DrugSense recognizes Dale Gieringer, director, California NORML, San
Francisco for his two letters published during September, bringing
his total published letters that we know of to 28.
You may review his published letters at
http://www.mapinc.org/writer/Dale+Gieringer
LETTER OF THE WEEK
DRUG WAR HAS FAILED
Though I don’t agree with Debra J. Saunders on many issues, her
writing consistently shows that she truly understands that the drug
war and marijuana prohibition have failed and that these policies
lead to real-life, devastating consequences.
Saunders pokes holes in the opposition’s arguments (including this
newspaper’s) that fear change, and she points out the hypocrisy and
harm of keeping in place laws that don’t work.
She gets that Prop. 19 is the way out of this mess. It’s the way to
stop wasting tax dollars and resources on ineffective policies and to
reduce the threat to public safety posed by cartels that the current
prohibition enriches and empowers.
Further, it’s plain wrong to criminalize responsible, adult use of
cannabis when it is arguably safer to use than alcohol and denies
equal rights to good people who would prefer a toke over a drink.
Marijuana is here to stay, and people are going to consume it, so
taxing, controlling and regulating cannabis now is the sensible thing to do.
So let’s end marijuana prohibition and generate some revenue for the
state in the process.
Mikki Norris, El Cerrito
Pubdate: Wed, 22 Sep 2010
Source: San Francisco Chronicle (CA)
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v10/n764/a05.html
Published Letters Awards www.mapinc.org/lteaward.htm
DrugSense FOCUS Alert #457 – Wednesday, September 29th, 2010
Today the Los Angeles Times printed an OPED you may wish to forward
to your conservative friends.
You may forward this FOCUS Alert. You may also email any FOCUS Alert
from this webpage http://www.mapinc.org/focus/
Please also consider writing a letter to the editor about this OPED.
Professor Miron’s Cato Institute study is on line at
http://www.cato.org/pubs/wtpapers/DrugProhibitionWP.pdf
WHY PARENTS SHOULD SUPPORT LEGALIZING MARIJUANA
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DrugSense FOCUS Alert #456 – Sunday, September 26th, 2010
Today newspapers are reporting that California’s respected Field Poll
found 49% of those likely voters support Proposition 19, with 42%
opposed and 9% undecided.
Since undecided voters tend to vote against on Election Day
Proposition 19 is in need of every possible vote.
You may help by contacting your California voter friends to let them
know how you feel about the initiative.
Perhaps sending one or more of the FOCUS Alerts about the issue would
help. You may send them from this page http://www.mapinc.org/focus/
Other ways you may help are found at the Proposition 19 website
http://yeson19.com/
Newspaper clippings about California’s Proposition 19 are MAP posted
at http://www.mapinc.org/find?272
Your letters to the editor are important, as we stated at this alert
http://www.mapinc.org/alert/0453.html
If you are not yet registered to vote, please do so. You may use the
Rock the Vote system linked from http://drugsense.org/url/JoudT0rb to
register in your state.
Below is an article for parents.
Newshawk: Published Letters Awards www.mapinc.org/lteaward.htm
LETTER OF THE WEEK
LEGALIZE MARIJUANA: TIME TO ACT IS NOW
Your editorial against Proposition 19 (“No on Prop. 19,” Sept. 16)
once again shows that The Chronicle clearly hasn’t done its homework
with regard to marijuana policy.
Indeed, the devil is in the details, and with closer review, you
would have understood that Prop. 19 is more than just a “slogan or
concept.” It is an opportunity to overturn the utter failure of years
of marijuana prohibition.
I introduced AB390 nearly two years ago not only to address
California’s economic crisis but more importantly to begin a rational
discussion about how best to regulate the state’s largest cash crop,
estimated to be worth roughly $14 billion a year.
The reality is clear: Marijuana is a huge part of our state’s
economy, and we can no longer afford to keep our heads in the
sand. The time to act is now. No bill or proposition is perfect,
and certainly Prop. 19 has some flaws, but to agree that the “war on
drugs” has been an abject failure yet refuse to take action to change
it simply defies all logic and common sense.
FOLLOW THE MONEY: THE IMPACT OF LEGALIZED POT
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DrugSense FOCUS Alert #455 – Thursday, September 23rd, 2010
Today the Capitol Weekly “The newspaper of California government and
politics” printed the article below as well as another titled
Minorities Have Growing Visibility in Proposition Campaigns
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v10.n771.a01.html
Issues raised in the article below deserve consideration.
In a well written analysis titled Prop 19 Would Help — Not Hurt —
Medical Marijuana Patients today David Borden, Executive Director,
StoptheDrugWar.org addressed that issue
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-borden/prop-19-would-help-not-hu_b_735846.html
PROP. 19 – END MARIJUANA PROHIBITION, VOTE YES
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DrugSense FOCUS Alert #454 – Monday, September 20th, 2010
Syndicated columnist Debra Saunders summarizes the issues well in the
column below.
Please encourage your local newspapers to carry this column.
Newspaper editors will know how to pick up the column from Creators
Syndicate http://www.creators.com/opinion/debra-saunders.html
WHY LETTER TO THE EDITOR WRITING IS IMPORTANT
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DrugSense FOCUS Alert #453 – Saturday, September 18th, 2010
This November voters will decide state wide initiatives of importance
to the drug policy reform community.
Newspaper clippings about California’s Proposition 19 are MAP posted
at http://www.mapinc.org/find?272
Clippings about Arizona’s Proposition 203 are at
http://www.mapinc.org/find?273 and Oregon’s Measure 74 at
http://www.mapinc.org/find?276
Your letters in response to the newspaper articles and opinions are
an important part of educating the voters.
Good advice about prioritizing your letter writing targets is
provided by Robert Sharpe, who has had 2,358 letters published,
http://www.mapinc.org/resource/tips.htm
Facts you may find of value are at
http://www.drugwarfacts.org/cms/node/53 and
http://www.drugwarfacts.org/cms/node/54
Below is a small selection of letters by folks like you published to
date. In a close election your letters could make the difference.
LETTER OF THE WEEK
LIKE USING GAS TO PUT OUT A FIRE
RE: “Murderous Mexican standoff,” Sept. 5:
The article by Mercedes Stephenson concludes with a passionate
plea. “Helping our Mexican neighbours to develop long-term judicial
and police reforms to defeat vile cartels that prey on human misery
and suffering is a win for everyone.” Over the past four decades
we’ve increased the number of drug offences in the Controlled Drugs
Act, we’ve increased per capita the number of police officers
enforcing our drug laws, raised the sentences for drug offences, and
given police as much power to fight the drug war as we dare without
tossing human rights out the window. Those enhancements haven’t
brought us any closer to winning the drug war. Why would we assume,
therefore, that we have any valuable advice to give Mexico on this
subject? The federal government is calling for yet more drug
offences, harsher penalties, more police and other armed forces, more
prisons, and broader enforcement powers. It’s like using gas to put
out a fire. No, we can’t help our Mexican neighbours.
Mike Bryan
Pubdate: Sun, 12 Sep 2010
Source: Edmonton Sun (CN AB)
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v10/n728/a01.html