DEA // Current

Evo Morales in his own words

The Bolivian President, in his first visit to Washington, talks about visible change. Bolivian President Evo Morales, in his... more

Vierotchka
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Dutch say no to tobacco, yes to cannabis!

real news

pokesmot
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An Hour with Bolivian President Evo Morales: "Neoliberalism Is No Solution for Humankind"

Bolivian President Evo Morales joins us in the firehouse studio to discuss the election of Barack Obama, US-Bolivian relations,... more

pokesmot
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Growing list of successful pot smokers

Journalist Radley Balko makes fun of the Office of National Drug Control Policy's new anti-pot disinformation campaign, which "suggest that drug users can look forward to a career as a 'burrito taster,' a 'couch security guard,' or 'remote control operator.'

Balko calls it "an incredibly lame campaign, [which] reeks of stodgy wonks making a desperate attempt to look hip."

Here’s my challenge to Agitator readers, bloggers, and others: In this comments thread, let’s compile a master list of admitted pot smokers—current or former—who not only haven’t ended up as heroin junkies or burnouts, but have gone on to lead successful lives. If the person is famous, include a link. But feel free to add yourselves and what you do now, too, if you fit the criteria. School teacher? Cop? Stay at home mom? Grad student? Count yourself in. You can leave out your name if you like. Or include it. Either way.

I’ll get it started:

Barack Obama, president-elect. Bill Clinton, 42nd president of the U.S. John Kerry, U.S. Senator and 2004 Democratic nominee for president. John Edwards, multi-millionaire, former U.S. Senator, and 2004 Democratic nominee for vice president. Sarah Palin, governor of Alaska, 2008 Republican nominee for vice president. British Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly, and and Chancellor Alistair Darling. Josh Howard, NBA all-star. New York Governor David Paterson. Former Vice President, Nobel Peace Prize winner, and Oscar winner Al Gore. Former Sen. Bill Bradley, who smoked while playing professional basketball. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, and former New York Governor George Pataki. Billionaire and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Help Radley add to the list of successful potheads: Successful Pot Smokers: Let’s Make a List
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http://www.theagitator.com/2008/11/07/successful-pot-smokers-lets-make-a-list/
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Help the cause....add to the list.Journalist Radley Balko makes fun of the Office of National Drug Control Policy's new anti-pot disinformation campaign, which... more

breakthepower
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29 responses

11 days ago

The billion dollar crop that could change the world

Jack Herer has for years now been touting this $100,000 challenge from the back of his famous book, "The Emperor Wears No... more

simplecj
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65 responses

14 days ago

Appeal: New Times Bring New Opportunities for Drug Policy Reform

New times bring new opportunities. StoptheDrugWar.org (DRCNet) is a nonpartisan organization, and no major US party... more

pokesmot
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1 response

15 days ago

Latin America: Bolivia Suspends Operations By DEA | Stop the Drug War (DRCNet)

Morales, a former coca grower union leader who won the presidency in 2006, has embarked on a policy of "zero cocaine, not... more

pokesmot
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3 responses

15 days ago

'DEA complicit in drug trade' says Morales, evidence will be presented to Obama

Bolivian leader Evo Morales on Thursday accused the US government of encouraging drug trafficking as he explained his decision to... more

Apocalipstick
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2 responses

16 days ago

Victory for Marijuana!

The politics of compassion have overcome the politics of fear.

Tonight, Michigan became the thirteenth state to legalize the physician supervised possession and use of cannabis. According to early returns, more than 60 percent of Michigan voters decided in favor of Proposal 1, which establishes a state-regulated system regarding the use and cultivation of medical marijuana by qualified patients.

Voters endorsed the measure despite a high profile, deceptive, and despicable ad campaign by Prop. 1 opponents — who falsely claimed that the initiative would allow for the open sale of marijuana “in every neighborhood, just blocks from schools.” (In fact, Proposal 1 does not even allow for the creation of licensed cannabis dispensaries.)

Michigan’s new law goes into effect on December 4th, at which time nearly one-quarter of the US population will live in a state that authorizes the legal use of medical cannabis.

Meanwhile, in Massachusetts, some 65 percent of voters (and virtually every town) decided “yes” on Question 2, which reduces minor marijuana possession to a fine-only offense. Like in Michigan, voters rejected a high-profile, deceptive ad campaign by the measure’s opponents, who argued that it would increase adolescent drug abuse, permit large-scale marijuana trafficking, endanger workplace safety, and sharply increase traffic fatalities.

Question 2 is expected to become law in 30 days — making Massachusetts the thirteenth state to decriminalize the personal possession and use of cannabis. (Note: Under state law, politicians have the option of amending the new law.)

NORML celebrates both victories and recognizes that neither would have been possible without the grassroots efforts of Michigan and Massachusetts state activists — who laid the groundwork for both campaigns by successfully passing a series of similar, municipal initiatives over the past several years.

Tonight, once again, voters have rejected the Bush doctrine on drugs. They’ve rejected the lies put forward by drug warriors and law enforcement, and demonstrated — overwhelmingly — that truth, compassion, and first-hand experience are more persuasive than the deception and scare tactics of those who would take away our freedoms and confine us in cages.

In short, it is the cannabis community, not the Drug Czar, that is shaping America’s marijuana policy, and tonight we go to bed knowing that millions of Americans will wake up tomorrow with a better, brighter, and more tolerant future than they had today.The politics of compassion have overcome the politics of fear. Tonight, Michigan became the thirteenth state to legalize the... more

Elevator
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1 response

18 days ago

U.S. government finally exacts revenge on Iran/Contra whistleblower Cele Castillo

Celerino “Cele” Castillo III, a former DEA agent who played a key role in exposing the U.S. government’s role in... more

pokesmot
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2 responses

21 days ago

No shortage of tax-free work for pot 'clippers' who groom marijuana plants i

There's green to be made clipping and trimming the green leaves in British Columbia's marijuana industry. The... more

Psychedelic
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1 response

1 month ago

Sarah Palin Lsd Found in Car Going to Phish Show

Thursday, March 5, 2009 NEW KENT, Va. (AP) -- A man was arrested outside of New Kent, Va., Thursday after state troopers found... more

Psychedelic
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5 responses

1 month ago

Drug War Comic “Stumble Weed Magazine”

More of your tax dollars at work, providing flashy interactive content full of drug war lies and distortions meant to encourage... more

Enjoy_Cannabis
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1 response

1 month ago

Is ecstasy still a drug problem?

In January, North Wales Police chief constable Richard Brunstrom courted controversy when he suggested ecstasy was less dangerous... more

Psychedelic
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0 responses

1 month ago

Millions Seized In International Drug Bust

Police in four nations have held about 200 people over alleged trans-Atlantic drug-trafficking involving a major Mexican drugs... more

GrandKnow2
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1 response

2 months ago

U.S. captures $187 million drug haul in submarine

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (Reuters) - The U.S. coast guard captured a submarine-like vessel equipped with sophisticated navigation... more

bansheewail
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4 responses

2 months ago

Did McCain Tamper With the Drug Enforcement Agency to Protect His Career?

McCain appears to have used his Senate staff to cover up his wife's drug use, and possibly to prevent the DEA from investigating her.

A whistleblower is coming forth against John and Cindy McCain, and the picture he is painting is not a pretty one. You've probably heard about Cindy McCain stealing prescription drugs from her charity in the 1990s. Today, Tom Gosinski, her former employee and once a close friend of the McCains, came out on the record about the entire sordid episode.

And it appears that McCain used his Senate staff and resources to cover up Cindy's drug use, and potentially to prevent the Drug Enforcement Agency from investigating his wife's theft of illegal prescription drugs. John McCain certainly used his political connections to begin a campaign of intimidation against Gosinski, because at the time -- this was after the Keating 5 scandal -- another major scandal would have derailed his career. Gosinski stayed quiet out of fear until today; a recent fight with cancer has strengthened his resolve. As he told me today, if he can beat cancer, he can go on the record regarding how the McCains do business.

Gosinski was an employee of Cindy McCain who helped her run her charity, the American Voluntary Medical Team (AVMT), in the early to mid-1990s. At the time Gosinski worked for her, Cindy McCain was addicted to prescription painkillers, taking between 30 and 50 pills a day of Vicodin and/or Percocet. She had doctors writing out prescriptions in other people's names, including Gosinski's. When Gosinski found one of the prescription slips, he got angry, and Cindy had him fired. This part of the story is just kind of sad, but not damning; Cindy McCain was a lonely and bored wife who turned to drugs in place of what was a loveless marriage full of fundraisers and, in all likelihood, various infidelities (or so were the rumors Gosinski heard at the time).

Now, it begins to get dangerous and vicious after Gosinksi was fired. At first the McCains said they'd help him find a job, but it became clear to Gosinksi that McCain was using his political connections to blackball him from another job in Republican politics in Arizona. So he sued the McCains for wrongful termination and went to the Drug Enforcement Agency to find out the legal repercussions of having prescriptions for painkillers written in his name. To retaliate, McCain then had his political ally Rick Romley open an extortion investigation against Gosinksi. In the course of that investigation, it was revealed that the DEA was circling around Cindy McCain and her charity. It's not clear what they were investigating her for, but it is clear she was bringing illegal prescription drugs around the world on a diplomatic passport secured for her by McCain's Senate office.

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McCain appears to have used his Senate staff to cover up his wife's drug use, and possibly to prevent the DEA from... more