Business

B.C. Bud Hangs in the Balance, as California Casts Marijuana Vote

As Californians go to the polls Tuesday night, they won't just be deciding the future of marijuana in their state - the vote may also rattle the booming B.C. bud industry. If the law passes, B.C.'s illegal pot industry - which generates between $3 billion and $7 billion a year - could take a big hit, says Darryl Plecas, a criminology professor at B.C.'s University of the Fraser Valley.

Website Tracks Street Value of Marijuana

Marijuana users can go online and see what kind of bargain theyâre getting from their marijuana dealer. The site, which has been online since September, compiles averages of marijuana prices for each state. A representative from the website says that the goal of www.priceofweed.com is simply to give marijuana users tools for assessing prices.

Fired for Taking Legal Drugs? Why Drug Tests Don't Always Work

Should people who take legally prescribed painkillers on the job be fired for failing a drug test? What companies consider an effort to maintain a safe work environment is drawing complaints from employees who cite privacy concerns and contend that they should not be fired for taking legal medications, sometimes for injuries sustained on the job.

Special Report: New Labor Groups Organize Marijuana Workers

In the last nine months, Eric Engstrom has been criss-crossing California as president and co-founder of Union Local 13, whose motto, âDon't Leaf Us Out,â describes the efforts to unionize marijuana cultivators, processors and distributors. Unionization of marijuana workers already is under way elsewhere. Members of Teamsters Local 70 in Oakland added nearly 40 new members in September when they organized the nation's first group of unionized marijuana growers â vowing to raise their wages from $18 per hour to $25.75 an hour within 15 months.

Royal Castle Square, Warsaw

Poland Shutters Synthetic Drug Shops

The Polish government is cracking down on new synthetic drugs and wants the power to pull from the shelves any product that could be harmful to health or life. It didn't mention Polish vodka, though.

California Beer & Beverage Distributors Don't Speak for Us

Tell the CA beer distributors that their position on Prop. 19 conflicts with their consumers!

Email the Beer Distributors

Dear friends,

Have you heard that the California Beer & Beverage Distributors recently donated $10,000 to fight against Prop. 19? They clearly have a stake in perpetuating marijuana prohibition.

Show the beer distributors that you oppose their position on Prop. 19!

The beer distributors see marijuana reform as a threat to their bottom line. Their concern is making money, not improving the lives of Californians. Shouldn't the fate of Prop. 19 be about what's best for California, not what's best for the alcohol industry?

Tell the beer lobby that their obvious financial self-interest conflicts with your priorities!

So what if they see marijuana as competition for their product? Let the beer distributors know we’re disgusted by their gutless opposition to long-overdue marijuana reform!

Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,

Stephen Gutwillig
State Director, California
Drug Policy Alliance

CVS Pays Largest Civil Penalty Ever Assessed Under the Controlled Substances Act for Selling Main Meth Ingredient

CVS, the nation's largest drug-store chain, is paying whatâs considered the largest civil penalty ever â $75 million â assessed under the Controlled Substances Act as well as forfeiting $2.6 million in profits from the sales of medicines that contain pseudoephedrine â a key ingredient to making meth.

Mexican Drug Trafficking Organization Expands Into Illegal Mining

A Mexican drug trafficking organization already raking in hefty profits trafficking drugs to the United States under drug prohibition has discovered a new business in the western state of Michoacan -- illegal mining.

Medical Marijuana in Montana Becoming Big Business

Marijuana in Montana isn't just for legal medicinal or unlawful recreational purposes - it's also a booming business. That message was loud and clear among caregivers and others who attended the Medical Marijuana Growers Association gathering in Helena this week.

Electricity Theft by B.C. Grow-ops Costs $100M a Year

BC Hydro says the theft of electricity â mostly from drug prohibition-inspired marijuana grow operations â now costs $100 million every year. Hydro spokesperson Cindy Verschoor said that's a significant increase from the estimated $30-million revenue loss from electricity theft in 2006, the last time Hydro calculated the loss. She said it's because larger and more sophisticated grow-ops are sucking more power each year.

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