Globe and Mail Thinks Only Some American's Opinion Mattered

globeandmail.com: Pro-marijuana groups hijack Obama's chat room

Globe and Mail claims that NORML hijacked Obama's townhall meeting by corralling people to ask a specific question. I find this distasteful journalism. The Globe and Mail is ignoring the fact that Obama called for ANYONE, not just those that agreed with drug laws, to post questions. The mere fact that so many asked about marijuana should go to show people that there is considerable support for legalizing marijuana.

"But the ability of interest groups to hijack public discourse is boundless."

This quote I found the most insulting. This makes it seem like only a handful of people used unscrupulous techniques to ensure that Obama's attention was brought to the issue, when in point of fact there was a host of people all voting that the issue be brought forward. Obama's little joke about the online audience was bad enough, but the Globe and Mail's claims are downright mean spirited.

"President tried to promote his $3.6-trillion proposed budget during an online forum, but pro-pot questions dominated the discussion"

So Globe an Mail, you object to questions that are not budget related being brought up in this townhall meeting. Fair enough since it was specifically called to garner support and answer questions regarding the budget, and Obama's toss money at the problem approach. However did you actually read your own article, you quoted the actual question after all. Perhaps you need to read it again, let me assist you:

"Would you support the bill currently going through the California legislature to legalize and tax marijuana, boosting the economy and reducing drug-cartel-related violence?"

and
"With more than 1 out of 30 Americans controlled by the penal system, why not legalize, control, and tax marijuana to change the failed war on drugs into a money-making, money-saving boost to the economy? Do we really need that many victimless criminals?"

and
"What are your plans for the failing war on drugs that's sucking money from taxpayers and putting non-violent people in prison longer than the violent criminals?

Seems pretty cut and dry to me, it seems like some Americans tried to put forth an ideas which would fund the billions Obama is throwing at the economy with a sensible solution, but since it is a solution that you don't agree with then obviously it is a case of "special interest group hijacking". If you run with that concept then really every question could be viewed at that. Lets examine the questions your article claims were the most popular:

The Founding Fathers believed that there is no difference between a free society and an educated society. Our educational system, however, is woefully inadequate. How do you plan to restore education as a right and core cultural value in America?

Obviously this is a case of the Teacher's Unions hijacking the discussion.

What benefits from the stimulus plan are there for those of us who are paying our mortgages, but living paycheque to paycheque?

Obviously this is a case of the rich who want a free cash grab from the government hijacking the discussion.

Why can we not have a universal health-care system like many European countries, where people are treated based on needs rather than financial resources?

Health Care Commies hijacking the discussion.

The unemployment rate for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans is higher than the national rate. Our veterans are a national treasure. How can you, the VA and I ensure our veterans are successfully transitioning into civilian life?

Anti-War nuts.

What steps are being taken to ensure that the auto industry uses the bailout money responsibly so that we don't end up in this same situation in a few years?

Anti-Oil nuts.

Am I being ridiculous with those assertions, absolutely, that's my point. Anything put forward in such a forum could be considered the views of a special interest group, that does not mean they should be dismissed offhand such as the Globe and Mail suggests.

Former judge fired up on making pot legal - Los Angeles Times

Former judge fired up on making pot legal - Los Angeles Times

Read this article about Jim Gray. Its a great example of a former conservative judge who saw the error of the drug war way. Bravo to Mr. Gray, and bravo for LA Times for reporting on him.

Operation Buzzkill

Ah ya gotta love draconian style government don't you. A reader of this blog pointed me in the direction of an article by Warren Holstein (holy cow what fun that guy's public school friends must have had with his name, and that's no bull) about Operation Buzzkill. The name Operation Buzzkill is obviously an invention of Mr. Holstein, a clever and amusing one mind you, but the issue is serious.

Sure using drugs is illegal, and sure some people abuse the welfare system, that being said random testing of welfare recipients just seems so wrong. Whatever happened to the presumption of innocence? Its bad enough that companies can get away with drug testing, but the government testing welfare recipients.

What people do on their own time is really their own business, as long as they aren't hurting anyone else. Sure if they are on welfare ignoring their children in order to shoot up heroin there is something wrong, but this isn't an issue for the welfare system to deal with but rather child services. Should people on welfare be out there trying to find a job rather then smoking a doobie, yes, but just because someone tests positive for marijuana doesn't mean they haven't looked for a job. A joint in the evening isn't going to affect your ability to hunt for a job during the day.

It all comes down to personal responsibility. The government doesn't want us to take responsibility for our own situations anymore, but rather the government wants to sholder the burden. That my friends is a totalitarian ideal. If the government was responsible for every aspect of everyones lives then you can be damned sure they will enact stricter and stricter laws and enforce them harshly. If that's the type of government you want then go ahead and support initiatives like this, just don't come crying to me when the government arrests you and puts you in a Gitmo like jail for jaywalking.

London Free Press - Local News- Fire discloses pot grow-op

London Free Press - Local News- Fire discloses pot grow-op

Since this happened in my own back yard (not literally people, just that I am a fellow Londoner), I thought I should post this one. I do find it odd however that no one is saying how many plants there are. Cops are always ever so proud of how many plants they pull out of a grow op, super inflating their value to make them sound oh so heroic.

I find it amusing that everyone is shocked that a nice guy has a grow op. Do they really believe all the hype that everyone who has a grow op is a nasty gangster? People who smoke and even grow marijuana are every day people for the most part, we are your doctors, your car mechanics, your lawyers, your computer repair technicians, and yes even your teachers. The only reason organized crime has ANYTHING to do with marijuana is because of silly prohibition laws.

Rules may be tightened on smoking medical marijuana

Rules may be tightened on smoking medical marijuana

Canada.com reports that the federal government of Canada is finally looking at actually writing the rules for when and where one can use marijuana for those who are registered with the medicinal marijuana program. Now I don't like the idea of the government having more laws on the books to confuse matters, but as it is right now marijuana users are being harassed by business owners and police because no one, not the smokers or the authorities, have any idea how the program is supposed to work. Firming up the rules, however, can finally make it so everyone knows the deal.

Its about time the government got off its butt and did something. Though I wish it wasn't Harper's conservatives who were doing it. Harper's likely to make the restrictions so tight as to make the program pointless. Although if he does that he might just find the Supreme Court deeming the laws unfair and forcing their hands again.

MPP Email

I receive email updates from the Marijuana Policy Project. Today I received an interesting one that seems to put a blemish on Obama's directive to stop harassing people for following state marijuana laws. Here is the email:

Yesterday, armed DEA agents stormed into Emmalyn's California Cannabis Clinic, a licensed medical marijuana facility in San Francisco. We have very few details at this point but MPP is concerned that the DEA may be testing the resolve of U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, who recently announced a major shift in U.S. medical marijuana policy.

Please contact President Obama and demand an explanation for this Bush-era DEA raid!

According to a vague statement released by the DEA last night, this collective was not complying with state law and therefore wasn’t subject to the recent policy change.

However, the San Francisco Department of Public Health has issued a conditional permit to the collective, which was actively working with the city to obtain a permanent license. And, it appears that the San Francisco Police Department was not even notified of the raid or the alleged violation of state law.

To our knowledge, nobody has been arrested as of press time. MPP is still looking into this situation and will post any new developments on our blog.

Please don't forget to forward this alert to your friends and family so that they too can demand an explanation for this recent federal attack on medical marijuana.

Thank you for supporting MPP and taking action to protect medical marijuana patients and providers.

Sincerely,

F. Aaron Smith
California Policy Director
Marijuana Policy Project

nObama

So Obama has once again stated he is does not support legalization of marijuana. Now Obama's administration has already made great strides to making the drug laws more fair. But typical of politicians he does not have the stomach to follow through.

Ok so he's not raiding medical dispensaries anymore, bravo I really mean that, but he still seems unwilling to entertain the idea that legalizing marijuana just might help with the economic troubles of the USofA.

In his much anticipated online townhall meeting Obama addressed the very popular question of if marijuana legalization would boost employment and thus spur on the struggling economy. “There was one question that was voted on that ranked fairly high and that was whether legalizing marijuana would improve the economy and job creation, and I don’t know what this says about the online audience ,” sure it drew laughs, but it didn't address the issue. Oh and I do know he followed it up with a firm and clear no, but the fact is the issue wasn't actually addressed. He never bothered to state why he believed it wouldn't help, or how it could hurt the country to legalize.

Obama has demonstrated some sympathy to the legalization movement, however that sympathy amounts to almost nothing. Ok, so I am Canadian, not American, and my vote doesn't count, that being said I'd love to the the US legalize marijuana, because if they did Canada would have zero reason to keep it illegal.

Highway 420

It's that time of year again. Stoner Christmas, National Pot Smoker's Day, Green Day, 4/20. Every April 20th pot smokers from all walks of life crawl out of the grow ops for a day of protest and fun. April 20th is fast approaching, do you know what you will be doing? Well if you are anywhere near Niagara Falls why not check out the Annual protest Highway 420? Its a day to send a message to Ottawa (Washington if you are American) to protest silly drug laws. Its on April 18th this year since April 20th is a Monday and thus the weekend is a more logical way to ensure that more people show up. The other advantage to having it on the 18th and not the 20th is that you can use 4/20 to enjoy more traditional celebrations of 4/20 (and if you need me to explain what those are you aren't really all that bright are you).
Download a flyer

B.C. To Review Pot Laws | Cannabis News - Medical Marijuana, Marijuana News, Hemp, Cannabis

B.C. To Review Pot Laws | Cannabis News - Medical Marijuana, Marijuana News, Hemp, Cannabis

An interesting article on a BC Supreme court ruling that the federal marijuana program is unconstitutional.

Commentary: Legalize drugs to stop violence - CNN.com

Commentary: Legalize drugs to stop violence - CNN.com

A great opinion piece on CNN about how legalizing all drugs is in the best interest of civil liberties.

Jury Acquits Washington Man in Medical Marijuana Case - Salem-News.Com

Jury Acquits Washington Man in Medical Marijuana Case - Salem-News.Com

Its nice to be posting positive news in the Marijuana front. I applaud the jury for their just decision on this matter. The federal government should not be trying to pursue cases against people for following state law.

NORML Blog � Blog Archive � NORML Breaking News: Marijuana Legalization Bills Introduced In Massachusetts!

NORML Blog � Blog Archive � NORML Breaking News: Marijuana Legalization Bills Introduced In Massachusetts!

Bravo Massachusetts for having the balls to put forward this bill. Similar to California's proposed bill Massachusetts is looking to "regulate the commercial production and distribution of marijuana for adults over 21 years of age".

Like the California bill, I expect this to fail, but I hope beyond hope that it passes. If you live in Massachusetts pleas do as NORML suggests and write your elected officials in support of this bill (H.2929 and S. 1801).

Cooking With Mary Jane - Peanut Budder Cookies

Its been a while since I posted a recipe, so here goes (reminder, check your local laws before following this recipe as it is possibly illegal and I do not recommend breaking the law):

These soft batch peanut butter cookies are superb, made with cannabutter and bam they pack a punch as well as taste wonderful.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups cannabutter
  
• 1 1/2 cups crunchy peanut butter (you can use creamy, but I think crunchy is better)
  
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 3 3/4 cups flour or cannaflour for an added punch
  
• 12 ounces peanut butter chips (cause you can never have enough peanut butter)

Cream Cannabutter until smooth, add sugar and eggs and mix until smooth. Mix in all remaining ingredients and chill in the fridge for one hour. Preheat oven to 325. Drop one teaspoon for each cookie onto a cookie sheet (do not flatten). Bake for fifteen minutes and remove to cool. Make sure you do not burn the cookies, if they burn the THC content will disappear and you will have hard bricks of charcoal with no potential to get you high.

