Newsgroups: talk.politics.drugs,alt.drugs,alt.hemp,lobby
From: [t--oh--n] at [eskimo.com] (Tom Rohan)
Subject: Candidate Survey Results! (from WA chapter of Drug Policy Foundation)
Date: Thu, 15 Sep 1994 06:40:24 GMT
DRUG POLICY FOUNDATION
an independent forum for drug policy alternatives
(Washington State Chapter)
{September 14, 1994}
PRESS RELEASE
The Washington State chapter of the Drug Policy Foundation, a
charitable organization promoting public education on the effects of
current drug policies and changes in drug policies, announced today the
results of its 1994 candidate survey on issues of drug policy.
Reflecting increasing recognition that our drug policies are
causing roughly half of violent crime, many candidates for state and
federal office are supporting calls for studies to find alternatives to
drug prohibition and programs for doctors to provide drugs to drug addicts
to reduce crime. Many candidates also favor allowing doctors to prescribe
marijuana as medicine.
A copy of the survey report with ratings of the candidates is
attached.
* * *
The Drug Policy Foundation
Washington State Chapter
777 108th Avenue N.E., M/S 62
Bellevue, WA 98004
(206)646-3076
======================================================
DRUG POLICY FOUNDATION of Washington
Report of 1994 Candidate Survey
The Drug Policy Foundation of Washington presented questionnaires
on drug policy issues to Washington State candidates for selected
districts for the state legislature, Congress, and the US Senate. A copy
of the questionnaire is attached to this report.
The majority of the candidates did not respond. This report lists
only the candidates whose responses range from fair to superior as judged
by the Drug Policy Foundation. Their positions on drug policy issues
merit favorable consideration over candidates that are not listed. Those
who gave negative responses or did not respond are not listed in the
report.
A positive rating in this report does not mean that the Drug
Policy Foundation endorses the candidate. Probably there are candidates
with favorable views on drug policy issues who do not have adequate talent
to be an effective elected representative. A candidate who reports less
favorable views but who is intelligent and a good listener might be
preferable on drug policy issues to a candidate with a "superior" rating
in this survey.
The survey question that asked whether marijuana should be made
available as medicine for prescription by doctors received the most
positive responses. The second most favored question was on studying
alternatives to drug prohibition to try to find a way to reduce violent
crime. Third was the question asking whether health care professionals
should be employed to provide drugs to drug addicts to reduce crime. No
one favored prohibition of tobacco.
********************* State Legislature *********************
1st District
State Representative - Linda Johnson Fair
6th District
State Senate - A. P. Kelly Fair
10th District
State Representative - Brien Lillquist Superior
19th District
State Representative - Brian Shea Good
21st District
State Senate - Helen Roberts Superior
27th District
State Representative - Jake Fey Fair
27th District
State Representative - David Minikel Superior
28th District
State Representative - Vincent Stewart Superior
29th District
State Representative - Claudette Hill Fair
30th District
State Senate - Jean Brough Good
35th District
State Senate - Meta Heller Superior
36th District
State Senate - Jeanne Kohl Superior
State Representative - Helen Sommers Fair
Don Moreland Superior
Chris Snell Superior
Cleve Stockmeyer Superior
37th District
State Senate - Juan Bocanegra Superior
Eugene Lux Superior
State Representative - Vivian Caver Superior
42nd District
State Senate - Lisa Watkins Superior
43rd District
State Representative - Greg Lucas Superior
44th District
State Senate - Jeanine Long Good
Kay Anderson Good
State Representative - Eric Goodrich Superior
45th District
State Senate - Richard Cole Good
******************** US Senate *********************
David Schirle Superior
Gene Hart Superior
Ted Haley Superior
Marshall Superior
Mike The Mover Superior
***************** US Congress *****************
1st District -- Bill Tinsley Superior
2nd District -- John Sandifer Superior
Al Anderson Fair
Gabrielle Gallagos Superior
3rd District -- Caitlin Carlson Good
5th District -- Ed Larish Superior
(9/14/94}
=========================================================================
DRUG POLICY FOUNDATION of Washington
777 108th Ave. N.E. MS 62
Bellevue, Washington 98004
(206) 646-3076
Candidate Survey
The Drug Policy Foundation is concerned about problems of drug
abuse and problems resulting from our current drug policies. The
following survey was prepared to determine which candidates in the state
of Washington merit the support of our organization and members. Please
fill out the survey and return it in the enclosed envelope within one
week. We expect to tabulate and publish the results.
