This past week saw the passage of nearly every drug law reform initiative on ballots across the country. Among the big ones, medical marijuana is now legal in Michigan. Possession of up to an ounce of marijuana has been decriminalized in Massachusetts and replaced with a $100 civil infraction. And Hawaii County, Hawaii residents made marijuana enforcement the lowest priority for the police. All three initiatives were landslides. In fact, the percentages of people voting for the initiatives in Michigan and Massachusetts were higher than the percentages who voted for Obama.
The result was clearly not from a lack of opposition. Drug Czar John Walters even traveled to Michigan in October to beg people not to vote for medical marijuana (which is probably a violation of The Hatch Act of 1939). In Massachusetts, law enforcement officials actively campaigned against the decriminalization measure. Now that the voters have loudly stood up for more sensible drug policy, law enforcement officials are throwing temper tantrums over it. Let’s break down five of the dumbest things said this past week by those who can’t figure out why voters are giving them the finger.
1. Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association representative Jim Carnell
“Few people, if any, who were arrested for simple possession were ever in any real jeopardy of a serious nature, provided they learned from past transgressions.”
The initiative in Massachusetts has law enforcement officials all twisted around. After complaining that the initiative was unnecessary because pot smokers never really had anything bad happen to them, they’re now complaining about how there’s no teeth to the marijuana laws any more. It’s been comical to watch them try to have it both ways.
The major reason why this initiative was needed was because people with an arrest for even minor marijuana possession will have a lifelong criminal record that makes it difficult for them to obtain housing and jobs, even if there wasn’t a conviction. In 2006, nearly 7,000 people were arrested for marijuana possession. Now, the vast majority of those people would only be written a $100 ticket (although there’s an interesting question as to whether police can ask for a person’s ID to be able to write that ticket).
2. Holyoke, MA Police Chief Anthony Scott
“It’s basically telling young people that it’s okay to possess an ounce or less of marijuana, after we have been spending millions of dollars trying to tell kids to say no to drugs, not to drink, and to quit smoking.”
This is totally ridiculous. Alcohol and cigaretters are legal for adults. Does that mean that we have to make alcohol and cigarettes illegal in order to tell kids that they shouldn’t drink or smoke? There’s nothing dangerous about treating marijuana the same way we treat alcohol or cigarettes. In fact, cigarette smoking among young people has been dropping. We didn’t have to make it illegal to accomplish that.
3. Six Michigan Law Enforcement Officials
“How do law enforcement officers respond to marijuana growing operations when the owners claim that they are “caregivers” who must cultivate marijuana for their customers?”
It’s very simple. You should find out if they’re telling the truth, and if they are, let them be.
It never ceases to amaze me that law enforcement officials think that when they bust a marijuana grow operation that they’ve somehow completely eradicated marijuana from their area. They actually believe that they’re some “front line” against marijuana, and that if they didn’t do what they do, all hell would be breaking loose. It’s just another example of the great adage that “a man will never understand something if his paycheck depends on him not understanding it.”
Whenever a grow operation is busted, another one that doesn’t get busted just gets richer. In the end, organized criminals end up controlling the entire trade and getting filthy rich. Not exactly a smart way to protect people in a community, but for reasons that continually amaze me, law enforcement officials will fight tooth and nail to keep doing it this way.
4. Hawaii County, HI Police Chief Lawrence Mahuna
“If you’re pro-drug, or pro-marijuana, you’re automatically pro-terrorist.”
What a moron. I don’t even know what to say.
5. The Drug Czar’s new ad campaign
“Hey, not trying to be your mom, but there aren’t many jobs out there for potheads.”
Actually, there a quite a few jobs out there for pot smokers. For one, President. The last time we had a President who’d never smoked pot before was 1992. There’s a video here with the many, many other people who smoke pot and have jobs, including scientists, businessmen, and entertainers. Personally, I know of doctors, lawyers, corporate executives, and people of all walks of life who enjoy smoking pot. The myths about this drug are dying. Hopefully, prohibitionists will figure this out and stop making asses of themselves.
I’m not pro-terrorist. I’m just anti-idiot and anti-stupid laws.
Amen, brother. Let freedom ring, and common sense prevail.
I grew up in Holyoke! I left on the first bus to go to Boston College in 1978 … double digit unemployment, decaying everything.
Housing is really cheap there. Western MA is beautiful. The job market is great for trustafarians and the really lucky. How many people have I met in the Happy Valley who told me that money wasn’t important … AND who came from affluent families! (they’re the same kind of irritating boobs who define critical thinking / problem solving as negative, cynical, angry and bitter )
Sounds like Barney Fife hasn’t figured out that the millions spent were a waste, and that booze is THE gateway drug.
Another thing about the Democratic Party of Massachusetts, Holyoke and Boston – there were 3 kinds of people in it when I lived out there.
1. the local yokel townies feathering the beds of their friends and family,
2. the k-school david gergen high flyer wannabees,
3. the rest of us chumps getting used like charmin and kleenex and doormats for the benefit of the first 2 cliques.
That state could make a LOT of progress, and, BTW, they are light years ahead of this Conestoga Wagon Western fantasy called Warshington, if they didn’t have such a selfish and corrupt and pig headed Democratic Party.
ROBERT MURPHY
PCO 36-1392
HOLYOKE HIGH, 1978
Not only do these measures make sense, but they save the states money (less spent on prisons) and actually increase revenue with the $100 dollar penalty. Not only will they do that, but they will free up law enforcement officials to spend more time on other more pressing issues.
How many people here would want a stoner performing their heart valve operation?
Pot should be made legal and regulated like alcohol.
@5
Sigh…..
Stoner is to alcoholic as casual smoker is to casual drinker. I doubt many heart surgeons are alcoholics, even high functioning ones. But here it goes, “How many people here would want an alcoholic performing their heart valve operations?” Probably none…
I wouldn’t want a heavy ambien user, drinker, someone on a heavy dose of lithium or even antibiotics doing heart surgery on anyone. Of course given your question you pre-suppose that anyone who smokes is a bona-fide Cheech & Chong stoner. Ahh, no… Most people who are heavy users of anything, including food, don’t make it into positions like heart surgeon. The key here is heavy user.
I wouldn’t want an astronaut or the President doing it either.. I’m pretty sure your heart surgeon had a drink or two in his/her lifetime, probably even smoked a big fatty or two as well.. That shouldn’t disqualify them..
More people are dying from perscription drugs than from illicit drug use. WTF! Don’t think you can find to many potheads involved with the the perscription medicine chain of death. Just a bunch of upright and uptight citizens doing whats right for their wallets and purses.
In 1990 I spent the summer on the Big Island outside of Hilo living with my uncle in the home he built off the grid. The helicopters “green harvest” would fly over his house every couple of days. I remember seeing the green harvest ships all the time when we where hunting/hiking. My whole time there it was less common to meet someone that didn’t smoke than did.
It is interesting that the first thing Pro drug – pro terrorist article starts discussing is the federal funding. I strongly believe a majority of the gung ho police chief types are more concerned about the money tap being turned off from the feds than they are about health/security or public welfare.
Mahalo
The Drug Czar John Walters Fails again. Trying to ‘win’ a non-winning war on the war on drugs. Just isn’t going to happen. THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN! Over a 60+ % vote for medical marijuana! Amazing. Just think of all those other people who are too scared to come out and stand up what they believe in. Scared of the government…NO More!
The government is no longer trusted…trying to spoon feed me this 700 billion bail out.
We have more problems in this world, than to worry over a non lethal drug like Marijuana. Nor is it a gateway. alcohol is THE Gateway drug!
What about MO being the METH capital of the world?? Good job MO!
Mike
10 Mike, you hit the nail on the head. I’ve seen the same point made by many, many very wise people–I think the first place I read it was in May This House Be Safe From Tigers by Alexander King back around 1960. The people whose business is “fighting” the “war on drugs” don’t have any intention of “winning”. If they did, they’d have to go find some other line of work, probably something far less exciting, prestigious or profitable.
This is another example of how the public is far ahead of lawmakers when it comes to dealing with the failed war on drugs. It is reminiscent of Washington State’s passage of Initiative 692 allowing medical marijuana in 1998 and Seattle’s passage of Initiative 75 in 2003 making adult use of marijuana the city’s lowest law enforcement priority.
It also needs noting that Massachusetts’ new law actually makes the punishment more severe for juveniles caught with marijuana. They are required to attend a drug awareness program, perform 10 hours of community service, and their parents are notified.
The ACLU of Washington has been working to spark more public discussion about the need to reexamine our drug policies and the assumptions behind them. Check out http://www.marijuanaconversation.org or http://www.aclu-wa.org/issues/.....ssue_id=11 to learn more.
Mark Cooke
Policy Advocate
ACLU of Washington Foundation
Lee, thanks for the well-written, well-researched,great post. The war on drugs is tearing Mexico apart as we speak. It’s bringing slavery back to the US; coupled as it is with prison labor programs. It’s creating assassins and thugs whose role in our own country will only continue to expand.
Now’s the time to legalize and tax all drugs, not just marajuana.
Thanks to Lee, thanks to the ACLU, thanks to Rick Stieves and everyone who fights these fights–it’s time to put opposition to the war on drugs closer to the top of the left’s overall agenda.
Troll: Have a beer.
best wishes all,
New Left Conservative #1
The entire issue of marijuana is an example of why government should be held to a rational standard.
There is not now nor has there ever been evidence to say that marijuana is any more a drug than tobalcco, chocolate, coffee, cough syrup, or extreme exercise.
It seems to me we could try something limited as a starting point. Why not have an initiative to authorize sale of MJ in State Liquor Stores?
To sweeten the pot, so to speak, profits from MJ sales might be designated for a good cause … e.g. medical research or drug treatment.