Massachusetts voters will decide this November on a statewide ballot measure to legalize and regulate the adult use and retail sale of cannabis.
The Secretary of State’s office has confirmed that initiative proponents, The Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, submitted a sufficient number of signatures from registered voters to qualify the measure for the November ballot.
Question 4, The Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana Act, permits adults to possess (up to ten ounces) and to cultivate (up to six plants) personal use quantities of cannabis and establishes licensing for its commercial production and retail sale. Commercial for-profit sales of cannabis will be subject to taxation, while non-commercial exchanges of marijuana will not be taxed.
State voters have previously approved ballot measures decriminalizing marijuana possession penalties and legalizing the use and dispensing of medicinal cannabis.
Voters in Arizona, California, Maine, and Nevada will also decide on adult use measures this November. Voters in Arkansas, Florida, Missouri, and Montana will decide on medical use initiatives this fall.
A summary of 2016 statewide ballot measures is online here.
5 states Approved!!!!!
That’s more than double the legalized states we currently have with legalized marijuana. (And yes, I consider our nation’s capitol, the D.C., as an official state under Federal suppression to excercise their constitutional right to a representative who can vote, especially since the district’s population is larger than the that of Wyoming or Vermont since the 2013 census).
Speaking of population;
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/usa/states/population.shtml
With just the states that have approved ballot initiatives and the states legalized so far, that makes
65 million 618 thousand 6 hundred and 8 Americans who will represent a state with legalized marijuana legislation.
In a country of 318.9 million that’s more than one fifth of the entire US population that will have legalized marijuana. If we keep doing this every 2 to 4 years the next president will be inaugurated into the new agrarian Cannabis economy. What an incredible time in our nation’s history.
Many states with cities with tens of millions of people only get two Senate votes. What would happen if we give two Senate votes to every city with a population of half a million or more?
D.C. isn’t hurting. Don’t feel sad for them.
Ok Sam, stop smoking K2. There’s plenty of good good bud out there without having to travel to Colorado. Just make some friends and please… Do more research.
And just in case you weren’t kidding, because what I’m about to tell you is as true as it is hard to believe, D.C. does not have any Senators, and does not have legal representation with taxation as their only representative, Eleanor Holmes Norton can only voice her opinion but her vote does not get counted in Congress.
That’s right, here in the “Greatest nation on earth,” 3/4 of a million people in our nations capital have no vote in the upcoming elections, and have not had a vote prior.
Marijuana was legalized in D.C. with cooperation from the city’s only elected officials; Mayor, Muriel Bowser, and the City Council, who undermined a Republican Congress that made every effort to quash legalization even though Tea-Publicants are supposed to be all about state’s rights. The initiative was launched by a grassroots advocacy group called DCMJ. Rep. Norton provided legal guidance to encourage navigating DC’s marijuana legalization through a hostile and oppressive Congress.
Tragic irony, the citizens of DC have had their rights trampled on by a Federal Congress that they can’t even vote for. So the City Council got sick of it and legalized cannabis anyway.
Legalizing in Massachusetts is a boost for DC. Public smoking has been shot down numerous times in our nation’s capital but its important that our Congressman can find public places to consume with their constituents, not just private places, in order to protest their own rights and see through all the bull$#!+ in their daily occupation. Boston is not a far away flight from the Hill for a fundraiser.
FYI, citizens of DC do get to vote for the president, but they still have no Senators and they may get to vote in a representative but their rep in the House gets no valid vote… In the USA today.
…And “other US cities” are part of states that already have representatives with valid votes. The citizens of our nation’s capital do not belong to a state and do not have a representative with a valid vote. This is not a question of “feeling sorry,” but one of providing the right to representation to all US citizens, especially those that have lived under the direct hypocrisy of prohibition where federal Congressman maintain private homes where they can consume cannabis while they maintain federal marijuana prohibition.
OK, Julian…First,.. I applaud your relentless pursuit of cannabis reform. It is a noble and worthy cause.
Second,.. lived here in D.C. area long time, know all the players.
Third,.. living in the District is voluntary, which means there isn’t a court in the land likely to declare any voting hardship on a resident. The city council’s lame law about all city employees having to live in the District could be easily overturned in court.
Fourth,.. Do you really believe that Congress is going to cede to private residents control of a Federal district? And put a star on our flag and award two Senate votes to them? You and all the players above are the ones smoking K2. There aren’t any good candidates for statehood anywhere in the world. 50 stars and 100 Senators. Don’t see that changing in my or my child’s lifetime.
Fifth,..Congress has bent over backwards to allow as much home rule for the residents as possible. Allowing the use of cannabis is proof of that. And without Obama being President, that doesn’t happen.
Sixth,.. You need an Act of Congress to make a new state. In D.C.’s case, it will be more like an Act of GOD. And with the corruption that’s been rampant on the council since its inception in the 70’s, they haven’t shown the ability to honestly manage a moderately-sized city, let alone a state.
And finally Seventh,..As a crusader, you shouldn’t let an inadvertent submit set you off , making accusations. I’ll proofread this submit. I feel your population argument for statehood is very weak. Good luck with reform down there in Texas.
Eighth,.. Go Massachusetts, Maine, California, Arizona and Nevada. Cannabis prohibition is unwarranted and unjust.
You aren’t from “project” SAM, are you?
(Joking… I hope…)
First: Don’t applaud me, get a suit and tie on go lobby your representatives for legal cannabis, you ingrate! (and be glad if they have a valid vote!)
Second: If you know all the “players” you must be hanging out at all the crack houses, strip joints and fundraisers in DC all day: seafood and wine for breakfast anyone?
Third: “Living in the District is voluntary”? $#!+, now I know youre smoking K2. Sam, were talking about REAL AMERICAN CITIZENS’ RIGHT to VOTE, with VALID REPESENTATION while PAYING TAXES! Not whose friend’s room you wanna crash in after a party! Pay attention! These are votes that could help legalize marijuana!
Fourth: Ok Sam, now its time to set the crack pipe down and google a map of DC. See those lines in the map that say “D.C.” and the others that say “Federal District”? These properties have already been separated for this argument.
Fifth: The only thing Congress has bent over backwards for is undermining the DC Council and the vote of more than %70 of the voters of in DC to legalize marijuana, or to govern themselves in any productive way. You should reaaally do your research on that one.
Sixth: Democracy is built on our participation. My great grandfather climbed the capitol steps on horse back in order to get an Act of Congress to declare himself alive for his pension after being declared dead, fighting for our nation. Either get in the saddle or step out of the way.
Seventh: I’ll give you a “submit;” Weaknes is one who has the power to do good but chooses not to.
Eighth: Well… At least someplace we agree 😉
No good candidates for statehood anywhere in the world? How ahout Israel? Mechoulam gave us Entourage Effect, translates into “Stronger Together” doesn’t it? E pluribus Unum, hmm? Big God’s Country and Little God’s Country. How about Puerto Rico? Anything Jamaica can make, PR can prepare better. Build a new capital city on Rt. 157 near Orocovis, name it Peoria, PR, test all new varietals there. (Don’t get me started on South Ireland and Taiwan.)
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Massachusetts proposed 10-gram possession rule allows 6792 single tokes minus about 10% for seeds (flowerPOT) and stems(teaPOT), I get along fine with 730 tokes a year using a FLEXDRAWTUBE ONEHEATER.
Crude math error, I multiplied by 6 instead of 10. 11,320 tokes minus 10%.
This is further proof that you can’t believe every poll that you see. Go Massachusetts!
Good Luck Massachusetts! You can do it! You can make it happen!
I thought Montana already had medical mj.
Apparently it’s a real clusterfuck.
In January 2015, Phillip Smith of stopthedrugwar.org wrote: A state district court judge last Friday dealt a hard blow to provisions of a restrictive state medical marijuana law passed by the Republican-dominated legislature seven years after Big Sky voters approved a more open initiative allowing for medicinal use and a wide open dispensary scene. District Judge James Reynolds in Helena permanently enjoined the implementation of certain key provisions in the law. Those provisions have never actually taken effect because Reynolds blocked them with a temporary injunction back in 2011.
The Montana medical marijuana scene exploded in 2009, when it appeared the Obama administration would not interfere in medical marijuana states, resulting in a case of severe backlash after some players pushed the envelope with open public pot smoking and loosely-regulated “cannabis caravans” crisscrossing the state and offering recommendations over the Internet. In 2011, the legislature moved to rein in the state’s Wild West medical marijuana industry. It first voted to repeal the medical marijuana law entirely, but that was vetoed by then Gov. Brian Schweitzer (D). The legislature then passed the bill tightly restricting medical marijuana; that bill became law without Schweitzer’s signature. The Montana Cannabis Industry Association and some individuals sued to block the law. Now, they have succeeded in striking down key provisions—unless and until the state appeals and wins on appeal.
But then this, also by Phillip Smith, on May 19, 2016: DEA Raids Montana’s Largest Dispensary. The DEA, assisted by local law enforcement, has raided Montana Buds, the state’s largest dispensary. The state Supreme Court ruled in February that dispensaries were illegal, but that ruling doesn’t take effect until August. Earlier this week, state medical marijuana interests asked the US Supreme Court to overturn the state Supreme Court ruling.
CONGRATS LAS VEGAS — PROBLEM IN CALI IS THE FEDS ARE TAKING AS MANY ASSETS AS THEY CAN BEFORE NOV WHEN CANNABIS BECOMES LEGAL FOR ADULT USE- TAKING ALL MONIES AND STASH FROM FROM CONCENTRATE MANUFACTURERS ,,LOW LIFE FED.S RUINING PEOPLES LIVES EVEN TAKING THE CHILDRENS SAVINGS FOR COLLEGE THIS KINDA B.S. IS UNCALLED FOR
God gave us marijuana and our paranoid government took it away. Marijuana has so many positives and is not dangerous like the schedule 2,3,4,or 5 drugs are. I don’t understand in any way, shape, or form how marijuana is supposed to be more dangerous than cocaine and all the other scheduled drugs. It should be descheduled, and as far as I am, the government has no right to limit quanities or growth capacity. My belief is that the gov’t has now right to price,tax, or control marijuana in any way,shape,or form. It should be free, just like a bird.
1 thing I’d be good at, is debating our opponents; my concern, today, is Sabet’s sudden, public debate-challenge to Rick Steves, over the Maine Initiative.
They always start it off backwards:
They want to begin public debate with their manufactured matter of addiction – a false pretense. They want to cut right ahead through that, to begin with the subcategory of childhood ingestion.
Authority has overarchingly mandated that any detectable amount constitutes addiction, which they strictly stipulate requires extensive self-admission to treatment, after mandatory job termination. The typical standard, which is mandated by Congress, is 6 months’ mininum addiction treatment, before rehirability.
We have our own pretense of firstmost concern, yet: FDR can, yet may not, outlaw the wall art – to begin with…
They always want to start off the debate, with us being required to start off at the bottom of their barrel of deceit and injustice – and attempt to work our way up out, in the time allotted for the forum.
I appreciate Rick Steves’ excellence, yet I’d volunteer to handle this dirty work of public debate against SAM.
BTW, Pope Formosus was thrice exhumed and his corpse put on public trial in criminal court. It would not be completely unprecidented for Congress to legislate the same for FDR, for starting this all.
Have some faith in Rick Steves. He may be soft spoken but his polite demeanor can be more effective. Instead of interrupting for a soundbyte he uses fewer words more effectively, anunciating so he can be clearly understood.
Project SAM and Kevin Sabet are getting hyped up with election money for opposition to legalization because they’re getting some effective propaganda out that calls medibles accidentally ingested by a small number of children “toxic” or “poisonous,” which is absolutely false. Moderators and commentators haven’t worked around the learning curve to see through the lie yet. If marijuana has never killed anyone through excess consumption throught human history, and it is physically impossible to overdose on cannabinoids, then the lethal risk to children accidentally ingesting cannabis high in THC is zero. There are trace amounts of carbon toxins in smoked cannabis, although there is no comparison to the number of toxins in combusted cigarette tobacco, as the lungs are able to better metabolize the relatively few carbon toxins and tar accumulated from smoked cannabis.
But babies aren’t being reported to “poison control,” CPS or ER’s over second hand cannabis smoke. These are rare marijuana ingestion cases where parents panic that their child is acting lethargic, and usually if the effects are still there by the time a physician or pediatrician treats the child the remedy is “wait a little while.” And the child is fine. No permanent damage, no side effects, just go home and keep your medibles out of reach of children please.
Perhaps a better warning label for edibles should be “Warning: any irresponsible access to children of this non-toxic edible will result in propaganda from prohibitionists from Project SAM. Keep out of reach of children and Kevin Sabet.”
I dont think the previous advocates for representation are talking about statehood they are merely talking about representation in the house of representatives. Give D.C. and all territories a house member, but not Senators or statehood.
Will NORML provide polling data or links to polling data for the above initiatives? That would be very helpful.
Thank you.