cannabisnews.com: Time To Get Real, Pro-Pot Activists
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Time To Get Real, Pro-Pot Activists
Posted by CN Staff on May 08, 2010 at 03:55:32 PT
By Vincent Carroll
Source: Denver Post
Denver, CO -- Pro-pot activists were self-righteous, dishonest and boorish, but in the end even their antics couldn't discredit legislation to legalize medical-marijuana dispensaries in this statea tribute to lawmakers such as Sen. Chris Romer, D-Denver, and Rep. Tom Massey, R-Poncha Springs, who kept their eyes on the ball."This has been a long, strange trip," Romer said of the nearly finished effort to offer patients in severe, chronic pain with another option for possible relief. House Bill 1284 will also drive bad actors out of the business, closely monitor the source of the plants, and preserve the right of local communities to ban dispensaries altogether.
Barring a major surprise, this imperfect but worthwhile bill should soon be signed into law.Not that most activists who showed up at hearings, debates and protests are likely to display any gratitude for the extraordinary birth of state-sanctioned clinics selling marijuana. They're too busy heaping abuse on the lawmakers who engineered the feat."The amount of crap Massey and I have taken is unbelievable," Romer told me, in terms of nasty e-mails, for example, and face-to-face denunciations. And he means from people on the dispensaries' side. From supposed allies — allies who in fact believe in a medical-marijuana marketplace without meaningful constraints.Nor was nastiness the worst offense committed by Pot Nation. The self-righteous dishonesty was far more galling.For example, it has become an official article of faith among those seeking a Wild West marketplace for dispensaries that the retail sale of marijuana is a constitutional right, thanks to Amendment 20. But of course no one was making such a claim a year ago, before dispensaries appeared on the scene. Nor did anyone argue during or after the campaign for the amendment a decade ago that the measure legalized commercial dispensaries. Most proponents surely know this, and yet have apparently concluded that anything goes in the holy quest to broker the backdoor legalization of pot.After all, isn't the struggle to legalize marijuana analogous to the Civil Rights movement of the mid-20th century? What, you weren't aware of this delusional comparison? Neither was I, until an activist attorney put the case to me in an e-mail, even citing Rosa Parks.Pot Nation can't even bring itself to admit that marijuana has any worrisome side effects related to addiction, health, safety or state of mind. The product is entirely benign, many claim, even beneficial. "Let's teach our kids that marijuana has huge benefits," declared professor Bob Melamede of the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs in one of many recent over-the-top expressions of this conviction. Snipped Complete Article: http://www.denverpost.com/opinion/ci_15041998Source: Denver Post (CO)Author: Vincent CarrollPublished: May 8, 2010Copyright: 2010 The Denver Post CorpWebsite: http://www.denverpost.com/Contact: openforum denverpost.comCannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml
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Comment #20 posted by Sam Adams on May 09, 2010 at 10:26:13 PT
1984-speak
"This has been a long, strange trip," Romer said of the nearly finished effort to offer patients in severe, chronic pain with another option for possible relief. House Bill 1284 will also drive bad actors out of the business, closely monitor the source of the plants, and preserve the right of local communities to ban dispensaries altogether.Yep, he's helping patients in severe pain....by banning the local dispensaries that provide the medicine. I wonder if they'll "closely monitor" the plants they way they "closely monitored" Vioxx, Seldane, etc.??
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Comment #19 posted by augustwest on May 09, 2010 at 01:26:15 PT:
tooth and nail, GCW
I know people are gonna fight this every step of the way but do they make any other business jump through hoops like this. It shows their contempt for the will of the voters. Can't they see how pathetic their attempts to slow the inevitable look? Hopefully we'll fully legalize and vote these clowns out soon.
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Comment #18 posted by The GCW on May 08, 2010 at 22:45:01 PT
augustwest,
If that's not enough...US CO: State Marijuana Rules Could Force Truly 'Green' Industry in Boulder(Boulder) City Law Could Require All Wind, Solar Power for Dispensaries http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v10/n346/a01.html?397
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Comment #17 posted by ekim on May 08, 2010 at 21:30:52 PT
this was back in 2001 whats happen since
Genencor Meets First Technical Milestone in Biomass to Ethanol Project
Genencor Labs, Palo Alto, California Genencor International, Inc. announced that it has achieved its first technical milestone in its three-year contract with the U.S. Department of Energy Biofuels Program. Genencor developed and validated processes for improved cellulase enzymes that meet the intended objective at one-half the cost of currently available technologies. "Advances in molecular biology and functional genomics enable us to push the frontiers of commercial development and we're pleased to be making progress toward developing new enzyme systems to accomplish the goal of this project," said Michael Arbige, Ph.D, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer. The goal of the program is to develop new enzyme systems for the economic conversion of plant matter into ethanol and other valuable materials. DOE has determined that the cost of converting biomass into useable form is a critical stumbling block to producing biofuels and chemicals from renewable raw materials.Specifically, Genencor and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory are working to deliver enzyme systems enabling a 10-fold improvement in the economics of breaking down cellulosic material (plant matter) and other complex carbohydrates into fermentable sugars. "The United States is the world's leader in agriculture and biotechnology and the Department's biomass research and development efforts take advantage of that position," said David Garman, the U.S. Department of Energy's Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. "The President's Energy Policy promotes the development of renewable energy sources and we look to biomass for significant contributions to reducing America's dependence on foreign oil."
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Comment #16 posted by ekim on May 08, 2010 at 21:19:41 PT
wonder what happen to Woodys [papermill\
in CanadaCA could host the biggest cannabis hemp fest if it wanted to/please we need to join together for the upcomming vote in CAArnold is calling for pulling out all the stops in renewable fuels and all related tech. We need a feedstock for the fuelcells -- hemp celulose ethanolit is im[pairitive that every aspect of the cannabis family come together and share there knowledge for the good of all.
please Jerry Brown see for yourself what advances in Celulose ethanol has been developed in CA with Govt seedmolainfo on the upers
http://www.medicalma...na-hempexpo.com
http://www.medicalma...na-hempexpo.com
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Comment #15 posted by augustwest on May 08, 2010 at 20:25:21 PT:
cold blooded
Suthers said. "Once they do that, why shouldn't every aspect of that be in the public light?"So, he want's dispensaries, which are now required to grow 70% of their meds on site to post publicly the adress. It sound like sour grapes but would put peoples lives and business' at risk. I hope people remember this crap in november.
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Comment #14 posted by The GCW on May 08, 2010 at 17:48:57 PT
Another POLL
Would you be more inclined to use mairjuana if it were fully legal?_Yes, I would be more inclined to use it_No, I would not use marijuana if it were legal_No, I already use it despite the law_I don't knowhttp://www.gazette.com/opinion/marijuana-98301-colorado-bill.html-0-Story:OUR VIEW: Courts may kill marijuana bill (vote in poll)The Colorado Senate is on the verge of foolishly adopting a medical marijuana bill that may transport parts of Colorado back to the days when pot was a street drug that enriched only criminals.Today, because of a constitutional amendment enacted by Colorado voters in 2000, criminal dealers of marijuana are struggling. That’s because they must compete with above-board medical marijuana dispensaries that rent space on Main Street and are more than willing to pay taxes and fees and obey laws. Dispensary owners have clamored for reasonable regulation in order to keep the riffraff competition at bay.House Bill 1264, which received final Senate approval Thursday, is mostly a reasonable attempt to regulate and tax the new, flourishing and lucrative medical marijuana trade that’s helping Colorado’s economy and causing fewer problems than a lot of other retail sectors. It establishes a state licensing authority and a requirement for local approval of marijuana retailers. It eliminates kickbacks to physicians from marijuana sellers. It mandates closure of dispensaries at 7 p.m. That’s all good.Then there’s the poison pill, which is likely to result in a judge throwing the whole thing onto a scrap heap. The bill says local governments may pass resolutions “prohibiting” the cultivation or sale of medical marijuana. Of course, the whole reason they’re talking marijuana at the statehouse is because of Amendment 20 of the Colorado Constitution — a law enacted specifically to forbid Colorado governments from interfering with the right to produce, possess or use medical marijuana. So is the bill unconstitutional? Absolutely, beyond question. A few wise Republicans and Democrats agree:
Cont.
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Comment #13 posted by The GCW on May 08, 2010 at 16:49:51 PT
Mother's Day
US CO: Safer than booze: Pot activists enlisting moms for legalization pushWebpage: http://www.summitdaily.com/article/20100508/NEWS/100509811/1078&ParentProfile=1055Photo caption: Moms got tougher drunk-driving laws on the books and were directly responsible for passing and then repealing alcohol Prohibition. Now marijuana activists are trying to enlist the nation's mothers in legalization efforts with a sales pitch that pot is safer than booze.
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Comment #12 posted by Hope on May 08, 2010 at 13:55:20 PT
Whatever the heart of the beast is...
perhaps it's fear and hatred, it's pumping money through the main artery. And the money is getting low to feed even our families, much less the assortment of government "beasts" that there are.
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Comment #11 posted by Hope on May 08, 2010 at 13:29:27 PT
Boorishness aside.
We, or most of us, anyway, have always realized the value of being sensitive to what and who we are dealing with in this life and death debate, and understanding it.I don't know about you guys, but I've been sensitive to how those who stand against us feel for a very long time. I guess you could say I have the sensitivity of one whose conscience has been deeply and painfully abraded by all this. http://www.drugwarrant.com/articles/drug-war-victim/One thing we certainly ought to know by now is that we must tread carefully, as well as boldly, as with courage, and purposefully, and that no matter how many heads we chop off the beast, another, if not two or three more, will grow back quickly.
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Comment #10 posted by Hope on May 08, 2010 at 12:09:01 PT
Dongenero... I agree.
"...accuse your opponents of being what you truly are".That's exactly what Carroll is doing."Self-righteous"? That's just funny, in a ludicrous way. What a boor. How is it self-righteous to claw yourself, and/or others, out of a hole prohibitionist loving cowards and authoritarians have been trying to bury you, and others, alive in for decades?
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Comment #9 posted by goneposthole on May 08, 2010 at 11:22:58 PT
Legal cannabis works
Paint them all with a broad brush and smear the movement with clueless opinions.A Republican I know lives in Colorado. Has pictures of Ronald Reagan, George Bush, and a potpourri of Republican souvenirs all around the house.The American flag is waving everyday outside the house during the day.The person also has a decent sized joint at the end of the work day.Coloradans have a purdy good idea of what is going on.Live free or die, America.
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Comment #8 posted by The GCW on May 08, 2010 at 09:38:35 PT
Zandor,
KnowThere are good and bad Christians.Christians who support caging humans for using what God says is good on the 1st page of the Bible are not "good" Christians. Those are bad Christians. More accurately, they are DISOBEDIENT Christians.The Christ requested that We love one another. A person can not love someone for using cannabis and love them at the same time.Obedient Christians would never let anything get in between them and the "spirit of truth."-0-One of the negatives that comes from so called Christians who support cannabis prohibition is that it tends to drive people away from actually knowing the Christ. That's one of the goals of Satan or the devil... Don't let disobedient Christians shape Your thoughts. Let OBEDIENT Christians do that.-0-And Colorado doesn't have it all that bad. In fact Colorado seems to be on the leading edge of cannabis laws and awareness.
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Comment #7 posted by Zandor on May 08, 2010 at 08:56:13 PT
THE GOOD CHRISTIANS ARE AT IT AGAIN!!
