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"So how's this war on drugs going?"

Jack Cafferty at CNN punches the drug war in the face:

Here's something to think about:

How many police officers and sheriff's deputies are involved in investigating and solving crimes involving illegal drugs? And arresting and transporting and interrogating and jailing the suspects?

How many prosecutors and their staffs spend time prosecuting drug cases? How many defense lawyers spend their time defending drug suspects?

How many hours of courtroom time are devoted to drug trials? How many judges, bailiffs, courtroom security officers, stenographers, etc., spend their time on drug trials?

How many prison cells are filled with drug offenders? And how many corrections officers does it take to guard them? How much food do these convicts consume?

And when they get out, how many parole and probation officers does it take to supervise their release? And how many ex-offenders turn right around and do it again?

So how's this war on drugs going?

I've spent years lambasting the mainstream media for ignoring/mutilating our issue, yet suddenly there's so much delicious anti-prohibition opinionating out there I can’t even keep up with it. Go ahead, put me out of a job, why don’t you? I always wanted to be a wildlife photographer anyway.
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The Drug Czar's Office Doesn't Know What to Say About Marijuana

Ever since Obama's awful attempt to duck the marijuana legalization debate last week, it's becoming increasingly clear to me that the issue of marijuana reform is a major challenge for the new administration. They aren't ready to endorse legalization, but they're equally intimidated by the rapidly growing movement to reform marijuana laws.

Another example is found at the drug czar's blog, which posted the video of Obama's statement, yet withheld any further comment on the matter. It 's a subtle, yet profound departure from the way this blog was run during the previous administration. Every post related to marijuana ended with, "Click here to learn more about how marijuana is highly f#$king toxic."

I can't prove that, though, because they deleted everything when Obama took office (which just further demonstrates that the new ONDCP is a very different creature). Considering that ONDCP's charter mandates opposition to drug policy reform efforts, their failure to actually even applaud Obama's statement against marijuana legalization is remarkably tame.  

It almost feels like we're running out of people to argue with.
Chronicle
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Semanal: Blogueando en el Bar Clandestino

“Fiscal general de EE.UU. dice que federales respetarán legislación estatal sobre marihuana medicinal”, “A ex fiscal de la droga le da igual si se cultiva marihuana”, “Entre rejas en la Tierra de los Libres”, “Debate sobre marihuana medicinal debería haber terminado hace una década”, “¿Será aun intelectualmente posible ‘oponerse’ a la marihuana medicinal?”, “Despachador policíaco despedido por darle marihuana medicinal a familiar enfermo”, “Ron Paul aplasta a Stephen Baldwin en debate sobre legalización de marihuana”, “Policías hacen presión por leyes antimarihuana más duras”, “Ahora empleados de licorería de Pensilvania serán más amables con usted”, “Policía dispara contra sospechoso de delito de marihuana desarmado”.
Chronicle
Chronicle

Marihuana medicinal: En Iowa no, este año no

El <em>Hawkeye State</em> no les hace caso a las instancias de los pacientes de marihuana medicinal. Un proyecto que habría sido provechoso ha sido estrangulado sin que providencias pudieran haber sido tomadas.
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In The Trenches

Press Release: MP Keith Martin Introduces bill to decriminalize marijuana

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 1, 2009 CONTACT: Dr. Keith Martin at [email protected] or 613-996-2625. Liberal Health Promotion Critic Keith Martin Introduces Bill to Decriminalize Marijuana OTTAWA - Tomorrow, Liberal Health Promotion Critic MP for Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca, Dr. Keith Martin, will stand in the House to introduce a bill to decriminalize marijuana. "The "war on drugs" approach, characterized by zero tolerance, has been a complete failure. It has not reduced the rate of violent crime or drug use, nor has it saved money or lives. To realize meaningful change on our city streets, we must decriminalize the possession of small amounts of pot. This will cause drug abuse to be addressed in the public health system, rather than through the courts. It will sever the connection between organized crime and drug users. This bill is bad news for criminal gangs because it would collapse of the demand for drug products," said Dr. Martin. Dr. Martin has worked as a doctor in detox programs and has seen firsthand the effectiveness of harm reduction structures such as decriminalization and drug substitution programs. His Private Member's Bill would introduce fines for the possession of 30 grams or less of marijuana instead of criminal charges. Nationwide studies and House Committees have found that federal drug and crime policies are not working to reduce drug trafficking and they overwhelmingly point to this course of action. Drugs and drug trafficking would still be illegal, but drug users would be brought into the public health system instead of being tried in court and sent to jail, where users often come out dependant on more serious drugs. Additionally, the monies now allocated to law enforcement for possession of small amounts could be redirected to youth awareness programs and public policies that discourage drug use. "In the medical profession our first principle is 'do no harm'. We are actually doing terrible harm if we continue to address substance abuse uniquely as a criminal issue from the federal level. The blinders have to come off; we have to take a medical perspective if we are going to turn this thing around." Dr. Keith Martin is the Member of Parliament for Esquimalt - Juan de Fuca and the Health Promotion Critic for the Liberal Party. He is a physician who worked in detox, and alcohol and drug rehabilitation centers for 14 years. -XXX-
In The Trenches

End the D.C. medical marijuana ban

Dear Friends:

A decade has passed since Congressman Bob Barr thwarted the will of D.C. voters by blocking a medical marijuana program, voted into law by nearly 70% of the district. Please help MPP remove the legislation blocking D.C. from implementing its medical marijuana program.

