“The war on drugs has been an utter failure. … (W)e need to rethink and decriminalize our (nation’s) marijuana laws.”
-Barack Obama, January 2004 (Watch the video here.)
“I inhaled frequently, that was the point.”
-Barack Obama, November 2006 (Watch the video here.)
Q: “Will you consider legalizing marijuana so that the government can regulate it, tax it, put age limits on it, and create millions of new jobs and create a billion dollar industry right here in the U.S.?”
A: “President-elect Obama is not in favor of the legalization of marijuana.”
-Statement from Change.gov, the official website of President-Elect Obama, December 15, 2008
Okay, count me among those disappointed, but hardly surprised to see that Change.gov — the official website of the incoming Obama administration — answered the above question, which finished first out of over 7,000 public policy questions submitted to the website, in the most curt and dismissive way possible.
That said, as StoptheDrugWar.org’s Scott Morgan writes, Obama’s brevity is, in fact, quite telling.
As frustrating and insulting as it is to witness an important matter brushed casually to the side without explanation, Obama’s answer actually says a lot. It says that he couldn’t think of even one sentence to explain his position. Within the vast framework of totally paranoid anti-pot propaganda, Obama couldn’t find a single argument he wanted to associate himself with. That’s why he simply said “No. Next question.”
All of this highlights the well-known fact that Obama agrees that our marijuana laws are deeply flawed. He‘s said so, and has back-pedaled recently for purely political reasons. If Obama’s transition team tried to give an accurate description of his position on marijuana reform it would look like this:
Q: “Will you consider legalizing marijuana so that the government can regulate it, tax it, put age limits on it, and create millions of new jobs and create a billion dollar industry right here in the U.S.?” S. Man, Denton
A: President-elect Obama will not use his political capital to advance the legalization of marijuana. While he agrees that arresting adults for marijuana possession is a poor use of law enforcement resources, he believes that the issue remains too controversial to do anything about it.
In fact, Obama essentially said as much earlier this year when asked about the legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes.
Obama: “When it comes to medical marijuana, … my attitude is if it is an issue of doctors prescribing marijuana, … I think that should be appropriate. … Whether I want to use a whole lot of political capital on (this) issue; the likelihood of that being real high on my priority list is not likely.” (Watch the video here.)
So then, disappointed as we are, how should we proceed?
Answer: Just as we have been.
To be fair to President-Elect Obama, he never pledged to legalize marijuana. Quite the contrary, during his Presidential campaign he backtracked from his previous comments supporting pot decriminalization, and he even went so far as to pick one of the chief architects of the modern drug war to be his Vice President. In short, to believe that the Obama team would have responded to the legalization question any other way was idealistic at best, and foolish at worst.
But that hardly means that we activists should write off the next four years.
In November, editors at the website Alternet.org asked me to draft “a progressive agenda for Obama” regarding marijuana policy. At that time, I listed several realistic, practical actions Obama could take to substantially reform America’s antiquated and punitive pot laws. (Note, legalizing marijuana by Executive Order was not on my wish list.)
These actions include:
1. As President, Obama must uphold his campaign promise to “not … use Justice Department resources to try and circumvent state laws” that legalize the medical use of cannabis. (Watch the video here.)
2. Obama can appoint leaders to the US Department of Justice, DEA, and the Office of National Drug Control Policy who possess professional backgrounds in public health, addiction and treatment rather than in law enforcement.
3. Obama can support the autonomy and health of Washington D.C. voters by encouraging Congress to lift the so-called “Barr amendment” (passed by Congress in 1998 and reinstated every year since then), which prohibits the District of Columbia from implementing a 1998 voter-approved ballot initiative legalizing the use of marijuana by authorized patients.
4. Obama can call for the creation of a bipartisan Presidential commission to review the budgetary, social and health costs associated with federal marijuana prohibition, and to make progressive recommendations for future policy changes.
Ultimately, of course, it’s Congress, not the president, who is responsible for crafting America’s oppressive federal anti-drug strategies. Moreover, it is clear that in the coming years this battle will continue to primarily be fought — and won — on the state level, not in Washington D.C.
That’s not to say that we should not continue to keep the pressure on Obama by continuing to post questions to websites like Change.gov. (My suggestion for the next round of voting… How about: “On Election Day, over 3 million voters decided to legalize the medical use of cannabis in Michigan, making it the 13th state to enact laws allowing the legal medical use of marijuana. While campaigning, you pledged: ‘What I’m not going to be doing is spend Justice Department resources to try and circumvent state laws on this issue.’ As President, will you and your Attorney General uphold this promise not to target and prosecute patients and providers who are in compliance with state medical marijuana laws?“)
However, we must always remember that it will be the actions of tens of thousands — not the actions of just one man — that will ultimately bring an end to America’s vindictive and senseless war on cannabis consumers.
Now let’s get back to work!
We need more coverage on this, so more people will realize what happened and make sure to have their voice heard the second time around. why don’t we raise money for television ads? newspaper ads? etc.
Nicely formed question Mr. Armentano. Perfect, I should say.
