Pubdate: Sat, 13 Dec 2008 Source: Hawaii Tribune Herald (Hilo, HI) Copyright: 2008 Hawaii Tribune Herald Contact: http://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/185 Author: Paul J. Sulla Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v08/n1080/a02.html REPORT THE REAL NEWS I was disappointed by the recent local news story, "State's attorney says pot priority law void," by John Burnett. The headline was false and misleading. There was no such finding or ruling by the attorney general. What was really reported was that our county's prosecutor spoke with the state attorney general and he is still of the opinion that the new Peaceful Skies Ordinance mandating the lessening of the enforcement against adult cannabis use is "unenforceable." Triple hearsay at its finest! This article is really nothing more than pouring old news into new headlines. It merely re-hashes how our current law enforcement officials view this new ordinance. Another misleading statement claims that the Peaceful Skies Ordinance "would leave the enforcement of marijuana laws to each police officer." In fact, the opposite is true. Presently the enforcement of the cannabis prohibition laws are left to the police officer. Under the new ordinance, the officer is instead directed to consider the enforcement as a low priority in recognition of the terrible waste of public taxes and resources on the courts, police, probation and prison system not to mention the intangible human loss of property and self esteem. It is these overriding concerns of the public that are behind this long overdue step toward the lessening of the punishment of crimes without victims or rather crimes that make victims of those the laws are designed to protect. While any new law would pose a challenge to the status quo, the real issue is not whether the ordinance is "enforceable" but rather that the public has overwhelmingly called for our public officials to figure out how to change the course of this war on the people they represent and whether they will abide by that mandate. This is the real news about Peaceful Skies and something to report on. Paul J. Sulla Hilo - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin