Weekly: This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories
It's a real motley crew this week: a small-town police chief gone bad, cops escorting drug shipments, and, of course, more crooked prison guards.
Medical Marijuana: Minnesota Bill Passes Senate, House Version Moving Too
The Minnesota medical marijuana bill has passed the state Senate and is moving in the House, but the Republican governor is vowing a veto.
Methamphetamine: Senators Feinstein and Grassley Introduce Bill to Heighten Penalties for Meth Dealers Who Flavor Their Product
Reacting to reports of flavored methamphetamine entering the market, two senators have introduced a bill that would increase prison sentences for anyone who flavors a drug to lure children.
Pain Medicine: Dr. Hurwitz Convicted of 16 Counts in Retrial
In a victory for federal prosecutors waging war on pain doctors they consider little more than drug dealers, Northern Virginia pain specialist Dr. Bill Hurwitz was found guilty of 16 counts of drug distribution in his second trial.
Marijuana: It's That Time Again -- Marijuana Marches Set for Saturday in More Than 200 Cities Worldwide
If it's the first Saturday in May, it's time for the annual global marijuana marches. This year, people in 231 cities will take to the streets to free the weed.
Meth Makes You Do Stupid Things
They arrested 49 Indian store clerks for unknowingly selling household items that could be used to make meth.
They inadvertently taught children how to make meth as part of a meth education class about why you shouldn't do exactly that.
Several states have created databases of meth offenders. So if you're trying not to buy meth, you'll know exactly who not to call.
They've built a "meth gun," which isnât nearly as cool as it sounds.
They declared National Meth Awareness Day, so we can celebrate not doing meth. The planning was so intensive that the Attorney General forgot why he fired 9 U.S. Attorneys.
And just last month, they arrested a guy for possessing too much cold medicine because he could have used it to make meth, even though he didn't.
But, spectacularly absurd as they may be, these things really do not compare to this. From today's Des Moines Register:
Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Ia., said today that the illegal and highly addictive drug is being colored, flavored and packaged in ways to make it appealing to younger users.
He and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., introduced a bill that would increase the penalties for those found to have manufactured, created or distributed an illegal drug that is flavored, colored or packaged to make it more appealing to people under 21.
Hopefully, the legislation will state specifically that the meth must be "packaged to make it more appealing to people under 21" thereby burdening prosecutors and judges with the arduous task of figuring out what the hell that means. Better yet, perhaps this proposal will collapse under the weight of its own stupidity. But I'm not holding my breath.
If you need some background on why candy-flavored meth isn't worth getting all tweaked out about, I've discussed it here.
Most notably, it's worth considering that the more candy you've got in your meth, the less meth you actually have. So Congress is basically attempting to encourage dealers to sell a stronger product.
Maybe there should also be higher penalties for selling the more potent and addictive candy-free meth. No wait, forget I said that.
Sensible Colorado's Music for Medical Marijuana
Please join UCCS Professor Dr. Bob Melamede and Sensible Colorado staff members at this free event featuring live music, educational speakers, voter registration, and information on Colorado's medical marijuana law.