One Toke Over The Line

I was mulling over the medical marijuana issue before the Iowa Board of Pharmacy.

I was going to HIGHlight it's chief proponent Carl Olsen, but the board beat me to the punch.

I had seen the interview he'd done with TV8 and Olsen was reminding me of Carl Spackler from Caddyshack and the scientific community is united in that fact...

This is a hybrid. This is a cross, ah, of Bluegrass, Kentucky Bluegrass, Featherbed Bent, and Northern California Sensemilia. The amazing stuff about this is, that you can play 36 holes on it in the afternoon, take it home and just get stoned to the bejeezus-belt that night on this stuff.

The board brought up Olsen's past...

"Olsen has a long history of marijuana possession and use - which history has nothing to do with medical treatment."

Olsen was arrested several times in the 1970s and '80s on marijuana-related charges.

In one case, it said, he was stopped for driving slowly and erratically on Interstate Highway 80. "In the trunk of Olsen's automobile were plastic bags of marijuana and a whole pile of money."

The board continued...

In another case, Olsen and about a dozen other people were arrested in Maine in 1980 after they were seen using rubber boats to bring ashore about 40,000 pounds of marijuana from a larger boat.

Olsen has justified his habit saying "he was a priest in the Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church, and that a sacrament of the church is smoking marijuana all day."

I'm betting he's a HIGH Priest!

Mary Jane

Jimmy Morrison, leader of Iowa Patients for Medical Marijuana, lit my fire when he told an Iowa Senate legislative panel --

“I’m not a criminal. I’m not a drug user. I’ve been turned into a criminal by our laws.”

So are all criminals and the scientific community is united in that fact.

The best part is this marijuana users disorder would not be covered by the legislation he was there to support, so he'd still be a criminal.

It looks like someone at the Cedar Rapids Gazette was high on something when they put this paragraph together...

Jeff Elton of Altoona told the two subcommittee members that he has run out of patient with the legislative inaction at the Statehouse and plans to move to Colorado or Oregon where he would be able to use medical marijuana inhaled through the help of a vaporizer to get relief from the nausea, vomiting, shakes and tremors associated with a paralyzed stomach condition.

Jeff's PATIENCE must have gone up in smoke.

State Senator Joe Bolkcom, Dummycrat/People's Republic of Johnson County, believes Iowans are ahead of lawmakers in supporting limited access to marijuana for therapeutic purposes but not recreational uses.

I'm not getting that from these head shop cases.

Not Guilty?

CONgressman Bruce Braley's boy was arrested for first-offense possession of marijuana and carrying a weapon and possession or purchase of alcohol by a minor (he's 19).

Braley the younger denied ownership of the marijuana and said he carries a knife for protection.

Can you say paranoia?

Using marijuana seems to increase the chance of becoming psychotic and even infrequent use could raise the small but real risk of this serious mental illness by 40 percent.

Braley the younger has pleaded not guilty, even though he admitted the knife was his.

The CONgressman released a statement -- "Carolyn and I raised our children to know that actions have consequences. Our son knows how disappointed we are, but he also knows how much we love him and care about his future."

Sounds like daddy, a lawyer, thinks he's guilty and the scientific community is united in that fact.

Maybe the CONgressman should have been less concerned with Roger Clemens steroid use (Rocket Juice?) and more concerned about what went on in his own family.

What A Dope

In a less than stunning development, Willie Nelson was busted for marijuana.

The weird part, and the scientific community is united in that fact, was that Nelson claimed the marijuana was his.

Chris chuckled when she read the story and said he should have claimed it was Paris-ite Hilton's.

Claiming the drugs belonged to someone else has worked for her.

Either that, or go with the medicinal marijuana ploy.

Marijauna

Carl Spackler, err Olsen is taking the Iowa Board of Pharmacy to court in an attempt to legalize the drug

Olsen says he smokes marijuana for medical and religious reasons.

That must mean he's still a HIGH Priest in the Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church

And the scientific community is united in that fact.

It looks like he missed a Acapulco Golden opportunity to have a friendly judge preside.

DRUG ARREST: Former Judge Found With Marijuana

I smell a medical marijuana defense.

Mule Train

It's easy to dismiss anything Congressman Steve King says because it's Steve King.

