USA - California initiative to put marijuana legalization proposal on November ballot

[chillinwill]

From: http://laist.com/2008/06/30/californ..._for_eve_1.php

There is an initiative in the works that could end up on the November ballot that allows for marijuana to be sold to anyone, and anywhere that already sells alcohol. Its being called The Inalienable Rights Enforcement Initiative. From the full text of the measure:

This initiative will amend the Constitution of California to defend and safeguard the inalienable rights of the People against infringement by governments and corporations, providing for the lawful growth, sale, and possession of marijuana. Marijuana will be taxed through a system of stamps and licenses--a $5 stamp will be required for the sale of an eighth ounce of marijuana and a $50 annual license will be required for the growth of one marijuana plant. To protect participants and encourage participation in the system, such licenses and stamps will be available anonymously in stores where marijuana is sold.

So instead of getting some quack doctor to give you a prescription for $100 because of your supposed "anxiety" or alleged "insomnia", you will just pay an extra tax each time you buy yourself another 8th.
Aside from allowing all willing adults to be able to buy weed easily, this initiative will start to generate revenue for California, and stimulate our struggling economy. More weed stores means more jobs for Californians, more taxes to be collected, and more people enjoying better weed. And finally marijuana will be put into the same file as Alcohol and Cigarettes where it belongs, instead of it being equated with crack-cocaine and heroine.
The initiative goes on to say why they believe this to be a necessary measure:

We also hold these truths to be self-evident-That, as an intoxicant, marijuana is far less harmful to the health and safety of the People than alcohol--That, as a smoking substance, marijuana is far less addictive or harmful to the health of the People than tobacco--That, even though alcohol is harmful to the health and safety of the People, the prohibition of alcohol from 1920 to 1933 only increased the harms associated with alcohol use: criminals seized control of the alcohol market, crime and violence increased greatly, and poverty, unemployment, and corruption flourished, while otherwise lawful alcohol drinkers were treated as "criminals" subject to detention, arrest, and incarceration, even though they had not harmed the rights of anyone--That, as with alcohol prohibition, the prohibition of marijuana has only increased the harms associated with the use of marijuana: criminals control a multi-billion dollar market, crime and violence have increased greatly, and poverty, unemployment, and corruption flourish, while otherwise law-abiding marijuana smokers are treated as "criminals" subject to detention, arrest, and incarceration, even though they have not harmed the rights of anyone-That the history of marijuana prohibition is a history of repeated injuries and infringements upon the inalienable rights, powers, and best interests of the People.

Fuck Yes! Preach on, brothers! They go on to point out that alcohol, tobacco, and big-pharma lobbyists have the politicians that are supposed to represent the People in their back-pockets and serving the interests of the alcohol, tobacco, and big-pharma industries.

Despite the harms of marijuana prohibition, politicians persist in imposing and upholding marijuana prohibition, because these politicians are not working for the People--they are working for the corporate executives who financed their campaigns, such as corporate executives in the alcohol industry who want to protect their monopoly on intoxication, corporate executives in the tobacco industry who want to protect their monopoly on smoking, corporate executives in the pharmaceutical industry who want to protect their monopoly on expensive medicines, and corporate executives in the many industries threatened by competition with hemp. These corporate executives pull the strings of the government to perpetuate marijuana prohibition despite its harms, because they do not care about the inalienable rights and best interests of the People--they care about taking as much money from the People as possible. These corporate executives also use their control of the mainstream media to make it seem like marijuana prohibition is a failed attempt to serve the interests of the People, censoring the idea that marijuana prohibition is a successful attempt to serve corporate interests at the expense of the People. For these corporate interests, politicians sacrifice the inalienable rights and best interests of the People. This corruption and corporate influence is worse at the national level, where the People can least afford political influence and the media is most effective at manipulating public debate. Because of this corruption, it is futile for the People to turn to the federal government for protection--because the federal government is the source of the harm. The repeated attempts by the People to reduce the harms of marijuana prohibition have been answered only by repeated injury. The harm from marijuana prohibition is ongoing and the need for relief is urgent. Such is the suffering of the People, and such is the necessity that constrains us to alter our former systems of government. A government with a character marked by every act that defines a tyrant is unfit to be the ruler of a free people. Therefore, appealing to humankind for the rightness of our intentions

They need 694,354 signatures by September, 5, 2008. I think it's totally do-able. Its been over a decade since Proposition 215, the Compassionate Use Act of 1996, was passed with over 5 million votes in favor.
So 12 years later... are we more or less tolerant of recreational use of marijuana? For now, we'll have to wait and see.

Reputation Comments on this post:

	That's good news!
	Good Post
	Interesting.
	good post
	Excellent post

[Milk man]

This is very interesting. Hopefully, Nevada will follow in California's footsteps and legalize it too.

This will be very good for the economy. People get high ---> eat more ----> buy more --> company needs to make more --> higher more employees --> people spend more because they are making more money --> buy more weed.....

Haha, Atleast that is my logic.

[Heretic.Ape.]

Anybody in Cali feel like helping them collect signatures?

[mickenator]

It's like I said in this post

http://www.drugs-forum.com/forum/sho...305#post433305

It's not polititians running things but fat cat business men who pay these politicians to do and say what they are told. Go on Arnie.

[GForce]

I bet the DEA is building a personal army at the announcement of this news. Marijuana dispensaries for patients were raided by the federal government on many occasions. If it becomes legalized I can only expect the federal government to try and crack down even more on California because they don't want to yield to California's independence as a state.

[mickenator]

The goverment should learn not to mess with the Terminator. Hasn't anyone seen how Arnie kicks ass and he doesn't seem to be shying away from controversial topics.

[Expat98]

Hey I like all the emphasis on inalienable rights in this proposal. I just started a thread the other day wondering why drug policy activists don't emphasize more that the use of force to prevent people from altering their consciousness is a human rights violation.

[GForce]

We just need some executive power that understands the merits of libertarianism. Even if they don't agree, they should respect the voter's right and the individual's right to decide what they put in their body.

[mickenator]

At the end of the day no-one person wants a nanny state that tells them when they can wake, sleep, eat, work and evrything else involved in living. It should be the individuals choice what they do with there own bodies wether it be good or bad.

[Heretic.Ape.]

There is no contact information available for Mr Springer or any group he is affiliated with in pushing this initiative. If he doesn't make himself available to recruiting support this is unlikely to go anywhere.

Reputation Comments on this post:

Thanks for the info

[nEone]

Originally Posted by Heretic.Ape.

There is no contact information available for Mr Springer or any group he is affiliated with in pushing this initiative. If he doesn't make himself available to recruiting support this is unlikely to go anywhere.

That's a pity - this initiative is already a far-stretch for even the most liberal voters - without community-based support, there's no way it'll go forward.

Ah well.

[GForce]

Policing is inherently a violent act towards someone who takes drugs, in the context of the war on drugs. As Marx said, there is no such thing as social evolution without political revolution. The government is opposed to legalization and so you have an inherent conflict that they're going to use their power to try and dominate their enemy in (any drug user).

[satinhide]

Now the alphabet boys can work on the real Islamic terrorists---> Middle Eastern gas station owners!!!

The GOP will have to give the ok to them so they can mess with the oil dispensary though.

Reputation Comments on this post:

This is completely irrelevant to the thread, not to mention a dumb and offensive comment.

[Heretic.Ape.]

If anyone does find any info such as a website, email address, etc for becoming involved in this please pm me.

[AquafinaOrbit]

Nice idea, but no way it will pass.

[Shampoo]

As a cali resident I will certainly be spreading this information however I cannot seem to contact Mr. Springer, and as H.A. said,

If he doesn't make himself available to recruiting support this is unlikely to go anywhere.

If anyone has such information, please post it or PM me.

[ShawnD]

Although I doubt this will pass, it would be nice to give a big "screw you" to the federal government.

If I'm not mistaken, the whole point of having individual states or provinces is so regional laws reflect the culture of that region. With the strong federalism currently in place, it's a wonder why states even exist. Someone might as well just erase all of the state lines, remove the 13 stripes from the flag, and cover those silly stars since those don't actually mean anything.

[sg43]

If this goes through it could be the begging of the federal legalization of weed as the feds will not be able to be raiding everyone like they do with the medical suppliers now.

This could possibly start a gold rush of entrepreneurs to cali thinking they could grow legit.

I feel good things will happen if this passes.

[Kpinman]

This would be so awesome if this pulled through. Once California is successful it will only be a matter of time before other states follow.

[Coconut]

I can't help but be filled with doubt over this. The chances of the US government allowing this to go ahead are infinitesimal and that's even assuming that the people of California organise to support legalisation. The DEA would be mobilised en masse to crush any kind of cannabis rebellion.

It would be fantastic if it became a reality, but I don't see it happening. Not with an authoritarian régime sitting in Washington DC.

[nEone]

That said - a giant Federal initiative directed at an entire state would probably build support from other states.

It's one thing for a SWAT team to target a relatively small number of patients and a few "reformed dealers" who are trying to be legit...it's another thing to take action against an entire state.

[Coconut]

Originally Posted by nEone

It's one thing for a SWAT team to target a relatively small number of patients and a few "reformed dealers" who are trying to be legit...it's another thing to take action against an entire state.

Perhaps, but I have a feeling the federal government would try.

[Alfa]

The US government is very capable to make its citizens fearful and keep them in order.

[fnord]

This is quite common i mean there still collecting signatures right? My state has a complete decriminalization petition going around right now that if enacted would make it legal to buy/grow/sell pot.

The US government is very capable to make its citizens fearful and keep them in order.

California could really bite back hard if it wanted to,It would be great if they added in a law that prevents state employs from assisting the federal DEA in any way related to marijuana under penalty of imprisonment. Or better yet laws that refuse housing to federal inmates charged with nonviolent marijuana charges. Hmmm the people in cali should start using flash mob/protest communication tactics to defend any shop raided by the DEA. imagine if the dea come to shut down a medical shop and 10-15 minutes latter there's 500 angry citizens outside.

[Milk man]

Originally Posted by fnord

imagine if the dea come to shut down a medical shop and 10-15 minutes latter there's 500 angry citizens outside.

That would be the scariest thing ever from a DEA perspective. A fat mob of 500 citizens yelling and screaming at the DEA. That just made my day.