Village of Queen Charlotte surveys residents ahead of marijuana legalization Queen Charlotte is asking how residents want local marijuana businesses to take shape once the drug is legal. The village recently launched an online survey asking what marijuana-based business people might support, what concerns they may have, and also whether they are keen to get started in the industry. "It's really about what our community is comfortable with," says Lori Wiedeman, chief administrative officer for the Village of Queen Charlotte. [continues 462 words]
Ten years ago I left Paris on the Friday before Halloween riding the high-speed, Belgian THALYS train headed for Amsterdam. Although most Europeans call it All Souls Day, their holiday is similar to ours, and my coach was packed with college students, many in costume and most of them drinking heavily. They were bound for Amsterdam and the Netherlands' recently opened coffee houses - then, they would be on to the city's synth-beat dance halls. Marijuana was the draw, trance dancing, the high and communal hotel rooms the payoff. [continues 2798 words]
The Orlando Sentinel's Front Burner columns on Friday addressing drug testing in schools illustrate that there are issues about which honest people can disagree in good faith. Harold J. Krent, dean and professor of law at Chicago-Kent law school, and Debbie Moak, a mother whose family has suffered heartbreaking tragedies associated with drug abuse, presented different sides of the argument whether students should be tested for drugs. Krent, a constitutional-law expert, correctly asserts that a private school can legally drug-test its students. He questions, though, the wisdom of doing so from the perspective of privacy and trust. [continues 599 words]
The Orlando Sentinel's Front Burner columns on Friday addressing drug testing in schools illustrate that there are issues about which honest people can disagree in good faith. Harold J. Krent, dean and professor of law at Chicago-Kent law school, and Debbie Moak, a mother whose family has suffered heartbreaking tragedies associated with drug abuse, presented different sides of the argument whether students should be tested for drugs. Krent, a constitutional-law expert, correctly asserts that a private school can legally drug-test its students. He questions, though, the wisdom of doing so from the perspective of privacy and trust. [continues 583 words]
A controversial energy drink named after a Class A drug and likened to party pills is coming to New Zealand. Cocaine Energy Drink, which contains three-and-a-half times the caffeine of Red Bull, is due to be on the shelves by August. The American product, banned in Texas, is being distributed by Christchurch-based Wize Marketing, which said it would be breaking no Kiwi law. But the move has been criticised by a leading educationist who warned children could get hooked. [continues 405 words]
In a response to the letter "Draconian" (April 7), and the writer's friend, the 19-year-old marijuana user, what kind of message are we sending to the youth? The message that if you do something illegal, there will be consequences for your actions. The writer's friend knowingly drove his vehicle with illicit drugs in them. He knows marijuana is illegal, and I'm sure if it was in his vehicle, he was smoking it. Now it's not just possession, it is considered driving under the influence. The writer's friend took the risk, now he must face the consequences and I doubt a slap on the hand would do it. [continues 152 words]
American Express commercials used to suggest that membership has its privileges. I guess having an American Express card can prove beneficial, but membership in America's ruling class most definitely has its own set of privileges. After all, a decent credit rating can warrant a credit card, but only the right connections and political pedigree earns one the privileges of being close to power. Such is the case of Scooter Libby. Libby found himself in a political firestorm and was convicted and sentenced to prison, but now his privilege has earned him a commutation of his 2 1/2-year jail sentence. [continues 534 words]
Effort Would Allow Up To An Ounce A group that advocated to ease penalties for marijuana use on two Colorado college campuses is taking its fight to Denver. The executive director of SAFER - Safer Alternatives for Enjoyable Recreation - said Monday the group intends to ask Denver voters to make marijuana use legal in some cases. Mason Tvert, SAFER's executive director, said the group will file paperwork with the Denver Election Commission today in preparation for a petition drive to get on the November ballot. [continues 314 words]
Effort Would Allow Up To An Ounce A group that advocated to ease penalties for marijuana use on two Colorado college campuses is taking its fight to Denver. The executive director of SAFER - Safer Alternatives for Enjoyable Recreation - said Monday the group intends to ask Denver voters to make marijuana use legal in some cases. Mason Tvert, SAFER's executive director, said the group will file paperwork with the Denver Election Commission today in preparation for a petition drive to get on the November ballot. [continues 310 words]
'Lock 'em up and throw away the key" - the notion that we can put criminals behind bars forever - is a myth that has had no validity since the days of John Wayne. Whether you think that we incarcerate too few offenders or that we lock up too many, especially the low-level thieves and drug possessors, the fact is that sooner or later virtually everyone who goes into prison comes out. And unless the community helps released offenders succeed, an alarming portion of them will return to their old haunts, habits and cronies and claim new victims. [continues 609 words]
Sirens blared, police dogs sniffed, a law enforcement helicopter came in for a landing and "low crawl" officers wearing camouflage dropped from the trees and popped up from hiding places on the athletic field at North Davis Elementary on Thursday morning. A few students had their wrists briefly placed in handcuffs. But it wasn't any sort of emergency or drug bust. Rather, it was a Red Ribbon Week demonstration for the benefit of students, put on by YONET - - Yolo County's narcotics enforcement team - the Davis Police Department, the California Department of Justice and other law enforcement agencies. [continues 302 words]
A Mississippi Department of Corrections probation officer was arrested Friday on federal drug and conspiracy charges, officials said. Kathy L. McDougle, 33, of Ridgeland was indicted by a federal grand jury Wednesday on one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, three counts of using a communications facility to commit conspiracy and one count of extortion, said Bob Garrity, special agent in charge of FBI operations in Mississippi. The indictment alleges that McDougle, while working as a probation officer, provided information to a member of a local drug trafficking organization, who then passed the information along to a cocaine supplier. [continues 150 words]
Let me wholeheartedly second Peter Moskos' motion to legalize drugs to stop the killing. A thorough national debate should focus on the benefits and the detriments of legalizing drugs. Will we study it? Unlikely. Will we continue to spend billions to no avail? Yes. Will the killing continue? Thomas Hudson Freeland [end]
The federal government will soon use hair, sweat and saliva samples to test whether some 400,000 of its employees are using illegal drugs. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) yesterday announced the new rule that becomes effective in 180 days after a public-comment period. However, an agency spokeswoman said the more likely timetable for such testing to begin is next year. About 400,000 federal workers who carry guns, have security clearance, deal with national security, and even presidential appointees can be subjected to the new testing procedures. [continues 589 words]
Lawrence County Justice Court Judge Bobby Fortenberry, a 16-year veteran of the bench, was arrested on felony drug charges Friday after a four-year investigation, law enforcement officials said. Fortenberry, 46, of Newhebron had 2.5 grams of crystal methamphetamine in his possession when he was arrested on Mississippi 550 in Brookhaven, said Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics Capt. Mike Aldridge. Fortenberry is charged with possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute and conspiracy to sell methamphetamine, Lawrence County Sheriff Joel Thames said. [continues 299 words]
Earlier this month, I met Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme. He's the kind of guy you wouldn't mind seeing rack up 20 miles of yardage against Philly on Sunday. But if anyone deserves a Super Bowl, it's Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb. Earlier this year, radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh said on TV that McNabb was overrated, and despite taking the Eagles to two straight NFC title games was only considered a top-flight NFL player by media members who wanted a black quarterback to succeed. [continues 432 words]
Imagine A Mother Being Responsible For Her 19-Year-Old Son's Death. Steven Steiner Sr., founder and president of Dads and Mad Moms Against Drug Dealers (DAMMADD) had to deal with just that when his son, Steven Steiner Jr., died of a prescription drug overdose in January 2001. Steiner hosted a series of rallies at all four Blount County high schools Wednesday and Thursday. The rallies were held in conjunction with Red Ribbon Month observed in October. At the Alcoa High School gym -- like at Heritage, William Blount and Maryville -- Steiner told his son's story Thursday to a darkened room filled with students. [continues 578 words]
When used properly, OxyContin is perhaps the most effective prescription painkiller available. Doctors often prescribe it to patients with cancer or those who are terminally ill. When used illegally, abusers break the time-release coating on the capsule and snort or inject the drug. It delivers a quick, addictive and potentially lethal high. "Three years ago, we had a tremendous problem with OxyContin-related overdoses, burglaries and pharmacy robberies," said Tim Rutledge, assistant director of the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics. "But the OxyContin task force that was assembled in response to it has brought a lot of attention to the issue and that has helped." [continues 313 words]
People arrested on misdemeanor charges and taken to the Lee County-Tupelo Adult Detention Center are being subjected to illegal strip and body cavity searches, a federal lawsuit claims. The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Aberdeen, says 39 plaintiffs, 24 of whom were arrested on traffic violations, had their privacy invaded by such searches. Tupelo attorney Will Bristow and Iuka attorney Mike Cooke claim in the lawsuit filed Monday that the jail has operated under a policy in which "officers were encouraged to strip search and perform visual body cavity searches and other intrusive searches upon persons." The searches were done "without a search warrant and in situations where it was not reasonable to believe that any contraband or weapons had been concealed on their person," the suit adds. [continues 423 words]
The Maryville City Schools System Has Its First Student Drug Testing Policy In Place. The Board of Education passed two policies Monday night on second reading that puts a policy for drug testing of students enrolled in the alternative programs into place and a policy for procedures of such testing. Both policies passed unanimously. Director of Schools Mike Dalton said the system did not have any kind of policy in place that allowed for drug testing of students in place until those policies passed. [continues 260 words]
