Federal Judge confirms Walmart can fire legal marijuana users
Feb 14, 2011 Online Issue
United States District Judge Robert Jonker ruled Friday that the state’s new medical marijuana law may protect those using the drug from arrest, but it does not alleviate employers from their duty to ensure a safe workplace for employees and customers.
The ruling vindicates Walmart from responsibility for wrongful firing
One key factor is that Walmart discovered the drug use in a drug test prescribes by a company policy that is consistently enforced.
The discounter fired Joseph Casias from their Battle Creek store after Casias, who has an inoperable brain tumor, failed a drug test. Walmart contended they needed to foster a safe drug-free workplace and their policies existed to do so. Their attorneys contended that the medical marijuana law was not intended to regulate businesses.
Jonker agreed with Walmart saying the law is designed to provide “a potential defense to criminal prosecution or other adverse action by the state.” However the act does not address employment law, according to Jonker.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Casias’ attorneys, say they will appeal the decision.
Most human capital professionals in Michigan are anxious for resolution of this case, particularly due to its impact on how companies can use drug testing and ensure that employees in certain positions are drug free
Tags: marijuana laws
Del. lawmakers submit medical marijuana bill again
Feb 14, 2011 Online Issue
DOVER, Del. (AP) — Medical marijuana proponents have filed another bill in the Delaware legislature to legalize medical use of the drug.
This is the third straight year Senate Majority Whip Margaret Rose Henry has introduced medical marijuana legislation and Henry says she is optimistic.
Rep. Helene Keeley, the House co-sponsor, says unlike California and 13 other states, the bill would not permit people to grow their own marijuana.
Senate Minority Leader Gary Simpson, R-Milford, says he is undecided, and concerned that marijuana is a gateway drug that leads to the use of more dangerous drugs.
The bill would allow possession of up to six ounces and Delaware’s health department would issue identification cards for patients and providers.
Source : NECN
Tags: legalize marijuana, marijuana laws, marijuana legalization
Obama: drug abuse requires broader policy response
Jan 30, 2011 Online Issue
(Reuters) – President Barack Obama said on Thursday that fighting drug abuse demanded a broad public health effort to curb demand for narcotics, but repeated his opposition to outright decriminalization.
“I am not in favor of legalization,” Obama told an event hosted on the YouTube website. “I am a strong believer that we have to think more about drugs as a public health problem,” he said, when quizzed by the online audience.
A long-standing push in California to legalize marijuana suffered a setback in November when voters rejected a ballot measure that would have lifted its prohibition by 54 percent to 46 percent.
The issue was highly popular among online questioners and Obama said it was “entirely legitimate” to debate if the U.S. war on drugs was working.
Citing the success of U.S. public health campaigns against cigarette smoking, drunk driving and to promote the use of car seat belts, Obama said the country had made “huge strides” over the last 30 years by targeting popular attitudes.
Tags: marijuana, marijuana laws, Obama
Teen arrested for marijuana cookies at school
Jan 30, 2011 Online Issue
PLANTATION, Fla. — A South Florida teen has been arrested for allegedly bringing marijuana-laced cookies to school.
The student was arrested Friday and charged with delivery of a controlled substance near a school and possession of marijuana.
Police say the boy brought two chocolate chip cookies to school, sharing one with two other students. But the school caught on to the cookies’ contents when one of the students went to the office, saying they felt sick.
All three students face 10-day suspensions.
Tags: legalize marijuana, marijuana laws
Pot Cola, Sodas Coming to Medicial Marijuana Outlets
Jan 30, 2011 Online Issue
Canna Cola is the new spoonful of sugar to help the medicine go down.
The beverage combines soda and THC, a psychoactive ingredient found in marijuana, to create a drink that co-brand-developer Clay Butler calls “medibles,” edible medicine.
“A lot of people simply don’t want to smoke,” says co-brand developer Clay Butler. “It’s very easy to take your medication in the form of a cookie, soda or brownie and you can do that without drawing attention to yourself.”
Why soda pot? “Some people prefer medibles because it’s better on the body than smoking or prescription drugs,” says Butler. The use of marijuana-infused cola “allows them to stay away from the prescription pain killers.”
Tags: marijuana, marijuana laws, marijuana legalization, Medical Marijuana, Medical Marijuana Policy, medicinal marijuana
Will NJ medical pot law go up in smoke?
Jan 17, 2011 Vaporizers
TRENTON — The terminally ill’s lack of access to medical marijuana is one of the worries of a state senator who is trying to force Gov. Chris 
Christie’s administration to change proposed regulations of the drug.
Sen. Nicholas Scutari, D-Middlesex, said the Republican governor’s proposed rules have several flaws, including barring dispensaries from making home deliveries, even for terminally ill patients — those defined in the regulations as having less than 12 months to live.
“”Terminally ill patients are penalized,” Scutari said.
Also, the levels of the drugs active ingredient are capped “”arbitrarily” and a rule requiring doctors who register with the program to complete training in addiction medicine is “”unnecessary,” Scutari said.
Tags: marijuana, marijuana laws
Medical marijuana debate coming to Helena
Jan 17, 2011 Vaporizers
BILLINGS – The Montana Legislature will hear the first of several medical marijuana bills on Friday.
House Bill 68 would change the current law, passed by voters in 2004and people on both sides of the medical marijuana debate say the current Montana law needs changing.
“It’s been up to us as caregivers for the most part to self regulate ourselves,” said Mark Higgins, owner of medical marijuana store, Montannabis, Inc. In Billings. “Not everybody is good at that. And I think that’s where a lot of the problems came in at.”
“This will have a dramatic effect, not only kids. But when you have addicted kids,you’re wrecking families,” said Cherrie Brady, co-founder and chair of Billings-based Safe Community Safe Kids. “That wrecks the whole community.”
Tags: marijuana, marijuana laws
