Alaska, Washington D.C. And Oregon Legalise Recreational Cannabis- BTL -05/11/14

[420SA]

Article by Below The Lion yesterday....

 

Article Link http://www.belowthelion.co.za/alaska-washington-d-c-and-oregon-legalise-recreational-cannabis/

 

Colorado and Washington are no longer the only states to have legalised recreational cannabis for adult use. Oregon and Alaska became the third and fourth states in which citizens voted in favour of legalisation. While the district of Washington D.C. joined the list of victories, Florida narrowly failed to pass an initiative that would have made medical marijuana legal in the state.

 

Legally packaged cannabis in the United States

 

Washington D.C. stood at the top of the podium with two thirds of voters choosing to legalise, literally putting the capital of the USA right in the centre of the cannabis conundrum. Political opposition may be expected due to the district not enjoying the protection that prevents Congress from overruling state laws. “With marijuana legal in the federal government’s backyard,” said Tom Angell, chairman of Marijuana Majority, “it’s going to be increasingly difficult for national politicians to continue ignoring the growing majority of voters who want to end prohibition.”

 

Something that bolstered the success of the legalisation efforts was the large turnout of voters. “It’s always an uphill battle to win a marijuana legalization initiative in a year like this, when young people are so much less likely to vote, which makes today’s victory all the sweeter,” said Ethan Nadelmann, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance said about Oregon. “The pace of reform is accelerating, other states are sure to follow, and even Congress is poised to wake from its slumber.”

 

Alaska and Oregon will have regulation models similar to that of existing states, catering for home growers to full retail businesses. Strict limits will be in place for those 21 or older who may grow only a few plants (6) and possess an ounce or two (28 to 56 grams) of dried buds for personal use. Commercial operations will face the applicable paperwork, licencing and tax that comes with the formal trade of a regulated product. Questions have arisen though whether taxing cannabis on weight rather than THC content may be the correct approach, as the alcohol industry is taxed by alcohol content, potentially leading to a situation where consumers and producers are incentivised to consume maximum potency products in order to avoid the high pricing that a hedged tax may force on lower potency products.

 

When interviewed on 702’s The Big Issue regarding the continued legalisation of recreational cannabis in the USA, Ethan Nadelman of San Francisco based Drug Policy Alliance gave his thoughts on what could be a solution for South Africa, “Should you not rather legalise and regulate more or less like you do with alcohol? There are massive advantages in terms of taxation, regulation, undercutting the black market, putting fewer people in prison and reducing low level police corruption.

 

“The same arguments that are persuading people in my country will ultimately persuade people in your country as well.”

 

-Buzz