Transcript Quick Overview: Lobbying Rules

Considerations for
Addressing Medical Marijuana
__________________________
__________________________
Presentation By:
Sue Thau
Public Policy Consultant
CADCA
The folks pushing for "medical
marijuana“ found a way to make their
issue resonate with regular Americans.
2
They reframed the issue to
be about voting for compassion
for sick and dying people.
3
They built a brilliant campaign
around this simple message:
“Marijuana is Medicine”
4
They’ve organized at the state level
to push their initiatives.
5
They have major donors who fund
their work and messages.
6
They’ve gotten grasstops leaders
and organizational support.
7
They’ve secured legislative
champions at all levels – local,
state and federal.
8
They’ve gotten the attention of
editorial boards and media –
including print, television and
social media.
9
They’ve mobilized major grassroots
and student supporters.
10
They built a "PERMISSION
STRUCTURE" about the
acceptability of marijuana use
with the general public through
pushing "marijuana as medicine"
to reduce perceptions of harm
and social disapproval.
11
We are working hard to
catch up, but still seem to
be one step behind.
12
Why?
13
Our messages have been
too complicated and
nuanced to resonate with
voters.
14
We are not sufficiently
organized at the state
level.
15
We have not done as good
a job of engaging and
getting the public support
of grasstops leaders
16
We have not effectively
engaged the traditional
media or used social
media to the best
advantage
17
We have not cultivated
enough legislative
champions.
18
We have not raised
sufficient amounts of
unrestricted funds.
19
As a result, we have lost many
ballot initiatives, and more and more members of
Congress are voting in favor of legislation to prohibit
enforcement of federal law in states that have medical
marijuana laws.
20
There are now more "medical
marijuana" dispensaries in
California and Denver than there
are Starbucks.
1
21
1
True Compassion. What’s Really Medical About Marijuana? 2011. Available: www.truecompassion.org/images/TC1%20-%20Pages%204.pdf
How Can We Turn This
Around?
22
We Need To:
•Play offense not defense
•Figure out how to stop reacting
to their game plan and have a
great game plan of our own
23
Permission Structure
• We need to rebuild the "PERMISSION
STRUCTURE" around the dangers of marijuana
use for youth as well as the need to continue to
enforce federal marijuana laws.
24
10 Rs to Regain the Offense
1.
Raise Awareness
2.
Recruit Champions
3.
Rally the Troops AND Unlikely Allies
4.
Remember the Rules
5.
Raise Unrestricted Funds
6.
Respond to New Information
7.
Refine The Strategy
8.
Reclaim the Media
9.
Realize Both Long and Short Term Goals
10. Report on Progress, Challenges and Successes
25
Raise Awareness
26
• Develop messages that are salient, compelling and that
will resonate with voters and policy makers based on
facts and statistics
• Mobilize and raise the funds to get your messages out in
print on radio on TV
• Do the advocacy to beat
back the opponent’s position
27
Know The Facts And Keep
Them Simple
In 1979, after 11 states legalized marijuana, the United States
saw the highest rates of marijuana use in history by
teenagers: more than 51% by high school seniors that year.1
28
1
U.S. Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration, “Speaking Out Against Drug Legalization”. Page 15, May 2003.
Medical Marijuana Increases
Drug Use
• Two independent, peer-reviewed studies
looking at medical marijuana states in the
2000s concluded that:
States with medical marijuana programs
had an increase in marijuana use not 29
seen in other states
Increased access and
availability lead to decreased
perceptions of harm
30
“Medical marijuana" states are
clustered at the top of the list in
terms of drug addiction
and abuse among
12 – 17 year olds.
1
31
1
United States Department of Health and Human Services. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Office of Applied Studies.
National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2009.
What Should Our
Messages Be?
32
If you care about academic performance in
your state, you need to oppose marijuana
legalization
33
Why?
