Pubdate: Sun, 29 Apr 2012
Source: Las Vegas Sun (NV)
Copyright: 2012 Las Vegas Sun, Inc
Contact:  http://www.lasvegassun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/234
Author: Anjeanette Damon

ONCE A TABOO TOPIC IN STATE GOP, DRUG DECRIMINALIZATION HAS SOME TALKING

Voters might be wondering if Republicans are smoking something these
days after two ranking Republicans recently supported exploring
whether marijuana and other drugs should be decriminalized, if not
legalized.

For years, supporters of legalizing pot have viewed Nevada as a
potential stomping ground, hoping the libertarian streak that runs
through Democrats and Republicans in this state would be kind to their
efforts.

So far, however, they've failed at the ballot box.

And it's never been a mantle that politicians have been fond of taking
up. An effort, for example, to allow medical marijuana dispensaries in
Nevada failed in the Legislature last year.

In the past, the issue has been marginalized as one only hippies,
teenagers and rap stars cared about. Now, however, it appears to be
taking root in what many might have considered a hostile environment -
the Republican Party.

To wit: Assembly Minority Leader Pat Hickey, R-Reno, floated the idea
this month of decriminalizing some drug offenses to save money on
incarceration.

Then, the Nevada Republican Party's new chairman, Michael McDonald,
told a GOP podcast host recently "there's a good argument" for
legalizing pot.

And last month, a contingent of Republican delegates at the Washoe
County convention tried - and failed because time ran out to debate it
- - to insert a plank supportive of legalizing marijuana in the party's
platform.

The effort at the party level is a reflection of the in-roads GOP
presidential hopeful Ron Paul's supporters have made in the party
structure over the past four years. Beyond seeing their candidate
elected, many Paul supporters are probably most passionate about
seeing their beloved herb legalized.

Paul believes states, not the federal government, should regulate drug
laws, and has spoken plainly on the fact he believes alcohol to be
more destructive than pot. His position has earned him a legion of
young followers.

Four years ago, after a contentious showdown with party leaders at the
state convention, Paul supporters made the concerted decision to begin
working within the party machine rather than trying to fight it from
the outside. Since then, they've won seats on party central committees
and influenced everything from rules governing the caucuses to the
election of party chairmen.

Now it appears they've begun to influence policy positions, although
their outcome on the legalizing marijuana platform will likely be as
successful as their ability to throw the Republican nomination to Paul.

Although both Hickey and McDonald have spoken in favor of
decriminalizing some drug offenses, they have individual reasons for
doing so, unrelated to the impassioned pleas of the new rank and file
marching on various Republican central committees.

In a brief interview last week, McDonald said he thinks medical
marijuana should be legal and more accessible after experiencing his
mother's difficult death from cancer.

"When you see someone you love suffer like that, I think there's an
argument to be made," he said. "I'm a police officer. I am as
anti-drug as you can imagine. But marijuana medically can help someone
in so much pain."

Hickey said he's not an advocate of making any drug more easily or
widely available. Rather, he wants to know if Nevada can attack the
drug problem in a more cost-efficient manner through treatment rather
than incarceration.

"Certainly, some of the positions of Ron Paul and libertarian-leaning
Republicans resonate with a fair number of Nevadans," Hickey said.
"But this is unrelated. I am not an advocate necessarily, and I'm
certainly not for condoning the use or the abuse of drugs, which I
find to be rather personally self-destructive."

Indeed, the recent focus on legalizing marijuana has made some
Republicans uncomfortable.

"I was surprised to hear the assemblyman mention it and McDonald
mention it," Washoe County GOP Chairman Dave Buell said. "Let's face
it, those aren't huge issues this election cycle. Too many people are
unemployed and have homes on the brink to care about marijuana.

"And I certainly don't think the mainstream Republican Party is ready
to go push that." 
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D