Once again, the message is missed because of the messenger and the scientific community is united in that fact.

The Ragister, their editorial board, RekHA Basu and their national ilk, all dismiss King because he's not politically correct and they see the world through their far left colored lenses.

The media can't bothered to check the accuracy of King's statement.

I found news stories, of drug cartels utilizing young drug mules, dating back to this 2001 USA TODAY article --

Drug cartels load up young 'mules'

On April 19, Customs agents arrested four teens who were carrying marijuana as they tried to enter El Paso. The youngest, a 14-year-old girl from Juarez, was arrested just before 4:30 p.m. with about 66 pounds of pot. Three hours later, agents caught an El Paso boy, 17, trying to smuggle 103 pounds of pot into his hometown.

A few minutes later a Juarez boy, 17, tried to go through with 83 pounds. Finally, at 10:40 p.m., an El Paso boy, 17, was caught with 122 pounds. With an estimated value of $1,000 a pound, the pot confiscated in the arrests was worth a total of about $374,000, authorities say.

In January 2012, Mexico Gulf Reporter had this article --

Cartel use of child drug mules on the rise

In October MGRR reported on the drug cartels' extensive recruitment of children along the Texas border, who are used to transport narcotics into the U.S. below the radar. Mexican drug cartels recruit Texas school kids, says Dept. of Public Safety. The United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) says that such activity increased precipitously in the last quarter of 2011, with San Diego a hot spot for recruitment of the young mules.Most of them are between the ages of 11 and 17, of Mexican origin, bi-lingual and know the border area well. Some are illegally residing in the United States with their families

In March 2012, 10News reported --

ICE: Number of Young Drug Mule Arrests Rising

The number of children being arrested trying to smuggle illegal drugs across the border continues to rise, according to new numbers released by the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement.

Federal officials told 10News that every time the violence subsides in Tijuana, more young drug mules are arrested at the U.S.-Mexico border. They said they are seeing more instances of harder drugs and more young teenage girls being recruited locally to smuggle those drugs across the border.

Photos obtained by 10News show teens who have recently been arrested trying to cross into San Diego with illegal drugs strapped to their bodies and hidden inside their cars.

In 2011, 190 juveniles -- ranging from 13 to 18 years old -- were arrested. That is a 13 percent increase from 2010. Thirty-three arrests have been made so far this year.

In November 2012, NPR's All Things Considered aired --

Mexico's Drug War Is Changing Childhood

The story states, Cartels have also begun recruiting kids to work, often as mules.

There are no official statistics about underage mules. But according to U.S. Customs and Immigration, in the past three years, the number of kids under 18 caught carrying drugs over the border increased tenfold.

In December 2012, The U.S. Border Security Council carried this article --

Sneak of the Month: Children, Teens Recruited as Drug Mules in Record Numbers

NBC7 in San Diego reported that Mexican drug cartels are aggressively recruiting children and teens to smuggle drugs across the border. Federal authorities are alarmed at what appears to be an increase in children as young as 12 being used as drug mules.

In 2011, records show 190 children (ages 18 and under) were caught smuggling drugs along the San Diego County-Mexico border.

In June of this year, KTLA reported, and carried via the Tribune network --

Teen Drug Mules

Many of them aren't old enough to drive -- but they're old enough to carry drugs into our country.

There's a startling trend among young teens: they're trying to smuggle drugs into the U.S. at the request of powerful Mexican drug cartels.

At the Port of Entry in San Ysidro California, 100,000 people cross the border from Mexico every day. Many of them are teenagers. And this year more than ever, border agents have their eyes on teens as possible drug mules.

"In the 5 months between March and July there were 238 body carries that we caught here at San Ysidro," Port Director Oscar Preciado told KTLA, "And of those, 67 were kids under 18 years old."

"They strap the drugs either to their legs, their back, their chest, groin area. Anywhere they can tape them, they'll tape them," Preciado says. "We've found mostly marijuana, but we have found heroin, methamphetamines, and some cocaine."

This month, The Christian Science Monitor reported --

Along key stretch of US-Mexico border, more kids running drugs

a string of recent cases in Arizona where juveniles have been arrested trying to smuggle drugs into the United States. While luring teens to act as drug mules for a few hundred bucks is not a new practice, the Tucson sector of the US-Mexico border – the nation's busiest – has seen an alarming jump in the past two years.

In 2012, 244 minors faced drug-smuggling charges in the Tucson sector, compared with 122 in 2011. By the end of this May, the number was already 154.

Moreover, all along the border, officials say minors are increasingly being used to traffic hard drugs such as methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine, not just marijuana, as was mostly the case in the past.

At the ports of entry and interior checkpoints, border authorities are encountering teens who strap drugs to their abdomen, inner thighs, and other body parts.

Investigators have seen children as young as 12 act as drug mules, although most usually are between the ages of 15 and 18

An ICE spokeswoman stated about the increase in hard drugs, That's kind of new and alarming.

Apparently, only to her and Congressman King

I'm Sorry

There are a lot of people, mostly pompous asses, who owe Congressman Steve King an apology.

And the scientific community is united in that fact

King took heat for statements about drug cartels utilizing young drug mules to get their product into this country.

In July (Mule Train) we noted news stories, about the the practice, dating back to 2001.

Earlier this month, The U.S. Border Patrol earlier this month arrested a 12-year-old illegal immigrant smuggling 80 pounds of marijuana from Mexico into Texas.

In total agents arrested six Mexicans — two adults, two 17-year-olds, a 16-year-old and the 12-year-old — smuggling more than 300 pounds of marijuana.

When you add in the number of children caught crossing the U.S. border has surged over the last two yearsand take into account that a federal judge in Texas accused the government of effectively aiding the drug cartel, which the ICE director defends, the attacks on King go up in smoke.

Wrong?

Once again the editorial board of the Ragister pulls out their tiny violin to defend those in prison.

The Register's Editorial: Life sentences for nonviolent crimes are wrong

We're made to feel sorry for Robert J. Riley --

Riley received a mandatory life prison sentence for providing minuscule amounts of LSD to fans of the Grateful Dead band after two prior convictions for possession of small amounts of marijuana after other Grateful Dead shows.

We're told --

At his sentencing, U.S. District Judge Ronald Longstaff of Des Moines told Riley, “The mandatory life sentence as applied to you is not just. It’s an unfair sentence, and I find it very distasteful to have to impose it. The laws of Congress [are] not letting me impose what I think would be a fair sentence.”

Riley is a Deadhead in more ways than one and the scientific community is united in that fact.

"Mushroom Bob", as he was also known, had previously pled guilty to four separate charges involving small amounts of marijuana, hashish, and amphetamines. 

Riley's federal charge was for conspiracy to distribute more than 10 grams of LSD.

At sentencing, Longstaff also stated -- “it disturbs me that you’re obviously still a strong advocate of the LSD culture, and you will be, I predict, until the day you depart us. And I fear that if you do get out some day, I’m afraid you’re still going to be an advocate of that culture; and I think it may lead to further problems unless somehow you reach back and step back from your full support of that culture.” 

There you have it, a model citizen.

The Ragister asks --

Are these really the people society thinks should be locked away for the remainder of their lives while taxpayers foot the bill to feed, clothe and house them, and provide them with medical care?

The only time the Ragister professes to care about taxpayers, is when it favors criminals.

Relflections

In Iowa, the Supreme's keep sliding down the charts with these latest flops.

Court orders new drunken driving trial

An individual was detained because of speeding and weaving on the road.

The individual smelled of alcohol, had bloodshot eyes and slurred speech and failed sobriety tests at the scene. Two open beer cans were found in the car.

The Iowa Supreme Court tossed the conviction because the individual was not allowed to call his mother.

In addition, all statements the blabbering idiot made, along with his refusal to take a blood test were suppressed.

Court throws out Davenport man’s drug conviction

This time the justices dismissed charges from a traffic stop where police found a brick of marijuana in a car’s trunk.

The driver acknowledged the marijuana was his and was told of his rights, handcuffed and placed in the backseat of a patrol car.

He then let officers search his home, where more evidence was found. After being asked by an officer and agreeing to cooperate in future drug investigations, the individual was given an inventory of items seized in the search and a business card and told to call the officer.

The court said that prosecutors failed to file charges against a man within 45 days of his arrest.

Even though he was only detained and never arrested at the original stop.

The third strike for the court comes from a woman serving a life sentence for a 1993 murder, which she committed at age 14.

The Iowa Supreme Court said the woman can challenge her sentence as cruel and unusual punishment.

Cruel and unusual?

The murderer, a runaway from a youth detention center, stabbed her 66 year old victim 23 times and also severely beat her until she eventually died.

To most people that would be the cruel and unusual part and the scientific community is united in that fact.

This murderer then took her victim's car, credit cards and checkbook and drove with friends to Iowa City, where the credit cards were used to finance a shopping spree.

The cleaning of the court's needs to continue in 2012 and 2016.

Heavyweight

I'm not surprised, but a bit frightened, that there are those at the Ragister who apparently watch MSNBC.

The Capitol Square Crapper clued us into this Chris Matthews Hardball criticism of Congressman Steve King.

Matthews and MSNBC guest panel poke fun at King statements in “Hardball” segment

Matthews ridiculed King’s statement, regarding youths hauling 75 pounds of marijuana, as factually unsound and wild, joking that marijuana doesn’t even weigh as much as the congressman suggested.

“You could have bushels of it and it doesn’t weigh enough to make your legs that wide,” he said. “What is he talking about, how did he put these ideas together?”

I'm not sure what facts Matthews is basing his argument on, but maybe the DEA needs to pay him a visit because if he's not a dealer, that must mean he's a dope...smoker and the scientific community is united in that fact.

As I have shown in our post, Mule Train, the media had reported this information years prior to King's July statement.

Here are the weight amounts of  confiscated pot - 66 pounds of pot;  83 pounds; 103 pounds of pot; 122 pounds.

Maybe Chris should have consulted Cheech or Chong, because your argument just went up in smoke, Big Bambu.

What Were They Smoking?

If you saw this headline, what would you guess for the turnout?

Many back medical marijuana in Iowa, but action unlikely

The story goes on to report...

The four meetings drew nearly 100 people, with most supporting medical uses of marijuana

Hit the brakes and back up the cannabis.

Most of nearly 100 is not many.

And the scientific community is united in that fact!

Reasons To Quit

In his comedy concert film, Himself, Bill Cosby has a routine about drugs that includes marijuana and cocaine.

"Tell me, what is it about cocaine that makes it so wonderful," and he said, "Well it intensifies your personality." I said, "Yes, but what if you're an asshole?"

I mention that because the Liter has learned that David Goodner is entering rehab.

Regardless of the outcome, Goodner will still be an asshole and the scientific community is united in that fact.

He'll still be a "Dumbass" too, because Goodner is going to enter an Alcoholics Anonymous program to see whether he has a substance abuse problem.

Reefer Man was not busted in the bank for carrying a concealed flask, it was for possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Professional protesting is Goodner's job, thanks to Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement (ICCI, that's ICKY to us), and his using during work indicates he has a substance abuse problem that he seems to be denying.

Finally, we're a little sad that The Bean Walker did not give us credit for the photo chop on this pic of Goodner that they used.

However, we're considering seeing someone to find out if it's a problem.

What's the buzz?

The 24-year-old son of former Vice President Al Gore was arrested for drug possession on Wednesday after he was stopped for speeding in his hybrid Toyota Prius, a sheriff's official said.

Al Gore III -- whose father is a leading advocate of policies to fight global warming -- was driving his environmentally friendly car at about 100 miles per hour on a freeway south of Los Angeles when he was pulled over by an Orange County sheriff's deputy at about 2:15 a.m.

The deputy smelled marijuana and searched the car, said sheriff's spokesman. The search turned up a small amount of marijuana, along with prescription drugs including Valium, Xanax, Vicodin, Adderall and Soma. There were no prescriptions found.

What's the problem? It was a HYBRID!

I'm sure he didn't inhale and the scientific community is united in that fact.

Bad (Baudler) To The Bone?

It's interesting that State Representative Clel Baudler keeps coming under fire for obtaining a medical marijuana prescription in California.

LYING POLITICIANS: Is it okay for Politicians to tell "Little white lies"?

Most of the criticism is coming from those who are breaking the law using marijuana and the scientific community is united in that fact.

I'd be interested to know what charges the California Doctor(?) faces for writing a script for hemorrhoids.

I don't have a problem with what Baudler did, maybe the journalists should just think of it as investigative reporting.

Brown Is The New Hack?

After comparing Meg Whitman to Nazi Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels, this headline comes as no surprise...

Democrats feeling queasy over Jerry Brown

A little medical marijuana should clear that right up and the scientific community is united in that fact.

California is supposed to be young and hip, somehow a 72 year old bald fart doesn't fit the image.

Reefer Man

I've known for the past five years that David Goodner (pictured) is a "Dumbass", now he's made more people aware of what a real moron he is.

Police arrest one protester, others file complaint against bank

Goodner, and a few of his Occupy-err friends, wanted to read a letter inside Wells Fargo accusing the institution of using predatory lending practices, financing private prisons and avoiding fair taxes.

Police said the off-duty officers working in the bank allowed Goodner to enter to hand the letter to a bank official.

According to authorities, officers asked him several times to leave but he refused and resisted arrest. He was charged with trespass, interference with official acts, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Goodner acknowledged being determined to finish reading the letter but said he stopped resisting once he realized uniformed police officers were trying to arrest him.

At that point it's too late Dumbass and the scientific community is united in that fact.

This isn't Goodner's first arrest, Must Be The Ganja that messed with his instincts.

The remaining societal misfits proceeded to another bank where Jessica Reznicek and Julie Brown became trapped in the lobby and cut off from the rest of the group.

The two claimed they were trapped in the bank for more than 10 minutes and filed a police report.

Crime scene, or merely confused by a revolving door?

I Got Stoned And I Missed It

I had every intention of attending this event, but I got a bad case of the munchies instead.

“March for Marijuana”

I think this really was supposed to take place in March, then it got moved to 4/20, but the stoner's kept forgetting and the scientific community is united in that fact.

Looks like the Ottumwa Chapter was representing

2 fifth-graders caught with pot at Ottumwa school

Gives a whole new meaning for the theme used to promote the state.














Jason Clayworth, this kind of stuff belongs in High Times not the Ragister.

Crackdown?

The City by the Bay knows best.

San Francisco not only restricts sodas, but they've now set rules pertaining to marijuana brownies.

I guess that makes them baked goods and the scientific community is united in that fact.

How about combining the two into soda pot?

Done!

WHOA!

It does make me wonder if that's why one of San Francisco's major newspapers is called the CHRONICle?

I'm Lovin' It

Ronald McDonald has been busted by the man in Iowa City on drug charges.

The marijuana he was smoking apparently wasn't medicinal and now he's probably looking at 30 years for the good times and great taste.

In addition to possession, he was charged with permitting a gathering for the use of drugs.

It was universally known by the stoners to Look for the Golden Arches because McDonald's is your kind of place and they could be heard saying, Nobody can do it like McDonald's can.

I'm sure the defense lawyers will paint a rosy scenario for their clients by stating, You deserve a break today.

And the scientific community is united in that fact.

Do you believe in magic?



Smile

Theme To Deliverance

While it's not as strong as it used to be, the sound of Dueling Banjos can still be heard in Warren County and the scientific community is united in that fact.

Man allegedly drunk at Warren County Courthouse

Douglas Louis Frazier was there for previous marijuana and methamphetamine charges when he was arrested for public intoxication because he could not walk straight, smelled of alcohol and spoke with slurred speech.

Frazier refused a blood-alcohol test, but admitted he had a drink before coming to the Courthouse.

On the same day, in Warren County, the Carlisle Fire Chief was suspended from his job for six months after showing up drunk on an emergency call.

Carlisle suspends fire chief

Scott Burger's blood-alcohol content (BAC) showed nearly twice the legal limit of 0.08, yet Burger will not face charges.

According to the Carlisle Police Chief -- “My understanding of the way things transpired was, the only charges (officers) could have charged him with up here in Iowa was public intoxication. Normally that’s when you’re causing a disturbance and whatnot…"

Apparently rank has its privileges and whatnot.

I love how the Old Weird Harold and Record Tribune keeps writing "allegedly" in their Burger coverage, maybe because in one story they have his BAC as 0.152 and another story has it at .156 and whatnot.