Washington state hearings on marijuana decriminalization and legalization bills going on live now. You can view the hearing by going here.
Vote is scheduled to take place one week from today.
If you reside in Washington, you can write your House member in support of these measures by going here.
You can read NORML’s testimony here.
[UPDATE!!! UPDATE!!! YOU CAN NOW WATCH THE ARCHIVED VIDEO OF THIS HISTORIC TWO-HOUR HEARING HERE. THERE IS ALSO AN EXCELLENT ARTICLE HERE, AUTHORED BY NORML BOARD MEMBER DOMINIC HOLDEN, EXPLAINING WHY COMMON SENSE MARIJUANA LAW REFORM STILL REMAINS AN UPHILL BATTLE IN WASHINGTON (AND ELSEWHERE).]
why was the NORML rep against the bill?? just because he didn’t like how it was written doesn’t mean he shouldn’t support it, there bill will go through many revisions before passing anyway.
[Paul Armentano responds: Good question. National NORML testified in favor of these measures, and is working with the sponsors to make them even stronger pieces of legislation. The witness in question spoke without authority or approval from NORML, did not represent NORML’s opinion, and had no authority to say he was representing a NORML affiliate. He has been informed of this and told that he may not invoke the NORML name. We regret the confusion this person, acting on his own behalf and not on behalf of NORML, may have caused.]
seriously,
ok lets look at this issue…
everyone here is talking about smoking, blah blah blah.
the real issue on the table is regulation.
do people realize that IF legalization happens, there will be alot of people out of work… communities will fall. Do ciggarette companies support thier local economies. NO. Look at Northern California an area where the timber and fishing economies disappeared over night… well you can’t tell that walking around the town, there is a wonderful natural food store, booming local businesses. Now this sure isn’t because the international fishing companies and timber companies felt bad about a local economy dying off. Its because there has been another business there beneath the radar. Now this is public knowledge at this point, but it IS the marijuana growers that have allowed this area to thrive and survive. Legalization was brought up in cali this fall and people were scared. Look at prohabition in the 1930’s people in areas where the local economy had drastically died off due to the influx of the industrial revolution or the great depression were able to live on…
here we are AGAIN at the area of a major depression in the united states economy and what are we doing the same that was done 80 years ago with prohabition… there are people still not affected (which is NOT true by the recession) pot prices and sales are dropping drastically, why because people cannot afford to buy pot at rates when the economy was better. Hell they can barely afford groceries now.
So where do we turn. Ohh well, lets legalize. NO, lets keep medical laws going the way they are. Regualated. Local growers can prosper without fear of law enforcement and people can smoke. GET YOUR MED CARD.
IF LEGALIZATION PASSES BE PREPARED FOR A HUGE INCREASE IN PRICE.
BE PREPARED FOR TRIMMERS TO LOOSE THIER JOBS, AS CORPORATIONS WILL BRING IN ELECTRONIC TRIM MACHINES
WATCH YOUR LOCAL ECONOMYS WHERE POT GROWERS CAN SUPPORT DISSIPATE AWAY, WHILE MULITINATIONAL CORPORATIONS TAKE OVER PRODUCTION AND HOARD THIER PROFITS.
LEGALIZATION IS NOT THE ANSWER, THINK PAST YOUR BONG AND LOOK AT THE LOCAL IMPACT OF THE MARIJUANA PRODUCING POPULATION.
YES THEY DO MAKE $$$ AND GO ON VACATION AND DRIVE NICE CARS. WELL THATS THE SAME AS ANY GOOD BUSINESSMAN, OR BUSINESS OWNER
IF WE TALK ABOUT LEGALIZATION, LETS TALK ABOUT ANTI-CORPORATE REGULATION. AND ALLOW THE LOCAL GROWERS TO PAY TAXES AND KEEP RJ MORRIS AND JOHNSON AND JOHNSON OR EVEN MERK PHARMACEUTICALS OUT.
PLEASE LET ME HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THIS!
