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  Organizers: Wash. Legal Pot Measure Won't Qualify

Posted by CN Staff on July 01, 2010 at 17:28:31 PT
By Gene Johnson,  Associated Press  
Source: Associated Press 

Washington State -- An initiative to legalize marijuana for adults in Washington state will not qualify for the fall ballot, an organizer said Thursday.Seattle medical marijuana attorney Douglas Hiatt told The Associated Press that the effort fell about 40,000 to 50,000 signatures short of the 241,000 that must be turned in by Friday. Hiatt said his group, Sensible Washington, will try again next year.
Initiative 1068 would have removed all state penalties for marijuana possession, cultivation, use and sale. It was one of the most sweeping marijuana reform efforts playing out around the country this year.The state Democratic Party endorsed it during its convention last weekend _ too late to do the campaign much good, Hiatt said."We've been the little engine that could, and we didn't," he said.The campaign was beset by problems from the beginning. Hiatt and other activists filed it on the spur of the moment in January, with scant support lined up from the state's progressive establishment.A printing error cut part of the initiative's text and forced the recall of many of the petitions it first issued, and eight banks refused to handle the campaign's online contributions because of its association with marijuana, Hiatt said.Eventually, a Bank of America branch agreed to handle the campaign donations, and a team of campaign volunteers wrote software code for securely processing the transactions.Hiatt said he wouldn't use PayPal because it once froze the account of Seattle's annual marijuana law reform rally, Hempfest.Fundraising efforts proved futile, and the campaign couldn't afford to hire professional signature gatherers.The Service Employees International Union, a big player in state liberal politics, expressed an interest in hiring enough gatherers to ensure its place on the ballot _ both because the union believed it to be good policy and because research showed it could significantly boost progressive turnout in November, Local 775 Vice President Adam Glickman said.But the union ultimately stayed on the sidelines because the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington declined to support the measure. The ACLU argued that it was irresponsible to remove criminal penalties for marijuana without also creating a state regulatory system, but initiative backers said there was no way to legalize marijuana and create a regulatory system without violating state law saying that initiatives can only cover one subject.Hiatt said the campaign had figured that if the initiative passed, state lawmakers would rush to regulate and tax marijuana.Source: Associated Press (Wire)Author: Gene Johnson,  Associated Press Published: July 1, 2010Copyright: 2010 The Associated PressCannabisNews  -- Cannabis Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/cannabis.shtml

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Comment #22 posted by rchandar on July 05, 2010 at 14:53:16 PT:
Washington
I honestly couldn't figure it out. The bill makes sense. Anyways, with BC on the other side, it would've been good for business rather than let Canada handle all the exporting and seeds and all that.They should re-introduce the bill next year.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #21 posted by Had Enough on July 03, 2010 at 22:09:55 PT
more...
Aphrodites Child - Rain and Tearshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnf7ISLpQdw&feature=related
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #20 posted by Had Enough on July 03, 2010 at 22:04:31 PT
ekim re: #16
The leading horse is white The second horse is red The third one is a black, The last one is a greenhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/23/thread23277.shtml***Aphrodite´s child-The four horsemanhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=selfqEH-JnY
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #19 posted by Hope on July 03, 2010 at 17:21:47 PT
This article...
sad.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #18 posted by Hope on July 03, 2010 at 11:20:39 PT
Rancher's very important post more easily read.
