Drug Eases Symptoms of Chronic Diseases, Many Say Pamela Hughes doesn't see herself as a criminal. Neither does Winnie Gesumwa. But both have been arrested, put through the court system and faced jail time for using marijuana, not for pleasure, but to cope with harrowing illnesses. "I had to fight an arrest that should not have occurred, because as long as I was using the cannabis, I was cancer-free and pain-free," said Hughes, a 49-year-old Silver Spring resident who has battled cancer and the muscle disease fibromyalgia for years. [continues 1227 words]
In Wake of Major Pot Bust, Local Hospitals Say They Haven't Seen the So-Called Marijuana "Overdoses." When police seized more than $1.4 million in drugs from a City Avenue penthouse last week, they boasted about the 16 pounds of a potent marijuana strain known as "AK47" that, according to Narcotics Chief Inspector William Blackburn, put people in the emergency room with overdoses. There were two reactions to the claim, which was regurgitated with little apparent scrutiny by the local media. From nonsmokers: It's great that police got such a large amount of a dangerous drug off our streets, big step for the war on drugs. From pot smokers: Hold on man, overdoses? On weed? Did they eat too many Cheetos or something? [continues 726 words]
