The legalization initiatives are piling up in California, and we're still waiting for the big one; Rick Perry talks states' rights on pot, an Alabama medical marijuana bill is actually moving, so is a California asset forfeiture reform bill, and more.
Third California Legalization Initiative Filed. And then there were three, when two previously unknown activists filed The Responsible Use Act of 2016 with state officials. It would allow for the personal possession of up to 24 ounces and the cultivation of up to 12 mature plants. The initiative also envisions marijuana commerce regulated by a Cannabis Control Board. If qualified for signature-gathering, the initiative would need slightly more than half a million valid voter signatures to qualify for the ballot.
Rick Perry Says Marijuana Legalization is a States' Rights Issue. The former Texas governor and potential GOP presidential contender told conservative talk radio host Hugh Hewitt Tuesday that legalization should be up to the states. "Well, I'm a big believer in the 10th Amendment," he said. "I don't agree with those decisions that were made by... the state of Colorado or Washington, but I will defend it to my death, if you will, to allow them to make those decisions. So you know, I think I'm closer to Ted [Cruz] there than I am to Chris [Christie]. I just happen to think that that's one of those that maybe the federal government got wrong to begin with from the standpoint of you've got to have some, you've got to have, you either believe in the 10th Amendment or you don't, is kind of where I come down on it."
Pacific Northwest Voters Still Happy With Legalization. A new Oregon poll has 53% of voters still supporting legalization, while a Washington poll has support at 51%. In both states, support has declined slightly from Election Day (56% in Oregon and 54% in Washington), but is still above 50%.
Medical Marijuana
Alabama Medical Marijuana Bill Wins Committee Vote. The Senate Judiciary Committee approved a medical marijuana bill Wednesday on a 4-3 vote. The measure is Senate Bill 326, sponsored by Sen. Bobby Singleton (D-Greensboro).
Florida Medical Marijuana Effort Dead for This Session. Sunshine State patients will get no relief from Tallahassee this year. Sen. Jeff Brandes (R-St. Petersburg), who has been pushing to quicken the implementation of last year's CBD cannabis oil law, said Wednesday that even that effort is dead. The Senate postponed Senate Bill 7066 Wednesday, and Brandes said he didn't think either chamber would take it up again this year.
Asset Forfeiture
California Asset Forfeiture Reform Bill Wins Committee Vote. The Assembly Public Safety Committee Tuesday approved Senate Bill 443, which would rein in civil asset forfeiture abuses. It now goes to the Assembly Appropriations Committee. The sponsor is Sen. Holly Mitchell (D-Los Angeles).
International
Ireland to Consider Marijuana Decriminalization. Incoming Minister of State with Responsibility for the Drug Strategy Aodhan O'Riordain will examine the possibility of decriminalizing marijuana, he said today. "I think people -- guards, the prison service -- will probably agree with me on that," he said. "We have an opportunity through the legislation that is forthcoming the Misuse of Drugs Act to investigate that. I am going to make any hard calls on that but the difference between decriminalization and legalization is quite different. We need to have a proper discussion before we set up alarm bells in people's heads."
(This article was prepared by StoptheDrugWar.org's lobbying arm, Drug Reform Coordination Network, which also pays the cost of maintaining this web site. DRCNet Foundation takes no positions on candidates for public office, in compliance with section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and does not pay for reporting that could be interpreted or misinterpreted as doing so.)
Cancer Patients Can't Wait
For Cancer patients, for kids suffering from Seizures, and for so many others, safe, legal, access to Medical Marijuana is a matter of life and death. Its critical that Marijuana be removed from Schedule 1 immediately. Please call the whitehouse comment line at (202) 456-1111 and ask that the President get that to happen, to protect the health and safety of Americans that need Medical Marijuana. Have everyone else you know call them too.
I'm a Scientist with a strong interest in Cancer research. The clinical evidence of the value of Marijuana as a life saving medicine is now so strong that the need to remove Marijuana from Schedule 1 has become a moral imperative. Google Medical Marijuana testimonials. Google Medical Marijuana Cancer Patient Testimonials.
This weekend over 3,000 Americans died, in pain, of Cancer. Every single day, 1,500 Americans die of Cancer after suffering horribly. it. Every single minute another American dies of Cancer. Every American Cancer patient deserves the right to have safe, legal, and economical access to Medical Marijuana. Every single one.
Americans who need Medical Marijuana shouldn't be used as "Political Footballs" Please call the Whitehouse comment line at (202) 456-1111 and ask that the President take immediate action to remove Marijuana from Schedule 1 so American Physicians in all 50 states can prescribe it.
