TheBongPlace: The Marijuana Blog

On-going medical marijuana busts through-out Mendocino County have been arresting local residents daily. I was one of five busts made and charged with two felonies (cultivation and intent to sell/distribute) last Friday, February 20, 2009, even though I had my doctor recommendation and was growing with the guidelines published at the Mendocino county web site.
My name is Laurel Krause. Last Friday (2/20/09) as I looked out my kitchen window I was shocked to see 25 Mendocino County Sheriffs/Deputies coming through my gate very quickly. The lead man, Sheriff (don’t know deputy, or what class) Jonathan Martin, showed me a search warrant, hand cuffed me and read me my rights. I was cooperative (I actually cried and begged for mercy, but that didn’t work) as they searched my home, my grow area on my five acres (behind my locked gate–so no probable cause) and seized all grow equipment related to 24 medical marijuana plants in full bloom. They chopped down the plants and hauled them away as I was being grilled and bullied in my home. This number is significant because if you google the Mendocino County Sheriff’s web page on MedMari guidelines it says 25 plants. You are probably aware of the ‘fuzziness’ of these guidelines. I have a recommendation from my doctor to allow me to grow med marijuana. They charged me with two felony counts, one for marijuana cultivation and another for intent to sell/distribute, carted me to Ukiah, CA to jail in handcuffs.

It gets worse. I was the #4 bust of 5 that day (Friday, Feb 20) and the guys let us know that they had five more for Saturday (yesterday) and five more on Sunday (TODAY!). Not individuals, but actual grows that might arrest multiple people. And most of the growers are women with kids (so now the children are possibly being taken away and bank accounts frozen). Real emotional and economic despair.

As I met others that were arrested in Ukiah, the county seat to jail (never before, first offense for everything for me) I learned they were my neighbors and not one had a ‘commercial’ size grow. So this Mendocino County Sheriff’s dept sweep is coming up short as the take is not producing the kind of busts they claim they are after (i.e commercial, 500 plants & up), unenvironmental grows that scar the land (we all grow organic), we all have our recommendations that we paid for and actually care about the quality of medicine we are growing (it’s in the past for me now).

I am in shock, but then I started getting mad yesterday. What is motivating this gestapo situation all of the sudden? DA Meredith Lintott or Sheriff Allman? NeoCons?

I keep to myself mostly so did not hear about this happening all over the county of Mendocino. Furthermore, most growers don’t let others know their business so as not to get busted. I’m coming forth as I have nothing to loose and I’m not backing down. I am a little afraid that if this doesn’t become a big story that I might be unsafe though……….so bust this story wide open. Help us in Mendo!!!

Since getting busted, I’ve learned that they were up and down my street (just outside Fort Bragg city limit, so in Mendocino County) busting and getting this sweep in order over the last month and logging on the computer even (wish I had known!). That they have also had busting sweeps in the towns of Covelo, Ukiah, Willits…….all within Mendocino county.

I’m sure you’re asking what is motivating me to come to you. This is truly an American story of our time right now, a devestating economic massacre for us personally and it has county-wide ramifications as at least 70% of the Mendocino economy is based on growing marijuana. Maybe even California as it’s the state’s largest crop. During these times of extreme economic hardship and 10% unemployment in Ft. Bragg, it just doesn’t make any sense to be busting and criminalizing tax-paying citizens, my neighbors and me operating within state and county guidelines.

We are considering moving forward with a class-action suit. I have calls out.

I am sounding this alarms as far and wide as I can. Please feel free to forward this to any of your interested colleagues. I hope to hear from you.

Sincerely,

Laurel Krause

Former presidents of Brazil, Mexico and Colombia said the U.S.-led war on drugs has failed and urged President Barack Obama to consider new policies, including decriminalizing marijuana, and to treat drug use as a public health problem.

