Cop finds pot in Norway flower box

Leslie H. Dixon, Staff Writer

Friday, August 21, 2009

NORWAY — Police are on pot patrol in downtown Norway after several more marijuana plants were discovered this week.

Leslie H. Dixon/Sun Journal

Norway Reserve Police Officer Keith Tilsley was apparently successful in his search for pot plants growing on Main Street. He was spotted Thursday evening carrying a plant as he headed for another flower bed.

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Leslie H. Dixon/Sun Journal

Norway Reserve Police Officer Keith Tilsley was spotted Thursday evening with a pot plant in his hands as he headed for another flower box on Main Street apparently looking for more.

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On Wednesday, two plants were found in the alley behind the former Colonial coffee shop, Police Chief Rob Federico said.

The discovery was made by Officer Keith Tilsley, who was apparently out again Thursday evening on Main Street looking in flower beds and other potential grow sites for more plants. At least one more plant was found.

Federico said Friday morning that he could not confirm Thursday's find without seeing the officer's report first.

The illegal plants first cropped up under a tree in front of Woodman's Sporting Goods store on Main Street earlier this month.

An 18-inch pot plant was discovered by someone planting flowers in the bed that was cut into the sidewalk for a tree in front of the building, which is next to the Fare Share market. Many pedestrians — even police officers — walked past it all summer without noticing it, officials said at that time.

Federico said that anyone finding an illegal plant should call police immediately.

ldixon@sunjournal.com

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Displaying comments, from newest to oldest

cantfoolme123 I've added /

By cantfoolme123, unverified — Mon, 08/24/2009 - 00:25

cantfoolme123
I've added / am adding to, part 4

Oh, just de-criminalize it.

By ojhuig, unverified — Sun, 08/23/2009 - 23:25

Oh, just de-criminalize it. I don't use it myself but I know it's not even as potent as beer. You can get a scrip for Oxycontin but not cannabis? This is about politicians pandering to conservative voters. It gives the illusion that something is being done about this country's drug problems, meanwhile it's all going to hell because of coke, crack, meth, and prescription drug abuse. Pot is not even on the list of our worries.

cantfoolme123 Can we get

By cantfoolme123, unverified — Sun, 08/23/2009 - 21:50

cantfoolme123
Can we get Poison Ivy declared an illegal plant? I know a lot of people that consider it harmful.

Exactly!

By ojhuig, unverified — Sun, 08/23/2009 - 23:26

cantfoolme123 part

By cantfoolme123, unverified — Mon, 08/24/2009 - 01:06

cantfoolme123 part 4
Ironically, many of our modern medicines are based on ancient ones that originated in plants. This means that indigenous cultures that have a history of using local plants medicinally, and they always do, could potentially supply us with cures for many diseases. However, the rush to adopt Western Culture and medicines leads to the abandonment of traditional practices and knowledge, and often to the stigmatization of the shamanic practices that conserved this knowledge. This happened in the Western world hundreds of years ago. It was called the Inquisition. During that time, the process was often abused to settle old scores. If you hated someone, accuse them of Witchcraft. This tended to be prosecuted more strenuously in the case of the well – off; their lands and wealth were then confiscated. However, this often targeted practitioners of traditional medicines, who were commonly midwives. As women, they were not able to attend school to study, or influence, the modern medicine of the day. They worked with plants, and superstition both concealed and saved facts. Lets be honest. With the mind set and knowledge that was prevalent in those days, some of them probably bought into the witch thing themselves.
Some witches would make a flying ointment by mixing various ingredients in a fat base, which they would apply to a broom. They would then “ride” the broom to their Sabbat ceremony. The salve would be absorbed by the skin, especially the mucus membranes. . It turns out that some of the plant substances they worked with were very potent, and some had strong mind – altering properties. Deadly Nightshade (Atropa Belladonna), related to the potato and tomato, contains Atropine. This is, well, deadly. In subtoxic amounts, it can cause profound visual and tactile hallucinations, especially when combined with Monkshood, which contains aconitine and affects the heart. Henbane and Mandrake contain scopolamine. This can cause disinhibition, delirium, and hallucinations of visions and a sense of flight, similar to the state between consciousness and sleep. This was used by the Gestapo as a “truth serum”, and may have been burned as an an incense by Delphic Oracles, who would fall into a trance and utter prophecies. Sometimes witches added a toad. Some toad species exude a powerful hallucinogenic neurotoxin from their skin called bufotenine, which had similar effects as LSD. Ergot fungus that contaminated rye grain, used to make flour for bread, etc, contains a precursor for LSD that can strongly affect people. It has been suggested that the Salem Witch Trials episode was triggered by this, especially as the growing season was very damp that spring, a condition under which the Claviceps purpurea fungus thrives. Foxglove, which contains the heart medication Digitalis, and Jimson weed may also have been used. In 401 BC, Xenophon reported a poisoning intoxication of his 10, 000 soldiers from local honey that contained toxic residues from the Rhododendron plants in the area. In 67 BC, the Roman general Pompey’s soldiers were poisoned from honey deliberately left behind by the enemy, who then proceeded to come back and massacre the incapacitated men. Some peoples deliberately fermented well - aged “mad honey”, which intensified the effect of the alcohol in the Mead. 25 tons of “Miel Fou” was shipped yearly from the Black Sea in the 1800’s to European taverns, where the stuff was included in fermented products to give it a kick like a recreational drug. Reminds me of the “Milk Plus” in the Korova Milk bar in Stanley Kubrick’s “A Clockwork Orange”. And speaking of Rhododendrons, there is some question as to whether the “Laurel leaves” purportedly chewed on or burned by the aforementioned Delphic Priestesses, or Pythia, were actually R. leaves, and there is additional documentation or suggestion of various cultures using “Mad Honey” for prophecies. The Pythia were also known as Melessai, or bee – prophetesses.
Many religious figures in ancient history have professed to having mystical experiences that have strongly influenced them. Some people have suggested the accidental or deliberate consumption of plants and substances similar to the above may have contributed to these reported events. The latest edition of Free Inquiry magazine, available in especially comprehensive bookstores, has an absolutely fascinating article along these lines. Maybe the Hippies weren’t the first to say “Wow, I can see God!”
As dealers of life and death medicines and superstition, these women were in a position of power. That didn’t sit well with one very powerful, male – centric group – the Church. They were focused on using conformity for controlling and leading the commoners, and midwives were outside of the established religious – dominated hierarchy. What did they do? Persecute “witchcraft” – legally defined at the time in the Malleus Maleficarum of 1486, in part, as those involved in "producing magickal oyntments from appalling ingredients" - dealers in herbs and medicines. Who did this? Midwives. These practitioners of primitive but somewhat effective herbal medicine were replaced under this campaign of genocide by establishment – sanctioned bloodletters and leech users.

A discerning person can examine what the Europeans are doing for guidance in herbal medicine matters. They are more willing and supportive of research, and have gotten some interesting results or clarification in many cases. Once again, America is falling behind in yet another industry for ideological reasons unrelated to Science while other countries forge ahead with basic research and come to dominate the field. So it is with Marijuana, which European research is supporting as useful for certain medical purposes, a list that is steadily expanding.
Of course, like any other controversial tool, it can be misused and abused, and the debate rages on…. Propaganda, however, is not true debate. For true discussion and decisions in everyone’s best interests, you need facts, and for clear facts, you need ongoing research. The only reasons to oppose research is if you have a vested interest in maintaining the status quo, or are afraid of the Truth.

cantfoolme123 part 3 And

By cantfoolme123, unverified — Mon, 08/24/2009 - 01:01

cantfoolme123 part 3
And speaking of donuts, our cops have much more important things to do than checking out the weeds. While they were looking down, some guy with a Mass plate cut me off. And if they’re going to stare at the ground, how about writing out some tickets for littering to all those people throwing down cigarette butts, scumby’s coffee cups, and fast food wrappers? You know in Hong Kong, the Authorities sentence litterbugs to be lashed with bamboo canes if they get caught, which I hear is really, really painful. I’m told it is a very clean city.
If you’re going to go after weeds, send in the experts. Just have the Highway Dept. walk down “Main St.” with weed whackers and take out anything coming up between the cracks. Then, the town will look a little better, and some town employees will have a few extra bucks to stimulate the local economy. Or have them pour some of that (weed killer) Atrazine – tainted tap water that’s showing up in town water supplies all over America – especially where they grow corn - onto the weeds. Some creative official might even be able to sell it to the DEA as a Drug – Eradication Program and get Federal Money to pay for it! I think I hear the helicopters coming…..
Underlying all this rant I just did is a serious thread. The unfortunate fact is that there are common plants out there that have been shown to have medicinal potential, and the big drug companies won’t pursue them. Elderberries have been shown to fight the flu and other viruses (a cure for Swine Flu?), and I use Jewelweed to cure Poison Ivy. Both of these plants are common around here, and free, by the way. The list of potential cures is virtually endless, and will remain so until research uncovers the facts. The reason is that bringing a new drug to market costs about 750 million dollars. A company will only commit themselves to this huge expense if they can earn it back, and more. They can succeed if the Govt. guarantees them a monopoly on the new drug, commonly referred to as a Patent. You can’t patent a plant. That means if a company does all the expensive studies on a plant, say, St. John’s Wort (possibly more common than dandelions, and another European Invasive plant), and finds it’s the new wonder drug (it’s not, but it does have uses), then any and all other companies could ride their coattails, make the drug themselves, and make money, without having paid all that time and money for the testing expenses. Companies have no incentive to study and market actual plant medicines. They can, however, extract, purify, and synthesize chemical substances from the plants, which is then patentable. They can later tweak the molecule slightly, say its better, and patent the variation, thereby extending the patent monopoly. As they do this, our medicines get better, and more expensive. Healthcare costs rise. Whole plant medicines are discriminated against by the US Government because they haven’t been studied thoroughly (not $750 million apiece worth of thoroughness), and the Government can’t say for sure if they work or not, or if they are safe. Under the current system, US drug companies aren’t motivated to study them.

cantfoolme123 part 2 I

By cantfoolme123, unverified — Sun, 08/23/2009 - 20:09

cantfoolme123 part 2
I can’t stand all these people copping a plea of “not guilty” because the (fill in the blank) made them do it. They ARE guilty. They just aren’t proud of their actions and want to use the system to enable their denial. How about having some personal integrity and being honest and standing up and admitting they made a stupid decision and accept the consequences of their actions? The person the intoxicated driver killed had no choice in accepting the consequences of the bad decision of the irresponsible inebriate; why shouldn’t they have to pay similarly serious consequences? If there were realistic, harsh consequences for first offences for incidents involving intoxication, I guarantee it would have a “sobering” effect on people’s decision – making. Fear does that. And if it didn’t, they’d be locked up anyways and not running my kids over / committing crimes to feed their addiction of choice, etc. I personally think those people who commit the very worst crimes humanity has seen – think Hitler, Manson, and serial / mass murderers – should be committed to a program to donate their bodies to do a head swap / transplant with a person totally paralyzed from the neck down for life. Give these people who truly had no choice in their life imprisonment in their body a second chance, and make life in prison mean something real for those infamous few people who chose to do the worst things history has seen. The terrifying finality of that sentence might actually deter some future would – be Worst Criminal against Humanity. Look at Hitler – he killed himself to avoid the death sentence he knew he would undoubtedly receive if caught. What if he knew he faced the option of Life in Prison by Total Paralysis? It might be seen as more befitting his crimes by those he had wronged, as well. I am not suggesting that for any common crimes, of course; not even murders. And yes, fatty fast food is mind altering. A recent study in the Faseb Journal found a link between consumption of fats and a decline in cognitive function in rats. Yeah, it made them Stoopid. And yes, you can compare studies done on rats to human functions in this case, and some other ones, too. Yeah, donuts made me do it.

cantfoolme123 I don’t

By cantfoolme123, unverified — Mon, 08/24/2009 - 00:54

cantfoolme123
I don’t smoke the stuff myself (love the humor that surrounds it, though), but I do know it works well for some people. There is a long history of people using it for pain and nausea relief (could have used that myself the last 8 years), as well as mood disturbances, which is well documented if anyone cares to look it up. However, like many substances, misuse and inappropriate use can and does lead to bad situations. For example, Gautier said he lost a cousin to a driver using marijuana. The driver in turn said “it was because of the marijuana”. Wrong! It was because someone under the influence of a reality – warping substance made a conscious, and ultimately tragic, decision to get “behind the wheel of a large automobile” (thank you, David Byrne). Bad weed! Let’s take that bad, bad plant behind the woodshed and spank it. Then we can ground it and take away its toys until it learns its lesson. I don’t think so! So many things we have around us, such as guns, knives, cars, axes, and baseball bats, are useful tools that do no harm in and of themselves. Remember, a tool is merely a force multiplier – it only serves to increase the energy or effect of a human’s intent. It sits on the shelf until someone directs it. It is only when someone makes a conscious or irresponsible decision to misuse these tools that they harm. A person that is under the influence of a mind – altering substance, whether it be alcohol, weed, Percocets ™, cheeseburgers, donuts, or caffeine, knows this can affect their ability to do things safely. If they choose to do things involving dangerous tools, like those idiots you inevitably read about every year who go hunting, drinking and playing William Tell with the apple on a poor friends’ head, then sure, bad things might happen. Don’t blame the hardware, though. Even a screwdriver is dangerous if improperly used.

To Gautier, You dont know

By Jim Bigos, unverified — Sat, 08/22/2009 - 13:11

To Gautier,
You dont know the facts about marijuana laws. In fact possesion of marijuana up to 2 1/2 ounces is a misdemeanor, civil offense, no different than traffic violations and no criminal record. My second point I would like to make is, that marijuana (cannabis) has been used sinse 700BC and was legal in the U.S. from 1776 until the mid 1930's, Presedents Jefferson, Washington,Lincon, Taft and others had thier own private marijuana patches. The federal goverment (Treasury dept.) had the Marijuana tax Act of 1936. It was encouraged by the Goverment for farmers to cultivate marijuana and the gov. paid for thier expences and provided farmers with new technological advances in equipment for it's harvesting. In 1934 the U.S. goverment inventors came up with the most newest technological advacement, a combine machine that would seperate the seeds from the rest of the plant.
The American medical assoc. states that marijuana is the most safest theraputical drug known to mankind, also to this day the federal goverment thru the DEA and other U.S. agencies have marijuana grown at the University of Mississipi for 7 patients who enrolled in a federal program in 1978 whereby the goverment provides these patients with thier yearly supply of medical marijuana, this goverment grown marijuana is rolled into 300 joints and placed in a tin canisterand shipped to each patients pharmacy on a monthly basis, and this isbeen ruled on by the United States Supreme Court, that the goverment must comply with the program and its original patients, to supply them marijuana!
I in fact, I was in Court Friday august 21, 2009 for a hearing on a ruling by the Oxford County Superior court Judge Roland Cole which ruled that the Maine drug enforcement Agency and the Oxford Co. Sherriff's Dept. Illegally confiscated my legal amount of Useable medical marijuana and order in open court to the AAG. to return it along with rolling papers,six marijuana plants and pruning shears. This was agreed to by the AAG prosecutor. On friday the case was continued, I believe the property ordered returned has been destroyed, which means I will have to be reimbursed it's value, and according to the proffessionals of the State,the MDEA(Maine drug Enforcement Agency) just the value of the six plants exceed $24,000.00. And because of my legal property being illegaly seized I had no supply for the year , so my physician had to put me on the prescription for synthetic THC(marinol). I am disabled and on Mainecare so it cast the Taxpayers of Maine for my 12 months of the prescription at $1500.00 per month, you canfigure that price out, thank you Gautier for paying!

Hi everyone, I forgot one

By Jim Bigos, unverified — Sat, 08/22/2009 - 13:24

Hi everyone, I forgot one important fact, a Goverment Fact, Please log on to youtube and check out the Goverment Documetary "Hemp for Victory", very interesting!!!!!!
>just type the title into the youtube search box (hemp for victory)

People are sticking seeds in

By Chippy, unverified — Sat, 08/22/2009 - 07:48

People are sticking seeds in public places to get the Norway cops going. The cops walked by the plants all summer and didn't notice them. What a joke. Whoever planted the seeds is chuckling about the production the Norway police are making out of this. They have nothing better to do anyways but bother people having parties on their own personal property or looking for hemp plants. Come on - go fight some real crime.

The greatest harm to people

By Foamfollower, unverified — Fri, 08/21/2009 - 23:01

The greatest harm to people I have personally witnessed has been a result of the fact that this drug is illegal. Tobacco is lethal, alcohol is wildly destructive to the fabric of society in myriad ways. What I do know is that an awful lot of Mainers choose to use it and in my experience some of the most industrious, creative and financially successful people I have ever met are included in that group.

As adults, they can make a choice about this as it affects only them. That's what free, grownup people do. At this point in our history, it is simply laughable that the government would presume otherwise.

For what purpose do we intend our tax payers to continue to support Cannabis prohibition. A recent estimate states that over 100 million people have used Cannabis within the US. Prohibition didn't work with Alcohol and will never be successful with Cannabis.

Why is marijuana cultivation for personal use illegal at all? Specifically, why can't responsible, tax-paying, adult citizens of this state grow marijuana for their own use on their own property if they wish to? I realize this will strike some as a naïve question and leave others spluttering mad, but in the end there really is no good, much less constitutional, reason for this conduct being prohibited.

Roughly the same number of citizens use marijuana today as used it last year as used it 10 years ago. When this many citizens are willing to risk so much to engage in this behavior, it's not a matter of them being on the wrong side of the law, but the law being on the wrong side of the people, and maybe it's time for the law to change.

Fact is the plant is

By gautier, unverified — Fri, 08/21/2009 - 19:08

Fact is the plant is illegal...Good job Norway PD in locating the plants. Whether you like it or not, Marijuana is illegal in the State of Maine. It does not mater is the plant is 18" or 8 feet its illegal. Maine actually has some of the most lenant marijuana laws in the Country. Most states if you get caught with a plant that size would be a criminal offense. In Maine you get slapped on the hand if that. I say make the laws stricter. You get caught with a joint you go to jail just like most other states. So people don't understand..Under the Influence is Under the Influence whether it is alcohol or drugs. And don't tell me that a person that smokes marijuana is not a danger. I lost a cousin to a driver taht was under the influence of marijuana and had not ben drinking at all. Even the driver says it was because of the marijuana. Those that say other wise are only saying so because they are dope smokers also.

Come on what happened to

By big daddy, unverified — Fri, 08/21/2009 - 19:01

Come on what happened to promoting green and organic agriculture.What most likely happened was a disgarded seed produced them. I guess the police in Norway got nothing to do but be on weed patrol.

verified

They act as if these plants

By Steve Violette, verified user — Fri, 08/21/2009 - 17:04

They act as if these plants could kill someone. The plant is harmless. Stop trying to frighten people!!

What a world. The officer is

By Tired, unverified — Fri, 08/21/2009 - 14:45

What a world. The officer is wasting time chasing down scraggly little "illegal plants" like that instead of catching criminals. How much do you think that would be worth on the street? Maybe .75 cents? Oh yeah, they'll say something extraordinary like "That plant if fully matured would be worth $75,000 on the streets! We're the best! Nothing gets by our sharp eyes!" My goodness - some kid stuck a pot seed in some flower boxes for crying out loud! Pull it up if you must, but let's not make a federal case out of it!

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Cop finds pot in Norway flower box

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