cannabisnews.com: Government Gets in on Dope Dealing Government Gets in on Dope Dealing Posted by CN Staff on November 04, 2002 at 07:37:37 PT By Tim Cavanaugh Source: Reason Magazine "Expect violent third party theft attempts, with pitched machine gun battles in Golden Gate Park," reads an opponent's argument against San Francisco's Proposition S. The citywide ballot initiative would "explore the possibility of establishing a program whereby the City would grow medical cannabis and distribute it to patients attempting to exercise their rights under Proposition 215, California's Compassionate Use Act of 1996." For Terence Faulkner, a local Republican party official who authored the opponent's argument, this is the kind of thinking that ends with everybody firing Uzis. "The San Francisco Police," he writes, "even if backed with machineguns and explosives, would have to expend tremendous financial resources defending our proposed local marijuana farm." Whatever you may think of Faulkner's prediction, or his choice of weaponry, his argument does point to a larger issue in the now-nationwide confrontation over medical cannabis and marijuana decriminalization: Do we really want to have the government running the weed stash? This is more than an academic question thanks to the enormous progress made nationwide by medical cannabis initiatives. While public support for overall marijuana decriminalization remains between 25 percent and 35 percent, support for allowing cancer, AIDS and glaucoma sufferers to relieve pain with medical pot registers at 70 percent or above. That's an impressive figure, but its logical end point is a future where only deathly ill people can get pot legally, and those only with a doctor's prescription and probably some vetting by the government. In the past, pure libertarian arguments against medical cannabis initiatives like Arizona's Prop. 200 highlighted concerns that the "medicalization" of drug laws merely moved authority from the criminal justice bureaucracy to the medical/regulatory bureaucracy. (And as recent raids on medical cannabis facilities in California show, it hasn't even done that.) Like most pure libertarian arguments, that one was a recipe for irrelevance. The medical cannabis campaign, which would be worthwhile simply on its own merits, has had the added benefit of demolishing the Office of National Drug Control Policy's factual case against marijuana. "Has the public debate over medical marijuana been useful in the broader view?" asks Keith Stroup, executive director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. "No doubt. Because the government's case has been all Reefer Madness, and they can't continue to make that case to a person whose grandmother used medical marijuana when she had cancer, and who saw that it didn't make her violent or crazy. In fact it didn't make her act funny at all; it just relieved unbearable pain when she was sick. So we've had an open demonstration that marijuana can't be Reefer Madness on one hand and be harmless on the other." Nevertheless, the success of the medical cannabis track and the looming possibility of regulation replacing prohibition (Nevada's Question 9, which appears headed for defeat, would require the state Legislature to set up a penalty system for using, distributing, selling or possessing marijuana "under certain circumstances," and to establish a regulatory structure for approved pot) creates an odd prospect. Would prescribing doctors and elected officials—people who lack even a street dealer's sense of honor—become America's default connections? And in the case of Proposition S, why should a government you wouldn't trust to produce penicillin or Claritin be in the business of producing cannabis? At issue is how much truth there was in former drug czar Barry McCaffrey's famous claim that medical marijuana was just "a stalking horse for legalization." In a Time magazine cover story laced with the kind of couch-and-munchies jokes that were stale when Robert Mitchum was busted, Joel Stein takes that claim pretty much at face value. That most—though not all—organizations that have historically supported medical cannabis have also supported overall decriminalization adds some weight to this belief. But there are more ways to open the decriminalization discussion than merely to provide a "stalking horse"—a notion that speaks more to McCaffrey's contempt for voters' intelligence than to the strategy of the legalization lobby. "We support medical marijuana," says Daniel Abrahamson, director of legal affairs at Oakland's Drug Policy Alliance office. "We also support legalization and regulation of marijuana for adult use. We don't do one or the other as a Trojan horse" Given the wide discrepancy in numbers between voters who support medical use and those who support legalization, it's clear that not everybody votes for medical initiatives in order to normalize the idea of recreational drug use. It's also an open secret that at least some voters do have that goal in mind. But what is most clear is that all those voters are willing to consider pot in some terms other than strictly adamantine prohibition. It's in this opening out of public opinion that the medical track has made great progress toward decriminalization. In legal terms, however, we may still be at or near square one. If the Nevada proposal (or a similar decriminalization initiative in Arizona) goes down, decriminalization will have taken a roundtrip ride, with not much to show for it. And in a few years, when technological advances like the THC inhaler take the issue of medical marijuana off the table, the matter of decriminalization will be left to stand on its own. Which may be a healthy development; at some point, both advocates and opponents should have to argue their cases not on tactics or data points but on the principle of whether an adult has the right to indulge a victimless vice. For now, proponents of both medical use and legalization see battles like Prop. S as being worth fighting. The impetus for Prop. S—as spelled out in the initiative's brief text—came from the Drug Enforcement Agency's highly unpopular raid on the Santa Cruz Wo/Men's Alliance for Medical Marijuana in September. Thus the proposition—which in any event would only prompt the city government to do a study—is essentially a public relations challenge to draconian federal drug policies. "I really think it's only through aggressive action like Prop. S that we're going to force a showdown on this issue," says NORML's Stroup. This also may obviate concerns about government involvement in growing and distribution, including Terence Faulkner's visions of machine gun battles. "That is a preposterous claim," says Abrahamson. "The Wo/Men's Alliance has a 15-year history of cultivating and distributing medical cannabis, and not once had they been raided or robbed until the federal DEA came in to raid them on September 5. To be sure, a city supply would need security measures, but they wouldn't have to be any more stringent than security for any other city properties." As for the mechanics of growing and distribution, he says "My impression is that the city would have a wide amount of latitude to structure a system of growing and dispensing, and would have the ability to contract many things out to private entities if it so chooses. It's not a foregone conclusion that city officials will be controlling the supply." Even Faulkner, a habitual objector who writes voluminous arguments against many ballot initiatives, seems less than passionate about the issue when asked. "I have no problem if they want to take a look at it," he says. "But San Francisco is not the ideal place for it, because the city is only 49 square miles. That's a small area to be growing a supply that would be worth millions of dollars. Security is the main concern. You're dealing with a fungible crop; it's easy to steal and sell. If you steal art from a museum, nobody can fence that stuff." Warming to the topic, Faulkner cites the possibility of birds spreading seeds all over town, notes that the Bay Area's coastal climate could promote uncontrolled growth, and considers the prospect of growing a city supply in greenhouses. One topic that does not seem to bother him, however, is the abstract principle of the government as medical pot supplier. "I'm not concerned about government being a supplier," he says. "The question of who's the producer is not terribly important." Legalization proponents have thought about this question, however. "In the long run, it would make me nervous having the government in that role," says Stroup, "because he who turns on the spigot can turn it off." Abrahamson points to an unexpected model when considering how to move from prohibition to regulation. "It's interesting to look at tobacco regulation around the states," he says. "There, the states are trying to regulate, but not over-regulate to the point where you get a black market with all the smuggling and violence associated with that." If using state tobacco regulations as a model for anything makes you nervous, that may indicate how far there still is to go in approving legalization. The American electorate often seems less than fully committed even to such well-established concepts as the right to free speech. To sell legalization based on the abstract freedom of an adult to ingest substances with no nutritional content or redeeming social value is an uphill battle; and it may be closer at hand than proponents would like. Hot-button issues like medical marijuana and property forfeiture have greatly weakened the drug warriors' factual and legal justifications. But whatever tactical work those issues have accomplished is now largely over. Unless proponents want to go back to arguing that hemp is really good for making pants, the battle for legalization will sooner or later have to be waged in the open, on the strength of principles of personal freedom and personal responsibility. Happily, a battle of ideas can be waged without machine guns. But you never know what current drug czar John Walters might have up his sleeve. Complete Title: Machine Gun Delivery: Government Gets in on Dope DealingTim Cavanaugh is Reason's Web editor.Source: Reason Magazine (US)Author: Tim CavanaughPublished: November 4, 2002Copyright 2002 The Reason FoundationContact: letters reason.comWebsite: http://www.reason.com/ Related Articles & Web Sites:NRLE http://www.nrle.org/NORML http://www.norml.org/Drug Policy Alliance http://www.drugpolicy.org/News Articles -- WAMM Raidhttp://freedomtoexhale.com/valc.htmSan Francisco Considers Growing Marijuana http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14640.shtmlNevada Voters Face Marijuana Initiative http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14605.shtmlS.F. Voters Support Marijuana Measure http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread14101.shtmlMarijuana Initiative Qualifies for Arizona Ballothttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13727.