Criminal Justice

Update: As of 4 p.m., the book is at #32 on Amazon. Thanks to readers who have bought one. If you haven't bought your copy yet - do so here: http://www.amazon.com/Marijuana-Safer-Driving-People-Drink/dp/1603581448

(I promise I'm not getting a kickback or anything, just happy to see this issue get some attention and I truly think readers of the change.org criminal justice blog will enjoying 'Marijuana is Safer')

Got mine! It's time for us to stop hiding in the shadows, allowing our names and reputations to be dragged through the muck.

We're citizens, we pay taxes, we work, we raise families and own homes, STOP OPPRESSING US!!

Sounds like a great add to the other book I need to order in a few... btw, your puns are good for marketing ;-) Tks

We will hopefully see the authors on the Daily Show and Colbert Report, and in today's more receptive news climate, we might even see them on mainstream outlets like CNN and FOX. This argument has long been surpressed with the help of the alcohol lobby and our alcohol-drenched society where the stumbling, bumbling drunk is still considered amusing.

I am a Viet Nam Vet. I smoked pot maybe 5x's before going to Nam. While there I noticed that papa-son smoked pot. They did not have aspirin, ibpropin, alleve etc so when he came home from work with a headache, he smoked a joint. If he wanted to get high, he went to the opium den. Upon my return I became a daily user, it helped to control the PTSD that I was struggling with. I would smoke a joint, drink a beer or two then sleep. I did this for 15 years. Around 1984 or so (I worked construction) they started drug testing for work. So I quit. Then I would drink 4-5 beers each night with a steady progression to 12-18 per night. I would up with DUI's, run off the job's, all sorts of trouble. I put myself in the VA hosp in 1994 to find out what was going on. Then I got well and off of the alcohol. It was addictive, not the mary-jane.

http://www.google.com/search?&q=%22safest+therapeutically+active+substance+known%22

To keep Cannabis illegal while tobacco and alcohol are dispensed freely is murderously stupid.

From the harmful aspects to our health and mental, I don't see any difference between the two. What's the good about them? Ban them all! It can destroy the country, China is a good example at the beginning of 20th century. They might give you temporal relief, but it gives more pain, not just to you alone, to your loved ones, your family, your community........ Ban them all!

Ruby, 

We banned Alcohol in the late 20's and found that crime and violence increased to a point that it was more harmful to continue to prohibit it than to figure out a method to distribute it through legal means. Currently, almost every possible recreational intoxicant other than alcohol and tobacco is is already banned. We have some of the most violent gangs distributing these intoxicants because the financial reward is so high that the threat of arrest has not turned into a badge of honor among them. South of the American boarder (since American consume the most drugs in the world) large scale gangs that have the financial resources the size of 3rd world countries, manufacture and distribute drugs on a scale that rivals Eli Lily, Squib, Glaxo, ect and in order to protect those shipments they have weapon systems that rival some of the local military if not overwhelm these military forces. Then there are the security forces, these gangs have the finances to hire mercenaries to combat anyone who would try to stop these shipments. 

Legal methods of distribution would disrupt this violent illegal method and if established properly would provide enough finances to pay for the health related expenses to treat those that become addicted to what ever substance they choose to use. 

Ruby:

I can hardly see the logic in banning every little thing that causes someone displeasure, or the thought of it.

Please, be more sensible.

This pro-pot idea is so spot on.

I have seen drink-induced relationship violence (a couple of times) and there's a certain fear about whiskey drinking husbands/boyfriends thereafter.  

A pot-smoking partner a much safer bet. Aum.

Don't need a book to tell me the truth.  And I don't smoke OR drink.  But alcohol has killed loved ones of mine, directly and indirectly; I wish to live in a society where it is illegal, as it should be.  It is the greatest destroyer of lives!

Well, more facts to show the marijuana laws are unreasonable laws and contraves the 4th and 5th amendments.

Unreasonable in that the private use of this property does not affect the rights of other.

NORML in my opinion has done it best to keep marijuan illegal by it's federal court cases where it claims marijuana is a fundamental right. NORML V Bell.

It always claimed marijuana has medicinal use but never claimed marijuana is safe to use without medical supervision.

The fact is NORML has allowed the courts to review criminal laws by rational review.

NORML has never claimed these criminal laws affect individual fundamental right to privacy, to liberty and to property and judicial review is the complling state interest test. Read Ravin Alaska. Rational review is used when no fundamental rights are affected by the laws.

Well I have and the judges lie about petition saying I am claiming marijuana is  a fundamental right when I claimed marijuana is property and  is protected from unreasonable seize, deprivation.

I claim the marijuana laws are unjustified, arbitrary unnecessary ie unreasonable and the laws must be justified by a compelling state interest.

NORML says the laws are reasonable to seize because it is illegal.

American judiciary is organized crime. It is a criminal offence to deprive us of our liberty and property under the colour of law Title 18 USC 242

Thanks for writing about this, Matt. For your information, the smoking issue has been settled in favor of cannabis. Smoking pot not only doesn't lead to lung cancer (although it can cause some esophogeal damage), it is slightly protective against cancer, even among users who also smoke tobacco. Dr. Donald Tashkin of UCLA reported these results of his research but it was ignored by the media, can you imagine?

As a Registered Nurse and one who has never seen, smelled or smoked marijuana, I do have to say that I have had many patients in my 30 years of Nursing partake in this plant that God put on this earth for a reason. I have never heard of anyone dying from this plant, nor have I ever read of someone killing anyone when under the influence. I have seen the medicinal values it holds as well as assisting ones with depression. I have however known many whom have killed or been killed whilst under the influence of ECOH. I have in my past been a victim of abuse whilst my ex was highly intoxicated and the ECOH eventually led to an accident with a BAL 3x the norm. As far as marijuana it is something that this government rules....right now my husband whom is from Australia, is being held in federal detention, awaiting to be deported back to his home country....WHY? because 15 years ago he had a conviction of being in possession of less than one ounce of the plant...Ha....proud American....NOT! I do recall that our current and past Presidents openly admitted its use...double standard or not? I refer to marijuana, as a plant, in my eyes it is not a drug.

how much did the u.s. spend on "just say no"? if the goverment is that unwilling to leglize pot is dumb. think off the $ they could make. if you won't to make something illegal make alchol, alchol kills pot does not. legalize it free up some off the work load in judges and let the pot heads out of jail and get the real criminals off the road the people who drink and drive. it's almost 2010.

it peaked at #9 for bestseller that day stil on the top 50 for new releases

Marijuana is safer than alcohol and tobacco:

Collegiate excess has repercussions far beyond hangovers and missed classes, and should be of concern to members of the surrounding community. "Binge drinking hurts not only the drinker but also others near him," says Henry Wechsler, Ph.D., a lecturer at the Harvard school of Public Health, where he was also the director of the College Alcohol Study, and author of Dying to Drink: Confronting Binge Drinking on College Campuses.

"The binge drinker disturbs the peace, through noise, vandalism and sometimes violence. Like secondhand smoke, binge drinking pollutes the environment."
"The [social] cost of alcohol is in the billions of dollars. Roughly half the total is related to what's called alcohol addiction," says Paul Gruenewald, scientific director of the Prevention Research Center at the University of California, Berkeley, which is funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

"The other half is related to other harms that happen to people when drinking; primarily drunk driving, drunk driving crashes, pedestrian injuries, violent assaults, and various criminal behaviors and various injuries," Gruenewald said.

"It's not a pretty picture. It's quite ugly from the public health point of view. It's a much bigger problem than crime related to illegal drugs," he added.

Alcohol, not marijuana, is the most abused drug in the United States. There are an estimated eight million known alcoholics in America, and the number increases by 450,000 every year. One survey reported that 75 percent of all crimes and 60 percent of all divorces have drinking in their background. The National Safety Council reports 50 percent of all traffic deaths are caused by drunk drivers.

According to Dr. John MacDougall, over seven percent of the adult population in the United States suffers from alcoholism, resulting in decreased productivity, accidents, crime, mental and physical disease and disruption of family life. Excessive consumption of alcohol leads to liver disease, cancer, birth defects (fetal alcohol syndrome) and multiple vitamin deficiency diseases.

A report by the World Health Organization states that "Alcohol is a poison to the nervous system. The double solubility of alcohol in water and fat enables it to invade the nerve cell. A man may become a chronic alcoholic without ever having shown symptoms of drunkenness." The conclusion of the report is that nobody is immune to alcoholism and total abstinence is the only solution.

Dr. MacDougall writes that excessive consumption of caffeine leads to an elevated heart rate, irregular heart beat, increased blood pressure, frequent urination, increased gastric secretion, nervousness, irritability and insomnia. Caffeine is known to cause birth defects in animals, and may do the same in humans. Caffeine stimulates the growth of breast cells, causing benign lumps.

Excessive intake of caffeine may cause a rise in blood fats. Cancer of the urinary bladder has been linked to caffeine use and it contributes to loss of calcium from the body. Moreover, the body actually becomes physically addicted to caffeine. Withdrawal symptoms include headaches, drowsiness, tension and anxiety.

Pregnant women who consume caffeine -- even about a cup of coffee daily -- are at higher risk of giving birth to an underweight baby, researchers said.  The findings published in the British Medical Journal also linked any source of caffeine, including that from tea, cola, chocolate and some prescription drugs, to relatively slower fetal growth.

The findings are the latest in mounting evidence indicating the amount of caffeine a person consumes may directly impact one's health, especially when pregnant.  In January, U.S. researchers found that pregnant women who drink two or more cups of coffee a day are at twice the risk of having a miscarriage as those women who avoid caffeine. Babies born underweight are more likely to develop a range of health conditions when they grow older, including high blood pressure, diabetes and heart problems.

Women who drank one to two cups of coffee daily, or between 100-199 milligrams, had a 20 percent increased risk of having a baby of low birth weight, the study found. This was compared to women who consumed less than 100 milligrams daily.

"Caffeine consumption during pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of fetal growth restriction and this association continued throughout pregnancy," Justin Konje at the University of Leicester in Britain and colleagues wrote.

"Sensible advice would be to reduce caffeine intake before conception and throughout pregnancy." Konje and his team -- which included researchers from the University of Leeds -- looked at 2,645 women at an average age of 30 who were between 8 and 12 weeks pregnant.

The women reported an average caffeine consumption during pregnancy of 159 milligrams per day, lower than new recommended limits of 200 milligrams in Britain.

The likelihood of having a low birth weight baby rose to 50 percent for women who consumed between 200 milligrams and 299 milligrams each day, about two to three cups of coffee.

The impact was about the same as from alcohol and the association with low birth weight was maintained throughout a woman's pregnancy, the study found.

Even small amounts may prove harmful but Konje said in a telephone interview the best advice was to limit caffeine consumption to below 100 milligrams a day.

"We couldn't say that there was a lower limit for which there is no effect," he said. "My advice is if possible to reduce caffeine intake to a minimum. You have to be realistic because you can't ask people to stop taking caffeine."

CANNABIS AND DRIVING

The following articles may cast great doubt on the claims that cannabis use severely detrimentally effects driving skills. It seems that the Dutch Government are correct in not regarding cannabis driving as a serious problem after all.

'STUDIES had found it impossible to prove cannabis adversely affected driving, says an Adelaide University researcher.

Professor Jack Maclean, director of the road accident research unit, said, while there was no doubt alcohol affected driving adversely, that was not the case with marijuana.

"It has been impossible to prove marijuana affects driving adversely," he told the Australian Driver Fatigue Conference in Sydney.

"There is no doubt marijuana affects performance but it may be it affects it in a favourable way by reducing risk-taking."

http://www.ccguide.org//driving.php#usdot

http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00.n1206.a04.html

http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02.n519.a04.html

It makes no damn sense for marijuana not to be legalized.

Can you imagine how much revenue marijuana could bring in for the US?  We need to unleash this commodity.  So many uses and 100% environmentally friendly. Medicinal use, textile, foods, fuel, recreational- whatever. 

When we legalize it, watch for the array of TV, Radio and Internet ads.  HAHA. "These cannabinoids will help you sleep and These will give you energy- Having creativity problems?"

Or, how about "Hemp strong- cotton soft" - ok, I'll stop =)

I can't comment on driving after marijuana use because I use public transportation system, however, I wouldn't drive DIRECTLY after use, but then, I'm responsible and consciencous. It is definitely unlike alcohol. Alcohol is bad.  Too many bad stories involving alcohol. It makes no sense that alcohol is legal and marijuana isn't. Marijuana is not like alcohol in the slightest. 

People who don't like marijuana need to rethink why they don't like it. Most of these people say they get paranoid because its such a "crime" and "don't want to get caught."  Some say "its reefer madness" and its really "conservative brain-wash."  

Which would you prefer to do?

Fight for alcohol prohibition or legalize marijuana? 

This is an exciting time in our era of Change.  Its a big moment in history and we play a big part in it- not just for ourselves but for our kids, grandkids and beyond. We have to fight and defeat the healthcare reform lobbyists along with the alcohol-industry lobbyists as well. But, YES WE CAN do it- and we will.  We need to get marijuana legalization out there on a POSITIVE note - positive environmentally, positive medically, positive economically, etc. We need positive solutions. 

Matt, you finally make a post about a topic that I agree with. 

http://www.drugscience.org/Petition/C2B.html

This is proof that marajiuana isn't as "safe" as you think it is.

The short-term effects of marijuana include:

Distorted perception (sights, sounds, time, touch)
Problems with memory and learning
Loss of coordination
Trouble with thinking and problem-solving
Increased heart rate, reduced blood pressure

Sometimes marijuana use can also produce anxiety, fear, distrust, or panic.

Effects on the Brain

The active ingredient in marijuana, delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, acts on cannabinoid receptors on nerve cells and influences the activity of those cells. Some brain areas have many cannabinoid receptors, but other areas of the brain have few or none at all. Many cannabinoid receptors are found in the parts of the brain that influence pleasure, memory, thought, concentration, sensory and time perception, and coordinated movement.

When high doses of marijuana are used, usually when eaten in food rather than smoked, users can experience the following symptoms:

Hallucinations
Delusions
Impaired memory
Disorientation

Effects on the Heart

Within a few minutes after smoking marijuana, the heart begins beating more rapidly and the blood pressure drops. Marijuana can cause the heart beat to increase by 20 to 50 beats per minute, and can increase even more if other drugs are used at the same time.

Because of the lower blood pressure and higher heart rate, researchers found that users' risk for a heart attack is four times higher within the first hour after smoking marijuana.

Effects on the Lungs

Smoking marijuana, even infrequently, can cause burning and stinging of the mouth and throat, and cause heavy coughing. Scientists have found that regular marijuana smokers can experience the same respiratory problems as tobacco smokers do, including:

Daily cough and phlegm production More frequent acute chest illnesses Increased risk of lung infections Obstructed airways

Marijuana contains more carcinogenic hydrocarbons than tobacco smoke and because marijuana smokers usually inhale deeper and hold the smoke in their lungs longer than tobacco smokers, their lungs are exposed to those carcinogenic properties longer.

One study found that marijuana smokers were three times more likely to develop cancer of the head or neck than non-smokers. Many researchers believe than smoking marijuana is overall more harmful to the lungs than smoking tobacco.

Other Health Effects

Research indicates that THC impairs the body's immune system from fighting disease, which can cause a wide variety of health problems. One study found that marijuana actually inhibited the disease-preventing actions of key immune cells. Another study found that THC increased the risk of developing bacterial infections and tumors.

Effects of Exposure During Pregnancy

Several studies have found that children born to mothers who used marijuana during pregnancy exhibit some problems with neurological development. According to those studies, prenatal marijuana exposure can cause:

Altered responses to visual stimuli Increased tremulousness Problems with sustained attention and memory Poor problem-solving skills

   I have been a legalization advocate since the late 70's.  I have seen this issue mired down in unnecessary arguments which have slowed the progression of legalization. The worst thing to sidetrack this argument is: "It's not as harmful as alcohol, and alcohol is legal." This leads to heated debate over relative merits when marijuana is its own issue. The argument is valid but simply clutters the stronger reasons for legalization.

   Pot is safe.

   Pot has valid uses. (Medicinal, therapeutic, recreation, etc.)

   Pot laws unjustifiably and unjustly persecute and prosecute otherwise law-abiding citizens for a victimless crime.

   Pot laws have led to a widespread disrespect for law enforcement and government power in general.

   Pot laws have contributed to increased use. The forbidden fruit is always sweeter.

   Anyone who denies these facts is either a liar with a hidden agenda (alcohol lobby, tobacco lobby, religiously motivated,etc.), a fool who is unable to hear what they don't agree with, or somehow making money from the prohibition.

   End the hypocrisy!!!  Free weed and free your mind.

Mr. Ramos

All this stuff showing how harmful marijuana is to an individual does to justify criminalizing marijuana. It is unreasonable to criminalize marijuana becausee the user of this property does not affect you. Give it up on being a taxpayer.

Be proud of the US judiciary that denies these criminal laws do not affect individual rights to personal privacy, security,  liberty and property. Be proud of the judiciary that reviews criminal laws by rational basis test because the judiciary declares marijuana is not a fundamental right, marijuana is not property.

The marijuana laws are unreasonable regulation of our rights.

Luis, I don't know where you got your "facts" about marijuana, but they are wrong. Have you ever even smoked marijuana? Your first statement is that marijuana causes distorted perception of sight, sound, time and touch. I don't know what you mean by "distorted", does marijuana make you see things wrong, or can you not hear, or does time go slow or fast, and are you saying that we can't feel things properly under the influence of marijuana? Well, I personally have smoked marijuana for close to 40 years now, and I have never had any of these problems. I see perfectly well, and I can hear fine, and I am very aware of the passage of time, and I definitely can touch and feel things just fine. Who told you these things? I have raised children on my own because of a husband that drank to much after going to Vietnam. Then he finally got a prescription marijuana and was a calmer and a more sane person, and his children got to know him finally as the person he was before Vietnam. Marijuana helped him stop being drunk all the time and allowed him to deal with the problems of life properly. I never had any problem raising my children and they are all college educated people now. I have never had problems remembering or learning. As far as your assumption that heart problems are from marijuana I totally disagree. My mother had heart problems and my father had problems with a weak valve of the heart, and although I have inherited these problems the medical marijuana I take is helping me not to have the same problems as my parents. I have had my blood pressure taken directly after smoking and the heart rate is normal, and my BP is more normal than before. It lowers my BP yes, but that is a good thing, as I have high BP normally. So the marijuana is good for my heart. As far as marijuana producing anxiety, fear, distrust, or panic, I have never had any of those effects. In fact, I calm down after smoking and use it for relaxing. I think you have marijuana mixed up with some other drug because as far as hallucinations, delusions, impaired memory and disorientation, those effects are all side effects of drinking and other toxins. I suggest you learn your facts before believing what someone has told you about marijuana. It is a calmative with no side effects.

Your claim of effects on the heart are wrong. My heart rate is lowered if anything after smoking. I know I've taken my BP many times after smoking. Marijuana does nothing to the heart except help it become more normal. I smoke to lower my BP and help relax.

Your claims of problems with the lungs because of marijuana smoking are wrong. I had problems with my lungs after smoking cigarettes for 24 years, and when I quit smoking cigarettes, without quitting smoking marijuana, my lungs cleared up and now I have clear lungs and I smoke marijuana everyday. There are studies that show that the effects of marijuana on the lungs is not the same at all as cigarettes. The additives in cigarettes cause lung cancer and other problems, but marijuana does not cause cancer in fact it is used for cancer patients. There are no carcinogens in marijuana other than the paper that you roll with, if smoked through a pipe then other than the effects of heating with fire the marijuana doesn't cause any problems. The coughing effect is because people inhale more than they should sometimes because they wrongly think it will increase the effects of marijuana. It is people telling them that they need to do this to get the effects. It is actually better if you use a vaporizer to smoke marijuana with so that the effects of the paper and heat don't cause any problems. I do not have any problems with lung infections from marijuana, I don't even know where you heard this.

These effects that you speak of with the immune system are nothing but BS. THC actually helps the immune system fight cancer and other problems. MS is actually stopped from advancing when you use marijuana. I have known many patients that use marijuana to help their MS.

As far as your claim that the children of mothers that use marijuana have neurological development problems is also BS. All three of my children are college educated, and are fully functioning people of society. They all had averages of at least 3.0 grades in college and one had a 3.8 average grade level. So debunked again.

These fear tactics that people try to use of the effects of marijuana are lies that people who started this prohibition used to scare the public into thinking it was a bad substance. In fact, marijuana has been used for centuries as a medicine, and yes our bodies function better with canabinods. Marijuana is actually very compatible with our bodies. Marijuana has been used without side effects for centuries and it has only been demonized for the last 70 years.

Please Luis read this new book and get your facts right before you spout of at the mouth about something you obviously know nothing about. Don't be a parrot for the liquor dealers and show your ignorance without really studying this wonderful plant that God gave us to help us in our lives. Like I said at the beginning of this post that I have used marijuana for 40 years now and have had nothing but good results from it's benefits. I am an old woman now and in fairly good health dispite the pills doctors have tried to give me for years, and I intend to continue to use marijuana for the rest of my life.

Let's legalize marijuana and stop this rediculous prohibition.

Its amazing that alcohol and cigarrettes are widely accepted in this country and the way less harmful marijuana makes you a criminal.The numbers dont lie and they are the facts.Over 400,000 people die every year from cigarettes,over 100,000 people die every year from alcohol.Guess how many from marijuana ZERO.Look at the jobs it would create if it were legal.Nothing would boost the economy more than the legalization of marijuana.I am laid off right now and have no idea when I am going back to work.Commercial construction in my area has hit the brakes with no big jobs starting up.One last thing testing for marijuana at the workplace is a huge mistake.I dont agree with doing it at work but you should hear the stories of my co-workers,I went to the bar last night and I got so drunk I dont remember how I got home until I looked out the window and seen my truck sitting in the driveway.Thats the people I get to work with at 6:00 AM.Now thats safe.

Something is very wrong when government can criminalize the use of a PLANT.  If they had their way they would exterminate it.  This is so outrageously foolish I cannot even find words to describe it.

As to making it legal and "regulated"..Again what an outrage!!!  To Regulate a Plant??!! 

So because someone and his friends want to control what other people do, which isn't hurting them and therefore is none of their business.  They should go find something better to do.(Grrrrr)

As to any kind of lobbying.....THAT is something that should be illegal. 

I quit drinking when I married my husband. It's been over 4 years now and I am healthier than ever. Alcohol used to make me crazy, and I always got terrible hangovers, and my immune system was whacked out. I used to get sick all the time, call out of work, drive drunk, do other drugs while drunk, all kinds of bad things. The few times I miss drinking, I am comforted by weed. Honestly, there is little I can say about it that's negative. I have no chemical addiction to it, but I love the way it helps me relax. I have had no major health issues and very few illnesses in the years since I quit alcohol. I do believe it's healthier not to smoke anything, but still, weed is the far, far lesser of evils. The worst part about it is that it is illegal, therefore you are in danger in acquiring it. You also never know if the weed is pure or full of all kinds of nasty chemicals. If it were legal, the few problems it does have would go away. Yes, you should smoke responsibly. They could say that in the commercials for it, just like they do with alcohol.

One more thing - when I smoke, I'm happy to stay at home and hate the idea of driving! It makes you cautious, and value your life. The opposite of alc. I'm all for legalization; how can we make it happen? The book sales will help, but what else?

Alcohol is horrible and people start more fights and cheat on their spouses and drive drunk on alcohol than pot. Pot has a calming effect that keeps us sane.

My brother was only 38 when ALCOHOL KILLED him.  It ate his body away.  He had seizure after seizure.  ALCOHOLISM is a disease.  Why is it legal? 

My mother died at 42 when TOBACCO KILLED her.  He developed lung cancer and now she's dead.

MARIJUANA does not need to be smoked and is a gift from God. People try to say marijuana is bad?  My brother used Marijuana as an alternative as it helped him take control of that deadly disease called "alcoholism."  I know this because I observed him while using pot and the effects were positive, however, resources were not there.  Now my brother, my only brother, is dead.  I miss him. My mother never used marijuana but she's still dead.

 It bothers me that there are so many hypocrites out there sitting there with a cigarette between their fingers while getting drunk and causing trouble for themselves and others, condemning marijuana.  Is dying a lonely death your preference? 

POOP OR GET OFF THE POT - DON'T BE A HYPOCRITE.  EITHER LEGALIZE MARIJUANA OR BAN ALCOHOL AND CIGARETTES. 

Bye the way, I am a medical marijuana user but why should it stop there? 

Thank you for posting this. Pot is so much better than booze, real drugs, and many offerings for the sickening pharmaceutical industry. We need to correct the lies until the costly absurd laws are changed and all weed prisoners are freed.

It was interesting that when the Reagans, LaRouche followers and other hysteria-mongers were loudly advocating the war-on-drugs failure and spreading misinformation about pot, they were also strong advocates for nuclear power and deregulating toxic chemicals and dumpings. It's time to move policy-making away for these kinds of crackpots. Rev. Bookburn - Radio Volta

Luis Ramos is obviously a shill for the DEA. He sites the results of the same biased studies that the Government has been trying to brainwash America with for many years. Studies that have been refuted time and time again.

I suppose Luis could be a bar owner. There are many people that fear Cannabis, but not for the reasons they are stating.

Based on current Federal Nazism this guy could be put in jail. For telling the truth and promoting ILLEGAL drug use!! It is a sad state of affairs our country is in. We must change it for the better. Stop putting kids and old people, that are non-violent and no prior record, in jail for exercising their right of free choice would be a good place to start...

CFHJ

Sounds like a good book, I should read it :)

A pamphlet entitled "10 Things Every Parent, Teenager and Teacher Should Know About Marijuana" produced by the Family Council on Drug Awareness tells us marijuana is not physically addictive. The 1980 Costa Rican study, the 1975 Jamaican study and the 1972 Nixon Blue Ribbon Report all concluded that marijuana use does not lead to physical dependency. The FBI reports that 65 to 75 percent of criminal violence is alcohol-related. On the other hand, Federal Bureau of Narcotics director Harry Anslinger testified before Congress in 1948 that marijuana leads to nonviolence and pacifism.

In a message to Congress on August 2, 1977, President Jimmy Carter insisted: "Penalties against possession of a drug should not be more damaging to an individual than the use of the drug itself."

Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Law Judge Francis L. Young wrote on September 8, 1988: "Nearly all medicines have toxic, potentially lethal effects. But marijuana is not such a substance. There is no record in the extensive medical literature describing a proven, documented cannabis-induced fatality Marijuana, in its natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man."

After years of suppression by the government, the truth about medical marijuana is finally coming out. Dr. Tod Mikuriya, former director of marijuana research for the entire federal government, wrote in 1996: "I was hired by the government to provide scientific evidence that marijuana was harmful. As I studied the subject, I began to realize that marijuana was once widely used as a safe and effective medicine. But the government had a different agenda, and I had to resign."

Tobacco kills about 430,700 each year. Alcohol and alcohol-related diseases and injuries kill about 110,000 per year. Secondhand tobacco smoke kills about 50,000 every year. Aspirin and other anti-inflammatory drugs kill 7,600 each year. Cocaine kills about 500 yearly alone, and another 2,500 in combination with another drug. Heroin kills about 400 yearly alone, and another 2,500 in combination with another drug. Adverse reactions to prescription drugs total 32,000 per year, while marijuana kills no one.

