The left says he was a right-winger; the conservatives say that he was a leftist. What is abundantly clear, from reading his Internet commentaries, is that Pentagon shooter John Patrick Bedell was a psychotic pothead. He hated a government that he believed was standing in the way of his desire to use, grow and glorify marijuana. He virtually worshipped the drug. "I'm a cannabis enthusiast," he proclaimed.
In terms of ideology, he expressed conservative ideas about limiting the role of government, but opposed the war in Iraq and favored open borders.
But rather than try and make silly ideological points by accusing Bedell of being either left or right, there is an urgent need for the blogosphere-and the major media-to address the question of how he became criminally psychotic and a patsy for conspiracy theories. The answer is marijuana, which alters the ability of the mind to comprehend reality but which is depicted by most of the media as safe and harmless.
This connection-between pot and mental illness-is a matter of the medical record but is conveniently being ignored in the many stories about this young man's strange journey and tragic end.
The book, "Marijuana and Madness," cites studies and evidence from around the world, some of it going back 40 years, linking the use of marijuana-supposedly a "soft" drug-to mental illnesses, including schizophrenia and psychosis. One of the latest studies finds that "Marijuana use at a young age significantly increased the risk of psychosis in young adulthood..."
The public laughs at the old propaganda films such as "Reefer Madness," which depict marijuana smokers as crazed zombies. However, the Pentagon rampage was likely triggered by marijuana-induced psychosis. Bedell was not only a heavy marijuana user and had been busted for possession and growing the drug, but dedicated much of his life to glorifying the substance.
He had declared cannabis "to be one of the most useful plants known to humanity" and said that he looked forward to the day when "billions and billions of carefully cultivated, highly valuable cannabis plants [are] growing throughout the United States with complete security of property." He said he envisioned "the use of cannabis as a monetary system."
The "Medical Marijuana" Scam
The rampage at the Pentagon has also raised disturbing questions about the Obama Administration's policy of allowing "medical marijuana" dispensaries in such places as California, where Bedell was living, to operate free from fear of federal prosecution. President Obama and his Attorney General Eric Holder have been accused of encouraging marijuana use by refusing to use federal resources to prosecute "medical marijuana" users and the "dispensaries" which supply them with the illegal dope.
He reportedly claimed during one pot bust that he had a "medical marijuana" card which entitled him to use marijuana for "health" reasons.
Bedell, 36, had a bachelor's degree in science and was enrolled in graduate school. A professor called him helpful, hardworking and intelligent. At some point, however, he developed an addiction for marijuana and a psychosis that led to the Pentagon rampage. How many other intelligent young people with good backgrounds and a good future get exposed to marijuana and other drugs and throw it all away?
One can hope that the tragic story of John Patrick Bedell and his victims will cause our major media to review the dangerous implications of allowing more and more people access to the drug, on the spurious grounds that it is somehow medicinal, and start a much-needed examination of the billionaires and organizations pushing drug legalization in America.
Billionaire George Soros has been called "an extremely evil person" by Calvina Fay of the Drug Free America Foundation for putting millions of dollars into groups like the Drug Policy Alliance dedicated to legalization of pot and other drugs. Another billionaire, Peter Lewis, chairman of Progressive Insurance Company, has also put millions of dollars into the cause. Lewis, who was arrested in New Zealand and admitted to three charges of importing drugs after customs officers found two ounces of hashish and 1.7 ounces of marijuana in his luggage, is being honored with the "America's Future Lifetime Leadership Award" at the June 8 awards gala of the "progressive" Campaign for America's Future.
Conspiracy Theory
While he thought the U.S. Government had itself been taken over by a drug-trafficking cabal, Bedell was such a believer in marijuana that he tried to grow it out in the open, on the balcony of his apartment. He wrote, "I deliberately did not seek permission of any kind, and did not obtain a doctor's recommendation for the use of cannabis, which would have made my garden relatively acceptable under California state law."
Not surprisingly, Bedell was busted by the police, adding fuel to his anti-government mentality.
He believed conspiracies, such as an alleged plot to cover-up government involvement in the 9/11 terrorist attacks. "This organization," referring to the alleged conspiracy pulling the strings behind the U.S. Government, "like so many murderous governments throughout history, would see the sacrifice of thousands of its citizens, in an event such as the September 11 attacks, as a small cost in order to perpetuate its barbaric control," he said.
He apparently targeted the Pentagon because of his belief that military officials had covered up the alleged murder of a Marine Colonel with knowledge of drug trafficking.
Society Reaps What Soros Sows
Although drug legalization has been mostly a left-wing cause, funded by "progressive" billionaires such as George Soros and Peter Lewis, the libertarian Cato Institute has been promoting legalization of dope for many years. It, too, has been funded by Soros.
"I smoke marijuana, and I like it," declared Cato research fellow Will Wilkinson in a controversial and eye-opening column. He added that "the casual pleasure marijuana has delivered is orders of magnitude greater than the pain it has assuaged, and pleasure matters too. That's probably why Barack Obama smoked up the second and third times: because he liked it."
John Patrick Bedell liked it too; in fact, he was a marijuana addict. But he inflicted a lot of pain on other people, including the two guards he shot at the Pentagon.
The pain has also been evident in other cases, such as admitted pot lover 16-year-old Jeff Weise, who murdered nine people and injured five others in Red Lake, Minnesota, in 2005, and Charles "Andy" Williams, a regular marijuana user who smoked the drug just before killing two schoolmates and wounding 13 others in a San Diego suburban school on March 5, 2001.
Legal Dope is the Next Step
These dangers are rising because of the growing number of people with access to marijuana on so-called medical grounds. However, "medical marijuana" has been shown to be a fraud and a cruel hoax, as those on the inside of the pro-pot movement have been caught on film admitting that getting the public to accept the notion that smoking marijuana alleviates health problems is a scam designed to promote the eventual legalization of dope.
Bedell's psychiatrist is quoted as saying that he used marijuana to "self-medicate," which sounds ridiculous until you realize that thousands of people with real and imaginary medical conditions, including mental illness, are currently "self-medicating" by getting "medical marijuana" at marijuana "dispensaries" in California and other states.
I visited one of these places in Oakland, California, operating under the name of the "Blue Sky Coffeeshop," and saw lines of people flashing "medical marijuana" cards to get their marijuana in brown paper sacks. I took a tour of Oaksterdam University, also known as "America's First Cannabis College," which teaches people how to grow high-quality dope. Oaksterdam had a big cardboard cut-out of the pot movement's hero, Barack Obama, in the lobby.
Oaksterdam founder Richard Lee is proposing a November ballot measure to legalize marijuana statewide and dramatically expand access to the drug.
The Bedell case demonstrates that people who have been led to believe that marijuana can alleviate their physical or mental problems may be coming come down with far more serious psychological problems that can threaten the lives of the rest of us.
House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Rep. Lamar Smith has said that "By allowing marijuana dispensaries to operate free from fear of prosecution, the Administration is promoting the use, and therefore the demand for marijuana. Marijuana fields operated by Mexican drug trafficking organizations are most prevalent in California, Oregon and Washington-three of the 13 states that allow the use of medicinal marijuana."
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says that "no sound scientific studies supported medical use of marijuana for treatment in the United States, and no animal or human data supported the safety or efficacy of marijuana for general medical use. There are alternative FDA-approved medications in existence for treatment of many of the proposed uses of smoked marijuana."
Bad Timing by the Pot Lobby
Ironically, on the same day that Bedell attacked the Pentagon, the popular left-wing website AlterNet ran a column by Paul Armentano insisting that the mainstream media "are running wild with the absurd notion that marijuana use causes psychological problems" such as schizophrenia and psychosis. It turns out that Armentano is the deputy director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) and the co-author of the book Marijuana Is Safer. The book has been endorsed by such figures as David Boaz of the libertarian Cato Institute and "progressive" writer Barbara Ehrenreich.
Rather than publicize the marijuana-psychosis connection, the major media have shied away from it, probably because some journalists use pot themselves as a "recreational" drug.
A 1,300-word article in the Washington Post on Sunday, "Pentagon shooter's spiral from early promise to madness," waited until the 21st paragraph to note that Bedell "smoked marijuana frequently" and that a family member pleaded with him to stop because "it was making his thinking more disordered."
Obama Won't Enforce the Law
A week before Bedell went on his shooting rampage at the Pentagon, parent drug-prevention volunteers from California, Oregon, Maryland, and Virginia met in Washington, D.C. with the office of U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder. They told the Attorney General's staff that statements from some officials of the Obama Administration appeared to support the claims of drug users and traffickers that smoking marijuana "could legally be approved by State law."
Joyce Nalepka, president of Drug Free Kids: America's Challenge (DFK) and former president of Nancy Reagan's National Federation of Parents for Drug Free Youth, appealed for help from the Obama Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the widening massive campaign by professional drug legalization lobbyists, drug users and drug traffickers to legalize "medical marijuana."
Other members of the anti-drug coalition meeting with DOJ officials were Shirley Morgan, Oregon parent drug prevention founder of the Mt. Hood Coalition Against Drug Crime; Roger Morgan, Chairman, Coalition For A Drug-Free California; and DeForest Rathbone, chairman of National Institute of Citizen Anti-drug Policy.
In a news release, they said, "Widespread publicity falsely portraying marijuana as a medicine convinces kids that pot is harmless thus leading to increasing teen drug use..." They cited a study showing that teenagers are smoking tobacco less and marijuana more.
They said pro-drug messages are coming from the efforts of "convicted billionaire international finance swindler and drug-legalization advocate George Soros," who "has provided significant financial support for professional drug legalization lobbyists and for their elaborate public relations campaigns to obtain state referendums approving 'medical marijuana.'"
Soros Calls the Tune
The problem, they noted, is that "Soros and the professional drug legalization lobbyists also provided substantial financial support for the Obama presidential campaign," and that Obama himself had said that it was entirely "entirely appropriate" for "medical marijuana" to be prescribed in some cases.
The anti-drug activists noted that Obama officials have followed up with more statements that have given the public the impression that using marijuana will not be punished by federal law enforcement authorities. They point to the following:
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Shortly after assuming office, President Obama's spokesman NickShapiro said that "The president believes that federal resources should not be used to circumvent state laws (authorizing medical marijuana.)"
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In a statement on February 25, 2009, Attorney General EricHolder said,"What the president said during the campaign ... will be consistent with what we will be doing here in law enforcement.What (Obama) said during the campaign ... is now American policy."
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A drug legalization lobbyistresponding to the above statement bragged,"Holder's statement marks a dramatic shift in U.S. drug policy..."
Such statements, the anti-drug activists said, have "caused a widespread perception among parents that drug money campaign contributions may have bought for the drug traffickers and drug users a de facto license to sell and use marijuana under the fraudulent claim that it is medicine."
To refute that perception, they called on President Obama and Attorney General Holder to "immediately and forcefully reaffirm federal primacy of drug laws and authorize a massive counteroffensive against the illegal trafficking and use of marijuana in states where it has skyrocketed under their leadership."
Both Maryland and D.C. are working to pass pro-drug legislation, with the Maryland legislature scheduled to hear a bill on March 18 in Annapolis.
Nalepka noted that, during the meeting with senior Department of Justice staff, the group of anti-drug activists was told that the federal government did not have the resources to go after the problem of "medical marijuana."
Nalepka countered, "That's why we're here-we want the government to get the resources. It is well-known that marijuana is both physically and psychologically addictive and is a definite stepping stone to many drugs."
She concluded, "Allowing this to continue is treason, i.e., a betrayal of trust, against our own children and grandchildren."
Cliff Kincaid is the Editor of Accuracy in Media, and can be contacted at cliff.kincaid@aim.org.
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written by Ron, March 07, 2010
What I will do is state some information, the government allows the sale of alcohol and tobacco both of these substances offer nothing but death, yet we allow the promotion and sale of these items to anyone of legal age.
What we are asking with medical marijuana is the same, and there are proven medical benefits including neuropathy treatment and HIV related pain relied. These a*sertions are shown to be true in the study done this year by the University of California at San Diego. Done by the Center for medical cannabis research it is the first government funded study since the early 1970's. They concluded that medical marijuana is a viable first line defense and more research needs to be done.
The a*sertion that all organizations are "in it to legalize it" is a patently false a*sertion . I take issue with your statement here. While not all members of our community are on the same page I can a*sure you that legalization is not what my organization strives for. And because you visited one dispensary, they are not all the same. Try the Berkeley Patients Group as an example, but a group like this doesn't serve your sensationlist article. For instance I could say all Republicans are horribly stupid and use George Bush Jr. as an example but it would only invite a flame war in an article not.reasonable discussion. My organization would never distribute medical marijuana to someone under the age of 18, we read the same studies somerimes, as we realize there is still mental maturity occurring. However if that individual were stage 4, he/she could come. Anytime. I would never begrudge anyone end of life comfort.
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written by Conservative_Jeff, March 07, 2010
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written by Conservative_Jeff, March 07, 2010
Who thinks the current Policy of Drug prohibition is working to stop the flow and trade of drugs?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RWfCwl0lZo
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written by Clo432, March 07, 2010
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written by Jon, March 07, 2010
Why not do some research and answer this question?
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written by justyn, March 07, 2010
watch The Union: The Business Behind Getting High. that documentary changed the way i looked at marijuana
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written by SarahB, March 07, 2010
Rather than deal with severe, crippiling muscular spasms I smoke medicinal marjuana.
The prescription medicines available for my condition cause liver damage and eventual failure, as well as Parkinsonian-like tremor.
You have implied that because I don't have Cancer, AIDS, or HIV I do not need this, and should be put in jail.
You really wish to see me in prison for smoking medication that my family physician advised me to take after everything else we tried failed?
Where is your sense of compa*sion?
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written by Christine, March 07, 2010
Lets just all face it, medicinal marijuana is coming to every state. In other words, the Genie is out of the bottle and this time it's not going to go back in. Give it a try.
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written by Dayadog, March 07, 2010
Why do you ignore the science behind the endocannabinoid system???
I know of a whole bunch of things that cause suicide at much higher rates than your alleged cases. You do not understand the science and it is clear you don't. You need to familiarize yourself with the endocannabinoid system. Don't scare people. Look at the statistics of the anti-psychotic medication and the suicides there.
You should be ashamed of yourself for scare mongering. What you fail to include in your analysis is all of the contributing factors that led to suicide in the people you mention.
As a mental health counselor I know what i speak of.
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written by Steve Nelson, March 07, 2010
Very little substance and even less fact to these statements. Your cuz' Rush Limbaugh comes up with better Goebbel-ized propaganda than this!
As for our respondent, Joanna; I d have an idea how marijuana affects the young mind and had you not retired yu would benefit from recent studies addressing these issues.
Far too many are repeating the same racist, misguided, pseudo-moralistic blather about cannabis as their parents and grandparents. One thing they all hold in common is that they need not ever have a personal experience as long as self-professed, Christian moralists continue to tell them how to think.
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written by muggles, March 07, 2010
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written by Derek Rosenzweig, March 08, 2010
Nobody wants children to become addicted to anything, marijuana included. What people are now realizing is that prohibition does more to encourage drug use than it does to discourage it, especially among children and teenagers. This is because
a.) drug dealers do not ask for ID before they'll sell to you.
b.) the drugs sold in the black market are of varying, unknown quality and purity, and in some cases can kill a user. For marijuana this is not an issue, but for other drugs it can be (including alcohol, during its prohibition - "bathtub gin" was a major cause of alcohol-related deaths during that time period).
c.) government funded anti-drug messages were based on misconceptions, bad science, were blown out of proportion, and wasted precious resources.
d.) true drug education became impossible because of the government's obligation to support its policy, with dogmatic anti-drug rhetoric that rarely resembled reality
e.) the subject of marijuana's medical potential becomes a POLITICAL issue instead of a MEDICAL issue. this creates misconceptions, discourages research, and forces patients to rely on data from - sometimes - untrustworthy sources (including the FDA) instead of their doctor.
Legalization would give us a much better, much different scenario. We'd have
a.) stores (yes, stores, not drug dealers on corners) selling marijuana would be forced to ID customers and would face fines and loss of business license if they violate that.
b.) stores would be required to provide potency, quality, and purity information for all marijuana. product would be labeled just as it is in your supermarket.
c.) drug education campaigns can begin and will be based on a dialogue of facts and evidence instead of dogma, fear, racism, and the type of bad reasoning and poor research that plague the issue now.
d.) research into marijuana's medical benefit can be conducted, unhindered, and drugs based on that research can help MILLIONS of people.
There is also data which supports that medical marijuana laws decrease or do not impact recreational use rates in states that have implemented them. That can be found at http://www.phillynorml.org/doc...t_0608.pdf . I highly suggest reading it.
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written by Joanna, March 08, 2010
What I also know is that in the endocannabinoid studies to date (I am not an expert here, but do understand and accept what I have read as published studies) there is still a significant difference between the "naturally occurring" and the synthetic, most of the more important and beneficial attributes have been found and substantiated in the natural, and fewer in the synthetic, although there is promising research to close the gap, gap it still is.
And yes, there were and are significant problems with giving anti-psychotic drugs to children! Why do you think that they are rarely if ever prescribed for children (and even young adults up to 24 years of age)? Because the immature, still developing brain reacts differently than the mature, adult brain. So, to mention that only lends weight to my opinion that CHILDREN should NOT be encouraged to try pot.
Scare tactics? Oh please, are you telling me that by telling the truth about my experience with people who died, that is too scary? Oh, ok, then let's not talk about teen drinking and driving, or teen pregnancy, or pre-teen sexually activity and STD's? So just because there were some really bad things that happened, we should not mention them because it might scare someone? If you are a "mental health counselor", then you of all people should know that withholding information on the consequences of choices/actions is tantamount to accessory to stupidity. Do you also withhold the information regarding the issues and difficulties for both teen mother and baby resulting from teen pregnancy? And do you withhold the information, numbers and statistics of accidents and deaths from teenage drunk driving? Or the alcohol related deaths from college drinking? The statistics on teenage alcoholism? How about the consequences of unprotected sex? HIV? Aids? Syphilis? Gonorrhea? Herpes? Or are those things just too scary?
And Mr. Nelson, I only retired I did not die or go blind, I have read and continue to read the studies and information, and contrary to what many would like to believe, if you look you will find that there are still studies coming out that are not as supportive as you would like. Interestingly enough, those don't seem to get the same attention that the others do. I wonder why that is? I have read both the pro and the con, and they do not change my personal experiences. They may help to explain them to me, but they do not change them or the realities those personal experiences represent.
And by the way, Mr. Nelson I am neither a Christian, nor a "racist, misguided, pseudo-moralistic" person allowing someone else to tell me how to think. Although I'm not sure what being "racist" has to do with any of this, except that it is considered such a horror to most to be labeled as such that you just threw it in for effect and to try and label me as something much worse than simply "misguided", I will say to both of you, as long as no one disagreed with you, you were fine, but let one dissenting opinion (and I was quite clear that it WAS my opinion) and you both fell immediately to disparaging, acrimonious name-calling. Why is that? Are you so fearful of one dissenting opinion that you felt compelled to cast aspersions ("alleged" cases) and smear ("racist, misguided, pseudo-moralistic blather", "self-professed, Christian moralists" who cannot think for themselves) the lone voice of dissent? Why am I such a threat to you? Am I not allowed to share my personal experience and put forth my opinion as to it's relevance to the topic? I did not resort to name-calling and smearing either of you. Argue the question on it's merits and the points of discussion and leave the personal, ad hominem attacks for politicians and other miscreants.
Last, Derek Rosenzweig, not only do I appreciate your excellent comment, I will indeed follow up on the link you provided. I would only say that it might be possible (speculation on my part only) that the reason that legalizing marijuana for medical use does not impact teen use rates is that it simply does not apply to children as few of them are likely to be able to get a doctor prescription for it, so it would stand to reason that making it legal for medical use would neither decrease nor increase teen use (abuse).
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written by Ron Fousek , March 08, 2010
That being said here is a link to the study done by The Center for Medical Cannabis Research and a short excerpt http://www.cmcr.ucsd.edu/geninfo/research.htm
"With five of seven clinical trials completed, researchers found that marijuana can provide relief for neuropathic pain caused by injuries, infections, diabetes, strokes and other conditions that affect the nervous system. The studies also found that smoking pot offers at least short-term relief for spasticity by soothing pain and muscle spasms in sufferers of multiple sclerosis. But researchers said more study is needed.
"There is good evidence that cannabinoids (in marijuana) may be an adjunct or a first-line treatment," said Dr. Igor Grant, a UC San Diego professor of psychiatry who has directed the state-funded research. He said he hoped the studies -- the first by any state -- would spur federal funding for additional research
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written by Mike Cann, March 08, 2010
Funny about those conspiracy theorists, your column also puts them to shame. Full of conspiracy theory from top to bottom.
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written by Dave in Florida, March 08, 2010
Cliff and Joanne both, only seem to be concerned about cannabis use by young people being a problem. So it would to me that they should both encourage the re-legalization of cannabis with strict controls on age limits, advertising, and so forth.. This would not only keep cannabis from young people, it would also allow hemp to be grown for fiber and fuel, as well as hundreds of other uses.
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written by Nic, March 08, 2010
The whole point of marijuana legalization is to cut costs and to stop putting people in jail for smoking weed or being in the possession of small amounts. Also legal weed would mean no more weed dealers. Why would you buy crappy weed from a dealer when you can get good weed at a store on the corner? No weed dealers means less people who can introduce hard drugs to kids. Because thats where they get addicited to pills, meth, heroin, etc. not because theyre high from weed, but because they get introduced to harder drugs from dealers that they buy the weed from, smart guy...
Kids are going to get their hands on marijuana no matter how strict our laws are or how many DEA raids are conducted...get that through your hard head. Time to take some profit motivation away from delaers and protect our kids.
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written by Bud, March 08, 2010
I'm a combat vet with 100% PTSD. You don't want to be around me if I HAVEN'T vap'ed. Oh, I don't "smoke," I "vaporize." Ever heard of that, Cliff? Evidently not.
Cliff only want's to be part of the answer. However, he can't bring himself to move past being part of the problem. Here's a nice picture for your office wall, Cliff. Hope you enjoy it. http://stash.norml.org/wp-cont...-20101.jpg
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written by Harm Reduction, March 08, 2010
Among the states that have pa*sed medical marijuana legislation only a few permit the use of marijuana for any mental health conditions. In some states lawmakers have played doctor and codified lists of illnesses that are politically acceptable to qualify for medical marijuana treatments--and mental illness doesn't make the cut.
There may be suicides that have been attributable to marijuana. We don't know. The research hasn't been done. We *do* know that there are suicides attributable to doctor-prescribed pharmacological drugs like Prozac. Yet because Prozac at the same time seems to help millions of patients, it is remains on the market.
As a former volunteer at one of the first San Francisco medical marijuana dispensaries, I saw hundreds of mental health patients who benefited from this medication. As Dr. Lester Grinspoon is fond of saying, marijuana works on three levels: physical--because can relieve pain, psychological--because it can reduce anxiety and depression, and social--because it brings people together for a shared experience when they might otherwise be withdrawn and alone at home.
Especially when provided in the right dosage, the right strain, the right delivery mechanism, and in a supportive environment--all of which can be achieved in a medical marijuana co-op (and none of which is possible on the black market)--many mental health patients can and do benefit from medical marijuana.
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written by Joshua, March 08, 2010
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written by luvourmother, March 08, 2010
Another note to the author is the use of language in this article. 14 states have legalized medial marijuana, this has been happening for over a decade and over the next 2 years almost half of the US will have legalized medical marijuana. This plant helps thousands of people much more than the expensive pharmaceuticals that cause harmful side effects like death.
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written by Joshua, March 08, 2010
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written by Bunk, March 08, 2010
Nonetheless, this article is complete bull***t from a drug war cultist who has a history of dubious crap like this. Stop the drug war now!
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written by Patrick in Madison, March 08, 2010
wonder if he knew what kind of minefield he lumbered into - or if he thought he could scare up some dummies who are afraid of their own shadows.
same old fears from yesteryear, even more afraid of the future
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written by James S, March 08, 2010
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written by citizen, March 08, 2010
I started smoking mj when I was 12 or 13. Yes way too young. Why? Peer pressure from my brothers and friends. You know what I loved it. It did not make me crazy as you imply. What made me do crazy things was alcohol. Yes the legal DRUG. And because of my desire not to do crazy things I quit drinking and only smoked. I managed my smoking and was able to pull off A's and B's in high school. I then went on to spend 4 years in the Marine Corps which I felt was my duty as a citizen. I also smoked while I was in the service (I worked on black boxes in fighter jets). I managed to survive the witchunts that my country forced upon me monthly by violating my civil right with urine tests. After an honorable discharge I became....wait for it... a
deputy sheriff correction officer. Unbelievable right. I also got married, had 4 kids, became a born again christian, pay my bills, pay way to many taxes, get up and go to work every day, etc, etc, etc. Yes I still love to smoke. How come I have to keep looking over my shoulder because I occasionally smoke mj. Why, because of people like you that want to control other peoples lives. Your kind think that you know whats best for me. Hogwash.
I can tell you from my experience as a correction officer that I have never seen a violent person on mj (not saying that it couldnt happen). However in my dealings with people who get arrested and come straight to jail the majority are intoxicated with the legal drug ALCOHOL. I have had to fight with these people because alcohol makes them violent. I have had to watch these people later withdraw from alcohol (DT's). Some have suffered for weeks and let me tell you it is not pretty. Also I have seen an ever increasing # of people suffering addictions from pain pills and other psychotropic meds. But you know what I havent seen is people
withdrawing from marijauna. Do you know why-IT IS NOT ADDICTIVE. People who come to jail on marijuana
charges are usaually very coherent, polite and a little upset that they have to go to jail for this. Usually they
see me with my badge and they blame me becuase I represent the system. I cant tell them how I really feel
other than the fact I think it should be legal and Alcohol illegal. But they do not have withdrawals, PERIOD.
If you believe so strongly in keeping marijauna illegal then where are your opinion articles fighting for the end of all alcohol production. Making it illegal to manufacture, posses, sell or use this dangerous substance.
You cant have it both ways Cliff. Dont be a Zombie I think youre smarter than that. Obviously this kid had mental problems to begin with dont blame marijuana.
I'm almost 50 years old now I dont smoke cigarettes, I dont drink, I work out to stay in shape. I see my old friends who loved to drink. They look 10 years older than me have pot bellies (not from pot) and yes they ARE addicted to alcohol and their lives are in a shambles. You tell me whats really worse? Ask my dead cousin who was killed by a drunk driver, no wait you cant he's dead.
Don't be a hypocrite cliff.
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written by TYC, March 08, 2010
Eugenics anyone? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugenics
(We need a 'well rounded' society of stable individuals)
Google 'Government poisoned alcohol during prohibition' ...worked before, so what if a few potheads die...
Google 'No knock drug warrant deaths' ...so, the cops got the wrong address, again
Google 'Berwyn Heights Mayor Cheye Calvo' ...OK, he 'had' marijuana...given to him by the cops...right before they shot the dogs and arrested everybody in sight.
How many dirty citizens have you turned in today, Comrade Clean Citizen 451? Seriously, from the right side, no less!!!
Cliff Kincaid is the Editor of Accuracy in Media...after reading this article, I find his job title misleading.
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written by mikko, March 08, 2010
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written by bart wakker, March 08, 2010
I've been using cannabis for over 10 years (started at 33 years old) in moderate amount (varying between once a week and once per three months) just for recreational purposes. Being a phycisist, it is clear I do not want to harm my brain in any way, and I know that I don't. I have not used cannabis as a student, but I knew many teenagers and later students that did (its use in the Netherlands was much higher in the 80s than it is today), and virtually noone of those suffered any ill consequences.
If you worked with teenagers I a*sume you got to see mostly problem cases. If you see problem cases and then look for other factors, then often you will find something. However, if you were to see all cannabis users including those without problems, your perspective would be quite different. Of course, you do not see the cannabis user without any problems, because they keep it secret because of the Prohibition. Therefore, you do not have an objective picture.
Since the end of the 50s, when use of any kind of drugs including especially cannabis was much lower than today, there has been no increase in psychosis. The link between psychosis or any other disorders and cannabis has never been proven and does not exist. The few studies that claim otherwise are flawed.
A causal link about depression and cannabis: various studies have shown cannabis to be an anti-depressant for moderate use. For heavy use the results are unclear at best, see http://www.cannabis.net/depression/index.html for example. There is a correlation but it is a low one even for heavy use and cause and effect are not clear, there might well be another common factor.
So while I do not deny that you may have seen a few people that used cannabis and got into a depression: there are many teenagers that get into a depression, with or without cannabis. Dedicated studies have not seen an obvious cause and effect. If there is, it might well be mental and not a physical cause.
Teenagers can be mentally addicted to many things and develop a depression at the same time. I've seen people addicted to computer games to the point that they went into depression (in fact I lost a full year during my studies due to this and was very depressed afterwards; I was not using cannabis at the time), people are addicted to sex and then get depressed at some day because they see they've been chasing an illusion. Not to talk about alcohol of course.
I do not exclude that some teenagers will get into big mental problem including depression due to heavy cannabis use. But to repeat: many get into depression for many other habits as well. Plus, many with tendency to mental problems might be inclined to experiment with substances including cannaibs. Cause and effect are hard to separate and this requires a thorough scientific study and not just some personal and statistically insicnificant observiations. Please be honest with yourself.
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written by Joanna, March 08, 2010
Mr. Wakker, thank you. There were lots of things I did not mention in my earlier posts and you have identified most of them. Yes, I saw mostly "problem cases", and yes, they were extremely heavy users. Did/do I recognize this as an extreme? Of course, and that suicide or attempted suicide being the most extreme result of an extreme behavior, is not going to be the "average" by which to judge.
It is also true that while they had multiple issues, the one aspect of each of those cases which was consistent was that in each, their heavy, constant use of marijuana [for them] induced such severe depression, they became suicidal. Do I realize that this is not the case for many, possibly even most? Of course. Do I acknowledge that for adults it is even less frequent, probably even rare? Of course. Did I, in any of my previous 2 posts suggest total prohibition as the best/final solution? No, in fact I said "I certainly do not have the solution, only an opinion."
I weary of those others (not Bart or Derek Rosenzweig or even Citizen and a couple of others who were civil, thanks) who, having read my opinion, immediately devolved into hateful, sarcastic, abusive, snide name calling and rudeness. These people have so much hate for anyone who dares have an opinion with which they disagree they feel obliged to try and inflict as much pain and virulent hostility as possible. They obviously believe that the 1st Amendment is reserved for only themselves and those with whom they agree, the rest of us are to be shouted down, mocked, scorned, labeled, marginalized and [if they could manage it] silenced forever, thereby depriving us of the very rights which allowed them to have their opinion.
Again, Mr. Wakker, Mr. Rosenzweig, and yes Citizen, thank each of you for your civil response, for your alternate perspective and viewpoints. The good news is that I was able to glean more knowledge and a bit more understanding by being exposed to your opinions and experiences, which is all I ever intended by sharing mine. The bad news is that those who were so vitriolic in their posts will never perceive or admit to anything of value being attainable from any opinion or experience by which they feel so threatened [mine] that all they can do is to "shout it down".
Isn't it interesting that no one even cared to ask what my opinion was of the article? I suppose they just a*sumed that I agreed with it because I have a position regarding marijuana use by children. Interesting and very "telling" about their concept of what constitutes healthy debate or their ability to even have one.
