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

Can You Teach a 1st World Nation 2nd World Tricks

From The Observer

The article tells a poignant story that sounds all too familiar.

..."Last year three of my friends were caught smoking a spliff in a park and were treated like traffickers," he said. "They went to court, which took six months. One went to jail alongside murderers. The others were sent to rehab, where they were treated for an addiction they didn't have, alongside serious heroin and crack users. It was pointless and destroyed their lives."....

It's a story that I have witnessed first hand, and but for the grace of God it would've been true for myself.

The court's ruling was based on a case involving several men caught with joints in their pockets. As a result, judges struck down an existing law stipulating a sentence of up to two years in jail for those caught with any amount of narcotics. "Each individual adult is responsible for making decisions freely about their desired lifestyle without state interference," the ruling said. "Private conduct is allowed unless it constitutes a real danger or causes damage to property or the rights of others."

Is the "war on drugs" ending? The Argentinian ruling does not stand alone. Across Latin America and Mexico, there is a wave of drug law reform which constitutes a stark rebuff to the United States as it prepares to mark the 40th anniversary of a conflict officially declared by President Richard Nixon and fronted by his wife, Pat, in 1969.

That "war" has incarcerated an average of a million US citizens a year, as every stratum of American society demonstrates its insatiable need to get high. And it has also engulfed not only America, but the Americas...

Albert Einstein once said that insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

We've seen this story before in the early 20th century when groups had deemed alcohol unsafe for public use. This illegalization allowed unsavory entrepreneurs to transform into highly powerful gangsters.

The same is true today. We've taken a marginally harmful, although not useless plant, and made it illegal thus giving those that would produce and sell it a large profit margin.

In my opinion, just let the people have their weed but set reasonable restrictions on it much like we have for alcohol. If you want to reduce the amount of use look at the deeper reasons behind it's use and not the use itself.