Hackery, part two.

Yesterday, Allan noted that a letter of his had been commented on by Drug Watch International.
That threw me. The name Drug Watch International had a slightly familiar ring, but I couldn’t place it and knew nothing about it. That in itself was startling. An international prohibitionist group that has gone unmentioned in my blog in the four years I’ve been writing? How is that possible?
So I looked them up. Not much there there. Most of the pages haven’t been updated in years, and it seems that all they really do is release a newsletter one to four times a year. Their principles include such things as:

• Support strong laws and meaningful legal penalties that hold users and dealers accountable for their actions.
• Support efforts to prevent availability and use of drugs, and oppose policies and programs that accept drug use based erroneously on reduction or minimization of harm.
• Support International Treaties and Agreements, including international sanctions and penalties against drug trafficking, and oppose attempts to weaken international drug policies and laws.
• Support efforts to halt the legalization/decriminalization of drugs.

Yep. They’re hard core.
They had one newsletter this year (the only one I looked at). Most of it was regurgitating propaganda from other sources, but they seemed to start with a couple of feature articles.
First was a special article about the presentation of the Drug Watch… FREEDOM award!
On March 18, 2007, they presented this special Freedom plaque (there’s a picture of it) to Dr. Gabriel Nahas for a book he wrote in 1986 about the hazards of marijuana called “Keep Off the Grass.” Nahas’ wife was also there…

Marilyn Nahas read several congratulatory cards and letters from people who recalled important milestones in her husband’s life and his crusade against drug abuse. She reminded everyone that “Gabby” often was fiercely and ruthlessly attacked for his views by those seeking to legalize drugs, especially marihuana, and that in the early years he often stood alone, backed only by parents and early activists in what we call today the preventionists’ movement.

Freedom award!
Then there was the Hemp Report from the chair of Drug Watch International’s Hemp Committee with a host of catchy slogans:

• “It’s the stalks, stupid!”
• Hemp: Where there’s rope, there’s dope.
• NO state or country in the world has scientifically established the safety of food products made from hemp.
• North Dakota officials have been convinced to jeopardize what they hold most dear — the safety of their children, families, communities, and even their country.
• …safeguards can’t be put on fatty human cell walls to protect them from toxic, fat-loving THC found in food, cosmetic, and other products made of Cannabis hemp/marijuana.
• Potential harm to children from chemicals in hemp/marijuana is reported in national and international official government documents, which say that the toxic, bioactive cannabinoids in hemp/marijuana can affect and/or delay the growth and development of children.

Wow. These folks are really ’round the bend.