Wednesday, August 06, 2008

Morro Bay pot dispensary owner found guilty of federal charges

LA Times Charles Lynch, whose trial involved conflicting marijuana laws, was found guilty of five counts of distributing drugs.
In a closely watched trial involving conflicting marijuana laws, a jury on Tuesday convicted the owner of a Morro Bay medical marijuana dispensary on five counts of violating federal drug laws.

Charles Lynch, 46, was found guilty of distributing more than 100 kilos of marijuana, some of it to people considered minors under federal law.

Lynch, flanked by his defense attorneys, hung his head and grimaced as the verdicts were read in a Los Angeles courtroom. He could be sentenced to a minimum of five years in federal prison or as many as 85.

Cultivating, using and selling doctor-prescribed medical marijuana are allowed in some instances under California law. But they are outlawed entirely under federal law, which supersedes those of the states.

Lynch's lawyers told jurors that their client had the blessing of elected officials in Morro Bay before opening his Central Coast Compassionate Caregivers, and they argued that he was he was told by a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration official that he would avoid prosecution as long as he obeyed local laws.

But jurors rejected that argument...
Read the rest

18 comments:

  1. "Lynch's lawyers told jurors that their client had the blessing of elected officials in Morro Bay before opening his Central Coast Compassionate Caregivers..."

    He did, the Fed wouldn't alow local people to testify about this, nor allow alot of pro stuff into evedance. Like one of the 'teen agers' he was selling pot to had cancer, and a leg removed becasue of it, and that both the kids parents had signed for the cannabis okay.

    The Fed let the kid in to testify then the MOMENT he said he had cancer the judge pulled him off the stand and said he couldn't talk anymore. There was even an order given that 'anyone looking sick' could not testify!

    (I think that's pertty dirty pool) - now for the 'other side' ...

    "... and they argued that he was he was told by a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration official that he would avoid prosecution as long as he obeyed local laws. ..."


    Which was probibly true - as that WAS what the DEA was telling people when they called a year or so back. Also there was a 7 minute phone call that the DEA agent said she answered her self - on Lynchs bill - SEVEN MINUTES - where she says "I never talked to him and if we did we tell everyone its illegal."

    I KNOW that's BS - because in 2000 Dean Winklehus called them re opening a shop (you know Dean = used to own Fortuna Realty, his dad had Winkelhus Eng. who put in Hwy 36 - anyway that "as long as we don't get any calls from the locals that your causing problems - we won't bother you" was the type of answer Winky (RIP) got back in 2000.

    Anyway as I said - now the REST of the story.

    Problem that Lynch had is he DID but the locals - ie not him - but one of his staff. Ah Staff the 'bone' or any org!!! or Boon!

    -- what happened to bring this all down org. was that one day a lad walked in and wanted to buy some cannabis. Said Lad had NO paper work - or the paper work couldn't be verified so Lad was told to take a hike.

    As said Lad (DEA agent) left the shop, he asked if the 'door gaurd' could score for him at very high prices offered - and said 'door gaurd' did the deal - which got the whole shop closed and led to this court room sisuation.

    The problem I see is that the DEA lied - I can give you (but I won't because I don't do others legal work for them for free) at least 2 HARD CITATIONS for the DEA saying in PRINT that they will leave it up to the locals - in fact I'll give you the latest one as you have it printed here on your web site Roes: Kevin Hoovers Burns interveiw - Burns says " You know, again the federal government likes to defer and let states and local communities solve their own problems and help when we’re supposed to, and we will."

    Burns makes other refrances like that - suggesting that its up to the locals ...

    This type of statement by the DEA to local goverment has gone on lets see since the begining of p215 - Cal AG Lungern (1997) released the same info in a doc sent out to every law enforcment officer DA et al in Cal - stating the DEA posstion on P215!

    In 2002 the then head of the DEA in public statment said the same thing - in a news confrance ..

    Again I'm not going to give out these citations - and do peoples legal work for free! (gawds the amout done already that way!)

    So Ya the club screwed up - basicly it broke rule #1 = don't sell to anyone with out a recomendation! - That's on them -

    But the DEA lieing is not right either, they've been putting out the info that 'if your legal p215 we won't bother with you" - they also say 1,000 feet from schools - keep the plant count under 500 for a shop (or did - now I've heard from local law enforcment that number went up to 1,000) ... but that was in 2004 so who knows what changes went down now?


    anyway such is life - 2 wrongs don't make a right ...

    we'll see how it goes on appeal - maybe like Ed's case it will be dropped out at that time.

