Advocacy Group Drops Out Of Oregon’s Legalization Drive

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One of Oregon’s two legalization campaigns has called it quits.

The Campaign for the Restoration and Regulation of Hemp ended operations this week after it became clear the group would not gather enough petition signatures by the July 3 deadline.

The move could unite Oregon’s advocates and cannabis business community around the remaining legalization campaign, New Approach Oregon. That group has received funding from the Drug Policy Action and other national cannabis advocacy organizations.

New Approach Oregon recently surpassed its petition goal to advance its measure to the November ballot.

The Campaign for the Restoration of Hemp struggled with funding and organization. Earlier this month some of the petitioners went on strike, complaining of late paychecks and poor working conditions.

Led by medical marijuana businessman Paul Stanford, the advocacy group was promoting two separate petition campaigns.

, Advocacy Group Drops Out Of Oregon’s Legalization DriveThe group’s constitutional amendment to legalize marijuana possession required 116,284 signatures to advance to the ballot. A companion statutory measure to create a framework for a cannabis industry required 87,213 signatures.

Stanford said his group gathered about 50,000 signatures for each of the two measures.

New Approach Oregon still faces hurdles in Oregon. Voters there rejected marijuana legalization in 1986 and 2012.