Shepard Smith: “Are you kidding me? Compared to Oxycontin and Percocet, the side effects of marijuana are serious?”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSyBAacofkM
- DrugWarRant.com, the longest running single-issue blog devoted to drug policy
Join us on Pete's couch.
Send comments, tips,
and suggestions to: Recent Comments
on John Walters and William Barr linked to Nazis: “More that might be useful, Mount Sinai researchers have identified a brain pathway that is affected by addictive drugs: 18-APR-2024–…researchers,…” Apr 18, 23:11
on John Walters and William Barr linked to Nazis: “More on opiate receptors. I had a physician who recommended Salvia Divinorum. He later asked me to keep his recommendation…” Apr 17, 11:40
Whenever anyone makes the argument about “where does it stop?”, you simply have to direct them to drug use statistics http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/NSDUH/2K8NSDUH/tabs/Sect1peTabs1to10.pdf
notice the huge numbers of marijuana use compared to all the other drugs… there simply isnt a big enough market for other drugs and once marijuana is made legal, the market for those drugs will shrink quite a bit more since there will be a great legal alternative. a lot of people start using harder drugs because of marijuana(drug) tests and will switch back to marijuana when they no longer get punished for using the safest drug known to man.
Reefer madness debate with a twist.two proponents against one opponent in a medical marijuana debate,,,,,unheard of.
not just any two proponents…a Fox News host and a prosecutor. Wow.
And the opponent of reform is a Trial Attorney that probably has 10 to 12 drug trials on his or his firms docket.
I was so shocked that the Prosecutor and Faux News’ Shepard Smith were on the side of legalized medical cannabis.
If the trial lawyer was my attorney, I’d fire his worthless butt. I wonder how he rationalizes representing a drug client in court, or if he turns away drug cases.
What a tired argument…. “if we legalize cannabis, why not legalize coke, heroin, prostitution, etc.”
Well I have news for the idiot trial lawyer… Prostitution has been legal in Nevada for years, and the sky hasn’t fallen. Same for medical cannabis – In CA it’s been medical cannabis has been legal for ..15 years? You haven’t seen any of the problems the prohibitionists have rant about. Same for Oregon. Oregon has a much more restrictive medical cannabis law, been in effect at least 10 years, and the sky hasn’t fallen here either.
If cannabis causes all the problems with health and society that prohibitionists claim, WHERE ARE THE BODIES?
Medical studies have shown cannabis to be a benign substance; there is no reason for it to be illegal. The trial lawyer said it best… it’s a moral issue.
Who the hell are the prohibitionists to tell me what morals I should have? I don’t rape, rob, or eat babies for breakfast, and have been a cannabis user for over 30 years. The use of cannabis has not made me an evil person doing evil things. Prohibitionists – don’t try to shove your morals down my throat…. I’ll bite!
The side effects! No, wait! It’s a moral and political distinction. Wait, the FDA…no I mean, Where will it all lead?
You almost feel sorry for the guy, he was prepared for a commentator who would steer the arguement his way…not some guy who was interested in the truth! That the guy was from Fox is interesting.
Most people think of Fox News as “Bill O Really World”.
But Shepard Smith has had some awesome moments, this being one of them. All these news channel talking heads are on a sliding scale of sanity and rationality, occasionally moving up and down as the topics change.
And Mr. Jackson is just spewing. Either he believes his points or he believes them like someone assigned a debate topic would believe them. Defend them with a smile and damned be morality.
“Trial Attorney” does not equate to criminal defense attorney. There many areas of law. Trial attorney just means he is a litigator. He specializes in appearing in court representing clients with litigation before judges and juries. Could be real estate or property, or patents or copyright or liability or any number of other things.
This is obviously not his area of expertise and it’s a joke he’s paid to say anything on the subject.
“the market for those drugs will shrink quite a bit more since there will be a great legal alternative.”
Big pharma will fight it tooth and nail for precisely this reason. Private prison corporations, prison guard unions, law enforcement, prosecutors won’t let their golden cash cow (the drug war)go without a fight.
Shep sure got the final word in…
“This is just the beginning!”
He’s a little late but he’s capable of catching up.
joey jackson sounded so damn ignorant i couldn’t even laugh at him. He knows that marijuana isn’t comparable to oxy WTF man. i actually emailed Shepard Smith at fox news and thanked him for the common sense debate. and this story was on sunday, why did it break wednesday on here??? come on guys. i’m glad to see someone over at fox defending some god damn commmon sense though. i just couldn’t NOT believe that jackson would just FLAT OUT LIE! what as asshole he is. what an ASSHOLE!!!
Sign of the times: the weirdest part of that interview was when they started talking about Manny Ramirez.
How far we’ve come. And one of the people holding us back is some jackass”trial attorney.” Making arguments like that should have caused whatever law school he went to drop in the rankings.
Just some drugs that have therapeutic value:
Diamorhpine (heroin): recommended for use in children who present to emergency departments in pain.
Methamphetamine: (ICE) [Desoxyn]: Given to children over the age of 6 to treat ADHD and obesity.
Cocaine hydrochloride.
GHB (Xyrem).
Cannabis.
No alcohol on that list.
Oxycodone and percocet just doesn’t get anywhere near as many people who don’t use it going off the deep end. Cannabis causes a significant number of cannabis non-users to got off the deep end.
———————————————————
““the market for those drugs will shrink quite a bit more since there will be a great legal alternative.â€
Big pharma will fight it tooth and nail for precisely this reason. Private prison corporations, prison guard unions, law enforcement, prosecutors won’t let their golden cash cow (the drug war)go without a fight.”
Well you must have missed that ‘big’ pharma is investing in and helping develop whole cannabis plant extracts. Bayer is investing in GW Pharmaceuticals. There are several others who’s name I can’t recall offhand. The next couple of blockbuster drugs are going to be cannabinoid medicine.
The National Black Police Association has given a thumbs up to Prop 19.
No, can’t find any prison guards that support re-legalizing cannabis.
The baby boomers are starting to collect Social Security payments and getting to the age when cannabis medicine can really help. The baby boomers will want access to cannabinoid medicine, and what the baby boomers want, the baby boomers get. Yes I know that I’m an oddball as not many others think the end of cannabis prohibition will happen because of septuagenarian and octogenarians but that’s my prediction and I’m sticking with it.
surprisingly CA’s prison guard union is sharing the PTA’s “no position” position on Prop 19…
“The baby boomers will want access to cannabinoid medicine, and what the baby boomers want, the baby boomers get. Yes I know that I’m an oddball as not many others think the end of cannabis prohibition will happen because of septuagenarian and octogenarians but that’s my prediction and I’m sticking with it.”
You know, I’ve actually heard that before. It’s not that much of an oddball prediction what with the sheer amount of ’em … I also think it will be earlier then when they are in their 70’s. It might not be the only reason legalization happens but I agree that the seeking of alternative therapies and life/mind extension drugs could have an accelerated tsunami effect on the legalization process.
“This is just the beginning!â€
Yup it sure is, Nov is creeping up on us 🙂
Ya, Shep is the only Faux news personality that I can stand to watch, honestly I have thought he was undoubtedly a closet smoker for quite some time, but the fact that he is taking the issue to FOX in prime time is awesome! Definitely gets the message out in a big way!
Also, I saw O’reilly was talking about weed on his program tonight but couldn’t hear it, just saw the people puffing b-roll. Anyone know what he was saying? I’m sure it was ignorant but I am curious.
Their official position is neutral but aren’t they funding one of the “no on 19” campaigns? Official statements in this day and age mean next to nothing…
I mean the prison guards, if that wasn’t clear.
Just wondering– is there any other nation that HAS a prison-guard union? One that is has political influence?
[shudders]
@darkcycle. It appears that they really are staying out of it this time so far (which was a surprise to me as well). They put a whole lot of money into opposing the previous referendum, so I kind of assumed that they’d be connected here, but that appears to be unfounded.
One of the “no on 19” campaigns is supported by the same group that supported the Prop 8 anti-gay-marriage referendum. That may be what you’re thinking of.
@Richard. Good question. What other country has made prisons such a big business?
Once again the right outdoes the left. MSNBC talking heads rarely go there so as not to embarrass/challenge Obama. On balance – fair or not – Fox is doing better on the drug issue.
Well, Corrections Corporation of America was behind Arizona’s ‘show me your papers’ law. Guess that and making profit from the caging of their fellow citizens is reason enough to hate them….