cannabisnews.com: Group That Opposes MMJ Will Kick Off ‘No’ Campaign










  Group That Opposes MMJ Will Kick Off ‘No’ Campaign

Posted by CN Staff on October 01, 2008 at 15:08:02 PT
By Dawson Bell, Free Press Lansing Bureau  
Source: Detroit Free Press 

Lansing, MI -- A proposal to legalize the cultivation and use of marijuana for medical purposes, which will be on the Nov. 4 ballot and has gone virtually unchallenged for more than a year, will have some organized opposition after all.A coalition of medical, law enforcement and anti-drug organizations calling itself Citizens Protecting Michigan Kids has scheduled news conferences across lower Michigan for Thursday to kick off the campaign to encourage a “No” vote on Proposal 1.
A spokesman for the coalition said it will be led by Appeals Court Judge Bill Schuette and former Michigan Chamber of Commerce President James Barrett, and will include the Michigan State Medical Society, the Prosecuting Attorneys Association and the Michigan Sheriff’s Association. Proposal 1 was placed on the ballot after supporters, including a nucleus from a national organization that has run similar campaigns all over the country, collected nearly a half million petition signatures. Until today’s announcement of the anti-Proposal 1 coalition, it had been subjected to some criticism from law enforcement officials but appeared likely to slide through until Election Day virtually unnoticed. A Free Press poll released earlier this week indicated voters approve of the idea of legalizing pot for some medical conditions by a more than 2-1 margin.Complete Title: Group That Opposes Medical Marijuana Will Kick Off ‘No’ Campaign ThursdaySource: Detroit Free Press (MI)Author: Dawson Bell, Free Press Lansing Bureau Published: October 1, 2008Copyright: 2008 Detroit Free PressWebsite: http://www.freep.com/Contact: letters freepress.comRelated Articles & Web Site:Stop Arresting Patientshttp://www.stoparrestingpatients.org/Activists Cite Support for Medical Marijuanahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread24195.shtmlMixed Bag Over Support of Medicinal Marijuana http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread24192.shtml

Home    Comment    Email    Register    Recent Comments    Help






 


Comment #18 posted by FoM on October 02, 2008 at 11:29:32 PT

Commonsense
Thank you. The worst part of doing CNews is dealing with it all. I am not a fighter. I don't believe it helps. People pick sides and the fight is on. This web site just like our country is made up of many different people from different parts of the USA. I want to see our country working together for the better good of our Nation. I don't think that's too much to ask. I was taught to be polite and that can get lost in a forum.
[ Post Comment ]


 


Comment #17 posted by Commonsense on October 02, 2008 at 11:18:18 PT

FOM
Life is too short to deal with people who always want to fight with everyone. I've been busy and haven't been paying enough attention to know exactly what you are talking about, but I know sometimes a host of a site needs to cut some people off when they ruin things for everyone else. You are far more generous in that regard than many people who host sites where people come and comment. I appreciate the way you allow opposing views and gently try to keep the discussions civil. 
[ Post Comment ]


 


Comment #16 posted by FoM on October 02, 2008 at 10:27:57 PT

CommonSense
Yes, I have been discouraged and want change to come and get it over with. It really isn't the marijuana issue that has gotten me down but people being so mean sometimes. I feel better now that angry people will not be posting here anymore. Being angry all the time won't change anything and rains on other people's parades.
[ Post Comment ]


 


Comment #15 posted by Commonsense on October 02, 2008 at 10:22:34 PT

FOM
I agree with you and I certainly am not trying to denigrate older Americans. Certainly not everyone of any demographic category has identical beliefs. I think though that people in demographics with less experience with marijuana tend to be the ones who oppose it the most. It is human nature for us to fear things we do not understand. According to the 2007 National Household Survey on Drug Use and Health, only 8.4% of those 65 and older in this country report having used marijuana at some point in their lives. Nearly 30% of those 60 through 64 report having used it. The percentage of those reporting past use who are 55 through 59 is a little less than 50%, and the percentage of those 50 through 54 is greater than 50%, making the average for those 50 through 59 slightly higher than 50%. Most older Americans who report past use do not smoke marijuana anymore, but most of them know it's not that big of a deal for people to smoke it. A lot have friends that still do it now and again. And while a lot of them are opposed to marijuana being legalized, they're going to be easier to convince when the time comes because most of them know marijuana is not that big of a deal and they are far less likely to think we could ever have real success in the war against marijuana.Older Americans run this country. We've had presidents in their forties, but presidents don't write laws, legislators do. Our federal legislators are much older than the general adult population on average and the real power in our legislative bodies resides with the older members of these bodies. The average age of a committee leader in the Senate is 67 years old. The average age of an American adult is somewhere in the mid 30's. And as we know the older people get on up to somewhere around 60, the more likely they are to actually exercise their right to vote. Around the mid 70's this starts to change because so many are just getting too old and infirmed to vote. I read a report on American CEO's of major companies recently. Most CEO's of major companies are in their mid 50's. I bet a lot of powerful people in American business today smoked pot in college and some still do. Most wouldn't want to talk much about that right now because they don't want to hurt their earnings potential, but what happens in a few years when they start retiring? I think we are going to see more powerful people coming out in the coming years talking about the need to legalize marijuana, and we're going to see a lot more wealthy and upper middle class people funding legalization efforts in a major way. If the economy wasn't so bad we'd probably be seeing a good bit more funding coming in from marijuana smokers and people friendly to the cause who are not so well off, because the older people get the more money they are likely to make and the more disposable income they tend to have to give to causes they believe in. It's going to get harder and harder for people like John Walters to demonize the few "sugar daddies" of the marijuana legalization movement in the coming years because the number of donors will grow, and they most certainly won't all be Democrats. Plenty of affluent Republicans smoke marijuana. These are people who vote Republican because they believe Republicans are better for business and less likely to tax them to death. The older they get the more money they tend to have to devote to causes they believe in and the more they have available for campaign contributions. As Republican politicians start smelling more of this available capital from marijuana friendly donors we're going to start hearing more and more of them change their tune on marijuana. FOM, I see you sometimes getting really discouraged. I wonder sometimes if you are pinning too much of your happiness on marijuana being legalized in a short time. You know, if I die tomorrow I'll die knowing that change is coming, and I'm alright with that. I'm excited about what I see happening with marijuana issues today and I know what all of this is leading to in the not so distant future. I don't think there is any chance marijuana will be legalized in this country in the next four years. I kind of doubt it happens in the next ten, although I think it could possibly happen in that little time. It's going to happen though in the not so distant future, and in the mean time we're going to see a lot of the things that need to happen for us to achieve the result we desire. We might very well see in the next ten years see the percentage of the population for legalization in this country grow to more than 50%. We might very well see in the next ten years the international treaties and conventions that require most nations to have laws against marijuana fall apart or be modified to allow for legalization in nations that want it. We will no doubt see more states decriminalize marijuana. We will no doubt see more get medical marijuana. We will no doubt see more cities vote to make marijuana possession arrests the lowest law enforcement priority. We will probably see the feds back off on medical marijuana. We might possibly even see a state vote to legalize possession of small amounts and maybe even legalize growing small amounts for personal use. We won't win all our battles though. Sometimes it will seem like we are taking two steps forward and three steps back, but on the whole the momentum will stay in our favor. It will be slow going but we are going to get there someday. I am confident in that.
[ Post Comment ]



 


Comment #14 posted by FoM on October 02, 2008 at 06:22:36 PT

Commonsense
I wanted to add that the future is for the young (mostly Democrats in my opinion) or the young at heart. I watched Pete Seeger on David Letterman the other night and he looked so young to me as far as his Spirit goes but he is 89. 
[ Post Comment ]



 


Comment #13 posted by FoM on October 02, 2008 at 05:55:11 PT

Commonsense 
I think you are right. We are making progress. Time always moves slowly when we want something really badly. Time really does go by fast though. I've noticed how old the Republicans are compared to the young Democrats I have seen over this last few years. Change is coming. I believe it in my heart.
[ Post Comment ]



 


Comment #12 posted by Commonsense on October 01, 2008 at 22:48:38 PT

Change
Hemp World is right, but slowly but surely we are taking the power from "them." Older folks who are most afraid of marijuana are retiring and dying off. In the US now according to SAMHSA more than 50% of those in their fifties have smoked marijuana, compared to barely over 8% of those sixty five and older. Several of these people in their fifties still do smoke marijuana, certainly more than would admit to it on a government survey, and they are all more likely to have more reasonable notions of what marijuana is all about and the sillyness of the war against it. Attitudes are changing as younger people fill the positions of power in this country. DCP says he can think of at least four major reports that have just been ignored. The major reports recommending marijuana decriminalization or legalization have not been completely ignored, they've just been overshadowed and drowned out by the prohibitionists. That doesn't mean that the ideas in them are gone and lost forever. As time goes on we will see more reports and recommendations come out that reference these old reports and parrot the ideas in them. And we will see a major shift in the Western world with regard to marijuana policy in the coming years. The major conventions and treaties that stand in the way of any Western nation legalizing marijuana will fall apart. My bet is that within the next ten or fifteen years we'll see marijuana completely legal in at least a few countries. The U.S. will probably not be among the first to do it, but once we start seeing other countries legalize it it won't be long before it happens here. Already when surveyed a good bit over 40% of Americans agree that marijuana should be legalized and regulated similar to alcohol, and the percentage for legalization continues to grow, slowly but surely. Politicians can now freely admit past marijuana use without political consequence. More and more speak openly about the need to consider legalization, although the biggest proponents of legalization tend to still be on the fringe in politics. That will change considerably in the next ten years as most of the old guys now in the most powerful positions in our legislative bodies die off or retire and are replaced by young bucks now in their forties and fifties. This is happening all over the Western world and sooner or later the majority in this country will demand that the federal government legalize marijuana and allow states to do the same, and sometime thereafter, that's exactly what's going to happen.Changes like this do take a long time. It's easy to get discouraged. Don't. I know that sometimes it seems like we're taking one step forward and two steps back. That's just part of the process. Look at all the positive things that are happening though. Every few years we see another state or two get medical marijuana. More marijuana friendly ballot initiatives succeed. Every time this happens the will to fight against marijuana legalization is erodes a little more. Those who most oppose marijuana legalization are really getting desperate, because they see the momentum is in our favor. As time goes on we'll see more and more of them giving up and changing their tune, kind of like we saw with Bob Barr. The rest we'll drown out, like they've been able to drown out those in favor of legalization in the past. It's only a matter of time. 
[ Post Comment ]



 


Comment #11 posted by HempWorld on October 01, 2008 at 21:06:32 PT

Thanks Sensimilla Jones ... But The Guardian Arti
cle ends with: "The conclusions are unlikely to be embraced by the government or the Conservative party, both of which are opposed to relaxing restrictions on cannabis use."Nothing will change until we take the power from them ...

On a mission from God!
[ Post Comment ]



 


Comment #10 posted by FoM on October 01, 2008 at 20:45:20 PT

gloovins
I think this next month is going to be very interesting. I think Michigan will win. I'm not sure about the one in Mass. but hopefully that one will pass too.
[ Post Comment ]



 


Comment #9 posted by gloovins on October 01, 2008 at 20:36:42 PT

Hi FoM
good to see you too...yeah, should be an interesting October in Michigan for those distortionist prohibs 'n the kids...yawn...or LALAALALLAA...hahaHope u have a great October, Martha...
[ Post Comment ]



 


Comment #8 posted by DCP on October 01, 2008 at 20:30:27 PT

I hate to be negative, but
I can think of at least 4 major reports that have simply been ignored. We will see.
[ Post Comment ]



 


Comment #7 posted by FoM on October 01, 2008 at 20:01:45 PT

Sinsemilla Jones 
One thing we've all learned is change takes time. It's slowly happening thankfully.
[ Post Comment ]



 


Comment #6 posted by Sinsemilla Jones on October 01, 2008 at 19:54:48 PT

You're welcome, FoM.
It is good news!First good news I've seen on the international front in a long time.
[ Post Comment ]



 


Comment #5 posted by FoM on October 01, 2008 at 19:51:29 PT

Sinsemilla Jones
Thank you. That's good news.
[ Post Comment ]



 


Comment #4 posted by Sinsemilla Jones on October 01, 2008 at 19:36:33 PT

Report to UN calls for end of Cannabis Prohibition
Report urges regulated market for cannabis to replace prohibition - The GuardianA report on cannabis prepared for next year's UN drug policy review will suggest that a "regulated market" would cause less harm than the current international prohibition. The report, which is likely to reopen the debate about cannabis laws, suggests that controls such as taxation, minimum age requirements and labelling could be explored.The Global Cannabis Commission report, which will be launched today at a conference in the House of Lords, has reached conclusions which its authors suggest "challenge the received wisdom concerning cannabis". It was carried out for the Beckley foundation, a UN-accredited NGO, for the 2009 UN strategic drug policy review.......much of the harm associated with cannabis use is "the result of prohibition itself...."http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/oct/02/drugsandalcohol.drugspolicy
[ Post Comment ]



 


Comment #3 posted by FoM on October 01, 2008 at 19:31:33 PT

gloovins
It's good to see you. I know what you mean. I'm at a point where I stick my fingers in my ears and say la la la la la la I can't hear you! LOL! Seriously I don't know where they come up with this stuff.
[ Post Comment ]



 


Comment #2 posted by gloovins on October 01, 2008 at 19:23:00 PT

Question...
for the "Citizens Protecting Michigan Kids"...What do you tell the kids, if you are successful and defeat the proposal, what do you tell kids about all the suffering that thousands of Michiganders have to now continue to live with because in the name of "protecting kids" your coalition blocked these ill citizens access to medical cannabis...relief..a brighter future...Ahh, don't worry, just give 'em some ritalin, everything will be okay,...you're protecting them, I see...crystal clear...hey this sure is good kool-aid that your pharmacutical company provided...mmmm...yum! Bahaha, I can't even take these people seriously anymore...
[ Post Comment ]



 


Comment #1 posted by NikoKun on October 01, 2008 at 16:39:11 PT

surpise? hah
Yet another group against MMJ... The reason? Ignorance, as always. -_-
[ Post Comment ]






  Post Comment