Jim Finnel
Fallen Cannabis Warrior & Ex News Moderator
Starbucks and other businesses are sponsoring the Arrest and Prosecution Industry's fight to maintain Marijuana Prohibition. Help us fight back!
According to recent reports, law enforcement groups are meddling in Colorado's legislative process in hopes of rolling back the state's progress toward a safer, more rational approach to marijuana. In fact, a bill that would shut down all medical marijuana dispensaries in the state and allow them to continue harassing medical marijuana patients has been introduced on behalf of the law enforcement community, which is now leaning on legislators to support it.
Perhaps even more unsettling is the source of the financial support behind the Arrest and Prosecution Industry's war on marijuana. In particular, the group spearheading anti-marijuana lobbying efforts -- the Colorado Drug Investigators Association (CDIA) -- is sponsored by several local and national businesses, including Starbucks Coffee, Glock handguns, and -- you guessed it -- members of the alcohol industry! It is clear that these guys are not out to protect people; they're out to continue harrasing marijuana users and ensure that alcohol -- the substance that contributes most to the crime and violence that keeps them busy -- is the only legal recreational drug available.
By giving your business to Starbucks and these other companies, YOUR money is supporting the CDIA's shady anti-marijuana lobbying effort! So...
If you support marijuana policy reform, please take the following actions and lend the power of your voice -- and your status as a consumer -- to this important effort:
1. Boycott Starbucks, as well as these other businesses:
2. Send Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz a quick e-mail message and let him know you will not give Starbucks your business until it ends its sponsorship of CDIA's efforts to maintain Marijuana Prohibition.
You can use this link and SAFER will send your letter for you or you can do it yourself.
Sample of letter:
I am writing to let you know that I am joining in a nationwide boycott of Starbucks Coffee until it withdraws its sponsorship of the Colorado Drug Investigators Association (CDIA).
It was recently reported in the Denver Post that the CDIA is lobbying elected officials in support of legislation that would wipe out all state-licensed medical marijuana dispensaries despite polls finding about 65 percent of Coloradans support such a regulated dispensary system. Moreover, it has become abundantly clear that this group is fighting to keep marijuana entirely illegal so that its members can continue arresting, prosecuting, and otherwise harassing those who consume and/or produce it.
Judging by it's merchandise and Web site which are covered with images of skulls, the grim reaper, military helicopters, and their slogan, "Death on Drugs" -- the CDIA does not appear motivated by maintaining public safety or developing a workable system of medical marijuana regulation. Rather, it appears motivated by one thing -- job security. After all, polls show that about 65 percent of Coloradans want to create new legitimate, state-licensed businesses with hundreds of new taxpaying employees, whereas your organizations wish to ban these new businesses and continue spending taxpayer money to arrest and prosecute people who are using or producing a substance that, by every objective measure, is FAR safer than alcohol.
I have no doubt Starbucks's sponsorship of the CDIA is well-intentioned. Yet I trust you agree such a highly regarded company should not be sponsoring an organization meddling in the legislative process. Thus, I sincerely hope Starbucks will withdraw its sponsorship of the CDIA as soon as possible so that it is no longer associated with the groups lobbying efforts, or with its crusade to keep marijuana illegal.
Until then, I am no longer comfortable providing your company with my business.
Thank you for your time and consideration of this message, and I look forward to hearing what action you will take on this matter.
Sincerely,
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More:
SAFER's Mason Tvert Calls For Boycott Of Starbucks
Co. - Hardly a day goes by without Mason Tvert, head of SAFER (Safer Alternative For Enjoyable Recreation), going after some individual or institution standing in the way of legalizing marijuana use for adults in Colorado and beyond. Still, his latest target is a surprise: Starbucks, the ubiquitous peddler of a highly addictive substance -- coffee.
Why? According to a manifesto on SAFER's website, "The Colorado Drug Investigators Association (CDIA), the group spearheading anti-marijuana lobbying efforts, is sponsored by several local and national businesses including Starbucks Coffee, Glock handguns, and -- you guessed it -- members of the alcohol industry!"
With this in mind, Tvert is staging a news conference at a Denver Starbucks at noon today, calling for a boycott of the chain until it disassociates itself from the CDIA. But don't rest easy, gun-packers and booze manufacturers. He may be coming after you next. Get details about the press conference below:
Marijuana reform backers to boycott Starbucks Coffee nationwide until it withdraws sponsorship of law enforcement group lobbying to keep marijuana illegal and protect the "Arrest and Prosecution Industry"
WHAT: News conference to announce the marijuana reform movement's nationwide boycott of Starbucks and other businesses until they withdraw their sponsorships of the Colorado Drug Investigators Association, a group of law enforcement officials lobbying against the establishment of a regulated system of medical marijuana dispensaries so they can continue arresting and prosecuting people for marijuana
WHEN: TODAY, Thursday, January 21, 12 p.m.
WHERE: In front of the Starbucks located at 300 E. 6th Avenue, Denver (NE corner of Grant St. and 6th Ave.)
WHO: Mason Tvert, SAFER executive director and coauthor of Marijuana Is Safer: So Why are We Driving People to Drink?
Statement from Mason Tvert
"According to a recent report in The Denver Post, state and federal law enforcement officials have been meddling in Colorado's legislative process, lobbying for measures that would shut down every medical marijuana dispensary in order to protect their industry of arresting and prosecuting marijuana users and producers.
"About 65 percent of Coloradans want to regulate medical marijuana dispensaries and create new legitimate, state-licensed businesses with hundreds of new taxpaying employees. The Colorado Drug Investigators Association wants to ban these new businesses so its members can continue spending taxpayer money to arrest and prosecute people involved with medical marijuana.
"It's no surprise that law enforcement organizations and their leaders -- whose jobs are dependent on maintaining the war on marijuana -- are lobbying to kill state-licensed medical marijuana dispensaries. But Starbucks and other companies' funding of this war should strike any marijuana consumer or reform supporter as truly appalling. It's time to stand up and send them all a message.
"Our call for a boycott went out late last night and our supporters have already sent hundreds of e-mails to Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, letting him know we will keep pushing for this boycott -- and will ask other marijuana policy reform organizations to join us -- until Starbucks disassociates itself from the Colorado Drug Investigators Association.
"We won't be giving our bucks to Starbucks until it stops giving its bucks to the Arrest and Prosecution Industry's war on marijuana."
NewsHawk: User: 420 Magazine - Cannabis Culture News & Reviews
Source: westword.com
Author: Michael Roberts
Copyright: 2010 Village Voice Media
Contact: The Denver Westword Blogs
Website: SAFER's Mason Tvert calls for boycott of Starbucks, alleged sponsor of group backing restrictive medical marijuana laws
