Jump to content

Citizen-Based Organization Announces Marijuana Legalization Effort For 2016


Recommended Posts

 

LANSING- Michigan’s prospects for adopting a marijuana legalization program in 2016 are brighter as the Michigan Comprehensive Cannabis Law Reform Initiative Committee (MCCLRIC) announces their intention to launch a petition drive and collect signatures in 2015.

 

“The time is right and people are demanding a comprehensive petition that protects medical marijuana, creates a responsible tax and regulation system for adult use age 21 and over, and permits the farming of hemp for Michigan agriculture, food and industry,” said MCCLRIC chairman Jeffrey Hank, an attorney from Lansing.

 

“The proposal could bring 25,000 jobs and net $200 million in revenue, while slashing $300 million from expenses,” explained Detroit attorney Matthew Abel, a MCCLRIC Board member.

 

Proposed language for the petition would include a strengthening of protections for registered medical marijuana patients, a legalized marijuana program and an advancement of the industrial hemp initiative established under legislation signed into law by Gov. Snyder earlier this year.

 

Some of the highlights of the proposal include: allowing citizens to cultivate 12 plants each, which mimics the medical marijuana possession limit; adding protections for medicinal marijuana patients and ensuring access for pediatric and elderly patients; and dedicating tax revenues toward public interest projects such as road repair and school funding.

 

“The organization’s Board of Directors is a stellar list of accomplished activists from Michigan,” said Rick Thompson, journalist and Board member of several other statewide patient advocacy organizations.

 

“We are open, transparent, democratic, indigenous Michigan activists, not shadowy outsiders,” Hank said. “This is a unique opportunity for Michigan to create the gold standard for cannabis law reform.”

 

Leadership for the MCCLRIC consists of eleven Board members, including several attorneys and noted media personalities. (See attached Board Membership Directory) All were elected at a gathering of statewide marijuana law reform advocates. The final language of the petition is being drafted.

 

http://thecompassionchronicles.com/2015/03/12/citizen-based-organization-announces-marijuana-legalization-effort-for-2016/

Edited by bobandtorey
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Free the weed!!! No person should ever be put in jail over a plant.Some higher power put this plant on earth as a medicine for all people to benefit from.This plant should be able to be grown by any adult anywhere,any place and as much as one wants to grow.What government has the right to tell there citizens what they can grow.This is just my humble opinion.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Marijuana is like any other plant

Attitudes as to whether the prohibition against cannabis is valid generally fall into one of two viewpoints.

On one side, are those who understand that it has medical value and even if used only for recreational purposes, its effects are relatively benign. Additionally, they feel that the government has no right to dictate what one can do in the privacy of his own home.

On the other side, are people who haven’t kept up with the latest research, and are relying on outdated information to shape their opinions.

David Simpson, a Republican state representative from Longview, Texas has expressed a third viewpoint. He wants to treat it like any other plant, such as tomatoes or carrots. He refers to the Bible, explaining that God made all the plants on earth, and he wonders if we really believe that God messed up. He states, “God made it, and it wasn’t a mistake that government needs to fix.”

I believe he has a very valid point.

Lee Mitnick 

Howell

 

 

http://www.livingstondaily.com/story/opinion/readers/2015/03/11/marijuana-medical/70178688/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

 

 

Marijuana is like any other plant

Attitudes as to whether the prohibition against cannabis is valid generally fall into one of two viewpoints.

On one side, are those who understand that it has medical value and even if used only for recreational purposes, its effects are relatively benign. Additionally, they feel that the government has no right to dictate what one can do in the privacy of his own home.

On the other side, are people who haven’t kept up with the latest research, and are relying on outdated information to shape their opinions.

David Simpson, a Republican state representative from Longview, Texas has expressed a third viewpoint. He wants to treat it like any other plant, such as tomatoes or carrots. He refers to the Bible, explaining that God made all the plants on earth, and he wonders if we really believe that God messed up. He states, “God made it, and it wasn’t a mistake that government needs to fix.”

I believe he has a very valid point.

Lee Mitnick 

Howell

 

 

http://www.livingstondaily.com/story/opinion/readers/2015/03/11/marijuana-medical/70178688/

 

 

Nice one.  The only sane law is that there shall be no laws against it.  On first glance I would support this effort though. 

Edited by MightyMightyMezz
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Marijuana is like any other plant

Attitudes as to whether the prohibition against cannabis is valid generally fall into one of two viewpoints.

On one side, are those who understand that it has medical value and even if used only for recreational purposes, its effects are relatively benign. Additionally, they feel that the government has no right to dictate what one can do in the privacy of his own home.

On the other side, are people who haven’t kept up with the latest research, and are relying on outdated information to shape their opinions.

David Simpson, a Republican state representative from Longview, Texas has expressed a third viewpoint. He wants to treat it like any other plant, such as tomatoes or carrots. He refers to the Bible, explaining that God made all the plants on earth, and he wonders if we really believe that God messed up. He states, “God made it, and it wasn’t a mistake that government needs to fix.”

I believe he has a very valid point.

Lee Mitnick 

Howell

 

 

http://www.livingstondaily.com/story/opinion/readers/2015/03/11/marijuana-medical/70178688/

That is just hooey. Because it is a plant gives it no safe status. If that were the case we would be drinking hemlock and eating opium. That it is a harmless plant is accurate enough, but to lump all plants together as somehow benign is a failure of logic. Idiots are everywhere. Right Bob?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

LANSING, MI -- Michigan marijuana advocates have confirmed plans to launch a petition drive later this year and hope to put a legalization proposal on the statewide ballot in 2016.

As MLive first reported last month, the Michigan Comprehensive Cannabis Law Reform Initiative Committee is one of two marijuana-related groups eyeing the 2016 ballot.

Board members officially announced the effort on Thursday, indicating that they want to strengthen the state's medical marijuana program, create a regulated system for taxable sales to adults over 21 and facilitate industrial hemp farming.

Committee Chair Jeffrey Hank, a Lansing attorney, said the group is fine-tuning draft language before submitting petitions to the Board of State Canvassers for review.

Proposed language would allow citizens to grow up to 12 marijuana plants each and dedicate tax revenues toward "public interest projects" such as road repairs and schools.

"We're trying to figure out the best way to boost jobs, save the state money, end the war on drugs where people are going to jail for marijuana use, raise revenue and put the money into things that people want," said Hank.

MCCLRIC plans to start a fundraising drive soon and is expecting to use a combination of paid and volunteer workers to collect signatures. The goal is to have petitions out in the field by May.

Michigan election law gives ballot committees a 180-day window to collect the required number of signatures necessary to place a proposal on the ballot. Roughly 250,000 signatures are required for initiated legislation.

Colorado, where legal marijuana sales through licensed stores began last year, reportedly generated $8.8 million in tax and fee revenue this January, which was then the highest grossing month on record. Because Michigan has a larger population, Hank said marijuana legalization could be more lucrative here.

"We're going to have a sales tax, and we're going to have an excise tax on non-medical marijuana, but medical will stay tax free," he said. "We're analyzing those numbers to see how we can have maximum economic impact."

Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette, the state's top law enforcement official, has consistently opposed efforts to legalize or decriminalize recreational marijuana. A spokesperson, asked about the potential petition drive, referred to a previous statement from the attorney general.

"When it comes to the medical marijuana question, we all know people who suffer from great pain and we are monitoring the legislature's review of that law, but we absolutely must keep drugs out of kids' hands and that is why I am opposed to so-called recreational drugs," Schuette said. "Protecting children must be our first priority. Always."

Marijuana remains illegal at the federal level, but voters in Colorado, Washington, Alaska and Oregon have already chosen to legalize recreational use. Marijuana is also illegal under Michigan law, but a number of municipalities have approved decriminalization measures.

Recent polling suggests roughly 50 percent of Michigan voters support the concept of legalization and taxation of marijuana.

A separate group, a non-profit called the Michigan Responsibility Council that involves former Oakland County Republican Party Chairman Paul Welday, is also exploring a potential legalization proposal but has not yet announced plans.

State Rep. Jeff Irwin, D-Ann Arbor, is also preparing statewide legalization legislation. His decriminalization proposal did not advance last session.

 

http://www.mlive.com/lansing-news/index.ssf/2015/03/marijuana_legalization_advocat.html

Link to comment
Share on other sites

anyone like the wood tv poll of its viewers.. should michigan legalize.... http://woodtv.com/2015/03/12/group-wants-statewide-pot-legalization-on-2016-ballot/    sometimes you have to pick it from the right side of the page if it dont link right...Wood Tv said results might surprise you... check it out.. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...