October 18, 2010
Marijuana
With marijuana on the ballot in four U.S. states this November, most prominently California's Proposition 19, which would fully legalize the substance, the legalization of marijuana has become a hot topic of discussion in North America. If pot were to become legal in California, it is unclear how that would affect the ongoing drug wars in neighboring Mexico - whether it would increase violence, or not make much difference at all. What is clear is that U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder has declared that the federal Justice Department will continue to prosecute those who use or distribute recreational marijuana, regardless of any change to state law. Collected here are photos from the past year of marijuana in the news, for both medicinal and recreational purposes, and some of the legal entanglements involved
32 Photos in the Link
http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/10/marijuana.html
A Mexican soldier arranges blocks of marijuana, weighing a total of 46 tons, before they are incinerated at a military base in the border city of Tijuana May 11, 2010.
Police are pictured with two of the 14 wild black bears that were guarding an illegal marijuana growing operation after a July 30, 2010 raid on the property in the Christina Lake area in southeastern British Columbia. Police told AFP the bears were fed dog food to keep them nearby to deter drug thieves. But feeding wildlife is illegal in Canada, and following the raid authorities said the bears might be killed because they could become dangerous when the feeding ended. That threat prompted thousands of people around the world to sign petitions, and join a Facebook group, to save the bears. Authorities in British Columbia ordered a reprieve on August 31, 2010 for some two dozen bears caught in a drug bust.
Gardener Eli Rodriguez, a new Teamsters member, removes dead matter and cleans up marijuana plants at Marjyn Investments, a marijuana growing operation in Oakland, California on Monday, Sept. 20, 2010. The Teamsters added nearly 40 new members earlier this month by organizing the country's first group of unionized marijuana growers.
