Arkansas might see medical marijuana legislation introduced in 2011

link to the article
Arkansas

Link to Randy Laverty's 'page' (the senator who is proposing to introduce this
Arkansas Senate


Arkansas is one backwards ass state.
But counties have voted and passed to make marijuana possession 'lowest priority' - whatever that means, cops don't care.

it will fail, but it's nice to see it being proposed.

Last update: October 26, 2010

Sen. Randy Laverty likely to introduce medical marijuana legislation in 2011

One of the pleasant surprises of the marijuana policy reform efforts in 2010 was the introduction of medical marijuana legislation in parts of the country where there have been all too few medical marijuana bills. States like Mississippi, Kansas, Tennessee, and Alabama each saw comprehensive legislation offered to protect patients from arrest and establish government regulated distribution of medical marijuana. Not only were bills introduced; in Alabama and Tennessee advocates were able to secure winning committee votes. Now it appears Arkansas will likely enter the mix in 2011.

In response to an article detailing the enormous fiscal costs of Arkansasâ??s overcrowded prisons ("Inmates stacked to the walls," Arkansas Times, November 5, 2009), state Sen. Randy Laverty has said he intends to introduce medical marijuana legislation in the upcoming session of the Arkansas General Assembly. As those of us fighting to reform our broken marijuana laws often say, â??if weâ??re going to have a War on Drugs, letâ??s at least get the sick and dying off the battlefield.â?� Lavertyâ??s bid may not be a long shot either. A full eight years ago a University of Arkansas poll showed 63% of Arkansans in support of medical marijuana, with just 32% opposed. And medical marijuana is assuredly more popular today, with national polls showing support as high as 81%.

So what can you do to help? First and foremost we need patients to get involved. If you or someone you know is suffering from a serious illness and could benefit from such a law, please send us an e-mail. If you are a law enforcement officer, physician, or clergy member, you too can have a powerful impact on the debate. And no matter your background, you can go to our take action page for help with contacting your legislator or writing letters to the editor.

That is great news! thank you for that link. Good luck.

Arkansas is the keystone to this area that I live in now. If they can pass a good medical use law there, then they can pass one in my state and any other in this area. Best of all, they are attempting to pass legislation the old fashion way, thru the legislative branch. :jointsmile:

only one or two states that I know of have ever done that, the rest have been thru voter sponsored initiatives. here's a hint on the one that I know ... Aloha! :D Arkansas would be in an elite class if they can do this, but yeah ... I'll believe it when I see it. ;)

Good Luck!!

That map is cool.
I wonder why the south seems to be the hold out.
Religion? Afraid of change?
I know I've seen several documentaries and it seems like New Orleans was the place to be in the 20's if you wanted weed.

and at least in CA, it seems like older white individuals (who also out numbered everyone else) were the biggest naysayers.

^ yeah, I think a little of all that you just mentioned.

Yes, that is a cool map, hu, thank you NORML. One of things I've always found interesting is that up until recently it was almost an exclusively western thing. No states in the east had mmj. My theory is that is because voter sponsored initiatives are largely a western thing, most of the old eastern states don't have such fancy things as direct democracy. :jointsmile: with the exception of Maine, which, as you can see, went green years ago.

But also, the west has more libertarian minded folks in general compared the relatively statist east. :twocents: But, the map is changing, too. New Jersey should be green on this map, too. And Mass. :cool: and maybe soon Arkansas and the southland. :smokin:

it only makes sense. like the author said in the article you linked, "if you want to have a war at least take the sick and dieing off the battle field first". Think of all the lives that could be saved or the quality of life that could be given to all the folks here. I really hope the Arkansas Congress will really consider this. Best of luck over there. :)

I live here in Memphis, TN now, but grew up in the backwoods of good ole Mississippi (just about as far northwest as you can go there). I've been trying to get the word out here but damn these people are set in their ways. Now, that being said, before anyone tries to read too far into that, "these people" is referring to old school religious nuts. I'm not saying anything is wrong with religion, to each their own, but trust me, I've been up north(Michigan) and out towards south Texas and trust me, the southern people are different. It's like they just refuse to realize, IT'S 2011. Mississippi decriminalized marijuana a little. I believe if you get caught with less than an ounce you get a ticket and slap on the hand. BUT, if I were to take a joint a few miles north to Memphis and get caught, 1-3 years. WHAT!??? I've been sending emails, letters, contacting people. Hell, we don't even have a NORML chapter around here. I believe the closest one is in Nashville and one other county in TN. But not Memphis? It's done nothing but let to a terrible black market here. I've you do find someone you can trust, it's because you've sifted through the 100 other MFers who robbed you, LITERALLY. Yes, my old "friend" after a year of good service decided to get greedy and robbed me for a couple hundred bucks. Really smart people huh? I guess it makes too much since to just be cool. It's still illegal in Mississippi but yet they're the only state that grows it for "research". Goverment can grow it but I can't. SUUURREEEE. Plus, people around here call anything good, KUSH. WTF! These morons haven't even seen a real kush strain. I've heard of some people using imbalming fluid on their product, but I don't really know why. They don't care what goes into there stuff, just as long as it sells, and let me tell you, 99% of the herb around here is garbage. Thank god for those few beautiful souls who do know what they're doing. So go ahead south and keep electing the same people over and over again. It'll be the same problems over and over again. So if anyone out there can help me in my cause, I'm sorry, OUR cause, let me know.

okay, screw the old fashioned way ... :jointsmile: Arkansas voters please MAKE this happen! ... so I can move out of my backwards ass state next door to my newly enlightened neighboring State. :cool:

Ballot initiative to make Arkansas 17th medical marijuana state possible in 2012


Last update: June 2, 2011

Arkansas group collecting signatures to place initiative on November 2012 ballot

After State Senator Randy Laverty made several comments in support of medical marijuana, many advocates were hopeful they might see legislation introduced in the Arkansas Legislatureâ??s 2011 session. Well, the legislative session has come and gone, and medical marijuana legislation was never introduced. Advocates were unable to find a representative in the House to sponsor a bill, and the Senate didnâ??t want to take it up without any chance of a bill passing both chambers.



Fortunately, Arkansans for Compassionate Care is working to make sure the voters of Arkansas get a chance to do what the legislature has been unwilling to â?? vote on whether to remove criminal penalties for the use of marijuana for medical purposes.


Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel certified the initiative in April, meaning advocates can begin collecting the 62,507 valid signatures theyâ??ll need to place the initiative on the November 2012 ballot. Theyâ??ll have until July 6, 2012 to do it.

The initiative would allow patients with serious illnesses like cancer, multiple sclerosis, Crohnâ??s disease, and PTSD whose doctors recommend medical marijuana to possess up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana. It would also allow patients to purchase marijuana from one of up to about 30 dispensaries in the state, though patients who donâ??t live near a dispensary would be able to grow their own or designate a caregiver to grow it for them.

So what can you do to help? First and foremost we need patients to get involved. If you or someone you know is suffering from a serious illness and could benefit from such a law, please send us an email. If you are a law enforcement officer, physician, or clergy member, you too should get involved, as you can also have a powerful impact on the debate.

Weâ??ll continue to update this page with all the latest developments. Stay tuned to our free email alerts for breaking developments and opportunities to make a difference.

Arkansas

Boaz; This is a really cool thread, please keep it up. As, my best friend and relatives live there. We discuss this topic all the time; Now, that her daughter is a responsible adult. And use the herb for medicinal reasons and we talk regularly about, the 'living in sin" Bible Belt. Frankly, it is the Bible Belt and will be a struggle. However, it does grow well there and I toked my first time in Arkansas; A place I expect to be in a few weeks for awhile! Have even considered moving there-except, one problem: It is still not allowed! And kinda hard to leave my friends here!

I just sent some seeds there to a friend suffering from fybromyalga(sp). The poor woman is afraid to grow there b/c she has to do so in or near her home due to disability. Yet Arkansas has a HUGE problem w/illegal meth production, it was on national news last week. Seems to me like they need to get their priorities straight.