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War on Drugs 
Posted by CN Staff on August 05, 2002 at 20:23:10 PT
By Dennis Miller
Source: Dennis Miller Live
Now I don't want to get off on a rant here, but the war on drugs is a more frustrating stalemate than a tug-of-war on ice. While DEA seizures are higher than ever, so is anyone who wants to be. The drug war has apparently worked to some degree, as both casual use and addiction have fallen in recent years. But at what cost? Now, instead of junkies, cokeheads and glue sniffers, we have coffee-addled super-achievers who'd sooner mow you down in the mall parking lot with their sport utility dreadnoughts than drop the speedometer below 70. Say what you will about drug addicts, at least they move slowly.
It's time to change our way of thinking and take the war on drugs out of the political hot button campaign topics. There is a percentage of our society that will always be addicted to something. Whether it's cocaine, pills, beer, cigarettes, or that new car smell.Countries like Peru, Colombia, and Bolivia produce and export drugs because their only other economic alternatives do not bring in nearly enough money. That means if we really want to stem the tide of drugs from south of the border, there is only one painful but necessary course of action: We as a nation must resolve to dramatically increase our consumption of wooden donkey carvings and armadillo-shaped piņatas.I don't know what the answer is. But I would like to ask the people of Colombia something. Between marijuana, coffee and cocaine do you think it might be possible to grow a crop that doesn't delude people into believing they actually have something interesting to say? Drug traffickers are consummate businessmen. They have identified a demand, efficiently routed their infrastructure to fulfill it, and profited by exploiting the gap between cheap production and materials and high retail premiums. Their methodology is indistinguishable from that of a successful U.S. Corporation, except for, in this day and age, being a bit more ethical.Every generation has had their drugs of choice. In the 60's, it was pot and LSD. In the disco era, it was coke. The 80's had crack and in the 90's we had crystal meth and Ecstasy. And nowadays? Well, now we have pot, LSD, coke, crack, crystal meth and Ecstasy. And cocaine still plays an enormous part in our culture. Without it, stock traders could not put in 75 hour work weeks, and interstate truckers would deliver a lot more spoiled fruit. More importantly, there would be no second act segment in those E True Hollywood stories. There are a lot of campaigns out there trying to prevent young people from getting into drugs in the first place. Unfortunately, teens tend to view these groups as uptight Puritans who haven't had fun since they outlawed witch trials. The zero-tolerance people are the same ones who tell you not to listen to hip-hop, play violent video games, and remain a virgin until after you're married. Anyone who believes that the average teenager will sit for that is on better weed than their kids.The Anti-Drug campaigns have attacked the airwaves with images of frying eggs and terrorist bombings. Everything I need to know about drugs I learned from a poignant, 15-second PSA where the guy from "Yes Dear" pulls up a chair and sits in it, backward style. By the way, that's when you know they're leveling with you, kids. When they turn the chair around.Hey, here's a thought, maybe you should get someone in on these campaigns who actually understands children. Kids want to be bad. You need Little Jimmy to stop smoking pot? Show him the picture of his 8th grade history teacher prancing around a Dead concert in a tie-dye loincloth. He'll never look at marijuana the same way again. Or the War of 1812, for that matter.You can make a reasonable case that we shouldn't legalize the most deadly and addictive of the world's narcotics, but how can you possibly justify arresting elderly women smoking marijuana to ease their glaucoma, or even more desperately ill patients smoking it to ease their final days? My wish for the politicians who put their own careers ahead of the quality of life of ill and dying human beings is that some day, when they go to receive their final judgement, the first words out of God's mouth are "Dude, way harsh."I say if you really want to discourage people from doing drugs, legalize everything for a year and encourage people to experiment. The smart people will sit back and barricade themselves in their homes, while all the drink-the-bongwater burnouts go to town, mixing industrial grade sealant and horse tranquilizers into a hookah and smoking it. I guarantee you, before the year is up, we'll dramatically thin the herd and who knows? Maybe some of the more demented stoners will mix so many weird chemicals, they'll stumble onto a cure for cancer in their pursuit of a buzz that could win the Nobel Peace Pipe.Of course, that's just my opinion. I could be wrong.Source: HBO-Dennis Miller LiveAuthor: Dennis MillerPublished: August 2, 2002Copyright: 2002 Home Box OfficeWebsite: http://www.hbo.com/dml/Related Articles & Web Site:Crossfire: Do Drug Ads Work?http://freedomtoexhale.com/cf.htmDrug Czar Taps Beer-Soaked NASCARhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13642.shtmlAnti-Drug Ad Contract Award Surprises Somehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13338.shtml
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Comment #29 posted by pppp on August 07, 2002 at 05:01:05 PT
...dead people in high school...
.."I was in high school, folks died. Mostly from barbituates and alcohol.      I don't mean to deminish the actual inherent risks of substance use/abuse.      Somethings, I wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole.      Which things, is your own private matter.
 ....I respect,and understand your polite,and cautious approach Zero_G..it is wise to avoid delving into things that are "private matters".....I'm glad,,,because it inspired me to "touch"upon the subject with my loudmouth serious clown ramblings.
 ...ten foot poles are much too akward and difficult to conceal when attempting to recklessly prod and probe about the dangers of substance abuse!...I'll go there!....I prefer a baseball bat,or even a toothpick......
 
.....It's true;..Death is not pretty...It's a tragic event....It is a mandatory requirement for anyone who gets to be alive..Death is part of the deal....Being born is the heaviest experience in life..the next heaviest thing in life,is death.
 
 
...It is not my intent to trivialize death from substance abuse,or any other cause..BUT,,If any rational person takes the time to look at the numbers,,and compare the causes of deaths;;;then the broad category of "substance abuse",,ranks quite high,,,,but,,,when we get more specific in defining "substance abuse",we have alot of material to sort out....after all,,"substance abuse",can include any substance that is overused,or abused,,due to habit,,hedonism,,or,{obvoiusly}, a combination of the two..{[..habitism.(?)...hedit(*#??)...]}........
.... 
....anyway,,,after we cut thru all the crap,,,the number of people who die from "substance abuse",that involves illegal drugs,,is infinitesmal when compared to the creepy delicatesan of legal "substances"...
 
..Everyone who gets to enjoy the privelege of LIFE,,is faced with a smorgasboard of harmful substances,and deadly shit!
 
 
...I'll never forget the first time I really had to deal with death.........Lonnie Thorfinson,my childhood friend,since kindergarten,died of luekemia in the seventh grade.We were closer than brothers,I watched him die..It only took about 4 months.He was in the hospital,,and they gave him crude radiation treatments,(1967),,,he lost all his hair,,and shriveled up,,and died.....I sort of freaked out...I hated God,and I denied His exsistance because I could not understand how God could "allow" such an event to happen!..Lonnie was totally innocent...he never abused any substances...(but,,I guess substance abuse may have played a part in Lonnies death...His Mom;"Binky",,was actually a true Bohemian,[I believe that Bohemia is somewhere in Romania,or Hungary.],and,his Dad,"Ollie",was an immigrant from Iceland...They were both heavy tobacco smokers,,and usually,noticeably pickled in hooch...
 
 
...I was figuring on rambling on thru a bunch more strange tales,,like my friend who got hit by a train,,and my Great Uncle Fred,[bless his soul],who met his lamentable end behind the wheel of his Gremlin,in a peculiar traffic accident,in which he crashed into the front porch of his own house.....I guess I bit off more than I can chew right now and these gossipy tales about all this,,will end now...
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Comment #28 posted by Zero_G on August 07, 2002 at 00:59:25 PT
Back when
I was in high school, folks died. Mostly from barbituates and alcohol.I don't mean to deminish the actual inherent risks of substance use/abuse. Somethings, I wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole.Which things, is your own private matter.
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Comment #27 posted by FoM on August 06, 2002 at 22:49:03 PT
Just a Comment
When we worked a big out door concert years ago we got to see first hand what excessive taking of drugs could do. We were not suppose to bother anyone just keep our eyes open for anyone who could be in distress. We still weren't to approach and scare them unless they were in trouble and they needed help. I saw lots of people at the concert just passed out the whole time and got up and went home when it was over. I thought what a waste of money.One person started convulsing. My husband went to help him and I tried to gather proper information on what he consumed to tell the Doctor. I asked his wife if she knew what he took. She said nothing really just a little acid. I thought that wouldn't make him convulse like he was. I said was that all and then she said well he did also drink a bottle of wine and did a few hits of speed and just a few downers to take the edge off.I said that to say this. We can't base drug laws on those who will take it to an extreme because that is only a minority of people. 
