cannabisnews.com: Alaskans To Vote on Legalizing Marijuana





Alaskans To Vote on Legalizing Marijuana
Posted by CN Staff on October 29, 2004 at 12:00:57 PT
By Yereth Rosen 
Source: Reuters 
Anchorage -- Voters in Alaska will decide on Tuesday whether to make their state the first in the country to legalize the sale, possession or use of marijuana by adults. Alaska already allows legal possession of small amounts of marijuana by adults, the most liberal policy among the 50 U.S. states, thanks to a 1975 state Supreme Court ruling.
"Our territory and now state has traditionally been the home of people who prize their individuality and who have chosen to settle or to continue living here in order to achieve a measure of control over their own lifestyles which is now virtually unattainable in many of our sister states," the oft-quoted ruling said. Supporters say further decriminalizing pot would allow local governments and the state to regulate and tax it and free up police to pursue serious crimes. "This is a very broad initiative that says, instead of the prohibition model, let's try the regulation model," said David Finkelstein, a former state Democratic lawmaker helping to organize the initiative campaign for Tuesday's election. Opponents of the measure argue full legalization would be a step backward for Alaska, a state of about 650,000 people, which has an extremely high rate of substance abuse, including the use of marijuana by youths. Tuesday's initiative will be the third in six years asking Alaska voters about marijuana policy. In 1998, voters approved a ballot measure legalizing medical marijuana, but two years later they rejected one that would have legalized the drug and mandated financial restitution for people convicted in the past of marijuana offenses. Alaska's initiative is one of three marijuana questions on ballots across the country. In Oregon, voters are being asked to expand allowable medical marijuana use, and voters in Montana will decide whether to become the 10th state to legalize its medical use. Pro-initiative groups said no opinion polls had been taken on the measure. But if the initiative passes, Alaska's Legislature will be responsible for defining how to regulate marijuana, in the same way the state decides on alcohol restrictions. After the 1975 ruling, the Legislature defined a "small amount" of marijuana as 4 ounces (114 grams). With financial backing from the Marijuana Policy Project, a group funded partly by billionaire philanthropist George Soros, the initiative group has used television advertisements and mailings to emphasize Alaskans' love for personal freedoms. Initiative opponents fume at the idea marijuana use has anything to do with Alaskan individuality, although they admit the argument is powerful. "In Alaska, fiction has always won out over fact," said Matt Fagnani, president of an Anchorage drug-testing company and chairman of a group called Alaskans Against the Legalization of Marijuana and Hemp. Source: Reuters (Wire)Author: Yereth Rosen Published:  October 29, 2004Copyright: 2004 Reuters Related Articles & Web Sites:Marijuana Policy Projecthttp://www.mpp.org/Yes on 2 Alaskahttp://www.yeson2alaska.com/Marijuana Measures on 3 States' Ballots http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19732.shtmlAdvocates Push Measure in Alaska http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19709.shtmlYes on Measure 2: MJ Will Restore Orderhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19698.shtml
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Comment #13 posted by afterburner on October 29, 2004 at 22:03:29 PT
lombar&FoM&The GCW&sam adams&sukoi
During The summer of Legalization 2003, Canadian cannabis patients, spiritual seekers, and social relaxers came above ground and met each other. The courts had given us a rare opportunity to see and feel what it is like to live under "free" cannabis. We could legally smoke, vaporize, or eat cannabis without feeling guilty, without the need to smoke and hide. We could dream the new Canadian dream of a free country with the blessings of hemp and cannabis. And during that time the crime rate *dropped.* Then, on Oct.7.2003 the Ontario Court of Appeal pretended to fix the MMAR (medical marijuana [sic] access regulations) and pretended that a dead law, having been declared unconstitutional and causing judges to declare "There is no offence known to the law," could magically be resurrected by the same court. The court overstepped its judicial authority by pretending to rewrite the MMAR, which is the job of Parliament and cabinet, not the courts. However, the same Ontario Court of Appeal confirmed that we had been living in a cannabis-prohibition-free-zone since Terry Parker Day when the law was declared unconstitutional until the date of their Oct.7.2003 illogical, illegal, and unconstitutional zombified monkey-motion. ' Once declared invalid, the law prohibiting pot possession ceased to exist, the judge concluded. "Once invalid, it became a nullity and could not be resuscitated, it could only be re-enacted," [Provincial court Judge Patrick] Chen said in a 29-page written judgment earlier this month. ' --B.C.'s Marijuana Law Doesn't Exist, Judge Rules. September 16, 2003 at 07:18:19 PT
