Already Four States Have Marijuana Legalization Bills In Play; Californians To Vote On Legalization in 2010
It can readily be said that 2009 was one of the busiest and most productive years in cannabis law reform since NORML’s founding in 1970. However, it appears as if 2010 is going to be an even busier year–notably marked by the increasing number of actual state legalization bills and a voter initiative in America’s most important state.
Currently, there is legalization legislation pending in California, Massachusetts, Vermont, and a legalization bill was just introduced this week in Washington. Frankly, most of these bills do not have a strong prospect in passing this time out, however the immense public discussion that is generated is crucial for overall reform efforts.
The formula is simple: No public discussion or debate about legalization, obviously equates to no substantive law reforms. This is what regrettably happened in the United States, Canada and Europe from 1980-2000, buttressed by extreme federal anti-marijuanism in the form of the DARE program in the public school, the blitzkrieg of Partnership for a Drug-Free America ads polluting media airwaves and omnibus federal crime bills overloaded with severe and costly penalties (i.e., mandatory minimum sentencing, civil forfeiture, mass drug testing, etc…). However, since the turn of the century, there have been ever-increasing public discussions and debates about marijuana prohibition–principally driven by the creation and implementation of medical cannabis laws in thirteen states–which is leading to greater public support for reform.
Breaking News: NORML has just learned that the TaxCannabis2010 initiative in California has gathered more than enough signatures to qualify for the 2010 ballot and the announcement of such is imminent (like, this week!).
This coming year the following states will have numerous cannabis law reform legislation or initiatives:
Medical Cannabis
State legislation: MN, IL, MO, OH, TN, MD, NC, PA, DE, OH, WI, NY, CT, MA, NH and TX; NJ has a special legislative session going on right now until January 7, 2010 where a pro-reform medical cannabis bill is pending and the outgoing Governor assures a signature to passed legislation.
Voter Initiatives: AZ
Cannabis Legalization
State legislation: VT, MA, WA; CA’s legalization bill (AB 390) will kickoff a smoking hot year in cannabis law reform with a series of planned subcommittee hearings and testimonies currently scheduled for the first week in January.
Voter Initiatives: TaxCannabis 2010 appears ballot bound and this means that Californians will have the opportunity on November 9, 2010 to effectively end cannabis prohibition in the United States, and arguably most of the of the civil world. Also, Nevada and Oregon voters may also be voting on cannabis legalization initiatives in 2012.
In a country where one out of eight citizens live in a particularly state, and that state’s citizens democratically vote to end cannabis prohibition and replace it with tax-and-control measures, it is only a matter of time before a number of other states follow suit, then the federal government must end it’s failed three-quarter of a century social experiment of cannabis prohibition.
Where are you Indiana!? Nowhere to be found 🙁
Amazing, simply amazing.
Don’t forget about Oregon, just above Cali. Oregon has a dispensary bill, I-28, and a legalization bill, OCTA. Check out the site at OCTA2010.org.
And if you’re looking for good quality videos on cannabis, marijuana, hemp, check out CannabisTV.org
still waiting for Indiana to get on board
wow! this is really good news. if those states mke it legal and end prohibition, then other states must follow. i hope this happens.
This would make the Liberty Bell start ringing again.
“We shall, by and by, want a world of hemp more for our own consumption.”
– John Adams, U.S. President quote on Hemp
“Why use up the forests which were centuries in the making and the mines which required ages to lay down, if we can get the equivalent of forest and mineral products in the annual growth of the hemp fields?”
– Henry Ford quote on Marijuana
Where’s Mississippi, tight assed old men… Ole’Miss-> Federal Marijuana…. also the very first state to deriminalize Marijuana-> first time offenders, a Z and under is a $250 ticket… but yet any kind of reform in the house or senate get shot down…
Florida is also working on a Medical Cannabis initiative. PUFMM is in the process of collecting signatures around the state to get this on the 2010 state ballot. We need your support!.
Visit: http://www.pufmm.org/ to download, print, and mail in your petition today!
where are you south dakota? i did 2 years in the state prison for the charge of possession by ingestion….thank god i had no kids at the time!
Great news! Now, if we could get GA out of the Dark Ages!
we will overcome the evil and one day be able to smoke free
What is the status of Oregon’s bill? We’ve been waiting on the official ballot titles for a while now, and the website hasn’t been updated in so long. Does anyone have any current information on Oregon’s legalization initiatives? I am interested in gathering signatures, but have been waiting on an update for so long!
Please NORML, help me out with some current information about the Oregon Cannabis Tax Act, as well as the Oregon Cannabis Tolerance Act! What is holding them up so long?
soon, we will all be free!
Obama must take the bull by the horns and end Prohibition. If he does he’ll be re elected if done properly. In other words, keep this in the people’s hands and out of money grubbing g’ment and “too big to fail” companies. Like big Pharmaceutical companies, please.
Then again he has no worries about his future financial status so maybe he really doesn’t give a hoot. If the well off are caught consuming they don’t go to prison, they get out of it 9 times out of 10.
Thanks NORML for the update. 2010 will be a year that will be remembered as the end to cannabis prohibition. To all of those who have contributed to this long fight against this most terrible law Thank you and keep up the fight. It’s not over yet. Keep sending your contributions to the reform organizations. Let’s get this done!
“Tax and Control Marijuana”
Exactly why I HATE NORML and refuse to support it. Why in the world would you want the government to have control over marijuana? They destroy everything they touch. If the government has “control” over the crop, there will be no competition. Surely they will selectively breed the way they want to, and GMO will be a certainty. Government, especially federal, destroys everything it touches.
If you REALLY want to support marijuana reform, you need to support FREEDOM, and NOT government control. I invite you to ditch NORML and consider the libertarian party. It is the only hope. Otherwise, have fun with your government controlled marijuana.
[Editors’ note: You give libertarians a bad name with your wild-eyed anti-tax rants. If you hate NORML, please take your Utopian anti-tax rants somewhere else.
