XPost: alt.drugs.psychedelics, alt.hemp.politics, rec.drugs.cannabis
From: bliss@mouse-potato.com

Drug War Chronicle, Issue #1150 -- 1/27/22
Phillip S. Smith, Editor, psmith@drcnet.org https://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/1150

A Publication of StoptheDrugWar.org
David Borden, Executive Director, borden@drcnet.org
"Raising Awareness of the Consequences of Drug Prohibition"

Table of Contents:

1. THESE STATES COULD LEGALIZE MARIJUANA VIA THE BALLOT BOX IN 2022
[FEATURE]
A new year brings a new slate of potential state-level marijuana
legalization initiatives. https://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2022/jan/27/these_states_could_legalize

2. MEDICAL MARIJUANA UPDATE
Fourteen months after voters approved medical marijuana at the polls
only to see it thrown out by the state Supreme Court, Mississippi
legislators have reached an agreement on a medical marijuana bill, and more. https://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2022/jan/26/medical_marijuana_update

3. THIS WEEK'S CORRUPT COPS STORIES
A sticky-fingered former Kentucky sheriff is in trouble, a former
Connecticut cop gets nailed for helping out a target of a DEA drug investigation, and more. https://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2022/jan/26/weeks_corrupt_cops_stories

4. MS HOUSE PASSES MEDMJ BILL, MO DRUG DECRIM BILL FILED, MORE... (1/20/22)
A marijuana services company has filed a federal lawsuit over massive
cash seizures by cops in California and Kansas, the Colombian
Constitutional Court puts the kibosh on spraying coca crops with
herbicide, and more. https://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2022/jan/20/ms_house_passes_medmj_bill_mo

5. DEA PROPOSES SCHEDULING FIVE TRYPTAMINES, RI GOVERNOR TO PUSH FOR
MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION, MORE... (1/21/22)
Legislators in a pair of red states attempt to deal with mounting
pressure for medical marijuana, a Washington state bill moves to end employment-related marijuana testing, and more. https://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2022/jan/21/dea_proposes_scheduling_five

6. VA GOP BILL WOULD GUT MARIJUANA SOCIAL EQUITY FUNDING, MEXICO MURDERS
MAY HAVE PEAKED, MORE... (1/24/22)
North Dakota marijuana initiative campaigners will have to go back to
the drawing board, social equity funding is on the chopping block in
Virginia's GOP marijuana implementation bill, and more. https://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2022/jan/24/va_gop_bill_would_gut_marijuana

7. SD HOUSE VOTES TO BAN MEDMJ HOME GROWS, MN USUAL SUSPECTS FORM ANTI-MARIJUANA COALITION, MORE... (1/25/22)
Life just got a bit easier for Empire State medical marijuana patients,
a Wisconsin GOP lawmaker wants to reinstate drug testing for some
welfare recipients, and more. https://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2022/jan/25/sd_house_votes_ban_medmj_home

8. MS LAWMAKERS REACH AGREEMENT ON MEDMJ BILL, SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL
APPROVES PSYCHEDELIC DECRIM, MORE... (1/26/22)
Thailand takes another big step toward marijuana decriminalization, San Francisco is turning a blind eye to drug use at a Tenderloin services
center, and more. https://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2022/jan/26/ms_lawmakers_reach_agreement

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================

1. THESE STATES COULD LEGALIZE MARIJUANA VIA THE BALLOT BOX IN 2022
[FEATURE] https://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2022/jan/27/these_states_could_legalize

A new year is here, and with it, new opportunities to expand the legal marijuana landscape at the ballot box. Currently, marijuana is legal in
18 states and Washington, DC, with medical marijuana allowed in 36
states and DC. Given that marijuana legalization is as popular as apple
pie -- the most recent Gallup poll (https://news.gallup.com/poll/323582/support-legal-marijuana-inches-new-high.aspx)
has support at a record 68 percent. There are eight states that could
increase that number at the ballot box this year.

(There are also legalization efforts at statehouses -- look for a
feature story on that shortly.)

Among the eight states with ballot prospects are several states where legalization would be achieved in a hybrid fashion: The legislature
would have to approve a bill calling for a referendum on the issue, and
then voters would get their say.

The year is young, and none of the initiatives below have yet qualified.
They must all overcome procedural hurdles and signature gathering
requirements (except for those hybrids). But if they can manage to get qualified, the polling numbers suggest they can win, even in the reddest states.

With a big tip of the hat to Ballotpedia (https://news.ballotpedia.org/2022/01/17/where-could-voters-see-marijuana-on-the-ballot-in-2022/),
Marijuana Moment (https://www.marijuanamoment.net/these-states-could-legalize-marijuana-or-psychedelics-in-2022/),
and NORML (https://norml.org/blog/2022/01/12/1-12-22-ballot-initiative-referendum-update/),
who are all keeping an eye on the action, here's the list of states
working to legalize it at the ballot box this year:

Arkansas

Two separate marijuana legalization initiative campaigns were derailed
by coronavirus disruptions and restrictions in 2020, but both are back
this year, along with a potential third initiative. All take the form of initiated constitutional amendments.

One initiative is a proposed constitutional amendment (https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/21098505/aauaema.pdf) submitted
by Arkansans for Marijuana Reform. It would legalize the possession of
up to four ounces of marijuana buds and two ounces of concentrates and
would let people grow up to six mature marijuana plants and six
seedlings. Legal marijuana commerce would be handled by the state
Department of Finance and Administration, which would have to issue at
least one retail license per 15,000 residents.

A second initiative (https://www.artruegrass.org/mission), submitted by Arkansas True Grass (https://www.artruegrass.org),would legalize sales
as well as personal possession. Adults could purchase up to four ounces
at a time and grow up to 12 plants for personal use, while licensed and regulated marijuana commerce would be taxed at 13 percent at the retail
level (8 percent excise tax and 5 percent local sales tax). Past
marijuana convictions would be expunged.

The third initiative was just filed this week (https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2022/jan/25/3rd-petition-filed-to-legalize-recreational-mariju/).
It is from former state lawmaker Eddie Armstrong (D), who is also
involved in an Illinois marijuana business and who announced back in
October that he had formed a campaign

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