Towards a Drugs and Crime Research: Agenda for the 21st Century

John Ashcroft and his subordinates authored this flawed treatise on the relationship between drugs and crime, making no distintion between cannabis and harder, more dangerous drugs, furthering the falacy of so-called Gateway drugs, cannabis in particular. The authors of this paper make no distiction between pot and crack cocaine, in an attempt to categorize all drugs as bringing about the same social ills.

Titled National Institute of Justice; At the intersection of Public Health and Criminal Justice on Drugs and Crime; research on Drugs-Crime Linkages.

I quote, "Significant through complex relationship" I may point out that commonalitly does no imply causality, a point lost on the paper. The paper even conceeds that "The evidence for the direct cause model is not evident.

But although researchers already confiming that the relationship between drugs and crime...the nature of that relationship eluded them and continues to elude them today. It goes on to say "this knowledge is not an end in itself, but as a meansto accurately define the problem of drugs and crime and promote further research.

So, in other words, the unwavering belief of a link between reefer and crime is based upon no more than wishful thinking, and their unshakabke belief they will find the 'smoking doobie' that leads to hard-core felonies.

There is no lack of theories the direct causal model of the drugs/crime relationship has attracted its share of supporters (no doubt- emphasis mine).It states simply that either drug use leads to crime or crime leads to drug use (how 19th Century- also mine. I would be remiss in my capacity as a citizen if I were not to call bullshit on that).

Here's one hoest admission in the document: "Sociologist Erich Goode has said that even the fact that drugs and crime are frequently found together of correlated does not indicate causality.

What we do not know about the drug/crime relationship was discussed at length, and proved to be inconclusive.

The study continues to ask nebulous questions such as the use of scientific study to advance the understanding between drugs and crime. Also, do the 'tensions' between the two perspectives prevent our understanding of them, then asks what do we know about this relationship (leading one to ask why this solipsism appear in this study).

Clearly, an attempt is being made to dictate policy without an understanding of the elements involved.

It begs the question, why is an innocuous herb like cannabis even mentinoned in context with other, more harmful substances.

Hereis the study for your rewview.

More Debunking of the 'Gateway' Phenomenon

Dr. Ralph E. Tarter, professor at the University of Pittsburgh has an article pulished in the American Journal of Psychiatry conducted a 12-year survey study of young men which finds approximately 25% of the study group went on in later years to smoke tobacco and drink alcohol, a reverse of the 'Gateway Hypothesis'.“The emphasis on the drugs themselves, rather than other, more important factors that shape a person’s behaviour, has been detrimental to drug policy and prevention programs,” Tarter said.

More here

Ahhh, Amsterdam

As anyone can tell you, bar scenes can be troublesome, in that alcohol leads to a loss of inhibition quite unlike marijuana, and confrontations of a troubling kind can result.

In Amsterdam, a good number of the Coffee Houses sell not only weed and hashish, but alcoholic libations as well. Freeworld, The Greenhouse Effect and De Kuil are excellent examples.

However, never have I seen open drunkeness the likes you find in a typical Western (American) bar. People are into their heads and grooving on whatever the moment offers.

Thanks to American interference, a la Bill Clinton and his drug czar, Barry McCaffrey, the sale of the most beautiful buds in the world are limited to 5 grams. Maybe his problem was he never exhaled.

But it seems the majority of the Coffee Shops are alcohol-free, such as my favorite, Pink Floyd.

Next visit, I may try to book a stay at another cool joint, The Rookies Bar, which has ample seating and a hotel upstairs.

Please share any of your experiences of Amsterdam, whether it be one of the Coffee Houses or perhaps the Vincent Van Gogh Museum or the many sights the city has to offer.

This one appears to be Hawaiian Mist, another potent strain grown in the free state of Amsterdam. Words do not do it justice, but I feel the White Widow edges it out in stonosity (Is that even a word? Well. it should be. In Kenster's Unabridged Dopetionary. Remember, you heard it here first).

White Widow

A particularly potent strain, grown in Amsterdam that quite literally grabs you by the boo boo. One of the stonier bud available in Holland or, for that matter, anywhere on the planet.

I recommend it highly.

Marijuana Use Through History

One can see that marijuana's use has historically been one of utilitatian and pragmatic use, uses that go far beyond the intoxication comtemporary society's preoccupation with the drug seems to emphasise. here is a chronology of its many uses as illustrated by bronze age society to the present.

Maps vs the DEA, FDA and he Conspiracy to Inhibit Medical Reasearch

The DEA and FDA has been making a concerted effort to block marijuana for medical research in recent years, making it near impossible to conduct meaningful studies of Cannabis. The histeria going back over 100 years still prevails and dominates our legislative bodies from making available the drug from meaninful studies.
A comprehensive history of their effeorts can be viewed here.