cannabisnews.com: Drug Policy To Be Eyed in L.B. Drug Policy To Be Eyed in L.B. Posted by CN Staff on November 10, 2005 at 08:05:12 PT By Felix Sanchez, Staff Writer Source: Press-Telegram Long Beach, CA -- The latest legal efforts against medical marijuana, and the media's recent focus on methamphetamine, are among the key topics to be discussed at the 2005 International Drug Policy Reform Conference beginning today in Long Beach.The three-day conference is being sponsored by the New York-based Drug Policy Alliance, which advocates legalizing medical marijuana and is seeking a change in the way the United States deals with drug addicts. The alliance says the "war on drugs" is racist, has been detrimental in the fight against HIV and AIDS and helped contribute to the exploding population at U.S. prisons."Building a Movement for Reason, Compassion and Justice" is the theme behind this year's conference at The Westin Hotel in downtown Long Beach.Alliance leaders advocate new drug policies based on science, compassion, health and human rights.A morning session today will focus on the latest news in pot policy, marijuana research, consumer advocacy and decriminalization and legalization initiatives.Cannabis law reform experts will "debunk" the latest myths by the federal government about marijuana use, conference organizers said.The conference today and on Saturday will study the methamphetamine problem, analyzing what's been called "the new crack" by the media, and discussing the myths and facts behind the latest research and interventions against the drug.Other topics for the conference include steroids and performance enhancers, the regulation and the ethics of using them in sports, society and medicine; the war on drugs and its failure from the perspective of former police and judicial officials; discussing drugs with parents from a young person's perspective; and marijuana's role in the entertainment business.For more information on the conference and the alliance, visit: http://www.drugpolicy.org/Source: Long Beach Press-Telegram (CA)Author: Felix Sanchez, Staff Writer Published: November 10, 2005Copyright: 2005 Los Angeles Newspaper GroupContact: speakout presstelegram.comWebsite: http://www.presstelegram.com/Related Articles: Symposium Explores War on Drugshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread21274.shtmlMarijuana Becomes Focus of Drug War http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20619.shtmlMarijuana Behind 45 Percent of U.S. Drug Arrestshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20618.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #14 posted by E_Johnson on November 10, 2005 at 22:14:58 PT The question Would it be possible to challenge the HEA provision on drugs through Title IX of the Education Code because its effects are discriminatory by gender, the gender in this case being men? [ Post Comment ] Comment #13 posted by mayan on November 10, 2005 at 18:25:21 PT Also Many parents are likely to encourage their daugters to go to college moreso than their sons. If a girl has college ed and options she is less likely to end up in a dead-end relationship where she feels like she must stay with the "breadwinner". With college ed she can find a mate on her terms and walk out the door at any time. If I had a son and daughter and could send only one to college I would send the girl.On another unrelated note, here's a link to a very interesting read. Is it for real? I don't know but it would not surprise me the least bit... GOP memo touts new terror attack as way to reverse party's decline: http://www.capitolhillblue.com/artman/publish/article_7639.shtmlWe must be vigilant. [ Post Comment ] Comment #12 posted by The GCW on November 10, 2005 at 18:19:41 PT It's Thursday http://www.boulderweekly.com/newsspin.htmlMile High controversy [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by FoM on November 10, 2005 at 16:31:38 PT Toker00 I think that men that don't go to college and work hard developing a skill will do as well as college graduates. My great nephew is in construction and he is coming to help us tomorrow and we are paying him a lot of money because he gets paid a lot of money working for a construction company. My husband is an owner operator and now that our equipment is paid off he can pick and choose what loads he will take and when he wants to be on the road. Having a skill is very important. I helped build but I am not as strong as a man and maybe that's why more women aren't in contruction. [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by Toker00 on November 10, 2005 at 16:17:43 PT Does this help? A lot of men don't go to college because they can't afford it, have drug arrest records, want (need) money right away out of high school for girls and cool things. By the time they are mature enough to handle college, they have a family, have a record, or have developed a trade instead of a career. A lot of guys have dreams of becoming contractors and builders in the construction trade, and if you learn the trades quick and have ambition, you CAN make a lot of money without a college education. Women still haven't integrated into the construction trades like I thought they were going to, other than the top end, which is great. A lot of guys have SOME college, like me. But I make as much money as someone with a four year + degree. It's like construction work has it's technicians, as business has it's executives. We reward hard physical work that has to be done with absolute precision with high pay, like an exec. would be rewarded with a high salary. Most construction workers are not salary, but hourly, and can make huge paychecks when overtime is involved. Some guys just actually prefer a power tool over a computer keyboard, or chasing accounts. Don't know if I explained a damn thing, but I tried.Wage peace on war. END CANNABIS PROHIBITION NOW! [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by FoM on November 10, 2005 at 14:51:35 PT The Men I understand what you mean. [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by E_Johnson on November 10, 2005 at 14:24:11 PT Does the HEA act discriminate against men? I was thinking about the growing gender imbalance in higher education that has some people concerned now. The percentage of women in higher education is growing way past 50%, which leads people to ask the question-- what's happening to the men?Maybe the HEA act and the WOD are what's happening to men of college age to keep them out of college.Title XIX of the EDucation Code forbids gender discrimination in higher education when federal funds are involved.College aged men are more likely than college aged women to have issues with impulse control and also suffer from a need to test social boundaries and take risks.So the HEA act is definitely going to contribute to the shrinking population of men receiving higher education in America.I wonder if it could be legally challenged under the provisions of Title XIX? [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by FoM on November 10, 2005 at 14:22:57 PT One More Thing Soon there will only be two classes of people. The rich and the poor. The poor will out number the rich many times over. When anger takes hold of those who think they have nothing to lose anymore violence will happen like what is happening in France. Neglecting races of people and classes of people breeds hate and then society wants to blame the inferior not white race. You know they are just sub human in their opinion. Selling drugs is a means to an end for the very poor. [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by FoM on November 10, 2005 at 14:06:39 PT kaptinemo If our system has allowed drugs to run rampant in the inner cities I want to know why. It's almost like let it run its course and let it get embedded in that particular race then we can lock lots of the undesirables up. I guess I think way differently then most people. [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by FoM on November 10, 2005 at 13:57:12 PT kaptinemo Yes the drug war is racially motivated. I was just on the phone talking to my sister and we talked about the cities and how bad they have gotten. I have no desire to live in a city and never have but I know the value of cities to us all. When the jobs went away selling drugs became a means to survive in very poor inner cities. Our system has created this monster and no one seems to see it is our problem and if we don't claim it as our problem a revolution will happen. History itself proves that to me. [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by kaptinemo on November 10, 2005 at 13:43:02 PT: FoM, I'm already feeling (cautiously) optimistic Because when I read the schedule you provided below, I was struck by the fact that the War on (Some) Drugs is finally being seen by reformers officially for what it has always been known to be unofficially: racially motivated.Regular readers here know just how endemic the issue of race is to the DrugWar. It's the dirty little secret that the prohibs like to nervously smile about and try to change the subject on. It's the issue they must dance around, and look out and away from, but is always there. This gathering is taking this issue as seriously as it always should have been in the past, and is attracting the attention the matter has always deserved but never received. We can expect the prohibs to really pull out all the stops, now, for this is one point they simply cannot ignore any longer, especially after Hurricane Katrina ripped the heavily bandaged and blood-encrusted smiley mask off of the issue of race relations in this country in a way few could avoid thinking about. Calling attention to how the DrugWar was created by long forgotten racist crackers and perpetuated by barely concealed prejudice cuts too close to home for the antis. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by FoM on November 10, 2005 at 09:12:20 PT Just a Note I think the news is going to slow up now and I hope everyone has a great day and weekend. It's been a really good election season for Cannabis issues. I hope we can keep it going until the laws are finally changed for good. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by ekim on November 10, 2005 at 08:22:00 PT Thursday, November 10, 2005 Cultural Baggage Cultural Baggage www.leap.cc/events Description: Executive Director Jack Cole is a guest on Cultural Baggage with host Dean Becker. Jack and Dean will be discussing the never ending problems created by drug prohibition and will offer workable solutions to this American government created situation. All Drug Truth Network programs are available at www.drugtruth.net and at www.audioport.org. Scheduled for 7PM CST. Please check your local listings. Date: Thursday, November 10, 2005 Time: 7:00pm-7:30pm Duration: 30 minutes Participants: Jack Cole http://www.drugtruth.net/ [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by FoM on November 10, 2005 at 08:07:54 PT Schedule of Speakers & Issues at Conference http://www.drugpolicy.org/docUploads/DPA_Conference_2005_Program.pdf [ Post Comment ] Post Comment