News (Media Awareness Project) - US IA: Medical Marijuana Movement Still Faces Much Opposition |
| Title: | US IA: Medical Marijuana Movement Still Faces Much Opposition |
| Published On: | 2004-11-02 |
| Source: | Des Moines Register (IA) |
| Fetched On: | 2008-08-21 15:29:56 |
MEDICAL MARIJUANA MOVEMENT STILL FACES MUCH OPPOSITION
A little background: Carl Olsen has been at the forefront of Iowa's
marijuana legalization effort for more than a decade. From 1992 to
2002, he was the state coordinator for the National Organization for
the Reform of Marijuana Laws . He's still on the state board of
directors, but has recently found himself at odds with the group's
overall approach.
In the news: Legalization of marijuana for medical purposes was part
of the Iowa Democratic Party's state platform in 2000, 2002 and again
this year. But the party's legislative leaders, such as U.S. Rep.
Leonard Boswell, continue to oppose the idea.Q: What's the outlook for
medical marijuana laws in Iowa?
A: State law in Iowa has recognized the medical use of marijuana since
1974, so Boswell is apparently caving in to the fearmongers and taking
the wrong side on this issue for what I suspect are political reasons.
I would guess he doesn't know enough about the issue to defend a
favorable vote supporting state medical marijuana laws in California.
I met with Boswell several months ago and thought he had agreed to
support withholding funding from the DEA for medical marijuana raids
in California. I guess I got snookered.
Q: What's the status of NORML membership? Is it growing?
A: I really don't take NORML very seriously. Any organization that
published a "Guide for Responsible Marijuana Use" is asking for
trouble. It's not responsible to put your life in danger by exposing
yourself to arrest, and its even less responsible to put other people
in jeopardy of being associated with criminal activity. NORML's focus
should be the legalization of marijuana and not ways of breaking the
law responsibly. Is that an oxymoron, or what?
Q: How do you fight the Cheech and Chong, "High Times" stereotypes and
get lawmakers to pay attention?
A: You don't. Lawmakers are not going to get within spitting distance
of someone breaking the law. That notion is just absurd, and NORML
needs to change its image immediately.
Q: A lot of people think medical pot is the only remedy for
fibromyalgia and other tissue maladies. Are those sufferers the core
of your support?
A: Yes, medical users can make a credible argument for breaking the
law.
Q: How did you get involved with the movement?
A: I smoked pot in 1968, and that was a revelation for me. I became a
distributor. I went to prison in 1984 and wasn't able to resume my
role as a distributor, so I decided to stop using marijuana in 1990
and became politically active. I got my right to vote back in 1992.
Q: What's your affiliation?
A: I've been a Democrat since 1998, and I've been secretary of the
Iowa Democratic Party state platform committee in 1998, 2000, 2002 and
again in 2004.
Q: Who's the bigger impediment to your marijuana agenda, the religious
right or law enforcement groups?
A: I don't know the answer, but I suspect that law enforcement is less
political than the religious right. I just don't see a lot of law
enforcement people expressing strong opinions on what the law should
be, since their primary function is to enforce the laws and not to
create the laws.
Q: Do you think Clinton inhaled?
A: Why bother if you don't inhale?
Q: Is Iowa ahead of or behind the curve in terms of marijuana
laws?
A: I think Iowa is behind, but that's just an opinion. We don't have
the ability to put questions like marijuana legalization on the ballot
here, so that has a lot to do with it.
Q: Bush, Kerry, or does it matter?
A: As I mentioned earlier, 66 percent of U.S. House Democrats voted to
deny funding to the DEA to raid the medical marijuana users in
California. Only 19 Republicans voted to withhold that funding, and
Iowa's Jim Leach was one of those 19. I will do anything to get a
Democrat elected over a Republican. I would even vote against Jim
Leach, because he strengthens a party that is generally in the Stone
Age - pardon the pun - when it comes to drug laws. It's unfortunate
the Iowa Democrats are like the left wing of the Republican Party, but
generally Democrats are better on criminal justice law reform issues,
particularly drug laws.
Q: What's in store for NORML in 2005?
A: I hope NORML gets a clue in 2005, but I suspect its support amongst
law-breakers is so great that it would collapse if it did.
A little background: Carl Olsen has been at the forefront of Iowa's
marijuana legalization effort for more than a decade. From 1992 to
2002, he was the state coordinator for the National Organization for
the Reform of Marijuana Laws . He's still on the state board of
directors, but has recently found himself at odds with the group's
overall approach.
In the news: Legalization of marijuana for medical purposes was part
of the Iowa Democratic Party's state platform in 2000, 2002 and again
this year. But the party's legislative leaders, such as U.S. Rep.
Leonard Boswell, continue to oppose the idea.Q: What's the outlook for
medical marijuana laws in Iowa?
A: State law in Iowa has recognized the medical use of marijuana since
1974, so Boswell is apparently caving in to the fearmongers and taking
the wrong side on this issue for what I suspect are political reasons.
I would guess he doesn't know enough about the issue to defend a
favorable vote supporting state medical marijuana laws in California.
I met with Boswell several months ago and thought he had agreed to
support withholding funding from the DEA for medical marijuana raids
in California. I guess I got snookered.
Q: What's the status of NORML membership? Is it growing?
A: I really don't take NORML very seriously. Any organization that
published a "Guide for Responsible Marijuana Use" is asking for
trouble. It's not responsible to put your life in danger by exposing
yourself to arrest, and its even less responsible to put other people
in jeopardy of being associated with criminal activity. NORML's focus
should be the legalization of marijuana and not ways of breaking the
law responsibly. Is that an oxymoron, or what?
Q: How do you fight the Cheech and Chong, "High Times" stereotypes and
get lawmakers to pay attention?
A: You don't. Lawmakers are not going to get within spitting distance
of someone breaking the law. That notion is just absurd, and NORML
needs to change its image immediately.
Q: A lot of people think medical pot is the only remedy for
fibromyalgia and other tissue maladies. Are those sufferers the core
of your support?
A: Yes, medical users can make a credible argument for breaking the
law.
Q: How did you get involved with the movement?
A: I smoked pot in 1968, and that was a revelation for me. I became a
distributor. I went to prison in 1984 and wasn't able to resume my
role as a distributor, so I decided to stop using marijuana in 1990
and became politically active. I got my right to vote back in 1992.
Q: What's your affiliation?
A: I've been a Democrat since 1998, and I've been secretary of the
Iowa Democratic Party state platform committee in 1998, 2000, 2002 and
again in 2004.
Q: Who's the bigger impediment to your marijuana agenda, the religious
right or law enforcement groups?
A: I don't know the answer, but I suspect that law enforcement is less
political than the religious right. I just don't see a lot of law
enforcement people expressing strong opinions on what the law should
be, since their primary function is to enforce the laws and not to
create the laws.
Q: Do you think Clinton inhaled?
A: Why bother if you don't inhale?
Q: Is Iowa ahead of or behind the curve in terms of marijuana
laws?
A: I think Iowa is behind, but that's just an opinion. We don't have
the ability to put questions like marijuana legalization on the ballot
here, so that has a lot to do with it.
Q: Bush, Kerry, or does it matter?
A: As I mentioned earlier, 66 percent of U.S. House Democrats voted to
deny funding to the DEA to raid the medical marijuana users in
California. Only 19 Republicans voted to withhold that funding, and
Iowa's Jim Leach was one of those 19. I will do anything to get a
Democrat elected over a Republican. I would even vote against Jim
Leach, because he strengthens a party that is generally in the Stone
Age - pardon the pun - when it comes to drug laws. It's unfortunate
the Iowa Democrats are like the left wing of the Republican Party, but
generally Democrats are better on criminal justice law reform issues,
particularly drug laws.
Q: What's in store for NORML in 2005?
A: I hope NORML gets a clue in 2005, but I suspect its support amongst
law-breakers is so great that it would collapse if it did.
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