Is the computer you’re using taxed at point of sale? How about the Internet connection? The gas in your car? Your cell phone service? How about the food you buy at a diner? The chair you’re sitting on? The beer in your mug? Your cigarettes? Your Frisbee, Hacky-sack, Playstation or Fluxx?
If a product is legal, unless it is a pharmaceutical, store-bought/uncooked food or, in most states, clothing…it is going to be taxed. The only real question and battle is in keeping the taxes as low as possible.
Delusionary rants and hatreds against organizations existing in the real world (not some uber-libertarian or liberal Utopia where there are no government rules, taxes, etc…) only prolong the needed reforms.
The faster bean-counting politicians figure out how easily collected tax monies are associated with lawful cannabis consumption for non-medical purposes, the faster the prohibition ends.
The extreme right and left in cannabis law reform need to realize that when cannabis is no longer illegal, it will be taxed and regulated by state governments in a manner similar to alcohol and tobacco products–with the exception of adults, who, like home brewers, choose to grow their own cannabis.]
Thank you, Allen, and everyone at NORML, for all the years of advocacy.
problem is you must sell them on the medical side, its hard to do that when there are a lot of people with doctor recs claiming it cant help pain etc…even those with recs are not educated on the type of pain it can relieve etc…we need to figure a way to get the real truth out there about the positive side effects, more than just…it should be legal because alcohol is….dont get me wrong, its a fair argument, but it will lose.
Come on Indiana I NEED my Medicine. And yes this is simply amazing.
to #1, Indiana does need to step up with the other states and atleast push for medical marijuana. I think its BS that we the people cant use marijuana which is harmless, but we can drink and smoke cigarettes and kill ourselves! I got a response letter from the Indiana House of Representatives saying that marijuana impairs normal brain function, and damages the heart, lungs, reproductive, and immune system. Thats a bunch of lies! I guess alcohol and tobacco dont! Steve Buyer(member of congress) you SUCK!
things are moving faster than I ever thought they would…
I hope 2010 will be the year that Cannabis becomes legal, medicinal, recreational and industrial.
Now THAT’S what i would call a New Year Resolution!
Sounds good. The future is here!
hydroponicsbrew.com
Absolutely amazing! Also, as a MD citizen, anybody have any info on the MD legislation? Beyond stoked to hear when DC decriminalized (hopefully MD wont have to wait much longer)
Cool. I didn’t know Nc was on the list for possible MMJ legislation. I tried to find out but I guess I suck at research, huh? Too green at this computer stuff I guess.
Glad to have Norml looking out for us and keeping dummies like me informed!
IF herb was never illegal¡¡it wouldnt be popular…
I’m reminded of the Quote attributed to Winston Churchill, “the Americans can always be counted on to do the right thing,after they have exhausted all other possibilities”.
I just hope that when Cannabis becomes legal again, my fellow pot heads will not be an embarrassment to me and the rest of the “responsible” users. You have to know that the prohibitionists will be jumping on EVERY opportunity they get to cast Cannabis users in a negative light, SO DON’T GIVE THEM ANY REASON TO….BE RESPONSIBLE IN YOUR CONSUMPTION.
End of sermon.
The official hearing for the Jacki Rickert Medical Marijuana Act is THIS TUESDAY morning at the state capitol in Madison, Wisconsin. For more info go to http://www.winorml.org (scroll to the bottom of the first page). Try and make it to the hearing if you’re nearby. We appreciate the support!
@ #1 I’m from Indiana too, I want something to move around here, some chatter… Something…
I have goosebumps…
WoooHOOO!!!!Its about time for the prohibition to STOP maybe will even to vote one day in OHIO!!!
Yeahh 2010, were starting a new decade. Based off (2009) “one of the busiest and most productive years in cannabis law reform since 1970.” These New years resolutions will set an example that the rest of the nation can learn from!!
Everyone in Michigan tokes, were is Michigan?
Great news! Good luck to CA, WA,and the other states that are looking into ‘pure’ legalization. As for the other states including mine (IL) stop lagging behind! Lets get this taken care of as quickly as possible!
We need all the help we can get in Arkansas.
Now hows about South Carolina growing the fuck up and decriminlizing. End the corruption by republicans
georgia needs to lighten up .police here are still murdering inocent pot users to steal thier property through forfiture .god help us.
great news! Alright yallmake sure we keep spreading the news. and make sure u vote
As a man from Ohio that has a chronic disease (Multiple Sclerosis/Seizures/Cancer), I say that the usa needs medical marijuana for the good of its citizens!!I for one can say, Yes I have tried everything that they could throw at me to no avail,It (the pills and shots) just made me sicker and sicker to a point of being in a wheelchair and bedridden!Till one day I went out and bought some cannabis off the streets, that was when I saw a complete turn around of my disease and I put myself in remission! 🙂 Now I live with a quality of life instead of wanting to commit suicide!! Im so thankful for cannabis cause it gave me my life back and I got off the pharm drugs that I had been on for 12-14 yrs because they did not work anyways,all they did was make me poorer than I should be right now! 🙁 I still am waiting for the day Ohio makes it legal to protect patients like myself and I will never ,ever give up the fight !!!
I remember 2 years ago when I was talking to my roommate about how we are at a turning point in legalization and he kept saying he just hopes it’s legal before he dies (hes 22).
I still can’t believe we are this close! COME ON 2010, DO YOUR BEST!
@ #28:
RIGHT ON! If legalization happens, there are several things that need to take place – like strict punishments for people who drive or go to work under the influence.
I have friends that say they can drive better while high, and even if they’re right, it simply looks irresponsible and makes the rest of us look bad. We’re law-abiding citizens and we have to respect the fact that driving while under the influence of a psychoactive chemical is *total* disregard for the law and for the well-being of others around us.
Another thing, if legalization passes and you can’t smoke in public, don’t complain, just appreciate that you can smoke at home…
Will there be amendments in these bills to prevent television advertisements? We’re trying to legalize, not glamorize, after all…
Well, I probably came off as a jerk, so I’m sorry
Great editor’s note on the give me liberty post. I wanted to respectfully reply to those comments but you summed up my points better than I could!!!
