Sarah Palin Offered $25,000 By Marijuana Advocates

Immediately following her Tuesday speech at the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America's national convention, a marijuana advocacy group says it will offer former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin $25,000 to deliver a similar address to supporters of a regulated cannabis market in the United States.


In exchange for the $25,000, Palin will be asked to speak at one of the upcoming events of Nevadans for Sensible Marijuana Laws (NSML), according to NSML campaign manager Dave Schwartz.


According to Schwartz, Palin will be asked to acknowledge the fact that marijuana is just as legitimate a recreational substance as alcohol, which she is talking about at the WSWA convention (and in fact, marijuana is objectively much safer), and endorse taxing and regulating marijuana in Nevada and throughout the U.S.

​"There's no reason why former Governor Palin should reject our offer," Schwartz said. "The health effects of the substance she is talking about at the WSWA convention cause some 33,000 deaths in the U.S. annually. The comparable number for marijuana is zero."


"Alcohol is also associated with violent crime and other destructive acts, while marijuana is not," Schwartz said. "If Gov. Palin is comfortable endorsing that product, we are certain she will endorse ours. We look forward to negotiating with her team to find a time that works in her schedule."


"Let me make one thing clear," Schwartz said. "In making this offer, we are not intending to attack the alcohol industry or alcohol users. Rather, we're highlighting the fact that marijuana is objectively less harmful than alcohol."


"It makes no sense to keep marijuana in the criminal market while a former vice-presidential candidate celebrates the alcohol industry," Schwartz said. "We want legitimate businesspeople in Nevada to benefit from the sales of marijuana, and we want adults to be free to choose whichever substance they prefer -- marijuana or alcohol -- when they relax after work."


NSML is a ballot advocacy group formed in Nevada to support a 2012 ballot initiative to tax and regulate marijuana like alcohol in the state. It receives significant funding and support from the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP).

Link: http://www.tokeofthetown.com/2010/04/sarah_palin_offered_25000_by_marijuana_advocates.php