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  • Oregon’s leading drug addiction expert kicks off massive TV ad campaign to legalize and regulate marijuana

    Yes on 91 is getting the word out with the largest TV advertising campaign so far for an Oregon ballot measure in 2014. The $2.3 million ad buy will help make the case that a better way to control marijuana is to regulate, tax and legalize it for adults 21 and older.

    Our first TV ads feature a strong endorsement from Oregon’s leading drug addiction expert, Richard Harris, the former director of Addictions and Mental Health Services in Oregon. He held the highest position in the state for directing drug treatment and addiction programs.

    “Criminalizing marijuana ruins lives and wastes resources,” Harris said. “Instead of sending people to jail and turning them into hardened criminals, we should treat marijuana as a public health issue and create a system that raises money for prevention programs and mental health programs. Right now there is no state appropriated money in Oregon for drug and alcohol prevention programs, including for marijuana, but Measure 91 would change that.”

    The ads featuring Harris and other high-profile endorsements will run on television stations throughout Oregon. The Yes on 91 campaign also already has several ads running on pre-roll online.

    “This is the largest ad buy made by any marijuana regulation campaign in Oregon history,” said Yes on 91 campaign director Liz Kaufman. “The campaign will focus efforts on making the case to every possible Oregon voter, and more and more Oregonians and organizations are endorsing us every day.”

    Harris joins retired state Supreme Court Justice Bill Riggs, the Oregon ACLU, the Oregon State Council for Retired Citizens and a growing number of Oregonians across the state who have endorsed the Yes on 91 campaign. Several independent polls show a majority of Oregonians support the measure, which would regulate, legalize and tax marijuana in a way that’s similar to the system for beer and wine, but more restrictive.

    In Colorado, since the marijuana industry became legalized and regulated, use among teenagers has dropped and traffic fatalities have declined, according to Forbes Magazine. But in Oregon, seven percent of all arrests and citations are for simple marijuana possession, according to The Oregonian, giving the state one of the highest marijuana arrest rates in the country.

    Measure 91 would regulate marijuana sales and possession at all levels; legalize use for adults 21 and older; and generate tens of millions in tax revenue for schools, police, drug treatment, drug prevention and mental health programs. More information: voteyeson91.com/.

    “Measure 91 is expected to generate tens of millions of tax revenue every year,” said chief petitioner Anthony Johnson, “with a quarter of it going to drug treatment, prevention and mental health programs. That makes more sense than putting all the money into the criminal market.”






  • A mother’s mission to bring marijuana into the light and help people

    I am a mother, a Christian, and a Republican, and I don’t smoke dope. But I’m telling you right now that we need to do a better job dealing with marijuana in Oregon.

    A big, black cloud hangs over a little green plant that God created with the ability to take people’s pain away. As far as I’m concerned, it’s medicine that could be helping people.

    Susan Kelly is a mom from Coburg, Oregon

    We should not be treating marijuana as a crime, ruining people’s lives, when we could be treating it in a more sensible way, improving people’s lives.

    You might say, “Medical marijuana is already legal here.” That’s true, but that doesn’t mean medical patients have it easy. Our current approach is damaging to medical patients — and all Oregonians.

    Measure 91 will keep medical marijuana rules the same, and it will help remove the stigma and allow easier access to patients. It will improve regulation of growers and ensure quality control so growers have more credibility and can be trusted by the community.

    Even more important, it will allow rigorous research on marijuana. This research is hardly being done now because marijuana is illegal. But to people suffering from seizure disorders and other diseases, marijuana has the potential to help make their lives more bearable. Until we bring marijuana out of the shadows, scientists’ hands are tied.

    I have two daughters. One of them is a high school senior this year. I’ve seen how drug dealers have too much access to teenagers like her. Getting marijuana out of the black market will make it harder for kids to buy it. Tax money from regulated marijuana sales will provide money for schools to do more drug education, so teenagers will say “no.”

    What I’d like us to do is to use the system in place to regulate and sell beer and wine. Measure 91 doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel. It uses that system, and that’s going to save us money.

    This issue keeps coming into my heart. It’s God’s calling to me. I have a passion for making this medicine mainstream, reducing the power of violent drug cartels and using our police resources more intelligently. I’m making it my mission to tell people about the good Measure 91 can do if we all vote yes!

    By Susan Kelly






  • Moms support a better approach to marijuana regulation

    MomsforM91Banner

    In a strong show of support for the common-sense, safety-first benefits of Measure 91, a group of moms from Oregon, Colorado and Washington gathered before the news media today to express why they think Measure 91 is a better approach to marijuana.

    Oregon Moms for Yes on 91 describe a safer system for marijuana

    “My top priority is the safety of my children,” said Leah Mauer a mom of 3 young children, “and the current approach is failing to keep them safe. A better approach is to take marijuana away from illegal dealers and cartels and put it behind the counter at a regulated, inspected and properly-zoned store.”

    Rachel Gillette of Colorado, and Cathy Doerr of Washington joined the news event via Skype to give their perspective of what life is like after voters chose to regulate, legalize and tax marijuana.

    Leah also started a Facebook group called Moms for Measure 91 to help answer questions that moms and parents have about this measure. If you are a mom and are interested in joining the group you can do so by clicking here.

    “There are only a couple stores in Spokane, one of them is next door to Jazzercise,” said Cathy Doerr, a mom of three from Spokane, Washington. “Even though a store opened there, nothing has changed. I feel as safe as ever and I feel more comfortable knowing that marijuana is being sold from behind a counter where someone is checking ID. I think that will keep it away from teenagers.”

    Rachel Gillette added, “Our roads are safer since the passage of marijuana regulation here. There has been a drop in deadly crashes this year. People were afraid the roads would become more dangerous if we legalized and regulated marijuana. That prediction just hasn’t come true.”

    Colorado and Washington are already experiencing successful results from their approval of the regulated use of marijuana:

    • Teen use and access to marijuana is down in Colorado. (Source: US News & World Report, Aug. 7)
    • Arrests are down for marijuana violations. (Source: The Denver Post, Jan. 14)
    • Traffic fatalities are at near historic lows. (Source: The Washington Post, Aug. 5)






  • Medida 91: Temas de conversación, Preguntas hechas con frecuencia

    Criminalizando la marihuana en nuestra comunidad nos ha fallado.

    No está protegiendo a los niños. Coloca más dinero a los narcotraficantes, y le da más poder a la violencia de los carteles. Desperdicia el dinero de los contribuyentes. Toma tiempo de la policía que por otras avenidas podrían estar buscando niños perdidos, investigando asesinatos, o respondiendo a llamadas de violencia doméstica.

    Este enfoque tiene un costo excesivo.

    • La Policía está perdiendo el tiempo y desperdiciando dinero arrestando a la gente por la marihuana.
      • Se estima que un arresto de cada 14 en Oregón es por la marihuana, y la mayoría de los arrestos son por posesión de marihuana. Cada 39 minutos hay un arresto o una infracción relacionada con marihuana en el estado de Oregon, según las estadísticas de la policía de Oregon.
      • El número de arrestos y infracciones están creciendo cada año. Estas ocurrencias pasan en todos los condados de este estado.
      • Las personas de color son afectadas desproporcionadamente en arrestos y infracciones de marihuana. En Oregón, la gente negra tiene el doble de probabilidad de ser arrestada o recibir infracción por la marihuana. Los latinos están equivocadamente categorizados como blancos, aunque un estudio reciente en Nueva York mostró que los latinos tienen cuatro veces más probabilidades de ser arrestados o recibir infracciones por la marihuana, a pesar de que el uso entre las razas es casi lo mismo.
    • Al mismo tiempo, las leyes corrientes de marihuana pueden arruinar vidas con demasiada facilidad.
      • Si una persona comete un error con la marihuana, las leyes corrientes pueden enviarlos a la cárcel – creando historia criminal puede hacer difícil conseguir un trabajo, un apartamento o una tarjeta de crédito. Incluso una infracción por la marihuana es una multa de $ 650-800 dólares – una cantidad enorme para una persona de promedio.
      • Medida 91 elimina el castigo injusto por delitos menores de drogas y obtiene más dinero de los impuestos para las escuelas, la prevención y el tratamiento del uso de drogas, y la policía local.

    Con la aprobación de la Medida 91, tendríamos un sistema mejor para controlar la marihuana.

    • En vez de desperdiciar tiempo en delitos de marihuana pequeños, la regulación y legalización significa que el dinero que va a la policía y la seguridad pública puede ir hacia cosas más importantes como: perseguir criminales violentos y la reducción de la acumulación de casos sin resolver
    • En vez de enriquecer a las pandillas y cárteles de drogas, la venta regulada de marihuana cultivará decenas de millones de dólares para fondos de importancia vital, poniéndolos en una cuenta especial que por ley debe ser distribuida a las escuelas, la policía estatal y local, la prevención y el tratamiento del uso de drogas, y programas de salud mental.
    • En vez de que la marihuana se venda a los niños, sólo adultos mayores de 21 años de edad podrán comprarla. En este momento la marihuana se vende en esquinas comunitarias y parques infantiles. Una vez que Medida 91 se apruebe será vendida por negocios regulados, auditados, inspeccionados y licenciados.

    Es inevitable que la marihuana será legalizada – después de todo es legal en el estado al lado de nosotros. Si va a suceder, necesitamos restricciones adecuadas puestas en lugar.

    Medida 91 controlará la marihuana desde la semilla hasta la venta; penaliza el acceso de menores de edad; mantiene las leyes corrientes contra la conducción ebria; mantiene las reglas del lugar de trabajo libre de drogas; y previene el uso público.

    Oregón tiene la ventaja de ir tercero. Hemos aprendido mucho de la legalización de la marihuana en Washington y Colorado.

    Medida 91 está diseñado para aprovechar las lecciones aprendidas de las leyes de Washington y Colorado. Medida 91 ha sido diseñada con una función de flexibilidad para continuar ajustando la ley en el futuro si es necesario.

    Preguntas hechas con frecuencia

     

    ¿Qué controles hay en la Medida 91?

    • Sólo los adultos mayores de 21 años de edad serán permitidos comprar, vender o poseer marihuana.
    • Las cantidades son limitadas. Los agricultores, productores y vendedores deben tener una licencia. Sus tiendas, instalaciones, y almacenes serán inspeccionadas, auditadas y reguladas.
    • La marihuana no se puede utilizar en público. Los negocios relacionados con la marihuana no podrán estar dentro de 1,000 pies de una escuela. Empleados mantienen áreas de trabajo libres de drogas y leyes permanecerán en su lugar. Protecciones para los propietarios permanecerán en su lugar. No se permitirán “secciones de fumar” en los locales públicos. La LOTC regulará cuántas licencias se publicarán y dónde. Vendedores con licencia pueden tener su licencia revocada por no seguir las reglas estrictas.
    • Las ventas de marihuana y su uso serán aún más restringidas que el alcohol. Hay límites de cuánto se puede comprar, cuánto uno puede tener en su hogar, y no se puede utilizar en público.
    • Es contra la ley manejar en estado de ebriedad con cualquier intoxicante – ya sea alcohol, Nyquil, medicamentos recetados o marihuana – eso sería igual bajo Medida 91. La policía seguiría haciendo las pruebas de campo para determinar si un conductor se ve afectado con cualquier intoxicante. No existen pruebas de campo específicas para ebriedad de la marihuana, ni para los medicamentos con receta. Las pruebas realizadas por la policía en la carretera son muy efectivas para determinar ebriedad.
    • La ley obliga que el Estado mantenga reciente en cualquier mejoramiento de tecnología alrededor de pruebas en la carretera para ebriedad.
    • La ley mantiene regulaciones vigentes para los registrados bajo la Ley de Marihuana Medicinal de Oregón.

    ¿Cómo impactará mi ciudad?

    • Ingresos de los impuestos pagarán por las escuelas, la policía del estado y local, la prevención y el tratamiento del uso de drogas, y programas de salud mental.
    • 20% de los impuestos colectados serán distribuidos a los gobiernos locales, específicamente para la seguridad pública.
    • Las vecindades con tiendas de marihuana en Colorado estaban nerviosas al comienzo, y ahora más lugares las quieren debido al aumento del comercio en áreas con tiendas legales;
    • Existe una provisión llamada ‘opt-out’ para las comunidades locales con participación de una elección, igualmente como la ley de alcoholes. Si una comunidad pasa una votación ‘opt-out’, no recibirá la cuota de los ingresos locales de la seguridad pública.

