(Bozeman Daily Chronicle) Gov. Brian Schweitzer will allow a major overhaul of Montana’s medical marijuana act to become law, the governor told the Chronicle editorial board this afternoon.

Schweitzer was highly critical of the reform bill, which will allow caregivers to serve no more than three patients and bar people from accepting money for medical marijuana.

However, he said he cannot allow the Montana’s current medical marijuana law — which has allowed marijuana businesses to flourish and the number of marijuana patients in Montana to balloon beyond 30,000 people — to continue.

“With the structure we have in place now, we have people using Montana law to smoke marijuana just to smoke it. That’s what I believe,” Schweitzer said.

And… so what?!?  Do you think they are going to stop?  Whether you think they are suffering enough not to be locked in a cage for smoking a non-toxic herb is irrelevant.  If you really believe the so-called “recreational user” is using the Montana medical marijuana law to escape criminal prosecution, I have yet to hear why it is so important to be criminally punishing him in the first place.  They were smoking pot before, they are smoking pot now, they will smoke pot after July 1.

What you will lose are the jobs that were created by a dispensary industry.  You’ll lose the potential sales taxes and payroll taxes and money staying in Montana instead of flowing to other states or Mexico.  You’ll lose the ability to know where the medical marijuana is being grown and where it is being bought and sold and knowing there will be some level of security, identification checking, agricultural quality controls, and zoning regulations.  You just made the underground market broader and deeper now that 9 out of 10 legal consumers will be returned to criminal status.

But he was skeptical of the argument that the law will make it nearly impossible for legitimate users to get marijuana.

“My guess is there will be a very active business in not producing marijuana, but selling grow-boxes to help people to grow marijuana,” he said.

Again with the “legitimate users”, that inevitable distinction created by the medical marijuana concept that divides us into “patients” and “criminals” based on our personal suffering.  Got cancer? Aw, here’s a joint.  Got migraines?  Too bad, faker, take a pill or get in the cage.

Why must we punish, imprison, force rehab, and enforce abstinence regarding cannabis use?  I always get answers about federal law, drug schedules, dangerous drugs, and so forth, and every argument falls apart when I note we’re freely allowed to consume alcohol and tobacco.  I get warnings about how cannabis will lead to these other drugs that do awful things, but never what’s so dangerous about the cannabis itself.

As for those grow boxes, I don’t foresee a whole lot of wheelchair-bound patients, those suffering spasticity, some with other mobility issues being able to grow their own.  So they are to rely on caregivers who now cannot be reimbursed for their efforts and cannot help too many patients.  There are always too few compassionate altruistic individuals like that and some of the most vulnerable “legitimate users” are going to suffer, Governor.

And he was unequivocal about the effect the law will have on marijuana businesses across the state, some of which provide pot to hundreds of people.

“July 1, they’re out of business,” he said.

Because that’s what Montana needs – more unemployment and failed small businesses!

UPDATE: Now included – Gov. Gregoire’s prepared remarks and official veto letter below…

Washington SB 5073 Partial Veto Letter
Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire’s Prepared Remarks on SB 5073 partial veto

This post is part of our continuing series of “Politicians on Pot“.  If you have written your elected official at the local, state, or federal level, email their response to stash@norml.org with the subject Politicians on Pot.  Visit our Politicians on Pot map and click your state to find the responses from your elected officials.  If you’d like to review all of the responses from Democrats and Republicans you can use these links. If you’d like to just review all the politicians responses, click Politicians on Pot.

Dear Robert,

Thank you for contacting me about Michele Leonhart’s nomination to be Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration. It is always good to hear from a fellow West Virginian, and I appreciate this opportunity to be in touch.

On February 2, 2010, President Obama nominated Michele Leonhart to serve as Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration. She has served as Acting Administrator since November 2007 and, before that, served as Deputy Administrator. Her nomination was reported by the Senate Judiciary Committee on a voice vote on December 1, 2010, and she was unanimously confirmed by the Senate on December 22, 2010.

The role of the Senate to confirm or not confirm nominees put forward by the President is an extremely important Constitutional duty that no Senator undertakes lightly. I assure you that prior to voting on any nominee, I carefully review their qualifications and listen closely to what you and other West Virginians have to say.  In this case, I believe that Administrator Leonhart has the right qualifications for this job and that there is a need to have stable leadership at federal agencies, especially at an agency with the important mission of combating drug trafficking.

I have heard from several West Virginians who are concerned about Ms. Leonhart’s stance on medical marijuana. The legalization of marijuana for medical purposes has fueled heated debate for years. Proponents of legalization argue that marijuana can provide therapeutic relief to individuals suffering from diseases such as cancer, AIDS, glaucoma, and neurological and movement disorders Opponents maintain that marijuana is a Schedule I controlled substance, which means it has a high potential for abuse, has no accepted medical use in the United States, and lacks accepted safety, even for use under medical supervision.

Over the years, Congress has acted to uphold federal statute by passing various measures that reaffirm marijuana’s status as a Schedule I controlled substance. Although bills have been introduced to allow doctors to prescribe marijuana for medical use in states that permit it, Congress has consistently rejected this idea on the grounds that valid clinical evidence does not exist to verify the therapeutic benefits of marijuana.

You should know that I am opposed to the recreational use of all illegal drugs. I am very proud of my long record of fighting drug abuse and crime related to it. I have voted to support harsh penalties for drug offenders and have worked hard to make funding available so our police can properly train and equip themselves for the war on drugs. I believe it is very important to punish drug offenders, help the addicted when we can, and keep drugs away from our children, and my votes in the Senate reflect those values.

At the same time, I believe that our government must enact policies that are effective, and not merely punitive, as we work to prevent drug abuse. That is why I am committed to providing treatment where it is appropriate, enforcement where it is necessary, and education in healthful choices for everyone. Rehabilitation services must be a priority in order to help those with drug addiction, which could save many lives and many families, and over time will be a bargain compared to the ravages of crime, increased health care costs, and the overwhelming costs of incarcerating so many of our state’s youth.

Thank you again for being in touch. I wish you the very best.
With Warm Regards,

Jay Rockefeller

[Russ adds: Welcome Kaliko, our new intern, who will be handling our Politicians on Pot series.  If you didn't know, we collect the mail and email responses you get from your elected officials and catalog them by political party, state, and subject.  As a 501(c)(4) educational organization, we cannot directly tell you who you should vote for, but we can educate you about the candidate's stances on the issues.  If you have a politician's response, use stash@norml.org to send it to us.]

December 21, 2010

Dear Randall,

Thank you for contacting me about the nomination of Michele Leonhart for Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). I appreciate hearing from you on this important nomination.

The Senate is tasked with reviewing the President’s nominees for various federal offices, including the DEA. It is crucial to the functioning of our federal agencies that we confirm well-qualified nominees.

The DEA is responsible for enforcing controlled substances laws and supporting programs designed to decrease the availability of illegal drugs in the United States and around the world. Michele Leonhart has served as Acting Administrator of the DEA since 2007.

Ms. Leonhart was born and raised in Minnesota. After graduating from Bemidji State University, she became a police officer in Baltimore. She served as a career DEA Special Agent, at one point running all Los Angeles field operations, before becoming Deputy Administrator in 2004.

As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which oversees the DEA, I was able to meet Ms. Leonhart and become familiar with her policies. I also had the opportunity to question Ms. Leonhart during her recent confirmation hearing. I believe she has proven her ability to head the DEA, and I plan to support her confirmation.

I will be sure to keep your thoughts on the DEA in mind during routine oversight hearings of the administration. I also look forward to working with my colleagues in continuing to review and confirm qualified Presidential nominees.

Thank you again for contacting me, and please do not hesitate to do so again in the future on this or any other matter of concern to you.

Sincerely,

Al Franken
United States Senator

(TampaBay.com) Rep. Jeff Clemens, D-Lake Worth, has filed a joint resolution that if passed would let voters in 2012 weigh in on a constitutional amendment legalizing medical marijuana.

The law would allow the use of medical marijuana if it’s recommended by physicians for patients with “debilitating medical conditions.” The proposal also allows the Legislature to set a maximum quantity of marijuana that can be owned for medical use, but that amount could be exceeded if a patient or doctor says greater amounts are necessary. Patients under 18 could use marijuana for medical purposes if two physicians diagnose the patient with a medical condition and the patient’s parents agree to it.

Among other things the measure would not allow for is the use of medical marijuana “in plain view of the general public.” It also says health insurers wouldn’t be required to reimburse patients for medical marijuana costs.

Fantastic news!  And a smart move by Rep. Clemens, in that it doesn’t direct the legislature to approve medical marijuana, it asks them to let the voters decide.  To oppose that resolution is to take the position that the people can’t be trusted to make the decision and may make it more difficult for medical marijuana opponents to oppose.

Except that it’s Florida.  All bets are off when it comes to the prohibitionists there.

concord monitor Liberal Democrats and libertarian-leaning Republicans are finding common cause in supporting a House bill that would legalize medical marijuana.

“This is a bill whose message has been heard loud and clear,” said bill sponsor Rep. Evalyn Merrick, a Lancaster Democrat. “I sense we’ll have a good deal of support on both sides of the aisle.”

The Democratic-controlled Legislature passed a bill allowing medical marijuana in 2009, but Democratic Gov. John Lynch vetoed it. The House overrode the veto, but the Senate came up two votes short.

State Sen. Jim Forsythe, a Strafford Republican and former chairman of the state Republican Liberty Caucus, said the challenge for libertarian-leaning Republicans will be to convince more socially conservative party members that allowing medical marijuana fits with conservative values.

“Conservatives traditionally oppose Obamacare because they want government out of doctor patient relationships, and medical marijuana helps satisfy that,” Forsythe said. “We believe in minimal regulation, and this helps toward that.”

Washington State Rep. Roger Goodman

It’s my opinion that he legalization effort is gathering more momentum than it’s losing.  The more advocates we can get into congress the better.  The Legalization Train Rolls On!

(StoptheDrugWar.org) Washington state Rep. Roger Goodman (D) has announced that he is seeking the Democratic Party nomination to challenge US Rep. Dave Reichert (R), a two-term congressman who represents Washington’s 8th congressional district. Although he doesn’t emphasize it heavily on his campaign web pages, Goodman is a champion of drug policy reform.

His reform record is long and impressive. An attorney, Goodman served as the executive director of the Washington State Sentencing Guidelines Commission in the late 1990s and was elected to the National Association of Sentencing Commissions. While with the state commission, he published major reports on prison capacity and sentencing policy, helped to increase availability of drug treatment in prisons, and shepherded 14 other sentencing-related bills through the legislature.

Goodman followed up the sentencing stint by leading the King County Bar Association’s Drug Policy Project, which coordinated a groundbreaking initiative to take a critical look at drug laws and promote cheaper, more effective, and more humane drug policies. In doing so, he helped create an impressive coalition of over 20 professional and civic organizations that has spurred the legislature to reduce imprisonment of drug offenders and shift funding into drug treatment.

A state representative since 2006, Goodman is cosponsor of a marijuana legalization bill currently before the legislature, and is supporting a pending medical marijuana dispensary bill. Last session, he helped push through a 911 Good Samaritan drug overdose prevention bill, and is seeking similar legislation to help prevent alcohol overdoses. He continues to work for sentencing reform in the legislature as well.

While Goodman is aiming at the 8th congressional district, that could change because of redistricting. He told the Chronicle he could end up in one of three different districts, but said he was confident he could win in any of them.

(Seattle Times) If marijuana were legal, how many people would buy it? The state of Washington now has an official estimate: 10 percent of the adult public.

Its value to state and local government in Washington, according to my back-of-the envelope calculation: an immediate $300 million a year.

Here is how I get there. Says the Liquor Control Board:

It is assumed that ten percent of persons age 21 and over will consume legalized cannabis: five percent of those legal consumers will consume an average of two grams a day; the other ninety-five percent will consume an average of two grams a week. It is also assumed that one third of buyers will purchase discount products at $3.43 a gram; one third will purchase mid-range product at $10.00 per gram; and one third will purchase premium product at $15.60 per gram.

I wouldn’t bet on this bill passing, and I don’t think Gov. Chris Gregoire would sign it. She told me several months ago, “I am not interested in legalizing marijuana.” But it says something about our political climate that the bill has been introduced, that is has had a public hearing, and that the following Representatives have put their names on it: Mary Lou Dickerson, D-Seattle, Roger Goodman, D-Kirland; Dave Upthegrove, D-Des Moines; Jamie Pedersen, D-Seattle; Sherry Appleton, D-Poulsbo; Mary Helen Roberts, D-Lynnwood, Eileen Cody, D-Seattle; Louis Moscoso, D-Mountlake Terrace; Deb Eddy, D-Kirkland; Tami Green, D-Tacoma; Jeannie Darneille, D-Tacoma; Joe Fitzgibbon, D-Burien; and Andrew Billig, D-Spokane. All Democrats, mostly from Puget Sound country.

I think this is an extremely lowball estimate.  I know Vancouver and Spokane and other border cities would get a lot of business from Oregon and Idaho.  But being able to say “at least $300 million” will do.

Go here to read the rest:
State Representative From Pennsylvania Gets Busted for a Joint While Tailgating