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  2. Santa Barbara’s Medical Marijuana (Ordinance) Update
    Rolling It Up
    By Ethan Stewart
    http://www.independent.com/news/2008/aug/07/santa-barbaras-medical-marijuana-update/


    Thursday, August 7, 2008

    Less than four months old, Santa Barbara’s new-fangled Medical Marijuana Ordinance flashed its teeth for the first time last week, as two separate cannabis dispensaries found themselves in Superior Court facing potential shutdown. Charged with various forms of noncompliance, both Humanity and The Healing Center were in Judge Thomas Anderle’s courtroom on July 29 fighting injunction orders from Santa Barbara City Attorney Michelle Montez. In the end, Anderle agreed that both cannabis clubs appeared to be in violation of the newly minted regulations governing pot shops, though only The Healing Center’s shutdown was signed into reality, while Humanity’s case was continued to later this month.

    Ratified this spring by a unanimous City Council, Santa Barbara’s medical cannabis codes brought a bit of clarity to the murky legal mess that long surrounded the several clubs operating within city limits. The ordinance outlines the permit process for hopeful dispensaries as well as what parts of town they are allowed to operate in. It was the latter that prompted the city’s injunction efforts last week as, according to Montez, “Both locations are in the wrong zones.” Humanity’s Bond Avenue location is less than 500 feet away from Santa Barbara Junior High School, while the Healing Center’s locale, at the corner of San Andres and Micheltorena streets on the Westside, is also not zoned for dispensaries. Further, both establishments allegedly bumbled the city application process to such a degree that Daniel Kato, the city employee responsible for issuing legal operating permits, was never contacted by the operator of either club.

    “Even if they applied properly, which they didn’t, they wouldn’t be permitted to operate because of their locations.” — Santa Barbara City Attorney Michelle Montez

    That being said, nonconforming dispensaries open for business before the city imposed a temporary moratorium on cannabis clubs in fall 2007 could remain open up to three years?—?if they applied for “legal nonconforming” status with the city, something that, as Montez sees it, the clubs in question did not do. That’s not the entire problem though. As Montez put it, “Even if they applied properly, which they didn’t, they wouldn’t be permitted to operate because of their locations.”

    Attorney Joe Allen, who represents both clubs, could not be reached by press time. It should be noted, however, that despite the injunction being served to the owners of the Healing Center at the end of last week, the club remained open for business Tuesday evening, August 5. Efforts to reach The Healing Center’s owners, Jose and Patricia Solis, failed. An employee said she was aware of the injunction, but “was not sure what exactly was going on.”


    Meanwhile, rumors spread this week of an alleged meeting, scheduled for August 6, between landlords who rent their property to dispensaries, the Santa Barbara County District Attorney, and the U.S. Department of Justice. Presumably related to a statewide letter-writing campaign early last fall in which Drug Enforcement Administration officials informed property owners of their potential criminal liability for leasing to medicinal marijuana operators, the meeting was neither confirmed nor denied by DA Christie Stanley. In her words, “I don’t know of any meeting. It doesn’t mean there isn’t one, there just isn’t one involving me.”

    Kris Hermes, spokesperson for Americans for Safe Access, a national nonprofit dedicated to medical marijuana patients’ rights, said that his organization had also heard of the not-so-secret secret get-together. Hermes said that to the best of his knowledge, “It is the only one of its kind in the state,” but added that he heard it did not include local authorities and was taking place between “only a few property owners and federal officials.” Pointing to a recent rash of appellate court decisions upholding California’s medical marijuana laws despite their conflict with federal law, specifically a major victory in San Diego late last month, Hermes summed up the feds’ saber-rattling as just that. “I think the federal government is in its last throes in its fight again medical marijuana and is trying to do whatever it can to undermine our state’s laws.”

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  3. This is why I like blogs so much better than newspapers (though I like both). They contain conversations between differing aspects of a subject.

    Both your piece from the newspaper and Anonymous' responses were very informative.

    Thanks, Rose.

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  4. I agree, Kym.

    The question of Fed v State and the resultant confusion seems to me to be a serious problem.

    So, what are our legislators doing about it? Why, for example, isn't Patty Berg , and why isn't Wes Chesbro, at minimum, pushing for a solution? This should have been settled long ago, and I have seen absolutely no effort on the part of any of our representatives to reolve it.

    Maybe DT knows different. I'd be interested in hearing.

    What about Feinstein? Thompson? Any representatives from Mendocino or anywhere else in the state?

