cannabisnews.com: Marijuana Law Would Not Prompt Federal Crackdown





Marijuana Law Would Not Prompt Federal Crackdown
Posted by CN Staff on July 25, 2002 at 08:51:52 PT
By Glenn Puit, Review-Journal
Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal 
If Nevadans vote to legalize the possession of 3 ounces or less of marijuana, the federal government will not "strong arm" them by stepping up the enforcement of federal drug possession laws, the nation's drug czar said Wednesday. "That's not our intent," said John Walters, who leads the Office of National Drug Control Policy. "People have the right to make their own decisions." Walters was in Las Vegas to convince Nevadans that legalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana is a bad idea. Voters will consider the initiative Nov. 5. 
At a morning news conference, Walters was asked whether approval of the Nevada initiative would lead to an added federal law enforcement campaign against marijuana users such as the one that has unfolded recently in California. There, federal officials repeatedly have raided cannabis clubs and made arrests despite a 1996 ballot initiative allowing patients, with a doctor's recommendation, to grow, possess and use the drug for pain relief. "I don't believe you'd see federal officials coming into Nevada to enforce possession laws," he said. Nonetheless, Walters said legalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana in Nevada is a mistake. He said it would make the state a haven for drug dealers and expose more juveniles to marijuana. "It (Nevada) would become the vacation spot for drug traffickers," Walters said. "Look at the current levels of crime, drug dependency and lost opportunities," he said. "Do people want more of that? I don't think so." Billy Rogers, a spokesman for Nevadans for Responsible Law Enforcement, questioned whether Walters has read the state's initiative, which also calls for criminal punishment of anyone who sells marijuana to minors. Rogers also said those who drive under the influence of marijuana face arrest and prosecution, and that under the initiative, the state would license the sellers of small amounts of marijuana for medical purposes, and the drug would be taxed like cigarettes. "When the facts aren't on their side, they start making things up," Rogers said. "They are trying to scare people, but the voters in Nevada are a lot smarter than the politicians from Washington, D.C. "The opposition to this is not coming from within Nevada; it's coming from Washington, D.C.," Rogers said. "Most Nevadans don't think people should be arrested for small amounts of marijuana." Until 2001, Nevada had the strictest marijuana laws in the nation. Possession of even small amounts was a felony offense that feasibly could carry prison time. But the state's harsh approach came into serious question with voter support for the use of marijuana for medical purposes. In both 1998 and 2000, Nevadans overwhelmingly voted to allow people to use and grow small amounts of marijuana with a doctor's prescription. In turn, the state Legislature modified the law to accommodate the voters' wishes on medical marijuana, and made possession of small amounts of the drug a misdemeanor. Voters must approve the initiative in November and again in 2004 before it can become part of the Nevada Constitution. District Attorney Stewart Bell said Wednesday that he supports continuing to treat possession of marijuana as a misdemeanor. "We usually resolve it with some drug counseling or community service," he said. "We don't make more out of it than it deserves." Bell said, "There are definitely cases where using marijuana leads to use of serious drugs and crime. "The way it's treated now is probably the fairest and best way," he said. Rogers said decriminalizing up to 3 ounces would free up a lot of valuable time for law enforcement that otherwise could be spent pursuing other criminal cases. "They lose up to eight hours on the street for each arrest of an otherwise law-abiding citizen with a small amount of marijuana," he said. Detective David Kallas, executive director of the Las Vegas Police Protective Association, said the valley's largest police union has yet to take a formal position on the issue, adding that the union needs more information. A recent poll conducted for the Review-Journal and reviewjournal.com showed that 44 percent of Nevada voters surveyed support the initiative, 46 percent oppose it, while 10 percent are undecided. The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus four percentage points. Walters attributed the seemingly high number of people who support the initiative to what he termed misinformation spread by pro-marijuana lobbyists. "It's a complete fabrication that we're taking low-level offenders and throwing them in prison, such as a 15-year-old with a baggie in his pants," he said. Walters said the public doesn't believe