cannabisnews.com: 'Medical' Pot Up in Smoke










  'Medical' Pot Up in Smoke

Posted by CN Staff on June 08, 2005 at 21:47:02 PT
By Robert Charles 
Source: Washington Times  

Washington, D.C. -- To those who have worked on federal narcotics legislation for decades, the notion of state referenda allowing "medical" marijuana, as an exception to federal drug trafficking laws, has always been an oxymoron.   There was nothing "medical" about smoking marijuana; the two words were mutually exclusive. The idea made no more sense than "medical glue sniffing, or free-lance "medical heroin injection." It was dangerous, indulgent nonsense at best, a cynical hoax at worst. Thanks to the U.S. Supreme Court's lucid ruling this week, the hoax is over.
The so-called "medical marijuana movement," led by cleaned-up former hippies and underwritten by three or four wealthy anti-establishment millionaires, including George Soros, seems to have been intended to find a back door into the federal legislative, federal law enforcing, and federal regulatory process -- one that logically, sensibly and thankfully forbids the production, sale and distribution of narcotics.   To the clever few, a possibility of tricking the vast majority of Americans into supporting a colossal change in society's approach to a substance that measurably lowers human immunities, thus leading to early death for those with AIDS; creates direct and polydrug addition; accounts for the greatest number of young people in drug treatment today; contributes to tens of thousands of emergency room incidents annually; and alters personalities and brain function -- seemed just too good to be true.   The motivation was always mixed. The leading aim was to dupe a coalition of former and present drug users, relatively inattentive libertarians, states' rights conservatives, and anti-establishment liberals into toppling existing laws. Never mind that those laws protect kids, stop polydrug trafficking, empower our local, state and federal law enforcement officers to exclude drug trafficking from our communities, reduce violent personal and property crime, and have helped prevent everything from domestic abuse to workplace accidents.   The idea was simple. They would execute a multiyear end-run on Congress, which tends to place special value on kids and community safety. They would politically seek to subvert the Food and Drug Administration's lengthy drug trials and science-based safety studies by claiming an urgent need, and a state's right to redefine what constitutes "medicine."   They would press for "administration" of the narcotic by a sophisticated process called "smoking." They would disparage and reduce proven pain relievers, from synthetic Marinol, based on similar elements, to hundreds of other pain-relief options.   Cynically, they would first recruit and roll onto radio and television a coalition of willing victims, especially those with terminal diseases, who could be poster folks for their movement. They would ignore, diminish, outspend and dismiss lifetime efforts by parents -- tens of thousands of them -- who lost kids or worked with kids suffering from drug abuse. They would vilify the Federal Drug Enforcement Administration, Office of National Drug Control Policy, nonprofits like DARE America and anyone who points out the lunacy in this campaign of disinformation. They would merge their movement into the United Nations, which would defend elements of it under the rubric of "harm reduction," work it across Europe, expand the "medical marijuana" notion into areas like giving away drugs and needles in European countries.   It was a good plan, from both a strategic and operations viewpoint. You can fool all the people some of the time. The strategy would catch off-guard overworked and underfunded U.S. legislators. Parent groups and nonprofits fighting to preserve kids' lives, from the Partnership for a Drug Free America to PRIDE, would be methodically, frenetically and geographically outspent. The messages of the 1980s -- such as Nancy Reagan's "Just Say No" and that decade's success in lowering drug use of all kinds across all age groups and all drugs -- would be criticized, mocked, hopefully forgotten. The plan would leverage wide European anti-establishment drug distribution efforts, in places like Amsterdam and Switzerland, to shame America into "getting with the Euro program" and "coming along." It was a neatly packaged approach.   But Americans are not fools. Americans and the U.S. Congress are not about to choose the freedom to "smoke" a dangerous drug -- even one conveniently described as "medical" through the magic of open-ended state referenda -- over the safety and health of their kids, or the safety and health of the their nation. This is America, not Amsterdam or Switzerland; the United States, not the United Nations.   As a people, we have long respected those we elect to craft federal criminal laws, and we rightly revere those who defend us by enforcing them. Unsurprisingly, the U.S. Supreme Court takes a similar view. Neither our reverence for the rule of law and medical science, nor the Supreme Court's, is likely to change. You cannot fool all the people all the time.   Accordingly, the "medical pot" hoax is over.     Robert Charles, former assistant secretary of state for international narcotics and law enforcement, 2003-2005, is president of the Charles Group in Gaithersburg, Md.   Source: Washington Times (DC)Author:  Robert CharlesPublished: June 09, 2005 Copyright: 2005 News World Communications, Inc. Website: http://www.washtimes.com/Contact: letters washingtontimes.com  Related Articles & Web Site:Angel Raich v. Ashcroft Newshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/raich.htmPot Fight Far From Overhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20821.shtmlState Should Push Federal Medical Marijuana Lawhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20818.shtmlWill Congress Have The Guts To Tackle MMJ?http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20815.shtml

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Comment #24 posted by Toker00 on June 09, 2005 at 21:20:08 PT
Jose, Hope
You are both right. I expected the Justices to rule against us, but when it happened, it triggered my bi-polar disorder, and I am having a hard time with my manic self. A dry spell isn't helping either. Cannabis IS my medicine. After a month without, I slide back into alcohol dependency (which killed my father). I love peace and love as much as you all do. It's the frustration of realizing there are people who seemingly have neither in their hearts for even the sick and dieing. Once I reach a certain depth of depression, I can't turn back until it has run it's coarse. I feel better tonight, I can feel myself on an upswing. I haven't made any life threatening, or embarrasing decisions, and I only had one drink today. I depend on this site for encouragement and insight, and I am never dissapointed. I was wrong to accuse our movement of using the sick to fight our battle for legalization. It is indeed as you discribed it, Hope. Being as it is, extending our fight to include complete legalization is the only route for us now. Won't Back Down.Sorry for my blurting emotional posts and hope no offense was taken. Once again, Peace. Legalize, then Revolutionize! (medicine)(energy)(nutrition)  
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Comment #23 posted by Hope on June 09, 2005 at 18:32:40 PT
I repeat...
We set out to change the laws, to legalize cannabis/marijuana to protect users from prison and persecution Then we discovered, yes it was wonderful and amazing, that many sick people benefited hugely from the herb that many of us had just enjoyed.It wasn't a trick. It wasn't a plan. It wasn't a cunning ploy. It was "Here...my Lord...you can cut in front of us and our original plan...you must...we must help you, first...".
We've been accused of using sick people. Wrong. We've been accused of putting them out front in the battle. Wrong. It's been about getting them help...even if it means placing them and their needs ahead of our original desire.Legalization of cannabis itself isn't, strangely enough, isn't really even about having legal cannabis. It's about ending the persecution and criminalization and all it's horrors inflicted on cannabis users. We could see a long, long haul. But, when it was discovered that some seriously suffering people could find relief from some very bad symptoms...then it became imperative to get it done for "medical" as soon as possible. 
It was so important to get those people's needs met and not being tied up in silliness about why they wouldn't allow us to legalize cannabis generally. So now they have screamed "No"...again...like we're idiots or imbeciles and they have to control us. Ok...they've screamed, "No" enough. Legalize marijuana/cannabis...for the sick for the people, who benefit from it, and the people who just enjoy it. Legalize it for the sake of ending the horrible side effects, violence, corruption, and death, of prohibition of something that a very large section of the population already uses in spite of prohibition.Legalize it. 
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Comment #22 posted by Hope on June 09, 2005 at 18:26:55 PT
Let me say that again...and probably, again...
We set out to change the laws, to legalize cannabis/marijuana to protect users from prison and persecution Then we discovered, yes it was wonderful and amazing, that many sick people benefited hugely from the herb that many of us had just enjoyed.
It wasn't a trick. It wasn't a plan. It wasn't a cunning ploy. It was "Here...my Lord...you can cut in front of us and our original plan...you must...we must help you, first...".
We've been accused of using sick people. Wrong. We've been accused of putting them out front in the battle. Wrong. It's been about getting them help...even if it means placing them and their needs ahead of our original desire.
Legalization of cannabis itself isn't, strangely enough, isn't really even about having legal cannabis. It's about ending the persecution and criminalization and all it's horrors inflicted on cannabis users. 
We could see a long, long haul. But, when it was discovered that some seriously suffering people could find relief from some very bad symptoms...then it became imperative to get it done for "medical" as soon as possible. 
It was so important to get those people's needs met and not being tied up in silliness about why they wouldn't allow us to legalize cannabis generally. 
So now they have screamed "No"...again...like we're idiots or imbeciles and they have to control us. Ok...they've screamed, "No" enough. 
Legalize marijuana/cannabis...for the sick for the people, who benefit from it, and the people who just enjoy it. 
