cannabisnews.com: Yes To Initiative 75: Free Up Police, Courts





Yes To Initiative 75: Free Up Police, Courts
Posted by CN Staff on September 10, 2003 at 08:21:28 PT
By Jeanne Kohl-Welles and Adam Kline
Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer 
Five years ago, 75 percent of Seattle voters passed Washington's medical marijuana initiative, but people with AIDS, cancer and multiple sclerosis still face arrest, prosecution and seizure of their homes. Just this August, Seattle's public libraries were temporarily forced to close their doors due to the city's $60 million budget deficit. For the same reason, Chief Gil Kerlikowske cut the Seattle police force by 26 sworn officers and 59 civilian personnel. Anyone who lives and pays taxes in Seattle should be concerned. 
Seattle can take at least one step toward addressing these problems by voting yes on Initiative 75.This initiative would make marijuana for adult personal use Seattle's lowest law enforcement priority and create an 11-member panel to review our city's marijuana policy. It would conserve dwindling tax dollars for important public needs, such as libraries and parks, rather than wasting money on unnecessary arrests, trials and jail time. It would focus law enforcement resources on preventing serious and violent crime. It would be one more source of protection for vulnerable medical marijuana patients. It is right and sensible for Seattle.It will strengthen public safety. Initiative 75 would apply only to marijuana for adult personal use. It would not prevent police and prosecutors from stopping the sale of marijuana. It would not prevent the city from punishing anyone who gave marijuana to a child. In fact, by freeing up law enforcement resources, I-75 would help focus the city on protecting us from these and other crimes that might threaten public safety.It sends exactly the right message to kids: Marijuana is not for you. Initiative 75 would affect only marijuana for adult personal use. Preventing children from obtaining marijuana would continue to be a priority in Seattle. Initiative 75 would draw the line between adults and children and, by conserving resources, would permit even greater emphasis on stopping marijuana use by minors.The health risks associated with marijuana smoking do not justify the individual and public cost of arresting, prosecuting and jailing marijuana users. Marijuana users almost certainly face health risks, as do people who use alcohol and tobacco. But alcohol and tobacco users do not face similar penalties. It makes no sense to force marijuana users into jail cells, where housing a single inmate costs about $25,000 per year. We have better uses for our tax dollars.Seattle should brace itself for calculated scare tactics and misrepresentations by powerful outsiders. U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft and the Bush administration have a regrettable history of attempting to prosecute people for medical marijuana. They have repeatedly attempted to muddy the waters and pressure local public servants whenever a community shows an interest in reforming its own policies. It is important for all of us in Seattle to keep in mind that it is our responsibility and right to determine our city's future.There is a reason that highly respected local organizations -- including the League of Women Voters of Seattle, the King County Bar Association and the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington -- have come out in support of I-75: It is good for Seattle.Does it solve every problem created by what this newspaper has referred to as "the country's misguided drug policy"? Of course it doesn't. But I-75 is one step that Seattle can take toward a rational approach. We can lead the way -- and in the process address some of our own pressing needs.At next Tuesday's primary election, I-75 offers Seattle voters a rare opportunity. We can choose to use our tax dollars for local needs and the common good. We can make our community safer by focusing on serious and violent crime. We can protect the most seriously ill and vulnerable members of our community.State Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, D-Seattle, represents the 36th District. State Sen. Adam Kline, D-Seattle, represents the 37th District. This column was prepared with the assistance of the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington and the King County Bar Association.Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer (WA)Author: Jeanne Kohl-Welles and Adam Kline, States SenatorsPublished: Wednesday, September 10, 2003Copyright: 2003 Seattle Post-IntelligencerContact: editpage seattle-pi.comWebsite: http://www.seattle-pi.com/Related Articles:No To Initiative 75: Proponents Use Scare Tacticshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17260.shtml I-75: a Dopey Idea http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17252.shtmlHazy Future for Marijuana Initiativehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17193.shtml
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