Predictably. Reflexively. Mandated by law.
Yawn….
So the current U.S. drug czar, Gil Kerlikowske*, in true Pavlovian style, reacted negatively to the umpteenth commission report issued last week opining that 1) the war on some drugs has totally failed to achieve any of its stated goals, 2) policy reforms based on public health–not arrest and incarcerate–models are most effective, 3) the war on some drugs wastes preciously needed tax dollars, military expenditures, destabilize international borders and cause havoc in the banking and financial industries and 4) that legalization should readily be on the table, notably legalizing cannabis.
As if a bell rang, the U.S. drug czar’s office dutifully rolled out a brief and defensive commentary published in The Hill (a virtually DC-only publication for inside-the- beltway-types) that touches upon the Obama administration’s only-slightly-different-from-previous-drug czars’-approach-to-maintaining-the-status quo…
*Mr. Kerlikowske is likely going to be resigning soon as drug czar (which is understandable as it is one of the most thankless bureaucratic positions in Washington, D.C. as a job with a prescription for failure) to become the next police chief of Chicago…
Drug policies must be rooted in science
By Gil Kerlikowske
06/06/11
Last week, the Global Commission on Drug Policy issued a report calling for the decriminalization of illicit drugs based on the notion that global efforts to reduce drug use have been a failure. Certainly, given the stature of the Commission and the long-term challenge of drug policies both nationally and internationally, the Commission’s message may appear compelling at first. But there are serious flaws with both the report’s conclusion and its proposed remedy.
We agree with the Commission that balanced drug control efforts are necessary, which is why this administration’s National Drug Control Policy is a marked departure from past strategies. We support diverting non-violent offenders into treatment instead of jail by encouraging alternatives to incarceration. And as a former police chief, I and my colleagues know that we cannot arrest our way out of the drug problem. As I’ve often stated before, drug use should be addressed as a public health problem because we know drug addiction is a disease that can be successfully prevented and treated. Legalizing illicit drugs increase drug use and the need for drug treatment, while also making it more difficult to keep our communities healthy and safe.
Our National Drug Control Strategy is science-based. And science shows that illegal drug use is associated with specialty treatment admissions, fatal drugged driving accidents, mental illness, and emergency room admissions. Illicit drug use has huge costs to our society, outside of just criminal justice costs.
A recent report by the Department of Justice’s National Drug Intelligence Center about the economic impact of illicit drug use indicates that the costs of illicit drug use on health care and productivity alone, are over $80 billion. Making illicit drugs legal would not reduce any of these factors. Nor is drug use a victimless crime. Just last month, during a visit to the Pediatric Interim Care Center in Kent, Washington, I saw firsthand the tragic impact drug use has on newborn babies.
In addition, despite the Commission’s assertions, efforts to reduce drug use over the last several decades have, in fact, achieved success. Overall drug use in the United States is half of what it was thirty years ago, cocaine production in Colombia has dropped by almost two-thirds, and the very same U.N. World Drug Report cited by the Commission concluded that, “Demand for cocaine in the U.S. has been in long-term decline.”
This administration’s efforts to reduce drug use are not born out of a culture war or drug war mentality, but rather out of the recognition that drug use strains our economy, public health, and public safety. The President’s inaugural National Drug Control Strategy – released one year ago – focuses on both the public health and public safety aspects of drug use and addiction. It focuses on addiction as a disease and on the importance of preventing drug use, as well as providing treatment to those who need it, including those who are involved in the criminal justice system. For the first time, it emphasizes support for millions of individuals who are in recovery from drug addiction.
And the United States is not alone. Our international partners across the globe – including Mexico’s President Calderon, Colombia’s President Santos, and Costa Rica’s President Miranda – have all clearly stated their opposition to drug legalization.
It is, of course, tempting to opt for seemingly easy answers to the world’s drug problems. They appear intractable at times. But we have made real progress and the steps we take in the future must be rooted in science and evidence-based policies that will make our communities healthier and safer.
Gil Kerlikowske is the director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.
But we have made real progress and the steps we take in the future must be rooted in science and evidence-based policies that will make our communities healthier and safer.
How much more science would they like before they legalize ?
It is very hypocritical when the normal citizen gets busted for pot and goes to jail for whatever amount of time and yet, a celebrity can get caught for the same amount in cocaine (a far more dangerous drug) and do no time at all. Grow up Washington.
You morons supported Obama. Ron Paul would have pardoned and let out all the non-violent drug offenders out of prison.
The quoted material is formatted incorrectly. Half of the commentary is visibly quoted as appropriate, but the second half is not, leading to the impression that it’s your own commentary following his, which leads to a very strange sort of cognitive dissonance until one realizes your mistake.
“A recent report by the Department of Justice’s National Drug Intelligence Center about the economic impact of illicit drug use indicates that the costs of illicit drug use on health care and productivity alone, are over $80 billion. ”
Anyone have any information on this alleged report? I would really like to see how they came up with that figure.
Agreed, there is no question that SOME drugs cause major societal and individualistic problems.
Cannabis however, is not being distinguished as a much different and much safer substance. We must urge this distinction. It is paramount for the movement.
People need to also remember that the DEA’s opinion is merely just that, their opinion. When our opinion outweighs their opinion, who are they to hold more power in legislation than the voice of the people?
