tagged w/ Marijuana Prohibition
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The End of Prohibition
"I think this would be a good time for a beer," Franklin D. Roosevelt said upon signing a bill that made 3.2-percent lager legal again, some months ahead of the full repeal of Prohibition. I hope Barack Obama will come up with some comparably witty remarks as he presides over the dismantling of our contemporary forms of prohibition—laws that prevent gay marriage, restrict cannabis as a Schedule I Controlled Substance, and ban travel to Cuba. "You may now kiss the groom," perhaps, or—a version of the comment he once made about smoking pot—"I inhaled—that was the point."
Prohibition now is different from Prohibition then. When the 18th Amendment went into effect in 1920, it was a radical social experiment challenging a custom as old as civilization. Its predictable failure—the gross insult to individual rights, the impossibility of enforcement, the spawning of organized crime—came to an end when Utah, of all places, became the 36th state to ratify the 21st Amendment in 1933. Today prohibition is a byword for futile attempts to legislate morality and remake human nature.
Our forms of prohibition are more sins of omission than commission. Rather than trying to take away longstanding rights, they're instances of conservative laws failing to keep pace with a liberalizing society. But like Prohibition in the '20s, these restrictions have become indefensible as well as impractical, and as a result are fading fast. Within 10 years, it seems a reasonable guess that Americans will travel freely to Cuba, that all states will recognize gay unions, and that few will retain criminal penalties for marijuana use by individuals. Whether or not Democrats retain control of Congress, whether or not Obama is re-elected, and whether they happen sooner or later than expected, these reforms are inevitable—not because politics has changed but because society has.
Source: http://www.slate.com/id/2234017/The End of Prohibition
"I think this would be a good time for a beer," Franklin D.... more
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"Penalties against drug use should not be more damaging to an individual than the use of the drug itself. Nowhere is this more clear than in the laws against the possession of marijuana in private for personal use."
-President Jimmy Carter: Message to Congress, August 2, 1977.
Introduction
Since the 1970s, more than a dozen government-appointed commissions have examined the effects of marijuana, and made public policy recommendations regarding its use. Overwhelmingly, the conclusions of these expert panels have been the same: marijuana prohibition causes more social damage than marijuana use, and the possession of marijuana for personal use should no longer be a criminal offense.
Disturbingly, these findings have typically fallen on deaf ears, often being dismissed by the very governments that appointed them. Taken together, however, they exemplify the consensus that exists among the scientific community in support of liberalizing the legal status of marijuana. Conversely, their omission in the present debate reflects the unfortunate reality that marijuana prohibition is perpetuated not by science, but rather by emotion and rhetoric. We do not let these factors dictate other public policies, nor should we let them dominate the debate over marijuana-law reform.
NORML encourages the role of science in this debate, and applauds the efforts of previous commissions that have examined this issue. In an effort to better publicize this work, NORML has compiled the findings from more than a dozen government-appointed drug advisory committees, and highlighted their recommendations regarding the legal status of marijuana. Their conclusions, as well as those of several prominent private commissions, are listed chronologically.
Government Commissioned Reports
“We believe … that the continued prohibition of cannabis jeopardizes the health and well-being of Canadians much more than does the substance itself or the regulated marketing of the substance. In addition, we believe that the continued criminalization of cannabis undermines the fundamental values set out in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and confirmed in the history of a country based on diversity and tolerance.
… It is for this reason that the Committee recommends that the Government of Canada amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act to create a criminal exemption scheme, under which the production and sale of cannabis would be licensed, [and] … to permit persons over the age of 16 to procure cannabis and its derivatives at duly licensed distribution centers.”
- Canadian Senate Special Committee on Illegal Drugs. 2002. Cannabis: Summary Report: Our Position for a Canadian Public Policy. Ottawa.
"We accept that cannabis can be harmful and that its use should be discouraged. However, ... we do not believe there is anything to be gained by exaggerating its harmfulness. On the contrary, exaggeration undermines the credibility of the messages that we wish to send regarding more harmful drugs. We support, therefore, ... reclassify[ing] cannabis from Class B to Class C ... [so that] possession of cannabis would cease to be an 'arrestable offense.'"
