Change.org

When it is all said and done and this goes through in Mexico, the country will be a bunch of drug addicts! 

Putting the money and tax issue aside that might be generated, it is not in the best interest of the United States to become a nation of pot heads.  China kept their people drugged for centuries until they broke out. I'd prefer not to be around people who are on drugs.

Because on Friday night I would rather use cannabis over bourbon (liquor killed my father and his father I watched them both die addicted to liquor) I should be put in jail. If this is the way you see it you are a bit warped or work in the corrections field or maybe a cop? It is about freedom of choice something we are all born with in this country. But our lawmakers due to the millions paid to them vote away our freedom, I want it back. Why would any one appose this?

CFJ

you guys have said everything thats on my mind I even sent a letter to cnn.com to make a long story short...telling them about my dieing grandfather who sometimes goes a day with out eating because he would be reluctant to try something like marijuana hask oil or marinol because certain people and certian politics have demonized it which it so wrong...I hope the government does something soon because there going to turn the younger generation against them on a scale larger then in the 60's if they are not carefull and I think that is sad because we shold want to believe in our government because this is America and our standard should always be whats best and whats freedom

Hey Van, I'm a "pot head" and so are most of the people I know.  We aren't lazy.  My pothead friends are phsychiatrists, teachers, students, and law enforcement officers, people with Doctorates and Master's degrees - not sit-on-the-couch-all-day slackers with "no motivation" as you put it.  These are normal people, who like everyone else, want to get ahead in life.  We're talking people with families, here.  What decent parent doesn't want to get ahead in life to benefit their children?

You've got the wrong idea about marijuana.  I'd suggest you go read some actual (recent) studies on cannabis before you come here and knock it.  We're spending roughly $20 billion dollars a year to arrest people who smoke pot, while the real health and safety issues in our country are caused by other (some even legal) drugs. 

This is what's wrong with our society today, everyone is afraid to question the law.  Our government isn't perfect, it's just a bunch of people who sometimes make stupid decisions for us and then spend trillions of dollars trying to get us to believe they're right - even when we know better (and they we know...). 

People like Van are the reason why cannabis prohibition has lasted so long.  They either refuse to look at the facts, or they're just too lazy to be bothered with it.  I mean, there are more important things to worry about, right?

No matter that nearly a million people became "criminals" in 2007, just for being in possession of a PLANT - the use of which is known to be far safer than that of either alcohol or tobacco (both of which, in their "recreational" form, meet the criteria for Schedule I drugs under the Drug Control Act).

Just because a substance is illegal, doesn't mean it's "dangerous" in terms of public health and safety.  Sometimes there are stupid laws that manage to stay on the books for decades.  Sometimes there are even laws that violate our constitutional rights!  Should we just sit around and let a bunch of people that WE elected into office tell us what's best for this country?

NO!  These people are supposed to work for us, and the laws should reflect the current public interest - in this case, ending the marijuana witch hunt.

The only thing that separates pot smokers from "law abiding citizens" are the laws that make marijuana illegal. I'm glad so many people have realized that the prohibition of marijuana just doesn't make sense anymore, and they aren't buying into the hype from Washington anymore about why it's illegal.

Doctors can prescribe it, sick people can use it to make them feel better - that makes it a medicine.  What's been happening within the individual states now is that they are recognizing the medical benefits of marijuana (several states have re-scheduled it under their own Drug Control Acts), as well as removing criminal penalties for possession of small amounts of marijuana.  Most states have enacted some sort of legislation recognizing the medical use of marijuana.

Right now these medical marijuana laws are mostly ineffective because they rely on cooperation at the federal level.  This means that sick people are turning to the "illegal" drug market in order to obtain their prescribed medication!  While most states won't take legal action against these individuals, marijuana is still prohibited at the federal level - which means they could potentially face federal charges for buying, possessing, or transporting this prescribed medication.

Growing your own marijuana for medical use is a great idea, but could lead to substantially harsher penalties under federal laws.

Where's the freedom in this?

[No matter that nearly a million people became "criminals" in 2007, just for being in possession of a PLANT - the use of which is known to be far safer than that of either alcohol or tobacco (both of which, in their "recreational" form, meet the criteria for Schedule I drugs under the Drug Control Act).}

consider the man hours wasted in terms of the law enforcement, judicial system and most importantly those innocent humans who merely want to consume or facilitate consumption of the flowers of a plant!    focus on real crimes coppers!!  consider the millions of humans across the americas that are consuming these flowers on a daily basis...you cannot make us stop so quit fucking trying NOW!!!

we will not settle for decriminalization…end the prohibition on cannabis & hemp, legalize, tax if you must be WE ARE GONNA GROW IN OUR BACK YARDS AND BASEMENTS for the rest of humanity.

just wrote cnn in regards to a show yesterday...
just wrote cnn.com, swiped a line from one of ya

CNN Allen St. Pierre vs. Kevin Sabet with Don Lemon

my comment is positive because i am impressed that you guys are making a concerted effort to try and bring this debate about ending the cannabis prohibition to the eyes of humanity.

but please have more in depth segments and actually let the NORML & MPP Guys speak! Ron Paul too!!

be honest, you guys are having a hard time finding legitimate arguers on the sided of maintaining the prohibition. Sabet hogged this interview with lies and poor argument..in particular the opposition said 450,000 people die a year from tobacco and alcohol, what does that have to do with marijuana? ZERO DEATHS from the flowers of this plant. And when you’ve had Stepen Baldwin on about this topic his performance has been laughable.

please also do not forget this would also legalize HEMP. look into all the benefits of this cousin plant. the two together legalized would be so much better then the wasted resources trying to exterminate them from our ground and our culture.

Thanks so much for your time!!

Lets have a debate and hook up the people to lie detectors this would end the nagative bull shit they keep trying to pass out.

CFJ

Fred......I'm 61, retired from GM and I could work days around you. Marines, 1966-69, wounded 3 times and was a millwright for 37 years, construction. With your point of view why not even ligalized cocaine also to bring in taxes. Your mind is rotted out.

To Jeff Newman........get a grip guy.  I moved heavy machinery for 37 years and had other tradesmen in these areas of movement. Any slight thing that might go wrong because someone did not have full mental capacity could have resulted in injury or death. Live with that guy if you were the one doped up and caused the accident!  All pot should be illegal.......period.  I write my Senators and Representatives regularly on this issue and guess what....they also agree.  Thanks for the reminder because I'll write again today! 

Deanne Willsiams..you are what's wrong with the world.  Tell me, why do you "have to get high"???  Don't you like your faculities being 100% and not blurred or "bent"??  Must be a reason here!

Jeff.............S.O.R.

Again, it's the same over-simplified and outdated argument for staying the course in the face of a policy that obviously is a failure. The debacle of the larger war on drugs aside, this particular debate is about marijuana. Anyone relatively in touch with reality knows that marijuana is no where near as harmful to people or society as cocaine, let alone legal and widely used American staples like alcohol and paxil! So comparisons to legalization of hard drugs just doesn't hold weight.

By YOUR logic, we should be prosecuting users of alcohol and pharmaceutical drugs. These things are being used by people, sometimes on the workplace or behind the wheel, SOMETIMES resulting in injury or death. Are you writing your representatives about these dangers to society? It would be an obvious waste of time and resources to criminalize all users of these things in the pursuit of minimizing damage to society. We wisely decided to focus our law enforcement on those that broke the law; our health care system on minimizing the risks to the users, and our substance abuse programs on helping those with abuse problems free themselves. None of this is present in current marijuana policy. We have obvious mistakes in place on every level. And it costs us money, time, resources, even lives.

And why do you have to put the tax issue aside? Pot smokers may not be able to single-handedly turn the economy around, but every little bit will help right now. We are hemorrhaging if you haven't noticed. This will spur not only tax revenue, but job creation. Money in the pockets of at least SOME of the 8.9% of Americans currently unemployed. When you take in account not only recreational marijuana use, but the endless possibilities of industrial hemp, it is down right NEGLIGENT that we are not taking full advantage of this resource. We could be completely energy independent in under a year! This is not chump change. Now think of the side industries related to the new hemp applications. Anything made from petroleum can be made from hemp oil. Hemp absorbs as much CO2 as it releases when it's burned, making it carbon neutral. AND hemp can be grown in all 50 states, meaning this benefits LOCAL ECONOMIES, not big banks (and the representatives you are writing). Imagine the new facilities producing everything from clothing to fuel to plastics springing up all across the country. We neuter Mexican drug cartels and Iran all in one swoop. You obviously don't understand the full scope of this issue.

Deanne......why do you have to smoke "after a long hard day".  What does that mean?  Or is this a cop-out of some sort on the real issue.........drug addict?

I am a non-smoker and I still believe that Marijuana should be decriminalized like it is in Amsterdam. There was a study last night about this woman from Britain who went to Amsterdam to learn more about the effects and outcomes of smoking "cannabis". And actually the smoking rate in Amsterdam is LESS then the smoking rate in the US.

I think we in America should be able to smoke in coffee shops or in the privacy of our own homes. It should be treated like alcohol is. No intoxication in public, no open bottles (or lit blunts, bowls, etc.) No drinking/smoking while driving or driving while under the influence.

Its simple. Stop filling up our jails with petty Marijuana smokers. Do what Amsterdam is doing. It seems to be working!

Are you just ignoring me, Van? It's kinda funny how you ignore all the points everyone raises. We're really just having a one sided conversation. If you can't defend your beliefs why do you bother engaging in a debate?

Drug addicts don't limit their drug use to the evenings and when they're off the clock. Again, your "logic" just doesn't hold water.

People like Van will go to there grave believing that stereo typed non sense that they have been spoon fed from the government all there lives. they are to cowardly to have a legitimate thought of there own. If they have never tried it then they can not make an honest judgement of it. If someone has a legitimate problem with a substance then they need help. Breaking down there door in the middle of the night with automatic weapons drawn is something the NAZIS would of done to people who opposed them. This is America or is it any more. I honestly do not think we are on the right track. Cannabis was a major part of our country in the first 150 years. All of our founding fathers in one way or another planted it and Smoked it. Abe Lincoln favorite evening pastime was sitting on his porch with a pipe full of sweet hemp!. It is our right as citizens to choose what we put into our bodies, and to have the responsibility to act with out hurting others. The laws against are much greater harm than the things we are trying to control. Prohibition does not work we can not keep ruining the lives of innocent citizens. If they are addicted then lets get them the medical help they need and keep it out of the law enforcement area. Would you go to a police officer to get an operation done. NO then why put them in charge of drugs, it make 0 sense to let them make these decisions. Our government is no better either at making these decisions!

Deanne Williams.....one question:

Why do you have to "unwind" after such a "long days work"?? Is there something in your life that needs to be addressed.

You better look at the statistics because people who smoke pot tend navigate to Other substances because the people they hang with are in a crowd of substance abusers.

Do you smoke on the job?  and if the answer is no....why not? 

Jeff.......I don't drink except for red wine once in awhile, do not smoke,,,,period.  Yes the gooks did catch up with me while in Vietnam,,,,,,3 hearts and now 50%  disabled.  I don't need "anything" to get me through a "long days work", the phrase which all pot smokers use as a crutch for an answer!

Do you think that if you develope lung cancer because you smoke pot that the medicare should cover your treatment?

First to address this whole "gateway drug" nonsense. If you look at where hard drug users get their start, it is in fact not usually with marijuana. It is in fact with legal substances like tobacco and alcohol. If someone develops a substance abuse problem, they usually get there by trying a wide variety of substances, usually starting with the more commonly used substances and working their way into more exotic, and more dangerous drugs. All that goes to show you is marijuana is as widely available as tobacco and alcohol. And it's been that way for years in spite of ever increasing efforts to eradicate it.

What legalization of marijuana would do is make sure that if someone is going to experiment with or use marijuana, they won't be going to people who also sell coke and heroin to buy it. Instead they go to a state regulated facility and have to show ID and meet age restrictions. No cocaine for sale. No heroin addicts. Just adults using cannabis. Which, in the 21st century, isn't really a big deal.

Let me tell you a little bit of MY experience with drugs, which is very similar to many of the kids I knew in middle school and high school, and I'm sure is similar to many, many across America. My first foray into drugs was under my doctors recommendation. I was only 8 years old. They came up with a new name for youthful energy; ADD. And they knew exactly what I needed to "cure" me (thanks to a certain pharmaceutical company's generous contributions). Much of my memory before 15 or so has been wiped out, and I tell ya, it wasn't pot that did it. I do remember a particular incident when I was 13 or so, I just happened to mention I was on Ritalin to someone and they said something to the effect of he knew some kids that would buy it. It was at that moment I realized that when I listened to these DARE guys warning me about getting high, I was really getting high this whole time. The chain reaction started there. Next came the American standard, tobacco. That addiction lasted for many years, but now, thankfully, I am tobacco free for 8 years now. When I tried meth when I was 15, I wasn't thinking "this is going to be like pot". I drew my conclusions directly from information DARE gave me. Marijuana is as dangerous as cocaine. Cocaine is an upper, like Ritalin, methamphetamine and caffeine. I like caffeine. It's in sodas that kids can buy. And I've taken Ritalin for years. So when I was offered meth it really didn't seem like a bad idea. The obvious lie about marijuana caused me not to take ANY anti-drug message seriously. Thus started a few periods of near reckless drug experimentation. Something I was luckily able to mature out of without getting arrested while managing to still graduate high school. Out of it all what I ended up getting addicted to was tobacco. What helped steer me away from these other substances was my developing love of cannabis. In the end I simply didn't really like anything else. Had I became a drug addict it would have been because the many failures of drug prohibition. But I feel cannabis saved me from that fate.

The fact that you mention cancer shows just how little you know about this subject. Really! Is it too much to ask for people to do the proper research on this issue before making their judgments

Everyone has a vice, Van. Yours may just be senseless arguments. It takes a lot of arrogance to feel that public policy should be based on your person feelings about the stereotype of the people the policy effects. You don't need anything to get through a days work because you're disabled and don't do any work. congratulations. You're obviously a miserable and xenophobic individual. What this is really all about is your kind dying out. You're desperate. This bitter, racist generation is getting thinner and thinner. And it's influence is fading in favor of a new generation with new ideas. Maybe you had the majority in Vietnam, but now you're right where you belong. On the extremist fringe.

Wow Mikey you just trigggered thoughts of my first (high) it was at my dentist they gave me nitruos oxide for tooth work. I remember it well, I thought I was watching cartoons on the wall but there was nothing there in reality. I was 8. I thought this was amazing. I have to find out more about this. I never got any answers from my parents. They were into alcohol and nicotine that was there vise. It was not till later in my teens I found out about these things. And i loved them That is why I do not drink. I have not for many yes=ars. I also think my love of cannabis stopped me from doing other things.

years

You guys, Van is clearly a troll.

"One who purposely and deliberately (that purpose usually being self-amusement) starts an argument in a manner which attacks others on a forum without in any way listening to the arguments proposed by his or her peers. He will spark of such an argument via the use of ad hominem attacks (i.e. 'you're nothing but a fanboy' is a popular phrase) with no substance or relevence to back them up as well as straw man arguments, which he uses to simply avoid addressing the essence of the issue."

He's just trying to get a reaction out of everyone and he's succeeding. Let's stop feeding him.

All that fight the tyranny called the war on drugs you are doing a great job. In the past year I see more and more people that realize we are being scammed by our own government.. Keep up the good work we will end this madness called the war on drugs..

VAN ANOTHER GOOD SITE THAT WOULD HELP A NORMAL PERSON INTRESTED IN UNDERSTANDING IS

http://www.november.org/thewall/wall/wall.html

GO THERE READ THE STORIES OF THE KIDS IN JAIL AND HOW THEIR LIVES HAVE BEEN DESTROYED BY THE WAR ON DRUGS. IF YOU CAN READ THESE STORIES AND STILL WANT TO CONTINUE TO ENSLAVE OUR (POOR AS IN $) YOUTH YOU ARE A SADISTIC PERSON.....

DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHY THE WAR WAS STARTED? RACISM AND GREED PERHAPS THAT IS YOUR AFFLICTION RACISM??


Cherokee Fred Jesus

Went to vans bio he is a zero but does support

I demand congress and the President enact The Employee Free Choice Act.

HAY VAN THAT IS WHAT WE WANT FREEDOM OF CHOICE OF WHAT WE CAN DO IN OUR OWN DAMN HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What do you know van is fighting the same fight but for something that is important to him..Fuc- the hippies and rebels right van?? We don't need freedom of choice because the choice is not one you would make.. There is no such thing as selective freedom either we all have it or we don't. You advocate selective freedom that is the true bull shit.

Also Mickey is a friend of mine he is very factual and concise in his comments and has all the facts correct you should be more open minded. He is in no was a fruit cake and  you are the one that is plain and simple (minded).

VAN TRY THIS SITE TO BRING SOME INTELLIGENCE TO YOU COMMENTS..

http://www.drugwarfacts.org/cms/

CFJ

I love this I am going to tell van my favorite FACT lets see what he says...This FACT alone proves the entire motivation for the war on drugs, greed and racism of course. Its not the weed its the people that use it I don't like.  (NIXON)

Marinol  A chemical drug you can get a prescription anywhere and buy it legally.. A major pharmaceutical company has the patent on Marinol..

It has the same chemically synthesized ingredient as Cannabis, THC.

How can this be? The big pharmacy boys (legal drug pushers) recognized the potential for profits on cannabis. But it is schedule one, so they bribed our lawmakers through lobbyist to move the main ingredient in cannabis THC to a lower schedule. This allowed them to patent and produce Marinol.

So use chemically synthesized THC (under a electron microscope the same as cannabis THC) IT'S LEGAL!! As long as the legal drug boys control and reap the profits THC is OK per our lawmakers and the FEDS...

Grow a weed free with THC and you go to jail five years mandatory minimum under federal law. They have a 99% conviction rate, by not allowing you to defend yourself. Then offering plea deals because you are going to jail!! If you plead guilty as your lawyer will tell you will get you less time. If you go to court you will get more time because it pisses the feds off if you want a trial or perhaps justice...

The game here is profit protections for the legal drug pushers. They do not want you to grow a weed free to get THC they want to control where and how much you pay for all drugs. (cannabis is not a drug it is a herb)))))

You do not have the ability to chemically synthesize THC that allows the legal boys to corner the THC market unless you of course want to go to jail...

You decide is this a scam or what? Are corporations really making the rules? Go to the site below look up your lawmaker in Washington.

http://www.opensecrets.org/

See how much the various corporations that profit from the war on drugs give "YOUR REPRESENTATIVE?" HA....Millions contributed every year to each and every one of our lawmaker in DC...We need to put an end to lobbyist but that is another fight vote for it at my site...

http://www.change.org/actions/view/step_one_end_specal_interest_in_washington


Van do some reading and research educate yourself...

CFJ

Van doesn't have any compliments yet


Wonder why?

Deanne....do you take care of your two kids while your "high" or under the influence?   If so, that just tells me you have no responsibility of care for your kids.  Sad!

I don't think showing up to work at a paid job under the influence of any drug is appropriate, specifically when your employer's policies prohibit it. 

This is it in a nutshell.  I wouldn't want to work with you either during the type of work I do either, you'd get killed.

Guys... seriously. Look at him.

He doesn't post facts. He attacks people personally and calls them "rats."

He's a troll.

Now that that unpleasantness is dealt with, we need to move away from "Why should it be legal?" to "How should it be legal?"

I would suggest not talking to him but it's way too much fun. I now have grown to look forward to getting out of work and rushing home to being able to sit down with my pipe and read what this windbag is going to spout off with next. You have to admit, it's good for a good laugh. Notice how as his flimsy ideas are shot down one by one he has less and less to say. I'm just wondering if he's going dare attempt to use any sort of fact in his argument.

Just so you know, Van. People tend to resort to personal attacks when they nothing more intelligent to say. You've yet to really respond to any of the facts raised in this discussion. Is this all your side has got? Because I have to say, it's not very convincing. Do you honestly think silly, juvenile name calling is going to stand in the way of progress? Or haven't you really even thought it out that far?

Is anyone out there making it Seattle Hempfest this August?

THE WAR ON DRUGS IS OVER?


http://blog.norml.org/2009/05/14/wsj-white-house-czar-calls-for-end-to-war-on-drugs/

Seems that Jeff has fallin' into a typical pattern of bad-mouthing people who disagree with him.  Something like a spoiled brat it would seem. Typical of a drug user sho doesn't get "his way"....cry, cry and cry some some more for us, covering up the real problem.......being a moronic, drug head!

Mickey......Class warfare??  Just what is "your side" and "my side"?  I'ev only given you "my OPINION".  I find it quite amusing that you have to "rush home" from a "hard days work" to read a lousy e-mail.  You really have a sheltered life don't you?

Deanne:  I also went to college and I "chose" to be in this line of work.  Cranes, monorail systems, engineering departments.  So Miss High and Mighty,.......S.O.R. !!

They're already trying to mislead people. Fight back here:


http://www.change.org/drug_free_america_foundation_inc


Don't let them lead more people astray with fearmongering!

Deane:  Please click on this website because I really feel it could do you some good and society would really appreciate it.
http://www.findstuff.com/v3/index.php?uvx=xgK0KLF9IHHKXbRedyFgMdbhDeKuAG8uhLK8oMzCYjGEDIcYj1nbiOuPLSsoDjNK1uEN4q4Aby5wIsFkIEkKRcIGjj81-iHfu-c1fIowbUSsP1l7jzCkssBZibXMKAogx5BKMjlXp5-SWc04HuC1a07KZBhOH8aI58FHPW4eV8hhp-DAS6KoKghq4eEoDh8OVcY7T0jG1d8hMLMyFbBURF8m_omNvCkXNnW1M7BIi24%2A

Deanne :

You stated that "you can't teach and old dog new tricks" AND that "you can get addicted to many different illegal drugs and in the case of marijuana in particular are a far bigger problem in society". 

With this statement by you, YOU are therefore admitting that marijuana is illegal and also a problem in society. By your standards it is just "a lesser problem."

My answer to this statement by you then is:  Why change laws that are a problem, whether lesser or not, just so people like you can get high and bring it around kids??

Then why don't you smoke pot around your kids if you are so concerned that the stuff is all right in your mind (whether altered or not)????
Would you be concerned if your kids grow up and smoke on a daily basis and if working in the fabrication industry and machiner, they hurt someone while coming back from a "smoke break" because their mind was altered???

Please no one talk to this person(VAN). He will never change his closed mind and thank god we are now the majority. People like him want there freedoms but want to say what everyone else should do or not do. They will never get it until it effects them or someone they know. Or until there freedoms are taken. I thought you were leaving Van. You have no valid points. Everything you say is the same old racist tired BS that no one except people like you keep trying to shove down our throats.Adults should be able to consume what ever they want. Is this not America, land of the (FREE) and the home of the brave! If you want to keep talking away other peoples freedoms then be careful because it will not be long before they start taking yours. We as citizens can not allow this to happen. I would fight for your freedoms , So you should do the same.

Yeah Van, I'm sheltered. Sure. That makes a while lota sense....

You have nothing substantive to say. You've yet to make a single point. Weren't you leaving?

mcikey:  Please take advantage of this website.

http://www.findstuff.com/v3/index.php?uvx=xQE67coJgYHmPSgrGEgi2fFlamP8H_R-2Kr9KvhF-6VQgaV-pSsPRgeIcXnOXAS-KKMgCkJYTPkgtKRAY0DEt6FTMZdM5rZy2mXLadKHPrxN-BCuBSgqcTCgyF-QfL_xXbCTscaMV5hr5ZI77RKaB-X8FmtvPtso6EeovRz2ODtlNoJVgoMxpi8YBomrulb8V8oIa27TnOzH_efX1JnPOcaGd52bhFOQxCAVPqJ3iTM%2A

I'll get right on that.

If anyone out there has a half hour to burn you should definitely check out this interview that appeared on PBS with David Simon, executive producer of HBO's The Wire. I think you'll find it very interesting.

http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/04172009/watch.html

Very good interview Mikey! it was very thought provoking.

BEAR thanks for the link. I have wanted to tell these people what I think of their organization for years since they do not take comments at their site. I don't blame them the Nazis....

Lets tell Drug Free America Foundation Inc. what we think about their effort to insure the drug war never ends and we jail people for using a natural herb... AT

http://www.change.org/drug_free_america_foundation_inc/comments

This organization is a front for the major legal drug pushers in our country they contribute millions ever year to ensure the perception that their drugs are good and legal but cannabis is evil and free and they would lose too many billions if it were legal. So they advocate we jail another million young people this year and destroy their future to insure their billions in profits....

Please go to their site and educate people to the
Facts............

Cherokee Fred Jesus

Please go and vote on this matter. We need to get it to # 1


http://opengov.ideascale.com/akira/dtd/2762-4049

I found this at crrh.org
According to the Notre Dame University publication, The Midlands Naturalist, from a 1975 article called, "Feral Hemp in Southern Illinois," about the wild hemp fields that annual efforts from law enforcement eradication teams cannot wipe out, an acre of hemp produces:

1. 8,000 pounds of hemp seed per acre.
When cold-pressed, the 8,000 pounds of hemp seed yield over 300 gallons of hemp seed oil and a byproduct of
6,000 pounds of high protein hemp flour.
These seed oils are both a food and a biodiesel fuel. Currently, the most productive seed oil crops are soybeans, sunflower seeds and rape seed or canola. Each of these three seed oil crops produce between 100 to 120 gallons of oil per acre. Hemp seed produces three times more oil per acre than the next most productive seed oil crops, or over 300 gallons per acre, with a byproduct of 3 tons of food per acre. Hemp seed oil is also far more nutritious and beneficial for our health than any other seed oil crop.

In addition to the food and oil produced, there are several other byproducts and benefits to the cultivation of hemp.

2. Six to ten tons per acre of hemp bast fiber. Bast fiber makes canvas, rope, lace, linen, and ultra-thin specialty papers like cigarette and bible papers.

3. Twenty-five tons of hemp hurd fiber. Hemp hurd fiber makes all grades of paper, composite building materials, animal bedding and a material for the absorption of liquids and oils.

4. The deep tap root draws up sub-soil nutrients and then, when the leaves fall from the plant to the ground, they return these nutrients to the top soil for the next crop rotation.

5. The residual flowers, after the seeds are extracted, produce valuable medicines.

Our farmers need this valuable crop to be returned as an option for commercial agriculture.

While marijuana is prohibited, industrial hemp will be economically prohibitive due to the artificial regulatory burdens imposed by the prohibition of marijuana. When marijuana and cannabis are legally regulated, industrial hemp will return to its rightful place in our agricultural economy.

Hemp may be the plant that started humans down the road toward civilization with the invention of agriculture itself. All archaeologists agree that cannabis was among the first crops purposely cultivated by human beings at least over 6,000 years ago, and perhaps more than 12,000 years ago.

Restoring industrial hemp to its rightful place in agriculture today will return much control to our farmers, and away from the multinational corporations that dominate our political process and destroy our environment. These capital-intensive, non-sustainable, and environmentally destructive industries have usurped our economic resources and clear-cut huge tracts of the world's forests, given us massive oil spills, wars, toxic waste, massive worldwide pollution, global warming and the destruction of entire ecosystems.

Prohibiting the cultivation of this ancient plant, the most productive source of fiber, oil and protein on our planet, is evil. In its place we have industries that give us processes and products that have led to unprecedented ecological crisis and worldwide destruction of the biological heritage that we should bequeath to our children, grandchildren and future generations.

Restore hemp!

Interesting thought I just heard. I think is was Bill Mare that said if the war on drugs did the damage to the white race that it is doing to the black race their would be a huge outcry. Those who are informed know that the prohibition of cannabis was mainly aimed at the people of color. Today it is doing what it was designed enslaving and destroying mainly young people of color.

As long as young blacks are paying the price for the war on drugs why should Washington care. The war on drugs does not affect them. They are above the law as we just proved with the torture deal. I support prosecution of the people that authorized torture including Bush. You grow a weed you get from ten years to life. l feel our lawmakers should be prosecuted for taking away our rights a free Americans.

Cherokee Fred Jesus

No new comments in days now. Being old this scares me Americans tend to forget. They get a little complacent and the government will continue to rape us.

Please stay vigilant we must pull together and make our country great again. We all need to work on the major issues in our country and keep fighting every day!

We need universal health care for all Americans rich and poor like Canada they have a great system.

The major money people in this country do not want us to have health care. They would lose too much money they are willing to destroy more of us to insure they continue making increased profits. They allow 20,000 a year to die in our country I suppose they look at it like a necessary expense.

We need to end the war on drugs and use the money to finance universal heath care. Then we could help people that need it and quit jailing people that don't need our help. Some people just want freedom of choice. Their choice for relief is cannabis over liquor. All we demand is to have a choice and stop the dictatorship we have in place today. Liquor and legal drugs kill over 100,000 a year or more, cannabis in 5000 years has killed no one. You tell me what the smart choice is if we were allowed to have a choice?

We also need to stop the buying of our country by corporations. They will destroy our world if we allow them to continue as they operate today. They pay our representatives to favor their interest and sacrifice our lives to do so. The few wealthy are getting more wealthy while the middle class is pushed closer to poverty every day. If we were to quit wasting money and put more interest into quality of life... What a great country we could have for all Americans. The key is to be responsive and represent the people not the corporations that control our country today.

Reduce the power of Washington they control too much and use propaganda to further their special interest. Not to mention the tax money they throw away and give to corporations. They then receive PAC money from the same corporations, DC is the only place where this is not considered bribery. But we stand by and allow the selling of our representation to the highest bidder.

Education is also a key element. Being 60 I have seen the same pattern over and over with not results. We have a money problem they cut the schools. Then they say want better education we need to raise taxes. Then the cycle repeats and the schools are still far substandard to much of the developed world. They have used this cycle of fear over and over during my life. We must demand a higher priority on education it is the key to enlightened decision making...

OK I will shut up. Did anybody see Bill Mar last night this guy tells it like it is, I like him. I hope he does not go the way of the Smothers Brothers...

Cherokee Fred Jesus

Prohibitionists Are In Control Of The Border Who controls the U.S.-Canada border (Editorial: Crossing the line, The Times, May 24)?

Cannabis (marijuana) prohibitionists do, that’s who. Cannabis prohibition is a discredited, failed and harmful government-subsidized discrimination program that should never have been allowed to start and should have ended years ago. Problems due to cannabis prohibition can only increase; nothing good will ever come from the nightmare. Nearly every study, including government studies, call for an end to the farce.

In the early 1970s, the Le Dain Commission’s report along with Canada’s 2002 Senate Committee on Illegal Drugs’ report unanimously recommended to regulate cannabis the same way as alcohol.

Since Canada ignored those recommendations, the problems associated with prohibiting the relatively safe, socially acceptable, God-given plant cannabis have escalated. And it’s not limited to Canada; look at what’s happening in the U.S. and Mexico.

For decades, U.S. prohibitionists have spent billions to perpetuate reefer madness and millions of North Americans bought the crime. The only way to end the misdeeds is to finally end cannabis prohibition. It’s time to treat cannabis prohibitionists like vampires.

http://www.420magazine.com/forums/in...ol-border.html

Delaware Senate Bill Would Legalize Medical Marijuana
May 27, 2009Sussex Countian

STATEWIDE - Delawareans afflicted with a variety of chronic and painful conditions would be able to legally use medical marijuana to ease their suffering under a bill now under consideration in the Delaware State Senate.

Sen. Margaret Rose Henry (D-Wilmington East), said her bill isn’t an outright decriminalization of marijuana and is aimed at balancing compassion for the sick with maintaining tight controls on access and the amount of marijuana a person can have.

“Modern science shows us that marijuana can have beneficial effects for people suffering from a number of conditions including cancer, multiple sclerosis, glaucoma and HIV-AIDS,” Henry said. “While we don’t want to encourage the use of marijuana as a recreational drug, it makes no sense at all to deny the comfort it can give to people suffering from truly debilitating and painful diseases.”

If passed, Henry’s bill would:
•    Limit patients to six ounces of marijuana a month.
•    Require patients, people designated as caregivers and personnel at the “Compassion Care Centers” where pot could be distributed to have state issued ID cards authorizing their ability to access marijuana. The non-profit centers could not be operated within 500 feet of an existing public or private school.
•    Require that marijuana be cultivated in enclosed, locked facilities with security systems to prevent theft.
•    Ban employers from firing an employee receiving medical marijuana if they fail a drug screening. However, employees could be fired for working under the influence of marijuana.
•    Prohibit the use of marijuana in public places, on public transportation, in schools and in prison.

Dr. John Goodill, chief of pain and palliative medicine at Christiana Care, said he supports Henry’s bill because it’s based on a proven model that’s produced good results for patients.

"This bill follows a model that has worked well in other states to date,” Goodill said.  “I think the medical evidence is compelling enough to add it to the list of options for relieving suffering in people living with serious illness and chronic pain.”

Joe Scarborough of Wilmington has used marijuana to ease the side effects of the drugs he takes to combat the effects of AIDS and to ease the pain in his leg and foot from nerve damage caused when a cancerous tumor was removed from his back. He praised Henry for taking on the issue and focusing it on using marijuana for medicinal purposes, instead of pushing for options, such as blanket decriminalization.

“Maybe, in a perfect world, you’d discuss total decriminalization, but I think Sen. Henry’s approach – just focusing on the people who can be helped by medical marijuana – is the right one,” Scarborough said. “I can tell you that, in my case, smoking marijuana has helped with the pain and nausea associated with the drugs I take for AIDS as well as chemotherapy and it has helped with pain caused by my nerve damage.”

My objective of ending our dictatorship in 2009 just passed through another month. Billions more have been wasted hundreds of thousands are in jail more are forced into rehab or community service. Fines from non-violent cannabis offenders have become a major source of income to the law enforcement community and judicial branch's. We have a growing parasitic industry that provides in home leg monitors and drug rehab also drug testing. Now the drug thugs are saying they use treatment rather than putting more in jail. I would be glad to see a reduction in the numbers spending time in jail. But the for profit jail system is growing I just heard on the news where Atlanta is planning to sell their main jail to a private firm. It appears the money people are betting against us. The ones that believe a victimless crime is not a crime at all. They would not be spending money buying jails if they thought we were a threat. They are still allowed to join the many that contribute to buying our representatives and growing their business. Our representatives must feel we will as in the past get over it. Go back to our existence. Continue to send our kids to substandard schools. Continue to allow them to sacrifice and destroy almost one million Americans lives a year. Because they feel they know what is best for us more-so than ourselves. They allow 20,000 a year to die due to lack of medical care. They say we don't need universal health care for all. They say we do not deserve to make choices for ourselves. They say they can spend our hard earned money any way they like. They can throw it away they can use it to put more of us in jail. They can pay Halaburton billions and accept bribes and perks for their efforts. They can take away the few remaining freedoms we still posses. They can own seven homes have a fully paid health care plan and retire on the same amount they were making when so called working. Their kids go to Harvard or Yale and have a high paying jobs guaranteed by other ivy league click lucky few. While we continue to see higher tax, legalized spying, laws being passed based on right wing religious beliefs.

Or we can fight harder talk to more people raise more money. Demand our representatives stop taking bribes and represent those they are sworn to represent. March, hold meetings, get involved. With our leaders help we will have a great America for all the way it was intended....

Cherokee Fred Jesus

In the action section our cause is number two. Spread the word lets make it number one again. It seems we stay 500 or so behind sex education which seems odd to me?

GO VOTE!!

CFJ

YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO A WHITE HOUSE TRADITION:

The 40th annual Smoke-In
Washington, DC

Saturday July 4th:

Rally - High Noon - Lafayette Park
Parade - 3:00PM Lafayette Park to Lincoln Memorial
Concert- 23rd & Constitution Ave NW

Featuring:

Human Rights (HR of the Bad Brains)
See-I
Christos
Telesma
The Package
The Omsteders
J.B. Beverley & the Wayward Drifters
DJ Beedroom

Call 202-286-5586 or visit www.smoke-in.org for more information.

Mikey is this rally the same as MMM? We are due in DC on July 4th?

http://www.trm3-801.org/

We should combine our efforts??

Cherokee Fred Jesus
State Rep GA MMM

We need more input to our government please sent them a message...

http://www.democrats.org/page/s/contactissues

Let them know what you feel on this issue if we keep hammering they will be forced to change like our leader said he stood for....

Cherokee Fred Jesus

Or input here or do as I and use both to send your thoughts daily!!!!!!!!!

http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

CFJ

Van you are a babbling idiot! People like you are the ones our fore fathers took out back and shot for treason! You have 0 right to tell any body what they can or can not do in there homes. It is right wing extremists like you that give us conservative republicans a bad name! It would be the absolute most rewarding and courageous thing we could do would be stopping this insane war on some drugs! It is because of people like you who have had this stereotype of such a negative anti social picture of people who choose safer things than alcohol shoved down your throats for 70 plus years and you actually bought it with out doing zero research of your own. You are such an independent thinker there van. Come on get a clue. This will go down in history the 2nd worst thing to slavery. Jailing people for being different and having different tastes. How narrow minded is that. I bet you want to keep your gun rights . If you take other peoples rights then don't complain when they take yours!

I just watched a documentary on the life of Abbie Hoffman. It showed when Nixon started taking away our rights. He was the first to use the FBI like his personal Nazi enforcer. We have gone down hill from there to where we are today.

Did you know the cops can search your car your house ever thing you own with no viable reason. Probable cause is an excuse for a search any time. Like wearing too much after shave they consider this a masking agent and can be use under probable cause searches. I had a cop stop and search my car because I was laughing at a joke my wife told me. He thought because I was laughing I must be high. I suppose we are to walk around like zombies with a frown at all time to warrant off arrest...

Please join me and fight this tyranny we live with today...

Cherokee Fred Jesus

I am sorry van, it is you who are the fool!

Please help me in drawing a line in the sand to our FEDS...

http://www.eddylepp.com/

Send anything you can afford to defend this elder man sentenced to what will be life to this man..How stupid.

They have paypal its easy send what you can..

Cherokee Fred Jesus

It's Friday night and being 60 I am sitting in my recliner about to get a hot bath and go to bed. After Bill Maher of course he is my hero...

But I had a thought, a revolutionary thought..

WHY DO OUR LEADERS NOT TAKE THE 100 BILLION WASTED ON THE WAR ON DRUGS.

MAKE HELP WITHOUT STIGMA AVAILABLE TO THOSE WHO NEED HELP OR WANT HELP.

THOSE THAT DO NOT REQUIRE HELP WILL BE LEFT ALONE TREAT THEM LIKE THE ADULTS THEY ARE.

WHY DO OUR LEADERS DESTROY THOSE THAT FEEL THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO FREE CHOICE.

COULD IT BE THE MILLIONS CORPORATIONS PAY THEM. THE CORPORATIONS THAT STAND TO LOSE THE MOST MONEY IF CANNABIS WERE LEGAL?

IT IS TIME FOR ALL OF US TO HAVE REVOLUTIONARY IDEAS OF OUR OWN. WHAT A GREAT COUNTRY WE COULD HAVE WITHOUT THE GREED WE LIVE WITH TODAY.

THEY HAVE ALMOST WIPED OUT THE MIDDLE CLASS WITH THEIR WARS AND LAWS TO SERVE CORPORATE PROFITS. YET YOU NEVER HEAR OF A SWAT TEAM BREAKING DOWN A SENATORS DOOR..  WONDER WHAT YOU WOULD FIND? FOR SURE YOU WOULD FIND A BANK BOOK SHOWING MULTI MILLIONS OF PAC MONEY STASHED AWAY.

WHILE THE PEOPLE IN THE HOOD ARMED WITH THEIR SUBSTANDARD EDUCATION. TRY TO LIVE THE AMERICAN DREAM. WE SACRIFICE ALMOST A MILLION OF THEM A YEAR.

NOW THAT THEY HAVE FOUND A NEW ROUTE TO TAKE OUR MONEY AND FUTURE. TO REDUCE THE NUMBERS IN JAIL THEY ARE SWITCHING TO PROBATION AND REHAB ALONG WITH FINES FOR YOUR VICTIMLESS CRIME. THIS IS TURING INTO A REAL MONEY MACHINE FOR MANY CITIES. PLUS THEY CAN SAY WE ARE NOT SENDING AS MANY TO JAIL. WE JUST MILK THEM AND DESTROY THEIR RECORD, WORKS FOR THEM.

THE CORPORATIONS WISH US TO ONLY HAVE THE CHOICE THEY PRODUCE. I READ AND LEARN MORE ABOUT THEIR FOUL CHEMICAL DRUGS THEY PUSH. KILLING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS EVERY YEAR LOOK AT THE STATISTICS ITS ALL THERE. MANY OF THEIR FOUL CHEMICALS COULD BE REPLACED BY A NATURAL HERB SAY DOCTORS IN CALIFORNIA

THEY PAY OUR LAWMAKERS MILLIONS EVER YEAR. THEN WHEN THEY MAKE A DECISION. IT IS NOT ALWAYS WHAT IS BEST FOR ALL AMERICANS. THEY VOTE FOR WHAT IS BEST FOR THE CORPORATIONS THAT PAY THEIR BILLS.

BACK TO MY IDEA, IT IS TIME TO TAKE OUR COUNTRY BACK. MAKE DECISIONS THAT BENEFIT ALL AMERICANS. DO AWAY WITH POVERTY AND MEDICAL DISPARITY. WE COULD HAVE A GREAT COUNTRY WHERE WE COULD ALL LIVE AND PROSPER. IF WE WOULD JUST STOP THE ONES FEEDING ON US.

END THE WAR ON DRUGS TAKE THE MONEY AND HELP THE FEW THAT WANT OR NEED HELP LEAVE THE REST OF US THE HELL ALONE!!!!

Cherokee Fred Jesus

the problem with why people are so easily fooled is down to the fact that a very many people don't have any inbuilt sense of right and wrong. if u look into the work of carl jung you will see how different personality types function. a very high percentage of the population are only capable of learning right from wrong from observing the moral code of those around them. the esfj personality type especially at a whopping 13% of the population. they take what they see at face value. that is why it is so important to convince these people that marijuana is not evil. but we must not abuse them and call them idiots though it is tempting to i know! we must not get their back up and put them automatically on the defensive.to do so would be counterproductive to the cause.

i have just finished watching the film "milk" with sean penn. in it he urges every gay person to come out. because the more people that these moral copycats know as being gay,the quicker being gay would be accepted. i urge everyone to gently whisper in the ears of these morally confused people. argue the facts till u are blue in the face.

soon we will be in the majority and these people are built for conformity so they WILL follow suit.

i suggest also boycotting all the leading brands of beer. budweiser,heineken,miller,coors, play hard ball with these people. print posters. i think it should all be annonymously done. we don't need any more activists being shot down or locked up.

lets use all the creative power cannabis helps us to achieve!

FREE THE WEED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.kirotv.com/news/19661774/detail.html

this i believe will be a very large story.  a brave kid, he attacked the prohibtion on quite a few levels.

dupont, hearst & anslinger make me wanna puke.

end the prohibition on cannabis and hemp once and for all.

Good article on

http://blog.norml.org/

Burn um up my friends...........We are growing stronger and what is right and honesty will prevail..

CFJ

Another response.


Dear Mr. Snyder:

Thank you for taking the time to contact me about the legalization of marijuana. I appreciate hearing from all Pennsylvanians about the issues that matter most to them.

Marijuana is currently classified as a Schedule I drug under federal law. As such, it is not legally recognized as having any acceptable medical use, and it is a crime to possess or distribute marijuana for any purpose.

At this time, there are no bills pending before either the House of Representatives or the Senate to decriminalize or legalize marijuana for medicinal or recreational use. Please be assured that should such a bill be introduced and come before the Senate, I will keep your views in mind.

Again, thank you for sharing your thoughts with me. Please do not hesitate to contact me in the future about this or any other matter of importance to you.

If you have access to the Internet, I encourage you to visit my web site, http://casey.senate.gov. I invite you to use this online office as a comprehensive resource to stay up-to-date on my work in Washington, request assistance from my office or share with me your thoughts on the issues that matter most to you and to Pennsylvania.

Sincerely,
Bob Casey
United States Senator

If I had the power I would require every Americans intrested in taking our country back. WATCH THIS VIDEO FOR THE TRUTH....

http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=71554350&blogId=493786145

THE REAL DEAL

Cherokee Fred Jesus

VOTE TO LEGALIZE CANNABIS. THIS IS REAL!! CALL CNN TODAY
OBAMA WILL CONSIDER 1 MILLION VOTERS

CALL 1-973-409-3274

CALL NOW
TELL YOUR FRIENDS TO CALL
PASS A PAY PHONE AND CALL AGAIN
GET'ER DONE

ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We only need 200 votes to take over the number one spot in the actions section. Please go and vote we will be the number one issue every where you look.  Tell your friends put up posters in your school spread the word we are going to END the war on US (drugs)..

Perhaps then OUR REPRESENTATIVES will support us rather than consistently voting for what is best for big money and themselves (KICKBACKS I CALL IT BRIBERY!). End the tyranny stop the government from feeding on our young!!  20 million destroyed and jailed to date.....

Old as dirt Cherokee Fred Jesus

OK CANNABIS SUPPORTERS WE HAVE A DEBATE ON NATIONAL TV FOR AN ENTIRE WEEK.....LEAVE A COMMENT AT THIS URL...TELL A FRIEND....POST IT EVERYWHERE....JOIN THE FIGHT...RAISE HELL

http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2009/06/13/americas-high-the-case-for-and-against-pot/comment-page-1/#comment-746727

TELL THEM HOW YOU FEEL SPREAD THE WORD!!!!!!!!!!

Cherokee Fred Jesus

I felt it necessary to share with you guys the rebuttal I posted on the Drug Free America Foundation in response to a couple of claims made on that site. Somewhat in the hopes that others may get bored and pick out a tender little nugget of misinformation, do some research and rip it apart with government numbers.



The claim is being made on this site that "after the Netherlands legalized marijuana use for adults, the use rates for 18-20 year olds tripled from 18 to 44 percent". The first thing to be noted is that marijuana is in fact not legalized in Holland. It is merely tolerated. This tolerance started back in the late 70's, over 30 years ago. Use rates for that segment of the population over that period of time rose is every country regardless of what  kind of drug laws they have in place. According to numbers supplied by the US Department of Health and Human Services and the Netherlands Ministry of Justice, the drug abuse problem in the Netherlands has been aided greatly by a more rational marijuana policy. Lifetime prevalence of marijuana use in ages 12 and up shows only 17% for Holland, compared to 37% of Americans. I would like to respectfully direct you to this chart comparing rates of use in the Netherlands to the United States.

http://drugwarfacts.org/cms/?q=node/67

"Cannabis use among young people has also increased in most Western European countries and in the US. The rate of (cannabis) use among young people in the US is much higher than in the Netherlands, and Great Britain and Ireland also have relatively larger numbers of school students who use cannabis. The figures for cannabis use among the general population reveal the same pictures. The Netherlands does not differ greatly from other European countries. In contrast, a comparison with the US shows a striking difference in this area: 32.9% of Americans aged 12 and above have experience with cannabis and 5.1% have used in the past month. These figures are twice as high as those in the Netherlands."
Source:
Netherlands Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, Drug Policy in the Netherlands: Progress Report September 1997-September 1999, (The Hague: Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, November 1999), pp. 7-8.

The most telling fact in this (and why I bring this up with this particular story) is the homicide rates in the Netherlands compared to the US. Per 100,000 citizens, 5.56 fall victim to homicide in America, compared to 1.51 in the Netherlands. To show you what kind of issue has resulted from the unique drug policy the Dutch have employed, they’re actually closing prisons due to a supreme lack of overcrowding. America on the other hand has the largest non-violent incarceration rate on the planet.

http://www.nrc.nl/international/article2246821.ece/Netherlands_to_close_prisons_for_lack_of_criminals

Also many claims are made here in regards to marijuana producing violent behavior. Studies have found a link between youthful depression, poly-drug use and risk taking behavior and teenage marijuana use. The link is commonly misinterpreted as the cause. These are two recent studies often sited as evidence that cannabis use leads to violent behavior:

http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/treatan/treana17.htm

"Regardless of whether the problem behaviors preceded marijuana use or marijuana use preceded the behaviors (which we are not able to ascertain from the NHSDA), it is apparent from these data that the marijuana users are exhibiting many signs of anxiety and depression and exhibiting delinquent and aggressive behaviors far in excess of the nonusers. Further, there appears to be a high correlation between the presence of many of these reported behaviors and the frequency of marijuana use."

http://www.csdp.org/research/friedman_mjviolence.pdf

"Drug use by persons with antisocial personality could reasonably be expected to increase any tendency to act violently. On the other hand, such drug use has also been postulated to be an attempt to assuage violent tendencies through self-medication. To the extent that this might occur, it indicates that having violent tendencies can predispose to substance use/abuse, which is the converse of the relationship proposed for study in this paper. Accordingly, it is a potential confounding factor that should to be controlled for in the analyses performed for our study."


As you can obviously see; marijuana abuse and addiction, violent or destructive behavior, anxiety and depression ,all root from one larger mental health issue. To focus in marijuana, arbitrarily declare it the cause and criminalize these people helps no one. Especially when the American substance abuse treatment system is flooded with people forced into rehab over petty possession. We cannot identify those with actual abuse and mental health issues because of the way users are treated in this country. Our current policy is an abuse of both our health care and law enforcement systems. And above all else it abuses the individuals that get caught up in the cycle of addiction, incarceration and social entrapment that comes along with getting caught with drugs in America. A mental health approach to drug abuse could identify these people before violence or drug abuse becomes a problem and break the cycle before it even gets started for at least some of these individuals.

As we all should know Drug Free America Foundation Inc. Is a cover propaganda site. Its sole purpose it to alienate people against some drugs (cannabis) while insuring the thousands of legal drugs are viewed as OK. It is backed by the ones that make billions selling drugs so the objective is not for a drug free America. Its objective is to make sure they are the only ones allowed to sell drugs. If cannabis were legal it would cost them billions that is why they have this site and fight it so vehemently..

Cheerokee Fred Jesus

OK CANNABIS SUPPORTERS WE HAVE A DEBATE ON NATIONAL TV FOR AN ENTIRE WEEK.....LEAVE A COMMENT AT THIS URL...TELL A FRIEND....POST IT EVERYWHERE....JOIN THE FIGHT...RAISE HELL

http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2009/06/13/americas-high-the-case-for-and-against-pot/comment-page-1/#comment-746727

TELL THEM HOW YOU FEEL SPREAD THE WORD!!!!!!!!!!

Cherokee Fred Jesus

call Obama and try and get him to pardon Charles Lynch!

i just got done leaving my rant on the lynch case on the 202-456-1111 obama hotline. took about 10 times to get past the busy signal then was on hold a good 15 minutes, hopefully it was other concerned cannabis citizens calling to convince senor ‘change’ that we are high time for some right about NOW!

my father died homeless related to his alcoholism. his father died of lung cancer associated with years of smoking tobacco. i choose to vaporize cannabis and not consume alcohol, big pharma, or smoke tobacco. i will live a long and healthy life and pay LOTS OF TAXES. GET OUT OF MY LIFE GOVERMENT. lets move forward as a NATION.

end the unjust & doomed to fail prohibition on cannabis and HEMP.  it has been illegal less then 80 years.  restore this simple human freedom of choice on earth NOW all across the americas.

it is time for CALIFORNIA TO SECEDE as we are about to go bankrupt. 

the government isn't going to bail us out? they are going to sentence our cannabis users to jail? DEA GO AWAY. we'll take all immigrants currently here. let any 1,2, 3, or 4 humans get consenually married.  mind 'YOUR OWN GOD's DAMN'd" business as to what is going on consensually behind closed doors.

in our wonderful new nation we'll even let the little kids eat HEMP CEREAL.  but as long as they are 18 they can cultivate and consume cannabis & ALCOHOL.  they already do in HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE now they'll just do it a little more moderately & intelligently.

