Marijuana.com

Buzzby

Conference Takes On The Drug War
Amber Murphy | Columbia Missourian | 03/03/2006

When Cliff Thornton takes the stage, he tends to talk about race and class biases associated with the War on Drugs.

The Green Party candidate for governor in Connecticut will give the keynote address this evening at the Midwest Drug Policy Conference in the Arts and Sciences Building on the MU campus.

“Cliff’s focus is on issues that relate specifically to minority and poor people who are often victims in the war on drugs,” said Dan Viets, state coordinator for the National Organization of the Reform of Marijuana Laws. “Those groups are often disproportionately impacted by drug laws.”

Thornton, who also serves on the marijuana group’s board of directors, is one of several speakers who will be advocating for more lenient drug laws. Other speakers at the conference, sponsored by the MU chapters of the marijuana organization and Students for Sensible Drug Policy, include medical marijuana patients, lawyers and activists. Both sponsoring organizations support the decriminalization of minor marijuana offenses and helped promote successful ballot initiatives in Columbia that deferred prosecution and limited the fine for possession of 35 grams or less of marijuana to $250.

Also the founder and director of an organization called Efficacy, which works to find peaceful ways to respond to social problems, Thornton believes education is the most important step in reforming drug laws.

“People need to know that the drug war is made only to be waged, not won,” he said.

Thornton said he also focuses on the drug war because it can be connected to crime and other social problems.

He favors the outright legalization of marijuana and the decriminalization of all drugs including heroin, methamphetamines, cocaine and ecstasy.

“The drug war is based on three phenomenon: greed, racism and fear,” he said.

Because he has spoken of these issues in more than 450 venues across the world, Amber Langston, former president of the student policy group, said Thornton brings experience. “He also takes things much more from a sociological perspective than most of our other speakers,” she said.

Saturday’s closing address will be given by Ed Rosenthal, author of more than 30 books relating to issues concerning marijuana, including medical use and criminal law.

“Ed has a unique background as an activist being in Oakland, California, which is considered the epicenter of medical marijuana,” Viets said.

Rosenthal said he plans on discussing the relationship between marijuana and society and the criminal justice system.

The war on drugs is important because America cannot afford to waste the $30 billion they spend on prohibition costs, he said.

Approval of the Columbia marijuana ballot issues in November 2004 helped attract both Thornton and Rosenthal to the conference, they said.

“I hope the conference brings together a lot of different perspectives and people,” said Langston. “Issues related to the drug war and how we can approach policy differently need to be brought to public light.”

__________________

 

TheNewGuy

You mean there are people that actually believe that some day drugs won't exist? Holy F*** almighty, thats like a whole new type of stupidity.

__________________
"Anyway, no drug, not even alcohol, causes the fundamental ills of society. If we're looking for the source of our troubles, we shouldn't test people for drugs, we should test them for stupidity, ignorance, greed and love of power." ~P.J. O'Rourke

Higher Logic

I guess it's like believing you can fight a war on terrorism too

__________________
Crucial Web Hosting · Garden's Cure · Marijuana Recipes · Drug Testing Facts

Dilution · Substitution · Urine Testing · Hair Testing · Drug Testing FAQ

Larz

I remember watching the morning call in show on C-SPAN one morning with Asa Hutchinson as their guest (I think) and there really were a few people calling in asking "why don't you just get rid of them all?". And they were serious!

__________________
Live free or DIE!!!

-----------------------------
"My wife is not a doobie, to be passed around"- Homer Simpson