More LIES from the right I see!!An out right BAN!!!!That is where most religious communities will stop reading and just file complete bans...100% of Colorado can become "NO POT ALLOWED" zones by the end of the year.You call that SAFE & FAIR ACCESS???The "Good Christians" on the right are yet AGAIN TELLING LIES and getting away with the LIES!!WATCH YOUR BACK OR ELSE IT'S "GOOD BY MEDICAL MARIJUANA AND HELLO BAN FOR LIFE" That will be the new rallying cry for the Christian Right to gain votes in Colorado now!!"LOCK UP THE POT HEADS...IT'S FOR THEIR OWN SAFETY"OR"LOCK UP POT HEADS...IT'S TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN!"COLORADO WILL BE ALL ABOUT THE BAN NOW AND A MODEL FOR OTHER STATES TO FOLLOW TO STOP ALL MEDICAL MARIJUANA USE!! It's back to black markets and street dealers again. So much for safe access for the needy & sick.But the donations to politicians from the drug dealers, the Mexican Mafia, FAKE drug treatment centers & "Good Christians" on the right should keep Medical Marijuana banned for LIFE in every Colorado City & County!! I feel bad for Colorado...KEEP FIGHTING EM COLORADO...DON'T LET THE "GOOD CHRISTIANS" WIN & keep you from the medicine you know works and is safe to use!!
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Comment #6 posted by The GCW on May 08, 2010 at 08:49:55 PT
POLL in California
Would you vote to legalize and tax cannabis?
Yes (54%)No (43%)Don't know
http://www.siskiyoudaily.com/
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Comment #5 posted by dongenero on May 08, 2010 at 08:44:31 PT
Denver Post is boorish
"Pro-pot activists were self-righteous, dishonest and boorish."
Nice comment about the majority of voters from the small tent jerks at DP.Denver Post rallies around the culture war flag. Bunch of self righteous, dishonest and boorish propagandists disguised as journalists. I think there is far more evidence, by way of their many ridiculous statements and articles, to support such claims about the Denver Post. Typical right-wing defensive approach - accuse your opponents of being what you truly are.
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Comment #4 posted by darkcycle on May 08, 2010 at 07:02:15 PT:
Straw dog
This is a piece of work, I must say! How about the attempt at a straw-man arguement....'pot people'. These 'pot people' could never hope to out-smug this writer! It'd be easier to argue if these 'pot people' weren't everybody's brother, Mother or sister-in-law. He operates as if most people don't already know somebody who has had cancer or MS who has been helped by pot.
Now a serious question for Mr. Romer: Can you show me in the Colorado state constitution where it says "These rights are void where prohibited"
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Comment #3 posted by BGreen on May 08, 2010 at 05:28:42 PT
Chris Romer is a former banker
He worked for JP Morgan/Chase until recently. He was a part of the riffraff who raped the American economy.His daddy was also a three-term governor of CO and I have no doubts this is junior Romer's irrational ploy to see himself become governor.Romer's got it made if he doesn't expect any support from the Democratic party he claims to represent. Romer is the perfect tea bagger, though. A know-it-all sycophant who will stop at nothing to override the will of the people for his own financial and political power grab.The Reverend Bud Green
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Comment #2 posted by FoM on May 08, 2010 at 04:46:10 PT
Related Article From The Denver Post
Colorado AG Argues Against Amendment To Hide Addresses of Marijuana-Growing Operations***May 8, 2010Denver, CO -- Colorado's attorney general on Friday said he thinks the public should be able to find out the location of medical-marijuana-growing operations.A provision currently in House Bill 1284 — the major bill at the state Capitol dealing with regulations for the medical-marijuana industry — would block that by exempting the addresses of such facilities from the state's open-records laws. Law enforcement agencies would still have access to the facilities' addresses.Attorney General John Suthers said the exemption undercuts the legislature's efforts to bring sunshine to the booming industry."The legislature is making a public statement that they think dispensaries and grow facilities are in the public interest," Suthers said. "Once they do that, why shouldn't every aspect of that be in the public light?"Suthers has opposed the bill overall because he believes commercial marijuana dispensaries are beyond what voters intended when they approved medical marijuana in 2000. Snipped Complete Article: http://www.denverpost.com/commented/ci_15043363
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Comment #1 posted by runruff on May 08, 2010 at 04:26:34 PT
Chris Romer, thy name is Narcissus!
Colorado, here is a fledgling fascist just beginning to molt!You and the country will be better off without a meddler like this in the works. He obviously is one of those "lawmakers" who thinks he knows better than the people what's best for them.Either that or he is heavily involved in the black market trade in cannabis, as many are!
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