While there is a constant buzz of cannabis law reform these days in America, largely at the local and state level, unfortunately these strong winds of change do not largely penetrate the Capital Beltway.
This is made clear in a candid interview with Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) Deputy Director Tom McLellan in the November 15 edition of The New Republic’s webpage. In a blunt and critical tone, McLellan is interviewed by University of Chicago professor Harold Pollack for an informative TNR series entitled The Treatment.
While reasonable people can reasonably differ, what personally vexes me is that Mr. McLellan, a longtime veteran of government-provided addiction treatment services (mainly at the Veterans Administration for an astounding 27 years), clearly has an immense compassion, sense of service and commitment to helping his fellow humans who’ve become addicted to drugs find a path back to sobriety and functionality, which is a professional field of public health that I respect immensely. However, I’m terribly disappointed by what appears to be Mr. McLellan’s political tin ear on the subject of cannabis law reform–notably his disdain for patients having legal access to medical cannabis.
I commend NORML supporters to read the entire Treatment interview, below is the applicable excerpt where cannabis is discussed:
Marijuana use, medical and otherwise
Pollack: …. California does a medical marijuana ballot initiative, to take a random example. States do things that are contrary to the general tenure of the policy of this office and maybe to federal policy at large. Attorney General Holder has basically said: “California has made a decision. We’ve got scarce resources, and we’re not going to get in the way of that.”… How do you negotiate that federal/state set of issues?
McLellan: A very tough question. I’m still very new at this. And I don’t speak entirely for the office, so I’ll give you my personal reactions. In the narrow scope of things, the idea of being judicious about the use of your federal prosecutorial resources is first of all the Attorney General’s call and second of all probably smart. You’ve got a rapist and a marijuana user. Who are you going to go after? OK.
But, I’m disappointed that it was done with such drama, and that ONDCP and DoJ did not better-coordinate the policy’s release and answer questions about it side by side. For the first 3 or 4 days, the policy was spun in the media as a stalking horse for legalization and political activists claimed it meant all these things that it didn’t. That happened in part because we didn’t have a clear, coordinated message across the government. This administration, certainly including ONDCP and the Department of Justice, opposes marijuana legalization and believes that it’s worth it to try to reduce availability of marijuana. Normally we work well together on that and a bunch of other issues. We just didn’t work very well together on this one, in my opinion.
The issue of marijuana has been interestingly framed by legalization activists. It’s been framed as, “Marijuana’s not bad for you. In fact, it’s really medically good for certain people.” That was extremely cleverly done, because we could debate that all day long with existing evidence. How bad is marijuana? Is it as bad as alcohol? Does it even have some medical benefits for people that have nausea or glaucoma and all that?
Well, that’s not what’s at issue. What’s at issue is: there are efforts being made to increase the availability, and thus the use, the penetration if you will, of marijuana use. In order to show that availability expansion efforts are sensible and that we should reverse policies and laws and everything else, it seems to me the argument to be proven is, “It’s good for you.” That should be the standard, rather than “Marijuana’s not that bad.” Name for me another substance that you would say, “It’s not that bad, so let’s reverse state laws. Let’s increase availability to a product that really is targeted to young people.” For that, you should have to prove that it’s genuinely good, not just “not that bad”.
And our position is very simple on this, and I think, frankly, you can’t refute it. Marijuana is not good for you. You have to get that one exactly right. I didn’t say, “Marijuana’s not that bad.“ I said, “Marijuana’s not good for you.” And more people using marijuana is not good for society. And I believe these to be facts, by the way….
It is possible to reduce availability, not eliminate, but reduce availability. It’s already been done. It is possible to prevent abuse of marijuana, and it’s possible treat marijuana and other drug addictions. If you do those things, you have a better socially functioning society.
The other artful thing that’s been done by advocates about marijuana is that it has been pitched on one side of the base, “You know, marijuana’s not that bad for you. OK? And by the way, the only alternative to legalization is mass incarceration, which is really bad and it’s really expensive and all that.”
It’s a beautifully crafted, misleading argument. Our argument’s entirely different. Nobody wants mass incarceration of marijuana users. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph–what a waste of money that is. But, marijuana’s not good for you. So we need policies that keep marijuana illegal, are sensible, and that reduce availability and use of marijuana. And those policies–unlike the current legalize and tax proposals being floated –could generate revenue for the public. A city or state could generate a lot of revenue through fines for marijuana users.
Pollack: In my own public health work, I don’t really do that much with marijuana. It’s striking to me that marijuana is such a touchstone of drug policy debate.
McLellan: It’s the center of the universe. Yeah (laughs). With all the really serious problems that we’ve got facing us–prescription drug use probably among the top, and you know, name the other drugs, why we’re spending this time on this nonsense about medical marijuana and legalization. It’s the damnest thing to me. I can’t get over it. It’s almost as though there were a contingent of people out there really eager to keep it at the front of the newspapers. Well, it isn’t us. We don’t want it there.
Pollack: There’s a culture war in which marijuana is one of the key fronts.
McLellan: People make a living debating this on stage. You know? That’s hard for me to believe, that there’s a living to be made going around debating about marijuana’s benefits and why you ought to legalize drugs and crap like that. It’s just like a silly discussion to me.
Well….A few personal observations:
-Mr. McLellan certainly is ‘old school’ when it comes to endorsing the existing drug war dynamic that when his fellow citizens use illegal drugs to ‘save’ them they are best arrested and drawn into the criminal justice system;
-Like his predecessors at ONDCP, notably former drug czars McCaffrey and Walters, McLellan mocks medical cannabis and the public’s mass acceptance of it as one of the choices that a physician and patient can employ as a safe, non-toxic medicine;
-Mr. McLellan claims that the current administration does not want to necessarily incarcerate cannabis consumers en mass (how charitable!);
-Mr. McLellan appears genuinely amazed if not chagrined that there are citizens who exist that disagree with the prohibition of cannabis; that there are actual organizations of citizen-stakeholders advocating for alternatives to the self-evidently failed status quo of cannabis prohibition, complaining that some ‘make a career’ of advocating for obviously needed policy changes.
I suggest Mr. McLellan pause for a moment, look around his ONDCP office, and fully realize that he, and tens or thousands of anti-drug bureaucrats and law enforcement personnel employed by the federal government (ie, ONDCP, DEA, NIDA, Customs, TSA, Border Patrols, VA, SAMSHA, NDIC, EPIC; and hundreds of government organs funded by the taxpayers, like CADCA, NFIA and Partnership for a Drug-Free America) are careerists as well….However, unlike reformers, who employ privately donated dollars (maybe $15-$20 million donated in total to all drug policy reform groups annually), Mr. McLellan and his other career prohibitionists employ tens of billions annually of taxpayer’s money.
Calling the kettle black does not get one far in Washington, DC.
-Maybe most disturbing, and a notion I’ve never heard advanced before by any drug policy official or law enforcement representative, Mr. McLellan believes that there is to be more revenue collected by arresting nearly a million cannabis consumers a year than by actually taxing the commercial cultivation, sales and consumption of cannabis (and of course the windfall enjoyed by society when billions of taxpayer dollars are no longer wasted annually trying to enforce a clearly unenforceable prohibition via mass arrests, prosecutions, incarcerations and probation services).
NORML supporters and cannabis law reform advocates in general need to realize that while there is a discernible cannabis law reform zeitgeist these days to be sure, unfortunately, existing at the top of government management charts, are government employees who are still very resistant to any real degree of cannabis law reform, and who favor arresting cannabis consumers en mass rather than taxing them like the consumers of alcohol, tobacco and pharmaceutical products.
Ugh.
Another inocent victem of the drug war;
http://cbs11tv.com/local/dallas.police.raid.2.1335122.html
Here in Brown County, TX there are plenty of unicorns. Every week in this county of 50k there are at least a half dozen arrested for weed. I havn’t been out of the county in a while but a friend said they put up signs saying Brown County is 0 tolerance. When I was young, in the 70’s, about 70% of the young people around here at least tried cannabis. Now they go to there wacko churches and lie to their kids and support this kind of nonsence. And to think I thought when my generation got into power it would change.
According to this logic, we should be prosecuting fast food restaurants and arresting people for lack of exercise. These pose much bigger health risks than cannabis. The constant propaganda about “freedom” is really beginning to get to me.
What McLellan fails to understand is that cannabis prohibition was based ON A LIE right from the start.
When you buy a house, you have to do a title deed search to make sure everything is on the up and up or, NO SALE!!!!!!
Cannabis prohibition has NEVER been on the “up and up”.
Yet we had a “SALE” of this unjust law based on racism and capitalism.
McLellan is just another puppet trying to protect his pension – a pension earned at the expense of Americans who were incarcerated for using something harmless. His pension has the blood of incarcerated pot smokers who died or were brutally beaten while in jail all over it. He should be in jail for propagating such a damaging LIE.
Did we honestly think the feds would just roll over say we give up its legal now?These people screw up everything they touch the onlything they do efficently is take our hard earned money and spend it.Im tired of this representation I wish there was a more powerfull push for pro-pot ads and billboards.This generation will need our chilldren to not be brainwashed by anti-drug propaganda,I am 32 and remember a police officer with a drug dog put on a program at my elementary school.Yea its pretty impressive to a 6 year old to see the lights flash and hear the siren and be told only crimals do drugs,but i think this kind of turned me on to pot i mean I thought how could a plant and its flowers be criminal?Didnt God create us and all the plants and animals it had to happen for a reason right?Ask your pastor that it will really blow there mind.
I’m sick of these goons in charge. Marijuana is safer than alcohol or tobacco! The only way to show these people how wrong they are is to push for the prohibition of alcohol and tobacco. I could care if I ever have another taste of alcohol for the rest of my life,and I quit the tobacco habit 26 years ago.
His entire argument is “Marijuana is illegal because it’s not good for you”. This is pathetically weak, and I really shouldn’t have to explain why. Alcohol “isn’t good for you”, but it’s legal. Fast food isn’t good for you, but it’s legal. What makes cannabis any different?
These Bastards really piss me off! There is so much behind curtain and Back Door dealings in Washington today it`s pathetic and downright CRIMINAL.They are NOT going to give up easily on a substance they can use to Confiscate all your Money and worldly belongings and turn you into a Literal Slave,Jailed and Released after a short period of time to work to pay big fines for years on end,”Legal Slavery”. Seems to me they are seeing how many Rights they can remove and how far they can push the people before they trigger a Civil War, Warning – If a Civil War does Start, It will NOT stop until the People are Done and FREE again!!! During the next election season, FORCE them to give their position on Cannabis, If they`re against, Bash them in the Media and let the truth be known, If they suddenly change their position – Remove them anyway, They are just Bullshitting people to keep their Job!!!
McLellan:
“Nobody wants mass incarceration of marijuana users. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph–what a waste of money that is. But, marijuana’s not good for you. So we need policies that keep marijuana illegal, are sensible, and that reduce availability and use of marijuana.”
So hundreds of thousands of Americans are arrested every year because “it is not good for you”
The police weren’t braking down my door last night when I was eating my greasy burger with a side of fried cheese curds and he wonders why there is a movement to legalize.
McLellan:
“A city or state could generate a lot of revenue through fines for marijuana users.”
This statement says it all about their agenda…I am completely disgusted
Hey, everyone Obama and this McLellan jerk better have fun while they can, cause I voted for these two and if they don’t change thier views
towards marijuana prohibition, all of my friends and I have made the decision to vote thier drug war loving asses the hell out of our white house come next election time and I strongly urge all of us to register and vote so we can elect people that know how to listen.
“First of all, think about this with regard to the drug legalization issue. People argue for drug legalization saying that we can control legal drugs easily: Kids won’t get them. Adults have the right to use and all that. Well, prescription opiates provide one of your best examples of this model. They’re tightly controlled by the FDA and DEA.”
Just as easy as stealing alcohol from their parents’ liquor cabinet. When the prescription drugs are just sitting on the kitchen counter, the only one to blame here would be the parents, not the legal distribution system. No one is saying that with legalization kids couldn’t get drugs, only that it would be as difficult as getting alcohol or cigarettes are now.
Also, that last comment from the exerpt:
“McLellan: People make a living debating this on stage. You know? That’s hard for me to believe, that there’s a living to be made going around debating about marijuana’s benefits and why you ought to legalize drugs and crap like that. It’s just like a silly discussion to me.”
Translation: “Other people are debating drug policy reform, but I’m not going to because our office (which provides my tax-payer funded salary) doesn’t want any change in policy that would mean less income for me. So I’m going to say the debate is silly”
It just doesn’t make any sense at all to me how these Prohibitionist War mongers continue to feel that they are benefiting the American People by incarcerating them in large numbers.Stepping on our constitutional freedoms is what I consider crimes against humanity, and somebody should be held accountable. We are truly the land of the brave as you can tell by the number of brave men & women who are sacrificing their lives for what I consider a less than noble war in Afganistan, but we are a long way from becoming the land of the FREE. LIFE,LIBERTY, AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS.
I defy Mr. McLellan to name even one substance people consume that is not dangerous. Several people die prematurely every year in this country as a direct result of water overdose. The question of re-legalizing cannabis is not an issue of rather or not it is dangerous. It is dangerous, though obviously less so than asprin, and less addictive than coffee. The fact that there has never been an overdose death from cannabis clearly establishes its relative safety. Based on comparative danger, cannabis is much less destructive than refined suger, for example. There is only one valid reason cannabis should be re-legalized. Failure to do so is a direct violation of God’s will for people to live in freedom with liberty as clearly acknowledged and cited in the Constitution of the United States. Mr. McLellan seems quite comfortable trying to run my life. How comfortable would he be if I tried to run his? Anything any adult citizen of this country freely chooses to do or not do, that does not harm another or their property, is none of anyone else’s business, nor that of government at any level. This is what freedom is. I sincerely regret we currently live in a police state. If Mr. McLellan does not like cannabis, I fully support his God-given right to freely choose to not consume it. I ask nothing more than he extend to me the same courtesy and respect, as God intends.
Allen, I’m a huge fan of all your work. Just wanted to thank you for everything you’ve done for all the little people in this fight. I’m on felony probation in the state of Indiana for possession of 5 grams of marijuana 50 feet from my house. I’m planning on going to graduate school in psychopharmacology to study the effects of cannabinoids on various disorders, but to be able to succeed in my career I’ll undoubtedly have to have the felony removed from my record.
The fact that I am forced to jump through loops to save my career and my FUTURE because I possessed 5 grams of a substance with one of the highest therapeutic indexes known to man is absolutely disgusting. Wherever I go in this world I will be repeating my story and fighting and arguing feverishly for this cause that I believe in so much.
Like I said before Allen you insight and debate technique is brilliant. We have the facts and scientific data on our side and we can afford to take the high road, the opposition however can not and will ridicule our movement and sick people who find themselves feeling better on our substance.
This is absolutely a generational war, but the good news is our generation (20-29 year olds) will be around longer than the young adults of Nixon’s CSA days. Truth will overcome.
If you see this and care to give me a response please give me an email @ oheyitsnick@gmail.com I have questions to ask about starting a NORML chapter in Indiana and would like to reinspire you (if needed of course) with yet another story of a life nearly devastated by prohibition.
Thank you Allen and Happy Thanksgiving,
Nick
[Thanks for your note Nick and I’m sorry that you’ve encountered the harm and costs of cannabis prohibition. Indeed, there needs to be more NORML chapters, especially in Indiana. Please email chapters@norml.org for a NORML chapter formation kit. Thanks for caring and sharing! Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, and for not letting a negative encounter with cannabis prohibition get you down or becoming a victim of bad public policy. –AStP]
The scariest part is that he speaks so intelligently that he sneaks in the lying parts right under the radar, he sounds almost like he’s speaking the truth. I think this might be one of our bigger challenges, the stupid people that spout lies are hard, but the smart people that make stupid people believe the lies will be harder.
I think i get why these “career” prohibitionists are so worried…. they’re afraid to lose their jobs! It seems the only way to get them to start budging is to compromise with them a bit. Lets tell them instead of ENDING the “War on Drugs” we should simply RESTRATEGIZE so we Americans can actually start winning! Allowing restricted use of Cannabis to only competent adults is the KEY to this! The DEA could maybe issue an Annual Cannabis Use License to adults over 21 for like $300 or so, allowing the holder to cultivate 6 plants and keep a QP in their own home and subject the grow to random inspections . 100% of the fee could go to the DEA. This would give the “War on Drugs” a big revenue boost, and take a huge chunk of profits from cartels/organized crime(60-70%). This would also make Cannabis actually harder for minors to get, which in this area, ANY means of improvement should be on the table. And most importantly Prohibs will no longer be undermining their own authority by stating that Cannabis is equally as addictive and toxic as Heroin,Cocain,Oxycontin, Meth,etc. Prohibs can’t beat us so they might as well ask us to join them if they want to start making any headway.
“But, marijuana’s not good for you. So we need policies that keep marijuana illegal, are sensible, and that reduce availability and use of marijuana.”
If they made everything illegal that was bad for us…..I just can’t believe they still use that argument. It isn’t the gov’s job to hold my hand wherever I go in life. Also, he claims that marijuana is only targeted towards young people. I just don’t see how that is true. People of all ages and shapes and sizes consume the herb. This man needs a reality check.
This honestly just disappoints me the more and more I see it. “Old Schoolers” as we would call it and this dogma of marijuana prohibition plaguing the country.
His argument lays out a template that in order for a substance to be legal, it can’t just be not that bad, but has to be good for you. I hate doing it but please can we go back to tobacco and alcohol. I wasn’t aware these recreational drugs that result in over 500,000 deaths a year were considered good for you, let alone not that bad for you.
Sad. Well thats how its gona be for many years to come. We will keep fighting and keep showin the facts till they cant be disregarded. Smoke well and Happy Thanksgiving my fellow countrymen and women.
But marijuana IS good for you! The plant has many many benefits including a seed containing all necessary nutrition for human life… Cannabis grown for its resin production is useful in many different contexts. The plant was not passed down to us through thousands of years of human generations for no purpose. It is a very beneficial plant, in other words, good for you. It can provide a variety of benefits in my experience including providing increased energy, more focused thought patterns, ability to relax completely and allow for healing of damaged tissues, help to promote a positive mindset, increase appetite, decrease pain perception, increase motivation.
Sadly, cannabis is a foreign topic to the people in power, and they have no experience with the plant they are actually discussing since it has been highly illegal for so many decades… They can’t believe we’d bring up such a thing… Its a topic that must be thought of with the entire nation in mind, not just a select elite, who cannot see past their pessamistic perceptions.
Wow, that McLellan character is one sick human being.
“If you do those things, you have a better socially functioning society.”
He left off the typical party line…”you have a better socially functioning society that believes in our God, follows OUR Gods path. Society is better off when EVERYBODY lives the life of a Good Christian who follows blindly their leaders orders…without question!”
“Name for me another substance that you would say, “It’s not that bad, so let’s reverse state laws.”
That’s an easy one…Alcohol. Probation of Alcohol was overturned when once the government said it was evil and should be banned…”To save the soul of mankind”
“Our argument’s entirely different. Nobody wants mass incarceration of marijuana users. Jesus, Mary, and Joseph–what a waste of money that is.”
I rest my case on the Religious aspect of their claims.
“A city or state could generate a lot of revenue through fines for marijuana users.”
The TRUTH is REVILED…Profit is their REAL motive!
“why we’re spending this time on this nonsense about medical marijuana and legalization. It’s the damnest thing to me. I can’t get over it. It’s almost as though there were a contingent of people out there really eager to keep it at the front of the newspapers. Well, it isn’t us. We don’t want it there.”
Well tell THAT to the 860,000 Plus people arrested in 2008 on Marijuana Charges and see just how FUNNY they think you are!!!!
There’s a war being waged upon the American people…It’s YOU @ the ONDCP VS. US (the people) and we the people intend to win!!!
Your FAKE Christian ways will be your downfall…One day you too will be held accountable for your LIES & miss-deeds.
God does NOT understand why you LIE and God will NOT forgive you for your LIES & MISS-DEEDS…YOU TOO will be accountable one day…SOON!
Just more evidence that the government of the United States of America doesn’t give a diddly-damn about what the people want.
Same old tired arguments from the other side that aren’t even really arguments but just extremely impressionistic opinions they try to pass off as facts. The assumption that a)marijuana use is bad for society, (one need only look at the Netherlands and California to see how easy access creates problems or doesn ‘t) and b) that millions more would become regular smokers if legalized (I’m not going to start using cocaine if they legalize that) are patently false.
The cognitive dissonnance here is making me crazy!
Excellent framing.
Cannabis *is* good for you.
Cannabis has so many beneficial properties to humans.
He really isn’t paying attention. He actually didn’t even know people make a living speaking for our beliefs. There are millions of us. Get used to it.
btw he is going to get a rude awakening when states start legalizing it.
Marijuana law reform should reflect changes in american culture looks like the mean old grinch is at it again I hope Mclellen enjoys his holidays I plan to boycott alcohol this year and I do support norml
One comment. #1DINGLEBERRY.
If you break it down it costs more to the tax payers to arrest and jail people simply for cannabis use. Taxing it would bring in more money and save BILLIONS on a failing drug war. For some reason law enforcement and other anti drug officials are scared that they may have no job anymore. What about all the other drugs that are really problems. Prescription drug abuse is at it’s worst levels ever. But its ok because they are legal. Someone needs to tell these people spreading lies using the government as a back drop. There is much better ways to use law enforcement other than chasing cannabis users. They would make it seem that all they do is chase cannabis users and if thay can’t do that then whats the point of the job. What about teaching kids that heroin,cocaine,prescription pills are problems. FYI to the government we are NOT going to back down to this injustice. If most people remember D.A.R.E? I remember thats all they focused on was pot, Like it was the worst drug ever. Lets be real why would the AMA and many other major medical groups agree that cannabis has many good uses. While it’s not a viable option for everyone it does work for many. There is many other things in cannabis other than THC that makes cannabis a real option. Its not just about getting high, Other wise we would all be on marinol.
McClellan’s an ignorant ass. He’s cleverly misinformed with his opinions on the issue of legalization. Allen St. Pierre made a good point. Look at what’s at stake for ALL the federal employees who would potentially lose their jobs if marijuana were legalized (ONDCP, DEA, NIDA, Customs, TSA, Border Patrols, VA, SAMSHA, NDIC, EPIC).
They’re protecting their bread n’ butter by continuing to mis-spin the information. Using McClellan’s argument that it should be proven that “marijuana is good for you”… well Mr. McClellan, why don’t you apply that to the alcohol that you or your family drink? Or the tobacco that your family smokes? McClellan you are such an ass!
I’d supply my real name if I didn’t think McClellan or any one of the government-welfare junkies hooked on my tax dollar for their paychecks would harass me.
“it seems to me the argument to be proven is, “It’s good for you.” That should be the standard, rather than “Marijuana’s not that bad.””
Nobody is saying smoking marijuana is good for you. The medical benefits have already been proven. The fact of the matter is that alcohol and tobacco which have been bounced back and forth from being legal have far more health concerns and yet they are still legal.
We need to get all the politicians stuck in their “old ways” out of office. This is prohibiting the advancement of our society as a whole. The tax money, benefits of freed police time, room in jails, jobs.. you can go on for days about the benefits of marijuana and these old school views are stuck saying “its bad”. Pure ignorance should not be tolerated in the government.
Once again. Another shining example of someone with the power of office using that power to exact their own personal beliefs and morals on the people they represent instead of letting the people they represent, majoraly dictate what they do while holding onto the elected or oppointed position by an elected offical. Why should people with power, do the right thing, when they can just do what is right for them when we condone through election of these mental midgets with our actions at the polls.
@norml editors
For those of us that arn’t so computer savay or just do not have the resoarces could you maybe research upcoming elections for say the next year or two and find out on all levels as much as possible who is pro legalization even on local govt levels, only because this is such a grass root movement and obviously starting at the top is getting us no where. Unfortunatly the majority of us dont have the inside info on most of our local officials as far as cannabis is concerned and I have a feeling we need to start from the bottom up.
See here it is my friends , a big government racket $$$$ ! My only question is how in the world does a moron like this hold such an important office ? He should be publicly flogged ! Just when I think we are making progress, I read an article like this & scratch my head and wonder what da f…. ! What ever happened to liberty & justice for ALL ! Wake up you fool & smell the cannabis ! Cant wait for the next elections ! Ha Ha we’ll have the last laugh !
I feel like there is a lack of interviews with people like this in the NORML organization. You’re right these people are old and stubborn in there ways. They are the ones we need to be sitting down with, to explain in a reasonable manner, why drug reform is the sensible way.
[Editor’s note: NORML, and all of the other drug policy reform organizations (and related civil liberty-oriented groups such as ACLU, Cato Institute, NAACP, etc…) attempt to get meetings with government agencies involved with cannabis prohibition laws. Unfortunately, under the Bush/Clinton/Bush Administrations, few if any significant meetings were granted.
On October 24, NORML was invited to participate in an ONDCP meeting where the organization was asked for its input on Obama’s upcoming drug control strategy.]
“I think, frankly, you can’t refute it. Marijuana is not good for you. You have to get that one exactly right. I didn’t say, ‘Marijuana’s not that bad.’ I said, ‘Marijuana’s not good for you.’ And more people using marijuana is not good for society. And I believe these to be facts, by the way…”
Who is this fool and who put him in office? He says that he believes these statements to be facts, and thus they are correct? Belief in something does not make it a fact. Fact is by definition something unaltered by opinions on it. This man doesn’t even come close to the standards of intelligence for making good decisions for other humans, throw him out of office!
The war on drugs is about three things. The money to pay their (gov prohibitionist) salaries and continue the war to keep their jobs. (While most of the country is loosing theirs) And so they don’t have to admit they have been completely wrong and wasted billons of dollars & lives over the last forty plus years .That’s why they ignore the old or don’t allow any new research. But most of all, not loosing control over the people. (Which they tried with alcohol prohibition but couldn’t to mainstream of a drug) and they lost that war. So they attack a less known less mainstream drug to control a different class of people.
More people using marijuana is GOOD for society. And I believe this to be a fact.
Guys like this just show us why we need NORML…
I have always suspected that smoking anything is not,
‘good for me’, but again it is my choice and I believe even backed by the Constitution as being one of my implied rights.
As to his comment, “Let’s increase availability to a product that really is targeted to young people”. This is how it is NOW and I want this drug to have controlled access so that kids cannot easily obtain it, but I can.
No matter how reasonable he sounds Mr. McLellan is a prohibitionist to the core.
Using very rudimentary logic, it’s easy to see the government is going to continue whichever policies bring in the most money for them. Although drug warriors would love us to believe that fines like traffic tickets are their sole source of revenue from cannabis prohibition, anyone with a pulse knows that seizures of homes, cars, jewelry, and other valuables is going on. This is very much like the Nazis pillaging the Jews in Germany. In fact, I would like to hear how this practice DIFFERS. I’m sure their response would be, ironically, that is is “not as bad.”
When cannabis sellers are sent to prison and then put to work to benefit corporations, and their being there also benefits corporations that are in the prison “industry” you have yet another fascist practice going on. But it’s “not as bad.”
When the scientific data points to the FACT that cannabis is not physically addictive, does not pose toxicological dangers, and has yet to be PROVEN to be anything but negligible on health effects, it’s still WORSE?? Why is McDonald’s not in the ONDCP’s cross-hairs if their main concern is health effects? More people die each year of heart disease than cannabis. That’s not a very good comparison, however, since NO ONE has ever died from cannabis consumption. Again, which is “worse?”
Follow the money, as usual, and you get to the root of it all.
I’ve said a million times it’s D.A.T. & that is who sponsors the war on drugs . Finally , i am getting through to a few of you out there . I said it before & I’ll say it again….the Drug testing Kit is another farce invented by them to deceive you .
Re ; KGO Radio AM 810 San Francisco
We got the brilliant , Dr. Dean Edell who often talks about all the good things marijuana does . In fact sometimes that’s all he talks about is marijuana . He also lives in , Mendocino County part of the Emerald Triangle . I’ll bet not only does he use Cannabis but ,that he lives on a Pot farm .He’s spent a lifetime in medicine and there’s hardly a question he can’t answer for all your aches & pains and any question you might have about medicine he’ll give you an answer for .
Yep , he’s that
knowledgeable .
Then there’s the entertaining & wonderful Attorney , Len Tillem who jokeingly talks about marijuana all the time as if it’s some sort of a fun drug . Yes , it is Mr. Tillem but , it’s many more things than that .He’s got to smoke weed himself knowing of it’s harmlessness.
Michael Jackson whom most considered the brightest & most talented musician of our time consumed Cannabis and there are millions of others telling us the many , many good things about Marijuana .
Despite the brightest most talented professionals of the World telling us that there is not a thing wrong about Marijuana still they deny the
TRUTH . They preach lies & use mass deception in an attempt to convince you otherwise .
Some of you are in our jails & prisons for merely possessing Marijuana . No one deserves to be punished for using , selling or even distributing a God given plant that was put here on Earth for us to use just so we can fatten the pockets of D.A.T..
ugh is right~
We will win this war though.
Like you said, he’s old school.
This is the new school :]. his primitive thinking no longer penetrates our logic.
McLellan my be powerful, but he IS a buffoon.
I’ve said a million times it’s D.A.T. & that is who sponsors the war on drugs . Finally , i am getting through to a few of you out . I said it before & I’ll say it again….the Drug testing Kit is another farce invented by D.A.T. to deceive you .
Re ; KGO Radio AM 810 San Francisco
We got the brilliant , Dr. Dean Edell who often talks about all the good things marijuana does . In fact sometimes that’s all he talks about is marijuana . He also lives in , Mendocino County part of the Emerald Triangle also my back yard .I know this County well . I’ll bet not only does he use Cannabis but ,that he lives on a Pot farm .He’s spent a lifetime in medicine and there’s hardly a question he can’t answer for all your aches & pains and any question you might have about medicine he’ll give you an answer for .
Yep , he’s that
knowledgeable .
Then there’s the entertaining & wonderful Attorney , Len Tillem who jokingly talks about marijuana all the time as if it’s some sort of a fun drug . Yes , it is Mr. Tillem but , it’s many more things than that .He’s got to smoke weed himself knowing of it’s beneficial use & harmlessness.It’s no big deal to , Mr. Tillem .
Michael Jackson whom most considered the brightest was found with bag after bag of Marijuana after his
death . The most talented musician of our time consumed Cannabis and there are millions of others telling us the many , many good things about
Marijuana .
Despite the brightest most talented professionals of the World telling us that there is not a thing wrong about Marijuana still they deny the
TRUTH . They preach lies & use mass deception in an attempt to convince you otherwise .
Some of you are in our jails & prisons for merely possessing Marijuana . No one deserves to be punished for using , selling or even distributing a God given plant that was put here on Earth for us to use just so we can fatten the pockets of D.A.T. , the great Satan & master of deception .
I would like to see groups like NORML throw facts like the findings of Judge Francis Young back in the face of knuckle draggers like this.
Why have I not seen one mention of Judge Youngs findings from NORML?Whenever a drug warrior says there is doubt of the medical value of marijuana statements like this should be shouted from the rooftops…
“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 under a supervised routine of medical care.”
-DEA Judge Francis Young
Along with this it should be pointed out that the US Government holds the patent for medical marijuana.
I never see these facts used as a counter argument from NORML and it disappoints me because when Judge Youngs findings were published NORML sent them to me and I was out on the sidewalk all by myself passing it out to the public and being harassed by police for doing so.
Judge Youngs findings were completely ignored by not only John Lawn but Bill Clinton and liar McCaffrey who continued to claim that marijuana has no medical value.
Amendment IX
The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.
Amendment X
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.
No one likes anyone pushing their religious trip on them this includes myself . I do not even answer my door when these so – called Christians come a knocking but , i gotta read this quote taken from the Bible .
St.Matthew 13:39 verse 49 ,
” So shall it be at the end of the World ; the angels shall come forth and sever the wicked from among
the just ”
50 : ” And shall cast them into the furnace of fire : there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth ” .
You have an overlooked typo that you missed:
-Mr. McLellan appears genuinely amazed if not chagrined that there ,b>are citizens who exist that disagree with the prohibition of cannabis;
About 2/3rd down the page, 4th full paragraph after the discussion quote.
Goddamnit!
You have an overlooked typo that you missed:
Mr. McLellan appears genuinely amazed if not chagrined that there are citizens who exist that disagree with the prohibition of cannabis;
About 2/3rd down the page, 4th full paragraph after the discussion quote.
And they call us the moral pygmies.
It is very important that we do not yield the moral high ground to this government official and his ilk.
They employ lies and have employed lies, they have conflicts of interest to the nth degree, as stated they are careerists and there are lots of career is at stake under marijuana prohibition.
And it’s really nice to at least see that the guy is chagrined as you put it, and I looked it up, it means embarrassed and humiliated at being defeated, that there are people who actually believe, notwithstanding his own point of view’s failure and the obvious necessary course change that this continuous failure signals the need for, the candidate should not be illegal.
I believe it’s because they’re few if any in enforcement actively today who remember anytime prior to 1961, when the UN under the auspices of the US, or vice versa, took up and demanded of every country coordinated antidrug legislation, with international assistance being predicated at least partially on continued and/or escalating cooperation in the effort.
This is how they’ve got murder equal to marijuana smoking. And that’s no joke, as I’m certain that most older drug law reform advocates have heard this more than once, as history begins for most, especially law-enforcement, on the day that person was born. And in 1961 both marijuana and murder were illegal, and that makes them morally equal, ethically on the same plane.
This interview suggests unequivocally once again that no position is too extreme for prohibitionist to take, and no lie is too extreme for a prohibitionist to utter.
Mark Levin and Rush Limbaugh complained that Obama is trying to destroy the country using tactics which were perfected, though they leave that part out, in the drug war, which Levin, working in the Reagan Administration at the time of the death of Len Bias, drafted up and implemented, then passed on to each successive administration.
The only problem is that not everybody can afford to employ Roy Black in order to get them off from their marijuana charges, and Limbaugh still to this very day insists that drug law reform advocates seek license, while booze and tobacco users are merely unavailing themselves of the base freedom USA offers.
Once again, no lie is too extreme for a prohibitionist to other, no position to extreme to try and implement. No attempt at twisting statistics represents too much mental gymnastics.
This is one place where they just really want you to sit down and shut up and accept the fact that when they tell you what ever they tell you, whatever that is, they are right and anything else is not only wrong, but it is proper to become morally outraged that a counter position actually exists.
Nothing they do will ever surprise me. It’s unfortunate, but I do think that people like this guy and Barry McCaffrey do actually need to go to jail.
In fact all of the people who are still alive who are responsible for the enactment and the continued prohibition of cannabis in the United States, and the US’s insistence to view the UN that everyone else comply as well, all of these people need to be brought to justice in a court of law. And I’m talking those in the international world to including for example the current president of the Netherlands Jan Peter Balkenende, whose raison d’être for the last few years has been to harass coffee shops
Look at what happened in the UK with the firing of Prof. David Nutt, the head of the ACMD or advisory committee on the misuse of drugs in the UK which is a very prestigious commission created in the early 70s to give advice to the government on what drugs policy should be.
This is an unpaid bunch, and professor Nutt is widely held in good regard in the scientific community. He dared to actually say his opinion which is that drugs should be ranked in the order of how much harm they do, and that cannabis and ecstasy and LSD belong lower on the list than alcohol and tobacco.
He was fired for saying this, summarily fired, by Alan Johnson, the new home Sec. for the UK, who replaced the disgraced Jacqui Smith, who led the charge to reclassify cannabis in the UK is an arrestable offense based upon the charge that both use among young people and cannabis strength, about which outrageous claims were being made in the press at the time, were rising at an unacceptable rate.
A few months later Gordon Brown himself as well as Ms. Smith had to admit that the data was in and they were wrong and that during the period of decriminalization 2004 to 2008 in the UK both cannabis use and cannabis potency went down. Significantly.
A few months later and Ms. Smith has to be replaced by Mr. Johnson because she decided to pad her expenses in a significant way, I believe it was having her house remodeled at the expense of the government.
So people who come in with these anti-cannabis agendas have themselves serious serious credibility and ethical problems almost all the time. Look at how much Barry McCaffrey had to lie. Look at the fact that he had to and did turn the sick and dying into the main fodder in his war on cannabis, arrests for which by the way, during his term as drug czar nearly tripled from just over 300,000 in 1993 to just under 900,000 in 2000.
Thus it does not surprise me to see this person come into an office and begin immediately to lie. It’s very sad that Gen. McCaffrey was a graduate of the US military Academy at West Point, where they don’t tolerate lying.
And they call us the moral pygmies.
Eric Johnson a
Has anyone with political influence asked the White House to remove the Murrays,the McClellans and others of like mindset? Are they civil servants impossible to fire?If they are appointees what reason is given for keeping them on?I do not believe the admin. could be faulted for naming their own people to these positions.
I really like McClellan’s statement that:
“With all the really serious problems that we’ve got facing us–prescription drug use probably among the top, and you know, name the other drugs, why we’re spending this time on this nonsense about medical marijuana and legalization.”
It’s nice to know that arresting tens to hundreds of thousands of people for minor possession of marijuana and putting them in jail or prison is not as important as other issues. The mass incarcerations already taking place, and the vast amounts of money wasted on the faulty prohibition effort, I think, is pretty damned important and not nonsense!
Besides, medical marijuana is directly tied to healthcare, and we all know that that issue is extraordinarily important. If my doctor says it can help me, then I should have the option to explore that possibility without the impeding actions of an ignorant fool that seemingly understands nothing of the medical benefits of marijuana. His public objections are purely subjective, hence his personal issues with marijuana should not be allowed to dictate what I choose to put in my body.
It is a waste of your time to ask anyone connected with ONDCP what they think of marijuana,medical or otherwise,they are mandated to fight legalization of marijuana,in any form,and any way necessary. That includes lies,skewed statistics and false studies.
Until marijuana is removed from schedule 1,they will deny any medical uses for marijuana,even if they know there are,and are participating in programs that furnish marijuana for medicine. Our government has patents on several medicines derived from marijuana already.
That is on the surface,underlying the mandate to fight legalization is the fact that over 1/2 their entire budget hinges on marijuana remaining schedule 1. And they are the largest bureaucratic empire in our government. When you speak of legalizing marijuana,it is the same as asking them if they want to reduce their budget by 1/2.
Our only hope is if the bean counters admit the war on drugs is enough of a failure to remove funding. And Senator Grsssley,a marijuana hating prohibitionist that receives nearly a million dollars from the banking industry,(the cartel money launderers)and hundreds of thousands from the pharmaceutical industries,is the senior member of the Way’s and Mean’s Committee,the bean counters of our government,so the chances are slim of that happening.
The odds are against marijuana being removed from schedule 1 voluntarily by our elected officials,they lose too much tax money and election funds from the the anti marijuana organizations to do anything,regardless of what their constituents want or science dictates.
But we are attacking them from other ways that may also bring it about. If even one state makes marijuana legal,it will bring this debate too a head. They had to back off busting the medical clinics because even though they could legally have continued busting the clinics,it would only be a matter of time until it would be in front of the Supreme Court.where all the evidence of the governments duplicity,their patents on marijuana as a medicine,the furnishing of marijuana to over 70 patients,since the 70’s,would be evidence that marijuana is medicine,and therefore not a schedule 1 drug.
That would have opened them up for a class action suit
and may be a route we will have to take in the future.
not bad huh Dr Tashkin UCLA said it was benefical Doesn’t that mean IT’S GOOD FOR YOU
After reading the comments from Tom McLellan, I’ve noticed the cheap-shots that he uses such as, “stalking horse” and claiming medical marijuana and legalization is “nonsense” are very simualar to what the White House Cheif of Staff, Rahm Emanuel have said. It makes me think that Tom McLellan statements are mostly all pre-written by Rahm Emanuel.
This concludes that Tom McLellan is still a chump.
When will people is the usa understand that the is no king there is no queen and no rule that cant CHANGE thats what people voted for CHANGE and if voters IE the people that pay tax and own land want to have weed legal then thay need to VOTE into Office the right people and put the anti weed WACKO”S out of work when the people that spout anti marijuana legalization have no job and no power IE money then the world will be a better place SO GET OUT THE VOTE make sure your no what the really stand for in your state
the US Government is out of their ******** minds
I just can’t understand how a guy like this is allowed to talk and work for such an organization when he obviously has no interest in truth or freedom which I thought my whole life was what this country was supposed to be about. Why are we in Iraq when we need to fight guys like this out of office???
#33 sickofitall
GREAT IDEA!!!
I have no clue which representatives who run are more cannabis inclined. Perhaps NORML could send “surveys” inquiring of candidates agenda regarding marijuana. I feel most don’t touch the subject, or are “hard” on drugs, either mindset for the same reason…. undereducated and scared for their political career.
The governments plan to reduce marijuana consumption in the U.S. is to make us so poor we can’t afford a bag of the shit.
We need to do something…………..
we must organize.
In short, if the government could tax marijuana, they’d have nothing bad to say about it. Alcohol is far more toxic, but they make money on it. We do need to organize and quit letting these “bureaucratic bullies” push us around.
Mark, Glenolden, PA Says: (November 26th, 2009 at 9:45 am)
What McLellan fails to understand is that cannabis prohibition was based ON A LIE right from the start.
Don’t kid yourself. They know exactly how it all started, it’s all part of their system to continue to keep minorities down.
OOps… To replace outlawed prison labor with slave labor.
Read tinyurl.com/1mn
This REALLY MAKES ME MAD just another reason for “THEM” to try to control us as “we the people” this land is our land and we “ELECT” THESE PEOPLE and I use that loosely.We elect these “people” to take our basic human “GOD GIVEN” RIGHTS away!?!? LOL!!!! OUR founding fathers’ are truly turning over in their grave’s What happened to “WE THE PEOPLE”?? Someone/WE need to FIGHT AND TAKE BACK OUR OWN COUNTRY FROM THESE HOT AIR HEADED “FAT-CAT’S” IN CONGRESS WHO RAPE US FOR EVERYTHING THE LAW’S LET THEM!!! LET’S TURN THIS ON IT’S HEAD AND LOOK AT THE STATS OF EVERYTHING,ALCOHALL WHAT IS IT “GOOD FOR”? IT KILLS MORE PEOPLE THAN POT WHAT ABOUT PEOPLE IN CONGRESS WHEN THEY DRINK AND DRIVE THEY JUST PAY THEIR WAY OUT OF IT AND NO-ONE KNOWS ABOUT IT SO THAT IN ITS-SELF SAY’S THEY THINK THEY ARE ABOVE US!!!!!! WHY SHOULDN’T WE FIGHT AND TAKE BACK OUR COUNTRY?????? THEY GET ALL SELFRIGHTOUS & ONE SIDED ABOUT IT.AMERICA “IS GREAT”BUT ONLY AS GREAT AS “THE PEOPLE” WHO RUN IT AND MAKE AND ENFORCE OUR LAWS’!!!!!
Just screw them,grow your own,it’s only a matter of time till the ignorant aholes run out of money to build more prisons with.
Eventually it won’t matter what career bureaucrats like Mr. McLellan think, for as the economy tightens like a noose around the average American’s neck, and more and more are thrown out of work, blathering on about ‘saving the children from drugs’ will become meaningless when those children will need to be saved from malnutrition and homelessness.
Anti-prohibition groups need to keep pointing out that the money the drugwarriors piss away is desperately needed by millions of American families right now. And it also helps that the GAO has consecutively given thumbs-down on just about every anti-drugs program ONDCP has ever fronted.
The official justification to cut the drugwarrior’s financial throats already exists; it is up to the media contacts of the anti-prohibition groups to hammer home the costs to American families in funding perennial failures like the DrugWar when those same families are about to go under from joblessness, expired unemployment bennies, poor job prospects, etc. This will give the pols the legislative courage to do what they privately know they must.
The money, the money, the money. Again and again and again. Unemployed desperate American families need the money being wasted on the DrugWar. ‘Saving kids from drugs’ doesn’t mean much when those kids are facing hunger and homelessness. Keep pounding that in, like we did with the word ‘prohibition’ in our LTE’s, and the meme will be picked up by the media just as they did with ‘prohibition’.
When that happens, Mr. McLellan and his ilk could be facing a hostile public ready to demand their 40 billion dollar boondoggle be shut down and the money reallocated. Then we’ll see how ‘silly’ he thinks this all is…
There’s another thing this clown has failed to grasp. He states that cannabis is targeted to the young. He should know. He put the handling of the substance in the hands of non-regulated, non-licensed business people who really could care less who they sell to. How about your local cigarette store, bar, liquor store? How do THEY conduct business? This isn’t Orbital Mechanics we’re talking here. Simple Econ 100.
Mr. McClellan, sir, would you be shocked that the US Constitution was written up on hemp paper? Would you also be appalled that our founding fathers, such as Thomas Jefferson and John Adams grew cannabis because it was such a useful all purpose plant? Would you be angry that it was against the law in colonial Virginia NOT to grow hemp? And finally, one of the oldest civilizations in the world, referred to “Tai Ma” (Cannabis) as “THE GREAT MOTHER”. Devil weed, bad for you, addictive, good for nothing pakalolo. I don’t think so. People, it is up to us, to change perceptions, call it by its proper name, cannabis. Lets leave the stoned out Cheech and Chong images back in the 70’s where it belongs. Cannabis in all of its strains and forms can save our sorry asinine butts, but before that happens we have a tsunami of lies and propaganda to weed through. Obviously we have a lot of work to do. Maybe the Messiah will return in the clouds one day, holding “the Tree of Life” and it will be a cannabis plant!
remember, obama hired him. same ol crap==different people. like other misguided policies, this one is just to make money and keep power. same ol uprest in the 60’s to no avail. it will keep going so long as the power is within the rich—it won’t end, sadly.
“With all the really serious problems that we’ve got facing us–prescription drug use probably among the top, and you know, name the other drugs, why we’re spending this time on this nonsense about medical marijuana and legalization.”
anyone noticed that he just implied that marijuana is not that serious? So why the resistance to legalization? because it’s “not good for you”? Well, i guess we should prohibit fast food, anything that releases carbon monoxide, tobacco, and alcohol as well? If he’s serious about this, then what is he waiting for? Unless he’s full of shit, then it all makes sense…
What is it with you people and removal of my posts?
You act as if contributing to this website doesn’t cost time and effort from the contributors.
If you don’t want to have comments don’t have a comments section!
I’m so sick to death of being to on the same team with boorish pedantic nerds who can’t deal with any kind of being called out about the horrific things they do, like blaming the entire drug war on George W. Bush as this websites benefactor’s headmaster wrote and tried to do during his analysis or alleged analysis or ostensible analysis of the results of the last election.
He claimed George W. Bush’s drug war policy had been rebuffed at the poll, yet George W. Bush was not on the ballot, and the only reference to George W. Bush in the entire article was made by the article’s author himself.
Challenged on this nonsense, I have now become apparently persona non grata on this website, even though every once in a while you miss me (someone ought to be fired for that… for this is the way that you guys treat people.)
It’s impossible to play together on the team with you people, and it’s not my fault. Further I’ve made lots of contributions to this organization. But I guess that doesn’t buy you even the right to comment every once in a while on a given subject.
You guys suck.
It is true I guess what they say about you guys in the movement… norml is one of the things that stands in the way of drug law reform, and they do so by treating people who contribute to the normal itself, and have been long-standing extraordinarily prolific contributors to the movement itself on a nationwide and worldwide basis, like crap.
you people suck, and I’m embarrassed to have to work on the same side of the issue as you.
I’m also part of the sick and dying, using medical marijuana for a decade with Frank Lucido being my doctor… you people suck and I hate work on the same team as you.
If you don’t want good submissions… you won’t get them.
You people suck.
[Editor’s note: ?]
i did read one post however that caught my attention. the one that may challenge the supreme court….a state that legalizes it. that’s the only way to gain progress in an otherwise repressive regime that is amerika. i think it’s unfortunate that it has to go that far. but remember, it’s all about money and politics. in the end however, it’s the people that vote. it can be done.
What a dope this guy is. I am sick to my stomuch with these people that we elect or that get snuck in the back door, to stand up for We The People. They all lie through their teeth.(God hates a lier)I am sick of people trying to tell me what is good for me or what is bad for me. Ive been all grown up for near 50 years now and if they think that smoking marijuana IS BAD then I suggest that they don’t smoke it. I think that drinking IS BAD so I don’t do it. But I don’t give a rats ass if anyone wants to get dog ass drunk and puck and piss all over their self. This Mclellan dude is some kind of up town two faced wanna be who is dumb as a rock and I can tell ya that cause his ass is gonna be out with the rest of the dogs that bite people for nothing. (We normally put them dogs to death) Why should I respect the drunk that will have a bit too much to drink this thanksgiving, who will be driving home and pass out at the wheel,crash and kill himself and maybe take out a child or two? I will live to see the day when I can smoke a joint and not have to worry.Until then…. I will end up loosing my job cause of the piss test that they force me to take, so that they can save 20% . DRUG FREE WORK PLACE. my ass. Maybe I would be able to work at the SUBWAY cause its good for us..And they don’t pop test. Marijuana is like the huge diamond that is still in the mountain, we have got to keep on digging until our hands bleed. Whether or not they want to admit it, marijuana is going to have a big part in pulling us out of the bottomless pit that they have dug for us to fill. It can and will help to save America. We must get rid of the two faced people that are working our freedoms and rights out of our reach.
Here’s an idea…I saw on CNN last week, that someone started a website to give our gov’t employees an idea about how grave the healthcare thing is. You get on the site, and pay $30 to have a “pink slip” sent to your senators and reps up in Washington. It sais if you vote for any of the four listed issues, then “your REAL pink slip will be mailed to you the next election day.” Why can’t NORML or MPP start this up? When I saw it, this one politician (who loved the idea) had a handfull of the things. He said there had been somewhere in the area of, I think, 40,000 received. We could send these things to the president, congressional leaders, and even this jackass the article was about.
hey hey hey
smoke weed everyday
It make me mad when people like him speak. They just dont get it or they do. They do if its money they want. They dont if its just ignorance.
This really isnt about whether its good or bad for you. Its about one word, FREEDOM.
No one should go to jail for drugs. Have your life further ruined by incarceration.
I know someone that got arrested for 1/2 gram of weed. In jail for the night,huge fine, lost drivers license, lost good job, cant pay child support now, cant get another apartment due to background checks here , had to move outta state /in with mother in hopes of this not following him. Now hes still fighting this bull . What is he supposed to do? Roll over and die? Leave the country? What?
If anyone says pot is bad for society ..well then. Maybe we should arrest all the politions that ruined our economy with their bull . isnt what they did bad for society?
Back to this guy I know…tell me…how was this supposed to help him? So maybe weed isnt good for you..well so what! Neither is prohibition..from his position in life now and MILLIONS who have felt its forceful effect upon their lives. Fact is proihibition is MUCH, MUCH worse.
The taxes being wasted on prohibition could be better use in society in other ways. In order forthat to happen, politicans need to be taken out back the wood shed and be taught not to waste money, have some respect for their employers, be honorable/truthful. Basicly knocked off the pedistales they have put them selves on.
Of course none of what I have stated here will penetrate the walls they have built in their honor. They must tread the backs of the people to stay in their gleaming towers of power. We will be ignored and minimalized til we put the foundations from under their fortress.
Heres some socialism I can live with. End prohibition and ditibute the savings back to the people. The rest is BULLSHIT!
With that I’m signing off……..
Good luck and good night…..
It’s very depressing to read interviews like these. These people are just so clueless it hurts.
For something to be illegal there should be a really good reason, there is obviously no such reason for marijuana.
BAIT AND SWITCH ALL DAY EVERY DAY!!!!
SPIN SPIN SPIN THE WHEEL OF MORALITY!!!WHERE DOES IT END?
IT ENDS WITH THE BIGGEST BANK ACCOUNT AND THE BIGGEST DOG IN THE FIGHT AND WHEN THE TROUBLE TO THE BEUROCRATS AND POLTICIANS AND POLICE IS SO GREAT A BURDEN THEY WILL TURN AND RUN AND HIDE FROM THE FACTS THEY WASTED MILLIONS UPON MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND RUINED MILLIONS OF LIVES TOO!! LIKE THE MANGY DOGS THEY ARE THEY WILL TURN AND FIGHT AMONGST THEMSELVES UNTIL THERE IS NOTHING TO FIGHT OVER ANYMORE.
if i were him i would shut the f-ck up i would not like to go bed at night knowing there are forty million americans with guns out there that would like to blow my brains out.whats realy bad for you is having a bunch of idiots kick in your door shoot your pets wife and children .because you have some marijuana.im afraid guys like this will not understand this concept till it happens to them
Just did some research on Alcohol related deaths in Texas where Marijuana is illegal and California where Cannabis is ( somewhat ) legal . Here’s what i found .
** B.A.C.s ( blood alcohol ) of .10 and above killed 1,345 people in Texas .
In California B.A.C. s of .10 and above killed just 1,009 people yet California’s population is 36,757,000 and Texas has a smaller population of 24 ,327,000 .
This was for one calender year . I could not find any updates for years above 2006 . Why ? Because the Government does not want you to know the TRUTH . I suspect for year 2008 would be Cali. = 1,233 deaths
Texas = 1,623 deaths from Alcohol . Both States – related fatalities .
Enjoyed most everyone’s comments here, I don’t bother reading the ones in ALL capital letters anymore.
There really doesn’t need to be a comment from me on what a dick-head this guy is, it obvious.
