'Drug War' Archives

Glendale Police Find "Spice" Lab in the Back of a Convenience Store

By Matthew Hendley Thu., Apr. 18 2013 at 1:38 PM

Glendale PD

Shelves full o' spice.

Glendale police found what appeared to be a lab for manufacturing the substance known as "spice" in the back of a convenience store.

Arizona Department of Revenue officers were doing a routine inspection of Pronto Mart, near 59th Avenue and Missouri, and found some sort of manufacturing process going on in the back, according to the Glendale PD.

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Tags:

arbrahim savegh, arizona, glendale, glendale police department, pronto mart, spice

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Bath Saltocalypse

Jan Brewer Touted Ban on Spice and Bath Salts, but Lawmakers Are Still Trying to Ban Both

By Matthew Hendley Tue., Feb. 19 2013 at 3:43 PM

Categories: Bath Saltocalypse, Drug War

campusbasement.com

The headline of a press release from Governor Jan Brewer's office issued almost exactly two years ago read, "Governor Jan Brewer outlaws sale and use of synthetic drugs known as 'spice.'"

Then, last year, Brewer touted the "ban" of the synthetic drugs known as "bath salts." Sure enough, legislators concede that they're still trying to make the drugs illegal.

See also:
-Jan Brewer Set To Sign "Bath Salts" Bill, Which Still Leaves "Bath Salts" Legal
-Bath Salts: Our Told-Ya-So Moments on "Ban" Continue

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Tags:

arizona, bath salts, jan brewer, sb 1345, sb 1346, spice

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Medical Weed

Medical Marijuana Supported by Former Anti-Drug, Reagan-Appointed U.S. Attorney

By Matthew Hendley Mon., Feb. 18 2013 at 3:15 PM

Categories: Drug War, Medical Weed

YouTube

Former U.S. Attorney A. Melvin McDonald

On the list of people we'd probably never expect to come out in support of the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act, we'd probably put an anti-drug crusader U.S. Attorney who was appointed by President Ronald Reagan somewhere near the top of the list.

However, we've seen that man, A. Melvin McDonald, all over the place in the past couple of weeks, giving a glowing review of medical marijuana.

See also:
-John Kavanagh Wants No Exception for Cancer Patients or Anyone Else in Proposed Medical-Pot Repeal
-Inside an Arizona Medical Marijuana Collective

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Tags:

a. melvin mcdonald, arizona, john kavanagh, marijuana, medical cannabis, medical marijuana, medical marijuana act, mel mcdonald, nausea

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Drug War

Salvia Sales Targeted by Lawmakers Yet Again; Regulation Has Failed Since 2009

By Matthew Hendley Mon., Jan. 21 2013 at 3:23 PM

Categories: Drug War, I'm Only a Bill

johnstogner.wordpress.com

State lawmakers have been trying to regulate salvia divinorum, a hallucination-inducing plant, since 2009, and it still hasn't been regulated.

Now, legislators are trying once again to regulate salvia, this time banning its sale to anyone under the age of 21.

See also:
-2009: Salvia Targeted by Arizona Lawmakers

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Tags:

arizona, bruce wheeler, drugs, eric meyer, hb 2424, michelle ugenti, salvia, Salvia divinorum, war on drugs

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Drug War

"Bath Salts" Tales From Yavapai County: "That's the Car That Raped My (Imaginary) Daughter"

By Matthew Hendley Wed., Sep. 12 2012 at 12:52 PM

Categories: Drug War

See also: Bath Salts: Our Told-Ya-So Moments on "Ban" Continue
See also: Naked Men in Tempe High on Bath Salts: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3

marymicrogram.blogspot.com

It appears that Yavapai County Attorney Sheila Polk may have found a way to ban the sale of all the synthetic drugs known as "bath salts" or "spice."

The Legislature has tried -- and failed -- to do the same thing statewide, but last month, the Yavapai County Attorney's Office was granted a restraining order banning the sale of all synthetic drugs in all of the stores in the area it could find.

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arizona, bath salts, hb 2356, herbal incense, research chemicals, sheila polk, spice, yavapai county attorney's office

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Drug War

Bath Salts: Our Told-Ya-So Moments on "Ban" Continue

By Matthew Hendley Fri., Sep. 7 2012 at 12:20 PM

Categories: Drug War

See also: "Bath Salts" Bill Still Leaves Concept of "Bath Salts" Legal

marymicrogram.blogspot.com

The Arizona Republic announced in its Thursday edition that its reporters have discovered, "Despite new Arizona law, dangerous bath salts flourish."

Back on February 16, that's exactly what we told you would happen, a thought corroborated by a lawyer who specializes in synthetic drug laws -- which gives us another told-ya-so moment on the bath-salts front.

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arizona, bath salts, hb 2356, herbal incense, jan brewer, research chemicals

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Drug War

DEA Agents Pretended to Be Hells Angels to Bust Phoenix Bath Salts Manufacturers

By Matthew Hendley Fri., Jul. 27 2012 at 2:46 PM

Categories: Drug War

See also: DEA Makes Raids Nationwide for Making Chemicals Similar to Illegal Drugs

campusbasement.com

The Drug Enforcement Administration's nationwide "synthetic drug takedown" led to the arrest of five Valley men this week.

Two of the men were uncovered by DEA sources, two were busted by DEA agents pretending to be members of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club, and the fifth man was caught because NBC's Chris Hansen had already caught him before.

Seventeen search warrants were reportedly served in Arizona, but the U.S. Attorney's Office says just five people in the Phoenix area have been arrested -- all for manufacturing and selling the chemicals known as "bath salts."

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Tags:

arizona, bath salts, dea, drug enforcement administration, drug war, drugs, federal analog act, hells angels, operation log jam, spice, tempe, thomas wright, war on drugs

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Drug War

DEA Carries Out Raids Nationwide, Including Five Arizona Cities, for Making and Selling Chemicals Similar to Illegal Drugs

By Matthew Hendley Thu., Jul. 26 2012 at 2:13 PM

Categories: Drug War

campusbasement.com

Bath salts are even making the feds go nuts.

The federal government announced another victory in its war on drugs, as federal authorities made raids in 109 cities nationwide -- including five Arizona cities -- to take down an industry that sells chemicals "similar" to illegal drugs.

Yes, the word "similar" comes straight from the Drug Enforcement Administration.

The substances involved are the synthetic chemicals known as "bath salts" and "spice," which don't have consistent formulas. When certain chemicals are banned, the producers usually change up the formula ever so slightly to keep it legal.

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