Show Me the Facts

Recently, I was made aware of a crowdsourcing attempt for a policy statement by Adriel Hampton, a hopeful congressional candidate in Northern California, regarding the Drug War. While I have never written anything for any one political individual, the prospect of writing something that could so directly affect our flawed laws was quite appealing.

The following is my submission for Mr. Hampton’s policy statement about the Drug War (specifically marijuana). While I am aware that most policy statements adhere strictly to descriptions of policy, I feel that marijuana is a very dense issue with a very intricate history. A history that must be taken into account if we are going to make an educated decision about an important issue.

You can vote on my submission here (it is titled “Legalization of Cannabis for the Good of our Citizens”) and read it below.

If you enjoy it, feel free to let @adrielhampton know on twitter.

Continue reading

Via: Libertarian Perspective: Respond to Medical Pot Raids with Legalization:

Activists are outraged over President Obama’s raid of Emmalyn’s California Cannabis Clinic in San Francisco (http://www.mpp.org/states/california/news/ca/dea-raids-pot-dispensary-in.html), but they should not be surprised.

Obama’s attorney general, Eric Holder, had promised to end federal medical marijuana raids as conducted by the Clinton and Bush administrations, leaving alone dispensaries operating legally under state law (http://www.ocregister.com/articles/policy-marijuana-judge-2345186-lynch-department). Obama broke the spirit of the promise, but not the letter. The excuse for this last raid was state law violations — supposedly, sales taxes were being evaded. Now the feds will probably prosecute under federal law.

The state government was not agitating for a crackdown. Sacramento was not complaining about sales tax evasion. San Francisco had given a permit to this dispensary.

Continue reading