In 2011, I made this comment here

[RainDog]

Ed Rosenthal (a long-time marijuana activist) talks about change...specifically in the context of our time -

He talked about how no one expected the Soviet Union to dissolve, no one expected the Berlin Wall to be torn down (and, no matter what Reagan said, his administration didn't see what was happening... mostly in Hungary, btw, that led to the chain of events that brought down the Soviet empire.)

Sometimes change seems like it will never happen - and then, suddenly, it does.

This is also something Gladwell talks about in The Tipping Point. Rosenthal also mentions that book and said, when his video speech was made a few years ago, that we are at a tipping point - and we are.

One action can change the current abuse of power.

We are now at a point at which an overwhelming majority approve of medical marijuana legalization and a slim majority supports legalization of all marijuana.

Our economy isn't looking all that great. Allowing a new market to flourish is just what FDR did in relation to alcohol prohibition, too.

There are economic, medical, constitutional and health arguments that make far more sense than the policy we have at this time... comes a time...

I hope that time is soon. It's coming.

from this thread: http://www.democraticunderground.com/117069

Americans are calling on Obama to fire current DEA chief Michelle Leonhart

The media is talking about Holder rescheduling marijuana without waiting for Congress. Great idea. Fast track medicine to parents of children with seizure disorders. Make it safe for them to purchase for their child.

The rest is just gravy. The meat of the issue is the medical benefit for those who have found other treatments do not work.

Yes. We can.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. I hope you're right.

It would be so good for the country.

[RainDog]

2. It's amazing to see what's happening, frankly

It does feel like the wall of prohibition is falling.

Eighty years of failed drug policy. Time for smarter approaches.

[pacalo]

3. The momentum coming from citizens who want legalization is building...

...even in southern states, like Louisiana:

A fiscal note for Badon's 2013 legislation noted the state could save $1.6 million in the first year after the passage of such legislation. Savings would ramp up after that, with a total of $8.1 million in reduced incarceration costs predicted in subsequent years.

Lawmakers will convene the 2014 legislative session on March 10. While Badon's bill is currently the only one dealing with the subject of marijuana, other bills addressing marijuana penalties and medical use are expected to be filed.

http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/01/medical_marijuana_pot_louisian.html#incart_river

[RainDog]

4. I KNOW! It's GREAT to see what is happening in the south

Florida, Georgia, Texas, Tennessee, Arkansas...off the top of my head - are all considering medical legal marijuana or changes to possession and sentencing laws.

That's WONDERFUL news.

I think Sanjay Gupta's report on the medical benefits was the real tipping point.

[pacalo]

6. It sure is effective for aches & pains...

I'm crossing my fingers (& writing letters)!

[RainDog]

8. ...

[defacto7]

5. Yes!

K & R

[RainDog]

7. I hope Holder will reschedule

rather than mess with the teabagger house.

what a nightmare.

[SomethingFishy]

9. The game is already over.. We won.

The nation owes Colorado a vote of thanks. We did it right, the rollout was so freaking smooth the Anti-Weed folks are stuck making bad shit up to try to fight the tide. One of our own Republican Reps was reduced to babbling "Yes the rollout went very smoothly but something violent is going to happen sometime in the future, I just know it".

I predicted that if Colorado and Washington went well, in 10 years the whole nation would follow. Now it's looking more like 5 years.
Oregon, Alaska, Florida(announced this morning), New Jersey and California are going to have votes on either Medical or both Medical and Recreational this year and I imagine more states will join them before the election.

The dam is broken, the weed is flowing and there is no stopping it now.

And for you anti-weed folks, I promise, when you awaken to a world with legal weed, you won't even notice the difference. The Earth will not spin off it's axis, the Sun will rise in the east and set in the west and Wall Street will still be robbing you blind.

[RainDog]

10. Yes! THANK YOU to the VOTERS and LEGISLATORS of CO

I sent a shout out to ya'll the other day, in fact - http://www.democraticunderground.com/11701700

you said -

And for you anti-weed folks, I promise, when you awaken to a world with legal weed, you won't even notice the difference. The Earth will not spin off it's axis, the Sun will rise in the east and set in the west and Wall Street will still be robbing you blind.

[SomethingFishy]

12. You my friend, are carrying the flag...

So a big thanks to you too!!

I didn't even know we had a "Drug" forum until you told me

And in spite of a few DU folks who seem to think that we are celebrating a little too much over "a stupid plant", the fact that in the near future none of us will have to worry about going to jail over "a stupid plant" actually is cause for celebration.

[RainDog]

13. I'm just mouthing off

It's the people in the states that are making things happen.

[SomethingFishy]

16. If no one "mouthed off"

It wouldn't even be considered. Remember what the other side thinks of us, a bunch of dumb stoners. When they find out we can compose a complete sentence, be articulate and make a good case for legalization it goes a long long way...

I don't know how old you are but back in the 80's Tipper Gore led a group of people called the PMRC(Parents Music Resource Center) to D.C. to discuss labeling and censoring lyrics in rock and rap music. This whole pot thing reminds me of that.

She got to the hearings thinking she was going to debate some dumb ass stoner guitar player and walked straight into the Human Tornado known as Frank Zappa. Censorship went right out the window and the best she got was a label on certain records that said "Explicit Lyrics". Of course now you can get anything you want label free off of iTunes.

[RainDog]

19. I remember that moment

I think we still see that sort of thing... moral panic for the nation's youth. Understandable, too, because parents worry. The interesting thing about the whole moment is that the two sides really came to a compromise, in a way, once the initial hoo-ha was out of the spotlight.

I have no objections to labeling for content, like movies are labeled. But.. that did make those easier for the kids to find the most offensive lyrics...

[truedelphi]

23. And Billy Corbin still mouths off about how weird he thinks the

Gores are.

And boy, I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall when Zappa spouted off to Tipper!

[90-percent]

24. The PMRC

I'm a 43 year Frank Zappa fanatic and I was just reading his Senate testimony today. He went into the Senate Chambers and pretty much told the entire Senate; "You want a piece of me? You want that? Well give it your best because I'm going to beat you at your own game on your home field under your unfair rules"

He didn't actually say that, but his testimony and public appearances at this time were simply heroic. He was almost alone in his defense of the artists of the music industry, although Dee Snyder and John Denver also testified. He was all over all TV talk shows and would debate anybody any time any where for any reason at all on this issue.

Also, Al Gore stated before he questioned Frank that he was a fan of the Mothers of Invention. The Gores became friends with Zappa after and Tipper played drums on one of Dweezil's records and they sent him a card when they found out he was sick. The Zappa's also donated $200,000 to the Democratic party in the early 90's.

Frank loathed drugs and drunks, but felt that all drugs should be legal and taxed. I always have to set the record straight when acquaintances say Zappa must have done some really good acid to be so weird and far out. He was boring and worked on his music 12 hours a day with the fervor of an Edison or Tesla. It was like every day was Christmas for him when he could work on music all day.

He was a great American that was totally wrapped up in the pride he had for his country and our Constitution.

-90% Jimmy

[Comrade Grumpy]

11. That's two down, 48 to go, and the federal government. It ain't nearly over yet.

Realistically, we could see legalization this year in Alaska and Oregon via the initiative process. California isn't going to happen this year; neither are Arizona or Montana.

Then there's the District of Columbia. A legalization initiative has been filed there, the issue polls very well, there's also pressure on the city council. DC is easy by initiative standards because of its small size, so it could be a surprise this year.

We'll see legalization bills in various state legislatures, but I will be very pleasantly surprised if any of them passes this year. Advances on controversial issues at the state house are painfully slow.

Florida is BIG, but it's just medical marijuana. Still, it would be the first state in the South, and it's the biggest. However, because it's a constitutional amendment, it will need 60% to pass.

I think we'll see California go in 2016, and maybe Arizona, New Mexico, and Montana. And maybe by then, some state or two or three will have done it legislatively.

And then there's the federal government...

[SomethingFishy]

14. Yeah I think we may see most states go for Medical first

just like we did here in Colorado. It eases the blow for those who still think "Reefer Madness" is a documentary.

I'm a little more optimistic than you are but only because of the money. You need to get something past a Republican that they don't like... show em' how much they will make

[truedelphi]

15. But never forget the people who have been sacrificed.

Sure, Holder finally changes his mind, but his doing this doesn't allow people convicted by all the mishmash of drug laws to go free.

Matt Davies is about to begin at least five years in jail for being an entrepreneur concerned with establishing dispensaries here in California. He was willing to go in and attempt to make right some of the more pathetic dispensaries that were providing pot to California's Central Valley patients.

He has a young wife and two little kids. All of them will miss Matt.

And meanwhile the Holders of the Universe can blithely go on, seemingly unaware of the harm they have caused.

[RainDog]

17. The world is a hard place

No doubt.

But reversing the damage of the drug war, as much as is possible, is a good thing. You know I think we should have retroactive immunity in possession cases.

Because there has been injustice, people cannot find the good when it does occur?

Not in my world.

I hope you do work on those cases you know about and bring them to people's attention. We talked about how that happens. Let the musicians who have the ear of the American people call for justice, and we're more likely to see it, rather than saying... well, bad things happened so this isn't good enough.

The world is a hard place so you better find some goodness where you can. At least that's how I see it.

[truedelphi]

18. Sorry for the raining on the parade.

I am in a glum mood tonight.

[RainDog]

21. Hope you have a better tomorrow

[DeSwiss]

20. You damned right WE CAN!!!

- And will.

K&R

[RainDog]

22. The petition to fire Michelle Leonhart needs only 1489 signatures

https://www.change.org/petitions/president-barack-obama-fire-anti-marijuana-dea-administrator-michele-leonhart

This is a statement more than anything - but let the DEA know the will of the American people regarding this issue.

[Todays_Illusion]

25. Thanks for the post, it is important to keep this as

a big 2014 mid term election issue. There will be a great effort to bury the very idea of legal medical and legal pot becoming common across the nation.

[RainDog]

26. 779 signatures needed to petition for the removal of Leonhart

I hope you and others will send a message this way to let the govt. see that those who are active, WHO VOTE, are out here.

[The Wizard]

27. Reefer madness

is rooted in myth and superstition. That's shaky ground for putting people in prison. It makes law enforcement the same as witch hunting.