State's marijuana law not paying off

Nestled in the town clerk’s office in Leicester Town Hall is $12,600 — so to speak.

The money is actually in the form of 126 unpaid citations levied on people fined for being caught with less than an ounce of marijuana. Two of the citations were written by state police, with Leicester officers issuing the other 124.

Ever since voters passed a referendum in 2008 that made possession of less than one ounce of marijuana a civil offense, police continue to complain about the law not having enough teeth to enforce it and collect the fines.

“We’ve lost money on every single one of those citations,” Leicester Police Chief James J. Hurley said of the stack of unpaid citations. “One of the things that the Question Two proponents were selling at the time was that this was going to bring money into the towns.”

The ballot measure, passed in November 2008 does not force offenders to identify themselves to police, nor does it enforce a way to pay fines. Officials say it leaves them without any way to collect the $100 citations. Printing and processing the citations comes at a cost upfront, Chief Hurley said. His department has laid off eight part-time officers, returned software and gotten rid of a leased motorcycle for patrol. He just took a 2 percent budget cut. The citation money could have helped, he said.

It may be funny when voters write-in Mickey Mouse and Superman for town moderator. It is less so when those are the kind of names people give police.

“Joe Blow, Yogi Bear, there are a number of different names chiefs have citations written out for,” Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association executive director A. Wayne Sampson said. “I heard chiefs complaining they weren’t getting any results, especially when they knew somebody gave them a false name.”

Citations obtained from the city of Worcester show 58 were issued from Sept. 11, 2009, to March 3, 2011. A total of 37 people had paid the fines.

The statistics show state police issued the majority of the citations in the city, with 36. Worcester State University Police follow next with 13, and Worcester Police have issued 8. One citation did not have an agency listed.

Several departments say they don’t see a lot of fake names. Officers tend to know people in town. The biggest problem is collecting the cash.

“There is no mechanism in place for collecting the fine,” Worcester Police spokesman Sgt. Kerry F. Hazelhurst said. “That is where the problem lies. It is hard to enforce when there are loopholes in the law that hinders collection of the fines.”

Dudley police have issued 22 citations from Dec. 1, 2010, to June 16, 2011, and so far 14 have been paid. With police department budgets tight across the state, any extra cash is needed, especially when the person was cited for the violation, Dudley Police Chief Steven J. Wojnar said.

Fines for not paying for a dog license could end up in court, and someone could have a warrant issued for nonpayment, the chief noted. It is not the case for the marijuana citation.

“It would have been better if the law was stepped back and the kinks worked out,” Chief Wojnar said.

Having people deny identifying themselves to police is hard to believe for lawyer Steven Epstein, spokesman for the Massachusetts Cannabis Reform Coalition. Police carry a badge, baton and gun, and most people aren’t going to say no, he said.

“Someone who has that equipment on is going to get your name,” he said. “Will some people be sharp enough to give a fake name? Sure.”

In some cases, someone carrying less than an ounce of pot are committing some other crime or driving offense. In those instances, police can retrieve the person’s name anyway.

Getting people to pay the fines is simple, Mr. Epstein said; just take them to small claims court.

With most civil citations, such as speeding tickets or parking violations, police can levy criminal charges or driver’s licenses and car registrations cannot be renewed. That isn’t an option for the marijuana citation.

There is a price that comes with taking someone to small claims court. Add the cost of having an officer in the court for the case, and municipalities will pay more than what they get back in the $100 citation, police said.

Chief Hurley said his department is working with Western Worcester District Court in East Brookfield to see if an exemption stipulation applies to the town.

There is a bill filed with the state Senate involving the decriminalization of minor offenses that would allow police to better enforce the marijuana citations, said Mr. Sampson. The police chiefs group has supportedthe bill, which has received backing from multiple state legislators.

The bill was not proposed solely because of the marijuana citations, but was filed more for civil infractions, and lessening overcrowding and court costs statewide.

Sen. Michael O. Moore, D-Millbury, a backer of the bill, which will be heard Wednesday by the the Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government, said the bill would give officers the discretion on minor offenses to chose between issuing a civil infraction, or using court action.

The bill would save communities money, as well as the state. It costs money for prosecutors and state-appointed attorneys when someone is brought to court, he said. Court staff also has to process the case.

Chief Hurley doesn’t believe voters understood all the nuances of the referendum before it passed.

“I can’t believe voters knew they were getting into this quagmire,” he said. “It you’re going to pass a law and ask law enforcement agencies to enforce it, then make the law enforceable.”

Baby drowned while mother out buying cigarettes, wings

A 9-month-old Colorado Springs boy died of scalding and drowning Tuesday after his mother left him alone in a bathtub with his 2-year-old brother while she went to buy cigarettes and chicken wings, police said in an arrest affidavit.

The dead boy was identified as Erich Tyler Jr., the infant son of a Fort Carson soldier serving in Afghanistan.

Erich's brother was uninjured.

According to the affidavit, 23-year-old Estella Toleafoa told police she had run out of milk for the children's dinner and planned to buy some at a nearby convenience store.

The affidavit related the following account of what led up to Erich's death:

Before leaving, Toleafoa put Erich and his brother in the bathtub, ran the water until it was about an inch deep in the tub and left both boys naked in the tub.

No one was watching her sons when she left the apartment, locking the door behind her. Instead of going to buy milk, Toleafoa went across the street to a liquor store, where she buy camel cigarettes, then walked to a restaurant to get chicken wings.

She estimated she was gone about 10 minutes and went straight to the bathroom when she returned. The hot water was running and the bathtub was half full. The older boy was standing outside the tub and Erich was floating face down in the water.

Toleafoa said she called 911 within a minute of finding Erich floating in the water. She carried him to a couch and then placed him on the floor while she tried to revive him.

Erich was unresponsive when officers responded at 4:45 p.m. Tuesday to the family's apartment on South Chelton Road.

Efforts to resuscitate the boy were unsuccessful.

In the affidavit, detectives described finding scalding burns on Erich and residue of his skin in the tub and on a wash cloth.

An autopsy showed that Erich suffered severe burns from bath water on most of his body, and died of a combination of scalding and drowning.

Toleafoa was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of felony child abuse.

She is being held in El Paso County jail on a $150,000 bond, jail records show.

According to police spokesman Sgt. Steve Noblitt, the child’s father is on his way back to Colorado Springs. Police postponed their announcement of the death until he could be notified, Noblitt said.

The second boy was placed in foster care, police said

Largest Gathering of E-Cigarette Consumers to Convene in Philadelphia

March 25th and 26th, e-cigarette users from all over the world who quit smoking with the help of e-cigarettes will meet at "Philly Vapefest".

On Friday and Saturday, March 25th and 26th, people who quit smoking with the help of e-cigarettes will meet at "Philly Vapefest" at the Embassy Suites Philadelphia Airport in Pennsylvania. e-cigarette users, who refer to themselves as "vapers," are coming from all over the world to attend.

Hosting the event is the National Vapers Club, a consumer-based, volunteer organization that has local chapters throughout the country. The group was formed to educate smokers, the public, legislators, and public health organizations about e-cigarettes.

"The response to 'Philly Vapefest' has been overwhelming," said Spike Babaian, of National Vapers Club. "Vapers believe, as do many health experts, that e-cigarettes are saving their lives and they want to come together to celebrate that. With the number of vapers growing exponentially, I believe the event will be a great success"

Bill Godshall of Smokefree Pennsylvania said, "You would never see a bunch of people who quit smoking using a nicotine patch getting together to express their enthusiasm and excitement about the patch. People are amazed at how easy this device makes it to transition from smoking to vaping."

Philly Vapefest is sponsored by more than a dozen e-cigarette vendors who will demonstrate and sell products at the event. There will be prizes throughout the day.
Mike Mullins of DigitalCiggz, an e-cigarette vendor in California, said, "I'm really excited to be able to attend this event. I look forward to mingling with our customers, who feel our products have made a tremendous difference in their lives."

Public health professionals will speak about e-cigarettes at Vapefest.

Carl V Phillips MPP PhD, Director of TobaccoHarmReduction.org, says, "I think there's absolutely no doubt that it is a safer alternative to regular cigarettes … Our estimate is that it is probably in the order of 99 percent less harmful than smoking."

"Electronic cigarettes show tremendous promise in the fight against tobacco-related morbidity and mortality," said Dr. Michael Seigel of Boston University's School of Public Health.

Philly Vapefest is the third national gathering of e-cigarette users in the United States and occurs twice annually. Details can be found at www.Vapefest.com. Proceeds from the event are used to further e-cigarette research and activism.

Are higher tobacco taxes the best way to kick the habit?

Startling statistics, tragic personal stories and free support don’t always put out cigarettes, but squeezing smokers’ wallets will.
Raising taxes on tobacco products is the single most effective way to reduce the number of smokers, said Leah Ranney, the associate director for tobacco prevention at UNC Family Medicine Center.

“Money talks,” Ranney said. It discourages young people from starting and reduces the number of cigarettes people use, making it easier to quit, she said.
For every 10 percent increase in the price of cigarette packs, 4 percent of smokers quit, said Joyce Swetlick, director of cessation for North Carolina’s Tobacco Control Network.

In 2007, the federal excise tax increased from 39 cents to $1.01 per pack, a tax hike of more than 150 percent, said Mike Placona, the evaluation expert for the state’s Tobacco Control Network. The state tax rate in effect in 2010 was 45 cents per pack, the sixth lowest in the nation, according to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.
UNC junior Sarah Hussey frequents the flagpole in Polk Place since it’s one of the only places on campus where smoking is permitted. In 2008, UNC implemented a policy that bans smoking within 100 feet of university buildings.

Hussey said she picked up the habit when she started college. But North Carolina cigarette prices make it expensive.
“When you add it all up, it’s ridiculous,” Hussey said.
While raising taxes is the best single way to reduce smoking, the most effective way to get people to quit is combining efforts, Placona said.
“It’s not just a matter of economics,” Placona said. “It’s a matter of a norm that makes the tax more acceptable to people.”

If people don’t understand the dangers of a habit like smoking, the cigarette tax seems inappropriate, and people will find ways to get contraband tobacco products. In 2010, the state’s restaurant and bar smoking ban, combined with increased media campaigning and local school and park bans, helped people view cigarette taxes as worthwhile, Placona said.

Core-Mark Holding’s profit drops to $18M in 2010 Read more: Core-Mark Holding’s profit drops to $18M in 2010 | San Francisco Business Times

Cigarette, food and candy distributor Core-Mark Holding Co. earned $900,000 in the fourth quarter ended December, down from a profit of $8.5 million in the same quarter a year earlier.
Sales rose to $1.86 billion in the quarter, up from sales of $1.65 billion in the fourth quarter of 2009.

For the year ended December, Core-Mark (NASDAQ: CORE) earned $17.7 million on sales of $7.3 billion. In 2009, the company earned $47.3 million on sales of $6.5 billion.
A $19.1 million reduction in cigarette holding gains ate into 2010 profits, as did price increases from manufacturers of the products Core-Mark distributes and other competitive pressures.
Fuel costs, to which a distributor is particularly sensitive, rose $4.6 million in 2010, though Core-Mark was able to offset them partly through improved health care and workers’ compensation costs.
Core-Mark uses 24 warehouses around the United States and Canada to distribute cigarettes, other tobacco products, food, candy and non-alcoholic drinks to convenience stores and other small shops. Cigarettes account for more than two-thirds of its sales.
It’s a fierce market, with over 300 wholesale distributors fighting for business. Core-Mark counts McLane Co., a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE: BRK-A, BRK-B), as its largest competitor.

Cuba Introduces New Technologies in Tobacco Plantations

Havana, Cuba, Mar 16.- The introduction of new technologies such as the double-row planting method will allow Cuban farmers to increase efficiency in the cultivation of what many people regard as the best tobacco of the world.

Oscar Basulto, director of the business group TABACUBA, told ACN that this technique is being successfully implemented in the westernmost province of Pinar del Rio as it allows to make the most of the cultivable land.

