Federal Way Mirror, 21 Oct 2010 – TACOMA RALLY SENDS WASHINGTON STATE LAW BACK TO THE HOT SEAT Washington state’s medical marijuana laws are back in the hot seat following a clash between Tacoma and its cannabis dispensaries. A rally with more than 300 medical marijuana advocates converged Oct. 19 at the Tacoma Municipal Building. The city’s Tax and Licenses manager had issued cease-and-desist letters last week, ordering eight medical marijuana dispensaries to shut down by Saturday. The letters cited illegal business practices by the dispensaries.

Tacoma Weekly, 20 Oct 2010 – As a sizable contingent of medical marijuana advocates descended on city hall on Oct. 19, Tacoma City Council agreed to a compromise plan that will allow established dispensaries to continue providing the substance to patients until Washington State Legislature clarifies the law that permits it. Last week the city ordered eight dispensaries to close their operations by Oct. 23. Tax and License Manager Jodi Trueblood sent them a letter stating that providing medical marijuana to more than one patient is illegal under state law. The letter outlined possible penalties for non-compliance, including revoking business licenses, fines and possible criminal prosecution.

The News Tribune, 20 Oct 2010 – Seeking to head off a controversy over medical marijuana, the Tacoma City Council Tuesday agreed to a plan that would allow established medicinal pot dispensaries in the city to continue selling to patients until state lawmakers clarify the law. "The Tacoma City Council is not opposed to safe and legal access to medical marijuana for patients with legitimate need," Tacoma Mayor Marilyn Strickland said Tuesday.

The News Tribune, 21 Oct 2010 – It’s 2010, so it must be the Legislature’s fault. It’s natural, then, to conclude that this week’s little dustup over how people get their medical marijuana must have been caused by "Olympia." Emiel Kandi, a former mini-casino owner who now runs a marijuana dispensary in Tacoma, told The Seattle Times, "The Legislature wrote a bad law. I’m a creative guy, and I drove a truck through it. But I haven’t broken the law."

Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber, 21 Oct 2010 – Vashon’s top law enforcement official told Islanders Monday night that the perceptions many hold are correct: Crime on the Island has risen considerably this year and is likely tied to increased drug use. Sgt. Calvin Beringer, invited to Vashon for a special forum on crime, told the crowd of roughly 100 at McMurray Middle School that crime on Vashon, including burglary and larceny, is already up about 50 percent from last year. "Keep in mind still October, November and December haven’t been added in," he said.

Peninsula Daily News, 10 Oct 2010 – PORT ANGELES — City Hall staff members have given the green light to a proposed medical marijuana dispensary that the owner said would service the entire North Olympic Peninsula. City of Port Angeles staff members say the dispensary — which would be a central location for people who have been authorized by a doctor to use marijuana to ease their pain to access the drug — will be permitted because it doesn’t violate the city’s municipal code and appears to comply with state law.

The Columbian, 01 Oct 2010 – Blacks have about a 70 percent rate of illegitimacy, a school dropout rate of 53 percent for black males (compared to 22 percent for white males) and greater imprisonment rates. We know single parenthood is the greatest source of poverty, delinquency and illiteracy, and we pay for all the social damages. So now liberals say we can reduce arrests by legalizing marijuana? (Also reducing electrical brain energy by as much as 50 percent as per a Case Western University study.) We’ve already dropped globally from first to 14th in college degrees and to the bottom for science and math achievement.

Bellevue Reporter, 27 Sep 2010 – There’s a new drug trend among youth that parents should be aware of – an herbal and chemical product which mimics the effects of marijuana. It’s best known by the brand names K2 or Spice and some are referring to it as herbal incense or "fake weed." Whatever brand name it goes by, it’s proving to be dangerous and I urge you to talk with your teens about the potential side effects.

DrugSense

Bellingham Herald, 20 Sep 2010 – A smiling bouncer in a black skull and crossbones sweatshirt stood guard Sunday outside the door to a rented room where marijuana wafted through the air and reggae music pulsated. But only those with medical marijuana authorization forms gained entrance to an event billed as the state’s first cannabis farmers market.