Marijuana Policy

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   
AUGUST 21, 2009   

Study: Marijuana May Protect Against Alcohol Brain Damage

CONTACT: Bruce Mirken, MPP director of communications ............... 415-585-6404 or 202-215-4205

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A study just published online by the journal Neurotoxicology and Teratology suggests that marijuana may protect the brain from some of the damage caused by binge drinking.

     The study, by researchers at the University of California San Diego, used a type of high-tech scan called diffusion tensor imaging to compare microscopic changes in brain white matter. The subjects were students aged 16-to-19, divided into three groups: binge drinkers (defined as having five or more drinks at one sitting for boys or four or more for girls), binge drinkers who also smoked marijuana, and a control group who had very little or no experience with either alcohol or drugs.

     As expected, the binge-drinking-only group showed evidence of white matter damage in eight regions examined, as demonstrated by lower fractional anisotropy (FA) scores. But in a finding the researchers describe as "unexpected," the binge-drinking/marijuana group had lower FA scores than the controls in only three of eight regions, and in seven regions the binge-drinking/marijuana group had higher scores -- indicating less damage -- than the binge drinkers who did not use marijuana.

     Brain white matter tracts were "more coherent in adolescents who binge drink and use marijuana than in adolescents who report only binge drinking," the researchers wrote. "It is possible that marijuana may have some neuroprotective properties in mitigating alcohol-related oxidative stress or excitotoxic cell death," as has already been shown in lab and animal studies.

     "This study suggests that not only is marijuana safer than alcohol, it may actually protect against some of the damage that booze causes," said Steve Fox, Marijuana Policy Project director of state campaigns and co-author of the new book, "Marijuana Is Safer: So Why Are We Driving People to Drink?" (which hit number 17 on the Amazon.com bestseller list). "It's far better for teens not to drink or smoke marijuana, but our nation's leaders send a dangerous message by defending laws that encourage the use of alcohol over marijuana."

     REFERENCE: Jacobus, J. et al. "White matter integrity in adolescents with histories of marijuana use and binge drinking." Neurotoxicology and Teratology.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ntt.2009.07.006

     With more than 27,000 members and 100,000 e-mail subscribers nationwide, the Marijuana Policy Project is the largest marijuana policy reform organization in the United States. MPP believes that the best way to minimize the harm associated with marijuana is to regulate marijuana in a manner similar to alcohol. For more information, please visit http://MarijuanaPolicy.org.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   
AUGUST 7, 2009

Obama in No Position to Dismiss Any Solution to Mexican Drug Trade Violence, Even 'Legalization'

On Eve of President's Trip to Mexico, Marijuana Policy Reformers, World Leaders Want All Options Open

CONTACT: Dan Bernath, MPP assistant director of communications, 202-462-5747 ext. *2030

WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Obama will travel to Mexico this weekend to confer with his Mexican and Canadian counterparts on the violence associated with the illegal drug trade that has killed 4,000 this year alone. However, if recent statements made by him and his drug czar are true, he's unlikely to address the solution a growing chorus of U.S. and Latin America leaders are calling for: removing marijuana from the illegal market.

     Earlier this year, the former presidents of Brazil, Columbia and Mexico called on the United States to decriminalize marijuana, which comprises an estimated 60 percent of Mexican drug cartels' business, as a way to curb U.S. demand for illicit drugs. Then, in April, Terry Goddard, attorney general for Arizona, where at least 5 tons of marijuana have been seized since October, called for a reevaluation of the war on drugs with all possibilities – including ending marijuana prohibition – to be on the table.

     Nevertheless, when asked in an online forum in March about the possibility of removing marijuana from the underground market and regulating the drug like alcohol, Obama laughingly dismissed the suggestion. And just last month, his drug czar, Gil Kerlikowske told reporters in Fresno that "[marijuana] legalization is not in the president's vocabulary, and it's not in mine."

     "Considering the devastating explosion of violence related to the illicit drug trade and the scars our policy of marijuana prohibition has left on the Mexican people, it's silly for President Obama to refuse to discuss any viable option, let alone one supported by leaders on both sides of our border," said Aaron Houston, director of government relations for the Marijuana Policy Project. "Just as we did when we ended alcohol Prohibition, we could cut these violent cartels out of the market for their most lucrative product by regulating marijuana's production and sale here in the U.S., thus removing the financial motive that fuels the violence in the first place. But instead, the president appears devoted to making things worse by throwing more money, guns and bodies at the problem, despite clear evidence of our current policy's futility."

     With more than 27,000 members and 100,000 e-mail subscribers nationwide, the Marijuana Policy Project is the largest marijuana policy reform organization in the United States. MPP believes that the best way to minimize the harm associated with marijuana is to regulate marijuana in a manner similar to alcohol. For more information, please visit http://MarijuanaPolicy.org.

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Dear friends:

I hope you've had a chance to review MPP's most recent newsletter that I sent you last week. (If you didn't receive it, donate $25 now to get MPP's newsletter and other information about MPP's campaigns sent to your mailbox.)

You can also find it online here:

The theme of this issue is “marijuana in the mainstream.” Inside you'll read all about how marijuana policy reform is advancing more rapidly than ever — from Rhode Island's new medical marijuana law to a U.S. Supreme Court victory to MPP's unprecedented recent successes in the media, as well as new data on marijuana and cancer, and much more.

If you haven't already donated to MPP in 2009, I hope you'll update your membership now, by giving $25 or more. (You can see your giving history in the sidebar to the right.)

Thank you so much — we couldn't do what we do without your help.

Sincerely,

Rob Kampia
Executive Director
Marijuana Policy Project
Washington, D.C.

P.S. As I've mentioned in previous alerts, a major philanthropist has committed to match the first $2.35 million that MPP can raise from the rest of the planet in 2009. This means that your donation today will be doubled.

Dear friends:

When MPP was founded in January 1995, medical marijuana was illegal in all 50 states. Since then, 13 states have legalized medical marijuana, with Michigan becoming the 13^th state in November 2008, when Michigan voters passed MPP's ballot initiative with 63% of the vote. By the time of MPP's 15^th anniversary in January 2010, we expect medical marijuana to be legal in 15 states (with New Hampshire and New Jersey becoming the 14^th and 15^th states).

At the same time, marijuana possession is now decriminalized in 13 states, with Massachusetts becoming the 13^th state in November 2008, when Massachusetts voters passed MPP's ballot initiative with 65% of the vote. By the end of next year, we hope that marijuana will be decriminalized in 15 states (with Rhode Island and Vermont becoming the 14^th and 15^th states).

We think all this is worth celebrating. Will you join us in toasting these successes?

MPP's 15^th Anniversary Gala

Date: January 13, 2010

Reception from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Dinner from 7:30 - 10:30 p.m.

Location: Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.

Tickets will go on sale in August, but please mark your calendar now.

By the way, we're currently putting together the event's host committee, so if you'd like to publicly declare your support of MPP as a host of the event, please contact MPP's Sara Cannon at (202) 462-5747, ext. *2020 or [email protected].

Sincerely,

Rob Kampia
Executive Director
Marijuana Policy Project
Washington, D.C.

P.S. As I've mentioned in previous alerts, a major philanthropist has committed to match the first $2.35 million that MPP can raise from the rest of the planet in 2009. This means that your donation today will be doubled.

Dear Friends:

Yesterday, Congressman Barney Frank (D-Mass.) introduced a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives to eliminate all federal penalties for marijuana possession. This came only one week after he also introduced a bill to protect medical marijuana patients.

Would you please take one minute to ask your U.S. representative to support these two bills? MPP's easy online action center makes it simple — just enter your name and contact info, and we'll do the rest.

The Personal Use of Marijuana by Responsible Adults Act of 2009 would eliminate the threat of federal arrest and prison for the possession of up to 3.5 ounces of marijuana and the not-for-profit transfer of an ounce of marijuana — nationwide.

What's more, last week Congressman Frank introduced the Medical Marijuana Patient Protection Act, which would allow states to protect medical marijuana patients from arrest and jail without federal interference, as well as allow pharmacies to dispense marijuana to patients with a doctor's recommendation. You can take action on this bill here.

MPP has worked closely with Congressman Frank's staff in past months, helping to craft both pieces of legislation and build political support for the proposals on Capitol Hill.

Now members of Congress need to hear from their constituents who want to see it passed — that means you! It takes only a minute or two to use MPP's online action system to send a quick note to your member of the House, so would you please send your letter right now?

Eliminate threat of federal arrest and prison for marijuana possession

Protect medical marijuana patients nationwide

Thank you so much for your help.

Sincerely,

Rob Kampia
Executive Director
Marijuana Policy Project
Washington, D.C.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   
JUNE 5, 2005

New Anti-Drug Plan Doomed to Failure, Reformers Charge
Failure to Consider Fundamental Reforms Guarantees Cartels Will Continue to Dominate Marijuana Trade

 

CONTACT: Bruce Mirken, MPP director of communications ............... 202-215-4205 or 415-585-6404

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The new anti-drug initiative for the Southwestern border announced today by the Obama administration is doomed to failure because it simply dresses up failed policies in new clothing, the Marijuana Policy Project charged today.

     "The new plan simply calls for rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic," said MPP director of government relations Aaron Houston. "The plan ignores the central problem, which is that our policy of marijuana prohibition has handed the Mexican cartels a massive market that keeps them rolling in cash, not just in Mexico, but according to the Department of Justice, in 230 American cities."

     Houston noted that federal officials have stated that 60 to 70 percent of the cartels' profits come from the marijuana trade, and that the Mexican government seems to be signaling its unhappiness with the United States' current policy. "The Mexican Congress strategically scheduled consideration of legislation to remove criminal penalties for marijuana possession to coincide with President Obama's trip there," Houston said. He also noted that Mexican ambassador to the U.S. Arturo Sarukhán called for the debate on regulating and taxing marijuana to be "taken seriously on both sides of the border" on national television.

     "Rather than trying to make America's 15 million monthly marijuana consumers go away, we need to gain control of this market by regulating marijuana like we do beer, wine and liquor," Houston said. "Any anti-drug effort that leaves the marijuana trade in the hands of the cartels is nothing but a full-employment plan for professional drug warriors and cartel bosses alike, not a serious proposal to address the problem."

     With more than 27,000 members and 100,000 e-mail subscribers nationwide, the Marijuana Policy Project is the largest marijuana policy reform organization in the United States. MPP believes that the best way to minimize the harm associated with marijuana is to regulate marijuana in a manner similar to alcohol. For more information, please visit http://MarijuanaPolicy.org.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   
MAY 19, 2009

Rejection of Budget Measures Boosts Drive to Tax, Regulate Marijuana
56% Support Taxing Marijuana, According to Recent Field Poll 

CONTACT: Bruce Mirken, MPP director of communications ............... 415-585-6404 or 202-215-4205

SAN FRANCISCO -- Today's thumping rejection of a series of ballot measures aimed at easing California's hemorrhaging budget deficit adds new urgency to the drive to regulate California's largest cash crop, marijuana, advocates said tonight.

     "It's clear that voters didn't like the solutions put forth by the legislature on last night's ballot," said Aaron Smith, California policy director for the Marijuana Policy Project. "But a Field poll last month showed solid support for making marijuana a legal, regulated product and making producers and sellers pay taxes that they now avoid. For the legislature to leave marijuana untaxed even as our state faces catastrophic cuts to schools, transportation, public safety and other critical services borders on the criminal."

     A 2006 study by public policy researcher Jon Gettman found marijuana to be California's top cash crop, exceeding the value of the number two and three crops, vegetables and grapes, combined. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, two million Californians acknowledge having used marijuana in the past month. Estimates have suggested that California could save hundreds of millions in law enforcement costs and gain more than a billion in tax revenues if marijuana were taxed and regulated as proposed in legislation introduced by Assemblyman Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco).

     "Now that it seems we've hit the end of the road in the search for solving California's budget mess, we need to be looking outside the box," Smith added. "Replacing the failed policy of marijuana prohibition with a system of regulation and taxation would not only be sound public policy, but it also looks a lot more politically popular than anything else being offered up by Sacramento right now."

     With more than 27,000 members and 100,000 e-mail subscribers nationwide, the Marijuana Policy Project is the largest marijuana policy reform organization in the United States. MPP believes that the best way to minimize the harm associated with marijuana is to regulate marijuana in a manner similar to alcohol. For more information, please visit http://MarijuanaPolicy.org.

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