16 March 2009 - Philip Anselmo, front man of metal band Pantera, spoke passionately and candidly about his music career and his history with — and the dangers of — drugs, particularly heroin, during an appearance at the Loyola University in New Orleans, Louisiana. When asked whether he was sober, he explained that "sober" is a "harsh" word.
"A sober person is absolutely clean of anything that is considered legally wrong or illegal," Anselmo clarified to Metal Hammer. "I smoke pot, man. Matter of fact, since my back surgery I have severe nerve damage down my left leg, and I find that marijuana actually helps that very much. I'm not saying it's completely medicinal, but it doesn't hurt that it fucking helps! I might have a few beers too, mostly on Sundays during games or if there's a big fight, but I will remind you... after three beers, if I don't take some asprin in the morning I'm going to wake up with the worst fucking hangover. So that's my half sober."
24 Feb 2009 - Democrat Tom Ammiano, member of the California State Assembly wants to see marijuana legalized in his state.
California would become the first state in the United States to legalize marijuana for recreational use under a bill introduced Monday the Assemblyman of San Francisco. The proposal would regulate marijuana like alcohol, with people over 21 years old allowed to grow, buy, sell and possess cannabis - all of which is barred by federal law. Ammiano, a Democrat in his third month as a state lawmaker, said taxes and other fees associated with regulation could put more than a billion dollars a year into state coffers at a time when revenues continue to decline.
7 Feb 2009 - Lily Allen has announced a new set of American tour dates. The Smile singer is set to play 15 gigs, starting in San Diego on April 1st. Last year, in August the english singer only got so far at Los Angeles airport after her US working visa was revoked. Lily had to undergo regular health checks to make sure she wasn't on drugs so that she could be granted a US work permit after cannabis was found on her tour bus in Canada. The star commented on her MySpace page: “So, they let me in. Hello America, it's nice to be back. Immigration was funny; they only kept me for an hour or so.”
