Guadalupe May Ban Medical Marijuana Dispensaries
May 15th, 2009 by Rick
Guadalupe is the next city to address the issue of allowing medical marijuana dispensaries in their city. A City Council meeting was held Tuesday and was seeking an urgency ordinance to place a temporary 45-day ban on having dispensaries established in their city.
The urgency ordinance read:
It is necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety to enact as an urgency ordinance prohibiting the establishment and operation of medical marijuana dispensaries in any zone of the City of Guadalupe. Additionally, The city can expect to suffer the adverse secondary effects of such businesses and enforcement problems if such businesses are allowed in the absence of new and revised regulations.
Other cities in California; Santa Maria, Buellton, Arroyo Grande and Pismo Beach have already passed ordinances banning dispensaries.
Impact of Ammiano’s Bill Depends on Federal Law
May 14th, 2009 by Erin
Anyone who’s a marijuana activist knows assemblyman Tom Ammiano. He’s the author of a bill that would make California the first ever state to legalize personal marijuana use, but not without the typical fights with the feds.
The Governator’s appeasing statement about being open to discussion about California possibly allowing sales of marijuana in order to gain tax revenue has only supported Ammiano’s bill. According to the state Board of Equalization, the bill could raise an estimated $1.3 billion a year.
Assuming federal law stays the same, the bill (AB390) would simply remove criminal penalties for individual possession and cultivation of no more than 10 marijuana plants. No retail sales or tax revenue, and HOPEFULLY no more federal raids.
If federal law were to permit possession and sale, marijuana would be made legal for those 21 and older with laws similar to those regarding alcohol.
Quintin Mecke, a spokesman for Ammiano, thinks the DEA shouldn’t be interested in private residences:
I think they pay attention to major grow operations.
Stephen Gutwillig, state director of the Drug Policy Alliance stated:
In ever-increasing numbers, the citizens of this state are ready to junk our failed prohibition policies, even if that means taking on the feds
in reference to the recent nationwide Zogby poll that showed legalization support at 52%. Gutwillig said the voters are “way ahead” of public officials on this issue, and we couldn’t agree more.
Bruce Mirken, spokesman for the Marijuana Policy Project, said:
It has to be the states moving first. Just like medical marijuana, the feds will be dragged along by the states.
Unfortunately, we may have to wait two years before we see a change here in Cali. Ammiano introduced the bill in February, but he won’t try and bring it to a vote until next year, meaning it could not take effect until 2011. In response to the ongoing federal-state conflict that complicates many things, you may remember Barack Obama saying states should be allowed to enforce medical marijuana laws without federal interference; unfortunately his views are limited only to medical marijuana.
When asked about his thoughts on legalizing marijuana to increase tax revenue, Obama said:
No, I don’t think that is a good strategy to grow our economy.
Mirken said it’ll take time to convince the feds to let the state go its own way, but in two years if the bill becomes law and Obama is looking for re-election, the administration officials looking to crack down might reconsider for fear of angering California.
Bill breakdown: What would it do?
- Decriminalize personal use, sale, possession and cultivation of cannabis in California.
- If the federal ban were repealed, the state would allow marijuana farmers and sellers, but impose a $50/oz tax.
Oceanside May Ban Medical Marijuana Dispensaries
May 13th, 2009 by Rick
Although voters in California passed a medical marijuana law twelve years ago, not all cities allow medical marijuana dispensaries. In fact according to Americans for Safe Access, 30 cities across California have permitted them, while another 110 have banned them.
Oceanside is the latest city to tackle the issue with the city council trying to decide how to regulate the dispensaries. No dispensary has been applied for as of yet, but there have been inquiries. A vote on Wednesday will set a 45-day moratorium, giving them time to figure out which direction to go.
Ohio Poll Ponders Medical Marijuana
May 13th, 2009 by Rick
A telephone poll taken from April 17 to April 27, out of the University of Cincinnati, revealed that an impressive 73% of the people favor a medical marijuana law. Ed Orlett, a former state legislator and current lobbier for medical marijuana, was surprised by that many people, in every age, race, religion and political affiliation showing a strong support of allowing doctors to prescribe medical marijuana to patients.
Orlett said:
It adds legitimacy to it here in Ohio. [...] Politicians usually tell us, ’If I do this, I’m going to get killed politically.’ Well, apparently not, if you look at this.
Last session, a medical marijuana bill was sponsored by Democrat Tom Roberts out of Dayton, but the legislation died in a committee after a weak debate and Roberts left the Senate. Orlett plans on speaking with some other Senators about sponsoring a new, similar bill.
Portland Declares Medical Marijuana Awareness Week
May 11th, 2009 by Rick
Following in the footsteps of it’s sister city, Eugene, OR, the state’s largest city, Portland, has proclaimed that April 30 to May 6 is Medical Marijuana Awareness Week. Portland Mayor Sam Adams‘ public statement was verbatim to what Eugene Mayor Kitty Piercy had said about medical marijuana, when she announced Medical Marijuana Awareness Week in her city. An executive director at the Oregon Chapter of NORML, Madeline Martinez, spoke to Adams after Piercy had gone public with her proclamation. With NORML behind this, it’s bound to become a week observed by all states that have medical marijuana laws.
Befuddled State Senators Debate Medical Weed
May 8th, 2009 by Russ
The Medical Marijuana referendum brigade is on the warpath.
Today it’s setting its sights on Illinois, where State Senator William Haine (D) has sponsored the Compassionate Use of Cannabis Pilot Program Act. And, as per usual, some of Senator Haine’s colleagues are playing the role of Cretin’s Advocate, as they argue for the logically challenged.
Soft-brained Senator Patricia Bellock (R) noted:
It is the No. 1 drug that introduces young people to other drugs.
Common knowledge would tell one that a plant doesn’t have the sentience or social skills necessary to introduce people to other inanimate objects. So, unless Senator Bellock is secretly a Herbal Animist Witch (and thus privy to inside information), this argument doesn’t seem to hold much weight.
Simple State Rep Julie Hamos expressed some further concerns about the bill:
…I’m worried about giving plants to patients.
Perhaps Julie is right. It does seem incredibly dangerous to give sick people access to plants. Much better to keep them in sterilized tube-bubbles while they pop rainbow-colored pills that are seventeen steps removed from anything that occurs in nature. We should be pumping as many chemicals into the sick and dying as possible. Giving them access to plants only reminds them that there is a living world outside their hospital cell windows. This could dangerously reinvigorate the suffering.
State Rep. Lou Lang (D) summed the whole thing up pretty well:
The opposition is coming from members… who don’t have the guts to say ‘yes’… They are fearful of their next election and looking for excuses, while people are out there suffering.
Lou’s right on the money. Politicians have a history of being a heck of a lot more paranoid than pot smokers. Rationality can be very hard to come by this time of year.
Feds Continue to Raid Sanctioned Growers
May 8th, 2009 by Russ
Salem news is reporting that the Bakersfield, CA police have raided a local, state-approved marijuana cooperative with the help of DEA agents. This development runs contrary to promises from the Obama Adminstration that the DEA would cease encroaching upon state laws.
Local sheriff, Donny Youngblood, noted that while he would respect the standing of non-profit weed cooperatives, for-profit weed dispensaries would still be raided in contravention of state law. Proposition 215, which legalized medical marijuana in the state, does prohibit the accrual of ‘excessive profits’ by sanctioned dispensaries.
The federal authorities involved have been somewhat coy about their level of involvement, maintaining that they were simply ‘assisting’ the Bakersfield Sheriff’s Office in the raid.
Regardless of their role, the Feds have got some explaining to do.
South Dakota Coalition Takes Aim at Legalization
May 7th, 2009 by Russ
The South Dakota Coalition of Compassion is on a mission to turn South Dakota into a weed treatment-friendly state. Headed by upstart and recent high school graduate, Emmett Reistroffer, the group aims to put a medical marijuana measure on the state ballot in 2010.
In a moving manifesto on the group’s website, Reistroffer notes:
South Dakotans will go to the polls in 2010 to pass the SDSAA (South Dakota Safe Access Act) with pride and prestige; a reflection of the compassionate and caring values that bind our families and traditions.
No longer shall we accept the insane and cruel deprivation of medicine for people who suffer from Glaucoma, Cancer, Multiple Sclerosis, HIV/AIDS, Lupus, and other tragic illnesses.
Reistroffer was anointed when former coalition leader, Bob Newland, was arrested on a trumped up weed possession charge three weeks ago. Newland’s arrest simply reinforces the need for groups such as these to reform pot laws and end the demonization of non-violent drug users.
The Coalition for Compassion needs nearly 17,000 signatures to get on the state referendum’s radar screen. It appears that they’re off to a running start.
