Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) was the first elected official when he (rightly) called for the removal of DEA Chief Chuck Rosenberg on the House floor, but he certainly wasn’t the last. True to his history, Rep. Blumenauer not only has demonstrated great leadership, but also the ability to garner bipartisan support for sensible reform as Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, a Republican representing Orange County, California, signed onto a letter calling for the removal of the head of the DEA.

Rosenberg started receiving calls for his removal after he insultingly called medical marijuana a “joke” to reporters last week. The Huffington Post reported:

“Rosenberg is clearly not the right fit for the DEA in this administration,” Blumenauer said during a speech on the House floor Wednesday morning.

***

“What is a joke is the job Rosenberg is doing as acting DEA administrator,” he said. “He’s an example of the inept, misinformed zealot who has mismanaged America’s failed policy of marijuana prohibition.”

He continued: “Rosenberg’s claim that more research is necessary is true, but it reeks of hypocrisy because the DEA under his leadership has made badly needed cannabis research difficult, often impossible.”

A groundswell of support for the firing of Chuck Rosenberg has been generated through the efforts of Marijuana Majority, whose petition calling for his removal has earned more than 100,000 signatures delivered to the DEA’s headquarters today. Representative Blumenauer and his colleagues are adding tremendous momentum for the effort to dismiss Rosenberg and to the notion that there should be consequences for government officials, especially those engaged in drug policy, that demonstrate sheer ignorance regarding cannabis.

The Washington Post covered the release of the letter and how this isn’t the first time that Rosenberg stuck his foot in his mouth over marijuana:

Rosenberg’s statements are “indicative of a throwback ideology rooted in a failed War on Drugs,” the letter, spearheaded by Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D.-Or.), begins. “They do not reflect the overwhelming body of testimonial evidence, reforms happening across the country at the state level and in Congress, or the opinion of the American people.”

Rosenberg became the acting administrator of the DEA just six months ago, after public and Congressional outcry over a series of scandals under the leadership of then-Administrator Michele Leonhart. Marijuana advocates had hoped that Rosenberg’s appointment would signal a change in tone at the DEA, particularly on marijuana issues. Instead, Rosenberg’s tenure has become notable for how quickly advocates and lawmakers have soured on his leadership.

Earlier this summer Rosenberg remarked that marijuana was “probably not” as dangerous as heroin. Given that there’s overwhelming agreement among researchers, lawmakers and the public that marijuana is not, in fact, as dangerous as harder drugs, the statement provoked ridicule and prompted Rosenberg to say definitively a few days later that heroin is indeed more dangerous than pot.

I have stated so many times how proud I am of Congressman Blumenauer and how thankful I am that I get to cast my vote for such a tremendous public servant. He has the right position on cannabis and he is very practical and knowledgeable about how politics work and effective ways to increase support for his positions. We wouldn’t be where we are in Oregon, in Congress or in the national debate without the work of Congressman Blumenauer. I don’t necessarily agree with my representative on every single issue, but I know that I can count on him to do his homework and vote his conscious; it helps that his conscious is on the right side of history on the major civil rights and social justice issues of the day. Here’s hoping that President Obama will continue his moves toward sensible drug policy reform and adhere to his promise to place science over politics.

Watch Congressman Earl Blumenauer call for DEA head’s firing on the floor of the House of Representatives:

Alex Rogers, the founder of Marijuana Politics (and my longtime friend), knows first-hand the harmful consequences of cannabis prohibition as he has seen the inside of a prison cell. While he didn’t serve the draconian prison sentence levied against Jeff Mizanskey or others sentenced to life in prison for marijuana, the 6 months that Rogers spent in prison were enough for him and he has since dedicated his life to help ensure that others don’t serve the same fate for marijuana.

Rogers was ensnared in a cannabis smuggling investigation and prosecution just as he was giving up the outlaw life. He, like many men, found a woman to share his life that convinced him to leave his illicit dealing behind. Unfortunately, Alex’s past caught up to him and he was arrested on an international warrant and eventually convicted for his part in selling 50 pounds of marijuana.

The Medford Mail Tribune reports:

Fast-forward 10 years, and Rogers has graduated magna cum laude from Southern Oregon University with a political science degree. He is chief executive officer of Ashland Alternative Health, with offices in Ashland and Eugene, which helps patients get medical marijuana cards, and he leads business conferences that draw marijuana entrepreneurs from around the world. He said his businesses gross about $2 million a year.

The outlook was much darker a decade ago. While Rogers recalls that on his first night in the Salzburg jail, he could see the church from the “Sound of Music,” shortly after he was sent to Stadelheim, a notorious European prison that briefly housed Adolf Hitler before his rise to power and was the site of prisoner executions by guillotine during World War II.

“It is probably one of the most sinister places,” said Rogers. Criminals from Russia, Eastern Europe and Turkey were his cellmates, including a psychopathic murderer. “Everybody’s got a shank,” he remembered. “Everybody’s in a gang.”

Even though many argued that Oregon’s Measure 91 legalization initiative would decrease the number of people seeking medical marijuana cards, Alex still supported the measure, even if theoretically it would hurt the bottom line at the medical marijuana clinics he owns. Rogers also knew that he, and many others, wouldn’t be happy with all of the rules and regulations that would be thrusted upon the cannabis industry, he still supported legalization, knowing that ending arrests and prosecutions for cannabis were of the utmost importance.

Keeping people out of prison and ensuring that patients have safe access to cannabis are still the underpinnings of Alex’s business interests. As lead producer of both the Oregon Marijuana Business Conference (OMBC) and International Cannabis Business Conference (ICBC), Rogers ensures that activism is always a focus and that attendees get the information necessary to comply with requisite cannabis laws. You can see Alex’s work up close and personal at the OMBC on November 21st in Ashland and at the ICBC  February 13th-14th in San Francisco. And while Marijuana Politics covers the gamut of information that may interest the cannabis community, ending cannabis prohibition and keeping people out of prison will always be our main focus. In a day and age when too many people are entering the industry now that there is legal money to be made, it is refreshing to work with someone that keeps ending prohibition as the main focus.

UPDATE: Holly Holm defeated Ronda Rousey to win the UFC bantamweight championship at UFC 193.

Ronda Rousey is obviously not afraid of speaking her mind. From her belief that women don’t need others to take care of them to sex, Rousey seems to speak authentically off the cuff. Some love her, others dislike her, but I find her authenticity refreshing. The  (former)UFC bantamweight champ, who defended her belt tonight against the undefeated Holly Holm, has been very vocal about her support for marijuana legalization, decrying the 5 year suspension for marijuana use levied against fighter Nick Diaz. Recently, she spoke out about her support for Bernie Sanders, the candidate with the best cannabis policy platform. The judo master has also made it clear that she isn’t a fan of Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump.

Maxim got the scoop on Rousey’s presidential endorsement:

“I’m voting for Bernie Sanders, because he doesn’t take any corporate money,” Rousey told Maxim. “I don’t think politicians should be allowed to take money for their campaigns from outside interests.”

As for what she’d do if her man were to lose the primary, Rousey said, “If he doesn’t win against Hillary, then I’ll probably vote for a third party again. To be honest, in 2012 I was against both candidates and so I just picked any third party because I thought if more people voted for third parties then they’d have to take third parties seriously.”

***

Rousey’s love for non-mainstream candidates does not include Donald Trump. The billionaire real estate mogul seemed to suggest to CNN last summer that Rousey was a supporter. Pointing out that she exemplified the athleticism of female fighters, he claimed she was a fan of his. “Some of them are really, really good,” he said. “I’ll tell you what, I know some woman that are just — Ronda Rousey is an example, who likes me.…I’d take her on my side as a fighter.”

TMZ reached out to Bernie’s campaign team for thoughts on the endorsement and spokesperson Michael Briggs stated, “We think it’s great and appreciate the support.”

One of Bernie Sanders’ greatest political strengths is that he is an authentic person that isn’t afraid to speak his mind, politics be damned. It isn’t surprising that Ronda Rousey would relate to that authenticity. The distrust that Rousey has for the two-party system is very common in today’s political world. More and more people, especially young people, have broken from the Republican and Democratic parties. A lot of the enthusiasm for Sanders comes from this untapped well of unaffiliated voters. Primary Democratic voters would be wise to consider this potential resource when they fell out their ballots.

The Marijuana Business Conference and Expo, sponsored by Marijuana Business Daily, is in Las Vegas and the enthusiasm for the burgeoning cannabis industry is certainly palpable. The conference is teeming with people looking to network and learn about marijuana business opportunities in various states as more than 5,000 attendees and 200 exhibitors have converged upon the Rio Hotel and Casino. The conference has grown over the years as more people get comfortable entering the industry. The conference consists of various roundtables for retailers, processors, growers and other professionals, as well as an opportunity to hear from professionals across various fields, including those with experience in other industries. The panel that most interested me, however, was the 2016 legalization panel.

Of course, people are more comfortable with the cannabis industry because marijuana businesses have become legal under state law in many states and the momentum is only increasing. However, businesses will only become truly legal once, the United States federal government legalizes cannabis and the best avenue for federal reform is to continue legalization in states across the country.

The 2016 legalization panel consisted of great insight from nationally renowned advocates. Steph Sherer of Americans for Safe Access; Rob Kampia, Executive Director of the Marijuana Policy Project; Students for a Sensible Drug Policy Director Betty Aldworth; Drug Policy Alliance’s Amanda Reiman; and Aaron Smith of the National Cannabis Industry Association compromised the panel. I want to sincerely thank Marijuana Business Daily for putting together a great, informative panel.

A fundraiser was also held by Marijuana Business Daily, raising funds for national marijuana reform organization. I want to thank Marijuana Business Daily for not losing sight of the need to bring activists and industry professionals together to move legalization forward, this is a theme that has been a foundation for the Oregon Marijuana Business Conference and International Cannabis Business Conference and it is truly the only way that the movement can succeed. Ohio’s Issue 3 should be a cautionary tale of the industry trying to bypass grassroots activists.

The big question of the panel was who’s next and Kampia first laid out the five initiative states most likely to legalize cannabis: Nevada, California, Massachusetts, Maine and Arizona. As far as non-initiative states that must legalize through the legislature, Kampia stated that Vermont and Rhode Island would likely prevail first. I cannot disagree with Kampia’s list of states as these states have the proper voting demographics to legalize cannabis, along with strong reform organizations and efforts on the ground. The one “odd duck” as far as demographics would be Arizona, as the one true “Republican” state, but the Grand Canyon state has passed a regulated medical marijuana law with dispensaries already, so legalizing cannabis for all adults is certainly within reach in 2016.

All of the panelists stressed the importance of contacting federal representatives, who often cite the fact that they just don’t hear enough from constituents calling for cannabis law reform. The CARERS Act is a prime example of legislation that the cannabis community can rally behind, along with general issues such as banking and 280E tax reform. All of the panelists noted that moving marijuana to Schedule II has limited value and that rescheduling marijuana, like Bernie Sanders has called for, is what is really needed for the cannabis industry and community.

Along with being politically active and donating to good causes and candidates, DPA’s Amanda Reiman encouraged those in the cannabis industry to reinvest in their local communities. Citing Berkeley Patients’ Group as an example, as BPG’s long-standing commitment to their neighborhood has not only been the right thing to do, it has proven to be good for business as the local government and community has stood by the dispensary when the federal government has interfered with its operations. I cannot agree with Reiman more, as it is imperative that cannabis businesses look to give back to good causes, it is both the morally right thing to do, but it can also help serve the bottom line through good marketing opportunities. Cannabis consumers and patients, if given the choice, are very likely to support businesses who care about civil rights and social justice.

The legalization panel left me feeling even more confident about the prospects for the cannabis community and industry over the coming years. While the challenges are big, the cannabis community has already rallied to tackle huge obstacles. We are in better shape than we have ever been and we only need to continue working hard with our time, resources and dollars, to continue the momentum that we are seeing across the country.

On a day when Americans across the nation celebrate the work and sacrifices of military service members, dozens of veterans chose to protest for medical marijuana access by dumping prescription pill bottles at the White House. While progress is being made federally for veterans’ access to medical cannabis, advances are moving too slowly for too many veterans. The occurrence of suicides and prescription pill addiction rates for military veterans are a national tragedy and embarrassment.

MSN reports:

The veterans and protesters — affiliated with various veteran and marijuana advocacy organizations — argued that Veterans Affairs hospitals are over-medicating veterans, prescribing them a large number of psychoactive medications to treat PTSD.  They marched from McPherson Square to the Department of Veterans Affairs headquarters, then to the White House, some smoking joints along the way, which is illegal in D.C.

VA health-care providers can’t talk to their patients about medical marijuana options, even in states where there are legal medical marijuana programs. A bill in Congress, the Veterans Equal Access Amendment, would allow doctors to provide recommendations about participating in such state programs.

“There’s something seriously wrong going on. It’s disgusting,” said Jose Martinez, 27, a triple amputee who stepped on a bomb while serving in Afghanistan in 2012. Martinez, who lives in California and works with the Weed for Warriors Project, said he was prescribed a cocktail of pills and had a debilitating pain pill addiction.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) touts the fact that military personnel use illegal drugs less often than civilian counterparts, noting that random drug tests and harsh consequences discourage illicit use. Unfortunately, random drug tests usually only catch people using cannabis as inactive THC metabolites can stay on one’s system for a month after use, while most evidence of drugs is out of the system within a few days. NIDA then mentions that opioid prescription drug abuse is higher among the civilian population, likely because of the wide availability of the drugs:

According to the 2008 Department of Defense (DoD) Survey of Health Related Behaviors among Active Duty Military Personnel, just 2.3 percent of military personnel were past-month users of an illicit drug, compared with 12 percent of civilians. Among those age 18­–25 (who are most likely to use drugs), the rate among military personnel was 3.9 percent, compared with 17.2 percent among civilians.

A policy of zero tolerance for drug use among DoD personnel is likely one reason why illicit drug use has remained at a low level in the military for 2 decades. The policy was instituted in 1982 and is currently enforced by frequent random drug testing; service members face dishonorable discharge and even criminal prosecution for a positive drug test.

However, in spite of the low level of illicit drug use, abuse of prescription drugs is higher among service members than among civilians and is on the increase. In 2008, 11 percent of service members reported misusing prescription drugs, up from 2 percent in 2002 and 4 percent in 2005. Most of the prescription drugs misused by service members are opioid pain medications.

The greater availability of these medications and increases in prescriptions for them may contribute to their growing misuse by service members. Pain reliever prescriptions written by military physicians quadrupled between 2001 and 2009—to almost 3.8 million. Combat-related injuries and the strains from carrying heavy equipment during multiple deployments likely play a role in this trend.

It is simply a disgrace that politicians, policy makers, and frankly, everyday citizens claim to support the troops, but then don’t support their ability to utilize a medicine under the advisement of their doctor that can help alleviate their pain and suffering. As the protesters symbolic protest notes, doctors are pushing pills upon service members, with potentially fatal consequences, when there is a much safer option that can help prevent addiction and, potentially, even suicides. It was great that the Senate passed an amendment allowing VA doctors to recommend medical cannabis in states where the substance is legal, but that doesn’t go far enough for our military veterans, or for anyone in this country. Those that sacrifice for our freedom, regardless of the state they may reside in should be able to utilize medical cannabis legally.

The Oregon Liquor Control Commission spent 2015 listening to Oregonians across the state; dealing with bills passed by the Oregon Legislature; and convening rules advisory committees to develop the rules and regulations that will govern the Oregon recreational marijuana system for the immediate future. The OLCC will eventually hold more rulemaking sessions, taking input from the OLCC Rules Advisory Committee, and may have to adjust to more bills passed by the legislature. Until future changes are made, we now have 77 pages of administrative rules promulgated by the OLCC that state-licensed cannabis businesses will have to comply with, in addition to state and local laws.

After months of input, debate and study, the OLCC had a few last-minute changes approved that may greatly impact marijuana entrepreneurs and businesses. The 77 pages are a lot to digest and adhering to any local regulations can be a lot to handle, so anyone thinking of acquiring an OLCC marijuana license should gather all of the information they can and they may want to hire professional help, such as an attorney, to help navigate the regulatory waters.

As I have blogged before, a great place to get a head start on the burgeoning Oregon cannabis industry is at the upcoming Oregon Marijuana Business Conference in Ashland, Oregon on November 21st. The OMBC will provide a great foundation of knowledge, presenting necessary information, but also giving attendees that chance to ask Oregon lawyers and industry experts whatever burning questions they may have. While all of the moving parts of Oregon’s marijuana laws, can be challenging, the future does look bright for the industry. It is imperative to have the necessary information on current rules, but also to mobilize and lobby the government so that we can have an industry that Oregon can be proud of. In addition to the industry knowledge, the OMBC always provides insight into how advocates can impact our government as well.

We will be covering more at Marijuana Politics and at the OMBC of course, but here are 3  last-minute changes to Oregon’s recreational marijuana rules that can greatly impact one’s business:

1. Out-of-state businesses may end up getting licensed after all. Residency requirements have been a hot-button issue among legislators, industry participants and policy makers. While the current rule states that an Oregon resident with at least 51% ownership of a company must be the primary applicant for wholesaler, grower, processor and retailer licenses, the OLCC added language that out-of-state businesses wouldn’t get disqualified if they applied and the Oregon Legislature changed the law. Several members of the Joint Marijuana Committee have expressed that they may change the residency requirement as they want to ensure that businesses have the resources they need to succeed. Some committee members will certainly want to keep the residency requirement, so residency will be a hot topic to watch during the 2016 legislative session.
2. Delivery services will be allowed, but only in a very limited fashion. The Measure 91 legalization initiative called for the allowance of delivery services. However, after some pressure from local governments, law enforcement and even some inside the industry, the OLCC is only allowing deliveries where no more than $100 of marijuana products are carried and deliveries may not be made into jurisdictions that have banned marijuana retail outlets. Allowing delivery, even into communities that have banned marijuana businesses, is important to some legislators, and certainly many constituents living within these areas, that we may see some legislative changes regarding delivery as well.
3. Budtenders may not have felonies on their record, unless it is a marijuana felony more than two years old. Creating jobs is one of the most exciting components of legalizing marijuana, but some people will be locked out of the opportunity, unfortunately. While it is great that marijuana offenses more than two years old may not be used against an applicant or budtender, there are many nonviolent offenders that deserve the chance to enter the market. A nonviolent (non-marijuana) drug offender, for instance, wouldn’t be able to even be a budtender (or marijuana handler) under the last-minute rule change, even if the felony conviction was 20 years ago. Apparently, the OLCC Commission will look to raise the issue with the Oregon Legislature, but the cannabis community and concerned citizens should lobby legislators to give people convicted of nonviolent offenses, if those offenses don’t impact their work at a dispensary, another chance.

While all of the rules and regulations can seem daunting, the future of the Oregon cannabis industry is very bright. There will certainly be growing pains as the industry gets off the ground, but the industry has the opportunity to follow in the craft beer industry’s footsteps. Some changes will be made and more are needed, but compared to other laws and proposals, the Oregon marijuana system has a good foundation to ensure that the regulated cannabis industry can be an industry that Oregon can be proud of.

On one hand, Hillary Clinton should be commended for moving in the right direction on marijuana policy. It is a testament to the momentum of the cannabis law reform movement that the Democratic frontrunner, not exactly known to be a progressive trailblazer on most social issues, espouses solid political rhetoric on reforming the criminal justice system and has recently announced that she believes that marijuana should be rescheduled to a Schedule II controlled substance, down from the ridiculous Schedule I classification that declares that cannabis doesn’t have any accepted medical value.

There are some benefits from moving marijuana to a Schedule II substance, but Clinton is simply too far behind of Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders on the issue. Sanders’ call to completely remove marijuana from the list of scheduled controlled substances, treating marijuana as the federal government does alcohol, is clearly the proper choice. All of the scientific evidence and facts on the ground show that it doesn’t make any sense to prohibit cannabis while legalizing alcohol. The fact that 58% of Americans support legalizing marijuana demonstrates that it ending cannabis prohibition isn’t just the proper policy, but is also good politics.

Bernie Sanders released a press release after Clinton announced her support for rescheduling marijuana:

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders on Saturday renewed a call to let states decide whether to legalize marijuana possession, a proposal detailed in a bill introduced Wednesday in the Senate. Sanders commented after former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, at a separate appearance in South Carolina on Saturday, offered her own proposal to loosen restrictions on marijuana.

“I am glad to see Secretary Clinton is beginning to address an issue that my legislation addressed,” he said, “but her approach ignored the major issue. Secretary Clinton would classify marijuana in the same category as cocaine and continue to make marijuana a federally regulated substance.

“If we are serious about criminal justice reform and preventing many thousands of lives from being impacted because of criminal convictions for marijuana possession, we must remove marijuana from the federal Controlled Substances Act and allow states the right to go forward, if they choose, to legalize marijuana without federal legal impediments,” Sanders added.

Bernie Sanders’ campaign has moved the Democratic primary race towards more progressive policies on a whole host of issues and cannabis is no different. It is heartening to hear the Democratic candidates, and even some Republicans, consistently tout their support for ending our nation’s mass incarceration crisis and instituting sensible criminal justice reforms, including improving federal marijuana policy. However, neither Hillary Clinton (or Martin O’Malley for that matter) have moved as far as the nation needs, or as far as a majority of the nation supports. Clinton’s new cannabis policy would have been great in 2008, but in 2016, Hillary Clinton’s marijuana policy isn’t good enough.

Ohio Governor John Kasich was recently grilled by Stephen Colbert on his hypocrisy regarding marijuana as Kashich joined both prohibitionists and many cannabis law reformers in opposing the controversial Issue 3 legalization measure. While Kasich remains a longshot to win the Republican nomination, he will very likely be on the short list of vice presidential candidates, particularly because of Ohio’s importance in the presidential election. In fact, no GOP candidate has ever won the presidency without carrying Ohio.

First, Colbert notes the absurdity of relying upon “for the children” argument when alcohol is legal. After Kasich hems and haws for a bit, trying to deflect the conversation to other drugs, Colbert then exposes the supreme hypocrisy of privileged people like John Kasich who smoked marijuana in the past, but support criminalizing cannabis today. This type of personal hypocrisy was brought to the forefront during a previous GOP debate, when Rand Paul called out Jeb Bush.

Colbert asks Kasich if he would be governor today if he was caught smoking marijuana by police in his youth and Kasich jokes, “Maybe, if I got you to come out to campaign for me.” Kasich does state that he would support medical cannabis, but only if “the experts come back and say that we need this for people who have seizures”. What Kasich and many other prohibitionists don’t seem to understand, besides the fact that their hypocrisy is offensive, is that marijuana convictions of any kind can have severe detrimental consequences upon people’s lives, even if they aren’t arrested or ever see the inside of a jail cell. Thankfully, a majority of Americans now understand the need to repeal cannabis prohibition, and more and more politicians are having their old-fashioned and hypocritical marijuana policy positions exposed.