- British House of Commons Home Affairs Committee. 2002. Home Affairs Third Report. British Home Office: London
“Cannabis ... is less harmful than other substances (amphetamines, barbiturates, codeine-like compounds) within Class B of Schedule 2 to the Misuse of Drugs Act of 1971. The continuing juxtaposition of cannabis with these more harmful Class B drugs erroneously (and dangerously) suggests their harmful effects are equivalent. This may lead to the belief, amongst cannabis users, that if they had no harmful effects from cannabis than other Class B substances will be equally safe. The Council therefore recommends the reclassification of all cannabis preparations to class C under the Misuse of Drugs Act of 1971.”
- British Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs."Penalties against drug use should not be more damaging to an individual than the use... more
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With Support for Cannabis Growing Everyday. Its Time We Put a New Face on Todays Cannabis User. Lets show America that Reefer Madness is Not what Happens when Responsible Citizens Enjoy Cannabis. Whats your story; current cannabis culture ? We have given Billions of Dollars to norml and mpp and leap and all the other ones. But nobody hears our Story. NOBODY tells our Story....except current....Lets tell the world our story. while we still can........nobody will do this for us. if you support cannabis for medicine, for pleasure, or for justice....tell your story....how much time have you spent here trying to get the word out..
that was just practice>>>>>>the world will see us this time. .........!With Support for Cannabis Growing Everyday. Its Time We Put a New Face on Todays... more
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SALEM, Ore.) - Jack Herer is a very resilient fellow. 40 years ago he was a Goldwater Republican. Nine years ago he suffered a minor heart attack, and a major stroke.
All these calamaties and more, he survived.
But his fight continues. For the last four weeks, Jack has been in a Portland Oregon hospital, slowly recovering from a heart attack. On Monday, he was discharged from Legacy Emanuel Hospital, and his family moved him to a nursing facility in Eugene, according to Oregonlive.com.
Exactly one month ago, Jack was stricken by a heart attack. So, each day, the challenge is no less than the day before. The challenge to bring Jack back.
He was in a medically induced coma for several days, on the critical list in ICU for nearly three weeks. Over time, he showed some improvements. His EEG (brain scan) showed more activity, and he would open his eyes. He stretched his arms and legs, yawned, turned his head from side to side. They removed the respirator.
Last week he was taken off the Critical list, moved out of ICU, and remains in stable condition. Stable enough, it seems, to be moved to another facility.
Still though, there has been no word from Jack. "He is waking up and gazing appropriately when someone's talking," Paul Stanford (THCF) said, "but he's not really communicating in any way."
We've been told that Jack responds to touch, has squeezed the hands of close friends and family, and that he even sat up in bed one day when his daughter came into the room. None of this means he's okay. It just means he's still with us, and working on recovery.
Jack is a devoted man. He has devoted his life to the cause to decriminalize hemp and cannabis. He stands strong on the belief that the cannabis sativa (hemp/marijuana) plant should be decriminalized, having been proven to be a renewable source of fuel, food and medicine, and he's been telling the story without fail, for over 30 years.
He also contends that the U.S. government deliberately hides the proof of hemp's benefits. He tried to take his message all the way to the top, twice running for President of the United States (1988 and 1992) as the Grassroots Party candidate.
Born on June 18, 1939, in NY, NY, Jack is well known as one of the first American Cannabis activists. His book, The Emperor Wears No Clothes, has been a catalyst in the advocacy to decriminalize cannabis since the first edition was published in 1985.
Over 600,000 books have been sold, and an online version is available on his site, for easy access to a treasure trove of educational research. By selling his books, tapes, CDs and movies, Jack has helped support the hemp movement for the last 20+ years.
Many know Jack Herer's name for something even more notorious, a specific strain of cannabis named after him with sativa dominant characteristics. This is a genre he understands, and has contributed to greatly.
Jack won the seventh High Times Cannabis Cup, the "Academy Awards of Marijuana", the festival held annually in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, probably the most famous cannabis event among tourists, consumers and cannabis-oriented businesses worldwide.
Yes, Jack's made quite a name for himself.
Jack Herer was the first to "put your money where your mouth is". He offered a reward of $100,000 to anyone that could prove marijuana had killed a user. For over a dozen years, no one has tried to collect.
"It is the safest, smartest, best medicine on the planet," Jack said at HempStalk. "You'd have to be stupid not to use it!"
