Amsterdam, The Netherlands - Shops selling cannabis seeds and specialist equipment for cultivating marijuana plants face closure under proposed changes to Dutch drugs laws. Justice Minister Ernst Hirsch Ballin told parliament he would amend laws to ban the sale of everything that "facilitates the production of cannabis", news agency ANP reported on Thursday. A majority of lawmakers said in November they supported such a move.

So-called "grow shops" often offer clients full advice on how to grow marijuana at home, an activity illegal in The Netherlands, Christian Democrat lawmakers have said. Soft drugs are officially banned in The Netherlands but under a policy of tolerance, buyers are allowed to have less than five grams of cannabis in their possession.

In recent years the country has sought to shed its "anything goes" image and has tightened laws on drug use and prostitution.

Source: Mail & Gardian

Copyright: 2008, Reuters

Idaho - Dawn Wells, who played Mary Ann on "Gilligan's Island," is serving six months' unsupervised probation after allegedly being caught with marijuana in her car. She was sentenced Feb. 29 to five days in jail, fined $410.50 and placed on probation after pleading guilty to one count of reckless driving.

Under a plea agreement, three misdemeanor counts - driving under the influence, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a controlled substance - were dropped.

On Oct. 18, Teton County sheriff's Deputy Joseph Gutierrez arrested Wells as she was driving home from a surprise birthday party that was held for her. According to the sheriff's office report, Gutierrez pulled Wells over after noticing her swerve and repeatedly speed up and slow down. When Gutierrez asked about a marijuana smell, Wells said she'd just given a ride to three hitchhikers and had dropped them off when they began smoking something. Gutierrez found half-smoked joints and two small cases used to store marijuana.

The 69-year-old Wells, founder of the Idaho Film and Television Institute and organizer of the region's annual family movie festival called the Spud Fest, then failed a sobriety test.

Wells' lawyer, Ron Swafford, said that a friend of Wells' testified that he'd left a small amount of marijuana in the vehicle after using it that day, and that Wells was unaware of it. Swafford also said several witnesses were prepared to testify that Wells had very little to drink at the party and was not intoxicated when she left. He said she was swerving on the road because she was trying to find the heater controls in her new car.

Source: NewsDay.com

Copyright: 2008, NewsDay.com

Troops from the Armada Digit 70 Fluvial Infantry Battalion gave a burdensome puff to Los Rastrojos crook gang, remarkable two of its members, including sole nicknamed 'Neneco,' and destroying five of its industry labs," Colombia's Naval forces stated in a communique.

The arrestees are further ex- colleague of Colombia's Mutual Self-Defense (AUC) in the western Narino edge province. The AUC was disarmed on Apr of 2006 on the contrary its ultra right-wing commanders gathered troops and continued their illicit activities, including illegal narcotic trafficking in the Colombian regions.

The Colombian Flotilla reported that during this foray it confiscated weapons, comment equipment, glue to generate cocaine, coca leaves, petrol and other substances.

Colombia and Ecuador compass been locked in a discreet moment thanks to Colombia violated Ecuador's power on Step 1 during a soldierly incursion into its domain against a mould affinity to the Radical Armed Vigour of Colombia (FARC).

From http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-04/15/content_7979403.htm