The Weed Poll Station
GOOD COP ALMOST FIRED BY WIFE'S COOKING!
November 27, 2006
An administrative judge recommended that Anthony Chiofalo, a 22-year police veteran assigned to the Joint Terrorism Task Force in New York, be reinstated last week after hearing the reason why Chiofalo had failed a random drug test for marijuana. An investigation had revealed that the detective's wife admitted she had served him meatballs laced with pot because she wanted to keep him from being hurt on duty by forcing him into retirement.
Facts
It's All About the Weed!
Bing Cosby was an American singer and actor whose career lasted from 1926 untill his death in 1977. He was one of the most successful performing artists of the 20th century. Bing didn't develop a lifelong appetite for marijuana but he enjoyed it in the early days--it was legal--and, like Louis, surprised interviewers in the 1960s and 1970s by suggesting it be decriminalized, to set it apart from more harmful and addictive drugs. Bing's eldest son, Gary, argued that pot had a lasting effect on his father's style: 'If you look at the way he sang and the way he walked and talked, you could make a pretty good case for somebody who was loaded. He said to me one time when he was really mad, ranting and raving about my heavy drinking, he said, "Oh that fucking booze. It killed your mother. Why don't you just smoke some shit?" That was all he said but there were other times when marijuana was mentioned and he'd get a smile on his face. He'd kind of think about it and there'd be that little smile."
Craig Z.. Rudin, who used to run 2000 BC, the trendy drug paraphernalia shop Brad Pitt once frequented, tells America’s Globe tabloid, “It was no secret Brad liked to smoke pot. He was so open and honest about it. It seemed to me all he wanted to do was smoke weed, make movies and go to the beach. “He’d come into the shop all the time. He came in once and was excited about smoking with one of his very big-name co-stars. ‘We blaze (smoke pot)every day in his trailer. He had a huge grin on his face”.
It is apparently common knowledge around the CNN offices that billionaire owner Ted Turner sits in his office and smokes marijuana. He has not ever admitted this habit publicly, but the Turner Foundation does give $25,000 annually to the Kentucky Hemp Museum. Former wife Jane Fonda has been associated with the drug many times.
From a Canadian Perspective...
When Warm Milk Won't Cut It!
by Macleans magazine
February 2009
Robert Holding, a 72-year-old British milkman, was caught red-handed selling additional merchandise to his elderly clients: marijuana. According to prosecutor Sara Statham, Holding "said he sold the cannabis to existing customers because they were old and had aches and pain." The oldest of his 17 clients, whom he attracted "through word of mouth," was 92!
The court spared him from jail time, in part so that he could continue to care for his wife of 53 years, who suffers from Alzheimer's.
Also working in Holding's favour, according to his lawyer Philip Holden, was the fact that he sold the product for significantly less than street value. Compared to his regular milk round, Holden said, "he wasn't making much of a profit."
You wouldn't exactly picture talk show host Montel Williams as a political activist, but he became a loud proponent for the legalization of marijuana when he revealed that he used the drug for pain caused by multiple sclerosis. Williams was detained at a Detroit airport in 2004 when security found a pipe with weed residue in his baggage - he received only a $100 fine, but could have been jailed for a year under Michigan law.
Alright, he's not exactly a surprise, but snowboarder Ross Rebagliati did retain his Olympic gold medal even after being testing positive for marijuana after his winning run. He was initially stripped of the prize, but given it back after discovery that marijuana wasn't on the list of banned substances.
Bill Clinton famously stated in 1992 that he tried marijuana and "didn't inhale," and during her campaign for presidency, Hillary Clinton indicated that she would end the medical marijuana raids imposed by the Bush government. An ex-boyfriend also claimed in Gail Sheehy's biography "Hillary's Choice" that the now-Secretary of State smoked pot in college.
Multiple Olympian Michael Phelps acknowledged "regrettable" behavior and "bad judgment" after a photo in a British newspaper on February 1, 2009, showed him inhaling from a marijuana bong. After some deliberations, both the IOC and Phelps' sponsors decided against banning/dropping him. It is currently being debated ....
Still think of Haley Joel Osmont as the kid who sees dead people? Much to the surprise of most people, it was discovered in 2006 that not only is he 18, he's a bit of a pothead. He was charged for driving while under the influence of alcohol and was also found in possession of marijuana after getting into an accident.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, one of the greatest NBA players of all time, has been arrested twice for marijuana - once in Toronto in 1998 and in LA in 2000 for driving while under the influence. The athlete has said he uses it to control the nausea that comes with his migraines.
