Didn't see this anywhere else. this is an interesting development but not surprising.

Quote :

"SACRAMENTO — California lawmakers took a historic first step toward legalizing marijuana when an Assembly committee approved legislation that would put the drug on the open market as a regulated and taxed product. Almost simultaneous with the passage, however, the bill died — for now. With a Jan. 22 deadline nearing for approving legislation from last year and no agreement to take it up in the Health Committee, where it must go before it reaches the Assembly floor, the author of the bill, Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, D-San Francisco, has vowed to reintroduce it. "This is a significant vote because it legitimizes the quest for debate, legitimizes the quest for discussion," Ammiano said. "This is far from over. Not only did we get it out of public safety, but members are now willing to say, yes, this is worthy of discussion." Advocates hailed the narrow passage of the bill, AB390 — it was approved by the Assembly Public Safety Committee on a 4-3 vote — as a major breakthrough that will lead to a national legalization movement. "This is the formal beginning of the end of marijuana prohibition in the United States," said Stephen Gutwillig, director of the Drug Policy Alliance Network."

http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_14173190

1/12/2010 4:53:03 PM

horray bad economic times contributing to the relaxing of paternal government regulations

1/12/2010 5:33:53 PM

ownage

1/12/2010 5:34:53 PM

prohibition is dumb as shit.

1/12/2010 5:45:30 PM

This should be interesting. It's going to be sad and funny at the same time watching the size of the DEA explode and see how many people get busted for a federal crime that is legal in their state. The warped usage of the interstate commerce clause really needs to be put back in line.

1/12/2010 7:31:42 PM

Obama's officially stated that the feds aren't going to get involved in this type of scenario.

1/12/2010 7:43:53 PM

If California actually goes along with it, some other states couldn't be far behind...Nevada and Oregon couldn't last long. How hard is it going to be to prohibit a substance that you can legally buy in the United States, especially one that's so widely used and traded anyway?

1/12/2010 7:46:53 PM

California: Broke and High

1/12/2010 7:53:06 PM

California: Broke and High


Once they start taxing marijuana. iamirite?

1/12/2010 8:02:12 PM

New Jersey Vote Backs Marijuana for Severely Ill
January 11, 2010

Quote :

"TRENTON — The New Jersey Legislature approved a measure on Monday that would make the state the 14th in the nation, but one of the few on the East Coast, to legalize the use of marijuana to help patients with chronic illnesses. The measure — which would allow patients diagnosed with severe illnesses like cancer, AIDS, Lou Gehrig's disease, muscular dystrophy and multiple sclerosis to have access to marijuana grown and distributed through state-monitored dispensaries — was passed by the General Assembly and State Senate on the final day of the legislative session."

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/12/nyregion/12marijuana.html

Good.

1/12/2010 8:11:10 PM

it's just a plant

and for you religious folk out there that declares it morally wrong, God put it here.

[Edited on January 13, 2010 at 12:20 AM. Reason : but if you just so happened to light it on fire.....]

1/13/2010 12:19:48 AM

burning bush yo

moses knew what was up

1/13/2010 12:33:36 AM

NC has already proposed a bill to legalize medical marijuana but it was shot down. it will probably pass in the next year or so especially if other states start legalizing it for recreational use.

1/13/2010 8:31:32 AM

Quote :

"Obama's officially stated that the feds aren't going to get involved in this type of scenario."

there have still been federal raids

1/13/2010 9:18:41 AM

I have no problem with legalizing marijuana. However, medical marijuana is the biggest bunch of bullshit ever.

1/13/2010 9:19:04 AM

Quote :

"NC has already proposed a bill to legalize medical marijuana but it was shot down. it will probably pass in the next year or so especially if other states start legalizing it for recreational use. "

Are you being too optimistic? How about we get rid of these fucking blue laws. No alcohol sold before 12 on Sundays? No Happy Hour specials?

GAY

SHIT

ITS (in this state)

1/13/2010 11:22:13 AM

^
Those laws are wrong too, but if I could pick which one they changed first, it'd be for weed, not booze.

Quote :

"I have no problem with legalizing marijuana. However, medical marijuana is the biggest bunch of bullshit ever."

In what way?
Are you saying that it can't or shouldn't be used as a medicine?....or that the "movement" is just a front for the push for legal recreational use?...or are you saying something else?

1/13/2010 12:34:27 PM

^I can admit the no booze before 12pm Sunday law doesn't inconvenience me much at all, but I'd appreciate the happy hour thing.

And for starters can we repeal this bullshit new 5% (additional sales) tax on alcohol??

1/13/2010 12:48:40 PM

California, the land of hypocrisy. You can't have trans-fat in your foods, but smoke all the dope you want!

California really is the most ignorant state in the union, but they think they are the smartest. I don't even disagree with legalizing marajuana, but they are so full of shit on so many levels.

On a side note, I'd love for the state to finally go bankrupt. That should be the shot across the bow that gets our current liberal congress (and that includes the republicans) to realize there is an end to acquiring debt, and taxing the hell out of your citizens, and its not a good one.

[Edited on January 13, 2010 at 1:15 PM. Reason : .]

1/13/2010 1:13:29 PM

"I hope bad things happen to validate my political and economic prejudices which are based on thin air"

1/13/2010 1:23:04 PM

Hopefully, the state government in California takes massive cuts, since they can't just print money like the federal government. Maybe it'll be a decent place to live in a few years.

1/13/2010 1:30:17 PM

Obama will bail out the liberal paradise, to think otherwise would be ridiculous.

1/13/2010 1:31:42 PM

Quote :

""I hope bad things happen to validate my political and economic prejudices which are based on thin air""

Its not that I really 'hope' California implodes. I am pretty sure they will. I'd just assume they not limp along for a lot longer. They need to come to the realization that their tax policies and budget policies dont equal a prosperous state. They probably thought it was working in years past, but when times are good, you can get away with just about anything from a legislative standpoint. Its not in the nations best interest for them to limp along, and its certainly not in our interest to bail them out.

To bail them out without forcing them to make tough decisions just means we have to do it again when times are tough.

[Edited on January 13, 2010 at 2:19 PM. Reason : .]

1/13/2010 2:11:14 PM

Quote :

"prohibition is dumb as shit."

Quote :

"NC has already proposed a bill to legalize medical marijuana but it was shot down. it will probably pass in the next year or so"

Doubtful as NC has a pleasant mix of pro-paternalistic government and conservative anti-drug voting blocks which will prevent it.

1/13/2010 2:28:49 PM

California already asked Obama for a bailout and he said no.

1/13/2010 2:30:53 PM

yeah I'm sure that's the end of it

1/13/2010 2:55:34 PM

California's bigger problem, IMO, is the fact that they have so many direct democracy ballot propositions. The peoplecan literally vote themselves whatever they want. It is then left to the legislature to find a way to pay for it without pissing off the electorate. Too often this is done by running an even larger deficit since god knows people expect shit for free and if you raise taxes you'll end up losing your te-election bid.

1/14/2010 4:11:47 AM

Goes to show how people are too irresponsible for direct democracy. On the other hand, once the referendums fail to do anything constructive, the legislature gets a mandate to do whatever they see fit.

1/14/2010 9:31:40 AM