Pubdate: Fri, 16 Jan 2009
Source: Kirkland Reporter (WA)
Contact:  2009 Sound Publishing
Website: http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/east_king/kir/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4930
Author: Kendall Watson
Cited: Marijuana: It's Time for a Conversation 
http://www.marijuanaconversation.org/
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/people/Rick+Steves
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?420 (Marijuana - Popular)

RICK STEVES BRINGS MARIJUANA CONVERSATION TO KPC FEB. 4

Public television and radio show host Rick Steves, well-known for his 
travel tips and anecdotes from the "Rick Steves' Europe" program, 
will visit the Kirkland Performance Center Feb. 4. The topic, 
however, might not be the same trip you were thinking about.

Screening his latest project, ""Marijuana: It's Time for a 
Conversation", Steves will present a short film on the popular and 
commonly illegal drug - also known by it's latin nomenclature 
Cannabis sativa or slang terms such as weed, pot or ganja. His 
frequent travels abroad and observing how the use of marijuana was 
tolerated led Steves to become an outspoken critic of federal drug 
policies in recent years. The film will be followed by his own 
prepared remarks, plus one or two other speakers and a question and 
answer period.

According to the Web site marijuanaconversation.org - prominently 
featuring Steves and maintained by the American Civil Liberties Union 
(ACLU) - the discussion and information awareness campaign is 
oriented towards reconsidering the prohibition on the trade and use 
of marijuana.

Writing in a Seattle Times guest column on Mar. 18 last year, Steves 
said he believes the consequences are often totally disproportionate 
to whatever societal risk or danger marijuana use may pose."Our 
criminal-justice system wastes time and resources with these 
low-level marijuana-possession cases while half our violent crimes go 
unsolved," he wrote.

According to 2007 FBI statistics, over 775,000 people were arrested 
in the US for simple possession of marijuana, a record number. The 
number exceeds those arrested for violent crime at 597,447. State 
Representative Roger Goodman (D-Kirkland), a leading critic of US 
federal policy and the so-called "War on Drugs", will join Steves at 
the KPC and will outline his efforts in Olympia to reform 
recreational drug policies in the state. The pair have hosted the 
public forum in a variety of locations throughout the state, 
including Spokane, Bellingham and Seattle.

"I'm really not surprised at the level of interest in this," he said. 
"We've reached a tipping point. The public understands that the 
current policies aren't working. We need to get the marijuana out of 
schools, off the streets and protect our children better ... We need 
a rational, regulatory regime."

State residents have proven open to drug policy changes in the past. 
In 1998, voters passed Initiative 682 which allowed residents to use 
marijuana for medicinal purposes with a doctors prescription. A valid 
patient or provider "may possess a total of no more than twenty-four 
ounces of usable marijuana, and no more than fifteen plants." 
Unlawful possession of 40 grams or less of marijuana in Washington 
State is a misdemeanor, punishable by up to 90 days in jail, a 
maximum $1000 fine and could have their driver's license suspended 
for one year.

The Kirkland Performance Center is located at 350 Kirkland Avenue. 
Due to Steve's celebrity, the KPC and organizers are offering free 
tickets for the Feb. 4 event for a limited time on a first come, 
first-served basis through Jan. 26. To register for tickets, visit 
the program's Website or call 206-624-2184. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake