The FDA raided two Lawrence stores known for selling K2 earlier this month, and coincidentally, these were also the only two stores in Kansas to be represented at legislative hearings on the potential ban (read all about it in this week's Pitch feature story, "Fake
Reefer Madness").
Jon Sloan -- owner of Bouncing Bear Botanicals and apparent K2 distributor for most of the shops selling it in eastern Kansas -- was charged with multiple felonies, including seven counts of unlawful cultivation or distribution of a controlled substance and one for paraphernalia. His assets were frozen, including his six-year-old son's savings account. If he's found guilty, Sloan might not be out until his kid's old enough to buy him a congratulations-on-your-parole beer.
If this is sort of case that gets you righteously pissed, you should check out savejon.org. There you can read Sloan's arguments for yourself, see pictures of his destroyed store, and if you're so inclined contribute to Sloan's defense fund.
Sloan's Web site reports that he's raised $1,025, but the goal is a whopping $200,000 -- to mount a real defense. The guy definitely needs money, since all of his bank accounts are now government property.
Sloan argues what Jefferson County prosecutors call "controlled substances" are actually common plants available at most retail gardening stores around the country.
John Huffman, an organic chemistry professor at Clemson University, is the scientist whose lab developed the synthetic cannabinoids active in K2 that Kansas wants to ban. Huffman says personal use of K2 should be banned since there's no evidence on toxicity. Take it with a grain of salt, since Huffman isn't a legal mind, but here's what someone who knows his drugs thinks.
Huffman writes: "Looking at the list of compounds, I believe that the guy was set up. I know that some of the compounds are schedule 1, but I question whether a plant that contains a trace of a drug is illegal. Particularly if you can buy it at Lowe's. Morning glory seeds???"
Photo by Mike Yoder.
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All supposed figures of authority involved are under citizens arrest!
For committing violent acts of theft & denying others religious freedom.
They are guilty!
They need to lose their jobs & go to prison.
These terrorist cops should have their children placed in foster care also.
and you're a pompous jackass. he didn't talk shit on you or call you any names for partaking in something that WILL kill you early. he may have worded it as a harsh warning but all he said was if you are going to enjoy things like this remember its usually the tar in smoke that kills, not the actual psychoactive ingredient. but what he's forgetting himself is things created in a lab such as the JWH synthetic cannabinoids or other potent drugs that aren't naturally grown can have a bit of neurotoxicity.
real cannabis is very special and should be legal, obviously people are going to go to great lengths to get high even if it is illegal or harmful to their health. the people need to see this all for what it really is
so why not allow the actual non-harmful substance!?! be smart and vaporize
your an idiot. keep your opinion to yourself no one cares. as a matter of fact im gonna light up a cigarette just for you. dumbass
People forget that the tar is what causes cancer in things. So smoke if you want to die early.
They droped the charges.
But, aren't giving him any of his money or property back.
So, they put him through hell for 2 months, he loses bond money, lawyer fees, they steal $700,000 worth of his stuff.
Then they say "Never mind," -- but still keep all his stuff.
Looks like they can screw you coming, and screw you going.
http://www.savejon.org
Well I am sorry to say it, but I think the government is way out of control. What happened to the part of the constitution that says "the right to liberty, life and the persuit of happiness"? The government is too big and now it is really starting to abuse the situation. The government needs to stop ruining so many lives and get back to basics--the basics upon which the constitution was founded and this country. Basics of life, liberty and happiness which have been all but lost by this over-grown gobernment. One of the founding fathers did mention that a revolution was good for the country about once every 200 years. It might be the time. The only thing I wonder is if the American people have the balls they had when the first revolution occurred. This is something that I see as bad because everybody just lets things happen--like this case with Jon. Nobody is standing up to the government. We can win, but we gotta have balls. It is time my friends.
these gestapo tactics have been going on in the black community since slavery. only we dont get to have our side told. you are right about sitting so long in the county jail, that you will gladly accept a lesser sentence to get out of there. and they know the horrid conditions the jail has. i for one am tired and i am about to get my pound of flesh for what they did to me about my tax refund a few years back. i am dying of an illness anyway so to hell with them i mean it
Which substances that were confiscated were illegal? Cacti? Flower seeds? Incense?
This arrest stinks and those who support this type of raid do as well. Welcome to your nanny state.
No one is allowed to sell such substances with the instructions on how to process and use them in the same website. That has been the case for some years and Mr. Sloan was doing exactly that including having a preparation and use discussion forum there as well.
While I think these things should probably be left alone or have legislation similar to alcohol laws the actual issue seems to revolve around his doing what no one is allowed to - substances, preparation and use all in one place. That seems to be the straw that got the camel's money as far as I can tell. That was an already well known to make mistake.
I do hope this can calm down and resolve without extreme positions and harsh penalties as it does seem a bit rough to impose such punitive potential for such an offense. The punishment potential seems far worse than the crime so far.
bouncing bear is totally legit. i've ordered from them before, excellent quality. hope he wins in court... <3
Wake up Kansans!!! The government is completely out of line and out of control. K2 wasn't illegal yet so they had to get him on something, so they decide to arrest him on an obscure law that makes it illegal to own if the police think you might boil it down to obtain the ingredient. Are you kidding me? It's illegal if the police think you are going to use it for illegal purposes. The man has committed no crime, but because the police say they believed he was going to he is now facing 8 felony counts. One more step to a militarized state. Scary.
If the things on the website are true, that the only "drugs" they had there were just trace chemicals in plant seeds you can buy anywhere, then this is a terrible case of human rights violated. -+
It's scary what the government can do to you if they feel like it. But don't pay attention to this America, Tiger Woods is on TV!!!!!!
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