For immediate release June 30, 2010 New initiative to regulate medical marijuana will turn in enough signatures to qualify on Friday July 2 at 1pm to Oregon Secretary of StateSponsors of a new medical marijuana initiative announced today that they have collected nearly 130,000 signatures on petitions to place Initiative #28 on the November 2010 ballot. The new initiative would add a regulated supply system of dispensaries and producers to the current medical marijuana law which requires patients to produce their own medicine. The Coalition for Patients’ Rights 2010, working with Voter Power, needs to turn in 82,769 valid signatures by July 2, 2010, to place the measure on the November ballot. Backers of the dispensary initiative had turned in over 109,000 signatures by the May 20 early turn-in deadline. On June 18 the Elections Division released the results of their verification that indicated that 74,537 of these signatures were valid and that 8232 more signatures are needed. At 1pm on Friday, the chief petitioners, Jim Klahr, Alice Ivany, and Anthony Johnson will submit at least 16,000 additional signatures. “We need less than half of this final submission to be valid to qualify so we are very confident the dispensary initiative will be on the ballot this fall” said John Sajo Director of Voter Power. The Oregon Regulated Medical Marijuana Supply System, which I 28 creates, will be funded by license fees and taxes on dispensaries and producers. The medical marijuana program is self funding and has already contributed over $1million to the general fund. Voter Power Foundation estimates that I 28 will raise $10 million-$40 million the first year. Any revenue exceeding the costs to administer the program can be spent by DHS on other health programs. Polling commissioned by Voter Power showed that 59% of Oregon voters support the measure. Current law requires patients to grow 6 mature marijuana plants or to designate a grower to do it for them. Producing their own medicine is a big headache for many patients, but it remains a felony for anyone to sell them marijuana. I 28 will allow licensed nonprofit dispensaries to sell medical marijuana to registered patients. Licensed producers will grow the marijuana and sell it to dispensaries. Both dispensaries and producers will be subject to inspection and auditing by the health department. All employees will have to be over 21 years old and pass criminal background checks. Dispensaries can’t be near schools or in residential areas and must submit security plans with their applications to DHS. “This initiative gives the Health Department the authority to create a tightly regulated system that will provide access to patients while minimizing abuse.” I 28 also creates a program administered by the health department which will provide medicine to indigent patients. The initiative also allows DHS to conduct research into the safety and efficacy of medical marijuana. Backers foresee a process where DHS does the research necessary to establish quality control standards for medical marijuana. “Quality control standards will result in medicine labeled with the strength of the active ingredients and be certified to be free of contaminants. This will allow doctors to advise patients about proper dosage.” said Sajo.” Research will also indicate how marijuana can be best used for various medical conditions.” The Oregon Medical Marijuana Program currently has nearly 40,000 patients that have been registered by over 3200 different Oregon physicians. For more information or to arrange interviews contact: John Sajo, Executive Director, Voter Power Foundation johns voterpower.org 541-530-2221 John will be in Portland on Thursday, and in Salem on Friday and is available for interviews about the measure. Jim Klahr, Chief Petitioner Initiative 28 and CEO of Oregon Green Free 503-505-6218 or 503-201-9756 Alice Ivany, Chief Petitioner Initiative 28 and President of the Board of Oregon Green Free Anthony Johnson, Chief Petitioner Initiative 28 and Board Member of Oregon Green Free 503-752-3966Interviews can also be arranged in Medford by calling Robin Brown at 541-245-6634 Or in Eugene by calling Jim Greig at 541-844-1220
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #17 posted by FoM on July 03, 2010 at 06:10:51 PT
Hello Everyone
I hope that everyone is enjoying this holiday weekend. The weather is beautiful here. Hopefully we will get some news soon but no news can be good news! Have a great 4th of July!
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #16 posted by ekim on July 03, 2010 at 06:01:18 PT
Have Howard and Misty for a CA event
Via truck-trailer my horse Misty and I are arriving in CA on I-80 on Wednesday, September 1 and will spend thru election day to promote Prop 19.  I am taking a leave of absence from my activities with COPs.We are veterans of two cross-country rides (13 months in the saddle) which included going thru cities like LA and NYC.  Misty is bomb-proof for noises, etc. I am a retired police detective and co-founder of LEAP.We will volunteer as needed/directed. Certainly Misty and I can truck-trailer to any location in CA in 36 hours, as needed.I speak fluent Spanish, have been in reform 13 years, the last five in the halls of Congress as a full-time advocate & know the issue of MJ forwards and backwards in two languages.  I have presented to 400 Rotaries and done about 300 radio, print and tv interviews in four languages.howard citizensopposingprohibition.org
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Comment #15 posted by Sinsemilla Jones on July 03, 2010 at 02:19:21 PT
Washington ACLU declined to support the measure!
"The ACLU argued that it was irresponsible to remove criminal penalties for marijuana without also creating a state regulatory system..."Since when is the ACLU concerned about the possible consequences of establishing individual rights?!It's okay for some convicted criminals to go free to establish the rights of the accused, but it's too risky to take the chance that a 17 year old might buy a joint before the legislature passes regulations in order to expand the right to use plants??