    One way or the other there should be a very clear definitive answer, not some amorphous wink and a nod that you can operate that means nothing.

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  5. Yes, the feds play very, very hard ball. As the recent beneficiaries of federal visitors in Humboldt will eventually find out. They may not be fast, they may not be right, and they may not be honest, but they are really, really mean.
    In short, some dopers are about
    to get the rough end of the cob.

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  6. Good - I hope the cob hurts. I am tired of being forced to live with the corruption.

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  7. Rose - the frist two were "DT" of course you could tell by my spelling! (chuckle) or lack of it.

    As to what our electiced officals are doing ... I know Mike is working at the Fed level. Patty and Wes are doing what they can. But their state so its like when our AG says anything - its only STATE level.

    Barny Frank has a bill 'states rights to MMJ' which puts MMJ into the hands of the state gov. Which all our rep_s vote for and some cosign.

    Anyway FYI, but when I read Burn's saying "oh cancer people should use Crack I hear that makes you feel real good to" and that "there is no medical proof that it works"

    I just cring. I'm not saying that I support the abuse that we see in P215, personally i think we need to do something about the MD's who write - code of conduct.

    For instance a MD can write for Psych meds - with a 15 min interview. BUT they have your complete history. These mills with out history on file that is what the problem is.

    If you demanded a standard of practices like other meds. IE patient records on file, bla bla bla, responbcable level of medical care like any other med that is Rx'ed. You'd see a drop in the amount of abuse, because to get the Recomendation (what a MMJ Rx is called because MMJ is not an Rx) then you'd see less of the 'mills' and the 'mills' that wanted to keep open (just like any other 'mill' pyshc et al that sees lots of patients a day and Rx's meds (also known as a spicalest) they'd have to come to standard of practice and at LEAST the MD would have to look over the records of the patient and that would mean said patient would HAVE records of previeous Dx, Tx and Sx.

    Which is the whole HOLE in the sytem quite frankly.

    (you know what Dx, Tx and Sx is right = digignoses, Tretment and Symtoms) =

    Eg if someone doesn't have a past record of Dx, Tx, Sx what the heck are they getting MEDS for?

    On the other hand if they have on going Dx, Tx, and Sx and find that MMJ works for them - then it would be okay to most people for them to use.


    So stop the flow by requiring a 'standard of practices' like any other med that is dispenced that's all.

    The Lipizzan's were great ... amazing I couldn't do most of what they do - just in close order drill! - let alone on a horse!

    -- chuckle ---

    I guess I won't be able to go into Arcata any more!!! = ha ha ha ...

    DT

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  8. Ha ha! Yeah, I knew it was you by your wealth of knowledge.

    Yeah - I kinda figure if codeine is legal medicine then pot oughtta be, too BUT - the whole medical thing has gotten so twisted - as we've said before - too few are like the good example you have cited.

    There are good guys and bad guys in this whole mess, aren't there. Some in it for the 'right reasons' and some in it for 'the money.'

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  9. Rose - something few know -

    about 50% of the local doc_s write for MMJ. thing is that they don't write for 'walk ins' and kids who want to get high or grow.

    The people that go to the OTHER 50% NEED some Mech. for getting Rec-s for MMJ if they really need / want them.

    Befor I got cancer my MD would ask me "who's writing for MMJ? So I can send people there"

    he didn't feel good about writing for 'lessor' Dx, like my migrains, which for instance I have used everything under the sun avaible to ease them. That'ss that "Proven Tx" I was taling about -

    I have a LONG HISTORY of going to MD's to do something about Migrains, (Dx, Tx and Sx for sure!)

    And my reg_ MD wouldn't write for something 'that light' (not life threating) - so he refered out.

    Now it was ON my Chart that I went somewhere else for my MMJ rec.

    But the problem is that my chart wasn't also in the hands of the guy who wrote the MMJ rec_.

    That is what I see as ONE of the problems with the whole MMJ thingy. MD's who write - that are NOT primary MD's for a patient - need to reveiw the patient record - and not just have the patient write down something on a paper - and sit out in a waiting room LAUGHING about how easy it is to make something up.

    That is what is at the CRUX of the whole MMJ problem as I see it.

    if you took that part OUT - and made it mandatory that the Standards of Practise for writing an MMJ Rec_ included the charts from the primary physican I think you'd clean up a lot of the "problem."

