Negative effects on personal liberty--Measure 80 part 7

  The next bit is a bit long and uses some arcane vocabulary (for some of which I've linked to wiktionary definitions), but it is really just an outline of the detrimental effects cannabis prohibition has on the rights and freedoms of Oregon citizens, and why it stands in violation of the Oregon Constitution:

Whereas the people hold that cannabis prohibition is a sumptuary law of a nature repugnant to our constitution’s framers and which is so unreasonable and liberticidal as to:

(a) Arbitrarily violate the rights of cannabis users to be secure against unreasonable search and seizure as guaranteed to them by Article 1, Section 9 of the Oregon Constitution;

(b) Unreasonably impose felony burdens on the cannabis users while the state grants special privileges to alcohol users, which violates Article 1, Section 20 of the Oregon Constitution;

(c) Unnecessarily proscribe consumption of a “herb bearing seed” given to humanity in Genesis 1:29, thereby violating their unqualified religious rights under Article 1, Section 3 and their Natural Rights under Article 1, Section 33 of the Oregon Constitution;

(d) Violates the individual’s right to privacy and numerous other Natural and Constitutional Rights reserved to the people under Article 1, Section 33 of the Oregon Constitution;

(e) Violates the state’s right to regulate and tax commerce within the state, as reserved to states under the 10th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, thereby abdicating control to illicit markets; and,

(f) Irrationally subvert the ends to which, in its Preamble, the Oregon Constitution was ordained and the purposes, in Article 1, Section 1, for which our government was instituted; now,

  By voting this into law, Oregon citizens are showing that we believe cannabis prohibition is inhibiting freedoms granted to us by the Oregon Constitution.

     (a) Because cannabis users are subject to unreasonable serach and seizure.

     (b) Article 1, Section 20 reads, in full:  "No law shall be passed granting to any citizen or class of 

          citizens privileges, or immunities, which, upon the same terms, shall not equally belong to all 

          citizens."  Adults over 21 who choose to use alcohol recreationally are afforded a privilege that

          is not given to adults over 21 who choose to use cannabis recreationally.

     (c & d) Article 1, Section 33 reads, in full: "This enumeration of rights, and privileges shall not be 

          construed to impair or deny others retained by the people."  There are no laws banning the use 

          of basil or thyme, because they are natural plants.  How can a naturally occuring plant be 

          illegal?  Also, what a person chooses to ingest is nobody's business but his or her own.

     (e)  According to the 10th Amendment of the US Constitution, the state of Oregon gets to decide 

           what gets bought and sold within Oregon's borders.

     (f)  The Preamble to the Oregon Constitution reads, in full: "We the people of the State of Oregon 

           to the end that Justice be established, order maintained, and liberty perpetuated, do ordain this 

           Constitution."  Cannabis prohibition subverts justice, breeds chaos and cuts short liberty.

Vote Yes on Measure 80 

Lessons from alcohol prohibition--Measure 80 part 6

  10 weeks from now the votes will be counted and hopefully we will have achieved our goal and legalized hemp and cannabis here in Oregon.  Let's continue the summary of what's in the text of Measure 80:

Whereas, the people recall that alcohol prohibition had caused many of the same social ills before being replaced by regulatory laws which, ever since, have granted alcohol users the privilege of buying alcohol from state licensees, imposed strict penalties protecting children, delivered alcohol of sure potency, and generated substantial public revenues; and,

  Luckily, this bit is about as straightforward as you can get.  The repeal of alcohol prohibition brought an end to gangsterism and violence and generated revenue from alcohol use instead of wasting it trying to stop it.  Furthermore, illegal drug dealers do not ask for ID or provide reliable information about the potency and purity of the product they provide, but anyone who wants to sell cannabis legally will be responsible to the law if they want to maintain their license.

Prohibition doesn't solve problems, it causes them--Measure 80 summary part 5

  The next section of the text of Measure 80 discusses problems caused by cannabis prohibition.

Whereas the people of the State of Oregon find that cannabis does not cause the social ills that its prohibition was intended to guard against; rather, that most of the social ills attributed to cannabis result from its unreasonable prohibition which:

(a) Provides incentives to traffic in marijuana instead of limiting its prevalence, since almost all cannabis users evade the prohibition, even though drastically expanding public safety budgets have reduced funding for other vital services such as education;

(b) Fosters a black market that exploits children, provides an economic subsidy for gangs, and sells cannabis of questionable purity and uncertain potency;

(c) Generates enormous, untaxed, illicit profits that debase our economy and corrupt our justice system; and,

(d) Wastes police resources, clogs our courts, and drains the public budget to no good effect; and,

  This basically means that because of cannabis prohibition, a substance that is relatively cheap to grow can be sold for huge profits through black market trafficking, which leads to several negative effects:

     (a)  Cannabis is only worth a lot of money because it is an illegal substance.  Allowing it to be 

            legal and cheap would remove the economic incentive for illegal trafficking. 

     (b)  In a black market, there is no incentive NOT to sell to minors, the profits are often used for 
            more nefarious purposes, and there is no guarantee that the product sold is what the seller 
            claims.
    

     (c)  Black markets are not subject to taxes

     (d)  Police spend time pursuing nonviolent "offenders" who then clog up the courts.

Vote Yes on Measure 80

The science is on our side: Measure 80 part 4

  The next portion of the text of Measure 80 lists facts from scientific studies that have been noted by various state courts, and which support the argument that cannabis should be legal.

Whereas the people find that, despite misinformation concocted to justify cannabis prohibition, the courts of Alaska, Hawaii and Michigan have noted presidential commission findings, scientific studies, and learned treatises which:

(a) Characterize cannabis as a relatively nonaddictive and comparatively harmless euphoriant used and cultivated for more than 10,000 years without a single lethal overdose;

(b) Demonstrate that moderate cannabis use causes very little impairment of psychomotor functions; reveal no significant physical, biochemical, or mental abnormalities attributable solely to cannabis use; and that long-term, heavy cannabis users do not deviate significantly from their social peers in terms of mental function;

(c) Disprove the “stepping stone” or “gateway drug” argument that cannabis use leads to other drugs; rather, that lies taught about cannabis, once discovered, destroy the credibility of valid educational messages about moderate and responsible use and valid warnings against other truly dangerous drugs;

(d) Indicate that cannabis users are less likely to commit violent acts than alcohol users, refute the argument that cannabis causes criminal behavior, and suggest that most users avoid aggressive behavior, even in the face of provocation; and

(e) Declare that cannabis use does not constitute a public health problem of any significant dimension; finds no rational basis for treating cannabis as more dangerous than alcohol; and

  Basically, this says that state courts have noted studies which show the following:

     (a)  Cannabis is less addictive than caffeine and there is no known lethal overdose.

     (b)  Moderate cannabis users are functional members of society, and even long-term, heavy users  

            tend to perform as well on tests of mental function as others in their age range.

     (c)  Cannabis is not a gateway drug, but is, in fact, useful as an "exit drug" to help addicts manage

            withdrawal and successfully maintain recovery; if we tell kids that cannabis is dangerous and

            they try it and find out that it's not, they are more likely to believe that the dangers of heroin

            have been overstated as well.

     (d)  People who use cannabis tend to seek peaceful resolutions to problems and to respect the 

            rights and property of others.

     (e)  By any measure, cannabis is safer than alcohol.

Vote Yes on Measure 80 

Already our biggest cash crop--Measure 80 part 3

   The third point of justification for the proposed law is stated very succinctly in the next section of Measure 80:

Whereas the people find that cannabis is Oregon’s largest cash crop, indicating that cannabis prohibition has failed; and,

  That's right.  Cannabis is already Oregon's biggest cash crop--but, except for the money paid by patients into the OMMP program, the state is not benefiting financially from the fruits of some of our finest farmers.  Measure 80 will not only allow cannabis sales to be taxed and regulated, but it will also enable Oregon's farmers to start growing industrial hemp, the benefits of which were mentioned at the opening of the Measure.

  Cannabis prohibition has failed, and Oregon can help lead the way out.

Vote Yes on Measure 80.

Measure 80 summary part 2: Facts About Some Founding Fathers

  75 days until ballots need to be in.  Let's look at the next part of the text of Measure 80:

Whereas the people find that federal and corporate misinformation campaigns that economically benefit small groups of people have suppressed the information above and the fact that:

(a) George Washington grew cannabis for more than 30 years and, while he was President, said, “the artificial preparation of hemp is really a curiosity” and told his Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton, that he was, “suggesting the policy of encouraging the growth of Hemp”;

(b) Thomas Jefferson invented a device to process cannabis, and cannabis fiber was used for most clothing and paper production until the invention of the cotton gin;

(c) Gouverneur Morris of Pennsylvania, who spoke at the U.S. Constitutional Convention in 1787 more than any other delegate and of whom James Madison said, “the style and finish of the Constitution properly belongs to the pen of Gouverneur Morris,” wrote a paper he sent to Thomas Jefferson called, “Notes Respecting Tobacco” that compared cannabis and tobacco and concluded that cannabis “is to be preferred”; and, 

  In plain words, this section says that the Federal government and corporate interests have worked very hard to get people to think that cannabis is simply bad.  "In order not to give the wrong message to our children," the beneficial nature of the cannabis plant has been officially denied, and historical facts about cannabis have been suppressed.  I think it's hard to find fault with that statement.

  Throughout the time our country was founded, cannabis was not only legal, but an integral part of the economy, and that the Founding Fathers enjoyed the benefits of cannabis through industrial as well as recreational uses.  George Washington and Thomas Jefferson grew cannabis, and Gouverneur Morris, who wrote out the final copy of the Constitution with his own hand on hemp paper, preferred smoking cannabis to smoking tobacco.

Vote Yes on Measure 80

76 days: Measure 80 explained part 1

  Just like I promised in my last entry, I'm going to present the text of Measure 80, starting with the first line and continuing through til I make it to the very end.  Here's how it starts:

The Proposed Law:

The Oregon Cannabis Tax Act

Whereas the people of the State of Oregon find that Cannabis hemp is an environmentally beneficial crop that:

(a) Yields several times more fiber, for paper and textiles, than any other plant;

(b) Yields cloth and paper of superior strength and durability without the application of pesticides during cultivation and without producing cancer-causing pollutants during processing;

(c) Yields more seed oil and protein, for prodigious and ecological biodiesel fuel, plastics and nutritious food, than any other plant;

(d) Yields more biomass than any other plant outside the tropics, though it grows well in the tropics too, and grows faster than any other plant on earth in the temperate and cooler climates;

(e) Yields a substance that relieves the suffering of many ill people without life-threatening side effects; and,

  This is all pretty self-explanatory.  Cannabis hemp is a kick-butt plant that could replace fossil fuels and petroleum based products and produces medically beneficial substances without life-threatening side effects, and it grows fast and well just about anywhere.

Vote Yes on Measure 80

11 weeks to pass Measure 80

  I don't always feel like writing in this blog, but I'm doing it anyway because I feel like it's a tangible contribution I can make every day.  Right now I can't particularly afford to make any kind of significant monetary donation to the Measure 80 campaign, but I can spend 10 minutes a night writing something that I hope will help convince other people to talk with their friends about the benefits of legalizing cannabis and hemp.  
  In fact, I'd like it even more if people take the time to become knowledgeable and read the text of Measure 80 so that they can talk intelligently with friends who like the idea of legalizing in theory, but are concerned about details of this particular piece of legislation.  It's fairly long, and what I'm going to do over the next several entries is go through Measure 80 from the start and explain what I think each section means and what concerns it might raise for people on the fence.

Vote Yes on Measure 80

78 days to pass Measure 80

  11 weeks from now, I'm imagining a difficult night, unless the poll numbers are extremely in our favor.  So, in the interest of that night's sleep, I'd certainly appreciate it if everybody reading this would commit to convincing one person that voting Yes on Measure 80 is the right thing to do and that continuing to keep hemp and cannabis illegal even one day longer than we already have is an injustice to the entire planet.

  Or maybe just tell them that passing Measure 80 will enable Oregon to establish a foothold in one of the most promising industries of the 21st century.  

Vote Yes on Measure 80

79 days and counting

  I worry about getting overly optimistic about Measure 80's chance of passing.  This is because I am all too well aware that the social circles in which I move, and the Facebook posts I follow, seem to be roughly 90% pro cannabis, and much of the outside world--even in Oregon--does not share my thoroughly positive attitude toward the plant.  This is why I keep coming back to the same issue:  the need to convince our friends and neighbors that prohibition doesn't work (which certainly seems like an obvious enough argument to make) and that, for 4925 of the last 5000 years, humans across the planet considered the cannabis plant as versatile, beneficial and necessary for a fulfilling human life as those of us calling for legalization today.

Vote Yes on Measure 80 and be sure to tell your friends that for 99.997% of civilized history cannabis was considered vital for the health and progress of humanity.

79 days til votes are counted for Measure 80

  I didn't have a chance to write an entry last night, because I was busy volunteering at the Cafe and there was a lot more for me to do because so many of our volunteers went up to Hempfest for the weekend.  We all have to work together to move forward on legalization; sometimes that means writing a blog, and sometimes it means unclogging drains or cleaning toilets.  The work is not always pleasant or exciting or easy, but it all has to be done, and if enough of us do the unpleasant, boring and difficult job of convincing people of the truth without driving them crazy in the process.

Vote Yes on Measure 80.

81 days hoping for constructive dialogue

  Since I didn't get to my computer until after midnight tonight, it's now technically only 81 days until all the ballots are counted.  This weekend is the huge Hempfest event in Seattle, and a lot of people from Oregon will be attending.  I hope that somehow a constructive dialogue between those who have such a legitimate problem with the per se 5 nanogram limit written into the Washington initiative (I 502) that is headed for the ballot up in Washington on the same day that we will vote here on Measure 80.

 Basically, the problem with the law is that, as long as we are able to treat ourselves with the most effective medication for our health issues, THOUSANDS of patients wake up every morning after a good nights sleep with well more than the 5 parts per billion of THC in our blood, and no firm correlation has been attached between blood levels and impairment levels for marijuana.  I am hopeful that we can develop a constructive dialogue with law enforcement and prevent impaired drivers from getting behind the wheel.  To do so, there needs to be a reliable test that measures IMPAIRMENT independently of blood levels.  Important research needs to be done, so that we can be sure to keep our roads safe.

Vote Yes on Measure 80 and encourage your friends to also support Measure 80 and help us make history.

83 days to allow Hemp agriculture & industry

Think about how much plastic you threw away today.  Every one of those wrappers is likely to be sitting around in a landfill for generations, if not centuries.  Those petroleum-based plastics that break down at all tend to leach dioxins into the soil, leaving behind poisons that make their way up the food chain, wreaking havoc on the organisms who ingest them. 

Anything that can be made from petroleum, can be made non-toxically with hemp.  The floating continent of plastic in the Pacific Ocean is not only an eyesore, but dangerous to marine life.  We need to use less, and the products that depend on plastic ought to be made from a cheap, biological--and therefore BIODEGRADABLE--form. 

Vote "Yes" on Measure 80 and allow Oregon to become the cradle of a new generation of green industry.

12 weeks from today

 
I'm very glad to know that the NAACP has now endorsed Measure 80.  This should not be too surprising to anyone who knows how much more likely an African American is to be arrested for a marijuana offense.  The Drug War has unjustly torn apart families since it began, and African Americans are disproportionately stopped and searched and generally hassled in the hopes of finding a reason to make an arrest.      

Suffice it to say that the Blogger program is giving me trouble this evening.  It's not letting me edit properly, and I want to stick by my 10 minutes a night rule, so here are my main thoughts for the day: by voting Yes on Measure 80, we will all be helping to end the persistently racist tendencies of too many law enforcement policies and procedures.  Let's move forward and begin to live up to our ideals better than we have in the past.

85 days to make our case for Measure 80

  So what did I do today to further the cause?  Besides noticing that 13 people read what I wrote last night (hooray), I tried to put a woman who is interviewing mothers who smoke pot in touch with my friend, Serra Frank.  Serra is the founder of Moms for Marijuana, and she continues to do important work to remove the negative stigma that has grown up around marijuana use by trying to get people who actually smoke pot and like it to admit to the world that they like to smoke pot.
  The fact is, normal people smoke pot and like it and do not think that they should go to jail for smoking it.  People avoid this safer alternative to alcohol because they don't want to worry about being arrested and they don't want to have to deal with a criminal element to obtain the herb that does so much to help them relax. 

Vote Yes on Measure 80 and please have reasonable conversations with friends about the benefits we stand to reap by ending marijuana prohibition and developing green technology made possible by industrial hemp.

86 DAYS TO GET IT DONE

I'm going to do a quick blog post every day from now until all the votes are counted November 6 and this is how it's going to be:  I'm going to spend exactly 10 minutes on it, and that's pretty much my only rule.  I've already used up a good bit of that time tonight, so I'd better get to business.

Today was my son's 11th birthday, so I devoted as much time and thought as I could to him all day.  I continue to think about him now, of course, and hope the world he is maturing into is one in which parents do not have to lie to their children out of fear of having them taken away if the truth that one or both of the parents enjoy using cannabis becomes known. 

Tell your friends to vote "Yes" on Measure 80 even if they don't currently use cannabis.  Someday they might want to.