MPP Accepts Drug Czar's Debate Challenge

MPP ^ | SEPTEMBER 17, 2003

[MrLeRoy]

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Marijuana Policy Project (MPP) today responded to White House Drug Czar John Walters' call for "a national debate" on marijuana policy by offering to debate the drug czar on national television as soon as possible.

Walters, who has repeatedly avoided debates or joint appearances with representatives of MPP and other drug policy reform organizations, issued the challenge during a September 10 press conference in Seattle. Walters used the press conference to denounce Initiative 75, a measure to make arrest and prosecution of personal marijuana possession the lowest priority for Seattle police and prosecutors. As reported in today's Seattle Weekly, Walters told the press conference, "the real issue is, should we legalize marijuana? Let's have a national debate about that."

In a letter faxed to Walters' office this morning, MPP Executive Director Rob Kampia wrote, "You were absolutely right when you told your Seattle audience that marijuana policy has never been properly and thoroughly debated in this country. ... I have no doubt that -- once armed with all the facts -- the American people will make wise choices."

To read the full text of the letter, please see http://www.mpp.org/pdf/debate_invite.pdf.

"We have been trying to debate John Walters since he took office, and he's refused every time," Kampia said. "If our nation's drug czar is finally ready for an honest debate about marijuana prohibition, I'm ready to meet him anywhere, anytime."

Walters has made a crusade against marijuana the signature issue of his tenure in office, saturating the airwaves with commercials linking marijuana to teen pregnancy, date rape, and gun violence. But such efforts appear to be failing: The PRIDE Survey of teen drug use, released September 3, showed sharp increases in adolescent use of both marijuana and hard drugs in the past year, particularly among junior high students.

With more than 13,000 members nationwide, the Marijuana Policy Project is the largest marijuana policy reform organization in the United States. MPP works to minimize the harm associated with marijuana -- both the consumption of marijuana and the laws that are intended to prohibit such use. MPP believes that the greatest harm associated with marijuana is imprisonment. To this end, MPP focuses on removing criminal penalties for marijuana use, with a particular emphasis on making marijuana medically available to seriously ill people who have the approval of their doctors. For more information, please visit http://www.MarijuanaPolicy.org.

[MrLeRoy]

Wod_list (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/involved?group=124) ping

[Joe Bonforte]

It Walters agrees to a debate, I'll be looking carefully at the video clip for the monkeys flying out of his backside.

[Just another Joe]

"If our nation's drug czar is finally ready for an honest debate about marijuana prohibition, I'm ready to meet him anywhere, anytime."

Is he sure that the drug czar said "marijuana prohibition", or "marijuana policy"?

There is a difference and it could be a big one.

[MrLeRoy]

'As reported in today's Seattle Weekly, Walters told the press conference, "the real issue is, should we legalize marijuana? Let's have a national debate about that."'

[PaxMacian]

"the real issue is, should we legalize marijuana?"

Walters couldn't tell the truth if he wanted to.
The real issue is, should we re-legalize marijuana?

[Wolfie]

It'll never happen.

[headsonpikes]

"It'll never happen."

Too true.

[MrLeRoy]

You're right---he simply put his foot in it while trying to tie the Seattle measure's deprioritization to the more controversial relegalization. But the foot he put in it should be held to the fire anyway.

[jmc813]

WOD Ping

[jmc813]

You know the dude in the chicken costume that keeps following Arnold around until he debates McClintock? Someone from the MPP should do that whenever Walters makes a public appearance.

[11B3]

I'd like to see a series of these debates with government officials. Along with getting this stupid WOD stopped, someone from the IRS needs to face Shulz or other tax reform leader regarding the legitimacy of the IRS. The same could be said for the NEA and other un-Constitutional federal agencies.

It's time to hold the entire Federal system's feet to the fire, and make them demonstrate where they derive their authority from. When held up in the light of the Constitution, these agencies would shrivel up and die from voter anger. They won't agree to this, but Id sure like to see it.

If the agencies themselves won't agree to opening up to the public, then we should be holding the executive branch responsible for its' subordinates. If GWB wants to truly reform the Federal leviathan (yeah, right), before the elections would be a good time to start.

[MrLeRoy]

You know the dude in the chicken costume that keeps following Arnold around until he debates McClintock? Someone from the MPP should do that whenever Walters makes a public appearance.

If only I didn't have to work for a living ....

[dread78645]

... saturating the airwaves with commercials linking marijuana to teen pregnancy, date rape, and gun violence. ...

So they've given up on white wimmin dating colored jazz musicians?

[68 grunt]

Walters will run like a sissy. JBT's are basically cowards.

[robertpaulsen]

So, Mr. Kampia interprets Ashcroft's call for a "national debate" as a one-on-one televised public debate?

What's he smoking?

[jmc813]

So, Mr. Kampia interprets Ashcroft's call for a "national debate"

Walters, not Ashcroft.

[68 grunt]

Right, no way are the JBTs serious about a real debate.

[DumpsterDiver]

Walters, who has repeatedly avoided debates or joint appearances...

Ha!

[robertpaulsen]

A real debate?

This debate would be about as "real" as a debate between the NAACP and the Ku Klux Klan on civil rights issues.