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Job Opportunity: Communications Director, Marijuana Policy Project, Las Vegas

MPP’s ultimate goal in Nevada is to pass a statewide ballot initiative that would tax and regulate marijuana like alcohol in Nevada, thereby ending marijuana prohibition in the state. This position is an exciting opportunity to play an integral role in a groundbreaking organization that seeks to significantly and permanently reform marijuana policy. Candidates must have excellent oral and written communications skills, experience doing radio and print interviews, and an understanding of politics and public policy. The ideal applicant would have experience doing public relations for political campaigns, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and/or corporations. Applicants who have ties to the Nevada political and business community and/or are fluent in Spanish will be given priority. Professional copy-editing experience would be extremely helpful, but not required. The overarching goal of the position is to maximize the level of public support for ending marijuana prohibition in Nevada. To this end, the Communications Director is responsible for assisting in building a statewide coalition of organizations, editorial boards, and opinion leaders who endorse ending marijuana prohibition, including elected officials, physicians, business leaders, local government leaders, religious leaders, community groups, current and retired members of law enforcement, drug treatment specialists, and parents groups; aggressively pitching reporters and doing interviews to get MPP-NV’s message into the news at every opportunity; writing news releases, op-eds, and letters-to-the-editor; arranging media interviews for the MPP-NV Director; giving public speeches and engaging in public debates; and conceiving of and writing blog posts for MPP’s web site. The Communications Director reports to MPP’s State Campaigns Director, who heads up the Las Vegas office. The salary for the position is $40,000 to $50,000. The position includes full health insurance and an optional retirement package. To apply, please see http://www.mpp.org/jobs/process.html and follow the instructions there. Interviews are being conducted on a rolling basis, so interested candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. ABOUT MPP With 36 employees, 26,000 dues-paying members and 100,000 e-mail subscribers nationwide, MPP is the largest marijuana policy reform organization in the United States. MPP works to minimize the harm associated with marijuana - both the consumption of marijuana and the laws that are intended to prohibit its use - and believes that the greatest harm associated with marijuana is imprisonment.

Press Release: Ammiano Bill to Tax and Regulate Marijuana Would Raise Over $1 Billion for State

For Immediate Release: February 23, 2009 Contact: Dale Gieringer at (415) 563- 5858 Ammiano Bill to Tax and Regulate Marijuana Would Raise Over $1 Billion for State San Francisco, Feb 23 - Assemblyman Tom Ammiano (D-SF) announced the introduction of a landmark bill to tax and regulate marijuana like alcohol and tobacco at a press conference today. The bill would save the state's taxpayers over $1 billion, according to an economic analysis by California NORML, with additional economic benefits of $12 -18 billion. See: http://www.canorml.org/background/CA_legalization2.html. "This bill is a winning proposition for California's taxpayers," says California NORML coordinator Dale Gieringer, a sponsor of the bill. "In this time of economic crisis, it makes no sense for California to be wasting money on marijuana prohibition, when we could be reaping tax benefits from a legal, regulated market instead." The bill would provide for licensed producers and distributors, who could sell to adults over 21. Producers would pay an excise tax of $50 per ounce, or about $1 per joint. Sales taxes would generate additional revenues, bringing total tax revenues to $1 billion. Additional economic benefits would be generated in the form of employment, business and payroll taxes and spin-off industries, like the wine industry, amounting to some $12 - $18 billion. Last but not least, the bill would save the state $170 million in costs for arrest, prosecution and imprisonment of marijuana offenders. The result would be to eliminate such prohibition-related problems as black market dealers and smugglers, grow houses, and pirate gardeners on public lands. The bill would not alter California's medical marijuana law, which allows patients, caregivers and collectives to grow medicine for themselves. Ammiano's bill is the first of its kind since California outlawed cannabis in 1913. Only after being prohibited did marijuana become widely popular, eventually being enjoyed by millions of Californians. Due to soaring enforcement costs, the legislature decriminalized possession of small quantities in the Moscone Act of 1975, saving the state's taxpayers $100 million per year. However, production and distribution remained illegal, leading to continued prohibition-related enforcement costs. Last year, agents eradicated a record 5 million illegal plants, up more than tenfold in five years. Marijuana arrests jumped to 74,119 in 2007, their highest level since the Moscone Act. California has over 1,500 inmates in state prison for marijuana offenses, ten times as many as in 1980. Marijuana is reported to account for 61% of the illicit drug traffic from Mexico, where prohibition-related violence has killed over 6,800. "Tom Ammiano deserves credit for recognizing that legal taxation and regulation is the only solution to California's marijuana problem," says Gieringer. "Marijuana users would happily pay taxes to buy it legally." California NORML also thanks former Sen. John Vasconcellos for providing the original draft of this legislation. Recent polls indicate that public support for legal marijuana is growing. A new Zogby poll found 44% of American voters support taxing and regulating marijuana, with support as high as 58% in western states: http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=7806