SPEAK UP. End the Prohibition of the Cannabis plant!
http://www.change.org/petitions/end-the-prohibition-of-the-cannabis-plant#?opt_new=f&opt_fb=t
it always amazes me that the government make the public health argument when defending their reasoning for not legalizing marijuana. The fact is the largest drain on on our health care come from a “legal weed” that has been proven to kill. cigarettes have been proven time and time again to cause some many different health problems, but yet they remain legal. Then we have the other legal drug alcohol. This legal drug causes many different health problems along with collateral damage in that drunks tend to drive and as we all know it is never the drunk driver that gets hurt or killed. The number one reason these things are not illegal is because they bring in more in tax dollars then they cost. It is hypocrisy at it’s highest level for the government to say they are doing this to protect us.
I typed out about 5 paragraphs before realizing it didn’t even matter, they’re not listening to us. I forgive ignorance, but with all the solid, SCIENCE BASED PROOF that is out there, this is just plain malicious, you can plainly see they’re full of shit, but backing down now seems dogmatic, almost as if they admit a mistake on this one thing and the entire universe will implode. The government is no deity, you’re not god, you’re allowed to take in new information and reform your opinions. But you won’t. Why would you? After all, you have the money, the power, and the position. All us lowly fucks have is truth and right.
marijuana is not a drug! hard drugs are bad for the human body and the health system etc…but marijuana is not. marijuana is virtually non-toxic. it has anti tumor affects, anti inflamitory…etc….there are no deaths attributed to marijuana, people who go to the e-room for weed are idiots. legalize marijuana and take the money you save from ending that war and apply it to the war on real drugs like cocaine meth heroin bath salts etc…you know, the drugs that actually hurt people.
It sounds like the drugs Gil Kerlikowske is talking about in the last paragraph are a bit harder than marijuana. And has he even looked at the statistics that state drug use actually decreases when it is legalised, like in amsterdam?
“Our National Drug Control Strategy is science-based.”
No, Mr. Drug Czar – our drug control strategies are rooted in superstition & xenophobia – fear and ignorance, same as it ever was. And a huge dollop of bureaucratic stalling, given that the mandated task is to prevent, in all ways possible, the discussion from moving forward. This situation holds, after 70+ years, because the office of drug control policy is legally prohibited from exploring research that might possibly reflect favorably on socially useful attributes of the proscribed drugs.
IF our policies were science-based, we would be allowing the full range of researches, rather than preventing, obfuscating, harassing & bamboozling. If our policies were science-based, we would know more about the “association” between, say, MJ and onset of psychosis. We would understand and provide for the % of the population at risk, and would be aware of the genetic markers that signal this potential. If our drug policies were science-based, we would be farther along the path of understanding how the ratio of the various cannabinoids within the MJ flower impacts efficacy in relieving particular symptoms. If our policies were science based, the Know-Nothing Neanderthals in state legislatures across the country would be less comfortable imposing their ignorance as policy.
If our drug policies were science-based, we would be realizing progress on our progress, instead of stuck inside a dialog that advances naught, niggling over nanograms.
We leave out one big fact. The societal problems caused by illegal drug use are far less than the societal problems caused by the war on drugs. In addition the largest problem related to drugs in our society are the deaths caused by the legal use and illegal use of prescription drugs. But since that might make the pharmacutical companies look bad, we don’t talk about it. Deaths from marijuana use=0
Deaths from prescription drugs=20,000/per yr. and climbing.
the hard drug use has not declined because of the war on drugs. it is my personal beliefe that hard drug use synthesised drug use has declined because of the availability of marijuana. Marijuana is natural it has no harmful chemicals added to it it is not cooked or made it just grows and i think people are starting to relise the the plant matter wen smoked eaten or in any other way consumed gives them the euphoric responce they take the harmful drugs for with one difference marijuana wont kill you
what a load of crap!
Why is my crystal ball right only when I don’t want it to be.
Jesus said to do unto others as we would have them to do unto us. None of us would want our child thrown in jail with the sexual predators over marijuana. None of us would want to see an older family member’s home confiscated and sold by the police for growing a couple of marijuana plants for their aches and pains. It’s time to stop putting our own family members in jail over marijuana.
Next step: How about $100 for a permit to grow a dozen plants? We can use the money for our schools, and it will put the drug gangs out of business for good!
I have an idea maybe we will just let them think it was THIER idea. I mean no one like to look the fool SO we can start saying that BECAUSE of the tierles work of the drug czar he has now delivered us (the US) into a new era of SENCABLE drug policy. YEAH for the government and the CzaR!!!!!
*Mr. Kerlikowske is likely going to be resigning soon as drug czar – which is understandable – as it is one of the most thankless bureaucratic positions in Washington, D.C. as a job with a prescription for failure.”
This is so understandable! Look at the act(s) he had to follow. The guy has “always” favored Harm Reduction and science based realities [admired for that]- but – has never endorsed total legalization. Following him from Seattle – I personally defended him against early attacks in that area – and – I agree that hard drugs – illicit drugs – excluding cannabis – are truly a severe health issue. It’s just to bad that his job “mandated lying” to the American People. Well! lie he did – and – that makes him guilty.
What I’m so over-joyed about is his position on “Scientific Conclusion.” Lord! how long have we Genesists been mandating that? Maybe his stance will finally reach the resistors and start a firestorm of public demand for Scientific Research and Scientific Conclusion…Lord – let’s hope so. We need to help move that objective forward. with zeal.
On the other hand – is it just another piece of the over-all puzzle – to free natural THC, and put it in the hands of Big Pharma?
Dear Whomever,
You cannot have it both ways—On the one hand we have the FDA extolling the virtues of exogenous cannabinoids in the packet inserts of Marinol Capsules, descibing the human endocannabinoid system & how well Marinol (a synthetically-produced THC molecule) treats digestive disorders in particular.
On the other hand, we have the FDA blandly reasserting the utter lack of medical utility of the cannabis plant (with its naturally-produced THC molecule), with such a dangerous liability for abuse, that it must remain listed as a Schedule One controlled substance…Yet Marinol, with the very same THC molecule as the plant’s own, is listed as a Schedule Three controlled substance, with a low enough abuse profile, that it’s listed BELOW the Schedule Two list of addictive opiate medications.
This is simply unacceptable national policy, it makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. Cannabis-based THC should be listed as a schedule three substance just like Marinol, because THC is THC is THC, whether humans build it up atom by atom or the plant does, it makes no difference…other than the fact that genuine THC from the plant actually WORKS, as opposed to the near placebo effect of synthetic THC.
Thanks,
Paul J. Doke
I can’t think of any reason to even have a drug czar,or any czar for this goverment,they are a waste of money. The War on Marihuana should be over, after 70 years and this goverment still knows nothing and the goverment still dosen’t get it.It is your fault that kids want to try it, you make such a big deal over its, no wonder kids want to try it.You think these kids are stupid ,making a big thing over marihuana is a joke and they laugh at that.
When will this country learn. This czar crap started with that Bush jr, he is the one that needed all these czars for everything and this is what we are stuck with. I vote all czars out of office!!!!!
Bullcrap on top of BS.Make our communities safe?Legalizing cannabis would allow more manpower and dollars to get rid of hard drugs which are the real menace.Common sense is sorely lacking and it is time the USA did something intelligent for it’s citizens.Spending dollars to keep hemp seeds out of bird seed isn’t one of them…duH!
Yawn indeed. Pull the string on anyone from any drug agency with an acronym and guess the drivel. My favorite drinking game. Like when the American Medical Association asked them to remove marijuana from schedule one, way back in 2006, who would have guessed ? I still don’t know if no answer is the answer, or this is just a long pause (I know we’re used to getting nothing from our leaders but this is killing our country folks,one innocent person or pet at a time).
Bull Crap and you know it!!!!!
Marijuana the exceptional plant
Drug use is dangerous, can lead to broken homes, broken dreams, increased crime, eventually death
EXCEPTION – MARIJUANA
Democrats are the party of protecting civil liberties, if no one gets hurt, it’s no ones business
EXCEPTION – MARIJUANA
Republicans are the party of protecting Constitutional rights and small Goverment. Goverment that governs the least governs best. Get the Goverment off your back, let the states decide, quit trying to run people’s lives.
EXCEPTION – MARIJUANA
The 4th Amendment protects the people from unreasonalby search and seizure. No searches without valid warrents. You are to be free in your person and your home.
EXCEPTION – MARIJUANA
No violations of liberty without due process. Suspects are deemed innocent until judged guilty by a jury of their peers.
EXCEPTION – MARIJUANA
A citizen of the United States can not be compelled to testify in court against ones legal spouse
EXCEPTION – MARIJUANA
The People have the right to petition the Goverment for redress of grievances. Don’t break the law, change the law.
EXCEPTION – MARIJUANA
In our democracy people vote on their own best interest. Gun owners don’t vote for gun controllers,
Enviromenstalists don’t vote for polluters, Wall street does not vote for more regulation, Republicans don’t vote for taxers and pro-choice doesn’t vote pro life and vise versa. The system works.
EXCEPTION – YOU GUESSED IT
and what dose this say about marijuana???? are they ready to say cannabis is ok?
I’m not saying it’s okay to be violent towards a prohibitionist… but if one is crossing the street and you “forget” to hit the brakes nothing of value will be lost.
How the Hell does he know that legalization won’t work if we do not try it? It seems to be working in countries that have tried it and what about before prohibition? We didn’t have this problem. Remember prohibition was because of Big Parma and rich families like the DuPont’s not because of drug use and crime. Prohibition is the Root cause for the violence we now have and also the cause for all these new designer drugs that are now out on the streets. This is all about the Feds continuing to keep hole of this big money making machine!
He’s full of crap. Why doesn’t he just tell the truth and say “Momma Big Prison and Papa Big Pharmaceutical will ground me and not let us play with our Xbox for a month if I take away their riches.”
What do you say when our leaders cannot accept reason and logic? All hope seems lost with such blatant disregard for strong evidence suggesting change for the advantage of the people. Thank goodness for organizations like NORML; there are seeds of hope, and they will remain as long as this organization exists.
I agree for the most part but Marijuana should not and can not be included in the illicit drug category! It needs to be classified in a similar manner to alcohol…
Thank you, Mr. Kerlikowske, for being game enough to put a number on it– “…the costs of illicit drug use on health care and productivity alone, are over $80 billion.” (Presumably per year.) Oh yes, somewhere I read the cost of $igarette addiction to the US economy is $193 billion– or was it $200 billion per year. Apparently that isn’t grouped under “illicit”.
Now, just to keep things simple, what if we keep things as they are– including your emphasis on support for individuals in recovery, etc.– with only two (2) changes: (a) legalize and decontrol just cannabis, not “drugs”, and (b) remove VAPORIZERS and ONE-HITTERS (which can be used to achieve harm reduction with BOTH cannabis and tobacco) from the blame/shame category of “DRUG PARAPHERNALIA”.
Think– if 45,000,000 tobacco-using Americans now facing a 45% chance of premature death from $igarette-smoking-related diseases could switch to e-cigarette, vaporizer, single-toke utensils made for pennies in your own garage, etc. without fear of being accused of using something “illicit” (cannabis)– what would happen to that $200-billion figure (and the 440,000-deaths-per-year figure)?
By the way it hasn’t escaped my notice that many young people today have found the portable phone to be a nice fondleable replacement for a pack of $igarettes in your pocket. How about developing a new industry to market a portable phone with two little cylindrical holes, one for the e-cigarette and one for the “bat”-style one-hitter?
the us govt and its employees are a joke….
Gil Kerlikowske is trying so hard not to sound like a chump but it’s his job. Being a Drug Czar really sucks.
Based on science? You mean junk science. How does a senior citizen smoking pot create health problems for newborn babies 1000’s of miles away?
wow….. “addiction is a disease that can be successfully prevented and treated”
i cant believe people are still so naively calling addiction a disease this isn’t the 1500’s people! the world is round get over it!
physical, chemical dependance is one thing but most addictions are 100% mental and therefore not any disease i’m familiar with now i’m not a doctor but maybe i should be considering i know that when someone says they are powerless to fight their “disease” they are making an excuse to not fight it mentally whether by choice or under the direct control of groups like AA. wake up and smell the truth my friends we are being lied to about everything down to the mental and physical capabilities of the human mind and body gives yourselves more credit! u are not powerless actually quite the opposite! don’t let other people tell u how to live your life though that the constitution had something to say about that…. oh wait current american leaders shit on constitution and they will continue to until we stand up and fight STAND UP AND FIGHT!
Too many of us Ameicans don’t give a fuck what Gil says.
Gil goes to Washington. Gil goes to Chicago.
Yeah well, remember those Frankie Goes to Hollywood shirts.
Nobody gives a fuck what Frankie says.
Likewise
Nobody gives a fuck what Gil says.
when he says “Legalizing illicit drugs increase drug use and the need for drug treatment, while also making it more difficult to keep our communities healthy and safe”. By that same logic shouldn’t the raid and shut down Mcdonalds and save all the morbidly obese from their eating addiction exploited by their pusher Ronald Mcdonald.
Gil Kerlikowske can no more prevent cannabis related harm from blanket prohibition than Kathleen Sebelius could stop an out of control eater from having two Mcmuffins for breakfast and thankfully they dont see that as their role. Where is the consistency of political conviction?
government needs to get out of our biznitch.
What a load of nonsense. There is so much wrong with this mans response that I am embarrassed for him.
The serious flaws that Mr. Kerlikowske speaks of is not with the Global Commission on Drug Policy issued report, it is the idea that non violent individuals should be rounded up by like hard core criminals and given the option of imprisonment or rehabilitation for behavior that he and a bunch of other bureaucratic prima donnas don’t approve of; sound familiar? Think Germany, Nazi, Cambodia, The Killing Field and reunification!
Our National Drug Control Strategy is not science-based; because our DEA refuses to let independent organizations perform truly science-based studies, for fear that the outcomes won’t agree with the crap our government has been spewing over the last 70 plus years. I am sure that illegal drug use is associated with specialty treatment admissions, fatal drugged driving accidents, mental illness, and emergency room admissions; but so are legal drug use, job stress, economic pressures, and mental strain on families with non-violent relatives tossed into the criminal justice system, and the weather. (He must think we are idiots)
I wonder if Mr. Kerlikowske’s firsthand experience with the tragic impact drug use has on newborn babies had anything to do with alcohol, tobacco, or pharmaceuticals? What about the tragic impact on the families of innocent law bidding citizens who are injured or gunned down by paramilitary police officers at the wrong address?
Our countries basic beliefs are rooted in the ideas of civil disobedience against unjust laws. Wake up Mr. Kerlikowske, we are tired of your bureaucratic elitist B.S.
failed to name what drug was the cause of the tragic impact on the newborn
He said they have achieved success in efforts to reduce drug use. 40,000 people killed in Mexico and the head of the dea said that was success also.
The USA locks up more people than anybody else on the planet. We are certainly winning the drug war. (Extreme sarcasm.) The only thing wrong with marijuana is the law. Change the law! Legalize already…decriminalize some of the harder drugs. Lock up Meth addicts.
I think you left some of gil’s info unquoted so it kinda looks like you wrote it, which was confusing at first.
“A recent report by the Department of Justice’s National Drug Intelligence Center about the economic impact of illicit drug use indicates that the costs of illicit drug use on health care and productivity alone, are over $80 billion.”
I’d love to see how they came up with that number… I’ve got a feeling it could be very creative.
“Illicit drug use has huge costs to our society, outside of just criminal justice costs.”
yes, illicit drug use does this.
so, why is it illicit?
Honestly, I’m sick and tired of the same old rhetoric from these politicians. The answer is right in front of them, but they obviously will never acknowledge it; nor probably will they ever change. Do what you want America, just leave me and the pot the hell alone.
After being in pain for so many years due to several physical ailments that are incurable and unfortuately progressively destructive to my body, I do not understand why medicinal marijuana is not legal in every state. I’m over 60 years old and can handle myself quite well if I’m NOT in pain all the time. One would believe that by the year 2011, the government would stop trying to run our lives and let us choose the safest and most effective way to manage our pain. Yes, I say safest, because the prescriptions I take everyday have horrible side effects such as loosing my hair, gaining weight, destroying my liver and kidneys and other necessary organs. The anti-inflamatory/pain killer I had been functioning on for 6 years, ended up causing a heart attack. Since I am not able to continue use of that drug (the only one that worked in stopping pain) I have tried over 30 pain blocking pills that either do not work or cause my mind to feel “foggy”. They also make me sleepy, and cause stomach pains along with a long list of horrible side effects. I’m sure if these law makers could experience the pain and discomfort of my ailments for a few years, they would make marijuana legal. It could also be safely controled and not “laced” with dangerous cancer causing drug. Please reconsider for those of us who are adult enough to control our drugs in a secure setting!
Gil Kerlikowski has a red nose. That may be a symptom of some medical condition he has but one of the most common causes of red nose is alcoholism. And look at the public figures who wear this embarrassing confession on their faces like Bill Clinton, Robert Gates and others. Why not make up a list of the sad clown, red nose alcoholics in public office, paying particular attention to the hypocrites who vocally support prohibition.
“Our National Drug Control Strategy is science-based. And science shows that illegal drug use is associated with specialty treatment admissions, fatal drugged driving accidents, mental illness, and emergency room admissions. Illicit drug use has huge costs to our society, outside of just criminal justice costs.”
—————————————————
“Our National alcohol Control Strategy is science-based. And science shows that alcohol use is associated with specialty treatment admissions, fatal drunk driving accidents, mental illness, and emergency room admissions. Alcohol use has huge costs to our society, outside of just criminal justice costs.”
——-
Funny how life works
Did anyone else notice the omission of the words “cannabis” or “marijuana” in the czars statement? There is a reason for that… Government is well aware that the general population is catching on to the generations of brainwashing, and the end is near. They want the public to keep thinking that MJ or cannabis is a “drug” just like heroin or meth. The problem that I see is that the public seems to ignore the constant bombardment of television commercials courtesy of big pharma, promoting their deadly side-effect “drugs”. These pharmaceutical potions (drugs) are capable of doing more damage to your body than any cannabis plant could ever accomplish, yet years of mind conditioning has taught the sheeple to just lie down & take it…
This is one day before the Wire creators responded to his request for another season and/or movie; David Simon replied:
“The Attorney-General’s kind remarks are noted and appreciated,” he wrote. “I’ve spoken to Ed Burns and we are prepared to go to work on season six of The Wire if the Department of Justice is equally ready to reconsider and address its continuing prosecution of our misguided, destructive and dehumanising drug prohibition.”
Source: http://thisweekinblackness.com/blog/2011/06/07/brand-season-wire/#content
Someone who venomously opposes new drug policy enjoying a show about the damages of drug prohibition? What, is The Wire porn for this sociopath?
“…and productivity alone” – How productive is someone sitting behind bars?
“Making illicit drugs legal would not reduce any of these factors.” – Your proof? The studies show otherwise, and you only have to look at places with decrim in place.
“Nor is drug use a victimless crime. Just last month, during a visit to the Pediatric Interim Care Center in Kent, Washington, I saw firsthand the tragic impact drug use has on newborn babies.” – This is true of IRRESPONSIBLE adult use, not RESPONSIBLE adult use of any substance. Too much Aspirin will kill you and you baby, but I don’t see a push to outlaw it…
Sensible laws are laws that prevent OTHERS from harm due to IRRESPONSIBLE use such as Drugged Driving. When those kind of policies are properly implemented they can reduce fatalities and accidents. Finally, in her statement unlike the report see is classifying ALL “illicit” drug use in one category. Does anyone believe Cannabis should be in the same category as opium, cocaine, heroine, etc…? Study, after study, and even direct observation in places that have decriminalized Cannabis have show decriminalization actually decreases overall use and especially use of illicit drugs as people are less likely to come into contact with the criminal element “pushing” you through the criminal gateway and that is the only gateway effect. Legalization removes the “Criminal Gateway” as that is the only “gateway effect”. If you force citizens to commit illegal acts then they are no longer going to care about other laws. I’ve never meet an illegal (pot included) drug dealer that cared about following gun laws or…. But dispensaries tend to go out of their way to go above and beyond what is required by law…
It’s just like if a witness is on the stand in court and lies. The whole testimony gets thrown out. Why? If you lie once you’ll do it again. The public is hearing the truth and the prosecution has lost the case in the court of public opinion. Kind hard if the prosecution(the FED) calls himself to the stand and lies and gets his own testimony thrown out to win the case…
“90% of the problem is prohibition related and not use related.” – Former two-term N.M. Governor Gary Johnson
http://www.garyjohnson2012.com/record – It stands on it’s own.
no way they would agree with a global commission, then they couldnt sell there legal herion to us any more! Pain killers. Come to florida its an epidemic! Lost so many good friends to the goverment drug dealers!
