War on Drugs // Current

CCHQ's Reality Check - November 9th, 2009

In this episode of Cannabis Culture's "Reality Check" - Footage of the Canada-wide... more

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Lies About Marijuana Drive People to a Much More Harmful Drug - Booze

Anti-pot propaganda drives most people to drink alcohol instead. But booze is far more dangerous than marijuana.
Professor David Nutt didn’t play the game. As the chief drug policy advisor in the British Government, an unspoken part of his job description was to help maintain a public fiction about marijuana – or cannabis, as it is known in the U.K. and other parts of the world. Specifically, he was expected to further the misperception of cannabis as a substance worthy of being classified and prohibited in a manner similar to more dangerous drugs like heroin and cocaine.

He made a big mistake at the end of last month. In a lecture at King’s College in London, he spoke honestly – and truthfully – about the fact that cannabis is less harmful than alcohol and urged the government to factor the relative harms of substances into their policy-making. Moreover, he accused the British government of ignoring the evidence about the true harms of cannabis in order to reclassify the drug and increase penalties for possession.

Reacting with the logic and reason of pub patron after last call, Home Secretary Alan Johnson immediately demanded that Prof. Nutt resign as the head of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs. He said Prof Nutt had "crossed the line between offering advice and … campaigning against the government on political decisions."

More accurately, Prof. Nutt crossed the line between deceiving citizens and being honest with them. The home secretary, a former member of Parliament, is no doubt comfortable with a little verbal jousting over public policy decisions. What he could not abide by was a top ranking official threatening the anti-cannabis mythology embraced at the very top level of government. Based on Nutt’s fateful bout of truthfulness, Johnson said he had “lost confidence” in Nutt as an advisor.

In a letter to Professor Nutt, Mr. Johnson explained how the system is supposed to work. He said: "As Home Secretary it is for me to make decisions, having received advice from the [Council] ... It is important that the Government's messages on drugs are clear and as an adviser you do nothing to undermine the public understanding of them ... I am afraid the manner in which you have acted runs contrary to your responsibilities."

The Home Secretary’s chief medical officer Sir Liam Donaldson put a similar spin on this hostile reaction to fact-based statements to the public. "These things are best sorted out behind the scenes,” he said, “so that the government and their advisers can go to the public with a united front."

In the real world, what this means is that advisors are free to provide research or reports based on an honest assessment of the scientific evidence, but when this research is completely ignored in setting policy, they are expected to keep their mouths shut and move on as if nothing ever happened.

This is all part of the game the government plays in order to maintain marijuana prohibition. In the United States, there are many examples of significant advisory opinions related to marijuana being completely ignored – even where the opinions were part of a decision-making process that should have led to action by the federal government.

In 1970, Congress established the National Commission on Marijuana and Drug Abuse to study marijuana and make recommendations about how to control its use. The Commission’s final report suggested removal of criminal penalties, noting, “The actual and potential harm of use of the drug is not great enough to justify intrusion by the criminal law into private behavior.” President Nixon ignored the Commission’s findings and launched and all-out war on marijuana users.

In 1988, Francis Young, an administrative law judge at the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), following hearings to determine whether marijuana should be placed into a less restrictive category under the Controlled Substances Act, wrote that marijuana should be moved from Schedule I (theAnti-pot propaganda drives most people to drink alcohol instead. But booze is far more... more

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Rising Tensions in Venezuela and Colombia

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8349745.stm Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez... more

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Britain Becomes "Designer Drugs" Capital Of Europe

Britain has become the online "designer drugs" capital of Europe with more than a... more

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4 days ago
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UK Science chief backs cannabis view -- BBC NEWS | Science & Environment |

Professor John Beddington, the UK's chief scientist, would not be drawn on whether the... more

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7 days ago
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Marc Emery 24/7 Prison Vigil - Day 28

Free Marc Emery! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d00VGxPGuEE&feature=player_embedded

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Why gay marriage, getting high, and going to Cuba will soon be legal.

The End of Prohibition "I think this would be a good time for a beer," Franklin D.... more

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5 weeks ago was our last full day together

It's almost 11pm on Sunday, November 1st. Five weeks ago, Marc and I were spending our last night together, counting down the 11 hours until his court appearance and incarceration on Monday, September 28th.

We spent our last Saturday and Sunday nights staying late at the office with our friends/employees, smoking a lot of cannabis and talking about good memories. Marc signed the last sets of "Prince of Pot" DVDs, large and small "FREE MARC" posters, and copies of CC #57 (printed the day of the raid, and released with a warning sticker on the final seed catalogue).

We took some photos of everyone together in our store/office those nights, and cherished every moment, knowing that we would soon be torn apart for what could be five long years...

I'm crying now, remembering how precious and important those last few days were. It was hard to come to terms with the fact he was going to jail. We knew it was coming and we accepted that, but it doesn't make being separated any less painful. We tried to do everything as we would normally do, but also take time out to just love each other, and had a beautiful final few days together (though every day we spent together was wonderful, and the last few months especially so).

Everything seems much more intense lately. I cry almost every day because I miss Marc so much, and sometimes I cry when reading the newspaper because I'm just so sad and concerned about the way our country is changing. The Stephen Harper Conservative government is taking Canada in a very scary direction -- they've doubled the prison budget, introduced laws to eliminate parole and early release, passed laws that take away the double time credit for pretrial imprisonment, restrict prisoners' rights and rehabilitation programs (no more farming or animals, fewer in-person visits, and possibly even taking away voting privileges like in the USA), and spending undisclosed billions of dollars on the military... Those are just some parts of the overhauling of Canada, and there is so much more everyone should know...

Marc wrote an incredible review of the Conservative Party's terrible impact on Canada called "Stephen Harper and The End of Days (of Canada as we know it): Revelations about the Conservative Party's direction for Canada", and it can be heard on his fourth "Prison Pot-cast" audio report (click here to listen). You should also listen to his other "Prison Pot-cast" recordings, as it gives you a look into his daily life and thoughts while behind bars.

It's difficult accepting what has happened but I'm staying very strong, and I'm learning a tremendous amount running every part of our organization and business, and managing various campaigns. I get through each day with a lot of support, and Marc calls me at least 4 times every day. I get to visit him every Sunday; in fact, I saw him earlier tonight. Visiting Marc is one of the best parts of my life -- seeing him, looking into his eyes, examining his face and remembering what it was like to kiss and touch him...

The glass barrier and awful little metal sound grate prevent us from being able to make any physical contact, but we put our hands up to the glass and stare into each others' eyes. I so cherish that one hour together each week... I can't imagine what it'll be like to not see Marc this often. I don't know if I'll be able to visit him in the USA, as he might be far away in Florida, Georgia, Texas, or wherever there's space in the federal prison system, and I might not be able to make it to his facility...

I wish he could just serve his time in Canada. People should be contacting the Justice Minister and asking him to have Marc charged for the same crimes in Canada -- after all, selling seeds is against the law, the Vancouver Police investigated Marc in 2003 (but the Crown refused to lay charges), Marc conducted his activities in CONTINUED> http://www.cannabisculture.com/v2/node/20407It's almost 11pm on Sunday, November 1st. Five weeks ago, Marc and I were spending our... more

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UK drug adviser fired after marijuana comments

LONDON — Britain's top drug adviser was fired Friday after saying that marijuana,... more

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10 days ago
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Marijuana growers turn nasty

Crop Protection; Booby traps, armed guards getting common Marijuana growers in... more

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11 days ago
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The Prohibitionist Argument in Under a Minute

This video is being distributed by a group opposing legislation to tax and regulate... more

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Marijuana why is it illegal...Should it be?

Why?... I know you've asked...This is why... Message me..and if you are a supporter... more

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16 days ago
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Marijuana legalization expected to go to ballot in California

Opponents of a plan to legalize marijuana for personal possession in California have... more

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13 days ago
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Emery Could Be Extradited as Early as Wednesday

Activist Marc Emery faces a 5-year prison sentence in the United States and could be... more

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13 days ago
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Ambien for Coke Heads

The latest pharmaceutical being sold on the street is a knock-you-out antipsychotic... more

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14 days ago
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DEA agents among 14 Americans dead in Afghanistan War on Drugs

An Afghan riot police man places a tear gas canister into his rifle during a... more

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George Will: US ‘probably in the process’ of legalizing marijuana

In the chronicle of America's war against its marijuana users, conservative columnist... more

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Barack Obama "I inhaled,.... frequently,That was the point"

Look at the politicians who say yes, Kerry, Edwards and the one who didn't...... more

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Barack Obama on Marijuana..B4 becoming president

Where is he now?

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Morale Drops for Marines in Afghanistan

"“People here regard the American troops as occupiers,” said Haji Khan, a leader of the Baluch tribe, who rules like a medieval baron. “Young people are turning against them and in time will fight them.”

“I’m not much for this war. I’m not sure it’s worth all those lives lost,” said Sergeant Christian Richardson as we walked across corn fields that will soon be ploughed up to plant a spring crop of opium poppy.

A New Yorker who joined the marines after 9/11 and served two tours in Iraq, Richardson, 24, said his men had achieved much. “You can see we are making progress, slowly. But when we leave, the Taliban and Al-Qaeda will surely return.”

The platoon knows there are at least 20 booby-trapped bombs on the high ground around the base. More than half the men have already been caught in blasts. One marine explosive expert was killed; others suffered broken legs and amputated feet. Three have survived two explosions and come back to fight again.

Later, a marine intelligence officer said the drug economy and the feudal system made the strategy of winning hearts and minds extremely complex. As drug producers, men such as Khan had a “working relationship with the Taliban”.

Nobody knew of the announcement last week in Kabul of a new round of national elections. Nobody voted in the first round. “We never even heard of elections. If we had, I suppose we might have voted,” said one villager."

You may wonder why NATO supports adding 40,000 more American troops to occupy Afghanistan. Well, when you look back at the Opium Wars and, here's a quote from Wikipedia of all places:

"The success of the First Opium War allowed the British to resume the drug trafficking within China. It also paved the way for the opening of the lucrative Chinese market and Chinese society to missionary endeavors."

you'll find that the British got the Opium from Afghanistan and they've been trying to control it ever since. When the Soviets tried to invade Afghanistan, not to spread Communism, but to get the Opium as well, the British intelligence and their American surrogates (b/c the British use the American military to fight its wars b/c they are weak and also co-conspire to stage world events) funded and armed the Taliban to fight them off.

I won't even get into 9/11 except for the fact that all the hijackers were Saudi Arabian (Al Qaeda=CIA), but anyway, our soldiers are dying because of Heroin, not Terrorism, Heroin. Terrorism is a front to introduce a police state, Big Brother, surveillance society: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/25/world/europe/25surveillance.html. Its a method to divide the people along religious lines; they've been doing it since the Crusades and laughing all the way to the Swiss bank.

Its going to be a long, cold winter for our troops in Afghanistan and when the spring comes, the Taliban will surge and kill a lot of Americans (thousands). Imagine being 22 years old and being sent to a remote mountain in Kandahar; you're a sitting duck, surrounded by militants who don't care if they die. There's no way we can win. We need to demand that our troops be brought home before they're sent back in body bags."“People here regard the American troops as occupiers,” said Haji Khan, a leader... more

rodstradamus
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tagged w/ War on Drugs

CCHQ's Reality Check - November 9th, 2009

Lies About Marijuana Drive People to a Much More Harmful Drug - Booze

Rising Tensions in Venezuela and Colombia

Britain Becomes "Designer Drugs" Capital Of Europe

UK Science chief backs cannabis view -- BBC NEWS | Science & Environment |

Marc Emery 24/7 Prison Vigil - Day 28

Why gay marriage, getting high, and going to Cuba will soon be legal.

5 weeks ago was our last full day together

UK drug adviser fired after marijuana comments

Marijuana growers turn nasty

The Prohibitionist Argument in Under a Minute

Marijuana why is it illegal...Should it be?

Marijuana legalization expected to go to ballot in California

Emery Could Be Extradited as Early as Wednesday

Ambien for Coke Heads

DEA agents among 14 Americans dead in Afghanistan War on Drugs

George Will: US ‘probably in the process’ of legalizing marijuana

Barack Obama "I inhaled,.... frequently,That was the point"

Barack Obama on Marijuana..B4 becoming president

Morale Drops for Marines in Afghanistan

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