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Beginning January 1, police in America’s fourth largest city will no longer be arresting minor marijuana possession offenders.

Under a new mandatory policy outlined by the Harris County District Attorney, police in Houston will cite and release those found with up to two ounces of cannabis. Those issued citations must agree to attend a drug diversion program, which consists of class work and community service. Upon completion of the program, defendants will face no additional punishment. They will not be charged with a crime, and they will not possess a criminal record.

Only first-time offenders will be eligible for the cite-and-release program.

The change is a welcome one for residents of the Lone Star State. Texas police arrest an estimated 75,000 offenders for violating the state’s pot possession laws annually—the second highest total in the nation.

Read More:http://www.hightimes.com/read/police-houston-stop-arresting-minor-pot-offenders

It is not your normal help wanted ad, but California Governor Jerry Brown’s office is spearheading a state-wide search by the California Department of Consumer Affairs to fill the post as head of the soon-to-be-established Bureau of Medical Marijuana Regulation (BMMR), that is, Chief of Pot, according to the Sacramento Bee.

It sounds like the dream job to get in on the ground floor of California’s push to regulate medical marijuana. And the pay is not bad either – between $115,608 to $128,808 per year.

The job will entail dealing with the interminable rules and regulations, as well as everything from writing legislation for permits for growers, sellers, and buyers, to disciplinary actions for those that don’t abide by the rules. 

The successful applicant, or pot chief, will be the face of the BMMR to the media and consumers.

Read More:http://www.hightimes.com/read/job-opening-california-looking-pot-czar

The Florida Supreme Court has canceled a Dec. 8 hearing that was scheduled to consider legalizing medical marijuana in the state, according to an Associated Press report.

Attorney General Pam Bondi announced last week that she would not launch a challenge to the constitutional amendment, so the Florida Supreme Court called off the scheduled hearing on the matter. Justices will still need to approve the ballot’s wording before the measure can move forward, however, as reported by North Escambia.

People United for Medical Marijuana sponsored the bill seeking to authorize marijuana use by individuals suffering from any “physician certified debilitating medical condition.”

Read More:http://extract.suntimes.com/news/10/153/7931/florida-supreme-court-cancels-medical-marijuana-hearing

DEA head Chuck Rosenberg recently made some insensitive, unscientific comments about medical marijuana that demonstrated just how little compassion he has for suffering patients in this country. Below are Chuck Rosenberg’s comments, via the Huffington Post:

“What really bothers me is the notion that marijuana is also medicinal — because it’s not,” Rosenberg told reporters last week. “We can have an intellectually honest debate about whether we should legalize something that is bad and dangerous, but don’t call it medicine — that is a joke.

“There are pieces of marijuana — extracts or constituents or component parts — that have great promise,” he continued. “But if you talk about smoking the leaf of marijuana, which is what people are talking about when they talk about medicinal marijuana, it has never been shown to be safe or effective as medicine.”

In reaction to those comments, the Marijuana Majority created a petition calling for the termination of Chuck Rosenberg. Below is the language of the petition (which can be signed at this link here):

Read More:http://www.theweedblog.com/petition-to-fire-dea-head-chuck-rosenberg-surpasses-75000-signatures/

(image via Wikipedia)

Medford Oregon’s City Council, a few weeks after approving medical marijuana dispensaries in the city, voted to ban all growing of cannabis in residential zones in town. Mayor Gary Wheeler had threatened to veto the controversial dispensary ordinance even though it had passed with a overwhelming 7-1 vote. A compromise was reached that creates a complete ban on growing in residential zones, medical marijuana included. The ban passed the first reading with a vote of 6-2, with Council members Clay Bearnson and Kevin Stein voting in opposition.

Medford and the local police have a long history of resisting marijuana access, going back to the Memorial Week 2013 raid of Southern Oregon NORML, Puffin’ Stuff, and the Green Compass. Later, the city fought in court to deny business licenses to state authorized medical marijuana dispensaries after the legislature voted them in. Coincidentally, with legal dispensaries in Medford looming on he horizon, Chief of Police Tim George recently announced he would retire in December.

Councilman Tim Jackle, who voiced the strongest opposition to the original measure allowing medical dispensaries, encouraged others on the Council, and the Mayor, to consider a ban on residential growing. The final reasoning was that the residents who wanted marijuana would now have legal access points to purchase their medicine.

Read More:http://www.theweedblog.com/medford-oregon-votes-to-ban-all-residential-marijuana-grows/

South Dakota’s Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe announced over the weekend that it was suspending operations on its marijuana resort set to open on New Year’s Eve and that it had burned its pot crop. The tribe said it was seeking “clarification” from the Justice Department to ensure “the continued success of the marijuana venture.”

The move comes as at least three other Indian tribes that have embarked on marijuana operations after the Justice Department seemingly gave them a green light last year have been raided by the DEA, a Justice Department agency. At this point, Indian tribes have reason to be nervous about what the federal stance really is.

But the Flandreau pot operation also drew fast and intense opposition from the state’s Republican political establishment and law enforcement figures. And that opposition has brought renewed attention to one of the most bizarre state marijuana laws in the land, South Dakota’s “internal possession” law.

As Republican state Attorney General Marty Jackley warned—twice—when the tribe announced its plans in June, “South Dakota law prohibits the internal and physical possession, distribution, and manufacture of marijuana by: (1) all non-Indian persons anywhere in South Dakota including within Indian country; (2) all persons, including tribal members, outside of Indian Country.”

Read More:http://www.theweedblog.com/south-dakota-law-can-get-you-busted-for-smoking-marijuana-in-another-state/