Drug tests wanted for key workers Nov 16, 2008
Nonetheless cannabis, which 17% saw as the least harmful illegal drug obtainable, was seen as less damaging than alcohol (47%) or tobacco (23%), both legal substances. Researchers also uncovered what could be misplaced optimism among those polled. (BBC News -- UK)
* FEATURE : Despite failures, search for obesity drugs is still on Nov 16, 2008
But instead of sharpening appetite X the munchies associated with smoking cannabis X they work in reverse, dulling the urge to eat. There are now just two drugs left, orlistat and sibutramine, said Colin Waine, a doctor who is chairman of a British organisation, the National Obesity Forum. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
Two Indonesians to hang for trafficking Nov 14, 2008
KUALA LUMPUR: Two Indonesians were today sentenced to be hanged to death for trafficking 5,680gm of cannabis six years ago. High Court Judicial Commissioner Zainal Azman Ab Aziz imposed the death sentence against Mohamad Idris and Jainudin, both 32, at the end of defences case Friday. (The Star Online, Malaysia -- News)
16-year-old boys admit killing teenager in Yorkshire park Nov 13, 2008
Amin Hussain Ali, 20, and Asif Khan, 16, yesterday admitted murdering Amar and robbing him of a sum of money, a mobile phone, a chain and a quantity of cannabis. A fifth defendant, a 16-year-old boy who cannot be named for legal reasons, was discharged from the court after the prosecution offered no evidence against him. (Yorkshire Post)
Obama on Drugs Nov 13, 2008
Michigan, meanwhile, became the 13th state to allow the medical use of cannabis. As Bruce Mirken of the Marijuana Policy Project noted, the percentage of voters approving those initiatives (65 and 63, respectively) exceeded Barack Obama's share of the vote in each state. (Townhall.com)
Charges over 15m drugs operation Nov 13, 2008
Police have seized about 27,000 cannabis plants ... Police said 80 cannabis factories have been found so far this year and about 27,000 plants and 410lb of herbal cannabis seized. (BBC News -- Asia-Pacific)
Gang raids Brazil police station Nov 11, 2008
The gang took with them some cannabis and cocaine that was inside a safe before spreading petrol and setting off the explosion. It is thought that dynamite may have been used to blow up the building, and such is the extent of the damage that at least part of the police station will have to be knocked down, once the investigation is complete. (BBC News -- Americas)
A Salvia divinorum horror story Nov 10, 2008
The young woman had a long history of cannabis use with no untoward effects, but had never before used salvia. After increasing self-mutilating behavior in the hospital, she was involuntarily admitted to a closed ward. (San Francisco Chronicle -- Opinion)
City Council considers changes to drug ordinance Nov 9, 2008
James Bong wrote on Nov 7, 2008 1:56 PM:" Green River is in southwestern Wyoming, the part that is near Utah, which makes me think that the influence of the LDS (Mormon) Church is strong in this city. Mormons think coffee should be banned. Need I say more?? Yes. Cannabis is an excellent medical treatment for many serious illnesses. And it is harmless and fun as well. God put it here for our use, and I'm going to continue to do just that. ". Emily wrote on Nov 7, 2008 7:47 PM:" I am LDS (Mormon)... (Green River Star, WY)
Weekly editorial urges police chief to step down Nov 8, 2008
look at all that tax money and judicial time spent on cannabis ,which is not dangerous compared to alcohol. but you can drink all yu want in a bar or anywhere,but no.if you have a cannabis leaf ,your police system is wasting your hard earned money, Posted by oh, a resident of the Midtown neighborhood, 9 hours ago. (Palo Alto Online, CA)
'Little Beirut' drug pair jailed over 5m empire Nov 8, 2008
The evil pair drove out the law-abiding travellers, fortified the site with boulders and used it as a base to deal huge amounts of cocaine, speed, ecstasy and cannabis ... " Kelbie and Stewart built the biggest drugs business in the north. Stewart ran the ecstasy and cannabis trade while his partner dealt cocaine and speed. Mr MacLeod said: "They were a highly organised, well structured group ... " The gang collected drugs froman industrial estate at Cumbernauld, near Glasgow. They also made... (Glasgow Daily Record)
Beacon Hill Roll Call: Pet rental ban now law Nov 8, 2008
"The Massachusetts Cannabis Reform Coalition (Mass Cann/NORML) thanks the projected 65 percent of Massachusetts voters who were not deceived by the lies of the District Attorneys and other people of authority.". Election night statement from Mass Cann/NORML following voter approval of a ballot question decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana. (Cambridge Chronicle, MA)
Qld police nab 18 drink and drug drivers Nov 8, 2008
Welcome to The Sydney Morning Herald. November 8, 2008 - 4:21PM. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
I sell cannabis to make a living- Convict tells court Nov 8, 2008
Accra, Nov. 7, GNA- An Accra Circuit Court on Friday sentenced a 26-year- old unemployed Salami Dodzi to 10 years imprisonment after he had told the court that he sells cannabis to make a living ... 5 grammes of certified cannabis in the presence of the court registrar, court officials and the press ... a search in his room found two parcels of dried leaves suspected to be cannabis in a polythene bag known as "Ghana must go." He said when the police quizzed him about the dried leaves found in... (Ghana Web, Ghana)
Could hemp-loving Libertarian affect Sieglock-Huber outcome? Nov 8, 2008
Is it true that 80% of Obama supporters support the use of illegal drugs like Cannabis sativa ... Is it true that 80% of Obama supporters support the use of illegal drugs like Cannabis sativa. (Lodi News Sentinel, CA)
UK top of European cocaine league Nov 7, 2008
Some 71 million European citizens - about one in four people - had tried cannabis. The figure for cannabis in the UK was 30. (BBC News -- UK)
Sealed bids for stake in Curlin fall short Nov 7, 2008
Anton Jarov, a distance runner, tested positive for cannabis in June. Blood samples from Tour of Portugal cyclists will be retested for CERA, a new version of the endurance-enhancing hormone EPO. The Swiss Anti-Doping Laboratory said it will handle the testing from the Aug. 13-24 race. (San Diego Union-Tribune -- Sports)
BETTER LIFE: Smokers more addicted now than in '80s, '90s Nov 7, 2008
studies," according to the company's website. "Crude herbal cannabis (marijuana) in any form. is none of those things. (USA Today -- Life)
More Russians punished after drug tests Nov 7, 2008
Jarov, a 5,000-meter runner, tested positive for cannabis at the youth championships in June and received a public warning. Today in Sports. (International Herald Tribune -- Sports)
Credit Crunch Blues? Time to Get High Nov 7, 2008
ABC News: Holland: Cannabis Trade at All-Time High ... Holland: Cannabis Trade at All-Time High ... A joint of marijuana is lit diromg the High Times Cannabis Cup festival at Melkweg (Milky Way) club. (ABC News)
The generation that inhaled Nov 6, 2008
If anything, their experience gives them the moral authority to ensure young people, particularly adolescents, with their exquisitely vulnerable brains, understand that cannabis is increasingly linked to permanent psychiatric damage ... Recent research suggests that, without cannabis, the incidence of schizophrenia would drop by at least 10 per cent. That's roughly 28,000 people in Australia who would be spared this terrible ailment; around the world in this year alone, about 150,000 people... (Sydney Morning Herald -- Opinion)
Duo acquitted in 1.8kg drug trafficking case in JB Nov 6, 2008
JOHOR BARU: Two factory operators escaped the gallows after they were acquitted of trafficking almost 2kg of cannabis at a High Court here. T. Gunalan, 31, and M. Bala- krishnan, 28, were charged with trafficking 1,896. (The Star Online, Malaysia -- News)
POLICE ROUNDUP Nov 6, 2008
CANTON MAN ARRESTED FOR WARRANT, CANNABIS ... Upon further investigation, police discovered and arrested Lowe for an outstanding Fulton County warrant and for unlawful possession of cannabis, less than 2. (Canton Daily Ledger, IL)
High Expectations Nov 6, 2008
In theory, compounds derived from the cannabis plant could someday serve in topical creams for patients with MRSA or other antibiotic-resistant infections ... In recent years, compounds in cannabis or related molecules have been shown to , , and ... Research on the that THC and other cannabis compounds attach toand the nitty-gritty mechanisms by which they exert their effectshas been booming. (Slate)
Kenoi leads race for Big Island mayor Nov 5, 2008
The measure would apply to "personal use" of cannabis, which is defined as possession of up to 24 plants or 24 ounces of marijuana. If passed, the measure also would bar the county from accepting any further state or federal money for eradication. (Honolulu Advertiser)
Pot-induced psychosis a schizophrenia signal? Nov 4, 2008
"Cannabis-induced psychosis," in which a person loses touch with reality and the symptoms persist for at least 48 hours, is an established psychiatric diagnosis, but it is controversial, Dr. Mikkel Arendt of Aarhus University in Risskov, Denmark, and colleagues note in their report ... In a previous study, Arendt and colleagues found that nearly half of people who had an episode of cannabis-induced psychosis went on to develop schizophrenia within the next six years ... In the current study, the... (MSNBC -- Health)
