cannabisnews.com: Hashish & the War on Terror





Hashish & the War on Terror
Posted by CN Staff on January 06, 2004 at 11:11:30 PT
By Ron Jacobs
Source: Counter Punch
In the late 1970s, I used to visit with a Lebanese fellow who lived next door to my friends in Anaheim, California. This man had been a member of the rightwing Phalangist militia and had escaped the guns of other Lebanese militias with the help of the Israelis. Usually our conversations revolved around safe topics like his children, his wife, and his growing interest in baseball, but on those occasions when he joined my friends and I in draining a fifth or two of bourbon, darker stories would emerge from the recesses of his memory.
I was always careful to never let him know of my sympathies for the Palestinian cause, given my understanding that the Phalangists were intimately involved in Israel's campaign to wipe that phenomenon from the earth.It became apparent over the course of these conversations that my acquaintance was mostly involved with the fundraising side of things in the Phalange movement. His tales of bank robberies and other types of fund transfers made for good adventure stories no matter what the politics behind them were. The last time I saw him was on Christmas Eve of 1979. The rest of my friends were already asleep on the couches and chairs that sat in their living room. The former Phalangist and I were finishing the second fifth of bourbon and waiting for Santa. I decided to dig into my backpack for a pipeful of weed that I had brought along. I didn't know if my drinking buddy smoked, but I was getting tired of the alcohol buzz and needed something to lift its fog from my brain.As I lit the pipe, he looked at me and told me that I must put it out. I asked him why and he grabbed the pipe from my hand, put out the ember with his thumb, went to the window and threw the pipe into the street. I was a bit startled by his actions and also unwilling to find out how pathological he was about marijuana so I said nothing. He explained that he was trying to become a citizen and did not want to do anything illegal, so he took away my pipe. I nodded. He continued, telling me that he smoked "many kilos" of hashish in Lebanon, but had sworn it off when he moved to the US. In fact, he had been a hashish smuggler during his last two years in the Middle East. (As it turned out, the Israelis had also helped him escape the clutches of Interpol and the US Drug Enforcement Agency after he was busted in a smuggling operation). I must have looked interested, because he proceeded to tell me a story of how the Phalangist militia had occupied a region of Lebanon where marijuana was grown and turned into hashish. The region had been under the control of another faction in the multi-sided war then going on in Lebanon, but when the Phalange took it over, the hashish makers began doing business with them-money was money to them. The profits went to the movement and the movement bought guns with them. In this part of the world, said my drinking buddy, everybody made money from the drugs: Christian, Jew, Moslem, Lebanese, Palestinian, Israeli, everyone.In the past month there have been at least three publicized hashish seizures in the various bodies of water that the US patrols in the Middle East. According to the Pentagon and its shills, the drugs in these seizures are being sold to make money for Al Queda and other non-state terror organizations. Now, I don't know about you, dear reader, but I find this just a little too convenient. How the hell does the Pentagon know who is buying and selling these drugs, unless it's a Pentagon/CIA operation? Never the less, let's assume that the Pentagon is telling the truth. In that case, one has to wonder who is making the money from the increased opium production in liberated Afghanistan? Is the situation like that in Latin America, where the armed peasant organizations pay a reasonable price and take their cut from coca growers in their zones while the government supported militias see the drug from cultivation to production and rarely suffer any consequence (while also turning a tidy profit)? Or, is it like it was in Laos and other parts of Southeast Asia during the war there, with the CIA providing deniable transport for drug shipments to those warlords who do the US's dirty work? If this is the case, then is the war in Afghanistan just another drug dealing operation and are the captured shipments owned by drug producers who won't work with the CIA for ideological or other reasons?If one recalls the various US wars on Central American countries during the 1980s, s/he will certainly remember the so-called Iran-Contra affair. In essence, this was a US operation that was run out of the Vice President's office (Pappy Bush) that traded guns for cocaine to the CIA proxy army in Nicaragua (the Contras) and in