If we could get all states to decriminalize/legalize recreational/medicinal marijuana, Federal law would have to conform to avoid a complete breakdown of the “Justice” system, a further breakdown of the economy, and a possible all-out uprising by the population.
Eventually they’ll get we’re serious. And eventually they’ll see people can only be pushed so far before they shove back.
i believe we the people should still focus on decriminalization, not just medical. To many people are being persecuted, on a daily basis, due to their belief that cannabis is the safer choice. We have spoken and through the democratic process pushed this agenda to #1 on change.gov just to be told off is 12 words. Obama is only out for himself and answered this way to save face. Im really starting to loose faith that we live in a country supposedly ran by the people.
Here here!
I see the Hill is dragging their feet again. No comments have been put up yet. If they delay the posts long enough then the subject will become “stale” and the comments will not be seen by anyone.
Well that’s no surprise. Someone needs to get an interview with him personally and ask why he has no interest in changing our current marijuana policies.
I found a really good question for Obama online once: “If you had faced the maximum punishment for breaking the marijuana laws you did when you were younger, would the United States be in a better place today?”
obama, you haven’t even taken office and you’re already letting down your people. i guess one will say just about anything to get elected. who the hell do you represent anyway? the people? the same ones you are now helping put in jails and prisons? or big business and your own private agenda? don’t be surprised on the 20th when the people greet you with eggs and shoes.
Leave the poor pres-elect alone already. He might honor his statements about stopping the DEA raids in Med states, IF YOU DON’T PISS HIM OFF AND PAINT HIM INTO A CORNER. Here in AR we had a Gov. who said he COULD support a well written Med law, who made speeches to law enforcement ABOUT THE FOLLY of arresting people for victimless crimes, who signed a law repealling an overly punitive paraphanalia law. Govenor Huckabee did all these things, UNTIL
Hi All, I am disappointed as the rest of you, to say the least. I recall seeing the overwhelming support for this legalization measure that I actually became optimistic for the first time in 20 years about this and I see that I wasted my good feelings once again. This change.org website asked us to vote to make Real change by building an open and transparent government and seeking input from all Americans? We voted and Obama has just blown us off. This Measure and cause is in 1st place and it doesn’t matter because this government doesn’t really want your ideas when it doesn’t agree with them. What is the point of expressing your opinion and vote when it is going to a Government that if it doesn’t agree it doesn’t matter. The War on drugs will continue, the war in Iraq and Afghanistan will continue and we will be denied universal healthcare. The Bankers and Wall Street people will be bailed out and we will all be forclosed out. This freedom we have is an illusion. I am not free to live my life in a peaceful manner because the corporate Police state doesn’t approve. Obama is starting to look a lot like Bush with a liberal tinge. A tinge of Leftism is not what we need people. I can really kick myself for getting hopeful that this nightmare would end. This Obama will listen to our opinions and chuck them. I should have voted for Ron Paul!
Sorry hit the submit button by mistake. As Govenor Huckabee was very progressive on pot issues UNTIL the local FREAK PRESS made a bunch of public accusations against his son that they couldn’t back up. In doing so they turned a FRIEND into an ENEMY and now he mindlessly parrots the same old drug war stupidity. We can’t win by LOGIC, nor COMPASSION, or with FACTS, politicians don’t care about any of these things. All they care about is votes. When NORML people start voting as a SINGLE ISSUE the END OF MARIJUANA PROHIBITION will be at hand. Look at SENIOR CITEZENS, look at GUN OWNERS. They vote their intrests..PERIOD. The reult: Anyone seriously trying to get elected to ANY office Fed State or local cowers before them, regardless of the merits of thier cause. If NORML ran a canidate for Prez and he captured just 5% of the popular vote nationwide, Marijuana would be legal before the next election.. Until then….
There is a health blog I go to on occasion and during one discussion I brought up decriminalization. Another commenter replied, “we just need to lose one more generation and then we’ll get her done”.
That has stuck in my mind and no doubt there’s a great deal of truth coming from that one statement.
Sad to say, sorry, but I didn’t think for one minute that Obama would have the courage to do the right thing when it came to cannabis.
Join the debate on this issue on HuffingtonPost here:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/
12/16/obama-team-answers-first_n_151411.html
Well, the Change.gov poll just made it to AOL News — always a day late and a dollar short.
Of course, the prerequisite puns and double entendres are abound, and there’s no mention that the question finished first out of 7,300 policy issues, or that similar questions dominated the Top 20. No, that might imply that this is a serious news story. Is it any wonder the Obama team took the dismissive curt tone it did when this is the way the MSM covers the issue?
PS: I suppose folks can ‘vote’ in the AOL online poll, which is also phrased as one big joke…
<http://news.aol.com/political-machine/2008/12/16/will-barack-obama-legalize-marijuana/>
Will Barack Obama Legalize Marijuana?
by TOMMY CHRISTOPHER
DEC 16TH 2008 3:19PM
filed under:eDemocrats, Barack Obama, Obama Administration
Barack Obama’s transition website, Change.gov, added a new feature recently that allows people to submit, and vote on, questions for the President-Elect and his team. After a bump in the road involving the spiking of Blagojevich-related questions, the site has put out it’s first round of questions and answers.
The fourth question on the list contains the aforementioned question, and its disappointing, if unsurprising, answer. From Open For Questions:
Q: “Will you consider legalizing marijuana so that the government can regulate it, tax it, put age limits on it, and create millions of new jobs and create a billion dollar industry right here in the U.S.?” S. Man, Denton
A: President-elect Obama is not in favor of the legalization of marijuana.
If the transition team had any sense of humor at all, they would have answered, “Are you high?”
Still, the fact that this question did so well ought to give the incoming administration some food for thought. A case of the Mental Munchies, if you will.
After being propelled to victory on a wave of energized young voters, and in light of the dominance of baby-boomers in the US population, it may be time to revisit the taboo herb’s legality. What better way to jumpstart a green economy?
blah blah blah ‘teh president doesnt make the laws, congress does’ yeah great, who decided what went where in the drug scheduling, WHY AREN’T ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO INCLUDED ON THE DRUG SCHEDULE, and who gets to change them? Because the government has been denying the medicinal effects of cannabis from over 70,000 research papers.
So put that in your pipe and smoke it, Obama.
Paul Armentano
Do you have any news regarding Alex White Plume?
I think the hemp issue could be a weak spot in Obama’s armor,especially if it forces Obama to oppose tribal sovereignty in the name of opposing industrial hemp.I think we need the help of Native Americans to fight for their right under treaty to grow hemp without govt interference.
Pamela Anderson wants you to vote!!!
http://www.popeater.com/television/
article/pamela-to-barack-legalize-pot-please/255299
I’m so tired of seeing the media’s incapability to take any issue pertaining to pot seriously. “Are you high?”, “Mental Munchies”, “green economy”… Yeah, I get it, you have jokes.
But guess what? I don’t have a fourth grade sense of humor, and despite the fact I smoke marijuana, I’m not just some dumb, slow, incompetent stoner fixed on making it easier to get my high (literally the only way to make it easier is to sell it in stores). I’m actually an American citizen who is as concerned, if not more so, about this trainwreck of a country as anyone else.
I want marijuana legal so I don’t have to fear unjust persecution, and to see the country’s status in the world improve with a brand new (Ha.) cash crop to make BILLIONS of dolloars of revenue with.
But nah, make jokes and laugh your way into the recession. It gives you a good idea just how brainwashed everybody is when the people associated with the stigma of being lazy, unreliable, unmotivated, and immature are far more ready to deal with the realities of the world than everyone else.
I take him at his word he dose not support the legalization of marijuana.
As for this supposed promise he states he doesn’t want people to “grow their own or be setting up mom and pop shops” he then goes on to say he’s for weed being used “in the same way with the same controls as other drugs”.
So what dose all that mean?
THC pills sold to you at hyper inflated prices by pharmaceutical companies. Jail & civil seizures for anyone competing with corporate weed pills.
Oh lets not forget it’s a first degree felony per pill to posses prescription medication without a prescription.
Once again the repubocratic party has fooled us in to thinking their really two parties.
Here’s a hint republican’s are fascist democrat’s are communist. Fascism & Communism are both forms of Socialism.
Socialism is anti freedom.
Aren’t we all glad we didn’t waist our votes strengthening the libertarian party who public supports our rights.
It was an exciting week watching the variety of questions on change.gov related to drug policy. We should take a moment to congratulate ourselves for the work on this project, then back to work as our community organizers.
When I hear about “political capital,” what I really hear is “ritual sacrifice.”
Obama is deciding to make the usual ritual sacrifice of marijuana users to the gods of the law enforcement lobbies so that he can accomplish the rest of his agenda in Congress.
We’re practically heroes.
How would anything progressive ever happen in this country if progressives didn’t have marijuana users they could throw into the fire?
I think that’s the bottom line.
We should get a frickin’ medal for that, really.
Who cares if he says he wont do it? Its not really up to him. Its up to US. The US citizens are the ones that rule this country. Given its not like that, or it doesnt seem like it anymore. But if its what the people want who cares what any political figure has to say. ITS OUR SAY. Now let us get out there and be heard!!
It didn’t hurt to hope, but I think we all knew better.
It is becoming obvious that the candidates that we think we are electing president, are nothing more than puppets.
Who are they serving when they keep beefing up the drug war? Deffinantly not the majority that disagrees with the idea. Who are they trying to help when they allow children to be injected with high doses of mecury, called “vacinations”? When the FDA allows poison disguised as toys, tooth paste and shampoo to be sold at walmart who are they helping?
The fact is America quit being about the people a long time ago. America is now about the empire. If you do not make a certain amount of money or rub shoulders with a politician you are nothing more than a peasant.
America got mind control over the rest of the world when marijuana was made illegal. If America says she was wrong then she becomes another stupid bia, and she looses a lot her credibilty. Then we have to admit that we don’t know what is best for the world.
I applaud the efforts of groups like norml for their persistence, peaceful deminstrations and for trying to take a rightious path. Honestly though, as sad as it sounds, the mexican drug cartels is doing more for the legalization of marijuana than any peaceful group will ever do.