As long as we have establishment politicians (both repub and dem, like there’s a difference) then this does not stand a chance. IF it comes out of committee, it has to pass the house, then the other chamber, then signed by the governor, and if vetoed then pass a super majority in both houses.
I agree with the NORML plan of working with the system we have… but to do this we need to do it with our votes.
I have been labeled a Chauvinistic by the NORML…so I’ll make this brief. I was WRONG, apparently there is a reason for a women’s alliance……to escape possible sexual abusive activities and language….hint, hint, MPP story………….
[Editor’s note: You may or not be a chauvinist…but what does the director of MPP and his admitted inability to control himself, creating a hostile work environment for MPP’s staff have to do with NORML and the fact NORML actually works with and respects women?
The NORML Women’s Alliance grew out of women meeting at the NORML national conference in San Francisco in September expressing their concerns about the need for women to have a greater voice in cannabis law reform advocacy (especially from a mother’s point of view) and after the mainstream media started publishing so-called ‘stoner stilleto’ articles, that were later picked up by The Today Show, Good Morning America, etc…
The NORML Women’s Alliance has emerged organically and independent of whatever problems maybe happening with MPP’s director.]
if cannabis becomes legal to posess, i cannot see our government allowing us to grow as well. you all know our government will “need to hold the reins ” and declare growing still against the law so, they can regulate it totally. if were gonna throw the “bate to regulate”then, you can damn sure bet you’ll be buyin from a dispencerry . which is ok because we must support important buisness folk that will keep us tastin some of the best herb to come.well, maybe…..once again, our government my restrict the amount of thc that each plant can produce…..i can see all this shit comin…….it will be awhile yet like paul says…..their not goin to give up that easy after all these years…then again….neither are we…….
Props for George Rohrbacher. Thank you on behalf of our community for promoting the bills in Washington.
If you are against marijuana legalization you support crime and terrorism, plain and simple. The feds would have you believe otherwise. They’re full of crap.
PLEASE EVERYONE READ THE TEXT OF BOTH BILLS 2401 AND 1177
THESE ARE NOT,I REPEAT NOT GOOD ,IF I READ IT RIGHT HB2401 WILL REMOVE THE LEGAL PROTECTION OF OUR STATES(WA.) MEDICAL MARIJUANA LAW , READ ALL THE WAY TO THE BOTTOM AND THIS LAW,2401,AMENDS 69.51RCW ,AND IT STRIKES OUT THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE BILL,
I DID SMOKE A BOWL A WHILE AGO AND I MIGHT BE PARANOID , BUT PLEASE READ IT FOR YOURSELF.
GO TO….
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/billdocs/2009-10/Pdf/Bills/House%20Bills/2401.pdf
AND START READING AT SEC.86,PAGE74..
LLLou…
thank you for promoting that link you are 100% and again thanks for pointing this out I neglected that in my post.
Lets keep this discussion going guys, this is the area where change can happen.
Please lets keep fighting against legalization, these medical laws are great and helping really sick people…reversing the legislation already in place could affect us negatively if “legalization” goes array.
it would be difficult to put back in place a previous legislative act.
[Paul Armentano responds: “Please let’s keep fighting against legalization.” Sorry, you are in the wrong place. NORML also fights for the rights of non-patients to no longer face arrest, prosecution, and incarceration for using cannabis responsibly. This is legalization.]
IF YOU ARE CONCERNED ABOUT YOUR FREEDOM TO GROW/POSSESS AND CONSUME CANNABIS YOU REALLY NEED TO READ THE TEXT OF THESE BILLS. YOU WILL SEE THAT HB2434(http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=2434&year=2009) BY THE WEASEL REP.HALER WILL REVERSE THIS STATES MED-MJ LAW. HB1177(http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=1177&year=2009)
DOES NOT ALLOW PERSONAL CULTIVATION,,,SO YOU STILL HAVE TO SUPPORT THE DRUG CARTELS.
HB2401 (http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=2401&year=2009)
WILL NOT ALLOW PERSONAL CULTIVATION ,WILL ALSO REPEAL OUR EXISTING MED-MJ LAW….
PEOPLE, THESE ARE BAD BILLS, YOU HAVE TO READ THE DETAILS….
SUPPORT THE INITIATIVE THAT WILL SOON BE OUT TO PUT IT TO A VOTE OF THE PEOPLE….
The bill calls for the establishment of a license to “farmers of marijuana” at a cost of $500 per year. In addition, the digest on the bill’s page you linked to explicitly states civil and criminal penalties for cultivation will be removed. Even if small-scale personal cultivation is not allowed, it seems worst-case scenario it would be a licensing issue and definitely not criminal.
What purpose do medical marijuana laws serve if it can be freely grown, bought and sold?
MR.X
I do not read anywhere in the text of the bill where it makes personal cultivation legal. The digest can say whatever it wants, the ACTUAL text of the BILL is what becomes law.
I may be wrong on this, but I will need to be shown where I am mistaken.
ANYWAY, I THINK THAT THE INITIATIVE THAT WILL BE OUT SOON ,AND HOPEFULLY PASSED BY THE PEOPLES VOTE IN NOVEMBER IS THE ONLY WAY TO GO. IT MAKES IT VERY SIMPLE, CANNABIS WILL NOT BE ILLEGAL TO POSSESS IF YOU ARE OVER 21 YEARS OLD.
Go to 1:25 in the video and watch!
Lee Newberry was a Washington NORML representative and he said NO on both bills because they’re “not good enough”?! So no progress is better than some progress, hm? Good to know that the thousands of people who donate to NORML have their voices heard! I was going to become a member of NORML today, but luckily I saw this first, and I’ve decided against it. I don’t know if he was trying to make a point or what, but that is insulting to everything we stand for here and I will not donate to NORML or buy any merchandise thanks to his unreasonable dissent. This is a huge issue, and expecting either bill to be all-or-nothing is not only unrealistic but incredibly stupid. What a joke, Lee Newberry should be ashamed.
[Editor’s note: Mr. Newberry does not represent NORML. Mr. Newberry, at the time, was representing a NORML chapter in Washington. To watch NORML’s official spokesperson at the hearings, watch the testimony of former Washington state senator and current national board member George Rohrbacher.]
Marijuana Legalization in Washington and Other States
http://hometestingblog.testcountry.com/
Well now looks like the gang bangers are going to get there way. Its not bad enough people get waisted on alcohol now its going to be pot heads running people over with there cars, I dont care what you idiots think, Alcohol frys the brain cells and so does pot.
It seems to me that everyone whos in favor for this must be really high. After you pass this and make it legal then you will see what happens next, Da,Da,DA.
Boy this really is so stupid to evan consider makeing that crap legal.I guess the drug lords at the state capital need the tax dollars, Da
wow “guy young” you are scared of pot being legal in the age of national security, illegal wire taps, random searches, big corperations and lobbiests that can buy our govrnment, cops that that can confinscate your cash with suspicion only. i could ramble on all day about the reality of the usa, so called “free country” .be a man grow a pair ditch the ignorance, stand up for what america is all about FREEDOM!!!. our freedoms have been slipping away becaue of fear and corruption for to long. lol sorry for the rant, bottom line is i have been smoking pot for 15 years and i have 2 parking tickets..period!! never ran some one over never beat my kids or wife..
Its not just the taxes from the users and smokers you want to think about. They will not only have the taxes from that but there will be taxes from everything else that can be produced from this great plant. We can make rope which is taxed, food, paper, clothes, all of this can and will be taxed, not to mention the smokers which will be taxed. No one will loose their jobs because the dea officers and special task forces designed to fight the war on drugs. Will use their energy towards worse drugs, the drugs that are truly ruining our counrty!! Did you know that 1sq meeter of marijuana can produce as much oxygen as a 60ft tall fir?