Stories from the week of September 9, 2011

COP on the Hill

Your Voice in the United States Congress

 Need your help:    Please send an email to your Congressman re: HR 2306 – the Barney Frank/Ron Paul bill: The Repeal Federal Prohibition of Marijuana Act of 2011.  After the Member responds, send that response to me.  Know that COP, DPA, MPP, NORML and SSDP all are working on the bill and we need the intelligence/responses from all 435 Members.  Thanks.

Mission update:  Coming out of the elevator in Rayburn, a staffer whom I had  not met, “How’s the mission going?”  as we passed each other.  “13 voting yes so far.  205 to go.” I replied as we were passing…..such as passes for a chat in the busy of world of Congress.  It is a small, nice jolt* to have staffers ask the status of one’s work.

OMG. It is 1937 again:  On September 9 in the Rayburn House Office Bldg the DEA gave a briefing on why synthetic drugs like K2, spice, Bath Salts, etc should be immediately prohibited nationwide.   I attended the 90 minute ‘education’ effort of the DEA along with a rep from Drug Policy Alliance. 

Essentially the DEA was asking the Congress to not wait for studies being done by FDA on the effects, impact of the synthetic drugs, etc and just go ahead and impose nationwide prohibition.  They brought in an emergency room doctor from Pennsylvania who gave us three horror stories of people who had hurt THEMSELVES on Bath Salts, etc.  BTW, the stories reminded me of people getting drunk and doing about the same thing.

 I asked two questions:  1) I asked the doctor what was the standard ER treatment for someone complaining of synthetic marijuana ‘overdose.’  I also asked how many cases of harm were there per thousand doses consumed.    The doctor refused to answer the treatment question and the DEA had no idea what the ratio was between doses consumed and those who had a bad high.

Afterwards the chatter by Dem staffers in the hallway was the Repubs would enact the new prohibition without a real hearing, saying the briefing was all that was needed.

Combined with other questions and the general mood, I left saying OMG..this was like 1937, when the Congress heard four hours of testimony and then prohibited marijuana nationwide.  SOB and it was spooky and scary. 

*jolt = Schock,Schlag

Stats for COP’s third year, started on August 1, 2011:

125 presentations to Congressional staffers:  10 this week

2 Letter to the Editor: 1 this week

2 Other media (blogs, cable TV, etc)

1 (Member of Congress) contacts:    

Consider being a member of COP at $30.00 or more per year.   All contributions are tax-deductible.   Law Enforcement’s voice in opposition to current policy is vital on the Hill to achieve a repeal of federal prohibition.  COP provides that voice.   If you agree that Modern Prohibition/War on Drugs is the most destructive, dysfunctional and immoral policy since slavery & Jim Crow.  Go to: www.CitizensOpposingProhibition.org and click on Donate/Join – by credit card or send a check to:

COP

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If you have questions or comments, please send an email to: howard@citizensopposingprohibition.org

COP total stats in first two years:  August 1, 2009 thru July 31, 2011)

649 Presentations to Congressional staffers

22 Appearances on major TV networks

10 published interviews in newspapers

12 interviews and reports in minor media = blogs, cable TV, etc

57 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $56,000)

19 brief chats with Members of Congress

13 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, etc.

6 major conferences attended (CPAC, LULAC, NRA, etc)

Permanent invitation to Grover Norquist’s Wednesday brunch attended by 140 conservative VIPs.