There are members of the marijuana community that plan on voting no on Oregon Measure 91. I respect everyone’s views on the issue, and definitely want people to vote as they see fit because after all, that’s the point of a democracy. I saw an amazing analysis today on Facebook by valued Weed Blog contributor Russ Belville. His Facebook post was in response to an article urging people to vote no on Oregon Measure 91. It can be read below:
Your essay makes no logical sense.
Measure 91 was written by the marijuana activist community, with input from some 50-odd stakeholders. I assure you, no tobacco company was involved.
What oppresses the poor worse than the current criminal prohibition in which any amount under an ounce is a $650 ticket, any amount over an ounce is a crime with fines and jail time and any plant is a felony?
Please explain the series of steps that has to occur for someone growing four plants who is allowed eight ounces for them to be busted with more than that? Cops can’t get a warrant based on smell or sight of pot or paraphernalia or drug dog sniff or trash search, so how do they get into the house to weigh your stash and count your plants?
Maybe, just maybe, someone else narcs the poor person out to the cops. But that’s a danger you face now for just one plant and over one ounce and it’s far easier for the cops to get a warrant.
Also, if you *read* Measure 91, you’d know that 2x the legal amounts are decrim. So if you did have four plants and harvested 15.99 ounces, you’d only get a ticket. You can have up to 4x the legal amounts and still not get a felony.
That’s right, when Measure 91 passes, you could have fifteen plants and 31.99 ounces and it would still just be a misdemeanor. Unlike now, where 1.01 ounces is a misdemeanor and 4 ounces is a felony.
As for “black market trax markup?” Puh-lease! $35 ounce = $1.25 / gram. In Colorado, grams go for $10-$12. In Washington, it’s $15-$30. Here, the Legislative Review Office (not exactly a pro-pot outfit) estimates $140/ounce WITH TAX average. Last black market ouce I bought was $300.
Measure 91 also presents the most small-grower friendly legislation ever proposed. For $1,250, you can get a producer license and grow and sell to your hearts’ content. For $5,000, you could get all four licenses – producer, processor, wholesaler, retailer, and build your own weed empire, seed to sale.
Measure 91 does ban homemade extracts made with solvents, such as butane, hexane, alcohol, ethanol, and CO2. Good! Untrained unlicensed people shouldn’t be messing around with volatile chemical processes in residential areas. Vegetable glycerin is excluded because it is safe in residences. If you want solvent hash oil, get a processor license and make some or go to a pot shop and buy some.
I’m with you on equating marijuana and alcohol legally, but “wait for a better offer” means at least 26,000 law enforcement encounters for those mostly poor people you began your essay worrying about, poor people show can’t afford $650 tickets, bail bondsment, and lawyers. In 2012, we got offered unlimited possession and cultivation, like you want, and it failed miserably. This year, we getting eight ounces and four plants. If it fails, do you REALLY think 2016 is going to be a “better offer”?
