Marijuana Issue Reaches Tipping Point
May 7th, 2009 by Rick
There are some advocates out there that believe we’ve reached a “tipping point” with overturning the current cannabis laws. Despite the same rhetoric from government officials on the war on drugs, it does feel like there is a change in the air in regards to marijuana. After all, more and more television shows and feature movies are becoming more and more popular.
Keith Stroup, founder of NORML, the organization that fights for marijuana legalization, sees a tipping point. He refers to a 2002 Time/CNN poll:
There’s some data out there that shows 47 percent of Americans have smoked marijuana at some point in their life. [...] That was five years ago, and that means there are likely more living Americans today who have smoked than have not. That tells me that we are very close to a tipping point on this issue.
NORML even took the opportunity to unleash their pro-marijuana TV ad on all the news networks and some others. The ad seems to be targeting those in Washington that need some reassurance that this is what the people want and how it would overall benefit us.
The commercial says:
You can tax it, you can regulate it, apply age restrictions… create millions of new jobs… save our economy.
According to an article at the NORML Blog:
According to numerous survey and polls, approximately 75% of Americans support medical access to cannabis; 73% favor decriminalizing cannabis possession for adults and 42% of Americans support legalizing cannabis.
America, isn’t it time for a serious, unbiased look at this plant and drug, whether it’s used for medication or recreation?
CNBC Interview with MPP’s Bruce Mirken
April 22nd, 2009 by RickBruce Mirken, a communications director at the Marijuana Policy Project, was interviewed on CNBC. Mirken brings up points like; two-thirds of the Mexican cartels’ profit comes from marijuana and that marijuana has consistently been the top cash crop in the United States, which the cartel’s have received the majority of profit from.
Even after he told the CNBC reporter, that two-thirds of the cartel’s profit comes from the distribution of marijuana, she interrupts her guest and asks if the cartels would just move to hardcore drugs. Another guest starts dropping some interesting statistics to the other Guest, John Carnevale, President of Carnevale Associates and asks him why marijuana can’t be legalized.
Carnevale actually has the audacity to say that the answer is quite simple. He adds that the reason marijuana can’t be legalized because there would be a greater demand for it and more people would be doing it.
Even the another reporter tells John about the success in the Netherlands, where the stats show the exact opposite — but Carnevale sticks to his guns and even goes on to claim that the reason marijuana is illegal is because it is a harmful drug and serves no medicinal purposes? I think 13 states and growing would beg to differ, along with all the scientists and doctors that aren’t paid by the government to speak out against marijuana.
Carnevale denies that the prohibition of marijuana is similar to the failed prohibition of alcohol. He even dodges a statement about marijuana being less addictive and toxic than alcohol by bringing other drugs into the discussion. Back-peddling, trying to stand on some firm ground, Carnevale then brings up the point that they all like to bring up — the children. How Carnevale brought this up is sheer lunacy by implying that if marijuana would be legalized then a 3 or 5 year old would have it available to them.
Carnevale goes on to say that alcohol is the leading cause of people going to the hospital and that the social abuse of it has cost $200 billion. He forgot to mention the deaths that alcohol has caused, not just the trips to the doctor. Granted none of these things are good yet alcohol is still legal and marketed worldwide. Saying that marijuana can’t be legalized because we didn’t get it right with alcohol is just purely hypocritical.
Mass. Police Call New Law ‘Non-Enforceable at Best’
January 6th, 2009 by Perry
The new law decriminalizing marijuana is getting less-than-positive reviews by New England police officers.
The general counsel for the Mass. Chiefs of Police Association said he has fielded dozens of calls from law enforcement officials who say the law is so flawed it’s a joke. The end result is that police are turning a blind eye towards the drug, with many officers not even bothering to write tickets for marijuana use.
Police say their issues with the law are practical in nature. While they are supposed to issue a citation booklet with a new check box for marijuana citations, the city has yet to have them printed, creating a small but significant obstacle to giving accurate citations.
Even with these obstacles, one shady character might be the first person to get charged with a marijuana citation. While being busted for having 119 crack rocks and 45 bags of heroin, police also found .2 grams of pot in Jose Burgos’ pocket. Sucks, but I think Jose is going to have a little bit more to worry about than just a citation.
