20ish Questions With Jason Thomas by Josh Davis
Here’ s a new section that we like to call 20 Questions With Someone You Should Know. This month’ s guest is Jason Thomas and this is why you should know him...
1: Thanks for joining us for 20 Questions With Someone You Should Know... So first we must find out who you are and why we must know you?
JT: Well my name is Jason Thomas and I am a spokesman for L. E. A. P.
2: And what does L. E. A. P stand for? JT: Law Enforcement Against Prohibition.
3: Interesting, that sounds like an oxymoron if there ever was one! What exactly is L. E. A. P’ s mission?
JT: L. E. A. P’ s mission is to end the prohibition of drugs, enact complete drug reform in the country, clean up the antiquated drug laws and look at each drug on its own merit. We work on both the state and federal level to educate not only citizens but policy makers as well.
4: So how did you come to be a part of L. E. A. P?
JT: I found L. E. A. P online about two and a half years ago and then I ran into( L. E. A. P’ s) Executive Director Neill Franklin at a NORML conference in Denver around the same time in 2010. I wasn’ t too active until Amendment 64, to legalize marijuana in Colorado, came up and that’ s when I really started getting out to educate people.
5: Who can become a member of L. E. A. P.?
J. T: All told, we have about 5,000 law enforcement members, though only a couple hundred who regularly speak for the organization, but anyone can become a member, and we have tens of thousands of supporters around the world. Because of our unique experience fighting to uphold the drug laws and now speaking out against them, though we are a very small group, the impact we have has been substantial because people do recognize us as current and former law enforcement.
6: So what is your background?
JT: Well I grew up in Venice, California in the 70s and 80s and eventually moved with my wife to Colorado about 20 years ago. I pursued a career in law enforcement as a Detention Officer in Prowers County, working at Colorado’ s 125-bed detention facility and also as a Deputy Marshall in Holly, Colorado.
7: Are you currently working in law enforcement?
JT: No. I actually left law enforcement about 15 years ago and got into commercial real estate.
8. That’ s probably a little more lucrative? JT: Oh yeah, just a little. 9: So while you were in law enforcement did you find that
you had a different view on drug regulation than your coworkers?
JT: Well to take a step back, when I grew up in Venice in the 70s, it was a very rundown area so I was somewhat familiar with low-level drug dealers and the low-level drug trade just being an outsider kid in the neighborhood. But I’ ve always been rather liberal in my leanings especially when it comes to marijuana. I’ ve never believed that the laws were just. When I got into law enforcement I never talked about my beliefs in terms of the drug war or the prohibition of drugs; it was easy to set aside from the standpoint that“ this is my job,” and I did, even though there was some internal conflict.
10: Can you recall any particular instances when that internal conflict was greater than others?
JT: There was a time when a young man was brought into our jail passing through from Texas into Colorado. The state police found about a half pound of cannabis in his truck. And he said he had come to Colorado to sell the marijuana so he was booked and charged with interstate transport and intent to distribute- some very serious crimes and this kid was maybe 19 or 20. Now, I don’ t know if he was ever convicted, but regardless, while that is a fair amount of cannabis I didn’ t believe he should have been put in the system and probably faced five to ten years in prison for basically eight ounces of plant.
11. We don’ t think you’ ll find anyone who disagrees with you here.( Not really a question, but we’ re not really counting)
JT: In law enforcement you do your job and don’ t talk about the laws you uphold, much like you don’ t talk badly about your employer.
12: Oh we talk about our employer all the time... but they don’ t carry guns and have access to jail cells.( Not technically a question but who’ s really counting?) thcmag. com 55