Archive for the ‘Blog’ Category
Student leaders testify for Massachusetts marijuana legalization, State House (Boston)
March 5th, 2010
Dakta Bourbon
NORML: Medical marijuana’s not getting any better – the time for RE-legalization is NOW!
March 4th, 2010
Dakta Bourbon
With New Jersey recently becoming the 14th medical marijuana state, activists in marijuana law reform have been celebrating. After all, over 82 million Americans now live in states where medical use of marijuana is legal – that’s 27% of the US population! Last election, Massachusetts became the 13th decriminalization state, which means over 107 million Americans live in a state where possession of small personal amounts of marijuana no longer merit an arrest – that’s 35% of the US population.
Bill to Legalize Marijuana Reintroduced in California
February 24th, 2010
Dakta Bourbon
Last week, Assemblyman Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco), reintroduced legislation that would legalize weed in California for adults 21 and over. Back in January the California Assembly’s Public Safety Committee approved Assembly Bill 390 to legalize and tax marijuana, marking the first time in US history that a state legislative body considered putting an end to marijuana prohibition! The bill didn’t get much further since time ran out on the legislative calendar.
Ammiano forges on, however, with the new bill– now called A.B. 2254–which would allow adults over 21 to possess, smoke, and grow weed, essentially treating marijuana the same way alcohol is currently treated under the law. The bill also calls for a $50 per ounce sold fee to be used for funding drug eradication and awareness programs. And, of course supporters of the bill are saying it could raise around $990 million and help pull the severely cash-strapped California out of its budget crisis. Read the rest of this entry »
Want to buy some stamps?
February 23rd, 2010
Dakta Bourbon
Locked in a vault within the North Carolina Department of Revenue is a lickable bit of Kafka: a government-issued stamp that is expected to remain unpurchased, but which users of illegal goods must, by law, affix to substances they are not allowed to possess.
North Carolina is one of about 20 states that tax illegal drugs. The cost varies by state and weight, as does the stamps’ appearance (Nebraska’s, with a skull surmounting a syringe and joint, looks like Grateful Dead tribute art). Penalties for non-payment also vary, from being classed as a misdemeanour in Georgia to 200% of the tax plus $10,000 or five years in prison in Louisiana. Read the rest of this entry »
The First City in America to Criminalize Marijuana Passes Resolution Criticizing Drug War
February 18th, 2010
Dakta Bourbon
The El Paso city council has gone on record as condemning current US drug policies and demanding a shift to a smarter, more humane approach to drug sales and use.
A year ago, dismayed at the violence rocking its sister city of Ciudad Juárez just across the Rio Grande River, the city council in the remote Texas border city of El Paso unanimously passed a resolution calling for serious consideration of ending drug prohibition, only to see it vetoed by Mayor John Cook. Then, after heavy-handed warnings from US Rep. Silvestre Reyes (D-TX) and the city’s delegation in the state legislature that such a resolution could threaten the city’s funding, the city council backed down, failing to override Cook’s veto.
Addressing the issue in Detroit
February 8th, 2010
Dakta Bourbon
Dakta Green arrested, is the system to blame?
February 3rd, 2010
Dakta Bourbon
Dakta Green:
24 hours ago (Monday, 1st February) I was preparing for trial when 2 Police officers arrived at my home and arrested me. Charged me with failure to turn up in court. I thought I only had 2 matters to deal with on the 26th January, It appears I had 3. In two different courts. Court failed to inform me and I pay the price. Prohibition sux. “Legal this Year”
FBI director gets schooled on marijuana legalization
February 2nd, 2010
Dakta Bourbon
Tennessee Congressman Steve Cohen takes FBI Director Robert Mueller to task on marijuana legalization and the “gateway theory.”
Medical marijuana doctors “need to come out of the closet and be part of the solution,” says CannaMed medical director
January 27th, 2010
Dakta Bourbon
WestWord.com: Attorney Rob Corry has significant issues with Senator Chris Romer’s legislation concerning the relationship between doctors and medical marijuana patients.
Less critical is Dr. Paul Bregman, the medical director of the CannaMed USA doctor referral service. Bregman actually believes the senator “is on the right track” even though the doc’s a comparatively high-volume prescriber of the sort who’s drawn criticism from both Romer and Ned Calonge, Colorado’s chief medical officer. Moreover, he encourages other doctors working in this specialty area to “come out of the closet and be part of the solution.”
Most medical marijuana physicians are laying low right now, but Bregman, a trained radiologist who’s been involved in the prescribing of medical marijuana for around three years, is open to speaking with the press — although he’s not always happy with the results. In today’s Denver Post article about Romer’s bill, he complains about being misquoted: “They used the word ‘ridiculous,’ and I didn’t say the word ‘ridiculous.’ I said ‘outside the law,’” he maintains.