It is true! Regardless of how one feels about what they can put in their body without government’s approval, “hard drugs” and drug addiction/abuse [is] a social and health problem, and should be addressed as such. Harm Reduction is without question the answer to that problem. However – with regards to cannabis – three facts are absolute, and “cannot” be proven false.
1. Cannabis is “not” addictive.
2. Cannabis is “not” a gateway drug.
3. Cannabis [the safest substance known to man] is “not” a dangerous drug – if a drug at all.
Anybody that takes exception with this does so at the risk of losing all credibility as a person with any intelligence at all. And – “That’s all I have to say about that.”
Wow reading these comments all these people understand it, nothing we can really do but keep lighting up an say fuk em.
I always have a slight heart attack when I hear someone say – “there’s nothing we can do about it.” Well! there is something “we can do about it.” The thing is “we have to do it.” Action speaks louder than words. We are known by our actions. Action talks – and – bullshit walks.
What can we do? You can get one [only one] other person to agree that the truth is found in Scientific Conclusion. Even the Drug Czar agrees with that. We can get one other person to Mandate/Demand Scientific Conclusion. If you can get one other person to do that – you have conquered the world – and – succeeded in your own world. JUST DO IT!
We also must concentrate on the organizations that fuel these mindsets, particularly one group of high interest: NDIC (National Drug Intelligence Center) that has fueled the Drug War mentality for many decades. Check out their “report”, it’s a joke. We have to take down the structure of these organizations, otherwise we’ll have an uphill battle with States-based/legislative actions. Jobs will be lost, people will be hated, but lives will be saved. “Illicit drugs” are the only healthcare subject that according to NDIC requires “criminalizing” people. They claim we have to pay “double”, once to take care of the individual drug abuser, and once to “jail” them. Drug Czar recently claimed “drugs” cost society $80 billion annually (of note: over $140 billion spent on diabetics healthcare), but failed to mention that $104 billion (and more) is spent solely on criminalization and incarceration, and associated “loss of productivity”.
Government officials are merely the conduits by which the “Captains of Industry” enact policy.
bungs can`t speak they only mumble.
Is police chief and police superintendent the same job? If so, I don’t think ol’ Gil got the job. Was listening to WGN chicago in the car earlier and they were going to have an interview with the new ‘top cop’ and it wasn’t the drug czar.
If they are two different jobs, I apologize. And of course, the Drug Czar is full of shite. Obama’s policy is no different than previous presidents – just a bit more money for treatment while stiff spending billions on international interdiction efforts that are a colossal waste of taxpayer money and cost countless lives south of the border. We are exporting a dangerous policy and we share the blame – all of us – for allowing out tax money to fund this.
It’s pretty annoying how when Gil is approached with a cannabis question, he begins speaking about “drugs” as if every drug is the same thing with a different appearance. Also, his claim that legalization will result in increased use just doesn’t ring true to me. Cannabis should be legal, without question. Decriminalizing other “harder” drugs isn’t a bad idea, either. Our prison systems should be filled with people that committed actual crimes, not some trembling addicts who probably won’t experience any rehabilitation at all from incarceration. I wish Gil would just cut the crap, already. The collective “us” that share these opinions are far smarter than all the turds in DC believe us to be. But for some weird reason, they still continue to release numerous thoughtless, bullshit-laden statements that leave everyone with good sense going “What?!”
So, the drug tzar says the government tries to send more citizens to rehab than to prison?
These bureaucrats want to force citizens into re-education camps instead of prisons! What a sweet heart.
You bastard! What about our constitutional freedom and liberty?
In the next election, I am voting against every incumbent, whoever they are. I don’t care who I vote for, but I am determined to vote against everyone responsible for the current mess.
Kerlikowske is a sleazeball, and an idiot. And so is Obama and everyone else who supports him. This Einstein is convinced marijuana is dangerous. If he had any sense, that should be reason enough to legalize it. (Governmental control of anything is impossible when it is prohibited; if it was legal, at least it could be regulated) But he doesn’t, as he also claims there are no scientifically published results on the medical use of marijuana. Is he also oblivious to the legal medical marijuana that’s now available in a few states?
Gil could just as well be describing the effects of alcoholic drinks…it’s a double standard. Our government defines freedom for us…what’s up with that?
http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/269208/prison-math-and-war-drugs-veronique-de-rugy
malcolmkyle
06/09/11 16:47
If you are a Prohibitionist then you owe us answers to the following questions:
#1. Why do you rejoice at the fact that we have all been stripped of our 4th amendment rights and are now totally subordinate to a corporatized, despotic government with a heavily armed and corrupt, militarized police force whose often deadly intrusions into our homes and lives are condoned by an equally corrupt and spineless judiciary?
#2. Why do you wish to continue to spend $50 billion a year to prosecute and cage your fellow citizens for choosing drugs which are not more dangerous than those of which you yourself use and approve of such as alcohol and tobacco?
#3. Do you honestly expect the rest of us to look on passively while you waste another trillion dollars on this garbage policy?
#4. Why are your waging war on your own family, friends and neighbors?
#5. Why are you so complacent with the fact that our once ‘free & proud’ nation now has the largest percentage of it’s citizenry incarcerated than any other on the entire planet?
#6. Why are you helping to fuel a budget crisis to the point of closing hospitals, schools and libraries?
#7. Why do you rejoice at wasting precious resources on prohibition related undercover work while rapists and murderers walk free, while additionally, many cases involving murder and rape do not even get taken to trial because law enforcement priorities are subverted by your beloved failed and dangerous policy?
#8. Why are you such a supporter of the ‘prison industrial complex’ to the extent of endangering our own children?
#9. Will you graciously applaud, when due to your own incipient and authoritarian approach, even your own child is caged and raped?
* It is estimated that there are over 300,000 instances of prison rape a year.?* 196,000 are estimated to happen to men in prison.?* 123,000 are estimated to happen to men in county jail.?* 40,000 are estimated to be committed against boys in either adult prisons or while in juvenile facilities or lock ups.?* 5000 women are estimated to be raped in prison.
External Link
#10. And will you also applaud when your own child, due to an unnecessary and counter productive felony conviction, can no longer find employment?
Private prisons are publicly traded and their stock value is tied to the number of inmates. Here’s what the UK Economist Magazine thinks of the situation: “Never in the civilised world have so many been locked up for so little” External Link
According to Paul Craig Roberts, a former editor of the Wall Street Journal and former assistant secretary to the treasury under Ronald Reagan, “Police in the US now rival criminals, and exceed terrorists as the greatest threat to the American public.”
“Narcotics police are an enormous, corrupt international bureaucracy and now fund a coterie of researchers who provide them with ‘scientific support’, fanatics who distort the legitimate research of others. The anti-marijuana campaign is a cancerous tissue of lies, undermining law enforcement, aggravating the drug problem, depriving the sick of needed help, and suckering well-intentioned conservatives and countless frightened parents.” – William F. Buckley, Commentary in The National Review, April 29, 1983, p. 495
There is no conflict between liberty and safety. We will have both or neither.?William Ramsey Clark (1927–)
THC IS LEGAL
It’s been legal since Dronabinol. You can get it by prescription. What is illegal is the whole plant material. That is why the “natural THC extract” has been restricted – but – that is changing. The problem is – it will be controlled by Pharma and medicine. Government and its cronies are simply not going to give up the profits. Let’s get real – would you?
Gil Kerlikowske = moron!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
O.k. What about the real issue here. It comes down to personal freedoms. Prohibition was an experiment that has failed terribly. Prohibition creates way more social discord than the sometimes problematic personal decisions made while experimenting with mind altering states of mind. I thought that all men were created equal. To have the freedom to choose to pursue happiness in any fashion we see fit as long as I do not create victims by my actions. There is NO crime without a victim. We have to remember that the government is supposed to work by the will of the people. We are not run by a dictator or a king but by a citizens that we elect to run our government by OUR will. We need to take back our country from the banks and big business. It is the will of the mass people not a few with big $$. We need to let them know where we stand and demand reasonable policy. Know that you are only as free as you are willing to be and fight for. If they know these policy’s have failed and we know that these policy’s have failed why are they still on our books? I think I have ranted enough here. Please get in touch with your government officials and let them know how you feel.
Hilary had it right! – there’s too much money it for them to give it up – way too much money. So! While we’re fighting, shedding tears and blood – their laughing their ass off and reaping in the bucks. Here’s the thing to remember – they don’t give a rat’s ass about us or what we want. They care even less about our Constitution and its liberties. Now! does the piss you off enough to do something about it?
“The DEA scheduling actually has Marijuana as Schedule I and the FDA has “opium as schedule II; so the DOJ thinks MJ is worse than Opiom? ummmm…I don’t think so
ps correction should read The DEA scheduling actually has Marijuana as Schedule I and the DEA has “opium as schedule II; so the DOJ thinks MJ is worse than Opiom? ummmm…I don’t think so…
If you buy my thesis (see #31 above) that marijuana prohibition is a device for suppressing “marijuana paraphernalia”– ANY device for “smoking” i.e. VAPORIZING small amounts (25 mg) of any herbal substance, marijuana, tobacco or other, instead of a hot burning overdose 500-mg joint or 700-mg commercial $igarette (whence cometh the Big 2WackGo profit margin)– you may be asking, as many do above, what we can now do about it??
There is a SILVER BULLET SOLUTION and it is Wikipedia!
Google “One-hitter”, “Hashish”, “Cannabis smoking”, “Cannabis (drug)” (sic) etc. and you find that the Wikipedia article of matching name is the #1 most consulted information source on the planet. According to an October 2010 study at “The Full Wiki” the “One-hitter” article was getting 1191 hits a day; “Hashish” over 6000, “Cannabis (drug)” over 27,000 etc. (The public out there has been told cannabis is a drug, so that’s usually the article they check out first.) WIKIPEDIA HAS THE READERS– maybe thousands of times as many as this Norml website good as it is.
Please take some time to study tutorials on correct Wikipedia editing (to avoid getting in trouble with police-like presecutorial editors– Wikipedia is like the USA with a disproportionate number of banned editors sitting in “blocked” prison somewhere in cyberlimbo). Then go to the cannabis- and tobacco-related articles, click on “HISTORY”, and study how a small number of devoted “prohibitionist” editors (including one with a username which looks like a reference to “marijuana prison”) have fought to minimize coverage of one-hitters and maximize the “normalcy” of “joint”-smoking; or, on articles about tobacco pipes, to exclude any pictures of ones that are SMALL (which INHALANT smokers, by far the majority worldwide, could be persuaded to shift to away from $igarettes).
The English language WP is by far most important, but also check out NL:WP, the Dutch language division: at the top of one cannabis-related article, if I understand correctly, the UNCITED, purely SPECULATIVE claim is being made that the English word “joint” refers to the joining of cannabis and tobacco in a single $igarette. Claims like that should not be poermitted in Wikipedia articles, but it shows how much clout the $igarette industry has worldwide.
The main cannabis article on the Polish language WP contains a pictorial guide (contrary to rule: “WP:NOTHOWTO”) showing how to roll a joint containing both a lot of brown stuff (tobacco) and a little green stuff (marijuana). I can’t edit that section up till now because the public library IP in my city is BANNED from editing on Polish WP (due to vandalism); so please go there, take out that picture and substitute another one (available on some other WP’s) which shows a joint being rolled with only green stuff!
The last week of May one editor DELETED from the English-lang. WP “Hashish” article a reference to an Australian Department of Health report with a quote indicating that the “practice of mixing cannabis and tobacco can lead to unintended nicotine addiction.” I “reverted” that edit, but the same editor subsequently accused me of “threatening” him and there is now a vote in progress on the “Noticeboard of Incidents” to ban me from editing for a week (they couldn’t pass a motion for a longer term).
So hey guys, get in there, turn into Wikipedia editors (you’ll experience a feeling of WORLD POWER you never had before) and “Help Wikimedia Change the World” (bold 2008 fundraising slogan– MAKE THEM LIVE UP TO IT)!
PS. Why bother charging into battle against the “joint” on Wikipedia, etc.? Because if (A) cannabis smokers desert rolling papers and take up one-hitters (calumet, kiseru, midwakh, sebsi and certain narrow-bowl, long-stemmed Jamaican chillums), (B) 1.2 billion poor puffsucker nicotine $igarette addicts (worldwide) may follow, CUTTING OFF THE OVERDOSE PROFIT MONEY used by Big 2WackGo to bribe governments ($ig taxes), politicians (campaign money– check out Giuliani), cops, moviemakers etc. to KEEP CANNABIS ILLEGAL.
How can an honest man – stand there and tell a “bold faced lie” to the American people – knowing that they believe he is as full of shit [as] a Christmas goose. Of course – it makes perfect sense that he is mandated to do it – but also – the pressure from his capo must be a tremendous weight to hold up. I wonder just how anxious he is to get out from under the gun – and – get back to “real honest police work.” Let’s wish him well – and – send him off gracefully. I wish this news would have been about Michelle Leonhart. Well! I can wish in one hand – and – shit in the other – and – see which one fills up first.
Rooted in science. What a joke! What a bald faced lie!
Where does this kirlikowski guy get off lying about everything he opens his mouth about. Drug use is the same, if not more than ever. It seems like every drug czar aims their fascist minds towards cocaine, yet he doesnt even know enough about drug culture to realize theres a huge boom in heroin use especially among teens and young adults. Hes even wrong about his cocaine use facts, and he hides behind a report from a european source, the UN? Really?
Then he actually has the stupidity to say that all the poorest latin countries support illegilization so we should too? HELLO? ANYBODY HOME?
of COURSE these countries are “supporting” illegilization, thry make BILLIONS from shipping drugs into our country and to our youth, especially black tar heroin, and all this is only possible while kirlikowski remains (or at least pretends to remain) ignorant to the fact this wouldnt be possible if it wasnt for HIM keeping illegal drugs scheduled and highly illegal. I have good friends who are in prison for LIFE becaise they couldnt stop their heroin addiction and on the third felony arrest for personal amounts, they threw away the key and i will never see my childhood bestfriend ever again. Kirlikowski, I feel sorry for how great you feel about this “PROGRESS” BUT I FEEL MUCH DIFFERENTLY AFTER HEARING MY BEST FRIEND IVE KNOWN SINCE I WAS FOUR BEG TO BE EXECUTED IN A COURT ROOM BECAUSE HE DIDNT WANT TO SPEND THE REST OF HIS LIFE IN A BOX OVER SOMETHING HE WAS POWERLESS OVER. Shame on you
celestial seasonings is’nt more free than THC used to back in 1973 i’ve heard…
Marihuana hinders athletic performance and is still illegal in this state. I object to marihuana staying illegal in the southland forever and would propose or second any legislation to legalize it completely or decriminalize it to a house plant other civil infraction…
Tashiki religious freedom is worth reading others responding but it’s in the grey area till there ant farm tenants and that’s not the betterway. I still wait for the secretly admired to give a call for us together for the ludwig von misses institute divy party it and your thick plastic card.. I’ve got many other things to do.. All three cannnabis law reform groups could become corrupted when they expand there cause I’m not for it. Unpopularity zaps others blackbooks just like it could mine but has’nt yet but gotten too thin…
Mr.marihuana drug czar, your idea is not working. Forty years is way to long for this to keep going on and on. You people are killing us, with your asinine laws on marihuana! I want to know, is there a heroin czar, how about a meth czar, and a cocaine czar, or ONLY a marihuana czar????? All you have is something that will not kill you and the easiest to find, just take a smell and you found it!Pitiful, just pitiful!!!
I have been burn’in since 1969. 1971 got drafted and served in Germany as Military Police smoking hash everyday. I did not know that I have a disease. Come on South Carolina, this state is so pround to be different. Let’s be the first southern state to have Medical Marijuana.
Don’t forget to follow the money!!!
tbyrde