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"Seven years later, New Mexicans are finally able to exhale."
That's what Emily Kaltenbach of the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA) said Monday after New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, a Democrat, signed legislation that not only legalizes adult use of recreational marijuana but also includes key social justice provisions long sought by proponents of legalization. Kaltenbach's remark referenced just how long lawmakers and activists have been working for this win.
<p>"The signing of the cannabis legalization and expungement package will ensure equitable opportunities for farmers and other small businesses, and long overdue justice—including automatic expungement—for those with past cannabis arrests or convictions," said Kaltenbach. "We thank the governor and our legislative allies for not taking 'no' for an answer and stopping at nothing until we were able to get justice for New Mexico communities—particularly Hispanic/Latinx, Black, Native, and Indigenous—that have been immensely harmed by cannabis prohibition."</p><iframe src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?creatorScreenName=commondreams&creatorUserId=14296273&dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=eyJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X2hvcml6b25fdHdlZXRfZW1iZWRfOTU1NSI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJodGUiLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfX0%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1381709668121243658&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.commondreams.org%2Fnews%2F2021%2F04%2F12%2Fmajor-step-forward-new-mexico-legalizes-recreational-marijuana&sessionId=b05f417b965e63b82b91518c0a80c7dc7804bfe9&siteScreenName=commondreams&siteUserId=14296273&theme=light&widgetsVersion=1ead0c7%3A1617660954974&width=550px" style="box-sizing: inherit; position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 615px; flex-grow: 1;" title="Twitter Tweet"></iframe><p>Kaltenbach, DPA's senior director for resident states and New Mexico, highlighted that Lujan Grisham "stopped at nothing" to advance the legislation. The<em> Associated Press</em> <a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-michelle-lujan-grisham-recreational-marijuana-legislation-marijuana-61021fb6047fccfa09b004b30acf172d" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">pointed out</a> Monday that she "called <a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-michelle-lujan-grisham-recreational-marijuana-marijuana-new-mexico-2ee2ccaa6ec362029e55f09d85fcf1c3" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">a special legislative session to tackle the issue</a> in late March after legalization efforts faltered."</p><p>The DPA leader praised not only Lujan Grisham but also the sponsors who "went to the mat to ensure racial justice and equity provisions, public health safeties, and medical cannabis patient protections were front and center in their legislation." They include state Sen. Jerry Ortiz y Pino (D-12), whom DPA "had the privilege of working with since 2014, when he first sponsored cannabis legalization in the state."</p><p>Noting that "thousands of people, and a disproportionate number of them from communities of color, have been wronged by this country's failed war on drugs," Ortiz y Pino said in a statement that "we will all benefit from our state's smart, fair, and equitable new approach to past low-level convictions."</p><p>Another sponsor, state Rep. Andrea Romero (D-46), also took aim at the so-called drug war and its impact on people of color. "By ensuring equity and social justice in our cannabis legalization," she said, "we are saying 'enough' to the devastating 'war on drugs' that over-incarcerated and over-penalized thousands of New Mexicans."</p><p>As <em>The Hill </em><a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/547781-new-mexico-governor-signs-marijuana-legalization-bill?rl=1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">reported</a> Monday:</p><blockquote>The governor noted that the sentencing component of the law could impact up to tens of thousands of New Mexicans, and make possible the potential early release of low-level convicted cannabis offenders who are currently incarcerated.<br/>The governor's signature launches an administrative process that will culminate in the launch of commercial sales for adults no later than April 1, 2022. Issuing licenses to conduct commercial cannabis activity will begin no later than January 1, 2022.<br/></blockquote><p>Lujan Grishman also touted the economic impact.</p><p>"Legalized adult-use cannabis is going to change the way we think about New Mexico for the better—our workforce, our economy, our future," she said. "We're ready to break new ground. We're ready to invest in ourselves and the limitless potential of New Mexicans. And we're ready to get to work in making this industry a successful one."</p><iframe src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?creatorScreenName=commondreams&creatorUserId=14296273&dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=eyJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X2hvcml6b25fdHdlZXRfZW1iZWRfOTU1NSI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJodGUiLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfX0%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1381705010505940992&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.commondreams.org%2Fnews%2F2021%2F04%2F12%2Fmajor-step-forward-new-mexico-legalizes-recreational-marijuana&sessionId=b05f417b965e63b82b91518c0a80c7dc7804bfe9&siteScreenName=commondreams&siteUserId=14296273&theme=light&widgetsVersion=1ead0c7%3A1617660954974&width=550px" style="box-sizing: inherit; position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 705px; flex-grow: 1;" title="Twitter Tweet"></iframe><p>Citing economist and public finance expert Kelly O'Donnell, the governor's office pointed out that sales of adult-use recreational cannabis could total $318 million in the first year and create more than 11,000 jobs over several years. The excise tax could raise at least $20 million in the first fiscal year alone.</p><p>"As we look to rebound from the economic downturn caused by the pandemic," said Lujan Grisham, "entrepreneurs will benefit from this great opportunity to create lucrative new enterprises, the state and local governments will benefit from the added revenue and, importantly, workers will benefit from the chance to land new types of jobs and build careers."</p><p> As the governor put it: "This legislation is a major, major step forward for our state."</p><p>According to the <em>AP</em>:</p><blockquote>The bill gives the governor a strong hand in oversight of recreational marijuana through her appointed superintendent of the Regulation and Licensing Department. <br/>Agency Superintendent Linda Trujillo said people age 21 and over will be allowed [to] start growing marijuana at home and possess up to 2 ounces (56 grams) of marijuana outside their homes starting on June 29.<br/>Recreational cannabis sales start next year by April 1 at state-licensed dispensaries.<br/></blockquote><p>New Mexico isn't alone in recently overhauling its cannabis policies. Last month, New York lawmakers enacted legalization legislation the state's DPA director <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/2021/03/31/new-era-marijuana-justice-new-york-legalization-bill-signed-law" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">dubbed</a> "the new gold standard for reform efforts nationwide."</p>
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Surging coronavirus cases in many parts of the world overshadowed the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan on Tuesday, with festivities curtailed by contagion fears.
Europe, the worst-hit continent, passed the threshold of one million coronavirus deaths, while South Asian countries battle a spiraling outbreak of the disease that has crippled the global economy.
<p>Vaccination drives are giving hope to people fed up with restrictions that are well into a second year, and India -- which is experiencing a record surge in cases -- was given a boost as it authorized Russia's Sputnik V Covid-19 drug.<br/></p><p>The total number of virus deaths is approaching 3 million, according to an AFP tally of official data, as the World Health Organization warned infections are rising exponentially despite efforts aimed at stopping them.</p><p>From Indonesia to Egypt, many Muslims around the world started Ramadan after religious leaders confirmed the month of fasting would begin on Tuesday, though restrictions on worshippers varied from country to country.</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li>'I am so happy'-</li></ul><p>Jakarta's newly renovated Istiqlal Mosque -- Southeast Asia's largest -- welcomed congregants for the first time on Monday night after more than a year of closure because of the pandemic.</p><p>Mohamad Fathi, a resident of the Indonesian capital, told AFP this year's Ramadan was happier than in 2020, when people were banned from taking part in tarawih (evening) prayers.</p><p>"Last year it was gloomy as we were not allowed to go to the mosque for tarawih prayers," he said.</p><p>"But this year, I am so happy finally we can go to the mosque to perform tarawih prayers at the mosque although we are under strict health protocol during the prayer."</p><p>The government of the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation has imposed limits, with mosques only able to host congregants at a maximum of 50 percent capacity. Worshippers are required to wear masks and bring their own prayer mats.</p><p>Several regions in Indonesia have banned gathering for fast-breaking and religious leaders have encouraged people to pray at home in certain zones where virus cases are spiking.</p><p>"This is like happiness in the middle of restrictions," Fathi added. "This year's Ramadan is very meaningful for me after last year we did not feel the joy of Ramadan at all."</p><h1>India gets Sputnik</h1><p>Saudi Arabia, home to Islam's holiest shrines, announced that the holy fasting month was to start on Tuesday, though authorities said only people immunized against Covid-19 will be allowed to perform the year-round umrah pilgrimage from the start of Ramadan.</p><p>In Egypt, restrictions were much less stringent than last year as people took to the streets to mark the start of the fasting month.</p><p>Pakistanis will only begin fasting Wednesday after rival moon-sighting committees agreed to a nationally applied start of what is called "Ramazan" in the country.</p><p>With the country in the grip of a third wave of the coronavirus –- the deadliest so far -– the government urged mosques to only allow prayers in open courtyards and to strictly enforce social distancing.</p><p>In neighboring India -- home to 1.3 billion people -- health officials have been battling a huge surge in cases in recent weeks that has prompted night curfews and a clampdown on movement and activities.</p><p>The country on Monday reported more than 161,000 new cases -- the seventh-consecutive day that more than 100,000 infections have been recorded.</p><p>Experts have warned that huge, mostly maskless crowds at political rallies and religious festivals have fueled India's caseload, and in the Himalayan city Haridwar, maskless Hindu pilgrims have ignored social distancing pleas.</p><p>Adding Sputnik to its roster of jabs bolsters the government's ambitious goal of vaccinating 300 million people by the end of July.</p><p>Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO's technical lead on Covid-19, said the world was now at a "critical point" of the pandemic.</p><p>"The trajectory of this pandemic is growing... exponentially.</p><p>"This is not the situation we want to be in 16 months into a pandemic, when we have proven control measures."</p>
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Woman caught on camera at a Ft. Lauderdale Walgreens spewing bigoted remarks blames her victims
April 13, 2021
A Florida woman who slurred a Muslim family in a drug store says she's actually the victim in the encounter.
Nahla Ebaid was on vacation in Fort Lauderdale last month with her husband and some friends when the incident took place at Walgreens, where customer Luba Bozanich lashed out at them after a cashier asked her to wear a mask inside the store, reported WPLG-TV.
<p>"She looked at us and she said, 'I wish I am from your country so I don't have to wear the mask,'" Ebaid said. "So, we said, 'Which country is that? We're from New York.'"</p><p>That apparently angered Bozanich, a licensed clinical social worker, and she started shouting complaints about Muslims and insulting Ebaid -- who began recording after the woman spit on her husband.</p><p>"God, you're ugly, no wonder people hate you," <a href="https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/woman-goes-on-anti-muslim-rant-in-fort-lauderdale-walgreens/2426894/" target="_blank">Bozanich says in the video</a>. "I'm getting away from the Muslim."</p><p>Ebaid said the older woman insulted her clothing, hijab and religion, and then Bozanich called police to say she was being threatened -- but police took her into custody after they arrived and planned to charge her with assault for spitting until the couple changed their mind.</p><p>"She apologized and we accept her apology," Ebaid said. "This is from our religion, we have to forgive and give another chance."</p><p>Bozanich, who claims she has a medical condition that keeps her from wearing a mask, told WPLG she feels justified in her actions seen in the video.</p>"I don't like what I saw, but I'm human," Bozanich said. "When this guy said what he said to me I said what I said to him, and I got angry. I felt very angry, and I told him off."<p><br/></p><div class="rm-embed embed-media"><script charset="UTF-8" src="https://nbcmiami.com/portableplayer/?CID=1:10:2426737&videoID=1884398147848&origin=nbcmiami.com&fullWidth=y" type="text/javascript"></script></div>
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