Marijuana law reform legislation is presently pending in over 30 states. Is your state one of them? Visit NORML’s online ‘Take Action Center’ here to find out.
By clicking this link, you will have access to up-to-date bill status information. You can also quickly contact your elected officials and urge their support for these reforms with just one click.
Right now, nearly 20 states — including Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, and Vermont — are debating measures to legalize the adult use and sale of the plant.
Some dozen states — including Delaware, New Hampshire, New Mexico, South Carolina, and Tennessee — are debating decriminalizing marijuana possession offenses.
Medical marijuana legislation is also pending in 17 states, including Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Texas, and West Virginia.
Click HERE to view NORML’s full list of pending state and federal legislation.
Get active; get NORML.
It’s past time to do something
Thanks for the alert. I followed the link to email my representatives in Maryland. This is an easy stab at the black heart of prohibition, folks. If you see a link that covers you and yours: Seize the moment. Do it, man. Just do it.
I continue to hate living in Virginia… It’s just so hard to afford to move; we can’t sell our place for what we owe on it. The Republicans who are in the majority here prefer to maintain the lockem’ up and steal their stuff policies while they smoke cigarettes, cigars, and get drunk. Seriously, I have to wonder how many of them have accepted bribes and/or cheated on their wives since they are obviously lacking any moral integrity.
I think its time for NORML to aggressive on changing medical marijuana laws in Virginia. I have severe PTSD and explosive mood disorder and I would rather get from a store so I can’t get into trouble. I am almost positive if you start an aggressive campaign here you be able to change the law. Hope to hear back
Support for cannabis? When we tried to do it in Kansas, we were greeted by highway patrolmen and threatened with jail. Prohibitionists have leo in their pockets and demand tribute for doing their jobs.
Pennsylvania Senator Ryan Aument has already sent me a letter stating that he opposes ANY kind of marijuana legalization, be it for medical or recreational purposes. There is a Lancaster chapter of NORML where his district is. He is a clear-cut case of someone who already has his mind made up, and is too damn lazy to listen to Dr. Gupta and look at the scientific and medical evidence. He has a university degree so one would think that even though he isn’t a doctor he could understand the main points of how marijuana is beneficial medically and is less harmful than alcohol when used recreationally. He certainly is young enough to have grown up around marijuana as marijuana has been ubiquitous since the late 1960s anywhere in Pennsylvania, even the most rural areas.
Aument, Cutler, Pitts, Hickernell, Denlinger, just about any politician who claims to represent the people in this area are just a bunch of prohibitionist hacks, bunch of dicks with ears that are deaf and eyes that do not see the obvious. The local Lancaster newspaper has editorialized that they should change their minds at least about medical marijuana and should legalize medical marijuana so who the hell knows WTF is wrong with these people!
Do it, man. Just do it. Everyday.
Come on New York State….let’s get with the program!!!
Sadly the governor of Texas pretty much just came out and said legalizing Marijuana in Texas will not happen while he is in office… but don’t worry it will be just fine to walk around with a gun on your hip for everyone to see.
Being a free person I chose to treat my health issues with Canabis .
I also prefer the recreational use of Canabis to that of Booze .
I’ve been smoking since the age of 12 this is not a boost . As a child with ADD I was put on Ritalin . An hated it a very smart women suggested to my mom who was open to anything , that I try this eating a brownie with THC in it .
I never took to drug Ritalin again . I am now 49 years young !!
An suffer no side effect s from this choice . Legalize Pleae the benifits are untapped . An some still unknown ??
The dirt eaters in the south are still sleeping. Too much money for governors sons drug testing business and private prisons.
add Georgia please !!!
For many or almost all of us, the end of the poor public policy known as the Controlled Substances Act of 1971 should have come decades ago. The CSA allowed for Nixon to declare another war, inserting cannabis prohibition into a larger scheme or marketing tactic of presidents who declare war on inanimate objects and concepts. That “marketing” or decree is mere metaphor, a way of saying “you all will have no say on this one.”
Despite the lesson from prohibition of alcohol which led to a Constitutional amendment to repeal any of those previous, prohibition continued in war escalation, against Vietnam, and “on” drugs. The term “war against drugs” would phrase the state of affairs as arbitrary, hypocritical, since many other drugs are legal, without draconian penalties, but free choices.
Constitutional amendments that nullify a previous ones, is build into our system as something so difficult to do, it’s only happened in one case in our history. And that was the repeal of the alcohol prohibition, the direct cause (not correlation) of large-scale social problems and strife.
Even after that lesson was not learned (or learned too well by the unscrupulous) regarding predictably poor public policy known to cause problems, produce ineffective results in no change to peoples’ behavior, or demand, yet is exorbitantly costly in resources and human lives, and implosion of infighting amongst ourselves.
And the CSA still looms like a funnel cloud that likely could cause even more destruction.
For most people who understand the significance of cannabis prohibition as a means of tyrannical control, based on mere
appeals to fear,
appeals to authority,
appeals to ignorance (:we don’t know enough about it”)
and dealt with or rationalized by policy makers as the 800 pound gorilla in the room, simply ignored.
Yes, the time has past, but the time is still now.
In agreement with you Paul, we all know that ending cannabis prohibition should have occurred decades ago, but now really is the time.
The momentum of people’s resolve to say “we will not take this anymore” and the understanding of how people have felt, not some changing tide of opinion,
True too, that information on the internet is a gift, when conventional media of the past and the oppressors themselves in positions of authority, were the only ones allowed to tell the story on a large scale, that actively supports maintaining bad policy through manipulative, biased, and deceitful claims of danger or self-justification.
