This Week in Weed: April 22nd-28th

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A week of federal officials with their heads buried in the sand. President Obama clarifies his stance on medical marijuana and the drug czar reiterates the administration’s opposition to industrial hemp.

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Dutch Judge Paves Way To Turn Coffeeshops Into Private Clubs For Dutch Only

While Amsterdam coffeeshop owners hope to be able to work out a political compromise to remain open for non-Dutch, it looks like the rest of The Netherlands will quickly move to embrace these court-ordered changes to their business model.

Let’s hope that this past High Times Cannabis Cup Awards will not be the last!

From the Huffington Post –

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — Long famous for “coffee shops” where joints and cappuchinos share the menu, the Netherlands’ famed tolerance for drugs could be going up in smoke.

A judge on Friday upheld a government plan to ban non-Dutch residents from buying marijuana by introducing a “weed pass” available only to residents.

The new regulation reins in one of the country’s most cherished symbols of tolerance – its laissez-faire attitude to soft drugs – and reflects the drift away from a long-held view of the Netherlands as a free-wheeling utopia.

For many tourists visiting Amsterdam the image endures – and smoking a joint in a canalside coffee shop ranks high on their to-do lists along with visiting cultural highlights like the Van Gogh Museum.

The city’s left-leaning Mayor Eberhard van der Laan is hoping to hammer out a compromise with the national government.

Coffee shops also have not given up the fight. A week ago they mustered a few hundred patrons for a “smoke-in” in downtown Amsterdam to protest the new restrictions.

A lawyer for owners, Maurice Veldman, said he would file an appeal against the ruling by a judge at The Hague District court, which clears the way for the weed pass to be introduced in southern provinces on May 1.

Read more here…

NEW POLL: 74% of Americans Support Alternative Penalties for Marijuana

A new poll, published today by Angus Reid Public Opinion, looks at the changing attitudes towards marijuana possession penalties in the UK, Canada, and the United States. The poll surveyed 1,011 Americans, 2,015 Britons, and 1,005 Canadians during March of this year. The results show that an overwhelming majority of citizens in these countries no longer believe marijuana possession should result in jail time.

From Angus Reid:

Majorities of respondents in the three countries (Britain 56%, Canada 68%, United States 74%) welcome the concept of using alternative penalties—such as fines, probation or community service—rather than prison for non-violent offenders. At least seven-in-ten Britons (70%), Americans (74%) and Canadians (78%) believe personal marijuana use should be dealt with through alternative penalties. Support for similar guidelines for credit card fraud, drunk driving and arson is decidedly lower.

View the full report here.

City of Miami Beach Settles False Arrest Case with Marijuana Rights Activist

A staple joke from late night comedians, going back to George Carlin in the 1970s, is about how cannabis law reformers are too stoned to gather signatures and turn them in, when, ironically, or not, it is usually agents of the government who more often than not interfere with the democratic process of citizens gathering signatures in public to petition their government for grievance.

A case example from a local effort in Miami Beach to reform the city’s cannabis laws has resulted in NORML-affiliated lawyers procuring a monetary settlement with the city, that now, almost karmically, will help fund a cannabis reformer’s further advocacy.

From the law firm of NORML board member Norman Kent of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida:

The City of Miami Beach has agreed to pay a monetary settlement to marijuana rights activist, C.D. Flash, for damages he suffered during a false arrest in October, 2010.  The settlement was paid as Mr. Flash was preparing to file suit claiming that his arrest was a direct violation of his First Amendment right to engage in political petitioning in public spaces.

Mr. Flash was collecting signatures for a marijuana decriminalization petition on the Lincoln Road mall when he was stopped by Miami Beach Code Enforcement and Police officers, who incorrectly informed him that he needed a permit to collect signatures.

When Mr. Flash asserted that he had the constitutional right to collect signatures in public, he was arrested on charges of disorderly conduct.  Mr. Flash maintains that he was never disorderly and complied with the requests of the police, but that he insisted upon exercising his right to remain and gather petition signatures.

Mr. Flash was jailed for 24 hours a result of his arrest and was required to face the charges in court.  On January 12, 2011, Mr. Flash appeared in court with his attorney, Russell Cormican, only to have the State dismiss all charges moments before the case was called for trial.  The prosecutor indicated that the arresting officer, John Pereira, no longer had any recollection of the arrest, despite the fact that it had occurred less than 90 days earlier.  Officer Pereira has a long history of disciplinary issues, with numerous internal affairs complaints, including one filed by the sister of singer, Beyonce Knowles.

“Mr. Flash was clearly targeted for arrest based on the fact that his political beliefs were unpopular with police officers” said Mr. Cormican, attorney for Mr. Flash.  ”It is very encouraging to see the City of Miami Beach offering to quickly settle this case and acknowledge the right of individuals to engage in peaceful political expression, no matter what their viewpoint is.”

Mr. Flash was working in conjunction with the Committee for Sensible Marijuana Policy (CSMP) and was gathering petition signatures for a ballot initiative that seeks to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana.  The initiative would allow police officers to give offenders a citation in lieu arresting them if the possession was for less than 20 grams. The violation could then be satisfied with the payment of a $100.00 fine.  Mr. Flash intends to utilize the proceeds from his settlement to continue working for the reform of marijuana laws.

*   *   *   *   *

Mr. Cormican, and his law partner, Norm Kent, have set up CAFA, Citizens Against False Arrest, to redress grievances of citizens who are illegally prosecuted or arrested while exercising their constitutional rights of free speech.

Was It The Odor Or Posted Photo On Instagram? Regardless, Wiz Khalifa Busted In Music City

[Update: Wiz busted again for cannabis in Winston-Salem, NC on May 1!]

The Tennessean reported last night that popular musician Wiz Khalifa and a friend were busted in Nashville after police received complaints of the strong odor of cannabis apparently emanating from Wiz’s hotel room (I’m shocked!). After unsuccessfully trying to ditch a blunt out a window upon police entry, the pair were busted.

Every 38 seconds in America, another cannabis consumer is busted on ganja charges (850,000 per year), and with a pro-cannabis profile as high as Wiz’s (heck, hours before he was busted he posted a photo to Instagram depicting his branded rolling papers next to what looks like some excellent cannabis!) whether it was his super stinky stash or Wiz’s number as a cannabis consumer simply came up to become yet another tragic statistic in the 74-year old failed Cannabis Prohibition.

If Wiz needs legal help in Nashville or wants to perform a benefit concert for Tennessee NORML when he has to soon return to deal with their criminal justice system…NORML is here!