Press Release: California Bill to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol Introduced

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   
FEBRUARY 23, 2009   

CA Bill to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol Introduced
Assemblyman Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco) Introduces Historic Legislation in Wake of State Fiscal Crisis

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

SAN FRANCISCO -- Assemblyman Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco) today announced the introduction of legislation that would tax and regulate marijuana in a manner similar to alcoholic beverages. The bill, the first of its kind ever introduced in California, would create a regulatory structure similar to that used for beer, wine and liquor, permitting taxed sales to adults while barring sales to or possession by those under 21.

    Estimates based on federal government statistics have shown marijuana to be California's top cash crop, valued at approximately $14 billion in 2006 -- nearly twice the combined value of the state's number two and three crops, vegetables ($5.7 billion) and grapes ($2.6 billion). Massive "eradication" efforts, wiping out an average of nearly 36,000 cultivation sites per year, have failed to make a dent in this underground industry.

    "It is simply nonsensical that California's largest agricultural industry is completely unregulated and untaxed," said Marijuana Policy Project California policy director Aaron Smith, who appeared with Ammiano and other officials at a San Francisco news conference to announce the legislation. "With our state in an ongoing fiscal crisis -- and no one believes the new budget is the end of California's financial woes -- it's time to bring this major piece of our economy into the light of day."

    Independent experts from around the world, from President Nixon's National Commission on Marijuana and Drug Abuse in 1972 to a Canadian Senate special committee in 2002, have long contended that criminalizing marijuana users makes little sense, given that marijuana is less addictive, much less toxic and far less likely to induce aggression or violence than alcohol. For example, in an article in the December 2008 Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, Australian researcher Stephen Kisely noted that "penalties bear little relation to the actual harm associated with cannabis."

    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. For more information, please visit http://MarijuanaPolicy.org.

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Press Release: Nearly Six Out of Ten West Coast Voters Support Taxing and Regulating Marijuana Like Alcohol, National Support for Pot Legalization Grows to 44 Percent

NORML Release: February 19, 2009 For More Information: contact Allen St. Pierre, NORML Executive Director, at (202) 483-5500 or Dale Gieringer, California NORML Coordinator, at (415) 563-5858 Zogby Poll: Nearly Six Out Of Ten West Coast Voters Support Taxing And Regulating Marijuana Like Alcohol National Support For Pot Legalization Grows To 44 Percent San Francisco, CA: A majority of west coast voters support regulating the sale of marijuana in a manner similar to alcohol, according to national poll of 1,053 likely voters by Zogby International and commissioned by California NORML and Oaksterdam University. Fifty-eight percent of respondents residing on the west coast agree that cannabis should be "taxed and legally regulated like alcohol and cigarettes." Only thirty-six percent of west coast respondents oppose regulating the sale of marijuana for adults. Nationally, support for taxing and regulating cannabis stands at 44 percent. Among likely voters on the east coast, 48 percent endorse legalizing marijuana. Respondents' support fell to approximately 37 percent in the southern and central regions of the United States. Earlier this month, a national CBS/New York Times poll reported that 41 percent of Americans support legalizing marijuana -- up from just 27 percent in 1979. Responding to the latest Zogby poll, NORML Executive Director Allen St. Pierre said, "Public support for replacing the illicit marijuana market with a legally regulated, controlled market similar to alcohol, complete with age restrictions and quality controls, continues to grow, and appears to have achieved majority support on the west coast - where many voters are already familiar with the state-licensed use and, in some cases, sale of medical cannabis." He added, "As voters and legislators continue to look for alternative ways to raise tax revenue for public services and reduce law enforcement costs in this troubled economy, we expect the public's support for taxing and regulating cannabis to continue to grow -- not just on the west coast, but nationwide." Nationally, younger voters age 18 to 29 are most likely (55 percent) to support regulating pot. Older voters age 50 to 64 are nearly evenly divided (48 percent) in their support for legalization. The poll found that a majority of registered Democrat voters (53 percent) back taxing cannabis, versus only 32 percent of Republicans.

Fist stuck in your mouth? Maybe marijuana's to blame

Dear friends:

You've seen the ads — the ones telling you that you'll shoot your friend in the head or get your fist stuck in your mouth if you use marijuana. Or the one warning that marijuana might turn you into a rapist.

During his campaign, President Barack Obama promised to curb government waste by cutting funding for programs that didn't show results. These ads — run by the White House drug czar's office — should be first on the chopping block. Not only are they ridiculous on their face, but every independent assessment of the ads has shown them to be a failure, with a government watchdog agency finding that the ads actually increased use among teens.
 
Would you take one minute to write your members of Congress today to urge them to eliminate funding for these wasteful, ineffective, and plain silly ads? MPP's online action system makes it really easy; just enter your name and address, and we do the rest.

MPP's lobbying work has resulted in a 66% reduction in funding for these ads since 2002 — including a nearly 40% reduction between 2007 and 2008 alone. With the ads' funding now at its lowest level ever — $60 million — we're optimistic that we can finally get them eradicated altogether.

Would you please help by sending a letter to your members of Congress today?

Thank you,
Kampia signature (e-mail sized)

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.

Press Release: Vermont Lawmakers to Consider Bill to Make Small Marijuana Possession a Civil Penalty

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   
FEBRUARY 3, 2009

Vermont Lawmakers to Consider Bill to Make Small Marijuana Possession a Civil Penalty

Recent Poll Shows 63 Percent Support for Modest Reform; Plurality of Vermonters Would Go Further, End Marijuana Prohibition Completely

CONTACT: Nancy Lynch, Vermont Alliance for Intelligent Drug Laws (VALID), 802-279-2486

MONTPELIER, Vt. — A bill to replace criminal penalties for personal possession of small amounts of marijuana with a simple fine was introduced in the statehouse today, coming on the heels of a recent poll showing overwhelming support among Vermonters for the reform.

    H. 150, sponsored by Rep. David Zuckerman (P-Burlington) and 18 other representatives, would end the arrest of adults caught with an ounce or less of marijuana, instead treating the infraction as a civil violation punishable by a $100 fine. Zuckerman said that under the bill, marijuana possession would still be illegal, but the punishment would more reasonably match the violation. He said the reform would also save tax dollars and law enforcement resources that would otherwise be wasted arresting those with small amounts of marijuana.

    "There is no reason an otherwise responsible adult should face the life-altering consequences of a criminal arrest for what amounts to a minor indiscretion," Zuckerman said. "This modest reform will allow our police to quickly deal with these situations so that everybody can move on to more important matters."

    According to a Mason-Dixon poll of 625 Vermont voters commissioned by the Marijuana Policy Project in Washington, D.C., and conducted by phone Jan. 9 and 10, 63 percent of respondents supported "a change in the law to provide for a $100 civil fine without jail time for those who possess an ounce or less of marijuana for personal use." This past Election Day, Massachusetts voters passed a law similar to the one introduced in Vermont today with 65 percent of the vote.

    The poll, which has a margin for error of plus or minus 4 percent, suggests that a plurality of Vermont voters would actually go much further in reforming the state's marijuana laws. Forty-nine percent of the respondents said they would favor "making marijuana legal for adults over 21, and regulating it similarly to alcohol," while only 37 percent said they would oppose the idea.

    "This poll supports what we've known all along," said Nancy Lynch, executive director for VALID. "Vermonters don't want to see people ensnared in our criminal justice system for possessing a small amount of marijuana, and they see decriminalizing these violations as a modest, uncontroversial solution. Our representatives should take note – passing this bill quickly is not only responsible, it's politically popular."

    If the bill passes, Vermont would become the 13th state to decriminalize small marijuana possession. According to government figures, marijuana use rates in decriminalized states are indistinguishable from those in states that arrest those caught with small amounts of marijuana.

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Are you a victim of marijuana prohibition?

Dear friends:

“The fact is, today, people don't go to jail for possession of marijuana. I know you like to pretend it does, and there's a lot of misinformation about that. But finding somebody in jail or prison — for a first time nonviolent offender — for possession of marijuana is like finding a unicorn ... It doesn't exist.”

--John Walters, Bush White House drug czar
September 4, 2008

Drug warriors love to claim that marijuana prohibition doesn't cause harm to otherwise law-abiding citizens — because if they acknowledge the truth, their public support falls apart.

When we're able to present the stories of real people who have suffered under marijuana prohibition, we find that public indifference to the issue dissolves — and laws change.

If you yourself have been a victim of the war on marijuana users, I'd like to ask if you're willing to share your story. For instance...

  • Have you ever been arrested or jailed for marijuana possession?
  • Have you ever been arrested for marijuana possession and later charged with a more severe crime, like intent to distribute?
  • Did your arrest result in additional suffering, such as losing your job, home, custody of your children, or school loan?
  • Have you ever taken a drug test that resulted in a false positive? 
  • Are you a patient in one of the 13 states where medical marijuana is legal who has been arrested or harassed by law enforcement agents despite your state-legal status? 
  • Do you lack safe access to or are too afraid to use medical marijuana because of state or federal laws, although it could alleviate symptoms of your serious medical condition?

If so, please e-mail me at [email protected] to share your story. Please be sure to indicate what state you live in. We will not use your story or your name without your permission, and if you'd like to be anonymous, just indicate that when you e-mail.

While MPP can't offer individual legal help, we can turn your experience into ammunition as we campaign to change laws. Many Americans truly don't realize the impact that marijuana prohibition has on their neighbors, and individual stories are a powerful tool in helping change minds — and laws.

And if you don't have a personal story to share, but you'd like to support our work, please consider becoming a member of MPP today. We're 100% dependent on contributions from people like you to continue our work.

Thank you,

Kampia signature (e-mail sized)

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 $3.35 million that MPP can raise from the rest of the planet in 2009. This means that your donation today will be doubled.

Press Release: Year in Review - 2008 a Huge Year for Marijuana Reform

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   
DECEMBER 16, 2008


Year in Review: 2008 a Huge Year for Marijuana Reform

CONTACT: Bruce Mirken, MPP director of communications ............... 415-668-6403 or 202-215-4205

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- In this annual season of year-end reviews, marijuana policy reformers are counting 2008 as one of their most successful years ever. 2008 saw major progress on legal reforms plus a raft of new data that validated reformers' critiques of current marijuana laws. Some highlights:

    MARIJUANA DECRIMINALIZED IN MASSACHUSETTS: A measure to replace criminal penalties for possession of up to an ounce of marijuana with a $100 fine similar to a traffic ticket passed with a whopping 65 percent majority in the Bay State.

    MICHIGAN BECOMES 13TH MEDICAL MARIJUANA STATE: The 63 percent majority racked up by Proposal 1 was the largest ever for a medical marijuana initiative and exceeded Barack Obama's vote total in the state by six points.

    A NEW PRESIDENT PLEDGES TO END FEDERAL RAIDS IN MEDICAL MARIJUANA STATES: During the campaign, president-elect Barack Obama repeatedly promised to end federal attacks on individuals obeying state medical marijuana laws. Strikingly, of the 13 medical marijuana states (including Michigan), Obama carried 11 -- including such traditionally red states as Nevada, Colorado and New Mexico.

    NEW RESEARCH VERIFIES MARIJUANA PAIN RELIEF: For the third time in less than two years, a published, peer-reviewed clinical trial demonstrated that marijuana safely and effectively relieves neuropathic pain, a notoriously hard to treat type of pain related to nerve damage, and often seen in illnesses such as multiple sclerosis, HIV/AIDS and diabetes. The new study, from the University of California, was published online by the Journal of Pain in mid-April.

    FEDERAL REPORTS DOCUMENT FAILURE OF CURRENT POLICIES: The Monitoring the Future survey, released Dec. 11, found that more 10th-graders now smoke marijuana than cigarettes, with teen marijuana use rising while teen use of cigarettes (which are legally regulated for adults) has dropped. The National Drug Threat Assessment, released Dec. 15, reported that despite record seizures, "marijuana availability is high throughout the United States."

    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. For more information, please visit http://MarijuanaPolicy.org.

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Want to party at the Playboy Mansion?

Dear friends:

The Playboy Mansion is the stuff of legends — and by attending the Marijuana Policy Project's upcoming party there, you can be one of the few people in the world who have visited it.

But if you're planning to reserve tickets to the party, you should probably do so now — since the ticket price will increase soon.

Guests will be able to explore the Playboy Mansion's famous grounds. Playmates will give personal tours as partiers enjoy the pool area, with its lagoon-shaped swimming pool, waterfalls, and the legendary grotto.

        

This might be the perfect holiday present for someone on your list.

Keep in mind that this is an exclusive event with limited capacity, so if you want to attend, reserve your tickets now. You'll get a tax deduction, and all proceeds will benefit MPP's efforts to end marijuana prohibition in the U.S.

Sincerely,
Kampia signature (e-mail sized)

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 $3.0 million that MPP can raise from the rest of the planet in 2008. This means that your donation today will be doubled.

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