Marijuana Legalization Victories Are Already Ripping the Drug War Apart
Of all the fascinating reactions I've seen to Colorado and Washington's successful marijuana legalization initiatives, this is by far the most extraordinary.
MEXICO CITY — Mexican President Felipe Calderon says the legalization of marijuana for recreational use in two U.S. states limits that country’s “moral authority” to ask other nations to combat or restrict illegal drug trafficking.
Calderon says the legalization of marijuana in Washington and Colorado represents a fundamental change that requires the rethinking of public policy in the entire Western Hemisphere. [Washington Post]
One gets the feeling that Mexican leaders have been desperate for any excuse to begin drawing back from the bloody drug war clusterf$%k we've sucked them into. After all, it's pretty damn ridiculous for Mexicans to die in a failed effort to keep marijuana out of the hands of Americans who actually want marijuana.
Imagine that you're Felipe Calderon, a long-serving and faithful puppet of the American drug war juggernaut, and you look up and see something like this unfolding even as your own people are dying in the streets. To say that we've lost our "moral authority" here is an understatement. We never had any to begin with.
Listen closely and you might make out the whispers of the drug war's dumbfounded defenders as they continue struggling to form a response. The moral authority in American drug policy is being reclaimed bravely by the American people themselves, and the message they've sent is now echoing around the world.
We can make a difference
We give countries billions to stop cannabis cultivation and threaten them if they don't. The drug war is just another war America is waging on humanity and this time the American people can show the world that we are not represented by our federal government and we are fighting to stop them.
Inquiering
Why does it always sound like Mexico and other countries are asking for approval to Legalize Marijuana? Just say since The USA is doing it we are going to do it!
Any sources?
Any sources?
calderon
2 weeks ago Calderon said that if he were to legalize MJ that the war would be in America,and Mexico would be a tourist attraction,,,wtf
Nieto wants it illegal
Nieto will sing a different tune when he sees his MJ,farm system collapse and the billions in revenue dry up.Legal,a good product can be sold in U.S.Illegal the Mex. dirt weed will be crowded out.
Quality Mota Imports
Someday, I'd like to see genuine, quality, imported Mexican Mota.
Mexicans are too late!
USA has the best Cannabis, not Mexico. They are so far behind on the genetics game, no matter how much money they throw around, they are years behind in quality than what the Americans are growing in Colorado. To little to late. The Mexicans are too late to the party. Figure out how to get rid of seeds and then we can talk!
Its not necessarily that
Its not necessarily that they're behind in genetics. The Cartels grow quantity over quality in desert soil under the sun. The plants aren't in as ideal an environment as a climate controlled indoor soil or hydro setup, and with a larger crop the Cartels don't care/have time to sort out the males and for a feminized crop. Given a few cycles indoors the males could be weeded out those seeds would probably be fairly robust. The genes these plants are living and thriving off of are bred from a harsh environment. The crop then gets the worst treatment before/while shipped over the border, so of course it sucks. Treated with some care, adequate watering/nutrients and the crop probably gets better, especially after a few feminized(male-less) cycles.
I have seen some awesome basement weed grown from sh*t seeds. Theres a hightimes article somewhere online where they visit a cartels grow - The pictures and commentary lead me to my conclusions above.
""""They are so far behind on
""""They are so far behind on the genetics game, no matter how much money they throw around, they are years behind in quality than what the Americans are growing in Colorado.""
It is ok to be proud of our growing skills and knowledge but don't let pride and ignorance rule your life,,Mexico has more capable growers that can buy seeds and clones just like the ones you use and since you apparently know nothing of the recent changes in the Mexican brick coming across the border for the last few seasons,,less trash and seeds every year and sparkling with trichomes,,,I would not use your opinion to feel secure that CO or any state is so advanced no one can catch up,,,as the Count of Monte Cristo said "you need to get out more often"
um Canada
Western Canada in particular is the home of the high quality weed/grow-op, not the USA. It started here, the world knows it.
It's going to be sad if Mexico acts first
It's going to be sad if Mexico acts first before our government has even issued a response yet... come ON you cowards in Washington, at this point it is just disgraceful how long they are remaining silent. Issue a statement, give us SOMETHING. This isn't going to go away if you simply act like it doesn't exist!
They got nothing, so their
They got nothing, so their best approach is to do nothing. By waiting, listening and evaluating everything that is being said, written or videotaped about the topic, they hope to stumble upon an approach that will somehow 'work' for them. They will see whether this is overall popular or not popular, and if it is, they can then jump on the bandwagon, and if it is not they can throw up a vigorous opposition. Politicians are opportunists. Right now, they are sniffing the winds to see which way the herd is going.
They got nothing
Premature funeral for drug war
Calderone has been pro drug reform(end to prohibition)forever.Like a lot of politicians he waited till leaving office to speak out.His speech is neither surprising or unexpected.Living right on the border to Washington state I can attest that,to date,nothing has changed and with Gregoire I expect nothing.Cannabis is just a very small part of the drug war.A hugely overblown and over played part but just a part.Legalise pot tomorrow and you would see no difference in Vancouvers DTES which has become famous as the poorest postal code in Canada for purely drug war reasons.Legalising cannabis wouldn't alter the DTES one bit.The only change in the last 40 years is that 40 years ago,Americans used to flock to us for good heroin.Now we go to you.
education
Current figures say that the Mexican Pot is no small part of the business, but more like 60% or more of the Mexican drug trade. Coke is fading away because of the true damage it does to people. Heroin will be harder to stop than Coke. While there are claims and maybe even facts showing the damage it does it is also still prescribed across the world as a legitimate drug and or pain-killer, including England.
Marijuana is a plant of multiple strains that can be grown almost anywhere and not just for it's mood altering powers. Few people remember when the US Gov. encouraged our farmers to grow one strain the make superior Parachutes, ropes and many, many other high quality fabrics. It could actually be a economic force in most countries across the world. It can be used as a short term eco-fuel, can be used to make high protein rations during disasters, could quickly be grown to rebuild temp. shelters and flooring and before I forget it could go a long,long way to reversing mad-made pollution.
We were truly blessed when we found a plant/weed that had both the magnificent qualities of Silk and Cotton.
It took the Bible, the Flag, Capitalism, and a few rich Bigots to put thousands of millions of people in Prisons and jails not to mention those that died over kicked in doors all to find a few seeds or joints. It has been said many ways that pot is the most harmless drug out there. The only time it gets dangerous is when SWAT, The DEA, etc, including thieves get involved. 90% of that could be stopped in a few yrs., if not less.
Hey, man...
ooooh i'd really REALLY like a fat couple of wops of china white, super man stamped heroin right about now - but really, any second of any day will do. I sure hope when Felipe Calderon talks about the morality of it all and the idea of not messing with drug transportations he realizes he said the word drug and not pot exclusively - man i'd be really upset if he meant to say marijuana but said drug instead because he could have, and if it was his intent, should have, just said pot but since he said drugs, and i, being an opiate lover as i am, wholly expect him to make good. I dont wanna hear any talk about shortages or importing the infected anthrax strain from europe - Mexico, i want some good stuff with good stamps from now on. And id really appreciate it if you could do something about this prohibition created price deal of 100 bucks for a wop. 100 BUCKS for a wop (10 bags) when i need about 5-6 bags AT LEAST a day and only make around 300 a week at my delivery job so atleast 5-7 wops a week (5 to 700 dollars, 200 to 400 dollars more than my weekly salary) well, you can see where im having trouble... uhm, i mean, i really dont want to steal from my family, friends, girlfriend, mistress, children, local church, rabbi and non heroin using homeless friends but, a junkies gotta do what a junkies gotta do, right? especially during prohibition!! so whats up Mexico? can you help a junkie out? PLEASE!?! BY GOD?!! BY MERCY?!?! BY THE POWERS OF EARTH, WATER, WIND, FIRE, HEART, CAPTAIN PLANET?!?! PUH-LEASE!!!
How can any drug warrior spek
How can any drug warrior spek of the morality of the drug war when they are standing in the sewer?
Gutter
There is tons of proof that once truly studied Marijuana may have more life saving compounds that could put the power of Penicillin to shame. Marijuana is the only drug that has a law the Forces the head of the DEA to lie to Congress, the Supreme Court and anyone else who ask if it has any medical qualities.
Casting people as standing in the sewer while you seem to know so little about the reality of the issue would send a intelligent person to do their homework better or better yet to just hold their tongue.
Once studied, marijuana gave birth to spice
Studied by the powers arrayed with weapons against mankind? No thanks. I'm much more afraid of the cure than I am of the disease.
Governments Should Fear Their Citizens
The world is watching the latest marijuana legalization and regulation experiment play out in Colorado and Washington. A gratuitous intervention by the feds in Colorado and Washington would only enrage U.S. voters, besides making a mockery of the perception of the United States as a democracy. Overall reactions would taint the future of American foreign affairs.
The drug war has no legitimate moral foundation. It openly violates the tenet of ‘do no harm’. It protects nothing other than the status quo of a white ruling class. It boasts no lasting achievements. It’s a cash cow for criminals and terrorists. It provides an excuse to marginalize groups of people based on their politics, race or religion. And it drains state and federal treasuries in a futile attempt to accomplish something that has never been accomplished, certainly not in the last hundred years of the drug war’s existence.
The 2012 election made it clear the majority of citizens favor moving on, that no contrived picture of 1950s America will stand in place of a people determined to make their nation a better place, one free of the tyranny imposed by rules that make everyone a suspect, and no one free.
A well articulated statement
A well articulated statement of very pertinent facts-I feel that a lot of this situation is generational-in another 8 to 10 years the '50's generation will b going way out to pasture; giving up it's hold on societal values-then will b the most urgent time to press for whatever society is needing...in the meantime the humanitarian collective conscience of the nation must continue, with increasing momentum, to build the framework for the ever changing future.
Republicans should support
Marijuana
it seems to me that the dea and the entire gov'mt should look at this like a blessing in disquise if u think about it if it was legal all over u would have no cartel to deal with and the killings would stop in time because no body needs mexican marijuana,because our gov'mt is taking care of it's own like it should,so a lot of the things that go along with the drugs in mexico killings would stop no demand,because we got smart,it's not a sign that we r weak it's just to many killings going on unneccissary,that would stop,no more home town dealers dont need them,we got our own from a smart President Obama,so to stop all the bad things legalize marijuana and it would all go away,nothing else has worked lets try it like we did alcohol no difference,
wake up Scott
With the two largest newspapers in the country coming out in support of legalization it is going to be very interesting the next few weeks,,now for reporters to start asking congressional members their opinions.
Since this is coming from outside of our congress the Republican'ts and the Demowon'ts shouldn't have the usual theatrics that would have resulted if either party had initiated legalization and the" make sure Obama fails" won't factor in either.
Time to update Scott.
I'm not sure reporters are ready to start asking questions
to Congress critters about the war on cannabis and cannabis users. It's not impossible though, those historic victories in WA and CO have made that day a lot closer.
The 2 largest newspapers - that would be Wall Street Journal and USA Today. But I found a USA Today editorial from Nov 7 that took the alcohol supremacist bigot fascist pig approach to legalizing weed, urging the feds to be pigs about this. Dunno about WSJ.
Economic Decline
Continuing the trend of a declining standard of life: as long as "success" is pushed into the background while "high times" are rewarded, the capacity for innovation and productivity will deteriorate.
no one is trying to push success into the background
But if you have the right to use killer alcohol, surely we have the right to use weed. If you want us to succeed, stop treating us like garbage when we're making a safer choice than alcohol users are.
The concept of growth and
The concept of growth and success is erroneous.
Finite resource V Infinite Growth.
Impossible.
It's time to re-examine this concept of success against a proper moral and scientific framework that allows for a sustainable expansion of what is successful whilst taking into account the detriment to the human species.
Physiologically, Alcohol is far more addictive and damaging to success than smoking cannabis.
I know literally dozens of women who have had their lives and their children's lives destroyed by booze and the violence and aggression it brings. I only know of one (1) who blames cannabis for the demise of her married life and her success. She was a violent narcissistic raving alcoholic.
Also, mental health patients who use cannabis medicinally are far better adjusted and have less symptoms than their counterparts who do not.
So again I ask, by what yardstick do you want to judge success?
The Chinese wanted the Opium Also
The Chinese were all desperate for the Opium that the English were selling to them as well, but that did not mean that the Chinese Emperor was not correct in trying to forcibly stop the Opium trade.
Fascism
You are actually incorrect; if a society or people vote in a referendum to legalise a particular drug then it is immoral for their respective leader/president to prohibit the drug, thus invalidating the vote. This would be, as it was when the Emperor did likewise in China with opium, fascist and oppressive in every sense. There is no point in allowing the people a vote on a particular issue if you are not going to honour their wishes. Even though the Chinese Emperor's and Obama's intentions were/are noble and honourable, this doesn't negate the fact that it is still undemocratic and fascist. Consider the following: if, for instance, I believed that if you, personally, would be adversely or detrimentally affected by eating a certain type of food - maybe abundantly high in transfats or salt - would you find it acceptable if I physically, by force if necessary, stopped you from eating it? I suspect not. You may respect my ostensibly benevolent or, even possibly altruistic, motives but I'm sure that you, as a consenting adult, would find this act of prevention distinctly authoritarian and paternalistic. There are countless other analogies I could use which are equally unpalatable. Just because someone or some people perceive, rightly or wrongly, that there may be a discernible threat of 'harm' to the participant and that the act they are to perform is potentially self-injurious with attendant harms and associated risks does not justify it's prohibition. Provided there are no direct adverse consequences for anyone else who is either not in a position to consent (ie a minor or someone who is not deemed to be of sound mind) or who does not consent, then there can be no moral justification for disallowing the act (please refer to Mill's Harm Principle from his most famous work, On Liberty). I appreciate that everyone has a different idea and notion of morality, ethics and values just as they do in regard to the authority and role of government but my personal concept of what the state's role should be is derived from, if not identical to, the ideas of the great English philosopher and Enlightenment thinker, John Locke (1632 - 1704). Locke postulated that the role of government should be to act as 'night watchman' over it's citizens, protecting them from being harmed by others while simultaneously respecting their individual right to do as they wish, no matter how potentially self-injurious the activity may be, as long as they do not harm others, in line with the aforementioned Harm Principle. I also appreciate that well intentioned people are only looking out for others but problems will inevitably arise as we all think 'we know best'.
Just because something's the
Just because something's the definition of fascist, there is a process in proving that what is philosophically true has some measurable effect in the outside world. Thoughts don't affect anything. To have any different outcome from laws, the racist, genocidal monstrous callous pigs who have run this country from the start would have to be removed, and they've never wanted to go.
Echoing around the world
The moral authority in American drug policy is being reclaimed bravely by the American people themselves, and the message they've sent is now echoing around the world.
America simply represents a bulwark against progressive attempts to decriminalize and legalise drugs. Compare the punitive system of the US and its ridiculous incarceration rates to say the decriminalized system in Portugal which currently has the lowest drug use levels in the European Union and the small progressions of the US are minimal. I would not attribute so much self importance to this. Legalisation in south america could help attack the nexus of the drug trade, as we all realise drugs have little 'intrinsic' value, it is prohibition that creates the 'astronomical' value of them which in turn lead to violence and corruption which is used to protect these profits.
Check out Ethan Nadelmann, look at Portugal, understand that extremists such as Al Qaeda actually derive profits from illegal substances (heroin production) and the case for legalisation in producer countries and decriminalization in consumer countries is certainly a provocative debate that should be heeded.
Too much money in prosecuTing
You can talk with almost any Judge, attorney, or cop in private about personal use . Most are not at all opposed. Unfortunately they all have great paying jobs busting it! A revenue stream of of large profits would be lost. Hippacrit's are not going to hurt their own income. I do not smoke now, but by what right can I tell you that you cannot. Yes, alcohol has gotten me into a lot of problems. Weed never.
100,000 Killed Is Genocide and Stop Saying Things are Looking Up
Everything in the past looking like a seventy-year so-called drug war to you? Well, it's false. This is more like SOP in a 300-year genocide carried out by white Americans. It is not looking better. It looks like sea-level rise is most likely to succeed. I hope you rot.
Favorite line: To say that
Favorite line: To say that we've lost our "moral authority" here is an understatement. We never had any to begin with.
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