cannabisnews.com: Illegal Marijuana Can't Be Good Medicine










  Illegal Marijuana Can't Be Good Medicine

Posted by CN Staff on December 20, 2008 at 07:15:44 PT
By Daniel Dunlap 
Source: Billings Gazette 

Montana -- A recent Gazette guest opinion by a retired Billings physician stated that "medical marijuana" is a safe and effective drug for use by patients with chronic pain and by cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. It asserted that legalizing, taxing and regulating marijuana production in America could generate $350 billion in revenue that could be "diverted from the drug lords" and applied to "education, treatment and a myriad of other societal needs." Allegations of the "incessant drumbeat of lies" by the Drug Enforcement Administration regarding marijuana's viability as a useful drug were also put forth, claiming that DEA wrongly insists marijuana is "highly addictive" and that it is a "gateway drug."
 Registered Researchers   Congress passed the Controlled Substances Act in 1970, and DEA was created in 1973 to investigate and enforce it in order to protect the public health and safety. Marijuana is a Schedule I controlled substance, and has never been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for marketing in the United States. Under the CSA, it is illegal to manufacture, distribute or possess marijuana for any purpose other than government-approved research. Regardless, several states, including Montana in 2004, have passed voter initiatives that allow the possession of marijuana by anyone who has obtained a physician's "recommendation" that marijuana would benefit that person's health. Nonetheless, the U.S. Supreme Court has twice clearly ruled that even though a person complies with a state's law regarding legalized marijuana, it remains illegal federally.As of June 2008, more than 100 researchers are registered with DEA to perform studies with marijuana and its derivatives. Nineteen researchers are approved to conduct studies with "smoked marijuana" on human subjects. Some preliminary studies show potential value in drugs like THC (the primary psychoactive chemical found in marijuana) for pain relief, control of nausea and vomiting, and appetite stimulation. Although smoked marijuana delivers THC to the body, it also delivers harmful substances, including most of those found in tobacco smoke. The American Medical Association, the American Cancer Society, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and the British Medical Association, among other organizations, have all rejected smoked marijuana and the legalization of marijuana as a safe, medically and scientifically sound substance.We remember that in the last century, smoking tobacco was encouraged for its refreshing and invigorating qualities. Now that we've studied and realized the harmful and addictive effects of tobacco use, no legitimate physician in the U.S. would ever recommend that a patient should use tobacco, smoked or otherwise. Why would any physician ever recommend smoked marijuana (which contains at least 483 different chemicals, the effects of which are either uncertain or likely to be harmful to humans) to a patient already suffering from cancer or any other disease or condition? Not FDA-Approved  Psychoactive drugs like marijuana make a person feel good, but without considering marijuana's actual side effects, it is not yet approved to FDA standards as a medicine, and therefore DEA must enforce the law. DEA does not target individual users who are engaged in "simple possession" of marijuana, even though they are violating federal law.DEA vigorously investigates drug-trafficking organizations, often disguised as "medical" marijuana facilities, involved in marijuana cultivation, trafficking and distribution. These violators profit immensely from real patients seeking relief, and they cater to drug-seeking persons who concoct excuses so either illegitimate or uninformed doctors will give them a "recommendation" to acquire marijuana. Those who promote legalization of marijuana and other dangerous drugs do so for their own selfish or naive reasons without consideration for the safety, health and welfare of the people of the United States.Related Article: http://drugsense.org/url/QeXzBay3Daniel Dunlap is a Drug Enforcement Administration agent in Billings. Source: Billings Gazette, The (MT)Author: Daniel DunlapPublished: Saturday, December 20, 2008Copyright: 2008 The Billings GazetteContact: speakup billingsgazette.comURL: http://drugsense.org/url/EaGwSqtjWebsite: http://www.billingsgazette.com/CannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml

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Comment #73 posted by rchandar on December 24, 2008 at 11:58:22 PT:
GeoChemist
The farmers themselves faced off against the poppy field raids, and many of them turned to growing cannabis--so much so that there is almost as much land in Afghanistan under cultivation as would be in Morocco.One of the best treats in any visit to Amsterdam is the Afghani hash that is sold in most coffeeshops. Far better and tastier than any Moroccan.--rchandar
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Comment #72 posted by GeoChemist on December 24, 2008 at 03:48:39 PT:
Follow-up
Thanks everyone, what I posted is a first draft. I have started cleaning it up and will take the feedback from here and incorporate it into the final product before submission (with technical writing an author should ALWAYS get feed back fron his/her peers). As far as the opium fields, rchandar you make some very legimate points, however I would be suspicious of where the products are actually going and who is benefiting from it. That is why I brought up Phoenix. Merry Christmas everyone and thank you for making me feel welcome here!
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Comment #71 posted by rchandar on December 23, 2008 at 19:53:10 PT:
GeoChemist
We aren't spraying the opium fields there because we simply don't care about Afghanistan's future, not at all. Opium provides us with a common foe--the Taliban. It means we--and Karzai--get to look good in the press for "fighting drugs." One seizure there, a crop burned there, but no change.The facts show that the United States has channelled very little money into actually re-building Afghanistan--that's why they grow drugs instead of have a legitimate economy. Make no mistake about it--we invaded seven years ago. We had a lot of time to build infrastructure and economy, but wanted to do it under the auspices of war--something that never, ever works. Afghanistan remains an example of how well-intentioned US policy fell flat on its face, and nobody even had a clue what was going on over there. The theme of terrorism easily outdistanced the more piecemeal concerns of impoverished human beings. We have repeatedly made it a cornerstone of our foreign policy to state we didn't give a damn about them--"bomb 'em back to the Dark Ages" was what Rumsfeld repeatedly said. You cannot treat the "enemy" as a badly behaved child who needs discipline rather than love. You have to confront the enemy, talk with him, convince him that you understand what will be good for him. We definitely did none of this, sad to say.Merry Christmas, in cannabis fidelis.--rchandar
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Comment #70 posted by FoM on December 23, 2008 at 19:32:44 PT
Hope
This has been a hard year. This year has had the highest moments in politics I've ever experienced and fear that it might not happen. We made it. Life's problems and death have touched some of us here on CNews too. You helped me thru the roughest times I've ever had on CNews and you helped me with advice on my health problems. I love you and all the good people that read this forum and those who talk on this forum. I wish us all the best year ever. Merry Christmas!
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Comment #69 posted by Hope on December 23, 2008 at 18:25:50 PT
Vincent
Thank you, and Merry, Merry Christmas and Happy, Happy New Year to you and all my other friends and allies here at C-News. I love you all and I thank God for you all.I think maybe next year is going to be a very good year.Actually, this has been a hard, very hard... but a very good year, too. 
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Comment #68 posted by Hope on December 23, 2008 at 18:22:05 PT
GeoChemist
Welcome to C-News. That's a very informative and good letter, but if you really want input, I'd have to say, I doubt it'll get ink because of the diarrhea part. It might... but I suspect that angry phrase might interfere with the getting ink part. We really have to fight that urge to say exactly what we think sometimes.But maybe, ink or not, someone will read all of it and they'll know more than they knew before. Letter writing is so important. It's probably the most valuable tool we have. The Media Awareness Project has some advice and tips on letter writing to get published, somewhere on their site. I can't find the page, right now, but this page will give you a clue of how valuable those letters are, monetarily. But they have an even greater value in getting our side of the story in the media.http://www.mapinc.org/lte/Thank you, and if this, letter writing, is where you want to work on what I call "The Mountain"... that needs moving... leveling... go for it, with power, and more power to you. It looks to me like you've got what it takes. Go get 'em! And as you know... never give up.Stan "The Man" White, a dear friend and ally, gets a lot of ink, and part of his power comes from brevity... the very hardest thing to do... besides holding the vitriol... that boils within us all.But it's a good letter and I so very much appreciate your effort... and maybe... just maybe... we will see it in print. 
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Comment #67 posted by FoM on December 23, 2008 at 15:14:52 PT
Vincent
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you.
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Comment #66 posted by Vincent on December 23, 2008 at 14:54:19 PT:
That Jackass Dunlop
How can you expect intelligence to come out of the mouth of a DEA agent when everyone knows how brainwashed they are? I am not surprised at all by this numbskull's opinion.
  Anyway, I would like to wish everybody on this board a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! 
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Comment #65 posted by runruff on December 23, 2008 at 13:54:06 PT
So Geo,
Thanks for the information.I like you.
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Comment #64 posted by FoM on December 23, 2008 at 12:18:14 PT
Hope
I find it much healthier mentality for me to look forward instead of back. We can't change the past but we can change the future by what we do today.
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Comment #63 posted by Hope on December 23, 2008 at 12:12:37 PT
Saddam Hussein execution
I sure didn't watch it either. I thought he was hung. If I heard about the decapitation, I apparently, immediately put it out of my mind. Nope... not a very Christmasy subject at all.
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Comment #62 posted by GeoChemist on December 23, 2008 at 12:10:09 PT:
Stupidity should be a crime
Hi, I am new to the board but am tired of sitting, reading, and doing nothing. I am sending the following to the Billings Gazette and would like some opinions. Wow, I have read some articles from various fields that have made me question an author’s intelligence; the one by Dunlap takes the cake. Dunlap spews, out of his mouth, what amounts to diarrhea, where are the sources to back up any of these assertions? ANY scientific study or anyone quoting a scientific study has to have the source(s) of the information to make it legitimate and even at that the sources have to be evaluated. This information should not come from the prohibitionists nor should it come from the advocates as the information may and usually is skewed to align with the view(s) of the particular agency; it should come from independent research that does NOT have an interest one way or the other. With that said, some of my sources are in fact from the fed. If anyone is interested in my sources for this post, feel free to e-mail me.
   Let’s start with the “gateway theory”; actually it should have been called the gateway hypothesis as it has never achieved the status of a theory. This one is easy to disprove, if cannabis were indeed a gateway drug then Europe, especially the Netherlands, should be crawling with hard-drug addicts when in fact neither are. 
   Now it’s time to address the side effects of cannabis. Where is the nearest_________________? Fill in the blank with you favorite fast-food restaurant. 
   I was a tobacco smoker for 18 years and I am and have been a user of cannabis for 20 years. I recently stopped smoking tobacco but continued to smoke cannabis regularly. Within a week of being tobacco free, I never felt better in my life. I could actually walk, a brisk walk I might add, over one and one-half miles WITHOUT becoming winded, the persistent wheezing I had lived with while a tobacco smoker disappeared overnight and has NOT returned although I smoke cannabis like it is free.  My personal favorite is the comparison of tobacco with cannabis. It is like comparing apples and oranges; people like Dunlap prey on a person’s ignorance by using the “it’s smoked” angle. Granted the inhalation of burning plant matter is not good for anyone as there are chemicals in the smoke that are a result of combustion. When the machine did the study comparing the two, they compared broad leaf to broad leaf; while the broad leaf of the tobacco plant is smoked the broad leaf of the cannabis plant is NOT. The flowers or buds of the cannabis plant are the part of the plant that is smoked and contain ~33% of the tar and other chemicals that are common to the broad leaves. Last but certainty not least are the carcinogens; while there MAY be a yet to be identified carcinogen in the cannabis plant it has been established, but through YEARS of research it has been determined the tobacco plant contains radioactive elements. I am not getting into the mechanics of radioactive decay and the half life, but the decay is what makes the element radioactive. It is at the end of the radioactive element’s half life that decay happens; either in the form of an alpha or beta particle; the alpha particle, once inside of the body is much more damaging than the beta particle. The tobacco plant is the only KNOWN plant that can accumulate these radioactive elements into their structure; the elements are naturally occurring and are generally in the form/ decay stage of radon gas when encountering the tobacco root system. Once incorporated into the trichomes, the radioactive element continues through the decay cycle. The decay process continues until it reaches the lead-210 phase, where it remains for ~22 years. It is generally lead-210 that is inhaled and lodged in the alveoli, where it continues the decay cycle and after ~22 years the lead-210 decays (in the lungs) to bismuth-210 via beta decay. After five days the bismuth-210 decays, again via beta decay to polonium-210. In ~140 days the polonium-210 decays to the stable lead-208 via alpha decay; this is where the heavy damage to the lungs is done. The accumulation of radioactive elements in the tobacco plant’s trichomes is magnified by the use of phosphate fertilizers at commercial tobacco farms. Even if the tobacco companies stopped using phosphate fertilizers the radiation problem would remain. It seems to me tobacco fits the definition of a schedule I drug to the tee, i.e. no medicinal value and high potential for abuse, yet it remains legal and readily available. It is important to note according to the U.S. Environmental Agency (EPA), tobacco is responsible for ~440,000 deaths a year, more than alcohol, car accidents, suicide, AIDS, homicide, and illegal drugs combined. I will accept the rebuttal of: there are more tobacco users than marijuana users, but I will rebut with: has marijuana ever been linked to a single death? The point is I find it funny Dunlap refers to tobacco and medical science in the last century. The era he refers to was the early twentieth century when it was still common place to use leeches to treat a myriad of ailments. I am pretty sure medical and research science has come a long way since then. He cannot expect to legitimize his argument, by again comparing apples and oranges. Since when does a DEA agent have a license to practice medicine or the qualifications to perform scientific research?
   Researchers registered with the DEA amounts to nothing more than puppets told what the results ARE going to be. I spent thirteen years working for the machine and have seen these kinds of things first hand albeit at a different agency; don’t bite the hand that feeds you, well I bit. Would it not make sense to have independent researchers working with cannabis; researchers affiliated with medical associations for instance? I would think these people would best serve the people by doing the research on cannabis. Oh wait the machine tried that once and did NOT like the results; the study was conducted at the Virginia Medical College circa 1974 and shut down by the fledgling DEA. The promising results from the study were buried thus opening the door for Nuremberg-like trials if and when this study ever comes to the public’s attention, and I am pretty sure it will. Another study done by Dr. Manuel Guzman at Complutense University, Madrid, Spain shows more compelling evidence as to why this farce needs to stop. The interesting thing about the Guzman study is the abstract can be found at the following link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14570037, take note of the website.
   In the end the prohibitionists begin to grasp at straws by bringing the children into the debate. We have a regulatory system for the most dangerous and addictive substance known to human kind which is tobacco and one in place for number four on the list which is alcohol. The prohibitionists that use the “protecting our children” argument have lost touch on at least two fronts; the first is they are admitting, in so many words, regulation does not work. The other is the fact when a minor attempts to purchase alcohol or tobacco they should be and usually are asked for proof of age; I don’t know of any drug dealer that asks for these credentials. 
   I will leave you with something to ponder: Afghanistan has had a record breaking harvest every year we have occupied the country, opium grows in vast fields similar to corn, why aren’t we spraying these crops which grow out in the open? Think of the 1960’s and the Phoenix Program. People like Dunlap have been brain-washed by the agency and are nothing more than “yes men” incapable of independent thought; agents capable if independent thought can be found at leap.cc.   
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Comment #61 posted by FoM on December 23, 2008 at 12:06:15 PT
Hope
We live too far away from HD towers to get HD without a satellite too. Oh the wonderful issues of country living! LOL!
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Comment #60 posted by FoM on December 23, 2008 at 12:04:15 PT
Thanks Hope
I guess I thought he did lose his head. I didn't watch it.
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Comment #59 posted by Hope on December 23, 2008 at 12:02:15 PT
My family that has antenna TV
are getting HD channels all over the place. They are wonderful to watch. Amazing really. I'm impressed and I didn't think I would be.We have satellite and the right sort of TV... but we cant get HD until we pay the satellite people more.:0(
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Comment #58 posted by Hope on December 23, 2008 at 11:58:52 PT
Comment 56 Storm Crow
It did? He was?Good grief! I didn't know that!
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Comment #57 posted by Hope on December 23, 2008 at 11:57:39 PT
RChandar is apologizing for the statement he made
earlier that Saddam Hussein was decapitated, when in fact he was hung. He's just correcting a statement error he made in an earlier comment. 
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Comment #56 posted by Storm Crow on December 23, 2008 at 11:42:46 PT
rchandar, (not very X-masy, but)
You were right both times- someone gave Hussein the "long drop" that breaks the neck, killing instantly, but if done improperly, can lead to decapitation, which is what happened.
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Comment #55 posted by FoM on December 23, 2008 at 08:08:25 PT
rchandar 
That's ok but I'm not sure what you are saying you are sorry for.I hope you have a nice Holiday Season.
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Comment #54 posted by rchandar on December 23, 2008 at 07:42:25 PT:
Sorry, Guys
Hussein was HUNG. My mistake.
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Comment #53 posted by FoM on December 23, 2008 at 06:46:06 PT
Dankhank
Thank you. We don't have any over the air HD channels where we live unfortunately. We will have to have a new dish put on our new roof or on a high pole so we are hesitant. We worry about getting a leaky roof.
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Comment #52 posted by Dankhank on December 22, 2008 at 21:57:23 PT
HD ....
Here in Denver there are a bunch of over the air HD channels, like 20 or so, and they look amazing. The clarity of view is pretty breathtaking.I'd recommend visiting a city with over the air stations and find a place to view them.HD is here, and it's nice.not sure when we'll get it, will advise ... :-)
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Comment #51 posted by rchandar on December 22, 2008 at 15:38:51 PT:
Obama's Massive Job of Rehumanizing America
It's a pretty awesome job, and I don't even know if he's up to it, but if he is, he has our support......in this holiday time, let's look at the job done by our trusted leaders over the past 10 years. We had three prolonged crashes which resulted in genocide: Kosovo, Darfur, and the Congo. The last of which, our own UN soldiers went around looting the villages and raping women.Riots in India, in Israel, France, and Russia.Ahmedinejad. Nuff said.One of the brightest hopes of fighting terrorism, Benazir Ali Bhutto, shot in broad daylight.Record opium crops, record heroin markets for another 10 years.Global warming.The largest prison system in the world--totaling 3 million, most of whom were small-time users and dealers.A culture of warfare--in which fighting and dying was glorified. This, in the 21st century.A culture without basic rights--scenarios such as Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib, in which inhumanity and torture were glorified.The rise of Osama bin Laden, who wants to destroy Western civilization in a jihad, "holy war."The blood-feud between George Bush and Saddam Hussein--the latter was decapitated.A war in Iraq which cost a total of $500 billion. Numerous examples of politicians breaching the public trust--Spitzer, Stevens, and a Wyoming politician caught in the bathroom with another man.Continued deforestation and pollution of the environment.Laws empowering politicians to circumvent local, state, and judiciary checks in the pursuit of wiretapping and arrests without warrant.Wow, methinks Kerouac would be reeling. We f# ked up, and f#$ked up good. Still need reasons to have faith in the people in power?--rchandar
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Comment #50 posted by rchandar on December 22, 2008 at 14:11:05 PT:
Same Old BS
The article illustrates the principle that because pot is illegal, it has to be, and everyone in America should agree that it must be illegal, forever. Why? Because "marijuana contains chemicals," and because "the federal government does not recognize state medical marijuana laws."Any one who thinks that the War On Drugs is an intractable necessity, something which we cannot challenge or even think of challenging, is making a very fatal mistake. Democracy is not based upon precedents; it is based upon the will of the people, translated: their real human needs. This article is an outrageous slap in the face to millions who have examined their lives and the facts to make decisions about their life and body.I wish to also state: this article places unqualified faith in our leaders, doctors, and politicians. They could never, ever be wrong, could they? Well, Mr. Dunlap, we have innumerable examples of where the people who lead us have failed the public trust. We want our country back, and we are not going away.--rchandar
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Comment #49 posted by museman on December 22, 2008 at 11:11:46 PT
Hope #44
If only there were a Santa Claus!"Dear Santa,Please stop the cops from hurting mommy and daddy."FREE MOTA FOR EVERYONE
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Comment #48 posted by E_Johnson on December 21, 2008 at 22:09:53 PT
I feel better now
Ten or fifteen million voters in 2012 who know what it feels like to be arrested for pot.Even if only ten percent of those people are angry, aware and involved enough to make a protest vote in 2012, Obama could be in big trouble.That feels like power. Do we actually have power now? 
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Comment #47 posted by FoM on December 21, 2008 at 18:14:07 PT
Dankhank
Yes it is a good player. I am looking forward to getting a Blu-Ray player someday. I'm also looking forward to getting HD programming but probably not until I know more about the direction of the economy because of my husband's work. While it's slow we are enjoying this great technology and seeing friends and making the most of the time we have now since work has ground to a halt. We saw a friend from Kentucky we haven't seen for many years. We go back over 30 years. Please let me know if you ever get HD with Dish or DirecTV. I want to know if it is worth all the hype. 
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Comment #46 posted by dankhank on December 21, 2008 at 17:30:57 PT
dvd ...
Yes, that Phillips DVD player, while seeming to have a mind of it's own, does a heck of a job upscaling the video.'We love ours and think it's amazing, too
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Comment #45 posted by FoM on December 21, 2008 at 17:27:53 PT
Hope
I think the benefit of my living in the state I live in and where I live I've never seen or heard of violent raids. Cops aren't bad really. I'm sure there are a few bad ones but most cops seem to want to help people. I think many people live in places where cop violence doesn't occur and maybe that is why more people don't get upset about it. That could be one reason.
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Comment #44 posted by Hope on December 21, 2008 at 17:22:53 PT
Nothing has to be legalized to return to the days
when law enforcement in this country didn't bust people's doors down in "Dynamic Entries". They throw bombs into peoples home... for God's sake! They treat citizens like trash. I can't stand it.There is nothing in the way of evidence... especially drug evidence, that can be destroyed, that is worth citizens being subject to that. Right house or wrong house... "Dynamic Entries" are not good government or good policing in a free country. It may work fine for Nazis... but not for The United States.I know I sound cranky, and mad as hell every time I've posted today or lately, but it seems that the nicer time I am having with my family and friends, and the joy and warmth of the holiday visiting and all, it makes me that much madder when I get mad about all the possibilities of all the unjust things that can happen to people because of wrong headed government. I can't understand how any American can put up with it... even the idea of it. But I know most of them, foolishly, don't seem to care. To them, all the bad stuff, the wrong house raids, the right house raids, collateral damage, persecution, mistreatment... it only happens to other people and never to them or theirs. Their wrong though. It could be them next and they better wake up and undo the wickedness that prohibition has let bleed into our government and law enforcement. What do I want for Christmas? No more Dynamic Entries into people's homes and businesses anymore.
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Comment #43 posted by FoM on December 21, 2008 at 16:12:47 PT
Dankhank
Yes it was. I don't know how Blu-Ray could be that much better then it was just with a plain dvd. We enjoyed watching the first Chronicles of Narnia movie so we bought the second one for Christmas. We'll watch in on Christmas night. It's about 9 here now. Stay nice and warm tonight. http://disney.go.com/disneyvideos/liveaction/princecaspian/
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Comment #42 posted by Dankhank on December 21, 2008 at 15:37:02 PT
Wall-E
yes, it'a an interesting take on global meltdown and rebirth.'Funny, too ...
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Comment #41 posted by FoM on December 21, 2008 at 15:29:17 PT
afterburner
I wish the same to you. Thank you for the songs.
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Comment #40 posted by afterburner on December 21, 2008 at 13:33:28 PT
Merry Christmas & Happy Solstice, Cannabis Angels
On my way to church today I heard "The Times They Are A-Changing" by Bob Dylan, followed by "I'm A Stranger Here" by Five Man Electrical Band. The minister reminded us that Angel means Messenger. He implored us to message our co-workers, family, friends and neighbors. What a way to start a day!So, here we are, cannabis angels, messaging each other (and hopefully those co-workers, family, friends and neighbors) about the wisdom, justice and truth of freeing cannabis from its man-made shackles. Enjoy whatever holiday you value and keep persuading those you encounter of the wisdom, justice and truth of freeing cannabis and those who need or enjoy it.YouTube - Bob Dylan - The Times They Are A Changin' (Unreleased 1976)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZ_XwLSN45IYouTube - I'm A Stranger Here -- Five Man Electrical Band
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeVhhHRDcQU
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Comment #39 posted by FoM on December 21, 2008 at 12:36:10 PT
museman
This is a new song by Neil called Light a Candle performed at MSG on the 15th. I thought you might like it too.http://thesongdog.rusties.net/sounds/ny2008-12-15t10_lac.mp3
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Comment #38 posted by FoM on December 21, 2008 at 12:31:31 PT