The comment I appreciated the most today was:
#38 Spartanacus Says: “More people using marijuana is GOOD for society. And I believe this to be a fact”.
– You hit the nail on the head friend.-
Looks like we still have some work to do.
Something doesn’t “have to be good for you” in order to be considered “legal or acceptable” “Not bad for you” IS good enough, has he never had a can of Coke or Pepsi, they offer no real nutritional value and are not required to meet the “Burden of Nutrition” that he as an attorney has dreamed up in his Mind as a law that exist somewhere. Since he was clearly aware to not extend his lack of knowledge and say outright “That it’s BAD FOR YOU” now It has to be “Good for You” talk about totally off the map.
great argument anon!
we need to legalize! deaths from od will drop no doubt as more people will smoke weed to unwind then drink alcohol.
and of course we all should know, it is impossible! to OD on marijuana ( i will try to any day you wish me to) but it is incredibly easy to overdose and end the one life that you have by drinking merely a bottle of any alcohol sold in so many god-damned places across the world. end the insanity now we are starting to get really angry at the bull$shit involved in keeping marijuana illegal.
# A nonymous Says:
November 26th, 2009 at 10:23 pm
Just did some research on Alcohol related deaths in Texas where Marijuana is illegal and California where Cannabis is ( somewhat ) legal . Here’s what i found .
** B.A.C.s ( blood alcohol ) of .10 and above killed 1,345 people in Texas .
In California B.A.C. s of .10 and above killed just 1,009 people yet California’s population is 36,757,000 and Texas has a smaller population of 24 ,327,000 .
Same ole sh**!!!!!And who does this leave to vote for in 2012? It’s certainly not the Democrats, certainly not the Republicans. We are not doing much better than ten years ago, toward marijuana legalization. If this is as far as we’ve gotten we must not be doing something right.
Theory: The economy would flourish with drug legalization. The bankers of the world, would lose control. They don’t want to work harder to destroy our economy. Stop the N.W.O.
Watch The Obama Deception on youtube. Zeitgeistmovie.com America: Freedom to Fascism.
I totally agree with the general message of this post.
One thing that dose stand out to me is that Mr.Pierre Twist Mr.McLellan words a bit. Mr. MmLellan said “A city or state could generate a lot of revenue through fines for marijuana users.”
He did not suggest that “arresting cannabis consumers en mass rather than taxing them like the consumers of alcohol, tobacco and pharmaceutical products.” was his agenda.
In fact, when I read this, I hear the suggestion that Decriminalization is a possibility with this admin.
The word Legalization is political suicide, even Decrim is not easy for some. Simply the admission that incarceration is not the answer is a positive to me.
[Editor’s note: Virtually no politician or prohibitionists suggest that the country can ‘incarcerate its way out of cannabis prohibition’. Unfortunately, it does appear that Mr. McLellan is from a generation of addiction specialists who does believe the criminal justice serves the public health community by arresting cannabis consumers (yes, en mass arrests, otherwise there is no multiplier effect) not only for the revenue, but also because he believes that an arrest for cannabis possession might be the best path to ‘recovery’.]
murder the government and outlaw religion….Marijuana would be legal tommorow!
half of our goverment smokes hell the pres does.look at clinton,willie nelson.let us smoke pot and be happy alcohol kills more ppl than weed does ive never heard of somebody smoking pot and killing somewhere cuz they was high.ive smoked it for 25 yrs and im still the same person.so f**k the goverment fire it up and be happy.
another thing, i understand they are going to start throwing lobbyists off the advisory board. how will that effect we, the responsible cannabis consumers of america.
man, big influence from certain areas to keep those of us from our freedoms.they are so, beatin a dead horse with their stories of the past.certain people in our government are told how far to go to keep cannabis illegal.goddern it, lobbyists keep a balence in our government.yet they are but flies on the backs of our internal buracrats.
I would like to point out to Mr.McLellan that a bunch of Hashish smoking Afghanis using captured weapons and shrewd tactics has succeeded in whipping the ass of the two “mightiest war machines” in the modern world. Who is really “untogether”? Maybe (to paraphrase Lincoln) we need to give our generals a kilo of hash?
Come 2010 elections, when the races heat up, let any of your reps up for re-election know that your vote hinges upon their stance of MJ relegalization and regulation, for all purposes. Whether you voted for them or not previously, let them think you did, and do let them know you will vote against them if needed.
Follow through with voting. Odious it may be, but vote for the opponent if necessary, even against your own party. One-issue voting–focussed intent–is what is needed to send a message to these unethical fucktards that they need to pull their heads out of their asses posthaste, because people are through with all this bullshit.
When public officials start losing their seats in 2010, maybe that’ll open up some eyes in DC to get the ball rolling. All througout the presidential election cycle of 2012, let President Obama and your eligble reps know, over and over, that your vote depends on them taking action on legalizing MJ, BEFORE the election. Then follow through. This, of course, presupposed that no Republican would choose a pro-legalization stance, but you never know. Adjust as necessary.
I guarantee that if incumbents (or whoever you favor) lose in 2010 and 2012, and see all of our emails and letters, you can bet MJ legalization and regulation for all purposes will be on their platform for 2016.
What can one expect from a bunch of bureaucrats desperately clinging to their jobs? Jobs which are based entirely upon bull poo.
Everything you consume comes with considerations (from milk to soup to prescription medications). That this sorry excuse for a public servant has not yet realized this speaks volumes about his depth of thought, or lack of it.
This is going to be my voting issue next go round to the extent I can find out about a particular candidate’s real views.
Do you expect any different from the ONDCP? Of course there’s money to be made from pot prohibition… if you’re a member of a bloated anti-American bureaucracy.
Just so you know, post #50 was post #1, and at 404 PM EST and PST I was taking a nap. Post number 50/1 was made early in the morning, the removed, then replaced.
Why O, Why would that happen?
ej
Come on guys, it is a silly debate! Marijuana should not be illegal. Defending it’s prohibition is silly. Denying the social and economic impact of prohibition is silly. Placing it’s priority with more harmful drugs is silly. He says so right there.
McLellan to me says that “Marijuana is so bad for you that it should be illegal” and then turns around and says “Marijuana is an insignificant non-issue”. Well, which is it? Something so lacking noteworthiness that it shouldn’t even need to be discussed, or a major health problem which requires prohibition?
I am all for this cause! I support Norml and all it’s allies in MJ reform.
One thing that scares me is this; When we start to twist and manipulate the words or intent of our opponents to suit our agenda or ideals, we may put ourselves in the same category as Glen B, Bill O, or any number of cable TV personalities.
If the public(very smart) starts to see the MJ reform leaders as being anything but genuine our opponents will seize that energy and use it against us.
Why is it that as soon as someone (me) post a comment that points out the editorial liberties taken by the author an “editors note” is places on MY words, MY opinion.
[“Why is it that as soon as someone (me) post a comment that points out the editorial liberties taken by the author an “editors note” is places on MY words, MY opinion.”
Editor’s note: Because that is the way the page works, particularly if the commentator is incorrect, most especially if it relates to NORML proper. Mr. McLellan said he favors arresting cannabis consumers, that arrests can raise more money than legalization. What are you confused about? Where did NORML take liberties with McLellan’s own words?]
I think sometime when we’re very close to an issue we get into the fight, fight, fight mode. The risk is that being so close to the “fire” we can’t see the slow changes in the opponent or issues them selves.
If the admin is willing to talk decrim while also being very careful not to shoot their own foot, we should be willing to hear that message.
[Editor’s note: Where is there a fight? The ONDCP deputy director, the person chiefly responsible for implementing the President and Drug Czar’s strategy gave an on-the-record interview, and NORML brought it to the attention of stakeholders.
As NORML has met with the ONDCP since Obama was elected, there is currently no talk at all from the executive branch in favor of decriminalization. Obama, in May 2008, disavowed his previously stated support for decriminalization. In the view of the ONDCP’s #2, arrests are better than taxation, bringing that to greater public attention is hardly ‘fighting’.]
How does an idiot like this even get to serve in this position if he is tied to the addiction treatment industry? It seems to me that we shouldn’t allow people with who are tied to a related industry serve in a position that helps regulate that industry. Not only should he not be there but the chain of idiots who put him there should also be removed.
It seems the only “change” we are getting out of this administration is is different faces under the same old hats.
Ugh indeed. But pay no attention to that pathetic man behind the curtain, McClellan. He’s just a message boy as Joel #55 said, spouting red state conventional wisdom scripted by Rahm Emmanuel.
I hate to say it, because I was an early and big Obama supporter, but his governance strategy resembles Bill Clinton’s, Jimmy Carter’s or even Herbert Hoover’s feckess attempt at “triangulation”.
What annoys me is that it is not neccessary to put a finger in your supporter’s eyes to appease people who don’t support you at all, like Emmanuel/Obama’s attempt to be bipartisan on health care reform. In our case, McClellan could have just brushed off marijuana as a state issue and said they have bigger fish to fry…pharmaceutical drug abuse, heroin, etc.
But no….
I’ve had the mispleasure of being on the recieving end of their forced treatment at the insistence of the courts. I had to lose my job, uproot my children from their good neighborhood and put them and my wife in a low-rent apartment with all kinds of thugs around while not being able to be there to look after them for the 100 days it took for me to complete the program that didn’t work. I finally beat my meth addiction on my own with the help of my family, my marijuana maintainance plan and the new friends I made after relocating. I have been meth free for almost 8 years now and the gov had nothing to do with it. I do however blame the gov for me getting hooked on hard drugs. If it weren’t for their war on drugs America probably would have never had that vile crap coursing through its veins. It gianed its popularity the same way ketamine did; it gets you high and it wasn’t on the illegal list when they started cracking down on the more mainstream substances. But I’m getting angry and starting to ramble so let me just close with…..
Fuck that dude, his treatment centers and the war horse that he roe in on!!!!!
oops …. rode in on
A PREACHER’S PERSPECTIVE ON PROHIBITION
I am an ordained Southern Baptist minister, and I have served as a pastor for 15 years. In those years I have had dealings with a number of people with substance abuse problems. I have seen first-hand the misery that drug addiction can inflict on addicts, their families and society. My experience with these individuals has led me to two conclusions which put me at odds with the majority of evangelical Christians and with Mr. McLellan.
My first conclusion is that our government’s current policy of prohibition is a failure and a waste of time, money and lives. The fear of arrest and jail is not and never will be an effective deterrent for most addicts. Some of the addicts that I have met had wrecked their marriages, had their children removed from their homes, had their drivers’ licenses revoked, got fired from their jobs, evicted from their homes and stripped of all self-respect. Some have done jail time. Compared to the sacrifices they have already made for their habit, an arrest and a rap sheet are small potatoes. Prohibition has only served to make these addicts more secretive and more dangerous.
Not only is prohibition counterproductive, but affordable addiction treatment is in short supply. On numerous occasions I have succeeded in persuading someone to get help only to find that help was nearly impossible to get. Many drug treatment centers require payment in advance. Others require proof of insurance coverage. Some only accept referrals from the courts. The rest have waiting lists of six weeks to six months. The majority of addicts I have tried to help gave up out of frustration and are either still hooked or dead.
These facts have led me to believe that we need a complete overhaul of our drug policy. We need to stop treating addicts like criminals, and we need to stop wasting money and resources on a failed program. Instead, let’s invest in treatment, education and harm reduction. Portugal has had success with such a program and it’s time we should try something similar.
My second conclusion is that cannabis should be legalized. I cannot justify marijuana use as morally acceptable, at least not to the satisfaction of most conservative Christians. However, marijuana is far less addictive and much safer than alcohol. I have a good personal friend who is a recovering alcoholic. When he was drinking, he couldn’t keep a job and couldn’t seem to stay out of jail. A few years ago, he switched from alcohol to marijuana. Since the switch, he has not only found and kept a job, he is a dependable and valuable employee. And he hasn’t had a single run-in with the law. Over the years, I’ve met quite a few others with similar stories. These stories have led me to the conclusion that our society would be better off if we were more tolerant of marijuana and less tolerant of alcohol abuse.
If my parishioners were to find out how I feel on this subject, I’d be out of a job, but I am convinced that this is the most logical and the most Christian approach.
The Nazis of today are alive and well practicing there right to infringe on the freedoms of Americans! These type of people are the men who stood silent and followed the agenda of people like Hitler! They don’t repect you or your family or your rights because the only individuals worth anything are themselves. WAKE UP AMERICA!
Have we figured out yet it is a waste of time to talk to the federal government about marijuana. Who cares about them take your state back and mentally fight for what is right!!! The federal government would never legalize marijuana and thats what having states rights is all about. Of course a federal speaker is not going to bow down and kiss marijuanas ass.. He is being paid a great deal of money to keep his closed minded points. PEACE ON EARTH PEACE ON EARTH PEACE ON EARTH ONCE WE LEGALIZE WE ASCEND
Mcliean was paid to lie. It’s obvious to see that they (prohibitionist) are reaching for the stars. Paid to say what they say….and, o golly me, that’s always a FACT! Screw science, fuk everything that goes against whatever agenda is on the menu…it doesn’t matter—science never wins if money is a factor. U don’t beLIEve? check out what happened in England when science spoke. No different here. What the government is afraid of, and what will happen, is a revolution. Now, we all heard this before, this time, it’s the real deal.
If you haven’t read the Entire article please do so. The guy’s a flake.
Last paragraph:
McLellan: It’s a difficult job for me, and I think it would be a very difficult job for any person with a research background, because you simply don’t have the time to be contemplative. I run around all day long, stupid most of the day…(laughter)
There just is such an array of issues that come through here where you have less than an hour to make a decision or issue a statement or develop a talking point… . There’s not a single scientific paper I ever published that wasn’t like the 10th or 20th draft. “Now we need a statement on medical marijuana, and we need it in 20 minutes.” You basically draw on your instincts and your relationships and the principles that you’ve learned, but you rarely have the opportunity to draw upon the contemplative, methodical research that you’d like to. The pace is just too fast for that.
Mcdonald’s. Burger King. Taco Bell. KFC. All of that food is “not good for you” and they have meals that “target kids” so why don’t we make those illegal too and reduce availability? Hmmmm?
To editor: That’s great!!! I hope you send your best people equipped with some of the best arguments. We as Americans not only want Legalization, we need it. I’m tired of dealing with these old, racist laws that could potentially ruin my life. Thank you for your response, it was greatly appreciated.
How about we call a national boycot of alcohol by tokers; even just a few days of it would bring about the change we need.
sent* not “send”.
There is an effort to increase availability?
People are getting busted for trying to sell it door to door,and to people sitting in their cars at redlights. How much more availability is there? There are more people that use marijuana now than ever before,and no matter who coordinated the governments stupid war on drugs,it was doomed before it ever started,you can’t stop people from doing something that brings them so much pleasure,with so little harm.
“Marijuana is addictive to people the same way sex is,anything that good needs repeating.”
I wish those old prohibitionists would hurry up and die out.
[Editor’s note: How about just retiring…and letting the next generation who favor reforms have their turn at leadership and policy implementation?]
While I appreciate your words #105 Tim Weaver, you are preaching to the choir? so to speak that is.
With all due respect, you are of NO help to the movement to end this madness if you’re not speaking out against Prohibition.
Since you are Christian you may wish to align yourself with:
http://christiansagainstprohibition.org/
They are spot on and would likely be able to help you through the difficult moments.
—————
ya McLellan is old school he’d would rather have alchol which is worse, does more damage, kills cause people to fight, and so on and so on. it people like him that should be showen the door. the gorverment could make money, use it for something worth while. na not the god old u.s.a. they just give them seeves raises and spend money like it’s water. someday day hopefully this year the goverment will do something like legal lize pot. lol.
His argument – since marijuana isn’t 100% good for you, it should therefore be illegal – overlooks so many other products and services, that aren’t 100% good for you, that humans use and abuse daily, and legally.
It seems that a lot of commenters here are angry and “fed-up”. That’s actually quite good.
If the last election proved anything, it proved that voting doesn’t change a damn thing, especially when it comes to the federal government. I personally believe that our country has been taken over secretly by forces from both within and without, but that is neither here or there. They are all getting too much money security off of illegal weed, one way or the other, so they just don’t give a shit if the masses want it legalized.
While I appreciate the efforts of NORML, and the changes brought about by referendums, and the comprimises made by indivdual states…I really don’t think the Feds will ever accept the breakdown of their game.
…unless…
…unless we the people get out into the streets and show them who is boss. Our country is being looted by war-mongers, our economy is being withered by greedy bankers, and our freedoms are being abolished ever more brazenly by a newly militarized police force. Everybody in this country is angry about something the federal government is up to…taxes, torture, war, oppression…HYPOCRISY…it’s time to channel this anger into effective change. Voting isn’t going to cut it.
The protests are already out there. We just need to go join the ranks. A couple million people around the reflecting pool would be a good start…
Director Tom McLellan said:
“It’s a beautifully crafted, misleading argument. Our argument’s entirely different. Nobody wants mass incarceration of marijuana users. JESUS, MARY, and JOSEPH–what a waste of money that is.”
Frank Zappa 1974 10 31 Po-jama People
Check out Cannabis TV for videos, informational data and resource links on cannabis and hemp.
14 states have medical marijuana Is this the Devided States of America? Its high time Washington pulls there head out of there ass and get a national medical marijuana law. Lets march on DC and let them know we are are mad as hell and were not going to take it any more SET A DATE NORML !
The government should re-legislate all laws every 10 years using modern data. The original arguments for prohibition would never stand in today’s society.
I wish they would make those motorcycles and ATVs illegal! They are dangerous! I hope they make deep fried donuts illegal. Them are dangerous! I wish they would make cosmetic surgery illegal! It can be dangerous! Come to think of it, people should not be allowed to consume peanuts, as a choking hazard and common allergen! Let’s put people in prison for lifting heavy objects! This activity is highly dangerous!
Why is it that of all the fun things to do in life, marijuana is the only dangerous thing that is illegal? It is almost silly that people keep justifying keeping pot illegal because it is “dangerous” when there are numerous other legal consumer products and services that are more potent. This argument that pot should remain illegal because it is “dangerous” can be easily squashed.
A person that would rather fine a peaceful person rather than tax him is slave owner.
It is clear to me after reading through the comment on this post that more posters than me had issue with the article.
I feel I was attacked when bringing up a valid discussion point. Is this how everyone who questions “Norml Proper” is treated?
I hope I’m all wrong but as a supporter I feel my input is not appreciated.
I am seriously disappointed with the attitude of the “editor” and will consider putting my energy and money towards other reform groups for the near future.
Maybe after I smoke one I will be less offended. PEACE
[Editor’s note: It’s not a matter of being appreciated, it’s a matter of correct or incorrect. You think the #2 at ONDCP supports decrim, when he does not. You think that he really didn’t say arresting cannabis consumers will raise more money than taxing cannabis, when he did.
If getting called out for being incorrect makes you want to support another law reform group, that is your concern.]
Yo, number #6. The thing that seperates Alcohal/ciggi’s and fastfood…..or even too much Television is that: (yes,) cannabis CAN be harmful(maybe). But Cannabis;unlike the others….can ALSO be helpful as well as Healthful. And ya know….we don’t want “vices” out there that can help instead of hinder.
We don’t want that now*sarcasm*COUGH!!!
LOOK, man. I was raised christian…still am. HOWEVER, a lot of christians seem to associate weed smoke with hellfire and wine or booz with water….which; in the Bible, it(water) is symbolized or connected with salvation. Same with Wine(bcuz it represents his blood). Where as…smoke is often times associated with brimstone/fire and the like.
They just can’t let that sub-conscious learned behavior.
O.K…..so when cops BUST down your door, scare/arrest/shoot you dead on the spot(the last mentioned only seems to happen when the DEA knocks down the WRONG door??), then STEAL all of your’ sh!t and then turn around and AUCTION it off for Police Dept. Profit……correct me if I’m wrong;but,..is’nt that what PIRATES and CROOKED warlords did–PLUNDER.
POLICE-Plundering doesn’t sound all that diiferent……….
ALSO—-I’m gonna go ahead and guess that most pirates(just like policemen..) Persecuted and PLUNDERED upon good people that were not doing anything harmful to the Pirates to provoke them into invading one’s home.
I would love to be a part of a peaceful march on Wshington and I’m sure many others would be as well. But if we do this we have to remember that they will be looking hard to find to put our effort into a egative light so if and when it happens everyone please remember to be on your best behavior. Set a date norml!!!!
McLellan thinks making a living off of the debate of prohibition is ridiculous. I think it is ridiculous for my probation officer to make a living off myself using marijuana.
Cops pluder is made to seem ‘LAWFUL’. Its a mass propaganda of the populace. “We can do it because we are the ‘LAW’. ” Well ..it is obedience to god to fight against this kind of tyranny. Thats what it is plain and simple TYANNY!
Put one guy in a ballcap,mustache/beard and rock tee shirt. Put another in a suit,all trim and ‘proper’ looking.
Now have them stand in front of a crowd.
Have the guy in ballcap make a small speach that is, unknown to the crowd,to be true.
Now have the guy in a suit make a small speach,unknown to the crowd,to be false.
Who do you think the crowd will believe?
Now look around at our leaders,cops ect.
See how easy it is to lie and convince the masses it is the truth.
I’m not saying all in suits or uniforms are liars, that would be wrong, but now you see.
Our government make it easy to stand and lie to you,convince you they are ‘good’.
Who do you think the crowd will believe?
If it isnt obvious to people these days that our government is corrupt, then said people are wearing blinders willfully.
Time to change this people.