Legalize it for the sake of ending the horrible side effects, violence, corruption, and death, of prohibition of something that a very large section of the population already uses in spite of prohibition.
Legalize it. 
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Comment #21 posted by Hope on June 09, 2005 at 18:23:47 PT
We set out years ago to change the laws.
We set out change the laws, to legalize cannabis/marijuana to protect users from prison and persecution Then we discovered, yes it was wonderful and amazing, that many sick people benefited hugely from the herb that many of us had just enjoyed.It wasn't a trick. It wasn't a plan. It wasn't a cunning ploy. It was "Here...my Lord...you can cut in front of us and our original plan...you must...we must help you, first...".We've been accused of using sick people. Wrong. We've been accused of putting them out front in the battle. Wrong. It's been about getting them help...even if it means placing them and their needs ahead of our original desire.Legalization of cannabis itself isn't, strangely enough, isn't really even about having legal cannabis. It's about ending the persecution and criminalization and all it's horrors inflicted on cannabis users. We could see a long, long haul. But, when it was discovered that some seriously suffering people could find relief from some very bad symptoms...then it became imperative to get it done for "medical" as soon as possible. It was so important to get those people's needs met and not being tied up in silliness about why they wouldn't allow us to legalize cannabis generally. So now they have screamed "No"...again...like we're idiots or imbeciles and they have to control us. Ok...they've screamed, "No" enough. Legalize marijuana/cannabis...for the sick for the people, who benefit from it, and the people who just enjoy it. Legalize it for the sake of ending the horrible side effects, violence, corruption, and death, of prohibition of something that a very large section of the population already uses in spite of prohibition.Legalize it.
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Comment #20 posted by jose melendez on June 09, 2005 at 18:07:05 PT
oops
gosh darn clumsy fingers : )http://CCCCP.org
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Comment #19 posted by FoM on June 09, 2005 at 17:51:12 PT
Jose
I just checked and the link didn't work. I hope it is just a glitch. 
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Comment #18 posted by jose melendez on June 09, 2005 at 17:39:18 PT
possibly not
Fixed it!http://cccp.org
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Comment #17 posted by jose melendez on June 09, 2005 at 17:27:13 PT
I think i've been hacked
GRIN I think i've been hackedI have many tech friends and will bust the miscreants if this is the case. back soon 65.18.211.65/terror
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Comment #16 posted by runderwo on June 09, 2005 at 17:16:08 PT
nothing in this article
Nothing about the balance of federal and state powers.  Nothing about rescheduling cannabis to Schedule II - it's legalization or nothing to this fool. Nothing about the obstruction of scientific inquiry by the DEA and FDA. Nothing about government research and covered-up government programs since the 1970's. Nothing about cannabis being used as medicine for hundreds of years prior to prohibition. Nothing about the scores of medical associations who either support doctors' discretion or at least support scientific inquiry into the matter. Nothing about compassion for sick people and respect for life. All in all, nothing about medical cannabis - the entire article's premise is that everyone pointing out the necessity of medical cannabis are dirty legalizers, and so the rest of the article is just a rant against legalization. We can read rants about legalization all day long, but this guy has done nothing to contribute to the medical cannabis debate. Useless!
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Comment #15 posted by FoM on June 09, 2005 at 10:13:30 PT
You're Welcome Nicholas
I know this is a serious article and thread and I don't mean to go off about music but music helps me cope with the issues we deal with. 
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Comment #14 posted by Nick Thimmesch on June 09, 2005 at 10:02:00 PT
Gotta brush up...
...on my Neil Young: thanks for the link & tip! I will check out Greendale, but I'm still playing my old Neil Young records.That's RECORDS (scratches & all). Actually had Before The Gold Rush on eight track when I was a Youngin (pardon the pun).
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Comment #13 posted by FoM on June 09, 2005 at 09:55:43 PT

