PFlynn
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Michigan - The Michigan Chapter of National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) sees Kalamazoo as a progressive community in which the liberalization of marijuana laws can be fostered. A petition to make the use of cannabis a low priority for arresting authorities is being organized by Louis Stocking of Kalamazoo.
Stocking has been writing letters to the MINORML and finally has their attention. “By low prioritizing it we basically don’t allow them to focus as much time (on marijuana-related arrests),” stated Stocking.
South West Michigan coordinator for Michigan NORML, Greg Francisco states, “We have had our eye on Kalamazoo for quite some time because it is a progressive city with a pool of young, energetic activists and the threshold to qualify for the ballot is relatively low compared to some other cities.
But we are also moving ahead organizing in other cities around Michigan at the same time. Similar measures may appear on as many as three other Michigan cities within the next year. Maybe more as momentum builds and word spreads that this is even possible.”
It has been a month and a half since Stocking first started writing the letters and now he has the support of many of the citizens of Kalamazoo.
Comments have been made that if a marijuana user is not injuring anyone then it’s a victimless crime, aside from the user whom is being arrested for possession. Stocking responded to this comment, “I do agree that my liberties should not be jeopardized.” He also believes that if legalization is on the books that there should be certain guidelines that would need to be set.
On the subject of marijuana being a “gateway drug” Francisco disagrees, “Over 150 million Americans have used marijuana in their life-time, fewer than 500,000 are addicted to harder drugs. If marijuana is a gateway, where are all the addicts? Teens in the U.S. almost universally follow the same progression: tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, so if cannabis was a gateway drug, it would still be the 3rd along the path.
States that harshly punish marijuana offenses have higher rates of hard drug addiction. States that have decriminalized simple possession have markedly lower rates of hard drug addiction. This suggests that marijuana is not a gateway but rather a terminus.”
Rev. Steven B. Thompson, Executive Director of Michigan NORML, believes that cannabis is not a drug to begin with, “It’s a seed bearing herb, not a gateway drug.”
Steve Lehman, addiction service supervisor at Woodlands Behavioral Healthcare Network, believes that Michigan voters made a big mistake in approving medical marijuana on November 4th.
He states that the positive benefits are outweighed by the negative effects of making that drug available to people who don’t have a legitimate need for it. In response to Lehman’s statements, Stocking said, “I don’t think that the law is going to be handing it over to people who have headaches, but to those who have actually debilitating diseases.”
Medical marijuana is now starting to become mainstream; according to Francisco, Proposal 1 passes by a margin of nearly 2 to 1. “MI NORML supports a policy of treating responsible adult use of marijuana the same way we currently treat responsible adult use of alcohol & tobacco.
Legal but heavily regulated, taxed and sold by legitimate businesses who employ clerks who check ID's. All the criminal drug dealer asks to see from kids, is the cash,” states Fransisco.
There is no petition right now, but one should start to circulate around Kalamazoo in April. Stocking said that the petition will have to be turned in mid-August. He also thinks that the petition will get the people out even more to vote.
Francisco thinks the fiscal responsibility and wise use of limited public resources is something everyone wants, regardless of political stripe.
This measure is about how to allocate limited resources to attain the maximum value. “We expect the most vigorous opposition to come from those who benefit the most financially from the status quo and organizations who risk loosing funding currently derived through aggressive use of civil forfeiture.”
“A Lowest Law Enforcement Priority measure will direct the KPS & the City Attorney to make the arrest & prosecution of small amounts of marijuana with no other aggravating circumstances their lowest priority,” said Francisco, “What this will do is free up scarce resources so that they can be devoted to addressing more serious crimes.”
News Hawk: PFlynn - 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: Kalamazoo Weekly (MI)
Author: J. Anderson
Copyright: 2009 Birch River Group, LLC.
Contact: Editor@KalamazooWeekly.com
Website: Kalamazoo Weekly::Home
Stocking has been writing letters to the MINORML and finally has their attention. “By low prioritizing it we basically don’t allow them to focus as much time (on marijuana-related arrests),” stated Stocking.
South West Michigan coordinator for Michigan NORML, Greg Francisco states, “We have had our eye on Kalamazoo for quite some time because it is a progressive city with a pool of young, energetic activists and the threshold to qualify for the ballot is relatively low compared to some other cities.
But we are also moving ahead organizing in other cities around Michigan at the same time. Similar measures may appear on as many as three other Michigan cities within the next year. Maybe more as momentum builds and word spreads that this is even possible.”
It has been a month and a half since Stocking first started writing the letters and now he has the support of many of the citizens of Kalamazoo.
Comments have been made that if a marijuana user is not injuring anyone then it’s a victimless crime, aside from the user whom is being arrested for possession. Stocking responded to this comment, “I do agree that my liberties should not be jeopardized.” He also believes that if legalization is on the books that there should be certain guidelines that would need to be set.
On the subject of marijuana being a “gateway drug” Francisco disagrees, “Over 150 million Americans have used marijuana in their life-time, fewer than 500,000 are addicted to harder drugs. If marijuana is a gateway, where are all the addicts? Teens in the U.S. almost universally follow the same progression: tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, so if cannabis was a gateway drug, it would still be the 3rd along the path.
States that harshly punish marijuana offenses have higher rates of hard drug addiction. States that have decriminalized simple possession have markedly lower rates of hard drug addiction. This suggests that marijuana is not a gateway but rather a terminus.”
Rev. Steven B. Thompson, Executive Director of Michigan NORML, believes that cannabis is not a drug to begin with, “It’s a seed bearing herb, not a gateway drug.”
Steve Lehman, addiction service supervisor at Woodlands Behavioral Healthcare Network, believes that Michigan voters made a big mistake in approving medical marijuana on November 4th.
He states that the positive benefits are outweighed by the negative effects of making that drug available to people who don’t have a legitimate need for it. In response to Lehman’s statements, Stocking said, “I don’t think that the law is going to be handing it over to people who have headaches, but to those who have actually debilitating diseases.”
Medical marijuana is now starting to become mainstream; according to Francisco, Proposal 1 passes by a margin of nearly 2 to 1. “MI NORML supports a policy of treating responsible adult use of marijuana the same way we currently treat responsible adult use of alcohol & tobacco.
Legal but heavily regulated, taxed and sold by legitimate businesses who employ clerks who check ID's. All the criminal drug dealer asks to see from kids, is the cash,” states Fransisco.
There is no petition right now, but one should start to circulate around Kalamazoo in April. Stocking said that the petition will have to be turned in mid-August. He also thinks that the petition will get the people out even more to vote.
Francisco thinks the fiscal responsibility and wise use of limited public resources is something everyone wants, regardless of political stripe.
This measure is about how to allocate limited resources to attain the maximum value. “We expect the most vigorous opposition to come from those who benefit the most financially from the status quo and organizations who risk loosing funding currently derived through aggressive use of civil forfeiture.”
“A Lowest Law Enforcement Priority measure will direct the KPS & the City Attorney to make the arrest & prosecution of small amounts of marijuana with no other aggravating circumstances their lowest priority,” said Francisco, “What this will do is free up scarce resources so that they can be devoted to addressing more serious crimes.”
News Hawk: PFlynn - 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: Kalamazoo Weekly (MI)
Author: J. Anderson
Copyright: 2009 Birch River Group, LLC.
Contact: Editor@KalamazooWeekly.com
Website: Kalamazoo Weekly::Home
