News

The Lacey City Council will consider a proposed ordinance that would establish interim regulations allowing "medical cannabis collective gardens" in the city limits.

Procedures, Timelines for Requests Not Complete A medical-marijuana dispensary request in northeast Phoenix has been postponed a second time due to red tape in state government.

The Village of Oxford is considering taking steps many Oakland County locales have taken regarding the issue of medical marijuana in their communities.

City Council: Proposal Won't Change Legal Efforts Against Businesses That Sell Marijuana The Lacey City Council will consider a proposed ordinance that would establish interim regulations allowing "medical cannabis collective gardens" in the city limits.

Opinions

Some people shake in their boots at the thought of legalizing marijuana. The idea that it could be regulated and controlled like alcohol and tobacco scares the hell out of them. Those people are ignorant and disillusioned, and it's at no fault of their own.

RICHMOND B.C. -- Another person -- a teenaged boy -- has died from an ecstasy overdose in Vancouver this month, bringing to 19 the number of ecstasy-related death in the past six months in B.C.

Readers of the Jan. 29 Sunday Olympian woke up to two front-page headlines, five full-color photos and 85 column inches about the legal woes of local medical cannabis providers. The story had all the makings of great political drama: ambiguous laws, ambivalent lawmakers, undercover cops, lawyers of all stripes.

Unemployed Should Always Be Ready to Return to Work, Employers are the folks who pay for 100 percent of unemployment insurance costs, and most agree that when someone loses a job, through no fault of his or her own, there should be a safety net.

Letters

Drugs did not spawn Mexico's organized crime networks. Just like alcohol prohibition gave rise to Al Capone, drug prohibition created the violent drug-trafficking organizations behind all the killings in Mexico.

Re: "Message is simple: If you do the E circulating on the streets right now, you're going to need one of these expensive, shiny boxes," (Jan. 31). What a disappointing column by Michael Platt. Surely only an ignoramus would warn us against using a particular illegal drug without pointing out the screamingly obvious point here: Illegal drugs are always inherently dangerous. Clean, pure, government inspected legal drugs are not. Does Michael Platt know nothing about prohibition?

Re: 'Drug scourge takes its toll,' Jan. 27. The RCMP should realize that when they're saying it's "probably just the tip of the iceberg" what they are saying, in effect, is they're only eliminating rival dealers' competition. The scourge of drug prohibition is so entrenched in the 21st century that it has become, essentially, the (un)necessary evil for providing platforms for politicians and making work for enforcement.

In her letter of Jan. 27, Theresa Null, describes an acquaintance "Sarah", who had a stressful family life, made an apparent escape but then began using medical marijuana (MMJ), which, Null claims, caused "Sarah" to sink into apathy, affecting her responsibilities and relationships.

Re "NYPD cops involved in shooting of unarmed man placed on modified duty" (Nydailynews.com, Feb. 3): This tragedy happened because of the city's ridiculous policies on marijuana. Nobody should face arrest or jail time for small amounts of marijuana. It's a waste of money and a danger to the public.

Bryan Watts illustrated very clearly that one of the worst things associated with cannabis (marijuana) is the discriminating punishment (Marijuana use: Don't think it can't happen to your child, Jan. 27) doled out by prohibitionist government. Cannabis prohibition is far worse than the relatively safe, extremely popular God-given plant itself. Watts testifies even though the plant can be stronger, people who use it are able to function very well. Cannabis prohibition forces the black market to regulate the plant, which makes it easier to acquire than alcohol or cigarettes.

We are sorry for the loss of Ramarley Graham's life. But he shouldn't have put his grandmother and little brother's lives in danger by running into the house to flush his weed. We're also thankful another police officer didn't get shot or killed.