Cannabinoid Hyperemesis

Ok faithful readers (if there are any). I have a task for you. I stubled upon this FoxNews article reporting on an illness called cannabinoid hypermesis. Apparently chronic usage of marijuana can bring about a cyclical vomitting illness (CVI) along with compulsive bathing that someone decided to name "Cannabinoid Hypermesis". It appears to be a ligit illness that seems to be somewhat tenuously linked to marijauan.

It first cropped up in Australia where a study showed that 19 patients were identified with CVI in which the CVI showed up only after years of chronic marijuana use 9 cases reported back after being asked to stop using marijuana, all nine cases that opted to quit marijuana had a cesation of CVI symptoms. Three of the nine started using again and immediately experienced a return of the symptoms.

My question to my readers is, anyone know of this? Anyone experience CVI and is a chronic user? Most importantly; can anyone cite a single source which shows any sort of causality?

Sentencing delayed for med pot dispensary owner - San Jose Mercury News

Sentencing delayed for med pot dispensary owner - San Jose Mercury News

Bravo to this judge. Really since he was convicted the Judge could have sentenced him to the fullest extent of federal law and no one would blame him. Well the marijuana activism crowed would, but no one really listens to us anyways.

I hope more judges follow suit here, and I hope the Obama administration suggests to the judge to throw the case out entirely. Legal medical dispensaries should not be harassed for following state law.

Busted Marijuana Grow-Ops

London Ontario Busted Marijuana Grow-Ops

The London Free Press is publishing a google map with a listing of every place in which "The London Police Service has executed search warrants for production of a controlled substance". Somehow I wonder about the legality of this, or the morality. From the wording these are not places in which there are definately grow ops, just places that have been searched. Guilty or not they are being published and defamed as grow op operators. On the flip side it does give us all access to a list of possible providers of Mary Jane should our own stashes run dry.

It is an interesting little map listing the charges filed, what was found and some more useless info. If you are bored and want to check out the MJ action in London Ontario browse around it for a while. If you live in London even better you can search for your house and see what's near by.

114-year-old in drug bust: Africa: News: News24

114-year-old in drug bust: Africa: News: News24

A 114 year old? Really, this is the dangerous criminals of Nigeria? How about stopping those buggers who send me offers for millions of dollars if I just send them all my personal info, why not leave the old guy alone.

Obama Administration to Stop Raids on Medical Marijuana Dispensers - NYTimes.com

Obama Administration to Stop Raids on Medical Marijuana Dispensers - NYTimes.com

Bravo to Obama's Administration. Time to leave law abiding citizens alone. Now if only he'd commit to at least considering legalizing marijuana across the board and stopping the ridiculously failed war on drugs.

Schizophrenia Daily News Blog: Schizophrenia and Drug Addiction may Co-Occur Due to Disturbance in Part of the Brain

Schizophrenia Daily News Blog: Schizophrenia and Drug Addiction may Co-Occur Due to Disturbance in Part of the Brain

Gee evidence that schizophrenia and drug addiction are related but not due to the drug, who would have seen that coming? Well is this another nail in the coffin of the "Marijuana causes schizophrenia" claims? Probably not, after all people still believe our pal Mary Jane is a "Gatway Drug".

In Good Company - Pythagoras

Who doesn't know of the Pythagorean theorem? I think we all learned that little tidbit in grade school didn't we? Pythagoras the Samian came up with that little ditty some two thousand, five hundred years ago, that's right two and a half millenniums have passed since this rather brilliant mathematician sat down and figured out "The square of the hypotenuse of a right triangle is equal to the sum of the squares on the other two sides". Simple to say, but a leap in logic that is astronomical. He is the father of numbers, a true greek scholar. Master of the arts and the sciences.

Not much is truly known about the man, much of his history is lost to mythological reverence. Not only was he a scholar but he also founded a religion and as we all know the history of religious leaders is often sanitized over time. It is known that he was born on the Greek isle of Samos off the coast of Asia Minor, and he trained in Egypt. His religion was the first to form monastic living, where his students were not allowed personal possessions and submitted to a strict diet.

Fitz Hugh Ludlow maintains in his The Hasheesh Eater: Being Passages from the Life of a Pythagorean that Pythagoras partook of hasheesh eating beginning while he studied in Egypt. I am aware that this is not difinitive proof, and that the source is quite questionable, but it is reasonable to assume it is possible.

You, too, can squeal on your nieghbour

You, too, can help bust a grow-op

*Yawn* aren't cops tired of sending out these press releases with the same tired old "tips for spotting a grow-op"?

If they really wanted to stop organized crime from running grow ops legalize the drug and make it legit. Organized crime would no longer profit from being involved and voila problem solved.

A Green Solution to California's Chronic Budget Woes - News

A Green Solution to California's Chronic Budget Woes - News

Oh there is nothing new about this post, but kudos to the person who came up the headline, all the right buzzwords but still managed stone it up a bit.

Is America going to pot? � Sun & Shield

Is America going to pot? � Sun & Shield

I have a nice little debate going on at this blog about marijuana, feel free to check it out and chime in. The arguments by the original poster are well thought out, just not well researched. A religious person trying to harp on the morality of the drug laws is what the argument boils down to, though the author doesn't come off as overly preachy.

California to legalize marijuana?

I doubt it will pass, but California is trying to pass a bill which would legalize marijuana in that state. The idea behind the bill is that the legalization and taxation of marijuana will ease the deficit the state is currently facing. I have posted links to articles on this to the blog already, but I though I would weigh in and give my comments.

Naturally I am all for this bill, no one should be surprised by this fact, if you are then ummm did you check out the title of the blog. Unfortunately I highly doubt it will pass. The logic behind the bill is sound, millions of dollars are wasted on enforcement of the outdated prohibition laws, and millions more could be added to the coffers in taxes. Basically it could seriously turn around the economic condition of any state that legalizes marijuana.

So if the logic is sound, and the bill really will help California, why do I think it will fail? People are ignorant, they believe the lies told by generations that pot is bad. Time and time again I read articles from California that cite Schizophrenia studies and other supposed mental issues "linked" to marijuana use, and "gateway drug" is also being bandied about as if it had merit.

The world would be a much better place if people actually bothered to research what they state before bellowing the evils they see.

Marijuana charges dropped against couple - ContraCostaTimes.com

Marijuana charges dropped against couple - ContraCostaTimes.com

Bravo, score another one for the cause.

NTV - KHGI/KWNB/WSWS-CA - Where your news comes first. - Grand Island, Kearney, Hastings, Lincoln | Juvenile Program Director Found with Marijuana

NTV - KHGI/KWNB/WSWS-CA - Where your news comes first. - Grand Island, Kearney, Hastings, Lincoln | Juvenile Program Director Found with Marijuana

Less then an ounce... who cares. Obviously this is personal use, really no reason to pursue this.

Neb. deputies say man stuffed cat inside 'bong' - Los Angeles Times

Neb. deputies say man stuffed cat inside 'bong' - Los Angeles Times


Ok, sure the cat was probably fine, it probably made no real difference, but what the hell was this guy thinking. A kitten? Moron.

Assuming this incident actually happened this guy deserves the cruelty charge and then some. One one hand its an ingenious way to hot box, on the other, its a kitten asshole. People like this makes all pot smokers look like assholes.