Rasmussen: 56% of Americans Favor Legalization

A new Rasmussen poll reveals that of 1,000 likely voters 56% favor legal marijuana.  When respondents were asked "Would you favor or oppose legalizing marijuana and regulating it in the similar manner to the way alcohol and tobacco cigarettes are regulated today?" only 36% responded negatively and 8% were undecided.

"Polling now consistently shows that more voters support legalizing and regulating marijuana than support continuing a failed prohibition approach," he said in a statement Tuesday. "Yet far too many politicians continue to act as if marijuana policy reform is some dangerous third rail they dare not touch. If the trends in public opinion continue in the direction they are going, the day is not far away when supporting a prohibition system that causes so much crime, violence and corruption is going to be seen as a serious political liability for those seeking support from younger and independent voters. Savvy forward-looking politicians are already beginning to see which way the wind is blowing." READ MORE>>>

This is fantastic news! Finally, people are starting to look at the issue truthfully and consider the facts
instead of the government talking points.

One day, I'd love to see a nation where I can grow or smoke cannabis if I CHOOSE to without facing any legal repercussions. It should be no different than if I chose to grow tobacco or brew my own beer.

"Beer Lobby" Donates Against Prop 19

The California Beer & Beverage Distributors (CBBD) has donated $10,000 to defeat Proposition 19.  They allege that if Proposition 19 passes it "would allow California beer distributors' drivers to operate hundreds of big rig trucks and trailers, sales vehicles and trucks on California highways everyday, exposing the motoring public to potential harm. It is also the CBBD's concern that with the doing away with drug testing of employees, our transportation businesses may be unable to find liability insurance to insure our companies."

However, I don't buy this excuse.  The CBBD doesn't regularly test it's drivers to see if they've drank alcohol within the last 30 days.  If anything, this should highlight the need for a means to test for marijuana intoxication and not just the presence of cannabis metabolites.

While the CBBD denies its contribution anything to do with competition, several breweries, including popular Chico-based Sierra Nevada, are furious they've been linked with Prop. 19 opposition, and have asked the CBBD to remove their name from their membership list. READ MORE>>>

Good on Sierra Nevada!  I say if you're going to buy some California Beer this weekend, skip the rest and pick up a case of Sierra Pale Ale.

Recommended reading: Marijuana is Safer: So Why Are We Driving People to Drink?

New Study: Pot use among teens on rise, rivaling tobacco use

Study shows pot more popular among teenagers

Smoking marijuana is becoming even more popular among U.S. teens and they have cut down on smoking cigarettes, binge drinking and using methamphetamine, according to a federal survey released Monday.Okay, that's not all that surprising.

Against common sense, The White House Drug Czar seems to embrace the all too common sunk cost fallacy in response to increasing drug use among American youth. (A sunk cost fallacy is the misguided belief that regardless of how much time, money, or effort is invested in something it'll all be lost unless more time, money, or effort is invested.)

"These latest data confirm that we must redouble our efforts to implement a comprehensive, evidence-based approach to preventing and treating drug use," Kerlikowske, the director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy

This is what I'd expect from the "Drug Czar" and director of ONDCP. The problem is, despite the ONDCP's efforts to curb illegal drug use, rates of illegal drug use among teens have risen, so they're reasoning is that more money and effort must be poured into this losing battle.

I am beating my head against a wall trying to understand why the government continues to embrace the belief that they haven't showered enough money and time into this. The "War on Drugs" has been at raging at full steam for several decades with no end in sight.

However, Former Police Chief Norm Stamper offers a different approach to drug use. Legalize them all. While I don't support the legalization of all drugs, I admit that less than 100 years ago virtually all drugs were legal and we had far fewer problems with less prevalent use.

...However, even a cursory study of our drug war policies will reveal that legalizing pot but not other drugs will leave huge social harms unresolved.
Legalizing marijuana only will not:

• Stop gangs from selling other drugs to our kids (since illegal drug dealers rarely check for ID);
• Stop drug dealers from brutally murdering rival traffickers for the purpose of controlling the remaining criminal market for other drugs;
• Stop drug dealers from firing on cops charged with fighting the senseless war on other illicit drugs;
• Stop drug dealers from killing kids caught in crossfire and drive-by shootings;
• Stop overdose deaths of drug users who refrain from calling 911 out of fear of legal repercussions;
• Reduce the spread of infectious diseases like AIDS and hepatitis, since marijuana users don’t inject their drug like heroin users (who sometimes share dirty needles and syringes because prohibition makes it hard to secure clean ones);
• Stop the bloody cartel battles in Mexico that are rapidly expanding over the border into the U.S;
• Stop the Taliban from raking in massive profits from illegal opium cultivation in Afghanistan.

Of course, none of this means that our rapidly growing marijuana legalization movement should slow down.

Sadly, the problem of drug abuse is not one that can be solved overnight, but we can work to reduce as much harm as possible for the time being while other solutions are being weighed.

Lastly, Norm Stamper offers this last insight.

Marijuana legalization is a great step in the direction of sane and sensible drug policy. But we reformers must remember that we’re working to legalize drugs not because we think they are safe, but because prohibition is far more dangerous to users and nonusers alike.

Until then, I'll be prayin' for common sense in our government...

Med. Marijuana Bill Introduced into PA House

On April 29, 2009 Rep. Mark B. Cohen introduced the bill to legalize medical marijuana with PA4MMJ. HB1393 would allow registered patients to grow six plants or purchase cannabis through Compassion Centers. A provision in the bill allows these medical cannabis sales to be taxed. READ MORE>>>

What do I think about it?

Well, it's a step in the right direction. However, largely all of the recent medical marijuana legislation are a means for politicians to distance themselves from their long held position that marijuana is a dangerous, possibly addictive, and harmful substance while not receiving any blow back for 'flip-flopping'.

It allows them to argue, "This bill isn't about recreational marijuana use... it's about "medical" marijuana use." As if giving a 'dangerous, possibly addictive, and harmful substance' to a immuno-compromised or seriously ill individual is better than giving it to a healthy individual.

The text of the bill allows for medicinal marijuana use without fear of arrest or prosecution for violating state laws. I have to give props to all of the Democrats that introduced the legislation, and a strong rebuke to the lack of Republicans that have shown support for it (only one Republican is listed on the bill).

What really pushes my buttons is the fact that Medical Marijuana Legislation is making news (controversially I might add) while Industrial Hemp legislation is no-where to be found. It's easy to see why people would be concerned about legalizing marijuana for recreational and medicinal use, but it's unfathomable why a useful product such as Industrial Hemp is still classified as a pyschoactive substance.

It's a step in the right direction.

Customs "Legally" Seize Bongs?

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/11/christmas-bongs.html

Okay, this is something that irks me. Now, I know I'm not a lawyer but my understanding of "Drug Paraphernalia" has always been that paraphernalia are items which are "primarily intended" to be used for the consumption; sale; or distribution of illegal drugs.

My understanding was that if I wanted to smoke tobacco or legal herbs out of a glass pipe (such as the one pictured below) I would be in the clear since the pipe only becomes "drug paraphernalia" when there is a reasonable assumption that it will be/has been used for illegal purposes.

However, since the items which were seized weren't seized in close proximity to illegal drugs and there was no reasonable assumption that they would be used for illegal purposes why were they illegally seized?

Was it because the sender marked the contents wrongly as "Christmas ornaments"? Maybe, but does that mean that if you purchased a high end diet or culinary scale from overseas and the sender marked it the package wrong it'd be "drug paraphernalia"?

It seems to me like US Customs overstepped their bounds to get some positive media coverage. "Hey look at us, we busted a huge shipment of evil glassware..." Too bad they can't stop all the cocaine and heroin from coming into the country....

It just irks me. Good one US Customs, you just ruined a lot of stoner's Christmases.

You just made Santa's Naughty List.

Last minute add-on: Wow. Normally the Feds are really bad at estimating actual value, but wow are they off on this one. They estimate the value at 2.6 million, but some of those 'bongs' would retail for more than $100 easily. According to the math. 2.6million/316,000 = $6 and some change per glass piece. Unless the shipment consisted of mostly cheap crack pipes the value is much higher. I'd say the value could be much closer to 5-10 million dollars

AMA Reverses Position on Pot

The American Medical Association reversed their previous ruling on marijuana earlier this week. They are now pushing for marijuana to be rescheduled so that further clinical trials can be performed regarding the usefulness of marijuana cannabinoids as medicine. Currently marijuana is a schedule 1 drug. It resides in the same classification as heroin, LSD, and MDMA.

According to the Controlled Substances Act, schedule 1 drugs have:

• High potential for abuse
• Currently no medical use in the United States
• A lack of accepted safety for use of the drug or other substance under medical supervision.

Read more about it on the NORML's Blogpost.

Our AMA urges that marijuana’s status as a federal Schedule I controlled substance be reviewed with the goal of facilitating the conduct of clinical research and development of cannabinoid-based medicines, and alternate delivery methods. This should not be viewed as an endorsement of state-based medical cannabis programs, the legalization of marijuana, or that scientific evidence on the therapeutic use of cannabis meets the current standards for a prescription drug product.

CA Lawmakers to Debate MJ Legalization Tomorrow

So California lawmakers will begin hearing testimony tomorrow in favor of legalizing marijuana which would put marijuana on the same legal standing as schedule 1 alcohol...

Personally, I'm all in favor of it. There's no good reason why tax payers should be paying $30,000+ a year to jail people that recreationally use marijuana.

NORML's Post on it.

Fox News on MJ Decrimilization

Wow, I wouldn't have pegged Fox News to take this side on the issue. Good for them.