Ellen Rosenblum |
Ellen Rosenblum, candidate for Oregon AG: “As Attorney General, I will make marijuana enforcement a low priority, and protect the rights of medical marijuana patients” |
By Michael Bachara
Hemp News Correspondent
As Oregon moves closer toward marijuana legalization in November with the Oregon Cannabis Tax Act 2012 (OCTA 2012) and the Oregon Marijuana Policy Initiative 2012 (OMPI 2012) petition drives, the race for Oregon Attorney General on May 15 between Appeals Court Judge Ellen Rosenblum and former acting U.S. Attorney Dwight Holton will be crucial to the implementation of the cannabis legalization initiatives.
Earlier this month, in a debate at the Eugene City Club, Rosenblum said she supported the state’s current medical marijuana law as one that “provides vulnerable citizens with the medicine they needed to cope with their diagnoses.”
On the other hand, Holton said the law is actually “a train wreck, putting marijuana in the hands of people, kids, who are not using it for pain management purposes. Of 50,000 card holders, 30,000 got them from 10 clinics. We’ve got a broken system.”
Just last summer, Holton issued a letter to Oregon medical marijuana collectives, co-signed by 34 district attorneys, the head of the Oregon State Sheriffs’ Association and the head of the Oregon Chiefs of Police. The letter stated, “The sale of marijuana for any purpose — including as medicine — violates both federal and Oregon law and will not be tolerated.”
“People and businesses that conduct sales of marijuana face the risk of prosecution, civil enforcement action and seizure of assets,” the letter continues.
Ellen Rosenblum |
Ellen Rosenblum: “I do not believe that prosecuting people for possessing small amounts of marijuana represents the best use of our resources” |
Rosenblum takes the opposite stance toward medical marijuana. According to her website, “The priorities of the next Attorney General need to be wisely using our limited tax dollars – protecting consumers and prosecuting dangerous criminals.
“I do not believe that prosecuting people for possessing small amounts of marijuana represents the best use of our resources,” Rosenblum said. “A better use of those resources is providing more treatment options for people with drug and alcohol addiction.”
“As Attorney General, I will make marijuana enforcement a low priority, and protect the rights of medical marijuana patients,” she said.
In a formal statement supporting Rosenblum, former Governor Barbara Roberts said, “Ever since I was Governor and appointed Ellen Rosenblum to be a Circuit Court judge, I have observed her to be one of the most accomplished, practical, hardworking people I know. I strongly support Ellen for Attorney General because I know we can count on her to stand up for the rights and safety of all Oregonians.”
Hemp News urges Oregonians to vote for Ellen Rosenblum for Oregon Attorney General on May 15, as the repercussions of a Holton vote would prove costly to our citizens, pocketbooks and freedoms.
To learn more about Ellen’s campaign, please visit http://ellenrosenblum.com/issues.