cannabisnews.com: Smoke Signals Smoke Signals Posted by CN Staff on August 19, 2002 at 11:06:34 PT By Joe Schoenmann Source: Las Vegas Weekly In the fifth grade, one of the best things was the government-issue films on everything from flossing and hygiene to sexuality and interstellar space. Not only were they hilarious, but they were always a welcome reprieve from the monotony of class.I'll always remember the one about human genetic experiments that benefit humanity by giving them plantlike skin that turns sunlight into energy. Then there's the one about drugs. We watched it sitting on the floor in Mr. Bohl's room. The first 15 minutes doted on a slovenly teen and his beautiful Camaro Z-28, "Smokey and the Bandit" vintage. The car's beautiful, the man with the Disney-esque voice narrated, but "look at poor Tom." The teen driver was covered with zits, it was implied that he had B.O. and, car or not, no girl would touch him. Why: He smoked and did drugs.Part two was a kaleidoscopic explosion as the filmmakers tried to portray just what someone saw when they took evil drugs. First came the bright, vivid color, then the jagged overlay of black and deep, discordant saws from a cello.I couldn't wait. Hell, I'd get a Z-28, take a shower and clean my face. And in an age when no one had ever heard of personal computers or had any idea of the wonders of computer graphics, the bright colors looked pretty enticing. Put one checkmark on the pro side of drug use.Then personal tragedy hit my family, much of it tied to drug abuse. I'd never tried a "drug" at that point—alcohol wasn't considered a drug in Wisconsin, where everyone cuts his or her teeth on beer—and swore off any use in the future.Despite that, I've yet to find any cohesive, non-emotional argument that demonstrates just how marijuana is the fount of all tragedy. There have been attempts to show that, of course. Gen. Barry McCaffrey, drug czar under former President Clinton, implied it on "Donahue" two weeks ago, citing a study he oversaw through the National Institute of Drug Abuse claiming that 50 percent of drug abusers tried marijuana as a teenager or child. Now that's interesting and potentially terrifying—but it loses much of its impact without an answer to a companion question: How many teens or children smoked pot and DID NOT become abusers? And how many of those abusers started with alcohol? I'd wager that it's a pretty high percentage, because if it was low, McCaffrey—who reportedly called his debate opponent, Mark Leno, a San Francisco city councilman, "some pothead from California"—would have used it.Yeah, some pothead—who's now a city councilman.Apparently, most of the country sees it that way, with recent polls showing that 73 percent of Americans favor the legalization of marijuana. (A recent Review-Journal poll showed it's almost a dead heat among Nevada residents.) There was also the stunning announcement and about- face last week of the Nevada Conference of Police and Sheriffs, the state's largest police organization. Initially, it supported Question 9, which will appear on the Nevada ballot in November and asks voters if they favor decriminalizing the possession of three ounces or less of pot by anyone 21 and older. Then some members of NCOPS, afraid of negative public reaction, retracted support. Then the entire group reneged and its president resigned.This country spends billions every year and incarcerates thousands or millions for minor marijuana possession or use. And as we spend, drug dealers get rich. Why not flip that around, take the money away from the rich, tax the adult user of marijuana and use that money for drug abuse treatment? Better yet, use it to get at the real, societal causes of drug abuse?Here's an idea: Use the money to treat victims of the most invasive, yet politically untouchable drug out there: alcohol.Note: This time, reefer rebels not so dazed and confused.Source: Las Vegas Weekly (NV)Author: Joe Schoenmann Published: August 15, 2002Copyright: 2002 Radiant City Publications, LLCContact: lasvegas lasvegasweekly.comWebsite: http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/Related Articles & Web Sites:NRLEhttp://www.nrle.org/Marijuana Policy Projecthttp://www.mpp.org/Assemblywoman Steps Up To Endorse Marijuana http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13785.shtmlAre Nevadans Ready To Roll Dice on Marijuana http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13765.shtmlPot Proponents Have Good Points http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13757.shtmlStance on Marijuana Initiative Stirs the Pot http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13715.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #3 posted by FoM on August 19, 2002 at 12:22:38 PT p4me and everyone CRRH is a great site. I've had it on the front page on the left side under Hot Links since C News was created practically. I would like Pot TV's link on the page too but I need to bother Matt to do that and I don't want to bother him because he's busy.PS: I don't know if Hemp Jeopardy works anymore but I liked playing it back a few years ago. Check it out if you haven't. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by p4me on August 19, 2002 at 12:01:14 PT Where are the pictures of Hempfest? Didn't the New York Times do a full page of color pictures of the Hempfest with a special insert detailing its many interviews with the attendees? I must have dreamed or hallucinated that idea.It is all a lengthening train with the only destination at legalization. I wanted to comment on the CRRH website. These people produce a show seen in Portland called "Cannabis Common Sense" which are also accessable from pot-tv. Here are a few paragraphs from their website and any reformer not familar with this website should check it out to see how the information front is forming or reforming. I will talk about some of the videos this week as I want to see many of their videos. Here is their homepage: http://www.crrh.org/crrh/news.htmlCopy will follow:"Did you know that CRRH produces a weekly TV show?""CRRH's weekly TV show, "Cannabis Common Sense," has now produced 190 shows as of March 2002. This show is on throughout the Portland metropolitan area many Friday nights at 8pm on cable channel 11. Contact us if you would like to help put this show on your local cable provider's cable access channels." "Did you know that CRRH's web site has 200 videos that you can watch for free?""CRRH' HempTV has feature-length films like "Reefer Madness" and "Hemp Revolution," and numerous news specials on cannabis, like ABC's "Pot of Gold," CNN's "Higher Times," CBS' "60 Minutes," and more from NBC, Showtime, HBO, PBS, dozens of news clips and much, much more. You can watch dozens of different past episodes of CRRH's own "Cannabis Common Sense" show, and you can even start to watch our show live on the Internet and you can call-in on-the-air in June."1,2 [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by kanabys on August 19, 2002 at 11:44:09 PT You Go Joe!!!! I think this guy's OK. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment