This article was originally published on the Marijuana Patients Organization site on June 16, 2014.
Oklahoma state Sen. Constance Johnson announced the filing of a statewide initiative petition to legalize marijuana, telling supporters that the campaign is based on Genesis 1:29, which suggests that God created “this wonderful, miraculous plant.”
“We’re putting forth Genesis 1:29 as the basis of this campaign,” KFOR.com quoted Sen. Johnson, a Democrat, as telling supporters at the State Capitol on Friday after filing the petition with the office of the Oklahoma secretary of state.
“God created this wonderful, miraculous plant and we know that it has been vilified for the last 100 years, and it’s time to change that in Oklahoma,” added the senator, who has led efforts, along with attorney David Slane, to legalize pot.
The advocates of marijuana will require 160,000 signatures from registered voters within three months to get the proposal on a statewide ballot.
“We’ve experienced anything from downright disregard to ignoring us to telling us to, ‘Go to hell’ pretty much,” Johnson said. “And this is where we’ve had to go. We’re taking this to a vote of the people because we know the people of the State of Oklahoma, in spite of what the policymakers refuse to do, want to have a voice on this matter.”
The petition states that up to one ounce of marijuana should be allowed for recreational use, and three ounces for medical reasons.
BY ANUGRAH KUMAR, CHRISTIAN POST CONTRIBUTOR