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Comment #26 posted by Zero_G on August 06, 2002 at 22:32:16 PT
Not my cup of tea, mind you
Anyone stupid enough to snort 10 lines, chug down a fifth of vodka, inject a little heroin, then take 30 hits of acid will of course be found dead on the bedroom floor. - PhasetheoryBut, then, not necessarily lethal either. I'd agree that there are lethal combinations. Like a quart of Jack Daniels and a bottle of seconals. And others. And yes, enough heroin, by itself, or in combination can sometimes do it. Cocaine, by itself, rarely.Dosage and tolerance are factors.But to say this will kill, of course; my suggestion is to not go into the assisted suicide business.
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Comment #25 posted by Zero_G on August 06, 2002 at 22:09:46 PT
One at a time...
Phasetheory-Look at some of the recipes at the back of Christian Ratsch's book "Plants of Love"...He also wrote "Marijuana Medicine", introduced by Lester Grinspoon...
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Comment #24 posted by FoM on August 06, 2002 at 12:28:24 PT
BGreen
Good to see you. Hope you had a nice time while you were away. I will keep my eyes open for transcripts. I just checked and they aren't up yet but will post them when they are.
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Comment #23 posted by BGreen on August 06, 2002 at 11:53:31 PT
Buchanan & Press on CNN
talked about Nevada legalizing cannabis. Press said he would vote "yes" and even Buchanan almost seems sympathetic to the cause. A spokesman from a Nevada police organization made up of 9 union leaders from different police departments said they voted 9-0 to support this bill.Sorry if this is old news. I've been gone for a few days.
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Comment #22 posted by dimebag on August 06, 2002 at 11:17:05 PT
We all Read the Article 
But did any one see the interview with Asa Hutchinson. It was very interesting. Now Dennis didnt want to offend Asa by just shunning his ideas, but if you know Dennis Miller than man smokes a Joint before doing any thing. Even his own show. He is an advocate for the End of Cannibus Prohibition, but he has to joke about it to make it more stimulating and acceptable to the conformist's of society.Dennis askd Asa about the Elderly and Dying that just want to ease their last days and Asa with the same old Rehtoric said "well we are a compassionate society" and dennis said "Dude all B.S aside, I want a Straight Foward answer" What about those dying people. And Asa said "well thats where discression comes into play betweet law enforcement and the user". Basically we need to throw them in jail. ITS bull shit. But the Debate was very stimulating. I suggest looking for it on the Net. Im sure you could find it on pOtTv.com For your info, Dennis is on our side and Im glad he decided to take a stance. If you notice more and more people have been doing New's Specials on the Terrible War on Drugs. So its nice to know that its getting out there to the general public that may not have an opinion. Dimeber.
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Comment #21 posted by aocp on August 06, 2002 at 09:07:45 PT
thoughts
You can make a reasonable case that we shouldn't legalize the most deadly and addictive of the world's narcotics, but how can you possibly justify arresting elderly women smoking marijuana to ease their glaucoma, or even more desperately ill patients smoking it to ease their final days?Amazing how any prohibitionist with a working piehole can say that cannabis is deadly without having to show it caused a single death. They don't even try to because it's just "accepted" as fact, especially when one sees it alongside any other number of aptly-named "narcotics" that can and do cause overdoses and death.Further, i don't need to make a case for legalization when i can much more easily show how your definitions for what needs to be prohibited for its ill effects provide the criminalizing spotlight i just love to shine on booze and tobacco. Prohibitionists don't like that and will just shout me down, but that's the great thing about double-speak ... eventually, it'll bite you back in your own. Out.
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Comment #20 posted by JR Bob Dobbs on August 06, 2002 at 07:25:31 PT
I enjoyed reading it too, but...
  ... is there a video version online somewhere?
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Comment #19 posted by Matt B on August 06, 2002 at 06:32:21 PT
Comedian
As I see it, He's a Comedian. It's his Job. He has to put some kind of joke in between. Straight politics isn't his game, He has to put a Spin on everything and exagerate the situation cause, well thats what he does. I don't think his rant is intended to be taking literally, and keeping that in mind, I really enjoyed reading it.
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Comment #18 posted by Industrial Strength on August 06, 2002 at 03:05:22 PT
image
We need to win every battle to win the war. Having ignorant people spouting an opinion that we might share gives us a black eye, does it not? 
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Comment #17 posted by E_Johnson on August 06, 2002 at 03:00:08 PT
It depends on what you're qualifying for
If you're going to perform surgery, then yes knowledge matters. You have to have knowledge to qualify to perform surgery.But this is an open democratic system and that automatically means anyone and everyone is qualified to comment on a matter of public policy. Certainly anyone who pays taxes is qualified to tell Asa Hutchinson what they want him to do with THEIR money.Taxation without considering the taxpayers qualified to express an opinion on how the taxes are spent is tyranny.
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Comment #16 posted by Industrial Strength on August 06, 2002 at 02:19:07 PT
one at a time?
I can think of many non lethal chemical combinations that are alllriight.Do you fancy yourself as some sort of latter day Einstien or just think you would share similar viewpoints vis a vis knowing your limitations?
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Comment #15 posted by Industrial Strength on August 06, 2002 at 02:14:50 PT
LSD
It's very, very scarce here but I think it's brilliant. It has to be the most misunderstood and slandered drug in existence (or the second, behind you know what). Wouldn't Asa be able to dance all over Dennis, because I would think Dennis wouldn't be in a posistion to refute most of the lies and he might even believe some. Going by the rant, I dont think the drug war is high atop Mr. Miller's list of intrests. The continuing of the drug war is Asa's main intrest. Not a good balance. Johnny Cochrane would probably come out on top in a debate about legal ethics with Carson Daly.
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Comment #14 posted by Phasetheory on August 06, 2002 at 02:07:44 PT
Good Idea
We do need to legalize all drugs. Then we'll all sit back and watch natural selection take it's course. Anyone stupid enough to snort 10 lines, chug down a fifth of vodka, inject a little heroin, then take 30 hits of acid will of course be found dead on the bedroom floor.As we all know... anyone who would do this if drugs were legalized, already has. You can't stop stupid people from being stupid. I bet Einstein said something like that...It won't take long until people realize that the best way to do drugs is one at a time.  
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Comment #13 posted by qqqq on August 06, 2002 at 01:40:28 PT
...outstanding points EJ.....
....Am I "qualified" to be an expert on LSD?...I was in the 9th grade in 1968,,,and I lost track of how many acid trips I had taken...I would carve a notch in the wood frame of my bed each time I did psychadelics..there were over 300 notches at that time,,,and my bed looked like some artifact from Bali!........I went on to sizzle and simmer my mind with powerful psychadelics for decades after I quit carving the bed.......I would think,,that that would "qualify" me,,as a "qualified" person to discuss Psychadelics with..(?)...
 
 
......"did Asa Hutchinson get a Ph.D. from Drug War University? No. I mean, what qualifies the head of the
      DEA to have an opinion on the Drug War? The man is a political appointee. And his career is riding on his opinion. 
 
 
...well said EJ....."Qualified is a tricky concept".......and yes,,Indy,,I think that "knowledge",qualifies as a qualification that would be necessary for someone qualify to be "qualified".....
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Comment #12 posted by Industrial Strength on August 06, 2002 at 01:06:16 PT
Qualification
You don't think that qualification is determined by knowledge?
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Comment #11 posted by E_Johnson on August 06, 2002 at 00:58:07 PT
Qualified is a tricky concept
In a democratic system I think that any citizen is qualified to have an opinion on any issue by virtue of the fact of citizenship. But espcially people who do political humor like Dennis Miller. He's hardly Britney Spears. He's been a political humorist for a while now, for those of you too young to have been allowed to watch him on SNL.That being said, did Asa Hutchinson get a Ph.D. from Drug War University? No. I mean, what qualifies the head of the DEA to have an opinion on the Drug War? The man is a political appointee. And his career is riding on his opinion. IS, do you imagine that any head of the DEA under any circumstances is ever going to argue anything other than "Increase my budget and make my agency bigger and more powerful"?In that sense not a one of them folk in the DEA is qualified to debate the Drug War issue with Dennis Miller, if we mean qualified in the sense of having an objective opinion to offer not strongly colored by naked self interest.
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Comment #10 posted by qqqq on August 06, 2002 at 00:47:16 PT
..good point IndustrialStrength...
...."He's not a drug reform activist, he has a crude understanding, but you really think that puts him in a
      posistion to debate the head of the DEA?"
 
...why not have Mick Jaeger debate with Noam Chomsky!..(?)..or Britany Spears debate with Alan Greenspan!....or Shaq debate with Ariel Sharon....
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Comment #9 posted by Industrial Strength on August 06, 2002 at 00:05:10 PT
sardonic
I love it. The comment, I mean.I really like Dennis Miller although I disagree with alot of what he says. He really is funny. As for being a syctophant, he's a talk show host. He's not a drug reform activist, he has a crude understanding, but you really think that puts him in a posistion to debate the head of the DEA?
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Comment #8 posted by qqqq on August 06, 2002 at 00:01:05 PT
...I still like Dennis Miller...
..even though it's true,,he does have some material that smooches up to wrong side,,I think he's an outstanding comedian....I think he comes close to being the epitome of how I would define; "sardonic"...
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Comment #7 posted by Dan B on August 05, 2002 at 23:21:34 PT:
" . . . just my opinion . . ."
Actually, "Of course, that's just my opinion. I could be wrong" is always Dennis Miller's tagline at the end of a monologue. I do see your point (what a wimpy tagline), but at least it offers a degree of humility (albeit a small and often forced degree). I find it odd that I disagree with so many things Miller says in this monologue, but I still agree with his conclusion that the drug war must end. It's really true that this issue is non-partisan (which, by the way, is far better than bipartisan). I'll take support from the right-of-center libertarian crowd any day--and anyone else who agrees that the drug war must end.Dan B
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Comment #6 posted by MikeEEEEE on August 05, 2002 at 22:47:35 PT
D. Miller
Of course, that's just my opinion. I could be wrong.
He's not ready to take a stand but he knows how to get through to people.
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Comment #5 posted by FoM on August 05, 2002 at 21:55:35 PT
p4me 
I know about how that must be annoying. If my editor was easy I could fix it but it isn't. I need to contact Ron Bennett and see if he can put a preview screen up for us but it will take a phone call. I haven't talked to him in a while and when I call him I will ask him. He said he would before but must have forgotten or got busy which I know is very easy to do when you are a programmer.
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Comment #4 posted by p4me on August 05, 2002 at 21:44:10 PT
2 part series in Jamaica Observer
The two-part series is titled "Britain, Jamaica and their drug problems" and is by Lloyd Williams, senior associate editor. The link to the second article is at the bottom of the first: http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/pages/britishdrugs/Sometimes I really regret not being able to correct some spelling like in comment2 to where I misspell monologue.1,2
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Comment #3 posted by Dankhank on August 05, 2002 at 21:39:35 PT:
Stupid Liar and synchophant
I'm watching the replay of the D Miller show and am appalled how Dennis played straight man to the evil Ass.He lied, as usual ...I used to like D Miller ...
Hemp N Stuff ...
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Comment #2 posted by p4me on August 05, 2002 at 21:28:13 PT
First the big news
The New York Times has an article this 8/6 titled "Cuomo Urges Repeal of Rockefeller Drug Laws and Offers New Sentencing Plan" By SHAILA K. DEWANI heard on the Leno monaloque that Bill Moyers got arrested for drunk driving. It just shows the power of alcohol addiction.Charlie Rose is back on after 6 weeks off for his heart surgery and "better than ever." I cannot wait until he takes on the drug wars because no one is more respected than Charlie Rose and Charlie does it best. He said he elected surgery when he did instead of waiting up to a year longer because he wanted to function from a position of strength. The failed WOSD will have to hit CR's radar because the debate can no longer be contained.And in conclusion, Dennis Miller says it in a way people will listen. Excellent work there. Mr. Miller.1,2
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Comment #1 posted by MikeEEEEE on August 05, 2002 at 21:07:39 PT
Ha Ha
My wish for the politicians who put their own careers ahead of the quality of life of ill and dying human beings is that some day, when they go to receive their final judgement, the first words out of God's mouth are "Dude, way harsh."Maybe some of the more demented stoners will mix so many weird chemicals, they'll stumble onto a cure for cancer in their pursuit of a buzz that could win the Nobel Peace Pipe.
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