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written by E. Collins, March 08, 2010
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written by DOwhatsRight, March 08, 2010
You are a joke sir, your facts are wrong your quotes are wrong and you sir ARE WRONG! You use fear and misinformation to sell your agenda and you are causing more harm than drugs ever would or could. Some day sir there will be War crimes dealt out from this failed policy and I know for a fact your name will be on top of any list, for keeping misinformation flowing and harming the millions that have had their lives destroyed over this failed prohibition!
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written by Sarah10, March 08, 2010
I don't believe legalization will reduce use among young people but will increase it. 1. After decades of decline, marijuana use is up at the same time as med. marijuana is proliferating. I've known several kids who get access through medical marijuana and think it is good for them but whose behavior shows it definitely is not. 2. Alcohol and tobacco, legal substances, have higher rates of use among youth and unless we can point to alcohol use among teens as being under control, we shouldn't legalize another harmful drug. 3. Adult recreational use will lead to more use among youth--highest risk factor for use of marijuana by teenagers is parents who use and abuse.
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written by Conservative_Jeff, March 08, 2010
Go to this page and become of fan if you want to see Drug Prohibition Over Turned http://www.facebook.com/pages/...2366420080
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written by Sam Sharp, March 09, 2010
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written by newageblues, March 10, 2010
Some opponents of cannabis talk about cannabis and mental health. Aside from the fact that the competition (alcohol) is worse in this and many other critical ways, have they ever considered that the stress from being decreed a criminal for liking weed could drive some vulnerable people crazy? Being treated as a criminal, and steeply penalized financially for an incomprehensible, patently unfair reason, day in and day out for years, could be an unbearably stressful situation for some people.
Cannabis prohibition for adults is a wildly hypocritical piece of garbage.
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written by Evan, March 24, 2010
Although, if weed were to be legalized there wouldn't be the need to grow weed in Mexico anymore because we would be able to grow it in the states which is closer to the consumers, thus ending drug trafficking of marijuana across the border.
Legalization would lead to new jobs and end jobs if we start using industrial marijuana, that's where the debate is. Some people would lose money while other will start making money. Everything people do and say is motivated by profit, especially the rich. The rich can already buy almost ANYTHING they want so whats left to do? get richer.
On a personal note, marijuana was not my gateway drug. Alcohol was the first mind altering substances I tried when I was 17. When I was 19 I tried marijuana and liked it better because I an instant feeling of being high and I didn't throw up and get hang overs. When I was 21 I tried saliva 30x [you can buy it as high as 80x] which is actually sold in smoke shops in the US, the room melted when I smoked it its basically like ACID but stronger in the froms that smokeshops are selling it in. A month later I became extremely manic for 1 week and ended up in the mental hospital. I roamed the city and didn't hurt a fly, I was too busy believing I was God and exploring being goofy. I was put on Geodon for about a year and now I'm completely off and completely normal. From that day on I told myself that I will never do any other substance other than marijuana and sometimes alcohol, I wont even do mushrooms. People who get mental disorders while using marijuana usually are using other drugs. I rarely find people around my city that ONLY uses marijuana.
I think its sad that saliva can be legal but marijuana isn't, but saliva isn't a cash crop so it doesn't danger any other industry.
Also, Amsterdam has already legalized marijuana so we actually have a real world example of what could happen if we legalize is here. The Netherlands has the lowest number of drug-related [any drug] deaths in Europe. Coffee Shops in Amsterdam are required to provide consumers with the heath hazards and chemical content of the marijuana because heath problems do exists unless you always use a vaporizer which most people don't. Shops also have to say where they bought the marijuana they sell.
I do think the medical marijuana is bull s**t because I know people who can get cards for bull s**t reasons like chronic pain which is easily fake-able. "Chronic, the solution to chronic pain." Medical Marijuana is only allowed because Industrial Marijuana stays illegal.
Well, I love the Terms of Usage. Just in case you didn't read them: By submitting your comments we reserve the right, at our sole discretion, to change, modify, add, or delete your comments and portions of these Terms of Use at any time without further notice.
So I'll be copy and paste this into a file just in case the change something I said.
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Why do studies all show benefits of omega 3 and the deficiency of it in the western diet?? This plant and the hemp plant are nutritious for the human body. If you read the peer reviewed journals you start to understand what is really going on.
Every study that is done in respect to marijuana that shows CONCLUSIVE CAUSAL HARM is due to the fact that they use a synthetic cannabinoid (THC) and only that one out of 80 or so are used. The plant needs to be studied with ALL OF THE CANNABINOIDS present in the plant. You will always have harmful results with synthetic components that strip out the other components that work to balance out the system.