Cannabis Law and Politics

The British Columbia Supreme Court last Friday rejected a challenge to the country's law criminalizing marijuana possession based on deficiencies in Canada's medical marijuana regime. In cases earlier this decade, some Canadian courts had held that because Canada's drug law did not provide for the therapeutic use of cannabis, the law was invalid. But in part because of changes already made to the program, the BC Supreme Court wasn't buying that argument. In response to those earlier rulings, the Canadian government created a limited medical marijuana program, whose utility was challenged in the present case. But Justice Austin Cullen ruled that even if Canada's medical …

What's the current state of play in Canberra? Is it still quite 'liberal'? I.e. can someone grow a plant in the garden for personal use? BTW when should one plant and how long to mature? Just a quick estimation - I know this question is off topic.

Medical marijuana clinic founder defends its legality By Jennie Miller 12 January 2009 C & G News http://www.candgnews.com/Homepage-Articles...ul-Stanford.asp SOUTHFIELD — The state’s first medical marijuana clinic is defending its legality as residents, government officials and law enforcement agencies learn more about the controversial proposal voters approved in November. “I am in the exploratory stages, trying to figure out what is what,” said Southfield Mayor Brenda Lawrence, who had a meeting scheduled for Jan. 12 with the president, founder and CEO of The Hemp and Cannabis Foundation, Paul Stanford. The clinic recently opened up shop in the Southfield Town…

Blow the whistle on faceless bench Geoff Wilkinson 13 January 2009 herald sun http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,2...5000117,00.html THERE is clearly something wrong with our legal system and our priorities when cricket and football umpires are subjected to more scrutiny than judges. How can it be that people adjudicating on leg before wicket and push in the back decisions are held more accountable than those who preside over trials that can send people to jail for years? How bizarre that we can watch countless replays from every angle of the circumstances leading to an umpire's decision, but aren't even told the name of a trial judge whose decision has been …

Medical Cannabis for New Mexico - UK Patients go to jail 11 January 2009 PR Cannazine http://pr.cannazine.co.uk/content/view/804/27/ The North American state of New Mexico (pop. 2 million) looks set to become the 14th US state to legalise medical use of cannabis, as its been announced this week the New Mexico Department of Health has finalised regulations for the registry identification cards and a production/distribution system for its state-wide medical cannabis program. According to state regulations medical marijuana patients will be able to grow, 4 mature cannabis plants as well as upto 12 seedlings for their own personal use. On top of this its been announce…

Feature: DEA Rejects Yet Another Rescheduling Petition, But the End Game Lies Far Down the Road Drug War Chronicle, Issue #567 Stop the Drug War http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/567/DE...duling_petition The DEA has rejected yet another petition seeking to remove marijuana from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), this one from Iowa-based marijuana reformer Carl Olsen. It is only the latest petition rejection by the agency in a glacially-paced struggle to reschedule marijuana that has been going on since 1972. But Olsen and other advocates of the rescheduling tactic say that is to be expected, and the rejection is only the opening phase of this particu…

Have been talking to my Bro inlaw , who is in the Federal Police . He is about 3rd from the top , in the PC division, thats no BULLSHIT ! Well , he tells me , that if they were really bothered about Pot Growers , that this site could be hacked very easily . Scared me , as he doesnt know that I smoke . BUT , the reason that this site isnt scrutinized is because they have better things to do such as , Terrorism , and pedophiles . Which is good , for us all . He says that the main reason Pot Growers get busted , are so called friends dobbing people in on a Local level , or neighbors seeing suspicious behaviour , So theres a bit of inside info Dont let ya so called…

Cannabis Hemp - The New Oil Fields? Bill Stone 9 January 2009 PR Cannazine http://pr.cannazine.co.uk The British Cannabis Lobby is to write to the UK government, over what its calling the "gross mishandling" of the nation. They're accusing the government of refusing to acknowledge the fact legalising and encouraging the growing of industrial hemp as a national crop, could play a huge part in cutting the Great British carbon footprint. A spokesman for the Cannabis Lobby said "Once upon a time, the stories regarding the multitudes of benefits and uses associated with industrial hemp were the stuff of hippy legends and folk-lore." "But with the global communicat…

hi all, this is my first post^^. so my freind was wondering if any1 has bought weed online? if so from where? and if my freind does then what would happen if it was cuaght at customs.. they would just take it and send him a letter saying they took it.. or would they send some1 too his house? thanks.. sorry if its a dumb question.

Victims of justice system's failure By Simon Collins 7 January 2009 The New Zealand Herald http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article....jectid=10550747 A 1999 survey indicated that 75% of male prisoners had suffered from alcohol-related issues. Photo / Brett Phibbs "Jack has 125 previous convictions from the age of 22," writes Wellington alcohol and drug counsellor Roger Brooking in a report to a court on a recent client (name changed). "He also had another six convictions at age 17 for which he was sent to corrective training for three months. His offending history indicates he has been sent to prison at least 25 times and Jack reports that he has spent most of his …

Marc Emery and the Liberty 100 5 January 2009 Western Standard http://westernstandard.blogs.com/shotgun/2...iberty-100.html The Liberty 100 is the Western Standard's list of the 100 Canadian friends of liberty who have made significant contributions to individual liberty (both personal and economic) in 2008 (Top 10, Top 25, Top 50, Top 75, Top 100). The list was selected by our publisher, Matthew Johnston, who has intimate and wide-ranging knowledge of, and familiarity with, the Canadian liberty movement. Given that this is the first installation of an annual list, Matthew decided to also include those liberty activists whose lifetime contribution to the liberty movem…

Gotcha! Radley Balko Reason .. Free Minds and Free Markets http://www.reason.com/blog/show/130429.html?success=1 Like Mark Draughn, I've been somewhat skeptical of Barry Cooper, the former drug cop turned pitchman for how-to-beat-the-cops videos. He comes off as more of a huckster than a principled whistle-blower, which I think does the good ideas he stands for (police reform) more harm than good. But damn. I have to hand it to him. This might be one of the ballsiest moves I've ever seen. http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=m3Fu4YVH8nA http://nevergetbusted.com/node/178 KopBusters rented a house in Odessa, Texas and began growing two small Christmas trees under a gro…

Barnett admits failing timetable for election pledges 31 December 2008 ABC News http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/12/31/2457301.htm Colin Barnett says work is underway to meet the remaining election pledges as soon as possible. (ABC) The West Australian Premier, Colin Barnett, says he has not broken any pre-election promises despite failing to meet a self imposed deadline to implement key party policies. On the eve of the September state election, the Liberals released a 45 point plan outlining action they would take in the first 100 days in office if elected. The plan included repealing Labor's cannabis laws and introducing legislation for fixed parliamentar…