NORMLizer - THE STATE OF YOUR STASH

by Allen St. Pierre, Sun May 18, 2008

Despite the general cultural acceptance and economic popularity of cannabis in America—government data indicate that nearly 30 million citizens use cannabis annually, and cannabis traditionally ranks among the top five domestic cash crops—a disparate patchwork of city, state and federal laws continue to target cannabis users. Since 1965, nearly 20 million citizens have been arrested on cannabis-related charges—nine out of 10 for simple cannabis possession. Every 38 seconds in America, a citizen is arrested for possession of cannabis; 830,000 cannabis arrests were made in 2006 alone.

Historically, the top five states for all cannabis arrests are California, New York, Texas, Illinois and Georgia. The top five states for cannabis arrests per capita in 2002—the national average is 239 cannabis arrests per 100,000 citizens—were Nebraska (460 per 100,000), Louisiana (400), Wyoming (385), Kentucky (365) and Illinois (360). According to …READ MORE

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NORMLIZER - MAY 2006

by Allen St. Pierre, Mon May 1, 2006

By Allen St. Pierre

At NORML, we’ve heard virtually every question conceivable regarding marijuana and marijuana laws, the health effects associated with the consumption of marijuana, medicinal marijuana and drug testing. When it comes to information on marijuana, the bud stops at NORML.

However, a frequent, logical and vexing question often arises for which we have no ready answer: “How or where do I meet a man or woman to date and start a relationship in which we both smoke marijuana?”

NORML is known for many public-policy accomplishments in its storied 35-year history—from effective lobbying to impact litigation to providing thoughtful help to the general public and the victims of marijuana prohibition. But one thing this formidable K Street Washington lobby organization is not known for is being a cannabis-consumer dating service.

The frequency of NORML members and supporters inquiring about how …READ MORE

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NORMIZER - SEPTEMBER 2005

by Allen St. Pierre, Fri Aug 26, 2005

By Allen St. Pierre

A ‘protestiVal’ is coming to a city near you.

In my capacity as an ambassador for saner cannabis laws, I cordially invite you and yours to America’s greatest marijuana-law-reform rallies. One is held on an expansive waterfront, in the modern and progressive city of Seattle; the other in the shadow of the statehouse on “America’s Common,” in historic and student-filled Boston. Come one, come all!

These two great public expositions, like most cannabis-law-reform events around the country and world, are not “smoke-ins” or parties in the park. These rallies, and many dozens of similar and well-attended annual gatherings around the US and Canada, are important First Amendment–protected events where we—citizens like you and me, who support legalizing responsible adult use of cannabis—convene en masse with our like-minded friends, families and co-workers …READ MORE

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NORMLIZER - AUGUST 2005

by Allen St. Pierre, Tue Jul 26, 2005

By Allen St. Pierre

LIBERTY AND FREEDOMS ARE TAKEN FROM GOVERNMENTS—NOT GIVEN.

Let’s acknowledge and give great praise to the amazing and groundbreaking work that the so-called “baby boomer” generation has contributed to the great task of establishing the intellectual and legal underpinnings for current and future generations to effectively challenge and end marijuana prohibition, and to develop responsible and civic-minded policies guiding cannabis use.

Groups like NORML, the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA), the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Marijuana Policy Project—the four principle groups working to legalize the non-medical use of cannabis—most certainly share the same stated goals. Recently, I met with Rob Kampia of MPP and Ethan Nadelmann of DPA. Both meetings were productive; myriad like-minded projects were conceived and agreements forged between the organizations.

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NORMLIZER - JULY 2005

by Allen St. Pierre, Fri Jul 1, 2005

By Allen St. Pierre

A New Report Underscores The Folly of The Drug War.

The NORML Foundation recently released a comprehensive county-by-county marijuana arrest and use analysis. The report concludes that federal marijuana laws which rely primarily on criminal penalties and law enforcement are an ineffective policy tool to control the sale and use of marijuana.

Public policies are measured by their ability to produce intended results. The stated goal of criminalized marijuana prohibition is to deter marijuana use and promote public health. The success or failure of US marijuana policy must be evaluated by its performance at accomplishing these goals. If current marijuana policy is to be judged an effective public policy, then increasing the arrest rate for marijuana possession, use and sale should produce the intended reduction in several of these key indicators, most importantly the use and availability of marijuana among the …READ MORE

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NORMLIZER - JUNE 2005

by Allen St. Pierre, Wed Jun 1, 2005

By Allen St. Pierre

NORML’s board of directors and staff recently went on a weekend retreat to reflect on cannabis-legalization strategies for the coming year and on ways to improve organization building. Think Survivor meets Up in Smoke.

In the first moments of the strategy session, with all 20 of the participants facing each other in a large circle, the professional meeting facilitator remarked incredulously, "There is far more gray hair in this room than one would imagine for a social-justice movement so strongly associated with a more youthful constituency!"

It’s hard to argue that NORML’s leadership, which is principally over 55 years of age, doesn’t fit our society’s unfounded stereotype that cannabis use is exclusively an activity for the young. Over the past few years, there have been concerted efforts put forward by NORML’s board of directors to assure that the organization doesn’t become …READ MORE

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CRIMES OF INDISCRETION

by Allen St. Pierre, Thu May 19, 2005

tags: legal article 108    « add a comment