Do you consider yourself a member of the reality-based community? Do you value science-based policy? Do you think we need more liberty, not less? Do you object to needlessly enriching organized crime, putting otherwise law-abiding citizens in cages and wasting law enforcement resources on 'crimes' associated with ingestion of a plant that has never actually killed anyone?
If so, we need your help.
The movement to reform our marijuana laws is gaining steam, in spite of our timid elected leader's continued attempts to water down new medical marijuana bills around the nation and to weaken existing laws.
Americans of goodwill in several states are either attempting to get re-legalization measures on the ballot this year or have already succeeded in getting such measures on the ballot. Passing these measures will be proverbial shots heard around the world and will force our government and elected leaders who have buried their heads in the sand to finally deal with this issue.
The Marijuana Taxation & Regulation advocates in Oregon are attempting to get their Oregon Cannabis Tax Act (OCTA, details at end of diary) on the ballot in November. We have just under 7 weeks left to collect approximately 110,000 signatures. It's quite a hill to climb, primarily because we don't have the financial heft that would help us pay for professional signature gatherers, but with the help of everyone, Oregonian & non-Oregonian alike, who is fed up with the pointless, futile 'war' on marijuana, we CAN do it.
We need all hands on deck & would like to encourage Oregonians to
- Sign and mail in the petition, which can be found here:
- Volunteer to gather signatures. You can request signature sheets here. Oregonians who sign the petition must be registered voters. If they are not already registered voters, have them fill out and submit this simple registration form.
- Contribute here. Please note, a contribution is no guarantee that the measure will make the ballot, any amount of money is appreciated:
Not from Oregon but know people who live there?
Please encourage them to sign the petition to get OCTA on the ballot. If you could encourage your Oregonian friends to volunteer to collect signatures, it would be massively appreciated.
You can join the OCTA Facebook group hereand if you're an Oregon voter, please, please, PLEASE volunteer and join this facebook group. There is a good deal of information and organizing starting to occur at the '1000 strong in Oregon to VOLUNTEER to pass the Oregon Cannabis Tax Act' Facebook group at the previous link.
Thank you and help spread the word! We WILL get this passed and change America for the better in the process!
Summary
Permits personal marijuana, hemp cultivation/use without license; commission to regulate commercial marijuana cultivation/sale.
Result of "Yes" Vote: "Yes" vote permits state-licensed marijuana (cannabis) cultivation/sale to adults through state stores; permits unlicensed adult personal cultivation/use; prohibits restrictions on hemp (defined).
Result of a "No" Vote: "No" vote retains existing civil and criminal laws prohibiting cultivation, possession and delivery of marijuana; retains current statues that permit regulated use of medical marijuana.
Summary: Currently, marijuana cultivation, possession and delivery are prohibited; regulated medical marijuana use permitted. Measure replaces state, local marijuana laws except medical marijuana and driving under the influence laws; distinguishes "hemp" from "marijuana"; prohibits regulation of hemp. Creates agency to license marijuana cultivation by qualified persons and to purchase entire crop. Agency sells marijuana at cost to pharmacies, medical research facilities, and to qualified adults for profit through state stores. Ninety percent of net proceeds goes to state general fund, remainder to drug education, treatment, hemp promotion. Bans sales to, possession by minors. Bans public consumption except where signs permit, minors barred. Agency to regulate use, set prices, other duties; Attorney General to defend against federal challenges/prosecution. Provides penalties. Effective January 1, 2011; other provisions.
Full text of proposed initiative here.