Washington ALSO Legalizes Marijuana!

Not one but two states have voted to legalize marijuana tonight! Washington just joined Colorado in making history!

You know LEAP has something to say about it.  Here's a reaction from LEAP speaker and former Seattle police Chief Norm Stamper:

"With these two victories tonight in Colorado and Washington, the movement for drug policy reform has never been stronger. These votes will embolden leaders of countries in Latin America and elsewhere who have wanted to change their drug policies but haven't because of pressure from the U.S. government. As more and more states follow the example set here tonight, the federal government will have little choice but to accept the will of the people both here and abroad. Expect to see previously silent legalization supporters around the globe seizing the momentum created by tonight's historic victories."

Journalists wishing to arrange interviews with LEAP speakers should contact Tom Angell at media@leap.cc or Darby Beck at darby@leap.cc. 

Colorado Makes History By Legalizing Marijuana!!!

This is what we've been waiting for! According to the local  NBC affiliate,voters in Colorado just made their state the first ever to legalize marijuana.

Here's what LEAP speaker Tony Ryan, a 36 year veteran of the Denver police department, has to say:

"Tonight, Colorado voters made history by passing the first marijuana legalization law in the country. As a law enforcement professional who arrested more people for marijuana than I'd like to admit, I've been waiting years for this day. Tonight I'm proud to say that my home state is the first to strike a blow against decades of marijuana prohibition. Now we must seize the momentum kickstarted by voters tonight and make sure that more lawmakers take action in state legislatures and on the congressional level."

Journalists wishing to arrange interviews with LEAP speakers should contact Tom Angell at media@leap.cc or Darby Beck at darby@leap.cc. 

Massachusetts Legalizes Medical Marijuana!

The Boston Globe just declared the voters of Massachusetts have passed an initiative making the Bay State the 18th in the nation to enact a medical marijuana law.

Here's a quick reaction from LEAP speaker Karen Hawkes, a former Massachusetts state trooper who has used medical marijuana to ease her own pain:

"Today Massachusetts voters made the compassionate and sensible choice to let medical decisions be made by doctors and their patients. As a former Massachusetts state trooper and as someone who has personally benefited from the use of medical marijuana, I thank my fellow Bay Staters for this decision. My former colleagues will never again have to arrest a seriously ill person just for following their doctor’s recommendation and I myself  will no longer have to choose between living in pain and living my life in fear."

Stay tuned right here all night to see the results of other marijuana initiatives across the country as they are announced.

Journalists wishing to arrange interviews with LEAP speakers should contact Tom Angell at media@leap.cc or Darby Beck at darby@leap.cc. 

Montana Votes on Medical Marijuana

Voters in Montana just reaffirmed their support for medical marijuana, voting against a referendum that would have restricted the voter-approved law.

Here's a quick reaction from LEAP's Tony Ryan, a 36-year veteran Denver cop who has spent a lot of time in Montana:

"Tonight the voters of Montana reaffirmed their commitment to responsible regulation of the medical marijuana industry. They have seen that the current law not only helps seriously ill patients have safe access to their doctor-recommended medicine, but it creates jobs, generates tax revenue and takes money away from gangs and cartels who would otherwise control street sales of marijuana."

“It’s unfortunate the Montana Senate felt it necessary to override the democratically made decision of its constituents with a bill limiting the medical marijuana law currently on the books in the state. Tonight’s defeat at the ballot is more reflective of voter confusion than of voter will, which was already demonstrated with the passage of I-148."

Journalists wishing to arrange interviews with LEAP speakers should contact Tom Angell at media@leap.cc or Darby Beck at darby@leap.cc. 

What to Watch for Tonight: Marijuana Reform on the Ballot

Tonight will be one to remember for drug law reform! Marijuana reform measures are on the ballots of several states and localities, including three statewide legalization measures in Colorado, Oregon and Washington. Check in with the LEAP blog frequently throughout the night: We will be posting periodic updates on the following measures: 

Colorado, Amendment 64: Initiative to legalize and regulate marijuana for adults over 

21.

Oregon, Measure 80: Initiative to legalize and regulate marijuana for adults over 21.

Washington, I-502: Initiative to legalize and regulate marijuana for adults over 21.

Arkansas, Issue 5: Initiative to allow medical marijuana for certain conditions.

Massachusetts, Question 3: Initiative to allow medical marijuana for certain conditions.

Montana, Referendum 124: Referendum on Senate Bill 423 that changed medical 

marijuana law approved by voters in I-148. Yes vote would overturn the democratic law 

and further restrict medical marijuana.

Detroit, MI, Proposal M: Initiative amending city code to remove criminal penalties for 

possession of less than one ounce of marijuana on private property by adults (21+).

Flint, MI: Initiative amending city code to remove criminal penalties for possession of 

less than one ounce of marijuana on private property by adults (19+).

Ypsilanti, MI: An initiative making enforcement of laws against possessing small 

amounts of marijuana by adults (21+) the city’s lowest law enforcement priority.

Grand Rapids, MI, Proposal 2: Would make possession of marijuana a civil offense, 

punishable by a fine only (like a traffic ticket) rather than jail time.

Kalamazoo, MI, Charter Amendment Proposal #7: An initiative that would allow up to 

three medical marijuana dispensaries in the city.

Burlington, VT: Question to measure support for statewide marijuana legalization.

Journalists seeking to interview pro-legalization law enforcers or looking for any further information should contact Tom Angell at media@leap.cc and/or Darby Beck at darby@leap.cc.

One Marijuana Arrest Every 42 Seconds in U.S.

New FBI Numbers Reveal Failure of "War on Drugs"

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Just over one week before voters in three states will decide on ballot measures to legalize and regulate marijuana, the FBI has released a new report today showing that police in the U.S. arrest someone for marijuana every 42 seconds and that 87% of those arrests are for possession alone. 

A group of police, judges and other law enforcement officials advocating for the legalization and regulation of marijuana and other drugs pointed to the figures showing more than 750,000 marijuana arrests in 2011 -- more than 40 years after the start of the "war on drugs" -- as evidence that this is a war that can never be won. With more than 1.5 million total drug arrests drug arrests being reported in the U.S. in 2011, that’s one drug arrest every 21 seconds. 

 "Even excluding the costs involved for later trying and then imprisoning these people, taxpayers are spending between one and a half to three billion dollars a year just on the police and court time involved in making these arrests," said Neill Franklin, a retired Baltimore narcotics cop who now heads the group Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP). "That’s a lot of money to spend for a practice that four decades of unsuccessful policies have proved does nothing to reduce the consumption of drugs. Three states have measures on the ballot that would take the first step in ending this failed war by legalizing, regulating and taxing marijuana. I hope they take this opportunity to guide the nation to a more sensible approach to drug use.” 

Today's FBI report, which can be found at http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2011/crime-in-the-u.s.-2011/persons-arrested/persons-arrested, shows that 81.8% of drug arrests were for possession only, and just under half (49.5%) of all drug arrests were for marijuana. 

One hopeful sign is that these numbers have decreased slightly from those of the prior year. This is perhaps reflective of the growing number of communities across the country that have recognized the need for drug law reform and implemented new policies designed to alleviate the harms of the drug war, such as the deprioritization of marijuana enforcement. 

Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) represents police, prosecutors, judges, corrections officials and others who, after witnessing the harms of the drug war firsthand, are now devoted to ending that war. More info at http://www.CopsSayLegalizeMarijuana.com. 

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 29, 2012 

CONTACT: Tom Angell - (202) 557-4979 or media@leap.cc