cannabisnews.com: Feds' Endless War on Marijuana





Feds' Endless War on Marijuana
Posted by CN Staff on April 21, 2004 at 08:03:26 PT
By Froma Harrop
Source: Providence Journal
As courtroom dramas go, this was hardly a Perry Mason moment. A federal judge in Los Angeles gazed at Judy Osburn, a woman found guilty of growing marijuana for a West Hollywood cannabis club. "You are a principled person," U.S. District Judge A. Howard Matz told her. "I don't consider you to be a threat or menace to society." He then gave Osburn a sentence of one year's probation.Over 2,000 miles away, in Akron, Ohio, a local judge tickled the wrist of a Catholic priest found to be raising 35 marijuana plants in his rectory. The Rev. Richard Arko received two years of probation and community service.
And that's about all the passion our courts can summon for the crime of growing pot. The public seems equally apathetic. Nine states have passed laws allowing the use of marijuana with a doctor's approval. (Marijuana eases pain and the nausea caused by chemotherapy.)In Nevada, meanwhile, voters are sure to consider a ballot initiative this November aimed at legalizing the possession of an ounce or less of marijuana -- for any use, no questions asked. Observers predict a close vote.The only person who still gets excited over marijuana these days seems to be U.S. Atty. Gen. John Ashcroft. He's clearly solved the terrorism problem, so he has the spare time and resources to go after patients and priests -- and regular guys who grow pot in their backyards, like Travis Paulson, of Lebanon, Ore.Froma Harrop is a Journal editorial writer and syndicated columnist. Snipped: Complete Article: http://www.freedomtoexhale.com/endless.htmSource: Providence Journal, The (RI)Author: Froma HarropPublished: Wednesday, April 21, 2004Copyright: 2004 The Providence Journal CompanyContact: letters projo.comWebsite: http://www.projo.com/Medical Marijuana Information Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/medical.htmCannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml 
Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help




Comment #1 posted by OverwhelmSam on April 21, 2004 at 11:16:39 PT
Is This The Same Couple?
Is this the same couple who were snatched out of State court right under the nose of the State Judge?
[ Post Comment ]


Post Comment