Legislation

Browsing: Legislation

Cretin Congressman From TX Holds Up Marijuana Legalization

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on June 24, 2011 Legislation, News

Take a gander at this Howdy Doody-looking asswig (Rep. Lamar Smith of Texas). It only takes one moron to hold up the progress of an entire nation of 300 million people, when it comes to ending marijuana prohibition. (If this clown truly represents the 21st District of Texas, I feel sorry for y’all.)

What’s that? You’re excited about the Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act, are you? You’re invigorated by the idea of saving millions of taxpayer dollars, and finally putting law enforcement priorities where they belong?

Maybe you’re pumped about the possibility the these United States could finally end the 74-year-old nightmare of cannabis prohibition, and stop putting people in cages for growing and using a demonstrably harmless plant?

Well, simmer down, weed lover. It seems that the opinion of one good-old-boy Congressman from Texas outweighs yours.

Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas), also known for his anti-immigrant policies, has said his House Judiciary panel will not consider the Barney Frank/Ron Paul bill. Period.

Michigan Supreme Court To Clarify Medical Marijuana Rules

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on June 23, 2011 Dispensaries, Legislation, Medical

Photo: LAist

The Michigan Supreme Court has agreed to hear several cases that could clarify the rules surrounding the state’s medical marijuana law, approved by an overwhelming 63 percent of voters in 2008.

One Shiawassee County patient with a medical cannabis card who grew marijuana in a backyard structure wants the criminal charges against him dismissed, reports Rick Pluta at Interlochen Public Radio. Police cited him for not having the grow area locked and enclosed.

In another case, an Oakland County man fighting pot possession charges is using for his defense the fact that he’s a medicinal cannabis patient, even though at the time of this arrest he had not yet obtained his medical marijuana card.

‘New Approach Washington’ Files Initiative To Legalize Marijuana

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on June 22, 2011 Legislation, News

Photo: Don Skakie

Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes: “Ending marijuana prohibition and focusing on rational regulation and taxation will free up law enforcement resources to combat violent and property crimes, and it will restore respect for government and the law”

There’s a new move afoot to legalize cannabis in Washington state. The newly formed political action committee New Approach Washington on Wednesday filed an initiative to legalize, tax and regulate marijuana in the state. Sponsoring the measure are prominent civic leaders, along with members of the public health and legal communities.

The initiative would authorize the Washington State Liquor Control Board to regulate the production and distribution of marijuana for sale to adults 21 and older through state-licensed stores. A new marijuana excise tax would be earmarked for prevention, research, education, and health care. State and local retail sales taxes would be directed to the general fund and location budgets.

Unfortunately, the initiative would not allow the cultivation of marijuana by recreational users (medical marijuana patients in Washington are already allowed 15 plants). Cannabis users would be required to buy their supply at state-licensed stores. Another possible sticking point is the codification a THC blood level of of 5 ng/ml as per se driving under the influence; that would criminalize any driving by most medical marijuana patients, although very few daily medicinal users would be impaired at that level.

U.S. Conference of Mayors: War On Drugs Is A Failed Policy

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on June 22, 2011 Legislation, News

Graphic: The Weed Blog

United States Conference of Mayors Unanimously Passes Resolution Calling the War On Drugs a Failed Policy Driving Over-Incarceration and Racial Disparities

“The war on drugs — declared 40 years ago this weekend — has been the principal driver of mass incarceration in America,” said U.S. mayors in a resolution adopted on Monday at the United States Conference of Mayors’ annual meeting in Baltimore.

The mayors pointed out that the U.S. has by far the highest incarceration rate in the the world, with 2.4 million of its residents in prison or jail, including about 500,000 Americans behind bars for drug law violations — an increase of 1,200 percent since 1980.

In their resolution, the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) officially endorsed pending bipartisan federal legislation, the National Criminal Justice Commission Act of 2011, sponsored by Virginia Senator Jim Webb and South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham.

Legislation To End U.S. Marijuana Prohibition Coming Thursday

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on June 22, 2011 Legislation, News

Graphic: Drug Policy Alliance

The first bill ever introduced in Congress to end federal marijuana prohibition is coming on Thursday, June 23. Historic, bipartisan legislation which would end the United States’ war on marijuana — and allow states to legalize, tax regulate and control cannabis commerce without federal interference — will be introduced by Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) and Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas).

Co-sponsors of the bill include Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.), Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.), and Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.)

The legislation would limit the federal government’s role in marijuana enforcement to cross-border or interstate smuggling, allowing people to legally grow, use or sell marijuana in states where it is legal.

Former U.S. Attorney Sponsors Marijuana Legalization Drive

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on June 21, 2011 Legislation, News

Photo: Mike Siegel/Seattle Times

Former U.S. Attorney John McKay is sponsoring a drive to legalize marijuana for adults in Washington state.

