California voters will soon be going to the polls to make a statement on the personal use of cannabis.  If you live in California, please make sure to vote.
If you know someone who lives in California, please give them a call or send them an email encouraging them to support this important piece of legislation.

Here is a portion of a fairly gentle post I submitted elsewhere to people who have been arguing against Proposition 19.
If you frequent other websites and see people fighting against this legalization, consider posting the following in response:

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Prohibition does not work. There is no denying that a demand for marijuana exists, and that it cannot be eliminated simply because we make the marijuana illegal. People will find a way to procure their substance of choice, so wouldn't it be better to take the marijuana industry out of the hands of the black market? In doing so, we will undoubtedly see flat to decreased use amongst adolescents, as the substance will not be as popular amongst illicit drug dealers since the exorbitant profit margin will collapse, and kids will have a hard time buying from vendors that ask for proof of age.

Furthermore, law enforcement can quit wasting their time feeding the prison industrial complex by pursuing non-violent crimes related to marijuana, and can instead focus on the crimes that are actually hurting people. This should help reverse the disgusting fact that our country has the highest percentage of incarcerated citizens out of any country on this entire planet, which will save our state and local government much needed money; all while preserving a harmless personal freedom.

Not withstanding the fact that marijuana is substantially less toxic than alcohol (and non-addicting), it is up to adults to make responsible decisions as to how much they will use, just as they do with any other intoxicating substance. Attempting to police morality and personal choice is simply wrong. We need to take a more realistic stance on drug use in this country. People will do it regardless of its legal status. Control the substance, thereby making it as safe as possible for the consumer, while generating additional tax revenue that would otherwise be lost to criminal enterprise, and help curb the incredible waste in the criminal justice system that arises out of these absolutely futile prohibitionary laws.

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Hi ____,

My name is ____ and I'm calling because I see that you are registered to vote as an
absentee and I just want to make sure that you and everyone else in your household
will in fact vote by tomorrow.

I apologize if you've already received calls about this, but I'm really just trying
to get people to support Proposition 19, the legalize, tax and regulate marijuana
initiative.  Prop 19 is designed to treat marijuana pretty much the same as alcohol,
which will allow the police and our criminal justice system to focus on violent
crimes instead of the non-violent crimes.

This will in turn reduce the prison population which is already WAY over capacity,
and should even generate some solid tax revenue for the state and local governments.

Prop 19 is really aimed at protecting consumers while reducing the profits obtained
by illegal drug dealers.

I mean, there IS a demand for marijuana in this country, and for 70 years marijuana
prohibition has done NOTHING to reduce that demand.

But I'll tell you, tons of money has been wasted all while taking away freedom from
the people who get caught using or growing this substance; a substance that
incidentally, is less toxic than alcohol AND non-addicting.

Just to clear up some misconceptions, this will not make it legal to drive under the
influence.  If a pot user is pulled over while driving and fails a field sobriety
test, they will have their car impounded and they will have to face the consequences
through the court system.

What Prop 19 will do is preserve personal freedom for responsible adults while
cleaning up some of the waste in our criminal justice system.

So I thank you for hearing me out and if you haven't voted already, please make sure
that you do, and please support prop 19!

Take care and have a nice day.

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The race is very tight, but there is definitely a real chance of this passing.
It would be a significant step toward getting federal prohibition repealed!

www.thenewleaf.org www.yeson19.com

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// Original post submitted August 30, 2010:

Friends of cannabis!

The People of the State of California will present Proposition 19 on this November's election ballot and I would urge everyone to make sure that you are registered to vote (and if you are not, you can fill out/print/mail this registration form) in order to participate in this November's election.

The deal:

• Proposition 19 - The Regulate, Control and Tax Cannabis Act of 2010
  Allows people 21 years old or older to possess, cultivate, or transport marijuana for personal use. Permits local governments to regulate and tax commercial production and sale of marijuana to people 21 years old or older. Prohibits people from possessing marijuana on school grounds, using it in public, smoking it while minors are present, or providing it to anyone under 21 years old. Maintains current prohibitions against driving while impaired.
  
  Summary of estimated fiscal impact:
  Savings of up to several tens of millions of dollars annually to state and local governments on the costs of incarcerating and supervising certain marijuana offenders. Unknown but potentially major tax, fee, and benefit assessment revenues to state and local government related to the production and sale of marijuana products.

M'lady and I attended the "Know Your Rights" expo in Anaheim this past weekend, and it was disappointing to see the low turnout and predominantly sales-oriented roster of attendees.  However, we did get to listen to some informative speakers, both for and against the proposition (including Judge Jim Gray, whom you may remember from some of my older spam!).

I would greatly prefer this proposition to be as simple as "removing all existing laws pertaining to marijuana."  But in reality, this type of legislation has little chance of passing unless the public can be assured that it will help to prevent children from having ready access to the substance, while simultaneously ensuring the integrity of the product available to adults.  Sadly, I don't believe that the issue of non-violent citizens being sent to jail and their families as a result being extremely strained carries enough weight by itself... even though this issue is at the heart of law enforcement expenses that have helped to send our state's budget into dire straits, in addition to making our country one which houses 5% of the total world population but 25% of the world's prisoners!

I wish we didn't have to offer the concession of instituting a sin tax upon marijuana (akin to alcohol and tobacco), which seems likely to happen given the way that Prop 19 has been worded.  Nevertheless, I am happy to support legislation that works toward reducing the atrocities that have been committed against so many non-violent citizens on account of our perversely harmful and antiquated prohibition drug laws.

There is a demand for cannabis in this country.  Criminalizing the substance has done nothing to stop it, yet has been responsible for wasting unbelievable billions of dollars while ruining the lives of millions of normal people like you and me.  In two words, it's fucked!

Let's do something about it.  Please help encourage sensible drug policy.




On October 6th, I sent out this email to all of my friends and family, and would encourage you to do the same:

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Friends & Family!

I just wanted to take a moment to encourage everyone to speak with their own friends and families about this important issue.

Voting against Proposition 19 would maintain a status quo that directly hurts tens of thousands of people in California every year who face legal consequences on account of the prohibitionary laws governing their personal use of marijuana.  It is an absolute travesty that our financially strapped state has been forced to continue this strain on our entire criminal justice system, just to hunt down and prosecute non-violent marijuana offenders.  Our state legislature recognized this fact when Governor Schwarzenegger signed SB 1449 into law last week, effectively reducing the penalty for public use of pot from a misdemeanor (requiring a court appearance and criminal record) to an infraction (which is the same class as a parking ticket - no court appearance, no court costs, and no criminal record).

Beyond that, people who fear these laws against cannabis will often turn to less safe legal alternatives such as the synthetic JWH compounds found in K2 and Spice over the counter herbal blends, which have been reported to produce adverse health affects and have a very short history of use.  Untainted marijuana on the other hand is extremely low in toxicity and holds a long history of safe use.

Please remember to vote yes on Proposition 19, and forward this email to family and friends who may have a misunderstanding of the real issues here.  The latest polls are showing passable support for proposition 19, but the only poll that matters is the one on November 2nd!

Some interesting and related commentary:

• Legalization will improve public safety
  
• If People Oppose Prop 19, Are They Prohibitionists?
  
• Out-Foxed on Fox News (video): Part 1 and Part 2
  
• Other related videos...

I hope everyone is enjoying the rain!



Thanks for reading,
~Mike

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Conservative Television Commentators Share Their Thoughts...

 

Retired New Jersey State Trooper Shares His Thoughts...

Retired California Conservative Judge Shares His Thoughts...

More From the Judge Jim Gray...

 

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Dr. Siekadellyk said:

Too bad im not in Cali.

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Dr. Siekadellyk said:

Too bad im not in Cali.

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FRACTALife said:

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Dr. Siekadellyk said:

Too bad I'm not in AMERIKA.

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Not to insult anyone that said "I wish I was in Cali

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Mr. Kite said:

Also, I'm wondering what Obama is going to do....if anything. I mean he says that he "semi-supports" it but if this happens, I wonder if he is going to jump on board or jump ship.

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T-Rex said:

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Dr. Siekadellyk said:

Too bad I'm not in AMERIKA.

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Cops Say Yes to California Marijuana Legalization Measure
StoptheDrugWar / Phillip Smith / 09,13,2010


It was a law enforcement trifecta in support of California's Proposition 19 Monday, with a phalanx of police, prosecutors, and judges coming out in support of the marijuana legalization initiative in a pair of early morning press conferences in Oakland and Los Angeles and a teleconference later in the day for those unable to attend the live events. The endorsements come with Prop 19 in a very tight race and Election Day just seven weeks away.





While, unsurprisingly, a large number of California law enforcement officials have come out in opposition to Prop 19, Monday's events were designed to show that law enforcement opposition to marijuana legalization is by no means monolithic. Organizers of the events also released a letter endorsing Prop 19 signed by dozens of current and former law enforcement officials.

"As police officers, judges, prosecutors, corrections officials and others who have labored to enforce the laws that seek to prohibit cannabis (marijuana) use, and who have witnessed the abysmal failure of this current criminalization approach, we stand together in calling for new laws that will effectively control and tax cannabis," the letter read. "As criminal justice professionals, we have seen with our own eyes that keeping cannabis illegal damages public safety -- for cannabis consumers and non-consumers alike. We've also seen that prohibition sometimes has tragic consequences for the law enforcers charged with putting their lives on the line to enforce it. The only groups that benefit from continuing to keep marijuana illegal are the violent gangs and cartels that control its distribution and reap immense profits from it through the black market. If California's voters make the sensible decision to effectively control and tax cannabis this November, it will eliminate illegal marijuana distribution networks, just as ending alcohol prohibition put a stop to violent and corrupting gangsters' control of beer, wine and liquor sales."

The same themes were reprised in the three press conferences Monday. "I was with the LAPD when Nixon declared the 'War on Drugs' over 40 years ago and was one of the 'generals' on the front lines who helped implement that same failed drug policy that is still in effect today," said Stephen Downing, a retired deputy chief of police with the LAPD who is now a speaker with the group Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP). "During my career, I not only saw the ineffectiveness of our marijuana laws up close but also witnessed the harm our prohibition approach inflicts on public safety. By keeping marijuana illegal, we aren't preventing anyone from using it. The only results are billions of tax-free dollars being funneled into the pockets of bloodthirsty drug cartels and gangs who control the illegal market."

Former LAPD sergeant and Los Angeles County deputy district attorney William John Cox added, "This November, Californians finally have a chance to flip the equation and put drug cartels out of business, while restoring public respect for the criminal laws and their enforcement by passing Proposition 19 to control and regulate marijuana."

"This is a very, very good opportunity to increase safety on our streets and highways, get officers out of drug law enforcement and back on patrol," said LEAP executive director Neill Franklin, a now retired 34-year law enforcement veteran. "In addition, it will give up more cops on the streets to focus on drunk and drugged driving. All of our police officers are trained in drug recognition,and this is an opportunity to get more cops out stopping vehicles and checking for those who are driving impaired."

Former San Jose police Chief Joseph McNamara, now a research fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institute, also took to the podium in support of Prop 19. "I've been studying drugs for years," he said, relating how he rose through the ranks of the NYPD before becoming chief in Kansas City and then San Jose. "We learned pretty quickly in New York that the people we were arresting were low-level offenders. All the arrests weren't doing any good. As cops, we felt the community would be better off if we were arresting robbers, burglars, and rapists. Enforcing prohibition took us away from protecting people on our beat," he said.

"I signed onto Prop 19 because I think it is a real opportunity for the voters to eliminate somewhere between 40 million and 200 million crimes overnight by making legal behavior that is today wasting so many law enforcement resources," McNamara continued. "Prohibition hasn't reduced the use of marijuana, and it also produces enormous funding for the cartels and the drug gangs. And violence, not because people are getting stoned on marijuana, but by the whole gangster syndrome that exists with prohibition driving prices up."

Passage of Prop 19 would be a "game changer," McNamara said. He challenged the media, which has been closely scrutinizing the measure, to apply the same rigorous evaluation to marijuana prohibition itself. "They are ignoring the details of the status quo," he said. "What do we have with this costly war against marijuana?" he asked. "Widespread violence, more use than if it were manufactured legally, and tremendous disrespect for the law."

Former federal prosecutor and California Superior Court Judge James Gray also spoke in support of Prop 19. "I was basically a drug warrior until I saw that the tougher we get with regard to nonviolent drug offenses, the softer we get with everything else because we only have so many resources in the criminal justice system," he said.

Gray also addressed the opposition's "what about the kids" argument by turning it on its head. "We are corrupting our children, not because of marijuana, but because of marijuana prohibition," he argued. "We are putting our children in harm's way. Ask our young people what's harder to get, beer or marijuana, and they will tell you it's easier to get marijuana, because alcohol is regulated and controlled by the government, and illegal marijuana dealers don't ask for ID."

Calling the Prop 19 vote "probably the most important election of my lifetime," Gray said the voters are ahead of the politicians. "I think we have a pretty good chance of doing something good for our state and for the country by passing Prop 19," he concluded.

Monday's law enforcement endorsements are just the latest in a long and ever-growing list of people and organizations lining up to support the measure, including labor unions, the National Black Police Association, the NAACP, doctors, politicians, political parties, and many more. Let's hope that list grows much longer in the remaining weeks until election day on November 2.

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Dr. Siekadellyk said:

Too bad im not in Cali.

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SmOakland said:
Anybody who does not want Prop 19 to pass because of little intricacies of the law clearly know nothing about laws and how they are passed.  All these morons in CA who are objecting to little details in the law have clearly never taken a class on government or done any significant research into the system by which these propositions are passed in CA.

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FRACTALife said:

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Dr. Siekadellyk said:

Too bad im not in Cali.

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TrippyStoner420 said:
i wander if it will even be on the news outside the US. im trying not to get my hopes up too much about it passing though. its going to hurt if it doesn't pass.

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Hope for the best, expect nothing.

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maryanne3087 said:
I think something similar is going on in Oregon, where a prop is suggesting commercial production be taken over by the state, and cutting out however many mmj growers there are.

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CrayolaHalls said:
This is probably your best bet for traditional news coverage:  http://www.latimes.com/

These people will also have lots going on:  http://yeson19.com/

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ill be pissed if it passes and dosn't get a mention on the news over here. but for me it seems too good to be true.

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Friends & Family!

I just wanted to take a moment to encourage everyone to speak with their own friends and families about this important issue.

Voting against Proposition 19 would maintain a status quo that directly hurts tens of thousands of people in California every year who face legal consequences on account of the prohibitionary laws governing their personal use of marijuana.  It is an absolute travesty that our financially strapped state has been forced to continue this strain on our entire criminal justice system, just to hunt down and prosecute non-violent marijuana offenders.  Our state legislature recognized this fact when Governor Schwarzenegger signed SB 1449 into law last week, effectively reducing the penalty for public use of pot from a misdemeanor (requiring a court appearance and criminal record) to an infraction (which is the same class as a parking ticket - no court appearance, no court costs, and no criminal record).

Beyond that, people who fear these laws against cannabis will often turn to less safe legal alternatives such as the synthetic JWH compounds found in K2 and Spice over the counter herbal blends, which have been reported to produce adverse health affects and have a very short history of use.  Untainted marijuana on the other hand is extremely low in toxicity and holds a long history of safe use.

Please remember to vote yes on Proposition 19, and forward this email to family and friends who may have a misunderstanding of the real issues here.  The latest polls are showing passable support for proposition 19, but the only poll that matters is the one on November 2nd!

Some interesting and related commentary:

• Legalization will improve public safety
  
• If People Oppose Prop 19, Are They Prohibitionists?
  
• Out-Foxed on Fox News (video): Part 1 and Part 2
  
• Other related videos...

I hope everyone is enjoying the rain!



Thanks for reading,
~Mike

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Attorney General Eric Holder vowed this week to "vigorously enforce" federal laws against marijuana even if California voters approve a November initiative legalizing its use for recreational purposes.

In a letter to former drug enforcement administrators, Holder called prosecution against marijuana users, distributors and manufacturers a "core priority" of the Department of Justice and said it would remain so regardless of whether Proposition 19 passes. The letter marked the first time Holder has directly indicated what position his department would take should the recreational use initiative become state law.

"Let me state clearly that the Department of Justice strongly opposes Proposition 19," Holder said in a letter dated Wednesday. "If passed, this legislation will greatly complicate federal drug enforcement efforts to the detriment of our citizens."

Proponents of Proposition 19 said Holder was "posturing."

"The reality is that the federal government has neither the resources nor the political will to undertake sole - or even primary - enforcement responsibility for low level marijuana offenses in California," said Stephen Gutwillig, California director of the Drug Policy Alliance, in a statement. "Well over 95 percent of all marijuana arrests in this country are made by state and local law enforcement."

Under President Barack Obama, the U.S. Department of Justice last year said it would not prosecute medical marijuana use in states where it is legal, a change in policy from the Bush administration.

Proposition 19 would make California the first U.S. state to authorize marijuana use for recreational purposes. The initiative would allow adults 21 years or older to use or grow limited amounts of marijuana. It would also allow local governments and the state to tax the commercial sale of marijuana.

Supporters have suggested that the legalization of recreational marijuana use would bolster cash-strapped governments in California and reduce costs for law enforcement and corrections.

Holder was responding to a letter sent in August by nine former administrators of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency urging him to take a stance on Proposition 19. In the letter, the former DEA officials said, "It is unlikely that any taxes will be paid, for doing so would admit criminal violation of federal law and expose the seller to federal prosecution."

Tom Angell, spokesman for the Yes on 19 campaign, disputed that argument, saying that medical marijuana dispensaries already have contributed millions of dollars in taxes on payroll, sales and property.

"What they say we can't do, we're already doing," Angell said. "They were doing it before the (2009) memo. Those concerns are overblown and off-base."


Read more: http://www.fresnobee.com/2010/10/15/2119608/feds-say-they-will-enforce-pot.html#ixzz12T8Fsicd

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FurrowedBrow said:
I hate the be the bearer of bad news.  But surely you all expected this kind of a federal response...


Feds vow to enforce pot laws even if Prop. 19 passes

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Attorney General Eric Holder vowed this week to "vigorously enforce" federal laws against marijuana even if California voters approve a November initiative legalizing its use for recreational purposes.

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"What they say we can't do, we're already doing," Angell said. "They were doing it before the (2009) memo. Those concerns are overblown and off-base."

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The AG has to 'vow to uphold US law' its his job

Those concerns are overblown and off-base .... pretty much sums up what the AG said IMO

I would so vote for the California election, but I'm not in California. Only if there was a way... 

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T-Rex said:
That's one thing I can agree with, I'm glad I'm alive to see this new chapter of history begin. Looking forward to laughing with my grand kids over a joint on how bud used to be illegal back when everyone was crazy.

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ReallyNotANarc said:
Hilarious pix! 
Anyway....what about seeds when Prop 19 passes?  Or seedlings?

I'd made the trip to Cali, stay a few days, and return with some great souvenirs.

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niteowl said:
You should check out our sister site the Shroomery for a wealth of information

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Will do.
But I didn't post for the amount of information.

Just saying... for those who [for some odd reason] don't care about legalization or know people who are undecided, that I came across a very user friendly site to maybe help in their defense. A site that is to the point, hitting majority of important points, which in the essence of convincing others who may or may not be undecided about their vote toward Proposition 19, with the wealth of some fairly decent information.
Sometimes too much information is not always for the best.


Thought I'd share some findings related to the OP's subject, more-less my two cents.

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Skatealex2 said:
Hell yah. Its great to see the day of legal weed coming upon us. It would be amazing to walk around and have a variety of stores to buy all types of legal thc from around America.  I bet the weed business will be pretty competetive too.  Seems like history is repeating itself.

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Hi ____,

My name is ____ and I'm calling because I see that you are registered to vote as an
absentee and I just want to make sure that you and everyone else in your household
will in fact vote by tomorrow.

I apologize if you've already received calls about this, but I'm really just trying
to get people to support Proposition 19, the legalize, tax and regulate marijuana
initiative.  Prop 19 is designed to treat marijuana pretty much the same as alcohol,
which will allow the police and our criminal justice system to focus on violent
crimes instead of the non-violent crimes.

This will in turn reduce the prison population which is already WAY over capacity,
and should even generate some solid tax revenue for the state and local governments.

Prop 19 is really aimed at protecting consumers while reducing the profits obtained
by illegal drug dealers.

I mean, there IS a demand for marijuana in this country, and for 70 years marijuana
prohibition has done NOTHING to reduce that demand.

But I'll tell you, tons of money has been wasted all while taking away freedom from
the people who get caught using or growing this substance; a substance that
incidentally, is less toxic than alcohol AND non-addicting.

Just to clear up some misconceptions, this will not make it legal to drive under the
influence.  If a pot user is pulled over while driving and fails a field sobriety
test, they will have their car impounded and they will have to face the consequences
through the court system.

What Prop 19 will do is preserve personal freedom for responsible adults while
cleaning up some of the waste in our criminal justice system.

So I thank you for hearing me out and if you haven't voted already, please make sure
that you do, and please support prop 19!

Take care and have a nice day.

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