cannabisnews.com: Parents Say Legal Reefer is Madness


cannabisnews.com: Parents Say Legal Reefer is Madness 





Parents Say Legal Reefer is Madness 
Posted by FoM on March 29, 2001 at 08:38:59 PT
By Matthew Cella, The Washington Times
Source: Washington Times
Larry Katz stood in front of the U.S. Supreme Court building yesterday holding a grainy, black-and-white oversized photo of his stepson, Ian Eaccarino. Top Stories   In the photo, Ian looks like a typical college student, smiling broadly and wearing a baseball cap. He overdosed on heroin at 20 and died in the family's Connecticut home in 1996. 
Mr. Katz and his wife, Ginger, traveled to the high court to demonstrate against the legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes.    Mr. Katz, who holds a master's degree in nutrition, spoke bitterly about how marijuana, which Ian first tried at 14, started his stepson down a road to addiction and ultimately to death.   Terming the drug "medicine," Mr. Katz said, would be misleading. "It gives definitely the wrong message: 'It's medicine. It's good for you,' " he said.   Inside the building, the Supreme Court justices listened to arguments on whether marijuana can legally be prescribed to patients as a means for easing their pain.   The case, the United States vs. Oakland Cannabis Buyers' Cooperative, is rooted in California's 1996 decision to legalize the doctor-sanctioned possession and cultivation of cannabis for seriously ill patients.   Advocates of medical marijuana say the drug can ease side effects from chemotherapy, save nauseated AIDS patients from wasting away or even allow multiple sclerosis sufferers to rise from a wheelchair and walk.   Representatives of Drug-Free Kids: America's Challenge, who organized the demonstration yesterday, argue that marijuana and other illicit drugs lead to school violence, dropouts, early sexuality and teen-age pregnancy.   Although there is no definitive science on the drug's medicinal value, nine states have laws allowing the legal use of marijuana to treat a host of ailments.   Outside the court building, discussions between advocates and detractors of medical marijuana became contentious during the course of the morning.   Representatives of the pro-legalization Marijuana Policy Project were outnumbered by a dozen people demonstrating against the drug, many of them parents who held placards with pictures of children lost to drug overdoses.   Karen Shreiner, a program analyst from Harrisburg, Pa., carried a poster-sized picture of a friend's daughter, Angela Smith, who died from a heroin overdose at 19.   She said Angela first started using marijuana at 14 and argued that the drug led to Angela's abuse of stronger drugs, despite several failed trips to treatment centers. She said Angela had several run-ins with the law before dying of an overdose in 1998.   "We just want to make people aware that marijuana is a steppingstone drug," Mrs. Shreiner said.   Yesterday's case marked the first time the justices have taken on the issue of legalizing marijuana.   "We believe it is lifesaving," said Gerald Uelmen, an attorney for the California-based cooperative.   A ruling for the Oakland club would allow special marijuana clubs to resume distributing the drug in California, which passed one of the nation's first medical marijuana laws.   A ruling for the federal government would not negate the California voter initiative but would effectively prevent clubs like Oakland's from distributing the drug openly.   The court's ruling is expected by the end of June.Source: Washington Times (DC)Author: Matthew Cella, The Washington TimesPublished: March 29, 2001Copyright: 2001 News World Communications, Inc.Contact: letters washingtontimes.comWebsite: http://www.washtimes.com/Related Articles & Web Sites:Oakland Cannabis Buyers' Cooperativehttp://www.rxcbc.org/USA V. OCBC & Jeffrey Jones: http://www.druglibrary.org/ocbc/Justices Narrowing Arguments in Marijuana Casehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread9196.shtmlHigh Court Tests Medical Pot Co-ops http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread9195.shtmlUp In Smoke - Salon Magazinehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread9192.shtml
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Comment #25 posted by Concernedcitizen on April 03, 2001 at 05:36:11 PT
stop smoking the weed!
Religion is the opiate of the people, not opium or anything like it!  -charley t.
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Comment #24 posted by Darb on March 30, 2001 at 06:13:16 PT
Thanks observer!
I never got to see the entire reefer madness video before, only clips shown on various shows based on marijuana (the history channel comes to mind). Anyways, thanks for providing that link, it's good for a laugh, until you remind yourself that this was peddled as being real information 60+ years ago.
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Comment #23 posted by jAHn on March 29, 2001 at 20:01:32 PT
Observer, I Love YOUUUU!!!
 Well Put! I love Smoked Medicine!!! There's something about the way that it's filtered by the body that seems Way More Subtle than a Dirty Man's Pill... You people that Hate everything are going to have a hard time dealing with people in the future.  Get Over It!!! We Love Cannabis!!!P.S. The day that I worship a white human over a Colored Human is the day that I wish to be denounced Crazy!P.S.S. You're comments liven me up and help me beat the people that try to make me feel like a phony, observer...
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Comment #22 posted by mayan on March 29, 2001 at 16:43:19 PT
stepingstone drug?
 Has anyone read "Marijuana Myths, Marijuana Facts"? It uses a good analogy, something to the effect...."To say that marijuana leads to harder drugs is like saying that riding a bicycle leads to riding a motorcycle. Chances are that a motorcycle rider has rode a bicycle, but riding a bicycle doesn't directly lead to riding a bicycle & you don't have to ride a bicycle to learn how to ride a motorcycle". In other words, those who have used hard drugs have probably used marijuana because such a great number of people(over seventy-million Americans) have used marijuana. The gateway theory is all about twisting the numbers - something that the anti's are very good at. 
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Comment #21 posted by observer on March 29, 2001 at 15:23:34 PT
'No Smoked medicine'
Representatives of Drug-Free Kids: America's Challenge, who organized the demonstration yesterday . . .On Carrie Nation's site, she claims, ``Dr. Robert DuPont, former director, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) says, "It is unthinkable that in the 21st century, American medicine would be prescribing smoked leaves for ANY condition. . . .'' http://www.ourdrugfreekids.org [Weasel-worded. DuPont shows by his weaseling here he full well knows that plant various leaves have been used as smoked remedies for centuries.] ''No smoked medicine even by ballot box or hanging chad . . .'' http://www.ourdrugfreekids.org Their concern that people never try "smoked medicine" is touching, isn't it?Since they are so very oh-so concerned about "smoked medicine", I'm sure we'll hear the Carry Nations of the world organise, and protest against these smoked herbal remedies, as well. . .Mullein (Verbascum thapsus)``Mullein flowers and leaves contain a significant amount of mucilage and saponins which lend a mild demulcent quality. In fact, the leaves were once smoked as a remedy for asthma, bronchitis and other inflammatory disorders.''http://herbalmusings.com/mullein.htmJamaica Sarsaparilla (Smilax ornata)Jamaica Sarsaparilla is a large perennial climber of the natural order Liliaceae. The stems are erect, semi-woody and with large very sharp prickles one cm long. The leaves are large, alternate, stalked and almost evergreen with prominent veins. Jamaica Sarsaparilla is native to Central America but was introduced to Europe via Jamaica in the middle of the 16th century as a remedy for syphilis, and later came to be used for other chronic diseases. The leaves were smoked as a remedy for asthma.http://www.fas.org/news/reference/probert/B6.HTM``Coltsfoot -- smoked to relief asthma. . .''http://www.sdh.sk.ca/RxFiles/acrobat/Q&A-Asthma-Altern.pdfJimsonweed (Datura stramonium)Jimsonweed is taken for cough and bronchitis, and has been smoked in many parts of the world as a remedy for asthma. . .http://www.alternatehealth.com/CONTENT/herb/j/j5.htmPrickly Rose (Rosa acicularis)Native Americans made medicinal tea from wild roses which was used as a remedy for diarrhea and stomach maladies. They sometimes smoked the inner bark.http://www.rook.org/earl/bwca/nature/shrubs/rosaaci.htmlLobelia (Lobelia inflata)American Indians historically smoked lobelia as a treatment for asthma. http://www.alternativedr.com/IMCAccess/ProfHerbs/Lobeliaph.htmlEucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus)The leaves of eucalyptus, made up into cigars or cigarettes, and smoked, have been advised to afford relief in bronchial catarrh, asthma, and other affections of the respiratory organs.http://www.ibiblio.org/herbmed/eclectic/kings/eucalyptus.html 
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Comment #20 posted by observer on March 29, 2001 at 14:23:43 PT
Reefer Madness
"Reefer Madness", 1938, 66 minutes.``This cult classic film shows the blatant lies and propaganda that were spread to outlaw cannabis and hemp. They claim this ancient crop is a "deadly new drug," and purport to show how cannabis causes people to go insane.''watch the movie here (you'll need realplayer)http://crrh.org/hemptv/misc_reefer.htmlanother Reefer Madness realvideo site:http://www.culturejam.com/videos/Singles/reefermadness.htm- - -REEFER MADNESS GALLERYhttp://www.dopefiends.com/gallery.htmlREEFER MADNESS (1936) [aka Tell Your Children]reviewhttp://www.penrithcity.nsw.gov.au/usrpages/Rick/liz_rm.htmReefer Madness T-Shirthttp://store.gotmerch.com/stores/72/product.asp?Sku=REF101&Class=FilmTVMain%3AMovieWear%3AIndiCultWearReefer Madness (1937) http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/6303935419/ more propaganda videos (incl. Reefer Madness) . . .http://shopping.yahoo.com/video/browse/09/12/2055100912.htmloff broadway play...http://www.reefermadness.org/ 
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Comment #19 posted by jAHn on March 29, 2001 at 14:02:30 PT
By the way...
 I watched Reefer Madness for the first time in my life of 24 years last night.  What a head trip! Does anyone else have a hard time understanding the dialogue under all of that static? What a LOUSY movie! It would just figure that it was Created in New Jersey: The Garden(?)State.  In case noone ever knew...When KKKrisie Whipman (Christie Whitman) was Governor of New Jersey, she implemented a program that grants 500 smack-a-roonies to anyone suppling a name, address and location of Pot Plant to, eventually, solidify a "Legitimate Marijuana/Cannabis" bust. I'm not sure how many people have become benefitted with $500, but I'd sure go mad if I found out! (just kiddin, it takes more than 80 years of Plant Prohibition to really get me Fired Up!!! 
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Comment #18 posted by jAHn on March 29, 2001 at 13:56:04 PT
Another Set of Words...
  Jon Benet Ramsey. Still think Entertainment is Harmless and the D.O.J. can do no wrong?  How come murder is harder to prove in a court of law than Using Drugs??  How come, with sooo much death, More people aren't locked up because they kill?? Laura Bush is a Killer, she becomes Deified by "good people!?!" And Bad Journalism!?! (This report is NO LIE and can be researched at the   Washington Post's Official Web Site...)
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Comment #17 posted by craven on March 29, 2001 at 13:50:30 PT
All Medicines....
"Terming the drug "medicine," Mr. Katz said, would be misleading. "It gives definitely the wrong message: 'It's medicine. It's good for you,' " he said."All medicines are good for you? GOOD for you?? Pain killers are good for you?? Why then do they keep putting Matthew Perry in rehab? I mean, he's only abusing something that's good for him right? Vitamines are good for you, but you could still kill yourself if you take too many..."Representatives of Drug-Free Kids: America's Challenge, who organized the demonstration yesterday, argue that marijuana and other illicit drugs lead to school violence, dropouts, early sexuality and teen-age pregnancy."Oh.. and dont forget the urge to jump out of windows and kill your family.. that was in 'Reefer Madness' too right?.. heh
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Comment #16 posted by jAHn on March 29, 2001 at 13:49:58 PT
Hey, SuperStoner...!
 It's pretty funny how the people who make their living off of profiting from someones illness and/or incarceration actually feels that they're saving money from having them work in a (corporate)= "civil" environment. It seems as if they find job security in keeping people locked in a cage. Only to show off their capture as misrepresentative statistics in lieu of controlling other countries, mainly the poor ones that rely on certain "drugs" for economic viability. But, if one with common sense and a mathematicious mentality looks closely at their equation, The numbers work against them! They run the economy down, even with Something that's supposed to garner such support...ha ha ha ha ha!!! We are Winning, and we'll note our results by the mere fact the people of the world are waking up to the Racist Idology that this War on Some Drugs/Users has built itself upon...Tear It all Down, Tear it All down!!! This wall won't last forever!!!bubble, bubble, Carb, Ahhhh!  Cough, couuuuuugh...   "At least I didn't lose the ability to walk from that Bong hit!"  P.S. To further prove that this American Society condones the destruction and self-mutilation of a Human Soul, one need not look any farther than A God-DAMNED Boxing Match!!! P.S.S. Still think that Amerikkka doesn't Eat their Young??? What is the Positivity that came from Dale Earnhardt's UNTIMELY death???  No Drug has the ability to kill as bad as An American Entertainment Corp....   Peace Until The End..>!!!     OF the WORLD.... that is!!!
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Comment #15 posted by Big Ab on March 29, 2001 at 13:41:36 PT:
Parents ???
 Did anyone check to see if these "people" are really parents ? Why not just the usual bunch of cops undercover ?I don't trust ANYTHING the Prohibs say !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Comment #14 posted by ras james rsifwh on March 29, 2001 at 13:40:15 PT
"TELL THE TRUTH AND SAVE THE YOUTH"
youth are told that the government is not telling the truth about marijuana...this is easily proven...so now the youth are ripe to be set up by pushers to believe the government is also not telling the truth about the dangers of alcohol, tobacco, and heroin.TELL THE TRUTH AND SAVE THE YOUTH. Cannabis Sativa is a healing medicine and the Sacred Tree of Life. Cannabis Sativa is not addicting and has never caused a single death in five thousand years of recorded medical history. It is one of the safest drugs known to mankind.Heroin, Alcohol, Cocaine, and Tobacco are all hard drugs that are very dangerous; and have caused many deaths. Warnng! Danger! This is the Truth. When you tell the truth to youth...you keep your credibility. The reason many young people go onto other more dangerous drugs is because they were misinformed about the dangers of marijuana...then they become angry and hurt by the hypocracy...finally youth begin the dangerous journey of masking thier pains with alcohol and/or heroin for short term relief...instead of healing and dealing with thier problems with cannabis sativa's sacred insights. Give all praise and thanks to Jah Rastafri!
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Comment #13 posted by observer on March 29, 2001 at 13:15:29 PT
Blatant Manipulation of the Symbols of Evil
 marijuana, which Ian first tried at 14, started his stepson down a road to addiction and ultimately to death. . . .She said Angela first started using marijuana at 14 and argued that the drug led to Angela's abuse of stronger drugs . . ."We just want to make people aware that marijuana is a steppingstone drug"The Concept of "Controlled" Usage is Destroyed and Replaced by a "Domino [Gateway/Stepping-stone] Theory" of Chemical Progression . . .The history of prohibitionist pronouncements is replete with examples which propose a "domino theory" of chemical usage. Such a theory holds that the use of a particular drug (usually the one presently targeted for prohibition) inevitably and with rare exception leads-to the use of other drugs (usually drugs already prohibited or drugs already defined as evil). . . .The destruction of the concept of controlled drug usage implies that everyone who ever uses heroin will be a "dope fiend," everyone who drinks will be an alcoholic, etc. In general this strategy equates the use and abuse of drugs and implies that it is impossible to use the particular drug or drugs in question without physical, mental, and moral deterioration. Such a view holds that there are powers within the drug over which no one can exert control. . . .The continued belief in this domino theory of chemical progression and its implications for current policies is perhaps well illustrated by a 1974 survey in which 39 percent of non-marihuana users in the sample cited "marijuana use leads to harder drugs" as the primary reason for their opposition to legalization of marihuana.Themes in Chemical Prohibition, NIDA, 1979http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/History/ticp.html  . . . typical college student, smiling broadly and wearing a baseball cap. He overdosed on heroin at 20 and died in the family's Connecticut home . . .a poster-sized picture of a friend's daughter, Angela Smith, who died from a heroin overdose at 19. . . . The prohibition propaganda which has surrounded the presently illicit drugs represents a blatant manipulation of the symbols of evil that would do credit to Jonathan Edwards. Nothing can so excite an adult population as can anything which appears to threaten their own children. Since the Harrison Act of 1914, the user and the seller of illicit drugs have both been characterized as evil, criminal, insane, and always in search of new victims, the victims are characterized as young children.Themes in Chemical Prohibition, NIDA, 1979http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/History/ticp.html Yesterday's case marked the first time the justices have taken on the issue of legalizing marijuana.Note how prohibitionist propaganda (Washington Times) also intentionally misprespresnts the issue, purposefully confusing this with "legalizing marijuana". Why do they do this? Again: it is because they are politically shrewd (if not honest or ethical). They know it is easier for people to be against something ("legalizing marijuana") than it is to be for something (note no mention of jail, prison, etc. in the article.) This is why these prohibitionists only reluctantly mention jail (if at all, jail being the whole point of these laws), and if forced to mention the jailing of drug users, they euphemize jail away as much as possible. Especially in the context of marijuana, when they slip up, that is, and marijuana is considered separately from "drugs". 
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Comment #12 posted by CannabisMythsExposed on March 29, 2001 at 13:09:45 PT:
These people wind me up!
How the hell does medical cannabis cause heroin overdose?Can we not give these bastards foot and mouth and have a cull like the sheep up the road from me?Over the top maybe, but like I say, these people really wind me up?PedroPETITION - STOP ARRESTING MEDICAL CANNABIS PATIENTShttp://www.ethical-business.com/petitions.asp?pet_id=74
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Comment #11 posted by Superstoner on March 29, 2001 at 13:03:57 PT
your all right
maybe we should orginze a protest aginst bad parents ... some thing like .. Pot smokers aginst Bad Parents ..... i mean come on .. if i am able to smoke pot and live a productive life. then why would any one wish to lock me up. ask any one who knows me in person... i am the least violent person you will ever meet. Violence is just not what iam about. And i find that contact sports are all pretty much stupid, mainly cause the idea that parents instill in to their kids is that they gotta hit the other person really hard to be effective.... (football) but think of it this way karate is a contact sport but they also teach alot of disaplin and thats why you dont hear about kids goin to school and attackin people. If you dont teach kids this shit ... they never learn it.Tv is not a Parent, teacher, or friend.SuperSToner
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Comment #10 posted by jAHn on March 29, 2001 at 12:04:30 PT
In response to Kev. Herb.
 "...it's amazing to me that these parents blame their children's deaths on drugs and not their own lack of parental responsibility." It's no surprise that, with statistics that point to the number of Unplanned Pregnancies, Parental Responsibility merely translates to: Do my kids have their Froot Loops? My kids better not have stolen my cigarettes! What DID happen to those Xanax's? Are these cheap cotton clothes keeping you warm?  How about secure? (Hemp Clothing keeps humans 50% warmer, now that's Care!!!) Sit down, Shut Up, don't be a Smart As*, how come you're NOT watching TV? Here's your beef! What foot & Mouth?Shut up, Smart As*!! Now, now...I'm your father..It's not gonna hurt...just DON'T tell ANYONE... Now, now...I'm your priest...your Mother.. Doesn't have to be around! Jesus isn't around!?! Us priests indulge in this type of perversity ALL of the time!!! Hey George W. Bush and those who wish to Mix Government with Religion, KEEP your priests AWAY from our Children, I'd rather have them smoke pot!!!