Calls for drug detection machines in Aberdeen pubs Nov 4, 2008
The Itemiser device, which was on loan from the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency, can tell within seconds if a person has been in contact with heroin, cocaine, cannabis and ecstasy. It allows police officers to swab people s hands and analyse the results. (Aberdeen Evening Express)
Kenya: Low Crop Prices Drive Farmers to Marijuana Nov 3, 2008
Kenyan small-scale farmers have moved across the border into Tanzania to cultivate marijuana or "bhang", as the cannabis sativa plant is locally called ... Of the 17,578 people arrested during from 2005 to 2007 on drug-related charges, more than 500 were the growers of cannabis. (allAfrica.com)
* World News Quick Take Nov 3, 2008
The country is one of the worlds largest producers of cannabis resin, used to make hashish. SWITZERLAND. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
US upholds medical marijuana ban Nov 3, 2008
Angel Raich pre-emptively sued the government for the right to use cannabis when legal drugs had failed ... The Supreme Court ruled two years ago that federal drug laws override those in 11 states allowing medical cannabis. (Yahoo News -- Medical Marijuana)
Research Supports Medicinal Marijuana Nov 3, 2008
But other doctors and advocates of marijuana policy reform said the findings, in today's issue of the journal Neurology, offer powerful evidence that the Drug Enforcement Administration's classification of cannabis as having "no currently accepted medical use" is outdated. "This should be a wake-up call for Congress to hold hearings to investigate the therapeutic use of cannabis and to encourage more research," said Barbara T. Roberts, a former interim associate deputy director in the White... (Yahoo News -- Medical Marijuana)
Cannabis 'affecting young minds' Nov 3, 2008
Cannabis 'affecting young minds ... Half of young people using cannabis suffer side effects such as paranoia and blackouts, a UK survey suggests ... The charity is calling for urgent research on the effects of cannabis on the developing teenage brain. (Yahoo News -- Substance Use)
UK minister shocked by kit claim Nov 2, 2008
" Are you in the armed forces? What is your experience with equipment and vehicles? Send your comments using the post form below, or text 61124. In most cases a selection of your comments will be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below. Name Your E-mail address Town ry Phone number (optional): Comments The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Bookmark with: UK... (BBC News)
Waiting over Nov 2, 2008
Page last updated at 00:02 GMT, Sunday, 2 November 2008. I was living my life in limbo. (BBC News -- UK)
Data loss firm contract axed Nov 2, 2008
Page last updated at 19:35 GMT, Wednesday, 10 September 2008 20:35 UK. The information contained on a memory stick was not encrypted. (BBC News -- UK)
End to hospital junk food vending Nov 2, 2008
Page last updated at 08:54 GMT, Saturday, 1 November 2008. Fruit and healthy drinks are to replace chocolate and crisps in machines. (BBC News -- UK)
Ambulance 'risk lists' concern Nov 2, 2008
Page last updated at 06:03 GMT, Sunday, 2 November 2008. Concern at ambulance 'risk lists. (BBC News -- UK)
Joaquin lines up for Oscar Nov 2, 2008
Cannabis 'might harm conception. Dame Vera backs poetry anthology. (BBC News -- Entertainment)
Pub-goers to be tested for drugs Nov 1, 2008
It can tell almost instantly if drugs are present - including cocaine, cannabis, heroin and ecstasy. The device can show three possible results: green, amber or red. (BBC News -- UK)
Key Mechanism Behind Cancer Spread Is Explained Nov 1, 2008
26, 2007) A compound found in cannabis may prove to be effective at helping stop the spread of breast cancer cells throughout the body. The study is raising hope that CBD, a compound found in Cannabis sativa. (Science Daily)
$8m cannabis seized in Melbourne Nov 1, 2008
POLICE have seized more than $8 million worth of cannabis during an eight-month investigation targeting a Melbourne drug syndicate ... Investigators also seized 2727 marijuana plants, $40,000 cash, $500,000 worth of hydroponic equipment, 32kg of cultivated cannabis and $1 ... Acting Senior Sergeant Jason Templar said the cannabis seized had a street value of $8. (The Australian)
Business group takes aim at pot law Nov 1, 2008
