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A private life
A West Wales man has gone on trial claiming the right to cultivate his own cannabis.
Neil Christopher James Morgan, 52, told police officers they were infringing his rights under the European Human Rights Act--and even lit up a cannabis reefer in front of them.
A jury at Swansea crown court heard how four police officers armed with a search warrant descended on a group of caravans parked in woodland off the B4333 Newcastle Emlyn to Cynwyl Elfed road.
Neil, who is representing himself during the trial, told the court his defence was Article 8 of the Human Rights Act, which, he said, guaranteed his right to a private life.
Neil said he would not deny cultivating the plants. But he would argue that his arrest and prosecution were illegal.
A spokesman for the Legalise Cannabis Alliance, said: Neil's case is particularly interesting as nobody else was involved, there is no allegation of supply, and he lived so far away from anyone else in a wood in South Wales.
"Moreover, in a previous court appearance in Swansea, police stated that although what he was doing was illegal, they did not consider it to be a criminal activity! Nobody was at risk of harm and nobody's own Rights were being effected.
"Nevertheless, Neil has been taken to court and is about to appear again this time at Crown Court in Cardiff on September 2nd. This time he may be sent to prison -- for what?
If Neil is not entitled to his private life in that situation, then none of us are. It means that police can force their way into their homes without good reason, and get away with it. The police are breaking the law and in some countries the prosecution would be disqualified. In Britain it appears there is nowhere we can go for a Private Life -- even miles from our nearest neighbours"
Neil has openly admitted that he grows cannabis for his own use -- but the system seems set in concrete and he has made very little progress gaining support for his defence.
The trial continues at Cardiff Crown Court on 02/09/08 -- The LCA will be there to support him, please try and be there A West Wales man has gone on trial claiming the right to cultivate his own cannabis. ... more -
Cannabis seeds to be made illegal in the UK?
In its latest series of restrictive moves the UK Government has placed forward a proposition (Bill 316) on the prohibition of Cannabis seeds. The present legality of cannabis seeds in the UK operates against a loop-hole in the law which states that the possession of cannabis seeds in the UK is allowed, while the cultivation of the same seed is a criminal act.
This ambiguous approach to cannabis seed law has always been in place - thus allowing seed retailers to sell seeds in the UK to whom ever they wish.
Homegrown cannabis isn't going away no matter how hard the British government tries to bury it under layer upon layer of red tape and beaurocracy.
Any prohibition of cannabis seeds in the UK will of course have a negative effect. In its latest series of restrictive moves the UK Government has placed forward a proposition (Bill 316) on the prohibition of Cannabis... more -
Senior grows youngsters' pot plants
A 73-year-old Dutch man was astonished to learn from police that the begonias he had lovingly tended on his doorstep concealed a secret marijuana plantation.
"Police officers suddenly noticed marijuana plants sprouting from his begonias," a police spokeswoman in The Hague said on Friday.
The Hague pensioner promised to destroy the marijuana plants, which he believes were planted by local youngsters, while preserving his begonias.
Earlier this month the Dutch government set up a task force to crack down on marijuana cultivation in the country.
I thought weed was legal in Amsterdam? A 73-year-old Dutch man was astonished to learn from police that the begonias he had lovingly tended on his doorstep concealed a secre... more -
Judge grants marijuana grower second chance
"A Sioux Falls man arrested in February for growing more than a dozen marijuana plants was sentenced Thursday.
Sioux Falls police officers removed 17 marijuana plants, 14 seedlings, sophisticated equipment to grow those plants, and a long list of other drug paraphernalia from Johnny Pritchard's home back in February. But Thursday, Judge Brad Zell granted the Sioux Falls man a second chance.
Fifty-year-old Johnny Pritchard arrived at the Minnehaha County Courthouse fifteen minutes before his scheduled sentencing. Minutes later, the judge handed down a sentence of 89 days house arrest, and 18 months of supervised probation.
Deputy State’s Attorney Donald Hanson says, "We would have liked to have seen a jail sentence and we asked for a jail sentence. I think the judge was looking at Pritchard's age and lack of criminal activity in the past. Obviously those are things the court can and should take into consideration."
The judge also considered what the arrest had cost Pritchard's family. Three weeks after the arrest, Pritchard's wife, Kim, left her job as postmaster. At the time, the family said it has nothing to do with the arrest, but it was mentioned several times during today's sentencing.
"He had a lot more to lose than most of the people we see in court for this kind of activity,” says Hanson. “And that made it a little bit surprising that he would involve himself in this."
In the courtroom, Pritchard told the judge he was very sorry for the decisions he had made, and he would never do anything like it again.
Pritchard's lawyer said that he had only been smoking marijuana for six months and turned to the drug after a May 2007 surgery. After that, Pritchard said the prescribed pain killer wasn't strong enough which is why he began growing marijuana for his own use."
By Shawn Neisteadt "A Sioux Falls man arrested in February for growing more than a dozen marijuana plants was sentenced Thursday. ... more -
New Laws w/ Tougher Penalties for Florida Pot Growers.
Starting Tuesday, a new state law will bring harsher penalties for marijuana growers. Under the new Florida law, a "grow house" will be classified as a building containing 25 or more marijuana plants. Before, the threshold was 300 plants. The charge will remain a second-degree felony.
"Our laws were way out of date on that," Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum told the Tallahassee Democrat.
The law also allows law-enforcement agencies to dispose of grow-house equipment after taking pictures or recording video.
Tallahassee police say that in the past, they have had to store every single marijuana plant and piece of equipment until the people arrested went to trial.
"The storage is expensive, and we spend a lot of time packaging the material, time we could be investigating other criminal activity," said David McCranie, spokesman for the Tallahassee Police Department.
Also, it will be a third-degree felony for someone to own, lease or rent a place while knowing that it is being used for drug trafficking or making drugs.
...but why? Starting Tuesday, a new state law will bring harsher penalties for marijuana growers. Under the new Florida law, a "grow house�... more -
Wild and Homegrown--Potato Salad
This homegrown all American picnic favorite demonstrates the direction people are turning as multinational greedy companies, such as Monsanto are stealing seeds. This homegrown all American picnic favorite demonstrates the direction people are turning as multinational greedy companies, such as M... more
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Monsanto Took My Seed Blues
Following the tune of this call to defend our seed by Old Bull, Hella Delicious demonstrates practical ways that people are rising up to support themselves by self-sufficient gardens and eating local homegrown foods. Fun and practical. Following the tune of this call to defend our seed by Old Bull, Hella Delicious demonstrates practical ways that people are rising up ... more
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A Little Piece of Land
In South Los Angeles, a 14 acre urban farm is in danger of being bulldozed. The South Central Farmers talk about the connection between the land and the people of this mostly Mexicano community. In South Los Angeles, a 14 acre urban farm is in danger of being bulldozed. The South Central Farmers talk about the connection betwe... more
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