UPDATE!!! UPDATE!!! UPDATE!!!
The HuffingtonPost.com, one of the most visited political websites in the world, has just posted a version of my commentary online here. Please post your feedback to the Post, and make it clear that marijuana law reform must be part of the ‘progressive’ agenda.
If you thought President Barack Obama’s mocking response to the question of whether “taxing and regulating cannabis would raise revenue and reduce prohibition-associated violence” couldn’t be any worse, just listen to White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs stumble.
Kudos to the reporters who held the White House’s feet to the fire on this one. First, Gibbs is asked: “When the President said he doesn’t think that legalizing marijuana would give the economy a boost was he giving a political answer or an economic answer? Does he have numbers to back (his position) up?”
The pained expression on Gibbs’ face says it all as he mumbles that, in fact, he is aware of no economic analyses — as in zip, nada — that support the President’s dismissive position. Naturally, we have numerous credible economic reports proving just the opposite. Perhaps Mr. Gibbs would like to review them here, here, here, and here.
Minutes later, the White House Press Secretary appears even more desperate for a place to hide when a second reporter asked Gibbs to articulate the reasons why the President refuses to consider the issue. Gibbs’ response is priceless.
“Uh, he, he does not think that, uh, uh, that that is uh, uh, [pause] he opposes it, he doesn’t think that that’s the, the right plan for America.”
And there you have it. Wow. Such a vapid response wouldn’t cut it if Gibbs was a third-grader standing in front of his classroom, no less the Press Secretary to the White House!
Keep in mind, both Obama and his press secretary knew in advance that they were going to publicly respond the question of taxing and regulating cannabis. They had at least 24 hours to prepare an articulate, rational, and substantive response. And yet the best response they could come up with was snickers and “uh.”
Are the final days of marijuana prohibition upon us? It sure looks that way from here. But why not write the President and ask him yourself.
NORML needs to cut a new ad quoting Obama on restoring science to its place, followed by his mocking at the town hall, followed by Gibbs gibberish. Devastating.
OMG, He is straight and can’t speak. He had 24 hours to prepare for his speach, he was squirming and ready to drop any questions about marijuana. He didn’t have an answer and kept tripping over his words. Thank you press agents for keeping it forfront and making him answer it.
Good Lord… they could’ve at least regurgitated the same lies about marijuana that they always have rather than just stubbornly say, “Nope. Nope. Nope. I don’t want to legalize it. No, I don’t want to hear your facts. Nope.” These people are more stubborn than a damn mule.
I’m very excited to see this topic on the news almost every single day now, whether its in our favor or not, its still finally getting out to the public.
It will shappen, and pretty darn soon.
It’s kinda like your parents used to say….”Because I said so!!!!”
This administration is full of LOSERS, change my ass! Only chnage is new faces, same BS…..
I’m very surprised that this even got asked AND they actually pressed him on it, while their answers are disappointing, just them making him look stupid is good enough to get the topic out there.It looks like the media has grown a pair.
For this debate to go anywhere, someone needs to write an authoritative, academic study on the precise economic benefits of legalization and a proposed regulatory framework.
So how about it NORML?
I don’t see much of an economic plan on your website.
I think you’re missing a great opportunity to take advantage of the recession.
How about offering a $50,000 stipend towards a fellowship that would generate just this sort of document?
See, marijuana doesn’t make you stupid; trying to justify a stupid position does.
I voted for you, now don’t let us down!
Yea honestly that was a really weak response, i could’ve thought up a better lie than uh uh uh to that question, looks like big tobacco and alcohol need a more articulate pawn to spout nonsense and lies.
the reporters did good. But, the media is always ready to give them a tongue lashing–reguardless. Remember guys—we need FLYERS!! who cares if it’s 10 or 100. And don’t just litter–put them under windshield wipers on cars in parking lots on Friday/Saturday nights. Not much…..but a start.
And make them informational too.
And if….just IF you have a cool boss; ask him/her if you may “anonymously” leave them out where customers can see/take one if they want.
Well Hell, I been writing to State and Feds. for years about legal Marijuana… I QUIT.. Screw it……Just don’t carry it in your car, don’t smoke in public, buy a lil at a time and Don’t Vote OBAMA in 2012.. Just get use to being a slave in this Country.. People in the US words are worth as much as a pile of Do-Do. worthless…
There you have it. Obama strongly opposes legalization for any reason. Keep on supporting the man though if you are digging all of these new wars we are escalating in the middle east.
Ron Paul ’12
But we already gave the White House a solution for the economy problems and they laughed now they expect us to support their agenda for economic recovery? how does this work? they don’t agree with us but we must agree with them?
REMEMBER IT IS ONLY CONGRESS THAT CAN MAKE LAWS: Its great to continue to put the pressure on the White House to explain their rational of laughing off a very serious matter in the eyes of American citizens everywhere. But it is ultimatley Congress and your state that are going to bring an end to marijuana prohibition. Continue to write and call your local governments and state senators and congressmen. Lets show the politicians of this nation that this is no longer a topic that can just be bundled with a say no to drugs policy.
… and there you have it folks… not only do they not know (government), but they don’t care either.
“Are the final days of marijuana prohibition upon us?”…NOT EVEN CLOSE, although I’m as eager as the next person for that day to come I think it would be WAY too optimistic to think that this will change ANYTHING. Those of us who support this issue have know for years,and for some of you older folks decades, that the government doesn’t have a leg to stand on with this issue, however keeping it illegal employs too many people and cannabis prohibition will remain the statis quo. In the meantime the best we can do is keep trying to make the rest of the public see how they are being lied to.
On a side not I emaild several government officals immediately after “the laughing incident” and have yet to receive even an automated response, and was just wondering if anyone else out there has ever received a reply after emailing someone in government?
hahahaaa…. that stuttering fucker was funny and a lot lose of words
we got this
I smoke when its illegal so do 1/6 above 8th grade so i dont think theres too much they can do to stop it : )
GOOD LUCK STILL NORML and everyone like me trying to get the good stuff legalized
I don’t watch too many of Gibb’s Press Confs. but I don’t think I’ve ever heard so many Uh,Hm,um,hum,um, er,a,they-ah,duh!out of Gibbs. Just what the hell is he hiding?
It’s apparent that Gibbs and Obama haven’t talked about this subject one bit. Gibbs sounded like the CEO from Chrysler Corp. explaining why he took a corporate jet instead of public transportation. It looked like fear to me.
These guys don’t have a clue but they should.
Maybe they just want the Republicans to disagree so the pressure will be off Obama? Who the hell knows?
And… what’s so fucking funny?
Thanks very much to norml.org, the reporters asking the questions, and the entire online (and offline) community for not letting such an offensive answer go unquestioned. I was very upset about how the question was answered during the online town hall. I have supported Obama from the start, but when he laughed at all of us trying to push for policy reform, I felt as though he was laughing directly at me.
He must play politics, so it may be understandable. I’ll just have to wait and see what he does to prove what his real intentions are — whether he is lying to maintain support, or if he lied to the american people about change.
I hope for the best!
This is the best he could pull out of arse for a response to the people? Well uh uh uh millions of Americans do think that uh uh uh it is the right plan for America.
Can we please get an answer about why he thinks it is so funny??
How can taxing instead of locking people up not be good for the economy?
letter to Obummer-
“Sir,
I voted for you. I went door to door for you. I donated online to your campaign. I started Facebook groups, myspace forums and send countless emails for you. I am a part of the internet generation. “What does this say about our internet users?” They supported you when you needed it most. You and your friends publicly on TV laughed at us and the cannabis community. The cannabis community is huge…maybe you underestimated that. A large group of citizens posted questions about what they believe is a logical concept. We have looked at the economic reports regarding this and we believe it to be a meaningful possibility. You laughed at us and then your press secretary laughed at us again. What is so funny? If you have intellegence that tells you that marijuana is so much more harmful than alcohol and tobacco (how much tax do we get from Budwiser and Marlboro?) you are doing a disservice to your citizens by keeping this information secret. Most of this country’s population does not view marijuana as dangerous enough to be illegal. You do? This is quickly causing decent. You have done some good since you’ve been in office. Why would you submit yourself to years of scrutiny over such a small issue as marijuana. Future generations will look to you as someone who propagated prohibition. We Americans today look at the prohibitionists of the 20’s as fools. Please do the research and talk to some experts on marijuana before you make another ignorant remark. Try to remember that if you had been caught with marijuana in the 70’s, arrested like so many of your friends….you would never be here leading the country… Great future leaders are being told “no, you cant.” because of a failing marijuana policy.
At this point I will be withdrawing my support for your administration. The Cannabis Community will also. Peace activists are calling for an end to this war. Please Listen. Take dealers out of our playgrounds and put them to work in a taxed dispensary or farm operation.
Write back I’d love to discuss this further.”
uh uh uh uh they dont have any real answers this is really getting rediculous all i want is a lagitamate answer not a chuckle and a no i am a tax paying american citizen and i want an explination why
I love how the government can’t take marijuana seriously. They are all hypocrites, even Obama himself smoked weed and inhaled.
If you watch the first video “Marijuana Reform Activist Destroys Former DEA Head”. !!!! Asa Hutchinson, former DEA head, even agrees that legalizing and regulating marijuana would help the economy!!!! How can Obama ignore the numbers? Does he think that we are? Just ridiculous.
I tell ya one thing…..I’m getting very TIRED of all this laughter from capitol hill….very annoying.
This is truly amazing. So do you think they are avoiding the topic altogether, including restraining themselves from looking at the facts? Why on earth would they be so inclined to say they “don’t believe” legalization is the right thing to do? Their choice of the word “believe” says it all, in my opinion. Of course they don’t “believe” it’s right, but they KNOW it’s right. Yet they keep shrugging it off and/or mocking the possibility.
They’re losing credibility in my eyes. Anyone that doesn’t take ANY subject seriously in this country’s government is lacking substance, I think.
Legalization has nothing to do with belief. It has everything to do with LIFE, LIBERTY, and the pursuit of HAPPINESS.
LETS KEEP UP THE PRESSURE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TELL YOUR FRIENDS, FRIENDS FRIENDS SPREAD THE WORD
STAY STRONG KEEP UP THE FIGHT, LETS END THIS WAR ON DRUGS AND HELP KEEP OUR COMMUNITIES SAFE REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT, WE WILL ALL BENEFIT!!!!!!
LOL, typical response! They just don’t want to discuss the issue period. That’s ok though, as they are just making our case that much stronger by looking like a bunch of idiots! Sooner or later, they will have to say and DO something.
Ha priceless
this was fun to watch i did not actually think that anyone would tell them anything but reporters casually had the balls to do so.
i just like to tell them THNX
maybe he thinks it’s so funny because he’s gaining money to hide the issue.
Fucking pathetic.
haha, this guy is a moron, he had no clue, he tried to make the question a joke and he got owned ny the press
dam. i really liked this guy, too. the President and his administration have made a complete fool out of me. i apologize, people, i thought this administration was gonna restore some ‘hope and change’, by opening up government and dialogue on all the issues that face us. i was wrong. i have unsubscribed from mybarackobama.com, as well as 2 chapters of ‘rednecks for obama’. i also dropped my membership in the democratic party. i have written 4 times to the whitehouse, with no response.from now on my political donations go to NORML, and LEAP. i thought obama would be different, but, i was wrong. highly disappointed in myself and him. sad. very sad.america has no more heroes, except that stoner, Michael Phelps, and the rest of us marijuana reformers.
YEAH 65% of Americans are a special intrest group
People are suprised that this man (Oboma) and all his cronies are total tools. They say whatever it takes to keep themselves popular. They do not care about the 20 million people that have been arrested. Hell it obvious that all they want is more power. Power over banks, car companies, and even us poeple that use marijuana responibly. They are willing to spend our money on shitty medical attention, but you can not self medicate. If the president really gave a crap about peoples health then they would not laugh at the prospect of making pot legal. All of the people in Washington care only about themselves and their careers. Whatever it takes to keep those campaign contributions rolling in.
Of course he couldn’t explain it. No politician can give a good reason backed by scientific evidence, void of moral reasons, for the prohibition of cannabis.
Exactly, that’s some classic white house press sec. talk that occurred so often under Bush. Not giving logic, data or any real answers of why or why not. Just because we say so, blah blah politics blah, live in fear blah. They know they are wrong, but won’t risk it because of the good ole politics in DC (something I though Obama was against?) They know there is no reason or data they can give that says prohibition is a good idea. This hypocrisy is amazing. Good God can’t it end.
It’s easy to get excited about the thought of an end to prohibition. I certainly have been more excited than I have been in many, many years.
That said, I still find myself reeling in my enthusiasm when I take a closer look at what’s going on. I am VERY concerned that the exact opposite of what we all want is waiting to be let loose on the public like an angry rabid dog.
While we are all grinning about this and that in the news, lets be careful not to take our eye off Hillary and other leaders outside the US joining forces for a last gasp police effort against Marijuana under the guise of other drug efforts.
There are still a lot of leaders out there who would rather line us all up against a wall and shoot us dead before they would let go of the tyrannical rules.
If this is the Prez’s plan to help stir up the free worlds view on the Topic of Legalizing and help in an underground way,to reform these wicked cruel laws, the thats labels it as bad as Heroin. THIS ADMINISTRATION is like the analogy of the Berlin wall falling.
Wow. More belly laughs and guffaws from Obama’s media clown. Why am I not surprised? We’re going to have to be louder if we want real change.
APRIL 20th WASHINGTON DC!
THE MILLION MAN MARIJUANA MARCH!
BE THERE!
Love it, how he unprofessionally calls out, “Damn it I’ve lost control!” Not to mention the lack of a good response to a predicted question! FANTASTIC!!!
Very thoughtful answer, Mr. Gibbs. lol Come on guys there’s no better time for legalization than right at this moment. We are stumping the naysayers left and right!
I don’t know if you saw it, but I did.
That was admitted defeat.
“Damnit you guys! I’ve lost control here.”
Good. Very good. How’s it feel to know that the people are rising? That the heat is starting to get to the water and the bubbles are coming up. This is the end of prohibition and his complete incompetency in answering SIMPLE questions is painfully obvious.
Shouldn’t the White House be looking at how worked up these reporters are over marijuana and go “Jeez guys, maybe we should re-consider an investigation into this. Maybe pushing it off to the side and acting like it’s no big deal isn’t working.”
I personally love and would like to thank the reporter who straight up called Obama out on making a joke out of our opinion.
And finally: If the voting was rigged by websites, such as this very one, then why not present some form of evidence to back the claim up? I for one voted on the Town Hall for all of the marijuana related issues. And I voted on each one ONCE.
Oh and “Green Jobs” doesn’t include marijuana? Excuse me, but does that cannabis just grow itself? Distribute itself? Open stores that sell itself? Oh it doesn’t? Well I’ll be damned. Eco-friendly jobs (You’re growing plants. That’s as eco-friendly as it gets) being created by marijuana legalization. What a concept.
We, nor the media apparently, are not going to let this go. We just sank our fangs in this man, and we got them deep. That was a very awkward moment for him, and I’m sure it’s one he’s not going to forget. The voters certainly won’t forget his mumbling and bumbling to cover ass.
Look at how many reporters were jumping on to the question. It says something about how public awarness is growing.
The Press, Obama, and his administration are avoiding the proposition because despite all the supporters of taxing and regulating cannabis to boost the economy, there are haters as well; the haters might make his name look bad. They just need to get more educated: that cannabis is the #1 cash crop in America, it has many medical uses, if legalized, it will save lives of enforcement officers like DEA, and focus their work on worse drugs such as cocaine and heroine, it will create jobs, and support the politics and all their damn raises
Obama’s just another politician who wants more than anything to get reelected. They don’t want to articulate any strong reason otherwise it would be a major flip-flop when he changed his mind. Obama notices the whole country isn’t on board with legalizing marijuana but public opinion is starting to head in that direction. Obama’s trying to say “no” while not sounding too strong about that position just in case his political advisors decide it would be a good idea for him to get reelected to legalize marijuana.
Really? This is our Press Secretary and he can’t even answer this question with data or some resemblence to actual facts on WHY they oppose this serious matter? Gibbs, I thought you always had your ducks in a row during the campaign, c’mon. You’re better than this. We voted you guys in, remember? You owe us a concrete answer.
Legalizing marijuana would help the economy. Period. How could it not? It’s just another product that can be taxed. Jobs would also be created. LEGALIZING MARIJUANA WOULD NOT HURT AMERICA IN ANY WAY. What are people so afraid of?
What’s more dangerous for an individual? The dangers of smoking marijuana, or the dangers of the prison system? What’s more socially detrimental? People using marijuana, or the millions of children who must grow up without a father or mother because they were thrown into jail because of a plant?
Do you think Obama would voluntarily go to prison for his past smoking? After all, he sure seems to think it’s an offence worth incarceration. I’ve got news for you, had a police officer happened to have walked around the corner all those years ago, not only would you have served time, lots of time, but you would never have become president. So, it’s hypocritical for you to condemn the rest of us without volunteering prison time for yourself.
This is absolutely ridiculous. Gibbs and the Obama administration should be ashamed. They say Obama outright opposes legalization or even decriminalization? What about when Obama said that the policies of his administration would be based on “science and facts, not political ideology.”? Talk about a hypocrite.
I am seriously enraged. They laugh and say it must be a “special interest group” artificially increasing the votes. What is needed is more ACTION. Get the message off the net and into the real world. And if cannabis was as dangerous and harmful as they claim, then they shouldn’t be giggling and making a mockery of it.
Now that we’ve got a link to email Obama, how about getting some contact info on ROBERT GIBBS? I’m sure many others would love to overload his inbox.
Obama’s stance on the war on drugs:
CHANGED!
Rot in hell, Mr President.
I appreciate what you guys do,,just wanted to bring that up! It sounds like alot of noise is being made in the media its being hit hard to and they want answers to because of such a big response to this issue!!
When there are no good reasons, no good answers can be given. Anyone with any experience with marijuana knows that the prohibition laws are ignorant. They are mostly there out of fear and lies. Lets put our resources to better use and leave the pot smokers alone.
Don’t give up the fight. Write your elected officials, and do it often. Engage your friends and family in good natured debate. Get them to write their officials as well. They can’t ignore us forever, or they’ll all be out of jobs.
It’s time for change we can really believe in!
we need a one on one interview with obama, corner him!
didn’t answer the question just as his boss didn’t. pathetic. it’s shameful to have so called ‘leaders’ like these.
Just a bunch of shills that don’t want to listen to the populace of this great republic.
For a person of Obama’s intelligents he sure hasn’t done his homework on this issue nor has his press secratary. They look and act like a couple of grade school kids that have been asked a question about sex and have no idea how to respond. I hope the press keeps after them on this issue. Maybe someday someone will describe the position of prohibition and why they think it will work now when it hasn’t worked for over sixty years.
I just sent this letter to Mr Gibbs, it speaks for itself..
Dear Mr. Gibbs,
I just watched in horror that you continue to laugh at cannabis legislation and legalization.
Your own government calls cannabis the number one cash crop in the Nation. Could you please explain how the largest cash crop can not be a boost to the economy?
Second, President Obama did not address the most important part of the question:
“With over 1 out of 30 Americans controlled by the penal system, why not legalize, control, and tax marijuana to change the failed war on drugs into a money making, money saving boost to the economy? Do we really need that many victimless criminals?”
To tell us that we stuffed the box is another fallacy to disprove that this is not one of the top questions, rather THE top question Names were taken and e-mail addresses required to vote, so how is it even possible to stuff the box?
What is so funny when we call for answers about changing the failed war on drugs? Cannabis has been effectively prohibited since the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937. In the 72 years since, the war on cannabis alone has in some estimates cost over half a trillion dollars, incarcerated over the years over 20 million people and now cannabis is the largest cash crop??? What, Sir is so funny? I don’t get the joke.
Every year we waste close to 25 billion TAX DOLLARS on incarcerating non violent drug users. That alone would pay over 400,000 teachers every year!!! Please, Sir what is so hilarious about that??? I don’t get this joke either.
Sir, I say this with the utmost respect for both The President and you, this issue better get the attention it deserves. Feel free to check your own Congress’ The Hill blog and see how many responses this gets, when compared to any other blogs, and the forums are open for anyone to respond. This is important to call for a debate now. No one expects the President to micro manage cannabis reform, nor is anyone expecting to fire up a bong by week end. My State of NC alone would stand to gain over 77 million dollars annually from medical cannabis if it were legal. This is not some hair brained stoner talk. The Nation is on the brink of disaster and the snickering and silliness do nothing more than guarantee the often private prisons in this country a steady steam of taxpayer financed commodity! Enough!
Enough with the jokes, Sir. Enough with taking the politically easy way out and avoiding us. We, the on line audience and supporters who voted for President Obama, many of whom helped finance his election, are dismayed at the slap in the face. Please, Sir answer the question and please, follow your president’s admonition that, and I quote the President: “The time has come to set aside childish things…. The stale political arguments no longer apply”. The time to change is now. Alcohol Prohibition was lifted with the 21st amendment and December 5th of last year marked the 75 year anniversary of realizing that prohibition causes more damage then it prevents. Is it not ironic, Sir, that only four years after one prohibition was effectively declared a failure and abolished, the country would yet embark on another and now 72 years after year after year of failure, You Sir and the President think this is laughable.
Respectfully submitted
Greg Williams
I am pissed that the ONDCP is trying gather support in favor of prohibition, counterbalance and even out and even outdo the amount of online support for legalization. ONDCP has a link on their site to this article for people against legalization to comment on. I would urge everyone to leave a pro-legalization comment on the site for this article. Prohibitionists should just give up. They’re wrong anyway.
http://pushingback.com/blogs/pushing_back/archive/2009/03/27/47106.aspx
hey guys, don’t write off Obama and his adminstration just yet. Like one person posted, it’s congress that makes the laws. Also recognize that they probably weren’t prepared for this level of groundswell on the topic of marijuana legalization and you can’t expect them to just say, “Okay you can smoke pot now.” They probably are concerned, and rightfully so, that there is a large segment of the population that would just love to find something to hang them out to dry on and this would be worse than upholding Roe vs. Wade.
Obama is plenty intelligent enough to discern the facts on this issue, he’s just also abundantly cautious and he’s a man that thinks things through. I bet if we all stay on it we can get this governmet to listen. What they’re afriad of doesn’t exist.
Just like in the movie, Shawshenk REdemption, it’s all about Time and Pressure, and we got plenty of both.
My letter to Obama.
Dear President Obama,
I watched your recent town hall meeting and I was extremely disappointed in your response to the question around the legalization and regulation of marijuana. Your remarks seemed flippant to a very serious issue. The prohibition of marijuana has been a disastrous public policy that has ruined the lives of many upstanding American citizens. Could you imagine if you had been stopped by police for even processing a single marijuana cigarette? Would you be in the White House Today? I think not.
The continued lack of support from our elected officials (including you) on this issues leads to two conclusions. Either the will of special interests (alcohol, tobacco, pharmaceuticals, private prisons, and unions) or government institutions (DEA, Office of National Drug Control Policy, Local and State Police) are being administered over the will of the people. When the freest country in the world has the highest incarceration rate of any industrialized nation and a high percentage of those incarcerated are for non-violent drug offenses, one can easily draw a conclusion that drug prohibition is not working. Is our War on Drugs protecting the American populace or is it servicing the special interests and government agencies. Based upon the statistics and studies, I conclude it is the later.
If our elected officials are waiting for political cover to tackle this problem so they don’t appear to be soft on crime they need to communicate that the prohibition of Marijuana (stamp act and listing as a Schedule I drug) was based upon false principals and should have never been enacted. This could be achieved through a Schaffer 2.0 commission and allowing credible scientific research to be done such as the work proposed by the University of Massachusetts at Amherst (research blocked by the DEA). You spoke of change based upon scientific analysis. Yet, your continued response around this issue leads me to believe that this hypocritical and only pertains to issues that push your agenda.
With all that is happening to country, we need leadership from our government. What happened to line in the Gettysburg address “that government of the people, by the people, for the people”? It seems that if Lincoln was to give the address today it would read “that government of the people, enforced by the government agencies, for the special interests”. It appalling that we are incarcerating and ruining so many lives over someone’s choice to use Marijuana. A drug that is no worse (many would argue less) than alcohol.
Even popular media outlet polls are showing huge support for the idea…are you telling me that your typical stoner is really watching and frequenting CNN? Really? Isn’t that YOUR crowd, Mr. President?
Please, you really don’t have to protect us from ourselves.
– – Gibbs doesn’t seem to understand,
Nor wants to understand the SPECIFIC economic issues addressed in the various CANNABIS questions that were asked and voted upon;
(Tax, regulate, deflate the drug-lords’ “cash-cow”).
– – And it’s obvious he doesn’t know a damn thing about hemp, either,
(As a superior biofuel compared to corn-Eth, as a lower-maintenance fiber crop, compared to cotton).
– – To Gibbs, it’s nothing more than a “DRUG-CROP”.
– – Cannabis was and is actually an AGRICULTURAL crop, and ought to be treated as such.
SEE:
http://www.jackherer.com
– – All laws FORBIDDING its cultivation for use as
* SUPERIOR-STRENGTH fiber,
* OIL-RICH seed
and
* MILD, EFFECTIVE medicine / relaxant
need to be REPEALED.
*** Keeping it illegal is only hurting the economy because:
Our money is going to OTHER COUNTRIES,
(for FOOD-seed, fiber, PETROLEUM in lieu of HEMPSEED-OIL),
and
To the INTERNATIONAL underground-market,
(for its purchase as a quote-unquote ‘drug’),
when instead,
It could be grown HERE, OPENLY, for its multitude of uses.
– – Concerns about this plant-species’ intoxicating flowers can be resolved BETTER with
a regulated system of age-limits,
licensed, retail-sales,
quality-control,
labeling and
grading according to THC content,
rather than through its UNJUST suppression and illusion of control we presently have.
Notice the conditioning; he is so “brainwashed”, he can’t even say the work “marijuana”, he keeps using pronouns like “that”, “it”, “those topics”; and of course the redirection was attempted several times.
“word”, sorry; typing too fast and listening at the same time.
just wanted eveyone to know that there is a million marijuana march on the national mall in dc on april 20 from 8 am to 8pm if you live to far away then on may 2nd there is the global marijuana march i will be attending both google globle marijuana march to see where your city will be holding it everyone must attend show them that we will no longer be laughed at
hahaha oh man, thats to funny
Gibbs was just at lost for words…that made my day
KEEP IT UP NORML !
Obama is the worst, marijuana is the best.
VIVA LE RESISTANCE!!!!!!!!!!!!
We Have the numbers, we have the facts lets get together and show what this country is made out of. We founded this country from religious oppression, they believed in their beliefs til their deaths. This issue is far bigger than smoking pot, it is a way to change our economy! I dont need to say that again the facts are all there. We have the numbers, let’s show them that this is a valid idea! With truth behind it.
The Truth Will Prevail!
Drugs are illegal because the illegal arms and drug trade in this world USED to help prop up our economy based on invisible money. (That was before the recent events which have devestated our economy to the point there just isn’t enough poppy fields in Afganistan to bail us out now) Big corporations can go to countries outside the US and borrow laundered drug money for half what they can legally.
I’d recommend to anyone checking out fromthewilderness.com, a website created by an ex LAPD cop named Michael C. Ruppert and read his analysis of how drug money works in the world and how our government is complicit in keeping drugs illegal for the benefit of the corporations.
The site is retired but the archives are available and they have a great active blog.
It’s all about the money, it always has been. That is why our government keeps the plant in the hands of the elite and away from the people.
I was really hoping this time things would be different. Obviously it’s not.
That just means we have keep the pressure on because this is bullshit and they know it. We have the right to this plant for our very survival and I’ll be damned if anyone is going to take that away from me!
It appears that Obama is convinced that the voting was compromised by people voting many times on their own questions, or that NORML and similar websites are gathering voters. The question may be legitimate to some degree.
The problem is that although the numbers were probably exaggerated some, it is still a very real issue with a lot of support by us. Unless the government takes over the people, we still have control over our issues.
I think we are doing pretty well. I feel optimistic. As long as the issue is being pressed (no pun intended), they can’t avoid it. Something is bound to happen.
they seem to think people would just grow their own marijuana to avoid any taxes. so what if everyone does, they overlook the fact this would leave billions of dollars in americans pockets to be spent in this country instead of it landing in the hands of some violent mexican cartel. to deny this would help our economy and help put a stop to the border violence is nothing short of genuine ignorance.
I am unsure of why everyone is laughing over this issue. did i miss the joke? here are a few.
What do you get when you arrest a 24 year old male with 0.9gram of weed on a Virginia interstate highway?
a convict!!! funny, real fuckin funny.
For the rest of your life you are faced with the decision of what to check off on those job applications where it asked “have you ever been arrested”?
this stuff is so funny, real fuckin funny obama!!
In 1970 Richard Nixon (Tricky Dick) the Republican President looked at all the long haired war protesters and realized he was facing a mass of angry liberal voters.
His next trick, a war on drug users that would strip those caught of their right to vote!
Lets get tough on crime not cannabis!
Obama you disappoint me 🙁
Hey Obama
Your answer to the AIG bonus, a week later, the fake outrage, “I want to know about the issue I am talking about..”
I can only believe now that you are a bad guy. There’s no other option or explanation, if you are an educated person.
Screw you & give me back my vote.
obama is told what to do!they want to control you!the drug companies dont want it legal!they want people sick to sell there drugs!they do not want power to the people!they will not do what is right!its all about control and money!obama is just a distraction for the new world order criminals !and all the out door food crops are sprayed by chemtrails.look up monsanto and the food bill HR 875 thats one of obamas changes!
Gibbs totally dodges the question when asked “Why the president opposes legalization”. Gibbs ” He just doesnt think that it is good policy” WHF ! Thats not an answer or explaination. We need a real answer. I hope the press keeps the pressure on. We need to have an honest adult conversation in this country, not giggles and one word answers !
I am saddened because i saw him at the key arena but i guess it doesn’t matter, i had a feeling he wouldn’t be like us after all he stopped. He smokes cigarettes anyway right.
Despite what we’ve seen in the past week or so, there is no denying that this administration has set things in motion for change more so than previous administrations. There will be no state laws broken by federal agents, meaning that if we can get together and legalize in a state, that law will be respected.
This is better than we’ve had before, and while I’m not too happy about the topic being laughed at by our president, I must believe that things are only looking up for the topic of legalization.
Good Shit!!
# kazakh Says:
March 30th, 2009 at 2:22 pm
NORML needs to cut a new ad quoting Obama on restoring science to its place, followed by his mocking at the town hall, followed by Gibbs gibberish. Devastating.
I second this idea!
Said this before as several others have, we need to march up to the steps of the white house fliers and posters in hand. This is a civil rights issue that we should not continue to allow to be ignored or sit around saying maybe next time over and over again like these tools in politics will ever change.
we need a million or so people to march right up to the hill and demand legal marijuana…
Organize…soon…
What I’d really like to see: The state of california defy the federal DEA raids. Physically.. with armed state police on a massive scale.
What would The white house do ?
Send in the military ? National guard ?
California needs to take a stance. let’s see where it leads.
No one gives you anything for nothing people ( fellow marijuana users )
You must TAKE…. in this case, especially.
no more begging and groveling at the feet of unjust gov’t policy…
Taken from a post from the Hill blog, ” I just do not understand why Obama has changed his tune so much in just four years, at Northwestern University in 2004 in a debate when Obama was running for Senate he said, the ‘War on Drugs’ was an utter failure, and that ‘we need to rethink and decriminalize our marijuana laws’.” Uhhhhh…..say what??? Well if you think we’re the only people feeling deceived from this Harvard lawyer, I suggest watching the vdo “The Obama Deception,” where many of this very young administration’s lies and manipulations are exposed. I’m almost 60, been dealing with this for a long time…”The Obama Deception” helped me connect some of the dots; I am now watching , listening, questioning this administration much more closely than before. Like many of us, I guess I was an “Obama Zombie”, like so many others, I believed in what we were being told. Change we can believe in ? How about “change we can be deceived in”
http://video.google.com, watching/videoplay?docid=7535755025025800195
The laughter by most of the audience mocking him is disgusting and disconcerning…
This is very frustrating. First the laughing, then the “oh it’s special interest groups voting the marijuana questions to the top”. I am not a special interest group, I am not a lobbyist, I am not a drug abuser, I am a United States Sailor, and United States Citizen and I want an end to Marijuana prohibition! WTF is so funny about that? I really believed in this administration, but their lack of understanding or even willingness to really take a look at this issue is really eye opening. I guess the American people are special interest groups now? So who the hell are they really working for if we’re the special interest groups.
I felt a real pride when Obama took office being of a mixed background (black and pacific islander) but the bottome line is that I am an American, I have been to the middle east in defense of this country, away from my wife and 3 children, I want to legally smoke cannibis, and I don’t want some piece of shit drug dealer to be the person that teaches my kids about drugs. I’ll be the one to do that when they reach the appropriate age. And yes one day when they are adults if they want to smoke cannibis it should be their God give right, too bad I’m part of a special interest group and what I say doesn’t mean anything. Fuckin bullshit!
i think Gibbs had a joint or two before getting up on stage. uh, uh what are you stoned or something!?!
yeah dude, Gibbs was fucking high!
This country is riddled with disgraceful politicians who tell the people who help them get elected one thing before the election and then spit in the face of their constituents as soon as they’ve shored up their spot. Obama is not a change candidate. 9/11 didn’t happen because of the middle east. There is a progressive or regressive movement in this country towards a more authoritative police state. If I were you guys I’d be worried that this is like the Nazis and Jews, oh just wear this star and sign up so we can protect you. Now we’re all adding our names to legalization efforts, what happens when the shit hits the fan. Good fucking job with your hero president you idiots, the only way to break the system is to BREAK THE SYSTEM by force.
Does anybody else find it incredibly ironic that Obama indulges in the most dangerous of all drugs, tobacco, yet laughs off the notion that we should allow responsible people to smoke a plant that kills less people a year than Advil? This country is great… you can buy a gun at 18 but you can’t smoke marijuana in the comfort of your own home. Beautiful.
large pro-pot panel rips former head of DEA.
intresting comments section as well. over 1500
It is clear that Obama is more concerned with votes and politics than for people’s rights as Americans. We live in a country that treats us like we the are properties of the government. Freedom, my ass.
WoW
& He is The Press Secretary
Maybe He shoulD Look at tis…
http://www.drugsense.org/wodclock.htm
http://www.drugsense.org/wodclock.htm
http://www.drugsense.org/wodclock.htm
http://www.drugsense.org/wodclock.htm
http://www.drugsense.org/wodclock.htm
^WasteD Money On WaR On Drugs^
AHAHHAHA idiots!
How can the government turn their back on the most desired request of marijuana advocates to legalize pot? Because we haven’t done anything as a marijuana collective to bring retribution upon opponents. It’s nothing more than a mexican stand off at present. How long must this bull go on????????????????
Because he, uh, opposes it… not a very good answer for me!!! We all are giving lots of credible reasons why it should be legal, but we can’t get a single one why prohibition should continue.
I think the end of the War on Drugs is near.
the presidents joking response to the marijuana question during his recent internet town hall meeting missed the point entirely. It’s not that marijuana legalization will somehow save the economy. California’s legalization of marijuana is estimated to be a 1 billion dollar industry. The real point is the damage and destruction caused by the current policy. Peoples lives are being destroyed every day and his humorous responses belie the seriousness of the situation. We will NEVER win the war on drugs until we recognize the fact that prohibition is a failure and the only way to end this war is to legalize drugs so that the government has control and not the criminals. The resources sent to the border are like pouring money down the toilet. the only way to end drug gangs and their violence is to take away the market that pays for their existence. You may ask, ” what about legalizing hard drugs? Last time I checked oxycontin, as bad as herion in it’s addiction and overdose problems is LEGAL!! You just have to get it from a doctor with a script.
This War was declared by Nixon because he wasn’t going to be seen as soft on crime. SO HE COULD GET REELECTED. His rejection of his own commission’s report on what to do about drugs has resulted in untold misery. Every death and destroyed life resulting from this policy should be laid right at his feet.
Is Mr. Obama also going to keep up the war so he dosen’t look soft on crime? As smart he is he must realize that the current policy must be changed. I hope he does not sacrifice more of his fellow Americans on the alter of his reelection. So far his public attitude about marijuana is not very funny!
It’s gratifying to think I may have supplied the lead for this story. (See my post #642 in the “What’s So Funny…” article.)
I think CommanMan may have hit on the core of all this awkwardness by the Obama team. In 2004, Obama said he believed marijuana should be decriminalized. Does anyone seriously believe he had a major change of heart? It seems the most likely scenario is Obama has marijuana decrim on a future agenda, and this fracas has put him in the embarrasing position of having to reveal it prematurely.
Here’s another sign the end of prohibition is near. For some reason, Amy Goodman at Democracy Now, has avoided this issue like the plague. I have assumed she felt it would make DN be taken less seriously, so she decided to avoid the controversy. But TODAY, she made it a major story! Check out her interview with Norm Stamper of LEAP:
http://www.democracynow.org/2009/3/30/citing_failed_war_on_drugs_former
It’s high time NORML starts running these TV spots… what’s the hold up?!? The time is now, start spending the donations!
UHH,UH,UH,UH,UH,UH,UH,UH,UH,UH,UH,UH,UH,UH,UH,UH,UH,UH,UH,. DID ANYONE UNDERSTAND THE ANSWER? UHHH,UHHH,UH,UHHHHHHH,. I KNOW I DID’NT GET IT. I DON’T THINK ANYONE ELSE DID EITHER. GIVE HIM A F- IN FRONT OF THE CLASS. HE MUST BE SMOKIN THE SAME STUFF AS OBAMA. I SURE CAN USE SOME OF THAT. MUST BE VERY GOOD MEDICINAL MARIJUANA. NO WONDER PROHIBITION IS STILL GOING ON. DON’T NEED A COLLEGE DEGREE TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION, JUST COMMON SENSE. 420 ALL THE WAY. THE PEOPLE IN CONGRESS WHO STILL SUPPORT PROHIBITION, GIVE ME THE IMPRESSION THAT THEY MUST BE BRAIN DEAD.
With this I’ve updated my video……
SUPPORT THE IOWA GLOBAL MARIJUANA MARCH 2009- MAY 2 HIGH NOON DES MOINES IA
IOWA STATE CAPITOL(west steps) BE PART OF OVER 200+ CITIES WORLDWIDE
Iowans a new sun has dawned over a new Iowa, thank you to all who supported IOWA-SF293
If you want real change vote for Ron Paul.
If you are interested other freedom related topics go to Campaignforliberty.com
“Are the final days of marijuana prohibition upon us? It sure looks that way from here.”
I totally agree! Marijuana is a hot topic right now with the media. See for example: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0309/20576.html
Just 5 years ago it was even taboo to mention the word marijuana. Now look at the change. I try to follow NORML’s daily links to marijuana related news around the world. Most of this stuff is mainstream stuff; yet most everything I read today calls for an end to marijuana prohibition. Prohibitionists are really starting to look SILLY.
You can’t really blame Obama for his position, RIGHT NOW. I voted for this man and still support him. The future can change with science and support. Obama knows this for sure. But many people are waiting for American’s first Black President to fail. Obama has been given the worst financial mess in the history of this country. People are already scared. People don’t need anything else.
Unfortunately the tiny minds that would oppose Obama, if he suddenly legalized weed in the first few months of this presidency, would let out a major roar that would alarm the country. Obama does not need hysteria right now. Nor does the economy.
So from a certain point of view, legalizing weed right now could hurt the economy. And I’m not even talking about the huge redistribution of wealth from law enforcement, prisons, etc., to a legal economy. Many police offers (the whole drug war system) would lose jobs and put another dent into the economy.
Arresting and locking up drug offenders is a human rights violation, pure and simple. A group (religion, race, etc.,) should not be victimized to keep people employed. Is this not a new form of slavery?
Obama is a smart man and for the most part sincere, I feel. Right now the marijuana reform movement needs pot smoker celebrities and noted personalities. Imagine leading people from sports, the music industry, computers, movie stars, writers, scientists, billionaires, featured together in a NORML advertising campaign. IMHO, NORML should be writing to VIP pot smokers for their support. Then the media can really get fired up.
All Obama (USA) need right now is in your face concrete support to ending marijuana prohibition. His small responses are begging for it! Stay positive and be happy…. Legal Cannabis USA 2012!
Good stuff, NORML!
It couldn’t now be more obvious that the White House has no legitimate cards left on the table.
I don’t know if this e-mail address still works, but was advertised and worked under Bill Clinton. Try it, it may still work.
president@whitehouse.gov
We’re not done yet. Not even close.
I know why they oppose it! I have the
answer already. It’s BAD. BAD BAD
BAD BAD. BAD Stuff, MARIJUANA LEADS TO
ARROW -> GATEWAY THEORY ANOTHER
-> ARROW will get you hooked
on that crack cocaine, and heroine.
It will cause your children to
acidify into a liquid type form
that you will soon
find within your couch. It will cause
the devil himself to come down to you,
and rebuke you for your demonic actions.
All those are reasons why marijuana
should be illegal. And i agree with them
all(FINGERS CROSSED)
I mean i would if i believe in
Santa clause and the God damn
Easter bunny. Whatever the fuck it is
that you deluded fucks believe.
But i say NO TO SANTA, NO TO THE
EASTER BUNNY! AND NO TO MARIJUANA!
YOU Sons OF A … Well you get the
point.
#16 Not true. Although unconstitutional, the president can sign an executive order enacting any act he pleases. If a president can act outside the checks and balances of congress to kill in the name of war, I do not see why he can not use the same authority to save lives by ending the drug war.
Wow, I’m surprised that a White House press conference was that laid back. It seemed like they just sorta goofed around. But it also seemed like Gibbs had no clue what he was talking about. In fact, it seems like the president has no data to back them up on any of the claims that they make.
On a lighter note, was that Jack Herer?
I voted for change.
I voted for an end to the drug war.
I voted to bring our troops home.
I voted to keep millions of non-violent “criminals” out of our failing prison system for possessing a plant.
I voted for an end to bailing out the rich and powerful.
I voted to end the never-ending wars in the middle east.
I voted for sound economic policies.
I voted for Ron Paul.
If he sold out to the bankers, he sold out to big pharma and law enforcement lobbies.
@ comment #7
It’s been done by some very smart people.
http://www.prohibitioncosts.org/
The studies regarding pot’s economic, social, and health impacts are out there and they are overwhelmingly in favor of legalization. Even studies commissioned by the government (Shafer report, anyone?) come to the conclusion that pot should be legalized and regulated. The trouble is overcoming 70+ years of prohibitionist propaganda that has become so ingrained in out national psyche that everyone simply accepts the false hoods as truth.
The simple fact of the matter is that while more of the American populace is becoming more vocal in support of sensible drug policy and harm reduction, the words “legal marijuana” are just too politically damaging at this time.
Sadly, I can understand why Obama laughed at the marijuana questions. The majority of the public (58% according to a recent poll) still oppose any legalization efforts at all. Furthermore, we (legalization supporters) must fight the widespread stereotype of apathetic “burnout” slackers that are the ideological antithesis of Obama’s campaign for hard work, intelligence and self-sacrifice. Even politicos who readily admit to smoking marijuana in their youth will downplay it as “a bad time in my life”.
I know it’s unfair but it is something we should concentrate on defeating if we are ever to gain ground in ending the drug war.
One sign has me very encouraged, however. That of the recent surge in mainstream public debate and serious consideration of the real merits of legalization. This would have been unheard of only last year.
Much like the media coverage of energy price outrage turned a non-issue into a campaign clincher, marijuana legalization must remain in the forefront of the mainstream news. You can make this happen easily by contacting your representatives at least once a month. This in turn encourages politicos to respond and the media to report on it.
Last, marijuana activists must remind people that responsible marijuana use won’t turn one into a useless zombie. Only by stressing the positive societal contributions of marijuana users can they hope to gain the respect that will ultimately win the fight.
The change Obama spoke of where not promises of freedom.but more of complete control of you and your kids and your kids kids bank’s government owned heavy industry government owned and most people’s loan’s government owned the change is not for more freedom sorry but the answer to that is lol haha hehe NO NO NO how can you trust government most employees of government have to have a union to protect them from them self’s real change must be voted for vote for and demand with vote’s real change
I agrea that it does seem like the goverments view on pot is like an adult telling a child “no,because I said so”.
Thank you to the media for asking questions for the public.
We are telling you what we want Mr. President please hear us.
Give us an alternative to liquer and pharmacy pills!
And do not mock us. There is nothing funny about a human put in a cage for pot.
Whats wrong with the daily audio stash ? It says file not found when I tried listening today 3/30/09.
Ok here is what I know. When the war on drugs started at the beginning of the 20th century around 1.3 percent of the population were addicted to some sort of (drug) including alcohol. We have spent well over a trillion dollars fighting this war. Basically making criminals out of citizens that needed medical help. Yes they had a problem. A human problem which could of been solved by helping them not incarcerating them. Yes we are so civilixed. We are the only so called free country that puts people in jail for having a medical condition. This is insane. The only reason we have all the violence and crime around this issue is because of PROHIBITION. This has to stop. Getting back to the point do you know what percent of the population is addicted today. Around 1.3 percent. Does that make sense for us to continue to fight this war on our sick who need help and our sympaphy.
The reporter that asked the first questions was Mark Knoller. He is a reporter for cbs. If you guys are writing letters he should get one as well.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/10/09/broadcasts/main524942.shtml
The reason we are not heard is because we are under-funded! It’s difficult to compete with the Alcohol Lobby, the Pharmaceutical Lobby, and others that DO NOT want Marijuana legalized. It is unfortunate that “money talks” in our form of government, rather than the majority of the people. However, WE ARE THE MAJORITY!
Our cause CANNOT fail if each of the 20 MILLION PLUS regular marijuana users donated even just $10 for the furtherance of our cause to a worthy organization, and there are MANY, with NORML being on the top of the list in my opinion.
IMAGINE what $200 MILLION DOLLARS would do for the cannabis lobby!
We can do it. All we need to do is open our pocketbooks. Donate money. Donate time. Write letters. Talk to our friends.
So let’s do it!
gibbs is a scumbag
What happened to the marching in the streets for change? This worked on giving the blacks their rights. What about the rights of Americans to choose whether to smoke marijuana or not? The politicians in this government sing freedom, freedom, freedom. They sing but do not live up to their voices. Obama invites other politicians to the White House for drinks. Alchohol, the killer drug, seems to be their drug of choice. Hippocrites. Wasn’t it alchohol that caused Ted Kennedy to kill the lady? Oh yea, we aren’t suppose to know that.
ron paul 2012 man… ’nuff said
I’ve been a little heated lately since seeing Obama’s reaction on tv during the town hall meeting. One thing that alot of you are right about is that everyone is talking about Cannibis and drug legalization period. Like many of you have said I will excercise patience, the truth will be revealed. Anyways, here’s some semi-interesting commentary from Bill Maher and guests about what Obama had to say at the town hall meeting and what Hillary said while visting Mexico. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqAOnUbvNn0&feature=player_embedded
“It will cause your children to
acidify into a liquid type form
that you will soon
find within your couch. It will cause
the devil himself to come down to you,
and rebuke you for your demonic actions.
All those are reasons why marijuana
should be illegal.”
Whoever you are in all your hate, thank you for your endorsement for legal marijuana. Anything as silly as this rant, is proof enough that there is no rational and logical argument for prohibition.
Please get help for all that anger inside. Pot smokers are your friends too. I wonder who is the real devil here?
There is no way the President (no matter who he is) will agree on television that marijuana could really grow the economy. It’s a shame the subject of marijuana was framed that way.
The opposition has enough trouble understanding that marijuana isn’t dangerous without having to swallow the pill that it could be a driving force of the economy. That notion actually scares them.
wow how stupid are these people? the people that are against weed aren’t the ones that voted for you dumbass!change? more like change for the worse! after bush i didn’t think that was possible.
The Federal government is in every way a disgrace, No more than that an enemy of liberty.
Obama is the head of this failed institution of course he’s going to make light of the issue. Do you expect him to admit the government is abusing millions of citizens.
They sound like parents talking to toddlers. They dont have to explain WHY they are doing it for our best interests, we just sorta have to trust they know the right direction for all of us, even though its clear that we dont want that direction.
Wow.
COME ON PEOPLE! I dont trust them.
Gibbs seems to get it, it’s just that he’s a tool
What a fucknut
I just posted on the ONDCP “pushing back” website. I encourage everybody to do the same. I doubt that those pukes will display my posting. I wish festering boils on the lot of them.
#16 Not true. Although unconstitutional, the president can sign an executive order enacting any act he pleases. If a president can act outside the checks and balances of congress to kill in the name of war, I do not see why he can not use the same authority to save lives by ending the drug war.
Sorry, forgot to add great post! Can’t wait to see your next post!
#107, I agree with you completely! I have a theory that’s been gnawing at the back of my mind that, because of his position now as President, he can’t be completely out in the open about legalization. Not without losing the support of many, if not most of his fellow policy-makers. Beleive me, I was just as hurt and angered as everyone when he said what he did. I might be crazey here, but I think he slapped the hornet’s nest on purpose in order to get everyone mobileized! What the press did with Gibbs, on thier own, I might add was F’ing Awsome!!!
It seems to me that the next best corse of action for us all to take is to keep the pressure on! Don’t f’ing quit, we need to get up in thier faces more than ever!! What we need to do is stage demonstrations across the country with as many people as possible!!
I have also heard of an excellent idea to call the White House at 4:20 am and pm on April 20th and jam thier f’ing phone lines!! Be sure to call and harrass your friendly Senators and Congressmen too!! In person if at all possible!! Do whatever it takes for our message to be seen and heard!! Hang banners from freeway overpasses, Demonstrate, Rally at your state capitals, etc. They need to see bodies out there, people!!! Just don’t do anything stupid that can get you arrested.
All of you Celebs need to get off the fence too!!! Stop being so afraid for your career!!! Grow A Pair!! Got caught in a picture taking a bong hit?? For once, say “Yeah, I did it. And I’ll do it again” Don’t apologize for it, whatever you do.
We all know what the facts of marijuana are. It’s time that the rest of America does, too. Speak Truth to Power.
Maybe they are worried that marijuana will slow down cancer? Then all hell will break loose on Capital Hill.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/
2006/05/25/AR2006052501729.html
i read almost all of these posts here.i don’t be leave O Bama is reading them.why do you post reply’s to him? he lied, he said things you want to hear,you were happy!you voted for him! I voted for Dr.Ron Paul (period) he spoke to you from a position of a 10 sec sound bite you didnt listen.i did!o bama is a puppet.your crongress is a impure thing that beleaves its wallet is more important than what u or i want and need. its time to realy do somthing we all need to get togeather and blocade DC to the point that they cant miss us.
((” every day. “)) not on just a certain day a year. don’t you think that the congress/executive branches of our lovely country know when we will be there. they be leave they can legislate morality. (there morals are not mine.i don’t steel i try not to lie sometimes you have to (i don’t like it).but politicians are lairs.they know what to say it when.
as for my plan: with all the self mediators and rec users i,m sure we can get enough people to go for 1 to 7 days to dc through out the year then 1 or 2 perhaps more days for major marches. btw we according to our Constitution don’t need a permit to assemble. also we dont need 1 to have a revolution but the gov seems to think they want 1 from us.i,m not advocating 1 but by all there actions of recent years seems to show me and a few others they are begging us for it. latest (O-bamnation) fires the head of a major Privet business?my god when will it end. lets just not crawl not walk not run to but thrust our country into social fascism. we need these leaders in Normal and the other pro legalize sites to help us help ourselves we have the baking i,m positive of it. show me some one whom has not been touched in someway by prohibition or needs or knows someone who just needs it to get threw the days pain. Is not this the hour for us to unite then resolve our governmental dispute?
maybe it’s time for somebody to run for president on the main platform of end war on drugs and use new industry revenue to reduce health care costs.
Obama is like a kid with a new toy, someone will smack him sooner or later and he’ll turn out to be the anti-christ in his second term.
RUN THE NORML TV SPOTS NOW!!!!!
I’m a chronic pain patient and I can’t believe this is a laughing matter. I wish the President and who ever is against this to be legal jump in my shoes just for a day. I guess it’s OK to put Pain Management Centers up all over the place and let them give out medication that will get you addicted too. I’m mad as hell for they don’t know what it’s like to have severe spasms to where I’m on the floor screaming in pain. What I like to know is are they getting paid off too?
Obama still thinks he is a shoe in for a second term. What a joke,He better start putting the 16.5 million smokers in jail before nov.2012. That way we the people can`t vote him out of office. Remember he needs the working class to get his ass out of this mess.
Am I the only one who thinks that our government is more dangerous and destructive than so called terrorists?
This country has a really negative affect on me.
I’m done with these bozos! Go Ron Paul 2012!!
Joe Brownsvile Tx
The Press scores two points. We need to keep the pressure up on President Obama. So that this issue haunts every press corps meeting. He asked and America has answered. If he wants to leave a good mark on History without looking like a fool, he needs to pull a rabbit out of his hat. That Rabbit will be More in the harm reduction area. Medical Marijuana is his ticket into being free to keep the Madness going 4 more years. Lets have another study so we can ignore it like all the other studies. Perhaps after this next study, or Miracle of Miracles he will come on the news outlets after his trip to Mexico he will have a change of heart and Federally legalize it only for Medical purposes!!! Worst case scenario is that because of the economy the politicians will see the light and repeal prohibition and they will be the ones to lead us to freedom and President Obama will go down in History as the last laughingstock President of Prohibition!!!! Say it is not so Joe!!!!!
I wrote this on whitehouse.gov
“This email is for the president.
First off, after watching you being “open for questions” I really think you should change this below:
“President Obama is committed to creating the most open and accessible administration in American history. To send questions, comments, concerns, or well-wishes to the President or his staff, please use the form below”
Secondly, as much as I would love a response (even a negative one) I cant expect it to be elaborative in any manner.
Sir,
The reason I write you today is that I’m outraged by your response to the nation on marijuana’s legality status. What happened to using common sense and science to guide the nation? Better than that, why is it the governments business who smokes marijuana. The governments is to protect the people from others, not from ourselves. And if I’m wrong and marijuana falls short of being a topic worth discussing, tell me why. We cant honestly say that recreational use of marijuana is just childish. Go to any club on any night, and you’ll see adults drinking and smoking recreationally. And I would bet good money that the DEA does not care. Though some people are irresponsible and will drive drunk, alcohol is still legal. And the cigarettes arent doing our bodies any favors either. Why is marijuana intertwined so tight with politics? Why does it matter? Because someone prefers something different from me doesnt make them wrong and vice/versa. If an overwhelming amount of people want marijuana legal, why cant we have it? For the people that dont want it, they dont have to purchase it. People arent picketing Wal-Mart and shouting because they sell alcohol and cigarettes. Why is this so taboo? Also, why are you falling into the groove of every other politcian? Where is the change we can believe in? The only people that are effected by marijuana legalization are the people who want it. People who are anti-marijuana can be just the same as they were prior to the change. Sir I wont ask you to reconsider your answer, because it doesnt seem as if there was any consideration in the first place. Any other topic can get a paragraph or two response as to what, why, and how about anything. As soon as marijuana is mentioned, noses fly up in the air and people start thinking how good they are. This isnt just a question of prefrence, this is a question of rights. Its the peoples right to do what they please as long as they’re not hurting, bothering, or effecting anyone else. The responsibility of people themselves is not the governments job. The reprocussions of irresponsible actions is. I want to know why this topic is so controversial and why you dismiss any valid thought of it while you’re in the position to do so much change. I would like to know.
A law abiding citizen,
Tyler D. Delrie”
I doubt it does any good, but it makes me feel better knowing that I’m giving my money, time, and energy to a logical cause.
Its not just an Economic issue, but an ACLU issue. Its our Individual liberty. Just like people have the choice to smoke tobacco & drink Alcohol.
Hemp/cannabis is Too Versatile to be ignored as an economic help. Its an economic & environmental issue. Just think of all the tax payers money that goes to subsidizing american farmers… They could start on a road to be self-sufficient. Stop the deforestation of the rainforest for paper pulp.
WHATEVER REVENUE CAN HELP, CAN’T HURT.
We need to organize EVERYONE that this issue effects. ACLU, NORML, GREENPEACE… who ever we can UNITE in a common goal with.
The US can not afford to continue to give aide & funding to other countries, continue to finance wars and other US interests around the world by borrowing billions on the american tax payers credit.
The US can not continues to ignore alternative ways of using our own natural renewable resources to sustain our selves and economic interests here at home. It is in our national security interests to do so.
Stop letting Special interests groups dictate and control America. We can not continue to keep silent. Never let go of hope, because hopelessness is what they want you to feel so that you will give up the fight.
i’ll do something to help on april 20 , i promise, i dont know yet, but ill help a little bit
thanks
Mr President
To quote Gandhi “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.” I see that we have progressed to the point of ridicule . I was hoping that in your administration we would see a “change “, I was hoping that we would not have to go to the next step and fight . This American is willing to fight for the right to consume Cannabis legally , without the FEAR OF MY GOVERNMENT. This fight is being fought daily by the thousands who grow Cannabis and the Millions who consume Cannabis peacefully. When the Government declares a “War on Drugs” , it is declaring War on it’s own citizens.
The Government can continue it’s war against the American people in this so called ” War on Drugs”; it can continue to waste millions of dollars; it can continue to ruin thousands of lives; OR it can have an honest debate on the issue of Re-Legalizing Cannabis and treat it the same as Alcohol.
You pledged “to open up the White House to the American people”. I’m one of the tens of millions of Americans who believe that cannabis should be legally regulated like alcohol. I’m also one of the tens of thousands of Americans who voted to make this subject the most popular question in your online Presidential Town Hall. I’m disappointed to learn that you believe that my voice doesn’t really matter.
ron paul is a joke
Oceans 14
what did this guy come to the press confrence high? haha
please post on main page http://caffertyfile.blogs.cnn.com/2009/03/31/war-on-drugs-is-insane/
So. “President Obama does not think it is a good direction for the country”. Who elected him King of America?
The people are supposed to be the rulers here, not the President.
I’m not buying this, “poor Obama and the crappy hand he was delt with our country and it’s problems” you dont hover over the lake that is scandolous chicago politics..you HAVE TO swim thru it! Obama is a crook and needs to say what he has to to get his money and backing from special interest groups…FUCK GIBBS and all the rest of them! making our country and the presidency a JOKE just like the all the others!
The politicians or poli-tricksters will keep prohibition to support those industries and especially the police state and prison industrial complex and to keep the income streams flowing to those whose politics and sciences support the government. They have created numerous jobs especially law enforcement.There are over 20 million local,state, and federal employees and now the President wants to expand government? The system does not want anyone to profit from cannabis only their kind, they cannot permit anyone cultivating on their own because they have no CONTROL. I have said this before until they perfect biological controls to prevent anyone from cultivating cannabis, prohibition will continue.The White house is playing a dangerous game with the manner they discuss the topic, their credibilty and trust are on the line. Mr. Gibbs is just the messenger and knows exactly what he was doing for the sinister forces behind prohibition or he was giving his best Homer Simpson impression.
“When I was a kid I inhaled frequently. That was the point.” Obama
I’m actually quite surprised that this repulsive fraud-in-chief n.w.o. socialist tyrant didn’t attack and deride cannabis user for contributing to global warming and ecological deprivation with their “carbon emmisions”.
Well, I suppose all that teary-eyed “hope and change” bullshit you fucking liberals voted for has quickly transformed into FEAR & LOATHING…
Thank you 16 64 and 107 change is on the way, If we don’t screw it up.
CONGRESS MAKES THE LAW NOT THE PRESIDENT ! IT IS TRUE. Many who are posting to this site are not on our side, many are from law enforcement, others just want Obama to fail for their own reasons that have little to do with marijauna one way or the other.
How many of you really want to see a return to the Bush policies. Several on this page do….
Well, when he said he wasn’t aware of any economic analysis about marijuana, it was meant as a sarcastic gesture. The problem here is that no one takes the issue seriously.
No Ron Paul is not a joke. He’s one of very few politicians who have the balls to stand up against the theft of this country, and corporate interests.
But by all means, bite the hand that feeds you. See how far you get on your own.
What have you done Will? You are the joke.
Typical case of reefer madness:
Had Obama not inhaled when he was a kid, he would have answered THE question with upmost seriousness and said
YES
This marijuana makes one giggles for years thereafter and fogs the head: that’s why he said he didn’t think that was a good path for America to take. Damn weed !
So potent a plant on mind it controls and maintains its own ILLEGALITY
In these hard economic times I can say the only thing I haven’t tightened my budget dramatically for is marijuana. If my pot was taxed, I’d be happy to pay it because it would be damn near the only tax I’d be paying. I’ve slowed down on driving, I’ve stopped drinking, I’ve never smoked cigarettes, I’m not buying a car any time soon, or spending money on entertainment. I’m not contributing to the economy in any way for it to progress all because the government has scared me enough to stop spending the money I make. But I can never say goodbye to my lil’ sack of pot. Come on Obama, take advantage of me and the hundreds of thousands just like me. I’d be honored to roast a bowl if it helped the economy.
CNN has a poll running on their home page (right hand side about halfway down) to vote on the legalization and taxation of drugs. Keep this issue in the media! Go vote now!
http://www.cnn.com
# Gem Says:
March 31st, 2009 at 1:18 pm
So. “President Obama does not think it is a good direction for the country”. Who elected him King of America?
The people are supposed to be the rulers here, not the President.
RE:
Gem,
This American-History educational video comes to mind: 🙂
No More Kings!
“When the Colonies complained, the King said,’I don’t care.’ “
KEEP THE FIRE BURNING: Obama’s derisive remarks and Gibb’s bumbling stupidity over a very serious question have come to be a blessing in disguise. It has energized the Marijuana reform movement. As another poster on this site once said, Anger is one of the few emotions that leads to action. We need to continue our actions. Do not allow our struggle to be pushed to the back burner. NOW MORE THEN EVER we need to continue to push the media and our politicians to show them that we cannot be swept away. Continue to write your local governments and lets keep this fire burning strong.
Okay seriously, what is it going to take for the people to wake up and take back our nation.
It should be up to US how we spend our time and what we indulge in.
It should be up to US how we spend our money, not the feds taxing the daylights out of us for pork.
NORML march on DC anyone? We NEED TO ORGANIZE NOW.
WE NEED TO TAKE CONTROL BACK OF OUR COUNTRY.
“”Mr President
To quote Gandhi “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.” I see that we have progressed to the point of ridicule . I was hoping that in your administration we would see a “change “, I was hoping that we would not have to go to the next step and fight . This American is willing to fight for the right to consume Cannabis legally , without the FEAR OF MY GOVERNMENT. This fight is being fought daily by the thousands who grow Cannabis and the Millions who consume Cannabis peacefully. When the Government declares a “War on Drugs” , it is declaring War on it’s own citizens.
The Government can continue it’s war against the American people in this so called ” War on Drugs”; it can continue to waste millions of dollars; it can continue to ruin thousands of lives; OR it can have an honest debate on the issue of Re-Legalizing Cannabis and treat it the same as Alcohol.
You pledged “to open up the White House to the American people”. I’m one of the tens of millions of Americans who believe that cannabis should be legally regulated like alcohol. I’m also one of the tens of thousands of Americans who voted to make this subject the most popular question in your online Presidential Town Hall. I’m disappointed to learn that you believe that my voice doesn’t really matter.””
Amen, let just keep fighting and keep making him sound ridiculous.
We all can send members of Congress and the President a rolling paper in the mail to get the message across that PROHIBITION IS A CANCER ON OUR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS.
I gotta say i have complete mixed feeling on this whoooolllllle topic. dont get me wrong here people i want marijuana legalized god do i want it legalized. but honestly as the first african american president to legalize pot, I think right then and their sara palin would jump out and go ITS MINE NOW, ALLL MINE!!!!!(the presidency)
But on the other side obama totaly bitched out on the question and i have to say i lost alot of respect for him on that. For a president who has taken office in a time where their are more crucial confilcts going on that need crucial responces i think its unfair to throw a political suicide topic on his back as well.
Also no one has seemed to mentioned the fact that the DEA went back on what the Atorney General said about not raiding medical marijuana despencieres which they did like a week after he said it. So although the media is talking about it more their really not focusing on the injustice and bullshit of it.
well thats most of what i needed to say keep writting letters will get it legalized
Doomstoned you moron at least the lesser of two evils got elected. If McCain were in power we wouldn’t even be talking or having a national debate about this issue.
I was told one of the major reasons that most of the Southern States don’t vote Yes on Medical MJ is because of the Baptist Press.. Which A LOT of the Southern State legislators read.. go to their site http://www.bpnews.net and do a search on Marijuana and all kinds of lies will come up… It would be nice if everyone that see a lie would email them and let them know
http://www.examiner.com/x-536-Civil-Liberties-Examiner~
y2009m3d30-Do-we-need-a-Johnny-Appleseed-for-marijuana
This as been mentioned a bunch of times here, and on other boards. Could be applied to hemp as well. Food for though…:)
To the commenters who can’t wait for the NORML adds to run. My fity dollar check to NORML just cleared, has yours’ been mailed?
Seriously! Ad time is expensive and the most effective spots, such as news, sports or PT movies are extremely costly and to be effective, need to run repetitively to make an impact.
Times are tough and no-one understands this better than I do on disability, but come on, help out. To get the adds out takes money…..
Unfortunately, this is a problem we have to fight at the state level. Maryland is already trying to pass a bill because the current one gives false judgement. Lets attack this at the grass roots. The president is nuthin but the new YOUNG MAFIA DON and Gibbs is his bitch. Save your state cause the country is gone.
If only we could get the big tobacco companies to embrace marijuana, instead of lobbying against it. They could buy the patent from the government and produce marijuana cigs. “Marlboro Greens”?? I wish. haha
#174: You make an excellent point. I just visited the site and came across stories such as this one here: http://www.bpnews.net/BPFirstPerson.asp?ID=30124
There must be a way to stop the propigation of baseless lies such as the ones contained in this article. People need to understand that society will not collapse as we know it with the legalization of marijuana. For the most part it will go largely unnoticed by most of the American populace. Until the lies can be stopped and the truth spread to all American people this will remain a very uphill battle.
“Outfluence Says:
March 30th, 2009 at 2:45 pm
For this debate to go anywhere, someone needs to write an authoritative, academic study on the precise economic benefits of legalization and a proposed regulatory framework.”
Please, “Outfluence”: decriminalization, not “legalization”. Taxation, regulation, and “academia” are already the near death of the United States of America (aka Our Nation). We need LESS of all of these, not MORE. It is amazing how easliy and willingly American consumers of marijuana are ready to give away their freedom — total freedom — to smoke, possess, grow, transport, etc. marijuana and turn it over to an entity nearly as greedy & bad as the Mexican/American mob — government. Not funny, if one thinks about it…
Now THIS is funny:
“So how about it NORML?
I don’t see much of an economic plan on your website.
I think you’re missing a great opportunity to take advantage of the recession.
How about offering a $50,000 stipend towards a fellowship that would generate just this sort of document?”
Yeah, NORML — hire a dozen or so econimists or fund a fellowship. Like, what’s up, dudes?
EPF then maybe we will consider supporting you again !!!
End
Prohibition
First
Number 161, what Bush policies have changed exactly? We are still at war, in fact we have new wars now. We still have the economic policies of bailing out big whig rich and powerfuls rather than letting them fail for their mistakes. Obama refuses to investigate and prosecute any former Bush admins. And Obama’s cabinet is full of federal reserve bankers. Then this. What HAS changed exactly?
Outsource says that someone should write an “authoritative academic study on the precise economic benefits of legalization and a proposed regulatory framework.”
Here’s a good one
http://www.prohibitioncosts.org/
You’re Welcome
Here is my e-mail to the good ole baptist Press
Dear Sir, Madam,
I find it bizarre that your website would continue the insane pro prohibition propaganda. The alcohol prohibition started by the christian temperance movement and was deemed a failure and repealed soundly with the 21st amendment to our Constitution. $ years after that the country embarked on yet another prohibition, this time against a plant. After 72 years (Marihuana Tax Act of 1937) this colossal and falsehood based war on cannabis has cost our Nation over one trillion dollars in tax payer dollars. Since 1965 over 20 million human beings have been incarcerated for non-violent and victim less offenses. During this time Cannabis has become the largest cash crop in the Nation, thanks to narrow minded thinking and falsehoods spread by special interests.
Prohibition of cannabis, just as alcohol prohibition did in it’s day, is the number one reason for this growth. The numbers alone speak for themselves. Had there been a decrease in drug use, the numbers would have gone down. Because of the lies and pandering to special interests, such as the often corporate owned prisons, the correctional workers union and police unions, along with others who wish to push their views on the rest of us.
Your editorials continue to spread the same false hoods which make the 1936 film Reefer Madness such a hilarious montage of lies. Yet some in the prohibitionist’s movement have exactly that mentality and continue to spread the same lies as they have for over seven decades. More like 95 years, since El Paso passed a city ordinance in 1914 when cannabis was used to persecute Mexican migrant workers and “negro” jazz musicians. The racist origins of cannabis prohibition alone make a good argument for its repeal alone, but it appears that that part doesn’t bother many. What should bother every one is the idiotic message we are sending to our children. Currently both alcohol and cancerettes are legal for adults. Cannabis with known medical value is illegal, yet it is not addictive. There are no withdrawal symptoms such as from alcohol and cancerettes, it is not a gateway drug and there is no chance of dying from it. To claim cannabis is a gateway drug is equally as absurd as the notion that beer ultimately leads to hard liquor abuse. To continue the lies and special interest propaganda don’t do much for your credibility on the subject. More importantly, our youngsters will learn, either by experimentation or accounts from their peers that they had the wool pulled over their eyes. Morals, or ones ideas of morals can not be legislated, and sooner or later the truth will surface.
As far as medical Cannabis is concerned, the jury has been in for quite some time. There are currently numerous conditions successfully alleviated with a natural herb, without the side effects from chemical poisons. Here is the decision from a former federal Judge under the Reagan administration:
“In strict medical terms, marijuana is far safer than many foods we commonly consume… Marijuana in it’s natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man. By any measure of rational analysis marijuana can be safely used within a supervised routine of medical care.”
-Drug Enforcement Administration, Chief Administrative Law Judge Francis Young,
NORML v DEA 1988
As far as medical cannabis is concerned the government is also lying. Clinical research in the US is severely restrained due to the current laws, yet much evidence exists today about the benefits of medicinal cannabis, so here are a few examples from NORML’s publication ‘Emerging Clinical Applications for Cannabis and Cannabinoids’.
Alzheimer’s disease. A review of recent scientific literature indicates that cannabinoid therapy may provide symptomatic relief to AD patients while also moderating progression. (References, Ramirez et al. 2005, the Journal of Neuroscience 25; Eubanks et al. 2006 Molecular Pharmaceutics; Hampson et al. 1998, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 95; Science News. June 11, 1998; and more)
ALS, Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Writing in the March 2004 issue of the journal ‘Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Other Motor Neuron Disorders’ Investigators at the California Pacific Medical Center reported that the administration of THC prior and after the onset of ALS symptoms staved disease progression and prolonged survival in laboratory animals compared to untreated control specimens.
Diabetes Mellitus. 8 references given
Dystonia. 7 references given
Fibromyalgia. 10 references given
Gliomas. 26 references given
Gastrointestinal Disorders. 12 references given
Hepatitis C. 15 references given
Hypertension. 17 references given
Incontinence. 5 references given
Multiple Sclerosis, 17 references given
Osteoporosis. 4 references given
Pruritis. 7 references given
Sleep Apnea. 4 references given
Tourette’s Syndrome. 7 references given
The aforementioned diseases are the new ones found where medical cannabis appears to be promising. Other diseases such as glaucoma, rheumatoid arthritis, nausea, side effects from cancer treatment, chronic pain, neuropathic pain, eating disorders and depression, just to mention a few. As with any medicine the dosage must be controlled by a physician.
As far as President Obama’s joking about the issue has galvanized many of us and we will not cease until this travesty of a drug war and the continuing lies about the subject stop. The largest – currently illegal – cash crop is a definite possibility to boost the economy with jobs, tax revenue and 25 billion dollars in savings in the penal system. Currently the national average salary fro teachers is around 40K annually. Assuming a 60K cost, including matching taxes, etc, the savings of 25 billion in wasted money paid to the often privately owned and operated prisons could employ over 400,000 teachers nation wide. What kind of message are you sending to your children, when their teachers are cut back extra curricular activities curtailed, giving them more time to get into trouble, just to keep the lies and waste of money going?
I live in North Carolina and in this State alone the taxes and fees from medical cannabis would contribute over 77 million dollars from the sale and tax of medical cannabis alone. Add to that the savings in the health care system and income tax paid by those employed in the medical cannabis system is even greater. Don’t take my word, check the link below and you can get info for every State in the Nation.
As far as the war on drugs is concerned you may wish to check the interview with former Seattle Police Chief and career officer of over 40 years at the second link.
The third link will take you to Law Enforcement Against Prohibition.
The fourth link will direct you to NORML and its infinite data base. The final link will take you to the Shaffer Report, commissioned by republican President Richard Nixon and chaired by the republican Governor of Pennsylvania, Raymund Shaffer.
Medical Cannabis>>
http://www.marijuanalobby.org/States/demographics.php?id=1121&state=NORTH CAROLINA
Chief Stamper>> http://www.democracynow.org/2009/3/30/citing_failed_war_on_drugs_former
Law Enforcement
http://www.leap.cc/cms/index.php
NOR ML>>
http://norml.org
Shaffer Report>>
http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/Library/studies/duapip/pipmenu.htm
“THE COMMISSION’S ROLE
The Commission believes that the first step toward resolving the drug problem is to reconsider the present diagnosis of the ailment. The social response is presently a large part of the problem, one which is compounded with each unanticipated crisis. To break this cycle, it is necessary to refocus our attention on that behavior which carries the most serious social consequence. Preoccupation with the drugs themselves must be replaced by an understanding of the behavioral impact of drug use. We must deal directly with the ambivalence of our attitudes with respect to drugs, conforming our beliefs to reality and our conduct to our ideals. Only then will a coherent policy emerge, one which can withstand legitimate criticism, and one which will have a beneficial impact on the problem.
Promises which cannot be kept must not be made. The public must be apprised that disapproved drug use is part of a larger social pattern, and that all the money and effort that the American society can muster will never be able to deal effectively with this behavior if the problem continues to be defined as it is now. Drug policy making must take into account a wide range of social phenomena of which drug use is a small part, and institutional responses must be framed in the context of broader social roles. Unless present policy is redirected, we will perpetuate the same problems, tolerate the same social costs, and find ourselves as we do now, no further along the road to a more rational legal and social approach than we were in 1914.
The Commission has not attempted to devise utopian policy recommendations. Instead we have attempted primarily to formulate a policy-making process, one which includes all of the important variables and which separates various crucial issues. We have applied this process in order to provide a plan of action to be implemented immediately. But we would be remiss if we were only to propose recommendations for the present. The Commission feels that a coherent social policy requires a fundamental alteration of social attitudes toward drug use, and a willingness to embark on new courses when previous actions have failed.”
The Shaffer Commission Report of 1972 ends with these words. Had they been heeded in 72, rather than being ignored and the paranoia fed by the Pres Nixon and Later Reagan, Clinton and the Bushes we would be infinitely better off now. The pandering to special interest and continuation of spewing forth falsehoods has to stop.
Greg Williams
CNN Poll. Current results
Should drugs be legalized so they can be taxed?
Yes 60% 124024
No 40% 83570
Total Votes: 207594
John Walter’s Ghost
>>>”It is amazing how easliy and willingly American consumers of marijuana are ready to give away their freedom”
I am always surprised to see this argument. You would rather have our current prohibition (persecution) than be able to buy pot legally and pay taxes?
Besides. Our model has alway been the alcohol one. So, just as there are home brewers and wine makers, there will always be those that grow their own – paying no taxes.
Write your congresspeople and march on Washington.
Until we take collective public action, the ranting on this site is nothing more than intellectual masturbation.
So they don’t have any real reason behind not legalizing it? WTF is this, DARE all over again?? Just say NO! He handled himself like a jackass. WTF is so god damned funny? He doesn’t deserve his job if he can’t handle simple questions about marijuana without laughing. Wait… was he high or something? That might explain the giggles. “I can use it, I have used it, hell I’m using right now…. but you can’t…. HAHAHAHA.. Umm. ummm.”
The current Mexican drug war is because of failed and misdirected politics. Every death that happens because of this conflict will be on our anti-legalization supporting politicians hands. If we the people don’t act those deaths will be on our hands. It’s not about getting high it’s about responsibility and I’m no longer laughing. I wonder if Obama will laugh when this thing spills over to America and starts killing Americans? I wonder if they laughed at the “St. Valentines Day” massacre when booze was illegal? “LOL stupid boozies waNT
Left out “2 GET DRUNK”
If Ron Paul was running america
Weed would be legal
Inflation would not exist as our money would be backed by gold(currently it is backed by nothing)
We would not be 18 months into The Second Great Depression
The national Debt would not exist
You would not be working 5 out of every 8 hours to pay taxes.
No Ron Paul’s not a joke he just seems that way to Debt Slaves who’ve bought into the banker/corporate/governmental lies
Here is a thought. If every one sens a letter to their congressman/woman send the letter on 4-20. It is an easy date to remember and by every one mailing the same day, they arrive pretty much the same time. If you want to have a little fun, send your congress person an ounce of parsley – nothing illegal – and include that that baggie represents one ounce, and if it were legal in your State, it would contribute x amount in revenue to your State. Be polite but serious, as this is a serious aspect of our financial mess.
http://www.marijuanalobby.org/States/demographics.php?id=1121&state=NORTH CAROLINA this one gets you the money part…
https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml gets you your reps address.
that baggie represents one ounce, and if it were legal in your State should read:
that baggie represents one ounceof medical cannabis, and if it were legal in your State….
Sorry, it’s been a long day
its official, the united states government is in a conspiracy with the drug cartels, we must take a stand overload the phone lines with us calling and saying enough is enough time to legalize marijuana, march on the steps of the capital building the white house, everywhere. theres more of us then there are of them, we can do it everybody who is with me.
Sounds like this dude’s right in line with Obama’s position. Obama’s not all about certainty on this issue, it’s uncertainty. He doesn’t know what the question says about the online audience. Just like this dude doesn’t know a damn thing.
No serious legislation from Obama until his second term is my prediction.
i dont get it at all… im so frustreted over this issue. hemp,cannabis,pot,mary j……..this stupid gov needs to look at the resorces that a god made plant will do for us !!!!!!!!!! F#@ken DUH !!!!! food,fuel,house’s,end world hunger with hemp seeds,if we resorted back to hemp it would save the planet. im sorry i voted for the dork!!!!!!!!!!!GOD i could go on and on about this subject…………………..see ya
Somebody should ask Obama if he had hypothetically been convicted of the marijuana crimes he committed in his youth if he thinks he would still have won the presidency.
Comment #174: Ray I e-mailed the Baptist Press and gave them a piece of my mind. You were right, they’ve got a real stack of lies on that web site. Obviously no one has put them in check to date or the members are just simply dumb to the real truthful facts about marijuana. Talk about the blind leading the blind, these people are politically going to wake up and loose their religion as a result of bad journalism.
mr Obama,
as someone who listened to your podcasts from the very beginning and has donated a few hundred bucks to your fledgling campaign, i feel i deserve a few minutes of your time.
I am truly sickened by Robert Gibbs answers performance today trying to smooth over your embarrassing remarks about the hot topic of cannabis legalization. this when the topic involves so many potential benefits to humanity and our one precious lives on earth truly makes me question why i convinced several to vote for you.
as a fellow university of chicago guy, it is hard for me to ignore the fact that you incorrectly surmised that legalization of cannabis wouldn’t help US out financially. did you forget about all the money wasted on the DEA? or the taxpayer dollars wasted since day 1 of the war on cannabis in 1937 jailing humans who have merely consumed the flowers of a plant? not to mention these inmates would otherwise be paying the US taxes! billions of dollars. yeah you are throwing around trillions of dollars but billions are not insignificant! did you learn any economics while teaching at the UofC?
mr obama lifting the cannabis prohibition will also allow americans to get back to cultivating industrial hemp. this is truly a green job economic initiative that will surely generate jobs and cash.
mr Obama, have you truly considered the millions of humans across the globe scarred by this plants prohibition. they made an educated choice to ingest, or facilitate ingesting, a plant. yet your government would have them, (THEN WHY NOT YOU!!!) criminals for life. imprisoning is not the answer we should focus on the truly addicted. get this wonderful plant out of the hands of “shadier” dealers (big parma included) who may be pushing the man-made drugs which really may cause someone harm in a very short period of time.
Now to the point of massively de-funding these drug cartels. 60% of some of these gangs profits are generated from cannabis sales alone. and then we send south of the borders our rapidly eroding U$ and our waste of metal guns? are you fucking kidding me. How is this not a NO-BRAINER.
STORM CONGRESS either april 20th or the july 4th million marijuana march on DC this year demanding international reform. MAKE every member of congress watch the UNION. Mr Obama do you comprehend how many millions of americans are going to inhale or ingest cannabis these days? Do you? Demand that CONGRESS LEGALIZE CANNABIS & HEMP NOW.
And if you do not mr Obama, i am afraid that you will be a one termer and mr Ron Paul will be our next president as he is truly progressive.
Screw alcohol, tobacco, paper, plastic & pharma….YES WE CANNABIS!
I’m done! no support for our president any longer. I can see he is just another DC insider. Change, where?
See I don’t buy the whole Obama’s 2nd term argument. If I voted for this man for CHANGE, why do I have to sit through a stale 4 years of a first term where he doesn’t really change anything to get re-elected? It just doesn’t make sense.
Also, if Obama was seriously considering legalization or decriminalization for a second term, he would have handled this much MUCH more gracefully. Even if the online q&a was a fluke, he could have at least prepared and educated Gibbs. It just doesn’t add up.
I will not be voting for this man in 2012 unless he starts making some serious changes. Increase wartime spending and more bailing out the rich and elite is not what I had in mind.
NORML needs to write more scholarly essays on the benefits of ending the prohibition of cannabis. Without solid numbers this charade is going to continue to eternity.
Flyers….man. Make them!
That’s pretty offensive. We’re citizens too!
Texas GOP rep Kay Granger hass a post up on the Hill’s Capitol Blog. Here is the link.
http://blog.thehill.com/2009/03/30/us-support-crucial-to-mexico
%e2%80%99s-fight-against-cartels-rep-kay-granger/
Yeah, go media! I was so glad to see all those reporters urging for a good reason other than some kid with ADHD talking in front of a group with no clue whatsoever.
hemp flyers
This is no surprise. Why don’t you try walking through Harvard Yard while smoking a joint and see what passing undergrads say to you and to themselves aloud? They all think they’re better than you with their cocaine, not their pathetic marijuana like you smoke.
I blame the millions of idiot Americans that were fooled by this jerk. The terrible mentality that “my vote does not count by voting for someone other than a democrat or republican” will never lead us to real change. Democrats and Republicans have been screwing us over for years. Even under Bill Clinton we had more arrests than any other administration. Did anybody actually hear Ron Paul’s stance? He should have been elected President (for other reasons as well). But no, nobody wants to “waste” their vote, so they’ll pick the “lesser of two evils.” Until everybody else wakes up, we will never see a real change. Ron Paul 2012
SAINT RICO, With all do respect brother, I don’t think we need flyers we need more communication among each other, I work for a major electronics manufacturer, recently I have been talking with people from other departments, as it turns out there are alot of people who smoke weed at my company all it took was a little bit of bravery on my part (then again I live in California where it’s next to legal), You are the flyer, lead by example. marijuana is not crack you can use it and still be a 100% functional citizen. that is all that the status quo cares about. let’s network let’s talk, let’s debate. That is what America is all about right?
I hate to say this, but maybe you all got what you deserved. No, I’m not sorry and apparently I was right: only an idiot would have voted for Obama or McCain either way. You should have known he was a scheming dual tongued politician and was only in this for himself. You should have realized he doesn’t care about you. I don’t like to say this, but marijuana can make you stupid if you smoke it too much. Not me, I used to smoke it too much and still maintained a 3.8 gpa. However, some of you don’t realize that the proper way to smoke marijuana is typically once a week. Now you are so stupid you couldn’t even realize that Obama was a snake in the grass. Michael Phelps is a pussy. When I got busted they didn’t even give me an opportunity to apologize. Props go out to those of you who voted Ron Paul instead of wasting your votes on an atypical politician.
It shouldn’t be what “he” (Obama) thinks is good for America it should be what American’s think what is good for America. That’s why we vote, for a person(s) to represent the people. I think that the alcohol and cigarette companies are a major competitor in this since they don’t want to loose money from a new market. From 1920-1933 you saw the mafia in the U.S. have a war over Alcohol and once it became legal looked what happened. Legalizing pot is a win win. Plus is there 1 reported death to the use of Marijuana? If there is, I don’t think it even comes close to what the other two industries that I mention cause.
Wow. What kind of world do we live in?! Our own elected officals are idiots! How can our government make a case to not legalize Marijuana when they can’t even speak properly?! This guys name should be Captian Stutter. I just want to say thank you to the media for pressuring him to answer and listen to the people. If all our elected officals are this intelligent then we are all doomed
Obama probably can’t politically and openly support reform because marijuana was made illegal partially due to ethnic stereotyping. If he overturned the marijuana law it would be political suicide. Even if he had the balls to reform the laws there are still enough quaker in the republican party who would use this as ammo to destroy other policies more eccentual to the country recovery.
Marijuana facts are out and people are learning day by day that its not the demon that prejudice party leaders of past have made it out to be. Keeping marijuana included in the drug war is proof that this country is moving towards a polices controlled stated and will keep giving our leaders a black eye until they take responsibility and legalize it but till then there will be no tax on it (thank god) but then again there will be more lives ruined by the legal system over it.
All in all this is a just fight and keep pushing the subject but realize that this is not a priority for right now. This will change as long as we stay civil and keep our selves in the right.
these retarded propaganda gushing jerks! special interest group my ass! the democraps have always been a special interest group! gun bans,queers,lesbians,socialist government. fuel the drug war,buy weed whenever possible. get the mexican drug war stoked up. rub their noses in it. we need to empty the jails of innocent pot smokers. this is just like the berlin wall or cuba. the majority of people want cannabis legal and they wont listen. use our wallets to kick their ass. buy more weed,create demand until they cant make silly remarks and have to listen to the people of this country.
Well, what do you expect??? The American people keep on electing the same politians year after year after year.
Both the Democratic and Republican parties are worthless and speak NOT for the majority of Americans.
It’s all about money. Oh, I forgot…you don’t have any. The feds tooks it away and gave it to their buddies.
This is not a joke Obama (and your nerdy press secretary)!!!
Forget about medical marijuana, or the taxes the gov. could gain from a pack of legal smokes…WHY ISN’T ANYONE IN THE PRESS/LITERARY WORLD TALKING ABOUT HEMP???
We need to keep the momentum going and really force some change. 72 years is long enough…I want cannabis/hemp/marijuana legalized by the time Obama leaves office or on the 75th anniversary of it’s prohibition…whichever comes first.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lee-stranahan/
watch-5-benefits-to-legal_b_182263.html This is an amazing article on the huffington post that contains a 2 part video series that explains all the injustices of marijuana prohibition. SPREAD THIS LIKE WILDFIRE!!!
I can’t believe we can not get some sort of answer as to why obama opposes legalization. They could atleast make up some reasons but they just laugh about it. Hundreds of thousands of people are arrested because of these policies and they are laughing about it. This angers me, how can they laugh about a very serious subject? I hate our government. They are ruining the country and laughing about it.
That guy got totally blown away by those reporters…
In 1972 the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws(NORML) began a campaign to have marijuana moved to Schedule II so that it could be legally prescribed to those in need medically(cancer patients, glaucoma, etc.) NORML asked the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs(Now called the DEA, or Drug Enforcement Agency) to begin the process of rescheduling cannabis products. It took more than a decade, but the required public hearings were initiated in 1986. After two years of hearings, the administrative law judge for the DEA, Francis L. Young, wrote that marijuana was
“one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man” and that marijuana fulfilled the legal requirement of currently acceptable medical use.”
However, his order that marijuana be moved to Schedule II was overruled by the DEA.
– info provided by: Buzzed by authors Cynthia Kuhn, Scott Schwartzwelder, and Wilkie Wilson.
The positive affects of marijuana forced people to continue and press the matter, eventually leading the agency known as the FDA(food and drug administration) to begin dispersing marijuana to only a handful of patients(today 5 patients in the U.S have access to medical mary jane. This leads me to ask a series of questions. Hopefully somebody can
provide me with answers. First of all, does this mean the FDA has authoritative rights and permissions over the DEA, or vice versa? If the answer is yes, than should they be allowed to continue and keep this info confidential? My second question is; who, specifically, is responsible for classifying marijuana as a “drug” in the first place? If the FDA has jurisdiction over the DEA, than how do we know who is making the real decisions? My guess, is that the same agency which allowed Pemberton to put cocaine into coca cola products, which was the FDA, is using the DEA as a puppet, and in affect controls the production and sales of food, drinks, herbs and drugs throughout America. “Ninety-two percent of FDA advisory meetings in the last decade included a member with financial ties to drug companies, according to USA Today — the FDA calls them sponsors — and federal law against using experts with financial conflicts of interest was waived 800 times.
Soon, people realized that if the perception of marijuana changed, and American scientists could prove that, chemically adjusted, marijuana is no more of a ‘drug’ than sugar, or caffeine, or tobacco, or alcohol, and that the herb could help dying patients, than perhaps the herb would no longer be categorized with being as dangerous as cocaine and narcotics. Indeed this was proven, and more than 80% of Americans believe that medical marijuana should be legalized (http://safeaccessnow.org/blog/?cat=4).
So my last question is; What is the next step we need to take, as Americans, to ensure that the DEA, and FDA will not continue to create, and enforce unconstitutional policies?
I believe that legalizing medical marijuana would actually, dramatically, decrease the price of marijuana. More production by local and state growers, will lead to lower profits by FDA, and DEA. By keeping the consumption low, they’re able to keep the price extremely high as well. About as high as i am right now.
Responding to “John Walters Ghost”:
Clearly you have absolutely no concept of basic economics (particularly in our current economic state; as assisted by the administration that just departed as well as the administration that was just elected).
FACT: You cannot impose your morals or beliefs through legislation and expect everyone to pay for it through increased tax dollars (this also holds true for Al Gore and the “Global Warming” cult): particularly when the “proof” that you try to provide to further your argument and funding is 100% False,exaggerated and/or many times; unfounded (much like Global Warming or other cults or extremists (see also “War on Terror”).
FACT: Tax expenditures (at ALL levels of government; not just the Federal, but also the State, City, County and other local governments) that are not being wasted on enforcement of an un-enforceable crime will be re-directed to things that are actually a crime. So now you’ve just “downsized” that portion of government; freeing up some cash.
FACT: Those that consume Cannabis recreationally, medically or for other reasons are well educated in the product that they consume and are more than willing to pay tax money (this would be SALES TAX for those that don’t understand) to partake of it (much like connosieurs of fine wines, beers, scothes like to do with their associated “poisons” of choice). They are also very proactive & productive members of our society; often in positions of power with a lot of spending power.
FACT: Look at the sheer dollars that are generated in tax revenue (both from sales AND from Income Tax revenue. . .see also “developing markets or new economic growth”) from the ALCOHOL industry. Now imagine what the world would be like if we were still fighting prohibition. If you think your taxes is bad now under “CHANGE WE CAN BELIEVE IN” (?? I think not!) you ain’t seen nothin’ yet!!
It seems like these are the tactics that both Liberals and Conservatives always take whenever they can’t say that their idea is wrong: you immediately want “hard evidence” even if the plain truth is right in front of you.
I can promise you that there are more than enough people nation wide (if not WORLD WIDE) that would gladly work together on a project such as the one you request below (MYSELF INCLUDED).
And to correct you, it’s not the “academia of America” that is killing this country; it’s a combination of the ridiculous combined lunacy of those that want to:
LIBERALLY SPEND everyone’s money and to try and make everyone happy (an often impossible task within a small group of people, nevermind a country or the entire world!). . .
(and)
CONSERVATIVELY IMPOSE a set of values or morals on those that don’t think the same way, while also trying to make everyone happy (also, an impossible task!).
Quit wasting money on things that don’t work and are not relevant and let “We The People” continue on in our desire for “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness” without having to conform to a set of values we don’t agree with or believe in.
LEGALIZE FREEDOM!!!!
mdw
John Walters Ghost Says:
March 31st, 2009 at 6:24 pm
“Outfluence Says:
March 30th, 2009 at 2:45 pm
For this debate to go anywhere, someone needs to write an authoritative, academic study on the precise economic benefits of legalization and a proposed regulatory framework.”
Please, “Outfluence”: decriminalization, not “legalization”. Taxation, regulation, and “academia” are already the near death of the United States of America (aka Our Nation). We need LESS of all of these, not MORE. It is amazing how easliy and willingly American consumers of marijuana are ready to give away their freedom — total freedom — to smoke, possess, grow, transport, etc. marijuana and turn it over to an entity nearly as greedy & bad as the Mexican/American mob — government. Not funny, if one thinks about it…
Now THIS is funny:
“So how about it NORML?
I don’t see much of an economic plan on your website.
I think you’re missing a great opportunity to take advantage of the recession.
How about offering a $50,000 stipend towards a fellowship that would generate just this sort of document?”
Yeah, NORML — hire a dozen or so econimists or fund a fellowship. Like, what’s up, dudes?
To Smiles post 13 – PLEASE don’t give up! Things are changing. Look at all the reporters’ reactions to his stammering in the video and the way they pressed him. He had no cards to play, even if it was the same ole’ BS…but NO ANSWER AT ALL AND AGAIN AVOIDANCE AND LAUGHTER of the subject. I WROTE and have heard NOTHING! Who else has written the president with serious issues about Marijuana Reform and not even heard a PEEP? We need to all get together and get a straight answer!
Everyone else WOW – there is much common sense written from a special interest group that are just a bunch of laughable stoners on this page. Oh what was I saying? HA HA- I am getting VERY tired of this being considered funny. It really shows me. I say to myself “Man, did you screw up voting for that guy!”
I cannot express in words how I felt when he dismissed the entire subject and now seeing this after millions of letters from angry voters and disrespected online viewers, I cannot support this man any longer and am admittedly sorry I voted for him. I feel hoodwinked!
I suffer from MS really bad every day and that’s the #1 issue on MY mind. NOT TO GO TO JAIL – EVER for the use and whatever of simple weed which relieves much suffering for me and millions of others- if it were legal, then they would find out.
Even LEAP.org has a better way to approach this than with avoidance and laughter. Thank you NORML for the video. I just joined the MPP.org because they have been getting a lot of Coverage in the news lately. BUT, they do not have this video on this site that I know of…I will make them aware.
Has anyone thought of making our OWN HOMELAND SECURITY PROGRAM by getting all Pro-legalization Organizations together and always help each other? It doesn’t take a genius to know that there is real power in numbers!
What we need to do is encourage EVERYONE to come out of the closet too. There are so many people- let’s say that for everyone who has the courage to risk something for the cause of freedom there are 1000 people who will NOT! I KNOW MANY who tell me I’m crazy for sticking my neck out. They say that it will be easier to cut me down that way and further ruin the life I had such high hopes for. I am now dying and need my Medicine and the federal government will not allow it even though I live in a State where the overwhelming majority has voted to be lenient toward sick and dying people. LIKE ME! SO I DO NOT CARE! I really have little to lose at this point. Now some will say “OH, he has little to lose so that’s why he’s vocal about it” – I want everyone to know that if I am locked up and not given my medications, which includes my medicine, I could very well die. NOT FROM LACK OF SMOKE , but for the lack of my regular prescription meds that say on the lable ”DO NOT JUST STOP TAKING THIS MEDICATION or you will risk respiratory failure, cardio-pulmonary issues may result” and a host of other apparently funny things and at the least, I would suffer greatly, much more than now. Also, the FEAR and anxiety factor of an arrest is too much to handle for a dying patient. How Cruel and indifferent can a government get!
SO what do we do? (We were just asked) KEEP ON doing what we are and keep engaging in civil disobedience and legal protest and FLOOD THE EMAIL Of Congressmen and every government official. They will tire and eventually fold. If they return form letters PRESS THOSE for a contact visit! Press them for answers. THIS VIDEO has surfaced and will not go away unless WE let it die! If they answer you personally then be polite and very concise and persuasive as possible, by covering every objection BEFORE they have a chance to raise the issue with you – such as EX. -MR. Representative would you please recognize Medical Marijuana as a useful medication and represent me and have it removed from Schedule 1 Status so that it can be prescribed without fear, by physicians, of Federal Harassment? You may get a letter back that states that he or she doesn’t support the legalization of DRUGS and he or she is going to come down hard (regardless of what the voters want-the arrogance is astounding) on growers of DRUGS too. Totally off the real issue. I got that in a state that just voted to legalize growing in your closet. I couldn’t believe it. However, I will not stop making my plea for peace, sanity and true justice in society
Always be respectful and polite and never stop. I guess that’s how we can make the obvious changes that really can help our economy and relieve the suffering of millions.
Thank you NORML! Peace to all.
THANK YOU another citizen!!! That video link is going to everyone I know! WOW – And who would be better informed than a Judge. See smiles…there’s hope!
This is one of the most political savvy administrations in the United States history, and they simply refuse to formulate a cohesive message on this topic. It’s as if they want to be called out. Which they might.
I hope that all of you were smart enough to see through the smoke (tsk tsk) and voted for Ron Paul instead of Obama.
I’m starting to get the idea that society is ready to make marijuana the “illegal thing you’re allowed to do anyway.” This puts it on the same level as underage tobacco smoking, underage drinking, prostitution, gambling (where it’s illegal), etc.
The general public may not accept outright legalization in the next 50 years, but maybe they’ll let it be the criminal offense you don’t get in trouble for unless you’re stupid about it.
Same shit different administration. Fear and propaganda control the law not reason and science. It would be nice to see just once a government that really was by, for and of the people. Until big money gets out of our political system nothing will really change. Sad but true.
I just posted this on that ondcp website that the oracle was talking about. curios to see if they take it out or leave it up. lol.:
I think that everyone needs to get their head out of their you know what and wake up. Go to NORML.org and learn the real facts about marijuana, not the gov’t lies and propaganda. Alcohol causes cancer, marijuana slows it down and even kills cancer cells. It helps a lot of people in severe chronic pain without addicting them with powerful narcotics. Thats right, people, marijuana is not a real narcotic, its just classified as one. Marijuana helped my mom get relief when she was going through chemo to battle cancer. She couldn’t eat on account of all the medicine she was taking and it made her nauseous. Guess what? She’s still a survivor after 20 years and praises pot. My wife never smoked in her life until her glaucoma got so bad. Smoking helps to relieve her ocular pressure and that helps clear up her vision. Last dr visit couldn’t even find traces of glaucoma. Its still there, comes back when she stops smoking. I could go on and on but I won’t. Prohibition and propaganda makes people look like idiots!!!
ha ha I went back to the website ondcp and couldnt find mine or anyone elses comments
Hey, here’s a thought. I’ve heard that marinol is much stonger than smoked cannabis and causes some negative side effects. Could it be that the big pharma is trying to make it too strong and make people sick so that they can say bad things about it?
No president can advocate marijuana legalization until the second term. The risk of re-election is too great as the GOP will nail anyone to a cross over the issue.
sure there might be a lot of collectives out,maybe to many(MAYBE) but as it stands some people have found that herb is the only thing that helps us get through the pain or mental problems we have..and that idiot ruler of our country dose not understand not all of us abuse this way of controling our pain than hes an idiot like i said..make rules a little stiffer for patients to qualify for the program..(BUT PLEASE DONT CLOSE ALL OUR COLLECTIVES WE DO NEED THEM)GJW2011