[420 Girl]

In your 2004 campaign, you were for the decriminalization of marijuana. Within the last five years you have done a complete 180 degree stance on this issue . This can't help but make me wonder, what is it that caused you to change your mind? The only thing I can conclude, is your time in Washington DC. and the strong influence of the alcohol and pharmaceutical lobbies. We all know, how much help they can be when writing and voting on legislation in the middle of the night. I really wanted to believe that you were going to let science not politics influence any decision you would make about the legalization of marijuana. Multiple studies ( Clinical Trials.gov ) show the positive results of marijuana's medical use when dealing with cancer, MS, epilepsy, rheumatoid arthritis and Alzheimer's, helping to relieve pain, increase appetite and decrease vomiting. Many pharmaceutical companies, such as GW Pharmaceuticals, Otsuka America Pharmaceuticals, Bayer, and Solvay Pharmaceuticals have recognized through research and development of cannabinoids, the positive affect of THC. Also, when I was on the DEA's website, I came across how drugs are classified by the U.S. government. It is a system called scheduling. Schedule I being most dangerous, schedule V being least. I found marijuana to be classified as a schedule I drug, being stated as most dangerous and having no medical use at all. Surprisingly, under the schedule II classification, I found such drugs as coca*ine, opi*um, amphe*tamine (dex*edrine), dem*erol, metham*phetamine, nem*butal, p*cp, and secobarbitol (seconal). How and why would marijuana be considered more dangerous than those drugs under the schedule II classification? As for the financial gains related to the legalization of marijuana, the numbers are staggering. The Office of National Drug Control Policy reports that Americans spend roughly $9 billion annually on Mexican marijuana. Add that to $36 billion worth of domestically produced marijuana, thus making cannabis one of North America's largest cash crops and allowing Mexican drug cartels to reap 62% of their profits from U.S. marijuana sales. Then, there are all those non-violent criminals, whose only crime was possession and/or smoking reefer. We spend about $22 billion a year on non-violent drug offenders, and $150 billion on policing and courts, with 47.5% of all arrests marijuana related. Then there's the War On Drugs, an estimated $40 billion/year. A war we have been fighting since the Nixon Administration, which was almost forty years ago. Tax payer money that could have been used to benefit every person in this country, instead has been wasted on a war that we are obviously losing. Finally, in response to the comment and humor you exhibited towards, what I believe, was an overwhelming majority of on-line supporters, who raised over $500 million for your campaign. It was insulting! You ran on a platform of change from the same old Washington policies that have only benefited those on Capital Hill, policies strongly influenced by the lobbyist for the pharmaceuticals for one. Marijuana decriminalization, regulation, and taxation, just like alcohol, would give a much needed boost to the economy.

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