(Philadelphia Glaucoma) doc, daughter, arrested for growing pot

[Ruby the Liberal]

Source: Philly.com

After 28 marijuana plants were seized at his home, police said, a Main Line eye doctor was arrested Wednesday and jailed on drug charges.
Appearing before a district judge, Paul Carter Ezell, 58, of Haverford Township, wearing a brown t-shirt and blue hospital scrub pants, was ordered held in lieu of $50,000 bail at the Delaware County jail.

Charges against him and his daughter, Victoria Ezell, 23, included possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, and criminal conspiracy, according to court records. Police said they received an anonymous tip earlier this month that Ezell was "growing marijuana at his residence and selling it to his patients and other individuals," according to a news release.

~snip~

Ezell specializes in ophthalmology and performs cataract removal surgery and glaucoma surgery as well as other procedures, according to the website healthgrades.com. Moore, the police officer, declined to speculate on whether Ezell might be using marijuana for glaucoma treatment.

Read more: http://www.philly.com/philly/news/breaking/20140424_Main_Line_eye_doc__daughter__arrested_for_growing_pot.html

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Where is the sanity?

New Jersey, Maryland and Delaware are all within spitting distance of this. May your time come soon, PA.

[BumRushDaShow]

1. This is a state that still has "State Stores"

No wine or spirits sold outside of the state-run "Wine and Spirits Shoppes" (other than restaurants/bars/casinos with a liquor license), so forget MJ.

[Heddi]

2. you can't even buy beer in a store

you have to go to a "Beer Distributor," where you can generally only get a case, and where a case of Miller Light runs $23, and if you want something "Fancy" like Heineken, you have to take out a small loan.

Last week I was going to get something fancy and thought about getting some Delirium Tremens. In Seattle, it was like $20 a 12 pack but I like it for a change every few months. A fucking CASE of DT's was $65 FUCKING DOLLARS. I burst out laughing. The beer guy thought I was already drunk.

[BumRushDaShow]

8. I think you get up to a 6-pack of beer

in certain stores (like delis), but yeah, you need to find a Beer Distributor for cases, kegs, etc. This is why there are so many beer and liquor stores right off the Ben Franklin Bridge in Jersey.

[onehandle]

3. They are no more expensive that independent stores in other states.

When I first moved here a couple of years ago, the idea seemed insane.

I was sure I was being ripped off. But I've checked prices in states from here to Florida and they are comparably priced.

But it still seemed weird and antiquated.

After Corbett went after them to break up their union by privatizing them, I decided to stand behind them.

[BumRushDaShow]

7. What alot of folks discover about PA

is that despite the Democratic support of the state's unionized state store workers as a reason to keep the status quo, there are quite a few "no drinking, no dancing, no card-paying" rural/religious conservative Republicans in the state who also want to keep the status quo.

Being a multi-generational PAer over 50 having grown up with this system, I still have vivid memories of going with my parents to "the State Store", the store's atmosphere hushed like a library. Even today whenever I go in one, I still have this self-consciousness walking up and down the aisles. Just want to get in, find my stuff and buy it, and get out quickly. The state eventually decided to "re-brand" them after renovating them, and dubbed them "Wine and Spirits Shoppes" to make them appear to be like a private liquor store, with nice layouts and friendly/helpful staff. Still, I instinctively keep driver's license at the ready in case of being carded. A childhood psychological effect.

PA was one of the "Drys" (vs "Wets&quot back during the push for Prohibition.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

9. State stores are a great idea.

Apart from the Republican ideological view that everything should provide profit to the private sector, and wealthy individuals, I can think of no reason to want to break up and privatize state stores.

Especially if they're comparably priced. That simply means all of the 'profit' is going to the state - which means the state has to collect less in taxes from residents to provide the same services.

States shouldn't be throwing away such income streams, they should be creating more such, where they can provide the same services to the public as a private entity, make a profit, and NOT have that profit exacerbate wealth inequality, while providing stable jobs to boot.

If Republicans really want the government to 'tax less', then they should embrace state-run businesses. The reality, though, is that it's far more profitable for cronies for them to get to push government out of the way and suck up profits directly.

[IronLionZion]

10. Restaurants and bars have to buy from the state I think

since Republicans like government control

[jberryhill]

4. A menace to society

Thank goodness the well being of humanity is served by putting these people in cages.

[jberryhill]

5. There is no medical mj in Delaware

We passed a law, but have not implemented the required regulations because our spineless, gutless, brainless and ineffectual do-nothing of an attorney general is the son of the Vice President.

But if you want to hide imported Asian "domestic help" in your happy time massage parlor, come on down to Delaware. Beau Biden won't give a shit.

[RainDog]

6. obviously someone with nothing to contribute to society

I am so freaking sick of this shite.

One of the first recognized conditions for govt. grown pot supplied to Americans by the govt. is glaucoma.

Bush the elder did away with the Compassionate Drug Study that supplied a maximum of 30 patients with marijuana as treatment for various illnesses.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compassionate_Investigational_New_Drug_program

Bush the elder shut down the program b/c right wingers/drug warriors in this nation were afraid the HIV/AIDS crisis would mean hundreds of new applicants.

I fucking hate this useless drug war on Americans.

[Sunlei]

11. "anonymous tip" Over & over & over again, the excuse for police to gain entry into anyones home.