Head Shops Must Toss Some Items Out The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has outlawed the sale of five chemicals used to make synthetic marijuana. The DEA filed a final notice Monday that chemicals used in some so-called incense will be banned for sale for at least a year. The ruling becomes official today. Marc Kurzman, a Minneapolis attorney who represents four shops that sell the products, said he filed petitions for court injunctions Monday to stop the action. He has argued that the DEA has no authority to ban the chemicals and that its claims about their effects are false. [continues 245 words]
Diesel Generators Used By Humboldt's Indoor Growers Leak Toxic Fuel. Diesel spills on country roads, motor oil containers strewn among the trees, the drone of generators where there used to be owl calls: Such are the signs of a growing problem in rural parts of Humboldt County. Indoor marijuana plantations here - tucked inside nondescript buildings on private land or state parks - are often fueled by poorly rigged diesel generators that can cause leaks, noise pollution and dangerous fires. "If (generators) are not properly contained and stored in a safe place, it can have harmful environmental impacts, affect aquatic species and affect public health," said Melissa Martel, senior hazardous materials specialist with the Humboldt County Environmental Health Division. "It's definitely a concern for us." [continues 598 words]
New medical marijuana guidelines for the county could soon be in place if the Board of Supervisors takes action Tuesday on a proposal brought by Supervisor Roger Rodoni. If supporters get their way, the new ordinance would set in stone the guidelines established by District Attorney Paul Gallegos. Or it could create new, more restrictive guidelines. The DA's office announced last year that it would not prosecute medical marijuana cases if the amounts were below a certain threshold: 99 plants, provided they fit into a 100 square foot area, yielding about 3 pounds of processed pot. [continues 360 words]
Incoming D.A. and sheriff are expected to take less rigid stances on pot and forestry issues. Each summer, southern Humboldt County begins to look like military-occupied territory. Low-flying helicopters buzz fields, land on private property and disgorge cargoes of camouflaged sheriff's deputies in search of marijuana plantations. That kind of activity -- seen by many as belligerent and oppressive -- along with a perceived lack of interest in communicating with the public, may have contributed to the decision of voters in this North Coast county to boot out the incumbent sheriff and the longtime district attorney. [continues 661 words]
As City's Heroin Problem Grows, Inner Mission Corner Is Still Ground Zero He worked as a barber. He used to be a nurse's aide. And he once had a family. Now, the man who calls himself Heavy is a resident of 16th and Mission streets, with no home, no job and no regular income. His three children live with his mother; he sees them three or four times a year. The one thing he does have, the thing that sticks with him like gum on the bottom of his shoe, is his 20-year heroin habit. He has tried to beat it, but the withdrawal is excruciating. [continues 848 words]
Questions Remain On How New Law Will Affect Business Out with the old hazy cocktail lounge. In with the new smokefree bar. California's statewide ban on smoking in workplaces, which took effect in 1995, temporarily exempted bars and card rooms. But on New Year's Day, the exemption ends. Any indoor bars with employees other than the owner must comply or risk fines. Some tavern owners are afraid that when the smoke clears, they won't find many customers left. Others are resigned to the changes or determined to find creative ways around them. [continues 1044 words]
