Originally published at: Why did GOP-controlled Minnesota legalize cannabis edibles? | Boing Boing
…
5 Likes
Fortunately, there’s already a template for that!
Also, I’ve really been appreciating your posts Elias (can’t find an @ for you). Very insightful and thorough with great perspective. Like @dnealy, you bring a lot of great commentary and depth to your posts.
3 Likes
I have a shorter answer.
It’s all about the Benjamins!
4 Likes
“GOP-controlled Minnesota?!” Since when was MN, the liberalist of all mid-western states, “controlled” by the GOP?
This is a state that has voted DEM for president for more consecutive years than literally any other state (mostly because they voted for Mondale in '84). Their US Senators are nearly always DEM. Their executive branch is nearly always DEM. Their current House of Representatives is also solidly DEM.
So where is the GOP? They do have a one-person majority in the state Senate and just less than half of their US Reps. Most of the very many sparsely populated rural counties are solidly GOP… so anything that counts by counties benefits GOP but anything that reflects population (most things) is solidly DEM.
7 Likes
For all their faults, the GOP has no monopoly on being prohibitionist assholes when it comes to cannabis.
CO has mostly benefitted from Dem control of House/Senate/Governor’s office/AG/Sec of State. I shudder when I see what happens in other states.
However, using the classic “for the children” shibboleth (because it does limit quantities for < 21 patients), they pushed and passed a heartless bill limiting access to medical marijuana as follows:
- Now, two physicians must sign off on applications. That means two expensive bills instead of one for the sizable cohort of MMJ patients who are on disability and already can’t afford much beyond basics, esp in Denver/Front Range where average 2br rent exceeds $1800 in most communities.
- Daily purchase limits on concentrates were cut considerably. Rural MMJ patients who drive long distances to get medicine now have to go more often in times when inflation and gas prices are crippling.
- It requires physicians to specify a dose and frequency for the MMJ. That constitutes a prescription, which is against Federal law and can cost the physician his/her license to prescribe.
As a result, many patients are limiting or going without medicine and a large number of physicians have stopped working with MMJ until the lawsuits settle and the will of the voters is restored.
I hope the CO Supreme Court fixes this, as SCOTUS isn’t known for compassion.
Why? One theory is that the sponsor, Yadira Caraveo, is now running for US House in a newly created 50/50 district and this appeals to the red side.
Another? Since recreational MJ has higher prices and is taxed up to 26% (medical is regular sales tax), as noted above, “It’s all about the Benjamins.”
3 Likes
And here I thought ya’ll were against disinformation.
Right now, The Dems control the ‘government triplix’ which is the Governor, Attorney General and Secretary of State.
The GOP controls the upper house and the Dems control the lower house.
To say the state is GOP controlled is brazen misinformation.
So, are you going to protest against yourself now?
3 Likes
Yeah, I freaked out for a moment there because I read GOP controlled and thought SHIT, when did we lose MN?
Do better, BB. This is hard enough times without misinformation coming from us too.
2 Likes
I have no idea how power is shared in Minnesota government, but, if it’s anything like Congress in our Capitol, having a Senate majority can still be a cock-blocker.
But, no, doesn’t sound like the state is GOP controlled.
2 Likes
They probably misread it. I’ll bet they were trying to legalize cannibalism.
4 Likes
No, it isn’t, because they would NOT have forgotten to charge state tax on it (news flash: they did forget - no tax revenue). I suspect THAT will be the first thing to change.
2 Likes
Tangent:
Am I the only one who thinks “THC+CBD+home brew” is a BAD idea?! Either on their own, fine, “you do you” and all that, but together in one product? Seems like a recipe for disaster, as one of the bodies fail-safes for too much alcohol is vomiting… and THC/CBD complex tends to inhibit gag-reflex (a pro for cancer sufferers, etc.). But I don’t know all the minutiae of the specific cannabinoids, maybe this has been all figured out.
Not much different than doing them both at the same time which, in my experience, is a fairly common occurrence.
1 Like
Before reading the article : “hmmm is it greed, sloth, or stupidity”
Oh! a combo win from S&S!
1 Like
This topic was automatically closed after 5 days. New replies are no longer allowed.
