“Prince of Pot” sparks drug debate
Meanwhile, war on drugs becomes a war on pot
Marc Emery, the self-proclaimed Prince of Pot has been unlawfully seized by the U.S. Mr. Emery resides in Canada where it is legal to sell the seeds of the marijuana plant, and yet, the United States has forced Canada to expedite him to the U.S. where he is to be subjected to legal penalties that the Canadian high court has deemed unconstitutional.
From the Edmonton Sun:
Meanwhile, here’s some food for thought. According to the U.S. Criminal Justice Policy Foundation, there are between 400,000 and 500,000 people in U.S. jails for drug offences - more than all the prisoners in the European Union.
Also, a U.S. report released in May noted that the war on drugs has become a “war on marijuana.”
Pot arrests in the U.S. increased by 113% between 1990 and 2002 while non-marijuana arrests rose by only 10%, the study by the Sentencing Project found.
The U.S. spends $4 billion a year arresting, prosecuting and incarcerating marijuana offenders.
As for pot, the price has dropped, potency has increased and use has gone up.
Get the Canadian perspective on Mr. Emery and America’s war on pot here.
October 3rd, 2005 at 11:19 am
Why wouldnt u want some people driving high rather tnan people that molest kids and our jails and prison would be less filled if you take out the people who was in trouble for having a little bit of weed on them people it wouldnt take out of the taxs payers money to pay for them to live inside the jails and prison there would be room for people that needs to be in that kind of place like killers and rappers and stuff like that so weed should be legalized.
October 3rd, 2005 at 11:23 am
When they say that the government spends 4 billion dollors on putting people in jail and procecuting them then when people take it to school and deal it under the teachers administration and then when they catch it they try to deny it so they will do it any way even if its legal or not so it should be legalized
October 3rd, 2005 at 11:24 am
weed should be legal cause its good
October 8th, 2005 at 11:30 pm
Looking back on the history of Marijauna we find that that our own goverment had to attach it as negative stigma to the Mexican immigration problems in the early 1900’s. They then tried to scare us that marijuana would make us kill our own mother’s with the ridiculus and very propogantic video “Refer Madness”. Then in 1970 it is considered a controlled substance (which by the way in my opinion means: if abused can be fatal and very addicting) after the supreme court threw down the original law set back 1937. This original law required that the comsumer of pot had to have a stamp (a rubber stamp mind you, like a permit). In order to obtain a stamp the applicant would have to show up at city hall with a bag of weed he wanted to use and was promptly arrested for illegal possession because he didn’t have a stamp…this is called sef-incrimiation people. Thank you Timothy Leary! Marijuana is not a controlled substance..it is a weed. One can pick it in a field in all of America like a blade of grass or a dandellion and smoke it in his peace pipe. It is not processed..it does not have controlled substances in it used for processing like speed, cocoaine or regular legal tobacco. Show me the medical studies that marijuana will make me kill my mother or make me go insane or is addictive and fatal. They’re are none, because they don’t exist. This same plant made the ropes for the ships and fabric and clothing for the soldiers in our Revolutionary war. It is as American as Apple pie. Today, as always the truth has been that pot has many medicinal uses and the federal government refuses to acknowledge this by not letting the states regulate their own marijuana laws. The states can regulate their own liquor but can’t regulate pot..what is wrong with this picture? I do believe and am convinced that pot is not bad for you and if used in moderation for recreational use will do no harm to oneself or society. As anything we injest, smoke or inhale we have to have self control and take care of our health. To much wine, steak or chocolate cake for that matter will destroy one’s health and well being. Quit spending our hard earned tax dollars on enforcing the illegalization of pot on us and save the money for the Hurricane victims of 2005. If consumers were allowed grow a plant in their backyard garden like tomatoes and corn, for their own use, trafficing and distribution of pot wouldn’t exist. Criminals couldn’t use Marijuana as a money generating machine for guns and terrroist acts against innocent people. If everyone had it, its worth would be pennies. If the goverment can use tobacco as a tax money generating machine, why not Marijuana? For those of use who can’t grow it, buy it leaglly with an added tax to pay for city park renovations and Johnny’s education. Look at how many people have died from our legal drug use abuses. This is hipocritical thinking!! As responsible adults, we should be allowed to use pot but also be responsible as parents to not let our children abuse pot. Pot is not food, it can’t be treated as such. It’s effects on the human body are well documented. Why can’t we set a legal age to consume Marijuana like toboacco and alcohol? I am not stating that pot is as dangerous as either of these drugs…it is far less. The only thing I seen pot do is make people hungry or sleeply or laugh or just lay down and watch the stars and contemplate if they’ve had to much. I have never in my 30 years seen anyone become violent by consuming it orally or by inhalation. Allow medical and personal use of pot now…end the madness!!
October 16th, 2005 at 9:41 am
Sexually Abused Females Shoot Up Heroin
March 19th, 2006 at 9:21 am
All of the above statements have merit. America’s politic’s have twisted the truth once again. We call our selves a Nation “Land of the Free.” No Sir, this is not a true statement. As our current President has placed our Nation in further debt, any free thoughts on pot would have a larger portion of our fellow Americans choosing to not support his ideas. We need to change the way we address our daily challenges on taxes, laws, the way we all have to live together. Having pot a criminal action is just stupid. Show mw a leader with some vision and once again just maybe we can get this Nation of ours backon the proper path with a “Voice of Reason.” Thanks for reading.
June 8th, 2006 at 10:21 am
whta bruce darnell is saying is very true. this “war on drugs” is to fatten the wallets of our government politicians. they say y make it legal when we already make so much of 3 stems ($356 fine) which is what i got, rather than an under age smoking ($72) or underage drinking at .02 ($130) this is just in WI. they should make it if you grow it for your own purpose then go ahead it’s 10x healthier than an cig or beer. no brain damage or recked liver, just hungery…
August 13th, 2006 at 6:35 am
The amount of time that is used in our already congested judicial system. As well as the money spent on court fee’s and prison upkeep, should be reason alone to reconsider our drug policy. Maybe now that our generation is facing an astronomical debt, we will be forced to reconsider our glutenous ways.