cannabisnews.com: College Activists Promoting Pot Use Over Alcohol College Activists Promoting Pot Use Over Alcohol Posted by CN Staff on March 27, 2005 at 14:17:03 PT By Monte Whaley Source: The Day Fort Collins, Colo. — Students at two Colorado college campuses rocked by alcohol-related deaths last year are pressing school officials to lighten up on marijuana users.Claiming pot is safer than alcohol, activists at the University of Colorado in Boulder and Colorado State University here want sanctions for the use and possession of marijuana to be no greater than those imposed for underage drinking. Students signed petitions last week to have the measure put on the ballots next month during student elections. The initiatives also asks administrators to conduct a study to determine the impact of making marijuana use nonpunishable for students older than 18.The vote will be nonbinding at CU and CSU. But if the measures pass, they will send a message that students think a few puffs from a joint are a lot safer than several shots of beer, said Mason Tvert, executive director for SAFER (Safer Alternatives for Enjoyable Recreation).“If a fraternity told a freshman to go into the woods and smoke a pound of pot, he is not going to die from that,” said Tvert, a recent University of Virginia graduate. “He'll fall asleep before that happens.”The Boulder-based SAFER was formed in January as a nonprofit group and is looking to create chapters at CU and CSU. The group is heading the petition drives to get the marijuana measure before student voters.Proponents got the 1,200 signatures needed at CU and are hoping to get the required 2,085 at CSU by Monday, Tvert said.He claims too much police time and money is spent on marijuana enforcement, while it is alcohol that claims lives. At least 1,400 college student deaths each year are linked to alcohol, according to the National Institutes of Health.But, Tvert said, there has never been a reported case of a student dying from a marijuana overdose.“Our stance is that alcohol is more acceptable in our society and that is just bad public policy,” he said.Marijuana is an illegal substance and can draw fines and jail time. Students caught with pot can be suspended from school.Both CU and CSU had a student die last year from alcohol poisoning. Their deaths led to several changes aimed at curtailing alcohol abuse on both campuses and to proposals in the Colorado legislature to tighten penalties for underage drinking.“Tons of kids are dying every year from alcohol, and we just think there is an alternative to that,” said Havi Nelson, a CSU junior and a leader in the petition drive.Some are skeptical that marijuana isn't as dangerous as alcohol.Students who use marijuana consistently have a harder time in classes, their grades fall and their relationships plummet, said Anne Hudgens, CSU's executive director for campus life.In all, she said, “I don't think we are interested in our school experimenting with making marijuana use nonpunishable.” Source: Day, The (CT)Author: Monte WhaleyPublished: March 27, 2005Copyright: 2005 The Day Publishing Co.Contact: editor theday.comWebsite: http://www.theday.com/Related Articles & Web Site:Safer Choicehttp://www.saferchoice.org/CSU Students Promoting Referendum on Marijuanahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20400.shtmlStudents Call on CU To Ease Up on Pothttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20363.shtmlAlcohol, Not Pot, Should Be Police Focushttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20208.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #27 posted by FoM on March 28, 2005 at 14:18:30 PT Just a Note I did archive the article for referencing if anyone want to comment on it. Here's the link.http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread20415.shtml [ Post Comment ] Comment #26 posted by Toker00 on March 28, 2005 at 14:12:27 PT um... LOL. Excellent points unkat27, but GCW posted that by another poster at another site. You're ok, though. We get your points.Peace. Legalize, then Revolutionize! (medicine)(energy)(nutrition) [ Post Comment ] Comment #25 posted by unkat27 on March 28, 2005 at 12:34:32 PT Pot as Public Issue Unavoidable The GCW said: "Keep pot-smoking in the home, away from the public..." Essentially, what GCW is proposing is not making it a public or political issue, but isn't that impossible? How can it not be a public or political issue when it is illegal and people are being punished for its use?I respect the basic idea, that hyperbole has a way of ruining a good thing and making it bad, but GCW must have some very special connections if GCW knows how to avoid it as a political issue and continue to enjoy it without worrying about the law. One has to have very good security to be able to purchase 'illegal' cannabis, take it home, and enjoy it in private, without ever having to worry about the law raining on your private picnic. Take a step down from that high throne, GCW, for a minute, and take a look at the majority of us cannabis lovers. We're out in the cold and all we have is each other. We don't have the secure castle walls that you enjoy. There is absolutely no way the political status of cannabis cannot be a public issue. [ Post Comment ] Comment #24 posted by FoM on March 28, 2005 at 11:35:45 PT A Question For some reason I can't get the video to play. Is everyone else having good luck and it's just an issue on my end? Thanks! [ Post Comment ] Comment #23 posted by ekim on March 28, 2005 at 11:14:54 PT Thank you Allen for standing up for so many Allen St. Pierre was asked by a caller if he had anything to do with illegal cannabis growers. By the sound of the ladies voice she could have been around during the prohibition of alcohol. To bad those that lived thru such violence of the mob and bootlegging have seemed to have forgotten all those lessons and will have it repeated again today.Allen could have answered-- no the black market does not favor the regulation of Cannabis. Regulation works to limit the corruption of officials and law enforcement officers. The underworld does not want to pay taxes and have the age of someone wishing to buy cannabis verified. http://www.hashbash.com [ Post Comment ] Comment #22 posted by runderwo on March 28, 2005 at 11:12:58 PT condescending I dunno. It's almost like you have to come off as arrogant in order for anyone on the right wing to pay attention to you. Think Rush Limbaugh, Bill OReilly. I guess viewers think "That guy's got balls" or "He's shouting really loud, he must be right". I would think that this is an intentional component of St. Pierre's public persona, designed to appeal to the right wing. It is probably designed to contrast from the stereotype of the laid back passive pothead and put the message across that he and NORML mean business. But, that's all just my personal reaction. [ Post Comment ] Comment #21 posted by schmeff on March 28, 2005 at 09:49:08 PT Re: comment #6 Notice that the writer's main concern is about IMAGE: "simply trading one drug for an arguably less harmful one..... doesn't do much for CU's image in the eyes of legislators, parents, alumni and taxpayers..."Classic style over substance.The SAFER concern is about being....safer.Be safe my friends. [ Post Comment ] Comment #20 posted by Truth on March 28, 2005 at 09:42:49 PT cops planting drugs This is off subject but interesting...EDITORIAL: Metro cop planted drugs in suspect's car Sheriff says suspensions will sufficehttp://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2005/Mar-28-Mon-2005/opinion/956026.html [ Post Comment ] Comment #19 posted by Toker00 on March 28, 2005 at 09:39:00 PT NWO mentality C'mon partiers. Back in the day, nobody needed a 4/20 to get high. You smoked in your house, with your friends, watching Nickolodeon or ESPN or the Playboy Channel and eating bags of Cheetos and lots of mini-Snickers bars.That was before millions of us were arrested, gang raped in prison, killed or otherwise had our lives destroyed over a God given plant. I smoked with cops back then. Now I watch as jack booted thugs called DEAth kick doors in and murder innocents. Now I hide from ALL police. Total different scenario now dude. This guy is an idiot.These students should be held in high esteem (no pun) by the modern alumni of this school. They are putting it on the line. That is what motivates others to stand up. It's time for a lot more civil dissobedience. Stand up! Stand up for your rights!Peace. Legalize, then Revolutionize! (medicine)(energy)(nutrition) [ Post Comment ] Comment #18 posted by FoM on March 28, 2005 at 08:56:53 PT Taylor It isn't working for me right now but it could be because it is raining. I will keep trying! Thank you! [ Post Comment ] Comment #17 posted by Taylor121 on March 28, 2005 at 08:49:12 PT I just finished it You can watch it right now FoM :P http://www.cspan.org/search/basic.asp?ResultStart=1&ResultCount=10&BasicQueryText=barneyIt's the third one on the list. Click it, it should bring up real player, then move your slider to around 1 hour 5 minutes into the program and he will pop up. I think he did a fairly good job, maybe a bit condescending, but I think overall he represented NORML quite well. I was also happy to see that NORML's membership is up to 16,000. Granted that most of NORML's subscribers are small time donors, but it still is nice to have a solid foundation to represent the marijuana smoker in this nation. [ Post Comment ] Comment #16 posted by FoM on March 28, 2005 at 08:21:03 PT Taylor Please let us know when it starts. We'll keep checking out C-Span too. Thank you for the heads up! [ Post Comment ] Comment #15 posted by Taylor121 on March 28, 2005 at 08:17:41 PT NORML Exe. Director Cspan is up http://www.cspan.org/search/basic.asp?ResultStart=1&ResultCount=10&BasicQueryText=barneyLast link, he comes on around 1 hour 4 min [ Post Comment ] Comment #14 posted by FoM on March 28, 2005 at 08:09:01 PT AgaetisByrjun Thank you. We haven't been able to find it on C-Span but we could have missed it. Hopefully it will be available for viewing on C-Span later today. I don't know anything about Allen St. Pierre and I would like to see the program. [ Post Comment ] Comment #13 posted by BigDawg on March 28, 2005 at 06:25:24 PT How about acknowledging this... We acknowledge that it's pretty easy to drink yourself to death, but that doesn't make the drug harmful.I won't mention the 40,000+ DEATHS caused by the prescription drug Vioxx, that they just deemed worthy of remaining on the market.Its ok to drug yourself to death as long as there is a profit to be made from it. [ Post Comment ] Comment #12 posted by The GCW on March 28, 2005 at 05:11:04 PT Don't question Us, We'll question You. Those kids at school that use cannabis are perhaps the last ones that will sign up for the army etc...They don't feel liking killing... (cannabis is for "healing" not harming... The "tree of life" is for the "healing" ... -see Rev. 22:2 isn't it???)You leave 'em alone and they will not become active...But You start to draft them and they will turn on the system so fast it will make cannabis dizzy... For people to accept the draft, warlords must remove any peace plants.Try prozak in Your peace pipe, next time You want to avert war.Cannabis is the peace plant.THCUExperiment:Take 2 collegesMake one booze only and the other cannabis only.Observe. [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by AgaetisByrjun on March 28, 2005 at 05:08:40 PT St. Pierre on C-SPAN I'm getting a quick peek in before class.One thing I don't like about Allen St. Pierre is that he's really coming off (at least in my eyes) as too forceful and condescending. He needs to be friendlier to win over anyone but the choir. [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by mayan on March 28, 2005 at 04:38:57 PT RISE Students who use marijuana consistently have a harder time in classes, their grades fall and their relationships plummet, said Anne Hudgens, CSU's executive director for campus life.In all, she said, “I don't think we are interested in our school experimenting with making marijuana use nonpunishable.”I would wager that the kids who make up SAFER (Safer Alternatives for Enjoyable Recreation) are among the most enlightened on campus. At least they are intelligent enough to not only recognize injustice but also to understand that they must rise up and oppose it. Perhaps lemmings such as Anne Hudgens could learn something from them. It will likely be these same students who rise and oppose the coming military draft. They will prevent WWIII...America's Agenda for Global Military Domination: http://globalresearch.ca/articles/CHO503A.htmlTwo Years Later, Iraq War Drains Military: http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A48306-2005Mar18?language=printerFor Army Recruiters, a Hard Toll From a Hard Sell: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/27/nyregion/27recruit.html?ex=1112504400&en=f323348dc1a02f8e&ei=5070Army hopes to spark recruiting with PR blitz, possible increase in age cap: http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=27058&archive=trueArmy Raises Enlistment Age for Reservists to 39: http://tinyurl.com/6blnqHow To Avoid the Draft Or National Service: http://100777.com/node/1154 [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by Hope on March 27, 2005 at 22:10:36 PT Exactly Afterburner said it, "How can we remain silent? How can we hide in our rooms and get selfishly high? How can we pretend that this issue is trivial? How in good conscience can we "walk by on the other side of the street" and leave beaten men and women in the ditch without stopping to help (how can we not be Good "Samaritans")?" [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by afterburner on March 27, 2005 at 21:18:55 PT RE Comment #6 "Back in the day, nobody needed a 4/20 to get high. You smoked in your house, with your friends, watching Nickolodeon or ESPN or the Playboy Channel and eating bags of Cheetos and lots of mini-Snickers bars."There was no holiday needed for that - no affirming, strength-in-numbers official sanction or phony demonstration. You lit up and then went on with life and schoolwork. Like so many other things these days, making a self-aggrandizing spectacle out of bong hits is just more unnecessary narcissism and attention-getting nonsense."Keep pot smoking where it belongs: in the home, away from public spaces, cops, administrators and others. Nobody will bother you, and nobody will judge your university because of what you do."Back in 1975 someone said, "The era of confrontational politics [regarding cannabis] is over." Then, we had "Just Say No," DARE, civil property forfeiture (guilty until proven innocent), urine testing, unscientific zero-tolerance driving laws, 750 million arrested last year alone, Drug Czars, Rainbow Farm massacre, WAMM raid by paramilitary SWAT teams, Peter McWilliams dying in jail, documented prisoner abuse in US prisons, billions of federal tax dollars wasted on ineffective War on Drugs, missionary plane and family shot down over South America, students losing student aid over minor cannabis violations, the maltreatment and subsequent death of Jonathan Magbie while in custody, federal bureaucrats violating the Hatch Act and interfering in state elections, GAO giving ONDCP permission to lie to "protect the children," federal propaganda masquerading as objective news, NIDA manipulation of scientific experiments to "prove" cannabis is dangerous, suppression of cannabis anti-tumor studies, attempts to muzzle free speech, attacks on doctor-patient relationships, and on and on, abuse after abuse.How can we remain silent? How can we hide in our rooms and get selfishly high? How can we pretend that this issue is trivial? How in good conscience can we "walk by on the other side of the street" and leave beaten men and women in the ditch without stopping to help (how can we not be Good "Samaritans")?It's Easter. Jesus himself told us that story. He died for us and was resurrected for us. Would Jesus, the Anointed One (with kaneh-bosm), lead the charge against the cannabis culture?"Every Morning's Easter Morning from now on. Every day's Resurrection Day: the past is over and gone. "Good-bye guilt, good-bye fear, good riddance, Hello Lord, hello Sun, I am one of the Easter People, My new life has begun. "Every Morning's Easter Morning from now on. Every day's Resurrection Day: the past is over and gone. "Daily news is so bad it seems good news seldom gets heard Get it straight from the Easter People; God's in charge - spread the word. "Every Morning's Easter Morning from now on. Every day's Resurrection Day: the past is over and gone. "Yesterday I was bored and lonely. But to-day look and see. I am one of the Easter People; Life's exciting to me. "Every Morning's Easter Morning from now on. Every day's Resurrection Day: the past is over and gone. Every Morning is Easter Morning from now on." [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by The GCW on March 27, 2005 at 18:01:38 PT MAP US CO: Edu: Editorial: Smoking Pot Not An Exhibition Sporthttp://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05/n516/a08.html?40309MAP has it.MAP news stories have the convenient: CONTACT.Contact: letters coloradodaily.com...to address the mistaken... [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by The GCW on March 27, 2005 at 17:56:45 PT Mistaken Opinion from what sounds like a dork. Smoking Pot Not An Exhibition Sport Okay, of all the things not to waste time on at this point in CU's troubled history, marijuana would be chief on the list.CU students would be wise to forgo a proposed non-binding referendum that would ask the CU-Boulder administration to acknowledge that marijuana is not as bad as alcohol and to enforce pot violations with more laxity than two-strike booze violations. To that idea we say to the students: are you high?First off, CU's reputation as a party school includes not only dangerous boozing kids, but lazy, unmotivated, fuzzyheaded dopers as well. The stereotype of the dreadlocked CU kid torching up on the chronic on 4/20 and eating 12 bags of potato chips is not a better image than that of the late Gordie Bailey, just because no one dies at the end.In fact, it's more or less the same image. While pot may not kill you, it's also not great for you and it's illegal, in case no one told SAFER (Safer Alternative for Enjoyable Recreation), the group pushing the referendum. Chronic use of chronic can cause testicular shrinkage, sterility, a build-up of THC in the fat cells, repeating one's self, a lack of motivation, and repeating one's self, among other problems.All joking aside, simply trading one drug for an arguably less harmful one (we acknowledge it's pretty hard to toke yourself to death, but that doesn't make the drug harmless) doesn't do much for CU's image in the eyes of legislators, parents, alumni and taxpayers: the key groups who need their confidence in CU restored. Likewise, with the stupid yearly ritual of "4/20" coming up, we'd also advise a voluntary laying off of that sun-drenched exercise in dumbness as well. Exhibitionistic dope-blowing isn't a political statement, isn't rebellion, isn't a sophisticated form of protest. It's just partying and a chance to thumb your nose at the cops. And again, with CU's image at stake, it's not a well-timed move, either. With CU possibly planning a crackdown on 4/20, it would be wise to let the thing burn out anyway.While we are all in favor of getting rid of stupid and antiquated marijuana laws, the last thing CU needs, at any level, is an official or unofficial sanction of more dope use.C'mon partiers. Back in the day, nobody needed a 4/20 to get high. You smoked in your house, with your friends, watching Nickolodeon or ESPN or the Playboy Channel and eating bags of Cheetos and lots of mini-Snickers bars.There was no holiday needed for that - no affirming, strength-in-numbers official sanction or phony demonstration. You lit up and then went on with life and schoolwork. Like so many other things these days, making a self-aggrandizing spectacle out of bong hits is just more unnecessary narcissism and attention-getting nonsense.Keep pot smoking where it belongs: in the home, away from public spaces, cops, administrators and others. Nobody will bother you, and nobody will judge your university because of what you do. The Founding Stoners wouldn't approve of bringing more attention to the act of toking. We suggest you don't, either.UGHID's appointment failureThe University of Colorado Student Union Tri-executives were right this week to protest the decision by the Boulder City Council to appoint two University Hill Neighbors (UNA), and no student, to the University Hill General Improvement District Advisory Committee.Kate Flanagan, who serves as UCSU's Neighborhood Relations Director, was turned down last week in favor of Jan Otto and David Miller, both members of the University Hill Neighborhood Association, and Hill business owner Court Dixon.Beyond the UCSU representative question, the shenanigans at work to eliminate Bill Curtis - a solid, community-minded, unselfish public servant - from the board was despicable. Whether the city attorney's office knowingly or unwittingly assisted UNA in getting the results it sought is unclear. But in the end the person offended was Curtis. And the gerrymandering by UNA was a success.The moves demonstrate the growing power of UNA and its determination to get its way in any and all public policies regarding the Hill. A student representative would have been a nice addition to the Hill mix, given how many students live there. And every single member of UNA owes Curtis an apology.We don't know what the UCSU Tri-execs did or didn't do to get an appointment. It's clear the City and the Hill Neighbors aren't going to give the students anything. Whatever political presence in city government they have they will have to create by calling Council members, the city manager and other key stakeholders to build the political alliances needed to get the votes they want.Political power, after all, is earned, not granted, even by the strength of numbers. http://www.coloradodaily.com/articles/2005/03/27/opinion/opinion02.txtThe Colorado DailyEaster [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by FoM on March 27, 2005 at 16:49:28 PT Truth Thank you and Happy Easter to you too.You too The GCW! [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by Truth on March 27, 2005 at 16:23:01 PT FOM, It's folks like you... that are keeping the call for freedom alive, thank you very much.Happy Easter4:20 [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by FoM on March 27, 2005 at 16:19:06 PT Truth You said: I never would have believed, at the time, that thirty years later we would still be fighting the same fight. I never thought we'd still be fighting this fight over cannabis 30 years later either. I thought that cannabis would be legalized in the 80s or 90s but then we didn't have the Internet that helps us move along quicker now. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by The GCW on March 27, 2005 at 16:16:10 PT RIGHT ON. "pot is safer than alcohol" WE are the political RIGHT."pot is safer than alcohol"THCU"making marijuana use nonpunishable for students older than 18." ???You mean they want the government to stop caging humans for simply using some plant material, that doesn't seem to harm people?That sounds like a reasonable request... and it is so nice that they ask kindly, instead of arming themselves like SWATSTIKA does, to receive their request.I'm sorry but I don't think America needs SWATSTIKA to inforce plant materail laws.PLEASEAllow Me to choose a substance that harms people less than booze.PLEASE don't kill Us for making this request.Some observation.My son would have been 25 years old, the other day... He died by way of illness...Sad.7, almost 8 years ago, now. (I almost forgot His birthday... shew.)BUTJesus Christ died and He did not die due to illness;THEY KILLED HIMandIT IS THE SAME PEOPLE THAT KILL US NOW (FOR USING A PLANT THAT CHRIST GOD OUR FATHER INDICATES IS GOOD ON THE 1ST PAGE OF THE BIBLE), THAT KILLED HIM THEN.THAY WOULD KILL HIM RIGHT NOW AGAIN.I don't like them. Those who rationalize killing.Today a preacher is preaching about Easter and tomorrow He will rationalize killing; unless You ask Him about it today.I'm sorry, the killing has to stop; AND CANNABIS IS GOING TO HELP MAKE THAT HAPPEN. Everyday is Easter.LordCOLORADO The Green Collar Worker [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by Truth on March 27, 2005 at 16:11:41 PT CSU I met my wife at CSU in the summer of '75. I met her because I got envolved with a student group, C.A.L.M., (Citizen's Association to Legalize Marijuana). The group was given credit by the author of the bill that lowered the penalty for pot in Colorado from a felony to a misdemeanor for getting the bill passed. (daily lobbying)I never would have believed, at the time, that thirty years later we would still be fighting the same fight. I wonder how many lives have been ruined by arrests in the last 30 years. The prohibitionist should be ashamed. To them freedom is a catch phrase, they really prefer control. Maybe, on this Easter day, they could take a few minutes and look in a mirror and ask themselves if demanding how other folks live is what the good Lord wanted them to be doing. If the prohibitionist goal is freedom they will never find it by prohibiting.No victim, no crime. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment