Marvellous Marijuana Stories

Cannabis news is always cropping up in the papers and online. Whether it's the latest MP venting their opinion on the dangers of the drug, before admitting they used to take it or a celebrity busted by police over possession, it's pretty hard to avoid. Then there are the oddities - the marijuana stories which are funny, strange or just plain weird. Here are the best from the last few years:



California introduces Pot Vending Machines



Before you all pack your bags and head over the Atlantic, I should point out that it's strictly for people with a medical prescription to use marijuana as part of their healthcare - and there are safeguards in place to prevent non-prescribed folks from using it. Patients will be required to provide their prescription, give a fingerprint and then have their photo taken.



This cannabis news remains controversial because although medical marijuana is legal in some states, the federal government does not recognise its medicinal properties.



Utah Teenager Reports Pot Theft to Police



This is one of those marijuana stories that make you appreciate just how some stupid some people can be. Not only did an 18 year old burglar report his stolen cannabis to police, but he accepted an invitation to come in and identify the stash when the robber was caught. No sooner had he confirmed the marijuana was his, then he was arrested and charged on possession with intent to supply.



Sniffer Dog Fails to Find Planted Pot



After planting some marijuana in a customer's luggage to train a new sniffer dog, customs officials were left embarrassed when this cannabis news story hit the headlines: the mutt failed to find the goods! The mistake, combined with the custom officer's failure to recall which bag he'd put it in, meant that one passenger left with a free cannabis gift in their luggage. A spokesman for the airport's customs' office made a plea for its return: "If by some chance passengers find it in their suitcase, we're asking them to return it."



Burglars and Police Raid House at the Same Time



One of the most unlikely marijuana stories in this list: Two Australian burglars broke into a house being used to grow hydroponic cannabis only to discover it was full of police officers raiding the place to search for drugs! The burglars fled, but were caught a few days later by police.



Pot Smoker Reports Dealer to Police over "Bad Weed"



A 52 year old Darmstadt cannabis smoker was arrested for the possession of illegal substances after reporting his dealer to the police for selling him some "completely un-enjoyable" marijuana. The cannabis news article explains that the man had previously taken it up with the dealer directly, who refused to issue him a refund of the £270 he had paid for the drugs. Upon taking his "fraud" allegations with police, he was charged for his crime, despite the "absolutely mediocre quality" of the drugs involved.



Cannabis Plants Cause Police Station Closure



Billericay police station in Essex needed to be evacuated after the stench of confiscated cannabis plants became overpowering. 150 seedlings and mature plants grown from cannabis seeds had been seized from the home of a pro-cannabis campaigner and were kept in the station's cell, where their strong odour swept through the whole building. One source said "The smell even filtered into the public reception area and people might have got the wrong idea."



Rock Star Charged with Wanting to Smoke Marijuana...in 1994



An Argentine rock star was charged with informing spectators that he felt like smoking a joint - a decade after the cannabis news story broke. In November 1994, Andres Calamaro told 100,000 fans in La Plata: "I feel so good that I could smoke a joint". Attempts were made by morally offended parents to bring charges against the rock star, but these were dismissed by the judge in 1995. A decade later a less liberal judge was found, and the case was reopened for the musician, then 43.



Cannabis Smoker Celebrates 120th Birthday



A 120 year old Indian woman living with her 92 year old daughter and 72 year old grandson is baffled by her longevity: "I don't know how I've survived so long. Many relatives much younger than me have died". One theory suggests it's her habitual drug use. According to the Sun, the 120 year old Fulla Nayak smokes cannabis cigars and drinks strong palm wine, and this could be the secret of her success.