cannabisnews.com: Drug Czar Stymied 





Drug Czar Stymied 
Posted by CN Staff on June 10, 2003 at 15:49:35 PT
By Daniel Forbes
Source: TomPaine.com 
Although not quite a bloodied-nose defeat for House Republican drug warriors, the Drug Czar reauthorization bill that was voted out of the Committee on Government Reform recently was certainly, as one congressional staffer put it, "a strategic retreat." By denying Republicans bipartisan cover for the Office of National Drug Control Policy's (ONDCP) controversial media campaign, committee Democrats killed several onerous provisions of the pending bill.
Originally, H.R. 2086 had covertly extended ONDCP's authority to use up to $1.02 billion in anti-drug advertising to counter state ballot initiatives -- or even candidates -- the White House opposed. ONDCP would not have been required to identify itself as the sponsor of the ads. Plus the federal government could have withdrawn some funding from police departments in states that permit the use of medical marijuana, using the money to prosecute patients and those who supply them instead. It was a classic lunge for power grounded in deliberately obscure language. Once these provisions surfaced, drug reformers and voters cranked up the pressure, and prominent editorial pages ridiculed such taxpayer-funded overt electioneering. Ironically, the overreach actually paved the way for some bona fide reform. Though its fate in the full House and Senate awaits, the language that emerged prohibits using the ads "for partisan political purposes, or to express advocacy in support of or to defeat any clearly identified candidate, clearly identified ballot initiative, or clearly identified legislative or regulatory proposal." That's a direct reversal of the Republicans' intent. Additionally, ONDCP is required, according to an analysis by the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA), to "decertify the federal budget if the Department of Education blocks school loans and grants to former drug offenders." Some 100,000 students have lost federal loans and scholarships since 1999 due to drug convictions. An amendment to allow Congress 30 days to preview any new ad was defeated, though, and Drug Czar John Walters retains sole approval over the media campaign. "The Drug Czar can still say medical marijuana is bad -- there's still wiggle room," says Steve Fox of the Marijuana Policy Project. "But it is a strong victory for us." Opposition arose across the political spectrum, with eight disparate groups generating an open letter to committee chair Tom Davis (R-Va.) and ranking member Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), condemning use of the ads "to pressure policy-makers or interfere with local and state elections." At stake, the signers felt, was nothing more than "the safety of... our democracy." Two ballot initiative groups, as well as Common Cause, DPA and MPP, the National Black Police Association signed, as did those strange bedfellows, the conservative National Taxpayers Union and liberal Taxpayers for Common Sense. As the NTU stated, letting the drug czar loose in this fashion "would inevitably lead to campaigning by IRS officials, EPA officials" and other agencies. NTU's Paul J. Gessing noted, "That partisan use is pretty ridiculous. It might have slipped in had no one been looking. But left, right, center -- there was an outcry." Given the protest, Republicans didn't want to defend partisan social engineering without some Democratic cover. According to one Hill staffer, any real discussion might have devolved into a debate on the merits of medical marijuana itself -- not a happy prospect for a GOP aiming for the reauthorization bill's smooth passage through the House. "If committee Democrats had opposed it, that would have raised a lot of eyebrows in the full House," said Bill Piper of Drug Policy Alliance. Of course, the snowball-in-hell legislative victory is tempered by the realization that the ad campaign -- which was engendered by the passage of two medical marijuana ballot initiatives in 1996 -- is still authorized for the next five years, with a $90-million funding boost over the initial five-year appropriation. This despite the Office of Management and Budget recommendation that the so-far ineffective effort be reauthorized for a single year pending further evaluation. Keith Stroup, executive director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, said, "Though Rep. Waxman deserves real credit for leading the charge to fix some of these provisions -- and the Republicans got a lot more heat than expected -- it's hard to get terribly excited about a new, $1-billion, five-year ad campaign." While pot-use-equals-terrorism ads blanketed the nation's airwaves prior to last year's vote on several state drug-reform initiatives, government studies offer no evidence they do a lick to keep kids from drugs. They may even encourage girls and younger kids, i.e, the more susceptible, to pick up that first joint. Despite growing methamphetamine use, the ads will continue their focus on marijuana, according to the statute. In fact, should it pass, Congress will enshrine in federal law the following "findings": that 60 percent of adolescent drug treatment admissions come from marijuana; that THC levels (a measure of pot's strength) are now "as high as 30 percent today"; that "early in life" pot smokers "may be up to five times more likely to use hard drugs." Never mind that more than half of those adolescents are forced into treatment, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. Never mind that the THC claims are bogus. As to the last, the so-called "gateway theory," never mind it's been dead as a doornail for years. Congress also "finds" that the government has "identified clear links suggesting that trade in hydroponic marijuana facilitates trade by criminal organization in hard drugs, including heroin." And, the feds "have identified possible links between trade in marijuana and financing for terrorist organizations." On the one hand, there's clear links that suggest something, and on the other hand, possible links between something. Parsing it all yields the sort of fudging that any reasonably clear-eyed editor would red-pencil into oblivion. Still, ONDCP is directed to focus on the most used and, many maintain, most benign illegal drug, a proven medicine whose rapidly spreading medical use is the weak link in current federal policy. Maryland Gov. Robert Erhlich just became the first Republican governor to sign legislation allowing a medical-use defense against state pot charges. That there needs to be a media campaign to shore up this crumbling edifice was also underscored by the one-day sentence -- rather than some daunting portion of the possible 60 years -- a federal judge issued to high-profile medical marijuana grower Ed Rosenthal, who had been sanctioned by the City of Oakland to supply its patients. This sort of actual news will be countered (since the ads are purchased at 50-cents-on-the-dollar) by some $2 billion worth of claptrap such as a kid smoking a joint and shooting his friend, or a young teen somehow getting pregnant via the demon weed and, her only option, having the baby. Daniel Forbes writes on social policy and has testified before both the U.S. Senate and the House about his work. You can contact him at: DDanforbes aol.comSource: TomPaine.com Author: Daniel ForbesPublished: June 10, 2003Contact: editor tompaine.comWebsite: http://www.tompaine.com/Contact: http://www.tompaine.com/contact.cfmDL: http://www.tompaine.com/feature2.cfm/ID/8040Related Articles & Web Sites:NORML: http://www.norml.org/Marijuana Policy Project: http://www.mpp.org/Drug Policy Alliance: http://www.drugpolicy.org/Lawmakers Rebuff White House in Drug Bill http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16563.shtmlBipartisan Compromise Reached on Advertising http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread16546.shtml
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Comment #7 posted by Richard Paul Zuckerm on June 11, 2003 at 07:36:53 PT:
THE REASONS WHY CANNABIS LAWS SHOULD BE REPEALED
The Marijuana laws should be repealed:I.THE HYPOCRISYThe United States Central Intelligence Agency launders over $200 billion per year of TAX FREE drug money thru Wall Street, www.fromthewilderness.com; www.expertwitnessradio.org, www.sumeria.net/politics/shadv3.html, while otherwise law abiding Americans are villified for responsible Marijuana use. The DEA will never stop the drug war because the CIA, Vice President Dick Cheney, Richard Armitage, are [allegedly] involved in this massive drug money laundering. People may not believe it because the public school curriculum is rigged, www.johntaylorgatto.com, major media is manipulated, and people are generally conditioned to be good sheep, to love their masters, the federal government.II.THE FAILURES OF THE COURTSThe courts of law should step in and strike down the marijuana laws. Unfortunately, the great majority of the courts have upheld the constitutionality of the Marijuana laws. There were a few freedom-loving opinions from a few State courts, though. In State v. Mallan, 950 P.2d 178, 208-209, 218-219 (Hawii 1998)(Dissenting opinion by Justice Levinson), Justice Levinson opined that the Marihuana laws are against the freedoms the American people were guaranteed and in violation of the Hawaii State Constitution Right to privacy. In State v. Holland, N.J.Super. (App. Div. 2001?), the Appellate Division of the Superior Court of New Jersey reversed the conviction because the police did not have the authority to force their way into the apartment without a search warrant after the smell of marijuana smoke emanated from same apartment. In Ravin v. State, P.2d (Alaska 197 ), the Supreme Court of Alaska declared the Marijuana laws unconstitutional as a violation of the Alaska State Constitutional guarantee Right to privacy. We need to litigate for the State courts to enforce the State Constitutions to give greater protection for the individual citizen than the federal constitution, including through the use of expert witnessness such as Dr. Lester Grinspoon, M.D., to inform the jury of the relative safety of Cannabis, for jury nullification purposes.III.LEGISLATIVE MALPRACTICEWe need to get on our elected officials, to let them know we do want decriminalization of Marijuana. Otherwise, they will act in the best interest of the corporations, assuming the votes are not manipulated, www.votescam.com. I must have communicated too much to New York State Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan because, today, Wednesday, June 11, 2003, at around 9:45, she told me she received my letters & e-mails, "I will not be harassed", and lied to me that her e-mail address, nolanc assembly.state.ny.us, is on the New York State Assembly Web site!! Prior to our telephone conversation, though, I e-mailed her the upcoming Cannabis Pain Management Lecture from the upcoming events section from www.cannabisculture.com, to show her that Cannabis does have medical uses. I do not plan on contacting Assemblywoman Nolan for a while now, based on her comment, lie, and rushing me off of the phone. There are too many people who are slothful, have the attitude that there is nothing an individual can do. I would rather try, even if it is only me.
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Comment #6 posted by Richard Paul Zuckerm on June 11, 2003 at 07:34:30 PT:
THE REASONS WHY CANNABIS LAWS SHOULD BE REPEALED
The Marijuana laws should be repealed:I.THE HYPOCRISYThe United States Central Intelligence Agency launders over $200 billion per year of TAX FREE drug money thru Wall Street, www.fromthewilderness.com; www.expertwitnessradio.org, www.sumeria.net/politics/shadv3.html, while otherwise law abiding Americans are villified for responsible Marijuana use. The DEA will never stop the drug war because the CIA, Vice President Dick Cheney, Richard Armitage, are [allegedly] involved in this massive drug money laundering. People may not believe it because the public school curruculum is rigged, www.johntaylorgatto.com, major media is manipulated, and people are generally conditioned to be good sheep, to love their masters, the federal government.II.THE FAILURES OF THE COURTSThe courts of law should step in and strike down the marijuana laws. Unfortunately, the great majority of the courts have upheld the constitutionality of the Marijuana laws. There were a few freedom-loving opinions from a few State courts, though. In State v. Mallan, 950 P.2d 178, 208-209, 218-219 (Hawii 1998)(Dissenting opinion by Justice Levinson), Justice Levinson opined that the Marihuana laws are against the freedoms the American people were guaranteed and in violation of the Hawaii State Constitution Right to privacy. In State v. Holland, N.J.Super. (App. Div. 2001?), the Appellate Division of the Superior Court of New Jersey reversed the conviction because the police did not have the authority to force their way into the apartment without a search warrant after the smell of marijuana smoke emanated from same apartment. In Ravin v. State, P.2d (Alaska 197 ), the Supreme Court of Alaska declared the Marijuana laws unconstitutional as a violation of the Alaska State Constitutional guarantee Right to privacy. We need to litigate for the State courts to enforce the State Constitutions to give greater protection for the individual citizen than the federal constitution, including through the use of expert witnessness such as Dr. Lester Grinspoon, M.D., to inform the jury of the relative safety of Cannabis, for jury nullification purposes.III.LEGISLATIVE MALPRACTICEWe need to get on our elected officials, to let them know we do want decriminalization of Marijuana. Otherwise, they will act in the best interest of the corporations, assuming the votes are not manipulated, www.votescam.com. I must have communicated too much to New York State Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan because, today, Wednesday, June 11, 2003, at around 9:45, she told me she received my letters & e-mails, "I will not be harassed", and lied to me that her e-mail address, nolanc assembly.state.ny.us, is on the New York State Assembly Web site!! Prior to our telephone conversation, though, I e-mailed her the upcoming Cannabis Pain Management Lecture from the upcoming events section from www.cannabisculture.com, to show her that Cannabis does have medical uses. I do not plan on contacting Assemblywoman Nolan for a while now, based on her comment, lie, and rushing me off of the phone. There are too many people who are slothful, have the attitude that there is nothing an individual can do. I would rather try, even if it is only me.
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Comment #5 posted by FoM on June 10, 2003 at 21:23:31 PT
312
I sent the article to Mapinc. and named you Newshawk. It hasn't showed up in the coming soon but it should very soon. 
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Comment #4 posted by global_warming on June 10, 2003 at 17:09:55 PT:
Oh My Gosh, It;s Mary Poppins Smokin A Joint
Call damage control,
This is un-acceptable,
We cannot have Mary Poppins seen this way,
This will send the "wrong message"
What about the children?
They will have to carry this legacy
The tax burden that will be needed
To eliminate such a blight
Against humanity..Uncle Sam is worried,
That someday he will be seen smokin a joint
Someday he will join the race,
The human race,
He will bow and pray
Like good God Lovin children
Mystery surrounds all,
The Night openly defies
God and LightMr. John P..
Where is your humanity?
Stop the violence,
With one word
You can move a mountain
Resign and join
The real world
The world of Light
The world of mystery
The world of passionIt is so amazing
That such a common weed
Is so hard to eliminate
It just keeps popping up everywhere..
It's almost like God has a secret plan
That science and the lawyers
Have'nt figured out yet..
Maybe they will nevr figure it out,
For there are mysteries in this world,
Mysterires that openly defy you and your reasonsOh yes, let us make a law aginst the mysteries,
They must register..and pay a fee,..
If they are going to make profit,
They ,must register
It is "the law,"...The "Internet", more specifically the "forum"
Has been the final spike in the heart of the vasmpire,
The world has changed,
Accidently.., through the the actions of the greedy,
Money hungrey bastards have unwittingly
Unleashed a tool
That we all use and communicate//The nitty picky rules of legal protocal
Are falling by the side
As a higher truth is revealedWho amongst us has made the nails
Who made the hammer
Who pushed the nails into his flesh
Who enjoyed this pleasureWe are comming to the end
The light is pressing 
The light is awakening
In our souls and being
It is calling
Us to gather
For a war is brewing
The mighty and brave
Shall be summoned
To bare witness
Blood false spilled
Has a curse that will be reckoned
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Comment #3 posted by Sam Adams on June 10, 2003 at 16:53:11 PT
Orwellian logic
So, he's a bad father for having a few cannabis plants in the house when his daughters visit on weekends. The government, therefore, has a better idea: lock him in jail so that his daughters never even see him.
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Comment #2 posted by FoM on June 10, 2003 at 16:16:33 PT
312
If no one sends this into Map I will. They cover much more news then I am able to cover. I know that Mapinc. covers Australia. I'll check the coming soon section to see. Thanks!
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Comment #1 posted by 312 on June 10, 2003 at 16:12:28 PT
Story from Australia - please post
6 kilos of herb and 4 plants deemed for personal use!Dad's dope would have lasted 2 yearshttp://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,6577440%255E13569,00.html
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