Tag: Amendment 64 (page 2)

While Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper and state Attorney General John Suthers make telephone calls to DOJ, three of our Congresspersons are taking action instead of waiting for answers from the Justice Department on Colorado's newly passed Amendment 64. (Amendment 64 legalizes adult possession of small amounts of marijuana, creates a regulatory scheme to license growers and retail outlets and imposes excise taxes on wholesale sales. The text is here.)

Rep. Diana DeGette says she is putting the final touches on a bill that would amend the preemption section of the federal drug law to add a clause that excludes state marijuana laws. The Denver Post, in an editorial, applauds her for taking action and for urging the Justice Department to "show restraint." Reps. Jared Polis and Ed Perlmutter are also working, with DeGette and independently, on federal bills that would allow Amendment 64 to proceed, rather than waiting for an answer from D.O.J. [More...]

Rep. Perlmutter's spokeswoman told the Colorado Independent:[More...]

Two polls this week show support of 50% or more in support of Colorado's Amendment 64. The PPP poll is here, showing Amendment 64 leading 52% to 44%. It needs a big turnout.

If you are a Colorado voter, don't forget to vote for Amendment 64, for the reasons I listed here.

If passed, Colorado will become the first state in the nation to remove criminal penalties for the adult use and possession of small amounts of marijuana. Marijuana will be taxed and regulated, and millions are earmarked for education.[More...]

Colorado's Amendment 64, the ballot initiative that will decriminalize personal adult use of marijuana and regulate marijuana sales in Colorado, will benefit the entire state, not just marijuana users.

The Colorado Center on Law and Policy report on Amendment 64, concludes that Amendment 64 is likely to produce $60 million in new revenue and savings to Colorado. In addition to creating new jobs, particularly in construction, it will generate $24 million a year in state revenue for schools, specifically the Building Excellent Schools Today (BEST) capital construction program.

As opponents of the measure launch their final ad blitz this week, take a look at who supports Amendment 64.

• More than 300 Physicians
• two dozen clergy
• Colorado's largest labor union
• More than 130 members of the Academic Community [More...]

Last month, Amendment 64, Colorado' proposal to legalize small amounts of marijuana for adult use had a 51 to 49 lead. This week, after the pot warriors came to town and took out ads, the lead is down to 48 to 39%.

This bill is an impoortant one to pass. Right now, possession of under an ounce of pot carries a hundred dollar fine --and a criminal record. You have to disclose it when applying for jobs. If you are in college, your will lose your loan for a while. Paying to expunge it later is expensive, and given the number of records on the internet, some will likely stay there. It can affect your ability to rent an apartment or apply for some kinds of professional licenses.

If the law isn't on the books, the state can't charge, and you are free of that pesky criminal record. Same goes for your kids, where a record could hurt their chances of getting into or staying in college. [More...]

Via the New York Times: U.S. Rethinks a Drug War After Deaths in Honduras

All joint operations in Honduras are now suspended. Senator Patrick J. Leahy of Vermont, expressing the concerns of several Democrats in Congress, is holding up tens of millions of dollars in security assistance, not just because of the planes, but also over suspected human rights abuses by the Honduran police and three shootings in which commandos with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration effectively led raids when they were only supposed to act as advisers.

DEA's FAST program began under George W Bush. (Obama has extended it.) FAST stands for Foreign-deployed Advisory Support Team. In plain English, squads of commandos. It operates in Haiti, Honduras, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala and Belize. Here's a powerpoint about it.

The Administration's total Drug War budget for 2013 is $25 billion. [More.]

The Colorado Center on Law and Policy has released a report on the state and local budget impact of Amendment 64, the November ballot initiative to legalize personal adult use of marijuana in Colorado. The report finds Amendment 64 would:

• initially result in $60 million annually in combined revenue and savings for state and local governments in Colorado, which could double to more than $100 million within the first five years of implementation;
• save local and state law enforcement officials more than $12 million in the first year of operation;
• generate $24 million annually in state revenue for the Building Excellent Schools Today (BEST) capital construction program
• create more than 350 new jobs, the majority of which will be in the construction industry.

[More...]

Update: This has just been postponed to a later date.

If you are a Colorado lawyer and support Amendment 64, the November ballot initiative that will legalize personal adult use of marijuana state-wide, take note: Thursday there will be a "Lawyers for Amendment 64" Press Conference.

• What: "Lawyers for Amendment 64" press conference featuring Judge Jim Gray
• When: Thursday, Aug. 9, 2012 at 11:45a
• Where: Denver City and County Building (1437 Bannock St., Denver 80202)
  
• What else: Please wear professional attire!

Via Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol . [More...]