The Rand Corporation is notorious for its history of pro-drug-war studies. A report of theirs from earlier this year on Proposition 19 was full of dubious claims based on what even they had to admit were just guesses. Once again, with their newest report about marijuana legalization, the Rand Corporation buries the lede from their own study, one which strongly supporters the anti-cartel claims made by marijuana reformers. While not part of the press release, the study, in fact, backs up one of the main arguments of the supporters of marijuana legalization. The study determines legalizing, taxing and regulating marijuana could eliminate all the profits the Mexican drug cartels currently make thanks to cannabis prohibition.

California’s ballot initiative to legalize, tax and regulate marijuana, Proposition 19, is now leading with 52 percent in support and only 41 percent opposed, according to the latest PPIC poll (PDF) of likely voters. This poll is especially good news for Prop 19. The 11-point lead is not only one of the largest ever for Prop 19, most importantly, Prop 19 is now polling over 50 percent, so even if all remaining undecideds end up voting “no,” it would still pass. This poll also shows increasing support for marijuana legalization since the Prop 19 debate started.

Voters in California have heard or seen something about Proposition 19 at levels almost unheard of for any other ballot measure anywhere in the country. Among young voters, awareness of Prop 19, which would legalize, tax and regulate marijuana, is at an unprecedented (and almost impossible to believe) 94 percent.

Do the former DEA Administrators defend the federal marijuana prohibition with evidence that marijuana’s harms to users are so great that users must be denied the liberty to take the minimal risks attendant to its use? No, they cite an annual “strategy document” that has historically been an instrument of political propaganda, and was never taken seriously a genuine policy or planning document for addressing public safety or public health problems.

I’m here with FDL’s Jon Walker, Teddy Partridge and Michael Whitney. We’re here with Jon Perri and Amber Langston of SSDP on behalf of Just Say Now. Michael Whitney will be on a panel starting at 1pm ET/10am PT that will be livestreamed above.

Eric Sterling is a member of the Just Say Now advisory board, and President of The Criminal Justice Policy Foundation. He released this statement in response to comments made by LA County Sheriff Lee Baca to the effect that the proliferation of marijuana dispensaries has resulted in more crime in Los Angeles:

There were 72 bodies found on a ranch ninety miles south of the Texas border — obvious victims of a drug cartel massacre. Bullets have been hitting public buildings in El Paso and the Washington Post is reporting that at least $20 billion a year in cash is being smuggled across the U. S. border each year. What is it going to take to convince the Federal Government that current drug policies are not working? The fact is that the current drug laws are contributing to an all-out war on our southern border — all in the name of a modern-day prohibition that is no more logical or realistic than the one we abandoned 75 years ago?

I can tell you from personal experience that there are many members of Congress on both sides of the aisle who would like to be able to speak as directly as Senator Gravel about ending prohibition as a way not only to deal with the problem of violence on the border but also the mounting immigration problem (well, maybe not quite as directly). But they’re all frightened of stepping into the middle of the culture wars.

Ronald Reagan’s former associate deputy attorney general Bruce Fein, a member of the Just Say Now advisory board, appeared earlier today on MSNBC to make the conservative argument in support of allowing states to legalize and regulate marijuana.

Yesterday, FDL announced online and on CNN that we’re joining with Students for Sensible Drug Policy to launch the Just Say Now Campaign to end marijuana prohibition. Today we share the names of our Just Say Now campaign advisory board, comprised of people across the ideological spectrum who share the goal of a more sane and rational marijuana policy, with an emphasis on those with experience in law enforcement and the justice system.