cannabisnews.com: Bush Attacks Treatment Initiative Bush Attacks Treatment Initiative Posted by FoM on August 24, 2001 at 16:02:07 PT By The Associated Press Source: Bradenton Herald A proposed ballot initiative that would require courts to offer treatment to certain drug offenders came under attack by Gov. Jeb Bush on Thursday. The initiative, called "Right to Treatment and Rehabilitation for Nonviolent Drug Offenders," would force judges to grant treatment or rehabilitation to anyone charged with simple possession of drugs or drug paraphernalia. "To suggest there should be no penalties for continued drug use is to stick our heads in the sand," Bush said. Only first and second-time drug offenders would be eligible for treatment. Also, those accused of selling drugs and offenders facing accompanying charges of theft or violent crimes, drunken driving or other serious crimes would be barred from the treatment alternative.A California group supported by billionaire financier George Soros is trying get the constitutional amendment on Florida's 2002 ballot.The idea is modeled after California's Proposition 36, approved by voters last year.Sydney P. Smith, chairman for the Florida Campaign for New Drug Policies, said Bush's criticism is a typical misrepresentation of the proposed amendment."People keep misstating what the law is because they don't have a prayer (of stopping its approval)," Smith said.The initiative needs petition signatures of 488,722 Florida voters to make it on the ballot.The petition effort recently surpassed the 48,869 signatures needed to trigger a review by the state attorney general and then the Florida Supreme Court to ensure the measure complies with ballot laws.Among the requirements are that the measure be only about one subject and that the wording be clear.Bush made his remarks at a luncheon in Orlando honoring the 30th anniversary of the Center for Drug Free Living.The center is one of 78 community and law-enforcement programs helping people fight substance abuse that will receive $4 million in grants from the state, Bush said."Prevention is the key to reducing drug abuse in our state," Bush said.Note: "To suggest there should be no penalties for continued drug use is to stick our heads in the sand." Gov. Jeb Bush on the proposed ballot initiative.Source: Bradenton Herald (FL)Published: August 24, 2001Website: http://web.bradentonherald.com/Contact: dklement bradenton.comCopyright: 2001 Bradenton HeraldRelated Articles & Web Site:Soros Foundation Networkhttp://www.soros.org/Florida Eyed as 2002 Battleground for Drug Reform http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread10014.shtmlBush Vows New Assault on Drugshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread2719.shtml END SNIP --> Snipped Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #8 posted by mayan on August 27, 2001 at 01:52:52 PT give Narcoleptic said it all!!! The avalanche starts with mere snowflakes! We are finally witnessing a snowball effect of sanity ! These days we are lucky to witness!!! The immovable object will soon meet the irresistable force. Something's gotta give. [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by The GCW on August 25, 2001 at 05:32:22 PT Question genealogy. Bush, Bush and Bush, are they from a bad seed? There seems to be a problem with genealogy, like in Titus 3:9-11, where bad genealogy is described as, being the self-condemned!Has Godly living has complely escaped this family? [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by dddd on August 25, 2001 at 00:21:44 PT Flotsam and Jetsam Right on Narcoleptic!.....Well said.....dddd [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by Narcoleptic on August 25, 2001 at 00:00:45 PT Washed Away by the Tide Jeb can say whatever he likes. Absolutely no one in any California newspaper supported Proposition 36, politicians of all stripes and all parties came out uniformly against it, and every law enforcement group in the state not only opposed it, but did so vigorously and often resorting to lies much worse than Mr Bush's. Proposition 36 still passed by a huge margin, and I strongly suspect the same result in Florida. Soros' money helped gets these measures on the ballot, but their success is due to one thing and one thing alone: people are sick of the War on Drugs and know that there must be a better way. We're on the crest of a wave that's about to break over this whole nation. And neither Bush nor all the pundits in the world can stop the rising tide. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by Dave in Florida on August 24, 2001 at 21:28:46 PT McCaffrey I had to share this quote...Nevertheless, McCaffrey thinks the overall result is a "disaster." The Dutch, he says, "have the worst drug-education program on the face of the Earth. In schools, they are teaching kids how to use drugs safely! There's a real problem, in my view." . http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v01/n1557/a10.html?999 http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v01/n1557/a10.html?999 [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by rabblerouser on August 24, 2001 at 17:13:34 PT 2000 election in Florida "An election is a pre-arranged auction of already stolen property." No truer words could ever be quoted, especially for Florida. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by Rambler on August 24, 2001 at 16:44:49 PT Misquote "To suggest there should be no penalties for continued drug use is to stick our heads in the sand." Gov. Jeb Bush on the proposed ballot initiative.Reality version of the quote;"To suggest there should be penalties for drug use is to stick our heads in our ass." [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by PoisonedFor4YrsSoFar on August 24, 2001 at 16:11:17 PT Jeb means ... I read in the Washington Postin a column by a humouristI think it was Gene Weingartenthat the word "JEB" is slang for F*** in something like Slovenian.So Florida is getting JEB'd [ Post Comment ] Post Comment