Bush Admin To Prosecutors about Marijuana

[DjfunkmasterG]

In 2002, the Bush adminstration issued a letter to Prosceutors and Police to increase Marijuana arrets. NORML, and advocacy group trying to help legalize tears the report apart section by section as the bush administration constantly printed "Questionable" information, out right "Lies" (Something they are very use to doing) Read on below. (Link to actual article - http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=5513) Truth Report 2005 NORML's response to the ONDCP (updated) ONDCP's open letter (PDF) Email Congress Write the Drug Czar Discussion Your Government Is Lying To You (Again) About Marijuana - An Updated Refutation of the Drug Czar's "Open Letter to America's Prosecutors" Introduction In 2003, NORML published a comprehensive report entitled, "Your Government Is Lying To You (Again) About Marijuana: A Refutation Of The Drug Czar's 'Open Letter To America's Prosecutors.'" NORML’s report publicly addresses an ‘open letter’ to America’s prosecutors (dated November 1, 2002) from the White House’s Scott Burns, Deputy Director for State and Local Affairs for the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). In the letter, Burns insisted, "Nationwide, no drug matches the threat posed by marijuana," and urged law enforcement officials to "aggressively prosecute" marijuana violators. The ONDCP's letter, filled with half-truths and outright lies regarding marijuana's alleged dangers, purposely misrepresented the available research in an attempt to justify federal and state policies that result in the arrest of more than 650,000 Americans annually on minor marijuana possession charges. Since then, the White House’s anti-marijuana propaganda campaign has continued to take on an increasingly alarmist and extremist tone, arguably crossing over any reasonable line of probity. The Bush Administration’s latest rhetoric does not qualify as mere exaggeration; they are flat-out lying to the American public about marijuana. As a result, NORML has updated and greatly expanded our 2003 report. Like our initial paper, the "2005 NORML Truth Report" relies on the federal government's own science, data, and statistics to rebut the Drug Czar's lies and propaganda. NORML believes there is nothing to be gained by exaggerating claims of marijuana’s harms. On the contrary, by overstating marijuana’s potential risk, America's policy-makers and law enforcement community undermine their credibility and ability to effectively educate the public of the legitimate harms associated with more dangerous drugs. In addition, exaggerating the dangers associated with the responsible use of marijuana results in the needless arrest of hundreds of thousands of good, productive citizens each year in this country. We cannot remain silent and permit this taxpayer-funded propaganda to occur without a challenge, and we encourage all concerned citizens to refer to this report for the truth and science regarding marijuana and marijuana policy. It’s time to begin an honest public education campaign about the minimal risks presented by marijuana. Let’s allow science, not rhetoric, to dictate America's public policy regarding marijuana. As you will see, the facts speak for themselves. ALLEGATION #1 - “There is a serious drug problem in this country.” ALLEGATION #2 - “Nationwide, no drug matches the threat posed by marijuana.” ALLEGATION #3 - “60 percent of teenagers in treatment have a primary marijuana diagnosis. This means that the addiction to marijuana by our youth exceeds their addiction rates for alcohol, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, ecstasy and all other drugs combined.” ALLEGATION #4 - “We may never rid this country of every crack pipe or marijuana plant. However, research proves that we have made substantial success in reducing drug use in this country.” ALLEGATION #5 - “The truth is that marijuana is not harmless.” ALLEGATION #6 - “As a factor in emergency room visits, marijuana has risen 176 percent since 1994, and now surpasses heroin.” ALLEGATION #7 - “Smoked marijuana leads to changes in the brain similar to those caused by the use of cocaine and heroin.” ALLEGATION #8 - “One recent study involving a roadside check of reckless drivers (not impaired by alcohol) showed that 45 percent tested positive for marijuana.” ALLEGATION #9 - “The truth is that marijuana is addictive. … Marijuana users have an addiction rate of about 10%, and of the 5.6 million drug users who are suffering from illegal drug dependence or abuse, 62 percent are dependent on or abusing marijuana.” ALLEGATION #10 - “Average THC levels rose from less than 1% in the late 1970s to more than 7% in 2001, and sinsemilla potency increased from 6% to 13%, and now reach as high as 33%” ALLEGATION #11 - “The truth is that marijuana and violence are linked.” ALLEGATION #12 - “The truth is that we aren’t imprisoning individuals for just ‘smoking a joint.’ … Nationwide, the percentage of those in prison for marijuana possession as their most serious offense is less than half of one percent (0.46%), and those generally involved exceptional circumstances.” ALLEGATION #13 - “The truth is that marijuana is a gateway drug. … People who used marijuana are 8 times more likely to have used cocaine, 15 times more likely to have used heroin, and 5 times more likely to develop a need for treatment of abuse or dependence on ANY drug.” ALLEGATION #14 - “The truth is that marijuana legalization would be a nightmare in America. After Dutch coffee shops started selling marijuana in small quantities, use of the drug nearly tripled … between 1984 and 1996. While our nation’s cocaine consumption has decreased by 80 percent over the past 15 years, Europe’s has increased … and the Dutch government has started to reconsider its policy.” ALLEGATION #15 - “The truth is that marijuana is not a medicine, and no credible research suggest that it is.” Allen St. Pierre Executive Director NORML Washington, DC July 21, 2005 director@norml.org This updated report is written, once again, by NORML Senior Policy Analyst Paul Armentano with research provided by NORML Intern Paul Varnado (Duke University). Important and timely reports such as this are only made possible when concerned citizens become involved with NORML. Please consider joining NORML or making a donation.

[LouCipherr]

Meh, not surprising. If the government were to legalize marijuana in the united states, the first step would have to be the government coming out and saying "well, we've been lying to you for the past 30 years about how harmful this drug is" - and that will NEVER happen, 'cause we all know the government always tells the truth to begin with, right? Yeah, and i'm the Pope. What quote I love is this: "Nationwide, no drug matches the threat posed by marijuana" Now if that right there doesn't destroy your credibility, I have no idea what will. WHAT threat? The threat of depleating the world of cheetoh's and twinkies? What a buck of f*ckin' wankers.

[slickwilly13]

Those allegations are a bunch of bullsh!t. I've done research on the drug for a cj class. Just about every bit of what was said contradicts what I researched from scholarly journals. And from personal experience it is crap. Besides George I got to pin this on you for once. You used to abuse alcohol and coke, so I know damn well you most likely hit a joint like the president before you.

[Khardis]

Weed is addicting now? I thought it had no addiciting chemical properties like say nicotene. Oh wait mentally addicting, oh hell well then everything is mentally addicting, I am addicted to spicy food and having sex with hot women.

[Neil]

Meh, not surprising. If the government were to legalize marijuana in the united states, the first step would have to be the government coming out and saying "well, we've been lying to you for the past 30 years about how harmful this drug is" - and that will NEVER happen, 'cause we all know the government always tells the truth to begin with, right? I must admit, I believe I've seen a couple of people "harmed" by it... From poor short term memory, to depressive tendancies... Of course cannot prove it was down to wacky backy, but I recon it is... I'm sure small quantities are fine, but regular use... Hmm...

[Khardis]

I must admit, I believe I've seen a couple of people "harmed" by it... From poor short term memory, to depressive tendancies... Of course cannot prove it was down to wacky backy, but I recon it is... I'm sure small quantities are fine, but regular use... Hmm... Those people though with the blown minds are usually ahem "baseheads". like Tommy Chong. That has less to do with the weed and more to do with thier lack of self control, if those same people had never gotten access to drugs, they would weigh 400 pounds from thier twinkie and pop tarts addiction or be in therepy for thier masterbation addiction.

[Neil]

Those people though with the blown minds are usually ahem "baseheads". like Tommy Chong. That has less to do with the weed and more to do with thier lack of self control, if those same people had never gotten access to drugs, they would weigh 400 pounds from thier twinkie and pop tarts addiction or be in therepy for thier masterbation addiction. Maybe, maybe not... But none the less, I do not think it is a (totally) harmless substance...

