Cannabis News Marijuana Policy Project
  Marijuana Backers Remove Woman's Billboard Photo
Posted by CN Staff on October 20, 2005 at 10:17:01 PT
By Michael McCollum, Denver Post Staff Writer  
Source: Denver Post  

cannabis Colorado -- A marijuana advocacy group on Wednesday removed a controversial photo of a woman's battered face from its billboard urging voters on Nov. 1 to legalize small amounts of marijuana. But the group's message remains the same.

The nonprofit group, Safer Alternative for Enjoyable Recreation (SAFER), replaced the controversial ad with a simple white billboard with the slogan: "Alcohol use makes domestic violence 8 times more likely ... Marijuana use does not. Vote yes on I-100."

If passed, I-100 would make it legal for anyone 21 or older to possess 1 ounce or less of marijuana in Denver. It would not pre-empt state law, which makes possession a misdemeanor.

The SAFER group, which collected enough signatures to put the initiative on the November ballot, argues that marijuana is a safer alternative to alcohol by linking recreational pot use with a reduction in rates of domestic violence.

"We don't back down from the message," said Mason Tvert, 23, director of SAFER. "The ads were intended to be controversial, but we decided to take steps to ensure that the message was not drowned out by emotional reactions."

Domestic violence groups have accused SAFER of misleading the public and exploiting the tragedy of abused women for their own cause.

Snipped:

Complete Article: http://www.freedomtoexhale.com/backer.htm

Source: Denver Post (CO)
Author: Michael McCollum, Denver Post Staff Writer
Published: Thursday, October 20, 2005
Copyright: 2005 The Denver Post Corp
Website: http://www.denverpost.com/
Contact: openforum@denverpost.com

Related Articles & Web Sites:

Safer Choice
http://www.saferchoice.org/

Change The Climate
http://www.changetheclimate.org/

Pot Backers Try Again
http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread21210.shtml

Controversial Pot Billboard Goes Up
http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread21209.shtml


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Comment #9 posted by Max Flowers on October 20, 2005 at 18:35:41 PT
E_Johnson
Glad to see you didn't leave the movement, or CNews anyway.

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #8 posted by E_Johnson on October 20, 2005 at 15:20:57 PT
And maybe one more thing
3. The lack of violence at the Seattle Hempfest, compared with the problems they've had in Colorado with alcohol users rioting after big football games

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #7 posted by E_Johnson on October 20, 2005 at 15:18:34 PT
What I would have done if it were my money
I would have avoided the domestic violence issue entirely because there's just no honest way to make it relevant to legalization.

I would have focused on two things:

1. Science shows that cannabinoids can protect the brain from the damage done by alcohol.

2. No Colorado college student has ever died from an overdose on marijuana.

Just those teo messages would have been enough to carry the campaign. That's what I believe.



[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #6 posted by ryno35 on October 20, 2005 at 14:02:45 PT
I see your point, but...
I hear what you all are saying but I like what they did here. They've generated a lot of publicity and it's making people think and that's a good thing.

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #5 posted by legalizeit on October 20, 2005 at 13:58:14 PT
Sometimes 'shock value' goes over the line
I agree. A lot of people can be emotionally hurt by this. Citing domestic violence to promote a ballot measure falls in a similar line with Bush exploiting 9/11 to push his agendas (and, sadly, help get him (re?)elected.)

Just imagine how bad rehashing 9/11 must make the survivors feel (especially those who, like many of us, believe that 9/11 was an inside job...)

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #4 posted by FoM on October 20, 2005 at 12:07:50 PT
Memories
Many of us spend a lot of time putting bad memories away where they won't haunt us the rest of our lives. My father was a wonderful gentleman and he didn't drink but unfortunately my mother did drink and she got really mean to us. I have forgiven her in my heart and I really don't think about it unless reminded.

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #3 posted by E_Johnson on October 20, 2005 at 11:59:24 PT
Young eager people on this campaign
Their hearts are in the right place but maybe they screwed up bringing domestic violence into the campaign. It brings up emotions in people that can easily spin out of control.

It's hard to get to a cool rational place when people's worst memories of their lives are being stimulated by the mere discussion.



[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #2 posted by FoM on October 20, 2005 at 11:48:21 PT
EJ Me Too
I too have bad memories for your exact reason. I don't like going back in my mind anymore.

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #1 posted by E_Johnson on October 20, 2005 at 11:45:44 PT
The problem with this issue
Some people like myself have really bad memories about domestic violence from their childhoods, and now this campaign is bringing those memories back and it's not a good thing.



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