museman
The holidays are full of holes but like Leonard Cohen said the cracks (and that should cover holes) will let in the light.I have Prilosec and Pepcid Complete close by my side these days. LOL! I'll be careful. Enjoy your family.
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Comment #37 posted by museman on December 21, 2008 at 12:20:52 PT

FoM
I decided to refer to them as 'Holeydays' as in "full of holes" -but everyone enjoy their families, and have some quality memories.Don't mess up your gut! Peace and Prosperity to all in the new year that actually starts today.
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Comment #36 posted by FoM on December 21, 2008 at 11:46:48 PT

museman
I hope you and your family are enjoying the holiday season. I've been eating too much yummy food and my stomach is getting pretty tired of my antics. LOL!
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Comment #35 posted by Had Enough on December 21, 2008 at 11:45:54 PT

museman
Happy Solstice to you too.http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/23/thread23277.shtml

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Comment #34 posted by museman on December 21, 2008 at 11:40:49 PT

Had Enough
Left a comment for you here...http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/23/thread23277.shtmlwould like a side/OT discussion...
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Comment #33 posted by museman on December 21, 2008 at 11:37:03 PT

progress is being made
even though too many people still want to delegate their responsibility to the various false authorities that present themselves.Obama, no matter how sincere, no matter how 'worthy-of-respect' he may be, is still a politician, still a card carrying member of the status quo.It is unreasonable (I believe) to expect so much change from any individual who must capitualte and compromise on a daily basis (the nature, definition, and meaning of 'politics') with the corruptions that the Rich Elite have managed to embed in the judicial system, the 'professional' strata of society (Most of 'em don't "look like doctors" to me either,) and all the other myriads of social/political/religious/economic niches that serve the status quo, and not the people at large.It is unreasonable to expect any person or 'leader' to carry out 'the will of the people' without the will of the people being ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE. Voting itself alone is a very small thing with great implications, yet if more people actually exercized that small power, more would go our way (Oregon broke records with 86% of the population voting in the election). But voting alone is hardly enough to actually qualify as 'community action' -just the bare foundation for people power, the bones of potential.If it weren't for the fact that generation upon generation has been led down the rosy paths of war, conquest, dominion, and slavery -all the while thinking they were being 'honorable,' 'good,' 'upright,' and/or 'good christians' because they didn't even think to question the authority of their kings, politicians, and social 'betters,' by now we would have a Peoples Government as was intended by those forefathers who actually went out and fought for their freedom with their bodies, instead of their bank accounts.But because of the Religion of Wealth-and-Power taught in schools, expected in the workplace, and endorsed by the actual 'called' religions, people have not been able to manifest more faith in their own power over that of the money.Instead we have witnessed an increased dependency on the manufactured reality, over the actual reality of creation -the disappearance of the local family farm, so that the population centers are about one day from running out of food should the infrastructure collapse significantly, the refusal to allow peoples access to alternative resource like the various inventions of Tessla locked away so no one can use them, -as well as other cleaner technologies that could have been implimented as early as 40 years ago, but weren't because it wasn't in the best interest of profit- just a couple of items scratching the surface of what could have been done, but wasn't for one reason only= MONEY-AND -POWER!SO we have to sit and listen to all the political (status quo) reasons why we can't have freedom and personal liberty, witness more compromises with the devil, and watch as the human world heads over the cliff like a bunch of ignorant lemmings.But progress is being made in our little struggle. In fact the struggle against prohibition should be a model for all the other issues of personal liberties we are facing.Cannabis is illegal solely on the basis that it 'has no medicinal properties.' That erroneous statement, well debunked with 'credible' research is still being spouted by cops, lawyers, judges, politicians, and other in-pocket 'professionals'. As state by state pulls the rotten teeth of prohibition from their lawbooks, even the blindest, stupidest, most ignorant prohibitionist in denial will have to accept the will of the people. It is interesting to note, that in most of the recent battles and skirmishes in the WOD (cannabis) the people are winning on the basis of their will, and not their money! Even though the opposition is squandering as much resource as they can garner from their foolish constituency to spout more repetition of their same worn-out BS claims.We are going to win this war, but not on the availabilty of money and high-society public endorsements (though anything helps) nostly on the power of the peoples faith and belief in their own constitutional power to legislate and govern themselves, rather than the master-slave, superior-inferior, boss-worker, and an almost catch-22 like support for the ruling class of the elite.We won't win because of Obama, though his liberal leanings can only help in the long run, we can only win because of our own resolve and actions, without lazily delegating that personal authority to some politician, or local 'authority' because our slave labors of the week have us 'too tired' to get out and move society in the direction we want it to go, instead of the forced, enforced, and maintained direction (STASIS- no movement) of the status quo.Its too much to expect the majority of slaves who are comfortable with that chemical beer, the game on the TV, and the wholesale replacement of real food with the poisonous, nutritionless, flavorless, chemically and geneticly altered crap that passes for mainstream fare in the grocery store-so that just to find and aquire real food requires a higher source of resource than minimum wage- its too much to expect the slaves to make an effort to free themselves from their own acceptance and will to be slaves.Fortunately, it won't take 'a majority' to change consciousness significantly enough for transition to a higher level of life on Earth. A recent study determined that it would take about 144,000 conscious beings to initiate a 'hundredth monkey' effect on global consciousness. So to look at the daunting numbers of dumb idiots that have to be persuaded, and beleive that there are just too many stupids to get on board the reality bus, is an error. Each an every one of us is only responsible for OUR OWN being and consiousness, and without our conscious will and intent being stated, BY OUR OWN MOUTHS AND ACTIONS -not delegated to others- there would never be any significant progress towards true human liberty.HAPPY SOLSTICE!FREE CANNABIS FOR EVERYONE
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Comment #32 posted by FoM on December 21, 2008 at 11:28:35 PT

Dankhank
Happy Holidays to you too. The temperature is dropping into the single digits tonight. We got the stove cranking. Enjoy your stew! We bought Wall-E and watched it last night. Amazing movie. 
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Comment #31 posted by Had Enough on December 21, 2008 at 11:27:15 PT

Merry Christmas
to you too FoM…and all the others here.Peace...The world could use a little of that about now.
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Comment #30 posted by Had Enough on December 21, 2008 at 11:27:11 PT

more Dr. Dunlap DEA Agent…
“Congress passed the Controlled Substances Act in 1970, and DEA was created in 1973 to investigate and enforce it in order to protect the public health and safety.”To protect public health a safety…???This might be news to Dr. Dunlap DEA Agent & Co.…That Controlled Substances Act conjured up in 1970 he so valiantly spouts about has harmed more people than pot has for 5000 years or more…Say’s a lot about protecting public health and safety doesn’t it???“Marijuana is a Schedule I controlled substance, and has never been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for marketing in the United States.”In truth marijuana should be scheduled right along with apples, oranges, corn, and green beans.FDA did though, ‘approve for marketing in the United States’ Vioxx, Vicadin, Oxycontins etc..The most dangerous drugs to mankind.Says a lot about that wasteful money sucking Department of Wasted Tax Money and Useless Bureaucrats.

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Comment #29 posted by Dankhank on December 21, 2008 at 11:23:34 PT

Happy Days ...
whatever you call these days, have happy ones.We're in Denver, it's 9 degrees outside, but the sun is shining.Making a great stew here, gonna see some Bronco action later.Merry Christmas, all, thanks for being fighters all in your tireless, different and wonderful ways.Peace to all who love ...
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Comment #28 posted by FoM on December 21, 2008 at 10:55:09 PT

Had Enough
I want to wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. 
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Comment #27 posted by FoM on December 21, 2008 at 10:49:38 PT

Hope
My opinion is he can't legalize marijuana. It will have to go thru Congress. If he Reschedules down to Schedule Four like I read in a forum things would be different. That would be darn close to legalizing to me. It wouldn't be worth it to chase marijuana like they do. Obama could help close the doors on forfeitures laws too. If the money incentive is removed why would they bother?
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Comment #26 posted by Had Enough on December 21, 2008 at 10:38:16 PT

Dr. Dunlap DEA agent
Dr. Dunlap DEA agent doesn’t sound to me and most people like a doctor, even though he tries to twist medical issues to sound all-medical/FDA and all that jazz, in efforts to favor him and his buddies wallets, bank accounts, and retirement funds. By the way Dr. Dunlap DEA agent, speaking of retirement funds, how’s that there 401K plan performing these days???…You can fool some of the people some of the time…But you can’t fool all the people all the time…The old appeals to fervor aren’t working as well as they used too, are they???With that said…As posted earlier in this thread...You don’t look like a doctor to me…:)

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Comment #25 posted by Hope on December 21, 2008 at 10:33:16 PT

Jack Boots
When I said, "Get your jack boots off people's necks", I was not addressing Obama, himself. I was thinking of the Jack Booted Thugs. While Obama is not a jack booted thug himself... he will soon have a say in their accepted behavior. I hope he will consider that in his "Changes".Cannabists, in no way, whatsoever, deserve the kind of bad treatment they've been getting and are getting.Hope and Change for the better.
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Comment #24 posted by Hope on December 21, 2008 at 10:27:18 PT

I wonder
why there were no reasons or explanations with Obama's answer. Obama is not in favor of legalization? Why?Trot those stale, debunked, and worthless reasons out, and lets have a look at them. Let us consider and discuss any "reasons" for not "favoring" legalization.It's political though. We all know that. It can't be anything else.Get your damn jack boot off those people's necks!Get your damn jack boot off everybody's neck!
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Comment #23 posted by FoM on December 21, 2008 at 10:26:44 PT

EJ I'm Glad You Liked It
I really like Leonard Cohen. I have to be in a certain mood to listen to him and today his music hit home.Also the song Democracy is what started me thinking the way I am right now.Leonard Cohen "Democracy"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5g8CA5ltR8
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Comment #22 posted by E_Johnson on December 21, 2008 at 10:14:43 PT

FoM that's nice
There's a character in my novel named Suzanne. She keeps a giant poster of Leonard Cohen on her living room wall. She's a medical marijuana caregiver.
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Comment #21 posted by FoM on December 21, 2008 at 09:44:59 PT

This Moments Thoughts: Ring The Bells
We're staying warm as the cold front moves in and are listening to Leonard Cohen and this song hit a chord with me today so far.***Ring the bells that still can ring Forget your perfect offering There is a crack in everything That's how the light gets in. ***I couldn't find the song with Leonard Cohen singing it but here it is if you never heard it. I sort of think like this about the coming New Year.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2PqbZ_-4p8
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Comment #20 posted by E_Johnson on December 21, 2008 at 09:21:24 PT

He's making a big mistake 
We can take Obama down in 2012 if he tries to play the reefer madness card between now and then.We have the numbers to do that. Ten million arrestees. He could be the next Al Gore if he doesn't watch out.I think his team is so sure of themselves, they haven't figured this out at all. They have not done the math!!!
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Comment #19 posted by Had Enough on December 21, 2008 at 09:14:19 PT

Obama
Obama knew deep down inside that he would get votes from cannabis reformers, and he capitalized on that.It’s time to turn up the heat and make him earn those votes, instead of giving a one-line answer to the most popular issue presented.This political poppycock pussy footing around this issue is un-excusable. UN-EXCUSABLE PERIOD!!! People are having their lives destroyed, going to jail, denied employment, and worse, some have even died in the process.Third Rail Theory my butt!!!.Clinton did it, Bush did it and now it appears it will continue. These prohibitionists and ruling elites have been making big bucks, gaining power and stripping away individual rights in the process of ‘sending their messages’ so they can line their pockets and ego, on our dime too at that. Now is the time to send our own message. Cannabis reformers are a larger community than what most people realize. Almost 1 million people a year arrested???. These people have friends and relatives that vote and have a say-so too. Take that almost 1 million and multiply that by others around them that know the truth, and then multiply that by about 10 years. I’d say that is a fair amount.Now is the time for all good men/women to come to the aid of their brother/sister.It’s time for all the groups like Norml/MPP/November Coalition /SSDP etc..to come together and form a kind of Allied Cannabis Coalition and share their resources as one very loud voice. And it is also time for the cannabis community to back theses groups even more so.A LOUD voice that says enough of this crap. A LOUD voice that says no decriminalization, no having to get state issued cards, none that bull. Flat out RE-LEGALIZATION and nothing less. No more pee testing for metabolites of cannabis. None!!! Done with!!! Get the ‘hell’ out of private lives!!! SEE-YA!!! BE Gone with your Drug Wars!!! BE Gone with your Drug Czars/DEA Storm troopers, and the Ruling Elites profiting on it all!!!By the way…as a reminder…Czars belong in old world Russia, not AMERICA!!!It’s time to tell these Clowns & Jokers that this land belongs to us, the people, the ‘WE THE PEOPLE’ and if they don’t listen up they will be removed from their thrones and replaced with people who will. Third rail issue or not.I’m ‘mad as hell’ too, as in the movie ‘Network’ and others have mentioned also.It’s time to let the rulers know how mad and how many.I’ve Had Enough of this crap and I’m sure you have too…

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Comment #18 posted by E_Johnson on December 21, 2008 at 00:53:17 PT

How's this for the name of a campaign?
Ten Million in 2012The campaign to mobilize the ten million or so Americans of voting age who will have been arrested for marijuana by 2012.Wonder how the Obamadmin would take that?
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Comment #17 posted by Storm Crow on December 20, 2008 at 22:02:12 PT

Public hearing in New Mexico!
http://www.santafenewmexican.com/HealthandScience/Health-in-brief-Dec--20The New Mexican12/19/2008 - 12/19/08
State to hold medical marijuana hearingThe New Mexico Department of Health's Medical Advisory Board will hold a public hearing in Albuquerque to discuss making new health conditions eligible for the Medical Cannabis Program.The hearing will be at 9 a.m. Jan. 15 at the Los Griegos Community Center, 1231 Candelaria NW.So far, the department has received petitions to add medical conditions such as Crohn's Disease, chronic pain, post-traumatic-stress disorder, hepatitis C, bipolar disorder, arthritis, asthma and anorexia.Right now, conditions are limited to cancer, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis, damage to nervous tissue of the spinal cord with intractable spasticity, epilepsy and HIV/AIDS.After the meeting, the board will make recommendations to the Health Secretary, who will make final decisions.

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Comment #16 posted by Hope on December 20, 2008 at 18:42:13 PT

Fight_4_Freedom
"That post gave me some holiday inspiration! Thank you, I needed it today."Thank you! If I can inspire even one Fighter for Freedom to keep going when he feels like maybe he can't, I've done some good today.:0)
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Comment #15 posted by Hope on December 20, 2008 at 18:38:57 PT

the bigger fit we pitch right now, the better
I think you're right, E_Johnson. Exactly right."Never underestimate the power of a hissy fit!"Don't ever doubt it.
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Comment #14 posted by E_Johnson on December 20, 2008 at 13:38:48 PT

I voted for him and I was happy that he won
However, now the election is over.Consider this -- why were Ramstad and Vereen leaked with such HUGE advance notice before Ramstad was officially announced -- which still hasn't happened, by the way.I think the bigger fit we pitch right now, the better. I'm not going to let myself be happy about Obama until I've finished pitching the biggest fit I can pitch.This window must have been kept open for this long for a reason.
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Comment #13 posted by The GCW on December 20, 2008 at 13:00:11 PT

E_Johnson & FoM,
That's a good point that I have not thought of... another 3 million or so marijuana arrestees in the pool of potential voters could cost Him in 2012. He may not be able to afford that.-0-I didn't vote for Obama over one issue either, yet it seems the cannabis issue also effects many of the other issues that I did vote for Obama over. Not all but most.#1, though I voted for Obama because He was clearly the best candidate running and it was important to get the Republicans packing.
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Comment #12 posted by fight_4_freedom on December 20, 2008 at 12:48:51 PT

Hope
That post gave me some holiday inspiration! Thank you, I needed it today.Mykey- I wish I would have been there to see the look on that cops face when you said "And you don't look like a Doctor"!I love it!