By Neal Hall, Vancouver Sun 
http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/17/thread17313.shtmlEven though we began to feel the sting of social disapproval, prohibitionist bigotry, and media obfuscation, we had lived free for a time, had met our fellow cannabis countrypeople. Even though we slipped once more underground, we continue to support each other in the challenging environment of government manipulation and fear-mongering.Then, the Canadian Supreme Court dropped the ball by dismissing the legitimate arguments of the plaintiffs that cannabis possession, trafficking and cultivation were unconstitutional by declaring "There is no free standing right to get high." Huh? Who said anything about that? The Canadian Supreme Court disgraced itself with such politically-motivated tripe on Dec.23.2003.Soon thereafter, we received a new Parliament led by Paul Martin. Even though he formed a minority government with the help of the NDP and was attacked by the Bloc and the Conservatives in Parliament (threatening a vote of non-confidence), he seems to be following the DEA-land policies of a Liberal-Conservative prohibitionist crackdown.Congratulations, Paul Martin, my anecdotal experience indicates an increase in alcohol consumption by fearful cannabis consumers. The dangers of alcohol are well known: highway slaughter, wife abuse, child abuse, and physical violence. The blood of Canadian citizens is on your head for this foolish crackdown, contrary to the will of the Canadian people and the law of the land. And that re-crim bill that you plan to re-introduce is just more "reefer madness" as it fines consensual adults for choosing a safer way to relax, and doubles the penalties for production and distribution. Even though your government has spent millions of taxpayer dollars to produce inferior medical cannabis, you encourage the police to crackdown on compassion societies who actually produce decent medical-grade cannabis. Listen to the Canadian people and do what's right for Canada: stop listening to George Bushwhacker. The younger generation of Canada will not rest until the evils of cannabis prohibition and its racist origins are but a distant memory.
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Comment #12 posted by global_warming on October 29, 2004 at 16:38:28 PT
Comment
"In Alaska, fiction has always won out over fact," said Matt Fagnani, president of an Anchorage drug-testing company and chairman of a group called Alaskans Against the Legalization of Marijuana and Hemp."Like the dot.com bubble that recently burst, this insane "war on drugs/people" will pass and these people who have found a way to make a living by exploiting this prohibition will have to find new means of employment.If one can see beyond the hysteria and see the world and how it has become, the witch burnings were only a sample of how far some will go to survive.I hope that I do not have to expound on how precious all life is, and how the smallest of creatures will help to rise over the next mountain to see where the light is coming from.Freedom, throughout this planets history has always been fought for, and this evidence indicates the nature of our kinds, is dominated by a greed and fear that clouds our innocence.The portals of life and death are shrouded in the mysteries, those same unanswered mysteries that the ancients engraved beliefs that transformed into religions of today.Look up, into the Night sky, on a clear night, all the places of this mystery will be revealed, like a mysterious light that shines through the shroud of our atmosphere, we are home, this is our roof, this is our house.We can puzzle the nature of this universe, while others are busy trying to steal our slice of the pie, that slice of our inherited place in this world.Our inheritance is our legacies, born of blood, blood that has spilled resisting the greedy and power hungry mongers that spawn their new religions and deceptions.It is our place to guard the tenets that have guided mankind for many years, it is our place to stand, against any tyranny that threatens this evolution towards "FREEDOM", freedom for all mankind. This is our place.-gw
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Comment #11 posted by goneposthole on October 29, 2004 at 16:18:08 PT
What'll it be?
Alaskans sitting in their living rooms drinking themselves senseless all night long for 24 hours or having some cannabis to smoke. Which of those two substances will have longlasting consequences on the health of a person? The alcohol will be worse than cannabis. This holds especially true for native Alaskans."In Alaska, fiction has always won out over fact"- Matt FagnaniMr. Fagnani may want to listen to his own words.
