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End The Drug War!

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on November 29, 2012 Legislation

By Anthony Martinelli

Communications Director

Sensible Washington

In a recent article published on our website, we explain the key reasons for ending our failed prohibition on cannabis. Doing so would bring untold benefits, and deal a huge blow to our failed war on drugs. However, even if cannabis were legalized, our nation would still be waging the widespread and devastating humans rights violation that our drug war has become.

Even if you don’t condone the use of any drugs, it is difficult to argue that throwing someone into prison alongside murderers and other violent criminals — for simple drug possession, spending taxpayer money along the way — is anything other than bad policy.

Three Years, Man! Toke Of The Town Born On This Day In 2009

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on November 23, 2012 Culture

~ alapoet ~

Toke of the Town editor Steve Elliott celebrating three years of high points and big hits

Three years ago today — actually, three years ago tonight, at 7:08 p.m. Pacific time — my THC-stained fingers hit the “Post” button for the first-ever story on Toke of the Town.

“The good thing about a free marketplace of ideas is,” I wrote, in the first sentence ever to appear on this site, “despite the best efforts of prohibitionists and their fear-mongering propaganda, the truth eventually prevails.”

More than 3,600 stories later — and with hundreds of joints, medibles, and bongloads littering my path — I’m still loving this gig, and judging by pageviews, so are close to half a million of you every month.

State of Washington Estimates Legal Pot Will Be $12 A Gram

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on November 8, 2012 Dispensaries, Legislation, News

Rusty Blazenholf/Flickr

Legal marijuana in Washington state will average $12 a gram, according to the state Liquor Control Board, which has been put in charge of regulating, taxing and selling cannabis in the state by the voters’ approval of I-502. At least a year will be spent studying and setting up the marijuana distribution system before adults 21 and older and actually walk in a store and buy weed.

The Liquor Control Board has released a new fact sheet [PDF] on a website designed to help Washington residents keep track of progress to develop regulations for selling and growing marijuana, reports the Spokane Spokesman.

Pro-Legalization Cops Cheer Marijuana Reform Election Results

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on November 7, 2012 Legislation, News

LEAP

Nine States and Localities Vote for More Sensible Drug Laws

In a historic night for drug law reformers, on Tuesday, Colorado and Washington voters passed measures legalizing and regulating marijuana, Massachusetts became the 18th state to allow medical marijuana and six localities voted to modernize policies on marijuana.

“I cannot tell you how happy I am that after 40 years of the racist, destructive exercise in futility that is the war on drugs, my home state of Washington has now put us on a different path,” said Norm Stamper, former Seattle police chief who is now a member of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP).

Can Marijuana Legalization Save The Lives Of Police Officers?

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on October 12, 2012 Culture, Medical

The Stoner Blog

Worth Repeating

By Ron Marczyk, RN

Toke of the Town Columnist

“Nationally, twice as many cops – about 300 annually – commit suicide as are killed in the line of duty, according to a study by the National Association of Police Chiefs”

Alcoholism and suicide kill more police officers than on the job violence!

Could substituting marijuana for alcohol use greatly decrease rates of burnout, alcoholism, suicide, depression and divorce, domestic violence and PTSD among the nation’s police officers? Police have on average life expectancies 10 years less than the average person; they also kill themselves at higher rates than the average American.

Marijuana is an exit drug for alcohol abuse and is also “an anti-suicide medicine.”

So why not allow police officers to use the safest recreational drug known to science?

Sensible Washington: Here’s Why We Oppose I-502 ‘Legalization’

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on October 7, 2012 Legislation, News

The Daily Chronic

By Anthony Martinelli

Communications Director

Sensible Washington

Our opposition to Initiative 502 was not a decision made in haste. We examined this measure from multiple angles, looking at the political ramifications, the legal implications, and the social benefits and consequences. We came to a clear conclusion: Initiative 502 is not a positive step forward for our state, and we can do better.

The initiative proposes dangerous and arbitrary policies, and sets up a legal distribution system that will fall to federal preemption. Here are the key reasons why, after deep consideration, our organization voted unanimously to oppose this measure (you can read our full analysis here):

Cops, Judges Support CO’s Marijuana Regulation Ballot Measure

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on September 20, 2012 Legislation, News

LEAP

National Black and Latino Police Groups Announce Endorsements for Amendment 64

A group of police officers, judges and prosecutors who support Amendment 64, the Colorado ballot measure to regulate marijuana like alcohol, held a press conference on Thursday to release a letter of endorsement signed by law enforcers from across the state and to announce the endorsement of the national police organizations Blacks in Law Enforcement of America and the National Latino Officers Association.

The campaign has also secured the personal endorsement of Colorado’s public defender, Doug Wilson.

“Law enforcement officers are on the front lines of the war on marijuana and have seen first-hand that prohibition does more harm than good,” says Art Way, Colorado Senior Drug Policy Manager for the Drug Policy Alliance.

I-502 Opponents Decry ‘Legalization’ Misinformation Campaign

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on September 11, 2012 Legislation, News

Northwest Leaf

No On I-502 says that New Approach Washington is using a McCarthy-style campaign, employing their considerable financial resources, complicit members of the media and influential local political connections to misinform the public regarding the specific issues surrounding the group’s opposition to I-502, a marijuana “legalization” initiative on the November general election ballot.

The “No On I-502” Committee has announced a Wednesday press conference “to clarify, once and for all, our opposition to I-502 and to debunk the propaganda from NAW, and some in the press, that we represent some mysterious, greedy group of marijuana business interests that they’ve failed to specifically identify.”

Speakers at the press conference will include top marijuana attorneys Jeffrey Steinborn, Aaron Pelley and Douglas Hiatt, who will address the facts surrounding both legalization issues and the “per se” DUID provisions of I-502, including the dramatic impact this law will have on tens of thousands of voters in Washington state.

WA Group Plans 2013 Initiative To Repeal Marijuana Laws

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on August 15, 2012 Legislation

Americans For Cannabis

Ready for real cannabis legalization? Dissatisfied with the half-measures — some would say “decrim on steroids” — of Washington state “tax and regulate” Initiative 502, Sensible Washington has announced plans to launch a third marijuana law reform initiative to repeal criminal and civil penalties from the state code.

Unlike the group’s previous two attempts, the 2013 effort is intended to appeal to a broader voter base, by making the legal age 21 and over, rather than 18 and over — with an added caveat — extending the juvenile code to 21 for cannabis-related offenses.

This would allow for marijuana convictions to be expunged from adult records, alleviating the life-altering harms of a conviction, such as denial of future employment and educational funding opportunities.

Lawmaker: Kentucky Could Legalize Medical Marijuana In 2013

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on July 5, 2012 Legislation, Medical, News

Western Middle School

Kentucky State Senator Perry Clark: “The chances are that if the people get behind it and there’s a groundswell of support, it could happen”

A Kentucky state senator reintroduced legislation on Thursday that would legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes in the Bluegrass State, and said that the bill has a chance of passage next year if the people will get behind it.

The bill, introduced by Sen. Perry Clark (D-Louisville), would make marijuana a Schedule II drug in Kentucky, recognizing it as having legitimate medical uses, while still being tightly restricted, reports Kevin Willis at WKU.

Medical marijuana patient advocates point out that cannabis can help alleviate pain, stimulate appetite, and reduce nausea.

“It’s time to start the conversation,” Clark said when WKU Public Radio asked if he thought the bill stood a chance of passing next year.

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