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Law enforcement officers enter a medical marijuana clinic at East Sahara Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2010.
By Jackie Valley (contact) 
Published Thursday, Jan. 6, 2011 | 12:20 p.m.
Updated Thursday, Jan. 6, 2011 | 1:56 p.m.
Twelve people were arrested Thursday morning in connection with a federal investigation dubbed Operation Chronic Problem involving medical marijuana clinics in and around Las Vegas, officials said.
The arrests stem from raids conducted by Metro Police and federal agents in September during an investigation of medical marijuana dispensaries in the Las Vegas Valley, said Sarah Pullen, special agent in the Los Angeles field division of the Drug Enforcement Administration, which includes Nevada. No one was arrested during the execution of those search warrants in September.
Eleven people were arrested in the Las Vegas area and one was arrested in California, but all are connected to the Las Vegas investigation, Pullen said. Federal charges have been filed against three other people who haven't been found, officials said.
The suspects face a variety of federal charges, including conspiracy to distribute marijuana, distribution of marijuana, conspiracy to commit money laundering, distribution of marijuana near schools or colleges, possession of a firearm in relation to drug trafficking and failing to disclose or concealing information concerning Social Security benefits, officials said.
Authorities said the 15 suspects were distributing marijuana in violation of federal and state laws through the operation of storefront medical marijuana businesses, such as The Happiness Consultant (THC), the Nevada Compassionate Center, Dr. Reefer, LV Fingerprinting and Organic Releaf.
Nevada law doesn't allow the the sale of medical marijuana. Medical marijuana patients or caregivers must grow their own marijuana in amounts not exceeding state laws.
Officials from the office of U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden for the District of Nevada said drug intelligence information collected by law enforcement agencies indicates there are 45 to 60 businesses illegally trafficking marijuana in the Las Vegas Valley.
"Marijuana remains a top revenue source for drug organizations, and young people are often misinformed about this drug whose potency has tripled in the past 20 years and sends more youth the treatment than any other drug," said DEA special agent Timothy J. Landrum, who was in charge of this operation, in a statement. "Accordingly, DEA will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to identify and investigate those responsible for propagating this dangerous drug."
Officials said the dispensaries often buy marijuana from third-party vendors, which is not allowed under Nevada law.
In addition, authorities allege that dispensary operators claim they require donations rather than compensation for marijuana — all part of an effort to conceal illegal business operations.
The following defendants are being charged in Operation Chronic Problem. Those already arrested will make an initial appearance before a federal magistrate judge in Las Vegas on Friday.
- John Birmele, 36, of Las Vegas (also known as "Mr. Happy"): arrested for conspiracy to distribute marijuana and hashish, distribution of marijuana, possession with intent to distribute marijuana and hashish, possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime, money laundering conspiracy - promotion, money laundering, failing to disclose or concealing information affecting Social Security benefits
- Kelly Birmele, 36, of Las Vegas: arrested for conspiracy to distribute marijuana and hashish, distribution of marijuana, possession with intent to distribute marijuana and hashish, money laundering conspiracy - concealment
- Laura Rhoades-Yokoi, 36, of Henderson: arrested for money laundering conspiracy - concealment
- John Allen Youngblood, 40, of Los Angeles: arrested for conspiracy to distribute marijuana and hashish, money laundering conspiracy - promotion
- Timothy Hough, 31, of Henderson: arrested for conspiracy to distribute marijuana and hashish, distribution of marijuana, possession with intent to distribute marijuana and hashish, possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime
- Michael Ellsworth, 57, of Henderson: arrested for conspiracy to distribute marijuana and hashish, distribution of marijuana
- Reynalda Barnett, 59, of Las Vegas (also known as Reyna Barnett): arrested for conspiracy to distribute marijuana, distribution of marijuana, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, concealing or failing to disclose information affecting Social Security benefits
- Clyde Barnett, 21, of Las Vegas: arrested for conspiracy to distribute marijuana, distribution of marijuana
