[Fayetteville, Arkansas] Aldermen with a 1-7 vote did not pass an ordinance also proposed by Petty to create a Marijuana Policy Review Panel. The panel would oversee enforcement of an initiative passed in November making prosecution of marijuana offenses a low priority in the city.

Police Chief Greg Tabor spoke against the measure.

“Our enforcement was a low priority then; nothing has changed, other than we do have some discussions to make sure we’re following the law,” Tabor said.

via NWAnews.com :: Northwest Arkansas’ News Source.

In other words, trust the police chief.  He says that before Sensible Fayetteville’s lowest priority initiative passed, enforcement of marijuana laws was a low priority, and today nothing has changed.

From 1998-2007, Fayetteville police booked between 300-400 marijuana arrests per year, or an average of about one per day.  If that’s the result of marijuana having been the lowest priority and “nothing has changed”, then you’re still arresting a person a day for marijuana, right Chief Tabor?

Look, Chief, in 2008 the people of Fayetteville voted 2-to-1 to make marijuana offenses the lowest priority.  They would not have done that if they felt 1 arrest per day was reasonable.  What this panel would have discovered is that, indeed, nothing has changed, despite two-thirds of the voters demanding that change.

Download the NORML Daily Audio Stash for 2008-11-03

Download audio file (NORML_Daily_AudioStash_2008-11-03.mp3)

It’s our special election roundup here on the Stash.  We’ve got the experts here to give their take on state and local initiatives to be decided tomorrow:

• Dianne Byrum, Coalition for Compassionate Care, on Michigan’s Proposal 1 to legalize medical marijuana;
• Whitney Taylor, Committee for Sensible Marijuana Policy, on Massachusetts Question 2 to decriminalize personal possession of marijuana;
• Ethan Nadelmann, Drug Policy Alliance, on California’s Proposition 5 to move non-violent drug offenders to treatment instead of jail and decriminalize personal possession of marijuana;
• Ryan Denham, Sensible Fayetteville, on Fayetteville, Arkansas municipal measure to make enforcement of personal marijuana possession crimes the lowest law enforcement priority.

VOTE!

I know some of you think it doesn’t matter, they’re all the same, it’s hopeless, I hate ‘em all, whatever, but a cannabis consumer who doesn’t vote is like a battered spouse who keeps forgiving the batterer.  Your voice matters!  If people didn’t think voting mattered, California would never have passed Prop 215 and all the positive gains of the past dozen years may not have happened.

We can do this.  There are literally millions of us.  We’ve got the public mostly on our side; now it’s the politicians who need education.  The winds of change are blowing and we may have the best political atmosphere for drug law reform yet – the perfect storm of progressive leadership, popular will, and fiscal need.  Vote as if your freedom depends on it… because it does.

Download the NORML Daily Audio Stash for 2008-10-29

Download audio file (NORML_Daily_AudioStash_2008-10-29.mp3)

Today we continue talking initiatives – Ryan Denham of Sensible Fayetteville (Arkansas) will tell us about his lowest law enforcement priority initiative for the city.  While it may or may not help reduce marijuana arrests in Fayetteville (Arkansas is not a ‘home-rule’ state, so the city police might just ignore the initiative), it does require the city to send letters to the state and federal governments to end their war on marijuana.  I just love the idea of a pot-hating mayor being forced to sign that.

Then for Cannabis Science, Dr. Mitch Earleywine is here to tell us about European health authorities pulling the weight loss drug Accomplia from the market.  The drug works by blocking the CB1 receptors,the same receptors that react to THC.

And my brother Josh is on the podcast, bringing your musical break for the day.  It’s two Belvilles for the price of one!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Marijuana law reformers continue to take the phrase “all politics is local” to heart.

Over the past decade, grassroots activists in numerous towns and municipalities — including Seattle, Washington; Columbia, Missouri;Santa Cruz, Oakland, San Francisco, and Santa Barbara, California; and Denver, Colorado — have successfully campaigned for local ordinances making the enforcement of pot possession laws their city’s lowest law enforcement priority.

This year, a coalition of activists — led by the University of Arkansas chapter of NORML and the Alliance for Drug Reform Policy — have placed a similar proposal on the ballot in Fayetteville, Arkansas (population: 67,000).

If passed, the city will become the second Arkansas municipality in recent years to enact marijuana ‘deprioritization.’ (NORML’s state affiliate championed a similar measure in Eureka Springs in 2006.)

In the days leading up to November 4th, most Americans attention will be directed toward Washington, DC and the Presidential election race. But while we remain focused on national politics let’s not forget about the significant changes taking place locally — one community at a time.

NORML applauds the work of Sensible Fayetteville and the efforts of other local — and often unrecognized activists — not only what they’ve already achieved, but also (and especially) for what they will accomplish in the future.

Ryan Denham of Sensible Fayetteville will be my guest today on the Daily Audio Stash.

Click here to view the embedded video.

This was the opening panel on Friday morning of the NORML Conference in Berkeley, October 17, 2008.

Pot Politics 2008 and Beyond
Moderator: Keith Stroup, Esq., NORML, New Federal Decriminalization Legislation
Rob Kampia, MPP, Massachusetts and Michigan Initiatives
Madeline Martinez, Oregon NORML, Oregon Cannabis Tax Act 2010
Joe Elford, Esq., Americans for Safe Access, CA Attorney General Guidelines
Ethan Nadelmann, Drug Policy Alliance, CA Proposition 5 (NORA)
Becky DeKeuster, Berkeley Patients Group, Measure JJ in Berkeley
Ryan Denham, Sensible Fayetteville, Fayetteville Initiative
Sudi Pebbles Trippet, Mendocino, CA Initiative

Feature: Drug Policy Reform and Sentencing Initiatives on the November Ballot | Stop the Drug War (DRCNet)

CALIFORNIA: Proposition 5, the Nonviolent Offender Rehabilitation Act (NORA) would expand the number of drug offenders diverted from prison into treatment, expand prison and parole rehabilitation programs, allow inmates earlier release for participating in such programs, and cut back the length of parole. It would also decriminalize the possession of up to an ounce of marijuana. 

Proposition 6, the Safe Neighborhoods Act, is primarily aimed at gang members, violent criminals, and criminal aliens, but also includes provisions increasing penalties for methamphetamine possession, possession with intent, and distribution to be equal to those for cocaine, and provides for the expulsion from public housing of anyone convicted of a drug offense. The measure also mandates increased spending for law enforcement. Read the California League of Women Voters’ analysis of Prop. 6 here.

MASSACHUSETTS: The Committee for Sensible Marijuana Policy is sponsoring an initiative that would decriminalize the possession of up to an ounce of marijuana. Known as Question 2 on the November ballot, the initiative builds on nearly a decade’s worth of work by local activists who ran dozens of successful ballot questions directed at individual representatives. Question 2 looks like almost a sure winner; it garnered 72% support in a mid-August poll. 

MICHIGAN: Michigan is poised to become the first medical marijuana state in the Midwest. An initiative sponsored by the Michigan Coalition for Compassionate Care and appearing on the ballot as Proposition 1 would allow patients suffering from debilitating medical conditions including cancer, glaucoma, HIV, AIDS, hepatitis C, MS and other conditions as may be approved by the Department of Community Health to use marijuana with a doctor’s recommendation. It would require the department to create an ID card system for qualified patients and their designated caregivers and would allow patients and caregivers to grow small amounts of marijuana indoors in a secure facility. It would also permit both registered and unregistered patients and caregivers to assert a medical necessity defense to any prosecution involving marijuana. A poll released this week showed the measure gaining the approval of 66% of voters. 

OREGON:  Ballot Measure 61, “Mandatory Sentences For Drug Dealers, Identity Thieves, Burglars, And Car Thieves,” is pretty self-explanatory. It would impose mandatory minimum sentences for the manufacture or delivery of cocaine, heroin, or methamphetamine of 36 months in some cases and 30 months in others. It also lays out similar mandatory minimums for the other criminal offenders listed above. [Chief Petitioner Kevin] Mannix originally included a provision attempting to supplant the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program, but dropped it when it became apparent it could drag down the entire initiative.

Another measure initiated by the legislature and referred to the voters, Ballot Measure 57, would also increase penalties for the sale or distribution of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and Ecstasy. It sets a sentencing range of 34 months to 130 months, depending on the quantity of the drug involved. The measure would also require drug treatment for certain offenders and impose sanctions for those who resist, provide grants to local jurisdictions for jails, drug courts, and treatment services, and limit judges’ ability to reduce sentences.

LOCAL INITIATIVES: In addition to the statewide initiatives mentioned above, there are also a handful of municipal initiatives on the November 4 ballot. Here they are:

BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA: In Berkeley, Measure JJ seeks to broaden and regularize medical marijuana access. Supported by the Berkeley Patients Group and at least two city council members, the measure would expand the non-residential zones where dispensaries can locate, create an oversight commission including representatives from each of the three existing collectives to promulgate standards and determine whether relocating or future operators are in compliance, issue zoning certificates by right if operators meet standards, and bring Berkeley possession limits in line with recent state court rulings determining that such limits are unconstitutional. 

FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS: The local grassroots organization Sensible Fayetteville is sponsoring an initiative that would make enforcement of adult marijuana possession laws the lowest law enforcement priority. It also includes language mandating city officials to write an annual letter to their state and federal representatives notifying them of the city’s position and urging them to adopt a similar one. If the measure passes, Fayetteville will become the second Arkansas community to adopt such an ordinance. Nearby Eureka Springs did so in 2007.

HAWAII COUNTY, HAWAII: Hawaii’s Big Island (Hawaii County) will be voting on an initiative making adult marijuana possession offenses the lowest law enforcement priority. Ballot Question 1 not only makes adult possession offenses the lowest priority, it would also bar county law enforcement officials from accepting federal deputization or commissions to enforce laws in conflict with the initiative, prohibits the County Council from accepting or spending funds to enforce adult marijuana possession laws, and bar the County Council from accepting any funds for the marijuana eradication program. The initiative is sponsored by Project Peaceful Sky, a local grassroots organization whose name alludes to the disruption of tranquility caused by law enforcement helicopters searching for marijuana.

Marijuana: Fayetteville, Arkansas, Lowest Priority Initiative Turns in More Signatures | Stop the Drug War (DRCNet)
A municipal initiative that would add Fayetteville, Arkansas, to the growing list of cities and counties that have adopted lowest law enforcement priority initiatives for adult marijuana possession offenses appears headed to the November ballot after organizers handed in nearly 1,000 new signatures last Friday.

Petitioners turned in more than 5,000 signatures on August 20, but after they were examined by city officials, only 3,385 signatures were found to be valid. It takes 3,686 signatures to put the initiative on the ballot.

The Fayetteville City Clerk was examining the signatures this week. Even if only 300 of them turn out to be valid, the measure will be on the November ballot.

Sponsored by an umbrella group known as Sensible Fayetteville, the measure would not only direct Fayetteville police and prosecutors to make such offenses their lowest priority, it would also order the city clerk to send an annual letter to state and federal officials. That letter would say:

“The citizens of Fayetteville have passed an initiative to deprioritize adult marijuana
offenses where the marijuana is intended for personal use and request that the federal and Arkansas state governments take immediate steps to enact similar laws.” The letter would be sent each year until state and federal laws change.

These municipal “lowest priority” initiatives are a good first step in getting involved in marijuana activism.  Check with your city clerk to find out if initiative petitions are valid in your city and how many signatures you need to collect.  This isn’t just for big cities, small towns are the perfect place to begin these initiatives.  Even if you don’t gather enough sigs for the ballot, you’ve brought up the issue to people who’ve never thought about it.  If you get on the ballot and lose, you’ve forced people to make a decision about marijuana.  And if you get on the ballot and win, you’ve struck a huge blow to the drug war lie that average Americans don’t want to see pot legalized.

Contact your local NORML or national NORML and they can help you with getting all the legalese together.  Good luck to you all, and good work, Sensible Fayetteville!

4:43 p.m. Group Wants to De-Criminalize Marijuana
An advocacy group in northwest Arkansas is doing its best to de-criminalize marijuana, making a pot violation much like getting a parking ticket a slap on the wrist.

The group is called “Sensible Fayetteville,” and members are trying to make marijuana crimes the
lowest possible priority for police.

They argue that Washington County is wasting tax payer dollars by prosecuting people for weed.

They say instead, police should focus on property and violent crimes.

“Here in Arkansas we spend thirty million dollars a year to arrest people and prosecute people for small amounts of marijuana and we believe there’s way more important things to focus on,” campaign manager Ryan Denham said.

Now the group is trying to get an amendment on a municipal ballot this fall. To do that, they need 36,000 signatures from Fayetteville voters.

City by city, state by state, this is how we erode the support for marijuana prohibition from the bottom up.  There are far too many entrenched bureaucracies and corporate interests at the federal level to expect any serious action on marijuana law reform.  Without strong public support, there is no compelling reason for any of these federal politicians to stick their necks out for re-legalization.  When enough states and cities pass medical marijuana and decriminalization bills, the feds will find that the ground has shifted beneath them and the reforms we see today as impossible will by tomorrow seem inevitable.