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The Discovery of 2,700-Year-Old Marijuana is Pretty Cool
I havenât yet discussed last weekâs news that a major head stash of marijuana was found in the tomb of an ancient Chinese shaman. Itâs significant because the stuff was clearly well grown, with an apparently decent THC content. My analysis: awesome.Unfortunately, researchers couldnât get the seeds to germinate, which sucks for breeders because the âTomb Raiderâ strain wouldâve taken Amsterdam by storm. Of course, it wouldâve been even cooler if it had been seedless to begin with, proving that even cavemen could grow better pot than the nauseating schwaggy sawdust being sold on the streets of D.C. and New York as we speak. Regardless, this is another reminder that the cannabis plant has been with us from the beginning. The logical assumption is that its properties are intended to be useful to mankind, especially after those properties are revealed to be unique and widely regarded as beneficial by the population. Trying to eradicate it is as stupid as it is impossible. It was here 3,000 years ago, and it will still be here 3,000 years in the future. Unless, of course, the drug war has completely destroyed the earth by then.
Are Cocaine Users Killing the Rainforest?
The argument that cocaine users are destroying the environment is rapidly leading its proponents into a spiraling abyss of irony and incoherence: If you're into charlie, snow, or a few lines of snort, Colombia's Vice President Francisco Santos Calderón has a message for you: your cocaine use is a "predator of the rain forest" and a serious threat to human life.â¦"Cocaine use requires a disposable income and during the week many users drive hybrid cars and recycle. Then, on the weekend, he or she destroys everything they believe in," Calderón said. [Huffington Post]Wait, what!? Did he just say that cocaine users are successful and well-educated? Shall police start profiling Prius drivers for drug searches? I remember the good old days when cocaine was supposed to make you steal things and kill people. I canât even begin to imagine why youâd argue that cocaine is part of a healthy lifestyle if your goal is to make people stop doing it. If all this is true, then we can conclude rather easily that the problem with cocaine is how itâs produced and sold (which can be changed) rather than what happens when people use it (which cannot). The two options are 1) illicit cocaine cultivation in the rainforest, or 2) regulated cultivation somewhere else. There is no third option in which everyone agrees not to do coke. If you wait for that to happen while the rainforests burn, youâre a bigger part of the problem than the party people who drive Priuses.
Federal 9th Circuit Appeal - Legal help required! Challenge of Constitutionality based on property right infringements/Oppressive Class war-fare
Briefly - I was arrested in Feb. 2007 for MDMA distribution along with 4 co-defendants (including my supplier, my investor, and 2 kids I hadn't ever met.)
Drug Reform Does Not Only Mean Controlled Substances
I want to provide some extra detail and explanation about my last blog entry now. The previous one consisted almost entirely of a letter I wrote to our future president, Mr.
D.C. Pays Dearly After Letting a Medical Marijuana Patient Die in Jail
As a toddler, Jonathan Magbie was struck by a drunk driver. He survived for 23 years, paralyzed from the neck down, until one day he was arrested for using medical marijuana to treat his pain. Magbie died in jail four days later.This week, Magbieâs family settled a wrongful death suit, bringing this unfathomable tragedy back into the spotlight:Attorneys for his mother, Mary R. Scott, declined to provide details of the financial settlement, which she reached with the city, private contractors and the insurance company that covered doctors at the hospital. The American Civil Liberties Union, which represented Scott, called the settlement "substantial" in a news release.â¦Magbie's mother was furious that the judge did not give her son probation, the typical punishment for first-time offenders. Magbie, paralyzed since being hit by a drunk driver at age 4, had no criminal record. Retchin told a judicial commission that she sentenced Magbie to jail because he said he would continue to smoke marijuana to alleviate his pain. [Washington Post]He was literally singled out for using medical marijuana and being honest about the fact that his condition required continued use. Anyone still struggling to understand the persecution of patients in the war on medical marijuana need look no further than this. And, as Dan Bernath at MPP points out, voters in Washington, D.C. overwhelmingly passed a law back in 1998 to protect patients like Jonathan from arrest. If Congressional drug warriors hadnât continually blocked the implementation of D.C.âs medical marijuana law, Magbie would probably never have been arrested, never died in jail, and D.C. taxpayers wouldnât have to foot the bill for the mindblowing callousness and incompetence that took his life.
Not Arresting Marijuana Users is Too Confusing For Police
Voters in Massachusetts have overwhelmingly voted to stop small-time marijuana arrests, but the law-enforcement community doesnât understand what that means:BOSTON - Amid confusion among police and prosecutors, a voter-approved law to decriminalize the possession of marijuana goes into effect on Jan. 2, according to a spokeswoman for the state attorney general.â¦Agawam Police Chief Robert D. Campbell said there is a tremendous amount of confusion about the law.â¦"Somebody has to come up with a mechanism," the chief said.Geline W. Williams, executive director of the Massachusetts District Attorneys Association, said there are some "very, very significant" problems with putting the law into effect. [The Republican]Fortunately, an apparent super-genius named Terence J. Franklin has come up with a theory:Amherst Town Meeting member Terence J. Franklin, who supports Question 2, said the new law should be easy to put in place."Why not just leave people alone?" Franklin added. "What's the big deal? That will solve all the worries."Now thatâs what Iâm talking about. Maybe we should let this guy write the ballot language from now on. Seriously though, itâs understandable that police are entering into some new territory here. Still, thereâs no question what the voters have in mind. Most people donât think possessing marijuana should get you arrested and charged with a crime. There may be some details to iron out, but itâs really pretty silly to act like this is gonna turn the criminal justice system upside down. To even argue that is basically to admit that marijuana enforcement rules your world. Opponents of Question 2 campaigned tirelessly to convince voters that marijuana enforcement was a low priority and that penalties were lenient. If there was even a shred of truth to any of that, then implementing decrim should be simple.
Medical Marijuana Debate: MPP vs. ONDCP
This evening, Georgetown Law Schoolâs chapter of SSDP hosted a debate on medical marijuana between MPPâs Assistant Communications Director Dan Bernath and ONDCPâs Chief Counsel Ed Jurith. Since the drug czarâs minions seldom subject themselves to public scrutiny, and only do so in D.C., it was my duty to document the dialogue.   Bernath began with a reference to the recent discovery of a 2,700-year-old marijuana stash in the tomb of a Chinese shaman, establishing the extensive history of the medical use of marijuana. He described the dimensions of the current medical marijuana debate, including the support of the medical community, the benefits for a growing population of users, and the evolution of public opinion in support of protecting patients through ballot initiatives and state legislatures.Jurith framed his argument from a legal perspective, providing a chronology of caselaw upholding federal authority to enforce marijuana and other drug laws. He emphasized the FDA approval process, insisting that reformers seek to bypass the traditional pathways through which medicines are deemed safe and effective. He focused heavily on dismissing the notion of a "fundamental right" to use medical marijuana, although Bernath hadnât presented his position in those terms.As the discussion proceeded, I was struck by Jurithâs continued preference for defending the legality rather than the efficacy of the federal war on marijuana. He just wouldnât go there. In Q&A, I pointed out that the Raich ruling certainly doesnât mandate a campaign against medical marijuana providers and that DEA demonstrates their discretion every day by declining to prosecute the majority of dispensary operators. Will he defend the raids in a practical sense? What determines who gets raided and who doesnât? He responded with the notorious Scott Imler quote about medical marijuana profiteers, but never really answered the question. So basically, the head lawyer at the drug czarâs office came forward to assure us that what theyâre doing is technically legal, while failing in large part to actually help us understand why they do it. In turn, Bernath easily and convincingly depicted how ONDCPâs role in the medical marijuana debate consists entirely of opposing/interfering with state level reforms and blocking the exact research they claim is necessary. Iâd like to think that Jurithâs one dimensional presentation is indicative of the shrinking box from which his office draws its talking points on medical marijuana. Is the growing body of medical research and the solidification of popular support beginning to suck wind from the pipeholes of the proud protagonists in the war on pot? Jurith never compared marijuana to hard drugs, never employed the formerly obligatory "Trojan-horse-to-legalization" line, and generally declined to completely lie his face off when cornered. Maybe heâs just nicer than, say, this guy. But itâs also true that ONDCP as we know it is about to be dismantled and it may be that nobody over there currently gives a crap if the mild-mannered Ed Jurith is kind enough to put himself on the spot for the educational benefit of some law students.Either way, by ONDCP standards, this was a fairly defanged defense of the war on medical marijuana. Jurith is absolutely correct that the federal government maintains considerable authority over the enforcement of our drug laws and it will be fascinating to see what happens when that power changes hands.
LEAP Celebrates the Repeal of Alcohol Prohibition
Our friends at Law Enforcement Against Prohibition have launched a campaign commemorating the 75th anniversary of the repeal of alcohol prohibition:December, 2008 marks the 75th anniversary of the end of alcohol prohibition. You can help teach a lesson from history by asking your representatives to repeal todayâs failed prohibition of drugs.When Americaâs leaders repealed alcohol prohibition, it wasn't because they suddenly decided that liquor was safe and that everyone should drink. Rather, it was because they were tired of gangsters raking in rich illegal profits and terrorizing neighborhoods. And we simply could not afford to keep enforcing the failed prohibition during the Great Depression, our nation's worst economic crisis.Today, America is in the grip of a new economic crisis, but we keep paying for an even more devastating prohibition, the "war on drugs." Please click here to share LEAPâs message with your representatives. The effort has already generated terrific coverage from Reuters and LEAPâs press conference even made the local news on FOX. Very Cool.
Tainted Cocaine is a Consequence of Drug Prohibition
I donât particularly mind the drug czar pointing out that cocaine can kill you. While far from the deadliest thing on earth, the stuff ainât good for you, especially given the way some folks get carried away with it. I agree that a sensible drug policy includes telling people that cocaine pretty much sucks.But here we have the drug czar highlighting reports of tainted cocaine in Canada and proposing drug treatment as the solution to that. Isnât it ironic that, after tirelessly advocating policies which drive drug distribution underground, the drug czar then cites a poisoned drug supply as an argument for abstinence?
Random Drug Testing Wonât Save the Children From Heroin
Hereâs drug czar John Walters shamelessly using a young womanâs death as an opportunity to plug student drug testing:Heroin killed 19-year-old Alicia Lannes, and her parents say she got the drug from a boyfriend. Experts say that's how most young kids get introduced to drugs: by friends or relatives.â¦While teen drug use is declining, Walters says a Fairfax County heroin ring busted in connection with Lannes' death proves it's still a problem. He supports a federal program used in more than 4,000 schools to randomly drug test students. "There's no question in my mind had this young woman been in a school, middle school or high school with random testing," said Walters, "She would not be dead today." [FOX DC]Walters sounds supremely confident, as usual, yet the reality is that random drug testing is often impotent when it comes to discovering heroin use. Student drug testing programs typically rely on urine tests, which can only detect heroin for 3-4 days after use. Only marijuana -- which stays in your system for up to a month â can be effectively detected this way. Thus, random testing actually incentivizes students to experiment with more dangerous drugs like heroin that increase your chances of passing a drug test.And thanks to the complete failure of the drug war, heroin is stronger today than ever before:The drug enforcement agency says the purity of heroin found in Virginia is typically higher than usualâmaking it more deadly. "They tend not to know how to gauge the strength and they usually take more than they need to," said Patrick McConnel, who oversees Treatment for Youth Services Administration Alcohol and Drug Services. There are no easy answers here, to be sure, and I donât claim any monopoly on the solutions to youth drug abuse. But I guarantee you that the problem isnât our failure to collect more urine from young people. As long as the most dangerous substances continue to be manufactured, distributed, and controlled by criminals, the face of our drug problem will remain the same.
Swiss Voters Approve Heroin Prescriptions, But Reject Marijuana Decriminalization
I donât know quite what to make of this news from Switzerland:GENEVA (AP) â The worldâs most comprehensive legalized heroin program became permanent on Sunday with overwhelming approval from Swiss voters, who separately rejected the legalization of marijuana.The heroin program, started in 1994, is offered in 23 centers across Switzerland. It has helped eliminate scenes of large groups of drug users shooting up openly in parks and is credited with reducing crime and improving the health and daily lives of addicts. â¦Of the 2.26 million Swiss who voted in the national referendum, 68 percent approved making the heroin program permanent. But 63 percent voted against the marijuana proposal, which was based on a separate citizensâ initiative to decriminalize consuming marijuana and growing the plant for personal use. [NY Times]Pete Guither has some good analysis explaining how concerns about Amsterdam-type drug tourism helped to torpedo the proposal. Itâs a harsh reality that any nation that considers tolerating recreational marijuana sales must inevitably come to terms with a potential influx of pot smoking tourists. Theyâre easy enough to deal with, but the idea just makes some people uncomfortable.A policy that prohibits sales to foreigners might mitigate these concerns, but I canât get over the absurdity of restricting marijuana sales while permitting tourists to get drunk off their asses anywhere they please. The problem in Amsterdam isnât that marijuana laws are too loose, itâs the fact that marijuana laws everywhere else are completely unreasonable. So-called "marijuana tourism" is just another symptom of marijuana prohibition in the U.S. and beyond. Can you even imagine what Amsterdam would be like if it were the only place you could legally purchase alcohol?
It's finally over
I have finally been accepted into the St.Paul's pain clinic and have been sitting at the computer for hours without any pain.This is such a relief but it makes me all the more aware of how I have been
Prohibition still fueling the terrorists
Remember how prohibition was funding the Taliban and Al Qaeda back in 05?
How many more?
Since my experience with the so called super virus and my following medical problems, I have received a number of e mails from people who find themselves in similar circumstances.I refer to the troubl
Police Use Newspaper Ads to Recruit Snitches
Apparently, there arenât enough unsolved crimes to keep Albuquerque police busy:ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - The Albuquerque Police Department has turned to the want ads for snitches.An ad this week in the alternative newspaper The Alibi asks "people who hang out with crooks" to do part-time work for the police.It reads in part: "Make some extra cash! Drug use and criminal record OK." [MSNBC]Does this sound at all like something thatâs going to make Albuquerque a better place? Itâs absurd on its face, a completely sick feeding frenzy mentality that goes a long way towards explaining how weâve become the worldâs leading jailer. The very fact that police are actively seeking sketchy people to rat out other sketchy people shows you exactly how useless and cyclical much of our criminal law-enforcement activity has become.Worse yet, this is exactly how you incentivize bad people to create bad situations. This is how innocent peopleâs addresses end up on drug warrants, only to have their doors smashed in, their dogs shot, and their peaceful lives forever tarnished by the long, infinitely clumsy arm of the law. This is how police become detached from morality, collaborating with criminals to create crime. If there is such a thing as "sending the wrong message" in the war on drugs, it isnât marijuana reform, itâs police offering people money to take drugs and commit crimes.
Meet the New Boss, Same as the Old Boss
I sent this to Barach Obama at change.gov, since he claims to be looking for good suggestions. If anyone else has sent anything, you know this is just a way to harvest email addresses on their part.
Donât Complain About Police Corruption if You Support the Drug War
Time provides a vivid description of the extent of police corruption in the Mexican drug war:Few rituals are more futile than the "housecleaning" of Mexico's police forces. So deep, broad and brazen is cop corruption south of the border that removing it makes eradicating rats from landfills look easy. Mexico stages quasi-annual purges of officers high and low â last year it was 284 federal police commanders â and yet every year it seems to find itself with an even more criminal constabulary. This year's scandals, however, are especially appallingâ¦Time then proceeds to recommend giving Mexico lots of money and technical assistance, while getting Americans to stop snorting so much damn cocaine all the time. Itâs really just amazing that any thinking, breathing individual can even look at this and still prescribe 'trying harder' as the solution to this spiraling fiasco. Stop doing that. Just stop. Youâre not helping.Everyone knows pushing a few dollars around wonât do anything. We all know that, so shut up. Just admit you donât know what to doâ¦or call one of the many reformers who can provide a new perspective. But stop saying the same stupid crap over and over. Itâs boring. And itâs wrong.
Hey Barack Obama, Drug Eradication Doesnât Work
Hereâs an excellent column in The Washington Post calling on Obama to cut funding for our failed drug eradication programs in South America. I havenât heard anything positive from Obama regarding international drug policy, so Iâm glad to see these ideas in The Post, where he might see them.
Bringing all the people together
My name is Cody Allen Burns. I am a junior at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
Bringing all the people together
My name is Cody Allen Burns. I am a junior at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.