Nicholas
Neil will be 60 this November and I just don't know after the brain scare he had how much more touring he will be able to do. I'm so glad we got to see him two times once in 03 and then 04. The live stage performance of Greendale was out of this world. If he moves into films that will be fine with me. You should buy Greendale the second edition where they show the recording of Greendale in his California studio. The Year of the Horse was just on IFC but I missed it. I read where it has been shown a couple times so now I'm looking for it to be repeated and I will record it since I don't think we can buy it right now.http://www.freedomtoexhale.com/insidegreendale.htm
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Comment #12 posted by Nick Thimmesch on June 09, 2005 at 09:47:05 PT

My favorite Canadian!
"The Silence of the Lambs" and "Philadelphia" were pretty seriously scarry movies, but they were excellent, so Neil's got a hell of a director working with him! I still love "Rust Never Sleeps" -- which at times was scarry, too -- and I'd watch Neil Young watching paint dry so this is something to look forward to...but Neil's gotta be getting on in years, so I hope he also keeps touring: have not seen him play live in over a decade.
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Comment #11 posted by FoM on June 09, 2005 at 09:40:45 PT

Speaking of Not Feeling Like Satan
Neil Young has a new project going. It's the buzz on the Rust List.***Young, Demme Collaborating On Concert Film By Jonathan Cohen, N.Y. 
Although details are still under wraps, singer/songwriter Neil Young will be the subject of a concert film to be taped in August at Nashville's Grand Ole Opry, Billboard.com has learned. The as-yet-untitled project will be directed by Jonathan Demme ("The Silence of the Lambs," "Philadelphia").As previously reported, Young has been recording a new album in Nashville with such collaborators as keyboardist Spooner Oldham, pedal steel guitarist Ben Keith and drummer Carl Himmel. A release date for the set is unconfirmed.The album is the follow-up to Young's 2003 effort "Greendale," which was augmented by a feature-length film bringing to life the characters in the songs.As for Demme, he previously dabbled in the concert movie medium with the 1984 Talking Heads project "Stop Making Sense," which spawned a hit accompanying album.http://www.billboard.com/bb/daily/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000953563
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Comment #10 posted by Nick Thimmesch on June 09, 2005 at 09:36:32 PT

They'll get my sense of humor....
...when they pry it from my cold, clammy hands:LAUGHING IN THE FREE WORLDNeil YoungThere's colors on the street
Red, white and blue
People shufflin' their feet
People sleepin' in their shoes
But there's a warnin' sign on the road ahead
There's a lot of people sayin' we'd be better off dead
Don't feel like Satan, but I am to them
So I try to forget it, any way I can.Keep on laughin' in the free world,
Keep on laughin' in the free world
Keep on laughin' in the free world,
Keep on laughin' in the free world.
http://www.muhlsd.berksiu.k12.pa.us/studweb/community/band/keeponrockininthefree
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Comment #9 posted by FoM on June 09, 2005 at 09:32:35 PT

Nicholas
And we'll sing the song.Those were the days my friend. We thought they'd never end!PS: But we'll be so glad when they do!
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Comment #8 posted by Nick Thimmesch on June 09, 2005 at 09:27:32 PT

Yes, yes....
...we all do need to laugh and laugh out loud: what makes me laugh more than The Daily Show, Letterman, Beavis & Butthead, George Bush giving a speech or John Walters "telling the truth about marijuana" combined is my precious Boo (aka Sophia) simply laughing herself. Always cracks me up!Maybe someday -- in our lifetime FoM -- we can look back at all of this silly prohibition crap and laugh and say, "Gee, those were crazy days".
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Comment #7 posted by FoM on June 09, 2005 at 09:23:07 PT

Nicholas
I know the Daily Show is hard on everyone. One thing I do know is we need to laugh. Sure they were hard on Allen but boy were they hard on that lady. I can't remember her name though.
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Comment #6 posted by Nick Thimmesch on June 09, 2005 at 09:12:43 PT

Oh FoM...
...for some reason The Daily Show's always been pretty rough on NORML (but then, they're rough on everyone because IT'S COMEDY and NOT REALLY NEWS). High Times was pleased, but I don't know if Allen was (Allen's a serious guy you know!). Anyway, as they say in the pr biz: as long as they spell the name right....gotta get back to planning to get babies hooked on Drano.
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Comment #5 posted by FoM on June 09, 2005 at 09:05:48 PT

Nicholas
I saw Allen on The Daily Show the other night. He has quite a few bound copies of High Times! LOL!Dude!!! LOL!
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Comment #4 posted by Nick Thimmesch on June 09, 2005 at 09:01:59 PT:

Uh, oh...
...Robert Charles musta found our playbook in the trash behind 1600. Knew I shouldn't have thrown it away and shred it instead. Oh well: now the cat's outta the bag: he's got us alright. Alright: gotta move on to another game plan to get all of Amerika's kids hooked on Drano.
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Comment #3 posted by jose melendez on June 09, 2005 at 05:57:40 PT

wage peace
Toker00,Be careful cornering rats, they bite. "No peace" is what the other side wants.; )
No Justice, No Fleece!
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Comment #2 posted by OverwhelmSam on June 09, 2005 at 05:38:39 PT

I've Been Trying To Tell You Guys
All we have to do is start identifying and targeting the hard core anti-marijuana prohibitionists like Souder and Sensenbrenner, dig up the dirt on them, press criminal charges against them for whatever, file civil suits against them, smear them in public, and get them fired on election day. Their petty little weed war would go away pretty fast after a few of them fall on their own sword.I'm sure there's lots of private detectives that wouldn't mind doing a little pro bono work on these guys.
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Comment #1 posted by Toker00 on June 09, 2005 at 03:04:09 PT

The hoax is over alright.
The hoax that prohibitionists are out to protect the children. The hoax the pharmaceuticals are safe and effective medicine. The hoax that cannabis is not a medicine. The hoax that med. cannabis is a prelude to legalization. Prohibitionists are out to protect their investments. Pharmaceuticals are dangerous drugs with devistating side effects. The supremist court did not decide cannabis wasn't medicine, indeed some agree it is. Medical cannabis was a compassionate plea for the sick.This is NOT a hoax. We are going to end Cannabis Prohibition and the destruction of our liberties by fascist, racist, biggoted and ignorant human beings just like you, Robert Charles. You hide behind the DEA and heartless court justices. We are going to bring the liars and anti-humans down. Yeah us "cleaned up former hippies" are going to expose the hoax of this so called War on Drugs for what is really is. Government sponsored corporate protection from cannabis competition. You are going down, Robert Charles, and all like you. Start packing.NO PEACE 'TIL CANNABIS PROHIBITION IS REPEALED!!! 
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