1/13/14

Reistroffer drafting South Dakota cannabis law

While hundreds queue up as Colorado begins 2014 with legal cannabis, a candidate for the Sioux Falls City Council is telling voters about his work with the Marijuana Policy Project in Denver to pass Amendment 64 and to draft South Dakota's 2010 Initiated Measure 13. Rob Nielsen interviewed Emmett Reistroffer for the Yankton Press and Dakotan.
“The idea is to end the violence and end the black market that’s worth billions of dollars, and take that power away from criminals and empower law enforcement to go after violent crime and make the community safer,” he said. Reistroffer said the message ultimately ought to be centered around responsibility — but not lose focus of the goal. Reistroffer said he expects to have a draft for a bill dealing with legalization of industrial hemp submitted to the Legislature by the end of the month. [Nielsen, Seeking A Clear Message: Advocates Taking Steps To Educate About Legalized Marijuana]
His website posted this statement:
I will not give up this fight for South Dakotans. I will build off my experience from the 2010 campaign, our experience in the legislature, and my work in Colorado to improve our strategy for passing marijuana legalization in the future. Prohibition is an all around failure. Lawmakers and voters in other states are figuring out that we can’t arrest our way to a solution for drug problems. We’re not treating addictions by locking up users, and we’re holding back from harnessing a highly lucrative industry that could pay for the treatment needs of those who are truly addicted. By keeping marijuana illegal, we’re perpetuating a vast underground market that makes drug dealers rich and puts patients in harms way. We must figure out a sensible solution for South Dakota. [Emmett Reistroffer: A Bold Vision for Sioux Falls Council]
My opinion on industrial cannabis appears under this Madville Times post.

3 comments:

Duffer said...

I dunno Man . . . . the population of South Duck is just too freaking weird and red to go for something like this . . . and where is the money going to come from to fight the battle. Most of it will be focused in California and Oregon in 2014.

Diminishing returns in South Dakota. Overweight pharmacists and fascist cops will rule the day. You're taking away their easy as pie meal-ticket. Smackin hippies over the head is easy money. Asset forfeiture.

Fear and Loathing, Man, Fear and Loathing.

I'm on winter hiatus - stayin in the Man's (H.S.Thompson) room/office at Seal Rock Inn this week. Warm and very dry out here.

larry kurtz said...

Great to smell ya, Duff. More on the Seal Rock Inn here.

larry kurtz said...

Marijuana Prohibition Was Racist From The Start. Not Much Has Changed