[Dommm]

Don’t worry the bush administration is also cracking down in the UK thanks to a weak arse Blair, they are cracking down heavily on Marijuana production plants and are also starting to state that it is the most dangerous of drugs, sound familiar, . Allot of the stats they use in implying the psychotic effects of the drug are brought in from South Africa where they say 60% of people diagnosed with psychological problems are those who have been long term smokers of the evil reefer. But let’s look at these stats again the same report also states that 90% of the community at large use/abuse the substance. You do the Math. They also don’t involve the other sociological problems the recent apart ate, high unemployment figures etc... These are just as damaging to youre mental well being. In making this substance illegal they also take out the many other products that can be produced by this, Clothes, Furniture, Oils, Skin care products. It would be cheap to grow the plant thus allow many third world countries an entry to the international market lets not say conspiracy theory huh. There has been some Scientific evidence that in the short term it effects your short term memory and that it makes changes to various neurological paths in the brain, but that these changes are bad or good no-one knows (bad i would generally assume). Also there is a small percentage of the population that already have mental illness in the family can and probably will suffer these problems enhanced (but again not ness. caused by) .

[Khardis]

Maybe, maybe not... But none the less, I do not think it is a (totally) harmless substance... Nothing is a harmless substance, thats my point. Soda is not a harmless substance, unless you enjoy root canals, obesity and the eventual heart attack.

[Marie]

ALLEGATION #11 - “The truth is that marijuana and violence are linked.”. I have taken pot away from users who have made the mistake of using at my home. Never once was I threatened with violence. They were upset, especially the guy who lit a second one and got his stash flushed down my toilet, but all he did was sulk. I can't believe it makes anyone violent. M_

[Neil]

Nothing is a harmless substance, thats my point. Soda is not a harmless substance, unless you enjoy root canals, obesity and the eventual heart attack. Yes, it's all down to degrees... But I suspect a spliff a day will have its toll...

[Dommm]

Yes, it's all down to degrees... But I suspect a spliff a day will have its toll... Ahh but so will a beer a day but no one seems to mind that??

[LouCipherr]

I think it depends on your definition of 'toll' If, by that, you mean short-term memory loss and the munchies, then I agree with you. If people are going to start telling me it causes parkinsons disease and rots your spinal column, then I'm gonna have to call bullsh*t. I know that's not what you were saying Neil, I just had to have some fun with it. I know many every-day-several-times-a-day smokers who work normal jobs, never miss days unless they're deathly ill, make a great living and have no real health problems (other than the side-effects of smoking - but that can be from smoking anything, not just MJ). It still stands that there is not one single case of a death caused by MJ. Until there is, I'm not saying it's harmless, but I think it's probably safer than some of that perscribed medication ya'll get from your doctors, that's for sure. I work very close to the FDA and I can tell you, if you knew how some of your medicines were made and under what conditions, you'd probably rather eat rat turds and smoke a spliff than take that medicine. LC

[DjfunkmasterG]

It still stands that there is not one single case of a death caused by MJ. Until there is, I'm not saying it's harmless, but I think it's probably safer than some of that perscribed medication ya'll get from your doctors, that's for sure. I work very close to the FDA and I can tell you, if you knew how some of your medicines were made and under what conditions, you'd probably rather eat rat turds and smoke a spliff than take that medicine. LC I can back him up on this as we worked together at one time and we are both in the same field of work. Trust me... I see how stuff is made, and then, iIhave to swallow stuff made less than stellar conditions if I want to continue live. I have seen people grow MJ in homes cleaner than the facilities prescription drugs are made. I know I work in pharmaceutical Industry.

[Khardis]

Ahh but so will a beer a day but no one seems to mind that?? So does a twinkie, ciggarette, shot of vodka, big mac, etc etc