Winnipeg police say the recent local collapse of the Hells Angels has created a toxic environment that has the city on the verge of a biker war. "Tensions are extremely high ... Violence is imminent," a veteran police officer with extensive knowledge of the organized crime scene wrote last month in newly released court documents obtained yesterday by the Winnipeg Free Press. Police explain in detail why they believe the relative calm of the past few months is about to be broken -- including evidence of gang members stockpiling weapons in preparation to take out their rival "by any means necessary." The document was used to obtain a search warrant for a home in the city's East Kildonan neighbourhood, where a loaded handgun was found hidden in a backyard last month. [continues 311 words]
DENVER (AP) - Colorado lawmakers trying to regulate marijuana dispensaries are asking the U.S. attorney general to stop raids of medical marijuana operations. The group e-mailed the request to Eric Holder on Monday, following up on a letter sent last week. The lawmakers say the raids are discouraging dispensary operators and medical marijuana patients and growers from working with them on the proposed regulations. The letter was sent by Sens. Chris Romer and Nancy Spence and Reps. Tom Massey and Beth McCann. A suburban Denver man has been charged with possession in federal court after agents raided his home and found 224 pot plants. Agents have also raided two laboratories that test medical marijuana after their owners applied for drug licenses. [end]
States' Moves Reflect 'New Era' of Acceptance LOS ANGELES -- James Gray once saw himself as a drug warrior, a former federal prosecutor and county judge who sent people to prison for dealing pot and other drug offenses. Gradually, though, he became convinced that the ban on marijuana was making it more accessible to young people, not less. "I ask kids all the time, and they'll tell you it is easier to get marijuana than a six-pack of beer because that is controlled by the government," he said, noting that drug dealers don't ask for IDs or honor minimum age requirements. [continues 1808 words]
RALEIGH -- North Carolina's singing senator has recorded a song critical of the marijuana and alcohol citations filed against members of singer-songwriter Willie Nelson's band in January. "It just looks like a special effort was made to go on that bus and cite them with marijuana," said state Sen. Charlie Albertson, D-Duplin. The song, called "Leave the Man Alone," refers to the Jan. 28 citations issued to six members of Nelson's band on either possession of marijuana or possession of non-tax-paid alcohol. The band's bus was outside the Duplin County Events Center in Kenansville. [continues 547 words]
MONTPELIER - Buoyed by the overwhelming Town Meeting Day vote in Montpelier supporting a nonbinding referendum for decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana, backers of the Vermont Alliance for Intelligent Drug Laws on Wednesday urged lawmakers to listen up. "This vote demonstrates that support for decriminalizing the possession of marijuana in Vermont is very strong," said Nancy Lynch, founder of VALID, in a news release. "And, frankly, we are not surprised," she added. "It simply doesn't make sense to arrest people, give them a criminal record for life and potentially send them to jail for simple marijuana possession. We don't need to arrest marijuana users when a fine could easily be instated. We hope our legislators agree and pass the decriminalization bill in the near future." [continues 647 words]
I'm very much in favor of making cannabis legal for medicinal purposes. It's obvious from all the information out today that it's time to do what's honest and right. The great lie has been exposed. I'm a disabled vet; I suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. I support House Bill 1380. Ralph D. Davis Rockingham [end]
Why decriminalize marijuana when drugs are central to many of the problems relating to gangs, teenage suicide, teenage violence and low academic achievement? Anyone close to the issue -- teachers, police officers, counselors, and parents -- can speak to this with certainty: Kids have been reaching out for guidance and direction for decades, and as a nation, we have not been able to provide an answer to the confused and sometimes hypocritical and contradictory environment they have grown up in. Another mixed societal message is not going to help. [continues 781 words]
Violence Still Used To Solve Disputes Metro Vancouver gangsters are turning away from murder, but still solving their disputes with beatings, kidnappings and threats, the head of the Gang Task Force says. Supt. Dan Malo, of the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit, said the rampant out-of-control shootings of a year ago may seem like a memory, but gangs remain in conflict and dangerous across the region. "I think there is a definite change in behaviour of the gangs still involved in conflict. We still hear there is conflict going on between gangs. There are still dial-a-dope operations being taken over with violence. But that level of violence involves a beating. Or it might involve a stabbing. [continues 595 words]
Michigan political leaders who honestly support their constituents must take immediate action to end discriminating laws aimed at sick citizens who use cannabis (marijuana) and drive but are not honestly too impaired to operate a motor vehicle (Marijuana Case Sparks Protest, Feb. 20, 2010). It is commendable to get drivers who are too impaired to operate a motor vehicle off the road and an entirely different thing to discriminate against sick citizens who are not too impaired to drive. One attempt is to help make the public safe the other is clearly designed to discriminate against certain citizens. Since all parties involved know THC remains in the blood stream for days, weeks and months after using the plant, it is clear the law is designed as an act of discrimination and should be changed. [continues 87 words]