mthrsdva wrote on Oct 28, 2008 8:11 AM:" Marinol does not work for anything but the nausea.If one had a marinol prescription, ones employer would have no say in it.I do not have to report my vicodin use to my employer.The Feds have a medical marijuana program.They are providing my friend with some embarrassing schwag.6 lbs a year rolled up in joints.They come in a tin. From the Feds. Yep. The feds.schwag in a tin from the feds, six pounds a year.every year. It is not "dope" any more than the... (Corvallis Gazette Times, OR)
Africa: Clandestine Cannabis Farmers Feed Growing Drug Abuse Oct 31, 2008
com: Africa: Clandestine Cannabis Farmers Feed Growing Drug Abuse (Page 1 of 1) ... Africa: Clandestine Cannabis Farmers Feed Growing Drug Abuse ... Farmers in West Africa are turning to cannabis as a quick cash crop, feeding the biggest illegal drug market in the world. (allAfrica.com)
Man Charged for Growing Marijuana Oct 31, 2008
Jeffery Costanza, 51, of Hindsburg Road, was charged, with criminal possession of marijuana, unlawfully growing cannabis and unlawful possession of marijuana. The sheriff's department says it seized over a pound of dried marijuana, approximately 70 plants and $25,000. (R News)
Drug use declines as seizures reach record Oct 31, 2008
Cannabis consumption at its lowest in 10 years Home Office says fall won't stop reclassification ... Illicit drug use in Britain is declining, with cannabis use at its lowest level for 10 years and cocaine also down, according to British Crime Survey figures published yesterday ... The record level of seizures was fuelled by a 44% rise in confiscations of small amounts of herbal cannabis as a result of the introduction of police warnings for personal possession in 2004. (guardian.co.uk)
Groups of Dangerous Drivers Identified Oct 30, 2008
5, 2005) Driving under the influence of cannabis almost doubles the risk of a fatal road crash, finds a study published online by the British Medical Journal. However its share in fatal crashes is. (Science Daily)
Ruling favors medical marijuana users Oct 30, 2008
Daubert says, and many patients agree, that the synthetic treatment is not as effective because it mimics just one substance in the cannabis plant, when a combination of substances may be what helps relieve the pain. The law also provides that a qualifying patient may possess up to six marijuana plants and one ounce of marijuana. (Missoulian, MT)
Editor's Mailbag (Oct. 28) Oct 29, 2008
By his words and deeds we know he does not like cannabis (marijuana). We also know his agenda is very-anti-cannabis and if he could he would repeal Oregon s Medical Marijuana Program (OMMP) ... In 1998 Oregon s citizens passed the OMMA and rebuffed re-criminalizing cannabis possession (by a larger percentage than supported the medical marijuana bill). (Albany Democrat-Herald, OR)
Fire breaks out at house after drug bust Oct 28, 2008
On Wednesday, three members of a family and another man were booked into the Brevard County Detention Center after police raided their home and arrested them on charges of manufacturing cannabis, the Brevard County Sheriff's Office said ... "The bedroom was set up to harvest cannabis and had several cannabis buds hanging from a rope, drying," Hanson alleged in an arrest report ... "Another bedroom contained several cannabis plants.". (Florida Today)
Wannabe gangster slammed Oct 26, 2008
But her future was snatched away from her after Bryan, 20, arrived at the party, high on alcohol and cannabis. Showing off to the younger girls he danced around waving a revolver which went off - shooting Sophie in the head. (Manchester Online)
THE PROS: Two sides of one leaf; hashing out the pros and cons of Ballot Question 2 Oct 25, 2008
He has been out in front on the fight to reform marijuana laws as one of the founders of the Massachusetts Cannabis Reform Coalition, since 1989. Loading commenting interface. (Winchester Star, MA, MA)
Last night on television: Mum, Heroin and Me (Channel 4) - The ... Oct 24, 2008
Adolescence brought worse: binge drinking at 13, overnight absences, cannabis and cocaine, and eventually heroin addiction. Rehab was attempted but Hannah always relapsed. (Telegraph.co.uk)
EU asks suspension of anti-obesity drug Oct 24, 2008
Acomplia is the first in a new class of drugs that switch off the same brain circuits that make people hungry when they smoke cannabis. Analysts had already cut their forecasts for Acomplia after the United States rejected it, but the European action still caught investors off guard. (International Herald Tribune -- Business)
New drug growing in popularity Oct 24, 2008
And dont forget this dangerous drug wrote on Oct 22, 2008 10:00 AM:" We need to also make chocolate illegal. Chocolate is a mind- altering drug. Like many high-sugar, high-fat foods, chocolate can cause your brain to release opiates, pleasure-inducing chemicals similar to street drugs like heroin. In addition to the opiate high, chocolate contains theobromine, a chemical stimulant which is a close cousin to caffeine. There's also phenylethylamine, an amphetamine-like brain chemical that might be... (Munster Times, IN)
Dutch towns close cannabis coffee shops to ward off 'drug tourists' Oct 24, 2008
Dutch towns close cannabis coffee shops to ward off 'drug tourists ... Two Dutch towns are planning to close their cannabis smoking coffee shops after admitting that an influx of up to 25,000 French and Belgian "drug tourists" each week had become too much ... Until then, all local coffee shops will be forced to limit the sale of cannabis to two grams per customer per day instead of the current five grams. (The Age, Australia -- Opinion)
Working together, police make a dent in drug trade Oct 23, 2008
Police say they made a big dent in marijuana dealing in the region last week when they seized nearly 25 pounds of the drug in Hanover and a house full of live cannabis plants in Hull. Hull police said the 113 plants seized from a Manomet Avenue home have a street value of nearly $500,000, and five people were arrested in connection with that bust. (Boston Globe)
Sunshine Coast police make drug arrest Oct 23, 2008
Police allege officers found a large quantity of cannabis hidden inside the car. With the assistance of detectives from the Sunshine Coast, searches were conducted at a Maroochy River address where it is alleged further drugs were found. (ABC Regional Online)
Father snapped daughter's spine Oct 22, 2008
Howson said he had taken Amy downstairs, put butter on the bruise and then smoked a cannabis joint before falling asleep with the child. He told the jury he had woken to find his daughter was not breathing. (BBC News -- UK)
Dad broke baby's spine Oct 22, 2008
Jobless cannabis abuser James Howson, 25, twisted the arms and legs of 16-month-old Amy before breaking her spine over his knee or a chair. A post mortem examination revealed malnourished Amy had suffered more than 40 injuries. (Mirror.co.uk)
Vic police smash cannabis syndicate Oct 22, 2008
Seven people have been charged with drug offences after police smashed a large scale cannabis trafficking syndicate operating in central Victoria ... They also seized a large amount of cannabis as well as cash, a car and weapons ... - a Horsham woman, 34, who was charged with trafficking cannabis and two counts of possessing the proceeds of crime. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
Cash, drugs seized in massive Vic raid Oct 21, 2008
Jewellery and glassware were also seized, as well as more than 500 grams of heroin, a small amount of cannabis, a loaded semi-automatic pistol with additional rounds, capsicum spray and financial documents. A 39-year-old Tatong man will face the Benalla Magistrates Court on 16 December on charges of possessing and trafficking cannabis, possessing heroin and dealing the proceeds of crime ... Three people - a 47-year-old woman from Lysterfield South charged with trafficking heroin and possessing a... (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
Medical marijuana gardens worry Clackamas County Oct 20, 2008
Paul Stanford, founder and director of the national nonprofit Hemp & Cannabis Foundation, says that law enforcement officials and the public are gradually accepting the benefits of medical marijuana. "Across the board, we're seeing increasing support, and it's so important," Stanford said. (Longview Daily News, WA)
Drugs seized from docks trailer Oct 20, 2008
A small quantity of cannabis was also discovered. Both men, who are from Leicester, were later released on bail, according to HMRC.. (BBC News)
Stone Age man 'took drugs to get high' Oct 20, 2008
Drugs such as cannabis were not found in the Caribbean then. Opiates can be obtained from species such as poppies, though fungi, which a widespread source of drugs, may also have been used. (India Times, India -- Health/Science)
Dial-a-crime Oct 18, 2008
" In July this year, in response to a review by David Blakey, the former Chief Constable of West Mercia, the government announced an 80m initiative to combat the smuggling of drugs into prisons. Cells at Belmarsh are regularly searched for contraband The Ministry of Justice said it would be introducing new scanners by March 2009 to clamp down on the smuggling of mobile phones, which are often linked to drug dealing within prisons. Body Orifice Security Scanners, or (Boss) chairs, can detect... (BBC News -- Technology)
