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Marijuana news from around the world

Same Sex Marriage

New DOJ marijuana policy sparks latest clash over states’ rights

The federal government’s position on state laws legalizing marijuana is only the latest high-profile states’ rights fight.

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Latest Gallup poll: Americans favor marijuana legalization more than ever before

Americans’ support for marijuana legalization has reached a new high, the latest Gallup poll shows, with 64 percent of adult respondents agreeing it should be legal.

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Washington State Looking to Keep Tight Legal Marijuana Regulations

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The demographics of the United States are changing everyday.  The newer generation of Americans no longer wish to see their peers treated unfairly because of who they wish to spend the night with.  Even the Boy Scouts of America, an organization that has traditionally banned any gay members, is now reconsidering their position.  Last November’s election showed that the country is heading in a new direction as states enacted marriage equality acts, and two states (Colorado, Washington) legalized recreational marijuana use.

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and Attorney General Bob Ferguson met with U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder last week.  The meeting was aimed at striking a balance between federal and state regulations.  Washington state is moving forward with what their people want, a taxed and regulated marijuana market.  However, Washington officials are not abandoning caution, and understand the concerns that opponents have about marijuana leaving state lines.  The state is seeking the help of marijuana experts to help ensure that the proper regulations are set in place.

Washington and Colorado are hoping to create the model for how this can be done.  Polling and recent voting shows a surge in support for drastic marijuana reform and there are no signs of this trend slowing.  Washington’s Liquor Control Board has posted ads that indicates they seeking individuals with  “at least three years of consulting experience relating to the knowledge of the cannabis industry, including but not limited to product growth, harvesting, packaging, product infusion and product safety.” Medical marijuana employees will likely be the target employees.  The state is looking to determine safety and testing regulations, the proper amount of storefronts.  There is time to work this out but the regulations are expected to be in place sooner than later as legal sales are expected to begin in December.

It may be about time for the federal government to start posting their own job advertisements.  We are supposed to look to the federal government for guidance and should not have to enact common sense law ourselves years before they will even consider discussion.  It is a fast paced, internet and technologically driven world that will soon not tolerate snail paced governing.   Tough talk, failed policy, one liners, and bitter partisan politics are no longer in step with what most Americans want.  If Washington state can demonstrate a connection to what the people want, we hope that Washington D.C. follows suit.

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Game Changers After Historic Election

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There were many highlights from Tuesday’s election.  Obviously the headlines are focusing on President Barack Obama’s re-election which came by dominating the electoral college.  However the President won a much slimmer popular vote victory.  There were also tremendous victories for the LGBT community and anyone who supports equal protection.  Minnesota residents voted against outlawing same sex marriage Maine and Maryland passed legislation allowing the unions.  Other stories include the fact that the majorities in the House (Republican controlled) and the Senate (Democratically controlled) stayed the same, with the exception of a few seats shifting.  Another victory for the people was the apparent failure of the Super PACS(outside political groups with no limits to how much they can spend) to impact the election.  Perhaps there will be a few less advertisements in 2016 or for the 2014 midterm elections, though that is likely wishful thinking.

In the world of marijuana reform, America saw a true game changing events.  Massachusetts has now become the 18th state to pass medical marijuana legislation.  The list almost grew to 19 but the ballot initiative narrowly failed(51-49%).  However, activists should be pleased as a narrow defeat shows even the deep south is changing and is receptive to marijuana reform.  What is even more striking is that Colorado and Washington State voters have passed an initiative that will regulate, tax, and distribute recreational marijuana.

Although the legalization in Colorado and Washington State does not end the conflict with the federal government, it does provide even more legitimacy for legalized marijuana.  Now there will be tighter regulation and greater tax revenues collected from marijuana sales.  If federal agents intervene, they now will have to compromise local economies and infringe on state laws.  They will have to take marijuana from safe and regulated environments and return it to street dealers.  Additionally, we are fresh off of a major statement by the people and while the feds have not respected our will previously, the writing on the wall is becoming more and more apparent.  All over this country the people want to see a different approach toward regulating marijuana, and the old system is simply obsolete.

Thankfully the election cycle is finally over.  It may be instinctive and easy to take a cynical outlook on what occurred but we should all be encouraged by the fact that the biggest changes in this country came directly from the hard work of the people and groups such as Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol and New Approach Washington .  Ballot initiatives have produced same sex marriage equality and common sense marijuana reform.  The 2012 election was historic and will set the stage for even more states to return rights back to the people.

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Victory For President Obama, Legal Marijuana In Colorado…

Obama Victory

The grueling 2012 election has finally come to an end.  Americans can now finally relax as the constant barrage of political ads will finally go away.  When including the GOP primary debates, this election got underway way back in the summer of 2011.  Last night President Barack Obama was victorious in what was a sweeping electoral victory but narrow popular vote advantage.  The other stories of the night were the Republicans taking a decisive lead in the House of Representatives while the Democrats won tough races to control the Senate.  Marijuana reformers had several stories to be pleased with including Colorado residents voting to legalize and regulate marijuana and Massachusetts passing legislation to start a medical marijuana program. Other big stories included the legalization of same sex marriage in several states including Minnesota. We will be breaking down the election and providing more updates and details from last night.

 

Click Here for CNN’s Up to Date Coverage of the 2012 Election results

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Medical Marijuana Industry News May 11, 2012

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Presumptive GOP Nominee Mitt Romney Irritated by Marijuana and Gay Marriage Questions…

The GOP primary race is all but officially over with Mitt Romney expected to accept the party’s nomination in August.   The election season is heating up and the candidates now will be grilled over policy related issues on a daily basis.  Earlier in the week, North Carolina passed a ban on Same Sex Marriage and Civil Unions.  Proponents of the ban feel they are protecting marriage’s traditional values while opponents are concerned with civil rights and children who stand to lose health benefits.  Mitt Romney indicated he did not agree with same sex marriage while President Obama has now come out in support of same sex couples being wed.  While the marriage issue is predictably a large political issue, it is often now being followed up with questions on marijuana reform, showing that reporters are taking the issue seriously.  At a campaign stop in Colorado on Wednesday, Mitt Romney was asked about both issues to which he responded by saying “Aren’t there issues of significance you would like to talk about?”  Many residents in Colorado likely feel that these are issues of significance, especially to struggling patients and families.  The fact that marijuana reform is now being asked as much as other social issues demonstrates its growing importance to Americans.

 

For more on the exchange between reporters and Mitt Romney click here

 

Attempt to Defund Marijuana Raids Fails but Shows Promise…

Yesterday marijuana.net ran entitled “Lawmakers Propose New Tactic in Fight For Marijuana Reform” which described members of the House attempting to prevent the Department of Justice from using any funds to conduct marijuana dispensary raids.  The gesture was significant and signals a new method policy makers can use in order to push issue of marijuana reform.  The vote did fail by with a 163-262 vote.  Only 29 Republicans supported the measure while seventy-three percent of democrats were in favor of the bill.  The margin is not politically insurmountable and it will be interesting to see if future votes will be tighter or even in favor of outlawing the raids.

 

For more click here

 

Arizona Courts Rule that Contracts With Medical Marijuana Companies are Not Enforceable…

Arizona has passed its fair share of confusing and seemingly unenforceable laws in recent years.  Another ruling earlier this week added to the state’s legal confusion.  Michele Rene Hammer and Mark Haile, issued a $500,000 loan to a medical marijuana company in Colorado.  When the company failed to repay the loan Hammer and Haile filed a lawsuit.  Maricopa County, Ariz., Superior Court Judge Michael McVey threw the case out of court because federal law prohibits marijuana on any level, even though the state the judge rules in does permit medical marijuana.  Randy Nussbaum, who is from the firm representing Hammer and Haile, fears that no contract with any medical marijuana company is valid in Arizona now.  Specifically Nussbaum said “The macro view of this is, if it’s true that anyone who has a contractual relationship with anyone dispensing medical marijuana and that contract is not enforceable, how does anyone enforce a legitimate contract in this business?”

 

For more on this story click here

 

Prominent Advocacy Group Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol Takes to the Airwaves…

One of the most successful and influential marijuana advocacy groups is about to take their successful message even further.  “Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol” is largely responsible for Amendment 64, which would accomplish exactly what the group’s name states.  If passed, marijuana would be governed in a way very similar to liquor.  The group was instrumental in collecting the over 80,000 signatures needed to get the marijuana initiative onto the ballot.  As a result, Colorado residents will have the chance to vote on legalizing cannabis.  Now the group will be running its first television ads over the Mother’s Day weekend.  You can look out for their “Dear Mom” ad on several broadcasts including Friday’s “Today Show’, “Ellen” show and the Mother’s Day episode of “The Doctors”.

 

You can click here to view the ad

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