cannabisnews.com: A Law Enforcement View on Marijuana
function share_this(num) {
 tit=encodeURIComponent('A Law Enforcement View on Marijuana');
 url=encodeURIComponent('http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/25/thread25064.shtml');
 site = new Array(5);
 site[0]='http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u='+url+'&title='+tit;
 site[1]='http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit.php?url='+url+'&title='+tit;
 site[2]='http://digg.com/submit?topic=political_opinion&media=video&url='+url+'&title='+tit;
 site[3]='http://reddit.com/submit?url='+url+'&title='+tit;
 site[4]='http://del.icio.us/post?v=4&noui&jump=close&url='+url+'&title='+tit;
 window.open(site[num],'sharer','toolbar=0,status=0,width=620,height=500');
 return false;
}






A Law Enforcement View on Marijuana
Posted by CN Staff on October 15, 2009 at 08:24:43 PT
By Gary Lindstrom
Source: Summit Daily News
Colorado -- As a former law enforcement officer, I wholeheartedly support ballot issue 2F, the proposal to establish a sensible marijuana policy in the Town of Breckenridge.In May of 1964, I pinned a badge on my shirt in the City of New York. Six years later I became one of the first Lakewood Police Agents and served for three years. I later went to Jefferson County Schools and in 1974 moved to the mountains where I became the Summit County Undersheriff and the very first director of public safety.
All told, I have more than 31 years active duty as a police officer and have held a commission for over 44 years.In my many years as a police officer, I never saw anyone hurt or killed from the use of marijuana. The only thing ever destroyed was an expedient bag of potato chips. In my experience, the greatest behavioral threat from an adult using marijuana is that the user fall asleep. At polls starting on October 19, voters will consider whether to remove criminal penalties for the adult private possession of small amounts of marijuana under the Breckenridge Town Code. I encourage citizens to vote “yes” on this ballot question. Based on my experiences in law enforcement and at the state Legislature, I believe we need to stop criminalizing responsible adults who choose to relax at night with marijuana — a safer drug then alcohol.Marijuana should be regulated for adult use and taxed to the maximum. This new tax revenue could benefit education and health care. The money saved by eliminating law enforcement efforts to enforce these broken laws would amount to many billions more.Marijuana is not a gateway drug. I worked with large groups of heroin users in New York City and they did not start with marijuana. Most started with alcohol. Several people have died in our towns and county from the use of alcohol in the past year, but there have been no such problems with marijuana. Let's stop punishing adults for making a safer choice when recreating.Summit County and Breckenridge have long been leaders on important social issues. Frisco and Breckenridge were two of the first towns in Colorado to legalize medical marijuana. Please join me in voting for sensible marijuana reform by voting early — from October 19 until the 30 — or on Election Day Nov. 3.In addition to his years in law enforcement, Gary Lindstrom is also a former Summit County commissioner and Colorado House Rep. Newshawk: The GCWSource: Summit Daily News (CO)Author: Gary LindstromPublished: Thursday, October 15, 2009Copyright: 2009 Summit Daily NewsURL: http://drugsense.org/url/wLQnr6JMContact: http://drugsense.org/url/OMaKBrUPWebsite: http://www.summitdaily.com/home.phpCannabisNews -- Cannabis Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/cannabis.shtml 
Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help 
     
     
     
     




Comment #17 posted by FoM on October 15, 2009 at 17:34:53 PT
Hope
What an intense live news event. Thank goodness the boy is safe. I felt such fear for the child. 
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #16 posted by Hope on October 15, 2009 at 17:25:44 PT
Comment 7
Kids.Little boys.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #15 posted by FoM on October 15, 2009 at 16:02:45 PT
CO: DA Dismisses Charges Against MMJ Patient
DA Dismisses Charges Against Medical Marijuana Patient, CaregiverOctober 15, 2009URL: http://www.dailycamera.com/boulder-county-news/ci_13569738
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #14 posted by The GCW on October 15, 2009 at 14:54:14 PT
But what took him so long? (post1)
I've known Gary a long time and He has always thought about cannabis and the drug war in general in logical terms.Colorado has quite a few people in the law enforcement community that oppose the war on cannabis. Telluride and Aspen come to mind.The mountain counties with ski areas all stand out in favor of Re-legaliing the superplant.This will pass in Breck!Cannabist's that wish to spend money to vacation at a nice ski resort should consider Breck. Summit County is an awesome ski destination with 4 ski areas and others nearby.Let Breck know how You feel about the cannabis issue. Now and after the law passes.It would be good for towns to know and realize there is an economic reward for RE-legalization.-0-RE-lated and unrelated:"Mickelsen may also be mistaken about the way we want to portray Summit County to vacationers during these slow economic times. Families looking for a beautiful winter travel destination who've seen that front page story may feel more comfortable returning to Colorado and avoid and reject places like Utah."http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v09/n877/a11.html?1422 
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #13 posted by FoM on October 15, 2009 at 13:34:31 PT
PBS: Newshour With Jim Lehrer
California Towns Hash Out Tax Hikes For CannabisOctober 14, 2009Video: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/video/module.html?mod=0&pkg=14102009&seg=5
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #12 posted by FoM on October 15, 2009 at 13:11:17 PT
Hope
You said: Change the laws. Then we'll talk about tax and what the market can bear... and it likely will decrease quickly if it is very unreasonably, as in prohibition, high.I agree we need to get this in the right order.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #11 posted by Hope on October 15, 2009 at 13:00:55 PT
The author, I think, is probably "casting"...
as in "Fishers of men". He's trolling that dollar bill through there, that murky darkness prohibitionists dwell in, for those prone to be unable to resist the "lure" of mammon. Slowly, slowly maybe he can coax them into the light.:0)Change the laws. Then we'll talk about tax and what the market can bear... and it likely will decrease quickly if it is very unreasonably, as in prohibition, high.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #10 posted by Hope on October 15, 2009 at 12:53:35 PT
Max Tax
I think it's one of those "Gives" that actually will be much less than some of these people want to expect. Dollar signs in their eyes, you know.The legal and taxed market will only bear so much tax before it leaks back in to the black market again.Also, I was pleased to see, somewhere in this, that home growers would not be taxed. (Like tomatoes)
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #9 posted by FoM on October 15, 2009 at 12:12:57 PT
EAH 
In a perfect world it shouldn't matter at all.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #8 posted by EAH on October 15, 2009 at 11:51:52 PT:
max tax?
Why is it that those who speak out in favor of changing the laws seem to always want to keep an extra tight grip on cannabis. Why a "maximum tax"? Why only decriminalization? Why dither with half measures? Why only small amounts?
I fail to see a difference between the possession of 5 different kinds of cannabis
as a collection of variety whether it is in grams or ounces. Why does that matter.
I can possess all the alcohol I want, all the tobacco I want, why should cannabis be any different?
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #7 posted by FoM on October 15, 2009 at 11:44:51 PT
OT: What a Horrible Thing To Happen
Officials Trying To Rescue Child from Experimental Aircraft URL: http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=125161&catid=339
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #6 posted by FoM on October 15, 2009 at 11:05:10 PT
The Tide Has Turned
All we need now is to allow the states to figure out how they want it to work and hope that Barney Frank's Bill gets heard and approved in the near future.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #5 posted by Hope on October 15, 2009 at 10:59:06 PT
Colorado and California
Massachusetts is doing a fine job, too.I understand the Western connection. Some of their nature and why they're out front. I have been surprised, and not a little bit disappointed, that more of the original 13... the birthplace of this audacious, at that time, people/nation. Audacious in that a significant number of them had a thing about liberty and freedom from overbearing government and laid down their very lives for it.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #4 posted by Sam Adams on October 15, 2009 at 10:43:08 PT
breck
not just a cop, a former state rep as well.Colorado is interesting. I think it has potential to become the next California. The herb is more popular in Colorado than any place I've seen except maybe CA.Definitely has to do with the ski industry. The ski industry is probably the single biggest user of cannabis after the musicians. It's an integral part of mountain culture, it's in every backpack, it's along on every expedition into the rocks and mountains.What's happening today is fantastic. Critical mass has been attained in California and Colorado. Everyone knows cannabis is everywhere, how long can the illusion of prohibition be maintained? In Colorado and California, the answer appears to be not even one day longer.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #3 posted by museman on October 15, 2009 at 10:30:28 PT
Look at me!
I'm a cop, so, listen up!Prohibition aint working, so we got to change it a little bit so that we can go back to doing our jobs as legal burglars, thieves, and overseers. Get those legalization and regulation scams going guys, I just know that having more laws concerning buying, selling, shipping, storing, potency, and who gets to do it, is going to make the old prohibition look like a slap on the wrist. More beds filled in prison -not for just mere possession or cultivation, but for a plethora of fees, taxes, and charges that will make it impossible for all those potheads to grow their own and distribute it. And we know those people are going to continue to grow and share the weed, so don't look so glum, see? ending prohibition is a good thing!Nazi, fascist pigs can't be anything else while they wear that badge, gun, and uniform, its a given. So when a 'law' officer steps up to testify for the benefit of cannabis and its users, they better do it as a human, and leave the BS behind, or nobody but the grossly uninformed and least ingenuous in the anti-prohibition movement is going to believe them.FREE CANNABIS FOREVER
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #2 posted by runruff on October 15, 2009 at 09:48:12 PT
Should read;
"Yeah, burnin' people ain't good"A perfect observation, after the fact!
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #1 posted by runruff on October 15, 2009 at 09:45:40 PT
Nice!
But what took him so long? It is like 1945 and a Nazi officer says, "yeah, burnin' ain't good"!
[ Post Comment ]


Post Comment