Legislation

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Poll: 51% of Coloradans Favor Marijuana Legalization

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on August 12, 2011 Legislation, News

A narrow majority of Colorado’s registered voters believe marijuana should be legalized, according to a new PPP poll. Voters of the state may have a chance to make that a reality next year.

The Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol is gathering signatures to put a cannabis legalization measure on the ballot in 2012.

When asked, “Do you think marijuana usage should be legal or illegal?” 51 percent of voters said “legal,” 38 percent said “illegal,” and 11 percent were not sure, reports Jon Walker at Just Say Now.

The breakdown of support in Colorado is almost identical to national patterns of support.

YEP or NAW? Two Pot Legalization Drives Active In Washington

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on August 10, 2011 Legislation, News

Photo: Courtesy Don Skakie

Don Skakie, Yes End Penalties WA: “Removing marijuana penalties will not conflict with federal law”

When it comes to cannabis law reform, what’ll it be, Washington? Your choices are YEP and NAW. (The respective acronyms stand for Yes End Penalties and New Approach Washington.)

The new kid on the block, Washington state cannabis reform group Yes End Penalties Washington (YEP WA), will announce a new marijuana legalization drive at 11 a.m. Thursday on the North Steps of the Legislative Building at the State Capitol in Olympia.

Initiative sponsor and Lacey City Councilman Ron Lawson will announce “Initiative to the Legislature 505,” which would remove cannabis-related civil and criminal penalties for adults in Washington state. Supporters of I-505 will speak at the event.

Yes End Penalties WA is inviting news media and interested members of the public to attend and compare YEP to NAW.

“Removing marijuana penalties will not conflict with federal law, avoiding preemption and empowering the people of Washington state to step away from the fear of speaking for cannabis reform and directing their legislators to create fair and evenhanded regulation that benefits the public, rather than special interest groups and based on fact and science, not misinformation or ‘reefer madness’ propaganda,” said YEP’s Don Skakie.

Montana Appeals Decision Blocking Med Marijuana Restrictions

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on August 10, 2011 Dispensaries, Legislation, Medical

Photo: Billings Gazette

Flowering cannabis plants at Montannabis, Inc., Billings, Montana, March 16, 2011.

Montana on Tuesday appealed to the Montana Supreme Court a judge’s ruling which blocked tight new restrictions on medical marijuana on the state, and will argue there’s no constitutional right to sell cannabis for a profit. The new restrictions have been described by some patient advocates as a de facto repeal of Montana’s medical marijuana law, passed by 62 percent of the state’s voters in 2000.

The Montana Justice Department will ask the state’s high court to overturn portions of Helena District Judge James Reynolds’ decision from June 30, which suspended enforcement of several provisions of the tough new law passed the the Republican-dominated 2011 Legislature to crack down on the state’s growing medical marijuana industry, reports Mike Dennison at the Billings Gazette.

Michigan Attorney General Goes After Medical Marijuana Law

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on August 10, 2011 Legislation, Medical, News

Photo: Voice of Detroit

Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette hates medical marijuana, and he thinks you’re faking to get it.

Michigan’s attorney general has been busily trying to dismantle the state’s medical marijuana law ever since it was passed by voters. Attorney General Bill Schuette announced legislative proposals on Wednesday targeting patients he claims are “exploiting” the law.

Schuette is not a fan of the law, passed by an overwhelming 63 percent of Michigan voters in 2008. In the sort of political gymnastics also favored by Republican attorneys general in other states (examples: Rob McKenna of Washington state and Tom Horne of Arizona), Schuette claims to be a “states’ rights conservative” — unless the “state’s right” we’re talking about is a medical marijuana law.

In that case, the rules are different, and in Schuette’s mind, it’s open season on medical marijuana patients, because, in a brief he filed back in June in support of the City of Livonia — which is trying to ban medical marijuana use and sales — the attorney general claims the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act is preempted by federal law.

Most Americans Want To Legalize Marijuana: New Poll

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on August 9, 2011 Culture, Legislation, News

Graphic: Misplaced In The Midwest

Just give me the ganja. A new Angus Reid Public Opinion poll has found that a majority of Americans continue to believe that marijuana should be legalized, but don’t support the legalization of other drugs.

In the online survey of a representative sample of 1,003 American adults, 55 percent of respondents support the legalization of cannabis, while 40 percent oppose it.

Democrats are the group most supportive of legalizing cannabis in the United States, with 63 percent in favor of ending the war on marijuana. Almost as many Independents, at 61 percent, also support the move.

Republicans were out of step with the majority on the legalization issue, with just 41 percent supporting marijuana legalization and 56 percent opposed.

Marijuana legalization enjoyed big majorities among men (57 percent) and respondents aged 35 to 54 (also 57 percent).

Attorney On New Approach Washington: ‘This Is Not Marijuana Legalization’

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on August 8, 2011 Legislation, News

Photo: Douglas Hiatt

Douglas Hiatt: “It is not legalization, and it is going to criminalize patients in this state”

The New Approach Washington initiative, which has gained financial support and big backers for relaxing Washington state’s marijuana laws, is not real cannabis legalization, according to Seattle-based activist/attorney Douglas Hiatt of Sensible Washington.

“It is not legalization, and it is going to criminalize patients in this state,” Hiatt told Toke of the Town Monday afternoon of New Approach Washington. “They’re using polling to justify their positions, saying we have a ‘nervous public,’ and that we have to win at all costs.”

The New Approach Washington 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.

Britain’s Lib Dems Poised To Call For Decriminalizing Drugs

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on August 5, 2011 Global, Legislation

Photo: THC Farmer

If Britain’s Liberal Democrats have their way, personal possession of marijuana and other drugs will no longer be a criminal offense. Above, some of Britain’s finest UK Cheese.

The United Kingdom’s Liberal Democrats are reportedly ready to call for the decriminalization of all drugs, characterizing current laws as harmful and ineffective.

According to the UK edition of the Huffington Post, Lib Dem party members are “almost certain” to back a motion next month urging the British government to set up an expert panel to consider the decriminalization of personal drug use.

If it wins support at a conference in Birmingham, the motion will become party policy. According to scene-watchers, this will likely provoke tensions with the party’s Conservative coalition partners.

DOJ: State Workers Can Legally Run Med Marijuana Programs

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on August 5, 2011 Legislation, Medical, News

Graphic: CDS

Hey, eagle dude, is that a bud you’re holding?

The U.S. Department of Justice on Monday filed a legal brief indicating the federal government would not prosecute state employees for implementing state medical marijuana programs, according to the Marijuana Policy Project.

The DOJ brief asks that a lawsuit filed by Arizona Governor Jan Brewer, a Republican, be thrown out, reports Eric W. Dolan at The Raw Story.

Brewer’s claims had no merit, according to the Department of Justice, which noted that her lawsuit failed to provide credible evidence that state employees were under threat of imminent federal prosecution.

The governors of Arizona, Rhode Island and Washington have all refused to implement medical marijuana laws because they said they feared criminal prosecution of state employees by federal U.S. attorneys.

The DOJ announcement is particularly ironic and poignant, since it completely removes the one objection Washington Governor Christine Gregoire cited when she vetoed almost all of SB 5073, which would have explicitly legalized medical marijuana dispensaries in that state.

Medical Marijuana Bill Coming To Alabama Legislature

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on August 5, 2011 Legislation, Medical, News

Graphic: AMMJC

When my sister in Alabama suffers severe nausea due to a major stroke she had last year, she’s not allowed to use the most effective medication. In fact, if she did that, she could be put in jail.

You see, Lynda can’t use medical marijuana — even though it works better than any of the harsh pharmaceuticals her doctor prescribes — because it’s very much against the law in Alabama.

That could all be changing soon, thanks to the Alabama Medical Marijuana Coalition (AMMJC), which, just two months after its founding, on Thursday announced that the Alabama Medical Marijuana Patient’s Rights Act will be introduced in the next session of the Alabama Legislature.

Ohio Marijuana Petitions Rejected; Not Enough Valid Signatures

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on August 4, 2011 Legislation, News

Graphic: The Weed Blog

An Ohio group that wants to legalize medical marijuana has failed to submit enough petition signatures in its first effort toward putting the idea before voters.

Attorney General Mike DeWine (it would be a lot cooler if he was named DeWeed) on Wednesday rejected the initial petition for putting a proposed constitutional amendment on the November 2012 ballot, reports The Associated Press.

The amendment would allow cannabis possession for patients with qualifying ailments, along with their caregivers. Patients would need authorization from their doctor to use medical marijuana.

At least 1,000 valid signatures were required before the group could go ahead. Only 534 of the 2,134 signatures turned in were valid, according to DeWine, reports The Weed Blog.

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