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ARCHIVE: Norm Stamper, former Seattle Police Chief, reacts to the appointment of his successor, Chief Gil Kerlikowske, as the nation’s new “drug czar”.
California Marijuana Report will appear tomorrow in lieu of Cannabis Science.
Monday, July 6th, 2009 at 12:20 pm | By: Radical Russ
Three out of four Americans believe the “war on drugs” is a failure and can never be won. Serious people like Sen. Jim Webb, former Mexican president Vicente Fox, Congressmen Barney Frank, Charlie Rangel, Steve Cohen and others, even a growing body of right-of-center analysts and politicians have been saying it’s time to fundamentally reshape our approach to drug control.
So, why this divide between massive public opposition to current policies and the positions taken by our leaders? Fear, of course. They’re afraid of being punished for touching what has been perceived, mistakenly, as a third rail issue.
And the cause of this “drug war dementia”? I’m guessing it has something to do with a brilliant 2004 poll on the topic of medical marijuana. The poll asked two questions, the first confirming what had already been shown over and over again: that about 70 percent of people support the idea of legalizing marijuana, at least for medical purposes.
But then, pollsters asked something interesting:
“Regardless of your own opinion, do you think the majority of people support making marijuana medically available, or do you think the majority opposes making marijuana medically available?”
The result? In Rhode Island, where the poll was conducted, only 26.5 percent thought that most people support medical marijuana.
The lesson here? While many of our elected representatives privately support serious changes to our failed drug laws, they believe they are alone. They think if they stick their necks out they’ll be handed their heads come election time.
Which is why we must rise up and let our elected officials know they are safe to support drug law reform. And in considerable political danger if they do not.
This is also why we must come out of the cannabis closet and make ourselves known as the responsible, taxpaying, normal-with-an-a, law-abiding-(except-that-law) citizens that we are. When the only public image of the cannabis community is the “stoner”, the people who support our issue will only do so quietly, lest they be lumped in with the “burnouts”.
Never has this point been so crystal clear to me as during this last weekend’s family campout for Independence Day.
The drug war rests on a constellation of harebrained laws, most of them enacted by earlier generations of frightened, ignorant, often racist lawmakers. It has been fueled by nonstop lies and propaganda, and kept alive over the years by a succession of eight U.S. presidents in concert with one generation after another of federal, state, and local law enforcers.
Dismantling the decades-old, massively bureaucratized and financed drug war machine is a daunting task. Knowing this, given all he’s currently facing, shouldn’t we cut Obama some slack?
Interestingly, legalization enjoys its greatest support among those Americans who refuse to identify with either major political party. According to Rasmussen:
Sixty percent (60%) of Republicans are opposed to the legalization of marijuana. Democrats are more evenly split on the question, giving legalization the edge by five points….
Among adults not affiliated with either major political party, 49% favor legalization of marijuana, while 41% oppose it.
While Democratic politicians have usually proven more willing than Republicans to discuss alternatives to prohibition, policy is another matter. Former Democratic President Bill Clinton initiated federal raids against medical marijuana dispensaries in states that have legalized marijuana for medical uses, and current Attorney General Eric Holder has long been an enthusiastic booster of harsh drug policies. So it’s not surprising that unaffiliated and third-party voters would show the strongest support for legalization.
Now if only we didn’t have a political system that almost mathematically and financially guarantees third parties don’t have a chance.
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On this day one year ago, I took over as permanent host of the NORML Daily Audio Stash and founder of the Stash Blog. Now we’re getting around 3,500 hits a day… and we’re still standing! No “lightweights” here. Vaporizer bags for everyone!
On today’s Stash we talk with Norm Stamper, the former Seattle Police chief, about his successor, Chief Gil Kerlikowske, perhaps being the next Drug Czar.
In Cannabis Science, Dr. Mitch answers all your questions about this testicular cancer study scaring cannabis users this week.
Wednesday, February 11th, 2009 at 4:01 pm | By: Radical Russ
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My interview with NORML Advisory Board and LEAP (Law Enforcement Against Prohibition) Advisory Board Member Norm Stamper, who was the police chief prior to Gil Kerlikowske in Seattle, Washington, on Kerlikowske’s rumored selection as President Obama’s next head of the cabinet-level position of director of Office of National Drug Control Policy.
