Marijuana 420 News from Marijuana420.net

Phoenix officials are discussing how to deal with a November ballot measure that would legalize marijuana for medical purposes.

Phoenix has taken no position on the matter, but City Councilwoman Peggy Neely and Debra Stark of the City Manager's Office are studying how the measure could be implemented if it passes.

The city would work closely with the Arizona Department of Health Services. The health department would be in charge of making rules for the dispensing and use of medical marijuana.

Two Montana teens, 15 and 16-year old boys, texted looking for marijuana but reached the wrong "hook-up." The two texted the local sheriff by mistake, and he texted back. They tapped an incorrect number.

"Hey dawg, do you have 20 i can buy right now?" The teens texted Louis and Clark County, Montana, Sheriff Leo Dutton on August 25. At first, Dutton explained that he "thought it was a joke" but decided to continue the conversation by texting, "how much we talking?"

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) - A state-licensed grower of medical marijuana has answered to marijuana charges.

Matthew Salvato is accused of growing and keeping more marijuana than his license allows.

A district judge in Ferndale said Thursday that he would allow state-approved medical marijuana defendants to keep using the drug while out on bond -- a sharp contrast to a Waterford judge's statement Tuesday that deemed marijuana use by defendants in a parallel case to be a bond violation.

The contrast in treatment for those arrested in metro Detroit's first major medical marijuana raids showed the breadth of interpretations for the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act, Wayne State University law school professor Bob Sedler said.

A medical marijuana advocacy group sent letters Wednesday to about 140 California cities and counties that have banned pot dispensaries, including several in the Bay Area, and urged them to change their stance or face lawsuits.

The letter from Americans for Safe Access says a recent court ruling clears the way for cities to regulate medical marijuana dispensaries without fear of going against federal law. It goes on to say cities that have such banned pot clubs should now set up rules that allow them.

"Otherwise, we will explore our legal options," the letter says.

A widespread belief that kids who use pot will move onto to heavier drugs is challenged by a new study.

Marijuana has been called a "gateway drug" for years, remember Reefer Madness? University of New Hampshire professor Karen Van Gundy says simply put "the gateway hypothesis seems to imply almost a causal connection, that because kids use pot, they go on to use more serious substances."

The industry has been 'hijacked by underground' drug dealers, Lee Baca says as a suspect is charged in last week's triple murder in West Hollywood, which allegedly has ties to medical marijuana.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca on Wednesday took aim at the medical marijuana industry, citing last week's triple murder in West Hollywood as an example of how enterprising criminals have infiltrated some of the dispensaries.

Marijuana legalization looks like it might be viable as a ballot measure in California this year, but the opposition campaign has secured the endorsements of big-name politicians in California, including one of its co-chairs.

The No on Prop. 19 campaign announced today that Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein will serve as co-chair of the campaign. From the press release:

"California will not see a single positive result if Proposition 19 passes," said Senator Feinstein. "It is a poorly constructed initiative that will cause harm to Californians on our roadways, and in our schools, workplaces and communities. I look forward to working with Sheriff Baca to ensure we defeat Proposition 19 in November."

SANFORD — It looks like there will not be a medical marijuana dispensary in Sanford, at least not in the foreseeable future.

The Maine Department of Health and Human Services' Division of Licensing and Regulatory Services (DLRS) has selected Safe Harbor Maine, Inc. to operate a dispensary in Maine's Health District 1 of York County. Safe Harbor Maine proposes to establish a marijuana dispensary in Biddeford.

The DLRS announced Tuesday afternoon the selection of two nonprofit corporations, one in District 1 and one in District 7 (Washington and Hancock counties) to dispense marijuana under Maine's Medical Use of Marijuana Act.

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Earlier this week, a television commercial advertising medicinal marijuana was aired in California – the first ever broadcast in the U.S. The ad was shown over Fox affiliate KTXL in Sacramento, and has swirled up a nice little cloud of controversy from community members who worry about the commercial's effect on children. The ad itself features a series of testimonials from customers, all A-typical of our drug culture stereotypes: A pretty young woman claims she was diagnosed with a bone disease, while a middle-aged woman says she was hit by a drunk driver.