In the opening days of the Arizona Legislature’s 54th session, two competing bills hit the stands this month, one in support of the state’s medical marijuana industry, and one to start chipping away at it.
The latest, from Rep. Mark Cardenas, D-Phoenix, aims to protect the state’s medical marijuana program from the pesky federal government following Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ blessing to U.S. attorneys to start pursuing charges against marijuana business and users.
House Bill 2144, introduced Jan. 10, restricts state and local law enforcement employees from assisting the feds in any “investigation, detention or prosecution” of medical marijuana patients and workers.
The bill also forbids state funds and assets from being used to assist federal law enforcement if they were to start harassing people in the medical marijuana industry.
Cardenas has long supported legalization efforts in Arizona, introducing bills the past few years in attempts to legalize marijuana recreationally and decrease federal penalties for possession. He took the opportunity of introducing this bill to respond to Sessions’ memo the week before.
“This move by Sessions makes no sense from a law enforcement, medical, human or economic perspective, so Arizona leaders should not just sit still and let it happen,” he said. “The Sessions decision is out of step with where we are as a country on this issue, and it is causing undue stress for patients and those employed in the cannabis industry.”
Cardenas hasn’t had much luck with his past marijuana-centric legislation, but a renewed sense of urgency and growing support (perhaps even with the state legislature itself) should give a boost to his agenda.
The other bill, introduced by Sen. David Farnsworth, R-Apache Junction, actually attempts to restrict free speech as it pertains to the state’s marijuana industry.
Senate Bill 1060, introduced Jan. 5, would impose a Class 6 felony with a $10,000 fine for publications that list dispensary information that doesn’t reflect dispensaries’ registration certificates.
This extends to product lines and services provided by dispensaries and requires publications to verify registration. The bill pertains to listings such as those included in the Tucson Weekly.
What Farnsworth seems to misunderstand is that accuracy is a paramount tenant to publishing such information, and any restrictions imposed on providing that information conflict with the free press’s prerogative to provide information it deems necessary.
What would make this bill less surprising would be if Farnsworth hadn’t just last month introduced legislation aimed at outlawing marijuana advertisements on billboards—another attempt at restricting free speech.
Farnsworth may be on to something as a marijuana detractor.
One of the best weapons in the fight to legalize marijuana is the proliferation of good information about the effects and industry of the drug. If he succeeds in stifling that information, it may never get the chance to rightly inform the public on the benefits of legalization.
Once again, Farnsworth demonstrates that he believes enumerated rights should only apply to causes he agrees with, a stance that seems popular in today’s political atmosphere.
This article appears in Jan 18-24, 2018.
Nicely expressed the turmoil of Cannabis.
Having grown up around this area. Marijuana has been a part of my life on and off mostly on.
Having watched enforcement Since “MANTIS” ( Metropolitan Area Narcotics Interdiction Squad) precursor to RICO thefts.
Clinton & Janet Reno behind and rallying for the Civil Seizure and class rating called “credit rating score” FICO. Government allows licencee monopolies to assess rates on everything using this credit rating chart. Like Auto & Health Insurance mortgage rates etc. This sealed the deal to pillage and plunder without court oversight and restrictions but support.
Bush did the only thing he was capable of trying to look presidential. Cheney kept saying you look good Georgie Boy just keep walking
The Obama pandering not to disenfranchise but to placate into a false sense of acceptance and security. After California’s Marijuana Medical had a trial run. He made great mileage on this but made sure the end would be running on empty. It was possible to change the schedule classification by Presidential/Executive order the same way it was put on by NIXON. Over 50 different bureaus need to sign off on this all with lobbyists as directors. IT IS NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN.
So through all of these years my use of cannabis was easier less complicated. When illegal than now under Medical. I as well as so many other’s over 90,000 wanted to do the right thing. Life has played it relates of age. I find myself in need rather than desire since, background I know how to administer.
I would rather go back to the old days of illegality but this is not about ME. This is why I joined the MMJ program.
However just how PROP 205 wanted change the constitution and build a covert program the morphed the state government in every function and agency but in anonymity. This was just another ruse to fuck us and irreversible. IMHO The ADA (Arizona Dispensary Association) is just like another layer of credit rating services out to extort by court means all they can. Back away from theses minions of deceit. If you use cannabis look at what they have done for the patient in the last 5 years NOTHING.
Opening up a store and selling product that is market protected, price controlled is not a notable pinnacle of virtue. Since won the lottery it is, the help to the community NONE. But millions to try and repress the citizens with the Lucky Luciano/ type commission bullshit.
You realize not only can you not own a gun if you are using MJ but you cannot get a CCW license if you have a MJ medical card? Keep the citizens high and defenseless, every democraps fantasy.
Democraps.
Goood wone PawlASS
PaulAZ brings up a good point, even though his rant is misplaced in regards to “Democraps”.
I have a CCW, and even though marijuana is not my poison of choice, I could not buy a firearm and would have to give up my CCW for even medical marijuana.
However, that is not a left/right democrat/republican issue. It is the simple fact the marijuana is still listed as a Schedule 1 substance, and ATF is just following the law.
Congress just needs to get its head out of its collective asses. As an aside, privately, and off the record, the IRS Auditors I know that have audited dispensaries, think the law ought to be changed.
lc69hunter; Thank You for seeing the only adversarial BULLY in the topic. Shall we call it the “SCHEDULE ONE INDUSTRY” While the flare for the over dramatic is responsible for this industry reluctantly it is a fire against fire issue now. It is time to fill the stage and the choir can sing only one tune. ” WE HAVE JUST BEGUN TO REPEAL THE SCHEDULE ONE”
Take a few minutes and reflect on what a citizen gives up obtaining a Medical Marijuana Card. This is done by choice the reasons vary as much as why we all want more. Disheartening to think more for some, is living off of less for others. More for the columns of illegal and legal less for the citizens as a whole. The total summation o the war on drugs.
Loss for doing the right thing.
1- loss to sit on a jury
2-loss to have a jury of your peers
3- Loss to have legal representation or recourse in state court in
regards to marijuana
4- Right to firearm protections
5- Self defamation on thousands of compliance forms from
insurance/bonding to testimony. These vary from state to state
depending on states legal/illegal laws
6– summation>> TOTAL LACK FOR EQUAL PROTECTION
Top that off, now the powers of obfuscation and guilt on the OPIOID crisis. Government bureaucrats want the nest egg built up over 5 years by the doing right thing people. To do what give more medical short term prescriptions more office visits. Perhaps the counseling for all drug therapy should be funded by the MMj program? With education, drug eradication, Rico confiscations, Drug courts, Courts, The progressive ideal will solidify the need to keep it where it is at.
EVERY TIME YOU DRIVE PAST A WALGREEN, CVS, SavON, RIGHT AID, ANY STORE PHARMACY. Think about their complacency in the OPIOID crisis. I was at my superstore over the weekend watching the guy in front of me getting his Percoset 7.5 prescription he over spoke 15′ away. Happenstance had it I was at the check counter behind him had to wait as the cashier to get this carton of cigarettes, watched him 2 -12 packs a bottle of wine and a some Smirnoff mini’s, sitting right there before the cash register on an end cap for enticement.
And I am the lesser citizen, the one of lesser the one responsible for all compulsive drug ills. The one that is going to be exploited so the disgusting markets of schedule one can prevail. The chant this year is ” WE HAVE JUST BEGUN TO REPEAL SCHEDULE ONE”
( Don’t count on any support from the dispensaries as it goes against their bottom line to do so)
Ducey vetoed the hemp, he needs to go, he just trying to lump all into one. Perhaps we should veto corn for it possible use to harm environmentally as well as socially.