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Cannabis News

florduh

Well-Known Member
They WILL put a bill up. Some think it will die because they will try to do too much and won't work with the other party.

https://www.marijuanamoment.net/wha...y-republicans-means-for-federal-legalization/
...
Don Murphy, director of federal policies at the Marijuana Policy Project and a former Republican state lawmaker from Maryland, is concerned about the loss of the GOP allies on Capitol Hill. He told Marijuana Moment that he expects House Democrats to “load up” cannabis legislation with “deal killing amendments the GOP Senate and President Trump won’t accept."

He also said the message voters sent to pro-reform Republicans who lost on Election Day was that supporting cannabis reform alone isn’t enough to win the hearts of left-leaning reform advocates. It made it “difficult to suggest that drug policy is both good policy and good politics,” Murphy said. “Liberals will still hate you, but they’ll hate you less.”...​

Let Republicans vote against it. They can try and explain their votes to the 70% of Americans who believe that cannabis prohibition is stupid. The Republicans were free to put their own legalization bill on the floor of Congress any time in the past two years.
 

Tranquility

Well-Known Member
Let Republicans vote against it. They can try and explain their votes to the 70% of Americans who believe that cannabis prohibition is stupid. The Republicans were free to put their own legalization bill on the floor of Congress any time in the past two years.
No Republican fears a no vote on cannabis. The 70% you speak of is a squishy number, at best. Not only does it not refer to whatever specific bill you imagine will be put up, but also it is a throwaway thought in most people's heads. Few Republicans go to bed at night wondering how his representative is going to vote on cannabis. Those that do want a no vote.

Stupid my way or the highway is just going to put out legalization in any form at the federal level further away from being passed. But, I've gone over this with you before so will stop. Others may read the two articles and find which path is more likely to lead to what we want.
 

florduh

Well-Known Member
No Republican fears a no vote on cannabis. The 70% you speak of is a squishy number, at best. Not only does it not refer to whatever specific bill you imagine will be put up, but also it is a throwaway thought in most people's heads. Few Republicans go to bed at night wondering how his representative is going to vote on cannabis. Those that do want a no vote.

Stupid my way or the highway is just going to put out legalization in any form at the federal level further away from being passed. But, I've gone over this with you before so will stop. Others may read the two articles and find which path is more likely to lead to what we want.

You have no evidence the 70% number is "squishy". You just feel that it's squishy. Every reliable recent poll shows the vast majority of Americans want cannabis legalized. Do you know how hard it is to get a majority of Republican and Democratic voters to agree on anything?

But I say let's run the experiment. Let Republican House members vote no. This will be valuable information for voters to have in 2020. Especially since Republicans allowed no legalization bills to have a floor vote over the past 2 years.

This is what Representative Blumenauer wants their legislation to prioritize:

• Restorative justice measures that address the racial injustices that resulted from the unequal application of federal marijuana laws;

• Equal access to pain and PTSD cannabis treatments for our veterans through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA);

• Protection of state marijuana laws;

• Removal of barriers to marijuana research;

• Protection of private property from civil asset forfeiture;

• Protections of employment of opportunities;

• Access to financial services;

• Equal taxation for marijuana businesses.


The only thing I can see Republican politicians taking issue with is the first point. If they want to keep the deeply unpopular war on cannabis going over that, go for it.
 

ClearBlueLou

unbearably light in the being....
It’s ALL of the west coast; I don’t know the status of any of the other western states except CO.

Honestly there’s been too many times the last forty, fifty years when we all said “this time, for sure!”, but the only thing for sure was that the GOP would call the Dems soft on crime and not serious etc, the Dems would cave to show they were tough (never figured out how that was supposed to work); it magically (politically) turned into a wacky liberal kink over the years.

What we can’t let happen is for cannabis to be given to Big Ag, Big Pharma, Big Oil.

It’s a plant and it grows. We’re super screwed if they can have it, grow it, sell it, and we can’t.

If they can get away with doing that they can do it for corn, they can patent FOOD, and gardening will be illegal. Well have to buy everything with money we can’t work hard enough or smart enough to earn enough OF. We’ll be farm animals. And some will be more equal than others.

That’ s the matrix, right there...
 
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ClearBlueLou

unbearably light in the being....
Your article makes its points well, and they are still timely.

