Posted on 01/21/2003 4:28:02 PM PST by Libloather
Marijuana columnist goes on trial on charges of illegally growing pot
Tue Jan 21, 3:28 PM ET
By DAVID KRAVETS, Associated Press Writer
SAN FRANCISCO - An author of how-to books and columns on growing marijuana and evading the law went on trial Tuesday on federal charges of illegally cultivating pot.
The case against Ed Rosenthal represents the latest clash between federal agents and state and local authorities over the medical use of marijuana.
Rosenthal, a former columnist for the pro-marijuana magazine High Times, has said he was growing pot to help the sick, which is legal under California law. But marijuana is still illegal under federal law.
Prosecutor George Bevan told the jury that agents seized some 3,000 plants growing in Rosenthal's warehouse in Oakland.
"It's a federal offense," Bevan said.
Rosenthal, 58, could receive a life sentence if convicted.
California and seven other states — Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Oregon and Washington — allow the sick to receive, possess, grow or smoke marijuana for medical purposes without fear of state prosecution.
Nearly two years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court said it was a violation of federal drug laws for medical marijuana clubs to dispense pot.
Armed with that ruling, the government has raided several marijuana clubs and growing operations in California over the objection of marijuana advocates and local prosecutors and politicians.
LOL
Then again most pro-dopers are really sad cases of arrested adolescence, children in adult bodies accustomed to having their diapers changed and noses wiped by their superiors.
Party on, dude Party hearty. *snigger*
Boobs.
Ad hominem attacks like this merely show that you have no real argument on your side. I accept your surrender on the War on Drugs.
Spending $20 - 30,000 a year to lock up a fool for a PLANT is a waste of my tax dollars.
All of that cash would buy a lot resources to wipe out terrorists who hate the USA.
Bombs away!
Huh I guess you live in the world of legalese and not common sense
Opposite---it's you who seem unaware of all the nongovernmental societal structures within which stigmas are maintained.
Opposite---it's been disproven: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/824600/posts.
Controlling, hindering, and preventing self-inflicted harm are not legitimate functions of government.
Absolutely.
A ray of hope -- a federal judge just threw out an idiotic class action suit against McDonalds, which claimed that it's McDonalds' fault that the plaintiffs' kids are fat. It would be nice to think that common sense like this will find its way into drug policy.
Stay tuned ...
So, in your world, prison rape of a citizen whose only "crime" is possession of a relatively harmless herb "prevents harm" to citizens?
Whew .... man, you're one scary dude ....
Come on, man, you've got to be kidding. Are you actually implying that I believe the Cynthia McKinney tinfoil hat horsehockey about Bush knowing about 9/11 in advance? Give me a break. The point of the 9/11 comment was to state that federal law enforcement priorities were seriously out of whack when they saw fit to bust medipot clinics only 6 weeks after the worst terrorist attack in our country's history. And as far as Klintoon is concerned, more Americans were busted for pot during his 8-year reign than all previous administrations combined, so (for that and a whole host of other reasons) I'm no fan of the Sinkmeister.
Oh BTW, have you seen the news, the newly elected Republican Governor of Maryland has said he will sign a medical marijuana bill that makes "sense"(and "sense" for this purpose doesn't mean the medical Libertarian "sense" of the "medicinal" use of smoking pot and saying "oh wow dude, gnarley" and then going down to the corner 7-11 and clearing out the Cheeto's shelf).
A step in the right direction, from a newly-elected Republican governor. And, BTW, does smoking a little weed and then "saying "oh wow dude, gnarley" and then going down to the corner 7-11 and clearing out the Cheeto's shelf" justify caging a "dude" with sociopathic homosexual rapists? Would you get some kind of sick pleasure watching the kid from the Dell computer commercials get butt-f##k#d by a lifer named Bubba? Don't say it can't happen -- it does, it's arbitrary and capricious, and it's just plain WRONG.
Nor I you.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.