Legislation

N.Y. Governor Candidate: Tax Marijuana For Budget Revenue

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on April 5, 2010 Legislation, News

‘Manhattan Madam’ Kristin Davis: “Marijuana is a $10 billion a year industry in New York state. Its legalization and taxation would help New York’s current financial crises.”

Potential New York gubernatorial candidate Kristin Davis, the self-styled “Manhattan Madam,” has endorsed California’s proposal to legalize and tax marijuana, and says New York state should be next.

“Californians have figured out what New Yorkers need to figure out,” Davis said, reports James Nani at LegislativeGazette.com. “Marijuana is a $10 billion a year industry in New York state. Its legalization and taxation would help New York’s current financial crises.”

David, who says she booked prostitutes for former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer, is former vice president of a California-based hedge fund. She established a high-priced call girl service before pleading guilty to promoting prostitution and serving four months in Rikers Island jail.

Davis is considering running for governor as a Libertarian and plans to attend that party’s political convention in Albany on April 24. According to her spokesman, Andrew Miller, her campaign has been in talks with members of the Libertarian Party.

N.H. Pot Decrim Gets Senate Committee Hearing Tuesday

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on April 5, 2010 Legislation, News

N.H. Coalition for Common Sense Marijuana Policy

New Hampshire’s Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on HB 1653, a bill that would remove criminal penalties for possession of up to one-quarter ounce of marijuana and replace them with a fine of up to $200, on Tuesday, April 6.

Under current New Hampshire law, possession of any amount of cannabis is a misdemeanor offense, carrying a potential penalty of up to one year in jail, a $2,000 fine, and a criminal conviction.

San Diego Medical Marijuana Ordinance Developed In Secret

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on April 2, 2010 Legislation, Medical

Graphic: Fox 5

Medical marijuana advocates have responded with shock and concern at a draconian proposal that would create strict new rules for medical marijuana collectives in unincorporated areas of San Diego County.

According to advocates, the ordinance, as drafted, threatens to cut off San Diego patients’ access to medical marijuana by making compliance with the absurdly too-strict rules almost impossible.

State Supreme Court To Review Firing Of Medical Marijuana Patient

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on April 2, 2010 Legislation, Medical

Graphic: Fox 5

The Washington Supreme Court has agreed to review a case in which an employee was fired solely for her lawful use, at home, of doctor-recommended marijuana for medicinal purposes.

The case arose from the 2006 firing of authorized medical marijuana patient Jane Roe (who is using a pseudonym to protect her identity) from a company called TeleTech Customer Care Management. Roe was hired by TeleTech to be a customer service consultant, which required answering phones and responding to emails.

Roe informed TeleTech about her medical use of marijuana during the hiring process, providing the company with a copy of her physician’s authorization.

However, when Roe’s pre-employment drug screen tested positive for THC, an active ingredient of marijuana, she was fired.

WA Governor Allows More To OK Medical Marijuana

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on April 2, 2010 Legislation, Medical

Photo: World of Work

More medical professionals will be allowed to authorize the use of medical marijuana for qualified patients under a measure signed into law by Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire.

Washington’s newest improvement on the medical marijuana program expands the number of health care providers who are legally allowed to recommend medical marijuana to patients.

Gregoire signed the bill Thursday, and it will take effect June 10, reports The Associated Press.

Under previous law, only physicians were authorized to write a recommendation for medical marijuana.

The new measure adds physician assistants, naturopaths, advanced registered nurse practitioners, and osteopathic physician assistants to the list of those who can officially recommend cannabis for patients under Washington’s medical marijuana law.

Drug Czar Dodges Pot Legalization Question

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on April 1, 2010 Legislation, News

Photo: popten

Drug Czar Gil Kerlikowske: “You can envision a lot of different things.” Oh yeah, Gil? Like you being out of a job?

The Obama Administration’s top drug enforcement official dodged a question Thursday on how the federal government would react if Californians vote to legalize pot in November.

Drug Czar Gil Kerlikowske said he “wouldn’t speculate” on what Obama would do if the marijuana legalization ballot initiative is approved.

“Since it hasn’t passed — right now it would be improper to speculate on what the federal government’s role is,” Kerlikowske said during an appearance on ABC’s Top Line webast, reports Michael O’Brien at The Hill.

When pressed, Kerlikowske admitted Thursday that a number of possible responses, including lawsuits to litigate the differences in state and federal drug laws, could spring up if California voters legalize pot.

“You can envision a lot of different things,” Kerlikowske said.

An April 2009 Field Poll showed 56 percent of Californians favor making pot legal for recreational use, while taxing the proceeds.

Most CA Atty. Gen. Candidates Oppose Pot Legalization

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on April 1, 2010 Legislation, Medical

Graphic: Proud Smoke

Most major candidates for California attorney general are lining up against the state’s marijuana legalization initiative, reports Seth Hemmelgarn at Bay Area Reporter.

Even supposedly liberal, but quite spineless, Democratic candidates disagree with those who say it’s time law enforcement got out of the marijuana business.

“As a career prosecutor, I believe that drug selling harms communities; it is not a ‘victimless crime,’ as some contend,” said San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris, who is running in the Democratic Primary for California attorney general.

It’s Official: California GOP Against Pot Legalization

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on April 1, 2010 Legislation, News

Graphic: DemocraticStuff.com

With sad predictability, the GOP’s cowardly, conservative apologists for the status quo in California have dutifully lined up against the Regulate, Control and Tax Cannabis Act of 2010, which will appear on this November’s ballot in the Golden State.

The California Republican Party wasted no time in making their opposition to marijuana legalization official, reports Joe Garofoli at SF Gate.

“The last thing California needs is hundreds of thousands of more people getting high, and the costs to society that would come from widely expanded drug use,” said GOP chair Ron Nehring Wednesday, seemingly unaware that pot use has already expanded.

“We know a top factor behind whether young people try drugs is cost, and legalization would certainly bring the cost of dope down, making it much more widely accessible,” Nehring said, seemingly unaware that, so far in human history, cost of drugs has never kept any teen from trying the stuff, and besides, weed is already widely accessible.

Washington: Marijuana Dispensary Bill Delayed

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on March 31, 2010 Dispensaries, Legislation

Graphic: North End Club 420

Washington state medical marijuana patients who have been hoping for safe and legal access are going to just have to wait.

As the Legislature’s special session continues at the state capitol, one issue that won’t be debated is a bill to legalize medical marijuana dispensaries. Sen. Jerome Delvin planned to introduce the legislation this time, but now he’s going to wait.

Delvin’s plans to introduce a medical pot dispensary bill went up in smoke when he found out just how far apart the two sides are on this issue, he told KNDU Tuesday.

Delvin said the law would have to change to get legal medical marijuana dispensaries, but the bill is off the table this session.

Activist: Marijuana Patients Still Unprotected By Law In Washington

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on March 31, 2010 Legislation, Medical

Photo: Seattle Hempfest

Vivian McPeak: “Patients and providers have already shown we are evenhanded and responsible. Now all we want is to be protected by law.”

Marijuana activist Vivian McPeak, founder of Seattle Hempfest, has said that patients in the state of Washington are still unprotected by the state’s medical cannabis law, approved by voters in 1998.

“The law does not protect legal patients from home invasion and arrest by police,” McPeak wrote in a letter to the editor published in the March 30 edition of The Seattle Times.

“Flaws in the law make medical marijuana producers criminals,” McPeak said. “If the grower reports theft to police, that grower often gets treated as a criminal.”

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