Drug War Issues
Politics & Advocacy
Our first-ever medical marijuana update with no news from California. But there are things going in places that are not the usual suspect -- sign of changing times, indeed. Let's get to it:
This week, the Charlotte's Web Medical Hemp Act of 2014 continued to pick up new sponsors. The bill, HR 5526, would exclude low-THC, cannabidiol-based medicines from the definition of marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act. The latest cosponsors are Reps. Walter Jones (R-NC), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), and Tom McClintock (R-CA). The bill now has 24 cosponsors -- Democrats and 10 Republicans.
Florida
Last Friday, Florida Republican county chairs came out against the medical marijuana initiative. They voted to oppose Amendment 2, the state's medical marijuana constitutional amendment. They worried it would lead to widespread access to marijuana. "I do not want to see Florida turned into the pot capital of the world," aid Volusia County GOP chair Tony Ledbetter, in a remark typical of Republican concerns.
On Wednesday, a new poll had the initiative leading, but not by enough to pass. The latest SurveyUSA/WFLA tracking poll has the Amendment 2 medical marijuana initiative at 56%, which would be good news except that, because it is a constitutional amendment, it needs 60% to be approved. Other recent polls have shown the initiative hovering on the cusp of passage.
Georgia
Last Thursday, advocates called for whole plant medical marijuana, not just CBD oil. As legislative hearings in Macon continue to examine the use of CBD oil, medical marijuana advocates are calling for whole plant medical marijuana. "The cannabis plant contains many compounds that have proven to be effective in treating a variety of conditions," said Georgia C.A.R.E director James Bell. "We should not be determining who can and cannot benefit from this healing plant."
Guam
On Monday, the Guam Election Commission released the text for the island's medical marijuana initiative. The legislature-sponsored initiative, Proposal 14A, will go before voters in November. The election commission is urging opponents and proponents of the measure to submit written arguments not exceeding 500 words by this Friday.
Iowa
Last Thursday, a legislative panel said medical marijuana should be grown in the state. A bipartisan legislative committee studying the state's CBD oil medical marijuana law has recommended growing and distributing it in the state. The vote was largely along party lines, with only one Republican voting for Iowa-grown medical marijuana. However, the committee also voted 9-1 to reclassify marijuana for medical use under the state's classification system.
Pennsylvania
Last Wednesday, a key Republican senator said he would consider the medical marijuana bill. Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi (R-Chester) said he plans to caucus on whether to move forward with Senate Bill 1182, saying the bill has "broad support" in the legislature.
On Monday, a key Republican House member said he supports the medical marijuana bill. State Rep. Mike Vereb (R-Montgomery) told a rally on the capitol steps Monday that he now supports pending medical marijuana legislation. This could be a sign that Republican opposition in the House is softening. The bill has some bipartisan support in the Senate, but the session only has a month left.
[For extensive information about the medical marijuana debate, presented in a neutral format, visit MedicalMarijuana.ProCon.org.]
Permission to Reprint: This content is licensed under a modified Creative Commons Attribution license. Content of a purely educational nature in Drug War Chronicle appear courtesy of DRCNet Foundation, unless otherwise noted.
Comments
Correction to Iowa blurb
The vote on Sept. 11, 2014, to reclassify marijuana was 9-1, with 5 Democrats and 4 Republicans voting for it. This is the same recommendation the Iowa Board of Pharmacy made on February 17, 2010, and again on August 27, 2014, as the result of petitions I filed with the board. Your article makes it sound as if the vote to reschedule was along party lines and that is entirely inaccurate. We know the scheduling has to be fixed, both at the state and at the federal level. We're going to start by taking marijuana out of our own state schedule I as the opening move.
In reply to Correction to Iowa blurb by Carl Olsen (not verified)
Sorry, Carl. I've fixed the
Sorry, Carl. I've fixed the blurb to note that there were two separate votes, one for medical marijuana growing in-state and another for reclassification, with the reclassification vote passing overwhelmingly as you noted.
Georgia Cannabis
The northern half of Georgia is flush with top shelf Cannabis . Don`t be fooled . Legal Cannabis in Georgia in 2016 ? Can you see Macon from on top of Stone Mountain ? At some point , the head must come up out of the sand .
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