Marijuana

Daily Freeman, 13 Apr 2013 - SEATTLE (AP) - A bill introduced in Congress on Friday would fix the conflict between the federal government's marijuana prohibition and state laws that allow medical or recreational use. The measure would amend the Controlled Substances Act to make clear that individuals and businesses, including marijuana dispensaries, who comply with state marijuana laws are immune from federal prosecution.

Traverse City Record-Eagle, 13 Apr 2013 - SEATTLE - A bill introduced in Congress on Friday would fix the conflict between the federal government's marijuana prohibition and state laws that allow medical or recreational use. California Republican Rep. Dana Rohrabacher said his bill, which has three Republican and three Democratic sponsors, would ensure that state laws on pot are respected by the feds.

A bi-partisan group of US representatives led by Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) Friday introduced legislation that would end the enforcement of federal marijuana laws in states that have either legalized it or adopted medical marijuana laws. That would bring 18 medical marijuana states and two legalization states -- Colorado and Washington -- out from under the shadow of the Controlled Substances Act when it comes to marijuana law reform.

[image:1 align:left caption:true]The bill is House Bill 1523, the Respect State Marijuana Laws Act. It was not yet available online as of press time.

"This bipartisan bill represents a common-sense approach that establishes federal government respect for all states' marijuana laws," said Rohrabacher. "It does so by keeping the federal government out of the business of criminalizing marijuana activities in states that don't want it to be criminal."

Joining Rohrabacher as cosponsors of the bill were Reps. Justin Amash (R-MI), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Jared Polis (D-CO), and Don Young (R-AK).

That brings to at least five the number of marijuana reform bills introduced in the 113th Congress, six if you count an industrial hemp bill. Three of those bills deal with medical marijuana, one with the ability of states to tax marijuana commerce, and one would end federal marijuana prohibition.

Reps. Polis, Blumenauer, Rohrabacher, and others also introduced that latter bill, House Bill 499, the Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act, H.R. 499, which would set up a federal regulatory process -- similar to the one for alcohol -- for states that decide to legalize. Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) has said he will hold hearings to examine Colorado and Washington’s new marijuana laws and explore potential federal reforms.

Marijuana law reform efforts in the Congress are being propelled not only by the continuing spread of medical marijuana laws and the impressive victories in Colorado and Washington -- each state saw 55% of voters approve legalization -- but also by ever-mounting evidence that public opinion nationwide is swinging in favor of legalization, and against federal interference in states undertaking marijuana law reforms.

A Pew poll released earlier this month had support for marijuana legalization at 52%, the highest ever for a Pew poll and the first time a Pew poll showed majority support for legalization. Five other recent opinion polls have shown support for legalization hovering at the tipping point, with two of them just under 50%, one at 50%, one at 54%, and one at 57%.

That same Pew poll also found considerable skepticism about enforcing the marijuana laws, with 72% agreeing that "government efforts to enforce marijuana laws cost more than they are worth" and 60% saying that the federal government should not try to enforce marijuana laws in states where it is legal.

"The people have spoken and members of Congress are taking action," said Bill Piper, director of national affairs for the Drug Policy Alliance. "This bill takes conservative principles and applies them to marijuana policy; in terms of the national debate it’s potentially a game-changer."

"This bill is a win for federalism and a win for public safety," said Neill Franklin, a former Maryland narcotics detective and now executive director of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition. "In a time of bitter partisanship, it is quite telling that both Republicans and Democrats are calling for respect for the reform of marijuana laws. Polls show this is a winning issue for politicians, and change is inevitable. We applaud those legislators who, rather than trying to impede this progress, stand with the vast majority of Americans who believe these laws should be respected."

"Marijuana prohibition is on its last legs because most Americans no longer support it," said Steve Fox, national political director for the Marijuana Policy Project. "This legislation presents a perfect opportunity for members to embrace the notion that states should be able to devise systems for regulating marijuana without their citizens having to worry about breaking federal law. If a state chooses to take marijuana sales away from cartels and the criminal market and put them in the hands of legitimate, tax-paying businesses, it should be able to do so without federal interference."

"We've reached a tipping point," said Jasmine Tyler, deputy director of national affairs for the Drug Policy Alliance, "and it is time Congress acknowledge what voters, law enforcement, and state officials have been telling us for years: the feds should stop wasting money interfering when the states are more than capable of regulating marijuana effectively."

Even though this and the other federal marijuana reform bills have been introduced with bipartisan support, their future in the Republican-dominated House this session is murky at best. Some key committee chairs, such as Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), head of the House Judiciary Committee, are very hostile to any reform efforts. But the pressure is mounting.

Ely Times, 12 Apr 2013 - The clock is ticking on AB 402, which would legalize, regulate and tax marijuana. The bill had a hearing last Friday that drew debate from proponents and opponents of legalizing the drug. Washington and Colorado have legalized marijuana in the past. "I'll tell you they're doing some swapping in the hallways to get it out," Assemblyman John Ellison said.

The Royal Gazette, 12 Apr 2013 - The young are the restless. It is a line for which I cannot take credit. It was a headline that appeared recently in The New York Times. It caught my eye as did the subject matter: how views are changing on the decriminalisation and use of marijuana. A writer by the name of Charles M Blow (yes, real name) was commenting on an April 2013 poll that for the first time showed that more Americans support legalising marijuana than oppose it. This was and is no April fool's joke.

Las Vegas Sun, 12 Apr 2013 - It was no great feat, but as I predicted last October, Colorado and Washington have legalized pot, and Nevada is now in danger of losing our rightful place as the capital of forbidden fun. On his tourism blog, Arthur Frommer wrote last year that we could "expect a torrent of new tourism to Seattle and Denver."

Union Leader, 12 Apr 2013 - CONCORD - Supporters far outnumbered opponents of legislation that would legalize "therapeutic cannabis," the term for medical marijuana, at a state Senate committee hearing Thursday. The Attorney General's Office dropped the opposition it had previously voiced to the bill.

Concord Monitor, 12 Apr 2013 - Before allowing patients to use medical marijuana, the state should seek a waiver from the federal Drug Enforcement Agency, opponents told a state Senate committee yesterday. With both legislative and gubernatorial support for authorizing therapeutic use of marijuana, the law enforcement and medical communities also proposed a tightly controlled, mandatory study of patients and a board of physicians to review every doctor recommendation of the drug before a patient could start using it.

FFWD, 11 Apr 2013 - Medical marijuana user challenges school's rules For most students at SAIT Polytechnic, their education includes a backpack full of pens, paper and a laptop. For first-year journalism student Lisa Kirkman, however, her backpack also includes a vaporizer and a bag full of weed, which she legally inhales during class.

Maple Ridge Times, 11 Apr 2013 - Not long ago, if someone had told you that selected American states were going to legalize the enjoyment of marijuana, you would have wondered what they had been smoking. It's all going to pot. Suddenly the language is changing to reflect this new reality. Words that used to mean one thing, now mean something very different.

Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 11 Apr 2013 - State Senate Judiciary Chairman Clayton Hee has shot down two resolutions asking federal authorities to release Hawaii island resident Roger Christie from federal prison on bail. Hee (D, Heeia-LaieWaialua) deferred the measures Wednesday without a committee vote.

The Durango Herald, 11 Apr 2013 - Pawn Shop Cites Federal Drug Laws to Deny Firearm Sales Rocky Mountain Pawn & Gun is confident about its own cultural identity. Before entering the shop a palace of weaponry and camouflage gear customers must pass a sign indicating that hippies should use the back door.

The Columbian, 11 Apr 2013 - Rivers Has a Good Plan for Helping Initiative 502 Succeed Not too long ago, few Clark County residents would have envisioned a Republican state senator introducing a bill that even mentioned the word "marijuana" or dared to advocate a tax increase.

Toledo Free Press, 11 Apr 2013 - Former Cincinnati Police Captain Howard Rahtz, who spoke in Toledo on April 10 about legalizing drugs, has seen two sides of the war on drugs - what he called the country's largest failed policy. "I do have an unusual background. I mean I've basically had two careers: one career in the addictions field and then at age 42, I became a Cincinnati cop," Rahtz said in an interview with Toledo Free Press.

Rhode Island is set to see its first dispensary open next, Mendocino County faces down the feds, and more news from around the country. Let's get to it:

[image:1 align:right]California

On Tuesday, the city of Concord banned outdoor grows. The "outdoor cultivation of medical marijuana" is banned by ordinance in order to properly "maintain and protect the public health, safety and welfare of the citizens of Concord." The ban came despite appeals from a number of residents to delay or defeat the ordinance. The vote was unanimous.

Also on Tuesday, Mendocino County officials announced they had reached agreement with federal prosecutors on limiting the feds' fishing expedition into the county's legal medical marijuana growers' program. No personal identifying information from the county's program will be released to US Attorney Melinda Haag. In October, Haag had demanded just about anything to do with the program -- names and locations of pot gardeners, county bank records, "any and all" legal correspondence, etc. The county fought back, hiring a San Francisco attorney to fight the federal subpoena. Now, the feds have backed down.

Also on Tuesday, Humboldt County supervisors okayed a Myrtletown dispensary. The Humboldt Collective had operated there, but had its permit revoked after a former director was arrested last year in Pennsylvania on marijuana trafficking charges. The new directors have made minor changes sought by the county, and now they have received permission to remain in business.

Florida

On Wednesday, activists were meeting with a key state senator in a bid to keep a medical marijuana bill alive. Senator Aaron Bean, chair of the Senate Health Policy Committee, has the bill, Senate Bill 1250, locked up in committee. No word yet on whether he has been moved to allow the bill to progress. The bill is also known as the Cathy Jordan Medical Cannabis Act, after a medical marijuana patient who was arrested along with her husband for growing her medicine. Charges against the couple were dropped last week.

