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Morgan Fox

Kal Penn and Activists Respond to Obama Ad

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Yesterday we reported on a new advertisement being used by Obama campaign that highlights the popular “Harold and Kumar” characters.  The ad depicts the characters in their typically lazy and “stoned” mindset (though marijuana was conspicuously absent from the ad).

A day later we now are seeing a lot of buzz from the ad. Many cannabis advocates were not pleased and are accusing the president of trying to capitalize off of a group that he has turned his back on.  Morgan Fox of the Marijuana Policy Project said “The fact Obama uses these characters to joke about this issue while on the other hand continuing to arrest people he’s appealing to is really disingenuous.”  He also went on to say President Obama “conducts more raids on medical marijuana facilities than Bush.”

Kal Penn tried to defend President Obama’s approach toward marijuana by saying “I think that the president’s been pretty consistent with that. He’s not in favor of legalization, we should be open about something like that. But what the president has done is take a really smart look at the Department of Justice and said, given the fact that the federal government has limited resources, we should be allocating them toward violent criminals and not towards non-violent criminals. We can see that not just in things like marijuana but in things like immigration reform where he’s going after and deporting violent criminals and making sure that if you’re a Dream Act eligible student that you know that you can apply for your deferred status. Wherever the federal government has an appropriate role, I think the president’s been very consistent in that. That’s something that I think folks should know.”

Many activists will not be pacified with the remark, especially as the president has used federal resources to go after non violent marijuana dispensaries.  Including the Dream Act language in the statement is odd.  While the president should be applauded for his decision to help out immigrants who had no say in entering the country illegally, the two issues have little to do with each other.  Kal Penn may as well include the auto bailout in his statements or any other unrelated accomplishment by the president.

Marijuana reform supporters may be upset at the feeling that they are only used for political expedience.  This election certainly will not focus on the needs of marijuana patients or those impacted by the failed war on drugs.  Either candidate could benefit greatly from addressing the issue as they both are eager to outline their plan to fix our economy and reduce the looming national deficit.  While the Obama “Harold and Kumar” ad may upset the community, at least the tone toward marijuana still seems friendlier than Mitt Romney’s promise to fight medical marijuana “tooth and nail”.

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Teen Marijuana use on the Rise: Is America Finally Ready to Discuss Regulation?

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Whether they realize it or not, the American minor is one of the staples of politics in the United States.  Both sides of an out of touch political aisle hold up our children and claim to know how policies will or will not impact them.  For the largest group of Americans who cannot vote, children have an awful lot to do with governing policy in the United States.

Marijuana advocates and patients are accustomed to this. The excuse of “what about the message this sends to children” has caused a tremendous amount of pain for patients who have witnessed their safe access be compromised as a result.  Sick patients typically are not wearing trench coats and selling drugs on the street, rather, they are just seeking relief.  Patients would say the message to children should be “we do not sit idle in this country and watch people suffer when we can easily help them.”  Talking to your children about why people medicate is a far easier approach.  Marijuana simply having legal status does not put it teen hands.  Like alcohol, (with far worse addicting qualities yet receives less criticism), there are safety precautions to make sure minors/non patients are not purchasing it.  Direct conversation is always the best antidote, but just as television executives have found, parents do not want to be the bad guys and have tried to enlist the help of policy makers to make their lives easier.

Reports on rising teenage marijuana use have been making the media rounds lately.  According to an article by the Associated Press that was posted on CBS News, monthly marijuana use by teens rose from 19% in 2008 to 27% currently.  The article cites a study conducted by the Partnership at Drugfree.org.  Additional findings included a rise in teenagers who smoke 20 or more times per month.  In 2008 this number was at 5%, but has almost doubled to 9% in 2012.  Morgan Fox, a spokesman for Marijuana Policy Project responded to the findings by saying “If we remove marijuana from the criminal market and have the market run by responsible business people that have an incentive to check IDs and not sell to minors, then we might see those rates drop again.”

The facts obviously shows that legalized marijuana is not the core of the issue as even in states where marijuana is not legal, teens have been resourceful enough to find cannabis.  Our attack on marijuana for close to a century has created a black market, The Mexican Cartel, dangerous synthetics, and gross misinformation.  Ridiculous propaganda that was easily proven false by the last 50 years of youth has only made opponents seem silly and created an even larger generational gap.   If a rise in teen cannabis smoking truly is a concern, then regulation is the only way to keep it out of the hands of minors.

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