• Because marijuana use negatively effects
motivation, memory, AND learning.1
• Because youth with an average grade of D or below
were more than four times as likely to have used
marijuana in the past year than youth with an
average grade of A.2
1
National Institute on Drug Abuse, “Marijuana: Facts Parents Need to Know.” 2011. Available: www.nida.nih.gov/marijbroch/parents/001.php
34
Office of Applied Studies, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). SAMHSA’s National Household Survey on Drug
Abuse Report—Marijuana Use among Youths. July 19, 2002. Available at www.samhsa.gov/oas.nhsda.htm.
2
If you care about jobs you need to oppose
marijuana legalization.
35
Why?
Because more than 6,000 companies
nationwide, and scores of industries and
professions require a pre-employment drug
test.1
36
1
The Definitive List of Companies that Drug Test. March 2010. Available: www.testclear.com
Because 6.6% of high school
seniors smoke marijuana
every day , rendering them
virtually unemployable.
1
1
Johnston, L. D., O'Malley, P. M., Bachman, J. G., & Schulenberg, J. E. Monitoring the Future national survey results on drug use, 2011. Volume I:37
Secondary school students. Ann Arbor: Institute for Social Research, The University of Michigan.
Available: http://www.monitoringthefuture.org/data/10data.html#2011data-drugs
If you care about highway safety in your
state, you need to oppose marijuana
legalization.
38
Why?
Because marijuana is the most prevalent
illegal drug detected in impaired drivers,
fatally injured drivers, and motor vehicle
crash victims.1
39
1
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Drug Involvement of Fatally Injured Drivers. U.S. Department of Transportation Report No. DOT HS 811
415. Washington, DC: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2010.
• 20% of crashes in the U.S. are caused by
drugged driving.1
– This translates into about 8,600 deaths,
580,000 injuries and $33 billion in
damages each year.
40
1
The Institute for Behavioral Health, “Reduce Drug Impaired Driving.” 2010. Available: http://www.ibhinc.org/dd.html
According to the Colorado Department of
Transportation, drivers who tested
positive for marijuana in fatal car
crashes DOUBLED between 2006 and 20101
41
1
Colorado Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). August 2011.
A 2007 roadside survey of weekend
nighttime driver showed that 8.6% tested
positive for marijuana, nearly four times
the percentage of drivers with a BAC
of .08 or more.1
42
1
Compton, R., and Berning, A. Results of the 2007 National Roadside Survey of Alcohol and Drug Use by Drivers. Traffic Safety Facts Research Note. 2007.
If you care about crime and public safety in
your state, you need to oppose marijuana
legalization.
43
Why?
• Because marijuana dispensaries lead to
increased crime.
44
• Since most are cash only businesses, they
tend to attract crime
• Dispensaries often are tied to criminal
organizations and deal with things like
guns and other drugs
• Dispensaries rarely have legitimate
physicians available
45
Message:
We don’t want pot shops in our
neighborhoods!
46
If you care about our economy, you need to
oppose marijuana legalization
47
Why?
Because the total overall costs of substance abuse
in the U.S., including productivity, health and
crime-related costs, exceed $600 billion annually.1
This includes approximately:
• $235 billion for alcohol
• $193 billion for tobacco
• $181 billion for illicit drugs
48
1 Office
of National Drug Control Policy. The Economic Costs of Drug Abuse in the United States, Executive Office of the President (Publication No. 207303).
2004. Available at www.ncjrs.gov/ondcppubs/publication/pdf.economic_costs.pdf
• Federal and state alcohol taxes raise
$14.5 billion, covering only about 6% of
alcohol’s total cost to society.
1
• Federal and state tobacco taxes raise
$25 billion, covering only about 13% of
tobacco’s total cost to society.
2
49
Dupont, Robert M.D., Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (1973-1978), “Why We Should Not Legalize Marijuana.” April 2010. Available:
www.cnbc.com/id/36267223/Why_We_Should_Not_Legalize_Marijuana
1
2 Ibid
If you care about youth drug use
rates, you need to oppose
marijuana legalization.
50
Why?
Because studies show that states with
medical marijuana have drug use rates twice
the rate of other states.
1
Johnston, L. D., O'Malley, P. M., Bachman, J. G., & Schulenberg, J. E. Monitoring the Future national survey results on drug use, 2010. Volume I:
Secondary school students. Ann Arbor: Institute for Social Research, The University of Michigan.
Available: http://www.monitoringthefuture.org/data/10data.html#2010data-drugs
51
Recruit
Champions
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Who are the grasstops leaders
that you need to turn into
champions?
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• Legislators at every level of government
• Executive branch leaders, at every level of
government
• Media luminaries in every medium
• Business leaders
• Other key influentials (faith leaders, civic
leaders, foundation leaders, other)
54
Why Do You Need to Engage Them?
• To get on their policy radar screens
• To get them and their organizations to
formally support our positions
55
Potential Grasstops Leaders Can Be:
• Local, state, and federal elected officials
• Leaders of membership organizations, professional
associations, and congregations.
• Leaders of key constituency groups
• Opinion leaders and others who shape public debate
(syndicated columnists, scientists, economists, doctors,
academics)
56
How To Interest Grasstops Leaders:
• Figure out how the “medical marijuana” and
marijuana legalization issues affect them and
their constituents/members.
• Discuss these issues in a way that will appeal to
them, their mission and their members.
57
Make Your Case
• Have all relevant facts and figures
• You must also have human interest stories
to put a face on the issue
58
How to Get Grasstops Support
• Must identify the leaders of the organization
• Must figure out how to get to them
• Must meet with them BEFORE the other side does
• Must make our case so that is salient, compelling and resonates
with them and their members
• Must work with them to FORMALLY and PUBLICLY support your
positions
59
MA Example:
Getting the Support of the State Medical Society
• In MA, nurses, doctors and seniors citizens were three
critical populations that held a great amount of
influence with the medical marijuana ballot initiative.
• To build alliances with these groups, the MA Prevention
Alliance:
- Utilized Existing Contacts
- Contacted Organizations They Had Prior Relationships With
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- Made Their Case
How Will You Use Each Leader To
Help You?
Ask them to:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Work to get their organization to take a public position
Contact target policymakers
Attend meetings with a policymakers
Convene a meeting
Engage other community leaders/elected officials
Host an event
Submit a letter to the editor or op-ed
Talk to reporters
Raise money
Activate their supporters on our issue
Lend their specific expertise (scientists/legal experts)
Spread the word through their internal and external
communication channels
61
Do The Work For Them
• Supply the letter you want them to send
• Give them the talking points you want them to
deliver.
• Write the press release for them and send it in a
form that they can easily send out on their own
letterhead.
62
Why does grasstops organizing
work?
• Because powerful people have tremendous
influence and can bring a lot of people to our
side.
63
Rally The Troops
AND
UNLIKELY ALLIES
64
Who Are Your Potential Allies?
How Do You Identify Them?
65
• After you get the public support of the
grasstops leaders, how do you get THEIR
members and constituents on board?
– Example: The State Medical Society has publicly supported your
position – how do you get the individual members of the State Medical
Society to do the same?
– Example: The PTA has publicly supported your position – how do you
get all of its individual members to do the same?
– Example: The Chamber of Commerce has publicly supported your
position – how do you get all of its individual members to do the same?
66
How Will You Use An Existing/Build
A Statewide Advocacy Coalition?
• Example of An Existing Advocacy Coalition
•
In one state a diverse group of community organizers representing
large, small rural, and urban communities, blended their ideas,
strengths, experience, compassion, and enthusiasm to strengthen
advocacy efforts for prevention programs in all 39 counties. This
existing group is now a vehicle to organize against medical marijuana.
• Example of Building An Advocacy Coalition
•
The Massachusetts Prevention Alliance is made up of more than 100
coalition groups and professional leaders representing prevention,
medicine, treatment, recovery, enforcement, parents, youth and public
health. They came together specifically to mount a public
policy/Advocacy effort against medical marijuana initiatives in their
state.
67
RECRUIT UNLIKELY ALLIES
• We must find allies we may not be used to
working with
•
Brand new immigrant groups, underserved populations
• Use data from other states to make your case
for TARGETING your efforts
•
E.G. Women and moms are swing voters – your message must
resonate with them
68
CALIFORNIA EXPERIENCE
69
Which demographic groups did
not like Prop 19?
70
Swing Voters
Voting No On Prop 19 Minus
Outwardly Against Legalization
9%
VOTED
NO
8%
7%
6%
Income
$40K-$80K
Liberal
Female
Parents of Children in
Public Schools
Age 55+
Overall
Income
$80K+
Conservative
5%
4%
Male
3%
Age
18-34
2%
< HS
Education
Income
Under
$40K
Immigrant
Immigrant
1%
Latino
0%
0%
20%
40%
60%
Percent Voting No on Prop 19
80%
100%
71
• Form partnerships with key groups
– Immigrant populations
– 55+
– Females
• Focus on Specifics of Proposal, NOT
generalizations
– Education on specifics of a bill without taking a
position is not lobbying
– “HB3885 proposes to set up a whole legal
industry of marijuana in neighborhoods across
the Commonwealth. This isn’t compassion, it is
about marijuana shops in your neighborhood.”
1 in 11 of those who voted ‘No’
agree that marijuana should be
legalized but did not like the
specifics of Prop 19
74
Yes on
Prop 19:
46%
No on
Prop 19: 54%
Yes on
Prop
19: 46%
No on
Legalization:
49%
No on Prop
19: 5%
No on
Prop 19:
9%
75
Convene Summits
Bring together enforcement agencies,
businesses, justice system officials, real
estate agents, property managers,
legislators, citizens, as well as leaders from
the faith, education and prevention
community to help educate and develop an
action plan to address medical marijuana.
76
Remember The
Rules
77
Overview of Lobbying Rules
78
Lobbying is taking a specific
position on a specific piece of
legislation or ballot initiative.
79
As a 501c3, you are allowed to
lobby, but must follow the rules
80
Should 501(c)3’s Be Afraid To
Lobby?
NO!
•But if 501(c)3’s are going to participate in
actual lobbying, there are certain guidelines
that they need to follow (see CADCA
81
Strategizer 31).
If Your Organization is Solely Funded With
Federal Dollars, Can You Educate Your
Elected Officials?
YES!
• Education is not considered lobbying.
• You are permitted to educate elected officials about issues you are
facing and how to address them, as long as you are not taking
82
specific positions on specific bills.
If Your Organization Receives A Mixture of
Federal and Non-federal Funds, Can You
Lobby?
Yes!
• You can use up to 20% of your 501(c)3
organization’s first $500K in tax-exempt
expenditures to lobby BUT you cannot use
83
any of your federal funds to lobby.
How Much Lobbying Are 501(c)3s Permitted To Do?
Allowable Lobbying Expenditures
Tax Exempt Income
Amount that can be spent on
lobbying
First $500,000
2nd $500,000
20% - $100,000
15% - $75,000
3rd $500,000
All income over the
first $1.5 million
10% - $50,000
5% - up to a total of $1
million
Some coalitions come under the 501’(3) status of a larger organization. In
that case, calculations of allowable lobbying expenditures are based on the
budget and expenditures of the larger organization.
84
• If your 501(c)3 chooses to lobby, it is
recommended that it files IRS Form 5768.
• Filing provides liberal limits on how much
money can be spent on lobbying and
provides very clear definitions of what
activities don’t include lobbying.
85
Even If You Participate In A Tiny
Bit of Lobbying, You Should File
Under the 1976 Act
86
You Should Know That:
 Communications to the public that refer to an
initiative/proposition are treated as direct
lobbying.
 IRS regulations recognize that for initiatives,
the public itself is the legislature.
87
– EXAMPLE:
• A nonprofit paid newspaper ad can refer to a specific
initiative/proposition, reflect a view on the proposal, and urge
readers not only to vote for or against the initiative, but also to
ask their neighbors to do likewise.
• The nonprofit must then charge all of this as direct lobbying
on its IRS form.
NOTE: Federal and State funds cannot be
used to do this!!!
88
Raise
Unrestricted
Funds
89
What Are Unrestricted Funds?
• Unrestricted funds are non-state, non-federal, non-matching dollars.
• They are privately raised funds that can be used to lobby and take
positions on initiatives/propositions.
90
Why Are Unrestricted Funds Needed?
• Because they are the only funds that can
be legally used to do direct lobbying or
take positions for/against initiatives
91
If Your Organization Receives Only Federal
Funds, Can It Lobby/Directly Fight These
Propositions?
NO!
• All lobbying/taking positions on propositions are PROHIBITED uses
of federal funds.
BUT
• When you are off duty from your position and are acting as a private
92
citizen, you are allowed to lobby/take positions on propositions.
What Can You Do If You Are ONLY
Federally Funded?
Raise money above and beyond your federal
funding to enable you to do direct lobbying.
• Hold a bake sale
• Have everyone in your coalition contribute $50
• Other??
93
• Coalitions are free to support or oppose
initiatives/propositions.
• But if you are federally funded, you cannot use
any federal or state dollars to do so.
• You can, however:
– use funds from non-governmental sources; or
– do this during non-working hours on your own time.
94
Advocacy/education can and
should be done by
everyone!
95
Respond to New
Information
96
Not only do you need to know who
your opponents will be, you also need
to know how to deal with them and to
defuse their arguments
97
What Will Your Opponents Say?
98
• They will frame the issue so that it is
about sick and dying people
99
We will say that the average
“medical” marijuana user is a 32
year old white male with a history of
alcohol, cocaine and meth use, but
NO history of a life threatening
illness.1
100
1O'Connell,
T and Bou-Matar , C.B. (2007). Long term marijuana users seeking medical cannabis in California (2001–2007): demographics, social characteristics, patterns of cannabis and other drug
use of 4117 applicants. HarmReduction Journal, http://www.harmreductionjournal.com/content/4/1/16 Nunberg, Helen; Kilmer, Beau; Pacula, Rosalie Liccardo; and Burgdorf, James R. (2011) “An
Analysis of Applicants Presenting to a Medical Marijuana Specialty Practice in California,” Journal of Drug Policy Analysis: Vol. 4: Iss. 1, Article 1. Available at:
http://www.bepress.com/jdpa/vol4/iss1/art1 See Colorado Department of Public Health, http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/hs/medicalmarijuana/statistics.html
We will point out that the advertisements for “medical
marijuana” are not geared toward the sick and dying,
but towards young men.1
101
1
Thurstone, Christopher, M.D. The Impact of Legalization on Colorado’s Youth. 3rd World Forum Against Drugs. May 22, 2012.
• They will say that hundreds of thousands
of people are arrested each year for
possession of small amounts of marijuana
102
• We will say a miniscule amount of the prison
population is incarcerated for any kind of
marijuana offense, including large-scale
distribution and cultivation.
• In fact, in Colorado, less than 1% of prisoners
are incarcerated for marijuana possession.1
• MANY MORE PEOPLE ARE ARRESTED FOR
ALCOHOL, A LEGAL DRUG!
103
1
Colorado Department of Corrections Annual Statistical Report for Fiscal Year 2010.
• They will say that marijuana should be
taxed and regulated like alcohol.
104
We will say alcohol is the most widely
abused substance in America, that
alcohol taxes pay for less than 10% of
their societal costs,1 results in more
arrests, and it’s legal!
105
1
Rehm J, Mathers C, Popova S, Thavorncharoensap M, Teerawattananon Y, Patra J. Global burden of disease and injury and economic cost
attributable to alcohol use and alcohol-use disorders. Lancet. 2009 Jun 27;373(9682):2223-33. [Table 4]
• They will cite studies to show that
youth marijuana use did not go up in
states that have “medical marijuana”
106
•
We will say that these studies looked at states that have
passed, but not implemented these laws, and are
therefore flawed.