Maine

On Friday and Saturday, dispensary workers rallied to protest working conditions. The workers' target was Wellness Connection of Maine, which operates four dispensaries in the state. Workers said it was ignoring their concerns about working conditions and refusing to recognize their union. Demonstrations took place in Hallowell Friday and Portland Saturday. Wellness Connection said it was committed to caring for its workers and doesn't object if they want to join a union.

Massachusetts

On Wednesday, state regulators were debating proposed state medical marijuana rules. One proposed rule would require dispensaries to test their products for contaminants. Americans for Safe Access is calling for state-licensed, independent labs that would not be at risk of federal sanctions because they would not test narcotics and other federally regulated drugs. The proposed rules also include state inspections of dispensaries "at any time without prior notice."

Michigan

Last Wednesday, the state Supreme Court said it would review the legality of a city ban on medical marijuana-related activities. The city of Wyoming had passed a zoning ordinance barring the use, manufacture, or cultivation of medical marijuana, and the court said it wants to review whether the ordinance is superseded by the state's voter-approved medical marijuana law. Significantly, the court also plans to consider if the state law is preempted by a federal law that makes marijuana use illegal.

Montana

Last Friday, a drugged driving bill that could affect patients was signed into law. The bill creates a 5 nanogram per milliliter per se drugged driving level for THC. In addition to the penalties for drugged driving, if convicted under the law, patients would face revocation of their state registry identification card.

New Jersey

On Tuesday, Gov. Chris Christie proposed $1.6 million for the state's medical marijuana program in his state budget. That's more than twice the current spending level. The budget assumes that more dispensaries will open next year. So far, only one out of the six authorized by the state is actually in operation. But patient advocates said a greater budget wouldn't help patients until onerous regulations imposed by the Christie administration are revised.

Oregon

On Tuesday, a bill allowing medical marijuana for PTSD passed the Senate Judiciary Committee. Senate Bill 281 now moves to the Senate floor. Currently, medical marijuana is currently allowed for patients with certain debilitating medical conditions such as cancer, glaucoma, Alzheimer's disease, HIV and AIDS. The bill would add PTSD to the list.

Rhode Island

Last Thursday, what will be the state's first dispensary got its license. The Thomas C. Slater Compassion Center is now set to open April 19.

And then there were ten. That is, as marijuana legalization bills have been formally introduced this month in Alabama and Pennsylvania, the number of states to see such bills this year is up to ten. The others are Hawaii (already killed), Maine, Maryland (already dead), Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, Oregon, and Rhode Island.

[image:1 align:left]In Alabama, Rep. Patricia Todd (D-Birmingham) introduced House Bill 550, the Alabama Cannabis and Hemp Reform Act. It would allow adults 21 and over to possess up to an ounce of marijuana and grow up to 12 plants in a secured space. Adults could share, but not sell, marijuana to other adults.

The bill is headed for the House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee.

In Pennsylvania, Sen. Daylin Leach (D-17) introduced Senate Bill 528, the Regulate Marijuana Act. It would allow adults 21 and over to grow up to six plants and possess the resulting harvest. It would also allow adults to transfer up to an ounce to other adults. And it would direct the state to come up with a system to regulate and tax marijuana commerce.

The bill has been referred to the Senate Law and Justice Committee.

Pueblo Chieftain, 10 Apr 2013 - NOW THAT marijuana has been legalized in Colorado, how much should the state tax pot? A legislative panel which seemingly has antipathy to voter-approved Amendment 64 is recommending the state tax the product by 30 percent of the sales price. The House-Senate panel has agreed to ask voters permission for a 15 percent excise tax plus a 15 percent sales tax.

Detroit Free Press, 10 Apr 2013 - An explosion and fire at a Macomb County apartment building two weeks ago could be a precursor of things to come as the use of hash oil extracted from marijuana gains in popularity in Michigan. The March 24 explosion, which knocked the Harrison Township apartment building off its foundation and injured four people, erupted when a propane torch was introduced in the process to extract THC from marijuana plants in one of the apartments, igniting flammable gases.

Washington Times, 09 Apr 2013 - ANNAPOLIS (AP) - The Maryland General Assembly on Monday approved allowing medical marijuana programs at research centers that choose to participate. The Senate gave the measure a final bipartisan 42-4 vote. Ten of the Senate's 12 Republicans joined 32 Democrats, while two Democrats and two Republicans voted against it, sending it to Gov. Martin O'Malley, who indicated he is likely to sign the bill.

Seattle Times, 09 Apr 2013 - Recreational Marijuana and Medical Marijuana Are Under Different Systems. They Need to Be Reconciled. In 2012 Washington voters approved Initiative 502 to create a recreational-marijuana system that is highly regulated and taxed. But the state already had a medical-marijuana market that is almost unregulated and untaxed, and in which it is easy to become a patient. If nothing is done, the existing market will undermine the new one.