Marc Emery’s Prosecutor Switches Sides; Joins ACLU, Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes, and TV Host Rick Steves in Backing Inititiave

The former U.S. Attorney for Seattle who prosecuted “Prince of Pot” Marc Emery said Tuesday that he is sponsoring an initiative to legalize and tax marijuana in Washington state. John McKay, who spent five years enforcing federal drug laws, said he hoped the measure would help “shame Congress” into ending cannabis prohibition nationwide.

McKay, who was fired by the Bush Administration in early 2007, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that the laws criminalizing marijuana are destructive because they create a black market fueling international drug cartels and crime rings, reports Gene Johnson.

“That’s what drives my concern: The black market fuels the cartels, and that’s what allows them to buy the guns they use to kill people,” McKay told the AP. “A lot of Americans smoke pot and they’re willing to pay for it. I think prohibition is a dumb policy, and there are a lot of line federal prosecutors who share the view that the policy is suspect.”

Reps. Frank, Polis To DOJ: Leave Medical Marijuana To States

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on June 21, 2011 Legislation, Medical

Photo: Just Out

According to Reps. Jared Polis (left) and Barney Frank, the Obama Administration should lay off medical marijuana patients and providers in states where medicinal cannabis is legal.

Two Democratic Congressmen want to know exactly where the federal government stands on medical cannabis. Reps. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) and Jared Polis (D-Colo.) are urging the Obama Administration this week to repeat earlier vows to leave the enforcement of medical marijuana laws up to the states.

The Congressmen want Attorney General Eric Holder to renew his commitment to a 2009 Department of Justice (DOJ) memorandum — known as the Ogden Memo — which said the agency wouldn’t target medical marijuana patients and providers who are in compliance with their state laws, reports Mike Lillis at The Hill.

“Recent actions by United States Attorneys across the country have prompted states to deny patients safe and reliable access to their medicine,” Frank and Polis wrote in a June 20 letter to Holder.

The letter was a result of the lawmakers’ concerns that recent communications from the DOJ and from state and local attorneys indicate the agency is backtracking on the Ogden Memo in the face of conservative criticism that the Obama Administration has somehow been “too lenient” in the “War On Drugs” by allowing sick people to use the medicine recommended by their doctors.

Retired Cops, Marijuana Advocates To Rally In Sacramento

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on June 21, 2011 Dispensaries, Legislation, Medical

Graphic: LPP

An organization of retired and disabled members of the law enforcement community — which provides support to medical marijuana patients and caregivers — is joining with members of the Sacramento County Patients and Collectives (SCPC) to rally outside the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, June 21.

With numerous medical cannabis collectives currently serving thousands of people in the unincorporated areas of Sacramento County, California, the Board of Supervisors will consider a new ordinance that will effectively close down every collective operating in the unincorporated area of Sacramento County.

Alabama Building A Path Toward Allowing Medical Marijuana

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on June 20, 2011 Legislation, Medical, News

Graphic: AMMJC

Some folks just won’t take me seriously when I tell them that Alabama stands a good chance to become the first state in the Deep South to legalize medical marijuana. I can only conclude they are so skeptical because they don’t realize how determined — and, OK, I’ll say it — how stubborn Alabama people can be. (Yes, I grew up there.)

On Saturday I got to meet meet with the Alabama Medical Marijuana Coalition at their very first gathering, held at beautiful Smith Lake Park near Cullman. I came out of that meeting more convinced than ever that the Heart of Dixie is going to surprise a lot of political observers by recognizing the rights of medical cannabis patients, and that this will happen a lot sooner than many people expect.

The reason for this seemingly unlikely scenario is what could be described as an alliance on this issue between liberal-leaning Democrats and libertarian Republicans, two groups which can agree that the government should allow seriously ill medicinal cannabis patients to use the doctor-recommended medicine which works best for them.

Former President Carter Urges Marijuana Legalization

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on June 17, 2011 Legislation, News

Photo: Jimmy Carter Library & Museum

Former President Jimmy Carter: “Maybe the increased tax burden on wealthy citizens necessary to pay for the war on drugs will help bring about a reform of America’s drug policies”

In a new op-ed published in The New York Times to coincide with Friday’s 40th anniversary of President Nixon declaring “War On Drugs,” former President Jimmy Carter supports recent recommendations for countries around the world to try “models of legal regulation of drugs … that are designed to undermine the power of organized crime and safeguard the health and security of their citizens.”

In the New York Times op-ed, President Carter called the recommendations of the Global Commission on Drug Policy “courageous and profoundly important.”

Previous 1 … 100 101 102 103 104 … 172 Next