States Pressed

[Vigilante]

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/26/us...uana.html?_r=1

With a push being made to further make marijuana available for medical purposes in many states, the federal government is preferring each state to regulate it how they see fit. That link is a pretty good read, and tells us there is some progression being made in some of the higher population states other than "Cali". There seems to be a trend in the American North-East.. " New York, New Jersey, New Hampshire, and regulation already in Maine". If only legislation were passed in states further south, where there is at least a decent growing season. Perhaps, it's in the works.

[Dose Me]

Yes, progress is being made everywhere. I've been following the movement as closely as possible. The South will be the last to catch on I think (especially states like Mississippi and Alabamba) but it will be seen in my life time.

New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania are in a tricky situation with this. Jersey wants to be the first in the tri-state area to regulate. They fear that if Pennsylvania or New York allows for medical marijuana first, there will be a massive migration of those who need medicinal cannabis.

I.E. Whichever state out of those three makes the first move, will suddenly see their population increase slightly, and those people will be buying the medical pot, thus increasing any tax revenue they might obtain from its sale. The other two will miss the initial rush, money, taxes, as well as lose a portion of their population that would otherwise be paying taxes to their original state, but moved because it's legal one state over. Not everyone can afford to migrate to California just for marijuana. What if New Jersey legalizes first? How many New Yorkers will start visiting New Jersey and spending money there? Or just move there outright so they can get a card?

[DeadGirlsDon'tSayNo]

The south is definitely going to be the last to pass it, because it's so conservative. I think once more states other than cali start setting up dispensaries, and people see how much tax money it will make them, the other states will catch on fast.

[Dose Me]

Originally Posted by DeadGirlsDon'tSayNo

The south is definitely going to be the last to pass it, because it's so conservative. I think once more states other than cali start setting up dispensaries, and people see how much tax money it will make them, the other states will catch on fast.

As long as money can be made, it will have people standing behind it. This is a good point. Many states are hurting right now, budget wise (I live in PA, being the LAST state to even pass a budget, it was months overdue). If Cali pushes their initiative through in 2010 or 2012 (There's actually a rift between activists on which year is better to make "The final push") and they start making BANK...other states will quickly follow as money is king

[Mr. Dazed and Confused]

Originally Posted by Strife

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/26/us...uana.html?_r=1

With a push being made to further make marijuana available for medical purposes in many states, the federal government is preferring each state to regulate it how they see fit. That link is a pretty good read, and tells us there is some progression being made in some of the higher population states other than "Cali". There seems to be a trend in the American North-East.. " New York, New Jersey, New Hampshire, and regulation already in Maine". If only legislation were passed in states further south, where there is at least a decent growing season. Perhaps, it's in the works.

Those southern states seem too conservative, they will probably lag behind any progression made by other states. There's already a substantial amount of growing that takes place in Maine, it's not a great climate, but lots of space. My friend was telling me there's a initiative on the ballot to make Maine the 5th state that permits marijuana dispensaries.

[JustAnotherAsshole]

Wait, the Federal Government is giving up control of Marijuana?

[TruthBringer]

Originally Posted by JustAnotherAsshole

Wait, the Federal Government is giving up control of Marijuana?

No, but a lot of people in this thread are naive enough to think so.

"When you read the newspapers, you heard that the federal government has changed its policy regarding busting medical marijuana suppliers who are staying within state regulations. That is exactly what we wanted, but the devil is in the details, and further down in the pronouncement he says that even though this is the federal government’s policy, if a DEA agent or prosecutor violates the policy, he says “no harm done’

Then, Obama makes a statement that defendants should not expect to be able to bring up the federal policy as their defense. So even though a supplier is following state policy and it is against federal policy to bust them, a federal agent can still bust them, the person can still be prosecuted, and cannot use federal policy as a defense. Thanks a lot! You better smoke some more joints President Obama, because you still haven’t gotten it right. It is not the heads that should be busted, it’s the feds who violate every moral principal when they bust the healers!"

They're banned from using federal policy or state law as their defense in court, so the raids will continue.

[TruthBringer]

Originally Posted by Dose Me

Yes, progress is being made everywhere.

Progress my ass. I'll consider it progress when over half the states have medical marijuana dispensaries and the polls show over half of americans support legalization.

When enough states have medical marijuana programs it'll make it a lot harder for the DEA to raid them all. And if a state legalizes it completely it creates a domino effect of other states doing the same and makes it impossible to enforce laws against marijuana.

That's the way to make progress. That, and blowing up/sniping DEA agents till they live in fear constantly. But no one would do that of course. We're a nation of pussies that can only invade countries that are much weaker than us.

[Dose Me]

We know that this means nothing when it comes to an actual in-stone change in marijuana policy. Nobody who's an activist thinks that this changed much at all. It was merely a recommendation. The administration is just saying "Hey guys, you dont have to keep busting marijuana patients who operate within the law if you don't want to."

It's change though...something we haven't seen any of in quite awhile.

I'm also aware that a repercussion of this will be they're going to start really looking at the dispensaries...they're going to find shops that are violating any law/rule and close them down. They're going to pull stipulations and technicalities out and really be hard-line on dispensary operations.

And you've never been able to use medical marijuana as a defense in federal court. That's one of the shittiest things out there. If a fed arrests you for owning a dispensary, you CANNOT bring up the fact that dispensaries are allowed under California law as a defense.

So no, nothing's really changed...drastically. But finally something happened at the federal level that wasn't just "CRACK DOWN HARDER AND APPLY MOAR BANZ NAO!"

[TruthBringer]

Point is, they don't even need dispensaries to violate state law in order to raid and arrest and they never have. Raids will continue as usual.

[JustAnotherAsshole]

It will almost certainly become legal nationwide in our lifetimes, but it will take a fucking long time, and a fucking lot of effort. It's such bullshit that the public's opinion has no place in drug policy making.

[Vigilante]

The point is, any progressive change is still just that "good change". Sure, it's nothing radical as far breakthrough policies that allow complete decriminalization, but it's still a step forward. And it's really variant upon your perspective. To the man who simply smokes and sells his herb, any news about further allowing dispensaries for medical use will usually fall upon death ears. But as an activist, and not just a general toker.. I look beyond my own needs and at those of whom I'm familiar with. Marijuana has alot of potential with eating disorders and those suffering from certain mental psychosis. I have seen the positive effects it has had on those with bi-polar syndrome and insomnia. And not just that. I'm an American.. and in today's age that doesn't mean as much as it use to. I'm not as patriotic as I probably should be, but I have faith that any bad situation can be turned around. The tax revenue would dramatically enhance the economy and modern living across the board. Not Marijuana alone, but it is an opportunity that will lead to others. The government has clearly failed to prove itself righteous and infallible. A little pride will need to be swallowed, but it'll be a dose of good medicine.