Supporters Want Guidelines Adopted. Carona Says He Won't Alter Department Policy. About two dozen supporters of California's landmark 1996 medical marijuana measure urged Sheriff Mike Carona on Thursday to "stop violating the law" and allow patients to cultivate and use marijuana without fear of arrest. "We are here because four years ago, 5.4 million voters in California passed the medical marijuana law, and it's being ignored," Steve Kubby said as he stood outside sheriff's headquarters in Santa Ana. [continues 215 words]
LOS ANGELES -- When actor Robert Downey Jr. was arrested last month in a Palm Springs spa, news reports cataloged the woes of the troubled actor, allegedly found once again with illegal drugs after a year in state prison and numerous bouts of drug treatment. Downey's latest arrest may land him in prison again. It happened too early for him to benefit from a new California law that requires community-based drug treatment -- not jail time -- for most nonviolent drug offenders, even those already on probation or parole. [continues 1240 words]
Vancouver - Riding high from its surprising success in the recent federal election, the Marijuana Party will announce its B.C. leader in January, and discuss its platform for entering provincial politics. "We need a provincial government on our side," said Brian Taylor, who will be the leader for the election, which must be held by spring. Mr. Taylor was mayor of Grand Forks, B.C., from 1997 to 1999. The party's platform calls for, among other things, the legalization of marijuana, prescription of heroin for addicts, increased Charter protections and restrictions on police power. [continues 400 words]
Random drug testing is an essential element in preparing students for what lies ahead in future employment, some area school officials say. But one federal judge in Amarillo deemed the Tulia district's program, which tests all seventh through twelfth graders involved in extracurricular activities, unconstitutional under Amendment IV. The amendment protects against unreasonable searches and seizures without probable cause. Four districts in this area have random drug testing programs in place, although all are not exactly alike. They include Bridge City, Deweyville, Evadale and Little Cypress-Mauriceville school districts. [continues 774 words]
Federal Regulators Say Viewers Were Misled About An Advertising Scheme And Shows Should Have Listed The Government As A Sponsor. WASHINGTON--Federal regulators say the TV networks should have named the Office of National Drug Control Policy as a sponsor of "ER" and other prime-time shows that included anti-drug messages paid for by the government. The ruling by the Federal Communications Commission found "no basis for enforcement action" and does not impose any fine. But it warned the networks about running afoul of the nation's 73-year-old payola laws, which require that any broadcast "for which money, service, or other valuable consideration" is received "be announced as paid for" by a named sponsor. [continues 678 words]
Networks Should Have Disclosed White House's Role, FCC Says WASHINGTON -- TV networks should have identified the White House as a sponsor of several popular prime-time programs with anti-drug messages because the government paid $25 million for the right to approve scripts, regulators say in a ruling sought by marijuana supporters. The Federal Communications Commission said ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox and the WB network were obligated to make viewers of the shows aware that they had received money from the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. [continues 244 words]
Home Invader Kicks In Door, Demanding Money And Marijuana A gunman yelling "police, police!" burst into a Surrey home yesterday, terrorizing an innocent family. The masked intruder put a gun to the head of the father and his 10-year-old daughter in the mistaken belief the house was being used to grow marijuana. "He was very scared, his wife was very scared and the girl was terrified," said Chi Pham, who owns the yellow two-storey house near 161st Street and 96th Avenue and lives upstairs. [continues 252 words]
AKRON - The police officer who fatally shot 32-year-old Eric Tyrone Clements during an early-morning drug raid in October was cleared yesterday of any wrongdoing. Summit County Prosecutor Michael T. Callahan said seven SWAT officers, including Mitchell A. Hamidi, who fired at Clements, did not violate state laws governing use of deadly force. The prosecutor's office routinely reviews cases in which officers use deadly force. Hamidi, a rookie SWAT member, kicked in Clements' bedroom door Oct. 24 and was met with gunfire, police said. [continues 289 words]
PHOENIX, Ariz. (AP) -- Here are eight lessons California can learn from Arizona's four years of experience with a law that requires treatment rather than jail or prison for first-time drug users. - --Work together: Arizona legislators and law enforcement fought over the law for two years, delaying its implementation. - --Find money for drug tests, money that's not currently in California's budget: Arizona found random tests work as well, and are cheaper, than the frequent tests used by California. [continues 207 words]
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Michael Douglas says he's glad law enforcement officials have praised his new film "Traffic," even though it questions the effectiveness of the drug war. "Everyone who sees the movie comes out of it with a different reaction," Douglas said. "We screened it for the DEA and U.S. Customs, and they're happy with it, believing it shows how tough their job is. Other people see it and think the message is that the war on drugs is futile. [continues 94 words]
