Landmark Electoral Victories in Maine and Colorado
Last night’s election produced two noteworthy victories for the marijuana policy reform movement.
In Maine, an estimated 58 percent of voters approved Question 5, making Maine the third state in the nation (along with Rhode Island and New Mexico) to establish state-licensed non-profit dispensaries that will provide medical marijuana to qualified patients. This is also significant because it is the first time such a system was enacted by voters. (The other two were approved by state legislatures.)
And in Colorado, more than 70 percent of voters in the tiny ski town of Breckenridge voted to remove city-level criminal penalties for possession of up to one ounce of marijuana for adults over 21. While possession of any amount is still illegal under state law, the citizens of Breckenridge have undoubtedly sent a message to lawmakers in Colorado—and around the country—by taking this first and necessary step toward the end of marijuana prohibition.
35 comments
I’ll be skiing in breckenridge from now on…
The Breckenridge vote really is amazing, isn’t it? It will be interesting to see if Colorado state law enforcement or any type of Federal law enforcment goes into Brecekenridge to make arrests? I wonder, too, if the local law enforcement community will make arrests for small-scale cultivation (it doesn’t appear that such cultivation is allowed under the Breckenridge law). This should make for some interesting politics in Colorado this year!
Why is it that city law does not take priority over state law, and why does state law not take priority over federal law?
It seems backwards to me…
breckenridge is a great step…. but at 5 square miles with a pop of a couple thousand, its pretty easy to see why it passed. I hope a bunch of towns and cities ignore both state and federal laws come next year.
I am almost 100% sure that next year will be a huge election time for marijuana all over the country. You will have legalization bills, decrim bills, MMJ bills… or whatever they are called when people vote….. the governments arent budging on this issue… so its up to the people to do it for them
JD, it depends on the state’s constitution, not the federal constitution. Since the state says it has supreme authority over the municipality in its constitution, they get to make the law of the land. As for the US constitution, it’s supposed to give rights to the Federal government, anything not convered in the constitution becomes a states rights issue. That said, this from a non lawyer.
legalize it already.
co,ca lets go!
finally real change! Unfortunatly it has nothing to do with our promised change leader .
Why won’t leaders listen to the voters? More people need to write the news media and our congressmen.
I have noticed that more states are looking at legalizing and regulating casino gambling as a way to bring coffers up instead of looking at the possibilities of legalizing marijuana and regulating and taxing it.
A couple of things:
1 – Greg (#9), Ohio just passed the casino issue (yay!). And to add to your comment, I read an article about the end of cannabis prohibition, and someone said the way it’s viewed is like gambling. First came Vegas, then Atlantic city. For the longest time, everyone looked at it as immoral. But as those two hot spots became more popular for tourists, people started realizing it’s not that big an issue. So now you have casinos all over the country. He said that cannabis policy is working in the same fashion. The general public sees it as no big deal, so now you have all this legislation for MMJ and regulation, right along with the dispensaries.
2 – In another article, someone compared cannabis prohibition with alcohol prohibition. According to him, small communities started turning a blind eye to drinkers, then the states started to. It wasn’t long afterwards that the federal government repealed it altogether and turned over regulation authority to the states.
A lot of prohibs laugh at measures like the ones passed in Breckenridge and San Francisco. They say at best it is a symbolic action. I say give the baby their bottle. I honestly think these measures are the drug war’s kryptonite. Of course state-wide and federal-wide legislation needs to keep coming, because the individual communities are too small and too numerous to do it on their own.
Something is gonna give. If not in 2010, very soon afterwards. Each year, we elect new state/city/congressional candidates. With such a high percentage of our population being anti-prohibition, how long will it be before congress and state houses are filled with cannabis supporters? I mean, we already have two highly prominent allies in government already – Dr Paul and Congressman Frank (and let’s not forget our other friend, Mr Ammiano).
#9 Greg:
Here in Iowa, we have legalized gambling,legalized samesex marriage. Unfortunately,we have a bunch of hardheaded old guys running things here and wont hear any talk of legalizing cannabis. Mr Grassely is our senstor and has taken it upon himself to try tie the hands of anyone involved in Jim Webs commission.
I urge everyone to call Mr Grasselys office. Stop this measure hes trying to add to Jim Webs commission.
I’d love to see more towns / cities do stuff like this. It makes for great news.
im confused…is selling it and cultivating it still illegal? if they only legalized posession, growers and those brave dealers who put their “freedom” on the line every day to keep us feeling right still have to worry about being arrested.
bout footin time aladdin
# 13, that’s a good question. I think the only thing it does is tell the police to leave the user alone. I think it’s similar to the Alaskan policy of “your house your business.” Now, cultivation is a different matter. In Alaska, you can have so many oz’s and so many plants, but I think that’s the only place in the US that allows you to grow it.
Breckenridge has now ensured revenue increase, although the ones who voted no don’t realize it. Soon the ones who voted no will see that the “sky isn’t falling” and having cannabis legal (somewhat) is the way to go.
Over at http://copssaylegalize.blogspot.com/ there’s three posts on Grassley. Sen. Grassley seems to indicate that he is going to withdraw his amendment, but let’s not take that for granted …
Go over there and submit the letter to your senator.
Time to stop being paranoid, just do it.
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Off topic: MSM had a story on California wanting raise state taxes of its citizens 10%. Something like 1.7 billion in the hole. Apparently these g’ment goons can’t see that Legalization of marijuana would provide that and then some.
All I have to say is… Chuck Grassley.
This man is a disgrace to all people of America (and Iowa just plain sucks, sorry).
No other state is an acronym for Idiots Out Wandering Around!!! Sorry Iowa stoners… you should really move.
Holy Smokes. I bet there will be a lot skiing and snowboarding through the trees. The voters in the City of Breckenridge did the right thing. Adults now have a SAFER choice in recreational intoxicants. The facts are clear MJ is a safer choice than alcohol and cigarettes. Read the book: Marijuana is SAFER.
Rev. Sleezy
The Universal Life Church of the Holy Smokes
Potland, OR
one small step for the nation one big step for breckinridge!
I hope the Democrats will take notice that legalization is more popular then they are an attach themselves to the issue. I’d be happy if the Republicans did the same, but I see it as much less likely.
Just as law enforcement site that any place that legalizes drugs would become “Drug Tourism” states. They also said that of places that have legalized gambling in the past and all the illegal drugs & prostitution that come with it… Illegal activity happens everywhere for reasons beyond gambling & drugs. Crime doesn’t discriminate and revolve exclusivly around any one thing.
This is the start of a revolution. When the rest of the nation sees that these new laws work and the crime rate drops, other towns, cities and states will follow. I cannot afford to move to a legal state so I must help change local laws where I live. A fee of 1oo dollers per year to grow is a reasonable amount to pay, I guess. I am not to keen on paying to grow my meds as i have already paid in fines and the loss of personal property when I was raided. As I see things I have already paid for several years in advance. Keep tokin and overgrow big bro.
Way to go Colorado. Now may be other states will do the same.
I think Luke makes a great point in comment #10. Prohibition will end as the result of a bottom-up process; the federal laws will be the last thing to change, not the first. Over the next few years we’re going to see municipalities all over the country following Breckenridge; that will in turn snowball into changes on statewide prohibition, which will then ultimately lead to change on the federal level. But make no mistake, this will all come down because of small steps, not big ones.
Oh, and of course a note of thanks is in order for MPP. They played a major role in getting these measures passed, particularly in Maine. Thanks guys!
I have heard that the Grassely amendment to Sen. Webb’s bill was pulled? Anyone can confirm this? Hopefully enough people got on his ass and said no way.
So this has bothered me for quite some time, so hopefully someone here can help me understand:
Big problem with CA dispensaries is this notion that they are making a profit on selling medical marijuana. Since the law was written tha the dispensaries would need to be non-profit this is the reason these facilities are opened up for raids (or this seems to be the excuse given).
So why is it that Medical Marijuana establishment should not be able to make a profit? I realize that the purpose of their existence is for the benefit of the community and so it would make sense for them to be non-profit. BUT is Johnson and Johnson a non-profit organization? How about any of the Pharmaceutical Companies? The Health Insurance Companies? Hospitals? Pharmacies? Medical Equipment Manufacturers?
I think that before you dictate that one segment of the HealthCare industry be only non-profit that you extend that same justification over the entire HealthCare System. Why are we profitting on the sick and injured anyway???
why is it that this little town can get away with this kinda stuff and my town of elkhorn,wi. is such tight asses about one little joint ? if you even say the words hemp,pot, cannabis,joint ,smoke or anything related you will be fined are they so self involved that they care nothing about caring for the sick? some times i wonder ! we need to speak out america loud and proud if your sick and cant take these crappy drugs anymore lets hear it !
sorry to post this hear but it is to sad not to.
Redding charity rejects food offer from medical pot collective
head line from our local paper today. a pastor that runs the charity refused the food donation of a number of coops. i replied in a post that i doubt jesus would judge like he was doing and that my family would pray for him to find the right path.
Sorry to hear the news c. Redding, it appears, needs to definitely to be dealt with, in a strong way. MPP – Anything being directed towards this BS?
Alex #26, “Hopefully enough people got on his ass and said no way.” Were you one of them Alex? Did you go to the LEAP link provided in comment #16?
Don’t get me wrong here, it’s not a personal attack. What it is is a call to action. Are you willing? Is anyone here ready, willing and able to lay down the pot long enough to be a part of the roar that will be heard around the world? We heard Obummer’s laugh around the world, remember?
Maybe I’m a little bolder than most because I don’t smoke marijuana. Not because I don’t want to smoke, because I do want to smoke, freely, without persecution or judgment.
Just my two cents. Maybe, just maybe worthy of your consideration.
A few things:
I saw someone named “the other Luke” – that cracked me up, Stoners unite! That’s awesome, man. Another thing is, Cannabis is lilke everything else looked at as immoral. One thing I learned in my ethics class is thast morallity =/= legality, and the other way around. Someone also mentioned prostitution. I agree, it should be legal in what is considered a free society. Like George Carlin said, “Fu**ing is legal, selling is legal – why is selling fu**ing not legal?” The same goes for pot, booze, and smokes. I am not hurting anyone but myself by doing these things – why should I have someone telling me I can’t do any of it?
Also, BTW, all you people who are screaming for Cannabis liberartion but scrutinizing alcohol and tobacco – please don’t do that. I am a fully trained bartender and long time tobacco user. Yes, they both hurt people and society more that all scherdule 1 altogether, but those things are still a choice for people. Please don’t hurt other rights we have while trying to exaunerate one you are concentrarting on. I mean, how would you feel if you were around during the 30s, and alcohol proponents were putting down cannabis while trying to gain back their constitutional right to drink? I’m not trying to argue – I’m just sayin’.
FYI, I am 100%, full on anti-prohibition. Like all of you, I believe booze and tobacco are 1,000,000 times more harmful than pot, and for this reason believe it should be legal. I’m just saying…I mean, I maybe the ony one here, but the first thing I do aftrer I get lit is light up a smoke, and I chain smoke whil I am high. There’s just something about the taste of a cigarette while I am stoned – mmm, so smooth. Also, I enjoy a few beers while I am high at a party – there’s just somnething about weed that makes me sooooo thirsty. So yeah, us chain smoking drunks that enjoy our pot, we like all three habits equally.
Also, here was something I came up with the past couple of days. What if someone came up with different flavored drinks with THC (in stead of alcohol)? If that happened, you could mix drinks at a regular bar, and get people high in stead of drunk. Also, how about growing hemp (with no THC) and putting that into cigarettes instead of tobacco? I bet you no one in the world would be doing that – having a 100% alcohol free bar, selling 100% tobacco free cigarettes. You know what they say – alcohol and smoking go hand in hand, and in my case so does THC and smoking. That bar would be WAY too busy.
Lea, Obummer. that is what ive been calling him all summer. that’s cool. i don’t smoke cannabis either but would like to once in awhile if it were legal.
Legalize it already. We need to get better organized and get petitions going.
Vote with your wallet. Breckenridge voted to allow up to an ounce/person over 21 years old. A-Basin has already seen six tickets written for marijuana possession in the parking lot in the first month of this ski season. Ski Breckenridge, skip A-Basin.
I believe that if Breckenridge sees a noticible increase compared to it’s competitors this season we will see other ski towns follow the leader.
#34, citizen B – Great point. I don’t ski – I like my legs LOL. But this goes right along with the free market. If a business does really good at something, others in the same field will copy. One example is McDonalds. Whenever a new Mickedies goes up, you see an increase in new fast food coming in (the Mac knows how to pick a location). If Breckenridge keeps off of the peaceful tokers’ backs, and there is a large influx there while other spots suffer, then you are absolutely correct – the others will fall right in line. After that, other communities of interest will want some tourism, too – so what do you think the next thing to happen will be? Yep, you guessed it. It’s all a beautiful part of the ugly bandwagon – I personally hate the bandwagon, but when it uses its power for good – B-E-A-Utiful.
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