Wednesday, April 29, 2009

“Bad Journalism”





While surfing the 'net tonight I came across this article from 2002. I believe it is still relevant today as many of us try to expose the madness of the war on drugs. You'll read here on my own site about both Canadian and American issues and policies regarding cannabis and drug laws, and this is because I believe that our two countries are quite intertwined when it comes to Prohibition.

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

SMtF's Exclusive: Interview With The Union’s Adam Scorgie!

Show Me the Facts talks with Adam Scorgie, co-creator and executive producer of the awesome Canadian cannabis documentary "The Union: The Business Behind Getting High", Official Selection of 31 International Film Festivals.

Exclusive: Interview With The Union’s Adam Scorgie!





The makers of the movie have a goal of selling over 5 000 pre-orders from between June 30th and July 28th, 2009. If you really want to support legalization, supporting this film is a great way to do so. You can also visit The Union Website for more information about this wonderful, enlightening documentary.




UPDATE: Visit The Union's Facebook Page - the DVD will be on sale and available for rental at many mores places, find out where you can get your copy!

Monday, April 27, 2009

If I Could Hug Oregon...

Eugene, Oregon mayor proclaims Apr 30 - May 6 “Medical Marijuana Awareness Week”

I was tearing up by the time I finished reading this news. This is a sign of true change, and I applaud the efforts of Mayor Kitty Piercy and the the City of Eugene, Oregon as well as Willamette Valley NORML.

Changing the worlds view of Cannabis depends on all of us working continually, and an event such as Medical Marijuana Awareness Week proves the dedication of so many is starting to shine bright in the light of day.


Keep up the good work and momentum, everyone, bringing forth the truth about the miracle that is Cannabis to the masses will end the madness that is Prohibition.

From NORML's Daily Audio Stash:

OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
City of Eugene, Oregon
PROCLAMATION
Official Proclamation of Medical Marijuana Awareness Week in Eugene, Oregon

WHEREAS: In November 1998, Oregon voters passed into law the Oregon Medical Marijuana Act, allowing Oregonians suffering from debilitating medical conditions to use marijuana as medicine. Currently, nearly 25,000 patients are enrolled and over 2,900 doctors have provided recommendations for patients’ utilization of medical marijuana; and

WHEREAS: Thirteen states have passed laws allowing for chronically and seriously ill patients to use cannabis with the approval of their physicians; and

WHEREAS: On September 6, 1988, Drug Enforcement Administrations (DEA) own Administrative Law Judge, Francis L. Young, ruled that “Marijuana, in it’s natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known”; and

WHEREAS: There are over are over 17,000 published scientific studies on the therapeutic values of cannabis and cannabinoids in the National Library of Medicine, and, there are over 2,600 patents filed for the medical use of cannabinoids in the United States Patent office; and

WHEREAS: Pre-Clinical and Clinical trials indicate that cannabinoids are useful in controlling Alzheimer’s Disease, Cancer, Chronic Pain, Diabetes, G I Disorders, Hepatitis C, Multiple Sclerosis, Osteoporosis, Pruritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Sleep Apnea; and,

WHEREAS: Marijuana has a history of thousands of years of safe use without any recorded deaths attributed to its use, and, all citizens deserve to know the truth about cannabis,

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Kitty Piercy, Mayor of the City of Eugene, Oregon, do hereby proclaim the Week of April 30th, 2009 to May 6th, 2009 as “Medical Marijuana Awareness Week” in the city of Eugene, and encourage all citizens to join in this observance.

Kitty Piercy, Mayor
Dated this 22nd day of April 2009

Thank You, Oregon, your willingness to embrace the facts of Medical Marijuana above years of Propaganda makes you a Leader among States. Bravo!

Signs of Change

Highway 420 has some great suggestions for Activism Signs. With the Global Marijuana March coming up on May 2nd it's time to break out the Bristol Board and markers, and show your support towards stopping Bill C-15 and ending Cannabis Prohibition.

CannabisFacts.ca also has a wonderful page regarding Bill C-15 with lots of info, including a downloadable information handout that you can print and distribute.


Truth is Power. Pass It to The Left.

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Smartest. Frog. Ever..... "Grow More Pot!"

Jello Biafra goes over the reasons that Marijuana/Hemp was outlawed as presented in Jack Herer's book "The Emperor Wears No Clothes", first published in 1985. From "I Blow Minds for a Living", recorded at Slim's, San Francisco, Nov. 21, 1990.





20 years later, and Jello and the frog are still right... GROW... MORE... POT!!!

Thursday, April 23, 2009

The Peanut Gallery

"The prosecution of thousands of otherwise law-abiding citizens every year is both hypocritical and an affront to individual, civil and human rights."
~ Raymond Kendall, Secretary General of Interpol
I read an article in The Vancouver Sun: "Thousands of marijuana smokers gather in Vancouver to celebrate '420'" and, as always, just like on thousands of other internet message boards and commentary sections of cannabis-related articles, there were some comments that just oozed misinformation and propaganda-drenched thinking. Here are some quotes from Harry J. Anslinger, Director of the FBN, that underpin the current propaganda and which are the foundation for cannabis prohibition.

"There are 100,000 total marijuana smokers in the US, and most are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos, and entertainers. Their Satanic music, jazz, and swing, result from marijuana use. This marijuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes, entertainers, and any others."

"...the primary reason to outlaw marijuana is its effect on the degenerate races."

"Marijuana is an addictive drug which produces in its users insanity, criminality, and death."

"Reefer makes darkies think they're as good as white men."

"Marihuana leads to pacifism and communist brainwashing"

"You smoke a joint and you're likely to kill your brother."

"Marijuana is the most violence-causing drug in the history of mankind."

In 1930, a new division in the Treasury Department was established: the Federal Bureau of Narcotics or FBN. Andrew Mellon, owner of Mellon Bank and head of the Department of Treasury, named his nephew-in-law, Harry J. Anslinger, as the director. Mellon was good friends with William Randolph Hearst, owner of a newspaper empire and heavy investor in the timber industry. Hearst did not want to compete with hemp, nor did DuPont want to compete with hemp in the textile and plastics industry, this all set the stage for The Marijuana Tax Act of 1937.

After two years of secret planning, Anslinger brought his plan to Congress -- complete with a scrapbook full of sensational Hearst editorials, stories of ax murderers who had supposedly smoked marijuana, and racial slurs.

The Bureau used the Mexican slang term marijuana in the legislation and not publicizing it as a bill about cannabis or hemp. At this point, marijuana (or marihuana) was a sensationalist word used to refer to Mexicans smoking a drug and had not been connected in most people's minds to the existing cannabis/hemp plant. Thus, many who had legitimate reasons to oppose the bill weren't even aware of it.

These are the underlying reasons cannabis is illegal: racism and corporate greed. And, for the life of me, I cannot understand why Canada buys into such madness. If we don’t oppose legislation like Bill C-15 (6-9 Months in jail for growing ONE Cannabis Plant) we are surely heading down a dark path of destruction. Studies show that mandatory minimum sentencing does not work. Ask yourself if you want to continue to live within a system where billions of dollars are spent annually to support an ever growing prison system filled with otherwise law abiding non-violent "offenders". What do you think of the State of Texas? Who in 1997 built ONE university - and 77 prisons. Is that a Canada you are prepared to live in? Because if we keep this unrealistic War On a Plant up I'm afraid that's where we're headed.

There are many substances that aren’t good for us - alcohol being among the worst - but we don’t throw alcoholics in jail unless they have broken the law. No, we treat alcoholism as a health problem, with medical supervision and rehabilitation. That is the humane approach to addiction, not jail. One could argue that too many cheeseburgers and pop and potato chips and Twinkies and Timmie’s Cafe Lattes are also harmful to one’s health, but we don’t throw obese people and sugar fiends in jail either.

Legalizing cannabis will have a ripple effect throughout our communities. Families won’t lose bread winners who are sent to jail for simple possession, and we can make billions of dollars from a revitalized Hemp Industry, creating Green Jobs and helping our environment.

People will save money by being able to grow their own medicine, as well as become healthier for not ingesting so many synthetic legally prescribed narcotics. People with cancer and HIV disease and Multiple Sclerosis sufferers will be able to treat their pain without the fear of arrest. Addicts can get help in Harm Reduction programs without the fear of incarceration - making them more likely to seek help.

We would be able to keep drugs out of the hands of minors more effectively because, unlike drug dealers, cannabis dispensaries are going to require ID. You can ask any high school kid and they will tell you, it is hard to get alcohol and cigarettes because of age restrictions, but they could have pot in their hands within minutes. Legalizing it will wipe out the cannabis black market which violent gangs profit from, also lessening related violence in our society. Look at Mexican Drug Cartels, the Prohibition of the Cannabis plant causes more death and destruction than the actual plant ever could.

The "Gateway Theory" also does not hold - if it did there would be crackheads and heroin users crawling the streets, because MILLIONS use Cannabis and never touch the harder stuff. The nonpartisan National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine -- which published a multiyear, million-dollar federal study assessing marijuana and health in 1999 stated: "millions of Americans have tried marijuana, but most are not regular users [and] few marijuana users become dependent on it." The investigator added, "[A]though [some] marijuana users develop dependence, they appear to be less likely to do so than users of other drugs (including alcohol and nicotine), and marijuana dependence appears to be less severe than dependence on other drugs."

Prohibition also causes cannabis-seeking citizens to associate with drug dealers, and it is usually they who try to up sell harder drugs like methamphetamine and heroin. After all, they are trying to make you a lifelong customer and cannabis is less addictive than other widely used intoxicants, including caffeine. Having safe dispensaries in which to purchase Cannabis would cut down one's exposure to these more harmful substances and dangerous situations dramatically.

In the end, what we choose to put into our own bodies should be a personal choice, and not one of the Government. It's time for everyone to shake off the Propaganda that has been shoved down our sheepish little throats for over 70 years and look a little deeper for the truth. The Government must realize it can't legislate human behavior. As long as someone is using cannabis responsibly, there is no reason to demonize and criminalize this wonder plant. Cannabis has been used by the human race for over 10,000 years, yet there has never been one recorded death from a Cannabis overdose, but thousands of people die in Canada every year from nicotine, alcohol, prescription medication reactions and side effects, unhealthy eating, and caffeine. So why is it that cannabis is illegal? Since when should moral judgment trump scientific fact?

Prohibition must end. It didn't work for alcohol (Al Capone, anyone?) and it will never, ever, work for Cannabis. Just ask the thousands of people who turned up to celebrate 420 in Vancouver, or the 15 000+ who showed up in Colorado, and the thousands who turned up to hundreds of 420 celebrations around the globe. Yet to come? The Global Marijuana March on May 2nd.

Whether you agree with using Cannabis or not, it comes down to citizens being free to make that personal decision for ourselves. Cannabis is here to stay and it's never going to go away. Better to legalize it, regulate it, and take control away from drug cartels. It's the smart thing to do.

Pass It to The Left.

Like the LCBO for Liquor, Canadians could have Legal,
Regulated Cannabis Dispensaries.
~Pic from FrankDiscussion.net

Sunday, April 19, 2009

420

Tomorrow is April Twentieth. For those who are versed in the world of cannabis, the 4th month and the 20th day has a very special meaning. There have been different legends about how the number became significant to the counterculture, but regardless of its origin, cannabis lovers all over the world celebrate one of Mother Nature’s greatest gifts on this day.

While there will be fun times and music throughout the 420 festivities, I ask you to please take some time to remember those who have fought on behalf of all of us over the last 70+ years of cannabis prohibition.

