Oregon’s Triple Threat to Prohibition

 

Oregon may turn out to be a vital state in the movement to reform our country’s cannabis laws, and Sensible Oregon is a group that might be gaining a lot more attention within the coming weeks and months. The organization, sponsored by Oregon’s NORML chapter, is attempting to put an initiative on the 2012 ballot in Oregon that would fully repeal cannabis prohibition within the state for adults. Well, technically at this point they’re gaining the necessary signatures needed to truly have a finalized petition – 1,000 according to Oregon law. Once those 1,000 signatures are reached, they will receive their ballot title and will begin the upward climb to reach 87,000 valid signatures by July 2012.

Sensible Oregon’s goal is similar to that of Sensible Washington, a non-profit political organization that has been attempting full legalization through the initiative process within Washington State since 2010.

“After seeing the Sensible Washington model and its simplicity, it just seemed like a good idea. We believe that voters will support the idea of removing penalties more than the idea of “legalization.”

Anna Diaz tells us. Anna is the Campaign Manager for Sensible Oregon and one of the founders of Oregon NORML.

Sensible Oregon’s proposed initiative, if set into law, would remove all existing civil and criminal penalties for adult cannabis offenses, while keeping in place laws regarding cannabis and minors, and current DUI statutes.

Currently, Sensible Oregon is circulating their petition to gain 1,000 signatures on an all-volunteer basis (according to Anna they have 400 in-hand). On whether or not they have any major funding in the works,

Anna: “Not yet – the universal response has been that none of them want to help until we get on the ballot.  That is what makes us the underdogs here in Oregon – no major funding.  That’s why we need to do this at the very grassroots level.”

A common sentiment among grassroots style campaigns. However, a lot of the support that Sensible Oregon might get, relies a lot on the ballot title they receive,

Anna: “Oregon NORML is our biggest sponsor and endorser. We are working on other endorsements, but they all hinge on receiving the ballot title.”

Until they can gain wider support, Anna tells us that they will continue to work nonstop, spreading their message,

“We talk about Sensible Oregon at every opportunity and attend every festival and event that we can to spread the word.” Anna Continues, “I am hopeful that we can get the first thousand signatures and get the ballot title we need to obtain funding for paid petitioners.”

With funding and support in the air, Anna Diaz lets us know that they will stay on message and will reach out to wide variety of communities within the state to help gain support from all levels,

“Our main focus is going to be to reach voters outside the cannabis community.  We are working on a summit meeting with indigenous group leaders in our state right now.  We also plan to reach out to the Latino and African-American communities as they are the most targeted groups in this war.  We plan to appeal to women and show them how regulation will protect our children and create funding for schools.  We will also be setting up meetings with grange halls all over the state to show Oregon farmers and ranchers how industrial hemp can rejuvenate their land and create jobs.

Despite Sensible Oregon attempting almost precisely what Sensible Washington is and has been attempting in Washington State, there is one key difference – Sensible Oregon would end criminal penalties for adults, 21 and older, not 18 and older.

“This (setting the age limit at 21) was one of the toughest decisions we had to make.  Ultimately, it was on the advice of legislative counsel that we decided on the age limit.  Our hope is to garner support from those who would compare it to alcohol.”

Anna Diaz answers about the one change.

 

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Sensible Oregon may be the newest, but won’t be the only organization attempting to reform the marijuana laws in Oregon. The Oregon Cannabis Tax Act (OCTA) has been and is continuing to work towards cannabis legalization and regulation in Oregon. OCTA would setup a regulation system for cannabis that is roughly designed around the current alcohol regulations in Oregon. It would legalize possession for adults 21 and older, would allow for adults to grow their own plants and would allow for the production of industrial hemp. According to OCTA, their initiative would raise (through taxation) and save (through savings on police enforcement) approximately $200 million a year, 90% of which would go directly into the state’s general fund.

OCTA has the same deadline as Sensible Oregon, but having been underway for several months now they have around 32,000 signatures currently collected. However, due to donations made by the Campaign for the Restoration and Regulation of Hemp, which is Paul Stanford’s (Co-Chief Petitioner of OCTA) political organization, OCTA has been able to pay for the majority of their signatures,

“Only about 10% of the current signatures were obtained by volunteers; the rest were obtained by paid circulators.”

Jennifer Alexander, Campaign Manager for OCTA tells us. Despite these donations, OCTA is far from having enough financial support to pay their full way onto the ballot,

“We are currently working to fund raise the money necessary to hire more petitioners, but until we are able to raise the $150,000 we need, we are relying on volunteer petitioners on a completely grassroots level. If we can raise $150,000 to fund our signature drive, we can get the signatures necessary in 8-10 weeks maximum.”

Despite the struggles to gain the support and funding necessary to change state law, Jennifer seems more encouraged rather than frustrated at the introduction of further marijuana reform initiatives in Oregon,

“I feel like multiple initiatives working to end prohibition ensures that Oregonians understand that now is the time to reform our laws.

However, Jennifer clearly believes in their version of reform,

“I feel that the Oregon Cannabis Tax Act 2012 offers structured regulation that is familiar to voters (similar to how we regulate alcohol here in Oregon) and addresses the conflict with federal law by complying with the international treaties that marijuana prohibition is founded upon.”

 

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If two different methods of reform isn’t enough, a third proposed change, which is sponsored by the Oregon Marijuana Policy Initiative, would add an amendment to Oregon’s Constitution. The amendment would, without changing “actions that endanger minors or public safety”, make it so that “neither the criminal offenses and sanctions nor the laws of civil seizure and forfeiture of this state shall apply to the private personal use, possession or production of marijuana by adults 21 years of age and older”. Given that they are attempting a constitutional amendment, they will need to obtain an additional 27,000 signatures (114,000 total). This initiative would allow the state to regulate cannabis, which would include possesion amounts, taxation rates, etc.

Despite these two alternatives, Anna Diaz of Sensible Oregon still feels strongly in their new method of prohibition’s full repeal,

“I think that even though we are the underdogs, we have the language and the method that make the most sense.  I don’t think that the Constitutional Amendment is viable because voters will be reluctant to add marijuana to our state constitution.  And, versions of the OCTA have been trying to get on the ballot for a long time with no luck.  So, we are a fresh approach that has yet to be tried.”

Either way, it’s clear that the activity within the reform movement is increasing to new levels. If Oregon voters and citizens (and those outside of the state who support change) decide to standup and take a different approach, either of the three would bring desperately needed change, and would vamp up a much needed conversation. As Jennifer Alexander points out,

“The question is no longer “Should we legalize marijuana?” but instead “How are we going to legalize marijuana?” That is a good thing!”

 

 

-TheJointBlog