| VoteKaleka.org |
| Amardeep Singh Kaleka |
Amardeep Singh Kaleka didn’t see politics in his future five years ago, nor did the Indian-American filmmaker think he would become a face for the compassionate use of cannabis. The Wisconsin-raised Kaleka instead was focusing on an Emmy-award winning career. But all of that changed in 2012 when his father, founder of the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin, was gunned down along with five others by a white supremacist that had entered the temple apparently in an attempt to start a holy war.
In his grief, Kaleka – living in California at the time – turned to medical cannabis to help his anxiety, panic-attacks and complete lack of appetite that comes with the tragic loss of a loved one.
The language of an Arkansas ballot initiative that would legalize limited cannabis use, sales and cultivation was shot down by Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel for being to ambiguous this week, forcing supporters back to the drawing board. Read the entire proposal below.
| New Jersey state Sen. Nicholas Scutari. |
New Jersey is wasting millions of dollars on the enforcement marijuana laws and blowing millions in tax revenue that could be generated if the plant was taxed and regulated. Because of that, New Jersey state Sen. Nicholas Scutari says that New Jersey should follow the lead of Colorado and legalize the use, sales and cultivation of limited amounts of cannabis for adults 21 and up.
Of course, as long as Chris “Tollbooth” Christie is in office, actually getting the measure passed and signed into law is a very long shot.
| Zander Welton. |
In a ruling with wide impact on the Arizona medical-marijuana program, Zander Welton and his family have won their battle to provide extracts to the boy for his seizures.
The East Valley family sued on October 29 in Maricopa County Superior Court, receiving legal help from the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona, after threats of possible felony prosecution by County Attorney Bill Montgomery.
Judge Katherine Cooper sets Montgomery straight in a ruling filed on Friday, telling him and the state plaintiffs that the Arizona Medical Marijuana Law “authorizes qualifying patients to use extracts, including CBD oil, prepared from the marijuana plant.”
All signs point toward Floridians approving a medical marijuana proposal on November’s ballot, but the legislature could ease the Sunshine State toward some legalized pot all on their own during this month’s session.
One measure, which would kick start research funding into medical marijuana and legalize a non-euphoric strain for epilepsy patients, passed through a House committee with no opposition last week.
Miami New Times has the full story.
| Levi Welton. |
Was marijuana a contributing factor in the death of two-year-old Coloradan Levi Welton earlier this year?
Expect this to be among the arguments made against his parents, Julia and Chris Welton. More than two months after Levi died following a fire in the family’s Sterling, Colorado home, his mother and father have been accused of negligent child abuse resulting in death, among other charges — and pot smoking appears to be central to the case against them.
| Brandon Coats (in wheelchair) with attorney Michael Evans. |
Since 2012, Westword been reporting about DISH’s firing of Brandon Coats, a paralyzed medical marijuana patient, after he failed a drug test.
Coats’s lawsuit over the issue has failed in Arapahoe District Court and the Colorado Court of Appeals. It’s now headed to the Colorado Supreme Court, where powerful forces are lining up against him, including some of the most prominent business organizations in the state.
Denver Westword has details and a newly filed court document.
Want to smoke Canadian weed? Head to Uruguay. Or, at least that will be the case if a proposed deal to re-up Uruguay’s soon-to-be-legal supply with B.C. buds goes through. But Uruguayans looking to get down on some God Bud probably shouldn’t hold their hits in too long, as the deal would likely violate a bucketful of international drug treaty violations.
Still, you can’t fault a nation for trying.
| Ray Stern. |
Arizonans who want to fight marijuana prohibition in this state have two strong allies in powerful positions: State Senator Kimberly Yee and Yavapai County Attorney Sheila Polk.
Like would-be leaders of a modern-day women’s temperance movement, the two Arizona politicians share a strong belief that cannabis users deserve to be jailed, and that the legalization movement sweeping the country should be literally nipped in the buds.
Look, we know we don’t have to tell you all that marijuana prohibition just doesn’t work. We know it’s preaching to the choir to tell you all that marijuana laws are enforced wildly unequally between white people and minorities and that, despite the same rates of usage, a black man is far more likely to be arrested for pot than a white man is. And you certainly know that states spend millions upon millions each year fighting simple marijuana possession crimes.