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Marijuana Legalization: Retired Seattle Police Chief Says Obama Should Listen to Voters

We understand Mr. Obama has a full plate. Our economic crisis and the threat of terrorism are only two examples. However, we know that ending the drug war will offer a partial fix to both of these issues.

Tue, Dec 30, 2008 8:14 pm

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Source: salem-news.com

 

(SEATTLE) - In early December, Barack Obama invited Americans to participate in an unprecedented, bottom-up approach to government. Visitors to the President-elect’s official website, Change.gov, were able to submit questions and vote on which questions should take priority for the new administration.

 

More than a dozen of the top 50 questions called for amending America’s drug policies, with inquiries ranging from availability of doctor-recommended medical marijuana to the economic impact of continuing to arrest and incarcerate millions of people for drug offenses.

 

The number one vote getter was:

 

"Q: Will you consider legalizing marijuana so that the government can regulate it, tax it, put age limits on it, and create millions of new jobs and create a billion dollar industry right here in the U.S.?"

 

Americans got their answer, sort of. A one-sentence response from the President-elect’s transition team:

 

"A: President-elect Obama is not in favor of the legalization of marijuana."

 

Speaking as a 34-year cop with six years as police chief of one of America’s largest cities, I know how much money has been squandered in prosecuting the drug war. Obviously, I’m disappointed and confused by this response.

 

His silence on the issue can't be due to fear of political backlash. He and his team must have seen the recent Zogby poll that shows three of four Americans believe the "war on drugs" is a failure. And the Time/CNN poll showing only 19 percent of Americans think we should continue arresting and jailing marijuana users.

 

We understand Mr. Obama has a full plate. Our economic crisis and the threat of terrorism are only two examples. However, we know that ending the drug war will offer a partial fix to both of these issues.

 

A legal and regulated drug trade would imprison fewer people and generate substantial new revenues. A recently released Harvard study reports we could boost our economy by at least $76.8 billion a year by ending drug prohibition, and that’s a conservative estimate.

 

Legalizing and regulating drugs would help Mr. Obama achieve a greater state of security for Americans. It would effectively “take a bite out of” rampant domestic organized crime, which goes well beyond mere domestic street gangsters. And, given that our drug war enriches the coffers of organizations such as the Taliban and al Qaeda, it would dramatically reduce international crime and terrorism.

 

In Mexico, President Felipe Calderón’s increased police and military pressure on drug traffickers has not slowed the supply or the demand for drugs. In fact, the crackdown has only added to illegal drug markets and spiraling violence.

 

Despite this, Calderon has asked U.S. taxpayers for $1.4 billion to fund his country’s version of our failed policy. Amazingly, we’re handing it over.

 

At the request of President-elect Obama, Americans have initiated discussion about the immediate and far reaching implications of our disastrous drug policy. We respectfully ask Mr. Obama to explain his position to all the people who took the time to participate in this innovative, democratic process.

 

We need to know when this issue truly will be “open for questions.”

 

For more background, visit this Salem-News.com article by Tim King: Marijuana Legalization Tops List of Questions for Obama in Online Poll

Norm Stamper, former Chief of Police of Seattle, is an advisory board member of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (CopsSayLegalizeDrugs.com). He is the author of Breaking Rank: A Top Cop’s Exposé of the Dark Side of American Policing. You can email Norm at media@leap.cc. Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) is an international nonprofit educational organization whose mission is to reduce the multitude of harmful consequences resulting from fighting the war on drugs and to lessen the incidence of death, disease, crime and addiction by ultimately ending drug prohibition.



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chaz@$

Feb 11 2009, 9:30 am

http://www.erowid.org/plants/cannabis/cannabis_pharmacology2.shtml

http://www.drugsense.org/wodclock.htm


http://www.actionamerica.org/drugs/wod-pt1.shtml

great site for sourse to help with the leagalization of drugs forgot to add from before just so pissed off you know

CHAZ@$

Feb 11 2009, 9:17 am

EIGHT DECADES LATER AND STILL WRONG!!

THE SO CALLED WAR ON DRUGS Here are some of the facts of the criminalization of drug users and drug abuser. Between 1910 and 1982 the prison population grew to around 500,000 nation wide. So it took 72 years to reach around 500,000.
Then from 1982-2001 the prisons grew to around 2,000,000 people nation wide. That means in 20 years the War on Drug policy tripled the prison population. You can thank the presidents who were in charge of choosing the so called experienced leader of the DEA for making that happening. Zero tolerance is there way of life and its hurting us.
Less than 400,000 are of the violent crimes like murderers And between 1 and 1.5 million are of non violent, tax paying citizens who had possession of drugs and most of these were marijuana users who never harmed anyone.
Tens of millions of young people in this country had there rights taken away because of simple possion of marijuana. In other words they can not vote and are 2nd class citizens. The research and the scientific proof state that marijuana is less harmful than alcohol. Not including it helps prevent the spreading of cancer and possibly target only cancer cells instead of non cancer cells. It also relieves inflammation and severe pain, and 700 other medical uses. Including shrinking of tumors and helps some ADD patients.
The government needs to legalize it. Place Strict Regulations like alcohol and start using programs like the Swiss used. Underage users of any mind altering substance including alcohol should go through a class of 40 hours or more for 1st time offence.
For 2nd time offence underage user must where shirts to school, provided by the government, of some kind of warning of underage use of drugs and must do at least 1,000 hours of community service.
For 3rd time offence parents are held responsible for there child. The parent must take child to school and be picked up from school. The parent will do community service with child up to 1,000 hours.
Make a law stating no employer can fire the person for taking off from work to do community service with underage user. Parent must be able to claim some kind of compensation lost from pay if needed. Have to pay the bills. If the government can spend 22 billion this year alone on the War on Drugs, they can easily afford compensation for those who need it.
The drug on wars can never win and it’s destroyed the image of this wonderful country. The US has the highest prison population in the world. The WAR ON DRUGS also have allowed terrorists to great increase there profits Here have been many people including federal agents, police offers who have said this so called war on drugs does not work. It greatly increased violence in the streets and put billions of dollars in terrorist’s hands. It doesn't work. It cost 1,600.00 every second in this country on a failed policy that does not work. This year it will cost the tax payers 22 billion dollars on the War on Drugs. It will also cost the tax payers 40 billion dollars for the 2,000,000 prisoners each year. We need to come up with something like the Swiss who dramatically decreased there drugs in the streets and turn many people’s lives around.
Legalizing marijuana would bring in 2.4-7.2 billion dollars annually depending on tax. It will also dramatically cut the cost of the War on Drug policy saving 10’s of billions or more.
Including decriminalizing to the ones who are already in prison for possessions of marijuana and that could save 15-20 billion dollars in cost of prisoners or more annually.
The production of hemp can be used with and for making many different products. This could bring up revenue of around 5 billion annually. And those who are scared it could bring down the other companies; you can add that source to your products, which could bring down cost.
Like making plastic bottles using hemp oil from seeds to make and cell phones, plastic bags, sand which bags, and other daily or yearly items that are thrown away. Because hemp plastic made from hemp oil its also bio-degradable. For those you who are going green these are just thoughts to help you make even more solutions. That could bring 1-3 billion annually or more.
Farmers can also make hemp seed as a food source. These hemp seeds are loaded with healthy minerals and amino acids. And can help feed many people in countries where food is little.
You can also make hemp cooking oil which again is loaded in amino acids and from my knowledge can keep that heart of yours healthy. Or use hemp seeds as a topping on rice, noodles, and salads. You can also make hemp seed oil and use it to make bios fuels which could bring in 1-5 billion annually. Not including making 1.5 million jobs.
This could bring in a total of $40-$60 Billion for the government in savings and tax profit in the first year.

bmw

Feb 4 2009, 5:16 pm

Basically Im just going to say this if the prez wants to help out the us and give us a fighting chance since all of this bull shit has gone down he would be smart to legilize it and tax it there is not only money to be made off of just the plant but with all the different products that could be made with it its azmazing what you can do with it and for so much cheaper its really in everyones benifit for him to do so but because the world has ridiculed this drug as horrible he thinks by doing this the people that voted for him wont vote for him in next election thinking he has done horrible for this country but with all due respect you dont know how shit will work if you dont try it so why not doing something that could possibly help us all out

karen21550

Jan 26 2009, 7:22 pm

i think pres. Obama should listen to the voters also. why cant the Americans vote on this?or at least let each state vote.hey-id move if need be.i have alot of hope that Obama will legalize it during his term-unless he gets chicken.being from Hawaii he knows first hand the benefits it has."my body my choice."just because alcohol and tobacco are legal dont mean you have to do them.imagine that.

to below

Jan 24 2009, 10:30 am

Yo retard . Its against the law , you go to jail . Get it ?
Yo retard , nobody forced you to break the law . get it ?
Yo retard , DEA "Drug ENFORCEMENT Agency " enforcing the laws , get it ? Dumbass .

Nobody is even considering "disbanning " the DEA because some pot nead on Hightime Website thinks they should . Get it ?
It IS called reality for a reason . Have some , it doesn't hurt . Dumbass.

