Drug Survey Release Thursday Raises Questions for New Drug Czar

[User]

This Thursday's scheduled release of the latest National Survey on Drug Use and Health marks a critical test for new White House drug czar Gil Kerlikowske, officials of the Marijuana Policy Project said today. The tone and priorities Kerlikowske stresses, they said, will offer important clues about whether the Obama administration will continue the failed marijuana policies of the past or make meaningful changes.

"Gil Kerlikowske deserves credit for shifting the emphasis away from his predecessor's obsession with marijuana and toward true dangers like me*th and prescription drug abuse, but that's small potatoes if he is afraid to tackle the reality of failed marijuana policies," said MPP director of government relations Aaron Houston.

Houston noted that the previous drug czar, John Walters, was notorious for cherry-picking statistics to create the illusion of success -- claiming progress, for example, even though last year's survey showed an increase in the overall number of illicit drug users and in illicit use of highly dangerous prescription drugs like OxyContin. He urged Kerlikowske to adopt a new policy of honesty.

"Kerlikowske has said repeatedly, 'Legalization is not in my vocabulary,'" Houston said. "In that case, let's talk about regulation. Let's talk about how teen marijuana use is up since the early 1990s while teen cigarette smoking is way, way down -- because regulation of cigarettes gives society some control over the businesses that produce and market tobacco. We can control marijuana and take profits away from the murderous Mexican drug cartels, but first we'll need to acknowledge that what we've been doing hasn't worked and can't ever work."

With more than 26,000 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 MPP Homepage.


NewsHawk: User: http://www.420magazine.com/
Source: CommonDreams.org
Author: Bruce Mirken, MPP director of communications
Copyright: 2009 CommonDreams.org
Contact: http://www.commondreams.org
Website: http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2009/09/09

[hd07]

good article!

[willie420]

Results are out - the huge campaign led by John Walters was an epic fail. Usage stats remained the same. Clearly the "war" is not being won. Just more evidence it's time for a different policy.

[Soniq420]

But we must need more money to continue the fight - we're only managing to prevent further increases in usage

oh wait, I'm fully of sh*t

[Geno Bambino]

Therapeutic Cannabis patients are the backbone of current and pending legislation to legalize Cannabis. The Topic / Reference to the current point of the article is the scrutiny by the Feds. There appears to be an acceptance by the Feds that State legalized marijuana laws are are not to be interfered with by the Federal Govenment. [state monitoring and regulation will be proposed and all of us need to speak out when the monitoring and regulation standards are to be established] The song that I am singing is to make sure the first step is handled well. The adopted regulatory rules will influence the acceptance of marijuana for additional conditions of treatment and the legalization of Cannabis.

I am not suggesting that the taxing and regulation of Marijuana is not a valid consideration, it is an idea that creates extensive scrutiny and explaining the process in a manner that will enlist the support of elected officials. Support of taxation and monitoring of cannabis has to be well defined to ensure a reasonable outcome. The Federal Government, based on this article is studying the revenues to be generated, legislation and executive orders to establish policy. I live in a State that has adopted initiatives to raise money to repair the roads. The money is used for another defined need and a new iniative comes out to tax "whatever" to be able to improve our roads. There are many situations that you can identify (regarding the use of tax payers dollars for purposes other than what they are originally stated to be generated for by the Federal Goverment.

Finally, Remember the increase in cigarette taxes (no one could stop it), the tax increase on alcohol (no one could stop it) etc. This is something to consider. The Government seems to position themselves to fill their coffers to meet their agenda. Also, the Government seems to always increase the taxes on the things people desire for their personal consumption. Many of our Tax dollars are spent for political priorities other than the reason stated. It is resonable to believe "Marijuana taxation could be used to finance additional wars, not education, Health Care etc.

Geno Bambino

[Pinch]

Are these "sin" taxes? Alcohol, cigarettes, cannabis... cannabis!?!

When they legalize it like the other "sins", then they should tax it.

In California presently, cannabis is recognized as a medication and should never have been taxed, but big whine did not stop it. (I, at the same time, realize taxes help in legitimatizing cannabis and move us closer to legalizing recreational use. Money talks and bullshit walks.)

And that's the way I see it. God day.