    Ie some kid couldn't go in and get a Rec_ for 100 bucks with no previous Md visits, and rent a home and set up a grow.
    -------

    cutting off the 'supply' of Rec_s at that end - woulld do a lot to stop the growing problemm, and also do a lot to ligitimize it in 'normal' peoples eyes.

    Of course ord's and that sort of thing to keep the shops under control as well as the home grows. But if every tom dick and sally couldn't just wander in and get a Rec for Pot with NO prrior interface with the medical profession, then you wouldn't have as much a problem with "legal" growing. Then it would be just dealing with the illegal grows.

    Also finally - legilze it and drop the prices is what lots of people say. If it was legal it wouldn't be worth while to grow - cost effetive.

    the problem with that logiic is we just have never seen a market drop its price period. right now Health canada is jacking up prices by 1,500% to keep the prices up - why? Because they can!

    There are law suits agianst them about this!

    As to "big pharm" GW out of England is charging $125 per "joints worth of meds" in their sprayer. Something that you could get for at MOST $8 to $15 bucks at any CITY MMJ shop.

    So don't look to the Pham companies to drop the prices. Marional is like over $1,000 for a months supply (if you smoked the same amount of MMJ = months supply from a high priced shop - it would be $3 to $400!) -- again don't look to 'legalize it" the Big Companies will drop the prices - they won't. And as long as the prices are high - their will be the alure of greed in the MJ/MMJ world ...

    ----- DT

    DT

    What I'm saying is take your most hated old MMJ Doc (now retired) but lets ues him for instance.

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  10. Why would the old dope dealer Cheesebro stick his neck out for anyone? Never has,never will. My God Rose don't you know he has a trail to keep up and something much more important than sick cancer patients to worry about. He has to win one more election so he can retire without every having had a real job.

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  11. But, DT, people CAN grow for themselves. Most can. Admittedly, some may not have the strength or mobility - or space - to do it, but most can - and of the ones who just want to get high, virtually all can.

    And that's pretty much free - unless seeds are expensive...

    How are you doing, by the way? I hope things are well.

    And 9:50 - I don't expect ANYTHING out of Patty Berg or Chesbro. Except blocking the budget process. And yes, naming trails and dunes after each other. Worthless.

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  12. Rose said...
    But, DT, people CAN grow for themselves. Most can. Admittedly, some may not have the strength or mobility - or space - to do it, but most can - and of the ones who just want to get high, virtually all can.

    And that's pretty much free - unless seeds are expensive...




    Thing is most REAL sick people can't grow for themselves. I mean like myself, once I got cancer, I couldn't do much of anyhing myself. For months, and now? Four months after being 'hit' with the Dx well last night I/we went to dinner and the Lipazanor show, it was almost too much, just walking from the car to the stands at RW Acers.

    I used to 'run' down and up the hill I live on for 2 miles 300 ele loss then gain. Now with Chemo I can barly still walk to the car to go out to dinner.

    Garden, grow pot? You must be kidding! I slept untill 11 today because I was out at all yesterday and I had a Planning meeting tomake to night, so I just rested up all day and still had to ask the gaurd at the front of the chambers to let me sit down, as their were no seats.

    I'm just so 'weak' and wiped out all the time. I got up to speak, and couldn't wait in line, had to sit down again ... panting like I had ran a mile ... and your talking about growing MMJ?

    Thing is ALSO when something like this HITS - you need pot NOW - not in 6 months - if your growing out side, or 4 or 5 months if your growin inside. (ya I know rotations don't take that long but the frist one does to get up and running.)

    So what your saying is "You can grow for your self" --- I didn't know I was going to come down with Cancer (Large B cell Lymphoma) and the day or two before i was hospitlized I was up running around, working, in fact I remember quite clearly the day before - running up two flights of steps - thinking nothing of it.

    Next day I could barly get my shoes on (leg swollen) day after that I couldn't keep awake in the ER - I was sleeping with babies crying and people yelling, I was so weak ... ya it hit that fast.

    then they cut me open, 4 times really, once 'just' a needle biopsy, next they cut out two nodes in my groin, but those weren't cancrious, so they tried a micro (or what ever its called) suggery - that they couldn't make work so they opened me up from where my navle used to be to my groin ... and then stapled me back up ...

    I needed pain meds right now. I was given Morphine (Liqued and pills) and Vicodan and Oxecotan - also put on a IV of on demand Morhpine - press the button and get a 'hit' of Morphine.

    day two or ? the RN's come in and ask me "the counter isn't woorking - or aren't you using any and if not why - how?"

    Now note - I had NO TIME to grow any pot ... nor bake any cookies or make losungers -- or tinture out of pot ..

    so I needed the support of the shopp - and they provided me with what I needed - I didn't use any of the morphine or other RX drugs - I only used the MMJ - in a edabile form.

    but as to 'growing it' - I've used it for the Chemo - and haven't lost any weight (hair yes - all over) but their is no 'sickness' and I can eat just fine - as I have MMJ - I don't use much - just enough to not get 'Urpy' ... and I don't smoke it - I use a losenger - much like a Sucrets or cough drop - that I suck for a few minutes, and the nasua goes away.

    As to the pain - same thing back when I was still cut open and I couldn't even sit up with out help. Fortunally i have one of the greatest women / angel ladies in the world (univers this one or any others) who takes care of me and was helpping me to the bath room and bathing me and so forth.

    but at no time did I have the ablity to 'grow my own' nor the time nor the inclination! ... chuckle ...

    i'm lucky because I have a business that sort of (chuckle, well not as well - but sort of) gets along with out me - and we have GREAT insurance so I'm covered that way.

    But do gardening? or set up a grow room, tend it?

    And most of the people I know with catistrphic disorders; MS, Aids are with out funds and are on SSI. $700 or so a month - how the heck can they find place to grow? They barly have place to live!

    The MS people I know are so cripped up that they can't grow their own, so a shop is the answer like the one that kevin wrote about and I posted here (somewhere) about.

    They do a sliding scale - someone like my self who can efford pays, those that can't get it for free, and they have RN's to check if your BS'ing about how sick you are, and your money status if you claim poverty and are not.

    Also its still worth money so (for instance) the one guy I know who grows a nice garden who also has AIDS - if he tried planting MMJ out side - someone would steal it. Also it doesn't grow on the coast really well, even in greenhouse it molds by the time of harvest, and or gets Powery Mildue and makes it worthless as medicen.

    I feel Arcata is on the right track, where they are putting in an ordance that limits home grows and re-sales out of home grows. As well as making places for it to be grown and area's for shops.

    Well see how it goes, if the fact that 'you can grow it your self' had any effect on pricing - the price would have dropped.

    The problem is that the demand is so great, you need someone to 'step up' and grow lots and drop the price. Short sell the marekt as its called!

    Also look into getting Medi-cal on board - and insurance companies at that low rate. Once one person drops the price in any micro large way, it will put pressure on the rest of the clubs.

    WHY? - Because the wording of SB420 and P215 as well as appelt rulings just after p215 all say PROFIT is illegal - resonable comp is okay.

    So if one shop shows that they can put it out at LOWER prices - then the rest will be scrutinzed by Law Enforcment. i've met with LEO's on this very subject, when last year one of the Arcata clubs sent in the letter that Kevin reprinted parts of saying the club suggested price fixing. This seemed to be because another club was opening that was dropping the prices and also giving it away. (the one I posted about elsewhere)

    I thought that was odd and also illegal (suggesting price fixing) so I asked our local LEO's and found out that it was illegal and that IF any clubs sigificantly dropped the price below others, (dare I say it) that would be looked into - under SB420 rules.

    Another words if Club A can sell it for 1/2 the price of club B (lets say)

    Then either club B is a poor business modle or club B is "Profitering" ... oviouly if club A is paying its staff and meeting its rent ... it would have to be looked into.

    Now you may know why a certain clubs having so much trouble getting their premits and even had permits signed then crossed out.

    Could it be that they were going to lower the price and mentioned that out front?

    Amazing huh?

    such is life ...

    yours as always,

    DT

    PS I could have grown my own poppies for the morphine also - if I knew I was going to get cancer, and need it. I perfer the MMJ though - less DOWNER and also doesn't "plug me up" like the Rx dope does ... popies grow on the coast - here - MMJ just molds ...

    dt

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  13. PS = and YUP the chemo is working - tumor is shrunk 60% looks like I'm going to live ... though I'm still so weak - thought I wouldn't make it to the stands and the horsey show last night.

    though now i want a breeding pair so bad, their only (chuckle) $40K a peice! ... I checked on their web site!

    Ive got 2 more treatments to go of Chemo (6 hour IV infusions of toxins- what fun!) ... such is life ...

    then radation - only my white hair is left of my beard and head, body hair is about 1/2 left - exepct in 'certain' areas ...

    but the biggest bummer is i'm so damn WEAK - I wake up and go "Okay lets make breakfast and take a walk!"

    by the time I get out of the bathroom I'm ready for a nap, and barly have engery to get a bowl of cereal ... on a good day I cook an egg,

    Today I made taco shells - but my sweety had to do the rest. Some days I can make a whole meal. Mostly it takes help - the mind is willing the body fails me - I'm just so weak.

