Advocates for legalizing pot use 'soft sell' in TV spot
VANCOUVER, Wash. - The first pro-marijuana TV ad for Washington's fall election starts airing this week in Washington, and the commercial tries a soft-sell approach.
The ad debuts Wednesday at two Seattle TV stations and a cable channel. It never tells voters to support Initiative 502, it never asks them to agree that pot should be legal, it just says let's talk about it.
"I don't like it personally, but it's time for a conversation about legalizing marijuana," Kate Pippinger, the woman in the ad says to the camera.
Casually holding her coffee, Pippinger, identified as a Washington mom, may not like marijuana, but she sure wants to talk about regulating the drug.
"We could tax it to fund schools and health care. Free up police to go after violent crime instead. And we would control the money, not the gangs," she says.
The ad from New Approach Washington targets voters like Christina Cooley.
"I honestly don't pay any attention to the ads," the mother of two from La Center said.
Cooley was watching her son's Pop Warner football practice when a KATU News reporter showed her the commercial on his laptop.
"That was pretty good. It actually made me – I did think about it. ... Right off the bat (the woman in the ad) says she didn't agree with it," Cooley said after watching the ad.
She said she worries marijuana is more likely to reach her kids if it's legal, but she said the ad spoke to her.
"It was a good ad, and it made me think, but still, as a mom with two kids in public schools, I'm going to have to think really hard," she said.
The ad wasn't as successful at swaying parents firmly opposed to the drug.
"It would just send the wrong message to future generations. It would be something I would vote against," said Vancouver resident Mark Sipes.
"I'm too strong against not legalizing it. (It) doesn't work for me,” said Diana Cooper.
But the ad did work on Shannon Giessler who is a mother of two young boys in Vancouver. She said she likes the idea of taxes going to her children's schools.
"Whether it's legal or not people are going to do it so you might as well legalize it, I think, and use the money for good things," she said.
Giessler dismissed the idea that more kids will use the drug even though opponents warn that's exactly what will happen if legalization leads to lower prices.
"The more you have something available the more it's likely to fall in the hands – all you have to do is look at alcohol and see how quickly that falls in the hands of teens," said Tom Parker, a spokesman with Lines for Life.
New Approach Washington is spending $1 million to keep ad the running in the Seattle area for three weeks. It doesn't plan to air ads in the Vancouver area until late September or October.
Supporters of Measure 80, the Oregon Cannabis Tax Act, say they have no immediate plans to start running ads, but that could change in mid-September as voters begin to pay more attention to the fall election.
Meanwhile, they are fundraising to pay for ads and other campaign efforts.
Watch the ad:
The age group that has the highest rate of arrests for possession in Washington State: Age 15-19Not only will the biggest age group still be arrested for possession under 502 if passed, but they will also get a higher rate of DUIDs since there is automatic guilt for even trace amounts for minors! I-502 clearly prioritizes the arrest and incarceration of our children.http://www.drugscience.org/States/WA/WA.pdf
Medical Marijuana Patients Get Their Day in Federal Court with the Obama Administration July 30th, 2012 D.C. Circuit to hear oral arguments this October in lawsuit challenging marijuana's federal classification The United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit agreed to hear oral arguments in Americans for Safe Access v. Drug Enforcement Administration, a lawsuit challenging the federal government's classification of marijuana as a dangerous drug with no medical value. The D.C. Circuit will hear oral arguments reviewing the scientific evidence regarding the therapeutic value of marijuana which are scheduled to take place Tuesday, October 16, at the E. Barrett Prettyman United States Courthouse in downtown Washington, DC. If the rescheduling lawsuit is successful and marijuana is reclassified, federal defendants will then gain the basis for a medical necessity defense. http://www.safeaccessnow.org/article.php?id=7260 See also: http://www.procon.org/headline.php?headlineID=005106 http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2012/08/01/620211/federal-court-will-review-marijuanas-classification-as-a-dangerous-drug-with-no-health-benefits/ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/01/medical-marijuana-rescheduling-case_n_1728596.html?utm_hp_ref=politics
Per Se DUID law within this initiative will strip you of your right to trial and due process. Currently, we have the right to a trial if charged with a DUI. Under 502, if you test over 5 nanograms, you are AUTOMATIC GUILTY, no trial before your peers. Aside from thatâ¦- 502 still makes it a crime to pass a joint around, even between adults- 502 will not allow individuals to grow even a single plantâ 502 threatens patient rights by removing protections for personal or collective gardens- 502 doesnât protect parents from having their children taken way- 502 doesnât protect people from losing their jobs if they get a random drug screening- 502 doesnât allow for users to be considered for organ transplants- 502 still keeps harsh penalties in place for teens, ruining their chances for a better future just because they were curious and wanted to experimentâ¦how can this be called LEGALIZATION?
The Latest Rasmussen polls show that at least 56 percent of American Voters (The Majority) want marijuana legalized nationwide. That percentage rises on a daily basis.Â
Â
Marijuana Legalization Nationwide is an inevitable reality that is approaching much sooner than prohibitionists think, and there is NOTHING they can do to stop it.
Â
Legalize Nationwide!
and vote for Gary Johnson 2012!
Â
After trillions spent on the lies, fraud  scam of prohibition , yellow journalism  has permentaly  damage many