Shame on Drug Reformers’ Silence on 2015 Marijuana Legalization In Ohio
marijuanapolitics.com/shame-on-drug-reformers...
marijuanapolitics.comPosted Oct 12, 2015, 8:24 PM UTC
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marijuanapolitics.comTLDR: "Since when did the marijuana legalization movement stop being about the civil rights of cannabis consumers to be free from prohibition and start being about the right way to enrich cannabis growers?"
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Since they saw how much money you can make off of it.
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I stopped listening to NORML's podcast a couple years ago because of this blowhard. He works on a national level, and so thinks strategically about legalization across the country. From that perspective, Issue 3 would be a boon. But he's not an Ohio resident, and so wouldn't have to suffer the bad parts of Issue 3. It's not unlike rich people voting to build a chemical plant in the poor section of town.
Also, if you listen to his numerous rants about the lack of support for Issue 3, he's pretty wide-eyed and naive about the way RO leaves an incredible amount of power in the hands of a state government that has been vocally opposed to legalization.
I've heard people say RO is running ads on Belville's podcast, which should be another red flag, but in skimming through a couple recent episodes I can't confirm that one way or the other.
So running political ads on your local radio invalidates your radio station's news and opinion.
Issue 3 is good for the end users and patients in Ohio, so I don't feel like I'm in the poor part of town. The ONLY people Issue 3 sucks for are the current growers and dealers, because they get left out of the show. I say screw them, because they had their chance to put their money where their mouth is and the NEVER did.
It's a podcast, not some big media company with strong separation between editorial and advertising. So, yeah, it looks a little strange.
Or people who don't want to sell our Constitution to the highest bidder. Or people who want to grow their own and don't trust the state government to suddenly change course and make it a user-friendly process with absolutely no mandate in this amendment to do so. Or the activists who have been working on this for years only to have RO usurp their efforts. Or the farmers who could use this to finally get a return on their land but won't be able to because they're not one of the massively wealthy, secret backers.
If you think there's a strong separation between news, editorial and advertising in big media, I have news for you. Walter Cronkite is dead.
Our political process is already corrupted by both major parties. If you don't like the process stop voting major party, but until that changes, this is how we get legalization in a broken system. Pretending there's another way is just kidding yourself. It's a take it or leave it deal.
The home grow structure is fixed in the amendment, pay $50 annual license and the commission "shall issue" a grow license within 90 days. Fear monger all you want but home grow is set and a million Ohioans are going to be growing. Now is a good time to open a hydroponic store.
The activist were always underfunded because the farmers and the growers and the dealers wouldn't donate, Ohio NORML's been broke for years until they started selling merchandise. ORG never had enough money to get it on the ballot, and OTEP, everyone's beloved second choice is in debt and a trainwreck. So why am I supposed to feel sorry for people who wouldn't promote legalization that would benefit everyone? They had their chance and chose to sell mediocre, limited variety, weed that was always a grab bag of strains. Reality sucks but Ohio now has to chose between what's good for Ohio patients and users, versus what's good for black market businessmen who want to go legit.
I'm a former journalist. Most reputable media organizations have separate advertising and editorial departments. Podcasts do not. Yes, there is a difference.
Have been doing so for two decades now.
Colorado and Oregon beg to differ.
The amendment leaves it entirely in the hands of the executive branch to create and enact that process. Only the most naive think that will go well.
Like by saying this is the only way and there will never be another option, you mean?
You're conflating drug dealers and marijuana activists, which is unfair, incorrect, and grossly misleading. There are dedicated people who have been working on this issue for decades. You know how much closer we are to legalization now than we were 20 years ago? It's not Nick Lachey you have to thank for that.