Court ruling: Pot smell isn't cause to arrest everyone in a car

Police need more evidence, state justices say

By LEVI PULKKINEN
P-I REPORTER

Supporters of marijuana decriminalization celebrated Thursday's decision by the state Supreme Court restricting police from arresting passengers simply for being in a car smelling of pot.

Justices were unanimous in the decision to overturn a 29-year-old precedent allowing officers to search or arrest passengers after smelling marijuana near a car. They found that simply being in a car smelling of marijuana isn't enough to outweigh the state constitution's robust privacy protections.

Advocates for drug-law reform cheered the ruling as a long overdue step in the right direction.

"As a general statement, it's a step back from the direction that our government has been going as we're veering into a sort of surveillance society," said Alison Holcomb of the American Civil Liberties Union's Washington chapter. "It strikes me as refreshing that the court has reaffirmed the values that our constitution calls for."

The court's decision will not bar authorities from searching a car because it smells of drugs, the court said. But justices indicated that a drug smell might be stronger evidence supporting arrest if there is only one person in a vehicle.

more:

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/371288_potsmell18.html

Truly a refreshing ruling in these times.

Is there now a test that can determine that you've smoked very recently? I thought there was only the urine test which only determines if you've smoked or been around smoke in the past 30 or so days.

Did I miss something?

But a few states have "zero tolerance" laws that make it illegal to drive if you have any detectable trace of a controlled substance or it's metabolites it your system.

How far can an oral swab drug test detect marijuana?
http://sg.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070313155042AA0Qb8x

Lately I feel like the SS is about to knock on my door....I'd like my civil liberties back.

but these....


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schutzstaffel


right?

A crazy cop pulled me over once and persistently insisted he smelled alcohol coming from my car and spend 5 minutes trying to get me to admit to it. He was so annoying I was tempted to say 'okay, sure I had a drink' just so he'd stop bothering me, but I had to keep reminding myself this was a cop trying to trick me. Maybe it was my wife's perfume or something but we hadn't had a drink all day. I can't believe a cop saying he smelled something could ever had been cause for arrest.

It used to be I showed them a little respect and they could tell I was an honest guy and leave me alone. Now they see I'm an honest guy and that's makes them want to screw with me even more.

Maybe it's their psychological training that keys them into the fact that I would like to overturn the system if I ever have a chance. But if they just look at my record it's totally clean, so they're just wasting their time.

..police bother me more then anything because they consider you a danger or guilty of a crime until you can prove otherwise these days. Best thing is to show your ID and keep pressuring them that you have someplace to be because if you don't you might end up in jail on some bogus charge. Its no wonder that lots of people don't trust them anymore. It isn't about safety, its all about making arrests and making money with the un- justice and unlawful law enforcement systems in this country.

statistics... and a guy I sit near is an attorney. He's got horror stories about defending ppl arrested for mere possession. Smoking is dumb. Smoking pot is especially dumb in that it wastes your precious time and harms your lungs. You could be out making money, improving your situation or giving to someone else. Plus it makes you dull. But criminal? naaaaaaa....

where folks are allowed to have opinions, even if they're 'dumb!' Pot doesn't hurt your lungs as much as the pollution in the air and has actually been found to beneficially affect the body's protection against cancer. That's NOT dumb.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x3494434

As for the rest of your opinion, pot neither keeps you from being "out making money, improving your situation or giving to someone else." As for "dull?" LOL! Where did you get this silliness???????:P

stoners in Newark, DE. Saw'em by the thousands. I had no particular opinion when I started the job but by the time I got a real one I'd already decided the company of stoners bores the hell out of me WHEN THEY ARE STONED. Stoners just aren't dull to other stoners, man, just as drunks are interesting to other drunks. If you are unclear on this go ask a bartender. Be sure to tip.

Pot steals your time. My time is priceless and though I wouldn't presume to put a dollar figure on your time I'd wager you value it greatly 'cause, like land, they ain't making any more of it .

The idea that smoking -anything- could be less harmful than breathing the air seems counter-intuitive.

As for protection against cancer- well if you say so. Medical CW is subject to reversals; blanket statements with respect to cancer prevention are suspect. It just sounds like you were writing that pot can prevent cancer.

We have common ground though. I absolutely love this country-- it is the greatest system for increasing human happiness ever devised. Despite the flaws whateverthefuck system in second place is a receding speck in the rear view mirror of this great nation.

but I'm glad we're Americans and can agree to disagree.

Have you ever partaken, by the way? You don't speak from a standpoint that appears to have personal knowledge.

You are sitting there posting your as-worth-as-much-as-anyone-else's opinion an Internet forum. I'm doing the same thing and also smoking a joint and drinking a cup of coffee.

But only one of us is wasting our time. Got it.

Drinking coffee and toking up, huh? Is it 10:20am already?

I have a regular job with a very decent salary, and on the weekends I catch up on all the household chores. If there is any time left over after that's done, I will engage in my hobby which is woodworking.

Believe it or not there are entire days go by that I don't read message boards.

:rofl:

You can't even get your stoner lore right!

In fact, they've gotten better over the last year - that's what the undeniable medical evidence shows.

Sorry, you're wrong on this.

Really.

As for protection against cancer- well if you say so. Medical CW is subject to reversals; blanket statements with respect to cancer prevention are suspect. It just sounds like you were writing that pot can prevent cancer.

As you can read the portion of the post relevant to prevention and cure dealt exclusively with cancer. Are you writing that pot is shrinking your tumors? Are your doctors claiming that marijuana use is demonstrably resolving your tumors? If so, that is fascinating.

...but we had too many applicants for that position the last time we put it in the classifieds.

Well to me anyway. No shock you turned away applicants. We drug test "for cause"-- meaning any accident more serious than a stubbed toe. I end up firing (well, not me per se as I have ppl to do that for me -- I really can't be bothered with that nonsense) floor techs routinely 'cause their urine is dirty. No big deal. Plenty of potheads around to push a buffer at minimum wage. As William Boroughs wrote room inside for one more, sir.

with you as a boss sounds like more of a waste of time and health risk than smoking pot.

Sounds like the kind of work environment where you pretty much have to stay baked just not go postal on your jerkwad boss.

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

Fact.

Doesn't make you dull or dumb, either - unless you smoke too much indica.

Doin it for the people...

:smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :party: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :bounce: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke: :smoke:

I was born there. Just up the road from Intercourse.

-Hoot

I live about 25 miles up 61 from there. Coal Region Rules!!

That is all.

but arresting everyone is of course out of the question. Being near someone who has recently smoked pot is not a crime.

I seem to remember something like that used to exist. But you don't hear much about them anymore.

NT!