On Question 2: We're considering here a plant that has been used in every recorded civilization and I can't really believe that the U.S. of A. got onto a magic secret in 1930 that made it worthwhile to destroy lives for its possession. Even now, in many states, if police confiscate assets in a search, they don't need to return these assets if the case is lost or not pursued. While this often does not include actual plant material, it does often include cash. Legislation encourages state/federal tension. [continues 79 words]
Mayor, U.K. entrepreneur Richard Branson join town hall-style panel in Balboa Park BALBOA PARK -- Mayor Bob Filner stopped short of calling for decriminalization of all drug use Thursday night but took a strong stand on local governments' right to choose how to address the issue. Filner was on a panel with British entrepreneur Richard Branson, who speaks passionately about what he calls our country's failed war on drugs. Branson arranged for Thursday's town hall-style discussion of the issue after a screening of the documentary "Breaking the Taboo" at the Museum of Photographic Arts in Balboa Park. [continues 432 words]
The San Diego Libertarian Party, critical of the county's handling of its pension crisis, threw its support firmly behind a proposal to limit county supervisors' service to two terms. The action came during its annual convention here last weekend. Language for such a proposition, earmarked for the November ballot, already has been submitted to the Registrar of Voters by medical marijuana proponents. They're striking back at San Diego supervisors for not only refusing to implement a state proposition allowing medical marijuana use, but for filing a court action to overturn the measure. [continues 78 words]
Five years ago Tony Marasca was a drug addict sleeping behind a bush outside a church in Ocean Beach. Today, he is a pastor of Set Free Ministries, preaching every Friday evening from the pulpit of that same church to many people who, as he was, are down and out. Marasca's life journey was more like a slide than a roller coaster. He was just a few college credits shy of earning his BA when his mother got sick. He quit school to care for her. When she died, he slid into depression and purposelessness. He spent the money she had left him on a van and for traveling coastal California. [continues 767 words]
Is it not extremely interesting that those who do not support safe-injection sites are the ones who have actually lived the life of an addict (Experts and others in the field weigh in on the proposed safe-injection site, Nov. 5)? It makes me sick when I hear the academia-driven spout off their data collection of research and evidence. What on earth is Perry Kendall, chief medical officer for B.C., thinking when he says there is no evidence that supervised injection sites encourage drug use? What an asinine comment. [continues 128 words]
Steve McWilliams, whose "medicinal" marijuana operation here was raided by police two years ago, has offered to drop his lawsuit against the city for damages. In exchange, he wants a seat on the city task force being assembled to study the prescription pot issue and draft guidelines for local law enforcement. The kicker is that McWilliams has hired lawyer David Songco to help him. The same David Songco who prosecuted him for distributing marijuana in 1999. (McWilliams pleaded guilty and is serving three years on probation.) Songco, who left the S.D. District Attorney's Office shortly thereafter, says McWilliams called him two weeks ago and asked for help. [continues 517 words]
The U.S. postmaster general is being urged to issue a stamp honoring slain DEA agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena. A special agent from Calexico, Camarena was working in Mexico when he was kidnapped, tortured and murdered 15 years ago by drug traffickers. Diana Holly, a Redlands fifth-grade teacher, started the campaign for a commemorative stamp, and Sen. Dianne Feinstein is firmly on board. Holly wants youngsters to know there was a real person behind Red Ribbon Week, the national anti-drug awareness campaign started after Camarena's death. Red Ribbon Week is in late October. [continues 128 words]
