The Marijuana Policy Project has largely sat out the campaign to end marijuana prohibition in California this election cycle, but the recent escalation of infighting among allies who claim to support marijuana legalization has inspired me to speak out, and firmly.
The best way to explain is to tell a true story about something that happened just across the border, in Nevada, in 2006.
MPP was in the midst of campaigning for our ballot initiative to tax and regulate marijuana like alcohol in Nevada. (Only six statewide initiatives to end marijuana prohibition have ever been voted on -- one in California in 1972, one in Oregon in 1986, two in Alaska in 2000 and 2004, and two in Nevada in 2002 and 2006. The highest voter-getters were the 2004 Alaska initiative and the 2006 Nevada initiative; each received 44% of the vote.)
Surprisingly, one of the leading libertarians in Nevada -- someone who had real access to mainstream media outlets -- told me he was going to oppose our initiative. The reason? As a libertarian, he didn't like taxes, and he didn't like regulations.
I explained to him that it's one thing to be disappointed with the exact wording of the initiative, but it's another thing to actually oppose the initiative. He didn't budge.
I then pointed out that if he opposed the initiative, he would also have to endorse making alcohol illegal. "How interesting," he said, wondering what I meant.
I expounded that -- by campaigning and voting against the marijuana initiative -- he would be choosing to keep marijuana illegal instead of taxing and regulating it. So, if prohibition is somehow preferable to taxes and regulations, he should prefer alcohol prohibition over alcohol being taxed and sold in bars and restaurants.
I never heard from him again, even to this day. But, to his credit, he ended up not campaigning against the initiative, I think because he's well known to be intellectually honest and consistent.
The same dilemma now faces anti-prohibitionists in California, except, unfortunately, some anti-prohibitionists are choosing to advocate for prohibition, because Prop. 19 isn't "perfect enough," they imply.
One need not be a lawyer to find something not to like about Prop. 19, if one looks hard enough. The initiative gives local governments the option to prohibit or legalize the sale of marijuana; perhaps you prefer not to give local governments any option at all? The initiative allows all adults to possess up to one ounce of marijuana; perhaps you prefer a pound or more? The initiative allows all adults to grow 25 square feet of marijuana; perhaps you prefer not allowing grow-your-own at all?
These kinds of debates are legitimate and -- to be sure -- it's literally impossible to reach a consensus on any of these points before or even after a statewide initiative is drafted and qualified for the ballot. So the issue isn't whether a consensus can be reached.
Rather, the issue is whether anti-prohibitionists really want their souls to be burdened with voting to prohibit marijuana -- which is what they'd be doing by voting against Prop. 19 on November 2.
Have you ever heard a marijuana user say the following? "I don't want marijuana to become legal, because it would take the fun out of it. It would make it less glamorous."
I respond to such pea-brained declarations of adolescent rebellion by saying, "Oh, because you want to have more fun, you therefore want the government to continue arresting more than 800,000 people every year for what you, yourself, are doing? And you want to spend my tax money -- and yours -- to accomplish this?"
How selfish.
Of course, to be fair, people who say they like the glamour of being an outlaw don't really want more than 800,000 of their brethren to be arrested every year for marijuana. It's just that the glamour-seekers are losing sight of what's really important: They're choosing a public policy that resonates with them (keeping marijuana allegedly "cool" because it's illegal), while inadvertently overlooking the horrible byproduct of that choice (arresting the equivalent of every man, woman, and child in the state of Montana every year, forever).
So, to bring it back to California, it's important that opponents of Prop. 19 at least be intellectually honest: By opposing the initiative for whatever reasons one has, the tradeoff is that more than 60,000 people will continue to be cited for marijuana offenses every year in California. That's not something that I'd want to have on my conscience.
Going back to the top of this column: Many people who remember the 1972 initiative in California, which lost with 34% of the vote, muse nostalgically about how great it would have been if that initiative had passed ... how it would have changed the whole course of events, especially in the midst of President Nixon's administration. But have you read that initiative? It was inferior to this year's initiative in California.
And you know what? Coincidentally, they're both labeled "Prop. 19." The first Prop. 19 failed 38 years ago; do we really want to lose again, in just a few weeks?
Please visit Yeson19.com to support the current campaign.
Medical marijuana co-ops and the underground growers who supply them fear losing a monopoly on this cash crop. Legalization would lower prices and broaden access to marijuana. This doesn't sit well with the people who believe that the current quasi-legal status of medical marijuana both protects them and their lively hood. Broadening access and production will lower prices and introduce competition, hitting these groups squarely in the pocket book.
A: YES.
Prohibition: Is a waste of time. Causes Crime. Funds criminal organizations. Is Anti-american. Is racist. Puts the public at risk. Causes Corruption. Is Unpatriotic. Is Destructive. Funds Terrorism. Makes criminals out of otherwise law abiding citizens. And on, and on, and on...
The plant in question, is safer than alcohol, tobacco, and a large number of our over-the-counter "medicines".
There's not a single good reason to keep prohibtion going, so don't be a prohibtionist.
VOTE YES ON PROP 19
1. The Liquor Companies who have a dangerous monopoly on the only drug our citizens can get intoxicated with.
2. The Pharmaceutical Companies who dont want you using Pot instead of their patented dangerous pharmaceutical drugs with horrible side effects.
3. Our crooked politicians who get paid huge campaign contributions from Liquor Corporations and Pharmaceutical Corporations.
4. Organized crime that competes with Liquor stores.
5. The disgusting People who make a living arresting and jailing Americans who prefer Pot instead of Booze.
Now if we could just get all the Politicians who smoked Pot and/or sniffed Cocaine (Palin, Obama, Bush, Clinton, etc) in their past to END the Drug War that arrests Americans who still prefer Pot instead of Booze. Too bad most our Politicians are addicted to campaign cash (bribes?) from the Liquor Corporations who like the Drug War just as it is.
This is ridiculous. I can disagree with the way a law is written but not be against the general concept of the law as a whole. I disagree with aspects of Prop 19, but that does not mean I support prohibition. It means Prop 19 is written poorly and I disagree with the way it is worded in many aspects. It also means that I support legalization and don't think Prop 19 is the end all be all to that cause.
People, don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good. If Prop 19 passes, it will be a huge win for freedom and liberty and a huge loss for intolerance and oppression.
Prop 19 is very well written It gives local governments control over commercial sales and allows individuals to grow and possess cannabis. Liberty involves decentralizing power down to states, localities, and ultimately, to individuals. If certain localities don't want cannabis sales, then that's their prerogative. The important thing is that you'll still be allowed your 25 square feet to grow, no matter where you live in the state. How can anyone who favors legalization be against this? The answer is usually greed - they're making large amounts of money off the black market and are worried about their profits. They'd rather see people thrown in jail than have to find another way to make money. Very bad karma to say the least.
To be against Prop 19 means you prefer prohibition to legalization, which makes you by definition, a prohibitionist.
http://www.opposingviews.com/i/marijuana-news-cannybus-lying-about-prop-19
Anyone that believes marijuana should be legal and votes no on 19 deserves to be arrested and jailed, not because they are criminals for using a nontoxic plant but for being an asinine numbskull and the epitome of a hypocrite! Legalize marijuana while you have the chance! If the details need to be tweaked later there will be nothing preventing that.
END THE RIDICULOUS PROHIBITION OF MARIJUANA!
STOP GIVING UP YOUR RIGHT TO MAKE THE SAFER CHOICE TO USE MARIJUANA AND BEING FORCED TO USE DEADLY ALCOHOL OR Rx DRUGS TO BE LEGAL!
STOP FUNDING CRIMINALS, GANGSTERS AND TERRORISTS BECAUSE MARIJUANA IS ILLEGAL!
STOP MAKING MARIJUANA EASIER FOR KIDS TO GET BECAUSE ILLEGAL DEALERS DON’T ASK FOR ID!
MARIJUANA DOES NOT CAUSE DANGEROUS OR AGGRESSIVE DRIVING!
MARIJUANA DOES NOT KILL BRAIN CELLS, CAUSE CANCER, MAKE YOU GO CRAZY, OR MAKE YOU LAZY AND UNABLE TO LEAD A NORMAL LIFE.
MARIJUANA DOES NOT MAKE YOU DANGEROUS TO YOURSELF OR OTHERS, IT MAKES YOU RELAX AND IT MAKES YOU MORE CAUTIOUS!
EVERYTHING THOSE PROMOTING MARIJUANA PROHIBITION ARE TELLING YOU IS NOTHING BUT A PACK OF PURE LIES!
NO ONE, OF ANY AGE, IN ALL OF RECORDED HISTORY, ANYWHERE ON PLANET EARTH, HAS EVER DIED FROM THE INGREDIENTS IN MARIJUANA! ... MANY HAVE DIED AND TENS OF MILLIONS HAVE BEEN HARMED BY MARIJUANA PROHIBITION!
VOTE YES ON 19 !!!
Read more here:
I am recommending that all Marijuana Legalization groups, throughout the planet, endorse: The Marijuana Legalization Policy Project (MERP) Model. I have provided texts to my series of videos on MERP which can be read in over 30 different languages.
MERP Headquarters
The Marijuana Re-Legalization Policy Project (MRPP)= "MERP"
http://www.newagecitizen.com/MERP.htm
"NO" On Prop19 "YES" on CCHH & MERP
http://www.newagecitizen.com/NoOnProp19.htm
PROPOSITION 19, MONSANTO, AND GMO TERMINATOR CANNABIS
http://community.kpfz.org/node/17
Fax to Your Representatives to Immediately Re-Legalize Marijuana:
http://www.change.org/actions/view/petition_for_the_immediate_re-legalization_of_marijuana#
19 reasons to vote NO on 19:
www.votetaxcannabis2010.blogspot.com
Jack Herer's CCHH 2012 Initiative:
www.youthfederation.com/cchhi2012.html
Working Group Against Prop19 and For CCHH and MERP
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/GlobalMarijuanaReLegalization/
(1) While SB 1449 decriminalized less than an ounce, it still remains a $100 ticket. Are you telling me I should vote to get a ticket rather than be LEGAL?
(2) Decrim means marijuana is still illegal. So that stem, seed, joint, and the smell of pot are still reasons for cops to search and harass you. Not so when it is LEGAL.
(3) SB 1449 didn't do a thing do stop me from being a felon for growing a pot plant in my closet. Prop 19 does.
(4) Prop 19 allows you to have all the results of all your harvests at your grow site. The one ounce limit is ONLY when you're carrying pot away from the grow site. At the site, you could have 200 pounds if you wanted.
(5) Prop 19 allows you to give one ounce to any adult 21 and older... like your neighbor.
(6) It's already an offense to give pot to minors.
(7) It's a new offense to provide to those 18-20... just like it is an offense to provide them alcohol. Are you really voting NO because you like to toke up with teens?
(8) When its legal, how do cops find out you have too much?
You're not a realist, you're an easily-duped fool voting against your own best interests.
and it's little friend Canadian Thistle!!!
it's getting so you can't go outside any more..
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If MPP were such "corporate shills", then why did they oppose going for legalization in California in 2010, preferring to wait until 2012? Because Prop 19 wasn't corporate-friendly enough? (No, it was because they believe a presidential election is more likely to bring out voters who would support marijuana legalization.)
In fact, DPA and MPP, the two largest-funded pro-pot orgs (from billionaire traders and corporate titans like George Soros, Peter Lewis, John Sperling, and George Zimmer) strongly tried to convince Richard Lee to hold off on Prop 19 in 2010 and collaborate on a different initiative in 2012... so it would seem this small-time (in comparison by wealth) activist is going AGAINST the wishes of the "corporate shills".