- Pierre Werner, 39, of Las Vegas: arrested for conspiracy to distribute marijuana, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, concealing or failing to disclose information affecting Social Security benefits
- Ron Teston, 57, of Las Vegas: arrested for conspiracy to distribute marijuana, distribution of marijuana, possession with intent to distribute marijuana
- Kristen Krusyna, 21, of Las Vegas: arrested for conspiracy to distribute marijuana, distribution of marijuana
- Michael Mcauliffe, 53, of Las Vegas: arrested for conspiracy to distribute marijuana and hashish, distribution of marijuana, possession with intent to distribute marijuana and hashish
- Katree Darriel Saunders, 30, of Las Vegas: arrested for conspiracy to distribute marijuana and hashish, distribution of marijuana
- Chad Uhl, 26, of North Las Vegas: arrested for conspiracy to distribute marijuana and hashish, distribution of marijuana, possession with intent to manufacture marijuana, possession with intent to distribute marijuana within 1,000 feet of a school, possession with intent to distribute marijuana and hashish
- Caroline Dellaville, 49, of Henderson: arrested for conspiracy to distribute marijuana and hashish, possession with intent to manufacture marijuana, possession with intent to distribute marijuana within 1,000 feet of a school, possession with intent to distribute marijuana and hashish
The investigation is being conducted as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force and the Nevada High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program with numerous agencies investigating the cases.
Officials said the investigation remains ongoing for other illegal dispensaries operating in the Las Vegas Valley.
It's a sleazy businees, attracts sleazy people. Whatever needs to be done to get rid of them..do it.
Such a good use of law enforcement resources. Aren't there any violent crimes they can be solving instead?
Medical marijuana clinic?
Looks like a scummy hotel or crack den. Just the place you want to visit to get your "medical marijuana"
The so called "law enforcement" subjects in the photo clearly appear to be "terrorists" from my view point -- what about yours?
FACT: There is no single group in your community which violates more laws, terrorizes, brutalizes and kills more citizens as a matter of routine than those employed by Metro.
: {
@Harley:
I thought it was a perp picture until I read the photo caption, too.
Beware: GESTAPO 911.
What a waste of resources. Get the goverment out of personal choices. This is a awful way to treat citizens. show up for jury duty abnd vote NOT GUILTY!
All of the so called problems attributed to marijuana are actually problems directly and completely caused by marijuana PROHIBITION!
Want your freedom back? Legalize marijuana! That will take away Uncle "Sham's" most common excuse to trash the Constitution and pretend like the Government is protecting you from yourself!
Why is the most useful plant known, a plant that has never killed anyone, illegal? It's illegal because corporations that buy politicians fear competition from superior, safer and more environmentally friendly hemp products and because the Government loves to oppress jail and steal from the people! Alcohol, tobacco, petroleum, cotton, timber, chemical and pharmaceutical companies, just to name a few all see marijuana as unwanted competition.
The laws prohibiting marijuana are NOT a result of any harm from marijuana. They are the result of lies, greed and racism. Read the well documented proof of that and a lot more marijuana TRUTH in these two articles: "MARIJUANA AND HEMP THE UNTOLD STORY, Thomas J. Bouril" and "WHY IS MARIJUANA ILLEGAL, Pete Guither", click the links to those articles on this webpage:
Internet Explorer web browser: http://jsknow.angelfire.com/home
All Other Browsers: http://jsknow.angelfire.com/index.html
I really think all the voters of The State Nevada should have a referendum & put the question directly on the next ellection ballot-"Should Medical Marijuana Facilites be legal in the State of Nevada." That way the law could be amended if the voters want it that way or the law could be kept exactly as it is right now.
You are right shykid but my question is do I get a vote in what "legal" chemical drugs someone gets to take for their condition? Why should other people get to vote on what I take for my ailments? Maybe all the......what's the term most people use? potheads..... should vote to make alcohol illegal and let people that drink make their own or go to the corner lot some where and buy it under the cover of darkness instead of going to any store and buying it. Take a look at the other states that have legal cannabis and see how good they are doing. Especially the western states.
People need to actually read up on the medicinal properties of medical cannabis instead of just saying it is BAD. But most people don't even learn where the politicians stand on issues but vote them in because they are a certain party or how they look. They don't make up their own mind but let others lead them along. Too hard to do your own research? Just another form of brain washing.
Most of the people that are against medical cannabis will stop at the bar or casino and have a "few" drinks before they drive. As close to being a hypocrite as you can be.
I know there is miss use of medical cannabis but there is miss use of alcohol and "legal" chemical drugs. Shouldn't they be made illegal also? Driving over the speed limit, driving without insurance and driving without a license is "miss use" of your vehicle. Should everything miss used be made illegal? Just wondering
One more thought. Read up on the side affects of 95% of the legal prescription drugs and compare to the side affects of medical cannabis. Which one would you rather be using if you were to have a long term or permanate disability or aliment? Here is a place to start.
http://forum.grasscity.com/medical-marij...
The real issue here is that these people do not give a damn about the "medical" part of marijuana. They are just trying to make money, lots of money.
None of these places were licensed doctors, authorized by law to dispense medical drugs, they are fronts for dealing drugs.
They don't care who they sell to, they sell to everyone, including children, who are legally not capable of making a "decision."
Medical benefits of marijuana or not, these people were nothing more that glorified drug dealers, good riddance.
DevilDog - I agree but that was not my point. It is "LEGAL" here as long as you register with the state and your points are exactly why the law needs to be changed. But most people just hear medical cannabis and jump to conclusions. Regulate it. Don't leave the true medical users hanging and that is what the law does now.
There is always going to be Cats like this who skirt the laws...No different the "pain clinics" and medicare fraudsters.
It's funny to read the 3-fingers of Johnny Walker Red gambling junkies talk smack about Medi Maryjane... You with spotted livers and bad credit need to shut your gates!
Pot remains illegal bcz the gov't is winning the propaganda war.
STOP wasting police and court time attempting to regulate one of the few drugs that actually helps people. Most of the people against it are naive and like to spew misinformation like DevilDog or drunks and are FAR more dangerous to the public then someone smoking a joint. Even the police hide behind masks and are AFRAID to show their faces during these highly questionable and I might add profitable raids. We need to WAKE UP and stop giving this money to the Mexican Drug Cartels and start legalizing and taxing it here in NV just like in CA. Alcohol and tobacco are the 2 most dangerous drugs out there and need to be outlawed not MJ.
Another big problem with legalizing marijuana, is that just like the legal prescription drugs now, is that our kids will have even more access to it, then smoke and drive.
I know from personal experience that people who smoke pot and drive are not really in control just like alcohol.
Personally I could care less if they prohibited alcohol again too.
I see the horrible effects of DUI alcohol & drugs every night, and wish that all those that claim that marijuana DOES NOT impair a person, could respond to a 16 year old kid who just died, or killed his friend because they toked-up in the car and took a ride, then wrapped the car around a tree.
Unless you are affected personally, it really does not hit home.
Tha said, I firmly believe that doctors should be able to dispense medical marijuana, just like any other prescription, but until that happens, law enforcement will still have to enforce the laws as they stand.
People think that Metro takes cops off the streets to do these raids, but that is not the case, these offficers are assigned narcotics detectives, not patrol officers, or homicide investigators. If they weren't assisting the feds, they would be out trying to find other drug dealers, not finding killers, gangbangers etc...
MG, the cops are not AFRAID to show their faces like you believe.
Those detectives work mostly in an undercover capacity, and if drug dealers see their faces, they could not work UC anymore. That would be even more dangerous.
"Even the police hide behind masks and are AFRAID to show their faces during these highly questionable and I might add profitable raids."
By profitable, are you saying that the police get money for this?
If that is your thinking, then you are sadly misinformed.
And I don't "spew" misinformation, I see the effects of
this "harmless" drug all the time, and it has been my EXPERIENCE, that most users are not "medical patients," but kids, and recreational users that would be illegal anyway.
Full knit helmet masks - these are the same masks worn by terrorists during the 1972 Munich Olympics Massacre. Those terrorists ultimately had killed 11 Israeli athletes and coaches and 1 West German police officer.
Now, I get a $500,000+ bill for jail time, court time, attorney time etc. when community services are taken away from the incontinent. Good Honk.
Do they wear the same masks to Church on Sunday?
So the Devil won't know who they are?
According to the article, distribution and dispenseries are against the law in Nevada. Nothing better for law enforcement than a criminal advertising his operations and making it easy for them to find. (signs in the windows, billboards, etc.).
Again the stoners come out and use the tired old (innaccurate) quote "MJ has NEVER kills anyone". We all know that isn't true. Next, they will "DEMAND" that I "back up" my statement. How about the Los Angeles 2 year old who drowned because mom & dad decided to get stoned and forgot she was in the tub. How about the 81 year old lady in Bakersfield, Ca. murdered by a 15 year old punk looking to rob her while he was high on weed. Deadly car accidents are sometimes caused by people high as well as people drunk, maybe not as many, but it does happen, just ask any veteran traffic cop. And I'm not defending drinking, I don't drink anything stornger than a diet Pepsi.
As far as the "most useful plant ever" comment, I can easily live without anything made from that plant. (I don't need rope or cloth bags made from hemp). I would consider cotton to be a much more useful plant.
Most of the customers of "dispenseries" in California are nothing more than your typical 20 or 30 something stoner who had bought a "prescription" from a "doctor" (Dr. Reefer?) for a fee. Most are not those "cancer victims in pain" the law was promoted to "help".
Have a good time in jail, guys!
Bakersfield (Joe Stormont) - No one has overdosed and died from Cannabis. Thats what they meant.
You cant control peoples actions.
Has a mother ever left her kid to drown in a pool without being on weed? The answer is yes. So should we ban sobriety?
Has someone ever murdered someone while not high? The answer is yes.
Has someone ever murdered someone on prozac, zoloft, or any other rx? The answer is yes.
As far as driving, most Cannabis activists are fine with enforcing under the influence laws.
Has someone ever killed someone while being high on Prescription meds? The answer is yes. Should we ban those as well?
If you think rope and clothes are the only useful things made from hemp, how about entire houses built from hemp, or a car that runs on hemp? do you consider those useless also? Henry Ford had a car running on hemp over 50 years ago...
Most of them are not cancer patients. Can you show me documentation on that? Nope, you can't. And its not only used for cancer, and in America it was available at any pharmacy in the early 1900's.
Its ignorance like yours that is the problem.
But you know what it doesn't matter, its going to be legalized and not anything you, the dea, or law enforcement can do about it. :)
You wanna know why? Because it grows anywhere. It grows start to finish in 3 months. The DEA has had over 40 years and over a trillion dollars with the war on drugs and the "sticky icky" has only gotten better and more available.
So keep on wasting your tax money and letting the dealers get rich, let mexican drug cartels receive funding, and maybe in another 40 years with another 1 trillion you'll actually make a dent in the Cannabis industry.
This is the choice America. You can legalize it and you the tax payer can profit, or keep it illegal and make dealers profit.
Either way, in no way is pot going anywhere.
What is funny is that people have spent their entire lives fighting a plant.
Frankly what have you gotten for 40 years of work and 1 trillion+ dollars spent? Seriously what has the DEA even accomplished? Where did my tax money go is what I want to know.
Guess what? Someone just smoked a joint in the time it took your to read this.
... and the draft to the Constitution was written on it.
Also, just because you put someone in jail doesn't mean they dont sneak in Cannabis and smoke/eat in jail. :)
Legalize it and station the DEA on the border to Mexico. Let them run around down there with their black mask swat gear.
And stop killing peoples dogs for doing their jobs!
i love thats its upstairs from NA awsome
"Kristen Krusyna, 21"
Pics, please!
SerfAttack,
My house was built using pine, concrete, steel, asphalt, etc. You don't need hemp to build a house.
You imply that a house cannot be built, unless it is of hemp. All you want the hemp for is one thing, and it ISN'T for building houses or making rope.
The person I resopnded to said "Why is the most useful plant known, a plant that has never killed anyone, illegal". It did NOT mention anything about OVERDOSE! (although I'm sure SOME have died from an overdose). You stoners try to justify your actions by changing the "facts" and finding NO FAULT in ANYTHING an addict (yes, ADDICT) does.
Any cop will tell you that most burglaries are tied to someone "needing" to pay for their habit.
I stand by my 100% sober words.
I've worked with a few people who "smoked". They were late to work more than the rest of us, always irritable, usually broke, and they worried far more about buying anoother "bag" than doing their job, paying their rent or car payment. And many were FIRED from their jobs for it. While it is true that many are in those situations without the aid of weed, weed certainly pushes more toward that lifestyle.
What I find "funny" (your words) is that your entire life revolves around pot smoking.
Ask any cocaine, meth, heroin, etc. addict, they started by smoking a joint. I've met many of them over the years, they freely admit it.
You say "Also, just because you put someone in jail doesn't mean they dont sneak in Cannabis and smoke/eat in jail. :)", well, I say, they are STILL in JAIL, and if caught, will only get to spend MORE time there.
In all honesty, if I found out my neighbor was "growing their own" in small amounts, and toking occasionally in the privacy of their own home, I wouldn't turn them in (unless I had some other reason as well), but the neighbor on the other side might.
Guess what, another drug bust went down in the time it took you to read this.
I never live in fear of not passing a drug test that some employers require.
Have fun out there.
Why isn't James Parsons of Medical Cannabis Consultants of Nevada mentioned as one of the arrested considering his shop was also raided?!?!?
http://www.8newsnow.com/story/13128165/o...
Word on the street is he is working out a deal and is snitching everyone out which is why he hasn't been charged "yet" and will probably get away with a slap on the wrist for cooperating with the Feds and LEO's.
Hey Joe:
I work fulltime, pay taxes and guess what.... my employer would never even think of drug testing me, nor would I ever go work for someone who would.
And Serf was using hemp as an example of an eco-friendly option for building a house, he wasn't saying it was the only material one can build a house out of.
By the way Serf good post could not have said it better myself. You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink.
Why isn't the media releasing a picture of John Birmele? Because then maybe the public would have a hard time thinking about him as a criminal and maybe it would change some peoples' views on medical marijuana. Pretty convenient...
Google Image John Birmele, look him up on Facebook. Take 2 seconds of your time to do a little research before you make a judgment.
medical marijuana has downsides yes, but does not bring on the onset of long term memory loss, schitsophrenia or bi-polar disorder. The downside is that you might get stuck on your couch and not want to get out to do much. The memory loss is a short term effect as alzheimer's patients are also being prescribed pot for memory loss. The schitzo and bi-polar folks need pot to calm all those personalities from getting to anxious from sharing that room in 1 head. As for downsides again, munchies and sleepiness as driving is not done while using pot therefore its treated as alcohol, here are some statistics for ya buddy
Every year
Tobacco kills about 390,000.
Alcohol kills about 80,000.
Sidestream smoke from tobacco kills about 50,000.
Cocaine kills about 2,200.
Heroin kills about 2,000.
Aspirin kills about 2,000.
Marijuana kills 0. There has never been a recorded death due to marijuana at any time in US history.
All illegal drugs combined kill about 4,500 people per year, or about one percent of the number killed by alcohol and tobacco. Tobacco kills more people each year than all of the people killed by all of the illegal drugs in the last century.
If you want a good look at how far the government will go to promote its illegal anti-marijuana drug war message read this: http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2000/0...
Protestant, Catholic and Jewish Clergy Speak Out Against The War On Drugs
http://www.csdp.org/news/news/clergydvd....
WELL WORTH READING! Free online book: The Emperor Wears No Clothes
http://www.jackherer.com/chapter01.html
Watch this documentary about marijuana curing cancer! There are 7 parts, watch them all! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjhT9282-...
If you doubt marijuana is good medicine read: Granny Storm Crow's List
http://forum.grasscity.com/medical-marij...
It's more like a library than a list!
Marijuana and driving: http://peaceandloveism.com/forums/index....
Google MARIJUANA DRIVING STUDY. You'll see 2 common findings:
1. Drivers under the influence of marijuana are SLIGHTLY impaired.
2. Unlike those under the influence of alcohol, marijuana consumers are aware they are SLIGHTLY impaired and they consistently adequately compensate by slowing down a little and being a little more cautious.
http://www.jackherer.com/thebook/chapter...
"In the 1920s and 30s, Hearst's newspapers DELIBERATELY MANUFACTURED a new threat to America and a new yellow journalism campaign to have hemp outlawed. For example, a story of a car accident in which a marijuana cigarette was found would dominate the headlines for weeks, while alcohol-related car accidents (which outnumbered marijuana-connected accidents by more than 10,000 to 1) made only the back pages. This same theme of marijuana leading to car accidents was burned into the minds of Americans over and over again..."
Marijuana does not make people more dangerous, it makes them more cautious! When was the last time you heard of a marijuana consumer beating his wife? When was the last time you heard of the cops being called to break up a fight at a marijuana party? NEVER!
MARIJUANA IS NOT THE PROBLEM! MARIJUANA PROHIBITION IS WHAT'S CAUSING ALL THE SO CALLED "MARIJUANA RELATED" PROBLEMS!
No one, of any age, in all of recorded history, anywhere on planet earth has ever died from the ingredients in marijuana and that includes from smoking it!
Please, no matter where you stand on this issue, consider the links in this post and the ones in my other posts. Once you know the honest truth it will be very hard for almost anyone to support marijuana prohibition.
Marijuana does not cause you to wreck you car. Marijuana does not make you lazy and unproductive. Marijuana does not cause death, cancer, brain damage or any other serious health problems. Marijuana does not make you stupid or cause you to go crazy. Marijuana prohibition does not keep kids away from marijuana, illegal dealers don't ask for ID.
It's a well documented fact, proven by surveys at Law Enforcement Against Prohibition presentations nationwide that after law enforcement personnel have the honest facts, 80% of LAW ENFORCEMENT consistently support legalizing.
If 80% of law enforcement support legalizing after they know the truth, that should tell you something. LEAP is not a bunch of drug users seeking to legalize their own drug use, their members are narcotics officers, judges, prison wardens and other law enforcement officials that have directly enforced the drug laws. They have seen first hand the waste, harms and destruction of our Constitutional rights and liberties directly caused by the drug war.
No other single policy is as harmful, wasteful and used to trash our Constitutional rights and freedoms like the drug war!
Listen to these high ranking narcotics officers expose the harms and waste of the drug war. Learn the truth about the drug war. It is a FAILED HARMFUL UNCONSTITUTIONAL UNLAWFUL VIOLENT WAR AGAINST NONVIOLENT CITIZENS: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LayaGk0TM...
Watch this FL man that gets his marijuana from the Federal government destroy all the lies about marijuana consumers being lazy and unproductive. Watch him destroy all the lies about long term heavy marijuana use being harmful: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvzX8aNwx...
The World Health Organization Documents Failure of U.S. Drug Policies http://www.alternet.org/drugreporter/902...
Cannabis Reduces Infant Mortality: http://www.salem-news.com/articles/june2... This is a great example of the information the drug war prohibitionists suppress every way they can. If babies are getting natural cannabis like substances in mother's breast milk, do you still believe marijuana is harmful at any age?
Bakersfield Joe Stormont,
If you'd TAKE THE TIME TO READ THE LINKS I POSTED YOU'D KNOW WHY MARIJUANA/HEMP PRODUCES BETTER PRODUCTS THAN COTTON AND MAY OTHER PRODUCTS THAT MARIJUANA/HEMP WILL REPLACE ONCE ENOUGH VOTERS KNOW THE TRUTH! For instance:
On an annual basis, 1 acre of hemp will produce as much fiber as 2 to 3 acres of cotton. Hemp fiber is stronger and softer than cotton, lasts twice as long as cotton, and will not mildew.
Cotton grows only in moderate climates and requires more water than hemp; but hemp is frost tolerant, requires only moderate amounts of water, and grows in all 50 states. Cotton requires large quantities of pesticides and herbicides--50% of the world's pesticides/herbicides are used on cotton. But hemp requires no pesticides, no herbicides, and only moderate amounts of fertilizer.
On an annual basis, 1 acre of hemp will produce as much paper as 2 to 4 acres of trees. From tissue paper to cardboard, all types of paper products can be produced from hemp. Global demand for paper will double within 25 years. Unless tree-free sources of paper are developed, there is no way to meet future paper demand without causing massive deforestation and environmental damage. Cannabis Hemp is the world's most promising source of tree-free paper.
The quality of hemp paper is superior to tree-based paper. Hemp paper will last hundreds of years without degrading, can be recycled many more times than tree-based paper, and requires less toxic chemicals in the manufacturing process than does paper made from trees.
Cannabis Hemp can be used to produce fiberboard that is stronger than wood, lighter than wood, and fire retardant. Substituting hemp fiberboard for timber would further reduce the need to cut down our forests. Hemp can also be used to produce strong, durable and environmentally-friendly plastic substitutes. Thousands of products made from petroleum-based plastics can be produced from hemp-based composites. Mercedes Benz of Germany has recently begun manufacturing automobile bodies and dashboards made from hemp.
It takes years for trees to grow until they can be harvested for paper or wood, but hemp is ready for harvesting only 120 days after it is planted. Hemp can grow on most land suitable for farming, but forests and tree farms require large tracts of land available in few locations. Harvesting hemp rather than trees would also eliminate erosion due to logging, thereby reducing topsoil loss and water pollution caused by soil runoff.
Hemp seed oil contains a protein that is as nutritious and more economical to produce than soybean protein. Hemp seeds are not intoxicating. Hemp seed oil/protein can be used to produce virtually any product made from soybean: tofu, veggie burgers, butter, cheese, salad oils, ice cream, milk, etc. Hemp seed can also be ground into a nutritious flour that can be used to produce baked goods such as pasta, cookies, and breads.
Hemp seed oil can be used to produce non-toxic diesel fuel, paint, varnish, detergent, ink and lubricating oil. Because hemp seeds account for up to half the weight of a mature hemp plant, hemp seed is a viable source for these products.
Just as corn can be converted into clean-burning ethanol fuel, so can hemp. Because hemp produces more biomass than any plant species (including corn) that can grow in a wide range of climates and locations, hemp has great potential to become a major source of ethanol fuel.
This info and a lot more marijuana/hemp FACTS are included in the articles linked in my first post in this thread.
Ok so obviously this guy is one of the proud paid participants in the senseless war of this medicine that has been used for OVER 5000 years. The crimes and deaths you mentioned are people that would have clearly had problems with or without this plant. THE VOTERS IN THIS STATE PASSED 453A AND YOU SHOULD STOP WASTING OUR TIME AND MONEY PURSUING THIS MEDICINE. People die and struggle in pain everyday and if this plant helps them you should leave them alone. I understand your a paid participant on the drug war but why don't you target the crack,crank,cocaine, heroin, or meth? COME ON we don't want or tax dollars being wasted anymore.