The five medical marijuana companies in New York have filed a lawsuit to block new cannabis businesses, claiming the growth threatens to kill the fledgling industry that has struggled to sell the drug to critically ill patients. The lawsuit seeks to stop the state Department of Health from allowing five new companies to grow and sell medical marijuana in New York. The companies in the legal fight include Vireo Health and Etain, which are selling cannabis-based drugs at dispensaries in downtown White Plains and Yonkers, The Journal News/lohud has learned from court records. There is also a dispensary in Kingston, Ulster County. [continues 913 words]
As a skunky smell wafted in the air, rows of tall, green marijuana plants stood at attention in nearby growing rooms. Mark June-Wells quickly dispelled the assumption. The pungent odor really came from mason jars filled with waxy brown substances inside the laboratory, he said, and not from the leafy plants budding flowers at one of Connecticut's medical cannabis facilities. June-Wells, lead scientist at CT Pharmaceutical Solutions, then held up another jar filled with a thick black goo resembling molasses. All of the oils and waxes, including the smelly ones, had been extracted from marijuana plants to treat patients with a range of serious illnesses. One jar, for instance, contained enough medicine to cover a cancer patient's entire year. [continues 584 words]
Legalization advocate Christopher Sirois charged after bust in Industry Tuesday INDUSTRY -- A drug bust Tuesday afternoon in Industry shows how drug enforcement agents are struggling to enforce Maine's medical marijuana laws. Maine drug enforcement agents found 200 marijuana plants during a raid of an Industry residence Tuesday afternoon, according to Gerry Baril, MDEA supervisor for western Maine. The problem, however, is that it's unclear what charges should be filed, and against whom, because a woman living in the residence is a medical marijuana patient, Baril said. [continues 990 words]
The shooting of Kenneth Walker in Columbus sounds like at least manslaughter if not murder ("Killing leaves a city divided," Page One, Dec. 12). Why are the police always exonerated for mistakes that cost otherwise innocent people their lives while regular citizens who make similar mistakes are prosecuted to the full extent of the law? Why do we tolerate double standards like this? David Robinson Atlanta [end]
I propose an Oscar nomination for Ron Motley for the fine acting job he did on TV regarding the Stratford High School suit. I would think the drug-sniffing dogs would have a good chance of a defamation of character suit against him, though. Savage drug sniffing dogs, please! Ridgeville [end]
I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the mass media's efforts in using the tragic death of the young man at the Happy Valley festival as easy fodder to sell newspapers and get ratings. I was at Happy Valley - dubbed Death Valley by TodayTonight-without the use of drugs. I'd have to say it was one of the best run events I have attended (this includes Olympic trial events). Security was ample and friendly, paramedics were also prominent throughout the arena, and the crowd was well behaved. I think it's unfair to blame the police, council or the promoters for the death. [continues 132 words]
