On May 24th, 2006 Santa Monicans for Sensible Marijuana Policy filed 8,395 signatures, nearly 3,000 more than the 5,580 needed to place the measure on the November ballot. On November 7, voters passed the initiative with 65% of the vote.

The ordinance makes marijuana offenses, where cannabis is intended for adult personal use, the lowest police priority, and by doing so would free up police resources to focus on violent and serious crime, instead of arresting and jailing non-violent cannabis users.

Links:

Lowest Law Enforcement Priority Initiative (Niles, MI)

August 2006: Unfortunately, this initiative did not make the November 7, 2006 ballot due to lack of signatures.

The Lowest Law Enforcement Priority Ballot Initiative is expected to appear on the Nov 7, 2006 ballot in the City of Niles. It will ask the voters of the City to stipulate that investigating, arresting and prosecuting adults who use or possess small quantities of marijuana in private should be considered the lowest priority of City Police and Attorney.

This initiative only affects adult (19 yrs and older) behavior in private that does not create a public nuisance. It would still be unlawful to sell marijuana, possess more than one and one tenth ounce (1.1) of marijuana (about the amount of tobacco found in a pack of cigarettes), use marijuana in public or drive under the influence of marijuana. It would also still be illegal for anyone less than 19 yrs old to use and possess marijuana anywhere, public or private, under any circumstances.

Links:

• Website on Niles, MI Lowest Priority Initiative: www.saferniles.org
• FAQs on the Niles Initiative/Cannabis: www.saferniles.org/faq.htm
• Niles Initiative "In the News": www.saferniles.org/in_the_news.htm
• Contacts:
  Don Barnes, Campaign Chairman, (269) 357-1709 dcbarnes420@yahoo.com
  Greg Francisco, Campaign coordinator (269) 628-4340 jjfarm@net-link.net
  Tim Beck, MI-NORML Executive Director (313) 881-8995 Timmichben@aol.com

Ferndale Medical Marijuana Ordinance

On Tuesday, November 8th, 2005, Ferndale voters came out strongly in support of Proposal D, which removed all criminal penalties under local law for marijuana used by patients with the recommendation of their physician.

The unofficial final results are 61%-39% in favor of Proposal D, with 1894 votes in favor and 1222 votes opposed.

Links:

• Ferndale Coalition for Compassionate Care: ferndalecares.org
• Wording of Proposal D and Endorsements (including Montel Williams and Dr. Jocelyne Elders): ferndalecares.org/proposal.html
• FAQs: ferndalecares.org/faq.html
• Prop. D in the News: ferndalecares.org/news.html
• FCCC Contact Info:
  Donald O'Leary III, Chairman
  doleary@umich.edu (preferred)
  (248)-259-3039 (cell phone)

Traverse City Medical Marijuana Ordinance

Michigan's Coalition for Compassionate Care's Proposal 3, which makes physician-supported medical cannabis use the lowest possible priority for Traverse City police, was passed on Nov. 8thth, 2005. Voters approved the new city ordinance by a margin of 1,594 to 925, with 63% casting ballots in favor. The measure doesn't legalize marijuana possession but calls for the possession, delivery or use of marijuana by a medical patient to be the "lowest law enforcement priority of the city."

Coalition for Compassionate Care website: http://compassionatemi.org/

• Proposal 3 language: compassionatemi.org/Welcome.html#anchor_55
• Prop. 3 press: compassionatemi.org/PRESS2005.html
• Prop. 3 links: compassionatemi.org/Links.html
• Contact/Additional Info:
  Coalition for Compassionate Care
  2802 Holiday Pines Rd.
  Traverse City MI 49686
  Contact: info@CompassionateMI.org

Alcohol-Marijuana Equalization Initiative:

The Denver Alcohol-Marijuana Equalization Initiative (passed by 54% of voters in November 2005) makes the personal use of one ounce or less of cannabis legal in the city of Denver (despite state and federal laws that still prohibit it's possession and use).

Safer Alternative For Enjoyable Recreation (SAFER) is a non-profit organization based in Denver, Colorado. SAFER began in January 2005 in response to the fatal student alcohol overdoses that occurred on Colorado college campuses during the 2004-2005 school years.

SAFER envisions a society in which the private adult possession and use of marijuana is treated in the same or similar manner as the private adult possession and use of alcohol. Thus, SAFER's mission is to educate the public about the harms of alcohol compared to the much safer-yet illegal-drug: marijuana.

Useful links to the SAFER initiative:

• Main page: www.saferchoice.org
  
• Initiative Language: www.saferchoice.org/d_initiative.html
  
• Facts and Figures Comparing Alcohol and Cannabis: www.saferchoice.org/facts.html
  
• Press About the SAFER Initiative: www.saferchoice.org/d_press.html
  
• Contact SAFER: www.saferchoice.org/contact.html

Ann Arbor Medical Marijuana Ordinance

Ann Arbor's Proposal C, which was approved by 74% of voters on Nov. 2nd, 2004, amended section 16.2 of the city's municipal charter in support of medical cannabis users. Primarily, it amended section (b) to create an exception and an affirmative defense for medical cannabis. The passing of Prop. C also changed the wording of a portion of section (b) which pertains to cannabis offenses in general, substituting "not less than $100.00 for the third or subsequent offense" with simply "$100.00 for the third or subsequent offense."

• Specific Amendments Made to Section 16.2 of Ann Arbor's Municipal Charter
• Prop. C in the News
• Contact Info re. Prop. C
  Michigan NORML
  PO Box 640
  Eastpointe, MI 48021-0640
  Tim Beck, Executive Director
  director@minorml.org
  Phone: (313) 881-8995

Massachusetts Cannabis Policy Reform Initiatives:

Since the federal election of 2000, the Massachusetts Cannabis Reform Coalition and the Drug Policy Forum of Massachusetts have put forth 36 non-binding ballot initiatives to gage and demonstrate support for the decriminalization of cannabis use by responsible adults, medical cannabis and the taxation and regulation of cannabis. Every single one of these initiatives has passed, and the total vote count is 2 to 1 in favour of progressive cannabis reform.

• Official MA State 2004 Election Results (See pages 55, 56, 58, 59 and 60 for the marijuana questions.)
• Official MA State 2002 Election Results (See pages 55, 56, 58 and 59 for the marijuana questions.)
• Official MA State 2000 Election Results

Measure Z: Oakland, California:

Criminalizing cannabis (marijuana) has unfairly imprisoned thousands of non-violent offenders, including a disproportionate number of people of color. It's time to tax and regulate the supply.

Measure Z allows Oakland police to focus their time and resources on fighting violent crime and reducing the murder rate, instead of wasting their time on adult non-violent marijuana offenses.

• Measure Z: Oakland Cannabis Regulation and Revenue Ordinance
• Measure Z in the News/Press Releases
• Other Resources for Measure Z

Detroit Medical Marijuana Ordinance

On Tuesday, August 4th 2004 voters in Detroit, Michigan approved the Detroit Medical Marijuana Act. With 98 percent of precincts reporting, 59 percent of voters were in favor of Proposition "M", which amends the Detroit city criminal code so that local criminal penalties no longer apply to any individual possessing or using marijuana or related paraphernalia under the direction of a physician or other licensed health professional.

• Actual wording of Detroit Medical Marijuana Ordinance
• AP story on Detroit's Proposition "M"
• For more info, please contact:
  Tim Beck
  Executive Director, MI-NORML
  First National Building
  660 Woodward Ave., Ste. 1141
  Detroit, MI 48226
  (313) 881-8995

The King County Bar Association is leading a high-level partnership of lawyers, doctors, pharmacists and other professionals in Washington to find more effective ways to reduce the harm and costs of drug abuse, and of the "War on Drugs" itself. What began over four years ago as a transitory study of current drug laws has evolved into a comprehensive, long-term effort to bring about meaningful reform of drug policy on many levels. The principal objectives of this effort are: reductions in crime and public disorder; improvement of the public health; better protection of children; and wiser use of scarce public resources.

• Origins of the King County Bar Association Drug Policy Project
• Drug Policy Resolution and Supporting Documents
• List of Organizations Supporting the King County Bar Association's Drug Policy Reform Initiatives
• Contact the King County Bar Association Drug Policy Project

In September 2003, I-75 passed with 58% of the voters casting a YES vote. The Seattle citizens know that arresting adults for marijuana possession is a waste of valuable law enforcement resources.

This ordinance makes marijuana intended for adult personal use the lowest law enforcement priority in Seattle thereby saving scarce public resources and enabling police and prosecutors to concentrate on serious and violent crime.

I-75 also protects the rights of medical marijuana users. In 1998, Seattle voters overwhelmingly approved a measure to protect people whose physicians recommend medicinal marijuana to treat certain serious illnesses. Yet, medical marijuana patients are still in danger of arrest, prosecution and forfeiture of their homes and other property - even though they use marijuana to treat symptoms of cancer, multiple sclerosis and AIDS. I-75 helps protect all medical marijuana patients who suffer from life threatening illnesses.

• Seattle I-75 Initiative
• I-75 in the News
• I-75 Endorsements
• Additional I-75 Info and Resources

With former Syracuse City Auditor Minch Lewis, Syracuse Police Inspector Mike Kerwin, District Attorney William Fitzpatrick and the Post Standard all calling recently for a reviewing of our drug policy comes a truly unique opportunity to change the image of the city. The Federal and State government's drug polices force Syracuse to enforce laws that not only cost the city millions of dollars each year, but are totally ineffective at either reducing illegal drug use or making our streets safer. So what can Syracuse do about it?

The problem facing cities like Syracuse in their attempts to change is that federal and state laws trump local laws. There are, however, some things that can be done. A series of hearings were held by the Finance Committee of the Common Council to look into what changes the city could make that would improve things here without running afoul of state and federal laws. These hearings were a way of gathering specific information to assist the Council in its legislative function.

There are many things, all perfectly within the law, some of which other cities have done, that could reduce the harms incurred under the current policy. New policies that would ease tensions between the police and the communities they police. Policies that would free up limited police resources to focus on violent crime making our streets safer without additional expense. Policies that would put abandoned properties back on the tax roles and improve neighborhoods, improve our schools, and attract business to the city. Experts testifying at these hearings outlined these alternatives in order to see which could be implemented here, and what the benefits would be.

The following is useful information supplied by ReconsiDer (www.reconsider.org) on the Syracuse "Plan B" auditor's investigation and recommendations, including:

• the Auditor's report and statements from the ensuing hearings;
• streaming video of the hearings;
• research and studies supporting alternatives to prohibition;
• press support for drug policy accountability and change.

By Tim Beck, Executive Director of Michigan NORML

Tim Beck's "Taking the Initiative; A Reformer's Guide to Direct Democracy" is a comprehensive examination of the opportunities and challenges presented by community-based drug policy reform initiatives. Written by the Executive Director of Michigan NORML, this overview of the seven municipal and state substance-related initiatives which were attempted in Michigan between 2001 and 2005 is a must-read for anyone group or individual wising to tread into the murky waters of community-based social reform.

Contact Tim Beck and MI-NORML:
First National Building
660 Woodward Ave., Ste. 1141
Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 881-8995
Michigan NORML Website

Taking the Initiative;A Reformer's Guide to Direct Democracy (pdf file)
Taking the Initiative;A Reformer's Guide to Direct Democracy (html file)

The conference "Illicit Drugs: Burden and Policy" was sponsored by the City of Hartford and underwritten by the Aetna Foundation. It was held at Trinity College on October 21st and 22nd 2005, and provided a unique opportunity for multiple stakeholders to begin a dialogue around the problem of drugs in the city of Hartford. Law enforcement officers on a local, state, and national level met with advocates of change as well as ordinary citizens. Participants reflected on the implications of illicit drug use, the 'drug war' and societal needs for treatment, rehabilitation, recovery and re-integration of illicit drug users into useful and self gratifying roles.

Conference White Paper - This White Paper is an executive summary of the landmark two-day conference on drug policy sponsored by the city of Hartford.

Press on Hartford conference:
Drug Treatment, Legality Backed (Hartford Courant: October 23, 2005)
Drug Summit Takes On Issue Of Legalization (Hartford Courant: October 22, 2005)
Conference Seeks Answers To Drugs (Hartford Courant: October 15, 2005)
Op-ed by Robert L. Painter, M.D.,
  Minority Leader, Hartford Court of Common Council (Hartford Courant: October 12, 2005)

DRCNet: Drug War, Endless Violence -- Hartford Looks for a New Way 9/23/05

Contact info for Hartford Conference:
Cliff Thornton, Efficacy
PO Box 1234
860 657 8438
Hartford, CT 06143