cannabisnews.com: New Drug Czar Brings Northwest Lessons New Drug Czar Brings Northwest Lessons Posted by CN Staff on March 12, 2009 at 16:19:30 PT Editorial Source: Seattle Times Seattle, WA -- CONGRATULATIONS to Seattle Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske for being chosen to head the Office of National Drug Control Policy. Along with the high federal appointments for King County Executive Ron Sims and former Gov. Gary Locke, Kerlikowske's appointment gives hope that experience from this part of America will influence national policy.With Sims, that experience is in public housing, which has a better record here than in the big cities of the Midwest and East. With Locke, it is trade with Asia, which has given this region a forward-looking view of global competition. With Kerlikowske, it is a willingness to think critically about the war on drugs. He comes from a state whose citizens voted not to enforce the federal law if marijuana is used as medicine. He also comes from a city whose people voted to make marijuana possession the lowest priority for police work.Kerlikowske didn't support that measure, but he learned to live with it. His police force has been tolerant at Seattle's annual Hempfest.Concerning the stronger drugs, Kerlikowske has tolerated needle-exchange programs. He has supported drug court, which offers treatment to low-level offenders as an alternative to prison. He has a son who has been arrested for drugs, so he has seen the drug war from that angle, too.Kerlikowske is not a legalizer, nor is President Obama. Federal agents will still interdict drugs coming into the United States and attack trafficking internally.But under Kerlikowske there should be more respect for medical science, psychology and economics — and of the limitations of police and prisons.Note: As "drug czar" at the Office of National Drug Control Policy, Seattle Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske should offer some of the lessons learned in the Pacific Northwest. Among them: Allow needle exchanges and the use of medical marijuana, offer low-level offenders drug treatment as an alternative to prison and follow more of a harm-reduction policy in general.Source: Seattle Times (WA)Published: March 12, 2009Copyright: 2009 The Seattle Times CompanyContact: opinion seatimes.comWebsite: http://www.seattletimes.com/URL: http://drugsense.org/url/3cMBKjjmRelated Articles:Drug Czar Nominee Likely To Bring More Sciencehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread24570.shtmlChoice of Drug Czar Indicates Focus on Treatmenthttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread24568.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #25 posted by FoM on March 13, 2009 at 15:35:30 PT Hope I don't think most people are ready for drug legalization at least not around here. If someone gets caught with say coke they don't go to jail or I never heard of any one going to jail. If a person sells hard drugs they will go to jail for a little while from what I have read in the papers over the years. [ Post Comment ] Comment #24 posted by Hope on March 13, 2009 at 15:30:52 PT Mexico. Black market cartels. Violence. Decriminalization won't help, at all, with the problems of the black market. It has to be legalization and regulation to diminish the black market. Do we have enough, or any, for that matter, legislators with the courage to even suggest the necessary? I don't think we do. [ Post Comment ] Comment #23 posted by FoM on March 13, 2009 at 15:19:03 PT Hope I think the war in Mexico might make some difference down in your state and further west. Up here it seems way more hopeful since Mexico is far away and really doesn't impact people who aren't close to the border. I do believe a full blow war could break out in Mexico and that would be very serious for those near the border. [ Post Comment ] Comment #22 posted by FoM on March 13, 2009 at 15:15:38 PT Hope Back in the 70s it was going so very well. We had walk in centers for people who were having trouble with hard drugs. Marijuana wasn't an issue just hard drugs. If we could go back to that day that had so much promise I would be very happy. [ Post Comment ] Comment #21 posted by Hope on March 13, 2009 at 15:09:07 PT Yes... it's all those "Ifs". Prohibitionists have never been a very honest or trustworthy bunch. Never.Yes, things do look better for reform than they have since the seventies. I'm hopeful of course. I'm always hopeful. [ Post Comment ] Comment #20 posted by FoM on March 13, 2009 at 12:50:54 PT Hope I'm still not sure what is concerning you. If we move to a harm reduction approach for hard drugs it will help. I see a separation happening between marijuana and drugs like coke and heroin on the news. When someone asks on the news about legalizing drugs the answer seems to be lets try marijuana and see how it goes particularly since California has already stepped out on marijuana. The new drug czar didn't hassle marijuana enthusiasts in Seattle. [ Post Comment ] Comment #19 posted by Hope on March 13, 2009 at 12:41:59 PT Nothing there about re-evaluation of anything. "It's an incredibly complex problem, and it requires prosecutors and law enforcement, courts, treatment providers, and prevention programs to exchange information and to work together.", " [ Post Comment ] Comment #18 posted by Hope on March 13, 2009 at 12:38:17 PT FoM There's nothing to do but wait and see what they do. But I don't trust anyone who declares themselves bent on a "Drug free" world or country and "Seamless" approaches to the same goals prohibitionists have always pushed on people. They consider cannabis to be a "Drug". They want to punish, hurt, even kill, imprison, and intimidate people into submission to their ideals. No. I don't trust them. The only thing that half way makes me not so leery of them is that they just can't afford the pogrom like pushes and "Wars", they've done against the people for so long now.Thinking about the horrors of the Drug War. It's stunning, when you think about it, how the most widespread, deadly, and abusive brunt of the whole War on Drugs has fallen, hugely disproportionately, on the heads and backs of the people who use, sell, smuggle, or grow cannabis, and their families and loved ones. [ Post Comment ] Comment #17 posted by FoM on March 13, 2009 at 09:59:45 PT dongenero I'm sorry you lost money in the Market. Jon Stewart is the best political show on tv in my opinion. It covers everything important. He is smart, witty and has a strong belief in fairness. [ Post Comment ] Comment #16 posted by FoM on March 13, 2009 at 09:57:11 PT JoeCitizen I agree with you. There are people out there that will cause us harm and we need the police to protect innocent citizens from becoming a victim of crime. My childhood policeman would sometimes walk us home from school and talk to us and we all really liked him. We felt safe and so did our parents. Not all cops are bad. [ Post Comment ] Comment #15 posted by JoeCitizen on March 13, 2009 at 09:51:13 PT Peace Officers When the police "serve and protect", then I hold them in the highest regard possible.I used to have nothing but contempt for "the lousy cops, the pigs, the fuzz, etc." Then one day I watched a young officer doing his level best to pull a large plank with nails in it off a busy highway, while trucks whizzed by his head at 70 mph. And I felt like he was helping me, helping all of us. He was serving and protecting.Another time I was at a Grateful Dead show in Kansas City. There were people doing all manner of drugs almost everywhere, and not a cop to be seen. Then some idiots started shooting fireworks out of the trunk of their car. What they were doing was quite obviously dangerous, and I started to walk the other way. But before I left, I noticed a swarm of the previously unseen police descend upon the fireworks shooters and give them what for.See, they police didn't give much of damn about all the stoners and tripping hippies. But they were RIGHT THERE the minute someone started doing something dangerous and possibly harmful.They were serving and protecting. Good officers do that. It's the bad ones that make them all seem like pigs.And I would like to give a special tip of the hat to all the fine officers, active and retired, who make up LEAP. They are serving and protecting the truth, which is better even than honorable civil service. It is a sacred duty, one which serves the highest cause.JC [ Post Comment ] Comment #14 posted by dongenero on March 13, 2009 at 09:47:23 PT Stewart I think The Daily Show does more than any other show on television to shed light on American politics. I was sooo thankful for that program through the dark ages of 2000-2008.I have to hand it to Cramer for going on the show. He's due some respect and common decency for that. He kind of stepped into the CNBC fight that wasn't solely his. He did show a little bit of humility too.Stewart REALLY took it to Wall Street however, and it was beautiful! Jon and his staff are amazingly sharp! I still keep a small position in some stock that Cramer recommended a couple years ago and I was silly enough to buy the argument, and the stock. It immediately tanked with Cramers' recommendation coming just at the peak. Thanks Jim. I keep that few shares of now penny stock, to remind me. [ Post Comment ] Comment #13 posted by FoM on March 13, 2009 at 08:45:33 PT Dankhank Here's more on the show last night.Stewart Wins Cramer ShowdownURL: http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/Television/story?id=7075368 [ Post Comment ] Comment #12 posted by FoM on March 13, 2009 at 08:34:33 PT Hope a Question You said: I feel doubtful, very doubtful about these guys being anything but worse.Please tell me why you seem worried about the new drug czar. I am very hopeful that things will change and I don't understand why you might be concerned. I haven't read anything anywhere that seems anything but a good change of direction towards treatment.Marijuana is in a class all it's own now finally in my opinion. Marijuana laws could be changed because of the drug problem in Mexico to stop the smuggling I think. [ Post Comment ] Comment #11 posted by FoM on March 13, 2009 at 06:18:45 PT One More Comment The Stock Market wasn't for average folks back in my younger years. The Market needed a buffer to keep the rich rich so average folks began investing and they then believed they could get rich too. It's all just glorified gambling to me. [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by FoM on March 13, 2009 at 06:15:01 PT Dankhank I agree. Stewart was great. Cramer looked sheepish and probably hoped that Stewart, who is a nice guy in my opinion, would cut him some slack but he didn't. [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by dankhank on March 13, 2009 at 06:00:48 PT Comedy Central Stewart waxed Cramer, made him look like an ass and all he had to do was to roll video.Stewart made many excellent points regarding the stupidity, greed and venality of the whole stock market schtick. [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by FoM on March 12, 2009 at 19:46:31 PT OT: Tonight's Daily Show I think this will be good. Stewart versus Cramer has been entertaining.Stewart Hammers Cramer on 'The Daily Show'http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090313/ap_on_en_tv/tv_stewart_cramer_showdown [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by FoM on March 12, 2009 at 19:31:17 PT e-dub Thank you. I live a long way from Seattle but the vibrations of good will seem strong from what I read. [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by e-dub on March 12, 2009 at 19:28:25 PT Rep the 425 (right outside the 206) They are correct when they say they have been tolerant at Hempfest. I've been the past couple years and not only do you see people everywhere smoking out of bongs, pipes, joints, blunts, and a variety of other unique smoking apparatus, the cops rarely bat an eye.They are too busy, behind their dark sunglasses, watching for thieves and violence. They always seem like a force there to keep the peace, as they should. I don't live in Seattle but I do venture there rather often and the police see the problems which things like cocaine and heroin bring to the streets. I love that city. [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by FoM on March 12, 2009 at 19:28:02 PT Another Point on The New Drug Czar The way I look at it the people of Washington state that want reform seem to be happy about his appointment. That says a lot to me. Kerlikowske Nomination Stirs Drug Debatehttp://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/seattle911/archives/164037.asp?from=blog_last3 [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by FoM on March 12, 2009 at 18:46:38 PT Hope I see a person by how they make me feel if that makes sense. He reminds me of a very nice policeman in my neighborhood when I was young. He was a Peace Officer. Gil seems like a Peace Officer to me too. http://westseattleblog.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/kerlikowske.jpg [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by FoM on March 12, 2009 at 18:28:36 PT Hope I am fairly sure I understand what that means. If we just arrest people we won't have an opportunity to try to help a person turn it around. They see young addicts in Seattle. I think they will work to try to help them rather then jail them. [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by Hope on March 12, 2009 at 17:49:22 PT Biden and Kerlikowske I feel doubtful, very doubtful about these guys being anything but worse.Anti-Crime Groups Cautiously Optimistic About New Drug Czarhttp://www.gantdaily.com/news/71/ARTICLE/46032/2009-03-12.htmlExcerpts: "There's no one more qualified to take on this job than the Chief. I've worked with him for years. He's served as the highest ranking law enforcement officer in four of our cities in the United States of America... He has been on the front lines in the battle against drugs as well. He's been recognized as one of the most innovative minds in law enforcement... I believe that [he] will lead our nation's efforts against illegal drugs with unshakable resolve and exceptional skill," Biden said.And from this article Kerlikowske is speaking: Calling for a "seamless, comprehensive approach" in the fight against drugs, he also said, "For too long, we have operated in silence when it comes to making our country drug free and reducing the demand for drugs. It's an incredibly complex problem, and it requires prosecutors and law enforcement, courts, treatment providers, and prevention programs to exchange information and to work together.", "And what the heck does this mean? From http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29633100/ Seattle police chief is Obama's drug czar choice : "I would expect Gil to say there's absolutely a role that enforcement plays, but what other things do we need to do at the community and the state and federal level on prevention and intervention in order to be successful?" San Jose, Calif., Police Chief Rob Davis, a friend of Kerlikowske's and vice president of the police chief association, told the AP in a recent interview. "If all we do is arrest people for drugs, we're missing the opportunity to get involved in the beginning and take people out of drugs. Gil gets that concept."--------------------Aparently Davis and "Gil" get that concept. I don't. "Get involved in the beginning and take people out of drugs." What in the world does that mean? I don't like the sound of it at all. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by FoM on March 12, 2009 at 16:26:17 PT New Drug Czar Praised By Reform Groups POLITICS-US: New Drug Czar Praised By Reform GroupsBy Marina Litvinsky and Ali GharibWASHINGTON, Mar 12 (IPS) - U.S. President Barack Obama’s pick for his new drug czar signals a radical shift from the policies of his predecessor, George W. Bush, by focusing on treatment for drug offenders rather than jail time.On Wednesday, Vice President Joe Biden announced the nomination of R. Gil Kerlikowske, the chief of police in the northwestern city of Seattle, for the post of director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), as the drug czar is formally known.URL: http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=46091 [ Post Comment ] Post Comment