there is such a thing as marijuana dependence. He said his office plans to educate them with scientific data. "The biochemistry of dependence on marijuana is the same as for other drugs," he said. "These are important realities that are not known." He said baby boomers might think it's harmless that their kids are experimenting with marijuana as they did. He said the marijuana sold to teenagers today is more potent and dangerous than the strain their parents used when they were young. "I don't think they can make the decision to take their teenager's marijuana use seriously if they don't know what we know," Walters said. Rogers said the drug czar is the one engaging in a practice of spreading misinformation, on the taxpayers' dime. "The federal Drug Enforcement Administration, they've got billions of dollars to wage public relations campaign against us," Rogers said. "We feel confident that the people of Nevada will be informed of what's in this initiative and they'll ignore the smoke screens." Note: But drug czar says easing possession limit would be bad for Nevada. Review-Journal writer J.M. Kalil contributed to this report.Complete Title: Marijuana Law Change Would Not Prompt Federal CrackdownSource: Las Vegas Review-Journal (NV)Author: Glenn Puit, Review-JournalPublished: Thursday, July 25, 2002Copyright: 2002 Las Vegas Review-JournalContact: letters lvrj.comWebsite: http://www.lvrj.com/Related Articles & Web Sites:NRLEhttp://www.nrle.org/Marijuana Policy Projecthttp://www.mpp.org/Official Urges Police Officers to Oppose Marijuanahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13534.shtmlNevada Becomes Marijuana Battle Groundhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13518.shtmlVoters Split on Marijuana Issuehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13501.shtmlPublic Officials Slam Marijuana Ballot Measure http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13496.shtml
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Comment #35 posted by dddd on July 25, 2002 at 20:42:20 PT
...........!.............
...FreedomFighter..........JAH Shine on You!............dddd
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Comment #34 posted by freedom fighter on July 25, 2002 at 20:38:00 PT
dddd,
speaking of donation, done! send my hard earned 100$.. Not rich either but heck I'm not that materialistic either..But check this link out..Might hafta send another 25$ for this grassroot effort..http://www.overgrow.com/edge/showthread.php?s=7be2067e3839b3c2e8ba90fd0810a2c3&threadid=161996Grassroots can be very important aspect!ff
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Comment #33 posted by dddd on July 25, 2002 at 18:43:17 PT
..................*[?]...
....that's a good one EJ......I can hear the news reports now;...".PETA closes down pot research facility...."...
 
..I know PETA is scary,,but I would hope,and think,,that Marijuana research has generally now gone beyond the animal research level,,into the human testing mode.(?)...
 
 
....If this happens in Nevada,(and it hopefully will,,[{dont forget to send support to;  http://www.NRLE.org  ]},, then it will trigger federal mayhem!..These crazy federal bastards are actually crazy!....They are not just pretending to be crazy,,,nope,,,they are actually deranged,and obsessed about all this! 
 
 Federal checkpoints on state borders could easily be coming to a borber near you soon!!! 
..This Nevada initiative,,will be fought BIGTIME by the empire,,because if/when this is approved ,by the voters of Nevada ,it will usher in a whole new chalenge to the federal overlords! 
... Nevada is the most obvious and perfect place for such a thing to happen!,,.....Just think about good ol' Nevada! .. Ya gotta admit,Las Vegas is probably the most grotesquely dazzling place on the face of the Planet!.. .. I believe that the gambling industry is the dominant source of Nevadas' income...........The people of Nevada are no dummies! They are not a bunch of prudish,retentive uptight people,who will side with federal interests!...
 
 
...This Nevada thing is BIG!......it's rather obcvious when we see the feds poking around already...
 
 
...I couldnt afford it,,,but I sent my $10 bucks to help...I hope everyone else will consider doing the same.
 
....this is Big......................indeedddd
http://www.NRLE.org
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Comment #32 posted by Dankdude on July 25, 2002 at 18:40:52 PT:
It;'s BS Folks......
Personally I think John Walters is lieing the public and speaking out of the side of his mouth. Don't trust him people, the DEA continually keeps cracking down on compassionate use in the state of California in spite the wishes of the voters. In this I think that the federal government is overstepping their boundaries. Just remember the US constitution was written to limit the government and to empower the people, not the other way around.
Moderator - Law & Legalization forum
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Comment #31 posted by xxdr_zombiexx on July 25, 2002 at 17:39:00 PT
just linking a document
about the addictiveness of ye olde tobacco
CNN report about tobacco addiction
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Comment #30 posted by paul peterson on July 25, 2002 at 17:26:26 PT:
ADDICTION 101
The way I see it, tobacco should be rescheduled as a "class 1" drug, since it is 1) highly addictive, with it's huge dopamine surge & tendency to shut down the shut off switch for the dopamine (acetylcholine I think they call it), 2) no known medical use & 3) extremely dangerous (if you call 400,000 deaths per year dangerous at all?) Please, can anyone name even ONE MEDICAL USE FOR THIS DRUG? I thought you couldn't. So why don't we circulate a petition drive to make that CLASS 1?Now that addictive substance #1 is out of the way, apparently Alcohol, Cocaine (and of course all those other stimulant white powders) have that really high dopamine surge that provokes a CRAVING for resumption of drug use, and they all have this STIMULUS REWARD CENTER REWIRING going on. So what about marijuana? According to University of Iowa researchers (a few months ago, I don't think they have published yet) 1) chronic use of marijuana does not provoke ANY STRUCTURAL CHANGES IN THE BRAIN, especially not the stimulus reward center changes & 2) it increased blood flow in the ventral areas of the frontal lobes, responsible for emotional thoughts.I had heard once that marijuana products all individually will tolerence (which is ideal, meaning that they will all reset to match the changes in relative levels of the various cannabinoids in a mix-meaning that the brain will not OD on that new bag you get from a new neighbor, etc-this is a good thing at times!).I have also read that dosing with marijuana gives only a minor dopamine increase (35%-same as food), meaning that this does not provoke a strong CRAVING RESPONSE. Since the cannabinoids are neuroprotective, they don't cause brain cells to die from overstimulation, on the contrary, they save those cells from overdosing on the other things, etc!Recently, University of Illinois at Chicago reported in a sleep apnea study that THC & Oleomide (an endocannabinoid) both MODERATE SEROTONIN INDUCED SLEEP APNEA, meaning that this unique combination of substances now has been proven to moderate and dampen DOPAMINE LEVELS AS WELL AS SEROTONIN LEVELS! Truly one stop shopping.And don't forget that the FIRST 12 STEP PROGRAMS IN THE WORLD WERE KNOWN OF IN LIKE 1886, WHEN 12 DOSES OF CANNABIS WERE BEST KNOWN AS THE "GATEWAY OUT OF OPIUM ADDICTION!".  I'm thinking that when those AA people started looking for prominence in the "treatment" of alcohol toxicity or addiction, they stole the thunder from the cannabis people, specifically because cannabis was known to be the state of the art in the business! Just guessing, I wasn't there, you know!And apparently, when they got those monkeys to get "addicted" to THC (by establishing that the monkeys would develop a learned "habit" to THC, it wasn't by the regular route, they had to use a hypodermic needle injection method, with the more highly concentrated (and dessicated and basterdized) marinol, which took out those other cannabinoids that would "balance" the dose, etc.! In other words, when you leave the green natural form alone and give that to the monkeys, no such "spontaneous" dosing would be learned, because the natural state will keep that from happening. ASA & JOHN & JOHN & GEORGE are lying when they say marijuana is addictive.The set & setting (environment & cuing) are more important than the drug itself. I'm done now, and thanks for listening. PAUL PETERSON 312-558-9999
http://illinois-mmi.org
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Comment #29 posted by freedom fighter on July 25, 2002 at 17:25:33 PT
Drug War Addicts
I wondered what would happend to these poor Drug War addicts if all substances deemed "legal"?Will these addicts start smoking cannabis then progress to harder drugs after all substances are finally somehow legalized?Or will these addicts go through terrible withdrawls and probably even perish of not putting human beings in cages because of said banned substances?Alas, there is no possible way to do a research on animals in field of this sort of addiction. I truly don't think I want to be the researcher study his problem!ff
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Comment #28 posted by xxdr_zombiexx on July 25, 2002 at 15:42:41 PT
Its a trap!
Through a haze of cannabis smoke it dawned on me....Walters is not only lying, but the Feds are behind the success of the legalization move.The first moment somebody drives from the Holy State of Utah and defiles it by bringing back Nevada's Devil Shrub, the Feds can file the largest forfieture in history, tkae over Nevada totally, get rid of mari-ju-wanna, and make the State safe again for storing nuclear waste.God I love pot.
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Comment #27 posted by VitaminT on July 25, 2002 at 15:30:09 PT
I'm not a lawyer either, but
I am a caveman architect. After I was unfrozen, they taught me how to read. That was their first mistake, as I understand the 10th Ammendment, the federal government has a legitimate right to regulate Interstate Commerce. This would cover all those evil Utahans that we all know are trying to corrupt the youth of America (or at least Utah.)I'll leave it to some caveman lawyer to tell me if I'm not quite thawed out yet!Just havin' a little fun with it!Peace and love everybody!
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Comment #26 posted by trainwreck on July 25, 2002 at 15:10:47 PT:
oh yeah
and just a thanks to those who maintain this site, it's informative and fun!
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Comment #25 posted by BGreen on July 25, 2002 at 15:10:47 PT
I hope you know I was kidding, Dr. Russo
I wanted to say something so outrageous that everybody would know I was joking. I find no arrogance in a knowledgable person sharing their expertise. I find extreme arrogance in the ignorant person who feels qualified to contradict the words of that expert.I know I may be insulting your ability to take a joke, but I'd prefer that to the possibility of truly insulting someone I respect.
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Comment #24 posted by trainwreck on July 25, 2002 at 15:06:03 PT:
I am not a lawyer, but
it seems to me this push for the Nevada law is basically to allow recreational use. The problem with the "states rights" arguement here is the first time someone drives from Salt Lake City Utah three hours to Wendover Nevada, buys some state sanctioned chronic, and takes it back to Utah to share (or worse yet, sell to a minor) then you have a legitimate inroad for the Federal Govmn't. (Nevada and Utah, polar opposites, sitting right next to each other...how bizarre)I think the folks with the big bucks backing these initiatives should look at whether or not they really want to test these ideas with the current Supreme Court, which is clearly prone to drug-hysteria. The court's decisions typically last generations. I applaud their efforts, but the real problem is the system which is not democratic. We need real campaign finance reform so our elections can't be purchased! Hell even many of the politicians admit that!!!Go Cannabisnews!
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Comment #23 posted by i420 on July 25, 2002 at 15:05:33 PT
"Commie Walters"
If people should make their own decisions as walters say then why the ... is he tellin poeople what choice to make.
"That's not our intent," said John Walters, who leads the Office of National Drug Control Policy. "People have
   the right to make their own decisions." Walters was in Las Vegas to convince Nevadans that legalizing the
   possession of small amounts of marijuana is a bad idea. Voters will consider the initiative Nov. 5. FoM a chat room is a great idea and it is very easy to do. 
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Comment #22 posted by Ethan Russo MD on July 25, 2002 at 14:52:58 PT:
And Another Thing----
While these fellows have me in a fighting mood, I am plenty tired of seeing nice people with terrible chronic illnesses who are being denied effective medicine by our government. That really makes me arrogant.
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Comment #21 posted by Ethan Russo MD on July 25, 2002 at 14:47:57 PT:
Aw, Shucks
Thank you all so much for your compliments.I have often been accused of arrogance. My response is that the message is more important than the messenger, and that I never say anything about cannabis that I can not back up with documentation.This arrogance stems from dealing with bureaucrats pushing a moral agenda without regard to people's medical welfare. It is wrong, and should not be tolerated.
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Comment #20 posted by VitaminT on July 25, 2002 at 14:15:06 PT
How subtle
and mild the "addictive" properties of cannabis, that after decades of desperate searching no clear syndrome has been identified. And why even contemplate an animal research model when probably a million or more human subjects would readily volunteer.Thanks Dr. Russo
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Comment #19 posted by BGreen on July 25, 2002 at 13:57:46 PT
Dr. Ethan Russo MD
I sense an incredible amount of arrogance coming from you. What makes you think you're more qualified to speak on this subject than Walters, Hutchinson, or Ashcroft?Oh, yeah! You have a medical degree and many years experience in research and patient care, along with, in my opinion, the most important component in medical care, which is true compassion.Thank you for your efforts, and for sharing your words and work with us!Bud Green
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Comment #18 posted by FoM on July 25, 2002 at 13:02:29 PT
ekim 
That's a really good idea but I don't know how to go about doing it. What Cannabis News needs is it's very own chat but I don't know how to develop one. If anyone knows please tell me if it is hard or not. I know DrugSense has a chat but it would really be nice to have our own. 
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Comment #17 posted by ekim on July 25, 2002 at 12:39:09 PT
Hi FOM is there anyway that you could 
Have Mr.Rogers here to take some questions. Could it work like when we post on these threads. Just thinking:)
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Comment #16 posted by dimebag on July 25, 2002 at 11:41:27 PT
Addiction and Potency
Let Me tell you straight up, Marijuana isnt Physically addictive, although it may be mentally addictive that doesnt constitute as a Real Addiction. Im addicted to chocolate and cafeene but fuck, the Gov. Aint trying to throw me in jail or put me in dependancy classes. Even though those things in large doses can hurt you. Fuck if you eat 8 raw potatoes it will have a toxic effect. My point is Im mentally addicted to Pot. I can go a week without smoking do I like it... Not really but I can deal with it. Now if I were addicted to Heroin and went a few hours without it I would go into convultions, have a stroke or possible heart attack. While laying in the hospital for treatment they would have to put me into a Padded room because my body would be soo dependant on the Heroin i would litterally be uncontrollable. I wouldnt eat or talk, I would just be INSANE. Now this goes on for weeks and your dependancy lasts for Years upon Years upon Years upon years... Same with Tobacco, just not quite as chronic. But Tobacco users can stop for 20 years and still get that craving. As im typing now, I havnt smoked for 3 days and Im fukin fine... Not worried about my next fix or where im gonna get the money to by my next sack, it just doesnt equate with the dependancy with harder drugs. Even Alcohol and tobacco and those are fukin legal. They are just scared to loose their jobs cuz Marijuana is soo easy to find and bust people for, why actually try and do real police work and look for real criminals when you can bust some pot heads and fell like your protecting some illusion you have in your pittiful little head.Oh and the potency thing... Bull shit... Sure its a little stronger, but what does that Equate to? You and I both know that equates to less use. You have less dope, higher potency, less use. Unless you have the money to blow on high priced dope. But to sum it all up ... Higher Potency weed does not constitue Higer Risk of Dependancy, it just increases your munchies. And puts a bigger dent in your wallet if you dont grow the shit your self. We all know as responsible adults that Drugs are bad for us, fuck breathing in air is bad for us but its a way of life and so is getting high. Take Away the Prohibition and the only black market you will have is AssHoles trying to sell to little children at school. And Last time I checked we already have that shit running rampet.END CANNIBUS PROHIBITION. END WAR ON CIVILIZATIONEND OUR SOCIALIST SOCIETY. END FEAR IN AMERICADimebag.....Keep it up Nevada, were almost there....
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Comment #15 posted by Nasarius on July 25, 2002 at 11:37:24 PT
Lies, Lies, Lies!
----------------------------
"The biochemistry of dependence on marijuana is the same as for other drugs," he said.
----------------------------This is so directly opposite from the truth that it's sad. Marijuana, unlike many other drugs, does NOT cause the release of dopamines, which is the key factor in physical addiction. This guy is just plain wrong.
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Comment #14 posted by E_Johnson on July 25, 2002 at 11:31:00 PT
Do not let the PETA demon loose
If PETA made an attack on cannabinoid animal research, the good research would be less likely to survive than the bad research, because the bad research has more political support at the federal level, and the federal government determines what American science gets done.The addiction studies would be preserved and the arthritis and cancer studies would be used as political sacrifices to PETA.
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Comment #13 posted by VitaminT on July 25, 2002 at 11:30:35 PT
. . . sure Mr. Walters knows this
I doubt it! He's so deeply entrenched in his religous fanatic rut that he can't even see over the edges. He has his eyes on the prize - the elusive mirage: A Drug Free America!I'm sure that message played great when he was speaking to his church but all the world is not his church - a fact he has yet to realize.
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Comment #12 posted by Matt B on July 25, 2002 at 11:19:49 PT
Drug Dealers huh?
"Nonetheless, Walters said legalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana in Nevada is a mistake. He said it would make the state a haven for drug dealers and expose more juveniles to marijuana."All I have to say is... WHAT? Drug Dealers are a product of the Black Market and the Black Market is a product of laws that make things illegal. If the state sets up a distrabution system, what are the point of street dealers? If people can get High Grade pot at lower prices, no one is going to be dealing anymore. It would probably cause alot the dealers to stop or move somewhere else. See, this is a good way to see how BS the Drug Agencys are. This point that I make is a very obvious one and I'm sure Mr. Walters knows this, but he won't say it because its his job to get rid of drugs, even if legalizing them means shrinking the black market and stopping crime.
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Comment #11 posted by Sam Adams on July 25, 2002 at 11:18:26 PT
The pace of the lying is increasing!
and becoming more frantic. Look at this one:"It's a complete fabrication that we're taking low-level offenders and throwing them in prison, such as a 15-year-old with a baggie in his pants," he said.I've never read any reformer alleging that 15 year olds are in jail for a gram. The ONDCP keeps "debunking" this myth over and over - or maybe they're trying to create it?What he should have said was "A 15 year old with a baggie will be kicked out of high school, banned from any financial aid for college, and have his license pulled which SHOULD prevent the little bastard from ever working again"
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Comment #10 posted by Ethan Russo MD on July 25, 2002 at 11:16:14 PT:
Clarification for E_J, Scientist Extraordinaire
I am not opposed to animal research, but I am opposed to frivolous animal research, such as that in which zebra finches were chronically injected with cannabinoids to demonstrate that they did not learn to sing as well as their unmedicated feathered brethren. In instance, I would invoke the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Let the bird sing without deciphering the song."At this point in time, I seriously question the need for animal research to continue that purports to demonstrate the addictive potential of cannabis or THC. We really should be studying clinical issues in people. As to alleged issues of cannabis toxicity, why not examine people that use it chronically of their own volition, or for thereapeutic reasons?The Feds like to portray a black & white world that is reminiscent of scarier parts of the "Twilight Zone," or at least, "Pleasantville," where there is no sex, no fun, no music, and no outside world. Life is about change. In his book, Callings, Gregg Levoy says, "We must therefore be willing to get shaken up, to submit ourselves to the dark blossomings of chaos, in order ro reap the blessings of growth. Much of this is axiomatic: stress often prompts breakthroughs; crises point toward opportunities; chaos is an integral phase of the creative process; and protest abets the cause of democracy."Too bad he's not in the current government.
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Comment #9 posted by E_Johnson on July 25, 2002 at 11:01:07 PT
DO NOT GET PETA INVOLVED
Check it out: your tax dollars at work. Perhaps the PETA people would be interested in this creative use of squirrel monkeys.
These PETA people are against animal research that would benefit us too, do we want to get rid to THAT?The experiment where they gave rodents brain cancer and injected them with THC would be something PETA would like to have banned, I am sure.Don't even say the word PETA around marijuana research!! It's too scary!! Right now animal studies are about all we have, since it's so hard to get them to do decent huiman trials.
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Comment #8 posted by krutch on July 25, 2002 at 10:40:00 PT:
Thank You Dr. Russo
For clarifying the conditions under which these experiments that supposedly demonstrate the addictive properties of marijuana where conducted. Our wonderful government officials don't realize that scientific studies can not be accurately reduced to sound bites.I originally questioned the results of these studies when I heard them because reality fails to support them. If MJ was as addictive as other drugs such as heroin, there would be many "marijuana addicts". I have known people who where addicted to cocaine,heroin and meth, but I never met anyone who is addicted to marijuana.
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Comment #7 posted by John Tyler on July 25, 2002 at 09:47:31 PT
Let see...
if I understand this. The main reason it should be kept illegal is it causes dependancy, crime and is a gateway. Haven't all of these arguments been demolished years ago in study after study? Oh, and today's weed is more potent. I did an informal survey over a year ago of people who have been enjoying cannabis products for over 20 years and they wanted to know where the more potent weed was. They hadn't seen any at all. Maybe they have always had good weed, or maybe it is just an urban myth.
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Comment #6 posted by legalizeit on July 25, 2002 at 09:46:20 PT
What a pompous a$$hole!
>"I don't think they can make the decision to take their teenager's marijuana use seriously if they don't know what we know," Walters said. Through his arrogance I can see that he is totally without a clue as to what the GP knows about pot. The crap he and his cronies "know" is, as we know, the fruit of years of racist, exaggerated mistruths and untruths.>"The biochemistry of dependence on marijuana is the same as for other drugs," he said. "These are important realities that are not known." The typical anti action -- lump MJ with all other drugs and hope the sheeple buy it. As far as things not known, the gov't and its heavy-handed restrictions on MJ research is completely responsible for this.>"It (Nevada) would become the vacation spot for drug traffickers," Walters said. Only because of your insane drug laws.Lead on, Nevada!! The wall of prohibition is coming down, in bigger and bigger chunks!
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Comment #5 posted by xxdr_zombiexx on July 25, 2002 at 09:43:40 PT
Full of the superunknown
"The biochemistry of dependence on marijuana is the same as for other drugs," he said. "These are important realities that are not known." Really? Do tell....Fear of the unknown!Feaaaarrrrrrrr!!!!Walters is reminding me of a slow-witted person that just got a joke we all told a year ago, and is simply repeating it, thinking it is still relavent.If he told the truth it would sound something like this:
 Hey! I'm dyin' out here!"
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Comment #4 posted by Ethan Russo MD on July 25, 2002 at 09:40:01 PT:
Cannabis Addiction
"The biochemistry of dependence on marijuana is the same as for other drugs," he said.Wrong! NIDA had funded studies for a generation in attempts to prove that cannabis is addictive. They have been largely unsuccessful. In 1976, Cohen published the "94-Day Cannabis Study" in which human volunteers were encouraged to smoke as much as possible every day. At the end, they stopped abruptly, and a few subjects had minimal physical symptoms such as diarrhea and feeling poorly that lasted less than a day, and none required any additional medical treatment! Few people in the world smoke more than the Compassionate Use IND patients we studied in Missoula last year:http://www.ncbi.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11036260&dopt=AbstractAll of these patients have suffered "cannabis droughts" due to the government's failure to send their medicine on time. None had any withdrawal symptoms, merely an increase in the symptoms for which they employed clinical cannabis.During the same intervening 30 years, NIDA attempted to addict animals to cannabis. There is a problem, however, in that experimental animals will not push the lever to administer THC. The reason is that THC is what is called a partial agonist on the cannabinoid receptors; it binds the receptor only loosely. In contrast, synthetics are complete agonists, and may elicit this behavior. Animals forced to take massive doses of THC chronically may have "withdrawal," but only when it is "precipitated." That means that you load them up with THC or the synthetic cannabinoid over a long period of time, and them slam them with a synthetic cannabinoid antagonist. They then have withdrawal symptoms, sometimes for all of 30-60 minutes. That doesn't sound much like DT's or heroin withdrawal to me. These scientists continue to present the data as if cannabis and morphine are equivalent in their production of tolerance and withdrawal. In fact, Diana Cichewicz at Virginia Commonwealth University has recently shown that THC blocks the development of tolerance and withdrawal in experimental animals. Clinicians in 19th century America and Europe knew the same thing.Recently NIDA scientists did get monkeys to self-administer THC, but only after they were experimentally addicted to cocaine: http://www.ncbi.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=11036260&dopt=AbstractCheck it out: your tax dollars at work. Perhaps the PETA people would be interested in this creative use of squirrel monkeys.The discerning reader should realize by now that Walters' equation of cannabis with addictive drugs is wishful moralism, not science.Similarly, when Hutchinson claims as he did on "Crossfire" that teens in cannabis treatment represent the greatest proportion of drug treatment patients, he fails to consider alcohol, tobacco, or the fact that these "treatments" are artifacts of detection (that is, urine drug tests), and are imposed by the law, irrespective of actual need. This from a man who equates state laws on clinical cannabis to be the same as bank robbery. I haven't seen a lot of states attempting to make that legal!
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Comment #3 posted by goneposthole on July 25, 2002 at 09:13:04 PT
KOA in Denver
KOA radio station devoted it's call-in talk show to the drugwar last night. I heard the last part of the show,
There were 50 callers in favor of ending prohibition and one against. I suppose the callers were biased, and deserve no credence.Of course, the drugwar is incredible, too.
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Comment #2 posted by Windminstrel on July 25, 2002 at 09:11:41 PT
Yeah, states rights are cool
"People have the right to make their own decisions."unless, of course, it involves accepting nuclear waste from the feds. 
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Comment #1 posted by TroutMask on July 25, 2002 at 08:55:16 PT
What a liar!
"That's not our intent," said John Walters, who leads the Office of National Drug Control Policy. "People have the right to make their own decisions."I almost spit milk through my nose when I read THAT one. This b stard will tell you anything you want to hear as long as it isn't the truth.-TM
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