COP on the Hill: Stories from the week of June 16, 2023

COP on the Hill

Stories from the week of June 16, 2023

FIRST MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  

COPs was founded in 2009 with the goal of ending all drug prohibition, starting with marijuana.  In 2009 we had bills in Congress to employ the 10^th Amendment (states rights) for medical use of MJ. The bills never received more than 171 votes of the 218 needed to pass the House.  The other bill in play (since the 70s) was NORML’s decrim of 3.5 ounces which was never voted on.

In late 2010 I was able to gather all the major players in DC and convinced them to abandon the NORML approach and agree to a simple, one page 10^th Amendment centered bill to end the federal prohibition of marijuana.  I emptied my 2-liter bottle of good, Canadian whiskey into about 14 glasses and after 90 minutes, the group agreed to this new idea.

In 2011 Congressmen Barney Frank and Ron Paul introduced that one-page bill.  I am happy to report that in 2023 this approach has 74 votes in the Senate and over 300 in the House.  I am sad to report that Majority Leader Schumer and Senator Booker are insisting any MJ legislation contain anti-10^th Amendment language (social equity programs, etc), thus killing any chance of crucial, Republican support.

All this to say; any and all efforts to normalize marijuana laws should now be directed at the state level, state legislatures for both legalize/regulate and any social equity programs – if this is your primary area of concern/activism/support.

As you know, COP continues to urge Democratic, Senate offices to pressure Schumer/Booker to take a 70% marijuana win and let the rest go.  COP is speaking up this session on better access to opioid treatment and urging the Members to look at the next big step in ending The War on Drugs; namely total drug decrim a la Portugal and Oregon.

My spring break is over and I am back to work this weekend and on the Hill Wednesday.

Weekly Activities:

COP stats since inception: August 2009

4013 Presentations to Congressional staffers… 0 this week…

361 personal chats with a Member of Congress… 0 this week

97 Radio Interviews:  0 this week;

109 Appearances/Interviews on major TV/Radio/Print media. 0 This week.

439 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc   0 this week

215 interviews and reports in minor media …0 this week –

33 major conferences attended – CPAC 2023, (3 UN drug conferences in Vienna, Austria),  LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions., National Review, Republican Annual Retreat etc.) 0 this week

in the past – Blaze TV {new, popular right-wing}, (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision, BBC, CNN, NPR, OAN, German, Swiss, French, Spanish TV and radio) Detroit News, Detroit Free Press, Grand Rapids Press + 9 other MI papers. Chicago Tribune, Honolulu Star Advertiser {foto and caption}, Reason Magazine, Reuters

* Consider being a member of COP at $40 or more per year. All contributions are tax-deductible. 40 dollars buys all the copy paper COP uses in one year. Law Enforcement’s voice in opposition to current policy is vital on the Hill to achieve a repeal of federal drug prohibition. COP provides that voice. www.citizensopposingprohibition.org ( to donate by Internet)

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