cannabisnews.com: Silence Sends Wrong Signal





Silence Sends Wrong Signal
Posted by CN Staff on March 01, 2005 at 07:28:58 PT
By Clarence Page
Source: Baltimore Sun 
Washington -- I was surprised, but hardly shocked, to hear that President Bush all but admitted to illicit drug use during a conversation that was secretly taped. I am only disappointed by the sleazy way the disclosure was disclosed and by the president's reluctance to set the record straight. Like many of the rest of us parents, he says in the tape that he doesn't want to talk about any of his alleged past drug indiscretions because he doesn't want youngsters to do the same. Unfortunately, experience shows, silence is a self-defeating way to discourage kids from drug use.
In case you missed it, Mr. Bush suggests on the tapes that were recorded when he was the governor of Texas that he smoked marijuana in the past. He also dodged a question on the tapes, whose authenticity the White House does not dispute, about whether he had used cocaine. The New York Times broke the story on Doug Wead, a Christian activist who has published a book based in part on conversations with Mr. Bush that Mr. Wead secretly recorded in 1998 and 1999. Mr. Wead has since expressed regrets over releasing part of the conversations without Mr. Bush's permission, has announced that he is donating the book's proceeds to charity. Ah, nothing focuses your conscience like having a nation of millions call you a sleazebag. My disappointment comes with Mr. Bush's refusal, so far, to speak openly and candidly about his past drug and alcohol use and how he recovered. He says he does not want to answer the questions "because I don't want some little kid doing what I tried." Take it from me, Mr. President, a lot of today's teenagers already think you "smoked and snorted," as one of my son's high school classmates put it. Your silence does nothing to defuse their suspicions. For the record, our president has never acknowledged using drugs. He has acknowledged a drinking problem that he appears to have kicked, to his credit, through the wonder-working powers of his religious conversion. A national survey released by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America found that the number of parents who report never speaking with their children about drugs doubled from 6 percent in 1998 to 12 percent in 2004. And while many of us parents say we've spoken with our kids about drugs, that's not what a lot of our kids are saying: 85 percent of the 1,205 surveyed parents said they had spoken with their children at least once in the last 12 months about drugs, but only 30 percent of teenagers said they had learned much about drug risks from their parents. We need to share more straight talk, not silence, with our kids. And more straight talk from the White House on down would help government to avoid doing greater harm, such as the provision that Congress passed in 1998 that bars college students or applicants with drug convictions from receiving federal financial aid. If ever there was a case of throwing obstacles in the way of young people who are trying to improve their lives, regardless of past errors, this is it. The provision's author, Republican Rep. Mark E. Souder of Indiana, says he intended the bill to apply only to those convicted while they are students or loan applicants, not to earlier convictions. He also has been trying to correct that error with a new amendment. In the meantime, we have a president who refuses to talk about his drug history and a Congress that continues to discriminate against aspiring college students who are honest about their past drug use. That's nuts. We, the people, need to talk. Then Congress needs to act. Leadership from the White House will help, Mr. President. Your silence will not. Clarence Page is a columnist for the Chicago Tribune, a Tribune Publishing newspaper. His column appears Tuesdays and Fridays in The Sun. Source: Baltimore Sun (MD)Author: Clarence PagePublished: March 1, 2004Copyright: 2005 The Baltimore SunContact: letters baltsun.comWebsite: http://www.baltimoresun.com/Related Articles: Proof and Prejudicehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20291.shtmlBush Gets Stoned By The World Mediahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20284.shtmlNew Tapes Say Bush May Have Smoked Marijuanahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20266.shtml Secretly Taped Conversations - New York Timeshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20265.shtml 
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Comment #35 posted by afterburner on March 29, 2005 at 07:32:08 PT
Legislators React to Souder's Unfair Targeting
US: Edu: Defending the Drug Offenders 28 Mar 2005 
Daily Campus, The (UConn, CT Edu) 
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05/n521/a11.html
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Comment #34 posted by FoM on March 02, 2005 at 12:18:29 PT
The GCW
That Stan White is a cool dude in my book! Thanks!