•
We will cite the Columbia Study titled “Medical
Marijuana Laws in 50 States: Investigating the
Relationship Between State Legalization of Medical
Marijuana and Marijuana Use, Abuse and Dependence”
to show that states that have legalized medical
marijuana have the highest addiction rates and lowest
perceptions of harm among 12-17 years olds.1
Cerda, M. et al. (in press). Medical marijuana laws in 50 states: investigating the relationship between state legalization of medical
marijuana and marijuana use, abuse and dependence. Drug and Alcohol Dependence. Found at
http://www.columbia.edu/~dsh2/pdf/MedicalMarijuana.pdf. Wall, M. et al (2011). Adolescent Marijuana Use from 2002 to 2008: Higher in
States with Medical Marijuana Laws, Cause Still Unclear, Annals of epidemiology, Vol 21 issue 9 Pages 714-716.
107
•
We will track and cite new data from researchers such as
Christian Thurstone, M.D., Associate Professor, University of
Colorado Denver Health
108
• They will claim marijuana is not a
“gateway” drug.
109
We will cite a recent study of French
adolescents published in the Journal of
Addictive Behaviors which reports that
cannabis use is a strong contributor
to other illicit drug use, thus
confirming the “gateway theory”.
110
1
Mayet A, Legleye S, Falissard B, Chau N.; Cannabis use stages as predictors of subsequent initiation with other illicit drugs among French adolescents: use of a
multi-state model; Addictive Behaviours. (soft release Jan 12)2012 Feb; 37(2):160-6. Epub 2011 Sep 17.
We Will Use Available Data To Make
Our Case
•
A 2011 C.S. Mott survey reports that
33% of adults rate drug abuse as
their top health concern for kids.
28
49
•
Of those adults, 49% of Hispanic
adults view drug abuse a “big
problem”, compared to 44% of Black
adults and 28% of White adults.
Hispanic
Black
White
44
111
More 8th grade Hispanic youth use marijuana,
inhalants, hallucinogens, LSD, and other illicit drugs
annually than African American and White youth.1
112
1
Johnston, L. D., O'Malley, P. M., Bachman, J. G., & Schulenberg, J. E. (December 14, 2011). University of Michigan, 2011 Monitoring the Future Study
QUICK CASE STUDY OF
MASSACHUSETTS AND
MESSAGING
113
Marijuana as “Medicine”
Kevin A. Sabet, Ph.D.,
www.kevinsabet.com
MESSAGE:
This is not about
compassion.
It is about pot shops in
your neighborhood.
:
(1) Allows People To Grow Marijuana In Their Homes and Carry an
Undefined 60-day Supply On Their Person and/or In Their Vehicles
(2) Will Create Marijuana Stores in MA
(3) Allows Virtually Anyone to Obtain Marijuana – Not only “Chronically Ill”
(4) Makes Health Care Professionals The Gatekeepers of an Illicit Substance
(5) State Employees at Risk of Arrest
(6) In Other States, This Has Not Worked – there is increased drug use,
crime, and nuisance; healthy people main utilizers
Refine The
Strategy
117
“Inside” vs. “Outside” Advocacy
Effective advocacy requires coordination of
two very different kinds
of advocacy
118
Source: PTA Grassroots Advocacy Toolkit 2007 – Manual
“Inside” Advocacy
Takes place with the legislature or
directly with the decision makers.
119
Examples of “Inside Advocacy”
•
Briefing legislators and their staffs
•
Meeting with key legislators and their staffs
•
Providing analysis and information to committees and legislative offices
•
Testifying during a hearing
•
Negotiating with legislators, policy makers and other lobby groups regarding
specific parts of a bill
120
•
Hill Days
“Outside” Advocacy
Activities aimed at shifting politics and
opinions, as well as exerting external
pressure on decision makers around the
issue.
