cannabisnews.com: No on 44





No on 44
Posted by CN Staff on October 10, 2006 at 19:44:27 PT
Editorial
Source: Daily Camera
Colorado -- Just say no to Amendment 44, which would legalize possession of up to one ounce of marijuana for adults 21 or older. In the first place, the language of the amendment, sponsored by Safer Alternative For Enjoyable Recreation, contains a major loophole. It leaves open the possibility that an adult giving marijuana to a child or young adult between 15 and 20 "appears to be legal," according to Mason Tvert, SAFER's campaign director, speaking for those who favor the amendment. He says another law, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, "covers" the loophole.
But isn't it necessary to be precise when amending the state law? We think so. And so does Rob McGuire, a Superior attorney coordinating several organizations opposing the proposal. "They call it an unintended consequence," he says. "We considered it bad drafting." Tvert says that opponents, whom he called "extremists, no matter how you look at it," are "going out of their way to make this about children, when it's not about children." He argues that marijuana use is safer than alcohol use, which is legal, and that consequently pot should be legal, too: "We're not saying it's harmless; it's less harmful than alcohol." For example, he says, referencing recent issues with alcohol abuse at the University of Colorado, "Why is that they can't stay home and smoke a joint before the football game? Instead what they do is drink as much before the game as they can." It would be better, he suggests, to allow adults to choose between alcohol and marijuana. Tom Gorman, a former cop who is now director of the Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, differs emphatically. "Do you know how much an ounce of marijuana is?" he asks. "Most people think it's a joint or two — but it makes 30 joints to as many as 80 or even 120." And, he notes that a heavy user is defined by drug enforcement as someone who smokes a joint a day. As Gorman and others note, the police do not target people for simple possession, those whose only crime is having a small amount of pot Gorman says if pot is legalized, its use will go up. Already, 14 million people in the United States are classified as regular users, having smoked a joint in the last month. He agrees that alcohol can be an even bigger problem, that more people are addicted to alcohol than to all drugs combined. "Let's join forces and fight for sobriety," he urges. Sobriety is the only safe alternative to being under the influence of alcohol, HIDTA maintains, saying, "Instead of trying to legalize another dangerous drug, we should be encouraging sobriety. " And Guarding Our Children Against Marijuana, another organization opposing Amendment 44, cites physiological and psychological dangers of marijuana use, saying, "Children and teenagers don't need to hear the message that marijuana is safe when it is abundantly clear that marijuana's effects are harmful." We urge a vote against the poorly drafted and misguided Amendment 44. Note: Legalizing marijuana doesn't make sense.Source: Daily Camera (Boulder, CO)Published: October 10, 2006Copyright: 2006 The Daily CameraWebsite: http://www.dailycamera.com/Contact: openforum dailycamera.comRelated Articles & Web Site:Safer Choicehttp://www.saferchoice.org/A Vote to Legalize Marijuana is a Vote for Choicehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread22259.shtmlPot Amendment Deserves a 'No'http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread22251.shtmlHippie-Hating and Baitinghttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread22244.shtml 
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Comment #13 posted by global_warming on October 11, 2006 at 14:42:35 PT
Nice Celaya
"Finally, you SERIOUSLY alter the position of the initiative supporters when you describe them as stating marijuana is "safe." They did not, and never have said that. The word is "safer" than alcohol, which marijuana clearly is."Let us know if it gets published.God Bless You
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Comment #12 posted by Celaya on October 11, 2006 at 13:04:32 PT
whig
Thanks. It will be interesting to see if they publish it.
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Comment #11 posted by whig on October 11, 2006 at 12:18:41 PT
Celaya
Excellent LTE.
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Comment #10 posted by Celaya on October 11, 2006 at 09:47:56 PT
GCW
Thanks. When the press, who is supposed to be an important part of this country's checks and balances, so clearly tips the scales into falsehood for the purpose of perpetuating a persecution, it makes this old, peaceful hippy's blood boil. 
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Comment #9 posted by The GCW on October 11, 2006 at 09:40:51 PT
Celaya
Your letter is great.
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Comment #8 posted by Celaya on October 11, 2006 at 09:29:49 PT
My letter to the Daily Camera
Dear Editors, 
RE: "Legalizing marijuana doesn't make sense." -- You do a great disservice to your readers with this prohibitionist stance and deceptive tactics. When Mason Tvert says marijuana is safer than alcohol, you counter with a former cop who makes extreme exaggerations about how many marijuana cigarettes can be made from an ounce. How does that counter Tvert's statement, and how relevant is it when people can fill up their basements with alcohol if they want to? Worse, you accept the cop's assertion that police can define what makes a "heavy user." I did not realize a degree in medicine was a requirement for being a cop. 
Then we hear that old police saw about them not going after people for simple possession. If this is true, why do they fight so hard for a law to go after people for simple possession? The fact is, around 700,000 people are arrested for simple marijuana possesion EACH YEAR in this country - which brands and marginalizes them for life. This is a huge and totally unnecessary loss of human potential - not to mention a monstrous injustice. 
Finally, you SERIOUSLY alter the position of the initiative supporters when you describe them as stating marijuana is "safe." They did not, and never have said that. The word is "safer" than alcohol, which marijuana clearly is. 
This was a shameful performance which appears to be motivated by bigotry or a bow to powerful financial/political interests. Those hurt the most by this deception are the children, who desperately need to know the truth.
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Comment #7 posted by The GCW on October 11, 2006 at 05:20:28 PT
But, all the tobacco and whiskey You want.
Citizens are allowed to have a TRUCK FULL of cigs or booze,
including hard booze..Yes?I can fill My house with tobacco and whiskey... Enough to kill My entire neighborhood, right now
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Comment #6 posted by potpal on October 11, 2006 at 04:54:43 PT
Jeez
"Do you know how much an ounce of marijuana is?" he asks. "Most people think it's a joint or two — but it makes 30 joints to as many as 80 or even 120."
Why not even 600? These guys are over the top (and fighting for their jobs!)And, he notes that a heavy user is defined by ''drug enforcement'' as someone who smokes a joint a day. 
Says it all. The enforcers have spoken.
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Comment #5 posted by whig on October 11, 2006 at 00:28:22 PT
Not your morning pot
Since this morning, cannabis has increased in potency by over 6000% according to scientists at the government-funded Study To Make Stuff Up. Little Johnny could take what used to be a non-fatal dose and wind up surprisingly still quite fine because cannabis is not fatal at any dose.
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Comment #4 posted by observer on October 10, 2006 at 23:03:45 PT
flak from the prohibition gallery
As Gorman and others note, the police do not target people for simple possession, those whose only crime is having a small amount of potOf course, that's a lie. If police are already not arresting pot smokers, then what's the problem with making the law be true to the actual events? Something is seriously wrong with continuing to arrest pot smokers, because, (we are told), we don't arrest pot smokers. That doesn't make even a little bit of sense. A whole industry which preys upon the pot smoker in Colorado is quaking in its boots, drug war camp followers like the treatment racket, drug testing industry, big pharma, and corrupt bureaucrats like police and others who earn their livings arresting and parsitizing peaceful pot smokers. As they take a long sip of their beers, they realize they don't like the idea of you peacefully toking pot, unpunished. And wait just a sec. An ounce is how many joints? 120? 200? 500 joints in every ounce of that evil weed? When each plant is assumed to be a million, billion dollars each, and when you can be convicted for crimes you might have thought about conspiring with others to commit, anything goes. If only just one child is saved from drugs, any lie was worth it. 
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Comment #3 posted by lombar on October 10, 2006 at 22:50:25 PT
Nothing would stop them
... from encouraging sobreity, they just don't get to use cops for that anymore. Nobody said anti-drug messages would be outlawed, just that the hypocritical drug war would be over and peoples rights to not be persecuted for using cannabis, whether medically or recreationally. If you have to enforce sobriety at gunpoint what freedom can there be?
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Comment #2 posted by Wayne on October 10, 2006 at 21:28:50 PT
get your "facts" straight da** it!!
'"Do you know how much an ounce of marijuana is?" he asks. "Most people think it's a joint or two — but it makes 30 joints to as many as 80 or even 120." And, he notes that a heavy user is defined by drug enforcement as someone who smokes a joint a day.'He obviously has no clue how much an ounce is. I have personally never gotten 30 joints out of an ounce. And sometimes they say this number is 30, sometimes 60, now it's 120. At that rate, that's 1/4 of a gram per spliff. It really wouldn't be any bigger than a toothpick. People NEED to start asking these questions.'"Let's join forces and fight for sobriety," he urges. Sobriety is the only safe alternative to being under the influence of alcohol, HIDTA maintains, saying, "Instead of trying to legalize another dangerous drug, we should be encouraging sobriety."'Sobreity is not the alternative, it's the reality. Alcohol and marijuana are the alternatives to sobriety. 'Let's fight for sobriety'?? Is it 1918 all over again or what, Tom?
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Comment #1 posted by ekim on October 10, 2006 at 20:32:52 PT
johny pee good
Tuesday, October 10, 2006 Drug Czar's ad comes back to haunt him?Remember Pete's Couch? The new ad from the Drug Czar? The one that said all that happened when someone smoked pot was that they spent 11 hours on Pete's couch?
At the time, I said... Of course, it does force the obvious question, "Why are we locking people up for doing this?"
Well, it looks like the Drug Czar is going to be asked that question. Big time.
Via Philip Smith at StoptheDrugWar,org Marijuana Initiative Campaign to Unveil Billboard Highlighting Drug Czar's Ad Calling Marijuana Use the "Safest Thing in the World"
Amendment 44 proponents welcome the Drug Czar to town with hope that he will continue valuable education campaignAmendment 44 proponents to hold events in Colorado Springs (9:30 a.m.) and Denver (12:30 p.m.) to coincide with Drug Czar's visit.This is happening tomorrow. Sounds like fun!
 
http://www.drugwarrant.com
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