Tag Archives: TODAY
New Hampshire Senate Votes On MMJ Today
Fingers crossed New Hampshire… if things go well today, this could be something like a birthday for you. Sometime after their morning coffee – and before their evening cocktail – the New Hampshire State Senate will vote on whether or not its citizens, can join the rapidly growing number of states that allow for the compassionate use of medical marijuana for the treatment of its seriously ill citizens.
While the N.H. Senate is currently in the ‘hot seat’ on this national topic. The House has already considered the issues and passed a slightly more ‘user-friendly’ version. The primary changes to the bill being voted on today are the elimination of two major items.
In the new version – they have eliminated the ability for a patient to cultivate their own medicine at home! Why would they do that? And have also done away with PTSD as a qualifying condition, which IMO is absolutely cruel and insane.
Regardless, of the two takeaways in the Senate version, progress is progress… and at least this bill is moving forward. Should the bill pass the Senate – face no opposition from the Governor – and becomes law. Rules and regulations can always be modified, as public opinion and science warrants.
New York Marijuana Rally Today In Albany: Concerned Politicians Fire Up Pot Law Debate
As fellow New Yorkers grow disgusted over the NYPD’s 2012 arrest rate for the possession of small amounts of weed. Representing nearly 40,000 lost souls rotting in jail for possessing petty amounts of pot. And at a cost of nearly $ 75 million a year… politicians and citizens alike have had enough and have called for today’s Pro pot conference – to discuss sensible possible solutions.
New Poll: At Least 60% of All Voters Continue to Call for Fixing Marijuana Possession Laws, Including Half of Republicans; Poll is Third This Year Showing Strong Majority Support For Reform
Thousands More New Yorkers Have Been Arrested – at Cost of Estimated $ 7.5 Million – for Possessing Small Amounts of Marijuana Since April 1 When Reform Talks Failed During Budget Negotiation
Albany: On Wednesday, May 22nd, members of the New York State Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic, and Asian Legislative Caucus will gather with commuity groups to demand an end to the biased and costly practice of falsely arresting tens of thousands of people in New York for low-level marijuana possession every year. Dozens of advocates and impacted people from around the state will join them at a press conference and rally to urge passage of sensible marijuana decriminalization legislation, A.6716A (Camara)/S.3105A (Squadron). The proposal, introduced at the request of Governor Cuomo, would decriminalize possessing up to 15 grams of marijuana in public view, though smoking in public would remain a misdemeanor. Community members and elected officials are demanding that leadership in Albany make fixing this law a top priority. The bill would help end the practice of arresting tens of thousands of young people per year for possessing marijuana in public view when police demand that someone “empty their pockets” during a stop-and-frisk encounter.
What: Press conference with Caucus members, community groups, and people impacted by the costly, unlawful and racially biased marijuana arrests crusade in NY
When: Wednesday, May 22nd, 2013 at 1 p.m.
Where: Million Dollar Staircase, Capitol Building, Albany, NY
Who: Scheduled to attend: Members of the New York State Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic, and Asian Caucus, with community members from around the stateBackground
Sensible reform was slated to pass during the budget cycle at the end of March, but in typical Albany fashion, confusion among leadership in the capital stymied the effort. As a result of this failure, thousands more people have been needlessly arrested – most of them Black and Latino – costing taxpayers millions of dollars and wasting an estimated10,000 police hours. Approximately 45,000 people were arrested in New York for marijuana possession in 2012 alone; nearly 40,000 of those arrests were in New York City, far exceeding the total marijuana arrests for the fifteen-year period from 1981-1995. The cost to taxpayers was nearly $ 75 million last year alone, and over $ 600 million in the last decade, a profound waste of taxpayer money. And these arrests are extraordinarily racially biased, as nearly 85% of those arrested are Black and Latino – mostly young men – even though government studies show that young white men use marijuana at higher rates. Fixing the law and standardizing penalties will bring us closer to ending racially discriminatory marijuana arrest practices focusing our limited resources more effectively.
A new poll released Monday by the Sienna Research Institute found that 60% of New Yorkers support the proposal to fix the state’s broken marijuana possession law, making it the third poll this year to register at least 60% support for the measure. The reform proposal outlined by Governor Cuomo is supported by dozens of community organizations throughout the state, state legislators, the NYC Council, and Mayor Bloomberg. Additionally, the reforms are supported by law enforcement leaders from across the state, including NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly; all five NYC District Attorneys (Democrat and Republican); District Attorneys from Long Island, Buffalo and Albany; and other police leaders, like the Albany Sheriff and Rochester Police Chief. The New York Times, the Daily News, the New York Post, the Syracuse Times-Standard, and the Buffalo News are among the papers that have written editorials in support the of the reform.
A report released this March by the Drug Policy Alliance found that the NYPD spent 1 million hours making arrests for marijuana possession between 2002-2012. The report found that police spent an average of 2.5 man-hours on such arrests, amounting to 98,045 hours in 2012.
RIP Bob Marley, Who Died 32 Years Ago Today
Nesta Robert Marley died on May 11, 1981, which is 32 years ago today. As we continue to fight the good fight for legalization, Marley’s legacy, music, words, and overall ethos continue to run through our blood. Here are some of his inspirational words that continue to guide us on all on our endless, Irie journey to conquer Duppies:
The more people smoke herb, the more Babylon fall.
I’ve been here before and will come again, but I’m not going this trip through.
My music fights against the system that teaches to live and die.
When you smoke the herb, it reveals you to yourself.
Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds!
Me only have one ambition, y’know. I only have one thing I really like to see happen. I like to see mankind live together – black, white, Chinese, everyone – that’s all.
Get up, stand up, Stand up for your rights. Get up, stand up, Don’t give up the fight.
Open your eyes, look within. Are you satisfied with the life you’re living?
Life is one big road with lots of signs. So when you riding through the ruts, don’t complicate your mind. Flee from hate, mischief and jealousy. Don’t bury your thoughts, put your vision to reality. Wake Up and Live!
Herb is the healing of a nation, alcohol is the destruction.
Legalization has a long way to go, but as long as people keep churning, we will eventually Free Up The Herb as Tuff Gong would want. As you light one up in memory of Bob here’s an hour-long tribute mix of all Marley edits that’s rastafar-i-a to the max and can inspire you throughout your day, week, and life:
Vermont House votes on marijuana decriminlization today
Vermont appears to be inching their way towards decriminalization after the House voted 98-44 Friday in favor of a bill that would eliminate jail time for possession of minor amounts of marijuana.
The bill comes up for a third, and final, House vote later today according to the legislative calendar. If passed, it would move on to the state senate. It’s likely that it will, too. According to a Public Policy Polling report from February, 63 percent of Vermont voters support the measure.
House Bill 200 would decriminalize the possession of up to two ounces of cannabis, making it a civil offense punishable by up to $ 100 in fines for adults over 21. The bill would also decriminalize growing up to two mature marijuana plants and seven immature plants for those 21 or older. Marijuana paraphernalia would also be decriminalized as part of the bill.
Those under 21 caught with cannabis would face penalties similar to existing alcohol offenses, such as fines and mandatory alcohol and drug awareness programs.
“A majority of Vermont voters agree that nobody should be subject to life-altering criminal penalties simply for using a substance that is objectively less harmful than alcohol,” said Matt Simon, a Marijuana Policy Project spokesman. “I think we can all agree that addressing violent and otherwise serious crimes is a better use of law enforcement officials’ time and resources than arresting and prosecuting people for possessing small amounts of marijuana.”
A second decriminalization bill that would have only covered up to an ounce was also introduced this session, but has failed to move out of the Senate Judiciary Committee since being sent there January 23.
Currently, possession of two ounces or less is a misdemeanior charge carrying up to $ 500 in fines and six months in jail. Cultivation of between three and ten plants is a felony with three years in jail and up to $ 100,000 in fines.
More links from around the web!
Today Is the 40th Anniversary of the Report That Could Have Stopped the Drug War
Today is the 40th anniversary of the Shafer Report, 
the extensive study commissioned by Richard Nixon to advise him on drug policy. Surprisingly, both to Nixon and to most readers today, the report suggested making marijuana legal all the way back in 1973!
Nixon did not approve and ignored the findings of the report, having already decided to embark on a disastrous “War On Drugs” that continues to this day, with increasingly devastating effects on society.
Eric Sterling covers the report extensively at the Huffington Post, but just think: we could have stopped all this nonsense 40 years ago if our politicians had listened to the evidence instead of reactionary political pressure.
