cannabisnews.com: The War on Drugs Comes Home!





The War on Drugs Comes Home!
Posted by FoM on February 16, 1999 at 07:40:56 PT

When people talk about "drugs," they usually mean illegal substances like marijuana, cocaine and heroin that people use to get "high." But there are hundreds of household products that are abused in similar ways by people who sniff them. 
Last week, Vice President Gore announced that the war on drugs is still being fought. While recent studies show that drug use among young people declined in 1997 and 1998, our country still has more work to do, he said. The vice president, who was announcing the White House's plan to cut the U.S. drug problem in half by the year 2007, said that keeping kids off drugs is the top goal of the program. He said that if children can make it to adulthood drug-free, they are very likely to avoid addiction for the rest of their lives. Many of the people who abuse these products, which are known as inhalants, are young people. In fact, the National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that one of every five eighth-graders has abused inhalants. Household products that are abused include model airplane glue, nail polish remover, cleaning fluids, hair spray, gasoline, spray paint, fabric protector, air conditioner fluid and cooking spray. These products, which all have important uses for which they have been designed, can be very dangerous when people choose to abuse them. People who abuse inhalants, who are sometimes called "huffers," may feel stimulated, disoriented, out-of-control, giddy, lightheaded or even violent, according to the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information. The substances can also produce a variety of unpleasant physical effects, including nausea, ringing in the ears, nosebleeds, double vision, chest pain, muscle and joint aches, and loss of coordination. In addition, inhalants can injure the heart and liver and cause severe damage to the brain and nervous system. In extreme cases, inhalant abuse can starve the body of oxygen, causing a person to pass out or even die. 
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Comment #3 posted by Steve Goodmans on February 17, 1999 at 04:47:24 PT:
Glad you agree
Good to see there's plenty of like-minded people around.I take it you mean the Government make too much money from Cannabis from prosecution and fines... OK point taken if Cannabis was decriminalised.But full legalisation would mean the Government could tax it, and still make the same amount of money. In fact, if it was legalised and a chain was established from manufacture to distribution, the total tax contributions would be greater than the revenue gained from prosecution? Especially as the judiciary wouldn't have to spend the money to prosecute in the first place.
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Comment #2 posted by FoM on February 16, 1999 at 09:44:45 PT
You are correct!
Very good comment! I agree with you! Since we agree that Cannabis should be at least de-criminalized, then why hasn't it happened? I ask myself that and anymore the only reason I can think of is the money! It generates too much money to stop it now. If that is true then we are low on the totem pole as far as human rights are concerned and that really saddens me! That's why I like the news because I see which direction we are being lead by our government and the erratic behavior in it all! Peace!
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Comment #1 posted by Steve Goodmans on February 16, 1999 at 08:44:34 PT:
Inhalant Abuse (Our Nanny States)
The one thing that hasn't been stated in the article on inhalant abuse is just how many people die as a result of frozen chest/lungs. The chemicals in solvents can cause the throat and lungs to freeze, leading to death by suffocation.The thing that I really can't get my head round is this:If the Government are aware of the death tolls for Cannabis and other soft drugs, AND aware of the death tolls for solvent/inhalant abuse, then why is Cannabis still illegal?People want to get high. If they didn't, then why would they put themselves through the ghastly process of inhaling aerosoles, glue, petrol or whatever? No matter how many laws are introduced, people will always find a way to get a rush - whatever the cost.Surely the Government would rather people smoked a little pot, got lathargic, and sat mellowing out causing no harm to anyone else, than find kids dead in the street because they wanted a rush that badly that they got a bag and some glue? This is typical of a nanny state. The Government believes its people are incapable of making their own decisions. Don't you agree? Well why else would they make certain substances illegal! Lets just get it all in the open, give people the facts about drugs without prejudice, and let people make up their own minds - because it doesn't matter what laws are introduced - people will always get high.What would be really useful would be the Government taking the whole of its budget for enforcement against drugs (which must run into billions of dollars), and give homes to people on the streets, give food to those who are starving, clothes to those wearing rags, and generally spend tax payers money on the real issues that affect the country.
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