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U.S. Forest Service Apologizes for Racist Marijuana Warning
Remember a couple weeks ago when the U.S. Forest Service warned campers to watch out for people who drink Tecate, eat tortillas, and listen to Spanish music because they might be dangerous marijuana growers? Yeah, they're kinda backtracking on that one a little bit:
The Forest Service says they've "learned some valuable lessons from this experience," presumably including why you shouldn't try to scare the hell out of everyone with wildly racist public announcements. What they did was absolutely crazy. Apologies and regrets won't change the fact that they carelessly insulted millions of people in a deranged fit of drug war delirium.
Denver, Colo., September 14, 2009 â On Sept. 2, U.S. Forest Service Rocky Mountain Regional Forester Rick Cables and members of his organization met with 17 Hispanic community leaders, representing a variety of Hispanic organizations in Colorado, to issue an apology for regrettable references used during an Aug. 26 briefing to news media concerning illegal marijuana cultivation activities on national forests in Colorado. [Dept. of Agriculture]
The Forest Service says they've "learned some valuable lessons from this experience," presumably including why you shouldn't try to scare the hell out of everyone with wildly racist public announcements. What they did was absolutely crazy. Apologies and regrets won't change the fact that they carelessly insulted millions of people in a deranged fit of drug war delirium.
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Southeast Asia: Indonesian Parliament Enacts New Drug Law; Reformers Criticize it on Human Rights Grounds
After four years of debate, Indonesiaâs parliament passed a new drug law Monday. It was immediately criticized by reformers on numerous counts.
The new law maintains the death penalty for some drug offenses, criminalizes drug addiction, and makes it a crime for parents to fail to report their addicted children to authorities. The law also transfers responsibility for fighting drug trafficking from the government to civil society.
"The drugs law will save our children and young generation. It will be essential in the fight against drug trafficking,â said Minister for Law and Human Rights Andi Mattalatta after the bill was passed. âCurrently, drug dealing is not only conducted by individuals but by drugs syndicates that operate neatly,"
But the Indonesian Coalition for Drug Policy Reform (ICDPR) begged to differ. âThis law classifies drug addicts as criminals and therefore subjects them to criminal charges, while doctors have said that drug addiction is a curable disease,â Asmin Francisca, the groupâs coordinator told reporters outside parliamentâs plenary session hall. âThe law should have recognized that a proper solution to drug addiction is to empower drug addicts, not to punish them as criminals.â
Asmin warned that the article in the law transferring responsibility for fighting trafficking from the government to civil society could lead to vigilante justice. âThe article, however, does not clearly elaborate on what kind of civil participation is needed to fight the war against drug trafficking,â she said. âWithout clear regulations, the law is open to many forms of exploitation by civil groups, including acts of vigilantism.â
Asmin also condemned the retention of the death penalty for some drug offenses.
âDeath penalties are not in line with the purpose of modern criminal charges that aim to rehabilitate a person rather than punish them for their actions,â she said. âBasically, I believe this law is not in line with the basic principles of human rights.â
According to the Indonesian National Narcotics Agencyâs extremely precise figures, there are 27,000 drug users in the country, including 12,689 aged 30 or older, 6,790 between 25 and 29, 5,720 between 20 and 24, 1,747 between 16 and 19, and 109 users under the age of 16.
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In The Trenches
Drug Truth Update 09/15/09
The Unvarnished Truth From the Drug Truth Network (Please note new mailing addresss * Ph#: 9639 Railton St, Houston TX 77080 * 713-462-7981) You can tune into both our programs, live, Sundays at 6:30 PM central time on Pacifica's KPFT at http://www.kpft.org and call in your questions and concerns toll free at 1-877-9-420 420.
The two, 29:00 shows appear along with the seven, daily, 3:00 "4:20 Drug War NEWS" reports each Monday morning at http://www.drugtruth.net .
We currently have 69 affiliated, yet independent broadcast stations. With a simple email request to [email protected] , your station can join the Drug Truth Network, free of charge.
Cultural Baggage for 09/13/09, 29:00 Paul Armentano, Dep. Dir of NORML, co author of "Marijuana is Safer, So Why are We Driving People to Drink?" + Throwing Down the Gauntlet #2
LINK: http://www.drugtruth.net/cms/node/2573
TRANSCRIPT: http://www.drugtruth.net/cms/node/2573#comments
Century of Lies for 09/13/09, 29:00 Professors Kathleen Stoudt & Tony Payan from UT El Paso regarding forthcoming conference on the war on drugs + Border Czar Allen Bersen & Lew Rockwell "Never Talk to the Police"
LINK: http://www.drugtruth.net/cms/node/2574
TRANSCRIPT: This Evening
4:20 Drug War NEWS, 9/14 to 9/20/09 Link at www.drugtruth.net on the right margin -
Sun - UTEP Professors Kathleen Staudt & Tony Payan regarding forthcoming Drug War Conference in El Paso, 2/2 Sat - UTEP Professors Kathleen Staudt & Tony Payan regarding forthcoming Drug War Conference in El Paso, 1/2 Fri - Paul Armentano, Dep Dir of NORML re forthcoming conference in San Francisco Thu - Phil Smith of Drug War Chronicles re cocaine contaminated with Levamisole, a de-worming agent Wed - "Free Mexican Air Force" by Flaco Jimanez Tue - Border Czar Allen Bersen defends the drug war Mon - Throwing Down the Gauntlet #2
Programs produced at Pacifica Radio Station KPFT in Houston, 90.1 FM. You can Listen Live Online at www.kpft.org
- Cultural Baggage Sun, 7:30 PM ET, 6:30 PM CT, 5:30 PM MT, 4:30 PM PT (Followed Immediately By Century of Lies)
- Century of Lies, SUN, 8 PM ET, 7 PM CT, 6 PM MT & 5 PM PT
Who's Next to "Face The Inquisition?": Reports from Drug War Conference in El Paso & NORML Conf. in San Francisco
Hundreds of our programs are available online at www.drugtruth.net, www.audioport.org We have potcasts, searchability, CMS, XML, sorts by guest name and by organization. We provide the "unvarnished truth about the drug war" to scores of broadcast affiliates in the US, Canada and Australia!
Check out our latest videos via www.youtube.com/fdbecker Please become part of the solution, visit our website: www.endprohibition.org for links to the best of reform.
"Prohibition is evil." - Reverend Dean Becker, DTN Producer, 713-462-7981, www.drugtruth.net
In The Trenches
Stars of âFrom Prison to the Stageâ at Kennedy Center return to Connecticut
[Courtesy of The Safe Streets Arts Foundation]
We are pleased to report that the Judy Dworin Performance Project, which was a big hit at our "From Prison to the Stage" show at the Kennedy Center on Sept. 5, has returned safely to its home in Hartford, Connecticut.
The Judy Dworin Performance Project (JDPP) was founded in 1989 as a nonprofit organization to provide support for individual artists, particularly the silent and silenced. Over the past 20 years, JDPP has provided innovative, inspiring, educational and collaborative art rooted in the belief that the arts can be a powerful agent for change.
Upcoming events of JDPP:
⢠October 30, 6:30pm - Excerpts from the award winning The Witching Hour at the Old State House in downtown Hartford
⢠Nov 5, 6 & 7, 7:30pm - Premiere of What I Want to Say at Charter Oak Cultural Center, an evening that celebrates past pieces and debuts from the Judy Dworin Performance Ensemble.
⢠Feb 2 - Dreamings, a piece created at York Correctional Institution (women's state prison), as further developed by formerly incarcerated women and family members of the incarcerated, at Kinsella Performing Arts Magnet School.
Upcoming residencies:
The Moving Matters! Residency program of JDPP brings movement-based multi-arts residencies into schools, prisons and community centers through collaborative multi-arts projects.
⢠A 5th year in residence at York Correctional Institution, with workshops in dance, song, storytelling, poetry and personal testimony on the theme of "Bridging the Divides" to culminate in July
⢠A further development of the York Moms & Kids program bridging the divide between incarcerated mothers and their children.
For further information about JDPP, its performance or residency work or DVDs of work listed here, please visit www.judydworin.org or contact [email protected] or 860.527.9800.
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How To Get Really, Really Rich
Pick up a science-fiction book, historical romance, or mystery. Watch an action movie. Or you can learn it the boring way...by studying history.
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RE: Exit Strategies for the War on Drugs, Part I: Framing the Discussion
Excellent article...but all those earnest facts and logical reasoning will go to waste unless you accept that the "drug war" is not an accident.
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Drug War Violence is Destroying Mexico's Economy
According to a new expert analysis, Mexico's brutal drug war is costing the country a whole hell of a lot of money:
What I just can't understand, no matter how hard I try, is why on earth anyone ever expected a different outcome than this. It is literally the goal of Mexico's chief drug war strategists to reduce violence and save their nation's reputation. That is what they thought would happen if they cracked down on the drug trade. Instead, every single problem they sought to address has gotten worse.
And as bad as things have gotten, you can bet that the leaders of the Mexican drug war will look at this data and say that it shows the need for more aggressive strategies to finally defeat the cartels.
Tobias estimates the economic cost of Mexicoâs violence is 2 percent to 3 percent of GDP, and the total cost is $120 billion, or about 12 percent of Mexicoâs $1.085 trillion GDP in 2008. The estimate by Bulltick, a Miami-based brokerage with offices in four Latin American countries, includes prevention measures, prison costs, lost foreign direct investment and expenses to victims and businesses. [Bloomberg]
What I just can't understand, no matter how hard I try, is why on earth anyone ever expected a different outcome than this. It is literally the goal of Mexico's chief drug war strategists to reduce violence and save their nation's reputation. That is what they thought would happen if they cracked down on the drug trade. Instead, every single problem they sought to address has gotten worse.
And as bad as things have gotten, you can bet that the leaders of the Mexican drug war will look at this data and say that it shows the need for more aggressive strategies to finally defeat the cartels.
In The Trenches
Press Release: 33 U.S. Clinical Studies Show Marijuana's Medical Use, New Journal Article Says
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEÂ Â Â
SEPTEMBER 14, 2009
33 U.S. Clinical Studies Show Marijuana's Medical Use, Journal of Opioid Management Article Says
Contrary to Opponents' Claims, Controlled Studies Have Repeatedly Demonstrated Safety, Efficacy
CONTACT: Bruce Mirken, MPP director of communications ............... 415-585-6404 or 202-215-4205
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON -- In a landmark article in the Journal of Opioid Management, University of Washington researcher Sunil Aggarwal and colleagues document 33 U.S. controlled clinical trials published from 1971 to 2009 confirming that marijuana is a safe, effective medicine for specific medical conditions.   Â
    Under federal law, marijuana is classified as a Schedule I drug, defining it as having high potential for abuse, unsafe for use even under medical supervision, and lacking currently accepted medical uses in the U.S. "In fact," Aggarwal and colleagues write, "nearly all of the 33 published controlled clinical trials conducted in the United States have shown significant and measurable benefits in subjects receiving the treatment." Additionally, the paper documents the growing acceptance of the therapeutic use of marijuana among organized medicine groups and estimates that "in 2008, approximately 7,000 American physicians have made such authorizations for a total of approximately 400,000 patients."
    Regarding abuse and safety issues, Aggarwal et al. write that withdrawal symptoms -- a classic symptom of drug dependence -- are notably absent from the published trials, while "the vast majority of reported adverse events were not serious ... It is clear that as an analgesic, cannabis is extremely safe with minimal toxicity."
    Unfortunately, the article continues, ignorance regarding marijuana remains widespread in the medical community. "There remains a near complete absence of education about cannabinoid medicine in any level of medical training," Aggarwal writes.
    "This is arguably the most thorough review of the literature on medical marijuana since the Institute of Medicine report over a decade ago, with a trove of data that wasn't available to the IOM," said Rob Kampia, executive director of the Marijuana Policy Project. "It is simply incomprehensible that a medicine that is so clearly safe and effective remains banned from medical use by federal law and the laws of 37 states."
    The article, "Medicinal Use of Cannabis in the United States: Historical Perspectives, Current Trends, and Future Directions," is available at http://tinyurl.com/m9oo44. A complete list of the 33 U.S. clinical trials is available from Sunil Aggarwal at [email protected] or 206-375-3785.
    With more than 27,000 members and 100,000 e-mail subscribers nationwide, the Marijuana Policy Project is the largest marijuana policy reform organization in the United States. MPP believes that the best way to minimize the harm associated with marijuana is to regulate marijuana in a manner similar to alcohol. For more information, please visit http://MarijuanaPolicy.org.
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In The Trenches
Press Release: New FBI numbers show failure of prohibition
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 14, 2009
CONTACT: Tom Angell - (202) 557-4979 or [email protected]
ONE DRUG ARREST EVERY 18 SECONDS IN THE U.S.
NEW FBI NUMBERS SHOW FAILURE OF "WAR ON DRUGS"
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A group of police and judges who want to legalize drugs pointed to new FBI numbers released today as evidence that the "war on drugs" is a failure that can never be won. The data, from the FBI's "Crime in the United States" report, shows that in 2008 there were 1,702,537 arrests for drug law violations, or one drug arrest every 18 seconds.
"In our current economic climate, we simply cannot afford to keep arresting more than three people every minute in the failed 'war on drugs,'" said Jack Cole, a retired undercover narcotics detective who now heads the group Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP). "Plus, if we legalized and taxed drug sales, we could actually create new revenue in addition to the money we'd save from ending the cruel policy of arresting users."
Last December, LEAP commissioned a report by a Harvard University economist which found that legalizing and regulating drugs would inject $77 billion a year into the struggling U.S. economy.
Today's FBI report, which can be found at http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/cius2008/arrests/index.html, shows that 82.3 percent of all drug arrests in 2008 were for possession only, and 44.3 percent of drug arrests were for possession of marijuana.
Pointing to the collateral consequences that often follow drug arrests, LEAP's Cole continued, "You can get get over an addiction, but you will never get over a conviction."
Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) is a 13,000-member organization representing cops, judges, prosecutors, prison wardens and others who now want to legalize and regulate all drugs after witnessing horrors and injustices fighting on the front lines of the "war on drugs."
More info online at http://www.CopsSayLegalizeDrugs.com.
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