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Comment #33 posted by The GCW on March 02, 2005 at 12:00:55 PT
Sale in the George Sherman Union today for MPP
Another comment to that one letter...US MA: Edu: LTE: Marijuana policy needs reform 
Pubdate: March. 2, 2005
Source: Daily Free Press (Boston U, MA Edu)Referred: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05/n338/a02.html?397Viewed at: http://www.dailyfreepress.com/news/882590.htmlStan White has a good point ("Cannabis not evil," Feb. 28, p. 4) that D.A.R.E. is in many ways a policy failure, in particular in regard to marijuana. However, he misses the opportunity to point out the wider scope of the failures of marijuana prohibition. Although 100 million Americans admit to having tried marijuana and 72 percent of them think that its users should not be jailed, the United States continues to spend billions of dollars a year trying to eliminate the use of a drug whose harmful effects are arguably less severe than those of alcohol or tobacco.It is hard to think of who would be hurt by a legalization of marijuana. Any high schooler can tell you that it's harder to buy alcohol than pot, and prices continue to drop. So supply is hardly being interrupted by prohibition. Legalization could only lead to an increased ability to control the drug trade, bring it out of the shadows of the black market and deal with its admitted negative effects.Meanwhile, it is easy to see what prohibition has gained us. More than 7 million people have been arrested on charges related to marijuana since 1993, including more than 750,000 in 2003. Taxpayers like you and me currently pay to put up to 77,000 marijuana offenders in the Hotel Federal Penitentiary.The Marijuana Policy Project (www.mpp.org) estimates that the war on pot costs us $12 billion dollars a year. Is it worth it?If you don't want your tax dollars flushed down the Drug War toilet, I recommend supporting groups like the MPP who work for a more sensible drug policy. Additionally, the Boston University Libertarian Society will be having a "pot brownie" (disclaimer: the brownies contain no actual marijuana) sale in the George Sherman Union today to support the MPP.Let's send our ill-conceived drug policy up in smoke.
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Comment #32 posted by FoM on March 02, 2005 at 08:33:25 PT
runruff
You're comment made me think of an interview I saw on A&E with Robin Williams. They asked him about his drug years. He said they were his lost years. He said cocaine is a very selfish drug. He is very happy that he stopped doing it. I agree with Robin Williams about cocaine. Bush is most definitely self centered and would have liked that drug.
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Comment #31 posted by runruff on March 02, 2005 at 08:04:49 PT:
Like I said......
Sell a pound of coke, go to prison. Sell a ship load and they made you president.Half the country is being sucked in by this spoiled rich kid momma's boy. He is an elitest who believes that he is not subject to the same rules as you and I.Elija returned. Indeed?
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Comment #30 posted by potpal on March 02, 2005 at 06:19:03 PT
ot - re: internet and drugs
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4310311.stm Cheers!
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Comment #29 posted by ekim on March 01, 2005 at 20:14:25 PT
new play DEA -Logues on ptsd on the population
Sukoi-- it would be great if Cheech would fill in for tommy
CHONG'S 'MARIJUANA-LOGUES' TOUR GOES UP IN SMOKEnuevo are you near where Howard will be riding--www.leap.cc/howard/http://www.changetheclimate.org/
was just at change the climate and the neatest plants poped up. 
http://www.newimageplants.com/
http://www.leap.cc/events
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Comment #28 posted by ekim on March 01, 2005 at 19:36:34 PT
spinning wheel got to go round
funny not--
 how the spin is turning when we are told that the US is making democracy work around the world and people should be free to elect and make laws. While we here are subjected to a Drug Czar who will at the drop of a hat fly off to any State that wants to change the drug laws most notably the Cannabis laws and threaten the lawmakers not to change the law no matter what the mass consensus is. And never have to give a accounting of how much money was spent on stomping on the peoples rights.
http://www.leap.cc/events
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Comment #27 posted by BGreen on March 01, 2005 at 17:37:40 PT
Stan White is cool!
