| N.M. State Sen. Gerald Ortiz y Pino. |
A bill that would require the state of New Mexico to conduct an economic study on legalizing and regulating marijuana passed out of sub committee yesterday and now moves on to the senate for approval.
Browsing: Legislation
Darryl Rouson is a former crack addict and current Democratic member of the Florida House of Representatives. He has sponsored a bill to ban all bongs, glass bowls, roach clips and other marijuana paraphernalia, since he believes weed is the gateway to crack. “If we can make people drive to Georgia and Alabama and South Carolina to get fireworks, they can drive to get these utensils of death,” he says. Those dismissing the chances of Rouson’s bill should know he was recently elected leader of the Florida House Democrats. Broward Palm-Beach New Times has the story.
| New Jersey flag. |
The New Jersey Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee gave their approval to a bill that would protect medical marijuana patients from being denied organ transplants in that state. The bill received a vote of 7-2-1 Monday, and will now go before the state senate for approval.
| Platshorn in his smuggling days. |
Since late 2012, former drug smuggler turned activist Robert Platshorn has been buying up TV time on local stations for an infomercial. Provocatively titled “Should Grandma Smoke Pot?,” the spot aims to educate the elderly on the pros of medicinal legalization, an extension of Platshorn’s popular “Silver Tour.”
But now Platshorn says his ads are being pulled just as the Florida legislature is taking up medical marijuana legislation introduced last month. “Stations have refused to carry it due to subject matter, and unfortunately the law does allow you to do so,” he tells the New Times.
For the entire story from Kyle Swenson, head over to our friends at The Pulp.
Earlier this month legislation was filed in Washington State that’s drawn the praise of cannabis reform advocates across the country. House Bill 1661 sponsored by a bipartisan assortment of 21 state legislators, would allow individuals in the state with a cannabis possession misdemeanor to have it cleared, or “vacated”, from their record.
| Matthew Kenwrick/Flickr |
According to the latest Field Poll, a whopping 54 percent of Californians support marijuana becoming completely legal. That’s the highest percentage ever recorded, and it means, technically, that if there were a vote on this today, legalization would pass. LA Weekly has the story.
In response to a key medical marijuana advocate’s home being raided earlier this week, Florida State Sen. Jeff Clemens Wednesday introduced a bill that would allow for medical marijuana in the Sunshine State.
| tokeofthetown.com |
According to the Drug Policy Alliance, a majority of New Mexicans think marijuana should be regulated and taxed, while 57 percent say penalties and a jail time should be reduced for possession of small amounts.