New pro-pot PAC fighting legalization initiative

It’s not where you’d expect the opposition to come from, but some medical marijuana activists have launched a political action committee to defeat the initiative legalizing marijuana.

Organizers of the recently formed Safe Access Alliance argue Initiative 502 “completely ignores the ramifications for patients and providers or even the existence of the medical cannabis community.”

“The way I-502 got put together was very cynically to appeal to more conservative voters and people who are more timid about voting yes on cannabis issues,” says Philip Dawdy, spokesman for the organization.

He argues the initiative institutes unreasonable DUI standards based on THC levels rather than impairment, which he says would put scores of drivers at risk of prosecution even though they are fully capable of driving.

“It will be an automatic conviction and I’ll tell you what, there are over 100,000 medical marijuana patients who are scared to death of that thing,” says Dawdy.

He says I-502 also imposes excise and “sin” taxes of up to 75 percent, which many medical marijuana patients could not afford.

“For people who are spending $10 a day for medicine to control pain and spasms and stuff, that’s just not fair. And most of them are probably not going to be able to come up with the money,” he says.

Dawdy also worries restrictions on dispensary locations imposed by I-502 would severely limit the number of storefronts that could operate, especially in higher demand areas such as Capitol Hill and the University District.

The group, which includes marijuana dispensary owners and growers, hopes to raise enough money to run ads countering I-502 in the fall. Dawdy says if that happens, the focus would shift back to crafting new legislation that addresses the groups’ concerns in the upcoming session.

Note: Philip Dawdy was fired at his own inaugural press conference Tuesday afternoon. Read more