CNN host Don Lemon examined the growing call in America to legalize cannabis tonight, prompted by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s suggestion this week that the state debate legalizing cannabis and convene a blue-ribbon commission to examine the prospects of such.
I was opposed by prohibitionist Kevin Sabet in a very brief cable news exchange. If supporters of cannabis law reformers want to continue to raise the public discussion level on legalizing cannabis, contact CNN and request that they provide even greater coverage of cannabis-related matters, debates and online surveys; along with MSNBC, CNBC, Fox and C-Span.
I hope its not as biased as the cnn site.
Can’t wait to see how this goes down
YES! yes yes yes!
does anyone know about pacific standard time?
Good luck going up against one of CNN’s best “face men” for showing shock and constant belittling amusement. His previous comments on this topic were delivered with a smirk and chuckle. Not sure if thats what’s on his teleprompter or if its truly his view.
Not sarcastic. I just hope NORML’s views are not taken as some crazy view from the far left and discounted or belittled. While we have gotten a lot of good conversations flowing, I still cant help but notice the number of people who roll their eyes and say this is not important at this time.
Any excuse to avoid a real discussion is what I keep seeing from people. Before it was, “It’s illegal for a reason.” Now it’s, “Is this really important when we have some many more **important** things to face in America right now.”
I just wish people would understand part of why we’re in this situation right now is because of the previous ignorance.
sweet now i know what doin tonite
Will be watching.LEGALIZE
There Again Y Jus California All the States r In need of money LEGALIZE TAX,REGULATE across the map
Wow, good luck on the show. I am going to try and watch it, but don’t know if I will be around.
Hey, give CNN a fair chance. So far they’ve had more pro-legalization pieces than any other station.
Im watching it right NOW whith ma J! lol
I was enthused by this headline! However, I do agree with number 5. Likely CNN will trivialize the push for legalization. I’ll be looking forward to the day when one of these major news stations present the issue in a serious manner.
on now!
They will prolly trying to make us out to be radical ppl and we will shove it in there face and they will be ti ignorant to recognize it like every other interview or discussion about it lately
Nice try, Allen… that interview was a joke from the start. Maybe next time they’ll actually let you, you know…. talk.
Good discussion.
wow…. you were completely disrespected
I am sorry but it was a joke! They let Serbet spue out his lies and the norml person could hardly get a word in!
That was the crappiest interview I have ever seen, wtf?? DECRIMINALIZE POT IN FLORIDA ALREADY!
CNN sucks! That guy they had on supporting the criminalization of marijuana was such an a**hole! He had no opinion but his own, saw no one and nothing but himself and his own opinions, and yet he has the audacity to ask us to listen to him!? Absurd! CNN SUCKS!!
What a joke, Don Lemon is totally incompetent. I’m still waiting to see a legitimate, extended conversation on legalizing marijuana.
Okay, could have been more in debt, the drug czar guy presented the same old lump-marijuana-in-with-alcohol-and-tobacco-as-if-it-were-all-the-same argument.
why do people think marijuana’s effects are anything like that of alcohol, or as destructive to your health as cigarettes? It sure beats me….
On the whole, though, I thought Don Lemon seemed to be slightly more supportive to NORML than he was to prohibition.
LOL
BEHOLD REPUBLICAN BIPARTISANSHIP AT ITS BEST!!!!
i like the opposition said 450,000 people die a year from tobacco and alcohol, what does that have to do with marijuana?
“wow…. you were completely disrespected”
Agreed. I saw the same guy debate against Rob Kampia and all he did was speak over everyone including the host.I’m really starting to dislike his smirk.
It was a joke! They let the serbet guy spue his lies and the norml person could not get a word in!
they hardly let you speak allen, but good job regardless. that kevin guy is such a tool!
Wasn’t Bias at all. Allen did a great job! Thank you!!
yo sabet was stuttering….he was lying at the same time. why does he keep saying that 90% of the ppl that get cought only end up with a parking ticket? That is a lie….NOT IN VIRGINIA….over here if we get cought with a dime they wiil take as to jail, make us pay for bail out lawyer and court and all dat shit adds up to 2500 dollars….Kevin u asshole u call that a parking ticket!!! Take your head of your ASS!
ok only 5 percent of american people use pot, give me a f@ckin break dude come on.who was that guy fred savages retarted brother or what sounded like a some one ate 2 much bull shit today. good job cnn for the 7 mins of time u gave us. that guy kinda freaked me out.
Great job Alan! Other dude would not shut up though! One could tell he was bullshiting too. His facts were mixed and just not true! CNN dude was a little dickish but he too was more logical about the MJ issue then most folks on a major TV News show.
this is rediculous. im leaving some mean comments on cnn. im tired of this b-s argument by former drug czars and all that. its biased. they dont want to see the facts because the facts are clearly in support of legalization.
We need more time for this debates 6mins is not enough…..they did not even let pierre talk!
Just dont let them get away with LYING!!! Thats what they do, so call them on it ask for the proof and show our proof!
When they start lying they are scared so let them have it, bust them us, get the truth out!
Good luck Im sure we will all be watching!
Rather than spending a decent amount of time on cannabis reform, CNN used a large amount for the pomp and glitter at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner and reduced the topic to less than 10 minutes. Most of that time was dominated by Kevin Sabet, former advisor to Bill Clinton and George Bush, and not giving Allen St Pierre enough time to a real debate. While the subject was brought up, it can hardly qualify as in depth information or debate.
That of course is not NORML’s fault, it does show that mass media is still more concerned about “stars” at the White House dinner and less about meaningful reform of our unjust and archaic drug policy.
There wasn’t even enough time for Allen to get a word in edge wise to counter the comparison made by Sabet between the amount of alcohol tax revenue collected and the social cost due to alcohol abuse. Had there been enough time, Allen could have pointed out that cannabis is not nearly as dangerous or harmful as alcohol!
Truth WIll Prevail!
What we need is normltv.
pathetic-slanted toward bullcrap antiquated policies-gave st pierre very little time to rebutt the lies spewed by government hack sabet. keeping it illegal is unreasonable policies created by lies of unreasonable men…of which sabet is one. makes one wonder if the governments that keep it illegal are getting kickbacks from the persons who run it as an illegal business venture…legalizing it would hit their wallets…discuss that cnn.
Shame on CNN and Don Lemon for letting the other guy have all the talk time! If there’s going to be a serious debate, then how about some equal time, particularly to address the issue of how alcohol and tobacco ARE NOT THE SAME as marijuana…very disappointing.
Awesome. Glad to see MJ getting more attention and discussion.
Is there any way for me to view this online? Since I’m from the UK.
I know some channels have online video streaming.
I wouldn’t know what to search for, or what it’s called. 😡
It was a very weak debate..pure waste of time..
It is deeply regrettable that CNN did not devote more time to such am important issue in so many current relevant ways. We have border/cartel crime, upstanding citizens being jailed or ruined with unexpungeable crimninal records, fiscal deficits etc that are directily associated with the non-legalization or decriminalization of marijuana laws. We have people suffering with pain or anaesthetized with harmful, addictive drugs because marijuana is not available to them. This country’s social policies have been destroyed in the past eight years and it is time to change these policies immediately. Hopefully, someone in the main stream press will have the balls to comment strongly and the majority message will finally persuade our lawmakers to change the laws. Presindent Obama,Democratic Senate and Congress, where are you???
LEGALIZE
WOOOOOO.
Saw it, disappointed too, extremely.
Don Lemon, by my own impressions, appears to be in favor of legalization however, and in order to keep his job, he has to stick with what the person behind the camera is telling him to do.
Kevin, the other guy against it, his comments were as usual absurd and you Allen were given no time to speak. A sham, a waste of time. The prohibitionist are allowed to the steal the show every time.
Also let me get something off my chest Allen, and please forgive me ahead of time. I read a quote from you at an AlterNet article and you stated that our best chance of legalization is in Obama’s second term. To quote you: “The window of opportunity for presidential action is four years down the road, St. Pierre suggested. “If Obama doesn’t do anything next year, they will then be in reelection mode and unlikely to act,” he mused. “I think our real shot comes after he is reelected. Then we have two years before he becomes a lame duck.”
