Arizonans for Responsible Drug Policy last week chose the new political lobbyist and communications firm Axiom Public Affairs to represent their movement against the state’s recreational marijuana legalization initiative.
The ballot measure’s final draft was submitted to the Secretary of State’s Office in April by the Marijuana Policy Project, which is also leading legal weed efforts for next year in California, Nevada, Maine and Massachusetts. Safer Arizona, MPP of Arizona, and other advocacy groups are in the process of gathering the roughly more than 150,000 signatures needed to get the initiative on the 2016 ballot.
The Arizonans for Responsible Drug Policy PAC isn’t down with any measure that would green light the use, sale, possession and cultivation of ganja. The group mobilizes around the state to raise awareness of the plant’s alleged harms, as well as recruits donors and supporters who’ll help with the crusade. They fear legalizing weed will mean it’ll wound up in the hands of children, among other negative outcomes.
“Unlike the industry and lobby groups that are funding efforts to legalize a dangerous drug in Arizona, we at ARDP are all working on a volunteer basis, so we are delighted to be able hire the A-team of consultants in Arizona to help us out,” said a statement by Seth Leibsohn, chairman of Arizonans for Responsible Drug Policy.
Among other guidelines, the MPP measure would allow adults 21 and up to buy no more than an ounce of pot through a state-licensed retailer or dispensary. An adult 21 or older would be able to grow six plants and there will be a limit of no more than 12 plants per household. There is a license, worth $7,500, for people who want to sell their pot, without jumping into a full-on dispensary.
The initiative would also establish a Department of Marijuana Licenses and Control, which would oversee the cultivation, manufacturing, testing, transportation and sale of marijuana.
MPP expects taxes, set at 15 percent, to bring revenue of between $60 million and $100 million. The funds would go toward sales regulation, education and public health efforts.
MPP and advocates have until July 2016 to present the requested signatures.
Efforts to get a legal weed initiative on the 2014 ballot failed because proposing groups could not gather enough signatures.
Will Arizona Pass the Grass?
The nonpartisan research group Behavior Research Center says most of the state’s residents support the legalization of recreational marijuana, as well as favor university research on the medical benefits of weed for conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder and epilepsy.
Of the 700 adults interviewed for the Rocky Mountain Poll between the end of April and mid-May, 83 percent said they backed up former UA researcher Sue Sisley’s study looking into the effects medical marijuana has on PTSD symptoms. They argued similar studies should be allowed at the three universities.
In the case of recreational weed, more than 50 percent are good with allowing possession of small amounts. The support is stronger in rural Arizona (58 percent) and in Maricopa County (53 percent). The poll said less than half of people in Pima County back up legalization.
This article appears in Jun 18-24, 2015.
My take on the legalization of Marijuana is simple. Do some research on violent crime, first off you wont find any marijuana in it, mostly alcohol and meth, heroin… and the greatest of the bunch to date is prescribed pain medication proliferation into our society. I do not use marijuana in any form, nor do I condone the use of it, but I would rather see alcohol and the fore mentioned drugs gone well before marijuana is a topic here, if it brings revenue to our flailing budget, reduces cross border transport and takes these otherwise law biding citizens out of the courts so they can focus on the real criminals, then I’m all for it.
There are no proven health risks beyond that of smoking or alcohol consumption for that matter, and your health is your health, not mine, nor is the governments responsibility. But if there are those that will make this a point, then we must consider obesity a crime as well. It has much worse health consequences, and is normally a burden on the tax payer as well in rising medical costs, so should we add this to the list of causes for those that have nothing better to do all day?
I think so having just asked to be reseated on an airplane because the person next to me was not able to keep their body on their side of the seat. This in most cases is self inflicted, so lets get government to regulate our eating habits as well, this will reduce health costs, speed up lines everywhere in confined spaces such as airports and public transport…
I think what I am saying here is that I really don’t see this as a killer drug, and we have over a hundred years of data to look at, so do some backward analysis, start in the prison system and find out what intoxicant was used before the crimes were committed and zero in on what ever drug that is that is killing our society, then ask for the help of the government to fix it.
This new proposal is not LEGALIZATION. What it does is remove the burden of criminal prosecution for small amounts and moves it to civil complaints.
This MPP’s proposal is part and parcel to a criminal conspiracy. Almost a RICO structured criminal enterprise. What this does is make the Arizona Marijuana a Arizona cartel.
This Washington DC public relations firm is being retained for this by confiscated seizures prosecutors industry monopoly makers
MPP was the group that put together the first medical marijuana initiative. That they now say was wrought with mistakes. And just what were those mistakes most were protection to the marijuana user. And now with their new proposal they will eliminate those and medical interests completely.
BE VERY CAREFUL 2016 THERE IS MILLIONS ON THE TABLE WHO WANTS TO HELP MEDICAL ? Who wants to compete and replace alcohol and make millions build a civil service department for their protectors. Build more dynasties of powerful rich distributors like the McCain’s and the Kemper Marley’s.
I have to agree Carpet Baggers, we must be very careful or we will simply play this right into the hands of those that will turn it into their personal monopoly. I don’t know of a right way to make this drug legal without losing control of it all together, the same as any drug in this country including nicotine and alcohol. My thoughts are that as much taxes as I pay, we just make an area, perhaps area 51, into a free drug zone, mountains of crack, heroin, marijuana… and you can go in but not leave with any drugs on your person. All the drug abusers would likely stay in their until they die and eventually, viola, no more demand and no need for a supply. Sounds harsh, however, we have battled drugs for over a hundred years to the tune of trillions of dollars, its time to either get tough (death sentences) or admit defeat and quit using my taxes for this losing battle. Lets give out drugs free in a controlled environment away from the general public and use the savings for education to keep the next generation from entering those gates at all, who knows, maybe we wont have to look to India to hire educated engineers and will produce them in the United States.
In the 70’s the government changed the title 13 codes (criminal) for speeding tickets to civil actions. for simple driving infractions and speeding under 25 miles an hour. This reduced a great burden on the courts so issuing warrants was off the table. Then they built a monkey court to automatically issue warrants for nonpayment.
What this new proposed ” DEPARTMENT OF MARINUANA” want’s all taxes collected all fines collected all oversight done by the ” DEPARTMWENT MARIJUANA.
The “DEPARTMENT OF MARIJUANA” will collect all monies and disperse it as they see fit after they take their operation’s off the top. They will be immune from Legislature oversight and all laws pertaining to rule making meeting enforcement just about every law given to Arizona by it’s constitution and ratified by the Federal Government.
Be very careful on what you are wanting in legalization. all of these paid professional writers posting on TW are only talking about 1 proposal.
We will have information on the other proposals in upcoming weeks, starting with next issue. Focusing on the one re-introduced by Safer Arizona and another state group they partnered with. There’s one to legalize all drugs, and a couple for hemp.
Marijuana is Illegal no matter what the state passes. Its a FEDERAL LAW. Got a bunch of rock heads in here. Advocate all you want its a fact. Medical use is still illegal and so is recreational. Please continue sooner or later when they arrest you it will cost you more than you think.
Jay Vanderford ;
Jay I don’t think your analogy is accurate these of figuratively speaking Opium Dens of yester year are not valid. We already pass out methadone by the huge amounts and you are paying it in your insurance premiums and other addictive habits that constitute trillions more than the tax dollars spent on the war on drugs. These Civil confiscation that are stealing the monies but more the trust of the citizens. It has become so epidemic that the justice Dept has put a stop to all traffic stop confiscations by state police but stopped short of limiting the DEA. It has always been legal to have marijuana in Arizona since the 1930’s all you needed was a Arizona license stamp WA’LA no stamp could be purchased. Just look at the prostitution ring frequented by our Honorable citizen that run the city officials police fire bureaucrats. Ever wonder why we don’t have a VICE Squad because the past Sargent was killed in a robbery attempt on a strip club owner he sent to prison think that a ex con would not have a gun.
Here is one question Jay if you are tired of your tax dollars going the ill fated war on drugs. what about your tax dollars spent on 3 years of prostitution investigation and patronage? How about the tax dollars you spent on Fast And Furious only to have it explained that somebody in the Bush Admin had tried it. This is not relief of your tax dollars it is control of who gets them and can spend them..
Education health concerns my ass just like the gaming pact monies, or the lottery monies. the old sayin Doctor, Doctor it hurts when I do this Doctors reply , Then stop doing that
I would also like to see in our ” Board of Regents” that no one sitting on the board has any invested interests in Pharmacological companies or research. either through trusts, Diversified portfolios of any kind that would be in conflict to study by the Universities of Arizona with regards to medical properties of Marijuana. AMJA published a peer reviewed study 07/2013 by the University of AZ. On the effects of Medical marijuana with Diabetes and related complications. Their summary was ” we don’t know when Marijuana will be used as a therapy for diabetes but it will. Case study has shown fantastic response in it control of the disease. Last year 78 Billion was spent in Diabetes and complications. I would not doubt LYCRIA is canvassing the Universities right to buy intellectual properties they own now to keep of the market.
http://www.amjmed.com/article/S0002-9343(13)00200-3/abstract read for yourself
So Mpp’s proposal would throw all this under the buss take all disbursement of marijuana to lottery winners. Most whom want to go to concentrates vap pens and proliferate the use of Marijuana in place of Alcohol to get rich collect taxes or monopoly’s. This is not about anything but money and whom gets it the public and the medical patient be dammed