Pubdate: Thu, 18 Jun 2015
Source: Tucson Weekly (AZ)
Copyright: 2015 Tucson Weekly
Contact:  http://www.tucsonweekly.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/462
Author: Maria Ines Taracena

WEED RECAP

So Much Going on in the World of Legalization and Medical Marijuana in Arizona

Arizonans for Responsible Drug Policy last week chose the new 
political lobbyist and communications firm Axiom Public Affairs to 
represent their movement against the state's recreational marijuana 
legalization initiative.

The ballot measure's final draft was submitted to the Secretary of 
State's Office in April by the Marijuana Policy Project, which is 
also leading legal weed efforts for next year in California, Nevada, 
Maine and Massachusetts. Safer Arizona, MPP of Arizona, and other 
advocacy groups are in the process of gathering the roughly more than 
150,000 signatures needed to get the initiative on the 2016 ballot.

The Arizonans for Responsible Drug Policy PAC isn't down with any 
measure that would green light the use, sale, possession and 
cultivation of ganja. The group mobilizes around the state to raise 
awareness of the plant's alleged harms, as well as recruits donors 
and supporters who'll help with the crusade. They fear legalizing 
weed will mean it'll wound up in the hands of children, among other 
negative outcomes.

"Unlike the industry and lobby groups that are funding efforts to 
legalize a dangerous drug in Arizona, we at ARDP are all working on a 
volunteer basis, so we are delighted to be able hire the A-team of 
consultants in Arizona to help us out," said a statement by Seth 
Leibsohn, chairman of Arizonans for Responsible Drug Policy.

Among other guidelines, the MPP measure would allow adults 21 and up 
to buy no more than an ounce of pot through a state-licensed retailer 
or dispensary. An adult 21 or older would be able to grow six plants 
and there will be a limit of no more than 12 plants per household. 
There is a license, worth $7,500, for people who want to sell their 
pot, without jumping into a full-on dispensary.

The initiative would also establish a Department of Marijuana 
Licenses and Control, which would oversee the cultivation, 
manufacturing, testing, transportation and sale of marijuana.

MPP expects taxes, set at 15 percent, to bring revenue of between $60 
million and $100 million. The funds would go toward sales regulation, 
education and public health efforts.

MPP and advocates have until July 2016 to present the requested signatures.

Efforts to get a legal weed initiative on the 2014 ballot failed 
because proposing groups could not gather enough signatures.

Will Arizona Pass the Grass?

The nonpartisan research group Behavior Research Center says most of 
the state's residents support the legalization of recreational 
marijuana, as well as favor university research on the medical 
benefits of weed for conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder 
and epilepsy.

Of the 700 adults interviewed for the Rocky Mountain Poll between the 
end of April and mid-May, 83 percent said they backed up former UA 
researcher Sue Sisley's study looking into the effects medical 
marijuana has on PTSD symptoms. They argued similar studies should be 
allowed at the three universities.

In the case of recreational weed, more than 50 percent are good with 
allowing possession of small amounts. The support is stronger in 
rural Arizona (58 percent) and in Maricopa County (53 percent). The 
poll said less than half of people in Pima County back up legalization.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom