09

  Responding to Leticia E. Pepper -- "Don't be fooled:  Prop 19 WILL Affect Medical Marijuana Patients and collectives."   

Her Reason for opposing Prop 19:   She is concerned about the possible negative effects that proposition 19 could have on medical marijuana patients.     She is passing out fliers and going into great detail about some of the wording on the proposition, itself.

The Response:   In any debate listen to her statement and then immediately respond.  

"Thank you for your concern.   You are correct.   Proposition 19 could possibly have some short-term negative effects on medical marijuana users.   You know, Leticia, we worked very hard at making this proposition perfect, but obviously we didn't quite make perfection.   The best we could do was excellence."

The above response eliminates the conflicted, adds a touch of humor, and takes much of the wind out of her sail.   Then ask: 

Are you open minded enough to look at this proposition from a long-term, national and international perspective."  

She has no choice in responding to your question.  She can only say yes.   Then make the following statement: 

"Are you also aware that on the national and international level, the key issue is much bigger than California's medical marijuana patients.   It's about money.   It's about  Profits at Any Price, and it's about political power.   It's about the 250 Billion dollars that the illegal drug and marijuana black market puts into somebody's "pockets" each and every year.   It's about getting rid of corporate mismanagement and dirty politics.   It's about creating Marijuana Freedom.  Are you aware that:

The passage of Proposition 19 is a major step in permanently eliminating all of these problems.   Now let me ask you a couple of simple question.      

Are you aware that no matter what we do some people are going to gain and some are going to lose?   

You picked out and are focused on a few who may temporarily experience difficulties, but you are forgetting the bigger picture the context in which Prop 19 is only a small next step in eliminating the entire list of problems I just mentioned.   

You are ignoring the thousands that die each year because of marijuana prohibition.

Are you open minded enough to look at this proposition from a long-term, national and international perspective?"

When we place the result of passing Proposition 19 in its global, long term perspective, can you see that passage in a huge positive step toward better care for medical marijuana patients?"

The Bottom line: "Which result is going to have the greatest long-term positive effect --- The passage or the failure of Propositions 19?

  Reefer  Madness  Mentality:   The "Reefer Madness" mentality is still being peddled by the prohibition supporters.   As  a result, many people believe that to "legalize marijuana" is to unleashing the devil onto their community and onto their family.   For example, here's a reefer-madness-style quote from  Daily News [los Angeles San Fernando Valley, CA]   September 9, 2010,  Pg A25 :