By Kellen Russoniello, George Washington Law School student, NORML legal intern
In the first sentence of a new report, current and former world leaders agree that “[t]he global war on drugs has failed.” They then call for drastic reform in both national and global drug policy. As the report recognizes, the current regime is a criminal justice and public health nightmare.
Released on June 2, 2011 by The Global Commission on Drug Policy, the report details the need for a new approach in drug policy. The Commission is comprised of nineteen current and former high-ranking policymakers from around the world, as well as experts in the field. Included in this committee are former presidents of Colombia, Mexico, Brazil, and Switzerland, the current prime minister of Greece, former UN High Commissioners, and a former US Secretary of State.
The report lays out four core principles that should be the guideposts for developing national and international drug policies: Basing policy on scientific evidence; basing policy on human rights and public health principles; developing and implementing a globally shared drug policy that recognizes diverse political, social, and cultural realities; and pursuing drug policy through comprehensive means including both law enforcement and the citizenry.
Additionally, the Commission outlines eleven recommendations for developing a more rational drug policy. These include removing criminal penalties for drug use and developing effective treatment, prevention, and harm reduction programs.
Especially notable for NORML supporters is the Commission’s call for governments to experiment with the legal regulation of cannabis in order to cut down on violent organized crime and provide safety and security to citizens. The taxation and regulation of illegal drugs “is a policy option that should be explored with the same amount of rigor as any other.” The report also calls for examination of the scheduling system and the placement of cannabis in that system.
The other recommendations are designed to eliminate the dogma of current drug policy and the stigma on current drug users and sellers. Ultimately, the Commission recognizes the following:
[F]or every year we continue with the current approach, billions of dollars are wasted on ineffective programs, millions of citizens are sent to prison unnecessarily, millions more suffer from the drug dependence of loved ones who cannot access health and social care services, and hundreds of thousands of people die from preventable overdoses and diseases contracted through unsafe drug use.
For us, the points made in the report are not news: marijuana policy reformists have been making these arguments for almost three quarters of a century. But it is heartening to hear that such powerful figures in international policy are not only realizing the harm of prohibition, but openly speaking about that harm and calling for alternatives. Additionally, the report is getting massive news coverage. The Drug Policy Alliance reported that over 1,000 news stories about the Commission’s report have been published worldwide.
You can use this report to make a difference. Send a message to your legislators and urge them to read the report. Find your legislator here.
Also, check out Erik Altieri, Communications Coordinator for NORML, discussing the report in an interview with CBS-Pittsburgh.
Providence, R.I. — U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder suggested Thursday that the Justice Department will work with governors and other states to reach a satisfactory resolution of the establishment of dispensaries that sell marijuana to patients in state-sponsored medical marijuana programs.
“We are in the process of working these issues with the U.S. attorney for Rhode Island and other U.S. attorneys across the country,” he said. “My hope is that something in the not too distant future …. will be addressed.”
Holder’s cautious comments came during a news conference at The Institute for the Study & Practice of Nonviolence in the city’s South End. He toured the recently refurbished facility on Oxford Street with Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse; Peter F. Neronha, the U.S. attorney for Rhode Island, and state Attorney General Peter F. Kilmartin.
Afterward, Holder appeared at a news conference where he was peppered with questions about the Justice Department’s position on dispensaries, also known as compassion centers, that sell marijuana to patients who smoke marijuana to deal with chronic pain and other debilitating ailments
I would think that the most important first step would be ,to have marijuana declared under the food and drug act the same as coffee, tea, chocolate.As caffiene is some help to asthma patients and helps in deppression in small quanities and chocolate releases “feel good” hormones in the system. In my opinion marijuana in small quanities also can be very benificial, in relaxation.
IDEAS ON DRUGS.
I think one thing we need to do is to ask Congress to investigate the mass murders down in Mexico. Mexico is a country with a history of “dirty war.” Since Americans are funding the Mexican Army’s drug enforcement efforts, we should make sure those guys haven’t given in to the same old temptations that led them to form death squads and assassinate leftists back in the 1970s.
It seems hard to believe that profit-motivated criminals would slaughter each other in such large numbers. This situation demands more transparency than the Mexican government has provided. We should demand that Congress investigate this situation and hold hearings on our policy down there.
The studied tactic by U.S. PSYOPS is to tell a lie, tell it often, tell it with no acknowledgement of contary truth. This is a result of millions of dollers and millions of hours, from the 1960’s, when a doller bought four gallons of gasoline. The use of these studies in political and international manuvering of opinion and policies has succeeded in fiscal bankruptcy couple with devolution of moral correctness.
Prohibition only creates chaos and corruption.
What is more corrupt and depraved than the American penal system ? Only the American abandonment of our founding LAWS in the adherence to our Constitution.
We allowed this to happen, we must now restore the order of LAWS, not dollers to already wealthy and greedy entities.
VOTE DEMOCRATIC, send the T’s and the R’s a message , “YOU R FIRED”
i have been waiting for 35 years for this! thank god that world leaders are finally realizing how much damage prohibition has CAUSED!! they are starting to look at it as a health issue instead of a criminal issue which is how it should have been done in the first place!
As great as this sounds, I highly doubt the privatized prisons and DEA will ever let the status quo change. They have to much invested in making drugs illegal so they can keep their pockets lined with tax payer money.
Remember, Sorry for being such a downer : /illegal drug trade is big business, but so is the prosecution and imprisonment of the sellers and users.
P.S.
Sorry for being such a downer : /
FINALLY!
@5
The government has done many bad things, but as I was a 37F (PSYOP Specialist) in the US Army, I can assure you that the Army is not used to spread propaganda in the US against our own citizens. It’s actually a violation of UCMJ to do so.
The liers in this war are the office of national drug control policy, and the dea (along with a ton of private organizations like partnership for a drug free America).
Will NOT happen. EVER. Sorry to rain on the parade.
This is wonderful news. I do wish they were current world leaders instead of former world leaders. They might be taken more seriously…maybe.
Yeeee! 😀
With a government like ours who needs enemies, they’ve known all along what they’ve been doing to the American people.I don’t think they will ever admit to it though.What a bunch of assholes,their war against us has almost destroyed our country,they take the one thing that people enjoy the most and use it against us.Starting with Nixon, then Reagan, the asshole who really gutted the American dream with his Federal random drug testing invasions.The hatred I feel for those assholes is well justified,Barack, if you’re listening, now is the time for you to step up to the plate and hit a home run for the American people,end this injustice,it’s way overdue.Can anyone tell me how many jobs have been shipped out of the country the last thirty years, how many jobs have gone to foreigners who come here to steal our jobs (visas), and how many Americans have been eliminated from the American workforce for refusing to go along with this unconstitutional republican drug testing program.There are quite a few Democrats who went along with this also,just follow the votes.It’s so hard to believe it’s went on this long,What is it going to take to end this injustice, Is our Congress finally going to end it? That’s funny is’nt it.Maybe the supreme court (rats) will help us.ha ha
I noticed how the story mentioned that multiple news sources have picked up the story. I went to USA Today yesterday and they had a story up on it, but they froze out the comments section for a long time because they don’t like free thinking people saying “I told ya so” and challenging narrow-minded idiots to debates. USA Today however will print in bold headlines anything bad about marijuana and let stupid people blog about it all day long.
Mr Doyle, That is good info. We can fight that misinformation by demanding this simple definition of marijuana which actually shows respect for our Constitution.
16. The term ‘marijuana’ means all parts
of the smoke produced by the combustion
of the plant Cannabis sativa L.
Please help end this war by helping get Gary Johnson’s voice heard at the N.H. Presidential Debate. Sign the poll at: http://www.change.org/petitions/demand-cnn-and-sponsors-invite-former-gov-gary-johnson-to-the-june-13th-nh-primary-debate
The more anti-prohibition pro-liberty voices on stage the better!!!
The fact that it is endorsed by mostly former leaders instead of sitting presidents shows that most current leaders are afraid to admit that the war on drugs is a failure. But this is a huge step in the right direction. Even if nothing more than a symbol, this report suggests that we are closer than ever to seeing a real shift in drug policy worldwide.
I will not hold my breathe but i sincerely hope that things will finally start to change. i am tired of good Americans who smoke a flower being thrown in prison and forced into a life of crime due to their prior convictions. for example marijuana possession good luck finding a job with that on your record…
This is a cause that must be championed by the people..our leaders will never in mass hop on the cannabis band wagon. Start with the hearts of your family and friends..trusting in a movement alone, to change everything is not realistic..it starts and ends with you..thanks
DA, prohabicion don’t work. legalize it and make $ instead of spending it.
Maybe that dripping tap just started to drip a little faster. Certainly a good thing to throw in the face of those who maintain prohibition does some good. It also gives the politicians a tantalising way to balance their budgets in these hard pressed times :- less enforcement costs and new streams of tax revenue – very tempting if they can justify the change !
Don`t fool yourself. These policy makers knew the drug war was a big failed joke long age. They took the way of preWW11 Germany when the citizens were being rounded up and slaughtered. The “other” citizens looked the other way and buried their heads in the sand with their bungs pointed towards the sky.Look around WE ARE IN A POLICE STATE.
On the other hand!
Could this be yet another piece of the puzzle – for global domination of cannabis – but – especially the hemp market. What pieces do already recognize in the big puzzle?
1. No organic seed [Monsanto].
2. No home grow.
3. DOJ Memo 02.09.11, and strict federal enforcement.
4. Big Pharma’s approval [55 pharmaceutical companies] to extract natural THC from the whole plant material.
5. The whole plant material remaining a schedule I substance – while the extract being a schedule III substance – as is the synthetic dronabinol. [Since when does the clone get top billing].
6. Governmental suppression of favorable laws towards legalization.
“It’s all about” global domination and control of a plant. Can anyone add a piece to this puzzle?
Now all you have to do is use this declaration to get the international law/treaties against cannabis changed so that countries who want to legalize are not forced to hold back progress by threat of loss of international aid or of sanctions. Make sure it takes away the excuse of some governments basically that they accept the science but won’t because it’s against international treaties so it’s not worth the work.
Get W.H.O. to get out of the way. Get the international drug czar/E.U. drug czar out of the way of progress, too.
“It’s all about.”
I now come to appeal to “all human beings” on this planet[Genesists or not] that “believe” in God and God’s Sacrament – to place your intents and purposes in your religion. Religion will be our salvation. If – whatever you want to call them – think they have a hard time defending their “unjust law” – they will have “NO CHANCE WHATSOEVER” defending their law or themselves against God, and we who believe and trust in our Faith. God gave us free will as individuals! God denies anyone who would deny us that gift and our individuality. I feel in my heart and soul that God is stalking those prohibs right this very minute. This not a sermon – it’s a plea. Whatever your religion [or ism] – it’s the rock upon which we stand. If we step off that rock – we will surely fall forever. Let thoe who disagree with God – argue with God – and -see where they get! They have broken his law – and – now they must answer to him – not only as a Final Judgment – but – as an immediate violation and sentence.
JOIN US IN OUR FIGHT TO RESTORE OUR GOD GIVEN, CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT THROUGH FAITH OVER INJUSTICE. DECLARE YOUR FAITH AND STAND WIT US AS ONE CONTINUALLY.
Gee wiz….duh. Tell us something we don’t already know. “War” on anything never works and never will. I have been a Clinician in Maximum Security Prison and Mental Hospitals for 25 years. And you are correct Sir “Ogre” Dea and Correctional Officer’s Union are indeed very strong. It’s going to be a fight for sure. Because? Put it this way. The poor, drug addicted, mentally Ill criminal is the population “they” (CDCR and DMH CA. and Fedrally) put in these institutions.
So, if we move to a model of Treament and not punishment, these inmate numbers will drop like a rock and hence lower jobs ratios for Institutions who house the popultaion we speak of. If ya’ll want the facts and not lip service go to these sights>
http://www.drugOgrewarfacts.org/cms/
http://www.leap.cc/
Holy Smokes. Amother positive report by thinking and reasonable people only to be poopoo’d by the DEA and and DOJ.
The Rev.sLeezy
thank you norml for providing this information. i have written my state officials concerning this. i miss dearly the benefits of consuming this awesome herb and, have had enough of these silly assed,private life inhibiting laws we must live by. the more i am not allowed to consume cannabis, the more pissed off i get. my government will not drive me to drink. finally, people my be starting to see the truth. thank you again norml.
If you go to whitehouse.gov, Obama won’t even allow comments on drug policy. There’s no space on the form.
We need a drug reform protest vote in 2012 to wipe this idiot from office. All we have to do is find another Nader and make Obama a one term president.
I have a feeling there’s a dirty war in Mexico and Obama knows it.
@8 Ogre: I don’t think you’re being a downer so much as being a realist… Hilary Clinton said that we can’t legalize marijuana because there’s too much money in it… However, I just have to believe that in spite of our American leaders that this Global Commission will ultimately help in bring about a positive change. America, once known as “The Land of the Free” needs to free up a few congressmen and senators from their jobs!
@30 Patricia – Your comment is a pet-peeve of mine! Obama has been one of the hugest dissapointments of my life. So many of us believed in him only to have act like a prohibitionist republican. He needs to go – bad!
I hope we get to choose from real people like Gary Johnson or Ron Paul the next presidential election instead of politicians like Obama, Romney, or Gingrich…
Just watch. Obama will file this in the same place as Nixon did the Schaffer report. If they don’t like what they hear, they didn’t hear it.
What was on Eric Holders mind, when he dismissed the The Commissions Report
Will Eric Holder The AG @ DC wake up, I wonder
What Frightens Eric Holder?
It is time for Eric Holder to decide, is he worried about his social and economic position, I wonder
In that meantime, Justice will find you Eric, on that dusty trail where the low will become great warriors and heroes, I say Free Cannabis
Become Whole
Sadly if you read what american news has said about this report, it appears as if they didn’t even read it. They give you a few lines and then jump to some official saying the exact opposite. They don’t give you any of the numbers from the report. The worst thing is that despite the report stating that where marijuana has been legalized that rates of use have not gone up, they still jump the the Drug Czar quote saying the opposite. Its just sad….
Congress writes the law, not the President
Establishment Clause.
“Without exemption [circumscription – qualification] no person(s) shall make any law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”
Genesists are free to profess and maintain their opinion in matters of religion, and in no wise diminish, enlarge, or effect their civil capacities. Genesists shall not suffer on account of their religious opinions, beliefs or practices; for whosoever would stand on a Genesist’s path of religious freedom [individual freedom] and rattle their sword, such act provokes “infringement of the natural rights of mankind,” the privileges and advantages to which in common with our brethren we have a natural right.
I so declare: I am a Genesist. I claim religious use of my Sacrament – and – I invoke a “Conscience Clause” A Conscience Clause is a law exempting those whose religious or moral principles forbid compliance – and – which compels Genesists to oppose and resist any law that denies us our Faith and Sacrament. On this there is no negotiation or compromise.
Those who maintain this same Declaration – please join we Genesists in this simple, but profound statement of intent. Please do so by putting a capital G behind you posted name.
The reason Holder is forced to clarify his positon on medical marijuana is because his words have been totally at odds with his actions.
While Holder SAYS that medical dispensaries and patienta will not be targeted, the raids continue. He even has the gall to send threatening letters to medical marijuana states, forcing lawmakers to shutdown and turn patients away.
I predict that Holder will craft a carefully worded statement that will make it sound like he will stop presecuting MMJ patient and caregivers, while he contiues to do just that.
Only the President could end the Drug War and disband the Drug Army, and Obama, having already been outed as a hypocrite on this issue, will continue to avoid discussing it.
Some good news I just learned from the Teapot Party today! http://www.freedomisgreen.com/connecticut-senate-passes-half-ounce-marijuana-decrim-bill/
Next up, we need to put some in the White House who will keep his promises! First, he needs the nomination and for that he needs name recognition! Help, Gary Johnson and sign the petition linked to by my name. The full link is posted in my earlier comment! Don’t let this voice of liberty be silenced!
As a war veteran I am grateful that the VA has nothing against Medical Marijuana and those of us who have a prescription will not be hassled,and they held that up good.
So if the VA recognizes the beneficial aspects of MM and they are a BIG part of our govt,what then is the hold up? I have many many times contacted my elected officials to have them change the damn laws,some progress has been made.
The Obama administration is looking towards re-election.With the outright lies he told during his campaign,his so-called directive to Holder to back off on legal MM,and Holder’s opposite actions to that directive,I can see where for political points,he might just okay MM and dispensaries.JMHO,and wish’s.
NORML should start an email campaign to get Congress to investigate Mexico. Those 38,000 homicides happened on our dime. We should demand more transparency regarding those murders than the Mexican government and military have provided so far. There’s a bad history down here, and Michele Leonhart’s depraved rhetoric plays into that bad history all too well. Congress needs to lift up the rock down there and see what crawls out, because we helped fund it and we have a right to know exactly what it is.
The real question is? When will Obama realize that, without the cannabis community he has no chance of being reelected.It really is sad that the minds of our officials think so small when it comes to such a large problem,but that’s the American way.
To ignore the Hemp plant,for example,shows how little power the President has when confronted by the powerful grain, wood ,chemical,oil, and BIG PHARMA lobbies. Even if Obama knew he had no chance of getting reelected,he still won’t admit that the need for the weed is as important for our well being,as knowledge itself.
OGRE, #8, has a point.There IS too much invested already in this culture war against alternative sources of relaxation, health and well-being.
The fact that cannabis is “being considered”, that it’s medicinal use is being looked at means little. Neither distilled spirits, tobacco or beer has much in the way of medicinal qualities. Wine maybe.
If “science” is to be the judge of the status of “recreational drugs”, then the DJ and the DEA would have to seriously consider the lax sale of alcohol and tobacco, as compared to the safer alternative, cannabis.
Don’t hold your breath!
As for it being regulated by the FDA like coffee, tea and chocolate, the FDA doesn’t regulate those products. There are an extremely few natural herbs and products the FDA or anyone regulates.
And last… Patricia #4 should be taken seriously. As Robert P. Doyle Sr. #5 states: “The studied tactic by U.S. PSYOPS is to tell a lie, tell it often, tell it with no acknowledgement of contary truth. ”
Politics is all about manipulating and warping the truth. However the old stomping ground proclaiming hard on crime is hard on drugs is over. Anyone with a reasonable mind can see the damage being done by our current drug policies. It lacks science, and stinks of special interests.
Cannabis should be available at your local health food store, taxed as a herbal commodity. Maybe, specialty cannabis, hybrids and high THC varieties could be sold and taxed like alcohol and tobacco. But that’s a stretch, as cannabis really is simply a beneficial herb, and plant of many virtues.
Thank you for letting us know that cannabis news is not limited to week days news. I love it!
Just to rephrase my last statement because proper grammar has never been my greatest strength under such emotional feeling of gratitude that the news came on a weekend.
I have no editing control, so my re[y is simply: “Thank you for giving everybody this topic on a weekend.”.
Damn my reply has a typo: the word is “reply”. Blame it on Heineken.
How is Obama going to get the vote of people who are informed about the war on drugs?
His actions have proven that he is a staunch supporter of drug war and persecutor of MMJ patients.
But he will probably get votes from alot of people who support MMJ and ending the war just because many people are uninformed, and Obama is good at deception.
As I said – Americans are proud. How proud are we of the present administration? I’d put the fox in charge of the hen house before I’d put the present administration in charge of our Constitution. But then – we’ve got the best politicians money can buy – so! – what’s to worry about. Well! that which is held up with nothing – will fall.
40. Anonymous
“Congress writes the law, not the President.”
“Ya! – but – the DEA does – what the DEA wants to do – with a nod from the DOJ.” FLAG: The DEA made the “extract” of the natural whole plant material possible. It simply replaces the synthetic chemical THC. That stuff was no good anyway. I believe I heard that the patent on dronabinol was about to expire. Wait till ya hafta fill a prescription!$$$ BUT WAIT! – Natural THC being placed in schedule III relieves it of its restriction. But – “Big But” – by rescheduling to III – they also “open the door wide” for research [the money will be in research]. Based on past and present research and evidence – immediately submitted – from all sources of science – science will immediately justify THC’s newly achieved legality – as a pharmaceutical. Just think – insurance companies will now be able to cover the drug. It really is going legit in a big way. It’s all good! Personally I want the other 65 cannabinoids that accompany the whole plant material.
Have a great CDXX Communion.
Response to Jim Rogers, #46:
You forget the “Cannabis Handbook”, presented when a president first becomes a President. It states (I have my sources) that cannabis is to be null and void topic of debate, of consideration for legalization, and not in the interest of the American objective.”
If true, President Obama has no choice but to ignore lobbying to legalize cannabis. President Jimmy Carter tried, along with home brew beer and wine (which had been illegal to produce under the 18th amendment until the 1970’s… a minor oversight with repeal of the 18th!
I remember that day in 1976 when President Carter legalized homebrew and cannabis. The former passed. The latter raised a hellstorm of protest within establishment, most notably, Congress and the DEA.
It may be “The American Way”, as Jim Rogers suggests, but it’s not the American Way set up by the US Constitution.
President Obama does need the cannabis community to get reelected… or he could shirk his responsibilities as President, invoking a “science-based” government, and cater to the still powerful “moral majority”, of which many have also witnessed the destruction the drug war has wrought.
It’s the 21st Century… time to grow up as a country, time to put Prejudice aside, Special Interests in their place, Help the church and our Religious Underpinnings, and Respect the US Constitution… which clearly contradicts the current policies on cannabis and other God given plants.
If there’s a dirty war in Mexico, the DEA is automatically implicated, thanks to Michele Leonhart bragging that mass murder is a sign of a successful drug policy.
But we won’t know if there is a dirty war until someone with authority can investigate.
Obama will just laugh this report off…LOL!
It is about time the words are spoken out loud again!
Global commission “Declare War on Drugs are a failure”, no, I thouht the goverment was doing this because of the money. Now we need to get rid of the people in charge of this War on Drugs. What a silly war, drugs of all things. Only certain drugs is there a war on. The war on drugs, should be perscription drugs. They kill more people than marihuana!!
American rulers have a history of following Joseph Gobbels (Nazi Propandist) when it comes to making ‘citizens’ follow a Judas Goat.
Just one example is how Cannabis/Hemp became illegal. Not only was Randolph Hearst involved in that episode but he was also involved in the ‘yellow journalism” over the sinking of the U.S.S. Maine.
“It is not such a great accomplishment, to make the people do your bidding; all you have to do is take a Big Lie reduce it to the intelligence of the lowest understanding among the people, repeat and repeat it until it is accepted as Truth, then tell the people that our way of life is under attack and denounce those that oppose as aiding the enemy. It doesnt matter whether it’s a democracy or dictorship…it works anywhere”.
Then again, maybe that bit of psychology is a universal principle.
With all the death and destruction that can be credited to Obama, even if he announced he would legalize MJ after being elected for a second term (a ‘lame duck’), I still could not in good conscience vote for him. I’ve been sitting around stoned for his first 4 years, and watched what he’s done. Not all that fun. He’s a lying sack of excrement, and he needs to go. Give him 4 more years, and the country is done. I sure as hell didn’t fight in VietNam, so he could come along and screw everything up.
1. Again, Congress writes the laws, not the President.
2. I admire Gary Johnson for preaching to the heathens instead of to the choir, I would even vote for him in the primaries (and since I’m a lifelong anti-Republican that’s a huge compliment to Gary), but he won’t be on the ballot. Alone among Republican aspirants, he wasn’t invited to the New Hampshire debates. They invited the three stooges, Newt, Sarah and Trump. They invited Santorum and Pawlenty whose poll numbers are no better than Johnson’s. They invited the pizza guy. They even invited Huckabee Daniels and Christie who have already said their not even running. But Gary Johnson, a former Govenor, who would be a Tea Party darling on every other issue is frozen out. Now why is that. (Maybe we could put some of that online energy we flood White House .org with to use on the CNN message board, tell them as a Republican voter you have no intention of watching any Republican debate sans Gary Johnson)
Everyone else in my family is a rabid anti-Democrat and I love them dearly. I have a lot of republican friends (believe it or not) a lot of whom aren’t above sharing a doobie with me. I respect their different beliefs and they respect mine. I’m sure there are a lot of issues you support the Republicans on, but MJ reform should not be one of them. When they talk about individual liberties, small govt. or states rights, their not talking about the right to weed. Ask them yourself. I’ve watched Politics since 1976 (I’m 48) and here’s how I see it. With the Democrats in power we may by Herculean effort win an occaisional small concession (football is won more by gaining short yardage than by long bombs), provided the Democrats can say they were looking the other way at the time. As soon as the Republicans get back in power all those small gains will be repealed. ( Look whats happening in Canada and ther Netherlands right now, Conservatives are in Cannibis is out) Maybe it will be different in the future but that’s how the history book reads. At least the one where Paul Revere was on our side. I told the Democrats to kiss my ass in 96, 2000 and 04 (I voted for Nader) precisley because the Democrats refused to distance themselves from the war on some drugs to any appreciable degree. I’m dissapointed in Obama too, But let’s recall what the big 3 had to say in 2008.
QUESTION – As president what would you do about Federal Medical Marijuana raids in states that have voted legal MM.
Obama – “I can find better things for law enforcement to do.”
McCain – “Nothing”
Clinton – ” Oh we’ll just have to see about that”
Those of you who had mommies might remember what that last one meant.
Again hats off the those Republicans on our side.
1. Gary Johnson, who once stated it better than I ever could. “The first man over the hill gets shot.”
2. Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, truly couragous.
3. Richard Brookhiser Editor of National Review, the best allie we have.
Sorry but Ron Paul is only against the Federal drug war not State drug wars. ( see 2008 endorsement of Constitution party) Since I live in what would be the 57th state to legalize MJ that doesn’t help me much, but Kudos to Ron Paul anyway.
4. Your name here, If your a Republican who likes MJ.
I’ve said it before, if your a Republican who likes weed, you might haved to make a very hard choice, Republicans or weed, No you can’t have both, unless you live in Dana Rohabachers district, then more power to you.
If your a Democcrat who likes weed, your prohibitionist Democrat is going to call asking for donations and votes. If said Democrat isn’t appreciably better than their Republican opponent on MJ, I’m going to say “Sorry, re-election is not in my vocabulary”. They’ll know what you mean (although they’ll pretend they don’t.
Once upon a time their was a Special Interest group who petitioned the Govt of the United States for grievances but had no money to bribe politicians with and didn’t vote. They wanted the U.S. govt to do the right thing because it was the right thing to do. We call them Apaches.
Where Are You
Have You Seen The War
I Say Free Cannabis
May ‘We Begin
To End the drug war
@”Anonymous” #62: A lot said! Seems especially good intentions, with a fair amount of experience and insight. However, 1) You’re not old enough to remember Nixon-McGovern. I’m was barely 18 and it was my first vote as an American… I knew Nixon was wrong!!! I knew McGovern was right. Beyond that, I had not a kernel of experience to know what happened then would have a profound impact on the future of a Free America.
2) I live in NH… Ron Paul was here. He is VERY POPULAR. Gary Johnson might be also if he didn’t wait for an “invitation” – he won’t get a politically correct invitation that is.
3) Make up a web-name if you’re going to espouse your wisdom. “Anonymous” is 50 pts. off right away.
I’m not a politically educated sort, but it seems to me with CA having to let go of 146,000 low risk prisoners – pot users most likely, that this should be a wake-up call to the House of Representatives, which as I understand it represent the people. I would suggest urging your Representative to sponsor and support a bill of “No Confidence” in the current Status Quo”. The problems with the Economy, coupled with policies and laws that are quite outdated and destructive, requires a sweeping change to the way government is run, the laws on the books, the penalties, and just who exactly go to prison.
Pot users??? I think that is extremely Barbaric. Do you know how many plants God gave us that have physical and psychological effects? Neither do I, but I can tell you there are many that are on the fringe, and what happens when they are discovered by the DEA? Are they GOD… able to outlaw every plant save two???
Hops, and Tobacco.
Let’s BAN and put anyone in possession of hundreds of others in jails and prisons.
Barbaric!!!