The Texas Tribune:Medical Marijuana Supporters Look to Conservatives

HIGH, Everyone!

Sorry for the lag in updates, we wanted to make sure to keep the Toy Drive/Hot Rod show prominently displayed during the past week. The event went wonderfully and I know somewhere over 200 to 250 gifts were donated by the end of the night, which is going to bring some kids a very merry Christmas. Thanks to all of you who came out or dropped off toys at the drop sites, we couldn’t have done it without you! Here is a partial list of the drop sites still accepting toys until the 17th, so if ya can, head on out and drop off a toy and keep these good vibes going.

Billy Cannon’s Smoke Shop
420 Spot
SmoCo
Kashmir
Surfing Hookah
Casa de la Muertos
Mr. Nice Guys
Smoke ATX
BackSpin on Slaughter and Mopac

We have an article here by Julian Aguilar at texastribune.org about how the issue of Medical Marijuana here in Texas does not have to take a step back due to more electoral gains by the Right during the election. The state’s right to decide what medicine it can prescribe without federal interference is an issue that I know conservatives should be able to get behind, as well as free enterprise and all of the monetary incentives it could bring to our state. Call your Representatives and help cause the change that you want in your government. Click on the link after the quotes to read the entire story, Peace and Good Buds.

” “It’s not so much that we are abandoning [liberals]. Naishtat is going to give us his support, and more liberal people are going to give us their support, or at least I believe they will. But for us to try to get a bill passed while having it labeled as a liberal bill, when in actuality it’s a conservative bill that gets the government out of the position of being between patient [and doctor], is going to make it more difficult politically,” he says. “We have to pass a bill that is written for Texas and by Texans and not some bill that comes out of California or Colorado.”

Naishtat says he is intent on trying to pass a bill again, despite last month’s GOP gains. The national trend, he says, is to take a closer look at medicinal marijuana and its benefits. Texas, he believes, will soon follow suit. He cites a Nov. 22 article in Time called “The United States of Amerijuana” as proof the issue has gained steam. “It’s the cover story and it says, ‘Legalization has gone up in smoke, but medicinal pot has gone mainstream.’ Thirteen states have authorized the use of medicinal marijuana, and it’s only a matter of time before Texas does the same,” he contends. Naishtat says he isn’t “overly optimistic” about passing the bill, but that has less to do with Election Day and more to do with Texas being Texas.

“That’s based on past experiences and what the leadership is,” he says.

Betzen says he is looking for continued support from at least one Republican member, state Rep. Jim Jackson, R-Carrollton. Jackson has co-sponsored Naishtat’s bill before, his legislative aide confirms, though he has yet to weigh in this go-round. Even if the issue proves too much of a political football next session, Betzen and other advocates can still count on, ironically enough, former law enforcement officials who spent years busting dopers.

“I spent 32 years [fighting the] drug war, the last 15 in Central and South America, so I understand the [global aspect] of it and the fact that we are not going to win it so we might as well change out strategy,” says Terry Nelson, the Granbury representative of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition. Nelson’s long stint working for the federal government includes service with the U.S. Border Patrol, the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Customs. “We are for total legalization, because we want to get the crime and violence out of the drug issue and take the power out of the hands of the cartels,” he says. “You cannot show me any laws for the prohibition of laws that work.” ”

to read the entire story on texastribune.org, click here

Onward and upward,

Topher Belsher
Director of Online Community Outreach
Texas NORML
[email protected]