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #23 posted by SWAMPIE on November 14, 2002 at 04:33:57 PT B Green...Anyone..............? If you check in.Bud,did you get to meet with IndustrialStrength?Just kinda curious.........FoM,What's up with DANA? I know that you had to delete a post,but that should not be a reason for him to quit posting.He said that he wouldn't quit even if you had to delete a post.Just curious.I enjoy everything about this site,and you all are like family to me,especially while we are going through a tough time.We're losing our house,Dad's sick,and a close friend just had a breast tumor biopsy.I guess that when the *hit hits the fan,it REALLY hits it!LOL!Gotta keep on keepin on,but it's a tough one! SWAMPIE [ Post Comment ] Comment #22 posted by FoM on November 05, 2002 at 15:56:28 PT Had Enough, Knox and canaman Thank You All! I didn't get back here until now and I wish Nevada good luck. Knox, I know you have worked very hard and thank you. Had Enough I don't know what Hurricane Harry is. [ Post Comment ] Comment #21 posted by Had Enough on November 04, 2002 at 23:06:58 PT Knox & FoM Knox & FoMIs it possible to set up some kind of web cam through this site from Hurricane Harry’s ?It might be a tall order, but a cool one. Just an idea.Power allies below,http://www.nrle.orghttp://www.leap.cc/ [ Post Comment ] Comment #20 posted by knox42897 on November 04, 2002 at 22:46:05 PT: Happy Birthday FOM Hello FOM, I want to wish you a happy birthday FOM, and I got a present for you tomorrow. Me and about 50 other people working at NRLE, went and put up door fliers in every F**king precint in Las Vegas. Tomorrow we knock on doors and force people to go vote! We will win tomorrow. There will be a party after the polls close at Hurrican Harry's fo the NRLE, national media should be there. So those of you in vegas, hurricane harry's is the place to be tomorrow. LAS VEGAS NEVADANS FOR RESPOSIBLE LAW ENFORCEMENT IN AMERICA [ Post Comment ] Comment #19 posted by canaman on November 04, 2002 at 22:43:33 PT That's the spirit FoM ! Win or lose tomorrow there will still be lots of work to be done. I too hope our victories are many and tomorrow will be a day of celebration. But we are on the road to victory no matter what! I was about to say enjoy what's left of your birthday but isn't it already Tuesday in Ohio? Anyhow you're only a day older! Sorry to hear of your friend. Have a good night and save some cake for the celebration party tomorrow! ;-) [ Post Comment ] Comment #18 posted by FoM on November 04, 2002 at 22:10:39 PT Had Enough Thank you. The day is almost over and tomorrow will be the day of reckoning. I know if we don't win we will bounce back and go forward because we don't have any choice. To abandon this just cause is not possible. I can't imagine what the future would become if we didn't keep trying. Hopefully we will win tomorrow. I know we all hope so too. [ Post Comment ] Comment #17 posted by Had Enough on November 04, 2002 at 20:29:31 PT Happy Birthday Happy BirthdayTomorrow might be one of your most remembered and precious birthday gifts of all.A gift of the end of this madness that exists in our society that will be a gift to all. That would be some gift.The American Spirit always comes to the aid of the underdog, once the truth is known. Herein lies the secret. Get the truth out for the world to see. We are watching history take place here. This is our due process, guaranteed by our grand forefathers who wrote The CONSTITUTION of the UNITED STATES, and the many others who sacrificed, fought, spilled blood worldwide, and died for this process. They will not be forgotten by many that realize these things. Regardless of it’s attacks by people with saddened intents after more than 200 years, those words that are written on it, still have serious meaning. So serious it impedes devious agendas of those with devious intentions. When the truth is known, the underdog will prevail. Get the truth out.Question 9 Yes 60% plusVOTE VOTE VOTE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Nevada is taking a big step for man, and huge, gigantic leaps, bounds, cartwheels, jumping-jacks, summer-saults, and Hoola Hoops for mankind.Powerful allies can be found at these links.http://www.nrle.orghttp://www.leap.cc/One last thingWhen logic, and proportion, Have fallen sloppy dead.And the White Knight is talking backwards.And the Red Queen says "off with her head!"Remember what the dormouse said"Feed your head. Feed your head."(Grace Slick-Jefferson Airplane last verse of White Rabbit) [ Post Comment ] Comment #16 posted by afterburner on November 04, 2002 at 19:25:47 PT: Happy Birthday, FoM (Friend of Marijuana?) Martha, let me add my best wishes on your birthday, and many thanks for your tireless efforts on behalf of pot prisoners, weed activists, and marijuana patients. Don't call it dope (unless you have a smile on your face!). ego destruction or ego transcendence, that is the question. I voted already and, like you, am eagerly awaiting the results tomorrow.Love and Peace.Refresh. Realize. Re-legalize.Vote. Vote, vote; vote: vote. Take someone to the polls."He [or she], who fights and runs away, lives to fight another day," Bob Marley. [ Post Comment ] Comment #15 posted by FoM on November 04, 2002 at 17:58:52 PT Thank You So Much I hope that we win tomorrow. That would be a great gift. That would be a gift that money can't buy and one you'd never forget either.You All Are The Best! [ Post Comment ] Comment #14 posted by mayan on November 04, 2002 at 17:47:49 PT Happy B-Day FoM! And may many of these initiatives pass as presents to you! [ Post Comment ] Comment #13 posted by Toker00 on November 04, 2002 at 16:50:05 PT And many more... I will toke one in your honor, FoM.The tobacco companies are already geared up to handle Cannabis production. I think I can handle my own (When legal to do so). Keep the Government out of it.Peace. Realize, then Re-Legalize. [ Post Comment ] Comment #12 posted by Patrick on November 04, 2002 at 16:23:33 PT Happy Happy Birthday FoM I hope you get a YES Vote in Nevada for your Birthday!!! I always suspected that Yoda puffed! :) How else could he have become so wise! [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by DdC on November 04, 2002 at 12:41:26 PT Happy Birthday Martha... I'm creating you a present to make life easier... http://www.cannabinoid.com/boards/politics/media/34/34301.gifThis will do the trick http://www.cannabinoid.com/boards/politics/media/34/34803.gifIf it doesn't then try this... http://www.cannabinoid.com/boards/politics/media/35/35133.gifNow my deed is done I'm off to roooooooll another one! http://www.cannabinoid.com/boards/politics/media/35/35124.gifHappy Birthday FoM!Peace, Love and Liberty DdCFollow the Yodi http://www.cannabinoid.com/wwwboard/politics/binaries/32/32206.jpg Everybody Dance! [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by FoM on November 04, 2002 at 12:02:27 PT Thanks Everyone! I just heard it is Laura Bush's birthday too. Oh no. Oh no. Oh no! LOL! [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by BGreen on November 04, 2002 at 12:01:20 PT I'll be spending my birthday in Amsterdam next week!Happy birthday, FoM. Get ready for tomorrow but enjoy your day.Bud Green [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by VitaminT on November 04, 2002 at 11:51:25 PT Happy Birthday FoM! It's no wonder you remind me so much of my Mom - you're both scorpios!Happy Birthday! [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by Ethan Russo MD on November 04, 2002 at 11:40:12 PT: Happy Birthday My best Happy Birthday wishes, as well!I hope that you will take a well-deserved rest and enjoy! [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by FoM on November 04, 2002 at 11:32:43 PT Thanks Dan and canaman Thanks for the cute gif canaman. [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by Dan B on November 04, 2002 at 11:13:02 PT: Happy Birthday, FoM! Happy Birthday!Now, about this article. If Terence Faulkner (go figure, a Republican) is worried about people with Uzis (an unlikely weapon of choice, by the way) having shooting matches over city-run cannabis greenhouses, perhaps he would like to explain why he prefers to promote a situation in which people with weapons are part of the equation in the first place. That is, the cannabis growing is not the problem. Were it not for prohibition, cannabis would not be worth the trouble of stealing it. It is prohibition that brings about the conditions where automatic weaponry and violence are involved.Dan B [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by canaman on November 04, 2002 at 10:55:00 PT Happy Happy Birthday FoM!!!!!! Hey we're celibrating your bithday over here>>>>>>check it out!!!!!!http://www.bluemountain.com/eng3gifs/susie/hippy/hippycp.gif [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by FoM on November 04, 2002 at 10:39:57 PT Hi Mary! Thank you! Check out this site! Love Ya!http://www.leap.cc/ [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by MaryB on November 04, 2002 at 10:34:00 PT Article from DrugWar.com I live in Ohio and it doesn't surprise me that Gov. Taft's wife wanted to keep the girl from asking any question about medical marijuana. The Gov is so dumb he probably would have made an even bigger a-- of himself then he already is. When he answers questions off the top of his head he sounds like a real jerk. He has been a "non-governor" for other reasons too. I voted absentee for Issue 1 and will be glued to the TV to watch Ohio "win one" towards decriminalizing marijuana. Incidentally, Happy Birthday FoM [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by FoM on November 04, 2002 at 09:00:02 PT Article from DrugWar.com It is hard to post articles from DrugWar.com because of the links so here it the article to read. Medical Marijuana Activist Claims Ohio First Lady Manhandled Her at Debate By Daniel Forbes- for DrugWar.comNovember 4, 2002http://www.drugwar.com/forbesfirstladytaft.shtm [ Post Comment ] Post Comment