cannabisnews.com: NORML's News Bulletin - May 10, 2001 NORML's News Bulletin - May 10, 2001 Posted by FoM on May 10, 2001 at 14:57:46 PT Bush's New DEA Chief No Compassionate Conservative Source: NORML Washington, DC: Arkansas Republican Asa Hutchinson - a drug war hawk who supports jailing individuals who post information pertaining to drugs on the Internet - was announced yesterday as Bush's pick to head the Drug Enforcement Administration. Hutchinson's nomination follows the appointment of John P. Walters - a fellow hard-liner who favors incarceration over treatment for drug offenders - as the nation's Drug Czar. "When it comes to leading Bush's drug war, 'compassionate conservatives' need not apply," criticized NORML Executive Director Keith Stroup. Hutchinson, who is currently serving his third term in Congress, is known for his harsh views toward drugs and drug offenders. He advocates increased funding for drug interdiction - arguing that "we have to have a commitment of resources, yes enormous resources, in this country to win this war" - and has criticized recent increases in federal spending on drug treatment programs. "Elimination (of drugs and drug use) - not containment - should be our goal. ... We cannot win this war ... simply by putting money in demand reduction," he argues. Some of Hutchinson's other views on the drug war include:- HUTCHINSON SUPPORTS FURTHER MILITARIZATION OF U.S. DRUG WAR IN LATIN AMERICA: Hutchinson is a vocal supporter of expanding the U.S. military presence in Latin America under the guise of interdicting drugs, and was a staunch proponent of last year's controversial 1.3 billion dollar military aid package to Columbia, ostensibly to fund anti-drug efforts. The aid package provided Columbia with 65 U.S. Black Hawk and Huey II helicopters, and included funding for crop fumigation and Columbian army battalion training. Hutchinson backed his decision on CNN's "Crossfire", maintaining "It's incumbent upon us to assist our neighbors in really fighting our war." Critics of the funding package argue that the aid could have been better spent on domestic drug treatment programs, noting that the cost of buying the helicopters alone ($400 million) could have treated 200,000 addicts in the U.S.- HUTCHINSON OPPOSES ANY USE OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA - INCLUDING RESEARCH ON ITS THERAPEUTIC POTENTIAL: Hutchinson vehemently opposes the use of medicinal marijuana by seriously ill patients, even in those states that have legalized its use. In 1999, he backed legislation preventing Washington DC from implementing a ballot initiative legalizing medical marijuana - even though it had been approved by 70 percent of District voters. He also opposed funding a 1999 Institute of Medicine study on marijuana's medical potential, arguing that such research may compromise the war on drugs. "A study of marijuana's medicinal effectiveness ... is absolutely the wrong way to go on this issue," he told Congress in 1997. "It sends the wrong message to young people."http://www.nap.edu/html/marimed/ The IOM study opposed by Hutchinson concluded: "Scientific data indicate the potential therapeutic value of cannabinoid drugs ... for pain relief, control of nausea and vomiting, and appetite stimulation. ... Except for the harms associated with smoking, the adverse effects of marijuana use are within the range tolerated for other medications."- HUTCHINSON BACKS TEN-YEAR PRISON TERMS FOR ANYONE POSTING DRUG INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET: Hutchinson angered free-speech advocates in 1999 by co-sponsoring legislation (H.R. 2987) that sought to impose a ten-year felony sentence on anyone who communicates, by any means, "information pertaining to the ... manufacture of a controlled substance." (Sec. 421) Although purportedly aimed at information pertaining to meth-manufacturing, the statute's purposely vague wording would have applied to any website, magazine or book containing information on a range of drug-related topics, including procuring medical marijuana, sterilizing needles and hemp fiber cultivation. After media outcry against the measure, the language was eventually eliminated from the bill (though it remained in the Senate's version).