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June 16, 2005
Reefer sanity
Source: Isthmus
Pubdate: 17 June 2005
Author: Gary Storck
REEFER SANITY
Kenneth Burns' report on bar time chaos exposed a side of Madison that few residents ever get to see ("The State Street stumble,") 5/6/05.
It is obvious a great deal of police funding is spent dealing with people who routinely consume too much alcohol. While no one in their right mind would want to reinstate alcohol prohibition, marijuana prohibition is denying people who react badly to alcohol a safer alternative.
Madison has a long history of tolerating marijuana use predating passage of the landmark Madison General Ordinance 23.20 in April 1977 with over 60% of the vote. If alcohol, with many negative consequences, is socially acceptable, shouldn't cannabis also be?
Envision a Madison where adults could escape the bar scene for licensed Dutch-style coffeeshops where they could obtain cannabis to consume there or take home. Regulation would not only bring the cannabis market aboveground, but it would create an alternative to socializing with alcohol and all that comes with it.
Gary Storck
Madison NORML
Posted by Gary at June 16, 2005 11:53 PM
Comments
The Isthmus, like many publications, edits letters for brevity and content, and this letter was edited.
While it didn't greatly affect the message I was trying to impart, I was disappointed the following paragraph was edited:
"A couple years ago I was downtown at bar time, dropping friends at a hotel. There was so much yelling and screaming up and down State it seemed as if everyone downtown had gone completely insane."
It was pretty stunning, to see this kind of mass inebriation.
The ending of the letter was also snipped:
"It also offers a means of providing safe and legal access for those using cannabis medicinally. Regulated access has the potential to reduce alcohol-related policing costs, and also to enhance city revenues.
It is not so far-fetched. City of Oakland, California voters passed Measure Z last November with a 65% margin. Measure Z, which makes cannabis possession, cultivation and sales the lowest priority for Oakland police, also instructs the City to lobby for changes in state law to allow regulated sales of marijuana at licensed outlets.
The time is ripe for Madison to follow suit."
(end of letter as submitted)
The time is ripe for a Madison Measure Z type ordinance. Madison needs to lead on this issue as it once did getting Ord. 23.20 on the ballot in 1976-77. It will take grass roots activism. If this scenario interests you, and you live in Madison, please come to one of our meetings.
Gary Storck
Madison NORML
Posted by: Gary Storck ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.madisonnorml.org/blog/nav-commenters.gif)
at June 26, 2005 05:19 PM
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