Beyond Labels

A 360° Discussion of Foreign, National and Local Policy Issues

For 18 September: Marijuana

As a warm-up to this evening’s “Community Conversation” and the Town of Surry’s public hearing on the subject, we’ll be discussing marijuana, legalization in Maine, and Peninsula town’s reactions to the opportunity to decide whether to regulate certain commercial marijuana activities.

Here’s a link to a recent Denver Post article, provided by Richard Jacoby (who spends a lot of time in Colorado–resident?), that should help to get us started. Richard notes that the Denver Post has generally been sympathetic to marijuana legalization. He also adds:

Note it is only a correlation but does underestimate the impaired problem because the samples have usually been taken several hours after the fact and in many cases once a legal limit of alcohol has been detected the coroner doesn’t bother with testing for other drugs.  It points out the difficulties of addressing the effect of drug impaired driving.

See you later today!

Topic for 11 Sep 2017 Referenda and Citizen Initiatives

Bob asked for our topic for next week and after none of the group that was polled remembered one, I asked Bob for a suggestion. Bob’s Dutch visitor (who will be there, I expect) proposed “pro’s and con’s of ” referenda/citizen initiative” system.” So unless there’s something that people remember and/or want more, that’s the topic.

We have our own experience in Maine, (Wikipedia, Ballotpedia) and we know of referenda in other states and countries gone wrong (or right, according to your political views)  here’s a good overview of the pros and cons.

Switzerland, according to this article, holds about a quarter of the world’s referenda. They vote four times a year.

I won’t be there (still in Boston recovering from knee replacement) but I will be there in spirit, and will I’ll post any links that people send me by email, or you can comment on this post.

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