cannabisnews.com: Smoke Screens





Smoke Screens
Posted by CN Staff on September 22, 2006 at 06:42:27 PT
By Neal Levine
Source: Las Vegas City Life
Nevada -- John P. Walters, director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy -- our nation's so-called drug czar -- made appearances in Reno recently to attack Question 7, the initiative to tax and regulate marijuana. This is just the first round in the federal government's coordinated campaign to influence the voters of Nevada on a state issue.Many Nevadans will remember that then-Attorney General Brian Sandoval referred to the federal government's intervention in the 2002 marijuana initiative as "excessive" and "disturbing." In an official opinion, Sandoval stated it was "unfortunate that a representative of the federal government substantially intervened in a matter that was clearly a state of Nevada issue."
Nevadans should expect more anti-marijuana commercials and a number of visits by federal officials -- at taxpayer expense -- to influence the outcome of our election. Rest assured, the federal government will be fighting the marijuana initiative this year with an unlimited source of campaign funds: the wallets of every American taxpayer. This year, the drug czar has at least $100 million in taxpayer funds at his disposal to spend on television, radio and newspaper ads. In all, the government spends about $7.7 billion enforcing marijuana prohibition annually, yet the U.S. Department of Justice reports "marijuana availability is high and stable or increasing slightly." In essence, our marijuana laws do not work.Congress, to its credit, is starting to scrutinize the failures of the drug czar. On Aug. 25, the Government Accountability Office issued a report finding that drug czar's office's anti-drug advertising campaign has not been effective at deterring youth drug use, and that Congress should consider slashing its budget until the office is able to "provide credible evidence of the effectiveness of exposure to the campaign on youth drug use." And the Des Moines Register reported on April 26 that U.S. Senator Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, believes President George W. Bush should fire Walters for spending too much time on marijuana and not enough on the rising use of hard drugs like methamphetamine.Our current marijuana laws have given violent gangs and criminals an exclusive business franchise in Nevada. In contrast, we support taking marijuana out of the hands of criminals and placing it into a tightly controlled and regulated market. Our initiative creates a statewide system -- complete with sensible safeguards -- for the legal cultivation, distribution, sale and taxation of a maximum of one ounce of marijuana to adults over the age of 21.Earlier this year, Walters admitted Mexican drug cartels are currently making $8.5 billion off of marijuana sales. Instead of funding the violent activities of street gangs and drug dealers, our initiative will levy a tax on marijuana -- generating millions of dollars for our state.As Nevadans, we have an important choice to make this year. We can continue to support our broken marijuana laws, or we can take marijuana out of the hands of criminals and create a system of taxation and regulation. We urge the people of Nevada to vote yes on Question 7 on Nov. 7.Neal Levine is campaign manager for the committee to regulate and control marijuana. Source: Las Vegas City Life (NV)Author: Neal LevinePublished: Thursday, September 21, 2006 Copyright: 2006 Las Vegas City LifeContact: obrien lvpress.comWebsite: http://www.lasvegascitylife.com/Related Articles & Web Site:Regulate and Control Marijuanahttp://www.regulatemarijuana.org/Ballot Initiative: Internal Poll Finds Support http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread22190.shtmlMarijuana Activist Criticizes Votehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread22179.shtml
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Comment #12 posted by Hope on September 24, 2006 at 20:33:56 PT
"I think I scare some people"
:0)I think you do, too...and I'm sure glad.And yes, he does answer his e-mail.
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Comment #11 posted by kaptinemo on September 24, 2006 at 19:25:44 PT:
I only calls 'em as I sees 'em
Whig, you and anyone else who wishes to use my verbose blatherings to further this cause is welcome. Consider this formal permission to do so. Hope, I'm just one more scarred-up soldier in this war. But I'm the kind who's the experienced grunt they send into the trenches with knives & pistols for the close-in stuff. In all the years I've been writing, no prohib has had the 'nads to correspond with me. None. And as many who have used that link I provide have learned, I do answer my emails. But any who do seeking to take some hide off of me...I do not suffer fools at all, much less suffer them gladly...(Wolf's grin, sharpening rhetorical trench knife) I think I scare some people... 
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Comment #10 posted by Sukoi on September 24, 2006 at 05:20:58 PT
Whig: comment #8
Look here:http://www.politicalcrossfire.com/forum/search.php?search_author=kaptinemo
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Comment #9 posted by Hope on September 23, 2006 at 13:10:30 PT
Kaptinemo
He is gifted, isn't he, Whig?I've always been glad Kaptinmeo is on our side.His keyboard has electrically carved up many a prohibitionist turkey's statements. His keyboard is an electric carving knife. He wields it well.
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Comment #8 posted by whig on September 23, 2006 at 13:00:18 PT
kaptinemo
Can I post your statement comparing prohibitionists to Lord Nelson?You are incredibly good at writing. I wish I could see more of your stuff.
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Comment #7 posted by kaptinemo on September 23, 2006 at 06:43:10 PT:
Prohibitionists are like Lord Nelson
During a naval battle, Nelson, who was blind in one eye thanks to an earlier campaign, was supposed to have refused an order by signal flag to break off an attack by raising his telescope to his blind eye and saying he couldn't see the order.Study after study after study - in many cases, conducted by prohibs, themselves - have provided the same results: no fatalities. No long term physical or psychological damage. (Sadly, some of those who already suffer from psychological maladies may find the experience distressing, but even amongst such a population, they are few in number; many so accursed by their biology seek to treat their maladies naturally with the herb, and do so successfully.)  Yet the prohibs try to emulate Nelson and cover their eyes and claim they don't see the facts which give the lie to their positions.Nelson did what he did because he had an honest chance at winning...and he did. But the prohibs have been fighting a war whose ending has been foretold in the histories of nation after nation: abject failure. But true to their natures, they willfully refuse to see that, either. 
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Comment #6 posted by Sukoi on September 23, 2006 at 04:59:44 PT
They have no excuse
They could study people like Irvin Rosenfeld who has repeatedly offered to be studied. He would be an excellent candidate as he has been smoking a measured amount of GOVERNMENT GROWN AND SUPPLIED CANNABIS for decades.http://blogs.salon.com/0002762/stories/2005/02/18/irvRosenbergAndTheCompassi.html
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Comment #5 posted by BGreen on September 22, 2006 at 08:32:31 PT
It's OK to study those who have voluntarily used
There are thousands upon thousands of american humans who have used cannabis daily for at least thirty years who would be perfectly willing to participate in studies to determine the health effects of cannabis if they wouldn't be subject to felony prosecution.These people are free right now only because they learned from Nancy Reagan to "just say no" when asked if they use cannabis.It's unethical to ignore such a medically useful cannabis control group while fabricating your own results from non-existant studies and using those phony results to further the arrest and caging of over 780,000 americans every year.The Reverend Bud Green
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Comment #4 posted by lombar on September 22, 2006 at 08:20:54 PT
Common tactic
"Dr. Joseph Sakai, director of adolescent psychiatric services for addiction research and treatment services at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, also addressed the media and agreed that studies indicate that marijuana has detrimental medical effects on the body."Classic tactic of the prohibitionist. Say cannsabis causes damage without a wit of evidence to back it up. So, it's unethical to study the effects of cannabis but not imprison people for using it, ..I just had a thought: if there were 30 states doing similar ballot initiatives then the drug warriors would be spread very thin.Go Mason!
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Comment #3 posted by whig on September 22, 2006 at 08:10:53 PT
Peter Marcus
Is shilling for the DFAF (aka SOS)I am bound to ask how much money does Straight, DFAF, Mel Sembler, etc. contribute to these campaigns, how many people are on their payroll?Since they make so much money on prohibition, I'm sure it must be worth whatever they have to spend to defend their turf.
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Comment #2 posted by mayan on September 22, 2006 at 07:56:28 PT
Thanks, Paul!
It is fun watching Mason Tvert work. He has a way of making the prohibitionists look so incredibly dumb! By the time election day comes around Mason will have Walters,Barthwell,Faye,Sakai and all of the other liars running for cover. I predict both Nevada and Colorado will win by landslides due to a huge anti-Bush/prohibitionist backlash. Folks are sick of having their intelligence insulted.In unrelated events, this is not good...War Signals? 
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20061009/lindorffTHE WAY OUT IS THE WAY IN...Bush Propaganda Architect Rove Promises October Surprise:
http://prisonplanet.com/articles/september2006/210906octobersurprise.htmOsama bin Laden “confession video” unplugged:
http://www.teamliberty.net/id301.htmlDr. Robert Bowman - Heroic 911 Truth Leader Video (video):
http://www.stoplying.ca/media/bowman.wmvGet Ready for a Torrent of Truth:
http://www.infowars.com/articles/alex/ts_get_ready_torrent_of_truth.htmNew Video: Talking About a Revolution:
http://911blogger.com/node/3104
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Comment #1 posted by paul armentano on September 22, 2006 at 07:29:54 PT
Studies? We don't need no stinkin' studies
http://www.thedenverdailynews.com/?page=details&id=4425&t=ArchivePot measure foes launch campaignBy PETER MARCUS - September 20, 2006....Calvina Fay, executive director of Save Our Society From Drugs said, “Even if that part is nullified, the initiative is still not good for the state.”The coalition cited many statistics and reasons for not voting in favor of Amendment 44:....Most of the statistics and fears produced by the coalition yesterday have been refuted in the past by Safer Alternative For Enjoyable Recreation, which is leading the campaign to pass Amendment 44.Campaign Director Mason Tvert said there has not been one official study conducted that documents negative effects to decriminalizing marijuana.When asked by representatives from Hispanic broadcast station Telemundo to provide citations for its statistics, Dr. Andrea Grubb Barthwell, former deputy director for Demand Reduction from the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, said an “estimated” study was conducted by the Department of Justice. She could not verify the accuracy of the findings. Dr. Joseph Sakai, director of adolescent psychiatric services for addiction research and treatment services at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, also addressed the media and agreed that studies indicate that marijuana has detrimental medical effects on the body.Tvert had challenged Sakai at a Denver City Club meeting last week to present official studies that would support his claims. Sakai explained that ethical restrictions prevent researchers from testing the long-term effects of marijuana on a person. He said it would be unethical to have someone smoke marijuana for several years in the name of science and therefore those studies are not available.
http://www.thedenverdailynews.com/?page=details&id=4425&t=Archive
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