Based upon this exchange, it seems unlikely that Stephen Colbert will be endorsing John Kasich anytime soon. Check out the video of the interview segment and see for yourself:

SAM Oregon is an affiliate of the national SAM organization, led by prohibitionist Kevin Sabet. I find it hilarious that SAM Oregon uses Ben Carson to support marijuana prohibition. SAM Oregon posted a quote from Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson where he states his opposition to marijuana legalization.  Yes, the same Ben Carson that believes the the Great Pyramids in Egypt were used to store grain instead of entomb pharaohs; that the Big Bang Theory is a fairy tale; that the theory of evolution is satanic; and has recently been caught falsely stating that he was offered a full scholarship at West Point. Oh yeah, Carson also claimed that a supplement cured his prostate cancer, but he went ahead and had his prostate removed anyway.

SAM’s national leader, Kevin Sabet, has made a career out of opposing sensible marijuana law reforms, especially any attempts to legalize marijuana, whether it be medicinal or adult use. Sabet traveled to Oregon for a statewide tour ahead of the 2014 election, hoping to derail the Measure 91 legalization campaign. Despite Sabet’s best efforts, where he was trailed by our own Russ Belville, Measure 91 passed handily with over 56% of the vote. Sabet predicted that the measure would fail and then claimed that the margin of victory was “slim“.

Sabet has apparently entrusted SAM Oregon’s leadership to a man named Randy Philbrick, who seemingly is responsible for using Ben Carson’s position as a reason to oppose legalization. SAM Oregon’s goal is to completely repeal Measure 91, starting by chipping away at some of the provisions, such as allowing home cultivation.

That SAM Oregon would support Ben Carson shouldn’t come as a surprise as Philbrick has called comedian Bill Maher a (WARNING: NSFW) “pussy” and a “pot smoking fucktard”. SAM Oregon’s director has even claimed that Tom Brady “got out the kneepads” to receive just a four game suspension  (and he isn’t referring to anything related to football); called Dallas Cowboy Dez Bryant a “bitch”; and insults hard-working people by stating that raising the minimum wage in Portland to $15 an hour would be rewarding “laziness” (there may be legitimate reasons for opposing an increase to the minimum wage, but calling his fellow Oregonians trying to secure a living wage as lazy is offensive). Philbrick has since scrubbed his social media pages of such offensive statements, but not before someone captured screenshots.

Does Kevin Sabet and the national SAM organization really stand behind a director that would use such derogatory language? Do Oregon legislators and policy makers want to give the time of day to an advocate that would be so insulting to Oregonians? Here’s hoping that SAM and SAM Oregon will continue to fail in its goal to continue prohibition in the great state of Oregon.

Some choice tweets from SAM Oregon’s director Randy Philbrick:

(Photo Credit for Featured Image: DonkeyHotey via flickr Creative Commons)

The California and national cannabis community has been waiting on the legalization initiative that would finally legalize marijuana in the Golden State, and that initiative has likely been filed today. A broad-based coalition has united behind a comprehensive legalization proposal spearheaded by billionaire entrepreneur Sean Parker, who made his fortune starting Napster and helped guide Facebook to prominence as president of the social media giant.

The coalition behind the “Adult Use of Marijuana Act” includes both the Drug Policy Alliance and the Marijuana Policy Project. Either DPA or MPP have assisted just about every successful statewide marijuana law reform measure over the last two decades and it is great to see the two organizations working together on this California legalization measure. California campaigns are such huge endeavors that it is absolutely necessary that the cannabis law reform community unites to end prohibition in the largest state in the union. In addition to MPP and DPA, the coalition’s press release includes the California Cannabis Industry Association, Dr. Donnie Lymon and environmental attorney Michael Sutton, but interestingly didn’t include Sean Parker.

ABC News reports that Sean Parker did indeed lead the effort, however:

Four people who worked on the initiative independently told The Associated Press that the drafting process and early work to enlist sponsors and build a campaign team was spearheaded by Parker, the billionaire technology investor who upended the music business as a teenager by co-founding the file sharing site Napster and served as Facebook’s first president.

Those people requested anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss Parker’s involvement or to name the other wealthy entrepreneurs expected to fund the effort until an official campaign committee starts raising money and becomes subject to state disclosure laws.

Other potential donors who have expressed interest in bankrolling the work to qualify the measure for the ballot and to mount an election campaign include a political action committee founded by the family of the late Progressive Insurance executive Peter Lewis; some members of the Chicago family that owns the Hyatt hotel chain; and Justin Hartfield, chief executive of online marijuana directory WeedMaps, the sources said.

These are exciting times for the cannabis law reform movement and adding California to the list of places that have ended cannabis prohibition will be one of the most important events in the history of the movement. California’s size, economic strength and cultural significance will only lead to more states and countries to consider legalizing and regulating marijuana. As details of the measure emerge and the 2016 campaign hits eyes, many eyes will certainly be on California as the cannabis community looks to continue our tremendous progress.

Today’s press release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                                                FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:

Monday, November 2, 2015                                              Jason Kinney (916) 806-2719

BROAD-BASED COALITION FILES COMPREHENSIVE BALLOT MEASURE TO CONTROL, REGULATE AND TAX RESPONSIBLE ADULT USE OF MARIJUANA   

Measure proposed by prominent public health expert & respected conservationist/enviro leader earns support of key organizations   

SACRAMENTO –Today, a broad coalition of community and business leaders, physicians, environmentalists and social-justice advocates filed with the California Attorney General’s office a comprehensive statewide ballot measure to control, regulate and tax the responsible adult use of marijuana.

The measure (known as “the Adult Use of Marijuana Act”) is based on the collaborative input of hundreds of state and local stakeholders and the recommendations of the Lieutenant Governor’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Marijuana Policy – and it builds on the landmark regulatory structure for medical marijuana recently passed by a bipartisan majority of the Legislature and signed by Governor Brown (SB 643, AB 266 and AB 243).

The official proponents of the measure are:

• Dr. Donald O. Lyman, MD, award-winning physician, member of the California Medical Association and former Chief of the Division of Chronic Disease and Injury Control at the California Department of Public Health and

• Michael Sutton, longtime conservationist and environmental attorney, former President of the California Fish and Game Commission and former Vice President of National Audubon Society

“The physician community and the people of California in general have increasingly voiced support for ending marijuana prohibition and bringing greater control, oversight and consumer protections to our marijuana policies,” said Dr. Lyman, who authored the California Medical Association’s historic 2011 Background Paper on Marijuana.  “This is the most comprehensive and carefully-crafted measure ever introduced to control, regulate and tax responsible adult-use of marijuana anywhere in America – and it will make California healthier, make our streets and communities safer and better protect our children.”

“A regulated and reliable framework of marijuana policy will bring illicit cultivation out of the shadows and allow us to protect and restore California’s precious land, water and wildlife,” said Sutton, who also founded the Marine Stewardship Council while at World Wildlife Fund.  “It’s good for the environment, good for our water supply and good for natural resources.”

The land and water protections in the measure received specific praise in joint and individual letters from The Nature Conservancy, Audubon California, California Council of Land Trusts, California Native Plant Society, California State Parks Foundation, California Trout, California Urban Stream Partnership, Defenders of Wildlife, Endangered Habitats League, Pacific Forest Trust, Trout Unlimited and Trust for Public Land.

“The environmental provisions of the Adult Use Act will represent a major step forward in protecting California’s rich natural resources in the future,” said the Nature Conservancy in an October 29, 2015 letter.

The full measure also received enthusiastic support from respected social-justice and industry organizations.

“This initiative provides a model for the country,” said Ethan Nadelmann, Executive Director of the Drug Policy Alliance.  “It breaks new ground not just with its pragmatic regulatory provisions but also in directing tax revenue to prevention and treatment for young people, environmental protections and job creation in underserved communities.”

“California voters are ready to end marijuana prohibition in 2016 and replace it with a more sensible system,” said Rob Kampia, Executive Director of the Marijuana Policy Project.  “That is exactly what this initiative will do, and that is why MPP is proud to support it. We look forward to working with the proponents and doing whatever we can to help pass this measure and make history in California next year.”

“California has long been at the forefront of economic innovation and legal reform,” said Nate Bradley, Executive Director of the California Cannabis Industry Association. “We believe this effort has the support and resources to mount a successful campaign for responsible adult-use. This measure will allow California to take its rightful place as the center of investment and innovation in the cannabis economy. We are ready to become a regulated, tax-paying, job-creating industry that will benefit all Californians.”

Marijuana law reform efforts have had their share of ups and downs over the decades as so many concerned citizens have put their blood, sweat, tears, time and money to help end failed Drug War policies across the nation. After winning some important decriminalization victories in the 1970s to suffering through the “Just Say No” Reagan years, advocates starting winning important victories in the early 1990s as local medical marijuana measures starting winning in progressive California communities. A monumental turning point was the 1996 victory of Proposition 215 in California.

After California legalized medical cannabis, Washington and Oregon followed next in 1998. The support for medical marijuana spread across the nation and now more than half the nation lives under medical cannabis laws as medical measures have now been passed in 23 states and Washington, D.C. Colorado and Washington State, like California did with medical, led the way by passing adult-use legalization measures in 2012, with Oregon, Alaska and our nation’s capital following suit in 2014. California, while not legalizing non-medical use just yet, does deserve credit for the Prop 19 attempt in 2010, an effort that garnered 46.5% of the vote,helped set the stage for Colorado and Washington.

At this point, cannabis law reformers are not settling for any moral victories as the momentum, and the people, are on the side of ending cannabis prohibition. The big question has been whether California, a complicated state with a lot of players, a lot of people and a big price tag for political campaigns, would be able to unite behind a single effort. From my perspective from afar, Reform California, led by many advocates that I admire, have tried their best to listen to a variety of interests and have done their best to unite the California cannabis community. However, the efforts to unite haven’t been as successful as necessary and the California legalization effort seems to hinge upon the soon-to-be announced proposal supported by billionaire entrepreneur Sean Parker, the co-founder of Napster and former president of Facebook.

Graham Boyd and his New Approach PAC have joined Parker’s effort to establish what seems to be a proposal that has been drafted to win at the ballot box. The measure reportedly includes a 15% statewide tax that should appeal to voters while also including provisions favored by activists, such as allowing home cultivation and the retroactive expungement of past marijuana offenses. I have long admired the work of Graham Boyd, the former ACLU Drug Policy Litigation Project Director. I was honored to have worked with him in Oregon and the 2014 Measure 91 legalization victory would not have been possible without him.

The Drug Policy Alliance, who also made Measure 91 possible as well with their policy expertise and fundraising prowess,  will reportedly be involved, as will the Marijuana Policy Project and the California California Industry Association. I look forward to reading the details of the Parker-led measure, but it seems like the best opportunity for California to finally end cannabis prohibition for all adults and add the biggest state of the union to the list of legal cannabis states.

Hillary Clinton has talked a pretty good talk on criminal justice reform during the 2016 Democratic primary, but she disappointed many cannabis law reform advocates by refusing to endorse marijuana legalization. Bernie Sanders, on the other hand, has long enjoyed the support of many cannabis law reformers and the insurgent candidate rewarded reformers with his call to effectively end federal cannabis prohibition by removing marijuana from the list of scheduled drugs controlled by the federal government.

After Clinton announced her criminal justice reform platform, the Sanders campaign immediately pounced, declaring that any reform platform must include marijuana legalization. Bernie Sanders is right to challenge Hillary Clinton on marijuana legalization because marijuana prohibition disproportionately hurts people of color. From Buzzfeed:

In short, Sanders says the racial disparities in the justice system cannot be remedied without ending the federal war on marijuana and banning the death penalty. Clinton is not ready to change federal law on marijuana and says the death penalty is an important tool in the belt of federal prosecutors.

As Sanders criss-crossed New Hampshire Friday, his campaign bracketed her criminal justice policy rollout in Atlanta with a statement saying Clinton wasn’t going far enough.

“When we talk about criminal justice reform, we also need to understand that millions of people have been arrested for using marijuana,” Sanders said in the statement, adding, “Any serious criminal justice reform must include removing marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act.”

Clinton has somewhat evolved on her position on the criminalization of cannabis since she last ran for president as the former First Lady even opposed decriminalization during her 2008 presidential run. It would have been reassuring if Clinton would have expressed her support for medical cannabis when she was confronted by an Iowa mother desperate for relief for her ailing child, but at least Clinton managed to state support for medical marijuana (matching Donald Trump, of all people) in the Democratic debate when she refused to support legalization.

We are clearly living in the “golden age” of criminal justice reform. In less than two decades, hard-working advocates have legalized medical cannabis in 23 states; cannabis is legalized in 4 states and our nation’s capital; several more states are poised to legalize either medical or adult-use cannabis in the next few years; thousands of nonviolent drug offenders have been released from federal prison as sentencing reforms have been retroactively applied; President Barack Obama has stated that more can be done on criminal justice reform; every Democratic presidential candidate is very sensible on criminal justice and even a few Republicans as well; and most importantly, a strong majority of Americans support cannabis legalization and sensible criminal justice reforms.

With such success and momentum, now is not the time to be timid. Drug War reformers have come too far and have too much momentum to settle for a candidate or platform that doesn’t include cannabis legalization. Canada just elected the Liberal Party into power, a party that pledged to legalize marijuana, showing us that it can indeed be done. Hillary Clinton, despite her good rhetoric, doesn’t understand that the changes she would like to see, such as ending racial profiling and ending the age of mass incarceration, require cannabis legalization.

While prohibitionists like to claim that no one is really serving prison time for marijuana possession, what they don’t mention is the fact that millions of people, disproportionately African Americans, are first brought into the criminal justice system because of minor marijuana offenses and that just minor offenses can have drastic consequences for people battling poverty. Bernie Sanders understands this important reality and should be commended for his platform and the fact that he is calling Hillary Clinton out on her inadequate marijuana policy position.

Hillary Clinton is still the odds on favorite for the Democratic nomination, even as Bernie Sanders’ agenda items seem to set the tone for the Democratic primary debates. Sanders has led the way on most progressive issues, including marijuana legalization and criminal justice reforms. The Vermont Senator has staked out claims calling for an end to federal marijuana prohibition by removing cannabis from the list of federally controlled substances and he introduced a bill ending the federal private prison racket.

While not as strong as Sanders on ending prohibition, the former Secretary of State has stated that she supports medical marijuana and that states should be able to legalize marijuana without federal interference. Now, Clinton is calling for an end to mass incarceration and has stopped taking campaign cash from the private prison lobby. As Bloomberg reports, Clinton is such a large favorite to win the presidency that strong statements by her can impact financial markets and send stocks tumbling.

Ater Clinton tweeted out:

“We need to end private prisons. Protecting public safety…should never be outsourced or left to unaccountable corporations.” —Hillary

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) October 30, 2015

“We have to end the era of mass incarceration.” —Hillary — Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) October 30, 2015

Stocks for a couple of private prison profiteers tumbled. Bloomberg reported on the private prison stock plunge and noted that this isn’t the first time statements by Clinton have moved stock prices:

Corrections Corp. of America fell more than 6 percent, lopping off approximately $200 million in value, while GEO Group Inc. dropped 4.2%, losing about $100 million.

Earlier this month, biotech stocks tanked after Clinton slammed Turing Pharmaceuticals for increasing the price of a drug by 50 fold. “Price gouging like this in the specialty drug market is outrageous,” she tweeted at the time.

It was not the first time she’s voiced concerns about private prisons and earlier this month her campaign said it would no longer take donations from the industry’s lobbyists and PACs.

Many political supporters may not appreciate Hillary Clinton seemingly co-opting many Bernie Sanders’ positions of the Drug War and criminal justice policies, but I must admit I welcome them. Whether you believe that Clinton is as trustworthy as Sanders on these issues is up to individual voters to decide of course, but I would personally support the candidate who has a long track record on the subject. However, candidates don’t get any more mainstream as Hillary Clinton and if she is calling for an end to mass incarceration and the private prison industry, the movement for reform is clearly growing stronger and stronger.

Candidates vying for the presidency diverged this week quite a bit, with Bernie Sanders on one end, supporting the descheduling of marijuana as a controlled substance, effectively ending federal cannabis prohibition and Republicans Chris Christie, Marco Rubio, Carly Fiorina, John Kasich and Ben Carson seemingly on the other end, wanting to continue federal prohibition. Ben Carson even stated that he wanted to “intensify” the failed War on Drugs. Somewhere in between Sanders and the prohibitionist Republicans are Rand Paul, relatively close to Sanders on the issue, and Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. Clinton and Trump have both stated their support for medical marijuana and basically adhere to a states’ rights issue.

Clinton stated that she was a medical cannabis supporter, but was unwilling to state her support for legalization at this time, wanting to wait for more data out of states like Colorado, at the first Democratic presidential debate. Trump had alluded to his states’ rights position on cannabis at the Conservative Political Action Conference and he clarified that position at a recent campaign rally. The Washington Post reports:

Donald Trump softened his tone on marijuana legalization on Thursday, saying at a political rally that states should be allowed to legalize marijuana if they chose to do so. Trump reaffirmed that he supports making medical marijuana available to patients who are very sick.

“In terms of marijuana and legalization, I think that should be a state issue, state-by-state,” Trump said while taking a handful of questions during a political rally at a casino outside Reno on Thursday afternoon.

His comments came hours after the third Republican debate was held in Colorado, which legalized marijuana for recreational use in 2012. That same day, Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders said he wants to remove marijuana from the federal government’s list of most dangerous outlawed drugs, which would make it easier for states to legalize it.

Whether you like Donald Trump or not, and I will admit that I won’t be voting for him, it is a good sign that the Republican front-runner has stated his support for leaving marijuana a state issue. Ben Carson, John Kasich, Marco Rubio or Chris Christie would be disasters for the cannabis community and the country, as our federal government would needlessly waste resources and ruin lives exacerbating a failed war that has gone on for far too long.

As anyone can see, the cannabis industry has made great strides in recent years, politically, culturally and economically. Creatively and effectively utilizing technology and media have been a part of the foundation for that success. Anyone familiar with the cannabis community, particularly those with an entrepreneurial spirit, knows that the community is constantly brainstorming about how to make the cannabis experience better. The New West Summit is bringing together cannabis, media and technology industries for a unique event in San Francisco on November 20th and 21st. If you have any interest in cannabis and how it intersects with the media and technology sectors, this is certainly an event to check out.

From new ways to consume cannabis, to improving marijuana laws to bringing information to the consumer more effectively, the cannabis community is evolving and constantly changing. The fact that marijuana is just now moving into the mainstream is only increasing the speed that the industry is changing. The changing media landscape provides a great look into the dramatic changes that the cannabis industry is seeing.

Once seen as a bastion of prohibitionists, mainstream and alternative media outlets are increasing their coverage of all things cannabis. Some media outlets are outright supporters of the cannabis movement, while simply keeping an unbiased view of cannabis promotes the movement and industry as anyone can see that the sky doesn’t fall when the marijuana industry is legitimized and that the industry is good for the economy.

The New West Summit features speakers and presenters that have seen firsthand the changes and advances of the cannabis industry, providing great insight, such as Harborside’s Steve DeAngelo; ArcView’s Troy Dayton; and MJ Freeway’s Amy Poinsette. The program will, among other things, delve into new advances in products, software and the media while helping people protect their investment. If you are in, or can make it to the San Francisco area, grab your tickets before they sell out.

Full New West Summit press release:

Tech, Finance, Marijuana, and Media Combine in New West Summit’s Schedule Debut

New West Summit taking place in San Francisco November 20-21, 2015

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 28, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — New West Summit — the first gathering focused solely on the cannabis industry disruption within technology, investment, entertainment and media, announces its schedule for the November 20th – 21st conference in downtown San Francisco.

Opening the Summit Friday, Nov. 20, Democratic Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders’pollster Ben Tulchin helps with Forecasting Legalization in 2016. The panel also features former Assistant White House Press Secretary Roger Salazar, President of Alza PR.

The Summit’s Finance panel track begins Friday morning with musician Snoop Dogg‘s investment fund director Evan Eneman (Casa Verde) joining speakers from the Marijuana Investment Company (MJIC), and the industry’s most active hedge fund Poseidon.

Friday also presents California State Board of Equalization Member Fiona Ma discusses creating a California Cannabis Credit Union as part of implementing regulations in the world’s oldest, largest medical cannabis economy.

Day two continues with leading angel investor network The ArcView Group holds a ‘Shark Tank’ with five promising cannabis startups. And Consumer Apps takes center stage with speakers from MassRoots, Smoke Reports, Eaze and HelloMD.

New West Summit’s expertly curated, two-day, 20-panel conference and exhibition is set to include over 30 exhibitors, 60 speakers, and 1,000 attendees. Even more surprise guests,keynotes, and parties will be announced in the coming days.

View Full Schedule

Summit co-founder Jim McAlpine said, “The cannabis industry is rapidly specializing, and it’s exciting to see an event come together that showcases such professionalization.”

The legal cannabis space has an estimated $10 billion economic impact in 2015 in the U.S. There is an immediate, unmet need for a marijuana industry conference tightly focused on the most dynamic, and disruptive segments: applications of high technology, deep capital, and professional branding and content.

Technologist Paul Warshaw said: “Technology is rapidly evolving the cannabis industry in all aspects. The demand for mainstream efficiencies and proper transparency has erupted. We’re excited to join New West Summit in amplifying the GreenRush.”

For more information, and speaker bios and updates, please go to www.newwestsummit.com.

Tickets to the New West Summit will sell out prior to the event, and sponsorships are nearly sold out. For those traveling to the conference, Parc 55 San Francisco is centrally located in Union Square with easily access to/from public transportation for those who are coming in from out of town. www.newwestsummit.com/get-tickets/

Sponsors include: Bloom Farms, Mass Roots, Steep Hill, Headset, Green Rush, SensiChew, Surna, Green Flower Media, MJ Freeway, Adistry, Smoke Reports, VapeXhale, Hello MD, FlowKana, The ArcView Group, Canopy SF/Canopy Boulder, Eaze, MJIC, Grey Zone, MyDX, The 420 Games, and Stokes Confections.

Media partners include: Mantis, Mass Roots, CNET, 7X7, Hearst Media, Smell The Truth on SFGate.com, PROHBTD Media, CULTURE, DOPE Magazine, Cashinbis, MG Magazine, Smoke Reports, and The Hash podcast.

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