States not expanding Medicaid under Obamacare will be collectively lose
more than $35 billion in federal funds in 2022 alone, according to a new report from the Commonwealth Fund.
In September, Oklahoma NORML obtained results from a poll
of state voters showing that 71.2% want a medical marijuana program for
seriously ill patients who qualify, and 63.7% prefer a simple ticket
and fine — without criminal penalties — for adults who possess small
amounts of marijuana. So far, state legislators have failed to realize just what their constituents want.
3. Pass the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2013raises the minimum wage to
$10.10 an hour and provides the first increase to tipped employees in
more than 20 years. It also indexes the minimum wage to the cost of
living.
I'm keeping these a little shorter than normal this time. Upcoming alerts will keep with income inequality, marijuana law reform and other social justice issues. If you have an issue you'd like attention drawn to please contact me austinstumpff@gmail.com or on twitter @progressiveokie
Oh I almost forgot there is word of medical marijuana coming up for a committee vote so please call your Reps etc and just leave them a short message of your support for marijuana law reform.
Sen.
Constance Johnson, who made headlines recently when she fought to get a
hearing for medical marijuana in the Oklahoma Legislature, has filed
legislation that calls upon the State Board of Medical Licensure and
Supervision to establish a medical marijuana program in the Sooner
State. Separately, she is also sponsoring legislation that would reduce
the penalty for possession of small amounts of marijuana.
Sen. Johnson’s medical marijuana bill, SB 902, is short and to the point. Rather than spelling out all the details
in the legislation, the bill simply directs the medical board to
develop and adopt rules allowing patients to obtain permission from
their doctors to use marijuana and to establish fees for the “licensing,
production, distribution, and consumption” of medical marijuana.
Johnson’s other bill, SB 914, would lessen the penalty for
possession of 1.5 ounces or less from a maximum of one year in jail and a
fine of up to $1,000 to a maximum of 10 days in jail and a fine of up
to $200.
We spend too much on wasteful laws aimed at non-violent other wise safe people.
Let us start the conversation with the support of these bills.
A third bill has been introduced by Sen. Johnson, Senate Bill 710 would allow qualifying
patients to use cannabis with a physician's recommendation. Patients
would be permitted to possess up to eight ounces of marijuana and
cultivate up to twelve marijuana plants. SB 710 would also allow the
state to license marijuana dispensaries and cultivation centers.
If you're reading this and wonder what you can do to get the ball moving id urge you to speak out to our Oklahoma lawmakers and tell them you'd like a conversation on Marijuana law reform.
Here's a link to my petition on change.org for SB 902 and SB 914...check back for an update and new
***update*** Signon.org is a great platform from moveon.org here's a link to my petition there for Support of Constance Johnson's Marijuana law reform.
The responsible use of alcohol was ended by the 18th Amendment on January 29, 1919. This amendment was repealed by the 21st Amendment on December 5, 1933 when the state of Utah ratified it. The reason for the repeal of the 18th Amendment was because the U.S. Government realized that prohibition only created more problems than it solved. Drinking rates grew higher, crime increased. Millions of dollars were made by bootleggers and moonshiners who didn't care if they were following the law or not. The most dangerous part about drinking was the criminal element involved with it's manufacture and/or sale.
Today we have a similar situation. In 1937 the U.S. passed the "Marihuana Tax Act of 1937". 'The Act did not itself criminalize the possession or usage of hemp, marijuana or cannabis, but levied a tax equaling roughly one dollar on anyone who dealt commercially in cannabis, hemp or marijuana. It did, however, include penalty provisions and a complex Regulation 1 codifying the elaborate rules of enforcement marijuana cannabis or hemp handlers were subject to. Violation of these procedures could result in a fine of up to $2000 and five years imprisonment. The net effect was to make it too risky for anyone to deal in the substance until World War II required the United States Department of Agriculture to make its 1942 movie "Hemp for Victory".' - from the Wikipedia Article Marihuana Tax Act of 1937.
This act was later deemed unconstitional by the Supreme Court in 1969 during the case Leary v. United States because it violated the 5th Amendment since a person would have to incriminate him or herself to obtain the tax stamp required by law.
The government then passed the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) in 1970 and placed Marijuana on the List of Schedule I drugs. This means that it meets the following requirements:
(A) The drug or other substance has high potential for abuse. (B) The drug or other substance has no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States. (C) There is a lack of accepted safety for use of the drug or other substance under medical supervision.
If this were true then why is Marinol, a synthetic version of THC, the main active ingredient in Marijuana, only on the List of Schedule III drugs? To be on that list it meets these requirements:
(A) The drug or other substance has a potential for abuse less than the drugs or other substances in schedules I and II. (B) The drug or other substance has a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States. (C) Abuse of the drug or other substance may lead to moderate or low physical dependence or high psychological dependence.
This list also includes drugs like Tylenol 3 and Anabolic Steroids. So why is Marijuana illegal because of THC and Marinol is legal even though it's synthetic THC?
End the Prohibition of Marijuana in the United States.
