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Chronicle AM: LEAP Endorses Ohio Initiative, Federal Drug War Prisoners Start Going Home, More (10/29/15)

LEAP endorses Ohio's Issue 3, another tribe wants in on the medical marijuana action, a West Virginia mayor calls fro drug decriminalization, backers of Bolivia's president are using coca as campaign contributions, and more.

Evo Morales' backers are contributing coca for the cause. (wikimedia.org)
Marijuana Policy

Marijuana at the GOP Debate. In Wednesday night's debate, only Ohio Gov. John Kasich had an opportunity to answer a question on marijuana legalization, and he's not for it. He said it would send the wrong message to kids and that he had spent years of his administration working "to rein in the problem of overdoses." Texas Sen. Ted Cruz mentioned marijuana, but only jokingly, offering to buy tequila "or even some famous Colorado brownies" for debate moderator Carlos Quintanilla after a heated exchange.

Law Enforcement Against Prohibition Endorses Ohio Legalization Initiative. LEAP has endorsed the ResponsibleOhio Issue 3 legalization initiative as the campaign counts down toward election day next Tuesday. "Legalization will take money away from the cartels, provide funding for public safety and health services, and reduce the violence associated with the illegal drug market. Passage of Issue Three puts us in charge, not the dealers," said retired Cincinnati Police Captain Howard Rahtz. The initiative is also endorsed by national NORML, but has split Buckeye State legalization proponents, some of who especially object to its "monopoly" on commercial grow sites. The initiative would only allow ten, on land owned by the investors who bankrolled the campaign.

Medical Marijuana

Medical Marijuana an Issue in Kentucky Governor's Race. In something of a political oddity, Republican gubernatorial candidate Matt Bevin is supporting medical marijuana, while Democratic candidate and current state attorney general Jack Conway, is opposing it. This issue has been causing fireworks on the campaign trail. The election is next Tuesday. Click on the link for some of the flavor. [Ed: Conway ran campaign ads attacking Rand Paul as "soft on drugs" when the two were competing for the state's open Senate seat in 2010. It's not surprising to see Conway take a regressive stance on medical marijuana.]

Nevada Tribe to Join Medical Marijuana Industry. The Fort McDermitt Paiute and Shoshone Tribe is planning to open a medical marijuana grow facility for economic development reasons. "Jobs to bring our people out of poverty, to create the jobs that we can better our community," said tribal president Tildon Smart. "And the profits would be used for helping out with programs." The tribe said it plans to start growing next spring.

Los Angeles to Stop Giving Tax Certificates to Unpermitted Dispensaries. The city council voted Wednesday to stop giving tax certificates for new medical marijuana dispensaries. In 2013, the city approved Measure D, which banned most dispensaries, but that hasn't stopped them from opening. The city had been issuing tax certificates to them, but the council agreed that it was "insincere" to collect taxes from shops the city was working to shut down. Click on the link for much more detail.

Drug Policy

Charleston, West Virginia, Mayor Calls for Drug Decriminalization. Charleston Mayor Danny Jones told local talk radio Wednesday that reducing crime requires radical changes in the drug laws. "I don't think we're going to be able to arrest our way out of it. I think we're going to have to look at these drug laws," Jones said. "The money you would save from incarcerations, which would be in the multi-billions you could use to help people. The crime there (in the west side of the city) would end overnight if you legalize or decriminalized drugs, but there would have to be a way to get drugs to people who needed them… to end the criminality in it."

Harm Reduction

North Carolina Governor Signs Partial Needle Decriminalization Bill. Gov. Pat McCrory last week signed into law House Bill 712, the Pilot Project/Used Needle Disposal bill. Under the bill, people who tell police they are carrying needles cannot be charged with either paraphernalia or drug possession based on residues in the needles. The bill also allows a handful of counties to undertake pilot needle disposal programs. The effort was led by the North Carolina Harm Reduction Coalition.

Sentencing

6,000 Federal Drug Prisoners Start Going Home This Weekend. Some 6,000 granted sentence reductions as a result of policy changes by the US Sentencing Commission will be released from prisons and halfway houses beginning tomorrow and going through the weekend. About one-third are foreigners who will be deported, but the other two thirds are going home to US communities. Another 8,500 are eligible for early release in the coming year.

