Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Daily Roundup: D.A.R.E. Endorses Booze; 'Demonic Spirits' Behind Prop 19
Regulation & Legislation David Downs — Tue, Jul 20, 2010 at 10:08 AM
Today's must-read: 1. Oaksterdam owner Rich Lee told the Chronicle that local growers "are more scared of legalization than they are of the cops," as the Oakland City Council is set to discuss the state's first large-scale pot farm regulations. Fully legal pot would cost roughly 85 percent less to produce, cut into grower and dealer profits, and save consumers billions of dollars, a RAND study found. "A lot of these growers want to keep things as they are now." Meanwhile, the LA Times reports that Oakland City Attorney John Russo has told the council that large-scale pot grows would be illegal under both federal and state law. The White House called Oakland's ordinance "the latest example of ongoing efforts to legitimize, through local ordinances, activities that remain illegal under federal law." More news after the jump:
2. Cal NORML reports the "Qualified Patients vs. Anaheim" court decision has been postponed for thirty days. "The court is having a hard time rendering its decision; this is third such delay so far." [MMJ News]
3. Drug Abuse Resistance Education or D.A.R.E. came out against Proposition 19, while endorsing alcohol consumption on its website saying "social drinking is an acceptable and pleasurable activity for millions of Americans. It relaxes you, curbs stress, and chases away inhibitions." Prop 19 activists want to see D.A.R.E. called out for endorsing a drug 200 times more harmful than cannabis. [via DPFCA]
4. Retired US Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders endorses Prop. 19 and has joined the president of the California NAACP, a retired LAPD narcotics detective, the former police chief of San Jose, a retired Orange County judge, and a retired LAPD deputy chief in signing the initiative's ballot arguments.
5. NORML says to "expect the drug testing industry to do its best to defeat Prop. 19" because it "contains a clause that would forbid discrimination against marijuana use except for "consumption that actually impairs job performance by an employee. Since urine testing doesn't detect impairment, this could be plausibly read to forbid urine testing altogether, though it would most likely not be enforceable where federal regulations required otherwise."
6. And the New York Times profiles self-appointed "bishop" and former crackhead Ron Allen of Sacramento who's getting exposure fighting Prop. 19 and criticizing California NAACP President Huffman. " ... while crack cocaine laid him low, Mr. Allen says his first drug of choice was marijuana. ... At a recent rally on the steps of the state capitol here, several pastors used fiery language to rally a small crowd, calling for Ms. Huffman’s resignation, describing marijuana as 'the most sinister drug,' and asking that 'the demonic spirits be cast back into hell.'"
Comments (3)
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All of the prohibitionists’ arguments boil down to a single point: If my child (or yours) gets a little off track and starts using marijuana, the prohibitionists want to put them in PRISON. Prison is not good for my kids or for yours, and it’s much worse than the effects of marijuana, so we can pretty well disregard all of the prohibitionist nonsense about keeping it illegal to protect our children. I hope my kids steer clear of marijuana, but I REALLY hope that if they do use a little marijuana, they don't end up in prison.
If you're a California citizen (or if you want to pass this along to any California citizens), Californians can register to vote at w w w . sos.ca.gov/elections/elections_vr.htm by completing the online form and mailing it to the address on the form.
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David, I'm all with you on your stance for legalization. Unfortunately you forgot to include the last part of the sentence in that D.A.R.E. quote: "...but if it becomes a regular mechanism to escape troubles and to feel good, it can be an abuse, a dependency, and a severe problem for millions of Americans." Stating that it is an acceptable and pleasurable activity is just stating the obvious, and I think we can both agree that D.A.R.E. is correct in making this statement, but that doesn't necessarily mean that by agreeing with the truth of that statement we are somehow endorsing alcohol use.
I'm sorry brother, I'm with you on marijuana legalization but try to use your brain a little bit and keep things in context. It will go a long way to bolster credibility to the cause.
The most sinister drug? Demonic spirits? Looks like all that crack has permanently fried "Bishop" Allen's brain.
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