turn traded weapons parts and technology via Israel to the Khomeini government in Iran for cash. This cash came from the sales of the contra cocaine to various drug dealers in the United States-some of whom were enterprising enough to turn the coca paste and powder into a substance that would turn many of our country's inner cities into cocaine-fueled war zones. The substance I am referring to became known as crack.The tale related to me by my Lebanese acquaintance and the endless reports of secret US involvement in drug dealing prove only one thing. That is that there is probably no armed organization, local or international, that has not been involved in this business. It is a quick and sure way to make money that cannot be traced and does not need to be accounted for. When the US trumpets a drug seizure in the Gulf or in the deserts of Texas, remember to ask yourself how many others they let through, either because of individual corruption or because of those shipments' role in funding their national security.Aha! Is this one more reason to keep drugs illegal? If so then, not only does the "war on drugs" provide an easy method to lock up unruly and potentially unruly elements of society as a means of maintaining internal security for the elites and their supporters, it also provides a rationale that can be used to wrongfully board and seize ships suspected of carrying illegal drugs in international waters. In a complementary manner, the pretext of potential terrorism as a reason to violate previously agreed to international laws and standards as to various human and sovereignty issues, when combined with anti-drug with anti-terror laws has created an authoritarian international military and intelligence apparatus composed of government and private military entities that is capable of investigating on and incarcerating virtually any of the earth's citizens.In an aside, one has to wonder how long it will be before US troops begin to use some of the drugs they are capturing. After all, in a war-torn land where they must celebrate New Year's with non-alcoholic beer, the desire of some soldiers for some kind of mood modification and stress release will eventually override any fear they have of the military's anti-drug regimen. Sure, it's not the 1960s or Vietnam, but many human psyches can take only so much of a life without the type of release afforded by alcohol and other mood altering substances. During the Soviet war in Afghanistan their military also suffered from a drug problem thanks to the easy availability of hashish and opium combined with troop morale as low as that of the American soldiers during the last few years of America's war in Vietnam. Ron Jacobs is author of The Way the Wind Blew: a history of the Weather Underground, which is being republished by Verso.Complete Title: Hashish & the War on Terror: Drugs in UniformSource: Counter Punch (DC)Author: Ron JacobsPublished: January 6, 2004Website: http://www.counterpunch.org/Contact: counterpunch counterpunch.orgURL: http://counterpunch.org/jacobs01062004.htmlCannabisNews -- Cannabis Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/cannabis.shtml
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Comment #32 posted by FoM on January 07, 2004 at 17:53:56 PT
Patrick
You're welcome. It is a great page. A picture's worth a thousand words.
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Comment #31 posted by Patrick on January 07, 2004 at 17:36:48 PT
FoM
Thanks! I think that is the same site I remember with all the PROOF of the medical value of cannabis!
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Comment #30 posted by E_Johnson on January 07, 2004 at 00:42:29 PT
The public knows the difference
I doubt that most Americans would think it funny to see a character in a comedy show get shot up with heroin by accident.The public laughs uproariously when a straightlaced character gets some pot by accident.The public knows marijuana and heroin are different. It's so frustrating that this knowledge still can't make it into the law.
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Comment #29 posted by E_Johnson on January 07, 2004 at 00:32:05 PT
One little thing though
I understand it was necessary for the gag where the uptight brother gets unintentionally stoned, but I didn't like the implication that a medical marijuana provider would give a person medicinal baked goods without informing them that they were medicated. It was very unethical of the character to do that.But it's everyone's favorite gag. They used it on Frasier too, where Niles wanted to rebel by "doing reefer" and his father Martin ate up his pot brownie by mistake.Hmm it makes me wonder -- why do Americans think it is so very funny to see unsuspecting people get stoned on pot by accident?Then the same people want to throw in jail those who get stoned on purpose.
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Comment #28 posted by FoM on January 06, 2004 at 22:01:20 PT
Good Show
Let's see if I can quote one too. That's incense. That's what she told me when I was 12 years old! She comes in and says I smell Pot! At the end she said: Stop Pointing Fingers!!!Puff-tuff, thank you for the links! 
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Comment #27 posted by E_Johnson on January 06, 2004 at 21:51:31 PT
A line from Whoopi
There's so many old people smoking pot here, it looks like a Willie Nelson concert.
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Comment #26 posted by puff_tuff on January 06, 2004 at 21:39:38 PT
Links
Montel Williams goes to pot 07jan04 
Melbourne Herald Sun http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,8335792%255E2902,00.html~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~This is interestingTue, Jan 06, 2004 Advertising executives charged with cheating U.S. in $684M anti-drug campaign LARRY NEUMEISTER 
Associated Presshttp://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1821&ncid=737&e=7&u=/cpress/20040107/ca_pr_on_bu/ad_execs_overbilling
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Comment #25 posted by FoM on January 06, 2004 at 21:22:24 PT
ekim 
Hi ekim, I haven't read anything about the concert either. Censorship in the news is becoming more and more obvious. One thing I have learned about activism is that we will not find the truth unless we search for it. What we see on the news is not what is important. More and more frustrations are surfacing and maybe this year we will make some really good progress. Maybe not but maybe we will. This is the article I posted from ClickOnDetroit.com when the story broke. I think this is the only one but references to it were in a few other articles. Talk Show Host Fined For Drug Paraphernalia:
http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17732.shtml
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Comment #24 posted by ekim on January 06, 2004 at 21:08:52 PT
hey neat FoM. that's what iam talken about
when the NV petition was going I felt and still do that a Hemp casino in Vegas would do well. I hope that Norml and MPP and anyone else will make a effort to set up a Hemp Museum the proceeds will make movies and stage shows for the cause. Anyone guess on how much Willie would have brought in for Dennis at MGM and the Press. i still have not read about Willies show in Austin TX. FoM see that the story on Montel was out of this Country. Have you posted same story from Press here.
Thanks for the lesson on the realplayers.
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Comment #23 posted by FoM on January 06, 2004 at 19:59:09 PT
Patrick
I have this link on one of my pages. Does this help?http://www.conquestdesign.com/uncler/index.html
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Comment #22 posted by Patrick on January 06, 2004 at 19:51:22 PT
Withdraw that last comment
In my haste I now realize there is but only one image on that link. Where did I see a huge display on the internet before? hmmmmm
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Comment #21 posted by Patrick on January 06, 2004 at 19:46:04 PT
The GCW Cannabis Museum
Check out this site's collection of historical proof of medical usage in America!http://www.cannabismuseum.org/Schedule I Lie = JAIL
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Comment #20 posted by FoM on January 06, 2004 at 19:04:15 PT
RasAric
Whoopi's show was great!
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Comment #19 posted by ekim on January 06, 2004 at 18:56:43 PT
Dennis is alone standing up for our Hemp History
i wonder with all the digs in the middle east where is the Hemp history. I know it has been found in the pyramids and in China , but what remains of the written word. seems that the craftsw/man who could produce cloths would be king. let alone the grower. there must have been book after book written on the med uses alone. I have often thought here in this Country where I was born --where is the Hemp history. I mean com on there should be Museum after Museum on the east coast showing the American ingenuity growing hemp spinning yarn making cloths and paper and sails with vast rope walks up and down the sea shore. I guess what gets me is this plant is part of our Heritage why has every single example been removed from the people. what has happen to Hemp history in the Middle east gee----we have witnessed with our own eyes how the Hemp History has been stolen in broad day light right here in the USA. 
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Comment #18 posted by RasAric on January 06, 2004 at 18:52:55 PT
Whoopi Golberg sitcom 
Whoopi Golberg sitcom on tonite focused on medical marijuana smoking seniors. Great episode. Sure to stir up controversy in the media!!!
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Comment #17 posted by FoM on January 06, 2004 at 18:18:05 PT
goneposthole and DeVoHawk
Thank you. I went ahead and downloaded the new media player and this time it is working fine. I've downloading the new player before and had to do a system restore but this is just great. I can't wait until the theatre tour of Greendale comes to our area in March more then likely. I love Greendale. It was out of this world when we saw it live this past summer. 
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Comment #16 posted by The GCW on January 06, 2004 at 18:12:52 PT
In Cloud7's post, Kucinich mentions, farmers.
While America needs credible drug law reform, Democratic Presidential nominee, Dennis Kucinich has put in writing on His website 
(http://www.kucinich.us/issues/marijuana_decrim.php ) that as President He will: "DECRIMINALIZE MARIJUANA" and regulate it similar to alcohol.  Along with ending the historically discredited practice of caging humans for using a plant, this policy is good for American farmers because if cannabis (marijuana) with THC can be sold and taxed then farmers could also grow hemp without THC. I have been purchasing hemp seed oil for 4 years which is imported from Canada. Now Canada is a nice enough country but I would rather buy My hemp seed oil from American farmers. It is time to reintroduce hemp as a component of American Agriculture and Kucinich’s policy would do just that. American farmers could be growing the hemp already used in automobile parts, construction materials, food items, paper, textiles etc. just like all other developed nations farmers are allowed to do. Kucinich’s policy will have the effect of putting American farmers on an equal playing field with all the other developed nations. 
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Comment #15 posted by goneposthole on January 06, 2004 at 17:44:15 PT
FoM
switch browsers. If you use Netscape, it may not contain the plug-ins required for the player to work. Download and try Microsoft Internet Explorer.
You might find it to work there.
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Comment #14 posted by DeVoHawk on January 06, 2004 at 17:31:36 PT
Neil Young worked for me
It seems to work for me. It appears to be an advertisement for Greendale, Coming to a town near you. Perhaps the server was busy when you were trying.Macromedia Flash Player 7 is required. It will not work if you only have 8 installed or nothing at all. Older Winmedia players may not work. I have WinMedia 9.Peace
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Comment #13 posted by cloud7 on January 06, 2004 at 17:25:35 PT
Thanks Virgil
I mostly read Kucinich's comments to see what he had to say. If people listen to what he's saying and not media polls of whos in the lead he has an excellent chance. I thought his closing remarks were especially indicative of how unique he is in comparison to the rest of the candidates. Here they are:"Congressman Dennis Kucinich of Ohio? KUCINICH: Thank you. The Iowa and the New Hampshire elections are, in effect, a referendum on this country's policies in Iraq. I stand alone among all the candidates in this race in Iowa in calling for the United States to get out of Iraq. I've had a plan on my Web site now for almost three months, which explains how we can get the U.N. in and the U.S. out of Iraq. It's possible to do that. And we have a 130,000 troops who are counting on us -- many of them mothers and fathers -- who are counting on us to bring them home, not to leave them there for any reason whatsoever. We need to get the U.N. in and the U.S. out. KUCINICH: My election is going to be a continuation of my leadership. I was the first with a plan to get out of Iraq, the first to oppose the war, the only one in this race who actually voted against the war, the first to oppose the Patriot Act, the only one in this race who voted against the Patriot Act, the first to promote withdrawal from NAFTA and the WTO, the first to draft a plan for single-payer universal health care, and the first to talk about 100 percent parity for our farmers. This is an election where we can reclaim America. My election is about the end of fear, the beginning of hope and reclaiming our great country. Thank you. CONAN: Congressman Dennis Kucinich of Ohio."
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Comment #12 posted by Virgil on January 06, 2004 at 17:03:54 PT
Transcript of today's NPR presidential debate
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A59300-2004Jan6.html
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Comment #11 posted by FoM on January 06, 2004 at 17:01:40 PT
The GCW
What you are listening to are the songs but on this link is the movie trailer of Greendale. They just posted it today. That's where the actors lip sync the songs in the movie. http://www.neilyoung.com/premiere.htmlPictures from Greendale Movie where the actors sing Neils words.http://www.freedomtoexhale.com/greendalepics.htm
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Comment #10 posted by The GCW on January 06, 2004 at 16:56:06 PT
On an uncivilized note,
US KY: Officer Kills Suspect In Failed Drug Busthttp://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v04/n031/a06.html?397http://www.courier-journal.com/localnews/2004/01/05ky/wir-front-shot0105-11864.html "...the subject (19) fled and in the course of that, the subject was shot three times in the back,"
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Comment #9 posted by FoM on January 06, 2004 at 16:54:15 PT
Thanks EJ
So they need to fix something first then it seems. I don't get anything but the media player logo going but it never loads and starts. They'll get it fix I'm sure. I appreciate the comments. It's hard when I'm not sure where the error is. I appreciate how he is giving us the music and videos to hear and view. He said he is a wealthy man and isn't concerned if people copy his stuff and share it. I like that.
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Comment #8 posted by The GCW on January 06, 2004 at 16:53:19 PT
FoM
http://www.neilyoung.com/greendale_frames.html 
then click on far left on the spoke hub looking frame...I'm just listening to the music and it is ch0pping on and off.
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Comment #7 posted by mayan on January 06, 2004 at 16:52:37 PT
FoM...
I can't get them to work either. Regarding this article, Uncle Sam is the biggest illicit drug dealer on the planet. Inflate the prices through prohibition and then get in on the action. Been that way for a while...THE BUSH-CHENEY DRUG EMPIRE - by Michael C. Ruppert: 
http://www.fromthewilderness.com/free/ciadrugs/bush-cheney-drugs.htmlRight below is a link to a drug-war related article. I wonder if this is Afghan heroin? Gee, isn't the war on drugs such a huge success? Let's escalate it!Girl, 11, Arrested On Heroin-Dealing Charges: 
http://www.local6.com/news/2743591/detail.htmlThe way out is the way in...President Served Friday With Personal 9/11 RICO Complaint: 
http://www.tomflocco.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=38&mode=&order=0&thold=0NYC 9-11 Truth Takes Back Ground Zero - “The Bush Regime Engineered 9-11” – Lessons from Activist Trenches:
http://www.fromthewilderness.com/free/ww3/010404_nyc911new.htmlMariani vs. Bush - The 9/11 Lawsuit:
http://www.septembereleventh.org/ellenmariani.php2004 -- The Year of the Law and of Living Dangerously - by Michael C.Ruppert: 
http://www.fromthewilderness.com/free/ww3/123103_danger.html
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Comment #6 posted by E_Johnson on January 06, 2004 at 16:47:39 PT
I couldn't play it
It said there was software needed that was not on the server.
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Comment #5 posted by FoM on January 06, 2004 at 16:44:06 PT
The GCW
Which player are you using? It should be a movie and music together.
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Comment #4 posted by The GCW on January 06, 2004 at 16:41:51 PT
FoM
I'm able to listen to it.The sound gets chopped off, perhaps to keep it from being recorded.
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Comment #3 posted by FoM on January 06, 2004 at 15:50:01 PT
A Favor
On this link is a trailer of Greendale. I have tried all day to get it to play and I can't. I've tried the media player and quick time and low and high bandwidth. If someone would check and it works could you please let me know. I might not have the right media player is what I'm thinking. Thanks for any help.http://www.neilyoung.com/premiere.html
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Comment #2 posted by The GCW on January 06, 2004 at 14:53:59 PT
Kucinich update about Iowa poll & NPR omission.
NPR's BIASED COVERAGENational Public Radio is conducting a Presidential Candidates Debate today in Iowa. We hope it will be fair and professional. But Mara Liasson's report on Morning Edition today covered all the campaigns active in Iowa and some that are not active in Iowa, but completely omitted mention of Dennis Kucinich, who has an extensive campaign in Iowa and who has been campaigning there this week.; Listen on this page:http://www.npr.org/rundowns/rundown.php?prgDate=06-Jan-2004&prgId=3Contact these individuals:Penaloza, Marisa National News Assistant Producer (202) 513-2769 (202) 513-3329 mpenaloza npr.orgBrady, Jeff National News Correspondent (202) 513-2000 (202) 513-3329 jbrady npr.orgSweeney, David National News Deputy Editor (202) 513-2212 (202) 513-3057 dsweeney npr.orgCrouse, Bebe National News Editor (202) 513-2772 (202) 513-3329 bcrouse npr.orgDomowitz, Janet National News Editor (202) 513-2238 (202) 513-3329 jdomowitz npr.orgJohnston, Cindy National News Editor (202) 513-2765 (202) 513-3329 cjohnston npr.orgLewis, Libby National News Editor (202) 513-2771 (202) 513-3329 llewis npr.orgShaw, Cathy National News Editor (202) 513-2252 (202) 513-3329 cshaw npr.orgWertheimer, Linda National News Senior Correspondent (202) 513-2257 (202) 513-3329 lwertheim npr.orgWeiss, Ellen National News Senior Editor (202) 513-2236 (202) 414-3329 eweiss npr.orgRiksen, Michael National News Vice President (202) 513-2200 (202) 513-3329 mriksen npr.orgThomas, Maria New Media Vice President (202) 513-2452 (202) 513-3329 mthomas npr.orgKenin, Justine News Assistant Editor (202) 513-2200 (202) 513-3329 jkenin npr.orgMitric, Julia News Editorial Assistant (202) 513-2763 (202) 513-3329 jmitric npr.orgBrown, Paul News Executive Producer (202) 513-2218 (202) 513-3329 pbrown npr.orgMcDonnell, Ellen News Executive Producer (202) 513-2159 (202) 414-3329 emcdonnell npr.orgRehm, Barbara News Managing Editor (202) 513-2206 (202) 414-3329 brehm npr.orgSchorr, Daniel News Senior Analyst (202) 513-2271 (202) 414-3329 dschorr npr.orgDrake, Bruce News Vice President (202) 513-2205 (202) 414-3329 bdrake npr.orgRoberts, Cokie Political Analyst (202) 222-7259 (202) 513-3329Arnold, Elizabeth Political Correspondent (202) 513-2256 (202) 513-3329 earnold npr.orgLiasson, Mara Political Correspondent (202) 513-2254 (202) 513-3329 mliasson npr.orgRudin, Ken Political Editor (202) 513-2250 (202) 513-3329 krudin npr.orgKlose, Kevin President & CEO (202) 513-2010 (202) 513-3329 kklose npr.org 
Contact us:
Kucinich for President
11808 Lorain Avenue - Cleveland, OH 44111
216-889-2004 / 866-413-3664 (toll-free)
http://www.kucinich.usIn case You 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://www.kucinich.us/issues/marijuana_decrim.php http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17917.shtml http://www.coloradoforkucinich.net/ 
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Comment #1 posted by Druid on January 06, 2004 at 11:23:53 PT
congrats to George Zimmer!
From:	"tod mikuriya" 
To:	"Tod H Mikuriya, M.D." 
Subject: AMMA-NEWS: George Zimmer Congrats
Date:	Tue, 6 Jan 2004 09:55:10 -0800
	Let's hear it for George Zimmer, CEO of Mens' Wearhouse for making the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For. George is exemplary of enlightened constructive leadership and social activism. He is a long time supporter of the Compassionate Use Act of 1996 and its implementation & compliance.
 
George and his Benefits chief, Kirk Warren deserve our thanks and respect for his support.
 
Tod Mikuriya, M.D.
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