On Cannabis Reform and the Race for 2008
To the Staff of William Richardson, Democratic Presidential Candidate
My guess is you don't need my 2 cents, but here it comes anyway....
First of all, ignore my "netname" and call me "Doc".
FWIW, I hold a Master's degree in education and have spent my life delivering human services: 25 years working in psychiatric hospitals and out-patient clinics, to my current role helping people with disabilities and their families get the supports they need. My main specialization is child and family mental health and the early onset of psychotic illnesses in adolescence.
Let me tell you why I have written.
I am also a cannabis relegalization advocate. I have studied the prohibition of cannabis for quite a long time,wondering "why" this plant is A) illegal and B) so demonized. I did the news at Marijuana.com for a few years, reading though thousands of articles and news stories on every aspect of cannabis and its prohibition. And I do writing in advocacy of cannabis reform here at Kos, Smirking Chimp and elsewhere.
I have begun a personal project called The GreenState Project and it is focused on doing exactly what you have done: getting Democratic politicians to talk about cannabis reform like adults. And I have something to say to you.
Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!
I am pleased beyond words to hear Bill Richardson come out openly on the side of supporting medical cannabis: medical marijuana. And you have
done well in saying, "Let's be reasonable". That should be a sloganized talking point to repeat: "Let's Be Reasonable ™.
"So what if it's risky? It's the right thing to do," said Richardson, one of the candidates in the crowded 2008 field. "What we're talking about is 160 people in deep pain. It only affects them."
I do want to suggest that it is inaccurate to say; "it only affects them".
The Truth is cannabis prohibition impacts many more people than most folks realize, and unless you are benefitting from the artifical price supports cprohibition fosters, then none of this impact is positive or desirable.
The entire gigantic charade of cannabis prohibition is chronic social problem and un-appreciated drain on the US economy from a multitude of "slow bleeds".
- It's $20 billion a year or so - depending on the accounting styles and who is telling us everything - right off the bat. We don't have money for children's health care or disabled people, but we can arrest one pot smoker every 45 seconds.
- That sum doesn't actually include the cost of arresting those 780,000 Americans each year.Those are the FBI's numbers: more than all actual/violent crimes combined. What kind of resource waste is THAT?
- Nor does it reflect the cost of putting non-violent, drug-possession cases in our prisons.
We're number one in prison populations now, by the way: that's not really something for a Democracy-exporting country like ourselves to be bragging about, is it? I don't think so.
Speak the Truth
The science of cannabis is pretty well nailed down: it has numerous medicinal properties and is beginning to be hailed as the next wonder drug because of all the different ways it's components and extracts can be manipulated.
It is the policy of the US Federal Government to ignore all of the available science and to engage in intimidation, harrassment, and other zealous activities against those who seek to point this out. The US Federal Government, via the ONDCP and the DEA (and the HHS and FDA) is lying through it's clenched teeth about medical marijuana and they will do what they can to thwart them. Stonewalling and lying are the usual methods but when they don't work, they call out the big dogs.
Help the Sick
Ms. Angel Raich, terminally ill with a legal doctor's recommendation to use cannabis, as she needs to stimulate appetite and deal with the pain of her condition.
She was arrested by the DEA in a raid of her hospice about 3 years ago. She filed a lawsuit out of that incident and recently the book was thrown at her: even though she is complying with the law she is being persecuted by the Federal government which is using medical marijuana and "war on drugs" as a mechanism to assert influence over State's Rights, contrary to how it's spelled out in that annoying Constitution:
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.
Here we find that they - The "Feds" and the GOP - will allow her to be arrested and jailed for continuing to smoke marijuana, essentially saying they will use the law as a consequence and they will send her to jail where she will be a very expensive prisoner who will likely die quickly without access to cannabis.
They did this to Peter McWilliams they'll certainly do it to her.
Also remember, these are the same "Culture of Life" folks who went berzerk about Ms. Terri Schiavo last years. It's a war on personal choice and personal sovereignty.
Protect our Constitutional Rights
Aside from the medical issue, people - Democrats - want to pooh-pooh the discussion of reform: it's not the right time... it’s not that important - whatever. The fact is you cannot talk cannabis prohibition without ending up in discussions of how it tramples over constitutional law. It's that important...and that big.
We all have seen the Constitution under siege from Team Bush and the PATRIOT Act. Cannabis prohibition has had the Constitution under siege for 2 generations, at least, and right up to this very moment.
For example, it seeks to squelch the First Amendment rights to Freedom if Speech and Freedom of Assembly. The seemingly-ridiculous Bong Hits for Jesus flap is actually so big that it is headed to the Supreme Court. It has drawn the intervention of the Bush Administration.
A couple years ago a student at a high school in Alaska held up a banner saying "Bong Hits for Jesus" as the Olympic Torch parade passed through Juneau, Alaska. Even though he was off campus the school principal came across the street from the school and yanked the sign away from him and suspended him.
Team Bush, of course, stands on the side of limiting freedoms across the board, sending Kenneth Starr as legal counsel to aid in an appeal to the lower courts finding that the boy's rights were violated and free speech was impinged. Yex.. THAT Ken Starr. What does that say about the importance of this case?
This is a very nice example of what I mean when I say the whole cannabis prohibition thing is a lot more serious, pervasive in its reach than people are ever aware.
Cannabis Reform and 2008
We have this ongoing reefer mad nonsense because, most basically, there is just nothing about reform on television. There is no rational American dialogue on cannabis reform because it is purposefully squelched by government propaganda efforts. In America, like it or not, if it ain't on TV, it ain't real. If it IS on TV then people accept it, even if they shouldn't (WMDs).
The whole focus of the GreenState Project is to get real Democratic Politicians, like Mr. Richardson, to talk about reform like serious, intelligent adults. This will achieve a variety of objectives:
- It will necessitate the Mainstream Media, ever the lapdog of the drug warrior, eventually reporting more about cannabis - medical marijuana at first.
As the news people talk about it on the TV, people will begin to talk more around the water cooler. Many people want - demand - reform, and many others will support it simply because they are tired of hearing about it.
- It will draw desirable attention to you from people who might not have considered voting.
Cannabis Culture in America is possibly as many as one of every 8 to 10 people you meet, see or know. It's farmers, lawyers, cops, Judges, teachers, engineers, scientists and, as I said, approximately one of every 10 people you see on the street.
- Cannabis will function as an "umbrella issue". That's the opposite of a "wedge issue" like gay marriage.
Wedge issues focus on dividing people; an umbrella issue reaches across and rises above to include people who will disagree on other subjects.
Cannabis is also an umbrella issue because it touches on so many different things. Many people, like me, want to no longer fear ruination at the hands of a delusional legal system. Many, like Ms. Raich need the medicinal properties. Farmers want to grow it and manufactures will be more than happy to buy it and sell us shirts and pants and the 10,000 different things we can make out of cannabis.
Americans are ready for change on this issue.
Let's Be Reasonable
Mr. Richardson faces some very formidable competition in the names of Clinton, Obama, and Edwards. Each of these people need to be forced to address the isue of medical cannabis in this extremely important election. Mr. Richardson is already in the leadership position on this issue: holding these others feet to the fire will be doing them and all the rest of us a favor
He will also have sniping attacks from the GOP, which is heavily invested in reefer madness. This is good and comes at a time when the GOP can no longer get away with throwing stones in it's glass house. The GOP will have the choice to shut up - unlikely, of course - or to do what they have always done: get absolutely ridiculous about "mar-ju-wanna" and the threat it represents to America, children, and puppies. THey are in such dissary currently they cannot afford to be looking any more like freedom-hating, anti-scientific liars than they do already. I say force them to do it.
It's true many people still believe this tripe but jut as many know the reality and are ready for progress. Talking about reform will do more good than harm.
A study done by AARP a couple years ago, and subsequently quashed due to GOP pressure, found that 72% of people OVER the age of 45 support people's access to medical marijuana. These people still support it, more than ever, likely.
Actually, most people will support reform if they can just hear a rational discussion of it.
Please keep talking about cannabis reform and medical marijuana. Reach out and you will find a lot of people reaching back.
Again, thank you all so much for what you have done so far: It's the right thing at the right time.