Political

By John Hoeffel, LA Now

The 200,000-member United Food and Commercial Workers, Western States Council, on Wednesday announced its support for Proposition 19, the initiative to legalize marijuana in California.

“The Western States Council is endorsing Proposition 19 based upon our previous support of the medical cannabis initiative, 1996’s Proposition 215,” George Landers, the council's executive director, said in a statement. “We view Proposition 19 as an enhanced version of the previous proposition, that creates taxable revenue and produces jobs in agriculture, health care, retail and possibly textile. We further believe that the proposition will deprive narcotics traffickers of a significant source of criminal revenue.”

Ron Lind, international president of the union, and Dan Rush of its Local 5 also spoke out in favor of Proposition 19.

“The marriage of the cannabis-hemp industry and UFCW is a natural one,” said Rush. “We are an agriculture, food-processing and retail union, as is this industry.”

The council is the political arm of UFCW in several Western states. It comprises the UFCW local unions in the states it covers.


Source: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/07/union-endorses-initiative-...

By Paul Stanford, Chief Petitioner, OCTA 2012

Oregonians for the Cannabis Tax Act 2012 (OCTA 2012) will soon begin gathering the initial 1000 registered Oregon voters' signatures needed to sponsor the Oregon Cannabis Tax Act 2012 petition. After gathering these required first signatures, the Office of the Secretary of State will certify a ballot title with the Attorney General, proposing a statutory initiative for the General Election of November 1, 2012.

OCTA 2012 will set aside two percent of the profits from the sale of cannabis in adult-only stores for two new state committees that will promote Oregon industrial hemp biodiesel, fiber and food.

It will also legalize the sale, possession and personal private cultivation of marijuana. People who want to cultivate and sell marijuana, or process commercial psychoactive cannabis, would be required to obtain a license from the state. Adults could grow their own marijuana and the sale of all cannabis strains' seeds and starter plants would be legalized with no license, fee nor registration. The profits from the sale of cannabis to adults will add hundreds of millions of dollars into the state general fund, as well as drug treatment and education.

Former Talk Show Host, U.S. Marine and MS Patient Urges Albany Lawmakers to Act Without Delay

By Salem-News, salem-news.com

(ALBANY, N.Y. ) - At a press conference in Albany on Tuesday, former talk show host, U.S. Navy officer and New York City resident Montel Williams urged New York Governor David Paterson and members of the Legislature to act quickly in order to pass New York’s medical marijuana bill.

The New York bill would create one of the best-regulated systems in the country for providing seriously ill patients with safe and effective access to medical marijuana. Mr. Williams suffers from multiple sclerosis, and uses medical marijuana to help ease the effects of his condition.

“New York needs to act now to make marijuana legally available for medical use. Every day that we delay is another day of needless suffering for patients like me all across the state,” Williams said.

“Thousands of New Yorkers suffer from serious medical conditions that could benefit from the medical use of marijuana,” said Assembly Member Richard N. Gottfried, Chair of the Assembly Health Committee and sponsor of the Assembly medical marijuana bill. “If the patient and the doctor agree that the most effective medicine is marijuana, the government should not stand in the way. It is cruel to turn suffering patients into criminals when they are following what their doctor recommends.”

By Steve Elliott, Toke of the Town

Joseph Casias said on Tuesday that it was unfair of WalMart to fire him for legally using marijuana to treat his cancer pain.

With the backing of state and national branches of the American Civil Liberties Union and his attorney, Daniel Grow, Casias said he filed a lawsuit Tuesday morning in Calhoun County Circuit Court against WalMart Stores Inc for wrongful termination last November, reports the Battle Creek Enquirer.

The 30-year-old Battle Creek, Mich, cancer patient had undergone a routine drug screening after hurting his knee on the job last year. The test showed that Casias had marijuana in his system and he was fired, even though he is registered as a legal medical marijuana patient in Michigan.

Joseph Casias: "They threw me away after all I did"
"I really cared and I wanted to become something there," Casias told Toke of the Town. "I gave them everything. Anything they asked me to do, I did. More than they asked me to do."

"I tried my best; I gave all I could to them and they always talked about 'family.' And they threw me away after all I did," Joseph told us.

"For some people, working at WalMart is just a job, but for me, it was a way of life," Casias said. "I came to WalMart for a better opportunity for my family and I worked hard and proved myself. I just want the opportunity to continue my work."

"I feel like I'm being treated like a felon," he said.

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - Bills introduced in the New Jersey Legislature would delay the start of the state's new medical marijuana law until Jan. 1.

Legislation introduced in the Senate and Assembly calls for a three-month delay in the law giving chronically ill patients access to marijuana.

The bill would give the state Health Department more time to set up the system under which AIDS, cancer and MS patients could legally access the drug.

On Friday, Gov. Chris Christie proposed a centralized growing and distribution program with Rutgers University and state hospitals playing major roles.

Sen. Nick Scutari, a sponsor of the medical marijuana act, says he's considering Christie's suggestions.


Source: http://cbs3.com/wireapnewsnj/NJ.bill.would.2.1763870.html

Texas Republican Ron Paul is once again seeking to allow for the commercial farming of industrial hemp.

House Bill 1866, The Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2010, would exclude low potency varieties of marijuana from federal prohibition. If approved, this measure will grant state legislatures the authority to license and regulate the commercial production of hemp as an industrial and agricultural commodity.

Several states -- including North Dakota, Montana, and Vermont -- have enacted regulations to allow for the cultivation of hemp under state law. However, none of these laws can be implemented without federal approval. Passage of HR 1866 would remove existing federal barriers and allow states that wish to regulate commercial hemp production the authority to do so.

In a statement delivered on May 9 to the House of Representatives, Rep. Paul said: "I first introduced the Industrial Hemp Farming Act (HR 1866) five years ago to end the federal government’s ban on American farmers growing industrial hemp. In this time, the industrial hemp industry has grown much larger. Despite its American history, industrial hemp is the only crop that we can buy and sell but not farm in the United States. The federal government should change the law to allow American farmers grow this profitable crop as American farmers have through most of our nation’s history. Please cosponsor the Industrial Hemp Farming Act and join me in celebrating Hemp History Week."

By Associated Press

A Republican state legislator and farmer from northeastern North Dakota who wants to grow hemp is asking another federal appeals court to review his case.

David Monson from Osnabrock filed a petition for review on Monday in a federal appeals court in the District of Columbia. Monson and Wayne Hauge, a farmer from Ray in northwestern North Dakota, received the first state licenses to grow industrial hemp in 2007, but they`ve never received approval from the Drug Enforcement Administration, which considers hemp a drug.

The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in December affirmed the dismissal of a lawsuit filed against the U.S government by the two North Dakota farmers.

Related: http://www.votehemp.com/legal_cases_ND.html#petition


Source: http://www.kfyrtv.com/News_Stories.asp?news=40164

By The Star-Ledger Continuous News Desk

TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie is requesting more time to implement the medical marijuana law passed by the legislature in January, and scheduled to take effect in July, according to a report on NJSpotlight.com.

The governor's staff is requesting a six to 12-month delay, the report said, in order to sort out logistics of implementing the law. Changing the timetable would require passage of another bill by the legislature, the report said.

In March, The Star-Ledger reported that both Christie and acting Health and Senior Services Commissioner Poonam Alaigh asked to extend the timetable.

According to Alaigh, the department was having some issues.

"We are rigorously trying to meet the time frame, but the first priority is to create a structure" that will be the "most restrictive, in the way the law was meant to be," Alaigh said in March.


Source: http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/05/governors_office_asks_for_exte....

Votes could come soon

By ANDREW GREINER, NBC

Illinois could become the 15th state to allow medical marijuana if everything goes State Representative Lou Lang’s way.

Lang (D-Skokie) is the chief sponsor of a bill that would allow doctors to prescribe marijuana to chronically ill patients in lieu of narcotics like Oxycontin and Vicodin. Patients who receive the prescription and garner state licensing could own up to three plants under the proposed legislation, according to WBBM.

"It requires them to get a license from the Illinois Dept. of Public health, which would monitor and license each person, and it provides strict penalties for those who break the law, or use the marijuana and drive, or try to sell it or distribute it," Lang said.

Lang told WBBM that more than 90 members of the Illinois House support the bill privately, but nearly 40 of them don’t want to vote for it because of the political fallout.

Representative Lang says he is waiting for the right time to call the bill to the floor for a vote. He said Speaker Michael Madigan promised to call for a vote if Lang can gather the votes.

If it passes the house – it already passed the senate about 10 months ago – indications are that Governor Pat Quinn would sign the measure.

Dr. Quentin Young the Illinois Public Health Advocate and Quinn's personal physician supports the measure.

"The medical profession has no controversy on this, to speak of," Dr. Young said.

Sign the Petition to End Prohibition. Regulate Cannabis, Support Industrial Hemp, Create Revenue.

By Hemp News Staff

Oregonians for Cannabis Reform have finished gathering the 1000 sponsorship signatures needed for the Oregon Cannabis Tax Act 2010 (OCTA) petition. The Oregon Cannabis Tax Act, would set aside two percent of the profits from the sale of cannabis in cannabis-only stores for two state commissions that promote industrial hemp biodiesel, fiber, protein and oil.

It will also legalize the sale, possession and personal private cultivation of marijuana. People who want to cultivate and sell marijuana, or process commercial psychoactive cannabis, would be required to obtain a license from the state. Adults could grow their own marijuana and the sale of all cannabis strains' seeds and starter plants would be legalized with no license, fee nor registration. The profits from the sale of cannabis to adults will add hundreds of millions into the state general fund as well as drug treatment and education.

In order to be successful, we will need help from volunteers across Oregon. Please tell ten friends about OCTA 2010 and get involved! We are now circulating the petition across Oregon. We will need 83,000 valid signatures by July, 2, 2010 to qualify for the November ballot.

By Felicia Heaton, News Radio 1190 KEX

Source: http://1190kex.com

Video Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sk5Q5oMeYwg

By Steve Elliott, Toke of the Town/Hemp News

Oregon's marijuana legalization initiative, the Oregon Cannabis Tax Act (OCTA), is kicking off its signature-gathering phase at the OR NORML meeting in Portland this Saturday, April 10.

Petitions have just been approved for circulation by the Oregon Secretary of State's Office, and OCTA said it expects more than 300 attendees to be among the first to sign the petition for this historic ballot measure.

OCTA will generate revenue by taxing commercial cannabis sales, which will be permitted to adults 21 and older. More than $140 million a year would be generated by OCTA for the state's General Fund, according to projections, paying for education, roads, health care, and other public projects.

"OCTA will transform Oregon," said co-chief petitioner Madeleine Martinez, executive director of OR NORML. "Supporting OCTA is a no-brainer."

According to OCTA's other co-chief petitioner, Paul Stanford of The Hemp and Cannabis Foundation (THCF), the potential of industrial hemp for Oregon's economy is limitless, as it will turn the state into a national leader in ecological innovation and sustainable jobs.

"The entire hemp plant is useful, from its seeds which create a food source to its oil which can be made into bio-diesel to its stalks which can be woven into fabrics or turned into paper," Stanford said. "Hemp is the future, not just for Oregon, but for a sustainable planet."

By David Krough and AP

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Marijuana advocates are gearing up to legalize the drug for recreational use in Oregon with a new measure poised to go on the November ballot.

According to their website, the Oregon Cannabis Tax Act would "legalize the sale, possession and personal private cultivation of marijuana." It would also set aside two percent of profits from cannabis sales for commissions that promote industrial hemp biodiesel, fiber, protein and oil.

Growers and sellers would need a state license and could only sell in cannabis-only stores.

Oregon became the second state to pass a marijuana law in 1998, following California. There are nearly 24,000 patients with medical marijuana cards in Oregon. Only state residents can obtain the card after registering as a patient in the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program with a qualifying debilitating medical condition diagnosed by a doctor.

Organizers will start collecting signatures Saturday.

Kyndall Mason with the DemocracyResources.com organization was working with the National Organization for Reform of Mairjuana Laws (NORML) and Oregon groups to gather signatures starting Saturday.

"Oregon has a long history of laws that conflict with federal law, that includes the Death with Dignity Act," Mason said. "The feds have (recently) given states more autonomy, specifically regarding medical marijuana laws," she said.

Measure to Provide Patients With Safe Access Now Moves to House.

By Salem-News.com

(ANNAPOLIS, Md.) - With no discussion or objections, the Maryland Senate voted 35-12 to pass SB 627, a bill that would allow qualified patients to be recommended medical marijuana by their doctor and receive safe access to their medicine through state-licensed distribution centers. The bill now moves to the House. The General Assembly’s session ends Monday night.

“I’m very proud of my Senate colleagues today for voting to provide some of our most vulnerable residents with the compassion and care that they deserve,” said Sen. David Brinkley (R-Frederick), the bill’s sponsor and a two-time cancer survivor. “Anyone who has watched a loved one suffer from a debilitating illness would agree that we should not stand between doctors and patients, or deprive seriously ill people safe access to a legitimate medicine if it can help them cope with their illness.”

By Steve Elliott, Toke of the Town/Hemp News

An Alabama House committee approved a bill Wednesday that would legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes in the Heart of Dixie.

This is the first time in Alabama history that a medical marijuana bill has advanced out of committee to the House floor.

Patricia Todd (D-Birmingham), who sponsors the bill, said it had no real chance of being approved by both the House and the Senate before this legislative session ends in five days, reports Scott Johnson of the Montgomery Advertiser.

The bill, known as the Michael Phillips Compassionate Care Act, is named after a medical marijuana patient with a brain tumor who fought to make the herb legal for medicine in Alabama. Phillips died in 2007 at the age of 38.

Marijuana was the only thing that allowed Phillips to function normally, according to his mother, Jackie Phillips. Without it, she said, Michael had seven or eight seizures a day.

"I could see the difference in him when he smoked and when he didn't," Phillips said.

Under the bill, patients would be allowed to purchase and possess marijuana if they have an official identification card.

The bill would allow for the licensing of dispensaries where patients could legally buy marijuana.

Rep. Todd has been working with the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA), who assisted her in drafting the bill.

By KING 5, Up Front

The backers of Initiative 1068 say it's time to legalize marijuana. They are trying to gather the signatures to get their measure on the November ballot. The initiative follows failed attempts to decriminalize and legalize pot during the legislative session. In California a similar measure has already qualified for the fall ballot. Initiative 1068 would make it legal for anyone 18 and older to "cultivate, possess, transport, sell, or use marijuana." What do you think? Is it a good idea or a bad one?


Source: http://www.king5.com/news/up-front/Is-it-time-to-legalize-maijuana-89868...

Oregon pot-legalization advocates push to follow California’s lead.

By Peter Griffin, WW

After decades of dashed hopes, leaders of the movement to legalize marijuana believe their goal is poised to become a reality this year.

They got renewed momentum last week when organizers of an initiative to legalize cannabis in California submitted enough signatures to put the issue on that state’s ballot this November. And Oregon pot advocates are confident the Beaver State will not be far behind.

As candidates for governor, the Legislature, City Hall and Multnomah County campaign in Oregon’s May primary with their proposed solutions to budget problems, pot-legalization supporters are working to get an initiative similar to California’s on the November ballot here. Legislation backers are pitching the proposal’s economic benefits. Advocates say legalizing pot and taxing it could generate at least $100 million a year and save as much as $75 million annually on law enforcement.

The Oregon Cannabis Taxation Act, like California’s proposal, would let anyone 21 and older possess up to an ounce of marijuana and set up a committee to regulate distribution and taxation.

The Oregon proposal, which also would prohibit the regulation of hemp, has until July 2 to collect 82,679 valid signatures from registered voters to make the November ballot.

On March 25, 2010 the Oregon Cannabis Tax Act won a huge victory when the Oregon Supreme Court shot down Bradley Benoit’s challenge to their initiative. Now that the challenge has been cleared, the backers of the initiative can start gathering signatures in order to get it on the November ballot. Unlike a similar initiative in California, which has already been approved for the November election, the Oregon initiative still needs a tremendous amount of signatures. In Oregon, the amount of signatures needed is determined by the total votes cast in the previous Governor election. Because this is a ’statutory initiative,’ it is going to require 82,769 valid signatures by July 2, 2010.

As previously stated, due to the challenge by Beaverton area resident Bradley Benoit, the signature gathering campaign has been delayed. This is a common tactic used in Oregon initiative politics. Here’s how it works; someone has the idea for a possible initiative, and gets the original 1,000 signatures needed to the Secretary of State Elections Division to be approved for further signature gathering. The State Elections Division validates the signatures, and then asks for an official ballot title and summary of the bill. If there is no challenge, such as in the case of Oregon Initiative 28 (medical marijuana dispensary bill), signatures can be gathered.

from Drug War Chronicle, Issue #626, 4/2/10

There is a chance, albeit an outside one, that the entire West Coast could go green in November. Last week we noted that the California tax and regulate initiative had made the ballot, and reported on the Oregon Cannabis Tax Act initiative's ongoing effort to make the ballot. This week, we turn our attention to Washington state, where yet another marijuana legalization initiative campaign is underway.

Sponsored by Seattle Hempfest head Vivian McPeak, marijuana defense attorneys Douglass Hiatt and Jeffrey Steinborn, and journalist-turned-activist Philip Dawdy and organized under the rubric of Sensible Washington, initiative I-1068 would legalize marijuana by removing marijuana offenses from the state's controlled substances act.

As the official ballot summary puts it:

"This measure would remove state civil and criminal penalties for persons eighteen years or older who cultivate, possess, transport, sell, or use marijuana. Marijuana would no longer be defined as a 'controlled substance.' Civil and criminal penalties relating to drug paraphernalia and provisions authorizing seizure or forfeiture of property would not apply to marijuana-related offenses committed by persons eighteen years or older. The measure would retain current restrictions and penalties applicable to persons under eighteen."

A monumental ballot measure like this will make Oregon a national leader in ecological innovation and sustainable jobs.

By Salem-News

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - The Oregon Cannabis Tax Act (OCTA) campaign learned today that the Oregon Supreme Court dismissed the only challenge to the OCTA ballot title.

The challenge – filed by Bradley Benoit from the Beaverton area – was mired in an earlier comment regarding the summary explanation. The comment requested the summary of the measure describe in detail the fact that the Oregon Attorney General would be responsible for defending Oregonians, and the law itself, should there be a federal case.

This comment was addressed and the Attorney General included Benoit's comments in the revised certified ballot title. In an attempt to stall the signature gathering effort Benoit filed a supreme court challenge to the title stating his comments were not fully addressed.

This decision from the Oregon Supreme Court sends a clear message to Benoit that his concerns were adequately addressed in the certified title released after the comment period.

This decision also marks a pivotal step forward in the process to collect signatures on a ballot measure that will end prohibition on adult marijuana use and industrial hemp.

