cannabisnews.com: Voters to Weigh in on Decriminalizing Pot 





Voters to Weigh in on Decriminalizing Pot 
Posted by CN Staff on November 02, 2002 at 21:08:02 PT
By Mike Bassett
Source: Sentinel And Enterprise
Should marijuana be decriminalized? Ashby and Ashburnham voters, along with others from the 2nd Worcester Legislative District, have a chance Tuesday to weigh in on that issue at the polls on Tuesday.That question, and other marijuana-related questions similar to it, appears on ballots in 22 legislative districts.
The question Ashby and Ashburnham voters will look at reads, "Shall the state representative from this district be instructed to vote in favor of legislation that would make possession of less than one ounce of marijuana a civil violation, subject to a maximum fine of $100 and not subject to any criminal penalties?The question is nonbinding. The current representative from the 2nd Worcester District, Brian Knuuttila, D-Gardner, is running for re-election against Republican William Hunt of Gardner. Neither were available for comment.For Jim Pillsbury of Framingham, who, along with the Massachusetts Cannabis Reform Coalition (MassCann) has been a driving force behind getting many of these questions on state representative and senatorial district ballots, the decriminalization of marijuana is something he's been working towards for many years."When Jimmy Carter got elected we all thought marijuana would be decriminalized and we would all be happy," he said. "Well, it wasn't decriminalized, and Reagan and Bush made it worse, and in the Clinton years more people were arrested for marijuana possession than at any other time. It's just gotten progressively worse."Pillsbury succeeded in getting his decriminalization question on the ballot in his home legislative district, the 6th Middlesex, in 2000, and it passed with 68% of the vote. Now. not only have he and his allies succeeded in putting a marijuana-related question on ballots in 22 districts this year, but Pillsbury is also running for a house seat as a Libertarian, challenging incumbent Debby Blumer, D-Framingham.The yes vote in 2000 demonstrates what Pillsbury believes is a national trend. "When it's off the record, in the privacy of the voting booth, people will vote to decriminalize," he said. "Everybody believes we have a lot of problems in this country -- education, terrorism -- marijuana is not one of them."According to Pillsbury, it took 200 signatures to get the decriminalization question on the 2nd Worcester Legislative District ballot. He contrasts this with an effort four years ago to get the question on a statewide ballot."We didn't have the money, or backing, needed to get the signatures we needed," he said. "It's a whole lot easier on the local level to do the question non-binding."Pillsbury argues that the criminalization of marijuana continues to "make no sense."He estimated that approximately 15,000 Massachusetts residents are arrested for marijuana possession every year, and that dealing with these cases costs the state $25 million a year. Decriminalizing marijuana, he argued, not only saves the commonwealth money, but also reduces the burden on law enforcement agencies.According to the National Drug Intelligence (a component of the U.S. Department of Justice) 2001 Massachusetts Drug Threat Assessment, marijuana use is considered to be "rampant" across the state. The problem with marijuana use, the assessment states, is that law enforcement officials believe marijuana is a "gateway" drug that leads to eventual use of cocaine, heroin, or other more addictive drugs.One law enforcement office, Police Chief John Murray of Ashburnham, agrees."You can't do it (decriminalize marijuana)," Murray said. "It will blossom into situation where society is willing to accept drug use as a way of life."Murray said that while Ashburnham does not have a significant problem with the drug, "it does seem to be the drug of choice -- besides alcohol -- in Ashburnham."As much as it goes around illegally, how much would we have it was legal," he said. "I just don't think we should open that door."Complete Title: Question 4 Allows Voters to Weigh in on Decriminalizing Pot Source: Sentinel And Enterprise, The (MA)Author: Mike BassettPublished: Saturday, November 02, 2002 Copyright: 2002 MediaNews Group, Inc.Website: http://sentinelandenterprise.com/Contact: letters sentinelandenterprise.comRelated Articles & Web Site:MassCannhttp://www.masscann.org/Boxford Faces Question on Marijuana Law http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14641.shtmlBallot To Include Pot Question http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13903.shtmlS. Shore Voters To Face Pot Questionhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13900.shtml
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Comment #1 posted by DdC on November 02, 2002 at 21:42:13 PT
Remember Their Names...Remember Their Deeds!
The D.E.A.th Wishers...Police Chief John Murray of Ashburnham, Sonya Barna, commander of the Department of Justice's Campaign Against Marijuana Production, known as CAMP, Mark Kleiman, professor of policy studies at the University of California, Las Vegas Sun, Gary a former Sun managing editor who now works as an executive for Harrah's and 22-year-old daughter Kelly Thompson, Author: Jeff German, Columnist, Representatives of law enforcement agencies including Metro Police, Nevada Highway Patrol and North Las Vegas Police, NHP spokesman Jim Olschlager, former Bush Sr. aide Sig Rogich, Gov. Bob Taft, his wife, his chief of staff, two Ohio 'cabinet' members and numerous other officials, aided by Mary Ann Solberg, the drug czars of Florida and Michigan, Betty Sembler a senior DEA agent, the Republican National Committee, Partnership for a Drug-Free America, Clinton drug czar Barry McCaffrey , Rep. Bob Barr Amendment restricts plaintiffs' First Amendment right (R-GA), Maricopa County attorney Rick Romley -- who touted his candidacy for drug czar got the curiously numbered Proposition 302 on the ballot., Jerry Gjesvold Register-Guard STOP DUI Executive Director Sandy Heverly, Dorothy North, former state Substance Abuse Commission Chairwoman operates the Vitality House rehabilitation center in Elko. Lt. Stan Olsen, the Las Vegas police legislative lobbyist, Rachel Wilkie, a Rogich Communications representative who works for the committee Sgt. Rick Barela, spokesman for the Las Vegas Metro Police , Jack Foote, the spokesman for Ranch Rescue. About 13 volunteers for the group, called Ranch Rescue, Roger Barnett U.S. Attorney Steven Biskupic, William Schilling , Waukesha County District Attorney Paul Bucher, Preble County,Ohio SWAT team , Iron County, Utah Attorney Scott Garrett , Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel Wong , Union-Tribune Editorial ,
Clark County, Nevada Deputy District Attorney Gary Booker, state Sen. Joe Neal the Democratic candidate for governor of Nevada, President George W. Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, 
LaRouche organization, Nevada Board of Health Dr. Joey Villaflor, chairman of the board, Riverside County,CA prosecutor assigned to the case, Cynthia Brewer, Bush's Office of National Drug Control Policy appointed drug czar John P. Walters, D.E.A.th head salesman Asa Hutchinson,
Attorney Germinal John Ashcraft, Matt Salmon and Janet Napolitano, the current state Attorney General and former U.S. Attorney for Arizona. Ronald P. Pierini, Sheriff of Douglas County Nevada, Pima County Arizona cops, Sheriff Clarence Dupnik and County Attorney Barbara LaWall,
DEA spokesman Will Glaspy, Gregory M. Gassett is assistant special agent in charge for the Seattle Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Pedro Morales, Reno Gazette-Journal, Dick Foreman Arizona Republican, Harry J. Anslinger, U.S. Commissioner of Narcotics Robert Stutman, a former Drug Enforcement Administration agent,
Tom Gardner, Pennington County (SD) States Attorney Glenn Brenner, Brad Schreiber, a Belle Fourche,SD Attorney. DEA Chief Administrator Robert Bonner Republican attorney general candidate Brian Sandoval, Democrat John Hunt, Non-partisan sheriff's candidates Randy Oaks a police captain, and Bill Young a Las Vegas deputy police chief, Republican district attorney candidate David Roger, Democratic opponent, Mike Davidson, Columbia Police Chief Randy Boehm, Municipal Judge John Whiteside, The Arizona Pharmacy Association and the Arizona Society of Health System Pharmacists, Pati Urias, a spokeswoman for the Arizona Attorney General's Office, Pima County,Az Attorney Barbara LaWall, a Democrat, Sgt. Mike Bonin, a DPS spokesman, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Steve Gust, a spokesman, Taft, his wife, his chief of staff, two Ohio 'cabinet' members, numerous other officials, Mary Ann Solberg, senior U.S. Senate staffer, the drug czars of Florida and Michigan and a senior DEA agent. Betty Sembler, four top executives from the Partnership for a Drug-Free America... always continuing...The Electric Emperor
http://www.electricemperor.comIt is proper to take alarm at the first experiment on our liberties. We hold this prudent jealousy to be the first duty of citizens and one of the noblest characteristics of the late Revolution. The freemen of America did not wait till usurped power had strengthened itself by exercise and entangled the question in precedents. They saw all the consequences in the principle, and they avoided the consequences by denying the principle. We revere this lesson too much ... to forget it -- James Madison."Today, we need a nation of Minutemen, citizens who are not only prepared to take arms, but citizens who regard the preservation of freedom as the basic purpose of their daily life and who are willing to consciously work and sacrifice for that freedom."-- John F. Kennedy"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." -- Benjamin Franklin, Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759."I hold it, that a little rebellion, now and then, is a good thing, and as necessary in the political world as storms in the physical." -- Thomas Jefferson, Letter to James Madison, January 30, 1787"The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions, that I wish it always to be kept alive. It will often be exercised when wrong, but better so than not to be exercised at all. I like a little rebellion now and then. It is like a storm in the Atmosphere.
-- Thomas Jefferson, letter to Abigail Adams, 1787Walters the Terrorist 
http://boards.marihemp.com/boards/politics/media/39/39850.jpgPeace, Love and Liberty in Solidarity or The D.E.A.th Wisher!
DdCD.E.A.th Deceptions
http://www.angelfire.com/ca7/ddc/DEAth.htmlU.S.Al Qaeda!
http://www.cannabinoid.com/boards/politics/media/39/39670.gifThugczar Wally
http://www.cannabinoid.com/boards/politics/media/35/35838.gif
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