This coming November’s mid-term election is going to have major implications for cannabis law reform.
In South Dakota, election officials last week certified Measure 13, the South Dakota Safe Access Act, for the November ballot.
If approved by voters, Measure 13 would exempt state criminal penalties for the possession of up to one ounce of marijuana or six plants by authorized patients — making South Dakota the fifteenth state to legalize medicinal cannabis use. Proponents of the measure, the grassroots South Dakota Coalition for Compassion, collected over twice the number of signatures necessary to place the proposal on the 2010 ballot — a feat that they believe is indicative of medical marijuana’s growing support in the Great Plains. In 2006, voters narrowly rejected a similar proposal – marking the only time that citizens have rejected a statewide medical marijuana legalization proposal.
The stakes are arguably even higher in California, where election officials last night confirmed that the Regulate, Control and Tax Cannabis Act of 2010 will appear on the November ballot.
If approved, the measure will allow adults 21 years or older to possess, share or transport up to one ounce of cannabis for personal consumption, and/or cultivate the plant in an area of not more than twenty-five square feet per private residence. It will also permit local governments the option to authorize the retail sale of marijuana and/or commercial cultivation of cannabis to adults and to impose taxes on such sales. Personal marijuana cultivation or not-for-profit sales of marijuana would not be taxed under the measure.
The measure will not alter or amend any aspect of the California Health and Safety code pertaining to the use of marijuana for medical purposes, when such use is authorized by a physician.
You can read more about this proposal here.
According to an April 2009 California Field Poll, 56 percent of state voters back legalizing and regulating the adult use and sale of cannabis.
Other states are in play as well. Ballot drives in Washington and Oregon are ongoing, and numerous municipal measures are also pending. Meanwhile, in the nation’s Capitol, DC council members are discussing allowing authorized patients to grow their own marijuana legally — despite the federal ban.
No matter how you look at it, this November is shaping up to be the most important month for marijuana law reform ever.
Let the battles begin.
It’s not [just] about marijuana under seige…it’s the whole bloody ball game!
We the People have spoken to [you], Lords of the Modern World, with a loud and clear voice, face to face, and in no uncertain terms – but – [you] have turned your head with deaf ears from we speakers and our will. It’s obvious [you] clearly believe that [you] have, and consumed the government with no regards for its citizens. We the People’s eyes are set on things to be done. It’s not a conundrum to us! We know the score! There’s no mystery in an enigma! We know exactly who you are and what you’re doing, and we are not timid with our mandate and voice. No man thinks alone and no man acts alone. [You] have let the tiger out of its cage.
So! When [you] receive [your] just dues, [you] will have only [yourself] to blame. If it’s [your] ambition to get re-elected, be assured, “It would be easier to pass a camel through the eye of an needle, than it would be to get our vote.” We the People will see you in November, if we don’t see [you] sooner.
Lords of the modern world…we are flying our [American flags] upside down…get it? Probobly not!
It’s not [just] about marijuana…it’s the whole bloody ball game!
[You}, Lords of the modern world, with scratches on your belly and muddy lips; [You], Lords of the modern world, who seek to assassanate freedom and control the world with prohibition; [You], father of all lies; [You] the false prophet; I shqall bruise my heel on your head. I shall for all times, put enmity between [you] and my Constitution. I shall expose [your] existance and [your] subtleness in all things for the world to see. I shall engage and enlist my brethren to defeat [you], and together [as one], we shall redeem the souls of those [you] have abducted and hold hostage with [your] tyranny. [You], Lords of the modern world, shall not succeed or endure, not in a free America, not where my brethren gave their lives and spilled their blood to defeat [you] to ensure liberty for ourselves and our posterity. Their [red American blood] will not be sged in vain, and will not be on our hands. Make no mistake! We are “Free American Individualists.” We are [your] enemy, and “proud of it.”
Keep this solidly in mind, Lords of the Modern World;
when the laws of a nation oppress the rights of its citizenry, anarchy is created. It’s not government that makes its citizens law abiding, it [is] the citizens that believe in the rule of law and justice that allows the law to stand. But – when law becomes oppressive, law abiders accept, even encourage, anarchy…if [you] haven’t noticed.
I have been waiting for over 35 years for MJ to be legal. So, I have no illusions about legalization happening tomorrow. It’s great that it seems to be moving closer to that end; but I’m not holding my breath that it will happen–nationwide–any time soon. However, I hope that CA at least can do so, and that other states will follow. CA and NY have almost always been among the most progressive states in the country, so if any states are going to do it, they will.
I notice that some of the posters use this site to preach their political philosophies–and I’m getting weary of it. For those who seem to hate the idea of govt so much, I wonder what they would use as a substitute? No govt, no roads. No govt, no stop signs, no street lights, no public libraries, no post offices etc etc etc. (Gee, that sounds a bit like Somalia)
If the water system or sewer system breaks down, you govt-haters gonna fork over the dough to fix ’em? I doubt it. (In fact, how you gonna get your water? I guarantee, if the only sources are private sources, you’ll be paying up the *** for something as basic as water.) You like going to the park? If the only parks around are privately owned, guess what, you ain’t going to the park. In fact, it seems that the only govt program some of these people like is the friggin’ military! I am no lover of the govt.–but I get so tired of hearing these anti-govt rants, I’m starting to love the govt more and more.
PS–If you hate the govt so much, and the thought–egads–of a robust and compassionate govt–you’d better not go to Amsterdam! (You might actually see what happy people look like.)
Florida laws suck!
Everyone in California says – “We want our pot!” We are a sovereign state exercising our sovereign right to control this substance. Th feds could claim “prior competeing governmental interests,” but the consequences would be adverse, at the least. The State of California belongs to “We the People” of the Sate of California.
The [most important], I repeat the [most important] thing anyone can do is [force] the FDA to reschedule cannabis from a schedule I subsatnce to a schedule III substance. It’s just that simpe. Cannabis is [not] a shedule I substance, it has [never] been a schedule I substance, nor will it [ever] be a schedule I subsatnce. The argument can be made that it’s a food, not even a drug. What it was, was a false and misleading campaign to indict cannabis to receive increased funding to an alredy failing Bureau of Narcotics. Deception was its foundation, and its those many floors of deception that will cause its foundation to crumble under the weight of the mountain of truth. But – until cannabis receives its proper schedule, legalization can walk down the middle of Las Vegas Blvd. barking at the moon.
America Remember: Man Made Beer and Cigs. God Made Marijuana !! WHO YOU GOING TO TRUST ? Im disabled and all the Doctors have to offer me for Pain is PILLS.. Pills That Kill… Im so tiried of the Pain and the Pills dont do what their made to and Marijuana does… STAND UP AMERICA & LITE UP !!!!!
103 LONGTIME PUFFER 04.06.10
Why are you weary of political opinions…the whole world operates based on political opinion. We are all posting – because – someone’s political opinion is stronger than ours and they have the firepower to enforce their political opinion. I’m thankful for politcal opinion -because – I hold my loved one’s close – but – I hold my enemies closer.
REBEL, I am weary of political opinions because many of them have little to do with pot, okay. There are plenty of internet sites for those sort of discussions. But if this is going to be a forum for us to spew out political diatribes about any and everything then I will be happy to play too.
And since you seem eager to go there, start by explaining to me who these “lords of the modern world” are, and how they differ from the lords of the old world.
here’s an observation:
in addition to Initiated Measure 13, South Dakota is scheduled to vote on an initiative called Amendment K, which is a “legislatively-referred constitutional amendment” as opposed to an “initiated state statute,” which i believe means it was put on the ballot by legislative action rather than citizen petition drive.
my point is that even though its worded as a “labor union” related measure, the wording of it suggests it will allow for “secret” vote tallying even on the medical marijuana initiative!
that would mean, we are trusting the diebold voting machine to be honest with us.
do the math people! its one more prohibitionist tactic to quell the unstoppable grassroots momentum of the Cannabis&Hemp movement.