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Berkeley Approves “Weed Welfare” for Low-Income Residents and Homeless

Wednesday, July 09, 2014

It’s not exactly free pot for all, but the Berkeley City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to amend their medical marijuana ordinance to require that dispensaries give 2% of their weed to very low-income residents and the homeless without charge.

Dispensaries must distribute 2% of the gross weight of all the marijuana they sell and it can’t be skunk weed. It has to be at least “the same quality on average” as what the paying customers get. That might be a tough one to regulate.

It should be easier to determine who qualifies. For now, any individual making less than $32,000 a year or a family of four earning $46,000 qualifies. Councilmember Darryl Moore told CBS Newst, “The city council wants to make sure that low-income, homeless, indigent folks have access to their medical marijuana, their medicine. We think this is the responsible thing to do for those less fortunate in our community.”

The council also expanded the number of dispensaries in the city from three to four and authorized the Planning Commission to consider what expanding to six licensed dispensaries would entail. Nearby San Francisco has dozens, Oakland has eight and Richman has three. But other communities in the area have none, including Walnut Creek, Concord and Moraga.

While Berkeley is trying to open more dispensaries, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is striving mightily to close them. By Berkeley Medical Cannabis Commission member Charles Pappas’ count, the U.S. attorney has closed 11 dispensaries in San Francisco and threatened a lot more in the Bay Area.

The state went after the Berkeley Patients Group (BPG), one of California’s largest dispensaries, in February 2011. The Board of Equalization (BoE) claimed that the group owed more than $6.4 million in back sales tax and interest for years 2004-2007. That figure grew to $7.5 million. The group, which started paying the sales tax in 2007, argued that it didn’t have to pony up because marijuana qualified as non-taxable medicine at a time when the laws were murky. They settled a year ago for $49,500.

The drug laws are still murky. Marijuana is illegal under federal law. California voters legalized it in 1996 for medical use and authorized dispensaries in 2004.

The U.S. Attorney’s office came after BPG in May 2012. The group was forced to move from its home of 12 years, which was 906 feet from a school (the requirement was 1,000 feet) and relocated to shabbier digs blocks away. They are expected to be back in court later this year, but in the meantime a spokesman told Al Jazeera that the group will continue its own 15-year-old policy of handing out marijuana to the needy.

While Berkeley is gravitating toward so-called “weed welfare,” Congress is making noise about going in another direction.

Representative Paul Gosar (R-Arizona) has introduced H.R. 4142, the “No Weed for Welfare Act.” It would prohibit marijuana from being bought by people using Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP) programs. The latter is more commonly known as food stamps. His bill would add marijuana to the list of indulgences welfare recipients must avoid, including strip clubs, liquor and casinos.

The legislation was introduced March 4 and, according to govtrack, it has 0% chance of being enacted.

–Ken Broder

http://www.allgov.com/usa/ca/news/contr ... ews=853631

Doc Stier wrote:

grzegorz wrote:I believe the war on drugs is big business and a way for the government to arrest and target hippies, minorities, the poor, medical patients, and the counter culture.

Wow! One of the very rare occasions that I totally agree with your opinion.

Steve James wrote:Aw, c'mon, that proposal was made to make sure it wouldn't pass. Or, they must have been on dope.

"President Obama always said he would let science — and not ideology — dictate policy, but in this case his administration is upholding a failed drug war approach instead of looking at real, existing evidence that marijuana has medical value" (Tom Angell, chairman of Marijuana Majority)

Anti-Marijuana Politician Charged With Possession of Marijuana

A New York State Republican assemblyman who opposed medical marijuana legislation at every turn was arrested and charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. The police found the marijuana after they pulled him over for speeding.

A statement released shortly after the March 2013 incident, law enforcement officials reported that state police discovered Steve Katz had a “small bag” of marijuana on him.

A New York State Trooper said that the 59-year-old assemblyman had been driving 80 miles per hour in 65 mph zone. He noticed the marijuana and took Katz into custody, charging him with possession before he was finally bailed out.

Katz had voted against the legalization of medical marijuana back in June.

The New York Times noted that the Republican assemblyman also sits on New York’s Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Committee.

Katz said that this was merely an “unfortunate incident” during a press conference.

“This should not overshadow the work I have done over the years for the public and my constituency,” Katz said to reporters. “I am confident that once the facts are presented that this will quickly be put to rest.”

Watch the local report that aired in March of 2013 (article continues below).

shawnsegler wrote:I live in OR. There's a weed store- "Attis- The art of fine cannabis" not 200 feet from my apt right where I catch the bus into downtown Portland. Every time I go in, I'm like "I don't ever want to lose the sense of wonder and appreciation at how awesome it is that I can just walk down to the weed store and buy some weed...whenever I want to".

Freedom, Bitches!

S