Jim Finnel
Fallen Cannabis Warrior & Ex News Moderator
University of Washington ( UW ) lecturer and former police sergeant Dr. Jonathan Wender will host a free lecture titled "The American Drug Policy: The Great Contradiction," at 7 p.m. April 9 in the Viking Union multipurpose room. The lecture is presented by Associated Student Productions ( ASP ) Civil Controversy, the Legal Information Center and the Drug Information Center.
Prior to becoming a lecturer at UW, Wender was a Seattle police sergeant who was fired in 2005 for his outspoken opinions in favor of the decriminalization of marijuana and reforms in the United States' War on Drugs, such as mandatory minimum prison sentences.
Wender then partook in a litigation battle, settled out of court, and was reinstated. His dual-role as an advocate and enforcer is what caught the attention of Western student service coordinators and greatly influenced the decision to invite him to campus to speak to students about decriminalization of drugs.
Over the years, we've brought speakers on drug policy up to campus, but it tended to be one side or the other; we hear from law enforcement or we hear from academia, from people either pushing for strong enforcement or pushing for strong decriminalization laws," Legal Information Center Coordinator Jake Lunden said. "What we don't hear is someone who's held two different roles: someone who has enforced and who has also taught on the subject."
University Police Sergeant David Garcia said although the most common illegal drug Western students have been cited for is marijuana, he doesn't believe that Western students abusing marijuana in high numbers is unique compared to other colleges.
According to Western's annual crime statistics, there were a total of 72 arrests and 266 disciplinary referrals for marijuana and other drug-related violations that occurred on campus from 2005 to 2007.
Do we write marijuana tickets? Sure, we do," Garcia said. "Is it a major problem? No. It just comes with the territory. I don't think there is more marijuana use here than at any other university."
In accordance to the Medical Use of Marijuana Act of 1998, which was amended by the state legislature in 2007, the possession of a 60-day-or-less supply of medical marijuana is legal in Washington. The act lists patients suffering from cancer, HIV, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, glaucoma or intractable pain as eligible to receive treatment from medical marijuana in order to relieve symptoms such as nausea and chronic pain.
Although the state has not yet adopted the less stringent marijuana policies of its neighbors, Alaska and Oregon ( both states decriminalized possession of less than 1one ounce of marijuana in the 1970s ), several bills have been introduced in the state legislature over the years.
The most recent was Senate Bill 5615 in January 2009. If the bill had passed, it would have reduced adult possession of 40 grams or less of marijuana to a civil infraction with a fine that could be payable by mail. The Senate Committee on Judiciary ruled in favor of the bill on Feb. 18, but the bill was rejected by the rest of the Senate on March 25.
Proponents of SB 5615 argue the bill would help decrease the number of arrests and disciplinary referrals for drug related violations. Garcia said that freeing up jail cells is a strong motivating factor for decriminalization.
I think that the intent is that if you decriminalize [marijuana] you won't have so many people in the corrections facilities," Garcia said.
Charles Walker, ASP Civil Controversy assistant coordinator, said decriminalizing marijuana is a controversial issue that has long been debated, and one on which Wender is sure to offer fresh insight into his lecture.
I think that especially with Western being a more liberal school, students are very interested in the legalization and decriminalization of marijuana," Walker said. "[Wender] is going to be able to provide them with an academic answer from experience, and I think that students will come away understanding a little bit more of the intellectual side of the decriminalization of marijuana."
Garcia said he has often heard, from both sides, the arguments for and against reducing the possession of marijuana from being a misdemeanor to a civil infraction.
There are two schools of thought: some say that marijuana is a gateway drug and that you're just going to want stronger drugs," Garcia said. "Others say that it is just for recreational abuse. Like with alcohol, for example, not everybody wants to go out and take heroin just because they can drink."
Brian Arcement, coordinator for the Drug and Information Center, said students who do not support the decriminalization of marijuana, or other aspects of Wender's platform, should not be dissuaded from attending the lecture and listening to what Wender has to say.
Even if you don't necessarily agree with what he is saying, it's giving you an idea of what another view point is," Arcement said. "Personally, I find that perspective is one of the most important things you can get in the college experience."
Arcement said Wender might not change minds about prohibition and anti-drug enforcementam among the entire U.S. population, but at the very least his forthright beliefs are bound to spark up a few conversations among Western students.
News Hawk: User: 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: Western Front, The (Western Washington Univ., WA Edu)
Copyright: 2009 The Western Front
Contact: The Western Front - Contact
Website: https://westernfront.wwu.edu/
Author: Kendall Mercer
Prior to becoming a lecturer at UW, Wender was a Seattle police sergeant who was fired in 2005 for his outspoken opinions in favor of the decriminalization of marijuana and reforms in the United States' War on Drugs, such as mandatory minimum prison sentences.
Wender then partook in a litigation battle, settled out of court, and was reinstated. His dual-role as an advocate and enforcer is what caught the attention of Western student service coordinators and greatly influenced the decision to invite him to campus to speak to students about decriminalization of drugs.
Over the years, we've brought speakers on drug policy up to campus, but it tended to be one side or the other; we hear from law enforcement or we hear from academia, from people either pushing for strong enforcement or pushing for strong decriminalization laws," Legal Information Center Coordinator Jake Lunden said. "What we don't hear is someone who's held two different roles: someone who has enforced and who has also taught on the subject."
University Police Sergeant David Garcia said although the most common illegal drug Western students have been cited for is marijuana, he doesn't believe that Western students abusing marijuana in high numbers is unique compared to other colleges.
According to Western's annual crime statistics, there were a total of 72 arrests and 266 disciplinary referrals for marijuana and other drug-related violations that occurred on campus from 2005 to 2007.
Do we write marijuana tickets? Sure, we do," Garcia said. "Is it a major problem? No. It just comes with the territory. I don't think there is more marijuana use here than at any other university."
In accordance to the Medical Use of Marijuana Act of 1998, which was amended by the state legislature in 2007, the possession of a 60-day-or-less supply of medical marijuana is legal in Washington. The act lists patients suffering from cancer, HIV, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, glaucoma or intractable pain as eligible to receive treatment from medical marijuana in order to relieve symptoms such as nausea and chronic pain.
Although the state has not yet adopted the less stringent marijuana policies of its neighbors, Alaska and Oregon ( both states decriminalized possession of less than 1one ounce of marijuana in the 1970s ), several bills have been introduced in the state legislature over the years.
The most recent was Senate Bill 5615 in January 2009. If the bill had passed, it would have reduced adult possession of 40 grams or less of marijuana to a civil infraction with a fine that could be payable by mail. The Senate Committee on Judiciary ruled in favor of the bill on Feb. 18, but the bill was rejected by the rest of the Senate on March 25.
Proponents of SB 5615 argue the bill would help decrease the number of arrests and disciplinary referrals for drug related violations. Garcia said that freeing up jail cells is a strong motivating factor for decriminalization.
I think that the intent is that if you decriminalize [marijuana] you won't have so many people in the corrections facilities," Garcia said.
Charles Walker, ASP Civil Controversy assistant coordinator, said decriminalizing marijuana is a controversial issue that has long been debated, and one on which Wender is sure to offer fresh insight into his lecture.
I think that especially with Western being a more liberal school, students are very interested in the legalization and decriminalization of marijuana," Walker said. "[Wender] is going to be able to provide them with an academic answer from experience, and I think that students will come away understanding a little bit more of the intellectual side of the decriminalization of marijuana."
Garcia said he has often heard, from both sides, the arguments for and against reducing the possession of marijuana from being a misdemeanor to a civil infraction.
There are two schools of thought: some say that marijuana is a gateway drug and that you're just going to want stronger drugs," Garcia said. "Others say that it is just for recreational abuse. Like with alcohol, for example, not everybody wants to go out and take heroin just because they can drink."
Brian Arcement, coordinator for the Drug and Information Center, said students who do not support the decriminalization of marijuana, or other aspects of Wender's platform, should not be dissuaded from attending the lecture and listening to what Wender has to say.
Even if you don't necessarily agree with what he is saying, it's giving you an idea of what another view point is," Arcement said. "Personally, I find that perspective is one of the most important things you can get in the college experience."
Arcement said Wender might not change minds about prohibition and anti-drug enforcementam among the entire U.S. population, but at the very least his forthright beliefs are bound to spark up a few conversations among Western students.
News Hawk: User: 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: Western Front, The (Western Washington Univ., WA Edu)
Copyright: 2009 The Western Front
Contact: The Western Front - Contact
Website: https://westernfront.wwu.edu/
Author: Kendall Mercer
