And they’re off: The race to legalize in CA is on!!

[JackTheGrower]

Angela Macdonald Wrote a wonderful article I wanted to share..

Last week a group led by Richard Lee, of “Oaksterdam University” filed an official ballot initiative with the attorney general’s office. This latest initiative brings the number up to three different groups and/or politicians seeking to be the first to legalize marijuana in the golden state.

Lee’s group has 150 days to gather 434,000 signatures to get his Cannabis Act on the 2010 on the ballot.

The Cannabis Act of 2010 is the third attempt to legalize marijuana recreationally in California, which leaves to question how having three different efforts will impact the outcome. After all, at least two initiatives will not only be competing to win over the voters, but they all now have compete with each other and risk separating voter approval.

The Cannabis Act would allow anyone 21 and over to possess up to one ounce of the green, magic herb. People would also be protected when growing the plants on a 25 square foot area.

Stephen Gutwillig, director of the California Drug Policy Alliance has stated the DPA would rather see the initiative on the 2012 ballot in order to gain more support, but would be happy if there was an earlier win.

Also in the running for the 2010 ballot is The Tax, Regulate and Control Cannabis Act of 2010. The initiative was filed in early July by a group of California defense lawyers. This initiative is requesting the repeal of all marijuana laws in the state, would put no limits on the amount of cannabis that can be possessed and transported, opens law to legalized hemp industry, requires local and state mandating of cannabis industry, and like the title says, tax sales of the plant.

Both these initiatives have been introduced nearly six months after San Francisco Assemblyman, Tom Ammiano, proposed marijuana be regulated and taxed with his Marijuana Control, Regulation, and Education act, or AB 390. If this bill is passed, neither initiative listed above will matter, because the bill seeks to be enacted on January 1, 2010. Ammiano’s bill would legalize marijuana and its derivatives, repeal all state laws regarding marijuana for those 21 and over, require regulation by state and local governments similar to alcohol, tax the sales of marijuana and require proceeds go to drug rehabilitation costs, and to prevent medical marijuana from being taxed (which would correct the recent medical marijuana tax that passed in Oakland).

Some could call this a race to see who’s first to legalize marijuana, and which group can take the fame of being the first to legalize. From the outside it does look like people are scrambling to get onto the 2010 ballot. It also seems strange that the two ballot initiative sponsors wouldn’t try to join forces.

If Ammiano’s bill is unable to gain support, there are two back-ups in line. However, if these two initiatives are both on the same ballot, support for one or the other might be split with a competing initiative on the ballot. What about signing these petitions? This could become a disaster when people think they’ve already signed the petition, but they’ve really signed the other one. What about all the duplicate signatures this could lead to? If the petition sponsors don’t make sure they account for this, they might find a very disappointing outcome once the signatures are verified.

Call me a pessimist, a realist, or fatalist, but something seems very off about this whole situation, and needs more attention by those racing to their envisioned finished line. This isn’t a race. Maybe there is some urgency to end the state's annual spending of $156 million a year on the war on marijuana. Maybe it’s because California has an opportunity to eliminate this expenditure as well as replace it with an incredible source of income worth upwards of $2.5 billion. Whatever the case is, we are stronger once banded together. By joining together on the same project, for the same cause it makes one appear to have genuine intentions. Racing to the finish line makes it obvious when someone is just seeking fame and money.

 

[JackTheGrower]

I agree
If we are allowed to grow reasonably then we can breed plants at home and not depend on a commercial source.
Why not if I can breed my tomatoes or corn why not cannabis?

If Oaksterdam's initiative becomes law then the private person still goes to jail.

I hope we can get the message out.. Really..

Cannabis has always been a people thing.. 25 sq ft and jail isn't legalization.


Jack

 

[Hash Zeppelin]

I like this bill. I like kind of like limiting the space to 25 square feet. This will shut out big business from flooding the market with cartons of pre-rolled shwag joints. the only thing I dont like about it is that it makes it hard to keep a mom collection.

 

[JackTheGrower]

Which Initiative Hash?


The 25 sq ft is on people only.. Business can crank it out!

If the 09-24 is put into law then only if you own property or have permission from the owner of the property will you be able to grow.. That is IF your county/city allows it.

09-24 and you still go to prison 09-22 and you don't..

 

[Hash Zeppelin]

So I take the 09-22 one is better? this is all confusing.

 

[JackTheGrower]

So I take the 09-22 one is better? this is all confusing.

I'd say it's the only one worth promoting but Oaksterdam has some bucks..

Business bucks..

 

[maxxim]

If the 09-24 is put into law then only if you own property or have permission from the owner of the property will you be able to grow.. That is IF your county/city allows it.

If you do not own the property then you will have no right under your bill also.

You will have signed away your rights when you put your name on the lease. You will be bound to what is written on the contract between you and your landlord.

However if you were to be paying a premium (more rent) to the landlord to grow a few plants then the landlord may allow it in the lease. Before that would happen the landlord would probably want to have the grow spot inspected to ensure safety and make sure the apt room is not being fucked up.

As a landlord though I would not want the risk or liability of having huge reservoirs on the carpet or flooring and definitely not 1000 watt bulbs burning through the night waiting for a fire to happen.
I wouldn`t allow the smell to permeate through the building and walls.

I already had a tenant 2 weeks ago get their door kicked in and shot twice with a round going through the floor into the living room where another tenants child was playing. I`m not necessarily worried about the grower but more of the thug/thief who will come and jack the grower.

 

[Hazy Lady]

Maxxim - "I`m not necessarily worried about the grower but more of the thug/thief who will come and jack the grower".

I can understand you worrying about thugs and thieves but what has jack the grower done? :smile:

 

[Perpetual]

They should leave things the way they are

 

[ajc0k]

They should leave things the way they are

i agree. its fine the way it is, they give us an inch to breathe we try to take the whole cake

 

[Muleskinner]

From what I've read the Oaksterdam proposal would leave Prop. 215 and everything about it in place. So if you're a medical patient, whatever you're doing now would continue to be legal.

 

[Koroz]

From what I've read the Oaksterdam proposal would leave Prop. 215 and everything about it in place. So if you're a medical patient, whatever you're doing now would continue to be legal.

and make it illegal for everyone who lives in places like San Diego, Inland Empire and other places with harsher penalties then what we have now. It also does nothing to help those who have been wrongfully imprisoned in the past under the guise of the drug war. Instead it assures places with a more "pot" friendly government like Oakland to make tons of money off the influx of new customers while the rest of the state gets screwed.

say NO to the Oaksterdam initiative.

 

[bass ackwards]

I certainly cannot understand the logic that leads a person to believe that current cannabis laws are acceptable. Cannabis is illegal,and that is unacceptable!

Respect bass

 

[maxxim]

I certainly cannot understand the logic that leads a person to believe that current cannabis laws are acceptable. Cannabis is illegal,and that is unacceptable!

Respect bass

When your selling top shelf for $300-$400 an ounce and someone tells you that your going to be making 1/2 that or less if this bill succeeds your going to have some unhappy drug dealers.

I`m sure the Mexican cartels are against legalization also...

I can understand you worrying about thugs and thieves but what has jack the grower done?:smile:

LOL.... I meant jack the crop as in ripping you off... Nothing to do with Jack the grower poster.....

 

[Hazy Lady]

Ha Ha, It was perfect timing as Jack had just posted Maxx.

 

[dreadvik]

I'm a little confused but I'm thinking if either of these go through I may be wanting to move to CA.

Although certain posts here scare me. No one kicks off doors here, well they try but they run when you come out. Last place they'd come in and mess you about I left behind long ago.

 

[Hash Zeppelin]

When your selling top shelf for $300-$400 an ounce and someone tells you that your going to be making 1/2 that or less if this bill succeeds your going to have some unhappy drug dealers.

I would rather risk making half the money in a legal market, over risking getting thrown in to prison, were I could get beaten and raped on a daily bases by other prisoners and crooked guards. All the money in the world wont bring back your ass virginity.

SO LETS LEGALIZE

 

[Hash Zeppelin]

I'm a little confused but I'm thinking if either of these go through I may be wanting to move to CA.

Although certain posts here scare me. No one kicks off doors here, well they try but they run when you come out. Last place they'd come in and mess you about I left behind long ago.

cali economy sucks right now, I wouldnt go there, right now even though I want to. The positive thing about where I live is that most people here own guns, so home invasion isnt quite as common as other places, but it still happens. Thats just the way it goes in any larger city.

 

[dreadvik]

cali economy sucks right now, I wouldnt go there, right now even though I want to. The positive thing about where I live is that most people here own guns, so home invasion isnt quite as common as other places, but it still happens. Thats just the way it goes in any larger city.

Seen! It's the gun bit that scares me really, if someones got em we all need em etc. Most the hold ups here are on dealers and the door is opened first then there's usually some threats, maybe a bit of a smacking and maybe some tying up, they take then they leave Haven't heard of anyone getting killed and only guns once, which was funny cos they had the wrong house!

On the street it's different though unless some peeps purposely crawl from their house to die in the street in some hope to evade prosecution.

Meh! the economy is screwed all over innit? Is here a bit or so they keep telling us. I haven't noticed a lot yet bar work being tight fuckers but aint that the norm heh!

 

[ocean99]

I'm on the bandwagon of leaving things the way they are. The medical business in cali generates enough cash to fill that same deficit gap if it were taxed properly, if cali can't run it's medicine market legitimately, how the fuck are we gonna take the whole cake and think shit isn't going to get fucked to kingdom come? I think all of you pushing so hard for this legalization shit are gonna have some serious buyers remorse when shit hits the fan and the DEA owns half of cali.

Just my two cents.