GAVIN NEWSOME LEAD THE OUSTING OF ARNOLD

END THE UNJUST PROHIBITION ON CANNABIS, HEMP & consensual marriage.

if we really want to lessen crime our new nation will BAN GUNS as well.  let the cops run around flaunting there tazers they seem to love so much.

CANNABIS on TV is everywhere...
just watched CNBC power lunch with aaron burnett, wow is she phenemonal or what, who had on a nice guest host talking a little bit about the corporate profits some companies are making synthesizing certain aspects of cannabis...as well as noted scientists believing the plants huge potential in certain groundbreaking treatments. 
while i have nothing against you guys tinkering with the original to get something slightly different...
you cannot keep the NATURAL PLANT from us any longer. 

hey americans, i challenge you not to do the typical go out and get your drink on this weekend...but get a few of your favorite friends, 420 virgins in particular...and VAPORIZE AND then RESPECT the EDIBLES. 

Want to know how to get 3 billion from our leaders???

If you are Mexico and say we are thinking about doing the right thing and make cannabis legal.

Good news right? I am thinking of moving to a country where they cared about helping their people Mexico...

But wait our lawmakers in Washington gave Mexican officials three billion for cannabis eradication.

What would you do if someone gave you three billion that's
3,000,000,000.00 would you continue the war on drugs in your country?  They did and thanks to our lawmakers and our tax money they continue the madness we call the war on drugs......

Cherokee Fred Jesus

VENTING

History if recorded correctly will put a black light on our lawmakers. The very people that are entrusted to oversee our country are raping it. How can they sleep at night with the truth looming over their head? They feel above the law. Like our former administration who broke not only our country's but international and global laws. What did they pay? Our lawmakers today must feel they cannot be touched they will never pay the price for crimes against our country. I see news every day indicating our system is rotten at the core.

Our lawmakers take millions from corporations every day!!! I just read a story where two senators for their opposition to universal health care received 1.6 million each. The money contributed by the pharmaceutical companies. Who stand to lose billions under the single payer option most Americans support. It's in the news are Americans all asleep? Can they not read? Is Washington D.C. The only place where it is OK to take money and then screw an entire country? When did bribery become legal did our lawmakers pass a law? Allowing them the commit blatant crimes against the ones they are sworn to represent? Do we just stand by and allow this to happen before our eyes and do nothing? I for one am tired. I have see it happen so many times in my 60 years to me it is criminal action against our country and its people.

Look at our schools we have been promised better education. But never received it. Our lawmakers children go to Ivy league schools and have their future guaranteed by a system in place to insure this happens. They seem to prefer to keep us dumb uneducated and under control.

How about our health care we as a majority demand universal health care for all Americans. Our lawmakers say this is not an option! We will not even discuss this as an option! The AMA is against equal health care. They would have to take less money for their doctor members services. The pharmaceutical industry is against universal health care. They would lose money under the new plan pill pushers would not have a place in a fair system. Like Canada doctors would be rewarded for helping people which would include getting them off as many of the foul chemical drugs as possible. They will kill you! Legal drugs kill hundreds of thousands every year. And damage the lives of millions more. Yet our lawmakers allow the legal drug pushers (doctors) to kill people every day and do nothing. The FDA must be bought and paid for! Plus our lawmakers allow this industry to control itself. While they addict more and more Americans giving pills for everything from ED to legs that will not be still. The pharmaceutical company is a 681 billion dollar industry, thats yearly and growing. So paying our representatives to vote against what is best for the country is a small price to pay. To protect their growth industry. Our medical system today, the rich get the good care and the poor get no care. Of course the lawmakers get the best care and do not have to worry about paying we pay for them....

Let us not forget the legal system. It does not work for the poor. They are enslaved daily as proof of this fact. But again our lawmakers are protected they designed the overly complicated system we have today. It protects them from us. Passing laws and promoting lawyers that we have no access to. If you have not been involved in our legal system you are lucky if you have you know I speak the truth. Again the rich and powerful are above the law. The poor and powerless are slaves to the law. The entire legal system feeds on our very children over one million non-violent passive children are enslaved yearly. If you are old they will feed on you as well.....

My main fight is the war on drugs. I know you only have information provided by the propaganda machine run by our lawmakers. If people would only look beyond the lies they have been told for years.

Why was the drug war started?

If you study history you know, it was for greed and racism.

Why did Nixon escalate the war in the 70s?

To jail people that were against the war in Vietnam, he associated cannabis with the anti war movement. He used the legal system to control free speech..

Why is cannabis still illegal?

The pharmaceutical industry would lose 544 billion a year as forecast by doctors in California. Where cannabis has been replacing many of their foul chemical drugs. Cannabis since the beginning of time has killed no one. Unlike the chemicals pushed by the legal drug pushers.

Why do our lawmakers put non-violent victim-less crime people in jail? They harm no one yet the FEDs will break down their door. Take them to a federal court where they are not allowed to use the facts in their defense. Put them in federal prison to do hard time under federal mandatory minimum sentencing guidelines. I read every day where this happens to people that under state law have committed no crime. When a city grants you a business license and the mayor is at your grand opening. To me it seems you have a legal business? But wait our representatives have a quota a certain number must be sacrificed. Leaders insist on putting normal every day Americans in jail. At great expense to our country as well. Estimates as high as 100 billion yearly is what the war on drugs cost us. Not to mention the millions that have their lives destroyed for nothing. Nothing except to keep the money flowing to our lawmakers. To insure certain corporations continue their growth business. As long as they kick back millions to our representatives every year. When will history record this as the crime against Americans? As it truly is. It is nothing more than 21 century slavery. People that advocate this system should be recorded as criminals against society...

Why do we not take the money wasted on the war on drugs and help the few that want it or need it. And leave the rest of us alone.....

Cherokee Fred Jesus

They are doing to us what the nazis did to the jewish people and they do not care! Next will be camps.

To late they have camps they are for profit jails. Run by the same one that gets most of the military contracts. How many millions are they (contributing) paying to bribe our lawmakers. They are the ones that should be put in camps. The crimes they are committing against the poor people in this great country we have. It is time to fight back blog write letters call raise hell!!!!

Cherokee Fred Jesus

great post on NormL 2day

By Sean T. McAllister, Esq., Member, NORML Legal Committee (Breckenridge, CO)

Marijuana remains illegal even though public attitudes are clearly changing on this topic. It is illegal even though 100 million Americans have smoked it and suffered little if any negative side effects. It is illegal even though 40% or more of Americans currently support legalization. It is illegal even though it is not physically addictive; you cannot overdose on marijuana; and the dependency rate of marijuana is lower than alcohol.

Marijuana remains illegal even though prohibition is incredibly expensive. The federal government spends at least $10 billion per year specifically on marijuana prohibition. Approximately 60,000 people are in prisons in America on marijuana violations only. If all 15-25 million Americans who smoke marijuana monthly were imprisoned, the country would spend $365 billion per year to incarcerate these people. Considering the country could reap approximately $6.2 billion per year if marijuana were taxed and regulated like alcohol, the war on marijuana easily costs somewhere in the neighborhood of $20 billion per year.

Marijuana remains illegal even though prohibition has miserably failed. After 35 years of a war on drugs largely targeting marijuana, the same number of high school students now say marijuana is easy to get and they had used it as answered those question in the affirmative in 1975. It remains illegal even though the Obama administration has declared an end to the “war on drugs,” while at the same time laughing off marijuana legalization.

Marijuana prohibition continues even though it empowers Mexican drug cartels. Approximately 60-70% of the profit of Mexican drug cartels comes from marijuana sales. If marijuana were taxed and regulated, this black market would virtually disappear, Mexican drug cartels would be much weaker, and our border would be much more secure.

Despite these facts, most politicians continue support marijuana prohibition. Commission after commission and newspaper editorial board after board may endorse marijuana legalization, but it continues to be ignored in state capitals. Grassroots activism does a great job keeping this issue in the press, but politicians continue to ignore it. Few politicians see it in their narrow interests of reelection to come out in favor of legalization of marijuana.

What follows is a brief analysis of some of the factors that continue to propagate the inertia of marijuana prohibition:

Facts don’t matter

When it comes to marijuana, statistics don’t seem to matter. Costs don’t matter. As noted above, no matter how many billions per year it costs to enforce marijuana prohibition, there seems to be no cost too high to prohibit it. Prohibitionist seem to be saying that there is no cost to high to attempt to limit marijuana use.

Overall use and teen use is lower in countries that have legalized (Amsterdam) or fully decriminalized marijuana (Portugal, Spain, Britian) than in the United States. There is no real evidence that marijuana is a gateway drug (in fact research shows that marijuana is largely a terminus drug - meaning people use nothing more than marijuana throughout their lives).

In Colorado alone, 13,000 people are arrested every year on marijuana charges. Another few hundred are in prison on marijuana charges. In total, Colorado spends around $85 million dollars per year on marijuana prohibition. If Colorado taxed and regulated marijuana, the net gain for the state coffers would be $150 million per year.

None of this seems to matter to those in favor of prohibition. Instead, the debate turns on value judgments and justifications not tried to any empirical data. While those favoring legalization should continue to insist that we deal with empirical data, facts alone will not legalize marijuana.

Prohibition is a hangover of the 60s culture war

By far the greatest impediments to living in a world where marijuana is not criminalized are the left over stereotypes and culture wars from the 1960s and 70s. Those where the decades when the counterculture made widespread marijuana use synonymous with alternative lifestyles and an implicit rejection of mainstream traditional American values.

The classic narrative of drug use in America is that while it may have started out as an innocent and idealized behavior in the 60s, the 70s and early 80s saw the “drug culture” deteriorate into a narcissistic world of selfishness and excess. The irresponsibility of some early users saddled the next several generations with the general notion that marijuana users were not good citizens and their lifestyles did not produce healthy communities and families. Simply put, prohibitionist have succeeded in branding marijuana users as irresponsible and not serious. That perception must change, even if it means more people “coming out of the closet” and showing that marijuana use can occur in conjunction with healthy, intelligent lifestyles.

Marijuana Prohibition Criminalizes Youth and Leads to Skewed Electoral Results

The classic pattern of marijuana use is that people begin experiment with marijuana near the end of high school. Experimentation steadily tappers off through their late 20s and for most people by their mid-30s, marijuana use is a rare or nonexistent experience. As people acquire more responsibility (marriage, children, mortgage), they find less room in their lives for marijuana.

This trend also explains why political change is so hard. As marijuana withers from adults’ habits, they are less likely to pursue or advocate for reform. By a person’s mid-30s, he or she has already quit using marijuana so they have no incentive to seek its legalization. This leads to the general atmosphere of marijuana reform, which is that too few people remain directly affected throughout their lifetimes so as to care about changing marijuana laws. Those that continue to “care,” perhaps care too much and are seen as radicals by the establishment. The reform movement needs to engage past users to help change marijuana laws.

Free rider problem and Selective Enforcement

For those that will continue to use marijuana throughout their lifetime (perhaps 6%-10% of users), there also is little incentive to advocate for legalization. As few as 2 in 100 people ever suffer criminal justice sanctions as a consequence of their marijuana use. Because so few stakeholders feel the effects of prohibition, those with the most at stake in legalization are not in the streets demanding change. The difference between the gay rights movement and marijuana proponents is that by advocating for marijuana rights people immediately subject themselves to criminal prosecution – something no longer possible for gay activists.

Related to the free rider problem is the low stakes involved in most marijuana arrests. With the exception of a few states in the deep south and Utah, in most places marijuana arrests result in a small fine and perhaps community service and/or drug counseling. The popular stereotype that our prisons are filled with people who only smoked marijuana cigarettes is not accurate. Small time users generally do not go to jail, but cultivators and distributors do. Therefore, the lack of serious sanctions has also deflated the potential movement against injustice because the stakes are so small. Why would a doctor or lawyer risk his or her reputation seeking to legalize marijuana when the sanctions are already so slight? Again, these free riders need to be convinced that advocating for marijuana legalization is a “gateway issue” to reforming the larger failed drug war and that they may not avoid prosecution forever.

Inability to have an honest discussion about drugs – lack of acknowledgement of responsible use

Another barrier to societal acceptance of marijuana is the inability to have an honest dialogue about the potential positive benefits of marijuana use. Universally, when drugs and marijuana are discussed in public, the frame of debate is that marijuana use is a self-destructive and unhealthy activity. There is little public acknowledgement that for millions of people occasional and responsible marijuana use has greatly enhanced their lives, such as by making a walk in nature powerfully introspective, by resulting in riotous laughter, or by making their sex lives more fulfilling. Instead, those who are usually the most outspoken about marijuana’s positive aspects tend to preach in a manner that makes marijuana use out to be an unmitigated good, refusing to acknowledge any negative consequences of abuse. The message of legalization must be that while legalization may marginally increase some irresponsible behavior, the savings from ending the war on marijuana will far outstrip any harms.

Just say no is an easy message for parents

Parents have always had a hard time discussing drug use with their children. Many parents are conflicted on this issue because a large percentage of parents once experimented with marijuana. Keeping marijuana illegal gives parents an unassailable reason why their kids should not use it: because it is illegal. The simplicity and utility of prohibition is a major reason that many parents passively support it, even if they privately don’t believe marijuana is harmful. Parents need to be shown alternative methods for keeping their children away from marijuana, such as science based drug education.

A long term minority without a constitutional right protecting them

The main Constitutional defense to marijuana prosecution is that it violates rights to privacy under the 5th and 14th Amendment. Unfortunately, other than Alaska, most experts believe that state privacy rights are not strong enough to protect marijuana use in your own home. There are no other significant constitutional guarantees that can be expected to protect marijuana users. Unlike racial minorities or gays and lesbians, it is unlikely that marijuana users can seek refuge in Constitutional clauses for their activities. With only 15-25 million regular users, about 10%-15% of all adults in America, it is unlikely that a majority of American adults will ever use marijuana on a regular basis as long as it is illegal. Without a constitutional right to protect them, it is unlikely they will be able to muster electoral majorities in the next 10-15 years to end their persecution.

Discomfort with Freedom

Despite America being the “land of the free and home of the brave,” in practice there appears to be a significant resistance and discomfort with giving people the freedom to make potentially bad choices. Regardless of how many can use marijuana safely or responsibly, if some abuse it, many will oppose legalizing it. This inherent discomfort with the actual practice of freedom is a major cultural hurdle to legalization.

The many have always paid for the poor choices of the few. Marijuana prohibition is by definition a preemptive war which seeks to criminalize all who use marijuana because a few may abuse it. While America seems to recognizing the futility of preemptive wars, there is still a strong undercurrent of support for this type of reaction.

Discomfort with Marijuana Intoxication Compared with Alcohol

There is no principled distinction between alcohol and marijuana intoxication. The Attorney General of Colorado says that people can drink alcohol in “sub-intoxicating doses,” which seems only possible for those chronic users of alcohol who are not affected by small amounts. Of course, the mild psychedelic or psychological aspects of the marijuana are different than alcohol. The paranoia resulting from marijuana use in a small number of users is among its most common psychological negative effect. While most people experience great insight and pleasure from the use of marijuana, others experience this paranoia. The general discomfort with psychedelic or spiritual experiences related to marijuana use lead many to a conclusion that it should not be widely used. Again, this is the many paying for the negative consequences of the few.

Conclusion

Marijuana legalization is gaining steam. I believe firmly that in my lifetime it will be legal for both medical and recreational purposes. What seems necessary at this point is to build a movement of tolerance for responsible marijuana users’ rights to be left alone. This tolerance will also need to acknowledge that a small minority of people may abuse their freedom if marijuana is legalized and that society will need to deal with those negative effects. Surely all the money saved on incarceration and prohibition would cover the costs of any negative effects of legalization. Rather than spending another generation toiling under a failed system, I hope we can end this failed preemptive war on marijuana soon. However, it will not end until the reform movement addresses the above concerns and transforms the debate back into a human-centered fact-based dialogue which focuses on reasonable solutions rather than ideology.

Our lawmakers are out of control!!! Polls show 72% want single payer health care for all. Our Congress says they will not even look at single payer..

Big money is winning again. Just like the war on drugs big money always wins....

We need a revolution to put our country back on track. Join me in this Internet revolution RAISE HELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cherokee Fred Jesus

jeff dig the new picture click for larger image know who it is??

CFJ

One good thing about Ivy league schools they don't have too many swat teams breaking in their doors. The nazies seem to concentrate in the Hood! They can enslave poor people without much problem. No one seems to care even Obama I am disapotinted....

CFJ

I got the picture off the Norml site but I see they have pulled it I have a copy if anybody wants it. I would like to see it everywhere..

CFJ