Wednesday, February 11th, 2009 at 10:17 am | By: Radical Russ
Tonight: Interview with Kerlikowske predecessor Norm Stamper on Drug Czar appointment – 4:20pm
Download today’s Daily Audio Stash at 4:20pm Pacific when I discuss the potential appointment of Chief Kerlikowske as Drug Czar with his predecessor, former Seattle Police Chief and current member of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, Norm Stamper.
(Seattle P-I) Seattle Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske has accepted a job in the Obama administration, most likely overseeing the nation’s drug policies, according to sources familiar with the chief’s plans.
Kerlikowske, who has led the department for more than eight years, has told the department’s top commanders he expects to leave to take a top federal position, said the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they aren’t officially authorized to disclose the information.
Sources say Kerlikowske is expected to be named head of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, a Cabinet-level position otherwise known as the drug czar. The office, established in 1988, directs drug-control policy in the U.S. It’s subject to Senate confirmation.
Kerlikowske had also expressed an interest in the top job at the federal Drug Enforcement Administration but apparently has not been tapped for that post, one source said.
Kerlikowske won credit for stabilizing the police department after the stormy departure of Norm Stamper as chief in the wake of the 1999 World Trade Organization riots in Seattle, as well as the department’s initial failure to unearth a detective’s alleged theft of money at a crime scene. A genial Kerlikowske reached out to citizens. In addition, crime rates dipped during his time as chief, reaching historic lows in recent years.
Kerlikowske lists one of his accomplishments as the development of less-than-lethal force options for officers, equipping dozens of officers with Tasers. He also oversaw the installation of cameras in the department’s patrol cars.
He has been an advocate of gun control and fought to pass the assault-weapons ban and has championed closing the background-check loophole at gun shows.
Kerlikowske’s possible role in shaping drug policy for the Obama administration was applauded Tuesday by local medical-marijuana advocates.
In 2003, Kerlikowske opposed a city ballot measure, approved by voters, to make marijuana possession the lowest law-enforcement priority, saying it would create confusion. But in doing so, he noted that arresting people for possessing marijuana for personal use was already not a priority.
“Oh God bless us,” said Joanna McKee, co-founder and director of Green Cross Patient Co-Op, a medical-marijuana patient-advocacy group. “What a blessing — the karma gods are smiling on the whole country, man.”
McKee said Kerlikowske knows the difference between cracking down on the illegal abuse of drugs and allowing the responsible use of marijuana.
Douglas Hiatt, a Seattle attorney and advocate for medical-marijuana patients, said his first preference would be for a physician to oversee national drug policy.
But Kerlikowske would be a vast improvement over past drug czars, who have used the office to carry out the so-called “war on drugs,” Hiatt said.
Kerlikowske is a “very reasonable guy” who would likely bring more liberal policies to the job, Hiatt said.
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Wow, I got the Stash in with one minute to spare! What do you suppose the chances are of that? (Uh, zero, since I modified the post date. But I wouldn’t want to mess up the RSS feed for Tuesday, would I?)
Today’s Stash features a two-part interview with former Seattle Police Chief Norm Stamper who was kind enough to talk at length about Barack Obama’s lack of response to the Change.gov questions on legalization, and why cops are saying yes to the formerly unthinkable “L”-word.
And now, I go off to bed to make some more platelets. ’Night!
Monday, July 28th, 2008 at 9:37 am | By: Radical Russ
A great article on the upcoming Seattle Hempfest, with some key quotes by top reformers:
The Case For Pot | Table of Contents | All modules | Seattle Magazine: The Premier Seattle Monthly
“People who dismiss us as a bunch of people smoking pot in the park are completely missing the point,” says [Vivian McPeak, executive director of Hempfest]. “This movement is about people losing their homes, their jobs and their kids, kids getting kicked out of school, people being incarcerated for an equal or greater amount of time than those committing violent crimes. It’s not funny.”
[Seattle’s former police chief Norm Stamper] recently recounted a story from his rookie year as a cop when he arrested a 19-year-old for marijuana possession, handcuffed him, put him in the back of his squad car and started driving toward the station. As he looked at his charge in the rear-view mirror, he realized he’d just arrested a young man who hadn’t been hurting anybody. “I could have been doing real police work,” Stamper says. “I could have been intervening in domestic violence. I could have been stopping people from hurting other people—that’s noble, honorable work.”
When asked why he’s chosen to focus on marijuana rather than other pressing social issues, [travel writer and TV celebrity Rick Steves]’ answer is simple: “Anybody can talk about homelessness and everyone claps, but people are afraid to talk about marijuana…. I can speak out and survive. I don’t need to be elected or promoted.”
The key to winning on this issue is to make it everyone’s issue, and part of doing that is talking openly about marijuana and proudly proclaiming there’s nothing wrong with using it responsibly. That’s why you’ll hear me draw parallels with social alcohol drinkers – we need the average person who doesn’t smoke pot on our side, and for that we need them to empathize with the injustices we face.
I had a fellow activist criticize me for that rhetoric. “You shouldn’t talk about treating marijuana like alcohol, because alcohol is a poison,” he told me, “You’re going to make people think marijuana is a killer like alcohol!”
“You’re right about that,” I replied, “as far as marijuana being far safer than alcohol. No argument there. But I have to convince people who think marijuana is far more dangerous than alcohol. People just can’t flip in a day from ‘marijuana’s evil’ to ‘marijuana’s good’. If I can get them down from ‘marijuana is worse than alcohol’ to ‘marijuana is a lot like alcohol’, then maybe they’ll treat it like alcohol and legalize it. After a generation of alcohol and marijuana competing head-to-head, people will naturally move from ‘marijuana’s a lot like alcohol’ to ‘alcohol is worse than marijuana’ just by observing the evidence.
“People need a ‘hook’. We’re trying to get them to imagine something that doesn’t exist. If we can match it to an established pattern that does exist – a social intoxicant that is taxed, controlled, and regulated – it will be easier for them to imagine.
RevRayGreen: I'll post a pic of me and my son....gimme a minute
Missippi Hippy: Guess what... I'm gonna be a new... ummmmm well, my pet piggie Ganja is in labor and they ain't mine in the same sense. See what your wife [...]
RevRayGreen: days they didn't talk back..or act disrespectful..
RevRayGreen: feel so lucky my son is 18 going 19 and my daughter 16 going on 17..relish the days that can't talk back
Urb Age: Congrats Spof thats awesome. My little Clara is about to hit 20 months. Im not the activist I used to be, but its made me a better man.
Urb Age: Heck I was gonna go up there, but just not feeling well this weekend..Dang it, I hate it when that happens..
RevRayGreen: wishing I was hanging at NORML cafe...
JohnH: Just a quick comment about tokin' and sperm motility....been tokin since age 14 and have 8 kids ranging in age from 30 to 9...(what can I say, I found 2 [...]
slash5city: really ..oprah 35 yr or more in the closet toker ...outed ....o my god !!
SneakerPimp: that would be huge news just imagen the headline
RevRayGreen: maybe Oprah smokes and keeps it on the DL...
SneakerPimp: and good afternoon
mr reuben: I could do without seeing Rob K. on tv. But Bruce and Eithan get a big thumbs up from me.
SneakerPimp: waitn for NSL and congrast for spofett.
mr reuben: I don't respect her opinion bluzguy.
Missippi Hippy: Something about the last year in a contract... folks become more ballsey... and Oprah has big ones.
Marijuana-Related Health Costs Minimal Compared To Those Of Alcohol, Tobacco; California Medical Association Says Pot Prohibition Is A "Failed Public Health Policy"; Oregon: State NORML Affiliate Opens First 'Cannabis Café'. […]
American Medical Association Calls For Scientific Review Of Marijuana's Prohibitive Status; Dutch Marijuana Use Lower Than European Average, Study Says […]
"Truth In Trials Act" Reintroduced In Congress; Maine: Voters Approve Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Measure; Colorado: Breckenridge Voters Overwhelmingly Decide To End Pot Penalties. […]
Some of the nation’s top athletes discuss why today's pros are turning to cannabis — and away from alcohol and painkillers — off the field, and question why pro sports leagues are continuing to sanction those who do. Moderator: Steve Bloom, Author, Pot Culture; editor, celebstoner.com * Toby Grear, MMA fighter * Sean Neumann, Documentary Filmm […]
Cannabis Law Reform's Missing Link: Law Enforcement Former Seattle Police Chief Norm Stamper; LEAP and NORML Advisory Board; Author of Breaking Rank Putting the Mexican Cartels Out of Business Mexican drug cartels now employ over 100,000 soldiers and are responsible for nearly ten thousand deaths per year. Their largest source of income is marijuana. […]
Stash for Tue, Sep 1, 2009
waitn for NSL and congrast for spofett.
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