Tag Archives: marijuana

Blog, Criminal, International, Legal News, Organized Crime, Supreme Court

El Chapo’s Sons’ Hitmen Invade And Terrorise Mexican TownA group of hitmen led by El Chapo’s sons have terrorised a town in Mexico. Watch here:https://www.ladbible.com/news/el-chapo-son-armed-men-terrorise-town-20220219  

The armed group, which numbered 150 men from the Sinaloa Cartel, was reportedly able to take over the town of Caborca, in the northern state of Sonora, on Tuesday (15 February).

According to Spanish newspaper El Pais, the group killed two people and kidnapped five more, having passed right in front of a National Guard detachment and another group of soldiers without being stopped.

An unnamed local told the publication: “There was not a single member of the authorities who came out to confront them, all the soldiers hid. They left us all alone, they abandoned us.”

The town is still reeling from the invasion, with mayor Abraham David Mier Nogales urging businesses to observe an unofficial 10pm curfew.

It is currently unclear if any of El Chapo’s sons participated in the invasion of the town, or if they simply ordered it.

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Blog, Business Law, Drug Companies, Legal News

Pfizer Is the Next Big Pharma Company Entering the Cannabis Space

The giant will purchase a biotech company with cannabinoid-type therapeutics in the pipeline.

Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc. is entering the cannabis space via the $6.7 billion acquisition of Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc. The two publicly-traded companies confirmed Monday that they have signed a definitive agreement under which Pfizer will acquire all outstanding shares of Arena for $100 per share in an all-cash transaction.

Pfizer expects to finance the transaction with existing cash on hand upon obtaining all necessary approvals. 

The deal

Arena Pharmaceuticals, based in San Diego, Cal., is a biotech company with one segment of its drug pipeline dedicated to cannabinoid-type therapeutics. The core of its cannabis biotech operations is the research and development of its investigational drug candidate called Olorinab (APD371). This is an oral full agonist of the cannabinoid receptor 2 that is being researched for the treatment of various symptoms, mainly concentrated on visceral pain connected with gastrointestinal illnesses.

Other parts of Arena’s drug pipeline are concentrated on non-cannabinoid drugs with the main focus on developing innovative potential therapies for the treatment of several immuno-inflammatory diseases. Arena’s portfolio includes diverse and promising development-stage therapeutic candidates in gastroenterology, dermatology and cardiology.

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Blog, Business Law, Celebrity, Criminal, International, Legal News, Organized Crime

Killing of ‘Narcos’ scout resurfaces Escobar trademark feud

by Sandra Gonzalez   @CNNMoneySeptember 22, 2017: 6:45 PM ET

Pablo Escobar, one of the world’s wealthiest and most notorious drug lords, met his end nearly a quarter-century ago, but his legacy continues to cast a shadow over the Netflix drama “Narcos.”

On September 11, Carlos Munoz Portal, a location manager for the Netflix television series “Narcos,” was found dead. He had suffered multiple gunshot wounds in a car on a dirt road outside Mexico City, near a site he was scouting for future episodes of the TV show.

n the wake of Portal’s death, Pablo Escobar’s brother is bringing his year-long trademark dispute with Netflix back into the headlines through an interview he gave The Hollywood Reporter (THR). In that interview, speaking of “Narcos,” which based its first two seasons on Pablo Escobar’s life, he reportedly said he would “close their little show” if the streaming service did not reach a settlement agreement with him.

Roberto De Jesus Escobar Gaviria is Pablo Escobar’s brother and former accountant. He is also the founder of holding company Escobar Inc.. In July of 2016, his company requested $1 billion compensation from Netflix for what it contends are intellectual property violations. It claims the streaming service has reaped substantial financial benefits from the popular global series by using Escobar’s name and story.

Read Full – http://money.cnn.com/2017/09/22/media/narcos-escobar-suit/index.html

Blog, Business Law, Civil Rights, Criminal, Drug Companies, International, Legal News, Organized Crime, Supreme Court

How Anti-Mafia Laws Could Bring Down Legal Pot

By Amanda Chicago Lewis

RICO laws were written to combat organized crime kingpins – but now they’re being used against state-legal marijuana businesses

Most people have strong feelings about marijuana’s distinctive dank odor. Suspicious landlords sniff for it. High-school hot-boxers roll down all the windows of their cars and drive around for hours trying to get rid of it. Mainstream candle and soap companies seek to recreate it for high-end, non-psychoactive mood settings. And now, it’s quietly becoming clear that the powerful smell of legal cannabis could become its ultimate undoing ­– the thing that causes the entire legalization experiment to disappear in a poof of smoke.

Earlier this summer, the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Colorado decided that the “noxious odors” from a pot farm could be lowering nearby property values and creating a nuisance. The decision came out of a civil suit by the farm’s neighbors under federal racketeering law, and could set a landmark precedent. Marijuana remains illegal under federal law, and this decision makes clear that private citizens can now circumvent state law and do what Attorney General Jeff Sessions wants but has yet to do: challenge the legitimacy of states and businesses participating in legalization. Next year, the suit will go back to district court, and unless other appeals courts issue contradictory rulings and the Supreme Court decides to take up the case, the 10th Circuit decision will stand – providing a road map for people who hate marijuana to initiate the collapse of legal weed in America.

Everything about this case is important, from its far-reaching implications to the mysterious, well-funded organization behind it. But before we get into the details, the key thing to realize here is this neighborly dispute is a microcosm for what’s wrong with America’s tangled marijuana policy: The commercialization of cannabis has had real consequences for people and places that want no involvement with the drug. Attempting, as we have, to cordon off the states and businesses and entrepreneurs and government agencies that interact with pot is delusional.

Legal weed cannot be neatly contained. Markets and odors don’t work that way. Neighbors know this. Interstate pot traffickers know this. Attorney General Jeff Sessions knows this. The question is: when will we change federal law to reflect reality?

Full Read – http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/features/how-anti-mafia-laws-could-bring-down-legal-pot-w499585

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DUI Marijuana

Simply because marijuana has been legalized for recreational use in California does not mean that it’s okay to drive under its influence. California Vehicle Code 23152(e) treats DUI marijuana the same as DUI alcohol when it comes to the penalties that apply to those convicted of DUI marijuana and states, “It is unlawful for a person who is under the influence of any drug [including marijuana] to drive a vehicle.”

The penalties for being convicted of DUI marijuana are the same as those for driving under the influence of alcohol are more severe for repeat offenders.

1st offense- 48 hours to 6 months in County jail, DUI courses can be 3-6-9 months

2nd offense- 96 hours to a year in County Jail, 18 month DUI course

3rd offense- 120 days to 1 year in jail, 3 year revocation no restricted license

DUI Marijuana Causing Injury

As with DUI alcohol, DUI marijuana carries heavier penalties if there are additional offenses allegedly committed in conjunction with driving under the influence. If a person is convicted of DUI marijuana causing injury and this is a first offense a judge may rule that the offense is a felony and as such the penalties are a 1 to 3-year driver’s license suspension with no exception made for converting to a restricted license, up to 30 months of DUI school, 5 days to one year in jail, and in addition to a fine of up to $5000, the defendant can be made to pay restitution to the injured person.

If the DUI marijuana with injury is determined to be a felony, the penalties are a 5-year driver’s license suspension with no exception made for converting to a restricted license, up to 30 months of DUI school, a $5000 fine and payment of restitution, and 16 months to 16 years in state prison.

Driving under the influence marijuana in California is a serious crime that can have life-altering consequences. If this is the first offense, you could be expected to be able to carry on with a reasonable semblance of your life prior to the conviction because you will be able to convert your license to a restricted license and get to and from work. Regardless, a DUI marijuana is a mark on your driver’s license and your automobile insurance premiums are sure to increase. Also, you will have a criminal record and that could hurt your chances of getting a job, a job promotion, a bank loan, or owning or possessing a firearm to protect your family.

Because of the increased use of marijuana due to its legalization, authorities expect DUI marijuana could become an even greater problem than DUI alcohol in the years to come. If you are arrested and charged with DUI marijuana you should make your first call to the California DUI marijuana lawyers  at The Kavinoky Law Firm. We know that DUI problems don’t always occur during 9-5 business hours and our lawyers are available at all hours and on holidays, 24-hours a day and 365 days a year.