Drug War Issues
Politics & Advocacy
The battle over a Massachusetts initiative that would decriminalize marijuana possession is heating up. Although the initiative, which would make marijuana possession a civil rather than a criminal infraction (and is known as Question 2 on the ballot), leads comfortably in early polling, organized opposition led by the Massachusetts District Attorneys Association (MDAA) emerged this month, and on Wednesday, initiative sponsors the Committee for Sensible Marijuana Policy (CSMP) announced it had filed criminal complaints against the prosecutors for violating campaign fundraising laws and publishing false statements about the initiative.
The prosecutors, organized into the Coalition for Safe Streets, filed a statement of organization on September 5 and have come out swinging since then. There's just one problem, according to CSMP. Under state campaign finance laws, ballot committees cannot raise money until they register with the state, as the Coalition for Safe Streets did less than two weeks ago. But CSMP has evidence that prosecutors were funneling money into the effort as far back as July. This unlawful fundraising and spending constitutes the 14 counts of CSMP's first complaint.
CSMP's second complaint charges prosecutors violated state election laws prohibiting the making of false statements about candidates or ballot issues in at least five instances. Targeted by the complaint are such anti-marijuana fare appearing on the MDAA web site as "Decriminalization will reverse a recently documented positive trend in youth marijuana use," "There is a direct link between marijuana use and criminal activity," and "There is a direct link between marijuana use and motor vehicle crashes." In its complaint, CSMP systematically rebuts each of these statements.
"The people who are paid to uphold the law should also be expected to follow the law," said CSMP campaign manager Whitney Taylor. "The DAs blatantly ignored the law in a cynical attempt to conceal their campaign activity for as long as they could, undermining the very laws they have sworn to uphold. Not only does this warrant an immediate investigation, but because of the positions they hold, they need to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."
Permission to Reprint: This content is licensed under a modified Creative Commons Attribution license. Content of a purely educational nature in Drug War Chronicle appear courtesy of DRCNet Foundation, unless otherwise noted.
Comments
Amen.
The truth needs to be told.
DECRCIMINALISE MARIJUANA & OUTLAW TOXIC LEGALCHEMICALS
IN MY OPINION THE LAWS OF OUR PRESENT SYSTEM ARE BACK TO FRONT , ILOGICAL , AN INSULT ON HUMAN RIGHTS ,FREEDOM OF CHOICE AND DENY US OUR BIRTHRIGHTS . THEY ARE OVERRULED BY PEOPLE POWER AND COMMON SENCE . BONGHITTERS DON'T MAKE WARS , TORTURE OR KILL OTHERS WITH "LEGAL" CHEMICALS OR CAUSE ANYONE ANY GRIEF . THEY ARE PEACEFUL PEOPLE AND SOME JUST NEED IT TO TREAT THEIR AILMENTS CAUSED BY THE SYSTEM , WHAT'S WRONG WITH THAT . WE GOT TO REALY FEEL SORRY FOR THE SO CALLED LAW INFORCE AGENTS - SINCE THEY ARE SELLING THEIR SOULS SERVING A CORRUPT AND OUTDATED SYSTEM WHICH IS ABOUT TO IMPLODE .
MANUFACTURED "LEGAL" CHEMICALS ON THE OTHER HAND ARE FORCED UPON EVERY LIFEFORM ON THIS PLANET WITHOT CHOICE OR CONSENT !! THE DAMAGES ARE QUICKLY PUT UNDER THE LABEL OF
< CLIMATE CHANGE> . HOW CONVENIENT AND VERY PROFITABLE FOR THE BIG COMPANIES ! THE FDA AND OTHER SO CALLED AUTHORITIES NEED TO GO ON TRIAL FOR THEIR DEVISTATIONS OF THEIR DECISIONS . CHEMICALS HURT EVERYONE -- POT HURTS NOONE ! --PEACE --- BOLDARN
prosicuters are crimnals
simply they want to protect the marijuana prohabition racket.they are murdering crimnals plain and simple .they should be hunted down like the dogs they are .and caged like animals
Coalition for Safe Streets???
WTF do these "prosecutors" think of the Mass. citizens intelligence? They should call it the Coalition for the Continuance of Prosecutable Violence, because that is what prohibition does best. Desperately stupid.
Save our Streets???????
If they want to "SAVE OUR STREETS" then eliminate the only dangerous aspect of marijuana and lobby to make it a state regulated legal substance! Put the drug dealers out of business. You're going to need the tax dollars when the residents of Mass vote to decriminalize marijuana. And if question 1 should pass then you're really going to have to consider it. One question though......who prosecutes the prosecutors????
One MASS voter's experience..
Friends, Mass voters aren't dumb by any means, and I hope everyone, supporters and not, come out and voice your opinion on Question #2.
For me, the issue was decided at the age of 5 when I was diagnosed with cancer. I spent my childhood and most of my teenage years suffering through the after effects of radiation and chemo. Numerous pill pushers had me on 12 (count em) different medications by the time I was 20. I knew and was told that eventually my liver will not be able to handle it. I also had developed Crohn's desease. Misery was my middle name. Through out this, I never considered Cannabis as something that could possibly help me.
A few years ago, a friend brought some brownies. I had a hard time getting them down, but I swear, within an hour, I became HUNGRY, something I just do not feel due to nausea. I WAS HUNGRY!! I ate some stuff, belched, and sat down and watched a movie, having a good time for the first time in like months at that point!
Today things are looking a lot brighter than a few years ago. I can quote links, but this is from personal experience. I credit Cannabis with rebuilding my gut to some extent as I had a bad case of Crohns, and staving off liver problems. Most importantly, it allows me a MUCH BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE. I no longer take 20+ medications and still writhe around in pain.
Keith
Legalise it, for medicinal and recreational use.
Suffice it to say, 5 years later, at 42 years of age, I feel 100% better, I can eat whenever I like, I started a family and
The only way I can force myself to accept nourishment (without a tube) is to smoke, or rather vaporize a bit of the herb that is keeping me sane and HAPPY through what others would call a nightmare.
I'm now 32 years old. I never used drugs, and never considered Cannabis as something that could help me. Five years ago, I met an Rx from California while attending his lecture, Dr. Tod Mikuryia (may he rest in peace)).
err
(I never learned to proof read. -Keith :D)
prosecutors
The prosecutors will not be prosecuted, I'd be willing to bet on that. If Mike Nyfong had not taken on such wealthy family's the whole thing would have faded away. If you'd like to know what a wealthy deputy district attorney can get away with visit http://scint-stinks.com
legalizing drugs
i think that you should make drugs legal cause people are going to do them anyways
Add new comment