Graphic: Angus Reid

​As voters in California have their say on Proposition 19, a proposal that would legalize, tax and regulate marijuana, the measure enjoys wide popular support across the United States, according to a new Angus Reid Public Opinion Poll.

Two in five Americans — 42 percent — believe that if Prop 19 passes, it will be a positive development for the U.S. One third of respondents — 33 percent — think passage of Prop 19 would be a negative development for the country.
A majority of respondents aged 18 to 34 — 52 percent — said the passage of Prop 19 would be a positive development. However, only 32 percent of respondents over age 55 agreed.

Photo: KCCI
The Iowa Board of Pharmacy Tuesday morning reclassified marijuana as a Schedule Two drug with medical uses.

​The Iowa Board of Pharmacy on Tuesday morning reclassified marijuana as a drug with medicinal purposes. The Board agreed to change cannabis from a Schedule One to a Schedule Two drug.

The new classification by the Board means that marijuana is now considered to have accepted medical use in treatment, reports Angie Hunt at KCCI in Des Moines.
Previously, as a Schedule One drug, marijuana was regarded as having no proven or acceptable medical uses.

Graphic: NORML
California! Arizona! South Dakota! Oregon! Light up the polls – smoke the vote!

​It’s Election Day 2010, and among the issues facing voters in California, Arizona, South Dakota, and Oregon are measures which would change the marijuana laws in those states.

California voters will decide the fate of Proposition 19, the Regulate, Control and Tax Cannabis Act of 2010, which would legalize the adult possession of limited amounts of marijuana, allow a 5×5-foot growing space, and permit local governments to regulate its commercial production and retail sale.
 “If passed, the measure would be the most expansive modern law ever enacted regarding the adult use, production, and distribution of marijuana,” said Paul Armentano, deputy director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML).
Learn more about Prop 19 here (the site was responding slowly Tuesday morning, likely indicating the enormous amount of voter interest in the issue):

Cannabis Defense Coalition

​​Responding to increasing outrage over a police raid on a legal, two-plant medical cannabis garden, Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn on Monday announced an executive review of the city’s cannabis enforcement policies.

“It’s not the policy, or the goal, of the city to investigate, arrest and prosecute individuals who possess small amounts of marijuana,” said McGinn. The mayor organized a review panel consisting of the city attorney, police chief, county prosecutor, and a member of the city council.
Starting on Tuesday, November 2, a specific assistant police chief must approve all marijuana search warrants in the city.
Washington is one of 14 states that allow the medical use of cannabis, and Seattle voters directed police to lay off the pot enforcement with the passage of I-75, a “lowest priority” directive, in 2003.
​With a county prosecutor sympathetic to medical marijuana and a city attorney that refuses to pursue pot cases at all, Seattle is seen as a safe haven for medical marijuana patients in Washington.

Graphic: NotCooley.com
If you support medical marijuana patients in California, Attorney General candidate Steve Cooley is not your friend.

​The race for attorney general of California — between Steve Cooley and Kamala Harris — is the most important election contest affecting the state’s medical marijuana patients, according to Americans for Safe Access.

A win for outspoken marijuana opponent Cooley — who has become infamous as Los Angeles County District Attorney for his extreme anti-cannabis stance — could devastate the gains California has made in bringing safe access to patients, many advocates believe.
Cooley is just not cool, according to NotCooley.com. He is on record opposing all sales of medical marijuana and has a long and unhappy history of complicating and obstructing the local regulatory process.
If elected, Cooley could criminalize the sale of medical marijuana and aggressively raid dispensaries around California. Cooley could reverse the 2008 California Attorney General Guidelines issued by Jerry Brown, and that could jeopardize the rights now enjoyed by patients and providers across the state.

Graphic: Green Hit Shirts

​Green Hit Shirts has announced that 100 percent of profits from the sales of its latest t-shirt design will be donated to Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) to help in their efforts to bring awareness to the issue of cannabis regulation.

The title of the latest t-shirt design is OMG LEGALIZE WTF.
LEAP is dedicated to ending prohibition and reducing the harms associated with all drug abuse. The organization is made up of 13,000 current and former members of law enforcement, including Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents.

Photo: flickriver
Under Oregon state law, law enforcement officers aren’t supposed to advocate or oppose ballot measures — but that didn’t stop them from badmouthing Measure 74, which would allow state-licensed medical marijuana dispensaries in Oregon.

​Oregon officials are investigating allegations that law enforcement officers statewide violated election laws when they actively campaigned against Measure 74, the medical marijuana dispensary initiative.

In all, nine Oregon police officers have been accused of illegally campaigning against the measure.

Sgt. Erik Fisher of the Oregon State Police Drug Enforcement Section on Friday became part of the Secretary of State’s investigation, based on a complaint filed by Williams, Ore., resident Laird Funk, reports Damian Mann of the Southern Oregon Mail Tribune.
Funk specifically cited comments made by Fisher in articles in the Mail Tribune and the Eugene Register-Guard.
Complaints had already been filed against Medford Police Chief Randy Schoen, Medford Assistant Police Chief Tim George and Medford Lt. Tim Doney.
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