Pro-Pot Group Challenges Bush Marijuana Policy (BARF ALERT)

Focus On The Family | January 9, 2003 | David Brody

[Sparta]

A pot-legalization group is taking on the White House over marijuana.

A group that wants to see marijuana legalized is angry with the Bush administration because they say the government is being too critical of pot.

The issue all started with a letter from Scott Burns, the deputy director of the Office of National Drug Control. In the letter, Burns told district attorneys across the country that they must better educate the public about marijuana use.

Keith Stroup, who heads up the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), claims the administration is going over the top suggesting that marijuana is the biggest drug threat in America.

"We're simply going to call them on this lie," Stroup said. "The Bush administration, for some reason, is in the process of ignoring the real drug problems we face and instead focusing their entire anti-drug apparatus on responsible marijuana smokers."

But Burns said it's time to get serious about the problem.

"It's something that the administration, I believe, has an obligation to talk about," Burns said.

He added that in some parts of the country heroin is the biggest problem. In other parts, it's cocaine. But the common thread is marijuana.

"We can't ignore marijuana," Burns said. "Sixty percent of the folks addicted to drugs in this country are using marijuana. If we don't talk about it and talk about it loudly, we're ignoring two-thirds of the problem."

As for his letter to prosecutors to raise awareness about marijuana, he said the response has been sobering.

"I've received calls from prosecutors all across the country who have said, 'I didn't know,' " Burns said.

That is precisely the reason for the letter: to make sure everyone knows that the problem is getting worse every day.

[unspun]

I'm hostile to Libertarians' goal of transforming the USA into the NSA, the Narcotic State of America, dissipating our country's minds and our freedom to govern.

[dogbyte12]

You are sinking. You don't even bother to attempt cogent arguments anymore. Is it all just emotional masturbation for you now since you have lost the debate here on FR, and you will be losing it in the country at large soon?

Locking people up at $35,000 a year for using another chemical other than alcohol might just bug people more now since the economy is tanking.

Lay off a cop, or keep two stoners in jail... decisions, decisions.

[budwiesest]

"I've received calls from prosecutors all across the country who have said, 'I didn't know,' " Burns said.

Wouldn't want to lose those federal matching highway funds. That great 'un-zipping' sound is that of the various states DAs whose manhoods rest precariously in the hands of some Fed bureaucrat. "Got-em-by-the-balls" is an understatement.

"Turn your head and cough".

[motzman]

I'm hostile to Libertarians' goal of transforming the USA into the NSA, the Narcotic State of America, dissipating our country's minds and our freedom to govern.

That's not the goal of the Libertarians. Lying about those who disagree with you shows you don't believe in your arguements.

Can't you do any better?

[unspun]

Who's "O'Leary"?.....Or maybe you mean Timothy Leary? Oh, yeah-he's my idol. Next slander, please.

Right. Please pardon my mistake, it was Leary, not O'Leary. Leary, Allen Ginsberg, the Black Panthers, those are our "conservatives" favoring the legalization of drugs.

[motzman]

There are many conservatives who are for re-legalizing mj.

William F. Buckley for one.

I can't think of any prominent Democrat "leader" that favors legalizing mj.

So using you're logic, if you favor the WOD, you're just as likely to be a Dem than a Rep.

Don't you have any interesting arguements?

[unspun]

I understand that this is from the Libertarian Party Web site. This is what Libertarian-think gets:

June 20, 2002

Libertarians launch “spoiler strategy” to unseat five of Congress’ worst drug warriors

WASHINGTON, DC -- The Libertarian Party has targeted five of the worst drug warriors in Congress for defeat in November to prove that the public is turning against the War on Drugs.

"Especially in the wake of September 11, most Americans oppose using police resources to arrest marijuana smokers," said Ron Crickenberger, Libertarian Party political director. "When it comes to reforming our nation's drug laws, these five politicians are way out of the mainstream - and we want them to be out of a job in November."

The five federal incumbents - three Republicans and two Democrats – targeted for defeat are Rep. Bob Barr, R-GA; Rep. Henry Bonilla, R-TX; Sen. Max Cleland, D-GA; Sen. Tim Hutchison, R-AR; and Sen. Max Baucus, D-MT.

The Libertarians' weapon will be the "spoiler strategy," which involves siphoning enough votes from the incumbent in a close race to cause them to lose to their Democratic or Republican opponent, Crickenberger explained. The goal is to scare other House and Senate members into backing away from their support for the War on Drugs.

"Of course, our primary goal as a political party is to run candidates and get them elected," Crickenberger said. "But having the worst drug warriors go down at the hands of the Libertarian Party will show that it is politically dangerous for sitting Congressmen to oppose drug reform measures."

The five were selected according to three criteria, said Crickenberger:
First, they had to be one of the worst in Congress on the drug issue, as measured by the number of pro-Drug War bills they have sponsored; second, they had to be in a tight race, so the Libertarian Party will have a reasonable chance to affect the outcome; third, they had to be running in a state or Congressional district where LP candidates have run effective races in past years.

"The Libertarian Party expects to spend up to $100,000 in direct candidate contributions and coordinated expenditures on advertising," said Crickenberger. "The targeted advertisements will focus on one aspect of the drug-reform agenda that has broad public support: Medical marijuana."

As evidence, he cited two polls:

* In a November 2001 poll commissioned by the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), 61% of respondents said they opposed arresting and jailing nonviolent pot smokers due to the increased threat of terrorism since September 11.

* In a March 2002 Pew Research Center/Gallup poll, 73% of voters support the medical use of marijuana with a doctor's prescription.

"We're going to convince voters in these districts that a vote for the incumbent is a vote to continue to arrest pot smokers while terrorists are on the loose," Crickenberger said.

"Ordinary Americans understand that arresting and jailing marijuana smokers makes no sense, but the political extremists in Congress just don't get it. The Republicans and Democrats that we have targeted are hopelessly addicted to the War on Drugs - and we intend to make them go cold turkey in November."

[motzman]

and no, George Soros is not a "Democratic leader"...

[William Terrell]

Doctor James Dobson lost me when he came out with a pitiless line about drugs and cannabis in particular. He "focuses on the family", but tears it apart trying to enforce by man's law an ethic he thinks will keep it together.

Assinine. If you're so blinded by God that you break His law doing good, then maybe good is not what you're doing, and maybe it isn't God that's blinding you.

[unspun]

Let's get off the false alternative of "WOD" or "Freedom to Be Stoned." I'm not in favor of abuse of the 4th Amendment. However, we have the freedom to govern.

[motzman]

Well, I agree with the Libertarians on this issue. Drug Warriors need to go. We have many other far more pressing issues to deal with it.

[motzman]

Have you ever studied the origins of mj criminalization?

Maybe you should...you wouldn't want to be associated with the criminals that rammed that nonsense through congress.

[unspun]

Lets have narcotics dispensers next to Lotto ticket machines! It would be another great source of tax revenue!
Narc out the nation!

[Sparta]

Quayle has come out for legalization also. Also, many conservative commentators are for relegalizing also.

[budwiesest]

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.(Tenth Ammendment)

Seems the states may place restrictions as the Feds have no jurisdiction. And if the States fail to address the issue, then it falls to the indivuduals.

[unspun]

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.(Tenth Ammendment)

Seems the states may place restrictions as the Feds have no jurisdiction. And if the States fail to address the issue, then it falls to the indivuduals.

Thank you, bud! I've been worrying about many Freepers' ability to read. I'm glad that your eyes and mind aren't impaired.

[motzman]

Umm...I don't think bud was agreeing with you there...

[UnBlinkingEye]

Everyone knows pot is harmful to the smoker, but causes no harm to others and you can make the arguement that alcohol is more harmful than marijuana.

Are you sure that everyone knows pot is harmful or have you fallen prey to WOSD propoganda?

[unspun]

M, I don't mean to cast personal insults, please pardon if I have.

A bit of cannabis possession shouldn't bring a prison sentence, but it clearly should be penalized, since it is concomitant with supporting an economy in impairing, intoxicating and debilitating people accross the spectrum and society as a whole (and would also be, if legal).

Why are so many people in FreeRepublic.com so interested in augmenting the use of narcotics? Incredible.

[Sparta]

I said only to the person smoking it. The harm to society is little to none without the laws.