Darren A. Nichols / The Detroit News

Detroit -- A push to legalize marijuana appears to be ready for a decision by voters after petitions were certified by the Detroit Elections Commission, backers say.

Last month, the Coalition for a Safer Detroit filed petitions with City Clerk Janice Winfrey seeking to legalize possession of up to 1 ounce of marijuana for personal use. Backers said petitions that would put the initiative before voters in November were certified May 19.

"They met the proper number (of signatures) and we met all the legal standards," said Tim Beck, a registered medical marijuana user who filed the petitions.

"There will be no legal challenge to keep it off the ballot. I'm very confident. People in Detroit have a serious understanding that priorities need to be reordered in respect to law enforcement. We need to focus on violent crime and guns. We just can't afford this any longer."

The group turned in more than 6,000 signatures to place the initiative on the ballot. The Detroit City Council has 30 days to pass the initiative into law or it automatically goes before voters in November.

The council was set to take up the issue at Wednesday's internal operations committee, but the 1 p.m. session was postponed because of the Detroit Regional Chamber's 2010 Mackinac Policy Conference.

Beck has said the legislation use would have no effect on laws aimed at much more dangerous drugs such as heroin, crack or crystal meth. Denver and Seattle have similar laws, and the goal is to have a statewide law in effect, Beck said.

"It would be appreciative if the City Council would save the city a lot of money and pass it themselves," attorney Matt Abel said. "We think it will pass handily. It's just getting the word out and making sure people know it's going to be on the November ballot and getting out the vote. People are tired of reefer madness. The people are ahead of politicians. Nobody ever died from it."

dnichols [at] detnews [dot] com (313) 222-2359

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The following 20 economists from Ohio joined 500+ economists in America and signed "An Open Letter to the President, Congress, Governors, and State Legislatures" calling for the legalization of marijuana for economic reasons - see http://www.prohibitioncosts.org/endorsers.html - I intend to connect with all of them and engage those who are interested to participate in the development of the economic, legislative and social justice models for this major trans-formative opportunity for our region and Ohio (you are welcome as well).

Dave    Amos    Lorain County Community College
Carole L.       Brandle         Kent State University, Stark
Bo      Carlsson        Case Western Reserve University
Lawrence R.     Cima    John Carroll University
Darlene         DeVera          Miami University of Ohio
Robin   Dubin   Case Western Reserve University
Paul    Evans   Ohio State University
Thomas          Hall    Miami University
Jon     Harford         Cleveland State University
Kyoo H.         Kim     Bowling Green State University
Laurence        McCulloch       Ohio State University
Jagdish         Mehra   Youngstown State University
Andrew P.       Morriss         Case Western Reserve University
John    Rapp    University of Dayton
Charles         Reichheld       Cuyahoga Community College
Reed    Reynolds        University of Toledo
John    Ruggiero        University of Dayton
George          Sherer          University of Dayton
Mark    Votruba         Case Western Reserve University
Joseph          Zoric   Franciscan University of Steubenville

An Open Letter to the President, Congress, Governors, and State Legislatures

     We, the undersigned, call your attention to the attached report by Professor Jeffrey A. Miron, The Budgetary Implications of Marijuana Prohibition. The report shows that marijuana legalization -- replacing prohibition with a system of taxation and regulation -- would save $7.7 billion per year in state and federal expenditures on prohibition enforcement and produce tax revenues of at least $2.4 billion annually if marijuana were taxed like most consumer goods. If, however, marijuana were taxed similarly to alcohol or tobacco, it might generate as much as $6.2 billion annually.

     The fact that marijuana prohibition has these budgetary impacts does not by itself mean prohibition is bad policy. Existing evidence, however, suggests prohibition has minimal benefits and may itself cause substantial harm.

     We therefore urge the country to commence an open and honest debate about marijuana prohibition. We believe such a debate will favor a regime in which marijuana is legal but taxed and regulated like other goods. At a minimum, this debate will force advocates of current policy to show that prohibition has benefits sufficient to justify the cost to taxpayers, foregone tax revenues, and numerous ancillary consequences that result from marijuana prohibition.

Endorsing Economists:
*Affiliations listed are only for purposes of identification.

    Affiliation  

Milton	Friedman	The Hoover Institution, Stanford University	Nobel Laureate
George A.	Akerlof	University of California, Berkeley	Nobel Laureate
Vernon L.	Smith	George Mason University	Nobel Laureate

Etc...

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From the great Willie Nelson's

Willie Nelson Peace Research Institute

End Hemp Prohibition Support Farm Aid

Cureworks sends us the first video made from Lend A Hand To The Farmers. It seems fitting to me that it directly calls for the decriminalization of Cannabis Hemp Marijuana.

Around the world, for example in Canada, China and Eastern Europe, farmers contribute to the economic well being of their countries by cultivating Cannabis Hemp Marijuana for Raw Materials supporting multiple product groups.

A healthy economy grows from Raw Materials Producers and their ability to pay for the goods and services they require to stay productive.

When Family Farms are first driven into debt then bankruptcy and foreclosure by government policy that only further enriches bankers the entire economy loses it driving force.

Boutique Farms producing Raw Materials for Artisan Consumer Goods may be

the last example of working Family Farms in the United States

and

are insufficient to feed, cloth and shelter everyone

as they once were.

Rising oil prices and deepening economic turmoil will soon make everyone wish Family Farms could do it again.

A single known agricultural crop possesses the versatility and value to once again make Family Farms economic engines in today’s world.

A single known agricultural crop was criminalized exactly because of its versatility and value and the threat it poses to vested interests and obscene profits in Fiber, Timber, Petro-Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals.

Cureworks and I agree with Willie Nelson and Marty Dread, allowing Family Farms to cultivate Cannabis Hemp Marijuana helps us all.

By Willie Nelson and Marty Dread

Lend a hand to the farmers on this land.
Put the power of production back in their hands
Lend a hand to the farmers in this time
The very future of the nation is on the line

Think of all these families
Being forced off their land
The small farmer is a chess piece
Being pushed by corporate hands

Lend a hand to the farmers on this land.
Lend a hand, lend a hand
Put the power of production back in their hands
Lend a hand to the farmers in this time, lend a hand, lend a hand
The very future of the nation is on the line

Can’t you see that
To have a healthy nation
Good food is what we need
But without the cultivators
Whose gonna plant the seeds

Lend a hand to the farmers on this land.
Lend a hand to the farmers on this land
Let’s put the power of production back in their hands
Put the power of production back in their hands.

Can’t you see
A bunch of rusted tractors
Thousands of idle hands
A nation raised on junk food
Millions of acres of wasted land

Lend a hand to the farmers on this land.
Lend a hand, lend a hand
Put the power of production back in their hands

Lend a hand to the farmers in this time
The very future of the nation is on the line

Lend a hand to the farmers
Let’s lend a hand to the farmers
Put the power of production back in their hands

Let’s lend a hand, let’s lend a hand to the farmers

{RAPPED}

At one time we had more than 8 million small family farmers on the land in this country.
Now we’re down to less than 2 million
Losing 300-500 every week.

The backbone of this country is the farmer
We’re losing our farmers
We’re losing the bottom rung on the economic ladder
If we don’t help our farmers we will go hungry

Lend a hand to the farmers and you are lending a hand to yourself.

Lend a hand to the farmers.
Put the power of production back into their hands

Lend a hand to the farmers
The future of the nation is on the line

Lend a hand to the farmers.

* * * * USA Hemp Museum Statement * * * * *

One of the many things the great Willie Nelson is known for is his campaign to restore hemp to the world. This song, LEND A HAND TO THE FARMERS is a powerful plea for salvation from the dynamic artists Willie Nelson and Marty Dread posted on the Willie Nelson Peace Research Institute site.

Hemp can help us save our family farm system, key to saving ourselves.

This trillion dollar plus cash crop can finance what needs to be done to restore the foundation of our economy, the farmer. As Richard M. Davis, founder of the USA Hemp Museum, says, know your grower. Otherwise we have the toxic chemicals added for profit, like what’s happening NOW!!!

Ending hemp prohibition so farmers can have a quick cash crop to solve their economic problems can help heal our whole economy with jobs, business and investment opportunities.

Since the federal government owns about 1/3 of the land, much of America can be leased at a reasonable rate to jump start this vital energy in our economic system.

DO IT NOW by Executive Order.

Please support Farm Aid and ending hemp prohibition so that we can save ourselves.

For more ideas visit the Willie Nelson Peace Research Institute founded by Willie Nelson, Jay Greathouse and Liz O’Garvey. The work being done there is extraordinarily healing. For more on hemp visit the USA Hemp Museum.

LEND A HAND TO THE FARMERS

 

The Willie Nelson Peace Research Institute believes in the Promise of Peace on Earth in Our Lifetime as the Birthright of Our Global Human Family.

• Peace on Earth is possible NOW with Unconditional Love.
• Do unto others as you would have them do unto you is the Golden Rule from the Highest Order.
• Peace on Earth is possible NOW with Unyielding Hope.
• Replace negative thoughts with positive thoughts to create positive results.
• Peace on Earth is possible NOW with Unlimited Compassion.
• Open your heart and make connections to people everywhere and to the world around us.

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Hemp powered car debuts in Washington DC - fuel processed in Ohio... in 2001

A video from The Hemp Museum on the historical and industrial uses of hemp.

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