cannabisnews.com: When Will the Voters Finally Be Heard? When Will the Voters Finally Be Heard? Posted by CN Staff on October 30, 2002 at 17:22:54 PT By John Sperling, Special for The Republic Source: Arizona Republic In 1996, 65 percent of Arizona voters voted for Proposition 200, which reduced drug abuse by treating drug users rather than incarcerating them in drug-infested jails and prisons. As a result, two-thirds of drug users are successfully completing treatment, at an annual savings of $5 million in state and local expenditures.In addition, there has been a sharp decline in the crimes users commit in order to get the money needed to support their habit. The Arizona Supreme Court in its official evaluation said that the treatment programs are resulting in "safer communities." Proposition 200 was supported by many conservative Republicans, including the late Barry Goldwater, former Reagan official John Norton and Dr. Jeffrey Singer, a benefactor to the Cato Institute. The idea was to provide an alternative to our failed War on Drugs, a strategy of curtailing drug abuse. Former Arizona Attorney General Grant Woods, our chief law enforcement officer for eight years, is actively endorsing the new measure as well.Proposition 200 also allowed doctors to prescribe marijuana for patients suffering from acute pain, uncontrolled vomiting, and wasting disease. Unfortunately, this provision never took effect because the Legislature repealed that section of the law immediately after the election.In 1998, the voters reinstated the medical marijuana provision but this time it was made a dead letter because federal authorities threatened to take away the license of any physician who dared to prescribe marijuana to a patient.Proposition 203 will finally achieve what Arizona voters approved in 1996 and 1998. The medical marijuana under the terms of Proposition 203 will come from marijuana seized by law enforcement agencies, so there will be no need to violate federal laws triggered by the interstate commerce clause of the U.S. Constitution.John Sperling is founder of the University of Phoenix.Note: Please refrain from posting the rest of the article because of Copyright Issues. Thank You.Snipped: Complete Article: http://www.arizonarepublic.com/opinions/articles/1030sperling30.htmlSource: Arizona Republic (AZ) Author: John Sperling, Special for The RepublicPublished: October 30, 2002Copyright: 2002 The Arizona Republic Contact: opinions arizonarepublic.com Website: http://www.arizonarepublic.com/ Related Articles & Web Site:The Cato Institutehttp://www.cato.org/We Don't Need Police Peddling Marijuana http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14606.shtmlDoctors Free To Discuss Pot Use with Patientshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14604.shtmlPot Plan a Smoke Screen, Foes Say http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14466.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #3 posted by BGreen on October 31, 2002 at 04:43:42 PT The mayor of Phoenix was almost killed during a charity go-cart race because they weren't wearing helmets! He rolled the go-cart and hit his head on the pavement.Now, it seems like the biggest cause of accidents isn't cannabis, but STUPIDITY. Stupidity used to be stamped out by what was referred to as "Survival of the fittest," but now the Police States of Amerika (PSA) has a new agenda, which is "Protect the weak and sacrifice the strong."Passing laws trying to protect that "one" child or person is unnatural. That "one" animal on the Discovery Channel is going to be dinner for another.Let's take Amsterdam as an example. I was told by a local that people don't sue for everything like we do in the PSA. As a result people tend to pay more attention ... because they HAVE to. Those trams don't stop for anything and people know they have to be careful. In the PSA, barriers would have to be installed to keep people from jumping or wandering in front of the trams and suing for millions.Stupid, clumsy, and feeble people in the PSA have a license to kill as long as they don't put substances in their body. People kill people on the roads every day with impunity, unless the testing of the drivers' blood shows a certain level of alcohol or ANY so-called illegal substance. The majority of the drivers face no penalties for taking another's life.If somebody hurts somebody else, REGARDLESS of what chemicals they have in their body, they should be held responsible for their actions.If you've never been to Amsterdam, go to www.overtoom.tv and look at the webcam shots of Overtoom, which is a major artery leading out of Amsterdam. The Vondelpark would be about a block behind these webcams.Outward from the webcams you'll see a sidewalk for people, a bicycle path, a straight lane for cars and busses, a left-turn lane for cars and busses, two sets of tram tracks, two lanes of auto traffic going the opposite direction, another bicycle path, and another sidewalk for people. Traffic on the bicycle paths goes both directions. The taxis usually run ON the tram tracks, but they are allowed to drive on the regular auto lanes, and I've seen them on bicycle paths and sidewalks, so you just have to watch out.This wouldn't exist in the PSA. It's too confusing, SOMEBODY would get hurt and sue, and therefore we can't have it.In Amsterdam, if some idiotic Amerikan smokes too much cannabis and wanders in front of a tram, the Dutch say "lesson learned."So grab your cell phone, light a cigarette and eat your lunch, and don't let the fact that you're supposed to be paying any attention to the task of DRIVING enter into your feeble little mind, even if you kill someone.Or, drive a motorcycle or go-cart without a helmet and smash your head open, because if you don't have any illegal substances in your body, you've got nothing to worry about.But, stop calling me a threat and trying to take my house, my property, and my freedom, JUST because I consume cannabis! Amsterdam Overtoom WebCam Live! [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by FoM on October 30, 2002 at 20:29:22 PT Prop 203 Information Prop 203: Read The Initiative: http://www.sos.state.az.us/election/2002/Info/PubPamphlet/propI-11-2002.htm [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by DdC on October 30, 2002 at 19:18:36 PT Who do you believe the New York Times... ...or the New York Times?http://www.webactive.com/pacifica/demnow/dn20021030.html As the nation's paper of record changes its story on this weekend's anti-war protests, we look at how the Times and National Public Radio have minimized the peace movement. The PR industry unspun: http://www.webactive.com/pacifica/demnow/dn20021030.html How public relations helped mold opinion leading up to the Gulf War a decade ago. We look at an excerpt from the documentary "Toxic Sludge is Good for You." Sen. Paul Wellstone remembered: http://www.webactive.com/pacifica/demnow/dn20021030.html 20,000 turn out in Minneapolis to celebrate the life of the late Senator, his family, staff and the pilots who died in a plane crash last week. We hear a speech from his close friend Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA). Democracy Now http://www.democracynow.org [ Post Comment ] Post Comment