    ¿Qué pasa con el aumento de su uso por los niños?

    • Ahorita es demasiado facil que los niños compren marihuana en el mercado negro no piden identificación y no preguntan por su edad. Muchas veces los traficantes de drogas tratan de vender drogas más duras a los niños. Ellos tienen más control que nadie en el acceso de la marihuana para los niños
    • Las leyes actuales de Oregón alimentan el mercado negro y aumentan el acceso de narcotraficantes a los niños. Bajo la Medida 91, el mercado negro se reduciría y los niños tendrían mucho menos acceso a la marihuana en el mercado negro.
    • Más recursos policiales podrían destinarse a los delitos como la venta de marihuana a los niños y más dinero estaría disponible para los programas de prevención y educación sobre las drogas, que desafortunadamente no tienen suficiente fondos;
    • No criminalizamos muchas actividades que hacen los adultos, y los niños deben esperar para hacer: manejar, usar una motosierra, usando equipo pesado, y bebiendo tragos. Necesitamos conversaciones abiertas con los jóvenes acerca de la necesidad de esperar para usar la marihuana hasta que su cerebro está completamente desarrollado en sus veinte años.

    ¿Qué pasa con la gente que conduce bajo de la influencia?

    • Estadísticas sobre seis meses desde legalizando marihuana en Colorado muestran que las muertes y accidentes han bajado, no hacia arriba.
    • En este momento, es ilegal en Oregón conducir en estado de ebriedad bajo cualquier sustancia controlada, incluyendo la marihuana. Eso no va a cambiar cuando la marihuana se legalice en Oregón. Pruebas de campo de ebriedad seguirán siendo utilizadas para la gente que pueda estar conduciendo en estado de ebriedad.

    ¿Qué pasa con la marihuana comestible y la protección de los adultos y los niños de una mala experiencia?

    • Productos de marihuana comestibles están aquí, aun cuando la marihuana es ilegal. Regulación es la mejor manera de controlar y proteger de un mal uso, porque no podemos estandarizar los productos objeto de la prohibición;
    • Las leyes de Colorado y Washington requieren un embalaje opaco y a prueba de niños; etiquetado con advertencias; y los límites a la cantidad de THC por unidad;
    • El embalaje incluye advertencias claras, incluyendo efectos demorados;
    • Las cantidades compradas pueden ser limitadas;
    • Se requerirá la educación y la comprensión pública y es importante tomar el tiempo para hacerlo: no es difícil de estandarizar un producto comestible.
    • Las políticas deben basarse en la ciencia, no en el miedo. Comestibles de marihuana no deben ser tan estrictamente regulados que crean un mercado ilícito. Reglamentos serán acoplados con la educación para que el público tenga cuidado y esté abierto al aprendizaje – similar a aprendiendo como beber, etc.

     

     

     

     

  • Medford Mail

    1. The Mail Tribune wants Regulation. Regulation, regulation, regulation

    Measure 91 is thick with regulation, restrictions and rules to better control marijuana:

    According to the Mail Tribune:

    “Under Measure 91, state-licensed farmers would produce the drug under strict controls. The Oregon Liquor Control Commission, which knows a thing or two about regulating an intoxicating substance, would oversee the distribution and sale of legal pot to those 21 and over. The OLCC would have authority to regulate potency, labeling, testing and portion size — information that is not available on the black market.”

    2. The newspaper’s endorsement provides a clear description of 91 and a thoughtful review of the realities of a regulated system.

    Continuing the prohibition approach to marijuana won’t accomplish any of these things. [use police resources wisely, eliminate the criminal market, ensure a safe product, raise revenue for the vital services] Nor will it end marijuana use. What Measure 91 would do is impose needed controls on the drug, and generate tax revenue for the state and for local communities…. The measure does not amend the state constitution, so the Legislature can modify the law as needed. We recommend a yes vote on Ballot measure 91.

    3. The Mail Tribune joins three other major newspapers around Oregon (and another you might recognize) in supporting marijuana regulation and legalization for the first time:

    The Oregonian
    The Register-Guard
    The East Oregonian
    The New York Times

    The paper explained its change of heart, “This year, a group of legalization advocates have put forward a very detailed, carefully worded initiative that has none of the drawbacks of the 2012 measure.”

    They’ve joined a growing list of organizations and leaders around Oregon supporting 91

    • Oregon State Council for Retired Citizens
    • Oregon Alliance for Retired Americans
    • National Association of Social Workers – Oregon Chapter
    • Partnership for Safety and Justice
    • ACLU of Oregon
    • Retired Oregon State Supreme Court Justice William Riggs
    • former US Attorney Kris Olson
    • former County Drug Unit Prosecutor Darian Stanford
    • Richard Harris, former Oregon State Director of Addictions and Mental Health Services
      Go to www.voteyeson91.com to see more!

    4. The endorsement continues the momentum from the growing number of supporters and from the Southern Oregon swing by travel author and talk show host Rick Steves

    Celebrity travel guide Rick Steves swung through Medford, addressing a packed house of local folks, the sixth stop on his 10-city tour across our great state of Oregon last week. Rick spoke passionately about the importance of passing Measure 91. He and Measure 91 are not pro-pot, we are pro-regulation and pro-good policy, supporting important rules and regulations, better focusing police resources and generating revenue for schools, state and local police, drug treatment services and drug prevention programs.

    According to the Mail Tribune, “What Measure 91 would do is impose needed controls on the drug, and generate tax revenue for the state and for local communities.”

    Read the entire endorsement here.






  • Press Release: Marijuana regulation campaign launches first ad blitz TV spot

    For immediate release — Oct. 1, 2014
    Peter Zuckerman, Yes on 91 Communications Director, 310-507-4689

    On The Air: Yes on 91’s first TV spot features an Oregon law enforcement veteran.

    Oregon’s campaign to regulate, legalize and tax marijuana officially launched its $2 million plus advertising blitz, debuting a veteran law enforcement officer in the first TV spot.

    The new ad hit the airwaves this morning and is running on a range of broadcast and cable networks, including the newscasts of KGW, KATU, KOIN, KPTV, KEZI, KVAL and KMTR.

    “It’s About Time” features Pete Tutmark, a longtime Oregonian who has spent 33 years in law enforcement, including many years as patrol sergeant, sheriff’s deputy and the supervisor of a K9 unit. The 57-year-old father of two and grandfather of three lives in Canby, Ore.

    “Last year in Oregon, there were 13,000 citations and arrests for marijuana,” Tutmark says in the ad. “That takes time, time better spent solving murders, rape cases, finding missing children. The system’s broken. Measure 91 regulates marijuana for adults so police have time to fight serious, violent and unsolved crimes.”

    Tutmark joins high-profile law enforcement leaders in Oregon who have endorsed the Yes on 91 campaign, including retired chief federal prosecutor Kris Olson and retired Oregon Supreme Court Justice Bill Riggs.

    The ads running today are the first that the Measure 91 campaign — or any recent marijuana campaign — has put on broadcast and cable TV in Oregon. The Yes on 91 campaign has previously run ads online featuring a variety of Oregonians, including former director of Addiction and Mental Health Services director Richard Harris and retired middle school teacher Margie Harris (no relation).

    More information
    Tutmark says that in a time of tight budgets, police should spend their time, energy and resources chasing dangerous criminals, identity thieves and gang members.

    • In Oregon, seven percent of all arrests are for simple marijuana possession.
    • In Washington, marijuana-related court filings plummeted from 5,531 in 2012 to 120 in 2013, the year marijuana became legal.
    • Several economic studies show that Measure 91 could generate tens of millions of dollars for police and that public safety savings would be even more, thanks in part to reduced caseloads and more time for police to spend on violent crimes.

    “For years, I cited and arrested people for marijuana like I was supposed to,” Tutmark said. “I enforced the law. But my mind has changed on this issue over the years. I think the laws against marijuana are doing more harm than good.”






  • Letter: Time to put the adults in charge of marijuana

    By Inge Fryklund

    Published Sep 14, 2014 at 12:08AM

    Today in Oregon, kids are buying readily available marijuana from unknown, unregulated sources. The supply chain may go all the way back to some Mexican cartel, and it’s guaranteed that all the profits will go to criminals. No one knows the potency or purity of the substance being sold, or how much pesticide contamination there might be. People undoubtedly are driving while high — as they do with alcohol — but unlike with labeled beer or wine, consumers have no way of knowing what potency they have ingested before getting behind the wheel.

    Clearly, marijuana is a problematic substance — like alcohol, cigarettes and prescription drugs — with positives and negatives. Prohibition has not addressed these negatives, let alone solved them. As Albert Einstein said, insanity “is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

    With our current enforcement-based system, the responsible adults in the community have abdicated their responsibility to control marijuana, a substance that is both widely available and in demand. We have left all decisions about source, distribution, sale, potency and purity up to criminals. Instead of proactively working to prevent or reduce problems with the distribution and sale of marijuana, we have been reactive, getting involved only after the sales to kids have already occurred when police make arrests for drug offenses. We spend our tax dollars on police, prosecution and prisons. Convictions in turn lead to broken families and reduced employability, cycling defendants back into the drug economy. We all bear the resulting social costs.

    How to change the equation so that responsible adults and elected representatives can regulate and control marijuana?

    Something that is illegal cannot be managed. Has any public official ever said, “We need to do a better job of managing armed robbery?” It sounds silly. Only if something is legal is it possible for the community to manage and control it.

    During the prohibition of alcohol (1920-1933), drinking didn’t stop and there were tremendous downsides to relying on the criminal justice system to control alcohol. Supply was in the hands of criminals, and any dealer prosecuted was simply replaced by another. Remember Al Capone? And gangs fighting over turf? There was no quality control, and hundreds of people died of drinking adulterated alcohol.

    The day Prohibition was repealed, state alcohol control commissions could regulate purity, require labeling, license distributors and sellers, and enact and enforce penalties for selling to minors. Beer distributors with contract disputes filed cases in court instead of shooting each other. When was the last time Bud Light and Coors Light engaged in a shootout over store shelf space?

    We see the role of alcohol regulation at every one of Oregon’s liquor stores, wineries and microbreweries. Every beer is labeled in terms of alcohol by volume (ABV).

    Consumers know exactly what they are getting. No seller wants to risk losing his license by selling to minors.

    It is time to take on board the lessons of the prohibition of alcohol. Take decisions about potency, purity, distribution and sale out of the hands of criminals and put these decisions in the hands of responsible adults. Let’s use Oregon’s regulatory powers to manage marijuana proactively.

    Measure 91 establishes that regulatory framework. Vote Yes on 91.

    — Inge Fryklund is a speaker for Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP). She lives in Bend.

    See this Letter to the Editor in the Bend Bulletin.






  • Join Us

    We are a coalition of Oregonians who believe it is time for a new, responsible approach on marijuana – and that Oregon voters deserve the chance to decide in 2014. Join us!

  • Vote Yes on Measure 91

    RT @anthonyj1977: I’ll be on a panel hosted by the @Oregonian’s @noellecrombie tonight to discuss #Oregon #marijuana law @VoteYESon91 http:…

  • I voted YES

    Ballots have been mailed to all Oregonians!

    If you don’t receive your ballot by Monday, October 20, you should check your voter registration or contact the Secretary of State’s Office.

    Once you get your ballot VOTE YES on 91!

    Then add a stamp and mail it in OR take it to a drop box.

    Voting Yes is only the first step. We can’t pass better marijuana policy without your help!

    1. Write or call all your friends telling them why you support Measure 91 and remind them to turn in their ballots.

    2. Come to Yes on 91 headquarters and join us in calling voters across the state to remind them to vote. We’ll have snacks, fun people and democracy!

    3. Donate to the Yes on 91 campaign. We need to spread our message right until election day on television, radio and all the places people find their news. We can’t do it without your support.

    4. Share your “I VOTED” sticker on Facebook and encourage all your friends to do it too!

    5. Change your picture on Facebook or Twitter to the Yes on 91 logo:

    yeson91logo