Scoutmaster Charged with Feeding LSD, Marijuana to Child

Police arrested an assistant scoutmaster in suburban New York City in December and accused him of giving LSD, alcohol, and marijuana to a 13-year-old member of his Boy Scout troop.

Lawrence Moschitta, 32, was arrested Dec. 13, according to published reports. Court records say the alleged crime occurred Dec. 3 at Moschitta’s home on Long Island.

He now faces at least two misdemeanor charges, failure to exercise control of a minor and unlawfully dealing with a child. He posted $2,500 cash bail on a $5,000 bond and was released from the local jail shortly after his arrest.

Scoutmaster’s father claims accusations are “false”

Moschitta didn’t have an attorney as of Dec. 16, according to reports, and his father said he wasn’t available to comment. Moschitta was an Eagle Scout, father Anthony Moschitta said. The elder Moschitta said he served as a Boy Scout leader for more than 30 years. He said the accusations are “shocking” but “false.”

“He would never do anything to endanger a Scout,” Anthony Moschitta said.

Moschitta removed from the scouts organization

Boy Scout Troop 183, located in West Babylon, N.Y., removed the younger Moschitta as assistant scoutmaster and expelled him from the organization, according to a letter from a local scoutmaster that was published by The Associated Press. The letter said troop leaders would cooperate closely with police in their investigation.

“The alleged incident happened outside of a Troop function, but did involve one of our scouts,” wrote Scoutmaster Guy Zummo. Zummo declined to comment beyond the letter.

But other scoutmasters called the charges disturbing. Ryan A. DiBernardo, who leads the Suffolk County Council of the Boy Scouts, said what Lawrence Moschitta is accused of doing runs “counter to everything for which the Boy Scouts of America stands.” The Boy Scouts, he said, do not “tolerate or condone illegal drug use by youth or adults, and we take this issue seriously.”

It was unclear what rank the boy had achieved in the Scouts, or how long Lawrence Moschitta had been with Troop 183. Police also didn’t disclose how much of the drugs the child consumed or whether he became sick.

Not an isolated incident

This is hardly the first case involving adults feeding drugs to children. A 45-year-old Maryland resident was arrested in July and charged with giving cannabis to three teenagers. She also allegedly tried to teach a 6-year-old girl how to light up. A Georgia couple were busted last year and accused of trapping two boys in a basement and forcing them to consume marijuana.

Little is known about the long-term effects of drugs on teenagers, including marijuana use. But acid can cause recurring flashbacks and extreme anxiety episodes. And a mix of drugs such as LSD, pot, and alcohol can have strong amplifying effects.

Scoutmaster Charged with Feeding LSD, Marijuana to Child

Fewer Teens Are Using Marijuana

It’s one of the most common and passionate arguments made by people who oppose marijuana reform: Legalizing the drug will surely lead more teenagers to smoke it.

New data out of the federal government show that argument for what it is – bunk. The 2015 Monitoring the Future Survey, an annual questionnaire from the University of Michigan and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) found underage cannabis use dropped over the last year.

Teenage drug use continues to decline

That marks the lowest point in a 20-year decline in those numbers, which track use of alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs over the preceding year by students in 8th, 10th, and 12th grades. Teen consumption has been dropping steadily, if slightly, for the past five years, a time during which four states and Washington, D.C., legalized the drug for personal use. Another 33 states allow some form of medical marijuana.

“We are heartened to see that most illicit drug use is not increasing, non-medical use of prescription opioids is decreasing, and there is improvement in alcohol and cigarette use rates, said NIDA Director Nora D. Volkow.

Most promising results in four decades

This year’s results were the most heartening since the study was launched in the 1970s. The numbers fly in the face of claims made by anti-cannabis activists, who say legalization will lead to widespread childhood drug abuse and other wanton behavior.

None of this has come to pass. In fact, the study found that use of hard drugs such as heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, and synthetic drugs, also dropped during 2015.

The survey queried more than 40,000 students in middle and high schools across the United States, both public and private. The massive number of subjects means the statistics are highly credible. That makes them especially useful in tracking how teens use alcohol and drugs. The large sample size also makes the numbers helpful in measuring the effect of marijuana legalization on teenage substance abuse.

Opponents of reform frequently try to sell the trumped-up claim that legal cannabis inevitably means more children will use the drug.

“Relaxing (marijuana) laws clearly leads to more teenage drug use,” said U.S. Rep. Andy Harris, a Maryland Republican. “It should be intuitively obvious to everyone that if you legalize marijuana for adults, more children will use marijuana because the message that it’s dangerous will be blunted.”

Marijuana legalization drives down teenage use

In fact, the study came to exactly the opposite conclusion. If legalization is having any effect on underage drug use, it is likely driving it down, not up. A combination of more honest information and more liberated decision making may be the driving forces behind the trend, as teens realize toking doesn’t carry the rebellious cachet it once did.

