cannabisnews.com: Time To Weed Out Pot Laws?





Time To Weed Out Pot Laws?
Posted by CN Staff on August 01, 2008 at 15:51:28 PT
Vail Daily Editorial Board
Source: Vail Daily 
Colorado -- Why this country allows its citizens to consume alcohol, but not marijuana, is a bit of a mystery. Both substances have mind-altering capabilities. Both substances, if abused, can destroy the lives of the user and anyone who crosses the user’s path. But both substances can be used responsibly and moderately, according to Rep. Barney Frank, a Massachusetts Democrat.
And perhaps most importantly, our government spends an inordinate amount of time and money arresting and prosecuting pot users — about 12 million citizens have been arrested on a marijuana-related charge since 1965, according to NORML, an organization that wants marijuana use to be legalized. Frank announced this week that he would introduce a bill that would decriminalize the possession of less than a quarter-pound of marijuana. Advocates argue that because alcohol is a legal substance, marijuana should be, too. Instead, marijuana should be regulated in the same way as alcohol, and the threat of arrest should be limited for only those whose use affects someone else, such as in the case of driving while intoxicated by the drug.Frank’s proposal seems to have merit, particularly when applied to medicinal marijuana users. Even in states that have passed laws allowing medicinal marijuana use, patients who use prescribed pot still are running afoul of federal laws.While marijuana is the most frequently used illegal drug in the U.S., it seem highly unlikely Frank’s proposal will become law. Being “soft on crime” — and drug use is a crime — is a cardinal sin in American politics. When former Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders dared to suggest that the legalization of drugs should be studied, she was publicly ridiculed.But the success of the “War on Drugs” is debatable; there are reports that cocaine use is down, but the number of incarcerations for drug-related convictions has risen. The U.S. government reports it has spent $30 billion incarcerating those who break drug laws. Additionally, a report from the United Kingdom’s government revealed that a tough stance on drug use has fueled price hikes for most drugs, which simply helps increase the profitability of businesses the war on drugs aims to destroy.And despite comparisons between pot and alcohol — a drug many a Congress member has been known to use — the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration still considers pot to be a gateway drug to harder, more addictive and more damaging substances. Nevermind the fact that alcohol is a factor in a large number of local arrests, and that in 2006, 13,470 died in the U.S. in crashes involving a drunken driver.It would be nice if Frank’s proposal sparked an honest debate about the effectiveness of the war on pot, especially in a nation grappling with the war on terror, wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and facing the largest deficit in its history. Source: Vail Daily (CO)Published: August 1, 2008Copyright: 2008 Vail DailyContact: editor vaildaily.comWebsite: http://www.vaildaily.com/CannabisNews -- Cannabis Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/cannabis.shtml
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Comment #20 posted by Paint with light on August 03, 2008 at 22:44:01 PT
81 to 1
Last night I was at an L.A. newspaper site and read a story about one of the recent raids. In the comments section there were 82 responces. 81 were pro cannabis.That is a good ratio.I wonder what was wrong with that one person?Legally, equal with alcohol is all I ask.
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Comment #19 posted by FoM on August 03, 2008 at 09:54:52 PT
EJ I'm Sure of That
What goes into making an Olympic horse is amazing to me. These horses work hard but it takes many years and a natural born talent to achieve this level of ability. Many of these horses are up in years too. They don't wreck them like race horses are wrecked.
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Comment #18 posted by E_Johnson on August 03, 2008 at 09:45:38 PT
FoM about the Olympics
I read about the steps they're taking to keep the horses cooled off in the Chinese heat and humidity.Sounds like the horses are going to have a much better time than the humans!
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Comment #17 posted by John Tyler on August 03, 2008 at 09:11:20 PT
meanwhile in Argentina 
Argentine president calls for decriminalization of drug use
http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/americas/08/01/argentina.drugs/
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Comment #16 posted by FoM on August 03, 2008 at 06:52:56 PT
Just a Note
I hope everyone is enjoying the weekend. It is beautiful and breezy here. Political news has gone off the deep end when I saw an ad with Heston as Moses. I think that finished me off from following this election for a while. The Olympics will be a welcome break from this nonsense. I think we will learn alot about China (our bankers) over the next few weeks. I do like the idea of sports being viewed on line. My favorite sport doesn't get tv time but it will be able to be seen this year. Have a great day everyone!http://www.nbcolympics.com/equestrian/index.html
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Comment #15 posted by potpal on August 03, 2008 at 04:41:05 PT
sickos
'It's like paying good money to get sick...'?Is he talking about the substance that has maybe a 1000 people so sick they are puking on a neighbors lawn or some city street, oh that's alcohol, sorry.He's doing what prohibitionist do best, state the opposite of the truth and make it a talking point for the press to gobble up and puke on rest of us.
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Comment #14 posted by Sinsemilla Jones on August 03, 2008 at 01:45:57 PT
Since that link takes forever to load...
and may require a subscription, I posted the whole story on ICMag-http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=95903
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Comment #13 posted by Sinsemilla Jones on August 03, 2008 at 01:06:12 PT
More marijuana confussion in the press.....
Including these gems -"....(DEA spokesman Garrison Courtney) said more outdoor 'grow houses' are going up in larger areas such as California and Arizona to manipulate the growth of marijuana.While marijuana has a small, natural amount of the psychoactive drug, Courtney said producers chemically adulterate the leaves with THC....""...'It significantly reduces short-term memory,'(Robert Thornhill, a primary counselor at Bradford Health Services in Montgomery, AL) said. 'It produces a delusional belief system.'........'It's like paying good money to get sick,' Thornhill said."
Marijuana's potency increasing rapidly, along with its demand
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Comment #12 posted by FoM on August 02, 2008 at 19:52:46 PT
News Article From Salem-News.com
Is the Bush Administration Using Blackwater Mercenaries in the DEA?Perspective by Tim King Salem-News.com http://salem-news.com/articles/august022008/dea_blackwater_8-2-08.php
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Comment #11 posted by FoM on August 02, 2008 at 19:21:27 PT
NYT Slideshow: Joint Efforts
http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2008/08/03/movies/0803-HARR_index.htmlmykeyb420 it's nice to see you.fight_4_freedom I'm glad you had a good time.
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Comment #10 posted by E_Johnson on August 02, 2008 at 18:41:00 PT
Or maybe educate her somehow
She's one of those reporters who sees healthy-looking people come out of a cannabis club and assumes they're not legit patients.Maybe there should be some campaign to educate reporters to the fact that many illnesses legitimately treated by pot occur among young people and many of those illnesses aren't diagnosable just by watching a person walking out of a club.
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Comment #9 posted by E_Johnson on August 02, 2008 at 17:43:10 PT
Can Sandy Banks at the LA Times be sued for libel?
She's accusing the Culver City patients of being frauds because bongs were found at the club.Is that a specific enough accusation to warrant a libel case?Does anyone know how it works when a journalist makes unproven accusations of criminal fraud against a group of people without naming each person individually?I'm tired of this and I think we should stop taking it. It's time to fight back against this kind of libel.
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Comment #8 posted by fight_4_freedom on August 02, 2008 at 16:17:58 PT:
I saw Eddie Money in concert last night
here in town. Great show! Tomorrow the Grass Roots will be performing. I'm going to try to catch that one as well if I can get out of work early enough. This is my favorite song of by them. Any other good ones by them?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnFZsrs32Co&feature=related
(live for today)here's a link to the festival that's going on. http://www.piggig.com
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Comment #7 posted by ekim on August 02, 2008 at 15:44:23 PT
Leap blog
http://www.leap.cc/cms/index.php?name=Blogs&file=display&id=320Latest Blog EntriesDo we live in a Police State? Intimidation by DEA
Terry Nelson - Saturday, August 02
According to an article in the Orange County Register… Nature's Wellness Collective owner Bob Adams said the dispensary was raided by approximately 14 DEA agents armed with assault rifles and accompanied by members of the Orange Police Department. Adams said agents took all of his medicinal ...
http://www.leap.cc/cms/index.php
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Comment #6 posted by mykeyb420 on August 02, 2008 at 15:17:42 PT
super high me
Hi All
 Im back from summercamp.
 I just found out that my club is in the movie " Super High Me".
 We are the club where Denis Peron and Lynette Shaw walk into. Denis talks about the old days. They call us " The Mothership " We are in the chapter called " Oaksterdam " .
 
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Comment #5 posted by Storm Crow on August 02, 2008 at 14:23:17 PT
Ruling overturns Redondo medical marijuana decisio
By Denise Nix, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 08/02/2008 02:26:12 AM PDTA pot bust in a Redondo Beach motel room led to a precedent-setting ruling this week in the ongoing effort to decipher conflicting and controversial medicinal marijuana laws.Three justices from the 2nd District Court of Appeals decided Wednesday that state law does not require "a patient to periodically renew a doctor's recommendation regarding medical marijuana use."In addition, the justices ruled that it should be left to a jury to determine if the amount of marijuana a patient possesses is related to their medical needs or exceeds the law."It was an obvious result to me," said attorney Matthew Surlin, who represents Christopher Windus.Windus, 39, was arrested Dec. 14, 2004, after police officers searched his room at the Palos Verdes Inn and found approximately 1.6 pounds of marijuana.At his preliminary hearing, a detective testified that he believed Windus, who is from out of state, intended to sell the narcotic because of the large amount he had on hand.Before his trial began, Windus tried to convince Torrance Superior Court Judge Andrew Kauffman that he should be allowed to present a defense based on California's Compassionate Use Act of 1996.The CUA, passed as Proposition 215 by voters, legalizes the possession and cultivation of marijuana for medical purposes.In 2003, the state Legislature clarified the law to allow qualified patients or caregivers to have no more than 8 ounces of dried marijuana with a doctor's recommendation.Dr. William Eidleman told the judge that he consulted with Windus in 1999 and 2001, and gave him written recommendations for the medical use of marijuana for chronic back pain.Eidleman said Windus ingested marijuana, which requires four to eight times more of the drug than smoking it. He said it would be appropriate for Windus to have 3 to 6 pounds of marijuana in his possession. (snipped)http://www.dailybreeze.com/ci_10077644?source=rss_viewed
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Comment #4 posted by FoM on August 02, 2008 at 09:20:01 PT
Sam
I saw the pictures last night. It makes people want to run to the hills.
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Comment #3 posted by Sam Adams on August 02, 2008 at 09:14:02 PT
Baltimore
Now we know what all those big police guns are for: to shoot your dogD.C.-area mayor's house is raided
Regional Digest
August 1, 2008
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/politics/bal-md.sbriefs010aug01,0,6133084.storyA SWAT team raided the home of a Washington-area mayor, killing his two black Labrador retrievers and seizing an unopened package of marijuana delivered there, police said.
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Comment #2 posted by Sam Adams on August 02, 2008 at 09:12:58 PT
LA Times & Blackwater
I'm sure you will find this interesting, forwarding from California NORML:http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-marijuana1-2008aug01,0,7334306.storyEarlier today, this story (below) carried a photo of someone in a Blackwater T-shirt handling a box labeled DEA at an LA club raid. Several of us on the DPFCA list noted it, and then noticed that the 7-photo picture show had dropped to 6, censoring this one: http://www.latimes.com/search/la-me-marijuana03_k4w9opnc.jpg,0,3365571.photo. While it lasts, you can share it from there by various methods.
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Comment #1 posted by potpal on August 02, 2008 at 05:03:32 PT
some drug use is a crime
Being “soft on crime” — and drug use is a crime — is a cardinal sin in American politics. Certainly not pharmaceutical drug use, if that were so weed need to just throw a big net over the USA.Illegal drug use is the crime. Ah, but if it weren't illegal it wouldn't be a crime and there would be nothing to be soft about. The trouble with politicans is that they are soft period, soft on sense, soft on logic, soft on compassion, soft on vision, and through prohibition they are essentially soft on the black market which is like being soft on crime...Cannabis prohibition is the crime.
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