Appeal: Did You Know That We Are WINNING?
Unprecedented developments have us more optimistic than ever before at the prospects for significant change in drug policy.
Credit where none is due
Police,responding to a report of a possible home invasion arrived to find the front door open.Inside they found two men who had nothing much to say and they also spotted a quantity of ecstasy pills an
NJ Medical Marijuana Patient Convicted, Faces 5-10 Years in Prison
The jury has returned its verdict in the case of multiple sclerosis patient John Wilson, who was brought up on serious marijuana charges for growing his medicine:
Somerville- The jury returned a not guilty verdict to John Wilson on the first-degree felony charges against him. But the MS patient could still face time in prison after being found guilty of second-degree charges of âManufacturingâ marijuana and third-degree possession of hallucinogenic mushrooms. Â
If he had been convicted of "operating and maintaining a marijuana production facility" John would have faced a minimum of 15 years in state prison. That could have amounted to a death sentence for the 37 year old because of the degenerative nature of the disease. [Examiner]
So it could've been worse, but it's awfully hard to get excited about a result that could still send a seriously ill patient to prison. I guess the mushroom possession didnât help, but shrooms should be legal anyway and I'm sure he found them helpful or he wouldn't have had them.
Let's hope this less-than-worst-case scenario doesnât suck any momentum from the effort to get Wilson pardoned and pass medical marijuana legislation in New Jersey to prevent such injustices in the future.
Medical Marijuana: New Jersey Patient Acquitted of Most Serious Charge, Convicted of Others
New Jersey medical marijuana patient John Ray Wilson was found guilty of marijuana manufacture yesterday, but the jury refused to convict him on the most serious charge. The verdict came after the trial judge partially reversed himself and allowed Wilson to utter one sentence to the jury about his illness and his use of medical marijuana. Supporters are seeking a pardon from outgoing Gov. Jon Corzine.
Weekly: This Week in History
Events and quotes of note from this week's drug policy events of years past.
Law Enforcement: This Week's Corrupt Cops Stories
A quiet week -- perhaps it's the holidays -- yields a Carolina two-fer of corrupt cops.
West Coast Weed Wars: Legalizing Legislators Come Out Swinging
Will 2010 be the year the first state legalizes marijuana? If California Assemblyman Tom Ammiano and Washington Representative Roger Goodman have their way, two states will do so.
The Year on Drugs 2009: International Drug Policy Developments
The war in Afghanistan, the rising tide of drug reform in Latin America, and battles over drug policies in European countries are among the dominant international drug policy stories of 2009. (Next issue we'll review the top domestic stories.)
Weekly: Blogging @ the Speakeasy
"NJ Medical Marijuana Patient Not Guilty on First-Degree Felony Charges," "There's No Economic Crisis for the Drug Cartels," "Another Crazy Medical Marijuana Lie from the Drug Czar," "NJ Medical Marijuana Trial Takes an Interesting Turn," "'No One Threw Bong Water At Me, But It Came Pretty Close'," "Latest Drug War Lie: Debating Medical Marijuana Causes More Kids to Smoke Pot," "Man Gets Tased and Dies After Trying to Swallow Marijuana During Police Encounter."
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