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Comment #9 posted by jAHn on March 29, 2001 at 11:54:39 PT
What does this sound like?
"Representatives of Drug-Free Kids: America's Challenge, who organized the demonstration yesterday, argue that marijuana and other illicit drugs lead to school violence, dropouts, early sexuality and teen-age pregnancy."Are YOU sure that it's Marijuana that's causing this Violence and NOT THE SPORTS & Competetive Nature that "children" are raised in sychronicity to love, admire, and DENY the simple fact...That MANY Medical Deficiencies Occur from many of the "Fun & Game Athletics" that "Kids Indulge In..."For a country whose Department of Justice does Absolutely Nothing to End the use of Sweat Shops, how could This Argument, written by an Amerikan, even attempt to say that Amerikkka is, "For The Children"  Absolute Hypocrisy & justice for the rich and the white???hmmmm....
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Comment #8 posted by Bill on March 29, 2001 at 11:48:47 PT:
to Cannibis.com
I think that Larry Katz needs to get his information right, your son O.D. on Heroin, not Marijuana so stop thinking that it is so wromg you fag.
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Comment #7 posted by greenfox on March 29, 2001 at 09:54:37 PT
Observer:
This woman's a bitch! Put lightly... heh....well anyway, folks, I hate to say it...but...Switzerland is looking nice right now.
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Comment #6 posted by observer on March 29, 2001 at 09:48:24 PT
Drug Free Kids: America's Challenge -- background
more on Joyce Nalepka (= Drug Free Kids: America's Challenge)excerpt from:"Marijuana Alert", p.429- Peggy Mann, 1985http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/7/thread7357.shtml#5Joyce Nalepka, more:http://www.cannabisnews.com/thcgi/search.pl?K=Joyce+Nalepka
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Comment #5 posted by fivepounder on March 29, 2001 at 09:41:14 PT
human nature
The purpose is scapegoating. It is hard to imagine anything that would be harder on a parent than admitting that they have poor parenting skills or more likely they would see themselves as 'bad parents.' I just had my brother, 15 years my elder 'blame' his two daughter cocaine addiction on me. I have at most smoke a joint with them 5 times over 20 years. I live across the country and I rarely see them. Yet their drug problem is due to me. Denial is a powerful force, especially for those that are uneducated and unexperienced. I'm not a parent but admitting your a lousy parent after 20 or 30 years would seem to be a place where denial would play heavy part.
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Comment #4 posted by observer on March 29, 2001 at 09:38:25 PT
Phone # for 'Drug Free Kids: America's Challenge'
. . . Drug Free Kids: America's Challenge . . .site:http://www.ourdrugfreekids.orgRemember, Joyce "Carrie Nation" Nalepka requests that you call her, if you have any questions:``If you have any questions feel free to call: Carla Lowe at 916 965-4825 or cell 916 708 4111 or Joyce Nalepka 301 681-7861''Maybe she wants to know what you think? 
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Comment #3 posted by Sudaca on March 29, 2001 at 09:22:33 PT
Irony
What a bitter pill to swallow, losing your kid to a drug overdose. I guess he must have thought that because heroin can be legally prescribed it was 'good'. So it follows that Pot can't be allowed as a medicine because.. oh, what's the point in all of this? 
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Comment #2 posted by greenfox on March 29, 2001 at 09:08:59 PT
On parenting, power mums....
"The propagandist's purpose isto make one set of peopleforget that certain othersets of people are human."-Adlus Huxleysig, fik,-gf
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Comment #1 posted by Kevin Hebert on March 29, 2001 at 08:57:40 PT:
People Need To Think
While it's terrible that these kids died, it's amazing to me that these parents blame their children's deaths on drugs and not their own lack of parental responsibility. And, of course, cannabis had nothing whatsoever to do with their kids deaths. So why do they protest? Most likely, lingering guilt for not having the common sense to talk seriously with their kids about drugs. Sickening.
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