Massachusetts has gone to pot!

Massachusetts has gone to pot! Which, in many people's eyes, is a good thing. On Nov. 4th Massachusetts became the first state in the history of the United States to pass statewide marijuana decriminalization laws by voter initiative.

Question 2 passed with 65% of the vote despite widespread opposition from the law enforcement community. The new law is due to go into effect on December 3rd. Under current Massachusetts law, people arrested for simple possession of any amount of marijuana can face up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $500 as well as a criminal record.

The initiative amends the current criminal statutes so that Offenders age 18 or older would be subject to forfeiture of the marijuana plus a civil penalty of $100. Offenders under the age of 18 would be subject to the same forfeiture and, if they complete a drug awareness program within one year of the offense, the same $100 penalty. In addition to the maximum civil fine of $100, possessing an ounce or less of marijuana could not be grounds for state or local government entities imposing any other penalty, sanction, or disqualification, such as denying student financial aid, public housing, public financial assistance including unemployment benefits, the right to operate a motor vehicle, or the opportunity to serve as a foster or adoptive parent.

Massachusetts law enforcement officials are very disappointed that the measure passed by such a wide margin. The opponents, who include the governor, attorney general, and district attorneys around the state, argued that decriminalizing marijuana possession would promote drug use and benefit drug dealers at a time when they say marijuana has become more potent. They warned it would increase violence on the streets and safety hazards in the workplace, and cause the number of car crashes to rise as more youths drive under the influence. But of course, they never provided any evidence to support those claims.

Wayne Sampson, Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association executive director, said the ballot initiative to decriminalize cases involving possession of a small amount of marijuana will likely make law enforcement tougher for police statewide, The Boston Globe said Thursday.

"This is certainly going to make the work of many police officers a lot more complicated," Sampson said of Question 2, which passed Wednesday in the state. "We're going to need guidance from the attorney general and district attorneys."

"I think it makes it more difficult to convince young people that marijuana is really dangerous," Bristol County District Attorney C. Samuel Sutter said. Of course, he didn't provide any evidence of this alleged "danger".

"Obviously there's a very deep seeded belief among the public that marijuana is no big deal," District Attorney David Capeless said Wednesday.

Cry me a river why don't you! They're like a bunch of whiny babies because they didn't get what they wanted. They did everything in their power to stop it but it still passed by a landslide. Waaa, Waaa, Waaa!

Financier billionaire George Soros had a lot to do with that. He provided $400,000 of the $429,000 in funding for a campaign to get the issue of marijuana decriminalization on the November ballot in Massachusetts. Soros has funded similar campaigns in other states, including California, Alaska, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Nevada, and Maine.

On another note, Michigan becomes the first midwestern state and 13th state of the union to legalize medical use of marijuana. This brings the number of states with legal medical marijuana to exactly 25%. Michigan's new law, which passed by 63%, allows patients with debilitating medical conditions to register to use marijuana according to their doctors' recommendations. Patients will be allowed to possess up to 2 1/2 ounces of usable marijuana without facing arrest. They will also be allowed to grow up to 12 plants in an indoor, locked facility, or to designate a caregiver to cultivate their medicine for them.
Several local initiatives also passed.

· Berkeley, California's, Measure JJ, essentially a zoning initiative that would allow dispensaries operating in the city to expand into more non-residential districts, won with 62% of the vote. The campaign was organized by Citizens for Sensible Medical Cannabis Regulation.

· In Hawaii County, Hawaii (the Big Island), a lowest law enforcement priority initiative for adult marijuana possession won with 66% of the vote. The campaign organized by Project Peaceful Skies was an outgrowth of the movement to end intrusive marijuana eradication raids.

· In Fayetteville, Arkansas, another lowest priority initiative passed. Some 62% of voters in the Northwest Arkansas college town agreed with Sensible Fayetteville and its director, Ryan Denham, that police had better things to do than bust pot smokers.

The Future:

With the election of Barack Obama, it appears that the federal raids against medical marijuana growers and users may come to an end. He promised that this will not continue.

Dear Friend,

Thank you for contacting Obama for America to inquire about the Senator's position on allowing severely ill patients to use marijuana for medical purposes.

Many states have laws that condone medical marijuana, but the Bush Administration is using federal drug enforcement agents to raid these facilities and arrest seriously ill people. Focusing scarce law enforcement resources on these patients who pose no threat while many violent and highly dangerous drug traffickers are at large makes no sense. Senator Obama will not continue the Bush policy when he is president. Thank you again for contacting us.

Sincerely,

Obama for America

If he doesn't put an end to these raids, then he would be a flat out liar wouldn't he? We'll have to see what happens. Who he chooses to head the ONDCP (Office of National Drug Control Policy) I think will be a good indicator of what is to come. President Obama, we'll be watching.