cannabisnews.com: Don't Bully Canada, U.S. Told










  Don't Bully Canada, U.S. Told

Posted by CN Staff on May 19, 2003 at 06:55:48 PT
By Tracey Tyler, Legal Affairs Reporter 
Source: Toronto Star  

Canada shouldn't be "bullied" by the United States into shelving its proposed drug law changes, says a prominent Harvard University law professor. Alan Dershowitz added in an interview in Toronto that the White House czar pushing Ottawa to scrap plans to decriminalize marijuana possession "should mind his own business."Our drug czar is causing enough problems in (the United States). He shouldn't be trying to expand the parameters of his negative effect into Canada," Dershowitz said.
"Canada is absolutely right in decriminalizing, or considering decriminalizing, possession of small amounts of recreational drugs and the United States has no business telling Canada what to do," he said. "We have been an utter failure in the United States in our approach to drug control and we should not be exporting bad policies."The federal government plans to introduce legislation by the end of the month abolishing criminal sanctions for possession of small amounts of marijuana, making it an offence punishable by fine. The move is part of a new national drug control strategy expected to include tougher penalties for traffickers and the operators of marijuana "grow" operations.But John Walters, director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, has been a vocal opponent of Ottawa's plan, predicting it will increase the "movement of poison" across the border and cause economic damage. Border traffic could be slowed because U.S. customs agents will have to conduct more searches, he saidDershowitz said the border is already "pretty porous" and he sees little merit in Walters' concerns, but even if they come true "that's part of the problem of living in a multinational world."Dershowitz, an outspoken champion of civil liberties, was in Toronto last Wednesday at the invitation of the Toronto branch of the Ben Gurion University Associates. They hosted a luncheon to raise scholarship funds for students from the university who put aside their studies to serve in the Israeli military.In an interview before speaking to about 250 people at the Windsor Arms hotel, Dershowitz said the United States telling Canada how to fashion its drug laws would be like Ottawa trying to ban American television programs that could run afoul of Canada's hate laws."The United States would say, `No. We have the First Amendment. Our free speech rights are broader than yours and we're not going to take orders from you.'"What if, for example, in the United States we were to abolish abortion, as some in the Bush administration would like to do? "Would we ask Canada to abolish abortion too, just because there's a possibility that women might come over the border to have abortions? No. You're a sovereign country."Note: Washington wants our drug law changes shelved Professor says American should mind own business.Source: Toronto Star (CN ON)Author: Tracey Tyler, Legal Affairs ReporterPublished: May 19, 2003Copyright: 2003 The Toronto Star Contact: lettertoed thestar.com Website: http://www.thestar.com/ Related Articles & Web Site:Cannabis News Canadian Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/can.htmCanadian Pot Legislation Could Snarl Border http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16334.shtmlWashington Turns Up Heat Over Marijuana http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16315.shtmlBad Buzz?: U.S. Keeping Close Eye on Canada http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16313.shtml 

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Comment #17 posted by freedom fighter on May 19, 2003 at 20:01:22 PT
Thomas
check the http://www.overgrow.com http://www.cannabisculture.com/Maybe some will post more.. Went there long time ago... Beautiful country.. A country of it's own.. pazff
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Comment #16 posted by malleus2 on May 19, 2003 at 18:33:27 PT
Definitely visit 307 W. Hastings Street
HQs of the BC Marijuana Party, and chances are you'll meet the luminaries of http://pot-tv.net/ and of course, Marc Emery, who runs the show. A little taste of what freedom could be like, rather than the pale imitation that's being foisted upon us as the Real McCoy
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Comment #15 posted by The GCW on May 19, 2003 at 18:32:31 PT
Another article about the Federal Ad Funds...
House Panel Okays Use of Federal Ad Funds for Partisan PoliticsWASHINGTON, D.C. -- In an unexpected move yesterday, a House subcommittee added language to the Office of National Drug Control Policy reauthorization bill allowing federal funding for anti-drug advertising to be used for partisan political activities.   Until now, the ONDCP authorization has included language barring the use of National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign funds for "partisan political purposes." New language, added by the House Government Reform Criminal Justice, Drug Policy and Human Resources Subcommittee yesterday, creates an exemption from this ban when the ONDCP director is acting "to oppose an attempt to legalize the use" of any illegal drug. The measure authorizes spending of $1.02 billion for the ad campaign over the next five years.   "In plain English, the subcommittee has created a political slush fund with a billion dollars of our tax money," said Steve Fox, director of government relations for the Marijuana Policy Project in Washington, D.C. "If this provision stands, it means that the drug czar can use our tax dollars to fund partisan political campaigns anytime he can justify it as 'opposing drug legalization.' Any administration of any party will have a blank check to run taxpayer-funded attack ads against their opponents, and all they have to do is claim they're opposing drug legalization."   The Media Campaign remains controversial for other reasons as well. An independent evaluation, funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and released in January, reported that "there is no evidence yet consistent with a desirable effect of the Campaign on youth," while teens who saw the ads most often "tended to move more markedly in a 'pro-drug' direction" in their attitudes over time. The independent evaluation of ONDCP's ads is available at http://www.nida.nih.gov/DESPR/Westat/Westat2003/ExecSum.PDF.   In 2002, the White House Office of Management and Budget conducted a systematic review of more than 200 federal programs. OMB concluded that the Media Campaign "has not demonstrated the results sought and does not yet have adequate performance measures and related goals. The OMB recommended actions include ... making fiscal year 2005 funding contingent upon improved results." Despite this recommendation and despite the fact that there is no evidence of improved results, the current bill moving through the House reauthorizes the Campaign not only for FY2005, but for fiscal years 2006-2008 as well.   With 12,000 members nationwide, the Marijuana Policy Project is the largest marijuana policy reform organization in the United States. MPP works to minimize the harm associated with marijuana -- both the consumption of marijuana and the laws that are intended to prohibit such use. MPP believes that the greatest harm associated with marijuana is imprisonment. To this end, MPP focuses on removing criminal penalties for marijuana use, with a particular emphasis on making marijuana medically available to seriously ill people who have the approval of their doctors.
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Comment #14 posted by Thomas on May 19, 2003 at 18:26:45 PT
Vancouver
Hello. This is totally off subject, but I am going to be in Vancouver this weekend and am wondering if anyone has some suggestions as to some things to see and do (cannabis themed). Thanks. . .
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Comment #13 posted by mayan on May 19, 2003 at 18:24:00 PT
druid,GCW...
Thanks for the info! We must stop the prohibitionists from using our money to tell us how to vote!The way out IS the way in...Mike Ruppert on Amy Goodman and the 9/11 Latecomers:
http://www.questionsquestions.net/docs04/0518_ruppert911.html9/11 Prior Knowledge/Government Involvement Archive:
http://www.propagandamatrix.com/archiveprior_knowledge
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Comment #12 posted by Virgil on May 19, 2003 at 16:25:32 PT
Bloomberg article on Maine v Pill Companies
It is the states Medicaid programs that lead them to be much more aggressive in fighting the excessive profits of the Pill Industry. Bloomberg's article covers the latest judicial ruling in Maine's attempt at reining in the power of the Pill People- "Maine Can Implement Discount-Drug Program, Court Says (Update6)" - http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000006&sid=aJQE2KA9rLyk&refer=home
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Comment #11 posted by Virgil on May 19, 2003 at 15:55:00 PT
Articles from ukcia.org
News articles are listed at http://www.ukcia.org/news/default.phpThe last two additions are from the UK.UK: Officer backs legalization - http://www.ukcia.org/news/shownewsarticle.php?articleid=6077UK: Yards Chief calls for drugs trade to be legalized - http://www.ukcia.org/news/shownewsarticle.php?articleid=6078
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Comment #10 posted by Virgil on May 19, 2003 at 15:43:24 PT
Is this true?
I was pondering on a comment from http://www.marijuana.com/article.php?sid=6533&mode=&order=0Is this true?Don't know if anyone is aware of this but the US had a short period (between September 21, 1968, until May 1, 1971) where marijuana was "legal".This was the period between the death of the Marihuana Tax Act and the adopting of the CSA.
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Comment #9 posted by druid on May 19, 2003 at 13:43:52 PT
Thank You The GCW! Here's some more info!
We Must stop this War on Cannabis!
LEGISLATION GIVES BUREAUCRATS POWER TO USE YOUR MONEY TO DEFEAT PRO-REFORM BALLOT MEASURES AND CANDIDATESCongress wants to use your money to tell you how to think and vote. Your help is needed TODAY to stop them. The House Government Reform Committee will consider legislation this Thursday, May 22nd that would allow Drug Czar John Walters to spend taxpayer money to influence voters to reject drug policy reforms. The section is so broad it could allow the White House to use almost $1 billion in taxpayer money to run government-sponsored television ads against state and local ballot measures that enact drug policy reforms. It could even allow taxpayer money for partisan political purposes, such as government-sponsored attack ads against candidates the White House doesn't like.The provision is part of legislation reauthorizing the drug czar's office. It would renew the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign, a controversial ad campaign that cost taxpayers over a billion dollars in the last six years, despite numerous government studies showing it has failed to meet its intended goals of reducing drug use. If approved by the full Congress, the drug czar's office would have almost a billion dollars over the next five years to spend on the failed media campaign, including ads telling voters to oppose drug policy reform. (For more information, see the "background" section below.)ACTIONS TO TAKE1) If you're from a state with Representatives on the House Government Reform Committee, CALL THEM ALL TODAY (see list of Committee Members and contact information below).* Tell them to remove the section of HR 2086, the "Office of National Drug Control Policy Reauthorization Act of 2003", that allows the Drug Czar to use the media campaign for partisan political purposes.* Tell them you strongly oppose using taxpayer money to run government ads telling us how to vote and what to think.* Urge them to also reduce the reauthorization of the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign to one year instead of five, consistent with recommendations by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).2) If you're from a state without a Representative on the House Government Reform Committee, call your Representative and urge him or her to pressure Members on the Government Reform Committee to take out the propaganda provision. To Find out who your Representative is visit:
http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/...?u=26721&l=1666* Tell your Representative to do everything in his or her power to convince the Government Reform Committee to remove the section from HR2086 that allows federal bureaucrats to use taxpayer money to influence elections. Tell your Representative to vote against any bill that contains such a provision.3) Please forward this action alert to your friends and family. Unless Congress hears from thousands of voters this bill and its dangerous provision could easily become law.GOVERNMENT REFORM COMMITTEECALIFORNIA:
Doug Ose (R-3rd) 202-225-5716
Henry A. Waxman (D-30th, Rnk. Mem) 202-225-3976
Tom Lantos (D-12th) 202-225-3531
Diane Watson (D-33rd) 202-225-7084
Linda T. Sanchez (D-39th) 202-225-6676CONNECTICUT:
Christopher Shays (R-4th) 202-225-5541DC:
Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-Del.) 202-225-8050FLORIDA:
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-18th) 202-225-3931
John Mica (R-7th) 202-225-4035
Adam Putnam (R-12th) 202-225-1252GEORGIA:
Nathan Deal (R-10th) 202-225-5211ILLINOIS:
Danny K. Davis (D-7th) 202-225-5006INDIANA:
Dan Burton (R-5th) 202-225-2276
Mark Souder (R-3rd) 202-225-4436KENTUCKY:
Ron Lewis (R-2nd) 202-225-3501MARYLAND:
Elijah Cummings (D-7th) 202-225-4741
Chris Van Hollen, Jr. (D-8th) 202-225-5341
C.A. Ruppersberger (D-2nd) 202-225-3061MASSACHUSETTS:
John F. Tierney (D-6th) 202-225-8020
Stephen F. Lynch (D-9th) 202-225-8273MICHIGAN:
Candice Miller (R-10th) 202-225-2106MISSOURI:
William L. Clay, Jr. (D-1st) 202-225-2406NEW YORK:
John McHugh (R-23rd) 202-225-4611
Major R. Owens (D-11th) 202-225-6231
Edolphus Towns (D-10th) 202-225-5936
Carolyn Maloney (D-14th) 202-225-7944OHIO:
Steven C. LaTourette (R-14th) 202-225-5731
Michael Turner (R-3rd) 202-225-6465
Dennis J. Kucinich (D-10th) 202-225-5871OKLAHOMA:
John Sullivan (R-1st) 202-225-2211PENNSYLVANIA:
Todd R. Platts (R-19th) 202-225-5836
Timothy F. Murphy (R-18th) 202-225-2301
Paul E. Kanjorski (D-11th) 202-225-6511SOUTH DAKOTA:
William J. Janklow (R-At Large) 202-225-2801TENNESSEE:
John J. Duncan Jr. (R-2nd) 202-225-5435
Marsha Blackburn (R-7th) 202-225-2811
Jim Cooper (D-5th) 202-225-4311TEXAS:
John R. Carter (R-31st) 202-225-3864
Chris Bell (D-25th) 202-225-7508UTAH:
Chris Cannon (R-3rd) 202-225-7751VIRGINIA:
Thomas M. Davis III (R-11th), Chair 202-225-3071
Jo Ann S. Davis (R-1st) 202-225-4261
Edward L. Schrock (R-2nd) 202-225-4215BACKGROUNDIn 1998, the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) created the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign (Media Campaign). The Media Campaign was intended to reduce drug use among young people through the use of multi-media advertising and public communications strategies that included television, radio, and prints ads. Over the past six years, Congress has appropriated more than $1 billion to the Media Campaign, making ONDCP - and its primary private partner, the Partnership for a Drug Free America - one of the nation's largest advertisers.From the start the media campaign has been embroiled in controversy. In addition to the numerous government studies finding the ads ineffective in reducing drug use, the Drug Czar's office has used this media campaign to bribe television networks to change their scripts and magazines to editorialize on certain subjects. They were accused of violating federal law by manipulating measurement criteria to make the media campaign look effective, and faced Congressional heat over its decision to maintain contracts with Ogilvy & Mather - an advertising agency that has over-billed taxpayers for its work on the media campaign. In addition, the recently canceled "drugs and terror" ads were roundly criticized from all quarters, including the Partnership for a Drug Free America, which called them off-strategy, and the Weekly Standard, which called the ads "propaganda worthy of the...Soviet Union." The most recent anti-drug ads featuring teenage pregnancy and an accidental handgun shooting have been accused of promoting pro-life views and gun control.Congress took the first step last week in renewing the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign, when the House Subcommittee on Criminal Justice, Drug Policy, and Human Resources, approved HR 2086, the "Office of National Drug Control Policy Reauthorization Act of 2003", a bill that renews the drug czar's office and the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign. Chairman Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN) and Ranking Member Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) both supported renewing the controversial ad campaign, despite the fact that the government's own studies have found them to be failures.Buried within Section 10 of HR 2086 are provisions amending the statutory ban on using the media campaign for "partisan political purposes" to allow the drug czar to use taxpayer money for partisan political purposes as long as the purpose is opposing drug legalization, including making marijuana legally available to AIDS and cancer patients. If enacted, the Office of National Drug Control Policy (which is ran out of the White House) could spend up to $195 million of taxpayer money every year on radio, print, and television ads opposing medical marijuana laws and trying to defeat candidates that support more compassionate drug laws. It would also give whoever is President the power to use taxpayer money for political attacks on his or her opponents.The Drug Policy Alliance is urging Members of Congress to cancel the expensive ad campaign and spend the money on drug treatment, after-school programs and other prevention programs that cost less and are proven to work. At a minimum, say experts at the Alliance, the propaganda provision should be taken out and the media campaign should be approved for only one year instead of five, consistent with recommendations of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) that 2005 funding be contingent upon improved results.Government auditors and the President's budget submission for 2004 note that "The National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign has not demonstrated the results sought, and does not yet have adequate performance measures and related goals." In addition, every study by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has found the ads to be ineffective in reducing youth drug use and could actually make youth more likely to use marijuana in the future.Even Drug Czar John Walters has admitted the media campaign is a flop, telling the Wall Street Journal "this campaign isn't reducing drug use."NIDA's most recent studies have found that the ad campaign not only fails to reduce drug use, but may actually make youth more likely to use marijuana in the future. According to NIDA, the ads may give youth the perception that drug use is common among their peers; and may also trigger what psychologists call "reactance" - the more someone is told what not to do, the more they want to do it. Other experts believe the ads are so ridiculous and over-the-top that young people dismiss them outright, assuming they're being lied to. NIDA's final evaluation of the program's effectiveness will be released later this year, presumably after Congress decides whether to renew the Campaign.
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Comment #8 posted by Virgil on May 19, 2003 at 13:40:56 PT
Bong, James Bong
Bong, James Bong was mentioned at hempcity and it shows that cannabist culture is out to right the inverters by growing the culture. At this point, I would not want to enter the fray over the copyrights to the character that will be spawned by Bong, James Bong. James Bong, the fictional character, will bitch slap some Asscrofts for us. Malleus2, the plague has not infected us all. The situation is terrible but it creates a history like McCartyism that will inoculate the country from ever happening again. It is the only silver lining I can see. 
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Comment #7 posted by malleus2 on May 19, 2003 at 12:59:16 PT
Virgil, I wish it would make a difference
But as soon as the Republicans (perhaps a truer name is Imperials, as they want to rule the world, a la Pinkie and the Brain fashion) get wind of the idea that their precious cash cow is threatened by the revelations such a panel would make, they'll do their damndest to kill it. Because this goes to the heart of their illegal grab for the Presidency, with all those (naturally Democratic leaning) Black people disenfranchised for having a criminal record for possession.If Democrats had any balls, they'd grab onto this with both hands and not let go; Tulia was a microcosm of what has been happening in America vis-a-vis Drug War excused racial harassment these past 30 years.Oh, I almost forgot: Dems have fallen all over themselves during that same time period in their haste to appear 'tough on drugs' in me-too political moves designed to ape Republicans. More people were jailed for cananbis while Clinton was in the White House than at any other time in our history. Guess we can't depend upon them all that much, now can we?
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Comment #6 posted by The GCW on May 19, 2003 at 12:49:18 PT
!immediately take action!
Dear Friend:What would you do if Congress were about to approve a billion dollars'
worth of advertising designed to defeat marijuana policy reform
legislation and initiatives?Well, the U.S. House of Representative is about to do this -- in a
committee vote on Thursday, May 22 -- and we hope that you will
immediately take action to stop this attempt to undermine the
democratic process.Congress is acting right now to push the powers of the White House
drug czar past the point of no return. Along with another five years
and another billion dollars for the National Youth Anti-Drug Media
Campaign, Congress wants to give the White House Office of National
Drug Control Policy the power to use the campaign for "partisan
political purposes" to "oppose any attempt to legalize [marijuana]"!If you want to prevent President Bush from spending up to a billion
dollars in advertising against the Marijuana Policy Project's state
campaigns for medical marijuana and general marijuana policy reform,
please send a pre-written letter to your U.S. representative at
http://www.mpp.org/Stop_the_Provision . This link will take you
directly to a page where you will enter your name and address. Then,
you will just need to select a letter and hit send.The anti-drug ads have already tried to convince the American people
that marijuana is the most harmful drug available and that marijuana
use leads to gun violence, date rape, teen pregnancy, auto accidents,
gang killings, and terrorism. If Congress gets its way, the anti-drug
ads -- funded with a billion tax dollars -- will now be telling
citizens how to vote!Help the Marijuana Policy Project keep Drug Czar John Walters from
using his ads to meddle in the democratic reform of marijuana laws.
Visit http://www.mpp.org/Stop_the_Provision to send a pre-written fax
to your U.S. representative today.Thank you for supporting us in this effort. With your help, we will
continue our "War on Drug Czar" until he's out of the picture --
excommunicated from the federal government forever.Rob Kampia
Executive Director
Marijuana Policy Project
Washington, D.C.
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Comment #5 posted by Virgil on May 19, 2003 at 11:00:16 PT
Feds busted. Big story
From http://www.msnbc.com/news/912041.aspMay 19 issue — The financial incentives for low-level drug busts are about to be busted on Capitol Hill. James Sensenbrenner, who chairs the House Judiciary Committee, has agreed to hold hearings on the workings of a Justice Department fund that funnels money to local drug task forces around the country.
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Comment #4 posted by Richard Paul Zuckerm on May 19, 2003 at 09:46:51 PT:

THE BUSH/ROCKEFELLER FASCISM HAS ALWAYS BULLIED
   The history of the criminal laws against Cannabis has been the history of the rise of fascism in the United States. Please read the Web article entitled Shadow Of The Swastika, www.sumeria.net/politics/shadv3.html?

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Comment #1 posted by The GCW on May 19, 2003 at 08:08:33 PT

GO Dershowitz 
Dershowitz represents the citizens of the U.S.(Urine stained) Walters does not represent the U.S. Citizens feelings on this issue.
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