cannabisnews.com: 'It's Green Prozac' 'It's Green Prozac' Posted by CN Staff on March 17, 2005 at 17:20:32 PT By Stephanie Olsen, Colorado Daily Staff Writer Source: Colorado Daily Stoners rejoice. Having the munchies may not carry such harsh consequences at CU-Boulder if some students have their say."The students are fed up with a system that penalizes them for making the safer choice," said Vanessa Cisneros, a sophomore at CU. "The potentially harmful consequences of using alcohol far exceed those of marijuana." Cisneros supports a referendum that would change the marijuana policy on the CU campus.A Boulder-based non-profit organization called "Safer Alternative For Enjoyable Recreation (SAFER)," a group dedicated to raising awareness about the harmful consequences of alcohol as related to marijuana, is helping the students at CU go through the process of passing the referendum.Additionally, Cisneros wants to start a student chapter of SAFER at CU. "The students are looking to try to do something on campus because they wanted to change penalties because they didn't think it was fair given the harm of alcohol," said Mason Tvert, the executive director of SAFER. "We are here to advise them and help them get a referendum passed that we felt would make the biggest impact."The student referendum calls for the University to acknowledge marijuana as a comparatively safer alternative to alcohol and requests that CU treat the drug as such when giving out punishments to students, according to a press release sent to the Colorado Daily by SAFER on Wednesday."Given that alcohol kills people and creates a number of student problems on campus, including sexual assault, fighting, property damage, all these different issues," said Tvert, "it doesn't really make for good public policy for a university to essentially be telling students they're going to get in less trouble for something that causes more hurt."Tvert said that the referendum has nothing to do with the criminal penalties associated with marijuana or the law."We're talking about what the university is worried about," said Tvert. "Should the university worry more about their policies following side-by-side with the law, which it doesn't have to, or are they more worried about producing the most safe and healthy student body possible?"Jeff Christen-Mitchell, the president of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), a non-profit public interest advocacy group, supports a move to eliminate penalties for student use of marijuana on CU's campus."Colorado is a very progressive state and it would be appropriate for some sort of intelligent progress," said Christen-Mitchell. "Alcohol is a dangerous drug, while marijuana is not."Christen-Mitchell said he views marijuana use as medicinal, especially with the high stress of education and life in general, and also as a much safer alternative to alcohol for students."I don't advocate or encourage use or abuse of anything by anyone, just for students it might be nicer if they had an alternative," he said.Jessica Bralish, the director of public relations for the University of Colorado Student Union (UCSU), said if the referendum passes it will not prompt any action. Rather, it will be a statement to the administration demonstrating what the students want to see happen with marijuana policy."I don't know the official UCSU stance on it," said Bralish, "but from my perspective it seems like we'd be conflicting with the state's policy."She said the referendum will send a message counter to the university's policy, but it is a blurry line because the university is a state institution."Let's see what the students think and then we can act accordingly," said Bralish.Currently, CU students and SAFER are working to get the 1,000 signatures needed to get the referendum on the ballot. If successful, the referendum will be voted on during the coming spring election.According to Bralish, 10 percent of the entire CU student population must vote in favor of the referendum to pass and be presented to the administration."There has never been a case of fatal marijuana overdose in history," said Cisneros. "How many more students need to drink themselves to death before our colleges turn to safer, more sensible alcohol and marijuana policies?"Newshawk: The GCWSource: Colorado Daily (UC Edu, CO)Author: Stephanie Olsen, Colorado Daily Staff WriterPublished: Thursday, March 17, 2005 Copyright: 2005 Colorado DailyContact: letters coloradodaily.comWebsite: http://www.coloradodaily.com/Related Articles & Web Sites:NORMLhttp://www.norml.org/Safer Choicehttp://www.saferchoice.org/Students 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 #21 posted by J Christen-Mitchell on April 13, 2005 at 01:28:58 PT: Marijuana, Alcohol and Brain Damage Unlike most, I believe the marijuana issue is not economic. It's Dogma. Folks don't have many clues towards thinking for themselves. When Ronnie Raygun said, "There are many dangers associated with marijuana use, we don't know what they are yet, but they're permanent.", one could have taken a hint of the nature of the insanity. That alcohol shortens 125,000 lives in the U.S. annually is undisputed. Marijuana harms no one. The rabid prohibitionists point to the increasing numbers that undergo treatment for addiction without noting that folks are forced into same as a result of unconsionable arrests. We'll see what the Supreme Court has to say about it in June.Cannabem Liberemus Jeff Boulder NORML [ Post Comment ] Comment #20 posted by FoM on March 18, 2005 at 11:53:23 PT dongenero I know what you mean. One time years ago I talked to Ann Coulter on a MSNBC News Chat, that I went to for over a year and a half before CNews, when she was a guest. She sent me a private message and told me she agreed with me. She also signed my guest book years ago in a private message and basically said the same thing. [ Post Comment ] Comment #19 posted by dongenero on March 18, 2005 at 11:48:57 PT ann coulter hmmmm....that might explain why it always seems she is tripping.Not that being out of touch with reality is necessarily a bad thing. [ Post Comment ] Comment #18 posted by runruff on March 18, 2005 at 08:37:12 PT: The Bush drug. George W. takes a drug that keeps his nose from growing. [ Post Comment ] Comment #17 posted by siege on March 18, 2005 at 08:36:00 PT Total votes Should states be allowed to legalize medical marijuana without federal legalization?Yes 1739 - 71.7%No 688 - 28.3%Total votes: 2427http://www.collegiatetimes.com/index.php?words=&where=2&opt=1&poll_ID=51&action=vote [ Post Comment ] Comment #16 posted by FoM on March 18, 2005 at 08:23:14 PT Ann Coulter Said on the Dirty Hippie show that she was a Deadhead! Check it out! [ Post Comment ] Comment #15 posted by FoM on March 18, 2005 at 08:20:46 PT Thanks Patrick I am trying to do news and watch VH1 at the same time. They have this really funny show on called Dirty Hippies and then at 12 will be 4 hours of Woodstock. I agree with you Patrick! [ Post Comment ] Comment #14 posted by Patrick on March 18, 2005 at 07:51:21 PT FoM to answer your question maybe I think that the alcohol (specifically beer) became more acceptable mainly because it is legal and it is advertised everywhere; baseball, football, nascar, local bars with 2 for Tuesday specials and what not. People naturally want to feel good and alcohol does that until it is over done. This year NASCAR has allowed a Jack Daniels car and a Crown Royal car and with racing’s gaining popularity there is a whole generation of kids whose favorite drivers are in the Budweiser car or the Miller Lite car but the chase for the Cup is no longer named after a cigarette, now it’s a phone company (Nextel). I think it is gonna be along time before we'll see a Hemp car on the circuit or the BC Bud Chevy with a bright green cannabis leaf on the hood. At concerts I still like to smoke me marijuana but the ban on cigarettes makes a smoker stick out unless the crowd immediately surrounding you is all puffing too. As far the alcohol, at $6.00 a beer the concert venue is making a killing letting people pollute themselves with cheap draft beer. Anyway, if cannabis were legal for adults I believe it would put a dent in alcohol sales the same way downloading music has put a dent in CD sales. Just my humble 2 cents worth. [ Post Comment ] Comment #13 posted by siege on March 18, 2005 at 07:15:34 PT forefather our forefather where outlaws and exiles till about 1900 and then in 1945-8 then the schools started to teach the Communist principles and taking away our\there rights with a new "communize government" campaign. the citizens have not stood up to them so Bush thinks he can walk all over every one. and use The new government communized all banks in 1962 and to make your property into state-owned property with the war on some drugs. [ Post Comment ] Comment #12 posted by mayan on March 18, 2005 at 06:14:53 PT Saturday, March 19 Don't forget...Global Day of Coordinated Actions on the 2nd Anniversary of the "Shock and Awe" Invasion of Iraq: http://www.internationalanswer.org/ [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by goneposthole on March 18, 2005 at 05:49:18 PT Freaking Freedom Lady Liberty is a hot mama. What's that they say up there in New Hampshire? Live free or die? Is freedom invading foreign countries? Is that freedom? Find some peace today. If you meditate for twenty minutes, maybe then the entire world will be at peace at least for twenty minutes.Here's something that a prohibitionist might possibly say: "It is better to drink yourself to death with legal alcohol than it is to smoke cannabis because cannabis is illegal. Nevermind the potential harm or even death by drinking alcohol, it doesn't matter; it's legal."Legal, good; illegal, bad Now go on out there and serve your master. [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by mayan on March 18, 2005 at 05:37:34 PT unrelated Well,prohibitionists, it seems that the sky hasn't fallen in Northern Ireland...'No rise' in cannabis use since law change: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/story.jsp?story=621357You prohibitionists better crusade to ban hair spray, deodorant,nail polish remover and paint thinner. It turns out that these are the real gateway substances... Youngsters Use Inhalants More Than Marijuana, Survey Says: http://www.channeloklahoma.com/health/4293938/detail.htmlAnd you prohibitionists must like your tax-dollars being flushed down the toilet...Pro-marijuana group maintains costly law enforcement failing: http://morningsentinel.mainetoday.com/news/local/1463921.shtml [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by FoM on March 17, 2005 at 20:26:10 PT Thanks ekim I saw Bush on the news say it was the Justice Department that more or less ok'd it. I just shook my head and wondered how does he get away with it! I don't think I will ever understand why people stand by Bush. I can't find one redeeming quality in him. [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by FoM on March 17, 2005 at 20:21:40 PT siege It was Clear Channel. I felt like a fish out of water since I hadn't been to a concert since the late 70s even though I loved the show. Now if I go to any more concerts I'll know what to expect. Lots of drinking and no marijuana. Totally the opposite of what I remembered from way back in those good old days. [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by siege on March 17, 2005 at 20:08:09 PT permits FoM how every is in charge of giving the permits for the concert or what every put in it that there is no smoking and if you don't sign it no permite. [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by ekim on March 17, 2005 at 20:06:01 PT nation's news organizations have played www.marijuananews.comBut it is time to acknowledge that the nation's news organizations have played a large and unappetizing role in deceiving the public….(M)ore than 20 federal agencies, including the State Department and the Defense Department, now create fake news clips. The Bush administration spent $254 million in its first four years on contracts with public relations firms, more than double the amount spent by the Clinton administration. http://www.marijuananews,com [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by FoM on March 17, 2005 at 19:45:57 PT gloovins Thank you. What I meant was no one I ever knew felt that alcohol was good to use. I don't mean about legality put the choice between smoking a little marijuana or drinking alcohol. I was very surprised when I went to a concert in 2003 and saw alcohol sales but you couldn't smoke even a cigarette. I'm talking in the open air not an inside concert. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by gloovins on March 17, 2005 at 19:37:16 PT "When did alcohol become acceptable?" Answer:When this country exsisted as a democracy and the U.S. Constitution was not used as toilet paper as current administration "officials" and supreme court judges have chosen to do for about the last 35 years. There was the great debate of alcohol prohibition, dry counties could remain so after thought and, well as all politics is local, well, our great Constitution was amended because *common sense* won out over the professional, corrupt, recovering addicts as "officials" we have now today like Andrea Barfwell and Partnership for a drug-free America (that in itself an ADMITTED UTOPIA?!) towing this self-serving prohibitionist, hypocritical "the drug-war is good, what about the children, we don't need MORE "drugs" (really a plant) legal b.s. republicrat party line. The drug war is a failure and they WILL NEVER admit it simply because of job security, dig?See how easy the answer is FoM? ;)Welcome to 2005 everyone - it gets better by the day, no? [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by FoM on March 17, 2005 at 18:59:10 PT Just a Comment Back in the early days of Cannabis use ( 60s - 70s ) there was a common thought with people. They would say Pot was cool but alcohol was not. At the concert that my husband and I were on the red cross crew we didn't see alcohol. Alcohol was not sold at the concert but there was lots of smoking. When did alcohol become acceptable? [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by The GCW on March 17, 2005 at 18:44:31 PT They know, and they have dead bodies to show for it. Another Univ. just up the road U.C... the same thing...They just lost students to overdrinking.I'd like to see one of Bush's Pro's go in and try to run His mouth, there.Send Him.Sacrifice an ignoid.(The cadalac that Your father floored is not as strong as the cadalac He ... The cadalac today is worse than heroin)))This is one area students are going to taste blood.Students are going to quickly find out their activism will garner fruit and its great taste... Students are going to be awesome in helping harness the prohibitionists and control them like the vicious dogs they are; so they are no longer able to inflict great harm on society.IS THERE ANY DOUBT THAT THIS WILL PASS ON ELECTION DAY? [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by mayan on March 17, 2005 at 18:21:08 PT The Young Know "There has never been a case of fatal marijuana overdose in history," said Cisneros. "How many more students need to drink themselves to death before our colleges turn to safer, more sensible alcohol and marijuana policies?"The young people know they're being lied to. They don't appreciate it one bit. They realize they will soon be drafted to kill and be killed and just don't understand why they can't use a plant that has never hurt anyone. The hypocrisy is beyond appalling.THE WAY OUT IS THE WAY IN...9/11 Review: http://911review.org/9/11 - The Achilles' Heel of the Bush Regime: http://www.oilempire.us/911.htmlPaul Thompson's Complete 9/11 Timeline: http://www.cooperativeresearch.org/project.jsp?project=911_project9/11 Was an Inside Job - A Call to All True Patriots: http://www.911sharethetruth.com/ [ Post Comment ] Post Comment