Drug Crimes: March 2009 Archives

Recently, the government has started to consider the potential value to placing a tax on marijuana, which is already lawful given a proper physician's recommendation.   Californians spend about $980 million each year to enforce state and local marijuana laws.  California is in a state of financial chaos and if there exists a possibility to eliminate such a large part of the problem, that proposal must be considered. 

Tom Ammiano, a San Francisco Democrat recently elected to the state legislature, announced that he was introducing a bill that would "tax and regulate marijuana in a manner similar to alcohol" in the state of California. According to Mr. Ammiano, Assembly Bill 390, which would impose a tax of $50 per ounce on marijuana sales, "would generate $1 billion in new revenue" for the state if it is enacted.  Other factors to consider are that the elimination of a profit margin for the sale of marijuana could help the troubled Mexican government deal with its out of control drug war. 

David D. Diamond is a Los Angeles based medical marijuana attorney.   

Three have been charged in a conspiracy case that alleges misuse of drug prescriptions.  Anna Nicole Smith's psychiatrist recently surrendered to authorities in Los Angeles on charges that she conspired to over-prescribe medications to Smith, with knowledge that she was an addict. The other two defendants are Dr. Sandeep Kapoor, who allegedly prescribed thousands of pills to Anna Nicole, and Howard K. Stern, Anna Nicole's boyfriend and lawyer.  Both have already surrendered to authorities.