cannabisnews.com: Governors Trade Ideas At Summit





Governors Trade Ideas At Summit
Posted by FoM on June 12, 2000 at 13:15:31 PT
By Karen Blakeman, Advertiser Staff Writer
Source: Honolulu Advertiser
Eight Western governors met yesterday in Honolulu to discuss issues including innovative approaches to state drug policies and security and economic concerns in the Asian Pacific region. Gov. Ben Cayetano, chairman of the 21-member association and host of the event at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, launched the three-day session yesterday afternoon with a press conference to review issues the governors would discuss.
The review became a debate when Cayetano turned to drug policies and gave the podium to Gary Johnson, Republican governor of New Mexico.The current approach of seeking out and punishing suppliers and manufacturers isn’t cost-effective and isn’t working, Johnson said. Ninety percent of the problems created by illegal drugs were caused by prohibition."I advocate the legalization of marijuana," Johnson said.He said he preferred less prohibitive approaches, such as those used in The Netherlands, where crime and addiction levels have been reduced, he said, by the legalization of some drugs for use by the general population and of more addictive drugs, such as heroin, in prescription form for the treatment of addicts.Gov. Dirk Kempthorne, an Idaho Republican, said he disagreed. He and Nebraska Gov. Mike Johanns, also a Republican, spoke of the dangers of home-based methamphetamine labs, where manufacturers mix their drugs in toilet bowls for easy disposal in case the police come.Kempthorne said his state passed legislation allowing toilet-bowl residue to be used in gaining convictions and prison terms for manufacturers.Johanns said young offenders need to be shown through tough drug laws that the use of illegal drugs is not acceptable.Cayetano interrupted. "As you can see," he said, "there will be provocative discussion.The governors then moved to briefings on security in the Pacific region by Adm. Dennis C. Blair of the U.S. Pacific Command, and on Asian economics by Dr. David McClain, University of Hawaii dean of the College of Business Administration.McLain spoke of how the rapid growth of capitalism in some Asian countries is entering a stage parallel to that in the United States roughly from the end of the Civil War to the Great Depression.In that phase of U.S. history, some capitalists would pocket money invested toward the development of railroads and other major projects. Emerging capitalist economies would be well-advised to strengthen their financial systems, McLain said.Blair said Asia should be of prime concern to the military. It does and will provide strong allies. In Korea, it offers a long and agonizing conflict between North and South. China may be on the brink of joining the Asian community, or could become the neighborhood bully. The United States, through policy, has a responsibility to protect Taiwan from intimidation, he said.Gov. Carl T.C. Gutierrez, a Democrat from Guam, agreed with the admiral that the Pacific arena easily could become dangerous.Guam felt exposed and neglected after military cutbacks there, he said."Maybe North Korea will think Guam is no longer a part of the U.S., and will throw missiles at us."Come back," he said. "We need you."The Conference May Be Viewed Live on: http://www.hawaii.com/Posted: Monday, June 12, 2000 © COPYRIGHT 2000 The Honolulu Advertiser, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.Related Articles & Web Site:Drug Policy Forum Of Hawaiihttp://www.drugsense.org/dpfhi/Hawaii Lawmakers Approve Bill on Med. Use of Marijuanahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread5518.shtmlHawaii Senate Approves Medical Marijuana Billhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread5510.shtmlJohnson Tells Students Not To Do Drugs http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread5180.shtmlGovernor Touts Legalizing Drugs Again http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread5166.shtmlHawaii Begins Hemp Experimenthttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread4008.shtmlChasing Smoke: Hawaii's 24 Year On Pothttp://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/specials/pot/
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Comment #2 posted by J Christen-Mitchell on June 12, 2000 at 16:24:46 PT:
If Only
If only our legislators would draft their new laws in toilet bowls.I suppose the good thing that can be said about the extreme interest in imprisoning makers of the bathtub gin of the 90's is that the racial disparity in ours prisons will be adjusted. All tweakers are white aren't they?It is taken for granted that the AntiFreedom Proliferation Act will pass, isn't it? They'll pass the secret search law in another bill. I'm looking forward to researching the works of our past presidents to find quotes worthy of 10 years in Leavenworth. Or is it eleven years in Tenworth.George said make the most of hemp, sow it everywhere. Cull the males from the females, etc. There won't be a court in the land that would acquit him.
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Comment #1 posted by Puritan on June 12, 2000 at 15:08:14 PT
kempthorne
Notice how quickly the subject changes from ending marijuana prohibition to other substances. Could it be that our governors can not justify the continued prohibition of cannabis?
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