Nevadans for Sensible Marijuana Laws just filed a statewide initiative for the 2012 ballot that would establish a system in which marijuana is regulated and treated in a similar manner as alcohol. Their announcement generated a good deal of news coverage, just about all of which discussed the campaign's intention of educating voters about the relative safety of marijuana compared to alcohol. 

From a great piece in the Las Vegas Review-Journal:

In a news conference in front of the state Capitol, Schwartz said studies show marijuana is a far less harmful substance than alcohol.

“A legal marijuana market would provide adults with a safer recreational alternative to alcohol,” he said.

And as the Nevada Appeal reported:

“We are determined to use every interaction with Nevada residents to educate them about one simple fact: Marijuana, by every objective measure, is a safer substance than alcohol,” [Campaign manager Dave Schwartz] said in announcing the drive.

He said organizers will ask voters to consider that and “decide for themselves whether it makes sense to allow adults to use alcohol freely but punish them if they choose to use a less harmful substance, marijuana.”

SAFER Executive Director Mason Tvert was a guest on this week's episode of MarijuanaRadio.com. The discussion began with news of a catchy pro-reform billboard (erected by LEAP), then ranged widely. Among the topics discussed were SAFER's ongoing and future activities, the forthcoming legislative battle over regulation of Colorado's burgeoning medical marijuana industry, and how to cope with the current state of our society's political establishment. 

CLICK HERE to listen to the show -- the segment with Mason begins at about 19:20 into the program. 

As always, a huge thanks goes out to the team at MarijuanaRadio for inviting SAFER to the discussion!

The Feminist Review blog has published a great review of Marijuana Is Safer: So why are we driving people to drink?  It is just the latest positive blog review the book has received, as more and more people are hearing about it, picking it up and giving it a read. In fact, over at TheLibertyBlogger.com, they were enjoying the book so much they gave it a solid "mid-read" review.

You can find the entire Feminist Review here, otherwise we've included a couple great excerpts below and after the jump.

Experience has taught the pro-weed movement that addressing pot vs. alcohol health issues changes minds re: legalization. So pro-marijuana groups now emphasize health factors. Every year in the U.S 12,000 people die from alcohol-related illnesses; 35,000 die in drunk-driving accidents. Thousands upon thousands more are physically or sexually abused by drunken assailants. Three hundred people a year in the U.S. die from alcohol overdose. Apart from the human tragedy, it takes billions to finance the hospitals and courts this booze-created mess needs...

Marijuana, however, tends to make people peaceful; violent behaviour is hardly associated with its use. And no one dies from a marijuana overdose. Alcohol affects the lower brain stem, which regulates automatic functions. Drink too much alcohol and you could stop breathing. Or suffocate in your vomit during a blackout. Weed effects upper brain functions. Smoke too much and the worst that’s likely to happen is you’ll eat a whole key lime pie by yourself and fall asleep watching 2001: A Space Odyssey again...