Oncologists have know it for more than a quarter of a Century that Marijuana is a "wonder drug" for helping Cancer patients
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The American Society of Clinical Oncologists wants Marijuana removed from Schedule 1. So does the American Medical Association, the professional society of all Physicians. A strong majority of Americans want Physicians in all 50 states to be able to prescribe Medical Marijuana. So do their Physicians., Cancer patients can't wait.
The need to immediately, completely, legalize Marijuana throughout the world is one of the most pressing moral issues of our time, because of its medical benefits and because of the damage prohibition causes to America and to the world.
Complete legalization is critical -- its vital that there aren't "strings" or "hoops" that Cancer patients and others who need Medical Marijuana are forced to jump through
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"Charlottes web" is NOT the solution. Cancer patients and people who suffer from chronic pain need THC, not just CBD. The "Berkeley study", where 96% of stage 4 Cancer patients who had a wide variety of Cancers achieved remission, used high dose Medical Marijuana oil, 72% THC, 28% CBD, 1 gram/day (oral) over a 90 day course of treatment. It was a small study, and not placebo controlled, but those kinds of results are clearly remarkable, have been widely reported on in the press, and demand the need for immediate large scale clinical trials.
More and more present and former members of law enforcement agree about the need to end prohibition, and have formed a rapidly expanding group of current and former undercover cops, FBI, DEA, prosecutors and Judges, from all over the world, called
LEAP -- Law Enforcement Against Prohibition
because they've seen the damage prohibition causes to America and the world.
See http://www.leap.cc/
I'm a Scientist. Not a politician, not a cop.
But as a Scientist with a strong interest in Cancer research, I feel even more strongly about the need to ensure that no Cancer patient is denied it, because I'm so impressed with its benefits for Cancer patients.
I urge everyone reading this to PLEASE call and email the Attorney General, the press, Congress and the President today.
Medical Marijuana helps with Alzheimer's, Autism, Cancer, seizures, PTSD and chronic pain, and has helped many Americans, including many veterans, stop using Alcohol, and hard drugs, both legal and illegal ones.
Every minute an American dies of Cancer.
Every 19 minutes an American dies of a prescription drug overdose.
Many vets become addicted to prescription opiates and die from them.
NOBODY has ever died from smoking too much pot.
Cancer patients are seeing remarkable results using high dose Medical Marijuana oil, in many cases achieving complete remission, even for stage 4 cancers -- there are many excellent articles on the web, and videos on youtube with patient's personal stories about their experiences with it -- and every Cancer patient that uses Marijuana to ease their suffering benefits greatly from doing so.
It is immoral to leave Marijuana illegal, for anyone, for even a second longer.
For Cancer patients, its a matter of life and death.
Cancer patients can't wait.
Medical Marijuana has an unmatched safety profile, and for people who suffer from so many diseases, of so many kinds, its a medical miracle -- and the scientific evidence behind it is rock solid.
For Cancer patients, Medical Marijuana encourages apoptosis and autophagy of Cancer cells, while leaving normal cells untouched, is anti-angigogenic, anti-proliferative, and is anti-angiogenic.
Its also synergistic with chemotherapy and radiation therapy, making both more effective.
For many Cancer patients its meant the difference between life and death.
For everyone else, its a far safer alternative to Alcohol, and infinitely safer than Cigarettes.
Either take them off the market too, or legalize Marijuana right now.
2016 is too far away, Its too long to wait. Every year we lose more Americans to Cancer than died in WWII.
Between now and the 2016 elections, roughly 1 MILLION Americans will die of Cancer.
And Its a horrible way to die.
why are not these ethical and moral arguments sufficient?
Here's what has been blowing my mind ever since I was old enough to think about these things: why are not these ethical and moral arguments sufficient justification for marijuana legalization?
What does this say about us as a society, as a people? How could legalization have come down to economic arguments, with all the immoral motives and social prejudices left intact? In the face of the moral imperative described in the above comment, who give a shit about tax revenue, for fuck's sake? What the hell is wrong with people? Are we really that goddamn indifferent to compassion?
That's the part that still don't understand: the human heart and mind.
Why insufficient?
It's a great question, and the answer lies in history.
If you read the history of drug prohibition laws, including marijuana, you'll learn that they were enacted for the purpose of oppressing minorities, not to "prevent abuse" or otherwise protect users from the consequences of their own conduct, or even to protect the public health or safety.
Ethical and moral arguments are insufficient for the same reasons they didn't stop slavery, Jim Crow laws, and certainly not the Holocaust. Racism trumps reason and compassion any day.
In light of Ferguson, North Charleston, Baltimore, etc., you might ask: why are cops such thugs? The answer is: because they can be.
Shame on all of us for letting them be.
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