Friend Or Foe Of The Medical Marijuana Community.

[jayt]

This is a response from Carl Levin on ending marihuana prohibition. I consider him to be a foe now. I actually at one time thought highly of him but it didn't take much to change my view.

 

 

Thank you for contacting me about the legalization of marijuana. I appreciate hearing your views on the subject.

 

I do not support the legalization of marijuana. Legalization would belie the seriousness of the social, health and economic costs of drug use. In addition, some experts believe that this approach would lead to an increase in drug abuse, which our country simply cannot afford. The United States Chamber of Commerce estimates that lost productivity, accidents, higher medical claims, increased absenteeism and theft of property resulting from drug abuse by workers already cost employers billions of dollars each year.

 

While Congress cannot simply legislate an end to the drug problem in this country, we can make things more difficult for the drug growers and traffickers, encourage reductions in the demand for drugs through education, and address the social costs of drug abuse by improving treatment and rehabilitation programs.

 

Best Wishes.

 

Sincerely,

Carl Levin

[legacy]

Foes

 

Rep. Tim Melton, D-Pontiac, said the drug should be handled by pharmacists.

 

The following are also mentioned in the article. Their statements don't sound as threatening, but they resemble phrases from the Prohibitionist's Playbook, so I'm putting them under watch for now...

 

Sen. Mike Kowall, R-White Lake,

Rep. Eileen Kowall, R-White Lake,

Rep. Chuck Moss, R-Birmingham

Rep. Marty Knollenberg, R-Troy

Rep. Gail Haines, R-Lake Angelus

 

http://theoaklandpress.com/articles/2011/08/26/news/doc4e5826ad1c97c126403162.txt?viewmode=default

[Friendofphotons]

This is good stuff! Identifying who is foe and who is friend is going to hold these officials accountable. No more hiding in the crowd!

 

This might be a helpful resource for those that are looking at the judicial responsibility and accountability.

http://www.halt.org/jip/

 

I just stumbled across that organization so I don't really know what they're about or for, but it does look like it could be a useful tool. I tried to find info on the 3 judges that recently ruled but I didn't find anything, at least not yet. Maybe those of you more adept with the legal/political arena might.

[legacy]

You can add Kurt Heise to the Nay List:

Sent him this letter on the 4th and have gotten nothing back:

 

AND HERE'S WHY!!

 

Dear Rep, Heise

 

Please vote yes on HR2306, the "Ending Federal Marijuana Prohibition Act of 2011". The federal government has much more important priorities and it could be using scarce resources, for which are still being used to continue a disintegrating prohibition against marijuana. As more states are passing initiatives for medical use by a large percentage of citizens, and more people believe in regulating its use, whether for medical or not, the federal government must discontinue its restrictive policies and allow states their sovereign right to pass and implement their own laws.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

 

later in further researching him I find this: AGAIN HERE'S WHY!

No wonder I haven't heard anything.

 

Seeing as how Heise sponsored hb4349 and 4852, i am not defending his not replying you, but you wrote him about hr2306. That is a US house bill. Heise is in the Michigan House. So it's out of his "jurisdiction".

[legacy]

FOES who are not already listed on this thread... (all are Republicans except where noted)

 

SB504: Mike Green, Mark Jansen.

SB506: Roger Kahn, Patrick Colbeck, Jack Brandenburg.

SB618: (all voted out?) Kuipers, Van Woerkom, Garcia, Jelinek, Cropsey.

 

HB4834: Ed McBroom, Ray Franz, Jon Bumstead, Wayne Schmidt.

HB4850: Hugh Crawford, Phil Cavanagh (D), Joseph Haveman, Mark Meadows (D).

HB4851: Ellen Lipton (D), Joan Bauer (D), Bob Constan (D), Rudy Hobbs (D), Frederick Durhal (D), Charles Smiley (D), Marcia Hovey-Wright (D).

HB4852: Gail Haines, Rick Outman, Ken Goike, Kevin Cotter, Amanda Price, Timothy Bledsoe (D), Paul Opsommer, Bruce Rendon, Dale Zorn, Rick Olson, David Agema, Kevin Daley, Lisa Lyons, Kenneth Kurtz, Bradford Jacobsen, Peter MacGregor, Kurt Damrow, Lesia Liss (D), Kenneth Horn, Mike Callton, Sharon Tyler.

HB4854: Judson Gilbert, Greg MacMaster, Matt Huuki, Thomas Hooker.

HB4856: Ken Yonker, Ben Glardon, Joel Johnson, Mark Ouimet, Roy Schmidt (D), Douglas Geiss (D), Matthew Lori.

 

http://michiganmedicalmarijuana.org/topic/33459-17-bills-to-change-mmj-law/

 

Not sure why there are any Democrats on here since the Michigan Democratic Party officially supports the MMMA (Beatrice Solomon Patient and Caregiver Protection Resolution).

Edited September 15, 2011 by legacy

[TheBeagle]

President of the USA - Obama!

[legacy]

FOE

 

Grand Traverse County Prosecutor Alan Schneider

 

He is ignoring section 4b... basic caregiver protections.

http://michiganmedicalmarijuana.org/topic/34781-traverse-city-legalizes-strong-armed-robbery/

[legacy]

FRIEND

 

US Rep Dan Benishek ( R )

 

He supports mmj and appears to support at least some aspect of legalization.

http://michiganmedicalmarijuana.org/topic/34827-a-letter-from-dan-benishek/

[+washtenaut]

anyone want to add any recent updates to this thread?

[legacy]

I started a file showing elected officials and URLs where they were mentioned in relevant articles. I also noted my opinion (based on the citation) of whether or not I thought they are a friend or foe. I'm sure there will be some disagreements over dispensaries, decriminalization, and legalization. So the best thing to do is to download the file, read the citation, then make up your own mind.

 

Hopefully everyone who is registered to vote will vote on August 7. Please don't assume that you only need to vote on November 6. August 7 could be more important for a number of offices, eg. where democrats are fighting us.

 

If you're investigating a particular candidate use the Find All feature to check the entire workbook. For example if Rep. Cavanagh (D) were to run for County Executive or Mich Senate, he wouldn't be found on those sheets, but would be found on the Mich House sheet using the Find All feature.

Edited August 8, 2012 by legacy

[+washtenaut]

Legacy, I just started to look into this spreadsheet that you've put together and I wanted to say thank you so much for your efforts to summarize the friend or foe information. I can see that this took quite a bit of work.

[legacy]

Legacy, I just started to look into this spreadsheet that you've put together and I wanted to say thank you so much for your efforts to summarize the friend or foe information. I can see that this took quite a bit of work.

 

washtenaut, thanks for checking it. It was a bit of work, but we need some changes in Lansing and at home. So if you or others can utilize it for our good, then it was worth it.