While the picture is still blurry, legal marijuana could be coming to Indian country in Oklahoma. Such a possibility may seem far-fetched, but recent policy pronouncements by the U.S. Department of Justice are making the once unthinkable a real possibility. While marijuana is still illegal in all of its forms in Oklahoma, more than 20 states have legalized it for either medical or recreational use. Nonetheless, it is still illegal in all states under federal law to manufacture, distribute or dispense marijuana. [continues 514 words]
Regarding "Colorado defends pot laws against Oklahoma, Nebraska legal attack" (News, March 28): Aaron Cooper, a spokesman for Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, has it backward in claiming that Colorado's legalization of cannabis has negatively impacted surrounding states like Oklahoma and Nebraska. Rather, cannabis prohibition is responsible for negatively impacting Oklahoma, Nebraska and the entire country. Further, they're unable to grasp what is taking place. Colorado government isn't promoting commercialized cannabis, but rather regulating the God-given plant. Oklahoma and Nebraska leaders fail to realize what they're actually doing is forcing the black market to regulate cannabis instead. While Oklahoma and Nebraska leaders may wish to force the black market to continue regulating cannabis, Colorado voters decided to force government to do the inevitable job instead. Recent polls indicate continued growing support for that decision. Polls also indicate Oklahoma and Nebraska citizens wish to end cannabis prohibition. Stan White, Dillon, Colo. [end]
THE debate over potential medical use of marijuana has generated legislative proposals this year that embody the best, and worst, of the political system. House Bill 2154, by Rep. Jon Echols, R-Oklahoma City, would allow Oklahoma children to participate in clinical trials for cannabidiol. That drug, otherwise referred to as CBD, is extracted from marijuana stalks and does not contain the chemical that creates marijuana's narcotic affect. There is reason to believe the drug could treat people who suffer seizures due to epilepsy. Echols said his own niece is among the children who suffer seizures that could be reduced through CBD use. [continues 432 words]
House OKs Limited Use We applaud the state House for voting 99-2 last week to legalize use of an active marijuana ingredient for the treatment of severe epileptic seizures in children. Earlier this year, Gov. Mary Fallin urged the state to legalize nonintoxicating medicinal cannabis oil - CBD - on a supervised basis for children suffering from severe seizure disorders. While CBD is derived from cannabis, Fallin has opposed any broader legalization of marijuana. We think that's a pretty good read of where the people of Oklahoma stand on the issue too. [continues 111 words]
Cannabidiol, Extracted From Marijuana, Is Used to Treat Severe Epileptic Seizures. OKLAHOMA CITY - The House of Representatives voted 99-2 Wednesday to legalize an active marijuana ingredient used in the treatment of severe epileptic seizures. The two "no" votes were by Republicans Scott Biggs of Chickasha and Mike Sanders of Kingfisher. House Bill 2154, by Rep. Jon Echols, R-Oklahoma City, would allow children to participate in clinical trials for cannabidiol, a substance extracted from marijuana stalks. Cannabidiol, or CBD, does not contain the chemical that creates marijuana's narcotic affect. [continues 190 words]
Some Oklahoma Legislators Are Against the AG's Decision to Join a Lawsuit Against Colorado. OKLAHOMA CITY - Some Oklahoma lawmakers disagree with Attorney General Scott Pruitt's decision to file suit over Colorado's legalization of marijuana. Rep. Mike Ritze, R-Broken Arrow, said the lawsuit filed last month by Pruitt and Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning undermines states' rights. In their lawsuit, filed in the U.S. Supreme Court, Pruitt and Bruning are asking that the Colorado law be deemed unconstitutional and tossed out, and they are asking the nation's highest court to force the federal government to enforce federal law prohibiting the sale of marijuana. They also seek to recover their legal costs for filing the suit. [continues 516 words]
Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, a vocal proponent of states' rights, drew criticism Monday from fellow Republicans who oppose his attempt to have the U.S. Supreme Court overturn Colorado's marijuana legalization law. State Rep. Mike Ritze, R-Broken Arrow, and six other GOP lawmakers sent a letter to Pruitt criticizing his decision to join Nebraska in asking the high court to invalidate Colorado voters' 2012 determination to legalize marijuana for recreational use. They want him to remove Oklahoma from that legal fight, saying he should not meddle in the affairs of another state. [continues 545 words]
Although under federal law marijuana is a drug with no medical use and doctors can't prescribe it, 23 states and Washington, D.C., allow marijuana use for some medical conditions. In addition, Washington State and Colorado legalized recreational marijuana. Interstate travel by dealers and "drug tourists" increased the availability of marijuana in other states. Forty states reported seizure of Colorado medical and/or recreational marijuana. This caused serious problems in neighboring Oklahoma and Nebraska, which are suing Colorado in the U.S. Supreme Court seeking relief for this situation. The U.S. Justice Department ignores this problem. [continues 160 words]
Last week, Oklahoma and Nebraska sued Colorado over actions Colorado has taken that have resulted in the trafficking of illegal drugs into Oklahoma and Nebraska. We didn't take this action lightly. As you know, I have been an ardent defender of Oklahoma's ability to determine its own policies and laws, free from undue federal intrusion. But that isn't to say that there is no place for federal law. Of course there is - that is precisely why our Founders came together in 1789 to draft a constitution. My battles have been against federal actions that exceed the powers our Founders granted to the federal government in the constitution. [continues 578 words]
Oklahoma has filed a lawsuit against Colorado's marijuana law. The concern seems to be that marijuana from Colorado is coming to Oklahoma. That concerns me too. What can we do to reduce Colorado's market share? In fact, what can we do to reduce the market share for all imported and black market marijuana in Oklahoma? How can we keep the profits here and generate tax money to help Oklahoma? This used to be the problem with the tattoo business. Oklahomans were spending gasoline money and travel time going to other states for tattoos. [continues 119 words]
OKLAHOMA CITY - Despite getting the federal government's go-ahead to grow and sell marijuana, local tribes are showing little interest in expanding into the trade. If they did, says one expert in Native American affairs, it would raise a tangle of questions involving tribal and state law that are unique to Oklahoma. State leaders have outlawed marijuana - its growth, possession or use - - and violators face prison. But the 39 federally recognized tribes here have a way around that. A Justice Department memo published last week cites tribal sovereignty as grounds to allow the cultivation of marijuana on their land. [continues 501 words]
A leader of efforts to revise Oklahoma's marijuana laws says Attorney General Scott Pruitt's attempt to stop legal retail sales in Colorado is "ridiculous" and mischaracterizes that state's cannabis industry. Chip Paul, a Tulsa business owner and leader of Oklahomans for Health, said it would be impossible to accumulate more than a small quantity of marijuana through legal purchases in Colorado, and that licensed growers have too much at stake to sell on the black market. "It's just not possible," Paul said in a telephone interview. [continues 330 words]
Large Amounts of the Stronger Marijuana Are Arriving, Officials Say. Legal retail sales of marijuana in Colorado have had a definite if indirect impact on Oklahoma law enforcement agencies, a spokesman for the Oklahoma Board of Narcotics and Dangerous Drug Control said. "We are seeing collateral effects," said Mark Woodward. "It is a big deal because the marijuana coming out of Colorado is so much more powerful than what we've seen in the past." Woodward said the OBNDDC supports Attorney General Scott Pruitt's decision to join Nebraska's Jon Bruning in a suit to stop the commercial production and sale of marijuana in Colorado. [continues 699 words]
Oklahoma on Thursday joined with Nebraska in filing a lawsuit asking the U.S. Supreme Court to deem Colorado's recreational marijuana law unconstitutional. The states argue that Colorado's Amendment 64 runs counter to federal law, has created a dangerous gap in the federal drug control system and places an undue burden on neighboring states that have seen an increase in the amount of Colorado marijuana flooding across their borders. "Federal law classifies marijuana as an illegal drug," Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt said in a written statement announcing the lawsuit. "The health and safety risks posed by marijuana, especially to children and teens, are well documented." [continues 439 words]
It may be awhile before Oklahomans will be able to light a joint while playing slots. The Department of Justice ruled Thursday that Indian tribes could grow and sell marijuana on tribal lands, but the ramifications of this action remain a mystery. "We don't know if tribes can legally sell it yet," Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics Mark Woodward said. "We just don't know the answer." Woodward said it would take much more discussion and possibly a judge's ruling before the facts become less sticky when it comes to tribes selling pot in casinos. Using and selling marijuana remains illegal under state law. [continues 411 words]
A Justice Department Memo Says New Policy Is Nonenforcement. Despite a U.S. Department of Justice memo this week indicating Indian governments could grow and sell marijuana on tribal lands, officials said don't expect a thriving, legal pot industry anytime soon in Oklahoma. Technically, marijuana is still an illegal drug under Oklahoma and federal law. But a memo released this week by Justice Department officials said tribes could expect the same nonenforcement of certain aspects of federal drug laws on reservations and tribal lands as in states that have legalized pot. [continues 608 words]
The Next Great Roadside Attraction THE AMERICAN VOICES website recently requested reader comment about a portable Breathalyzer test that soon will be available to help police identify drivers impaired by marijuana. Here's how self-described scarf knitter Angela Dixon responded: "Can't people just tell the truth when they're high? Why do we need all these fancy gadgets?" And, this from Paul Desroches, a products tester: "Wouldn't it be easier just to pull over everyone who is actually driving the speed limit?" [continues 657 words]
(AP) - As more states approve the medicinal and recreational use of marijuana, an Oklahoma-based electronic cigarette retailer is looking to build a national franchise. Marijuana is illegal under federal drug laws. But voters in Oregon, Alaska and Washington, D.C., approved ballot measures Tuesday to legalize the recreational use of marijuana, joining Washington state and Colorado. And in more than a dozen other states, medical marijuana is available. The growing availability of legal pot opens the door for Tulsa-based Palm Beach Vapors to market a method for producing a cannabis oil product that can be inhaled through a common e-cigarette, according to CEO and co-founder Chip Paul. "This is a wave that's kind of sweeping the nation," said Paul, whose company is looking to patent the method and has already signed licensing deals in California and Colorado for what it calls the M-System. He said he intends to set up franchise locations in other states. [continues 477 words]
E-Cig Company Sees Great Opportunity OKLAHOMA CITY - As more states approve the medicinal and recreational use of marijuana, an Oklahoma-based electronic cigarette retailer is looking to build a national franchise. Marijuana is illegal under federal drug laws. But voters in Oregon, Alaska and Washington, D.C., approved ballot measures Tuesday to legalize the recreational use of marijuana, joining Washington state and Colorado. And in more than a dozen other states, medical marijuana is available. The growing availability of legal pot opens the door for Tulsa-based Palm Beach Vapors to market a method for producing a cannabis oil product that can be inhaled through a common e-cigarette, according to CEO and co-founder Chip Paul. [continues 232 words]
"Considerable downside to decriminalization of pot" (Our Views, Oct. 13) criticized state Sen. Connie Johnson for advocating decriminalizing marijuana use. Yet any thinking person has to recognize the wisdom of Johnson's position. Pot shouldn't be categorized as a Schedule I drug. It's not addictive like opiates or amphetamines. Despite the claims of law enforcement officials, it's not a "gateway drug." Enforcement of laws against marijuana possession, use and sale result in racial inequities in arrest and prosecution of perpetrators. A New York Times editorial on Oct. 11 noted that an equal percentage of blacks and whites use illegal drugs, but blacks are arrested three times as often. A Seattle study found that 16 percent of observed drug dealers of the five most dangerous drugs were black, but they represented 64 percent of arrests for dealing those drugs. [continues 105 words]
MARIJUANA legalization was highlighted in a recent debate between Oklahoma candidates for a U.S. Senate seat. This issue continues to bubble up in political discussions, so it's important that associated policy decisions be based on facts. Research continues to identify significant consequences to recreational marijuana use. The Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, state Sen. Connie Johnson of Oklahoma City, supports decriminalizing marijuana use. She defended that stance in the debate. Her opponent, U.S. Rep. James Lankford, R-Oklahoma City, isn't a fan of that idea. [continues 491 words]
WHEN government closes a window, the market opens a door. Sadly, this describes the methamphetamine problem in Oklahoma. This state has been a national leader in the meth manufacturing crackdown, finding ways to restrict the purchase of ingredients used to cook meth. But as fewer meth "labs" are being found and shut down by state authorities, the number of meth-related overdose deaths continues to rise. The reason is that the domestic supply disruption has been met with a foreign supply influx. This isn't a new development, but the latest numbers are startling. Meth demand isn't going down, but the supply chain has added more links to Mexico. [continues 461 words]
Here's a riddle: How many knowledgeable people does it take to suggest a policy change before society adopts their sage advice? Buried in all the recent news about ISIS, horrific weather lashing the United States, the violence of NFL players and the like, came a hardly noticed news item about the idea of legalizing drugs. Now, stay with me on this. It's important. The Global Commission on Drug Policy, an illustrious panel including former U.N. Secretary Gen. Kofi Annan, former U.S. Secretary of State George Shultz, former chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve Paul Volcker, former presidents and prime ministers of nearly a dozen countries and others issued a detailed study about why it's smart - for reasons both humanitarian and financial - to legalize marijuana and other drugs. Yes, all drugs. [continues 152 words]
Cannabidiol (CBD) may help control seizures in some children. CBD is a nonintoxicating, refined whole plant product of a special marijuana species. It's low in THC, the intoxicating component of marijuana, but CBD is illegal in Oklahoma. State law needs to be changed, as 16 states already have. The incidence of children with a current diagnosis of a seizure disorder is conservatively about 6.3 per 1,000 in the U.S., or about 5,900 in Oklahoma. With available medications, about half derive real benefit - with many suffering side effects, which can be severe. Judging from the extreme interest of parents with epileptic children who attended a recent lecture at Children's Hospital, all 5,900 sets of parents will be at their physician's doorstep the moment CBD becomes available. [continues 103 words]
Backers of a medical marijuana initiative collected only about half the signatures needed to put the issue before voters, the Oklahoma secretary of state's office said Thursday. A total of 75,384 signatures were collected, but more than 155,216 were needed to put it on the Nov. 4 ballot. The proposed initiative was intended to classify marijuana as an herbal drug to be regulated by the state Health Department. More than three dozen medical conditions, from asthma to urinary incontinence, would qualify a person to get a medical card through a doctor to receive marijuana. [continues 113 words]
The Marijuana Extract May Help Children With Dravet Syndrome. With wavy brown hair and an impish grin, 6-year-old Morgan Adler had all the stylists vying for his attention during a recent visit to his mom's beauty salon. Morgan decided instead to strike up a quiet conversation with an elderly woman as her hair color processed, gently nudging his way into the seat next to her. Taylor Adler said watching her son's kindness in that moment, and many others, melted her heart. [continues 1057 words]
Many believe that reform to drug laws is appropriate, and I welcome that debate. I believe we need to continue to explore evidence-based prevention, access to treatment, and alternatives to incarceration. But substance abuse is a public health issue, as well as a criminal justice problem. I do not believe that legalization of marijuana solves the issues raised in the debate on drug policy. We must consider the public health problems associated with increased availability of marijuana. A review of some of the facts cited by the Office of National Drug Control Policy is important for people to consider before they decide this issue. [continues 692 words]
As a longtime practicing attorney engaged in criminal defense, I have handled hundreds of marijuana-related cases in city, state and federal courts throughout Oklahoma, and nationally. I have witnessed the damaging effects to individual liberty and a multitude of barriers to legitimate employment from its classification as a Schedule I controlled substance. Aside from generating huge amounts of dollars for use by law enforcement agencies in fighting a "war" that cannot be won, supporters of continued criminalization of marijuana ultimately will see it fail. [continues 653 words]
"Hey, Jane." "Yes, Dick?" "Now that Oklahoma has legalized marijuana, let's go watch mother and father get high. Just think, Jane, in a few years we can join them and it will be a family thing." "Gee, Dick, what a wonderful world." "Just think, Jane, when the whole country legalizes pot, the drug cartels will have to lower their prices on the really hard drugs to compete with the marijuana." "Gee, Dick, the whole country can get turned on and really drop out. What a wonderful country." "Yes, Jane, and when we develop respiratory and psychological problems, we can use Oklahoma's state insurance program to help us. What a wonderful country. "Hey, Jane, do you think Spot and Fluffy would like a brownie?" Ben Hoke, Tulsa [end]
Pryor Times - Prohibition does not work. This is the mantra of the Oklahoma Coalition Against Prohibition, which is circulating a petition to decriminalize medical marijuana. The organization assisted another advocacy group who set up a petition table in Pryor last weekend. "Our mission is to seek the improvement of quality of life of Oklahomans by seeking to end prohibition," the OKCAP website says. "In Oklahoma cannabis prohibition has adversely impacted the quality of lives of Oklahomans; their freedom, the state's agriculture, economic growth, family structure, employment opportunities, healthcare and generally many other aspects of normal life for a human being." [continues 385 words]
STATE Sen. Constance Johnson, D-Oklahoma City, hopes to become Oklahoma's next U.S. senator even as she's hitched her political wagon to the cause of marijuana legalization. We'll soon know if Johnson's fellow Democrats believe marijuana is the path to renewed electoral success in Oklahoma. Supporters have begun gathering signatures to place the proposed State Question 773 on the ballot. The measure would legalize possession of one ounce of marijuana for personal use and legalize possession of three ounces for "medical" use. [continues 504 words]
The establishment of a petition-signing effort for the legalization of medical marijuana has produced a buzz around Ardmore ... both good and bad. Oklahomans for Health began gathering signatures for the petition Saturday morning in the parking lot of the Ardmore Public Library. While several hundred have taken the time to sign the petition, other residents have been concerned about the group's right to have the petition on city property. Jennifer O'Steen, Ardmore city attorney, said the city had received a couple of calls, and the group is not in violation. [continues 742 words]
TULSA - Supporters of an initiative petition to put a medical marijuana state question to a November vote said Thursday they are experiencing increased interference from authorities statewide. The Tulsa World reported Tuesday allegations by Chip Paul, chairman of Oklahomans for Health, that Tulsa police disrupted petition-circulation efforts at locations that were predisclosed online four times last week. Thursday, Oklahomans for Health said the disruptions have become more frequent and widespread, with law enforcement officers reportedly harassing volunteers in three other cities - Oklahoma City, Broken Arrow and Norman - on Wednesday. [continues 349 words]
I have a hard time believing marijuana is a miracle cure. It has been around for centuries and a better case has been made for it being illegal. It might well be a more convenient and cheaper way to relieve pain, just like alcohol and opiates. But is this a reason to legalize marijuana? While a possible vote might be only to allow its usage for medical purposes, it is only a small step to allow for greater use. Just look at the western states. We are succeeding in reducing tobacco usage, after decades of work. Do we really want to begin another challenge? Chris Columbus, Tulsa [end]
OKLAHOMA CITY - A second marijuana petition was filed Friday with the Oklahoma Secretary of State. Supporters hope to let voters decide whether or not marijuana should be legal in Oklahoma. Another petition currently circulating seeks to legalize the use of marijuana for medical purposes. Both require 155,216 signatures. Organizers of the more expansive petition include Sen. Constance Johnson, D-Forest Park, Oklahoma City attorney David Slane and Republican gubernatorial candidate Chad Moody. Johnson is running for U.S. Senate. Johnson said she tried for eight years to change the state's marijuana policies, to no avail. [continues 312 words]
A group in favor of legalizing marijuana for medicinal purposes kicked off a petition drive Wednesday aimed at putting the issue before voters in the November statewide election. "I'm here to say I believe Oklahomans have a strong sense of personal liberty and personal freedom, and that's what I want to appeal to," Chip Paul, chairman of Oklahomans for Health told about 50 people at a rally outside the state Capitol. "There's thousands of Oklahomans who suffer every day with conditions which could be treated with medical marijuana, but they're not allowed to, they can't, because it's not available as a medicine, or they commit a felony by going out and treating their illness with a valid medicine." [continues 342 words]