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #14 posted by rchandar on July 02, 2010 at 22:46:39 PT:
Oregon
I lived there about 14 years ago. The climate was very different. I was encouraged to operate a ballot booth, and the Oregon Cannabis Tax Act was one of the first sellers.People would read it. Most of them said they were against it. Grass was pretty available then and Eugene had a lot of hippies, both old and young. Pot was mostly tolerated then, but strictly illegal. There were a lot of people making waves, but the general citizenry didn't think all that much of it.I am guessing things have changed a lot since then. It was definitely not an "open" thing then--you would have to know the right people, and have good etiquette. The "street" was as tough as in any city--a lot of sellers didn't like the customers and would criticize people walking by as if they were (of course many of us were) wealthy loafers who were idly looking for peddlers to get them buds.But there was an awesome life there. The organic grocery. Black Sun books, that had in stock a lot of up to date anarchist books. Chinese food that was better than anywhere I've known. And mountains all within walking distance.I still miss Eugene. I thought it was one of the best places in the USA to live.--rchandar
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #13 posted by FoM on July 02, 2010 at 18:56:02 PT
rancher
Thank you for the news. Go Oregon!
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #12 posted by rancher on July 02, 2010 at 18:37:35 PT:
Good news from Oregon
For immediate release                                 June 30, 2010
New initiative to regulate medical marijuana will turn in enough signatures to qualify on Friday July 2 at 1pm to Oregon Secretary of State
Sponsors of a new medical marijuana initiative announced today that they have collected nearly 130,000 signatures on petitions to place Initiative #28 on the November 2010 ballot. The new initiative would add a regulated supply system of dispensaries and producers to the current medical marijuana law which requires patients to produce their own medicine.
The Coalition for Patients’ Rights 2010, working with Voter Power, needs to turn in 82,769 valid signatures by July 2, 2010, to place the measure on the November ballot. Backers of the dispensary initiative had turned in over 109,000 signatures by the May 20 early turn-in deadline. On June 18 the Elections Division released the results of their verification that indicated that 74,537 of these signatures were valid and that 8232 more signatures are needed. At 1pm on Friday, the chief petitioners, Jim Klahr, Alice Ivany, and Anthony Johnson will submit at least 16,000 additional signatures. “We need less than half of this final submission to be valid to qualify so we are very confident the dispensary initiative will be on the ballot this fall” said John Sajo Director of Voter Power. 
The Oregon Regulated Medical Marijuana Supply System, which I 28 creates, will be funded by license fees and taxes on dispensaries and producers. 
The medical marijuana program is self funding and has already contributed over $1million to the general fund. Voter Power Foundation estimates that I 28 will raise $10 million-$40 million the first year. Any revenue exceeding the costs to administer the program can be spent by DHS on other health programs.
Polling commissioned by Voter Power showed that 59% of Oregon voters support the measure. 
Current law requires patients to grow 6 mature marijuana plants or to designate a grower to do it for them. Producing their own medicine is a big headache for many patients, but it remains a felony for anyone to sell them marijuana. 
I 28 will allow licensed nonprofit dispensaries to sell medical marijuana to registered patients. Licensed producers will grow the marijuana and sell it to dispensaries. Both dispensaries and producers will be subject to inspection and auditing by the health department. All employees will have to be over 21 years old and pass criminal background checks. Dispensaries can’t be near schools or in residential areas and must submit security plans with their applications to DHS. 
“This initiative gives the Health Department the authority to create a tightly regulated system that will provide access to patients while minimizing abuse.”
I 28 also creates a program administered by the health department which will provide medicine to indigent patients. 
The initiative also allows DHS to conduct research into the safety and efficacy of medical marijuana. Backers foresee a process where DHS does the research necessary to establish quality control standards for medical marijuana. “Quality control standards will result in medicine labeled with the strength of the active ingredients and be certified to be free of contaminants. This will allow doctors to advise patients about proper dosage.” said Sajo.” Research will also indicate how marijuana can be best used for various medical conditions.”
The Oregon Medical Marijuana Program currently has nearly 40,000 patients that have been registered by over 3200 different Oregon physicians.
For more information or to arrange interviews contact:
John Sajo, Executive Director, Voter Power Foundation johns voterpower.org 541-530-2221
John will be in Portland on Thursday, and in Salem on Friday and is available for interviews about the measure.
Jim Klahr, Chief Petitioner Initiative 28 and CEO of Oregon Green Free  503-505-6218 or 503-201-9756
Alice Ivany, Chief Petitioner Initiative 28 and President of the Board of Oregon Green Free 
Anthony Johnson, Chief Petitioner Initiative 28 and Board Member of Oregon Green Free 503-752-3966Interviews can also be arranged in Medford by calling Robin Brown at 541-245-6634
Or in Eugene by calling Jim Greig at 541-844-1220
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #11 posted by RevRayGreen on July 02, 2010 at 18:09:20 PT
Only those CA state employees already selling
pot on the side can survive on $7.35...
