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The War on Drugs is Over? Lets Celebrate!

Last week the new White House Drug Czar called for an end to the "War on Drugs", signaling a new, more sensible path for drug policy.  See here.                                                           

Come celebrate this sea change with Colorado's preeminent drug policy reformers at the Sensible Colorado 5th Anniversary Gala this Saturday (5/23) from 6-9pm.                                                    

We are happy to announce our special guest speaker for this event will be Don Duncan, California Director of Americans for Safe Access.  Don is one of the longest-running and most respected medical marijuana dispensary operators in America, and has been featured on "60 Minutes" and on other national programs.                                                  

This FREE event is open to the public and will feature speakers, awards, food and drink.                                              

What:  Sensible Colorado's 5th Anniversary Gala

Where:  Atlantis Community Center (201 S. Cherokee Street, Denver CO 80223)

When:  Saturday, May 23 from 6-9pm.                                         

*This event is non-smoking and fully disabled accessible.                                  

Thanks to generous donors, this event is free to all.  If you can't make it, but would like to support Sensible Colorado's work, please make a donation today:  DONATE HERE

Dandy Warhols at MPP's party at the Playboy Mansion

Dear Friends:

Alternative rock giants The Dandy Warhols will be playing at MPP's party at the Playboy Mansion on June 4.


The Dandy Warhols

And if you purchase tickets between today and May 18, your name will automatically be entered into a raffle to win a free night's stay for June 4 at The Andaz, a luxury hotel near the party. 

The party will also feature music from HunnyPot DJ Action with a special guest set from David J. of Bauhaus and Love & Rockets, and it will be hosted by actress Fairuza Balk, star of the movie "Humboldt County," as well as many other hit movies (including "The Craft," "American History X," "Almost Famous," and "The Waterboy").

Please visit www.mpp.org/pb2009 to purchase your tickets today, since the price will soon increase. (The ticket price is $800 now but we only have a small number of tickets to sell before the price increases to $900.)

I hope you'll join me, The Dandy Warhols, Fairuza, and other celebrities and supporters of marijuana policy reform at our party at the Playboy Mansion: Buy your tickets today.

I look forward to seeing you at the Mansion on June 4!

Sincerely,

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

P.S. P.S. MPP would like to thank the party's gold sponsors, Oaksterdam University and The Revolutionary Love Project, and our silver sponsors: Got Vape?/Iolite; GreenLife Medical Systems LLC; Bruce Margolin, attorney at law; Pro Garden Systems; Spectrum Labs; and Vaporbrothers. If you or your company is interested in a sponsorship package, please reply to this e-mail.

DrugSense ALERT: #402 Governor Asks: What If Pot's Legal and Taxed?

DrugSense FOCUS Alert #402 - Monday, 11 May 2009 Last Wednesday morning the readers of the The Sacramento Bee were treated to the front page article, below. Since then the press articles and editorial page content have been slowly increasing. The items can be accessed at http://www.mapinc.org/people/Schwarzenegger. The news clippings are worthy of letters to the editor. As this is sent the largest California newspaper, the Los Angeles Times, has not mentioned Governor Schwarzenegger' comments. Thus a message to the newspaper may also be appropriate. See http://drugsense.org/url/bc7El3Yo for contact details. ********************************************************************** GOVERNOR ASKS: WHAT IF POT'S LEGAL AND TAXED? As California struggles to find cash, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Tuesday it's time to study whether to legalize and tax marijuana for recreational use. The Republican governor did not support legalization - and the federal government still bans marijuana use - but advocates hailed the fact that Schwarzenegger endorsed studying a once-taboo political subject. "Well, I think it's not time for ( legalization ), but I think it's time for a debate," Schwarzenegger said. "I think all of those ideas of creating extra revenues, I'm always for an open debate on it. And I think we ought to study very carefully what other countries are doing that have legalized marijuana and other drugs, what effect did it have on those countries?" Schwarzenegger was at a fire safety event in Davis when he answered a question about a recent Field Poll showing 56 percent of registered voters support legalizing and taxing marijuana to raise revenue for cash-strapped California. Voters in 1996 authorized marijuana for medical purposes. Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, D-San Francisco, has written legislation to allow the legal sale of marijuana to adults 21 years and older for recreational use. His Assembly Bill 390 would charge cannibis wholesalers initial and annual flat fees, while retailers would pay $50 per ounce to the state. The proposal would ban cannibis near schools and prohibit smoking marijuana in public places. Marijuana legalization would raise an estimated $1.34 billion annually in tax revenue, according to a February estimate by the Board of Equalization. That amount could be offset by a reduction in cigarette or alcohol sales if consumers use marijuana as a substitute. Besides raising additional tax revenue, the state could save money on law enforcement costs, Ammiano believes. But he shelved the bill until next year because it remains controversial in the Capitol, according to his spokesman, Quintin Mecke. "We're certainly in full agreement with the governor," Mecke said. "I think it's a great opportunity. I think he's also being very realistic about understanding sort of the overall context, not only economically but otherwise." Schwarzenegger previously has shown a casual attitude toward marijuana. He was filmed smoking a joint in the 1977 film, "Pumping Iron." And he told the British version of GQ in 2007, "That is not a drug. It's a leaf." Spokesman Aaron McLear downplayed the governor's comment as a joke at the time. Even if California were to legalize marijuana, the state would hit a roadblock with the federal government, which prohibits its use. Ammiano hopes for a shift in federal policy, but President Barack Obama said in March he doesn't think legalization is a good strategy. Any study would find plenty of arguments, judging by responses Tuesday. Assemblyman Chuck DeVore, R-Irvine, said he's open to a study, but he remains opposed to legalization. He warned that society could bear significant burdens. He downplayed enforcement and incarceration savings because he believes drug courts are already effective in removing low-level offenders from the system. "Studies have shown there is impairment with marijuana use," DeVore said. "People can get paranoid, can lose some of their initiative to work, and we don't live in some idealized libertarian society where every person is responsible completely to himself. We live in a society where the cost of your poor decisions are borne by your fellow taxpayers." But Bruce Merkin of the Marijuana Policy Project said studies show alcohol has worse effects on users than marijuana in terms of addiction and long-term effects. His group believes marijuana should be regulated and taxed just like alcoholic beverages. "There are reams of scientific data that show marijuana is less harmful than alcohol," Merkin said. "Just look at the brain of an alcoholic. In an autopsy, you wouldn't need a microscope to see the damage. Marijuana doesn't do anything like that." Schwarzenegger said he would like to see results from Europe as part of a study. The Austrian parliament last year authorized cultivation of medical marijuana. But Schwarzenegger talked with a police officer in his hometown of Graz and found the liberalization was not fully supported, McLear said. "It could very well be that everyone is happy with that decision and then we could move to that," Schwarzenegger said. "If not, we shouldn't do it. But just because of raising revenues ... we have to be careful not to make mistakes at the same time." ********************************************************************** PLEASE SEND US A COPY OF YOUR LETTER Please post copies of your letters to the sent letter list ( [email protected] ) if you are subscribed. Subscribing to the Sent LTE list will help you to review other sent LTEs and perhaps come up with new ideas or approaches. To subscribe to the Sent LTE mailing list see http://www.mapinc.org/lists/index.htm#form Suggestions for writing LTEs are at our Media Activism Center http://www.mapinc.org/resource/#guides ********************************************************************** Prepared by: Richard Lake, Senior Editor www.mapinc.org === . DrugSense provides many services at no charge, but they are not free to produce. Your contributions make DrugSense and its Media Awareness Project (MAP) happen. Please donate today. Our secure Web server at http://www.drugsense.org/donate.htm accepts credit cards and Paypal. Or, mail your check or money order to: DrugSense 14252 Culver Drive #328 Irvine, CA 92604-0326 (800) 266 5759 . DrugSense is a 501c(3) non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness about the expensive, ineffective, and destructive "War on Drugs." Donations are tax deductible to the extent provided by law.

Sensible Colorado: Two Ways to Help

Here are two ways to get active in Colorado's vibrant reform community: (1) Sensible Colorado's 5th Anniversary Gala Help us celebrate our fifth year of advocacy on behalf of sensible marijuana reform. This FREE event is open to the public and will feature speakers, awards, food and drink. What: Sensible Colorado's 5th Anniversary Gala Where: Atlantis Community Center (201 S. Cherokee Street, Denver CO 80223) When: Saturday, May 23 from 6-9pm. *This event is non-smoking and fully disabled accessible. -AND- (2) Solidarity Event to Protect Safe Access Its back....the Colorado Board of Health is once again considering restricting patient access to medical marijuana. At a hearing in July, the Board will be voting on a rule which would rip patients out of safe caregiver relationships and force them onto the streets in search of medicine. Show your support on July 20th by attending the Hearing and Board vote. What: Solidarity event to protect safe access Place: Tivoli Student Union, Conference Room 250. Auraria Campus, 900 Auraria Parkway, Denver, CO 80204. Time: 8:30am on Monday, July 20, 2009 What else: This is NOT a rally. This is a formal Hearing and we need supporters to dress nice and act in a professional manner. NOTE- Many of you have already submitted written comments to the Board of Health. Thank you. Any new or additional comments need to be submitted by May 15.

No Joke

You Can Make a Difference

 

Dear Friends,

Tell President Obama it's time for a serious debate about marijuana prohibition.

Take Action Now
Email the president.

"I don’t know what this says about the online audience," joked President Obama during his first virtual town hall meeting. He was dismissing an idea submitted by tens of thousands of Americans: making marijuana legal.

This week, President Obama is visiting Mexico and seeing first hand the drug war violence that is spilling over our southern border, violence you and I know is fueled by marijuana prohibition.

Now that he’s seen what’s really happening, you have the chance to tell the president it's time for a serious discussion about the consequences of marijuana prohibition.

Thousands of people have been killed in the drug war in Mexico in the last couple of years. The drug traffickers are stockpiling machine guns and grenades and now are operating in hundreds of U.S. cities. This level of violence is the inevitable result of policies that create a lucrative black market.

You and I understand that ending marijuana prohibition would reduce violence and corruption the same way ending alcohol Prohibition did. I hope now that President Obama has seen the grisly consequences of marijuana prohibition first hand, he will no longer joke about marijuana law reform. Join me in telling him: This issue is deadly serious, and it's time to put all options on the table.

Sincerely,

Bill Piper
Director, Office of National Affairs
Drug Policy Alliance Network

 

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Fairuza Balk to host MPP's party at the Playboy Mansion

National Alert Header

Marijuana Policy Project Alert

April 16, 2009

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Dear Friends:

I'm excited to announce that actress Fairuza Balk is slated to host MPP's fourth annual party at the Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles on June 4.


party host Fairuza Balk

Fairuza is the star of the new movie “Humboldt County” and has also starred in numerous other hit films, including “The Craft,” “American History X,” and “The Waterboy.”

Please visit www.mpp.org/pb2009 to purchase your tickets today, since the price will soon increase. (The ticket price is $800 now but will jump to $900 after the next 100 tickets are sold.)

Here's a video of last year's party to get you in the mood:

I hope you'll join me, Fairuza, and other celebrities and supporters of marijuana policy reform at our party at the Playboy Mansion: Buy your tickets today.

I look forward to seeing you at the Mansion on June 4!

Sincerely,

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

P.S. MPP would like to thank the party's gold sponsor, Oaksterdam University, and our silver sponsors: GreenLife Medical Systems LLC, Local Harvest Organics; Bruce Margolin, attorney at law; Spectrum Labs; and Vapor Brothers. If you or your company is interested in a sponsorship package, please reply to this e-mail.


 

 

 

MPP-TV Rob Kampia on CNBC's Power Lunch

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Press Release -- Obama in Mexico: Marijuana on the Agenda?

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   
APRIL 15, 2009

Obama in Mexico: Marijuana on the Agenda?

In Possible Rebuke to Obama, Mexico's Ambassador Said an End to Marijuana Prohibition "Needs to Be Taken Seriously"

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

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- With President Obama leaving for talks with Mexican President Felipe Calderon on Thursday, marijuana policy reformers are wondering if the role of U.S. marijuana laws in subsidizing vicious Mexican drug gangs will get the serious attention that Mexico's ambassador to the U.S. recently said it deserves. Obama's visit comes immediately after Mexico's Congress held a historic debate on ending marijuana prohibition.

     "In his only public statement on the issue since taking office, President Obama treated the question of ending marijuana prohibition as a joke, but the families of the 7,000 murdered by Mexican drug gangs know it's not funny," said Marijuana Policy Project executive director Rob Kampia. "By refusing to bring the massive marijuana industry out of the shadows and regulate it as we do beer, wine and liquor, we've handed a massive subsidy to some of the most brutal thugs on the planet."

     In an April 12  discussion of Mexico's brutal drug cartels on CBS's "Face the Nation," Ambassador Arturo Sarukhan was asked by host Bob Schieffer, "What if marijuana were legalized? Would that change this situation?"

     Rather than dismissing the idea as President Obama did in his recent online town hall meeting, Sarukhan said, "This is a debate that needs to be taken seriously, that we have to engage in on both sides of the border."

     "Ambassador Sarukhan got it exactly right," said MPP director of government relations Aaron Houston. "The public in both countries is ready for a serious discussion about the marijuana laws that are directly aiding the murderous gangs that are killing people daily and now operate in 230 U.S. cities. It's time for Presidents Obama and Calderon to show the sort of decisive leadership that's needed to get both of our countries out of this mess."

     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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NORML: National Marijuana Forum, Boulder, CO

National Marijuana Forum April 18-20, 2009 University of Colorado, Boulder For a complete schedule, see: NORML@CU http://www.normlcu.com/ Cannabis experts from all over the country will converge in Boulder, Colorado from April 18-20 for the 2009 National Marijuana Forum, which will bring together local and national experts to discuss cannabis reform. The events will culminate on Monday, April 20 with the celebration of 4/20: International Cannabis Day. The National Marijuana Forum will be the foremost assessment on the current legal, scientific, environmental and social issues related to cannabis. Experts from all fields including marijuana law reform activists, law enforcement officials, medical experts, environmentalists, journalists and awarded scientists will participate in panels and lectures. The forum will serve to educate, enlighten and empower members of the CU and Boulder community on all current issues regarding marijuana in an unbiased environment. ----------------------------------------------------------------- SCHEDULE:

Free Scholarship: NORML Seminar In Aspen For Marijuana Activists And Attorneys

Dear Friends, Colorado NORML is pleased to announce the second annual Hunter S. Thompson Scholarship to attend the 2009 NORML Aspen Legal Seminar! The NORML Legal Committee's Annual Aspen Conference (which is a continuing legal education seminar for practicing lawyers) is scheduled for June 4th and 5th, 2009, at The Gant. Colorado NORML, is presenting the scholarship, which covers three nights lodging and the conference registration fee, to an attorney or cannabis law reform activist who, by written submission, demonstrates 1) a desire to improve public advocacy and/or trial skills related to representing cannabis consumers in the courts (criminal, medical, and more), 2) a demonstrated need for financial assistance to attend this year's Aspen Legal Seminar. The value of the scholarship is approximately $1000.00. Some of the finest defense attorneys (and cannabis law reform activists) in the United States have been coming to NORML's Aspen seminar for many years to learn, enjoy the inspired environs of beautiful Aspen in early summer--and to do so at VERY reasonable rates. This year's seminar focuses on state and federal medical marijuana laws, and is a MUST educational opportunity for medical marijuana patients, providers, cultivators, as well as for criminal defense attorneys (and public defenders, who receive a discount to attend). Check out this year's informative and interesting schedule at: http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=6823 The social events, including a great, private dinner catered by Cache Cache's Chris Lanter, are included with the scholarship. Criminal defense lawyers, public defenders, cannabis law reform activists, medical marijuana patients and their providers from the 13 states with medical cannabis laws are strongly encouraged to attend (HI, AK, WA, OR, CA, NV, NM, CO, MT, MI, RI, VT and ME). Submission for this year's Hunter Thompson Scholarship is by fax, mail or email. The scholarship is awarded by the CONORML board of directors, please direct your submissions 'Attn: Steve Wells' at: [email protected], (303) 725-0774 (f) by April 15, midnight Rocky Mountain High time--and we hope to announce the recipient of the scholarship on April 20th, 2009. Colorado NORML PO Box 492 Longmont, CO 80502 The submission word count rule will be strictly enforced. Submissions may be of any length... Good luck! Cannabem liberemus, -Allen St. Pierre Executive Director NORML Washington, D.C. [email protected]

Marijuana Policy Project Launches Nevada Chapter

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   
APRIL 7, 2009

Marijuana Policy Project Launches Nevada Chapter

CONTACT:  Neal Levine, director, Marijuana Policy Project of Nevada ............... 702-727-1081

LAS VEGAS -- The Marijuana Policy Project today announced the opening of an official Nevada state chapter, the Marijuana Policy Project of Nevada. Headquartered in Las Vegas, MPP-NV will work to educate Nevadans about the harm caused by marijuana prohibition, with the goal of ending marijuana prohibition in the state in the near future.

     MPP-NV is headed by Neal Levine, who managed the campaign for Question 7, the marijuana regulation initiative that received a record-setting 44 percent "yes" vote in November 2006.

     "MPP has been working to try and end marijuana prohibition in Nevada since 2001," Levine said. "After the enormous progress we made when Question 7 was narrowly defeated, we took a little time to retool and reassess our strategy in the state. MPP has made a long-term commitment to this community and this state. This is the beginning of the end for marijuana prohibition in Nevada.

     "We now arrest almost 20 people every day in this state for simply possessing marijuana," Levine continued. "We have always said this was a failed policy and an egregious waste of tax dollars and police resources. Now with our economy in the toilet and violence raging out of control on our southern border, it has never been more obvious that marijuana prohibition simply does not work. Marijuana is a safer substance than alcohol, and it's long past time we put it into a legally regulated, taxed and safe market. We feel it is irresponsible to do otherwise."

     With more than 26,000 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. The Marijuana Policy Project of Nevada is MPP's only statewide chapter in the country. For more information, please visit http://www.mppnv.org.

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