HAMPDEN, Maine — A Hampden teenager is facing drug charges after police say they found marijuana in his backpack Wednesday night while authorities were checking on what they thought was a disabled vehicle.
The 17-year-old and his two male passengers were sitting in the boy’s vehicle in what Hampden police Sgt. Scott Webber called a remote part of town when Officer Marc Egan stopped to aid the teenagers because he thought their car was disabled.
The driver’s name was not released because he is a juvenile.
The boys were parked with their lights off, according to Webber, and the driver notified the officer that a friend was en route to aid them, prompting Egan to return to his cruiser, but he never left the scene.
“The officer left them there to wait for their friend and [he] decided to do a verification to make sure they didn’t have warrants,” the sergeant said.
The verification of the driver’s identification revealed that he had a restricted license, meaning he cannot have any passengers outside of immediate family members.
When Egan returned to the vehicle, he could smell an odor of marijuana and asked to search the car, according to Webber.
A search of a backpack turned up an ounce of marijuana, $1,200 in cash, scales, a pot pipe and a grinder, Webber said.
The 17-year-old was arrested and charged with unlawful trafficking in marijuana, a Class D misdemeanor, and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was released to the custody of his parents, Webber said, while the two passengers were not charged.
The driver is due in court July 24.
We wonder why the US is turning into a third rate country. How many kids around the country are wasting their time smoking weed instead of working toward a productive future.
Based on this story, how do you know he doesn’t work toward a productive future?
I agree Bill Clinton didn’t inhale, G.W.Bush drank himself into a drunk driving charge, From the news stories all these successful celebs drink, drug, and play around. Hell of a world to grow up in.
Yes, because anyone who smokes pot is a “bad” person.
correction….anyone who knowingly places illegal drugs in their body for the sole purpose of recreational “fun” at the same time fully aware that these drugs harm your brain and your body, yet continue to do it anyway…I believe the word that better describes their actions would be “STUPID”. Think about all of the nice things they could buy with the money that they waste on drugs that would bring them more long term happiness.(a better place to live, a nicer car, food on their table that they have actually purchased with their own money and not with food stamps…..you get the idea)
Marijuana does not not harm the brain or the body, in fact it brings healing to many people. I know hundreds of people who smoke who have a nice place to live, a very nice car and food on their tables.
Just as with alcohol, cigarettes, food and pharmaceuticals, you have people who use marijuana responsibly and then you have people who have addictive personalities who allow their use to take over their lives and paralyze them. They abuse their bodies with over use.
I know many college educated and employed people who purchase with their own money and are not on any assistance. Unfortunately, those you refer to are also addicted to alcohol, cigarettes and sometimes other drugs and they tend to abuse the system.
Unless you have M.D. after your name, I suppose I will disregard your opinion that Marijuana doesnt harm the brain or body. I would also be concerned with the fact that you know HUNDREDS of people who smoke marijuana. Also, I cannot understand why people would want to use marijuana for recreational use when it causes them to act ridiculous. Theres better use for that money. If you have that much money to throw out the window, why not help those less fortunate with the money instead. Now on the other hand, MEDICAL use of marijuana is different all together.
i’ve seen more people act “rediculous” on alcohol than marijuana. open your eyes
If you OPENED your eyes, you might see that you spelled “Ridiculous” wrong….besides people act ridiculous on BOTH marijuana and alcohol. I agree with you there.
People aren’t “on” marijuana.
Oh I am SO sorry…People are not “ON” marijuana. Let me rephrase that…people act ridiculous when they are under the influence of mind altering agents such as alcohol, other forms of illegal drugs of choice and marijuana…..lets keep this in perspective though….a 17 year old boy was found with marijuana….was allegedly in the process of using the marijuana while operating a motor vehicle. (yes he was parked at the time, but eventually would have been driving it), and you see NOTHING wrong with that? Perhaps you should get your priorities straight. Instead of correcting me on the terminology that I used, why dont you interview someone who lost a family member as a result of driving under the influence of marijuana. While luckily this has not happened to my family, I bet if you do an internet search, you can find someone who has. Whether marijuana is ever legalized or not, individuals under the age of 21 are NOT capable of using marijuana responsibly. GET A CLUE
I am subscribed to many medical marijuana groups who share reports and studies daily. Now that it is legal for medicinal use in many states, there are more and more studies being conducted outside the governmental biased studies. There are many new studies that completely dispel the old claims that it causes brain damage or lung cancer.
I know 100s of people who smoke because I have been involved in advocacy for medicinal use. I have met both medicinal users and those who use recreationally.
I have met far more drunks and drug addicts who act ridiculous than those who just smoke pot. There is nothing any worse than the actions of an alcoholic or of someone addicted to food. They act beyond all reason. Pot smokers aren’t usually thought of as ones who have ridiculous behavior.
What about the money that is wasted by alcoholics, smokers, those who are morbidly obese or those who take handfuls of prescribed pharmaceuticals?
I started out only advocating for medicinal use but because of the people that I have met (entertainers, musicians, doctors, lawyers, nurses, teachers, professors, stock brokers, business men and women, laborers, fishermen, writers, artists, professors, construction workers, etc.) who have successful lives, I now advocate for legalization.
Well, the M.D. you “trust” has prescribed hundreds of different pills, most of which have been recalled for birth defects, death, ect (you’ve heard the commercials). So you trust a doctor who prescribes these pills… but you do not trust a natural plant? You have got to be kidding me. OPEN YOUR EYES LADY. Crazy…
“anyone who knowingly places illegal drugs in their body for the sole purpose of recreational “fun” at the same time fully aware that these drugs harm your brain and your body, yet continue to do it anyway.”
Cannabis is not at all harmful to the mind. One study drew that conclusion – the method of ingestion was to put a gas mask connected to a smoke pump on a monkey and leave it on for 5 minutes, causing asphyxiation – and dead brain cells – due to lack of oxygen.
The risks of cannabis to the body include some damage to the lungs from inhaling smoke. No connection to lung cancer has been found, likely because cannabis, unlike tobacco, is not treated with radioactive fertilizers. A recent study published by the Journal of American Medicine confirms that moderate use of cannabis causes no damage to the lungs.
On the other hand, the cutting edge of science is investigating the endocannabinoid system and the effects of deficiencies in this system. Endocannabinoids are substances that are created by the human body which mimic the psychoactive compounds in cannabis. That bears repeating – the stuff we find so objectionable in cannabis is naturally produced by the human body! Deficiencies of the endocannabinoid system are likely responsible for things like ADD and IBS.
I have been diagnosed with ADD. I am also a non-traditional college student, returning to college for the 4th time. In my first three attempts, i had one semester where i did not either drop or fail a class. This time around, attempting more classes per semester than is required to be considered full time (15 credit hours/semester) i have made the Dean’s List for two consecutive semester and not dropped a class. The difference is i am now a medical cannabis patient, able to control the symptoms of my ADD with a simple plant.
The next time that you decide to fly somewhere to vacation or visit family or friends-call the airline in advance to see if you can travel with a Captain and first officer that smoke pot when they are not flying with 300 poeple sitting behind them. Better yet-when you need a major operation request a sugeon that smokes pot “only on the weekends-you’ll be fine-really.
I would rather have a doctor or pilot who smokes pot on the weekend then have an alcoholic doctor and pilot. I actually know several successful doctors who smoke pot. It does not hamper their ability in any way.
THC is known to affect the GABA ( Gamma amino butyric acid) system of the body by lowering the levels. Levels are increased with use of chemicals such as Valium suppress communication between neuroreceptors, and also lowers the C-amp (cyclic adenosine monophosphate) system, which helps transport hormones like adrenaline across cell membranes.
In one sense it excites communications in our brain, but slows down communications by slowing the transport of particularly the go chemicals that tell us to go and move. The dopamine system, and it’s disintegration to synthesize into noradrenaline and adrenaline.
The old joke of two people smoking marijuana where one says, “let’s start a fight, man,” and nobody bothers to move.
P. S. If high levels of dopamine, 2 particularly are known to cause hallucinations, what happens if dopamine is not synthesized to adrenalin, i.e. The body does not need or call to produce adrenaline and the cycle is not finished?
That crap, so the kid smoked some weed and tell me that the cop never did that before. I have been sober 11yrs. and still hanging in there. But give the kid a break. He is 17yrs. old and you want to throw the book it him over some weed. What a joke. Good job PD maybe sat on RT9 and catch people doing 75 or 80 down through there.
well, ‘reality_check21’ my nephew smoked marijuana one time…and then he got hit by a train… Coincidence? I think not!
Oh please.
are you kidding me?
Do you really think someone whose name is “Jesus loves a 69” is serious about anything?
Yuh, right.
In reference to drugs, what’s a grinder?
You put your “drugs” in it and it breaks them apart so they can be placed in a device for consumption….not that I’ve ever used one though.
You put the natural plant into it and it breaks it apart.
With no reference to drugs, A sandwitch. :-)
That comes after, and usually with a bag of chips and soda…
It seems like Mr. Juvenile is already on the path for his vocation after he graduates from school, that of being a drug dealer. Sad.Good job Officer Egan. Another drug dealer off the street.
This is just foolish. I’m sure this kid isn’t a scumbag drug dealer.. In fact he is probably quite the young entrepreneur.
Just think, his peers are about a year away from going to college where many will just get blackout drunk, overdose, make bad choices, etc. They’ll get nothing more than a slap on a wrist for any alcohol related offense.
Bud is love people!
You did read how much cash they found on him right????? …”young entrepreneur”? This kid needs a rude awakening to scare him off this path that will cause him much unhappiness in life. Worse, IF he is selling, then he’s wrecking other kids lives as well.
He lives in Hampden, it was probably just his allowance. Marijuana doesn’t destroy lives; alcohol, tobacco and prescription drugs destroy lives.
marijuana DOES destroy lives if you get caught with it, and have a criminal record because of it. Read any job applications lately? They run background checks you know. Some employers also require random drug checks…Im pretty sure at least one person on the face of this earth has been caught with illegal drugs (like Marijuana) in their system, and have been fired from their jobs. So can you HONESTLY tell me that marijuana beyond a 100% doubt DOESNT ruin lives? This kid will even have trouble getting accepted into college now. When you apply for college, it asks you if you have ever been arrested. I also agree alcohol and tobacco ruins lives too because of the damage it does to your body. Unfortunately those are legal, and wont get you a police record. Marijuana on the other hand…
The laws that we currently have in place are what cause one to have a criminal record for possession. Most of those people did nothing to harm themselves or others but happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and got caught for possession. It is not because of the plant itself that ruins lives, it is our insane laws.
It is really pretty sad that a person can lose a job or not get hired because of partaking in the use of a sacred plant that has been used on this planet for thousands of years. We should not have to submit to a marijuana drug test unless we have broken a law or if our behavior is troubling. I believe it is unconstitutional. Our forefathers would not have submitted to such a test, many of them smoked marijuana and they all raised acres of hemp.
We need to change the laws so that the real ridiculous actions (law enforcement harassment and arrests) are stopped. No one should be penalized or have a record for possessing this harmless plant.
Alcohol and cigarettes kill thousands every year and are legal, but this harmless plant that has so much healing potential for the mind, body, emotional well-being and spirit causes people to lose jobs or have a criminal record. That is the problem, not the marijuana itself.
I couldn’t have said it better myself!
It wasn’t pot that’s the problem. The kid has other issues. Alcohol is more dangerous, but I don’t see any of the any of the commentators in this comment section calling for alcohol bans…. EVER. As to the kid…. He’s 17! Get him some HELP he’s still young enough
Gateway drug.
Yes, milk is a gateway drug for sure. Every drug user ingested milk first. It is definitely a gateway drug.
Yup ! And from there I moved on to cookies…….haven’t been able to kick that habit yet….
Oh, and then there was the chocolate milk. I couldn’t just stick with plain milk, I went on to chocolate and strawberry milk. I can’t help myself.
We need to outlaw these sugary milk drinks and snacks! Obesity is destroying our nation – time to declare war!
Yes because milk addicts move on to cookies and then ice cream. LOL
Seriously, I have often thought that the real gateway drug is soda. Many children get the sugar rush or caffeine burst from drinking soda. They like the feeling and go on to other substances.
Thank God you got him off the streets, before he bought $20.00 worth of junk food and a sugary soda pop.
Pot stimulates the economy .
Marijuana doesn’t reek havoc within communities and families anymore that booze does. Just ask anyone who deals with an alcoholic family member.
Teenagers should learn to NEVER answer questions, consent to a search of body car or residence, have any informal interaction with law enforcement personnel.
If police begin conducting an “investigation” (ask questions, request entry, or paw through your stuff, ask for a lawyer, give name and adderss (or show driver’s license) NOTHING ELSE.
Police do not generally like teenagers, and they are NOT YOUR FRIEND, no matter how nice they appear.
You can find a helpful legal view of your rights (as a teenager) here:
http://jfcy1.blogspot.com/p/legal-information-pamphlets.html
Once the police officer smelled the Marijuana, the teenager didnt have a choice in the matter. The police had probable cause for the search, your lawyer theroy would have helped as much as you wanna believe it would have!
No you are incorrect. The cop would have had to prove (in court) that he smelled the marijuana UNLESS the teen gave him permission to search.
Better go back to law school.
Smell is not probable cause. It cant be. Its a matter of subjectivity. If that were legal a cop could say I smell dope everytime they pulled someone over to warrant a search, even if the person in the vehicle had never ever smoked. Theres no way to prove a smell or situation like that in court. its lunacy. Noticed how the article said after the cop smelled marijuana he ASKED to search the vehicle. It probably didnt happen like “Can I search the car?” because thats not how they teach them to say it. They try to be crafty to outwit the less intelligent masses, out there. It often works, as this article proves. A pity, still just some kids being kids. Marijuana is harmless. The emotional and psychological harm related to anti-marijuana laws and policy, far more harmful to the individual. Odd, isnt it?