Ethan Nadelmann, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance, responds to the recent decree by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) that marijuana has no …
24 responses to “Ethan Nadelmann Responds To DEA Claim That Marijuana Has No Accepted Medical Use”
You need to do more reading, friend. While it's clear that many of us who advocate for cannabis legalization do have among our reasons a desire to be free to get high. But no one who's been paying even a bit of attention knows that getting high is not even close to the biggest issue. I encourage you to read Michelle Alexander's book, The New Jim Crow, to get a sense of a more pressing issue: the mass incarceration of people of color precipitated by current prohibitionist drug policy.
It's such BS that the government can regulate something that honestly has no harmful effects on the human body. It's all paid propaganda, and they want to get richer. Alcohol and tobacco are much more harmful to your body and a plant grown naturally.
I wasn't just talking about marijuana in America. But if the Americans decide to legalize it that would certainly have a ripple effect. However I still stand by my first comment, I doubt marijuana or any other wonderful psychedelic will by made legal for *recreational* use by the united states government.
Still 27 states doing the medical thing is far better than nothing and I hope to celebrate the Californian thing in 2012 so good luck and all the best!
For those who don't understand a particular facet of the "problem"- hemp cannot be taxed like alcohol in the absence of prohibition. Decriminalization alone would crash the price of psychoactive hemp. It's a "dangerous drug" because a large part of the cash economy is pot related. Cash gets cycled through banks, banks leverage cash, and banks need the leverage that dope related deposits represent. Everything else is static along the dialectical continuum. Black markets are banking welfare.
The government can't control legal prescription drugs. Why they believe they control illegal drugs is something I can't figure out? Saying cocaine is safer than marijuana proves they are out of touch with reality…
@caddy59 it's actually 'Oxycontin'… anyway, the high potential for abuse of cannabis is like the high potential for abuse of fast food; no joke there… cannabis & fried foods are equally as addictive, although pot is healthy unlike the latter
Cannabis should be treated like caffeine, although some actually overdose & die from taking too many caffeine pills (unlike cannabis). The worst that happens to cannabis users is this small percentage which freaks out (as a result of a neurotic lack of grounding in reality). Treating cannabis like alcohol is not right: alcohol is more like heroin. Cannabis should be sold like dextromethorphan (a drug more dangerous than pot) is.
"High potential for abuse?" And all those nice legal prescriptions aren't? Oxycotton, vicodin anyone? Last time I checked, those were all used and abused pretty highly.
In the book of Genesis, God gave all seed bearing plants to man. We are a so called, "god fearing nation," heck, we even put it on our money. To keep marijuana illegal is blasphemy and completely undermines the values our forefathers put forth for this country. It is a right of man to be able to cultivate and use marijuana how we so choose. As much as I'd like to see it become legal, I'll be damned if I gotta pay the gov't to use it. Even if you don't believe in god, our nation supposedly does.
The only downside with our offense, is that we`re pacifists, and we don`t have the force that state officials or senators would have. The only way to see change is if there`s a peaceful political revolution to drown out corruption and allow a beautiful country to flourish from the depth of ignorance.
Well put, Ethan. Thanks for all you do!
You need to do more reading, friend. While it's clear that many of us who advocate for cannabis legalization do have among our reasons a desire to be free to get high. But no one who's been paying even a bit of attention knows that getting high is not even close to the biggest issue. I encourage you to read Michelle Alexander's book, The New Jim Crow, to get a sense of a more pressing issue: the mass incarceration of people of color precipitated by current prohibitionist drug policy.
Hemp Oil Cures Cancer! Rick Simpson For The Win!
It's such BS that the government can regulate something that honestly has no harmful effects on the human body. It's all paid propaganda, and they want to get richer. Alcohol and tobacco are much more harmful to your body and a plant grown naturally.
you know springing for a tripod wouldnt hurt…. keep up the good work Ethan.
@asphyxiafeeling nowadays that's like saying the sky is blue.
I'm all for legalising, taxing, and regulating. It's absurd to NOT do it.
Word. I'm happy to send my money to Ethan and DPA.
I completely stay on your side in this ridicolous vicious cirlce thats is taking too many lifes
@duboisiboy
I wasn't just talking about marijuana in America. But if the Americans decide to legalize it that would certainly have a ripple effect. However I still stand by my first comment, I doubt marijuana or any other wonderful psychedelic will by made legal for *recreational* use by the united states government.
Still 27 states doing the medical thing is far better than nothing and I hope to celebrate the Californian thing in 2012 so good luck and all the best!
For those who don't understand a particular facet of the "problem"- hemp cannot be taxed like alcohol in the absence of prohibition. Decriminalization alone would crash the price of psychoactive hemp. It's a "dangerous drug" because a large part of the cash economy is pot related. Cash gets cycled through banks, banks leverage cash, and banks need the leverage that dope related deposits represent. Everything else is static along the dialectical continuum. Black markets are banking welfare.
this guy is a pimp.
Ethan Nadelmann, you are my HERO!!!!! A good defense is indeed a good offense!
The government can't control legal prescription drugs. Why they believe they control illegal drugs is something I can't figure out? Saying cocaine is safer than marijuana proves they are out of touch with reality…
Here is my push-back…WarBama is an ugly pig who won't get my vote & money again !!!
@caddy59 it's actually 'Oxycontin'… anyway, the high potential for abuse of cannabis is like the high potential for abuse of fast food; no joke there… cannabis & fried foods are equally as addictive, although pot is healthy unlike the latter
Cannabis should be treated like caffeine, although some actually overdose & die from taking too many caffeine pills (unlike cannabis). The worst that happens to cannabis users is this small percentage which freaks out (as a result of a neurotic lack of grounding in reality). Treating cannabis like alcohol is not right: alcohol is more like heroin. Cannabis should be sold like dextromethorphan (a drug more dangerous than pot) is.
Thank you for your hard work Ethan.
I doubt drugs will ever be legal… mainly because of the amount of profit (for governments) made from them being illegal.
It's horrible that people who smoke weed are viewed a criminals and my heart goes out to anyone locked up for something so frivolous.
"High potential for abuse?" And all those nice legal prescriptions aren't? Oxycotton, vicodin anyone? Last time I checked, those were all used and abused pretty highly.
In the book of Genesis, God gave all seed bearing plants to man. We are a so called, "god fearing nation," heck, we even put it on our money. To keep marijuana illegal is blasphemy and completely undermines the values our forefathers put forth for this country. It is a right of man to be able to cultivate and use marijuana how we so choose. As much as I'd like to see it become legal, I'll be damned if I gotta pay the gov't to use it. Even if you don't believe in god, our nation supposedly does.
DEA is CORRUPT
6630507
Google it. Memorize it. Spread it.
Your federal government is lying to you about marijuana's medical value.
The only downside with our offense, is that we`re pacifists, and we don`t have the force that state officials or senators would have. The only way to see change is if there`s a peaceful political revolution to drown out corruption and allow a beautiful country to flourish from the depth of ignorance.