Tag Archives: legalization

Oregon to Vote on Marijuana Legalization in November

Via NORML:

The Oregon secretary of state’s office completed the legalization trifecta this afternoon when they announced the Oregon Cannabis Tax Act of 2012 (OCTA) officially qualified for the November ballot. Oregon now joins Washington and Colorado on the list of states whose voters will have the opportunity to end cannabis prohibition this fall.

Supporters ended up turning in 88,887 valid signatures, slightly over 1,000 more than required for qualification. The initiative will appear on the Oregon ballot as “Measure 80.” According to the campaign, Measure 80 would “regulate cannabis (marijuana) for adults 21 years of age and older, with commercial sales only through state-licensed stores. Ninety percent of tax revenue, estimated at more than $140 million annually, would go to the state’s battered general fund. Seven percent of tax proceeds would go toward funding drug treatment programs, and much of the remaining revenue would be directed toward kickstarting and promoting Oregon’s hemp food, fiber and bio-fuel industries.” Read more at NORML.org.

 

Medical Marijuana Industry and Political News

There’s no shortage of news to talk about this week with Congress’ decision on Obamacare. We’re looking forward to seeing how this effects medical marijuana patients and access to the medicine in the future. Many see medical marijuana as any other pharmaceutical, yet the government doesn’t usually share that view. It will be interesting to see how it is treated under the Health Care Reform.

Other news around the country:

New Jersey to Grow This Summer. According to Big Buds Magazine, the first of two New Jersey dispensaries is on its way to opening this summer. While Medical Marijuana has been legal in the Garden State for two years, it has taken this long to certify vendors and facilities. The Compassionate Care Facility will employ about 50 people. Read more…

New Hampshire Fails to Override MMJ Veto. SB 409 sought to allow for the personal possession, cultivation, and use of cannabis by qualified patients and was vetoed by Governor John Lynch. While the House largely supported the bill, Senate was more torn and failed to achieve the 2/3 vote needed to override the veto. The veto garnered 13 or the required 16 votes. Read more…

Chicago Decriminalizes Small Amounts of Marijuana. Cannabis Culture: “Supporters said the Chicago measure, which takes effect on August 4, would help raise revenue for the city, save money and free up police to pursue more serious crimes..The issue of deploying police to handle more serious crimes is particularly pressing this year in Chicago, which has seen a 37 percent spike in its murder rate.” Read more…

In related news, check out this great graphic from The Chicago Reader about how 86% of those arrested in Chicago for marijuana possession are black (click to enlarge):

AP: Uruguay mulls government marijuana sales

By Pablo Fernandez at AP:

MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay (AP) — Peaceful Uruguay is planning a novel approach to fighting rising crime: having its government sell marijuana to take drug profits out of the hands of dealers.

Under the plan backed by President Jose Mujica’s leftist administration, only the government would be allowed to sell marijuana and only to adults who register on a government database, letting officials keep track of their purchases over time. Profits would reportedly go toward rehabilitating drug addicts.

“It’s a fight on both fronts: against consumption and drug trafficking. We think the prohibition of some drugs is creating more problems to society than the drug itself,” Defense Minister Eleuterio Fernandez Huidobro told reporters. Read more…

 

MPP’s 28 by 2014

Via MMJ Business Daily:

MMJ insiders often say 25 is the magic number when it comes to medical marijuana legalization. When half the states in the nation pass medical cannabis laws, the thinking goes, the federal government will be forced to reconsider its position on the drug.

The Marijuana Policy Project hopes to help the U.S. hit that number – and in fact exceed it – in a little over two years.  The organization, which works to reform cannabis laws, has set an aggressive goal of getting to 28 states with MMJ laws by the end of 2014. It posted a short video on YouTube this week outlining the goal and is using it as the centerpiece for a fundraising effort.

So which states stand the best chance of legalizing medical marijuana in the near future according to MPP? Arkansas, Idaho, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming. Read more…