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1 US AZ: PUB LTE: A Real SolutionSun, 18 Feb 2018
Source:East Valley Tribune (AZ) Author:Muse, Kirk Area:Arizona Lines:26 Added:02/22/2018

Thanks for publishing Kathy Inman's outstanding letter: "Marijuana Solution" (Feb. 11). I'd like to add that about seven years ago before and after my hip-replacement surgery, I was taking about six Vicodin tablets every day.Now, thanks to medical marijuana, I take no pain pills.

Vicodin can and does kill thousands of people every year. Cannabis, on the other hand, has never killed anyone. For those who oppose cannabis use don't buy it. Don't buy it. Don't grow it and don't use it. Period.

Kirk Muse

Mesa

[end]

2 US AZ: Column: Out With A WhimperThu, 28 Sep 2017
Source:Tucson Weekly (AZ) Author:Meyers, Nick Area:Arizona Lines:99 Added:09/28/2017

Maricopa County Attorney loses legal battle with tail between his legs

Earlier this month, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled in favor of the state's medical marijuana industry by quashing a long-standing legal assault by Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery.

Montgomery constantly rails against imaginary dangers of marijuana, likely borne from knowing little to nothing about the plant, and based on flawed data. He was a major player in the fight against Proposition 205 along with Yavapai County Attorney Sheila Polk.

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3 US AZ: High Time Hold UpThu, 21 Sep 2017
Source:Tucson Weekly (AZ) Author:Meyers, Nick Area:Arizona Lines:82 Added:09/23/2017

Your meds are safe for a little while longer.

Congressional lawmakers bought a little more time for the Rohrabacher-Blumenauer Amendment by extending the current federal budget with a disaster relief bill signed by President Donald Trump earlier this month. The clause is set to expire with the rest of the bill on Dec. 8.

The bill itself caught a lot of press due to the shocking ease with which Trump sided with Democrats to raise the debt ceiling. Of the 90 "no" votes in the House of Representatives, all were Republican. (House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi told the Washington Post the vote indicated House Republicans "have a philosophical problem with governance.")

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4 US AZ: Huffed And Puffed AG Sessions' Marijuana Crackdown FizzlesThu, 31 Aug 2017
Source:Tucson Weekly (AZ) Author:Meyers, Nick Area:Arizona Lines:93 Added:09/01/2017

It looks like Attorney General Jeff Sessions has run into some problems in his crusade against the marijuana. While the new Department of Justice administration has long been mounting pressure against the marijuana industry, the latest suggestion from the Task Force on Crime Reduction and Public Safety is to, well, do nothing.

The subcommittee was announced months ago and tasked with developing a legal avenue for Session's marijuana crackdown. However, the Associated Press reported the group "has come up with no new policy recommendations to advance the attorney general's aggressively anti-marijuana views."

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5 US AZ: PUB LTE: Overhaul TimeMon, 07 Aug 2017
Source:Daily Courier (Prescott, AZ) Author:Muse, Kirk Area:Arizona Lines:36 Added:08/12/2017

Editor:

Thanks for publishing Rita Shyrocka'™s outstanding letter: "€œCrisis€™ is on government'€™s shoulders"€ (7-19-17).

I'€™d like to add that in 1972, when President Richard Nixon launched the war on drugs, the federal budget for the drug war was $101 million. Last year, the federal budget for the drug was over $25 billion - a 250-fold increase.

In 1972, fewer than 5,000 Americans died from illegal drugs. Last year more than 50,000 Americans died from drug overdoses.

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6 US AZ: Column: Dead LettersThu, 10 Aug 2017
Source:Tucson Weekly (AZ) Author:Meyers, Nick Area:Arizona Lines:93 Added:08/12/2017

Sessions' correspondence to marijuana states is full of smoke and mirror

While certain federal administration officials take to Twitter to air their grievances, those stuck in last century use more traditional means for their loosely-supported rants.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions sent letters to governors of states with legal recreational marijuana in response to an April 3 letter from the governors of Alaska, Washington and Oregon urging him to uphold Obama-era pot policy.

However, the points raised in Sessions' letter may not be as watertight as he thinks.

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7 US AZ: Marijuana Benefits Abound As New Policy LoomsThu, 15 Jun 2017
Source:Tucson Weekly (AZ) Author:Meyers, Nick Area:Arizona Lines:99 Added:06/19/2017

Despite the upheaval of the current presidential administration, some things just haven't changed, like acting DEA Chief Chuck Rosenberg's Obama-era insistence last month that "marijuana is not medicine."

Though he also stated that he'd "be the last person to stand in the way" if medical uses of marijuana rise through the FDA process. (Here's where we count on Sue Sisley's research in Phoenix.)

But Rosenberg doesn't seem to pay attention to what happens in Phoenix. If he did, he might hear about a small clinic using marijuana to treat opioid addiction.

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8 US AZ: Sinister SubstitutesThu, 06 Apr 2017
Source:Tucson Weekly (AZ) Author:Meyers, Nick Area:Arizona Lines:91 Added:04/06/2017

Major anti-pot campaign funder lands DEA approval of THC drug amidst flurry of lawsuits

Ethics is a hazy argument when it comes to marijuana.

On one hand, opponents of legalization argue that the plant is harmful to society and individuals, and therefore should not be used. "Good people don't smoke marijuana," remember?

On the other, little evidence exists to show that marijuana was even made illegal on ethical grounds, and thousands of individuals' lives are affected by simple possession of a joint, regardless of context.

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9 US AZ: High Hopes For High TimesThu, 01 Dec 2016
Source:Tucson Weekly (AZ) Author:Meyers, Nick Area:Arizona Lines:96 Added:12/05/2016

Arizona continues efforts towards legal marijuana

The failure of Prop 205 may have been a sobering realization for some, but others still have high hopes for the future of marijuana in Arizona.

Several new efforts have popped up to change the landscape of Arizona's marijuana landscape since voters rejected this year's recreational proposition.

The most promising initiative comes from the Independent Wellness Center in Apache Junction, and intends not to legalize recreational marijuana, but to increase the number of qualifying conditions for patients to be eligible for a medical marijuana card.

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10 US AZ: Candidates Differ On Legal MarijuanaThu, 03 Nov 2016
Source:Arizona Range News (Willcox, AZ) Author:Petermann, Eric Area:Arizona Lines:111 Added:11/08/2016

Candidate opinions on legalized marijuana appear to have less to do with party affiliation and more to do with perceptions on whether Proposition 205 is a solution to a problem, or a serious threat to Arizona.

The citizens initiative is on the Nov. 8 ballot asking voters whether to allow the recreational use of marijuana. Arizona is one of nine states that will vote on the issue in the General Election.

Though many prominent Republicans have come out against Prop. 205, there are notable exceptions. Gov. Doug Ducey and other state GOP leaders, including LD14 State Sen. Gail Griffin, are on record opposed to the initiative, while locally, Republican Cochise County Supervisor Pat Call has said it may be time to reallocate the resources committed to the "War on Drugs."

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11US AZ: Column: Why I Support Legalizing Marijuana But Will Vote No OnFri, 04 Nov 2016
Source:Arizona Republic (Phoenix, AZ) Author:Kwok, Abe Area:Arizona Lines:Excerpt Added:11/08/2016

There's a great deal of fear and loathing about the legalization of marijuana, and I buy just about none of it.

In fact, I would not be alarmed, or even displeased, if Arizonans approve Proposition 205. Nor do I think the state would plunge into crime, chaos and hedonism should the measure pass.

That said, I could not bring myself to vote for Prop. 205.

Not out of concern for the state, mind you. Or concern for the users. Or their family, friends and employers.

If anything, marijuana users are why I almost voted for the "Regulate Marijuana like Alcohol" initiative.

[end]

12US AZ: OPED: An SOS From Colorado To Arizona On Recreational PotFri, 04 Nov 2016
Source:Arizona Republic (Phoenix, AZ) Author:Webb, Wellington Area:Arizona Lines:Excerpt Added:11/08/2016

I love Denver. I served as its mayor for 12 years, so it saddens me to see what has happened to my city since recreational marijuana became legal.

The shock for most of us has been the unintended consequences of legalization.

Consider some staggering facts: Denver now has more pot dispensaries than Starbucks and McDonald's combined. Marijuana-related traffic deaths have risen 32 percent. Denver schools have seen none of the money they were promised.

And that vow from marijuana's backers that "the cartels would be driven out of business" - well, sadly, the exact opposite happened.

[end]

13 US AZ: PUB LTE: Actually, Prop. 205 Is About FreedomFri, 04 Nov 2016
Source:Arizona Republic (Phoenix, AZ) Author:Betz, Bill Area:Arizona Lines:21 Added:11/08/2016

Discussions on marijuana being less harmful than alcohol or the amount of tax money generated by legalizing pot use are irrelevant.

Free-thinking adults should be able to do with their own bodies whatever they damn well please, contingent only on the requirement that they alone are completely responsible for the consequences of their decisions.

- - Bill Betz, Mesa

[end]

14 US AZ: LTE: Pinal County Interfaith Clergy See Problems WithFri, 04 Nov 2016
Source:Coolidge Examiner (AZ)          Area:Arizona Lines:100 Added:11/08/2016

An open letter to the community:

We, a coalition of clergy and community leaders with Pinal County Interfaith, are writing to oppose Proposition 205, which would legalize the recreational use of marijuana. The proposition is crafted to further the interests of the marijuana industry and clearly not the interest of Arizona families.

We have seen that addiction is devastating. Individuals and families suffer as a result of addiction. Easing access to marijuana will exacerbate that suffering.

It is disingenuous to tell voters that Proposition 205 is good for schools. For decades, we have educated children without any funding from marijuana; our schools will undoubtedly survive without it! Our teens are especially at risk if marijuana use is normalized and access increases. The risks to children and youth far outweigh the relatively small amount that schools will receive from the Marijuana Fund (around $50 per student, less than the cost of a textbook).

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15 US AZ: Legal Pot Measure Gets Mixed Reviews From Local ResidentsFri, 04 Nov 2016
Source:Nogales International (AZ) Author:Blust, Kendal Area:Arizona Lines:132 Added:11/08/2016

A ballot measure that would legalize recreational use of marijuana in Arizona is receiving mixed reviews among Santa Cruz County residents.

Known as Proposition 205, the initiative would make it legal for people 21 and older to use and possess up to an ounce of marijuana and grow up to six plants in their homes.

The proposed plan would also establish a state regulatory department and would levy a 15 percent tax on sales of the drug.

But with the general election just a week away, there is still a split between supporters and opponents and many county voters are still on the fence about making pot legal in Arizona.

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16 US AZ: Nah Enters Prop 205 FrayFri, 04 Nov 2016
Source:Arizona Daily Sun (AZ) Author:Cowan, Emery Area:Arizona Lines:108 Added:11/08/2016

Last week, Northern Arizona Healthcare employees received an email from their top boss, NAH President and CEO Robert Thames.

In it, Thames waded into one of the more contentious issues on Arizona's ballot this election: the legalization of recreational marijuana.

The email, which opened with the subject line "ONE NAH, One Obligation to Health," addressed Proposition 205, which would legalize recreational marijuana in Arizona and create a system to regulate and tax the drug.

In his message, Thames emphasized the significance of the ballot measure to NAH employees as healthcare providers. NAH is the parent organization for Flagstaff Medical Center, Sedona Medical Center and Verde Valley Medical Center.

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17 US AZ: The Feds, The State, And Legal PotThu, 03 Nov 2016
Source:Arizona Range News (Willcox, AZ) Author:Jordan, Derek Area:Arizona Lines:207 Added:11/08/2016

SIERRA VISTA - If examples from Washington and Colorado are any indication, should Arizona voters pass Prop 205 this November and legalize recreational marijuana use for adults, there should be little to no federal interference with state law, even in areas with a high number of federal law enforcement agents, such as Cochise County.

Just don't try to drive through a U.S. Border Patrol Checkpoint with your state sanctioned weed, said Vic Brabble, U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesman for Arizona.

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18 US AZ: LTE: Big Marijuana Counting On 'Marizona'Fri, 04 Nov 2016
Source:Arizona Daily Sun (AZ) Author:Carver, Bernice Area:Arizona Lines:37 Added:11/08/2016

Are marijuana lobbyists trying to change our state's name to "Marizona" with Prop. 205 legalizing recreational marijuana? Prop 205 allows for the untaxed sale of marijuana products with a concentration of THC of 0.3 percent or less, classified as legal industrial hemp, to be sold without age restriction. That will apply to some marijuana candy and other edibles such as the chocolate THC- laced "Boulder Bar" sold in Colorado to be considered hemp under Prop 205 though it contains 10 servings of THC.

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19 US AZ: PUB LTE: Steller Is Wrong, Vote Yes On Prop. 205Fri, 04 Nov 2016
Source:Arizona Daily Star (Tucson, AZ) Author:Smyth, Todd Area:Arizona Lines:35 Added:11/08/2016

Re: the Nov. 2 story "Steller wrong about propositions"

While I normally appreciate and enjoy Tim Steller's column on a routine basis I fully disagree with his logic regarding his choice to vote no on Prop 205. Steller's logic is that at some point the legalization of marijuana will become "commercially" more acceptable than what is currently proposed on this years ballot. His view is that once again Arizona voters will have legalization on a future ballot.

While Stellar waits for a more commercially acceptable plan, money flows into the drug cartels coffers, veterans are denied relief from their PTSD, police resources are wasted, courts are clogged and Arizona schools are denied tax revenue they desperately need.

A 'no' vote on Prop 205 retains the ridiculous status quo of criminalizing the activity of thousands of Arizonans in order to line the pockets of both the cartels and special interests such as big Pharma and for profit private prisons.

Todd Smyth

Vail

[end]

20 US AZ: Oregon Congressman: Legalize It!Thu, 03 Nov 2016
Source:Tucson Weekly (AZ) Author:Meyers, Nick Area:Arizona Lines:122 Added:11/08/2016

As Election Day Approaches, campaigns are making their closing arguments.

Last week, Oregon Congressman Earl Blumenhauer, a Democrat who represents Portland, made a trip to our desert town to support the passing of Prop 205.

He spoke in favor of the proposition on the University of Arizona campus, joined by local representatives such as Rep. Bruce Wheeler and Rep. Matt Kopec as well as Sunnyside School District Board member Daniel Hernandez, who is running for a District 2 spot in the state House of Representatives.

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21 US AZ: LTE: Not Supporting Prop 205Thu, 03 Nov 2016
Source:Tucson Weekly (AZ) Author:Moroso, Heather Area:Arizona Lines:99 Added:11/04/2016

I strong support the legalization of marijuana but I'm voting no on Prop 205. I'm not a prohibitionist. I think the reefer madness propaganda campaign against Prop 205 is ridiculous. I'm naturopathic physician that provides medical marijuana certifications. I believe in medical marijuana - like many I have seen the miracles of this plant. I believe in recreational marijuana too - just not this way.

First, props to all the hard work done throughout the state in efforts to get legalizing marijuana on the ballot. There are many reasons why I'm voting no THIS time. (I'm intentionally avoiding the legal points because Im not a lawyer. But its important to remember that minor infractions can lead easily lead to felonies). I'll boil it down to a few points against 205 that aren't talked about

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22 US AZ: OPED: Prop. 205: Like Alcohol, End Marijuana ProhibitionTue, 01 Nov 2016
Source:Arizona Daily Sun (AZ) Author:Singer, Jeffrey A. Area:Arizona Lines:82 Added:11/01/2016

When tackling today's major issues we can learn a lot from history. For example, when Congress was debating marijuana prohibition in 1937, Dr. William C. Woodward, President of the American Medical Association, argued strenuously against it. Dr. Walter Musto, Assistant Surgeon General told Congress marijuana "does not produce dependence…it probably belongs in the same category as alcohol." Sadly, as is often the case, Congress was more susceptible to political rather than economic and scientific considerations, so marijuana prohibition was enacted.

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23 US AZ: OPED: Prop. 205: Legalizing marijuana: High Risk, No RewardTue, 01 Nov 2016
Source:Arizona Daily Sun (AZ) Author:Vigdor, Greg Area:Arizona Lines:77 Added:11/01/2016

There's at least one issue on Arizona's General Election ballot that crosses political and partisan lines -public health. All Arizonans, regardless of our stance on just about any other issue, can agree public health and safety are paramount to our wellbeing, productivity and quality of life.

That's why, as two of Arizona's leading health and healthcare organizations, we've come together to oppose Proposition 205, the initiative that would legalize marijuana for recreational use. For hospitals and health professionals across our state, the issue comes down to this: Our mission is to help patients and protect public health. Prop 205 does neither.

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24 US AZ: Fact Checks!, Legalization PropsThu, 27 Oct 2016
Source:Tucson Weekly (AZ) Author:Meyers, Nick Area:Arizona Lines:119 Added:10/28/2016

Legalization Props: Part two

We're two weeks out from the Nov. 8 election and the Arizonans for Responsible Drug Policy have been kicking their "No on 205" campaign into high gear with a slew of ads filled with misleading information and flat out lies to dissuade voters from passing a law that would be part of any real responsible drug policy.

With the amount of purported "facts" released by the ARDP, it's time for another installment of fact checks!

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25US AZ: OPED: Marijuana Hurts Arizonas EconomyWed, 19 Oct 2016
Source:Arizona Republic (Phoenix, AZ) Author:Lewis, John Area:Arizona Lines:Excerpt Added:10/22/2016

Arizona's economy is growing, attracting national businesses and diverse industries, professionals and civic-minded leaders to continue making our state even more prosperous. As a representative of business, community, education and government leaders, I view Proposition 205 as an impediment to our economic growth.

Based on significant concerns, I join the East Valley Partnership board of directors in opposing Prop 205, the ballot initiative to legalize the recreational use of marijuana. Prop 205 introduces substantial risks to the years of hard work of many to make Arizona a wholesome place to build a business, family and community.

Prop 205 could damage our economy. Few would benefit from the monopoly on retail sales. From an employer standpoint, studies show that marijuana legalization has adverse outcomes for businesses and challenges employers trying maintain a safe and productive work environment.

[end]

26US AZ: Discount Tire's Anti-Marijuana Donation Spurs Calls ForWed, 19 Oct 2016
Source:Arizona Republic (Phoenix, AZ) Author:Sanchez, Yvonne Wingett Area:Arizona Lines:Excerpt Added:10/22/2016

Discount Tire Co. quietly donated $1 million to the campaign opposing the legalization of marijuana for recreational use, prompting calls for a boycott by some who want the drug legal through Proposition 205.

The tire company chain was founded by Bruce Halle, who lives in Paradise Valley and has an estimated net worth of $6.3 billion, according to Forbes' 2016 list of richest Americans. A spokesman for the company did not respond Monday to The Republic's inquiry about the donation. Halle is an ally of Gov. Doug Ducey, who is raising money to oppose Prop. 205.

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27 US AZ: LTE: Vote Against Prop. 205Thu, 20 Oct 2016
Source:Payson Roundup, The (AZ) Author:Henninger, Connie Area:Arizona Lines:62 Added:10/22/2016

Editor:

The Preamble to the Constitution of the United States, asserts that one of the roles of government is to "promote the general welfare." Legalizing recreational marijuana is not promoting the general welfare!

A Payson Roundup article (April 14, 2015) cited "a 30-year study of the effects of marijuana that found regular use associated with a 7-8 point drop in IQ, impaired cognition and increased risk for psychiatric disease, increased dropout rate, lower relationship success and lower life satisfaction." Many more such studies abound.

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28US AZ: Poll: Arizona Voters Still Favor Legalizing MarijuanaFri, 21 Oct 2016
Source:Arizona Republic (Phoenix, AZ) Author:Sanchez, Yvonne Wingett Area:Arizona Lines:Excerpt Added:10/22/2016

Despite a barrage of TV ads warning Arizona voters of the potential consequences of legalizing marijuana, about half of those surveyed in a new poll support creation of a system to tax and regulate sales of the drug.

The Arizona Republic/Morrison/Cronkite News poll found 50 percent of the registered voters surveyed favor Proposition 205, which would legalize the drug for adults. Nearly 42 percent oppose it. And another 8 percent were undecided. The statewide telephone poll surveyed 779 registered voters between Oct. 10 and Oct. 15. The margin of error was 4 percentage points.

[end]

29 US AZ: Speaker Advocates For No Vote On Marijuana LegalizationFri, 21 Oct 2016
Source:Mohave Valley Daily News (AZ) Author:Clayton, Rodd Area:Arizona Lines:136 Added:10/22/2016

BULLHEAD CITY - Proposition 205 is poorly written, creates two new bureaucracies and will greatly reduce Arizonans' ability to affect marijuana policy in the state, Laurence Schiff says.

Schiff, a Kingman psychiatrist, outlined for the Colorado River Republican Women group several justifications for a "no" vote on the measure in the Nov. 8 election.

Proposition 205 would legalize the possession and consumption of marijuana for anyone 21 or older and tax sales at 15 percent.

He appeared on behalf of the "No on 205" campaign, but he said some aspects of the proposition make it hard even for pro-marijuana voters to support it.

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30 US AZ: Dispensary DistributionThu, 13 Oct 2016
Source:Tucson Weekly (AZ) Author:Meyers, Nick Area:Arizona Lines:87 Added:10/17/2016

Just before Prop 205 goes before voters, new dispensary licenses are approved making way for more MJ

The Arizona Department of Health Services announced 31 new dispensary licenses last week, bringing the total number of Arizona dispensaries to 130 a month before Prop 205 appears on the November ballot.

Nearly 750 potential pot purveyors applied for the limited number of licenses back in August in what many consider a lottery. While the AZDHS reviews applications to direct openings in areas closest to high concentrations of medical patients, nine of the 31 applicants were drawn in a literal lottery with each of the nine being tied with two to five other would-be dispensaries.

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31 US AZ: Prop 205: Let's Make a DealThu, 29 Sep 2016
Source:Tucson Weekly (AZ) Author:Meyers, Nick Area:Arizona Lines:110 Added:09/30/2016

Will Arizonans make a deal to sacrifice regulatory concerns to eliminate the majority of marijuana felony arrests?

Prop 205 trudges towards the ballot amidst mounting concerns from critics.

Much of the literature condemning the marijuana legalization initiatives takes issue with the new system the proposition would put in place.

On the surface, the law would legalize marijuana for adults over the age of 21 and possession outside of the home up to one ounce. Users would also be able to retain the yield from up to six plants within their homes.

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32 US AZ: Donor TroubleThu, 22 Sep 2016
Source:Tucson Weekly (AZ) Author:Meyers, Nick Area:Arizona Lines:92 Added:09/26/2016

Big Pharma steps up to oppose recreational weed initiative

A couple weeks ago, we took a look at opioid use and prescription in Arizona and how states have seen a decrease in opioid overdoses after legalizing medical marijuana ("An MMJ Win," Sept. 1).

Well, now it seems one such manufacturer of a fentanyl-based drug is concerned about recreational marijuana interfering with its future business plans.

Insys Therapeutics plans to roll out a new line of THC medicine in the near future and decided to donate $500,000 to the Arizonans for Responsible Drug Policy to aid the opposition of Prop 205.

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33 US AZ: PUB LTE: Legal Marijuana Would Make Kids SaferThu, 22 Sep 2016
Source:Arizona Republic (Phoenix, AZ) Author:Baczewski, Alex Area:Arizona Lines:36 Added:09/26/2016

Political reporter Yvonne Wingett Sanchez moderates a debate between Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery (against) and J.P. Holyoak from the Pro Prop 205 Campaign over legalizing recreational marijuana in Arizona.

William Bennett needs to spend some time on a high school campus ("€œ3 lies the pro-marijuana side is pushing ...,"€ Sept. 19). Marijuana is already prevalent and widely available. I a€™m going to support legalization because I want to get the drugs out of our schools. The people who sell marijuana also sell other things that are very nasty and things that can get you very addicted.

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34US AZ: Editorial: Let Voters Decide Ballot MeasuresSun, 04 Sep 2016
Source:Arizona Republic (Phoenix, AZ)          Area:Arizona Lines:Excerpt Added:09/04/2016

Rulings by two Superior Court judges will give voters a swing at two controversial ballot measures. That's a good thing. The effort to legalize marijuana and the push to increase Arizona's minimum wage to $12 an hour deal with issues that are complex and unlikely to be considered by the Legislature.

Arizona's Constitution provides the ballot-initiative process to allow supporters of such ideas the right to go directly to voters to make their case. Arizona voters deserve the chance to decide these timely and important questions. These initiatives aren't simple. Is legalizing marijuana for recreational use the logical next step after voters approved medical marijuana? Should the state see this as a way to allow adults to make their own choices about an intoxicant? Will legalization send the message to young people that Arizona endorses getting stoned?

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35US AZ: High Court: Legal Pot To Stay On Nov. BallotThu, 01 Sep 2016
Source:Arizona Republic (Phoenix, AZ) Author:Christie, Bob Area:Arizona Lines:Excerpt Added:09/01/2016

Supreme Court Rejects the Final Legal Challenge to Ariz. Voter Initiative

A voter initiative to legalize recreational marijuana will be on the November ballot after the Arizona Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected a final legal challenge to the measure.

A lower court judge had thrown out the challenge, saying the group called Arizonans for Responsible Drug Policy didn't have a right to sue.

Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Jo Lynn Gentry's ruling went on to reject all of the reasons opponents laid out for keeping the initiative off the ballot.

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36 US AZ: Column: An MMJ WinThu, 01 Sep 2016
Source:Tucson Weekly (AZ) Author:Meyers, Nick Area:Arizona Lines:89 Added:09/01/2016

Does Medical Marijuana Reduce Opiate Addiction?

Many consider marijuana a "drug." However, it is no more a drug than cigarettes we smoke or alcohol we drink.

In fact, there is only one difference that separates marijuana from these other substances and it is perhaps simultaneously the best case for calling marijuana a drug and revoking its status as a Schedule I controlled substance: it has medical benefit.

One can argue that the medical benefits of marijuana have still not been tested to an extent that would satisfy medical benefit. Sure; after all, the FDA knows best. But there is one medical benefit that has only recently began to surface.

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37US AZ: OPED: Zoning Up In SmokeSun, 28 Aug 2016
Source:Arizona Republic (Phoenix, AZ) Author:Woods, Grant Area:Arizona Lines:Excerpt Added:08/28/2016

Much of the talk lately has been about the ballot initiative for recreational marijuana use, but Arizona will award licenses for 31 new medical marijuana dispensaries in October.

Most will be worth millions of dollars the day they are issued, and all an applicant had to do was find a location that complies with local zoning and pay a $5,000 fee. This sounds simple enough, but there are serious problems.

The Arizona Department of Health Services, which awards the licenses lottery-style, doesn't require dispensary applicants be 100 percent compliant with zoning the day of the drawing.

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38 US AZ: Foes of Legal Pot Ask Court to Keep Measure Off BallotFri, 26 Aug 2016
Source:Sun, The (Yuma, AZ) Author:Fischer, Howard Area:Arizona Lines:98 Added:08/27/2016

PHOENIX - Foes of legalized marijuana asked the Arizona Supreme Court late Thursday to keep voters from ever getting to decide the issue.

Attorney Brett Johnson wants the justices to rule that Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Jo Lynn Gentry got it wrong when she ruled last week that a 2015 change in state law precludes outsiders - including initiative opponents - from challenging the legal sufficiency of the ballot measure. Gentry said that makes all of the alleged flaws Johnson said are in the petitions legally irrelevant.

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39 US AZ: LTE: Recreational Marijuana Doesn't Make SenseThu, 25 Aug 2016
Source:Sun, The (Yuma, AZ) Author:Kindle, Jim Area:Arizona Lines:49 Added:08/26/2016

Well, I think political correctness has reached its limit of stupidity. Recreational marijuana, hooray, what's next - recreational cocaine, heroin, speed, meth? Now on cocaine, does recreational mean you snort only a three-inch line, and any longer it's a crime? On pot, does the joint have to be a certain length to be legal, or on heroin a butterfly syringe or one used for horses? What in the world have the people in this city, county and state been thinking? Recreational used to be outside running, playing some games, fishing, camping, hiking, swimming and just getting some fresh air and exercise. Oh, I forgot, we now get thumb exercises playing games on the stupid cell phones almost all waking hours or phone glued to ear. This last is ignored even when they suspect it may be causing brain tumors. Those using this new toy of the generation are not only kids but adults, making conversation by appointment only.

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40 US AZ: Pot Ballot Foes Ask For Ariz. Court's HelpFri, 26 Aug 2016
Source:New Mexican, The (Santa Fe, NM)          Area:Arizona Lines:28 Added:08/26/2016

PHOENIX - Opponents of a voter initiative legalizing recreational marijuana in Arizona are asking the Arizona Supreme Court to overturn a judge's decision and block the measure from the ballot.

The group called Arizonans for Responsible Drug Policy said in a filing that if Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Jo Lynn Gentry's ruling stands, "courts no longer have the power to prevent fraud on the electorate."

Gentry ruled last week that foes can't challenge it because of a 2015 law. She went on to reject all the opponents' arguments against the initiative.

Legalization backers told the high court that Gentry got it right and said the opponents' case was politicized and filled with incorrect arguments.

Staff and wire reports

[end]

41 US AZ: Column: Legalization PropsThu, 25 Aug 2016
Source:Tucson Weekly (AZ) Author:Meyers, Nick Area:Arizona Lines:125 Added:08/25/2016

Prop 205 Moves Forward Despite Effort to Challenge Initiatives

Prop 205 appears to be safe for the moment as Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Jo Lynn Gentry dismissed charges against its campaign last week.

Maricopa and Yavapai county attorneys Bill Montgomery and Sheila Polk were two of the major plaintiffs to file the lawsuit but were joined by the chairman of Arizonans for Responsible Drug Policy, Seth Leibsohn and the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

To nobody's surprise the plaintiffs intend to appeal the judge's decision. However, the ruling decided that not only did the opposition fail to support their claim, but that the state legislature effectively eliminated citizens' ability to legally challenge ballot initiatives, which may not bode well for the lawsuit's future.

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42 US AZ: Groups For And Against Legal Pot Face OffWed, 24 Aug 2016
Source:Sun, The (Yuma, AZ) Author:Herzog, Blake Area:Arizona Lines:179 Added:08/24/2016

Leaders of the campaigns for and against the statewide proposition to legalize recreational marijuana use in Arizona appeared at a Yuma forum Tuesday to make their cases to an audience of about 30.

The faceoff was sponsored by the Yuma County Chamber of Commerce, which has found itself split on the question of Proposition 205, Executive Director John Courtis said at the beginning of the two-hour session, though the statewide Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry is a major funder of the campaign against it.

[continues 1255 words]

43 US AZ: Forum To Address Marijuana Ballot IssueTue, 23 Aug 2016
Source:Sun, The (Yuma, AZ) Author:Herzog, Blake Area:Arizona Lines:68 Added:08/24/2016

Advocates and opponents of this November's state ballot initiative to legalize non-medical marijuana use will present what they see as the pros and cons of Prop 205 at a forum today in Yuma.

The event will be from 3 to 5 p.m. in the auditorium at the Yuma Heritage Library, 350 S. 3rd Ave. Admission is free for the event, sponsored by the Yuma County Chamber of Commerce. Seating is restricted to the first 100 attendees. Chamber Executive Director John Courtis said he was contacted by representatives of Arizonans for a Responsible Drug Policy, which is against the legalization measure, a couple of weeks ago about the possibility of hosting a presentation of its platform. Chamber board members advised him to find someone to represent legalization proponents.

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44 US AZ: Judge Throws Out Challenge to Legal MarijuanaSat, 20 Aug 2016
Source:Sun, The (Yuma, AZ) Author:Fischer, Howard Area:Arizona Lines:93 Added:08/21/2016

PHOENIX - A judge has thrown out a bid to keep voters from deciding whether to legalize the recreational use of marijuana.

In a ruling Friday, Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Jo Lynn Gentry said when state lawmakers altered the election code last year they eliminated - perhaps inadvertently - the ability of individual citizens to sue to keep initiative measures off the ballot. And she said lawmakers failed to restore that right anywhere else.

"Thus, whether wittingly or not, the legislatures eliminated a means by which initiative petitions can be challenged," Gentry wrote.

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45 US AZ: It's Cheaper to Grow Pot in Arizona in Greenhouses ThanThu, 18 Aug 2016
Source:Phoenix New Times (AZ) Author:Nichols, Nate Area:Arizona Lines:472 Added:08/20/2016

You would be forgiven for not recognizing the nondescript brick warehouse in Phoenix's Grand Avenue industrial district as the site of a high-tech agricultural facility.

But as soon as you step inside, the smell of hundreds of marijuana plants is overwhelming. As you make your way through the small rooms that line the main hallway, you can hear the whoosh of ventilation fans and the gentle hum of huge artificial lights suspended above a lush green canopy of leaves. Reggae, old-school hip-hop, and pop-punk blare from a portable speaker as a crew of 30 or so workers trim, water, and inspect the all-female crop of cannabis plants casually known as "the ladies."

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46US AZ: Column: Between Hillary And Donald, It's All GoingThu, 18 Aug 2016
Source:Arizona Republic (Phoenix, AZ) Author:Montini, EJ Area:Arizona Lines:Excerpt Added:08/19/2016

If Trump wins, some of us will need it.

If Clinton wins, some of us will need it.

And since none of us knows for sure how the election in November will go, we ALL need to vote for ... legalizing marijuana.

Stop the presses! Finally, something we agree on.

The signatures are in and have been validated. Arizona voters will get to decide whether to legalize marijuana for recreational use at the same time we choose between Donald or Hillary. At least, we'll get to make that decision if the agents of fear, who want to steal your right to vote, don't prevail in court.

[continues 371 words]

47 US AZ: Column: Is Prop 205 Right For Arizona?Thu, 18 Aug 2016
Source:Tucson Weekly (AZ) Author:Meyers, Nick Area:Arizona Lines:80 Added:08/18/2016

Some locals are not okay with treating a joint like a bottle of gin

Prop 205, which would decriminalize the use of marijuana for adults over 21, is a complex proposal.

The Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol officially met the signature requirement to be included on the November ballot. However, the initiative could be blocked by a pending court case, which had its first hearing last Friday.

The suit was filed by Arizonans for Responsible Drug Policy, which would more adequately be named Arizonan's for Anti-Drug Policy or, as their website says, "Arizonans Against Recreational Marijuana."

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48US AZ: Marijuana Initiative Qualifies For BallotThu, 11 Aug 2016
Source:Arizona Republic (Phoenix, AZ) Author:Sanchez, Yvonne Wingett Area:Arizona Lines:Excerpt Added:08/12/2016

Arizona voters are poised to decide whether to legalize marijuana for recreational use.

State officials notified the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol that it submitted enough signatures to qualify for the November ballot. The secretary of state is expected to certify the petition Thursday, according to spokesman Matt Roberts. The initiative will appear as Proposition 205.

But the campaign faces another hurdle: Marijuana-legalization foes are asking a Maricopa County Superior Court judge to toss the initiative from the ballot. In a lawsuit, opponents argue marijuana-legalization backers are deceiving voters in how they are pitching the measure. The lawsuit, brought by 13 individuals and groups, is scheduled for hearings on Friday.

[continues 165 words]

49US AZ: OPED: Why Legal Pot Supersedes Its ProhibitionThu, 11 Aug 2016
Source:Arizona Republic (Phoenix, AZ) Author:Holyoak, J. P. Area:Arizona Lines:Excerpt Added:08/12/2016

Last summer, the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol set out to place an initiative on the presidential election ballot that would end the failed policy of marijuana prohibition in Arizona. Now that it is poised to qualify, our campaign begins in earnest.

Over the next few months, we will inform voters about the many benefits of replacing the criminal market with a tightly controlled legal market.

We will detail the public-safety benefits of moving marijuana production and sales out of basements and back alleys and into secured facilities. We will describe the public-health benefits of replacing illegal dealers with licensed stores that test and label products, ask customers for ID, and only sell to adults.

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50 US AZ: Column: The Real MadnessThu, 11 Aug 2016
Source:Tucson Weekly (AZ) Author:Meyers, Nick Area:Arizona Lines:95 Added:08/11/2016

How did MJ get on same schedule as heroin?

For nearly a century officials have touted the dangers of marijuana. Many of us can dip into the memory banks to find attempts of officers visiting our classrooms to enlighten us on how drugs would ruin our lives.

The common narrative was that we'd get arrested and go to jail as they conveniently overlooked the fact that the only danger came from the legal system rather than the plant itself.

Predictably and perhaps ironically, the DARE program didn't deter as many young minds from experimenting with marijuana as it intended. According to a Pew Research poll, nearly half of Americans have tried marijuana at least once.

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