I strongly disagree and believe that NORML should be going for the juggler so to speak RIGHT NOW.
There’s no evidence, and quite frankly it would be lame to believe, that Obama will get another term, too much can happen between now and then. Quite frankly I’m offended that you would suggest such a thing.
[AStP: While the regular visitors to NORML’s webpage obviously support legally controlling cannabis, unfortunately, the general public does NOT yet. Therefore, the vast majority of politicians, in every state, are not even close to supporting cannabis legalization. You’d be delusional to believe otherwise. Most don’t even support legalization-lite (ie, medical cannabis and industrial hemp), or even decriminalization. In fact, despite the uptick in MSM attention to cannabis law reform and Gov. Schwarzenegger’s positive comments, if I’m not incorrect Tommy Ammiano’s legalization bill has not attracted a single co-sponsor. The MA legalization bill has not attracted any further co-sponsors…
We all know how Obama and his staff react when being confronted with the ‘L’ word…
Does this sound like viable political support for ending 70-years of prohibition to you?
So, while you may want to ‘go for the jugular’, that is both politically premature, immature and casts for a 40-year old social justice movement unrealistic expectations for reform.
Please contact your member of Congress and your two US Senators about their support for legalizing cannabis…and then post their disappointing replies here at NORML’s blog–and then tell us about that ‘going for the jugular’ thing some more…
That I commented to a media question about Obama’s presidency and the potential for cannabis law reforms (post Obama’s chuckle against legalization) with an informed and honest opinion, considering what I’ve written above, Obama’s opposition to legalization (and, he claims to oppose decriminalization as well) and the fact that over 90% of incumbent presidents seeking a second term get re-elected, I’m sorry ‘offended’ you.]
Lets see,
They give the prohibitionist time to state a bunch of flat out lies, then waste half a minute on irrelevant Speech by governor.
Anchor Lemon then redirects the conversation to the semantics of the speech made by the Governor and allows the misinformation to go unanswered.
Then we close with more time for the prohibitionist and a final thought from Lemon suggesting how nice the conversation we just had was.
If it wasn’t such a serious issue it would almost be funny.
Video posted for todays interview here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ycq_g9VgBP0
~ Green Devil
What the HELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That was an absolute joke. CNN needs to get their head out of you know where!!! The O.N.D.C.P. jerk is a pathological parrot LIAR !!!!! distortion of the truth should be outlawed!!! WE NEED TRUE LOBBYISTS IN WASHINGTON.DEMOCRACY AND RATIONAL THINKING DO NOT SEEM TO WORK!!!!! The other side seems to be able to say anything without substantiation!!!!! Science and anecdotal evidence have already proven it is very safe.No one ever gets enough time in these debates to make these points. Interviews are one sided. The media is not doing it’s job for the people. It’s job is to expose fraud (even if by our own government lies and continual failure. The prohibition experiment has long been proven a failure and a fraud. Follow the money trail “as they say”.
Debunking and justifying our stance is NOT the way to make headway here. The so-called interview was a joke and did not show a winner.
We need to stop debunking and start laughing at the prohibitionists. When they say “Gateway drug” we need to chuckle and make them sound as silly as they are! MOCK THEM!!! Their call for continued carnage should only strike up indignation. We as Regulators should expose Prohibitionists as “out of their minds” or “a group of laughable”.
DEBATE IS A WASTE OF TIME! Regulators should expose the Prohibitionists as a death dealing group of non-thinkers!
We need to stop beating around the bush and make Prohibitionist look like fools by laughing at their comments thus exposing them as a joke.
Truthfully, heckling them is a great strategy. Make them produce proof of their claims and then point out how inconclusive their so-called studies are!
Prohibitionists are a joke! Let us as Regulators expose them as such!
Buddy, I might of missed the beginning but i don’t think I did. Did you get to say anything? The moderator responded more to his proproganda than you. Of course I would of said its hypocritical for them to fine people (FAR more than a parking ticket)for pot where as the legal drugs that he admitted kills half a million americans a year is supported and endorsed.
Wow i was too High…
Marijuana Legalization iS AROUND THE CORNER~
WHERE EVERY DRUG DEALER iS WAiTiNG FOR CUSTOMERS!!!
all it did was piss me off…when idiot said 1/2 mil. died from alcohol and tobacco why didn’t you come back with In 10 thousand yrs. no one has died from marijuana and what about clinical studies showing it stops cancer. Sorry but i don’t get it
I thought it was a good clip, about half the time was wasted due to technical difficulties though. I think some of the commenters on here are too concerned with smoking their next fatty, and dont see that the prohibitionist admitted at the end they need to look at other ways to reduce demand including education and treatment. I think the overall goal is to prevent drug use even while legalizing them. Both sides share that goal and can work together in that regard but we need to convince them and show them how we can lower drug use by legalizing them. This isnt just about you and your quality couch time.
Nothing special. The propagandist spoke 90% of the time.
CNN Allen St. Pierre vs. Kevin Sabet with Don Lemon
Sat May 9, 2009
Youtube link to the video
The point is that more and more people nationwide are taking notice now. It’s evidence the campaign is building steam. Debate on CNN is good even if the protagonist is taking flak from the opposition. We can help it along by posting our viewpoints on as many venues as possible. Now is the time. Call your state and federal representatives and voice your opinion. Post in newspaper websites. Its the numbers that will eventually sway the vote. Get involved.
Even though Pete Sampras got 3 times the talking time as Pierre, it was a raping. Pierre was actually laughing towards the end, because the only arguments left are, at their strongest, partial admissions of the safety of the plant or likewise partial admissions of the failure of our current policies.
YOU ROCK ALLEN!
Seriously, Kevin Sabet spoke the majority of the time but he clearly seemed uninformed and uneducated. St. Pierre seemed confident. He responded in a calm manner and provided fact’s that are rarely released to the public. People still think marijuana kill’s and this interview or “debate” helped expose some of the truth. Every day is one step closer to legalization.
it’s in the ‘drug czar’s job description that he is legally allowed to knowingly lie to the public, i learned that from Jack Herer and his book “The Emperor Wears No Cloths” available now at half.com.
They should really be able to cut the mic on a fool like that so Allen could have gotten the final word. I think you were to nice Allen. We have Majority support and you should jump right to the Question of “how the Minority of taxpayers can arrest and jail the Majority of taxpayers in a democratic society?”
What is the deal with the “study it” stance we now are beginning to hear? Why dont we just accept the results of the studies we have already done?
The lets study it position is just a stall for time.
well that wasnt much of a debate it only lasted 7 min and i think allen said like 7 words it really was a waste of time
People like this still make up stats and present them to the public. Much more than 5% of Americans use Cannabis.
We would call for a public appology if he weren’t a former czar. We all know it’s BS but some people saw that and assumed he knew what he was talking about.
The prohibitionist are losing there war of spin and lies. All the propaganda and lies printed in the daily rag called a newspaper are giving way to uncensored media the internet.
90% of the people sounds wrong to me. Here in kansas any possession can get you from 6 months to a year, and i have 3 friends in jail for this. 90% get off with a slap on the wrist my ass. Mabey in California and more prolegalization states. But in alot of states its still hard time. Also just possession on the record. they can be denied jobs, government aid, and a a lot of other shit.
Also why should they even get a parking ticket. Even if pot is illegal we need sensible punishments. Make the people who are caught with it go through some form of rehab or something, and keep all charges a misdemeanor. Its stupid to arrest people for using any substance while not causing harm to others, and especially in the case of marijuana.
could they just be honest and not lie?? i hope that what research comes out with is the truth and not just a bunch of lies, both with what the governator is talking about doing and what webb is trying to do. i just want them to tell the truth and i just dont think they will 🙁
Defination of BEFUDDLED
befuddled – perplexed by many conflicting situations or statements; filled with bewilderment; stupefied by alcoholic drink;
I think that is the fitting word for that interview.
anyone know if there is anybody working on a marijuana breathalyzer. if someone could come up with one real quick then we couldget alot further given the fact that everyone wants to argue about people driving under the influence.
http://www.cnn.com/feedback/forms/form4.html?94
That is the feedback link for Don Lemon! Show CNN how stupid it is to mess with us!