Stellar – just plain stellar. The thing is, everyone talks about the money we’ll save from enforcement, plus the tax potential equalling big bank for our country. That’s just the tip of the iceburg, my friends. I was watching C-Span earlier, and they were talking about tourism to the US being way down, and we need a way to bring in visitors. Then this thought hit me – legalization will add MILLIONS upon MILLIONS of dollars from tourists. Think about it – how much US tourism is there to Amsterdam? That place is so iddy bitty teeny tiny compared to America. By 2020, it could be commonplace to see thousands of people from all over the world, every day, handing us their money hand over fist due to our coffee shops. I tell ya, I can’t stand Starbucks one iota. But let them sell cannabis along with their lattes, and I’ll be there with bells on.
I’m so happy that there are so many out there that are on the right side when it comes to reform. But I will state this now, and I will probably perdict the future – North Dakota will be the last state for any reform – oh lord, do not judge them, they know not what they do.
@Luke #44…you are so correct. I’ve posted this elsewhere before, and it’s worth repeating.
The first state or two is going to see a huge increase in tourism. Just think about it. Every cannabis smoker is going to want to head there to enjoy some amazing legal and paranoia free buds.
That’s the big nut right that nobody is talking about? Just imagine how many (1 – 2 Million in a year) potheads are going to visit that state just to enjoy a little legal weed.
While they are there…
Gonna buy some weed – Cannabis tax
Gonna need a place to stay – Hotel tax
Gonna need something to eat – Restaurant tax
Maybe get a beer – Liquor tax
Maybe get a pack of smokes – Tobacco tax
Rent a car & buy gas – Gasoline tax
Take in some tourist attractions – Entertainment tax
Not to mention all the money that will be injected into the community, which will motivate the local merchants to spend more in their personal lives.
1st state to legalize is going to see one heck of a cash flow injection from all the tourists in addition to the revenue from the cannabis tax.
The next few states will see some sort of tourism increase, but not like the 1st state. After there’s 10-to-30 legalized states, that will normalize out. Eventually, the Federal Govt will loosen up it’s laws or abolish them altogether and let the individual States decide what’s best for their citizens.
I live in Indiana as well, and a few years ago I had a surgery where the doctor destroyed my kidney. The laws in Indiana allowed this to go unpunished without compensation or even an apology. I SUFFER from PTSD, severe pain, and several other health problems due to this negligence. The doctors will load me up on their pills all I want, but I tried that road several times, and almost died as a result. I have found that MMJ helps with my symptoms greatly, and allows me to function in life. However do you think I can get a rec??? HELL NO!!!
So now, I have to risk everything just to get the relief I DESERVE as a human!!! I have had to abandon my career as a nurse as a result as well. I would never go to work under the influence! However I know several doctors and nurses alike that report to work under the influence of “LEGAL” “SAFE” pills, because apparently those don’t alter brain function! Except for the fact that most pills cross the blood brain barrier, and a whole slew of them ie.. anti-depressants do change your brain chemistry permanently. I guess maybe we have eli lilly to thank for the anti- MMJ stance, because we all know that Prozac is so much better than MMJ…did you catch the sarcasm! Or lets continue even further, look at the water tests here, just a few months ago Lithium Carbonate was found in our rivers and streams just down river from our glorious pharmaceutical companies! LITHIUM CARBONATE the drug used for bi-polar disorder…hmmm maybe thats why our nation has seen such a huge jump in mental illness, maybe just maybe these so called “SAFE” drugs have been altering our perception for decades unaware to us the little guys!
But hey Indiana and the rest of the country remember one tride and true statement together we stand united we fall. I’m looking for a fight I just can’t find where to go to make my voice heard so thanks for listening to me rant here. Maybe it’s the ranting of a disgusted citizen that has been violated in so many ways by our government and not allowed the satisfaction of justice what so ever. Maybe my points are not valid, maybe they are right, maybe we Americans really don’t deserve freedom, but as for this AMERICAN label me all you want but I still believe in freedom, and the constitution. I urge everyone to stand up against the oppressions regardless of the cost! The civil war couldn’t start until the first shot was fired!
But even before that shot they had the chance to work things out in a civil manner. And some just chose to do the wrong thing. Do not allow these politicians to remove your freedoms, your birth rights anymore. Continue standing up for the right decisions! My grandfather was shot in WWII defending our freedoms, and for what? For these political fat cats to wipe them out anyway.
One more quick note before I go. To the liberal pushing party lines, that is a huge part of the problem, do you really believe being a member of a party should effect your rights as a human? If I join the liberal party do I suddenly become better than human? Regardless of your political affiliation you will get sick at some point in your life, do you want your ability to find comfort in the halls of congress fighting about sides while you sit in utter agony? Political affiliation should be left out of this fight period, lets focus on the real issues at hand. Thanks NORML for being here and supporting this fight! And thanks for letting me rant! I shortened it up as much as I could!
While I agree with #28 LLLou, #42 Marilyn, your response is definitely less than desirable when you wrote “like strict punishments for people who drive or go to work under the influence” … AND “*total* disregard for the law and for the well-being of others around us”.
What are you thinking, or NOT? No restrictions, we’ve had enough restrictions in our lives! And disregard for the law? The “law” you speak of has profited through over time pay and easy busts of mellow cannabis consumers putting countless numbers of wonderful people behind bars for a ridiculous amount of time.
And you dare wonder why there’s a lack of respect for law enforcement? You need to check your thinking process lady.
When they reschedule marijuana,their house of cards will fall,and they know it. That is why they are pushing the pharmaceutical medicines,trying too maintain the bubble that although almost all the ingredients in marijuana are medicine,the plant has no medical use. It is ground they can’t stand on,just because of the states with medical marijuana laws in place.
And the complete legalization,by any state,will remove any support they have for their law.
This atrocity against American citizens will wind down pretty fast after that.
Hey Indiana, we can hope and hope and smoke all we want and post on NORML, but nothing will change in our state UNLESS WE EMAIL OUR LEGISLATORS.
To #21, if they reply with some BS about cannabis, KEEP BOTHERING THEM.
NORML has mechanisms for emailing our representatives, but after you go through and send everything to them via NORML, keep doing it on your own.
I was charged with a felony for 30.1 grams of the dank. A felony for 0.1 grams of well tended vegetable matter. Indiana’s cannabis laws are so harsh, way behind Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky, and those are just states in the Midwest. Let’s talk about BS, shall we? GET VOCAL PLEASE, BEFORE YOU POST HERE DOWNLOAD THAT ANGUS REID GLOBAL MONITOR STUDY AND SEND IT TO YOUR REPS.
Hey, I’ll be perfectly content to keep it at home. I just don’t want to have to stress about drug testing at work and about a pissed off neighbor turning me in.
Hey #17, what the man said, if you truly hate NORML then get off this page! I for one WANT cannabis to be taxed(at a reasonable rate of course-$50 per ounce tax is absurd!) I want The American People to see cannabis as a beneift to them, whether they toke or not. I want to be personally responsible for cotnributing to the infrastructure of this country, and being able to fund programs for those who need help.
Hey #27, trust me, if pot were legal from the beginning, I’d still love it! (provided the tobacco companies didn’t take it over and kill it with bug spray like they have with tobacco!)
And I’ve been saying this all along, but I knew from the time that Obama opened the floor for public discussion and legalizing marijuana came out #1, that 2009 would be a momentous year for pot. and it has. and 2010 has the “pot”ential to open the floodgates of political pressure. If pot gets legalized during Obama’s term, given the survey results, he’ll almost certainly get elected again.
But Oh, won’t we hear Hannity and Beck howl!
#42: whose side are you on? You want to see strict penalites for those driving “under the influence” of substances, particularly mind-altering ones, but wait a minute, wouldn’t that include Zoloft, Pristiq, Effexor, etc? Oh wait a minute…those have been well-researched and are completely safe….
There needs to be more scientific research on the issue of cannabis consumption and driving, to see where the line is where it becomes dangerous, and figure out some way to do a field test on motorists, but it has to be a way that’s accurate objective and focused on impairment and not on some random number in your blood levels.
I personally wouldn’t be bent out of shape over my airline pilot having smoked pot the night before, or even the morning of, or shortly before for that matter, depending on their experience with it. But conversely no way would I want my pilot to fly after a couple of drinks of alcohol. Or if he had a bad cigarette habit and couldn’t go more than a couple hours without a cigarette without getting bugeyed.
But that’s just me.
@ marilyn
I don’t think you are being a jerk at all. Your attitude and idea is exactly what i would expect from someone who would want to protect the legalization of cannabis. The last thing we need is the law getting overturned because some Soccer-Mom group is complaining about public cannabis smoking and starts making scare ads like they do with the “big tobacco”. Also another thing i think we should consider. Has anyone tried getting Big Tobacco to give funds to our Cannabis Reform Effort?
WELL ITS ABOUT TIME.
Next year will be pretty exciting. I can’t wait to see what big corporations fund anti-legalization commercials. I’m sure we’ll see pharmaceutical companies fight this as much as they can.
We can’t have a non-addictive pain killer/wonder drug on the market for anyone to buy/grow for very little profit. That would be irresponsible…
Georgia is taking its sweet ass time…
Congratulations on a job well done!
@ #17 Give Me Liberty:
Wow, you’re stupid. Let me tell you why;
First of all, why are you anti-NORML? They are the biggest advocate for legal marijuana, which is a big deal to Libertarians. Sure, no taxation of goods would be nice, but without taxes the government wouldn’t be able to support it’s self, and without a government there would be complete anarchy. And if you think that sounds appealing, you’re probably an immature child who has some growing up to do.
Secondly, taxing and distributing marijuana is a hell of a lot better than complete prohibition of a simple plant. Sometimes, compromise is the answer.
come on OHIO!!!!
When Cannabis becomes legal, beware Big Tobaccos choice of product. They will tamper with it and truly make it dangerous. The Cannabis they decide to sell will not be the all natural soil, water, sunlight Cannabis we are all accustomed to.
so #17…. let me get this strait…. you would rather keep it illegal and pay huge inflated prices instead of making it legal and paying less because some of it is in taxes?
do you even realize how cheap it is to grow cannabis? prohibition has created an insane inflated price…. we are all used to paying this price… so if it becomes legal then the price will drop real quick and the government will tax it and it will still be quite a bit cheaper than what we are all paying now…. EVERYONE WINS!
save money while helping out local, state and federal governments…. how often does that happen? you could always move… oh wait, you will get taxed on that too… i guess you cant do that either…..
Allen,
I know someone posted in the comments earlier but I am curious. Why is it that Norml continues to ignore the fact that there are people in Florida (www.pufmm.org) gathering signatures for a voter initiative on medical cannabis? I am sure you guys don’t think it will pass and don’t want to waste the time supporting it but why not at least include it in your posts. It would cost you nothing to do so. The home base alone has already collected close to 40,000 signatures and that doesn’t even count all of the people who have yet to submit the ones they have gathered. If you really care about the movement as a whole please take the time to mention it next time you have the opportunity. I understand if financial support is not a priority but any little bit of press helps.
On a side note thank you for all the dedication and hard work you guys are putting in.
The fact that personal freedom and individual liberty are even open to debate in this country is proof positive how far we have strayed from the God-given, Constitutionally guaranteed foundation upon which this nation was built. The fact that liberty and freedom are routinely violated is a slap in the face to true American patriots who sacrificed everything. Only sheeple willingly live in a police state, not true freedom-loving Americans.
Hope so Thank you NORML and especially the stashers that keep us informed
Marilyn #42: The punishments are already in place. They align with drunk driving laws. If you drive stoned, you risk DWI. Nothing will change when it’s legal. Why make laws even stricter than they are? It’s not as bad to drive while stoned as while drunk.