When people know better, they will do better, and that sort of momentum from disseminatin of information and the free expression of our citizenry is at its greatest point, now.
Now is the time. The end of cannabis prohibition, accomplished as a series of each state getting in line. That line for those desirous to express their grievances and exercising their free speech rights to say, “damn it, I’m a human being and I have rights that trump arbitrary, ineffective policy, except of being effective in widening class divisions, wasting resources, and subverting the rule and spirit of the law.
Now is the time to just say no (more) to obviously damaging policy that directly creates problems, at *OUR* expense (1) and that contradicts the spirit of the laws and our Constitution.
Some are taking getting longer to get in line, as would be expected in a race of individuals to reserve their place in line to buy groceries, the line to board the bus, or whatever.
Paul, thank you. Now is the time, now has been the time throughout the duration of the dark age period of the CSA.
Thankfully, now is the also the daily work of NORML, you were reiterating NORML’s position and daily work, the increase in states demanding reform through through local elections, which we know already, but nevertheless should be repeated because sometimes it goes unspoken.
The question is, When would now be a good time? Which answers itself, conveniently
Thank you Paul and NORML, you have my unspoken gratitude, all the time, which is another way of saying you have it now.
—
For late filers, now is also a good time, as a friendly reminder to contribute to NORML as a deductible expense, because the question is When, if not now?
Regards to all
Ohio is starting next week collecting signatures for 2015. Should be able to go down the street and pick it up at the store this time next year.
This information is so important, and the links to the congress critters so handy. Thanks NOMRL for providing this. I just filled out two of them and sent them to my state reps. (I had no idea that the state legislators had voted 21-to-20 to allow debate on MJ legalization in NM!)
Please let the weed be free ,my life ruined over a piss test,worked as a nurse for 20 years damm good nurse,fell at work broke my ankle and no money received from work comp or unemployment due to test pos. Not fair I don’t drink alcohol ,on my own time I smoke pot yes I do over my dead body I will give it up
I agree with “the Oracle” above, being I live in Lancaster. Our so called leaders are just talking heads and have no real brain of their own.
Drug Companies. What would they do if they couldn’t push oxycodone and klonopin?
Oracle, if they can’t make good decisions about marijuana or only support bad marijuana policy, what other fatal defects are present in their thought process?
We need normal in Kentucky!
You should all see this! If Bill Maher was running for president, even as a Republican, I’d vote for him over any of the current offerings!
http://www.weedist.com/2015/03/bill-maher-champions-legal-weed-real-time/
http://www.weedist.com/2015/03/bill-maher-champions-legal-weed-real-time/
Everyone should check out this video! I would vote for Bill Maher for president if he was running. He definitely shows more intelligence and compassion than any of the current candidates; especially that cynical republican turd Jeb Bush. You’ll understand after you watch it.
I despise Ohio’s politicians who obviously don’t give a single shit about their residents. Ohio’s government is so full of trash, I am certain we will be the last state to even begin to think about the basics like medical marijuana. It’s all about the money. We must have a pretty damn high population of crooked politicians.
For years Texas looked so damn pessimistic about legalization it was hard to convince people to vote in Congressional elections, so I focused on hemp. I don’t even have a Democratic delegation in my county, so I wrote “hemp is conservative: hemp conserves water” ever since the height of the drought in 2011.
Never could I have imagined that not only is hemp legislation pending in the State House, but a good decrim. And med. bill has been introduced by some good Democratic representatives I donated to in El Paso.
Unfortunately, the legalization bill introduced by a Republican Libertarian looks more like an unrealistic ruse. Watch out; we need to focus on the things that are going to pass in Texas. If hemp looks like it will, since we’re still using genetically engineered water-sucking corn to feed our cattle, then guess what Congressman from Texas? No farmer I know will carry a sack of hemp seed around if a cop cant tell its not marijuana so we need to decriminalize. And all you epileptics and people suffering from MS or cancer don’t be afraid to ask your local NORML chapter for help to visit your Congressman. Be brave; it ‘s working!
@Jimmy,
I agree with you wholeheartedly that the entire C.S.Act is at the root of the thorns in our little marijuana garden.
Just look at the ridiculous delay in nominating Loretta Lynch to attorney general to replace Holder. It’s because prohibitionists know she and the Obama administration will have to take a step further than descheduling or even full Federal marijuana legalization to keep up with the agenda of reducing the cyclical and disproportionate incarceration of African Americans in this country. Lynch and Obama will have to prepare Congress to rewrite and replace the C.S.Act entirely into an all new CANnabis and University Regulation and Education Administration for Drugs (CAN U R.E.A.D.) Where legalized cannabis revenue subsidizes medical marijuana treatment facilities and Canniversities across the globe.
As incredible as this sounds we ‘re making it happen.
@Dave x2
Politicians in the Lancaster area are like Texas politicians when it comes to guns. They’re all for loosening the regs on guns, down on Lancaster city for making guns illegal in limits and making them backtrack on that. NRA guns came in to the state to take the cities that did that to court and make them undo their gun laws.
Here, Cutler, the majority whip in the state House.
Check it out! No weed that can help people, but guns everywhere even in the workplace are A-Okay!
http://www.repcutler.com/NewsItem.aspx?NewsID=6056
Please Norml!
Come to sweden and help us out, we are being supressed for our usage of natures resources.
in fact we are being supressed for almost anything in this Social democratik peoples monarki of sweden.
Big surprise. Louisiana was to be found NOWHERE on that list. I wish people down here would pull their heads out their asses.
I am loving the cascade of states following in the footsteps of Colorado and Washington. I am not sure the Federal government will do much till these additional states also legalize. I believe the federal ban on alcohol was only lifted after 36 states had repealed Prohibition. The more states repeal the better chance we have of the Fed coming to there senses.
It is time to end the prohibition against marijuana that was started in the mid/late 1800’s. If we legalized medical and recreational cultivation as a cottage industry and opened up commercial cultivation on an agribusiness level, think of the trees we could save based on paper and cardboard alone! And the boost to the textile industry….
@ Anonymous, Ohio will probably have it on the 2015 ballot for med and rec both. Don’t despair.
Hi, great news. I also read somewhere that Nashville, city in Tennessee would be the next in the list of medical marijuana legalization.
Pennsylvania here, this is the email I got.
“Dear Mr. Strausser,
Thank you for sharing with Senator Folmer your support for Senate Bill 528, which would legalize marijuana in Pennsylvania.
While Senator Folmer will keep your thoughts in mind, he is focused on passing his Senate Bill 3, which provides for the use of medical cannabis. Injecting SB 528 into this debate has hindered passage of SB 3.
Thank you for taking the time to contact Senator Folmer on this important issue.
Marie Tribioli
Office of Senator Mike Folmer”
I guess it’ll still be awhile, before recreational marijuana for Pennsylvania.
May a felon receive benzodiazepines (diazepam, alprazolam)Vicodin, Oxycontin, Morphine, amphetamines etc. from any Illinois Pharmacy?
Yes, indeed!…but…may a cannabis criminal receive medical cannabis in The State of Illinois?
No…?
Do humans who were “caught” still suffer from disease and disability like the ones who did not get “caught”…?…up in a system that cages humans for consuming a banned plant material?
Do cannabis criminals deserve legal medical care in general?
Does HIPPA protect the disclosure of medical information based on one’s criminal record?
Does the Illinois “Drug Felon” exclusion violate Federal Law?
Do other States deny safe access to medicine recommended by their Physician based on a singular cannabis “crime”? (hopefully , a future oxymoron?)
Does this “drug felon” exclusion violate the Eighth Amendment right to be free from both “cruel and unusual” punishment?
Illinois’s law requires fingerprinting…which can only be interpreted as medical applicants being considered (prejudicially?) potential criminals?
Illinois’s poorly crafted (constitutionally flawed?) law is the weakest in the Nation and should be left to expire?
A new law must recognize our right to grow cannabis for medical consumption?
A new law must protect the Constitutional Rights of all Citizens of Illinois?
The matter may be moot?…given the fact that no medical marijuana has been distributed to any patient in Illinois?
Why aren’t alcohol and tobacco dealers subject to these same restrictions?
Should not they also be required to videotape their warehouses and track alcohol and tobacco sales?
Which legally distributed substances are proven deadly?
Why should Cannabis laws be more restrictive?
The answers await?
Q. – Who will answer these questions?
A. – A Federal Court
@ Judy,
I watched the clip you linked, and had actually seen it before. Thank you. Maher is a great advocate for legalization.
This brings me to another point, one I have brought up before. At the risk of sounding partisan, I have to remind people what’s at stake in the next big election, the 2016 Presidential election.
The GOP already controls two branches of the fed–the Senate and House. If they get the white house, they’ll control the entire federal government. And with the massive monetary backing of the Koch brothers, and a score of other conservative groups, this is far from an unrealistic scenario.
That may be a potentially significant problem for us, as MJ legalization supporters. I can easily see an emboldened GOP, controlling all the reins of the fed, suddenly turning hardline on the issue of legalization. A casual glance at their candidates for the white house, shows a group of people who almost all have histories of hard attitudes about something or other.
It would not be a stretch, I believe, for the GOP, once they’re in complete control, to suddenly reopen the heavy raiding of MJ facilities, Rec or Med. This is a party that has shown time and again that it will use everything at its disposal to get what it wants, lawsuits, repeat votes (they voted to repeal the ACA how many, 50 times???), the filibuster, or changing rules to stop things like the filibuster. (Dems do those things too, it’s true, but with no where near the intensity.)
Many of the big wigs in the GOP still oppose legalization, as do many of the rank and file; they are treading water now, not wanting to draw too much attention on this issue, waiting to see how the strong the current remains. If they can get away with it, politically, I can easily envision them reversing, or trying to reverse, the successes we’ve seen on the legalization front. (They’ve backed bad policy before many times in the past, but are masters of blending back into the woodwork once the fallout happens–see Iraq invasion, and the missing WMD, and compare it with the new hysteria over Iran. See the rhetoric to privatize Social Security, that is, until the economy’s collapse in 2007; now see the vermin sticking their heads out from the shadows once again, sniffing the air.)
So, I’m just saying to you all, keep your eyes on the prize. The momentum for legalization is still going our way, but this war is not yet over.
Obama certainly could have done a lot more to make our path to national legalization easier; he hasn’t. But he HAS largely stayed out of the way, allowing the state process to proceed. That has been HUGE. HUGE.
I’m not sure we’ll see the same hands off approach from the likes of Christie, Bush III, Walker, Santorum or most other GOP candidates. Rand Paul is the only one of them I trust on the issue; however, he has a snowball’s chance of winning the nomination. (For one thing, he’s squirrelly on the issue of racial discrimination in certain circumstances. That won’t sit well with many young voters or minorities.) In any event, he’s against invading Iran, so the GOP will never nominate him.
The one big thing we have going in our favor is the timing and significance of the 2016 election. Because, as we all know, more young voters and minorities come out during the prexy elections, and they usually vote liberally on many issues, including supporting MJ decriminalization and legalization. Hopefully that will compensate for the obscene amount of money the Kochs and other conservative groups will almost certainly pump into that election.