The method also reduces the appearance of weeds and it favors the works of irrigation, fumigation and harvesting. At the same time, it contributes to the saving of oil.

According to data provided by specialists in the sector, with this technique, yields increase between 25 and 30 percent as the number of plants per hectare also increases.

Hector Luis, a tobacco grower of the municipality of San Luis in Pinar del Rio selected as Habano Man 2008, said the method also contributes to the reduction of materials used such as fabric and wire.

According to reports from the Ministry of Agriculture, exports and sales of Cuban tobacco in 2010 reached 95% of the plan due to difficulties with the arrival of imports, an aggressive international anti-tobacco campaign, and the current international financial crisis

Fashion fans line up for inexpensive Lanvin line at H&M

November 19 was a day to remember. And no, not because it was the day "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows: Part 1" was released. Instead, I am referring to the day thousands of fashion−conscious men and women began lining up outside none other than fast−fashion retailer H&M.

Why the Harry Potter−like madness? H&M announced in early September its next designer collaboration, this time featuring Alber Elbaz of high fashion house Lanvin. The retailer launched a YouTube teaser video showcasing the collection's highlight pieces. On Nov. 20, the pieces hit stores nationwide.

Although the collection lived up to Lanvin's glamorous style, H&M's prices thankfully did not. Yet another in a long line of collaborations between designers and retailers, including last year's Jimmy Choo for H&M and Alexander McQueen for Target, Lanvin's dresses clocked in at about $200 each. Although the price is hardly within a college student's budget, the dresses, which usually range between $2,000 and $10,000, were a steal.

Yet having $200 in the bank didn't guarantee that hopeful customers would get their hands on the apparel — Boston's own Newbury Street store had a line starting to accumulate at approximately 11 p.m. the night before the Lanvin line launched.

Unfortunately, as you are reading this now, it is already too late. The entire menswear line at the Newbury location sold out shortly after its 8 a.m. opening. By midmorning, the majority of the women's clothing was gone as well.

Though it may seem strange that menswear sold out first, the organization of the event led to such an occurrence. Planners gave customers interested in womenswear a wristband denoting an exact time when they would be allowed into the women's section. Menswear, however, was open to all customers as soon as the doors opened.

Although H&M attempted to put restrictions on shoppers by letting individuals take no more than two of the same item in the same size, the store's efforts were not enough to prevent the collection from selling out well before the line outside had diminished.

All that's left now for hopeful buyers is the unforgiving auctions on eBay, where pieces are selling for twice their retail price and where authenticity is often questionable. As a one−time−only deal, H&M will not be restocking any of the Lanvin products and will only have pieces in store if they have been returned.

Despite my own passion for fashion, I could not bring myself to bear the cold the night before the Lanvin release and stand in a line of fashion−crazed buyers. Still, those who did endure the masses assured me that the quality and fit of the pieces was well worth the consumer headache.

For those who were unimpressed by the off−the−rack Lanvin apparel, an auction was recently held where buyers could bid on haute couture versions of the collection. All proceeds went to support UNICEF as part of H&M's "All for Children" project. The event raised a total amount of $29,063.

The regular Fall 2010 and Spring 2011 Lanvin collections embrace femininity, modernity and functionalism. Many of the pieces are architectural, yet they still feel comfortable and fluid.

Albert Elbaz's pieces for H&M channel these themes, but in a much more youthful manner. Whereas his Spring 2011 pieces are perfect for the mature, fashionable working woman, the H&M pieces are more appealing to a light−hearted, 20−something party girl who likes to make a statement. The dresses feature wildly large ruffles, yet remain cinched at the waist in order to give the wearer shape.

Elbaz also departed from his usual mellow color palette. Though a number of the dresses are black, one is an eye−popping red, another in yellow and yet another in a bright pink floral. Elbaz similarly strayed from his ubiquitous comfortable−yet−glamorous flats, sticking to the party−girl theme with four different types of pointed heels for womenswear, including a leopard−print pair with rhinestones.

Topping the collection off with an entire line of menswear, a range of lipstick colors, oversized jewelry, purses and sunglasses, Elbaz made sure there was little left to be desired among H&M customers. Well, except for more of the same, of course.