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NORMLizer – The L-Word

Thu, May 28, 2009 2:10 pm

more: norml, normlizer, california, july 2009

By Allen St. Pierre

While the American public clearly, even enthusiastically, supports medical access to cannabis (75%) and decriminalization for adult possession (73%), a significantly smaller portion of the population (42%) supports outright legalization. Thankfully, that didn’t stop California Assemblyman Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco) from boldly introducing legislation in March to finally legalize the sale of cannabis for non-medical purposes – i.e., for responsible adult use!

Proponents, including NORML, framed the Marijuana Control, Regulation and Education Act as a way to generate more than $1 billion in new tax revenues and reduced enforcement costs in California – a tough case to argue against in these troubling economic times. So let the debate begin in earnest, particularly now that a viable marijuana-legalization bill has been introduced in the nation’s largest state (which also happens to be the nation’s most cannabis-tolerant – and cash-strapped – state), with the world’s eight-largest economy and an already existing semi-legal retail market for medical cannabis – a market that’s clearly leaving billions of uncollected tax dollars on the table, unable to benefit a general population that supports legalization and control.

Wait, it gets better. Once the bill dropped in California, the ensuing media wildfire quickly spread, until my NORML “legalization” file literally overflowed with fascinating and persuasive columns, editorials, TV coverage, academic papers and white papers, to say nothing of grant requests to study legalization, requests to start new NORML chapters; political-action committees seeking our donations for pro-reform political candidates; and requests for funding for legalization-related protests, rallies and concerts.

Best of all, the legalization train continues to gather steam, with state legislators in Massachusetts and Texas (yep, you read that right: Texas) working with NORML to draft legislation designed to regulate the legal production and sale of cannabis, while assigning wholesale and retail taxes, along with licensing fees, to help plug the massive economic holes in these states’ budgets, as well as provide sustainable annual revenues for the foreseeable future based on cannabis’s current popularity and use patterns.

Save the Date!

Want to take a peek into the brave new world of legal marijuana? “Yes We Cannabis,” the 38th annual NORML conference and HIGH TIMES Activist Awards show, will be held September 23 to 25 in San Francisco. Make plans now for the trip of a lifetime!

Allen St. Pierre is the executive director of NORML in Washington, DC. You can contact NORML at www.norml.org or 888-67-NORML.

THIS ARTICLE WAS FEATURED IN THE JULY 2009 ISSUE OF HIGH TIMES

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treehunger

Jul 26 2009, 4:00 am

CT. - in TX.?

I'd move there, if the Sate Attorney takes my defense to the Supreme Court...even if they don't have the balls to build my canal. 30,000 Mexicans die in the street, while we peer through the razor wire, with machine guns and helicopters at the ready! Nice neighbors, aren't we?

treehunger

Jul 26 2009, 3:47 am

First Cain, then Able...in CT! Much wisdom in here!

treehugger

Jul 2 2009, 8:02 pm

You need to be concerned about this bill first!

Vote NO on Bill HR 875, google it, before it's too late!
Google CODEX, Monsanto, FDA bilateral's via trilaterals and quadralaterals.

Sounds impressive, 'eh? Does any of that sound like AMERICAN FARMER'S ARE FUCKED? 90% of all plants and animals, FUCKED. Cuz they code it appropriately, and cover generously with HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP. Google that too!

All of this, to feed 300 million obese diabetics? WOW! Mars may not even help

SirRockAlot

Jun 28 2009, 11:06 pm

I know that the bill was already turned in when are they going to vote for it

Tennessee orange mound

Jun 27 2009, 7:10 pm

yeaaaah lets all get high smoke good eat good just like g's should

smokeNdrinkNmF!

Jun 16 2009, 12:34 pm

Dont care if they leagleize it or not....ima be gettin hiiiiiiigggggh alllll daaaaayyy!! lol,4real they need to hurry up n do it,sick of one time creepin up on me me n taken my ass to jail.

kush for texas

Jun 16 2009, 4:19 am

come on! can i get a moment of silence for a prayer to L-word Texas!!!!!

