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British Prime Minister Ignores His Own Experts and increases Penalties for Marijuana

It's official. The British government is reclassifying marijuana to make possession a more serious offense. Use has been declining since they reduced penalties in 2004. However, instances of morons claiming marijuana can kill you have increased dramatically. Looks like the morons won this round:

Smith's expected announcement (Watch the video here.) comes just days after British Prime Minister Gordon Brown — who has been afflicted with a severe case of 'Reefer Madness' since taking office last June — raved that consuming cannabis can be fatal, and that strict penalties on pot are necessary in order to "send a message" to young people that marijuana smoking is "unacceptable."

Ironically, the Home Secretary’s formal announcement contradicts the official recommendations of Britain’s Advisory Panel on the Misuse of Drugs, which released its own report today finding that pot lacks the potential health risks of most other illicit drugs, and that its use is unlikely to trigger mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia. [NORML]

As people around the world continue to die from everything except marijuana, one begins to realize how destructive it really is to go around making such a spectacular fuss about it. The time and resources spent pretending marijuana is so dangerous + the time and resources spent pretending to protect us from it with laws that don't even work = a whole mess of actual bad things that could be dealt with more effectively. There will never be one minute of a police officer's time or one dollar of a nation's crime control budget that is best spent combatting marijuana use. Not ever.

Marijuana has been failing to hurt people for thousands of years. If only the same could be said for police, politicians, and the press.

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cannabis re-classification

How did the Brits resurrect Howdy Doody and then manage to make him the prime minister of a supposedly modern country?

It boggles the mind. Fact really is stranger than fiction. Please tell me that this Gordon Brown cartoon character isn't actually real. But if he is, what dimension does he live in and how can the world keep him from making other irrational decisions?

Sam Sharp

Go have another drink, Gordon

while you blame cannabis users for the sins of alcohol users. You are a very silly boy.

Marijuana gets punched in the Head

This decision is a sad defeat in the marijuana legalization cause. What might be the effects in other countries because of this move by the UK? I can't help but think of Barney Frank's marijuana bill being influenced by the British; had this Brown/Smith initiative failed, the US would have to look more favorably about marijuana. Science would hafta win, not politics. This 'hack gob' gives the world another window to continue prohibition.

Why would Brown ...

think this stupid move, neccessary politics? His party lost big last week . Must be some kind of pay off down the pipe-line... pun intended.

Comrade Brown is a left

Comrade Brown is a left wing, fascist bigot.

Gordon Brown is a LEFT WING fascist bigot

No he is not.
He is a RIGHT WING fascist bigot, maskerading as a left wing one.....
Labour are now the Conservartive Party.
However, what are the Tories now I wonder, or perhaps thats their real problem.....

Thing is, the Tories did not oppose Browns lies and deceit regarding re-classification......... pity, as they dont either have any idea what evidence based policy means......

If repeating the same mistake and expecting a different outcome constitutes madness {see Detzer - Monkey on my back}, the Labour Party are well and truely bonkers, demonstrably so.

Gordon Brown's an Idiot!

Gordon Brown says he wants to keep pot illegal to "send the right message to kids".
Responsible adults who choose to smoke cigarettes, drink or have sex are not arrested to send a message to kids that it's not legal for then to engage in. Gordon Brown is a big nanny who just wants to treat adults like little kids!!
He wasn't elected and his party will not have the Prime Minsters office next election cycle. Individuals own their own bodies and not the Government. All this shit from politicians pisses me off. I'm going to smoke another joint to ease the stress. Screw you Big Gov.!!!!!!!!!!!! J. Velasco Brownsville Texas

PROHIBITION

Prohibition never really works. For a government to control how any individual lives is
a breach of their rights. What makes it worse is that the basis of this reclassification
is utter garbage. The Experts have said its a wrong move and they still push for it.

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