In his book, Jack reiterates it's low risk use, "A smoker would theoretically have to consume nearly 1,500 pounds of marijuana within about fifteen minutes to induce a lethal response." This is true, yet the public is still under another impression.
It didn't start out that way though.
Every one has heard that America's founding fathers grew hemp. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, just to get started. But most people don't know why CON'T>>>SALEM, Ore.) - Jack Herer is a very resilient fellow. 40 years ago he was a Goldwater... more
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Paypal, the well-known internet payment company has told California NORML that it will no longer accept payments to our “type of business” because we accept listing payments from cannabis-recommending physicians.
After years of offering free listings to physicians and collectives at our website http://www.canorml.org, CaNORML began charging a yearly listing fee to cover our costs last year.
PayPal froze CaNORML’s account in June, saying that by accepting listing fees fromcollectives, we were violating their Acceptable Use policy, which says, “you may not use PayPal in the purchase or sale of narcotics.” Although narcotics were not being sold over the CaNORML site, we reluctantly agreed to stop accepting listings fees from collectives that dispense medical marijuana, recognizing that even though they are legal under state law, they are illegal under federal law. However, we continued to accept payments online from doctors, attorneys, and members.
Now PayPal has stopped accepting payments from the CaNORML site because we continued to accept listing payments from physicians.
Under a ruling upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court (Conant v. Walters, 2003), physicians have the first amendment right to discuss and recommend medical marijuana for their patients, although they may not distribute it or help patients in finding it. PayPal was informed of this and wrote back, “We are not arguing the legality of this issue; we are simply stating that we have made the business decision to not be involved with this type of business.”
Because of its discriminatory policy and disregard of physicians’ first amendment rights, CaNORML submits that PayPal is not the “type of business” to be used by those who advocate for human rights. We will file a complaint with the federal banking committee over their practices.
Located in San Jose, California, PayPal was founded in 1998 and was acquired by eBay (California gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman’s former company) in 2002.
Complain to: PayPal, 2211 N 1st St, San Jose 95131 (408) 376-7400Paypal, the well-known internet payment company has told California NORML that it will... more
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The common inference behind this question is that there must be some behind the scenes cabal of Big Pharma, Tobacco, and Alcohol executives conspiring to keep cannabis illegal. By contrast, the real culprits behind pot prohibition are far more overt.
Law enforcement organizations — including cops, district attorneys, prosecutors, prison guard unions, sheriffs, and narcotics officers associations — remain the primary force working against sensible marijuana law reform.
Case in point? Look no further than these two egregious examples:
Los Angeles County D.A. prepares to crack down on pot outlets
via the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Steve Cooley said Thursday he will prosecute medical marijuana dispensaries for over-the-counter sales, targeting a practice that has become commonplace under an initiative approved by California voters more than a decade ago.
“The vast, vast, vast majority, about 100%, of dispensaries in Los Angeles County and the city are operating illegally, they are dealing marijuana illegally, according to our theory,” he said. “The time is right to deal with this problem.”
Cooley and Los Angeles City Atty. Carmen Trutanich recently concluded that state law bars sales of medical marijuana, an opinion that could spark a renewed effort by law enforcement across the state to rein in the use of marijuana. It comes as polls show a majority of state voters back legalization of marijuana, and supporters are working to place the issue on the ballot next year.
Even prior to the passage of California’s passage of Prop. 215, cannabis dispensaries — the same sort of dispensaries that D.A. Cooley now unilaterally defines as a “problem” — operated openly, and without incident, in L.A. County. Today, over 1,000 such operations exist in Los Angeles. District Attorney Cooley has now arbitrarily declared that “100%” of these dispensaries are acting illegally based not on a court decision, but rather on his own personal anti-pot bias.
Do a majority of public of L.A. county share D.A. Cooley’s view that open market, regulated medi-pot transactions are, in fact, a “problem?” Not at all. Does the will of the voters actually matter to their District Attorney? Not at all.
According to a separate story from the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, D.A. Cooley “was one of dozens of guests at a recent conference … in which the topic was the ‘eradication of medical-marijuana dispensaries in the city of Los Angeles and Los Angeles County,’ according to a flier advertising the event hosted by the California Narcotics Officers’ Association.”