Although NORML does not support the right to drive high (as lawmakers would never agree), it is correct to say that driving stoned is much safer than driving drunk. That is simply because marijuana does not impair judgment like alcohol does. I can pass a sobriety test while stoned, and have actually administered them to friends to see if they could pass (and they did).
The only time I’ve seen people “too stoned to drive” was when they were new to marijuana and giggled uncontrollably at everything. Obviously that passes with continued exposure to the drug and the realization that you can function normally while stoned.
I drive stoned all the time. So do many of my friends. I don’t smoke while driving because it’s too distracting and risky, but I will smoke before leaving the house. I’ve never had an accident or ticket.
It’s really common here in California to drive stoned. Why don’t we ever hear about crashes involving marijuana like we do with alcohol? You can’t say it’s because nobody drives stoned…
A big selling point on the true legalization of cannabis should be the fact that once cannabis is truly legalized, the whole “medical marijuana” issue will go away. This will be a real enticement to those states where law enforcement is seeing problems in the dispensories and government is becoming increasingly burden overseeing these places. Hence the struggle to tax “medical marijuana”.
I live in Virginia and I want us so badly to reform our laws and make it legal. We have strict laws regaurding alcohol, and I once came so close to getting a DUI that I no longer drink and when I do it is at home. I found myself not liking the way I felt with alcohol, to many bad experiences so now I just toke up when I can. I am hoping the new chapter of NORML in VA will help win the fight. However I may just move to a state where it is more excepted or becomes legal first.
I agree “Great Editors note”. I was once a “Libertarian”, I have given up on them. They have become so radical. They have been taken over by the Bob Barr “Republicans in sheeps clothing”, Tea Party wacko’s. Total Marijuana lagelization is the only way to protect use on the employement side. If it is just “Decriminalized” your boss can still fire you for off job use.
Could we please stop referring to Maryland as a MMJ state? It is nowhere NEAR accessible to patients in a safe and legal fashion. Yes, I agree it is good that a patient who can prove medical use is absolved of a record and any punishment but a fine, but that still takes court time, legal fees, and more.
I live in Maryland and we need REAL medical marijuana provisions immediately, that provide growing licenses, dispensary licenses, and other forms of safe access.
I’m here with the peaceful people of Indiana to say that our state needs to hop on board as well!
Wake up, Hoosiers!
Hey, Did`nt you all Forget a Bill, The Most Important Bill of ALL that has been introduced and could be pushed for a vote – HB 2835 Medical Marijuana Patient Protection Act 2009, What about this one?
If you see this #47 Nic, you should retain a lawyer if you smoke cannabis without a medical card. Anyone who smokes cannabis who isn’t a patient should retain a lawyer and find a lawyer through NORML’s home page.
This movement is not out of the woods yet. If I were able to smoke cannabis in a non medical state, which I’m not, you can bet I’d have a lawyer on retainer. And even if Utah does allow medical marijuana I’m still going to retain a lawyer for a year or two until the hoopla is over.
Well now, there’s some progress! I wouldn’t worry about the fed, their heads are so far up their asses they’ll never smell anything but SHIT. Heheh. Keep up the good work people of the states! YOU HAVE THE POWER!!
Re #62
Thanks for your inquiry.
NORML does not typically promote signature-gathering efforts on its webpage. Also, as no successful cannabis law reform voter initiative has made the ballot without funding from either DPA or MPP (as both are conduits for very large Soros/Lewis/Sperling donations). Considering the geographical size, diversity in politics and the state’s dozen separate media markets, if past is prologue, absent $1-$2 million worth of donations being properly accounted for and spent to advance signature gathering efforts in FL, there is little to no chance of PUFM in my view gathering the needed funding and/or signatures.
If the money does not flow from MPP/DPA coffers, then the real challenge is getting Floridians to fund their own freedom and autonomy, not look to elite out-of-staters.
Like the dozens of voter initiative efforts since 1992 in favor of cannabis law reform, NORML will largely report on them post-qualifying for the ballot, not beforehand.
Thanks again,
-Allen St. Pierre
NORML
# Denver Says:
December 14th, 2009 at 8:05 am edit
Allen,
I know someone posted in the comments earlier but I am curious. Why is it that Norml continues to ignore the fact that there are people in Florida (www.pufmm.org) gathering signatures for a voter initiative on medical cannabis? I am sure you guys don’t think it will pass and don’t want to waste the time supporting it but why not at least include it in your posts. It would cost you nothing to do so. The home base alone has already collected close to 40,000 signatures and that doesn’t even count all of the people who have yet to submit the ones they have gathered. If you really care about the movement as a whole please take the time to mention it next time you have the opportunity. I understand if financial support is not a priority but any little bit of press helps.
On a side note thank you for all the dedication and hard work you guys are putting in.
I was born in 1992.
I live in Hungary, quite a distance from America, but I hope we can have calm conditions, in a shop to smoke a joint bí the time when I get 30.
I am crossing my fingers for you guys out there, here the politicians, law enforcement, and the media is very brain washed about illegal drugs, while we consume nearly the most alcohol in Europe per one person. Even on Dec. 6 a National group was giving brandy freely to everyone.
This is what I call hippocracy.
Best wishes
I live in Springfield Vermont which is also where we celebrated the simpsons contest but anyways i love tokin up bud almost every day i rlly hope it gets legalized here by the way california sucks ass for weed cause in vermont we have pure nataural weed grown fresh outdoors and people love vermont for weed it just fits here i think california has already done enough for any agriclutre use besides it isnt a very good example for weed out there if any state should be getting attention it should be vermont trust me its hard to beileve but we do get the same good stuff surprisingly i found out that that only a couple towns away from where I live in Vermont there is sour D and all those genetics oh and great white shark but vermont is best and natraul for hedes
I just hope Texas wakes up one day. I doubt it, but one can hope. What they do here is so wrong, it’s a money system. I think this state will be the last to reform, along with some of the other “deep south” states. What we need is a re-schedule at the federal level. Then they can argue all they want, it won’t do any good.
i hope alabama legalizes it soon.
Indiana?
Are you kinding? Those bums still wont let you buy alcohol on sunday. I moved from there with no plans to return.
If you believe in God…and…God’s gift of Manna (green herb-food-meat) to his craetion as Holy Sacrament…you’re a “Genesist.” It’s like saying…if you’re born in America…you’re an American. “It’s just that simple.” It’s omni-distinctional. Nothing can be added to it, nor anyhting taken away from it. God made it so. It doesn’t matter what religion one practices. Being a “Genesist” is having “the faith” (trust and belief) in Genesis I:1,29,30,31. God created the heavens and the earth…and…God gave us the green herb for food-meat, which is our Holy Sacrament. God has made it so, and behold, it was very good. Whatever God has given endures forever. Genesists are a family of believers, and there is nothing stronger in life as the bond of family. Stand proud and faithful together. Light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to behold in the sun. “Our sun is shinning.”
Manford Mantis
More people in the Movie Industry need to help to get the message out. They were able to get a president elected, I’m sure they could get this accomplished. Think of all the people in prison for smoking marijuana wishing they were at the theater instead !
The legal age better be 18 or I’m just going to be pissed.
come on new york !
Holy Smokes. Just one state, just one state. Make it happen. “Build it and they will come.” New meaning to California Dreaming. The wall will come down. Mr. Obama, tear this wall down.
The Rev.sLeezy
Universal Life Church of the Holy Smokes
Potland, OR
I personally think big pharma is stupid to oppose cannabis legalization. I mean, it not only could be a huge tax-savings in regards to enforcement, a big tax-intake for the government, and a huge freedom for peaceful adult users – it is a huge, giant, larger than life cash potential for the pharma and medical communities as well. Think about it – there are 60 (or very possibly tons more) cannabanoids contained inside the plant – only one gets you high, and the other 59 or more don’t – yet every last one of them does something medically beneficial for countless ailments. Why not move it to schedule 2, then let the AMA and big pharma do proper research on it – they can abstract each cannabanoid from it, then do testing on each one, and combonations of them, to see how they effect different ailments. That way, they can use the plant by putting the correct chemicals together, and it would be safe and effective medicine. And as far as they are concerned – the best part is they have thousands of more pill types to sell. It seems to me that big pharma would be all over this.
i like what mokkie said
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8231634812734884936&ei=EYAmS7OqJ5jqqwLv6IiqBw&q=amrican+drug+war&hl=en#
What country is this? Remind me cause I am confused.
Iowa just announced that due to the 12,000 comments received about current mj law reform, the state will wait untill Feb. 2010 to push new legislation through.
Just imagine, how fast all of that Californian debt would turn into revenue.
@87
done Iowa! This shows that even simple involvement can snowball into 12,000 pages of comments. Thats impossible to ignore.
http://www.kcci.com/news/21971325/detail.html
Wow, 12,000 pages of comments is amazing. Anytime you see anything about marijuana in news articles on the web, you quickly see how many people post that marijuana prohibition needs to end.
#17,what can anyone say to you.
. Editor, Hells yes. Legalize
Georgia needs to hurry up and think of what kind of money they could be making; instead of losing.
Woo hoo!!! Go Oregon
#13-I was watching Cannabis Common Sense and heard that they had just turned in the bill. They are waiting for the ballot name. I had heard they will start collecting signatures about in February.
Wish this would all happen sooner. Like yesturday.
Thanks NORML make it legall¡¡¡2010 you know i live in Central America (Guatemaya) and the violence and crime
made by the drug cartels here its un belivable ..urge to tax and control¡¡Globaly imediately¡¡our life is in great danger.
Anyone here from Texas? I’m hoping for legalization of medical marijuana to be passed but I see little action and knowledge of the bill from person to person. I’m thinking of starting some kind of campaign to run educational commercials in hope that the people will respond. In my opinion every State should have medical marijuana legalized so patients can get their medicine instead of traveling to other states. So this year, lets go out there and vote people.
C.M.
if each person minds there own business,and not judge other peoples actions we would have a wonderful country,so you drinkers and pill poppers and porn addicts mind your own business, do what you do, stop worrying about any one else.it is not our job to tell people how to live there lives,fuck you if you don’t like what i do.stay out of my business cause i don’t care about yours.keep on toking my fellow smokers
City of New Orleans Mayoral Debate………
http://www.wdsu.com/video/21979124/index.html
This is part one of the debate but just skip through to 7:37 on the time slider bar to Manny Bruno. It is only less then a minute long, but the message is getting out.
Come’on Alabama!!! Let’s legalize marijuana!! Stop putting inocent, harmless citizens in jail!! We need to get it through our Governor’s (Bob Riley) thick head the marijuana is proven safer the alchohol!! Let’s just tax marijuana so that way we can someday legalize it!!!
in message #98 you need to look down to part one first…. then go 7:37 into the debate… Manny Bruno.
i sick of big brother telling us how to live
I am an advocate of medical and recreational mj but it saddens me to think anyone would supporet a tax on pot except for the bobble heads on Capitol Hill. Gro POT to smoke POT. No taxation. NO NEW SIN TAX. Tax the soil, tax the containers I grow it in, tax the lights and tax the electricity. DONT TAX POT!!!
[Editor’s note: NORML supports individuals to cultivate their own cannabis or to receive some from a friend without facing taxation. But it is unrealistic to believe that cannabis should be treated differently then other drugs like alcohol, tobacco, caffeine, chocolate , etc…in America pharmaceutical drugs are not taxed at the retail level.
If a person needs to purchase cannabis for medicinal purposes, just like a percocet or oxycontin consumer, they should not pay a retail tax.
Indeed, cultivation materials, electricity, public water, bat guano, etc…are, and will continue to be subjects of taxation.
One of the strongest arguments reformers bring to the table is the immense amount of untaxed/no official economic back linkages to the local community with cannabis prohibited, therefore, one person’s sin tax is another person’s liberation tax…]
Thank you so much to everyone who came out for the medical marijuana hearing in Wisconsin! The turn out was AMAZING!! I think I speak for all of us here when I say that we were overwhelmed by the amount of support we received. I’m more confident now than ever before that we will get this bill passed this time.
THANKS AGAIN EVERYONE!!!!
legalize it…. weed is the holy plant thats what world needs alcohol is wrong along with tobacco….herb is something that gives you a little time to yourself
The money spent by our government Nationwide, Statewide and locally on prohibiting marijuana could be used for more important issues in our communities, like keeping dangerous sex offenders off our streets. I would rather see one of the “registered” sex offenders using our local jails and prisons, not the neighbors son, because he was caught with a marijuana cigarette!!
Florida is known for having many cases where innocent children were killed by sexual predators who were previous offenders!!! Protect our children instead of harassing peaceful pot smokers.
Obviously NORML has not heard of HR 1207 if you think Libertarians are fringe and can’t accomplish anything. How many grassroot campaigns has NORML run to garner 317 cosponsors in the House of Reps?????? Ya that’s what I thought.
I also think the point was less about taxing, and more about regulating. It would be nice an all if new laws would allow home-growing, but likely it will not. More likely, you will see the typical establishment giving favors to a select few “regulated” bodies to produce our marijuana loaded with genetic modifications (GM) and reduced potency. You could actually face even worse charges than today for home-growing in defiance of the “regulators.”
[Editor’s note: What does a bill regulating the federal reserve have to do with cannabis prohibition? Libertarians in Congress? Who other than Ron Paul is a genuine Libertarian? There sure is not over 300 ‘libertarians’ in the Congress as HR 1207 is a bi-partisan, non-grassroots effort to ‘better regulate’ the federal reserve driven by the current and severe economic recession.
Re some people’s paranoia that when cannabis is legalized and taxed that somehow the government will dictate the types of cannabis that are available to consumers need look only to the alcohol, beer and tobacco distribution models, where consumers have largely unfettered access to the products they want, when they want them.
Does the government strictly control the types of hops or barley that home brewers can use? No. This will very likely be the same situation with legal cannabis, especially if consumers and their advocates maintain vigilance against unwarranted government regulations and controls.
Liberty and freedom always need to be protected against over zealous governments.]
One man’s sin tax is another man’s liberation tax? This is where the reform movement falls short.. an understanding of why we are here. You complain all day long about how the government is corrupt in relation to drug policy, but you refuse to look deep into the heart of the problem. You are ONLY concerned with marijuana reform, and that is all. Well before significant changes are made in our government, you will never have real marijuana reform. They will just find another way to enslave and control us. Maybe our government has infinite amounts of money for the drug war because of monetary policy: including ridiculous taxes such as sin taxes, and printing of money out of thin air. One issue movements are shortsighted and ineffective.
You can say whatever you want about the libertarian movement and pretend like you are doing a much better job, but the fact of the matter is that Ron Paul (a libertarian) is breaking records right now for media appearances. He is interviewed on the MSM over 5 days a week, averaging more than 1 interview a work day, and is often given 1 hour co-host spots. His bill HR 1207 has unprecedented support for such a “fringe” measure. I hear A LOT more about libertarian ideas than marijuana reform in the media. So rather than sling words, maybe you could learn a thing or two.
[Editor’s note: Yah, yah you’re a Ron Paul sycophant….along with about 1% of Americans….How he do again in the GOP primaries in 2008? Unfortunately, even Republicans reject Ron Paul’s libertarianism.
HR 1207 is not a libertarian bill….as there are like one or maybe two libertarians in Congress, so not sure what lesson NORML is supposed to learn from a massively bi-partisan bill that seeks to REGULATE the federal reserve more than the government already does.
And yes on a pro-cannabis law reform webpage you’re not going to find NORML advocating for the legalization of hard drugs. You can take that decidedly libertarian and culturally unpopular discussion to other webpages that do advocate for drug legalization beyond cannabis:
drugpolicy.org
leap.cc
ssdp.org
drcnet.org
#106..you are right! I have a felony on my record for growing marijuana and have been fighting to get a job. Meijer Stores wont hire anyone with a drug charge, but they will hire ex-sex offenders!! What is wrong with this country?? I am sick and tired of having my rights taken away for choosing the safer substance. Expecially after I paid my debt to society, and society still wont accept me!
Legalization means being able to choose to buy pesticide free MJ and without possibility of it being laced with PCP, meth, or other dangerous toxins.
I firmly believe there is much to gain with the legalization of both Marijuana and Hemp.
A grotesque mismanagement of funds have been utilized to uphold prohibition for over 7 decades.
For what?
A plant that is less addictive then coffee?
A plant that is impossible to OD on?
Not to mention its medical use has been documented as far as 6000B.C.
There are 17,000 Cannabis-related studies.
But I guess using marijuana to treat Alzheimer’s Disease, Anorexia, AIDS, Arthritis, Cachexia, Cancer, Crohn’s Disease, Epilepsy, Glaucoma, HIV, Migraine, Multiple Sclerosis, Nausea, Pain, Spasticity, and Wasting Syndrome are all pointless medical uses….
So here’s the deal. I live in Illinois, but I go to Ball State University in Indiana. Say I get my medical license in Illinois and get caught in Indiana. Would that medical license be able to help me with Johnny Law?
[Editor’s note: If a medical cannabis law were to pass in Illinois and you became a lawful patient, unless Indiana passed a reciprocity law recognizing other states medical cannabis laws, the Illinois recommendation would not stop Indiana law enforcement from effecting an arrest.
Currently the only medical cannabis states that have reciprocity laws for medical cannabis patients are New Mexico, Michigan, Montana and Rhode Island.]
“Medical marijuana”, the taxation of commercially sold cannabis, these are all fake fronts againist the real problem which is the Drug War and the black market. All that really needs to be done is to decriminalize cannabis. Remove all penalties for the simple possession of any cannabis below a certain amount and remove jail time for the rest and the effects would be revolutionary. “Medical marijuana” dispensaries would vanish overnight. Schoolyard distribution could be more easily policed than cigarettes. The whole secret underground and cultish adulation that drives recreational cannabis dealing would dry up from exposure. Prices would fall through the floor. Anyone who really still wanted to get high, could do so. Illegal sources would be mostly grown locally by citizens and nobody would care. People with more sense would grow it themselves and certainly this would be legal. If local distributors become a problem, nobody would be afraid to complain and law enforcement would be far more casual. But I’ll settle for legalization and taxation because if we can get that, anything that we could get from simple decriminalization would follow naturally from complete legalization.
The only true church is our conscience. It reigns as the sacred element of our life, as Equilibrium of the Soul, the balance of our spirit and L’s spirit
“within.” It is the transparent veil of truth and love, of both what we ar doing, and what we have done. It is therefore L’s divine guidence, and the faith in our own spirit (self) to accomplish similarity of spiritual form and nature. We alone are responsible for the Equilibrium of our Soul. L is the root, and we are his leaves. Conscience is the way we leaves imitate our root.
CONSCIENCE. 1. A knowledge or sense of right or wrong, with an urge to do right; moral judgment that opposes the violation of a priviously recognized ethical principle and that leads to feelings of guilt if one violates such principle. 2. a) Consciousness. b) inner thoughts or feelings-in (all)conscience in fairness; on any reasonable ground-on one’s conscience causing one to feel guilty-conscience-less.
CONSCIENCE CLAUSE. A clause in a law exempting those whose religious or moral principles FORBID COMPLIANCE.
Government has been unconsionable and outrageous about the religious use of Manna since 1937. It’s due time for Genesists to invoke a CONSCIENCE CLAUS. Our religious and moral principles FORBID COMPLIANCE to any law that prohibits the use of our Holy Sacrament.
105 ras…says…”it’s a holy plant.”
Ras…you’re absolutely right. Did you catch post 80 and 113?
Manford Mantis
Sure are a lot of fellow Hoosiers looking for reform! You would never know it!
Lets do something!
garryminor@comcast.net
HI¡¡ EVERYONE ..HOW MANY TIMES I HAVE TO SAY THE SAME THING”” HERB””ITS ALREADY LEGAL READ YOUR BIBLE…genesis 1-12. god of Yisrael says so¡¡. but he made it ilegal for a while an gave it a fancy name¡¡because is a negative proposal for us to love his creation.and to get togeter and do warever its necesary
to ditch BABYLON..for good and le him be our god and king JAH RASTAFAR-I The return to light the return of “”MASHIAJ”SO LETS RETURN TO BE THE LIVING COMANDMENT¡¡
BE ONE WITH HIM… DOING HIS WILL.LETS LOOK TO AFRICA.
tO TZION (DEEP,FREE,AMPLE)like ants working for the creator..and by the way he says¡¡we deserve a whole years hollyyear¡¡so think yo the FAST of BABYLON..THAT MY GANJAH ITS A PLANT¡¡… THAT MY PEOPLE LOVE.
I hate that Idaho is one of the last remaining western states. Fucking conservatives.
i lost my job as a truck driver after 15 yrs, not because i was guilty, ….my piss was, now i have to go thru rehab to get it back.the doc wants me to take abilify for stress, the side effects are worse than the weed? but it is D.O.T. approved, blurred vision,stroke, heart failure,just to name a few, now i have to go thru random piss test, and stay clean the rest of my life, im all for doing it off work, if thats what it takes, but its not bad to drive with, its the best thing for stress.
Hey 119 in Boise…
Idaho and Utah will be amongst the last to have medical weed or decriminalize it. Right-wing fools !
Come to Colorado…we have plenty of room for more more stoner.
kEEP WORKIN HARD¡¡¡HERE IN GUATEMALA ITS PERFECT TO GROW¡¡¡WORLDCLASS MJ..LEGALIZE NOW.
IF A PRESIDENT DO THE CORRECT…WILL BE LEGALIZING MJ
AND GIVING A SABATIC YEAR¡¡
I sure dream of legalization, but I’m not sure it is even possible. This is due to the nature of the International drug control conventions with the U.N. That asswipe bigot, Anslinger worked on these and said that they had it so tied up that it could never be legalized. I’m not positive but I think in order to legalize marijuana, every nation that signed the convention would have to agree to legalization, and with priggish ninnies like Sweden and France and Italy that is unlikely to ever happen.
#124, if law enforcement held all the cards everywhere, then there would be no dispenseries. The dispenseries and the whole dialog surrounding them is the real clue as to where the real power lies: organized crime. Where is the cannabis coming from into these dispesnseries? Why are they continuing to charge black market prices?
When law enforcement all over the world wakes up to fact that organized crime has less interest in legalization than law enforcement, we will see legalization in one form or another. Over the counter sales, or at least complete decriminalization of cannabis. No jail time for any offenses concerning the distribution and consumption of any of the plant product drugs. And no policing at all of simple possession. And I’m talking about ALL of the plant product drugs.
#80 what nare you talking about. this is a reefer cite leave god out of this.im an athiest.smoke a joint and lighten up.
hey #126 let #80 say watever they want. understanding is a good lessen to learn
HURRY UP PEOPLE OF AMERICA TO RAISE ABOUT¡¡VIOLENCE HERE IN GUATEMALA ITS ALARMING¡¡¡NO MORE WAR EARNED DRUS¡¡¡
FUUUCCKK YEEE I LIVE IN CALI, CANT FUCKING WAIT. So fuckin happy, the price is bout to drop so low, and watch they bout to start comin out wit cereals and shit. “KELLOGGS BRAND POT PUFFS!” watch, they’ll have Michael Phelps as the announcer/eater “I can taste the weed in each bite!” and they’ll fuckin end the commercial wit him doin a fuckin wink and a smile. fuck shits bout to be so nice.
the reason pot is not legalized is because organized crime controls our gvt. through the republican party that was made clear when frank sinatra was alive he was a well known mobster and a staunch republican, if drugs were legal the mob would go out of business and the republicans would go out of business it is simple as that.