Kalifornien entscheidet per Referendum Anfang November über eine komplette Cannabis-Freigabe - Die Oaksterdam University lehrt indes den professionellen Umgang mit der Droge

Fast jeder zweite Laden steht leer. Auf den Gehsteigen schieben Obdachlose ihren dürftigen Hausrat in Einkaufswagen vor sich her. In Oakland zeigt sich der Wirtschaftsabschwung von seiner hässlichsten Seite. Und so ist es vielleicht kein Wunder, dass diese Stadt im Norden San Franciscos sich zum Zentrum all derjenigen entwickelt hat, die glauben, dass man zur Krisenbewältigung nur die Drogengelder eintreiben muss. Schon 1996 hat Kalifornien Cannabis für den medizinischen Gebrauch legalisiert. Zur Behandlung bedarf es einer Therapiekarte. 400.000 Kalifornier sind inzwischen Inhaber eines Cannabis-Ausweises. Das Geschäft mit dem grünen Gold blüht: Die Industrie setzt jedes Jahr 14 Milliarden Dollar um.

derstandard.at

The Tacoma City Council – perhaps confusing Tacoma with Seattle – has taken the side of a fast-emerging marijuana industry that’s been shopping for compliant local governments.

The council has countermanded the city administration’s attempt to close down eight medical marijuana dispensaries (up from zero not too long ago) now operating in the city. The idea is to wait until the 2011 Legislature legalizes them. But it’s highly unlikely that next year’s more conservative House and Senate will do what heavily Democratic legislatures have already refused to do. What then – permanent toleration?

thenewstribune.com

L.A. County officials are warning parents to be on the look-out for Halloween treats laced with marijuana.

Officials say pot treats, such as candy bars and lollipops are sold in marijuana dispensaries and could be circulating around.

"These lollipops, candy bars, they look pretty legitimate. The problem is if it gets in the wrong hands and a kid licks a lollipop, they get ill or intoxicated," said Cpt. Ralph Ornelas of the L.A. County Sheriff's Department.

ktla.com

Zach Galifianakis scored what may be a TV first Friday night, lighting up a joint on Bill Maher's HBO show.

Maher, who is extremely open about his own pot use, had The Hangover star on as a guest and the discussion turned to California's ballot measure, Proposition 19, which would make marijuana legal in the state.

radaronline.com

President Hamid Karzai condemned Saturday a joint U.S.-Russia raid on drug laboratories in eastern Afghanistan, saying it was carried out without the permission of his government.

The operation was "a blatant violation of Afghanistan's sovereignty and of international laws," Karzai said in a statement. "Any repetition of such acts will prompt necessary reaction by our country," the president said.

Thursday's raid reportedly destroyed around one ton of heroin worth $250 million at laboratories in the Shinwar district of the eastern province of Nangerhar.

bellinghamherald.com
post-gazette.com
istockanalyst.com
nation.com.pk
wdbj7.com
irishtimes.com
irishtimes.com

Russia and the U.S. will continue to cooperate in the fight against the Afghan drug threat, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Saturday.
Lavrov made his statement during talks with U.S. State Secretary Hillary Clinton on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Hanoi.

nation.com.pk

The laws of the United States and the programs, government sponsored, concerning the use of addictive drugs, are a total failure. Not only a total failure, but they are making the problem worse. They are so stupid that anyone supporting those laws must either be a moron, or involved in the racket. It's that bad.

Ein Wiener Arzt ist am Freitagnachmittag im Straflandesgericht nach dem Suchtmittelgesetz zu neun Monaten Haft, davon zwei Monate unbedingt, verurteilt worden. Der kokainsüchtige Mediziner hatte seinen Stamm-Dealer mit Rezepten "bezahlt", wodurch dieser in den Besitz von mindestens 7.000 Tabletten eines Drogenersatz-Präparates kam. Das Medikament verkaufte der Dealer gewinnbringend am Karlsplatz.

derstandard.at