COP on the Hill: Stories from the week of March 9, 2012

• COP on the Hill
• Your Voice in the United States Congress

Early Bird gets the worm:   First Wednesday of month always means catching the 0558 train to attend the monthly Leadership Institute’s breakfast (LI trains young elephants– 100,000 so far).  The speaker was the chairman of the Republican Study Committee, Congressman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio).  Being in the front row, he took my question on the failure and the cost $$ of drug prohibition.  Jordan acknowledged too many in prison costing too much money & “we need to re-think the policy.”  I enjoyed Swiss chocolate and a shot of Crown that night.  His aide Wes Goodman was there.  He attends Grover’s brunch every week.

After the meeting, I had chats with 4 of those young elephants and 2 guys my age…all thanking me for my courage to bring up the topic.

Letter to the editor:  After 15 years I finally figured out an LTE, when drug dogs search a school.. See bottom.  Thanks to Jerry Epstein for the stat of 23 million w/ a drug problem = 19 million it is alcohol.  Very useful.

Grover’s ‘cattle call’ pays dividends:  I was able to chat with several of the men and women who are running for Congress.  One chat started in the elevator with my jacket.  Below is my follow-up note to him.  Name and state changed per Grover’s rules of the Brunch. (note: Dr. Broun voted YES on states’ rights for medical marijuana)

‘Bill’ – good to meet and chat drug policy at Grover’s brunch.  I hope/trust you found the fact sheet on the Gateway Theory/Myth useful.   When you are a Congressman, please follow the wise pillars that guide/control the vote of Dr. Paul Broun (R-GA, 10th); namely

1. Right/Moral 2. Constitutional 3. Needed 4. Affordable

These pillars are as important as the Tax Pledge to give voters confidence in your ‘brand.’

Keep in mind that all I want to do in Congress is return to MS the ability to make its own decisions regarding marijuana. i.e. apply the 10th Amendment.

Bread & Water: Peanut Butter & Honey:   After much soul-searching I have decided to strike off one of my two bucket list items; namely riding a bicycle from Oregon to Georgia-Virginia.  My world-class bicycle brother Frosty and I will leave Newport Beach, Oregon on April 22.  We will follow the Misty Trail of 2003.  Making 50-60 miles/day & all things being equal we should be on the East Coast by July 1.  Yes, my body will be 90% bread, honey and peanut butter by July 1.  Know that riding a bike will be much, much easier than riding a horse 3100 miles.

We expect some publicity.  I will wear my t-shirt and Frosty will wear one saying: DADS SAY LEGALIZE POT.

Back to work the next day.

• Stats for COP’s third year, started on August 1, 2011:
• 260 presentations to Congressional staffers:   3 this week
• 9 Letter to the Editor:  1 this week (at bottom)
• 3 Major Television appearances (Univision, BBC):   this week
• 16 Other media (blogs, cable TV, etc):   this week
• 12 radio shows:    this week
• 13 (Member of Congress or VIP) contacts:  1 this week
• Permanent invitation to Grover Norquist’s Wednesday brunch attended by 150 conservative VIPs.  Named the “Grand Central Station of the Conservative Movement.”
  • 3 Major conferences attended: Drug Policy Alliance International, the Congressional Black Caucus September conference & CPAC – Conservative Political Action Conference
  • 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
• POB 2902
• Washington, DC  20013
•  
• 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

PUBLISHED – The Frederick News Post (circulation circa 50,000 daily)

BOOZE THE BIG PROBLEM

Speaking as a retired detective, I hope and trust my colleague Narco and his handler, Deputy Caliskan (“Surprise, surprise,” March 3), were also looking for the drug that kills and injures the most students — namely alcohol. We in law enforcement know that the use and abuse of alcohol will hurt and kill more high school students than all the prohibited drugs combined.

Twenty-three million people in this country have a drug abuse problem. For 19 million, their primary drug of abuse is alcohol.

We need to reduce that horrific number. Get ’em, Narco!

