On Monday, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter said he would sign a bill that would make Philadelphia the largest city in the country to decriminalize marijuana possession. Just two weeks ago, the City Council in Santa Fe voted to decriminalize marijuana. Earlier this year, District of Columbia Mayor Vincent Gray signed a bill to decriminalize possession of up to an ounce of marijuana in the U.S. capital. Ballot initiatives on legalization of marijuana will go before voters in Oregon, Florida and Alaska in November. Meanwhile, a group of former presidents and United Nations leaders gathered in New York Tuesday to call for an end to the criminalization and incarceration of drug users. [Democracy Now!]It would be interesting to know the results of drug tests on red state governors and their staffs after this little taxpayer-funded soiree. Nerdling Dusty Johnson works for South Dakota's embattled executive. He's been tweeting some profound stuff lately: make him pee in a cup.
The Netherlands and Uruguay are watching cannabis progress in Colorful Colorado:
For the first time in Colorado’s legal marijuana market, recreational cannabis outsold medical pot in the month of July, according to numbers from the state’s Department of Revenue. In July 2014, customers purchased more than $29.7 million in recreational marijuana — up from $24.7 million in June. Medical marijuana patients spent more than $28.9 million on marijuana in July — comparable to June’s $28.6 million in sales. Since Jan. 1, Colorado has brought in more than $37.5 million in taxes, licenses and fees for recreational and medical marijuana. [Ricardo Baca, The Cannabist]Be sure to vote on new poll!
Another journo job covering the weed business: http://t.co/KSBhZBlOUC
— Kristen Wyatt (@APkristenwyatt) September 10, 2014
loaded (no pun intended) query there Dude.
ReplyDeleteA mish-mash of State Law evolution on this subject is what we are going to endure until the dam breaks in D.C. Of course it would be "nice" if Obama would lead the charge by removing cannabis from the drug schedule; but he won't. Why? I have several suspicions . . . but the man has struggled with leading on every subject that has come before him.
So yeah, it'd be nice if the Feds would lead; but it's going to be up to the States to carry the ball.
State laws that allow individuals to grown their own herb are the only way to go. Washington State really screwed up. Coloradans, bless their hearts, did pretty darned well. Oregon will put a pretty good law on the books in a couple months too.
Any bets on Double Dee, Dusty, or Marty burning a joint in their lifetimes, and too uptight to admit it? Nah, me either. They look like social outcasts to me.
Smoke 'em if you got 'em Mate.
The Prez has lots on his plate, Duff: expect action from HHS after the election.
ReplyDeleteYes, Washington State fucked up. Montana had the opportunity to do it right but they ending up burning the blunt at both ends.
DD smoked fer sure but Dusty and Marty are GenXers therefore incapable of rational thought.
Good to smell you, bro.
Is the change happening because there is really a change in attitude about cannabis, or is the change due to wanting to conveniently reduce cost demands on the justice system, or maybe both?
ReplyDeleteDoes not really matter, but makes me wonder about the underlying motivation.
Does the change mean endorsing and/or encouraging the use of cannabis for recreational/entertainment purposes?
Anon, 10:15: How could it not be for all the reasons you cite?
ReplyDeleteViolence is a feature of illegal distribution while alcohol's social ills come on its consumption: seems like Big Booze and his relationship with the prison lobby would be most at odds with legal cannabis so they should support the 'recreational' aspect while Big Pharma would want to have a piece of the therapeutic market.