The November 2 elections brought troubling signs for Democrats hoping to retain control of Congress and criminal justice reformers alike. But several city-level drug policy reform ballot initiatives did perform well. Cities endorsed cannabis and psychedelics measures, while a marijuana taxation and education-funding effort in Colorado was defeated. Here are the details.
Cannabis Decriminalization in Ohio
In Ohio, a total of 15 cities had the chance to vote on decriminalizing cannabis. Of these, seven cities—Martins Ferry, Murray City, New Lexington, New Straitsville, Rayland, Tiltonsville and Yorkville—approved decriminalization. They will now join 22 other Ohio municipalities that previously passed cannabis decriminalization measures.
The language of the approved measures varied. Some specified they would lower “the penalty for misdemeanor marijuana offenses to the lowest penalty allowed by State Law,” while others reclassified low-level cannabis possession as a “minor misdemeanor drug abuse offense” with a fine of $0.00.
The victories are significant in part because at the same time, a separate initiative is collecting signatures to certify a statewide adult-use legalization ballot in 2022. Ohio voters rejected a 2015 effort to legalize cannabis, which was controversial even among cannabis advocates for its monopolistic business provisions.
Under full legalization, even the threat of a “minor misdemeanor” with a zero dollar fine—and its blemish on your criminal record—will be eliminated.
Detroit Decriminalizes Psychedelics
Meanwhile, the city of Detroit voted to decriminalize several categories of psychedelic drugs. With a proposal similar to those adopted by Denver and Detroit’s neighboring city of Ann Arbor, voters agreed to “decriminalize to the fullest extent permitted under Michigan law the personal possession and therapeutic use of Entheogenic Plants by adults.” This refers to naturally-occurring psychedelics including psilocybin mushrooms, DMT, mescaline and ibogaine.
Further, the ballot measure makes “the personal possession and therapeutic use of Entheogenic Plants by adults the city’s lowest law-enforcement priority.” This basically means that Detroit police should avoid making arrests for possession of these drugs in almost all circumstances.
If someone is in possession of entheogens and other illegal substances like heroin—or they are in possession of a very large amount of entheogens and police suspect they are buying or selling it—police will still use their discretion on whether to make an arrest.
Because this language doesn’t offer full rights and protections for entheogen users, risks of criminalization remain. But as Denver showed when it decriminalized psilocybin, we should expect a significant overall decrease in arrests for these drugs.
Colorado Rejects Raising Cannabis Taxes to Fund Education
And speaking of Denver, voters there and in the state of Colorado rejected ballot measures to increase taxes on cannabis.
The statewide measure, Prop 119, would have increased the state excise tax on cannabis products by 5 percent. Analysts predicted the state would raise an additional $138 million each year, to be used to provide cash stipends to middle- and low-income students to attend after-school, summer and tutoring programs. But opponents argued that it would be wrong to make cannabis more expensive for patients and others who use it, that it would work against cannabis social equity efforts, and that money for education should be found elsewhere. The state’s biggest teachers’ union also withdrew its support over implementation concerns.
A city-wide measure in Denver to raise the local tax on cannabis to fund pandemic safety research prompted similar debates, and also lost.
Philadelphia Backs Full Cannabis Legalization
Finally, the city of Philadelphia voted in favor of a referendum supporting recreational cannabis legalization in Pennsylvania. The referendum is non-binding, but it’s an official statement from the state’s largest city calling on state lawmakers to legalize.
Governor Tom Wolf (D) supports legalization, but any effort will need support from the Republican majority in both chambers of the legislature. To date, lawmakers have introduced three different bills to legalize cannabis, some with bipartisan support, without getting them over the line.
Photograph courtesy of Cannaclusive/Creative Commons 4.0.
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Brian Kelly
Cannabis consumers deserve and demand equal rights and protections under our laws that are currently afforded to the drinkers of far more dangerous and deadly, yet perfectly legal, widely accepted, endlessly advertised and even glorified as an All-American pastime, alcohol.
Plain and simple!
Legalize Nationwide Federally Now!
Don’t be fooled by cannabis “decriminalization” because citizens are still going to be treated like common criminals for cannabis under it. This is what desperate anti-cannabis prohibitionist types will now settle for.
Police will confiscate your “illegally purchased” cannabis under so-called “decriminization”.
They also fail to mention the additional huge cost of court costs which can range from several hundred to several thousand dollars on top of the relatively small ticket/fine.
