In light of a recent federal crackdown on medical marijuana, seven San Francisco supervisors urged the feds to reverse course. “I believe it’s important for us … to be very clear that we support the right of patients to have access to medicine,” said Supervisor David Campos, chief sponsor of the nonbinding resolution. His co-sponsors are Supervisors Eric Mar, John Avalos, David Chiu, Ross Mirkarimi, Jane Kim and Scott Wiener. It’s not the first time the supervisors have weighed in, Rachel Gordon reports in the San Francisco Chronicle. In 2001, the Board of Supervisors declared [...]
Proposition 19 would partially legalize marijuana in California if passed, but many local mayors are against allowing it to be sold in their boundaries, the San Bernardino Sun reports. Rancho Cucamonga Mayor Don Kurth said that because the proposition would be in violation of federal law against marijuana, the proposition was flawed and he needed clarification. “I support whatever it is people want,” Kurth said. “However, that conflict has got to be resolved. My guess is most of the other people in public office would have a similar viewpoint. We don’t want to see our [...]
Many California voters are high on a ballot initiative that would legalize recreational use of marijuana. Valley officials are not, George Hostetter writes in the Fresno Bee. They’re wary about problems that Proposition 19 might create — and uncertain how it would work. But even though the measure would become law the day after it passes, local officials are not drafting pot regulations until the voters are heard on Nov. 2. “There are a lot of questions about how [Prop. 19] would be put into practice,” says Visalia City Attorney Alex Peltzer. “They’re going to [...]
Oct 012010
Bud’s note: The newspapers are playing catch-up on this as they plow through the other bills on Arnold’s desk. This action alert comes from the fine folks at NORML; I’ll post more coverage as it becomes available. “Weed Wars” coverage from the Sacramento Bee “Radical” Russ Belville’s reaction in NORML’s Stash Blog San Jose Mercury News coverage Los Angeles Times coverage ========== Yesterday outgoing California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed Senate Bill 1449 — which reduces adult marijuana possession charges from a criminal misdemeanor to a civil infraction. NORML would like to thank the 2,500+ of [...]
A state Capitol hearing today on how Proposition 19 may affect the future universe of California produced such disparate views that Assemblyman Tom Ammiano pondered the potential outcomes as perhaps only he can. “A drug czar today could be on Dancing With the Stars tomorrow,” he said. It was a light moment in a otherwise serious discussion over how California and its local governments will be impacted if voters pass the initiative to legalize marijuana for recreational use, permit small residential cultivation and allow cities and counties to tax and regulate retail pot sales. On [...]
Sep 142010
Humboldt County District Attorney Paul Gallegos said he supports marijuana legalization, but is not endorsing Proposition 19. Gallegos’ name was among a list of more than 30 former and current law enforcement officials across the state to sign a letter released by Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) in support of legalization and Prop. 19 — the Regulate, Control and Tax Cannabis Act of 2010. Retired Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Stephen Cobine and former Humboldt County Senior Deputy District Attorney Jeffrey Schwartz were also among those on the LEAP letter saying Prop. 19 can help [...]
A senior aide for Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) was arrested Tuesday for attempting to bring marijuana into the Hart Senate Office Building, according to U.S. Capitol Police reports. Marcus Stanley, who served as a senior economic adviser and at one time worked on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee — chaired by Boxer — was stopped by a police officer Tuesday morning when he allegedly tried to “remove and conceal” a leafy green substance from his pocket during a security screening at the Constitution Avenue door of the Hart building around noon, according to [...]
Prompted by roughly 35 medical marijuana advocates — including one who used the public comment period to play a Native American tune on a flute made of bone — the Marysville City Council voted 3-1 Tuesday night to change future meetings so public comment will be near the end, rather than at the beginning. Tuesday’s public comment was allowed at the beginning and the end of the meeting as a one-time measure to accommodate the agenda and the crowd. Mayor Bill Harris voted against the proposed change, the Appeal-Democrat reports. Councilman Ben Wirtschafter was absent. [...]
Montebello state Senator Ron Calderon is proposing a comprehensive “Cannabis Licensing Act” to regulate and tax multiple sectors of the medical marijuana industry, including pot stores, “growers, wholesalers, retailers, and transporters of cannabis.” California medical marijuana dispensaries currently produce up to $1.3 billion in transactions and up to $105 million in state sales taxes, according to estimates earlier this year by the state Board of Equalization. Calderon’s chief of staff, Rocky Rushing, said the senator introduced Senate Bill 1131 because he believes there are insufficient structures in place to ensure California collects taxes due on [...]
All the running and weight-training honed Martin Gilbert’s wiry 120-pound, 5-foot-9 frame into peak condition. He fully expected to be in Army boot camp by September. He wanted to be ready, Larry Parsons reports in the Monterey County Herald. Joining the Army, Gilbert says is something he counted on since he was 8 years old and first got an eyeful of military equipment in a Texas surplus store. His desire comes from a mix of “love of country,” a deep respect for the military and hearing his politically conservative father express regrets, over the years, [...]
Reading is cool; interacting is better