A coalition of prosecutors, judges, cops, students, bloggers, and political operatives has launched a campaign to end marijuana prohibition, focusing on ballot initiatives in 2010 and 2012, reports th Huffington Post. The campaign, “Just Say Now,” gets its name from Nancy Reagan’s iconic anti-drug slogan from the 1980s that has become synonymous with the fedeal government’s approach to drug policy. The campaign will be backing marijuana initiatives in 2010 in Arizona, Oregon, California, Colorado, and South Dakota. The group will back initiatives in Nevada and elsewhere in 2012.
“The stars are aligning in a very interesting way with Tea Party activists, who are generally libertarian,” said Aaron Houston of Students for Sensible Drug Policy. The organization Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, made up of cops and prosecutors who’ve seen the dark side of the war on drugs, will give cover to politicians who come out in support of legalization. Its president is Neill Franklin, a 33-year police veteran who ran anti-narcotics units with the Maryland State Police.