cannabisnews.com: Speed Limit





Speed Limit
Posted by CN Staff on December 20, 2006 at 10:47:54 PT
By Ben Fulton
Source: Salt Lake City Weekly 
Utah -- Here are some facts about U.S. drug enforcement law, and illegal drugs, you may or may not be aware of: Despite the fact that it’s darned hard on your lungs compared to mainstream tobacco, marijuana’s toxicity is less than half that of heroin or cocaine. Despite the fact that millions of baby boomers have inhaled marijuana’s mind-altering active chemicals, these same people are hardly seeking treatment for addiction. Although psychologically addictive—along with television, desserts and other items offered legally in our society—the evidence that marijuana poses any physiological addictive threat is scant at best.
In fact, there’s strong evidence it’s effective in treating cancer, AIDS, glaucoma and multiple sclerosis. How curious, then, that the Federal Drug Administration licensed a drug called Marinol that mimics marijuana’s medicinal effects, even as it prohibits any medical testing of marijuana’s benefits. Even the UK’s straight-laced Economist magazine chimed in as of late. “Marijuana is medically useful, whether politicians like it or not,” it wrote. It gets far stranger. Under the dictates of the Controlled Substances Act, marijuana remains on the federal list of hard-core Schedule 1 drugs, right up there with heroin and LSD. Incredibly, our government believes cocaine, a far more toxic substance than marijuana, is somehow less addictive than the old Mary Jane. So they place Freud’s friendly white powder, which is also deemed to have “accepted medical use in treatment” by the way, next to good old amphetamine on Schedule 2. You got that right, folks. Our government believes marijuana’s more addictive, more toxic, and therefore more worthy of our fear and attention than either cocaine or methamphetamine. It makes you wonder who, exactly, is on drugs. Now, this isn’t a column espousing the legalization or use of marijuana. I’m not out to see American families sharing bong hits round the fireplace and Old Glory woven in hemp. No, this column concerns the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency’s ludicrous, disproportional attention given to eradicating marijuana use when it should instead combat the most horrific illegal drug now sinking its teeth and claws into our nation’s populace. That drug is, of course, methamphetamine. For better or for worse, marijuana use among millions of Americans is a permanent fixture. Just how huge is the market? Try $35.8 billion huge, according to one marijuana public policy analyst. It outstrips the markets for corn, soybeans and hay. People smoke it at parties, laugh about tripping over the carpet, then binge on munchies. No one should drive under its influence, and it might kill any ambition your child had of becoming valedictorian, but no one can deny that legions of Jamaican musicians have written some amazing reggae and dub tunes between tokes. Then there’s methamphetamine, a drug so powerful it causes psychotic hallucinations, high-blood pressure, paralytic depression, kidney disorders, malnutrition, liver and brain damage. Used long enough, it drains calcium from the human body at such a rate that users crush whole teeth chewing white bread. Chemicals used to produce it are toxic enough to make homes in which it’s manufactured inhabitable. It’s estimated that people addicted to this poison need at least 18 months of steady treatment to extricate themselves from its grips. Even then, some counselors, held in thrall to the drug’s addictive powers, estimate that only one out of every 100 meth users ever kicks the habit completely. Its ability to destroy the brain’s pleasure center of neurotransmitters is so thorough and ravaging, some users lose the ability to enjoy a good meal, smile upon greeting a friend or appreciate a good book. Along with Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Kansas, Utah ranks among one of 18 states where meth treatment rates are higher than the national average, according to a report issued this year by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Say the word “meth addict” and the image of an aging, middle-age biker or truck driver usually comes to mind. It’s no accident, however, that a young local filmmaker recently made her entry into the 2007 Sundance Film Festival with a 22-minute documentary about Utah mothers struggling with methamphetamine addiction. According to figures from the Utah Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health, women, two thirds of them with children, make up 80 percent of the state’s meth rehab patients. In Nebraska, it’s estimated that half of the 6,000 children in that state’s Foster Care system are due to the meth addiction of their mothers. The tragedy of meth abuse, then, is that this fiercest and most dangerous of all illegal drugs reaches into the most vulnerable, and fastest-growing, demographic of our society—that of single mothers fending for themselves. Meth gives them the energy needed to care for a family, with the added “benefit” of rapid weight loss—until the entire show comes crashing down. Maybe it’s the benefit of a generous budget surplus that gives him the option, but Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. and his wife should be commended for giving this true drug problem the attention it’s long warranted. With $5.1 million annually to place women in meth treatment programs, along with $2 million for a new statewide meth awareness program, this is hopefully the start of a permanent trend. Huntsman’s proposal is already far more generous and rational than the federal government’s, which portions a paltry $25 million for meth abuse recovery services against a mammoth, $2.4 billion apportioned to the DEA, most of which, we can be certain, will be used to prevent marijuana from making its way to the frat party instead of helping single mothers survive. Note: Kudos to Gov. Huntsman for giving methamphetamine addiction the attention it deserves.Source: Salt Lake City Weekly (UT)Author: Ben FultonPublished: December 21, 2006Copyright: 2006 Copperfield PublishingWebsite: http://www.slweekly.com/Contact: comments slweekly.comRelated Articles:The Law and Moralityhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread22462.shtmlGroup Calls Marijuana State's Top Cash Crophttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread22460.shtmlMarijuana Top US Cash Crop, Analyst Sayshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread22458.shtml
Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help




Comment #41 posted by FoM on December 22, 2006 at 12:32:10 PT
Had Enough
Have a good day and yes we raised Weimaraners for about 10 years. They are remarkable dogs. They don't like it when you leave them home alone. I had two chew a big hole in dry wall to try to get out of room because we blocked the door with a dresser. It's hard to find a crate that will hold them if they aren't crate trained as puppies. They think they must go everywhere with their owners. They think they are people I believe. 
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #40 posted by Had Enough on December 22, 2006 at 11:24:21 PT
Toker, FoM
Give Elvis a scratch in that sweet spot right below and slightly behind the ear for ole Had Enough.You too FoM, give Kaptin a good scratch and rubbing for me.Got goodie treats???I really got to split now. See Ya LaterThanks
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #39 posted by Had Enough on December 22, 2006 at 11:18:46 PT
and…
I have just got back from dropping off these Christmas carols. They will be enjoyed I’m sure. I saw there was more than when I printed them out. Oh well, they got the rest of them.FoM. You didn’t even have to say that about Rottweilers, I already knew you felt that way about them, but I didn’t know you were around Weimaraners. A good friend had one of those. He was a good dog, and he had excellent owners. Perfect match. I think that is part of the key too.Have to go off again, catch ya later.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #38 posted by Toker00 on December 22, 2006 at 11:17:51 PT
Had enough
I understand.Elvis thinks he's a German Shepherd. He's so funny! I'm getting him one of those step things for Christmas. He asks to be picked up on higher levels now, so it's time. He says to lick your hand and tell you high! (But I'm not gonna lick your hand, ok?)Merry Christmas, Brother.Toke.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #37 posted by FoM on December 22, 2006 at 10:51:54 PT
 Too Much, A Volcano in a Pot Tree
Toker00 you are on a roll.Had Enough, yes the German Shepherd is a very special breed. I feel that way about the Rottweiler and the Weimaraner.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #36 posted by Had Enough on December 22, 2006 at 10:42:58 PT
Toker
Were ok here. Just a little sad. Still licking our wounds, but time has a way of healing things. Thanks for asking.   I’ve been busy trying to catch up on the daily grind thing. Got way behind, but catching back up, I think. Been learning a lot about German Shepherds lately. There is a lot of History behind these dogs. They are really a special breed. They’re not for everybody, but they are the only ones for those that truly know, and have been around them. I’ll fill you and FoM in soon.Very, very, special breed…
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #35 posted by Toker00 on December 22, 2006 at 10:38:41 PT
Always finish 
the song you start.On the seventh day of Christmas my True Love gave to meSeven buds a-curing,Six plants a-flower,Five Sativa strains!Four packs of wraps,Three French spliffs, Two pounds of Purple Haze,And a Volcano in a Pot Tree!(To spare as many of you as possible, I'll fast forward at this point.)On the Twelfth day of Christmas my True Love gave to meTwelve seeds a-germing,Eleven vapers vaping,Ten Clones a-rooting, Nine Hybrids cloning,Eight marijuana brownies,Seven buds a-curing,Six plants a-flower,Five Sativa strains!Four packs of wraps,Three French spliffs,Two pounds of Purple Haze, And a Volcano in a Pot Tree!That's All!Toke.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #34 posted by Toker00 on December 22, 2006 at 07:14:34 PT
Had Enough!
What's up, bro.? You ok? Your last fleeting post, the other day, sort of worried me. Not to pry, but I hope you are ok.Oh, we ain't through yet, Dankhank! Ready?A one, a two, a one, two, three, four...DEAth Butts roasting on an open fire...or...Frosty the Blow-man...or...I'll be Stoned for Christmas...or...Deck the Halls with Buds-a-drying...or...On the first day of Christmas my True Love gave to meA Volcano in a Pot Tree.On the second day of Christmas my True Love gave to meTwo pounds of Purple Haze and a Volcano in a Pot Tree.On the third day of Christmas my True Love gave to meThree French spliffs, two pounds of Purple Haze, and a Volcano in a Pot Tree.On the fourth day of Christmas my True Love gave to meFour packs of wraps, three French spliffs, two pounds of Purple Haze, and a volcano in a Pot Tree.On the fifth day of Christmas my True Love gave to meFive Sativa strains!Four packs of wraps, three French spliffs, two pounds of Purple Haze, and a Volcano in a Pot Tree.On the sixth day of Christmas my True Love gave to meSix plants a-flower,Five Sativa strains!Four packs of wraps, three French spliffs, two pounds of Purple Haze, and a Volcano in a Pot Tree.Ok, Dankhank, or anyone, pick it up!On the...Toke. 
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #33 posted by Had Enough on December 22, 2006 at 04:32:46 PT
Hank & Toker
Cool tunes. I know some people that will get a blast out of those. I’ll print them out and deliver them later on today.Merry Christmas…to all…
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #32 posted by Dankhank on December 21, 2006 at 22:36:21 PT
songs ...
I've always known that songwriting was powerful.Never did much with it, 'cept while in the BSA as a leader.Thanks for the kudos FoM, most people don't hear enough that they are appreciated, it's always good to hear.I so appreciate this forum and the folks that inhabit this small spot of sanity in an increasingly scary world.To all, and this includes the lurkers ... :-), a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year for all, especially those caged for using the tree of life, Cannabis.May the New Year bring an increase of sanity to this nation and this world.Peace to all who love.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #31 posted by FoM on December 21, 2006 at 21:58:03 PT
Dankhank
I want you to know how much you are appreciated and I want to wish you a Merry Christmas.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #30 posted by Hope on December 21, 2006 at 21:06:40 PT
Oh my gosh!
I love the songs, guys! They're perfect!
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #29 posted by FoM on December 21, 2006 at 20:47:00 PT
Toker00
No No No NoIt's Oh God You Devil! LOL!Merry Christmas!
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #28 posted by Toker00 on December 21, 2006 at 20:46:39 PT
FoM
Could you cover that up with something?Man.Toke.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #27 posted by Toker00 on December 21, 2006 at 20:44:06 PT
Oh God.
That was terrible, guys, my apologies. Whewee!Toke.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #26 posted by Toker00 on December 21, 2006 at 20:20:18 PT
Bravo! Encore!
Now that's what I'M talkin' about, Hank! ;)OOOHHHH! You better watch out, when you get high! You better test clean, on your first try!Johnny P. is comin' to town!He's makin' you piss, checkin' it twice,Gonna find out who's dirty with ice!Johnny P. is coming to town!He knows if you've been tokin,He knows if you've done 'caineHe knows if you've done meth or HSo use a Urinator or abstain!Oh! You better watch out, when you get high!You better test clean on your first try!Johnny P. is comin' to town!Toke. Toke. Toke. Toke! 
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #25 posted by Dankhank on December 21, 2006 at 19:08:03 PT
Canna Claus .. one poor effort ...
Here Comes Canna ClausHere comes Canna Claus, here comes Canna ClausRight down Canna Claus lane! 
Herer and Mayer and all his championsBakin’ him againBrains are ringin’ stoners singin’Tokin’ through the nightPot your clones and and clone your pot ‘Cause Canna Clause comes tonight!Here comes Canna Claus, here comes Canna ClausRight down Canna Claus laneHe’s got a stash that’s full of joysRuderalis, a new strainVaporizing a SativaEasy tokes all nightStony head, I need to be fed ‘Cause Canna Clause comes tonight!Here comes Canna Claus, here comes Canna ClausRight down Canna Claus laneCanna Claus knows we're all Gods childrenThat makes everything rightSo fill your hearts with Canna cheer'Cause Canna Claus comes tonight!Here comes Canna Claus, here comes Canna Claus,Right down Canna Claus laneHe'll come around when the smoke streams outOn a Christmas morn againPeace on earth will come to allIt we just follow the lightSo lets give thanks to the Lord aboveThat Canna Claus comes tonight!
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #24 posted by Toker00 on December 21, 2006 at 18:18:36 PT
ekim
Yeah, that's right, ekim. We need the strong women to stand up and the strong men to stand up and...wait...they are the ones who ARE standing up...right now. What we need are the ones who aren't so strong to stand up and start BEING strong. It seems it's the strongest and the weakest among us who pay the price the rest of us are unwilling to pay. No, you guys go ahead, we have too much to lose. You strong guys don't need our help, and there's nothing we can do for you sick and weak people. We are not strong, nor weak. We are not Hot, nor Cold. We are not Rich, nor Poor. We are not Anti, nor Pro. We are not. We can not. We do not. We will not.And THERIN my Friends, lies the problem with America.Thank you, ekim, for keeping us current with LEAP. They WILL make a difference. Simply because they ARE.Toke.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #23 posted by FoM on December 21, 2006 at 14:03:28 PT
Toker00
Good idea but I can't think of anything to add. 
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #22 posted by Dankhank on December 21, 2006 at 13:54:12 PT
good idea ...
like that idea Toker ...I'm working on it ...
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #21 posted by ekim on December 21, 2006 at 12:40:49 PT
new blog
from Leap Law Enforcement Against Prohibitionblog.leap.cc/ the events page is 
http://www.leap.cc/events 
http://www.blog.leap.cc/
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #20 posted by ekim on December 21, 2006 at 11:44:55 PT
we need a strong Women to stand up
Ophra had on Rachel Ray on last week to put on a party for Ophras producer. It was a fun look at how she parties -- she likes to make a mean martini and said to use tart mixes as to sweet will make you call Jezzs----today on NPR show talk of the nation on 3PM will be on how we have become the snitch society.if only Ophra could see that we are all better when we allow the adult to exercise the god given right to be free./ 
http://www.leap.cc.events 
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #19 posted by Toker00 on December 21, 2006 at 10:43:15 PT
Hey I just thought of a new song we can all write!
It goes something like this:Ahem...Here comes Canna Claus, here comes Canna ClausRight down Canna Claus lane!...help me out here, folks! Add your own verse!Keep that Christmas Cheer a-comin'! A one and a two and a...In other News today, I recieved a Christmas Package from my family, postage paid: $4.20!Toke.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #18 posted by FoM on December 21, 2006 at 08:31:27 PT
Toker00
And a big Ho Ho Ho to you and Elvis! 
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #17 posted by Toker00 on December 21, 2006 at 08:24:22 PT
Good indications.
Trip to local Donut Hole this AM:2 jalapeno kolaches (For Me)1 plain kolache (For Elvis)1 apple turn-over (For Elvis and Me) Total: $4.20Served by a beautiful Asian/American woman with a smile that embraced my heart: Priceless!Having a Great Mandatory two week Break from work! :PGreetings back at ya, FoM!PEACE ON EARTH. END CANNABIS PROHIBITION NOW! (Though a great while ago would have been much better!) 
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #16 posted by FoM on December 21, 2006 at 07:54:58 PT
Potpal
Thank you we turned it on. Here's an article about children and drugs. http://cbs5.com/health/health_story_355102650.html
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #15 posted by potpal on December 21, 2006 at 07:47:58 PT
walters
Is on CPAN begging for money...right now.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #14 posted by FoM on December 21, 2006 at 07:23:20 PT
Just a Comment
I think news will be very hard to find over the next few days but I will keep my eyes open for anything worth posting. I hope everyone is having a nice holiday season. 
Merry Christmas Ho Ho Ho!
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #13 posted by The GCW on December 20, 2006 at 20:59:02 PT
Farmers that vote against cannabis hurt themselves
There are a number of news items stating the value of hemp...One interesting note is that here in Colorado, one of the segments of counties that heavely opposed Amendment 44 / legalizing cannabis with THC was the eastern farmer regions. Those farm counties actually had more to gain by allowing people to use cannabis with THC because it increased their likelyhood of growing hemp with out THC...An added ignorance the farmer communities will bear is that a portion of their income given as taxes is used to confront people in the big city for using the God given plant;So they pay for a persecution in counties other than where they reside.Farmers ... perhaps there is hope...Reaching out to farmers, as this latest news will do, helps educate farmers.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #12 posted by FoM on December 20, 2006 at 20:30:53 PT
Hope
You made me think of The Last Waltz and I went and found the video. I love Bob's hat!The Band with Others - I Shall Be Releasedhttp://youtube.com/watch?v=BLjNjSpZxzg
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #11 posted by Hope on December 20, 2006 at 19:13:09 PT
Comment 9....Wonderful song...Hard...but wonderful
Bob Dylan - I Shall Be Released LyricsThey say ev'rything can be replaced,Yet ev'ry distance is not near.So I remember ev'ry faceOf ev'ry man who put me here.I see my light come shiningFrom the west unto the east.Any day now, any day now,I shall be released.They say ev'ry man needs protection,They say ev'ry man must fall.Yet I swear I see my reflectionSome place so high above this wall.I see my light come shiningFrom the west unto the east.Any day now, any day now,I shall be released.Standing next to me in this lonely crowd,Is a man who swears he's not to blame.All day long I hear him shout so loud,Crying out that he was framed.I see my light come shiningFrom the west unto the east.Any day now, any day now,I shall be released.http://www.seeklyrics.com/lyrics/Bob-Dylan/I-Shall-Be-Released.html
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #10 posted by mayan on December 20, 2006 at 17:05:51 PT
Cannabis Has Never Killed!!!
Despite the fact that it’s darned hard on your lungs compared to mainstream tobacco, marijuana’s toxicity is less than half that of heroin or cocaine.So cannabis is harder on your lungs than tobacco? I guess that explains why tobacco causes lung cancer and cannabis does not! Not!!! Why let facts or common sense get in the way? Here's an article that's a few days old so sorry if it's been posted...FBI: Recruiters caught in drug probe:
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1110AP_Military_Recruiters_Cocaine.htmlMore nazi tactics...High school lockdown yields no illegal drugs: http://prisonplanet.com/articles/december2006/201206lockdown.htmTHE WAY OUT IS THE WAY IN...Kevin Barrett Interviewed by Bill O'Reilly on 'The Factor' (video):
http://911blogger.com/node/51579/11 Tea Party fires "Shot of Truth Heard Round the World":
http://mujca.com/teaparty2.htmMohamed Atta's Best Friend Caught in South Pacific: “You can’t arrest me, I’m working for the CIA”:
http://www.911truth.org/article.php?story=200612192132586559/11 WAS AN INSIDE JOB - OUR NATION IS IN PERIL:
http://www.911sharethetruth.com/
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #9 posted by global_warming on December 20, 2006 at 15:05:35 PT
it has been reported
"Standing next to me in this lonely crowd,
Is a man who swears he's not to blame."-Bob Dylanhttp://tinyurl.com/yyk9doMerry Christmas
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #8 posted by global_warming on December 20, 2006 at 14:47:26 PT
re: For better or for worse, I say better
"For better or for worse, marijuana use among millions of Americans is a permanent fixture. Just how huge is the market? Try $35.8 billion huge, according to one marijuana public policy analyst. It outstrips the markets for corn, soybeans and hay. People smoke it at parties, laugh about tripping over the carpet, then binge on munchies."This is America, some might say that this prohibition of cannabis use divides the American Public, this might also be understood as a terrorist act, with the intent to divide the population, it is time for All true Americans, to come to the aid of your country.Merry Christmas
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #7 posted by rafael on December 20, 2006 at 14:05:42 PT
36 billion...
36 billion... Think about all the taxes that could be collected if it were legalized and taxed.That plus all the money that could be made with industrial hemp.Plus all the money that now is being spend in this ridiculous prohibition (with police, courts, jails) that could be put to work elsewhere.Not to mention the extra time that the police would be able to spend fighting real crime.What a gigantic waste!
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #6 posted by Max Flowers on December 20, 2006 at 13:54:50 PT
(OT) Cutting-edge Iraq news
From http://www.tbrnews.org/Archives/a2597.htm#002:Baghdad, 14 Dec 06Although you will never see a word of it in the U.S. media, there is a very serious, growing and potentially critical loss of morale here in Iraq. A CIC major, working with the CID here inside the Green Zone, met with me yesterday and told me they are working on a growing, but top secret, investigation into what appears to be an organizing mutiny among U.S. combat troops in at least three different locations in occupied Iraq.Deplorable conditions here, including defective ammunition (and a serious lack of it due to the Falcon disaster) lack of armor, increasingly sophisticated and very deadly attacks on U.S. troops with no countermeasures either in place or at all effective, coupled with Bush’s obvious intentions to quickly and greatly increase the number of troops here and his plans (often discussed by the brass) of a “huge new push” designed to “knock out the resistance and permit a withdrawal with face” ( a direct quote from a classified order.) have done nothing to defuse what my informant believes is a “critical situation.”My source in the CIC tells me that the team is in a dilemma at this point. If this gets into the foreign media (it would never get into the tame U.S. media unless mass rebellion broke out and then it would be heavily censored) the internet, cursed by the administration, will cover it and given the gross inability of the pencil-necked geeks in DoD’s propaganda division, it would become a major political scandal stateside. If a swoop is made and GI instigators are arrested, there is the very real risk that the one thing the Pentagon is frantic to prevent and keep silent, will get out.The CIC has an army of snitches running around all over Iraq, and especially here in Baghdad, but the more they find out, the more frightened they are becoming. Now, the rumors are that Russian or Iranian agents are fomenting rebellion but this is very doubtful. It is known that Bush hates Putin and everyone here knows Israel hates Iran so these rumors are obviously planted by these parties.Arresting ringleaders (some of whom are very obvious) might trigger more serious problems and transferring “infected” units to Germany for some “R&R” can’t be done because they are badly needed here and worse, might terrify cadre in Germany to the point where the rot could easily spread back to the States. This is redolent of the mass mutinies of French troops in 1917/18 in which thousands were shot out of hand.A pleasant Christmas is expected here with myself planning to get home for a week. Who knows? I might resign my commission and write a book…and then be shot while watering the lawn.” 
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #5 posted by FoM on December 20, 2006 at 12:33:03 PT
Press Release from The Drug Policy Alliance
Report Says Marijuana Should Be Taxed and Regulated***Wednesday, December 20, 2006A report released this month finds that marijuana is the largest cash crop in the U.S., highlighting the economic benefit that could be derived from taxing and regulating marijuana in an approach similar to that used with alcohol. 
The report, "Marijuana Production in the United States (2006)," finds that domestic marijuana cultivation has increased tenfold in the last 25 years, for a yield of 22 million pounds in 2006. That comes to a value of $35.8 billion, currently untouched by taxation. 
The author, marijuana public policy analyst Jon Gettman, makes the case that the U.S. should be taking advantage of this potential source of revenue. "Like all profitable agricultural crops marijuana adds resources and value to the economy," he writes in the report. "The focus for public policy should be how to effectively control this market through regulation and taxation in order to achieve immediate and realistic goals, such as reducing teenage access."
 Gettman asserts that current marijuana prohibition policies make limiting young people's access to marijuana an impossible task. He advocates taxation and regulation of marijuana not only to make marijuana harder for young people to get, but to provide revenue for drug education, treatment and law enforcement.Gettman arrives at the $38.5 billion value in the report by examining a variety of government statistics. He places the value of domestically grown marijuana at approximately $1,600 per pound, based on numbers from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. The survey documents consumer prices for marijuana, so Gettman recalibrates those numbers to a producer level.The quantity of 22 million pounds (or 10,000 metric tons) is based on Drug Enforcement Administration seizures. http://www.drugpolicy.org/news/122006mj.cfm
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #4 posted by HempWorld on December 20, 2006 at 11:50:13 PT
Marijuana is NOT Toxic!
More lies from 'the media.' Please, Marijuana is not toxic, that's why nobody has ever died from it. (and nobody ever will)There is no possible level of overdose one can attain that will do ANY harm to the body. In contrast, even an 'overdose' on THC and the other natural cannabinoids in Cannabis/Marijuana will still do your body some good. Let's stop the lies and misinformation that is out there and is being repeated this serves nobody.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #3 posted by Graehstone on December 20, 2006 at 11:09:24 PT
Impressive
This brings to mind a picture I have seen before ... one where thousands stood in front of a Wall and with each single hammer blow it came crumbling down.
That wall was of course the Berlin Wall and as it came down so will this "War" on drugs come to an end, one "blow" at a time.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #2 posted by freewillks on December 20, 2006 at 11:08:07 PT
and it might kill any ambition your child had of b
This is a myth that has been repeatedly debunked by experts. For example, the Institute of
Medicine found that “no convincing data demonstrate a causal relationship between marijuana smoking and
these behavioral characteristics.” An Australian government review, put together by several of the world’s
leading experts, concluded, “There is no compelling evidence for an amotivational syndrome among chronic
cannabis users.” Some studies of college students have found that marijuana smokers actually earn higher grades
than non-users.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #1 posted by FoM on December 20, 2006 at 10:59:56 PT
HindustanTimes.com: High Times in America
 
 December 20, 2006
 
 
 
   
  
   
  
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The war in Iraq is not the only one that President Bush is not winning. There is another one brewing in his own backyard. America seems to have decided to ‘Just Say No’ to its administration’s long drawn-out War on Drugs, especially the battle against cannabis sativa aka marijuana. Where the government has been trying to weed out this Schedule I drug from the market, the people have been planting seeds of dissent — literally.According to a report by DrugScience.org, marijuana is now the biggest cash crop in the US, the total harvest valued at $35.8 billion. Wheat, corn, soybeans, the American farmers’ traditional bumper crops, have been pushed out of the reckoning by, as Richard Nixon had delightfully termed it, “the Public Enemy No. 1”. One of the main reasons why the grass is getting greener in the US is apparently the tightening of the borders since Osama bin Laden left an untidy rubble in Manhattan on 9/11. Well, the philosophy at work here seems to be: if the going gets tough, the tough get it growing at home.And here lies a lesson for American — and dare we say it, Indian — authorities. We recommend that they take a deep and refreshing drag (of fresh air, of course), relax and change policy on the plant in question. Prohibition, whether of alcohol or other recreational substances, have always been known more for being defied than welcomed. In this particular war on drugs, it might be better to separate the hemp from the chaff.Copyright: HT Media Ltd. 2006. India News 
http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1874800,0012.htm
[ Post Comment ]


Post Comment