Testimony at Massachusetts Legalization Hearing

By "Radical" Russ Belville on October 14, 2009

Posted in ACTIVISM, ENTERTAINMENT, GOVERNMENT, LEGISLATION | Tagged Keith Stroup, MA HB2929, Massachusetts

"Radical" Russ Belville

I am the producer of The NORML Network, the host of the NORML SHOW LIVE and The NORML Stash Blog, and NORML's Outreach Coordinator. I'm married, live in Portland, Oregon, and I am a registered medical marijuana caregiver in this state. I've worked days as an IT geek and nights as a professional musician. Previously, I have been the host of my own political talk radio show on satellite radio. I've been the High Times "Freedom Fighter of the Month" and I travel across the country to educate people on marijuana reform. I've dedicated my life to bringing an end to adult marijuana prohibition and re-legalizing cannabis hemp, and I'm honored to be chosen by NORML to give voice to the Marijuana Nation and to speak for those who can't speak up.

8 responses to “Testimony at Massachusetts Legalization Hearing”

NORML Director: Amazing 2009! Awesome 2010 Ahead! | Real Liberty Media
January 4, 2010 at 8:39 pm | Permalink

[...] 14, NORML’s Legal Counsel Keith Stroup and NORML Advisory Board Member Dr. Lester Grinspoon testified before the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Revenue in favor of House Bill 2929, ‘An Act to [...]
Eric
January 1, 2010 at 4:30 am | Permalink

I don’t know why they just didn’t do a percentage tax, maybe i think it would be cheaper that way.
NORML Director: Amazing 2009! Awesome 2010 Ahead! : WeedBits
December 31, 2009 at 6:37 pm | Permalink

[...] 14, NORML’s Legal Counsel Keith Stroup and NORML Advisory Board Member Dr. Lester Grinspoon testified before the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Revenue in favor of House Bill 2929, ‘An Act to [...]
NORML Director: Amazing 2009! Awesome 2010 Ahead!
December 31, 2009 at 7:00 am | Permalink

[...] 14, NORML’s Legal Counsel Keith Stroup and NORML Advisory Board Member Dr. Lester Grinspoon testified before the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Revenue in favor of House Bill 2929, ‘An Act to [...]
High East
October 15, 2009 at 10:22 am | Permalink

I, too, shake my head in utter disgust when I hear these prices.

I wouldn’t oppose support for legalization over a high tax, or price, though. I would just support the tebaggers and work to get the tax lowered. LOL
Arthur
October 15, 2009 at 7:37 am | Permalink

Wow. I love when there are videos like this man. I sometimes forget this is going on. I rarely see anything about cannabis but manage to catch everything the media puts out, which isn’t much. I love coming here and actually getting some news.
Steven Epstein
October 15, 2009 at 3:30 am | Permalink

False information:
The maximum excise tax rate is $250 upon an ounce of Grade A (10% THC or more). Cannabis sales are exempted from the state’s 6.25% sales tax.
Cultivation by adults for their own use and distributed as a gift are exempt from licensing, excise tax and of course sales tax and would not be a crime.
In the black market the cost of such produce is well over $300 an ounce.
You can read the entire bill here:
http://www.mass.gov/legis/bills/senate/186/st01pdf/ST01801.PDF
WakeUpDead
October 14, 2009 at 11:26 pm | Permalink

Im concerned about the $300 an OZ tax that is suggested here. Is that what we are comming to? Are we going to settle for a heavy taxed system of regulation just to get some legal headway? Im just saying, it really threw me off to hear that come out of Keith’s mouth.
I would like to see this Bill and see what they are planning on taxing and such. Looking for it now.