Category: Recovered

I have spent a considerable part of my life associated with law enforcement and government and I have come to the conclusion that “The Drug War” has not only been lost; but like most wars, its consequences have been a disaster. I have also had my belief confirmed that prohibition of a commonly engaged-in practice like marijuana use, does far more harm than good.

I have worked as a prison guard, deputy sheriff, elected sheriff, assistant professor of criminal justice, county commissioner, county chairman, county executive, founder of Hooper DeTox Center, and Housing Authority executive director.

My conclusion from this experience is that while many things may not be good for us, they should not necessarily be unlawful.

Prohibition creates a black market to meet the demand for the prohibited item. The black market is run by criminals who gain great profits that are used to corrupt the system. A gangster class is created that is very hard to eradicate.

On the other hand, the quality and safety of the product is best assured when it is tightly controlled and available through a government-regulated system with profit going to public health, treatment and education.

Measure 91 moves Oregon to a more rational model for controlling a product for which there is an obvious demand. This measure will not solve all of the problems associated with its use, but it will be more humane, less corruptive and more transparent.

I plan to vote yes.

Donald E. Clark, former Sheriff

Multnomah County

This information furnished by Don Clark.

I’ve served as a drug addiction and treatment expert for over 30 years, with thousands of clients at local recovery organizations and as Director of Oregon’s Addictions and Mental Health Service Division.

My experience—and the perspective of addressing drug abuse and treatment—convince me that criminalizing marijuana use has failed. It is the wrong approach for the wrong substance.

First, recreational marijuana use by responsible adults is relatively benign, and medicinal use of marijuana has benefitted many people. Like alcohol, it should be regulated and taxed, not prohibited.

Second, criminalizing marijuana is a bad use of public safety time and money. Giving marijuana users a criminal record devastates families and lives. A better approach is to tax marijuana and use the funds to provide treatment on demand for those who experience addictions and dependencies. In my experience, properly funded treatment works.

That’s why I support Measure 91.

Measure 91 can generate tax money that, by law, goes to drug treatment, abuse prevention, schools, and public safety, which are seriously underfunded in Oregon. This lack of funding is a shame—we know that treatment and prevention can be effective when they have adequate support.

The bottom line: there are two different approaches to drugs like alcohol and marijuana -criminalization, or a public health model.

Criminalization leads to stigma, unemployment, and ruined lives.

The public health approach leads to education, prevention, treatment, and a successful future.

We have seen this work in Oregon when public intoxication was decriminalized in the 1970s and detoxification and treatment were substituted for jail. When public intoxication was illegal, all we had was a public safety response. Decriminalization opened up a more successful public health response. We can have similar success by decriminalizing marijuana use and creating a regulated system.

Let’s take the better approach.

Please join me by voting Yes on 91.

(This information furnished by Richard Harris.)

As a leader in the faith community and as a minister, I’m commanded to teach and work for peace. In turn, I guide others to support humane public policies because that is what my faith instructs me to do.

Our current harsh marijuana laws are NOT the right thing to do. The FBI Uniform Crime Statistics estimate that fully 7% of arrests in Oregon each year are for simple marijuana possession. Beyond the fact that it isn’t a good use of police resources, I see the human cost of that policy. It can ruin people’s lives by giving them a criminal record that stays with them when trying to get a job, housing or a loan. And today’s laws aren’t preventing young people from getting marijuana.

The 12,000 annual marijuana arrests and citations in Oregon are not just numbers, they are people. There are very few of us who do not know somebody who uses marijuana, or has used it for some purpose. For adults, that is their choice to make. And if we want to protect young people from marijuana, Measure 91 offers a smarter and more effective way to do it.

Marijuana is here, and it’s not going away. A better system would allow responsible adults to use it sensibly without penalty. A better system will strictly regulate marijuana to protect young people and the vulnerable. A better system would redirect police time and money to address more violent crime, including taking on the drug cartels currently in the marijuana business. A better system will tax marijuana and use the funds for drug education and prevention programs.

As a person of faith, I’m voting Yes for Measure 91 because it’s the right thing to do. For our communities, for our families, and for our humanity.

This information furnished by Rev. Dave Bean.

When my state voted to be first in the nation to legalize and regulate marijuana for adults over 21, many people didn’t know what to expect. As a mother of a teenage boy, I was among them. There were plenty of scare tactics from opponents to the measure — in Oregon you are probably hearing the same thing.

Here is the reality: Life is pretty much the same after marijuana legalization. And the law is working well.

The most frightening picture painted by opponents was that there would be drugged drivers all over the highways. That’s definitely not the case. In fact, deadly crashes on Colorado roads are down since legal marijuana went on sale.

The police are taking the law’s protection of our kids very seriously. In undercover checks at marijuana stores statewide, 100% refused to sell to minors. Unlike drug dealers who never ask for I.D., these legitimate businesses have a lot to lose.There is even a statewide ad campaign warning teenagers not to take a chance with their developing brains by trying marijuana under age.

Opponents said there would be more crime. Since regulated marijuana went on sale, violent crime, robberies and burglaries are all down in Denver.

And in just the first five months of legal sales, Colorado earned $23.6 million in taxes, licensing and fees on marijuana. That’s money previously being funneled to drug cartels. Now it will pay for schools, treatment and law enforcement.

And people would be smoking marijuana in the streets? The law doesn’t allow it.

I can tell you that here in Colorado, life keeps going as normal. There is more personal freedom with the added bonus of more money for vital services.

Turns out I’m glad I voted yes for marijuana in Colorado, and I’d urge you to vote yes on Measure 91.

Lily Marsh – Denver, CO

(This information furnished by Lily Marsh.)

As a former prosecutor, I know that insufficient resources are causing Oregon’s criminal justice system to burst at the seams. Officers are stretched thin. Prosecutors and defense attorneys struggle to handle caseloads, and there aren’t enough courtrooms, probation officers or jail space to handle offenders. Drug treatment options are vastly underfunded.

Drug crimes unquestionably contribute a disproportionate burden. By passing Measure 91 and responsibly legalizing, regulating and taxing marijuana, Oregonians can direct critical resources towards violent crime and drugs such as methamphetamine, heroin and cocaine.

Measure 91 Creates New Revenue

But Measure 91 does more than just make better use of existing limited resources. It also creates new revenue through taxes and mandates that 35% of all such revenue must go to law enforcement.

Getting Our Priorities Straight

Over the last decade, almost 100,000 Oregonians have been detained for marijuana offenses. Every minute that an officer or a judge spends on a marijuana case is time and money away from more serious crime. Recent statistics show that Oregon has nearly 150 untested rape kits, more than 50 missing children, and multiple unsolved murders.

Given severely limited resources, law enforcement does a phenomenal job. But we can be smarter with our resources by responsibly legalizing, regulating and taxing marijuana in Oregon.

Doesn’t Change DUII Laws

Existing Oregon law forbids driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs to a noticeable or perceptible degree. Measure 91 does not change Oregon DUII law whatsoever, and that law is sufficient to successfully prosecute anyone who drives while impaired by marijuana.

Support Measure 91

Legalizing, regulating, and taxing marijuana in Oregon through Measure 91 means:

· Shrinking the black market and influence of drug cartels;
· Increased funding for proven drug education and prevention programs for youth;
· Creating tax revenue for schools and police.

Please vote Yes on Measure 91

Darian Stanford, Former Multnomah County Deputy District Attorney

(This information furnished by Darian A Stanford, Slinde Nelson Stanford.)

Oregon farmers know that our state’s prohibition of marijuana has unintended consequences that many people don’t know about. One example: our senseless approach that prohibits the growth of hemp as an agricultural crop.

You can legally buy hemp cereal at the grocery store in Oregon. But as farmers, we can’t grow it. Why? Hemp is considered off limits due to its relationship to marijuana plants.

But hemp is not a drug. Smoking it will not get you high. It will only get you sick.

Instead, hemp is a fibrous plant with many, many household uses. When processed, hemp can be used as fuel, wax, rope, resin, cloth, paper, pulp and food.

Canadians make half a billion dollars a year in the hemp market, and about 90% of the hemp they grow is exported to the United States. Oregonians shouldn’t be forced to buy hemp from overseas, when Oregon farmers could be growing this sustainable, environmentally-friendly cash crop right here.

Hemp is well-matched for Oregon’s climate and soil. It can be grown on flatland or on slopes, requires only a reasonable level of irrigation, and is resilient against pests.

We can change our approach to hemp, by passing Measure 91.

Measure 91 includes language that removes barriers for qualified farmers to apply for hemp production licenses under state law.

There is an entire hemp industry sitting on the sidelines waiting for voters to pass this law. In addition to being a golden opportunity for Oregon farmers, the processing and manufacturing of raw hemp will create jobs across the state.

I’ve spent my career in the nursery industry and have spoken with many farmers about the issue of hemp prohibition. They all agree – farmers need the option to grow industrial hemp in Oregon.

Please join me in voting YES on Measure 91

Ryan Basile – Silverton, OR

We See the Human Cost and Ruined Lives Caused by Our Current Marijuana Laws Every Day

Please vote Yes on Measure 91 because treating marijuana use as a crime has failed.

• Arresting and citing thousands for marijuana every year is a drain upon law enforcement and judicial resources and has failed to increase public safety or deter use.
• It unnecessarily harms people’s lives.
• Our marijuana laws have disproportionately harmed people of color and hurt low ­income citizens the most.

Violation of marijuana laws can tear families apart and deny people education, employment and housing opportunities. Many of us are lawyers who represent people accused of marijuana offenses, we see first­ hand the harm caused by an irrational policy. In many ways, we are advocating against our own financial interests, but we cannot remain silent in the face of such a discriminatory and harmful policy.

Measure 91 would license and regulate marijuana only for adults over the age of 21, very similarly to how we regulate beer and wine. Driving under the influence laws will remain in place. It remains against the law to provide marijuana to minors. Taking marijuana out of the unregulated, illicit market and into a legal, regulated market will allow law enforcement resources to be better prioritized to fight serious and violent crime. Whenever police officers cite or arrest someone for marijuana, they must log the evidence and possibly show up in court­­–taking time away from patrolling our streets and keeping our neighborhoods safe.

We urge you to vote Yes on Measure 91 to better prioritize our local and state police resources and allow the Oregon police officers to concentrate on more important matters.

Leland R. Berger

Claudia E. Browne

Thomas Coan

Emerge Law Group

Robert A. Graham

Kohel Haver

John Henry Hingson III

Paul T. Loney

John Lucy IV

Brian Michaels

Jonah Morningstar

Courtney Moran, LL.M.

Michael Rose

Bradley M. Steinman

Philip W. Studenberg

Bear Wilner­Nugent

Neal Weingart

Ann B. Witte

This information furnished by Leland R Berger, Attorney at Law, Oregon CannaBusiness Compliance Counsel, LLC.

Yes on 91 staff model the new t-shirts!

Show your support today by buying a t-shirt or bumper sticker! Yes on 91 staff put on the new threads and modeled for all of you! Sizes run small, so you might want to order a larger size than you normally would.

Keeping marijuana illegal and unregulated has resulted in the unnecessary diversion of limited public safety resources.

According to statewide data collected by the Oregon State Police, there have been over 99,000 arrests and citations for marijuana offenses in Oregon over the past decade – the vast majority for simple possession. That means police and sheriffs are pursuing people who use marijuana and not focusing fully on preventing serious or violent crime.

Arrests and citations for marijuana use and purchase exact great personal costs. There are steep fines for possessing even a small amount of marijuana and many marijuana charges carry the threat of long prison terms. For example, under current law, a person who grows even one marijuana plant for their own use could face up to 10 years in prison. Some people are saddled with a criminal record that creates barriers to employment, housing and student loans.

What’s more, our current marijuana laws are enforced along color lines and create a significant racial justice issue: even though African Americans and white people in Oregon use marijuana at about the same rate, blacks are twice as likely to be arrested or cited than are whites.

It’s time for a new approach, with sensible policies that lift the criminalization of marijuana use for responsible adults – 21 and older – and more sensibly and safely control how marijuana is produced and sold.

• Measure 91 sets up a smart and regulated approach to marijuana that will redirect police and court time to more urgent public safety concerns.
• Measure 91 means that marijuana will be taxed and funds will go to support, among other things, drug prevention programs that currently receive inadequate support.
• Measure 91 supports a more fair criminal justice system.

We urge you to vote Yes on Measure 91.

(This information furnished by Rebecca Straus, American Civil Liberties of Oregon.)