cannabisnews.com: Police Should Focus on Other Things Besides Pot Police Should Focus on Other Things Besides Pot Posted by CN Staff on October 29, 2006 at 06:38:17 PT By Dr. Maria Mead Source: Santa Cruz Sentinel Santa Cruz, CA -- Measure K, the lowest law-enforcement priority initiative, is about setting police priorities that make sense. This November, Santa Cruz voters will have the chance to choose a local, common-sense alternative to the Bush administration's failed War on Drugs. Measure K will make adult marijuana offenses the lowest law-enforcement priority for the Santa Cruz Police Department, allowing our police to use their valuable time and resources to focus on preventing serious and violent crime. There are far more pressing issues and far more pressing drugs, like methamphetamine and heroine, affecting our city than nonviolent adult marijuana users. Santa Cruz citizens are rightly concerned about the rising levels of violence and the shocking number of violent crimes that go unsolved. Last year, more than three quarters of reported rapes and over half of reported assaults in Santa Cruz went unsolved. At the same time, gang violence is on the rise. Shouldn't our police focus on fighting crimes like these?Measure K will make Santa Cruz safer by enabling police to focus time and resources on preventing violent crime, as opposed to non-violent marijuana offenses. The measure does not apply to distribution of marijuana to minors, offenses taking place on public property or driving under the influence.Similar initiatives have been quite successful in several other cities, including Oakland, West Hollywood and Seattle. Since Seattle passed its lowest law-enforcement priority initiative, marijuana arrests have plummeted by more than 75 percent, with no reported increase in usage. Former Seattle Police Chief Norm Stamper has said that the policy has "made a huge difference, freeing up the police to concentrate on real crimes."In Santa Cruz, Measure K will also put our city on record as supporting reform of state and federal marijuana laws. Nationally, the Bush administration has made marijuana - medial or otherwise - its number-one priority in its failed War on Drugs. Each year, over 700,000 people are arrested in the United States for marijuana-related offenses. In California, taxpayers spend over $150 million a year to arrest, prosecute and imprison marijuana offenders. Our overcrowded prisons are at nearly twice capacity and taxpayers are now being asked for billions more to build new ones. It's time for a more sensible approach.We deserve policies that reflect our values and priorities here in Santa Cruz. Measure K was placed on the ballot by the signatures of over 6,000 Santa Cruz citizens, nearly twice the amount required. Public opinion polls show that a strong majority of Santa Cruz voters agree that the federal War on Drugs has failed, and that police should focus more time and resources on investigating violent crimes instead of non-violent marijuana offenses. Since Measure K was placed on the ballot, there has been an outpouring of support from community leaders and organizations, including the Democratic Party of Santa Cruz County, the California Nurses Association, UAW Local 2865, Santa Cruz Action Network, Vice Mayor Emily Reilly, Councilmember Tim Fitzmaurice and many others.This Nov. 7, we have the opportunity to continue our tradition of progressive and humane leadership by passing Measure K. Please join us. To learn more about Measure K and how you can get involved, please visit: http://www.SensibleSantaCruz.org/Dr. Maria Mead is medical director for the Santa Cruz Women's Health Center.Source: Santa Cruz Sentinel (CA)Author: Dr. Maria MeadPublished: October 29, 2006 Copyright: 2006 Santa Cruz SentinelContact: editorial santa-cruz.comWebsite: http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/Related Articles:Measure K Attempt at De Facto Legalizationhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread22332.shtml As We See It: Pot Measure a Bad Ideahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread22320.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #27 posted by Hope on October 31, 2006 at 00:35:14 PT Whig comment 22 That occurred to me, too. [ Post Comment ] Comment #26 posted by whig on October 30, 2006 at 11:58:53 PT Dankhank I also like Xvid. [ Post Comment ] Comment #25 posted by whig on October 30, 2006 at 10:36:01 PT oops no editing here The sentence, "They make agreements they would not make if they were not sober." should have said that they make agreements they would not make if they were sober. [ Post Comment ] Comment #24 posted by whig on October 30, 2006 at 10:34:05 PT vodka This is impressive, in retrospect. I did drink vodka, before. I do know how it works on the mind, and how this is twisting the consciousness.People conduct business, make transactions, discuss politics -- while drinking vodka and whiskey and other strong spirits.People who have an agenda, can talk about it without arousing anger and suspicion, because drunk people are gullible people.So the objective of such drunken meetings is to get an agreement while the victim is still drunk. Of course often times they are both victims of one another's agendas, and then the interest of both of them is to secure a pact on favorable terms.Here's the nub of it. These are people who speak of honoring their agreements. These are people like ourselves, who believe that their word is important. These are not dishonhorable individuals by nature. But they make dishonorable deals when they are impaired in their ability to consider the implications. They make agreements they would not make if they were not sober.And I'll go further than this and say that cannabis is both perceived in the same way, and does have the same kind of observable effect, but with this difference. Cannabis does not impair thinking. The idea that it does is a meme implanted by the propagandists, who ascribe the negative properties of alcohol to those who have no knowledge of the effects of cannabis, in order both to dissuade them from partaking and to gather their support for maintaining prohibition.So you cannot read my words and say they are true without considering the fruit of the trees. I do not say anything that a propagandist for alcohol could not say, except for that I speak truthfully about cannabis. How do you consider the fruit? Do I live well, or in a way that you would want to? I do, if you understood that there is great happiness in life without much money. But here is the more important question to consider: Which of these trees increases suffering in the world? Which of these trees helps the sick to heal? Which of these trees can you eat the fruit of to nourish your body? Which of these fruits is poisonous?Your answer to these questions should guide you to choose between alcohol and cannabis. Both must be free to choose between, but you must make a choice between them if you choose either. (And as Rush says, if you choose not to decide you still have made a choice.) [ Post Comment ] Comment #23 posted by whig on October 30, 2006 at 10:22:45 PT gw Do you drink vodka? [ Post Comment ] Comment #22 posted by whig on October 30, 2006 at 10:21:14 PT Wayne It's not about informing the parents -- which they will never do, because the parents would then object, and they couldn't conduct the exercise.It's not about preparing the children for an emergency, it's about PREPARING THE CHILDREN FOR A POLICE STATE.All caps seemed necessary there. [ Post Comment ] Comment #21 posted by whig on October 30, 2006 at 10:19:21 PT mayan #5 Thank you.http://tinyurl.com/yarsnn [ Post Comment ] Comment #20 posted by global_warming on October 29, 2006 at 18:49:47 PT We Can Make it so, Yes. [ Post Comment ] Comment #19 posted by Had Enough on October 29, 2006 at 17:17:29 PT Re: #14 I give reverence to those too.You have allowed the energy to touch you. You can feel it.Peace to all mankind.Can we make this so? [ Post Comment ] Comment #18 posted by FoM on October 29, 2006 at 15:26:47 PT Dankhank Thanks for the information. I'll do that when we get another one. [ Post Comment ] Comment #17 posted by global_warming on October 29, 2006 at 15:03:22 PT sounds like you cannot get a new soul or bodylook arounddo you seeA Better WorldVote if you canIf you can vote Vote YESFor Now and Tomorrow [ Post Comment ] Comment #16 posted by Dankhank on October 29, 2006 at 14:53:03 PT burn baby burn ... still waiting for the errant DVD burner to return in it's upgraded form ...Killing time till then, I have been considering all of the AV content I have acquired over timeI noticed that most of the items I get are encoded in a format known as DiVX.http://www.divx.com/Seems that the main players in the Torrent business seem to be DiVX aficionados.DiVX is better than standard DVD for clarity ... etc.Heads up for all.Many new DVD players, like the Toshiba I bought today for 58 dollars, play the DiVX format, too.I tested it and it played the "Grass" video I have had for years and could only play on my computer. I'm sure it will play the "Weeds" stuff I have been getting, too. They are in DiVX format.Bottom line:When buying a new DVD player, look for one that plays DiVX, too. Onward technology ... [ Post Comment ] Comment #15 posted by global_warming on October 29, 2006 at 14:45:41 PT Who Can Say Who can say where the road goes, Where the day flows? Only time...Enya, God Bless, only time [ Post Comment ] Comment #14 posted by global_warming on October 29, 2006 at 14:29:40 PT I bring my tired soul I bring WitnessI bow to the teachers and the martyrs The fools and the childrenTo all the fallen for freedomFreedom is in our mindsFreedom is at handThere is only 1 flag of freedom1 flag 1 vote1 thoughtA vote for "FreedomTruth and JusticeIs Green and BrowntHE Path is openStand and be elected [ Post Comment ] Comment #13 posted by global_warming on October 29, 2006 at 14:13:37 PT It is the Sabbath Day What do you bring before the Lord God? [ Post Comment ] Comment #12 posted by global_warming on October 29, 2006 at 13:54:11 PT Some Night You notice, from the side of your good eyeYour "place" in the worldDo you "wunder" ?Far from what can heal?You have one foot on this earthThe other foot is free to choose [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by global_warming on October 29, 2006 at 13:38:29 PT Some Night You may be free to have an enjoyable eveningdrink vodka and smoke a jointyou know what bothers youyou might listen to some musicListen and knowThis UniverseIs aliveFilled with good peopleIt is Time [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by global_warming on October 29, 2006 at 13:16:31 PT It Is Time To examine your place,Are you worriedAre you thinkingHave you seen?My one vote is YES [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by Wayne on October 29, 2006 at 13:12:12 PT re: Mayan #5 I noticed something on that article.."Wyoming Police Chief James Carmody said his department will mandate that parents be notified ahead of time in the future."But wait, that will go against the principal's plan of making it seem 'realistic'. The chief might want to talk it over with him first.The really sickening thing here is not even that the police were stalking the hallways in riot gear and feeling the kids up...no no, the sickening thing is that the principal didn't WANT to tell the parents about it!! I bet the whole thing probably got him aroused too. What a sick individual. [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by global_warming on October 29, 2006 at 13:11:17 PT Has it not been about Old stories and ideologies?Carpenters nailed to crossesRich and powerful men and womenI choose Love That is my YES Vote [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by global_warming on October 29, 2006 at 12:55:19 PT For the record It is time to vote YES. [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by global_warming on October 29, 2006 at 12:40:12 PT It is about "reform" "In Santa Cruz, Measure K will also put our city on record as supporting reform of state and federal marijuana laws."It is time to "reform" marijuana laws, it is blessed time. [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by mayan on October 29, 2006 at 11:28:09 PT More Jackboots This is sickening...School Safety Drill Upsets Some Parents: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/S/SCHOOL_DRILL?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by whig on October 29, 2006 at 09:29:38 PT Barack Obama http://cannablog.wordpress.com/2006/10/29/barack-obama-for-president/ [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by ekim on October 29, 2006 at 08:00:57 PT Pete on Souder and Matthews on Sen. Obama Sunday, October 29, 2006 www.drugwarrant.com Representative Mark Souder's hometown paper endorses opponentVia Dare Generation Diary, an endorsement in the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette: ... And some of Souder's other efforts, such as his bill prohibiting college students with drug convictions from getting financial aid, have hurt Hoosiers. Indiana leads the nation in the rate of college students denied federal aid because of the law. Hayhurst is the better choice for voters of the 3rd District. Cris Matthews show on NBC just showed a clip of Sen. Obama saying that he inhaled when he was young and did it alot. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by Hope on October 29, 2006 at 07:14:51 PT Dr. Mead Right on, Dr. Mead. Right on.Thank you. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by Toker00 on October 29, 2006 at 06:57:43 PT What do ya think? If it passes, will it be because there are more Tokers Voting, or more Voters Toking, or more Vokers Toting, or the least obvious, more Toters Voking? : )Toke. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment