Interesting article in the Wall Street Journal on prohibition. Interesting in that it managed to not even mention today’s prohibition once.
Drug prohibition doesn’t work – so what do we do next? – a good OpEd by Chris Middendorp in the Sydney Morning Herald
The focus of any drug debate should not be morals or the law; it should concentrate on the welfare of human beings. The common use of the term “junkie” helps us to maintain the belief that users of substances are in some way lesser beings. Part of the reason we’ve comfortably followed the prohibition path for so long has been mainstream culture’s view of drug users as subhuman creatures who need redemption. What they really need is medical support and laws that make sense.
As long as we’re down under, Logan sent me this delightful article about a real Australian individualist from Mountain Creek.
A MOUNTAIN Creek man told a magistrate yesterday that he grew his own marijuana crops because he refused to fund the Sunshine Coast’s illegal drug trade.
Terry John Lanigan said it did not matter what penalty the magistrate handed down, he would continue to grow organic cannabis for him and his partner to use. […]
“I don’t mean to be cheeky, but I’ll always continue to smoke marijuana and grow a little bit of marijuana for myself.â€
Another nice article by Tim King at Salem-News.com. He’s pointing out the position of a particular local candidate, yet manages to take the time to point out the history of hemp in the U.S.
On the other hand, check out this bizarre editorial in the Democrat Herald: Forty years of ‘drug war’ What a pathetic editorial staff. They seem afraid to take a position.
The obvious question: Has the drug war been worth it, especially in regard to marijuana?
Nobody can say for sure.
Really?
Perhaps if, after 40 years, you can’t say for sure that it’s been worth it, then maybe that’s evidence that it hasn’t, hmmm?
After 40 years of marriage, is sex good?Cant say for sure.
Oh good grief! Get a divorce!!
I am really impressed with that Salem-New article. It is really very good.
The just to add the Transform book Middendorp references; ‘After the war on drugs; Blueprint for Regulation’, is available in full online as a free pdf (220 pages) , and in exec summary here
Did anyone else notice how, in the first article, it mentioned the German-Americans being discriminated against because of their association with beer? This seems to be perfectly reminiscent of the link between the Mexicans and marijuana that was prevalent during the early stages of cannabis prohibition.
Wisconsin is currently exploring allowing medical use, we could use some words of encouragement up here, especially since our leading democrat may be getting cold feet. Thanks and much love
http://www.examiner.com/madison
So many parallels between alcohol prohibition and drug prohibition especially considering the language in the article. Really shocking that there was no comparison made. Major void.
“How do we say, “Merry Christmasâ€, in Russian.”
С РождеÑтвом ХриÑовым or…
S Rojdesvom KhristovymС РождеÑтвом ХриÑовым (S Rojdesvom Khristovym)