Cannabis Act Initiative Signature-gathering Begins

[Jim Finnel]

PORTLAND - Could hemp become Oregon’s largest cash crop? Supporters of the Oregon Cannabis Act of 2010 (OCTA) hope so.

Monday kicked off the signature campaign to get the initiative on the ballot in November 2010. The initiative would allow growth of industrial hemp to be used for clothing, food, fuel and even plastics.

It would also allow retail sale of marijuana to those 21 and older.

Supporters say hemp is in great demand but can’t be grown under current law. They estimate revenue generated by state-controlled Cannabis sales could easily reach $300 million annually.

Oregon Liquor Control Commission would monitor sales.

The group needs close to 83,000 signatures by July of 2010 to get the initiative on the ballot and let voters decide.

A similar initiative was introduced twice in the 1990s but failed to get the signatures to make it on the ballot.


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Source: KOIN
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Website: Cannabis Act initiative signature-gathering begins - KOIN.com

 

[Johnny]

I have faith in them. Hopefully they will be able to collect all the signatures they need over the next two years this time.

 

[Cherma]

I posted about this back a few years ago in a reply to another situation on Taxation & Regulations of cannabis that will soon be in a State near you. Being my State of origin over 50 years ago I had also grown up all knowing about the OLCC. At 15 years old I was advocating to my peers about having the OLCC do the same thing with marijuana, it seemed the right thing to do. Again, this commission was formed after the Prohibition of Alcohol ended, as is noted in the description below. My father and grandfathers always told me they just wanted the revenue from the taxes and to make sure it was distributed properly and to keep the backwoods moonshine away from the public, in case it had lye in it....
It has come within our time through changes of social and economic review of our culture, that cannabis will & has become more widely accepted than rejected as the evil it has been portrayed to be over the last 80 years.

Below is a brief outline of the OLCC: See how this would apply to cannabis as well.





The Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC) was created in 1933 by a special session of the Legislature after national prohibition ended. Oregon is a control state with the exclusive right to sell packaged distilled spirits, which are dispersed statewide from a distribution center in Portland and sold in 243 retail liquor stores operated by contracted agents. The agency is headquartered in Portland with regional offices in Bend, Eugene, Medford and Salem.

The OLCC ensures that only qualified people and businesses are licensed to sell and serve alcoholic beverages. Licenses are issued to private businesses such as grocery stores to sell packaged beer and wine, and restaurants, bars and taverns to sell beer, wine and distilled spirits by the glass.

The OLCC works to control underage drinking and alcohol problems with a balanced blend of liquor law enforcement, outreach education, publicity and communication. Much of this is carried out by the agency’s Public Safety Services Program, which includes enforcement and compliance, licensing, and administrative process divisions. OLCC inspectors work extensively with licensees at their premises to help them understand and comply with the laws that govern them. The agency also administers the Alcohol Server Education Program, which focuses on responsible alcohol service. All alcohol servers must complete the training course every five years.

The OLCC also enforces the Bottle Bill. Under this law, any malt or carbonated beverage container sold in Oregon must have a refund value of at least five cents.






OLCC Commissioners

OLCC's Board of Commissioners






Programs

Public Safety Services
Distilled Spirits Program
Administration and Support Services Program

 

[WaVancouver]

Yes! They finally posted this bloody article that i sent in a week ago! LOL

 

[Jim Finnel]

^ ?