Man Blames Pot Cookies for Strange Behavior on Plane
It's just something about those pot cookies that Kinman Chan blames for his strange behavior.
Chan, 30, of San Francisco claimed he began acting strangely after he had eaten a double dose of his medical marijuana cookies.
According to the Associated Press, Chan was on a flight from Philadelphia to Los Angeles when he began making odd gestures. According to the criminal complaint he also allegedly began screaming in the airliner's restroom then fought with flight crew members who tried to sit him down before the flight was diverted to Pittsburgh International Airport.
The complaint said members tried to get Chan to sit, but he fought them and had to be subdued in a choke hold.
Chan told the FBI when he came to his senses and exited the restroom he noticed that his pants were down and his shirt was untucked, the AP reports. He also told FBI agents that he had eaten his regular dose of marijuana cookies while waiting for his connecting flight in Philadelphia.
Chan is from California, where organizers have recently collected enough signatures needed to put a measure to legalize marijuana. The initiative, known as the Regulate, Control and Tax Cannabis Act of 2010 would allow cities and counties to adopt their own laws to allow marijuana to be grown and sold.
Officials who interviewed Chan in Pittsburgh said he had a legally issued medical marijuana card.
At the airport, authorities arrested Chan and he was taken to jail. He was charged with disorderly conduct. Officials have also charged him with interfering with the duties of a flight attendant carries up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
- Man who disrupted flight says he ate marijuana cookies (Post-Gazette)
- Marijuana legalization initiative headed for 2010 ballot, organizers say (Los Angeles Times)
- Marijuana Legalization (FindLaw's LawBrain)
- Pennsylvania Drug Crimes (provided by Laguna Reyes Maloney, LLP)
- Federal Drug Crimes (provided by Mangialardi & Berardino)