MARLOW - Just a few days before the biggest players in the state Republican Party came to Duncan for a fish fry fundraiser, State Senator Connie Johnson, D-Oklahoma City, arrived in Stephens County looking for support and campaign donations. Without actually saying so, Johnson, the presumptive Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Tom Coburn, realizes she's a longshot. Speaking to 25 people who gathered at Bob's Restaurant on Thursday night for the regular monthly meeting of local Democrats, Johnson said unless she raises $100,000 for the campaign, the Democratic National Committee won't kick in any money for the general election. [continues 340 words]
The U.S. Senate Candidate Says the Issue Will Draw New Voters to the Polls. Legalizing marijuana may not be central to Connie Johnson's U.S. Senate platform, but it is important to her long-shot campaign's election strategy. Long an advocate of decriminalizing marijuana, the Oklahoma state senator said at the Tulsa County Democratic Party's monthly luncheon that the issue gets people to the polls who don't otherwise vote - and those new voters are a potential boon for political candidates like her. [continues 393 words]
Organizers Hope to Put Medical Marijuana on the November Ballot. OKLAHOMA CITY - Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt has found problems with the ballot title of an initiative petition seeking to let voters decide whether medical marijuana should be legalized. On April 11, Oklahomans for Health gave notice to the secretary of state that the organization was seeking to circulate an initiative petition to get the issue on the November ballot. The group needs 155,216 signatures to put its measure on the ballot. [continues 347 words]
It swallowed people up. That's what it really did, if you want to know the truth. It swallowed them up whole, swallowed them up by the millions. In the process, it hollowed out communities, broke families, stranded hope. Politicians brayed that they were being "tough on crime" - as if anyone is really in favor of crime - as they imposed ever longer and more inflexible sentences for nonviolent drug offenses. But the "War on Drugs" didn't hurt drugs at all: Usage rose by 2,800 percent - - that's not a typo - in the 40 years after it began in 1971. The "War" also made America the biggest jailer on Earth and drained a trillion dollars - still not a typo - from the treasury. [continues 517 words]
WHEN it comes to tobacco and marijuana, public policies appear headed in contradictory directions. For years, candy cigarettes have been criticized as providing children a gateway to tobacco smoking. In similar fashion, the federal government banned candy and fruit-flavored cigarettes in 2009 as part of an effort to reduce youth smoking. Yet in Colorado, the legalization of marijuana has produced a rash of candy products infused with tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive ingredient in pot. THC products include everything from gummy bears to caramels. In some cases, a single piece of candy is the recommended dose, yet packages contain numerous pieces. Once opened, those products can easily be mistaken for traditional candies that are eaten in far larger quantities. It doesn't take a genius to see what comes next. Marshall Allen, writing for ProPublica, recently noted that some children in Colorado are being exposed to THC products. Dr. Andrew Monte, a medical toxicologist at the University of Colorado Medical School and Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center, told Allen a poison control call occurs every few days involving a child accidentally eating marijuana products. Similar anecdotal reports are coming from emergency room doctors. In some cases, those children undergo CT scans and spinal taps before the patient's problem is identified. [continues 361 words]
As the movement to legalize marijuana advances, I believe our state would be best served by a policy approach that does due diligence, and learns from the experiences of other states before considering legalization. This approach would give us insight into how legalization affects those states, and would be prudent in mitigating the uncertainty and risks associated with the legalization of a powerful drug. This is the conservative approach. With the understanding that sweeping utopian reforms carry inevitable unintended consequences, conservatives always have taken a cautious approach to such policy shifts. We appreciate the central value of individual liberty, but we also understand that our founders believed we must balance liberty with an interest in maintaining civil order. [continues 484 words]
OKLAHOMA CITY - Supporters of legalizing medical marijuana on Friday filed notice with the Secretary of State's Office that they are trying to get it on the Nov. 4 ballot. Supporters have 90 days after filing the petition, or a determination by the Oklahoma Supreme Court to its sufficiency, whichever is later, to submit the signatures. They are required to obtain 155,216 signatures. According to information provided by the Secretary of State's Office, the notice of intent to circulate the petition was filed by Oklahomans for Health and Charles "Chip" Paul of Tulsa. Paul is the co-owner of an electronic cigarette franchise company. [continues 203 words]
OKLAHOMA CITY - Two candidates who plan to make legalization of marijuana their top priority have filed to run for governor in Oklahoma. Forty-six-year-old Oklahoma City lawyer Chad Moody filed Thursday to run against incumbent Gov. Mary Fallin in the Republican primary. Thirty-four-year-old Christian motorcyclist Joe Sills became entered the race as an independent candidate. Sills arrived wearing a leather jacket and backward camouflage hat when he came to the Capitol to file Thursday. Both Moody and Sills say legalizing marijuana is their top priority. Sills and Moody join Fallin, Democratic state Rep. Joe Dorman of Rush Springs and independent Richard Prawdzienski of Edmond in the race. [end]
Report Shows Wide Gap Between Number Of Youth With Substance Abuse Problems And Those Receiving Treatment CLAREMORE - When Daniel Morris saw a picture of a local drug bust in the news recently, something heartbreaking stood out to him about the people in the image: they looked so young. "I said to myself, 'those are just kids and they're involved in something as serious as heroin distribution,'" Morris said. "These problems don't start at age 18; they start at 12 or 13." [continues 502 words]
The Community Corrections Center Is Run by Avalon, Which Closed in Tulsa. OKLAHOMA CITY - A surprise drug screening at a private Oklahoma City halfway house this week showed that more than half of the offenders were using illegal drugs. The state Department of Corrections randomly tested 153 offenders Monday at the Carver Transitional Center, and 78 tested positive. The community corrections center is operated by Avalon Correctional Services Inc., which also ran Avalon Tulsa, a Tulsa halfway house that was closed after there were allegations of organized inmate fights. [continues 402 words]
TULSA - A Tulsa man who was fatally shot by police serving a search warrant Tuesday apparently was unarmed, police said Wednesday. The Tulsa Police Department identified the man who was shot as 27year-old DeAndre Lloyd Starks, and the officer as Sgt. Mark Wollmershauser Jr., 32. Wollmershauser, who has been on the police force nine years, was placed on routine paid administrative leave after the shooting. Starks was one of five people inside the home at 239 E Young St. when police gang and narcotics officers entered to serve a drug-related search warrant at 5:22 p.m. Tuesday, according to a news release from Sgt. Dave Walker. [continues 511 words]
"CPAC showed conservatives embracing justice reform" (Our Views, March 14) says more and more conservatives understand that corrections reform must happen. It quotes Rick Perry, Texas governor, where reforms resulted in closing a prison. As Perry put it, "We're not a soft-on-crime state. I hope we get the reputation of being a smart-on-crime state." The editorial closed by saying, "Perhaps Oklahoma will one day do the same." All states have criminal laws controlling narcotics and dangerous drugs, producing large numbers of persons in prisons for drug offenses. Yet availability and use of these drugs continues to grow. Add prescription drugs coming through the same channels and we have the paradox that the War on Drugs has produced effects opposite to its stated purpose. Control now lies with international drug syndicates whose supply lines lead directly to Oklahoma. [continues 119 words]
I'm writing about Tim Farley's story "Prohibition, not pot, is the problem" (Feb. 10, Oklahoma Gazette online). I'd like to add that the cannabis legalization issue is not whether cannabis is completely safe for everybody, including children and adolescents. It is not. The issue is freedom of choice for adults. Children have died from eating peanuts and peanut butter, but we don't cage peanut growers, sellers or consumers. And the voters of Colorado and Washington state have decided that we should not cage cannabis growers, sellers or consumers. Oklahoma adults have the freedom of choice of whether or not to consume legal alcohol. Shouldn't they have the same freedom of choice regarding legal cannabis? - - Kirk Muse Mesa, Arizona [end]
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