There are millions of people and stories that each and every one of us know, about the linguistic warriors and everyday normal men and women who have become enslaved in the prison system. And we grieve for those who have had their lives stolen, snuffed out in death from this war, this inhumane madness, and we remember them and promise we will not let their presence here on Earth with us be forgotten. Their energy will continue to exist through all of us.

We know of those who remain imprisoned at right this very second - because governments have succeeded in criminalizing this wonder herb that is really a miracle of our planet, and we protest those who continue their oppression of people who just want to make decisions for themselves. How is it that governments have control over our own bodies? How is it that they can lock anyone away for using a plant? A plant! We remember you, we think of you, and we will stand for you.

Yes, we will continue the fight. We will not rest until all of our voices together have become a deafening roar that will no longer be ignored by Nanny States. Our true freedom depends on it and we will not desist. We are never going away, we will never stop. We think of all of you who have endured persecution, and this year, on 420, we will be resilient on your behalf.

For no matter where we are from, no matter the colour of our skin, Atheism or religious beliefs when you remove those things we are all Human underneath. Good, in the end, will triumph over injustice.

Puff, Puff, Peace everyone… Pass It to the Left.







Thursday, April 16, 2009

Governments Spend Billions of $$$ a Year Fighting a Plant That Hasn't Killed Anyone - Ever.

"A smoker would theoretically have to consume nearly 1,500 pounds of marijuana within about fifteen minutes to induce a lethal response."
~In The Matter of MARIJUANA RESCHEDULING PETITION
by FRANCIS L YOUNG, Administrative Law Judge
"Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law and Decision." for the United States Department of Justice and Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA)
September 6, 1988


When Alcohol, Nicotine, Prescription Drugs and even Coffee KILL thousands upon thousands of people every year, how can it be that Cannabis is illegal? 100% of the studies done at dozens of American universities and research facilities show medical history does not record anyone dying from an overdose of marijuana (UCLA, Harvard, Temple, etc.) But here it is, almost TWENTY-ONE Years after this study was released and countries the world over are still waging an unwinnable "War on Cannabis".

Please read and pass on Jack Herer's "How Dangerous is Marijuana Compared with other Substances?" and ask yourself just how any government, knowing this information, can justify keeping cannabis illegal especially when alcohol and cigarettes are not. Ask yourself why those substances are legal and cannabis is not.

If citizens could cheaply grow their own medicine, and grow their own recreational herb, this would not sit well with Big Pharma and Big Alcohol. Legalizing cannabis also threatens the livelihoods of law enforcement (DEA, RCMP), government prosecutors, defense lawyers, and incarceration facilities with the loss of BILLIONS of dollars a year that they receive in the "PROHIBITION INDUSTRY".

Regardless of the American origin of this information, I believe these same truths apply to Canada as well.


Blog Update: Please check out this new book comparing alcohol and cannabis.



Former Seattle Police Chief Norm Stamper of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition discusses the highly acclaimed new book, "Marijuana Is Safer: So why are we driving people to drink?", to which he contributed the foreword.

The "Green Flu" - An Interesting Suggestion (Updated!)

I was reading the comments on a Digg article when I came across this suggestion:

"I think all the people who smoke pot should skip work for a day, so we can watch the Internet, the music industry, the movie industry, the television industry, and the video game industry, come to a halt.

Let's call it the "Green Flu".

April 20th fast approaches, maybe we should do it then."

I've often thought of that myself, what would happen if everyone who uses Cannabis responsibly, whether it be for recreational or Medical use, called in sick on a specified day? Would many an industry see a decline in their workforce that day?

For creatives who may not work regular 9-5 jobs or perhaps work for themselves, they could just "take the day off". Also, be sure to not buy anything unnecessary - maybe Government would take notice if millions of Cannabis users and people who support an end to the Drug War and the re-legalization of Cannabis withheld their beloved Tax Dollars, even if for only one day.

Who knows? But now that I think about it.... I am feeling a little (sticky) icky......


Stoners.... we have jobs too!!!

