Poll: Calif. voters back marijuana legalization

Poll: Calif. voters back marijuana legalization

SAN FRANCISCO —A poll released Wednesday has promising news for marijuana users who hope California will join the two other states that have voted to legalize recreational use of the drug. [note KCRA needs to stop referring to the Herb as "drugs"]A Field Poll found that a solid majority of those surveyed this month – 54 percent – support allowing weed to be sold and taxed like alcohol.

Read more: http://www.kcra.com/news/politics/Poll-Calif-voters-back-marijuana-legalization/-/11797268/19103482/-/rcxvwxz/-/index.html

Members of Congress To Introduce Federal Measure To Legalize Cannabis, Regulate Sales

by Paul Armentano, NORML Deputy Director
February 5, 2013

Members of Congress will introduce historic legislation on Tuesday to permit for the regulated production and retail sales of cannabis to adults in states that have legalized its consumption.

Representative Jared Polis, (D-CO) is sponsoring legislation that seeks to regulate marijuana in a manner similar to alcohol.

Separate legislation to be introduced by Rep. Earl Bluemenauer (D-OR) seeks to establish a federal tax structure for retail cannabis production and sales.

http://blog.norml.org/2013/02/05/members-of-congress-to-introduce-federal-measure-to-legalize-cannabis-regulate-sales/

Congratulations to the People of Colorado and Washington!

11 Enemies of Marijuana Legalization

11 Enemies of Marijuana Legalization

From President Obama to NYC Mayor Bloomberg, the authorities are still bent on keeping pot illegal.

October 18, 2012  |

“In 1990, Los Angeles Police Chief Daryl Gates told a Senate committee that people who smoked pot occasionally “ought to be taken out and shot.” That kind of fanaticism, which dominated the debate on drugs 20 years ago, seems to have faded. Today’s politicians are more likely to dismiss cannabis concerns as “not serious” than to rail against the demons of dope—but the powers that be are still bent on keeping pot illegal. U.S. cops bust an average of almost 100 people every hour for pot, and an array of think tanks and nonprofit groups continues to pump out prohibitionist propaganda.

Here are 11 of the worst—the most powerful and the most vehement.

1. DEA Administrator Michele Leonhart

A holdover from the Bush administration, Leonhart was formally appointed to head the Drug Enforcement Administration by Barack Obama in 2010. The antiprohibitionist movement strongly opposed her, citing the DEA’s raids on medical-marijuana growers in California—including one on a 69-year-old woman who had been the first grower to register with the Mendocino County Sheriff.

As the DEA’s acting director in January 2009, she overruled a DEA administrative-law judge’s recommendation and denied the University of Massachusetts a license to cultivate marijuana for FDA-approved research. “This single act has blocked privately funded medical marijuana research in this country,” NORML head Allen St. Pierre said in July 2010.

Leonhart often carries hardline views to absurd extremes. In 2011, asked about the drug-cartel carnage in Mexico, she told the Washington Post that “It may seem contradictory, but the unfortunate level of violence is a sign of success in the fight against drugs,” because the cartels were fighting each other “like caged animals.” In June 2012, asked by Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO) if crack, heroin and methamphetamine were worse for your health than marijuana, she repeatedly answered, “I believe all illegal drugs are bad.” Asked if opioid painkillers like OxyContin were more addictive than marijuana, she answered, “All illegal drugs in Schedule I are addictive.””

ten more……http://urlet.com/each.carry or

http://www.alternet.org/11-enemies-marijuana-legalization

 

High School Students Speak Truth to Power in Fascist Northern Nevada

http://www.rgj.com/article/20101120/NEWS/11200315/1321

“A Northern Nevada school principal is defending the suspensions of 12 students for posting pro-marijuana signs on campus, saying it caused a disruption for classmates and staff.

Carson Valley Middle School Principal Robert Been said the signs, including ones reading “Legalize Weed” and “Free the Weed,” violated a policy requiring all signs to be approved by staff before being displayed.
The group hung nearly 30 signs at the Gardnerville school, about 50 miles south of Reno, after three classmates were taken into custody on suspicion of smoking marijuana next to campus on Nov. 9.”

Arnold Can Decriminalize Marijuana With a Stroke of His Pen!

California Legislature Passes Marijuana Decriminalization Bill

http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2010/sep/01/california_legislature_passes_ma

“Just hours before the state’s legislative session ended Tuesday, the California Assembly voted to approve SB 1449, Sen. Mark Leno’s bill to fully decriminalize simple marijuana possession. The bill passed the Senate in June and now goes to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s desk.”

