• Focus Alerts

    #459 Please Support The Marijuana Propositions

    PLEASE SUPPORT THE MARIJUANA PROPOSITIONS

    **********************************************************************

    DrugSense FOCUS Alert #459 – Friday, October 8th, 2010

    This November 2nd voters will decide state wide initiatives of
    importance to the 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.

    Americans for Safe Access has a new Proposition 19 FAQ page which
    answers questions California’s medicinal marijuana community may have
    http://www.safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=6127

    Common Sense for Drug Policy has produced a special edition of Drug
    War Facts for Proposition 19. It is called “Marijuana Facts on Drug
    War Facts” and can be found online in the Drug War Facts Marijuana
    chapter at http://www.DrugWarFacts.org/cms/Marijuana

    A related 2 page Fact Sheet designed to answer common questions about
    marijuana is at
    http://drugwarfacts.org/cms/files/Marijuana-Facts-from-Drug-War-Facts.pdf

    Here are some ways you may support Proposition 19:

    Donate https://secure.yeson19.com/page/contribute

    Volunteer http://yeson19.com/volunteer

    Register to vote – the deadline for California voters is October 18th
    http://yeson19.com/vote

    Distribute Proposition 19 endorsements
    http://yeson19.com/endorsements and
    http://yeson19.com/sites/default/files/Yes%20on%2019%20Endorsements.pdf

    Below is a small selection of letters by folks like you had printed
    since we wrote about letter writing September 18th
    http://www.mapinc.org/alert/0453.html

    In a close election your letters could make the difference.

    Continues: http://www.mapinc.org/alert/0459.html

  • Hot Off The 'Net - International

    Marc Emery US Federal Prison Blog #17: a tribute to an old friend

    http://www.cannabisculture.com/v2/node/25052

    Marc Emery US Federal Prison Blog #17: Letter to Jodie
    October 5th, 2010

    Dear Jodie: I was saddened to hear that Michelle Rainey is possibly just weeks away from dying from her melanoma and lymphatic cancer, which has now reached critical proportions throughout her body. She’s only 37. Melanoma is such a vicious cancer, and cancer has been terrible on her brother, killing him young, and affecting others in her family. Considering Michelle battled Crohn’s Disease since she was a teenager, it’s a bitter blow for her, this life of suffering she’s had.

    Michelle was my #1 partner in so many of my great triumphs, which I hope she regards as her great triumphs too. Considering the considerable pain her health has given her, she was heroic in so many ways, in so many campaigns that helped so many and represented the movement with class and clout.

    With Matthew Johnson, Michelle and I ran the legendary and historic full-slate election campaign of 79 BC Marijuana Party candidates in the 2001 BC general election. You had to be there to believe it: in the campaign HQ, gathering all the candidates, getting the 40 signatures in each riding to qualify, having Richard Nixon’s old campaign bus tour the province with BCMP leader Brian Taylor (now Mayor of Grand Forks) on board. We nicknamed that old bus the “Cannabus”, and that campaign was when you got into politics, Jodie, going to your very first rally in Kamloops the day that bus came by Riverside Park.

  • Cannabis & Hemp - Hot Off The 'Net

    Prop 19 Analysis: Will Marijuana Legalization Increase Use?

    By Maia Szalavitz

    As California moves toward the legalization of marijuana — next month, voters will decide on Proposition 19, the Regulate, Control and Tax Cannabis Act of 2010 — a key question remains: could the new law produce a whole generation of stoners? Opponents of legalization say, yes, fearing it will lead to a massive increase in pot smoking among youth. But some supporters suggest the opposite: legalizing cannabis could de-glamorize it and ultimately prompt reductions in toking. Who’s right?

  • Cannabis & Hemp - Hot Off The 'Net

    U.S. Government Data Demonstrates Failure of Cannabis Prohibition

    The International Centre for Science in Drug Policy (ICSDP) today released a new research report that demonstrates the clear failure of U.S. marijuana prohibition and supports calls for evidence-based models to legalize and regulate the use of cannabis. The British Medical Journal, one of the world’s most influential medical journals, published a supportive commentary to coincide with the report’s release today.

    The new report, entitled Tools for debate: U.S. federal government data on cannabis prohibition, uses 20 years of data collected by surveillance systems funded by the U.S. government to highlight the failure of cannabis prohibition in America. The report has deep relevance for California as the state prepares to vote on the Regulate, Control and Tax Cannabis proposition and, potentially, legalize cannabis.

    Listen to lead author Dr. Evan Wood discussing the report with host Bill Good on CKNW Radio Vancouver.

  • Cannabis & Hemp - Hot Off The 'Net

    Pot Prohibitionist Prevarications

    Five whoppers told by opponents of California’s marijuana legalization initiative

    By Jacob Sullum

    With a month to go before California voters decide whether to legalize marijuana, Proposition 19’s opponents have pinned their hopes on desperate arguments that illustrate the intellectual bankruptcy of the prohibitionist position. Unable to offer a persuasive moral justification for continuing to treat marijuana users and suppliers like criminals, the No on 19 crowd has tried to distract voters’ attention with several bright red herrings. Here are five of the smelliest.

  • Cannabis & Hemp - Hot Off The 'Net

    Has the US Reached A Tipping Point On Pot?

    California’s Proposition 19, if approved by voters, will legalize possession of small amounts of marijuana legal for the first time in the United States. Many other states have relaxed their marijuana laws. Is this the tipping point when marijuana follows alcohol and gambling from criminal offense to harmless pastime — and source of new tax revenue?

  • Drug Policy - Question of the Week

    How many Americans use illegal drugs?

    Drug Policy Question of the Week – 10-9-10

    As answered by Mary Jane Borden, Editor of Drug War Facts for the Drug Truth Network on 10-9-10. http://www.drugtruth.net/cms/node/3098

    Question of the Week: How many Americans use illegal drugs?

    In 1992, Congress established the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. SAMSHA’s Office of Applied Studies collects, analyzes, and disseminates public health data including the annual National Survey on Drug Use and Health. This survey, fielded since 1971, reports the prevalence of illicit drug, alcohol, and tobacco use in the civilian, non-institutionalized US population aged 12 or older.

    The 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health report was released in mid-September. Those quoting it should make note of its “Limitations on Trend Measurement” section that reads,

    “2002 and later data should not be compared with 2001 and earlier data from the survey series to assess changes over time.”

    Anyone who makes such comparisons is misrepresenting SAMSHA data.

    The Drug Usage Chapter of Drug War Facts now contains three tables based on post-2001 SAMSHA data.

    The first table displays the percentage change in use by substance from 2002 to 2006 (at the five year mark) and from 2002-2009 to reflect the most current trends. Overall illicit use has increased by almost 12% since 2002.

    The second table shows values for Estimated Lifetime use by substance from 2002 to 2009. Lifetime use means trying a drug at least once. About 119 million Americans have used an illicit substance at least once.

    The third table reflects the estimated number of individuals who have used an illicit substance at least once per month. Called “Current users,” an estimated 22 million Americans used illegal drugs at least once per month in 2009.

    These facts and others like them can be found in the Drug Usage Chapter of Drug War Facts at www.drugwarfacts.org.

    Questions concerning these or other facts concerning drug policy can be e-mailed to [email protected]