"I am in control here in the White House." - Secretary of State Alexander Haig, 1981 Ah, the good old days when even a big shot like Gen. Al Haig could get in trouble for such mavericky declarations that defy basic constitutional precedents. In the 21st century, that's ancient history. We've so idealized cowboy-style rebellion in matters of war and law enforcement that "going Haig" is today honored as "going rogue." Defiance, irreverence, contempt - these are the moment's most venerated postures, no matter how destructive or lawless. [continues 551 words]
Locals Asked City Gov't To Consider Ballot Initiative In January LEADVILLE - Leadville's city council didn't approve putting marijuana decriminalization on its November ballot last week despite public interest in the initiative. Leadville's council has been considering decriminalization since a group of Leadville residents asked it to think about the matter at a January city council meeting -they requested the measure go to a vote of the people. According to Leadville city clerk Joe Swyers, council members didn't even vote on the matter last week because "there wasn't a second to the motion." No decision was made. [continues 229 words]
MIAMI (AP) - In her 88 years, Florence Siegel has learned how to relax: A glass of red wine. A crisp copy of The New York Times, if she can wrest it from her husband. Some classical music, preferably Bach. And every night like clockwork, she lifts a pipe to her lips and smokes marijuana. Long a fixture among young people, use of the country's most popular illicit drug is now growing among the AARP set, as the massive generation of baby boomers who came of age in the 1960s and '70s grows older. [continues 868 words]
On one end of the tug of rope is progress and on the other end is Denver DEA Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Sweetin, asserting "marijuana is not medicine" ("DEA: Colorado marijuana dispensaries are illegal," SDN Feb. 14). Sweetin is either ignorant or lying and either way, his DEA efforts are crippling Colorado, the nation and indeed the planet. Cannabis (marijuana) clearly has medical value and historically been documented and used medicinally for over 5,000 years. Cannabis prohibition is hinged on the federal government's dishonest label, a Schedule I substance, which claims the plant has no medical value. The federal government's ultimate desire to exterminate cannabis off planet earth should be alarming to every living human, not just Christians who know God indicates He created all the seed-bearing plants and specified they are all good on the first page of the Bible. [continues 232 words]
HIGHLANDS RANCH - The top Drug Enforcement Administration officer in Denver says marijuana dispensaries that are popping up across the state are illegal. Federal agents raided the home of a marijuana grower who spoke publicly about his large and profitable operation in his basement. DEA agents arrested Chris Bartkowicz at his Highlands Ranch home Friday during a raid in which agents seized dozens of marijuana plants. Denver DEA Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Sweetin says marijuana is not medicine and is still illegal under federal law. Sweetin said he's been gathering information on dispensary owners and their operations for months. [continues 487 words]
Re. "Writers on the Range: Marijuana stores get no respect," by Rob Pudim, Jan. 28 Pudim used to make cartoons for our newspaper and the Hungry Horse News, in Columbia Falls, Montana. That career went back to the 1980s. In his article or op-ed piece, Pudim says, "Meanwhile, Whitefish, an upscale Montana town, is being sued because it refuses to allow a pot store." Just to clarify, no lawsuit has been filed against Whitefish with regard to medical marijuana. There was a threat of a lawsuit. [continues 85 words]
An Idaho Springs man was awarded $18.5 million today for catastrophic injuries he suffered when a driver drunk on alcohol and high on marijuana left a mountain road and slammed into him as he was changing the oil on his wife's car in their driveway. Clear Creek District Court Judge Russell Granger assessed the award against the driver, Kevin Ruszkowski, 24; the owner of the Jeep, Randall Guy; and Guy's son, Justin Guy, 20, who had allowed Ruszkowski to drive the vehicle. [continues 393 words]
Cops, Docs, Residents Weigh In On Cannabis Concept FRISCO - A lively public discussion on medical marijuana recently reflected the belief that, regardless of personal opinion, society is becoming more accepting of the drug - and statewide legalization is no pipe dream. "We kind of follow the trends of the state of California," Summit County Sheriff John Minor said. California has a ballot initiative to legalize recreational marijuana set for this fall. Minor said that if it passes, Colorado could follow. About 35 local residents including doctors, marijuana dispensary owners, law enforcement and more attended Thursday's Our Future Summit roundtable conversation on medical marijuana at the Summit County Community and Senior Center in Frisco. [continues 657 words]
DENVER - A lawyer who specializes in medical marijuana cases is asking the U.S. Department of Justice to discipline agents who raided the home of a marijuana grower in suburban Denver. Lawyer Rob Corry filed a formal complaint of waste, fraud and abuse against the Drug Enforcement Administration on Saturday. He said the Highlands Ranch raid violated the department's new policy of not targeting medical marijuana users or suppliers who are in compliance with state medical marijuana laws. Denver DEA Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Sweetin told KUSA-TV that targeting criminal enterprises that profit from pot growing remains a priority of the DEA and the department. Corry accuses Sweetin of trying to strike "fear and panic" in Colorado's medical marijuana patients. [end]
Federal drug-enforcement agents Friday raided the home of a Highlands Ranch man who a day earlier bragged in a 9News report about the large and profitable medical-marijuana-growing operation in his basement. Along with the raid, Jeffrey Sweetin, the Drug Enforcement Administration's special agent in charge of the Denver office, sent a message to anyone involved in Colorado's increasingly profitable medical-marijuana industry. "It's still a violation of federal law," Sweetin said. "It's not medicine. We're still going to continue to investigate and arrest people." [continues 601 words]