Howard Wooldridge

Adamstown, MD

COP on the Hill: Stories from the week of March 2, 2012

• COP on the Hill
• Your Voice in the United States Congress

Very slow week:  I was in the halls of Congress (House side) this week and despite putting almost 4 miles on my pedometer, I only had three meetings.  The 100 offices left to do represent staffers who avoid me, ignore my email & phone requests for meetings etc. 

About a dozen have told their receptionists that when you see a tall guy in a cowboy hat asking for a few minutes, always tell himI am in a meeting.  After 6 years I am familiar with this…the majority of receptionists will go to the desk of the person I want & physically check.

The time is not a total loss.  Upon seeing me (the hat), brand identification kicks in and our issue pops back in the mind of the staffers.  This occurs in the hallways, in the lunch room, etc.   One staffer and I chatted for 5 minutes about my latest 2306 informational email (sent to all staffers..see below).  While speaking to the receptionist about 2306, the Congressman from Arizona was exiting his office.  He  took over.  He said his office is aware of the bill & had made no decision yet.  This does not count as a presentation, but it was something.          

The Oppenheimer show I did is still not on their websiteL

• Stats for COP’s third year, started on August 1, 2011:
• 257presentations to Congressional staffers:   3 this week
• 9 Letter to the Editor:  0 this week (at bottom)
• 3 Major Television appearances (Univision, BBC):   this week
• 16 Other media (blogs, cable TV, etc):   this week
• 12 radio shows:    this week
• 12 (Member of Congress or VIP) contacts:   this week
• Permanent invitation to Grover Norquist’s Wednesday brunch attended by 140 conservative VIPs.  Named the “Grand Central Station of the Conservative Movement.”
  • 3 Major conferences attended: Drug Policy Alliance International, the Congressional Black Caucus September conference & CPAC – Conservative Political Action Conference
  • 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
  • POB 2902
  • Washington, DC  20013
  •  
  • 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

***this was sent to all House judiciary staffers ***

Estimates of consumption of marijuana & its tax potential in post-prohibition setting.

Per the 2007 National Survey of Drugs and Health* about 10% of adults are now & will be users of marijuana. (45,000 per Congressional District) On average, those adults are expected to consume 4.8 ounces (134 grams) per year. If taxed at a dollar/gram, a state would realize $134 per consumer or 6+ million per Cong. District..($900,000 per 100,000 population)  A federal excise tax of 15 cents per gram would yield $20 per consumer per year or just over 1 billion dollars for the US Treasury.

• Formerly called the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA).  Conducted by SAMHSA.

NOTE:  A 20 pack -containing 20 grams- of marijuana cigarettes would sell for about $30/pack which includes taxes.  Current black market price for a gram of non-medicinal grade marijuana is 4 dollars or $80/pack.  The illicit market will be hard-pressed to compete with legal marijuana, as people value quality control & consistent product.  Moonshine whiskey can be bought for about half of the cheapest bottle in a store.  Few people risk buying black market whiskey due to lack of quality control.

Federal and state expenditures to enforce Marijuana Prohibition

Per a study* done by Harvard economic Professor Jeffrey Miron state and local costs to enforce prohibition run about 5.3 billion.  Federal costs are about 2.4 billion.  Total: circa 8 billion dollars

NOTE:  The Miron study did not take into account the police time spent on enforcement but no arrests were made i.e. cutting down a field of marijuana and no arrests made or searching 10 cars to find a baggie in one of them. Factoring this, enforcement costs rise to about 13 billion.

• Full report found at: www.prohibitioncosts.org/mironreport

NOTE:  What cannot be measured in dollars is the clogging of the nation’s courts with 800,000 marijuana arrests per year.

Another point that is difficult to measure is the economic impact on families of earning potential lost for having a conviction.  See Pew study

http://www.pewcenteronthestates.org/report_detail.aspx?id=60919

This report prepared by:

Howard ‘Cowboy’ Wooldridge

 Education Specialist – www.CitizensOpposingProhibition.org

Washington, DC

COP on the Hill: Stories from the week of February 24, 2012

• COP on the Hill

• Your Voice in the United States Congress

• Oppenheimer Show:   I spent the whole week prepping* for the show.  I had to drive to southern New Jersey (160 miles/275KM) for the taping.  Jeff’s camera was of the TV quality needed + we spent three hours taping some short segments to answer FAQs in English and Spanish. 

I was able to express all my main talking points.  My speaking ability was good.    I was frustrated only being able to understand Oppenheimer and one other panelist.  When the others spoke, my oral comprehension was around 30% = terrible. So, I have decided to only improve my Spanish.  This means spending zero time on French and German in which I will always remain fluent, just not sharp.

The program with the President of Guatemala, a member of the United Nations Drug Czar Office, a Florida professor and a rabid prohibitionist should aire this Friday…there are no subtitles in EnglishL:

• Stats for COP’s third year, started on August 1, 2011:
• 254 presentations to Congressional staffers:   0 this week
• 9 Letter to the Editor:  3 this week (at bottom)
• 3 Major Television appearances (Univision, BBC):   this week
• 16 Other media (blogs, cable TV, etc):   this week
• 12 radio shows:    this week
• 12 (Member of Congress or VIP) contacts:   this week
• Permanent invitation to Grover Norquist’s Wednesday brunch attended by 140 conservative VIPs.
  • 3 Major conferences attended: Drug Policy Alliance International, the Congressional Black Caucus September conference & CPAC – Conservative Political Action Conference
  • 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
  • POB 2902
  • Washington, DC  20013
  •  
  • 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

This text was published in a Portuguese newspaper. I think is about you.

Kind regards

José A Macedo

«”Conservadores como Rick Santorum acreditam que o governo deve entrar na sua casa e dizer-lhe o que fazer, ao passo que um libertário nunca faria isso”, diz Howard Wooldridge, 60 anos. Howard, um texano, tem botas e um chapéu de cowboy de palha. A T-shirt que veste sobre uma camisa e gravata tem gravada a frase: “Perguntem-me por que é que os polícias dizem: “Legalizem a marijuana.”” Desde que se reformou da polícia, Howard tem-se dedicado à defesa da legalização da marijuana em Washington. Não é a única coisa que o distingue da maioria dos participantes no CPAC: Howard, um libertário, atreve-se a criticar Ronald Reagan, figura heróica do conservadorismo americano. “A ironia é que Ronald Reagan, que toda a gente aqui pensa que é um semideus, disse que as palavras mais assustadoras na América eram: “Olá, sou do governo e estou aqui para o ajudar.” Mas Ronald Reagan também acreditava que o governo devia proteger as pessoas delas próprias. “Como estás a meter uma coisa no teu corpo que eu penso que é má para ti, vamos pôr-te na prisão. Vamos arruinar a tua vida com um cadastro criminal.” Nesse particular aspecto, ele era um liberal [de esquerda], um estadista-providência.” Howard admite, baixinho, que em

• 2008 votou “contra John McCain, em particular Sarah Palin”. “Ou seja, votei no outro tipo [Obama]. Mas não se pode dizer isso aqui, porque estas pessoas são tão fanáticas que preferem votar num neonazi antes de votar num democrata”, diz. O que é que ele faz aqui, se parece tão às avessas do típico frequentador do CPAC? “Para mudar as coisas, é preciso ir onde as pessoas discordam de nós.”»
  http://www.publico.pt/Mundo/um-bom-conservador-e-dificil-de-encontrar-1534484?all=1
• Copyright: Almaguin News 2012
  Contact: news@almaguinnews.com
  Website: http://www.almaguinnews.com/
  Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3732
  Author: Howard Wooldridge, Co-Founder of LEAP – Law Enforcement Against Prohibition
  Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v12/n139/a09.html?1195
  • FORMER DETECTIVE WARNS OF PROHIBITION RISKS

    To the Editor:

    Speaking as a retired police detective, I learned up close and personal the horrific damage done by drug prohibition and the use/abuse of drugs.  My colleague, Rick Dalton, was, I am sure, a fine officer but he must have flunked history and economics.

    Drug prohibition causes the massive crime we must deal with.  The use of marijuana generated zero calls for service during my 18 years on the street.  The use of alcohol generated about 1,300 calls including rape, child abuse, murder, suicide, assault, etc.  Still, marijuana is too dangerous to leave its production and sale in the hands of criminals, gangs and teenagers…as those encouraging prohibition want to do.

    Howard Wooldridge,

    Detective/Officer Howard Wooldridge ( retired ),

    Co-Founder of LEAP – Law Enforcement Against Prohibition

    Washington, DC

COP on the Hill: Stories from the week of Feb. 17, 2012

COP on the Hill

 Your Voice in the United States Congress

 This week was spent catching my breath and catching up on all the paper/computer work associated with CPAC.  Of course I attended the Grover Norquist brunch but otherwise, I was chained to my desk.  I did two radio shows & had a letter to the editor published in Colorado.

I had intended to spend every day next week on the Hill, as the Congress is out of session.  But then the phone rang: 

Next Thursday the 23^rd I will drive to New Jersey to be part of a panel discussion on legalization of all drugs.  Included on the panel will be the President of Guatemala (see below for more) and a member of our Drug Czar’s office.   Andres Oppenheimer of the Miami Herald has a TV show ‘Oppenheimer Presenta.’  We are all going to be taped remotely, send in the film and the show airs about a week later…into on average 20 million households in Latin America and Europe.   I will advise on how/when to view it.

 To prep for the debate I am being coached for two hours by Dan Robelo of the Drug Policy Alliance, as the debate is in Spanish.  He can correct any mistakes this gringo might make.  

This may well be the most important event for me this year, so I don’t want to have an ‘ooops’ moment like Gov. Perry did.  Also, I saw Newt Gingrich on Spanish TV, admitting his Spanish was not really that good.  He had to do the interview in English. 

 Below are some more of the media from CPAC.  By the way, I forgot to mention that a former, recent Speaker of the Michigan House sought me out and we had an excellent 10 minute chat at CPAC.  He is ready to legalize everything today.  Small steps.

Guatemalan President Otto Perez Molina is again speaking out on drug legalization. He said in a Saturday radio interview that he would propose legalizing drugs in a forthcoming meeting with regional leaders, and he specified that that included decriminalizing the transport of drugs through the Central American isthmus.

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

254 presentations to Congressional staffers:   0 this week

6 Letter to the Editor:  1 this week (at bottom)

3 Major Television appearances (Univision, BBC):   this week

16 Other media (blogs, cable TV, etc):   this week

12 radio shows:   2 this week

12 (Member of Congress or VIP) contacts:   this week

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

3 Major conferences attended: Drug Policy Alliance International, the Congressional Black Caucus September conference & CPAC – Conservative Political Action Conference

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

POB 2902

Washington, DC  20013

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.

Website: http://www.postindependent.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/821
Author: Howard Wooldridge
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v12/n103/a06.html

LEGALIZE POT AND GET RID OF BLACK MARKET

Writing from my perspective as a retired street cop, the Feb.  5 article by Rebecca Jones, “Valley teen: Marijuana is widely available,” demonstrated the need to treat marijuana like alcohol, that is, legal, regulated and taxed.  Kids are not selling beer and cigarettes in school, just an illegal drug like marijuana.

Drug policies modeled after alcohol prohibition have given rise to a youth-oriented black market.  Illegal drug dealers don’t ask for identification for age, but they do recruit minors immune to adult sentences.  So much for protecting the children.

No teen should have the job option to sell drugs.  To help our kids, we should repeal this marijuana prohibition today.

Howard Wooldridge

Golden

LEGALIZE POT AND GET RID OF BLACK MARKET : published LTE -Feb 08, 2012 – Glenwood Springs Post