cannabisnews.com: It's Time To End the War Against Marijuana It's Time To End the War Against Marijuana Posted by FoM on December 20, 2001 at 19:28:04 PT By Craig Mazer Source: Impact Press "It is time for an honest and common sense approach focusing effectively on the drugs that cause most harm." This statement came from the nation's top law enforcement official in late October. Unfortunately, he isn't working for the United States. The comment was made by Britain's Home Secretary David Blunkett. As the U.S. continues to dedicate thousands of officers and budget dollars to the fight against marijuana, other countries such as Britain, The Netherlands and Canada are taking a new approach. "This is a clear signal that marijuana possession is not such a high priority as it was perceived to be. There are lots of other more high-profile issues for police officers to tackle," comments Britain's Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir John Stevens. Britain has decided to downgrade marijuana's classification, thus eliminating 90,000 arrests a year. Britain's government isn't likely to legalize or even decriminalize the drug too soon. However, intelligent debate and legal change (are) taking place on that side of the Atlantic. Meanwhile, states across the U.S. (struggle) to pay for education on all levels (from elementary to universities), while the U.S. government has approved an additional $2 million to fight marijuana cultivation in California and Kentucky. Both the House and Senate approved this in late October, with little opposition from either party. As if that wasn't enough, proof of the excessive fight against marijuana was delivered by our own government on October 19th, 2001 in the Federal Bureau of Investigation's annual Uniform Crime Report. The report shows that police arrested an estimated 734,498 persons for marijuana violations in 2000. This is the highest number of marijuana violations ever recorded by the FBI, yet it comprises just under half of all drug arrests in the United States that year. "Today's war on drugs is really little more than a war on marijuana smokers," charges NORML Foundation Executive Director Allen St Pierre. "Enforcing marijuana prohibition costs taxpayers approximately $10 billion per year. This is a tremendous waste of national and state criminal justice resources, which should be focused on combating serious and violent crime, including terrorism." While arresting drug suppliers and dealers would seem to be the government's wisest target, nearly 88% of those aforementioned arrests were for possession only, not "sale/manufacture." Equally disturbing is the fact that the total number of marijuana arrests far exceeds the total number of arrests for all violent crimes combined, including murder, manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery and aggravated assault. Some might say this spike in arrests shows that we are winning the war against marijuana. The problem is, the number of arrests shows that the war on marijuana has done little to slow the marijuana trade or its users from accessing the drug. Instead, it's increasing prison populations and wasting billions of tax dollars better-spent on education and treatment. Unfortunately, the same people deciding the laws are the ones profiting from them. Politicians still see fighting drugs as a vote-getter and receive soft money from the prison industry (Wackenhut, Jacobs Engineering Group, Prison Health Services and Gilbane Building Company, to name only a few, donate thousands of dollars a year to politicians). Other big businesses also don't want to see the laws lifted. Public opinion is shifting, however. In August 2001, an annual USA Today/Gallup poll showed that 34% of Americans support legalization. That's an increase of nearly 10% in the last twenty years and a 3% increase from the prior year alone. Another study, released in August 2001 by Australia's New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, found that "prohibition is not the dominant consideration in individual decisions to use or desist from using the drug." The majority of respondents said, instead, they either don't like marijuana, don't think they would like it, or cited health concerns. Relatedly, an October report in the journal Archives of General Psychiatry shed light on health concerns related to marijuana smoking. According to Dr. Harrison G. Pope, Jr., lead author of the report, "It appears that cognitive impairment from marijuana use is temporary and related to the amount of marijuana that has been recently smoked rather than permanent and related to an entire lifetime consumption." While I'm not going to argue that smoking marijuana is good for your health, I do feel that it is time to put laws against marijuana to rest. The fact is we are wasting money and resources fighting a losing battle against a drug that, time and time again, has been proven to be no less dangerous than alcohol and tobacco--two legal drugs. American adults deserve the respect to make wise decisions, especially when those decisions affect no one but themselves.• Make an IMPACT:NORML -- http://www.norml.org/Drug War Facts -- http://www.drugwarfacts.org/Stop the Drug War - DRCNet -- http://www.stopthedrugwar.org/Source: Impact Press (FL)Author: Craig MazerPublished: Issue No. 36: December '01-January '02 Copyright: 2000-2001 Loudmouth Productions Inc.Contact: editor impactpress.comWebsite: http://www.impactpress.com/Related Articles:Study Finds No Cannabis Link To Hard Drugs http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread11595.shtmlMarijuana Support at 30-Year Highhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread10705.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #14 posted by Rubingah on January 02, 2002 at 12:19:29 PT: No lawsuit... We can't sue the government for that, they'd just keep it under wraps and it wouldn't get any press. What we need is a huge petition with millions of names. Send copies to all our local governments, to the feds and to members of the press. That's something that would get noticed, especially if everyone takes it upon himself/herself to send at least one copy to some prominent figure. Those stacks of names should get some attention.- Rubingah [ Post Comment ] Comment #13 posted by jack on December 22, 2001 at 03:30:25 PT Sue 'em Put a law suit on the government for not providing a nonlethal form of recreational anebriation(sp). I know the suit wouldn't get very far but it sure would get people to thinking about safe alternatives to alcohol [ Post Comment ] Comment #12 posted by FoM on December 21, 2001 at 12:19:39 PT Drug Testing Ba Hum Bug My husband was called in for another random. He just got randomed a few months ago. It's very annoying and you lose a days work and he must drive round trip about 150 miles to get tested. It's a waste of money and time and upsets everyone. They need to stop and test a person if and when and only when they have a chargeable accident. They will find more alcohol in those accidents. That's the truth. I can't imagine someone drinking and driving but they do. They only have to abstain 8 hours and anyone that has ever drank knows they you still aren't feeling real good after 8 hours not drinking if you drank a lot the night before. Pot doesn't give anyone a hangover! [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by qqqq on December 21, 2001 at 07:05:23 PT Mandatory Mandatory drug tests for ALL narco-cops,,every week......Mandatory 5 years in prison for a dirty test.. Mandatory 10 tears in prison for crooked drugpigs,,and forfieture of all their assets.I'm sick of hearing about crooked cops getting on paid leave....cops exsist above the law,in their own cult of immunity...we need to have citizens ,to police the cops.The way it is now,,most police departments exsist as their own closed entity. [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by jose melendez on December 21, 2001 at 06:38:38 PT: Arrest Prohibition U.S. Drug Enforcement Agents beware! Check out this article:COPS DUPED INTO TAKING DOPE TEST Drug enforcement agents from the National Capital Region ( NCR ) thought it was a symposium they were attending yesterday at the Multi-Purpose Hall in Camp Crame. The 500 agents had been summoned by Narcotics Group ( Nargroup ) to what was billed as a "Symposium on the Metro Manila Drug Situation." They had no idea they were to be tested for drugs. Once all the agents were in the hall, the doors were shut and Philippine National Police ( PNP ) Crime Laboratory under Director Marlowe Pedrogosa made preparations for the test. Nargroup Director Efren Fernandez was all for the surprise drug testing. He said that before the agents can effectively enforce the campaign against drugs, they themselves must be ascertained to be "clean" of shabu and other regulated drugs... remainder snipped Complete article [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by goneposthole on December 21, 2001 at 06:19:17 PT Oregon Orygun is great. Stop at Seaside, it is well worth the while.As for surrendering, I never started this war on pot. The perpetraitors who have been waging this war for a score and decade will be the ones surrendering. The just justice they will receive is to sit down a smoke a reefer. Only then will they realize the error of their ways. "Discretion is the better part of valor." 'Give us this day our daily reef.''And, lead us not into temptation.''But deliver us from evil.' L-eagle eyes [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by dddd on December 21, 2001 at 05:47:50 PT Oregon ..yea Eric,,I've been following the stories of Oregon police refusing to serve as the ashcroft gestapo,and I think it's fabulous..I'm a Seattle native,and I have several good friends who live in Oregon.....It is really commendable that they have defied the feds.I imagine it may have something to do with Oregonians being kinda pissed off about the assisted suicide thing....I am going to make the drive from LA to Seattle this weekend ,,and I always am reminded of what a unique place Oregon is when I stop for gas.In Oregon,it is illegal to pump your own gas.There are no self serve gas stations in Oregon,,in fact,there is a $5000.00 fine for pumping your own gas....strange,but true..........I like Oregon....dddd [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by CorvallisEric on December 21, 2001 at 05:30:50 PT thanks, dddd I already got a reply from the editor saying he would fix it in the online version.There's a big controversy in several Oregon cities about police not wanting to help with the FBI "interviews". Portland, Eugene, and Salem (I think) city govts. had various legal/philosophical qualms. Corvallis Police claimed they simply didn't have the resources (or something like that). Stirred up quite a hornets nest. [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by Toker00 on December 21, 2001 at 05:25:50 PT I think I see... What the heck? NO LESS DANGEROUS THAN ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO? How about FAR less dangerous?Peace. Realize, then Legalize. [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by dddd on December 21, 2001 at 05:13:35 PT You have a sharp eye CorvalisEric ....I went over the last paragraph,,no less,,than several times before I saw the typo.........then again,I am punctuationally,and syntax challenged.... ..the water ballon story is another indication of how law enforcement is continuing to get down to micro-enforcement of even minor incidents...I think there's alot of cops out there,especially in smaller towns,that dont have a heck of alot to do..the "not enough police" theory,can no longer be taken seriously....I dont remember any incidents lately,in which there was a shortage of police,,,nope...I think we have entered the era,where there are more than enough police....dddd [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by CorvallisEric on December 21, 2001 at 04:31:34 PT somewhat off-topic but irresistible Very nice article, but it has a serious typo in the last paragraph of which I informed the editor after checking the original. Did you notice?------- My local paper had this gem of a letter which expresses so well for the zillionth time Our National Problem (some names deleted for privacy concerns): Corvallis safe from water balloon terrorists Last end of school year my daughter and about 20 other soon-to-be seniors at __ High School were involved in a water balloon incident. At least six Corvallis Police officers and detectives interrogated them on scene. They were subsequently interrogated at police headquarters, and most of these soon-to-be-high-school-seniors landed in teen court. They were sentenced to Corvallis Police Department supervised probation. How can we as Corvallis citizens possibly expect the limited resources of the Corvallis Police to help in this great country's war on terrorism when we have so many illegal lane-changers and water balloon terrorists in our own city? [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by dddd on December 21, 2001 at 02:52:58 PT end the war?..some comments from Outer Space ....it's past time to end the "war",that should never have started......People who smoke Marijuana are the innocents,,peaceful people,,,,they harm no one.... This did not start as a "war",,,,it started as an unjustified,and unprovoked ATTACK on Marijuana users,,an attack on freedom,,an attack from a government on its own citizens.... ..I dont think the attack will end soon...it's time to end the war on Marijuana,by FIGHTING BACK!...It's time to start the war against the war on Marijuana.......More people need to come out of the closet,and start speaking out!......but ,,then again,,one must be careful about speaking out nowdays,,,after all,, people who smoke Marijuana,can now be prosecuted as terrorists,(I'm not kidding).......It's not easy to make waves,or speak out in the evolving police state...in a way,,the calling it "the war on drugs",and attacking a group of people that like Marijuana,,is somewhat the same as the absurd lunacy of declaring a "war on terror",,and bombing the f*cking shit out of Afghanistan,,,,,,,crazed warmongers,,,wrecklessly dropping bombs,,thousands and thousands of them,,,blasting the shit out of towns,wiping them off the face of the earth ,,,,,killing thousands of "collateral",innocent people,,who had nothing to do with any "terror"!...... As I've mentioned before,,I think the phrase;"The war on drugs",allowed an abstract normalization to have a "war",on a thing somehow become sensible and justifiable,,,yet,in reality,the term;"war",has become confused,and ill defined,(as many words have)....... ....So,,now we have a "War on Drugs",where the law enforcers have free reign to "get the bad guys",,,,,AND ,,we have a "War on Terror",,where we are bombing,killing,seizing assets,,and somehow, the US government is thinking it can be the Police of the World...I gasp in disbelief,as I hear the warpigs talk about going after "terrorists" all over the world!!,,It's kinda like the world,has now lost it's 4th ammendment rights,,search and seizure is legal anywhere,as long as it's for the War on Terror....The war on terror,is far more terrifying than the "terror" it is supposedly fighting.......bin ashcroft ...bush queada. ...so...if you wanna think about it,,consider the excessive amount of resources,and billions that have been lavished on this conjured up phantom known as "Terror",,,and then,,think about how the war on terror,and the war on drugs are starting to melt into one ...if things continue in the way they have been going in the last three months,,,one can only imagine what things will be like a year from now...it aint pretty.....I got this sorta spooky feeling,that things are winding up so fast and crazy,,somethings gotta give,,,something heavy and catastrophic seems to be on the horizon....... ...Here's my plan to end the war on Marijuana...why dont we all just surrender?...yup,,,we give up,,we say;"yup,,you guys win,,we were bad people to be pot smokers and we realize that now,so we give up,,you win."......so then what would happen?,,,nothing!....this is not the kind of war that can be "won",and I'm afraid it's not a war that will "end".There will be no victory,,so maybe we should pretend to surrender,and just go deeper into the shadows of the underground,,,you know,,just like we are now.....dddd... looks like I said alot of things that cancelled themselves out.....? [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by FoM on December 20, 2001 at 22:10:46 PT A few more links Hi GCW,I saw a movie years ago that scared me really badly called A Clockwork Orange and in that movie they were doing things like using this vaccine and sensory deprevation and it is just so creepy when I read about it. Injecting Big Brother http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread6362.shtml Immunized Against Addiction http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread5517.shtml Vaccine May Block the Cocaine High http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread5062.shtml Can an Antibody Gobble Up Cocaine Cravings? http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread4622.shtml Injecting Big Brother - Village Voice http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0028/spartos.php [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by The GCW on December 20, 2001 at 21:54:47 PT Unfortunately, he isn't working for the United Sta This is Americas path unless we out voice them.Florida fights for freedom / 14 Dec, 2001 http://www.hempbc.com/articles/2071.html. As a Christian, this is a good one to site for Christians described in 1 Timothy 4:1-5.Cocaine vaccine / 17 Dec, 2001 http://www.hempbc.com/articles/2206.html this one has cannabis reference... American ONDCP officials along with the DEA; et al. create stumbling blocks for all Americans. The great benefactors.Both from Cannabis Culture Mag. http://www.hempbc.com/ [ Post Comment ] Post Comment