State Sen. Dave Lewis seems to have acknowledged every other opinion he deems valid to validate his own without stating he has an opinion. That shows what years of experience can do. What's really wrong though, did you miss the business train you seem to admire or was it the pressure of the House whip? In what part of your opinion did you forget to mention those who will not be able to acquire the medicine they need and suffer without and in some cases die because of their suffering because of SB423? [continues 166 words]
Congratulations, Republican Legislature for passing Senate Bill 423, roping in that damned participatory democracy that broke out here six years ago when the lame-brained progressives voted for that referendum allowing so-called medical marijuana to be the law of Montanaland. This by-the-people for-the-people stuff is poop. I mean, I can imagine an Iraq war vet who'd lost both legs when he stepped on a mine. Not only would Veterans Affairs physicians have to declare the vet disabled, but under SB423, not just one more doctor would also have to examine them but two, before they can be certified to possess pot for their pain. You make them really want it, crawl for it - as it should be. That's how I got to where I am today. [continues 182 words]
Dear Gov. Schweitzer, I have agreed with your position on many issues. I loved your standing for reason with your VETO branding iron. Why have you put that branding iron away? I am not a user of medical marijuana. But I was proud of Montanans when they voted to approve this natural pain reliever while giving a nod to the free enterprise system and allow a new industry to bud in our state. It provided safe pain relief to many citizens and put hundreds of Montanans to work. [continues 224 words]
The top prosecutors and officials in King County and Seattle are asking the Legislature to quickly untangle the mess left by Gov. Chris Gregoire's partial veto of a medical marijuana bill. In a letter to the four top legislative leaders, King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg, county executive Dow Constantine, Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn and Seattle city attorney Pete Holmes said the medical marijuana law in its current state leaves them with "few good options" to control and regulate dispensaries. "In the absence of new legislation, we at the local level will have to choose between closing down dispensaries and prosecuting the owners and workers, or allowing them to continue to multiply in an unclear regulatory environment," they wrote in a letter dated Wednesday. The letter is here. [continues 160 words]
Vashon youth continue to smoke marijuana and drink alcohol at higher rates than their peers in the rest of the state, but in some grades, the level of use is declining, according to the results of an extensive survey. The 2010 Healthy Youth Survey, administered to sixth-, eighth-, 10th- and 12th-graders last fall and released last week, shows a mixed picture, according to those involved in a far-reaching effort to get Vashon youth to abstain from drugs and alcohol. [continues 837 words]
A number of citizens of Southern Humboldt have expressed a desire for autonomy and self-governance for many years. Some SoHum folks have stumped for a county of their own, wanting to opt-out of their association with Humboldt County for feeling cut off or disenfranchised. Others have pushed to secede from the State (or the union), creating a hilly haven with it's own set of laws. By the way, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1869 that unilateral secession was unconstitutional. [continues 477 words]
And activists say, 'legalize it' The Town of Telluride will continue to refine its medical marijuana policies as the State of Colorado drags its feet in forging overarching rules. Last week, the Telluride Town Council gave direction to the town attorney to continue crafting local rules that will provide a blueprint for governing the industry, which has proven problematic across that state as it surged in popularity. As it stands now, the town's medical marijuana ordinance draft spans some 41 pages and, once passed, will take several key positions, regulating the age of dispensary workers and further regulating signage. [continues 609 words]
RAYNHAM - Approximately 200 Raynham residents voted to pass an article at the Annual Town Meeting approving a $300 fine for the public consumption of marijuana. Raynham Police Chief James Donovan explained the thinking behind the bylaw, saying it is a "quality of life issue." Donovan said there is no significant problem with the public consumption of marijuana in Raynham for most residents, but it can come up for those who live in apartments. "I don't think we are going to have a huge problem with this just like we don't have a huge problem with drinking in public," Donovan said. "It doesn't come up much for most of us here in Raynham because we live in single family dwellings. But for those who live in multifamily dwellings, apartments and such, it does come up for them." [continues 481 words]
Many medicines come with side effects, but few can compare with medical marijuana's: What other drug, when used as directed, could land you in jail? That's because even though 16 states, including Maine, have legalized the use of marijuana in some applications, the federal government still considers it to be illegal under any circumstance. To confuse matters even more, the U.S. Department of Justice has sent mixed signals about how it views use of the drug. Early in his tenure, Attorney General Eric Holder gave states reassurance that his prosecutors would not go after medicinal users of marijuana. But recently, some U.S. attorneys, including one in Rhode Island, have announced that they would not look the other way at the establishment of legal marijuana growing and selling businesses, even if they were regulated by the state. [continues 253 words]
The U.S. Attorney Has Concerns About Plans to Amend Maine's Medical Marijuana Law and Says Prosecutions Are Possible. Maine's U.S. attorney has told state lawmakers that Maine's medical marijuana law contradicts federal law, and that the U.S. Department of Justice reserves the right to prosecute Mainers who cultivate and distribute the drug, even if they have state approval. U.S. Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty sent a letter, dated Monday, in response to a request from the Legislature's Health and Human Services Committee, which recently endorsed changes to the Maine Medical Marijuana Act. [continues 660 words]
SALEM -- State lawmakers didn't move forward with any of the 20 bills that attempted to change Oregon's medical marijuana laws. But a small bi-partisan coalition of legislators has breathed new life into this controversial issue some thought tabled for the session. Today, the House Rules committee will hold a public hearing on House Bill 3664, which aims to put more restrictions on who can receive a medical marijuana card and how many plants growers can produce. The bill also aims to give police greater access to patient and grower records. [continues 601 words]