cannabisnews.com: NORML's Weekly News Bulletin -- February 27, 2003





NORML's Weekly News Bulletin -- February 27, 2003
Posted by CN Staff on February 27, 2003 at 15:47:26 PT
Press Release
Source: NORML
 Justice Department Conducts Nationwide Sweep Of Glass Pipe Manufacturers, Indicts 55 On Federal Drug "Paraphernalia" Charges Washington, DC: Federal authorities indicted 55 people and raided more than 100 homes and businesses including the residence of actor Tommy Chong - for allegedly selling glass pipes commonly associated with marijuana smoking, the US Department of Justice announced on Monday.
The indictments and subsequent raids resulted from a pair of ongoing federal investigations dubbed "Operation Pipe Dreams" and "Operation Headhunter" targeting online sellers of glass tobacco pipes, which federal law enforcement officials allege are "primarily intended or designed to be used in ingesting, inhaling or otherwise using controlled substances." Storefronts in California, Pennsylvania, Iowa and other states that sold pipes and similar merchandise were also raided. Members of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), US Secret Service, US Marshals Service, US Customs Service, and the US Postal Inspection Service all participated in the federal investigation.Those indicted face a maximum three years in prison and/or a $250,000 fine per count on charges that they sold or conspired to sell various types of drug "paraphernalia." Actor Tommy Chong was not indicted, though raids were conducted on both his business (Chong's Glass) and home.NORML Executive Director Keith Stroup called the federal raids "extreme" and "absurd" in light of recent terror threats made against the lives of American citizens. "At a time when our nation is at an elevated risk of a terror attack, it is preposterous that the Justice Department would waste limited federal law enforcement resources chasing after sellers of products such as roach clips and rolling papers, products which are legally sold at tobacco stores all across America," he said."These businesses pay taxes and do not in any way contribute to the crime problem in America. In addition, the day-to-day operations of these businesses are arguably a local or state matter, and should not be of concern to the federal government. Federal efforts would undoubtedly be better served keeping a bomb out of the hands of Al Qaeda than keeping a bong out of the hands of a marijuana smoker."Although many of the stores raided by federal law enforcement remain open for business, Attorney General John Ashcroft said that the federal government is seeking legal approval to redirect the websites of some online glass retailers to the DEAšs own homepage. According to federal policy, the DEA may share information about those who log on to their site with other federal and law enforcement agencies.For more information, please contact Keith Stroup of NORML at (202) 483-5500. Those who wish to express their opinion opposing the Feds' action, may send a prewritten letter to the US Attorney General's office by visiting: http://capwiz.com/norml2/issues/alert/?alertid=1510556Note: War On Terrorism Takes A Holiday -- Those Charged Face Three Years In Prison, $250,000 FineDL: http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=5568Saving Americans From The Bong Threat http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15596.shtmlOperation Pipe Dreams Is a Nightmare http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15573.shtmlCannabisNews -- Paraphernalia Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/paraphernalia.shtml United Nations' Threat To Britain And Canada: Keep Arresting Minor Marijuana Offenders Or Risk "Worldwide Repercussions"February 27, 2003 - Vienna, AustriaVienna, Austria: Pending policy changes in Britain and Canada that would prohibit the criminal arrest of minor marijuana offenders will seriously undermine global anti-drug efforts, according to the United Nations' annual Report of the International Narcotics Control Board.The report alleges that British plans to reclassify marijuana from a Class B to a Class C controlled substance "sends the wrong signal" to the global community and will likely have "worldwide repercussions," such as increasing the amount of marijuana grown in the UK and exported around the globe.NORML Foundation Executive Director Allen St. Pierre called the U.N.'s comments pure hyperbole, noting that the UK's pending pot law change would only apply to the possession of up to three grams of marijuana, and have no legal impact on marijuana cultivation. "To those who blindly support US-styled 'Do drugs; do time' policies, any variance - no matter how minor - is seen as a threat to their longstanding blanket prohibition," he said.The report also criticizes a pending Canadian proposal to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana, falsely alleging that doing so may violate international treaties. The U.N. additionally denounced recently enacted laws in Canada and the Netherlands authorizing the use of medicinal cannabis to qualified patients."It is important that consensus prevails in international drug control," the U.N. said. "No government should take unilateral measures without considering the impact of its actions and ultimately the consequences for an entire system that took governments almost a century to establish." Their report made no mention of recent European drug policy changes in Belgium, Portugal and elsewhere decriminalizing the use of marijuana and certain other drugs.Authors also note that drug abuse remains prevalent in both America and Canada, and that "a higher percentage of teenagers surveyed in the United States found cannabis easier to buy than both cigarettes and beer." The U.N. also reported that federally funded US anti-drug ads have "had no discernable impact" on youth attitudes or use of drugs, particularly marijuana.For more information, please contact Allen St. Pierre or Paul Armentano of The NORML Foundation, at (202) 483-8751. For a nation by nation summary of European drug policies, please see NORML's report, "European Drug Policy: 2002 Legislative Update," available online. The INCB report is available online at: http://www.incb.orgDL: http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=5569UN Attacks Blunkett's New Cannabis Law http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15565.shtmlCannabis Law Sends 'Wrong Signal' http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15564.shtmlNarcotics Production Harms Poor Nations http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15561.shtml UN Narcotics Control Board Questions Canadahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15559.shtmlSource: NORML Foundation (DC)Published: February 27, 2003 Copyright: 2003 NORML Contact: norml norml.org Website: http://www.norml.org/NORML's Weekly News Bulletin -- Feb. 20, 2003http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15519.shtmlNORML's Weekly News Bulletin -- Feb. 13, 2003http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15472.shtml
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Comment #7 posted by Kegan on March 01, 2003 at 04:29:23 PT:
War
The United States now has "an unprecedented opportunity in cooperation with allied nations" to achieve "a long-term reduction in the supply of illegal drugs" because leaders throughout the Western Hemisphere "are acutely aware" that drug-funded terrorism "is the greatest threat to national security and stability," says John Walters, director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP).Yeah, they got a plan... start a world war.By 2008, the population of Earth will drop below 3 Billion.Believe me.
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Comment #6 posted by DCP on February 27, 2003 at 20:53:54 PT
The UK an Exporter?
"The report alleges that British plans to reclassify marijuana from a Class B to a Class C controlled substance ,,,, will likely have "worldwide repercussions," such as increasing the amount of marijuana grown in the UK and exported around the globe."Right!! England is going to grow enought pot to supply the world. What a yahoo.
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Comment #5 posted by FoM on February 27, 2003 at 19:28:11 PT
Press Release
U.S. Drug Czar Offers Overview of U.S. Drug Policy in Western Hemisphere(Says 2003 will be "a pivotal year" for regional counter-drug strategy) (6140)The United States now has "an unprecedented opportunity in cooperation with allied nations" to achieve "a long-term reduction in the supply of illegal drugs" because leaders throughout the Western Hemisphere "are acutely aware" that drug-funded terrorism "is the greatest threat to national security and stability," says John Walters, director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP).Complete Press Release: http://usinfo.state.gov/cgi-bin/washfile/display.pl?p=/products/washfile/latest&f=03022701.llt&t=/products/washfile/newsitem.shtml
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Comment #4 posted by FoM on February 27, 2003 at 19:16:46 PT
Wrong Message
What that means is for us to forget about it. They don't want to be bothered hearing anything concerning how many people feel about Cannabis and wanting to change the laws back to before prohibition. It's a general cop out term to me.
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Comment #3 posted by Virgil on February 27, 2003 at 19:06:29 PT
Michael
Wrong message/mixed message is just jingoism. It is about meaningless and is meant to deflect continuing dialogue. It is followed by a period in prohibitionist chant talk. Variations include it sends a mixed message. It can easily be intertwined with other chants like "slippery slope" and "think of the children" which is just more jingoism.Things are marketed under slogans. One popular slogan to increase the profits of the insurance companies we will hear as the health system is gamed and sick people are excluded will be "tort reform." It basically means guaranteeing profits but it twisted inside out to act like their is something wrong with the system now that favors people that sue. It ignores the right wing judges being installed to guarantee corporate profits anyway.Mixed message implies "nuff said". Nuff said is usually used by someone on the stupid end of an arguement who wants to add meaningless words to the stupidity before it.Chants like mixed message are part of the obfuscation process. Prohibition is dead without obfuscation, not that is dying anyway about like the presidency of the Great Dickhead now in office.
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Comment #2 posted by michael on February 27, 2003 at 18:29:48 PT:
Wrong message?
  What does "the wrong message" mean? Really, what does that mean. Does it mean the same thing to all of those who think and say it. Or are there multiple meanings? Serious question. 
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Comment #1 posted by mayan on February 27, 2003 at 18:14:59 PT
War On Culture
NORML Executive Director Keith Stroup called the federal raids "extreme" and "absurd" in light of recent terror threats made against the lives of American citizens. "At a time when our nation is at an elevated risk of a terror attack, it is preposterous that the Justice Department would waste limited federal law enforcement resources chasing after sellers of products such as roach clips and rolling papers, products which are legally sold at tobacco stores all across America," he said.Isn't it obvious that this is a war on culture? This is a war on us! The war on terror is a fallacy, as the borders are still wide open! The corporate media's non-stop talk of Iraq is simply a cover-up for 9/11, which was perpetrated by elements within the U.S. government as a means to steal our rights,wage wars & transfer wealth. Every day it becomes more and more clear that the war on cannabis,9/11 & the coming war with Iraq are all connected and are the means through which the power elite are attempting to salvage their slipping power. We must resist!ANTI-WAR MPs SHAME BLAIR IN BIGGEST REVOLT:
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/allnews/page.cfm?objectid=12681331&method=full&siteid=50143Rebel vote stuns Blair:
http://politics.guardian.co.uk/foreignaffairs/story/0,11538,903844,00.htmlSecret Bush Legislation Sent to Cheney, Hastert, Deepens Assault on Constitution - Patriot II:
http://www.fromthewilderness.com/free/ww3/022503_patriot_2.htmlPATRIOT Act II takes care of the rest of your pesky civil liberties:
http://onlinejournal.com/Special_Reports/022003Winslow/022003winslow.htmlWHO GAVE THE GREEN LIGHT FOR 9/11? 
http://www.lifeprobe.com/911part1.htmAnother motive for war: 9/11 coverup?
http://onlinejournal.com/Special_Reports/022003Burns/022003burns.htmlKaminski's Best 9/11 Sites - 4th Edition:
http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0302/S00024.htm9/11 Prior Knowledge/Government Involvement Archive: http://www.propagandamatrix.com/archiveprior_knowledge
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