| cityofjackson.org |
| Jackson, Michigan. |
Lawmakers in Jackson, Michigan apparently know how medical marijuana patients should use the space in their homes better than medical marijuana patients themselves.
At least, that’s the message they sent last night by passing an ordinance on a 4 to 3 vote that would limit medical marijuana use and cultivation to just 20 percent of someone’s home. The law goes into effect Sept. 12, according to the Jackson Citizen Patriot.
| Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine. |
A proposal from three Ohio residents to legalize cannabis in that state failed to get over its first political hurdle today after the state attorney general rejected the proposed summary for not being “fair and truthful”.
According to the Columbus Dispatch, the proposal wouldn’t have been on the November 2013 ballot anyway as the deadline for proposed measures has come and gone. That’s good in that it gives End Ohio Cannabis Prohibition, the group who submitted the petition, to get things right.
| state.nj.us |
| New Jersey Governor Chris Christie isn’t sympathetic to severely sick children. |
Yesterday was the original deadline for a New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie to sign a bill increasing access for medical marijuana for sick and needy children in his state, and here we are today with no signature.
Thankfully, Christie has been given an extension of sorts until August 19. We say thankfully, but every day that this asshole holds off on signing the bill is one day longer that children have to suffer and pushing the signing back by even an hour is despicable at this point.
| Attorney General Eric Holder. |
Attorney General Eric Holder yesterday told NPR that too many people are in jail for nonviolent drug crimes and that there is a great need for federal drug sentencing reform in the United States.
“The war on drugs is now 30, 40 years old,” Holder told NPR. “There have been a lot of unintended consequences. There’s been a decimation of certain communities, in particular communities of color.”
A medical marijuana proposal in Arkansas is one step closer to reality today after the state attorney general gave approval to the official title and popular name of the bill: The Arkansas Medical Marijuana Act.
As we told you back in July, the original proposal had been turned down by the attorney general for being too vague – notably language stating that patients would not be allowed to grow their own cannabis.
Last week the world watched as Uruguay became the first nation to officially re-legalize marijuana in nearly eight decades. Not to be outdone, our neighbors to the north in Canada may be heading in the same direction, at least if Justin Trudeau, the leader of Canada’s Liberal Party, has anything to say about it.
On July 23rd, while attending a rally in British Columbia, the head of one of Canada’s three major political parties spotted a supporter carrying a sign in favor of decriminalizing weed, and he stated, “I’m actually not in favor of decriminalizing cannabis – I’m in favor of legalizing it.”
New Jersey State Senate Bill 2842 and Assembly Bill 4241 were passed in the final week of June and were rushed immediately to Governor Chris Christie’s desk to sign into law. Passing by a lopsided 25-13 margin in the Senate, and an uneventful amendment process in the General Assembly, the bill is intended to ease dogmatic restrictions on what many consider to be a farce of a medical marijuana program.
Early last month, on July 9th, the bill was still sitting, unsigned, on Gov. Christie’s desk as he partied with Bon frickin’ Jovi. Unconcerned, Governor Christie has repeatedly stated that there is “no crisis” in the state’s medical marijuana program, even though the state’s only dispensary has been closed since June due to a “lack of inventory”.
| Viva la mota! |
Uruguayan lawmakers Wednesday night approved a bill that would legalize marijuana possession and use for adults 18 and up in that country as well as establish government-regulated cannabis shops where the plant will be sold.
If the bill makes it to law, Uruguay will be the first country to re-legalize cannabis in nearly 80 years.
A bill to outright legalize cannabis in Uruguay is starting to see action. According to the Drug Policy Alliance, the Uruguayan House of Representatives is set to vote on a legalization bill this summer – likely tomorrow.
The bill would still have to be approved by the Uruguayan senate and signed by President José Mujica before becoming law. Thankfully, the legalization idea came straight from Mujica’s office and his Frente Amplio party has majorities in both chambers of the legislature. If passed, Uruguayans over the age of 18 would be able to buy just under a half-ounce of cannabis per month at a government-regulated shop.
| Kim Sidwell. |
| Denver 4/20 rally. |
The City of Denver looks like it will be asking voters to approve a 5 percent tax on recreational marijuana sales if/when the shops open for business next year.
Council voted last night on a proposal that sets an initial 5 percent tax that could be lowered to 3.5 percent or raised to as high as 15 percent. Council still has a few more steps to go through before the measure would be approved. Even then, Colorado law requires tax measures to go before voters for approval.