cannabisnews.com: Paging Dr. Feelgood: Minnesotans Like Dope Paging Dr. Feelgood: Minnesotans Like Dope Posted by CN Staff on March 22, 2005 at 20:20:14 PT By Mike Mosedale Source: City Pages Minnesota -- One of the more perplexing aspects of contemporary political dialogue is the disconnect between public opinion and the public's perception of public opinion. Case in point: a recent Zogby International poll examining the attitudes of Minnesotans about medical marijuana. According to the poll, which was commissioned by the D.C.-based Marijuana Policy Project, 78 percent of Minneapolis-St. Paul residents favor legislation that would allow sick people to grow and smoke marijuana. In the suburbs, a hefty 60 percent back such a bill. Even in greater Minnesota, where anti-pot attitudes remain strongest, the figure is 51 percent. Overall, then, statewide support for the measure stands at a stout 59 percent. (Among other things, this suggests that medical marijuana is more popular in Minnesota than the current commander-in-chief.) However, when asked about the beliefs of their fellow Minnesotans, both urbanites and suburbanites grossly underestimate the level of acceptance for medical pot. Only 43 percent of city folk believe a majority of their fellow Minnesotans would approve of a cancer-stricken neighbor cultivating the sweet leaf. In the suburbs, meanwhile, a meager 19 percent of respondents recognize the fact that Minnesota favors legalization. Conclusion: Minnesotans are more merciful--and, in some regards, more liberal--than they realize. This is especially true in suburbia. For medical marijuana advocates, such dissonances are a continuing and understandable cause of frustration. Neal Levine, a former Minneapolis resident who now heads up state campaigns for the Marijuana Policy Project, hopes the results of the Zogby poll will embolden Minnesota lawmakers to enact medical marijuana legislation this session. But, Levine notes, perceptions among politicians about public attitudes remain a problem. No legislator wants to be seen as soft on drugs. And with the Office of National Drug Control Policy spending more than $100 million a year on anti-pot advertising, many feel skittish at the mere mention of marijuana. At the same time, the pro-pot forces have some new ammunition to bolster their argument. This November, 20 states and municipalities nationwide placed medical marijuana initiatives on the ballot. Seventeen of those initiatives passed. Notably, the medical marijuana issue does not split in the classic red state-blue state manner. For instance, in Montana, where 59 percent of voters cast a ballot for Bush and 66 percent supported a ban on gay marriage, the medical pot initiative collected an impressive 62 percent of the electorate. In other words, while God, guns, and gays may remain the shibboleths of modern American political strategists, it's time to strike another G-word--ganja--from the list.Source: City Pages (MN)Author: Mike MosedalePublished: March 23, 2005 - Volume 26 - Issue 1268 Copyright: 2005 City Pages Media, Inc. Contact: letters citypages.comWebsite: http://www.citypages.com/Related Articles & Web Site:Marijuana Policy Projecthttp://www.mpp.org/Medicinal Marijuana Backers Make Pointhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19415.shtmlMedical Marijuana is Off Ballot http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19370.shtmlMinneapolis Marijuana Issue Gets No Support http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19352.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #34 posted by Hope on March 23, 2005 at 23:42:35 PT Thank you, Afterburner, For turning me on to that essay.It's beautiful. [ Post Comment ] Comment #33 posted by afterburner on March 23, 2005 at 21:55:02 PT O, the Philosophy! RE Comment #32 posted by Hope "Sometimes you'd think this nation was dead when it comes to giving up an old failed idea and trying something new that would quite likely, if history shows us anything, be an enormous improvement over the way things are at the moment."Your comment brings to mind "old, dead hand" from somewhere. One interesting citation: Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry - A Heart for the Future ... What exists from God’s gift to take the place of the old dead hand? As in most Christian theology, there is a proper symmetry to theological thinking. ... http://www.tesm.edu/pubs/writings/heart_future [ Post Comment ] Comment #32 posted by Hope on March 23, 2005 at 18:58:49 PT Sukoi Years ago, when it was brand new, I saw your lake. It's mighty and amazing. A huge lake in virtually the desert. It's really something. It's understandable to me that our cause could be compared to a pulse, an indication of life. Sometimes you'd think this nation was dead when it comes to giving up an old failed idea and trying something new that would quite likely, if history shows us anything, be an enormous improvement over the way things are at the moment. [ Post Comment ] Comment #31 posted by Sukoi on March 23, 2005 at 17:54:19 PT Hope Good point! I believe that the Red River goes into the Amistad Reservior (the second largest man made lake in the U.S.) and that's where it meets the Rio Grande (Which at points one can walk across, the Rio Grande that is). That lake is about ten miles from my home. But there is a good analogy here; the Red river is like an artery of our nation and our cause is a large part of the pulse! I hope that this makes sense (no pun intended)! [ Post Comment ] Comment #30 posted by Hope on March 23, 2005 at 17:40:58 PT Little geography note The Red River is at the very top border of Texas, between Texas and Oklahoma, and the Rio Grande is the border with Mexico.One end to the other! [ Post Comment ] Comment #29 posted by Hope on March 23, 2005 at 17:27:02 PT Another funny sychronisticity (made up word) It's suppertime and we all must be hungry. Butter is mentioned on three seperate threads here at CannabisNews.Also Sukoi and I aren't just of one mind. We're of one mind from the Red River...where I am to the Rio Grande...where Sukoi is!YeeHa! [ Post Comment ] Comment #28 posted by Sukoi on March 23, 2005 at 17:25:01 PT Hope "Yep" you're right, I hadn't noticed but it's pretty plain to see that what both you and I said is absolutely true.ALL of them (the drug war pushers) are the same; they are truly afraid of the truth.I'm still waiting for that debate between John Walters and Rob Kampia! [ Post Comment ] Comment #27 posted by Hope on March 23, 2005 at 16:54:38 PT Funny! Two "Yeps" from Texas Hey, Sukoi.Two people thinking the exact same thing in Texas at the exact same time. That's cool. [ Post Comment ] Comment #26 posted by Sukoi on March 23, 2005 at 16:51:02 PT Columbia Police Yep, I noticed that on the 16th or so. Apparently they don't want to get all caught up in the TRUTH when they've got bigger fish to fry; asset forfieture and keeping their cash cow come to mind! Pretty sad huh? [ Post Comment ] Comment #25 posted by Hope on March 23, 2005 at 16:49:29 PT runderwo Columbia Police forum closing.Yep...I noticed, too. Got just too hot for them to endure and they didn't want people getting all that sound information about the drug war off their site.They realized letting the truth get out might endanger that extra butter on their bread. [ Post Comment ] Comment #24 posted by runderwo on March 23, 2005 at 16:10:32 PT columbiapolice closed Anyone else notice that the columbiapolice.org forums have been closed to new members, and anonymous posting is no longer allowed? [ Post Comment ] Comment #23 posted by ekim on March 23, 2005 at 11:58:46 PT how many Minnesotans arrested for Cannabis just handed out the Normls stats on Cannabis arrests by the FBI. Here in MI we had 13,000 adults arrested. When you show the people the part where it says 10,000 for the cost of a arrest the eyes start to bug out. April 2 will be the 34th Hash Bash and is held in Ann Arbor MI. at Noon U of M. Ann Arbor has had a ticket law for Cannabis for 34 years. I hope everyone will take the time to ck the State by State site at Norml and find out how many arrests for Cannabis in their state and share it with others in your city. Every State is cutting budgets because of tax short falls and is looking for ways to save money. http://www.norml.org [ Post Comment ] Comment #22 posted by darwin on March 23, 2005 at 11:15:03 PT Dope... Actually I find this word full of duality and am not bothered by its use. It all depends on the context and the person using it. Younger people say "Hey, that's dope!" Older people say "You're such a dope!" Plumbers use "plumber's dope" on a sink. Besides, any journalist that uses completely preper terms (Cannabis) basically shows their hand as pro-pot and turns off readers that we as a group actually want it targeted at. After all, preaching to the choir does no good. The counter culture in general likes to take main stream terms of a negative connotation and turn them upside down into a term of positivity (chronic, phat, dope, illin, etc). Over the course of a generation, the use of terms comes from the young and is slowly brought into the mainstream, so the negative connotation of words like dope will fade away. [ Post Comment ] Comment #21 posted by FoM on March 23, 2005 at 10:46:34 PT afterburner I have known people in the medical profession that have drug problems. I had a Doctor nod out on me one time during a visit years ago. [ Post Comment ] Comment #20 posted by afterburner on March 23, 2005 at 10:36:36 PT JAMA Study Proves Folly of Drug War Family history, psychiatric problems the big risk factors, study finds 22/03/2005 11:03:00 PM http://tinyurl.com/7xnpgExcerpt:"Investigators behind a study into drug-abusing physicians assumed that anesthesiologists would be more likely to relapse because they have such easy access to commonly abused medications. "That assumption turned out to be wrong. ...."The findings are reported in the March 23/30 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. "When it comes to abuse of drugs - starting with alcohol and running through to hard drugs such as heroin - doctors are pretty much like everyone else, Domino noted. About 10 percent to 15 percent of both doctors and non-doctors become alcoholics or drug abusers at one time or another, she said. "Treatment can help addicted physicians kick their habit, while continuing group therapy and support groups can keep them that way. But, of course, relapse often occurs." Sidebar poll:"YOUR OPINION "Who do you primarily consult for your health concerns?-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Family Doctor "Drop-in medical clinic "Naturopathic doctor "Herbalist "Pharmacist "Chiropractor "Other "No one "Vote!"Results" So, society fights a "War on Drugs" to "protect" the citizens-at-large from the 10-15% of "drug abusers" (both doctors and non-doctors alike). This 10-15% has their own reasons and weaknesses leading to addiction and resistance to treatment. They are ill and need medical care, not criminal enforcement. The rest of the turf wars, drive-by shootings, lacings, bobby-traps, electricity thefts, and break-ins are a direct consequence of prohibition and turning the supply of medicines-in-demand over to the criminal element. Who is benefiting from this half-baked and outworn approach to medical policy? [ Post Comment ] Comment #19 posted by FoM on March 23, 2005 at 10:22:59 PT Max Flowers I agree that the title leads a person to the conclusions you mentioned. It's a good article all in all though.Thanks Darwin! [ Post Comment ] Comment #18 posted by Hope on March 23, 2005 at 10:22:09 PT The word "dope" Funny thing...it was originally a word connatating good. Dope is a substance still used by hobbiests to make things stronger and more durable...that actually keeps projects together. They still call it "dope" against all the rules of modern day connatation. Ages ago, a "dope bag" was where you kept things that kept things working. [ Post Comment ] Comment #17 posted by Hope on March 23, 2005 at 10:18:26 PT Darwin and Afterburner "It's all good."*smile*Got it! You're right. [ Post Comment ] Comment #16 posted by Max Flowers on March 23, 2005 at 10:16:53 PT The word "dope" is still a trigger term The word "dope" is a word charged with 60s and 70s negativity, conjuring images of emaciated wasted people sticking needles in themselves. This makes it all the more inappropriate for it to be used as a synonym for cannabis.Otherwise, great article. But I hate that reporters always feel they have to stick that kind of inflammatory or derisive word in the headline. It perpetuates negative stereotypes, regardless of how pro-pot the body of the article. "Dr Feelgood" and "dope" are both that type of term. What would have been wrong with calling the story "Minnesotans like cannabis" or even "Minnesotans like pot"? [ Post Comment ] Comment #15 posted by darwin on March 23, 2005 at 10:16:01 PT City pages City pages is pretty much a twin cities publication only (hence "City Pages"). It's targeted mainly to the younger urban and college type people. It is well respected though. I have not seen the actual article yet to see if it is a front page or main story, or an obscure back page story. I will say that most people who read city pages do not need to be convinced. But the main rags, which I do not buy, do take leads from these smaller publications in sort of a bubbling up of opinion into main stream. So it is a good article and will hopefully help people see that they are in the majority and need not be mum on the topic due to the pressure of others who think (or like to think) that they are the majority. [ Post Comment ] Comment #14 posted by afterburner on March 23, 2005 at 10:02:08 PT Hope Some of those give-away papers and/or community papers are published by the big publishers and have a wide circulation. "It's all good." [ Post Comment ] Comment #13 posted by Hope on March 23, 2005 at 09:37:15 PT by "mainstream" I meant like a major paper in the area...as opposed to a little alternative give away paper. Any Minnasotans know? [ Post Comment ] Comment #12 posted by FoM on March 23, 2005 at 09:07:06 PT Hope It isn't a mainstream publication. It appears just to be a city paper in Minnesota. [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by Hope on March 23, 2005 at 09:04:24 PT "Sweet Leaf" It would indeed be "sweet" to those it brings relief of misery to. [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by Hope on March 23, 2005 at 09:02:38 PT On topic Is the City Pages newspaper a mainstream publication?I've never seen the term "sweet leaf" in a main stream publication. That's good. Very good. [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by Hope on March 23, 2005 at 08:59:12 PT Still off topic The violence on the Mexico and United States borders and the power of the Mexican cartels is reason enough alone to end prohibition and start regulation. [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by FoM on March 23, 2005 at 08:56:14 PT About Politicians I've learned over this last year what party to avoid and that I will. Politicians are not for anything but the special interests groups. It's really sad to come to the conclusion that politicians are not at all concerned about us and our views. The courts have helped us move forward but politicians haven't helped at all. Money is all that is important to them. [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by Taylor121 on March 23, 2005 at 08:53:24 PT darwin, good insight I'm glad you see the difference, as everyone here truly should between economic and religious Republican conservatives. I am personally a moderate libertarian, but I support the Republican Liberty Caucus as well. So although it would seem most Republicans are our staunch enemy, not all are. Take the example of the New Mexico medical marijuana bill that died. Who killed it? Effectively a Democrat.My William Buckley quote just went up to show there are a few conservatives that support an end to marijuana prohibition. Let's embrace them and welcome them to our side and convert others in the Republican Party (and other parties) to our cause. [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by Taylor121 on March 23, 2005 at 08:48:27 PT Old Buckley Quote I know this is old, I'm posting it anyway.Marijuana never kicks down your door in the middle of the night. Marijuana never locks up sick and dying people, does not suppress medical research, does not peek in bedroom windows. Even if one takes every reefer madness allegation of the prohibitionists at face value, marijuana prohibition has done far more harm to far more people than marijuana ever could.- William F. Buckley, Jr. [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by darwin on March 23, 2005 at 08:46:36 PT The media effect This is clearly the effect of the media. Slanted reporting can't always sway opinions in individuals, but it can sway individual's opinions on how others view the issue. Sort of a peer pressure effect of the media.Some random observances about MN, from a Minnesotan, for anybody that's interested.The Zogby numbers seem right on. The stat that I'd like to see relates to religion. Amongst republican voters in MN, the religious republicans are much more likely to be anti pot than the economic republicans. The economic republicans in MN tend to be younger, more libertarian, don't tax me types who voted for Ventura. The religious republicans tend to be older, "the morality bunch". The same demographic caught up in the Terry Schiavo business. Also, I have noticed that not all of "greater MN" is so anti pot as the article thinks. I have a cabin home in rural MN and in this area, the townspeople are actually quite open to it. I would bet that acceptance varies widely by area, and would trend more anti in the richer southern farm areas. In the northern rural, I've even seen 20-30 year olds wearing pro pot clothing, which is something I rarely see in suburbia, where I live. In suburbia pot is a hush-hush topic that is not really acceptable to talk about (due to the control that the religious republicans have in the area) despite the high popularity of it among those aged 18 - 35. This could be that elderly people in MN tend to flow to suburbia from the city and from rural areas, whereas the young and the immigrants (mostly Mexican, some Hmong, and Asian) are ussually pro-pot and arrive in the city and inner suburbs (Hence pushing the older more republican demographics further out and expanding suburbia). Typical city growth pattern. As the number of aging religious republicans are replaced by the new younger republicans in the inner suburbs, the worm will turn. Both parties will have to embrace the pro pot demographic. It's the only way the republicans will be able to hold their power as they lose power in the inner subarbs, where the real battleground is. The democrats however, continue to fence sit, further losing supporters to the green party and other independents, ala Jesse Ventura. After all, MN is about 1/3 independant and all of these independants (like myself) are common sense types who think prohibition is a complete waste, but don't have a real political force to back, yet. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by Hope on March 23, 2005 at 08:28:17 PT The End of Cannabis Prohibition The end of prohibition, beginning with cannabis, will usher in a new era of peace and prosperity.My prayer is that these three men know it and will unite and begin that new era.http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=606489(Gimme a break! I believe in miracles!) [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by FoM on March 23, 2005 at 07:44:44 PT Just a Note I think the news is going to be very slow because it is Easter week. I'll keep looking for news though. It's always slows up this time of year. Maybe soon we will know about Angel Raich's case. That's my hope. The Terri Schiavo case is very sad. I'm following it closely and so far the courts aren't intervening. Life and death decisions are made all the time by people and this case reminds me of the need to know what kind of care we want ( Living Will ) if something like this would happen to one of us or a member of our family. Have a good day everyone! [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by ngeo on March 23, 2005 at 07:42:42 PT: Thought control When the majority believes it's in the minority, that is some powerful thought control going on. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by potpal on March 23, 2005 at 07:38:00 PT uk mmj tale http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/4372455.stm [ Post Comment ] Post Comment