Friday September 25, 2020
In todays report:
click here for the link to the video on youtube
New Jersey Marijuana Campaign Launches First Ad As Poll Shows Support For Legalization Referendum
A coalition of civil rights and drug policy reform groups working to pass a marijuana legalization referendum on New Jersey’s November ballot launched their first video ad on Friday.
NJ CAN 2020—which includes organizations such as the ACLU New Jersey, NAACP, Drug Policy Alliance, New Jersey Cannabusiness Association and Law Enforcement Action Partnership—says the goal is to ensure that as many voters as possible are aware of the measure.
“Hey, you! Let’s talk about this. Right now.
Every year, New Jersey wastes over $143 million dollars arresting people for marijuana possession. Yes—143, zero zero zero, zero zero zero.
And we make over 32,000 of these arrests every single year while murders and sexual assaults remain unsolved.
Let’s stop this waste—of money, of time—and let police focus on
“We’re working day and night to set the record straight about why we need to vote ‘YES’ this November, to legalize marijuana, end unnecessary and racially disparate arrests, and stop the waste of New Jersey’s much-needed public resources,” NJ CAN 2020 campaign manager Axel Owen said in an email blast to supporters on Friday.
The ad was posted on YouTube, but the campaign is soliciting donations to expand its reach, including by having it run on streaming services like Hulu. They’re aiming to raise $50,000 to broaden exposure.
“If we are going to break through the noise of this election year and make sure New Jersey voters know to vote ‘YES’ for legalization, we’ll need your help,” Owen wrote. “We want to launch our first ad, far and wide, but we need the money to do so.”
Vermont Democratic Party Platform Calls For Decriminalizing Drugs And Legalizing Marijuana Sales
party released the final language of its positions this week. Here’s how the drug policy-related planks were written:
-Adopt an approach to the possession and misuse of drugs that is motivated solely by the principles of public health and harm reduction, rather than punishing undesirable private behavior, while avoiding the criminal justice system altogether.
-Ensure that cannabis is appropriately regulated and taxed in a manner that rights the historic wrongs of the War on Drugs and that recognizes the disproportionate impact prohibition has had on minority communities.
-Expand access to expungement, including by enacting a system to automatically expunge criminal records, so that those who have repaid their debt to society can make a fresh start.
-Re-examine existing prison sentences in light of our current knowledge of how systemic bias has led to disparate outcomes based on race and socio-economic status, and give State’s Attorneys greater authority to take a second look at and reduce existing sentences where these biases are found, and otherwise are in the interest in justice
The Vermont Democratic Party formally adopted a platform this month that calls for bold drug policy reforms, including legalizing marijuana sales, promoting equity in the cannabis industry and decriminalizing possession of all currently illicit substances.
During a virtual meeting on September 12, about 100 local delegates from across the state approved the platform. Beside marijuana legalization and drug decriminalization, the party further called for a process to automate expungements and reassess sentencing guidelines more broadly.
“This platform reflects a continuing shift in attitudes among Vermont Democrats when it comes to drug policy,” Dave Silberman, a pro bono attorney and reform advocate who led the drafting of the platform’s criminal justice provisions, told Marijuana Moment. “As a party, we’ve fully recognized that the War on Drugs has completely failed to reduce problematic drug use, and in fact fuels the racial biases we see in policing today, all without contributing to public safety.”
The expungements bill that also cleared the legislature this month would allow records to be cleared systematically and also people to possess and grow more cannabis without the threat of jail time than is currently allowed
Mexican Cabinet Member Accepts Gifted Marijuana Plant As Lawmakers Prepare Legalization Vote
Marijuana is becoming something of a an in the Mexican Congress, and not just when it comes to reform bills being considered. Actual cannabis products are regularly being exchanged, displayed and planted in and around legislative chambers as lawmakers work to legalize the plant.
Marijuana is becoming something of a staple in the Mexican Congress, and not just when it comes to reform bills being considered. Actual products are regularly being exchanged, displayed and planted in and around legislative chambers as lawmakers work to legalize the plant.
Last year, a different lawmaker gave the Sánchez Cordero a marijuana joint on the floor of the Chamber of Deputies.
“I bring you a gift as a reminder of that proposal you made at the beginning, because that goes to be the way to help us build peace. Let’s regulate the use of drugs,” Deputy Ana Lucía Riojas Martínez said at the time
change.
The legalization bill that’s set to advance this coming session was revised during a joint meeting of the Justice, Health, Legislative Studies and Public Safety Committees in March.
The proposal would allow adults 18 and older to possess and cultivate marijuana for personal use. Individuals could grow up to 20 registered plants as long as the total yield doesn’t exceed 480 grams per year. Medical patients could apply to cultivate more than 20 plants, however.
Personal possession would be capped at 28 grams, but possession of up to 200 grams would be decriminalized.
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The Mexican Institute of Regulation and Control of Cannabis, a decentralized body established under the measure, would be established and responsible for regulating the market and issuing licenses for marijuana businesses.
The bill proposes a 12 percent tax on cannabis sales, with some revenue going toward a substance misuse treatment fund.
Public consumption would be permissible, except in spaces designated as 100 percent smoke-free. Hemp and CBD would be exempt from regulations that apply to THC products