[420 Girl]

A coalition of liberals, police officers, and a former Reagan administration lawyer say weed could be the secret to high voter turnout this November.

The recently launched “Just Say Now” campaign – led by the liberal blog Firedoglake, Students for Sensible Drug Policy and Law Enforcement Against Prohibition – plans to spend $500,000 to mobilize young people in the five states where voters will consider the legalization of marijuana this year – Arizona, California, Colorado, Oregon, and South Dakota. In 2012, the campaign will fight for pot votes in key battleground states like Washington and Nevada.

Their theory is that young people are more likely to come to the polls if marijuana is on the ballot.

Jane Hamsher, the editor of Firedoglake, said legalizing marijuana is one of the most popular issues among voters age 18 to 34.

Supporters argue that regulating and taxing the drug just like alcohol will reduce crime at the border and could yield an additional $40 billion in revenue annually.

“That’s what’s fueling our border war,” said Ms. Hamsher, who says she does not use marijuana. “It’s not jobs. It’s marijuana.”

A former Seattle police chief also called on Mr. Obama to speak out on the issue as President Felipe Calderon of Mexico did earlier this week.

“Cartels thrive on marijuana prohibition,” said Norm Stamper, who served as the chief of the Seattle Police Department from 1994 to 2000. “Around 70 percent of the cartels’ profits come from the illegal sale of marijuana, which they turn around to buy guns that have killed thousands of Mexicans and that terrorize police on America’s streets.”

The campaign boasts support from left to right, including libertarians – who are particularly interested in taking the issue out of federal hands – and Tea Party activists.

“This is a fundamental issue of states’ rights,” said Bruce Fein, who served as associate deputy attorney general and as general counsel to the F.C.C. under former President Ronald Reagan. “Marijuana should be treated just like alcohol, regulated and taxed – there could be a windfall for the US economy.”

Ms. Hamsher said the initiative is deliberately bipartisan. “It will make the politicians who are on the ballot address the issue.”


NewsHawk: Ganjarden: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: The New York Times
Author: JANIE LORBER
Contact: The New York Times
Copyright: 2010 The New York Times Company
Website: Measures to Legalize Pot May Lure Young to Polls


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