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MPP Insider Newsletter Volume 1, Issue 9

 

Newsletter V1_I9 Header

 

Prop 19 polls on the rise

Newsletter V1_I9 PollsIn just the last week two new polls have come out showing California's Prop 19 has strengthened its position among that state's voters. In one instance, the highly respected Field Poll showed Prop 19 leading 49 to 42 percent, a marked increase from June when that same poll showed the initiative down 48 to 44 percent. Let's hope these polls hold true come November and California voters decide to make their state the first in the nation to end marijuana prohibition!  Read more...

Ending prohibition makes cents (and dollars)

Newsletter V1_I9 MoneyA new study funded by the Cato Institute and conducted by former MPP grant recipient Jeffrey A. Miron shows that between savings and tax revenue the regulation of marijuana could bring $17.4 billion to government coffers annually. Although Miron's report notes that much of the savings would come from reducing the number of people in the criminal justice system it is nonetheless an affirmation of what MPP has been saying for years: ending marijuana prohibition saves lives AND dollars. Read more...

From the Director's Desk

Newsletter V1_I8 Huffington PostMPP executive director Rob Kampia shares his latest Huffington Post piece on the pivotal role this year's gubernatorial election in Vermont will play in attempts to decriminalize marijuana in that state.  Peter Shumlin (D), who pulled ahead in a very close primary race, has been supportive of marijuana policy reform since Rob's first encounter with him eight years ago and may now be the key to making great policy strides in Vermont.  Read more...

MPP's Steve Fox featured in debate on Fox News

Newsletter V1_I9 Steve FoxSteve Fox, MPP's director of government relations and co-author of 'Marijuana is Safer,' recently went on the morning show "Fox and Friends" to debate Bishop Ron Allen, an opponent of California's Prop 19. As always, Steve remained calm, cool, and collected in the face of far-fetched prohibitionist rhetoric while managing to explain why our marijuana laws need to change.  Watch the clip...

Ban on Fake Marijuana

Newsletter V1_I9 K2MPP director of communications Mike Meno posted a great piece on the MPP Blog detailing the movement by states to ban artificial marijuana substitutes such as K2.  Currently, 13 states have banned the substance and Michigan is expected to join that list as early as next week.  Is this a sensible move to protect public safety, or a futile effort that misses the real issue? Read more...

 

The MPP Insider - Video Edition

Newsletter V1_I9 Insider

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Featured Person

Newsletter V1_I8 VictimIn January 2003, 19-year-old Webster Alexander of Alabama received a 26-year prison sentence for selling $350 of marijuana within three miles of a school.
Hear his story...

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MPP will be able to tackle all of the projects in our 2010 strategic plan if you help us meet this challenge.

 

To contact MPP, please click here or reply to this e-mail. Our mailing address is Marijuana Policy Project, 236 Massachusetts Ave. NE, Suite 400, Washington, D.C. 20002. Any donations you make to MPP may be used for political purposes, such as supporting or opposing candidates for federal office.

 

Statewide Women's Day of Action/Rally & Book Delivery to OC Sheriff Sandra Hutchens

This action is part of a larger, national push (read below).  Please contact [email protected] for more information.

The Women's Marijuana Movement is coordinating a nationwide Day Of Action on Oct. 5th to increase support for Proposition 19 in California, during which women all over the country will hold press conferences and rallies to spread the message that WOMEN feel cannabis legalization will make their communities safer and a better place to live, and to educate the public about the not-well-known-enough fact that marijuana is far safer than alcohol.  We have a page up on our website promoting the event here: http://www.womensmarijuanamovement.org/content/yes-prop-19-day-action-oct-5-1

In California, women will hold their events outside of or near the offices of members of law enforcement who have formally come out against Prop 19, and they will deliver copies of the book "Marijuana Is Safer" to the opponents themselves.  You can see the full list of opponents here: http://www.noonproposition19.com/endorsements/district-attorneys

On campuses nationwide, female students will hold events, and/or table, and distribute information about the relative safety of marijuana and talk about why they feel Prop 19 or something similar in their own state would make their communities and campuses a safer place.

And in states other than California, women will be holding press conferences, small rallies, and events to talk about how they support California's attempt to legalize and how something similar in their own state would greatly benefit them.

In all cases, we have prepared the targets for action (in California), materials for distribution, and statements to read to any media who report on the Day Of Action.  Minimally, all an organizer or attendee needs to do is invite other supportive women to join them for about an hour (tops) around noon on Oct. 5.  Women are welcome and encouraged to bring their children.

This Day Of Action is intended to generate broad media coverage that women support legalization, change the way people think about the misconceived harms of marijuana, and ultimately increase support among women for Prop 19.  Polling is showing that while men are supportive of Prop 19, women are split.  You can check out our last marijuana-related Day Of Action and tremendous press it generated here: http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/o/5559/t/4595/p/salsa/web/common/public/content?content_item_KEY=3535

Please let me know as early as possible if you're interested in organizing or attending an event for this Day Of Action, or if you have any questions.  Additionally, we are open to any ideas you have that you'd like to incorporate into or use for this Day Of Action.

Thank you!
Eva Enns
WMM Coordinator
SAFER Outreach Director
303-861-0033

Marijuana to Be Legalized in Utah?

A California ballot measure to legalize marijuana is now ahead in the polls. This has one of Utah's most prominent and outspoken politicians saying, someday, the drug will even be legal here in Utah. "To put people behind bars for possessing or smoking pot is absolutely absurd. It would make more sense to put people behind bars for smoking cigarettes," said former Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson.

Former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson Speaks on Legalizing Marijuana

Republican Governor Gary Johnson of New Mexico has recently spoken out about his belief that the war on drugs has been a failure, and he has proposed the legalization of marijuana. His willingness to challenge the establishment, especially the leadership of his own political party, has stimulated a growing national debate on marijuana policy that was long overdue, and broken the myth of consensus -- that all responsible elected officials support marijuana prohibition.

Interestingly, when Governor Johnson was first a candidate for governor, he publicly acknowledged that he had smoked marijuana, and that he had also experimented with cocaine. The voters of New Mexico apparently felt his prior drug use was unimportant, as they elected him to two successive terms as their governor. Governor Johnson is currently a tri-athlete who runs several miles each day, and avoids all drug use.

 
For more information, contact Robert Pfountz at (479) 387-2318 or [email protected]

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Alcohol Industry Contributions Net Anti-Marijuana Spokesman on the Hill (Press Release)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 21, 2010

CONTACT: Mason Tvert, SAFER executive director, 720-255-4340

Alcohol Industry Contributions Net Anti-Marijuana Spokesman on the Hill

Congressman speaking out against marijuana and Obama's approach to it has received at least $20,000 from the beer and liquor industry this cycle

DENVER -- A national marijuana advocacy organization is calling on U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX) to explain why he is speaking out against marijuana and accusing the current administration of encouraging its use when he is in fact receiving money from the alcohol industry, which produces, distributes and promotes a far more harmful substance.  Late last week, revelations that the alcohol industry is funding the campaign to defeat a marijuana legalization initiative in California resulted in a number of headlines nationwide and sparked outrage amongst supporters of marijuana policy reform.  See <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/21/this-buds-not-for-you-bee_n_732901.html?ref=fb&src=sp for the whole story.

According to a blog post published this afternoon on The Hill's website:

"The administration is clearly sending the message that they don't think it's bad to use marijuana," Smith said on Fox News. "So they're encouraging the use of marijuana. And that simply is not a good thing to do."

See: http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/120035-top-republican-obama-administration-encouraging-use-of-marijuana for the whole story.

"Marijuana is becoming more acceptable and the alcohol industry is defending its turf," said Mason Tvert, executive director of Safer Alternative For Enjoyable Recreation (SAFER), a non-profit organization that highlights the relative safety of marijuana compared to alcohol.  "The booze industry and its good friends in Washington recognize that marijuana legalization is imminent and it is fighting to maintain alcohol's status as the only legal intoxicant.  This, despite the fact that it is far more harmful than marijuana to the user and society."

SAFER and marijuana reform supporters nationwide are now calling on the congressman to explain his opposition to marijuana in light of his acceptance of campaign contributions from the alcohol industry.  According to OpenSecrets.org, his current campaign has received at least $20,000 from the beer, wine, and liquor industry, including a $10,000 donation from the National Beer Wholesalers Association, a $5,000 contribution from the Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America, and $5,000 from Constellation Brands Premium Wine and Spirits Company.

"For Rep. Smith to accept money from the alcohol industry and then work to stifle that industry's competition is unethical and hypocritical," Tvert said.  "It's time he explained his reason for preferring adults use alcohol -- a substance whose use alone kills more than 30,000 Americans per year -- instead of marijuana, which has never resulted in a single death in history.

"Unlike marijuana, alcohol use contributes to domestic violence, sexual assaults, and other serious problems," Tvert said. "If Rep.

Smith is so concerned about public safety, why is he helping Big Alcohol drive Americans to drink?  He should be thrilled that more Americans are making the rational, safer choice to use marijuana instead of alcohol when they relax and recreate."

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SAFER (Safer Alternative For Enjoyable Recreation) is a national non-profit organization based in Denver and dedicated to educating the the public about the fact that marijuana is safer than alcohol for the user and society.  Its social welfare lobbying arm, the SAFER Voter Education Fund, advocates for laws and policies that reflect that fact and no longer steer people toward drinking and away from making the safer choice.  For more information visit http://www.saferchoice.org/

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