Cannabis Tax Act logo (CRRH)
Contrary to the last story in my column about some medical marijuana tax trickery in California, an Oregon group is looking to pass the Cannabis Tax Act. If passed, the act would legalize marijuana for everyone over 21 years of age, and apply a tax to recreational marijuana.
The act, sponsored by the Campaign for the Restoration and Regulation of Hemp, calls for regulation of marijuana in the same way alcohol is currently regulated. Marijuana would be available in liquor stores and legitimized by regulation (and a little honesty).
The act also seeks to license farmers to grow the plant for human consumption. Industrial hemp farmers will not require a license and can produce paper, oils, clothing, and a myriad of other items.
The best part of this act is the marijuana provided to pharmacies for the sale to patients will NOT be taxed. Medications are not taxable, and under the act medical cannabis will be treated in the same light as all other medications. The Cannabis Tax Act attempts to introduce marijuana into pharmacy sales in a way that no other state has been successful in doing up to this point.
The Cannabis Tax Act will raise millions of dollars in tax revenue for the state of Oregon. If passed, this act could pave the way for other states in the nation to regulate, tax, and legitimize the cannabis industry.
By demanding our government provide a rational approach to this issue, we are saying we will no longer allow marijuana prohibition to overrun our neighborhoods, schools, and families. By regulating marijuana we can focus our limited law enforcement and judicial resources on problems like child molestation, rape, murder, and other violent crime.
Most importantly, we can turn the “problem” of people creating the demand for marijuana into a solution by tapping into that resource. I’m not sure how much clearer it needs to be that prohibition only creates a black market, and criminals. 70 plus years of this problem is enough!
We will never get rid of marijuana, just like we will never be able to keep alcohol and prescription drugs out of the wrong hands. At the same time, if we ignore the problem and attempt to force thousands of years of human nature to change, we are going to continue to fail at solving any problems and will create new ones. Is it at all logical to prohibit the use of food, because some people over eat?
If we are intelligent enough to see an opportunity to make our states better, then we owe it to ourselves to not negate our intelligence by doing nothing with this solution. It’s the right thing to do for our children, for those who suffer tremendously, and for society in general. We owe it to ourselves to stop making life difficult, and solve this economic disaster we are currently wasting away in before it gets any worse.
Above all, we owe it to one another to be honest about our intentions. In doing so, we should all understand that no single person is going to be responsible for legalizing marijuana. This is going to be a team effort. In the great words of Dino Valente (as sung by The Youngbloods) we need to, “get together” on this one.
According to the Cannabis Tax Act website, the petition is being rewritten, and is set to be re-filed within the next couple weeks. A call to D. Paul Stanford has not yet been returned. Any additional information about the petition release and where to sign the petition will be posted here as is becomes available.
Resources:
Cannabis Tax Act of Oregon
Campaign for the Restoration and Regulation of Hemp
Oregon Cannabis Tax Act in the news
Comments
Thank you very much for the story Angela. Something I have been thinking about lately. Why do we call cannabis Marijuana? Marijuana was used as a derogatory racial term and don't think it's appropriate any more. I'm not complaining that you used it in your article at all. I'm just wondering the if history of the word and its usage might be considered racist and maybe it's time to call it by its real name. As I raise my child, I'm trying to root out words I use that have a shady background. Why did we call African-Americans the N word? They were Africans. Usage of that word has created ALLOT of hatred, and ignorance on both sides. A child that hears this word from his/her parents is going think its ok to feel that way. I'm only bringing this up as it's something I see that continues to hang over cannabis consumers. Do we call all alcohol consumers dirty alcoholics? No, that would be rude to the adults who consume alcohol responsibly. So why the double standard?
Thank you Angela.
I hope that people start looking at the information available on cannabis. All the things we are trying to accomplish right now as a nation can be achieved. We can put a dent in global warming, energy dependence, starvation and drug cartels. To keep something that is far safer then tobacco or alcohol illegal makes no sense. Especially when you look at the industry's it would create and/or help.
For starters, look into Polonium 210 found in cigarettes.
Hi Kevin-
As I try to look up the origins of the word marijuana I have found its roots in the spanish name Maria Juana, or Mary Jane. This name originated in 1918, so I am not sure what the intent was or if it was racist. It almost seems less racist to give credit where it's due by using the Spanglish version of the Spanish word mariguan. It's like calling pineapple juice and coconut juice mixed into a frozen drink a Pina Colada.
Beyond that, in the 1920's the word marijuana was used to refer to the plant that caused psychoactive effects in U.S. prohibiton propaganda.
I know weed, pot, and words like that have been controversial, but you telling me this now is the first time I have heard of a suspicion of racist undertones in the word marijuana.
Do you have any other info about the racist qualities of the word?
Angela
This is an awesome article. Kevin has it right. It is our duty to not teach our children hatered. The names they give to those that are different to them are disrespectful and have no place in any community. Legalize cannabis for a kinder, safer and healthier planet.
Look at how cannabis became a prohibited substance. Look at the time we were living in and the statements that were used as scare tactics.
* "Harry J. Anslinger warned the nation in an openly racist fashion that Jazz and marijuana had blacks and whites sitting down as equals and even "dancing together in teahouses."
*"In 1937, Harry Anslinger told Congress that there were between 50,000 to 100,000 marijuana smokers in the U.S., mostly "Negroes and Mexicans, and entertainers," and their music, jazz and swing, was an outgrowth of this marijuana use. He insisted this "satanic" music and the use of marijuana caused white women to "seek sexual relations with Negroes!"
You can look this information up, it's there, with lots more. It's really sad looking back at how cannabis became a prohibited substance. How it is still prohibited after such statements were what they had to resort to in order to make it prohibited.
Sorry I took the conversation away from your story. It was just a thought I wanted to share. Thank you again Angela for this opportunity to discuss issues that are important to us.
Also, sorry this is more on topic of medical cannabis. Look into WebMD to see what they say about brain cancer and THC helps destroy the cancer cells. Not a for sure study, but a real eye opener.
Hey Kevin-
No worries. It's interesting to hear your thoughts. Some I have never heard before. Don't feel any need to limit yourself. Again, if you have more info on the origin of the word marijuana I would love to read it. I wasn't able to locate too much info on it, so the help would be great (even if it is your personal account of somehing you heard/read, etc.).
Angela
Kevin-
I just saw yur other post answering my question. Sorry for any confusion with my last post.
Angela
lol I found some info though.. The juicy stuff is in Washington DC, but you can google Ludington Daily News June 21, 1938 and find an article talking about the origin of the word.
"Marihuana is known by a variety of names, but it's present title, a slang word of Mexican-Indian origin, has been employed to designate those parts of the plant which contain a high narcotic content."
The word marihuana was created to keep segregation laws intact, by refusing to keep the J and replacing it with H, as it was from an "inferior" language.
Saying that white women would seek out sexual relations with Negroes sounds like a scare tactic and very, very racist. And judging on their behaviour at the time, would make sense. Why do so many people frown on cannabis consumers when it's safer and less destructive to use then alcohol or tobacco? Why are we being judged with a racial/discriminating law? I thought we did away with that with the Civil Rights Act.
I just read an article in Time magazine. It was from July 19, 1943, titled, "Music:The Weed." Good read to get a feeling for the life style back then. This I thought was important in regards to cannabis long term effects.
"Because of its non-habit-forming character, doctors have recently been experimenting with the drug as an aid in curing opium addiction. In the world of hot jazz, marijuana's relatively benign effects are attested by long experience. Lushes often die young from cirrhosis of the liver or apoplexy, often spend their final days in delirium tremens. But vipers frequently live on to enjoy old age. In You Rascal You, a viper addresses an imaginary lush : "I'll be standing on the corner high when they bring your body by."
I will keep looking for the holy grail though =] There has to be something online that I can for sure say it was said. I just need to dig through enough newspapers from that time era.
Also, watch the video Reefer Madness. This is why cannabis is illegal.
I will re watch the movie and post things I found interesting as well as the minutes into the movie they are reference in the movie. Sorry I meant to attach this to my last post.
Kevin- Great info. I have seen Reefer Madness, as well as a lot of propaganda distributed and shown back in the Anslinger days. It's no different than WWII propaganda, and seems quite appropriate for the time. The main difference is this propaganda has been perpetrated for over 70 years.
Media effects are a very interesting thing. If only people were more aware of what they are really being shown...
Kevin-
What are your thoughts on the term stoner?
Angela
I think the term stoner would be a trendy/faddish way of describing a person who consumes cannabis. However I have heard it refered to people who abuse pharmaceutical pills as well.
I think it's a way to separate one group from another. Just like hippy did for cannabis consumers in the 60's and 70's. When I think of stoner, I don't think of any substance currently legal. Calling an adult who consumes alcohol a stoner sounds rather silly, same with some one who consumes coffee or tobacco. I don't think it was meant to be a complement.
Stoner may have had a bad meaning, but I think that the more recent generations have embraced the term. Leaning towards the rebel aspect of it, as a shift in thinking occurs between prohibitionist parents and logical thinking children.
I hope that makes sense, as even I'm shaking my head. I had a few things pop up that needed to be handled, so this is not thought out to well.
Kevin: see "Reefer Madness. This is why cannabis is illegal"
About a year ago I wrote a book about that movie called, "Reefer Madness: Revisited", which is an annotated screenplay. I reconstructed a screenplay for Reefer Madness by painstakingly transcribing it and re-creating stage direction, layout. Then, I annotated it with lots of sidebars and illustrations with typical marihuana scare stories from authorities of that era, relating to the movie at that point.
Includes articles from the WCTU, J Edgar Hoover, and lots of Anslinger's little gems of course. I illustrated the book with anti-marijuana cartoons, posters, stills from the movie and similar visual propaganda (like comics) relating to the text of the movie.
My goal is to explain what people in the 1930s and 40s were taught about marihuana, in an entertaining and easy-to-understand way.
Hopefully people will be proud to put it on their coffee tables ... or anywhere. :-)
Kevin & Angela... I was a "stoner" when I was in high school in the mid 70's. (I know, I'm dating myself) Those of us that were heavily into the mj culture referred to ourselves as such to identify ourselves from other groups; socs, jocks, etc. To us it was a badge of honor. It still is.
Since we're talking labels, how about the term "head"? A stoner was mostly but not necessarily exclusively into mj, a head was a heavy poly-drug user.
Hi Matt-
That's sme very interesting info. I remember (and to not date my own self) hanging out with the stoners. We didn't have many in high school, bc it seemed like they all ended up dropping out (which knowing what I know now was prob bc of the crappy principal I had). In jr. high there were a lot of them, and usually they just smoked cigarettes and snuck alcohol on campus. The group of girls I hung out with should have been called stoners bc we were actually smoking marijuana and lighting things on fire (don't ask- and it wasn't me). We were the worst of the worst, kind of the jail house girls of the school. We didn't have a label like stoners though. I imagine some people called us freaks, but I like that title.
I remember my mom telling me about the heads from her school. I never heard that term used when I was in school.
I agree about the stoner title, it's a kind of badge of honor. I call myself a stoner when I do something dumb though, but I mean it in a nice way
nice post - nice thought out bill - however will they enforce the DWI laws? Or the ones who grow their own, or the insurance claims for pot burns, or smoking in public?
People really love to nitpick. How will we address DUI? How will we address smokinf in public? How will we address any of the details that come along with legalization?
I personally don't care. All of these things are happening now with alcohol, cigaretts and many other more attention-worthy examples. I'm still alive and life continues to progress.
I can tell you that arresting 20,000,000 majoritarily non-violent American citizens for majoritarily victimless crimes and passing the bill onto the American public is NOT the way to handles these issues.
Searching the Oregon Revised Statutes, I get 24 hits for "intoxicated" and 2 hits for "intoxicant".
Come down to Cali for the weekend! examiner.com/x-6741-SF-Family-Examiner~y2009m7d29-Blessing-the-Children-Reggae-Fest-tickets-still-available
I smoke hella weed and teach all your children!
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAH.
id like to see mj legalized. people need to open there eyes. if you drink too many beers you die from alcohol poisoning . if you smoke too many cigs you can die from nicotine poisoning . if u smoked too many joints youd fall asleep and awake with the munchies to eat everything in the house, but still no deaths. so to me i think we need a safer alternative with medical benefits. and i hope that taxing it would inspire other states to open there eyes as well.
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!