    My Md's say its to be expected - the Chemo is kicking my butt - but kicking the cancer worst - its melting! Which is great - nice to know I get to see my kid again and again and again ... few more months and I should be done with this chemo BS - and can start to get strong again ...

    make everyone lives misrable - like I used to .. what I do best ... hay sonmeone has to.

    Thanks for asking - I'm dong 'much better' - but 'then what' - better then I was 4 months ago - when this crap hit ... but 5 months ago - I was doing 2 miles 300 ele losse and gain in less then 20 minutes, now IF I can walk around the block it takes that long - with several rest stops ...

    but I can sit up alone - and bath my self - and make 1/2 a meal - so ya doing MUCH better = its humbling for sure!

    like I say thanks for asking ...

    DT

    PS seeds = chuckle - $120+ for 10 ordered out of Canada or Amsteradam. + you get to worry about if the Feds are going to bust you - or your going to get ripped off.

    I understand some of the clubs sell them, I've not been in the market so I don't know what they go for locally.

    Clones (cuttings) go for around $10 a peice - but since their cuttings their for sure female and also of (hopefully) a known type of quality.

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  14. PPS- here's a funny or maybe two on Cancer ...

    a.) when I was Dx'ed - everyone of my 'arcata type freinds' told me to clean up my diet and eat vegy or vegan ....

    oF COURSE I DIDN'T and went on a Stake and Shrimp (and some chiken and eggs) high proten diet. With a bowl of rasin bran w/soy (proten) milk apon waking ...

    My 'arcata type freinds' flipped out - and said I'd die if I ate like that - (OH I'm used to ordering the 49er at the AA bar - and downing it with gusto - but with cancer - I'm down to only eating 30 oz of stake at a time or sometimes even less.

    I tell the Arcata types "look its Vegan - Vegy - just i like my vegies PER-digested!"

    What ever I'm doing the doctor (Bonis) says "keep it up your doing great" ... so I eat meat and a little MMJ to help keep it down

    ----- my thought is how many athleats are vegies - and I'm in a fight for my life!
    ------
    funny #2 on cancer -

    Cancer isn't bad - it sure beats devorce!

    Wtih cancer you get great parking, people at restrauns seat you right away. As to seats everyone offers you one ... and the people who take your money (medi proffesion) are REALLY NICE TO YOU --

    with devorce you don't get spical parking or seating or tables in restrauns and the people that take your money are darn right nasty!

    (chuckle) ...

    I have a few mmore - but not fit for public viewing - the day my MD gave me the Dx - he was wrighting out the Rx's for pain stuff and other things - and I said ...

    never mind its not proper for public ... blog -- hum maybe I can clean it up ...

    my lady freind was there and i made a refrance to handling it like snake bite ... and getting an Rx for that!

    she (never one to miss a beat) said "ya but with cancer - I spit" ....

    Yup we been taking this seriously - as we can - sure its upsetting when you think you might not see your kid again - or be there for her -- but on the other hand - Laghter is the best medicen .. and we keep makeing a joke out of everything ...

    Doc says its a good thing - of course what else can you do when the hair on your privets all falls out - expect say

    "this might be cool for a woman - but on a guy it looks just plain weird ..."

    (FORTUANLY MY MD WROTE THAT 'SNAKE BITE RX') NOT REALLY - just kidding ...


    BtW - my lady and I have known each other since we were 16 in High school together ... and best freinds since we were in our early 20's ... just FYI ... she is amazing .. angel incarnate!

    Have to be to put up with me ...

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  15. Nah, man, she's lucky to have ya.

    As always, your comments open eyes. Definitely opening mine.

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  16. which one - oh btw - I type laying down, its about all I can do, computer work, laptop in bed ... left leg still has to be elevated other wise it swells. and sitting in a chair is the worst, as one is 'folded in 1/2' slowing blood flow even more. See blood is moved by movement of mussles, not the hart, out of the legs.

    But I can only walk so much (now told 5 min.s is tops for 'exercize' ...

    So my sweety woke me up coming back to bed at about 9ish. We 'thoght' about doing anyting else, but I was starving so got up and made 3 eggs and some brakefast stakes we had picked up late last night after the meeting ...

    I ate 3 of them and now am laying down again ... snickering at what "opened your eyes" ie, libeto refrances or the thing on the only way to get prices down and there by make MMJ NON-profitable there by cutting back on home growing problem ...

    BTW - did you checth this from John Walters head US Drug person?

    "80% of MJ growing is by Mex Nationals on our Fed land."

    It's in one of the peices I posted on his Tulary speach and the raids.

    This will give you an idea of the size of the market. And what we're talking about when we address 'drop pricing' (as a way to stop the local growers).

    Its a converstation Roger (RIP) and I used to have all the time.

    (side bar: Noter cancer sick joke: Heck with this cancer stuff I'm doing better then Roger! - sick dark humor, but you know I get slcak I'm 'faceing death' as it were - and can play the "C card" for all its worth for a few more months!)

    Anyway Roger would always say some version of "If we just legailzed it, that would drop the prices and take the big pofit out of home growing."

    It was something that consirned him both ways. Another words, he felt that - ecomically is the way to stop the growing problem.

    On the other hand his 'freinds' in the hills all didn't want the legalization thing because it would drop the prices.

    I told him (and someone offered citations that ended up on the BofSups web site*) that show how legilzation had NEVER dropped prices and that Rog. could point to that for his 'freinds' in the hills EVER in this history of cannabis.

    What happens is that (guess what) big business people are as greedy (if not more so!) then street pot dealers and the pot club owners!

    Corperate Cannabis is MORE pricey then the local punk sells it for on the street .. and BY FAR.

    So we have a crop that is so 'prized' that

    a.) ALL the hill hippies and home growers in California ONLY make up 20% of the locally grown and consumed product.

    b.) tons still come in across both borders (1&2) and from the seas(3).

    b.1.) my google & www.mapinc.org/drugnews "Drugnews-Digest" cliping service shows about one or two STORGAGE WAREHOUSES busted per month of Mex MJ.
    b.2.) same service shows two or more busts of Canadian border sumglers
    b.3.) cargo containors full of So. East Asia weed are found about once every two months (same service cited)

    So from all that we can extorplate the size of the demand for this crop.

    And the 'gangs' aren't going to drop the prices, nor would 'big bisseness' nor legilization or goverment grows (per * below).

    Therefor if the prices stay the same there is no way to get people to stop growing it for money.

    The reason for grow houses and all the accory problems with MJ/MMJ real or percived. Not the least amoung them is the lack of taxes paid on it. Now the hill growers will aruge fevently that they pay "secondary taxesL ie taxes on every they buy.

    But I have to say "so do you and I" BUT we ALSO pay taxes on our money the frist time around also! IRS and withholding et al.

    There is all kinds of argumentsaround this - that to me don't hold water, because who pays for schools, and pays for fixing the pot holes in the streets?

    The inferstrutor of California?

    I was talking to a PD Cheif recently and he mused that one of the things he disliked about pot was standing in line at Cosco watching some kid pay for a $1,200 'toy' with cash!

    I reached into my top coat pocket pulled out my wallet and my BUSINESS credit card and asked "if he paid with one of these, a business creidt card, would you feel diffrently?"

    He sort of laughed and with one of the quickst come backs I ever heard said, "If THAT was the case we'd have a new station and not be understaffed!"

    -- I can't tell you which PD Cheif - as he said "I don't want ANY of this on the cover of the news paper tomrrow" - and I totally respect his wishs as I hope he would respect mine.

    But anyway - its something I'm hearing more and more - the resentment of the NON-tax paying growers. My mechicanic recently said that though he has made lots of money off of 'the guys in the hills' recently its up set him and he's voclized it - espically with people whining about 'code enforcment' -

    Lets see how did he put it ...

    "They come in here and whine about having their homes inspected, here I work every day for years, and pay taxes on every home I own and every car I fix and these people don't pay taxes on their primary income - the pot they grow - nor do they pay taxes on their homes and their bitching?"

    he's not against pot in anyway - like many people I know he smoked a little for years - and is a good working member (short haired) of socity who has rasied very produtive kids, is a land lord and does a GREAT job on my rigs for some 30+ years ...

    He's no way an "anity pot person" But he IS upset with a 'free ride' that people are getting on OUR ROADS and from OUR schools and OUR GOVERMENT and stop lights and sewers and so forth.

    The people in the hills can say "Oh we don't use any of that" but it so much BS - the brown rice they buy comes in on 101. The pot they sell goes OUT on 101 and other streets and Hwy's -- when are they going to pay their share for that?

    Its a question that is being asked even as I say in the 'pro-pot" area ...

    Why? Because (and here we get back to the oringal premis) a 'new way' is being shown. right now 2 of the MMJ shops pay their Sales Tax (I'm not sure about the other two) and all four (to the best of my knowledge) paytheir fed income taxs, payroll taxes and all that.

    So suddenly there is another paridime besides the non-tax paying MJ person. There are these few people who pay taxes and the 2 I'm at all familure with don't cheat AT ALL on their taxes. I don"t know about the other two, not saying they do or don't - just don't know them that well - I asume as the 'word' / 'chetch phrase' in that group is "You know what they got Capon for!"

    So my perception is that all 4 clubs shops what ever ... are lazor on a razor when it comes to taxes and that sort of thing.

    What will be the impact? I have no idea, if left alone by the Fed's, there will arise a two tear system. One will be like qw had / have with booze. One will be 'bootleggers' the other will be tax paying regulated 'legal providors' ...

    Now the 'trick' will be to get it 'legal enough' for the "legal providor' group to be safe enough to drop the prices.

    This will force the illegal people out of business. It will take a while, and there is HUGE pressure against people or shops who want to drop prices.

    As I've posted here HMS had full permits, 100% legal and "all of a sudden" and based upon a totally diffrent issue, the city crossed out there permits! Which is 'funny' because Mayor Weatly (not the most libral guy in Arcata) called HMS 'the gold standard' - Kevin Hoover did a real nice peice about them - HMS is even talked up in Rotery and the "Nip it in the Budd" grow house proest people are PRO HMS ...

    Seems HMS has everyone on their side - and did everything legally - permited and everything. Yet they get their permits crossed off at the last moment the 12th hour, yet the illegal grow that started all this (THC's) is still in full operation.

    I wonder if all this 'permit problem' has anything to do with HMS wanting to drop the price opening at 1/3 less then the other shops and stating they wanted to drop the price even more.

    Well I understand that HMS has a law suit now against the city, and are using huge land use attonry that is laughing at the city of aracata (not that that is so strange) but it will be intresting to see if any of this 'intent to drop prices' has anything to do with the pulling of the premits.

    Werid that all the 'anity MMJ' ppeople are PRO HMS and yet this is the privet club that can't get grow permits finlized... oh sorry they wwere - how to say this "un crossed out"

    Though it might be just political - and not about prices ...

    Winkler is stone walling - and he's running for office and probibly wants to look 'hard on MMJ' - and Paul Hagen suddenly changed from his "oh give them their permits back - lets find a way to make this work" ... to a "no way can they exist" - once he 1/2 assed tossed his hat in the ring for DA. (is that a rumor or is it true, i just don't know enough librals damn it - guess I need to take up eating tofu in Arcata vs. stakes at the double A!)

    It's so intrewsting to watch the interplay and wonder who is doing what why?

    I understand that Arcata will be libal for HMS's rent and loss of production let alone their set up fees, when HMS wins the suit. I guess arcata has the money if they pass the 3/4 a cent sales tax!

    its so weird to watch someone do something totally legally under the law - then have that law 'changed' - how did Kevin say it? "the City’s shapeshifting policies quixotic and capricious"

    So maybe no one wants it done 'right and legal' no matter how much they claim they do.

    if it was done 'right and legal' then what would everyone have to bitch about.

    One side is afraid it would ruin the prices, and the other is afraid that it would ruin the 'pot is the root of all evil' thing.

    As my dad used to say, "The crusfied Jeuse" when any one talked about doing things better or right...

    Intresting thought though -

    Or were you talking about the 'snake bite therpy' for cancer?

    chuckle ...


    * http://co.humboldt.ca.us/board/agenda/questys/MG101425/AS101471/AI107347/DO107849/Document.htm

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  17. Eye opening? The fact that you can be fine one day and bam, not ok the next. The recognition that it can happen to any of us, and likely will, sooner or later. The sadness that it happens to good people like you.

    Then there's the - if pot helps you through this - it ought to be legal now and not later. That's a confirmed recognition.

    And yes, the inherent unfairness of the tax-free high life is causing resentment.

    I tend to agree with the people who say legalize it now.

    It is entirely possible, that, if it were legal nationwide, the price would hold because the demand would be so high... not just for medical relief, but as a wine/beer like recreational thing - which it is anyway.

    It's always good to hear from you. I really, really wish the best for you - don't know how to express that.

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  18. I'm hoping for a 10 year minimum sentence, 14 would be even better.

    I am so sick of pot growers and the corruption that goes with them. Or maybe I should say comes with them.

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