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #10 posted by Hope on July 02, 2010 at 17:26:59 PT
$7.25 an hour
Oh my gosh! That has to be a big come down for a state employee. Obviously, many people will have to quit and go to work in the private sector, if they can, just to survive. They probably have to work half the day just to have the means to get to work. Child care. Bills. Oh my gosh!Instead of the Rush to California... we may start seeing a great Exit from California... and there isn't anything that much to exit to if they're looking to improve the financial situation they're in.The world is in bad financial shape. Arrogant, pompous, greedy, self righteous busybodies are the ones that "Arranged" this mess all around.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #9 posted by Cheebs1 on July 02, 2010 at 14:05:13 PT:
OT: Out of California
I know this is a little off topic but will ask anyway. Has anyone read about the battle going in California? The Governator is cutting all state employees salaries to the federal minimum. So that means they will be paid only $7.25 per hour but before you worry too much, rest assured that the California State Highway Patrol is safe from salary reduction due to a strategic,and very timely, contract renogation. I thought you might find it as heinous that I do that all state employees except law enforcement are having their pay cut so drastically. Keep hooking and booking those poor medical marijuana patients and driving your state further and further into debt. Hopefully this November will take care of this craziness and let the state not only save money by not arresting non violent non offenders but will actually let the state reap much new revenue to help balance the budget.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #8 posted by Hope on July 02, 2010 at 11:11:30 PT
Thank you, RChandar 
I enjoyed reading that and learning something I didn't know. It's beautiful.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #7 posted by rchandar on July 02, 2010 at 10:53:47 PT:
Religion
Krishna and Christ are very, very close entities. The exception of Christ's crucifixion to save mankind.Our faith teaches that with God as your leader, there are no obstacles in life that you can't clear. And if you fight for Krishna, you can never lose. He will move mountains, the sun, the cosmos, to help you achieve your worth.Your faith has Jesus say "I am the truth, the way, the life." That's also very close: Krishna teaches that the soul is immortal and can never be destroyed.Krishna is also the god who saves the dignity of women. At the dice match, the Kauravas demand Draupadi be stripped because the clothes now belong to them. Draupadi prays to Krishna; as each garment is stripped, a new garment appears.In this post-Bush world of recession and pollution and hatred, a little Krishna consciousness is a very good thing.--rchandar
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Comment #6 posted by rchandar on July 02, 2010 at 10:49:20 PT:
My Sweet Lord
Yeah, a great song. I heard this song somewhere in the 70s, but didn't attach anything to it other than that it was attempting to learn something about my culture. I heard it much later, and then understood something about the late George Harrison, his devotionalism, and his internal struggles which were considerable.Of course, when George did "I Got My Mind Set On You," the kids ate it up like candy. We, too, dreamed in the idea of a Beatles reunion, though we didn't get that.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #5 posted by FoM on July 02, 2010 at 10:31:24 PT
rchandar 
I agree! Hare Krishna!You made me think of this song that I really love.My Sweet Lordhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aa3ylmxnLM
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Comment #4 posted by rchandar on July 02, 2010 at 10:22:40 PT:
Mahabharata
Just a religious note of encouragement to our side--The Mahabharata is about the war between the good (Pandavas) and evil (Kauravas), fighting over the domain of India. The Kauravas dupe the Pandavas into a loaded dice game, take their wealth and titles, attempt to strip their wife, then exile them to the forest for 13 years.In the 13th year, the Pandavas return, to ask for "five villages". The Kauravas say they will give "not one needle-point of land." They fight on the battlefield, and the Pandavas win, thanks in part to the leadership of Lord Krishna. We are involved in such a fight. I want all of you to remember that you are fighting in a just cause, against evil, against an evil overlord who will not give an inch of ground. God commands you to do this fighting, and victory will be ours.Hare Krishna!--rchandar
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #3 posted by FoM on July 02, 2010 at 09:53:12 PT
News Article From KPLU
Oregon Is The First State to Downgrade Marijuana to a Schedule 2 Controlled SubstanceJuly 2, 2010URL: http://drugsense.org/url/JHTn5N6Z
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #2 posted by Hope on July 01, 2010 at 23:16:14 PT
Mykeyb420
I'm hoping so, Mykeyb420. I'm hoping so. Surely it will be a move towards stopping it.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #1 posted by mykeyb420 on July 01, 2010 at 22:18:52 PT
raids in Chico CA
If we vote on this in Nov and it passes,,,,will this crap stop??
(by crap,, i mean the raids)here is a story from Cali..http://www.chicoer.com/news/ci_15417421
POLICE raid local pot dispensery
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