the dope report

Who could possibly hate decriminalizing a harmless plant, and saving countless corrections and law enforcement dollars? A dickhead from San Diego, of course. (San Diego would be great if it wasn’t for so many right-wing, racist residents.)

While Assemblyman Tom Ammiano is pushing to pass a modestly reworked new pot measure, Assembly Bill 2254, that would legalize marijuana use for California adults 21 and over and give the state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control authority to tax and regulate pot like booze.

His enemy: John Redman, executive director of the San Diego-based California Alliance for Drug Free Youth, who says: “There are groups and organizations ready to fight this. They have awoken a sleeping giant.”

Bring it on, fuckface.

[Sacramento Bee]

High Times has christened a new medical marijuana quarterly magazine, as well as a California-based Medical Cannabis Cup, and its first-ever West Coast office. Good luck to them.

The High Times Medical Marijuana News and Reviews is an all-new newsstand magazine focused on the needs of medical cannabis patients and providers nationwide.

HIGH TIMES is also proud to announce that our first annual Medical Cannabis Cup will be held this June 19-20, in San Francisco. Modeled after the HIGH TIMES Cannabis Cup in Amsterdam, this new competition will include expert judging of the best and most medicinal cannabis, hashish and edibles from California’s legal medical marijuana dispensaries.

To coordinate these new ventures, and to continue the magazine’s comprehensive coverage of the emerging medical marijuana movement, HIGH TIMES will soon open its first ever West Coast Office, headed by Senior Editor David Bienenstock, a seven year veteran of the magazine and author of The Official HIGH TIMES Pot Smoker’s Handbook.

The November 2010 election in California will feature at least one notable ballot initiative: a proposal to tax and regulate personal use of cannabis. Oakland organization Tax and Regulate Cannabis 2010 reports turning in over 700,000 signatures from California voters, all but qualifying the them for the statewide ballot. Remember to register to vote, kiddies. Seriously, calendar it. [TRC]

Proponents of the leading ballot initiative have collected nearly 300,000 signatures since late September, supporters say, easily on pace to qualify for the November 2010 general election. Richard Lee, a longtime marijuana activist who is behind the measure, says he has raised nearly $1 million to hire professionals to assist volunteers in gathering the signatures.

“Voters are ripping the petitions out of our hands,” Mr. Lee said.

...

“I fully expect they will qualify,” said John Lovell, a Sacramento lobbyist for several groups of California law enforcement officials that oppose legalization.

[New York Times]

Ronald Brooks, the president of the National Narcotic Officers’ Associations’ Coalition, which represents more than 70,000 narcotics enforcement officers in the US.

” in the 1980s … his partner on the police force was killed in front of him by a ruthless marijuana dealer, who was carrying out a bank robbery to fund his drug business …”

After Brooks wins our war on drugs, maybe he can tackle our war on obesity and Hawaiian print shirts. [BBC]

California cannabis law reformers CalCann2010 hit the country club farmer’s market crowd this weekend, scufflin’ with cops and gathering signatures for their long-shot ballot initiative. It’s less efficient than paying $3 million to pro petitioners, but more colorful. From the CalCann2010 email blast:

... When three armed Sheriff’s officers showed up I again stood my ground and after a bit they agreed I was right except that the ironing board had to go. ...

Full diary after the jump.

There are now four pushes to legalize possession and growth of non-medicinal cannabis in California. Three at the ballot box and one in the legislature. The first and most idealistic initiative out of the gate, the California Cannabis Initiative, spearheaded by three defense attorneys in NorCal, has just got its Official Title and Summary from the State Attorney General, and it reads as follows:

1374. (09-0022) Changes California Law to Legalize, Regulate, and Tax Marijuana. Initiative Statute.

Repeals state laws that make it a crime for people 21 years old or older to use, possess, sell, cultivate, or transport marijuana or industrial hemp, except laws that make it a crime to drive while impaired or to contribute to the delinquency of a minor.

Expunges state convictions based on the repealed marijuana-related laws.

Requires state and local governments to regulate and tax commercial production and sale of marijuana.

Requires taxes to be spent on education, healthcare, environmental programs, public works, and state parks.

Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local governments: Savings in the several tens of millions of dollars annually to state and local governments on the costs of incarcerating and supervising certain marijuana offenders. Unknown but potentially major new excise, income, and sales tax revenues related to the production and sale of marijuana products. (09-0022.)

Now, CalCann2010 has to get upwards of 450,000 signatures in 150 days with an all-volunteer effort. And keep in mind, historically, fewer than 10 percent of all initiatives gather enough signatures to reach the ballot. And only eight percent of those on the ballot pass.

This week, the East Bay Express should run an analysis of the three competing ballot measures and state bill. So keep us bookmarked, eh?

The second ballot initiative in two weeks, “Activists have 150 days from filing to gather 434,000 signatures to qualify for the statewide ballot in November 2010. ...” The initiative is being spearheaded by medical marijuana entrepreneur Richard Lee, founder of Oaksterdam University. A slight majority of Californians favor legalization in recent polls.

[California Cannabis Initiative]

[DrugSense]