The Green Thread: Marijuana in the states

[MasterJedi]

Wisconsin State Senate approved cannabidiol oil today on a vote of 31-1 and it's headed to the Assembly. No idea how Walker feels, he said he didn't support medical marijuana because it's a gateway drug but with the likely overwhelming approval in both houses I don't think he matters. Bill is problematic since it's still illegal to import it into the state or produce it in state. State Dem senator tried to allow production but was shot down.

[MasterJedi]

I hope Jeff Sessions enforces federal law. If you want the law changed, change it. We can't just ignore the hierarchy of legal code.

What happened to conservatives supporting states rights?

They will again when they're out of power, but then with all the changes they made the Dems can ram a lot down their throat and they won't be able to stop it. Not a smart move on their part.

[MasterJedi]

"Violence around marijuana"? This guy is delusional. The only violence that takes place is due to the fact that it has not been legalized.

I've heard a reasonable argument that legalized weed nearly bankrupted the cartels and shifted their focus to heroin, leading to the opioid epidemic. It's a persuasive take.

That said, "ban weed so the cartels will sell that instead!" Would be the most asinine Drug War take in a long running debacle full of asinine takes

The heroin problem has a lot more to do with prescription pain pills being given out like candy and long term use for musculoskeletal conditions where they shouldn't be used long term. It's basically synthetic heroin, people get addicted and then switch to heroin since it's cheaper. 

[MasterJedi]

Apparently there's a legalization bill in *Texas* that wasn't killed off immediately that's cleares committee and might actually get a debate. Crazy

Republicans that support it in red states should try and use the line that it will "tax the sh**t out of liberals" and it'll probably get more support.

[MasterJedi]

If Scott does nothing recreational Marijuana will become legal on 12:01am on Thursday I believe. I think he's not going to sign or veto and just let it pass.

[MasterJedi]

And Scott vetoes it.

http://money.cnn.com/2017/05/24/news/vermont-marijuana-legalization/index.html

Boo!

[MasterJedi]

Any word on the Michigan ballot initiative? Is it definitely on the ballot?

[MasterJedi]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-illinois-legislature-marijuana-20180301-story.html

Illinois likely to have an advisory (at least it's something) vote on marijuana this November. Cook County already said 68% yes for that last month.

[MasterJedi]

Hickenlooper said he hasn't ruled out banning pot again in CO. And there goes the brief flirtation with a presidential run.

[MasterJedi]

https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/milwaukee/2018/05/10/county-panel-endorses-marijuana-referendum-nov-6-ballot/591566002/

So a Milwaukee County committee unanimously passed a resolution for a vote on legal pot for Nov 6, it's expected to pass the full council.

[MasterJedi]

Still shocked that legal weed failed in North Dakota.

Yeah, especially by the margin.  Heitkamp lost by 11 and weed failed by 18.

Two years ago, medical cannabis was approved 64-36.

I mean, it is North Dakota after all. No state anywhere near as conservative as North Dakota has approved recreational weed.

Alaska did, but it has a stronger libertarian streak than ND.

The next states we should be looking at for ballot initiatives are Arizona, Ohio (without the monopoly nonsense in the last referendum), Missouri, and Montana.  It would gain majority approval in Florida, but it will probably take a few cycles before it can get 60%.

Recreational probably won't pass in Oklahoma or Arkansas any time soon.

If it gets on the ballot in Wisconsin it would pass too. Recreational weed won everywhere it was on the ballot by yuge margins and medical marijuana was winning with 80% in deep Republican counties too.

[MasterJedi]

Still shocked that legal weed failed in North Dakota.

Yeah, especially by the margin.  Heitkamp lost by 11 and weed failed by 18.

Two years ago, medical cannabis was approved 64-36.

I mean, it is North Dakota after all. No state anywhere near as conservative as North Dakota has approved recreational weed.

Alaska did, but it has a stronger libertarian streak than ND.

The next states we should be looking at for ballot initiatives are Arizona, Ohio (without the monopoly nonsense in the last referendum), Missouri, and Montana.  It would gain majority approval in Florida, but it will probably take a few cycles before it can get 60%.

Recreational probably won't pass in Oklahoma or Arkansas any time soon.

If it gets on the ballot in Wisconsin it would pass too. Recreational weed won everywhere it was on the ballot by yuge margins and medical marijuana was winning with 80% in deep Republican counties too.

True, but binding/non-advisory ballot measures need to be approved by the legislature first in Wisconsin.  Democrats would probably need to win control of the statehouse first at least, which they weren't able to do this year.

Although IIRC when I was watching the WI Senate debate a few weeks ago, Baldwin referred to some local marijuana measures that were on the ballot in some counties and cities that she was supporting.  How did those go?

https://www.tmj4.com/elections

Scroll down, marijuana initiatives are all there I believe but all passed. Nonbinding.

[MasterJedi]

https://urbanmilwaukee.com/2018/12/31/everyone-wants-legal-pot/

All 19 Municipalities in Milwaukee County voted for recreational pot in the advisory referendum in November.

[MasterJedi]

Any updates on NJ? They seemed like the state that was going to be the next one to legalize.

[MasterJedi]

Wisconsin State Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R) is scared that Evers Medical Marijuana plan will be a slippery slope, aka Wisconsin Republicans will not support any marijuana legislation, even when deep conservative counties gave 80%+ support to medical weed. Lovely -_-

[MasterJedi]

Does NJ have ballot initiative? That would easily get on the ballot if someone started it.

[MasterJedi]

Excellent!  Now the ball is in Madigan's court.

Hopefully he blocks it


He should do at least one good thing for Illinois, and that good thing is blocking marijuana access (which should be illegal nationwide)

Why do Republicans hate freedom so much?

Either way, excellent news, especially after NJ sh**t the bead.

[MasterJedi]

Illinois House passed the legislation 66-47, goes to Pritzker who says he will sign.

[MasterJedi]

It doesn't look like legalization is on the table in NY this year.  Cuomo says the votes aren't there in the Senate just yet and the session ends in just twelve days, although Cuomo as well as the Speaker and Majority Leader have been blamed for the bill stalling.

New York, like New Jersey, has awful politics, so sadly this doesn't surprise me.

If Cuomo actually wanted the votes to be there, they would be there.

Could be not enough time to actually get those deals done to make it happen in the time remaining, but yes, you're right.

[MasterJedi]

Appears there might be a slim chance for NY to do something about marijuana this session.

[MasterJedi]

Unfortunately, it doesn't seem legalization is on the horizon in my state where the Republicans still control the Upper Chamber. I believe they actually blocked a Senate bill earlier this year.

Edit: Found it. https://www.mprnews.org/story/2019/03/11/senate-committee-torpedoes-legal-marijuana-bill

It is amazing how Republican politicians are in opposition to even a lot of their own supporters.

[MasterJedi]

Appears Mississippi will be able to vote on medical next year.

[MasterJedi]

We might be on track for a vote next year.

https://www.politico.com/states/new-jersey/story/2019/11/18/new-jersey-marijuana-legalization-bill-dead-lawmakers-will-let-voters-decide-1227894

Good, at least it WILL pass this way when the boomer politicians can't kill it.

[MasterJedi]

Wisconsin really stands out as a bizarre exception to the rule for the dark blue States. Probably comes from the lack of having voter initiative or referendum measures, IMHO.

That, and Republicans as usual. Leaders of the Assembly and Senate think it's an evil gateway drug. Vos (head of Assembly) is "open" to medical, Senate leader says no. Basically they're terrified of "pot on every corner" when there's literally a bar on every corner.

[MasterJedi]

It's going to pass easily.

Should have been passed well over a year ago but at least it won't be punted and delayed anymore.