TheGrimReefer

Jan 22 2009, 4:01 pm

Yo whoever was trying to say the D.E.A. isn't the problem you're a fuckin dumbass. Who the fuck do you think created those laws? Retard. Just because you can compare something that makes sense with something that doesnt, like your cute little attempt at an example below, does NOT mean that the two things are interchangeable, that is, one and the same. People putting murderers in jail = Good; People putting marijuana-smokers in jail = Bad, make sense yet? I suggest you come to terms with what inflicted that robot-like train of thought you call your' "reality".

Obama Stimulus Package

Jan 9 2009, 11:15 pm

Obama's $1 Trillion Stimulus Package. Find out how much you will receive. Just click the link and goto www.obamastimulus.blogspot.com.

Bad laws...

Jan 5 2009, 7:15 pm

should be changed or abolished. There have been and still are many bad laws on the books, most are not enforced. The laws against cannabis in all it's forms are bad laws. Millions and maybe billions of people have realized this, and engage in civil disobedience everyday. These people are not criminals seeking to break the law without resistance, these people are doing what they know to be natural and safe and what once was legal, until the unjustifiable bad law was forced upon us with no chance for debate back in the early 1900's, the law has been in place for less than a hundred years yet we act like it has always been and will always be, some have the courage to stand up and say "this is wrong" and fight for what is right, while others stick to what they know and say instead "the rules are the rules, deal with it", to me, the latter example is a display of cowardace, like someone who witnesses a rape in progress and ignores it, as opposed to someone who would find a way to stop it, even at great personal risk, like kicking the guy's ass, or even calling the police is something, instead many out there would simply pretend nothing is wrong, or it's not their problem or that someone else will deal with it, well the truth is sometimes inaction is the worst action to take, and this is one of those times, and even though there may be something to fear, you are not alone, and if we can all find the resolve to stand up and fight, and fight well, we will have what it takes to do the right thing, and we'll get it done. Stand and fight, brothers and sisters, stand up and fight!

cannabiskid

Jan 4 2009, 3:27 pm

Marijuana doesnt scare people these days.
What scares people these days are...republicans.
That ...and um.... democrats

HU210

Jan 4 2009, 9:19 am

SOME FOOD FOR THOUGHT
From: Rottingnation.com
Dec.18, 2008 in Anarchy, Big Government

The term Anarchy has been used since the French Revolution to describe a society with no government. This is the most basic definition of Anarchy. The word, however, is much misunderstood, as most individuals seem to equate it with violence and chaos. Real Anarchists (not the kind you see in movies, but the ones that exist in the real world) are actually opposed to violence and chaos. This, in fact, is where their resistance to the state actually stems from, as they believe that governments are amongst the worst perpetuators of violence, oppression, and chaos in the world.
One specific place that Anarchists often see fault in government is through their oppression of the people they rule over. In fact, the Declaration of Independence of the United States declares that, “…to secure these rights, government are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.” Anarchists, however, will argue that there is never true consent of the governed. In any form of government there will always be a percentage of the population, no matter how small, that disagrees with the actions of the government, and those individuals will always be oppressed.
Individualist Anarchists also believe in the absolute sovereignty of the individual. This means that every person should have complete and unlimited control over his or her own self. If a person wants to use a drug, they should be allowed to. If a person wants to speak their mind, then they should be allowed to. The individual is king over himself. Anarchists believe that any restraint on this sovereignty is evil, but if a government places that restraint, then it is an absolute evil. This is because governments can act under the veil of legitimacy. This line of thinking leads Anarchists to the conclusion that individualism and the state are utterly irreconcilable.
Anarchists also favor economic freedom meaning that the state should not have any influence in the economy. This is because they see political power and wealth as inseparable. When a government is formed, much of the countries wealth is funneled to the political elite and their direct supporters and influences. Anarchists believe that when there is a state apparatus in place a majority of the people, likely the middle-class and lower-class, are exploited. There is also a minority of people that both exploit and are exploited. There is, however, one class of people that are the rich political elites that do nothing but exploit the rest of the population. The elite status and the wealth were obtained through politics and the government, which therefore makes the state evil in their inherent oppression of the majority of the population.
Anarchists are not inherently violent individuals, despite their reputation, and they do not aim to bring chaos to the world. The end goal of Anarchism is the abolishment of the state, but supporters of the philosophy do not believe that this will lead to chaos. On the contrary, they believe that governments all over the world create violence, oppression, exploitation, and chaos everywhere they are formed. This, according to Anarchists, is achieved through wars, taxes, suppression of personal freedoms, suppression of economic freedoms, and many other immoral acts of the state. Therefore, a society without the influence of governing bodies that have a “legal monopoly over the use force,” as Anarcho-Capitalist Murray Rothbard puts it, could not have a worse outcome than what already exists

How ya gonna vote next time-eh?

retired Seattle Janitor

Jan 4 2009, 5:43 am

he ain't now , or was ever gonna do anything about pot you goofs .Don't you get it ?

umm

Jan 2 2009, 10:18 am

If we really want pot legal, we MUST not rely on the unfriendly government for ANY money, including foodstamps, disability, etc. We must all become self sustaining. Being off the grid is a must too.

poo taco

Jan 2 2009, 10:13 am

It doesn't matter who the president is! All politicians are full of shit. He's just a puppet...a face to the machine.
What you thought he was going to legalize weed because he looks black? Obama's just going to through his arms up and say "fuck it man, lets roll a blunt ni&&a!"
If Canada was warmer...I'd live there...

idk

Jan 2 2009, 9:31 am

what ever happened to a country 4 the people by the people. obama asked what we wanted and he was told. cmon out of any question to be asked america wanted weed to be legal. let the american public vote and decide what to do about weed. i dont see how we are supposed to have the right to change the govt but how is that possible when you can only vote on what they want you to vote on. i have never been able to figure this system out. you have to beg and pleed to get them to listen but they still wont put anything to a vote. i say if that many people want it to be legal than put it to a vote and prove to us this is still a free country that is for the people by the people.

to below

Jan 2 2009, 4:19 am

didn't get it ..eh?
The key point was " As you can see , none of that makes any real sense " . Now apply that phrase to your DEA claim and we have what is called reality . Get somebody to explain it to you .

AazzTunah

Jan 1 2009, 7:22 pm

Yo 'real world' - whatever you're smokin', drinkin' or shootin' - you best lay it down!!

to : "Aazz Tunah

Jan 1 2009, 3:36 pm

I want to go faster than the speed limits posted ..lets get rid of traffic cops .

I want to get away with murder ...lets do away with homocide detectives .

I want to break in and steal shit from my neighbors ...lets get rid of patrol cars .

As you can see , none of that makes any real sense . Welcome to the real world .

HU210

Jan 1 2009, 11:12 am

Make it easier yet.
Just copy P-Towns letter below and send to Obama this way,

comments@whitehouse.gov

or call

202-456-1111 and leave a comment.

No excuses now. Just do it-eh?

HU210

Jan 1 2009, 9:57 am

Wanted: 400,000+ High Times readers to send the incomming president a comment. Post card/letter demanding legalization of cannabis. Flood Obamas mailbox at:

President Obama
1600 Pennsylvania Ave
Washington, D.C. 20500

Mail on Jan 17 so they will be in his mail the day he is sworn in Jan 20.

It wont hurt to include a letter to your congress-critters while were at it, as well.

Make demockery fun!

Happy New Year to one and all.

AazzTunah

Jan 1 2009, 9:30 am

To the below, and the above, and everybody in between. The D.E.A. is the problem.
Ever since the greater part of the last century, the D.E.A. and it's forebears have been
at the center of formulating drug policy in this country. The U.S.A. is still unwilling to
come to grips with Pot, which the D.E.A. has controlled public opinion on, for way too
long now. Time to shut down the D.E.A.

to below

Jan 1 2009, 7:06 am

you're confused . The DEA isn't the problem , its the laws they enforce , and no , Obama won't do anything about weed . Hell , its probably going to get worse .

AazzTunah

Jan 1 2009, 2:25 am

Can we finally get real about the 'Marijuana Problem' ? Pot is here to stay. All of the cops in the world, can't stop people from smoking it. Time to finally put an end to
the D.E.A. and it's mindless minions.
Remember Johnny Appleseed ? To start, everybody, everywhere that's able to - start
planting pot seeds everywhere around where you live. Let's GREEN OUT THE D.E.A !!

h.i. ( 777 )

Jan 1 2009, 12:12 am

obamas gonna legalize it. he just hasnt gotten comfortable yet. {)

change. lol

Dec 31 2008, 2:23 pm

obama was smart to say he wanted change and to make people think he would change marijuana laws. hell take the number of people in this country that smoke and then figure maybe half of them might vote, thats alot of votes. he wont change anything. he only said what he had to to get votes. our country is hurting bad but they wont take any real steps to fix it. clinton did alot to help our economy and bush put us right back in debt. legalize the weed and stop trying to tell us what we can and cant do with our bodies. if i wanna grow a few blants and smoke them in my own house the govt shouldnt be able to put me in jail. i think if obama wants a second term he had better keep his word on making a change

cinnamon

Dec 31 2008, 1:09 pm

I believe its about time our gov. open their eyes and see that pot is here to stay, just like alcohol. Sure waste our tax dollars trying to prevent people from getting high, it will NEVER happen!! Obama seems to have a good head on his shoulders, he spoke of CHANGE and has already by becoming our first black president, so he could be the one to change our Marijuana laws and create jobs thus helping with unemployment and the economy. I think pot is still illegal because you can grow it at home and not have to pay any taxes, people still make their own wine and moonshine and the gov. still makes money, so what is the difference? I am not afraid to say I smoke bud, it does not effect my life outside of my homelife, nor do I get stoned and crash my car killing people. HELLO, alcohol is the real killer and it is sold everywhere, it kills and destroys families, and the gov. just makes stricter punishments and places you in prison. Without proper rehab those people are gonna go out commit the same crime, maybe even ending someones life if not their own. Which of the two is the greater evil? I hope one day soon we can lite up at home without the worry of going to prison for something GOD placed before us.

yeah your right

Dec 31 2008, 12:54 pm

obama was not even close to what americans want as a president, its just that the corporate media outlets dont give these people( kucinich, paul, ect) the air time so of course most of the ignorant public wont reconize them. I fucking hate the media its filled with lies. i just dont watch that crap anymore I smoke my buds and say fuck you obama if you think im a criminal for smoking the chronic. Fuck that shit

obama is NWO

Dec 31 2008, 11:56 am

OBama will never even consider legalizing MArijuana. Obama is NWO filth. Obama is scum he is not born of america, has no right to be president. OBama is scum.

Dennis Kucinich, Ron Paul, or Cynthia McKinney they where the best choices and they where the ones the media ignored or smeared the most. Even hightimes smoked the obama pole.

The Black Farmer

Dec 31 2008, 11:20 am

I think the reason marijuana is still illegal is the government can never "own" the plant.With legalization will come a large amount of revenue for the government. But you will still have your backyard grower. How do you combat that? By having states sell growing licenses every year to connoseuir and home growers. An experienced grower like myself would become a teacher of marijuana botany and start my own business.Our economy would blossom in 5 years with legalization. Wake up America!!!!!!!!!!!!! Think of the money law enforcement would save not having to prosecute and confine people for simple possession. Possession at home should not be a crime. If not a prescribed medicine it should be used at home only. The War on Drugs,30 yrs. later, continues. The war on marijuana should be over.

P-Towns Finest

Dec 30 2008, 11:44 pm

I put this on the feedback section of Obamas website because it wouldnt fit in the question area...lol. Thought you should all see it in case you cant make it to the Obama site:

President-elect Obama,

Your campaign slogan focused on the word "CHANGE". In reading a few of the respsonses to the questions regarding the legalization of marijuana I noticed that the responses were, well, on the short side. Mr. Obama, the American drug war is a failure. You know it, and America knows it. As your presidential term nears I am sure it is no suprise to you that the economy is currently in shambles. In a recent Harvard study, reports show that we could boost our economy by 76.8 Billion dollars a year, and thats a conservative estimate. Some may argue that smoking marijuana is harmful to your health, when in reality, marijuana is no more harmful that drinking a beer, or smoking a cigarette. In fact, in a lab study, marijuana reduced lung cancer tumors by up to fifty percent. You may also argue that by leagalizing marijuana you are making it more appealing to youth. While marijuana is illegal in Amsterdam, it is tolerated in a sense. Many people think that Amsterdam is filled with nothing but "stoners" when in fact, they have half the marijuana use that the US does. In states that have medical marijuana regulations marijuana use in teens have actually declined. Mr. Obama, the dictionary defines CHANGE as "to make the form, nature, content, future course, etc., of (something) different from what it is or from what it would be if left alone. So, with all this being said my question is, Mr. Obama, why was the slogan of your campaign "Change we need", when you so clearly do not support the leagalization of marijuana?

chris456

Dec 30 2008, 11:04 pm

Legalization of marijuana well help us boost an extra hand to help catch people killing and raping and kidnapping and all those horrible things, while our law enforcement don't have to worry about pot and 7 units on it and 1 unit on the killing, we can have 8 units to the killing and none to the pot. thanks

kinder

Dec 30 2008, 9:26 pm

YES WE CAN.........END CANNIBUS PRO-BITCH'N NOW!!!!!!!!

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