek Collective, wish to extend a heartfelt thanks to Sentinel reporter Kurtis Alexander for his interest in this news worthy event of our times. His article, titled "Rise of pot dispensaries in Santa Cruz County may prompt new regulation" in the July 27 edition of the Santa Cruz Sentinel highlights the disparity between Prop .215, Senate Bill 420 and the state's preparedness for medical marijuana as an actuality. We further wish to extend our thanks to the supervisors of the county of Santa Cruz, for allowing the Boulder Creek Collective to operate and care for its members. While many counties are installing arbitrary and unrealistic rules in regards to cannabis collectives, we are grateful for the opportunity to develop unfettered by untested regulation. Ultimately, the county will find it necessary to regulate the industry. In the meantime, we are free to develop a safe and effective collective model. We recognize this opportunity as a privilege and we hope to honor it appropriately. [continues 380 words]
The bad news is Santa Cruz County government appears to have its own medical marijuana pot shop problem. The good news is the county won't have to look too far to find a solution -- the city of Santa Cruz has already figured out how to deal with the unregulated proliferation of storefront operations selling marijuana. Last week, the Sentinel reported that a Soquel entrepreneur, Chris Morganelli, has applied for a use permit from the county, to set up a legal medical marijuana dispensary. [continues 449 words]
SOQUEL -- Chris Morganelli makes marijuana deliveries to sick people from a small office in Soquel. Business has been brisk, he says, and he's looking to expand his venture, the Capitola Healing Association, to a storefront nearby. But that hasn't been easy. Morganelli tried Tuesday to get a use permit from the county to open a new shop, something his prospective landlord requires before renting to him. But he was denied an application because pot dispensaries aren't technically allowed in the county's unincorporated areas -- even though several are in operation and officials have done nothing to stop them. [continues 466 words]
SANTA CRUZ - After the last several WAMMFests encountered challenges, organizers of Santa Cruz's annual medical marijuana awareness event appear to be in for an easier time getting the city's nod of approval. Today, the City Council will consider lifting a smoking ban at San Lorenzo Park for five hours Sept. 25 to allow authorized pot users to medicate inside open-air tents designed to create privacy. The item is on the council's consent agenda, indicating that it may not be as controversial as in years past. [continues 556 words]
SANTA CRUZ - The two medical marijuana shops in town could be allowed to stay open more than some standard pharmacies. The city Planning Commission voted 4-3 on Thursday in favor of amending the zoning ordinance related to medical marijuana dispensaries to expand operating days to include Sunday, which would permit the drug to be sold 12 hours a day, seven days a week. Commissioners Scott Daly, Rod Quartararo and Mari Tustin voted against the proposed 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday operations. [continues 246 words]
April 20 4/20 has long been associated with marijuana, both marijuana use and marijuana activism. Thousands of Americans will gather on that day at rallies in Boston, Boulder, New York, Santa Cruz, Seattle and other cities. For people who prefer to relax with a joint instead of a beer or martini, it's a time to celebrate. For those who don't use marijuana, it's a time to stand up in support of their friends, family and fellow citizens who face arrest for nothing more than what they put into their bodies. [continues 544 words]
Voters in November will get the chance to legalize marijuana in California, and we expect one of the arguments in opposition will be what's happening in the quasi-legal arena of medical pot. Backers announced Wednesday they had submitted the signatures of nearly 700,000 registered voters, far more than the 433,971 valid signatures needed to qualify the measure for the ballot. The initiative calls for allowing Californians 21 and older to grow and possess up to an ounce of marijuana under state law. [continues 430 words]
Government by initiative seems to be riding high in California. But, what's new about that? With the Legislature prone to partisan gridlock, the initiative process continues to take up the slack. Upcoming will be a host of measures that will once again propose government reforms and budgeting by ballot box. Then there are social initiatives. Last election, it was gay marriage being narrowly turned down by voters. Come November, California voters probably will be deciding whether to legalize marijuana. Never mind that pot use remains a federal crime. In California, for all intents and many purposes, marijuana already is quasi-legal. [continues 332 words]
On balance, the Obama administration did the right thing in living up to a pledge to end the crackdown on the medical use of marijuana. We say "on balance," because the potential for going beyond this -- de facto legalization of pot -- remains a concern and very much unresolved. Of course, in many areas of California including Santa Cruz, personal use of marijuana is already tolerated. We have strong doubts that the "war on drugs" can be won. One major problem is the selective enforcement of laws, since a rapidly declining minority of Americans believe someone smoking marijuana should face criminal charges. [continues 298 words]
SWANTON -- Between the raining ash and lack of sleep, Valerie Corral struggled to keep her eyes open Saturday afternoon, as she watched flames continue to burn on her Swanton Road property. "I haven't slept since Thursday," Corral said. All the food in her home is depleted, but even if she had any there would be no way to cook it because all of the propane tanks have been removed from her property. She and her husband, Mike, cooked their breakfast on a dual-sided hot plate. [continues 599 words]
The AP article, July 19, documents some benefits of the de facto legalized pot industry -- jobs, taxes and therapy. In addition, full legalization would bring: 1. Much greater tax revenues to state and local governments in the billions. 2. Immense savings on health care as costly prescription drugs for pain, anxiety, are replaced by cheap, no-side-effects pot; national health care would become much more possible with these savings. 3. Reductions in the cost of prisons, which incarcerate thousands of nonviolent marijuana users/sellers. [continues 103 words]
SANTA CRUZ -- A state appeals court in Sacramento this week ruled that medical marijuana patients can sue over raids by local law enforcement, but county authorities aren't too worried as local rules spell out when and where such raids are allowed. "It's the sheriff's department's policy to protect medical marijuana patients," said Sgt. Mark Yanez with the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office. However, he said, when patients break rules or use their medical cards to cover up illegal drug sales, his department still cracks down. [continues 328 words]
SANTA CRUZ - Almost every day, someone calls the city's Planning Department for information on how to open a medical marijuana dispensary. Since the Obama administration announced in February that federal medical marijuana raids were over, Santa Cruz entrepreneurs have come to view dispensing the prescription drug - which is legal under state laws but illegal under federal ones - as a potentially safe and profitable business, said Assistant Planning Director Alex Khoury. Two applications have been filed for dispensaries on the Westside. [continues 431 words]
Joints and baggies sold at California's medical marijuana dispensaries will soon carry a new warning label. Next to tags like "Purple Haze" and "White Widow" will be the advisory: Contents may cause cancer when smoked. On Friday, California added marijuana smoke to its official list of known carcinogens, joining the ranks of arsenic, asbestos and DDT. Pot brownies, lollipops and other non-inhalables are not affected by the new ruling. Scientists found the pungent smoke shares many of the same harmful properties as tobacco smoke, warranting its inclusion on the Proposition 65 warning list. The law requires the state to publish a list of chemicals known to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity, and businesses and government agencies must post warnings when they use such chemicals or sell products containing them. [continues 378 words]
"Daddy, what's that immense brown cloud squatting over campus today?" my daughter might have asked gesturing in the direction of UC Santa Cruz last Monday -- April 20, I think it was. She didn't say that, because she's 14 and is convinced I'm the biggest nimrod on God's green earth. But she could have. And, just in case, I had an answer ready. "Well, sweetheart, it's so incredibly blistering hot today that the students up at UCSC have decided to create their own comforting fog to dissipate the intense sun. Aren't they clever?" [continues 947 words]
