...unfortunately we NEVER see promised revenues manifest in programs that benefit...us...Could help to rebuild our infrastructure, schools, etc etc. Help fund housing for our vets, care for our mentally ill, education for our disadvantaged, etc etc. This would be a good thing if the money was spent on things such as these. While the bill may not be ideal for us users, it could very help many others and for that, I'd be all for it.
It wasn't that long ago that our state was on the verge of bankruptcy but not anymore. We're doing quite well now actually other than the fucking drought.
Placer County Strong-Armed into Banning Commercial Cannabis Cultivation
June 27 - Placer County, which had been leading the way among rural counties in codifying the new state MMRSA medical marijuana law at the local level, voted last week to restrict cannabis cultivation in its unincorporated areas to 6 plants or 50 square feet (whichever is less), grown indoors.
- Police Task Forces Target California Concentrate Makers
June 16 - Yesterday’s multi-agency raids on Sonoma County cannabis concentrate manufacturers Care by Design and AbsolutExtracts may be part of a pattern targeting such businesses in California.
- Local elections bring mixed returns for marijuana advocates
June 8 - Advocates of liberalized medical marijuana rules fared poorly in local elections last night. The one bright spot was Nevada County, where voters rejected a proposed ban on outdoor cultivation of medical marijuana, Measure W by 58%.
Another article on AUMA. Looks like there are some questions about where the money will go. It appears this subject will be a battleground between giant pharma corps and the rest of us. I'd vote no if I was still a California resident(left in 1972). Initiatives created by the big guys are always questionable.
http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/36746-monsanto-bayer-and-the-push-for-corporate-cannabis
I think the nay-sayers are sticking their heads in the sand. AUMA is legalization of production, distribution and consumption of cannabis and cannabis products. Yes, there are a number of sticking points that need to be ironed out, but those who want to only vote for perfection for cannabis consumers, like the inititative CCHI, are just "pipe-dreamers." I agree that MCLR was shorter and more balanced, but it didn't qualify for the ballot. Legalization was voted down in 2010 in Ca, and now 6 years later we have a chance to pass an initiative which, while far from perfect, gets us on the right path to full legalization. Social conservatives and law enforcement need to see for themselves that cannabis is a safe substance, much safer than alcohol or tobacco. If we are ever to get it de-scheduled by the Feds the states have to demonstrate that, when legalized, crime and addiction and violence and DUI do not increase. California's economy is the 6th largest in the world and making cannabis legal will give both our country and the world the necessary push to recognizing cannabis as a safe recreational substance and as an incredibly valuable medical tool. And I'm a medical patient with advanced prostate cancer who uses it for both medical and recreational purposes. This is all just IMHO.
The act requires a 2/3 majority of the Legislature to revise many of the core provisions. That means we are likely stuck with crappy, hard-coded foolishness for a long, long time, including a tax regime that is worse than WA! It tries to make rules for everything (62 pages) but does it all badly. To say that it only has a few contradictions to be hashed out in the courts is to admit the thing is poorly thought out and overly ambitious.
Why? What is so urgent that we have to rush into this half-assed thing that hard codes all sorts of stupid, unscientific and even downright idiotic limits which require super-majorities to fix?
You can grow six plants but you're only allowed to possess one ounce! If that is not nonsense I don't know what is. Do you know anyone who is going to go to the trouble of growing but only grow 28 grams? OK, that's an ounce, turn off the lights! What, you'll trim each of your six plants to 1/6th oz? It positively invites disobedience. Did any of the people who wrote this monstrosity ever grow anything?
The limits, such as 1 ounce, appear in section 4. Therefore a 2/3 super-majority is required to change them. What you end up with is it would take another initiative to change the fundamental terms of this one.
The thing is you can have more than 1 ounce locked in a safe in your house, but you can't take it across town with you when you move. You have to transport it one ounce at a time, otherwise you can be prosecuted and imprisoned. I don't call that legalization. I call it another form of decriminalization of tiny amounts. The fine goes from $100 to zero for less than 1 ounce. Am I the only one who thinks it is stupid to say you can only have 1 ounce, but ok we'll let you have more if you secretly grow it yourself and never take it out of your house? Come on, this is mickey mouse stuff which people will start disobeying the moment it goes into effect. Where is the fairness: a guy with a medical card can grow 12 plants but everybody else can grow 6? Why? Truth is the whole plant number limit is unscientific and doesn't work as a way to control amounts grown. I can't understand why we would be thinking so small in California in this day and age.
The measure claims kids can easily obtain black market weed now, so this is necessary to eliminate the black market. But how could it, with 68% total tax on flowers? Far from eliminating the black market, this measure might well stimulate it. Most adults who know what's going on will bypass it by getting a medical card and there will be plenty who will resell medical at prices below recreational. This whole approach is a classic mistake.
I view the AUMA as a step backwards from where we are now. It is not a good model for national implementation either. It's a shitty compromise which still regards the plant as a kind of pariah, taxes the shit out it, and regulates and licenses it to death (with 62 pages of byzantine regulations which few voters will read), and which may have severe consequences for many small growers.
First off, I think you should know that the guy running the NORML blogs is a complete a-hole who send you nasty emails if you criticize the AUMA at all, and deletes any such posts instantly. That's not the NORML I joined in the 70's, and bodes ill for our union, so to speak.
But this illustrates the corporate takeover of the movement; bad "legalization" laws are a real problem, and certainly are nowdays more "over-regulation" than they are "legalization". In CA, the AUMA is a disaster. And, people are mistaken in the claims it will "let you grow your own", when it will really permit local governments to flat out ban outdoor grows, and will permit "reasonable regulation" of your indoor grow (and we all know what THAT will mean - besides, most folks cannot grow indoors for many reasons).
This thing is a huge conglomeration of give-aways of power to storefronts and big farms, as well as litigation-ready employment for cops and lawyers. We can't let the crappy be the enemy of the decent law we know is out there.
The trick seems to be convincing some moneybag like Parker to back something worthwhile, and to convince the "pro pot lobby" to demonstrate a modicum of selectivity with their endorsements. The incremental "is it ANY better than what we have now?" (somewhat subjective, I might add) is threadbare at best, and probably harmful.
We are not beggars. Demographics are shifting fast. We don't need to settle for a crap sandwich.
http://californiacann.org/comp...
http://www.mikedonaldsonlaw.co...
https://www.google.com/url?sa=......
http://reformca.org/.../dear-s...
http://www.thedailychronic.net/2016/52452/marijuana-legalization-2016-is-it-better-than-prohibition/
The way the bill is currently I'm worried that if it passes that things will get worse rather than better for some/many patients. I'm worried that the ailments of some patients will come under more scrutiny when there's a monetary incentive for the state to have more recreational(higher tax paying/tax paying) and less medical(low/no taxes) use. If recreational was taxed with just whatever the sales tax is wherever it is being sold that would be fine, but having absurd taxes on it will just mean only out of state users will ever buy recreational and locals will either get a med card or get their stuff from a med card holding friend. I haven't had time to read all of the bill yet but based on the summary I may be voting no in November having seen what Washington patients have gone through. I'm also concerned that the variety of concentrates and medibles and whatnot on the market will decrease or that prices will increase as less people in the industry are interested in helping people and more become interested in nothing but profit.
Another article on AUMA. Looks like there are some questions about where the money will go. It appears this subject will be a battleground between giant pharma corps and the rest of us. I'd vote no if I was still a California resident(left in 1972). Initiatives created by the big guys are always questionable.
http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/36746-monsanto-bayer-and-the-push-for-corporate-cannabis
Childproof packages will make it even harder for this patient to get medicine at times. Also any increase of regulation in edibles other than labeling requirements is gonna make the cost per mg thc skyrocket. Not just from taxes but from regulatory pressure.If CalNorml is correct, even if it's sealed and unopened, there's a contradiction in CA law that could allow law enforcement to play it either way. It will certainly have to be addressed. Guess it will be a plus for delivery services?
Speaking of packaging, one thing I do like about AUMA is its intent to standardarize packaging and dosages of edibles, as well as requiring they be sold in child-proof containers.
Childproof packages will make it even harder for this patient to get medicine at times. Also any increase of regulation in edibles other than labeling requirements is gonna make the cost per mg thc skyrocket. Not just from taxes but from regulatory pressure.
Here is what a well-known grower, cannabis advocate, and Emerald Cup judge and personality from the Emerald Triangle has to say about Prop 64 (AUMA)
http://www.swamiselect.com/considering-prop-64/