After gathering enough signatures, California voters are almost guaranteed a historical vote on whether to legalize marijuana in their state this November.  While the majority of voters, activists and consumers are celebrating the real chance of marijuana legalization, there is strong opposition coming from more than just anti-marijuana lobbying groups.

Jack Herer, a well know activist and author who also has popular strain of marijuana named after him, has urged people to vote against the “Regulate, Control and Tax Cannabis Act of 2010″. Herer’s main complaint about the initiative is that it will unfairly tax marijuana consumers. Supporters of the initiative are using the $1+ billion revenue for the state as a major selling point to voters but Herer, who spearheaded his own California initiative prior to suffering a near fatal heart attack last year, says marijuana should be legal without a tax or limitations on quantity or growing.

Herer is joined in his opposition by Dennis Peron, a primary author of California’s original medical marijuana initiative (prop 215). In addition to opposing the large tax, Peron also takes aim at what he calls “fatal flaws” of the new law, citing strict mandates on jail time for minors caught with marijuana or those 21 and over that supply minors with marijuana. He also says it unfairly discriminates against parents by banning smoking “in any space while minors are present” while no laws prevent parents from consuming alcohol in the same house as minors.

Another segment of the marijuana industry that is strongly against the legalization initiative is the thousands of marijuana growers and distributes that earn a living off the huge price markup on marijuana’s illegal status. With consumers able to grow their own marijuana and the impending gold rush of commercial businesses that will be looking to capitalize on the new market, prices are surely to drop as supply will overtake demand, forcing many industry outlaws out of business.

Fear of legalization is strong enough in Humboldt County, a self-proclaimed marijuana mecca of California, that civic leaders, activists and growers all came together for a town-hall style meeting to brainstorm ideas to stay relevant (and keep bringing in county revenue) in a legalized market. It’s not only the pot farmers of Humboldt that fear legalization, the entire county which has been the focus of several documentaries, rely on marijuana to drive it’s entire economy. One of the ideas made at the meeting was to make Humboldt a “Napa Valley of weed”, turning the vast  marijuana fields into a destination for marijuana aficionados, with tours, tastings and events. It’s too early to tell if any of the ideas might save Humboldt’s economy but most in the county would prefer to just keep marijuana illegal. Stickers with the saying “Save Humboldt County — keep pot illegal” have been appearing across local businesses in the area.

Lead photo by: psd

Some marijuana consumers around the U.S may experience shortages or price increases after a sharp increase in the frequency of one ton or more marijuana busts along highways. Avocados, bananas, batteries and toilet paper are just a few of the things police have found more than 29,000 pounds of marijuana hidden inside while conducting searches of tractor trailers already during the month of February. While many of the busts took place in Texas, it’s still unclear where any of the trucks final destinations was, or more importantly, where there is expected to be shortages of marijuana. It’s also unclear if the trend is a sign of increased marijuana trafficking enforcement or a result of police investigations and/or informants.

Although it’s presumed that all of the busts were of the popular brick or “shwag” weed variety, usually imported from Mexico, some market strain could be put on locally grown higher grade supplies as a result.

Tuscola, Illinois (4,400 pounds)

Three men from California are being held on $1 million bond each after Illinois State Police found more than 2 tons of marijuana inside a semitrailer truck they were driving through eastern Illinois, 30 miles south of Champaign. A police K9 unit discovered the bundles of marijuana hidden among crates of vegetables. The suspects, 31-year-old Jesus Guzman, 35-year-old Eric Cabrera and 32-year-old Joshua Cornillez are all from the Livingston, California  area. Charges have yet to be filed but marijuana trafficking charges are expected for each pending further investigation.

Loredo, Texas (2,317 pounds)

Around the 14th of the month, Customs and Border Protection inspectors discovered more than a ton of marijuana after conducting a secondary search on a trailer filled with 1,496 boxes of car batteries near Loredo. The unnamed driver of that truck was turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcements (ICE) to continue with investigations.

Brownsville, Texas (2,161 pounds)

The same weekend of the Loredo bust, Border Patrol agents seized 2,161 pounds from a truck in Brownsville, Texas after agents found 66 bundles of marijuana concealed in metal boxes that had been welded shut. The unnamed driver in that bust was turned over to the D.E.A.

Rio Rico, Arizona (3,470 pounds)

on February 9th, ICE agents responded and established surveillance after receiving a tip about a mysterious semitrailer at a warehouse facility. During the investigation, agents discovered there was no truck associated with the trailer or driver in the vicinity. After obtaining consent from the warehouse manager, Agents discovered the 1.75 tons of pot in 156 vacuum-sealed bags hidden within a shipment of squash. No arrests have been made and the squash was turned over to a consignee.

Weslaco, Texas (2,500 pounds)

Around February 8th, a Weslaco, Texas police patrol officer stopped a tractor trailer hauling about 2,500 pounds of marijuana inside a shipment of avocados. Police arrested Marciano Noriega Gonzalez, 45, of Yakima, Washington, and Patricia Marquez De Haro, 47, of Corona, Calif after X-ray scans revealed anomalies inside the trailer.

Otay Mesa, California (3,877 pounds & 2,000 pounds)

During the first week of the month, inspectors at the Otay Mesa cargo port found more than 3,800 pounds of marijuana hidden in a shipment of peppers and green beans. An unnamed 46-year-old Ensenada man who was driving the shipment was taken into custody.

A few days later, the same inspectors at the cargo port nabbed another ton of marijuana stashed in a load of bananas. An unnamed 40-year-old driver was arrested.

San Antonio, Texas (2,512 pounds)

on February 3rd, ICE agents seized more than a ton of pot as the result of an investiagtion that started after an inspector became suspicious of a truck that entered through Loredo. Agents followed the truck to an abandoned used car lot where they set up surveillance on the rundown building. When agents went in for the bust, they found the drugs concealed behind a fake wall that was hastily constructed. One unnamed person at the scene was arrested and police say they expect more arrests to come after an investigation.

Lebanon County, Pennsylvania (6,000 pounds)

Around the first of the month, Pennsylvania State Troopers pulled over a truck that reportedly failed to stop at a weigh station on Interstate 81. Inside the trailer they found six plywood crates with about 3 tons of marijuana hidden behind boxes. Authorities have arrested Eric Emmanuel, 35, of Pembroke Pines, Florida, and Stanley Narcisse, 34, of Winter Garden, Florida.

New Jersey recently became the 14th state to approve an effective medical marijuana law. There are actually 31 states plus the District of Columbia that have medical marijuana laws recognizing the medical benefits but most are not generally recognized because they rely on the national government to provide or authorize a legal supply of marijuana. Some advocacy groups recognize Maryland as a 15th state because they have what the Marijuana Policy Project calls a “working law” which lets patients obtain a recommendation from a doctor but only protects patients from jail time and not fines.

Many peoples knowledge of medical marijuana laws are incorrectly based on California’s law which have the most lenient patient requirements and access in the country. Those suffering from conditions or symptoms such as depression, anxiety, insomnia or migraines would not be allowed access in other medical marijuana states despite marijuana’s value in treating those conditions. Only 3 states, other than California, allow the setup of dispensaries to distribute marijuana to patients.

The infographic below was designed to show the differences in laws for the 15 states with effective or working medical marijuana laws. The information outlined was collected to show patient requirements and coverage as well as safe access to obtaining and using the marijuana. More information on each specific value is included below.

[CLICK TO ENLARGE]

Year Established

The year each states medical marijuana law was put into effect. New Jersey’s law will go into effect later this year.

Limited to Chronic Diseases

Although most laws are aimed to only allow whats called “chronic or debilitating” illnesses, some states use the wording “other medical conditions” which leaves a window for doctors to decide if marijuana is an appropriate medication for any specific patient. Other states strictly require patients to have a chronic disease such as  cancer, AIDS or multiple sclerosis.

