Legislation

Medical Marijuana Expected To Qualify For Arizona Ballot

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on April 14, 2010 Dispensaries, Legislation, Medical

Protesters at the Phoenix Global Marijuana March 2008

The Arizona Medical Marijuana Policy Project Wednesday submitted more than 250,000 signatures to the Arizona Secretary of State’s office in order to place medical marijuana on the November ballot in Arizona.

The initiative requires 153,365 signatures to qualify for the ballot. Once the initiative qualifies, Arizona voters will be asked on November 2 to vote yes on the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act, which would allow terminally and seriously ill patients who find relief from marijuana to use it with their doctor’s approval.

CA: Pot Legalization More Popular Than Governor Candidates

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on April 14, 2010 Culture, Legislation, News

Graphic: CBS/AP

If popular online social network Facebook is any measure of things, marijuana legalization is way more popular than all three of the major California gubernatorial candidates combined, even with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger thrown in for good measure (take him, please).

Tax Cannabis 2010 has 57,244 Facebook fans as of early Wednesday afternoon, April 14, with another large influx of pot enthusiasts expected around the 4-20 marijuana holiday on April 20.

As pointed out by David Downs at East Bay Express, that’s more than all three major candidates for California governor — Jerry Brown, Meg Whitman, and Steve Poizner — combined, plus Schwarzenegger.

Idaho Legislator Plans To Introduce Medical Marijuana Bill

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on April 14, 2010 Dispensaries, Legislation, Medical

Photo: Idaho Moms 4 Marijuana

Idaho Rep. Tom Trail (R-Moscow) is proposing a measure that would make Idaho the 15th station in the nation to legalize the medical use of marijuana for patients with chronic illnesses.

The bill would allow patients with illnesses like cancer, AIDS, Lou Gehrig’s disease, muscular dystrophy, glaucoma and multiple sclerosis to have access to legal marijuana grown and distributed through state-monitored dispensaries, reports KLEW.

According to Trail, the legislation would be “the most restrictive medical marijuana law in the nation” because it would permit doctors to recommend it only for a list of serious chronic illnesses.

The law, in what unfortunately may become a trend after New Jersey’s Legislature passed a similar measure, would also forbid patients from growing their own marijuana. Patients would be limited to two ounces of dispensary-purchased pot per month.

Tennessee: Medical Marijuana Bill Deferred For A Week

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on April 14, 2010 Legislation, Medical

Photo: BodhiSativa Photography

Tennessee legislation legalizing the medicinal use of marijuana by qualified patients was considered by the House Health and Human Resources Committee on Tuesday, reports Hank Hayes of the Kingsport Times-News.

However, the projected cost of the bill — and not “moral” or legal considerations — could bring it down during these times of tight budgets.

After testimony was heard, the committee deferred the bill for a week at the request of its sponsor, Rep. Jeanne Richardson (D-Memphis).

According to Richardson, the bill, HB 2562, is about compassion.

“It is really up to everyone to know this is no longer a fringe issue,” Richardson said. “Cheech and Chong smoking a bong… That is not the issue here. We will eventually pass this bill.”

MPP Urges Release Of Marijuana Prisoners Before Violent Convicts

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on April 14, 2010 Legislation, News

Graphic: Progressive Puppy

Free the pot prisoners

Non-violent pot prisoners should be released before violent offenders when convicts are furloughed early due to state budget crunches, Aaron Houston of the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) said in Congressional testimony Wednesday.

“Prioritizing the release of people whose only crime is marijuana-related just makes sense,” Houston said.

In his testimony, Houston asked that Congress urge the Department of Justice to encourage states “to certify that no inmates convicted of crimes of violence, including sexual abuse and assault, will be released before non-violent offenders whose sole offense relates to the possession, sale, or manufacture of marijuana.”

Houston, director of government relations for MPP, testified before the U.S. House of Representatives’ Appropriations Committee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies.

On March 31, The Associated Press reported a disturbing trend: “Inmates convicted of violent crimes are among those being freed early from California jails to save money, despite lawmakers’ promises that they would exclude most dangerous prisoners and sex offenders.”

N.C. Supporters Rally For Legalizing Medical Marijuana

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on April 14, 2010 Legislation, Medical

Graphic: Reality Catcher

Supporters gathered outside the Guilford County, North Carolina Courthouse Tuesday evening to rally for a bill before the Legislature to legalize medical marijuana.

The purpose was to educate people on House Bill 1380, which would allow doctors to recommend medical marijuana for seriously ill patients, reports MyFox8.com.

Harold Watts said he wants to tell people how cannabis helps those who are suffering with chronic illness or pain.

Legalization Advocate To Testify Before Congress On Drug War

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on April 13, 2010 Legislation, News

Photo: Drug Reporter

Ethan Nadelmann, DPA: “The continuing emphasis on interdiction and law enforcement in the federal Drug War budget suggest that ONDCP is far more wedded to the failures of the past than to any new vision for the future.”

It’s no surprise that Drug Czar Gil Kerlikowske will testify Wednesday before a Congressional subcommittee on the White House’s Drug War budget. More surprising, and more encouraging, is the fact that Ethan Nadelmann, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA), a group which has actively fought against the Drug War, will also be testifying.

The U.S. House Domestic Policy Subcommittee, chaired by Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio), will hold a hearing Wednesday morning on the Drug War budget and forthcoming 2010 National Drug Control Strategy.

Nadelmann’s testimony will focus on:

• The Drug War’s flawed performance measures

• The lop-sided ratio between supply and demand spending in the national drug budget

Connecticut Bill Would Let Cities Tax Marijuana Sales

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on April 12, 2010 Legislation, News

Photo: MarijuanaStamps.com

Connecticut State Senator Robert J. Kane (R-Watertown) claims he can’t understand why his idea isn’t getting more support. “Everyone but the drug dealers would benefit,” said Kane, the lead sponsor of legislation to exploit a 1991 law that imposes a tax on illegal marijuana sales and establishes penalties for not paying the tax.

The 1991 tax was enacted to provide another avenue for seizing the assets of drug dealers, reports the Waterbury Republican-American.

This is the second year that Kane has pushed his pot tax. The first bill died in the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee. This year’s version is stalled in the state Senate.

But this isn’t the honest, upfront kind of taxation that comes with legalization. This is that sneaky kind of taxation that is imposed on a still-illegal substance — to provide a pretext for asset seizure, for “non-payment of taxes” on a product that would have gotten you busted even if you paid the tax.

Illinois One Vote Away From Getting Medical Marijuana

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on April 12, 2010 Legislation, Medical

Photo: Chicago Reader

Medical marijuana is one vote away from becoming law in Illinois.

The bill’s main sponsor, Rep. Lou Lang (D-Skokie), said Saturday that he is working behind the scenes to line up the needed votes, and is just waiting for the right moment to call it for a vote in the Illinois House, reports Bob Roberts at Chicago’s WBBM.

If the measure passes and is signed into law by Gov. Pat Quinn, Illinois will become the 15th state to allow medicinal use of cannabis, which has been illegal in Illinois since the 1930s.

R.I.: Hearing Tuesday To Legalize, Tax And Regulate Marijuana

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on April 12, 2010 Legislation, News

Graphic: thefreshscent.com

The Rhode Island House Judiciary Committee will receive testimony Tuesday on H 7838, a bill that would tax and regulate marijuana similar to alcohol, allowing adults 21 and older to purchase up to an ounce of marijuana from registered retailers.

Sponsored by Rep. Edith Ajello (D-Providence) and Rep. Rod Driver (D-Charlestown/Exeter/ Richmond) would prohibit advertising marijuana or using it in public places.

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