Who is the Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition?

Our mission is to reverse the trend of mass incarceration in Colorado. We are a coalition of nearly 7,000 individual members and over 100 faith and community organizations who have united to stop perpetual prison expansion in Colorado through policy and sentence reform.

Our chief areas of interest include drug policy reform, women in prison, racial injustice, the impact of incarceration on children and families, the problems associated with re-entry and stopping the practice of using private prisons in our state.

If you would like to be involved please go to our website and become a member.


Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Colorado Top 10 In Marijuana Use

The potency of marijuana has increased over 151 percent since 1983. But Coloradans still say, “Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em.”

A study released yesterday by the Office of National Drug Control Policy indicates that Colorado ranks in the top 10 for states with the highest current marijuana use. At least 7.6 percent of Coloradans smoked weed in the past month.

Also, contrary to arguments made by pot proponents, the 2008 Marijuana Sourcebook revealed that less than one half of 1 percent of inmates in state prisons are serving time for marijuana possession only. Marijuana still accounts for two out of five drug violation arrests nationwide.

Drug Czar John Walters said that while marijuana use among teens has continued to decrease, convincing adults to stop using the drug has remained a problem.

“Baby Boomers have this perception that marijuana is about fun and freedom. It isn’t,” he said. “It’s about dependency, disease and dysfunction.”

The Marijuana Sourcebook was released one day before Congressman Barney Frank, D-Mass., is expected to hold a news conference today in Washington announcing plans to introduce legislation that would remove federal penalties for personal marijuana use. The resolution would eliminate federal penalties for the adult possession of up to 100 grams of marijuana, and for the not-for-profit transfer of up to one ounce of the drug.

“The Drug Czar must be truly scared of the federal marijuana decriminalization bill that is moving through Congress,” said Denver pot proponent Mason Tvert. “It appears his office spent more time preparing this one marijuana ‘report’ than it has ever spent actually helping people with substance abuse problems receive treatment.”

Tvert is an advocate of legalizing marijuana. He ran a successful campaign in Denver in 2005 that legalized the adult possession of up to an ounce of marijuana. A second successful campaign last year instructed the Denver Police Department to make marijuana its lowest enforcement priority. The campaign was launched after Denver marijuana arrests increased despite the decision by voters in 2005.

Tvert said that while few marijuana users are thrown in prison, the fact that they’re arrested in the first place is a significant problem.

“They are permanently branded as criminals with drug convictions just for using a drug less harmful than alcohol,” he said. “If the Drug Czar is so thrilled with how states are handling those arrested for marijuana possession, he should support the bill introduced by Rep. Barney Frank that simply leaves marijuana enforcement up to the states.”


Denver Daily News

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

legalize all drugs. Give drug czar John Walters a job as a border patrol agent.djw

Anonymous said...

John Walters needs to sit on the pot and eliminate the BS.

"It's about dependency, disease and dysfunction." ~Walters~

COMMON ITEMS SUCH AS:

1) Alcohol
2) Tobacco
3) Prescription drugs (insulin, Xanax, anti-depressants, pain killers, etc.)
4) Aspartame (Monsanto additive - formaldehyde in the human body)
5) Food (anorexia & obesity) with all of the deliberate harmful additives
6) Household, mechanical chemicals

THE LIST IS ENDLESS!

Marijuana is beneficial in moderation!!!

Unknown said...

hi this is Davis.Hello to all the members....
Yes there are many who are suffering from this drug addiction.Even i saw one of my friend lost his life to this Marijuana.So please i request all to please avoid cruel drugs.I'm also requesting authorities not to legalize this cruel drug
which takes precious lifes !!!!
--------------------------------------------
Davis



http://www.marijuanaaddictiontreatment.com