COP on the Hill: Stories from the weeks of June 23 & 30, 2023

Not the analysis they expected: I met with assistants from an Oklahoma senator this week.  I praised their state for being one of the top 10 states with progressive drug policies: OK de-felonized simple possession of hard drugs (one of only 18 states to do so) about 10 years ago.  OK medical marijuana rules make it simple to qualify and thus buy God’s green plant. Sadly, I am unable to put in this message the look on their faces.

Later, the LA said OK and the Senator remained very conservative on drugs.

Time to Switch:  The Senate legislative assistants who will take a COP has shrunk to a mathematical zero.  Thus, starting next week, I will switch to the House.

In the House in July we fully expect two major, drug bills to be introduced; a marijuana deschedule bill and another to decrim simple possession of hard drugs at the federal level only.

The MJ deschedule bill will be Republican-centric, simple and Speaker McCarthy has promised it to receive a vote.  The decrim bill is expected to contain the same “Defund The Police” paragraph as last year and thus will receive very little support from either party.

Weekly Activities:

4020 Presentations to Congressional staffers… 07 this week…

440chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc   01 this week    MD State Senator Karen Young

Meetings (3) 2 at Grover Norquist and 1 with expert on psychedelics

COP stats since inception: August 2009

361 personal chats with a Member of Congress… 0 this week

97 Radio Interviews:  0 this week;

109 Appearances/Interviews on major TV/Radio/Print media. 0 This week.

215 interviews and reports in minor media …0 this week –

33 major conferences attended – CPAC 2023, (3 UN drug conferences in Vienna, Austria),  LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions., National Review, Republican Annual Retreat etc.) 0 this week

in the past – Blaze TV {new, popular right-wing}, (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision, BBC, CNN, NPR, OAN, German, Swiss, French, Spanish TV and radio) Detroit News, Detroit Free Press, Grand Rapids Press + 9 other MI papers. Chicago Tribune, Honolulu Star Advertiser {foto and caption}, Reason Magazine, Reuters

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