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Maine Lawmakers Won’t Put Marijuana Referendum on Ballot

June 11th

AUGUSTA, ME – If Maine residents want to legalize marijuana via the popular vote, they may have to do it themselves. Last Friday, a bill that would have called for a referendum on marijuana legalization fell four votes short in the House.

Then, on Monday, the Senate “placed the bill in legislative files,” officially killing the bill.

The bill, LD 1229, sponsored by Rep. Diane Russell (D-Portland), was a detailed tax, regulate, and legalize marijuana measure when first introduced.

But, with a lack of support among colleagues, the bill was amended to merely call for a popular referendum. Even that watered down version couldn’t pass the House.

During debate on the bill last Friday, Russell argued that if legislators failed to act, it was likely that activists would put a legalization initiative before voters through the citizens’ initiative process, and that then, lawmakers wou. . . . . READ MORE

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Maine Marijuana Legalization Initiative Falls Short by 4 Votes on House Floor; Senate to Vote Soon

June 10th

AUGUSTA, ME — On Friday, marijuana reformers recorded the closest vote for a legalization measure on the floor of a state legislature in recent history.

Rep. Diane Russell’s LD 1229, which would place the question of legalization before Maine voters this fall, was narrowly rejected in a 71 to 67 vote. We only managed to get this vote so close because of the outpouring of support via phone and email that Representatives heard from their constituents. Never doubt the power that making you opinion known to your elected officials has a very quantifiable effect.

Legalize-Maine-2013The good news is that the fight for legalization in Maine still isn’t over for this year. Representative Russell just informed us that she intends to continue the fight for legalization to the floor of the State Senate.  The Senate will vote on LD 1229 as soon as Monday.

Maine residents, this is our final chance for this year, we need to give it everything we have. There is strong support for this legislation in. . . . . READ MORE

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Rhode Island Marijuana Legalization Bill Revisited by Lawmakers

May 29th

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PROVIDENCE, RI — Testimony on a bill to make Rhode Island the third state in the country to legalize and regulate the possession of marijuana by adults has been revisited by lawmakers, receiving a hearing Tuesday.

The Senate Judiciary Committee heard several hours of testimony late Tuesday on Senate Bill 334, The Marijuana Regulation, Control And Taxation Act, which was introduced  by Sen. Donna Nesselbush (D-District 15) earlier this year.

The bill would regulate and tax marijuana similar to alcohol for adults 21 or older.

Sen. Nesselbush estimates that the projected tax revenue that would come from legal sales of marijuana in Rhode Island is between 20 and 71 million dollars per year.

“We don’t know exactly, because we don’t know how many people are smoking marijuana,” she said. “But, whatever revenues are raised, 50 percent of those revenues would go to the general funds, and 40 percent would go toward education and treatment of drug issues.”

A companion bill filed in the House,  House Bill 5274, was READ MORE

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Governor Hickenlooper Signs Bills Regulating Marijuana for Adult Use

May 29th

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DENVER— Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper signed legislation Tuesday that continue the reform of marijuana laws in Colorado, set in motion last November by the voters of the state.

Once voters made it clear that marijuana prohibition must end, Hickenlooper established a task force of various stakeholder communities to provide guidance for the general assembly to enact legislation to implement Amendment 64.  The task force recommendations became the basis of the work of a select legislative committee that devised the bills signed today by the Governor.

“Despite not supporting Amendment 64, our Governor has shown true leadership by ensuring his office and the general assembly implemented the will of the voters,” said Art Way, senior drug policy manager for the Drug Policy Alliance.  “These implementing pieces of legislation signed by the governor are the beginning of statewide efforts to bring marijuana above ground in a mann. . . . . READ MORE

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Maine Voters Could Decide on Marijuana Legalization in November

May 22nd

BANGOR, ME — Residents of Maine may get the opportunity to vote on ending their state’s marijuana prohibition this fall, if lawmakers approve of an amended version of LD 1229: An Act to Tax and Regulate Marijuana in the coming weeks.

LD 1229 was introduced earlier in the session by Representative Diane Russell (D-Portland) and 35 co-sponsors. Despite the unprecedented legislative support, the measure faced a challenging work session last week, which initially looked as if it would scuttle the bill entirely.

Legalize Maine 2013Fortunately for supporters of ending prohibition, the fight continues on despite the negative recommendation out of committee. Representative Russell and the bill’s supporters intend to take the fight for legalization to the House floor in the coming weeks and they need our help.

Thanks to amendments offered by Senators Plummer and Wilson, LD 1229 was revised to contain only a simple r. . . . . READ MORE

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New York Senator to Introduce Bill to Tax, Regulate Marijuana

May 21st

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ALBANY, NY — As lawmakers in Albany continue to struggle to fix loopholes in New York’s 35 year old marijuana decriminalization law that result in continued marijuana possession arrests, one State Senator has a better fix: legalize and regulate marijuana for adults.

“It is my intention as a New York State senator to soon introduce a law that would actually decriminalize, regulate and tax marijuana in New York,” State Senator Liz Krueger (D-Manhattan) said last week at a forum hosted by Baruch College.

Krueger’s “Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act,” which has not yet been filed, would allow New Yorkers over the age of 21 to grow up to six mature marijuana plants at home, and would establish a system of retail stores regulated and overseen by the New York State Liquor Authority.

The bill proposes a marijuana tax of $50 per ounce, of which 80% would go to the state’s general fund, with the rest earmarked for substance abuse, criminal re-entry and job training programs.

Cities and towns would be given the option of imposing an additional 5% tax on marijuana sales in their community, or banning. . . . . READ MORE

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Maine Marijuana Legalization Bill Set Back, But Not Dead

May 15th

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AUGUSTA, ME – A bill that would make Maine the third state to legalize, tax and regulate marijuana failed to gain a key committee endorsement Tuesday, but the bill’s sponsor feels that enough support exists among state lawmakers for the bill to continue.

The Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee on Tuesday voted 8-3 against endorsing LD 1229, “An Act to Tax and Regulate Marijuana,” sponsored by State Rep. Diane Russell (D-Portland) and 35 co-sponsors,  citing concerns that the legislation would put Maine in conflict with federal laws prohibiting marijuana.

The committee’s House chair, Rep. Mark Dion (D-Portland), said he voted against the measure because the federal government needs to first resolve their position on marijuana before he could endorse the bill.

Although the committee vote would normally suggest the death of a bill, there remains considerable suppo. . . . . READ MORE

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Alabama Bill to Legalize and Regulate Marijuana Dies in Committee

May 9th

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MONTGOMERY, AL — A bill that sought to legalize and regulate the adult use of marijuana in Alabama has been killed by a committee in the House.

House Bill 550  was tabled by the House Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security and will not be voted on, or even receive a hearing, this year.

House Bill 550, the Alabama Cannabis and Hemp Reform Act of 2013,  was introduced in April by Birmingham Democrat Rep. Patricia Todd, who has unsuccessfully lobbied her colleagues at the Alabama state house to legalize medical marijuana, including two medical marijuana bills introduced this year.

The bill would have also authorized the medical use of marijuana in Alabama and the cultivation of industrial hemp.

Rep. Todd is expected to re-introduce the legislation next year.If passed, House Bill 550 would have:

Colorado Lawmakers Establish Regulated Marijuana Market for Adults

May 9th

marijuana bud and joint

DENVER, CO — On the final day of their legislative session, the Colorado legislature made history Wednesday by passing the first bills nationwide to establish a regulated marijuana market for adults.  The legislature was charged with doing so when voters approved the marijuana legalization Amendment 64 last November.

In addition to passing and sending to the governor a bill to regulate the recreational cannabis market in Colorado, the legislature also passed a bill to establish what will become the first tax ever collected on commercial sales of marijuana purchased for recreational use in the United States.

Two other bills were passed by the legislature this week relating to marijuana: one that would establish a driving impairment standard, and another which treats marijuana magazines, such as High Times and Nuggs, as pornography, requiring them to be kept behind the counter at retail stores.

The marijuana regulation bills, READ MORE

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Colorado Legislature Establishes Regulated Marijuana Market for Adults

May 9th

marijuana bud and joint

DENVER, CO — On the final day of their legislative session, the Colorado legislature made history Wednesday by passing the first bills nationwide to establish a regulated marijuana market for adults.  The legislature was charged with doing so when voters approved the marijuana legalization Amendment 64 last November.

In addition to passing and sending to the governor a bill to regulate the recreational cannabis market in Colorado, the legislature also passed a bill to establish what will become the first tax ever collected on commercial sales of marijuana purchased for recreational use in the United States.

Two other bills were passed by the legislature this week relating to marijuana: one that would establish a driving impairment standard, and another which treats marijuana magazines, such as High Times and Nuggs, as pornography, requiring them to be kept behind the counter at retail stores.

The marijuana regulation bills, READ MORE

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