Cannabis Culture

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

2006-12-07T16:05:00.001-08:00

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

2006-12-07T10:38:00.000-08:00

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

2006-12-07T10:03:00.001-08:00

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.

2006-12-05T13:16:00.000-08:00

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

2006-12-05T12:40:00.002-08:00

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

2006-12-05T11:42:00.001-08:00

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

2006-12-03T14:30:00.001-08:00

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.

More Good Dope on Reefer

2006-12-03T08:53:00.001-08:00

In my meanderings, I've come across a site that has quite a lot of information on marijuana, its medical uses and some histories. Here you will find it

There's a lot of it, so take your time

U.S. Timeline

2006-12-02T10:57:00.000-08:00

1915 - 1927 Cannabis begins to be prohibited for nonmedical use in the U.S., especially in SW states...California (1915), Texas (1919), Louisiana (1924), and New York (1927)

1937 Cannabis made federally illegal in the U.S. with the passage of the Marihuana Tax Act.

1972 The Nixon-appointed Shafer Commission urged use of cannabis be re-legalized, but their recommendation was ignored. Medical research continues.

1975 FDA establishes Compassionate Use program for medical marijuana.

May 13, 1986 Dronabinol is placed into Schedule II by the DEA.

1988 DEA administrative law Judge Francis Young finds after thorough hearings that marijuana has clearly established medical use and should be reclassified as a prescriptive drug. His recommendation is ignored.

Credit is due to The Vaults of Erowid

The history of cannabis use in the United States is one of hysteria and irrational refusal to consider the facts. Our mission is to change this by incremental decriminalization and pioneer the way for the many documented medical applications.

Cheers

My First Visitor

2006-12-02T10:23:00.001-08:00

Today marks a landmark in my blogging career. My very first visitor, Wes, who has a blog of his own. In it, he discusses synthetics vs. organics in producing quality marijuana. His URL (pardon my lack of understanding of basic HTML) is beta.blogger.com and is an interesting read, giving some practical approaches to growing hemp. Please give him a visit.

The Legal History of Cannabis

2006-12-02T08:23:00.000-08:00

During my meanderings I happened accross a href="http://blogs.salon.com/0002762/stories/2003/12/22/whyIsMarijuanaIllegal.html"fairly comprehesive chronology of marijuana and related legalities. It's a fair synopsis of why we are where we are re: criminality.

2006-12-01T10:10:00.000-08:00

2006-12-01T07:45:00.000-08:00

The reduction of Marijuana offenses to misdemeanors in many states for possession of less than what is considered 'personal use' does not go far enough to address the real issue at hand.

Cultivation most certainly will yield ounces and pounds, a felony amount.

My belief is that cultivation should be completely decriminalized and that the only penalties for pot should be associated with use and possession of firearms. Firearms are antithetical to the use of marijuana and are the mark of the true criminal.

In the state of Florida, for instance, in excess of 21 grams represents a felony. This is clearly piling on of the hapless chap who possesses 22 grams and instead of this being a misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year or probation, he is incarcerated by five years in a state institution, the same penalty for delivery of up to 25 pounds. Consider that the penalty for cultivation of up to 2,000 plants is a felony, punishable by three years a state prison.

Clearly, the laws are unjust, and we need to fight for decriminalization.

A grassroots (pardon the pun) campaign is what is needed. Only to do so would invite undue scrutiny by law enforcement. That is why I have curtailed my use of reefer to better fight the good fight. I know it is asking a lot of many of you, but if we can change the unjust laws, the party will rage.

The Man

2006-11-30T09:45:00.000-08:00

I simply, for the life of me cannot figure out why 'the man' is single-minded of purpose in his pursuit of pot smokers. "Don't blame me, it's the law" wears terribly thin as an excuse for arresting folks, even if it is a misdemeanor amount. Just another feather in Officer Friendly's cap. Busting pot smokers is a path to advancement in cop circles. "Any bust is a good bust". This is a recent development in law enforcement. I can remember cops leting me off for small amounts of grass or hash, but nowadays Officer Friendly has supervisors who swarm to the scene, making leniency impossible.

Federal cops are keen to bust Marijuana Clubs, denying herb to those who desperately are in need of it. This aggressive tactic is evident in just the last few years and defies reason.

Again, your coments are welcome.

2006-11-30T09:35:00.001-08:00

Over the years, a hysteria has taken over Marijuana and relegated it to the families of hard and harmful drugs. This is due in no small part to racist sentiments and the single-handed efforts of one Harry Anslinger, lawman, abolishionist and self-proclaimed authority on Cannabis.

Marijuana was supposed to give Blacks super-human strength, all the better to rape and savage white women. The American populice bought into the hysteria wholeheartedly and petitioned Congress to pass legislation that made mere possession penalties akin to armed robbery.

Life penalites were given as sentences to those hapless few who were in possession of minor amounts of an ounce or less.

Fiorelo LaGuardia commissioned a group to study the effects of the drug. Their findings were that the greatest harm presented by Marijuana were the penalties meted out for its possession and use.

What We Are About

2006-11-30T08:42:00.000-08:00

This is an open forum, with reader contributions not only welcome but encouraged. Anecdotal accounts of individuals' legal entanglements, growing tips, tales from users about the best dope they've ever encountered; all of these are welcome.

With the push for decriminalization in many states going forward, states giving the nod to medical marijuana, we see a chink in the armor of the police state. While not by any means an endorsement of cannabis use, conditional use, such as medical applications, represent a new, more enlightened attitude towards the hemp. Hemp, as we know, has many uses beyond getting high: plastics and fabrics, to name a few. Many of you are aware that Henry Ford built a car from Hemp (Popular Science, c.a.1941) Dow Chemical saw the threat of hemp to their established regime of creating plastics from non-hydrocarbons and fought to keep hemp illegal. Monsanto saw a renewable source for softer and stronger fibers from hemp and did everything in their power to prevent it from coming to market.

We have a product in hemp that is good for the soul and has industrial applications these and other corporations want to keep from us.

Given that there exist initiatives in several states to decriminalize marijuana, the advent of medical marijuana (I was a cancer patient, late stage 4. My Oncologist told me that, while he couldn't prescribe medical marijuana to me for pain and nausea, my best chance to mitigate those symptoms was to seek out cannabis and use it as needed). I credit marijuana with saving my life.

The simple fact that medical marijuana is not an option for many patients the country wide dooms many to a hellish experience with a fatal disease.

If any of you have similar experiences with cancer and marijuana treatment, I would welcome your comments.

2006-11-30T08:39:00.000-08:00

Over the years, a hysteria has taken over Marijuana and relegated it to the families of hard and harmful drugs. This is due in no small part to racist sentiments and the single-handed efforts of one Harry Anslinger, lawman, abolitionist and self-proclaimed authority on Cannabis.

Marijuana was supposed to give Blacks super-human strength, all the better to rape and savage white women. The American populace bought into the hysteria wholeheartedly and petitioned Congress to pass legislation that made mere possession penalties akin to armed robbery.

Life penalties were given as sentences to those hapless few who were in possession of minor amounts of an ounce or less.

Fiorelo LaGuardia commissioned a group to study the effects of the drug. Their findings were that the greatest harm presented by Marijuana were the penalties meted out for its possession and use.