The Obama White House has released its official response to the “We the People” online petition for marijuana legalization submitted by NORML. The petition, which garnered 74,169 signatures, was by far the most popular petition submitted. The government response (released late on a Friday to avoid news cycles, we’ll note) repeats the same tired lies and classic misdirections. Most of all, it fails to answer NORML’s actual petition, which asked:
Legalize and Regulate Marijuana in a Manner Similar to Alcohol.
We the people want to know when we can have our “perfectly legitimate” discussion on marijuana legalization. Marijuana prohibition has resulted in the arrest of over 20 million Americans since 1965, countless lives ruined and hundreds of billions of tax dollars squandered and yet this policy has still failed to achieve its stated goals of lowering use rates, limiting the drug’s access, and creating safer communities.
Isn’t it time to legalize and regulate marijuana in a manner similar to alcohol? If not, please explain why you feel that the continued criminalization of cannabis will achieve the results in the future that it has never achieved in the past?
Following is the full official White House response, with NORML’s comments interspersed…
What We Have to Say About Legalizing Marijuana
By: Gil Kerlikowske
When the President took office, he directed all of his policymakers to develop policies based on science and research, not ideology or politics. So our concern about marijuana is based on what the science tells us about the drug’s effects.
Oh, good. Then we’ll look forward to implementation the 1972 Shafer Commission Report or any of the other government and scientific studies that recommend the decriminalization of cannabis.
According to scientists at the National Institutes of Health- the world’s largest source of drug abuse research – marijuana use is associated with addiction, respiratory disease, and cognitive impairment.
“Addiction” links to a NIDA page noting the lifetime dependence rate of cannabis to be 9% – that is, 9 in 100 people who try cannabis will develop a dependence. Kerlikowske does not mention that caffeine has the same 9% rate, alcohol is a 15% rate, and tobacco is a 32% rate. NIDA scientists also rated the addictive qualities of those substances and rated cannabis about equal to caffeine in risk. The withdrawal from this rare dependence is characterized by the Institute of Medicine as “mild and short lived” and “includes restlessness, irritability, mild agitation, insomnia, sleep disturbance, nausea, and cramping.” (Speaking of withdrawal, Mr. Drug Czar, you do know withdrawal from alcohol can kill a person and it’s legal, right?)
“Respiratory disease” links to a 2008 Science Daily article on a study entitled “Bullous Lung Disease due to Marijuana” which looked at the cases of ten people who came in already complaining of lung problems, who admitted they smoked pot over a year. The subject was featured in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine as it found “insufficient evidence for a causative link“. Matthew Naughton, author of the 2008 study, co-authored a 2011 study which noted “unfortunately, it is difficult to separate marijuana use from tobacco smoking which does confound these reports“. (Speaking of tobacco, Mr. Drug Czar, you do know tobacco is much worse for the lungs and it’s legal, right?)
“Cognitive impairment” links to a 1996 NIDA fact sheet on studies of cognitive impairment involving card sorting. Since then…
- A 2001 study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry found chronic users who quit for a week “showed no significant differences from control subjects”.
- A 2002 clinical trial published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal determined, “Marijuana does not have a long-term negative impact on global intelligence.”
- A 2003 meta-analysis published in the Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society also “failed to reveal a substantial, systematic effect of long-term, regular cannabis consumption on the neurocognitive functioning of users who were not acutely intoxicated.”
- A 2004 study of twins published in the journal Psychological Medicine reported “an absence of marked long-term residual effects of marijuana use on cognitive abilities.”
- A 2005 study published in the American Journal of Addictions used magnetic resonance imaging and found “no significant differences” between heavy cannabis smokers compared to controls.
- A 2006 study published in the German journal Psychopharmacology found no “long-term deficits in working memory and selective attention in frequent cannabis users after 1 week of abstinence”.
- A 2009 study published in Human Psychopharmacology found “little indication of differences in executive functioning” for mild to moderate cannabis users.
- And a 2010 study published in Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior found regular cannabis users’ performance accuracy on episodic memory and working memory tasks “was not significantly altered by marijuana.”
Forgive the overkill, but as an organization that is honored to have regular cannabis consumer Carl Sagan‘s widow, Ann Druyan, as an Advisory Board Member, we’re particularly offended when the government claims science says that regular cannabis consumers are stupid. (Speaking of cognitive impairment, Mr. Drug Czar, are you aware that frequent alcohol use is shown to have incredibly deleterious effects on cognition and it’s legal?)
But our petition wasn’t about whether or not cannabis is harmful, it was whether we should consider regulating cannabis like the far more harmful substances, alcohol and tobacco.
We know from an array of treatment admission information and Federal data that marijuana use is a significant source for voluntary drug treatment admissions and visits to emergency rooms.
“Voluntary drug treatment admissions” links to 2007 TEDS data tables showing that 37% of the people admitted to treatment for marijuana hadn’t used it in the past thirty days. These tables are based on admissions data that show 57% of marijuana treatment admissions were coerced by law enforcement (drug courts) and only 15% of such admissions are actually “voluntary drug treatment admissions”. (This is much easier to debunk when the Drug Czar links to the government tables that make our point. Thanks, Gil!)
“Visits to emergency rooms” links to 2009 DAWN data which contains this interesting bit of fine print, “Within DAWN, the drug misuse or abuse category is a group of [emergency room] visits defined broadly to include all visits associated with illicit drugs.” That is, if you mention pot, have pot on you, or your urine or blood tests positive for pot, that’s a drug-related emergency room visit. If you smoked a bowl last night, broke your leg skiing today, went to the ER, and they found metabolites of THC in your pee, that’s going into the DAWN stats as a pot-related ER visit. Meanwhile, a 2011 study in the American Journal of Emergency Medicine found “marijuana dependence was associated with the lowest rates” of emergency room admittance compared to other drugs.
So we have illegal marijuana which lets government arrest people and make them choose jail or rehab, then those rising rehab numbers are an indication that we need to keep arresting people. And we have emergency room data that tells us that some sick and injured people, like some Americans generally, smoke pot. Can you tell us why we shouldn’t end those charades and consider regulating cannabis like alcohol and tobacco?
Studies also reveal that marijuana potency has almost tripled over the past 20 years, raising serious concerns about what this means for public health – especially among young people who use the drug because research shows their brains continue to develop well into their 20’s. Simply put, it is not a benign drug.
“Marijuana potency has tripled” links to a paper (“Potancy [sic] Paper 2010”) at Ole Miss’s US Pot Farm showing potency tables from 1993 to 2008 (15 years, 20 years, whatever). These figures include hashish and hash oil (concentrated preparations of cannabis), which is like throwing three Rhodes scholars into an eighth grade social studies class and then grading on a curve. Figures for all samples (including the hash) show a rise from 3.4% to 8.8% THC (2.5x, not even “almost triple”), but what they call “marijuana” goes from 3.4% to 5.8% THC (1.7x, not even double) and “sinsemilla” goes from 5.8% to 11.5% THC (2x, double).
So today’s average marijuana is as good as yesteryear’s sinsemilla and today’s average sinsemilla is twice as good as yesteryear’s sensimilla. Anybody recall any deaths, riots, or serious social disorder due to the sensimilla of 1993? As we’ve said before, potency is irrelevant as cannabis smoking is a self-titrating behavior. You smoke to get high. If you have ditchweed, you smoke a lot to get high. If you have kind bud you smoke a little to get high. Less smoke in your lungs is a good thing and by that measure, smoking more potent marijuana may be a harm reduction strategy. Besides, it’s hard to take seriously any concerns about non-toxic 11.5% THC sinsemilla when the government approves of 100% synthetic THC Marinol and marijuana of any potency has never killed anybody.
But nobody here said cannabis was a benign drug, only that it is far safer than the two current choices of legal substances, alcohol and tobacco, and we’re wondering why we couldn’t just regulate cannabis like them?
Like many, we are interested in the potential marijuana may have in providing relief to individuals diagnosed with certain serious illnesses. That is why we ardently support ongoing research into determining what components of the marijuana plant can be used as medicine. To date, however, neither the FDA nor the Institute of Medicine have found smoked marijuana to meet the modern standard for safe or effective medicine for any condition.
That “ardent support” consists of six ongoing FDA-approved clinical trials (two of which have already been completed) worldwide involving subjects’ use of actual cannabis and fourteen researchers allowed to study inhaled cannabis on human subjects. It does not include a recent FDA-approved study of medical marijuana use to treat post-traumatic stress in our returning combat veterans. That study was ardently opposed by NIDA, which wouldn’t sell any Ole Miss US Pot Farm marijuana for the researchers to study. Furthermore, a NIDA spokesperson admitted to the New York Times in 2010, “As the National Institute on Drug Abuse, our focus is primarily on the negative consequences of marijuana use. We generally do not fund research focused on the potential beneficial medical effects of marijuana.”
The FDA and Institute of Medicine links take you to papers from 2006 and 1999, respectively. The American Medical Association in 2009 issued a position paper stating, “smoked cannabis reduces neuropathic pain, improves appetite and caloric intake especially in patients with reduced muscle mass, and may relieve spasticity and pain in patients with multiple sclerosis.”
It’s too bad our petition wasn’t about carving exceptions in federal law to allow medical use of marijuana, as 70% of Americans support. It was whether we should regulate marijuana like we do alcohol and tobacco, like 50% of Americans support.
As a former police chief, I recognize we are not going to arrest our way out of the problem.
If you recognize that, why were there virtually the same number of arrests this year for marijuana as last year, a number that still eclipses any arrest total under Presidents Bush and Clinton? It seems you’re going to ignore our petition to end the strategy of arresting our way out of the problem by regulating marijuana like we do alcohol and tobacco.
We also recognize that legalizing marijuana would not provide the answer to any of the health, social, youth education, criminal justice, and community quality of life challenges associated with drug use.
Right, legalizing marijuana won’t address drug use. It will address marijuana use by regulating it like we do alcohol and tobacco. Legal marijuana would be an answer to many Americans’ health challenges. Legal marijuana would raise tax revenues to benefit society and community. Legal marijuana would help replace the “reefer madness”-style youth education proven not to work with honest, factual information. Legal marijuana removes the cost of arresting, prosecution, and monitoring on parole and probation and, by definition, eliminates crime.
That is why the President’s National Drug Control Strategy is balanced and comprehensive, emphasizing prevention and treatment while at the same time supporting innovative law enforcement efforts that protect public safety and disrupt the supply of drugs entering our communities.
The president’s budget is only slightly different than the drug control budgets of his predecessor; still a two-to-one tilt toward “Supply Reduction” (interdiction and domestic and international law enforcement) versus “Demand Reduction” (treatment and prevention). Which takes us to the second part of our petition asking how the continued criminalization of cannabis will achieve the results in the future that it has never achieved in the past?
Preventing drug use is the most cost-effective way to reduce drug use and its consequences in America. And, as we’ve seen in our work through community coalitions across the country, this approach works in making communities healthier and safer. We’re also focused on expanding access to drug treatment for addicts. Treatment works. In fact, millions of Americans are in successful recovery for drug and alcoholism today. And through our work with innovative drug courts across the Nation, we are improving our criminal justice system to divert non-violent offenders into treatment.
See our rebuttal above to TEDS treatment admission statistics and forcing cannabis consumers into rehab via drug courts. Bless the millions of Americans in successful recovery for drug (?) and alcoholism who didn’t miss out on an open bed because it was taken up by a coerced cannabis consumer who hadn’t smoked weed in a month. Those drug courts only work thanks to arrests of cannabis consumers and we were wondering how the continued criminalization of cannabis will achieve the results in the future that it has never achieved in the past?
Our commitment to a balanced approach to drug control is real. This last fiscal year alone, the Federal Government spent over $10 billion on drug education and treatment programs compared to just over $9 billion on drug related law enforcement in the U.S.
Which is fuzzy math and see our rebuttal to President’s National Drug Control Strategy, which, as we mentioned, differs little from President Bush’s before him. So how is the continued criminalization of cannabis going to achieve the results in the future that it has never achieved in the past?
Thank you for making your voice heard. I encourage you to take a moment to read about the President’s approach to drug control to learn more.
Thank you for wasting America’s time ignoring her wishes. I encourage you to take a moment to actually read and answer the questions on these petitions. Every answer you gave to “whether we should consider regulating cannabis like the far more harmful substances, alcohol and tobacco” was an excuse to make alcohol and tobacco prohibited like marijuana. Every answer you gave to “how will the continued criminalization of cannabis achieve the results in the future that it has never achieved in the past?” illustrated that you’re continuing the same failed strategies as your predecessors. We the People were hoping for some change.
(Updated for minor grammar corrections and additional hyperlinks –RB)
This is insane. It’s time to remind these people that they are servants to the American people. WE CANNOT ACCEPT THIS RESPONSE. I am so tired of just rolling over and letting the government trample all over us.. When the hell are we going to grow a pair and do something about this insanity?
Obama just got a big payola from the pharmacy lobby groups.. what a freaking sell out, he wont be getting my vote this year.
seriously, can’t we bring these people to court and try them fr their crimes? someone please e-mail me if we can… please…
Im just pissed nothing else to say!
Millions of American lives ruined by the police and courts. And, an obscene amounts of tax payer money needlessly wasted and personal property and money, dare I say, STOLEN by local law enforcement in forfeitures.
Unbelievable…
Maybe it is time for NORML to occupy washington.
Yep, I’m sure of it, now. That’s vomit in the back of my mouth.
It is official, the people don’t matter in this country. And Obama has turned out to be nothing more than “the kinder, gentler” salesman for the NWO.
I would rather ‘throw away’ my vote for RON PAUL than vote for that creep Obama again. You say Ron Paul can’t win, I say the NWO can’t win!
I agree with Christopher, when are we going to stand up against the propaganda and false “facts” that these “government officials” are spreading. Enough of the BS and just give us the damn truth, 50% of us know it anyway.
I am not surprised but I am dissapointed. The FDA is not our friend. Look at Dr Brezinski, and his cancer cure. It is going to take a revolution in the way we think to overcome this. Much like what happened in the 60’s. When the jails are full of cannibis users instead of real criminals it will become obvious. I just wonder when they are going to be going door to door on a nation wide witch hunt to find all these bad pot smokers. Are we really free, Capitalism’s greed has run amuck. God help us all.
The same old crap recycled. The war on cannabis is a political and economic war. Vote ALL of the bums out! OCCUPY AMERICA!
I was a Police Chief also, and an officer for 15years, and it does not make his or my statements anymore creditable. It appeared, he Googled what he thinks is facts and done the copy/paste thing, this prohibition is for one thing only “CONTROL”. It is unconstitutional and a violation of peoples rights. If the Government found out today that pecans cured cancer, then tomorrow all Pecan Trees would be illegal to own.
I have Multiple Sclerosis and I see first hand what Cannabis does to help deal with pain. I don’t know if it helps everyone with this disease but it does me, and it does not make me stupid to attempt to be pain free and addicted free of the FDA drugs they are pushing.
I feel that American’s are seeing this attempt of Control of our every move. I pay my bills and take care of my family and don’t feel that I need to be controlled by Government, I have a wife that is doing fine in that department.
Time to “S T A N D U P” and stop taking this kind of abuse from our Government, As Officers have been told several times by citizens “We pay your Salary” lets let the White House Hear That, If You want “CHANGE”
If the Democratic party wants a Democrat in the Whitehouse next term they need to ask Obama to withdraw from the race soon,so their replacement candidate will have a chance of winning.
And taking Obama out will do no good if we don’t flush congress out of DC.
NO INCUMBENTS to DC again until America gets it’s government of the people,for the people,by the people back.
This administration is far too invested in the MJ oppression complex. Too many jobs for career oppressors, and political hacks who exploit this issue as a cheap way of advancing their political careers. Logic, reason and simple justice do not factor in their considerations. When hacks like Obama understand that millions of stoners will vote in their own interests, maybe they will take this issue seriously. Maybe, Don’t count on it.
I think we all know that the Drug Czar is a paid by our tax dollars to lie and keep marijuana illegal at all costs. And guess what, the Obama Administration allowed him to offer the response to the various marijuana related petitions! I had a nasty feeling that was going to be what would happen and sure enough…
This is not the America I was taught about while growing up! There was a time when I actually believed that we had a govt that cared about us and that we were indeed the Land of the Free. Oh well, there was a brief time when I believed in Santa Claus.
Why do they bother hosting petitions if they dont actually plan to consider what the petition is petitioning? To pretend “we the people” have a voice and they are listening? unnaceptable..
Keep punching away NORML you all are doing a wonderful job of educating the misinformed. Now we all need to take a deep breath and sit back hopefully something will pop into someones head of a great next move. I say we need to boycott the legal drugs for a week or longer if we all stick together that will get some notice. I know this will be hard for some but come on people money talks.
Question1: Did you ever here the phrase “freedom isn’t free”?
Question2: Is freedom ever attained without violence? The government has lies and swat teams. The people seem to have truth and nothing else. Yet.
When I read the white houses official response last night (which could have been copied from a response that I got from Congresswoman Kay Bailey Hutcheson on HR2306) I couldn’t help but feel like I was being treated like a child. The hypocrisy of the response for the reasons given in the article above is inexcusable. We all know that alcohol and tobacco are more detrimental to public health and safty as well as being more addictive. I created two petitions to call for similar treatment of these substances to tobacco and alcohol. If they really feel they are doing the country a service by not legalizing marijuana, then I would hope they would save us from the detrimental effects of tobacco and alcohol as well (please note the sarcasm, I use both of these substances responsibly). I you would like the white house to answer for this rediculousness, please sign the petitions at the adresses below and help distribute.
http://wh.gov/bq0
http://wh.gov/bq8
Wishy Washy Internet gov petition!
I feel Norml is more of a sell out than Mr. Obama. Norml did not put the effort into the poll question that is put in to the conversation about a canned response to 75K (a small amount of votes).
I expect Norml to dream bigger when dropping all those statistics (later to feel misquoted), an article more involved than the petition question and the widow sagan’s name for pushing a State legalization landmark decision.
The push should be on a true Federal repeal to end marijuana (cannabis / hemp) prohibition and point out that hr 2306 is a false end. Norml – this legalize responsibly is for taxing and prosperity – fight the $5 million ballot campaign for ‘some type of law’, depending on signatures…
I fear we will have to change the way facts and statistics are used by politicians to justify what they (or their paymasters ) want. If we can achieve that not only will we have some sense about marijuana but we will have evolved human society by quite a big leap. A tall order but I think you guys will do it !!!
Thank you – There are many in the UK (and probably lots of other countries) taking great inspiration from Norml and your work.
just as i said before..money rules..people with the money make the rules..normls tactics do not work, being passive is no longer an option. Boycott pharmacuticals if possible, vote these pieces of shit out..demonstrate but do not carry norml banners they are ineffective…unite potheads the time has come ..we will not have the right to use pot because we are sick..we will use pot because our destiny is our own !!
They aren’t servants of the american people. They serve corporations. They lie and cheat to satisfy their masters. If you think your voting a good one in the result and fact that he got in is a direct indication that he works for corporations.
Edit: I created two petitions to call for similar treatment of these substances to *marijuana*.
Legalizing Marijuana in Colorado for taxes is fuzzy math. Yes, stop and read every word! You hear legalizing marihuana and marijuana will be 6 plants more legal.
If you didn’t know where to score MJ before then Tax me for the 2 ounces I already can legally possess.
.org s should be ashamed for backing such misleading legislation.
Ron Paul 2012 guys.. Throw this bastard out of office..
Albert Einstien once said “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result”. I think this quote sums up our nations policies quite fairly.
This is tyranny! I signed the petitions expecting an answer to each question. I did not receive any answers. I have written my representatives, senators and president I received auto responses that they received my email on my email requests saying they really appreciated my questions and would answer back. I never received a response. How can we get by all the procedural blocking from bureaucrats and politicians to get real direct answers? I sent an email as instructed to my state assemblyman requesting a seat at his town hall meeting as his web site required. I never received a response. When I pay my taxes, served 25.5 years in the United States Army, pay my bills etc I did what was required immediately. I am in pain from the removal and fusion of 6 disks in my neck and lower back, have trouble with memory from head injury, Have chronic PTSD from Desert Storm. When I can obtain Cannabis I receive piece of mind, pain relief and am able to read and interact with the world. I simply don’t understand why I am being told like a child that I can’t do something. I should be able to grow and consume my own food and medicine if I choose to do so on my own land. How do we influence the Judiciary to judge the efficacy of the governments arguments while taking into consideration the current world wide scientific studies? Federal, State and Local Governments simply will not honestly address this issue. I suffer in silence though not a victim I have been BETRAYED by the COUNTRY I Fought for.
Is anyone really surprised? We mean absolutely nothing to those people. Just as long as we pay our taxes. And jump when they tell us to. They could care less about the rest. So sad.
Simply a joke response. Obama, how does it feel to stand on the wrong side of history? There will be a president who legalises marijuana. Will it be you?
It is certainly upsetting to see how corrupt a seemingly intelligent man can get when elected to a high political office and wants to stay for a second term. This drivel in response to the issue is no different than it has been for decades. Money from those industries that would see a downturn in their revenues are feeding Obama’s campaign. Companies that build prisons, make prison toilets, make guns, sell drug testing kits, law enforcement unions, and the alcoholic beverage industry to name a few.
Add to this Obama’s precarious position on staying in office. He needs the swing voter who is ignorant of the science of cannabis and blindly believes its worse than Oxycontin. Being “soft on drugs” during this upcoming presidential election is not in his best interest. He needs to continue to demonize the plant. Going back on his word regarding those states that have approved medical marijuana by aggressively seizing assets and sending chilling letters to those who under state law are caregivers for very seriously ill people is one way he thinks will make him look better in the eyes of those undecided voters.
Add to this that Obama’s potential opponents, except for Ron Paul, would go even further to control marijuana. So, while some of us would surely like an alternative to Obama are any of us going to vote for someone who would put you in prison for life for one joint? A calculated risk? I don’t think so. While he certainly has shown his colors as a corrupt politician he is the lesser of two evils.
Just when we expected a Marijuana Spring we get a draconian big brother pissing on the parade. Obama has no compassion and no soul. He had to flush them down the toilet in order to occupy the White House. Shame on him and a pox on all of his enforcement goons.
So, essentially this boils down to: 50% of Americans want marijuana legalized, the majority of the less than 600 people elected to run the Federal govt do not want it legalized and therefore it will not be be discussed. Or, from another angle, the USoA no longer functions as a representative democracy.
Enjoy your free pre-flight massage, courtesy of the TSA.
Time to start a new petition? This time, perhaps fewer words for them to skew? A single sentence to sum up the entire movement. I suggest:
“Could you explain why we should criminally prosecute people for the responsible use of marijuana?”
Regulate cigarettes and alcohol in a similar manner to marijuana since they are more dangerous to your health.
https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions/!/petition/regulate-cigarettes-and-alcohol-similar-manner-marijuana-they-are-more-dangerous-your-health/YMpD2M6X
So the short answer was FUCK YOU.
We need a president not another dictator.
If marijuana was decriminalized and taxed the federal deficit would benefit greatly,the prisons would not be as crowded and the drug cartels would lose a huge amount of money they are using to fund the killing.My husband would not be on an antidepressant with horrible side effects and I would not have to take anxiety medication. Just research when and under what circumstances it was made illegal! This is a God given plant. What is next no coffee because it is bad for you? What happened to by the people for the people. If our representatives in Washington had a brain in their head they would listen to the medical association!
A well written rebuttal, to bad it will fall on def ears. I also agree with Christopher, aside from making the media outlets aware I am not sure what can be done, and they don’t report the whole truth. I am not much of a writer, but if you write a letter that can be sent to our congressmen I will send it.
We will never have our freedom until we take it from them and throw them out on their head. REVOLUTION! DAMNED NAZI SONS OF BITCHES!
Agrees with Christopher… insanity… This will not do, and the jobs that could be created from hemp farming alone would help millions of jobless Americans. The 1% are disgusting…
no freakin way,
i cant believe this is what im returning to see as the petition response.
wasnt obama supposed to address this personally?
i hope this country defaults,
what is it worth anymore?
Ron Paul 2012
Obama is dumb as hell
Alright, Gil. Go sit down. Let someone speak who HAS a real opinion. As”they” are incapable of admitting the Seventy years of manufactured lies they made, are false-they look as foolish each day as they really are”.
It is now to a point of marginalizing the entire country. Why? Because the Feds do not believe in science, they believe in sigh-ense. a term of ignoring reality to substitute their own 850THOUSAND people last year? Arrested for weed?-C’mon America-GROW UP.
THIS LUDICROUS!!!-They all gotta go. VOTE-VOTE VOTE em OUT.
OVERGROW THE GOVERNMENT
i am so outraged by this response as well. Please visit my we the people petition that says if the obama administration does not legalize or change marijuana from class 1 to class 2 he will loose my vote in his reelection campaign. http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwwws.whitehouse.gov%2Fpetitions%2Ffb%2Fpetition%2Fpetition%2Flegalize-marijuana-or-loose-obama-supporters-his-reelection-campaign%2FwZwX86Rh&h=KAQFby1FNAQGkk2jj48ugfwKrNhtBtsPgPRn8tZy1-fC5Gg
thanks
I just saw this “response” and posted a new petition because of it please sign it and spread this around
https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions/!/petition/open-debate-full-legalization-taxation-and-regulation-marijuana-and-not-simply-deny-people-debate/qGLlfrcJ
Open for debate the full legalization, taxation, and regulation of Marijuana, and not simply deny the people that debate
According to the latest Gallup poll 50% of Americans support full legalization of marijuana and only 46% are against this. The response to the first round of petitions regarding legalization has been simply to say “no legalization”. In a democratic country when the majority feel this is a worthy issue to debate simply saying “No” is unacceptable.
The fact of the matter is that the prohibition of
marijuana only creates and exacerbates issues related to consumption. We learned this lesson with alcohol and ended that prohibition, this resulted in a huge drop in organized crime organized around the illegal alcohol trade. As marijuana is a far safer substance than alcohol should make this an easy choice. While legalization would not solve all issues it would be a much better solution.
you will have to copy the full url from the post above as it did not link properly
Neither party is on board with the people on this issue. Vote libertarian or green (or whichever the “other” part is) consistently this next election.
There are more than 75,000 people that are against prohibition, maybe enough to get a few 3rd party candidates into congress. Considering what the bought and paid for current legislatures have done to this country, could they really do any worse.
Money does talk though, and when these out of touch parasites lose their jobs, the ones still there WILL take notice. Even the Tea Party was basically ignored until they voted out incumbents.
Obama is wedded to the lies that place marijuana as a schedule one drug (i.e. deadly, addictive and no medical use). He also failed to recognize the largest state doctor group in the nation is calling for marijuana legalization.
Lets face it, we are “OWNED” by the government period!! I don’t know what we can do about it. God gave you your body and the government took it away from you the moment you were born.
What happened to democracy? Oh yeah we traded it for capitalism…but why do we waste money ensuring democracy is brought to the middle east (with violence and slaughtering innocents in some cases) when we don’t even use that political system by the people for the people my ass more like by the paycheck for the wallet
I am almost speechless – which is a rarity for me. How irritating that they would counter with such BS! What’s the next step? What is it going to take to stop the lies?
Welp, look like I’m missing out on my education to march on Washington. Who’s with me?
unfortunately ive really come to hate this country.
Obama just lost my vote. I suggest more people do the same. All they care about is votes.
So so possible to get more then 74,000 signatures on the petition. Just sayin….
Kevin Says:
October 29th, 2011 at 8:15 am
Maybe it is time for NORML to occupy washington.
LOL!!!!!
“Ignorance is never out of style. It was in fashion yesterday, it is the rage today and it will set the pace tomorrow.”
now u need a petition w 150.000 names and try again stating you want your specific questions answered.
No one really expected them to give us a straight answer. It’s going to be the same lines until everyone stands up as one and demands the truth. Til then, Ron Paul all the way!
So if it didn’t work this time, we shall try again. We passed the threshold no problem last time, and I am personally outraged at the assumed ignorance of the nations populace. This response proves to me that not only are our policy’s out dated, but so are the “geezers” making the decisions. I say let them take their fancy suits and ideal to retirement, and allow “we the people” to do what they obviously cannot.
I don’t know what to say about any of this. I’m frustrated beyond words at this point. Is democracy finally dead? Why don’t we have the right for our voices to be heard and to be given fair consideration for our point of view? I think we need to “Occupy Washington” and refuse to leave until we are given our time to speak. Why not? NORML please consider organizing something like this.
The pussification of the American man will continue to allow government to rule with an iron fist. We the people as a whole are idiots…all of the legal medical dispensaries in my area are being force to close by scare tactics from the federal government. It is a shame to see this kind of ABUSE OF POWER and lack of response from the public. Live in your own little world and continue to slave for the government.
It is our duty to remove and replace an overbearing/tyrannical government.
-The Declaration of Independence-
Gil Kerlikowske ..how do we get this guy kicked to the curb ? this is wrong..same lame excuse!! Someone organize this thing, show up no excuses..
Vote them out? And vote for who? As soon as anyone is elected regardless of their platform they enter the maw of inside the beltway (Washinton DC) which is akin to insider trading and become what Obama became, timid.
If their platform was based on “rocking the boat” and they try to continue they are marginalized and labeled trouble maker.
Personally, I believe in legalization without conditions. Simply based on how Cannabis became illegal to begin with.
If Cannabis is “God Given” a plant of the earth why were conditions placed on a plant of the earth. Is it dangerous as poison? The only logical reason for conditions.
The bottomline I’m not voting for any major political party. I will write in a conscious choice based on personal conscience.
Every time the prohibiitionists mention that pot potency has (double, tripped, quadrupled, etc…] this is a Perfect time to say, “Just like alcohol potency can ONLY be regulated if it’s made legal”, DUH!
The whole goal here was to ensure that Obama would not have to release a statement himself or say anything on a web or tv broadcast against cannabis legalization so he can try to blame everyone else for the crackdowns on cannabis and play the role as our “Hero…if re-elected.” next year and then most likely pull the same stunts for four more years. I feel the most beneficial thing we can do is force him to personally take a stand regarding this issue. His press secretary tried to get him disassociated from the medical marijuana crack down by the IRS, ATF and DEA because he realizes the danger of pissing off his youth base along with half the country. We need to force him to make a stand in one direction or another or he will do anything he can to wiggle out of any responsibility on this subject. till after he is re-elected when it doesn’t matter any more to him.
So. . .
Why not start another petition asking for a response from the correct office regarding rescheduling cannabis? The We The People site says that the petition will be sent to the proper policy makers and the response will be made from there and according to the CSA rescheduling power is granted to the President of these United States not the ONDCP.
Or why not a petition that cites all the studies on this blog regarding the ONDCP response proving that all of the “scientific” data cited in the response has been disproven or is irrelavent and then request a response that takes into account “what current science tells us about marijuana, not decade old studies or studies that prove cannabis is as addictive as coffee.”
Or why not a petition that requests an open scientific debate between the ONDCP and drug law reformers, since this is “A perfectly legitimate topic to debate.”
Sorry if there are any spelling errors. I am at work and the spell check isn’t working.
they didnt even answer the question. they need to get someone into office that see’s how much legalizing it will help our economy. were in a downward spiral and keeping it illegal isnt helping
VIVA LA REVOLUTION
50% of Americans want it legalized and 46% want to lock them up for it.
Lets just lock each group up in 2 week shifts,that way the 50% can guard the 46% and vice-versa.
Then we can all suck off the government tit,being prisoners and guards equally.
Start the same petition again but with facts to poke holes in their shanty false web of lies.
Maybe someone can post a new question for us to vote on.”Why is this site here when you wont seriously address our questions.”
Maybe someone can post a new question for us to vote on.”Why is this site here when you wont seriously address our questions.”
Please take a moment and sign my petition, and pass it on 🙂 https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions/!/petition/actually-answer-marijuana-petitions-acquired150000-signatures-president-barack-obama-answering/bws1D4GF
Our tax dollars at work.
“To compel a man to furnish funds for the propagation of ideas he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical.”
-Thomas Jefferson
Keep running the economy into the ground until they legalize marijuana.
Its prohibition costs are far too wasteful of resources that could be used to give “job creators” a tax incentive to create jobs while simultaneously reducing the size and invasive scope and cost of government.
Keep running the economy into the ground.
I’m fed up with all the spoon fed bullshit they teach people in school how weed is so bad, I did a debate in school vs drinking rights, funny thing is people in the school said they’d rather see me hitting a bong and having fun then drinking and possibly getting in a fight. Does anyone know an angry stoner? Oh and if it makes us so stupid why is it that me and like 50 people I know who had smoked from the time they were like 12 in middle school to the day we finished high school were ahead of our classes in one subject or another. I myself was testing at a college level my freshman year of high school by my junior year, it was college level in every subject. so yeah not sure when they will finally wake up but some day we’ll do what we were told to do and over throw the government.
I’m sure Obama fears assassination by the very Jesuits who used people like Jeffrey Dahmer to stick a knife into the heart of the gay rights movement or Robert Clifford Olson to scare hikers away from finding and publicly disclosing the huge Uranium reserves around the Clearwater, BC area. Obama probably doesn’t want to get in the way of the Jesuit program of going into ‘sovereign’ nations like Canada to pay off the tax exempt churches to fight against cannabis freedom. Because JFK said I do not speak for the Church, the Jesuits apparently didn’t want him to speak anything at all. Anyway, you CAN know that death and fear are what make seemingly intelligent people make seemingly retarded policies.
This really does’nt matter because they are too brainwashed to reason with. Besides i don’t need permission from our disfunctional govt. Their words mean nothing if our petitions are ignored along with all credible facts. This tells me that they are too far gone to be salvagable and this means they are dangerous to our country. WE THE PEOPLE will always use marijuana as we always have , you feds are the newbies not us ,so don’t think you’re the boss , WE THE PEOPLE ARE!
I am one of the many many people who went through coerced marijuana treatment facilities. I had to go for 3 months spending a $100.00 per weekly session. I had to listen to everyone in the class even the teachers say that the law was messed up, but it was the law and they were “just doing their job”. I missed one class with a valid excuse 2 months into it and they made me start over. They are just about the money, just like the rest of the whole racket. They were notorious for finding any excuse they could to make people have to start over, so they would keep the money flowing in, at the expense of people having to complete it or violating probation and going to jail. The system is so flawed in is despicable.
When you see the people who elect to represent us ignoring science and manipulating test results to validate their position it takes away any credibility they have left. Usually the government is quick to reference the “Rand Study”, but when they put a study out saying that dispensaries do not increase time, the DoJ goes and strong arms them into retracting it, just like they did with the National Cancer Institute when the described cannabis having anti tumor affects for cancer patients. Going so far as to denying any medicinal benefits of cannabis so research cant be accomplished. If it is proven that cannabis actually does help with anti tumor affects, and them purposefully blocking research is tantamount to a treasonous act against the well being of American people who have lost their lives to terminal illness.
There is no other reason to quantify their intent to control this plant other than money and power.
Bottom line, any problems of addiction should be placed squarely in the hands of health professionals and not law enforcement. Lets give our health care system 50 billion dollars every year and see how much an issue cannabis really is.
cant edit, but this is what I meant to say in this part of my comment..
Usually the government is quick to reference the “Rand Study”, but when they put a study out saying that dispensaries do not increase crime, the DoJ goes and strong arms them into retracting it, just like they did with the National Cancer Institute when the described cannabis having anti tumor affects for cancer patients.
As a scientist, it fascinates me when a lawyer cites science; rarely do they seem to get the scientific process or what the research really shows. President Obama is clearly literate, but the response sounds like the person replying did not actually spend the time to read the rather short petition.
Time to start version 2? And, perhaps, a literacy campaign to treat illiteracy in government?
Repeal hemp ban. It’s a crime it’s a crime.
“What We Have to Say About Legalizing Marijuana”
By: Gil Kerlikowske
He must have a mouse in his pocket, because “We” said no such thing. I say that we flood the petition page until it crashes the system. I thought We were WE.
https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions/!/petition/legalize-americans-freedoms-choose-themselves-and-government-follow-constitution-and-bill-rights/VHmSP6Mv
This is a well refrenced article. The arguement no longer holds any water. Time to take the money from the underground and make it above board and legal. Way too many lives have been ruined as a result of a law that is wrong and unjust. Kill someone with your car while drunk and get a slap on the wrist, it is time to understand that and put things in perspective. Alcohol and all form of tobbaco destroy organs, lives and economies. The President sits on the lawn of the White House and drinks a beer with a guest, that speaks volumes of the “Real position” of the White House. Guess it is time for the progressive voices in this country to look around for a more responsive leader. Sure won’t be a republican…
I think we need more TV commercials about NORML what do we need to do to get that done?
I have never ever seen such nonsense.NORML and the US government are like two blind persons arguing over the color of an orange.Please stop this continuing nonsense that has been lasting for far too long. Nobody wins anything from this nonsense rhetoric.Science has spoken long ago about cannabis.
I just started a new petition to ask the white house to reply to each of the 7 marijuana petitions separately. Please help me get the petition started by clicking the link and signing the petition.
https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions/!/petition/respond-each-7-marijuana-related-petitions-individually-instead-one-canned-response/q1L1pRGp
Well, this Government only understands moves of power and position. Fine. Between this bullshit of an answer, basically telling “We the People” to take a flying leap, and the OWS fiasco, we should start our own revolution!
Russ! Having been an ardent supporter of marijuana legalization and also having followed the movement for many years, much of the information in this entry is already fact for me. As such, the only thing I really want to say after reading it is that we have a perfectly legitimate reason for starting another petition to get the original question answered. People such as yourself or Erik have voices strong enough to rally another petition. The blatant avoidance of the original petition is obvious in Kerlikowske’s response. (It’s ironic that the person chosen to respond to our petition is one who stands to lose his job via drug legalization.) You can count on my signature for a followup petition demanding a proper response to the initial. Thanks, and let’s put this immoral despot in his place.
Even if you could prove 100% that smoking reefer cured cancer, the Feds STILL would be against legalizing it. Why? Because this is not about science. It’s about POLITICS. Obama is painted by the extreme right as a flaming liberal, or even a Socialist!!! If he were to publicly entertain the idea of legalizing pot, he’d be cutting his own throat. The Number One priority for all of us should be getting the little bastard re-elected next November. I like him. You don’t have to.But come Jan. of 2013, either Obama or some teabag beholdin Neanderthal will
be sworn in as president. Which do you want?
We need to start a massive protest in Washington, D.C.
We need to organize a peaceful occupation that will make change happen.
NORML, just like the government, has failed to realize that doing the same thing over and over without SIGNIFICANT progress is pointless and crazy.
The time has come to shutdown washington.
The time has come to OCCUPY D.C.
More compelling evidence showing America is a fascist state.
This rancid corruption throughout your entire government is spreading globally.
A quick look at the current petition responses makes me think that the administration never intended this to be anything other than a venue for publicizing its talking points. Pity that the people aren’t being good little sheep and cooperating with their vision.
I wish I knew the best way forward but I don’t. The disconnect between popular support for marijuana legalization and the (overt) support among elected officials has reached comical levels. I fear real reform at the federal level will have to wait until the budget of the DEA is gutted for other fiscal reasons and state level prohibition has been chewed away to a far lower level than currently exists.
But all hope is not lost, reform is happening at a rapid pace. Sometimes when you have a long way to go it’s difficult to realize just how far you’ve come but if you live in a decrim state take a second to pat yourself on the back. I live in a state where a gram can still theoretically get you 11/29 in a cage and there is no medical law. “Reform” has been limited to drug courts which are typically run as a for-profit industry and penalties for possession offenses are sliding scale fines based on how much they think they can squeeze out of you.
Two Republican candidates would legalize MJ: Ron Paul and Gary Johnson. The only Democrat we will see on the ballot will not.
Wow, well this type of bullshit can’t go on for much longer.
The government will only respond to two things: money and violence. If you want to change something, you have to effect one of those two things – either give the government a lot of money to get laws passed, or violently overthrow it.
Stop being afraid. The government doesn’t care if they destroy your lives for a plant. Destroy theirs instead.
Do something: call them on their bullshit! Tweet this link:
http://t.co/GmmJjZdZ
#OCCUPYGIL
Pure hubris! Hopefully when these guys lose their election bid, they aren’t replaced by a group of similarly deaf and corrupt lackeys.
Fuck you Obama and fuck your lying, stupid as a rock Drug Czar
The best response to the Whitehouse’s response will be to elect Ron Paul for office in 2012 and retire the current administration. Meanwhile, starve the government beasts of tax money as much as possible, no taxation without representation. Avoid doing business with large corporations as they have bought our politicians and work against legalization. Vote in every election to replace the incumbents, making sure to support mj-firendly candidates. Network with, and educate you sphere of influence because many of your friends and family have no time to keep up with this important issue. Join or support the current uprising of the 99% of Americans. Keep pressing on.
Do something! Don’t just sit and bitch! tweet the link to the NORML response (this page) calling em out on the bullshit:
tinyurl.com/66tf95p
#OCCUPYGIL
#gilkerlikowske
“Our commitment to a balanced approach to drug control is real. This last fiscal year alone, the Federal Government spent over $10 billion on drug education and treatment programs compared to just over $9 billion on drug related law enforcement in the U.S. ”
Waste of money.
I’m sorry to say that it is time for revolution. The constitution stats that the people have a right to revolt against a government, if said government becomes corrupt. Well unfortunately it has come to that point. We must rise up as one people, like our ancestors did long ago, and end the tyrannical rule of our corrupt government and those responsible for keeping the most versatile plant in the world from the people.
Viva La Cannabis Revolution!
I agree that it all has to do with money. “They” would rather keep things as they are because it is such a money-making proposition. But also agree if pot was treated like the other two vices (which do a lot more harm than pot) it would probably pay off the national debt in tax revenue and reduction of costs concerning enforcement of what I have always felt was just a crazy thing to be illegal if cigarettes and alcohol were perfectly fine.
Silly us for believing the Obama administration. Fool us once, shame on you. Fool us twenty-five ways to Sunday, and it’s our own goddamn fault. Time for President Change to go.
“Democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where 51% of the people may take away the rights of the other 49%.”
– Thomas Jefferson
On the one hand you can say like obamas reverend wright god dam Amerika, but on the other, you can agree with post #67 about some hope, I too live in a state with bad laws, but will keep up the fight, I am a veteran, all my buddies that I served with smoke herb. We must stick together and win this fight, but as you can see by the police in oakland they intend to crack your skull open for just protesting, even if you just got back from defending our country. I too cannot vote for obama based on this, and I think this petition stuff is wasted time. If we have another we need to get this supposed 50% to sign the petition not 75k I don’t know how other than coordinate with all similar organizations like NORLM and get your members and site visitors to act on a certain agreed upon date. Ok thank you NORML and all you folks for at least I don’t feel alone in my disappointment. Go Ron Paul.
It’s almost unbelievable, a huge slap in the face to everyone who sincerely cares about cannabis shedding the criminal stigma associated with it for so many years. The president claims he wants his policies to be guided by science rather than ideologies, and yet despite what the scientific community has to say about the safety and non-addictive nature of cannabis, this is the response we get. The largest petition by ~20,000 individuals, and it’s brushed off. I’ve been a polite, concerned citizen long enough, Mr. President, and any other government official that claims cannabis has no value, but obviously that kind of voice isn’t heard, so:
FUCK YOU, I won’t do what you tell me. Pry this medicine from my cold, dead hands. Pry it from the hands of all Americans, if you can.
i think its about time we go ahead and send a petition in that says if u don’t want to bother to listen to petitions then just don’t accept them… why bother lying to us
I still need your help:
The white house issued a single canned response to 7 petitions with an aggregate of over 100,000 signatures on its marijuana policy. This is highly disrespectful of the many people who put their names to the 7 petitions.
Help me get this petition (link below) going, ask the white house to respond appropriately to each petition:
http://wh.gov/b34
As i said,They’re never going to listen to you.If it’s a war shouldn’t we be fighting back? (Sneaks into the police parking lot and installs a shit ton of car bombs)
It’s not WE THE PEOPLE anymore, it’s more like WE THE FEDS. The government sure is going to drag this out on science and research policies as their weapon of choice to regulate their TOTALITARIAN MENTALITY on the people. It seems like the WILL OF THE FEDS instead of the WILL OF THE PEOPLE. When living under a MONARCHY with BANANA REPUBLIC RULES, the rules change when the WILL OF THE PEOPLE gain a little ground. The TRANPARENCY of FEDERALISM only concerns themselves, not us. Look through the SMOKE and MIRRORS concept and all you’ll get is the stench of FEDERALISM supported by our tax dollars turned against US and THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE. The only say so we have is none as long as their is MARIJUANA PROHIBITION. Look at what FEDERALISM has done to our CONSTITUTION and our SOCIETY as a whole, THE UNICORNIZATION OF AMERIKA! When FEDERALISM tosses the coin it always land on its edge, no heads or tails just the NEW WORLD ORDER of their GOD LIKE POWER. Who are they to judge on what we need? We can go ahead and petition but the KING OF THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS DIFFERENT!
They should of just signed their response as “Love, Pfizer”
Thank you Russ, for your well informed and educated response to this mockery from our government.
We the People… remember, Mr. President, you work for US. A majority of Americans favor legalization. You, yourself use a far more dangerous drug-tobacco….which kills millions of Americans, yet it is legal.Why isn’t tobacco considered a dangerous drug?
Your policy is hypocritical. What happened to the “Candidate of change?” You are a disappoinment to many who supported you.
Marijuana isn’t even a drug. This world is so corrupt and enveloped with evil. Everything’s all about money and power, we are a lost society. Thank god we have marijuana. Cannabis forever<3
We all need to get together and protest..show up in large numbers in Washington and all over the cities as long as it takes. The government makes me SICK!
When we vote in 2012 elections, I dont see any GOP candidates that could be a good President except for Ron Paul. If the majority votes for Obama again, we’re fucked!
Occupy Marijuana!
Congratulations, NORML & Russ Belville!
You have successfully laid out all the statistical data, social arguments, and science-based rational processes that overwhelm all of the government’s contentions regarding re-legalizing, regulating, and controlling the cannabis industry.
That ‘our’ government persists in maintaining this unjust war on people is unscientific, irrational, and morally corrupt. Our politicians are not only liars, but also greedy bastards that help to prop up a war against citizens’ rights and liberties.
When the scales of social justice are ultimately balanced, and they will be, these politicians will not only be out of jobs but will also be replacing all those victims of injustice that are currently rotting away in prison over illicit drugs. The stench of corruption and conspiracy on the part of our politicians can and will be swept away by the sweet, lingering smell of cannabis smoke in the air.
We the People need to prosecute these politicians the same way any malevolent criminal organization is prosecuted — with State & Federal RICO statutes that will put them in prison for 20+ years, and strip them of all their ill-gotten gains to be used in restitution to the millions who have been wrongfully persecuted and criminally prosecuted. Screw ‘looking forward, not back’ — never forgive, never forget, never give up on punishing the evil ones.
I just don’t understand. It’s like I’m taking crazy pills or something.
Contacting ONDCP Public Affairs
News media may contact the ONDCP Public Affairs Office by emailing mediainquiry@ondcp.eop.gov or calling (202) 395-6618.
Call and email about this cop-out.
Hi norml, I was hoping you could write up a petition that is well written, states all the facts as mentioned above (with the use of graphs, direct research, etc..) With a petition as well written as this, you could easily make the lies stop.
Cannabis legalization is more popular than ANY politician right now. Read the polls!
Get out of the phoney, two-party box, and start organizing and electing politicians who represent the people instead of the banks and corporations. Your life liberty, job, and pursuit of happiness all very much depend on your willingness to throw out the trash and legalize yourselves.
This response from the White House, like others, literally makes me cry at night.
Can believe I voted for a sell out.
I agree 100% with #102.
and guess who just lost the election… if people start reading this he could lose millions of votes because any cannabis user knows its BS
WOW … not the response I was expecting…It looks like they missed the point…we are in fact free to do DANGEROUS stuff … people fought in WWII so we could do stupid and or dangerous stuff. If we let the government decide what we are permitted to do based on safety to solely ourselves, then we will be in a sad place indeed. O well – I am going to make another drink and eat 4 Big Macs w/cheese and smoke a pack of ciggs and go hang gliding and then have a milkshake on my motorcycle ( o and I am going to refrain from exorcising for a year) …. Enjoy these things while you can citizens. Cheer up folks we live in one of the nicest countries on the globe…and we can only lose so many freedoms in one lifetime anyway.
I agreee with the many of the people about occupying Washington for our freedom to smoke this harmless plant. This is just madness. Don’t occupy every small podunk down, but go directly to the oppressor’s doorstep. Come on people, what else do we need to get fired up about this issue, besides a fire up our asses?
I have been reading and listen to peoples solutions and none seem real enough to change things. We need to shake the government up. By voting every encumbent out of office. I like Ron Pauk and if he get close he will have my vote.
This was the most popular petition on the White House “We The People” site, and the the response is an insult to intelligent Americans. The Drug Czar can’t come up with a rational response, so he sidesteps the whole issue with nonsense. How can the White House keep our respect when they lie to us like bad parents lie to children? There is an aversion to the truth here that is so irrational it must be covering up a huge fear on the part of the government. They are afraid of pot smoking people who want to make love not war.
I’m not going to whine about it, because the people of the United States got punked and it’s not funny.
we have a president that lies through his teeth to his own people.
government corrupt much?
Thank you for posting this. I couldn’t believe the President’s response, and was hoping for exactly this sort of point-by-point debunking of this trash. I’ll be reposting this everywhere, thanks again.
Defeat Obama in 2012! He needs to know that he can’t lie his way into office and then claim that he has science on his side. He is as anti-science as any fringe Republican. He is an anti-cannabis culture warrior whether he admits it or not. The truth will win out eventually. Fifty percent now support cannabis legalization. I hope that Obama’s goons make their moves against medical marijuana in California next spring or summer, just in time to guarantee that legalization passes and so that people get to see who this guy really is.
We need to march on DC!
I say , It,s time for an all out revolution at the george washington monument, a man who knew the benefits of marijuana, and car signs and advertisements about the governments lack of common sense, maybe a few tv commercials, just a all out free speech war
Excerpt from NORML’s response to Gil Kerlikowske:
“Legal marijuana (would) remove the cost of arresting, prosecution, and monitoring on parole and probation and, by definition, eliminates crime.”
listen to this: 2 days ago a policeman found a quarter in my car. all he had to do was pull me over {I could tell you how he treated me unfairly but I am more concerned about what I am going to tell you next}
“You’re looking at $1300.00 in court fees” said the Court Clerk when I called to ask.
And most likely pay something like $360.00 in fees where you meet with a probation officer
and all that cop had to do was flip a little switch
The Federal Government is DEFINITELY making money in this situation,
I mean; yeah- their cars and training and like guns are expensive, but my gut leads me to think that all that stuff gets paid off pretty quickly with that 9 or 10 million dollar budget
I am wondering if are there any statistics available on something like this?
Viva La Cannabis Revolution!
I see from the statement which I received in my inbox that the Obama gang members/Drug Czar, which are (the true criminals) like destroying the economy as much as they like the destruction of freedom and the American way. Maybe the federal (recession making) reserve have them by the balls. That factions reach is far into this countries government. Legalized cannabis could possibly boost our economy, change our outlook and initiate a change that would end our need of use of the federal reserve. Wouldn’t that be great to just get those greed mongers out of our country????? Hope I’m not out of line with NORML for my verbiage in this comments!
Obama is too scared legalizing marijuana will lose him the election. He hasn’t thought of all the people that voted for him that won’t NOW!!!
I see what you people who have the petitions about making alcohol and tobacco illegal and treated like pot, but thats very foolish when you actually think into it. AND selfish. I don’t smoke cigarettes anymore and I don’t drink much but do enjoy a good beer, but we would be hypocrites to say that, and I don’t know about all you people on here, but this fight isn’t just about us being able to smoke pot, its about personal freedom. Don’t get caught up and mix up whats at stake. And if you only care about pot then you are no different than anyone who only cares about their way in any situation. We should all have personal freedom for everything. DON’T SIGN THOSE PETITIONS THAT ARE BEING POSTED ON HERE!
This chap will be a one term President – Huntsman is the only guy out there talking repeal. Get behind the man with the balls to walk the talk, our Hope and Change POTUS is a flat bust.
If the Democratic party wants a Democratic President they had better get Obama to withdraw his name on the ballot so we can see his replacement.
Looks like obama just flipped us the finger.
This petition thang was just a way to make obama look good, like he was doing it for the people of America. But it is a bunch of bull! If you like documentaries here are to good ones, The Union and the other ones called The Obama Deception. Power to the People! Vote Ron Paul 2012 even if you don’t thank he will win he can if we sand up. Peace & Freedom
The part that really grates on me is that the response mentions the need to base the decision on scientific fact and then proceeds to ignore or contradict the majority of what the science on marijuana actually says! I expect that from the other political party as they deny the science on global warming, evolution and homosexuality regularly. To see this from Obama, I really don’t know what to say.
I was a supporter in 2008 and I have already donated again for 2012, but after reading this response I’m just frustrated. I’m completely torn now. Though I wish he’d be stronger on some issues I support Obama on virtually every other issue, but now I find it very hard to muster up much enthusiasm to vote for him this next year. It’s sad an issue like this can blemish one of the only real intelligent options we have for President next year. I’m really tempted to vote for Ron Paul. I feel either I vote for a Obama who’s right on every other issue but very wrong on marijuana legalization (an issue I hold as a basic competence test for others) or I vote for Ron Paul who is right on marijuana legalization but very wrong and in some cases dangerously so on almost every other issue.
Maybe this year I just won’t vote.
What a pathetic joke. Why should we have to worry about that they do, I am still going to blaze my head off every morning and night, and there is nothing the law can do about it. Until they understand THAT simple logic, they won’t legalize. I will keep smoking no matter what the law says because, I’m above the law. Above Idiots. Above our paralyzed congress and self riteous represenatives that are in it for their own morals and gain. They work for us. The Constitution is made to limit the government, not the people. Fuck the Man!
My heart sank when I read the white house’s response. Despite receiving the largest amount of signatures on the entire “we the people” campaign, they still approach it the same way and basically tell us that the weed we smoke everyday is bad for us.
Any lingering hopes I had have been crushed, I’m seriously disappointed with Obama’s administration and their lack of directness with the people. Their response was pointless as it didn’t even bother to seem to take our petition into consideration in the slightest.
NORML occupy Washington!
obama is a joke, he’s got to go! he,s not on are side. and come election day we need to let hem know nether are we.let your vote show how you fell.vote vote vote!!!! it,s the only way we can make are government see how we fell.
I am for petitions supporting the legalization of pot, I signed those ones that I found on these comments…yes I was bored and read everyone up till mine, 140 of them…just not in support of a petition that will make something else illegal. Don’t be that kid who ruins it for everyone cause you didn’t get your way and caused the rest of the class to do a 10 page report for homework.
This is not the country I learned about back in school. Vote the bums out. All of them.
And now after reading and commenting, TIME SO SMOKE A BOWL OF GOOD OLD FUCKIN MARY JUANA!
Im mad as hell and im not going to take it any more! I vote for obama for change not the same old thang! His petition was just a way to make it look like he kaired what Americans really wanted, but he was just blowing smoke up are ass! people should see two documentaries and they are, The Union and The Obama Deception. Power to the People. Vote Ron Paul 2012! Peace & Freedom
Here’s what we need to do to show the administration for the hypocrites they are. Since they are always quoting the criteria for marijuana’s inclusion in the controlled substances act, here’s the petition I created to put tobacco in schedule 1:
https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions#!/petition/define-tobacco-any-plant-genus-nicotiana-schedule-1-controlled-substance/ZPS2dY3X
Let’s see what they have to say about that.
WTF is the point of the WeThePeople site? Valid concerns brought up by American citizens are brushed off with the same rhetoric the people have been fed for years. In this day and age, complacency and petitions will get us nowhere. “When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.”
My reply to the White House
–
Hello,
Let me first start off by saying that I appreciate that your office has taken the time to compose a logical rejection to our appeal, despite it’s logical and legal fallacies. I understand these policies and the court rulings surrounding them have existed for many administrations, however, like another ‘peculiar institution’ in our nations history that was an aberration of American Liberty, the buck has to stop somewhere.
I have elected to make this an open reply, as I hope that the larger audience is, at least partially educated. I will assume that if you were to deign to have further dialog over these issues, you would base your argument as a justification that cites various court rulings such as Wickard v. Filburn, Gonzales v. Raich. For the sake of brevity, I see your fallacious argument and raise you a 18th and 21st amendment. If those rulings had any merit, the 18th and 21st amendments would never have been needed.
Simply put, this prohibition under which we as Americans live is Unconstitutional, regardless of what your courts may say to the contrary. The generation of our great-grandparents understood this when they amended the Constitution to create the first prohibition. While the court may side with the argument of the executive, that a broad interpretation of the commerce clause grants you license to infringe upon our Liberty to self-medicate, or to simply farm our lands with the plants of our choice that God has in his wisdom seen to give us dominion of, we as free people will no longer stand for this tyranny.
If you, all members of the Executive, were to uphold you oaths and had any respect for the Constitution, you would either change your position or be forced by honor to resign. The prior generations at least had enough respect for the Constitution to Amend the Document, when as in your argument, they believed that the general good required them to put constraints on Liberty. You are a disgrace to their memory, to the Constitution and to all who will follow.
Allow me to close with a reminder and a quote from a document I hope you have read, one of the factors of the First American Revolution was a tax on simple tea. The issues and arguments surrounding the Prohibition of Cannabis could easily, and should be made about all other unconstitutional prohibitions. We could be speaking of Poppy Seeds, Coca plants or Wheat, it makes not difference, the issue is Liberty.
“In every stage of these oppressions we have petitioned for redress in the most humble terms: our repeated petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.”
Thank you for entertaining and rejecting our appeal, please do the right thing and save yourselves and your forefathers any further disgrace.
Steven Edwards
the one thing tht really get me is how they start out saying how bad marijuana is and how it is so addictive and harmful, and they just keep rambling on until they finally start tlking about drugs. are they trying to catagorize weed with drugs? they are trying to confuse and mix thier own argument so ull just nod n sit back down. what they dont understand is that weed is a fuckin plant people it grown flowers and dies just like every other plant on earth. now drugs are a different story drugs you have to tamper with u cant just take some cleaning supplies n smoke it n get high thts not how it works. there is a process in between usually called cooking for a reason. you take one thing and mix it with others to create one single product (poison). u cant just smoke a cocoa plant and say its coke ever tried snorting coffee? of course not couse its not the same!!!! my point here is (as you may well have noticed by now) pot isnt a drug pot isnt addictive and pot isnt harmful!! pot is a plant people and if our own leaders cant fucking realise tht when half of the nation does then they arent very good leaders are they
another good point: if pot is soo bad and horribly insanely harmful and will hook u in one toke then why havnt i smoked a joint today ive got plenty of weed and its sitting in my pocket but i havnt even thought about smoking it… think fuckin think
why does the government think they can still push us towards the pool and say drink i mean the 30s were a different time feds its not all marionettes on the stage anymore we all have a mind and its made up so why dont you stop putting out this spoon fed bullshit and take the peoples word into account before you make one more stupid ass decision. i honestly think if you dont (this is an honest oppinion and i dont fuckin care who wants it changed) you are going to have a revolution on your hands do you think you can stop us do you really think you can stop the legalization if so then think again feds
After the first few sentences I knew those bastards at the white house had nothing new to say about it. And what, do we just accept this now? is that it??
its time you dumb ass politicians got off your lazy ass,es and actually do something that would help people?? we are tired of paying tax,s and you lazy s.o.b,s putting it in your pockets or on some secret project that usually blows up in your face,s wake the fuck up already . do something for this country for a change..signed tired of being told what i cant do!!!!!!!!
The Next We The People petition should be to ask the President why they keep up the same old lies and doesn’t he realize that no one is going to reelect the lying b@#$@^d?
I think the next NORML petition should be to request the administration fire Gil Kerlikowske for not addressing the issues of the first petition.
A patent that is held by the Department of Health and Human Services, part of the United States government: http://www.google.com/patents/about/6630507_Cannabinoids_as_antioxidants_and.html?id=0pcNAAAAEBAJ
This same 40 year old rhetoric and misinformation, combined with their continued evasiveness, now makes clear to all thinking Americans that SCIENCE does not only not dictate this administration’s policy-making, it apparently has been banned it altogether when it comes to ending this needless “war on drugs”. Their response is so weak it betrays their real loyalties, and makes even more transparent the level of influence of corporate money in American politics.
We cannot continue to allow the laws that regulate the 99% of us to be written by and for the 1%- we’re gonna have to really fight for our rights.
We can bitch and moan all we want but until they see a huge crowd DEMANDING what they need, nothing will happen. Let’s go out and do something people! NORML should know how and what should be done.
There is a way to ensure the federal government doesn’t raid any more medical marijuana dispensaries. We need to remove its power via legislation. Pass H.R. 2306 and limit the federal government’s power to enforcing only cross-border trafficking. Regardless of how you stand on the marijuana debate we can all agree it should be left up to the states and the federal crackdown is an abuse that California should not have to tolerate.
Tell your representatives -> http://pvox.co/CdiFqY
“[Prohibition] attempts to control a man’s appetite by legislation, and makes a crime out of things that are not crimes.” – Abraham Lincoln
please support this petition,
it concerns the whitehouse’s response to the earlier cannabis petitions.
please check it out and vote and share it if you like it!!!
http://wh.gov/bOl
i say we all do not pay our taxes… if our taxes are what supports our goverment then we just shouldent pay them and let them figure out wtf to do when there is NO money instead of little money i say we wait them the fuck out…
look the man harry anslinger origionally outlawed cannabis and got the rest of the world to do so for reasons like “it makes the white women get with negros and it makes negros think they are as good as the white man” so apparently he based the law on selfish opinion and not rationality. it would be one thing if they didnt like us and just ignored us(cannabis consumers) and that would be fine it would be their right but these people think they can put their hands on us and thats where the rubber meets the road.
The bottom line is , They have legalized beer and cigarrettes, which are more damaging than mariguana. If they didn’t legalized or arn’t willing to legalized it, then they should make beer and cigarrattes illegal too. The one and biggest benefit that would come out of legalizing mariguana, is that it will decriminalised it, it’s black market price would drop like a rock. But perhaps the biggest benefit that will come out of NOT legalizing it, is that I don’t think Wonder Boy O-ba-ma will get these votes in his silly idiotic intent to gte re-elected, comprende?
I agree with “taking them to court.” The Supreme Court needs to step up and follow their Constitutional duty; they should pronouce prohibition without an amendment as unconstitutional. If the legislature has a legitimate claim against marijuana, they should ratify an amendment opposing it rather than passing unconstitutional laws implying powers they do not possess. The federal government does not have the right, nor aparently the ability, to enforce drug prohibition. States and/or counties may have the right to prohibit (i.e. dry counties), however the federal strictly does not. My personal opinion is that the federal government should be in the business of informing rather than advising or enforcing when food/drugs/lifestyles not detrimental to others rights.
Let me clarify that I agree with post # 104 100%. Post 104 used to be post 102.
I hope Lawrence O’Donnell opens up a can of whupass on Kerlikowski this week.
#139 I’m with you ..just posted your petition link on my facebook..everyone please do the same..lets fry this bastard..he is so antiamerican
Red ribbion week came to a close friday. If you are unfamilar with red ribbion week, it is a nation wide anti-drug program in most public schools. It is a great opprotunity to inform and educate students on the lies and myths our govt has promoted. As a science teacher, my policy is to use science to support and defend arguments. we debunked this week, many of our govt favorites. “the gateway theroy”, deaths due to pot, cancer and all other issues DARE taught them. I inform them of the most damaging issues pot brings. The Law and punishments.
Glad to know that the earth is still flat. Dont go to the edge, you’ll fall off. Obama and his fucktard cronies can kiss my pot smoking ass!
It was depressing to read the same old lies from the federal government and to see that they ignored your questions and answered the questions they wanted to answer.
However, it was refreshing to read your rebuttal. I even learned a few things.
Too bad Obama has chosen to channel the ghost of Bush.
its a sad state to see our elect treat people this dismay…answer to fix problem..Wake up congress…I like what Warren had to say…
Warren Buffett, in a recent interview with CNBC, offers one of the
best quotes about the debt ceiling
“I could end the deficit in 5 minutes,” he told CNBC. “You just pass a
law that says that anytime there is a deficit of more than 3% of GDP,
all sitting members of Congress are ineligible for re-election
The 26th amendment (granting the right to vote for 18 year-olds) took
only 3 months & 8 days to be ratified! Why? Simple! The people
demanded it. That was in 1971.before computers, e-mail, cell phones,
etc.
Of the 27 amendments to the Constitution, seven (7) took 1 year or
less to become the law of the land, all because of public pressure.
Warren Buffet is asking each addressee to forward this email to a
minimum of twenty people on their address list; in turn ask each of
those to do likewise.
In three days, most people in The United States of America will have
the message. This is one idea that really should be passed around.
*Congressional Reform Act of 2011*
1. No Tenure / No Pension.
A Congressman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay
when they are out of office.
2. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security.
All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social
Security system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social
Security system, and Congress participates with the American people.
It may not be used for any other purpose.
3. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do.
4. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional
pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.
5. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in
the same health care system as the American people.
6. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people.
7. All contracts with past and present Congressmen are void effective
1/1/12. The American people did not make this contract with
Congressmen. Congressmen made all these contracts for themselves.
Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers
envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their term(s),
then go home and back to work. If each person contacts a minimum of
twenty people then it will only take three days for most people (in
the U.S.) to receive the message. Maybe it is time.
THIS IS HOW YOU FIX CONGRESS!!!!!
At first I was going to write . Then I said forget it. Now I said I will write and say simply YOU LOST MY VOTE I’m done with the drug Szar and done with the Pres. A first grader has more balls then this guy. One more word YOU AND YOU’RE ADMINISTRATION ARE PATHETIC.
no surprise coming from people that have no education and an IQ of less than 20, like Obama and Killerkowski.
after Radical Russ’s rant on Ron Paul and these clowns, I know Ron Paul is the one. I just ordered a bunch of Ron Paul campaign signs and stuff..
Thanks Russ for the motivation to make change happen, and
Thanks Obama for the reason why we need change,
and
Thanks Killercowsky for conformation of ‘your’ ignorance.
Just wondering:
Are the president and congress (lower caps intentional) subject to routine drug testing? We should demand that all elected officials are tested and that the results be published for all to see.
Here is my response that I have sent to the whitehouse.
To whom it may concern,
I write in response to your e-mail response to the petition put forward by NORML. After having reviewed your arguments I find that you have ignored the facts and any positive studies about cannabis and are pushing a political agenda. I suggest that you go to the NORML site and read the response to your letter. I consider alcohol and tobacco to be a danger to our society. Using your logic we must prohibit the use of these legal substances. I am a registered patient in Vermont’s medicinal program. I do not find cannabis to be addictive. The use of this plant has freed me from the use of prescription narcotics or alcohol to relieve my chronic pain.
When will we see some common sense action taken by the federal government on this issue?
Perhaps we will have to elect Ron Paul. I certainly will not be voting for President Obama if he continues to support the misinformation campaign against cannabis.
PLEASE ANSWER THE QUESTION POSED BY THE PETION AND STOP THE TIRED RHETORIC.
Sincerely,
Fran
On Oct 29, 2011, at 8:11 PM, The White House wrote:
Using the link in the email the White House sent me in response, I just emailed this back to them under “Policy issues, Science & Technology” since this seemed to be the closest match.
I’m appalled at the response provided by Gil Kerlikowske regarding the recent White House “We The People” petition initiative in which the LEAD petition which is on MOST American’s minds, asking specific questions around marijuana policy was largely ignored in favor of tired rhetoric, outdated information and very partial truths.
I would encourage you to read NORML’s response to Gil’s reply here:
http://blog.norml.org/2011/10/29/white-house-response-to-normls-we-the-people-marijuana-legalization-petition/
And then return an answer to the public who collectively decided this was our most important issue and also collectively decided YOU should be running this country.
So why won’t they debate this issue? They sure seem hell bent on sticking to their lies. Thats why everybody gets so mad. If they would just tell us the truth as to why they intend to keep mj illegal. Like all the for profit prisons, big pharma, alcohol, etc. We already know the truth anyway so they should just admit it.
Exactly the response I expected. Stonewalled with bureaucratic bullshit. All I can say is “NO TO REELECT OBAMA”.
Isn’t it illegal for the federal government to to research cannabis, secure a patent, while making it illegal for any outside researchers to do the same. Isn’t that called profiting via monopolizing. Isn’t it against the law to lie under oath… to proclaim a substance void of medicinal properties while securing a patent that proves the exact opposite is the truth, then sitting on it, and pretending the patent doesn’t exist? Isn’t it illegal to lie to law enforcement, yet our own government is doing the same in playing favorites, and demanding that certain drugs be legal for recreational use, where others are not?
I vote “No Confidence” in our federal government. I invoke my personal right to citizen arrest in the form of me vs the ONDCP, NIDA, the White House, Congress, and pres. Bush and President Obama.
To proclaim criminal liability for something deemed to cause respiratory problems and cognitive dysfunction when that could pertain to the very air we breath, is wrong. Drink your beers Mr. President… smoke your cigarettes… the cannabis Spring is here, now.
Don’t say we didn’t ask politely to redress our grievances… our concerns, and what we consider to be an unconstitutional offense to our freedom.
Vote NO TO OBAMA 2012. Doesn’t matter who takes his place – he is no better than Elliott Spitzer, Richard (I am not a crook) Nixon, or Bernie Maddoff. He is a fraud, as are his policies.
Quite frankly and with respect: “Fuck You”, Mr. President, for making a mockery of our petition which was quite legitimate.
Stop the Hurt – End Marijuana Prohibition Now!
I FEEL LIKE I’M IN HELL. LITERALLY IN HELL. My government can’t stop killing people in wars overseas, my government can’t let cancer patients have cannabis, my government doesn’t let people peacefully assemble anymore, my government censors the people, my government silences truth, my government kills radical thinkers, my government destroys the lives of all who oppose. WHY DO WE TOLERATE THIS GOVERNMENT ANYMORE? IS IT NOT TIME WE STOOD UP FOR OURSELVES? I’m tired of being bullied for trying to help the sick!
