Missouri’s Campaign to legalize Medicinal Marijuana

As a pragmatic tactic, New Approach Missouri took the lead this past spring to collect signatures throughout its State. In Missouri Citizens may initiate legislation as either a state statute or constitutional amendment. The minimum number of signatures required for creation or modification of amendments is 157,788 signatures.

On May 8th New Approach turned in over 275,000 signatures toward the legalization of medicinal marijuana.

As signatures were verified for validity, the law also breaks these hundred and 157,000 signatures into eight distinct congressional districts. Though collectively the numbers looked right, when broken into congressional districts the naysayers pursued and found an inevitable issue. Unfortunately there was an overlap in collections within districts one and two’s counts. Signatures found of residents from district two, within the count process of district one were disregarded. Therefore a tremendous number of signatures becoming invalidated. The fallout was that the second Congressional District of St. Louis showed a 2,232 deficit necessary signatures.

In order for congressional district 1 signatures to be recounted and alocated, litigation has been necessary. Unfortunately, 9 elected prosecutors in Missouri are challenging “New Approach Missouri’s” initiative petition.

As Public elected servants, these 9 prosecutors need to comprehend that “Congress and federal courts have affirmed that federal funds should not be used to interfere with medical cannabis patients and providers who are in compliance with their state laws.”

If you are a Missouri resident, you can make the difference and perhaps help make Missouri one of the next states to legalize medicinal marijuana. Help “New Approach Missouri” by filling out this email link and sending it off.

https://secure.everyaction.com/7kFvXTq010yTtDJDgQFZOA2


Please make a difference,
Michael Freelander

Indica LLC

What's sad is so few people care about Missouri state legalization outside of missouri. Although ironically missouri is a historical swing state that determines all kind final decision before it hits federal.

Missouri was an important state in the repeal of alcohol prohibition and it will be important in the federal legalization of cannabis as well.

Currently new approach missouri is appealing in court to have the initiative reinstated without the duplicate signature... as opposed to simply being thrown out.

Ironically in Oklahoma
Litigation over the wording of a proposed 2016 statewide medical marijuana ballot measure will most likely prevent voters from deciding the issue this November.

Initiative proponents, Oklahomans for Health, are suing Attorney General Scott Pruitt after he rewrote the initiative's ballot title in a manner that implies that the measure seeks to legalize marijuana use for all adults.

In fact, State Question 788 only permits the possession and use of marijuana by those who are recommended cannabis therapy by a state licensed physician and who possess a state-issued license to do so.

Because of the lawsuit, Oklahoma voters will not likely have the opportunity to decide the issue until 2018, according to a report by the Associated Press.

Voters in Arkansas, Florida, Montana, and North Dakota will vote on medical use measures this fall. A Missouri statewide initiative seeking to regulate patients' use of marijuana is in litigation. Voters in Arizona, California, Maine, Massachusetts, and Nevada will also vote this November on initiatives legalizing the adult use of marijuana. A summary of 2016 ballot measures and their status is online.

Scott Pruitt, the AG of Oklahoma, is a real piece of work. He feels it’s his job to legislate morality. He’s the one that decided to join with Nebraska in a lawsuit against Colorado for their cannabis legalization, claiming that it causes more cost to the state in arrests and prosecutions for those that travel across state lines to purchase. A convoluted attempt that was dismissed by the USSC. However, I believe Pruitt will be working overtime to find a way to bring it back to life, wasting more taxpayer dollars in the process.

http://www.thecannabist.co/2016/04/...tic-to-overturn-marijuana-legalization/52795/

The voters of Oklahoma signed the petitions to put medical cannabis on the ballot, but Pruitt took it upon himself to purposefully rewrite the bill’s “header” in order to cause it to fail, or not be on the ballot at all in 2016.

farscaper said:

Currently new approach missouri is appealing in court to have the initiative reinstated without the duplicate signature... as opposed to simply being thrown out.

Click to expand...

They went to court yesterday and a decision should be made today I believe. I'm not to optimistic though. A majority of Missouri politicians are a real piece of work. A real piece of something else as well. I'm not sure if anyone saw the bill they just passed eliminating the need for a permit, weapons training, or a background check for concealed carry. Brilliant!!! Up with violence and stupidity, down with helping the sick. Great job Missouri. So glad that I was able to get out of there when I had the chance.

Unfortunately, just as I expected.

http://www.riverfronttimes.com/newsblog/2016/09/20/no-medical-marijuana-on-2016-missouri-ballot

Gotta love the picture in the article depicting what looks like a teenager smoking weed in a car. Same old tactics. Same old bullshit.