By letting the drug war go on these groups get richer, more powerful and more daring (kind of like Bush and Chainey). If America keeps operating in a defecit and the cartels keep making billions of dollars, who do you think will end up on top?
Honestly the end of prohibition is just around the corner, after the politicians steal our rights, rape the constitution, put us in a depression that we will never get out of and find a way to get us blown up.
well, will the now 82% in favor on the AOL poll get any notice ? as for the 15% who put Barry in, our vote was the difference.
wow.. he actually said it’s ‘too controversial’ of a matter?
that is LAME. i thought he was stronger than that.
So does this mean when Obama wants to avoid a question he just doesn’t answer it? That shounds like an unapproachable person. Is this the kind of president we elected. If so he won’t get elected a second term. The way i see it is if Obama doesn’t do enoug for medical cannabis we should not give him another chance. This would send a clearer message.
Why don’t this surprise me, either?
First, I left by now 2 comments on the Hill blog and after 3 days there are zero posted. They are censoring us again, remember the last time the number got stuck on 25 for the longest time.
I have been following the local media here in Western NC and There has to be at least one case of “manufacturing” cannabis every couple of days or so on the evening news. I confronted them and posted the whole interchange of e-mails unedited at my website, (click name) here and at drugwarrant.net. Of course now they ignore me, but the busts keep coming and the pro drug war propaganda continues. While Obama’s statement reads that he is opposed to legalization, AT least Ind. Hemp needs to get legalized for economic reasons and we can hope that Barney Frank’s Bill gets traction, as it really puts the pressure on the States. As far as Mass Propaganda outlets, such as the local WLOS ABC affiliate, I guess we better get a word in edgewise, because as long as there is no open debate, the government can hide behind the “perceived” silence by the media.
One tack to consider would be advocating for a Surgeon General who will advocate for a science based health policy (as regards both medical marijuana, and the relative dangers to national health pose by marijuana, tobacco, and alcohol). Perhaps this time the President will not get all wobbly like Gov. Clinton did.
Duh, Obama doesn’t care about this issue, all you who thought he was pro-cannabis need to look into the history books. Presidential Candidates will say ANYTHING to get your vote. I can’t trust Obama as far as I can throw him. Should have given Ron Paul more support, he is the only guy who has ran for president lately that has had a clue. I knew this was going to happen. Ron Paul supports the legality of cannabis; he even proposed a bill to make it legal!!!
President elect Obama clearly will be at a place, on day one, where he can issue an order to the DEA.
He can order the DEA to begin rescheduling and stop enforcing marijuana laws until the rescheduling is complete.
I’ll continue. It is clear that the majority of Americans agree that marijuana is improperly scheduled.
The repercussions are that people go to jail based on unjust and false assumptions built into the current scheduling of marijuana. Even more, scheduling that most Americans disagree with.
Sentences based on a lack of justice and false assumptions against the will of voters should be prevented.
We all knew the answer to the “legalizing marijuana” question was going to be what it ended up being… so let’s approach this realistically. We don’t need to win the war right now, let’s take baby steps and win each battle… and the war will be eventually won!
I agree with the suggested question in this article regarding Obama upholding his promise “not to target and prosecute patients and providers who are in compliance with state medical marijuana laws?”… and I think instead of asking him about legalizing marijuana, we should rather ask if he is willing to put his support behind H.R. 5843, which will decriminalize cannabis for responsible users! Let’s get these questions into the next round of voting and get them to the top of the list. I think specifically asking him about his promise or about legislation that has already been proposed is more likely to get an answer worth hearing. And I think keeping this subject in the forefront and continually making him address the issue will force the nation as a whole to address it!
I was not surprised with the response. I prefer politicians who will go out on the edge and ‘take a risk’ and publicly state they are for legalizing marijuana. I owe it to a politician, in fact, that I even CARED about this issue at all! Representative Ron Paul cured my apathy toward this topic, and now I am all about legalizing marijuana. I am pulling for B.J. Lawson (running in North Carolina’s fourth district this year) to run again in 2010. He is a politician who will step up and say that the war on drugs is wrong, wasteful, etc. We need politicians like him.
-DC
http://www.davidcarlsonpolitics.com
Just like you stated earlier new boss same as the old boss.. Just to prove again that politicians will say and do anything to get elected.. Let’s carry on as usual drink ourselves to death again to pay taxes and give money to the ones that kill us the most.. liqour and tabacco ..
Want to contact CNN for a news tip?
http://www.cnn.com/feedback/tips/newstips.html
How about MSNBC?
Today
Nightly News with Brian Williams
Dateline NBC
Meet the Press
I know Fox is a little conservative but I cant just leave them out.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,77538,00.html
Honestly, i’m not surprised at his answer. Sure it was the #1 question on the list, but this is just too unpopular of a subject. And yes, it really is up to congress to enact a bill like that, but the real question to Obama is: “If congress approved the use of medicinal marijuana, would you veto it?” Because this is the main function of a president.
Other than that, people should contact their senators, congressmen, and governors about this situation. This is not the end.
stupid lemmings……RON PAUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We will have to bring the question into play using the Medical Marijuana angle. As a medical marijuana patient , Using Marijuana to combat the nausea that I suffer from Migraines, and Bone Spurs on one of my Vertebra which aches badly, especially in the Colder times of the year. I am optimistic that our new president will find it a win win situation to have cannabis only given out to Medical Patients with the proper Doctors Recommendation (soon to be a prescription only product} When Marijuana is Changed to a Class 2 drug. Then Federal and State Laws will be Married and Some of the Madness can end. I often wonder if these elected leaders think that one day they will be Judged in History as evil to let such destruction to happen to the american people, not to mention the World!!!
Not many people bringing up the hemp issue,which is probably Obama’s weakest point.I,for one,care more about what is good for the country than being able to walk into a store and buy marijuana.In my opinion the whole thing is unconstitutional and no govt has a right to tell me what I can put into or take out of my body.But we have to focus on our best chances of chipping it away.MMJ has a good chance,hemp should have an even better chance since Obama says he is making alternative fuels and job creation his top priorities.I keep asking but I’m not getting any answers about the status of Alex White Plume.I think that this is the perfect time for Native Americans to challenge the federal govt over the sovereign right to grow hemp and if Obama opposed tribal sovereignty in the name of opposing hemp it would bring it into the MSM.
I’d like to hear from NORML what they know about this.
this is no surprise to me at all. obama is exactly like every other moron we’ve voted into office in the past. once again the american public has had the wool pulled tightly over their eyes.
Another lying politician. So much for change people can believe in, right? Overthrow all federal governments. States rights like a mofo, yo.
Here’s something of interest: the good folks at Change.org (the other website polling on this question, not the Obama website) have linked to NORML’s blog post, and reflects on why their poll is equally if not more important than Obama’s:
http://criminaljustice.change.org/blog/view/
working_for_marijuana_reform_in_the_age_of_obama
The Obama administration recently answered the top question on change.gov: “Will you consider legalizing marijuana so that the government can regulate it, tax it, put age limits on it, and create millions of new jobs and create a billion dollar industry right here in the U.S.?” With just one sentence.
“President-elect Obama is not in favor of the legalization of marijuana.”
The answer should only strengthen support for the top idea on change.org’s Ideas to Change America site: “Legalize the medicinal and recreational use of marijuana.” The difference between our site and change.gov? These ain’t no questions. These are policy recommendations supported by thousands of people, and the more votes this idea has when we present it to the administration, the more weight it will carry.
Haven’t voted yet? Do so here:
http://www.change.org/ideas?order=top#listSection
or here:
http://www.change.org/ideas/view/
legalize_the_medicinal_and_recreational_use_of_marijuana
Lets just do our best to keep shoving this subject into the spotlight. Next chance I get I’m going to post the question: “WHY won’t you consider legalizing marijuana so that the government can regulate it, tax it, put age limits on it, and create millions of new jobs and create a billion dollar industry right here in the U.S.?” My hope is to keep this subject alive and not let anyone shoot us down with one sentence which just raises more questions.
as a medical marijuana patient in limbo, it’s good to hear the New Jersey Governor’s angle on medical marijuana……..doing the right thing like Richardson did in New Mexico.
Source: Press of Atlantic City December 17, 2008
Trenton, NJ — Gov. Jon S. Corzine said Tuesday that he supports and would sign a bill allowing medicinal marijuana use, but added that economic issues are his top priority.
“I don’t think that we ought to be having fights on issues that don’t go to the heart of the needs of a broad majority of folks,” Corzine told reporters Tuesday afternoon. “I think that this is one that if it can be moved expeditiously because there’s a consensus, I think that’s great. I have studied the issue and I think that if properly structured, it’s an initiative that’s sensible.”
#1: Steven: unfortunately, money costs money, HOWEVER, you can write LTEs (letters to the editor) for free which may be then printed. Editors are morally bound to give everyone a voice, but there are things you must consider when writing them: 1. be short and consise; newsprint space for LTEs is very limited. They will often tell you how short your letter needs to be to be considered for publication. As an example, see i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj48/phillydrifter/drugs/071117PhillyMetro.jpg which is a letter I wrote to the Philly Metro, a free daily newspaper. Their word limit is 150, that letter is barely over, something like 154; they also changed the title, my title was ‘An open letter to mayor-elect Nutter’ whom gave an interview to nbc10 during the mayoral race, talking about how he wanted to drastically reduce murders within the city. (for 2006 and 2007, there were over 365 murders, i.e. more murders than days of the year)
Please be sure to press the fact that, just like during alcohol prohibition, prohibiting something has no effect on desire to use it, it only removes the government from taxing it while promoting black market violence on the streets.
Someone asked about the risk of ‘overdosing’ on cannabis; I’ll tell you right now I stumbled onto this page: http://www.drug-overdose.com/marijuana.htm by using ‘stumbleupon’ which you too can use if you sign up at stumbleupon.com. After signing up you’ll set your preferences and run the installer, which installs an add-on to firefox; after you reboot firefox you’ll have a new bar under your regular bar which includes ‘Stumble!, thumb up and thumb down, send to:,’ and a few other buttons, but it lets you literally stumble around the web and you’ll find sites you never knew existed.
But as I was saying, someone asked about the mortality rate of cannabis; that’s called ‘the LD-50,’ which means ‘lethal dose required to kill 50% of the test subjects.’
By googling ‘LD-50 marijuana’ ( http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&
q=LD-50+marijuana&btnG=Google+Search&aq=f&oq= ) the first result is:
“Tetrahydrocannabinol – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
One estimate of Cannabis’s LD50 for humans indicates that about 1500 pounds of marijuana would have to be smoked within 15 minutes.” ergo: it’s impossible to overdose on cannabis.
Please stop calling it ‘marijuana,’ doing so only invokes all the negative connotations that have been smeared on it since the term was coined by Harry Anslinger when it was outlawed.
I posted a comment on “The Hill’s” website regarding this issue but apparently the moderators chose not to post it. It was well worded and intelligent but I guess that they are trying to sweep comments under the carpet.
They are too scared to bring it to the main stream since they know they will be put on a stick by the people who know better.
I swear this country is about making people stupid in order to keep them at bay and at the same time, do what ever they please.
There is going to have to be alot more ground covered on HR 5843.
Not only is it not seen headlines in months, most people have no clue it even exists.
I strongly suggest a way to get the message out. maybe a printable flyer or something to get the word out to more people.
It doesnt matter how many bills are proposed, if no one knows about it, who is going to support it.
WE NEED A FORUM, WE NEED A PLAN. 4TH OF JULY I HEAR THERE IS A RALLY. HOW CAN WE GET THIS STARTED? ITS ALMOST 2009.
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED, POST HERE TO START.
STOP UNDER-ESTIMATING STUPID PEOPLE IN LARGE NUMBERS!
Hey guys another new site just popped up where you can start a discussion about the new presidency. You can view the site at http://ourpresidency.ning.com/. There is also a place to make suggestions at http://ourpresidency.ning.com/profiles/blog/list
I believe president-elect Obama is an intelligent man, as are many if not most of our law-makers. So really, the question will be whether he posesses the political courage and honesty the others don’t. The entire drug policy and approach to the topic in this country is wrong.
He has promised change, and I relied on those promises in supporting him. However, with everything else so out-of-whack, I don’t look for this to be a top-priority. Not when there’s been so many serious crimes being committed within the White House that urgently need to be addressed.
David B. Sloane
Attorney at Law
http://www.sloanelaw.com
I have not had time to devote to reading all these comments, but I would encourage all to go to the discussion board and begin participating. It has taken a life of it’s own. A virtual revolution. Just remember, the replies are sent to your address, and make it easier for you to follow the discussion in a few panels of your browser. Perhaps we can all band together and let our voices be heard. I believe this change can happen, though not the change the government wants. The change the people want. Peace, Jim
in the next round of questions we need to push for a rescheduling of Cannabis for a category one to a 2,3,4,or 5.
It is time NOW to end Marijuana Prohibition in the United States. Marijuana Prohibition is a failed policy which costs federal, state and local governments billions of dollars per year in ineffective enforcement efforts, not to mention the immeasurable human and social costs attendant upon criminalizing a large segment of the citizenry. Aside from being an obscene waste of ever more precious taxpayer dollars, marijuana prohibition has perpetuated the black market, which serves to divert billions of dollars annually from the legitimate (i.e. taxpaying) economy into the hands of drug cartels and illegal organizations.
Marijuana Prohibition in the U.S. is a policy which was born in racism and vested commercial interests. Prohibitionists initially justified their cause by identifying marijuana as “the reason all Mexicans are lazy and stupid” and warning the public that “reefer makes darkies think they’re as good as white men”. Marijuana Prohibition in the United States began at around the time that alcohol prohibition ended. It has evolved from the demagoguery of “Reefer Madness” to the current situation in which the government seeks to punish its citizens who choose to use marijuana.
Marijuana Prohibition has been perpetuated upon notions that marijuana is a dangerous and addictive drug that causes criminal and antisocial behavior. These notions have been thoroughly and universally disproven. Yet while we no longer prohibit the use of alcohol, and have never prohibited tobacco use, our government continues to spend billions attempting to enforce marijuana prohibition in spite of overwhelming scientific evidence and public opinion to the contrary.
In a nation which places great value on individual liberties, each citizen has the right and responsibility to decide for himself or herself whether or not to use alcohol, tobacco, and yes, marijuana. We the people should not tolerate, let alone encourage, any government to make these decisions for us. Prohibition, this time of marijuana, has once again become a national boondoggle and an unwarranted infringement of personal liberty in a country which calls itself the Land of the Free.
President-elect Obama has said that our elected leaders must work to restore faith and trust in government. That purpose will be frustrated if we continue to waste taxpayer funds and resources on a prohibitionist policy that is now almost universally recognized to be without intellectual, moral or economic justification. The now well known practices and tactics employed by government in attempts to enforce prohibition continually diminish the credibility and character of those governments. These practices range from the militaristic assaults by heavily armed federal DEA agents upon medical marijuana dispensaries in California, all the way down to the local county sheriff who stages a big marijuana sting operation 2 weeks before an election. Truth and reliable information are what we must demand from our government, not continued stubborn adherence to wrong-headed policies.
Mr. Obama has also recently said that he and his staff are going to have to look at “every line on every page” of the federal budget in light of the current economic crisis. Funding for many programs may have to be cut or eliminated. Ending prohibition now will eliminate billions of dollars of waste from the federal budget, and will be a positive step in rebuilding our belief that our government tells us the truth, acts rationally, and respects the rights and personal privacy of all of its citizens.
Wow… Some serious discussion here… Did anyone think that maybe it would be political suicide to embrace decriminalization of marijuana at this juncture in his career? At least let him take office and appoint a new drug czar…
Excuse me, but when I said the discussion board, I meant the one at http://change.gov. Sorry about that, I’m rather excited about the prospect. Jim
We the people put Obama in and we the people can remove him as well for not standing up as he promised. It just goes to show what power can ans does to a person
Look, Obama’s main supporters are the SEIU and other public leech unions. Did anyone really expect a change?
By the way, I can find no mention of marijuana policy on Change.gov. Has it been removed?
This is the exact reason why I voted for Ralph Nader.
The democrats and the republicans are beholden to their corporate masters and “change you can believe in” is just more empty rhetoric from one wing of the business party. Maybe next time you’ll think about voting for a third party candidate.
Considering that the hill’s congress Blog has still to post any of our replies to Paul’s well written piece, here are a coupl;e of links to contact Representatives and Senators directly.
Representatives: https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml
Senators:
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
Just a quick response to Robert V. up above. It is people like you who make people like me (no intention of ever using marijuana – well, shouldnt say that, I would use medical marijuana as you do if I had a condition and it worked as I’m sure it would!) care about marijuana legislation. Why should the government imprison people for relieving their pain by inhaling a plant???? That is what it comes down to, not to mention the hundreds of other negative effects we have had to experience due to prohibition.
-DC
http://www.davidcarlsonpolitics.com
We’re not done yet. We need to make sure everyone knows this issue is not going away. Back to work.
While Obama isn’t for the legalization of marijuana, he did state that he wanted to decriminalize it (Which I believe is the first step). I believe he’ll stay true to this and might eventually accomplish this in his term. One of the things he constantly stated was that he would get rid of plans/groups in office that were losing us money, and he knows that the current plan is a GIANT waste of the taxpayers money (as shown in the interview).
I’d also like to add that a reason that he quickly responded no to legalization is probably because its such a radical idea for a president to bring up (Last one who did was Jimmy Carter). At the moment he’s worried about financial issues and the war, if he makes such a radical move like bring up drugs then he would probably lose the support of several people in the American public (which is something that he needs right now)
If Lincoln could free the slaves, why can’t Obama free the stoners? Slavery was way more of an issue back then, but Lincoln was man enough to face it and put an end to it. That said, Obama has no excuse to not face this issue because it is “too controversial.”
I hope things change toward marijuana, it’s a waste of time and money to arrest marijuana users. It’s really disheartening to see that marijuana laws will not change on the federal level over the next 4 yrs…
People forget the invisible gun in the room. The government can’t enforce anything… ANYTHING… without the threat of violence.
That translates to Obama basically pointing a gun to every individual’s head, telling us we can’t make these decisions for ourselves in the peace of own own home.
What will it take for Marijuana Prohibition to end. Is there a way to have a country wide vote. How come the liquor companies have a monopoly? Ads on tv news papers,billboards. There are lots of people who do not like liquor. Why can i not choose what I what to use to relax!! I voted for change, not some puppet. Mass numbers of people can change things. The goverment will have to listen.
Well said. It is so easy to give up hope when Politics rears it’s ugly head. But, if every State said enough is enough and does what it feels is right. What then can they say? What can they do if no one believes thier lies anymore and seeks actual truths? Truths based on Science, not right wing law enforcement.
Nothing, I say…but we shall see! I’m hopeful.
Keep up the good work and keep our hope alive with your vigilence. Keep knocking and somebody will eventually open the door of truth in our Government and quit side stepping the issue.
Happy Holidays to all
Jerry Harrison, KY
All we can do is hope and pray he does actually do something.
Their heads are stuck up their ass so far that we don’t have a chance. They simply can’t hear us with all that shit in their ears!
He is right they won’t legalize marijuana (for political reasons of coarse.), but he will give the people the platform to have our voices heard, which is something that wasn’t there at all during the Gov Bush administration. Now is the time to fight! We have four years to convince a “Stoner” that the people believe “Marijuana” is not bad. Do we have our work cut out for us or what? Why don’t we start by calling the plant the last name it had before it was ripped off the face of world “Cannabis Sativa anyone?”
No, what’s BS is whenever I put my two cents on these blogs NORML rips through it like it has no value. Thanks NORML for being a bunch of condescending jerks.
I’m just playing I’m just trying to prove that no matter who you are you have a voice and you should use it. NORML is in no way condescending or jerks I’m just being a typical everyday schmuck that is tired. In fact, I am the jerk for posting the remark b4 this one. See, I can take it. I love NORML and I value their work and everything that they stand for. If they posted the response b4 this one my point should be taken. Hope you all have a sense of humor no matter how jacked up mine may seem. (:P)
When the pre-Baby-Boomer generation dies off completely, there would no longer be nearly as many powerful old-farties to criminalize marijuana. See, most of the government (Congress, state legislature, etc..) are filled of pre-Baby-Boomers. The most powerful people at around 70 years of age. They are making the middle-aged people like Bill Clinton and Obama think twice about pot.
Give it 10-15 years, and basically all of the pre-baby-boomers (who were over 25 years old at the beginning of the 1960’s) will finally be gone! With the majority starting to accept marijuana, we’ll go back to the spiritual Biblical times of smoking pot in churches and worshipping God. I mean, if gay marriages are being legalized in some states, marijuana is definitely going to be legalized in roughly the same period. Just like with blacks being able to vote, and we knew that it was a matter of time before women could vote too.
Heck, the Netherlands is a beautiful model. Why cant Belgium follow suit? And Denmark perhaps? It would help the horrible suicide rate in Sweden, by making them mellow (their beer doesnt seem to help). Pot use in Canada keeps on growing and growing, even the cops there are smoking it. Once, I went to a pot parade in Toronto, and we all smoked pot on the streets in downtown right in front of all those cops. I mean, if pot were legal, it would get rid of most corrupt police–since many of them smoke pot themselves. It would calm them down and satisfy them, not having to bust anybody with pot so that they can take it, smoke it, and steal the cash for it. It’s the only way for those cops to get their hands on weed, by going after the lower-class people more often than the ethical norm. Heck, if we all had access to pot, it would satisfy us from wanting the hard drugs. It would satisfy us from needing most of the prescription drugs, that only make us completely broke ($400 a month on Rx drugs for an average middle-aged citizen). Legal pot can be $100 a month tops.. or even cheaper if ingested by cookies or brownies.
There’s a wonderful movie on pot.. like “Super Size Me”, but rather “Super High Me”! Watch it yourself, and find out the effects of 30-day trails!!
http://www.blockbuster.com/catalog/movieDetails/374092
I wrote in Ron Paul.
We all neeed to get off our butts and stand up against our goverment, we’re letting the goverment control us, the people insted of we the people controlling it. WHO HAS THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE FOR AN ENTIRE NATION OF PEOPLE when our country is based on the PEOPLE HAVING THE RIGHT OF CHOICE. Yet congress, which is suposed to be the peoples reps couldnt be further from that original appointment. We NO LONGER have our rights givin to us by the constitiution, I cant tell a cop to go f himself without going to jail, i cant even step outside my house and have a beer out front without some over zealous local goverment agent (cop) giving me a ticket and threatening me, Hell I cant even come home from work and get assulted by a group of intoxicated idiots who are on parole without being the one questioned handcuffed taken to jail and im now going to court because of it even though it was on my property (private with no tresspassing signs ect posted) because i was sober and kicked the shit out of two drunkin idiots who assulted me befor i got out of my truck, on my property im suffering the legal repercussions. all i have to say is, F this goverment, F obama, F any president prior to and F you if you got a problem with it. Because these are the facts. Stand up and Man up or Shut up and sit down, If you’ve all got an issue with it then do something about it, insted of this crap online do like me, forget protesting (you can and most liekly will goto jail for it without the proper permits) Call your states goverment representitive and raise hell. THATS WHY THEY ARE THERE. We need to take back our freedoms and put our goverment in check. im tired of being harassed, arrested and tormented by the goverment for self defense or a natural herb that clearly has NO ILL EFFECTS.
what we need is to make ads telling the trut a program of marijuana talking about hemp/medicinal marijuana and personal use marijuana history evrething…
we need to keep like somewone in the comments said upsetting obama…make him note that our priority is this cause it is linked with most things the war on petroleum cause we can make fuel and energy out of hemp.we can help world hunger,global warming.
we need to act now!Obama legalize marijuana completely!
I’m hoping that the use of marijuana for compassionate care and consumption, a.k.a. medical marijuana will finally be allowed in N.Y. and everywhere else in the USA for that matter…Obama needs to step up to the plate and do us chronically and terminally ill people a big favor and help make our medicine legal…He’s already done me one huge favor by repealing the bans on stem cell research, which offers hope for finding cures and treatments for Multiple Sclerosis and scores of other aflictions- and in his first eight hours of command…Now if he could just help us to be pain-free and asymptomatic while they find the cure of our diseases…That truly would be a miracle…I am NOT A CRIMINAL- I AM CHRONICALLY ILL AND SLOWLY DYING…yet the government and local law inforcement says I am, and I’ve been prosecuted twice, for trying to make myself well and be productively pain free. It’s a sad state of affairs indeed…but I hold faith in good things to come…
Is it time to tax marijuana ?
Its Time to TAX Marijuana……………
I don’t think Obama will be a good president. Look what he has done so far.