Then it is as I feared. Our government has no plans to legalize and regulate pot. They still consider the draconian policies to be effective. Scary, very scary for this is a sign of things to come. The man makes no sense to me. He says marijuana availability must be reduced to support a healthy functioning society… BAH! The existence of democracy is said to do the same. Im confused though, because last time I checked democracy means people make the laws, and people decide. If they cannot listen to the people they are intent on ruling with an iron fist, then we’ve reached the point of tyranny and it’s our job as american citizens to do something about it. We owe it to america. Oh and if marijuana must remain illegal because its “not that good for you” What does this idiot have to say about alcohol? Im scared people, im scared for the future of this country. The government continues to show their lack of respect for their people. Isnt it time we make it very clear to them that WE are in charge? Can we really do that peacefully? It will not stop with marijuana, our government has grown into a monster. It’s quite obvious america is turning into something else and I will NOT be afraid to say so! Look around you, does love truley conquer all? When it comes to tyrants and peasents No it doesnt. No one understood this better then our founding fathers. They did what had to be done, and for a short while we had a truly free country. I wonder who America’s next founding fathers will be?
So…when is McLellan ‘retiring’? He just can’t stay after this dressdown.
McLellan: diaf you retard.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
Life liberty and the pursuit of happiness you moron, GTFO of MY life, MY choices, and MY body. We dont want to pump cannabis down the throats of kids, but that is what prohibition does now, because black market dealers dont card children.
Gee you must be really smart to know that something is NEVER good for anyone right. Hows the saying go, Only fools deal in absolutes?
For standing in the way of people’s Liberty, I hope you choke, you son of a bitch.
[Editor’s note: As a general rule of thumb, despite the frustration rightly experienced by cannabis consumers and reformers, please, let’s try to abate from wishing our political opponents and prohibition-leaning citizens painful deaths…Let’s try to be a little more Gandhian: “When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall — think of it, always.” -MKG
we dont have much hope with this mclellan guy and others like kevin sabet (can u say overacheiver?) over there at the Office of national lying policy.
Everyone should go to this web site: http://fija.org/ We need to start letting the justice system know that we are tired of the laws that take away our citizens liberty.
“…This country, with its institutions, belongs to the people who inhabit it. Whenever they shall grow weary of the existing Government, they can exercise their constitutional right of amending it or their revolutionary right to dismember or overthrow it…”
– US President Abraham Lincoln, First Inaugural Address, March 4, 1861
re:#99 & #125
Adam, I’m not trying to kiss up to Paul or “norml proper” but exactly how do you think they enforce these cannibas fines this Mclellan guy is talking about….under threat of damaging your credit rating? No. They do it under threat of our phycical freedom and all that comes with being locked up plus the fines plus the cost of the forced treatment plus etc. etc…
I enjoy your intellect and opinions that I read in most of your posts so I do hope I haven’t offended you in my effort to help clarify this point as I hope to read more from you in the future.
Our gov’t at one time(LONG ago, mind you..) was Clear and Direct with a purposful Agenda. Now, it seems our gov’t is Cloak and Dagger with a Self-Serving Agenda.
The stated policy of that office is dissuade use of a large host of substances. By any means. He is careful in his delivery there. Well crafted delivery I might add.
People are quick to dismiss the fact the voting public is in stronger and stronger support and that influences all the money these folks get. While the message is not reaching the spokesperson who denies that there is a debate, the debate rages around him. Eventually they will either have to get more draconian and go for full prohibition again, like the UAE and others are trying in respects, or start staging a different kind of campaign.
Quoting him is like quoting PETA though. It gets their message out and those words stick with people. Much like all the stuff they spewed out in the 80’s I hear parroted from people still to this day. Just make sure you dont start or end an argument with these quotes.
I wouldn’t really worry about this McLellan guy. I think he is just one view in the White House. After all not only is his argument that marijuana is illegal because it is “dangerous” silly, but as pointed out here, very old school thinking.
Obama is very good, he knows he needed to temper his recent endorsement of medical marijuana states. This McLellan clown and his wacky ideas are counter; and most importantly sure to fail the test of time.
For President Obama to relax marijuana laws, he needs the opposition to fail. He seems fair and balanced as a US President.
Anyway you look at it, marijuana legalization is finally here!
Holy Smokes. Thank you Allen. To show others who may not truely understand that there is actually people who hold positions in society and government who believe they know what is best for you. They are called prohibitionists and/or moralists. They are blind and cannot see. Believing the lies and misinformation to protect their livelyhood. They will never change until it hits home with one of their own family or friends becoming sick or incarcerated.
The Rev.sLeezy
Universal Life Church of the Holy Smokes
Holy Smokes. If the Federal Government believes that wearing a helmet while riding a motorcycle is a state rights ,issue. Well then what about states rights to control, tax, and regulate the cannabis plant. Sounds like a fair comparison to me.
Rev.sLeezy
TULCOTHS
READ… READ… READ… I had a thought the other day after hearing one of the NORML pod casts. The main stream media is just a biz. We know they track the searches on their web sites. We should go to FOX, NBC, CNN, and others such “marijuana”. The more hits they get the more likely they are to cover marijuana related stores. This way we can get more mainstream press.
I have news for you all, Barrie Hussein Obama was a big cannabis smoker at his elite prep school, Punahou in Honolulu. And he has admitted to drug problems. Ok, we can agree on that?
Guess what, folks, he has not changed. This guy has a plan, give him some time, the chains of prohibition are being unlocked one link at a time. Btw, I am not an Obamagirl,nor have I ever been one. FWIW. I predict full legalization for medical use in 3 years. Israel is allowing it in hospitals for certain medicinal purposes. I imagine that some Jewish hospital in LA will be the next to have their pilot program. After that….????
its pretty bad that the only big reason they keep mj illegal is becasue of the tax money making prohibitionists rich the govt. is now
making companies randomly drug test thier employees so that they can win the war on weed if we smoke they will catch us in our piss and fire us so we cant afford to buy how communistic to ruin a person just because they smoke weed on the weekends the govt. has no morals
for some harm reduction and as a tax paying citizen I am calling for Mclellans resignation
Marijuana is good for you! Consider that the cancer rate of users is lower than the general public; that marijauna has nuero-protective qualities that delay the onset of Alzheimers and other brain diseases, that marijuana users have lower rates of violence…need I go on? Does marjuana have side effects that are not good? Yes, dry mouth, coughing, short-term memory impairment while using. Water is good for you but too much can kill you. Too much marijuana, and your’e just wasting it.
The feds. have stomped all over the constitution they are breaking the law when they pass laws to prohibit drugs. That is why the stamp act did not prohibit pot. Our gov. is not authorised to do so according our laws then or now. the sad part they break our laws and the intent of our laws every day.
silly lil potheads…
dontcha know that big daddy govt/god in the sky.. has to help you decide what is best for your body and mind because you may make decisions of which they disapprove.
thats ok tho..they’ll also help you to become the good lil economic units (prison wage slaves)that you were destined to become befor you decided to engage in cerebral enlightment.
“officer!!! imprison that fellow!! he had the audacity to have a flower in a bag”
Look, I have to say something here.
I am tired of all you claiming that you’re all about freedom, free the weed, then turning around and scapegoating cigz and liquor..
Yes, weed is safer than them, agreed.
But, I like smoking cigarettes, and don’t fancy having to go through all the black market crap I do for weed to get them.
So quit it.
If you truly believe in freedom, then you have to accept that it applies to all of these things, to drink liquor, to smoke cigarettes, and yes, to get high as we please.
You’re just as bad as the government if you don’t support my right to smoke cigarettes. (I can accept smoking\non smoking sections, etc,.)
Peace
I choose to endulge once in a while and have since i was about 16. Now the main fact that i have just stated is that “I Choose to partake in the use of Marijuana”. The freedom to make choices is what we are really prosuing. How can a government make decisions for me? Are we not all “FREE”? I never knew truly what free is, and neither does any other middle or lower class american in todays society. The state has been making many decisions for us since before we were born. This subject touches so many, WHY DONT WE DO SOMTHING REAL ABOUT IT? If all of us (1/2 or more of the US population)go down to your local court house and turn ourselves in for possession of this “devil” plant(lol)(YEAH, GO AHEAD AND ARREST US ALL). Then we would see thing change quickly. But that will never happen. To many people FEAR their government. That is not rite! If Presedent Obama was to have been arrested during his youth for possession of cannibus, would he be our presedent today? Probably not. Is that rite? NO. I get he feeling that things are changing, but slowly,I have written The Presedent, all US Congressman, and every representive and legislator (for the state of Indiana). I have written litterally hundrededs of letters and E-mails in the last 2 months and prob thousands over the last year. Yet to today I have only received responce from 3 Indiana representatives and absolutly no responce from Mr. Obama (or any kind of address from his office).
Remember in the comming years that the people who have made much needed changes in our government were not the people who stood by and let things happen, but by those whom gave their time and attention to the subject, those who sacrficed their freedom and sometimes their lives to fight for what they know was rite. This is what it will take, an all out assalt on our governments current policys. So what I suggest is for everyone that reads this is to take a little time out a day every week and write our “elected officials” with our concerns about the nearly 1 million americans that become POW’s in this war on drugs every year. And if you (like me)are a casulity of this war, offer only one statement in court (as said by Patrick Henry 1775) “GIVE ME LIBERTY OR GIVE ME DEATH” or maybe suggest that if it is that serious of an offence, Maybe we should just shoot offeders of this “crime” on the spot.
Unless we all do somthing like march on washington (which with the current state of things, may be very successful) we will never get our point accross. As we all know the politians that we are dealing with are stubborn and set in their ways. Again I will continue to write officials DAILY, but everyone must invovle themselves in order for us to get the changes established quickly.
NORML set a date to march and Ill be camped out on the White House Lawn!
Just look for me I will be smoken a joint.
Do you know what the real problem is? They can’t prove that pot is addictive. This country thrives on addiction: Addiction to cigs, addiction to alcohol, addiction to PAINKILLERS (which are not only highly addictive, but purposely prescribed and doled out like tic-tacs and horrifically deadly), addiction to Hollywood, addiction to TV, addiction to fast food, addiction to myspace, facebook, and the internet. Have you ever noticed how anything that is practical or harmless gets demonized? You know, like pot, or gay rights, or Janet Jackson’s tit. It’s strange to me that everything that is addictive is pushed on Americans, but something that isn’t is demonized. I don’t think that’s an accident. I wish the war on heroin was as vicious as the war on weed. However, that wouldn’t work out too well, financially, for anyone, considering that percodone, oxycontin, percocet, suboxine, methadone, oxycodone and many many more are all basically made of the same stuff–That’s all legal by the way. Maybe we can ask this guy how that’s working out for my dead cousin.
“It’s not good for you.” Well, there are a lot of other things in the grocery isles that are not good for us but you don’t outlaw them. Since when did we all sign away our right to indulge in things that “aren’t good for you?’
This guy is just another paid-for shill.