Go Go Gogek: New Blog on Drug Policy

Journalist, consultant and drug policy expert Jim Gogek — whose background includes stints as an editorial writer, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation fellow, and communications chief for PIRE and the University of California at San Diego — has launched ATODBlog, featuring discussions on tobacco-control policy, marijuana legalization, and dangerous drinking.

In one of his latest postings, Gogek – currently the associate director of the San Diego County Alcohol Policy Panel — notes that Joe Camel has become “Jane Camel”: a year after RJ Reynolds launched the Camel No. 9 brand, the pink-packaged cigarettes had become a favorite among young girls. Gogek’s solution: limit cigarettes to plain packaging like they plan to do in Australia.

Another post takes on the recent “marijuna is safer than alcohol” argument from legalization proponents. Calling it a “made up story,” Gogek says that legalizing marijuana won’t make kids less inclined to consume alcohol — we’ll just have more kids smoking pot AND drinking.