COP on the Hill: Stories from the week of June 29, 2018

COP on the Hill:

Stories from the week of June 29, 2018

German or Spanish: I knew this week I was attending a soirée at the German embassy, so naturally I was focusing on Deutsch. On Tuesday I attended a rally for the Second Amendment. I was asked to do three TV interviews and of course two were in Spanish. ¡Caramba!

Educate the Conservatives: As I do 3-4 times a year, I made my three-minute presentation to the Grover Norquist crowd. Highlights below. Good karma; the next 3 speakers mentioned industrial hemp. A first – after the meeting five attendees made a point to say they agreed; a national media guy expressed deep support.

Sommer Fest: I had a most enjoyable two + hours at the German embassy soirée on Thursday evening. I spent a lot of time chatting with two federal law enforcement agents. I even had a few words with the ambassador from France.

This week’s stats:

254 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc. 02 this week (1 person running for the House, 1 for the Senate this fall)

78 Appearances/Interviews on major TV/Radio/Print media. 03..This week (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision, BBC, CNN, NPR, German, Swiss, French, Spanish TV and radio)

3 Meetings – meetings, hearings, etc

COP stats since inception: August 2009

269 personal chats with a Member of Congress… this week
84 Radio Interviews. 0 this week
2790 Presentations to Congressional staffers… 0 this week
152 interviews and reports in minor media = 0 this week.
Weekly attendance at Grover Norquist’s Wednesday brunch attended by 150 conservative leaders. Named the “Grand Central Station of the Conservative Movement.”
* 2 editorials in daily papers mentioning Howard’s efforts & in support of COP position
84 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $83,000) 0 this week
43 published interviews/foto in major (daily) newspapers or magazine… 0 this week
29 major conferences attended – (United Nations drug conference, CPAC, LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions., National Review, Republican Annual Retreat etc.) 00 this week

* Consider being a member of COP at $40.00 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 prohibition. COP provides that voice. www.citizensopposingprohibition.org

Grover Meeting Notes:
The Bible belt has been unbuckled….The Bible belt has been unbuckled.
Yesterday, in Oklahoma 57% of voters approved a robust Medical MJ ballot initiative. How conservative is OK? It did not approve of legal alcohol, until 1956!!
Canada passed legislation to legalize and regulate adult use of MJ. The Queen approved the new law. It goes into effect October 17, 2018. The Provinces will decide on the regs.
The FDA announced today that it’s given its approval to Epidiolex, a CBD drug manufactured by GW Pharma. Epidiolex is the first FDA-approved medicine containing plant-derived, non-synthetic cannabinoids. Not yet scheduled.
Drug War Refugees…symptom vs disease..the 100,000 kids on the border since 2014 R fleeing Cartel violence and employment. Why are there cartels? Our lovely, 1.2 trillion-dollar war on drugs / Modern Prohibition, of course.
Attached is the Governor letter: 12 governors (Rep: MA, MD, ND, NV, AK) (Dem: CA, OR, WA, CO, PA, NJ, NY) in support of the STATES Act. The Gardner/Warren bill would simply apply the 10th Amendment to God’s green plant.
Police resistance still strong, as they are losing 13 billion in wages + 2 billion in civil asset forfeiture, as MJ becomes more legal.
The CDC report shows about 19.6 percent of Colorado high schoolers said they had used marijuana one or more times in the past 30 days, down from 22 percent in 2011, the year before recreational marijuana was legalized in Colorado. The state’s 2017 rate is just slightly below the national average of 19.8 percent.
As expected, the legal MJ states are performing Record expungement of simple MJ arrests.
The American Legion endorsed HR 2020 which moves MJ to Schedule 3.
My adversary SAM conducted a poll…only 9% stated no to any changes in MJ laws (Sensible Approaches to MJ) {Kevin Sabet & x Cman Patrick Kennedy}
Last, Mexican farmers are receiving ever lower prices for opium, due to competition from Fentanyl coming from China. So, they are going back to MJ growing; however at much lower profit margins, due to MJ out of Colorado and the West Coast.
Going forward: My profession has been at this policy for 47 years and wasted 1.2 trillion dollars. The Return on that Investment: heroin is readily available in every small town in America….
Plz accept that the War on Drugs has been the most destructive, dysfunctional and immoral policy since slavery and Jim Crow…
Questions… Concerns?