In abolishing/dismantling/undoing the DEA, we must be sure to do away with civil-forfeiture enablement of every kind; as it stands Reagan’s omnibus crime bill of 1984 still allows LEOs under their discretion, declare some thing or things, including money, jewelry, vehicles, sporting equipment, camera and computer equipment as possessing a ‘criminal taint’, and said property must be in essence proved innocent before it is returned, if it is returned. LE agencies are encouraged to do so, and to use such monies and proceeds from the sale of such property to enrich their agencies. The sheriff of Nottingham’s men are shaking down the peasants over and over again, and giving themselves airs of honor and authority.

It started as drug-suppression technique, along with a then-new rule that allowed LEOs to enter private residences and conduct visual, audible and tangible search of said residences IF THEY WERE NOT STOPPED. If there is an unlatched way into a residence, an officer may enter and investigate unless the owner is present to deny entrance. In cases where they are denied entrance, or confronted by the owner in mid-search, they can and will use whatever they were able to learn before being stopped.

That was the 1984 crime bill, the trifecta being mandatory maximum sentencing. No-knock warrants we’d already had since Nixon decided to get tough on the blacks, the students, and the hippies. And the infamous Schedules....

Personally, I believe the ninth amendment guarantees that I have rights that the bill of rights didn’t list, but they are still mine and I can still stand on them. It’s true, by the way: in todayspeek, it says very plain: we decided not to waste a month or two trying to spell out longhand on parchment every damn right a free person should have, so we’re going on record as saying that free men (and women) have more rights than these we spelled out, that we all know it, and everybody knows we all know it, so don’t get stupid and try to pretend they don’t exist. Seriously.

Cannabis may be where we need to draw the line. We have the same right to grow and use cannabis as we have to grow any plant, or fungus, for that matter. Everything else is deliberately fucking with us at our cost for their profit.
 

ClearBlueLou

unbearably light in the being....
Y’know, I can second-amendment with the best of them, but my honest opinion is that if you can’t or won’t leave your house unarmed, you have personality issues and should seek help. Firearms aren’t playthings, if I pick one up, it’s with a purpose in mind, and I put it back when I’m done. I never “carry”. I’ve never needed to, I’ve never felt the need to - and I go lots of places someone like me rarely frequents, I’ve never been threatened or menaced or mugged...a couple guys did tell me to hand over my money, I said I hadn’t put anyone in the hospital recently, they moved on with sheepish smiles.

The only people I’m afraid of are the ones we keep letting run things, and *they* have their own little armies to protect them.

MOT: we have as much right to the herb and all its wonders as we have to unnecessary firearms, your point underscored, sir :tiphat:
 

steama

Well-Known Member
Rescheduling needs to happen as soon as possible which is currently based on political lies. Once rescheduling happens congress can move forward in putting an end to cannabis prohibition federally. Cannabis prohibition is ending regardless, with or without congress. The people want their herb!

:nod:
 
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ClearBlueLou

unbearably light in the being....
I agree with all that, and fair also to point at 2A as addressing a reality totally different from our own. Ad-hoc local militia no longer exist because they no longer serve a role: there are no dangerous frontiers subject to sudden attack, that’s what we have the internet for. No more runaway slaves so no more fugitive slave patrols, now we just shoot one at random in the street so the message gets made at the cost of a bullet or 47.

ALL rhetoric aside, the main reason open and concealed carry are so popular with certain political persuasions is that it is a blatant show of force with intent to intimidate further those who’ve already been selected for target practice. The hearts and minds and intentions of the participants are beside the point: the message of deadly force surging under the surface is plain as day....
 

cybrguy

Putin is a War Criminal
With Pritzker and Madigan on board, Dems push again for pot legalization
joint-open-e1539827162528.jpg


ByTom Schuba

State Sen. Heather Steans and state Rep. Kelly Cassidy introduced legislation last March to legalize recreational cannabis in Illinois, but the bills failed in both houses of the Legislature.

A lot has since changed in Illinois politics, and the Chicago Democrats now plan to give it another try.

On Election Day, pro-pot Democrat J.B. Pritzker cruised to victory past Gov. Bruce Rauner and fellow Democrats expanded the party’s majorities in both houses of the General Assembly. On top of that, powerful Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan announced last week that he now supports Pritzker’s proposal to legalize marijuana for adult use.

When lawmakers reconvene in January for the first legislative session of the new year, Steans and Cassidy plan to introduce new legislation aimed at fully legalizing weed.

“It is a more encouraging landscape, for sure,” Steans said. “Particularly since Governor Rauner had been pretty outspoken in opposing [legalization].”

“It definitely has shifted the environment and we think that it gives us a lot more momentum to get it passed in the General Assembly in short order,” she added.

Senate Appropriations Chairwoman Heather Steans (D-Chicago) with IL Representative Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago) at a press conference for Travel Guru Rick Steves who advocates for the legalization of marijuana, Tuesday, November 28th, 2017.

State Rep. Heather Steans and state Rep. Kelly Cassidy plan to introduce new legislation to legalize cannabis next year. | Sun-Times file photo

While many details are still being hashed out, the plan would legalize the sale and use of cannabis for people over 21 years old and include a six-month period for officials to create rules and issue licenses should it be passed into law.

Steans and Cassidy have already been getting input from various groups in Springfield and discussing their plan with Pritzker, who made recreational pot legalization a centerpiece of his gubernatorial campaign.

“JB supports legalizing and taxing the recreational use of marijuana, and is confident we are ready to do this in a safe and economically beneficial way in Illinois,” said Jason Rubin, a Pritzker spokesman. “As governor, he is committed to working with leaders in the General Assembly, listening to experts and community leaders, and drawing lessons and best practices from other states to move this forward.”

On the campaign trail, Pritzker repeatedly claimed legal pot could create between $350 million and $700 million in annual tax revenue. The findings of a new study conducted by the Illinois Economic Policy Institute and the Project for Middle Class Renewal at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign fall in line with those estimates.

pritzker-16.jpg

Democrat J.B. Pritzker celebrates at an election night rally at the Marriott Marquis Chicago. | Ashlee Rezin/Sun-Times

The study, published three days after Pritzker was elected, found that full-on legalization could create over 23,600 new jobs and $525 million in tax revenues, including $505 million for the state and $20 million for local governments.

Deciding how to split that revenue will likely serve as the crux of the state’s legalization debate. Steans noted that the tax money would likely go toward the state’s general revenue fund, public schools, public health services and possibly toward “new tools” for law enforcement officials. However, no specifics have been set, including the rate at which recreational cannabis products would be taxed.

“We’ve asked some economists to come in, study, give us some recommendations on how to set the tax rate to sort of optimize revenue and keep people in the legal system,” Steans said.

She noted that low tax rates can lead to supply shortages, while high taxes can push consumers back to the black market. Both she and Madigan spokesman Steve Brown said lawmakers would also look at how other states have taxed and divided cannabis revenues.

“Then you’ll have to see what needs to be done to build majorities in the House and the Senate to see what needs to be done to get a bill passed,” Brown said.

Despite their party holding majorities in both houses, Steans and Cassidy have already started crossing party lines to build Republican support for their proposal. Nevertheless, House Minority Leader Jim Durkin remains opposed to full-on legalization after backing recent measures that expanded the state’s medical cannabis program.

“I do not support the legalization of recreational marijuana,” Durkin told the Sun-Times earlier this year.

Meanwhile, Smart Approaches to Marijuana — a Virginia-based nonprofit — is mounting a sophisticated opposition to legalization efforts in Illinois, much like the group has in other states.

“With our allies, we have and will continue to target districts where lawmakers are on the fence on commercialization, and we are continuing to put pressure on Springfield and target legislators on the fence,” said SAM CEO Kevin Sabet, who co-founded the group with former Rhode Island Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy and was a drug policy adviser in three presidential administrations. “We are also planning media campaigns and awareness activities.”

In addition, SAM recently launched its Healthy and Productive Illinois project, an anti-legalization coalition that includes the Illinois Chiefs of Police Association, the Illinois Drug Enforcement Officers Association, the Midwest Truckers Association and the Illinois Association of Housing Authorities.

“They have spearheaded efforts to reach into every city, every town, and every neighborhood in the attempt to slow down the thoughtless rush to legalization,” Sabet added.
.......................................................................................................................................................
Those last 2 links in the article are some SERIOUS anti-cannabis propaganda that I hadn't noticed before. Lotta money being spent by the alcohol and pharma industries to kill "gods gift". Can't imagine why... :rolleyes:
 
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cybrguy

Putin is a War Criminal
Congrats, Mass. Hope to follow you soon...

Massachusetts’s first recreational marijuana sales will begin Tuesday

It's happening.

Better get in line.

More than two years after Massachusetts voted to legalize marijuana for all adults over the age of 21, the state’s first recreational sales are set to begin Tuesday.

On Friday afternoon, the Cannabis Control Commission authorized two existing medical marijuana dispensaries — Cultivate Holdings in Leicester and New England Treatment Access, or NETA, in Northampton — to begin sales in three calendar days.

Norton Arbelaez, the director of government affairs for NETA, says the dispensary plans to open for recreational sales Tuesday morning at 8 a.m. The Northampton shop, located at 118 Conz St., will remain open until 10 p.m.

“We will be thrilled to be part of this milestone for Massachusetts when NETA Northampton opens its doors to adults 21 years and older, offering legal, safe, regulated cannabis,” Arbelaez said.

Cultivate also plans to open at 8 a.m. Tuesday, though their normal business hours will be 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. going forward, a spokesperson for the 1764 Main St. store said Saturday.

“This signal to open retail marijuana establishments marks a major milestone for voters who approved legal, adult-use cannabis in our state,” CCC Chairman Steven Hoffman said in a statement Friday afternoon.

The agency, which has spent the past year creating a regulatory framework for the new recreational cannabis industry and licensing businesses, encouraged consumers to know the rules and use the substance responsibly, upon issuing the commence operations notices to the two dispensaries Friday.

“To get here, licensees underwent thorough background checks, passed multiple inspections, and had their products tested, all to ensure public health and safety as this new industry gets up and running,” Hoffman said. “As patrons look forward to visiting Massachusetts stores, we hope they will do their part by first familiarizing themselves with the law and understanding what is required of responsible consumers.”

Arbelaez also thanked the commission and local Northampton officials Friday for their support as they prepared to enter the retail cannabis industry, but stressed that their top priority remains with the patients who use the drug for medicinal purposes.

“NETA looks forward to providing legal marijuana to our customers, but we want our patients to know that we will never waver from our commitment to them and their needs,” he said.

Jim Borghesani, the former spokesman for the 2016 legalization campaign, hailed the forthcoming sales as a major milestone, even if it was a long time coming.

“We can rightfully squawk about state delays and problematic local opposition, but the fact remains that we’re the first state east of the Mississippi to offer legal, tested cannabis to adult consumers in safe retail settings,” Borghesani, who is now a cannabis industry consultant, said in a statement.

“This is a historic distinction for Massachusetts,” he added. “Now we’re going to be at the forefront of the drive toward replacing lingering reefer-madness fears with a rational approach that benefits consumers and communities.”

Cultivate and NETA won’t be the only two dispensaries in the state selling recreational marijuana; they should soon have company.

The commission issued a third retail license to Verilife, a medical marijuana dispensary in Wareham, earlier this month. The store still has to get a “commence operations” notice from the commission before it can begin recreational sales.

The commission is also posed to issue two more retail licenses at its meeting Tuesday.

As of the commission’s last meeting on Nov. 1, state officials said they were in the process of reviewing 58 applications from businesses hoping to open recreational marijuana stores.
 

macbill

Oh No! Mr macbill!!
Staff member
Marijuana is getting cheaper. For some states, that’s a problem.

A starker prediction made by drug policy analyst Jonathan Caulkinslooks more prescient every day: He forecast that legalized marijuana will eventually fall in price to the level of other easily grown, legal plants such as wheat and barley, such that a joint might sell for a nickel or even become a complimentary item akin to beer nuts at the bar. If that comes to pass, taxes based on a percentage of price might not even cover the costs of the government’s regulatory system for legal marijuana, meaning that rather than helping states’ bottom line the industry would be an outright drain on the public purse.
 

looney2nz

Research Geek, Mad Scientist
Marijuana is getting cheaper. For some states, that’s a problem.

A starker prediction made by drug policy analyst Jonathan Caulkinslooks more prescient every day: He forecast that legalized marijuana will eventually fall in price to the level of other easily grown, legal plants such as wheat and barley, such that a joint might sell for a nickel or even become a complimentary item akin to beer nuts at the bar. If that comes to pass, taxes based on a percentage of price might not even cover the costs of the government’s regulatory system for legal marijuana, meaning that rather than helping states’ bottom line the industry would be an outright drain on the public purse.

some of my old friends from the ASA web forums used to try and figure out how cheaply they could produce quality meds per kilo. around 10 years ago, they were projecting they could get the costs down to $200 a KILO. IF they start producing the modified yeast based cannabinoids, that will be a disruptive wrinkle too.
But also probably one quick way to getting to study MORE of the cannabinoids.

based on what's been happening to our food chain, I have no problem with that cost (regulation) being added in, 'cause properly done, it is to protect EVERYONE. look at what's happened just in the last few days before thanksgiving... salmonella outbreaks in a number of staples, like oh TURKEY :(

since most of the commercially produced wheat, corn, etc. is LACED with glyphosate (RoundUP), I'd also be fine with regulation that actually protects US the consumer from dangerous cancer linked chemicals in the food chain. Remember when that was a big part of what the FDA did?

I don't know that it will ever get to the commodity level of grains, we'll see what market influences arise.

(which is also I why I consume non-GMO USDA Organic)
 
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