Drug Czar Ends ‘War on Drugs’

well in the next1-2 yrs lets c if it pans out. HIGH HOPES!

Now we have a preacher who was executed for trying to flee police officers who had no uniforms on, no lights, and no police cars, they just had their badges hanging around their necks like bling. The poor pastor probably thought he was being robbed by pushers. He had no drugs on him. It is a war against innocent people and needs to stop.
maybe we need to overthrow our govt., for making war on us. Bush did encourage the Iraqi people to do that for the same reason.

hhhrrrrmmmmm................

www.misshightimes.com/users/dizzle

Taxes?
Sorry, boys, but you are both horribly, horribly wrong.
Taxation was just the bullet they used. The reasons they loaded the guns?

Anslinger set about whipping up a frenzy of popular opinion against "the Killer Drug", which was mostly used by Blacks and Mexicans. By playing on people's racism, he was able to justify the blanket ban on all forms of hemp, in spite of the fact that most industrial hemp produces very little psychoactive resin. He found vocal support from the media magnate William Randolf Hearst, a.k.a. Citizen Kane.

Not only did Hearst own the newspapers, he owned the papermills and the forests as well. The elimination of hemp from the market would do him no harm at all. He was also a virulent racist with a particular dislike for Mexicans - in 1898 he had had 800,000 acres of prime Mexican timber land siezed from him by Pancho Villa. Since 1916, he had been orchestrating a campaign against "marihuana" in his newspapers, pedalling disinformation about its deleterious effects. Reporting concealed the medicinal and practical applications of the plant, which were then well known to the American public, by simply not telling people that marijuana was exactly the same as stuff as hemp.

Intolerance
Racism
Greed
Perceived Power
Economic Depression - gotta blame it on someone, it must have been them stoned Mexicans and Blacks, again!

Taxation is responsible governing

Misuse of that power, a capital offense, punishable by death

Now if you can get the Executive Branch to do their job (EXECUTE), we'll all be better off.

It has to start somewhere. I think he's got a good ideal about what needs to be done. I WISH HIM ALOT OF LUCK.
It's time for a real change, and I think he's going to make a good effort in changing things for the good of all mankind. I think GOD will be by his side. At least maybe he'll save the country some money and save some people from the stupied crap that's been going on for the past 40 years. The laws are so out dated and need to be changed in the best interest of all mankind.

Bongarian. you are entitled to your opinion.

Dosent change the point I was making,that,tax laws are why we are in the situation we are in.Why is weed illegal. See 1937 marijuana Tax Act.
If they can tax it they can regulate it. Just what we need. Government approved weed. Woo-Hoo, were having fun now.
Supporting a weed tax seems unproductive at best.
Those self-serving asswipes don't need another dollar of mine to squander.

That will be the next lie out of Washington. "The War on Drugs is to large to fail" "We must bail out the Anti-Drug Crusaders"

Oppressed on- the tele# below is ligitimate according to NORML & a good place to start. Norml is also the force for legalization I believe. JT, every time a new law is created things change, unfortunatly the trend has been restrictive/oppressive for a while.

HU disagree completely w/the taxation issue & this is why- The enlightened portion of the population(smokers)already know the benefit of weed so the concept of taxation, even if the end price is lower, doesnt jive. Its the rest of the population that needs to be swayed & to do so there has to be a reward scenario. Now 10 or 20% of those people will NEVER be swayed asa they listen to Limbaugh, are bushmen, think its going to kill kids or simply have been brain washed by the advertising/marketing of weed prohib. of the middle 1900's on. So that middle group must be grabbed & have some sense shaken into them. The easiest/quickest way to accomplish this is to show $$$$. Turning herb into a cash crop, hemp & flower, diversifying the product w/out crushing the logging industry(who pushed to delegalize in the 1st place) would be a massive economic boost for an already crippled economy. Whats needed is some stoner # crunchers to come up w/projections & the smoking public to voice the #'s.

NUMBER: 1798
AUTHOR: Daniel Webster (1782–1852)
QUOTATION: The power to tax is the power to destroy.
ATTRIBUTION: This quotation comes from the words of DANIEL WEBSTER and those of JOHN MARSHALL in the Supreme Court case, McCulloch v. Maryland.

Webster, in arguing the case, said: “An unlimited power to tax involves, necessarily, a power to destroy,” 17 U.S. 327 (1819).

In his decision, Chief Justice Marshall said: “That the power of taxing it [the bank] by the States may be exercised so as to destroy it, is too obvious to be denied” (p. 427), and “That the power to tax involves the power to destroy … [is] not to be denied” (p. 431)

I have been banging this argument around in my head for awhile. That the government has "abused" the power to tax as a tool to destroy a consumers access to cannabis. Thus abusing their authoritive positions.

This might work to repeal the 1937 marijuana tax Act.

Oops

...is an enemy of the state...

JT the Constitution and Bill of rights an ememie of the state in and of itself.
The Bill of Rights to be certain is.

If they are allowed to TAX it they can regulate it. That is how they got around the Constitution.

Felsenheld v. US., 186 U.S. 126 (1902)

Weed must be exemped from taxation to be free again.

All of these sheeple supporting taxing it.
Wake up,they taxed it away from us.

can anybody tell m if there are any realy good marijuana activist groups here in sothern illinois i for one am ready to git off my ass and start gittin ative i agree with active its high time we all started gitttin ative our gov. is totaly out of control they want to control the whole world and its own citzens to boot if i didnt know better i would think we live in communist russia or china or some place ruled by tyrents good lord man its just a weed

JT, the feds get around the constitution by the use of policies which skirt the constitution all together. Policies allow the changing of the constitution depending on where or what city the policies are enacted.

I wanna know just what authority in the US Constitution allows the government to tell me what I can and can't grow on my own property. And what authority allows them to tell me what I can and can't consume. Also, there is no authority in my State Constitution that would authorize this.

There is no authority in the Constitution which authorizes making plants illegal.

The Constitutions were written to restrain government, not to make the people the enemies of the State.

All humans err. Sorry prophet.

Hello, my name is Michael. I am an intern with RH Brands in Atlanta, Ga. We manage a portfolio of hundreds of humorous hotlines that you may be familiar with such as The Rejection Hotline, Psychiatric Hotline, It Could Always Suck More, and Call to Santa. you can find out more at rejectionhotline.com. Today, I ran across some tweets of yours saying that our Marijuana Legalization Endorsement Line (973-409-3274) is a scam. I just wanted to let you know that we aren’t scamming anyone. All of our numbers are completely free to call, and we fully intend on sending a petition to Washington once we reach 1,000,000+ endorsements. Although most of our services are humor related, this particular line isn’t. Sorry for any confusion. Feel free to contact us with any questions regarding the number, and have a good day.

That a way Mosses- you rock

Prophet is a shame- you suck

Legalization would obviously be a massive boost in the arm for a pillaged economy- from producing thru retail, a multitude of avenues for hemp, not to mention the good stuff. Making it happen would be difficult but for anyone on this site it would seem to be a worthwile task?

Or has limbaugh & the bushmen invaded the site again?

I wonder how many of us will be in prison in the next 20 years? As a wise man said and i quote" their trying to build a prison for u and me" and its the truth. You see there are to many people in america who don't care or are to scared to see the growth of the demon who wants to cage us all up, tell us what to eat, tell us what music to listen to, tell us what we can smoke, i think u get the point. I believe if every tom dick and harry in the country would stop working, and stop driving their cars we would have the government by their balls. Because who pays the government? WE DO

We all know the government doesn't care about its citizens. They pump billions of dollars into their fuck ups that never get fixed while there are people out there who cant get by working for minimum wage. Every health care organization in the country has them by their balls thats why no one in this country can afford to have healthcare and even if they could they better not have a pre existing condition. So do u think they r going to legalize marijuana? I give it a 20 percent success rate as long as the government can make a profit from it. Thats what this country is all about isn't it? We are all sheep for the profit.

http://www.stonerforums.com/lounge/marijuana-activism/11436-warning-do-not-call-973-a.html

Wow are you kidding me, you actualy beleive that. Its not anything important. Our government wouldnt do that, cuz their not dumb enough to start a forward.

CALL 1 973 409 3274 and PRESS #.. VOTE to LEGALIZE MARIJUANA OBAMA SAID HE WOULD PASS THE BILL IF HE REVIECES A MILLION VOTES... NO SHIT!
This is not a joke
Join the movement!
Copy and paste this to as many comments as possible!
Together we can end this hysterical war against marijuana!

Kudos to majorpoto for pointing out some of the hurdles to legalization. I definitely learned something. Still, history shows that things can happen fast. If enough key people can be convinced to at least give legalization a try then it can happen. Changing things at the federal level will probably not be as difficult as changing them at the state level simply because there are 50 states, not to mention D.C., American Samoa, and other territories. For now I can only agree that it is a good time to strike. Missing this opportunity for change could stall progress and even allow doors to close again. I suggest we support the effort by joining NORMAL or other institutions and hope our efforts are not wasted. I too am tired of waiting for positive fact-based change, but for the moment, I will not let pessimism kill my hope.

You know, I've heard enough about medical mariuana. How many out there smoke it because you have some medical reason? More people just smoke because they wanna get high. I agree that it helps ease problems of a medical nature but it doesn't mean that is a drug. The FDA cannot control it just like they do not control homeopathic remedies.

