Hailey voters may not be able to skirt marijuana laws, but they can voice their opposition to them. If health outcomes determined drug laws instead of cultural norms, marijuana would be legal. Unlike alcohol, marijuana has never been shown to cause an overdose death, nor does it share the addictive properties of tobacco. Marijuana can be harmful if abused, but jail cells are inappropriate as health interventions and ineffective as deterrents.

The first marijuana laws were enacted in response to Mexican immigration during the early 1900s, despite opposition from the American Medical Association. Dire warnings that marijuana inspires homicidal rages have been counterproductive at best. White Americans did not even begin to smoke pot until a soon-to-be entrenched government bureaucracy began funding reefer madness propaganda.

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Marijuana Lawsuit to Continue in 5th District Court

Hailey city officials will continue with their anti-marijuana lawsuit despite an election earlier this week in which the city's electorate approved three pro-pot initiatives for the second time.

"I have no intention of withdrawing it," City Councilman Don Keirn said Wednesday. "The whole purpose of the lawsuit is to get this in front of the court. We need a declaratory judgment, maybe now more than ever.

"In theory, the judge will say this whole thing is illegal and that's the end of it. I'd like to get it behind us."

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New election, same results. Three of four marijuana reform initiatives were approved by Hailey's electorate Tuesday.

Voters approved initiatives to legalize medical use of marijuana by a margin of 417-296, to legalize industrial use of hemp by 403-308 and to make enforcement of marijuana laws the lowest police priority in the city by a margin of 381-331.

Turned down once again was an initiative to require the city to regulate and tax distribution of the drug. It failed 386-323.

[end]

Same 4 Ballot Measures Were Considered Last November

As Hailey officials prepare to battle about marijuana in court, the city's electorate prepares to go to the polls to vote once again on four pro-pot initiatives.

The latest round in the city's ongoing cannabis dispute will be settled Tuesday between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. when the same initiatives voted upon last November will once again be put to the ballot-booth test.

Three passed last time and one failed. Approved were initiatives to legalize medical use of marijuana, to legalize use of industrial hemp and to make enforcement of marijuana laws the lowest priority for the Hailey Police Department.

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Logic and legal precedent suggest that some court, somewhere, some time will rule that promoters of a pro-marijuana initiative in Hailey have no right to skirt state and federal laws with a local vote.

How long that will take depends on how long pot proponents want to persist in this comedy, how deep their pockets are and how long Hailey voters allow them to spend the public's tax dollars on repeated elections or legal defenses.

Hailey voters can begin to put an end to this farce on May 27 by voting "no" on four ballot measures that purport to create a marijuana haven in Hailey.

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Lawsuit Filed On The Eve Of Another Marijuana Election

An anti-marijuana lawsuit filed earlier this month puts Hailey City Attorney Ned Williamson in the ironic position of having to defend three controversial pot initiatives that he has staunchly opposed.

"I will do my best to defend those laws," Williamson told the Idaho Mountain Express in February, shortly after Hailey Mayor Rick Davis announced that the lawsuit would be filed.

Williamson was then asked if defending the marijuana initiatives would be difficult for him.

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Regarding Crystal Sistoni's thoughtful April 28 opinion editorial, if health outcomes determined drug laws instead of cultural norms, marijuana would be legal. Unlike alcohol, marijuana has never been shown to cause an overdose death, nor does it share the addictive properties of tobacco. Marijuana can be harmful if abused, but jail cells are inappropriate as health interventions and ineffective as deterrents. The first marijuana laws were enacted in response to Mexican immigration during the early 1900s, despite opposition from the American Medical Association. Dire warnings that marijuana inspires homicidal rages have been counterproductive at best.

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During my 18 years as a Michigan police officer I was dispatched to zero calls generated by the use of marijuana. Whatever the science says about what good or harm it does, it is a horrendous waste of good police time chasing adult users and sellers. We have crimes which have a real victim going unsolved because we spend so much time on pot. Child porn comes to mind. Give marijuana roughly the same regulations and restrictions as alcohol and tobacco. Get this monkey off our backs!

Officer Howard J. Wooldridge (retired) is an Educational Specialist for Law Enforcment Against Prohibition in Washington D.C.

[end]

I would like to respond to the article titled, "Dank? No thanks." I believe parts of this article are misleading. Yes, I do agree with the short-term effects marijuana has on some people, but how do you explain the highly educated professionals of this world that smoke? There are many professionals who are accredited academics, lawyers, doctors, judges and many more that make smoking a part of their lives. It's about self-control and moderation. Anyone who lets anything take control of his or her lives has a problem. Marijuana has shown that it can help people suffering from certain illnesses. We allow doctors to give us all kinds of prescription drugs that sometimes do more harm than good. Considering the list of side effects on most prescription drugs are quite lengthy. Marijuana is sometimes taken to ease the side effects that come along with these prescription drugs. We need to use and treat marijuana as a gift for all people. It is ok if some do not want to smoke, but o! thers should be able to freely.

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A Moscow tradition since 1996, Hempfest is filled with characters, music, booths, art and speakers.

The theme for this year's Hempfest is "Dispel the myths - Fact and Fiction."

From 10 a.m. to dusk, the 12th Annual Moscow Hempfest will provide access to hemp education and advocacy, live music, food and a variety of vendors.

Vendors come from across the Northwest selling hemp-related products, such as clothing, jewelry, lotions and soaps.

"Vendors offer more than just glass art," said Arlene Falcon, Hempfest organizer and owner of Tye Dye Everything in Moscow. "We have moved all the glass art to the back of the park, making it a more family-friendly environment."

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Ryan Davidson is to be commended for his one-man crusade against cannabis prohibition (BW, News, "Cannabis Crusader," March 6, 2008). If health outcomes determined drug laws instead of cultural norms, marijuana would be legal. Unlike alcohol, marijuana has never been shown to cause an overdose death, nor does it share the addictive properties of tobacco. Like any drug, marijuana can be harmful if abused, but jail cells are inappropriate as health interventions and ineffective as deterrents.

The first marijuana laws were enacted in response to Mexican immigration during the early 1900s, despite opposition from the American Medical Association. Dire warnings that marijuana inspires homicidal rages have been counterproductive at best.

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Boise Man Champions Marijuana Laws In Blaine County

For the last four years, one Boise resident has turned Blaine County into a lawsuit-fueled marijuana battleground.

Ryan Davidson has been a thorn in the side of city officials in Ketchum, Sun Valley and Hailey since he began his campaign to legalize marijuana in one of Idaho's Democratic strongholds. It started with the 30-year-old's desire to make politics a career and a chance discovery of the Marijuana Policy Project's grant program.

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Two Years Later, Family Seeks Anwers To Boy's Death

Everyone loved Cody Cornelison.

His grandmother said so. His principal said so. Even the law enforcement personnel who knew him said they liked him.

Everyone loved Cody Cornelison. Except, perhaps, Cody.

Struggling in school, having admitted to drug use for the second time, the 13-year-old Hagerman boy killed himself on Feb. 9, 2006.

That fatal shot robbed his family of their son, and a community of a child still mourned to this day.

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I was surprised that your Feb. 14 editorial, "More drug testing, less drug abuse," made no mention of the largest study of random drug testing in schools.

Funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and published in the Journal of School Health, the 2003 report studied 76,000 students across the country. Marijuana use rates - and drug use rates in general - were nearly identical for students who had been tested and those who had not. Study author Dr. Lloyd Johnston concluded, "There really isn't an impact from drug testing as practiced ... I don't think it brings about any constructive changes in their attitudes about drugs or their belief in the dangers associated with using them."

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95 Percent Of First-Timers Users Use Again -- And Again

SANDPOINT -- Not even once is Idaho Meth Project motto.

The reason: 95 percent of first-time meth users will use the drug again and again and again, said project director Megan Ronk. She spoke at Thursday's general Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce meeting held at Cedar Hills Church.

"It's time to work together folks to see what we can do," she said.

The campaign needs to be conducted by employers, people in churches and wherever people gather.

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What do the American Academy of Pediatrics, The Association for Addiction Professionals and the National Association of Social Workers have in common?

Each organization opposes the random drug testing of middle and highschool students.

The American Academy of Pediatrics reaffirmed its stance opposing random student drug testing twice in 2007. In March the AAP said, "There is little evidence of the effectiveness of school-based drug testing." In December the AAP concluded, "Physicians should not support drug testing in schools . It has not yet been established that drug testing does not cause harm."

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Some Students Say Drug Testing Policies Don't Work

Buhl High School senior Ashley Wilson doesn't play in the band, sing with the choir, run track or represent her class on the student council. Cheerleading is out as well.

Participating in sports or extracurricular activities would be great, Wilson said, but she doesn't want to undergo a random drug test.

Drugs aren't the problem. The testing procedure is. Wilson, 17, would rather pass up the perks of high school life than undergo a drug test.

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Three plaintiffs come from city government By Cassidy Friedman Times-News writer The attorneys could have gone on arguing forever.

The issue of marijuana reform, which has been on the mind of Hailey city officials since voters passed three initiatives in November, did not go away when the attorney general and the Hailey city attorney struck down the measures.

The two attorneys determined that the three initiatives - including legalization of medicinal marijuana and industrial hemp, and making the enforcement of marijuana laws a lower police priority - violate federal and state laws.

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Grab the nearest teenager you can find and explain to him or her that meth is dangerous. A 2007 survey of Idaho teens released on Tuesday shows that a vast majority of that population is unaware of the dangers of meth.

The Idaho Meth Use & Attitudes survey shows that many Idaho teens see little to no risk in trying meth and have not tried to stop friends from taking the highly addictive drug.

Twenty-two percent of teens believe meth will make them happy; 25 percent believe meth will help them lose weight and 17 percent said meth use would help them have increased energy.

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Legality Of Drug Would Be Diminished

Strip the teeth from three Hailey marijuana reform initiatives - right down to the gums.

That's what Hailey City Attorney Ned Williamson proposed Monday night to a city council that has already voiced considerable reluctance about the initiatives passed by voters in November.

In his presentation that ran late into the night, Williamson outlined his dramatic changes. He cut out making marijuana legal. He rendered impotent a committee charged with making marijuana Hailey police's lowest priority. That left policy statements and a committee.

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