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Comment #11 posted by FoM on December 20, 2008 at 11:01:42 PT

About Obama
I am very happy about Obama winning because of the issues that matter to me and reforming marijuana laws is one of them but only one. I respect him but if he became hell bent on destroying marijuana reformers I would lose some respect for him. 
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Comment #10 posted by E_Johnson on December 20, 2008 at 10:36:03 PT

They're losing credibility
at the rate of 800,000 angry potential voters every year.Obama had better watch himself. By 2012 there should be another 3 million or so marijuana arrestees in the pool of potential voters.The DEA's war is not sustainable, because the marijuana laws are alienating voters against them at a rate that far exceeds the rate at which the DEA and ONDCP can new recruit voters to their side.Obama had better start doing that math, because if he tries to go reefer madness on us, he's going to end up the next Al Gore.
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Comment #9 posted by Hope on December 20, 2008 at 10:01:14 PT

Wonderful, Mykey420!
"He stated that I did not look sick to him. I told him that he did not look like a doctor to me."I'm sad to hear that you have HIV, but you answered that government man's accusations so well.Wonderful answer, Mykey420. 
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Comment #8 posted by Hope on December 20, 2008 at 09:53:54 PT

Daniel Dunlap, DEA Agent
Mr. Dunlap is from the government and he's here to "help" us all. HempWorld is right. Why are you "protecting" some of us to death, literally, from Cannabis? Cannabis has no lethal dose or a history of causing cancer, yet, because it's often smoked in a cigarette or pipe, you holler "Tobacco! Tobacco!" You've made it your job to hunt, spy on, terrorize, arrest, and sometimes kill people that would choose to use or help others use cannabis. You'd rather they be in jail or dead. Why don't you do that to tobacco companies and users? It's because we know it's a bad idea and it's wrong, in a free and open society, to do to fellow humans. You know it causes societal troubles beyond just the use of the tobacco... or alcohol. Yet you think it's ok when the substance is cannabis? Free people choosing to ingest plant matter of their choice? Not on your watch!"Congress passed the Controlled Substances Act in 1970, and DEA was created in 1973 to investigate and enforce it in order to protect the public health and safety." The DEA was created so that Nixon could have an illegal federal police force, which he wanted very badly... one especially aimed at "Those hippies" and "Those Jews".Do we have the Constitutional RIGHT to use drugs, or plants, walk upright, or even eat? You betcha, we do! Yes we do! All the Rights not assigned to the federal government and state governments are RESERVED to the people.The Constitution doesn't say we have the right to eat, or plant a garden, or breathe, even! But we have that right... a natural right... and it is RESERVED to us. Leave it alone!!!"But it's the law of our government!" Yes it is and many, many... millions of us, think the law is very, very wrong and needs changing... even putting "Rights" aside, it's wrong because we already know that it does more HARM than good to society in general, to prohibit substances that a lot of people enjoy. God didn't inscribe marijuana laws in stone. Racists and haters and "Bosses, in their own minds, of everybody else on everything" wrote it on paper. They were wrong and we, the people today, need to change it.We started off in this country about reserving and protecting natural rights and freedom to "The People". But you "Bosses of everyone and everything" started changing that didn't you? If that Declaration, that Constitution, and those Rights, meant anything, if the formation of that government, if that Revolution meant anything... you, Mr. Dunlap, and everyone that thinks like you do, taking the rights of others, citizens of this country.... you are Traitors. Keep it simple. We do have the Constitutional right... even the LEGAL NATURAL RIGHT, to consume cannabis.
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Comment #7 posted by The GCW on December 20, 2008 at 09:40:58 PT

Dunlap a DEA parrot.
Dunlap will never learn the truth by believing the DEA.Dunlap does a disservice to sick people, parroting the Drug Enforcement Administration’s lies, half-truths and propaganda. Everything He said, missed the bull’s-eye.Cannabis prohibitionists should be treated like vampires.
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Comment #6 posted by runruff on December 20, 2008 at 09:21:16 PT

Gee, what a guy!
He is like a drug lifeguard. He sits up on his hightower and says, swim over here in the rip tide where it is safe, don't swim in shallows where you will be sucked under.
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Comment #5 posted by John Tyler on December 20, 2008 at 09:03:53 PT

O.T.
I saw in the news that the mother of guy that got Gov. Sarah Palin’s daughter pregnant got arrested recently for meth. I wonder if the good governor will give her a pardon since they will soon be in-laws.
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Comment #4 posted by charmed quark on December 20, 2008 at 09:00:50 PT

FDA approval
Listen to the audio testimony at time 2:36 that I linked to earlier to hear what a NJ state senator says about what he thinks about FDA approval (my attempt at a transcript): "One last point that I would like to mention, this issue with the FDA. Quite frankly ... we have seen a Presidential administration manipulate science consistently over the last eight years for political agenda.... over and over and over again. And on this issue, the FDA issues their statement but they did not, as is their normal custom, I'm told, convene a panel of experts to look at the evidence before they issued a statement, they (simply) went ahead and issued the statement (thus) deviating from their normal course.
So my confidence in what the FDA has promulgated here, is very, very low."Hallelujah and amen.
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Comment #3 posted by mykeyb420 on December 20, 2008 at 08:33:55 PT

this reminds me
Of a time when a cop smelled pot coming from my room. He stated that I did not look sick to him. I told him that he did not look like a doctor to me. Then I pointed to my HIV meds and he left me alone and told me to open a window and give him a break from the smoke. 
 
Cops are cops,,, NOT doctors.
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Comment #2 posted by goneposthole on December 20, 2008 at 08:32:24 PT

FDA approved drugs
Vioxx killed 64 thousand patients.That's just one and one is enough.The harm done is criminal.Start over. Smoke cannabis and live.
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Comment #1 posted by HempWorld on December 20, 2008 at 08:17:20 PT

Daniel Dunlap is an idiot DEA cop, playing doctor!
"Now that we've studied and realized the harmful and addictive effects of tobacco use, no legitimate physician in the U.S. would ever recommend that a patient should use tobacco, smoked or otherwise. Why would any physician ever recommend smoked marijuana (which contains at least 483 different chemicals, the effects of which are either uncertain or likely to be harmful to humans) to a patient already suffering from cancer or any other disease or condition"But you fail to mention that cigarettes are somehow perfectly legal and do not possess any medical quality whatsoever! In fact cigarettes are so toxic they kill 38,000 Americans every year without even using them from 2nd hand smoke, whereas marijuana smoke has NEVER killed anyone, 2nd hand or other!Well Mr. Daniel Dunlap I hope you enjoy getting paid to tear the fabric of American society apart because your job and all that you do is pure evil!
On a mission from God!
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