The War on Weed

[ryoder 1,590]

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Four of the officers who took part in the raid testified they knocked on Maye's door and identified themselves as law enforcement officers. Maye testified he heard neither knocks on his door nor anyone announce themselves.

I'd believe the cop over some lowlife drug dealer.

Perhaps if you actually READ the article you would know the dealer was the NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR!!!

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[freakyrat 1]

The real morons are those in our governmant that class hemp in the same as weed. How frikkin dumb. Hemp comes from the non-psycoactive version of the plant. The THC content is extremely low in industrial hemp. Hemp seeds are rich in Omega-3. Hemp lotion and soap are also good for dry skin. I was actually pretty pissed when The Body Shop quit selling Hemp Soaps and Body Wash because of some stupid whims of our government. Used the product all the time during the winter and never had a skin problem. Also I never failed a random drug test while using the products.

Bunch of Morons.

Chris

[kschilk 0]

While serving in the U.S. Navy, I was the Command DAPA (Drug and Alcohol Program Adviser) for about 2 years. As a prerequisite to the position, I attended the gratuitous brainwashing sessions and bought the whole fairy tale...hook, line and sinker. Being educated on the Navy's drug testing program and with access to courts martial transcripts, evidence and findings, I soon realized that the math wasn't working out...something (many things) didn't add up.

I noticed inconsistencies, things like....

-Only 10% of samples taken, were actually tested but I was seeing "lab results" for 100% of the samples.

-Sailors accused of "popping positive" were adamant about their innocence, even long after conviction and discharge. Most didn't fit the profile of even an infrequent user.

-Random testing was being performed COUNTER to the program "Instructions" (rules) and most often, there were serious violations in the collection of samples, "chain of custody" and in the time requirements for sample delivery to the lab.

-Although the director of the Navy lab claimed there was NOTHING that could produce a "false positive" result...they allowed a substantial variance, for "substances that CAN produce a "false positive".

-The samples were collected by the Master At Arms, which was mostly staffed by absolutely uneducated and unqualified personnel. Unfortunately, the MAA was what we referred to as a "shitcan billet"...where the derelicts and habitual screw-offs were sent for lengthy TADs (Temporary Assigned Duty), as punishment. It was either there or to Base Security....I know that sounds rediculous but unfortunately, that's the way the Navy works (at least, back then.

There was much more that sent up red-flags...but I think you get the general idea. Curious, I made my own investigation and consulted with not only the drug lab personnel there but also, numerous civilian "labs" and medical personnel...both military and civilian. I also sought out and reviewed articles and documents from such organizations, such as NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) and even "High-Times" magazine...mostly for info about other drugs. What I found was shocking and totally debunked the effectiveness and accuracy of not only the Navy's but ALL drug testing programs and proceedures. Needless to say, when I presented my findings to my superiors....I was promptly relieved of my DAPA duties. I expected that.

For those who prefer to put truth before propaganda, you might find this interesting. This basically mirrors the report I'd submitted.

http://www.erowid.org/psychoactives/testing/testing_faq.shtml#1.

I wonder how many innocent people were courts-martialed and given "dishonorables", for taking perfectly legal, over-the-counter pain medication?

"T'was ever thus."

[joedirt 0]

MJ should of course be legal but I don't get the whole pro hemp thing. Isn't it really just about the weed. Have you EVER met a non smoker talk about all the great things hemp has to offer?

[SpeedRacer 1]

I once published a 50 page booklet called The Worker's Guide to Drug Testing. There are plenty of things that can cause false positives.

And some people doing the tests in the military or for companies are complete dumbasses who don't understand the science. The tests are immunoassays usually. The problem is that sometimes the antibodies used in the kits can cross-react with other substances.

Speed Racer
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[kschilk 0]

George Washington had a hemp plantation, as did many of this country's founding fathers and I've seen no evidence that they EVER smoked it. The marijuana laws were initially instituted, specifically to justify the expulsion of non-whites form the American southwest. Though some of them used it for religious ceremony, most were growing it for making rope or purely for medicinal purposes. Hemp was used extensively by earlier civilizations, for making rope and parchment...it's one of the planet's heartiest, resilient and most useful plants.

http://hemporganic.com/whyhemp.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hemp
http://www.hempcar.org/hempfacts.shtml

"T'was ever thus."

[warpedskydiver 0]

They are not winning because there is no reason to.

The war on drugs is huge business.

If it were not, the government would not bother with marijuana related laws.

[br0k3n 0]

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Although I doubt most stoners are organized enough to effectively engage the legislative process. Kinda hard when your world revolves around spray cheese and Teletubbies.

It still amazes me how ignorant some people are and that they still buy into the hollywood stoner image.. "Dooooood lets order pizza maaaaan im so stooooooned"

Although I doubt most drunks are organized enough to effectively engage the legislative process. Kinda hard when your world revolves around greasy kebabs and punching your wife in the head, thats if you havent crashed the car on the way home from the pub..

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--+ There are 10 types of people in the world: Those who understand binary, and those who don't.. --+

[joedirt 0]

So are you meeting people who can't stop talking about the benefits of hemp, but still think marijuania is bad?

Because that's my point. It's about the weed. I've never read any essays on the wonderful qualities of hemp by George Washington.

Are you opposed to legalizing marijuania? If you are I will gladly concede that I am wrong.

[DrewEckhardt 0]

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Although I doubt most stoners are organized enough to effectively engage the legislative process. Kinda hard when your world revolves around spray cheese and Teletubbies.

My opinion on drugs changed when I learned that lots of the A-students I hung around with in engineering school smoked pot.

After school I wasn't shocked to find dentists, engineers, lawyers and other respectable people doing the same.

With simple possession a lesser infraction than speeding in many jurisdictions, keeping taxes reasonable is a higher legislative priority that's more likely to succeed.

[kschilk 0]

My bust. I now see that the operative word in your previous eas "met"...and no, I've never "met" ANYONE who extolls the virtues of hemp....smoker or not. I'm in the U.S. and here, most are like yourself and totally oblivious to the other uses for hemp. Actually, you wouldn't want to smoke hemp, since it's simply a "byproduct" of the plant and comes from the stalks of the plant....the leaves are what is generally smoked.

A little common sense here, though.......

I seriously doubt ANY smoker is going to want to see the source of their buzz, turned into rope, clothing, fuel, etc. Comparitively, imagine the reaction of a steak-lover....if you were to take a nice, juicy sirloin and use it for a doormat.

"T'was ever thus."

[pirana 0]

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The War on Drugs? Losing battle, let's get out of it.
The War on Poverty? Losing battle. Trillions blown on it. Let's get out of it.
The War in Iraq? Losing battle. Probably trillions will be lost. Let's get out of it.

Notice anything common about "wars?"

Yes, about the only thing they are guaranteed to lead to is the next war. But that is what happens when leadership is so damn certain they know what is best for everyone else - which is always rooted in their personal desires.

As long as the goal of leaders is to control as wide a sphere of influence as possible, with the agenda being to accumulate material wealth beyond any reasonable necessity, we will have wars of one kind or another.

Greed is an outdated survival remnant which does not play well in modern civilization. It is a flaw in the species we may never overcome.

" . . . the lust for power can be just as completely satisfied by suggesting people into loving their servitude as by flogging them and kicking them into obedience." -- Aldous Huxley

[Zipp0 1]

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I really don't care either way. Legalize it or not, I give less than a shit. People should stop whining when they get caught breaking a well-publicized law.

If you want to not go to jail over pot laws, change the law or don't break it.

Although I doubt most stoners are organized enough to effectively engage the legislative process. Kinda hard when your world revolves around spray cheese and Teletubbies.

Yes, because important, well placed, well educated people wouldn't DREAM of touching the stuff.....

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Chuck Norris doesn't do push-ups, he pushes the Earth down.

[skybytch 273]

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the leaves are what is generally smoked.

Not.

[livendive 8]

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If you want to not go to jail over pot laws, change the law or don't break it.

You think you need to use it in order to be a victim of the laws? Guess again: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cory_Maye

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Four of the officers who took part in the raid testified they knocked on Maye's door and identified themselves as law enforcement officers. Maye testified he heard neither knocks on his door nor anyone announce themselves.

I'd believe the cop over some lowlife drug dealer.

I wouldn't. There is no "morality" test to become a police officer, so a cop and an average citizen are equally likely/unlikely to lie. This guy was not a "lowlife drug dealer", he was the neighbor of a suspected drug dealer. I think it's perfectly reasonable to punch holes in someone who violently enters my home without my consent, especially if a) I don't know they're cops and b) I'm not guilty of any crime.

Blues,
Dave

"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!"
(drink Mountain Dew)

[kschilk 0]

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the leaves are what is generally smoked.

Not.

I really didn't want to confuse some who may not be so familiar with the plant, by saying "buds" but if ya' wanna' be technical... . I was simply making the point that hemp comes from the stalks (i.e. big stem, long tall thingy in the middle...whatever trips your trigger) and not from the part(s) which most (many, several, a large number, the greater majority of users...hope I covered 'em all ) smoke (light, incinerate, burn, ignite, apply flame to, etc.).

"T'was ever thus."