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  Statistical Contradiction

Posted by FoM on January 25, 2002 at 08:31:34 PT
By Steve Terrell and Jonathan McDonald 
Source: Santa Fe New Mexican  

A bill to legalize marijuana for some New Mexicans suffering severe medical conditions cleared a Senate Committee on Thursday, though another drug bill in Gov. Gary Johnson's drug-reform package hit a snag in a House committee.Also on Thursday, a state anti-drug group announced the results of a statewide poll on drug laws that contradicts a poll taken last year by an pro-drug-reform group. 
The Senate Public Affairs Committee voted unanimously to recommend Senate Bill 8, sponsored by Sen. Roman Maes, D-Santa Fe.The bill, virtually identical to one passed by the full Senate last year, would set up a state program in which patients would be certified by the state to receive marijuana grown by a "secure" state-approved facility.Earlier this week, several committee members killed a section of the bill that would have allowed patients to grow their own marijuana.The House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee on Thursday tripped up a separate part of the drug-reform package: giving judges more authority to determine the sentences handed down to habitual criminals.The panel voted to "temporarily table" Rep. Kenny Martinez's proposal in the face of opposition from the state's district attorneys, so Martinez, D-Grants, can decide whether he wants to make changes to his proposal (HB26)."They smoked Kenny's bill," said Rep. Joe Thompson, R-Albuquerque, of the committee's action.Martinez's bill seeks to give judges the power to determine whether the state's habitual-sentencing enhancements - extra jail time given to repeat offenders - is warranted on a case-by-case basis.According to Martinez, the discretion to levy the habitual-offender enhancements currently lies primarily with district attorneys."This provision will put more violent offenders on the street," said Matt Sandoval, the district attorney in the Las Vegas, N.M., area and the president of the New Mexico District Attorney's Association.Sandoval argued that district attorneys are more accountable to the public than judges because district attorneys must run for re-election. State district judges are required to stand for retention, running on their records rather than against a partisan opponent.However, proponents say there's less chance for back-room deals if the power lies with the judge rather than the prosecutor."It's simply a recognition that in a democracy, decisions are made in the most public forum possible," said former state District Judge Joe Caldwell, who supports Martinez's bill.At a news conference attended by several state and local law-enforcement officials - plus Republican gubernatorial candidates Rep. Rob Burpo and Rep. John Sanchez, both of Albuquerque - the group Protect New Mexico released the results of a poll conducted of 400 likely voters last week.The poll was conducted by McLaughlin & Associates, a conservative Virginia firm whose clients include the National Republican Congressional Committee and the National Republican Senatorial Committee.According to the poll, 41 percent of those responding said illegal-drug use by children would increase "a lot" and 27 percent said it would increase "somewhat" if the state "decriminalizes the punishment for using illegal drugs such as marijuana, cocaine and heroin."Johnson's drug-reform package does not include bills to decriminalize cocaine or heroin.The poll found 67 percent oppose decriminalizing marijuana when told that a federal study showed drug use among teens had gone up in states that had eased penalties and that in Nevada, one of those states, "drug use among children is 40 percent higher than the national average."The poll showed respondents are 72 percent less likely to support candidates for state offices who voted to ease penalties for those possessing "hard drugs" and 39 percent less likely to vote for candidates voting in favor of a medical-marijuana bill.The poll conflicts with one done last year by the Research & Polling company of Albuquerque for the Lindesmith Center, a group pushing for drug reform. That poll showed a majority supporting the concepts of decriminalizing marijuana and putting more emphasis on treatment than arrests for harder drugs.That poll showed 80 percent in favor of medical marijuana. Newshawk: Jim J.Source: Santa Fe New Mexican (NM)Author: Steve Terrell and Jonathan McDonaldPublished: January 25, 2002 Copyright: 2002 The Santa Fe New MexicanContact: letters sfnewmexican.comWebsite: http://www.sfnewmexican.com/Related Articles & Web Site:Medical Marijuana Information Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/medical.htmProtect New Mexico Poll http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread11883.shtmlLegislators Rethink Supporting Drug Bills http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread11826.shtmlSenate Cans Part of Pot Billhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread11825.shtml 

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Comment #4 posted by Dan B on January 25, 2002 at 23:58:12 PT:

Misuse of statistics
Indeed this "study" is a misuse of statistics. In fact, every behavioral study that uses statistics is a misuse of statistics, and here is why:Every behavioral study must, of necessity, begin with a set of assumptions. If the assumptions are faulty, the data collection and interpretation of statistical significance will also be faulty. That is why statistical studies are dangerous; they appear to show irrefutable, objective truth, but in reality they mask the fact that the basis for understanding the numbers (underlying assumptions) is subjective.As a researcher, one must conduct a review of existing literature before arriving at assumptions. This sounds like a perfectly legitimate safeguard against beginning a new study with faulty assumptions, but in fact it is not. Why? Because all of the published studies reflect the biases and assumptions of their respective researchers. But what if the studies were reviewed by a panel of experts in behavioral science? Wouldn't such peer review ensure that statistics in behavioral studies are analyzed and reported fairly, and that the studies are created and conducted fairly as well? Again, no. The various peer reviews serve only to create an artificial consensus on a given issue. They do not make any one study more truthful than any other.The main thing that caused me to reexamine my career path when I was studying clinical psychology was the fact that all behavioral studies are biased from the beginning. I asked plenty of questions and took plenty of classes in experimental design and statistical analysis, and by the end I came to a startling conclusion: when it comes to studying human behavior, statistical truth is manufactured truth. If you want to unlock the secrets of human behavior, you'll have to look somewhere other than statistics.Dan B
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Comment #3 posted by DdC on January 25, 2002 at 11:25:17 PT

Ignorance is no excuse for politico bias! Hang em!
STATE SUPPRESSES REPORT SHOWING POT USE AMONG CALIFORNIA STUDENTS LEVELED OFF AFTER PASSAGE OF PROP 215 
The report, authored by Rodney Skager, professor emeritus of the UCLA Graduate School of Education and founding director of the California Attorney General's Student Survey on drug use, contradicts the main arguments against passage of Proposition 215 in the 1996 state election. The report found that while marijuana use among 16 year olds in California leveled off after the election , it continued to rise among older high school students in the Eastern U.S., according to a survey that was conducted from 1997 to 1998. 
http://www.canorml.org/news/skagerstudy.htmlTime for the U.S. to honor Prop. 215.
From a law-enforcement perspective, Prop. 215 has been implemented successfully in San Francisco. It has reduced crime as well as the costs associated with arrest, prosecution and incarceration; and it contributes to the public health and safety.
http://www.cerebral.org/Maps/msg03381.htmlSENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE HEARING 
Five anti-initiative witnesses testified at the hearing; Gen. Barry McCaffrey, Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP); Tom Constantine, Administrator of the DEA; Brad Gates, Sheriff of Orange County; John Walters, former deputy director of the ONDCP, and Richard Romley, prosecuting attorney for Maricopa County (Phoenix). The lone pro-initiative spokesperson was Marvin Cohen, treasurer of Arizonans for Drug Policy Reform. 
http://www.maps.org/mmj/hatch2.shtml

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Comment #2 posted by observer on January 25, 2002 at 09:26:47 PT

Please: Concentrate on that little 'JAIL' Detail
According to the poll, 41 percent of those responding said illegal-drug use by children would increase "a lot" and 27 percent said it would increase "somewhat" if the state "decriminalizes the punishment for using illegal drugs such as marijuana, cocaine and heroin."Notice how this push-poll is done: first the push-pollsters stoke up fears of children taking "drugs," especially "cocaine and heroin." After parents are suitably stoked, then the push pollster-asks "how much" (not if) drug use will go up in "our little children." Parents, ignorant, yet quivering with rage and righteous indignation for those who would force drugs ("cocaine and heroin") on "our children," respond as the pollster designed. Or course, the real point of the fascists' laws -- the jailing of adult marijuana users -- is of course never mentioned.Jail is never mentioned at all.That is how it is done.Your task is not to scream "legalize!" "legalize!" "legalize!" and fall into their hands. Instead, what is more effective is to constantly remind people of facts the above propaganda article and push polls are designed to hide. Namely JAIL FOR ADULT POT SMOKERS. See how that was never mentioned? The fact that jailing pot smokers was never mentioned was no accident. Please, don't people to forget what the prohibitionists want people to forget: we're jailing pot smokers for the "crime" of smoking pot. 
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Comment #1 posted by Cannabis Crusader on January 25, 2002 at 09:07:13 PT

400 people??!!!
The margin of error would be pretty large. Not to mention that they asked leading questions. This is definitely a misuse of statistics. Due to their comments the study is worthless. I have looked into the statistics of usage in states that have "decriminalized" cannabis uses and there wasn't an increase. They lied to get the answers they want. That's the difference between the Anti-prohibition and the prohibition. We don't have to lie, because the statistics are on our side. Like Richard Cohen says, "Bad journalism is the best two-word explaination of cannabis prohibition." And I agree 100%. There should have been some fact checking. Sad, very sad. I think I am going to finish my schooling and get the hell out of this God forsaken country. 
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