A proposed Oregon initiative measure to allow adults to purchase cannabis in state liquor stores has been certified by the state Supreme Court and activists are already gearing up to place the measure on the November 1998 state ballot.
Although this year’s proposal failed to collect the 73,261 registered voters’ signatures necessary to place the initiative on the 1996 ballot, organizers are convinced that a future, more organized, and better funded campaign will be successful. “The Oregon Cannabis Tax Act (OCTA) made it two- thirds of the way to the ballot with less than $10,000,” stated a press release from initiative organizers. “That is amazing in this age of dollar driven politics. We [expect] to raise $100,000 to qualify OCTA for the 1998 Oregon ballot [and] we will begin on a volunteer effort now.”
If passed, OCTA will replace all state and local marijuana laws except for DUI laws and will permit adults to purchase marijuana from state liquor stores. The measure would also allow doctors to prescribe marijuana to patients through pharmacies, allow farmers to grow marijuana with a license for sales to the state, allow adults to grow marijuana for personal use without a license, and allow for industrial hemp cultivation. Ninety percent of the net proceeds will go to a state general fund, and the remaining 10 percent will be used to fund drug abuse education and treatment programs. Sale and possession to minors will still remain strictly prohibited.
For more information on OCTA, please contact the Campaign for the Restoration & Regulation of Hemp at (503) 235-4606 or write to: P.O. Box 86741, Portland, OR 97286. Inquiries can also be made to Portland NORML at (503) 777-9088 or by checking out their webpage at: http://www.pantless.com/~octa/
Announcement: NORML wishes a speedy and healthy recovery to Colorado state senator Lloyd Casey. Casey suffered a heart attack on October 4 and underwent surgery. He is reportedly in stable condition. While serving in the state senate, Casey twice introduced legislation that would have allowed for the domestic cultivation of hemp in Colorado. Cards may be sent to his home at the following address: 10434 Carmela Lane, Northglenn, CO 80234.