It’s pretty common these days for robbers to target homes where marijuana is being grown.
Not so common: When the suspected pot growers are two women past retirement age.
That was what San Bruno police uncovered Friday, according to San Mateo County prosecutors.
It all began when neighbors heard loud banging coming from the women’s home on Valleywood Drive, nestled in between Skyline Boulevard and Interstate 280.
Then they saw two men, later identified as Kitae Chae, 38, and Kenny Kong, 34, breaking down the front door and lingering inside for a few minutes before driving off in a BMW, District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said.
The neighbors called police, and officers who stopped the BMW in South San Francisco found the men with $12,000 in cash, marijuana packaging material and seven ecstasy pills, Wagstaffe said.
When they arrived at the Valleywood Drive home, investigators found a substantial pot-growing operation: more than 800 marijuana plants, $3,000 in cash and a bypass through which electricity was being stolen from Pacific Gas and Electric Co., police said.
In short order, officers arrested the occupants — 72-year-old Aleen Lam and Virginia Chan Pon, 65. It’s not Pon’s first run-in with the law: She is already facing charges in Yolo County for allegedly passing more than $40,000 in bad checks over a three-day period at Cache Creek Casino.
“I have never seen or heard of women in their 60s and 70s running a grow house,” Wagstaffe said. “I certainly hope it is aberrational rather than a trend. I suppose profiteering in illegal enterprises crosses all the generations.”
The two women face a variety of drug charges, and Chae and Kong are accused of drug and burglary counts. All four have pleaded not guilty and are being held at San Mateo County Jail in lieu of $100,000 bail each.
Prosecutors have filed a motion requiring that the two women show a legitimate source for any bail they post.
We all know Porsche for designing super fast, super expensive, super sexy cars but apparently they are now making bongs high end hookahs. This bad boy is dubbed, “Shisha.” They can’t really come out and call this a bong because obviously some people may not like it. Instead they make it sound like they are selling you one of their amazingly designed cars.
The extraordinary Porsche Design Shisha combines high-quality materials such as aluminium, stainless steel and glass with the timeless and unique design approach of the luxury brand. Puristic and stylish at the same time. The Porsche Design Shisha is made in Germany and stands at a height of 55 centimetres. It only shows a discreet branding on the aluminium top of the Shisha and comes with a long flexible tube made out of TecFlex material, which is also used for the classic Porsche Design TecFlex writing tools.
The Shisha stands almost 2 feet tall (55 cm), and is made of glass and aluminum. It also features a “long flexible tube” made from Porsche’s custom TecFlex material. This thing is all kinds of badass. I will do my best to follow up on this and make sure I can get one to review for you guys. I will also let you know where you can purchase. Keep an eye out and stay high.
The state Assembly has voted to give more power to California cities to regulate medical marijuana according to AP reports.
Democratic state Assemblyman Bob Blumenfield says claims confusion over who has final authority over medical marijuana dispensaries has led to higher crime and illegal sales, although their is no statistics to back up these claims. Assemblyman Blumenfield also happens to be from Los Angelas, which has spent most of the last year closing dispensaries through local regulation.
This bill could be very harmful, as it gives local government the ability to close dispensaries, which could send patients to the streets to find their medicine of choice.
Democratic Assemblyman and medical marijuana supporter Tom Ammiano of San Francisco objected saying he wanted the bill to include the term “dispensaries.” His logic was to help legitimize dispensaries which have been often the target of federal raids.
AB1300 was introduced with the intent let cities and other local governments make decisions about how to best regulate medical marijuana. Locations, crime prevention policy, licensing, taxation, hours and other rules related to the regulation of medical marijuana would be regulated locally. The bill was approved 53-1 Friday and now goes to the Senate.
1) Legal Protection – If you’re already using cannabis without a medical marijuana card, you are breaking both state and federal law and as such are subject to the ridiculously harsh penalties many states impose on marijuana users. Even if you’re using cannabis as a legitimate treatment of disease, you are still breaking state law if you don’t have a medical marijuana prescription from a licensed doctor.
One of the best parts about being a card-carrying MMJ patient is that you are afforded full legal protection under the states medical marijuana laws. This means when you get pulled over for a routine speeding ticket and the cops ask you to search your car, you can allow them to search with no fear of being taken to jail or having your valuable medicine being confiscated. The law is on your side now, but only if you have a medical marijuana card!
