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. -- ** The Drug War is the Vietnam of the 90's. ** ===================== *** It is a guerrilla war waged by our *** | END THE DRUG WAR! ** government against its own people. ** =====================