Aa
war on drugs,represents big overgrown government at its worst.
Cory Booker Slams Drug War
Newark, N.J. Mayor Cory Booker took to Reddit Sunday to criticize the war on drugs, saying it was ineffective and "represents big overgrown government at its worst."
"The so called War on Drugs has not succeeded in making significant reductions in drug use, drug arrests or violence," the Democrat wrote during the Reddit "ask me anything" chat. "We are pouring huge amounts of our public resources into this current effort that are bleeding our public treasury and unnecessarily undermining human potential."
Booker then called drug arrests a "game."
"My police in Newark are involved in an almost ridiculous game of arresting the same people over and over again and when you talk to these men they have little belief that there is help or hope for them to break out of this cycle," he wrote.
Booker has said he supports medical marijuana, tweeting in May that "NJ should do more to make it real for those who need it."
Booker also used the Reddit discussion to outline programs he has implemented to lower drug arrests: reentry, court reform, jobs, treatment and legal aid.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/16/cory-booker-drug-war_n_1676008.html
Newark, N.J. Mayor Cory Booker took to Reddit Sunday to criticize the war on drugs, saying it was ineffective and "represents big overgrown government at its worst."
"The so called War on Drugs has not succeeded in making significant reductions in drug use, drug arrests or violence," the Democrat wrote during the Reddit "ask me anything" chat. "We are pouring huge amounts of our public resources into this current effort that are bleeding our public treasury and unnecessarily undermining human potential."
Booker then called drug arrests a "game."
"My police in Newark are involved in an almost ridiculous game of arresting the same people over and over again and when you talk to these men they have little belief that there is help or hope for them to break out of this cycle," he wrote.
Booker has said he supports medical marijuana, tweeting in May that "NJ should do more to make it real for those who need it."
Booker also used the Reddit discussion to outline programs he has implemented to lower drug arrests: reentry, court reform, jobs, treatment and legal aid.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/16/cory-booker-drug-war_n_1676008.html
I think we're all really on the same page; just trying to find a happy medium.
I admit that I often go back and forth (flip flop, yep, I admit it..lol) on the whole legalization issue. I can truly see where both sides are coming from. Perhaps the answer is somewhere in the middle. I think my perfect scenario would be more decriminilization. I am firmly against arresting and imprisioning people for using. I am completely pro arresting and imprisioning those who deal. I just think that putting addicts in jail is such a waste of resources. I do think the answer is out there, but as usual it's probably a matter of taking both sides opinions into consideration and finding a happy medium.
I agree Barb. I thought this thread was on the war on drugs/ legalizing pot and other drugs. I would never be alright with that. Some usage of marijauna for medical reasons, dispensed as such by a pharmacy is appropriate. My kids just getting high for fun, not appropriate. Just my opinion but those are two very different things.
I read that story previously, and I think it's so sad.
I do think so many of us are hung up on the fact that marijuana is illegal, therefore, must be bad. We've also been told that marijuana use leads to using "hard stuff". I can tell you without missing a beat, that if that were MY child, I'd sure want to be able to give him that medication, if all else failed.
I used to work with a couple of people who were addicted to prescription pain meds...... one of them got into a very serious accident one day, while high; fortunately, he wiped out a tree rather than hitting another vehicle on the street. Unfortunately, he did not have a script for the pills he took, so he was terminated immediately. The other person, DID have a script for his pills, therefore, he was allowed to walk/drive around like a zombie much of the time.
I would not to see people using it simply for the "high" they get, but strictly medicinal purposes are different.
I do think so many of us are hung up on the fact that marijuana is illegal, therefore, must be bad. We've also been told that marijuana use leads to using "hard stuff". I can tell you without missing a beat, that if that were MY child, I'd sure want to be able to give him that medication, if all else failed.
I used to work with a couple of people who were addicted to prescription pain meds...... one of them got into a very serious accident one day, while high; fortunately, he wiped out a tree rather than hitting another vehicle on the street. Unfortunately, he did not have a script for the pills he took, so he was terminated immediately. The other person, DID have a script for his pills, therefore, he was allowed to walk/drive around like a zombie much of the time.
I would not to see people using it simply for the "high" they get, but strictly medicinal purposes are different.
Of course we can disagree. However I respectfully ask you to consider this~ if your child had a severe medical problem that only medical marijuana could alleviate, would you still feel the same?
I've taken the following true story from the June 20th article in the Eastbayexpress,
and cut it down to fit here. Words in parentheses are mine.
*********************************
Jayden, now five and a half, has Dravet Syndrome, a severe, rare epilepsy sub-diagnosis that affects infants and children. When he was four months old, he started having seizures. Anything could set them off, including laughing and playing. "When he'd see a bounce house," David recalled, "he'd get so happy he'd have a seizure."
By the age of four and a half, Jayden was having three hundred to five hundred myoclonic seizures per day. He also was taking 22 different medications, including powerful anti-psychotics and anti-seizure drugs that are dangerous even for adults.
side effects you think ( included ) 'committing suicide, dreams, yelling, screaming, going crazy, pain, suffering, seeing things, delusions, hallucinations.'
The medicine was killing him. He'd had a grand mal seizure that lasted an hour and a half. He'd been in an ambulance 45 times in the last year.
Jayden's doctors at UC San Francisco had referred David ( the father, to a local renown dispensary) . . .you should try medical marijuana...
Mainly, it was for appetite stimulation for kids with cancer, and pain management in paraplegic children
( They gave him a ) tincture that was supposedly high in cannabidiol. Abbreviated as CBD, cannabidiol is produced by pot plants and has a multitude of medicinal properties. It's anti-inflammatory, for example. And the federal government has patented it as a neuroprotectant for strokes. But it hasn't been developed by pharmaceutical companies. You can't buy a CBD pill at Walgreens.
It's been used since biblical times to treat nervous disorders like epilepsy. It's thought to help restore balance in the nervous system as well as the immune and digestive systems. According to lab research, CBD dampens the activity of the human nervous system at the site of what are called the "CB1" and "CB2" nerve cell receptors. These receptors are spread throughout the body's nervous system.
CBD is thought to act like a precision-guided warm blanket, calming Jayden's overactive nervous system at key receptor sites. "Jayden had a seizure every day of his life, until the first day I gave him CBD," David said. "It was the first four days in his life that he had went seizure-free. I was crying. I was happy crying instead of sad crying, which was new."
There's more to the story, about how CBD oil does not have the property that produces the high of cannabis and about the labs that are testing these strains of marijuana and the oil.
*******************************************
An addendum as of July 12:
The dispensary in this article, despite being one of the best run dispensaries and bringing in much needed tax revenue to the city, is now being threatened by the Feds for the reason that according to U. S. Attorney Melissa Haag "The larger the operation, the greater the likelihood that there will be abuse of the state's medical marijuana laws," she wrote in a prepared statement."
David, Jason's father is one of the many advocates fighting to keep the dispensary open.
I've taken the following true story from the June 20th article in the Eastbayexpress,
and cut it down to fit here. Words in parentheses are mine.
*********************************
Jayden, now five and a half, has Dravet Syndrome, a severe, rare epilepsy sub-diagnosis that affects infants and children. When he was four months old, he started having seizures. Anything could set them off, including laughing and playing. "When he'd see a bounce house," David recalled, "he'd get so happy he'd have a seizure."
By the age of four and a half, Jayden was having three hundred to five hundred myoclonic seizures per day. He also was taking 22 different medications, including powerful anti-psychotics and anti-seizure drugs that are dangerous even for adults.
side effects you think ( included ) 'committing suicide, dreams, yelling, screaming, going crazy, pain, suffering, seeing things, delusions, hallucinations.'
The medicine was killing him. He'd had a grand mal seizure that lasted an hour and a half. He'd been in an ambulance 45 times in the last year.
Jayden's doctors at UC San Francisco had referred David ( the father, to a local renown dispensary) . . .you should try medical marijuana...
Mainly, it was for appetite stimulation for kids with cancer, and pain management in paraplegic children
( They gave him a ) tincture that was supposedly high in cannabidiol. Abbreviated as CBD, cannabidiol is produced by pot plants and has a multitude of medicinal properties. It's anti-inflammatory, for example. And the federal government has patented it as a neuroprotectant for strokes. But it hasn't been developed by pharmaceutical companies. You can't buy a CBD pill at Walgreens.
It's been used since biblical times to treat nervous disorders like epilepsy. It's thought to help restore balance in the nervous system as well as the immune and digestive systems. According to lab research, CBD dampens the activity of the human nervous system at the site of what are called the "CB1" and "CB2" nerve cell receptors. These receptors are spread throughout the body's nervous system.
CBD is thought to act like a precision-guided warm blanket, calming Jayden's overactive nervous system at key receptor sites. "Jayden had a seizure every day of his life, until the first day I gave him CBD," David said. "It was the first four days in his life that he had went seizure-free. I was crying. I was happy crying instead of sad crying, which was new."
There's more to the story, about how CBD oil does not have the property that produces the high of cannabis and about the labs that are testing these strains of marijuana and the oil.
*******************************************
An addendum as of July 12:
The dispensary in this article, despite being one of the best run dispensaries and bringing in much needed tax revenue to the city, is now being threatened by the Feds for the reason that according to U. S. Attorney Melissa Haag "The larger the operation, the greater the likelihood that there will be abuse of the state's medical marijuana laws," she wrote in a prepared statement."
David, Jason's father is one of the many advocates fighting to keep the dispensary open.
well . . . still will never be for legaizing drugs. Like I said------ I do hear what you are saying but just don't agree. I'm only one vote though. Maybe some day I'll be outnumbered.
I think that is a super important point you make. I can tell you the biggest problem we see right now is prescription drugs. People seeking help for addiction to them far outweigh any traditional "street drug". But still, no question, the number one issue we still see is alcohol addiction. Hands down. I also think it's important to point out what happened during prohibition when discussing this issue. Prohibition didn't do a thing to stop folks from drinking, but it sure did make the bootleggers rich, and look at the violence that accompanied that. I think drug abuse and alcoholism are just a sad reality, and putting people in jail for using isn't solving the problem. The best way to put those violent cartels and dealers out of business (or at least slow it down and make it less profitable) is to decriminalize. For me, thats who the real war is against. Not the user or the addict.
You guys make me wanna roll up a fatty!!!! LOL,,,,,
Ahh, like orphanedhawk, I wondered if there was a new chocolate/banana cannabis........ If that were the case, I might change my thoughts regarding legalization..... :-)
Actually, I do understand the argument for legalizing, and taxing, drugs, which would allow more control of them... I think too many of us (yep, I do) get hung up on the fact that marijuana and other drugs are illegal, therefore, bad, when in reality, they aren't any worse (or more abused) than some prescription drugs (think percoset, oxycodone, oxycontin, etc).
Actually, I do understand the argument for legalizing, and taxing, drugs, which would allow more control of them... I think too many of us (yep, I do) get hung up on the fact that marijuana and other drugs are illegal, therefore, bad, when in reality, they aren't any worse (or more abused) than some prescription drugs (think percoset, oxycodone, oxycontin, etc).
Another reason to legalize drugs is so they can be legally tested for medical usage.
A woman on a transplant forum I frequent just yesterday, mentioned her doctor prescribing cannabis for her pain. She says it's the only thing that works yet she feels terribly guilty because her parents taught her it was wrong.
************************
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/16/californias-doctors-back-_n_1014510.html
California's largest industry group for doctors is calling for the legalization of marijuana even as it maintains that the drug has few proven health benefits
Physicians are put in the uncomfortable position of having to decide whether to recommend a drug that's illegal under federal law...
**************************************
A lab in Oakland California has been working on producing oil that is high in one ingredient while low in the psychoactive ingredient. One man says this oil has been the only thing that works for his young son's rare condition that sends him into seizures. He was told to try a local cannabis dispensary after nothing else was working by his doctor at UCSF.