The conservative dinosaurs who hate pot with every fiber of their being (and I’m talking those last generations that didn’t grow up smoking pot, ie, the greatest and silent majority gens) are dying daily, and being replaced by young voters, conservative and liberal and everything else, who ARE smoking pot. So age demographics will remain perhaps our single greatest advantage until and after the last of those generations are gone. I’m not celebrating their demises, mind you, my parents, uncles, aunts are also in that group (tho most are now deceased). But I’m realistic enough to know which groups are the last to truly stand in our way.
And I have no doubt but that the GOP, in its own twisted way, would attempt one last stand, employing its vaunted old guard.
It’s time for prohibition to be repealed. I don’t use marijuana regularly for fear of losing my job, I’m terrified to voice my opinion on the subject again for fear of losing my job. I wonder how many thousands are out there just like me forced into the closet by our legal system which is supposed to be protecting us. The curtain is rapidly starting to fall though and expose the generations of lies that the government has told to install this fear in us… Yet I still can’t speak openly…
@ Denny Strausser,
Good job, keep it up. It’s a bummer not to get the response you want, but even so, you’re planting the seeds in their minds. That’s where it starts.
I’ve gotten more than a few dead-end answers to my calls and emails (along with a few positives), but I’ll remain the proverbial gnat who won’t go away. (What’s that buzzing in your ear? Oh, the polls say . . . )
Minority whip it so we can have legal marijuana for all just saying.
So the real criminals (Cartels) won’t be making the money.
louisiana has HB 117
[Paul Armentano responds: NORML’s alert for HB 117 is online on our Take Action page here: http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/o/51046/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=16042.%5D
I get out from 4, short hours of educational lectures at my community college, roll up a fat doobie, and light it. I didn’t mention I was in my car. Any who, cop pulls up, smells the skunk, and I find myself sitting in a jail cell by myself for 480 minutes. The best part about everything was when the cop came to the door and brought me out and introduced me to some new friends. After I slipped my clothes off and took a refreshing, almost spring like shower in the Alaskan falls, i was given an 100% cotton uniform with some comfortable Dr. Scholls slippers. The three lovely women I met in my new abode were all residing under the same roof for all different reasons. I remember one of them being pregnant and the poor thing was helping her boyfriend rob RadioShack of about 7 grand, give or take, i can’t remember the details too well. Forgive me. The other girl was waiting trial for capital murder of a baby. While babysitting, she claims that the baby was crying too much and she was getting a headache. Poor thing right? And, it wasn’t even her baby. The third miss…well honestly she had been in there so long she forgot what charge she had gotten to get locked up.
I’m trying to lay the sarcasm as thick as possible. I am mind boggled by the whole situation. All I was doing was relaxing and inhaling something organic. Next thing, Im loosing my mind in a white, four walled room with no way out but patience. I was put in a cell with women who had committed the unthinkable (well actually pretty thinkable, i mean who hasn’t thought about robbing a store or shutting up someones baby; Side note, just being honest, don’t judge me if your perfect and for that I apologize).
If people are going to get locked up for smoking bud, then i think there should be a special jail cell for my fellow mates. And preferably a cell next to a vending machine. You got people trafficking humans and actual drugs and here the cops are trying to take me out. I’m like, “I just want to finish school and keep on trucking.”
I am in Texas and thats all I need to say. Wish me luck with my case.
In Pennsylvania
Mr. Xxxxx,
Thank you for your recent correspondence regarding Senate Bill 528, the Regulate Marijuana Act. I appreciate hearing your thoughts on this issue.
This legislation would legalize the personal possession and use of marijuana as well as create the regulatory structure to distribute and sell marijuana in a way similar to beer and alcohol.
I understand your point of view on this matter. I am keenly watching other states, such as Colorado, Washington, & Alaska, to see the impact of policies like this on a statewide basis. The outcome of those enacted policies will, through the opinion of the electorate, lead other states—including Pennsylvania—to either reject or accept statewide legalization of marijuana. For now, this statewide experiment in legalization is still in its early stages.
On a related note, I voted for and the Senate passed Senate Bill 1182 last session, legalizing and regulating medical Marijuana in Pennsylvania. I continue to support the legalization of medical Marijuana.
This legislation was introduced on February 25, 2015 and was referred to the Senate Law & Justice Committee of which I am not a member. Should it come before the full Senate for a vote, be assured that I will take your input into consideration.
If I can be of further assistance on this or any other matter, please do not hesitate to contact my office.
Senator Elder Vogel Jr.
47th Senatorial District
@Evening Bud
Giving up would be like walking up to a cop with my stash in hand, and saying, “Here it is, arrest me.”
I’ll continue to smoke anyways, anytime I am able to have some. But it still shouldn’t be the laws business if I do indeed want to choose to smoke from time to time. Hey, it should be our choice, and we should be able to buy it at a store. Hopefully, the next administration of our Federal Government sees it that way too, and eventually, will happen on a federal level. What sucks is, Obama is in the position where he can do this, and just won’t. He says wait until more states do it. So hopefully, the next president will continue there. If they do not, we’re going to see some really rough times. 🙁
First off instead railing on the malinformed masses I’m only going to offer my sympathy to those of you still foolishly displaying you’re clear lack of knowledge in general by feigning articulate pontification about Republicans and Conservatives and their fat pockets and even fatter heads. Until we collectively agree that the D.C. elite are just that–a ruling class without classes in itself; Just two heads of the same dragon–then all you ever get will be the bones thrown to you as the dogs you are to them.
