Thread: MARIJUANA advocates want Calif to vote on legalization

Pot advocates want Calif to vote on legalization

By MARCUS WOHLSEN, The Associated Press
12:59 p.m. June 11, 2009

SAN FRANCISCO —Californians could legally possess up to one ounce of pot and cities could sell and tax the drug under an initiative marijuana advocates want to place on the state's 2010 ballot.

The Control, Regulate and Tax Cannabis Act of 2010 is being pushed by pot activists who sense a positive shift in public sentiment toward the federally banned substance. A recent Field Poll found that 56 percent of California voters supported legalizing marijuana for recreational use and taxing its proceeds.

Backers of the ballot proposal include entrepreneurs in the state's medical marijuana industry, which has become lucrative since California voters legalized marijuana for medical use in 1996.

One of the leading proponents is Richard Lee, an Oakland pot dispensary owner and founder of Oaksterdam University, a medical marijuana trade school. As California cities confront plummeting revenues and the state's massive budget crisis, Lee said voters will be open to new ways to fill public coffers.

"We can't waste money enforcing laws that over 50 percent of people don't think should be in place," Lee said.

Supporters expect to finalize the proposal's language by the end of the month. The latest draft gives anyone age 21 or older the right to possess up to one ounce of marijuana for personal use. Local and state authorities could raise that amount.

Residents would also have the right to cultivate up to 25-square-foot plots of marijuana on private property, but only for personal consumption.

At the same time, cities that did not want marijuana within their limits could continue to bar sales, though they would still have to permit possession.

For the initiative to reach the November 2010 ballot, supporters must gather more than 433,000 valid signatures from registered voters. Lee said he believes they could complete that process by January.

The would-be ballot initiative is not the only effort under way to liberalize pot laws. Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, D-San Francisco, is pushing a bill in the state legislature that would regulate marijuana much like alcohol.

Under Ammiano's proposal, pot would be taxed at a rate of $50 per ounce and bring an estimated $1 billion in tax proceeds. The legislation would only allow taxes on pot to be collected once the federal government lifts its restrictions on marijuana.

Some critics have said they do not anticipate the federal government will budge anytime soon. Under federal law, any possession of marijuana is illegal.

Lee said a ballot initiative is quicker than waiting for any bill on the contentious issue of marijuana legalization to grind through the legislative process.

"We believe that the people lead the politicians on this issue," he said.

http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/ ... dex=114896

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In CA. you don't have to buy medical marijuana off the street.
If the doctor prescribe it the city or county will sell you a medical marijuana card and you buy it in a store.
There are already more medical marijuana stores in L.A. than there are Starbucks.
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City of L.A. Has More Pot Clinics Than Starbucks

ACCORDING TO a new KCET-TV report, the City of Los Angeles now has about 500 medical marijuana dispensaries, more than it has Starbucks stores. ...

atwater-village.blogspot.com/2009/05/city-of-la-has-more-pot-clinics-than.html

Marijuana Clinics: Up In Smoke

Correspondent Judy Muller
Produced by: Karen Foshay; Edited by: Alberto Arce; Associate Producer: Christal Smith
Published On: May 14, 2009 6:12 PM

There are now more medical marijuana clinics in the city of Los Angeles than there are Starbucks. It may seem surprising until you take a closer look at how LA’s city leaders have handled the regulation of these dispensaries.

Since the passage of Prop 215 in 1996, Los Angeles has had an open door policy when it comes to medical marijuana dispensaries. And while many we spoke with applaud and support marijuana for medicinal purposes - and even for recreational reasons - most are upset at the lack of zoning laws when it comes to the dispensaries. It’s now easier to open a medical marijuana facility than it is a nail salon or a yogurt shop. That’s upsetting residents who are seeing 5 and 6 clinics on one stretch of a boulevard.

City leaders seem to recognize the need for zoning of the dispensaries, but seem to be unable to pass and enforce such laws. Now, with an estimated five hundred clinics in the city, many are wondering if those clinics will be grandfathered in when and if the new law is passed.

http://www.kcet.org/socal/2009/05/marij ... smoke.html

Well it's about time! God made pot, man made alcohol. You choose.

Pot advocates want Ca. legalization vote

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Californians could legally possess up to one ounce (28 grams) of marijuana and cities could sell and tax the drug under an initiative marijuana advocates want to place on the state's 2010 ballot.

The Control, Regulate and Tax Cannabis Act of 2010 is being pushed by pot activists who sense a positive shift in public sentiment toward the federally banned substance. A recent Field Poll found that 56% of California voters supported legalizing marijuana for recreational use and taxing its proceeds.

Backers of the ballot proposal include entrepreneurs in the state's medical marijuana industry, which has become lucrative since California voters legalized marijuana for medical use in 1996.

A leading proponent is Richard Lee, an Oakland pot dispensary owner and founder of Oaksterdam University, a medical marijuana trade school. As California cities confront plummeting revenues and the state's massive budget crisis, voters will be open to new ways to fill public coffers, Lee said.

"We can't waste money enforcing laws that over 50% of people don't think should be in place," he said.

Supporters expect to finalize the proposal's language by the end of the month. The latest draft recognizes the right of anyone age 21 or older to possess up to one ounce of marijuana for personal use. Local and state authorities could raise that amount.

Residents would also have the right to cultivate up to 25-square-foot (2.3-square- meter) plots of marijuana on private property, but only for personal consumption.

At the same time, cities that do not want marijuana within their limits could continue to bar sales, though they would still have to permit possession.

For the initiative to reach the November 2010 ballot, supporters must gather more than 433,000 valid signatures from registered voters. Lee said he believes they could complete that process by January.

Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, a Democrat from San Francisco, is also pushing a bill in the state Legislature that would regulate marijuana much like alcohol.

Lee said a ballot initiative is quicker than waiting for any bill on the contentious issue to grind through the legislative process.

"We believe that the people lead the politicians on this issue," he said.

Passage of the measure would test the Obama administration's hands-off policy toward enforcing federal marijuana laws when they conflict with state statutes.

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced earlier this year that federal agents will now target marijuana distributors only when they violate both federal and state laws. California and a dozen other states allow medical use of pot, but none allow possession of the drug for purely recreational purposes.

Federal law outlaws marijuana cultivation, use and sales.
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RI. governor vetoes pot sales bill

PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island (AP) — Rhode Island Gov. Don Carcieri has vetoed legislation allowing stores to sell marijuana to medical patients.

The proposal would have made Rhode Island the third state in the U.S. to adopt such a policy.

In a letter Friday, Carcieri said permitting the manufacture and sale of drugs illegal under federal law would send the wrong message to children about drug use.

Lawmakers passed the legislation by a margin large enough to overturn the Republican governor's veto. Rep. Thomas Slater, the bill's sponsor, said House and Senate leaders have promised to set a veto override vote. The exact date hasn't been determined.

In 2006, Rhode Island began allowing medical patients registered with the state to possess up to 12 marijuana plants and 2.5 ounces (70 grams) of the drug.
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Alameda County sheriff discovers 22,000 pot plants

The Associated Press
2:55 p.m. June 14, 2009

SUNOL, Calif. — Authorities say they have discovered 24 marijuana gardens with more than 22,000 plants in rural Alameda County.

The Alameda County Sheriff's Office says two men wearing camouflage clothing were working the garden, but managed to escape when deputies tried to arrest them on Thursday.

Deputies say they recovered a loaded semiautomatic handgun on the trail that was dropped by one of the men.

In addition to the gardens, authorities discovered three camp sites, three kitchen areas, sleeping bags, fertilizer and other equipment at the sites, located off of Calaveras Road. The land is owned by the San Francisco Water District.

The sheriff's office says it is the largest marijuana growing operation it has ever discovered.

http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/ ... dex=116593

$25M worth of pot plants seized in Central Calif.

The Associated Press
12:50 p.m. June 15, 2009

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Kern County authorities say they have destroyed 10,000 marijuana plants worth $25 million that were growing on a cattle ranch along the Breckenridge mountain range.

The Kern County Sheriff's Office says the garden was in a remote area south of Sequoia National Forest where the terrain was so rough the plants had to be removed via helicopter.

Authorities say they first heard of the operation through a tip from a ranch employee, who said the cattle's water supply was being diverted through an irrigation line. On Friday, officials found a nearby camp and fertilizer supplies.

No arrests have been made.

http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/ ... dex=117042

Kern County authorities say they have destroyed 10,000 marijuana plants worth $25 million

Up in smoke.....what a waste!!! I'm sure most Kern County residents would have rather had increased revenues of $25 million! Meanwhile, Kern County grocery and convenience stores reported record sales from a massive outbreak of munchies on the day the pot was destroyed!