121
Examples of “Outside Advocacy”
•
Media activities, including: news conferences; editorial board visits;
letters to the editor; assisting reporters with stories; and widespread use
of social media
•
Organizing local lobbying visits by constituents to their legislators
•
Building broad and diverse coalitions
•
Activities such as organized rallies and marches
•
Petition drives/letter writing campaigns to legislators
122
Inside and Outside Advocacy
Must Be Coordinated
• It is important, especially in those states that are facing
BOTH legislative proposals AND ballot initiatives to
coordinate “outside” and “inside” advocacy activities.
• This will ensure a seamless strategy, in terms of timing,
targeting, and messaging.
123
Primary Targets
For Legislative Proposals
When planning, ask yourself:
• Who has the power to make your solution a reality?
• What data or information will resonate with them?
• How can you personalize the issue for them?
• How can you focus your efforts on as many primary
targets as possible?
124
Source: PTA Grassroots Advocacy Toolkit 2007 – Manual
Primary Targets
For Ballot Initiatives
• Since ballot initiatives are in the hands of the voters and public at large,
rather than the legislature, the secondary targets for legislative proposals
become the primary targets.
• Therefore, in the case of a ballot initiative, your primary targets
include members of the community, such as:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Business leaders
Parents
Teachers
Activists
Clergy
Community groups
Civic organizations
Scientists and researchers
125
Ongoing Targets
• Who are your most likely supporters among the
public at large?
• These are the people you need to inform and
mobilize.
126
Reclaim the
Media
127
Telling Your Story
• Develop Your Message
• Develop Your Delivery
• Practice, Practice, Practice
128
Bridge Negative to Positive
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
The real issue is…
Taking a broader look…
Putting that in perspective…
I might frame the question differently…
I can’t tell you this, but what I can say…
If what you’re asking is…
Let me put that into context…
129
Handling Controversy
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Know your critic’s arguments
Best defense – good offense
Be Proactive/Jump In
Courtesy Counts
Keep Sense of Humor
Get back ON MESSAGE
Bridge from Negative to Positive!
130
Prepare for Success
•
•
•
•
•
Research
Practice – to appear spontaneous
Lose Nervous Energy
Develop Sound Bites
Smile
131
Print Media*
*Adapted from National Recovery Month materials. Available: http://www.recoverymonth.gov/Recovery-MonthKit/Media-Outreach.aspx
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Establish a Relationship
• The best way to ensure that your op-ed will be printed is to
establish a relationship with the editor.
• Start cultivating this relationship, even before you have an oped in mind.
- Sometimes these are hard to establish and you can get articles published
anyway! Don’t give up.
• Ask the he editor(s) of your targeted publications to convene an
editorial board meeting so that you can introduce yourself,
explain who you are and what your coalition/organization does
133
• Submit a cover letter along with the op-ed. Explain:
–
–
–
–
Who you are (provide your contact information)
Why you are qualified to write the op-ed
Why the op-ed is relevant/timely
Why the subject is important to the readers
• Follow up with the editor – if you do not hear from the editor,
follow up with him/her approximately 1 week after you submit the oped.
• Set a deadline – most publications do not notify you if they choose not
to print your op-ed. If you haven’t heard back by the deadline you
identified, move on to the next publication.
134
Writing an Op Ed: Tips To
Remember
•
Develop a clear and concise message – make sure
to focus on only one point that is easy for readers to
follow and connect with.
•
Make your story timely – If you want your op ed to
resonate with the general public, it has to be current
and timely. A local angle to the story will increase the
likelihood that your op ed will actually be printed.
•
Personalize the story – this makes it easier for
members of the general public to connect with it.
135
Writing an Op Ed: Tips To
Remember (cont’d)
•
•
•
Use facts and statistics – Make sure that all of your statements and
opinions are backed up by the facts. You can use the same facts and
statistics that you already identified to make your case to your elected
officials, grasstops leaders and the community at large.
Consider writing a join op-ed with other well known groups in your
community - this may increase the chance that your op ed is published.
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Example of Op-Ed
137
“Overdosing on Extremism”
• ACCORDING to a recent study by the Centers
for Disease Control, drug overdoses have
increased almost six-fold in the last 30 years.
They now represent the leading cause of
accidental death in the United States…
138
LAST MONTH, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger reignited a
heated debate when he called for a civilized discussion on the merits of
marijuana legalization. Indeed, the governor was responding to new public
opinion polls showing greater interest in the policy idea -- and with the
mounting problems associated with the drug trade in Mexico and here at
home, it is hard to blame anyone for suggesting that we at least consider
all potential policy solutions.
One major justification for legalization remains tempting: the money.
Unfortunately, however, the financial costs of marijuana legalization would
never outweigh its benefits…
139
Formatting Your Op Ed
•
Keep it short – there is often a word limit when submitting an op ed.
Check with the editor of the paper you have identified as a target to find
out what the limit is (usually 500-700 words).
•
Make it personal – include real stories – but also include data!!
•
Clearly restate your main points at the end of the article, and if
appropriate, issue a call to action
•
Avoid acronyms – most people will not know what they mean
•
Include your name, contact information, and a short description of
who you are and why you are the expert on this subject.
140
How To Get Your Op Ed
Published
141
• Identify Who Might Print Your Op Ed – Not all
publications will be appropriate for your message.
– For example, if your op ed focuses on a local issue, a local paper
would be most likely to print it.
– If it focuses on a national issue, a national paper is more likely to
print it.
• Prioritize Each Outlet
– Most publications won’t publish op-eds that have already appeared
in other outlets.
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Letter to the Editor
• React to ANY drug story
• These should be submitted in a rapid-fire fashion.
• Use same points over and over.
• Create new first sentence to relate it to the original story: “I
read with interest John Doe’s article on July 3, 2012 entitled
“Big Marijuana Bust Made By Cops,” given the recent
medical marijuana debate in the state.”
Develop Talking Points
• 5 Easy Points (at most)
• Flexible, multi-use
• Use these when writing a letter of support to a
community leader
• Use when submitting testimony
• Use when picking up the phone to gain support
Don’t Give Up!!
• Not every publication you approach will be able to
print your op-ed.
• Keep approaching other publications/outlets
• Consider social media outlets, such as Facebook,
Twitter, blogs, etc.
145
Social Media
146
Use It!
• The other side has been really effective at using
social media, including Facebook, Twitter, blogs
and You Tube.
147
Social media is being used by the
other side to gain wide spread
support – especially among the
young voters – and is helping
them get their messages to go
viral.
148
• We need to come up with similar ways to engage the young
voters!
WARNING: EXPLICIT LANGUAGE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nAZi_eUjoU
• This YouTube video has gotten nearly 1,000,000 hits. We
need to capitalize on social media!
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Realize Both Short
and Long Term
Goals
150
• Remember - pushing back against
“medical marijuana” initiatives and
propositions is a marathon, not a
sprint
• Pace yourself and set benchmarks
for success along the way
151
It is critical that you use all
10 Rs as you plan your
strategy to achieve both
short term and long term
goals
152
Report on Progress,
Challenges and
Successes
153
How Will You Keep Your Advocacy
Coalition/Allies Informed About Your
Progress?
154
In Massachusetts and
Washington State, Listservs
Are Used To Keep The
Advocacy Coalition Informed
155
Massachusetts
156
Washington State
157
Celebrate Your Victories!
New York
158
FINALLY, DESPITE THE
HYPE, LEGALIZATION IS NOT
INEVITABLE
159
Support of Legalization - US vs. Australia
40%
Percentage Favoring
Legalization
35%
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
US
Australia
5%
0%
1984
1987
1990
1993
1996
1999
2002
2005
160
The future is in our hands…
70%
Percentage Favoring
Legalization
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
161
Can You Win?
162
Can You Afford To Lose?
163
Can You Afford Not To Try?
164