This, of course, would be the same California Narcotics Officers Association that just last month issued the white paper: “California Police Chiefs Association Position Paper on the Decriminalization of Marijuana.” You can read the entire position paper here (Have a potent anti-emetic handy!), but here’s some excerpts.
“Proposition 215, the Compassionate Use Act, was passed by California voters in 1996 on a ballot initiative promoted by those who subscribe to the idea that all drug use should be legalized.”
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(click for more)....The common inference behind this question is that there must be some behind the scenes... more
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SAN FRANCISCO – Marijuana advocates are gathering signatures to get as many as three pot-legalization measures on the ballot in 2010 in California, setting up what could be a groundbreaking clash with the federal government over U.S. drug policy.
At least one poll shows voters would support lifting the pot prohibition, which would make the state of more than 38 million the first in the nation to legalize marijuana.
Such action would also send the state into a headlong conflict with the U.S. government while raising questions about how federal law enforcement could enforce its drug laws in the face of a massive government-sanctioned pot industry.
more in the link...SAN FRANCISCO – Marijuana advocates are gathering signatures to get as many as three... more
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When the producer of the FoxNews program ‘Freedom Watch with Judge Napolitano‘ asked me to appear on air last week to discuss the issue of marijuana law reform, I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect.
Fortunately it became clear from the host’s opening monologue that Judge Andrew Napolitano is a powerful and articulate friend of cannabis liberalization.
“The War on Drugs that the federal government has waged, and on which it has spent billions and billions of taxpayer dollars, has been a complete waste of time, money, and effort.
Take marijuana, for instance. It’s been grouped together and enforced by the Drug Enforcement Administration with real hardcore drugs like heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine. But states like California and soon New Jersey have pretty much legalized marijuana for medicinal purposes. While the federal government contends that … marijuana has the potential to promote cancer, patients of cancer and other similar ailments actually use marijuana to fight these deadly diseases.
So wouldn’t the federal government be better off creating the incentive to empower people to make the right choice, to make their own free choice, rather than persecuting them and prosecuting them for what the feds consider to be the wrong choice?”When the producer of the FoxNews program ‘Freedom Watch with Judge Napolitano‘... more
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CANNABIS CULTURE - NDP Leader Jack Layton and his party are calling on the Conservative government to stop the extradition of activist Marc Emery.
Layton and two other NDP MPs, Libby Davies and Bill Siksay, have sent letter of support to activists and the Minister of Justice, calling Emery's extradition for selling marijuana seeds "wrong", and asking that he be allowed to serve his sentence in Canada.
Read letters from NDP members below.
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Jack Layton Calls Marc Emery's Extradition 'Wrong'
Supportive letter sent to marijuana activists from NDP leader
To: WhyProhibition.ca
Thank you for your message regarding the extradition of Marc Emery to the United States.
Several years ago, when this matter became public, we voiced our
opposition the extradition of Mr. Emery. We believed then, as we do
now, that it is wrong to extradite our citizens for an offence that
would not - and, in this situation, did not - result in him being
charged in Canada.
Please find attached a recent letter from Ms. Davies to Minister Rob
Nicholson asking him to intervene on behalf of Mr. Emery.
Again, I appreciate hearing your concerns on this matter. All the best.
Sincerely,
Jack Layton, MP (Toronto-Danforth)
Leader, Canada’s New Democrats
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Libby Davies urges Justice Minister to Stop Emery Extradition
from LibbyDavies.com
The Honourable Rob Nicholson
Minister of Justice
105 East Block
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0A6
Dear Minister Nicholson,
I write once again to ask that you stop the extradition of Canadian Marc Emery to the United States and allow him to serve his prison sentence in Canada.
Canadian law enforcement officials have for a decade ignored Mr. Emery’s well publicized activities. I have expressed to you on many occasions my vehement opposition to sending Mr. Emery or any Canadian to face harsh punishment in another country when we have agreed as a society that these actions are not worthy of prosecution in Canada. Yet, your government has refused to intervene on Mr. Emery’s behalf and he will now serve a five year prison term in the United States.
It is my understanding that the United States government will allow Mr. Emery to remain in Canada to serve his sentence if the Government of Canada agrees. I therefore urge you to act in best the interest of this Canadian citizen and in the interest of Canadian sovereignty and allow Mr. Emery to serve his sentence in Canada.
I look forward to hearing from you as soon as possible on this urgent matter.
Sincerely,
Libby Davies, MP
Vancouver East
NDP Spokesperson for Drug Policy
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Bill Siksay Calls For End To Marc Emery's Extradition
To: The Honourable Rob Nicholson, PC, MP
Minister of Justice
105 East Block
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6
Dear Minister Nicholson,
I am writing regarding the extradition of Canadian Marc Emery to the United States. I would urge you to take immediate steps to allow Mr Emery to serve his prison sentence in Canada.
It is my understanding that Canadian law enforcement officials ignored Mr. Emery’s activities implying that these actions were not worthy of prosecution in Canada. Despite this, your government has refused to intervene on Mr. Emery’s behalf and he will now serve a five year prison term in the United States.
I understand that the United States government will allow Mr. Emery to remain in Canada to serve his sentence if the Government of Canada agrees. Given this fact, I would therefore call upon you to act in best the interest of this Canadian citizen and in the interest of Canadian sovereignty and allow Mr. Emery to serve his sentence in Canada.
I look forward to hearing from you as soon as possibCANNABIS CULTURE - NDP Leader Jack Layton and his party are calling on the... more
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Far from protecting us and our children, the war on drugs is making the world a much more dangerous place.
SO FAR this year, about 4000 people have died in Mexico's drugs war - a horrifying toll. If only a good fairy could wave a magic wand and make all illegal drugs disappear, the world would be a better place.
Dream on. Recreational drug use is as old as humanity, and has not been stopped by the most draconian laws. Given that drugs are here to stay, how do we limit the harm they do?
The evidence suggests most of the problems stem not from drugs themselves, but from the fact that they are illegal. The obvious answer, then, is to make them legal.Far from protecting us and our children, the war on drugs is making the world a much... more
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As the Senior Editor of High Times Magazine, David Bienenstock has traveled the world writing about marijuana. He has interviewed everyone from growers to dealers to prisoners to politicians, which means he knows just about everything there is to know about pot.
Check out www.revelinnewyork.com for more videos and for David's personalized city and culture guide to New York.As the Senior Editor of High Times Magazine, David Bienenstock has traveled the world... more
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In light of the toll that marijuana prohibition takes on the lives of our neighbors, can we justly say "that's the price you pay?"
While our current economic climate has prompted many Californians to look toward legalized marijuana as a solution to our near-legendary budget woes, there are those for whom the potential revenue from marijuana is no compensation for the further erosion of our morals. In their eyes, the prohibition of marijuana must continue, lest our society drown in a tidal wave of vice. But what about the morality of prohibition?In light of the toll that marijuana prohibition takes on the lives of our neighbors,... more
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25 Years In Prison For Kush?
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The worse the economy gets, the better marijuana looks—not necessarily for its psychedelic properties, but for its revenue potential. As more cities and states face budget deficits, the idea that legal, regulated marijuana could reel in a bounty of taxes is gaining traction. This development has confounded legalization advocates, rendering their FAQs nearly irrelevant and plunging them into an unfamiliar debate: OK, say we legalize pot. How should we tax it?The worse the economy gets, the better marijuana looks—not necessarily for its... more
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When it comes to addressing America's disastrous war on drugs, the Obama administration appears to be moving in the right direction -- albeit very, very cautiously.When it comes to addressing America's disastrous war on drugs, the Obama... more
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"Yesterday marked the first time in history that a nationwide poll showed majority support for taxing and regulating marijuana (at 52%). The poll, conducted by Zogby International at the end of April, was also one of the largest sample sizes of any national polls on the subject, with almost 4,000 respondents and a margin of error of +/- 1.6%."
Let's legalize it!"Yesterday marked the first time in history that a nationwide poll showed majority... more
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NORML is pleased to announce that House Bill 434, an act to exempt qualified medical cannabis patients from state arrest and prosecution, has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee.
Passage of House Bill 434, The Michael Phillips Compassionate Care Act, will ensure that authorized medical marijuana patients will no longer have to fear arrest or prosecution from state law enforcement.
Members of the House Judiciary Committee are scheduled to hear testimony in favor of the bill on Wednesday, April 8th.NORML is pleased to announce that House Bill 434, an act to exempt qualified medical... more
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While a recent poll showed that more than two thirds of Massachusetts voters favor relaxing laws against marijuana, State Representative Will N. Brownsberger ’78—a drug addiction and enforcement expert who represents parts of Belmont and Cambridge—said he has grave concerns about the wisdom of a November ballot initiative that would decriminalize possession of the drug.
The initiative, championed by the Committee of Sensible Marijuana Policy, would replace criminal penalties for possession of an ounce or less of personal use marijuana with civil penalties.
While penalties for selling, growing, and trafficking marijuana would remain unchanged, possession would be punished by a combination of a fines starting at $100, community service, and drug awareness programs. Marijuana possession would also no longer be recorded in the oft-maligned Criminal Offender Record Information system.
While some academics have come out in favor of the measure, Browsnberger called it “a side show” because the “real issue is cocaine and heroin.”
“That’s what people are going to jail for, that’s what people are dying from,” Brownsberger said, adding that the ballot measure on marijuana is “not worth pursuing.” [more]While a recent poll showed that more than two thirds of Massachusetts voters favor... more
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Boston, MA: Nearly three out of four Massachusetts voters support a statewide ballot initiative that seeks to decriminalize the possession and use of small amounts of cannabis by persons age 18 or older, according to a Channel 7 News/Suffolk University poll of 400 registered voters.
Seventy-one percent of respondents said that they would vote "yes" on the November ballot measure, which would replace criminal penalties for the possession of up to one ounce of marijuana with a civil fine of no more than $100. Only 22 percent of respondents opposed the proposal.
Among respondents over 65 years of age, 70 percent said they backed decriminalization.
The strong poll numbers indicate that the measure "is all but certain" to pass in November, the poll's authors declared in a press release.
If voters approve the measure this fall, Massachusetts would be the first state to enact the decriminalization of marijuana since Nevada's legislature did so in 2001 and the first to do so by voter initiative.
Currently, twelve states have enacted versions of marijuana decriminalization -replacing criminal sanctions with fine-only penalties for minor pot violators.
Michigan voters will also decide on a separate statewide initiative this November that seeks to legalize the medical use of cannabis for qualified patients. If enacted, Michigan will become the thirteenth state since 1996 to authorize the legal use of medical cannabis, and the ninth state to do so by voter initiative.
For more information, please contact NORML Executive Director Allen St. Pierre at (202) 483-5500, or visit the Committee for Sensible Marijuana Policy.Boston, MA: Nearly three out of four Massachusetts voters support a statewide ballot... more
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The distinct odor of burning incense - among other things - hung in the air over Boston Common yesterday afternoon during the 2008 Boston Hemp Fest.
A large crowd gathered, its members enjoying the warm, sunny weather and the diverse offerings of food vendors as they debated political ideas or simply relaxed on the grass.
"I tell you, it's eclectic. From getting things like nice tie-dye shirts to getting, like, say, falafels and things like that," said Lee Litif 44, of South Boston, who was decked out in tie-dyed clothes himself, along with sunflower-rimmed sunglasses. "It's utopia; it really is."
Litif was happy to express his support for an upcoming ballot question that would decriminalize marijuana possession in the state.
"No doubt. I'm for legalization of marijuana. Legalize gay marrage and legalize abortion, regardless," he said.
Supporters of both Question 2, the marijuana measure, and Question 1, which would eliminate the state income tax, were out in full force with literature, stickers, and even free fresh fruit to try to lure people to their side.
Arthur Torrey, a libertarian from Billerica, was handing out literature to passersby from a booth. Across the way, a group of socialists were handing out their materials.
"We agree on a lot of social issues," he said.
A number of people were smoking marijuana and some could be seen inhaling substances from balloons. Police reported making six arrests, but officials last evening did not have specifics on the charges.
Police were not visible walking through the crowds, but flashing blue lights on the perimeter of the Common reminded everyone that they were in the vicinity.
Before providing information on the arrests, Officer James Kenneally, a police spokesman, said the Hemp Fest was "rather orderly."
Globe correspondents Padraig Shea and Caitlin Castello contributed to this report. John Guilfoil can be reached at jguilfoil@globe.comThe distinct odor of burning incense - among other things - hung in the air over... more
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