Marijuana Legalization Bills Coming to New England

Activist Post
November 21, 2012

by Phillip Smith
Stop The Drug War

In the wake of this month’s marijuana legalization victories in Colorado and Washington, legislators in New England are ramping up efforts to be the next state to legalize. Solons in Massachusetts, Maine, Rhode Island, and Vermont have all signaled they will be filing legalization bills next year.

”Last week, Washington and Colorado replaced their states’ prohibitions on marijuana with a system of regulation and taxation,” said Robert Capecchi, a legislative analyst with the Marijuana Policy Project, which organized a press conference with legislators last week.

”Both measures passed with roughly 55% voting in favor,” Capecchi noted. ”Gallup found 50% support for making marijuana legal last year, and that support has risen over the years. We are passing the tipping point when it comes to this issue. Unfortunately, lawmakers have traditionally been behind public opinion when it comes to marijuana policy reform. With these thoughtful legislators in at least four states planning on introducing sensible proposals to remove criminal penalties and regulate marijuana in their states, it’s clear that ending marijuana prohibition is gaining momentum.”

At the press conference, Rhode Island state Rep. Edith Ajello (D-Providence), who introduced legalization bills in 2010 and 2011, said she would do so again. ”Our prohibition has failed,” she said. “I think legalizing and taxing it, just as we did to alcohol, is the way to do it.”

Maine state Rep. Diane Russell (D-Portland) said she, too, will reintroduce a marijuana legalization bill, LD 1453, in her state. “The people are far ahead of the politicians on this,” Russell said. “Just in the past few weeks we’ve seen the culture shift dramatically.”

Legislators in Vermont and Massachusetts have also signaled they will be filing marijuana legalization bills next year. The legislative process is frustratingly slow, often taking several years to get a measure through, but in the wake of the Colorado and Washington votes, we could see a sudden collapse in support for pot prohibition, even at the state house.

Please visit and support StopTheDrugWar.org to help end prohibition.

November 25, 2012 | Categories: drug war, health, marijuana, news, sovereignty, tyranny, US | Leave a comment

Colorado Reps Introduce Bill to Respect States’ Rights For Marijuana Use

Activist Post
November 20, 2012

When the people of Colorado voted to legalize recreational marijuana on Election Day, there was immediate speculation as to how the federal government would deal with how it conflicted with federal laws. So far there has not been an official response from the White House or the Department of Justice, and the waters remain as murky as prosecution of medical marijuana has been.

In an attempt to preempt any violation of states’ rights by the feds, a group of Colorado Congressmen formally introduced the Respect States’ and Citizens’ Rights Act this past Friday. The bill would amend the Controlled Substances Act to exempt states where lawmakers or voters have legalized marijuana.

The bill, which was authored by Democrat Congresswoman, Diana DeGette, has bipartisan support.

In a press release Rep. DeGette said “In Colorado we’ve witnessed the aggressive policies of the federal government in their treatment of legal medicinal marijuana providers. My constituents have spoken and I don’t want the federal government denying money to Colorado or taking other punitive steps that would undermine the will of our citizens.”

The bill is also supported by Mike Coffman and other Republicans, even though some of them were opposed to marijuana legalization.

“I voted against Amendment 64 and I strongly oppose the legalization of marijuana, but I also have an obligation to respect the will of the voters given the passage of this initiative, and so I feel obligated to support this legislation,” Coffman said in the statement.

This legislation is just part of the chorus of letters to Obama’s justice department demanding that the feds leave the states alone when it comes to marijuana laws.

Reps Barney Frank and Ron Paul sent a letter to Obama encouraging him to respect state laws and to not use federal resources to prosecute pot smokers.

“Respect for the principles of democracy; respect for the states to make decisions on matters that primarily affect the residents of those states; the chance to conserve scarce federal financial resources — these we believe are many strong reasons for you to defer to the state decisions,” Paul and Frank wrote.

Another bipartisan Congressional group wrote a similar letter to Eric Holder at the Department of Justice stating,

The voters of these states chose, by a substantial margin, to forge a new and effective policy with respect to marijuana. The tide of public opinion is changing both at the ballot box and in state legislatures across the country. We believe that the collective judgment of voters and state lawmakers must be respected.

California Governor Jerry Brown, who opposes marijuana legalization, also said the federal government should respect states’ rights to decide how to regulate marijuana use on CNN’s State of the Union shortly after the election.

“It’s time for the Justice Department to recognize the sovereignty of the states. We are capable of self-government,” he said. “We don’t need some federal gendarme to come and tell us what to do. I believe in comity toward the states, that’s a decent respect”

Although this bill specifically refers to state exemptions where marijuana is concerned, it comes at a time when more states and citizens are attempting to flex their muscles against federal dictates.With White House petitions for secession of all 50 states gaining steam, a clear message is being sent for the feds to back off.

Read other articles by Activist Post Here

November 25, 2012 | Categories: drug war, health, marijuana, news, sovereignty, tyranny, US | Leave a comment