News

California Marijuana Legalization in 2016 Looks Anything but Certain California marijuana legalization in 2016 looks anything but certain after a major January meeting where leading activists showed how divided they remain. The possibility of ending nearly a century of cannabis prohibition within the next 650 or so days has increased factionalism within the reform movement.

Anchorage Rep. Gabrielle LeDoux said Wednesday she would postpone meetings of the state House and Senate judiciary committees on a bill that would define Alaska's criminal marijuana laws until drafters complete a version of the law that better reflects "the will of the people."

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) - Bills that would decriminalize small amounts of marijuana have been put on hold while lawmakers wait for a new draft that better reflects the intent of voters.

JUNEAU - After a disastrous first hearing on a bill dealing with legalized marijuana, lawmakers didn't mince their words Wednesday to say the bill, as drafted, was dead.

Opinions

A year into legal, recreational (or as advocates would have us say, "adult use") pot sales in Colorado - and six months into Washington sales - the sky still hasn't fallen. That's a relatively short period of time on which to base any long-term predictions, but here's one that's nearly certain: Legalization will continue to spread. The smooth (but not without hiccups, unfulfilled expectations and uncertainties) rollout of legal weed means a cascade of states will follow. Alaska, Oregon and Washington, D.C. legalized pot in 2014 (looks like Congress will kill the capitol's buzz, though).

Hawaii should not wait any longer to join the list of states that have legalized marijuana. There is simply too much at stake for us to allow our Legislature to peck away at this for five or 10 years without taking real action.

BETTER OFF DRY Summertime in Northern California is long, hot, and dry. The ideal atmosphere for a float down the Russian River is also the perfect climate for growing the things you'd want to bring along on that river trip. Hops, good wine grapes, and world-class cannabis all thrive in the heat.

Even if they don't support legalization, more and more states are changing or considering changing marijuana possession laws from criminal to ticket offenses.

Letters

Re: "Apply due process to forfeiture - Powerful tool has become another government idea gone awry, says David Simpson," Dec. 23, Viewpoints.

Two dividends a year? Why don't we as a state grow and sell what the people want? The state controls everything. From the seed to the pipe. Everything is so simple sometimes.

I am concerned about the article Student banned from using medical marijuana at school (SP, Jan 17).

Our new governor should be reminded that the voters in this state have overwhelmingly approved all ballot questions relating to medicinal use and decriminalization of marijuana since 2000 ("Baker staunch in opposition to legalizing marijuana"). Regardless of what the federal government has to say about the issue, citizens across the country have voted for legalization for many reasons, not the least of which is the tax revenue generated by the emerging industry.

It is interesting news that the Senate president, not known as a friend of the initiative process, created a special Senate committee on marijuana, and that Governor Baker, despite saying he is "going to always be opposed to legalizing" recreational use, also is curious about the experiments with legalization in other parts of the country ("Baker staunch in opposition to legalizing marijuana," Metro, Jan. 23).

I hope the community will support Phoenix Pain Management Society. There are people in our community who are suffering and dying of diseases that cannabis medicines are being shown to treat or cure in the scientific literature (MS, Parkinson's, epilepsy, arthritis, cancer, Alzheimer's, hypertension, IBS, Crohn's, anxiety, depression...).

I am frustrated with doctors in Saskatoon. I suffer from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to a very traumatic event five years ago, and I'm also a former army service member. I have seen almost every doctor in Saskatoon at every clinic, trying to get prescribed medical marijuana for my PTSD.