New "Just Say Now" campaign suggests growing marijuana legalization coalition

As detailed in this Huffington Post report, which is headlined "'Just Say Now': Left-Right Coalition Launches Campaign To Legalize Pot," there is a new coaltion that is making a forceful push for marijuana legalization.  The new group has taken on a name that is an intriguing riff on the famous "just say no" anti-drug campaign from the 1980s, and here some details:

A transpartisan coalition of prosecutors, judges, cops, students, bloggers and political operatives on both sides of the aisle launched a campaign Tuesday to bring an end to marijuana prohibition, focusing on ballot initiatives in 2010 and 2012. 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 government's black-and-white approach to drug policy.

"The stars are aligning in a very interesting way with Tea Party activists, who are generally libertarian," said Aaron Houston, head of Students for Sensible Drug Policy, on a conference call Tuesday afternoon announcing the formation of the coalition. "On the right and left it's a very popular issue."

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.

Support for marijuana legalization has steadily increased over the past decade. As Mexico has descended into chaos fueled by the drug trade -- a business overwhelmingly dominated by marijuana trafficking, despite the common perception that cocaine and heroin drive the war -- public opinion has turned further sour against the drug war. With deficit concerns in the headlines and a stagnant economy refusing to create jobs, one time opponents of legalization are eyeing marijuana's tax revenue and job-creation prospects - conditions that helped repeal alcohol prohibition during the Great Depression....

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 current president is Neill Franklin, a 33-year police veteran and ran anti-narcotics units with the Maryland State Police. One LEAP leader, Norm Stamper, former chief of police in Seattle, Washington, the predecessor of current Drug Czar Gil Kerlikowske. "Most police office candidates have used marijuana," said Stamper, noting the hypocrisy of the law. He said that law enforcement officials are becoming less frightened of speaking out publicly against the war on drugs.

Some related posts on pot policy and politics:

• Should and will California's voters legalize marijuana in that state this November?
• RAND study (foolishly?) tries to forecast impact of pot legalization in California
• "Legalizing marijuana not really a dopey idea"
• Might Sarah Palin's sensible points about pot get Tea Party types to push for sensible drug reforms?
• Thoughtful academic thoughts on ending marijuana prohibitions
• Green tea party: will Glenn Beck or Sarah Palin or other professed liberty lovers support ending pot prohibition in California?
• Do "mama grizzlies" have a particular approach to crime and punishment issues?
• NPR's interesting coverage of "The New Marijuana"
• How can and should we assess the "success" of medical marijuana and pot prohibition reform efforts?
• This is Fox News on drugs ... lots of questions
• Fascinating racial justice debate on California pot legalization proposition
• New report details racial disparities in pot possession charges in California