Pubdate: Tue, 7 Apr 2009
Source: Western Front, The (Western Washington Univ., WA Edu)
Copyright: 2009 The Western Front
Contact: http://westernfrontonline.net/contact-us/
Website: http://westernfront.wwu.edu/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/994
Author: Kendall Mercer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Marijuana)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Marijuana - Medicinal)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?199 (Mandatory Minimum Sentencing)

POT POLICY: A CHRONIC CONTRADICTION

University of Washington (UW) lecturer and former police sergeant Dr. 
Jonathan Wender will host a free lecture titled "The American Drug 
Policy: The Great Contradiction," at 7 p.m. April 9 in the Viking 
Union multipurpose room.  The lecture is presented by Associated 
Student Productions (ASP) Civil Controversy, the Legal Information 
Center and the Drug Information Center.

Prior to becoming a lecturer at UW, Wender was a Seattle police 
sergeant who was fired in 2005 for his outspoken opinions in favor of 
the decriminalization of marijuana and reforms in the United States' 
War on Drugs, such as mandatory minimum prison sentences.

Wender then partook in a litigation battle, settled out of court, and 
was reinstated. His dual-role as an advocate and enforcer is what 
caught the attention of Western student service coordinators and 
greatly influenced the decision to invite him to campus to speak to 
students about decriminalization of drugs.

Over the years, we've brought speakers on drug policy up to campus, 
but it tended to be one side or the other; we hear from law 
enforcement or we hear from academia, from people either pushing for 
strong enforcement or pushing for strong decriminalization laws," 
Legal Information Center Coordinator Jake Lunden said. "What we don't 
hear is someone who's held two different roles: someone who has 
enforced and who has also taught on the subject."

University Police Sergeant David Garcia said although the most common 
illegal drug Western students have been cited for is marijuana, he 
doesn't believe that Western students abusing marijuana in high 
numbers is unique compared to other colleges.

According to Western's annual crime statistics, there were a total of 
72 arrests and 266 disciplinary referrals for marijuana and other 
drug-related violations that occurred on campus from 2005 to 2007.

Do we write marijuana tickets? Sure, we do," Garcia said. "Is it a 
major problem? No. It just comes with the territory. I don't think 
there is more marijuana use here than at any other university."

In accordance to the Medical Use of Marijuana Act of 1998, which was 
amended by the state legislature in 2007, the possession of a 
60-day-or-less supply of medical marijuana is legal in Washington. 
The act lists patients suffering from cancer, HIV, multiple 
sclerosis, epilepsy, glaucoma or intractable pain as eligible to 
receive treatment from medical marijuana in order to relieve symptoms 
such as nausea and chronic pain.

Although the state has not yet adopted the less stringent marijuana 
policies of its neighbors, Alaska and Oregon (both states 
decriminalized possession of less than 1one ounce of marijuana in the 
1970s), several bills have been introduced in the state legislature 
over the years.

The most recent was Senate Bill 5615 in January 2009. If the bill had 
passed, it would have reduced adult possession of 40 grams or less of 
marijuana to a civil infraction with a fine that could be payable by 
mail. The Senate Committee on Judiciary ruled in favor of the bill on 
Feb. 18, but the bill was rejected by the rest of the Senate on March 25.

Proponents of SB 5615 argue the bill would help decrease the number 
of arrests and disciplinary referrals for drug related violations. 
Garcia said that freeing up jail cells is a strong motivating factor 
for decriminalization.

I think that the intent is that if you decriminalize [marijuana] you 
won't have so many people in the corrections facilities," Garcia said.

Charles Walker, ASP Civil Controversy assistant coordinator, said 
decriminalizing marijuana is a controversial issue that has long been 
debated, and one on which Wender is sure to offer fresh insight into 
his lecture.

I think that especially with Western being a more liberal school, 
students are very interested in the legalization and 
decriminalization of marijuana," Walker said.  "[Wender] is going to 
be able to provide them with an academic answer from experience, and 
I think that students will come away understanding a little bit more 
of the intellectual side of the decriminalization of marijuana."

Garcia said he has often heard, from both sides, the arguments for 
and against reducing the possession of marijuana from being a 
misdemeanor to a civil infraction.

There are two schools of thought: some say that marijuana is a 
gateway drug and that you're just going to want stronger drugs," 
Garcia said. "Others say that it is just for recreational abuse. Like 
with alcohol, for example, not everybody wants to go out and take 
heroin just because they can drink."

Brian Arcement, coordinator for the Drug and Information Center, said 
students who do not support the decriminalization of marijuana, or 
other aspects of Wender's platform, should not be dissuaded from 
attending the lecture and listening to what Wender has to say.

Even if you don't necessarily agree with what he is saying, it's 
giving you an idea of what another view point is," Arcement said. 
"Personally, I find that perspective is one of the most important 
things you can get in the college experience."

Arcement said Wender might not change minds about prohibition and 
anti-drug enforcementam among the entire U.S. population, but at the 
very least his forthright beliefs are bound to spark up a few 
conversations among Western students. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake