The provision raises both constitutional and political concerns. Courts have generally ruled that public transportation authorities cannot legally discriminate against any political viewpoint. Thus, local and state authorities could soon be put in an impossible position: if they reject advertising in support of drug policy reform they risk running afoul of the First Amendment; but if they accept drug reform advertising they lose federal money. Civil libertarians warn the provision also sets a dangerous precedent. Special interest groups could lobby for federal bans on advertising with pro-life or pro-gun messages, or in support of or against gay marriage or abortion.

The provisions in the omnibus spending bill are part of a growing controversy over the use of taxpayer money to influence state and federal drug policies:

* Court records show that Members of Congress created the federal government’s first anti-drug advertising campaign in 1998 as a way of using billions of taxpayer dollars to influence voters to reject state medical marijuana ballot measures.

* In 2000 it was discovered that the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy used financial incentives to get newspapers and magazines to editorialize in favor of the drug war and get TV and movie producers to change their scripts to reflect pro-drug war views.

* Current Drug Czar, John Walters, and his staff have used taxpayer money to campaign against local and state ballot measures and legislation they disapprove of. After Walters spent taxpayer money to defeat a 2002 ballot measure in Nevada, the Nevada Attorney General complained, “The excessive federal intervention that was exhibited in this instance is particularly disturbing because it sought to influence the outcome of a Nevada election.”

* Earlier this year, Members of Congress tried to give the White House the ability to spend over a billion dollars in taxpayer money on negative attack ads against medical marijuana ballot measures and Congressional candidates that support drug policy reform. Although a public outcry stopped the legislation, existing federal law may already allow the White House to use taxpayer money to influence elections.

The Drug Policy Alliance is urging Congress to remove the anti-free speech provision from the omnibus spending bill, eliminate taxpayer-financed anti-drug advertising, and prohibit the drug czar from using federal money to campaign and lobby against reform.

“The drug policy debate is the only one in which federal bureaucrats are allowed to use taxpayer money to influence how taxpayers vote,” said Piper.

“This is a dangerous precedent. Congress needs to enact a firm ban on using our money in this way, before this becomes the rule instead of the exception.”

Common Dreams NewsCenter is a non-profit news service providing breaking news and views for the Progressive Community.

Complete Title: U.S. House of Reps. Approves Bill To Censor American Citizens from Voicing Opposition To U.S. War on Drugs

Contact: : Drug Policy Alliance
Bill Piper (202) 528-0790
Tony Newman (510) 812-3126

Source: Common Dreams (ME)
Published: December 09, 2003
Copyright: 1997-2003 Common Dreams
Contact: editor@commondreams.org
Website: http://www.commondreams.org/

Drug Policy Alliance
http://www.drugpolicy.org/

000o

ABC News Coverage - How you can help On December 9, Congressman Kucinich publicly stood up to big media on a nationally televised debate. Dennis told debate moderator Ted Koppel, "I want the American people to see where media takes politics in this country," Kucinich said to cheers from the crowd. "We start talking about endorsements, now we're talking about polls and then talking about money. When you do that you don't have to talk about what's important to the American people."

As reported by the Associated Press, New Hampshire Democratic Party Chairwoman Kathy Sullivan was "thrilled" by Dennis' statement, and said she wished the candidates had spent even more time talking about the issues important to New Hampshire voters.

On December 10, ABC pulled its reporter off fulltime, traveling coverage of the Kucinich Campaign. ABC has apparently also decided to cancel a profile interview of Kucinich that had been scheduled for the 14th.

To express concerns to ABC, contact the following:

Colorado Springs - KRDO - 719-632-1515 - tjk2704@aol.com

Denver - KMGH - 303-832-7777 - http://www.thedenverchannel.com/denvers7/222549/detail.html

Grand Junction - 970-245-8880 - feedback@kjct8.com

ABC Audience Response line at 818-460-7477. Press 4 to leave a message.

ABC News Washington DC Bureau phone (202) 222-7777or fax (202) 222-7684

ABC News Political Director Mark Halperin at (212) 456-4545 or fax (212) 456-2795

and

ABC News President David Westin at (212) 456-6200 or fax (212) 456-4292

and

ABC President Alex Wallau at (818) 460-5500 or alex.wallau@abc.com or fax (212) 456-2795.

and

You can write letters to:

ABC News 47 W 66th St New York, NY 10023-6290

Dennis Kucinich is the candidate for media reform. Kucinich would ensure that the public's airwaves benefit the public. He would require ample free television time for candidates and would break-up of the media monopolies that restrict political debate.

Only Dennis Kucinich has filed formal objections with the FCC to their deregulation of the media.

Only Dennis Kucinich has held hearings on Capitol Hill on what the media weren't telling people about a war.

Only Dennis Kucinich will, as President, bust the mega-monopolies that are choking off public discussion and reducing voter turnout.

Order this bumper sticker: (I don't know how to get this pic.)

000

Reference:

Hear Dennis' remarks- mp3 See Dennis' remarks 56K | Broadband (RealMedia) Read the December 9 Debate Transcript Press Release, 12/9/03: Kucinich Focuses Debate on Substance Press Release, 12/10/03: ABC News Pulls Reporter Off Kucinich Campaign

--

I can't believe that that could hold up in court. I mean, it's blatantly trying to leverage power to shut people up.

Sure the administration can tell all the lies it wants, because the people that they are lying for have the money, but when an honest campaign that is trying to widen the public discourse comes along, they have to shut it down...starve it if you will.

We could extend the same coutesy to Mr. Ashcroft.

http://journals.bmn.com/browse/subjects/browse?jcode=nsc&node=TOC

If Nancy Reagan ever finds out she's been lied to, there will be hell to pay . . .

Recent studies have demonstrated that cannabinoid receptor binding decreases in several brain regions, mainly in extrapyramidal areas, in a variety of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Huntington's chorea [9.10] or Alzheimer's disease [11]. For instance, cannabinoid receptors almost completely disappeared in the substantia nigra [9], in the globus pallidus (more markedly in the lateral part than in the medial area) [10] and, to a lesser extent, in the putamen [10] in Huntington's disease. This motor disorder is precisely characterized by a selective loss of striatal efferent neurons [12]. precisely those which contain cannabinoid receptors in the extrapyramidal circuitry [13]. Cannabinoid receptor binding also decreased in another neurodegenerative disorder, such as the Alzheimer's disease [11]. Thus, cannabinoid receptor binding decreased in the hippocampus, caudate-putamen. medial globus pallidus and substantia nigra pars reticulata, although always to a lesser extent than in Huntington's chorea, whereas no changes were seen in cannabinoid receptor mRNA expression [11].

http://www.drugtext.org/library/research/cannabis/aging/aging01/canres01_Dir/canres01_Page1.htm

cannabinoid receptors in the normal human substantia nigra are discreetly localized within the substantia nigra pars reticulata. In contrast, the Huntington's disease brains show a massive loss (97.5%) of cannabinoid receptor binding in the substantia nigra pars reticulata. These results show that in the substantia nigra of the human brain cannabinoid receptors are located on striatonigral terminals which degenerate in Huntington's disease.

With so much "news", how can one decide?

The US has passed a new law, one that seems will stifle any "talk" or thought, that contradicts the little puppets that represent us americans.

Not much unlike the effort to silence doctors.

The legal specialists are working overtime, to answer and confuse the american public.

It baffles me, and I wonder why, is the US so adament about this prohibition?

I asked some people, what "other" country, besides the US, has a health care system that is based on "profit"?

There were no answers, most people that I asked, could not answer me. The primary answer was, that countries that had socialesed medicine, had a poor health system. Most people that could afford it, came to the US, for medical treatment.

Is the US the only country in this world, that has a health care system that is based on "profit"?

To my understanding, most civilized nations and countries, have a regulated system of health care for their citizens.

I guess that most people in this USA, once they realize this, and understand, what is going on, will opt to leave this country (US).

I, for one, is looking for another place to live, my senior years, I prefer to live, in a place that will allow me to smell the roses, without some kind of fee or charge.

It may have been somewhere else, too.

What I believe I read, indicated people with H.D. were found to have lesser cannabinoid receptor sites...

Perhaps FoM will come to the rescue.

And jose melendez, those links are good and informative, still usefull for what I’m doing.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=14529364&dopt=Abstract

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12387700&dopt=Abstract

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12835123&dopt=Abstract

Pot Inhibits Neurodegeneration In Animal Model Of MS, Study Says

July 30, 2003 - London, United Kingdom

London, United Kingdom: Cannabinoids and the cannabinoid receptor system offer neuroprotection against allergic encephalo myelitis (EAE), an animal model of Multiple Sclerosis (MS), according to findings published in the July 22, 2003 issue of the journal Brain.

Scientists at London's Institute of Neurology determined that mice deficient in the cannabinoid receptor CB1 developed "substantial neurodegeneration" as a result of EAE Researchers also noted that "exogenous CB1 agonists (agents that bind to the receptor, such as THC) can provide significant neuroprotection from the consequences of inflammatory CNS disease in an experimental ... model."

Authors concluded: "Therefore, in addition to symptom management, cannabis may also slow down the neurodegenerative processes that ultimately lead to chronic disability in multiple sclerosis and probably other diseases."

Multiple sclerosis is believed to be a neurodegenerative disease that is triggered by an inflammatory attack of the central nervous system. Although several previous human studies have demonstrated that marijuana may provide symptomatic relief to common symptoms of MS such as muscle spasms, depression and incontinence, the U.K. study is one of the first to indicate that cannabinoids may potentially stave the onset of the disease.

A previous study published in the May 6, 2003 issue of the journal NeuroReport similarly noted that "cannabinoids could provide neuroprotection" and "modify neurodegeneration in Huntington's disease."

For more information, please contact Paul Armentano, NORML Senior Policy Analyst, at (202) 483-5500. Abstracts of both studies, "Cannabinoids inhibit neurodegeneration in models of multiple sclerosis" and "Effects of cannabinoids in the rat model of Huntington's disease generated by an intrastriatal injection of malonate," are available online via the PubMed search engine at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/PubMed/

It seems in the last few days I read where Huntington’s disease victims were found to have fewer cannabinoid receptor sites in the brain from people that do not have it… or something similar to that effect.

Did some one give a link with info like that?

Please post that link and info if possible.

Thank You.

420

And for anyone who is just dropping by,

& haven't heard:

Democratic Presidential nominee, Dennis Kucinich, put in writing that as PRESIDENT He WILL:

"DECRIMINALIZE MARIJUANA" -"in favor of a drug policy that sets reasonable boundaries for marijuana use by establishing guidelines similar to those already in place for alcohol."

(POSTED ON His website!)

http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17917.shtml

Looks like Jose got the scoop on the ONDCP/NPR lovefest before I did: http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread17678.shtml

Peace and Strength to all, ESPECIALLY the Kubby's!

most mail accts. dump spam to a separate folder, if you tell them to.

you can then choose which get through a few at a time

British agency: For children, risks exceed rewards

By Shankar Vedantam, Washington Post

December 11, 2003

WASHINGTON -- British health authorities warned doctors yesterday against prescribing most newer antidepressant drugs to children, saying the benefits of popular medications such as Zoloft, Celexa, and Lexapro are outweighed by the risks of triggering suicidal thoughts, self-injury, and agitation.

In a stark warning that comes as the US Food and Drug Administration is doing its own review of the safety of the same medications for children, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency said the benefits outweigh the risks only for Prozac, the first of the modern generation of antidepressants.

"The experts have decided these medicines may do more harm than good in the treatment of depression in under-18s," the British agency said in a leaflet given to patients. Previously, British regulators had warned against giving Paxil and Effexor to children.

The FDA is using "a fine-toothed comb" to reexamine 20 studies of eight antidepressants, an official said. The agency has asked the drug companies that did the studies to provide the data in a format that makes comparisons easier. An FDA panel of experts is expected in February to consider the safety of giving the drugs to children.

Russell Katz, director of the FDA's division of neuropharmacological drug products, said the US analysis will be more detailed than the British review. Combining different studies allows regulators to compare the collective risk of suicidal thoughts and agitation in depressed children who took the drugs vs. those who got dummy pills. More than 4,100 children participated in the 20 studies.

The medications being evaluated are called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs. Over the past decade, SSRIs have become the medicine of choice for treating depression in adults.

While only Prozac has been specifically approved for children with depression, some studies indicate that the use of SSRI prescriptions for children is rapidly rising.

http://mtdesk.com/mfg.shtml

this should scare them:

The UK government is set to ban the prescription of antidepressant drugs for children because of evidence they can cause them to become suicidal, The Guardian newspaper reported on Wednesday.

A spokesman for the Department of Health declined to comment on the report but said the government's watchdog on drug safety -- the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency ( MHRA ) -- would be making a statement later on Wednesday.

The Guardian reported that after looking at details of clinical trials carried out by drug companies in the 1990s, the MHRA has told doctors not to prescribe all but one of the antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors ( SSRIs ).

The exception is Prozac, which is licensed for use in depressed children in the United States.

-snip