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Feds Indict 11 People After NV Medical Marijuana Raids

By Jeralyn, Section Crime in the News
Posted on Thu Jan 20, 2011 at 12:39:54 PM EST
Tags: medical marijuana (all tags)
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Following up on medical marijuana raids conducted last fall, the Feds have indicted 11 people in Nevada. John Birmele, Jr., the owner of The Happiness Consultants, is charged with 15 counts including distribution of marijuana, using a firearm in
drug trafficking and concealing information from social security. The indictments are here and here.

Nevada state law is a little peculiar.

Under Nevada state law, a person with a medical marijuana license can legally possess up to one ounce of pot and grow seven plants. Technically, it's illegal to buy or sell it.

Many people who are authorized to possess pot in Nevada have argued that state law is a "catch 22". Unlike California, there aren't any legal dispensaries patients can go to. The Las Vegas businesses that were raided are only legally licensed to consult patients in getting medical marijuana cards.

Nevada needs to authorize and regulate dispensaries as do other states. While its law allows people to use medical marijuana, they must grow it themselves. Not everyone has a green thumb. And it's questionable whether it's legal for anyone to possess the seeds needed to grow a marijuana plant.

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    Feds Indict 11 People After NV Medical Marijuana Raids | 8 comments (8 topical)

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    War on Drugs, War on Terror, War on... (none / 0) (#1)
    by Dadler on Thu Jan 20, 2011 at 12:50:04 PM EST
    ...Just About Everything.

    And it's gotten us where?  Thanks again, J, for your commitment to exposing the absurdity and injustice surrounding this issue.

    Absurd is the word.... (none / 0) (#2)
    by kdog on Thu Jan 20, 2011 at 01:21:24 PM EST
    the Nevada law reminds me of the Marijuana Tax Stamp Act...you needed the sacrament in your possession to apply for the tax stamp, but to have the sacrament without the tax stamp was a crime.

    You are almost forced to think all the man wants to do is rack up collars.

    Parent

    oh they have quotas... (none / 0) (#3)
    by Dadler on Thu Jan 20, 2011 at 01:39:14 PM EST
    ...i have no doubt.

    jeebus, tho, the simple fact they make many of these busts within spitting distance of a liquor store renders it all absurd. too bad the pilgrims didn't like to smoke their hemp and much as they like to drink their homebrew. i love that they stopped at plymouth rock, in some part, due to the fact they'd run outta water to make their suds.

    peace pipe, baby.

    Parent

    Spitting distance... (5.00 / 0) (#4)
    by kdog on Thu Jan 20, 2011 at 01:50:59 PM EST
    from the liquor store, gun shop, and the garden store selling bomb-making materials.

    Absurdity on steroids.

    Parent

    rimshot, please (none / 0) (#5)
    by Dadler on Thu Jan 20, 2011 at 01:53:03 PM EST


    Parent
    You might like this (none / 0) (#7)
    by jbindc on Thu Jan 20, 2011 at 03:28:56 PM EST
    Mitch Daniels and prison reform:

    The centerpiece of Mr. Daniels's approach is a set of reforms governing sentencing and parole. Judges would be allowed to fit sentences to crimes and have the flexibility to impose shorter sentences for nonviolent offenses. A poorly structured parole system would be reorganized to focus on offenders who actually present a risk to public safety.

    Addicts would be given drug treatment to try to make them less likely to be rearrested. And there would be incentives for towns to handle low-level offenders instead of sending them into more costly state prisons.



    Parent
    I'm more appalled (none / 0) (#6)
    by jbindc on Thu Jan 20, 2011 at 03:12:45 PM EST
    that "The Happiness Consultants" copied their name from the HBO show "Hung".

    A little originality here, people!

    Why is a businessman on SSI (none / 0) (#8)
    by diogenes on Thu Jan 20, 2011 at 08:11:10 PM EST
    Why is the owner of a thriving business on SSI benefits meant for the disabled, anyway?  

    Feds Indict 11 People After NV Medical Marijuana Raids | 8 comments (8 topical)

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