If you fail to pay these very expensive and often unaffordable court costs you will be in “the system” as a criminal. With a warrant out for your arrest and incarceration.
This policy still allows cannabis to be used as a tool and probable cause by law enforcement to investigate cannabis consumers for no reason other than even the detection of the scent of cannabis by law enforcement and they will confiscate your cannabis.
Overall, decriminalization through it’s hidden, super expensive court costs and mandatory summons to appear in court, combined with the allowance of cannabis to still be used by law enforcement as a tool and probable cause still allows cannabis to be an ordinary, otherwise law abiding citizen’s introduction into the criminal justice system.
No thanks! If this so called policy of cannabis “decriminalization” truly means cannabis is no longer supposed to be a “crime”, then why are cannabis consumers still going to be treated like criminals under it?
Cannabis consumers deserve and demand equal rights and protections under our laws as the drinkers of alcohol. Plain and simple!
Citizens will STILL be forced to the dangerous black market and a shady illegal street drug dealer to purchase their cannabis. Getting caught buying it is STILL a crime they will arrest and jail you for. Then, they will also most likely try to FORCE you to either mandatory community service and/or rehab, and if you don’t comply, guess what? JAILTIME!
Also, we will still be wasting our tax dollars sending police around to write summons to cannabis users and wasting police manpower and resources.
Instead of allowing our police the time, manpower and resources to protect us all from real, dangerous criminals who actually commit crimes with victims and pose a real threat to society.
Why else do you think some politicians are so EAGER to “decriminalize”, instead of LEGALIZE?
Don’t Let’em Fool Us!!!
If you can’t purchase it legally and police will confiscate it, then it isn’t legal.
If you have to fear a monetary fine/ticket which if you don’t pay and/or show up in court to handle, you then become a criminal with a warrant out for your arrest, and when convicted (yes convicted, as in crime.) you will then be forced into free manual labor and/or forced drug rehabilitation to be used as another statistic prohibitionists love to flaunt about supposed “cannabis addicts”, then….No, it’s not legal!
This will not suffice! Getting caught purchasing cannabis is still considered a serious “drug deal” and you will be prosecuted for it!
DEMAND FULL CANNABIS LEGALIZATION NATIONWIDE!
Brian Kelly
The “War on Cannabis” has been a complete and utter failure. It is the largest component of the broader yet equally unsuccessful “War on Drugs” that has cost our country over a trillion dollars.
Instead of The United States wasting Billions upon Billions more of our yearly tax dollars fighting a never ending “War on Cannabis”, lets generate Billions of dollars, and improve the deficit instead. Especially now, due to Covid-19. It’s a no brainer.
The Prohibition of Cannabis has also ruined the lives of many of our loved ones. In numbers greater than any other nation, our loved ones are being sent to jail and are being given permanent criminal records. Especially, if they happen to be of the “wrong” skin color or they happen to be from the “wrong” neighborhood. Which ruin their chances of employment for the rest of their lives, and for what reason?
Cannabis is much safer to consume than alcohol. Yet do we lock people up for choosing to drink?
Let’s end this hypocrisy now!
The government should never attempt to legislate morality by creating victim-less cannabis “crimes” because it simply does not work and costs the taxpayers a fortune.
Cannabis Legalization Nationwide is an inevitable reality that’s approaching much sooner than prohibitionists think and there is nothing they can do to stop it!
Legalize Nationwide! Support Each and Every Cannabis Legalization Initiative!
Brian Kelly
It’s time for us, the majority of The People to take back control of our national cannabis policy. By voting OUT of office any and all politicians who very publicly and vocally admit to having an anti-cannabis, prohibitionist agenda! Time to vote’em all OUT of office. Period. Plain and simple.
Politicians who continue to demonize Cannabis, Corrupt Law Enforcement Officials who prefer to ruin peoples lives over Cannabis possession rather than solve real crimes who fund their departments toys and salaries with monies acquired through cannabis home raids, seizures and forfeitures, and so-called “Addiction Specialists” who make their income off of the judicial misfortunes of our citizens who choose cannabis, – Your actions go against The Will of The People and Your Days In Office Are Numbered! Find new careers before you don’t have one.
The People have spoken! Get on-board with Cannabis Legalization Nationwide, or be left behind and find new careers. Your choice.
Brian Kelly
There is absolutely no doubt now that the majority of Americans want to completely legalize cannabis nationwide. Our numbers grow on a daily basis.
The prohibitionist view on cannabis is the viewpoint of a minority and rapidly shrinking percentage of Americans. It is based upon decades of lies and propaganda.
Each and every tired old lie they have propagated has been thoroughly proven false by both science and society.
Their tired old rhetoric no longer holds any validity. The vast majority of Americans have seen through the sham of marijuana prohibition in this day and age. The number of prohibitionists left shrinks on a daily basis.
With their credibility shattered, and their not so hidden agendas visible to a much wiser public, what’s left for a marijuana prohibitionist to do?
Maybe, just come to terms with the fact that Cannabis Legalization Nationwide is an inevitable reality that’s approaching much sooner than prohibitionists think, and there is nothing they can do to stop it!
Legalize Nationwide!…and Support All Cannabis Legalization Efforts!
Brian Kelly
Cannabis Consumers Are Not Criminals!
End the systematically failed both state and federal policies of criminalizing consumers of a natural, relatively benign plant, proven to be far safer than perfectly legal, widely accepted alcohol and tobacco.
End The Federal Prohibition of Cannabis Now!
Legalize Nationwide! State by state if need be!
It’s time our country wakes up and learns from our history.
Prohibition does not prevent people from consuming cannabis. The demand will be there always and therefore cannabis will always be served up to the public regardless of cannabis prohibition laws. The alcohol prohibition era criminal organizations and gangsters such as Al Capone of yesteryear are the Pablo Escobar, El Chapo and drug cartels of today.
The Temperance Movement didn’t catch on and last in part because it was a dead horse from the start.
Prohibition only serves to further fuel the vast wealth and corruption, violence and death attributed to the criminal organizations which flourish under it. By providing cannabis to meet the continual demand at inflated prices. Just like with alcohol, cannabis prohibition doesn’t work, makes no sense, and costs the tax payers a fortune yearly.
Legalization creates jobs, improves the economy and let’s us as a nation focus the wasted resources currently used to criminalize citizens over cannabis towards things much more needed and useful.
This is how freedoms get taken away from The People. First, a small minority doesn’t morally approve of cannabis. Tomorrow, it’s R-Rated movies, certain books and literature and eventually that minority aspires to make every citizen conform to their personal sense of morality through laws which criminalize everything that they personally don’t approve of.
Tell us something prohibitionists:
Why do you feel justified in endlessly wasting billions upon billions of our yearly federal tax dollars continuing to arrest, criminalize, incarcerate, and hand out life long permanent criminal records to otherwise hard-working, tax-paying, adult citizens for choosing to consume cannabis although it is far safer than perfectly legal, widely accepted alcohol?
Shouldn’t their first and foremost priority be protesting the legality of alcohol if they really aren’t just biased and truly so “concerned” about other people on what those whom oppose cannabis legalization deem to be a “dangerous drug”?
Why do the anti-cannabis folk apply such a blatantly obvious unfair double standard to far less dangerous cannabis that they obviously don’t apply equally to far more deadly, dangerous and harmful yet perfectly legal, widely accepted alcohol?
Legalize Nationwide!
Brian Kelly
“Cannabis is 114 times safer than drinking alcohol”
“Cannabis may be even safer than previously thought, researchers say”
“Cannabis may be even safer than previously thought, researchers say New study: We should stop fighting Cannabis legalization and focus on alcohol and tobacco instead By Christopher Ingraham February 23
Compared with other recreational drugs — including alcohol — Cannabis may be even safer than previously thought. And researchers may be systematically underestimating risks associated with alcohol use.
Those are the top-line findings of recent research published in the journal Scientific Reports, a subsidiary of Nature. Researchers sought to quantify the risk of death associated with the use of a variety of commonly used substances. They found that at the level of individual use, alcohol was the deadliest substance, followed by heroin and cocaine.”
-washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2015/02/23/Cannabis-may-be-even-safer-than-previously-thought-researchers-say/
“The report discovered that Cannabis is 114 times less deadly than alcohol. Researchers were able to determine this by comparing the lethal doses with the amount of typical use. Through this approach, Cannabis had the lowest mortality risk to users out of all the drugs they studied. In fact—because the numbers were crossed with typical daily use—Cannabis is the only drug that tested as “low risk.”
-complex.com/pop-culture/2015/02/scientific-reports-weed-114-safer-alcohol