When the alcohol prohibition ended, did they only allow it for medicinal purpose? No, they ended it, period. But the FDA can control alcohol because even though it has natural ingredients, it's process has to be controlled in order for safety of the consumers (And, of course, to help keep the FDA in existence). Pot can simply be grown in a pot. Like tomatoes, or flowers. I don't recall getting thrown in jail for veggies.

As far as the FDA and pot goes, I don't know nor ever heard of anyone that has the following side effects:

Dizziness, vomiting, fever, heart attack, rectal bleeding, etc.... such as what is on just about every for of drug that the FDA approves.

Our fed, state and local government and is components such as the FDA want to make sure they control their sheople don't they. They put people in jail for a fucking roach and in a lot of cases, but that's beside the point. I have a specific case that I want to share if some of you think your scare to oppose our government over this, our government already opposes you, me and everyone and wants to make sure we use their shit instead of our own. And their shit is worse for us than their own.

My girlfriend is going to have to serve fifteen days for a roach, pay a $800 fine and go to a drug class when she was not even in posession of a drug. She had weed, not a drug. That is what the pharmacueticals that are in cahoots with the FDA for. And it's all about money, isn't it so obvious? My girlfriend (Because she is a girl), in the state of georgia will serve those fifteen days in a prison in the same holding cells with every form of woman criminal possible. That is worse for her than the pot. WTF is this gonna help. She is an extremely talented creative person that now will have a hard time being able to work with that on her record if she makes it out without damage or worse. I am so furious and fed up with these kind of cases. Is our government gonna throw me in jail for speaking out? They could if they wanted to. It is so fucking corrupt that I hear so many people around me that are almost at wits end because they have been affected in so many ways like this and we still have people in this forum that are just gonna sit on their ass and wait for the brave people to go forth and fight against this crap? And now, our government just suddenly comes up with several billions to try and straighten out our economy? When we as a country decided to fight for our independence and freedom, we did not expect this kind of government rule did we?

yawn

Post ego loss...

On second thought...who cares if posters don't particularly like our comments. We shouldn't need a college degree to converse among-st ourselves. Nor should we need our favorite cliques. We just need to be ourselves, and did you know it is perfectly natural to be RANDOM?
Thats what the prohibitionists don't want you to be. Yourselves.

Now I'm just sitting in my recliner.
You're being mean, but I don't mind.
There are a lot of people that bitch about what they consider meaningless babble, when all along what they considered babble was meaningful words, but that the recipient wasn't receptive to the meaning.
Then there are those who bitch just for the sake of bitching . Unfortunately, the government can use you as their poster child for criminalization. You do a wonderful job pointing out peoples faults, while talking down to those who you don't agree with.
So do everybody a favor and quit helping.
Its people like you that keep weed decriminalized in the first place. Hot heads breed contempt.
Or just I know what, just don't read my posts if they bug you so much.
/

now you're just a liar .
But I don't mind .
There are a lot of people that bitch just for the sake of bitching . When you call them on it , they have nothing but nonsensical babble to explain their ignorance . You are the poster child for that type of individual.
Unfortunetly , the government can use you as their poster child for criminalization also .
So do everybody a favor and quit helping .
Its people like you that keep weed criminalized in the first place .
babble on ......

http://hightimes.com/news/ht_admin/5394 shows I didn't write the words "shut up" first.

You know. Its ok though. I won't quibble. You wanna be angry at me? Go ahead. Its ok :)

♥

to umm
You have no real arguement to bring on this issue .

ps : what will we find if we look back through these posts ..who said shut up first ? ....its ok for you to do it ? Not in the real world sorry .
Like I said , if you don't want people pointing out your ignorance , don't make it public .

Trying to shut me up is trying to prohibit me. Trying to downplay a wonderful story due to why? Couldn't be that "common" sense problem could it?

to umm
"prohibitionist : a person who prohibits , to
stop or hold back " .....nope , doesn't fit anything I've posted .

Hype and Spin isn't required unless fooling people is the objective . Real facts bother you ? That seems to be your main gripe .

So what did he say that renders my observation invalid ? the answer is a resounding ..nothing .

Did he say " the war on drugs is over " ....nope
So just what did you read ? The headlines ? heh heh ..thought so ........

HELL YEAH!!! Best fuckin news I've heard in a long time! America is finally emerging from the Dark Ages of the christian right and embracing a rational new millenium. Thank you Obama!

I'm going over to Barneys right now and celebrating with a huge ass joint!!!

I am so tired of all of this talk about the "War on Drugs",that I get sick every time I hear it. Look people,I know you have heard this time and time again,but let's start by showing statistics. I have heard the arguments about the uses of Marijuana. But we are going to have to push more statistics on the uses of other drugs such as Crack Cocain,and Meth use. How about the use of Heroin,and other dangerous drugs like that?
I personally don't see the big problem with the use of Marijuana. There are more dangerous addictive drugs that are legal in the United States,like Alcohal,and cigarettes.I have never heard of anyone being convicted of Vehicular Manslaughter of being under the influance of Pot.
We need to focus on relative things like that to get the hundreds of people in Congress,that hide their use of the sweet leaf,to understand that there isn't a crises at hand in the use of Marijuana.
I know I am not the only one that can see the big benefits of the Legalization of Marijuana. Think about it,with the sale and taxation of Marijuana,do you realize how fast WE the people could shrink our own defasit? We would no longer be under the thumbs of the many Countries WE owe money to. To think of what this Country would be like not owing money to another Country.Our own money circulation would be vast again.
So I say to you. How about rethinking the way you run up against the men and women in Congress,and formulate a new Statistic stragady of their own game against you.

ENDING THE WAR ON THE PEOPLE? THEN WHY DO THEY STILL HAVE ALL THESE NON VIOLENT POT OFFENDERS/GROWERS AND OTHER USING PEOPLE IN PRISONS WASTING AWAY THEIR LIVES AND OUR PRECIOUS TAX DOLLARS? BECAUSE IF IT WAS NOT A WAR ON THE PEOPLE OR DRUGS., IT IS A WAR FOR THEIR MINDS!!!! IF LEFT TO ROT IN PRISON YOU BECOME EITHER DEPENDANT UPON THE GOVERNMENT SYSTEM OR YOU EVOLVE INTO A PROBLEM SOLVING CRIMINAL MINDED PERSON FOREVER GOING AGAINST THE CONTROL OF GOVERNMENT AND EVENTUALLY FAMILY AND FRIENDS ARE SEEN AS A THREAT TO THEIR EXSISTANCE.,IN DOING THIS TO PEOPLE THE GOVERNMENT KNOWS BEFORHAND THAT THEY ARE IN THE BUISNESS OF CREATING THE THUG CLASSES AND MUST MAINTAIN A LARGE POPULATION OF THEM TO FURTHER JUSTIFY THE LAWS AND CONTROLS OVER THE POPULACE TO MAKE THE AGENDA EASIER TO IMPLIMENT ie: "SEVERE AND CRUEL PUNISHMENTS" ARE GIVEN TO BOTH ENSIGHT REBELLION AND TO GARNER FEAR LEADING TO EASY CONTROL OF THOSE OF MORE TIMID NATURE.,THEY ARE AT THE POINT OF NO RETURN AS MONEY AND CONTROL OF THE GENERAL POPULACE IS COMING UNDONE IN MANY AREAS., NOW IS THE TIME FOR MORE INTENSE ACTION BY REFORMERS AND THE ANTIPROHIBITIONIST CROWD., TEA PARTIES ARE A SMALL STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION., AS ARE MASS PROTESTS THAT UNFORTUNATELY WILL BE PUT DOWN WITH EVER INCREASING VIOLENCE AS MATTERS WORSEN ECONOMICALY FOR THE POWERBROKERS IN WASHINGTON.,WE MUST BANKRUPT THEM CONTINUALY AND MORALLY AT EVERY TURN.,WRITE SCATHING LETTERS TO YOUR REPRESENTATIVES AND NEWS PAPERS TELLING THE STORIES OF POLICE BRUTALITY AND CORRUPTION IN YOUR NECK OF THE WOODS. BUILD MORE NEGATIVE SENTIMENTS AGAINST THEM AND MAKE THEM EARN THEIR PAYCHECKS FOR ONCE., AND START ASKING QUESTIONS AND DEMAND ANSWERS FROM THESE PIGS IN CONTROL OF OUR LIVES ESPECIALLY OUR PRIVATE LIVES!!!! FUCK THE POLICE AND THE PIG JUDICIARY!!!

How Common! Should be called common pain, or common prohibitionist, as tearing on good stories is your specialty.

" Drug Czar Ends War on Drugs " ???
Should say " Drug Czar Objects To The Word War " as thats all he really said .

lab3 - you know Congress, as one of the three coequal branches of government, is ascribed significant powers by the Constitution. All legislative power in the government is vested in Congress, meaning that it is the only part of the government that can make new laws or change existing laws. Executive Branch agencies issue regulations with the full force of law, but these are only under the authority of laws enacted by Congress.
The O' has given the nod, it's up to the states to act, the rep's, but especially the senators with balls (maybe CA,TX?). So you can call it blue dog shit and wrap it with a bow; Stop the buy, free the seed, end the national debt!

i'll believe this when i see it. i'm sure it's nothing to get excited over. there will probably be strict guidelines for who can become a registered, legal medical marijuana patient. "Fortunately", I have several legit disorders and illnesses to obtain a medical card, if I lived in California. However, if you're not a cancer or aids patient, it might become hard to qualify, which will suck. they need to just actually end the war on marijuana and let us grow it ourselves without approval, like many of us do on our own anyway.

As far as other drugs, I really don't see how ending the war on drugs would effect anything, other than the prison system, etc...

For instance, the failure of the war on drugs, was the fact that they could not eliminate the drugs, lol.

People from all walks of life, from all professions, and from parties all over the world, cocaine is seen as not a big deal. Lots of people enjoy the occasional night of coke, and can limit it to special occasions. however, we all know the local coke head, or coke whore. The ones that ruin their lives over it, and will do whatever it takes to get it. Treatment is obviously the better option, than incarceration.

In addition to that, you will always have your creative minds, your musicians, your artists, etc... that will want to do psychedelics and explore their minds. And anyone can buy a mushroom kit in this day and age, or some salvia, for a short but intense psychedelic experience. tons of people still try psychedelics for the first time, each day. nothing has changed with the "war on drugs", so they failed when it comes to psychedelics, except for limiting the LSD supply.

As far as heroin goes, as long as there are prescription pain killers, there will be opiate addicts, who will more than likely eventually want to try the next best thing, so to speak. Unfortunately with opiates, it's not a matter of your mind being in control. Before you know it, they have a hold of your body, and you will be sick. You'll wonder why, until you do some more, and then you will know why. Your sickness will instantly disappear. This makes it hard to quit, but I believe that with treatment options like getting clean on your own, and having support, rather than looking at as a terrible person, or treatment options like suboxone, that will get more people clean, than simply locking them up, where the first thing they will do when they get out is go back to using.

and then you have your methamphetamine, and unless you have extreme self control, and speedy drugs aren't your thing, chances are you will do it again and again, as that's one of it's effects.

If stupid assed people take advantage of this and get into peoples faces, then those stupid assed people will hopefully be put behind bars. Meanwhile, millions of others users will I am sure act responsibly.

this could be good and bad at the same time. by ending the war on drugs and essentially legalizing pot even for medical use you take power away from the drug cartels of mexico, columbia, etc. and by doing that you win the war on drugs. its the simplest explanation to the longest problem in american history. the bad side is there is a lot of stupid ass people out there that would take advantage of this. i really hope that people can be responsible and show the government that we CAN do what we want and we WILL do what we want because no one should ever tell you what to do no matter who they are because you are your own person and you have control over yourself to do what you want. so everyone should march to washington with a blunt and sit down on the white house lawn. they couldnt arrest upwards of a million people.

thats just my opinion

sounds to me he has more of his focus on loser needle junkies than hippie stoner types with his reform ideas. That just makes legalization efforts look worse.

Vote to legalize marijuana call 1-973-409-3274
it is an automated system. when they get 1 million votes they are going to submit it to congress.

This is not a joke tell everyone you know!

MajorPoto has a correct description of the big picture.
Alot of work to do yet.

NOW that's what I'm talk'n about, someone with a common sense approch to a 40 year failed drug policy. NOW DON'T EVERYONE FREAK OUT! Give the guy a chance, give the guy a break, he's trying to change things for the good of all people. With this kind a person in charge some good work will be done for the good of all mankind.

The man is going to try and make things right for millions of people who are suffering with pain an other health problems that need marijuana, and also help our economy by putting it in the same catagory as beer or wine
for tax purposes.

IT'S A WIN, WIN TYPE OF A DEAL, it's in the best interest of all mankind that marijuana be legalized.

I WISH HIM LUCK!

i dress up as a dog, im a shemale, i lick my balls until i shoot semen into a blue vase filled with flowers on a shelf, when the semen hits the water of the vase the flowers smile and dance back and forth singing:

"Uno, dos,
one, two, tres, quatro.

Matty told Hatty about a thing she saw.
Had two big horns and a wooly jaw.
Wooly bully, wooly bully.
Wooly bully, wooly bully, wooly bully.

Hatty told Matty: "Let's don't take no chance.
Let's not be *L-seven*, come and learn to dance."
Wooly bully, wooly bully.
Wooly bully, wooly bully, wooly bully.

Matty told Hatty: "That's the thing to do.
Get you someone really to pull the wool with you."
Wooly bully, wooly bully.
Wooly bully, wooly bully, wooly bully."

it's so erotic

WRITE THE PRESIDENT A LETTER EVERYONE AND ASK FOR THAT EXECUTIVE ORDER MAKING IT LEGAL TO HAVE OUR MARIJUANA!!! MILLIONS OF LETTERS!!??!! WHY NOT? HOW MANY MILLION STRONG ARE WE? NOT A BETTER WAY TO FIND OUT IS THERE?!!!???

time for a million smoker march shiat ??
/
/////
????

Exactly, as far as I'm concerned, pot's been legal since I was 13, and that was a long time ago...I also live in Canada.

I think you are all missing the point. They could make Cheech and Chong co-Drug Czars and Cannabis COULD still not truly be legalized or even decriminalized on the Fed level. With that being said, let's do a quick fact finding history type lesson...
"Drug Czar" is the symbolic name for the Director of the White House OFFICE OF NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL POLICY(AKA. ONDCP). Per the Anti-legalization policy, enacted under the Office of National Drug Control Policy Re-authorization Act of 1998; "The Drug Czar shall ensure that no Federal funds appropriated to the Office of National Drug Control Policy shall be expended for any study or contract relating to the legalization (for a medical use or any other use) of a substance listed in schedule I of section 202 of the Controlled Substances Act" (Ref 21 U.S.C. 812). Sounds like the ONDCP has a one way policy... Just say no, to any reason while keeping things the way they are. That's right, Cannabis is still listed at the top with the rest of the "worst of the worst" for some strange, unknown reason. That is why you will never see any government sponsored study which outlines the benefits of Cannabis. Also, since the Fed Gov controls the only "recognized supply" and "recognized research" for Cannabis don't expect any third party results to be accepted as the truth.
Even though Kerlikowske favors a public health approach there is nothing he can do but ask the real powers to reconsider. His office, the ONDCP is specifically charged with the responsibility of "taking such actions as necessary to oppose any attempt to legalize the use" of certain controlled substances such as marijuana; I doubt he is going to break the law and loose his job by asking the DEA and FDA to reconsider. In fact, the law is all ready written so that the legal status of drugs can be changed without a congressional bill. Since we don't vote on who works at the DEA or FDA, writing to your Congressman really doesn't change things much either. . And if you think that Obama will change things... Well he could if he issued an Executive Order however I don't see that happening. He told us what we needed to hear to keep people pulling his lever in the voting booths. Simple politics, get the most people to believe you'll make the changes they want to see happen and you'll win the election. In fact, let's look at Obama's most important pick...
From 1987-1995 this person served as the chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary which has drug policy as a top priority. We all know what the drug policies have been for the last 3 decades. While serving as the chairman of the International Narcotics Control Caucus, this person WROTE the laws that created the U.S. "Drug Czar" and in 2003 this person also introduced the R.A.V.E Act. Yep, that's right Joseph Robinette Biden, Jr. Obama's VP pick and running mate; our current VP.
The Kerlikowske appointment is nothing more than a symbolic action trying to "fool" us into thinking Obama is really going to reform drug laws especially considering that Obama reduced the rank of the Drug Czar so that he is not even a cabinet member any longer. Furthermore, unless reinstated, 21 U.S.C 22 §1712 terminates the ONDCP and the Drug Czar's position on 9/30/2010.
Now let's look at what would really need to happen. Under Title 21 U.S.C the Attorney General can initiate proceedings to reschedule or even deschedule drugs. The Attorney General is also the only person who can authorize researchers to posses and distribute for research purposes controlled substances. If medicinal cannabis was rescheduled to schedule V there would be no federal penalties with a prescription. It would also be up to state and local regulation and in some states could even be sold without a prescription at the pharmacist's discretion. Even moving to schedule II would end criminal penalties on approved use/possession but the DEA would be allowed to set a production quota and that would still not solve the problem since they would maintain the ability to over regulate. If it was descheduled and made available over the counter without a prescription then that would still require FDA approval undertaken by the Secretary of Health and Human services. Also FDA approval is still required to market Cannabis for medical purposes under the Food Drug and Cosmetics Act. Last but not least are those pesky International treaties such as the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs. It would have to be rescheduled under that treaty and other amendments would have to be enacted within it's articles to complete legalization of Cannabis under SCOND. If the United Nations didn't change the treaty, the only other option would be for 2/3 of congress to withdraw from the treaty and I don't see that happening anytime soon since the Fed is too scared they may upset the UN. Long story short... We have made progress but don't set your hopes too high. We still have a long long way to go.

I will openly smoke pot wether it's legal or not, medical or not, taxed or not. as long as they let people chain smoke cigarettes all day I'm going to puff my herb.

LOl ..yea , go ahead and do that . You could use a dose of reality .

So is it safe to shout out free at last?

Could we freely grow in our window sills?

Times are a changin' :)

There is nothing that I would enjoy being wrong about Dale

But you got the cart before the horse. Chickens that aint hatched.

Go ahead and crow if it makes ya feel better.

That said I saw a US president say-" Penaliies for the possession of a drug should not be more damaging to an individual, than the use of the drug itsself..."--Jimmy Carter Aug 2, 1977

More than 30 years ago now. These guys aint said nothing close to that yet.

I got a bridge for sale ..........

Man it's about fucking time! I have been waiting to get off of probation for ever now! By this time next year I'll be free to be with my sweet Mary jane!

I got a dick in my mouth.

Ha, Ha, Ha, Bitches. After being told by some of you that I was "naive," when I said that the show was just getting started by the Obama administration with regards to prohibition because it would not be a good move for them to act upon it too soon, I am having a good laugh. Who is naive now?

I say let us revel in the uneasiness the prohibitionists will experience in the not too far off future. It is the only revenge we will ever get, as small-minded as that sounds.

America is headed the way of some other countries with a more tolerant approach to ordinary human behavior. For those of you who believe your voices have not been heard, just look at how popular opinion is changing, propagated to at least some degree by a majority of the people who visit this site. Let us all scream louder then ever, maybe it'll give the prohibitionists a cold chill up their spines. Oh, and don't forget to grow your own, just in case.

i put candle in my butt when sober so weed good cuz it makes me not want candle i use finger instead

To avoid being a war criminal, the new drug czar is taking the intelligent actions to seperate himself from even calling the drug war a "WAR." Smart isn't he? As prohibition comes to an end, the retribution against pot smokers for almost eighty years of lies and bad treatment of pot smokers will have their revenge by punishing marijuana opponents, especially politicians. They're called war criminals and the new drug czar knows how to get around being a war criminal in the future by calling it anything but a drug war. There has to be a war in order to become a war criminal.

not saying we need to dance in the streets but its somewhat refreshing for the man at the top (drug czar) to be talking like that after all the others have put the blind fold on and drink drug war juice from the getty

Danny Danko hit the nail on the head. Thank You.

It's so hard to track all the money being spent too keep pot illegal. Drug Free America belongs too alcohol and tobacco. And the big paper companies,with millions invested in timber rights are fighting any form of hemp legalization,and cotton producers,the same. If Big pharmacy
can't control the production,they will fight it's medical uses. And the cartels are probably supporting one or more of the anti-drug parasites. And there are the anti drug coalitions,what will they do for funds if legalization happens? And of course,there are the drug cops,whose freewheelin lifestyle,what you seize is what you get attitude is in danger of ending. The list of anti drug monies is long indeed. And you never know which anti drug
supporter is influencing the person that is debating for keeping things like they are.
It doesn't matter. The law was written based on prejudice
and lies and after 1969,the federal government knew that pot was harmless,and declared the war on drugs and now,it
a house of cards,that refuses too stand. They have been desperately testing,studying,and failing to find any scientific evidence of it being a gateway drug,or harmful
enough too warrant or justify their actions.
Fuck em,grow your own

I'm positive that some sort of change in the law is coming, but there's no reason not to believe that corporate interests will be a hindrance to any real change. There are a lot of rich peopleindustries that would protest legalizing.

Maybe someone in a high place is coming around to reality for a change! We will see

If it not "a war on people," then why will the DEA knock down your door in the middle of the night, shoot dogs and steal all your money, cars, property and stick you in jail?!

Let's stop the violence, but the police need to as well!

a month from now the headline will read the exact opposite . ( haven't called one wrong yet )

cool

Active Activist, I like the cut of your jib! Change won't come from the top down, but from the bottom, up. Meaning we have to do it, not wait for Obama and the "scary monsters" in Warshington to do it for us. The new administration's mostly hands-off policy is the blessing our movement has been waiting for. Let's not squander it now amid a cloud of nay-saying. The era of cynicism is over. Rationality will prevail!

I suport the legalization of soft drugs but hard drugs I'm not for at all so atleast hes comming out in talking about it hes doing more then the last idiot did the hole time he was in office :)

I'm with you G. I hate all these fucking headlines that say they are doing this and that, but not shit is happnin. "Clinton deals cocaine" - no investigation leading to charges, "We are pulling out of Iraq" - nope, "End of War on Drugs" - no action takin, "The CIA is using the War on Drugs to fund their illegal corruption agencies around the world" - Noooo wayyy. Ill be ducking low until some real action is happening and the people are ready to rise up. People need to stop their everyday lives on the wheel and think about the natural world and a war on poverty. Its allll fucked up mann!!

How we frame the legalization debate will become increasingly important as this issue gets more media attention.

Using words like "decriminalization" instead of "legalization" is an important first step. Also, refer to the plant by its scientific name, "cannabis sativa" not as "marijuana" which is rooted in racism and intolerance.

Talk about "prohibition" which most people accept as a failed idea, and use "regulate and tax" as a substitute for "legalization." Sheeple get scared of the words "Legalize It" which they think involves anarchy and pot for children.

Semantics can change the perception of the masses!

i dont give a shit. let me know when they actually end it.

Hey everybody, I notice a lot of people saying that words don't matter and we need to wait for action before we believe that the War on Drugs can and will end...

You are exactly right, but also way WRONG... We need to take action by working with the movement to end this bullshit, not sit on our asses for the government to end it for us.

Sorry anti-government types, but I've worked in marijuana law reform for many years and almost never see you trying to end this huge government program (the war on drugs) that brings us nothing but misery

Stop BITCHING about the government and deluding yourself with escapist fantasies about how Obama's going to make you a communist and start working to change these laws.

FACT IS, Obama won't change the laws, but WE CAN and have a much better chance now than ever before, unless we declare defeat before even fighting.

Stop whining and pissing your pants and start helping us build momentum... you can start at norml.org

i love seeing alex jones's name all over the web woot woot.

fuck em,grow your own

Until the law is changed,by the house and congress,and signed by Obama,the only change is terminology.
And the longer they delay,the more it costs us fighting the cartels.
And any law enforcement officer takes an oath to uphold the law,so that the medical raids haven't stopped. And now,they are just going to call it a medical and health quarantine instead of prison.

America's pot legalization is going to be soon but It will become corrupt through the private industries..

HUUUUURRAHHHH!!!! FOR ALEX JONES!!!!!!!!

RE: "words" YUP., I HEARD THE STORY ON THE RADIO THAT SAID THAT THE "NEW" MARIJUANA WAS UP TO 10% STRONGER OR SOME KIND OF BS STAT THAT SAID BETWEEN THE 60's-70's POT WAS NOT AS POTENT.,blah blah..., THIS STUDY WAS ALSO SAID TO HAVE BEEN ONGOING FOR YEARS!! AT A COST!?!?! I WOULD NOT LIKE TO IMAGINE HAVING TO PAY FOR BY MYSELF., YUP., "ACTIONS" SPENDING OUR MONEY ON BULLSHIT STUDIES AND GIVING POLITICIANS FRIENDS AND FAMILY BOGUS JOBS TO TELL US HOW WE ARE GOING TO PAY THEM MORE FOR THESE ONGOING STUDIES TO TELL US THE OBVIOUS., and the inane

All talk, same old tyranny! Just wait and see the raids on medical dispensaries will continue. Same with the harsher sentences for crack cocaine because the establishment wants blacks in jail just look at the statistics.

the reason why weed is illegal plain and simple, Money! The reason why alcohol and tobacco are legal and killing tons of people is because of MONEY! America's god is MONEY!!

Wow fourteen billion dollars to fight a war that has already been lost decades ago!!!! I commend Kerlikowske on saying he will end the war on “people”; but what about all the rouge local police officers who still in fringe on the rights of medical patients claiming they are doing a public service because they are protecting federal law. Kerlikowske sir; I believe its time to remind these individuals that they are to up hold local and state law and to let the federal officers to worry about federal law. History has shown that prohibition leads to disrespect of law enforcement; just let us have our pot sir. Because its going to be enjoyed by millions of Americans from all walks of life regardless it being of legal legitimacy or not.

So far all I hear is talk. They said the raids would end, but that didn't happen and they won't give us a reason why. Now they're saying the war will end, but I'm not buying it. It's just words. Their actions speak so much louder these days and that's really all we have to go on right now.

Is Charles Lynch free from prosecution yet? No? Yeah, that's what I thought.

Talk to me when you learn to walk, big brother.

While hearing a "Drug Czar" declare an end to the "War on Drugs", saying that they should approach illicit drug use as a health/medical issue, rather than a "criminal justice" (is that an oxymoron?) issue is relieving, we'll just have to wait and see what actually happens. *crosses fingers hoping that we aren't being lied to, as is usually the case*

We'll see if CAMP helicopters keep flying this fall. If the raids stop, and if a "public health" approach dominates, that's a good start.

Every study done on drug use and society has urged harm reduction. Arnold said he wants to look at other countries' experiences w/ legal marijuana, and in Europe the evidence is overwhelmingly positive. The Netherlands has reduced use by young people since cannabis isn't seen as "cool" or "rebellious" anymore, it's normalized and regulated.

If the Obama administration looks at the science and uses it to implement new policy, we'll see some change.

Well. Maybe we will see change.

As with the Attorney Generals policy change,until the law is changed,this statement has no teeth. A change of terminology
is all we are getting.
And now another government paid for study shows that marijuana is stronger and more dangerous for teens and young people. I don't recall any teens or young people asking for legalization.
But apparently they are going to the old cry of "What about the children". Raise your own fucking offspring and quit blaming society and everyone but you that they come out worthless pieces
of shit.
They admit that adult,experienced users reduce their smoking,but
are worried about young and inexperienced smokers. Worried? If they smoke too much,they just go to sleep. There is no over dose,no toxic levels or any other danger that they can find and
provide sufficient scientific information so they rely on fear
mongering and ignorance or inexperience to bolster up their
arguments. We are winning,and they are grasping at every possible delay and tactic to stop legalization. They are fighting the cartels with one hand,and enforcing their existence with the other. It makes you wonder how much money the government actually makes off the green market.