From the Morning Sentinel:
This weekend, residents of West Paris will be voting on an initiated local ordinance calling for this small Oxford County town, population under 2,000, to be declared a low-priority enforcement zone with respect to marijuana-related offenses. The community doesn't have a police force of its own. If passed, the law would apply to the county sheriff's office, which has jurisdiction in West Paris.
It's questionable whether the ordinance would be legal, let alone enforceable. Nevertheless, its passage could send a small message to Augusta that there is grassroots sentiment in Maine for pot law reform and that the issue needs to be discussed -- seriously -- at the state level.
It's generally agreed that marijuana is no more harmful than other recreational drugs that are perfectly legal -- alcohol and tobacco -- so why not treat all three the same way?
...
We should consider converting a tax burden into a tax asset.
That last part is the crux of the modern movement's argument. I would love to see this on the ballot in 2008.
1 comment:
Jack,
Many consider drug policy reform to be a very conservative issue. Think about it: ending the Drug War would shrink bureaucracies, get the government out of people's lives, cut down on crime, return control to the states, etc.
Keep up the great work,
Tom Angell
SSDP National Headquarters
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