Lamar deputies made two arrests, seized 4.5 pounds of marijuana and confiscated some $4000 after making a routine traffic stop on I-75 April 13.
Pictured (counterclockwise from top left) Roberts, Lester and seized drugs/cash.
![Twitter](https://www.facebook.com/The-Herald-Gazette-113423362004259/?ref=settings"_blank"><img src="/uploads/SiteGraphics/facebook.jpg" alt="facebook-website" /></a></div>
<div class="serendipitySideBarFooter"></div>
</div>
<div class="serendipitySideBarItem serendipitySideBarItem_Last container_serendipity_html_nugget_plugin">
<div class="serendipitySideBarTitleEmpty"></div>
<div class="serendipitySideBarContent"><a href=)
Good work LSD.
Why Kuh- SHun- Druh
or Shea- rel
or More- tez
or sam- mall
The parents did these ppl an injustice from the get go.
Marijuana Can Cause Permanent Mental Illness
Marijuana Is Highly Addictive
Marijuana Is More Potent Today Than In The Past
Marijuana Offenses Are Not Severely Punished
Marijuana Is More Damaging to the Lungs Than Tobacco
I would rather be in a room full of smokers than drunks. Legalize It.
Marijuana was the most-used illicit drug among high school seniors in 2006. Percentage of U.S. 12th graders reporting past-year use of drugs (other than alcohol and tobacco):
� Marijuana: 31.5%
� Other narcotics (i.e. Vicodin, OxyContin): 9%
� Amphetamines: 8.1%
� Cocaine: 5.7%
� Hallucinogens: 4.9%
� Heroin: 0.8%
Source: Center for Substance Abuse Research, University of Maryland
By Rita Rubin, USA TODAY
Tyreol Gardner first smoked marijuana when he was 13.
"The main reason I tried it was curiosity," Gardner recalls. "I wanted to see what it felt like."
He liked what it felt like, and by age 15, he was smoking pot every week. He supported his habit with the money his parents gave him for getting straight A's on his report card. They didn't have a clue.
"By 16, when I got my license, it turned into a fairly everyday thing," says Gardner, now 24. "I believe it is very addictive, especially for people with addictive personalities."
Millions of baby boomers might disagree. After all, they smoked marijuana — the country's most popular illicit drug — in their youth and quit with little effort.
But studies have shown that when regular pot smokers quit, they do experience withdrawal symptoms, a characteristic used to predict addictiveness. Most users of more addictive drugs, such as cocaine or heroin, started with marijuana, scientists say, and the earlier they started, the greater their risk of becoming addicted.
Many studies have documented a link between smoking marijuana and the later use of "harder" drugs such as heroin and cocaine, but that doesn't necessarily mean marijuana causes addiction to harder drugs.
"Is marijuana a gateway drug? That question has been debated since the time I was in college in the 1960s and is still being debated today," says Harvard University psychiatrist Harrison Pope, director of the Biological Psychiatry Laboratory at Boston's McLean Hospital. "There's just no way scientifically to end that argument one way or the other."
That's because it's impossible to separate marijuana from the environment in which it is smoked, short of randomly assigning people to either smoke pot or abstain — a trial that would be grossly unethical to conduct.
"I would bet you that people who start smoking marijuana earlier are more likely to get into using other drugs," Pope says. Perhaps people who are predisposed to using a variety of drugs start smoking marijuana earlier than others do, he says.
Besides alcohol, often the first drug adolescents abuse, marijuana may simply be the most accessible and least scary choice for a novice susceptible to drug addiction, says Virginia Tech psychologist Bob Stephens.
No matter which side you take in the debate over whether marijuana is a "gateway" to other illicit drugs, you can't argue with "indisputable data" showing that smoking pot affects neuropsychological functioning, such as hand-eye coordination, reaction time and memory, says H. Westley Clark, director of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Adolescents have the greatest rates of marijuana use, and they also have the greatest amount to lose by using marijuana, scientists say.
"Adolescence is about risk-taking, experimentation," says Yasmin Hurd, professor of psychiatry, pharmacology and biological chemistry at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York who last summer published a rat study that found early exposure to THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, led to a greater sensitivity to heroin in adulthood.
"All of the studies clearly show the earlier someone starts taking marijuana, the greater their vulnerability to addiction disorders and psychiatric disorders. I'm so shocked still that so many parents are not considering enough the dangers of early drug use."
Use is more common
Marijuana use by adolescents in the USA declined slightly from 2005 to 2006, but it's still more common than it was 15 years ago, according to "Monitoring the Future," an ongoing study by the University of Michigan that tracks people from the eighth grade through young adulthood. It's paid for by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, or NIDA, part of the National Institutes of Health.
In 2006, 11.7% of eighth-graders said they had used marijuana during the past year, compared with 6.2% of eighth-graders in 1991. Among 12th-graders, 31.5% said they had used marijuana in the previous year; in 1991, 23.9% said they had.
"You are at school, and your main job as an adolescent is to learn and memorize," NIDA director Nora Volkow says. But if you keep becoming intoxicated by smoking marijuana, she says, you'll fall further and further behind in your studies. "How are you going to catch up?"
In a study comparing heavy marijuana users with people who'd had minimal exposure to the drug, Pope found that the former had lower verbal IQ scores than the latter. In a 2003 paper, he and his co-authors postulated three potential reasons: innate differences between the groups in cognitive ability that predated first marijuana use, an actual toxic effect of marijuana on the developing brain or poorer learning of conventional cognitive skills by young marijuana users who skipped school.
Wasted years
By the time Gardner was a junior, he started skipping high school regularly to smoke pot. "I would always find somebody who wasn't at school that day and get high with them," he says. Gardner says he missed 50 days in the first semester of his senior year. His parents discovered his stash of marijuana and sent him to a psychiatrist. His grades plummeted; his college plans evaporated.
When he was 16 or 17, Gardner says, he was charged at least twice with possession of marijuana and underage possession of alcohol. The court sent him to a three-month outpatient treatment program. He attended weekly sessions and underwent urine checks.
But it didn't stick. He celebrated the end of the program by getting high on pot and alcohol. By 18, "I was pretty heavy into cocaine," Gardner says. Crystal meth and intravenous heroin followed.
"I was always looking for the ultimate high. It was like a constant search, and I never found it. … By the end, it was a living hell for me."
Finally, Gardner says, his parents persuaded him to enter an inpatient treatment program in Winchester, Va. They spoke from experience. When he was 8, Gardner says, his father stopped using drugs while in prison for possession. "My mom got clean while he was in prison."
Gardner says he has been off drugs and alcohol for 14 months. He works in a Winchester factory that makes patio decking. He graduated high school because a teacher took pity on him and let him try to make up the work he had missed. More than six years after graduating, Gardner hopes to go to college to study psychology.
Research shows marijuana users are significantly less satisfied with the quality of their lives than non-users, a revelation "as telling as any very fancy story of molecules," Volkow says.
Yet, she says, "I think there is a general sense that marijuana is a relatively benign drug and does not produce addiction." Although over the past decade, "research clearly has provided unequivocal evidence that … some people can become addicted to marijuana."
Stephens has conducted seven large treatment studies of marijuana dependence, or addiction. "There's never any shortage of people who meet this definition," says Stephens, who edited the 2006 book Cannabis Dependence.
Pot as predecessor
Pope has studied heavy marijuana users, whom he defines as having smoked pot at least 5,000 times, or once a day for nearly 14 years. On average, his subjects, ages 30 to 55, reported having smoked marijuana 20,000 times.
Pope required the volunteers to abstain from smoking pot for 28 days and used urine samples for confirmation.
"We had them rate various symptoms on a day-by-day basis," he says. "We were able to show there is a clear withdrawal syndrome."
