Governors ask Obama to Reschedule Cannabis

From the MPP:

GOVERNORS ASK OBAMA TO RESCHEDULE MARIJUANA

Governor Christine Gregoire of Washington

"WASHINGTON, D.C. – On a press call this afternoon, Governor Lincoln Chaffee of Rhode Island and Governor Christine Gregoire of Washington announced that they have petitioned the federal government to change the schedule of marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act, a move they claim will remove the conflict between federal drug laws and state laws that allow the establishment of medical marijuana dispensaries or compassion centers. Currently, marijuana is listed as Schedule I by the Drug Enforcement Agency alongside heroin and LSD, which means that the federal government considers marijuana to have no accepted medical use."

Governor Lincoln Chaffee of Rhode Island

Thanks guys. Nice try and keep it up. But this continues to be ridiculous. The medical use of Cannabis has nothing to do with anything and it shouldn't. Is alcohol listed as an accepted medical use drug? Apparently. So if it is, then Cannabis should be. If it isn't then what are we talking about? I don't quite get it. Alcohol is a far more dangerous drug. Talk about Cannabis is about long term effects. Alcohol, kills people now, today, daily, by the hour though drunk driving, alcohol inspired violence, family abuse, on and on.

But that is all okay, because Cannabis is a vile deadly drug with no medical value regardless of how cancer victims feel. Right?

Perhaps we need a Governor who will just set up State run, State approved Cannabis distribution centers. "Bud Stores". Ignore the Federal Government as they are ignoring the people about this. You know, we have always been a country giving the minority acceptance and consideration and protection, or that's the theory anyway, African Americans might argue that point, and Mexicans, and Asians, Gays, and, well, never mind. Yet we persecute those who use a naturally growing substance that is far less than alcohol. It would actually make more sense to make alcohol illegal and legalize Cannabis.

Legal pot and illegal booze: direct crime would drop dramatically. ER visits would drop dramatically. Crimes of physical violence would drop. Yes, alcohol related illegal sales and distribution, indirect actions, would increase exponentially, but that's to be expected. We've seen prohibition. Yet, we keep trying to maintain the prohibition of Cannabis with the deluded stated belief that it is nothing like prohibition of alcohol. Hiding the figures, scheduling it as a drug as dangerous as LSD (its not, and neither is acid as dangerous as itself) and Heroin which is one of the top dangerous and addictive drugs, along with Meth, cocaine, and prescription drugs.

Why it matters whether Cannabis has any medical value, should have anything to do with its legality is unknown and obfuscated. If people don't drop dead of it, and they want it, how is that the government's business, unless it makes government and law enforcement bigger and more wasteful. Which is what it seems government is all about anymore. Waste and being irrational (see previous blog on the Posse Comitatus law).

Thank you Governors for being one of the few who are standing up and pointing out who is the problem (federal government) and trying to evoke change that makes sense.

The Marijuana Policy Project had a mixed reaction to the news:

"This is a good first step, in that it shows that politicians are catching up with the scientific consensus, which is that marijuana has medical value,” said Rob Kampia, executive director of the Marijuana Policy Project. “If it succeeds, federal law will finally acknowledge that fact. Rescheduling marijuana, however, will not change the federal penalties for possessing, cultivating, or distributing medical marijuana. That is the change we really need. These governors should be insisting that the federal government allow them to run their medical marijuana operations the ways they see fit, which should include selling medical marijuana through state-licensed dispensaries.”

"Rhode Island passed a law mandating the creation of three compassion centers throughout the state prior to Gov. Chafee’s term, but Gov. Chafee failed to implement the law, citing fears of federal enforcement against compassion centers operators. Similar legislation was passed in Washington earlier this year, but significant portions of the bill were vetoed by Gov. Gregoire, including a plan to legally establish medical marijuana distribution centers. Both governors pointed to a series of threatening letters sent by U.S. attorneys suggesting that medical marijuana dispensaries could be targeted."

Also, MPP Endorses Global Initiative for Drug Policy Reform:

"Last week, the Beckley Foundation announced the launch of the Global Initiative for Drug Policy Reform at the UK’s House of Lords. This project is made up of senior policy representatives from around the world. Together with the Global Commission on Drug Policy, which issued a damning report on current prohibition strategies earlier this year, the Initiative is taking important steps toward starting an international discussion on how to move beyond the failed current drug control system.

"MPP is proud to be a signatory to this initiative and will be doing everything we can to help spread the conversation on ending marijuana prohibition worldwide, as well as increasing pressure on the United States to reform their position on international drug treaties."