NJ: Marijuana Legalization Activist Launches Independent Bid for State Assembly

From PhillyBurbs:

Edward Forchion, the Pemberton Township native best known by his alias, NJWeedman, is throwing his hat into the political ring again. The longtime marijuana activist has filed to run as an independent candidate for one of the 8th Legislative District’s two state Assembly seats. He is one of 11 independents who have filed to run for state, county or local offices in the November general election . . . Forchion is the best-known of the independents, having previously run third-party campaigns for governor, Congress, the state Legislature, and the Burlington County Board of Freeholders. He also has received publicity for his run-ins with the law . . . 

WI: Support for Rational Drug Policy is Winning Issue for Independent Candidates

From The Independent Reporters:

Independent Candidates that were vocal on legalizing marijuana capture highest percentage of independent votes in 2010 Fall elections in Wisconsin.  As the smoke clears and dust settles from the candidate campaign trial everyone is taking notice of a couple news worthy items about the “cannabis candidates” talking about hemp and cannabis with truth, honesty and compassion.

Libertarians Come Out in Support of Marijuana Legalization Measure

From IPR:

Libertarian Party Chair Mark Hinkle has endorsed Proposition 19 on the November ballot in California. The measure would legalize marijuana in California. Hinkle said, “I urge Californians to vote for Proposition 19. The War on Drugs has created tremendous damage in California and throughout America, and this will help stop that damage. A vote for Prop 19 is a vote for justice and common sense. “Passing Prop 19 will also help to reduce drug-trafficking violence at the Mexico border. Unfortunately, many Democratic and Republican politicians are probably in agreement with violent drug lords that marijuana prohibition should be maintained at all costs.”
Hinkle is a California resident.

CO-Gov: Marijuana Legalization Group Blasts Prohibitionist Democrats, Endorses Constitution Party Candidate Tom Tancredo

From the Colorado Springs Gazette:

Gubernatorial frontrunner John Hickenlooper, now Denver’s mayor, has most Democrats enthralled, but marijuana advocates are calling for his defeat.

SAFER, which wants full legalization of marijuana, is backing American Constitution party candidate Tom Tancredo in the race for his pro-legalization stance.

"Mayor Hickenlooper owes Colorado voters an explanation," SAFER’s Mason Tvert said in a news release. "In the five years since his city became the first in the nation to remove all penalties for adult marijuana possession he has yet to explain why it was okay for him to make a fortune selling alcohol, yet it should be a crime for adults to use a far safer substance instead.”

IL: Green Candidate for Governor Calls for Rational Drug Policy

From WLS radio:

The Green Party candidate for governor says Illinois should legalize and tax marijuana, but his opponents disagree. Green candidate Rich Whitney says Illinois could bring in about $300 million a year by taxing marijuana.

CO: Tancredo Admits Drug War is a Failure, Calls for Legalization and Taxation of Marijuana

From the Real Vail news:

One of the more candid moments in McGarry's interview with Tancredo was when he asked him about legalizing marijuana. Tancredo said he is opposed to the drug war — a position he took up last year.  “I don't use marijuana, I've never smoked a marijuana cigarette ...” Tancredo began.

“Do you want to?” McGarry interjected.

“Not really. I take about two glasses of wine almost every night with dinner. That's as far as I go,” Tancredo laughed. “The reality is this: The war is lost. I don't know that anyone out there can say to me let's just keep doing what we're doing. If you want to deal with this problem, take the money for the cartels out of it. You legalize it, you tax it, you make it a horrendous penalty to sell to children and, all of a sudden, the ratio of profitability to risk becomes too great. If someone has a better idea, let me know. I'm happy to listen but what we're doing does not work.”

NY: Libertarian Candidate for Congress Running Against the Failed War on Drugs

From Syracuse.com:

Syracuse, NY - A Syracuse man who wants to make drugs legal jumped today into the 25th Congressional District race. Marc Romain, the former chairman of the Onondaga County Libertarian Party, filed petitions with the state Board of Elections to run as a Libertarian against incumbent Rep. Dan Maffei and Republican candidate Ann Marie Buerkle.. . .


"I’m running my campaign against the war on drugs. The whole drug war doesn’t make sense," said Romain. Romain said he filed petitions with 4206 signatures to get on the ballot for the Nov. 2 election. State law requires candidates for congress to collect 3,500 signatures. Today is the deadline for candidates running on unofficial party lines to file the petitions.

CA: Green Party Supports Marijuana Legalization, Democrats Want to Continue Failed Experiment in Prohibition

From Green Party Watch:

An article posted at Bay Area Indymedia notes that the California Green Party supports Proposition 19, the Marijuana Legalization Initiative, as does the Peace & Freedom Party. The Democratic Party has taken a neutral official stance on the initiative, the results of which are likely to be close, according to polls. Leading Democrats like US Senators Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein and gubernatorial candidate Jerry Brown publicly oppose Proposition 19, as does Republican gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman.

Meanwhile, Democrat Senator Diane Feinstein is pushing a bill to double the already existing punishments for "pot brownies."

IL: County Libertarian Party Calls for Legalization of Marijuana

From the McHenry County LP blog:

It is a known fact to everyone except law enforcement and the judicial system that the war on drugs is lost and over.  Prohibition failed in it's goals and actually fueled the problems that Capone style organized crime caused. History is a good teacher and at times arm chair QBing also works in post-game football; but not for the Feds. Loss after loss with evidence mounted overwhelmingly still has no effect on the blind politicians, law makers and police organizations.

The judicial system and jails are crushed by the burden of petty drug violations. Drug abuse is always wrong, but still a personal choice, just like alcohol abuse and prescription drug abuse.

Medical Marijuana is mired down with conflicting state and federal regulations. We spend billions on this failed war on drugs based off of no credible research or validation, where as based off of guess, urban legend, myth and hysteria but people run right along side singing it's praises.

It's time we say enough’s enough with the waste of money, resources and human potential.