His research found the most common symptom of marijuana withdrawal was irritability, followed by trouble sleeping and loss of appetite. Symptoms began to subside after a week and disappeared by the end of two weeks.
"We've had some people in our study who reported quite a lot of craving. They were quite miserable not being allowed to smoke marijuana," Pope says, although "certainly, one does not see craving even remotely to the degree you would … with heroin or alcohol or cocaine."
Marijuana today is more potent and therefore more toxic than marijuana grown in the 1970s, Volkow says. Back then, she says, plants typically contained only 2% THC. Today, she says, marijuana plants typically contain 15% THC.
Even if today's marijuana is more potent, Stephens says, he's not convinced that makes a difference.
"The evidence of its increased potency is overrated," he says. Samples of marijuana grown in the 1970s might have appeared to be less potent than they actually were because they weren't fresh when tested. And, Stephens speculates, marijuana users might just smoke more of less-potent pot, and vice versa.
A family problem
Rachel Kinsey says drug addiction runs in her mother's family, although not in her immediate family. Kinsey, 24, started drinking alcohol at 14 and smoking marijuana at 15 — "definitely a predecessor for everything else I used." She began using Ecstasy and cocaine at 17, then heroin at 18.
"I did graduate high school, and I went off to college, but I withdrew after a month," says Kinsey, of Richmond, Va. She used the diagnosis of mononucleosis she'd received the week before college as an excuse.
"I don't think I was ready for the responsibility, and I wanted to continue to use while I was in college. I was at the point where I just didn't care about college. I was already using heroin."
She moved in with her boyfriend and his father, both of whom used heroin. At 19, she got pregnant. She moved back in with her mother, substituted methadone for heroin and gave the baby up for adoption. Practically as soon as she delivered, she was back to using heroin.
About five months after her son was born in May 2003, Kinsey entered inpatient addiction treatment. During the 30-day program, she became involved with a man who went back to using cocaine after ending treatment. Kinsey says she didn't want to go back to using cocaine or heroin, "but for some reason I thought it was OK to drink and go back to smoking weed."
When she turned 21 in fall 2003, "it was off to the races. For some reason, I felt (turning 21) gave me the right to drink if I wanted to."
From January to August 2004, Kinsey says, she was charged three times with driving under the influence of alcohol and marijuana.
'Not worth the risk'
With the help of another stay at a treatment center, Kinsey hasn't used drugs or alcohol since Aug. 25, 2004, the day after her last DUI arrest. She's halfway toward graduating from nursing school and works as a nurse tech in a hospital. For the first time, she has signed a lease on an apartment and pays rent.
She can't drive until September 2008 and then only to work, to school and to 12-step meetings.
If she had to do it all over again, she says, she never would have started smoking marijuana.
"You never know where it's going to lead you," she says. "You don't know that you're not going to become an addict, so it's not worth the risk."
Marijuana is far less dangerous than alcohol or tobacco. Around 50,000 people die each year from alcohol poisoning. Similarly, more than 400,000 deaths each year are attributed to tobacco smoking. By comparison, marijuana is nontoxic and cannot cause death by overdose. According to the prestigious European medical journal, The Lancet, "The smoking of cannabis, even long-term, is not harmful to health. ... It would be reasonable to judge cannabis as less of a threat ... than alcohol or tobacco."
Get the facts.
NORML supports the removal of all penalties for the private possession and responsible use of marijuana by adults, including cultivation for personal use, and casual nonprofit transfers of small amounts. This policy, known as decriminalization, removes the consumer -- the marijuana smoker -- from the criminal justice system.
More than 30 percent of the U.S. population lives under some form of marijuana decriminalization, and according to government and academic studies, these laws have not contributed to an increase in marijuana consumption nor negatively impacted adolescent attitudes toward drug use.
Enforcing marijuana prohibition costs taxpayers an estimated $10 billion annually and results in the arrest of more than 872,000 individuals per year -- far more than the total number of arrestees for all violent crimes combined, including murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault.
