New England 2016 is a Marijuana Legalization Hotbed [FEATURE] | StoptheDrugWar.org - P.S. Smith:
February 17, 2016 - "No state east of the Mississippi has legalized marijuana, but that's very likely to change this year, and New England will be leading the way. Two of the six New England states will likely let the voters make the call in November, while the others all have legalization bills pending.
"More Western states will likely legalize it this year, including the nation's most populous, California, as well as Arizona and Nevada.... Another possible legalization state this year is Michigan.... But it's Yankee country that will see the most concentrated regional push toward marijuana legalization.... Initiatives that make the ballot will go before New England populations that are showing majority support for legalization [and] the region also appears poised to produce the first state to free the weed through the legislature....
"Connecticut. Earlier this month, Rep. Juan Candelaria (D-New Haven) introduced House Bill 5209, which would allow adults to use, grow, and sell marijuana. Candelaria introduced a similar bill last year that went nowhere....
"Maine. The legalization initiative from the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol has not yet officially qualified for the ballot, but is poised to. On February 1, the campaign turned in more than 103,000 raw signatures from its petition drive. It only needs 61,000 valid voter signatures to qualify for the November ballot.... The most recent of Mainers' attitudes toward marijuana legalization, from the spring of 2015, had support at 65%.
"Massachusetts. The legalization initiative from the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol has already qualified for the ballot, but under Massachusetts law, the legislature must first take up the issue. If, as expected, it fails to adopt legalization, the campaign must then collect another 10,000 signatures to place the initiative on the November ballot. It should be able to do that easily ... a 2014 poll had support at 53% and a Boston Globe poll from last year had a dead heat, with 48% in favor, 47% opposed....
"New Hampshire. The House actually passed a legalization bill in 2014, only to see it die in the Senate. This year ... legalization bill, House Bill 1610, is currently before the House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee. Even if the bill were to pass the House, it faces a tough battle in the Senate....
"Rhode Island. Rep. Scott Slater (D-Providence) said he will file a marijuana legalization bill in the General Assembly last week, and Sen. Joshua Miller (D-Cranston) will file companion legislation in the Senate.... The Senate bill has 17 cosponsors (out of 38 senators), and the House bill has more than 30 cosponsors....
"Vermont. The Green Mountain State is the most likely to actually pass a legalization bill this year. Senate Bill 241, backed by Gov. Peter Shumlin (D), has already passed the Senate Judiciary and Finance committees and is moving toward a Senate floor vote. But the committees have amended the bill to kill home cultivation and to reduce the legalized amount from an ounce to a half ounce. And if and when the bill gets out of the Senate, it still faces a tough battle in the House."
Read more: http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2016/feb/17/new_england_2016_marijuana_legal
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StoptheDrugWar.org articles are available for reprinting under a modified version of the Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution License.
February 17, 2016 - "No state east of the Mississippi has legalized marijuana, but that's very likely to change this year, and New England will be leading the way. Two of the six New England states will likely let the voters make the call in November, while the others all have legalization bills pending.
"More Western states will likely legalize it this year, including the nation's most populous, California, as well as Arizona and Nevada.... Another possible legalization state this year is Michigan.... But it's Yankee country that will see the most concentrated regional push toward marijuana legalization.... Initiatives that make the ballot will go before New England populations that are showing majority support for legalization [and] the region also appears poised to produce the first state to free the weed through the legislature....
"Connecticut. Earlier this month, Rep. Juan Candelaria (D-New Haven) introduced House Bill 5209, which would allow adults to use, grow, and sell marijuana. Candelaria introduced a similar bill last year that went nowhere....
"Maine. The legalization initiative from the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol has not yet officially qualified for the ballot, but is poised to. On February 1, the campaign turned in more than 103,000 raw signatures from its petition drive. It only needs 61,000 valid voter signatures to qualify for the November ballot.... The most recent of Mainers' attitudes toward marijuana legalization, from the spring of 2015, had support at 65%.
"Massachusetts. The legalization initiative from the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol has already qualified for the ballot, but under Massachusetts law, the legislature must first take up the issue. If, as expected, it fails to adopt legalization, the campaign must then collect another 10,000 signatures to place the initiative on the November ballot. It should be able to do that easily ... a 2014 poll had support at 53% and a Boston Globe poll from last year had a dead heat, with 48% in favor, 47% opposed....
"New Hampshire. The House actually passed a legalization bill in 2014, only to see it die in the Senate. This year ... legalization bill, House Bill 1610, is currently before the House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee. Even if the bill were to pass the House, it faces a tough battle in the Senate....
"Rhode Island. Rep. Scott Slater (D-Providence) said he will file a marijuana legalization bill in the General Assembly last week, and Sen. Joshua Miller (D-Cranston) will file companion legislation in the Senate.... The Senate bill has 17 cosponsors (out of 38 senators), and the House bill has more than 30 cosponsors....
"Vermont. The Green Mountain State is the most likely to actually pass a legalization bill this year. Senate Bill 241, backed by Gov. Peter Shumlin (D), has already passed the Senate Judiciary and Finance committees and is moving toward a Senate floor vote. But the committees have amended the bill to kill home cultivation and to reduce the legalized amount from an ounce to a half ounce. And if and when the bill gets out of the Senate, it still faces a tough battle in the House."
Read more: http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2016/feb/17/new_england_2016_marijuana_legal
'via Blog this'
StoptheDrugWar.org articles are available for reprinting under a modified version of the Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution License.
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