MPP Archives - TheJointBlog

Quinnipiac Poll Finds 93% of U.S. Voters Support Legalizing Medical Marijuana

February 23, 2017 by Anthony Martinelli

**A new Quinnipiac University Poll has found that the vast majority of American voters believe that marijuana should be legal, and that the federal government should respect states’ rights.**

According to the poll, an overwhelming 93% of U.S. voters believe that marijuana should be legal for medical purposes. A strong, though obviously smaller majority (59%) is in support of legalizing cannabis for all purposes.

The survey also found that 71% of voters (including a majority of Republicans, Democrats, independents, and every age group) oppose the federal government enforcing federal marijuana laws in states where the plant has been legalized.

World’s Largest Cannabis Policy Group (MPP) Endorses Gary Johnson for President

June 15, 2016 by Anthony Martinelli

The Marijuana Policy Project (MPP), the largest cannabis policy group in the world, has officially endorsed Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson for president of the United States. Johnson is the former governor of New Mexico (1995 – 2003).

“Of the three presidential candidates who will appear on the ballot in all 50 states and D.C., Gary Johnson clearly has the best position on marijuana policy”, says MPP Executive Director Rob Kampia. “When he first advocated for legalization in 1999, he was the highest-ranking public official in the U.S. to do so — as the sitting Republican governor of New Mexico, no less.”

MPP Updates Cannabis Scorecard for Presidential Candidates, Includes Third-Party Nominees

May 31, 2016 by Anthony Martinelli

The Marijuana Policy Project (MPP), the nation’s largest cannabis policy organization, has released their updated presidential candidate voter guide for the general election, which now includes third-party candidates. The full guide can be found by clicking here.

Former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson, who was nominated Sunday by the Libertarian Party, and physician Jill Stein, the presumptive Green Party nominee, were both added to the voter guide, and both received “A+” grades. Presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump received a “C+” – primarily based on his past support for legalizing medical cannabis – and the two remaining Democratic candidates, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, received a “B” and an “A,” respectively (though in all honesty, we here at TheJointBlog do take issue with Clinton receiving a “B”, when all she supports is rescheduling cannabis to schedule 2 alongside drugs such as cocaine; and even this she didn’t support until the current election cycle).

The Top 10 Cannabis Policy Victories of 2015

December 23, 2015December 23, 2015 by Anthony Martinelli

By Rob Kampia, Marijuana Policy Project

In 2015, state legislators considered bills to legalize marijuana in 21 states, decriminalize marijuana possession in 17 states, and legalize medical marijuana in 19 states.

Most of the action in 2015 was aimed at achieving substantial victories in 2016, which is slated to be the most successful year in the history of the movement to end marijuana prohibition.

With this in mind, the Marijuana Policy Project is hereby releasing its top 10 list for 2015. I’m excluding international and scientific developments, instead focusing on policy developments in the United States.

Oregon: Legal Cannabis Sales Begin Tomorrow

September 30, 2015 by Anthony Martinelli

Legal cannabis sales are set to begin in Oregon tomorrow, October 1st, making it the third state in the nation to allow such sales.

Adults 21 years of age and older will be able to legally purchase up to a quarter-ounce of cannabis and up to four cannabis seedlings from certain medical cannabis dispensaries. This allowance, approved by the legislature in July and signed by Governor Kate Brown the same month, gives adults a legal means of purchasing cannabis while the state develops a regulatory structure that will eventually govern the recreational cannabis market. That system is expected to be implemented sometime next year and will be overseen by the Oregon Liquor Control Commission.

World’s Largest Cannabis Organization Names ‘Top 50 Most Influential Marijuana Consumers’

August 28, 2015August 28, 2015 by Anthony Martinelli

Earlier this week the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) released its annual list of the “Top 50 Most Influential Marijuana Consumers” in the United States, with President Barack Obama topping the list.

The list is available below and by clicking here.

“About one out of every two Americans has used marijuana, including a whole lot of very successful people,” said Mason Tvert, MPP’s director of communications. “There are a lot more out there that we don’t know about because it is illegal. Marijuana is a less harmful substance than alcohol. Adults who use it responsibly should not have to choose between keeping it a secret or admitting to a crime.”

Massachusetts Legalization Campaign to be Led by Former Assistant Attorney General

July 15, 2015 by Anthony Martinelli

The Massachusetts Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol announced Wednesday that former assistant attorney general Will Luzier will lead the campaign in support of a 2016 ballot initiative to end cannabis prohibition in Massachusetts.

In addition to serving as assistant attorney general of Massachusetts, Luzier served as Executive Director of the Massachusetts Interagency Council on Substance Abuse and Prevention from 2008 until April 2015.

Nation’s Largest Cannabis Policy Organization Launches Voter Guide to 2016 Presidential Race

June 26, 2015June 26, 2015 by Anthony Martinelli

Rand Paul earns the top spot on the list of 22 presidential hopefuls graded by the Marijuana Policy Project; Chris Christie and Rick Santorum receive lowest grades

The Marijuana Policy Project (MPP), the nation’s largest organization working to change cannabis laws, has launched a voter guide to the 2016 presidential race, detailing the candidates’ positions on cannabis policy and assigning them grades based on where they stand.

Happy 4/20!

April 20, 2015April 20, 2015 by Anthony Martinelli

We at TheJointBlog would like to tell all of our readers – and anyone else who may have stumbled upon this article – Happy 4/20!

This 4/20, we encourage you to keep a few things in mind:

Progress!

Huge advancements in the cause to end cannabis prohibition have been made since the last 4/20. These advancements not only include two states – Alaska and Oregon – legalizing recreational cannabis through voter-approved initiatives, it also includes the nation’s capital legalizing cannabis, and several states legalizing cannabis for medical purposes.

Initiative to Legalize Recreational Cannabis Filed in Arizona

April 17, 2015 by Anthony Martinelli

An initiative to legalize cannabis, titled the Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana Act, was filed today in Arizona.

The proposal was filed with the Arizona Secretary of State by representatives of the Marijuana Policy Project, Safer Arizona and Arizona’s cannabis business community.

“It was a long and deliberative drafting process involving a diverse group of stakeholders,” says Carlos Alfaro, Arizona political director for the Marijuana Policy Project. “There were some bumps in the road, but in the end everyone came together to produce the best possible law for Arizona. We are united in this effort to end marijuana prohibition and replace it with a system in which marijuana is regulated and taxed similarly to alcohol.”