Since 1999, when Congressman Barr's legislation took effect, national support for medical marijuana has grown to nearly 80%, the American College of Physicians (America's second largest medical association) has come out in support of medical marijuana, and even Congressman Bob Barr has switched sides, lobbying with MPP to repeal his own legislation and allow D.C. medical marijuana patients the protections they deserve.

Please take action today. Send an e-mail to Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes-Norton and ask her to remove the Barr Amendment from the D.C. appropriations bill.

Sincerely,

Ben Morris
Assistant Manager of Government Relations
Marijuana Policy Project
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In The Trenches

Press Release: New Bill Allowing Industrial Hemp Farming Expected to be Introduced this Week

VH

VOTEHEMP.COM  
NEWS ADVISORY
April 1, 2009
 
    CONTACT: Tom Murphy 207-542-4998
                             [email protected]
                   Adam Eidinger 202-744-2671
                              [email protected] 

 

New Bill Allowing Industrial Hemp Farming Expected to be Introduced this Week
 
WASHINGTON, DC - For the third time since the federal government outlawed hemp farming in the United States over 50 years ago, a federal bill will be introduced that will remove restrictions on the cultivation of non-psychoactive industrial hemp.  The chief sponsors, Representatives Barney Frank (D-MA) and Ron Paul (R-TX), have circulated a "Dear Colleague" letter seeking support for the Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2009.  The bill will be identical to HR 1009, which was introduced in the 110th Congress in 2007. 
 
"With so much discussion lately in the media about drug policy, it's surprising that the tragedy of American hemp farming hasn't come up as a 'no-brainer' for reform," says Vote Hemp President, Eric Steenstra.  "Hemp is a versatile, environmentally-friendly crop that has not been grown here for over 50 years because of a politicized interpretation of the nation's drug laws by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).  President Obama should direct the DEA to stop confusing industrial hemp with its genetically distinct cousin, marijuana.  While the new bill in Congress is a welcome step, the hemp industry is hopeful that the new leadership in the White House will prioritize the crop's benefits to farmers.  Jobs would be created overnight, as there are numerous U.S. companies that now have no choice but to import hemp materials valued at $360 million in annual retail sales and growing," adds Steenstra.
 
U.S. companies that manufacture or sell products made with hemp include Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps, a California company who manufactures the number-one-selling natural soap, and FlexForm Technologies, an Indiana company whose natural fiber materials are used in over three million cars on the road today.  Hemp food manufacturers, such as French Meadow Bakery, Hempzels, Living Harvest, Nature's Path and Nutiva, now make their products from Canadian hemp.  Although hemp now grows wild across the U.S., a vestige of centuries of hemp farming here, the hemp for these products must be imported.  Hemp clothing is made around the world by well-known brands such as Patagonia, Bono's Edun and Giorgio Armani.
 
There is strong support among key national organizations for a change in the federal government's position on hemp.  The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) "supports revisions to the federal rules and regulations authorizing commercial production of industrial hemp."  The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) has also passed a pro-hemp resolution.
 
Numerous individual states have expressed interest in and support for industrial hemp as well.  Sixteen states have passed pro-hemp legislation, and eight states (Hawaii, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Montana, North Dakota, Vermont and West Virginia) have removed barriers to its production or research.  North Dakota has been issuing state licenses to farmers for two years now.  The new bill will remove federal barriers and allow laws in these states regulating the growing and processing of hemp to take effect.
 
"Under the current national drug control policy, industrial hemp can be imported, but it can't be grown by American farmers," says Steenstra.  "The DEA has taken the Controlled Substances Act's antiquated definition of marijuana out of context and used it as an excuse to ban industrial hemp farming.  The Industrial Hemp Farming Act of 2009 will return us to more rational times when the government regulated marijuana, but allowed farmers to continue raising industrial hemp just as they always had."
 
#   #   #



More information about hemp legislation and the crop's many uses can be found at www.VoteHemp.com.
BETA SP and DVD Video News Releases featuring footage of hemp farming in other countries are available upon request by contacting Adam Eidinger at 202-744-2671.

  
 
 
 
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