Robert Celt
New Member
Don't be surprised if you're asked to sign a petition in support of medical marijuana if you're out and about in Springfield in the coming weeks.
Advocates for legal medical marijuana have been hitting the city's streets to garner signatures required to place a referendum question on the November election ballot.
New Approach Missouri, an advocacy organization created to support the proposed ballot initiative, argues that legalizing marijuana for medical use is about empowering doctors and patients.
"Most people want government out of the doctor-patient relationship, and that's exactly what this does," said Jack Cardetti, a prominent political consultant in Missouri who has been hired by New Approach Missouri.
Cardetti said the organization has contracted with a private company to help collect signatures and will also use volunteers. New Approach Missouri needs to collect about 158,000 signatures statewide by May in order to get the medical marijuana question placed on the November ballot, Cardetti said.
The advocacy group says its proposed medical marijuana law would generate new tax dollars that could be used to benefit veterans.
The group estimates the change would generate annual tax and fee revenue to the tune of "$17 million to $21 million for state operating costs and veterans programs, $8 million for other state programs, and $7 million for local governments." But the organization also notes that "state operating costs will be significant. Additional local government costs are likely."
Cardetti said advocates in Missouri had the good fortune of looking to the other 23 states that have approved medical marijuana to see how best to craft the proposed law.
Brad Bradshaw, a Springfield attorney, told his campaign staff last month he was stopping efforts to pass a similar medical marijuana initiative petition when he decided to drop out of the lieutenant governor's race, according to a St. Louis Public Radio report.
Cardetti said having only one medical marijuana petition in circulation will help clarify the issue for voters.
Separate group pushes for greater legalization
New Approach Missouri isn't the only group advocating for new marijuana policies in the state.
A petition submitted by Nicholas Raines, a pro-marijuana advocate from Kansas City, seeks to legalize marijuana "for personal, medical, and commercial purposes." The petition also calls for the release of inmates incarcerated for nonviolent marijuana-related offenses.
"We are turning marijuana back into food," Raines said Friday when asked about his group's petition.
Doug Burlison, a former Springfield City Council member, has been leading the volunteer effort to collect signatures in Springfield and southwest Missouri on behalf of Raines' group.
The Columbia Daily Tribune reported last month that Raines' organization, the Cannabis Restoration and Protection Act group, "has not reported donors or spending to the Missouri Ethics Commission."
"Unlike most other initiatives, the campaign has not reported donors or spending to the Missouri Ethics Commission. Instead, costs are being paid by the Cannabis Restoration & Protection PAC, incorporated (as a not-for-profit group) for $25 by Mark Pedersen of Kirkwood," the paper reported.
Meanwhile, there are several bills that have been filed in the Missouri legislature that would legalize medical marijuana, but Cardetti said he has little faith lawmakers will get behind any of them.
"A bill won't pass through the General Assembly this year," he said.
But that hasn't discouraged advocates who believe the population is ready to emwell you knobrace medical marijuana even if lawmakers aren't, Cardetti said.
A rundown of proposed marijuana legislation in the General Assembly:
- SJR 29, sponsored by Sen. Jason Holsman, D-Kansas City: Bill proposes a "constitutional amendment, if approved by voters, (that) would allow the Department of Health and Senior Services to grant licenses for the cultivation, manufacture, distribution, and sale of marijuana for medical use."
- SB 912, Rob Schaaf, R-St. Joseph: Legislation would allow people with serious conditions to use medical marijuana.
- HB 1524, Rep. Brandon Ellington, D-Kansas City: Measure states that "any felony or misdemeanor offense involving marijuana or marijuana drug paraphernalia committed within three years prior to the passage of a constitutional amendment or other statutory enactment legalizing marijuana is eligible for expungement."
- HB 2160, Rep. Shawn Rhoads, R-West Plains: Bill would allow the "licensing of hemp extract for use in clinical trials by research institutions such as hospitals and universities. Immunity from civil, criminal, and administrative penalties for those involved with clinical trials is specified in the bill. The Department of Health and Senior Services will implement rules regarding the licensure of clinical trials and programs."
- HB 2338, Rep. Jeremy LaFaver, D-Kansas City: Measure would change the law "so that any person possessing or having under his or her control a controlled substance, except 35 grams or less of any synthetic cannabinoid or one pound or less of marijuana, is guilty of a class C felony for an offense committed before January 1, 2016 and a class D felony on or after January 1, 2017. It will no longer be unlawful for any person 21 years of age or older to possess or have under his or her control one pound of marijuana, or nine or less marijuana plants, provided that such possession or control is not within 2,000 feet of a public or private elementary, vocational, or secondary school."
- HJR 57, Rep. Brandon Ellington, D-Kansas City: Bill would "upon voter approval, this constitutional amendment legalizes marijuana use for persons 21 years of age or older and regulates it in a manner similar to alcohol by requiring proof of age before purchase; prohibiting the sale, distribution, or transfer to minors; prohibiting driving under the influence of marijuana; requiring that legitimate taxpayers conduct sales of marijuana and not criminals; and specifying that marijuana sold in Missouri must be labeled and subject to additional regulations to ensure customers are informed and protected"
- SB 761, Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal, D-University City: Bill would exempt marijuana from criminal forfeiture provisions.
-SB 762, Chappelle-Nadal: Bill would allow people to "possess up to one ounce of marijuana and provides a licensure process for retail marijuana stores, retail marijuana cultivation facilities, retail marijuana products manufacturers, and retail marijuana testing facilities."
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Medical Marijuana Advocates Seek Signatures In Springfield
Author: Jon Swedien
Contact: Springfield News-Leader
Photo Credit: Andrew Jansen
Website: Springfield News-Leader
Advocates for legal medical marijuana have been hitting the city's streets to garner signatures required to place a referendum question on the November election ballot.
New Approach Missouri, an advocacy organization created to support the proposed ballot initiative, argues that legalizing marijuana for medical use is about empowering doctors and patients.
"Most people want government out of the doctor-patient relationship, and that's exactly what this does," said Jack Cardetti, a prominent political consultant in Missouri who has been hired by New Approach Missouri.
Cardetti said the organization has contracted with a private company to help collect signatures and will also use volunteers. New Approach Missouri needs to collect about 158,000 signatures statewide by May in order to get the medical marijuana question placed on the November ballot, Cardetti said.
The advocacy group says its proposed medical marijuana law would generate new tax dollars that could be used to benefit veterans.
The group estimates the change would generate annual tax and fee revenue to the tune of "$17 million to $21 million for state operating costs and veterans programs, $8 million for other state programs, and $7 million for local governments." But the organization also notes that "state operating costs will be significant. Additional local government costs are likely."
Cardetti said advocates in Missouri had the good fortune of looking to the other 23 states that have approved medical marijuana to see how best to craft the proposed law.
Brad Bradshaw, a Springfield attorney, told his campaign staff last month he was stopping efforts to pass a similar medical marijuana initiative petition when he decided to drop out of the lieutenant governor's race, according to a St. Louis Public Radio report.
Cardetti said having only one medical marijuana petition in circulation will help clarify the issue for voters.
Separate group pushes for greater legalization
New Approach Missouri isn't the only group advocating for new marijuana policies in the state.
A petition submitted by Nicholas Raines, a pro-marijuana advocate from Kansas City, seeks to legalize marijuana "for personal, medical, and commercial purposes." The petition also calls for the release of inmates incarcerated for nonviolent marijuana-related offenses.
"We are turning marijuana back into food," Raines said Friday when asked about his group's petition.
Doug Burlison, a former Springfield City Council member, has been leading the volunteer effort to collect signatures in Springfield and southwest Missouri on behalf of Raines' group.
The Columbia Daily Tribune reported last month that Raines' organization, the Cannabis Restoration and Protection Act group, "has not reported donors or spending to the Missouri Ethics Commission."
"Unlike most other initiatives, the campaign has not reported donors or spending to the Missouri Ethics Commission. Instead, costs are being paid by the Cannabis Restoration & Protection PAC, incorporated (as a not-for-profit group) for $25 by Mark Pedersen of Kirkwood," the paper reported.
Meanwhile, there are several bills that have been filed in the Missouri legislature that would legalize medical marijuana, but Cardetti said he has little faith lawmakers will get behind any of them.
"A bill won't pass through the General Assembly this year," he said.
But that hasn't discouraged advocates who believe the population is ready to emwell you knobrace medical marijuana even if lawmakers aren't, Cardetti said.
A rundown of proposed marijuana legislation in the General Assembly:
- SJR 29, sponsored by Sen. Jason Holsman, D-Kansas City: Bill proposes a "constitutional amendment, if approved by voters, (that) would allow the Department of Health and Senior Services to grant licenses for the cultivation, manufacture, distribution, and sale of marijuana for medical use."
- SB 912, Rob Schaaf, R-St. Joseph: Legislation would allow people with serious conditions to use medical marijuana.
- HB 1524, Rep. Brandon Ellington, D-Kansas City: Measure states that "any felony or misdemeanor offense involving marijuana or marijuana drug paraphernalia committed within three years prior to the passage of a constitutional amendment or other statutory enactment legalizing marijuana is eligible for expungement."
- HB 2160, Rep. Shawn Rhoads, R-West Plains: Bill would allow the "licensing of hemp extract for use in clinical trials by research institutions such as hospitals and universities. Immunity from civil, criminal, and administrative penalties for those involved with clinical trials is specified in the bill. The Department of Health and Senior Services will implement rules regarding the licensure of clinical trials and programs."
- HB 2338, Rep. Jeremy LaFaver, D-Kansas City: Measure would change the law "so that any person possessing or having under his or her control a controlled substance, except 35 grams or less of any synthetic cannabinoid or one pound or less of marijuana, is guilty of a class C felony for an offense committed before January 1, 2016 and a class D felony on or after January 1, 2017. It will no longer be unlawful for any person 21 years of age or older to possess or have under his or her control one pound of marijuana, or nine or less marijuana plants, provided that such possession or control is not within 2,000 feet of a public or private elementary, vocational, or secondary school."
- HJR 57, Rep. Brandon Ellington, D-Kansas City: Bill would "upon voter approval, this constitutional amendment legalizes marijuana use for persons 21 years of age or older and regulates it in a manner similar to alcohol by requiring proof of age before purchase; prohibiting the sale, distribution, or transfer to minors; prohibiting driving under the influence of marijuana; requiring that legitimate taxpayers conduct sales of marijuana and not criminals; and specifying that marijuana sold in Missouri must be labeled and subject to additional regulations to ensure customers are informed and protected"
- SB 761, Sen. Maria Chappelle-Nadal, D-University City: Bill would exempt marijuana from criminal forfeiture provisions.
-SB 762, Chappelle-Nadal: Bill would allow people to "possess up to one ounce of marijuana and provides a licensure process for retail marijuana stores, retail marijuana cultivation facilities, retail marijuana products manufacturers, and retail marijuana testing facilities."
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Medical Marijuana Advocates Seek Signatures In Springfield
Author: Jon Swedien
Contact: Springfield News-Leader
Photo Credit: Andrew Jansen
Website: Springfield News-Leader