A November 4, 2002 Time/CNN Poll found that 80 percent of those polled felt marijuana should be legal only for medicinal purposes. 72 percent felt recreational users should get fines rather than jail time, which is essentially decriminalization. The complete legalization of marijuana was favored only by 34 percent of respondents, but this figure is twice as large as it was in 1986. Marijuana is safer than alcohol and tobacco, and our drug laws should reflect this reality.

Throughout history, the legal and moral status of psychoactive drugs has kept changing. During the 17th century, the sale and consumption of tobacco were punished by death in much of Europe, Russia, China and Japan. For centuries, many of the Muslim domains that forbade alcohol sale and consumption simultaneously tolerated and even regulated the sale of opium and cannabis.

Each year, the U.S. government spends more than $30 billion on the drug war and arrests over 1.5 million people on drug-related charges. Over 318,000 people are now behind bars in the U.S. for drug violations, greater than the total number of people incarcerated for all crimes in England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain combined.

Our government is calling for billions of dollars to fight a drug war it can't win. Roughly 75 percent of this money goes to enforcing laws and regulations, but only 15 percent goes to drug education and prevention, and a only a meager 10 percent goes to treatment for addicts.

During the 1950s, long-term prison sentences against drug users choked the courts, strained and disrupted prisons and drove black-market prices even higher. The latest casualty in the drug war has been our civil liberties: mandatory drug testing so we can all be “drug free”. Some of these tests have been struck down by the courts, where the government is the employer. But others have been upheld. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia denounced these drug tests as “an immolation of privacy and human dignity in symbolic opposition to drug use.”

Even putting America under martial law will not solve the nation's drug problem. Iran executes hundreds of drug offenders. Malaysia has hanged dozens of drug users in the past few years. In neither country has the drug problem receded. In fact, in Malaysia, the addiction rate continues to rise. On the other hand, the Dutch government, with its liberal social and political philosophy, tolerates drug use, and the addiction rate is declining.

According to a 2003 Zogby poll, two of every five Americans say “the government should treat marijuana the same way it treats alcohol: It should regulate it, control it, tax it, and only make it illegal for children.” Close to 100 million Americans, including over half of those between the ages of 18 and 50, have tried marijuana at least once. Military and police recruiters often have no alternative but to ignore past marijuana use by job seekers.

In 1996, California voters passed a law to regulate medical marijuana within the state. In 2000, voters in California approved an initiative allowing people who are arrested for simple possession of drugs to go through a rehabilitation program rather than through the court process that would result in prison. Since the program began, most agree it has been very successful. It results in less recidivism and is considered cheaper than imprisonment.

Richard Posner, Chicago's chief judge of the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and one of the nation's leading legal scholars, says marijuana use should be legalized as a way of reducing crime. Posner, a Reagan administration appointee once described by American Lawyer magazine as “the most brilliant judge in the country,” explained his views on marijuana in The Times Literary Supplement, a British publication, and in later interview:

“It is nonsense that we should be devoting so many law enforcement resources to marijuana," says Posner. "I am skeptical that a society that is so tolerant of alcohol and cigarettes should come down so hard on marijuana use and send people to prison for life without parole.”

Posner is the highest-ranking judge to publicly favor the repeal of marijuana laws. Several judges of the federal district court, a level lower than the appeals court, have made similar calls, including Robert Sweet of New York and James Paine of Florida, both Carter Administration appointees.

New York University law professor Burt Neuborne said it's significant that “one of the leading intellectuals in the judicial system recognizes that the laws don't seem to be working well.”

Posner and other federal judges have complained that sentencing guidelines force them to give unjustly severe prison sentences to relatively minor drug offenders. Says Posner: “Prison terms in America have become appallingly long, especially for conduct that, arguably, should not be criminal at all. Only decriminalization is a sure route to a lower crime rate. It is sad that it appears so far below the horizon of political feasibility.”

Rufus King, a Washington, DC lawyer who has served on the President's Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice, calls the drug war, “A worthless crusade.” According to King, drug use is a social problem, not a law enforcement problem. He observes: “Cigarette use is declining through changes in cultural values in the population. Like most smokers and alcoholics, most users of illegal drugs poison themselves because they want to be intoxicated. No human force can do them much good until they want help.” King is optimistic that the current anti-drug hysteria will subside, and responsible and reasonable drug law policies will be adopted.

nearly 1,000,000 arrests last year related to marijuana and close to 80% of that for possession alone...now  consider how many people consume cannabis and are in its economic food chain.   it makes so much sense on so many levels NOW to just move forward on this issue and get it done with.  forever.  prohibition has led us to our current situation of having mexican drug cartels getting upwards of 70% of their funds from cannabis.  they bring back their profits in the form of guns & ammo from walmart.    illegal grow operations have led to gangs growing on government owned forests in california which they say is the culprit in one of the huge fires currently burning in So Cal.  meanwhile the DEA pigs this week raided two california dispensaries they shot a dog.  all of these cops really need to be finding real criminals.  The Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, Los Angeles Police Department, Torrance Police Department and Culver City Police Department took part in the raids.

consider the resources wasted in a recent colorado case involving a med patient growing his own...  http://blog.norml.org/2009/08/16/colorado-juror-medical-marijuana-case-a-waste-of-resources/    the cost to taxpayers? 4 full days spent by a judge, two prosecutors, a bailiff, a clerk, a detective, assorted police officers and 12 jurors!  Plus laboratory time and expense to prove that it was ‘real’ marijuana.

now throw in hemp prohibition to the mix.  the origins of the two plants prohibition in the 30s is truly sickening...dupont, carnegie, wr hearst & anslinger are complete douches and created the problem (which has only been around for 80 fucking years of the earths existence. its time to overturn that shitty prohibition.  people need the choice to consume hemp, cannabis, tobacco, alcohol, or big pharma for that escape we're looking for.

Under our drug laws, even the growing of cannabis hemp -- the nonspyschoactive variety of the plant--is outlawed in order to enforce the marijuana laws.

Hemp has many economic uses. It contains the longest fiber in the plant kingdom and is one of the strongest and most durable. It can be used for commercial and industrial applications, including insulation, textiles, clothing, and rope. The fiber and pulp can be used to manufacture nondeteriorating paper using a relatively pollution-free process. The plant can also be used for biomass applications. Its seeds yield oil similar to linseed, which can be used in many commercial and industrial applications. In Eastern Europe and Central Asia, the seeds have been used for human consumption.

"Hemp. It's marijuana's nonspyschoactive sister," writes Ed Rosenthal. "You couldn't get a buzz if you smoked a bale of hemp, but it's still illegal to grow it in the United States." Industrial hemp is legally grown in over thirty countries. For thousands of years, people grew hemp and prospered. It flourishes without pesticides. Thomas Jefferson considered hemp so vital to America that he risked his life to smuggle hemp seeds out of France. George Washington grew hemp and instructed his caretaker at Mount Vernon: "Make the most of the hemp seed. Sow it everywhere."

Industrial hemp was first grown in Kentucky 250 years ago. It is currently grown in other countries across the globe, including France, England, Canada, Australia, China, Hungary and the Ukraine. Industrial hemp has virtually no THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. It cannot be used as a drug. None of the countries that allow industrial hemp production have experienced any drug problems relating to the crop. Using modern processing techniques, hemp can be used in place of petrochemicals. Instead of synthetic plastics made from oil, we can use natural fiber and processed bioplastic derivatives. Plastics and polyester rely on foreign oil, while cotton consumes enormous amounts of water, fertilizer, herbicides, and pesticides.

Industrial hemp is very clean, easy to grow and is one of the most environmentally sound sources of industrial fiber in the world. Environmentally friendly detergents, plastics, paints, varnishes, cosmetics, and textiles are already being made from it in Europe. Industrial hemp can meet our fiber needs while also revitalizing our struggling rural economies.
Hemp is already being used in place of trees for pressboard, particleboard, and core concrete construction molds. Paper made from hemp is acid-free, stronger and lasts far longer than paper made from trees. Hemp fabrics are far stronger and more resistant to mold than any other natural fiber. Builders in France and Germany use hemp for construction material, replacing drywall and plywood. Hemp can be used to manufacture plastic plumbing pipe, replacing such toxic materials as polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Hemp fiber is already being used in place of glass fiber in surfboards and snowboards. Hemp could also provide the resin itself.

Hemp requires no herbicides or pesticides and needs much less water than cotton. It is an extremely vigorous annual and high yielder, producing up to five tons of usable material per acre. Hemp seed oil is a nonpolluting drying oil that can be used for paints and varnishes. Some of the world's greatest oil paintings were made with hemp-based paints. Hemp oil is valuable as a lubricant.

New research shows that hemp oil is also a premier oil for human consumption as a source of essential fatty acids missing in most other oils. While activists and patients battle with the government over medical marijuana, an even bigger health issue may be at stake. Scientists have discovered that hemp oil, the nonpsychoactive oil from marijuana seeds, may hold the key to fighting many common diseases. Andrew Weil, a Harvard-trained doctor, regularly prescribes hemp oil for his patients. Here's why:

"It has a remarkable fatty acid profile, being high in the desirable omega-3s and also delivering some GLA (gamma-linolenic acid) that is absent from the fats we normally eat. Nutritionally oriented doctors believe all of these compounds to be beneficial to health. Hemp oil contains 57 percent linoleic (LA) and 19 percent linolenic (LNA) acids, in the three-to-one ratio that matches our nutritional needs. These are the essential fatty acids (EFAs)--so called because the body cannot make them and must get them from external sources."

Weil reports his patients show marked improvement after using hemp oil, noting that their general health and energy improve, as does their appearance.

For ideological reasons, the federal government refuses to allow farmers to grow hemp despite the fact that industrial hemp is currently grown legally worldwide. The George W. Bush administration took anti-hemp policy to a new extreme, attempting unsuccessfully to ban the import of hemp foods and cosmetics. Erwin "Bud" Sholts, director of the Wisconsin Agriculture Department's marketing division, said hemp "is the most value-added, prolific fiber crop man can grow." Sholts acknowledged that hemp is an emotional issue, but points out that "other nations with drug laws as tough or tougher than ours have overcome this hurdle."

The U.S. is the only major industrialized nation that prohibits the growing of industrial hemp; anti-drug hysteria should not blind the public to the commercial and industrial applications of hemp.

It's disturbing to see how judgmental some people are (amanda, you know who you are) about how easy it is to "just say no." If it were easy, there would be no alcoholics or addicts. They need nutritional support (most are probably carbohydrate addicts) and other help, not jail or holier-than-thou-ism.

Marijuana may not be the appropriate drug for everyone, but it is for many, many people for a wide variety of ailments. It generally makes people calmer, not violent, and lets them get off "hard" drugs (including of the prescription variety) or at least reduce their use. The only violence associated with marijuana has to do with law enforcement and the comparatively rare instances where growers are gangs growing illegally on national forests. Most medical growers of my acquaintance don't even keep guns around; we sure didn't (making us easy pickings for corrupt law enforcement).

I am a former grower, although not a user. My partner uses cannabis medicinally; I have never seen him *high* in the sense of *impaired* in any way despite usage several times a day. Cannabis helps him to normalize his moods (his father was a paranoid schizophrenic a la John Nash of "A Beautiful Mind") and to *focus*. Not what the propaganda tells you about pot, is it? He grew up with lots of kids who did drugs. Those who moved to pot usage grew up sane and relatively whole; those who got hung up on other drugs tended to screw up their health and their lives. These substances simply aren't all the same. The blanket condemnations of marijuana stem from ignorance and prejudice. The more you study it, the more fascinating you find it is -- even without using it.

However, making it a prescription drug would be a big mistake. I do not trust the pharmaceutical companies one whit, and why should they profit from legal marijuana when they have done nothing for us through the decades of prohibition? Cannabis is a medicine people can figure out themselves or with an experienced cannabis clinician, but the FDA has shown only ignorance, fear-mongering and ineptitude when it comes to cannabis.

A pharmaceutical drug would focus on taking one active component of cannabis, say THC, and putting it in a pill, whereas there are hundreds of cannabinoids and other components that are not yet well understood but many of which are very promising (for anti-tumor effects among others) and may well work synergistically. Marinol is just not the same as marijuana. The only benefit to isolating one chemical compound is so you can patent it, synthesize it and make a bundle on it -- it has nothing to do with health. The CBDs (cannabidiols) are very promising and they are not psychoactive, which is good for those of us who don't like feeling high but want the benefits of CBDs (better sleep, freedom from pain, etc).

Holy cow, this is great, and I truely agree, because here in New Mexico, you can get caught drinking and driving a million times and not get in trouble, basiclly just a slap on the hand. Alcohol is man made and weed comes from nature.

Dissenting from the Supreme Court ruling on the suspension of an Alaskan student for waving a banner -- "BONG HITS 4 Jesus" -- at a high school event, Justice John Paul Stevens takes the long view:

"...the current dominant opinion supporting the war on drugs in general, and our anti-marijuana laws in particular, is reminiscent of the opinion that supported the nationwide ban on alcohol consumption when I was a student.  While alcoholic beverages are now regarded as ordinary articles of commerce, their use was then condemned with the same moral fervor that now supports the war on drugs...

"...just as Prohibition in the 1920's and early 1930's was secretly questioned by thousands of otherwise law-abiding patrons of bootleggers and speakeasies, today the actions of literally millions of otherwise law abiding users of marijuana, and of the majority of voters in each of the several states that tolerate medicinal uses of the product, lead me to wonder whether the fear of disapproval by those in the majority is silencing opponents of the war on drugs."

The Washington Post, July 26, 2007, reported:  "Stevens compared the current marijuana ban to the abandoned alcohol ban and urged a respectful hearing for those who suggest 'however inarticulately' that the ban is 'futile' and that marijuana should be legalized, taxed and regulated instead of prohibited."

If the people lead, the leaders will follow:

Election Day 2008 was a success for marijuana initiatives across the country, thanks to the work of the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP), the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), and numerous state and local groups.
 
In Massachusetts, voters decriminalized the possession of up to one ounce of marijuana. A campaign led by the Committee for Sensible Marijuana Policy and organized by MPP resulted in a 65 percent to 35 percent victory for the initiative.
 
In another state-level win, Michigan voters approved a medical marijuana initiative by a similarly lopsided margin. The campaign to pass that initiative was led by the MPP-backed Michigan Coalition for Compassionate Care.
 
At the local level, two initiatives to make make adult marijuana possession the lowest law enforcement priority won big. One, in Hawaii County, Hawaii, was led by Project Peaceful Sky. The other, in Fayetteville, Arkansas, was led by a coalition called Sensible Fayetteville.

this guy should be FIRED ALONG WITH THE CURRENT DRUG CZAR.  as well as the fat ass speaker for the house for laughing off the marijuana debate along with pres obama.  but obama i give you 3 years to CHANGE YOUR VIEWS AND Priorities towards cannabis & HEMP illegality.


GET THIS STRAIGHT POLITICIANS & LOBBYISTS...THIS IS THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE right now for millions of your populace.  and the rest of the nation should jump on board.  funding the drug war, on cannabis & innocent hemp in particular is ridiculous and fiscally ludicrous.  we need to quit locking up these offenders RIGHT NOW as our prisons are BALLOONING.

RATIONAL ENDING OF THE PROHIBITION ON CANNABIS & HEMP NOW...throughout the americas.

lets start here in california BY 2010  http://www.californiacannabisinitiative.org/

What say we do this:  let's all get together and decriminalize mind-alteration, period, and give up this stupid pissing match of claiming substances we like are "good" while those we don't are "bad".

If you're out to decriminalize cannabis, I'm with you, but if your agenda is to further criminalize alcohol, I wish you failure.

My father died recently,his death was directly attributed to alcohol abuse.He knew noone approved and often hid the fact he drank.He ignored his diabetes lost his leg and eyesight yet still managed to get the to the liquor store.Before his death my wife (med pot user) gave him some pot butter which he liked.He said he like it more then booze,but he felt like a criminal enjoying it.He legally purchased his "poison" and payed his taxes doing so.I wish I could smoke some pot,I used to.Now I am subject to federally mandated drug screens,not alcohol screening,or tobacco screenin.....We are under control

As a couple of people pointed out, mere decriminalization of possession is not enough, if growers are still prosecuted. I grew for a year as head of a legal medical marijuana cooperative in California. Then we were raided and everything taken or destroyed, my partner pressured into a deal, charges against me and the workers were dropped, so the prosecution never had to prove any of their lies about us. They've "won" because we don't have the money to start up again. What really bugs the drug warriors is the idea that anyone might make money off marijuana. Never mind that they make money off raiding us (some of it undeclared, none of it subject to return though the charges were dropped) and off the incarceration of my partner (for technical probation violation). They wrap themselves in righteousness and continue to raid and terrorize the populace.

It would almost be a worse nightmare, though, to have Big Pharma in charge of growing and processing marijuana. Would they grow organically? I doubt it, and they would just put small folks out of business. High-tech processing and extraction are unnecessary and counterproductive and would just lead to various natural compounds being patented (think Monsanto and Syngenta's effect on the agricultural and garden seed markets). And they would make boatloads of money, to the detriment of patients. So if legalization is done in a way to engineer the primacy of Big Pharma in the cannabis market, I'd rather things stayed illegal, because in more are more states you can grow your own medicine in small amounts. The ones that will suffer are those who are incapable of growing for whatever reason.

Marijuana is safer than alcohol because no one has died from over consuming marijuana. This shows the marijuana laws are unreasonable regulation of our property and liberty.

The American judiciary violates the rule of law to keep marijuana illegal. Judges have reviewed these criminal laws by rational review because people have claimed marijuana is fundamental right. NORML v Bell. 1980. Marijuana is not a fundamental right. Ravin v Alaska 1975. (Google Them)

Rational review is used by the courts when no fundamenal rights are affected by the enforcement of the law. Criminal laws affect fundamental rights to liberty and property.

Please take your arguments and relate them to the 4th and 5th Amendments. It is reasonable for the cops to seize marijuana because it is illegal does not mean the law itself is reasonable.

 And what is reasonable? http://ursm.us/39.html

A compelling state interest is reasonable. please read Ravin v Alaska 1975 learn why Alaskans have constitutional protection. http://ursm.us/24.html Those people who lead this movement say it is the right of privacy in their constitution. But there are other states that have the right of privacy in their constitution, never mind the 4th amendment.

There must be a hidden agenda to keep the 4th and 5th amendments out of this discusion.

Drunks are destructive, and many (MOST) "drinkers" are at least "sometimes" drunks... But this is good for the economy because it sends a lot of tax dollars to the guvmint, puts a profitable small business on every other corner of American towns and cities, sends many people through expensive court processes, keeps lawyers hoppin...

People drink to let go of inhibition, to relax, to forget troubles.  People smoke pot for the same reasons.  But smoke 10 joints, eat half the frig and fall asleep.   Most people would never smoke 10 joints in one day... perhaps over the course of a week?

But if someone drinks 10 beers, which many are prone to do in a matter of hours every weekend for years, they lose perspective and drive off and kill someone.

The government will not legalize marijuana because of the entire industry that's cropped up around it's prohibition... the justice system, law enforcement, probation, court staff, lawyers... prohibition is just good business for them.  Legalization would probably eliminate half of the entire juvenile justice system.

Also, they will never successfully legalize and control and tax it like alcohol.  It's too easy to come by. Who would buy it and pay taxes when they can just grow it legally?  

Also, pot is very mellowing, and keeps liberals from taking action.  I think the worst thing about marijuana is the way it makes people passive and lazy, but consider that, for government run amock, there's nothing like some pot for keeping people inactive.  Keeping it illegal makes sure that dissenters are more often the ones using despite prohibition, and thereby insuring that dissenters are more likely to remain inactive.  Good, law abiding citizens who don't bother to criticize much about the government are also the least likely to spark up a spliff...

The campaign to give it the negative stigma it STILL has in "conservative" thinking was outrageously false, leading people's thinking into the realm of "Pot will make you deranged!!!"   Which goes to show you the "powers that be" are the same oppressive driving force behind the same propaganda machine that brought you "Reefer Madness".

o.k. so heres the deal. during a detox process of chemicals and alcohol.  alcohol is the only thing that someone can actually die from. even though heroin detox is very uncomftorable and painful, one will not die from detoxing. so why is it that someone can die from an alcohol detox. this is due to the drastic toll one has put on there physical being. i do promote abstinence but if someone had to choose between lets say methamphetamine or cannabis use. i would certainly have them use cannabis than any other drug or alcohol out there. i also advicated for the 5 cent tax on all alcohol beverages and to put the money back into drug/alcohol treatment. i also advocate for non-violent drug offenders to be entitled to treatment in lieu of incarceration.

First off I want to say this is nothing new. the government " this is what I truely believe" Is keeping weed illegal just because it would prove the propaganda wrong, propaganda they spent billions on.

 the money is not the issue, the issue is if most that propaganda is wrong that means some stupid stoners were right that we had real rascist people in our highest powers and that they are more smart and more manipulative then the sheeple thought.

Anthother reason is it opens the door to people to be less oppresive and question there governtment more and shield themselfs to all the BS thats going on in and around the white house. It goes way deeper then just pot my brothers... Look how there trying to take away our rights to bare arms.

 Go to youtue and copy and paste this there( NRA: the untold story gun confiscation After Katrina ) The media trys to compare Obama to great men like Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King, Jr. The media implies that we saw them as extreamist and those times and its the same thing happening now with Obama. I say its nothing like that. We have came to far for our minds to be in stuck in that time period.

 What I think is happening is the media is trying to make us feel like we should feel stupid for thinking and feeling this way towards him, I beg you people to not let the media fool you like this, please we need some good minds left if we are going to survive this, we need to start showing real love and some balls for once.

 A rumor says Obama wants to get rid of firearms because Obama said it would only take one act of violence for others to follow which would lead to the loss of freedom of speech ( If that ever existed) Do some research, Ammo is more expensive for regular folk these days and the military is buying it up like its going out of style, so you know its all BS.

 Dont you see whats going on? (OBAMA IS SLOWLY TAKING OUT THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS AND TURNING US TO A NEW LEVEL OF SLAVE IN SOME FORM OF A SOCIAL SOCIETY) I have said this alot of times through history, there needs to be and theres going to be a revolution(its already started), and its time to pick sides and be dedicated. This is the ending of a paradigm shift, this will be the end of times.

 If others listen and wake up and help wake up others  then there will be new hope, there will be a heaven. Dont let the media and Governtment keep you side tracked on here chaseing false problems like sony pictures is doing with the the movie 2012. There useing fear to take your money(viral marketing) just like 911 and Bush. if you dont believe me check out IHC.com they even have a number 1888 363 2012. How can a company get away with useing fear to make money when after the 1938 war of the worlds scare was put down as unethical to reproduce. I guess they get away with it te same way they get away with false  propaganda. Come on Obama you promised change and the only thing changeing is the awareness of people, They are starting to realise all the bad things going on. God bless you all even the ones on here that dont give up like Mikey , Jeff and Vesu and the rest of you cause together we will be the ones to make change its up to us.

If Obama even reads this maybe he should take back what he said about his "online audience" because we aren't just a bunch of lazy stoners, we are intelligent people that need to be heard. Stop punishing innocent people!

I just sent my weekly update to the white house please do the same at..

http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

My concern:

I am 60 retired a volunteer during Vietnam and a big supporter of our leader.

I just watched another video on the Internet it projected if the war on us continues. Fifty percent of the black race in our great country will either be in jail probation or in process to go to jail.

How can our leader sleep at night knowing the suffering going on in our country over racism. Being white I thought racism was over but believe me it is alive and well. I found that out while working for our leader during the election in Georgia. I had old eighty year old people cuss me for wearing an Obama T shirt. The question was why are you wearing a T shirt with a Nigg-- on it. Opened my eyes to what racism really looks like.

These are the same people that started the war on us (drugs). I do not have the time or space to reveal all of the facts I have uncovered in the past several years about this war. All I can say is it is wrong and every truth I can find shouts out this fact.

It appears our leader has no power I voted and worked to get him elected in hopes he would end the racist war and help our county.  But the drug war army doesn't even seem to listen to him. They are still raiding medical providers in California. And jailing old people for trying to help others this is outrageous.

My question is why are we destroying ourselves and enslaving our people? Take the money wasted on the war on us and help the few that need it. And quit ruining the lives of the rest of us!  All for corporate greed.

Also look deep at blackwater I feel they are working to keep us in war. It is their business and thanks to your 29% increase they are becoming stronger. Their leader is a right wing extremist that feels all non-Christians should die.

There should not be profit in putting people in jail or waging war. We have both in our country and it will bring us down if left to prosper.

CFJ

This policy is not only a crime against humanity but it also a violation of what the principles that the Bible teach. Genesis 1:29 is very explicit in the language when God declares that herbs bearing seed is to be used by mankind as a food. Science has already told mankind that marijuana is an herb, not a weed. It is called cannabis sativa. It makes a wonderful tea, it is a very tasty herb for seasoning and it is great on a pizza.  Maybe that is why everyone loves pizza.  Conbgress needs to wake up to the fact that the lies that they have perpetuated are not only effecting the followers of God, but are also effecting their salvation. When they go before the Bar of Christ, they will have to answer for the lives of the people that they have prosocuted.  I personally will stand as a witness against them at the Bar of Christ because my religious belief. Shame on them, and may God judge them with the same judgement that they have judged those who follow Christ and believe what the old and new Testament teaches.  I oppose this bill C-15 emphatically.

Sincerely,
Bryan Brady

Cigarette smokes are cancerous and so must pot be.  It's common sense people. Look at DJ he graduated to cocaine and look where he is now. You will have dealers on every street corner all in the suburbs too. Guns normally come with it too. As the saying goes. "The grass looks greener on the other side".

New site from Kevin Booth (American Drug War last white hope)

join up please to support Kevin all we can and his new film

Drug War Coalition
Welcome to the official grassroots support network for the American Drug War documentary project.

http://drugwarcoalition.ning.com/

I think weed should have been legal. When people are high they just like to laugh and relax but when people are drunk they like to make stupid decisions that hurt othersand themselves. People cant drive and be drunk because more than likely they are going to get hurt or even killed, but i have seen people high and start to drive better. Weed doesn't hurt anybody its the alcohol that hurts the body, mind, and others. Me personally i would have weed legal and drinking illegal.

This response is to Patricica with MS.  This is about opinions.  When I read others peoples comments are do not take it personal.  It is about opinions here and should not be taken personal directed toward you are being insensitive about it.  I am not proclaiming to be God here about a thing. I am very sorry that you are a victim to that disease. I do not care for the doctors chemicals due to the many side effects and side effects that they cause and some they don't tell you about.  Like yes it will help the pain but your going to loose the liver, kindney and possibly the heart. Yell that is a real crictical one and they "got a ticket to ride and they don't care" as the Beatles said.  It is unreal.  In addition to what you doing now there are certains foods on the market that is very good for aiding relief of what you have going on. If your using and it is helping to take the pain for medicinal purpose I am glad that something can give you relief physically from the pain. Peace to you.

Joyce, you're free to hold opinions, but when you start spouting off on subjects about which there are FACTS you need to get your facts right. Patricia and other MS patients using cannabis medicinally will NOT "loose" (I think you meant "lose") "the liver, kindney [kidney] and possibly the heart" by doing so. This is not a matter of opinion, but of documented medical science, including but not limited to thousands of case studies. You may cling on to your opinion that cannabis shouldn't be legal medicine, but your opinion cannot change the facts supporting its use as medicine.

As stated above, since Joyce doesn't seem to read I am re-posting. This is totally ridiculous.  It is a natural plant, unlike other drugs.  I have MS and it helps me eat, sleep, pain, nausea stress reducer, mind racing, etc.  MS has taken away a lot of things from me as working, driving, taking showers, depending on others, etc.  You would know this if you would READ. I take far less medication (RX), which is handed out like candy, but that is alright I guess because it is legal?  The pharmaceutical companies are profiting and this is what kids are turning to, which they refer to cocktails.  The RX medications make you have the symptoms you so ignorantly state that pot does not.  I DO NOT DRINK because of the RX's, THEY DONT MIX.  I also do not drive while on it but I rather be on the road with someone that has smoked then a drunk driver. I run the risk of every time getting it, but it is worth not being on all the medications.  If YOU WOULD DO RESEARCH BEFORE YOU SPEAK then you would know it helps many diseases.  You need to roll a fat one if you seriously think that it will affect all these organs because you are already high. IT DOES NOT! No your not God Joyce, but I know you can read.  So try it. Thank you Patricia for your more detailed post.  This is a sore subject for me due to the fact IT DOES HELP MY MS AND SHOULD BE LEGAL. So if the government opposes then legalize pot and tax us on it, just like alcohol and ciggs.  Then there would be no beef, otherwise the government should stay out of our rights.  If no one likes my opinion, I don't care.  To each is their own.  But before posting again do your research.  There is a lot of information supporting the use especially with  MS.  Joyce how about I trade you and you can have my MS then see how you deal with it. Until you walk in someone else's shoes then I think and respect that you have an opinion but it is wrong.  Ignorance is something I have a pet peev about. Also I do eat the right foods and a lot of Omega-3. Oh by the my motto is I have MS but MS doesn't have me.  Thank you Jaye.

At least other countries have compassion and reason deailing with their citizens....

Cherokee Fred Jesus

BOGOTA - Colombia's Supreme Court ruled that possession of illegal drugs for personal use is not a criminal offense, citing a 1994 decision by the country's Constitutional Court, Caracol Radio said Wednesday.

Drug consumption "generates in a person problems of addiction and slavery that turn one into a sick, compulsive individual deserving of therapeutic medical treatment instead of a punishment," the judges said.

Their ruling came in a case involving a man prosecuted for possession of 1.3 grams (.04 ounces) of cocaine. The court overturned his conviction and ordered him immediately released.

"In the exercise of his personal and private rights, the accused did not harm others," so his conduct "cannot be the object of any punishment," the Supreme Court found.

As a regular cannabis user(until a few weeks ago since I'm in need of finding new employment thanks to down sizing, and need to pass a drug test due to almost fanatical pre-employment screening in NJ) I would personally love to see it legalized across the board but especially for medical purposes. But we who use both recreational and medically have to except that federal legalization is a long way off, even if Obama(who I voted for, and was most dismayed by with his 53 second condescending remark about the state of the online audience, the same constituants WHO MADE HIM president) wanted to pass a bill legalizing this wonderful medicine, recreational drug(by definition it is a drug, i.e alters perception of time, sensations etc.... by making everything better, and is far less personally and socially harmful then legal substances like tobacco and alcohol) it would still have to pass through the house and congress. But with all the lobbyists for industries like big tobacco, alcohol, big pharma, the private prison industry(slave farms) and others making huge "contributions"(nice euphemism for a bribe)to campaign funds to "our" senators and congressmen and threatening to contribute to someone else if they don't do exactly what "they" want, and what "they" want is to keep cannabis prohibited. Tobacco and alcohol sales would drop, after all who would choose to use a substance that just gets you hooked and kills you or makes you act like an ass and make really bad decisions like drunk driving, beating your spouse and kids and passing out in a puddle of your own vomit and urine and then kills you, when there'd be a safe alternative that did none of those things, though I don't condemn anyone that uses either of those drugs in a responsible manner unlike how they condemn us. Big pharma would lose a ton of business since half of their drugs would be made unnecessary since there are a multitude of aliments that cannabis can treat, from helping aids and cancer patients and ms sufferers to those of us who have gert and severe ibs(the latter I believe caused by all the little purple pills, antacids and other prescibed drugs thrown at me to treat or I should say manage[no money in curing] the former) and other chronic pains. But again as a cannabis user I'll remain hopeful for the future. But we as a group must come together to show those in government that we are not as they would put it "a bunch of stupid dirty hippies that don't want to be a part of America" that in fact we are America, and that we are sick of their war on us and regardless of how much money they receive from their supporters and spend on fancy tv spots that we refuse to re-elect politicians(Obama) that fight a war(ethnic cleansing) against their own people, and funds that war(over 18 billion a year) with the taxes of those they want to persecute, crucify, imprison, enslave. So I call for something along the lines of what the African-American community did with the million man march, with the millions for marijuana march (I'd prefer cannabis, since marijuana is the racially motivated term stamped on cannabis when it was first demonized so as to protect white womens virtures from those crazy mexicans on their devil grass, but it doesn't flow off the tongue as well.) on D.C., from the white house to the steps of congress, to show our seriousness in regards to this issue as well as how diversified we are as a group, from lawyers and doctors to law enforcement(you know who you are, just hoping not to get called in for a random piss test) to factory workers and food servers, whites(which I am not that it matters), blacks, asians, hispanics, we all need to unify, organize and demand change, real change not just lip service to the word.

I'd also like to recommend anyone that has not seen Kevin Booth's documentary American Drug War: last white hope to do so and to also support his next film.

See the trailer on Kevin's new film at

http://drugwarcoalition.ning.com/

I just volunteered to help promote Kevin's new fillm How Weed Won the West see the trailer at

http://drugwarcoalition.ning.com/

Cherokee Fred Jesus

We will win this war...

Get a discount when buying his new film enter the code

hood1

http://drugwarcoalition.ning.com/

 I rather have Marijuana Legal and Make Alcohol Illegal.. Less Dumbass drunk drivers on the road.

President Obama, at his town hall meeting on healthcare in New Hampshire, expressed the sentiment that government and insurance companies shouldn’t come between you and your doctor when you make decisions about your healthcare. Insurance companies shouldn’t discriminate against people simply for the crime of being sick. Those are wonderful sentiments and perfectly express a central fault of current health insurance system. There is though a portion of the citizenry that despite reform will still be discriminated against and interfered with, in this case not by the insurance companies but by the government. Patients who need to use medical marijuana to cope with their illnesses are being denied the care they need based on the ideology of prohibition.

More than 12 years since medical marijuana laws were passed in California the efficacy and safety of marijuana use in treating various illnesses is well established. Since California, twelve additional states have similar laws to protect and accommodate the needs of medical marijuana patients. Sixteen have laws in the works. There is however a group that state medical marijuana laws cannot protect.

Veterans in the Veterans Administration Healthcare System have no protection from the ideology of prohibition interfering in their healthcare decisions. Veterans must endure urinalysis under the threat of the withholding of services should one test positive for THC the active ingredient in marijuana. Veterans are required to sign elaborate ’Treatment Contracts’ also under threat of the withholding of services if they don’t sign. These contracts allow bureaucrats to do anything they want to save the veteran from the evils of marijuana use.

It is time for this outdated and cruel policy to end and with it alleviate the fear and suffering of thousands of Veterans who deserve better of their Government.

The President can end the unnecessary suffering these Veterans go through by simply instructing the Department of Health and Human Services to implement the provisions of the Petition to Reschedule Marijuana from schedule 1 to schedule 3 which would remove marijuana from these extreme draconian measures.. Currently the active ingredient in marijuana, THC is listed as schedule 3, (safe and effective and can be proscribed by a doctor), and marijuana, the whole plant is listed as schedule 1 (dangerous and not allowed to be used for anything). This is ridiculous! That is like saying that the vitamin c in oranges is safe and ok to be proscribed by a doctor but the orange itself is too dangerous to be used for anything.

The Department of Health and Human Services has had the petition in it’s hands since 2004 and has not acted. This is inexcusable! Even with my disabilities I was at least able to read it in 2 hours. There is no science or logic in existence that can justify a five year delay in the implementation of the petition and certainly none that can justify sacrificing veterans on the alter of the failed ideology of prohibition.

The President promised his administration would act based on science and logic. Here is his chance to prove it and at the same time relieve the worry and suffering of the most deserving of our citizens, those who were casualties while standing the wall of Freedom.

Nothing better than to watch hundreds of people make the same comment yet we elect, and are then satisfied with leaders who continue to tell us WHICH bad substance we can partake in.  Guess if the REAl WASHINGTON OWNERS (the LOBBYSISTS) were as hardcore for Mj as they are for booze it'd be a different story but in this case, cannabis and Hemp would demolish all these other greedy businesses (pharma, lumber, tobacco, etc)  Can't just sit idly by and hand out freedom in a free country without thinking of the business criminals who will have to go through a year with 1 less yacht or ferrari...I know I'd feel sorry for a few thousand doctors that dont get free golf vacations and dinners to sell legal drugs people dont need.  This country is really pathetic.  Our "elected leaders" would rather stick to an obvious lie than to just admit the truth.  THE POWER OF THE DOLLAR IS GREAT INDEED!  THANKS OBAMA..REMEMBER TO CHUCKLE ABOUT MJ AS U WALK OUT THE DOOR OF THE WHITEHOUSE.

Fellow slaves help I have sent the following to the huffington post drop them a support follow up at

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/

To The Huffingtonpost,

Before you me off due to your programing. I am not a stoner I am 60 retired from a top fortune 500 company and now work part time. I am also a volunteer serving my country during the Vietnam war. So please read what I have to say and help our cause it is the number one cause in our nation. That gets no main stream media attention. Due to billions of corporate money working to keep the facts secret. It was number one when our leader ask for input, then blown off. It is number one on every poll site, I see, it was double the second issue on change.org.

My name is ---  ----  Cherokee Fred Jesus (Internet alias)

I fight the racist war on drugs. I have seen it destroy so many young people and the wasting of almost 100 billion a year. There are so many facets to this war it could reap head lines for years.

I started reading you paper and find it is honest. So the first thing that comes to mind is they can help. All I ask for is publish the truth if you need facts I will provide them to you. At no cost I will do anything you ask as a volunteer.  I have a score to settle with our country. My small home was raided by a team of, "Drug Task Force" types they found nothing. But the disrespect and pure stupidity of this action still haunts me. I wake up at night and think I hear "NARCS" outside my house. I have been violated and it will not go away.  They took this action based on an anonymous tip place by someone I upset using. My sons now X wife overheard me telling my son she was a bar whore.  Then used her get back book full of trailer park things you can do to people. Since that night I have read everything about this war. The facts are plain and easy to find for anyone that looks for them.


THE BIGGEST CONSPIRACY PLAYED ON THE AMERICAN PEOPLE IN HISTORY "THE WAR ON DRUGS"

THE CORPORATIONS BEHIND "DRUG FREE AMERICA FOUNDATION" THEY MAKE BILLIONS

FOR PROFIT JAILS BRIBING JUDGES TO INSURE THEY MAXIMIZE PROFITS

OUR LAWMAKERS TAKE MILLIONS EVER YEAR TO ENSURE OUR ENSLAVEMENT

WE PAY OTHER COUNTRIES BILLIONS TO SUPPORT OUR FAILED WAR ON OUR OWN PEOPLE

FEDERAL COURTS INSURE CONVICTIONS STAY AT 99% USING THE LAW TO STOP FREE SPEECH

THE WAR ON DRUGS WAS CONCEIVED BY RACIST AND GREEDY CORPORATIONS

CANNABIS BEFORE PROHIBITION WAS A POPULAR "CURE ALL" IT HELPS MANY PEOPLE TODAY

THE DEA AND DRUG CZAR = THEIR JOB IS LIE NEVER TELL THE TRUTH AND INSURE THE WAR LAST FOREVER

LOCAL COMMUNITIES ARE STARTING TO VIEW THE WAR ON DRUGS AS A CASH COW

WHO BENEFITS THE MOST FROM BILLIONS WASTED ON THIS WAR ON US

WHERE DOES 50% OF OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT MONEY GO?

THE INFLUENCE OF GEO CORP A FOR PROFIT JAIL CELL PROVIDER AND GROWING

CRUEL AND UNUSUAL PUNISHMENT CANNABIS PROSECUTION

HATE FOR A SEGMENT OF OUR POPULATION BY THE RIGHT FUELS WAR ON DRUGS

GROW ONE HERB PLANT GO TO JAIL FOR FIVE YEARS GUARANTEED

DYING PEOPLE, SICK PEOPLE PUT IN JAIL FOR SEEKING RELIEF



I could go on for days and write a factual article on every one of these headlines how about you?



Cherokee Fred Jesus

Frankly, I don't support legalizing marijuana, I support decriminalization.  With legalization, we give the government the right to tax the marijuana.  So, what you pay your dealer $50 for will soon cost you $100.  The majority of the cost of cigarettes is taxes.  That may help the economy, but why should a group of people who have been so abused be the ones to bail out the rest of the country?  It makes no sense. 

I watched a news show once several years ago in which a government official was talking about the fact that people who rape children get so little time in jail and he flat-out said that it was because of the space taken up by non-violent drug offenders.  This is the most asinine travesty in our country.  We're more concerned with making sure that someone who smokes a joint spends time in prison than keeping someone who repeatedly abuses children away from society.  No matter what your stance on any drug, you can't defend that. 

So, decriminalize it.  But honestly, it doesn't matter to me, because I'll continue to partake.

I know firsthand what it does!

I know firsthand what it does!

Everybody who supports legalization should write Obama a letter with this sentance in it.

    Dear President Obama, 

     If there is no significant progress in marijuana law reform at the Federal level then I do not think I can support you with either money or votes in 2012.

 That ought to get some attention. You can send the same thing to all your fed and state legislators.  If we ALL did this at the same time it would certainly give these knuckleheads something to think about!!!

You can go to this link, it is the White house office of Public Liason.  This is the front door of the White House.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

With the number of people who support legalization, such a large number of letters should wake them up!

Done that thanks hope others take actiion!!!

The present health care "debate" should open some peoples eyes about what is happening in our great country.

Corporations are running our world for their profit. It is the same with cannabis they pull the strings and our Representatives throw another 100 billion at putting us in a cell.

It is all about greed what I have been saying for years. It is time to take our country back nation! Stop putting people in jail because you do not approve of their choice. Turns our their choice is safer than beer that you can buy anywhere.

Its all about greed folks. It is estimated by doctors in California they say cannabis can replace up to 80% of the toxic drugs the legal boys push. That would mean a loss of 544 billion just to the legal drug pushers. Not to mention the beer people. Quit allowing our bought and paid for lawmakers from putting more non-violent victimless crime citizens in a cell for personal greed....

Cherokee Fred Jesus

There are two kinds of smokers the kind that are layed back and mellow I say they pass a law for that kind. People that need it for medical purposes too.

As for Chirs Sorochin whom obviously did not read everything I said and is 'HOSSSSTILE". I don't need to prove me to you. Pot will not make you better if your funky now.

PEACE AND LOVE TO ALL!!!HEY

Come on people we need your support to end this war on us.

Please join what I see as our focal point until the war is over and we can live in peace. Other sites come and go and like change.org limit your ability to speek freeley....

Leave comments, network with others, post your videos, tell your story, see the latest news, support activities, and the truth about this war. Without the censorship I have seen on change.org, youtube and other sites.

Kevin Booth is our number one supporter and has created this site for us. Please join the Drug War Coalition Together we can end the war on drugs!! Join at

http://drugwarcoalition.ning.com/

Kevin's has also given us a code to get a discount on his films using the code

hood1

Cherokee Fred Jesus

End slavery in the 21st century..

Our issue the number one issue over and over gets no respect from change.org..........

CFJ

If every marijuana using adult in the United States CAME OUT OF THE MARIJUANA CLOSET, there'd be political clout to STOP THE WAR ON DRUGS which has bankrupt the U.S. morally, politically and economically.

--Elizabeth Gips

From: Changes - Celebrating Our Growing Conciousness (http://changes.org/links/)

Yeah, not only is marijuana clearly safer than alcohol or tobacco, we are locking up unconscionably high numbers of people for trivial non-violent drug "crimes." Legalization of soft drugs like marijuana is what is needed, as well as prison reform.

The great news just keeps coming in.

Yesterday, Congress voted to finally lift the 11-year ban on Washington, D.C.’s medical marijuana law.

The House voted 221-202 and the Senate voted 57-35 to approve the measure.

For the last 11 years, under a provision known as the Barr amendment, Congress has prevented Washington, D.C. from implementing the medical marijuana law passed by 69% of voters in 1998.

Repealing this amendment has been a primary focus of MPP's federal lobbying efforts for many years. In 2007, we even hired former Congressman Bob Barr (R-Ga.) — the original author of the amendment — to lobby to overturn it. And our lobbyists have worked directly with members of the House and Senate and their staff since 2006 to eliminate this democracy-unfriendly law.

In fact, senior appropriators in Congress sought out MPP staff to work through specifics and to help better understand D.C.'s medical marijuana law and the complicated legal maneuverings that led to the blocking of its implementation.  

MPP would like to thank Congressmen Jose Serrano (D-N.Y.), Dave Obey (D-Wis.), Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), and Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) for their strong and abiding support of allowing D.C. to implement its medical marijuana law.

Today's vote represents a victory not just for medical marijuana patients, but for all Americans, who have the right to determine their own policies without federal meddling.

Now we need the same rights in EVERY STATE!!!!  In Florida, our organization is collecting petitions to get language on the 2010 ballot to legalize the use of medicinal marijuana.  Our site is located at www.pufmm.org and we welcome all registered Florida voters to visit our site, download petitions and get them distributed.  The time is now and we need all of your help.

Thanks.  Kevin S.