cannabisnews.com: Push for Looser Pot Laws Gains Momentum
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Push for Looser Pot Laws Gains Momentum
Posted by CN Staff on January 15, 2010 at 16:26:06 PT
By Nick Wingfield and Justin Scheck
Source: Wall Street Journal
Seattle -- A push to legalize marijuana on the West Coast is picking up steam as Washington lawmakers and pot proponents in California and Oregon propose separate measures.The Washington state legislature will hold a preliminary vote Wednesday on whether to sell pot in state liquor stores, though even its authors say the bill is unlikely to pass. The same day in California, backers of a well-funded ballot measure to legalize marijuana are expected to file more than enough signatures to put the initiative before state voters in November.
Activists have also been busy in Washington state, with one group filing a marijuana-legalization initiative last Monday to put the issue on the November ballot. Activists in Oregon, meanwhile, say they have collected more than half of the signatures they need by July to allow a vote on whether the state should set up a system of medical-marijuana dispensaries.The efforts are part of a national marijuana-legalization movement that has lately been emboldened by several factors, including laws allowing marijuana for medical purposes. The recession may be another reason. With many states suffering big budget deficits, for instance, legalization advocates say the states could benefit from new taxes on the sale of marijuana. In addition, the Obama administration appears to have taken a more-mellow attitude on medical marijuana as societal views about the drug evolve. In a poll last week of 500 adults in Washington state by SurveyUSA, 56% of respondents said legalizing marijuana is a good idea."We're beyond a tipping point culturally," said Roger Goodman, a Democrat representing Kirkland, Wash., and other Seattle suburbs in the Washington legislature who co-authored the legalization bill, known as HB 2401. "Now we're at a point where we're figuring out the safest way to end prohibition."West Coast states—especially California—are particularly in the vanguard of the marijuana-legalization push given the region's more-liberal attitudes toward a variety of issues. Legalization measures in other states, such as Massachusetts and New Hampshire, haven't gotten as far, said Allen St. Pierre, executive director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.Washington lawmakers will vote on a second bill next week that seeks to reduce the penalties for possessing small amounts of marijuana to a $100 fine from a crime with jail time.Still, there is deep opposition to legalizing marijuana in Washington state from law-enforcement groups and chemical-dependency organizations, many of which argue it would make the drug even more accessible to teenagers than it is currently. Also many argue that marijuana is a "gateway drug," meaning it will lead those using it to moveon to other drugs."What message does legalizing marijuana send to the youth of Washington?" asked Riley Harrison, a ninth-grade student, before a packed committee hearing this week in Olympia. "That you're willing to gamble our future for a little tax revenue?"Washington, California and Oregon are three of 13 states that have medical-marijuana laws, which permit patients with doctors' notes to use the drug. The New Jersey legislature last Monday approved a medical-marijuana bill that will make it the 14th state and outgoing Gov. Jon Corzine is expected to sign it before leaving office next week.The legality of selling medical marijuana remains tenuous. Federal law considers pot illegal, and enforcement of state laws varies widely among California cities and counties. Last October, though, the Obama administration said it wouldn't aggressively pursue users of medical marijuana where it is legal.The legalization ballot measure in California was organized by a pot seller in Oakland, Calif., Richard Lee, whose group says the petition now has more than 700,000 signatures, far more than the 434,000 or so it needs to qualify for the November ballot. The measure would let local governments determine how to regulate and tax pot sales.So far, Mr. Lee says that his business—which includes a medical-pot club and marijuana-business school dubbed Oaksterdam University, named after the city of Amsterdam where marijuana is decriminalized—has spent "a little more than $1 million" supporting the pot-legalization initiative. Mr. Lee says he is optimistic the measure will pass.An April survey by the Field Poll found that 56% of California voters support legalizing pot and taxing its proceeds as a way of mitigating the state's financial crisis.The California measure's opponents include various law-enforcement groups represented by lobbyist John Lovell. He says the California Peace Officers' Association, California Narcotic Officers Association and California Police Chiefs' Association are concerned that legalizing pot will lead more impaired drivers and embolden illegal-drug cartels to gain control over a legal industry. "The bottom line for all three groups…is we already have significant criminal and societal problems with alcohol abuse," said Mr. Lovell.Source: Wall Street Journal (US)Author: Nick Wingfield and Justin ScheckPublished: January 15, 2010Copyright: 2010 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.Contact: wsj.ltrs wsj.comWebsite: http://www.wsj.com/URL: http://drugsense.org/url/KZcPAJg3CannabisNews -- Cannabis Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/cannabis.shtml
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Comment #10 posted by Cheebs1 on January 16, 2010 at 08:31:43 PT:
How is this for an Idea?
Not sure if anyone else may have seen this in the news so here is a link.http://www.rr.com/news/topic/article/rr/9000/10049893/AP_Exclusive_Tobaccos_plea___no_big_US_paymentsThis article is talking about the tobacco companies being held accountable for lying to people about the addictiveness of tobacco. The judge found it especially heinous that the tobacco companies manipulated nicotine levels, designed their products for maximum nicotine delivery, and then lied about it.The idea I have is that if these tobacco companies are held accountable we need to have a class action law suit against the federal government, all elected officals, and all law enforcement officials that have manipulated the evidence and lied to the people about the "harmful effects" of cannabis. I don't think it would go anywhere but in this new year of hope we can have dreams.Peace, Love, and Pot
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Comment #9 posted by runruff on January 16, 2010 at 03:25:06 PT
Fresh air to the methane impaired brains!
"What message does legalizing marijuana send to the youth of Washington?" "make the drug even more accessible to teenagers than it is currently."Here is some shocking knew but true. Ever since I started growing the herb 30 years ago or more[?] I have lived in or around the so called pot communities, like this one.It is a high paying part time job for many students of all ages. They are astute enough to know that legalization will further lower the price of herb just like mmj did. They are worried about losing profits. It is not that it will be more available to youngsters. That is the biggest joke I have ever heard! Ha, ha, ha, see, it made me laugh!What about the children? Most of these enterprising kids go on to college or are enjoying "normal" lives somewhere.Even if the local kids were not the best pot connections in the area, which they are, it would still make it harder for them to get it if were legal except they already grow enough at the local high school to supply a local liquor store.While it may still be the "dark ages" for some, all they have to do is pull their collective heads out!
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Comment #8 posted by FoM on January 15, 2010 at 18:46:44 PT
Hemp World
Well golly gee I just love it!
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Comment #7 posted by HempWorld on January 15, 2010 at 18:45:03 PT
Dear FoM,
Yes, I totally agree! I could not agree more! Howz that?
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Comment #6 posted by FoM on January 15, 2010 at 18:28:25 PT
HempWorld
We are in the home stretch and all the complaining and huffy attitudes don't mean much of anything anymore. I watch Jay Leno. Almost every night he makes a joke about marijuana and gets big laughs for them too. The people are changing the minds of the people in our country. We are the people!
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Comment #5 posted by Sam Adams on January 15, 2010 at 18:10:14 PT
progress
consider that it took about 80 years to get an elected official to even say the word "prohibition" in connection with cannabis
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Comment #4 posted by Sam Adams on January 15, 2010 at 18:09:28 PT
what a great guy
"We're beyond a tipping point culturally," said Roger Goodman, a Democrat representing Kirkland, Wash., and other Seattle suburbs in the Washington legislature who co-authored the legalization bill, known as HB 2401. "Now we're at a point where we're figuring out the safest way to end prohibition."I would like to vote for this guy! great sound bites and everything
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Comment #3 posted by HempWorld on January 15, 2010 at 17:36:28 PT
Ha, ha, ha ...
If I may FoM:"The efforts are part of a national marijuana-legalization movement”This quote is made by the author, who thinks that there is some kind of (BIG) movement out there that brings about this change. This is not a pun to NORML or MPP or other, I am just saying, that this is not the case, IMHO.""We're beyond a tipping point culturally," said Roger Goodman"Now this I agree with, contrary to the spin from the WSJ author or editor. I believe that hastened public opinion by recent science on this subject etc. and of course growth brought on by the medical scene as legalization within prohibition, a very interesting business model indeed!Leading to this quote?"legalizing pot will lead more impaired drivers and embolden illegal-drug cartel"And these folks are living off our taxpayer dime and would rather see our kids rot in jail or in the gutter with a needle in their arm. What a joke, who are these people misrepresenting themselves? These are the true colors that come out. What if it gets voted in come November? Will they still continue to arrest people? I would not be surprised!
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Comment #2 posted by HempWorld on January 15, 2010 at 17:09:21 PT
OT 1061 Earthquakes and rising very fast these las
t two hours:
Check it live here!
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on January 15, 2010 at 16:28:40 PT
The Times They Are a Changin'
I love the sense that I am seeing recently.
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