He's the #4 letter writer on MAP's with 193 published Letters to the Editors with an estimated value of $192,807.Stan White is a true hero for our cause and a true man of God!The Reverend Bud Green
MAP's Published Letters Archive
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Comment #26 posted by Taylor121 on March 01, 2005 at 17:34:54 PT
New Hampshire Decrim
H.B. 197, introduced by Rep. Tim Robertson (D-Keene) and cosponsored by Rep. Charles Weed (D-Keene), is headed for a floor vote sometime this week, after the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee recommended the House reject it by a vote of 11 to two. The bill eliminates all criminal penalties associated with marijuana. Rep. Robertson has taken a strong stand on behalf of responsible adults who use marijuana by introducing this groundbreaking legislation. http://mpp.org/NH/action.html
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Comment #25 posted by Sukoi on March 01, 2005 at 17:27:17 PT
The GCW
Stan White is the author, that name sounds very familiar to me; perhaps from one of the forums that I frequent, I'm not sure. Another name, that I saw at the November Coalition today, is Doug Keenan and I'm certainly sure about him as he did contribute to those forums. Take a look at what happened to him, this is sickening:http://www.november.org/thewall/cases/keenan-d/keenan-d.html
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Comment #24 posted by The GCW on March 01, 2005 at 17:08:57 PT
Siege,
Thanks for the post and heads up...I hawked it to the MAP archive.420As for Bush, here is another one:US MO: PUB LTE: Bush's Drug Stance Seems HypocriticalPubdate: Sun, 27 Feb 2005
Source: Springfield News-Leader (MO)http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05/n324/a09.html?14382"I do not care if President Bush has smoked pot or used cocaine in the past, but I am concerned that he thinks it is OK to cage others for doing the same thing." 
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Comment #23 posted by John Tyler on March 01, 2005 at 17:02:18 PT
re #2
I heard on the news tonight 3/1/05 that some cereal makers(Frosted Flakes etc.) were going to include amino fatty acids in their cereals for their many health benefits.  They were going to get it from fish oil, but we know that hemp seeds are an excellent source. Other people are finally listening to us.
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Comment #22 posted by Taylor121 on March 01, 2005 at 16:57:37 PT
College Station man sentenced for eating marijuana
I saw this article. This is ridiculous.It turns out that the penalty he got is the exact same he would have gotten if he was convicted of a class b possession charge. I know because I'm from College Station and I've been there. Alot depends on your prosecutor and defense of course, but the corruption and insanity in the war on drugs is at its prime around here.At least he got away from the felony. 
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Comment #21 posted by Taylor121 on March 01, 2005 at 16:54:09 PT
Alliance Successfully Stimulates Debate Among Cons
March 1, 2005Last month the Alliance co-sponsored the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), the largest annual gathering of grassroots conservatives in the country. This event marked an historic moment in our efforts to galvanize debate within the conservative movement on the failed "war on drugs."A copy of Alliance Executive Director Ethan Nadelmann's National Review article on ending marijuana prohibition was in every attendee's registration bag, and he spoke passionately on a panel on unresolved issues among conservatives. Nadelmann also discussed drug policy reform on a number of radio talk shows hosted by well-known radio personalities, including Bob Barr, Linda Chavez, and Michael Reagan.The Alliance's message was generally well-received, and we look forward to furthering discussion about alternatives to the "war on drugs" in the conservative community.
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Comment #20 posted by Sukoi on March 01, 2005 at 16:17:56 PT
Some OT articles
CHONG'S 'MARIJUANA-LOGUES' TOUR GOES UP IN SMOKEhttp://www.mapinc.org/norml/v05/n334/a08.htm 
College Station man sentenced for eating marijuanahttp://www.theeagle.com/region/localregional/030105attaway.php 
Marijuana shop draws firehttp://www.modbee.com/local/story/10045506p-10875667c.html 
Swiss cows banned from eating grass http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/Swissinfo.html?siteSect=111&sid=5570162
(if this doesn't take you to the article, type in "cows" in the search feature)
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Comment #19 posted by global_warming on March 01, 2005 at 16:00:17 PT
re:17
This is at the crux of the problem.Traditional wisdom suggests that God, reveals to humans his plan, without any use of ritual or pattern.Yet in modern understandings, each and every person, has consumed some foodstuffs, and could be effected either by allergic or biochemical malady.It is quite obvious by now, that not all people have visions of God or the hidden spiritual aspects of our universe. Some might have great sexual experiences, and some might be offered a glimpse into the myriad beauty of Gods raiments, while others can hear music more clearly and yet others are driven mad with rage and anger.I suspect that Cannabis is that substance that opens the doors of our consciousness, it offers that alternate view of our world, and it is just that little chink, that little crack, that allows that different light to shine on our mind and soul that has been at the root of this abominable prohibition.The powerful and rich, will not allow any person to see or understand, how each and every one of us is locked into this world, for it threatens their place and hoarded substance.I, GW say, that in all this world, each and every tool that is from God, is intended to be used, towards the greater understanding of God and this world.For some, pain is what brings them to the door, for others it is prayer, and for some it is poison, yet it cannot be forgotten, that each of us, secretly and consciously, seek and endeavor to pierce that vale, to reach to that higher plane, to find that salvation, to be accepted and to hold dear that understanding, that our mortal existence is embraced by the great mysteries.We all want to be part of the stream , to remain in the "Light of God", for we all know that when we are divorced from that "Light" we will truly enter eternal hell.Mar 4:11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:1Co 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,1Ti 3:9 Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. Let all this fear and prejudice be banished and struck down, in the year of the Lord 2005.gw
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Comment #18 posted by goneposthole on March 01, 2005 at 15:47:39 PT
George must obey his master
He must be obsequious. He has to lie. He can't think for himself. His master does his thinking for him. George is their to serve his master. He can't do it any other way and he won't do it any other way. His master revises George's very existence. That's just the way things are.
