Pubdate: Thu, 08 Nov 2012
Source: FSView & Florida Flambeau (FL Edu)
Copyright: 2012 FSView & Florida Flambeau
Contact:  http://www.fsunews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1364
Author: Kayla Becker

DRUG AMENDMENTS SPARK CONVERSATION

FSU SSDP, NORML continue to advocate, educate on drug reform and
cannabis law

Don't invest in the stock of Goldfish and Cheetos just yet. At least
that's what Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper is suggesting to citizens
in his state.

The caution came after Colorado and Washington became the first and
second states in the U.S. to legalize recreational use of marijuana
for adults over the age of 21 on Tuesday, Nov. 6, while Massachusetts
became the 18th state in the U.S. to legalize the use of marijuana for
medicinal purposes.

The catch: because cannabis is still illegal by federal standards, the
DEA and other agencies may continue to attempt to arrest people
selling cannabis.

"The voters have spoken and we have to respect their will," Gov.
Hickenlooper claimed to news outlets. "This will be a complicated
process, but we intend to follow through. That said, federal law still
says marijuana is an illegal drug, so don't break out the Cheetos or
Goldfish too quickly."

It could take up to a year before the legalization takes full
effect.

The news, however, wasn't just a victory for supporters of the
Washington's Initiative-502 and Colorado's Amendment 64 --FSU students
in drug reform student organizations celebrated a victory as well.

Two FSU branches of national drug reform organizations--FSU Students
for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) and FSU National Organization for the
Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML)--saw the announcement as the first
step to ending marijuana prohibition in the United States.

Over the past few months, SSDP and NORML chapters throughout the
country have been participating in collaborative efforts to get the
legislation passed.

"This is a victory," said President of FSU SSDP Jon Bowes. "Without a
doubt this is a victory. I cared more about the results of this vote
than I did about the presidential election. Neither Obama nor Romney
made any mention of the drug war and the problems it causes. Colorado
and Washington now have both denied the federal government the power
to dictate laws in their states. They listened to their people, looked
at the facts, and then stood up for what they believed was the most
sensible policy."

Executive board member of SSDP Amanda Mullter said the reform in
Colorado and Washington has the potential to be a template for
marijuana reform in other states--even Florida.

"While many people tend to write-off Florida as 'too conservative,'
our state has enormous potential in the realm of drug policy reform,
and this is evident in its more recent progressive policies," Muller
said.

As recently as October 2012, a drug reform law called the 911 Good
Samaritan Act took effect in Florida. The law encourages individuals
to call for help in overdose situations where medical assistance is
needed due to drug use or abuse took effect. In the event of a
drug-related overdose, the person who seeks help and the person who
receives medical attention will not be subjected to punitive damages
for the possession of controlled substances, Muller said. FSU SSDP
actively lobbied this to the Florida legislature.

Muller said Florida isn't stopping there.

The Florida Medical Association recently submitted a resolution, which
seeks to legalize syringe exchange programs for injection drug users.
This legislation aims to amend Chapter 893 of the Florida Statutes,
which prohibits the transfer or possession of a clean needle if the
intent is to use it for injecting illegal drugs.

In the meantime, SSDP is also continuing to do what Muller said has
always been their main priority--educating the public.

"In order to achieve evidence-based policies that embody the values of
justice, liberty, compassion, and reason, it is imperative that people
fully comprehend the multitude of negative impacts prohibition poses
on society. Here at FSU we aim to get our student body and Tallahassee
residents as informed, educated, and involved as possible.

 From Nov. 16 to 18, the 2012 Florida/Southeast Regional SSDP
Conference will be held in Tampa, Fla. SSDP encourages students to get
involved.

"We cannot wait to collaborate with fellow advocates throughout the
state, and strongly urge anyone who is interested in the future of
drug policy reform in Florida to attend," Muller said.

Though FSU SSDP is not focused solely on cannabis reform, the news of
Colorado and Washington's amendments have inspired them to continue to
advocate for cannabis legislation reform both in the state as well as
nationally.

"It is evident that the days of marijuana prohibition are slowly but
surely coming to an end," Muller said. "We could not be more thrilled,
more honored, to assume our roles as educators and advocates during
these crucial moments in history."
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MAP posted-by: Matt