cannabisnews.com: Canada Needs Comprehensive National Drug Strategy Canada Needs Comprehensive National Drug Strategy Posted by CN Staff on May 14, 2003 at 09:51:58 PT Press Release Source: Canada NewsWire Ottawa -- On the eve of the introduction of legislation affecting the legal status of marijuana use, the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) emphasises the fact that marijuana is an addictive substance that is known to have adverse health effects and we strongly advise Canadians against its use."Canada's current drug strategy is inadequate because it is primarily focused on using the criminal justice system," said CMA President, Dr. Dana Hanson. "Addiction is a disease and individuals suffering with drug dependency should be diverted, whenever possible, from the criminal justice system to treatment and rehabilitation." The CMA is dismayed with the lack of consultations on the development of the legislation affecting the legal status of marijuana and the expected renewed drug strategy. While the CMA agrees that the consequences of a criminal conviction for possession of a small amount of marijuana for personal use are disproportionate to the potential harm, it is critical that any change to the legal status of marijuana neither encourage nor promote the normalization of its use. "To proceed with decriminalization outside a comprehensive national drug strategy would be irresponsible," said Dr. Hanson. "We are concerned the government will only introduce half-measures and not the comprehensive national drug strategy that is truly needed to effectively address illicit drug use and addiction." Key elements of a comprehensive national drug strategy would include: prevention and education programs to deter usage and the stigma associated with addiction; treatment and rehabilitation program for those who are addicted; increased research on the cause, effects, treatment options and the long-term health effects of addiction; and, a rigorously monitored evaluation system to ensure that progress is being made to combat drug use and addiction. "Government should be adopting policies to minimize the use of marijuana and all other illicit drugs," added Dr. Hanson. "Government needs to re- balance the current distribution of resources from law enforcement and allocate a greater proportion of these resources to drug treatment, prevention, and harm reduction programs. Law enforcement activities should target the distribution and production of illegal drugs - not the users." The CMA will be monitoring developments closely to ensure that the government keeps its election promise to provide Canadians with a comprehensive national drug strategy. "In the last federal election the government promised a comprehensive national drug strategy to combat illicit drug use and Canadians are still waiting," concluded Dr. Hanson.For further information: Carole Lavigne, tel: 1 800 663-7336, 1 (613) 731-8610 ext. 1266Complete Title: Canada Needs a Comprehensive National Drug Strategy, Not Half-MeasuresSource: Canada NewsWire (Canada)Published: May 14, 2003Copyright: 2003 Canada NewsWire Ltd. Contact: cnw newswire.caWebsite: http://www.newswire.ca/Related Articles: U.S. Briefed on Ottawa's Marijuana Law Plans http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16285.shtmlPenalties To Double for Growing Marijuana http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16284.shtmlOpposition Slams Liberals for Consulting U.S. http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16282.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #24 posted by afterburner on May 15, 2003 at 06:13:02 PT: A Final Summary. The research seems to back up the contention that extreme pain, like rape or assault may trigger the formation of an addictive personality. Such people will find pain relief wherever they can, the stronger the better. The addiction lies in the person, not in the plant or the chemical. There is no stepping stone. There is no gateway. There is only pain and need to the addictive personality.Internal freedom for responsible adults, therapy for the addicts when they are ready for it. ego transcendence heals ego destruction, and suddenly there is no problem. [ Post Comment ] Comment #23 posted by Celaya on May 14, 2003 at 22:47:09 PT Addiction and self-medication I'm glad there seems to be a consensus that addiction has been over used. Again, I feel that has been pushed by the prohibitionists to try and tag marijuana with a harm. It's clear marijuana is not addictive and we should never allow anyone to label it as such.I definitely agree we have let doctors set themselves up as semi-gods. Everyone's primary physician is himself. The individual is the one who will suffer the consequences of erroneous treatment - from continued sickness up to death. Therefore, it is only logical that the individual has the ultimate authority over any health decision. "Professional" doctors are really nothing more than well-trained (we hope) consultants. We are under no obligation to follow mandates or restrictions from these folks we employ for advice. The whole health system in this country is broken, due in large part, to doctors who treat their patients as chattel. It's a disgrace. [ Post Comment ] Comment #22 posted by FoM on May 14, 2003 at 22:45:41 PT afterburner I've enjoyed this talk about addiction. It is a complex issue with many way of seeing it. I don't get many opportunities to think with this much depth anymore and it does me good. I use the word addiction freely too but when I think about it I realize that very few things are really addictive and we know Cannabis isn't one of them. Hard drug use has risks and some are potentially fatal but Cannabis just doesn't fit in that mold no matter how hard anyone tries to say it is addictive. Cannabis will help a person off of hard drug use and someday I hope it will be used in that capacity legally.Thanks! [ Post Comment ] Comment #21 posted by afterburner on May 14, 2003 at 22:14:54 PT: Therapeutic, not Addictive. Right of Self-Medication is the principal behind cannabis freedom, which to me is the real issue. It has been found that nicotine is more addictive than heroin. If that statement is true, then one stimulant is more addictive than one narcotic. If that statement is false, then the conventional treatment wisdom holds. Either way narcotics are more dangerous as they are more likely to still body function. Stimulants may blow out the body after excessive and prolonged use. In my training we learned that stimulants were addictive because it took larger and larger doses to reach the user's' desired state. "Unless we put medical freedom into the Constitution, the time will come when medicine will organize an undercover dictatorship. To restrict the art of healing to one class of men, and deny equal privilege to others, will be to constitute the Bastille of medical science. All such laws are un-American and despotic, and have no place in a Republic. The Constitution of this Republic should make special privilege for medical freedom as well as religious freedom." Abridged quote ----Benjamin Rush, M.D., a signer of the Declaration of Independence. What we call addiction is in fact self treatment of undiagnosed pain.Thereby agreeing that the word addiction is over-used.Natural molecules similar to an active ingredient in marijuana play a part in helping the brain clear fearful memories and keep them from being permanently debilitating. The British journal Nature has reported this discovery by scientists at the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry in Munich, Germany. The scientists of the Institute say that this has implications for the treatment of post traumatic stress disorder and other fear based conditions.-Addiction or Self Medication? http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/14/thread14741.shtmlCannabis on the other hand is therapeutic.ego transcendence heals ego destruction, it's everyone's choice. [ Post Comment ] Comment #20 posted by FoM on May 14, 2003 at 21:46:09 PT One More Thing In the drug education classes we took Cannabis wasn't even talked about. It was a non issue. It was going to be legalized soon everyone thought and it didn't have addictive qualities so it just wasn't mentioned. Oh how things have changed. Cannabis is the same today as back then but the laws have gone the wrong way. [ Post Comment ] Comment #19 posted by FoM on May 14, 2003 at 21:13:48 PT afterburner I enjoy talking about this issue. It's thought provoking and it helps me and others to understand. There is physical dependency on some drugs ( opiates ) and psychological dependency on others. ( stimulants ) When we use the word addictive in a broad sense we complicate the issue of why some drugs are dangerous particularly when withdrawing from them. When we were training to help others with drug problems we learned to separate issues and put them in a category where they should be and help could be made available accordingly. We had one class that the topic was how to help a speed freak. " That's what they were called back then." Our teacher said the best way that a person could be helped with a speed problem would be to send them to a country facility where they could sleep as much as they needed and give them vitamins and good nutrious food. It takes time to give up speed but no one dies from quitting. They feel miserable but it isn't fatal just uncomfortable. They miss the highs and hate the low and it takes a long time until a person can even find real joy in normal everyday life events. When the word addiction is used to freely it allows the antis to put Cannabis in a category with real addictive drugs and we lose. Does this make sense? [ Post Comment ] Comment #18 posted by afterburner on May 14, 2003 at 20:51:07 PT: FoM- It's All a Matter of Degree. Heroin is at the bottom of a deep well of addiction. To lesser degrees the other opiates, morphine, derivatives of opium, wrongly thought to reduce the addictive tendencies while still reducing pain. Stimulants, like methamphetamine and cocaine are synthesized or derived from whole plant extracts, focusing their effect too strongly without the natural buffers of the vegetable, like coca leaves. This extraction or synthesis makes stimulants that are addictive, capable of causing physical withdrawal pain in their users, but to a lesser degree in comparison to the opiates. The plant itself as in coca is stimulating in a more organic way, as a consciousness. Cross-addictions, like Go and No-go pills, are familiar patterns in the social life of city and country. "And though she's not really ill, there's a little yellow pill. She goes runnin' for the shelter of a Mother's Little Helper." -Rolling Stones. The pains are small, but they are nagging. Legal stimulants and sedatives are part of a cycle of self-medication or of mild addiction, depending on you view of personal liberty. A person who can function in society even with use of plants or chemicals has a constitutional right to personal liberty of body, mind, spirit, and feelings. ego transcendence heals ego destruction, the choice is yours. [ Post Comment ] Comment #17 posted by FoM on May 14, 2003 at 20:05:55 PT afterburner I agree with you that some people might be obsessed with sex or the internet or any number of different things. I think that I would classify people like you mentioned as having a form of mental illness rather then an addiction to a drug. Complusive behavior is a mental health issue in my opinion. I look at these issues as two separate issues even though they have close parallels. I hope this makes sense.PS: A person can be really strung out on Heroin and not be mentally ill just addicted to a narcotic. If a person who has a sexual compulsion stops they won't die from doing so. I come from an old way of thinking I suppose. [ Post Comment ] Comment #16 posted by afterburner on May 14, 2003 at 19:54:27 PT: For Some People Sex Is an Addiction. I do think that for some people sex and Internet sex obsession is an addiction that causes withdrawal pain when not available. These people are obviously a minority in need of counselling. It is a health issue, not a criminal justice issue. Most people do not have these conditions, and prohibiting sex and/or prohibiting the Internet is a "large hammer" inappropriate to personal liberty and the degree of possible harm. The CMA seems to endorse the motto, "all use is abuse." By this logic tobacco, alcohol, coffee, tea, and even chocolate should be added to the prohibited list. Then, let's go after the growers and traffickers in these substances with onerous minimum jail sentences, the scum! Next, why stop there? Let's add legal pharmaceuticals because they have side effects and are not harmless; they should be prohibited.Addiction or Self Medication? http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/14/thread14741.shtmlBut the cannabinoid system is closely linked to the dopamine system, the body's "reward" centre. -Marijuana Could Help Cocaine Addicts Kick Habit http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/11/thread11031.shtmlego transcendence follows ego destruction, heart by heart, mind by mind, case by case, ruling by ruling, vote by vote, until eventually we have no problem. [ Post Comment ] Comment #15 posted by FoM on May 14, 2003 at 19:27:59 PT Celaya I thought of one more thing about addiction that I wanted to mention. While we were being taught ( at a self help course on illegal drugs at Kent State back in the 70s ) about side effects from different drugs we talked about what drugs were actually addicting. It is interesting that even Methamphetamine was not considered addictive. Addictive was only if the drug caused serious pain or possible death when withdrawing from the drug. That fits with Heroin but not Meth. Meth you will feel really low and not feel good for some time but you won't die from stopping Meth cold turkey. Don't do that with a Narcotic! Narcotics were the only drugs that were classified as addictive. We've changed what addictive means. [ Post Comment ] Comment #14 posted by Celaya on May 14, 2003 at 16:22:29 PT afterburner I understand many people have widened the meaning of addiction as have you. However, things like sex, the Internet, chocolate, whatever, do not cause painful physical withdrawal symptoms. These activities can become a compulsion or a fixation, but not an addiction. Do you really ascribe some "avoidance of pain" to these pasttimes?I believe there has been a concerted campaign by the prohibitionists to distort - or widen - the meaning of addiction SOLELY for the purpose of including cannabis.I would hope we would not aid them in their efforts. [ Post Comment ] Comment #13 posted by afterburner on May 14, 2003 at 15:29:42 PT: Celaya I have a theory, based on observation of addicts in treatment, that addiction is when people care more about a substance or activity than they do about other people. The avoidance of pain is the motivation behind the craving that is more powerful than the association with other people. People can be addicted to sex or even the Internet when they don't care who they hurt. In extreme cases addiction leads to betrayal, robbery, even murder. Only in Reefer Madness fantasyland does any of this apply to cannabis. ego transcendence follows ego destruction, and suddenly there is no problem. [ Post Comment ] Comment #12 posted by FoM on May 14, 2003 at 15:15:22 PT Celaya That's exactly what addiction is! I would be very uncomfortable if I ran out of coffee and probably be tired and get a headache. Cannabis wouldn't even do that! [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by Celaya on May 14, 2003 at 14:58:13 PT FoM and Virgil The traditional definition of addiction, as applied to recreational drugs, has to do with withrawal symptoms that are so painful/uncomfortable, the addict will continue to consume the drug primarily to avoid those symptoms.It is largely what seperates the hard drugs from the soft drugs, and is certainly the main characteristic of cannabis that sets it apart and helps to give it the POWER to penetrate the prohibitionist propaganda machine.They had not attempted such brazen a lie until the Bush cabal siezed power and installed the great goofball, Walters, as Chief Inquisitor. Though it was a shock, with time we have come to expect the whole reefer madness song and dance from these charlatans.But from a respected health organization in Canada?Now I know why Richard Cowan calls them the Canadian QUACKS! [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by afterburner on May 14, 2003 at 14:24:50 PT: Just Another View on Sugar from Gandhi If We Want Justice, We Must Be Just A woman once took her small son to see Mohandas Gandhi. They walked many miles, all day and waited a long time to see him. When they finally stood before Gandhi, the woman said, ’Mahatma, please tell my son to stop eating sugar. He won’t listen to me. Perhaps he’ll listen to you." Gandhi thought for a minute then replied, "Come back next week." The next week the woman and the boy repeated their long journey, again stood in line to speak to the great man. "Remember me?" She said. "I asked you to tell my son to stop eating sugar." Gandhi turned to the boy and said, "Stop eating sugar." The woman lost it. "Why couldn’t you tell him that last week! Do you know how far we walked, how long we waited?" Gandhi answered, "Last week I was still eating sugar myself." Gandhi said, " We must be the change we wish to see. If we want to change the boy, we must stop eating sugar ourselves. If we want peace, we must be peace. If we want justice, we must be just." -Indian Glimpses: Previous Stories http://www.baroda-online.com/glimpses02.htmlego transcendence follows ego destruction, heart by heart, vote by vote, until eventually there is no problem. [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by FoM on May 14, 2003 at 13:56:01 PT The GCW You're right it's rotten food. Yuk! [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by The GCW on May 14, 2003 at 13:42:23 PT Booze is rotten food. Cannabis is fresh food.Eating and drinking rotten food may make You sick or worse.And Washington wants Us to believe cannabis is poison.Ashcroft, Walters and Bush are more of a poison to My family than cannabis. [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by FoM on May 14, 2003 at 12:53:31 PT Virgil I talked with an addiction specialist once and he told me that the most dangerous drug to withdraw from was alcohol. I was surprised. He said more people die from alcohol withdrawal then any other substance. [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by Virgil on May 14, 2003 at 12:44:36 PT FoM- addiction Anyone that ever smoked cigs and ran out in the middle of the evening knows what addiction is. Withdrawal symptoms are very seldom mentioned but substances that do have withdrawal symptoms need to be in a seperate category. Paxil is a leading medicine that has fought the image of addictiveness in its advertising and lost. An alcoholic can die when alcohol consumption is forced on them and I knew a guy that had his heart stop on him as a result of withdrawal. I have since learned not to mess with alcoholics and to stay away from situations where it is consumed.I think of other substances as dangerous if it can be put in someones drink and it can kill or knock them out or cause internal injury. It has to either have an element to it that causes injury either in its consumption or withdrawal to make it a dangerous substance. Anyone that says "Marijuana is a dangerous drug" is either a liar or does not know what they are talking about.The fact that people do not readily call cannabis a soft drug is part of the problem. Mushrooms and cannabis are soft drugs but the government does not use the term soft drugs at all. Everything is evil and we must waste resources to keep the price up for the arms industries and the CIA. Addictive substances are not going to be wiped out by the UN wishes in 5 years or 500 years and we can not arrest or imprison our way into a drug free world. The main thing is keep the price up and see that the unbrand has no competition. [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by The GCW on May 14, 2003 at 11:42:29 PT Virgil Buy the peanut butter that is pure and only has peanuts in the jar. It will tend to seperate but by adding honey to the peanut butter in another resealable container that problem is not so bad. It tastes great. Too bad the price of honey is up.You'r right though, it is another indicator of how the Gov. really is not interested in Our health.It is work, but people can remove the partially hydrogenated junk from Your home.The same people that profit from the partially Hydrogenated... are perhaps the same people that support caging humans for using even hemp seed oil, given the chance.Then, if You'r put in a cage for using cannabis, they will feed You a lot of foods containing those partially Hydrogenated... Now that is poisoning humans, Yet Washington would have Us believe that cannabis is the poison.I suspect that a large part of the reason is overweight is because of the partially Hydrogenated oils.They clog arteries... replaces better foods that You would otherwise be eating etc.As a cyclist, I know that on a long ride My body uses fat for fuel. But when You eat those partially Hydrogenated asphalt phosphates, they are the last fats to be used. So by putting on that fat thinking You will work it off does not apply, since those partially Hydrogenated asphalt phosphates are the last fats that Your body will use.partially Hydrogenated asphalt phosphates = bad JuJu.Crisco is pure partially Hydrogenated crap and isn't that the stuff that Ashcroft or Walters annoints himself with?If YOu annoint Yourself with Crisco instead of cannabis / hemp seed oil, You are being short changed.The grease on a dildo may be a better choice. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by FoM on May 14, 2003 at 11:40:24 PT What is an Addiction? I get really upset how they throw the word addiction around. Everything pleasurable could be considered addictive.I think of addiction this way. Say you took prescription drugs or any drug and you lost your drugs maybe in a tornado. I can't think of anyway else a person might lose their drugs. Would a person feel sick if they lost their drugs? That's an addictive drug in my opinion. Not just something that a person enjoys from time to time. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by Celaya on May 14, 2003 at 11:23:20 PT CMA President declares marijuana addictive! This is outrageous! This kind of lie coming from the president of a supposedly "professional" organization!I went to the CMA website -- http://www.cma.ca/cma/menu/displayMenu.do?pageId=/app/common/contactUs.jsp#1 -- to get an e-mail address for it's president, "Doctor" Hanson, to ask him for the proof of this spurious allegation, but could not find one there. So, I sent a general inquiry to the website, asking for his e-mail address.If anyone else has better luck, please let me know! CMA General contact form [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by Virgil on May 14, 2003 at 10:45:56 PT The trans fat of Oreos Last night Jay Leno spoke of the lawsuit against Oreos because of the trans fat they contain. The trans fat- partially hydrogenated oils- is now the leading story on AOL. One AOL article links here and tells where the trans fats are- http://adv.webmd.com/html.ng/transactionID=17424563&apg=1671&adsize=336x280&pos=middle&site=AOLHydrogenation adds hydrogen to vegetable oils to make them solid instead of liquid. Vegetable oil is already fat and of course there is an irreplacable taste and craving that comes from fat or its absense in the diet. Margarine is vegetable oil made solid by hydrogenation. I absolutely never buy margarine. It is hard to eliminate trans fat from the diet because it is in thousands of foods and especially snack foods. It is even in a jar of reduced fat peanut butter I have. I will smash my own peanuts before I buy peanut butter with these hydrogenated oils again and since I have probably only eaten about 3 jars of peanut butter as an adult, I will do without.My main source of snacks is ice cream and Bryers in particular. It has fat in natural form and it is that fat that drives most snacking. I usually consume it in coffee so as not to eat a bunch of calories out of a bowl at one time. It is hard as I have no candy around the house and am off sugar water until I lose the 20 pounds that let me reach 200. I would have some Canadian honey from Family Dollar but the 12 ounce bear that sold for $1.50 on my last purchase has been replaced by an eight ounce rip off. What used to be a dollars worth of honey is now up 50% and no longer worthy of purchase.Anyway, the trans fats do not get the attention they deserve by the medical community, the government, media, or industry. The idea the government is concerned about your health is a myth and cannabis prohibition is a hoax wrapped inside that myth.A search at GoogleNews with the word Oreo will have many stories. GoogleNews- http://news.google.com/ [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by Sam Adams on May 14, 2003 at 10:11:26 PT Ah, yes The doctors know what's up. They government is about to give a whole boatload of tax money to the law enforcement/prison industry. The health care industry is getting shafted. They want MJ illegal, but classified as a health "problem".The docs are clearly blinded by their own selfish desires and rich old-man egos. Any rational person can look at WHO numbers and see that youth and adult usage of cannabis in Holland are FAR less than Canada. Therefore, Dutch policy is much healthier and should be emulated. Whooops! That leaves the docs and Big Pharm out in the cold, starved of any government-mandated funding and business. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment