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  We Can Legalize Marijuana This November in Colorado, But We Need Your Help!

  by Erik Altieri, NORML Communications Coordinator

  Through much of the year, Colorado’s Amendment 64 has enjoyed a comfortable lead in the polls. As election day nears, as was to be expected, we are seeing the race tighten. Polling data just released by the Denver Post has Amendment 64 holding onto a small lead, with 48% in support, 43% opposed, and 9% still undecided. We can close the gap needed for victory and win over undecided voters, but with only a few weeks left until Election Day on November 6th, we are going to need your help. [...]

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  NORMLtv Interviews Gov. Gary Johnson: “We’re on the Verge of Making Marijuana Legalization Happen”

  by Erik Altieri, NORML Communications Coordinator

  This past Thursday, on the night of the Vice Presidential debates, NORMLtv caught up with Libertarian Party presidential candidate, Governor Gary Johnson, and asked him questions regarding his views on marijuana legalization. In the interview, he discusses what he would do in regards to the war on cannabis if he were elected, why politicians are hesitant to back reform measures, and how he got into the issue while serving as New Mexico’s governor. The governor is optimistic with the progress made and sees the issue of marijuana legalization reaching it’s [...]

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  Melissa Etheridge Endorses Amendment 64 to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol in New Ad

  by Erik Altieri, NORML Communications Coordinator

  The Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol has just released a new radio ad in support of Colorado’s Amendment 64, which aims to regulate marijuana in a manner similar to alcohol. The ad, which will be airing on terrestrial radio as well as Pandora in the state of Colorado, features Melissa Etheridge relating her personal journey with marijuana. Through her experience of medical use during her struggles with cancer, Melissa realized the positive aspects of the plant and the dire consequences of the war on drugs and is now calling [...]

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  Guest Blog: Can You Smell It? Marijuana Legalization Coming in 2012

  by Erik Altieri, NORML Communications Coordinator

  Guest Blog by Joshua Schimberg, Executive Director of Texas NORML 2012 Election is the Most Important in Marijuana Law Reform History This year could likely be the most significant in marijuana law reform history. In case you hadn’t heard, three states, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington, will be voting on some form of marijuana legalization on November 6th, and two states, Arkansas and Massachusetts, will be voting on medical marijuana. Perhaps even more significant than all of these proposals, are the recent nationwide polling numbers regarding marijuana legalization. In October, 2011, [...]

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  NEW I-502 TV Ads: Former Federal Law Enforcement Officials Support Marijuana Legalization

  by Erik Altieri, NORML Communications Coordinator

  New Approach Washington, the campaign behind Washington State’s marijuana legalization initiative (I-502), has just released two new television ads that began airing today. What makes these advertisements even more notable is that they both prominently feature former federal law enforcement officials. The importance of this is perfectly summed up by former NORML Board Member and writer for Washington’s “The Stranger,” Dominic Holden: This is a big deal: The new ads for Initiative 502 that begin airing today, which encourage Washington to become the first state to legalize marijuana, star former [...]

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  Appeals Court To Review DEA’s Dismissal Of Cannabis Rescheduling Petition

  by Paul Armentano, NORML Deputy Director

  The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit will hear opening arguments next week in a lawsuit challenging the federal government’s refusal to consider reclassifying cannabis as a schedule I prohibited substance under federal law. At issue in the case is whether the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) acted appropriately when the agency last year denied an administrative petition – initially filed by a coalition of public interest organizations, including NORML, in 2002 – that called on the agency to initiate hearings to reassess the present classification of cannabis. Under [...]

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  One Month Before the Election, Colorado Marijuana Legalization Still Up Ten Points

  by Erik Altieri, NORML Communications Coordinator

  The University of Denver has just released a new poll of likely Colorado voters and the results are encouraging for marijuana law reform advocates. With just under a month until election day, Colorado’s Amendment 64, which aims to regulate marijuana like alcohol, is still enjoying a ten point lead in the polls. University of Denver polled 604 likely voters in Colorado between October 4th and 5th. They found that 50% were planning on voting yes on Amendment 64, with 40% stating they’d vote no and 10% still undecided. These numbers [...]

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  Massachusetts Medical Marijuana Initiative Set to Win in a Landslide

  by Erik Altieri, NORML Communications Coordinator

  Recent polling data released by the Boston Globe has Massachusetts’ Medical Marijuana Initiative, Question 3, winning by a landslide. A survey of 502 likely Massachusetts voters, conducted between September 21 and September 27, has support for Question 3 at 69%, with just 22% opposed and 9% undecided. Every single demographic has majority support for the ballot question, with the lowest being Republicans at 51% and the highest being Democrats at 78%. Take note presidential candidates, self identified Obama supporters back the initiative by 76% and Romney supporters by 51%. The [...]

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  Los Angeles City Council Overturns Their Medical Marijuana Dispensary Ban

  by Erik Altieri, NORML Communications Coordinator

  In a 11-2 vote, the Los Angeles City Council voted to overturn their ban on medical cannabis dispensaries. The council had previously voted 14-0 in favor of banning all dispensaries in the city. Advocates vowed to overturn the ban and collected the more than 27,425 signatures required to force the council to either repeal the ban on their own or put the issue before voters early next year. This is an evolving situation and NORML will keep you updated as it develops.

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  Presidential Debates Should Address Marijuana Prohibition

  by Allen St. Pierre, NORML Executive Director

  The Brownie Mary Club Democratic Club of California is hosting an online petition to be presented to the chairman of the Presidential Debate Commission to include at least one cannabis-related question in the presidential debates. MARIJUANA IS A MAJOR ISSUE AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY THE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES Seventeen states and the District of Columbia representing over a third of the U.S. population have legalized the use of marijuana when recommended by a physician, six states have marijuana initiatives on their November ballots (three legalization and three medical), $20 [...]