The Free Press, 07 Oct 2010 – I, too, was lucky enough to hear Ira Glasser’s recent spirited address to the Midcoast Forum on Foreign Relations on the subject of our ill-considered War on Drugs. Ira made a few points that struck me as fascinating, but which didn’t get into Mac Deford’s article ["Marijuana and Prohibition," September 30, 2010]. Consider: – – We’re forever hearing about prominent crack or cocaine dealers busted, but the enormous majority of arrests are not for hard drug offenses but for simple nonviolent marijuana possession.

The Free Press, 07 Oct 2010 – The drug war is largely a war on marijuana smokers. In 2009, there were 858,405 marijuana arrests in the U.S., almost 90 percent for simple possession. At a time when state and local governments are laying off police, firefighters and teachers, this country continues to spend enormous public resources criminalizing Americans who prefer marijuana to martinis. The end result of this ongoing culture war is not necessarily lower rates of use. The U.S. has higher rates of marijuana use than the Netherlands, where marijuana is legally available. Decriminalization is a long overdue step in the right direction. Taxing and regulating marijuana would render the drug war obsolete. As long as organized crime controls distribution, marijuana consumers will come into contact with sellers of hard drugs like methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin. This "gateway" is a direct result of marijuana prohibition.

Times Record, 08 Oct 2010 – Matters on our southern frontier are horrific. Mexico is fast on its way to becoming a Narcostate. Illegal trade is rampant across the border, Mexican narcotics come into the United States in exchange for illegal guns. The balance of illegal trade is still in Mexico’s favor to the tune of billions every year. America’s hunger for addictive drugs never seems to be quenched, and we blame it on the Mexican cartels which, in these days of free trade, are doing no more than providing a supply to meet the demand.

Times Record, 04 Oct 2010 – Study Results Alarm Local Substance Abuse Counselors BATH – Area health officials report that Sagadahoc County teenagers are now statistically more likely to smoke marijuana than cigarettes. The change in substance abuse trends, counselors say, indicates a troubling impression among young people that pot is safe.

The Free Press, 30 Sep 2010 – Live And Learn? During the past 75 years – going back to what was the height of the Great Depression – the US has, by any standard, grown immeasurably stronger and richer. But as our economic power wanes and our military supremacy is challenged by asymmetric warfare, an entirely different issue arises: have we grown any smarter? And in asking this particular question, I’m not focusing on the K-12 education crisis we’re suddenly all alert to, though that’s bad enough.

Lewiston Sun Journal, 28 Sep 2010 – Here’s a fact that even drug policy reform advocates can acknowledge: California’s 2010 ballot initiative to legalize marijuana does, indeed, pose a real threat, as conservative culture warriors insist. But not to public health, as those conservatives claim. According to most physicians, pot is less toxic — and has more medicinal applications — than a legal and more pervasive drug such as alcohol. Whereas alcohol causes hundreds of annual overdose deaths, contributes to untold numbers of illnesses and is a major factor in violent crime, the use of marijuana has never resulted in a fatal overdose and has not been systemically linked to major illness or violent behavior.

DrugSense

Morning Sentinel, 21 Sep 2010 – As I read about the public discussion regarding the location of a medical marijuana dispensary in Augusta, I would like to share a perspective. A dispensary would contribute to the prosperity of any small Maine town, and it could be a resource for the entire community rather than one only for a designated population. A variety of integrated health services could be offered, open to everyone, and it could be a forum to foster a better understanding of this issue. So, why not think beyond the norm, and welcome a small business that will be integral to the community?

Journal Tribune, 08 Sep 2010 – BIDDEFORD – Action taken by the City Council Tuesday gives the green light for a combined medical marijuana dispensary and growing facility to set up shop on a major route in Biddeford. The council’s action occurs a week after the announcement that a company was awarded a license to provide marijuana for medical use in York County and wanted to locate in Biddeford.

Portland Press Herald, 07 Sep 2010 – Police Chief James Craig’s Idea Gets A Mixed Reaction From Lawmakers Because Of Prison Overcrowding. PORTLAND – Police Chief James Craig says cocaine is at the root of much of the city’s crime and he would like to see the laws reflect that.