San Francisco Chronicle: Pot advocates think legalization is nearer

The 38th annual national convention for the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws wraps up today at the downtown Grand Hyatt, and groups of medical marijuana users have been casually passing joints on the outdoor patio. It’s probably what some visitors from Des Moines were afraid would happen when they landed in the marquee city of the Left Coast.

But NORML delegates, basking in the glow of their Barack Obama themed-convention motto – “Yes We Can-nabis” – are convinced this isn’t a fringe issue any more.

Assemblyman Tom Ammiano with NORML Founder Keith Stroup

Associated Press: Backers begin push to get pot measure on ballot

SAN FRANCISCO — Pot advocates started their push Friday to get a marijuana legalization measure on California’s 2010 ballot with backing from a prominent state politician.

Former state Senate president Don Perata announced his support for the Tax Cannabis 2010 campaign, which began gathering signatures for the proposal at the annual meeting of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.

Eureka Times-Standard: Marijuana advocates discuss growing public support for legalization

In a presentation on the ebbs and flows of public opinion since the 1970s, NORML Outreach Coordinator Russ Belville outlined stereotypes that marijuana smokers have been burdened with, as well as examples of how these stereotypes are inaccurate.

A popular reference throughout the conference, Belville played an audio clip of President Barack Obama admitting to “inhaling,” and used the story of Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps being caught on camera taking a bong hit, as examples of how the stoner stereotype has been broken.

”You’ll be an unmotivated loser, you’ll be a slacker, you’ll never get anything done,” Belville said about the stoner stereotype. “And that all changed this year.”

San Francisco Weekly: Puff, Puff, Pass: Assemblyman Tom Ammiano Receives Hero’s Welcome at San Francisco Pot Conference

They came to hear the pot luminary — San Francisco Assemblyman, Tom Ammiano. Ammiano recently introduced the Marijuana Control, Regulation and Education Act” (AB 390), which would legalize, tax, and regulate marijuana in California. So it goes without saying that this crowd gave Ammiano a rousing standing ovation before he even took to the mic.

In his talk this morning, Ammiano emphasized his hope that with a sea change in the body politic and its stance on marijuana, both the public and the politicians will start to take the issue more seriously. He added that he believes the vehicle of legislation gives the issue the kind of gravitas it deserves. “This is a public policy issue, in my mind … I’m looking for this perfect storm,” he said, adding that the tone in legislature these days is much more “user-friendly” than it was before.

Ammiano said that in the next few months there would be an informational hearing to deal with the intricacies of decriminalization and taxation of marijuana before the bill hits the floor in early 2010. He concluded with a shout-out to Harvey Milk and his message of hope, and walked away from the mic with another standing ovation and toting an award for “Outstanding Public Leadership in Marijuana Law Reform” from NORML’s executives.

NBC Los Angeles: Pot Talk is NORML in San Francisco

The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws brings together members from over 115 local NORML chapters with the most respected national voices to address marijuana legalization, decriminalization, regulation and medical cannabis access.

The theme for this year’s annual NORML National Conference is Yes We Cannabis, an obvious reference to President Barack Obama’s stand on medical marijuana. The poster for the event, now in it’s 38th year, features a rendering of Obama.