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Comment #17 posted by siege on March 01, 2005 at 14:57:04 PT
God does not endorse cannabis
Stan White's letter on Monday ("Cannabis not evil", Feb. 28, p. 4) is the most ridiculous piece of evangelism I've ever read. I am not going to go on a rant on whether or not marijuana is detrimental, but let's just say that smoking any kind of drug usually increases lung disease of one sort or another. Mr. White's ingenious deduction that since God created cannabis, then it can't be "evil" is just plain idiotic. If Mr. White read the Bible close enough, be it the New or Old Testament and their multitudes of commentaries, he will inevitably find passages that state the injuring of the body is an abomination of God, since the body - itself - is God's greatest gift on loan to mankind (Leviticus 19:28). Hence the Jewish law that those with voluntary tattoos or numerous body piercing may not be buried in a Jewish cemetery, for they have expressed contempt for being created in "the image of God".Mr. White's obvious use of marijuana is a voluntary choice, and so far has proved injurious to his mind, and probably his lungs. Mr. White's use of religion and God as an excuse for bad behavior is horrible.Jesse RodgersCAS '07http://www.dailyfreepress.com/news/2005/03/01/Opinion/God-Does.Not.Endorse.Cannabis-880963.shtml(Leviticus 19:28) has no thing to do with cannabis. 
TRY (Leviticus 21:10-12)
 kaneh bosm (Marijuana), Exodus 30:23, Song of Songs 4:14., Isaiah 43:24, Jeremiah 6:20, Ezekiel 27:19.
(Numbers 3:3). (Exodus 40:15). (Leviticus 21:10-12)
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Comment #16 posted by charmed quark on March 01, 2005 at 14:42:11 PT
Bush, drug warrior
While Bush was governor, and as President, he has supported laws that throw drug users in prison. I'd like to ask him whether his life would have been improved if he had received the penalties of the laws he supports. Since there was a plant in the White House press core to ask him softball questions, maybe there's someone there now who can ask him this.-CQ
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Comment #15 posted by siege on March 01, 2005 at 14:38:55 PT
Take action! Sen. Frist Tn.
I am outraged that Sen. Frist is plotting to dismantle one of the last checks and balances in our federal system - the filibuster - in a radical power-grab to force far-right Supreme Court nominees on the American people.http://www.workingforchange.com/activism/action.cfm?ItemId=18509
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Comment #14 posted by FoM on March 01, 2005 at 12:53:06 PT
Here's The Cartoon
http://www.freedomtoexhale.com/cc.htm
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Comment #13 posted by nuevo mexican on March 01, 2005 at 12:34:48 PT
bush can do anything he wants, he's Royalty!
Accountability from this guy, noone expects it, noone will get it. Someday this whole administration should resign, as Lebanons Gov. just did yesterday! This highlights the fact that bush can say or do anything with impunity, where as other government leaders are held accountable. Not George though!IMHO, this is Cannabis related, as these articles highlight how two different journalists write about and percieve 'people power'! One downplays the joy of the people exersicing their power, the other, which quickly replaced the first at CommonDreams.org, tows the 'what now?' approach, like it's a BAD thing when the people influence the actions of ones' government. My point is, expose ALL journalists who shill for bush or corpocracy, as most do, and only REAL journalists' will be left standing, as all you have to do is 'follow the money'. 
Let's go, we have work to do!This story has dissapeared from Common Dreams.org, compare the two stories, and wonder why the first has been REMOVED:Lebanon's Government Quits in Face of Mass ProtestEcstatic protesters, having got their wish for the government's resignation, chanted "Syria out" and "Freedom, sovereignty, independence." Syria has wielded political and military power in its smaller neighbor for decades. They also chanted "Lahoud, your turn is next," in reference to pro-Syrian President Emile Lahoud.http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0228-12.htmFollow up story with different take and headline intended to discourage like-minded citizens from doing same in U.S. and other oppressed countries. The former story has been removed or replace with the standard 'don't try this in your country' B.S.! Talk about instant damage countrol! Where did the first story go?Lebanon Slips Into Political Turmoil 
Karami resigned Monday at the beginning of the afternoon session of the parliament meeting to discuss the killing of Hariri. In his speech in the morning session Karami had given no sign of intending to resign, but he did just that a little later -- to the surprise of many, including speaker and Karami's ally, Nabih Berri. The speech by Hariri's sister Bahiya Hariri during Monday's parliament session is said to have upset Karami and provoked him to resign. Bahiya called for the cabinet's resignation and full investigation into the killing of the former prime minister. 
 http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0301-09.htmWhere's E.J. when you need her?
Check this out: Hunter Thompson was on the phone to his wife when he shot himself. Right!I know E.J. has it all figured out, so solve this mystery please! oH, great defender of anti-conspiracy theorists!At the time when Thompson (was) commited 'suicide' – he was inmidst of a telephone-conversation with his wife! If you read... 
"Thompson shot self while talking with wife" (CNN-headline) 
http://edition.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/books/02/25/thompsondeath.wife.ap/index.html ...it might give you lots of good clues about the actual happenings: "Gonzo-Journalist" Hunter S. Thompson was talking to his wife Anita on phone about his work on his weekly ESPN column and that she should come home from her health club, but instead of proceeding the phone conversation she heard a "muffled noise" and "didn't know what had happened". She reported further: "I was waiting for him to get back on the phone,"... more:
http://www.rumormillnews.com/cgi-bin/forum.cgi?read=65894
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Comment #12 posted by siege on March 01, 2005 at 12:33:48 PT
Bush Cabal Media Censors Boondocks Comix 
Yes, the truth is the first victim -- even in the comix world.
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Comment #11 posted by FoM on March 01, 2005 at 12:24:15 PT
Here's Boondocks
I saved this incase they pull it.http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/uclickcomics/20050301/cx_bo_uc/bo20050301&e=1
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Comment #10 posted by FoM on March 01, 2005 at 12:18:58 PT
Chicago Tribune Pulls The Boondocks Again 
By Dave Astor Published: March 01, 2005 NEW YORK -- The Chicago Tribune also dropped today's "Boondocks," as the strip once again mentioned President Bush's alleged former drug use.Why did the Tribune pull Aaron McGruder's Monday and Tuesday comics? "Even in cartoons, you cannot state as a real-life fact something that is not true in real life," Geoff Brown, the Tribune's associate managing editor/features, told E&P. "This is not to say that cartoonists can't dream up conversations or situations to poke fun at a public figure -- that's satire. But when they inaccurately attribute to a public figure a real-life fact, quote, or action that never happened, then lampoon him or her for a fictional fact, quote, or action, that's unfair. Reports from reputable news sources about the president's taped conversation are careful not to state outright that he admitted drug use.""The Boondocks," of course, is considered a liberal comic. Last month (E&P Online, Feb. 8), the Tribune also pulled the conservative "Prickly City" for a day because it felt the comic -- which tweaked Sen. Ted Kennedy -- contained inaccurate information. "We're trying to be consistent in maintaining a standard for satire," said Brown. Universal Press Syndicate distributes both "Prickly City" and "The Boondocks." McGruder's comic appears in about 300 papers -- with at least two of them (in addition to the Tribune) dropping yesterday's "Boondocks," but (unlike the Tribune) running today's strip.Today's comic shows Huey watching TV as an announcer says: "Reportedly, a conversation in which President Bush admitted to smoking marijuana was recorded by Doug Wead. ... This just in. We just got two more revelations from Joe Blow and Petey Crack." Yesterday's strip shows a character saying: "Bush got recorded admitting that he smoked weed." Huey replies: "Maybe he smoked it to take the edge off the coke."Most of the e-mails received by the Tribune criticized the paper's action -- accusing it, among other things, of censorship. "If we were censors, we'd cancel 'The Boondocks' and 'Prickly City' and any other strips whose point of view clashed with some supposed ideology," said Brown. "We have no political ideology on the comics pages."The Tribune published old "Boondocks" strips the past two days.Dave Astor is a senior editor at E&P. Copyright: 2005 VNU eMedia Inc.http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000819456
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Comment #9 posted by FoM on March 01, 2005 at 11:57:02 PT
observer
I'm glad you said that and I didn't! You're right!
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Comment #8 posted by observer on March 01, 2005 at 11:52:06 PT
President Bush - new highs in Flaming Hypocrisy
The President Bush is a liar, a flaming hypocrite of the worst sort. Bush and his ilk are ever-ready to bring down the Judgement of Heaven upon you and your loved ones. No jail term is too long for you when you toke. But, "don't ask don't tell" when it comes to the Imperial Ruling Class. See how that works? One (harsh) standard for you: jail, prison rape, forced work in a sweatshop or chain gang or farm (slavery). For him, another quite different, standerd.http://drugpolicycentral.com/bot/images/GWBush-hypocrite-toker.gif 
Drug War Propaganda, 315 pages. now in print.
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Comment #7 posted by FoM on March 01, 2005 at 10:48:51 PT
Just a Note
We are having a snow storm and that sometimes makes my satellite connection go out. So far I haven't found any more news worth posting but I'll keep looking as long as I can. The snow sure is pretty though!
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Comment #6 posted by ekim on March 01, 2005 at 10:24:11 PT
Front Line tonight on PBS
what cost war has on returning troops.\i beleive many have ptsd from the War on Drugs./
http://www.leap.cc/events
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Comment #5 posted by FoM on March 01, 2005 at 09:32:29 PT
rchandar 
I agree with you. 
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Comment #4 posted by rchandar on March 01, 2005 at 09:30:19 PT:
bush's got a lot of nerve
Come on--He's got a LOT of nerve, a LOT OF NERVE, telling us that it doesn't matter what he did. Not only an example of not "practicing what you preach," it's a horrible example of our elected leader snubbing his nose at millions of addicts who deserve better candor from someone we "elected."Shame, Mr. President. Shame.-rchandar
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Comment #3 posted by FoM on March 01, 2005 at 09:08:19 PT
Related Article from Reuters
White House Gets Tapes of Bush "Marijuana" ChatMarch 1, 2005Washington -- An author who secretly taped conversations in which George W. Bush indicated he had used marijuana has turned the tapes over to the president's private counsel, the White House says. The White House was irritated last month when Doug Wead released portions of his recorded conversations with Bush from 1998 to 2000, when Bush was governor of Texas and planning his White House run. Wead was an old friend who had worked in the White House of Bush's father, and many of the conversations dealt with issues of religion and politics. Wead had quoted from the tapes in a recent book on presidential childhoods and said he had recorded them out of historic interest. The conversations also included talk of the use of marijuana. "I wouldn't answer the marijuana question. You know why? Because I don't want some little kid doing what I tried," Bush says on one tape. Wead had a change of heart about the tapes after they received wide publicity and the White House made clear its displeasure. He said last week he intended to return the tapes to the president. White House spokesman Scott McClellan said the tapes were in the hands of the president's "private counsel." "It's a matter we consider closed," he said. Copyright: 2005 Reuters
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Comment #2 posted by FoM on March 01, 2005 at 08:26:23 PT
Press Release on Hemp
Hemp Seed Oil – Its Not Just For Hippies  Hemp seed oil is healthy for your skin and your body. Learn about its history and why it is so beneficial.(PRWEB) March 1, 2005 -- Hemp – the word makes you think of jewelry, rope, hippies, and, let’s face it, marijuana. However, you might be surprised to find out that hemp seed oil is one of the most healthy oils for your body. Hemp seeds are one of the world's richest sources of a complete protein (second only to soybean) comprising 23% of the seed composition and 34% dietary fiber. In addition, hemp seed oil also contains three other essential unsaturated fatty acids including the super-polyunsaturated Omega 6 derivative gamma linolenic acid (GLA), stearidonic acid and oleic acid. Hemp is among the oldest industries on the planet, going back more than 10,000 years to the beginnings of pottery. Some believe that the oldest relic of human industry is a bit of hemp fabric dating back to approximately 8,000 BC.Presidents Washington and Jefferson both grew hemp, as a matter of fact Americans were legally bound to grow hemp during the Colonial Era and Early Republic. The first drafts of the Declaration of Independence were written on hemp paper. The federal government subsidized hemp during the Second World War and US farmers grew about a million acres of hemp as part of that program.Hemp grows well without herbicides, fungicides, or pesticides. Almost half of the agricultural chemicals used on US crops are applied to cotton. Hemp produces more pulp per acre than timber on a sustainable basis, and can be used for every quality of paper. Hemp paper manufacturing can reduce wastewater contamination. Hemp's low lignin content reduces the need for acids used in pulping, and it's creamy color lends itself to environmentally friendly bleaching instead of harsh chlorine compounds. Less bleaching results in less dioxin and fewer chemical byproducts.However, it is illegal to grow hemp in the United States. Why, if it is such a valuable agricultural crop? Many people believe this was a conspiracy by a number of major US corporations who stood to lose a lucrative market share of the raw fiber industry for paper and composites. Others feel it was a case of "throwing out the baby with the bath water" referring to both marijuana and hemp as one in the same. So how can consumers in the US use hemp seed oil? Even though it is illegal to grow hemp here, hemp seed, hemp oil, and hemp derivatives can be legally imported, sold, and consumed in the US. Linda Tabach, owner of The Potomac Soap Co. (www.potomacsoapco.com) and manufacturer of handmade natural skincare products, uses hemp seed oil in many of her products. “I find that it is wonderful for the skin. My Lotion with Hemp Seed Oil is smooth and creamy, yet light and moisturizing. Hemp seed oil is high in linoleic acid, an unsaturated fatty acid essential in nutrition, and also conditioning for the skin.”Everyone asks the same question and here is the answer - you cannot get high from hemp seed oil, whether using it on the skin or taking it internally. The psychoactive ingredient in marijuana is THC, found at levels of 5-20% in marijuana and only at 0.00030% in hemp seed oil. So feel free to enjoy your hemp seed oil, and know that you are doing something good for your body.Copyright: 2005, PR Web 
http://www.emediawire.com/releases/2005/3/emw213376.htm
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Comment #1 posted by ekim on March 01, 2005 at 08:19:38 PT
Source: Business Week (US)
URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05.n333.a09.html
Newshawk: Doug McVay http://www.csdp.org/
 Votes: 0
Pubdate: Mon, 28 Feb 2005
Source: Business Week (US)
Column: Sound Money
Copyright: 2005 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
Contact: bwreader businessweek.com
Website: http://www.businessweek.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/753
Author: Christopher Farrell
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization)A NEW KIND OF DRUG WAR The Conventional One Has Been Highly Costly, With Little Return. Making Narcotics Legal -- And Very Expensive -- Can Reduce Addiction And Crime Starting with Richard Nixon, every U.S. President has declared war on drugs. The FBI, CIA, DEA, military, and countless prosecutors have devoted enormous resources to combating narcotics over the past several decades. According to an estimate by Boston University economist Jeffrey A. Miron, federal, state, and local governments have put some $33 billion in resources toward prosecuting the war on drugs in recent years. How is the return on that investment? Abysmal. The demand for such illegal drugs as marijuana, cocaine, and heroin remains strong. Drug lords and their cartels terrorize nations and local communities. Crime and corruption derived from the illegal drug trade flourish. U.S. prisons are crowded with drug-law offenders -- more than 54% of federal prisoners sentenced in 2004 were sent away for breaking drug laws. 
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