News, Updates and Press Releases:

• Associated Content : Santa Monica Will Vote on Pot
  (Aug 12, 2006, www.associatedcontent.com. Distributed Worldwide )

  This initiative, in short, will remove the handcuffs from our esteemed police and allow them to focus on violent and serious crime, rather than persecuting law-abiding and otherwise harmless citizens,"

• The Argonaut : City Council considers marijuana measure for November ballot
  (Aug. 3, 2006 , www.argonautnewspaper.com )

   "Santa Monica citizens don't want our police to waste their time and our tax dollars arresting, jailing and prosecuting nonviolent marijuana users. I think the police will eventually come around to see our point of view.
  The initiative doesn't stop them from doing their job."

• Santa Monica Mirror : Pot Initiative on Ballot
  (July 27 - August 2, 2006, Vol. 8, Issue 7, www.smmirror.com) Santa Monica Mirror: Reflecting the Concerns of the Community .
• Santa Monica Mirror: Council Delays Pot Vote
  ( July 27 - August 2, 2006, Vol. 8, Issue 7, www.smmirror.com )
• Santa Monica Mirror: Editorial: Publisher's Notebook
  (July 27 - August 2, 2006, Vol. 8, Issue 7, www.smmirror.com )
• Santa Monica Mirror: From Editorials:
  (July 27 - August 2, 2006, Vol. 8, Issue 7, www.smmirror.com)
• Santa Monica Daily Press : Of token gadflys and midnight tokers
  ( July 28th, 2006 - smdp.com )
• The Lookout News: Council Loads Up Local Ballot
  (July 27, 2006, surfsantamonica.com )
  

  "By doing this, you can perhaps save lives," said Jack Cole, who said he had worked as narcotics detective for 12 years. "I and my colleagues believe that police spend a lot of time chasing around marijuana smokers... when that time can be used to follow up on more serious offenses."
  
  Local polls conducted by the sponsoring group found strong support for the initiative in Santa Monica, proponents said.
  
  The item will come back before the council, which must to approve language for the measure, before placing it on the ballot."

• Canyon News : Law Enforcement Against Prohibition Comes To Santa Monica
  (July 23rd, 2006, www.canyon-news.com)
• Daily Breeze : Letter to the Editor: Patients Need Medical Marijuana
  (July 23rd, 2006, www.dailybreeze.com)
• Santa Monica Daily Press : Pot and pans: Council makes some noise
  REPORTER'S NOTEBOOK One man's take on City Council and the meeting of the minds
  (June 29th, 2006 | smdp.com )
• Los Angeles Times: West Hollywood Wants to Legalize Pot Use
  ( June 20, 2006, www.latimes.com )
• Etopia Media.net:
  California Politics Today: City of West Hollywood asks Los Angeles Country Sheriff's Office to de-prioritize enforcement of marijuana possession... by Marc Strassman. (Issue #579, June 19, 2006, www.etopiamedia.net)
• Santa Monica Daily Press : Contact high: People sign on for pot bill
  ( May 25th, 2006, smdp.com )
  

  "Supporters of the initiative contend they are not anti-police, but merely want more control over the enforcement of drug policies in their neighborhoods. They claim they are tired of seeing resources wasted on locking up non-violent marijuana users.
  The group remains confident that Santa Monica voters will approve the initiative, based on results from a poll conducted in December by Evans McDonough, a public opinion research firm that has conducted polls since 1989.
  The poll found that 87 percent of voters agree that tax dollars and police resources should be focused on crimes that are deemed more serious than adult marijuana offenses..."

• RESULTS FROM POLLING / PRESS RELEASE: Santa Monicans for Sensible Marijuana Policy Filed over 8,000 Signatures to Place Initiative on November Ballot (May 24, 2006, SMSMP Press Release)
  May 24, 2006 SMSMP Press Release (PDF Version)
• Santa Monica Daily Press: Advocates, critics are fired up about possession petition
  (May 4th 2006, Santa Monica Daily Press
• Santa Monica Daily Press: "Doctor obviously doesn't know the cure": Letters to the Editor
  ( February 9, 2006, www.smdp.com )
• Drug War Chronicle : Zogby Poll : Both Coasts Favor Letting States Legalize Marijuana
  ( March 24th, 2006 , Issue #428 , StopTheDrugWar.org)
• CA NORML: Adult Use Marijuana Initiatives Head to November Ballot...
  ( June 2, 2006, canorml.org )