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Comment #10 posted by sukoi on October 29, 2004 at 16:04:10 PT
sam adams 
I agree, our government has no business dictating Canadas policies and shame on their government for allowing that to happen. I recently thought that the Canadian policies would help to turn ours around and now it looks like just the opposite is happening; we will win this - we MUST win this!!!
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Comment #9 posted by sam adams on October 29, 2004 at 15:54:40 PT
Poor Canada
Obviously the poor Canadians are saddled with a government nearly as bad as ours. What sovereign country would EVER allow another country to put a DEA office on their land? It's ridiculous. Totally unacceptable.
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Comment #8 posted by The GCW on October 29, 2004 at 15:36:10 PT
lombar & FoM -why?
Here is another one about Canada.Canada: Proposed Law Will Take Criminals' Cash, Cars And Houses  http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v04/n1536/a08.html?397Why?The pattern indicates the bad seed of the DEA, (from the U.S. offices in Canada) is producing its expected fruit. We are going to see the DEA help Canada to use the discredited U.S. prohibition freakshow against its own people, before Canada catches on. (They are not going to learn from Our mistakes)We spent years stopping forfieture B.S. in the States, but now this will be presented in Canada before they spend their time to stop it; You'd think that stopping the monster here would extend to stopping the monster before it boards a plane to Our neighbors house.
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Comment #7 posted by sukoi on October 29, 2004 at 15:14:45 PT
A few Articles/Editorials:
On the ballothttp://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2004/Oct-29-Fri-2004/opinion/25102527.htmlAssembly opposes pot measure 
http://www.news-miner.com/Stories/0,1413,113~7244~2499531,00.html 
Measure Z is a step in the right directionhttp://www.oaklandtribune.com/Stories/0,1413,82~1761~2499767,00.html 
Legal marijuana sales banned in Sacramento, for nowhttp://www.californiaaggie.com/article/?id=6026 
Prostitution Opposed, Marijuana and Trees Ignoredhttp://www.berkeleydaily.org/article.cfm?issue=10-29-04&storyID=19974 
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Comment #6 posted by dr slider on October 29, 2004 at 15:14:33 PT:
spooky timing
...owning a black cat and brewing homemade remedies." Honestly, the cat is not mine.
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Comment #5 posted by FoM on October 29, 2004 at 14:51:03 PT
lombar
I will vote. My husband will vote and I hope our two votes will help make a difference. Since I'm an American I don't know much about Canada. I know what I know because of Canadians I feel are friends and from discussions here on CNews. I read the CCC list and it is very educational. I don't understand it all but I know how hard people are trying. Trying something is always better then complaining or doing nothing. We can only bring change if we put it in our minds and hearts and really mean that this is important. In the end I really hope we all win.
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Comment #4 posted by lombar on October 29, 2004 at 14:41:21 PT
I would be guessing..
I think that ever since the Supreme Court decision last year that supports continuing prohibition, the police/politicians have been planning to crackdown. The usual noises are being made, cannabis and drug users are being further demonised...the 'randy white's have prevailed in the halls of power, and the media is, as usual, supporting it. The people are mostly against prohibition, the government has been sabotaging its own medical cannabis program, and here they are hiring 1000 more cops in Ontario and the supreme court is allowing this infrared survelience. Rich Coleman in BC is cooking up some asset forfeiture laws... I can see the writing on the wall and it is really starting to make me angry.It may also be that having a DEA office in Vancouver, most likely one in Toronto and Ottawa, has something to do with it. It is almost as if they are trying to curry favor with the current US administration on many fronts. The US keeps sticking it to us tradewise and our politicians keep giving US companies big contracts involving senstive info. For instance, the federal government has hired Lockheed Martin to do the next census. The census!!! Done by an arms manufacturer whose slogan is "We don't forget who we are working for"!!! We are giving oodles of cash AND highly sensitive data to a company that make things that KILL!!! Some poster here used to put "We are being ruled by TREASON" and now so is Canada.Cannabis is NO WAY as dangerous as the gang(s) of theives that have taken over Canada.If I had the time I might look up that SCC decision and see who the dissenting Judges are. I'd wonder if they are the same three are the ones who dissented on the earlier cannabis decision (Malmo-Levine et al). It seems we have a bunch of neocons on the bench. Goodbye Canada, hello fascist police state.SO even though I am not a US citizen:Dear Joe American,Please go out to vote. Take people with you. The damage to civil rights in both the US and Canada is being done by the policies of your current administration. Killing, jailing, and humiliating for profit, power, most likely sick twisted entertainment, is their game, YOU are their pawns, and WE are all getting deprived of peace and prosperity, for ourselves and our posterity.The authority of our Governments is derived by 'the just consent of the governed'. I withdraw my consent.
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Comment #3 posted by E_Johnson on October 29, 2004 at 13:46:09 PT
Perfect timing
Maybe some day...Town to officially pardon executed witches
3,500 women and children killed in witch huntsPRESTONPANS, Scotland (AP) -- Accused witches -- and their cats -- executed during a wave of hysteria and religious ferment centuries ago will be pardoned on Halloween in this Scottish township."There'll be no witches' hats, dress-ups or that sort of thing -- it will be a fairly solemn occasion," Adele Conn, spokeswoman for the baronial court that granted the pardons, said by telephone interview Friday.Sunday's ceremony will publicly declare pardons for 81 local people executed in the 16th and 17th centuries for being witches. The pardons have been granted under ancient feudal powers due to be abolished within weeks.More than 3,500 Scots, mainly woman and children, and their cats were killed in witch hunts at a time of political intrigue and religious ferment. Many were condemned on flimsy evidence, such as owning a black cat or brewing homemade remedies.Prestonpans region had recorded one of the largest numbers of witch executions in all of Scotland, said Conn, who is the "mountjoye," or official spokeswoman, for the Barons Courts of Prestoungrange & Dolphinstoun.She said Gordon Prestoungrange, the 14th baron, granted the pardons for the convictions in the last session of his court, which is due to be abolished on November 28."'Most of those persons condemned for witchcraft within the jurisdiction of the Baron Courts of Prestoungrange and Dolphinstoun were convicted on the basis of spectral evidence -- that is to say, prosecuting witnesses declared that they felt the presence of evil sprits or heard spirit voices,"' the court said in its written findings."Such spectral evidence is impossible to prove or to disprove; nor is it possible for the accused to cross-examine the spirit concerned. One is convicted upon the very making of such charges without any possibility of offering a defense."The court declared an absolute pardon to all those convicted, "as well as to the cats concerned."Conn said 15 local descendants of executed witches had been invited to attend the ceremony and inaugural Witches' Remembrance Day, which will become an annual event in the township each Halloween."It's too late to apologize but it's a sort of symbolic recognition that these people were put to death for hysterical ignorance and paranoia," said local historian Roy Pugh, who presented evidence to the court in support of the pardons.The last execution for witchcraft in Scotland was in 1727. Such cases were outlawed by the Witchcraft Act of 1735, which made it a crime only to pretend to be a witch.
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Comment #2 posted by FoM on October 29, 2004 at 12:54:20 PT
lombar 
I read that article about Canada and I don't understand why it all is happening. I feel really bad about how it appears to be going in the opposite direction as we are currently. I just don't understand.
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Comment #1 posted by lombar on October 29, 2004 at 12:50:10 PT
Go Alaskans!!!
It seems Canada is starting a 'crackdown'. Reason went up against the drug war and it appears that prohibition won. There is no use respecting the authorities anymore, they just want to perpetuate the problems for profits sake, not solve them to reduce suffering. I wish that they used such zeal to solve homelessness, poverty, corporate crime...instead we get cops spying on us from above. This is really sad...[Article]Police can use infrared devices on homes, top court rules
Last Updated Fri, 29 Oct 2004 14:54:11 EDTOTTAWA - The police use of infrared devices as surveillance tools on homes is not a violation of a person's right to privacy, Canada's top court ruled on Friday.In a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that police can use the devices, which give a clear image of thermal energy or heat radiation, without obtaining a warrant.The court ruled that the device can be used because it doesn't reveal any intimate details of a person's lifestyle "or part of his core biographical data."In April 1999, the RCMP used a plane equipped with an infrared camera to fly over the home of Walter Tessling. [clipped]
http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2004/10/29/scoc_infrared041029.html
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