Melissa Etheridge Arrested On Drug Charges At Canadian Border Crossing

Melissa Etheridge was all smiles in the mug shot taken after being arrested at the United States and Canadian border on drug possession charges.

The 56-year-old singer was traveling in her tour bus when she was stopped in North Dakota by United States Custom and Border Patrol agents. K-9 units hit on possible drugs inside the bus carrying Melissa Etheridge, according to a report by the Daily Mail. Border patrol agents reportedly uncovered marijuana oil inside the vehicle.

According to law enforcement documents about the incident on the United States and Canadian border, Melissa Etheridge said she uses marijuana oil to manage the pain she suffers because she had cancer. While possession of such a substance for medical reasons with a valid prescription is legal in California, it is against the law in North Dakota.

Melissa Etheridge was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004 but has made a full recovery, according to Biography. The Kansas native signed with Island Records in 1986 and went on to have two enormous hits, “I’m the Only One” and “Come to My Window.”

The singer was booked on drug possession charges on August 17 and ultimately pled not guilty. Earlier the same month, Etheridge discussed her stance on marijuana during an interview with Yahoo. She said she smokes pot nearly every night with Linda Wallem, her wife.

The couple typically takes a bath, smokes marijuana and chats to unwind and prepare to get a good night of sleep, according to the singer. Melissa Etheridge has been married to Linda Wallem for three years.

“Cannabis is the best marital aid, the singer also told Yahoo. “When it’s date night, it takes down your inhibition. Your sexual desires are enhanced.”

Etheridge also stated she has smoked pot with her two oldest children. Her son Beckett is 18 and her daughter Bailey is 20. She said at first it was a bit “funny” but later they all realized consuming cannabis together is a “natural” way to end the day that “brings you closer.”

The children are from a prior relationship with Julia Cypher. Melissa Etheridge and Cypher broke up in 2000 after the singer’s girlfriend started to reconsider her sexuality. Etheridge also has a set of 10-year-old twins from a relationship with actress Tammy Lynn Michaels. The couple broke up in 2010, seven years after participating in a commitment ceremony.

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