Chronicle AM: MI Reforms Asset Forfeiture, ND Decriminalizes MJ Possession, More... (5/10/19)

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The Senate minority leader refiles a bill to end federal marijuana prohibition, North Dakota decriminalizes, New Jersey's legalization effort appears stalled, and more.

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

Schumer, Jeffries Reintroduce Bill to End Federal Marijuana Prohibition. Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) announced Thursday that they are reintroducing a bill that would remove marijuana from the list of federally controlled substances, ending federal marijuana prohibition, and leaving it up to the states to craft their own marijuana laws. This year's version of the Marijuana Freedom and Opportunity Act is not yet available on the congressional web site.

New Jersey Legalization Effort Stalled. There is "virtually no chance" that marijuana legalization is going to get through the legislature this month, an inside source has told KYW Newsradio. Senate President Steve Sweeney has been unable to muster the votes needed to pass it, and talk is now turning to a possible voter referendum on the issue next year.

North Dakota Decriminalizes Possession. Gov. Doug Burgum (R) has signed into law HB 1050, which decriminalizes the possession of up to a half ounce of marijuana for people 21 and over and sets a maximum $1,000 fine. Previously, small time possession was a misdemeanor punishable by up to 30 days in jail.

Medical Marijuana

Nebraska Medical Marijuana Bill Advances. A bill that would allow medical marijuana to be recommended for a list of qualifying conditions has advanced out of the Judiciary Committee on a 5-1 vote. The bill, LB 110, now heads for a floor vote in the unicameral legislature. The measure doesn't allow for smoked marijuana or for home cultivation, and patients must have a physical exam, and be assessed for alcohol and substance abuse, and for personal or family histories of psychotic disorders.

Asset Forfeiture

Michigan Reins in Civil Forfeiture in Drug Cases. Gov. Gretchen Whitmire (D) on Thursday signed into law a package of bills ending civil asset forfeiture in drug cases unless the money and property seized is worth more than $50,000. If not, prosecutors will have to win a criminal conviction before moving to seize items.

News Brief
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Comments

kickback (not verified)

Democrats finally move on ending Federal cannabis prohibition , leave it up to the States . That the democrats can get their noses out of President Trump's rear end , to do something , is amazing . President Trump has said that he would sign a States Right law concerning cannabis . McConnell is all in on Hemp now . How dare he get in the way of this . Young folks , don't like old Reefer Madness people . Democrats should open an investigation into themselves as to why their faces are glued to President Trump's rear end . Get a Life and do something for the Country .

Sat, 05/11/2019 - 12:52am Permalink
Dain Bramage (not verified)

Kickback, you sound a lot like Trump himself -- addled, deceptive, and malicious.

That's not a compliment, by the way...

Sat, 05/11/2019 - 5:09am Permalink
saynotohypocrisy (not verified)

Pelosi could have had a bill through the House already rescheduling cannabis, it would have very overwhelming public support and would have put great pressure on the Senate and Dump to go along with it. so why the hell hasn't she even started the process?

Whose side is she on, Dain?  

Mon, 05/13/2019 - 7:19pm Permalink
Dain Bramage (not verified)

Your question makes me wonder whose side you are on!  Okay.  Listen...

I don't speak for Nancy Pelosi, but as I recall, when asked about marijuana legalization bills fairly recently, she said something to the effect of "That all depends on Trump."

 

Which makes perfect sense to me.  Nancy Pelosi is a San Francisco liberal, just as the RWNJ'S feared, and that's a good thing.  That puts her on my side; I don't know about you.

But she's not a damn fool.  Anybody who has been paying attention can see plainly that Trump is an extortionist, a pathological liar, and a goddamned Putin puppet.  Any serious attempt to negotiate with Trump is a clearly a fool's errand.  Her number one priority is, and certainly should be, to defeat Trump, not to try in vain to cut a deal with the asshole -- that would be dumb.

Trump and his fascist fuckwad Republicans have put the entire panopoly of drug policy reform efforts in jeopardy by climbing into bed with Putin.  This is your wake up call.

If The Resistance fails, then fascism follows; then, marijuana legalization itself fails.  Don't think for a second that because a crackdown hasn't happened yet, that it couldn't happen.  If Trump and Putin are not stopped, it sure as shit will happen, I guarantee it.  Trump and Putin are not marijuana legalizers, so let's not be fucking idiots about that.

If you care about marijuana legalization, and Freedom in general, then Trump and the Republicans are your goddamn enemies, and you had better pull your head out of your ass long enough to see that.

You are either on Trump's side, or you are on our side.  I believe Nancy Pelosi is on our side, and I hope that she and I will both be celebrating the destruction of the Republican party in 2020!!

 

Mon, 05/13/2019 - 8:41pm Permalink
newageblues (not verified)

This is a drug war reform site, Dain, not a DC Democrat party house organ, and that's the context of my 'whose side is she on' comment.

 Medical marijuana is wildly popular in this country, far more popular than the Democrats. You need to respond to that aspect of this.

Either she negotiates with Trump for the good of the people who desperately need MMJ to be available (which you say is impossible!) or she uses the wild popularity of medicinal cannabis against the Republicans, who are standing in the way of the health and lives of patients, by passing the rescheduling of cannabis to at least schedule III (schedule II is worse than useless at this point, that would be exactly what you would do if you want to keep cannabis limited to high priced big pharma concoctions, per big pharma's lobbyist/campaign donations enforced decree).

Which option do you like Dain? Or is it your view that big pharma is too big for Pelosi and the Dems to take on, so despite the wild popularity of medicinal cannabis, patients have to suck it up for the team? Or what?

What's she waiting for? Is she under the thumb of big pharma, or what? If there's some clever strategy going on, you need to explain it to plebes like me. I heard 10 years ago that she supported medicinal marijuana, but I don't believe it any more.

Current polls don't give the slightest credence to any hope of destroying the Republican party in 2020. Too many people are too skeptical or hostile to the Dems for that. Dem kowtowing to big pharma (and not just over cannabis!) is one reason for that.

And your childish insults don't do you any credit.

Mon, 05/13/2019 - 10:45pm Permalink
Dain Bramage (not verified)

I stand by my comments. 

Negotiating with Trump is not possible, as I have said.  So, no point in that.  And, as far as the political popularity of medical marijuana is concerned, the win is already in the bag for the Democrats.  Pelosi should be doing exactly what she is doing.

So, no, I don't "need" to do shit for you.  I am calling that bluff.

Further, I think you are kidding yourself about 2020... I think Trump and the Republicans are going to get their asses handed to them, and I am here to help in any way I can!!

No MAGA "safe spaces" anywhere in USA!!

Mon, 05/13/2019 - 11:14pm Permalink
newageblues (not verified)

 Dump said he was 100% for medical weed. Is Pelosi gonna negotiate with him, or call him out on this lie by having the House vote to reschedule cannabis to schedule III or higher, which is the only possible way to be 100% for medicinal cannabis? Shouldn't she be doing one or the other?

Why are the Dems unilaterally disarming on this issue when they'd have overwhelming public support for pushing the point. Schedule I or II status for cannabis is ludicrous, it can't stand scrutiny in the light of day.

You really should lose that arrogant superiority complex of yours.

Mon, 05/13/2019 - 11:34pm Permalink
Intrepid (not verified)

Schumer is the Senate minority leader. When I saw the headline, I thought McConnell, the majority leader, had come to his senses. But alas, no.

Sun, 05/12/2019 - 9:16am Permalink

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Source URL: https://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2019/may/10/chronicle_am_mi_reforms_asset