cannabisnews.com: Clergy Supports Effort To Legalize Marijuana Clergy Supports Effort To Legalize Marijuana Posted by CN Staff on October 04, 2006 at 05:50:13 PT By Ed Vogel, Review-Journal Capital Bureau Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal Carson City -- Sister Toni Woodson believes Nevada's marijuana laws encourage criminal activity.The Roman Catholic nun, who lives in Henderson, would like to see those laws replaced with a system in which the state regulates sales of marijuana. Such a change would remove the drug from the criminal market and restrict sales to adults older than 21, she said. "Marijuana should be categorized with alcohol and cigarettes, rather than with meth and horrible drugs," said Woodson, a member of the Community of the Holy Spirit. "Kids can get drugs today because the people who are selling them don't card. It is time for a change. I would like to see dealers removed from the street corners. I don't see people selling beer on the streets."Woodson was among religious leaders endorsing on Tuesday the ballot question that would allow adults to possess and use up to one ounce of marijuana. A total of 32 ministers, rabbis and other members of the Nevada clergy signed statements saying they support Question 7, the Committee to Regulate and Control Marijuana's initiative to establish a state-regulated system in which marijuana would be grown by licensed farmers, sold in state-approved stores and taxed by the state.Voters will decide the question in the Nov. 7 election.Several of the religious leaders attended a news conference in Northern Nevada to announce their support for the question.The Rev. Ivan Gunderman, senior pastor of Christ Lutheran Church in Las Vegas, who did not attend the news conference but was among those endorsing the measure, said in an interview that the penalties for using marijuana are far worse than the offense merits."Sometimes the crime is worse than the problem," Gunderman said. "Look at Prohibition. It didn't stop people using alcohol. If anything it launched organized crime."Gunderman said he knows people suffering serious illnesses who needed marijuana as medication. He said they did not qualify for the state's medical marijuana program, so they were forced to acquire it illegally and technically become criminals.A state law permits Nevada residents with their doctors' permission to enroll in a medical marijuana program. Once enrolled, they can grow marijuana and use it as their medication.Under current law, possession of up to an ounce of marijuana in Nevada is a misdemeanor, punishable by a $600 fine. Until 2001, the possession of any amount of marijuana in the Silver State was a felony.Las Vegas police Lt. Stan Ol sen was disappointed that any member of the clergy would support Question 7."I would guess they don't have the true facts, or they could not make this decision," said Olsen, a longtime foe of marijuana. "I am sure the motives of these people are good, but if they knew the facts they would take a different position."He said the argument that Nevada should legalize marijuana because laws have not stopped the use of the drug, is like saying the state should legalize burglary because laws have not stopped burglars.Olsen asserted that passage of Question 7 isn't going to end the illegal dealing of drugs, or keep marijuana out of the hands of children."It isn't going to stop drug-pushing," he said.Neal Levine, campaign manager of the Committee to Regulate and Control Marijuana, called Olsen's comments "incredibly demeaning and insulting" to the clergy. He said the religious leaders who support Question 7 reviewed it in detail, debated its merits and then showed courage by signing statements as supporters."They didn't look at it lightly," he said. "These people are the moral pillars of the community. The opposition to this is a coalition of law enforcement people. They have a vested interest in continuing the status quo. The religious leaders are looking at it objectively."David Scheuncman, a Unitarian Universalist minister from Las Vegas, said funds used for the fight against marijuana could be better spent on other programs."The current approach has failed," he said. "They have hardly made a dent in marijuana consumption. Put the money to better use: Fire a drug dealer and hire a teacher."Olsen accused the Committee to Regulate & Control Marijuana of being an out-of-state-funded organization that cares little about the interests of Nevadans.The committee is largely financed by the Marijuana Policy Project of Washington, D.C. Four years ago, the organization was unsuccessful in a drive to convince voters in Nevada to back Question 9 and legalize up to three ounces of marijuana. That question lost by a vote of 39 percent for and 61 percent against.A poll commissioned by the Review-Journal last month found 42 percent of voters back Question 7, while 51 percent oppose it and 7 percent are undecided.Complete Title: Clergy Members Support Effort To Legalize MarijuanaNewshawk: Global_WarmingSource: Las Vegas Review-Journal (NV)Author: Ed Vogel, Review-Journal Capital BureauPublished: October 4, 2006Copyright: 2006 Las Vegas Review-JournalContact: letters reviewjournal.comWebsite: http://www.reviewjournal.comRelated Articles & Web Site:Regulate and Control Marijuanahttp://www.regulatemarijuana.org/Religious Leaders Making Case for Legalizing Pothttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread22234.shtmlReligious Leaders Unite on Marijuana Initiativehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread22229.shtmlBallot Initiative: Internal Poll Finds Support http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread22190.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #11 posted by FoM on October 04, 2006 at 19:33:26 PT Toker00 Human beings really are amazing creatures. You're welcome. [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by Toker00 on October 04, 2006 at 19:24:25 PT TY FoM It's amazing what a person can endure in life, and still remain sane. But then, you would know about that. Thanks for caring.Toke [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by RevRayGreen on October 04, 2006 at 17:01:20 PT: Email Wilton IA to enourage http://www.wiltoniowa.org/a medical marijuana/decrim ordinance there......Iowa ------- If you found out one of your best friends was selling marijuana, would it change your opinion of your friend or the marijuana? It sounds like some people in little Wilton, Iowa, are struggling with the news that their mayor, Dick Summy, has been arrested and charged with trafficking marijuana. It's a pretty serious deal for the 56-year-old. Trafficking is a Class C felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Violating the state's tax-stamp law is a Class D felony and carries a maximum sentence of five years. And Sean McCullough, a supervisor for the Iowa Department of Public Safety's Narcotics Enforcement Division, said Monday that more charges could be coming. He didn't get into the specific evidence the state has against Summy but said, "We have enough evidence to lead to the arrest. "His drug network spread over the Des Moines area," he added. The mayor's alleged drug dealings still are under investigation, he said, but the Polk County end of things is wrapped up. "Additional arrests, if any, would be closer to home," McCullough said, referring to the Wilton area. Some of the mayor's peers had a surprising reaction to the news. Richard Garrison, the councilman who is filling in for him as mayor, called Summy "a nice, honorable person" and said he would "give him a hug" if he could. The city attorney reminded folks the mayor's only been charged -- not convicted. It's a safe bet that the mayor of a town the size of Wilton ( about 2,900 ) has friends and enemies. In fact, we know from recent history that he got sideways with the former police chief over an incident involving another cop. Ultimately, the chief resigned. And surely there are residents of Wilton, about 40 miles west of the Quad-Cities, who have some kind of bone to pick with the mayor. That's just how it works in small towns. But it's the people who are rushing to Summy's defense that interest me. It's a get-in-their-heads kind of desire, wondering how a person decides whether to stand by somebody who's accused of doing something they ordinarily would find disdainful. Are some of the people of a town that the U.S. Census Bureau says is almost entirely white and has only a 12.6 percent divorce rate now reconsidering their views on marijuana? Is it possible that a crime once instantly dismissed as worthy of a decade in prison could now seem somehow explainable? Somehow not so bad? It'll probably depend on the details. If the cops say Summy was delivering pounds of pot to an elderly group of glaucoma sufferers in Des Moines, he may get some backing. If it turns out he was dealing to college students in Iowa City, things could go the other way. A year-long investigation by state narcotics agents is a fairly generous investment that will no doubt produce even more town tongue-wagging as details emerge. The mayor will no doubt keep some friends. Maybe he'll lose some, too. A 56-year-old mayor from a small Iowa town doesn't fit the dope dealer profile. And maybe that's what some find forgivable? [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by global_warming on October 04, 2006 at 09:45:17 PT another for the list http://www.foxreno.com/news/9998254/detail.html#Check the poll..Legalize It.Yes=1289 No=222 [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by FoM on October 04, 2006 at 09:33:42 PT Toker00 It's good to see you. [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by Toker00 on October 04, 2006 at 09:26:07 PT Cathouses to Cannabis Cafes. Good Idea, Nevada! I wonder how many fewer illegal tricks have been turned in Nevada since they legalized prostitution? I wonder how many women have been spared rape by frustrated horny men because of the availability of legal p****? How many women have not been beaten because of the "Legal" atmosphere of cathouses? No one wants to go to jail for having sex. And no one wants to go to jail for smoking a joint. Legalize and regulate so no one has to get caught in the cross-hairs of a sour drug deal. Legalized prostitution has saved and protected these fine ladies who provide what is NEEDED. It has kept them out of jail, the John's satisfied, and the service rendered. Legalize cannabis and protect the children AND adults from gross violation of their personal and civil rights, and the dangers that go with Black Market Drugs. It's the same dangers you removed with legalizing sex. Stop creating criminals, and release the innocent from your Fascist Prisons!Wage Peace on War! END CANNABIS PROHIBITION NOW! [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by FoM on October 04, 2006 at 07:58:36 PT Dankhank Thanks for the support on my opinion. I love my sister very much but she doesn't like so many things and thinks they need to be fixed. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by Dankhank on October 04, 2006 at 07:54:43 PT Cops ...... FoMyou're absolutely correct ....Cops whould not be allowed to have opinions on public policy.Rephrase, should not offer opinions on public policy.give statistics, nothing else. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by FoM on October 04, 2006 at 07:35:11 PT BGreen I would never listen to anyone in law enforcement. When we pick a career we have reasons. Anyone in law enforcement has a superiority complex and wants to control people or they wouldn't go into that profession. My sister is a retired police woman and a diehard Republican and she is much more strict about controlling things then I am. I don't think I'm wrong about my thoughts. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by BGreen on October 04, 2006 at 07:28:40 PT It's the cops that can't catch the burglars There's no money in catching thieves, so the cops ignore them and tell the victims "that's what insurance is for."Law enforcement has less credibility than even the GOP (gross old perverts.)The Reverend Bud Green [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by ekim on October 04, 2006 at 07:19:52 PT what about gambling or prostitution mr lawman He said the argument that Nevada should legalize marijuana because laws have not stopped the use of the drug, is like saying the state should legalize burglary because laws have not stopped burglars.Olsen asserted that passage of Question 7 isn't going to end the illegal dealing of drugs, or keep marijuana out of the hands of children."It isn't going to stop drug-pushing," he said. http://www.leap.cc/events [ Post Comment ] Post Comment