Republican California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, (aka, the Terminator), pictured here as Mr. Universe in 1969, was shown smoking a joint in the 1977 documentary "Pumping Iron." He also was quoted in British GQ in 2007 as saying he had never taken drugs, calling marijuana "not a drug. It's a leaf."
Obviously the paranoia hasn't gotten to him. Author Stephen King has frightened many a reader with his psychological tales of horror and he's also advocated for legalizing marijuana publicly. To wit, "I think that marijuana should not only be legal, I think it should be a cottage industry. It would be wonderful for the state of Maine. There's some pretty good homegrown dope."
Some letters written in response to a news article ("Thank you for not smoking up") from the well-respected Canadian - Macleans magazine,
Sep., 2008
"AFTER READING your article about how Canadians may be backing away from legalizing pot, I felt compelled to make a few comments. More emphasis needs to be placed on defining the perceived versus the real problems with pot. The public needs to be educated on the risks of smoking marijuana and then we can let those responsible adults who choose to use pot, whether or not it is illegal, grow and possess a couple of plants under the risk of non criminal fine. It's time to get on with the job of taking away this illegal and reprehensible business from the real criminals. Is marijuana good for you? No, but to continue to attach a criminal stigma to its use hurts us all, whether you approve of it or not." - D.B., Calgary
"I DON'T SMOKE POT, but I support the legalization of it for those who do. Making it legal would provide a safer product. Government control over the growth, THC content and sale of marijuana would put dope dealers out of business, and free the police to concentrate on more serious crimes. Taxes from the legal sale of marijuana would swell government coffers and lower other taxes - something all taxpayers would welcome."
- D.F., Elk Lake, Ontario
"MACLEANS, THE Ontario Human Rights Commission and Health Canada are all missing the boat by not recognizing that the main harm in pot is not the cannabinoids, it's the smoking. There is no medical reason that smoking of medical marijuana should be permitted; there is no evidence that it is beneficial for anything other than helping nausea, and the active ingredients, in pure form, are available in pills. There is also no reason that people who insist on using marijuana should smoke it, and certainly no reason why the restaurateur who was featured in your sotry, should be required to permit smoking in his establishment. I always advise any of my patients who use marijuana to put it in brownies."
- Dr. J.D.S, Professor of Neurology and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ont.
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POT-FLAVOURED CANDY
June 2008
"Pot Suckers" and "Kronic Kandy" are marijuana-flavored lollipops with names such as Purple Haze, Acapulco Gold and Rasta have legislators in the U.S. state of Georgia in an uproar. Coincidentally named Senator Doug Stoner told reporters, "I don't think folks are aware this is going on." The hemp-flavoured suckers contain no THC, the key ingredient in marijuana, but legislators in other states may be following Georgia's ban, branding the sweet as a precursor to using harder drugs.
The 10 Most Successful Potheads on the
Planet… Cool Enough to Admit It
Feb. 06, 2009 By Chuck - Boston University, COED Magazine™
An unemployed porno addict, sitting in his parents’ basement, playing video games, eating Lucky Charms out of the box with one hand while he lazily scratches his balls with the other. A dread-lock having, patchouli oil smelling, tie-die wearing, Phish listening, hula-hoop twirling space cadet. A burger flipping, acne having, socially inept, friendless loser… These are the common stereotypes associated with the term ‘pothead’. In a recent piece we published on pot farms, a debate erupted in the comments section, with some arguing that if you smoke pot, you’ll be poor, gay, and “washing dishes until you’re dead.”
Where these stereotypes originated remains a mystery to us. In reality, they couldn’t be further from the truth. Not only have 42% of Americans admitted to trying pot, but pot smokers have gone on to become some of the most successful people in our society. We’re not talking about Willie Nelson and Snoop. These guys are on the Forbes 500, they’re leading the free world, and they prove that all existing pothead stereotypes are nothing more than myths.
Sir Richard Branson
While the ‘Sir’ in front of this guy’s name puts him in some very elite company, it doesn’t automatically get him on this list. What does earn him a spot is the fact that he’s the 236th richest person in the world, founder of the Virgin empire, which encompasses everything from airlines to record stores to cell phones, and made his entire multi-billion dollar fortune from absolutely nothing. Not only does this man smoke weed, he gets high with his 21-year-old son. He has publicly stated that there’s nothing wrong with smoking pot, has petitioned for the legalization of pot, and even said that if it were legal, he’d sell it.
Rick Steves
Your name doesn’t become synonymous with ‘European Travel’ by accident. You can’t just take a bong hit, lay back in your bean bag and toss off a few ‘graphs on how awesome the Louvre is. And yet here’s Rick Steves, author of 27 top selling European travel guides, host of his own TV show and radio show, and a very outspoken pothead. He’s a member of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, and credits pot for turning him into a better travel writer by opening his mind to new things.
Aaron Sorkin
In fairness to tokers around the world, Sorkin is a bit more of a ‘drug addict’ than he is ‘pothead’. He started dabbling with weed and coke back in the late ’80s, has been in and out of rehab numerous times, and was arrested for possession of marijuana, mushrooms and crack in 2001. So yeah, he loves to smoke weed… but he also loves to freebase. Not cool, Aaron! However, the man’s drug problems have done little to hinder his success in Hollywood. His work on The West Wing, both as writer and producer, earned him multiple Emmy Awards, and countless nominations for other awards.
Michael Phelps
Mr. “Has More Olympic Gold Medals Than Anyone In History” made headlines this week when photos of him and a bong surfaced. Since the scandal, Phelps has given a few interviews decrying his “bad judgment,” promising it was a dumb mistake that never happened before and won’t happen again… but we know that’s bullsh*t. Phelps was hitting that bong like a pro, not daintily toking some little amateur joint. With this in mind, we’re going to go ahead and assume this wasn’t Phelps’s first time. It might be his last, but it definitely wasn’t his first. This means that you can become the most world class athlete of all time and be a pot smoker at the same time. Stereotype shattered.
Barack Obama
Almost every American President before Barry, from Washington to Clinton to Bush, has had a pot addled past. Clinton purportedly tried and failed to smoke a joint, Bush was a boozer, but messed with coke and pot from time to time, Washington even grew marijuana on his farm. But as far as we know, none have admitted to smoking as much pot as Obama. He wrote extensively about his stoner past in his book Dreams of My Father, and in a 2007 interview stated “When I was a kid I inhaled frequently. That was the point.” Anyone who wonders what kind of future a pothead can have should take a hard look at Barack Obama. Not only can you grow up to be ridiculously smart, you can grow up to be President.
Michael Bloomberg
The Mayor of New York’s last name is associated with ‘business’ and ’success’, not ‘failure’ and ‘the munchies’. But if you’re one of those idiots who believes a pothead could never amount to anything, you’d have never guessed this was the way Bloomberg would turn out. Did he smoke pot when he was younger? In his own words “You bet I did. And I enjoyed it!”
Ted Turner
Ted is a rare breed of billionaire — he comes off as completely absent minded, incapable of even putting on his own pants. Yet he is a mega-mogul. He single-handedly invented the 24-hour news cycle with CNN, was named Time’s Man of the Year in 1991, is the largest private land owner in America, and also owns a few other TV stations, and the Atlanta Braves. So… owning lots of stuff? Not what you’d expect from a guy who grew pot in his college dorm room. Ted is also a major funder of the Kentucky Hemp Museum, along with renowned stoner Woody Harelson, and is a well known fan of the classic stoner cartoon Scooby-Doo.
Montel Williams
The talk show prince discovered pot late in life, and for good reason. Back in 1999 he was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, and couldn’t find anything to suppress his symptoms. He tried all sorts of pain killers; none worked, and all had horrible side effects. So he decided to try medical marijuana (same thing as regular marijuana, FYI) and it worked wonders for him! Years later, he is one of MS’s most recognizable faces, one of medical marijuana’s staunchest defenders, and even though he’s baked all the time, still managed to host his own talk show until 2008, when it was unfortunately cancelled. Well, at least he’s still got his weed.
Stephen King
We haven’t included many creative types on this list, mostly because they’re all potheads. Every actor, musician and artist ever is a huge pothead. It’s a fact, don’t dispute us. But writing 1,000 page novels is a slightly different process. You can’t just ‘jam out’ The Stand. Over the course of his career, both his output and his success have been unparalleled. He’s authored upwards of 50 novels and short stories which have sold a collective 500 million copies worldwide. He’s also been one of the most vocal proponents for the legalization of marijuana, calling laws against the drug “ridiculous,” and stating that “I think that marijuana should not only be legal, I think it should be a cottage industry.” It makes perfect sense. You’d have to be stoned to come up with some of the sh*t this guy has.
Arnold Schwarzenegger
The Governator is the only man on this list who is actually on video smoking weed. In the classic documentary Pumping Iron, he is seen smoking, and loving, a joint. But hey man, that was the’70s, right? Things have chanced since then. Haven’t they? Well, Schwarzenegger hasn’t been puffing since his election to office, but he has presided over California’s recent medical marijuana renaissance. Now anyone who wants one can get a pot prescription in the state, which gives them legal access to some of the best weed in the country, and even allows them to grow plants in their own home. According to Arnold, marijuana “is not a drug, it’s a leaf.”
The Weedman Cometh
Weed Facts and Trivia
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South Carolina may be first to legalize, tax marijuana
Jul 06, 2009 By Ashley Phosphate,
Dillon – State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) agents, flanked by police chiefs from the state’s largest cities joined 16 elected sheriffs today at South of the Border to announce their support for legalizing and taxing marijuana.
“Weed is good. Weed is right. Weed works,” said Dorchester County Sheriff B.D. Squire, spokesman for the group.
The event marks a turnaround for the state’s law enforcement officers who have counted on weed-related fines and confiscated drug money to fund their militaristic uniforms and ‘SWAT’ like attitude towards the state’s marijuana users and sellers. The officials would like to see South Carolina enact legislation to legalize and tax weed and corner the southeastern market in a way similar to the way Georgia’s lottery siphoned valuable revenue from the state’s coffers and in a way similar that our lowest-in-the-nation cigarette tax brings customers all the way from the northeast.
Democratic and Republican leaders from the general assembly are intrigued by the idea.
“This is perhaps one of the no-brainers in terms of bringing us back to fiscal health,” said Hugh Leatherman, the senate finance chairman.
“There was a half-million dollar bust a couple weeks ago in Berkely County,” said state Agriculture Secretary Hugh Weathers, “if that pot was taxed at anything near the rate of tobacco… well that would be about $500 million straight into the state coffers. Can you imagine what kind of income we’d pull in if it was planted on proper farms and not just in little patches in the woods? We wouldn’t be having a ’stimulus’ debate because we wouldn’t need the money.”
“The effects of this would be enormous,” said University of South Carolina Economics Professor Lester Nestman. “Obviously tax revenue would be huge, but we’d likely also see a surge in tourism all over the state, you’d have all manner of stores springing up at every border crossing, and I can’t even imagine how popular farmers’ markets would become. On a related note, just the mention of this possibility has caused an overnight jump of 38% in undergraduate applications to the university.”
Reactions in the business community were mixed. Cigarette executives were outwardly dismissive of the idea, but a source at RJ Reynolds speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that the company was actively looking for land to build a Marijuana packaging facility outside of Latta, near the North Carolina border.
Gregg Propps, a Charleston-area distributor for Little Debbies brand snacks was less reserved in his response.
“Are you kidding me? Holy crap, this is awesome. This is going to put my kids through college… but maybe I’ll send them to school in another state.”
tell us....
What Do You Think?
:
We all know that alcohol addiction is treated as an illness, and as such employees have the right to be accommodated by their employer. But what about marijuana? Does the same standard apply?
An Alcan employee in BC (Canada) was fired for smoking up on the job. Since his job entailed working with dangerous equipment and material, the employer had a zero-tolerance policy for alcohol and drug use. After he was fired, the worker claimed he was addicted and should be accommodated. The case came before the British Columbia Labour Relations Board.
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How Do You Think The Board Ruled?
Because the worker knew full well about the zero-tolerance policy and the potential danger but smoked anyway, the board ruled that he had an addiction and moderate loss of control of his habit. This constituted a physical disability, according to the board, requiring accommodation.
The ruling raises some tough questions:
Will workers view the employer's duty to accommodate as a possible way to get off the hook? Are zero-tolerance policies really the answer, or are they a means for employers to try to avoid progressive discipline and accommodation? How much responsibility do workers have if, as the board ruled, the addiction led to only moderate loss of control? Substance addictions are a serious problem - especially in construction and other safety-sensitive workplaces. Dealing with them effectively is the responsibility of everyone: employees, employers and unions.
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Log into our Weed Forum-What Do You Think? and please let us know!
Source: Canadian Employment Law Today Guide, the CLAC magazine
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