When I read the response, all I could think is that this is pure bull on the governments part. How are you, as the president, say that you believe in MM when you were elected into office and then you do a 360. This came out of no where. Obama is rockin us to sleep with the deceit that there would be change. There is no change here, none of what Ive seen.The same ol’ BS just a different time.This is medicine that helps people like my self who use it for my monthly pain instead of NSAIDS which have now messed up my stomach lining for taking it for over 20 years.Im allergic to Opoids and have no other option, especially one that its safe.What natural substance on this earth do you know that controls pain, nausea, helps depression and anxiety/stress, helps with GI disorders, and other illnesses? Its more than what the Government is telling us. Up to us to find out and get some answers. Our government is a joke.We need to clean house and get these bofoons outta here.
It’s really to bad that we have such an ignorant government.
Those of us in California need to make this an issue in the 2012 election. Obama’s administration is attacking medical marijuana like no other president has. Californians overwhelmingly support medical marijuana. We need to make the case that Obama needs to be defeated in this state. As has been said many times before, the only thing power respects is power. We need to show politicians that people who care about individual liberty and state’s rights against an oppressive federal government CAN sway an election. That is the only way we will ever get any respect. Obama doesn’t respect us because he believes that he will pay no political cost. Here’s where it gets tricky. I’m a lifelong Democrat, and I’m suggesting voting for the Republican for president. I know, I’m only focusing on one issue, and the Republican won’t be any better on it and will certainly be worse on other issues. That’s not the point. The point is showing power. I strongly suggest voting for Democrats for the House and Senate as a counter balance to the new Republican president. Maybe, if we defeat Obama in California, the new president will approach the issue differently and support true state’s rights. If not, we’ll vote him/her out next time. Obama is a lost cause. I think we all know that here. The only way we will ever be heard is if we make it known that there is a price to pay for lying to us, taking our contributions, and then treating us like we don’t matter. There are people already who want to see Obama defeated. Let’s add our voices to theirs, but make sure that people know why we are doing it. I choose to focus on medical marijuana because it has much broader support, but we could also focus on ending the federal prohibition of marijuana in general. Do we really want to accept the “lesser of two evils” once again? It’s going to take something radical to get their attention, and the only way to effect change in this country is through the ballot box. Talk of revolution is just silly talk. Only political action counts.
By law, the drug czar must oppose any attempt to legalize the use (in any form) of illicit drugs.[12] According to the “Office of National Drug Control Policy Reauthorization Act of 1998″[13] the director of the ONDCP
(12) shall ensure that no Federal funds appropriated to the Office of National Drug Control Policy shall be expended for any study or contract relating to the legalization (for a medical use or any other use) of a substance listed in schedule I of section 202 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 812) and take such actions as necessary to oppose any attempt to legalize the use of a substance (in any form) that– 1. is listed in schedule I of section 202 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 812); and 2. has not been approved for use for medical purposes by the Food and Drug Administration;
The ONDCP has admitted that it may disseminate inaccurate information in order to oppose legalization:[14]
Finally, apart from considerations of whether any particular law has been violated, you have asked whether the Deputy Director’s letter disseminated misleading information in connection with statements relating to the debate over legalization of marijuana. Clearly, the Deputy Director’s statements reflect one perspective regarding marijuana-a perspective that is disputed by others with different viewpoints. However, ONDCP is specifically charged with the responsibility for “taking such actions as necessary to oppose any attempt to legalize the use” of certain controlled substances such as marijuana /11/ -a responsibility which logically could include the making of advocacy statements in opposition to legalization efforts. /12/ The Deputy Director’s statements about marijuana are thus within the statutory role assigned to ONDCP. Given this role, we do not see a need to examine the accuracy of the Deputy Director’s individual statements in detail. /13/
https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Office_of_National_Drug_Control_Policy#Anti-legalization_Policy
the line of authority who handled this ‘petition’ should be dismantled, piece by piece, the average indigineous american citizen ceasto be represented by the gov’t years ago…
The government is making us more and more powerless every day. Pretty soon our Internet will be regulated (no, seriously. Look up the E-PARASITES Act) and more money will be poured into law enforcement. Prohibition of alcohol failed, prohibition of marijuana is failing, and Internet piracy prohibition will fail.
All the government is doing is trying to scare us away but they should know damn right we’re gonna continue to use marijuana no matter what the government does to us.
I have been trying to get a hold of my local representative (Justin Amash, R-MI) for months and he still ignores me. I contacted the senate and got a response in just 2 hours. Only a few people in the government are on our side, the rest are lobbied from big corporations because they know how amazing the hemp/marijuana plant is.
We need a different approach. Occupy Wall Street has little success (if any), obviously showing the government who supports marijuana legalization isn’t working. It seems the only thing we can do is turn violent but that won’t solve anything, in fact, it’ll make things worse for us. We need new ideas, something the government can’t control. Like planting marijuana seeds all over the country until it becomes as common as grass.
Our government needs to listen to the people. Some of us are sick of going to school, working all the time, dealing with shit after endless shit, and not even being able to smoke a mutherfucking joint without worrying about losing everything we own and being locked up for it. Damn it. If I wanna smoke pot. I’m gonna smoke pot. And I’ll be damned if a fuckin pig is gonna stop me.
Obama and all you fuckers on capitol hill can Kiss my fucking ass. I’ll vote for you when you represent me instead of big brother and the fuckin wanker lobbyists.
I have a chronic pain illness and it also causes nausea and insomnia. When I just can’t take it anymore I get out the pipe and only smoke like 2 or 3 hits. In a few minutes my pain is gone and I can actually sleep that night. It doesn’t ALWAYS help the nausea. At least I am pain free for a couple of hours and wake up the next day with less pain than normal because I was able to relax for the night. I don’t like breaking the law but I feel I have no choice. How many of you politicians, doctors, and members of the FDA smoke pot? Oh, I don’t smoke and drive either!
“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.”
John F. Kennedy
EVERYONE HERE should make a push as “We the people.. to help norml place this information in every news paper, blog, radio station, tv channel , and social media site out there. People, good hard working people are being ignored and forced to pay our hard earned tax money to a corrupt government that only cares about the all mighty dollar, and not the people they were placed in office to represent. GET ACTIVE WITH THE FIGHT OR QUIT COMPLAINING!
back when nixon was head politician
there was suttin called the shafer commission
and it declared weed shouldn’t be illegal
instead they started war on drugs n went after people
spewing mad lies sayin MJs bad for your health
meanwhile hold patents on MJs themselves
and word is its the answer – the cure for cancer
or at the very least an herbal enhancer
god only knows what else shes good for
but moneys in the treatment never in the cure
obama was elected – the change gave us hope
but the senate is corrupt and money equals votes
and for as long as the corporate lobbyists remain
democracy is dead…and things will never change
This is just more of the same bull crap from these people. What happened to the lawsuit trying to get cannabis rescheduled??? Legalizing cannabis needs to be elevated and voted into law!!! I’m so damn tired of all these lies and millions of people’s lives ruined with this crap!!!! We need a million man march to get attention to this cause so WE can change these stupid laws!!!!
“Yes we Can” didn’t work,”Yeah we Better” will,Go to www. bluerepublican.org and make a change
I hate america
I was an Obama backer but he has proved to be the same as all the rest. We change players every four or eight years but the game remains the same. I will not vote for a dem or rep this time they are the same in too many ways. We need a good independent to run. Also we the people need to actually participate in elections, the born and bred politicians dont want a large voter turn out its not it their favor. Legalization will only come if we step out of the shadows and do something. Yes you risk a lot by saying “I smoke pot and there is nothing wrong with it” but nothing will change without taking some chances.
Looks like someone doesn’t want to be re-elected next year.
I am not sure it legalization efforts got “this far” with the Bush II administration. I sense they did not. This response by Gil Kerlikowske, though timely, is merely a rehash of reefer madness, non-science, and fear. I am angry. Our petition was not respected. This is a non-resonse.
I, until today, believed that Obama was allowing for raids on dispensaries in California in order to foment public support for cannabis. It has worked, as I have heard about the raids all the way out here in Philly. I read the updates on fb and see how there are lawsuits against the DEA and the Obama administration. I would like to think that Obama and his drug czar are at least interested in discussing marijuana, why it should not be illegal, and its benefits to society and individuals. I am surprised and disappointed that this president has said NO to marijuana. I felt a sense of hope when he was inaugurated, with tears in my eyes. Shall I hold on to hope that Mr. Obama will be responsible with his hold on power?
Congress and the president are the only ones who can remove cannabis from Schedule I. I assume the Supreme Court can also declare cannabis’s scheduling unconstitutional. Let’s hope that NJ Weedman’s case can end this pernicious prohibition. Congress clearly won’t. Obama is no hope at all since he holds so dearly to and loves marijuana prohibition.
There is hope, all. Let’s not give up. We will be given a crown of righteousness if we do not give up.
REVOLUTION!!
We need to UNITE!!
Get Up Stand Up..
I’ve had nearly 700 signatures in 22 hours, I need your help to increase the rate to 1100 signatures per day to safely reach the goal of 25000.
My petition DOES NOT CRIMINALIZE alcohol and tobacco, but asks the white house to respond to each of the 7 marijuana petitions it offered a canned response to.
Please help me out by posting this link where people can see it.
http://wh.gov/b34
Obama is bought just like the rest.
There is no way in hell I could vote for Obama!
Hell, he’s a do nothing anyway, let alone two faced!
Legalize happiness & end the misery.
Once again, our short sighted leaders are taking a myopic view of what current science shows is the truth about cannabis use. The pigs make too much money for the government for them ever to kill this cash cow. marijuana prohibition follows in the footsteps of treating, rather than curing cancer! More money for our theiving leaders and the 1%!!!
/sigh
Just more bullsh*t.. in the last 30 years they’ve spent over 4 trillion dollars just to uphold marijuana prohibition.
Such bullshit…..IF YOU PEOPLE WANT A SERIOUS CHANGE IN THIS COUNTRY, VOTE RON PAUL 2012!!! Before Obama took office he promised the american people to keep the feds off the backs of the states over the issue. In July of 2011 they raided all the dispensarys in Washington state where I live and now some dispensary owners are facing federal charges, one of who i know personally. Then in Sep. of 2011 they pulled the same shit with California. Get these crooks out of our lives PLEASE vote Ron paul for president for REAL CHANGE and REAL HOPE not veiled in political lies !
I also received my ‘it’ll never happen because…’ email. So much for doing what the people want. Legalization or even decriminalization would cause far too many problems with their War on Drugs and prison industrial complex. And what would the US do with all that excess money? lol
Addiction issue is about equal to caffeine – completely agree with that study. It doesn’t come close to tobacco addiction. Yes, I really want my double espresso, but could certainly survive without it; I just wouldn’t sleep well at night and I’d be grouchy due to a lack of sleep.
Cognitive impairment? LOL… I may forget to buy the toilet paper once in a while, but otherwise only forget what I want to forget.
FYI – I am a 51 year-old female that was born and raised in Western Europe. The weed has been a part of my life since I was 13 years old with the exception of 1 year when I was pregnant and around 18 months when it was not findable in my area of the US (to me anyway). I am a college grad (B.A. History major) with some graduate credits (12).
Who or what are these people studying?
With over 50% of Americans in favor of legalization, and several recognized medical organizations, documented evidence of lowered incidence of traffic accidents, and abundant medical evidence that marijuana is largely a benign substance, certainly less harmful than those substances that are legal…..Does this (laws against adult use of marijuana) amount to discrimination and segregation?
Is it time to take this issue to the Supreme Court? Follow the example of other civil rights leaders? I hate to put this on the level of Blacks in the South, and that’s not my intention, just the method we should perhaps emulate.
I am extremely disappointed in our president, even though I voted for Hillary in primary. Yes I am somewhat progressive.
Assuming you can make a case for the continued
Washington allows corporations and unions to use treasury money to fund independent expenditures in state campaigns. As such, independent money spent in the 2010 election was comparable to the 2006 elections. Researchers discovered that although Washington requires detailed reporting of independent expenditures, intermediary PACs are often created that make finding the original contributors more tedious. “Taking the Low Road” is a diagram created to display how difficult it can be to follow money from donors through “shell” PACs to the races they targeted.
In other words corporations, industries & companies such as a pharmaceutical company disguise themselves as PACs & then contribute to politicians campaigns to influence & make their decisions .
What gets me is they had a month to come up with a better response and they couldn’t.
Why do we settle for this? Lets take America back….
What pisses me off too is once Obama isn’t in office anymore he will still make more money a year then I will in my life time……..
The American people are their slaves. I’m tired of it…
Sometimes, corporations gave to organizations, such as the Republican State Leadership Committee (RSLC), which in turn gave to committees making expenditures. The trail goes dark at that point, because often these organizations operate in many arenas in many states, and therefore the relationship between a contributor and a political expenditure cannot be determined. As well, it’s often not possible to determine the source of the funding for committees tied to policy groups and trade associations that don’t have to publicly disclose their donors .
If Obama could work towards legalizing marijuana he would basically be securing his stay in the presidency.
Well, it’s like they used to say long ago. When a ruling party doesn’t care about the needs of it’s people, the people need to return the favor. In other words we need to stop being polite about the fact that we are not only being lied to but also arrested and prosecuted for use of a plant that has been beneficial for 10,000 years. A plant that was openly grown during the building of our nation.
the official white house response doesn’t fail to answer, it succeeds in evading the question.
as for the assertion that it is simply not a benign drug, it’s as if alcohol and tobacco are more benign that marijuana.
but this is very important: the official authorities are focusing on the argument regarding *smoked marijuana*, the norml and similar movements need to re-think the strategy.
is the issue really about the right to smoke ‘marijuana’?
or is the issue actually really about legal access to cannabis, as a general commodity?
i think the latter is the best argument to work from. cannabis as a commodity, which can be prepared in many ways. whether as food, juice, balm, smoke, tincture, vapor, and so forth.
i think that as long as the focus is on smoking marijuana, the movement is hindered.
vapor and food and juice **of cannabis** makes more sense.
norml needs to become norcl
National Organization for the Reform of CANNABIS Law
marijuana is a slang term used by immigrants of the 19th century.
[Editor’s note: NORCL? That is not happening…no matter what it is called, no matter how it is consumed, the consumers of it have to do more than belly ache about its prohibition….]
MJ has been forbidden since 1937, because of the Invention of Plastic. Today still forbidden cuz will be the ruin of the Pharmaceutical Companies. My best advice learn to grow your own, shut your mouth about your grow and live happily ever after. I know the legalization will come, it just not now or at least for the moment.
BTW let’s support Ron Paul is the only Real Option to the Road of the Legalization, forget your Political view and focus on what matter. LEGALIZATION
Talking to the federal government is like talking to a stubborn child who put its fingers in its ears and stamps its feet when you tell them to eat vegetables because they’re good for them!
The WH Administration has made up its mind – “the facts be damned”.
https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions
Keep signing petitions. They cant ignore us forever!
https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions#!/petition/define-tobacco-any-plant-genus-nicotiana-schedule-1-controlled-substance/ZPS2dY3X
Check this one out.
Everyone please sign the petition..focus on one petition at a time..this is important https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions/%21/petition/publicly-request-resignation-gil-kerlikowske/KVxx6PK1
Gil really needs to be taught a lesson..dont zone this shit out..sign the petition..post it on your facebook or twitter..make a sign put it at the laundrymat, or store..tell friends lets put this asshole out of office..how dare him responding with 1930 science..what a total hippocrite..he has to go..get on this shit..we can do this !!
Ron Paul is in favor of legalization–not because he believes in “drug use” as they so ignorantly classify marijuana-usage, but because he believes that prohibition and the enforcement of prohibition is illegal and costly to America. Maybe all our votes should be for him in the upcoming election. As a teacher, I can’t believe the blatant lies that people are falling for these days, and I work hard to make sure my students see the truth. I’ll probably lose my job for it one day, but I refuse to stand around and repeat inane and untrue cliches that I have been told to swallow all of my life. To all fighting this good fight: please don’t give up.
Ahhhh, Dahhhhh… It is Quite Simple why it is illegal and remaind so….
If it were legal it would put the medical industry out of business OVERNIGHT!
Especially the Cancer Industry… Thats Right, INDUSTRY… Cancer is a BIG TIME Money making industry…
Why do you think we have to eat pesticides and fluoride and a whole host of other toxic crap that the government and ndustry pur into the enviroment… Why do you think the republicans want to kill the EPA…
Its all about the MONEY, Honey…
Cancer is a KNOWN super Medicine and has been Known about since the 1930’s when Big Industry paid off Politicians To Make It Illegal…
If it were legal, everybody and his Uncle would be growing it in their back yards to cure whatever ails them…
Not to smoke it Mind you, but to make teas, ointments and as food…
Dahhhh…
This is fucking it im starting a revolution… im sick of the goverment saying shit that isent true. the next time youll hear my name or so a few more times over i will be the person who starts a revolution hell. this is true bullshit i say we all meet at the white house every god damn citizen who signed that petition with signs 74,000+ people need to show their support for this matter nrml dont take the abuse just help me start this revolution or must i do it alone. if every citizen who supports marijuana like me stood out on the streets of washington thered be a revolution for sure u cant arrest 2 million plus people sitting down on the side walks streets and even if u cant show hell do ur part in this revolution by just fucking standing up like i will=) and take a seat when over 200thousand plus people take the street with signs in a peacful maner we will previal hell id be satisfied with 50 k people any one who supports me do a followup thing i will know if america truly is ready my names dennis frangias and im a supporter and a proud person to support this whats your story?
F**K Obama
I agree that we probably should remove ‘marijuana’ from cannabis law reform vocabulary. This is now more of a science issue than a cultural issue. So we should keep to the original etymology.
Furthermore, let’s keep the individuality, and drop the hippy-dippy stuff. I mean, what’s with labels like “afgooey” and “green crack” for medicinals? Medicinal Cannabis would be much more respectable with labels like “peach rose sativa” and “white cloud indica”.
If drug abuse is such a concern to the government authorities, there should be more public policy exemplifying The Golden Mean, that is: not too much, not too little. Consider the fact that the very way in which we typically think and speak is postmodern Aristotelian, it makes logical sense that we should adopt the Aristotelian Golden Mean philosophy as a drug policy.
Moving on, seems that many “pro-cannabis” people have “anti-government” attitudes. That’s a mentality left over from the 20th century. IMO, the only good revolution nowadays is non-violent cultural renaissance, beginning with one’s self.
The dangers of abuse are no different than those of sugar, caffeine, tobacco, and alcohol. Too much is harmful. Just the right amount is just the right amount. The issue of drug abuse is an issue of self-control, which is a matter of family education and public psychological health policy, a matter of self-discipline.
Another factor in the problems of drug abuse is that drug abuse is not exclusively an illicit drug problem, I know people who abuse soda, beer, coffee, cigarettes, meds, sweets, tv, music, talk, sex, etc. Virtually anything has abuse potential. Potential for abuse is not neccessarily in a given substance or activity, but in specific person’s behavioral psychology, one’s moral integrity.
I personally enjoy tobacco, caffeine, and alcohol, but I enjoy cannabis also! It seems to fit right in with the other drugs. Recreational drugs abound just as much as medicinal drugs abound. Cannabis is unique in that it offers both recreational and medicinal value, as well as nutritional and psychologically therapeutic values, in the proper amounts.
Just because some people don’t know how to act in a swimming pool, doesn’t then mean that swimming pools should be prohibited for everyone. The abusers are to be weeded out and worked on, so that the responsible among us can enjoy responsibly.
What we need to do is get the cowards, fools and saboteurs out of the way, by undoing their arguments to their fallacious foundations, and until we succeed in doing that, the same “official” excuse will be “sorry, it its just too dangerous, we cant, maybe later. oh alcohol and tobacco and industrial waste? well um er uh that thats different because because because because because i i i i i and and and and so so so so so”.
Such mentality as demonstrated by so-called drug officials must be challenged because the integrity of their reason is compromised and an appeal to dogmatic unscientific biased dysfunctional special interests, highly un-American and un-civil, and an affront to the intelligence and dignity of the higher-minded among us.
Policy is being determined by arrogant sadomasochistic fools, and that must be challenged at its psuedo-logical foundations.
2012 You can elect the option to legalize, a week before the election see what candidates are still talking about Marijuana…
I will be
http://webstation19.8k.com/jonpol.htm
I’m really disappointed in President Obama about this. I’M REALLY DISAPPOINTED.
Who is the only candidate running in 2012 that supports legalization of marijuana and all drugs – or at least that states decide instead of the federal government?
RON PAUL.
Not Obama. Not any of the Repub candidates who are bought and paid for. Libertarian Ron Paul.
If you want to see marijuana decided by the states and legalized, vote Ron Paul 2012.
Our Government is a fucking joke.
They fuck up anything they come close to touching.
Long Live American ideals, but forever FUCK THE GOVERNMENT.
Beer, Aspirin, OxyCotin, ect. = MAN MADE n R LEGAL
Marijuana = Made by GOD
Our Currency says at the Bottom of our Coins
“In GOD WE TRUST”…. Not the Government
Me as a Good GOD Believer I will continue using the GIFT he gave us.
Please stop complaining; each and every one of you who left comments!
Unfortuntely you are all too stoned to do anything positive toweard ending prohibition or just not willing?
It is time to stop talking about medicine and just end prohibition like we did with alcohol. IT IS TIME FOR RADICAL ACTION FROM THOSE WHO CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
PLEASE OCCUPY WALL STREET, OCCUPY WASHINGTON, REFUSE TO QUIT UNTIL PROHIBITION ENDS, PLAIN AND SIMPLE.
YOUR VOTE DOESNT MEAN ANYTHING, TAKE A STAND NOW BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.
216,574 citizens signed MARIJUANA, CANNABIS
and HEMP petitions online at the White House
“We the People” program to address their desire for change
in marijuana, cannabis and hemp laws.
216,574 people can be the deciding factor in the
2102 Presidential race in the U.S.A.
MANY PRESIDENTIAL RACES ARE WON OR LOST
BY ABOUT 200,000 VOTES!
http://wh.gov/b34 is the PETITION TO DEMAND RESPECT FOR
MARIJUANA ISSUES Demand Respect Petition
There were a total of 17 marijuana, cannabis and hemp petitions
as of Oct. 24, 2011 and the total number of signatures on these
17 petitions is:
1,481 +
5,342 +
3,339 +
5,411 +
3,518 +
5,493 +
8,562 +
5,072 +
4,753 +
6,512 +
7,581 +
12,241 +
18,065 +
19,982 +
16,666 +
19,623 +
72,933
= TOTAL: 216,574
Enough people to make the deciding votes in
the 2012 election.
On Monday, October 24, 2011
13 of the
17 petitions
had over 5,000
signatures each and
therefore qualified for an Official White House response.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/
• We the People: Your Voice in Our Government .
…….Fund a clinical trial to determine the effectiveness of high-dose
cannabis extracts for the treatment of cancers.
1,481 Signatures
…….Demand an Amendment to the
U.S. Constitution to End
Marijuana, Marihuana, Cannabis and Hemp Prohibition.
http://wh.gov/gP1
THIS PETITION RECEIVED THE CANNED RESPONSE.
5,342 Signatures
…….Release all non-violent drug offenders. Release all inmates
who are incarcerated for cannabis related crimes.
3,339 Signatures
…….Stop all current DOJ, DEA, ONDCP, and IRS attacks
against medical cannabis dispensaries in California.
5,411 Signatures
…….Release all known beneficial information regarding cannabis
(hemp, marijuana) and its derivatives.
3,518 Signatures
…….Stop denying the medical value of cannabis (marijuana.)
Remove it from schedule one of the controlled substances act.
5,493 SignaturesFind out more.
…….Remove Marijuana from the Schedule 1 list of drugs
in the Controlled Substances Act
8,562 Signatures
…….Pardon Jason Spyres (K99397), an Illinois inmate serving a 30 year
( now on 9th year) sentence on a marijuana charge.
5,072 Signatures
…..Allow United States Disabled Military Veterans
access to medical marijuana to treat their PTSD.
4,753 Signatures
…..Repeal any and all laws pertaining
to the illegalization of the Cannabis plant and all of its uses.
6,512 Signatures
…..Pardon Marc Emery. (For selling marijuana seeds)
7,581 Signatures
…..Give States the Freedom to Establish Their Ow
Marijuana Laws.
12,241 Signatures
…..End the destructive, wasteful and counterproductive
“War on Drugs”
18,065 Signatures
…..11,271 SignaturesFind out more.
Allow Industrial Hemp to be Grown in the U.S. Once Again
19,982 Signatures
…..Stop Interfering With State Marijuana Legalization Efforts
16,666 Signatures
…..Legalize, regulate, and tax marijuana.
19,623 Signatures
…..Legalize and Regulate Marijuana in a Manner Similar to Alcohol.
72,933 Signatures (RECEIVED THE CANNED RESPONSE).
SEE THE “CANNED” RESPONSE TO 7 OR 8 OF THE
MARIJUANA, CANNABIS AND HEMP PETITIONS:
http://wh.gov/gP1
I’m sad because I am starting to realize that the baby boomers and generation X will not live long enough to see that day when Cannabis Sativa will be finally accepted in American history. I just stopped caring because every month goes by, every year goes by, it’s just a dead horse. I don’t even know what to say anymore lol.
I know the answer to all our problems people. This 4 20 we all go out to our local law enforcement and puff away. When millions of americans would require encarcerantion the law will be dead by default. Come on people you all with me?? 😉
I would instantly sign a petition that demanded a response from someone in the Obama Administration that is not LEGALLY REQUIRED by his job to oppose any efforts to rationally discuss anything having to do with this topic. Mr. St. Pierre, please have your organization start another petition in this vein immediately. Link it up ASAP and we might even get close to the 73000 signatures we had on this one!
I, for one, and tired of the verbal diarrhea that spews out of everyone’s mouths in the Drug Czar’s office. Their views are completely biased, and therefore invalid.
…I mean think about it. If hundreds of people in my town showed up with pot we wouldn’t even have room in our jail cells enough for them. What are they gonna do? Quarentine us like we’re a disease? We are a people who love their freedom enough to go to war and die over it. Let’s make it clear our government are the ones working for us and must get their asses in shape for the good of our country and our children!!!
more freedom means less being cared for.. the more 0they care for us the less freedom we have.. just like being a child. that is why i am iffy on all form of government help.. if they care for us then they control us.. go off grid self sufficient for freedom
The first American law concerning marijuana was written at Jamestown in 1619, mandating the growth of Indian hemp. By 1730 most of the colonies had similar laws.
Our founding fathers farmed hemp for its oils, fiber, its many medicinal uses and its pleasures as recorded in George Washington’s diary, August 7, 1765: “— began to separate the male from the female hemp at Do — rather too late.” This is a practice related to drug potency and not fiber culture!
Thomas Jefferson, when an ambassador to France, smuggled the finest hemp seeds from Asia (hemp’s origin) to cultivate here in Virginia! He also wrote about the advantages of hemp over tobacco, in use, labor and for the sake of the land.
Today the constitutional rights these men inscribed are trampled upon in the war against citizens engaged in this very activity! In 1937 our government criminalized the entire hemp industry!
The lies they have manufactured about this plant will never justify the destruction this law has caused millions of innocent Americans through loss of property, family, employment and life in prison! 700,000 Americans are arrested every year for smoking marijuana
Marijuana is called a “deadly drug,” but there is not one documented case of death or disease from even the most chronic cannabis use!
The D.E.A.’s administrative law judge, Francis Young, stated “extensive research has proved that marijuana is the safest therapeutically active substance known to man, and is safer than most foods we consume.”
END 65 YEARS OF LIES & HYPOCRISY!! END MARIJUANA PROHIBITION!!
Harry J. Anslinger testified before Congress and the Marijuana Tax Stamp Act of 1937 became law. The law required that to possess marijuana one must have a Federal tax stamp for it, but in order to get the stamp you must have the marijuana in hand. Well, if you have the marijuana in hand you had already broken the law. Additionally Anslinger knew there would be no stamps issued anyway. The mayor of New York City at this time borrowed some marijuana from Anslinger and set up his own commission to study the issue. The La Guardia Commission’s findings refuted everything the Government was saying and all that Anslinger testified to, but the fix was in and the La Guardia Commission was virtually ignored. Anslinger later admitted his testimony wasn’t true and in fact marijuana was relatively harmless. The push for prohibition started in the southwest as a means to keep Mexicans from crossing the border taking Gringo jobs. It was simple Mexicans smoked marijuana, Gringos drank alcohol. Scapegoat the drug you can scapegoat the people. Thus based on lies, racism and politics America’s war on marijuana smokers had begun.
The 1937 Tax Stamp Act was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court for obvious reasons in 1970. This led to the Controlled Substances Act of 1970. A law designed to once and for all hide the facts about marijuana and make it impossible for the truth to ever get in the way of prohibition again. President Nixon set up the Shaffer Commission on Drugs around this time expecting his appointees to support his prohibitionist policies. The President had a lot of pot smoking Anti – War protesters to deal with. Surprisingly the Shaffer Commission’s outcome was about the same as the La Guardia Commission’s report, that marijuana was relatively harmless and that drugs were a medical problem not a criminal one. It also found the government’s claims about marijuana were untrue. This led to some interesting and questionable provisions in the 1970 Controlled Substances Act.
First, the Drug Czar is required to lie about any substance that is listed as schedule 1,(Dangerous and has no medical value). This explains the outrageous things the government says about marijuana but also illuminates the fact that you can’t believe anything the government says about it. The government’s excuse for prohibition has gone from, “It will cause you to kill yourself an others and then you will go crazy’, to ‘Well it’s dangerous but we don’t know how and by the way it has no medical value’.
In addition to this provision there is another that allows no research without the marijuana for the research being supplied by, and the research being approved by the Drug Enforcement Administration. This little provision protects against another La Guardia or Shaffer Commission letting the truth about marijuana get in the way of prosecuting users. Interestingly enough the Drug Enforcement Administration has neither supplied marijuana for research or approved any research in forty years. That’s kinda like the tax stamp act isn’t it?
It is obvious that the current laws on marijuana are not only unjust and dictatorial but amount to the systematic persecution of a portion of the population based simply on the type of drug they choose to use for their medical or recreational uses. In a country based on the just rule of law these laws are an abomination and a stain on the integrity of our Justice System.
The time has come for our leaders to acknowledge the failed state of our current drug policies. It’s time to end the War on Drugs. Americans need the jobs, the government needs the revenue and we need to bring our drug laws back to a level of integrity that the people can once again trust and support.
Pentagon Built On USDA Hemp Farm
The gangly plant — once a favorite of military ropemakers — couldn’t catch a break. Even as legalized medical marijuana has become more and more commonplace, the industrial hemp plant — with its minuscule levels of the chemical that gives marijuana its kick — has remained illegal to cultivate in the United States.
Enter the lost hemp diaries.
Found recently at a garage sale outside Buffalo but never publicly released, these journals chronicle the life of Lyster H. Dewey, a botanist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture whose long career straddled the 19th and 20th centuries. Dewey writes painstakingly about growing exotically named varieties of hemp — Keijo, Chinamington and others — on a tract of government land known as Arlington Farms. In effect, he was tending Uncle Sam’s hemp farm.
What’s gotten hemp advocates excited about the discovery is the location of that farm. A large chunk of acreage was handed over to the War Department in the 1940s for construction of the world’s largest office building: the Pentagon. So now, hempsters can claim that an important piece of their legacy lies in the rich Northern Virginia soil alongside a hugely significant symbol of the government that has so enraged and befuddled them over the years.
All thanks to Lyster Dewey.
A small trade group, the Hemp Industries Association, bought Dewey’s diaries. The group’s leaders hope that displaying them for the first time on Monday — the start of what they’ve decreed the “1st Annual Hemp History Week” — will convince the universe that hemp is not a demon weed and was used for ropes on Navy ships and for World War II parachute webbing. The ultimate goal is to spur the government to lift the ban on hemp production, a policy that especially riles activists because foreign-produced hemp oils and food products can be legally imported.
Diary of daily progress
Dewey lived, at various times, in Washington’s Petworth and Shaw neighborhoods. In photographs discovered along with the diaries, he cuts a dapper figure in suit coats with vests and a top hat, or merrily pedaling a bicycle with the District’s iconic rowhouses behind him.
Dewey’s meticulously labeled diaries start in 1896 and end in 1944, the year of his death at age 79. They read like artifacts of a bygone Washington. In 1937, he goes “downtown by street car and up the avenue past the White House to see the beautiful reproduction of Andrew Jackson’s ‘Hermitage,’ which will be President Roosevelt’s reviewing stand tomorrow, then down to the Capitol to see the inaugural stands.”
Adam Eidinger, a consultant to the hemp association, stores the diaries in two sturdy, combination-locked cases. Pages are held together by fraying oxblood leather covers; others live in drab, gray notebooks.
“I’m getting the impression he was very disciplined,” Eidinger says. “He was hands-on — preferred digging around in Arlington Farms, rather than being in the office.”
As early as 1914, Dewey writes of inspecting hemp at Arlington Farms. For nearly a quarter-century, he carefully notes his quotidian progress as a grower and hemp advocate: “Thursday, October 19, 1922. Fair, cool. Go to Arlington Farm on the 9 a.m. bus and work all day,” he wrote. “Harvesting Kymington, Yarrow, Tochigi, Tochimington, Keijo and Chinamington hemp.”
The most powerful piece of evidence for hemp activists might be a photograph contained in an album with a battered black cover. In it, Dewey poses next to a stand of 13-foot-tall hemp plants. The caption reads: “Measuring a hemp plant 4 m. high. Arlington Farm. Aug, 28, 1929.” In a dress shirt with cuff links and tie, he looks every bit the part of the proud gentleman farmer.
Yard sale discovery
None of this might have come to light if not for sheer luck and a sequence of coincidences. It all starts last summer at a yard sale in Amherst, N.Y., 15 minutes outside Buffalo, where a man named David Sitarski was prowling for small treasures. For decades, Sitarski has dreamed of starting a Web site that archives historical artifacts from the Buffalo area.
Even though he’d recently been laid off from his computer-equipment manufacturing job of 20 years, Sitarski decided to pay $130 for the diaries and one of the two albums, thinking they pertained to Buffalo. He would have bought the second photo album, but another man snatched it up.
Six months later, Sitarski says, his wife spotted their yard-sale rival while running errands. Sitarski jumped out of the car and talked him into selling the photo album to complete his set. The man casually mentioned that there were hemp pictures within, and Sitarski started Googling. He didn’t make the Pentagon connection, but he quickly figured out that Dewey was a crucial hemp pioneer. Still jobless and needing money, Sitarski listed the material on eBay, asking $10,000.
A second man with a dream emerged: Michael Krawitz, a 47-year-old disabled veteran from the town of Ferrum in southwest Virginia. Krawitz has spent 10 years scheming to build a hemp museum that he hopes will inspire construction of similar museums throughout the world. “I picture myself with a team of people dragging some hemp artifact out of a mountain in Tibet,” he says. He spotted Sitarski’s listing but, alas, there was no way he could afford it.
But the hemp association could. The group has a sugar daddy: David Bronner, president of Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps, which has grown from a $5 million company to a $31 million firm in the past decade since adding hemp oil to its products to “improve skin feel” and produce a smoother lather. Bronner agreed to pay about $4,000 for the trove — an easy call, given his court battles with the Drug Enforcement Administration when it tried to ban food products containing hemp. Bronner was also arrested last October after planting hemp seeds on a lawn at DEA headquarters.
“It’s kind of ironic that we dug up DEA’s lawn to plant hemp seeds and highlight the absurdity of the drug war, but you take it back 50 years and that’s what the government itself was doing,” Bronner says in an interview from his company’s Southern California headquarters.
Now, first again, does everybody see the date, 1937? You may have thought that we have had a national marijuana prohibition for a very long time. Frankly, we haven’t.
The marijuana prohibition is part and parcel of that era which is now being rejected rather generally — the New Deal era in Washington in the late 30s.
Number two, you know, don’t you, that whenever Congress is going to pass a law, they hold hearings. And you have seen these hearings. The hearings can be extremely voluminous, they go on and on, they have days and days of hearings. Well, may I say, that the hearings on the national marijuana prohibition were very brief indeed. The hearings on the national marijuana prohibition lasted one hour, on each of two mornings and since the hearings were so brief I can tell you almost exactly what was said to support the national marijuana prohibition.
Now, in doing this one at the FBI Academy, I didn’t tell them this story, but I am going to tell you this story. You want to know how brief the hearings were on the national marijuana prohibition?
When we asked at the Library of Congress for a copy of the hearings, to the shock of the Library of Congress, none could be found. We went “What?” It took them four months to finally honor our request because — are you ready for this? — the hearings were so brief that the volume had slid down inside the side shelf of the bookcase and was so thin it had slid right down to the bottom inside the bookshelf. That’s how brief they were. Are you ready for this? They had to break the bookshelf open because it had slid down inside.
There were three bodies of testimony at the hearings on the national marijuana prohibition.
The first testimony came from Commissioner Harry Anslinger, the newly named Commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics. Now, I think some of you know that in the late 20s and early 30s in this country there were two Federal police agencies created, the FBI and the FBN — the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Federal Bureau of Narcotics.
In our book, I talk at great length about how different the history of these two organizations really are. But, the two organizations, the FBI and the FBN had some surface similarities and one of them was that a single individual headed each of them for a very long time. In the case of the FBI, it was J. Edgar Hoover, and in the case of the FBN it was Harry Anslinger, who was the Commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics from 1930 until 1962.
Commissioner Anslinger gave the Government testimony and I will quote him directly. By the way, he was not working from a text that he had written. He was working from a text that had been written for him by a District Attorney in New Orleans, a guy named Stanley. Reading directly from Mr. Stanley’s work, Commissioner Anslinger told the Congressmen at the hearings, and I quote, “Marihuana is an addictive drug which produces in its users insanity, criminality, and death.” That was the Government testimony to support the marijuana prohibition from the Commissioner.
The next body of testimony — remember all of this took a total of two hours — uh .. You understand what the idea was, don’t you? The idea was to prohibit the cultivation of hemp in America. You all know, because there has been some initiative here in California, that hemp has other uses than its euphoriant use. For one, hemp has always been used to make rope. Number two, the resins of the hemp plant are used as bases for paints and varnishes. And, finally, the seeds of the hemp plant are widely used in bird seed. Since these industries were going to be affected the next body of testimony came from the industrial spokesmen who represented these industries.
The first person was the rope guy. The rope guy told a fascinating story — it really is fascinating — the growth of a hemp to make rope was a principle cash crop right where I am from, Northern Virginia and Southern Maryland at the time of the Revolutionary War. But, said the rope guy, by about 1820 it got cheaper to import the hemp we needed to make rope from the Far East and so now in 1937 we don’t grow any more hemp to make rope in this country — it isn’t needed anymore.
If you heard that story, there are two things about it that I found fascinating. Number one, it explains the long-standing rumor that our forefathers had something to do with marijuana. Yes, they did — they grew it. Hemp was the principal crop at Mount Vernon. It was a secondary crop at Monticello. Now, of course, in our research we did not find any evidence that any of our forefathers had used the hemp plant for euphoriant purposes, but they did grow it.
The second part of that story that, to me is even more interesting is — did you see the date again – 1937? What did the rope guy say? We can get all the hemp we need to make rope from the Far East, we don’t grow it hear anymore because we don’t need to.
Five years later, 1942, we are cut off from our sources of hemp in the Far East. We need a lot of hemp to outfit our ships for World War II, rope for the ships, and therefore, the Federal Government, as some of you know, went into the business of growing hemp on gigantic farms throughout the Midwest and the South to make rope to outfit the ships for World War II.
So, even to this day, if you are from the Midwest you will always meet the people who say, “Gosh, hemp grows all along the railroad tracks.” Well, it does. Why? Because these huge farms existed all during World War II.
But, the rope people didn’t care. The paint and varnish people said “We can use something else.” And, of the industrial spokesmen, only the birdseed people balked. The birdseed people were the ones who balked and the birdseed person was asked, “Couldn’t you use some other seed?”
These are all, by the way, direct quotes from the hearings. The answer the birdseed guy gave was, “No, Congressman, we couldn’t. We have never found another seed that makes a birds coat so lustrous or makes them sing so much.”
So, on the ground that the birdseed people needed it — did you know that the birdseed people both got and kept an exemption from the Marihuana Tax Act right through this very day for so-called “denatured seeds”?
In any event, there was Anslinger’s testimony, there was the industrial testimony — there was only one body of testimony left at these brief hearings and it was medical. There were two pieces of medical evidence introduced with regard to the marijuana prohibition.
The first came from a pharmacologist at Temple University who claimed that he had injected the active ingredient in marihuana into the brains of 300 dogs, and two of those dogs had died. When asked by the Congressmen, and I quote, “Doctor, did you choose dogs for the similarity of their reactions to that of humans?” The answer of the pharmacologist was, “I wouldn’t know, I am not a dog psychologist.”
Well, the active ingredient in marijuana was first synthesized in a laboratory in Holland after World War II. So what it was this pharmacologist injected into these dogs we will never know, but it almost certainly was not the active ingredient in marijuana.
The other piece of medical testimony came from a man named Dr. William C. Woodward. Dr. Woodward was both a lawyer and a doctor and he was Chief Counsel to the American Medical Association. Dr. Woodward came to testify at the behest of the American Medical Association saying, and I quote, “The American Medical Association knows of no evidence that marihuana is a dangerous drug.”
What’s amazing is not whether that’s true or not. What’s amazing is what the Congressmen then said to him. Immediately upon his saying, and I quote again, “The American Medical Association knows of no evidence that marihuana is a dangerous drug.”, one of the Congressmen said, “Doctor, if you can’t say something good about what we are trying to do, why don’t you go home?”
That’s an exact quote. The next Congressman said, “Doctor, if you haven’t got something better to say than that, we are sick of hearing you.”
Now, the interesting question for us is not about the medical evidence. The most fascinating question is: why was this legal counsel to the most prestigious group of doctors in the United States treated in such a high-handed way? And the answer makes a principle thesis of my work — and that is — you’ve seen it, you’ve been living it the last ten years. The history of drugs in this country perfectly mirrors the history of this country.
So look at the date — 1937 — what’s going on in this country? Well, a lot of things, but the number one thing was that, in 1936, President Franklin Roosevelt was reelected in the largest landslide election in this country’s history till then. He brought with him two Democrats for every Republican, all, or almost all of them pledged to that package of economic and social reform legislation we today call the New Deal.
And, did you know that the American Medical Association, from 1932, straight through 1937, had systematically opposed every single piece of New Deal legislation. So that, by 1937, this committee, heavily made up of New Deal Democrats is simply sick of hearing them: “Doctor, if you can’t say something good about what we are trying to do, why don’t you go home?”
So, over the objection of the American Medical Association, the bill passed out of committee and on to the floor of Congress. Now, some of you may think that the debate on the floor of Congress was more extensive on the marijuana prohibition. It wasn’t. It lasted one minute and thirty-two seconds by my count and, as such, I will give it to you verbatim.
The entire debate on the national marijuana prohibition was as follows — and, by the way, if you had grown up in Washington, DC as I had you would appreciate this date. Are you ready? The bill was brought on to the floor of the House of Representatives — there never was any Senate debate on it not one word — 5:45 Friday afternoon, August 20. Now, in pre-air-conditioning Washington, who was on the floor of the House? Who was on the floor of the House? Not very many people.
Speaker Sam Rayburn called for the bill to be passed on “tellers”. Does everyone know “tellers”? Did you know that for the vast bulk of legislation in this country, there is not a recorded vote. It is simply, more people walk past this point than walk past that point and it passes — it’s called “tellers”. They were getting ready to pass this thing on tellers without discussion and without a recorded vote when one of the few Republicans left in Congress, a guy from upstate New York, stood up and asked two questions, which constituted the entire debate on the national marijuana prohibition.
“Mr. Speaker, what is this bill about?”
To which Speaker Rayburn replied, “I don’t know. It has something to do with a thing called marihuana. I think it’s a narcotic of some kind.”
Undaunted, the guy from Upstate New York asked a second question, which was as important to the Republicans as it was unimportant to the Democrats. “Mr. Speaker, does the American Medical Association support this bill?”
In one of the most remarkable things I have ever found in any research, a guy who was on the committee, and who later went on to become a Supreme Court Justice, stood up and — do you remember? The AMA guy was named William C. Woodward — a member of the committee who had supported the bill leaped to his feet and he said, “Their Doctor Wentworth came down here. They support this bill 100 percent.” It wasn’t true, but it was good enough for the Republicans. They sat down and the bill passed on tellers, without a recorded vote.
In the Senate there never was any debate or a recorded vote, and the bill went to President Roosevelt’s desk and he signed it and we had the national marijuana prohibition.
1956 and the Daniel Act
1956, we get another new drug law, called the Daniel Act, named for Senator Price Daniel of Texas. It is important to us for only two reasons. One, it perfectly reflects the formula again. What is the formula? Somebody perceives an increase in drug use in this country and the answer is always a new criminal law with harsher penalties in every offense category.
Where did the perception in 1956 come from that there was an increase in drug use? Answer: Anybody remember 1956? In 1956, we had the first set ever of televised Senate hearings. And whose hearings were they? They were the hearings of Senator Estes Kefauver of Tennessee about organized crime in America.
These hearings, which everybody watched on their little sets showed two things that we all know today, but it sure made their socks roll up and down then. Number one, there is organized crime in America and number two, it makes all its money selling drugs. There it was, that was all the perception we needed. We passed the Daniel Act which increased the penalties in every offense category, that had just been increased times four — times eight.
With the passage of each of these acts, the states passed little Boggs acts, and little Daniel acts, so that in the period 1958 to 1969, in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and Virginia was typical, the most heavily penalized crime in the Commonwealth was possession of marijuana, or any other drug.
It led to a mandatory minimum sentence of twenty years, no part of which you were eligible for parole or probation, and as to no part of it were you eligible for a suspended sentence.
Just to show you where it was, in the same time period first degree murder in Virginia had a mandatory minimum sentence of fifteen years. Rape, a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years. Possession of marijuana — not to mention sales of marijuana with its mandatory minimum of forty years — mandatory minimum of twenty years.
That is the situation in 1969 when we have a new drug law, the first one in this country’s history that does not follow the formula. It is the 1969 Dangerous Substances Act. For he first time in this country’s history, we have a perception of an increase in drug use during the Sixties, but instead of raising the penalties, we lower them. And, further, in the Dangerous Substances Act of 1969, for the first time we finally abandon the so-called “taxing” mythology.
In the 1969 Act, what the Federal law does is, it takes all the drugs we know — if you can’t fill in this next blank, you are in trouble — except two — which two? Which two are never going to be mentioned? Nicotine and alcohol. But, other than nicotine and alcohol — every other drug.
By the way, I tried this with the FBI for twenty years and they wouldn’t listen, and you won’t listen either but, I am going to try. If you are going to go out and talk about drugs and whatever you are going to do with drugs, will you please discard the entirely antiquated and erroneous word “narcotics.” Narcotics are drugs that put people to sleep. Almost all of the drugs that we are interested in today don’t do that.
So, in 1969, the Dangerous Substances Act gave up the effort to define what are narcotic drugs. What the 1969 act did, and what most state laws still do, is to classify all drugs except nicotine and alcohol by two criteria. What is the drug’s medical use? And, what is the drug’s potential for abuse?
We put all the drugs, by those two criteria, in schedules, and then we tie the penalties for possession, possession with intent to sell, sale, and sale to a minor to the schedule of the drug in question. Now, again, I am no good at this anymore, I have not kept up with the drug laws, I don’t know who is in what schedule, and many states have abandoned the schedule but, to give you a flavor of it: The first schedule, Schedule One Drugs were drugs that had little or no medical use and a high potential for abuse. What’s going to go in there? LSD, marijuana, hashish, they are all in Schedule One — little or no medical use and a high potential for abuse.
Then you get some medical use, high potential for abuse — what do you want there? Barbiturates, amphetamines,.
Then we are going to get what? High medical use and high potential for abuse. Morphine, codeine. Codeine is the best one because codeine is in almost every single prescription cough medicine and it is addictive as can be.
Then you go on down and get the antibiotics — high medical use, almost no potential for abuse, and there you are.
Once you schedule your drugs, you then tie the penalties for the drugs to the schedule and then, because in 1969 they wanted to reduce the marijuana penalties they had to deal with marijuana separately and did so.
But the 1969 act important for two reasons again: One, we abandoned the taxing mythology and; two, it was the first law in this country’s history that, instead of raising the penalties in every offense category, lowered them.
Well, then you know what happened. We get the War on Drugs. You know how it all went down. We got perceptions in the 80s that there was an increase in drug use, a great dramatic decision to declare war on drugs and, predominantly, war on drug users.
What I want to say to you is this, and this is where I think some of you are going to be a little surprised. You know as much about that process as I do. You watched it. You saw how we had one law after another, raising the penalties so that as late as 1990, thirty percent of the minority group population of the City of Baltimore who are male and between 20 and 29 are under court supervision for drugs. Thirty percent, that’s the number you are looking for.
The War on Drugs, a very interesting war, because why? It was cheap to fight. It was cheap to fight at first — why? You heard me in the “Recent Decisions” talk. What was last year’s big moment, and the year before? The change in cheap and easy forfeiture. Criminal forfeiture was used to make this a costless war. That is, easy forfeiture from those who were caught allowed us to pay for the war in that way. I think we are going to have some real questions about whether people want to pay for the war on drugs through their taxes because now the Court has made forfeiture much, much more difficult in their overall concern for property rights.
But here is what I think may surprise some of you. You guys know as much about the War on Drugs as I do. I didn’t come hear to talk, or to harangue, or to give you any opinions on that point. I think it speaks for itself. It is a failure and I think it will be judged as a failure. What I wanted to bring you instead was, instead of talking about that that everybody is talking about — and you guys will ultimately resolve it and you guys are the ones who are seeing all the drug cases, day in and day out, and always will, until this changes. But, what I thought I could bring you was the part of the story you hadn’t heard — how we got to where we were when the War on Drugs was declared.
The Situation in 1900
If you are interested in the non-medical use of drugs in this country, the time to go back to is 1900, and in some ways the most important thing I am going to say to you guys I will say first. That is, that in 1900 there were far more people addicted to drugs in this country than there are today. Depending upon whose judgment, or whose assessment, you accept there were between two and five percent of the entire adult population of the United States addicted to drugs in 1900.
Now, there were two principal causes of this dramatic level of drug addiction at the turn of the century. The first cause was the use of morphine and its various derivatives in legitimate medical operations. You know as late as 1900, particularly in areas where medical resources were scarce it was not at all uncommon for you to say, let’s say you would have appendicitis, you would go into the hospital, and you would get morphine as a pain killer during the operation, you would be given morphine further after the operation and you would come out of the hospital with no appendix but addicted to morphine.
The use of morphine in battlefield operations during the Civil War was so extensive that, by 1880, so many Union veterans were addicted to morphine that the popular press referred to morphinism as the “soldier’s disease”. Now I will say, being from Virginia as I am, that the Confederate veterans didn’t have any problems about being addicted to morphine because the South was too poor to have any, and therefore battlefield operations on the Confederate Army were simply done by chopping off the relevant limb while they drank a little whiskey. But the Northern troops heavily found themselves, as the result of battlefield operations and the use of morphine, addicted to morphine.
Now, the other fact that I think that is so interesting about drug addiction at the turn of the century, as opposed to today is who the addicts were, because they were the exact opposite of who you would think most likely to be an addict today. If I were to ask you in terms of statistical groups who is most likely to be involved with drugs today, you would say a young person, a male, who lives in the city and who may be a minority group member. That is the exact opposite of who was most likely to be addicted to drugs at the turn of the century.
In terms of statistical groups, who was most likely to be addicted to drugs at the turn of the century? A rural living, middle-aged white woman. The use of morphine in medical operations does not explain the much higher incidence of drug addiction among women. What does is the second cause of the high level of addiction at the turn of the century — the growth and development of what we now call the “patent medicine” industry.
I think some of you, maybe from watching Westerns on TV if nothing else are aware that, again, as late as 1900, in areas, particularly rural areas where medical resources were scarce, it was typical for itinerant salesmen, not themselves doctors, to cruise around the countryside offering potions and elixirs of all sorts advertised in the most flamboyant kinds of terms. “Doctor Smith’s Oil, Good for What Ails You”, or “Doctor Smith’s Oil, Good for Man or Beast.”
Well, what the purveyors of these medicines did not tell their purchasers, was that later, when these patent medicines were tested, many of them proved to be up to fifty percent morphine by volume.
Now, what that meant, as I have always thought, was the most significant thing about the high morphine content in patent medicines was it meant they tended to live up to their advertising. Because no matter what is wrong with you, or your beast, you are going to feel a whole lot better after a couple of slugs of an elixir that is fifty percent morphine. So there was this tendency to think “Wow! This stuff works.” Down you could go to the general store and get more of it and it could be sold to you directly over the counter.
Now, for reasons that we weren’t able to full research, but for reasons, I think, probably associated with the role of women rural societies then patent medicines were much more appealing to women than to men and account for the much higher incidence of drug addiction in 1900 among women than among men.
If you want to see a relatively current portrayal of a woman addicted to patent medicine you might think of Eugene O’Neil’s play “A Long Day’s Journey Into Night”. The mother figure there, the one that was played by Katherine Hepburn in the movies was addicted to patent medicines.
In any event, the use of morphine in medical operations and the sale of patent medicines accounted for a dramatic level of addiction. Again, between two and five percent of the entire adult population of the United States was addicted to drugs as late as 1900.
Now if my first point is that there was a lot more addiction in 1900 than there is today and that the people who were addicted are quite a different group than the group we would be thinking of today, my next point would be that if you look at drug addiction in 1900, what’s the number one way in which it is different than drug addiction today? Answer: Almost all addiction at the turn of the century was accidental.
People became involved with drugs they did not know that they were taking, that they did not know the impact of. The first point, then, is that there was more drug addiction than there is now and most of it was accidental.
Conclusion – The Issue of Prohibition
And one other thing I want to do with you this morning, and that’s this — I want to say one thing. To tell you the real truth, my interest isn’t in drugs, or in the criminalization of drugs although I think we should abolish the criminal penalties for drugs, and deal with it as the Europeans do in a medical way, but who cares? That’s an opinion.
What interests me though, isn’t drugs. What interests me is that larger issue, and the reason that I wrote the piece, and the reason they were my tenure pieces, I am interested in a much larger issue, and that is the idea of Prohibition — the use of criminal law to criminalize conduct that a large number of us seem to want to engage in.
And, for my purposes, — now, Professor Bonnie went on to be associated with NIDA and with all kinds of drug-related organizations and continues to be interested in the drug laws — I am not. My interest is in criminal prohibitions and, for my purposes, as a criminal law scholar, we could have used any prohibition — alcohol prohibition, the prohibition against gambling that exists still in many states. How about the prohibition in England from 1840 to 1880 against the drinking of gin? Not drinking, just gin — got it? We could have used any of these prohibitions. We didn’t. We chose the marijuana prohibition because the story had never been told — and it is an amazing story.
We could have used any of these prohibitions. We could have used the alcohol prohibition. The reason we didn’t is because so much good stuff has been written about it. And are you aware of this? That every single — you know how fashionable it is to think that scholars can never agree? — Don’t you believe that — Every single person who has ever written seriously about the national alcohol prohibition agrees on why it collapsed. Why?
Because it violated that iron law of Prohibitions. What is the iron law of Prohibitions? Prohibitions are always enacted by US, to govern the conduct of THEM. Do you have me? Take the alcohol prohibition. Every single person who has ever written about it agrees on why it collapsed.
Large numbers of people supported the idea of prohibition who were not themselves, opposed to drinking. Do you have me? What? The right answer to that one is Huh? Want to hear it again?
Large numbers of people supported the idea of prohibition who were not themselves, opposed to drinking. Want to see it?
Let me give you an example, 1919. You are a Republican in upstate New York. Whether you drink, or you don’t, you are for the alcohol prohibition because it will close the licensed saloons in the City of New York which you view to be the corrupt patronage and power base of the Democratic Party in New York. So almost every Republican in New York was in favor of national alcohol prohibition. And, as soon as it passed, what do you think they said? “Well, what do you know? Success. Let’s have a drink.” That’s what they thought, “let’s have a drink.” “Let’s drink to this.” A great success, you see.
Do you understand me? Huge numbers of people in this country were in favor of national alcohol prohibition who were not themselves opposed to drinking.
I just want to go back to the prohibition against the drinking of gin. How could a country prohibit just the drinking of gin, not the drinking of anything else for forty years? Answer: The rich people drank whiskey and the poor people drank what? — gin. Do you see it?
Let’s try the gambling prohibition. You know when I came to Virginia, this was a very lively issue, the gambling prohibition. By the way, I think it’s a lively issue in California. Are you ready for it?
Have you ever seen the rhetoric that goes around the gambling prohibition? You know what it is. Look, we have had a good time. We have been together yesterday, we have been together today, I have known a lot of you guys for ages. How about after the talk, we have a minute or two, let’s go on up to your room and we will play a little nickel, dime, quarter poker. Want to play some poker this afternoon? Why not? It’s a nice thing to do.
Would we be outraged if the California State Police came barreling through the door and arrested us for violation of California’s prohibition on gambling? Of course we would. Because, who is not supposed to gamble? Oh, you know who is not supposed to gamble — them poor people, that’s who. My God, they will spend the milk money. They don’t know how to control it. They can’t handle it. But us? We know what we are doing.
That’s it. Every criminal prohibition has that same touch to it, doesn’t it? It is enacted by US and it always regulates the conduct of THEM. And so, if you understand that is the name of the game, you don’t have to ask me, or any of the other people which prohibitions will be abolished and which ones won’t because you will always know. The iron law of prohibitions — all of them — is that they are passed by an identifiable US to control the conduct of an identifiable THEM.
And a prohibition is absolutely done for when it does what? Comes back and bothers US. If, at any time, in any way, that prohibition comes back and bothers us, we will get rid of it for sure, every doggone time. Look at the alcohol prohibition if you want a quick example. As long as it is only THEM — you know, them criminals, them crazy people, them young people, them minority group members — we are fine. But any prohibition that comes back and bothers US is done for.
Let’s just try the marijuana prohibition as a quick one. Who do you think was arrested 650,000 strong two years ago for violation of the marijuana laws? Do you think it was all minority group members? Nope. It was not. It was some very identifiable children of US — children of the middle class. You don’t have to answer my opinion. No prohibition will stand — ever– when it comes back and penalizes our children — the children of US who enacted it. And in fact, do you have any real doubt about that? Do you know what a fabulous sociological study we will be if we become the first society in the history of the world to penalize the sons and daughters of the wealthy class? Unheard of.
And so, yeah, we will continue the War on Drugs for a while until everybody sees its patent bankruptcy. But, let me say that I am not confident that good sense will prevail. Why? Because we love this idea of prohibition. We really do. We love it in this country. And so I will tell you what I predict. You will always know which ones are going out and which ones are coming in. And, can’t you see the one coming right over the hill? Well, folks, we are going to have a new prohibition because we love this idea that we can solve difficult medical, economic, and social problems by the simple enactment of a criminal law. We adore this, and of course, you judges work it out, we have solved our problem. Do you have it? Our problem is over with the enactment of the law. You and the cops work it out, but we have solved our problem.
Here comes the new one? What’s it going to be? No, it won’t be guns, this one starts easy. This one is the Surgeon General has what? –Determined — not “we want a little more checking it out”, not “we need a few more studies”, not “reasonable people disagree” — “The Surgeon General has determined that the smoking of cigarettes will kill you.”
Now, all you need, and here is my formula, for a new prohibition every time is what? We need an intractable, difficult, social, economic, or medical problem. But that is not enough. There has to be another thing. It has to divide by class — by social or economic class, between US and THEM.
And so, here it comes. ‘
You know the Federal Government has been spending a lot of money since 1968 trying to persuade us not to smoke. And, indeed, the absolute numbers on smoking have declined very little. But, you know who has quit smoking, don’t you? In gigantic numbers? The college-educated, that’s who. The college-educated, that’s who doesn’t smoke. Who are they? Tomorrow’s what? Movers and kickers, that’s who. Tomorrow’s movers and kickers don’t smoke. Who does smoke? Oh, you know who smokes out of all proportion to their numbers in the society — it is the people standing in your criminal courtrooms, that’s who. Who are they? Tomorrow’s moved and kicked, that’s who.
And, there it is friends, once it divides between the movers and kickers and the moved and kicked it is all over and it will be all over very shortly.
It starts with “You know, they shouldn’t smoke, they are killing themselves.” Then it turns, as it has — you see the ads out here — “They shouldn’t smoke, they are killing us.” And pretty soon, that class division will happen, we will have the legislatures full of tomorrow’s movers and kickers and they are going to say just what they are going to say any time now. “You know, this has just gotta stop, and we got an answer for it.” We are going to have a criminal statute that forbids the manufacture, sale, or possession of tobacco cigarettes, or tobacco products period.
You know that the cigarette companies are expecting it. What have they been doing? They have been shifting all of their operations out of the United States and diversifying like crazy. Where are they going to sell their cigarettes? In China, that’s where. And they are already moving, because they see it and I see it.
Ready? What are we going to have? You know what we are going to have. One day — when’s it gonna happen, ten years, fifteen? — some legislator will get up and, just as though it had never been said before, “You know we gotta solve this smoking problem and I got a solution — a criminal prohibition against the manufacture, sale, or possession of tobacco cigarettes.” And then you know what happens. Then everybody who did want a cigarette here today, if there is anyone here who smokes, you are going to have to hide in the bathroom. And cigarettes are no longer going to be three dollars a pack, they are going to be three dollars a piece. And who’s going to sell them to you? Who will always sell them to you? The people who will sell you anything — organized crime. You got the concept, we will go through the whole darn thing again because I am telling you this country is hooked on the notion of prohibition.
Let me conclude, and again this is my prediction — I will tell you I don’t think it is subject to opinion. Just look at it. Just take a look at what has happened now and what will happen.
SOURCES:
http://www.hemp.org/news/book/export/html/626
http://www.glenwoodsmith.com/hemphistorian/letter4.html
http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/library/studies/nc/ncmenu.htm
http://www.hempfarm.org/Papers/History_of_Drugs_in_the_US.html
http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/library/studies/nc/nc1a_2.htm
I have a dream…. i want to start a group and call it “Pot smokers untied… and we shall unite!” And Call for full rebellion, attract interest, unite supporters… and be comical about the address recently by the drug czar that simply made all users feel stupid.. noooo we are motivated for TRUTH AND EQUAL TREATMENT…. WE NEED TO COME OUT AND BE REAL…. WE NEEED TO START SMOKING OUR MEDS IN PUBLIC…. REFUSING TO PAY TICKETS FOR MARIJUANA, SKIPPING UNNECESSARY DRUG REHAB, PAYING FINES, ACTING LIKE WE DESERVE TO BE TREATED LIKE CRIMINALS… WE NEED TO ACT AS THOUGH THE LAW FORBIDDING FULL MARIJUANA USE IS ABOLISHED… WE PLEADED, PETITIONED, REBUTTALED… NOW WE NEED TO ACT…. I ONLY SEE CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE!!!! -HDT. Lets start planting????? I posted that before but i used the wrong email because i hit the wrong button on my new phone ruwwwest@gmail.com Rusty san bernardino/san diego CA
I wanted to start a CLUB of NORML members at my school but I am seriously LACKING support… PLEASE ADD ME ON FACEBOOK!!! “POSTNORML” is simply an IDEA…. POSITIVE ORGANIZED STUDENTS THRU NORML.
I have not been able to get all the papers filed and can’t start till I get 4 dedicated Board members who are CSUSB students… it’s help also if other University Chapters would respond to my emails…
So lets ALL gather seeds and play Jimmy Jamaica Man and plant thru-out the land. Make it sing and dance of wild wood weeds, for uncle sam is blinded and failing to see. We want weed more than we want thee. ( Thee of course being the Established Governing body causing so much unrest in OUR country) the ones supposedly working for us.
It’s taken four decades for the majority to swing from against to FOR the Legalization of Marijuana. But we just crossed that 50% mark and already we’ve created the largest White House petition campaign to date. Major tv stations and print media have reported both these milestones.
If the government response is still a dishonest regurgitation of pseudo science, it may be that they are corrupt, in shock, worried about re-election, or all three. In the meantime, if they don’t have the integrity or huevos to do the right thing and legalize marijuana, they should at least decriminalize it and stopping ruining people’s lives over pot. And we should continue making our voices heard! Poll after poll, petition after petition, election after election – we must continue to hold our officials accountable for this insane policy (I agree with Einstein too- see earlier post for quote).
Our response should be peaceful, loving and persistent. We’re the new paradigm. There’s no need to demonize our opponents; they’re often under the grip of that evil alcohol. Show compassion! Besides, a violent pothead is an oxymoron. Fill the bowl,lead with grace and style. In a couple of years, we’ll be at the two-thirds mark for legalization in America; it’ll be a slam dunk.
so let me guess…..NORML needs more money again to keep this thing going. I think careers have been made on both sides, and both sides used cannabis consumers as the work horses.
I bet Ron Paul would fold like all the rest of them. I’d actually like to see hime in office, because that would be the end game, if he can’t do it, get used to the way things are until the next revolution.
Fuck Kerlikowske, fuck the DEA and the ONDCP. I piss on them from a significant altitude
history does a civic body good!
“You read of the Creator in a book we communicate with the Creator directly” -Quanah Parker, Comanche chief, of peyote ceremony.
“Teach the difference between the green of the dollar bill and the green of Mama Coca” -Juan Evo Morales Ayma, president of Bolivia, Cocalero
want an excellent history story?
do a web search on the following:
THE FORBIDDEN FRUIT AND THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE: AN INQUIRY INTO THE LEGAL HISTORY OF AMERICAN MARIJUANA PROHIBITION — Richard J. Bonnie & Charles H. Whitebread, II
o.k. here goes my $2 worth-
T. Jefferson, who had at least 250 lbs hemp noted in his garden book inventory for the field hand’s homespun clothing, wrote on hemp paper – “the greatest service which can be rendered any country is to add an useful plant to it’s culture; especially a bread grain. next in value to bread, is oil.”
Monticello grounds need once again be abundant with Hemp to nourish the tilth which underlies all biovalue.
does the dollar symbol look like a “S” with one or two vertical lines? has it ever changed? does it matter?
the answer has something to do with 1970, coincidently same as the “wosd” ah hum?
International Sterling sometimes stamped IS or often on top of one another hence the need for a second vertical line to differentiate / denote dollars redeemable in fine .999 Ag.
…”gold window” closes, dollar sued at supremes.
result: fed reserve note looses the part about “redeemable in lawful money” now just “notes for “debts” (please read article 1 section 10) crucial for some sorta “real peg” so as to keep People honest. Solely fiat will do no good.
back then a lid of energizing giggle sativa reefer cost a Jackson and a troy ounce .999 fine Ag traded for a Lincoln.
summary: nixon hellish policy, then ford’s pardon under the rug, into the woodwork, behind the curtain.
J. Carter says legalize “an ounce federally and let states decide beyond that” – thwarted by ’79 embassy 54 hostages 444 days repugnant contra arms swap morass and an aide in some kinda pill scandal too.
under reagan rule the Cu penny went Zn alloy
and a four finger baggie o’ bud commanded a Benjamin Franklin (who incidentally printed bank notes on hemp paper)
special mention here:
psst! …Hey nancy! ready, set, go take a dirt nap! haul your “just say no” and “crack babies” an eggs frying in a pan w/u… we know better, thank you Not at all!
next ghwbush oil war 1 along w/ Panama’s noriega (still in lockup over $3mil or some such) nickel and dime bags repriced as $50/ eights. “We’ll lock em all up even if we need to build more prisons” – ghwbush
g h w bush’s faux setup crack rock buy at lafayette park, what could go awry?
…well how ’bout a prudent example w/ the truth so your kid i.e. w don’t go and start false wars of aggression / choice.
see daddy wave white powders to the t.v. cameras?
see colin powell wave white powders to the t.v. cameras?
yup them stuffs war crimes …bring ’em on!
wrath and vengeance be whose?
crimes against consciousness cost dearly.
was sorta on board w/ r. perot till he started with “won’t just fight but win” nonsense so jumped the little mad man’s ship.
saxophone slick willy “tried” joke for Arsenio Hall then flew blood and crip crack through Mina, Ar in c130s. trick hilly no better and little sells it well need not apply. we do not like nor want anymore.
obama talks well on other topics though hems / haws, flips /flops a lot on this Hemp issue. what was in that note that dubya left behind? change? don’t even believe he’s capable of changing daylights savings time back.
if neither snipers nor a nice teleprompter speech can “fix it” then obama is basically lame.
‘d love to vote against obama for laughing at the pothead’s plight and biden even more for sucking up to nixon’s “total war on public enemy #1” since ’72
Ever seen pictures of Nixon shaking hands w/ the astronauts fresh from The Moon? No? they were enclosed in an airtight Airstream trailer due to possible “moon germs”. they talked via microphones and speakers.
Contemporaneously then ‘prez had coined the whole “mj” pejorative / slur / foreign sounding term and “schedule 1” boogie man.
(used to be “mh” ’37 – ’68 …think t. leary had part therein) “fix them a good one” on audio tapes from w.h. as to how to deal w/ anti Vietnam War protesters.
mj or mh …both 9 letters 4 syllables and adding “medical” to the front end only sounds to ignorant independents similar to “baby killers” and “medical baby killers”. striking these word variants from our common lexicon / parlance will greatly add to ease of mass public debate and historic referencing.
sixteen years post soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan (blessings be upon you Kush) …Berlin wall fell.
How long post re legalization will “southern border fence” stand?
‘m Voting Green Party
who is that again?
idk, (o.k. perchance not. though it’d help future funding. 4 pillars and 10 key concepts are still valid: right?)
…or else write-in Bradley Manning and Mark Emory
(Please free them and all other political prisoners for all our good conscience’s sake.)
Liberation to and for Mama Coca, poppies ‘shrooms, peyote ayhuasca, ergot also. ibogaine, khat … good bet ‘m missing others.
anyways all Seeds and Nature and Bees and other biodynamic beneficial Lives also (how to stop?)
suggestion to future:
next go round on a “we the people” petition Quires …keep it concise, (about 150 – 250 words or so in length max) …and include a bit ‘o “creed” “domestic tranquility” “liberty” “peace” maybe also a little god / nature / creation and ancestors gifted us the seeds and all produce thereof to cherish / nurture for “prosperity” and to our “posterity”.
oh yeah and “Hemp” too. Food! Fiber! Fuel! Medicine! (Emperor Jack, we still Love you!)
the “w.o.s.d” is “Intolerable!” there comes a time when silence equals Betrayal, that time for US is Now.
(err …soon ‘m burn’ a dub) we Need Reason and will no longer bare dictum.
jus’ sayn’… though w/ many, we’ll ride bikes and electric carts and trains and tractors and garden harmoniously.
p.s. please feel free to edit for facts, concision, and readability prior to posting.
American farmer’s Creed
Hemp 4 food, fiber, medicine, machines
Seeds: God’s gift 4&2 all.
tilth health tranquility prosperity
I just wrote a lengthy few paragraphs in the feedback section of the “we the people” part of whitehouse.gov and gave them a piece of my mind i suggest everyone do the same.
(Even if they don’t listen at least it helped vent my anger towards this whole ordeal.)
It is actually ILLEGAL for Mr. Kerlikowske to advocate for anything other than to continue the prohibition of cannabis.
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Office_of_National_Drug_Control_Policy#Anti-legalization_Policy and associated source material.
The responsibility to respond to this petition was delegated to a person whom would be criminally liable to speak to the issue objectively and therefore is the wrong person for the job. I would suggest that NORML resubmit the petition specifically requesting that it be taken seriously and handed off to someone possibly in DEA or HHS who is able to speak to the issue objectively.
A “faction” has taken hold of our government. Unelected bureaucrats making policy decisions. Telling us what we can and cannot with regard to our own persons. The cancer of “law enforcement” is spreading. Ever so slowly, turning our society into a police state. It won’t be like a light switch going off, it’ll be infinitely slow, half a hair at a time. And if care is not taken, one won’t be able to fart without some government agency getting involved.
Then getting our rights back will be a real bitch !
The Office Of National Drug Control Propaganda is not the right agency to answer these petitions, since they are required by law to oppose legalization. It needs to be considered by an objective party.
test
# 225 THC Farmer : your solution is to remain a hypocrite. Getting busted changed that attitude for me. Hopefully you wont have to get busted to change yours.
#231 Jeff: Kerlikowski is a puppet. When he leaves another puppet takes his place. His job discription is “PROFESSIONAL LIAR, FACTS BE DAMNED”. It’s like a factory worker – the machine only works one way, no matter who is flipping the switch.
I’m sitting here now feeling helpless. What could we possibly do?
For now, I am definatly closing my account on WhiteHouse.gov, i hope you all do the same, its a silly place.
We are slaves.
We can have a larger impact on marijuana laws by continuing a focus on changing local laws. When the government has to overextend it’s reach to “control” marijuana consumers, we can win this fight. Don’t be discouraged! Keep fighting. Pressure your local and state governments to change their laws. The way I think about it… Federal elections are won by a larger voting block, whereas with local and state governments, we have a larger influence on the smaller voting block. Put the pressure on the polititicians who have no choice but to listen to us. Apparently the POTUS and Congress have no intention on using any logic when dealing with this issue. But the guy/gal running for local office needs to answer this question and go on the record too.
Let’s get more local officials and state representatives on the record. Let’s force them to make the right decision. We will win this fight.
P.S. The POTUS is a hypocrit… And if he’d been caught tokin’ or snorting coke, he’d be Mitch Daniels (Gov of Indiana).
They never answer the questions, they just keep beating around the bush cause they can get away with it.
In response to this and other propoganda statements I and others here (I’m sure) have recieved from their respective representatives, I have created another petition in order to deal with those few leaders who have decided to ignore who they represent.
Allow for the criminal prosecution of government officials for public statements of proven lies.
https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions/!/petition/allow-criminal-prosecution-government-officials-public-statements-proven-lies/Zlxtmt7t
http://wh.gov/b1Q
I we can’t get them to outright legalize it, now that there’s been sufficient scientific inquiry into the subject I say it is now time to start legal prosecution of leaders and government officials who intentionally and purposely promote lies and spread false dogma and propaganda. I don’t suppose there would be anyone else here who would also like to see those in leadership answer for their lies and falsehoods.
We cannot accept this insulting response! The White House is attempting to sweep this petition under the rug, but it needs to blow up in their face.
Stage a protest.
If 50,000 people told Obama that smoking cannabis is an individual’s decision and not the government’s while standing on his front lawn, I’m sure he’d at least start to listen.
NORML easily has the ability to organize something like this. Even if the turnout is only 5 – 10 thousand it would still leave a stronger impression than a few clicks on a website.
This country was designed such that the government should fear the people. A fact very evident in the “well-armed militia clause” if you will of the 2nd amendment. Though the exact opposite has become the accepted “norm”. People are wary of, often absolutely despise and at the very least don’t trust law enforcement in America. Which is a reflection of, to a large extent, the “war on drugs”, marijuana in particular. Many advocates of marijuana prohibition also want to outlaw abortion. Which was tried once before and did little other than cause more death from amateur/nin medical attempts. Do these political decision makers not learn anything from yesteryear? Hey uncle Sam:mind your own business.
I think they just gave us their best shot. Time to step into their swing go for a knockout. They look like they have a weak chin to me.
They can’t last many more rounds, they are tired and don’t have much left. If the Christian right that has supported them knew what went on in the prison system the majority of them would abandon them.
The Ayn Randers are starting to be outed for the Nazi’s they are and they are behind the corporate money fueling prohibition.
We can only win so long as we keep swinging.
I’ve seen a lot posted here. My response is more simple:
President Obama, you’re a wuss.
…meanwhile millions of Americans will light up or vape up and there’s not a whole hell of lot they can do about it. We’re like a school of fish. A few will get eaten but most will survive to grow and reproduce. Most of us will detect some vomit in our mouths too… just like Yellow cake did.
NEW PETITION: DEBATE NORML ON LIVE TV
Sign it here: http://wh.gov/b1A
I just received this drivel in my email inbox this is a bunch of intestinal debris. A replica of the same old dogma which proves the point that this regime is owned by the lobbyists of big pharma.
The rule of law has been subverted and has become the law of rule. Those that rule the law will become zealota, jingoes, and hypocrites.
Ray DiPasquale
I am very disappointed that the man I worked so hard to elect has left this issue to be handled in the same ignorant bureaucratic fashion as his predecessors.
I signed the petition and got the response this weekend. I, in turn, responded to the White House. I am so sick of the tired old lies they tell, and it doesn’t matter which party is in power, the lies are always the same. This is my response:
Regarding your response on legalizing marijuana: if the White House and Congress refuse to allow scientists to investigate marijuana then how in the world can you legitimately come to the conclusions you have come to?
Your ignorance on the issue is yet another reason that you Democrats have lost me. That and the fact that you are in bed with Big Pharma, Big Prison-Industrial, and Big Wall Street. My support for your party is over, and I warn you that I am not alone — far from it. Many good current and former Democrats and good progressives see you for what you are: politicians who are bought and paid for by the big money corporate interests. We are the 99% and we are sick and tired of your behavior. We are tired of you giving away everything to the corporate masters. We are done.
I won’t vote for another politician in either of the two corrupt parties ever again.
Take me off your lists — I no longer want to participate in your fake democracy.
POTUS is not getting my vote or money in 2012
I was really looking forward to what the government’s response would be, and I was sorely disappointed. How can they, after the tens of thousands of people showed their support, just shrug it off with the same propaganda that they have been dishing out for decades. It’s a sad world we live in when our “Government” prohibits something less harmful, and hundreds of time more beneficial, than Aspirin. For over a year now, I have watch people try to change the way things are, as in California, and be oppressed by the government. The fundamental freedoms that this country was based on, are being denied to us. U.S. citizens need to take a stand, it’s our duty to make things right!
What We Have to Say About Legalizing Marijuana*
By Gil Kerlikowske, Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy…edited for truth by Billy Seeds
When the President took office, he directed all of his policymakers to develop policies based on science and research, not ideology or politics.
So the following lies are going to be sold to you as science.
According to scientists at the National Institutes of Health- the world’s largest source of drug “abuse” research funded by the alcohol, tobacco and pharmaceutical companies – “marijuana” is a word that was made up by yellow journalist William Randolph Hurst to protect his vast fortune.
The current lies we are telling people about Cannabis use are that its use is associated with addiction, respiratory disease, and cognitive impairment although we offer no actual scientific evidence to back up these claims…so much for the science.
We know from an array of treatment admission information and Federal “data” that “marijuana” use is a significant source for “voluntary” drug treatment admissions and visits to emergency rooms…although we have no evidence that “marijuana” use is harmful and offer no data on the outcome of these “voluntary” drug treatment admissions and visits to emergency rooms…maybe next time.
Fabricated studies also reveal that “marijuana” potency has almost tripled over the past 20 years, raising serious concerns about what this means for public health if people have to smoke less of the potentially harmful plant material to get the same amount of the active ingredient – especially among young people who use the plant because research shows their brains continue to develop well into their 20’s…Of course their bodies should belong to them and they should be allowed to “develop” their brains in any way they see fit….At least in a Free country that is.
So we lie and say it is not a benign drug.
Like many, we pretend we are interested in the potential “marijuana” may have in providing relief to individuals diagnosed with certain serious illnesses.
This is why we continue to arrest, prosecute and jail patients with no regard to their health concerns.
This is also why the Federal Government continues to harass those who provide Cannabis to patients licensed by States that see through our bullshit and allow their patients to use this God given medicine to relieve their symptoms.
That is also why we ardently support the blocked research into determining what components of the marijuana plant can be used as medicine….at least until a pharmacuetical company can patent these components so they can be made into a pill we can sell you for $100.
To date, however, neither the FDA nor the Institute of Medicine have found smoked marijuana to meet the modern standard for safe or effective medicine for any condition.
Of course since we refuse to actually fund or complete the double blind trials I guess we will never know.
As a former police chief I used to love arresting “marijuana” users!
So much easier that going after actual criminals.
We recognize that legalizing marijuana would take money out of the pockets of the Corporations that are our Masters.
It would also harm the Mexican Drug Cartels that contribute heavily to our political campaigns.
It would eliminate 80% of the arrests for drugs…not good for the Prison-Industrial Complex.
It would only provide the answer to many of the health, social, youth education, criminal justice, and community quality of life challenges associated with the Drug War…We can’t have that now can we?
That is why the President’s National Drug Control Strategy is based on lies that were old and tired when we made them up in the 1930’s!
Emphasizing “prevention” and “treatment” while at the same time supporting “innovative law enforcement efforts”** that ignore public safety and do little to disrupt the supply of hard drugs entering our communities.
As a matter of a fact the Drug War has been so successful that the potency of Heroin and Cocaine are hundreds of times what they were at the beginning of the modern Drug War.
Preventing drug use is the most cost-effective way to reduce drug use and its consequences in America.
Honest education has been shown to be the most effective tool to prevent drug abuse among our children.
That is why we lie to them in such programs as D.A.R.E and equate Cannabis with actually dangerous drugs like Heroin and Cocaine!
And, as we’ve seen in our work through community coalitions across the country, this approach works in making wealthy communities healthier and safer.
Of course you poor folks are on your own.
We’re also focused on expanding access to drug treatment for addicts.
Of course on demand treatment is not available…you have to wait for help…unless you are rich of course.
Treatment works for addictive drugs.
No “treatment” is necessary for Cannabis as it is less addictive that caffeine!
In fact millions of Americans are in successful recovered from drug addiction and alcoholism.
No thanks to us of course.
And through our work with “innovative drug courts”*** across the Nation, we are improving our criminal “justice” system to divert non-violent offenders into treatment.
Although if they are non-violent it seems to be a waste of time arresting them in the first place but hey we have to keep our “treatment” centers full even if it means we violate peoples rights and lives.
Our commitment to a balanced approach to drug control is real…At least as real as anything based on lies can be.
This last fiscal year alone, the Federal Government wasted over $10 billion on misleading drug “education” and treatment programs compared to the just over $9 billion wasted on drug related “law enforcement” in the U.S.
Thank you for making your voice heard.
We will now continue to ignore you.
I encourage you to take a moment to read about the President’s approach to drug control to learn more of the lies.
*Marijuana – The fabricated name for the Cannabis plant.
Because everyone knew what Cannabis was and knew of it’s many benefits the yellow “journalist” William Randolph Hurst had to come up with a new name for the plant after the invention of a machine that processed Hemp.
Hurst stood to lose billions of dollars if Hemp were allowed to become industrialized.
Using his vast resources and Government connections, Hurst, created a smear campaign against a plant that still negatively effects our country to this day.
**Innovative Law Enforcement Efforts – ILEE – These include no knock warrants, police informants that are encouraged to lie, undercover police that use drugs, asset forfeiture, police militarization, coercion, drug dealing and murder
***Iinnovative Drug Courts – IDC – These are the courts that will take away your children if your spouse has a drug problem.
They will put them in foster care until they determine if YOU have a drug problem…even if there is no indication that YOU have drug problem.
While in State custody your children are more likely to be sexually molested or even murdered.
Stop breaking up families!
Learn the truth!
#6 Kevin Says:
Maybe it is time for NORML to occupy washington.
Agreed we also need to occupy the DEA they can’t arrest more pot smokers if they can’t leave the building.
Sorry, the earlier link doesn’t work:
http://wh.gov/bc2
“Place Tobacco in Schedule 1” – All of the following conditions are well documented by government research – I’d like to see how they get out of this one.
1. High potential for abuse
2. No medical use
3. No established safety
Might it be time for giant smoke-in on Mall in DC?
I Believe:
Having a software that watches ALL the positions of government is a simplistic idea but, it would be nice to have such; for decisions on votes “for or against” candidates in all office’s of our government who support our constitution! Any capable programers?!
An anti-greed freeware program!!!! Donations only. Yea that be good!
Put the software on auto-pilot for constant measure of the politicians working for Americans. One measure being the “supporting or condemning” by any and all candidates towards OUR constitution. The constitution which is our 1st. measurement of freedom.
It wasn’t broke and didn’t need repair. Make it what it was. Lets return to the founding fathers original draft of the Constitution. 🙂 The government that modifies it’s own constitutional freedom, looses it and it’s supporter’s/employer’s. It’s not that simple but it would be nice if it were. Again just dreaming. But the nightmare is real. So many innocent people put in jail for the hypocritical mindset of crooked politicians. When the proof from science is looking directly at them and they refuse to see it. Then there blinders are working. Making chicken shit commentary about the same old lies concerning the use of Cannabis will never fix the problem they the established rulers of American gov. have & are creating with this funked up war on freedom to use. If it is green and grows on this planet, it should be free of restriction. Leave the judgment of use to the people like it used to be. The medicine men/women of olden days weren’t wrong in there findings of herbals. Obviously the government is not out to protect an serve, its out to rule and control. Sounds to me that the wrong people have been voted into office and need replaced. If I have someone working in my shop and they lie about steeling from me, not only would I fire them, I would hire someone to kick that assets asset! I say start from the bottom and work upwards till clean. Lotta work. But time is uh wasting. (Just a note: Earlier I read that the THC levels have risen, and that the establishment believes that would be a danger). WTF?
THC raises conscious awareness and instills creativity in the adult mind. How is that wrong? It seems the Present Government is in hope of people control. We might become to creative and to consciously aware to control. Hell yea!!!!!! (Still Dreaming)
More like WE THE GOVERNMENT.
If legalization ever takes place, you will have to ratchet up your protests. If you think for one minute that these people are going to rollover and laydown just because a few hundred thousand sign a petition, you are nieve. If it was just about getting high, then maybe it would work. Its not, it has absolutley nothing to do with getting high or getting a buzz, absolutley nothing. Its about millions amd millions of dollars being diverted from some of the 1% thats in charge. Logging, Cotton, pharmaceutical, building materials, oil to just name a few. Dont you get it, HEmp and marijuana are real GAME CHANGERS. It also gives the 99% a better position so that even when there is a down turn in the economy they cant hold jobs over our heads. It sort of levels the playing field and the 1% definitley dont want that. Make your voice very very clear and loudly protest to all that will hear, if you are not a candidate that will legalize hemp and de-criminalize marijuana you can not be elected into ANY office in the Congress or Senate. That might work but we have to let them know this is how it is and not give in not ever. We will have to force them.
Well obviously the white house’s site is a super sham. It was obviously never meant to actually function. Just to be a nice site where people would “ooh and ahh” the “openess ” of the Obama Administration. Instead it has backfired on them showing them for the liars and hypocrites they truly are. I will be deleting my we the people account ASAP as the site is useless.
I think I may write about this and include a copy of NORML’s response and send it the Cain’s campaign to see if that man is smart enough to figure it out.
It’s true that smoking anything, including plant matter, is probably not going to do much good for one’s respiratory system. But marijuana does not need to be smoked! There are many methods for consuming marijuana, including eating the medicine in snacks, brewing it in tea, or vaporizing the medicine. Opponents of marijuana legalization never seem to realize this, or at least never admit it.
So again… WE THE PEOPLE don’t have a choice in what we do in a supposedly “free” country….
What a JOKE. I signed the petition, mistakenly believing that for once I would see a rational response to responsible marijuana users wanting legalization/regulation. Instead I got another typical, Drug Free America bullshit answer that just says how marijuana isn’t really safe and it won’t be legal because our system is nonsense. Why is alcohol legal…? If the reasons given are to be universal for drug legalization, then alcohol needs to be made illegal pronto. As well as most over-the-counter drugs because lets face it, they are way more dangerous and abused than marijuana is. The government is going to keep beating around the bush until we for once say we’ve had enough. Fuck them and their policies, because once MY generation steps into control it’s going to become legal. AS IT SHOULD BE. I’ve never made a stupid decision that harmfully affected myself or others while hitting the bong in the safety of my own home. I cannot say the same for alcohol…. I was not planning on voting for him because I am not satisfied with the job he has done thus far, but this just makes my decision a piece of cake. Thanks again, Obama! 🙂
@18 Sam Sharp: Personally, I think more than enough good Americans have suffered and died for us to be free already. If only we could get real representatives instead of bought and paid for puppets then no more violence would be necessary! I am pretty sure if we could bring every single American who has ever died while defending this country, that they would agree that prohibition is wrong and that this is not the kind of America they thought they were dying for!
We need a new petition asking the Obama administration to give a response directly about why current alcohol, tobacco and caffeine are legal and not marijuana. and there needs to be a no-red-herring clause in the petition
“66. Brandon Says:
October 29th, 2011 at 1:04 pm
Every time the prohibiitionists mention that pot potency has (double, tripped, quadrupled, etc…] this is a Perfect time to say, “Just like alcohol potency can ONLY be regulated if it’s made legal”, DUH!”
_______________________________
Dear Brandon,
while that may be a nice argument, there is a stronger one provided by Russ Beville if you had read the article:
“So today’s average marijuana is as good as yesteryear’s sinsemilla and today’s average sinsemilla is twice as good as yesteryear’s sensimilla. Anybody recall any deaths, riots, or serious social disorder due to the sensimilla of 1993? As we’ve said before, potency is irrelevant as cannabis smoking is a self-titrating behavior. You smoke to get high. If you have ditchweed, you smoke a lot to get high. If you have kind bud you smoke a little to get high. Less smoke in your lungs is a good thing and by that measure, smoking more potent marijuana may be a harm reduction strategy. Besides, it’s hard to take seriously any concerns about non-toxic 11.5% THC sinsemilla when the government approves of 100% synthetic THC Marinol and marijuana of any potency has never killed anybody.
But nobody here said cannabis was a benign drug, only that it is far safer than the two current choices of legal substances, alcohol and tobacco, and we’re wondering why we couldn’t just regulate cannabis like them?”
On 4/20/12 occupy the capital. PREPARE NOW…..
What we need to do is get off our butts and march on Washington. Protest this nonsense. Show them we are serious, as others have done. Show them that we won’t be ignored, that we aren’t stupid and that we are THE PEOPLE.
Big Pharma is the REAL problem here.Watch the documentary on Netflix called “Burzynski” you will be shocked to learn what Big Pharma does to the “competition” if they try to interfere with their profits.This Dr.Burzynski was curing CANCER at the rate of over 30% of his patients.Big Pharma is paying off the FDA to squelch its competition. They are doing the same thing with marijuana prohibition! Its PORFITS over People.plain and simple.and it gets me sick to my stomach that OUR Government would ALLOW such a thing
WOW!!!…
And not ONE article today online at MSNBC or CNN.
Not ONE!
Time to start the boycotts…
Let’s add Kellogg’s for dumping Michael Phelps, who won 16 Olympic records, and faced shame for a picture purported to show him at a party smoking out of a bong.
No charges were ever filed, but Kellogg’s dumped him as a bad example for the children of our nation. Meanwhile, President Obama has three times been in the news drinking beers on the job.
For anyone who doesn’t know by now, Amy Winehouse died of acute alcohol poisoning. As have a family member of mine and several friends. Others have died from cancer caused by tobacco use. Yet no one I know has died of cannabis use… so, What kind of Message is the President sending to our youth???
Time to begin The Cannabis Spring boycotts… starting with the three companies I mentioned above.
All is have to say is………..
RON PAUL 2012.
Problem solved.
Does this really come as a surprise? There needs to be a display of the masses like Occupy, only for legalizing marijuana. Ron Paul 2012. If we all stand together, he could win and we can finally have a serious talk about legalization.
Are you mad as hell! I am! Occupy Washington 4/21/12!
I wish our government would please stop trying too save me from every little thing I do. Our government is fear based. They never ever what anything too change. A bunch of grumpy old pricks. They made a stupid law that had no facts behind it and they are just proud too admit that they were wrong. Look at all the money they spend trying to save us from the evils of pot. When they could be making money by regulating marijuana and at the same time put a dent in the cartels. No they are Stupid Grumpy Old Pricks!
Why is Occupy happening? Well the FACT that government ignores the people and the FACT that GOVERNMENT is the problem…not the people.
I hope Occupy runs government into the ground for their crimes against the people.
thank you for the analysis….it was a slap in the face to get that email for the #1 ranked petition on the website. They should have ignored it cause us NORML people now know that Obama is not any different from any other US politician.
RON PAUL 2012
if you don’t have open primaries in your state or aren’t registered republican, do so just for this election so you can vote for Ron Paul and get our only hope for legalization into the White House. We can’t f*** this election up guys, we already f***ed it up in 2008 we can’t let ourselves be trampled on again. Obama is a traitor, his whole administration is a nightmare at worst and a bad joke at best.
This is my letter I wrote to the Goverment about marijuana legalization!
I am a U.S. Citizen. As one of the billions affected by our economy, as it goes in the wrong direction and sooner it will become worse than the debts we live with today. I believe this is the time to see “pigs fly” meaning desperate times call for desperate measures.
You must realize the answer is not a tax thing and as our constitutional rights on “We the People” have become so strict under state and federal control: rights, laws, rules, ordinances, mandates, regulations and prohibitions are at the brink of destroying peoples lives not to mention the wasteful spending destroying our government, for the people, the violations of our freedoms and rights within the Patriot Act and much more. “We the People” for decades have had a lot of leniency and patience with our Government. However each year an arm of government takes our rights away by adding laws, rules, ordinances, mandates, regulations and prohibitions. While each time the state or federal level adds more fuel to the problem. That takes another piece of our rights away while adding more money to the deficit that is now going at a rapid speed in a downward spiral each second.
My theory to slow down the unnecessary spending and the ever growing deficit. Cleanse Our Constitutional Rights from all city, county, state, federal: rights, laws, rules, ordinances, mandates, regulations and prohibitions. Our rights need to go back to a certain year and be restored, like restoring your computer. Our rights are the center of human kind. For the land of the free home of the brave. All the Super Committee’s should have a special meeting with: Justice Dept Attorney General Eric Holder and order him to have a special law group look at every law they put in but now to cleanse those laws unnecessary out of the law book and tell him that the state Attorney Generals should do the same. There will be a lot of stigma and controversy but this must be forced because we don’t have much time until a hyper inflation sets in.
The major one you must end is the “War on Drugs” because we are now at that exact same point in history as we were during the alcohol prohibition however much worse, for over 40+ years. It took many years for the increase from the start of Richard Nixon that declares a “war on drugs,” identifying drug abuse as “public enemy No. 1.”, from Nancy Reagan and her “Just Say No” campaign, part of the U.S. “War on Drugs”, prevalent during the 1980s and early 1990s, to discourage children from engaging in recreational drug use by offering various ways of saying no. For the selling on the streets, to the under ground black market of marijuana even cocaine that picked up highly in the 80’s and it did. From those past years they call marijuana the “gate way drug” where cocaine and heroin are the real “gate way drug” from recent studies. But every 4 years a new president has increase the war on drugs going forth with the cause of the problem but not looking at the source of the problem.
By denying new studies and reports of positives uses of drugs. There are past confidential records sitting in the record warehouse collecting dust that will tell the truth about drugs but time will tell if they ever will be release. Still millions now billions of federal funds for DEA, FBI and any other federal program dedicated to the “War on Drugs” going down the drain. Right now the DEA and FBI do not have enough money in there budget to keep this war going on. It is also coming to a brink of cutting boarder police too that will give the cartels a chance to sneak across the boarder again. In all the new reports this year from the Justice Dept says the drug war has failed, I ask you to read these reports. Mexican cartels these days are still on a killing rampage trying to get marijuana over the border into the USA and will pick back up this year as well. Obama wants to stop the war in Afghanistan but slowing doing a faze down, now the pentagon is cutting military bases this is all to save billions. Do you now think it is time to stop the Drug War and do a slow down faze as well. That this has been going on for over 40 years, much longer then 3 wars put together!
Law enforcement is still arresting people with small amount of Marijuana just by profiling. The Federal agents shutdown 26 medical marijuana dispensaries across Montana and 2 in the medical marijuana sanctuary city of West Hollywood, California last 2 months in their latest attack on patients and legitimate businesses. The DEA isn’t even supposed to be conducting these raids, wasting scarce funds, in the first place. In 2009, Attorney General Eric Holder issued a memo ordering an end to federal raids of medical marijuana dispensaries. Yet, despite his memo, federal agents have continued these operations sporadically for years, without regard for patients’, states’ or business’ rights. Because of that millions to billions of dollars of our tax money is still being wasted, is that what we want?
The DEA has stock houses full of Marijuana worth billion and billions of dollars for the government from marijuana secures. Instead of burning it sell it to marijuana research programs. Then reopen the list for medical marijuana patients “Compassionate Investigational New Drug Program” that George Bush Jr halted. Did you know there is only 4 people left on that program do you think it is time to re-regulate the program then open the list back up to the public to get over 40,000 on the list, it will also help to stimulate the University of Mississippi for the growing, buying and researching marijuana, that they have done since 1968. This will help pay off part of the trillions of deficit the Government is in.
Over 60% of the prison systems have prisoners serving time for marijuana it’s costing millions. Lots of states are cutting there law enforcements or converting the county sheriff to take over because there district doesn’t have the money to run a local police department. Some states are tired of arresting people with marijuana possession and just want to give up. If the legal system keeps on arresting people for simple marijuana possession the more the ripple affect from the dept. of corrections systems to cities, counties and state and federal. Funds will keep on increasing wasting millions to billions of tax payer dollars in law enforcements. Not to mention the eternal mark on a persons record for a non-violent marijuana possession, removing any chance for financial aid for schooling in the future to limiting potential jobs and cancelling out a lot of other furthering opportunities, due to a simple marijuana possession. Over crowed prisoners, cuts in correction/police officers that is going on now from local police depts. Some cities already cut small town officers now converted counties for the sheriff to take over. Strikes of unions of fire and police officers is now under fire from most states that has no other choice than to layoff. They have no choice now but to be lenient on certain crimes.
Obama said in his speech, he wants clean energy reform of new factories that manufacture clean energy products because oil is on a rise of part of the domino affect of loss jobs. There is now intervention to make clean energy from: wind, hydro, algea, corn, electric cars and much more. One of the cleanest most efficient energy is hemp, which can produce food, essential nutrition, , shelter in Hempcrete and other building materials, rope, paper, clothes, it has the potential to rid our society of our reliance on foreign fossil fuel as gas as hemp bio-fuel. It can be a big boost to stimulate the economy now to bring back more jobs to states that are suffering NOW. Now you know gold prices has been going through a up and down faze recently. If you legalize it can be a free for marijuana and hemp to be on the stock market it would go over the roof surpassing gold as the green gold.
Like I said before, I believe this is the time to see “pigs fly” ‘desperate times call for desperate measurers’! This is the time to really end the marijuana prohibition for good and cleanse other prohibitions that are not needed as well. Right now our budget is at an all time low and the government is on the brink of cutting federal programs with a government shut down. Both sides democrats and republicans are still at a loss. Time is ticking if congress can not come up with a plan to save the programs soon before Government shut downs, we will have more homeless people on the streets like the great depression but now they call it hyperinflation. We are coming to the breaking point of a Great Depression part 2. This is a bill that must get passed ASAP even though the stigma about marijuana and drugs from U.S. congress and U.S senate is at a negative about it.
Look at “We the “People” on the White House web site there is a petition for Legalize and Regulate Marijuana in a Manner Similar to Alcohol. Over 50,000 and climbing every day by the end of the month of the dead line I believe there will be over 100,000 petitions from “We the “People” OPEN YOU EYES THE DRUG WAR AND MARIJUANA PROHIBITION HAS FAILED! Do you think it is time to show a level of action not bickering! It is time to end this 40 year old curse to THE DRUG WAR AND MARIJUANA PROHIBITION but only Obama can end the curse with a sign of a pen, I know he is not going to like it but he has no choice at this time to help cut the budget.
Let’s look at my theory, a picture of Marijuana and Drugs phase down:
Phase 1: Allow medical marijuana in all states (that is happening in some states).
Phase 2: Decriminalize marijuana and scheduled substances that are less harsh for 21 and older.
Phase 3: Order a release all inmates from all states with a non-violent marijuana/drug possession charges.
Phase 4: Regulate and add a marijuana sin tax for replacement revenue but rise it up slowly like cigarettes.
Have a study group watch these phases happen. Then after 1 year have a report come to the president’s desk to see the statistics. I guarantee there is decline in marijuana and drug activity from the cartels to gang activity as well. What I’m saying is to get rid of the source of the problem, to end the negative ripple affect that will decline in time. This will also help cut the unnecessary spending of Local and Federal funds, DEA, US Marshals programs, and eventually even Border Police. This also will give the other states there free will back and less control from state and local police officers, so it can get the monkey off there back, less petty crime to worry about, more to focus on serious crimes that’s imminent to come very soon for the way the economy is going now. It will also give the freewill back from humans to make their own choice if they want to do recreational marijuana or not. This will stimulate the government with the revenue marijuana tax putting more budget money back in the treasury where it belongs. If you look at, in a matter of months to years billions of dollars will come back to stimulate the government from the deficit’s the government is losing every second of the day but doing this will reverse the deficit to the positive. With hyperinflation on the rise this is the time to cleanse Marijuana Prohibition even drug prohibitions not needed. I ask the Federal Government from Capital Hill to the White House look at this seriously as a budget cut necessity. I pray that the USA still can stand strong even though tough times we’re going through right now. GOD BLESS THE USA!
Well this just proves Obama is an inexperienced Bafoon, a Liar and a one termer. Gerlikowski is a fool owned by an inexperienced Bafoon, Liar and one termer.
What happened To “By the People, For the People” Point Blank-
No matter what is said, or done – Manna is still a Sacrament in the Genesist Faith. Nothing will ever defeat that. They will all die of old age before they get anywhere near defeating that – which will never occur.
I am afraid we have been petitioning the cartel leader himself to legalize cannabis. Between the money the gov gets from the big pharma lobby, the alcohol lobby, rehab industry lobbying, prison industry lobbying, drug enforcement lobbying, and the street drug sales themselves (yeah, I said it) they have perhaps the biggest stake in keeping drug dealing alive and well.
So we probably have a better chance of getting some relief from the Insane Drug War Posse by petitioning Zeta. Government as an institution is loosing its relevance.
Thank you for your good work. I have regularly voted for the marijuane party in Canada for years. However, it did not stand in the last election. We now have a right wing party in a majority government and they are toughening the marijuana laws with compulsory longer sentences for posession. That is just the start of it. Gun laws are being loosened as well. Science is gone from the agenda here as in the US.
I like everyone have felt the slap on face again.
Obama has made my decision to not vote for him easy.
There are many here that support Ron Paul though I admire him, his Libertarian ideals remind me of the HBO series DEADWOOD. That’s not the America I want to live in.
I support Gary Johnson for president.
Ron Paul 2012!
This is an OUTRAGE ENOUGH is ENOUGH these people just dont get it.
Doesn’t matter I’m still going to smoke every single day no matter who tells me I can or can not. I do whatever I want, I’m an American. The government is just making gangs and drug dealers richer, while ruining innocent peoples lives with criminal records.
I am so glad you posted this in response. I, too, received this canned response from “The White House” and was offended. This morning I read an article at Cracked . com that was called Five Logical Fallacies that Make You Wrong More Than You Think. It helped me to understand why our government will never listen to reason, facts, or science. And will never change until the people in the government and their ideals change. We cannot change the minds of close minded individuals. But we can stop voting for them.
What’s the point of having these petitions if all they are going to do reiterate the same tired lines? I would at least expect they would reference all the anti-cancer stuff on the NORML website.
To purposely ignore the studies showing the anti-tumor properties of marijuana is a monstrous malfeasance.
My dad died of colon cancer at 67. I’m 62. Get the point?
cj-comment above (Big Pharma is the REAL problem here. Its PROFITS over People) is so spot-on.
The big pharmi is pulling strings they should not have access to. They are like a financial terrorist. They should be arrested and corrected in there behavior towards the American people. Making profits is good, but inflicting greed on policy is to my mind an act of financial terrorism. If Government want’s to stop terrorism start at the fund raisers for terrorism’s. The federal reserve, the tobacco industry just to name 2. There is nothing federal about the federal reserve. It is just a greed machine with it’s multitude of fingers in my/our pie. I don’t want to share my pie with them. And the tobacco industry, how can some one who has had connection with so many deaths sleep. Millions have died from tobacco. Thanks allot T. Roosevelt for giving my grandkids tax’s to the F***edup reserve!
as i have stated before, the congress, the senate, and both political partys should be abolished and put citizens in office that could do a better job and respect the american constitution and our religeous beliefs
This has to be the most stereotypical response, the same exact one the government has been using over the past 50+ years. If they were committed to the reasons they provided then ALCOHOL and CIGARETTES would BOTH be ILLEGAL as well!
I guess we won’t get anywhere with an Obama administration. Too many people of the Status Quo embedded in it. I can’t believe that a desicion that would have weakened the cartels and would have provided revenues to the nation was brushed off based on faulty science and an interest to protect the Pharmaceutical companies. Shame on this administration!
This really sucks. I didn’t expect things to change from signing an online petition, but I did expect a legitimate response. This is completely unacceptable. People are exploding over this on forums all over the net. NORML should help lead a DC rally next spring. There are small factions of people already coming together to do just that. It would be amazing to have this organization lead the way.
I believe they call this rectal-cranial inversion.
NEWS FLASH, BOOZE LINKED TO BREAST CANCER! Drinking causes way more death and destruction than we previously gave it credit for!
Total double talk!! Gil Kerlikowske and the pharmaceutical industry are riding a taxpayer-funded drug-war gravy train, backed by (oh the betrayal) President Obama. Will they get off anytime soon? HELL NO.
They are targeting doctors and sick people as well as casual users in this colossal waste of money, without a showing a shred of empathy for those of us caught in this mess, WORSE… they recommend “drug addiction treatment”? Ha!!
Is there a treatment for stupidity? Does it work? Because Gil Kerlikowske could definitely benefit.
I am done with them. I am a chronic pain patient, jerked around by these clowns one time too many. I am getting my card ASAP. I will be growing my own herbs, managing my own pain, and healing myself on my own terms.
To hell with the medical establishment, their pandering to the phara companies and DEA, and the lies lies lies, BOLD FACE LIES.
The only way to make my vote count this year is to NOT vote at all.
Medical marijuana makes my life workable, I use topicals for the neuropathy in my right leg and foot, about eight inches of the numbness is now back to life and NORMAL feeling.
The nausea I experience from gastroparesis is relieved, I have not vomited since I got my perscription for mmj in August of this year (one month before all the harassment by the feds began)/
AND the joint pain, back pain, knee pain and every other part of my body that chronically hurts, is relieved when I smoke about a pencil eraser size of my medicine, which is marijuana.
I didn’t smoke for the last 20 years but decided to give it a try since there was NOTHING else that worked, and I was sick of VICODIN. Let me tell you that stuff is alot harder to kick than anything else I have ever tried. Somedays, the MJ has a residual effect and I do not have to use it on day 2, so I don’t.
There are TOO many legitimate patients to close dispensaries and burn out legal growers. I won’t vote for Obama again. NO WAY.
I cannot grow my own either, I am an older woman, in a wheelchair for outings, not working, on a low fixed income. Going to a dispensary is the only alternative for me, unless they start selling MJ at WalMart.
Come on, can’t we do something that will actually work to keep our California laws in force?
thanks for being here….
This is tyranny.
“The Obama White House has released its official response to the “We the People” online petition for marijuana legalization submitted by NORML. The petition, which garnered 74,169 signatures, was by far the most popular petition submitted…”
Simultaneously,
“More recently, the penalties for crack were reduced to bring them more in line with those for powder, and Tuesday was the first day inmates locked up under the old rules could get out early.”
http://www.mail.com/news/politics/810888-inmates-freed-crack-penalties-eased.html#.7518-stage-subhero1-0
http://www.mail.com/news/politics/810888-inmates-freed-crack-penalties-eased.html#.7518-stage-subhero1-0
Crack is EVERYTHING that they claim cannabis is-
and yet they lighten up on it-
but cannabis, which is clearly not like what they depict,
nor their propaganda in Reefer Madness-
is still harsher handled
this SHOULD be bigger than OWS
WS is just BS
but this…
THIS IS TYRANNY.
We cannot put up with these corrupt politicians any longer. The only people they favor is the big corporations lobbying them. The only way to go is a direct democracy. We the people have to Occupy america
You know the drill..
https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions#!/petition/offer-response-marijuana-legalization-petitions-isnt-written-someone-legally-required-oppose-them/wgxxsCqV
One person can make a difference. After years of commenting on anything related to cannabis my local news web site redid thier website and now they’re are no comment boxes on any stories.
i just can’t ‘get over’ the absurdity of it all…it’s perfectly fine 2 use alcohol and cigs-no problem…but God forbid we ingest cannabis…what pisses me off is knowing that f@&%!&g politics r behind this-just watch ‘prohibition’ on PBS 2 go back 2 how it all began- starting w/ hemp becoming illegal. I agree that we should have a ‘Occupy Washington’ and across the country mass demonstrations! My sign will say, Grandmothers 4 Grass!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A vote for Ron Paul is a vote for Freedom. When once in
office, the FDA can be abolished. These administrative
agencys are the bulk of the problems that Americans
face. Don’t let the bought and paid for TV news tell
you who to vote for. This has been the case election
cycle after election cycle. Ron Paul is ignored because
he brings real answers that favor the people and not
the Banking interests and big corporations. Use your
head, if they don’t want him, the people should. A vote
for any of the other insiders is a wasted vote.
Radical evangelical extremist Christian terrorist types have taken over the GOP thus control of our country. Remember, the people don’t even elect the President. And I can assure you that since the GOP Is home based in the Waco Tx, The same central Texas town that the Southern Baptist Convention is based in. assure you that not only will the GOP run their hand chosen, bought and paid for, Tx Gov Perry for President, but if elected, he too will be given a ranch nearby as to come down on a monthly basis to receive his marching orders. Chilling thought I know, but that’s reality unlike the Legalization of Marijuana which America’s religious terrorist will never allow to happen.
While support for each of the Republican front runners has fluxuated greatly, Ron Paul has moved from 8% to 12% support and maintained that support while we endure each flavor of the month and watch their numbers soar and crash.
Marijuana is a freedom issue, not a Democrat or Republican one. Neither party has shown very much respect for your freedoms with these massive taxes, wars, PATRIOT act, etc. Obama is just as bad as Bush was in this respect!
Let’s not compare MJ to the dangers of alcohol or tobacco. That is a distraction. Sure MJ is safer than those other drugs, but everything should be OK. It is going to be produced by the tobacco companies and probably sold in the liquor stores anyway. Why can’t we have all three in a free country?
By the way, I don’t understand anyone who thought Obama was going to change anything. He didn’t do a thing for America. And it is *not* because of “the Corporations” or “Capitalism.” He was always this way, a selfish man who admitting to smoking pot (and enjoying it!) but is too elitist to let us have that same freedom.
And he certainly isn’t a friend to business!
Yet he is the President! He smoked pot and became President but the rest of us unwashed masses would be harmed if we smoked! What a hypocrite!
When (not if) marijuana becomes legal it will be due to a large effort of will on the part of the American People. R.J.Reynolds will be first in line to grow and manufacture the cigs, right next to the tobacco plant, believe me.
Oh yeah, politicians, DON’T TAX IT. You didn’t want anything to do with it so don’t you jump on and pick my pocket after it becomes legal. Let us have one damn thing in this country without a huge extra tax on it!
I don’t even smoke weed or drink but I believe everyone should have the freedom to eat, drink or smoke any damn thing they want to.
Vote Ron Paul, seriously. Look him up on youtube where he told an audience of college students this very thing. Don’t look at the “D” or “R” next to the name, look at their ideas.
It sure takes audacity to block and sabotage what for some is their only form of relief from the pains this world provides for free in abundance.
Our President will have to answer to Jesus Christ, like all of our Presidents for their wrongs done against the American People and the Nation of Israel. These Politicians forget their creator when they enter office. Too Bad for them The Creator has a long memory and he loves us all . Perhaps, when we get to Heaven and look for our ex Presidents, and can’t find any, we will be told that since they spent their terms stopping people from having fun, that Heaven would be too much for them, and that to truely appreciate Heaven and all it’s wonders that they needed to be put through the same Hell that they allowed their countries to endure. I Personally forgive all of them. But I know that their are millions who will never forgive them. What increadibe joy!!!!
Yup, they did it again, if you ask me I think there is a DIRECT correlation between the 1% who own everything and the 99% they control. All the 1% needs is support from a small majority to justify crimes upon humanity itself. I’m going to vote Ron Paul because there is at least a sliver of hope that he can cause change, whether or not the 1% will fight him. I think above everything else he is the head of a revolution occurring across america which decides they are tired of the 1% of bullshit spewing out of their rich *@&%#. Every pot smoker, Vapor inhaler, and thc eater should get OFF their butt and vote for the guy cause he is the only candidate who actually knows what the people want, what he does in office is completely his choice so why do we have follow their choices? O washington’s hypocrites, you gotta hate em, but gotta love em too cause they are some dumb mother#$@%&*s.
Thanks Obama 🙂 Thanks for nothing 🙂
With the blessing of the president Washington will now start shutting down state legal marijuana dispensaries. If they haven’t started, expect the DEA raids to start soon. Also, if you own a medical marijuana card, they could come knocking on your door.
I just started a petition on the White House petitions site, We the People. It is a petition to protest how the white house ignored the “We the People” petitions for marijuana law reform. Too many go to jail for simple possession. It is time to end this prohibition! Will you sign it? http://wh.gov/b2x
Just legalize it
Both General George Washington and former President Thomas jefferson raised Hemp as a crop.
Do we really have less rights than Washington and Jefferson, or is this alleged loss of rights an illusion ?
This is such a sensitive subject; Americans are split almost evenly on the issue, and yet our politicians, who are never in agreement, all agree. They think that marijuana should not be legalized, and won’t even hear arguments for legalization, and there are arguments. Arguments that are both sound and rational for legalization. In my opinion we must make our law makers hear the argument for legalization.
Whether you are for or against legalization you must recognize that our law makers need to hear the concerns of the American people, and on this, they are not listening. They need to realize that they are at the mercy of the people, but they have forgotten. We need to remind them that if they don’t represent the wants of the people they won’t represent us at all.
We need to speak up about what we, the American people want. This isn’t an issue of whether marijuana should be legalized; it is an issue of the government not listening to the people. We live in America, and as Americans we have the right to have our voices heard.
In my opinion people aren’t as split over the issue of legalization as the polls make them seem. I believe that people are divided into those who don’t care about the issue, and those that see prosecuting these law breakers as a waste of money and resources. More people need to care. It isn’t about the marijuana; it is the principal of the issue that bothers me; by wasting money and resources on criminalizing marijuana, we are not spending it were we should; that money should be going to help the economy or feed the poor.
There are so many issues that are so much more important to the American people then prosecuting those who use an illegal but harmless drug, and it is harmless, at least compared to the common alternatives. Marijuana is nowhere near as dangerous as cigarettes or alcohol, and yet they are both legal. It is nowhere near as dangerous ‘spice’ nor is it a ‘gateway’ drug. It is a useful plant that happens to have a chemical in it that can produce happiness in people when they ingest it. Is that really so horrible?
This article addresses some very important issues. It clearly shows that while the presidents policy makers say that they want to create policies based on science and research, not ideology or politics, they are not doing what they said they would. They are using a few small scale studies that are often decades old to write polices, while ignoring the large scale research studies done independently that have proven time and again that marijuana is harmless.
One of the governments biggest oppositions to decriminalizing marijuana is that they say it is addictive, and it is, but no more so then caffeine, less then half as addictive as alcohol, and barley a tenth as addictive as tobacco. They also want people to believe that the withdraw from marijuana, for the seven percent that do become addicted, is worse then it is for other substances. It has been conclusively proven that the rare withdraw is not worse though, that it is actually only comparable to caffeine withdraws, and as any coffee drinker knows, while it is not comfortable, it doesn’t interfere with daily life the way alcohol or nicotine withdraws do.
The worst part of the governments refusal to hear the case for marijuana decriminalization or legalization is that they are making up reasons not to instead of using irrefutable facts. it gets worse though, the latest petition about legalization which gained a record seventy-five thousand signatures, wasn’t about whether or not cannabis is harmful, which was all the governments response focused on, it was whether we should consider regulating cannabis like the far more harmful substances, alcohol and tobacco, and yet they never addressed the actual question. The government response only listed all of the stereotypical arguments against marijuana which have been disproved multiple times.
It is time that the government starts listening to the people again, and the people say that such strict regulations on a harmless plant are wasteful and pointless. The ten billion dollars that the president has allocated to stopping the trafficking of marijuana, and educating people against it, are going to waste. That money could be being used to feed starving children or help our economy, but it is not. It is being used to continue prosecuting those who use a drug that has been proven harmless by the very scientists that the government claims say it is harmful. It is time that we send a clear message to our politicians that they are there to represent the wants of the people, and that if they don’t, they won’t represent us at all.
You rock jilly Jilly Says:
November 1st, 2011 at 9:29 pm
Rt. on -Ben Says:
November 1st, 2011 at 10:14 pm
A great comment: X2 = Spider Murgatroyd Says:
November 2nd, 2011 at 11:02 am
@356 Ginger: Very well put Ginger! Very well indeed! I’m pretty sure everyone except the occasional trolls that peruse this site will agree with you 100%!
The time has come to ignore these people. They won’t listen to us and they won’t budge because there’s big money in sending people to prison. There laws are bogus. No sense following them AT ALL. Norml can do what they want, but if some cop tries to come after me for possession then there will be one less cop in the world. They have had their chances for reason. Keep on fighting the good fight the right way, but the people need to just start shooting the fuckers.
fuckin eh? STICK TO THE MAN WHO TRIES TO KILL US WITH ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO BUT WONT LET OUR MINDS EXPLORE AND BECOME MORE INDEPTH WITH MERI JUAANNNA.
ohh im sorry i swore. i was only expressing my gratitude for your work and utter appreciation for people that dont have smallmind-syndrome or confederitis, like yourselves. BRAVO, BRAVO.!!
Obama is ruined now for 2012 his simple disrespect for the thousands of people who signed these petition and the audacity of the White House to not singly discuss each petition, they were all different The Cannabis Culture is far more populous than they realize.
It’s frustrating to have to argue the use of a substance we all know is less harmful than others currently legal with ingnorant people in power positions knowing they dont care.
Lets keep trying. I for one will never stop fighting till we get what we know is right.
Racism
Fear
Protection of Corporate Profits
Yellow Journalism
Ignorant, Incompetent, and/or Corrupt Legislators
Personal Career Advancement and Greed
These are the actual reasons marijuana is illegal.
http://www.drugwarrant.com/articles/why-is-marijuana-illegal/
When the US Patent Office issued Patent #6,630,507 in 2003, to an agency of the US Federal Government (NIH), the DEA should have immediately moved Cannabis from Schedule 1 to Schedule 3. I have not heard the argument relating to how shrinking cancer tumors is NOT a medicinal property of Marijuana, as stated in the patent.
Is this the same NIH that figured so prominently in the “Official White House reply?”
Its clear my votes going for Ron Paul, someone who believes in the….
9th Amendment
The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed(interpret) to deny or disparage(belittle) others retained by the people.
and
Fourteenth Amendment
Section 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; NOR SHALL ANY STATE DEPRIVE ANY PERSON OF LIFE, LIBERTY, OR PROPERTY, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
To the people who think the petitions moving to regulate alcohol and tobacco are a bad idea you aren’t thinking about it correctly. The point of the petition is not to actually make these things illegal. It is to point out the hypocrisy that the government endorses the use of alcohol and tobacco, and then says pot should be illegal. When all of their reasons for pot being illegal can also be said about alcohol and tobacco. So please sign these petitions and we’ll laugh as they try to explain this hypocrisy.
Gil says:” To date, however, neither the FDA nor the Institute of Medicine have found smoked marijuana to meet the modern standard for safe or effective medicine for any condition”.
Most serious medical marijuana patient’s use a vaporizor.
Even though there is evidence that the Egyptians inhaled vapors going back to 1500 BC
Inhalent’s are an effective way of delivering the ‘compound” much quicker than ingesting,and just as fast as an injection without having to be metabolised in the normal manner.
Modern day medical uses for” Pharmacuetical- Inhalents” include treatments for: Asthma-Tuberculosis-Cystic Fibrosis and Diabetes.
PETRO, PHARMA, CHEMICAL, COTTON, TABACCO, ALCOHOL, BUILDING PRODUCT, PLASTICS, FOOD, FOREST, PAPER – IT’S THE MONOPOLIES STUPID.
All you good folk that signed said petition do realize that NSA now knows that all of you are drug abusers right? Along with all your addresses and probably are tracking you as you read this. Just sayin’
There is only one thing that is going to work. Ignore the government. Don’t do anything they tell us. If enough of us just stop obeying all of their laws what will they do?
They only have so many prisons, so many guards. Eventually the system collapses. Of course, some of us will go down but in the end we win through their inability to enforce anything. So stop following all idiot laws. Be kind to your neighbors. Don’t steal or kill or hurt others. Leave your neighbor’s stuff alone, including his wife and just live a good life. Otherwise, piss on the government and their asinine laws.
Medicinal use should aways be considered
@#373 – Ephraiyim…
First, I haven’t used cannabis or other illegal substances in 7 years, except for one hand-full of times a friend with a joint stopped by.
Second… I say bring it on. If cannabis users are more dangerous and demand our taxes be used to conduct costly scrutiny of everyone who posts here, at LEAP, at The Drug Policy Alliance, that Tweets and posts on Facebook and all other places, then bring it on. Because third:
Third: I do Not Support my taxes being used for such purposes!!!
4TH: To all DEA, NSA, Congressional Lawmakers, the President, and the Drug Free America foundation as well as Nip It In the Bud.com… please stop by my blog – http://bobkatlair.blogspot.com/2011/10/critical-thinking-101-death-of-amy.html and please, do leave some evidence of your visit by posting a nasty comment if you wish, about how, in my latest post re: “the Death of Amy Winehouse”.
As William Bennett, the infamous ex-drug czar under H.W. Bush, once said, “one joint will cause you to be lost forever”, so obviously, anyone who ever used pot, dies of pot, not alcohol, cancer caused by tobacco, heart disease, drunk driving fatality, obesity and diabetes – it’s the pot and the lawmakers need to protect us all from such a scourge!
Seriously, if the NSA wants to WASTE time, resources, and manpower over cannabis advocates, users, and growers… then welcome to the SYRIA/USA. It’s what it feels like anyway.
The marijuana laws of the United States are simply an article of faith without any basis in science. They are a triumph of so-called American Exceptionalism. Their maintenance are as damaging to life and security as if Creationism had been legislated as Truth and Evolution as a Lie. Those who would teach evolution would then be charged and jailed. It is one mark and a very bad mark of a state that is based on false premises and a state deep into ultimate failure. Unfortunately there are meny other features of life and politics in the US that betray its highly theocratic nature. I don’t go there anymore.
f**king b.s. answer
And we supposedly live in a free country? yeah right. I have been penalized for pot in my system at work. Laid off for 15 months under the disguise of the financial crisis but I know better. Lucky for me I save my money for just such rainy days And I made it through though not without some scars but I still got through. So now my job has mandated that everyone get a flu shot, if you don’t then they will have to let you go it is for safety reasons and the general health of all….. what a bunch of bullshit. So I ask is everyone tired of living in a so-called free society and being mandated at every turn in your life? From mandating healthcare to illegal search and seizure at the airport to having the authorities bust down your door with only probable cause as their warrant, to what I want to injest or not injest into my own body. This is not a right wing or left wing liberal or conservative issue this is an issue about freedom and liberty and marijuana is just one issue where the elite take for granted that they can take our freedoms and liberty away under the diguise of your safety or national security. It is high time that we smack them in the mouth and hard. The ballot box will not work it has not worked. Laying around and being passive and hoping that it will turn around is a joke of a plan and does not work. It is time to take this country and our constitution back form these tyrant mother fuckers and show them who the real boss is. You have to ask yourself 1 question when hearing policy being made ‘Is it granting or taking away more freedom and liberty from me?” And if it takes one IODA of freedom and liberty from anyone person or race or group of people we should shout it down as loud as we possibly can. And if that doesn’t work then show them the way the only way the elite can relate to. Hit them in the mouth as hard as we can they get one shot to make this right or they get their teeth knocked comletely out of their head. This bullshit passivity exercise is futile at best time to put it on the shelf and go into a different direction anyone with me?
wth is wrong with them
THATS CRAZY! i cant believe that!!!! its kind of depressing knowing that we the people are screaming and nobody is listening. this article amazes me, im going to show some of my friends
If you really want the system to pay attention, then your going to have to work the system instead of just pushing against it.
Get out and vote. If you want to get MJ laws relaxed (it would be the start) at the Federal level, then please take a look at Ron Paul as President. That is part of his agenda. I am not saying that is the only reason to look at him to vote for.
Never look at a Candidate by one or two things. Choose who you feel overall fits you. Overall for me is Ron Paul. Yours may be different. If so vote for them.
science and facts over ideology and morality, cutting unnecessary government waste, making governnment less regulatory (isn’t that what those conservative Republican senators want?), protection of civil rights, more support for the middle class, eradicating discrimination.
I think NORML should take this to the Supreme Court, sue Congress for malpractice (based on their fiduciary role to represent citizens’ wishes), never mind the harm caused by arrests and job loss. And let’s not overlook hte percentage of those entering “voluntary” drug treatment just to keep a crappy job.
Their response is such a narrow view of this thing we call life. To be alive is a miracle (not religious), to be able to think as we do, and form complex ideas as we can do is amazing, and we are the only limits to the greatness we can achieve. When I smoke pot I get to see a perspective far greater than myself sometimes, and if everyone had that freedom of introspection the world would be a much kinder, more beautiful place I believe. It’s sad that this is their response, and I wish that Norml had a poster with the facts that we could print out and staple everywhere. I walk my dog all over my city and could canvas many poles and buildings. Let’s change this government next election and give Ron Paul a chance, if he fails like Obama did then we should shut down the cities until we are heard. This is our right as humans.
How about organizing The HEMP FAMILY FOUNDATION And COLTURAL FUND?
Wow! How is it possible that this is how our petition was answered? This was a justification article. Justification is like masterbation, your only screwing yourself Mr. President! Please use science to explain your justification, as you said you would. Not this fear-mongering conjecture. Your re-election is going down the drain!
Thanks NORML for pointing out all the many fails of this answer to the most popular petition!
@#249 – Wow… good job!
@#386: What Country do you live in??? If it’s the US that is not a country whose politicians believe in “We The People” in the way you imagine they should. There is little left of any US Constitution or state Constitution unless it’s bent toward the Devil… Wall St. being one such devil.
Our petition was answered exactly to prove that Freedom is not an issue, nor are the rights of US citizens. That all ended beginning in the early 1900’s…
The President rejected the petition to remove “In God We Trust” from our money, never acknowledging that it represents the Christian god or that the gov’t doesn’t trust God, but rather his argument is that We are a Nation under many God’s… not just One. And In God We Trust represents the belief’s of all people, and their god(s).
What a friggin joke!!! But it’s called POLITICS. See, politicians can say whatever they want if it furthers their political ambitions. Obama got elected for just such an art. Telling the American People what he knew they wanted to hear, and then once in office, just 1 degree better than his predecessor, George Bush.
We can vote for Ron Paul in the primaries, but it’s not we who really do the voting, the election/nomination. Too bad, because I think we’d do a better job, than our electorate.
Whatever the rules for how change in the last 100 years came about: Women’s right to vote, prohibition and the quick end, McCarthyism, the end of the cold war, the write to read “dirty books” by Henry Miller, the right to see “porn”, the write of women to go braless, the rights of women and especially civil rights so minorities had a chance… all of that, the accomplishment pales to what is required to make cannabis legal. Whether we push, or work with and for, cannabis is the unending symbol that represents communism, fascism, hedonism, godlessness, witchcraft, the snake in the garden of Eden, that truthfully, there never was a snake! The is a myth and the Bible does not mention a snake or a serpent.It mentions Eve was tempted, but not by a serpent.
Imagine, one can pay for power, but not sex; can pay for freedom but not autonomy; can pay for children – to adopt, but not with good will; and you can buy the whole liquor store, and they call that regulation.
Politicians – many of my generation hate the hippie culture of which they attribute cannabis users. Why, I wonder is that, when I know at least 60% of politicians my age, 50’s, used to get off on it. Now they get off on having beers with gullible people, and maintaining wasteful spending on incarcerating and putting cannabis users through hell.
Michael Jackson’s doctor today got found guilty of involuntary manslaughter for his role is providing drugs to MJ, that contributed to his death. The max sentence is 4 years. In many states if he’d provided cannabis to MJ, he would have faced 10 years or more… don’t believe me – look at the laws for sale of one joint in Oklahoma.
This is called Justice.
To all you tokers out there consider you are Christ… and eventually, you’ll be hung on a cross and you’ll die for the sins of the rest of your brethren. You might very well be betrayed by your friend Judas. See, this is Rome, not the USA. This is the Rome of old where you were but a peasant… the Great Recession worked to enhance the powers of gov’t, and Wall St., not it’s slave labor force.
This gov’t will never legalize cannabis, as that would be an embarrassment for years of calling it a matter of public safety. That we know is a lie, and that is exactly why it was classified a schedule one drug, and the ONDCP was created, so they would never have to admit the truth.
Having said that we are not powerless – far from it. And although we may not get Ron Paul or Gary Johnson to the primary to beat Obama, we can vote out the evil Tea-Partiers, and fill the Congress with Democrats to give the new Republican President little power. Yes, one would think the Tea-Party should represent the US Constitution and Freedom, but they don’t, and they stole my flag, which really pisses me off.
Election year 2012 should become the American Spring… where the true Constitutional Gov’t is elected. Not that I’ll hold my breath, but Obama is out of there, that much I know. Unless he delivers something like an olive branch to us a majority. Pres. Kennedy and Pres. Carter did it, maybe Obama will see that beers is inferior to the sacred cannabis plant. Maybe.
I am for legalizing marijuana, opiods and other medicine that does not cause people to loose their mind like pcp and crack. I read on the DEA site where they say legalization would be harmful ( imagine that, that’s how they make money) if oxycontin was made available at the pharmacy counter then people would spend less and in most cases do less. The drug sometimes is hard to find , so people buy as much as they can when it’s around spending 20 times per pill than what it would cost at the pharmacy. Ad as long as they aren’t driving it wouldn’t cause problems. People wouldn’t have to go to bad neighborhoods to get their fix. As kind as someone is 21 they should be able to buy what they want , this would eliminate drug dealers on the corner and put the cartels out of business, I know our leaders have to realize this but the prisons have people in Washington taking out the senators and congressmen. It’s sad that someone is caught with an ounce of weed in their pocket or 10-15 oxycodone and they get a year or two in jail with armed robbers, murderers and worse criminals. The government could tax these drugs and set aside a portion to send prior to rehab who take it over the top and become junkies , it’s ok in their eyes to drink, but people drinking cause more problems than weed smokers
liberty doesn’t get more personal than ones ability to freely choice what foods they eat, what is in the water they drink, whether they want a vaccine or no,and whether or not they want to smoke 20 cigarettes for a hyped ahh relief and eeeee want/nervous dependence a day OR 1 joint, eat some pie and enjoy crappy movies an awful lot more.
provided people are not driving,operating a crane or something just like alcohol – any man should be able to do to himself at his own home what he pleases.
people who go driving and run over someone just like with booze – are stupid dangerous people who should be locked away for endangering others.
people look at drunk driving and deaths from doing stupid things and blame the substances. what they are not realizing is the vast majority of people being oppressed are rational,self preserving individuals who toke on the couch. no one is harmed -save maybe an occasional colorful beetle who may get overly petted or something and squished.
dont use the health bs either. they could be addictive? well habitual maybe but ok 10% get hooked and the smoke inhaled is miniscule in contrast to cigs or even walking in our polluted nation. look at cigarettes 20 or more doses a day – high short lived frequency is where you get addiction-like coke it wears off fast and time to “redose”. pot has a long and tiring/relaxing rather than stimulating lifespan doesnt have the repeating behaviors near as much.
and dangerous? biochemically has marijuana killed anyone ever? thc even at ooh high modern levels – still no!
nicotine on the other hand – give a non smoker a 1/4th of a pack worth (gee a drop?) and you got a non breather!
oh and marijuana candy? they got nicotine bubble gum – though to be honest it gives you an awful acid reflux and tastes like moldy/wet cardboard so your kids may mistake it for a vegetable or something and not use it.
since when could a people be called free when they can be chained so easily for so many things?
if someone isn’t hurting anyone else – leave them be. i dont care if they are in a fursuit at a $500 a table restaurant. different strokes for different folks -why does everyone have to MOLD the whole world to their morals? you got your own life to mold in anyway you see fit – that is enough you dont need to be messing with my clay.
I agree with you, Chris Says:
November 8th, 2011 at 2:58 pm
The need of this country is to become an adult as a country! Being lazy and letting things go-“Let mommy get it lazy spoilt rotten Nation behavior. What are we 200 or something. Grow up!
Up’s and downs are inevitable especially when in the mix of things, something like the federal reserve 4 example, takes our taxes for “whatever?” And interferes with life.
It’s said that at 21 we are to become adult but it certainly isn’t that way, I’m in the 50’s and still act like a child at certain times like “VOTING”! I need to vote from home first.
Just sayin for me.
We live in a county that is adolescent in the course of age of a country. We need to grow up and deal fairly with criminals be they politicians or me; “first”.
Then decide when we as a country of adults become that needed adult! Take the stupid criminals OUT OF THE Pic. It may not be written in any bible of belief but, “If it ant yours leave it be”!
The moon offers abundant minerals we as a country could mine with criminals!!!!!
Criminal Mineral
Science and legislature could find us that good HOME, for criminals, there on the moon. And base laws about criminal behavior that can’t be changed, as has been the Constitution. And as if you didn’t suspect, we have some very brilliant politicians that stupidly interfere with the lives of all people in this country. That is Criminal.
And just a to express a thought, science Knows Exactly what can be done with the oils of the Cannabis Plant! It’s use is endless for the life of mankind.
And good input above; Brian Says:
November 6th, 2011 at 1:39 pm
And Lastly “WOW” Nice! BobKat Says:
November 7th, 2011 at 10:11 pm Nice!!!!!
Anybody notice near the end of this papagraph “smoked” is in italics in the white house email response?
To date, however, neither the FDA nor the Institute of Medicine have found smoked marijuana to meet the modern standard for safe or effective medicine for any condition.
Here is my update letter to Congress I hope this really gets read!
I am a U.S. Citizen. As one of the billions world-wide affected by our economy, as it goes in the wrong direction and sooner it will become worse than the public and private debts we live with today. I believe this is the time to see “pigs fly” meaning desperate times call for desperate measures.
You must realize the answer is not a tax thing and as our constitutional rights on “We the People” have become so strict under state and federal control: rights, laws, rules, ordinances, mandates, regulations and prohibitions are at the brink of destroying peoples lives not to mention the wasteful spending destroying our government. For the people, the violations of our freedoms and rights within the Patriot Act and much more. “We the People” for decades have had a lot of leniency and patience with our Government. However each year an arm of government takes our rights away by adding laws, rules, ordinances, mandates, regulations and prohibitions. While each time the state or federal level adds more fuel to the problem. That takes another piece of our rights away while adding more money to the deficit that is now going at a rapid speed in a downward spiral each second.
My theory to slow down the unnecessary spending and the ever growing deficit: Cleanse Our Constitutional Rights from all city, county, state, federal: rights, laws, rules, ordinances, mandates, regulations and prohibitions. Our rights need to go back to a certain year and be restored, like restoring your computer. Our rights are the center of what makes all citizens of our country Americans, for the land of the free home of the brave is where we all wish to live.
All the Super Committee’s and other member of the House should have a special meeting with: Justice Dept Attorney General Eric Holder and DEA Michele Marie Leonhart and order them to have a special law group look at every law they put in but now to cleanse those laws unnecessary out of the law book and tell them that the state Attorney Generals should strongly suggest them do the same. There will be a lot of stigma and controversy but this must be forced because we don’t have much time until things get much worse. Another increase in the protest movement sweeping our country is not something anyone wants, and a law review could ease a lot of the tension currently in our nation.
The major one you must end is the “War on Drugs” because we are now at a similar point in history as we were during the alcohol prohibition however much worse, for over 40+ years. It took many years for the increase from the start of Richard Nixon that declared a “war on drugs,” identifying drug abuse as “public enemy No. 1.”, from Nancy Reagan and her “Just Say No” campaign, part of the U.S. “War on Drugs”, prevalent during the 1980s and early 1990s, to discourage children from engaging in recreational drug use by offering various ways of saying no. For the selling on the streets, to the under-ground black market of marijuana even cocaine that picked up highly in the 80’s and it did. From those past years they call marijuana the “gate way drug” where cocaine and heroin are the real “gate way drugs” from recent studies. But every 4 years a new president has increased the war on drugs going forth with the cause of the problem but not looking at the source of the problem.
By denying new studies and reports of positives uses of drugs. There are past confidential records sitting in the record warehouse collecting dust that will tell the truth about drugs but time will tell if they ever will be released. Still millions if not, billions, of federal funds for DEA, FBI and any other federal program dedicated to the “War on Drugs” are going down the drain. Right now the DEA and FBI do not have enough money in there budget to keep this war going on. It is also coming to a brink of cutting boarder police too that will give the cartels a chance to sneak across the boarder again. In all the new reports this year from the Justice Dept says the drug war has failed, I ask you to read these reports. Mexican cartels these days are still on a killing rampage trying to get marijuana over the border into the USA and will pick back up this year as well. Obama wants to stop the war in Afghanistan but slowing doing a faze down, now the pentagon is cutting military bases, this is all to save billions. Do you now think it is time to stop the Drug War and do a slow down faze as well. That this has been going on for over 40 years, much longer then 3 wars put together!
Law enforcement is still arresting people with small amount of Marijuana just by profiling. The Federal agents shutdown 26 medical marijuana dispensaries across Montana and 2 in the medical marijuana sanctuary city of West Hollywood, California last few months in their latest attack on patients and legitimate businesses in the eyes of the states. The DEA isn’t even supposed to be conducting these raids, wasting scarce funds, in the first place. Several members of congress have already asked President Obama to halt these raids and to reschedule Marijuana as a legitimate controlled medical substance, as he pledged to do in his first presidential campaign. In 2009, Attorney General Eric Holder issued a memo ordering an end to federal raids of medical marijuana dispensaries. Yet, despite his memo, federal agents have continued these operations sporadically for years, without regard for patients’, states’ or business’ rights NORML Attorneys file multiple constitutional challenges to federal medical marijuana crackdown now over the drug policy. Because of that millions to billions of dollars of our tax money is still being wasted, is that what we want?
The DEA has stock houses full of Marijuana worth billion and billions of dollars for the government from marijuana secures. Instead of burning it sell it to marijuana research programs. Then reopen the list for medical marijuana patients “Compassionate Investigational New Drug Program” that George W. Bush halted. Did you know there are only 4 people left on that program do you think it is time to re-regulate the program then open the list back up to the public to get over 40,000 on the list? It will also help to stimulate the University of Mississippi for the growing, buying and researching marijuana, that they have done since 1968. The release and sale of confiscated Marijuana to reputable medical testing facilities will help pay off part of the trillions of the national debt the Government has accumulated.
Over 60% of the prison systems have prisoners serving time for marijuana it’s costing billions every year. Lots of states are cutting there law enforcement budgets or converting the county sheriff’s department to take over because there districts don’t have the money to run the local police departments. Worse yet, several areas in the United States are privatizing their prisons to corporations that profit off of crime and victimization of Americans. Some states are tired of arresting people with marijuana possession and just want to give up or decriminalize possession. If the legal system keeps on arresting people for simple marijuana possession the more of a spending ripple affect coming from the departments of corrections systems to cities, counties, states and federal levels will occur. There will be an increasing waste of millions to billions of tax payer dollars in law enforcement regarding a minor offense that more than half of Americans have admitted to. The enforcement of drug abuse should be regarded as medical issues instead of a criminal one.
Not to mention the eternal mark on a persons record for a non-violent marijuana possession, removing any chance for financial aid for schooling in the future to limiting potential jobs and cancelling out a lot of other furthering opportunities. It has become clear over the past half-century that the culture of recreational and medicinal Marijuana use will always be part of American life forever. This has been proven beyond debate, it is something that must be realized by our government in order for meaningful drug-enforcement policy to be written that actually helps the citizens of our country. The Gallop Poll has just released that over 50% of Americans approve of the legalization of Marijuana, it is the will of the people.
Obama has said in many speeches, he wants clean energy reform of new factories that manufacture clean energy products because oil is on a rise of part of the domino affect of loss jobs. There is now a movement to make clean energy from: wind, hydro, algea, corn, electric cars and much more. One of the cleanest most efficient energy producers is hemp, which can produce food, essential nutrition, , shelter in Hempcrete and other building materials, rope, paper, clothes, it has the potential to rid our society of our reliance on foreign fossil fuel as gas as hemp bio-fuel. It can be a big boost to stimulate the economy now to bring back more jobs to states that are suffering today. Now you know the gold price has been going through up at a frenzied pace recently. If you legalize it there can be a commodity market for marijuana and hemp, which could surpass gold as the “green gold.”
Like I said before, I believe this is the time to see “pigs fly” ‘desperate times call for desperate measures! This is the time to really end the marijuana prohibition for good and cleanse other prohibitions that are not needed as well. Right now our budget is in crisis and the government is on the brink of cutting federal programs with a government shut down. Without action it will only get worse from here and both sides, democrats and republicans, are still at a loss. Time is ticking if congress can not come up with a plan to save the programs soon before Government shut downs, we will have more homeless people on the streets like the great depression. The increasing poverty level is already becoming very problematic. We are coming to the breaking point of a Great Depression part 2. This is an issue that must be addressed ASAP even though the stigma about marijuana and drugs from U.S. congress and U.S senate is terrible.
Look at “We the “People” on the White House web site there is a petition for Legalize and Regulate Marijuana in a Manner Similar to Alcohol. Even after the petition was delivered it was completely ignored in any meaningful way. OPEN YOU EYES THE DRUG WAR AND MARIJUANA PROHIBITION HAS FAILED! Do you think it is time to show a level of action not bickering! It is time to end this 40 year old curse to THE DRUG WAR AND MARIJUANA PROHIBITION but only Obama can end the curse with a sign of a pen, I know he is not going to like it but he has no choice at this time to help cut the budget.
Have a study group watch the events happen after reasonable legislation regarding Marijuana is put in place. Then after 1 year have a report come to the president’s desk to see the statistics. I guarantee there is decline in marijuana and drug activity from the cartels to gang activity as well. What I’m saying is to get rid of the source of the problem, to end the negative ripple affect that will decline in time. This will also help cut the unnecessary spending of Local and Federal funds, DEA, US Marshals programs, and eventually even Border Police. This also will give the other states there free will back and less control from state and local police officers, so it can get the monkey off their back, less petty crime to worry about, more to focus on serious crimes that’s imminent to come very soon for the way the economy is going now.
It will also give the freewill back from humans to make their own choice if they want to do recreational or medical marijuana or not. This will stimulate the government with the revenue marijuana tax putting more budget money back in the treasury where it belongs. If you look at, in a matter of months to years billions of dollars will come back to stimulate the government from the deficit’s the government is losing every second of the day but doing this will reverse the deficit to a surplus.
With protests on the rise and the economy on the decline, this is the time to cleanse Marijuana Prohibition as it is not needed. I ask the Federal Government from Capital Hill to the White House look at this seriously as a budget cut necessity. I pray that the USA still can stand strong even though tough times we’re going through right now. GOD BLESS THE USA!
@#393… I can appreciate your intellect and passion for a just cause, but Washington will not. Your letter is way too long. They need be looked upon as children, with very short attention spans, and what they do spent attention on is immediate and richly fulfilling orgasmic pay-offs, er, I mean, contributions.
@#390 and #391… right on…
FACT IS: what warrants/justifies laws that can destroy the life of a person who is sitting on a couch eating a cannabis brownie or a bowl of spaghetti, while encouraging a different person to contribute wages towards taxable tobacco and alcohol? The guy eating cannabis spaghetti can lose his wife, his children, his job, his freedom. The guy doing the currently legal stuff can get totally “shit-faced”, smoke two or three packs of cigs a day, and either can die of a long list of proven diseases and/or commit violent acts when they pass the threshold of control in the case of alcohol. Meanwhile the guy or girl who ate the reefer spaghetti, who might sit deeply into that TV show, or simply fall asleep, until, perhaps, police break down his door… shoot his dog, maybe his kid asleep in the room where the flash-bang goes off, and the bullets fly… and why, because, Washington is impaired, unable to think clearly, unable to render intelligent policy or recognize failed ones. Reefer madness 1937; that’s history. Waht isn’t history is the escalating War on Drugs that has garnered even greater financial expenditures with each gov’t failure, such as operation “Fast and Furious”. Just blame marijuana, not incompetence or stupid policies. The powers to be know only one thing – Drugs are Drugs, except those that are legal, and cannabis, aka marijuana is the King of Drugs; it very name provoking abuse, and it’s eradication means the end of evil…
To be perfectly clear… I believe, as do many, like 50% + of US citizens, that cannabis/marijuana is not dangerous nor a drug of abuse. Yet, like a stubborn child that much get their way, and willing to destroy all in their path.
Laws against cannabis are harmful to society and are themselves “stepping stones” to harder drugs and dangerous behavior. Yet because of the way federal laws were created by (not a criminal) Nixon, no attempt to reschedule, research for benevolence, or health of cannabis is legally allowed. That puts cannabis in legal limbo and isolation… and intelligent human beings and those less so, in danger.
As such, law enforcement has an obligation to treat cannabis prohibition as a blue law, one that is outdated and not based on reality. For that reason, and the fact that tax-payers pay police to “serve and protect”, police must first act in defense of the civilians they are sworn to protect, and second, cease enforcement of laws that make cannabis users criminals, and small time growers murderers.
There is a lot of emphasize by policy makers that suggest police work is directed by the government and IT MUST enforce all laws, but they forget it’s, We The People”, who have Constitutional Rights to protect and freedom from oppression.
Police have an obligation and Constitutional obligation to look the other way when a law interferes with peaceful pursuit of happiness and smoking a bowl of cannabis in the privacy of one’s castle.
President Obama has failed to recognize logic and common-sense when regards to American citizens are involved. Congress has thus far failed also.
WE do have a Drug Problem is this country, but WAR is not the solution. Nor is cannabis the terrorist plant/drug it’s made out to be.
STOP THE HURT… STOP THE LIES.
President Obama, PLEASE, take another look at the petitions WE THE PEOPLE posted to you re: cannabis, and answer us with the brain we know you possess, not the brain you forced to absorb when being elected.
I would love to still believe in your message and your intelligence… but have no evidence present to do so at this time.
In other words… get off your lazy, Washington infused ass and BE THE PRESIDENT WE WHOLEHEARTEDLY elected to bring about CHANGE.
Marijuana grows out of the ground. It helps people with cancer, and severe pain. It’s used for so many different things that people dont think of. The Declaration of Independence is written on HEMP paper. Queen Victoria used marijuana medicinally for menstrual pain. Use of marijuana actually dates back to 2727 B.C., which is when the Chinese began to use it medically. In 1484, The pope declared that smoking cannabis is “sacrilegious”. Then, in 1492, our good old hero Christopher Columbus brought marijuana over to the New World. George Washington’s primary crop at Mount Vernon was CANNABIS. Now, marijuana is America’s #1 cash crop, bringing in over $36 billion every year. It seems to me as if the system is more destructive than marijuana
Keep pushing by voting for new petitions which discuss marijuana.
There are several up here is mine
https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions#!/dashboard/359509
Cannabis is a cash crop, and 36 billion a year is wasted away by our current and past governments. What to talk about “WASTED”???
Cannabis is a agricultural commodity. A cash commodity, something protected by the Constitution of NH, Article 83. Yet NH continues to violate it’s Constitution by refusing to reform it’s laws, despite a lot of proof that cannabis is far less dangerous that other legal recreational drugs, and commodities.
It is wrong to treat cannabis as a violation… to destroy citizens lives, and incarcerate people for cannabis.
Just plain WRONG!!!
What is Life, Liberty, Pursuit of happiness in the USA if a state won’t protect it’s own citizens from violations of their own constitutional rights? What is a state if it is powerless, or unwilling to stand up to a Republic that threatens it’s citizens? What is Democracy, if citizens are treated as objects, subject to servitude and unjust laws, unjust punishment, forced like sheep to perform and act without their Constitutional Protections?
What state can truly say, they are protecting their citizens if the state violates those citizens rights under their state constitution?
Read the following article from the state of NH, and tell me… is NH protecting it’s citizens, permitting them their constitutional rights, and abiding by the over-ruling law as set forth in the following binding article:
Article 83. [Encouragement of Literature, etc.; Control of Corporations, Monopolies, etc.]; Established October 31, 1783 Effective June 2, 1784; as subsequently Amended and in Force January 2007:
Knowledge and learning, generally diffused through a community, being essential to the preservation of a free government; and spreading the opportunities and advantages of education through the various parts of the country, being highly conducive to promote this end; it shall be the duty of the legislators and magistrates, in all future periods of this government, to cherish the interest of literature and the sciences, and all seminaries and public schools, to encourage private and public institutions, rewards, and immunities for the promotion of agriculture, arts, sciences, commerce, trades, manufactures, and natural history of the country; to countenance and inculcate the principles of humanity and general benevolence, public and private charity, industry and economy, honesty and punctuality, sincerity, sobriety, and all social affections, and generous sentiments, among the people : Provided, nevertheless, that no money raised by taxation shall ever be granted or applied for the use of the schools of institutions of any religious sect or denomination. Free and fair competition in the trades and industries is an inherent and essential right of the people and should be protected against all monopolies and conspiracies which tend to hinder or destroy it. The size and functions of all corporations should be so limited and regulated as to prohibit fictitious capitalization and provision should be made for the supervision and government thereof. Therefore, all just power possessed by the state is hereby granted to the general court to enact laws to prevent the operations within the state of all persons and associations, and all trusts and corporations, foreign or domestic, and the officers thereof, who endeavor to raise the price of any article of commerce or to destroy free and fair competition in the trades and industries through combination, conspiracy, monopoly, or any other unfair means; to control and regulate the acts of all such persons, associations, corporations, trusts, and officials doing business within the state; to prevent fictitious capitalization; and to authorize civil and criminal proceedings in respect to all the wrongs herein declared against.
Cannabis use is a protected commodity, just as wood, tobacco, and hops… Cannabis is an educational commodity, in that it is capable of providing insight and support to one’s pursuit of knowledge. Cannabis is a plant, and as such cannot be controlled by monopolies or over-bearing industries, including the federal government who desires to protect patents it possesses with said commodity. Cannabis is a natural medicine; and as such all effort should be made to explore those benefits, and to prohibit research is a violation of the state constitution.
NH should make a stand against ANY who makes threats against it’s rights as a antonymous state. Intrastate commerce is permitted by the US Constitution, and any standing Governor of the State of NH is hereby given notice that state laws cannot be tolerated that violate Constitutional laws.
I request an immediate redress of violations of Article 83 by laws passed in the State of NH that prohibit the possession, growing, educational research involving cannabis. I demand an immediate release of all persons subject to state laws that violate the State Constitution of NH. I expect an immediate and poignant demand by the state to the Republic of the USA that threatens the rights of citizens within that state.
To do any less makes the Constitution of the State of NH impotent. And a State cannot exist with an impotent Constitution.
Now can it???
Do NOT, I repeat DO NOT Re-elect Obama!!! He’s NOT going to change anything about Marijuana status! He’s a liar and a crook like all others before him. We need someone in office who knows the laws, knows the history of this country well and knows what the word, “Freedom” meant from our founding fathers.
We need positive things done in this country, in this world, in order to move us further into a better, more friendlier life.
And if anyone still has any doubts that these people don’t have our best interests in mind..
I just learned of a bill or negislation they are trying to pass that will censor what web sites we here in the US can view. One of the sites the will be banned is one called the shroomery.org a forum for those of us interested in dicussing miconalogy (mushrooms) or anything else drug related or otherwise freely.
http://americancensorship.org/
this link above will take you to a site that will explain it better than I could.
Please help keep the US free, they are trying to take our rights away and if we do not fight back they will succeed.
Garrett,
I am very disappointed in President Obama, but surely you don’t expect any better from the other side of the aisle. Maybe Ron Paul, but he doesn’t have a chance.
Ron Paul might have better support this time around. But even if he got nominated to the GOP I doubt he would be allowed to go any further. Still going to vote for him in the primary regardless.
Unfortunately the We The People platform doesn’t seem likely to get much attention, unless someone has a troll petition. Doesn’t help that there are like 10 marijuana petitions that kinda dilute them. Although I was quite pleased to see one about growing industrial hemp. Definitely a good idea.
Effective or not, in any case I just started a new petition, even if it’s fruitless. If you support getting rid of the Federal Reserve, please sign it and pass it along. Thanks.
http://wh.gov/j9d
I ask because I don’t know the answer;
openly!
Is it possible to grow the female cannabis to cause the tops to seed? And if so could it be controlled to seed very very heavily? It seems to me the “tops” seed some what easily, and those type seed; instead of stim seeds, could find more use carrying flower potency/cannabinoid for scientific investigations. The oils from those seeds in great quantity, say mega-ton amounts could supply, what?
How many different business?
Just asking/submitting.
President oboma , I’m sure your advisors tell you not to take a stand or talk about it, but they are more than likely ivy league people who do not really understand how most Americans think . The money we would save preventing the cartels from smuggling marijuana into our country could be used for one to increase the border patrols and the dea agents could be transferred into border protection. A vanguard documentary advised that marijuana is 80% of the cartels income , these smuggling routes open the doors for terrorists to pay cartels to smuggle dangerous weapons into our country. I don’t even use marijuana and I’m all for legalizing and regulating it. As long as people aren’t driving or doing anything that could harm others then it makes perfect sense to legalize and tax. The government would make money in taxes and saving money from useless incarcerations that turn non violent users into criminals . Look at how bad Portugal was before 2005 and look at it now, they legalized all drugs and crime went down. Just look prescription pills ,ie pain killers, if someone over 21 could go to the pharmacy and buy a days supply then no one would break into or hold up pharmacies because there would be no more inflated street price. It’s like the lobbyists for private prisons want people to commit crimes so they can profit. When a 21 year old person with a clean record is caught with an ounce of weed or 8ball of coke, there life is ruined from that point on because it will always be on there record, that is ridiculous , they will never hold a good job and that could lead them to crime. Most people breaking into pharmacies do it because either there isn’t a supply of there drug of choice on the street or the street price is so high they can’t afford it, why do you think that most of the time they don’t bother to steal the money when they hold it up at gunpoint they only steal oxie’s, lortabs, and other opiates . Wake up legislators and do something good for this country, treat narcotics like alcohol, there are some things that should never be legalized like crystal meth, pcp and drugs that kill people . But marijuana doesn’t kill and the reason people die on oxycontin are because they mix it with other drugs, if they could buy from a pharmacist the pharmacist could advise them of dangerous interactions. And alot of OD’s are suicide , you can’t stop that, they will either use a knife or gun , or hang themselves . Use sone of the tax revenue gained from marijuana and opiates from free drug treatment for those who want it or need it. I was a cop for 5 years and I personally witnessed that liquor causes more problems like violence , wrecks than marijuana or other drugs, except for crack, pcp and meth. Those are the dangerous drugs, and whe talking to people who use it most say they only bought it because it was all that was around. If they like to speed they could by adderal from a pharmacy ( made safely in a real lab) unlike meth where you don’t know what your gettibg, and heroin addicts but heroin becUse they like the feel, all I have talked to said that if oxy was legal to but at pharmacy they would never touch heroin, but heroin is cheaper than oxy on the street so they use heroin and they die when they get sone that is stronger than what they are used to, President OBOMA , legalizing marijuana will guarantee you more votes than you can imagine , look at all the states that have legalized medicinal marijuana . And everyone will RESPECT you for not going around te issue like typical politicians , we voted for you for change and someone who would help us. STAND UP, your our leader, End this nonsense crminalization . It’s ridiculous that someone gets more jail time for having drugs on them than armed robbers, and especially the fact that a non violent person caught with drugs is out in the same jail as hardened criminals. That’s another issue in itself, at the least they could put all the violent people in jails together and non violent drug offenders in a very minimum security prison, th only reason people who are against legalization is propaganda, they have no real life grasp of the truth and if they don’t like it they don’t have to buy it or see it. Have the stores that would sell hidden like adult book stores and make use only legal in private residences to start and once people see that marijuana smokers are more non violent than drunks, there minds will change.
There is a new petition on the white house website we the people, please be sure to sign it, there are only 360 signatures now. They need 25000. It’s under Open petitions and titled recognize marijuana has legitimate medical value, it’s a step closer to the goal .
I made a new petition onthe white house website. Please read it and sign it
https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions/!/petition/legalize-marijuana-and-regulate-and-tax-preventing-incarceration-non-violent-users/qlzLtqft
Wow. Amazing arguments, federal government. Not only did you beat around the bush, but you sat and twiddled your thumbs while playing a tape recorder to a scribe who typed that for you. Same Shit, Different Day, right? I say we do another petition, personally.
I agree with; Porter Says:
November 24th, 2011 at 5:19 am above.
We should, all that care, state clearly the truth of how we each feel about the lame statement made in the phony governmental response in the We The People petition. We all as stated above should post our own petition concerning the legalization of a very legit substance the government is restraining it’s peoples use of. And then all of us sign each petition that is truly relevant to the cause, “my meaning is we are not all writers per se”. But we ALL care that the end result be that which was stated in the first petition.
Control to legalize and legalize to control.
Government greed is ruining this country.
And why should any government have concerns with something like this anyway? This is a people concern and has nothing to do with governing the country. Legalization has nothing to do with communication with Canada, Israel, Japan, China or any other country.
And what is a government for????
If we all drink Jack Daniels, will that make other countries not want to communicate with the United States. Legalization is a people issue. The government needs to back off and leave that which is simply a state issue to the people of each state. The government is trying to control our health when that is not what a government is for. Government is to take care of that which is directly connected to a countries safety. And if cigarettes and alcohol are of no governmental concerns nor should any other substance be! Leave the state items for states to control. Our government is enlisted to protect us from other countries, not to control it’s people.
Repeal marijuana prohibition (laws) based on the deception and illegal behavior enforcing regulation as better understanding of how to lower taxes (which are based on law-making and enforcement). The regulations being proposed are more tax-tricks!
Why did the White House avoid answering the questions presented??????
Can we formulate another question? All Gil did was talk about drugs and alcohol and people being treated for drug and alcohol addiction.
The questions were not even addressed!!!
Did I notice that Chicago is voting to legalize Marijuana?
I made a post myself about this because of how much it disgusted me. I followed the petition every day since it was at about 15,000 signature and it really upset me to see them not address the actually petition at all.
I know I’m repeating what yourselves and others have said, but I think it’s bs.
I’m pretty sure they completely shrugged off the whole petition.
I mean, look how long it took for them to reply once the cut off date was past.
NORML I personally believe you should make a new petition. This time make the petition known through out the United States. I mean tell everybody to spread the word. I have posted this post on my sites and have told people to share.
This isn’t something that our government can control anymore with simple words and their chins above our heads.
We are not ignorant.
We are not cowards.
We are Americans that want our freedom with a “plant” that has shown more plus’s to human health than minus’s.
@426 – I too am totally disgusted. Obama and his administration has been snubbing their noses at those of us who want to end prohibition since the day he got elected (largely with our help!).
However, after the way they responded to the previous petitions, I believe we would all be wasting our time and efforts to pursue it any further. They have made it clear that they don’t care what the people want. They seem to care only about themselves and their agenda. Personally, I have totally lost any faith I ever had in our Government. The older I get and the more I learn the less I respect those who are in power governing our once great nation.
I’ve got a BS in Biological & Chemical Sciences, which is a double major with honours, and also a vocational degree in Electronics Technology, from which I was also valedictorian of my class, and so I would imagine I know “a little bit” about science LOL.
However, I am quite sure that *neither* side will like what I say -but this will probably be an indicator that I am right… OK:
On the one hand, I *do* accept the armaments bandied about by weed-smokers, including one of my best friends who is addicted to weed –namely, I accept the truthful claims that marijuana is both less addictive and also less harmful than other “legal” drugs, such as alcohol.
OK? – Satisfied? a bonafide right-wing, Bible-thumping *’Conservative’* Republican Christian (with very strong Libertarian leanings) has supported a key tenet to your cause. (Yes, I’m conservative — Google me to see who I, a NON-LAWYER, nearly won in court in my bid to ‘Save Terri Schiavo,’ making a mockery of Jeb Bush’s much
worse loss in court, k?)
Now, the part that my liberal, fellow-Libertarian weed-smoking peeps will not like, but keepin’ it real, ya?
I have read from respected sources that I trust that expert weightlifters & powerlifters do *not* smoke cannabis, and the reason I *vividly* recall cited was that while the weightlifter did not give ‘scientific’ reasons, per se, he noted to the effect that *all* his experiences and observations tended to lead him to believe that smoking weed led to a lack of focus and commitment, which, of course, was the reason he felt that it was not good. Regardless of his reasoning, he *DEFINITELY* stated (and this, with no bias or reason to lie, dig?) that anyone smoking weed DID have trouble being focused with commitment to stay on track and achieve high-level performance.
Also, we both know, for a fact, that the chemicals in weed cause a loss of concentration and some memory loss (even if, admittedly, with less harmful physical, mental, addictive, or psychological results than alcohol or *many* medically-approved prescription drugs -or even many over-the-counter drugs). — Hence, the joke about “What’s the ‘Weed Smokers of America”s new slogan?” Ans: ‘Duh, we forgot or slogan LOL’ (Funny, and NOT meant as an insult, but some truth to it — as all the funny joked are based on some truth.)
So, what’s the solution? *Maybe* a little more availability of cannabis is appropriate *if* supervised, and *not* smoked (but taken in other forms) -but IF and *only* if medically approved and regulated. … Maybe … or maybe not?
But, as rightly pointed out, both prescription, nonprescription meds AND alcohol are *more* dangerous than weed, and cost more in social and medical costs to this nation, so perhaps we need less of those, I would agree, which might be had be an increased social conscience and stronger laws prohibiting and regulating prescription meds (pill mills, money makers for the big drug companies) and alcohol.
Gordon Wayne Watts, editor-in-chief, The Register
http://www.GordonWayneWatts.com / http://www.GordonWatts.com
ALWAYS FAITHFUL – To God
BS, The Florida State University, Biological & Chemical Sciences
AS, United Electronics Institute
See also: http://Gordon_Watts.Tripod.com/consumer.html
Gww1210@aol.com ; Gww12102002@Yahoo.com
Truth is the strongest, most stable force in the Universe
Truth doesn’t change because you disbelieve it
TRUTH doesn’t bend to the will of tyrants
http://GordonWayneWatts.com / http://GordonWatts.com
Get Truth
“First, they [Nazis] came for the Jews. I was silent. I was not a Jew. Then they came for the Communists. I was silent. I was not a Communist. Then they came for the trade unionists. I was silent. I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for me. There was no one left to speak for me.”(Martin Niemöller, given credit for a quotation in The Harper Religious and Inspirational Quotation Companion, ed. Margaret Pepper(New York: Harper &Row, 1989), 429 -as cited on page 44, note 17,of Religious Cleansing in the American Republic, by Keith A. Fornier,Copyright 1993, by Liberty, Life, and Family Publications.
Some versions have Mr. Niemöller saying: “Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn’t speak up, because I was a Protestant”; other versions have him saying that they came for Socialists, Industrialists, schools, the press,and/or the Church; however, it’s certain he DID say SOMETHING like this. Actually, they may not have come for the Jews first, as it’s more likely they came for the prisoners, mentally handicapped, &other so-called “inferiors” first -as historians tell us-so they could get “practiced up”; however, they did come for them -due to the silence of their neighbors -and due in part to their own silence. So: “Speak up now or forever hold your peace!”-GWW
So Gordon, you’re saying smoking weed makes people lethargic and less apt to remember things. Please show us where anyone has said other wise. You’re solution is to treat it even more harshly than those other substances that you readily admit are worse for the body in any sense. I see that your position is similar to that of the prohibitionists of the 1920’s and 30’s. To insert government into everyones homes to dictate to them what they can or (in this case) can not do to themselves in their own home. If you’re truly a Republican, for smaller government, more freedom and all of that, how can you stand behind a government that is allowed to tell you what you can or can not do/grow on your own land? What business is it of yours to impose your own morals and values on those who outright reject them?
@ zexks — Dude! — you prove my point on the memory problem.
For one thing, you didn’t even read my comments: I said early and often in my post above that I *ADMITTED* that weed is LESS harmful than most other substances to which it was compared, k? (And I quote paragraph 3: “”On the one hand, I *do* accept the armaments bandied about by weed-smokers, including one of my best friends who is addicted to weed –namely, I accept the truthful claims that marijuana is both less addictive and also less harmful than other “legal” drugs, such as alcohol.””)
ALSO, you said (and I quote) the following: “”So Gordon, you’re saying smoking weed makes people lethargic and less apt to remember things. Please show us where anyone has said other wise.””
So, let’s take a closer look at your question (which did not have a question mark, but hey, I misspell things so I’m not a grammar-marm) — You admit that I *claim* that cannabis makes for memory problems & lethargy, and then you ask me to show where anyone has said to the contrary, that is, you’re asking me for proof that my statement is false.
If you’re *really* trying to make your point, then don’t you think it’d be more reasonable to ask me to show where people have said my claims are *true*?
So, you prove my point that weed-smoking makes for memory problems.
But you miss the “big picture”: Here, you have classic support from a legendary right-winger (myself) that weed is LESS harmful than alcohol and many (if not most or all) prescription meds, and yes, you don’t “run with it?”
LOL
I’m trying to toss you a softball pitch, hoping you’d find it easy & bat it “out the park!”
Yes, I’m more “conservative” than you, and would therefore be *less* likely to support drugs of *any* type, but at least I’m not hypocritical or imposing of a double-standard bias as you see here. (And, yes, cracking down on drinking *would* be hard, and *would* go against our commonly-held Libertarian slant to get Big Brother OUT of our lives, but some law and order is needed, isn’t it?)
Not trying to be harsh, my brother, but check this: Some rules must be maintained in ANY paradigm to keep chaos from reigning.
PS: Was my joke in my previous post funny?
G.W. Watts (R-Fla — mere voter or citizen – not running for or holding any elected office: They wouldn’t like the truth I dispense, as I’d tick off BOTH sides in short order!)
The matter of the issue is not the effects. It is the freedom to do it because that is what our country is founded on. The freedom that we may do it at our own discretion as long as it does not impose on the rights of others. If you can have a cigarette and a glass of scotch in the comfort of your own home on your own time, why not have a joint. I say it is not the effects of smoking marijuana that would influence ones motivations but the response of others to its use. Lots of things have the potential for abuse, it is up to the individual to take personal responsibility. Tell me who it would harm to grow and smoke marijuana in the privacy of my own home. If it is me, then you have no argument. It’s my choice and my American right to do so in which you are infringing. To bombard me with a series of “what if” questions is utterly pointless, it’s none of your business. Marijuana is intoxicating, i would no sooner smoke a join and leave my house or go to work than i would drink a bottle of liquor and do the same. That is not the point. i can’t count the number of people that would no sooner put out a cigarette on their lunch break because you told them they have no right, then to tell you where to stuff it. I’m sure they know it’s bad for them just like eating junk food but you can’t tell them it’s not a persons right to do so. The point is it’s my right, and i don’t care what you think. It’s my choice so stop acting like you have a right to make it for me. And on a further note many of the people of which I know for a fact smoke marijuana regularly, do not have an abuse problem. In fact, they have college degrees. It is not the substance that has potential for abuse, but the individual. If you have an abuse problem maybe you should stay away from substances that are intoxicating. Many of my friends smoked marijuana throughout the entire time they attended college and graduated with outstanding grades. But their decision to do so is not up to you, it is that persons choice. Stop messing with my freedom. I didn’t need a degree to tell you that, but I can put it in a more simple fashion of you have trouble understanding with your profound background.
@ zexks — Dude! — you prove my point on the memory problem.
For one thing, you didn’t even read my comments: I said early and often in my post above that I *ADMITTED* that weed is LESS harmful than most other substances to which it was compared, k? (And I quote paragraph 3: “On the one hand, I *do* accept the armaments bandied about by weed-smokers, including one of my best friends who is addicted to weed –namely, I accept the truthful claims that marijuana is both less addictive and also less harmful than other “legal” drugs, such as alcohol.”)
ALSO, you said (and I quote) the following: “So Gordon, you’re saying smoking weed makes people lethargic and less apt to remember things. Please show us where anyone has said other wise.”
So, let’s take a closer look at your question (which did not have a question mark, but hey, I misspell things so I’m not a grammar-marm) — You admit that I *claim* that cannabis makes for memory problems & lethargy, and then you ask me to show where anyone has said to the contrary, that is, you’re asking me for proof that my statement is false.
If you’re *really* trying to make your point, then don’t you think it’d be more reasonable to ask me to show where people have said my claims are *true*?
So, you prove my point that weed-smoking makes for memory problems.
But you miss the “big picture”: Here, you have classic support from a legendary right-winger (myself) that weed is LESS harmful than alcohol and many (if not most or all) prescription meds, and yet, you don’t “run with it?”
LOL
I’m trying to toss you a softball pitch, hoping you’d find it easy & bat it “out the park!”
Yes, I’m more “conservative” than you, and would therefore be *less* likely to support drugs of *any* type, but at least I’m not hypocritical or imposing of a double-standard bias as you see here. (And, yes, cracking down on drinking *would* be hard, and *would* go against our commonly-held Libertarian slant to get Big Brother OUT of our lives, but some law and order is needed, isn’t it?)
Not trying to be harsh, my brother, but check this: Some rules must be maintained in ANY paradigm to keep chaos from reigning.
PS: Was my joke in my previous post funny?
‘Flash’ Gordon Wayne ‘G.W.’ Watts (R-Fla — mere voter or citizen – not running for or holding any elected office: They wouldn’t like the truth I dispense, as I’d tick off BOTH sides in short order!)
Gordon, No sorry that was not a question it was a statement of fact pulled from your prior post, thereby not needing a question mark, as I was not asking you anything I was merely restating your position, so as to mark the point of my rebuttal. Because you state it from an anecdotal point of view (your “respected” sources: Power Lifters) as if those ailments were something pro-smokers are trying to hide from the public. You go on to write more than two paragraphs in response to a non-existent position. Then you come around to say “Well yes you are right that it is less dangerous than EVERY other legal substance currently available” So instead of adjusting the rules surrounding the one, you propose changing the rules surrounding the many. As if that would somehow do something different now, that it hasn’t been able to do for the one in nearly a century.
I’m fine with rules, but for me those rules should ONLY govern our interactions with each other. They should not entail allowing and denying people the right to do as they choose with their own body, in the privacy of their own home. But all laws should also be equal in their intent and enforcement. Who gives us the right to ‘ban’ a plant from existence? Of all things, why do we accept man made substances over all natural substances? Who’s morals and values get to be legislated, christian, mormon, hebrew? Maybe you want to go the route of legislating based on toxicity. Well even then Alcohol is going to be right up there near the top of the list. In fact by that line, aspirin and ibuprofen would both be higher than weed (no pun intended). Some rules are fine, but keep them in public and in our interactions with each other, not ones in what one chooses to do to themselves.
@433 – FLASH Gordon Wayne Watts
Some of us, including myself, do get what you’re saying and fully respect your position and opinion!
I’m not one of those people that claim marijuana is completely harmless. It’s not! It is much safer than many other substances which are legal and so the law is completely out in left field regarding this herb. I’m sure you get it too!
Only a complete knucklehead believes it is so dangerous that people should be locked up and maybe even put to death for it (like Newt Gingrich).
Gordon is Trolling.
To the webmaster — thank you for approving my somewhat “dissenting” view –and it’s perfectly OK that you posted my double-post (I didn’t see my 1st post, and so I tried again & even fixed a typo or 2o 2nd time. 🙂 🙂 It’s your website, and I appreciate the gracious hospitality that you’ve extended to guests to comment.
@ zexks and @ Don —
First — @ zexks — sorry for misunderstanding your post:
I guess I was wrong there…
— Yes, upon 2nd glance, you WERE stating a fact about my position, instead of asking me if that’s where I stood…
I hate to admit it, but maybe we should have more freedoms to smoke weed — but, regardless of your views or the views of others on the so-called “failures” of prohibition (you imply as much here: (“prohibitionists of the 1920’s and 30’s.”), I stand by my position on alcohol:
It is very dangerous, and should be tightly regulated, Libertarian desires of us guys notwithstanding. “The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the WANTS of the one.” (paraphrase of Spock’s famous quote in one of the Star Trek movies -yes, fictional characters are smart too! 😀 :D)
… now: @ DON: Thank you for meeting me halfway here, and admitting & acknowledging the dangers of weed…
Whether I fully agree with your conclusions or not, I will give you this tip: If you want to win over us conservatives, you might compare weed with the right to bear arms, as we want the “freedoms” to choose for either –and guns vs. weed IS a *good* comparison, as both can be used for good –and both can be used for evil:
“Guns don’t kill people –and neither does weed: PEOPLE kill people.”
@ freakngeckos —
I read your response, — my apologies — sorry I forgot to acknowledge you in my last reply — what I said to Don @ zexks was directed to try and answer you as well. Hopefuly, I was making helpful contributions to the discussion here.
— Gordon
Gordon, You and I agree on alcohol wholeheartedly. Also, I hold no disrespect for quoting Spock. Spock’s awesome.
http://fishermage.blogspot.com/2011/10/coolness.html
zexks –> RE: http://fishermage.blogspot.com/2011/10/coolness.html “You may be cool … But You’ll never be ‘Spock leaning on a Riviera’ cool.”
Classic! (ha hah!)
Spock just text-messaged me on his communicator and said that he wanted to fire up a green one and do some ‘Vulcan-style’ meditation, ha!
In all seriousness, though… even though I am very sympathetic to both Government oppression in general AS WELL AS the very real ‘double-standard’ bias here (where weed is treated WORSE than alcohol& prescription meds, even though the latter are usually or always WORSE then weed), on an ‘absolute’ standard of truth, however, I honestly and genuinely struggle with whether it’s right to make something more legal / accessible if it’s admittedly somewhat harmful or has the potential for abuse. (What I’m saying is the 2 wrongs don’t make a right, and that I honestly *don’t* know if it’s wrong to ask for a little more access to weed, even in spite of the fact that it’s not near as bad as some other things that *are* legal.)
Gordon Wayne Watts
Lakeland, Fla.
@ Mr. Watts – I think that one of the best arguments for legalization and regulation of cannabis is that it is very popular! People can and do get it now. What they get may not be very safe depending on it’s source. But, since they are going to get it anyway, it just makes sense! If everyone who has ever used it or had it in their possession was to suddenly find themselves in jail or prison, the remaining population outside the jail would have a terrible problem to deal with! The punishments for cannabis are far greater than any supposed crime that has been committed. The real crime are the laws dealing with cannabis!
@ Don — at first, when I started to read your comment, I thought that id didn’t make sense — namely, just because something is popular does not necessarily make it a good idea to support or allow.
On the other hand, as Spock might say, you make a logical point: If it’s going to be done anyhow, why not legalise it?
In fact, by legalising & regulating it, there can be tighter controls over quality and contamination issues. (Plus, the goobbermint can tax us to death in yet one MORE area.)
But, merely making weed more accessible or legal may not be the best goal: Perhaps, tying this call for legalisation in with tighter controls over other (more harmful) things would garner additional support from conservative libertarians lime myself:
I *could* find myself supporting more accessibility of weed IF it was *conditionally* tied to *LESS* accessibility of other (more harmful) drugs. This would not only increase the odds of your conservative peeps supporting you, but also save lives –ask any mother whose son or daughter was killed by a drunk driver –or whose child was prescribed poisonous “prescription” medication for “made up” psychological ‘problems’ such as ADD or ADHD, things that, in reality, are merely “kids being kids.”
Do I make progress here in moving the ball down field?
@ Mr. Watts – I believe that legalizing cannabis and regulating in a similar manner as alcohol would have the effect of reducing the availabilty of it for people under 21 (if that is the legal age for alcohol in a given location). It would also have the added benefit of having a cleaner, more pure and healthy product for the adult who chooses to consume it for any reason. As it is, if you make a purchase off the black market you just don’t know for sure what you’re getting unless you pay a company big bucks to analyze it for you.
I respect your opinion on the subject and the fact that your mind is open to discussion about it!
Criminals will use the latest Techno to take that which they convince themselves they have right to. Free non-government controlled Science will surpass this obstacle certain politicians are trying to push over this GREAT LAND of Great People. The crooks are changing US Law to get everything they want from all Americans. 1 Way or another “freedom wins” Always Has-Always Will, and freedom means “truth” and truth needs no changing. LAW is LAW, as written in the original Document once known as the “AMERICAN”Constitution! “WTF” Indefinent Detention??? Google that for a minute! War on Drugs is stupid, but to let politicians pass that bill. R-WE-Stupid?
Enough of all this *heavy* stuff — Time for a little *light-hearted* humour for these holidays! –>
–> OK, when I was thinking about the latest controversy, I couldn’t get this song outta my head:
LYRICS: “Speed is what you need/if finesse is what you want to posses/Flash! The answer to the ladies request.”
from: “Girls love the way he spins” (Grandmaster Flash & The Furious 5, Album: The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash and/or his 1985 album: ‘They Said It Couldn’t Be Done’)
http://mp3.rhapsody.com/album/the-adventures-of-grandmaster-flash-melle-mel-the-furious-five-more-of-the-best/girls-love-the-way-he-spins-lp-version
It just as well might say:
LYRICS: “WEED is what you need/if finesse is what you want to posses/Flash! The answer to the ladies request.”
🙂 🙂 😀 😉
Here are other links to that, in case the above doesn’t work:
or:
Grandmaster FLASH Gordon Wayne Watts…/
ACTUALLY THESE PETITIONS ARE A GREAT START IN A DIALOG WITH THE WHITE HOUSE AND WITH NORML’S INVOLVEMENT. WE CAN BUILD ON THIS DIALOGUE WITH OBAMA!!! SIGN THE 2ND PETITION AND GET YOUR FACEBOOK FRIENDS TO SIGN. ALL NEEDED INFO @ http://whitehousevscannabis.com/ THANKS NORML!
UPDATE –> I (a far-right conservative, Bible-thumping’ Christian Republican) signed a ‘pro-weed’ petition, and urge you to do likewise…
DETAILS:
OK — I hope all of you enjoyed my humour above (links to old 80’s rap!), but I realise there are serious issues afoot, to correct off-centre laws…
Now, while I’m probably a lot like Dr. Ron Paul (R-TX) a Libertarian-leaning Republican politician of great fame, insofar as he would prefer you NOT smoke marijuana, even as libertarian as he is, nonetheless, I have *strongly* defended weed-use as NOT as bad as other drugs (many prescription drugs AND alcohol).
So, while I’m still kind of undecided as to whether weed should be outright legal, I am practicing what I preached:
I just signed THIS petition here: “”Release all non-violent drug offenders. Release all inmates who are incarcerated for cannabis related crimes.””
https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions/!/petition/release-all-non-violent-drug-offenders-release-all-inmates-who-are-incarcerated-cannabis-related/tBvfwJC8
(Reasoning: Though hot mentioned in THEIR petition, it is a fact: Weed may be bad, but come on: We’re wasting a lot of monies incarcerating non-violent crimes –or maybe they’re NOT crimes — that is a matter in dispute.)
GordonWayne W
Lakeland, FL
January 10, 2012
Signature # 6,689
My signature was #6,689 in case you want to verify my claims here that I really signed it.
I’m Gordon Wayne Watts of LAKELAND, Florida, between Tampa & Orlando — and I approve this message. — Google me to see if I’m “for real.”
OK, I also just signed the following petition here:
“”WE PETITION THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION TO:
Write a Point-by-Point Rebuttal to NORML’s Point-by-Point Rebuttal of the White House’s Reply to the Marijuana Petition.””
Link: https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions#!/petition/write-point-point-rebuttal-normls-point-point-rebuttal-white-houses-reply-marijuana-petition/2LmsMr1T
GordonWayne W
Lakeland, FL
January 10, 2012
Signature # 1,400
(I signed at signature #1,400, in case you wanna verify my claims here.-GW)
SIGNATURES NEEDED BY JANUARY 17, 2012 TO REACH GOAL OF 25,000: *** 23,600 ***
Reasoning: Although I’m very conservative (Rule of Law, Moral Rights & Wrongs, Personal Responsibility, a certified ‘Health Nut,’ etc.), and am still a bit unsure about whether weed should be outright legal, nonetheless, I do agree with the petition: I think that the Obama administration morally owes it to us to provide a rebuttal, and with that request I do agree.
“Conservative FLASH” Gordon Wayne Watts
aka: http://www.GordonWatts.com
aka: http://www.GordonWayneWatts.com
(-: .. 😉 .. 😀 .. 🙂
I think this is a no brainer! I can’t go to to U.S without a waiver because of a gram of weed that wasn’t even mine from 13 years ago. I don’t care to go to U.S anyway but to judge me on that petty conviction {was told at border I was no better then a rapest} is just stupid.GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOUR ASS ALREADY!!!!! LEGALIZE IT!!
i wonder if the government reads all these comments and know that not all americans are blind to what there doing, fuckin lizards. and no matter how many signatures you get on this or any other petition regarding the same subject, its never gonna be passed, for the same reason it was made illegal in the first place, it has nothing to do with the effects the occur when you smoke it, its illegal cuz the corporations that there dick riding make more moeny with illegal, so the cheap and efficient products that are produced from the plant cant replace the shit there selling. and also becuz the plant (when smoked) makes you realize bullshit, *cough* our government *cough*… one love folks, and mr president for you my dick to choke upon
Re: ‘ME,’ who said on: January 12, 2012 at 5:27 pm, the following: “”I think this is a no brainer! I can’t go to to U.S without a waiver because of a gram of weed that wasn’t even mine from 13 years ago. I don’t care to go to U.S anyway but to judge me on that petty conviction {was told at border I was no better then a rapest} is just stupid.GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOUR ASS ALREADY!!!!! LEGALIZE IT!!””
RESPONSE:
I didn’t realise that enforcement and punishment were THIS harsh! -LOL- God help us — we are so screwed as a nation.
Although I’m a far-right conservative (Rule of Law, opposed to drug use, etc.), I’m also fair, moral, and honest, and know that this over-reaction here against you was AND *IS* wrong.
THEREFORE:
Everybody reading this missive, please PUT DOWN your joint for just a second, and sign THESE FIVE (5) petitions, that deal with this issue (and another similarly important, but different abusive abuse) — JUST DO IT:
–> SIGN THESE:
( #1 ) * 1st this one, as it is time-sensitive: https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions#!/petition/write-point-point-rebuttal-normls-point-point-rebuttal-white-houses-reply-marijuana-petition/2LmsMr1T
( #2 ) Also this one: https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions/!/petition/release-all-non-violent-drug-offenders-release-all-inmates-who-are-incarcerated-cannabis-related/tBvfwJC8
Unrelated to weed, BUT STILL IMPORTANT if you don’t like being stepped on simply because you’re small, weak, or poor:
( #3 ) https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions/!/petition/support-legislation-permit-discharge-all-student-loans-bankruptcy/Czyt3Lt3 (Also time-sensitive — not my petition, but similar to the one I had, & still good)
The next 2 petitions get easier to sign as registration is not required:
( #4 ) http://signon.org/sign/want-a-real-economic?source=c.url&r_by=525506
and this one which, on my honour, I believe belongs to Democratic US Rep Hansen Clark of Michigan:
( #5 ) https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/embeddedform?formkey=dFFnbzJMVTlWanBMYWxlMEJBbWVkS3c6MQ
— GWW
PROHIBITION
Our founding fathers didn’t give us prohibition & spoke against it.
Before 1937, cannabis was freely available & known as the most beneficial plant known to man. The name was changed to marijuana in order to deceive the public. Propaganda was produced about the “new drug.” Actually, the target was hemp (which has no significant THC content). This was so William Hearst could eliminate competition from hemp. Since prohibition was Constitutionally uncertain, a prohibitively expensive tax was imposed on cannabis.
Our laws are based on protecting our rights to
? life
? liberty
? property
“Because it is bad” (or “not benign”) is not a principle of law.
I believe prohibition is illegal & the courts agreed with me up until the Nixon administration. Nixon set up a system of scheduling drugs in order to bypass the legislative process.
When we bypass our Constitution & the legislative process, destruction follows. Prohibition is not benign.
BIBLE (in addition to other Scriptures)
God said we could freely eat of every green herb in the garden. Everything in Creation was given for our use & benefit.
Herb was given for the benefit of man.
Bob, altho I’m one of those far-right religious nut Conservatives (who personally frowns upon excessive drug use), nonetheless I’ve done my tour of duty (see above & elsewhere on the prior page of posts) to defend those who are excessively punished for weed use.
Nonetheless, to be fair, I’ve gotta play Devil’s advocate (or ‘God’s Advocate? LOL), and ask you this question:
If you say (and believe) that “”God said we could freely eat of every green herb in the garden. Everything in Creation was given for our use & benefit,”” then I must ask what’s the problem with poison oak & poison ivy, jsut to mention a few.
THEY’RE herbs & THEY’RE green, aren’t they??
😀
@Mr. FLASH GW Watts…
RE: your comments to Bob…
Interesting, but what exactly is a “far, right, religious nut conservative? Shouldn’t you be hanging out stage left?? I like also your comment about “frowns upon excessive drug use”. I gather that means, your wife, girlfriend someone you know smokes too much or drinks too much coffee. Just kidding.
But it is an interesting state of being.
As to poison ivy and oak, etc… they are NOT herbs in the sense that they benefit humans. There are many such plants that as we learn about them we gain understanding about their benefits, and harms. Tobacco, is a prime example. It is not meant for human consumption, especially not in the way modern society sells it.
Some people can handle poison plants, the first time, even a second time, but in general, eventually an allergic reaction occurs. I’m not aware of too many people experiencing allergic reactions to cannabis. In fact, one of the tools humans have is their mind, and their ability to learn. When it comes to plants we have done that for millions of years. Cannabis became prohibited in 1937. Doesn’t that strike you as odd?
For many thousand years cannabis was used without leaving hardly a trace of it’s use, but it was used. Alcohol on the other hand is well documented over time as not only being the elixir to a new world, but a curse.
The Old Testamate; Genesis, does give humans the plants of the earth. It doesn’t give them to governments. As such, regulations banning commodities are rare. State Constitutions often prohibit bans on commodities, which hemp/cannabis is. Why?
Bad for business!
Compared to other herbal commodities, cannabis is by far one of the safest. It’s uses and benefits number into the thousands.
Tobacco, poison ivy, poison sumac; sorry, but not very beneficial. Quite hazardous and dangerous. The good news – tobacco is now FDA approved.
I read where the white house states that the osoma, I mean oboma admin. Claims that the social and health costs due to legalization would outweigh the tax revenue. That is bull, people who don’t like marijuana will not start using it just because it is legal. For the most part anyway. Keeping it illegal is just plain stupid. If people want it they will get it, the only reason they want it illegal is so they can collect fines when they catch people using. I don’t even like marijuana but I feel we should have the right to use it if we want. Like other drugs like oxycontin, the reason it ruins people financially is because of the outrageous street prices because the DEA makes it harder for people who actually need it to get it from a doctor. It kills people when they mix it with drugs they aren’t supposed to like Xanax , if a person could just go to a pharmacy and tell them they want 30 oxycodone pills( without script) the pharmacist could warn them about interactions with other drugs. THEY WiLL GET IT ANYWAY. At least it’s safer than on the street or online. If they legalize marijuana , opiods and other non harmful drugs ( unlike PCP , meth and crack) then the cartels would loose power because people would buy from legitimate places. If they want to die they can legally buy drano and inject that, it’s time To realize we aren’t in the 1950’s , it’s time to let people do what they want as long as they aren’t driving or watching over children. To punish someone for a non violent crime that has the potential to ONLY hurt themselves is stupid, what’s next, when you shoot yourself your family has to pay a fine because they had bullets in the house. Vote for RON PAUL , maybe he will legalize it , he seems the most likely to do it. If one would come out and say he will legalize weed and some opiods, he would get a shitload of more votes, if the prudes don’t like weed, don’t freaking buy it, make the law where you have to smoke in your own home or places especially for that so the prudes don’t have to see it.
I think it should somehow be unconstitutional to make marijuana illegal, odor Makes you happy ( which it does) don’t we have the right to life liberty and pursuit of happiness. Marijuana being legal shouldn’t upset anyone , like I stated before, they don’t have to buy it . Big deal if it offends them because it’s legal, mosques offend some people but the government doesn’t make them illegal, if you dot like it , you don’t go. Same with weed . As long as the tokers aren’t on the road driving or in public acting stupid then it’s none of Anyones business what they are doing because they aren’t hurting anyone . Liquor causes a lot more problems than weed, and drunk people are a lot worse to deal with than people who are stoned. I witnessed this first hand when i was a police officer for 5 years. I always felt it was useless to arrest someone for possesion of a little bag of weed, other officers Acted like they had just caught dillanger when they found weed on someone. The only reasons it’s still illegal is the prison lobbyists want to keep the prisons full and the courts love gettibg the fines from these non violent offenders, because it’s no work at all, when they deal with real criminals they are scared to handle them, and the fine is rarely collected.
@GWatts
“then I must ask what’s the problem with poison oak & poison ivy, jsut to mention a few.”
You are free to try these if you wish. Some plants provide an enjoyable experience to some and not to others, like chili’s. But no one should be disallowed the ability to make their own choice, even if they unwisely choose to down some poison ivy.
@zexks:
Very well said… that’s the truth. The simple, honest truth. Thank-you!
That’s seems a baiting-facetious question above. (If you say (and believe) that “”God said we could freely eat of every green herb in the garden. Everything in Creation was given for our use & benefit,”” then I must ask what’s the problem with poison oak & poison ivy, jsut to mention a few.
THEY’RE herbs & THEY’RE green, aren’t they??)
Those two (poison ivy-poison oak) are a green and can be used in a few different ways! Among thousands of other herbs. Medicinal herbs proliferate the planet. And they should not be governed. Or rather one should not try to govern any of these.To do so is try to rule by the sword, killing life as you go by taking liberties from all free peoples. Freedom is freedom only when left to the free. Government was NOT established to control people like they are robots to give them lubing when it seems they need lubed, where they don’t want to be lubed. To lie to ones self by saying this government is for the people is a choice. To lie to the people by saying you have there best interest’s at heart is to have no heart at all for the people.
The government we now have is interested only in it’s own interest’s for government growth. Government greed OVER the people’s health, wealth, life, liberty and happiness is where it now stands and has for far to long. Greed is the all important issue for politicians. Give me the money. Pay me more for what I should do for you so I can pass bills that do more for me. “I WANT ALL YOUR MONEY & I WANT YOU WORKIN FOR ME BITCH” seems to be this governments main idea. The work for the people idea for government was lost LONG ago. One simple look at the salaries of government employees (politicians) and one will see that as a truth. We the people pay for this governments political salaries. And they are supposed to be working for we the people but we the people make so much less. “WTF” is wrong with all Americans to let this seem to be a truth. And now they plan to censor the free internet like China does, a very well established COMMUNIST government???????????? “WTF x 3” ? When a government makes itself so powerful that it can control so many free people, and then make laws to control and condemn any of those people any time it chooses. That is way beyond good government. That’s Fucked Up!
All this I’ve stated here is only MY opinion, much less that of mine own children’s opinions. I just see this government running itself outa bid-ness! Wage war-Kill many to Rage war-to kill more? “I think I hear George saying, it’s time for freedom, looks like the cherry tree outsides been cut down!”
Cannabis helps to relieve pain for me, “it an herb, OK” it helps soooo much with my “Crohns” but would my government care one way or the other? Not on my life, or yours, unless of course it pays some form of dividend. GREED is the guiding light for this government. But this system of a controlling government is the only one we presently have and it will not change without votes from ALL its people! The greed will not end.
I greedily want freedom, so greed fills me as well. But my freedom will not depend on injustice towards anyone else. We have rights given by the constitution. Changing that constitution is how one changes peoples rights. Convenience is not worth freedom, and its seems so damn convenient for government to just change the United States Constitution to get what government needs for control of The People. Instating laws that are/were unconstitutional seems to now be the norm.
That’s some of my opinion.
OdiOlen
In response to FLASH Gordon Watts’ response to my post:
I think I will decline to eat poison ivy / oak, even though these are not prohibited by law. These may have other purposes.
Cannabis is among the most nutritious of foods. At first, bird seed was exempt; that is, cannabis seed was permitted in bird seed, being favored by birds & the most nutritious bird food.
I would not want to eat too much cannabis because it is psychoactive & an overdose is unpleasant, causing anxiety. I drink hemp milk, available in the health food section.
I was going by memory (unreliable) & it appears I was getting two verses mixed together.
I guess these are the ones (King James):
“…I have given every green herb for meat.” Genesis 1:30
“…Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat.”
Genesis 2:16
“…even as the green herb have I given you all these things.” Genesis 9:3
“…herb for the service of men.” Psalm 104:14.
“Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.” Genesis 2:3.
http://www.equalrights4all.org gives a list of Scriptures. Use your own discernment as to how well they apply. http://www.votehemp.com is of interest. LEAP (Law Enforcement Against Prohibition), christiansforcannabis is interesting but some of their sites seem to have acquired a virus — my search engine gave message, “…often legitimate sites that are abused by a malicious third party without the knowledge of the site’s owner.”
I would prefer that people treat God’s gifts with appreciation & respect. I would prefer that people not abuse or use excessively but I don’t make personal choices for others.
Question: do our lawmakers have authority to prohibit that which the Lord of lords, King of kings gave us?
These gifts are for our use & benefit but they can be abused to our detriment. Gluttony for example.
I personally am not a stoner. My vice is coffee — I’m a coffee stoner. I have not smoked pot in 20 years & even then only occasionally. Back then, a mouse once ate my stash (good mouse food, yummy).
There have been a time or two when I wished that I had a little for medical use. I would like the freedom to keep a little for such purposes. Those of our heritage had that freedom.
I am not so concerned about cannabis. I am more concerned about heroin, speed, etc. It is not the role of government to run our personal lives but if we have prohibition at all, it should be used extremely sparingly, only in the most extreme cases, since prohibition is more destructive to our country than the public seems to be aware of. Prohibition of alcohol required a Constitutional amendment. I am apprehensive about (legalization &) govt. control.
As to the original question about poison ivy/oak, I just gave the quotes; I don’t explain them. I read the Bible but am not an expert scholar. I gave my personal response.
All this religious talk makes my head ache! It really doesn’t matter what words were written 2000 years ago. What does matter is the understanding of what is right or wrong for the people who inhabit this small blue planet in the middle of a vast cosmic ocean. Prohibition is wrong – pure and simple. It does far more harm than good. Albert Einstein, Carl Sagan, and Ben Franklin – some of histories greatest minds are in total agreement with this and their intelligence dwarfs that of the members of our Federal Govt!
Just a thought.
It seems (to me) the real crime concerning Cannabis being illegal is the blatant avoidance of the true criminals in this country. As every one is aware, crooked politicians are a bad influence and have a bad effect on America.
“But it seems to me”, the Pharmaceutical industry is the true criminal. The money that industry takes in per year is outrageous. And all the positive effects Cannabis has on the human anatomy would be the perfect reason for such a powerful industry to push this stupid greed creating war on Cannabis. They would keep it out of the peoples hands, then push the U.S. government to let their same powerful Pharmaceutical industry take patient and production rights of an HERB. Just as when in the 1970s to the 90s the Pharmaceutical industry tried to do (with the help of the FDA) of ALL herbal products. Who would be a better advocate for the war on Cannabis than the “Pharma” industry. I say dismantle this industry and tax them heavily enough to pay off the U.S. dept. our political system has created, to then free this land yet again. Yea, maybe it’s that simple, probably not! 15 Trillion of U.S. dept. It could be easily wiped out by just a tip of the net profit that industry makes off Americans, and the majority of the products they make “kill people”. How much do all those killing drug commercials cost anyway. But then who the hell cares, it doesn’t matter. They make more money than any industry and kill more people than any other. Again, “maybe”. But then, this is all just a thought. But if it were all real, and not just a thought, why would it be excepted to let one industry have the power to do so mush harm? I heard once that Bayer started as a Nazi based Pharmaceutical company.
Rummer? Just a thought!
fuck obama
70 year war.
How many have gone to prison for this herb? Who caused this herb to be considered illegal, when in fact it’s been used for more than 10,000 years. Who would benefit from a war that would make more than 12 Million citizens angry with the United States government.
12 Million American citizen now criminals of a cowardly greed driven war. The only beneficiary to this Cannabis war is the Pharmaceutical industry. They started this war, but try to prove that!
Now there are literally better than 100 million people that have a negative impact from this fucked up war. Obama knows this. He now has tried to create some form of protection for politicians who back this stupid war by passing the Indefinite Detention bill. 100 million pissed off American citizens would be hard for any country to control! The United States government now have Millions of enemies outside our boarders and possibly 100+ Million inside because of a bad decision for a stupid “purchased” policy. Many times one can see the bad effect of big money on this government, even now big money buys a candidate the presidency. If your gonna run for office, have money or don’t try. But each year that Cannabis is kept illegal makes more angry citizens. Changing the constitution will never protect the true criminals in the long term. Sooner, but probably 70+years later people will grow weary of the bullshit. Especially when there are now better than 12 Million citizens who’s lives have been destroyed because of a purchased policy to make Cannabis illegal. Legalize this plant for good, or things ((“”ARE””)) going to go bad, and far worse than the prohibition of alcohol.
And then to pass a law (again against the constitution) to keep guns out of the hands of legal Medical Cannabis users? Pushing people to there end. Even here in MI. the legislature is trying to pass bills that would release Medical Data of citizens to the public. No privacy left in MI. That’s not government. That’s a punk kid behind a big desk ruling people like they’re dogs. And all the time acting bad ass because he has big guns in the back yard. Our military;
!!!”it’s our military-“PUNK”!!!
Change this fucking law, and quit acting like a fool. I have never been prejudice, but this fool act’s like a no-tooth white nigger with a big gun. And I voted for this idiot. So I feel like shit each time he talks. I bitch because I can. But those of us that do usually have a reason. I know for sure that 12+ Million citizens have a right to bitch. And their average of 4 family members have a right to bitch. And those 4 members have 6 members of their own. So let see, 12 X 4 X 6 = that’s possibly 148 Million American Citizens ballpark. Hmm, that’s a lot of people. So who’s voting for these fools anyway. Fools that pass bill to restrict freedoms? To change the constitution?
People, we need better candidates. You willing, because I don’t have the stuff for good decision. But the decision to make an herb illegal to satisfy a big industry that wanted the rights to an un-controllable herb, like so many other herbs. That’s not the decision I would make in any office of government! I hope people read this. I hope some one will pass this on. Don’t Bogart your anger my friend, pass it over to your government. They deserve it more than me. That’s just some more of my opinion.
Oh, an while I am expressing my opinion, I would like to say that in my 50 years I have found that when I have gas, or pain, or sadness, or I am tired from slaving, or am lonely, or am pissed off, or I am constipated from the Crohns that has been with me those 50 years. I have found that Cannabis has fixed them all, and making that up would be easy. But it is real! And when I have herb, (and I wish I did now) I can resist from buying any of the opponent pharmaceuticals of Cannabis at my local DRUG store. Isn’t it funny how the Pharma. industry happens to have the products that do what Cannabis does. Just sayin.
The End.
Of this war.
Is Near.
I hope.
For all of us!!!!!
Feed back, good or bad, is good
OdiOlen
The simple truth is what many here have already said: Cannabis, like thousands of other plants are just that – plants. All the “religion”, Bible verses, although true and highly relevant in a “Christian Nation”, also make my head ache!
The government elected by the People of the US never agreed to prohibition of plants. Among the many shady things gov’t has done, prohibition of plants was a backroom decision.
It’s Unconstitutional to ban plants. It’s Unchristian. It’s not right.
Having said all that, we forget in all the mess some other simple truths.
Plants aren’t “drugs”. They’re plants. However, plants are complex and have a broad range of effects on humans. For those wishing to experiment with plants like poison ivy or oak, be forwarded, educate yourself first!!!
That is the second simple truth – educate yourself.
The effects of cannabis and coffee for example are oddly similar. Both provide a buzz of sorts, one a stimulant like the coca plant, the other can provide an often pleasant, mind-altering psychological readjustment and sense of balance, along with many other medicinal benefits.
The most unfortunate tragedy of plant prohibition is the “doping of Americans”, the proliferation of misinformation, propaganda and loss of our Constitution rights. We don’t even know what a “DRUG” really is anymore. There’s drugs and there’s drugs and there’s substances…
Simple truth number 3: Drugs are made in laboratories, the chemistry lab. Plants grow from a seed in the earth. Meth is a drug; Penicillin is a drug (derived from mold in a lab); morphine also a drug derived from plants in a lab; coca and cannabis, are plants, not drugs; as is coffee – a seed, not a drug.
The War on Drugs is an insult of the worst kind on the intelligence of the American People. The dribble the politicians expect us to accept, abide by and respect is absurd.
We are a “DOPED NATION”, a nation where for over 70 years the government has done the impossible… regulated and prohibited herbs and plants. They friggin’ tax tobacco which isn’t even tobacco! You wouldn’t be smoking real tobacco leaf in the form of a cigarette. Cigarette tobacco is made in a lab – which makes it a drug. It was formulated in the late 1800’s.
We’re all thinking about who to vote for to be the next President of the United States. I believe whoever we vote for they need to be educated. They need to understand Constitutional basics, personal and human rights, be accepting of a person’s right as an individual…
Who is there running for the office of President is there with that intelligence?
Ron Paul is the only candidate I know of, and his own party is too stupid to nominate him. That’s sad. It’s not what this country is about. And this whole Petition the White House thing is simply more of an effort by gov’t to dope Americans into thinking they are being listened to, when the 4th simple truth is, they’re not listening!!!
All true. And here we are with that. 5th simple truth Bobkat, people will get tired of it sooner than latter. And 200 million Americans will one day revolt over one incident when enough becomes enough. How many Federal Reserve personnel have lost there jobs? And the job losses of the Pharma industry are a hype! Lies start from the greedy. And all the money is mostly in those two areas of money greedy industries. Neither of those two are hurting in this economy. War helps the Federal Reserve because the USA borrows from them to pay for wars, and the war on Cannabis I Know was started by the other. The Pharma ind. removed information about Echinacea off the shelves and out of the peoples hands/access when they released penicillin and tried to gain control of all herbals just a few years ago with the help of the FDA. It will be a bad look 20 years from now for this government. So many people unjustly treated by this stupid greedy government. When the children’s children grow older there will lots of payback for the greedy. History will pay them well. The truth will always emerge in time.
It has become clear – this president is on the new world order side, its like reasoning with a deaf and dumb animal that loves your frustration and has no intention of ever keeping his word at anything. What’s left that hasn’t been tried? Civil War – I’m sure he would like that!
1st take the profit out. 2nd remove the drug companies 3rd pkg like cigs. 4th tax it, regulate content to prevent tobaco company like poisoning. 4th exonerate pot only arrests 5th plant poison oak around you home get on with a better life.org
The government is full of this kind of bullshit. While they are locking a man up for smoking a joint, while the man in charge of the government is lighting one up in the white house.
In the event you aren’t playing well, the action is not as enjoyable. When that takes place I tell myself only to just go play because i did once i would have been a kid.
I want to put a ding inside the universe.
Beat Cancer and tell me you don’t want to smoke cannabis to feel well and happy and not think about death and illness. I DID
I don’t smoke pot, but I believe it should be legalized, since it’s a much more benign drug than alcohol. I signed 2 petitions on White House “We The People” .gov site. There were enough signatures to get the petition looked at. The response for both was basically “our laws state such, so we’re not going to do anything about this.” This “We The People” petition site is worthless. You can “aire your greivances”, but it doesn’t mean the government will take action. It’s like being a pauper and getting tons of folks to sign a letter to the king about some issue. He promptly crumples it up and tosses it out. It’s ridiculous how the government is supposed to be representative of us, but they’re so far out of touch with reality.
#OpCannabis #OpCannabis420 #Cannabis #PUFMM #Marijuana #Marihuana is with you. Namaste
I have heard that at least one country in the world (in South America?) has a constitutional prohibition against making any plant illegal. Does anyone know if this is true, and if so what country?
This kind of data, along with the petition, is beneficial for the entire world. If you guys can change the way the U.S. deals with marijuana, lots of other countries will eventually follow. Keep up the good work 🙂
The castor bean plant has one of the most toxic poisons in a plant in the U.S. You can kill a man with ricin yet, you can give castor oil to a child to soothe a stomach ache. Why is the castor bean not illegal? It’s less safe than marijuana.
Honestly I don’t buy into all the politics. I’m a free adult in a Constitutionally free nation. No one especially, the gov’t has a right to take my home,freedom or life because I choose to consume an herb.
The religious argument goes back to Genesis when, on the 3rd day I think that, God created plants and on the 6th day said it was all good. Again in Ezek 46 or 47 :12 claims all trees and plants are food and medicine. There are more scriptures.
So politically the gov’t has no authority to stop the consumption of cannabis…of course that’s why they made it “possession”, smoking pot isn’t illegal. Possession is illegal. Religiously there’s no bibles out there that, say “i have given thee every green herb bearing seed except cannabis”. Therefore the power they take is not with authority but, illegal brute force.
I have the right to ignore unConstitutional laws. I don’t need a lawyer to explain why.
I enjoy it.I believe God gave it to me and man has no say so. It makes my day mentally peaceful and adds production to my life despite the myths of apathy or lethargy. I use it also for many ailments.
The gov’t has no business in my healthcare. I will continue to use it until they pry the joint from my cold dead fingers.
We have been buffaloed for over a good hundred years now with pure scandal in regards to marijuana. The Harrison act, Uniform State Narcotics Act, Anslinger and the FBN set the mold. Looks to me now that the states and the citizens are making good progress in reversing their hideous stupidity.
I tend not to leave a comment, however after looking
at through a few of the comments on White House response to
NORML?s ?We the People? marijuana legalization petition
| NORML Blog, Marijuana Law Reform. I do have 2 questions for you if it’s okay. Could it be simply me or does it seem like some of the responses look as if they are coming from brain dead visitors? 😛 And, if you are writing at other online sites, I would like to follow everything fresh you have to post. Could you make a list of all of all your social sites like your linkedin profile, Facebook page or twitter feed?
All the legal marijuana states will prosper under the new laws and all the states that prohibit will suffer,Citizens that toke will move to the states with legal canibus,the rest will become ghost towns and cops will have to arrest each other for spiting chew on street corners,or maybe on each other,cry a little cops,your cruel and unjust BS is ending.Thank GOD.GOD RULES
It also allows you to capture & store videos while you are out for a tour or picnic with friends.
There are many new applications available for you to download
within the market. At the impressive number one spot is the Superpad 10.
DEA are the big dope dealers and they feel threatened their business will loose all the tax free money they get,that supports their habbits the government has given them.
It’s in fact very complex in this active life to listen news on TV, so I only use the web for that reason, and get the latest information.
After I originally left a comment I appear to have clicked the -Notify me when new
comments are added- checkbox and now every time a comment is added
I get 4 emails with the exact same comment.
There has to be a means you can remove me from that service?
Appreciate it!
Tobacco, as has been scientifically proven,
has various chemicals that pose health risks not only to smokers, but to
non-smokers as well. It calls for three main pieces which is the battery, the atomiser and
the e-liquid cartridge. The electronic cigarette is an innovative device that
is compelling the cigarette smokers to change their view
of using tobacco.
the DEA CIA DARPA controls the United States government they all need dismantled, when that is done things will change
My brain actually hurts from that. It is nicotine that is in e-cigarettes not tobacco. As for the increased use of tobacco. It is actually seeing a prettying good decline since this generation has shut down a lot of smoking avenues and parents are so hard against it. Is it around hell yea always will be but it’s not as popular. Now on weed yea it is getting more popular but only in states where it is legal. I can honestly say marijuana has helped me quit smoking cigarettes. I’m on day 9 and I’m not even desiring one.
Leaping ahead ten years – finding more use’s of Cannabis than could all creative thought, thought it could be used for. And finding the overall health of those participating in it’s proper use’s accelerated to that of a much greater health. The only thought is then why, why wait so long? Are we to stupid to understand the simple, or to simple to understand the truth and logic of “Cannabis”? 70+ years of tears over the monies some sect of bureaucracy chose to inflict on the world as a hole. And in those hypothetical ten years “The shame of their action’s” is killing the backers of a “war on a healthy herb/plant” (Cannabis) which is of this EARTH who’s existence by the way has also made all of “us” possible. We call her mother nature, yet we don’t seem to listen to our mother… Go figure, smart people not listening to any one or two real simple truths. 1-leave life alone and let it happen, and 2-natural is natural and is for “USE” by man. “USE” but not destruction… So many- “27,872,568” -lives destroyed for a stupid bureaucratic idea. The number is fabricated to express a sad fact. My dribble…….
I for one am tired of waiting for the government to make up it’s mind on marijuana legalization.All the people that know the facts about marijuana an want to see it legal need to stand together at the white house the more people the better there is power in numbers. The numbers don’t lie about how many people know the real facts about marijuana an want it legal an the government would see that right out there own window. We THE PEOPLE NEED TO STAND FOR WHAT WE BELIEVE IN THAT’S HOW WE MAKE THE CHANGE STANDING TOGETHER
The “drug czar” should just go back to beating people instead of pretending that he’s intelligent and well informed.
Ok, first, lets restart the petition, second, does anyone ever notice that half of the drugs the FDA approves, in at least 5 years most are being sued for something? Next, maybe it is time to put a normal representative in congress, or the senate, hell RUN FOR PRESIDENT!! you have the majority vote!!