YEAR MARIJUANA ARRESTS
2007 872,721
2006 829,625
2005 786,545
2004 771,608
2003 755,187
2002 697,082
2001 723,627
2000 734,498
1999 704,812
1998 682,885
1997 695,200
1996 641,642
1995 588,963
1994 499,122
1993 380,689
1992 342,314
1991 287,850
1990 326,850
Of those charged with marijuana violations, approximately 89 percent, 738,915 Americans were charged with possession only. The remaining 90,710 individuals were charged with "sale/manufacture," a category that includes all cultivation offenses, even those where the marijuana was being grown for personal or medical use. In past years, roughly 30 percent of those arrested were age 19 or younger.
NORML supports the eventual development of a legally controlled market for marijuana, where consumers could buy marijuana for personal use from a safe legal source. This policy, generally known as legalization, exists on various levels in a handful of European countries like The Netherlands and Switzerland, both of which enjoy lower rates of adolescent marijuana use than the U.S. Such a system would reduce many of the problems presently associated with the prohibition of marijuana, including the crime, corruption and violence associated with a "black market."
Mort and 'shundra's mug shots were so dissimilar to the array of booking photos published in this fine newspaper the past few weeks. The snarly, head tilted upward shots were replaced with a more casual and genuine
pose. 'shundra's downward glance is a good touch. I prefer that softer and natural pose in contrast to the "propped up" look in past mug shots. (borrowed from S Tolley) I believe a caption could be displayed under the name and booking number on the head shots.
Examples: Morty Sammy seems to be thinking to himself "Duh!" while 'shundra is appears to be thinking "say what?"
Blogging contributors should feel free to provide captions so as to preserve the moment.
What do you think?
Call N. Alcars 10-4
Someone correct me if im wrong.
An rare few tokes with the intention of getting a little buzz on to relax is no more worse than drinking a little wine with dinner or a beer on a really hot day, the taste is sometimes good and the moment proper. The problem is the addictive drinker or smoker who has to medicate himself or herself because they are unhappy people trying to be something they are not, or because by nature because they have to feed their addictive personality.
None of the surveys like the one quoted in earlier posts means anything, because the more abused drugs we permit are left out. If they included alcohol, it would be the biggest gateway drug in the world by far.
Only a non-drinker has the right to criticize pot because they are in the same class.
The girl that was allegedly raped lied and GBI found this out. Believe the skank is in military school or something now. Get your facts straight hypocrits of bville
that is the funny part and i know both of you well.
Keep up with the clean up Sheriff Waller!
While a young man is apparantly in the hospital, and his family is not in a position to defend him, he gets trashed by "anonymous" posters. That seems unfair.
I think we should all try to stick to the original story with our comments.
It always interests me that the people who are transporting the drugs (back to original story) are marginal people, lower in education, income level, driving a crappy car, license suspended.
Dislike what this boy has done but still have compassion for him as his "sickness" has hurt a lot of people as well as himself.
DM is a known crack head and drug abuser himself. I dont think he has any room to talk or even comment on this subject. He has had many many many run ins with the law in such manners just as this has happened if not worse. He should just chalk this on up as " i know where you are coming from and what you are going through."
Pretty sad when a Griffin PD lives around this stuff too but fails to turn in or report the activity. Isnt he sworn in to do such thing. Let me know.
Prison is the only option for these menaces to society.
Im not denying that the man wont help someone out. Very well could be.
If DM is living straight is has happened recently. Im sure he dont let his personal habits or ex habits (whatever) be known publicly. Im just saying the man has stuff in his own closet whether some of you horse rider friends want to believe it or not.
BTW this isnt "brandon" who ever that is. I see the name mentioned a couple of times. I am in no way related to the guy that OD'd.
Ive been out there too at his home and had some conversations also. Even seen that ole blind dog (white great dane)he has that runs into stuff.
I know what im talking about.
I "heard" that DM told BJs mom a few months ago that he was gonna kill BJ. Dang isnt this the same thing that BJ just done. DM didnt get in any trouble for that. That is terroristic threats. The SO probably didnt want to get swung on by him and do all the paper work so they didnt persue anything. A complaint was filed but i dont think he was locked up. Money will get you out of stuff. I never said DM didnt have any money. I said he has problems of his own. Im guessing he hasnt openly talked about some stuff to some ppl or you wouldnt be denying it.
Anyway that is besides the point.
No one is holding that little girl hostage with BJ. That is her choice but yet DM and his klan look at it as BJ is the bad one. Disown your daughter DM and the rest of you. Why be mad at the boyfriend cause the daughter likes him. That is some redneck trailer park trash attitude stuff if ive ever heard of it. I couldnt believe it when i heard about it. Well yes i could.
Just because ppl have issues dont mean they are bad ppl. quite a few of the ppl Kip has working for him are crack heads. A few of these ppl i have seen with my own eyes take a big breath and kill a 20 dollar rock. They would still do anything for anyone. They are good ppl. Just crackheads.
That was a very nice thing he done. Never doubted he would do anything like that. That still has nothing to do with his personal issues.
How did BJ take a future away from this girl. That sounds like something DM would say. No one is at gunpoint to do anything.
#69
No not everyone knows about the blind dog he has. I have never heard about it until i went there and saw it and asked about it.
Good try to you too.
A little secret: Gah are you posting from 2nd grade or something. I would be willing to bet that everything is pretty much on the table. How do you know what she knows and dont know.
#70
Good post
So this is small town life, huh?
It breaks my heart for these families involved. My teenage daughter just told me who the families were involved. How devestating. I can see where each family is upset and feels "robbed". So sad for the girl with such a bright future ahead of her. Guess that is not the life she longed for. Too bad that "love" cannot pay the bills or the house payment or put your kids thru school. You cant live on love. You have to your family. They will be there when the rest of the world walks out. Lies will get you nowhere. The truth always comes out!
Honor thy father and thy mother.
Hmmm
FYI how can you snort a 20 dollar rock. You ever heard the phrase "smoking crack" that is what is done with crack. It is smoked. We gotta use a little bit of common sense here. dang.
Which post are you assuming that Nikki wrote.
or just a lier????
L.T. needs to write on this blog so someone can understand what is going on here!!
We go from 2 being arrested on 75 to a B.J. What gives ppl? lol!!
what i really mean is : i have no freakin' idea what some of these folks are talking about. sorry , i dont belive even i can make rhyme or reason out of this one.....
i do wish they could block these folks commenting with the cell phones and using text shorthand.... not cool....
I assure you that the "employer" doesnt care. As long as they do the job it dont matter what happens other than that. Drinking, drugs, etc. The SO already knows about it. Most times they just turn their heads about. DUI in a commercial vehicle is a major offense.
griffin police officers getting shot at during a high speed chase Saturday night? Did they catch the guy?
Kip knows what goes on. Yea im gonna call them out.. what the heck right. Kip knows what goes on. The drink and drive every day. Been stopped for it. Kip went and picked up the truck. Person was taken in. Eating packs and packs of mustard and sucking on pennies and somehow ended up beating the system. Maybe not all of them do it but i know what im talking about. So yes the employer dont care what goes on. I think its all a conspiracy. Just like that crap about that stolen equipment that he got cleared on. That is bull crap. When someone tells you to NOT CALL THE POLICE IF YOU SEE THIS STOLEN PIECE OF EQUIPMENT something is fishy.
SO SO SO many crooked things happens in barnesville and just gets looked over and swept under the rug. Its really a shame.
Im telling you that it dont matter how many years the ppl have been employed with the company. They have been drunk since 1975 and never let up yet. Do you really think that they dont absolutely reak of alcohol. It is horrible. Almost make you throw up. Stops at C&B and buys beer for the road. Tall boys, 40s, 22s, it dont matter. As long as they bring that money in, he dont care about it.