cannabisnews.com: NY Mayor Appears in Marijuana Ads





NY Mayor Appears in Marijuana Ads
Posted by FoM on April 10, 2002 at 15:20:55 PT
Pro-marijuana groups praised the mayor's honesty
Source: BBC News
The Mayor of New York, Michael Bloomberg, is being featured in an advertising campaign promoting the legalisation of marijuana. Posters carry a quote from Mr Bloomberg, who, when asked before he became mayor if he had ever smoked marijuana, said: "You bet I did. And I enjoyed it." The Washington-based group behind the campaign, the National Organisation for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), says it is "respectfully urging" Mr Bloomberg to stop arresting and jailing people who smoke the drug. 
But Mr Bloomberg said: "I'm not thrilled they are using my name. "I suppose there is that First Amendment that gets in the way of me stopping it," he added, referring to the US Constitution's guarantee of freedom of speech. Mr Bloomberg made the remark about marijuana to New York magazine last year. Now, in a $500,000 campaign, his comments are to be emblazoned across bus shelters, telephone booths, billboards and a full-page advertisement in The New York Times. The poster's slogan is: "It's NORML to Smoke Pot." However, Mr Bloomberg said that all city laws on marijuana would continue to be enforced, no matter what he may have said in the past. Website message  NORML also invites visitors to its website to email Mr Bloomberg. Its suggested message is: "Thank you for being honest and candid about your own use and enjoyment of marijuana. It is truly refreshing to find a politician willing to talk about marijuana honestly. "There are millions of us who live in this fine city who similarly enjoy marijuana, as well as millions of others who don't smoke, but who nonetheless oppose arresting responsible smokers. It is time our policies reflected that reality." In May last year, the US Supreme Court ended a legal battle over the medical use of marijuana, ruling that there were no circumstances which could justify it. Dulling effect  Sufferers of diseases such as Aids, cancer and multiple sclerosis have claimed that marijuana helps combat symptoms of their illnesses. Last month, research published in The Journal of the American Medical Association showed that long-term marijuana use had a dulling effect on the brain - affecting memory and attention span. The study analysed 51 long-term users, 51 shorter-term users, and 33 non-users. However, it was not clear whether giving up the drug would help users to recover. Note: Campaigners want Mr Bloomberg to stop arresting cannabis users.Source: BBC News (UK Web)Published: Tuesday, April 9, 2002Copyright: 2002 BBC Website: http://news.bbc.co.uk/ Contact: http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/talking_point/Related Articles & Web Sites:NORMLhttp://www.norml.org/NORML Ad - Pictures & Articleshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/ad.htmA Potshot at Mayor - NYDNhttp://freedomtoexhale.com/nyd.htmGrassroots Campaign Neededhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12486.shtmlMarijuana Lobby Picks Bloomberg http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12483.shtml
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Comment #1 posted by freddybigbee on April 11, 2002 at 09:45:53 PT:
I'm Surprised
"Last month, research published in The Journal of the American Medical Association showed that long-term marijuana use had a dulling effect on the brain - affecting memory and attention span."I'm surprised the JAMA published this study, and that it is being quoted by BBC. As I recall, the control group was randomly selected, but the heavy-user group was 100% people who had voluntarily requested treatment for their out-of-control drug use.I think that to be a valid sample for this study, either the heavy mj user group should have been selected randomly from all heavy users (not just those with severe problems), or the control group should have been 100% people who had checked into some sort of psychiatric treatment voluntarily.The heavy mj group in the study was loaded with people with severe problems; almost certainly not a representative sample of heavy users. The control group was not similarly loaded.I have no doubt that it was convenient for the researchers though; no need to go looking for heavy users at random. Unfortunately it totally invalidates the study in my opinion. I'm still stunned that JAMA printed it, and that BBC would refer to it.
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