Colorado Pro-Marijuana Ads Target Bush, Cheney

[JI7]

AP) DENVER A group that claims marijuana use is safer than drinking ran newspaper ads Saturday mentioning allegations that President Bush once drunkenly challenged his father to fight and Vice President Dick Cheney's accidental shooting of a friend after drinking.

SAFER Colorado, which put a measure on the Colorado ballot to legalize possession of marijuana, placed an ad in a newspaper in Greeley, where Bush made an appearance on Saturday.

The ad in the Greeley Tribune had a photo of Bush accompanied by text that read: "In 1972, this man tried to fight his dad when he was drunk. Just one more reason to vote 'Yes on 44.'" The ad was referring to published reports that in 1972, a 26-year-old Bush had come home drunk and challenged his father to a fight. The matter was reportedly settled without violence.

The group ran the Cheney ad in The Gazette of Colorado Springs, a day after he spoke to troops at the nearby Fort Carson Army post and attended a campaign rally. The ad said, "Shot his friend in the face after drinking. Just one more reason to vote 'Yes on 44.'"

Cheney accidentally shot and wounded a friend while hunting in Texas in February. The vice president said he had one beer several hours before the shooting.

"They were both in town ... and we are simply taking this opportunity to draw attention to the fact that alcohol contributes to far more problems than marijuana," said Mason Tvert, the group's campaign director.

http://kutv.com/topstories/topstories_story_309002649.html

[babylonsister]

1. Someone posted those ads on DU!

If big pharma wasn't involved, smoking weed would be no big deal and a helluva lot better than drinking. I wonder if the Dems could ever get behind this? :think: Long shot, I know, but why not?

[ixion]

2. why not?

very good question.

One of my biggest hopes when Clinton got elected was that he would put an end to what was an already failed 'War on Drugs'. Imagine my chagrin when he not only did not rescind the WoD, he continued and increased it. Now, 21 years after it was started, it's still a failed policy that has shattered and ruined far more lives that it has saved.

You mentioned Big Pharma, but Big Alcohol is right there with'em.

How many uses have to be found for hemp, and how much medicinal usage must be found for pot, and how many hard-working, tax-paying lives must be ruined before it is legalized and regulated, as it should be, just like beer, wine and liquor?

I hope we find out soon.

"Never trust a man without a vice." -- Mark Twain

[William Bloode]

4. Clinton unfortunately escalated the drug war even further.

His administration also worked hard to repress medical marijuana laws that many states started adopting themselves due to failure of national government to improve it's own position.

Sadly it was only AFTER he was out of office did Clinton's views on marijuana change. He made some statements to the effect he was not familiar with the problem till he did some research when he was out of office.

Despite being 100x's better than what we have now. Some of his action made him not very endeared to me. Policy such as welfare reform, relaxation of media ownership
rules, Nafta, etc. As often said Bill was the best republican President we have had in my memory.

[loves_dulcinea]

5. don't mention hemp

hemp is almost entirely devoid of THC. hemp doesn't get people stoned.
pot's medicinal uses? so far; legitimate: marinol, derived of marijuana used to decrease intraocular pressure of glaucoma.
illegitimate: used to suppress nausea (esp for patients taking chemo drugs)
illegitimate: used to increase appetite of the chronically ill (esp. aids patients)

there are many uses for hemp, but that is a different issue.

[bemildred]

3. Well done. Booze will get you killed way quicker than hemp. nt

[paulk]

6. I'm still trying to figure out what the girl in the bikini billboard

that these guys (SAFER Colorado) put up near my house has to do with the amendment they're proposing. Smoke pot and get laid? Pot leads to safer sex?

They've run one of the worst campaigns I've ever seen - it's almost as if their a bunch of ... well, potheads pulling a goof.

My prediction - this amendment is going to lose, and lose badly. They've made none of the arguments that really need to be made - that decriminalizing small amounts of marijuana would take a huge burden off our justice system.