In this video, Tennessee Congressman Steve Cohen asks the tough questions that need to be asked and is stern on his questioning with FBI Director Robert Mueller. It’s about time we start to see more and more officials raise a questioning voice to these drug warriors who are still peddling BS and who don’t understand teaching kids how to do heroin, or make meth will only lead them to actually doing it.  FBI Director Mueller in this video states Marijuana leads inevitably to heroin.  Congressman Cohen then makes a statement that the individually thinking mind would consider the most rational answer to the gateway theory and responds,  “No, they probably started with milk, then went to beer…”

I hadn’t until my 20’s seen anything like heroin or meth anywhere, or in any situation.  From my understanding of most people, and children growing up, I am NOT in the minority.   But, I sure knew all about the harder drugs and was exposed to plenty of talk about heroin and crack, and how pot leads you to these drugs.  So, in some sort of way marijuana is the ultimate worst drug.  This is what I and many other children are taught.  And, it is irresponsible to do so, and even more irresponsible to ignore the studies and facts that the ONDCP and DARE programs for “children” only accomplish one thing.  That is to lead more and more people to harder drugs.  And by people, I mean “The Children”.  Oh, its always gotta be about the children…

This video is very much worth watching.  I hope to see more of them like it in the future.  Because, for every video posted on youtube or somewhere else with a public official questioning the process, there are numerous other officials gaining strength from it, and are out there doing the right thing.

Good times.

NORML News of the Week 5/7/09

This Week’s News from NORML

• California: Governor Says It’s Time To Debate Legalizing MarijuanaMexican Congress Passes Drug Decriminalization Measure

• Maine: Lawmakers Expand Marijuana Decriminalization Law

• 

California: Governor Says It’s Time To Debate Legalizing Marijuana
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Sacramento, CA: Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced this week that he believes that California legislators ought to publicly debate the merits of taxing and regulating the production and sale of cannabis for adults.

“I think it’s time for a debate (regarding taxing and regulating the sale of cannabis for adults),” Schwarzenegger said. (*Note: his comments come at the very end of the video.) “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? … It could very well be that everyone is happy with that decision and then we could look at that.”

The Governor’s remarks came less than one week after a Field Research Corporation poll of 901 registered voters reported that 56 percent of Californians agree with the statement: “Legalize marijuana for recreational use and tax its proceeds.”

A separate Zogby poll of approximately 4,000 voters released this week indicates that just over half of Americans nationally support legalizing marijuana.

Current estimates indicate that California’s budget deficit will grow to $28 billion by the end of the 2009/2010 state budget year.

In February, California Assemblyman Tom Ammiano introduced legislation — Assembly Bill 390: The Marijuana Control, Regulation and Education Act — to tax the commercial production and retail sale of cannabis.

A fiscal analysis of this proposal by the State Board of Equalization estimates that AB 390 could raise more than $1.3 billion yearly in tax revenue for the state of California.

Last week Oakland City Council members approved a 1.8 percent tax on medicinal marijuana sold by the city’s four licensed dispensaries. Lawmakers believe that the tax could generate between $400,000 and $1 million annually for the city.

The citywide measure will be decided upon by voters on July 21, 2009.

For more information, please contact Allen St. Pierre, NORML Deputy Director, at (202) 483-5500 or Paul Armentano, NORML Deputy Director, at: paul@norml.org.

Mexican Congress Passes Drug Decriminalization Measure
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Mexico City, Mexico: Mexican lawmakers enacted legislation last week to decriminalize the possession of small quantities of controlled substances. The measure now goes to Mexican President Felipe Calderon for his approval.

As passed, the proposal would eliminate criminal penalties for the personal possession of up to five grams of marijuana, as well as minor quantities of other drugs.

The legislation also authorizes state and local police to enforce drug trafficking laws. Under current law, only federal police (about five percent of Mexico’s law enforcement personnel) may arrest individuals suspected of selling drugs.

In 2006, Mexico’s Congress passed a virtually identical measure, only to have it vetoed by former President Vincente Fox, who stated, “Congress … [needs] … to make it absolutely clear in our country [that] the possession of drugs and their consumption [is], and will continue to be, a criminal offense.” Fox’s veto came after political pressure from members of the US State Department who warned that enacting such a law could promote so-called “drug tourism.”

Last month, Mexico’s ambassador to the United States Arturo Sarukhan told CBS’s Face the Nation that legalizing marijuana could potentially quell ongoing border violence. “This (legalization) is a debate that needs to be taken seriously – that we have to engage in on both sides of the border,” he said.

However after meeting with Calderon days later, United States government officials said that the option of the US liberalizing its pot laws is “not on the table.” The White House instead proposed increased efforts to curb domestic drug demand, and also called for expanding the use of ‘drug courts’ and coerced drug treatment.

According to the Associated Press, Mexican drug cartels now derive an estimated 60 percent of their income from illicit pot sales.

For more information, please contact Allen St. Pierre, NORML Executive Director, at (202) 483-5500.

Maine: Lawmakers Expand Marijuana Decriminalization Law
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Augusta, ME: Democrat Gov. John Baldacci signed legislation on Friday expanding the state’s longstanding marijuana ‘decriminalization’ law.

Under current law, possession of up to 1.25 ounces of marijuana is treated as an infraction, punishable by a fine of no more than $600. Defendants who possess greater amounts are presumed to be engaging in the sale of cannabis and face criminal penalties and potential jail time.

The newly approved legislation (LD 250) states that the possession of over 1.25 ounces but less than 2.5 ounces of marijuana will also be defined as a civil offense, punishable by a fine of $700 to $1,000 dollars. (Civil fines for the possession of less than 1.25 ounces of marijuana will remain the same.) The new law also removes the inference that the possession of quantities of marijuana above 1.25 ounces but less than 2.5 ounces is presumed to be for sale.

“Maine’s new law will save prosecutorial resources and it makes common sense,” NORML Executive Director Allen St. Pierre said. “It is expensive and illogical to presume that minor marijuana offenders are criminal traffickers. Kudos to the Maine legislature and to the Governor for supporting this effort to revise the state’s longstanding cannabis decriminalization law.”

The new law takes effect 90 days following adjournment of the state legislature.

To date, 13 states – including Massachusetts, Mississippi, Nebraska, and Ohio – have enacted versions of marijuana decriminalization, replacing criminal penalties and jail time for the personal possession of cannabis with the imposition of nominal fines. Only one state, Ohio, treats the possession of more than 2.5 ounces of cannabis as a fine-only (no jail) offense.

For more information, please contact Allen St. Pierre, NORML Executive Director, at, (202) 483-5500.

Good times from smokin’ Denver, Colorado.  We have a new home and are eager to get on track with everything we have lined up.

The business of Marijuana continues, and the people in Michigan know it’s there to stay.  So why not embrace it, just as they do other businesses…

Medical pot law prompts city to consider grow zone

Associated Press

9:17 AM CDT, May 3, 2009

ROYAL OAK, Mich. – Now that Michigan voters have approved medical use of marijuana, one community is considering adding pot-providers to its zoning law.

Officials in the Detroit suburb of Royal Oak propose limiting caregivers who raise medical marijuana to the general business zone. It’s mainly along the busy Woodward Avenue thoroughfare and away from the main local shopping district.

City planner Doug Hedges says the proposal is consistent with Royal Oak’s treatment of other businesses.

In November, state voters approved a law allowing people to grow marijuana for medical use.  State Community Health Department spokeswoman Geralyn Lasher tells the Detroit Free Press Michigan had issued 96 medical marijuana permits to caregivers by last week.