Over 50,000 Signatures Collected in 10 Weeks on Initiative to Legalize Cannabis in Arizona
Arizona’s Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, a group working to place an initiative to legalize cannabis on next year’s ballot, has announced Wednesday that they’ve collected over 50,000 signatures in just 10 weeks.
In order for the group to put their initiative to a vote, they must collect 150,642 signatures from registered Arizona voters by July of next year. The 50,000 in just 10 weeks puts them on track to reach this number nearly 6 months early. The group is, however, aiming for over 230,000 signatures, to account for those that are invalid.
If placed on the ballot and approved into law, the initiative would allow those 21 and older to possess up to an ounce of cannabis, as well as cultivate up to six plants. Cannabis retail outlets would also be allowed, with the measure establishing the Department of Marijuana Licenses and Control to handle licensing and regulations.
“Adults of all ages and political stripes want to vote for this in November 2016,” says campaign chairman JP Holyoak. “We are excited by the outpouring of support. This is the right initiative at the right time.”
– TheJointBlog
Candi Devereaux
I would love to sign!
David
My advice for Arizonan’s, after having lived through three year’s of Washington States legal recreational marijuana horror show is that Arizona should first get it’s medical marijuana system in order 100% before legalizing recreational marijuana. This is not a popular position I realize but I speak from experience. Not doing so leaves medical marijuana patients and medical dispensaries at the mercy of cannabis hating politicians who become obsessed with killing medical outright by forcing patients into over-priced/ over-taxed recreational stores. Many of these at least here in Washington are owned by greedy Vulture-Capitalist who view the sick as their being their “competition” (not the Black-market as one would think) Protecting medical patients is the right thing to do and in the long run will keep the hater’s at bay.
Aaron Raymer
I don’t partake, personally. But, I also recognize the benefit to decriminalization.
David
It will be interesting to see what California does. They have a good solid decriminalization law. No one goes to jail or has a criminal record for simple possession.
I voted for legalization here in Washington. I then watched in disbelief as our backward legislature dismantled what State voter’s clearly indicated they wanted. What we ended up with is not even remotely close to the original legalization law passed by Washington State voter’s in 2012. Keeping Decrim in place may arguably have been better in my State the clocks still ticking but about to ring.
The Black-market (alway huge here anyway) has just exploded in recent weeks following our State legislatures recent stupidity closing medical marijuana dispensaries and forcing patients into expensive over-commercialized recreational stores. The State is raking in huge tax revenue from legal marijuana. Yet the bureaucrat’s overseeing Washington’s State Cartel store sales admit this is only 10%-15% of State marijuana sales. That other 85%-90% still goes to the Black-market. Business has never been better for them > know a few personally and speak from experience.
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Sean
Decriminalization is still prohibition. Why don’t you admit that you are a neo-prohibitionist?
David
Bad semi- legalization can be much worse than full decriminalization. There are more cannabis related State criminal felonies AFTER Washington residents voted to legalize recreationally than before.
David
Bad semi- legalization can be much worse than full decriminalization. There are more cannabis related State criminal felonies AFTER Washington residents voted to legalize recreationally than before.
Sean
David, Arizona is not Washington. Rec users in Arizona can face some pretty draconian and barbaric sentences right now. It is arrogant of you to play with people’s lives and liberty.
David
Sean,
Who made you the thought police ?. I’m not playing with anyones life nor liberty.by saying it’s a lousy thing
Washington State legislator’s just did sticking a new 47% State tax onto the backs of my States sick medical patients.
Sean
David, does sociopathy come naturally for you?
marley fan
I think David is the same troll, who also called himself David in his disqus account, who was banned from the weed blog a few months back for engaging shouting matches and name-calling in the comment thread with those he disagrees with. He is spewing same anti-legalization “I gots my medical, so you can’t have your legal weed” rhetoric on this blog as he was spewing on the weed blog back then. He can’t stand that non-medical users now have safe, legal access to cannabis in Washington.
I recognize the same poor spelling and grammar in his posts here that were characteristic of his posts on the weed blog. He would hurl insults at people and swear at them, and generally come off as an arrogant, opinionated pig who does not give a crap about your freedom, yet wants no restrictions on his own access to cannabis. Remember, David is a troll. The only reason he is trolling on this site is because he was banned from the weed blog.
So to paraphrase a popular 80’s song: David, don’t go away mad. David, just go away.
David
Marley Fan.
Weed Blog ? discus (?) account.. Wrong person….. Dummy.
David
Marley Fan,
There are 175,000 pissed off Washington MMJ patients. Yet you think I’m the only “David” among these thousands voicing my opinion and displeasure over Washington recreational marijuana law ? Falsely accusing me of being a troll on a web- site I don’t know exists is just ignorant? You should think before falsely accusing people you don’t know having a common Christian name.
David
No more than rational thought and civil discourse eludes you..
Sean
I notice on these weed blogs, especially the JB, that there are a lot of stoners against legalization. Every time an article comes about legalization, these guys come on here on this blog to beg for the good days of black market weed and prohibition. Is that the new hipster thing? Is that the new hipster cool, being a stoner against legalization? Now the word “legalization” is a dirty word to stoners. OK, you stoners against legalization, you can keep your prisons, your police, your black market and your thugs and criminals. I choose cannabis freedom. Screw your hipster too cool for legalization nonsense while you are wearing your cheap DEA caps that you bought at the novelty store. Is this really a weed blog or an undercover project SAM site? Oh and to the medical marijuana advocates that want to delay legalization so as not to affect your privileged medical marijuana regime: medical marijuana won’t cure that kind of sociopathy.
David
DEA cap’s, Stoner’s against legalization ? Hipsters ? That’s quite a rant. I’ve now voted for the legalization of both medical and recreational marijuana. I was growing and using my own before you were a gleam in your daddies eye, .
David
DEA cap’s, Stoner’s against legalization ? Hipsters ? That’s quite a rant. I’ve now voted for the legalization of both medical and recreational marijuana. I was growing and using my own before you were a gleam in your daddies eye, .
John
Folks I would like to point out that there are TWO initiatives to legalize cannabis in AZ! There is this initiative that compares marijuana to alcohol (a ridiculous comparison mind you). And there is another initiative that is more progressive in legalization approach. http://azfmr.com/our-initiative/comparison-chart-2/ Here is a comparison of the two initiatives (AZMFR & MPP [alcohol-like regulation]). Right off the bat, there is a FELONY for having over 2 1/2 oz. of marijuana whereas AZMFR has it as a MISDEMEANOR. The criminal aspect of cannabis consumption is still evident in this MPP initiative. Furthermore, MPP would make the current medical marijuana program become a part of this ‘Department of Marijuana Licenses and Control.’ This Dept. can amend the current medical marijuana program; whereas, the medical marijuana program under AZMFR would remain UNAFFECTED by staying with the AZDHS. The kicker for me is how this initiative (MPP) claims to regulate marijuana as alcohol, but it doesn’t even grant the same AMOUNT of Series 9 Liquor Licenses as alcohol gets! A mere 10% of Series 9 Liquor Licenses available: One-Hundred and Sixty (160). AZMFR allows THE SAME amount of Series 9 Liquor Licenses: MINIMUM One-Thousand And Six-Hundred (1,600).
Please be aware of the differences between the two and be conscientious of how the pros and cons!