Global Ganja Report

Country music legend Willie Nelson has come out for Proposition 19, the California initiative that would tax and regulate cannabis. Asked by Mary Otte of High Times his opinion on the measure, Willie recently responded:

The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) of California has endorsed Proposition 19, the state's cannabis legalization initiative. LULAC is one of the most prominent organizations representing Latino voters. The group announced Oct. 8 it is supporting the initiative.

Voters in four East Bay cities face measures to expand the medical cannabis industry, tax it at a higher rate, and prepare for the passage of Prop 19 in November. In Berkeley, Measure T would mandate permitting six indoor medical cannabis farms in the manufacturing district. It would also permit residential medical cannabis collectives to cultivate up to 200 square feet. The measure would boost the number of local dispensaries from three to four, and require they be at least 600 feet from schools and other dispensaries.

In the Oct. 5 debate between the two candidates for state attorney general, both were asked: If California voters pass Proposition 19, would they defend it in court? Neither Democrat Kamala Harris, the San Francisco district attorney, nor Republican Steve Cooley, the Los Angeles district attorney, gave a direct "yes" or a "no" answer.

A debate over California's Proposition 19 was disrupted by critics of the measure, who heckled scheduled speakers and interrupted proceedings at the International Cannabis and Hemp Expo at San Francisco's Cow Palace Sept. 25. What the Legalization Nation blog wryly dubs "Stoners Against Legalization" teamed up with cultural conservative crashers to shout down Prop 19 advocates.

San Francisco Assemblyman Tom Ammiano on Sept. 23 introduced a bill to provide a regulatory structure for cannabis if California voters approve Proposition 19 on Nov. 2. One of the arguments Prop 19 opponents make is that the measure doesn't provide details or direction on how the substance should be regulated. Assembly Bill 9 6X would create a statewide regulatory system to oversee the sale of cannabis to Californians at least 21 years old, while still allowing local governments to decide whether to allow the sale of the substance. (Sacramento Bee, Sept. 22)

California Beer & Beverage Distributors, an industry lobbying group, is sinking money into the campaign to oppose Proposition 19, the November ballot initiative that would legalize cannabis in the state. "[I]t donated $10,000 to Public Safety First, a committee organized to oppose the proposition, on Sept. 7, 2010, though the contribution was only recently made public," reports The Huffington Post "The alcohol industry has long seen illicit drugs as a threat to sales, as consumers may substitute pot for booze. A night spent on the couch smoking marijuana and watching television is a night not spent at the bar."

The Obama administration opposes legalizing marijuana and views medical marijuana dubiously as well, said Kevin Sabet, special adviser for policy at the Office of National Drug Control Policy. "Marijuana cannot be the one exception in history of the world that doesn’t go through a scientific process to be approved as medicine," Sabet told the Montana Supreme Court Administrator's annual drug court conference in Helena. “It doesn’t make any sense. “How can we imagine that a dangerous, illegal drug like marijuana should be voted on by the people? That’s not how we do medicine in this country.”