cannabisnews.com: FOP Backs Comprehensive Hatch-Leahy Bill FOP Backs Comprehensive Hatch-Leahy Bill Posted by FoM on February 14, 2001 at 09:11:48 PT For Immediate Release Source: U.S. Newswire Gilbert G. Gallegos, national president of the Fraternal Order of Police, has announced the support of the organization for the "Drug Abuse Education, Prevention and Treatment Act," which was to be introduced on the Senate floor by Senate Judiciary Chairman Orrin G. Hatch and the Committee's Ranking Member, Patrick J. Leahy. "The bill strikes what we believe is the right balance between punishment for drug offenders and treatment for drug-users who are caught in the grip of an addiction that leads them to crime," Gallegos said. "This is a comprehensive, bipartisan approach to our nation's problem with drugs and crime. It demonstrates once again how fortunate we are to have leaders like Senators Hatch and Leahy at the helm of the Senate Judiciary Committee." The bill combines increased penalties for traffickers who employ and sell drugs to minors or near schools with a hard-nosed approach to treating addiction. The legislation provides grants to eliminate drugs from prisons as well as funding character education and other prevention programs aim at youth. It provides Federal dollars for juvenile drug courts and treatment programs for addicted juveniles. "In addition, prosecutors are given the option to develop treatment alternatives to prison sentences for eligible nonviolent drug offenders," said Gallegos. "But the bill specifically prohibits any relief to traffickers, who are at the root of this tragedy which plagues our communities." "Drugs and crime have always gone hand-in-hand," Gallegos continued. "Driven by the twin engines of addiction and profit, drug crimes remain our number one law enforcement problem. We can win the war on drugs -- we must win it. But winning this war requires a balanced approach like the one outlined in this legislation. We cannot end strong punishments for drug offenders, but neither can we ignore the role addiction plays in the commission of drug-related crime." ------ The Fraternal Order of Police is the largest law enforcement labor organization in the United States, with over 293,000 members. Contact: Tim Richardson of the Fraternal Order of PolicePh: 202-547-8189 Source: U.S. Newswire Published: February 14, 2001Copyright 2001, U.S. Newswire CannabisNews Police Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/police.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #6 posted by dddd on February 14, 2001 at 17:02:12 PT Why? >"and why-why-WHY does the press not nail these ethanol swilling hypocrytical bastards to the wall?"That's an easy question to answer;the ethanol swilling crooked bastards,are the same ones who allowed several major corporations to buy up all the major media.The press is owned by our corporate government.It is a gruesome monopoly.......I aint kiddin'...............dddd [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by bcg on February 14, 2001 at 13:39:31 PT: Public enemy #1 . "Driven by the twin engines of addiction and profit, drug crimes remain our number one law enforcement problem"Oooh that makes me FUME! Why does no one in our 4th estate question what the Hell this guy is talking about. How about crimes involving NON-CONSENTUAL ACTS? I was robbed 2 times last year, none of my goods were ever recovered and no one was ever apprehended, but I sure as hell was for posession. How about rape, murder, corporate crimes? How about POLICE CORRUPTION? Why are these violations of the public trust not the number one law enforcement issue...and why-why-WHY does the press not nail these ethanol swilling hypocrytical bastards to the wall? [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by meagain on February 14, 2001 at 10:55:57 PT blame game again treatment for drug-users who are caught in the grip of an addiction that leads them to crime," Gallegos said. What a general statement always leads to crime lie lie lie like a freekin dogDrugs and crime have always gone hand-in-hand," Gallegos continued.No crime and a perpetrator go hand in hand blame crime on the cause the criminal stop lieing to the public and treating us law abidding taxpayers like common criminals if it wasn't for us real people this nation would fall apart ask anyone on a plant floor who the real workers are and youll find it is the pot heads Give me liberty or gimme a one way ticket to amsterdam FREEDOM OR BUST [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by Pedro on February 14, 2001 at 10:55:13 PT: The usual crap Isn't it amazing how the truth can be twisted 180% degrees to fit in with probitionist ideology?i.e. "Driven by the twin engines of addiction and profit, drug crimes remain our number one law enforcement problem"really means: "Driven by the twin engines of vested interests and ignorance, prohibition remains our number one law enforcement problem"Sounds nearer the truth to me.While I'm here everyone is welcome to visit my new (week old!)website 'Cannabis Myths Exposed' a small but growingdenunciation of the kind of BS like the ""Drug Abuse Education, Prevention and Treatment Act,".UK based. Cannabis Myths Exposed [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by observer on February 14, 2001 at 09:56:23 PT Police-State Press Release "Drugs and crime have always gone hand-in-hand," Gallegos continued. "Driven by the twin engines of addiction and profit, drug crimes remain our number one law enforcement problem.Quislings. Propagandistic; lying continually; corrupted to the core by the absolute power ceded to them (the police) excused by chanting, "war on drugs" or "for the children."[Propaganda Theme # 2] The Drug is Identified as Solely Responsible for Many Problem in the Culture, i.e., Crime, Violence, Insanity.The attributing of crimes of violence, sexual assault, insanity, moral decay, etc. have been an integral part of efforts to prohibit the currently illicit drugs. A key element in this theme is the arbitrary designation of "good" and "evil" drugs with evil drugs possessing powers that can overwhelm all efforts at human control. "The Devil made him do it" is changed to "the drug made him do it." This aspect of prohibitionist philosophy is so often reported, there is no need to belabor the point. . . .If we look at the few years preceding passage of the Marijuana Tax Act in 1937, we see equally vociferous statements on the evils and destructiveness of marihuana. An advertisement distributed by the Federal Bureau of Narcotics in 1935 read as follows: Beware! Young and Old -- People in All Walks of Life! This (picture of a marijuana cigarette) may be handed to you by the friendly stranger. It contains the Killer Drug 'Marijuana' - a powerful narcotic in which lurks Murder! Insanity! Death! 28 In 1936 the International Narcotic Education Association in conjunction with the Federal Narcotics Bureau published Marihuana or Indian Hemp and Its Preparations which included statements such as: Prolonged use of marihuana frequently develops a delirious rage which. . . sometimes leads to high crimes such as assault and murder. Hence marihuana has been called the 'killer drug.' The habitual use of this narcotic poison always causes a very marked deterioration and sometimes produces insanity. Hence marihuana is frequently called 'loco weed.' . . Marihuana often gives man the lust to kill unreasonably without motive. Many cases of assault, rape, robbery, and murder are traced to the use of marihuana. 29 Such reports were not limited to the Federal Bureau of Narcotics. An article in the 1936 March issue of Scientific American included the following: Marijuana produces a wide variety of symptoms in the user, including hilarity, swooning, sexual excitement. Combined with intoxicants, it often makes the smoker vicious, with a desire to fight and kill. 30 Up until the end of prohibition of alcohol in 1933, there was a great deal of overlap between those participating in various prohibitionist movements. All of these persons and groups shared an anti-hedonistic ethic which provided a united front politically in their efforts to legally prohibit a11 pleasure-producing chemicals as well as other pleasurable nonchemical pastimes of humans, i.e., dancing, jazz music, gambling, etc. The years following the end of alcohol prohibition saw the beginning distinctions between good drugs and evil drugs. Those drugs within the experience of the majority of Americans were considered good; those drugs which tended to be used by minority and fringe groups tended to be defined as evil. Thus alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine (coffee) began to become increasingly integrated into the very fabric of American life, whereas cocaine, opium, heroin, and subsequently marihuana and the hallucinogens continued to be defined as evil - physically, emotionally, and morally devastating to the individual and unquestionably destructive to the culture. This definition of certain chemicals as innately good or evil was to germinate from 1933 into the 1960's where we would witness a giant eruption of this issue as adult America was forced to attempt to articulate to their own children the culturally inherited distinction between good drugs (alcohol) and evil drugs (marihuana, etc.).Themes in Chemical Prohibition, NIDA, 1979http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/History/ticp.html [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by Ethan on February 14, 2001 at 09:38:21 PT: Another Failure in the Making "The legislation provides grants to eliminate drugs from prisons"This statement alone indicates the futility of the War on Some Drugs. If the available army of law enforcement cannot keep drugs out of prisons, what makes them think that they can on the outside? Corruption is the inevitable partner of the black market, and cannot be eliminated without decriminalization. No profit means no business, and drug problems would be markedly reduced. Make drugs a medical issue, and confine legal remedies to cases of perpetrators harming others. That is the solution. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: