cannabisnews.com: MJ Street Fair Fuels Debate Over Legalization
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MJ Street Fair Fuels Debate Over Legalization
Posted by CN Staff on September 04, 2011 at 05:10:22 PT
By Daniel B. Wood, Staff Writer
Source: Christian Science Monitor
Los Angeles -- Standing outside a medical marijuana dispensary in southern California, Lucy Baldwin muses on one of the great social and political debates here.“I thought the threat of marijuana acceptance in California was over with the defeat of Prop. 19, but now it seems to be back,” says the single mother of two teens. “I think it’s a bad idea for grownups to be modeling behavior that is ultimately very detrimental to youth. It leads them in the wrong direction.”
Morgan Fox, communications director for the Marijuana Policy Project, holds an opposite opinion.“When we stop blowing it out of proportion as a society and learn to deal with this commonly used substance in a calm and reasonable manner, we see that the sky does not fall and life goes on as before,” he says. The two comments frame a debate that is being fueled by the International Cannabis & Hemp Expo outside Oakland City Hall this weekend – a five-block street fair including music, booths, hundreds of vendors, and a designated area where medical marijuana cardholders can light up weed.Once projected to win by a large margin, California’s Proposition 19 – which would have allowed local governments to regulate and tax the legal sale of marijuana – was narrowly defeated last November (54-47 percent).But proponents say public attitudes have been changing for several years and that the expo is the latest evidence.Although some local residents are against the idea, marijuana advocates say the event is no big deal because it was held at Oakland’s Cow Palace two years in a row and is moving to the street simply because of a state moratorium on drug use inside state facilities.“Events such as this are not new in California and elsewhere. This seems like it is simply the first one to be held in the street,” says Fox. “Providing medical marijuana patients with a place to use their medicine privately and away from minors, while still enjoying a public festival or other event, is a considerate and rational course of action.” Pro-marijuana forces are seizing the opportunity to repeat their selling points from the initiative battle – that far from leading kids astray, legalization would improve the quality and safety of the product while providing income for law enforcement. “The fact that Oakland officials seem eager to hold this event on city property shows just how much legalizing and regulating the cannabis industry has benefited the city,” says Tom Angell, media relations director for Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, a Massachusetts organization that describes itself as “made up of current and former members of the law enforcement and criminal justice communities who are speaking out about the failures of our existing drug policies.” “Bringing the marijuana trade above-ground not only allows the city to take in much-needed tax revenue it otherwise wouldn't have,” Angell says, “but it reduces crime and violence by putting the street gangs who would otherwise sell marijuana to people who want it out of business.” To Lucy Baldwin, those arguments are simply the nose of a nice-looking camel nudging its way into her tent. First came California’s Prop. 215, the 1996 ballot initiative that legalized personal use of medical marijuana for those who had doctor’s prescriptions. That was followed by the proliferation of dispensaries which, she says, legitimized people who were only thinly-veiled drug dealers and who sold drugs too close to schools, playgrounds, and churches. Oakland’s Oaksterdam University opened in November 2007 to offer training for the cannabis industry with a stated mission to “legitimize the business and work to change the law to make cannabis legal.” It has graduated over 8,000 students. Campuses have since opened in Los Angeles, Sebastopol, and Michigan. Since expo organizers are selling the $20 tickets to adults only and limiting entry points, they expect only about 20,000 people to attend. But Baldwin says the speakers, vendors, booths – and pot smell – will be in everybody’s face. “Kids will look over and see what’s going on and will wonder why it’s so exclusive and that will make it cool to them,” she says. “We don’t need this.” But marijuana advocates point to several polls over the past 10 years that show public resistance to marijuana is dying out in several parts of the country. That has come with the high financial cost of fighting the drug war and the high social cost of locking up thousands of people when regulating it could provide revenues to economically-strapped law enforcement agencies.“Events such as this reflect the reality that despite 70-plus years of federal prohibition, cannabis culture is not only surviving but thriving,” says Paul Armentano, deputy director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), also on the faculty of Oaksterdam, in an email.“Oakland voters and city officials have consistently voiced their support for marijuana legalization and regulation, as is evident by their willingness to embrace this event,” he says. “It makes no sense for the federal government to continue to cling to a policy that improperly classifies the tens of thousands of people attending this weekend’s event as criminals who deserve to be arrested, prosecuted, and incarcerated for their use of a substance that is objectively safer than either alcohol or tobacco.”Source: Christian Science Monitor (US)Author: Daniel B. Wood, Staff WriterPublished: September 3, 2011Copyright: 2011 The Christian Science Publishing SocietyURL: http://tinyurl.com/3qts6tqContact: letters csmonitor.comWebsite: http://www.csmonitor.com/ CannabisNews -- Cannabis Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/cannabis.shtml
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Comment #25 posted by Hope on September 08, 2011 at 12:57:13 PT
Comment 24
I hope you guys voted.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #24 posted by Hope on September 07, 2011 at 23:03:20 PT
A poll/debate/vote
Debate: Legalize marijuana? And a look at demand side policies in the U.S. war on drugshttp://globalpublicsquare.blogs.cnn.com/2011/09/07/debate-legalize-marijuana-and-a-look-at-demand-side-policies-in-the-u-s-war-on-drugs/
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #23 posted by FoM on September 07, 2011 at 16:26:31 PT
Off Topic: Very Inspirational
There isn't any important news to post and if you haven't been watching America's Got Talent this group will make you smile.America's Got Talent - Silhouettes - Top 10 Semi-Finals 2011 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-S8WeS_W6Vw
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #22 posted by Hope on September 07, 2011 at 13:18:48 PT
Thanks, Afterburner.
I think that Magic Trip might be like one of the reality shows we see so much of today... but fifty year old reality. That would be cool, probably. Besides they look like they had a lot of fun. DdC is a some kind of mad man/whiz with the computer. He has compiled an astounding amount of information and made some brilliant commentary on it all over the years. He's passionate for the cause, no doubt.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #21 posted by afterburner on September 07, 2011 at 10:36:16 PT
Hope #16 - Fascinating Shtuff
I just spent about half an hour reviewing DdC's post. So many great memories. So much potential. So much suppressed by today's mainstream media. But the Internet marches on.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #20 posted by afterburner on September 07, 2011 at 09:51:07 PT
Hope #12 - It's Available on Streaming, DVD soon!
1. Magic Trip (Theatrical Rental).
[4 stars/ 5 stars]. (4)[customer reviews].
Amazon Instant Video.
Rent: $6.99.
Watch instantly on your PC, Mac, compatible TV or device.
http://www.amazon.com/Magic-Trip-Theatrical-Rental/dp/B0058ZZHXC/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1315413430&sr=1-12.
Product Details.
Magic Trip Starring Stanley Tucci, Ken Kesey and Timothy Leary (2011).
[4 stars/ 5 stars]. (4 customer reviews).
DVD.
Buy new: [List price:] $26.98 [Price:] $20.99.
Available for Pre-order. This item will be released on November 1, 2011.
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http://www.amazon.com/Magic-Trip-Stanley-Tucci/dp/B005HI4LLO/ref=sr_1_2?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1315413430&sr=1-2
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #19 posted by Hope on September 06, 2011 at 18:18:53 PT
Ethan Nadelmann speaking at Vail Conference
His part starts at about twenty three minutes. He speaks well.The whole video is worth watching. But I'm very impressed with Nadelmann's speech.http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/LegalizationoOutstanding, Mr. Nadelmann. Absolutely outstanding.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #18 posted by Hope on September 06, 2011 at 15:41:37 PT
Magic Trip
I guess it wasn't all that successful. It was released August 5 and I don't remember seeing it advertised. Maybe it will be on tv soon.http://www.magictripmovie.com/
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #17 posted by Hope on September 06, 2011 at 14:17:38 PT
Ken Kesey
slipped this mortal coil November 10, 2001. Hopefully, if he is anything... he's alright.:0)It looks interesting for sure. But I'm not sure many people will go out to the movies to see it. It looks like it would be fun and a "trip" back in time. I wonder if it's going to be at all the theaters or just some select movie houses.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #16 posted by Hope on September 06, 2011 at 14:11:32 PT
Thank God for Hippies
http://endingcannabisprohibition.yuku.com/topic/1148This is cool page DdC put together. It looks like there is a lot of interesting reading there. It has "Hippy links" as well.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #15 posted by FoM on September 06, 2011 at 14:02:16 PT
Hope
I didn't know that was his name. I have wondered about him many times and am glad to know he is OK. I would love to see the movie but my DVD player isn't working.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #14 posted by FoM on September 06, 2011 at 13:58:51 PT
Hope
I felt that way years ago and still feel that way now.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #13 posted by Hope on September 06, 2011 at 13:43:41 PT
FoM, you said,
"Trying to fix that is important to me not people trying to be at the top of some imaginary ladder."Yes. I do understand that.I'm glad of it and I appreciate your feelings about it. Very much.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #12 posted by Hope on September 06, 2011 at 13:28:32 PT
Wow! This is great.
http://cannabisculture.com/v2/content/2011/08/30/Magic-Trip-Ken-Kesey-s-Search-Kool-PlaceHat tip to DdC.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #11 posted by Hope on September 06, 2011 at 13:22:31 PT
FoM
That sounds true and right.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #10 posted by FoM on September 06, 2011 at 12:48:01 PT
Hope
That's what it is. We have been given a lot of leeway with Obama but people seem to forget how bad it was under Bush. If we stay steady, appreciative, patient and respectful we will win sooner rather then later. I know no one likes being restricted but life is full of restrictions and we deal with it or it can consume us. Pot shops are not important as far as changing the laws for all U.S. citizens. Some live in very hostile states concerning marijuana in general. Trying to fix that is important to me not people trying to be at the top of some imaginary ladder.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #9 posted by Hope on September 06, 2011 at 12:25:12 PT
FoM
They let their expectations and hopes get out of control. They felt it so strongly that they felt he must really be saying what they hope to hear from him... between the lines. Acting exactly like those one claims to despise. It's an odd phenomenon that comes of extreme dislike, without mercy... hatred.Makes me sigh.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #8 posted by FoM on September 06, 2011 at 11:47:58 PT
Hope
I have seen people on our side use condescending words that are similar to the prohibitionist. I noticed how they pushed Obama way past what he ever implied when he was running for president and then complain and say he lied. They act like the spoiled child who asks for something and gets it then wants more and more. When the child doesn't get more he or she will get angry and haughty. If a parent is smart they tune out until the child gets over the bad and pushy attitude. We really shouldn't ever act like the other side or we will just spin our wheels.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #7 posted by Hope on September 06, 2011 at 11:21:50 PT
I like this that Morgan Fox said.
"“When we stop blowing it out of proportion as a society and learn to deal with this commonly used substance in a calm and reasonable manner, we see that the sky does not fall and life goes on as before,” he says."
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #6 posted by Hope on September 06, 2011 at 11:16:40 PT
That's good that you can turn it off.
I think I usually don't let it get to me... but sometimes it does.It's contempt. I have disgusted feelings, contempt, for the haughty, arrogant, self centered and self righteous contemptuous folk that easily hold others in contempt. I have seen people that use cannabis treated contemptuously by others because of the cannabis use alone. There may be reasons for people to hold some people in contempt... but not for using an herb. I think.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #5 posted by FoM on September 06, 2011 at 10:21:48 PT
Hope
I only scanned the article when I said I agree with it. When I see how the writer lords it over in an article I don't let it register just like I don't let tv commercials register. I have an off switch in my mind. LOL!
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #4 posted by Hope on September 06, 2011 at 09:48:20 PT
Comment 1
Actually, I found that article to be offensive even though it is obviously a faint stirring of the truth coming out. Saying things like "sucking on a bong" and ""The possibility that cannabis is associated with a lower risk of obesity remains an interesting hypothesis, but certainly does not counterbalance its negative effects on health and mental health.""That is something that we've talked about here at C-News. The fact that some of us that have to watch our weight noticed that it was easier to stay leaner and healthier when we consumed cannabis regularly. In my own life I could see it because of the large gaps between the times I did and did not use cannabis. It may be part of the muscle smoothing business and that tends to easier and better use of the muscles. It may be the initial appetite dampening of the early part of having a nip of cannabis. Munchies come at the end of a high. If you add another nip before the end of the effect... you don't get the munchie part. I've got several ideas on why that might be.Anyway, many of us had already realized that. That was "Anecdotal" of course. But we knew it. Just like we've discussed that something in cannabis stops night terrors.It's an amazing plant and it's such an insult to all that is good for it to be prohibited. An egregious insult.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #3 posted by FoM on September 06, 2011 at 05:04:13 PT
Hope
I agree with that article.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #2 posted by greenmed on September 05, 2011 at 22:38:23 PT
Hope
That gives me the munchies!
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #1 posted by Hope on September 05, 2011 at 17:24:03 PT
Very interesting.
Marijuana smokers are thinner, less likely to be obese than non-smokers, according to new studyhttp://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/health/2011/09/04/2011-09-04_marijuana_smokers_are_thinner_less_likely_to_be_obese_than_nonsmokers_according_.html
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