cannabisnews.com: Cook County Going To Pot 
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Cook County Going To Pot 
Posted by CN Staff on July 22, 2009 at 08:27:16 PT
By Lisa Donovan, Cook County Reporter
Source: Chicago Sun-Times
Illinois -- If you’re busted carrying a small amount of marijuana in portions of Cook County patrolled by the sheriff’s police, you may get off with just a ticket.In a move that caught the sheriff’s office off guard, the county board on Tuesday voted to decriminalize possession of less than 10 grams of pot in unincorporated areas of Cook County. Those are the parts of the county not claimed by Chicago or its suburbs.
The measure, which needs to be approved by Board President Todd Stroger to take effect, gives sheriff’s police and sheriff’s deputies patrolling the unincorporated areas the latitude to arrest a suspect on a misdemeanor charge or, under the new ordinance, hit them with a $200 ticket if they’re carrying 10 grams or less.Leading the charge was Cmsr. Earlean Collins, a Democrat who admitted her grandson was busted for carrying a small amount of marijuana. She said arrests like that clog the jails.“They got my grandson...he had a half of joint in the car,” Collins said. “They stopped him. They took him to the police station. They impounded his car and let him out the next morning. Why do that?“A lot of kids make a mistake, have a little marijuana, and they can avoid going to jail or court.”A spokesman for Sheriff Tom Dart, whose deputies and officers would administer the law, said the sheriff’s office was caught off guard by the timing of the vote.Spokesman Steve Patterson said the sheriff was expecting a series of public hearings before a vote.Instead, the vote was taken on the same day the county board voted to scale back last year’s controversial sales tax hike.“We’d like there to be some discussion on it before it takes effect,” Patterson said.If Stroger signs the ordinance, it would take effect in 60 days. Stroger said he wasn’t sure if he’ll sign or veto it.“I don’t know,” Stroger told CBS2. “I wasn’t paying enough attention to it. I’ll find out about it later. I can’t comment on it.”The ticket option also means a bust won’t result in a criminal record. It was unclear, however, what might happen to repeat offenders.Collins said an administrative procedure would be available to those who want to fight a ticket.Commissioner Gregg Goslin, a Republican who voted against the measure, said any laws to decriminalize pot should be done by the state.“You can’t have a patchwork quilt of law in every county. That law should be voted on at the state level,” Goslin said.“It gives too much discretion to police officers. It’s either against the law or it’s not. You need to have one standard.“I think it was as the wrong thing to do.”Nearly five years ago, Mayor Daley embraced a police sergeant’s proposal to ticket people for small amounts of marijuana — from $250 for 10 grams of pot to $1,000 for 20 to 30 grams — but the plan never got off the ground.“It’s decriminalized now,” Daley said at the time. “They throw all the cases out. It doesn’t mean anything. You just show up to court. Another case goes out. That's all it is. There's nothing there. They don’t even show up — the offenders. It doesn’t mean anything.”Green States: So far, 13 states have passed some form of decriminalization of marijuana. The laws vary, but generally people caught with small amounts face fines or drug rehab programs rather than jail time. In Illinois, possession of 2.5 grams or less is a misdemeanor punishable by up to 30 days in jail and a $1,500 fine. Here are the 13 states:Alaska -- California -- Colorado -- Maine -- Massachusetts -- Minnesota -- Mississippi -- Nebraska -- Nevada -- New York -- North Carolina -- Ohio -- OregonSource: The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana LawsSource: Chicago Sun-Times (IL)Author: Lisa Donovan, Cook County ReporterPublished: July 22, 2009Copyright: 2009 The Sun-Times Co.Contact: letters suntimes.com Website: http://www.suntimes.com/ URL: http://drugsense.org/url/F4MfrMbnCannabisNews -- Cannabis Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/cannabis.shtml 
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Comment #10 posted by GeoChemist on July 23, 2009 at 04:20:45 PT
I just love this........
"In a move that caught the sheriff’s office off guard, the county board on Tuesday voted to decriminalize possession of less than 10 grams of pot in unincorporated areas of Cook County." I bet they nearly chocked on their donuts.......End of line
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Comment #9 posted by Paint with light on July 23, 2009 at 00:16:26 PT
game most often played
We can't legalize cannabis because of.........the message that it will send to the children.Legal like alcohol.
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Comment #8 posted by observer on July 22, 2009 at 10:54:17 PT
Games Politicians Play
"a Republican who voted against the measure, said any laws to decriminalize pot should be done by the state."Funny game these politicians play.Here's how you play. Anytime people in any area want to stop jailing people for pot, the player replies:
"Any laws to decriminalize pot should be done by the ______ "
Where _____ is some (larger preferably) political entity. Here are some examples."We can't stop arresting potheads here in our town. Any laws to decriminalize pot should be done by the county."or,"We can't stop arresting potheads here in our county. Any laws to decriminalize pot should be done by the state."or,"We can't stop arresting potheads here in our state. Any laws to decriminalize pot should be done at the Federal level, of course."or,"We can't stop jailing cannabis users here in our nation alone. Why, there are international treaties we are held to and (like the laws of the Medes and Persians) cannot be changed. Any laws to decriminalize pot should be done at the international level - by treaty - at the U.N."or,"We can't stop jailing cannabis users here on our planet alone. Remember the ______ (angels, gods, overlords, greys, nordics, interdimensionals, fairies, elves, cluthu) disapprove, so any laws to decriminalize pot should be done at the supernatural level. Everyone knows that."
drugnewsbot.org
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Comment #7 posted by FoM on July 22, 2009 at 10:45:15 PT
runruff
You're funny. 
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Comment #6 posted by runruff on July 22, 2009 at 10:26:34 PT
It is all connected.
The earth caused an eclipse blocking the light to the rest of the solar system. When it got dark the comet ran into Jupiter because it couldn't see!I know this is true because I made it up!
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Comment #5 posted by FoM on July 22, 2009 at 10:03:53 PT
Had Enough
Last night we watched the eclipse on a news channel on line from India. It was truly an experience to see. Seeing the pictures are nice but watching the real thing in real time is something I will never forget.
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Comment #4 posted by Had Enough on July 22, 2009 at 09:59:30 PT
OT: Jupiter - Forces in Motion
Astronomers were scrambling to get big telescopes turned to Jupiter on Tuesday to observe the remains of what looks like the biggest smashup in the solar system since fragments of the Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 crashed into the planet 15 years ago. Something — probably a small comet — smacked into Jupiter on Sunday, leaving a bruise the size of the Pacific Ocean near its south pole. Just after midnight, Australian time, Jupiter came into view in the eyepiece of Anthony Wesley, an amateur astronomer in Murrumbateman, Australia. The planet was bearing a black eye spookily similar to the ones left in 1994. more…http://www.tampabay.com/incoming/article1020590.ece************and…here too…LOS ANGELES (AP) - An amateur stargazer in Australia spotted an Earth-sized gash on Jupiter, possibly caused by a collision with a comet, NASA scientists say. 
Using an infrared telescope on Hawaii, NASA scientists found evidence that Jupiter was apparently struck in recent days near its south pole.http://apnews.myway.com/article/20090721/D99J32I00.html
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Comment #3 posted by HempWorld on July 22, 2009 at 09:46:45 PT
"A lot of kids make a mistake, have a little mari
juana."Oh, having God's most useful plant in your possession is a 'mistake?'And"A spokesman for Sheriff Tom Dart, whose deputies and officers would administer the law, said the sheriff’s office was caught off guard by the timing of the vote.“We’d like there to be some discussion on it before it takes effect,” Patterson said."Differently said, the Sheriff does not approve of laws made without his belligerent, ignorant and self-preserving opinion on the issues.Here is a glimpse of the truth; that laws are made only with approval of law enforcement; a police state with the all the results we know very well; over half a million people in jail nationwide and clogged jails and courts.
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Comment #2 posted by Had Enough on July 22, 2009 at 08:49:43 PT
PUFMM - Florida
People United For Medical Marijuana - FloridaBena wrote at 2:27am on July 18th, 2009Who here spent their 2 hours collecting this week? Just a little bit of help from all of us!! Make sure you bring a big sign! It's so much fun, people love you (careful, some will kiss you..) so make sure you bring lots of petitions and clipboards. Find a busy area and bring a friend or two! The concerts will be great places to go to!Let's make this happen in 2010 so we don't have to wait until 2012!!http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=127343055695************http://www.pufmm.org/http://www.meetup.com/People-United-For-Medical-Marijuana-Orlando/http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=127343055695
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on July 22, 2009 at 08:36:20 PT
Another Small Step
We are winning. 
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