Afraid your Boss might try and call you out on your coincidental "Green Flu" absence? Make a pre-emptive strike - tell'em two weeks beforehand that you have a personal appointment on the 20th. of April and you'll need that (chosen) date off. When "Green Flu" Day rolls around, you got it covered!

UPDATE! ~ An awesome Event, the First Annual 420 Strike on April 20, 2012 has been started on Facebook:

"In an effort to stop the insanity that has criminalized 25 MILLION of us in this country alone -- which means we are arresting over 800 THOUSAND people YEARLY and wrecking 2,000 lives on a DAILY BASIS we are proposing this First Annual 420 Strike on April 20, 2012.

On April 20, 2012 let your lack of money speak for you loudly and clearly! We will all join together and refuse to spend our money on any items or wares except those items that are directly connected to cannabis, made out of cannabis, hemp, marijuana or connect to an event that supports the marijuana movement.

It is only through our withholding our hard earned money that are we going to be able to show the government - we mean business!"

One of the events organizers is none other than Elvy Musikka.

"Elvy Musikka is one of 4 patients in the USA that has a federal medical marijuana prescription (NOT JUST A MEDICAL RECOMMENDATION). She is proposing this event to raise awareness on how medical marijuana can help patients throughout the country. Join her in this cause of working with the government on changing the prohibition of medical marijuana.

So join in wherever you are and help spread the word - "Not a penny on 420!"

Sunday, April 5, 2009

"Digg" for Peace

Mr. Lunk's Hideout has been kind enough to let us know that "The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) is coordinating the nomination of the Netherlands for a Nobel Prize for its achievements in minimizing drug use in its citizens, while at the same time restricting imprisonment."

Please take a moment to "Digg" this wonderful news, and if you know of anyone that qualifies to submit a Nomination, please pass this info on to them.

After all, Peace and Sharing go together. :)






Friday, April 3, 2009

Good Reading

There is an absolutely awesome website called Show Me the Facts that answers questions regarding Cannabis - and backs it up with Scientific Research. I recommend everyone check this site out. Whether you smoke it or not, whether you agree with Legalization or not, there is 70+ years of Propaganda to consider. Society as a whole deserves to know the Truth - that Prohibition is not based on Scientific Findings, but Racism and Corporate Greed.

"Why is Marijuana Illegal?" has a great historical overview of Cannabis and Hemp and the origins of Prohibition. Regarding Medical Marijuana, "Common Sense and Compassion Overcome Marijuana Propaganda" is an absolute must read.

It's 2009 - Education about Cannabis is the Order of the Day.

Pass it to the Left.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Chong and Bongs

Actor, comedian, author and Pot Icon Tommy Chong's California-based company, Chong's Glass, was raided by federal officials on February 25, 2003, as part of a federal crackdown on "drug-related paraphernalia." Tommy Chong pleaded guilty to charges of distributing drug paraphernalia in May and on September 11, 2003, was sentenced to nine months in Federal Prison, fined US$20,000, and forced to forfeit US$120,000 in assets. He served the time between October 8, 2003 and July 7, 2004.

Tommy speaks about his experience during an August 2008 interview with Time Magazine:

"The government did not like the fact that I was advertising bongs or that my son's company was advertising bongs in High Times. So they started a thing called "Operation Pipe Dreams." And in my case, they wanted me. They felt I was the leader so they wanted to put me in jail to make a statement. There's a biblical saying that I kind of go by, I think Jesus may have said it, it goes: "Resist not evil." In other words, don't give it any energy. And that's what I did when I went to jail. My going to jail was the biggest statement I could have made for the legalization of pot. Way more than any kind of speeches or protesting or anything like that. But the fact that I went to jail for a bong — for a glass bong — to me that was a bigger statement."

The actions of the Criminal "Justice" System are unconscionable. What is this, Salem and Witch Hunts?

Although Tommy Chong will probably never read this, I would like to say "Thank You, Mr. Chong. Thank You for sacrificing time out of you life for others to see the pure insanity, the madness, that results from Prohibition."

Hmmm...... maybe that's why "Dave's not here" - he's probably been tossed in jail for selling Rolling Papers.....

The Hemp Conspiracy

Last week President Barack Obama held an Online Town Hall. People were encouraged to write in questions, and "Vote up" other inquiries they liked and were concerned about..

During this historic online affair, when President Obama was asked whether legalizing Marijuana would improve the economy and encourage job creation, he laughingly responded with: "The answer is no, I don't think that is a good strategy to grow our economy." He then asked rhetorically what the question says about "the online audience."

You know - the same online audience that had quite a successful impact on his Presidential Campaign and subsequent nomination to the Highest Office in the land.



If you think this is just about a bunch of Stoners trying to get high, well then think again. Environmentalists and people who strive to live as "Green" as possible (as in Carbon Footprint) realize this wonder plant has immeasurable value.

Senior Harvard Economist Jeffrey Miron estimates Federal, State and Local Governments spend roughly $44 Billion per year to enforce Drug Prohibition. These same Governments could make roughly $33 Billion per year in tax revenue collected from legalized drugs. (Assuming these were taxed at rates similar to those on Alcohol and Tobacco) He says if Cannabis was legal, Governments would realize about $33 Billion a year in tax revenue. Estimated profit? $77 billion. I suspect this $$$ amount could be so much more though as Science advances in the investigation of Hemp-based Fuels. Forget Big Oil, we'll be able to run our vehicles using hearty, Earth Friendly Plants. Not to mention how many jobs that can be created by what could be a booming industry.

History Lesson everyone. In 1619 Jamestown Colony, Virginia enacted laws ordering farmers to grow Hemp. Similar laws were enacted in Massachusetts in 1631, Connecticut in 1632 and the Chesapeake Colonies in the mid-1700’s.
Cannabis Hemp was legal tender in most of the Americas from 1631 until the early 1800’s. You could even pay your taxes with Cannabis Hemp.

Hemp then threatened the Dupont Empire back in the 30's. The Dupont chemical company had patented nylon and wanted Hemp removed as competition. Harry Anslinger was a chosen Appointment to the newly minted Bureau of Narcotics. Anslinger got some additional help from William Randolf Hearst, owner of a huge chain of newspapers. Hearst had invested heavily in the Timber Industry to support his newspaper chain and didn't want to see the development of Hemp Paper (Hemp can be "cropped out" 3 times a year, opposed to waiting decades for trees to mature) in competition. Telling outright lies about Mexicans and their "Loco Weed" sold newspapers, making Hearst rich. Using Racist tactics and Hearsts' Yellow Journalism Propaganda to pass The Marijuana Tax Act in 1937, this not only outlawed Cannabis, but Hemp as well.

Dr. William C. Woodward, Legislative Council of the American Medical Association slammed Legislature and the Bureau of Narcotics for using the term "Marijuana" in the The Marijuana Tax Act Legislation and not publicizing it as a Bill about Cannabis or Hemp. At this point, "Marijuana" (or Marihuana) was a "scare tactic" word used to refer to Mexicans smoking a drug and had not been connected in most people's minds to the Cannabis/Hemp plant. Many people (Farmer's!) who had legitimate reasons to oppose the Bill weren't even aware of it.

There was a brief time when Hemp was once again legal to grow, during the Second World War. In 1942 the US Government strongly requested Hemp Cultivation to help with the war effort, going so far as to produce a film entitled “Hemp For Victory”.

Ahhhh America, so much Policy is decided on Corporate Gluttony.... the question is, will President Obama recognize Prohibition is based on Greed and Racism? Is he brave enough to ridicule the deception Cannabis Laws are based on? Or, will he continue to let the country falter - when Science and Industry has the potential to give the Economy the much needed financial injection that Hemp can provide?

We'll see... but most likely, he'll just continue to lead The Sheep.

If more people just looked a little deeper for the Truth and stopped believing the Propaganda that is spoon-fed to them we'd all be better off for it. Pass it to the Left.

Friendly Pot Tip o' the Day #16

"Sometimes, it really is just the Best Song Ever."