2) Marijuana is an extremely effective medicine – At this point, its hard to dispute the medicinal value of cannabis. It seems to be the only substance on Earth that can cure the painful nausea caused by chemotherapy, greatly retard the onset of blindness from glaucoma and relieve depression without destroying your bodies chemical balance – all with zero negative long-term side effects. Marijuana is a wonder drug that’s been used as an effective medicine dating back at least 6,000 years.
3) The golden ticket into medical marijuana dispensaries – Another incredibly cool thing about having your medical marijuana card is that it allows you access into medical marijuana dispensaries (aka cannabis clubs). In California alone, there are over five hundred medical marijuana dispensaries eager to serve the needs of its patients.
Going into a medical marijuana dispensary in California is almost like going to a coffeeshop in Amsterdam. Many retailers have dozens of cannabis strains to choose from, ranging from high end buds like white widow, AK-47 and northern lights to mid-range chronic, all the way down to $35 for an eighth ounce schwag. Some even offer rooms with Volcano vaporizers in them, so you can safely medicate with fellow patients.
4) You can grow you’re own – With your medical marijuana card, not only can you legally buy medical cannabis, concentrates like bubble hash and hash oil, delicious edibles, tinctures and crazy tainted sodas but you can also legally grow your own pot!
The State of California allows any valid medical marijuana patient to have up to six mature plants growing at one time. This amount is fairly generous, considering that up to 4 lbs of dried flower can be harvested from a single 6′ outdoor cannabis indica plant.
Growing your own medical cannabis is not only fun, but also a good way to save money on medicine in this current economic recession.
5) It’s good enough for Johnny Drama, so isn’t it good enough for you?
How to get a medical marijuana card in California?
The best way to obtain a medical marijuana card is to through the Medical Marijuana Evaluation Center (MMEC) in Southern California. With six+ location in So Cal, they are, by far and wide, the largest and most reputable provider of medical cannabis ID cards in California. Unlike some other shady places, all their doctors are pre-screened and hold valid permits to practice medicine in the state of California. In addition, MMEC offers the highest quality medical patient ID cards, so you don’t have to carry around your prescription on a lamented piece of paper like most other doctors give out.
Where to find medical marijuana in California?
Come to Cafe Vale Tudo if you’re in the Orange County area, we’re at 24601 Raymond Way, Lake Forest, CA 92630 or you can reach us at (949) 454-9227. The best place to find cannabis clubs and medical marijuana dispensaries is via the non-commercial Web site, WeedMaps.com. WeedMaps.com features Google Map integration (for driving directions) with reviews and a social networking community of over two thousand medical marijuana patients.
In 2009, the Obama Administration announced a new federal policy regarding marijuana in states in which medical marijuana has been legalized. The policy statement instructed federal prosecutors not to devote federal resources to prosecuting those who use or supply medical marijuana in strict compliance with state law. At the time, Ilya and I praised the new policy, though Ilya was quite skeptical it would make much difference.
Since the policy it was announced, it appears the policy has been difficult to maintain, and prosecutions of medical marijuana distributors has continued, largely because the federal government fears that some marijuana distributors are serving more than the medicinal marijuana market. As the NYT reports, federal prosecutors appear to be escalating efforts to go after marijuana distributors in medical marijuana states.
As some states seek to increase regulation but also further protect and institutionalize medical marijuana, federal prosecutors are suddenly asserting themselves, authorizing raids and sending strongly worded letters that have cast new uncertainty on an issue that has long brimmed with tension between federal and state law. . . .
Letters so far have gone out to governors in Arizona, Colorado, Montana, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington, prompting some states — including Rhode Island and Montana, in addition to Washington — to revise or back away from plans to make the medical marijuana industry more mainstream.
In Washington, Ms. Gregoire asked for guidance from the state’s two United States attorneys, Mike Ormsby and Jenny Durkan. In a reply to the governor last month, they said the federal government would prosecute “vigorously against individuals and organizations that participate in unlawful manufacturing and distribution activity involving marijuana, even if such activities are permitted under state law.”
The changes have angered supporters of medical marijuana, who say the federal government is sending mixed signals, even as they argue that it has not technically changed its position.
The Justice Department claims there has been no change in policy. Marijuana has remained illegal under federal law, and prosecutors have continued to pursue larger and more conspicuous dispensaries without much regard for state law, prompting increasing conflict with state officials. In the meantime, state level efforts to decriminalize medical marijuana continue apace. There’s now talk of a ballot initiative here in Ohio. So the federal state tension will continue.
Is there a better way? Yes, but it would be difficult to implement without legislation. Here’s what I suggested in 2009:
The Justice Department has to set prosecutorial priorities, as there are more federal crimes on the books than federal prosecutors can ever hope to prosecute. The aim should be to focus federal resources in those areas where there is a distinct federal interest, or where the federal government has a comparative advantage of state and local law enforcement. Where federal law conflicts with state law, prohibiting activities state laws allowed, federal efforts should still focus on those instances of alleged lawbreaking where there is a distinct federal interest, including spillover effects on neighboring jurisdictions.
The federal government has a legitimate interest in controlling interstate drug trafficking, but no particular interest in prosecuting those who seek to provide medical marijuana to local residents pursuant to state law. So it only makes sense for the Justice Department to tell federal prosecutors to focus their efforts on those who are not in compliance with state law, such as those who use medical marijuana distribution as a cover for other illegal activities, interstate drug trafficking in particular. California should be free to set its own marijuana policy, but the federal government retains an interest in preventing California’s choice from adversely affecting neighboring states.
Ideally, the federal government would treat marijuana like alcohol, retaining a federal role in controlling illegal interstate trafficking but leaving each state entirely free to set its own marijuana policy, whether it be prohibition, decriminalization, or somewhere in between.
Five medical marijuana activists including San Diego ASA’s Eugene Davidovich (closest to camera) were arrested at Tuesday’s City Council meeting
Five medical marijuana activists staged a 45-minute sit-in Tuesday in the San Diego City Council chambers, protesting the final passage of a local medicinal cannabis ordinance which advocates say imposes a citywide de facto ban on collectives.
The set of strict zoning and public safety regulations for the dispensaries was passed on second reading by the Council, with no changes to what was approved the first time around, reports 10 News.
Passage came on a pair of 5-2 votes, despite vocal opposition among audience members who opposed the stringent regulations.
During the hearing, members of the “Stop the Ban Campaign” — a coalition of more than 20 local, state and national groups spearheaded by Canvass for a Cause and the San Diego chapter of Americans for Safe Access (ASA) — repeatedly chanted “We demand safe access,” disrupting the session, forcing the council to clear the chambers, and postponing a critical vote on the ordinance.
The five advocates remained in the council chamber for at least 45 minutes after the votes were taken, chanting slogans and singing “We Shall Overcome,” despite being threatened with arrest. They left after the meeting ended and were not arrested.
The Stop the Ban Campaign has demanded that the City Council amend its ordinance to a compliance period that will avoid the immediate closure of more than 100 facilities currently serving thousands of area patients, and to open up available space so that collectives can actually relocate.
Unfortunately, despite years of study, thoughtful recommendations from a city-appointed task force, countless letters received from constituents, hundreds of supporters at the last public hearing, the City Council has so far refused to acknowledge the recommendations of experts and the will of the people.
The council members refused to go forward with changes requested by the medical marijuana advocates, including an expansion of allowable zones in which to operate, a reduction in the distance of setbacks and allowing current dispensaries to keep operating while owners apply for a conditional use permit.
Eugene Davidovich, San Diego ASA: “One way or another San Diego patients will gain safe access to their medication”
“The patient community in San Diego will not be deterred despite the efforts of the City Council,” said Eugene Davidovich, chair of ASA San Diego. Davidovich was one of the protest organizers, and one of the five people in the sit-in Tuesday.
“One way or another San Diego patients will gain safe access to their medication, but it would be much more effective for the city to work with us instead of fighting us at every step of the way,” Davidovich said.
Prior to the bill’s first reading on March 28, the Stop the Ban Campaign organized the largest letter-writing campaign in the city’s history, during which San Diego residents wrote in opposition to the ordinance, requesting the passage of specific amendments. The ordinance was also opposed by the chair and vice-chair of the city’s Medical Marijuana Task Force.
Left with few options, activists chose nonviolent civil disobedience to protest the council’s decision to ignore years of citizen and expert input into the development of sensible medical marijuana regulations.
Advocates are now urging San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders to reject the bill and tell the City Council to come back with a version that reflects the community’s input.
While litigation is likely to result from the passage of the ordinance in its current form, there is another move afoot. The San Diego chapter of ASA, in collaboration with the Stop the Ban Campaign, submitted a ballot proposal to the city clerk on Monday in an attempt to put the issue before the voters.
A little-used process involving the city’s Rules Committee could prompt a public hearing on the proposed measure, and if approved by the committee it would be sent to the council to be put on the next election’s ballot.
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