Melissa Mentele’s pro-medical pot organization “New Approach South Dakota” is apparently out there in the field collecting signatures. And if you were quick enough the other day, you could get a free drink if you went down to the Longbranch in Pierre & signed their petition:
“Our volunteer is offering a free beverage to whoever comes down to sign!” Yeah… the only problem with that is state law:
12-26-15. Bribery of voter as misdemeanor–Acts constituting bribery. It is a Class 2 misdemeanor for any person, directly or indirectly, by the person or through any other person:
(6) To pay, lend, contribute, or offer or promise to pay, lend, or contribute, any money or other valuable consideration, to or for any voter or to or for any other person, to sign any nominating, referendum, initiated measure, or initiated constitutional amendment petition;
(7) To give, offer, or promise any office, place, or employment, or to promise to procure or endeavor to procure any office, place, or employment to or for any voter, or to or for any other person in order to sign any nominating, referendum, initiated measure, or initiated constitutional amendment petition; or
(8) To make any gift, loan, or promise, offer, procurement, or agreement as aforesaid to, for, or with any person in order to sign any nominating, referendum, initiated measure, or initiated constitutional amendment petition.
Maybe it’s just me, but I’m thinking that saying “free beverage to whoever comes down to sign” might strongly be considered an offer to exchange a signature for a drink.
(Update – as you might have guessed, the post is gone from their facebook page. But luckily, we have it saved and displayed for posterity. – PP)
Prosecute them! This petition is a joke with one petitioner hanging out at a skateboard park in Mitchell asking them to come and sign so their “medicine” can be legal. “ya don’t have to be a skateboarder to sign”
Reminds of the college newspaper ads in Boulder Colorado with all the ads for medical marijuana targeting these young college kids when the laws were supposedly intended for those ailments that normally afflict elderly.
Yup, devil weed!
If this New Approach South Dakota is basically bribing people to sign a petition they need to be charged. What can be done? Contact the AG’s office?
I wrote the legislation to amend 12-26-15 in response to someone (a bar owner I think) in Brookings offering drinks for signatures, and that is exactly how the legislation was explained when it was passed a couple years ago.
Planning Student, that would be HB 1018. It passed unanimously in both chambers except for Bradford, Kaiser and May. Any knowledge why those three voted against the bill?
oh let the kids have their fun.
Anon,
From what I remember Kaiser generally voted against the previous SOS for reasons beyond me and I got nothing for you on the other two.
The abuse by medical marijuana industry got so bad in California that the US Attorney’s office got involved.
“US Attorney Duffy said she’s seen marijuana stores advertise coupons, bring-a-friend deals, extra samples for buying a certain amount of marijuana, magazines devoted entirely to the industry, T-shirts for sale, marijuana linked to video games – all things, she said, “in large part directed at our youth and children.” “The good intentions behind that law,” she said, “have almost completely been taken over by people who are trying to use that permission law to get rich, to distribute marijuana and traffic drugs to people who aren’t sick, to our youth and to people who are using drugs on a recreational basis.”
http://medicalmarijuana.com/medical-marijuana-news/title.cfm?artID=328
A few months ago California had a pot-infused food fair that was, of course, only for those who could prove that they medically needed pot.
for 25 bucks they can get their script at one of those open 24/7 pot doctors
I attended a Pot conference at a recent National Legislators Conference with a bipartisan panel of legislators from Washington and Colorado. The legislator from Denver described his city as “redefining what it means to be known as the mile-high city.” I learned how little is understood about the science of THC in the human body, the challenges of law enforcement and the significant social problems beginning in both states. I found the information sobering, and it reinforced my opposition to legalization.
Fred we sure don’t hear about the REAL social costs of legalization from the advocates do we? I hope you will be able to share with us what you gained from the conference you attended and reinforced your opposition sometime.