Which brings me to my second point. Since they don’t directly effect me I am not familiar enough with other states’ proposed reform but if it is anything like what is proposed here in Ohio by Responsible Ohio then the vote is NO! Don’t be taken for the intellectually vacant stoners they think you are and don’t be the pseudo-revolutionary progressive-liberal clones your D.O.E. daycares taught you to be. Let’s show a spine people…all they are doing is bypassing decades of the inevitable affair between all government–Dem or Rep–and the industries they corner into collusion with treasonous regulations by telling you what it is going to cost YOU for them to legalize or decriminalize or reschedule…Whatever semantic illusion their think-tanks form to find yet another more palatable form of oppression for a younger, “wiser,” “more-hip-to-the-man” generation.
I love you all. but wake the F up people.
@ Peepee
Sorry to hear of your travails. I’m next door, in NM, but I always heard the stories about people getting busted in Texas for a pot seed, and getting jail sentences of up to years. Seems things haven’t totally changed in the lone star state. (I was born there, btw, and went to early elementary school there.)
But your story sure reinforces the fact that we HAVE to end prohibition.
@ Lk,
I typed a response earlier, but I think I exited the NORML site without first hitting the “submit comment” button–I could be wrong. So bear with me, if this is a repetitive post. Anyway:
I just wanted to thank you for relaying Sen. Vogel’s missive. It’s particularly interesting when compared to the response Mr. Strausser, above, received from a Penna. official. It seems Sen. Vogel is more evolved than Sen. Folmer. There is hope in Penna. after all! But to both you and Mr. Strausser, keep up the great work!
Hey, you forgot Wichita, KS. We have a citizens’ initiative to reform sentencing for marijuana/paraphernalia possession up for a vote on April 7. We have no state ballot initiative, so we are limited and going about as far as we can changing to a $50 infraction. The AG and 2 state reps are the main opposition, but the City Council followed the state statute and put it to a vote.
In addition to the Wichita initiative, a bill passed through committee in the house with no opposition. HB 2049, a bill to de-felonize the first two marijuana possession offenses was introduced from the KS Sentencing Commisssion. HB 2049 has been sidelined by the two opposing state reps, Brunk & Kahrs at least until after the 4/7 election, as they feared passing it would lend support to our initiative.
Hello all: I read everyone’s post and agree with “us the people”: I would say the biggest impediment I have concerning MJ is the “cost”!
I could have never imagined I would be paying $400 an oz; for what I used to pay $40 an oz.!
THIS IS RIDICULOUS!!! LEGALIZE TODAY I PRAY!!!
My unauthorized opinion is: “Congress will not Legalize Marijuana; my thoughts are: “Only an Executive Order can solve prob.”. Prez O’ could solve the problem in 1 day simply by rescheduling MJ to Schedule II.”
My thoughts are: “The Stock Market holders and companies are “worried”…”worried the MMJ Phenomenon will destroy their stocks; for example an Aids Drug is $1,000 a day; this is why they worry; MMJ is less than $100 a day!!!(at the most);”Stock market is a big “reason”!
Indiana’s new law guarding freedom of religious practice opens the door to marijuana consumption as part of that religious practice.
See the bill’s text here: http://iga.in.gov/static-documents/9/2/b/a/92bab197/SB0101.05.ENRS.pdf
Here are two of the main paragraphs of interest:
5. As used in this chapter, “exercise of religion” includes
any exercise of religion,whether or not compelled by, or central to,
a system of religious belief.
9. A person whose exercise of religion has been
substantially burdened, or is likely to be substantially burdened,by
a violation of this chapter may assert the violation or impending
violation as a claim or defense in a judicial or administrative
proceeding, regardless of whether the state or any other
governmental entity is a party to the proceeding. If the relevant
governmental entity is not a party to the proceeding, the
governmental entity has an unconditional right to intervene in
order to respond to the person’s invocation of this chapter.
Forgot to mention, Indiana’s new religious freedom act applies to all laws/policies, regardless of whether enacted prior to or after the date this law becomes enacted (July 1st, 2015). Here’s section 1:
1. This chapter applies to all governmental entity statutes,
ordinances, resolutions, executive or administrative orders,
regulations, customs, and usages, including the implementation or
application thereof, regardless of whether they were enacted,
adopted, or initiated before, on, or after July 1, 2015
For all of you holding out on Obama descheduling, pay attention to two things:
1). The pending Federal decision by Judge Mueller in the California case of The U.S. v. Picard et al. Decision pending to Federally deregulate marijuana April 15th. Possible written statement by Judge Mueller prior.
2). The still pending nomination of Loretta Lynch coinciding with Attorney General Eric Holder’s retirement.
Coincidence or consequence, you tell me?
Just two heads of the same dragon–then all you ever get will be the bones thrown to you as the dogs you are to them. – VoiceofReason
Frick and Frack…When Frick is in “office” Frick claims obstruction by Frack…When Frack is elected to “come to our rescue” he claims obstruction from Frick…ensuring the narrow Status Quo continues on and on in perpetuity…until, as you say, We, as a Nation, wake up… and smell something rotten?
@ VoiceofReason & Erik K Johnson
Your argument about the two main parties being essentially Siamese twins is valid–up to a point. But to argue (to believe) that they are exactly the same is not only tragically naïve, but perhaps (and with due respect) a sign of willful ignorance.
Ask most African Americans which party they trust less. Ask most lesbians and gays. Probably most Hispanics too; most union members, etc.
Many Dem politicians are definitely in the hip pockets of the corporations and billionaires, but most–if not all–GOP politicians are joined at the hip (like true Siamese twins) with the corporate boys. Their legislation shows this over and over. They’re against minimum wage, social security, time off work for pregnancy, illness, etc etc. If Dems too many times turn their backs on the workers and less economically fortunate of this country, the GOP virtually ALWAYS does so.