By Steve Elliott for Hemp News

It's full speed ahead for the Oregon Cannabis Tax Act (OCTA), a ballot initiative which would legalize and tax marijuana in the Beaver State, as the Oregon Supreme Court has dismissed the only challenge to OCTA's ballot title.

The challenge -- filed by Bradley Benoit from the Beaverton, Ore., area -- came from an earlier comment regarding OCTA's summary explanation. The comment requested the summary of the measure describe in detail the fact that the Oregon Attorney General would be responsible for defending Oregonians, and the law itself, should a federal case arise.

The comment was addressed, and the Attorney General included Benoit's comments in the revised, certified ballot title, according to OCTA campaign spokesman Kyndall Mason.

"In an attempt to stall the signature gathering effort, Benoit filed a Supreme Court challenge to the title stating his comments were not fully addressed," Mason explained. "This decision from the Oregon Supreme Court sends a clear message to Benoit that his concerns were adequately addressed in the certified title released after the comment period."

According to Mason, the decision also marks a crucial step forward in the process to collect signatures for the ballot measure, which would end Oregon's prohibition on adult marijuana use and industrial hemp.

The color of money may soon turn a new shade of green as U.S. states across the country consider legalizing and then taxing marijuana to cure chronic budget problems.

By Kim Dixon and Lisa Lambert, WASHINGTON

California came the closest to taxing tokes last week by putting an initiative on its November ballot. The top marijuana-producing state could raise $1.3 billion annually, according to the California Board of Equalization, which collects taxes.

As the state struggles to close its multibillion dollar deficit, supporters say the legalization fight will be close, though the scope of potential conflicts with federal law is uncertain.

"If you can tax it, it's just one more way to make money for the government," said Linsey Isaacs, a 20-year-old rental agent in New York City, who does not smoke marijuana. "To me it's better than cigarettes, healthwise, and if they can tax cigarettes, then I don't see anything wrong with taxing marijuana."

California's current budget gap may be large at $20 billion, but it is not unique, and the outcome will be closely watched. The National Governors Association says the recession will not end in some states until 2012.

As California moves closer to a vote on the legalizing marijuana, which most states banned in the 1930s, the push is finding backers for different reasons.

By Lauren Garrison

The state of Kansas has always had strongly enforced laws against the use of marijuana in any degree. However, things might be changing in Kansas Legislature.

A house bill has been created to allow the use of medical marijuana for seriously ill individuals. According to House Bill 2610, titled the Medical Marijuana Act, by the Committee on Health and Human Services, this would allow “the legal use of marijuana for certain debilitating medical conditions.”

The bill would also allow for the registration and construction of compassion centers, which are not-for-profit organizations that provide assistance to seriously-ill persons who might consider using medical marijuana for treatment.

According to the bill, a compassion center is a registered entity “that acquires, possesses, cultivates, manufactures, delivers, transfers, transports, supplies or dispenses marijuana or related supplies and educational material to cardholders.”

Through the bill, if enacted, seriously-ill persons who wish to use medical marijuana for treatment will be issued identification cards which identify them as a “registered qualifying patient,” caregiver or employee of a compassion center.

The Medical Marijuana Act states “the purpose of this act is to protect patients with debilitating medical conditions, as well as their practitioners and providers, from arrest and prosecution, criminal or other penalties.”

Activists decry restrictions

By Shaun Waterman, THE WASHINGTON TIMES

Medical marijuana is coming to the District of Columbia - but still with too many restrictions for some pot advocates.

Now that Congress has lifted its decade-old hold on the measure, legislation to implement a 1998 voter-passed referendum is backed by 10 of the city's 13 D.C. Council members and seems sure to pass.

Council committees and city officials are wrestling with an armful of questions about how the law will work in practice - especially the question of where the licensed dispensaries that will sell the drug can be located, and who will be allowed to own and operate them. And opponents are calling for Congress to block the measure, as it can do under long-standing federal powers over D.C. affairs.