International

Mexico Supreme Court Postpones Marijuana Legalization Case. The country's high court has delayed action on a case arguing that Mexicans have a human right to cultivate and consume marijuana. There is no word on when it will be heard.

Bolivian President's Backers Make Coca Campaign Contributions. Backers of President Evo Morales, a former coca growers' union leader, are providing bags of coca and potatoes for their campaign to seek a constitutional amendment to allow him to seek a third term in 2019. One coca grower union leader said his members had pledged 20 tons of coca to be sold to raise money for the effort. That would raise about $120,000 and, they point out, that coca would not be turned into cocaine.

(This article was prepared by StoptheDrugWar.org's lobbying arm, the 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.)

Bernie Sanders Seeks End to Federal Marijuana Prohibition in the Senate

Presidential contender Bernie Sanders announced his support for ending federal marijuana prohibition at a town hall at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, Wednesday night. He will announce a bill that would remove marijuana from the list of federally controlled substances, end federal marijuana prohibition, and let states set their own policies without federal interference.

"Too many Americans have seen their lives destroyed because they have a criminal record as a result of marijuana use," Sanders said in prepared remarks for the event. "That's wrong. That has got to change."

No other presidential candidate in either party has gone as far as the independent Vermont senator. Democrat Martin O'Malley has called for placing marijuana in Schedule II, but Sanders wants it descheduled. Hillary Clinton has yet to stake out a position on federal marijuana reform, saying she wants to see how legalization is working in Colorado, Oregon, and Washington first.

The Sanders plan would not make marijuana legal in the states, but would remove the specter of federal interference for those states that choose to change their pot laws. His plan would also let marijuana businesses in legal states use financial services and take tax deductions currently unavailable to them under federal law.

Sanders is in line with national public opinion on the issue. Support for legalization has consistently polled at 50% or greater in recent years, and a Gallup poll this month had support at its highest level ever, 58%, tied with the poll's 2013 finding.

"Clearly Bernie Sanders has looked at the polls showing voter support for marijuana legalization," said Michael Collins, deputy director of national affairs for the Drug Policy Action, the political arm of the Drug Policy Alliance. "Marijuana reform was already moving forward in Congress but we expect this bill to give reform efforts a big boost."

Look for Sanders' bill to be filed as early as tomorrow.

(This article was prepared by StoptheDrugWar.org's lobbying arm, the 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.)

Chronicle AM: Dems Debate Drugs, Detroit Regulates Dispensaries, Amsterdam Ecstasy Rules, More (10/14/15)

Democratic contenders briefly touched on marijuana and sentencing policy during last night's debate, Ohio's largest medical marijuana group switches sides to endorse the legalization initiative, Detroit moves to regulate dispensaries, and more.

Amsterdam takes an enlightened approach to Ecstasy use at electronic dance music festivals. (wikimedia.org)
Marijuana Policy

In Democratic Debate, Sanders Says He Would Probably Vote "Yes" on Nevada Legalization. Sen. Bernie Sanders said "I suspect I would vote yes" when asked his stance on a marijuana legalization initiative in Nevada. Hillary Clinton said she wasn't ready to support legalizing marijuana, but supported medical marijuana. Both candidates also called for criminal justice system reforms and shorter drug sentences, as did the other contenders. Click on the link for more.

Ohio's Largest Medical Marijuana Group Endorses ResponsibleOhio Legalization Initiative. The Ohio Rights Group, the state's largest pro-medical marijuana organization, has shifted from opposing to supporting Issue 3, the controversial ResponsibleOhio legalization initiative. The group said it would never get the funding to pay for its own medical marijuana initiative campaign and that other legalization proposals also lacked the support to make the ballot. ORG President Jack Pardee said that to oppose Issue 3 while there is no available alternative would be a disservice to patients.

Medical Marijuana

Detroit City Council Passes Dispensary Regulations. The city council Tuesday approved regulations to govern the city's booming dispensary business. There are an estimated 150 dispensaries operating in the city. Now, dispensaries will have to get a license or be shut down, and operators will have to undergo a police background check. The regulations also bar drive-through service and bans dispensaries from staying open 24 hours a day.

International

Amsterdam Fends Off Critics, Allows Possession of Five Ecstasy Tabs at EDM Festival. As the city hosts the annual electronic dance music festival Amsterdam Dance Event, attended by over 300,000 music fans, it is allowing festival-goers to possess up to five Ecstasy tablets. The move is a harm reduction measure, with authorities hoping the lenient stance will encourage pill testing and responsible behavior if problems arise. In the rest of the country, you can only possess one Ecstasy tablet without fear of arrest, and conservative politicians have been complaining about Amsterdam's stance, but the city is ignoring them.

Canada NDP Leader Says Party Would Move Toward Marijuana Legalization. New Democratic Party head Tom Mulcair has said that his party would immediately decriminalize pot possession if elected and then move toward legalization. "We are on track to full legalization, but it is more complicated than snapping your fingers. We are not going to have weed being sold at the LCBO tomorrow morning," Mulcair said. That's a slight advance in the NDP position, which had been that it would study the regulation and legalization of marijuana. The NDP's Liberal Party competitors have staked out a full legalization positions, while the governing Conservatives are firmly opposed. The election is later this month.

(This article was prepared by StoptheDrugWar.org's lobbying arm, the 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.)

Chronicle AM: Senate Has Deal on Sentencing Reform, OR Legal Pot Sales Begin Today, More (10/1/15)

Oregon dispensaries can now sell marijuana to all comers (21 and over), a bipartisan group of senators announces a deal on major sentencing reform, Albuquerque's mayor vetoes decrim again, heroin policy on the campaign trail is featured, and more.

now on sale to adults in Oregon (wikimedia/Mangokeylime)
Marijuana Policy

Family Physicians Say Marijuana Should Be Decriminalized, Rescheduled. Meeting in Denver, the American Academy of Family Physicians has passed two resolutions on marijuana policy. The first originally called for legalization, but was watered down to decriminalization, while the second calls on the DEA to move marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule II of the Controlled Substances Act. Click on the link for details on the debate.

California Marijuana Arrests Decline to Lowest Level Since 1966. Data from the FBI's annual Uniform Crime Report shows that pot arrests in the state are at the lowest in nearly 50 years. Some 19,711 people were arrested on marijuana charges last year, down slightly from 20,346 in 2013. Arrests have nose-dived since the state decriminalized possession in 2008. But some things apparently never change: Blacks were arrested for marijuana offenses at a rate more than twice their percentage of the state's population.

Legal Recreational Marijuana Sales Are Now Underway in Oregon. Medical marijuana dispensaries across the state began selling pot to anyone with an ID showing he is 21 or over today. State officials moved to allow dispensaries to start selling recreational marijuana early in order to allow Oregonians to have a place to legally purchase it until adult use shops open next year. Not all dispensaries are participating; about 200 of the 345 in the state are.

Albuquerque Mayor Vetoes Decriminalization (Again). Mayor Richard Berry has vetoed a decriminalization ordinance passed by the city council. He vetoed a similar measure last year. In a veto statement, he said he had a "hard time signing legislation that preempts state and federal law." Except that it doesn't. Decriminalization has majority support in the city and Bernalillo County, but the mayor doesn't appear to be listening.

Heroin and Prescription Opiates

Heroin As a Campaign Issue. This USA Today story looks primarily at the attention Hillary Clinton is paying to heroin and opiate addiction in New England and the role of Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin (D) in advising her on drug policy, but also mentions Carly Fiorina and Bernie Sanders. Jeb Bush has also been talking about addiction this week.

Sentencing

Senators Reach Deal on Sentencing Reform Package. A bipartisan group of senators announced a historic deal on criminal justice reform Thursday, rounding out a negotiation process that has lasted almost five months. The bill, spearheaded by Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA), will involve reductions in mandatory minimum sentences for drug offenses, an expansion of the federal "safety valve" (which allows judges to use their discretion to sentence people below statutory mandatory minimums), and will expand reentry programming and early release, among other things. Look for a Chronicle feature story on this in coming days.

(This article was prepared by StoptheDrugWar.org's lobbying arm, the 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.)

Chronicle AM: Midwest Marijuana, Clinton Looks Abroad to Fight Heroin, Dan Rush Indicted, More (9/21/15)

Michigan has two legalization initiative campaigns and now it has a legalization bill, Ohio's legalization initiative ballot language is set, a key UFCW organizer gets indicted, Chuck Schumer calls on the DEA to do something about Chinese drug sales websites, and more.