Drug Policy Issues 1994
1. Study drug policy alternatives. Government authorities estimate that
crime costs the U.S. $163 billion each year and that over half of violent
crime is fueled by drug prohibition, just as alcohol prohibition caused
violent crime in the 20s. Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders has suggested
that we study alternatives to drug prohibition to determine whether an
alternative might reduce violent crime. Do you agree?
___ Yes. We should study alternatives to drug prohibition to try to
find a way to reduce violent crime.
___ No. We already know that there is no viable alternative to drug
prohibition.
Comment: ____________________________________________________
2. Costs of imprisoning drug users. The U.S. keeps a larger percentage of
its people behind bars than any other western country in the world.
Government authorities estimate that the U.S. is spending $56.7 billion
per year on police, prisons, and jails and that over half of new prison
admissions stem from drug prohibition. The Sheriff of San Francisco
County, Michael Hennessey, argues that imprisoning drug users and petty
drug dealers turns them into hardened criminals and that the only viable
solution is to decriminalize drugs and combat drug abuse with education
and treatment. Do you agree that this approach should be seriously
considered?
___ Yes. Those who abuse drugs should be offered help by healthcare
professionals, not turned into criminals, saving money for the taxpayers
at the same time.
___ No. Drug use is morally wrong and it must therefore remain
illegal, no matter what the cost to society.
Comment: __________________________________________________________
Candidate Survey - page 2
3. Incentives for drug dealing. Many enterprising young people find the
money to be made by dealing drugs irresistible, distracting them from
education and from developing valuable experience in legitimate employment
and introducing them to a life of crime. Nobel laureate economist Milton
Friedman argues that this is the unavoidable result of the inflated profit
margins created by enforced prohibition and that the only viable solution
is regulated, limited availability of drugs to put the dealers out of
business. Do you agree that a legal-but-condemned-and-controlled system
to put drug dealers out of business (and thereby reduce "pushing" to
others) should be seriously considered?
___ Yes. Our society cannot afford the creation of unnatural economic
incentives for criminality. "Pushing" by drug dealers with a profit
incentive induces too much drug use by others, especially young people.
It might be better to allow a limited availability of drugs and teach our
citizens to avoid abuse as we are doing with tobacco.
___ No. Drugs are so attractive and seductive that we must try our
best to prevent citizens from ever trying them, no matter what the cost to
society.
Comment: _________________________________________________________
4. Medicalize the illegal drugs. Mayor Kurt Schmoke of Baltimore argues
that we can reduce crime, check the spread of AIDS, and save money if we
employ public health officials to treat addicts by providing currently
illegal drugs at low or zero cost while offering health care options for
getting off drugs or substituting preferable drugs like Prozac. This
approach has been successful in Liverpool England and is now being tried
in eight cities in Switzerland. Do you believe that Washington state law
should allow local governments to experiment with this approach called
"medicalization"?
___ Yes. Drug addicts commit a large amount of crime to support their
habits. An inexpensive supply of the drug to which they are addicted,
counseling, and available alternative drugs will reduce crime and help
addicts evolve towards productive, non-criminal lifestyles and get off
drugs.
___ No. Use of drugs is morally wrong and government should not
participate in such morally degenerate activity, no matter how much crime
drug addicts commit and how much it costs to put them in prison.
Comment: ___________________________________________________
Candidate Survey - page 3
5. Marijuana as medicine. In hearings to determine the safety of
marijuana for use as a medicine, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration
found that, with respect to the possibility of harm from an overdose,
marijuana is safer than numerous over the counter medicines, including
aspirin. Thousands of doctors have found that it is effective medicine
for cancer, AIDS, and glaucoma patients. Do you believe that Washington
state law should allow medical doctors to prescribe marijuana as medicine?
___ Yes. If this drug can reduce suffering, there is no moral, legal,
or ethical right for society to take this medicine away from doctors and
their patients.
___ No. If doctors are allowed to prescribe marijuana, those without
diseases may be encouraged to try marijuana.
Comment: _____________________________________________
6. Regulation of tobacco. Some argue that, as tobacco is the most
dangerous self-prescribed drug in our society, it should be illegal.
Others argue that "pushing" and advertising of tobacco should be further
restricted and efforts to inform users of the risks should be expanded,
but that individuals must be left free to smoke tobacco if they choose.
Do you agree with either position?
___ Prohibit sales of tobacco.
___ Further limit tobacco advertising, perhaps by a tax on tobacco
advertising, and attempt to inform tobacco users of the risks.
Comment: ________________________________________
Signature: _____________________________________________
Name: _____________________________________________
Office sought: _________________________________________
Address (optional): ______________________________________
Telephone (optional): ____________________________________
Thank you for completing the survey.
--
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*** It is a guerrilla war waged by our *** | END THE DRUG WAR!
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