cannabisnews.com: Cruz, Keating Urge ‘No’ Vote on Marijuana Question










  Cruz, Keating Urge ‘No’ Vote on Marijuana Question

Posted by CN Staff on October 18, 2008 at 08:57:39 PT
By John P. Kelly, The Patriot Ledger 
Source: Patriot Ledger 

Massachusetts -- Regional district attorneys are challenging a belief among some voters that decriminalizing an ounce or less of marijuana – as proposed on ballot Question 2 – is as harmless as a little pot.Norfolk County District Attorney William Keating and Plymouth County District Attorney Tim Cruz insist their argument is no “sequel to ‘Reefer Madness.’” But in an interview with The Patriot Ledger, they forewarned of dark consequences if the measure passes.
Most dangerously, they said, removing criminal penalties will signal it is acceptable to smoke marijuana, leading young people into dangerous encounters with those who peddle the illegal drug.“If you think those same drug dealers are going to stick to trying to sell you less than an ounce of marijuana, you’re not in the real world,” Keating said in the interview Thursday.Keating and Cruz cited studies that suggest cannabis is a proven gateway to hard drugs such as narcotics and cocaine. And they argued that more “carnage on the roads” will result from shedding the societal stigma and penalties against marijuana.If passed on Nov. 4, the ballot initiative would replace the current misdemeanor charge for small-quantity possession with a $100 civil fine and, for minors, a requirement they attend a drug-awareness course.Backers say the change will remove an unjust threat of jail time, save millions of dollars in police resources and ensure casual marijuana smokers are not given a criminal record they say can complicate getting public financial aid, public housing, unemployment benefits and foster parent status.A recent poll showed 72 percent of voters favor decriminalization.Opposition has come from several political figures, including Gov. Deval Patrick, Attorney General Martha Coakley and all 11 Massachusetts district attorneys.Cruz said the street value of an ounce of marijuana can be as high as $600 and is enough to roll upward of 50 joints. Streetwise dealers, he said, would adapt to the new law by carrying only an ounce of marijuana at a time to avoid criminal charges.Keating said most first-time offenders already avoid criminal charges.“We don’t know what problem it’s going to solve,” Keating said, calling legalization the movement’s ultimate goal.Joanne Peterson, who heads the addiction-support group Learn to Cope, accompanied the district attorneys to the interview. One reason for her opposition, she said, is that decriminalization would lend an air of truth to marijuana dealers who say, “Try this; you won’t get into any trouble.”Complete Title: District Attorney Cruz, Keating Urge ‘No’ Vote on Marijuana QuestionSource: Patriot Ledger, The (Quincy, MA)Author: John P. Kelly, The Patriot LedgerPublished: October 18, 2008Copyright: 2008 GateHouse Media, Inc.Contact: editpage ledger.comWebsite: http://www.patriotledger.com/Related Articles & Web Site:Committee for Sensible Marijuana Policyhttp://www.sensiblemarijuanapolicy.org/ Marijuana Skirmish In The War on Drugshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread24226.shtmlPot Advocates: Radio Ad Misrepresents Questionhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread24217.shtml

Home    Comment    Email    Register    Recent Comments    Help





Comment #51 posted by CanadianGanjaman on October 20, 2008 at 07:32:39 PT
WHAT!?!
“We don’t know what problem it’s going to solve,” Keating said, calling legalization the movement’s ultimate goal.Yeah, don't worry about your states unemployment rate rising because of employers discriminating against those who would smoke the ganja, which by the way is relatively harmless... dont worry about CORI reports, people unable to take bank loans, and support their families... no this ballot wont fix anything will it...
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #50 posted by FoM on October 19, 2008 at 20:08:07 PT
Richard
Thank you. I'll try to find it. The most important thing to me is when the Democrats win and take over that they work towards making health care more affordable for people. 
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #49 posted by Richard Zuckerman on October 19, 2008 at 19:59:45 PT:
This comment is for FoM.
FoM:In the past, you responded to me in one of these comments about your concern for national health care. I would like you to watch the video clip of U.S. Representative Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.), raking Republican on the House Budget Committee, which you can easily download by logging on to www.infowars.com, click on the web site menu for "search", then type "Rep. Paul Ryan" into the search, then click on the very first listed video clip of Rep. Paul Ryan. He addresses the health care improvements he proposes after he explains his position that we are headed for bankruptcy.New Jersey legislature Assembly Bill 804 was the subject of a "discussion" with live testimony, about four months ago, but no vote has taken place. The companion Bill, Senate 119, sponsored by State Senator Nicholas Scutari, was also the subject of a discussion with live testimony back around 2006, but State Senate Health and Senior Services Committee Chiarman Joseph Vitale refused to allow a vote on the Bill because it is "too controversial". Richard Zuckerman, (phone)(732) 354-4063, exclusively a 3rd party voter [Either Ralph Nader, Bob Barr, or Chuck Baldwin]. 
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #48 posted by museman on October 19, 2008 at 10:31:33 PT
Missouri
I always knew the homies would come through.A once 'slave-state' backing a black man for president!The center will hold!That old Missouri mule is making some sure steps on this one.FREE WEED FOR EVERYONE
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #47 posted by Hope on October 19, 2008 at 08:44:29 PT
GCW
Stan needs to step into those comments on his letter and give them the reasons for believing what he does.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #46 posted by FoM on October 19, 2008 at 08:39:37 PT
afterburner
Here you go!http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/video/
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #45 posted by afterburner on October 19, 2008 at 08:32:28 PT
I Missed SNL, Just Caught the Tail End
Does anyone have a link?
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #44 posted by FoM on October 19, 2008 at 08:25:02 PT
afterburner
Woo! Woo! Woo! I am so darn excited about this election. R.E.M. - Shiny Happy Peoplehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbGSDkvh8B0
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #43 posted by FoM on October 19, 2008 at 08:21:32 PT
Hope
Tina Fey hopes she won't have to do Palin after November 4th. She does such a good job. Shooting the moose was funny too.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #42 posted by afterburner on October 19, 2008 at 08:20:27 PT
OT: In Case You Missed It
Washington Post, LA Times endorse Obama for president - 17 Oct 2008
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5i1J5pxy6ixrflR_XWSdXV9KNXebg
{
WASHINGTON (AFP) — The Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times, two of the most influential US newspapers, backed Barack Obama on Friday to become the next US president, praising his leadership abilities despite his relative inexperience.Obama also picked up hometown support from the Chicago Tribune -- marking the first time since its founding in 1847 that it has come out for a Democratic candidate.Their editorials took to 51 the number of US newspapers endorsing Obama so far in the November 4 election, against 16 for McCain, according to a tally by the Editor and Publisher trade journal.
}
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #41 posted by Hope on October 19, 2008 at 08:20:20 PT
Way to go
Missouri!
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #40 posted by Hope on October 19, 2008 at 08:19:50 PT
Tina Fey and SNL
"Pageant walking." I loved that.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #39 posted by FoM on October 19, 2008 at 07:15:49 PT
One More OT Comment
Obama had 75,000 show up in Kansas City, Missouri. That means in Missouri yesterday about 175,000 people came to see Senator Obama! What can I say but Power To The People!John Lennon - Power To The Peoplehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wos-dDxpJlQhttp://my.barackobama.com/page/content/hqblog
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #38 posted by FoM on October 19, 2008 at 06:24:43 PT
BGreen
We are planning to vote early too. All I want for my birthday is for Obama and Michigan to win. 
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #37 posted by FoM on October 19, 2008 at 06:15:38 PT
OT: Colin Powell Endorses Senator Obama
He'll be on Meet The Press this morning.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #36 posted by FoM on October 19, 2008 at 06:10:46 PT
OT: Obama Raises Record $150 Million in September
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/19/obama.fundraising/
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #35 posted by BGreen on October 18, 2008 at 23:38:38 PT
Can I finally say this without the usual shame?
I am the Reverend Bud Green and I was born, raised and have lived in Missouri for 43 of my 45 years!**GRIN**Now, to all of the Obama supporters in my state and all of the others, you have to actually vote if you want to overcome the racism and hatred of those that will do ANYTHING to stop Obama from being our next President.Mrs. Green and I will be casting our absentee ballots at the courthouse on Monday. I strongly suggest everybody that has that option take it in order to avoid the potential hassles on Nov. 4.The Reverend Bud Green
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #34 posted by FoM on October 18, 2008 at 21:14:55 PT
Hope
We are watching SNL and saw Sarah Palin. She looked a little like a fish out of water but SNL is very liberal. She was a good sport.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #33 posted by FoM on October 18, 2008 at 21:12:14 PT
Dankhank
That sounds like it was great. I watched it on Obama's web site and the energy was amazing. Shiny, happy people everywhere. Good music too.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #32 posted by Dankhank on October 18, 2008 at 20:52:28 PT
KC rally
I'm in KC as I type thisI went to Obama's rally today ...It was an amazing rally ...So many people and it was so peaceful to be in such a polite energetic crowd.No hate speech, just plans to take this nation back from the hateful Repugs.Folks around that were happy, laughing at the whole scene.Good talks by concerned politicians saying we will take our country back.It got a little chilly as the sun went down, but the warmth of the whole thing comforted me back to the car.I got some video of the speech and will share with envious Democrats back home.Heading back tomorrow.Peace to those who work for peace.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #31 posted by Hope on October 18, 2008 at 20:26:15 PT
SNL
Less than five minutes.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #30 posted by FoM on October 18, 2008 at 17:24:09 PT
The GCW
Thank you for sharing your letter.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #29 posted by FoM on October 18, 2008 at 17:10:53 PT
Hope
I think this is a record for any of the states. He had about 70,000 in Oregon. What really is amazing to me is we are watching history being made almost everyday. I just watched Obama live on his site from Kansas City, Missouri. I haven't watched a live event for a while now but I thought soon this will be over and we won't have a chance to see anything like these rallies for 4 years except the night he wins and Inauguration  Day. They interviewed a sweet black lady on CNN today who was over 100 years old and she just voted for Obama. She wants to go to the Inauguration. That was so sweet.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #28 posted by The GCW on October 18, 2008 at 16:51:38 PT
FoM and CNewser's
Thanx for the St. Louis pics. It is one moment when I'm not disappointed in being from St. Louis.-0-Me wife reminded Me about the last time McCain ran for office and lost. He handled it badly, to say the least.-0-Here is a letter in My local paper that may be interesting.US CO: PUB LTE: Why Obama? Plenty of reasons 
Webpage: http://www.summitdaily.com/article/20081017/LETTER/810179981/1025&parentprofile=1058&title=Stan%20White:%20Why%20Obama?%20Plenty%20of%20reasonsPubdate: 18 Oct. 2008Source: Summit Daily News (CO)
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #27 posted by Hope on October 18, 2008 at 16:08:36 PT
Post 26
Wow!That's amazing.Have candidates drawn crowds like that before?
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #26 posted by FoM on October 18, 2008 at 15:35:41 PT
OT: 100,000 in St. Louis
What an amazing campaign this has been. Picture: http://images.huffingtonpost.com/gen/44291/thumbs/r-OBAMA-ST-LOUIS-huge.jpghttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/18/obama-rally-in-st-louis-d_n_135826.html
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #25 posted by Hope on October 18, 2008 at 14:56:24 PT
Sweet
Kind. Polite. I know when it's an insult and means, "Stupid".
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #24 posted by Hope on October 18, 2008 at 14:55:06 PT
I think I'm pretty "sweet".
I'm told it often. I try to be. I want to be. Admittedly, I get not sweet sometimes. Often.Maybe sweetness helps "refuel" the sweetness in me somewhere. This from someone who actually enjoyed hearing Alladin and Aerial a bunch of times.And probably there is a lot of Pollyanna in me. I liked and admired Pollyanna as a kid. Some sort of Pollyannishness on my part had something to do with making me have to speak up about this drug war monstrosity.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #23 posted by Hope on October 18, 2008 at 13:15:01 PT
One more time
I'm still watching and listening to it.I can see it were it would just be way too cute and sweet (except the arrest scenes) for some people's taste.A bit of cute and sweet occasionally sweetens the day for me though.Like kittens and puppies.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #22 posted by FoM on October 18, 2008 at 11:09:37 PT
Hope
Cheri Oteri did the skit. I looked on google but I couldn't find anything on it. It was funny though. 
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #21 posted by Hope on October 18, 2008 at 11:02:19 PT
re seeing
Maybe that's not equality I thought I saw in that last view of cops and the "Detained". It looks bad. It looks real though. Not "sweet" at all.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #20 posted by Hope on October 18, 2008 at 10:50:17 PT
One more thing about that video I like...
"I want my money back."The "Show" that life can be can certainly inspire that general feeling.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #19 posted by Hope on October 18, 2008 at 10:49:06 PT
prescription drug lady
I must have missed those.
[ Post Comment ]

 


Comment #18 posted by FoM on October 18, 2008 at 10:26:51 PT

Hope
I have totally enjoyed this years SNL. Tina Fey has done a good job. I'm looking forward to seeing it tonight. On Thursday's Weekend Update they did a skit about McCain's crazy lady. That was almost as funny as the prescription drug lady they had on years ago. I still laugh when I think of those skits.
[ Post Comment ]


 


Comment #17 posted by Hope on October 18, 2008 at 10:18:36 PT

The real Sarah Palin is to appear on
Saturday Night Live tonight. 
[ Post Comment ]


 


Comment #16 posted by Hope on October 18, 2008 at 10:17:05 PT

Games can be games for some people
yet have crushing importance to others. What a burden!
[ Post Comment ]


 


Comment #15 posted by Hope on October 18, 2008 at 10:15:57 PT

The tennis player she was playing
with was taking it all way too seriously!
[ Post Comment ]


 


Comment #14 posted by Hope on October 18, 2008 at 10:14:28 PT

Life is so full of things that we don't understand
and things that are scary, even... but we have to go on.The cop and arrested guy scene, to me, showed the injustice of the situation of anyone who is different... they weren't arresting a blood covered killer, yet, in the end scene... it stressed, to me, their true equality as human beings caught up in this "Show" that life can be... whether they know it or not.
[ Post Comment ]


 


Comment #13 posted by FoM on October 18, 2008 at 10:07:27 PT

Hope
Those songs all represent love but not sex. They reflect looking inside and also stepping outside the box. 
[ Post Comment ]


 


Comment #12 posted by Hope on October 18, 2008 at 10:04:47 PT

I see it has that "thing" Bob Dylan
has tried to explain when explaining where his creativeness comes from. It's inspired and blessed with ability to touch others. Many others.It's so universal... "all ages". Retro and modern. It touches. If anyone only watches it once... they haven't watched it. It's beautifully and artistically done, I think, to the point of being blessed.It's encouraging and uplifting. It's delightful. It's sweet, without being fattening.

[ Post Comment ]


 


Comment #11 posted by FoM on October 18, 2008 at 10:04:01 PT

Hope
You can save them but I think it would take a long time to download. I gave up on trying to do it. 
[ Post Comment ]


 


Comment #10 posted by Hope on October 18, 2008 at 09:59:25 PT

I really like both of those videos, too.
But this computer connection!When I finally get something loaded and playable I don't ever want to turn my computer off... or it might be difficult to impossible to load it again. I wish I knew how to save it into the computer and I could see and hear it off line.Day before yesterday this video loaded quickly. Yesterday, I could not get the whole thing loaded no matter what. I restarted and every thing I could think of. Over and over. It would not load. I've got it today and I'm not letting it go for a while.Runruff's comment made me think of "Enjoy the show".Runruff has more than the right to sit back and "Enjoy the show" when these "Storm Troopers" are talking and lying themselves into a well deserved hole.
[ Post Comment ]


 


Comment #9 posted by FoM on October 18, 2008 at 09:57:13 PT

Hope
It's the music of the Indigo Children. I know I'm a little off the wall.
[ Post Comment ]


 


Comment #8 posted by FoM on October 18, 2008 at 09:52:55 PT

runruff
I know he is very liberal. It might be too risky. There are still people who feel threatened by black people in power.
[ Post Comment ]


 


Comment #7 posted by Hope on October 18, 2008 at 09:52:22 PT

That video and song...
Everything about it has the hue of a blessed work about it, to me.
[ Post Comment ]


 


Comment #6 posted by FoM on October 18, 2008 at 09:50:41 PT

OT: Nice Saturday Songs
Official Jason Mraz - I'm Yours videohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkHTsc9PU2A***A Brokedown Melody - Clipe(Jack Johnson - Home) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ez5UyjoHqlw
[ Post Comment ]


 


Comment #5 posted by runruff on October 18, 2008 at 09:46:10 PT

A vote by the people?
Unless I'm mistaken the Gov. Can't veto a referendum by the people?Gov. Patrick is very liberal. What's up with his pledge to veto this law, a clear majority, for and by the people? Can he veto it?
[ Post Comment ]


 


Comment #4 posted by FoM on October 18, 2008 at 09:39:18 PT

Hope
The other night she was on David Letterman or Jay Leno. I switch back and forth so I don't remember which one. She sang that particular song too. It's a nice song. We need more nice songs.
[ Post Comment ]


 


Comment #3 posted by Hope on October 18, 2008 at 09:28:57 PT

Runruff
Enjoy the show!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nTSU-mFWGs&feature=user(Thank you again, Goneposthole. I have to see this everyday, several times a day. I love it.)
[ Post Comment ]


 


Comment #2 posted by FoM on October 18, 2008 at 09:24:06 PT

runruff
I just don't know if this one will pass. I believe that the Governor would sign the Bill introduced by Barney Frank. Governor Patrick is the first black governor of such a powerful state and an Obama supporter. I don't think this was done by Democrats so that would make a flag pop up these days seeing how Republicans stoop to the lowest low to try to win the White House. I really feel that Michigan will win but it's medical.Excerpt: He concluded his initial response by saying, "I'm very comfortable with the idea of legalizing marijuana. I just don't think it ought to be our priority."The moderator was reduced to asking Patrick directly if he would veto the bill. "I would veto that," he responded.Stop The Drug War: http://drugsense.org/url/gqrnley8 

[ Post Comment ]


 


Comment #1 posted by runruff on October 18, 2008 at 09:09:41 PT

How sweet it is!
"....they forewarned of dark consequences if the measure passes."Like severe budget cutbacks. The inability to harass political and social foes. Shortcuts in the judicial process. A radical cut back in personnel in the various departments. Oh, and did I mention severe budget cutbacks?Knowing how hard these career rats are fighting for the right to ruin lives and incarcerate innocent people for their own advancement will make it all the more sweeter when ballot question 2 passes.

[ Post Comment ]





  Post Comment