Hilary Clinton hints at eradication and interdiction to fight heroin. (state.gov)
Marijuana Policy

Florida Rep Files Five Nanogram Drugged Driving Bill. Rep. David Kerner (D-Lake Worth) has filed House Bill 161, which would make driving with more than five nanograms of THC per milliliter of blood a drugged driving offense. The bill is named after teenager Naomi Pomerance, who died in a traffic accident last year in which the driver of the scooter on which she was riding was high on marijuana and ran a red light.

Michigan Legalization Bill Filed. Rep. Jeff Irwin (D-Ann Arbor) and six cosponsors have filed House Bill 4877 to bring full-fledged marijuana legalization to the state. The move comes as two groups are working to put legalization initiatives on the 2016 ballot.

Ohio Ballot Board Revises Legalization Initiative Ballot Language to Remove "Misleading" Characterizations. On orders from the state Supreme Court to fix "misleading" ballot language after ResponsibleOhio challenged the original version, the state Ballot Board has revised its ballot wording to describe the initiative. The ballot title, which ResponsibleOhio had also challenged, will, however, stand. It reads: "Grants a monopoly for the commercial production and sale of marijuana for recreational and medicinal purposes." The campaign had challenged the use of "monopoly" and would have preferred "personal" instead of "recreational" use.

Ohio ACLU Endorses ResponsibleOhio Initiative. The ACLU of Ohio is getting behind the controversial legalization initiative because it would "begin to move our state away from senseless, wasteful drug prohibition toward a system that is supervised, safe, efficient, legal, and operating under regulatory oversight," the group said.

Washington State Teens Do Not Face Felonies for Marijuana Possession. After reports last week that an eastern Washington prosecutor had charged three teens with felonies for marijuana possession, saying that a new law designed to regulate medical marijuana demanded the charges, the air has cleared. The new law, Senate Bill 5052, does not require that teens be charged with felonies for possessing less than 40 grams, and the prosecutor has now dropped the felony charges. Interesting take on all this at the title link.

Medical Marijuana

Feds Indict Union Organizer on Corruption Charges. Dan Rush, marijuana industry organizer for the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), was indicted on federal corruption, attempted extortion, and money laundering charges in Oakland last Thursday. Rush is accused of using his position "to obtain money and other things" over a five-year period. He is accused of taking kickbacks from an attorney for referring medical marijuana business clients to him and of accepting $550,000 in debt forgiveness from a dispensary operator (who was also acting as an FBI informant at the time). Rush and his attorneys have denied the charges.

Connecticut Dispensaries Move a Step Nearer. The state Department of Consumer Protection announced last Friday that it has received 19 new applications for dispensaries in response to its June request. Three dispensaries will be selected to operate in New Haven or Fairfield counties.

Florida Initiative Organizers Say They Have Half a Million Signatures. The United for Care campaign to put medical marijuana on the ballot last year reports that it has already gathered 500,000 signatures. They need 683,149 valid voter signatures by February 1 to qualify. This is the same group that was behind the 2014 medical marijuana initiative, which garnered 58% of the vote, but came up short because constitutional amendments require 60% to pass.

Heroin and Prescription Opiates

Hillary Clinton Would Take War on Heroin Beyond US Borders. In an interview with WMUR radio in New Hampshire, the Democratic presidential contender said she would take the fight against heroin beyond the US border if necessary. "I think you have to," responded Clinton. "This has to be a comprehensive strategy. And we know that this cheap heroin that is killing so many people is coming across our border." Interdiction and eradication have long been favorite drug war strategies, but have not proven very effective.

Drug Testing

South Dakota Tribal Chairman Gets Job Back After Drug Testing Brouhaha. Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate Tribal Chairman Bruce Renville was reinstated last Friday after being suspended for imposing drug testing on all tribal employees. In his zeal to get a grip on alcohol and drug abuse on the reservation, Renville went beyond the letter of the law. Employees who tested positive will not be punished.

Law Enforcement

Chuck Schumer Calls on DEA to Crack Down on China Drug Websites. Responding to concerns over synthetic cannabinoids, the New York Democrat is calling on the DEA to form a special unit to identify Chinese websites doing bulk sales of new psychoactive substances and ban credit card companies from doing business with them. "By simply telling the credit card companies not to deal with these sites, we can shut them down," Schumer said. "When you buy a synthetic drug, you give a credit card number. You can go on your iPhone right now and pull up some of these websites. They say 'We take Visa.' Visa would no longer take them. None of the credit card companies would take them. We could strangle them."

(This article was prepared by StoptheDrugWar.org's lobbying arm, the 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.)

Chronicle AM: Republicans on Drugs, O'Malley on Marijuana, NC Needle Bill Advances, More (9/17/15)

Republican presidential contenders spar over drug policy, Martin O'Malley talks marijuana, Ohio's Supreme Court slaps down biased ballot language for ResponsibleOhio's initiative, pot people will march in Vienna on Saturday, and more.

logo of the Michigan Cannabis Coalition, one of two groups trying to put legalization on the 2016 ballot
Marijuana Policy

Martin O'Malley Meets With Colorado Marijuana People, Calls for Reclassification. Former Maryland governor and Democratic presidential contender Martin O'Malley met Thursday with state marijuana regulators, activists, and industry representatives and said he would immediately change federal marijuana policy if elected. He reiterated his pledge to reclassify marijuana as Schedule II, but stopped short of calling for legalization.

Michigan Initiatives in Midst of Signature Gathering. Two competing legalization initiatives are now deep in the signature-gathering phase. The Michigan Cannabis Coalition says it has collected nearly 170,000 signatures, which its petitioners are trying to verify as valid on the spot. Initiatives need some 252,000 valid voter signatures to qualify for the November 2016 ballot. A second initiative campaign, MI Legalize didn't provide precise figures but said it is "on pace" to qualify for the ballot. MCC would let the legislature set taxes for marijuana sales and establish licensing requirements for stores. It would limit personal grows to two plants. MI Legalize would peg the retail pot sales tax at 10%, put licensing in the hands of local communities, and allow up to 12 plants for personal grows.

Ohio Supreme Court Orders New Ballot Language for ResponsibleOhio Initiative. Handing a rebuff to state officials, the high court agreed with ResponsibleOhio that the state's description of the initiative "inaccurately states pertinent information and omits essential information. The cumulative effect of these defects in the ballot language is fatal because the ballot language fails to properly identify the substance of the amendment, a failure that misleads voters." Now, the state Ballot Board must submit new, more accurate language. It could meet again as early as Friday. The state did win on one issue, though: Its language referring to the initiative as a "monopoly" will stay.

Drug Policy

GOP Candidates on Drugs At Last Night's Debate. Republican presidential contenders tangled over drug policy, with Sen. Rand Paul describing the damage of the war on drugs, recommending treatment and drug courts, and articulating a states' rights position on marijuana legalization, while Jeb Bush 'fessed up to smoking pot as a teenager, also endorsed treatment and drug courts, and hit back at Paul over heroin use. The anti-legalization Gov. Chris Christie touted his state's drug sentencing reforms, and Carly Fiorina claimed special consideration because her stepdaughter died of a drug overdose. Click on the link for a full review.

Heroin and Prescription Opiates

Massachusetts Bill Would Ban Oxycontin for Children. Responding to the FDA's approval of the use of Oxycontin for pain relief for children, a state representative has filed a bill to prohibit doctors in the state from prescribing the drug to kids. Rep. Diana DiZoglio (D-Methuen) filed House Docket 4154, which has yet to be assigned a bill number.

Harm Reduction

North Carolina Senate Passes Pilot Project/Needle Disposal Bill. The Senate today unanimously passed House Bill 712, which does two things. First, it states that anyone who declares a syringe or sharp object to a law enforcement officer prior to search cannot be charged for possession of the object or for any drug residue inside the object. This bill improves H 850, the needlestick prevention bill passed in 2013, which protected people from the paraphernalia charge, but not from the residue charge. Second, the bill authorizes two to four North Carolina counties to establish pilot programs to collect and safely dispose of used syringes in their communities. The North Carolina Harm Reduction Center will start these pilot programs on December 1, 2015 in Cumberland and Haywood counties. The bill has already passed the House and awaits the governor's signature.

International

Marijuana Activists to March in Vienna This Weekend. Organizers expect up to 10,000 people to march through Vienna on Saturday to protest drug law "reforms" that will still criminalize medical marijuana patients. The march is being led by Legalize! Osterreich, which has begun a parliamentary initiative to legalize marijuana. That initiative has 15,000 signatures so far.

(This article was prepared by StoptheDrugWar.org's lobbying arm, the 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.)

Medical Marijuana Update

California passes historic medical marijuana regulation, Illinois blocks expanding qualifying conditions, Missouri activists gear up for a 2016 initiative, and more.

California

Last Friday, the legislature approved sweeping medical marijuana regulation. After nearly 20 years of wrangling over what is and is not legal under California's 1996 Proposition 215 medical marijuana law, the state legislature has passed a set of bills designed to bring order to the chaos. After working with Gov. Jerry Brown (D) on acceptable language, the Assembly and the Senate Friday passed Assembly Bill 243,Assembly Bill 266, and Senate Bill 643. The session ended at midnight Friday. Click on the title link for more, and read our feature article on reactions to the move here.

Illinois

Last Thursday,the governor vetoed medical marijuana for PTSD. Gov. Bruce Rauner (R) Thursday vetoed a measure that would have allowed people with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder to qualify for medical marijuana. His administration also refused to expand access to medical marijuana for 10 other ailments. The Illinois Medical Cannabis Advisory Board had recommended adding the 11 conditions, but Rauner killed PTSD and the Department of Public Health killed the rest. Rauner said expanding the program was premature.

Iowa

On Wednesday, Iowa activists announced they would use their state's primary campaign to pressure candidates. The advocacy group Iowans 4 Medical Cannabis is taking advantage of the state's early presidential primary and the attention it generates to pressure presidential candidates to stand up for medical marijuana. The group has developed a questionnaire it plans to deliver to all the candidates. "Moms and dads across America want to know what presidential candidates are proposing to help the sick and suffering obtain medical cannabis, a proven plant that is made by God," said Maria La France, a Des Moines mother whose 14-year-old son Quincy has epilepsy.

Missouri

Last Friday, Missouri activists said they would run a 2016 medical marijuana initiative. The activist group Show Me Cannabis has announced it will try to put a medical marijuana initiative -- not a legalization initiative -- on the November 2016 ballot. They will need to come up with 160,000 valid voter signatures by next May to do it.

Nevada

Last Wednesday, Las Vegas' only dispensary was forced to shut its doors over shortages after test samples came up dirty. The only dispensary in the city, Euphoria Wellness, was forced to close its doors for almost a week after it ran short on marijuana because too many batches failed state-required contamination tests. The state basically allows no pesticides to be present, and about one-third of samples have failed, mostly over the presence of pesticides, but some for microbial contamination. The dispensary planned to reopen today.

New Jersey

Last Tuesday, an appeals court ruled that the smell of marijuana is still enough for a warrantless search. Even though medical marijuana is legal in the state, an appeals court ruled that the smell of marijuana can still be used by police as grounds for a warrantless search. The ruling came in the case of a man arrested after a vehicle stop in which the officer used the smell of marijuana to justify searching the vehicle.

[For extensive information about the medical marijuana debate, presented in a neutral format, visit MedicalMarijuana.ProCon.org.]

Chronicle AM: CO Pot Tax Holiday, Toledo Decriminalizes, So Does South Palm Beach (Sort Of), More (9/16/15)

Marijuana, marijuana, marijuana. It's almost all pot news today, from Colorado taxes to decrim in Toledo and South Palm Beach, to a new federal bill aimed at ending DEA funding of marijuana eradication, and more.

Marijuana Policy

Congressmen Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Eliminate DEA Marijuana Eradication Program. US Reps. Ted Lieu (D-CA) and Justin Amash (R-MI) today filed a bill that would end the DEA's Domestic Cannabis Eradication/Suppression Program. That program funds state and local law enforcement efforts to find and destroy marijuana grow sites. The bill would bar the use of such funds for that purpose. It's not yet available on the congressional website.

Colorado Becomes First State to See Marijuana Tax Revenues Exceed Alcohol Tax Revenues. In the past fiscal year, the state took in $70 million in marijuana taxes, far above the $42 million it got from taxes on alcohol.

Colorado Pot Tax Holiday Today. Because of a quirk in state law, the state must suspend collecting marijuana taxes today. The state underestimated total state tax collections in 2014, which results in the automatic suspension of "new" taxes, such as those imposed on marijuana under legalization there. Pot shops expect big crowds. The taxes return tomorrow.

Toledo Decriminalization Measure Passes Overwhelmingly. Voters approved the Sensible Toledo decriminalization ordinance by a margin of more than two to one. The ordinance would eliminate jail time and fines for possession of up to 200 grams of marijuana. Current municipal ordinances make possession of up to 100 grams a misdemeanor punishable by a fine and possession of up to 200 grams a misdemeanor punishable by up to 30 days in jail. Under Ohio state law, possession of up to 100 grams is decriminalized.

West Palm Beach Approves Ordinance Giving Police Possession Ticket Option.The city council Tuesday night approved an ordinance giving police the option of issuing $100 fines instead of misdemeanor charges against people caught with 20 grams or less of weed. The move is part of a South Florida trend toward de facto decriminalization.

Medical Marijuana

Iowa Activists Use Primary Attention to Pressure Candidates. The advocacy group Iowans 4 Medical Cannabis is taking advantage of the state's early presidential primary and the attention it generates to pressure presidential candidates to stand up for medical marijuana. The group has developed a questionnaire it plans to deliver to all the candidates. "Moms and dads across America want to know what presidential candidates are proposing to help the sick and suffering obtain medical cannabis, a proven plant that is made by God," said Maria La France, a Des Moines mother whose 14-year-old son Quincy has epilepsy.

International

In India's Punjab, Half of All Prisoners Are Drug Offenders. Of the 26,000 inmates behind bars in Punjab, 47% have either been convicted or are awaiting trial under the country's Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. The crush of drug inmates is overwhelming jails in the state, which have an official capacity of 19,000. Many of the drug inmates are considered "addicts," and many of the state prisons have become "de-addiction centers."

Chronicle AM: NORML Endorses Ohio MJ Init, Obama Issues Annual Country Trafficking Report, More (12/14/05)

NORML endorses the ResponsibleOhio legalization initiative, California legislators pass medical marijuana regulation, the White House issues its annual report on drug trafficking countries, and more.

The controversial initative has won an endorsement from NORML.
Marijuana Policy

Martin O'Malley to Hold Marijuana Legalization "Listening Session" in Denver This Week. The former Maryland governor and Democratic presidential contender will hear from policymakers, experts, business owners, and law enforcement about how Colorado's decision to legalize marijuana has been working and affecting communities across the state. As governor, O'Malley decriminalized marijuana in Maryland and started the state's medical marijuana program. In his presidential campaign, Governor O'Malley calls for re-classifying marijuana as part of his criminal justice platform.

NORML Endorses the ResponsibleOhio Legalization Initiative. The board of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) has voted to endorse the ResponsibleOhio initiative. While the board expressed concern about "investor-driven initiatives," calling them a "perversion" of the initiative process, it said that ending prohibition outweighed the negatives. Click on the link for the entire statement.

Medical Marijuana

California Legislature Approves Medical Marijuana Regulation. After nearly 20 years of wrangling over what is and is not legal under California's 1996 Proposition 215 medical marijuana law, the state legislature has passed a set of bills designed to bring order to the chaos. After working with Gov. Jerry Brown (D) on acceptable language, the Assembly and the Senate Friday passed Assembly Bill 243 Assembly Bill 266, and Senate Bill 643. The session ended at midnight Friday. Click on the title link for more, and look for a feature article later this week on reaction to the move.

Drug Policy

White House Drug Trafficking Nation List Singles Out Bolivia, Burma, Venezuela. The White House released its annual Presidential Determination on Major Drug Transit or Major Illicit Drug Producing Countries today, and singled out Bolivia, Burma, and Venezuela as failing to comply with US drug war demands. The other countries on the list are: Afghanistan, The Bahamas, Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Laos, Mexico, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Panama, and Peru. Click on the link to read the entire determination.

Drug Testing

South Dakota Indian Tribal Chairman in Hot Water Over Mass Drug Testing. In a bid to address drug abuse on the reservation, Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate Tribal Chairman Bruce Renville ordered surprise, mandatory, suspicionless drug testing of hundreds of tribal employees last month. But while some of them came up dirty, Renville is the only one whose job is in danger. Tribal opponents accuse him of trampling individual and constitutional rights with the move, and now the council has suspended him from his position, with a hearing on whether to fire him set for later this week. Click on the link to read a very detailed report.

International

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Issues Report on Drugs and Human Rights. The Human Rights Council had requested the study, which will be presented to the council at its next session. The study, Impact of the World Drug Problem on Human Rights, examines the impact drug policy decisions on personal and public health, harm reduction, as well as examining the role of criminal justice systems and the use of the death penalty.

Philippines Bans Hemp Products. The Philippine Food and Drug Administration and Philippine DEA have banned the sale of consumer products containing "hempseed oil or their varieties and derivatives from cannabis or marijuana in consumer products." The move is being sold as an effort "to protect the public from the harmful effects of dangerous drugs," even though hemp products normally don't contain more than trace amounts of THC, the main psychoactive substance in marijuana.

(This article was prepared by StoptheDrugWar.org's lobbying arm, the 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.)

Chronicle AM: Psychedelics Could Treat Anxiety, PTSD; British MPs to Debate Marijuana Legalization, More (9/9/15)

Another Indian tribe will grow marijuana, Arkansas voters want medical marijuana, British MPs will debate marijuana legalization, psychedelic drugs may have value in treating some mental conditions, and more.

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) moves forward on welfare drug testing. (wi.gov)
Marijuana Policy

Maine Indian Tribe to Grow Marijuana. The Passamaquoddy tribe has signed a letter of intent with Denver-based Monarch America, Inc. to design, construct, and manage a marijuana cultivation facility on tribal land, Monarch said Tuesday. The company has also contracted with the Flandreau Santee Sioux tribe in South Dakota to run a similar operation there. The Justice Department has taken a hands-off approach to marijuana cultivation by Indian tribes.

Medical Marijuana

Arkansas Poll Has Support for Medical Marijuana at 84%. A new Talk Business & Politics poll shows very strong support for medical marijuana in the state. More than half (56%) strongly agreed that adults should be able to use marijuana with a doctor's prescription, with another 28% somewhat agreeing. Only 14% disagreed. A medical marijuana initiative barely failed there in 2012, winning 48.5% of the vote. That initiative included a provision for home grows, but this poll found a slight majority opposing home grows. Support for outright legalization was much lower, at 42%.

Heroin and Prescription Opiates

Wisconsin Lawmaker Prepares Anti-Heroin Legislative Package. Rep. John Nygren (R-Marinette), who introduced seven bills last year to address opiate addiction, said at a Tuesday news conference he's preparing four more. He said the new bills would be designed to go after addiction to opioid pain medications, which he said was at the root of rising levels of heroin use. Nygren offered up few details, though.

Psychedelics

Study Says Psychedelics Could Be Useful in Treating Some Mental Disorders. A meta-study reviewing small-scale and preliminary studies finds that psychedelic drugs may be beneficial for people suffering from anxiety, addiction, or PTSD. "In the right context, these drugs can help people a lot, especially people who have disorders that we generally treat poorly, such as end-of-life distress, PTSD, and addiction issues involving tobacco or alcohol," said study coauthor Matthew Johnson, an associate professor in the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore. The study is available behind a pay wall here.

Drug Testing

Wisconsin Governor Takes First Steps Toward Welfare Drug Testing. Gov. Scott Walker, a contender for the GOP presidential nomination, Tuesday approved "scope statements," the first step in implementing drug testing of some welfare recipients. The state will test "certain applicants for unemployment benefits as well as for able-bodied adults seeking benefits and/or training through FoodShare, Transform Milwaukee, Transitional Jobs, noncustodial parents on the W-2 program, and Children First." Those "certain applicants" are ones the state deems likely to have been using controlled substances without a prescription.

International

British MPs Will Debate Marijuana Legalization. After a citizens' petition drew more than 200,000 signatures from Britons, Parliament has agreed to hear debate on the issue. The debate will be October 12 and will be led by long-time drug reformer MP Paul Flynn (Labor-Newport West). The Conservative government has already insisted it will not legalize marijuana, but the debate will go on nonetheless.

(This article was prepared by StoptheDrugWar.org's lobbying arm, the 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.)

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