Graphic: arcompassion.org
Supporters of a proposal to legalize marijuana in Arkansas for medicinal purposes have until Aug. 13 to submit 26,012 signatures needed to put the measure to a vote in the Nov. 6 general election.
The group, Arkansas for Compassionate Care, submitted over 65,000 signatures, of which only 36,495 belong to registered voters. The group needs a total of 62,507 signatures to place the proposal on the ballot.
The original deadline for submitting signatures was July 6, but organizers have an extra 30 days to try and make up for any invalidated names.
Despite having nearly 29,000 invalid signatures thrown out by the secretary of state’s office, the group still believes a major hurdle has been cleared.
“Our volunteers have been working across the state to meet the deadline. They’ve done a great job—and they’re ready for the next challenge,” said Melissa Fults, a volunteer and spokesperson for Arkansas for Compassionate Care. “All of us remain committed to digging in and gathering enough additional signatures to ensure this initiative is on the ballot in November.”
A post on the group’s website indicates they’ll be collecting signatures every day of the week through the Aug. 13 deadline, but that a major petitioning event is planned on July 28 in several locations across the state.
Aside from active drive events, the group lists 17 locations in Arkansas where registered voters may sign the petition including three locations in Fayetteville – Natures Water on Huntsville Road, Sound Warehouse on Block Avenue and Century Butterfly on Mt. Comfort Road.
I find it interesting how much scrutiny this is being given… SOMEONE must REALLY want to keep Arkansas from getting to vote on this…. It’s a shame so much effort must go into a project before Arkansans can vote..
I’ve been a nurse fr over 20 years and find it ODD that DEA-FDA-USA will talk all about how Marijuana has NO medical benefits BUT for over those 20 years I’ve been giving patients “Marinol”… FDA approved synthetic THC…. This is all about CONTROL>>>>>>>>
It”s more of a shame that those people aren’t registered voters :(
I agree. These signature collectors are well trained and do a good job. The first question they ask is, “are you a registered voter in Arkansas?”.
I find it hard to believe that almost half of the people signing the petition weren’t registered. Very frustrating.
My experience with the various groups pushing for legalizing pot is that the first question is “Hey man, want to sign a petition?”, with the occasional one appending what the petition is about. Never have I been asked if I’m a registered voter.
Who is most threatened by the prospect of ultimate legalization/decriminalization of marijuana?
* Alcohol producers and distributors. According to the Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S., the alcohol business was responsible for about $388 BILLION in 2008. That’s big, big, big money, which would be threatened tremendously by an alternative that many if not most consider safer and less destructive. The World Health Organization in early 2011 said that alcohol is responsible for 4 percent of all deaths — more than AIDS, tuberculosis or violence.
* Tobacco producers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Fact Sheet on the US Tobacco industry reports that in 2008, the industry spent more than $10 BILLION on advertising and promotion…. $29 MILLION PER DAY. That’s PER DAY. Just on advertising. Their statistics also point out that about $40 billion per year is lost in health costs. Globally, 8 million people die every year with tobacco-related illnesses. One in 5 Americans smoke. These people live on average 13-14 years less than nonsmokers. Big tobacco doesn’t care, because they are making so much money. They don’t want marijuana competing for their customers. Especially since it’s nonaddictive and has NO known deaths attached to it. Think of the difference between solar energy and fossil fuels. Similar analogy.
* Law enforcement agencies. The “war on drugs” is a well-established failure, but is still funded in bigger bites every year. For FY 2013, ONDCP got a bump of more than $415 million over its 2012 budget of more than $25 BILLION. Marijuana, a relatively harmless product (certainly no worse than legal products such as tobacco and alcohol) is lumped in with dangerous drugs like meth, cocaine/crack, heroin. That $25B is just ONDCP’s budget. It would be too labor-intensive to dig out all the funding law enforcement agencies get to fight drugs, but hopefully you are smart enough to connect the dots and conclude that law enforcement agencies get a ton of money to “fight drugs.” I’m against all those drugs they fight, except marijuana.
A PBS Frontline piece on pot estimates that US pot production is a business worth about $40 billion annually, and that the “imported” weed business from (primarily) Central/South America is worth another $100 billion.
If Americans are consuming $140 BILLION of pot each year… hell, be conservative, say it’s $100 BILLION… imagine if that business became LEGAL… and TAXABLE. First of all, once the government got a hand in it, prices are going to go up. So it’s reasonable to assume that at a minimum pot will be at least a $200 BILLION a year business because of price increases and people “coming out of the closet” who will try it and become consumers.
As it is, the Federal government brings home more than $24 BILLION annually in alcohol and tobacco taxes. The State of California says its annual tax revenue from marijuana would add $1.4 BILLION per year to its coffers. (Coughers?) It’s reasonable to assume that the US could add anywhere from $6-$12B per year to its budget from a pot tax. Maybe more. Hard to nail down those figures.
This makes sense, but powerful, moneyed efforts are allied to stop it. Are you going to let them? Corporations are not people, my friends.
First off. If those involved with this initiative werent in reality already potheads, I would be much more symapthetic to the cause. Unfortunately, I am certain that is not the case here.
Second, I have been raising this issue recently: Why does democracy require such archaic polling? As far as i can tell, only old folks, and boring people have the time and opportunity to go to their local polling parlors. Many dont even know where to go. Why cant voting be done online? If it is good for American Idol, it should be good for America itself. Sharon Osbourne says it best “America always gets it right”…