Bona Fide Patient-Doctor Relationship

Many states require that a doctor or physician recommending medical marijuana has an established relationship with the patient. This relationship sometimes requires a doctor to have treated the specific patient for a required amount of time prior to recommending medical marijuana. Some states, like California, allow any doctor to recommend medical marijuana regardless of their knowledge of the patients medical history which has led to a medical marijuana industry of doctors whose job is only to write medical marijuana recommendations.

Number of Patients Covered

Most states require patients to apply and register for a medical marijuana program in the state. For states that do not have a registry or have a voluntary registry, like California, these numbers are estimated by using information provided the Marijuana Policy Project.

Allows Dispensaries

No state currently allows medical pharmacies to distribute medical marijuana but some allow for non-profit dispensaries to be established to provide patients with safe access. Some states do not specifically address dispensaries or growing collectives (a group of patients sharing one common growing location) and defers patients to consult with local law enforcement agencies. Americans for Safe Access encourages patients in these states to instead pressure state agencies to specifically allow dispensaries so owners are not put at risk of arrest and imprisonment due to vagueness of the law.

Allows Cultivation

Almost all medical marijuana states allow patients or their care givers to legally grow their own supply of marijuana. Ironically the “Garden State” of New Jersey is the first of the 14 generally recognized states that does not allow patients to grow their own marijuana.

Protection From Arrest

The goal of each states medical marijuana law is to protect patients and doctors from state laws against possession or cultivation of marijuana. Some states do not specifically protect patients from being arrested by law enforcement and instead leave it up to the court system to decide if a patient or doctor was within their legal right to have medical marijuana.

Maximum Quantity

The maximum quantity of harvested and growing plants as defined in the state law. Some states, like California, have varying maximum quantities due to differences in county laws. Other states set a maximum number of “mature plants” each patient or caregiver can have. Patients and caregivers should always refer to their respective city and county laws before going by whats defined in the state law (or this infograph).

Lead Photo by: jimmy dm

During Spark Report’s extended holiday vacation, I have compiled a list of the 10 most popular posts of 2009. This list represents Spark Report’s core content focus as well as what our readers like. Expect more great content in 2010, including the much anticipated public launch of SparkPrice.com. Happy New Year!

1: The Full Story Behind The Great Tennessee Pot Cave (March)

An in-depth story that took a huge amount of research was also one of Spark Report’s first story ideas. It received a boost in traffic thanks to a link on a popular Cracked.com post and was also recently featured on HailMaryJane.com.

2: Obama Signs Bill That Could Prohibit Flavored Blunts & Wraps (June)

While the effects of this bill have yet to be seen, one thing is clear: Don’t mess with people’s blunts! This story has gathered the most comments of any post and has also been shared more than 100 times on Facebook.

3: 5 Good Places to Hide Marijuana in a Vehicle (July)

This highly searched for article is also our most controversial. Some marked the article as a tool for police, however those that read it will find the list contains mostly “methods” and not specific places.

4: What You Should Know About Mold Issues on Marijuana (August)

Solutions for a commonly overlooked problem facing consumers, growers and distributors.

5: Cannabis Science Inc. Offers Marijuana Treatment for Swine Flu (April)

In the prime of the swine flu outbreak, readers were captivated with a proposed marijuana treatment. Thanks to Twitter, the story spread as quickly as the flu as soon as it went up.

6: Stoned Presidents: U.S Presidents that Smoked Marijuana (July)

Another heavily researched post that helped define Spark Report’s exclusive content in 2009. Even we were surprised so many presidents liked to get high.

7: 9 Towns That Set An Example For Marijuana Laws in the U.S (November)

Social sites like Digg, Twitter and Facebook helped propel this story onto the most popular list late in the year.

8: Police Bust Penn State Marijuana Selling Operation (April)

Many Penn State marijuana consumers were left dry after a major distribution network caused severe campus shortages.

9: Soulja Boy Wants to Quit Rap And Just Smoke Marijuana (July)

A popular teenage rapper declares his love for marijuana via a public Twitter tirade.

10: 5 Non-Economic Factors Driving Marijuana Legalization (April)

A post fueled by politicians mistake to only look at marijuana issues as a revenue source for the government.

The small ski town of Breckenridge, Colorado recently made national headlines after voters approved a measure to decriminalize marijuana use for adults. The vote will surely inspire other towns to try and make their own rules on marijuana until state and federal laws catch up to the will of voters. Its important to note that Breckenridge’s success may not of happened without the example Denver set for the state by passing a decriminalization measure 4 years earlier.  Want more sensible marijuana laws in your town? The following cities help draw a blueprint for marijuana activists at the local level.

Ann Arbor, Michigan

Almost 40 years ago, influenced by harsh state laws, Ann Arbor voters passed the Marijuana Ordinance of 1972 which made possession of less than 2 ounces a $5 ticket. It took only 5 months for a state judge to rule the ordinance unconstitutional which resulted in the city council repealing the ordinance. A year later the voters overruled the council’s decision by amending the city charter to declare that city police had to send all marijuana cases to the Ann Arbor city attorney; and the city attorney could not send the case to any other authority for prosecution. In doing so, the provision effectively denied state courts the opportunity to declare the measure unconstitutional, which had occurred in 1972. The same day, the neighboring city of Ypsilanti adopted a similar measure. In 2000, Ann Arbor passed an ordinance allowing the cultivation and use of medical marijuana which paved the way for Michigan’s first statewide medical marijuana law in 2008.

Berkeley, California

In 1973, Berkeley passed The Marijuana Ordinance I, which forbid law enforcement from arresting persons for cannabis related crimes unless cleared by the City Council. Like happened in Ann Arbor, A California Superior Court Judge struck the ordinance down because it violated city code that states the City Manager has discretion over police personnel. In 1979, Berkeley passed The Marijuana Ordinance II, which made the enforcement of cannabis laws–including cultivation, sale, and transport—-the lowest priority for law enforcement, banned the expenditure of funds for enforcement of cannabis statutes, allowed residents to grow cannabis and report any theft of cannabis plants to law enforcement, and even directed the City Council to lobby in favor of the decriminalization and legalization of cannabis.

Madison, Wisconsin

Since 1971, Madison has been home of the Great Midwest Marijuana Harvest Festival. In 1977, Madison voters passed ordinance 23.20, which made possession of about an ounce legal when used for “personal use in a private place”. In 2007, The Dane County district attorney announced that his office would no longer file any charges against anyone in the county caught with less than once ounce or paraphernalia. Although the announcement cited lack of resources for the decision, it’s also likely due to the fact that roughly half the county’s population lives in Madison.

Seattle, Washington

Initiative 75 (I-75) was passed by Seattle voters in 2003 which not only made marijuana the cities lowest law enforcement priority but also setup a review board to see how things worked out afterwards. About 4 years later, in 2008, the board released their final review which said that marijuana use, crime and public health risks had not risen. The report also noted there was a decrease in “adults experiencing the consequences of involvement in the criminal justice system” and a slight increase in public safety officers availability for other priorities. Imagine that.

Columbia, Missouri

Columbia is home to the University of Missouri and many local colleges. Over 1/2 the population posses a bachelor’s degree and over 1/4 hold graduate degrees, making it one of the most educated cities in the United States. In 2004 Columbia voters widely approved two initiatives. The first allowed patients to be prescribed medical marijuana by a doctor and the second made marijuana the lowest priority for police and set a max fine at $250 with no possibility of arrest or incarceration for less than 1.2 ounces. Shortly after the approval, the Columbia city council changed the law without voters consent to only apply to first time offenders. In 2009, the tiny Missouri towns of Cliff Village and Cottleville used Columbia as an example to pass their own medical marijuana laws.

Carbondale, Illinois

Carbondale is home to Southern Illinois University and in 2004, approved the small ordinance which allows the city to fine offenders possessing less than 10 grams of marijuana or paraphernalia rather than sending the case to the State’s Attorney’s Office or the county court system. While the 10 gram limit seems low to many marijuana consumers, Carbondale has at least taken steps to protect people from criminal records and incarceration.

Denver, Colorado

In 2005, Denver voters passed the The Alcohol-Marijuana Equalization Initiative which made Denver the first U.S city to actually legalize marijuana and treat it just like alcohol. Under the initiative, an adult can legally possess up to 1 ounce, but marijuana use in public, by people under 21, or while driving all remain illegal, just like alcohol. Similar to Breckenridge, Denver’s initiative is hailed as a symbolic measure due to the possibility of being prosecuted under state and federal laws.

Lawrence, Kansas

The college town of Lawrence became an unfortunate example of how many politicians are only interested in decriminalization if it means more revenue. In 2006, The Lawrence City Commission narrowly voted to have first-time marijuana possession cases tried in municipal court instead of state court.  The ordinance was aimed to protect University of Kansas students from loosing federal financial aid due to a state or federal marijuana possession charge. But city commissioners also narrowly voted to impose a $200 minimum fine and a mandatory $100 “evaluation” fee for marijuana possession, meaning Lawrence marijuana consumers would now face a much higher fine than county or state courts typically give.

Eureka Springs, Arkansas

In 2006, the small town of Eureka Springs voted to make marijuana the lowest law enforcement priority and reduce the punishment for small amounts to a fine and/or community service. With a population of less than 3,000, Eureka Spring’s mild decriminalization law is only a small step for the state which boasts fairly tough state laws against marijuana consumers. Eureka Spring’s small success probably would not of happened without the support of nearby University of Arkansas NORML, who abandoned a similar effort in Fayetteville (where the University is located) because of weak support. They choose to instead focus on Eureka Springs, where they only needed to gather 144 signatures (15% of those voting in the last mayoral election) to send the measure to public vote.

Lead photo by: FoxTongue

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Transportation plays a key role in the marijuana industry. A large number of marijuana busts happen while the weed in being transported. Suppliers send thousands of pounds of marijuana daily via semi trailers, rapper’s tour buses, submarines and school buses. This article however, is intended for personal sized amounts of lets say, one ounce or less, that gets transported in a normal passenger vehicle.

For legal purposes, I am assuming the hypothetical situation that you legally purchased some medical marijuana and are not wanting trouble from police on the drive back home. Rule number one in any situation is to always remember your rights. If an officer does not have probable cause to search your car, you have the right to refuse the search no matter how convincing the officer may seem. For our scenario, lets say you reek of marijuana and declining a search is not an option. Where are some good places to stash the stash where its not likely to be found?

5. Gas Tank Compartment

The gas tank compartment is the area inside the little door that conceals your gas cap. Depending on the make and model, you should have enough room to stash a decent amount. It’s an added bonus if your gas compartment locks. Police officers often fail to check places on the outside of the vehicle in order to focus their search inside the car.

Pros: It’s easy and straight forward. No fiddling with your car or excessive setup required.

Cons: A police K9 unit would smell your stash pretty easily. Also depending on your situation, it may seem odd to access your gas compartment when you enter and leave your vehicle.

4. Very Messy Trunk

This could also be called the “needle in the haystack” method. Its a gamble that whoever is searching your vehicle has more pressing matters than searching every wadded up piece of paper, fast food wrapper, folder, shopping bag, book, video game cartridge, dvd case, coat pocket, snot rag, jock strap, dildo, blow up doll, sock, used condom, and mitten in your trunk. (Make sure you include all these items for full effect.) For bonus points, throw in an old piece of pizza to test the officers “dedication” to the war on drugs and possibly even throw off K9s. The object is to make the officer scared of what he/she might uncover if they dig too deep.

Pros: If your trunk is already messy, then its pretty simple to implement.

Cons: Like I mentioned before, its a gamble that someone will not check every possible place. It’s also not likely to fool a K9. You will also have a dirty trunk.

3. Secret Compartment

A secret compartment is simply a part of your car that is only intended to come off when servicing the car. This involves really knowing your specific car and not making any marks or signs that show its a frequently accessed place. Sometimes a small screw driver in the glove compartment could be used as your “key” to accessing the area. Door panels, speakers, dashboard compartments, and stereo equipment are some examples of common places to use, but keep in mind, you should always find the best place for your specific car.

Pros: Almost every car has a good spot that will work for you. Officers will usually not want to cause damage to your vehicle during a routine search so there is a good success rate when care is taken while selecting a place.

Cons: You really need to know your car and find spots that nobody can easily access without prior knowledge. Its also not K9 proof.

2. Diversion Safe

A diversion safe is basically a normal house hold item that has a false compartment to hide things in. A lot of smoke shops and novelty stores carry them or you can find them online. The most common are soda cans and Pringles containers but there are many others including “fix-a-flat” bottles that are specially made to not draw attention in your vehicle. Bonus if you include your diversion safe inside your very messy trunk (see #4).

Pros: The metal container types can help reduce smell.

Cons: They may help protect against smell, but a K9 would likely still be tipped off depending on the situation. It also costs money.

1. Inside Food

This is more of a method than a place. It evolves hiding your purchase inside something such as a wrapped sandwich or taco. Fast food items are usually less conspicuous in your car. Once again, details to make everything seem normal are important. An officer would be ill advised to open up someones wrapped up sandwich or fast food during a routine search. They might look around the bag or container, but not actually touch your food.

Pros: K9 officers are likely to think their trained dog is interested in your food, not tipping them off to marijuana.

Cons: It’s not that easy to always have some fresh food around when you need it. It may or may not cost you additional money.

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According to an IU Police spkesperson, Hailey was arrested after campus police spotted her and five others “passing a pipe back and forth” in a parking lot at 3AM. Police found two plastic baggies in her handbag containing a total of three grams of marijuana and arrested Hailey for possession of marijuana.

Charges were eventually dismissed after Hailey attended a pre-trial diversion program and paid a fine.

While hardly what most would consider news worthy, the media it using it to play up Jon’s own possible marijuana use. Jon Gosselin has been suspected to smoke marijuana after paparazzi snapped several photos that appear to show him smoking a joint. He has yet to make a comment on the subject.

President Obama signed the “Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act” into law which is aimed to give the FDA more control over what tobacco companies can put into their products and how the products can be marketed. One important part of the new law was aimed at restricting flavored tobacco that anti-smoking groups say target kids. These flavored tobacco products include blunts and wraps which are used by many marijuana smokers to roll marijuana filled cigars. The part of the bill that limits these flavors reads:

“A cigarette or any of its component parts (including the tobacco, filter, or paper) shall not contain, as a constituent (including a smoke constituent) or additive, an artificial or natural flavor (other than tobacco or menthol) or an herb or spice, including strawberry, grape, orange, clove, cinnamon, pineapple, vanilla, coconut, licorice, cocoa, chocolate, cherry, or coffee, that is a characterizing flavor of the tobacco product or tobacco smoke.”

Tobacco companies like Philly and Swisher have no doubt profited for years from the illegal marijuana industry. Marijuana users commonly purchase legal cigars to empty the tobacco and refill with marijuana. Many other tobacco companies produce “blunt wraps” which do not contain any tobacco making the rolling process easier. The “unflavored” types of these products are still legal under the new law, however the various flavors are usually preferred by most marijuana users.

It is unclear if marijuana smokers were specifically targeted under this bill or when these popular products will be pulled from stores. It is also unclear if the thousands or millions of marijuana users effected will be stocking up on these products because of the tendency for blunts to become stale after long periods of storage.

What do you think of this new law? Let me know in the comments. Subscribe to Spark Report via email subscription or RSS Feed. You can also find SR on Twitter and Facebook and coming soon to the all new StonerNation.com.

Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) has introduced a bill to congress that aims to legalize posession of up to 3.5 ounces of marijuana at the federal level. The “Personal Use of Marijuana by Responsible Adults Act of 2009″ would also legalize the not-for-profit transfer of 1 ounce or less of marijuana. This is a major achievement for marijuana activists but what does it mean for the marijuana industry or the average consumer? 

What you should know

It’s important to note that less than 1% of marijuana arrests happen under federal laws. Federal cases usually involve large distribution operations or medical marijuana businesses that operate legally under state laws. If the bill passes, the average consumer caught with marijuana anywhere it’s currently illegal could still be arrested under state or local laws.

With President Obama recently making jokes of the  issue, it’s unclear if congress will give this bill the respect it deserves. Missouri residents were recently let down after a popular medical marijuana bill was introduced, only to die without a single hearing or word from anybody. Even with support for marijuana legalization growing, it remains a sensitive subject for politicians whose voter base is usually split on the issue. It is much easier for politicians to avoid the subject completely, than risk disappointing a large portion of their political base.

Why this bill is important

It’s important that a honest and factual debate takes place in congress, even if the bill ultimately fails along its long journey to becoming a law. The facts behind marijuana are clouded behind propaganda, spin and out right lies. With enough word of mouth and media coverage, this bill could help restore marijuana’s public image which has been tarnished from decades of “reefer madness“.

Federal marijuana laws are the major road block for states and cities that wish to ease their own marijuana laws. Many local governments are feeling pressure from upset citizens to stop wasting resources on criminalizing marijuana. The City of Garden Grove, California recently spent a quarter million dollars in a failed effort to prosecute a $200 medical marijuana bust. A common sense drug policy at the federal level would spark a dramatic change in local policies.

How you can help

1) Use the internet or public library to educate yourself and others about the facts of marijuana as well as the issues driving marijuana legalization. Many people support marijuana legalization without knowing facts that are crucial to helping clear up untrue myths about marijuana.

2) Tell your local representative that you support the “Personal Use of Marijuana by Responsible Adults Act of 2009″. You can use an online form or simply mail a letter or make a phone call. This simple task helps insure the pro-marijuana movement is heard in government and will make it harder for politicians to continue ignoring the issue.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments. Subscribe to Spark Report via email subscription or RSS Feed. You can also find SR on Twitter and Facebook and coming soon to the all new StonerNation.com.

Lead photo by: zappowbang

Hashtags are a common way to tag or group messages on Twitter. A hashtag is created by simply adding a pound sign (#) in front of a word or acronym within a tweet. This allows, say fans of the National Basketball Association, to follow the #nba hashtag to keep up with related tweets.

Marijuana has a large fan base on Twitter which has spawned many marijuana related hashtags over time. This is a list of the most commonly used marijuana hashtags and what they mean. While all are related to marijuana, they each have their own meaning or context in which they should be used.

#Marijuana, #Cannabis, #Hemp, #Pot & #Weed

These hashtags are generally used to group marijuana related information such as news and links. (example)

#420

420 Usually represents general cannabis culture and can be used to tag random tweets, quotes, songs etc.  It can also be used to tag tweets on or around 4:20. On April 20th, it became the first (and I believe only) marijuana related “Trending Topic” (most popular word or phrase) on Twitter. (example)

#MMOT (Marijuana Movement on Twitter)

The MMOT tag was started by @StonerNation and has became one of the more popular hashtags used. Like #420, it can be applied to just about any type of message and is used to target a specific group of users. (example)

#420KA (420 Killa Army)

Started by @B_Real420 (of Cypress Hill fame) to target people celebrating 4:20 across various time zones. (example)

#HighTweets

Tweets done while under the influence of marijuana. (example)

#TheGanjaBus & #GanjaBus

The Ganja Bus takes routine trips around Twitter everyday. Kind of like #HighTweets, you would likely use this tag while smoking marijuana. (example)

#WeedOverAlcohol

Reasons marijuana is preferred over alcohol. (example)

#WeedQuotes

Popular, funny or random quotes about marijuana. (example)

#DrugWar

Content related to the ongoing drug war. (example)

#MariMonday

A hashtag used on Mondays to celebrate the positive aspects of Marijuana. (example)

#pot40

Created by High Times Magazine to allow their readers to share related content. (not used much anymore)

This is an ongoing list, so if you know of a hashtag that deserves to be listed, let me know in the comments or @sparkreport on Twitter.

Photo by: shorty_nz_2000