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Minneapolis voters could get the chance in November to approve a citywide distribution system of marijuana for medicinal uses.
A group called Citizens Organized for Harm Reduction announced Thursday that it has more than enough signatures to put a referendum on the ballot that would require the City Council to run medicinal marijuana distribution centers.
Such a system, however, would have to be legal under state and federal law. Minnesota doesn't allow the use of marijuana for medical treatment, and the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule later this year on federal intervention efforts in California, where voters legalized medicinal marijuana in 1996.
Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon and Washington also have approved limited medical uses of marijuana.
"The short-term purpose of this effort is to send a message to the Legislature to get the ball rolling on this issue," said Jason Samuels, a spokesman for the organization.
"The long-term purpose is to create the framework, so that when the state does pass a medicinal marijuana law, the city will be obligated to make sure the distribution does not fall into the hands of criminals," he added.
Samuels said the petition will be presented to the Minneapolis Charter Commission on Tuesday, which is also the deadline to file referendum petitions. The petition also has to be reviewed by the City Council and by voting-regulatory officials.
At least 7,774 registered voters must sign a petition to get a referendum on the ballot. Samuels says his organization already has more than 10,000 signatures.
The language in the petition calls for the Minneapolis City Charter to be amended to require the City Council to establish and regulate "a reasonable number of medicinal marijuana distribution centers."
A state-licensed medical or osteopathic physician would have to prescribe medicinal marijuana for a person to receive it from the distribution center, according to the amendment.
Proposals to legalize pot for medical use have never gotten far in Minnesota. In 2001, former Gov. Jesse Ventura sparked renewed interest in the issue when he taped a video supporting the legalization of the use of the drug for people who suffer from cancer, AIDS and other illnesses.
Source: Duluth News-Tribune (MN)
Author: David Hawley, St. Paul Pioneer Press
Published: Friday, August 6, 2004
Copyright: 2004 Duluth News-Tribune
Contact: letters@duluthnews.com
Website: https://www.duluthsuperior.com/mld/duluthtribune/
A group called Citizens Organized for Harm Reduction announced Thursday that it has more than enough signatures to put a referendum on the ballot that would require the City Council to run medicinal marijuana distribution centers.
Such a system, however, would have to be legal under state and federal law. Minnesota doesn't allow the use of marijuana for medical treatment, and the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule later this year on federal intervention efforts in California, where voters legalized medicinal marijuana in 1996.
Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon and Washington also have approved limited medical uses of marijuana.
"The short-term purpose of this effort is to send a message to the Legislature to get the ball rolling on this issue," said Jason Samuels, a spokesman for the organization.
"The long-term purpose is to create the framework, so that when the state does pass a medicinal marijuana law, the city will be obligated to make sure the distribution does not fall into the hands of criminals," he added.
Samuels said the petition will be presented to the Minneapolis Charter Commission on Tuesday, which is also the deadline to file referendum petitions. The petition also has to be reviewed by the City Council and by voting-regulatory officials.
At least 7,774 registered voters must sign a petition to get a referendum on the ballot. Samuels says his organization already has more than 10,000 signatures.
The language in the petition calls for the Minneapolis City Charter to be amended to require the City Council to establish and regulate "a reasonable number of medicinal marijuana distribution centers."
A state-licensed medical or osteopathic physician would have to prescribe medicinal marijuana for a person to receive it from the distribution center, according to the amendment.
Proposals to legalize pot for medical use have never gotten far in Minnesota. In 2001, former Gov. Jesse Ventura sparked renewed interest in the issue when he taped a video supporting the legalization of the use of the drug for people who suffer from cancer, AIDS and other illnesses.
Source: Duluth News-Tribune (MN)
Author: David Hawley, St. Paul Pioneer Press
Published: Friday, August 6, 2004
Copyright: 2004 Duluth News-Tribune
Contact: letters@duluthnews.com
Website: https://www.duluthsuperior.com/mld/duluthtribune/
