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Students for Sensible Drug Policy "Legalize It!" Party

Round 1 to SAFER - Starbucks/CDIA Update

SAFER and supporters of marijuana policy reform have won Round 1 in the fight against the Arrest and Prosecution Industry and the companies that sponsor their efforts to keep marijuana illegal.

After being subjected to an action that resulted in thousands of e-mail messages and several unflattering news accounts, the Colorado Drug Investigators Association (CDIA) shut down its Web site entirely and many of its "sponsors" distanced themselves from the extremist anti-marijuana organization. Apparently this law enforcement group has far less support in the community than it had led people to believe on its Web site. Needless to say, we're not surprised. We are, however, shocked that this group would list any company as a sponsor without receiving permission.

Starbucks, the largest "sponsor" listed and a primary target of SAFER's call to action, released a public statement to ensure everyone knows it does NOT support the anti-marijuana group at the national level. Rather, the company said, "It is up to the discretion of our local teams to support those groups that are relevant in their neighborhoods."

Although we feel Starbucks should develop a policy prohibiting its stores from lending support to these types of groups, and that it should be looking into groups like the CDIA who have used their logo without permission, SAFER is no longer calling for a nationwide boycott of Starbucks or these other companies.

Rather, we urge you and all supporters of marijuana reform to use YOUR "discretion" and decide for yourself whether you wish to give them your business. After all, no local store or company should be lending its support to such these extremist organizations lobbying to maintain Marijuana Prohibition so they can continue to arrest and prosecute people for marijuana. SAFER will continue to keep an eye out for stores or other companies that lend support to the Arrest and Prosecution Industry and shady groups like the CDIA, and we will be sure to keep everyone posted on how you can take action if the need should arise.

As the Seattle Weekly's blog put it:

"[This Starbucks boycott is] nothing but a minor brew-ha-ha. But more evidence that we've now entered an (amazing) alternate dimension, where speaking out against pot actually gets you more bad PR than speaking out for it."

If you support SAFER's efforts to expose these types of shady partnerships and take on these anti-marijuana groups, please help us continue to do so by visiting http://www.SAFERchoice.org/donate and making a donation today. If you contribute $25 or more you can receive any one of SAFER's T-shirts or a copy of Marijuana Is Safer: So why are we driving people to drink? signed by coauthor and SAFER Executive Director Mason Tvert.

As always, we greatly appreciate your ongoing support, and we thank you again if you were among those who took action or helped us spread the word about it.


 

85% of Grandparent Respondents Favor Marijuana Legalization, According to GRAND Magazine Reader Poll (Press Release)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 26, 2011

CONTACT: Rosa Mangiardi at (415) 728-2113

85% of Grandparent Respondents Favor Marijuana Legalization, According to GRAND Magazine Reader Poll

Online Magazine for Grandparents Releases Response Results to Op-Ed Question Posed in its March/April Issue


St. Petersburg, FL. (PRWEB) Attitudes about the criminalization of marijuana may be changing among the elders of our society, as the more than 70 million of the baby boomer generation, one to widely experiment with recreational drug use, have and will become grandparents.

GRAND Magazine, the online magazine for today's grandparents, released today results from their poll question which appeared in the March/April issue. It asked readers if it was time to legalize marijuana. 85% responded that they agreed it was.

The reader respondents who are pot proponents argued in their responses that it is hypocritical to outlaw pot when cigarettes, alcohol and fat-laden foods are legal but account for so many health issues among our population. They point out that marijuana is used to treat medical symptoms such as pain and nausea, and that in some states it is legal for shops to dispense medical marijuana. The billions that are spent in the U.S. on policing and courts related to this issue could be spent on better schools or infrastructure.

Grandparents who are part of the baby boomer generation (those born from 1946 to 1964)(1) have a unique perspective on marijuana, having come of age during a time when pot use became mainstream. 21st century grandparents are a group with a significant influence on the country’s youth as they are the primary caregivers for more than 6 million children(2). In fact, approximately 75 percent of all non-parental care of children is provided by a grandparent(3), representing a large shift in family dynamics. Now it seems that as they guide and influence new generations, they view marijuana use increasingly as a harmless indulgence rather than a gateway to a lifetime of drug abuse.

Among the reader response comments were:

“I am a grandparent strongly in favor of decriminalization. I would much rather my grandkids smoke pot than use cigarettes or alcohol. I expect I will need cannabis for my health soon and don’t want (it) to be illegal. The whole charade needs to stop; we are blowing far too much money on the drug war and have no positive results to show for it. The whole approach is counterproductive,” said D.W., Guysville, OH.

“I am a grandparent of a 17 year-old granddaughter who has been struggling with drug addiction since she was 14 years old. I believe that marijuana is a gateway drug and it has always been her reluctance to give up pot that has brought her back again and again to more dangerous drugs. I understand that the same arguments that have been used for years with the responsible adult consumption of alcohol apply to responsible adult use of pot. … I would vote against legal sale of marijuana…,” said A.C.

To read additional reader responses, click here

The link to the page in the GRAND magazine March/April online edition op-ed reader poll that asks, ‘Is it time to legalize marijuana?’ is: http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/20110304_v3/index.php#/51/OnePage

GRAND Magazine
GRAND magazine is an online bi-monthly magazine that serves the more than 70 million U.S. grandparent market. It is delivered exclusively in digital format. It is published by GRAND Media, LLC, which was established in 2004. For more information about GRAND magazine visit: http://www.GRANDmagazine.com.

1. U.S. Census Bureau
2. American Community Survey, 2007, U.S. Census Bureau
3. State Fact Sheet for Grandparents and Other Relatives Raising Children, 2007, AARP Foundation, Brookdale Foundation Group, Casey Family Programs, Child Welfare League of America, Children’s Defense Fund, and Generations United

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Medical Marijuana Businesses Subject of Federal Tax Proposal Sponsored by Rep. Jared Polis

Marijuana businesses looking for help navigating the federal tax code are watching a congressional proposal sponsored by Colorado Rep. Jared Polis. Polis and other House members introduced legislation about medical marijuana. One of the bills would allow marijuana-related businesses to claim business deductions on their federal taxes. Currently the IRS does not permit marijuana-related business to claim business deductions.

Tommy Chong: It's my birthday!

 

 

Hey man,

Today's my birthday!

To celebrate, I want to do something really special, and I'm going to need your help. What I want is to see marijuana legal in my lifetime.

I know what you're thinking. "Tommy, after 74 years of marijuana being illegal and 100,000s of marijuana arrests every year, how could we possibly forget your birthday?" I know, right? You can make it up to me by helping turn my dream into a reality.

If you make a $25 donation in my honor to the Marijuana Policy Project, they can start work on numerous medical marijuana ballot initiatives this year.  Namely in Arkansas, Idaho, Missouri, and North Dakota.

And if you're feeling really bad about forgetting my birthday, you could sign up to make a monthly credit card donation to support MPP’s plan to legalize medical marijuana in 27 states by 2014. It's the gift that keeps on giving!

These ballots aren't going to initiate themselves! Please help make my birthday wish come true and support the work of the Marijuana Policy Project. Thanks, man.

Tommy Chong

 

 

 

PS: I’m proud to announce that I’m joining MPP’s VIP advisory board. I spent nine months in federal prison because of the government’s ‘war on drugs’. We need to change marijuana laws and MPP is doing just that.

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