and for sexy mexican women

ted

Jun 16 2009, 2:13 am

Come on Texas,FUCK YEAH!!!! its about time. legalize it today get high tonight

george w. kush

Jun 16 2009, 2:11 am

texas?praise thalord

Jun 15 2009, 12:43 am

The truth and heart of the matter is that we as a nation have to own up and deal with fact that Americans like to smoke pot. There is nothing that can be done to make that go away, since there is no reason to fight it. What we must do, as it is in large part our responsibility, is whatever we can to quell the violent bloodshed and general warring in the streets in Mexico. Much as the gangsters rose up during prohibition, if its illegal, and there is no legal recourse for any misdoings, people will resort to self-approved methods, band together, and birth nothing but division between groups that has to end in violence. Honorable cops in mexico are getting killed, not on duty, but in their front yards, in front of their CHILDREN. Thats why Texas is on board. It simply isnt worth the lives of human beings to fight a plant. Its just a plant. Yes, the problem in Mexico is about other more serious drugs as well, but all the billions of dollars we know will stay in our country, that would be directly taken out of the cartels hands. Marijuana plants just grew naturally in the country until the early twentieth century. I think its time it returned to that way. Do we need to entrust marijuana to the government? Local growers have been doing a fine job up til now. The government doesnt need our money, we already give them taxes with every day of our sweat. I think we could repair our economy much faster and and in a much more lasting fashion, if we all just didnt have to pay the inflated price of illegality and just take a walk to the back yard, basement, or closet and pluck the fruits or our own hands' work. Then the goverment wouldnt have our money, we would have our money.

Bruce Cain

Jun 14 2009, 10:37 pm

Why is it that neither High Times, NORML, MPP or DPA will talk about the one real solution . . .

Allowing all adults to simply grow whatever they want without and taxation, regulation or other forms of government interference. The drug cartels would be out of business in a week; the sick would have access to cheap medicine (free to $30 an ounce) and about 27 Billion dollars would stay in the US each year.

That in essence is the MERP Model which is supported by Bruce W. Cain, John Sinclair and many others. For more:

goto newagecitizen.com

Then click on "MERP Headquarters"

Yours in Peace and Freedom,

Bruce W. Cain

Note: always available for a High Times interview
Contact me at: newagecitizenx@comcast.net

We DO NOT want "Government Dispensaries" becoming our NEW Marijuana dealer. Got it?

jesus christ

Jun 14 2009, 1:12 pm

legalization in TEXXAS!!!!FUCK YA that would be the best ever i pray to myself it happens

nature boy

Jun 13 2009, 8:13 pm

http://www.daniellesplace.com/ImagesWallpaper/Wallpaper4-Slinky.jpg

By outlawing herbs and vegetation, you go against what God sees as good!

nature boy

Jun 13 2009, 8:05 pm

Genesis 1:11
And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.

Man made alcohol, God made marijuana, who are you gonna trust?

medical in texas

Jun 8 2009, 11:19 pm

wow really in texas 2 , thats awesom . hopefully one day < soon > even i can get my meds

HU210

Jun 8 2009, 2:18 pm

Thought is the blossom; language the bud; action the fruit behind it.-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Pick some fruit this week
Send a postcard/Letter with:

FREE MARK EMERY

Send to:

President Obama
1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington D.C. 20500

Get er done. You know that the Anti-Drug Crusaders are working hard against us. Stay ahead of them. Send 2 this week.

HU210

Jun 7 2009, 2:31 am

The compremise to legalize, should be to tax industrial hemp, but not tax, medical or recreational usage.

This will prevent government from continualy attempting to control our cannabis behavior via taxation-for our benefit. (Look at how taxation has been used in an attempt to become a "smoke free society", also;power to tax is power to destroy) While encouraging the expansion of hemp industry for employment and revenue generation.

There is my 2 cents.

lil J

Jun 7 2009, 1:47 am

Simply just legalize it ... we all know its coming. The bankers screwed us so now let us American ppl take care of the economy.

not wtf

Jun 3 2009, 5:33 pm

he just copied and pasted Biggie lyrics, search "hold ya head lyrics" on google and you'll find it, no need to go on another anti alcohol rant, there's enuf of those

WTF?!

May 30 2009, 9:06 am

Thats fucked dude...whats w/the emo rap shit? dont make any sense...ppl are just as bad with alcohol...which is worse bcuz u can actually OD and have withdrawls...weed is mostly mental...I took a month off just 4 the hell of it.

Lifes a bitch then u die

May 29 2009, 12:53 pm

when i die fuck it i wanna go to hell cause im a piece of shit it aint hard to fuckin tell
it dont make sense going to heaven with the goodie-goodies dressed in white i like black tims and black hoodies
God prolly have me on some real stric shit no sleeping all day no getin my dick lick
hangen wit da goodie goodies loungen in paradise fuck that shit i wanna tote guns and shoot dice all my life ive been considered as the worst lying to my mother even stealing out her purse crime after crime from drugs to extortion i no my mother wish she got a fucking abortion
i wander if i died would tears come to her eyes for give me for my disrespect for give me for my lies
Swear to god i wana just slit my wrist and end dis bullshit
Throw tha magnum to my head threating to pull da shit
And squeaze until da beds completely red im glad im dead a worthless fucking buddah head

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