The recommendations by former Brazilian President Fernando Henrique Cardoso, along with Ernesto Zedillo of Mexico and Cesar Gaviria of Colombia, were made in a report today by the Latin American Commission on Drugs and Democracy.

Among the group’s proposals ahead of a special United Nations ministerial meeting in Vienna to evaluate global drug policy is a call to decriminalize the possession of cannabis for personal use.

“We need to break the taboo that’s blocking an honest debate,” Cardoso said at a press conference in Rio de Janeiro to present the report. “Numerous scientific studies show that the damage caused by marijuana is similar to that of alcohol or tobacco.”

Gaviria, who as president of Colombia from 1990-1994 worked with U.S. anti-narcotics agents to hunt down and kill cocaine kingpin Pablo Escobar, said he hoped Obama invests in harm reduction and prevention efforts that would relieve Latin America of the burden of fighting drug traffickers.

Recognize the Failure

“It makes no sense to continue a policy on moral grounds without getting the desired results,” said Gaviria, citing an October report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office showing drug reduction goals in Colombia have not been met. “Obama, being a pragmatist, should recognize these failures.”

The group was created last year to focus the global drug debate on harm reduction and prevention efforts and away from policies based on the eradication of production and the criminalization of consumption.

Latin America is the world’s largest exporter of cocaine and cannabis and a major supplier of opium and heroin. It’s also been the main focus of U.S.-led drug eradication and interdiction efforts ever since U.S. President Richard Nixon declared “war on drugs” in 1971.

The GAO report, made at the request of then Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman, now vice president, Joseph Biden found that production of coca, the base ingredient of cocaine, increased by 15 percent in Colombia since 2000. The U.S. has provided Colombia with $4.9 billion in anti-narcotics aid since 1999 with the goal of reducing coca production by half.

Gaviria said Mexican President Felipe Calderon should demand Obama do more to reduce drug consumption. The U.S. pledged $400 million and increased cooperation with Mexico last year as part of an anti-drug plan known as the Merida Initiative.

More than 5,300 people were killed in drug-related violence in Mexico last year, and Mexican lawmakers have said the U.S. holds some responsibility for the bloodshed because demand for narcotics has made the cartels powerful.

By: Joshua Goodman

10. Cocaine Elmo

9. Cocaine Banana

8. Heroin Baseball Bats

7. Cocaine Implanted in Thighs

6. Giant Squid Stuffed With Cocaine

5. Cocaine Filled Snakes On A Plane

4. Marijuana in Bear Beds

3. Cocaine Pringles

2. Heroin Covered Cocaine

1. Heroin Implanted in Puppies

Author: Top 10 Kid

If you read the title and the first thought that struck you was, “Whoa, it’s a how-to about hiding pot/ganj/herb/mary jane!”, then congratulations, you have the finely-tuned instincts of a drug-sniffing German Shepherd.

You probably also realize just how important it can be that you stash your weed, and stash it well. In my mind, it’s similar to a squirrel or chipmunk storing nuts for the cold winter — you don’t want anyone finding it, and you know you’ll be wanting/needing it soon.

With that in mind, your fearless writer has put in hours of research interviewing anonymous tokers to find out how best to hide your precious doobage.

Because I have no experience trying to hide such an illicit substance from snooping authority figures such as parents, cops, or teachers.? None.? Zero.

It’s just a coincidence that I have the munchies while I write this…and that I’m slightly paranoid…and am going to see Pineapple Express for the 4th time…but I digress.? This is about making your life easier, not mine.

1. Spice it up.? Standard household spice Oregano has an uncanny resemblance to pot (not to mention a pungent odor that can mask any hint of weed), so use that to your advantage: Empty out an Oregano container and put your bud in it instead.? No one’s the wiser with a cursory glance at your spice rack… but just be sure someone doesn’t jazz up a pasta dish with your goods.
2. Freeze’er. Some folks like to keep their instant coffee cans in the freezer – why not swap out the grinds for your buds? No one would ever think to look there, plus you have the added bonus of coffee odor to hide the weed’s scent…as if keeping it in a metal container wasn’t secure enough!
4. Fern, baby, fern. Most of us have at least one indoor potted plant – because it pretties things up, because they produce oxygen, because someone bought you one as a housewarming gift and damn if you can’t kill the thing despite every effort to forget it’s sitting in the corner.Well, forget no more, as an indoor plant makes for a great hiding spot for your own Earthy greens in the pot’s soil. Simply dig out a little grave, insert your baggie-encased plant-life, and cover. Look at you, doing your part for the environment! Just be sure your mother doesn’t find it.
5. Well-read. Find (or go out and buy) a nice, thick book. The latest Harry Potter. A Shakespeare anthology. The Bible. An old phone book. Crack it open…and cut a rectangular square about 150-200 pages deep in the center. The newly-carved dugout is the perfect spot for your hooch. Place the book on your bookshelf. Look smart.
6. Pot-pourri. Maybe there’s a lovely display of potpourri in a nice vase in your home – make the most of its fragrant scent and earthy appearance by stashing your weed underneath the stuff. Because nothing spits in the face of authority like flaunting your illegally-gotten gains right under their noses.
7. Making a case.? Have a glasses case just sitting around in a drawer that you never use?? Why not put it to use as a mini-sarcophagus for your stash?? The shape is perfect for most reasonable, baggie-sized amounts.? And really, if you keep more weed than this on a regular basis, you might have bigger issues to deal with.
8. Game on!? Smoking weed and video games go together like ramalamalama-da-dingity-ding-ding-dong.? Utilize your game console for something more than killing time (and brain cells) by housing your weed within.Using a screwdriver, simply remove a side panel, find an empty space, and insert.? But be careful – don’t take your console completely apart in search of the perfect spot, unless you work in the factory that puts these suckers together.? And don’t store your stash too close to your console’s heating fan, or its sweet scent will go wafting into the air as soon as the fan kicks on to cool down the machine!
9. Open bar.? Last, but certainly not least, is our tip on how to get through an airport with your stash.? If you must travel with your weed, this method is pretty tried and true to get through airport security: Buy a new bar of soap… cut in two and hollow out both halves… insert baggie… re-close soap bar and rub over cut lines until they are smoothed away, giving the appearance of a brand-new bar… place the bar into one of those plastic containers, and voila.? No one’s the wiser and the scent of the soap should cover the smell of the hooch.

The above methods for hiding your weed are almost foolproof… unless you live with a DEA Agent with a trained eye (and nose) for such things.? But if all else fails, remember that there is one tried and true way to make sure no one ever finds your precious bud: JUST SMOKE IT!? You didn’t buy the stuff just to stow away, did you?? Eliminate the fear of being busted by enjoying your smoke in a timely manner… or at least before Mom and Dad get home.

Author: Eric Rogers

The DEA raided a dispensary on Jan. 22, the first such act by federal law enforcement since Obama’s inauguration earlier this week.

The raid flies in the face of campaign promises made by Obama, who said he would rein in this type of behavior from federal agencies. Holistic Solutions is was the name of the dispensary, and while cash and marijuana were seized, no arrests were made.

Senator Obama said in an August 2007 statement:

I would not have the Justice Department prosecuting and raiding medical marijuana users. It’s not a good use of our resources.

I’m not quite sure if kicking down the doors of an unoccupied, state-sanctioned medical facility is the biggest waste of federal tax dollars (see: Bridge to Nowhere), but it has to be up there.

According to a statement on the Americans for Safe Access Web site, the raid is just one of more than 100 in California in the last two years (roughly two per week for those without a calculator). No surprise, since CA has received an overwhelming share of federal scrutiny for its pioneering of federally-outlawed efforts at medical marijuana.

New Mexico, which recently adopted a MMJ card program, was threatened by the DEA for its plan, according to the same release.