Yes On 19

I have been an advocate and activist for an end to marijuana prohibition for a few years now, but I have been kind of luke warm on Prop 19 so far.  However with the wack job religious nut jobs coming out of the closet and beginning their attacks, and with the cowardice of some (mainly) Democratic elected officials (and thank you to the many rank and file Democrats who support legalization)  it has become important to me to publicly endorse the success of this initiative.

It is not perfect and may indeed lead to even more police involvement in our lives than at present.  We will see how that works out.  At any rate Prop 19 is neither the beginning nor will it be the end of the struggle of the people to enjoy the four uses of this wonderful plant:  spiritual, medicinal, recreational and industrial.

The most important thing about Proposition 19 is that it says to the Federal Government “Marijuana is legal.”  That is a statement that the Feds must either accept or not.  We will see how that works out, too.  California could make it as an independent country, no problem.

have a  peaceful day,

Bill

Anti Gay Marraige Group Is Opposed to Prop 19 – What a Shock!

SACRAMENTO – The fight to legalize marijuana is about to take on a political heavy hitter. SaveCalifornia.com, the people who backed Prop 8 and opposed Gay Marriage, is about to launch StopProp19.com.

The site will be up and running by Wednesday, but a public service is set to launch on YouTube sometime Monday.

http://www.fox40.com/news/headlines/ktxl-news-newplayerinfightoverlegalizingmarijuana,0,4247797.story

The Right Way to Legalization

I am not sure how I am going to vote on Proposition 19, the California initiative that purports to legalize the possession of small amounts of cannabis for adults.  Of course I am pro-legalization.   I am a radical who believes that the Constitution already guarantees us the use of this plant under several clauses including the first, the fourth, the fifth and the 10th amendments, and also as a natural human right that no government can take from us.

As for Prop 19 I am not sure, sometimes I suspect that it is an attempt by some established interests to corner the market legally, which will not be such a good thing.  People (perhaps even more than now) will still be thrown in jail over cannabis related “crime.”  I am leaning towards “yes” at the moment because I feel that a yes will be at least an incremental step towards full legalization.  However I do admit that that argument failed me when the Democrats used it to push through  their awful health care “reform.”

Anyway I am not decided yet on 19, I will let you know when I do.

But I do need to point out that there is a way to legalize cannabis the right way.  The right way would be to simply eliminate every instance in the California Penal Code that criminalizes the use, possession, or cultivation of marijuana cannabis.

Simple.  Clean. Done.

The easiest way to fix it is by eliminating a few laws not passing some more.

have a peaceful day,

Bill

“Free the Weed” – Two Smooth Stones – Solstice Sessions

“Free the Weed” – Two Smooth Stones – Solstice Sessions – Liner Notes

You can listen to or download ”Free the Weed”  at our myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/twosmoothstones

Free the Weed was I think the 2nd original we recorded in the summer of 2008, after Sing A Little Song.  I wrote “Free the Weed” in response to (and protest of)  the federal law enforcement invasion of Humboldt County that summer when over 500 federal agents stormed our hillsides.  For not much, it turns out.

We recorded it and played it out around the county at our gigs and it rapidly became a favorite with our fans and the general public.

Jimmie gives the guitar solo in the middle just a perfect touch – funky but understated and chill.  Bill is on overdubbed bass.  Jimmie has a rhythm part in here too.  We strove throughout the cd to make it sound like you were sitting right in the same room with a couple of live musicians, and with this one we came damned close.

Free the Weed

words and music by William Holmes

copyright 2008 William Holmes

 
G               D7
Hey hey hey Mr. DEA,

B7                      C
Get yourself a life and go away

A7
All we wanna do

D7
Is smoke some weed.

Hey hey hey Mr. FBI,
Get yourself a clue and go bye-bye
All we wanna do
Is smoke some weed.

     
     
        E7
 Free the weed
 
                              Am    Am/G     F
 Let us smoke some pot
 
 E7
 Free the weed
 
                                 Am     Am/G   F
 It’s the only thing we got
 
                 C
 It’s all we got,
 
                 G
 It’s all we got.
 
Hey hey hey Mr. DA man
Cut us some slack I know you can
All we wanna do
Is smoke some weed

 Free the weed
 Let us smoke some pot
 Free the weed
 It’s the only thing we got
 It’s all we got,
 It’s all we got.
 
(Instrumental verse and chorus)
 
Hey hey hey Mr. DA man
Cut us some slack I know you can
All we wanna do
Is smoke some weed

 Free the weed
 Let us smoke some pot
 Free the weed
 It’s the only thing we got
 It’s all we got,
 It’s all we got.