I just heard a report that there is a candidate in next week's
election for Manhattan Borough President (voters there take note!) who's
running on a marijuana legalization platform. He's expected to come in
second (the Republican has been charged with over 100 counts of tax
fraud, and the Right-to-Lifer won't get too many votes in NYC). I don't
know the guy's name -- just look for the marijuana leaf symbol on the
ballot! Great campaign slogan: "When was the last time you smiled when
you voted for a politician?"
Others should be inspired to follow his example. High Times (Oct.
issue) has an article about how to run for office. Also, "Take Back
Your Government" by Robert Heinlein is a good nuts-and-bolts reference
on running for office (or running someone else for office as a campaign
manager).
Anyone who needs a reminder of the need for better politicians,
here's a NORML press release from Oct. 7th:
Marijuana Arrests For 1996 Most Ever
FBI Data Confirm Clinton's Marijuana War to be Toughest in History
Nearly 642,000 marijuana arrests were made during 1996, according
to the latest edition of the FBI's Uniform Crime Report. This figure is
an 80% increase since 1990, and pushes the total number of marijuana
arrests under the Clinton administrstion to 2,100,000.
Of the 642,000 arrests, appoximately 85% were for simple
possession. The remaining 15% were for sale/manufacture, a category that
includes all cultivation offences, even those for personal or medical
uses.
"These data confirm what NORML has been maintaining all along" said
Allen St.Pierre. "Despite criticism that the present administration is
soft on drugs, the FBI report clearly demonstrates that Clinton's war on
marijuana smokers is the toughest ever waged in our nation's history.
One marijuana user is arrested every 49 seconds in America"
Statistics gathered from the FBI also demonstrate that ethnic
minorities are over-represented among those arreste dfor marijuana
offenses . Racial breakdowns provided by the FBI concluded that
nonwhites comprise 40% of marijuana arrests, despite constituting only
20% of marijuana users.
Since 1970 Law enforcement has arrested approximately 10,800,000
Americans on marijuana charges.