It isn’t the Dems who are trying to push their religion down the throats of the rest of us.
It isn’t Dems who are trying every trick in the book to suppress voting rights.
And it isn’t the Dems who are putting up as many roadblocks as possible against MJ legalization (and being encouraged to do so by their propaganda ministers at Fox “News.”)
When the elderly GOPers pass into the promised land, our road to legalization will be a helluva lot easier. If you can’t acknowledge or admit this, then, I fear you are suffering from “willfull ignorance.”
Like I said before, if the GOP takes over all three branches of the Fed in 2016, the President’s failure to reschedule MJ will very probably be the least of our problems.
@evening bud
Let me begin by saying, “Tragically naïve” is correct … but I don’t believe that description applies to my comment…in all due respect.
I do not believe and did not state there were no differences between (D) or (R).
I do believe the “differences” are dangerously narrow in scope.
Today marks my sixty-third year on Planet Earth…and all I know is time will most certainly tell…who was naïve…and who was prescient.
For the record, I have voted a straight Democratic ticket… exclusively…because there was no other or more progressive party to choose from.
We were offered a “choice” out of 300 million American Citizens to choose between George W. Bush or John Kerry…who are both 1%ers, attended the same schools, were both members of the same “club”…remember?…wasn’t that a coincidence?
I believe naïve would apply to any person who believes Democracy still exists in our Country.
Recognize two candidates are only one more than one?
Our political system has been bought and Sold American.. to the highest bidder.
Q. What is the difference between a Republican and a Democrat in 2015?
A. Their price?
When the elderly Republicans pass away…they will be replaced by their clones… We just witnessed their drunk entitled spawn on the bus singing spirited songs of intolerance, exclusion and racism…wouldn’t you agree?
As for being willfully ignorant, I think you may be engaging in “wishful thinking” in order to remain “hopeful” of “change” that isn’t the “change” you expected?
The only constant is change…we need to change our minds…and justice will follow.
Don’t forget …the two “Party” voting scheme got us exactly where we are today!
The Partiers we “vote” for are seemingly having a ball…decorating their offices between parties.
Hang around a little longer and you will see the circular design…if you look closely at our true History.
Take a peek at Howard Zinn’s , “Peoples History of America”?
All of our politicians are paid actors like Ronald Reagan of Death Valley Days.
You are simply watching a show the actual operators provide for our entertainment/infotainment/ willful compliance.
Are you absolutely sure you believe what you say or are you afraid to consider the alternative possibility that my analysis is correct?
If you are, I truly understand!
It’s hard out here in Reality.
In closing, let me say that arguing amongst ourselves would make Karl Rove smile!…a real sneaky smile!
Peace and respect, my Comrade.
@eveningbud
Well said.
I was just having breakfast this morning with my mother when we were interrupted by an old man wearing a marines ball cap who started going off about politics. My mother being more patient than me with random people at restaurants, I tolerated his contradicting rant, “you can’t trust anything you hear on tv these days; they ‘re all censored by the government!” followed by, ” Fox news was the only people reporting about Benghazi…”
I kinda felt sorry for him as I gave my mother the look that I was about to leave rude. “Another Fox zombie. Doesn’t even know he ‘s contradicting himself. How sad.” Although I could understand his anger regarding big banks, or whatever, that’s all he was about; anger. It’s like “hey you #£€*head we’re having breakfast, you mind regurgitating your propped-propaganda somewhere else?” But you have work to do, so you kinda ignore the old bastard with a laugh, get up and say “gotta get going,” and think whatever you want internally.
And I think to myself, “what if I turn into that old man?” No one to trust, watching Fox News with a nothing but a beer belly and an ugly frown to show after years of blaming liberal nonsense for the my own piss that misses the toilet? Then what? Just be ANGRY all the time? Is that what life is all about ?
Thank GOD I consume marijuana. If you ever want to cut through all the bull$#!+ in life, smoke or vaporize a bowl full of weed, then ask two questions: 1). Where are all the resources? And 2).Who owns them?
The rest is propaganda.
NORML wrote; “The bills define CBD oil as: “a processed cannabis plant extract that contains at least 15 percent cannabidiol but no more than five percent tetrahydrocannabinol, or a dilution of the resin of the cannabis plant that contains at least 50 milligrams of cannabidiol per milliliter but not more than five percent tetrahydrocannabinol.” They define THC-A oil as “a processed Cannabis plant extract that contains at least 15 percent tetrahydrocannabinol acid but not more than five percent tetrahydrocannabinol, or a dilution of the resin of the Cannabis plant that contains at least 50 milligrams of tetrahydrocannabinol acid per milliliter but not more than five percent tetrahydrocannabinol.”
In 2014, eleven states enacted similar legislation; though as of yet none of these measures have been implemented in a manner that sufficiently provides patient access to these therapies.
Anne Green’s comment: “a Marijuana Oil with 5% THC would be very potent: a THC-A Oil with atleast 15% THC would be way potent; yet CBD from Legal Hemp is already available; so why doesn’t Gov. make Hemp Oil an alternative? Hemp Oil CBD can be used alone or with THC!
Summary: Hemp Oil is already available in all 50 states so if your child or any adult has “conditions” then begin with Hemp Oil and see if the child’s condition improves! Hemp Oil avail: “capsules or bottled Hemp CBD Oil”!
@evening bud
Let me begin by saying, “Tragically naïve” is correct … but I don’t believe that description applies to my comment…in all due respect.
I do not believe and did not state there were no differences between (D) or (R).
I do believe the “differences” are dangerously narrow in scope.
Today marks my sixty-third year on Planet Earth…and all I know is time will most certainly tell…who was naïve…and who was prescient.
For the record, I have voted a straight Democratic ticket… exclusively…because there was no other or more progressive party to choose from.
We were offered a “choice” out of 300 million American Citizens to choose between George W. Bush or John Kerry…who are both 1%ers, attended the same schools, were both members of the same “club”…remember?…wasn’t that a coincidence?
I believe naïve would apply to any person who believes Democracy still exists in our Country.
Recognize two candidates are only one more than one?
Our political system seems to have been bought and Sold American.. to the highest bidder.
Q. What is the difference between a Republican and a Democrat in 2015?
A. Their price?
When the elderly Republicans pass away…they will be replaced by their clones… We just witnessed their drunk entitled spawn on the bus singing spirited songs of intolerance, exclusion and racist bigotry…wouldn’t you agree?
As for being willfully ignorant, I think you may be engaging in “wishful thinking” in order to remain “hopeful” of “change” that isn’t the “change” we expected?
The only constant is change…we need to change our minds…and justice will follow.
Don’t forget …the two “Party” voting scheme got us exactly where we are today!
The Partiers we “vote” for are seemingly having a ball…decorating their offices between parties.
Hang around a little longer and you will see the circular design…if you look closely at our true History.
Take a peek at Howard Zinn’s , “Peoples History of America”?
All of our politicians seem to be paid actors like Ronald Reagan of Death Valley Days.
You may be simply watching a show the actual “operators” provide for our entertainment/infotainment/ willful compliance…along with Monster Trucks doing something? and Professional Rasslin’.
Are you absolutely sure you believe what you say or are you afraid to consider the alternative possibility that my analysis is correct?
If you are, I truly understand!
It’s hard out here in Reality.
In closing, let me say that arguing amongst ourselves would make Karl Rove smile!… perhaps a real sneaky smile!
Peace and respect will light our future.
.
For the record, I have voted a straight Democratic ticket… exclusively…because there was no other or more progressive party to choose from.
We were offered a “choice” out of 300 million American Citizens to choose between George W. Bush or John Kerry…who are both 1%ers, attended the same schools, were both members of the same “club”…remember?…wasn’t that a coincidence?
I believe naïve would apply to any person who believes Democracy still exists in our Country.
Recognize two candidates are only one more than one?
Our political system has been bought and Sold American.. to the highest bidder.
Q. What is the difference between a Republican and a Democrat in 2015?
A. Their price?
When the elderly Republicans pass away…they will be replaced by their clones… We just witnessed their drunk entitled spawn on the bus singing spirited songs of intolerance, exclusion and racism…wouldn’t you agree?
As for being willfully ignorant, I think you may be engaging in “wishful thinking” in order to remain “hopeful” of “change” that isn’t the “change” you expected?
The only constant is change…we need to change our minds…and justice will follow.
Don’t forget …the two “Party” voting scheme got us exactly where we are today!
The Partiers we “vote” for are seemingly having a ball…decorating their offices between parties.
Hang around a little longer and you will see the circular design…if you look closely at our true History.
Take a peek at Howard Zinn’s , “Peoples History of America”?
All of our politicians are paid actors like Ronald Reagan of Death Valley Days.
You are simply watching a show the actual operators provide for our entertainment/infotainment/ willful compliance.
Are you absolutely sure you believe what you say or are you afraid to consider the alternative possibility that my analysis is correct?
If you are, I truly understand!
It’s hard out here in Reality.
In closing, let me say that arguing amongst ourselves would make Karl Rove smile!…a real sneaky smile!
Peace and respect, my Comrade.
@ Eric K. Johnson
I appreciate the reply, and in more respects than you probably imagine, or that I have made clear, I agree with your assessments of our two-party monopoly.
I’m only three years younger than you, and I’ve also followed the political scene keenly since gaining awareness of my surroundings, indeed, since realizing that I was completely duped during the Viet Nam War. (You see, I was a staunch conservative back at that time, during my teenage years and early 20s.) And I agree with you, and I’ve written this here and there in these posts, that the Dems far too often resemble GOPers.
I have that debate–about the Dem party–with one of my nephews regularly. Obama pisses me off far too many times. Clinton pissed me off on sundry issues. Before that, as you know, you have to go all the way to the 1970s to see a Dem, Carter, and before that, the 1960s with LBJ.
However, as wicked as these men sometimes were, as the Dems as a party, sometimes were, they were still the evil little brother, in my opinion, compared to their evil big brother, the GOP. Many comparisons can be made with both parties–I’ll never disagree about that. And you can find many many Dems in the hip pockets of their corporate overlords, just like you can GOPers.
However, I still maintain that the Dems are the lesser of the two evils. I still say they are the Weimar Republic compared to the Brown Shirts. The Dems launch us into wars, and they often support legislation that helps the 1% to the detriment of the rest of us.
But they are amateurs at this in comparison to their GOP brethren. The Dems try at least to pretend that they’re helping the rank and file: supporting minimum wage hikes, supporting unions, strengthening social security, ending bigotry, regulating the polluting industries. However effectual, however united or not, they make efforts to do these things.
Republicans on the other hand unabashedly resist all of these things. They gloat openly about trying to end social security, medicare, about erasing all polluter regulations, about repressing bigotry. Hell, in some circles they’re not even allowed by the party leaders to acknowledge friggin’ global warming!! How snugly in bed with a polluter do you have to be to do that? Global warming is something that 90% of the rest of the world knows is happening, something that NASA has shown us over and over again with friggin’ photographs! But one party in America is hell-bent on keeping the sheep ignorant, something which of course is helped by their overt propaganda ministers at Fox (and only to a slightly lesser degree, ABC, NBC, CBS, Wash Post, NY Times, etc etc, you know, the “liberal” media, LOL.)
Concerning marijuana, the GOPers are again showing their true colors, making a last stand against legalization. The pending lawsuit by several bright red states right now against Colorado is one of the more egregious examples. (I am generalizing here of course, as some Dems have shown themselves to be just as regressive, and a few GOPers are beginning to see the light, lol.)
I have disagree with you about one more of your points. You said that the old conservatives will merely be replaced, once they’re gone, by young conservatives, implying, tho not stating, that they’d also oppose legalization. Polls show otherwise, show that young Cons, whatever else they may believe, generally support legalization. Just had to throw that in.)
In ending, I agree with you that Rove would smile at the argument going on here. Of course he would. (It’s interesting that you chose a GOPer to make that point.) He took many of his political tactics, as did Newt Gingrich, straight out of “Mein Kampf.” Sow confusion at every opportunity, never admit defeat (even when it’s obvious), never compromise, and always put your opponents in untenable positions, using whatever tactics, ethical or otherwise. Those two men epitomize the Republican party of today. In some respects, they spawned the Neocons of today.
@Evening Bud
I chose Karl Rove (R) because I agree with nearly everything you stated in your very thoughtful and honest reply.
I hope you are right and hope that I am totally wrong about Lil’republican clones mimicking the evil “KooKooWeed as a tool for oppression” attitude of their Neo-Con parents?
P.S.
My oldest brother served two “tours”
(interesting description?) in Vietnam
I burned my draft card…and lucked out via the lottery… unlike so many other who died in a wrongful war…some of them were my friends …I can still see the rosy cheeked faces of guys I knew who never got to have a life…due to that bloody goddamned war…seems to be The Human Way?
Isn’t it remarkable we accept a system that forces us to choose between the lesser of evils…to make decisions on our behalf?
I am one of those crazy Socialists who believe the resources of any Society should be used for the benefit of all of the members of that Society in a fair and humane fashion.
Sometimes, things get busted but can be repaired.
Sometimes they are broken beyond repair.
Sometimes they were broken to begin with…in which case it may be best replaced?
America has money troubles…that could be fixed quite easily…but…Never by greedy Capitalists fixated on more and yet More!…for their Royal needs?
@ Eric K. Johnson
Thanks, Eric, for the kind words. Sometimes I get on my high horse, and it takes a serious conversation with someone to shake me off. Seems we have more in common with our views than I’d realized.
I was actually hopped up to enlist while the Viet Nam war was still going on; but my brother came home on leave and he, and my dad, a military vet who’d also turned against that war, both told me I was crazy to think of enlisting.
My senior year in h.s. my draft number was 8. The next year, the year I was outta h.s. the draft ended. Keeping in mind what my brother and dad had advised, I did not enlist. And I’m damned glad now that I didn’t.
PS–do keep in mind that I keep a close eye on my Dem reps. When they start getting too cavalier with their votes (acting like GOPers) I almost always give their offices a call. PPS–I have very mixed feelings about Obama, tho I’m very grateful about his hands off approach in regards to the states that have legalized recreationally.
Best regards.
@ Julian
Sorry, brother, I just barely spotted your post. Concerning your experience at the restaurant, I’ve been there, I assure you.
I have to hold my tongue when it comes to my mother- and father-in-law. The old man and I used to get into it, to the consternation of my wife, so I made the conscious decision never to bring up politics with him. He must’ve made the same decision, because he rarely does either. And we get along famously now, and for that I’m grateful.
My mother-in-law is a sadder case, because she used to be more open minded. Her sister turned her on to Fox News, alas, and she’s never been the same since. She even has that trademark Fox snarkiness in her voice when she mocks Dems and liberals now. Of course, she’s living on SS and Medicare, and of course she “deserves” them, unlike those “other” freeloaders, lol.
PS–do keep in mind that I keep a close eye on my Dem reps.
When they start getting too cavalier with their votes (acting like GOPers)
I almost always give their offices a call.
PPS–I have very mixed feelings about Obama, tho I’m very grateful about his hands off approach in regards to the states that have legalized recreationally. – Evening Bud
I do the same (call the Public Representatives (D)&(R) we Citizens employ)…and feel the same way about President Obama…I don’t think we are alone…having “mixed” feelings reveals so much about our Country at this point.
I am an old white man (actually pretty tan, but not John Boner orange) who has lived long enough to witness the election of the first Black American President…which, I believe drove some people crazier than bedbugs…indicating we are still one mixed-up Country.
I still believe the greater majority of the Citizens of our Country want what is best for all of the members of our Society…call me naïve…call me a dreamer…I’m not the only one.
As for Vietnam, my experience was strangely similar!
Both my Dad ( who flew more than 60 missions in the Pacific war with U.S. Army 89th Bomb Squadron, 3rd Attack Group (Grim Reapers) and my brother (who, as I mentioned, served two tours in Vietnam) advised me against participating in a war that, to this day, no one can seem to give any rational explanation for fighting… other than war profiteering.
I’m proud of the fact I burned my draft card…I didn’t have nuthin’ against Vietnamese peasants located 10,000 miles away from me…none of them ever put me in a cage for possessing a plant!
I have many friends who are Veterans of the Vietnam war…I can not judge what any Soldier did to save his life and come home from another Rich Man’s War…Rich Man’$ War = Poor Man’s Fight!
The Majestic Masters of War plan them and their subjects fight them.
Who always wins?
Who always loses?
“There is no way to peace, Peace is the Way” – A.J. Muste