2010 Will Be Even Better Than 2009 For Marijuana Advocates
By Allen St. Pierre, NORML Executive Director
Already Four States Have Marijuana Legalization Bills In Play; Californians To Vote On Legalization in 2010
It can readily be said that 2009 was one of the busiest and most productive years in cannabis law reform since NORML’s founding in 1970. However, it appears as if 2010 is going to be an even busier year–notably marked by the increasing number of actual state legalization bills and a voter initiative in America’s most important state.
Currently, there is legalization legislation pending in California, Massachusetts, Vermont, and a legalization bill was just introduced this week in Washington. Frankly, most of these bills do not have a strong prospect in passing this time out, however the immense public discussion that is generated is crucial for overall reform efforts.
The formula is simple: No public discussion or debate about legalization, obviously equates to no substantive law reforms. This is what regrettably happened in the United States, Canada and Europe from 1980-2000, buttressed by extreme federal anti-marijuanism in the form of the DARE program in the public school, the blitzkrieg of Partnership for a Drug-Free America ads polluting media airwaves and omnibus federal crime bills overloaded with severe and costly penalties (i.e., mandatory minimum sentencing, civil forfeiture, mass drug testing, etc…). However, since the turn of the century, there have been ever-increasing public discussions and debates about marijuana prohibition–principally driven by the creation and implementation of medical cannabis laws in thirteen states–which is leading to greater public support for reform.
Breaking News: NORML has just learned that the TaxCannabis2010 initiative in California has gathered more than enough signatures to qualify for the 2010 ballot and the announcement of such is imminent (like, this week!).
This coming year the following states will have numerous cannabis law reform legislation or initiatives:
Medical Cannabis
State legislation: MN, IL, MO, OH, TN, MD, NC, PA, DE, OH, WI, NY, CT, MA, NH and TX; NJ has a special legislative session going on right now until January 7, 2010 where a pro-reform medical cannabis bill is pending and the outgoing Governor assures a signature to passed legislation.
Voter Initiatives: AZ
Cannabis Legalization
State legislation: VT, MA, WA; CA’s legalization bill (AB 390) will kickoff a smoking hot year in cannabis law reform with a series of planned subcommittee hearings and testimonies currently scheduled for the first week in January.
Voter Initiatives: TaxCannabis 2010 appears ballot bound and this means that Californians will have the opportunity on November 9, 2010 to effectively end cannabis prohibition in the United States, and arguably most of the of the civil world. Also, Nevada and Oregon voters may also be voting on cannabis legalization initiatives in 2012.
In a country where one out of eight citizens live in a particularly state, and that state’s citizens democratically vote to end cannabis prohibition and replace it with tax-and-control measures, it is only a matter of time before a number of other states follow suit, then the federal government must end it’s failed three-quarter of a century social experiment of cannabis prohibition.
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As a resident of a state not on that list or any list when it comes to cannabis reform of any kind, it truly is uplifting to see such great movement this year and next.
BUT, it also really is a bummer for the leftovers in this nation that are still in the dark ages when it comes to cannabis reform. In fact my state has very limited activist support and I find myself alone in any effort to make it happen.
The heat is melting away prohibitiion but for states with a moral belt pulled tightly around them this goal of national legalized marijuana what I would call, freedom, well its not a dream wI feel reachable in my lifetime.
Things are what they are, alcohol is banned in more than half my state's counties now, while tobacco use is widespread and public use is still tolerated, even in McDs or my local Bank. Yet with the Ban here we see more drunk driving and alcohol related crimes than if it were allowed. Drive 30min in any direction and you will run into a county or state line, once across it you can find any alcohol you want.
This also has opened the door to the modern bootleggers, tehy drive the milage buy quantity of alcohol and then sell at a profit back in the dry county. This leads to higher than normal teen use here, bootleggers dont card anyone and are trying to push as much as they can as fast as they can to make the money to do it again and again. SI with the nation chainging laws all around me, my only hope will be the new bootlegger that will provide marijuana also, at a much higher price than would be. Yet with all that I know that the marol belt will only tighten and keep harsh penlties for marijuana use .
SO believe me Im so happy about the year we have had as cannabis supporters, but I also fear being left out in the cold when the wall does come down. Leaving many still behind a wall of a state or county line!
Californians: Support the legislative effort to legalize marijuana in our state. Visit http://yes390.org
The article is in correct as it does not have Florida listed as a state with a voter initiative as well. We are raising signatures to get a ballot on the Nov 2010 ticket.
If you're a Florida resident please sign the petition.
Check out www.pufmm.org for more information.
It will take the one by one state legalization if the federal government continues to hold marijuana as a schedule 1 drug.
With 14 states having medical marijuana and more on the horizon,
including in our nation's capitol,how is it possible for our congress or any bureaucratic empire too keep marijuana schedule 1?
How do our leaders ever expect the American public to trust their judgment or the handling of our nation's government when they allow such a blatant contradiction too stand.
The latest attempt by big pharmacy,Salivex,is marijuana with the fiber removed. It is going through final approval by the FDA and the DEA is not opposing it. Are we too now believe that the dangerous part of marijuana is the fiber in the plant?
For the first 20 years of our government's war on drugs ,the dangerous element in marijuana was THC,but then the pharmaceutical companies synthesized it,and it became a medicine . But the synthetic THC has already had 4 patients that died from using the pharmaceutical version,while marijuana still has zero deaths attributed to it. And now,the pharmaceutical companies are trying to isolate other chemical compounds already in marijuana,safely and produce a pill they can sell,while keeping marijuana schedule 1 to keep America from growing their own medicine instead of keeping the pharmaceutical companies some of the richest companies in America.
If our government wants to do health reform,that will reduce health costs instead of increasing them,then marijuana legalization is the most effective way too reduce many people pharmacy bill and allow Americans safe ,cheap and effective medicine.
Wake up America,your government is screwing you.
According to a recent Rasmussen poll 44 percent of adults believe that pot is just as, or more dangerous, than alcohol . See the weeb site: http://tinyurl.com/lqmqqz
Until this false belief can be changed, marijuana will probably remain a criminalized substance. The fact is marijuana is an extremely safe product. (No reported deaths in the 5,000 year history of its use.)
People consume marijuana for the same reasons they consume alcohol. Why not offer adults the much safer alternative to alcohol?