Providence Journal Says Time to Decriminalize Marijuana
Ongoing efforts to reform marijuana laws in Rhode Island received a huge endorsement today from the state’s largest newspaper. In this editorial, the Providence Journal calls for the decriminalization of marijuana, writing that “[t]he pursuit of nonviolent marijuana users puts enormous strain on the justice system, feeds corruption and wastes taxpayer dollars that could have been used more effectively elsewhere.”
This call for sensible marijuana reform comes just days before public hearings will be held by the state’s Marijuana Prohibition Study Commission, which was set up by the state Senate last year to study the cost of marijuana prohibition in Rhode Island. Last week, a bill to change the penalty for possession of marijuana from up to six months in jail to a civil fine was introduced into the state House, where nearly half of the representatives signed on as co-sponsors.
Tagged with: Marijuana Prohibition Study Commission and Providence Journal and Rhode Island by the author
9 comments
In these times of fiscal austerity, an already discredited policy of marijuana prohibition is simply no longer financially supportable. There are more important priorities for public spending and investment for scarce taxpayer funding. It is astonishingly foolish to ignore the potential revenue stream from taxing legal cannabis.
Good news. Rhode Island is one of the states where we can make the most progess the quickest. Just need to replace outgoing Governor Carcieri with somebody thats better on this issue and the skys the limit. I think Chafee or a Dem or even the GOP candidate if they find one will be more open to marijuana reform then Carcieri ever was.
Sorry this off topic but have been wondering for a while. Could Washington D.C pass a ballot initative similar to the one proposed in California? I think if they could win anywhere it would be in the District of Colombia.
I live I ca and I can’t wait for november. Longest 10 months of my life. Let’s get this passed. The day with legal weed will finally come. Hopefully the rest of the states will follow
MPP are you against patients being able to grow their own? I posted this all ready and still no answers nor rely.
As I am seeing a lot of the no grow your own in the legislature.
The patients that need Cannabis the most CANNOT afford to by it.
Where is the provision for Health Ins. to pay for patients Cannabis in these no grow your own Bills.
I am seeing the no grow your own and no provisions for Health Ins. to pay for ones Cannabis as states trying to Capitalize on patients, which is just as bad if not worse than the Cartels!
MPP I am needing some answers on this.
@The Truth?:
As you are certainly aware, MPP is not going to expell more energy trying to answer your question. The idea that MPP is against patients “growing their own” has been brought up over and over and constantly causes a negative back and forth amoung supporters of Marijuana Reform (especially those that frequent the MPP blogs). I understand and agree with you that for patients this right should not be overlooked and is actually essential because they are the people that truly have the hardest time affording their medicine. Furthermore, it is patients that will seriously benefit from having a constant and consistant supply of their medicine. Being able to grow for themselves allows the patient to reduce costs, and improve the consistancy of their medicine. But do we stall the movement over this one issue or do we pass laws that provide some access while we continue to work the political process until that protection can be expanded?
With that being said, the recent developments in Arizona, Nevada, and New Jersey have brouight into question the motives of MPP regarding patient’s rights to “grow their own”. Do they support “grow your own” provisions or are they posturing themselves to profit (or for some silent Corporate donor to profit) from a dispensary type distribution setup? Personally, I understand how our political process has gotten in the way of real true reform. For instance Arizona has been wrestling with this issue since 1996 and it is still unresolved, but at least they have been debating the issue. In 1996 the voters passed a medical marijuana law but since they used the word “prescribe” the current statute is ineffective. For 14 years the legislature (or by another ballot initiative) has been unsuccessful in changing “prescribe” to “recommend”, yet we get upset at MPP because they might just have found a way to actually pass effective protection for both patients and doctors?
This is an excerp from what MPP considers a MODEL MEDICAL MARIJUANA PROTECTION BILL:
“Section 4. Protections for the Medical Use of Marijuana.
(a) A qualifying patient who has been issued and possesses a registry identification card shall not be subject to arrest, prosecution, or penalty in any manner, or denied any right or privilege, including but not limited to civil penalty or disciplinary action by a court or occupational or professional licensing board or bureau, for the medical use of marijuana in accordance with this act, provided that the qualifying patient possess an amount of marijuana that does not exceed 12 marijuana plants and six ounces of usable marijuana. Said plants shall be kept in an enclosed, locked facility, unless they are being transported because the qualifying patient is moving or if they are being transported to the qualifying patient’s or designated caregiver’s property. This subsection shall not apply to matters and entities that are covered by subsections (f) or (g).”
Is MPP really against a “grow your own” provision, or are they more concerned (at this time) with finding ways to pass effective laws that will protect the patient and the doctor so that patients can use marijuana without fear of arrest?
Nice one DarthNole. I think the more frequent users of this blog know already not to bring up this issue
I think we all understand that legistlation passed recently in NJ is a horrible model for medicinal marijuana use, and the self-growth restriction is pissing everybody off, but it’s a legislature that recognizes marijuana as a medicine.
I guess we’re at the point where we just have to take what we can while we can. I just hope we dont find ourselves in even a bigger bind than now. With the government trying to slowly pull this under them.
Social Disobidience Day 4/20/10
Free The Weed. Free The People.
“Cannabis legalization = Healthcare reform”
“Our nation can acknowledge the dangers of cigarettes, alcohol and marijuana while still permitting their use. The only logically and morally consistent argument for marijuana prohibition necessitates the criminalization of all harmful recreational drugs, including alcohol, nicotine and caffeine. We can agree that such an infringement on personal freedoms is as impractical as it is un-American. The time has come to accept that our nation’s attitude toward marijuana has been misguided for generations and that the only rational approach to cannabis is to legalize, regulate and tax it.”
Dr. Nathan, a psychiatrist in Princeton, N.J., is a clinical assistant professor at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
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