Posted on 01/09/2003 6:41:06 PM PST by Sparta
A pot-legalization group is taking on the White House over marijuana.
A group that wants to see marijuana legalized is angry with the Bush administration because they say the government is being too critical of pot.
The issue all started with a letter from Scott Burns, the deputy director of the Office of National Drug Control. In the letter, Burns told district attorneys across the country that they must better educate the public about marijuana use.
Keith Stroup, who heads up the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), claims the administration is going over the top suggesting that marijuana is the biggest drug threat in America.
"We're simply going to call them on this lie," Stroup said. "The Bush administration, for some reason, is in the process of ignoring the real drug problems we face and instead focusing their entire anti-drug apparatus on responsible marijuana smokers."
But Burns said it's time to get serious about the problem.
"It's something that the administration, I believe, has an obligation to talk about," Burns said.
He added that in some parts of the country heroin is the biggest problem. In other parts, it's cocaine. But the common thread is marijuana.
"We can't ignore marijuana," Burns said. "Sixty percent of the folks addicted to drugs in this country are using marijuana. If we don't talk about it and talk about it loudly, we're ignoring two-thirds of the problem."
As for his letter to prosecutors to raise awareness about marijuana, he said the response has been sobering.
"I've received calls from prosecutors all across the country who have said, 'I didn't know,' " Burns said.
That is precisely the reason for the letter: to make sure everyone knows that the problem is getting worse every day.
I don't stalk for your posts, MLR.
I posted it TO YOU. Stop your pathetic evasions.
You seem to be saying that legalization to buy, sell, market mary-jane and (and any other narcotic) does not make it more available.
No, what I'm saying is that the drastic increase in abortions after Roe v Wade proves nothing about how much drug use might increase after legalization.
Ain't your decision, jack, if this poster stays or goes. Quit yer whining, and if you don't like the subject, stay off the threads...
A responsibility to society "not to do violence" with your body, or to it? Do professional football players, or even amateur ones, have this responsibility too?And by the way, marijuana's not a narcotic.
When people blow their minds (or their brains out) it imposes upon the rest of society to take care of the mess.
Only if you believe in socialism, which you seem to.
The FDA hasn't criminalized marijuana, the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 has. Do you even know what you're talking about?
And alcohol in the past funded organized crime. Why? Because it was made illegal, and a black market formed. If pot were legalized, the black market would collapse - because it's easier to grow pot than tomatoes.
You have to separate the drug and its impacts from governmental decisions to make something illegal, with the effects of the ensuing black market.
As I have stated many times, I do NOT "defend the use and promotion"; what I defend is the RIGHT to use. I don't defend the use and promotion of Marxist literature, but I do defend the right to publish and read it.
instead of showing greater concern about the root cause of why so many people need to distort their realities and/or run away from their problems
Only liberals think that's any of government's business.
Remind me not to ride in your car.
BTW about "among the states," I don't suppose the Feds can regulate what business is done that is thoroughly isolated to one state, but it clearly can, when material comes from one state and is offered to another, at any point along the way.
I'm not a constitional lawyer and I didn't even stay in a Holiday Inn Express, but it's interesting how ambiguous that phrase is, "among the states." Intentionally so, it would seem.
There are plenty of people who can't hold jobs because of drinking problems - probably far more than who have the same problem because of pot. I don't see you calling for alcohol to be banned. Do you consume alcohol? If you do, doesn't it therefore follow that YOUR habit is an impairment on society?
Why are so many people in FreeRepublic.com so interested in augmenting the use of narcotics? Incredible.
All these people in FR are interested in the Constitution being followed, and for laws to be proportionate. Equating pot with heroin is stupid and failes the proportionality test.
Distinction w/o difference. They're both feds.
Tell me, then, how the feds can prohibit pot cultivation for personal use.
Are you sure you would want me to do that?
That's it, after reading through this whole thread, I've determined that you're cracked.
Look up the definition of "narcotic" and see nicmarlo's post (52? 54?).
Remind me not to ride in your car.
Why? I use neither.
BTW about "among the states," I don't suppose the Feds can regulate what business is done that is thoroughly isolated to one state, but it clearly can, when material comes from one state and is offered to another, at any point along the way.
Correct. But the Controlled Substances Act does not recognize this distinction.
Who's doing that? There are degrees to such things. That's only reasonable. And neither are as bad as ricin. We have to draw lines, though, like it or not.
Back to work.
The feds, for one, by placing pot on the same schedule as heroin. And by drafting laws that treat pot and heroin in the same manner.
Back to school...
Look up the definition of "narcotic" and see nicmarlo's post (52? 54?).
That's pretty funny, coming from you and your claims that alcohol does not have narcotic qualities, when tacticalogic demonstrated just the opposite yesterday.
You're acting like a Democrat - use the facts when they are convenient for your position, and ignore the exact same facts when they aren't.
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