More on this story:
http://www.eastbayexpress.com/ebx/turning-pot-into-medicine/Content?oid=3245064
A woman on a transplant forum I frequent just yesterday, mentioned her doctor prescribing cannabis for her pain. She says it's the only thing that works yet she feels terribly guilty because her parents taught her it was wrong.
************************
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/16/californias-doctors-back-_n_1014510.html
California's largest industry group for doctors is calling for the legalization of marijuana even as it maintains that the drug has few proven health benefits
Physicians are put in the uncomfortable position of having to decide whether to recommend a drug that's illegal under federal law...
**************************************
A lab in Oakland California has been working on producing oil that is high in one ingredient while low in the psychoactive ingredient. One man says this oil has been the only thing that works for his young son's rare condition that sends him into seizures. He was told to try a local cannabis dispensary after nothing else was working by his doctor at UCSF.
http://www.eastbayexpress.com/ebx/turning-pot-into-medicine/Content?oid=3245064
Drugs? Was that the original topic?
Legalize drugs.... I'm all for it as long as we tax the hell out of them. I personally can't see the "war" being won. If anything, we are going backwards. "Border Wars" (reality TV about Border Patrol) gave a rather disheartening statistic not so long ago.
Agents found 4-5 guys back packing 50-60 lbs of marijuana across the border. What the agents said is this.... "this doesn't make dent in what is actually coming across the border." The agent later said that they "probably" stop about 2%-3% of the drugs coming across the border, and that the estimate was probably generous.
He also added that the drug cartels have their own "intelligence" departments and have larger pockets to fund those "agencies". Another agent said that they believe that "the traffickers flood a particular area on purpose with narcotics as a diversionary tactic and send the real load of drugs across the border 100-200 miles away".
In essence, this particular agent said any of the larger cartels are willing to sacrifice 200 lbs of marijuana, heroin, meth, cocaine in order to get 2 tons across.... we feel good when we make a bust, but we fail every time because more is getting across.
I don't know how you win a cat and mouse game like that.... Guerilla warfare is probably the most likely to succeed.... political mumbo jumbo hasn't done a thing. With that, you still have to fund the border and then you have to fund the guerillas.... Where is that money going to come from when border agents complain about being underfunded as it is?
Legalize drugs.... I'm all for it as long as we tax the hell out of them. I personally can't see the "war" being won. If anything, we are going backwards. "Border Wars" (reality TV about Border Patrol) gave a rather disheartening statistic not so long ago.
Agents found 4-5 guys back packing 50-60 lbs of marijuana across the border. What the agents said is this.... "this doesn't make dent in what is actually coming across the border." The agent later said that they "probably" stop about 2%-3% of the drugs coming across the border, and that the estimate was probably generous.
He also added that the drug cartels have their own "intelligence" departments and have larger pockets to fund those "agencies". Another agent said that they believe that "the traffickers flood a particular area on purpose with narcotics as a diversionary tactic and send the real load of drugs across the border 100-200 miles away".
In essence, this particular agent said any of the larger cartels are willing to sacrifice 200 lbs of marijuana, heroin, meth, cocaine in order to get 2 tons across.... we feel good when we make a bust, but we fail every time because more is getting across.
I don't know how you win a cat and mouse game like that.... Guerilla warfare is probably the most likely to succeed.... political mumbo jumbo hasn't done a thing. With that, you still have to fund the border and then you have to fund the guerillas.... Where is that money going to come from when border agents complain about being underfunded as it is?
I wondered if they weren't cannabis edibles I hadn't heard of !
LOL That was supposed to go to another forum and somehow I posted it here. I usually type everything in Word then copy/paste apparently I copied/pasted the wrong thing. The people on the other forum is probably even more confused.
Thanks for taking the thread back to topic. As usual, you did an awesome job -- thanks and welcome back to the group.
RGlass -- chocolate and banana pudding?
RGlass -- chocolate and banana pudding?
I agree with rivil. Great post.
Thanks, glad to see you back:)
Thanks, glad to see you back:)
Awesome post.Thank you.
I love this topic because this is one topic where I actually know what I am talking about..lol. Yep, truly do. Keeping drugs illegal is doing absolutely nothing to stop the problem. And it never will. All it is doing is driving the cost up (as anything blackmarket will) and making it a profitable business for dealers. Decriminalize drugs use, go after the "black market" dealers, and make addiction the medical issue it truly is so that addicts can more easily seek help (like alcoholics). I'm not saying legalize the sale, just the usage. Then tax the poop out of it (like alcohol) and regulate it. I know, you all think I'm a liberal, but you have to trust that I deal with this issue every single day. All keeping in illegal is doing is taxing police resources and costing taxpayers a fortune to keep sick people in jail. Not working. Go after the dealers, leave the users alone.
And again I ask..why is everything political. Can't it just be about people? I think there are addicts on both the right and left, no?
And again I ask..why is everything political. Can't it just be about people? I think there are addicts on both the right and left, no?
Geez Vance,I was feeling almost sympathetic to you in the beginning of this thread. I was thinking about how I am such a mix of things -you might consider me a liberal, OH might consider me right wing. I share the views of many conflicting groups and I saw your point at times. But then towards the end, all these people were so cool with you and you were definitely offered an olive branch and I am think lovely people can negotiate dialogue another for better understanding and then you turn around and lash out at OH. You sound furious and you lost whatever case you were trying to make. Whether Mike is superior or OH is a liberal, whatever...you just lost your credibility with me.
I miss Home Made Chocolate and Banana Pudding
This thread started out as a discussion about the war on drugs -- either take it back to the original topic or the entire thread comes down.
WOW a liberal making untrue statements and judgements about a conservative. Your comments are comical, why not lay off weed and stop directing comments at me and be concerned with yourself.
I never said I was in control of anything you did but you brought me back into a conversation where I didn't need to be a part of. Stop pointing the finger and look in the mirror.
Tell me where is my anger? Show me, oh wait you can't. I can not help it if you think and others think I am angry. I am passionate about my family, my job, my lord, my politics and my sports but I am not angry. But I guess it doesn't matter what I say to you about it because your just going to make someting up which is not true like you have already done.
I never said I was in control of anything you did but you brought me back into a conversation where I didn't need to be a part of. Stop pointing the finger and look in the mirror.
Tell me where is my anger? Show me, oh wait you can't. I can not help it if you think and others think I am angry. I am passionate about my family, my job, my lord, my politics and my sports but I am not angry. But I guess it doesn't matter what I say to you about it because your just going to make someting up which is not true like you have already done.
My needs are certainly not decided by a stranger on the internet whether they send me a pm or not.
Sorry Vance, you are not in control of me and certainly not in control of what I write to others.
My experience in life tells me that when something bothers us, often it's because it's true.
I've experienced anger and know it's destructiveness.
For you health's sake, look at yourself. Not for me, for you.
You'll do better health wise if you find out why you're so angry.
Those on this forum would probably appreciate it if you stopped using this as a place to vent your anger.
Sorry Vance, you are not in control of me and certainly not in control of what I write to others.
My experience in life tells me that when something bothers us, often it's because it's true.
I've experienced anger and know it's destructiveness.
For you health's sake, look at yourself. Not for me, for you.
You'll do better health wise if you find out why you're so angry.
Those on this forum would probably appreciate it if you stopped using this as a place to vent your anger.
The world revolves around ME.
I know who the post was in responce to, but you had no need to write, "I have only seen him here often coming across as angry and combative." after the time I took to send you a PM and address you personally.
I know who the post was in responce to, but you had no need to write, "I have only seen him here often coming across as angry and combative." after the time I took to send you a PM and address you personally.
You are not the only one on the forum. If you look, you'll see that was aimed specifically at specialmom.
Note: It's not all about YOU.
Note: It's not all about YOU.
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