“yo sabet was stuttering….he was lying at the same time. why does he keep saying that 90% of the ppl that get cought only end up with a parking ticket? That is a lie….NOT IN VIRGINIA….over here if we get cought with a dime they wiil take as to jail, make us pay for bail out lawyer and court and all dat shit adds up to 2500 dollars….Kevin u asshole u call that a parking ticket!!! Take your head of your ASS!”
AGREED! I HAD LESS THAN A DIME AND I GOT A FELONY FOR IT! A FELONY!!!!!!!!!! WTF!!!!!!!!!
The automatical response to feedback on CNN tells that every comment and/or idea that is sent via email to CNN reporters is given to the producers and senior manage each and every day! Let’s ALL show our support and let them know that they can’t mess with us! They can’t mess with our people like that!
i live in oklahoma
sry for double post
marijuana = suply and demand, we the people that use marijuana absolutly will not go away, there will always be the next generation of pot smokers. the only thing that can logicaly be ended is prohibition.
Wow, Kevin looked so nervous. You were great, you kept you’re cool and stated the facts, he was trying to be loud and spout unconstitutional lies. Keep up the good work man, and know you always have supporters fighting against this war on the innocent.
more must be done. our voices must be louder and truer than thiers. which is easy they a bunch of lyin bastards
guys…. are you kidding, really examine that conversation. the prohibitionist didnt offer anything in the way of marijuana being negative. 200 billion in social costs…you know why they didnt talk more about that…because the fact that its illegal is the social damage. you know why he brought up 1/2 million alcohol/tobacco deaths happen a year…because there are no marijuana deaths. Allen with a handful of words stood to his point and while it wasnt much headway on his part, the prohibitionist dug his own grave in more than a few points. america wants weed legal, big businesses that are behind the scenes fighting this have no methods of attack left. the overwhelming knowledge and popularity is overcoming their control of the situation. when it gets down to politicians looking at losing their seats vs paid anti-pot views they are going to save their ass, because tomorrow there will be another big business that will buy them for something else. these debates are important… we arnt trying to convince even one politician, that would be useless, we are trying to convince people, people are the power for change and nothing else.
life story time- my grandma, republican christain god fearing nut case. a year ago she thought pot was sin in 10 million ways. fast forward to now with all the facts and debates iv had she has accepted and acknowledge the truth of marijuana. im an 18 year old ex-pot smoker bound to the military so i had to quit, even now i still call anyone that opposes it to the table for debate. probably seeing me study and apply to the cause harder then ever even after i stopped smoking is what was her final turning point.
i hope anyone that gets to read that story is inspired with courage to fear no judgment when it comes to what you believe in, all the better when you know without a doubt that your right 😀
I thought Allen did a pretty good job actually. Only thing I would have done differently was when Sabet said all the deaths from alcohol and tobacco, Allen could have countered that with the fact that nobody has ever died from cannabis in the thousands of years it has been used. The problem is Kevin Sabet (who has debated with Rob Kampia) likes to speak out of turn constantly. He’s very obnoxious really… and that’s why Allen and Rob weren’t really able to get most of their points across. The hosts really should have cut Kevin off after a certain amount of time so they could balance out the debate.
worst debate ive seen all year, allen couldve done a lot better, if i didnt know anything about the subject i wouldve believed that kevin poof. the only thing allen mentioned was public support, he didnt counter any of the false claims that kevin made, and many of them were very easy to debunk. allen stopped talking before he said anything good, he totally choked.
you shouldve mentioned that no one has ever died from marijuana, theres millions of people in jail for possession and minor sales and legalisation isnt going to cause a huge increase in use because it’s already available in great abundance.
and WHAT THE FUCK, no country has legalised marijuana, not one, even the netherlands has only decriminalised it. thats why arnold wants to study the countries that have already legalised it, because none exist.
the next person who goes on tv to debate legalisation shouldnt say its time to study marijuana, all the studies already exist. these fucked up retards just need to read them.
Truth will Prevail! But Beware They Will Tell You Lies!
BS, lies and fear, thats all they have left!
Here in KY, they sure dont hand you a ticket! Last month, 18 year old, tail light out, has a roach found in search, roach is two weeks old. Judge gives, DUI, 6months no driving, 100hrs service, 2 years probation and $500 fine+ court! So they can blow that “just get a ticket” crap out their ass!
Anyhow it more than wriign legislators now, i believe we are all doing that here or sould be and if not Yu SUCCK, but we need to get those potheads that are not active, not willing to do anything really, we have to get those users active, if that means to take them to a computer and buy the stamps, even write the emails and letters, ahve them sign or address, and get it done! We have to involve everyone that this effects or will effect!
Get out and find supporters, get them active hand them the tools to and ther facts, send them to find their friends and so on and on on! We have to get the numbers up and i know in my heart that there is many many smokers that are in hiding or dont think they can do anything to help! So get them and teach them what they need to do!
Keep it up we are winning this thing!
st. pierre still raped sabet in this debate
send cnn an e-mail and let them know we would like to see more.
Good try, Allen. Boy, they did their best to keep you quiet. Me? I would employ counter-intelligence now; anticipate what they will say ahead of time, and be ready to display the truth. “500,000 people die from alchohol and tobacco”, implying that cannabis legalization would increast drug deaths. That is not true, and needed to be stated.
There needs to be transparency in the FDA & DEA, and there should be the Data Quality Act, and any information gathered and the methods that information gathered should also apply under that act also, so we the people can decide if it was done fair and in a scientific method, and not basic on politics as usual.
Thanks Allen, you where great as usual, love hearing you put them in their place.. Being 52% there should’nt any questions about it, if its what the people want, that should be what the people get.. what happened to we the people here…
Government: Smoking causes cancer
Informed Marijuana Smoker: I use a Vaporizer
Government:Thats a felony; 3 years in jail
——————————————————-
Government: You are supporting the drug cartel and terrorists throughout the world
Informed Marijuana Smoker: I grow my own so I know what is in it and I am not supporting any kind of cartel or terroist organization
Government:Thats a felony, 5 years and $250,000 fine
——————————————————
IMS: So you lie to us, but still we took the health hazards and crime out of it and yet we still go to jail?
Government: We did not lie to you, Marijuana kills millions each year
TIME TO WAKE UP AMERICA… JUST BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT SAYS ONE THING DOES NOT MEAN ITS REAL OR RIGHT. Save the Economy, Legalize Marijuana http://www.myspace.com/stelm
The guy who is opposed to legalization on this video looks like he is a spokesperson for pharmaceutical companies…
don’t forget that the ‘war on drugs’ is the vital foundation they need to build a total police state.
when people protested some of the unconstitutional provisions in the ‘patriot act’, the answer / excuse was ‘this is nothing new. we have been using some of these same tactics to fight the war on drugs for years’.
–we gave them an inch, and they took the mile.
re-legalize it all. it was all legal for over 100 years. with no major problems.
legalize it all. if you don’t, you still have street dealers selling to kids, corrupt cops, rich cartels, shootouts, dirty needles, death, disease, suffering, ect.
as well as the whole idiotic idea that a cop or politician knows more about medicine and addiction than a doctor. when a cop is shot, do they rush him back to the police station for treatment by cops? or go to a hospital to see a doctor?
a lot of the people who want to keep pot illegal feel it is immoral / against their religion / the work of the devil, etc. to smoke pot.
i feel it is immoral and unconstitutional for them to use the force of law to impose their religious beliefs on others.
many people believe federal law trumps state law,
but
state law trumps federal law.
proof;
remember the ‘nationwide’ 55 mph speed limit?
not all states adopted it !!
the ‘conflict’ between state law and federal law does not exist, it is a deversionary arguement and / or an attempted power grab.
keep up the good work, the lies they spread about cannabis are being debunked and they fish mouth words that that lack logic..thanks Allen my donations to norml are well spent
As expected outcome. “Technical” problems and deftly orchestrated allowance of over-talk privilege.
The debate Lemon may have been hinting at was that the Governator was talking Legalization and not Decriminalization. Especially important since CA already has that on the books for the most part. Though he failed miserably to comprehend that and actually put out misinformation by stating the debate or other countries were Decrmin only …
Either Lemon is just incapable as a host, or this was a planned outcome in some ways. I’m really torn since I think it was both? 😉
But again, any cannabis splash on the ticker is a splash on the ticker. Awareness is winning hearts and minds. Keep up the good work and well thought discussions everywhere.
Excellent job! A convincing win! Thanks.!
Anonymous: Their income and income of lots of people and organizations depend on their lies. If they weren’t lying, they couldn’t justify the cash cow that is prohibition. I wish upon them all festering boils
Excellent job under the circumstances Allen. I was happy to see you pointed out the polls that show majority support, maybe that will get some people thinking. I thought Don was leaning more toward legalization and it almost seemed like Kevin was agreeing with you by the end of it. Too bad you didn’t have more time but with the way support is growing I’m sure we’ll see you on CNN again soon.
It’s great that the issue continues to attract attention from national, main-stream media. This particular “debate” was dominated by Mr. Sabet and Don Lemon, the newscaster. Allen just didn’t get a chance to say much. Hopefully, the next debate will be better organized and the news crew better prepared. Technical glitches took up too much time.
I didn’t think this was a bad start. It was way too short but I felt like Don Lemon was a decent moderator and I wasn’t nearly as offended by this Kevin Sabet as I was John Walters. I didn’t agree with him of course, but I felt he was someone who might listen to reason, I may be wrong about that.
Good job Allen, I already sent an email to CNN stating it was a good start but I wanted to see NORML folks back for a much longer debate.
Thanks for all you do in this effort, you guys rock.
The Reasons Hemp is Illegal
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3149990642797444340
http://www.illuminati-news.com/marijuana-conspiracy.htm
-Ready to Wake Up?-
Good job Mr. St. Pierre. I wish they would have gave you more time to speak, you looked like you wanted to get more out there. But the way you handled yourself, presented the argument and listened was an awesome representation of NORML and cannabis supporters at large. I’m looking forward to see you with more air time, and a real chance to debate.
It is good that it is hitting the public airwaves more. Sabet seemed reasonable. Walters was always an arrogant ass. He knew that we knew that he was lying, but he simply didn’t care. Arrogance of power. Their time is slipping away on this topic and they are grasping.
I think legalizing Marijuana is something to think and research about before making the final decision. Let just hope that the decision will not affect humans life but save humans life.
Any idiot with an elementary education in debate allows lies to just hang in the air with out refuting them immediately. Allen needs to grow a pair of balls and get in the game or step aside and let someone who can vigorously dissect the other sides ridiculous bullshit and do it quickly. Put them on the defensive for once please. Their are few opportunities allowed on air to debate and there is only a FEW SECONDS to give your point and Allen just sits on his ass and smiles. you need argue successfully like glenn greenwald does. he attacks their bullshit lies immediately without letting their lies just hang in the air. calif defacto legalization my ass. what??. people lives arfe being destroyed every day. technically arrested my ass. quit allowing their side to control everything. Why wont anyone ask the other side just once if they drink any alcohol at any time and if so do they do it responsibly when they have the nerve to even bring up alcohol? If normal can do no better than this then i will give my support to someone else or any one else, I am so mad right now my head is about to explode. It even makes me question the sincerity in normals actual attempt to successfully debate the point of true legalization. seriously.
I wasn’t too happy with this segment; hope the next one is better. I’m also tired of people comparing marijuana to alcohol and tobacco. They need to get their facts straight.
Legalize – enough is enough.
NORML! NORML! NORML!
Fox announced tonight they would also have views and a report.
#71 champagne2878 Says:
May 9th, 2009 at 11:30 pm
Anyone know if there is anybody working on a marijuana breathalyzer.
If someone could come up with one real quick
then we couldget alot further given the fact that
everyone wants to argue about people driving under the influence.
RE:
champagne2878,
– The two most immediate means of assessing
THC-levels in drivers are saliva-tests and blood-tests,
(as contrasted with urine-tests, sweat-patches and hair-tests,
which only measure lingering NON-psychoactive metabolates),
though THC-levels alone in cannabis-only drivers are inconclusive
regarding actual impairment.
– (Cannabis-influenced drivers tend to be more cautious and aware,
whereas alcohol-influenced ones tend to be less cautious and less aware
of their impairment).
MORE INFO:
CANNABIS AND DRIVING
Cruising on Cannabis:
Putting the Breaks on Doped Driving Misconceptions
Principles of Responsible Cannabis Use
#71 champagne2878 Says:
May 9th, 2009 at 11:30 pm
Anyone know if there is anybody working on a marijuana breathalyzer.
If someone could come up with one real quick
then we couldget alot further given the fact that
everyone wants to argue about people driving under the influence.
RE:
champagne2878,
– The two most immediate means of assessing
THC-levels in drivers are saliva-tests and blood-tests,
(as contrasted with urine-tests, sweat-patches and hair-tests,
which only measure lingering NON-psychoactive metabolates),
though THC-levels alone in cannabis-only drivers are inconclusive
regarding actual impairment.
– (Cannabis-influenced drivers tend to be more cautious and aware,
whereas alcohol-influenced ones tend to be less cautious and less aware
of their impairment).
MORE INFO:
CANNABIS AND DRIVING
Cruising on Cannabis
Putting the Breaks on Doped Driving Misconceptions
Principles of Responsible Cannabis Use
again with the lies. why can’t the government hire a someone with a background in science to debate a topic about science. these politicians don’t care about us, they only care about their contributors. maybe if we all pooled our money we too could buy a couple congressmen to help us. good luck in the future norml, hope they give you more time to debunk the lies next time
Kevins a dumbshit. hes saying the same lies and bullshit that people always say about it
#37 Chris J. Says:
May 9th, 2009 at 6:57 pm
Truth WIll Prevail!
RE:
Chris J.
WHEN!?!
😈
#62 Phil E. Drifter Says:
May 9th, 2009 at 9:50 pm
it’s in the ‘drug czar’s job description that he is
legally allowed to knowingly lie to the public…
RE:
Phil E. Drifter,
It’s worse than “allowed” to lie…
More like “REQUIRED to LIE!”
just wrote cnn.com, swiped a line from one of ya 😉
CNN Allen St. Pierre vs. Kevin Sabet with Don Lemon
my comment is positive because i am impressed that you guys are making a concerted effort to try and bring this debate about ending the cannabis prohibition to the eyes of humanity.
but please have more in depth segments and actually let the NORML & MPP Guys speak! Ron Paul too!!
be honest, you guys are having a hard time finding legitimate arguers on the sided of maintaining the prohibition. Sabet hogged this interview with lies and poor argument..in particular the opposition said 450,000 people die a year from tobacco and alcohol, what does that have to do with marijuana? ZERO DEATHS from the flowers of this plant. And when you’ve had Stepen Baldwin on about this topic his performance has been laughable.
please also do not forget this would also legalize HEMP. look into all the benefits of this cousin plant. the two together legalized would be so much better then the wasted resources trying to exterminate them from our ground and our culture.
Thanks so much for your time!!
yeah Lemon needs to get it straight.. we will not settle for decriminalization…end the prohibition, legalize, tax if you must be WE ARE GONNA GROW IN OUR BACK YARDS AND BASEMENTS for the rest of humanity.
Kevin Sabet is a liar about, “all you get is a parking ticket” get the hell out of with that, when I was pulled over, someone in the backseat of my car I picked up got done smoking weed before he got into my car. The cops pulled me over (registration was a day past due on my plate) smelled weed, searched my car, found a marjiana seed in the seat of my car and threated to take me to jail, over a damn seed.
they need to put Allen and Kevin Sabet on that show on ESPN Around The Horn, where they give points for correct answers about sports and mute someone when they won’t shut the hell up. Allen would get points like crazy for telling truths about marijuana while Kevin would get negative points for telling lies. They would also mute Kevin because he won’t shut the hell up and speaks out of turn.
The guy on the bottom right looks stoned… his eyes are half shut while hes debating… and hes trying going against it? Messed Up. Its gonna be legalized soon! Keep up the support!
If Kevin Sabet is the best they can do, then the prohibitionists are clearly desperate. This guy is such a moron. Nothing he says is even a legitimate reason to keep marijuana illegal.
An important question is whether we continue a system in which all of the money flows to criminal drug cartels, or do we legalize and tax marijuana so the money can flow to the public treasury and the rebuilding of America?
The gang violence and destruction of public lands caused by criminals operating outside of the prohibition laws would end if individuals could legally grow a few plants of their own at home.
One approach: support a personal use and cultivation permit, for example $100 for twelve plants, with the revenue split between the Federal and State governments.
Let’s let ordinary Americans grow a little marijuana in their own backyards and put the criminal cartels out of business.
An important question is whether we continue a system in which all of the money flows to criminal drug cartels, or do we legalize and tax marijuana so the money can flow to the public treasury and the rebuilding of America?
The gang violence and destruction of public lands caused by criminals operating outside of the prohibition laws would end if individuals could legally grow a few plants of their own at home.
One approach: support a personal use and cultivation permit, for example $100 for twelve plants, with the revenue split between the Federal and State governments.
Let’s let ordinary Americans grow a little marijuana in their own backyards and put the criminal cartels out of business.
If the USA legalizes and taxes all sales of medical marijuana and non-medical use.
Why should marijuana be legal?
* People have a basic right to make choices for themselves as long as their actions do not
harm others.
Responsible individuals in a free society should be allowed to choose whether or not they
use marijuana. Individual liberty is a fundamental value.
* The government is wasting our time and money by prohibiting marijuana.
Taxpayers are forced to pay billions of dollars to persecute, prosecute, and incarcerate
people for having marijuana. If marijuana were legal and regulated (like alcohol and tobacco)
this money, plus tax revenues from marijuana sales, could be used for other purposes such as
education and health care.
* Prohibition is not an effective solution to the problems associated with marijuana use.
Marijuana, like tobacco and alcohol, can be abused. But prohibition is expensive and
ineffective; education and regulation are better solutions.
Regulating sales of marijuana and teaching people the truth about its health effects will allow us
to minimize the harms and costs to society.
* We have learned a lesson from history.
Alcohol prohibition did not work, and there is no logical reason to believe that marijuana
prohibition is a better idea.
What is most likely due to happen is:
1. The USA can help get through the recession faster .
It could raise over $1.2 billion a year in new tax revenues, assuming a $50-an-ounce tax,
according to one analysis.
2. Can use the tax from such a bill to legalize marijuana to better enforce
the more deadlier drugs on the street which are far more fatle than marijuana.
3. The tax on marijuana not only can be used to help get the more dangerous
drugs off the streets but also will help to strengthen the USA’s finantial problem while
opening the doors to a business designed to the helping of Medical patiance
who need the medication.
4. If the USA legalizes marijuana and taxes it while having a law stating that the
user must be atleast 21 to buy , posess , and/or own marijuana .
Reason for this is simple and will lessen crime in which a vast % of jails/prisons are holding people for simple
posession while others face more due to culturevation and distriutation of marijuana.
FACT: Annual American marijuana smokers who have died are 0 which is normal while
their are more deaths due to DUI’s and perscription medications such as Vicodin , Morphine ,
and Lithium to name a few.
Can a person ever die due to smoking marijuana ?
ANNUAL AMERICAN DEATHS CAUSED BY DRUGS
TOBACCO …………………… 400,000
ALCOHOL …………………… 100,000
ALL LEGAL DRUGS ………….20,000
ALL ILLEGAL DRUGS ……….15,000
CAFFEINE …………………….2,000
ASPIRIN ………………………500
MARIJUANA …………………. 0
—————————————-
Source: United States government…
National Institute on Drug Abuse,
Bureau of Mortality Statistics
The answer is simply “extreamly unlikely” 0 people have died due to over dose and / or
use of marijuana .
Help to support us by simply spreading the word and by answering the simple question:
Should the USA legalize marijuana but treat it as we treat alcohol?
Good job Allen!
I am currently in a diversion program (IPSA) and have to take classes. In this class, one of the case workers told us that from her experience as a caseworker, marijuana is not a gateway drug. Most people that were in the program only smoke pot and nothing else. I can support this claim since most people that I know that smoke, only smoke pot. Furthermore, many have white collar jobs and are productive members of society.
Just start growing your own…they can’t fit us all in prison.
If we all just keep the pressure on, some of these idoits might hear us…
it appears to me that our government just does’nt have the stones to reasonably debate this issue because… they know we are right and that they are in this way over their heads now. kinda like cutting off their own nose to spite their own faces. they were afraid of allen….
Any publicity is good publicity, I guess. Anyways, that interview was weird, and awkward. Allen barely got a word out. I think the polls are starting to reflect America’s real attitude toward legalization. It’s just a matter of time before politicians start seeing legalization as a way to boost their approval ratings and bids for re-election. Then we’ll have ’em by the balls.
Marijuana doesn’t KILL no one
Hey Allen, the entire point of being in a debate is DEBATING. Try to actually talk next time, huh?
It’s too bad Allen didn’t get to say much, and it’s too bad the interviewer didn’t have an idea what he was talking about half the time. I find it interesting that the White House adviser claimed to be in favor of research and debate, seemingly at odds with the administrations he worked under.
Allen, you will get another chance. You were the civil one, the other dude said just what we all knew that he was going to say. You know that you cant really say much with only maybe 4 min. to DEBATE with. I like the fact that you didnt talk over the guy cause people cant understand what is being said. Job well done. I will send norml the money now to help further our cause. Thank You for speaking out for me and te rest of the people
Allen you are the man! Staying cool and collected and speaking when it was your time to, unlike Kevin who was anxious and agitated and spoke out of turn. I like how you represent rational thought on the subject, so continue to do an excellent job, were rooting for you!
allen barely got to talk, it always seems the prohibitionist takes most of the airtime
I felt like you missed an opportunity to make two important points about the bill for cannabis legalization in California:
1. Cannabis sale would be restricted like Alcohol – only adults over the age of 21 could buy it. Anyone under 21 caught with it would not only face a stiff fine but also would be sent to mandatory drug treatment and have their parents notified.
2. Studies show that teenagers have easier access to cannabis than to alcohol – an indication that prohibition has actually made cannabis more accessible to youth rather than less accessible.
Both of these are important points to make to convince older, more socially conservative Americans.
There is censorship when telling the truth- There is no censorship when spreading lies and propaganda.
Pretty bad debate. Didnt like how most of Sabet’s lies went unanswered. “Holland heroin use has tripled” ? Since when ? 1970 ? America and Europe’s use did also ! Holland has half the cannabis use across the board and a third the cocaine use( U.N. Drug Survey). The Califorina Schwarzenegger debate’s have to be top notch performance. Everything ya got. The pro-legalize debate team has to really know his facts and not let any lie go unanswered !
NORML should get that picture of the hemp leaf that says food, housing, fuel, inspiration and put it on white t-shirts and charge 10 bucks. wham, u have potheads who will spread the truth and u dont have to have ween ur way into the “taboo” topic. I would buy 5 for my friends
So happy that there at least talking about it on CNN.
Legalize it!
If you don’t have any interest in marijuana fine, get the hell out of our way while we legalize.
CNN spent over 5 minutes on the President and Vice President ordering a hamburger last week yet when they actually have something interesting to talk about they cut it short everytime. CNN needs to actually set aside some real time to the issue. If CNN thinks it is so interesting the Arnold said we should have a debate on legalizing marijuana maybe instead of talking about a debate they should actually just have one!
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“Here in KY, they sure dont hand you a ticket! Last month, 18 year old, tail light out, has a roach found in search, roach is two weeks old. Judge gives, DUI, 6months no driving, 100hrs service, 2 years probation and $500 fine+ court! So they can blow that “just get a ticket” crap out their ass!”
Same here, Nebraska btw. pulled over for speeding though. We really do need to put the pressure on cnn and ALL media. I don’t know about you, but I’m sick of having to “random” drug test EVERY WEEK. 45-1 hr. drive to go pee in a cup. YOUR TAX DOLLARS HARD AT WORK (plus my own out-of pocket expense).
here’s the cnn feedback link again:
http://www.cnn.com/feedback/forms/form4.html?94
they must not be allowed to lie, we must not allow them tp get away with the lies.
Prohibitionists are not interested in the truth, only their truth. People presumptuous and self-absorbed enough to believe they know how to best run other peoples’ lives, are not interested in the facts. They live in fear of the fact they can’t even competently run their own lives.
hell yeah number 27 thats a killer idea. id buy 5 or 6 myself
If pot were legal almost everyone would look at a police man in a different way. They wouldnt have to worry about driving down the road with a small amount on them.
The only reason I can see Kevin Sabet defying logic for is so he can stay in a job even though legalization would create millions of jobs for millions of other law-abiding Americans. However, I don’t see why he doesn’t realize that in the event of legalization he can be the first in line for a job checking tax stamps in stores.
Not a bad dry run. CNN has been better than most networks on this issue for at least the last 15 years.
Don Lemon does seem sympathetic to MJ reform and did go out of his way to make the control room replay Gov. Schwarzenegger comments to call Mr Sabet on one of his falsehoods.
That said, and no disrespect to Mr St.Pierre, you did fine on this soft news short, When (if) the big debate comes we need a REAL lawyer to represent us. Someone trained to present an airtight case and trained to shoot down the other side’s arguments.
In court you want a lawyer not a doctor.
In surgery you want a doctor not a soldier.
For a bodyguard you want a soldier not a celebrity.
On TV you want a Celebrity not an Executive Director.
Again I think Mr. St.Pierre did fine, but this is our best shot at reform in 30 years.
The first thing we need to do is organize as a coherent VOTING BLOC.
The second thing we need to do is learn the tactics that the NRA and AARP use to great effect.
[AStP: Having been interviewed over 10,000 in the media since 1991, I think non-lawyers can represent cannabis consumers just as well, if not better than so-called ‘real lawyers’. While you may want a ‘celebrity’ debating for your freedom on CNN, I personally prefer to have genuine experts and stakeholders negatively affected by prohibition laws represent cannabis consumers, and this is also who CNN wanted…not Snoop Dogg, Willie Nelson or Bill Maher.
If you want ‘stoner celebs’ like these to appear on CNN to represent you, then I suggest spending more time at CNN’s ‘feedback’ section advocating for ‘celeb stoners’ to appear on the air rather than making multiple posts daily on NORML’s blog…to the same post…over and over again.]
If any law enforcement officer on this show claims the police are not neglecting other crimes to go after marijuana, then bring up the fact that many police departments these days are either failing to process the rape kits they’ve already collected or trying to charge the rape victims for the investigations.
The law enforcement spokespeople need to be called out on national TV because this is an outrage that should not be tolerated in a modern civilized nation that purports to protect the victims of violent crime.
A rape kit protects the current victim, the future victims, and anyone who might be falsely accused. The only person who wouldn’t want a rape kit processed would be a guilty rapist.
It’s obvious. They think that if they give a little TV time to the topic of decriminalizing/legalizing herb that it might just get people to stop talking about it. Think about it. Most times I hear 30 minutes on a topic and it’s on every channel, but when it comes to this topic it’s only given 8 minutes? Which are taken up by someone who doesn’t debate but talks over everyone cause they know exactly how long the interview lasts and if they can just push it aside for one more day and keep selling their lies then they have some how served this country, which is the people! Until I can hear a logical, insightful, meaningful, unbiased, TRUTHFUL debate on this topic my thoughts will still reside with the many who have to listen to the propaganda that is never ending with the prohibitionists. If we, the people, can’t be given a straight answer as to the significance and TRUTH about MJ then how do we ever expect to get straight answers about anything else that is deemed to be more serious in nature? You call me an extremist? Why? Because I disagree with your line of reasoning? Fines are as much as a parking ticket? Try again. Fines In/Out $250. Court costs $150. Legal fees and filing $50. Diversion program, that is if your state allows it $100. Then you have “treatment” for something that does not call for it $1000. This is just for first time offenses. The sting of never being able to get a job, back in school or the respect of others….PRICELESS! If you thought about trying to get financial aid you better think again. Your better off trying for a grant and that’s never a given with all the people who apply.They set you up to fail if you don’t abide by their thought process and that is not how life should be. I don’t tell anyone how to live their life. You know why? Cause it’s not mine to control. I agree that the way to go is to inform with sound science. Other than that the high powered lobbyists’ money is what’s doing the pushing and theirs always someone who will shovel their BS to the public. It costs a lot of $ to keep the American citizen from pointing out the fallacies of big businesses who could not compete with an herb that is proven time and time again that it would change everything that is done by businesses who are afraid of the value which it holds. They try to instill fear in us but they are the ones who are afraid. Afraid that all the lies they’ve been spewing the last 70 years could come back and bite them in the butt. Don’t give up on this. Show your support. For those who don’t think that if it doesn’t affect me or my immediate family or friends then I need not worry about this. You are the most important. It is you who needs to find the truth and back it. That is, unless you like being lied to about something that supposedly is so small we can’t even talk about it openly and TRUTHFULLY! I haven’t even begun to list all the stats that associate MJ as something that can be done responsibly or doesn’t relate in terms of addiction or fatalities but that is for another time. Good day to you all and keep up the fight.
Mr. St. Pierre, you came off very professional and level headed. I only wish that the opposition would have left more time for you to counter some of what he had to say. You weren’t even given an opportunity to discuss the tax savings and the time police & courts are tied up messing with adults using this plant.
I don’t think the debate was bad. The opposition wasn’t spewing too much garbage, just the alcohol/cigarette comparison. He’s actually indirectly supporting legalization by agreeing there must be reform to prevent/reduce drug demand. What’s the best way to do that? Legalize it!
Mr. Sabet couldn’t be more wrong with the way local (Oklahoma) police officers and judges look at meer possesion. I was slammed with a $32,000 bond for half an ounce!! The same judge gave the same bond to arsonists and pedophiles!!! It is still on my record and I have been unemployed since. All hopes and dreams are lost for the time being..
Wow,the legalization debate hasn’t had such a high public profile in a long while.I don’t understand why an addictive and incapacitating poison like alcohol is currently legal in every state while its relatively milder cousin,cannabis,is currently having to associate with criminals.Modern day Al Capones would not make any money bootlegging Canadian whiskey,they would actually be better off,financially,operating a liquor store legally.If marijuana had retail outlets akin to a liquor store I can’t foresee anything but financial success that would,in turn,help fill the coffers of the individual states.Why spend so much money fighting something that has such a potential to make the government some money,especially considering the current financial state of the country.
What is the worst thing about this drug?
Its funny how much bitching and moaning the prohibitionist do, they talk and talk and talk a ton of bullshit while the people for marijuana legalization sit back and state the facts, kinda like when someone is caught in a lie, they rant and rave and get all defensive when they are caught, if you didn’t do anything wrong then you sit back and say calmly what are you talking about, or that never happened, not go off at the mouth, scream and yell like the prohibitionists.
On the one hand the guy arguing against was incompetent. He managed to tell several easily refutable lies, such as how the Dutch have legalized marijuana, which any one pretending to be an expert should know is not true.
On the other hand, the host seemed strongly in favor of marijuana legalization getting more coverage.
It sucks that whole thing was so awkward and you didn’t get a chance to talk at all until halfway through and then only a little.
I’m reminded of the title of a book by the latest Senator-to-be.
Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them
At least I think that’s the title.
Only “two legal drugs,” groan, how did he ever get a Ph.D.?
A marijuana conviction is the same as a parking ticket. I say give him a marijuana conviction the next time he doesn’t signal when changing lanes, or his meter runs out, or he crosses a solid white line, or…
Good Job Allen, that guy was falling all over his own words. A era has begun
We all need to contact CNN and request more coverage on this being it is a way to help the USA yet at the same time will help end marijuana prohibition which is a wast of taxpayers money. Why keep it in prohibition when prohibition does nothing but burden the economy . Keep up the fight to legalize marijuana.
Good job , Allen .
We can’t trust anyone that worked for the Bush Regime no matter what .
I thought the impact of this interview is going to boost all of our efforts. Finally we are actually given a chance to show everyone how the government has been lying to us all along. Way to go Norml and supporters. Lets keep it up. We need to keep our cool when debating to show everyone how ignorant the opposing party is.
It’s American Craft Beer Week. When will we see American Marijuana Horticulturalist Week?:
http://www.dirtsweatsoul.com/2009/05/hops-malt-barley-and-hemp-politics-of.html
I love to smoke Marijuana! Marijuana makes me feel so good,and it keeps me the nice person I want others to enjoy! Marijuana helps my bad back too!Kevin,what is wrong with you? I went to confession,and told God I was sorry. I some Marijuana! My Priest asked me why do
you think that is a sin?I do sin,and so do you Kevin!
you may drink.I don`t.I smoke pot.you don`t!Do you Masterbate? If you lie,you sin.If you masterbate you sin.I feel sorry for you Kevin,because you don`t get what I get.You know want that is? Gratifaction!!!!!!!!!
Some people just get off with a parking ticket? 1200 dollars for having a gram doesnt sound like a fucking parking ticket.
the guy against marijuana did not bring up a single good point.
he kept trying to relate pot to alcohol and tabacco but in no way are they related, both tabacco and alcohol can kill u just from the intake of it while marijuana has not once kill a human from consuming to much
The Marijuana Conspiracy explained.
http://www.world-mysteries.com/marijuana1.htm
on CNBC on the 17th at 11pm cst there is going to be some coverage on marijuana. besides that what all of us need to do is simply keep on requesting CNN and other news to do more coverage on ending prohibition of marijuana.
All Sabet did was spew the same lies as when he was pitted against Rob Kampia. Except that moderator was better at letting the pro-marijuana side speak vs. the prohibitionist. Sorry to see your poor treatment Allen.
Saying a marijuana arrest/conviction amounts to nothing more than a parking ticket is pure FRAUD! I say give Sabet a marijuana conviction the next time he double parks, or runs his meter out, or crosses a solid white line, etc… and see how he feels about it.
Another dumb-ass comment he keeps on making is that we have “two legal drugs.” How did he ever get a Ph.D? We have hundreds if not thousands of legal drugs! And like I wrote here, some of the things our govt. calls “drugs” are hardly drugs!
And using simpleton “associative” logic to smear marijuana as though it was the same at tobacco and alcohol makes me want to scream. Thank God moronic statements like that aren’t in more people’s minds, too bad he’s planting some seriously ill karma and lies in the minds of viewers.
People like this have no concern for much but their supposed reputation and their ability to draw huge consulting fees, I’m sure.
When I see some tv personalities all I can think is they are working hard to not show “Yeah! I can finally get some good bud at a reasonable price from a reputable source. But I need to keep my head down so the Drug Warriors don’t suspect me. In fact I’ll act like I’m against it.”
Sabet claims to want to study it. Hm… been studied for decades already! And each time intelligent people sit down and do the research they come to the same conclusion, “END PROHIBITION!” CU & Law Enforcement & Economists
There is not a single legitimate reason to keep marijuana illegal! Only evil fights us!
Enter Your Comment Here:
Many thanks for giving me the opportunity to share my thoughts about the marijuana laws. I feel there are more serious crimes that can be more focus on. Our jails over crowd wit non-violent marijuana offenders and gets place into the same jails wit real career criminals, killers, and child offenders. This issue should be taken serious. It is a proven fact it is very easy for anyone including our younger community to get marijuana and I feel with regulating this issue like tobacco would save lives retaining it could stop some tobacco use which is proven this kills but we tax and sell it to our community knowing the effects. I do not understand it. Alcohol and tobacco kills a mass majority of people everyday because of cancer, liver and kidney disease but we continue to distribute these products. There are no reported deaths of marijuana users and I think it is just sad that we have been lied to concerning this issue and money was spent publicizing it in a negative way and by doing this many people actually believe it. I feel subjects 18 yrs of age and older are able to make there own decisions of marijuana use but I especially feel people who suffer disease, pains, headaches, depression, etc. should really be able to be prescribed medical marijuana. I am a resident of Georgia and I advice everyone to research medical marijuana laws in our states who have handled this situation like serious adults and put the negativity aside and look at the facts I believe this can and will eliminate a large majority of the drug war also percentage show big profit of marijuana sales and is non- harmful but its illegal. We will stop drug cartel that only care about profits when this can be proper studied and medically diagnosed to people in a responsible way. Thanks for this opportunity again and I would love to hear your feed back concerning these issues of stop of eliminating this element of the drug war, save lives, and live free.
I hope Texas Gov. Rick Perry can get down wind of this. Maybe he can get his Ole Buddy George Jr to guit playing the oil market long enough to jump on the wagon too. Heck, beef prices are down. We don’t want ole George to start loosing money his first year back home. Leagalize Pot. Let the states make some real money, and put that little Mexcan guy down the road, out of business
HELL YES!!!!! at least the idea is getting spread ALOT through the news here recently. NORML is awesome
My hatred for CNN knows no bounds. I’ve followed their insane Cannabis reporting since those bitches were founded.
Miserable, despicable organization.
When it comes to Cannabis, they are worse than Fox and brother that is saying something.
They say legalize but let’s remember, it was legal before. We need to decriminalize. People are being denied student loans for simple possesion charges. This may keep someone from going to college. That is just wrong. Everyone deserves an education. Felons in prison get a free degree so why can’t someone who possesed a weed get a loan?
yes pot smokers do crowd up our jails maybe not if you live in alaska but if you live in the south your at least spending 1 to 3 days in jail could be alot more especially in the south
#174 Blarrghh Says:
May 20th, 2009 at 4:15 am
They say legalize but let’s remember, it was legal before. We need to decriminalize. People are being denied student loans for simple possesion charges. This may keep someone from going to college. That is just wrong. Everyone deserves an education. Felons in prison get a free degree so why can’t someone who possesed a weed get a loan?
RE:
Blarrghh,
I say Re-LEGALIZE!
Repeal of LATERAL-PENALTIES,
(e.g., educational financial-aid ineligiability, would be a good start),
– What do you mean when you say ‘We need to decriminalize.’, though?
There’s a whole slew of differing, confusing terms.
(A whole ‘continum’ between legal and illegal,
as DPA’s Ethan Nadelmann would say…)
We need to standardize word-meanings:
LEGALIZED?
(To what degree???):
– I only find 1, 2, and 4 completely acceptable…
as defined as LEGAL for any ADULT!
– – 1) Completely, as any other naturally growing plant.
– – 2) As an agricultural-product, only subject to regulation if sold commercially.
– – 3) Legal, up to a certain quantity / certain number of plants,
(e.g. Alaska: This is really only lenient ‘DECRIM’, not true ‘LEGALITY’,
because ).
– – 4) Subject to commercial-licensing, taxation, similar to alcohol, tobacco,
with exceptions for non-commercial / personal, home-cultivation,
(Defined by amounts / number of plants).
California’s proposed AB390 and Massachusetts’ proposed SB1801 and HB2929
cannabis taxation and regulation acts.
– – 5) Subject to licensing and / or taxation, for commercial production / sales and
non-commercial / personal use, medical-use, home-cultivation,
(if personal-cultivation is permitted),
defined by license-status, amounts / number of plants.
(e.g.,Various state-based medi-cann laws, the proposed Oregon Cannabis Tax Act).
OCTA complies with United Nations Single Convention on Narcotics Drugs …
– – 6) Quazi-legal / decriminalized, practically-LEGAL,
(statutorily illegal, though not severely, and / or minimally enforced).
– – 7) Practically ILLEGAL, except for narrowly-defined research-purposes,
(Investigative New Drug and NIDA research of cannabis),
and / or only by fufilling impossible bureaucratic hurtles,
(a.k.a. the former 1937 Federal Marijuana Tax-Stamp Act).
DECRIMINALIZED?:
– Sometimes spoken in lieu of saying the dreaded “L” word, by some…
(To avoid appearing ‘soft’ on ‘drugs’…).
– Sometimes spoken as “not really legal”, the “worst of both worlds”,
(because it’s NOT truly above-board, outright legal, LEGAL: 1, 2, 4, 5;
NOR is it quality-regulated for retail-sales, either. LEGAL: 4, 5)
– – 0) Synonymous with LEGAL, definitions 1-6.
– – 1) PRACTICALLY-LEGAL for personal-use amounts, licensed,
retail-sales, (technically-illegal, though tolerated, laws minimally-enforced),
though commercial-scale cultivation and sales are more severely illegal.
(The Netherlands / Amsterdam).
– – 2) ILLEGAL, with very minimal penalties,
(e.g. $5 fine, community-service),
for personal-amounts publically consumed / displayed.
– – 3) ILLEGAL, with somewhat nominal penalties,
(e.g. $100 fine, civil-infraction or low-level misdemeanor).
– – 4) ILLEGAL, with somewhat greater penalties,
($100-300 fine, civil-infraction or misdemeanor,
possible LATERAL-penalties),
first or second times only, for personal amounts.
– – 5) ILLEGAL, with much greater penalties,
($500-2000, felony or severe misdemeanor),
sometimes waived conditionally upon completion of ‘diversion-program’,
for personal-amounts, first or second times only.
ILLEGALITY:
– – 1) ALL of the ABOVE
Except LEGAL, definitions 1 and 2, and
not complicit with LEGAL, definitions 3, 4, 5 and 7.
– SEVERITY of ILLEGALITY:
(Usually based upon arbitrarily-defined
‘PERSONAL-AMOUNTS’, which vary widely
with LOCALITY and QUANTITY)
– – 1) PETTY OFFENSE = DECRIM, definition 2.
– – 2) CIVIL INFRACTION = DECRIM, definitions 3, 4.
(no ‘criminal’ record, but possible high fines, LATERAL PENALTIES)
– – 3) MISDEMEANOR = DECRIM 3,4 or 5,
(What some define as DECRIM).
– Technically a CRIMINAL OFFENSE,
ranging from mild to severe,
though not as severe as a felony,
and may still carry LATERAL PENALTIES,
such as ineligiabilty for student-loans, public-assistance,
driver’s license, etc.
– – 4) FELONY = Not complicit with terms, obligations or personal-quantities
specified under DECRIM, which vary by state and country.
resulting in…
Loss of voting rights, (certain states), ineligiable for professional licensing,
child custody, certain employment / jobs.
PERSONAL QUANTITIES / AMOUNTS:
– Varies markedly from one state to the next,
where 1 ounce or up to 25 plants is completely legal in Alaska,
28 grams is a civil-infraction and $100 fine in California and Massachusetts,
down to mere detectable presence of INACTIVE-METABOLITES
in states with per-se DUI laws.
(This is analogous to be charged with drunk-driving
for having a beer three days prior,
since INACTIVE alcohol METABOLITES can be detected for that long).
CORRECTED incomplete DESCRIPTION:
“LEGAL? #3, e.g. Alaska…”
LEGALIZED?
(To what degree???):
– – 3) Legal, up to a certain quantity / certain number of plants,
(e.g. Alaska: This is really only lenient ‘DECRIM’, not true ‘LEGALITY, because…
it’s still “criminal” over
legal amt. / number of plants,
a partial-Prohibition…
And as DECRIM….
it’s the “worst of both worlds”,
still encourages underground markets.
it’s NOT truly above-board, outright legal, LEGAL: 1, 2, 4, 5;
NOR is it regulated for retail-sales, either. LEGAL: 4, 5).
Why is everyone still setting the age limit at 21? Is resposibility sent to you in a package in the mail? Cannabis is less harmful and imparing than alcohol so why set it at the same limit. It’s sad how 18 year olds are allowed to carry a gun and kill people in the military yet they don’t have enough responsibility to consume alcohol…let alone cannabis? This is just reddiculous. America obviously is still immature and has no common sense when it comes to sensible policies. If this country continues on it’s illogical path (as big of a patriot as I am) I’m definately considering packing my shit and moving to Europe where at least they’ve had enough time to think most things through thoroughly. To legalize andthink over many stupid policies would be more beneficial than locking up non violent offenders( if you can consider them offenders in the first place) in summary …America needs to get it’s own box of responsibilty in the mail and start being mature.
CORRECTED inaccurate DESCRIPTION:
“ILLEGALITY #1″
(Removed the word “NOT”,
replaced with “THOSE who ARE”)
ILLEGALITY:
– – 1) ALL of the ABOVE
Except LEGAL, definitions 1 and 2, and
THOSE who ARE complicit with LEGAL,
definitions 3, 4, 5 and 7.
How you ppl don’t get it? Gvnmnt wants you to be stupid, under-educated, so that every time they need more money for themselves or new war they always can say “here is a new leader, savior” and the less you think the more they get.
Anything changed after Obama? Is this Democracy ppl being killed for around the world, when a large crowd says NO, and they keep bringing you down?
It’s only about money and greed. Do police help you, or you already afraid to be really free, because most of the time that means fines, sentences, etc…?
It’s not about pot. It’s about slaves that have to pay hugely overpriced bills for gas, water, energy, … in many many countries all of those are much cheaper. Air tax is coming also. You can do little about anything, it’s not about democracy, it’s about totalitarian real owner of the country who keeps playing the great show of politics and promises, while doing their dirty job – making more and more stupid slaves.
Exit? Remember, nothing revolutionary happens before someone starts fighting with fists, until then they feel safe.
i used it for medicnal reasons(really) and hardly felt the side effects of the medicine. it really does help.
Why in the hell is tobacco and alcohol legal what were they thinking? It’s all backwards. Marijuana is all you need.
Smoke em if ya got em
Okay so does that guy really not get that “prevention and education” doesn’t help. If its illegal because it “hurts your lungs” well so do cigs! If it’s illegal because it changes your state of mind, well so does alcohol! Only weed isn’t nearly as bad as alcohol. If they would legalize it, our money would stay in this country instead of it all being sent out of the country to buy it. Plus, it’s good for like any kind of sickness. Girls? It is about the ONLY thing that gets rid of cramps. Sore Muscles. Headaches. The THC even helps fight against cancer. Like wtf. How come something that god put on this earth, grown from the ground is illegal, yet some manmade substance that kills plenty people a year in car accidents and alcohol poisening isn’t? Makes no sense.
Some people are just so judgemental and won’t give it a chance.
Weed isn’t bad. and I honestly think if some people took the stick outta their a** and took a few hits it would do them some freaking good.
LEGALIZEEEEE!
Legalization of Marijuana is a bad idea. Oddly enough all the people I know, and know of, who smoke marijuana are my enemies. People who smoke marijuana are hateful, paranoid, violent, destructive, emotionally distraught people. The Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau smoked pot and he brought in more restrictive regulations, raised taxes to record heights, and increased Canada’s national debt. Over half of all of Canada’s debt was incurred during the Trudeau years even though Canada wasn’t at war at that time. The reason he increased the national debt was to give him an excuse to raise taxes even higher on those pitiful Canadians. I am not pitiful and I don’t want to be. My experience has been that marijuana destroys communities; especially if politicians smoke it. If you can smoke marijuana and not be an *sshole, then legalization is fine. But I have yet to find such a person.
How is that man sitting there saying “most people with simple possession get away with as little as a parking ticket”. I was issued a possession charge in April 2009, and I had .35 grams on me and I am on probation for 9 months none deferred because my court appointed lawyer sucked. I failed my first drug test and was sentenced to 3 days in County Jail for a dirty UA on my FIRST DRUG TEST. It is about time that this country embraced the techniques of other countries and at least decriminalize it, or full legalization.
Legalize!
LEGALIZED IT!
why not??
LEGALIZE IT!
Legalize it tax get us out of debt!!!!!
Decriminalization at least
Meth is a bigger problem than pot!!! In my town all the meth heads steal either to make it or buy it. I see people who smoke pot set back and laugh.
LEGALIZE!!! it will happen! I hope soon 🙂 It is the persons choice if they wanna do something they enjoy, that could possibly kill you. WHo gives a fuck???
this guy is f’n retarded 90% of all americans smoke marijuana not 5%. And alcohol and cigarettes kill millions of people every year. how many people die from marijuana NONE, ZERO, ZIP. ENOUGH SAID