Between 2010 and 2015, the study found, underage marijuana consumption dropped slightly, even as adult use continued to climb. Hard drug use is dropping steadily among teenagers nationwide, as is use of alcohol and cigarettes.

At the same time, the survey reflects a growing awareness among minors that cannabis is the safest of the recreational drugs. A record low percentage of students said they see a great risk of harm in using the drug, even though fewer of them are doing so.

“It’s a bit of a conundrum,” said Lloyd Johnston, lead investigator on the study. Johnston offers an explanation: “Students’ conception of how easy it is to get marijuana has actually been in decline the past few years.”

In other words, teens worry less about risk but also find it harder to get their hands on cannabis. Whether a result of a regulated legal marijuana industry or simply a matter of perception, this could lead fewer students to use.

Fewer Teens Are Using Marijuana

Man Takes Flakka, Tries to Break into Jail

Bizarre stories continue to swirl around the use of a new, little-understood synthetic drug known as “flakka.”

In a new incident out of Florida, at least the third of its kind, police say a resident of the Central Florida Atlantic Coast tried to break into a jail while high on the mysterious drug.

Patrick Rempe, 24, allegedly tried to drive his 2002 Toyota truck through the front doors of a complex at the Indian River County Jail in Vero Beach in December. He shattered the glass on the doors but failed to break them down, a spokesperson for the jail said. Rempe then allegedly sped away and tried to crash through a fence outside another building.

He then allegedly left his car, climbed the fence, and became tangled in razor wire that protects the jail’s inner perimeter. He was removed from the wire by Indian River County EMTs and treated for injuries.

Attempting to visit “friends” inside the jail

The sheriff’s office said Rempe told arresting deputies he was “high on flakka” at the time of the crime and was trying to visit “friends” inside the jail. He was taken to a local hospital and placed on psychiatric watch, the sheriff’s office said.

Prosecutors expect to file charges of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, battery of a law enforcement officer, criminal mischief, leaving the scene of an accident that caused property damage, and driving under the influence of drugs. At least three of the counts are felonies, and additional charges are possible.

“This is what drugs do to you,” said Sheriff Deryl Loar. “Flakka is poisoning our youth. Fortunately, none of our deputies were injured, and our facility wasn’t compromised.”

Flakka is dangerous and should be avoided

Flakka is one of a number of increasingly popular “research chemicals.” These potent drugs are synthesized in laboratories, unlike most traditional drugs, which derive from natural sources: opium poppies, coca leaves, and cannabis plants, among others. Synthetic drugs are designed to create effects similar to those of marijuana and other popular natural drugs.

But research chemicals are known to be especially hazardous, often more so than the drugs they mimic. They can cause rapid heart beat, seizures, psychosis, and potentially death. DEA-proffered stories about flakka and other synthetics may be greatly overblown, but more neutral health experts agree it’s an extremely dangerous chemical that should not be consumed.

Flakka, known on the street as “gravel,” typically comes in a white or pink crystal form, similar to methamphetamines. These crystals can be snorted, eaten, vaporized, or injected. E-cigarettes are an especially popular delivery method.

Rempe’s alleged rampage marks at least the third episode in which a man high on flakka tried to break into a jail or police department. Two earlier incidents happened at the Fort Lauderdale Police Department. In one, a man became impaled on a fence and was cut down by city workers over several hours.

Man Takes Flakka, Tries to Break into Jail

More Marijuana Recalled Over Pesticides

In the months since legalization took effect in Colorado, marijuana growers have been forced repeatedly to issue recalls after banned pesticides were found in their supply.

The 13th such incident happened in December, when Advanced Medical Alternatives voluntarily recalled 27 vape cartridges filled with hash oil that contained illegal, potentially dangerous pesticides. The pesticides are not always illegal, but they are prohibited for use on marijuana plants in Colorado.

The recall was the company’s second in eight days — and the 13th overseen by Denver’s Department of Environmental Health in the preceding 13 weeks. Some previous recalls were mandatory, but Advanced Medical Alternatives acted voluntarily.

But the city did require that the firm announce the recall on social media and on its website. The notices were posted in mid December.

“Advanced Medical Alternatives, LLC is committed to excellence in providing safe and the highest quality products to its customers,” the company said in a note on its website. “Accordingly, the company has voluntarily recalled certain products that may contain potentially unsafe pesticide residues.”

Advanced Medical Alternatives said it would change its testing regiment to avoid similar problems in the future.

“Furthermore, the company is voluntarily implementing a new testing program for each crop produced by the company and/or that is incorporated into products produced by the company,” the note said. “The company will continue to strive to be a leader in developing and/or implementing the highest industry standards. Thank you in advance for your continued support of such efforts and the company.”

Other businesses have been forced to recall multiple shipments over pesticide violations. EdiPure, a company that makes marijuana edibles, voluntarily issued three recalls, while Gaia’s Garden, another edibles manufacturer, issued two voluntary recalls.

Illegal pesticides have been found in different forms of cannabis, including hash oil, edibles, and dried bud. Little is known about the effects of these chemicals when inhaled or eaten. Some are banned for any human consumption, while others are prohibited specifically for use on marijuana.

Experts say more science is needed on the subject. But there have been few if any reports of cannabis smokers becoming ill from pesticide exposure, either before or after legalization hit Colorado and Washington State.

Voters in both states legalized marijuana for personal use in 2012, and the law took effect in 2013. The first pot shops opened across the state in January 2014. In the meantime, two other states – Oregon and Alaska – have passed legalization, together with the District of Columbia. There have been few notable reports of problems arising from pesticide use in these places.

More Marijuana Recalled Over Pesticides

Most Marijuana "Addicts" Are in Rehab Involuntarily

New government data shows that most people who go to rehab for marijuana “addiction” are being sent there against their will.

More than 50 percent of rehab admissions for cannabis involve a court order or other involuntary proceeding, according to the data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. That’s far more than any other drug, including such deadly substances as alcohol and heroin.

Why is this happening? The answer is surprisingly simple: The rehab industry needs the business. There is an enormous amount of money, public and private, tied up in the idea that any marijuana use constitutes an addiction and must be treated by the 12 steps.

Many judges, prosecutors, and even defense attorneys are beholden to this “community.” And major cannabis opponents point to the high number of marijuana admissions as proof of the drug’s danger and addictive tendencies.

Cannabis is less addictive than any other drug

Fortunately, there is literally no science that backs this point of view. Fewer people become addicted to cannabis than to any other drug, especially alcohol, heroin, and tobacco. The rate is roughly 9 percent for marijuana, versus more than 20 percent for heroin.

The new data included a survey of patients that found roughly 52 percent of patients who were at rehab centers in 2013 were sent there against their will, usually as a result of a criminal plea agreement. Over longer periods of time, just 20 percent of patients checked themselves in voluntarily. That figure is lower than for any other drug.

“Many cannabis consumers are being forced by cops, courts and corrections officers to undergo drug treatment that they themselves don’t feel they actually need,” reform advocate Tom Angell said in December.

Cannabis users forced to undergo drug treatment they don’t need.

Not only do we know marijuana is less addictive than other drugs, but most experts agree even a full-fledged addiction to weed is much less damaging than a similar addiction to alcohol or hard drugs. “Addicts” are defined as people who cannot stop compulsive behaviors despite the serious harm those behaviors cause. By that definition, there may not even be such a thing as a true cannabis addiction.

“Being addicted to it is generally less impairing than being addicted to heroin [or] cocaine, so people have relatively less interest in attending treatment on their own,” Stanford University addiction specialist Keith Humphries told The Washington Post.

Cannabis dealers sent for treatment instead of jail

Humphries pointed out that cannabis dealers now frequently get “more merciful” treatment from the courts. These dealers are being sent to treatment in many cases where a meth dealer would be jailed.

This, too, is a poor solution to the problem of the black market. Most cannabis dealers are small-timers, college students trying to scrape together money for a ski trip or single dads with no other way to make a buck. Pushing them through the justice system can ruin their lives, and even a stint in rehab will do no one any good.

And Angell notes that the huge influx of marijuana “addicts” into treatment centers is probably making it harder for people addicted to real drugs to get the therapy they need. Waiting lists are common, and more than 15 percent of prospective patients are forced to wait more than a week – time during which many of them die.

Most Marijuana "Addicts" Are in Rehab Involuntarily

What Is It Like to Have a Criminal Record?

Marijuana reformers have long shared a common refrain: The criminal justice system is out of control, and too many innocent people are being tagged as reprobates for nothing more significant than a smoldering plant.

There are plenty of things about being accused of a marijuana crime that are awful. The arrest is humiliating, the time in jail can be terrifying, and probation frequently drags on for a seeming eternity. But the worst part of all may be the criminal record that follows you after you serve your time.

But how bad is it, really? And what does a criminal record mean, in terms of trying to lead an ordinary, law-abiding life?

Criminal records don’t go away

The first thing to know is that a rap sheet is as permanent as a tattoo. Both can sometimes be removed, but only painfully, and frequently not at all. A criminal record follows you, and it follows you the rest of your life.

There are several major consequences of carrying this history. For one thing, it becomes much harder to find a job. This is less true with people convicted of misdemeanors, but it’s definitely true of anyone convicted of a felony.

Difficult to find employment

There is a growing movement to “ban the box.” This refers to a box that appears on many job applications, requiring that applicants disclose whether they’ve ever been convicted of a felony. This includes guilty and “no contest” pleas, which are essentially the same thing.

If the box-banners get their way, applicants would no longer face this question, which almost always disqualifies a candidate for a respectable job. Employers could ask the applicants about the subject during later interviews, but banning the box would at least make it easier for ex-felons to get their feet in the door.

Difficult to find accommodation

Another big effect of a criminal record is that it will lead most landlords to refuse to rent to you. Not finding a job is a problem. Not being able to find housing can lead to dire consequences, and could dramatically increase the likelihood of recidivism.

Difficult to obtain loans

What’s more, felons and even misdemeanants may find it hard to obtain loans, shutting them out of home ownership. That leaves transient hotels and homelessness as the only viable options for many people when they leave prison.

Voting rights also disappear for convicted felons, though they can sometimes be restored after their sentences are served. And it can become much more difficult to secure government benefits, a needed source of income for many offenders once their sentences are done.

Is expungement possible?

But what kind of cannabis crimes goes on your record? And can you get it expunged?

The contents of a rap sheet vary widely from state to state and under federal law. All criminal justice systems in the United States report felonies, and they all report serious misdemeanors, but some also report low-level crimes such as DUI, and even traffic offenses such as speeding. In some cases, even minor municipal violations make the record.

But it’s a lot easier to add a crime to your record than it is to remove one. Every state and the federal government have a process by which ex-convicts can apply to have their records expunged. But it’s often an uphill battle.

It’s important to note that expunging a criminal record isn’t the same as erasing it. Your rap sheet remains intact, but it is sealed so police, prosecutors, and the public can’t access it. That doesn’t mean they wont – it’s not unheard of for expunged records to leak – but the protection is usually effective.

More importantly, an expunging means you are legally free to lie about your criminal history and deny any marijuana arrest or conviction, no matter who asks. For legal purposes, it is as if the crime never happened.

But what do you need to get your record expunged? Again, that varies from state to state, but typically, you must stay straight for a matter of years, have a limited record of earlier crimes, and have no history of serious or violent crimes, along with other requirements.

What Is It Like to Have a Criminal Record?

St. Petersburg Could Decriminalize Marijuana

One of Florida’s largest cities has moved a step closer to removing criminal penalties for minor marijuana crimes.

A committee of the St. Petersburg City Council sent a request to Pinellas County commissioners in December, asking that they decriminalize possession of small amounts of cannabis. The council hadn’t received an answer as of Dec. 10, but members said they will act on their own in the meantime.

The council’s Public Service Committee cast a unanimous vote to pass a resolution that asks the county board to enact marijuana decriminalization while the city’s lawyers draft an ordinance for the committee. The law would remove criminal penalties for possession, including arrest and jail, and replace them with small civil fines.

Citations for minor cannabis possession

Council Member Steve Kornell authored the proposed ordinance, which would give police authority to write citations for people caught with 20 grams of marijuana or less. That’s roughly three quarters of an ounce.

Decriminalization is a popular reform tool in states and cities that aren’t yet ready to legalize the drug. Rather than removing all penalties and allowing legal cultivation and sale, local and state government in many places instead write tickets similar to traffic citations.

Seventeen states have enacted decriminalization, while another four have completely legalized marijuana for recreational use. A number of large cities have also decriminalized, instructing their police departments to issue tickets instead of making arrests.

Cities such as St. Petersburg don’t actually have the power to change cannabis law in Florida. That belongs only to the state Legislature and the governor’s office, neither of which is likely to support decriminalization. It is currently a misdemeanor to possess 20 grams or less, and the penalty includes a maximum of one year in jail and $1,000 in fines.

Other Florida counties have decriminalized

That is one of the stiffer laws against marijuana use in the United States. Even so, Miami-Dade county, the state’s largest metro region, successfully moved to decriminalize earlier this year. Experience in other places suggests that once the public votes against a law enforcement policy, even if only at the local level, police are less likely to enforce that policy.

Some council members told reporters they worried about sending a bad message to children about using cannabis. But those concerns were outweighed by the huge racial disparities in arrests, whether in St. Petersburg, in Pinellas County, or nationally.

In addition to Miami-Dade, the cities of Miami Beach, Ferdinanda Beach, and Hallandale Beach, all in Florida, have passed decriminalization ordinances. Local activists, there and in other states, hope their efforts to remove criminal penalties at the municipal level will spread to the state level in coming years. Fines in those places are usually about $100 for first offenses.

City leaders in Tampa, located near St. Petersburg on the Gulf Coast, have also said they’re “open-minded” about the idea of local cannabis reform. But there has apparently been little discussion of the matter since July.

St. Petersburg Could Decriminalize Marijuana