The California legalization initiative has enough money in the bank to easily pay for signature gathering, a Wyoming bill would make possession of three ounces of edibles a felony, Utah medical marijuana patients say they will go the initiative route after the Mormon Church says no to a Senate bill, the New York Times looks at government complicity in Afghan opium production, and more.

[image:1 align:right caption:true]Marijuana Policy

California Legalization Initiative Has $2.25 Million in the Bank. The Adult Use of Marijuana Act (AUMA) is financially well-prepared to get the several hundred thousand voter signatures needed to qualify for the November ballot. With a new $500,000 donation from tech entrepreneur Sean Parker, who earlier kicked in another $500,000, the campaign is sitting on $2.25 million. Other major contributors include Weed Maps ($500,000), the Drug Policy Alliance's political action arm ($500,000), and a PAC funded by the heirs of Progressive Insurance magnate Peter Lewis ($250,000). That's enough money to pay for signature gathering and then some.

After South Dakota Vote to Kill Internal Pot Possession Law Fails, Tribe Again Moves Forward With Marijuana Facility Plan. After the House Health and Human Services Committee voted 11-1 Tuesday to kill a bill to end the state's unique law making "internal possession" of marijuana a crime, the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe announced it will work with federal officials in an effort to get its marijuana production facility back on track. The tribe last year began production and planned a New Year's Eve bash with legal marijuana, but destroyed its crop in November in the face of uncertainty about the federal response and a hostile response from state officials, who warned that anyone coming off the reservation who had used marijuana could be charged with internal possession.

Wyoming Senate Panel Advances Bill That Makes Possession of Three Ounces of Edibles a Felony. The Senate Judiciary Committee Monday approved Senate File 96, which closes a legal loophole around the legality of edible marijuana products. At least two state judges had ruled that the state law was unclear on edibles. The bill originally made possession of more than a pound of edibles a felony, but under urging from state officials, lawmakers approved an amendment lowering the amount that triggers felony charges to three ounces. The panel ignored complaints from Sen. Michael Von Flatern (R-Gillette) that it was criminalizing the weight of edibles rather than THC content.

Medical Marijuana

Missouri Medical Marijuana Bill Gets House Committee Hearing. The House Emerging Issues Committee heard testimony Monday night on the Compassionate Care Act (House Bill 2213), which would allow up to 30 dispensaries and 30 cultivation operations statewide. The committee took no action and no further hearings are currently scheduled.

Utah Patients Resort to Ballot Initiative After Mormon Church Warns Legislature on Medical Marijuana. Last week, the LDS Church came out against Senate Bill 73, a full-fledged medical marijuana bill, severely damaging its prospects in the legislature. That has prompted patient advocates to announce today that they plan to pursue a medical marijuana initiative. They will face a ticking clock: They have less than 60 days to gather 101,744 valid voter signatures to qualify for the November ballot.

Virginia CBD Cannabis Oil Bill Advances. In a last-minute reprieve, the Senate Courts of Justice Committee Monday night approved a bill that would allow state residents to more easily obtain CBD cannabis oils to treat epilepsy. The state last year approved a CBD cannabis oil bill, but it has no provisions for legally obtaining the medicine. The bill still awaits floor votes in both the House and the Senate.

International

Afghan Government Profiting Off Poppy Trade. The US has spent more than $7 billion trying to wipe out the Afghan opium poppy industry, but the government the US supports in Kabul is deeply involved in the trade, the New York Times reports: "More than ever, Afghan government officials have become directly involved in the opium trade, expanding their competition with the Taliban beyond politics and into a struggle for control of the drug traffic and revenue. At the local level, the fight itself can often look like a turf war between drug gangs, even as American troops are being pulled back into the battle on the government's behalf, particularly in Helmand, in southern Afghanistan." The Times also quotes researcher David Mansield: "There are phases of government complicity, starting with accommodation of the farmers and then on to cooperation with them," said David Mansfield, a researcher who conducted more than 15 years of fieldwork on Afghan opium. "The last is predation, where the government essentially takes over the business entirely."