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Join Students for Sensible Drug Policy at Missouri Southern State University and Joplin NORML as we welcome former New Mexico Governor Johnson and NORML Deputy Director, Paul Armentano for an evening of captivating discussion about why marijuana prohibition has failed and what you can do to help legalize and regulate marijuana.

Bring your friends, family, and your questions! This event is for both the supporters and opponents of marijuana law reform.

There will be a Q&A session after the speakers.

GARY JOHNSON - FORMER 2 TERM NEW MEXICO GOVERNOR ('94-'02)

See him on The Colbert Report from May 2010 here: http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/309253/may-10-2010/gary-johnson

Gary Johnson is a Republican and serves as the Honorary Chairman of the Our America Initiative. He has been an outspoken advocate for efficient government, lower taxes, winning the war on drug abuse, protection of civil liberties, revitalization of the economy and promoting entrepreneurship and privatization.

He was born January 1, 1953 and attended the University of New Mexico at Albuquerque from 1971 to 1975, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree. While in college, Gary Johnson earned money as a door-to-door handyman. His successes in this area led to his own construction business, Big J Enterprises, which was founded in 1976. Johnson grew the company into a multi-million dollar corporation that employed over 1000 people in 1994. When he sold Big J in 1999, no employee lost his job and the company remains very successful to this day.

In 1994, Johnson was elected Governor of New Mexico despite having little political experience. He defeated the incumbent Democratic Governor Bruce King in the general election by 50% to 40% as well as a former Republican Governor in the Republican primary election In 1998, Johnson was re-elected as governor, defeating Democratic Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chavez by a 55% to 45% margin.

Gov. Johnson advocates a “Don’t do Drugs” policy. Drugs can be harmful, addictive and destructive to our lives and society. The current war on drugs, however, has not been successful. Crime, economic problems and abuse related to drug usage are still very present. He believes there needs to be a new direction in fighting these problems. Gov. Johnson believes that one of the best solutions to help with the many problems caused by drugs is to legalize marijuana. He does not advocate the legalization of any other drugs and believes that harm reduction measures should be implemented.

Marijuana should be regulated and taxed by the federal government (just like tobacco and alcohol are currently), which would lead to a lower price for the product and eliminate the criminal element from its distribution, much like the repeal of the prohibition of Alcohol many decades back.

PAUL ARMENTANO - DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL NORML

Paul on FOX New's "Freedom Watch": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lR0M3rVZQC8

Paul Armentano is the Deputy Director of NORML and the NORML Foundation in Washington, DC. Mr. Armentano is an expert in the field of marijuana policy, health, and pharmacology, and has served as a consultant for Health Canada, the Canadian Public Health Association, and The Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts. Mr. Armentano has spoken at numerous national conferences and legal seminars, testified before state legislatures and federal agencies, and assisted dozens of criminal defense attorneys in cases pertaining to the use of medicinal cannabis, drug testing, and drugged driving. He is a frequent guest on radio, and appears regularly on the nationally syndicated Dr. Drew Pinsky show.

Mr. Armentano is a prolific writer on the subject of marijuana and marijuana policy. His work has appeared in over 500 publications, including more than a dozen textbooks and anthologies, and he is a frequent contributor to Alternet.org, High Times, The Huffington Post, and the Washington, DC newspaper The Hill. Mr. Armentano is a 2008 recipient of the 'Project Censored Real News Award for Outstanding Investigative Journalism,' and was selected as one of America's 'Top 20 Young Visionaries' by Who Cares Magazine -- a national quarterly journal devoted to community service and social activism. His book Marijuana Is Safer: So Why Are We Driving People To Drink? was published in 2009 by Chelsea Green.