> (www.mapinc.org) & DrugSense (www.drugsense.org)] > > > The recent arrest of Steve Kubby and his wife can be seen as an > important > test of the resolve of Bill Lockyer to make good on his promise to > implement 215 in a meaningful way. It can also be seen as an important > opportunity for reformers educate the media and the public about the > realities of a host of drug reform issues. > > Background: > For those Californians for whom the idea of "medical marijuana," in its > least contentious form has simply meant that severely symptomatic > patients > should not be forced to buy medicine from a criminal black market and > should not face arrest for possession and use of a medication which > provides them with unique, and sometimes lifesaving relief, the past > two-and-a-half years has been both an emotional roller-coaster and a > revelation. > > The roller-coaster has been the result of each new endorsement by voters > alternating with each new outrage from entrenched law enforcement > interests, long used to riding roughshod over their opposition on drug > policy issues. > > The revelation ahs beento see how fierceky and illogically cops, > sheriffs, and prosecutors cling to their need to demonize mj. > > After the idea was twice shepherded through the legislature by Sen > Vasconcellos, it was vetoed by an implacably "law-and-order" governor, > firmly in the grip of the powerful prison guards union. Supporters were > left with no choice but to seek to place an initiative on the ballot. > This > was done in 1996 with the aid of paid signature gatherers financed > partially by George Soros and other wealthy challengers of the status > quo. > > The measure faced near universal opposition from the political > establishment and from law enforcement. Organized medicine was cautious > and > uncertain, save for a few outspoken protagonists, mostly among > physicians > treating AIDS patients, and to a lesser extent, some oncologists. The > only > county medical society to recommend passage was San Francisco; the CMA > took > a pusillanimous "anti" stance. As late as July, 1996, the measure > seemed > to be drifting uncertainly, probably headed for narrow defeat. > > Then came the raid on the SF CBC, orchestrated by Dan Lungren. It > garnered > nation wide publicity and focused attention on the issue, as well ason > the > gubernatorial aspirations of California's AG. The triumph of 215 in Nov. > '96, together with overwhelming passage of a similar initiative in AZ > focused national attention on medical marijuana and on drug policy > reform > in general. It also revealed the implacable resistance of the law > enforcement/corrections establishment to any loosening of mj prohibition > and tended to validate Dan Baum's thesis that mj prohibition is the > engine > driving US prison expansion. > > Without going into too much detail, the ensuing 2 years have confirmed > two > realities: marijuana prohibition, including die-hard resistance to > compromise on medical mj is a major concern to local cops, sheriffs and > prosecutors as well as the feds; the public, on the other hand > understands > and endorses the notion of medical marijuana. > > In California, this ongoing conflict has been thrown into sharp relief > by > events of the first three weeks of 1999: > > Newly elected AG Bill Lockyer has openly endorsed the idea of medical > mj > and has pledged to seek ways to make it work. On the other hand, all of > the > prosecutions of distributors which were initiated under his predecessor > have continued to go forward. In addition, 2 new police initiatives have > been taken against well known advocates of medical marijuana: > > 1) the double arrest of Richard Evans in San Francisco (described > elsewhere). Richard is now out on bail and faces arraignment on local > charges next week. He is clearly being used as a pawn to attack SF DA > Halinan, an outspoken advocate of medical mj. The attackers are not all > known at this point, but include Narcotics Lt. Crenshaw, ironically the > same man who agitated Lungren;s raid in '96 > > 2) On the state level, the Kubbys' arrest can be seen as a similar > challenge to AG Lockyer. The fact that $100 000 bail was sought (for > each) > and they were both released on OR speaks to the fact that there is a > power > struggle going on within the law enforcement establishment. > > We need to write a flood of educational letters to the California press > about what's happening here. They have recently shown a high degree of > understanding on this issue, and the implacable "sheriff's position" is > making less and less sense to both them and the public. > We need to ask why the sheriffs are so wedded to the idea that mj is a > demon drug. Could it be that they need all those arrests to keep their > gravy train running? > > Steve Kubby's relative prominence and his willingness to speak out make > his arrest a wonderful opportunity for us. Don't forget to mention the > other victims of Reefer Madness as well: David Herrick, Marvin Chavez, > Jack Schecter, Peter Baez, Peter McWilliams and Todd McCormick. > Tom O'Connell
[Forwarded from the MAPTalk discussion list <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> via Tom O'Connell, MD <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>. Dr. O'Connell is a board member of MAP (www.mapinc.org) & DrugSense (www.drugsense.org)] The recent arrest of Steve Kubby and his wife can be seen as an important test of the resolve of Bill Lockyer to make good on his promise to implement 215 in a meaningful way. It can also be seen as an important opportunity for reformers educate the media and the public about the realities of a host of drug reform issues. Background: For those Californians for whom the idea of "medical marijuana," in its least contentious form has simply meant that severely symptomatic patients should not be forced to buy medicine from a criminal black market and should not face arrest for possession and use of a medication which provides them with unique, and sometimes lifesaving relief, the past two-and-a-half years has been both an emotional roller-coaster and a revelation. The roller-coaster has been the result of each new endorsement by voters alternating with each new outrage from entrenched law enforcement interests, long used to riding roughshod over their opposition on drug policy issues. The revelation ahs beento see how fierceky and illogically cops, sheriffs, and prosecutors cling to their need to demonize mj. After the idea was twice shepherded through the legislature by Sen Vasconcellos, it was vetoed by an implacably "law-and-order" governor, firmly in the grip of the powerful prison guards union. Supporters were left with no choice but to seek to place an initiative on the ballot. This was done in 1996 with the aid of paid signature gatherers financed partially by George Soros and other wealthy challengers of the status quo. The measure faced near universal opposition from the political establishment and from law enforcement. Organized medicine was cautious and uncertain, save for a few outspoken protagonists, mostly among physicians treating AIDS patients, and to a lesser extent, some oncologists. The only county medical society to recommend passage was San Francisco; the CMA took a pusillanimous "anti" stance. As late as July, 1996, the measure seemed to be drifting uncertainly, probably headed for narrow defeat. Then came the raid on the SF CBC, orchestrated by Dan Lungren. It garnered nation wide publicity and focused attention on the issue, as well ason the gubernatorial aspirations of California's AG. The triumph of 215 in Nov. '96, together with overwhelming passage of a similar initiative in AZ focused national attention on medical marijuana and on drug policy reform in general. It also revealed the implacable resistance of the law enforcement/corrections establishment to any loosening of mj prohibition and tended to validate Dan Baum's thesis that mj prohibition is the engine driving US prison expansion. Without going into too much detail, the ensuing 2 years have confirmed two realities: marijuana prohibition, including die-hard resistance to compromise on medical mj is a major concern to local cops, sheriffs and prosecutors as well as the feds; the public, on the other hand understands and endorses the notion of medical marijuana. In California, this ongoing conflict has been thrown into sharp relief by events of the first three weeks of 1999: Newly elected AG Bill Lockyer has openly endorsed the idea of medical mj and has pledged to seek ways to make it work. On the other hand, all of the prosecutions of distributors which were initiated under his predecessor have continued to go forward. In addition, 2 new police initiatives have been taken against well known advocates of medical marijuana: 1) the double arrest of Richard Evans in San Francisco (described elsewhere). Richard is now out on bail and faces arraignment on local charges next week. He is clearly being used as a pawn to attack SF DA Halinan, an outspoken advocate of medical mj. The attackers are not all known at this point, but include Narcotics Lt. Crenshaw, ironically the same man who agitated Lungren;s raid in '96 2) On the state level, the Kubbys' arrest can be seen as a similar challenge to AG Lockyer. The fact that $100 000 bail was sought (for each) and they were both released on OR speaks to the fact that there is a power struggle going on within the law enforcement establishment. We need to write a flood of educational letters to the California press about what's happening here. They have recently shown a high degree of understanding on this issue, and the implacable "sheriff's position" is making less and less sense to both them and the public. We need to ask why the sheriffs are so wedded to the idea that mj is a demon drug. Could it be that they need all those arrests to keep their gravy train running? Steve Kubby's relative prominence and his willingness to speak out make his arrest a wonderful opportunity for us. Don't forget to mention the other victims of Reefer Madness as well: David Herrick, Marvin Chavez, Jack Schecter, Peter Baez, Peter McWilliams and Todd McCormick. Tom O'Connell ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
