Comments for I-News Network http://www.inewsnetwork.org Rocky Mountain Investigative News Network Sun, 05 Feb 2012 17:36:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= Comment on Colorado schools under “siege” from marijuana by Dnskyblue http://www.inewsnetwork.org/2012/02/05/colorado-schools-under-seige-from-marijuana/comment-page-1/#comment-831 Dnskyblue Sun, 05 Feb 2012 17:36:00 +0000 http://www.inewsnetwork.org/?p=3705#comment-831 Can you do a similar report of prescription drugs, and their illicit diversion to teens?  Can you do a similar report of prescription drugs, and their illicit diversion to teens? 

]]> Comment on Police: Colorado Medical Marijuana Surplus Feeds Regional Black Market by Dnskyblue http://www.inewsnetwork.org/special-reports/police-colorado-medical-marijuana-surplus-feeds-regional-black-market/comment-page-1/#comment-830 Dnskyblue Sun, 05 Feb 2012 17:25:00 +0000 http://www.inewsnetwork.org/?page_id=464#comment-830 Really shoddy journalism Really shoddy journalism

]]> Comment on Colorado schools under “siege” from marijuana by Malcolm Kyle http://www.inewsnetwork.org/2012/02/05/colorado-schools-under-seige-from-marijuana/comment-page-1/#comment-829 Malcolm Kyle Sun, 05 Feb 2012 16:26:00 +0000 http://www.inewsnetwork.org/?p=3705#comment-829 In addition to the many societal costs of prohibition, it has a long history of driving the spread of harder or more dangerous drugs. * Poppies to morphine to heroine to krokodil * Coca to cocaine to crack * Ephedra to ephedrine to speed to methamphetamine * Marijuana to skunk to dangerous synthetic concoctions such as 'spice' or 'bath salts' * Mushrooms to ecstasy to 2CB/designers At every step the reasons for the rise in popularity of the new form of the drug are one or more of the following:  * It may easier to smuggle. * It may be more addictive, thus compelling the buyer to return more frequently.  * It may be cheaper to produce therefore yielding more profit.  * Like a game of "whack a mole" a shutdown of producers in one area will mean business opportunities for another set of producers with a similar product. Prohibition's distortion of the immutable laws of 'supply and demand' subsidizes organized crime, foreign terrorists, corrupt cops & politicians and feeds the prejudices of self-appointed culture warriors. So called Tough-On-Drugs politicians have happily built careers on confusing drug prohibition's horrendous collateral damage with the substances that they claim to be fighting, while the big losers in this battle are everybody else, especially taxpayers.  How come so many of us have been deluded into believing that big government is the appropriate response to non-traditional consensual vices?  Imagine if we were to chop down every single tree on the planet as a response to our failure to prevent tree-climbing accidents. That's what our misguided drug policy looks like. Isn't it time we all stood up and told the government we're tired of being beaten and jailed so that pharmaceutical companies can poison and kill us for obscene profits? Prohibition Prevents Regulation : Legalize, Regulate and Tax! In addition to the many societal costs of prohibition, it has a long history of driving the spread of harder or more dangerous drugs.

* Poppies to morphine to heroine to krokodil

* Coca to cocaine to crack

* Ephedra to ephedrine to speed to methamphetamine

* Marijuana to skunk to dangerous synthetic concoctions such as ‘spice’ or ‘bath salts’

* Mushrooms to ecstasy to 2CB/designers

At every step the reasons for the rise in popularity of the new form of the drug are one or more of the following: 

* It may easier to smuggle.

* It may be more addictive, thus compelling the buyer to return more frequently. 

* It may be cheaper to produce therefore yielding more profit. 

* Like a game of “whack a mole” a shutdown of producers in one area will mean business opportunities for another set of producers with a similar product.

Prohibition’s distortion of the immutable laws of ‘supply and demand’ subsidizes organized crime, foreign terrorists, corrupt cops & politicians and feeds the prejudices of self-appointed culture warriors. So called Tough-On-Drugs politicians have happily built careers on confusing drug prohibition’s horrendous collateral damage with the substances that they claim to be fighting, while the big losers in this battle are everybody else, especially taxpayers. 

How come so many of us have been deluded into believing that big government is the appropriate response to non-traditional consensual vices? 

Imagine if we were to chop down every single tree on the planet as a response to our failure to prevent tree-climbing accidents. That’s what our misguided drug policy looks like. Isn’t it time we all stood up and told the government we’re tired of being beaten and jailed so that pharmaceutical companies can poison and kill us for obscene profits?

Prohibition Prevents Regulation : Legalize, Regulate and Tax!

]]> Comment on Colorado schools under “siege” from marijuana by Julian Pursell http://www.inewsnetwork.org/2012/02/05/colorado-schools-under-seige-from-marijuana/comment-page-1/#comment-827 Julian Pursell Sun, 05 Feb 2012 13:19:00 +0000 http://www.inewsnetwork.org/?p=3705#comment-827 Medical Marijuana may be useful for integrating autistic kids into mainstream school? Medical Marijuana may be useful for integrating autistic kids into mainstream school?

]]> Comment on Colorado schools under “siege” from marijuana by High Country Caregiver http://www.inewsnetwork.org/2012/02/05/colorado-schools-under-seige-from-marijuana/comment-page-1/#comment-826 High Country Caregiver Sun, 05 Feb 2012 12:59:00 +0000 http://www.inewsnetwork.org/?p=3705#comment-826 For Colorado medical marijuana news and fun http://420.co For Colorado medical marijuana news and fun http://420.co

]]> Comment on Marijuana dispensaries face shutdown by feds by guest http://www.inewsnetwork.org/2012/01/12/marijuana-dispensaries-face-shutdown-by-feds/comment-page-1/#comment-821 guest Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:53:00 +0000 http://www.inewsnetwork.org/?p=3597#comment-821 There is not one bit of scientific proof that show that marijuana is a "dangerous drug". In fact, a major chemical compound is marijuana (CBD) is proven to reduce tumors, prevent cancer, strengthen the immune system, aid in digestion, as well as offer a safe, NON NARCOTIC method of pain relief. Your children are able to walk by liquor stores on their way to school, and watch their peers and family members consume this drug that offers NO medicinal purpose and IS dangerous and harmful. And that doesn't concern you? There is not one bit of scientific proof that show that marijuana is a “dangerous drug”. In fact, a major chemical compound is marijuana (CBD) is proven to reduce tumors, prevent cancer, strengthen the immune system, aid in digestion, as well as offer a safe, NON NARCOTIC method of pain relief. Your children are able to walk by liquor stores on their way to school, and watch their peers and family members consume this drug that offers NO medicinal purpose and IS dangerous and harmful. And that doesn’t concern you?

]]> Comment on Marijuana dispensaries face shutdown by feds by wow http://www.inewsnetwork.org/2012/01/12/marijuana-dispensaries-face-shutdown-by-feds/comment-page-1/#comment-818 wow Sat, 14 Jan 2012 22:39:00 +0000 http://www.inewsnetwork.org/?p=3597#comment-818 marijuana is not evil; you people have no clue!!! these kids are getting in to their parents stashes and you want to close  businesses down because of it. Seems to me that maybe we should educate parents and kids, since no one seems to have a clue. marijuana is not evil; you people have no clue!!! these kids are getting in to their parents stashes and you want to close  businesses down because of it. Seems to me that maybe we should educate parents and kids, since no one seems to have a clue.

]]> Comment on Marijuana dispensaries face shutdown by feds by PR http://www.inewsnetwork.org/2012/01/12/marijuana-dispensaries-face-shutdown-by-feds/comment-page-1/#comment-817 PR Sat, 14 Jan 2012 17:40:00 +0000 http://www.inewsnetwork.org/?p=3597#comment-817 Glad to see pot stores getting shut down. These places are horrible!! Glad to see pot stores getting shut down. These places are horrible!!

]]> Comment on Marijuana dispensaries face shutdown by feds by Cfay http://www.inewsnetwork.org/2012/01/12/marijuana-dispensaries-face-shutdown-by-feds/comment-page-1/#comment-816 Cfay Fri, 13 Jan 2012 19:25:00 +0000 http://www.inewsnetwork.org/?p=3597#comment-816 It is about time these deplorable establishments are shut down.  All of them in all states should be shut down immediately and any state that continues to allow them should lose all federal highway funds until they take action.  Selfish drug users have absolutely no right to put others at risk on our highways and in our workplaces.  Kudos to Dr. Thurstone for speaking out on this issue and showing concern for the safety and health of children! It is about time these deplorable establishments are shut down.  All of them in all states should be shut down immediately and any state that continues to allow them should lose all federal highway funds until they take action.  Selfish drug users have absolutely no right to put others at risk on our highways and in our workplaces.  Kudos to Dr. Thurstone for speaking out on this issue and showing concern for the safety and health of children!

]]> Comment on Marijuana dispensaries face shutdown by feds by Impacts of Marijuana http://www.inewsnetwork.org/2012/01/12/marijuana-dispensaries-face-shutdown-by-feds/comment-page-1/#comment-815 Impacts of Marijuana Fri, 13 Jan 2012 18:59:00 +0000 http://www.inewsnetwork.org/?p=3597#comment-815 Like Colorado, Oregon has become a haven for illegal drug trafficking through Oregon’s Marijuana program.  Dr. Thurstone is correct there should not even be a debate about where marijuana distribution centers are located.  In 2001, the Supreme Court affirmed Congress’s 1970 judgment about marijuana in United States v. Oakland Cannabis Buyers’ Cooperative et al., 532 U.S. 438 (2001), which held that, given the absence of medical usefulness, medical necessity is not a defense to marijuana prosecution. Furthermore, in Gonzales v. Raich, 125 S.Ct. 2195 (2005), the Supreme Court reaffirmed that the authority of Congress to regulate the use of potentially harmful substances through the federal Controlled Substances Act includes the authority to regulate marijuana of a purely intrastate character, regardless of a state law purporting to authorize "medical" use of marijuana. http://www.usdoj.gov/   Federally, marijuana is illegal.   In 1998 many Oregon voters approved the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program through a state ballot initiative and believed, because of misleading campaign ads that it was for a small percentage of people who were sick and dying.  12 years later, as of April 1 2011, there were over 40,000 marijuana cardholders.  More than 35,793 (or 90%) of those cards had been issued for chronic pain.      It is important to note that doctors are not allowed to prescribe marijuana because it is not a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved medicine; they may only recommend it. Further data indicates in Oregon that it is not the mainstream of professional doctors that are recommending marijuana, but doctors whose only focus is marijuana and are involved in the marijuana movement. In Oregon one doctor has written 35% of the recommendations for cardholders, and 10 others have written 59%.    http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/print_story.php?story_id=127128421107102600   As of October 1, 2011 there are an additional 15,000 cardholders, that is a 38% increase in just 6 months, making the total cardholders at 55,322 with over 92% of those cards issued for chronic pain (50,696). (www.oregon.gov)      Oregon's marijuana program is being used to promote marijuana as medicine and is in direct conflict with federal laws which have never deemed smoked marijuana as medicine.    The impacts to Oregon communities have been overwhelming because of the misuse of the program. The law did not define any boundaries on where this marijuana could be grown, other than it cannot be visible to the public. Therefore, in communities across Oregon, innocent neighbors have cardholders, caregivers, and marijuana site growers who are growing a federally illegal drug in their backyards, homes, apartments, attics, closets, bedrooms, garages, basements, out buildings, and land lots all providing easy access for burglars, children, and animals.   It is reasonable to question why, if marijuana advocates really believe that marijuana is an effective medicine do they not push for the valid research that follows the proper procedures to obtain FDA approval.  The answer is obvious as Dr. Robert Dupont noted, “there is only one reason the advocates for “medical marijuana” do not use this new openness of the FDA to fulfill their hopes, and that is the difficulty they face in proving that smoked marijuana is an effective and safe way to treat any illness.” http://www.ibhinc.org/pdfs/RLDMedMJTestimony031407.pdf   Thank you Federal Government in Colorado for cracking down on these illegal marijuana distribution centers. Like Colorado, Oregon has become a haven for illegal drug trafficking through Oregon’s Marijuana program.  Dr. Thurstone is correct there should not even be a debate about where marijuana distribution centers are located.  In 2001, the Supreme Court affirmed Congress’s 1970 judgment about marijuana in United States v. Oakland Cannabis Buyers’ Cooperative et al., 532 U.S. 438 (2001), which held that, given the absence of medical usefulness, medical necessity is not a defense to marijuana prosecution. Furthermore, in Gonzales v. Raich, 125 S.Ct. 2195 (2005), the Supreme Court reaffirmed that the authority of Congress to regulate the use of potentially harmful substances through the federal Controlled Substances Act includes the authority to regulate marijuana of a purely intrastate character, regardless of a state law purporting to authorize “medical” use of marijuana. http://www.usdoj.gov/
 
Federally, marijuana is illegal.
 
In 1998 many Oregon voters approved the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program through a state ballot initiative and believed, because of misleading campaign ads that it was for a small percentage of people who were sick and dying.  12 years later, as of April 1 2011, there were over 40,000 marijuana cardholders.  More than 35,793 (or 90%) of those cards had been issued for chronic pain.   
 
It is important to note that doctors are not allowed to prescribe marijuana because it is not a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved medicine; they may only recommend it. Further data indicates in Oregon that it is not the mainstream of professional doctors that are recommending marijuana, but doctors whose only focus is marijuana and are involved in the marijuana movement. In Oregon one doctor has written 35% of the recommendations for cardholders, and 10 others have written 59%. 
 
http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/print_story.php?story_id=127128421107102600
 
As of October 1, 2011 there are an additional 15,000 cardholders, that is a 38% increase in just 6 months, making the total cardholders at 55,322 with over 92% of those cards issued for chronic pain (50,696). (www.oregon.gov)   
 
Oregon’s marijuana program is being used to promote marijuana as medicine and is in direct conflict with federal laws which have never deemed smoked marijuana as medicine. 
 
The impacts to Oregon communities have been overwhelming because of the misuse of the program. The law did not define any boundaries on where this marijuana could be grown, other than it cannot be visible to the public. Therefore, in communities across Oregon, innocent neighbors have cardholders, caregivers, and marijuana site growers who are growing a federally illegal drug in their backyards, homes, apartments, attics, closets, bedrooms, garages, basements, out buildings, and land lots all providing easy access for burglars, children, and animals.
 
It is reasonable to question why, if marijuana advocates really believe that marijuana is an effective medicine do they not push for the valid research that follows the proper procedures to obtain FDA approval.  The answer is obvious as Dr. Robert Dupont noted, “there is only one reason the advocates for “medical marijuana” do not use this new openness of the FDA to fulfill their hopes, and that is the difficulty they face in proving that smoked marijuana is an effective and safe way to treat any illness.”

http://www.ibhinc.org/pdfs/RLDMedMJTestimony031407.pdf
 
Thank you Federal Government in Colorado for cracking down on these illegal marijuana distribution centers.

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