After a so-called moderate administration that is responsible for incarcerating the highest amount of marijuana offenders in history, averaging one arrest every 30 seconds, a complete right wing administration takes its place. So, when Bill Clinton made the sweet gesture declaring that marijuana should be decriminalized during his last weeks in office, it was a little too late to get thanks from the movement. Bye Bye Bill, “Exhale to the Chief.” It is unclear how much worse the attack on marijuana and marijuana users can get. Bush and his “Persian Gulf Syndrome” cabinet inheriting the Clinton ground war in Columbia is a definite worry. Their plan is to reduce tons of marijuana imported from Columbia to merely pounds and to contaminate or kill marijuana with new eco destroying biological fungicides and herbicides recently laboratory developed in Montana. The new chemicals are much worse than the paraquat of the 1970’s. With this, domestic production will increase and so will arrests and the amount of prisons. One must wonder (sarcastically) if Bush will deploy thousands of snitch subversives into metro areas or begin smart-bombing grow houses and head shops. The correct thing for the new administration to do is square up with the reality that they will never reduce the desire for marijuana, not from the sick or the recreational tokers, and they should discontinue the use of the relatively benign green vegetable matter as another one of their pawns for cultural genocide. Now is a crucial and pivotal time to get involved.

Despite all of the downsides of the escalating war on drugs, which includes eliminating kids from college for possessing as little as a crumb of marijuana, drug policy reformers made some big moves during the hypocritical Clinton era and will continue to do so. From medical marijuana in California to winning the same in 10 states and D.C, and then going back to California for a broader challenge to the drug war, daunting reform territory has been claimed. Many good things are on the side of drug policy reform activists, and those who are active have much to look forward to regardless of the looming darkness of upcoming Bush years.

Many know that all of the medical marijuana ballot initiatives since 1996 were funded by a few wealthy billionaires. With all of those initiatives passing by huge margins, the message is clear to the federal government that people want medical marijuana. Now funding for medical marijuana has mostly been transferred to lobbyists at the federal level and there is a hold on such campaigns in other states. The supreme court will rule in June on whether or not the cannabis buyer’s clubs can remain in operation, and sometime in 2001 the DEA may reschedule marijuana so it can be prescribed by physicians. In the meantime, the radical rich embraced a new state level approach to resolving the drug war. The recent California victory for drug policy reform will serve as the model, which is to mandate treatment instead of prison for drug offenders. An interview by the Associated Press of Dave Fratello, spokesperson for the radical rich, reveals that Ohio and Michigan are the next likely targets. A major campaign to challenge the drug war like they just did in California taking place in Ohio is very exciting to think about. It is important to remember, however, that Dave Fratello said the same thing about the medical marijuana campaign two years ago. For A Better Ohio is prepared to help when the time comes, and has many new projects to keep the momentum alive. For A Better Ohio is armed with a new educational division, Drug Policy Education of Ohio, funded by a small grant from the Drug Policy Foundation. They have a brand new local ordinance initiative petition being circulated and 7,100 registered voter signatures from Columbus are needed to place the issue on the ballot for next November. If the marijuana measure passes, small amounts (up to 200 grams) will be the lowest priority of law enforcement. No arrest, no fine, and no loss of drivers licenses will occur. The federal Higher Education Act that denies students loans, grants, and scholarships if convicted of any amount will be stripped of local impact. A passing result will also shake up the status quo of the entire mid-west and send a strong pro marijuana message to Washington D.C.

The anticipated increase of voter registration on Columbus campuses and a marijuana issue on the ballot should pull a previously disinterested voting block into the fray of next November’s election, having a positive spin-off favoring progressive candidates and other issues. It is also a very brave attempt at lifting the often drab image of our town, turning it into a city that can be cherished by liberty lovers everywhere. Think about it.

A Medical Marijuana Bill will likely be introduced in the Ohio General Assembly during the 2001 session. A special medical marijuana educational conference is taking place Jan. 6 (see calendar listing) to get support from medical professionals and others to help make it happen, and to increase the network between medical marijuana users. The Ohio model of the Bill is almost identical to the one that passed in Hawaii.

Saturday, January 6, 2-4pm Medical Marijuana Educational Conference, Ohio Union 2nd Floor Main Lounge, 1736 N. High St., featuring an Open Panel Discussion, with A.R Roldan, M.D, Dr, Paul Robinson, Dr. John Poirier, Mary Lynn Mathres, R.N., Al Byrne, Patients out of Time, Don Wirtshafter, attorney representing patients and physicians and the Ohio Patient Network.

Contact 265-VOTE (8683) for more information.