On Tuesday, for the first time in since the beginning of marijuana prohibition, applications are being accepted for business owners to open legal, recreational marijuana shops. The Marijuana Enforcement Division in Colorado opened its doors to those applying for a license to legally sell recreational marijuana. Eager business owners were accepted by appointment only, and, until July, only those who already operate a medical marijuana dispensary are eligible to apply.

Colorado is clearly taking advantage of the DOJ’s announcement that they will not interfere with state marijuana policy. But the Marijuana Enforcement Division isn’t making it easy to own a recreational marijuana shop. Applicants are required to provide the MED with financial records, store layouts, security plans, and a signed lease for the store, among other documents and necessary certificates.

Colorado is in the spotlight, along with Washington, as the country waits to see how well the states are able to regulate recreational marijuana. Larry Stevenson, who works for Denver’s Excise and Licenses Department, said, “Today is Day One. We want to get this right on Day One.” So far, it look’s like they’re off to a good start.

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A series of bus advertisements have been launched in Portland, Maine in support of Question 1.  On November 5, Portland voters will decide on a city ordinance that proposes removing penalties for adults possessing up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana. The ads feature adults explaining why they prefer marijuana to alcohol and ask, “why should adults be punished for making a safer choice?” You can see all of the ads here.

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Last week, MPP's Mason Tvert spoke with Andrew Sullivan at The Dish about several aspects of marijuana policy and where it is headed. In this segment, he discusses where the federal government stands on the implementation of marijuana regulations in Colorado and Washington, and how they will deal with marijuana businesses:

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Kentucky advocates for medical marijuana received a pleasant surprise last week when several media outlets reported that House Speaker Greg Stumbo (D-Prestonsburg) is now “leaning in favor” of passing a medical marijuana law.

[caption id="attachment_6952" align="alignright" width="210"] House Speaker Greg Stumbo[/caption]

Stumbo, formerly the state’s attorney general, has long been considered an opponent of reforming marijuana laws. When Kentucky was considering a bill to allow industrial hemp earlier this year, Stumbo’s attempt to block the bill resulted ina public dispute with the state Agriculture Commissioner James Comer. Stumbo eventually relented under strong public pressure and allowed the bill to pass.

Although industrial hemp and medical marijuana are very different issues, advocates feared Stumbo would take a similar attitude toward medical marijuana legislation. His recent comments would appear to pave the way for the Kentucky House to seriously consider a medical marijuana bill in 2014.

If you are a Kentucky resident, please click here to write your elected officials and ask them to sign on in support of medical marijuana legislation.

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MPP director of communications Mason Tvert recently sat down with Andrew Sullivan at  The Dish to discuss the state of marijuana policy. In this segment, he talks about the "cannabis closet" and why it is important to come out about support for changing our marijuana laws as well as personal use.

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As the winter months approach, the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana in Alaska is in full swing. Currently, petitioners are working to collect 45,000 signatures by December 1 in support of a statewide initiative that would tax and regulate the production, sale, and use of marijuana for adults 21 years of age and older. To date, they have collected over 16,000 signatures from Alaskan voters and need just 29,000 more to qualify for the August 2014 primary-election ballot.

Please help achieve victory at the polls in 2014 by volunteering to collect signatures or making a donation so that the campaign can hire paid signature gatherers. Also, if you are interested in getting paid to petition and you are confident you will be able to collect a large number of signatures, please let us know!

As a result of Alaska’s current marijuana laws, which are complex, unclear, and flat out contradictory, more people were charged or arrested for marijuana related offenses in 2012 than were charged or arrested for methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine related offenses combined. The time for marijuana reform in Alaska is long overdue.

With the help of supporters like you, we can replace Alaska’s outdated policy of prohibition with a sensible system that regulates marijuana while generating tax revenue from its sales. Please check out the campaign website for more information about the initiative, Alaska’s marijuana laws, and how you can join the campaign.

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In a recent poll commissioned by the Oklahoma chapter of NORML, voters spoke loud and clear in favor of improving marijuana laws in the state, and an overwhelming majority support legal access to medical marijuana. If you live in Oklahoma and you agree it’s time to establish a compassionate and sensible medical marijuana law, tell your legislators today!

Over 71% of voters in the state support allowing seriously ill patients to possess marijuana for medical purposes with a physician’s recommendation, with broad support among both parties. Medical marijuana is a safer alternative to many pharmaceutical medications, which can have harmful side effects and even lead to overdose deaths. Seriously ill patients in the state deserve an option that will not make them criminals just for seeking a safer alternative.

Sen. Constance Johnson has long been a champion of medical marijuana in the state, but her efforts to bring relief to seriously ill patients have been blocked by leadership. If you are an Oklahoma resident, send a clear message to your senator and representative that it’s time to stop frustrating the will of the voters and support a compassionate law for Oklahomans!

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[caption id="attachment_6938" align="alignright" width="121"] Attorney General Eric Holder[/caption]

In August, Attorney General Eric Holder announced that the DOJ would avoid prosecuting low-level, non-violent drug offenders with harsh charges that carry mandatory minimums.

Today, a vicious cycle of poverty, criminality, and incarceration traps too many Americans and weakens too many communities. However, many aspects of our criminal justice system may actually exacerbate this problem, rather than alleviate it.

Now, the DOJ has taken another step and announced that the new policy will also apply to persons who have been charged but not yet tried and persons who have been tried but not yet sentenced. The attorney general instructed his prosecutors to re-file charges in these cases so that low-level offenders will not be subjected to disproportionate sentences.

I am pleased to announce today that the department has issued new guidance to apply our updated charging policy not only to new matters, but also to pending cases where the defendant was charged before the policy was issued but is still awaiting adjudication of guilt. 

This announcement comes in the wake of a statement by the DOJ last month that the federal government would allow states to continue with their plans to regulate and tax marijuana without interruption, so long as they meet certain criteria.

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As a bill to regulate and tax marijuana comes closer to the Uruguayan Senate, public support for the bill seems to be growing. The bill was approved by the Uruguayan House of Representatives on July 31,2013 and is supported by Uruguayan President José Mújica. However, the majority of the Uruguayan public is still opposed to the bill.

Sixty-five percent of Uruguayans polled said that they would sign a petition for a referendum if the law were approved.  However, in order for a referendum to appear on a ballot, 25% of the public must turn out for a preliminary vote. This means that the chances of a successful referendum are small. This past June, a referendum failed against a controversial abortion law after it was only able to draw 8.8% of the public for a similar preliminary vote.

The Uruguayan Senate is expected to pass the bill, which would make Uruguay the first country to end marijuana prohibition on a national level.

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The Institute for Social and Economic Research, with the University of Essex, recently concluded a study into a cost benefit analysis of regulating and taxing marijuana in England and Wales. The study examined the potential economic benefits of regulation, as well as examining the possible social costs and social benefits of a policy change. The study, which was led by economics professor Stephen Pudney, found that England and Wales could save up to £300m per year on policing, prosecuting, and treatment if marijuana were regulated. Furthermore, by taxing marijuana, England and Wales stand to make a possible £900m per year. According to the study, the total possible tax benefit would be around £1.25 billion per year.

When attempting to quantify social costs and benefits, the researchers considered implications on mental health, what value marijuana users place on the benefits of marijuana, as well as other social factors. When examining the possibility of regulated marijuana causing a gateway for users to harsher illicit drugs, which previous studies have shown to be false, the researchers here also concluded that the gateway effect was weak or negligible. The real risk of a gateway effect, they said, is on the side of distribution, a risk that would be decreased with regulation.

Another greatly exaggerated focus of the public debate on cannabis policy is the “gateway effect” – the possible increase in risk of involvement in hard drugs caused by exposure to cannabis.  In our view, the evidence for a large gateway effect among cannabis consumers is weak, and there is an often-overlooked offsetting gateway on the supply side, drawing cannabis users into drug dealing.  Licensing of supply might lead to a rise in demand and thus harm through the demand gateway, but it would also remove many people from illicit cannabis supply and thus reduce harm through the supply gateway.  We estimate the reform could generate a net external benefit in the range £20-80m under the most plausible assumption of a moderate demand increase.

The report concluded with a call for more research into marijuana consumption, price, and potency. Want to know more? Read the full report here.

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