Commissioners Extend Moratorium On Businesses BRECKENRIDGE -- Medical marijuana dispensaries won't be opening in unincorporated Summit County until at least June, since Summit County Commissioners on Tuesday voted to extend a moratorium on the businesses. The decision came after opposing viewpoints were presented to the commissioners from local law enforcement officials and real estate professionals. Summit County Sheriff John Minor said that with a variety of bills before the state Legislature -- some of which could quash dispensaries across the state -- it wouldn't be fair to the business community if the county drafted a set of regulations, then change them a few months later to comply with state law. [continues 205 words]
Another Our Future Summit roundtable conversation will be held on Thursday - - its topic will be "Medical Marijuana in Summit County: Therapy or Threat?" The meeting will be held from 7-9 p.m. at the Summit County Community and Senior Center in Frisco. According to a press release, the Our Future Summit forum Thursday will be "designed to provide an opportunity to discuss the implications of allowing commerce in this controversial commodity." For more info, contact Sandy Briggs at OurFutureSummit@aol.com or (970) 389-0987. [end]
DENVER (AP) - Medical marijuana dispensary owners lined up before 7:30 a.m. Monday to apply for operating licenses. Penny May, Denver's director of excise and licenses, said her office had processed 22 licenses by 11:30 a.m., with many more to go. May said as of a week ago, 477 sales tax licenses had been issued to medical marijuana dispensaries in Denver. The application includes a background check with fingerprinting. Owners pay a $2,000 application fee, the cost of the background checks and a $3,000 annual license fee, and must not have have been convicted of a felony or served a felony sentence in the last five years. If the application is denied, the $3,000 license fee will be refunded. [continues 210 words]
Re. "Don't legalize it," by Carol James, letters, Feb. 1 I couldn't agree less with Ms. Carol James' letter expressing her "opposition against the legalization of marijuana in Summit County." Of course, the law should never allow minors to purchase, possess or consume marijuana or, for that matter, any intoxicating substance. However, as an adult, I don't want Carol James, Christian Thurstone or any government entity telling me, through legislation, what I may ingest into my body. That's my business, not theirs. If after consumption I should act irresponsibly by driving a motor vehicle, operating heavy equipment, becoming abusive toward others, etc. then the authorities should deal with me for that reason, not because some nanny-folks have determined that something is not good for me. Did we learn nothing from the almost 15 years liquor prohibition? Stace Tackaberry Breckenridge [end]
State lawmakers today unveiled a bill that would make major changes to Colorado's medical-marijuana industry, allowing retail-style dispensaries to remain open, but forcing them to re-organize as licensed, non-profit "health centers." The bill would also place an 18-month moratorium on new commercial dispensaries. The bill also would require dispensaries to grow the majority of the marijuana they sell, thus eliminating freelance growers. Perhaps most significantly, the bill would draw a crucial distinction between small-scale and large-scale medical-marijuana providers. [continues 539 words]
DILLON - Dillon's officials extended its moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries at Tuesday's town meeting until the end of 2010. The extension goes into effect immediately. It would have expired on Feb. 13 if the town hadn't taken any action. Staff and council members say they want to have more time to see how the state will approach regulations before they make any decisions. [end]
DENVER - Medical marijuana advocates are prepared to go to the ballot if they think lawmakers go too far in limiting access to the drug. On Thursday activists plan to file a ballot initiative that would bar lawmakers from limiting the number of dispensaries. It would also stop cities and counties from passing an outright ban on dispensaries, something which could be allowed under a new dispensary regulation bill. Sensible Colorado, a medical marijuana patients' group, is organizing the effort. Executive director Brian Vicente said he'll keep trying to work with lawmakers to amend the new bill while he prepares to start collecting signatures for the ballot measure. The measure is a constitutional amendment which would trump any law passed this year. [end]
DENVER - The Senate has passed a bill preventing recreational pot users from skirting the law to obtain medical marijuana is headed. The Senate voted 34-1 on Monday to back the measure, Senate Bill 109, and send it to the House. It would bar doctors from writing recommendations inside dispensaries that sell medical marijuana. It requires that doctors review a person's medical history and give them a full exam before recommending that they become a legal user of medical marijuana. Those between 18 and 21 would have to get the approval of two doctors, which is already required for patients under 18. [end]
With an eye to my efforts in opposition against the legalization of marijuana in Summit County, I would encourage everyone to read the feature article in Sunday's Denver Post (Jan. 31) by Christian Thurstone, a doctor and psychiatrist who is a specialist in drug addiction. The article is on the front page of the Perspective section. Anyone who believes that the use of medical marijuana will be restricted to adults in our community will learn otherwise in this piece. I would also like to point out that the city council of Los Angeles, which allowed thousands of medical marijuana clinics to open in their metropolitan area, has now taken action to close down more than 90 percent of the clinics. That leaves a number which, based on the population of LA and if compared in ratio to the population of Summit County, would leave less than one clinic in Summit County. [continues 59 words]
Local Prosecutor Aims To Revamp Drug Laws SUMMIT COUNTY - Fifth District Attorney Mark Hurlbert, a Republican, aims to win a seat from the Democrats and bring a prosecutor's perspective to the Colorado Senate. Known for prosecuting the highly-publicized sexual assault case of NBA star Kobe Bryant in Eagle County not long after he was appointed, Hurlbert maintained his seat and the respect of colleagues. "I'm not going to say mistakes weren't made," he said of the Bryant case, which was dropped after the alleged victim refused to testify, adding that his office "did a good job" while treading "ground we'd never dealt with before." [continues 901 words]
