Maryland: Marijuana Legalization Bill Introduced

[RainDog]

http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/o/51046/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=12769

Lawmakers in Maryland have introduced The Marijuana Control Act of 2014, which aims to legalize the possession, cultivation, and retail sale of cannabis to adults. The proposed legislation removes all criminal and civil penalties for the possession of up to one ounce of marijuana and the personal cultivation of up to 6 marijuana plants by those over the age of 21. The bill would also create a system of retail cannabis outlets, cultivation facilities, and marijuana product manufacturers. Versions are expected to be filed in both the state Senate and the House of Delegates.

"Our experiment with marijuana prohibition has failed,” stated Senator Jamie Raskin at the press conference announcing the bill, “We got ourselves out of alcohol prohibition by regulating and taxing the product, and we should employ the same exit strategy with marijuana. If we can regulate alcohol, we can regulate marijuana.”

According to a 2013 ACLU report, Maryland possesses one of the highest rates of marijuana possession arrests of any state in the country. Maryland arrests over 23,000 individuals for simple marijuana possession every year, at the cost over of 100 million dollars. Despite only constituting 30% of the state's population and having similar use rates to their white counterparts, African Americans account for 58% of the state's marijuana possession arrests.

Polling data, commissioned by the ACLU in 2013, found that 53 percent of Maryland voters support making marijuana legal for adults and regulating it like alcohol. Only 38 percent said they were opposed to this change.

CBS Baltimore link to announcement: http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2014/01/16/maryland-marijuana-bill-will-regulate-tax-cannabis-like-alcohol/

[TeamPooka]

1. lot of that going on now. nt

[RainDog]

2. Let it roll, baby, roll...

[demigoddess]

3. another one bites the dust

I hope!!!

[RainDog]

4. hey, you need a song for that...

[duhneece]

5. NM has a state rep who says he will introduce a similar bill

Gerald Ortiz y Pino has announced his intention. Our short session (NM alternates between a short 30 day session where generally only budget related bills are considered and a long 60 day session) begin Jan 21. I just saw Mr. Ortiz u y Pino at a conference where there were numerous folks talking about how the Governor's witch hunt on the 15 NM agencies that provide 85% of behavioral health services with Arizona agencies, blaming the ACA, or Obamacare as she always referred to it. She's a former DA who wants to be considered for VP of the US. Today, my community's agency was cleared of fraud, as her Secretary had claimed.

[RainDog]

6. GREAT! Would you mind posting this as an OP here in the forum? n/t

[duhneece]

7. I'm truly tech-challenged

I don't know what you mean...and I'm about to leave my friend's house (who has internet access) and go home where I live primitively with no tv, no internet, no running water, a composting toilet, but no out house etc.
Is it possible that you could do what it is that you asked?
http://www.abqjournal.com/330203/news/legislator-wants-nm-constitutional-amendment-to-legalize-pot.html
Copyright © 2014 Albuquerque Journal

A day after Colorado opened its doors to the legalized sale of recreational marijuana, a state senator said New Mexico should consider following suit.

Sen. Gerald Ortiz y Pino, an Albuquerque Democrat, said he will introduce a constitutional amendment proposal to legalize recreational marijuana when the Legislature convenes this month.

The constitutional amendment would go on the general election ballot this November if approved by both the House and Senate. Constitutional amendment proposals go straight from the Legislature to voters, and Gov. Susana Martinez would not be able to act on the measure if it were approved by lawmakers.

Martinez, a Republican and a former district attorney, opposes drug legalization

[RainDog]

8. I'd be happy to do it

but, for me, the courtesy is to ask the person who brought the info to this forum if they would like to post it themselves. I'd be happy to create a post with this information.

An OP is "original post" - like the first one in this thread you're replying to here. So, I was just talking about a post of its own so that others would see the state/issue.

Thanks for bringing this to everyone's attention.

And enjoy that Walden of yours.