Marijuana Blog

Ahead of what organizers say will be one of the largest marijuana-themed celebrations in the world, a number of officials in Denver are looking to this weekend's events with something between wariness and dread.

 

Take, for instance, the city's police department, which plans to have extra officers on hand to monitor the large, marijuana-puffing gathering in Civic Center park known as the "420 Rally." Although public marijuana consumption remains illegal in Colorado, a department spokesman says the beefed-up presence will nonetheless try to maintain a low profile.

 

"Our biggest goal is to ensure everyone is safe in this environment," Denver police spokesman Sonny Jackson said. "We'll have the necessary number of officers to ensure the safety of the public."

 

The rally takes place every year on April 20 — a day marijuana enthusiasts regard as a cannabis holiday they call 4/20. It could draw tens of thousands of attendees this year, as the first major public event around marijuana in Colorado since voters legalized use and limited possession of the drug last year.

 

Read more: http://www.canoncitydailyrecord.com

In a case that will have a deep and long-lasting impact on marijuana DUIs throughout the nation, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that a cop can not legally take an individuals blood in order to determine a DUI, without first obtaining a warrant. This is extremely relevant to marijuana consumers, especially as states like Washington (implemented through Initiative 502) now have a DUID clause that finds someone instantly guilty if they have a certain amount of THC in their blood – the U.S. government is working to implement this type of policy throughout the country.

 

Despite the Obama Administration and the State of Missouri lobbying otherwise, the court ruled 8-1 in favor of requiring a warrant. Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote the court’s majority opinion, stating that the natural dissipation of alcohol in the blood isn’t sufficient reason to remove the legal requirement of obtaining a warrant before taking the blood. Justice Clarence Thomas was the only judge that ruled in favor of warrantless blood testing.

 

Read more: http://www.theweedblog.com

President Barack Obama’s drug czar toed a strict line on marijuana Wednesday, saying federal laws will prevail regardless of state-level efforts to legalize pot.

 

Gil Kerlikowske said enforcement of the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 — which ranks marijuana as a Schedule One drug alongside heroin, LSD and ecstasy — remains in the hands of the US Department of Justice.

 

“No state, no executive can nullify a statute that has been passed by Congress,” the director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy told a National Press Club luncheon.

 

“Let’s be clear: law enforcement officers take an oath of office to uphold federal law and they are going to continue to pursue drug traffickers and drug dealers,” he said.

 

Read more: http://www.rawstory.com