Search Results initiatives/

Seattle police give ganja back to alleged street dealers

By Jack Daniel on April 11, 2013 Legislation, News, Say what?

Cannabis users across the state of Washington sparked up to celebrate the passage of Initiative 502 last year, which legalized the personal use and possession of up to one ounce of marijuana for anyone over the age of 21. I-502 still prohibits the consumption of marijuana in public places, and driving under the influence of marijuana, but along with the state of Colorado, Washington seems poised to blaze a new trail for marijuana legalization.

Melissa Etheridge Endorses Medical Marijuana Ballot Measures

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on October 19, 2012 Legislation, Medical, News

MelissaEtheridge.com

Melissa Etheridge: “Medical marijuana made a big difference, instantly”

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Citizens for Patient Rights has announced the endorsement of singer/songwriter and outspoken breast cancer survivor, Melissa Etheridge for its campaigns to allow safe medical marijuana access in Lemon Grove (Prop T), Solana Beach (Prop W) and Del Mar (Prop H).

Medical marijuana is commonly used by cancer patients to combat the adverse symptoms related cancer radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Moreover, studies have shown that compounds found in medicinal marijuana may slow of the growth of cancerous cells.

Melissa experienced first hand the positive benefits of medical marijuana during her own chemotherapy. According to Melissa, “Medical marijuana made a big difference, instantly, within a minute, relieved the nausea, relieved the pain. And all of the sudden, I was normal… I could get out of bed. I could go see my kid. And it was amazing.”

Sensible Washington: Here’s Why We Oppose I-502 ‘Legalization’

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on October 7, 2012 Legislation, News

The Daily Chronic

By Anthony Martinelli

Communications Director

Sensible Washington

Our opposition to Initiative 502 was not a decision made in haste. We examined this measure from multiple angles, looking at the political ramifications, the legal implications, and the social benefits and consequences. We came to a clear conclusion: Initiative 502 is not a positive step forward for our state, and we can do better.

The initiative proposes dangerous and arbitrary policies, and sets up a legal distribution system that will fall to federal preemption. Here are the key reasons why, after deep consideration, our organization voted unanimously to oppose this measure (you can read our full analysis here):

CA Supreme Court Dismisses Case Against City Regulation of Medical Marijuana

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on September 11, 2012 Dispensaries, Legislation, News

Citizens For Patient Rights

The California Supreme Court has dismissed the case of Pack v. Long Beach, in which an appellate court had ruled that the restrictive permitting scheme for medical marijuana dispensaries in the city of Long Beach was illegal. This case was often cited by medical marijuana opponents to support the claim that any permitting or regulation of medical marijuana — including those found in the local medical marijuana initiative proposals that have qualified for the November ballot around San Diego — may not withstand legal challenges.

These initiatives include Proposition H in Del Mar, Proposition W in Solana Beach, and Proposition T in Lemon Grove.

Fortunately, with this dismissal, the Pack decision was de-published. This means that attorneys can no longer cite Pack as valid law. Similarly, a municipality cannot rely upon the Pack decision to ban lawful medical marijuana dispensaries, nor to conclude that local regulation of lawful medicinal cannabis dispensaries violates federal law.

The California Supreme Court also recently, and unanimously, let the 2012 decision, Pack v. Colvin, stand, which held that a qualified patient who was managing two storefront dispensaries was entitled to a defense in court to criminal charges of transportation of marijuana and possession of concentrated cannabis.

An Independent Review of Washington’s I-502 Legalization

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on August 22, 2012 Legislation, News

NoOnI502.org

By C. Michael Pickens

I showed up to Hempfest on Saturday morning and the first thing that struck me as odd were all of the “No on I-502” signs, t-shirts, and buttons.

Wait a minute… Isn’t I-502 the marijuana legalization bill set to be voted on in November?

Isn’t this the same bill that is being promoted by many leaders within the marijuana legalization movement?

Something wasn’t right.

WA Group Plans 2013 Initiative To Repeal Marijuana Laws

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on August 15, 2012 Legislation

Americans For Cannabis

Ready for real cannabis legalization? Dissatisfied with the half-measures — some would say “decrim on steroids” — of Washington state “tax and regulate” Initiative 502, Sensible Washington has announced plans to launch a third marijuana law reform initiative to repeal criminal and civil penalties from the state code.

Unlike the group’s previous two attempts, the 2013 effort is intended to appeal to a broader voter base, by making the legal age 21 and over, rather than 18 and over — with an added caveat — extending the juvenile code to 21 for cannabis-related offenses.

This would allow for marijuana convictions to be expunged from adult records, alleviating the life-altering harms of a conviction, such as denial of future employment and educational funding opportunities.

Is I-502 Marijuana Legalization? Is It Good For Washington?

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on August 13, 2012 Legislation, News

The Marijuana Project

By John Novak

The Highlander 420 Report

The Washington State Office of Financial Management has finally released its much anticipated report on the marijuana “legalization” initiative, I-502. (See link to the report at the end of this article)

While it claims that the state could see a financial windfall in the billions from the taxation and regulation of cannabis, it also warns of some very serious consequences and the possibility of zero revenue.

Steve Sarich, a well known Seattle area medical marijuana personality and anti-I-502 activist, sued the Office last month, stating the early numbers being used “are so far off it’s incredulous.”

He and the other activists that joined the lawsuit demanding a new report that included all the risks, including possible results from federal lawsuits.

YEP or NAW? Two Pot Legalization Drives Active In Washington

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on August 10, 2011 Legislation, News

Photo: Courtesy Don Skakie

Don Skakie, Yes End Penalties WA: “Removing marijuana penalties will not conflict with federal law”

When it comes to cannabis law reform, what’ll it be, Washington? Your choices are YEP and NAW. (The respective acronyms stand for Yes End Penalties and New Approach Washington.)

The new kid on the block, Washington state cannabis reform group Yes End Penalties Washington (YEP WA), will announce a new marijuana legalization drive at 11 a.m. Thursday on the North Steps of the Legislative Building at the State Capitol in Olympia.

Initiative sponsor and Lacey City Councilman Ron Lawson will announce “Initiative to the Legislature 505,” which would remove cannabis-related civil and criminal penalties for adults in Washington state. Supporters of I-505 will speak at the event.

Yes End Penalties WA is inviting news media and interested members of the public to attend and compare YEP to NAW.

“Removing marijuana penalties will not conflict with federal law, avoiding preemption and empowering the people of Washington state to step away from the fear of speaking for cannabis reform and directing their legislators to create fair and evenhanded regulation that benefits the public, rather than special interest groups and based on fact and science, not misinformation or ‘reefer madness’ propaganda,” said YEP’s Don Skakie.

Pot Legalization On California Ballot In November

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on March 24, 2010 Legislation, News

Graphic: Radical Rags

Hey Golden State, are you ready to legalize weed?

Here’s your chance! California will be voting this November on whether to legalize and tax marijuana.

On Wednesday, Los Angeles County election officials must turn in their count of valid signatures collected in the county for the Regulate, Control, and Tax Cannabis Act, reports John Hoeffel at the Los Angeles Times.

And that number is virtually sure to be enough to put the initiative over the top, qualifying it for the November ballot, according to a tally kept by state election officials.

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