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States Don't Need Federal Permission to Legalize Medical Marijuana
We've been over this before, but apparently it still hasnât sunk in. This time, we have the Attorney General of Arkansas trying to claim that federal law prevents his state from protecting medical marijuana patients:
What a waste of breath it is to continue insisting that there's some sort of impregnable federal barrier that makes medical marijuana impossible. It's plainly wrong, and not even worthy of being debated. Anyone who says that is just a stubborn and desperate obstructionist who can't even come up with a single real reason to continue criminalizing patients.
I wonder how long it will take to bury this nonsense once and for all. What if Arkansas was the last state in the country with no legal protection for patients? Would their top prosecutor still insist that it can't be done? Come on. At some point you're gonna have to learn to live with medical marijuana, and fighting back against it is both cruel and pointless.
LITTLE ROCK â The state attorney general today rejected a proposed constitutional amendment that would legalize marijuana for medical use.Really? Then what's all this I keep hearing about 13 states having these laws and the President telling DOJ not to raid the dispensaries? I'm pretty sure everyone knows how this works by now.
Attorney General Dustin McDaniel cited numerous problems with the proposal submitted by Little Rock attorney John Wesley Hall, Jr., including that federal law would supersede a state drug amendment.
"I note as an initial matter that this description fails to acknowledge that your proposed measure cannot completely legalize marijuana in Arkansas for medical purposes because the drug remains illegal under federal law," the opinion said. [Arkansas News]
What a waste of breath it is to continue insisting that there's some sort of impregnable federal barrier that makes medical marijuana impossible. It's plainly wrong, and not even worthy of being debated. Anyone who says that is just a stubborn and desperate obstructionist who can't even come up with a single real reason to continue criminalizing patients.
I wonder how long it will take to bury this nonsense once and for all. What if Arkansas was the last state in the country with no legal protection for patients? Would their top prosecutor still insist that it can't be done? Come on. At some point you're gonna have to learn to live with medical marijuana, and fighting back against it is both cruel and pointless.
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Cop Wants His Job Back After Planning the Sting That Killed Rachel Hoffman
The death of Rachel Hoffman in a botched drug sting was one of the most disturbing drug war outrages of 2008, and apparently the person most directly responsible for what happened thinks everyone's forgotten about it by now.
So Pender says he "did what he was trained to do," and internal affairs says he "violated nine department policies." Perhaps he was trained to violate those policies? Actually, that wouldnât entirely surprise me, but it's still no excuse for Pender's participation in one of the most ridiculously ill-conceived drug operations that's ever been brought to light.
The great injustice here is not that Ryan Pender got fired for his role in this fatally flawed fiasco, but rather that he was the only person held accountable for it.
Former Tallahassee Police Officer Ryan Pender is fighting to get his job back after a botched drug sting cost a young police informant her life.
â¦
Pender's attorney claims there was a lack of policy in the buy/bust operations at TPD and Pender did what he was trained to do.
â¦
Pender - who recruited Hoffman and arranged the drug sting that evening - was fired in September, 2008 after an internal affairs review found that he violated nine department policies. [WCTV]
So Pender says he "did what he was trained to do," and internal affairs says he "violated nine department policies." Perhaps he was trained to violate those policies? Actually, that wouldnât entirely surprise me, but it's still no excuse for Pender's participation in one of the most ridiculously ill-conceived drug operations that's ever been brought to light.
The great injustice here is not that Ryan Pender got fired for his role in this fatally flawed fiasco, but rather that he was the only person held accountable for it.
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Marijuana Policy Projectâs 15th Anniversary Gala
The event will celebrate past achievements and announce the organizationâs new national strategy, including a congressional bill to end marijuana prohibition on the federal level.
In The Trenches
Comedy Icons Cheech & Chong to Highlight Marijuana Policy Projectâs 15th Anniversary Gala
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
JANUARY 5, 2010
Comedy Icons Cheech & Chong to Highlight Marijuana Policy Projectâs 15th Anniversary Gala
Celebrity guests and politicians will help celebrate MPPâs remarkable passage of improved marijuana laws in â15 states in 15 yearsâ
CONTACT: Mike Meno, MPP assistant director of communications â¦â¦ 202-905-2030 or [email protected]
WASHINGTON, D.C. â The Marijuana Policy Projectâs 15th anniversary gala will be held Wednesday, January 13th in Washington, D.C. The event will celebrate past achievements and announce the organizationâs new national strategy, including a congressional bill to end marijuana prohibition on the federal level. This yearâs gala features guest speakers such as former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson, U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN), actor Hal Sparks, and legendary comedians Cheech & Chong.
        â2009 was the best year for marijuana policy reform in U.S. history, and the future has never looked brighter,â said Rob Kampia, MPPâs executive director and co-founder. âPerhaps 2010 will be the year our politicians finally get on board with the rest of America and once and for all end our countryâs failed marijuana policies.âÂ
        When MPP was founded in 1995, medical marijuana was illegal in all 50 states. Since then, 13 states have passed medical marijuana laws, with Michigan becoming the 13th state in November 2008. By the end of 2010, MPP is hopeful that medical marijuana will be legal in 15 states (with passage in New York and New Jersey) and the District of Columbia. MPP also remains hopeful that the number of states with decriminalization laws will jump from 13 to 15 in 2010 (with Rhode Island and Vermont becoming the 14th and 15th states). Â
        WHAT: The Marijuana Policy Projectâs 15th Anniversary Gala
        WHEN: January 13, 2010. Reception from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Dinner from 7:30 to 10:00 p.m.
        WHERE: Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill, 400 New Jersey Avenue, NW, 20001
        Tickets cost $250 each, or $2,000 for a table.Â
        With more than 29,000 members and 100,000 e-mail subscribers nationwide, the Marijuana Policy Project is the largest marijuana policy reform organization in the United States. MPP believes that the best way to minimize the harm associated with marijuana is to regulate marijuana in a manner similar to alcohol. For more information, please visit www.mpp.org.
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In The Trenches
Our best year ever: Top 10 signs of progress in 2009
Dear friends:
By any measure, 2009 was the best year for marijuana policy reform in U.S. history. Check out these 10 signs of progress, most of which have been spearheaded by MPP:
1.    The governments of Massachusetts and Michigan implemented the ballot initiatives we passed in these two states on November 4, 2008. As a result, marijuana possession is now a $100 ticketable offense in Massachusetts, and the possession and cultivation of medical marijuana is now legal in Michigan.
2.    On October 19, the Obama administration announced that the DEA and the Justice Department would de-prioritize any new raids of medical marijuana establishments in California and elsewhere that are abiding by state law. This is the most significant, positive change in federal marijuana policy in 31 years!
3.    On November 10, the American Medical Association rescinded its previous support of classifying marijuana alongside LSD, PCP, and heroin under federal law.
4.    MPP has made significant progress on medical marijuana bills in Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, and New York. If we succeed in seven states between now and the summer of 2011 â which is actually looking likely at this point â the number of medical marijuana states will jump from 13 to 20.
5.    We've already collected 200,000 of the 250,000 signatures that are needed in Arizona to place on the November 2010 ballot an initiative to legalize medical marijuana, including authorizing 120 dispensaries statewide, which would give Arizona the best medical marijuana law in the country. Fully 65% of Arizona voters support this initiative.
6.    In California, a bill to tax and regulate marijuana like alcohol is pending in the state Assembly, the introduction of which generated a huge wave of positive news coverage nationwide, which we followed up with a TV ad that generated an even bigger wave of news coverage. We're working to build support for this landmark piece of legislation, which has a chance to pass out of committee in January.
7.    MPP opened an office in Las Vegas, for the purpose of building a statewide coalition to pass a ballot initiative to tax and regulate marijuana like alcohol. We plan to pass this initiative in November 2012, which would give Nevada the best marijuana law in the world.
8.    Other than California and Nevada, there are at least four other states that are now in play for being the first to end marijuana prohibition entirely: (1) Colorado, which has seen an explosion of medical marijuana dispensaries since January and is now polling at 48% in favor of regulating marijuana like alcohol; (2) Rhode Island, which recently overrode its governor's veto in order to legalize medical marijuana dispensaries in the state, and which has since launched a study commission to draft a bill to regulate marijuana like alcohol; (3) New Hampshire, where a bill to regulate and tax marijuana has been introduced for the 2010 session; and (4) Washington state, where six representatives have prefiled a bill to tax and regulate marijuana.
9.    After 11 years of MPP's congressional lobbying efforts, the U.S. Congress finally removed the federal ban on implementing Washington, D.C.'s medical marijuana law. Medical marijuana could be available in our nation's capital starting this spring.
10.  And it looks like, finally, we'll soon have a bill introduced in Congress that would wipe out marijuana prohibition entirely on the federal level, which is our ultimate goal in Washington, D.C. This will take years to pass, so we might as well get started now.
Our accomplishments in 2009 were made possible by the generous support of our 29,000 members. Please help us kick off 2010 with a bang by making a donation today.Â
Sincerely,
Executive Director
Marijuana Policy Project
Washington, D.C.
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Why is DEA Condemning Efforts to Prevent Heroin Deaths?
There are many ways for drug warriors to sound heartless and cruel in the drug policy debate, but one of the worst is certainly the objection to life-saving harm reduction programs. Just watch this DEA spokesman complain about efforts to reduce HIV infection in New York:
Harm reduction is a matter of public health for everyone, not just drug users. To frame this as a simple question of whether we should be "teaching people how to do drugs" is powerfully shortsighted and oblivious to the actual risks that drug policy should seek to address.
It's incredible that these drug warriors spend so much time warring against imaginary and exaggerated drug threats, while simultaneously opposing sensible approaches in those areas where legitimate health concerns do exist.
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Judge Reprimanded for Illegally Drug Testing Random Guy
Imagine you're in court quietly observing someone else's trial, when suddenly, the judge starts pointing at you:
The whole thing is so flagrantly unconstitutional and illegal that Moore's fellow judges were forced to throw him under the bus:
Marchant tested negative for drugs, which was probably helpful in illustrating the absurdity of pulling random people aside with no justification and making them pee in a cup. I shudder to think that the outcome may have been different if he'd come up positive. Would Judge Moore have been hailed as a skilled professional who can pick potheads out of a crowd, instead of an out-of-control jerk who doesn't understand the most basic laws he's sworn to uphold?
It's seriously creepy to think that this guy's job is to interpret the law. Pete Guither asks:
Which is why I can't get excited about any form of punishment that falls short of permanently stopping this guy from deciding the legal fate of anyone ever again. Sure, no one was killed, falsely imprisoned, or otherwise substantially harmed by the incident, but it just reveals such a fundamental contempt for the Constitution that I refuse to believe it was a misunderstanding.
The problem is not that this judge was ignorant of the law, but rather that he deemed himself to be above it.
NASHVILLE (CN) - A judge in Dickson County, Tenn., had officers pull a spectator out of his courtroom "on a hunch," held him in custody and made him submit to a urinalysis for drugs, the man claims in Federal Court. Benjamin Marchant claims that General Sessions Judge Durwood Moore admitted that he "routinely drug-screens 'spectators' in his courtroom if he 'thinks' they may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol." Moore allegedly called it the "routine policy of the court."
The whole thing is so flagrantly unconstitutional and illegal that Moore's fellow judges were forced to throw him under the bus:
Moore acknowledged he had violated Marchant's rights and was censured by the Tennessee Supreme Court's Judiciary Court on May 1, 2009, the highest form of punishment short of seeking a judge's removal from the bench, according to the complaint.
Marchant tested negative for drugs, which was probably helpful in illustrating the absurdity of pulling random people aside with no justification and making them pee in a cup. I shudder to think that the outcome may have been different if he'd come up positive. Would Judge Moore have been hailed as a skilled professional who can pick potheads out of a crowd, instead of an out-of-control jerk who doesn't understand the most basic laws he's sworn to uphold?
It's seriously creepy to think that this guy's job is to interpret the law. Pete Guither asks:
How does this guy get to be a judge? You have to be better informed to get a cosmetology license.
Which is why I can't get excited about any form of punishment that falls short of permanently stopping this guy from deciding the legal fate of anyone ever again. Sure, no one was killed, falsely imprisoned, or otherwise substantially harmed by the incident, but it just reveals such a fundamental contempt for the Constitution that I refuse to believe it was a misunderstanding.
The problem is not that this judge was ignorant of the law, but rather that he deemed himself to be above it.
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Europe: Dutch Delay Plan to Make Border Cannabis Cafes Members Only
A plan to make Dutch border town cannabis cafes members only in a bid to thwart "drug tourism" is on indefinite hold, a Dutch official said Monday. The plan, which was supposed to go into effect January 1, needs further study, the official said.
"We need to finalize our preparations before we can put the project into operation," said Petro Hermans, a project officer for the southeastern city of Maastricht. "We are studying the legal feasibility of the project," he said, adding the date of January 1 "was not practicable".
Maastricht is one of eight municipalities in southern Limburg province that announced jointly last May they would make the 30 coffee shops in their jurisdictions members only. The plan would also reduce the daily limit on marijuana purchases from five grams to three and require that payment be made with a Dutch debit card.
The measures are a bid to reduce the estimated four million visitors to Limburg each year who come from more repressive neighboring countriesâFrance, Germany, and Belgiumâto buy marijuana. Limburgers have complained that the drug tourists cause problems ranging from traffic congestion to public urination to hard drug dealing.
The Dutch government decriminalized the possession of up to five grams of marijuana in 1976 and allows for retail sales through licensed coffee shops. There are about 700 coffee shops throughout the country.
Back in Limburg, Hermans said that a report on the feasibility of the members only plan was due by mid-month. "We will then decide how to proceed," he said.
Event
NV: Press Conference for NSMLâs 2012 Ballot Initiative for Taxed and Regulated Marijuana
Dave Schwartz, the campaign manager for Nevadans for Sensible Marijuana Laws, will discuss the details of a 2012 ballot initiative to establish a taxed and regulated marijuana market for adults 21 yea
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Nevadans for Sensible Marijuana Laws to Unveil 2012 Ballot Initiative to Tax and Regulate Marijuana
MEDIA ADVISORYÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
January 4, 2010
Nevadans for Sensible Marijuana Laws to Unveil 2012 Ballot Initiative to Tax and Regulate Marijuana in Nevada on Wednesday
Press conference on steps of State Capitol building will discuss the most far-reaching proposal in history to regulate marijuana
CONTACT: Dave Schwartz, NSML Campaign Manager â¦â¦â¦â¦â¦702-727-1081 or [email protected]
CARSON CITY, NEVADA â On Wednesday, Jan. 6, on the steps of the Nevada State Capitol building in Carson City, Dave Schwartz, the campaign manager for Nevadans for Sensible Marijuana Laws, will discuss the details of a 2012 ballot initiative to establish a taxed and regulated marijuana market for adults 21 years of age and older in the state of Nevada. The press conference will occur immediately after Schwartz submits the initiative petition to the Secretary of State. Submission to the Secretary of State is a prerequisite to circulating the petition throughout the state. The campaign will need to collect 97.002 signatures by November 2010 in order to qualify for the November 2012 ballot. Schwartz will also unveil the campaignâs Web site, which will serve as a key educational and organizing tool over coming years.
        âWe are excited to be launching this historic campaign,â Schwartz said prior to the press conference. âWe have literally spent months drafting this initiative and believe it is the best marijuana-related initiative ever proposed. We are fully confident that we will qualify for the ballot and will garner majority support in 2012. As we embark on our signature drive, we are determined to use every interaction with Nevada residents to educate them about one simple fact: Marijuana, by every objective measure, is a safer substance than alcohol. We will encourage voters to consider this fact and decide for themselves whether it makes sense to allow adults to use alcohol freely, but punish them if they choose to use a less harmful substance, marijuana.â  Â
        WHO: Dave Schwartz, campaign manager, Nevadans for Sensible Marijuana Laws
        WHAT: Press conference to discuss NSMLâs 2012 ballot initiative     Â
        WHERE: The steps of the Nevada State Capitol, 101 N. Carson Street, Carson City, NV
        WHEN: Wednesday, January 6, at 1:00 p.m.
Nevadans for Sensible Marijuana Laws is a ballot advocacy group formed in Nevada to support a 2012 ballot initiative to tax and regulate marijuana like alcohol in the state.
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thank goodness for small favors
just when it looked like we were in for a fight on several really awful fronts our cowardly prime minister feeling the heat from a prisoner exchange scandal that just may have cost him his pet defense