- HUTCHINSON SUPPORTS OVERRIDING FEDERAL LAW TO ALLOW FEDERAL FUNDS TO INFLUENCE STATE ELECTIONS: During Congressional hearings in 1999, Hutchinson criticized government officials for failing to spend federal dollars to persuade voters to reject state initiatives aimed at legalizing medical marijuana and reforming prison sentencing. Upon learning that such behavior would be in violation of federal law (Federal tax dollars may not be used to influence state elections.), Hutchinson proposed Congress override the law so that federal monies could be specifically used to influence voters in states with pending drug reform initiatives. Hutchinson also urged federal officials, including the President and Vice President, "go into those states (with pending initiatives) and say this is bad for the country." It's possible that Hutchinson's views on this issue may be at odds with President Bush, who also opposes the medical use of marijuana but backs states' rights to decide the issue. "I believe each state can choose that decision as they choose," he has said. For more information on the Hutchinson and Walters' nominations, please contact Keith Stroup, Executive Director of NORML, at (202) 483-5500 or Allen St. Pierre, Executive Director of The NORML Foundation, at (202) 483-8751. Headline: Arkansas Republican Backs Global Militarization of Drug War; Supports Federal Ban on "Drug-Speech"; Opposes Medical Marijuana - Even for ResearchRelated Articles:President Names Congressman To Drug Agency http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread9653.shtmlImpeachment Figure in Line for DEA Post http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread9642.shtmlRepublican Congressman To Head Drug Agency http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread9635.shtml NORML's News Bulletin Index 2001http://norml.org/news/archives/index2001.shtmlCannabisNews NORML Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/NORML.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #11 posted by Dan B on May 14, 2001 at 18:27:48 PT: Great to See You Here, Mitch B Well stated comments. Its good to see you contributing here. Cannabis News is a great site with a fabulous host (FoM) who consistently scoops all other drug policy news sites. Thanks for dropping by and telling it like it is.Dan B [ Post Comment ] Comment #10 posted by FoM on May 14, 2001 at 16:36:44 PT: NORML's News Bulletin - May 14, 2001 Federal Statute Defining Marijuana As Having "No Medical Use" Forbids Manufacturing and Distributing Medical Pot, Court AffirmsState-Approved Use of Medical Marijuana By Patients Not Challenged By DecisionNORML's News Bulletin Index 2001http://norml.org/news/archives/index2001.shtml Washington, DC: Parties who grow or distribute marijuana for medical purposes may not raise the defense of medical necessity under federal law, the Supreme Court ruled today. Their ruling reverses a Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision that ruled federal law exempts third party providers who cultivate and supply marijuana to patients who would suffer "serious harm if they were denied cannabis." However, the Court made clear that their decision does not infringe on the use of medical marijuana by individual patients, an issue that was "not presented" before them. "The legal use of medical marijuana by seriously ill patients in states that have legalized its use is neither threatened nor challenged by this decision," NORML Executive Director R. Keith Stroup said. "This ruling applies only to the manufacture and distribution of medical marijuana under federal law, and finds that Congress intended to prohibit such activities by placing marijuana in Schedule I of the 1970 Controlled Substances Act, even when such activities are pursued to prevent imminent harm to those patients with serious medical conditions." NORML's disappointment with this ruling stands more with Congress - that continues to stubbornly classify marijuana as a Schedule I prohibited drug with 'no acceptable medical use in treatment' - than with the Court. Clearly, this decision stresses the need for Congress to reschedule marijuana to enact federal safeguards for patients who are using it medicinally, and provide for states to establish their own legal, medical marijuana distribution systems to supply medicine to those who need it." For more information, please contact Keith Stroup, Executive Director of NORML, at (202) 483-5500 or Allen St. Pierre, Executive Director of The NORML Foundation, (202) 483-8751. NORML's News Bulletin - May 10, 2001http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread9665.shtml [ Post Comment ] Comment #9 posted by dddd on May 13, 2001 at 23:47:51 PT Fortunate kids Well spoken Mitch B.Your children are lucky to havea wise father like you.....................dddd [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by MitchB on May 13, 2001 at 23:00:33 PT As I tell my children I have always told my children that the government is not their friend. The government's real purpose is the perpetuation of said government. Everything else is window dressing. In my experience, the type of people drawn towards politics are the very people I don't want my kids hanging around. In this instance, we have some guy who has never made an actual contribution to society (built a house, wrote a song, invented something useful) instead he has made it his lifes work to create a niche for himself in the political world. Whoopdy sh*t. The only people that I have ever heard of who were hurt by marijuana ... were hurt as a direct result of it being illegal. People are robbed of a high dollar black market commodity or cops shoot down some poor pot smoker or a basically model citizen (except for his choice of leaves) has his entire life/family/home taken from him. I have smoked since 72 and I don't drink and I don't take meth or heroin or cocaine, and I have never robbed anyone or committed an act of violence related to pot. It's none of the governments d*mn business. I could claim that it is part of my religion. The book of Genesis says He gave us the trees and the flowering plants to do with as we see fit. Don't get me wrong I am not a Bible beater I just want to point out that according to that group I'm not breaking any law. In the seventies many of us had political, shall we say, ideals. Now, most of us just want the government to leave us alone. We have seen the destruction that comes from them, perhaps more clearly than most, and we realize they have won. We have seen the death of honest media. Persecution and genocide are the tools of government ... tools that are well broken in after these last couple thousand years. [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by MitchB on May 13, 2001 at 22:59:54 PT: As I tell my children I have always told my children that the government is not their friend. The government's real purpose is the perpetuation of said government. Everything else is window dressing. In my experience, the type of people drawn towards politics are the very people I don't want my kids hanging around. In this instance, we have some guy who has never made an actual contribution to society (built a house, wrote a song, invented something useful) instead he has made it his lifes work to create a niche for himself in the political world. Whoopdy sh*t. The only people that I have ever heard of who were hurt by marijuana ... were hurt as a direct result of it being illegal. People are robbed of a high dollar black market commodity or cops shoot down some poor pot smoker or a basically model citizen (except for his choice of leaves) has his entire life/family/home taken from him. I have smoked since 72 and I don't drink and I don't take meth or heroin or cocaine, and I have never robbed anyone or committed an act of violence related to pot. It's none of the governments d*mn business. I could claim that it is part of my religion. The book of Genesis says He gave us the trees and the flowering plants to do with as we see fit. Don't get me wrong I am not a Bible beater I just want to point out that according to that group I'm not breaking any law. In the seventies many of us had political, shall we say, ideals. Now, most of us just want the government to leave us alone. We have seen the destruction that comes from them, perhaps more clearly than most, and we realize they have won. We have seen the death of honest media. Persecution and genocide are the tools of government ... tools that are well broken in after these last couple thousand years. [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by Rambler on May 10, 2001 at 21:12:42 PT czar I know what you mean S.R.Hess.How the hell did we end up with a czar? [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by Dan B on May 10, 2001 at 21:07:09 PT: I like the trend on this page I have not seen Letsgetfree, hhhh, S.R. Hess, or hwy61 here before, so I would like to welcome all of you (forgive me if you have posted here in the past and I simply didn't see you). More voices are always welcome here. Please, keep sending in your ideas and thoughts. It's good to hear what everyone reading these pages has to say.Dan B [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by hwy61 on May 10, 2001 at 19:55:52 PT: Liberty under siege There is no greater prohibitionist than an ex drunk. looks like Dubya and the Republicans are going to take this insane war on drugs to new heights. Can you say " Police state?" [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by S.R.Hess on May 10, 2001 at 18:55:21 PT: representative republic This is a representative republic. Who voted for the drug "czar" ? [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by hhhh on May 10, 2001 at 18:34:07 PT God save us Freedom of Speech must prevail... don't make us burn our flags [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by Letsgetfree on May 10, 2001 at 18:06:02 PT wow i never belived in devils until now... This guy is the closest thing to evil ive ever seen...am i the only one who sees this? How can to be against the STUDY of a drug to see if it helps sick people? I can understand why he doesnt want meth production info floating around the internet....neither do it but this is america buddy we got something called freespeech...we may not like the words people are saying but we cant stop them from saying it...and i hope it stays that way [ Post Comment ] Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: