US Drug Policy Is Killing People Every Half Hour In Mexico

 This past week, Mexico's President Philipe Calderon, begrudgingly released details on it's national death toll caused by the United State's war on drugs.
Mexico releases drug war death toll estimate: One killing every half hour

Inexplicably, this has not even been a footnote on the televised news programs. Why is that? Why must so many lives be ignored as this ghoulish statistic grows every day? Why are the governments not avidly discussing different proposals on their policies to turn this around?

I don't think that many people who are smoking cannabis imported from Mexico realize that they are contributing to the deaths of so many people. I kind of equate it to the meat industry. If people actually saw what the process entailed, or had to take some part of the slaughter process, their would probably be less people eating meat. We have plausible deny ability once it is grilled and presented nicely on our plates. The same goes for Mexican cannabis. We only see it in a plastic bag, all fluffed up and smelling good.

We have no empathy for the cows and chickens no more than we have for the people who die in the war on drugs. So, we blindly consume to satiate our voracious appetites.

A serious debate needs to happen on our countries drug policies. How many more people need to die or go to prison over the cannabis plant? Unfortunately most people who go to prison in the United States for cannabis possession are non violent offenders, compared to what is happening in Mexico.

The United States policy of focusing on it's domestic growers, and simple consumers may be good for law enforcement financially, but it does not have any far reaching affect on the people who kill to import cannabis into the United States.

How much safer is our country for arresting Willy Nelson and Snoop Dog? All that managed to do is bring more awareness to the simple fact that our nation's drug policies are not working, and that people are wanting a change in direction. Willie Nelson's Tea Pot Party is a good example of this. Because of his arrest a national movement was created focusing on only electing political candidates who were more inclined to be cannabis friendly.

Our current policies on the war on drugs are not harm reduction policies. They are doing more harm, and we need to take a serious look at how our country should be leading the way in actually creating a real harm reduction policy.

Things like this need to be put on our national agenda and discussed:

• Ending Federal subsidies to law enforcement for primarily focusing on cannabis convictions, instead of focusing on more violent crimes affecting our neighborhoods.
• Making drug addiction a health care issue instead of a criminal issue.
• Rescheduling cannabis so legitimate research can be conducted on it's medicinal properties, and ending conflicts between the Federal Government and states rights.
• Taking away 70% of drug cartels income by ending demand for illegally imported cannabis.
• Looking at the big financial picture and discussing all the jobs that could potentially be created by allowing farmers to grow hemp for ethanol, hempcrete, hemp resins, nutritional supplements, clothing, etc.

A serious discussion is needed now. How many more people have to die needlessly to support a failed policy?

A good step in the right direction is by convincing our politicians to endorse the call of the Global Commission on Drug Policy to recognize the failure of current policy and to embark on a study of evidence based alternatives.

http://www.globalcommissionondrugs.org/Report

News Flash! Police Officer Doesn't Arrest Man For Using Medical Marijuana

I was visiting my local Dunkin Donuts this morning, and I saw something I never thought I would ever see. A police officer not arresting a guy for using medical marijuana! I have never seen anything like this before, so I hung around and interviewed both the police officer and the guy smoking the medical marijuana.

It started off as a very normal Monday morning. I had been hanging outside a local plumbing supply dealership hoping to get some work from a plumber who could use some extra help on a job. Unfortunately I did not have any luck, so I decided to go to Dunkin Donuts for a cup of coffee.

I was waiting in line behind a rather over weight police officer, digging change out of my pocket for a cup of coffee, the police officer ordered something from there I never heard of before, obviously it was some secret menu item that apparently caters to law enforcement. He called it "The Ultimate Policeman Donut."  The young lady behind the counter gave the police officer a wink and a smile and got to preparing his order.

I stood and waited with my change for almost 5 minutes as the pretty young donut artist prepared his order. Apparently "The Ultimate Policeman Donut" consisted of a sugar glazed donut sliced in half with thick strips of greasy bacon. The bacon grease pooled into the center of the donut and oozed out the sides mixing into the sugar glaze making it almost look like syrup, and a large cup of coffee.
I sat across from him watching him enjoy his breakfast as I sipped my coffee, he was obviously enjoying it very much because he was dipping the donut between the bacon grease and his cup of coffee vigorously and he had it gone in less than a couple of minutes.

I watched as he wiped his greasy hand on his leather holster apparently oiling it in some fashion I guess so he could get to his gun faster no doubt.

The police officer was getting ready to leave when another customer inside the donut shop started to go into a seizure. The customer having the seizure was a middle aged man, blue collar type, who seemed like he had gone through this before.

He tried to make assurances that he would be alright in-between his convulsions and spasms. He turned around towards the door and started heading to his truck.

The police officer followed behind him I'm assuming to make sure he was alright. I stayed inside and finished my coffee occasionally peering out the window to see what was going on. When I walked out I could smell marijuana smoke, the man who was having seizures only minutes before had stabilized, but now he was being harassed by the police officer for lighting up a joint and smoking it in front of him.

I decided to hang out and see what would happen, and it was nothing less than fucking amazing what transpired over a few minutes.

The police officer was berating the man for lighting a joint in front of him and smoking it, and the man in the truck was trying to explain to the officer that he had tried everything out there a doctor could prescribe and that marijuana was the only thing that actually worked for him when he would have a seizure.

I thought for sure that the guy was screwed and was going to be arrested, but it wasn't the case. The officer told him to sit in his truck for a little while until the affects wore off and go home.

I approached the police officer and told him I would like to interview him as to why he changed his mind on arresting the man. The police officer agreed as long as I changed his name.

Killer Bud "Officer D Onut, I just witnessed you letting a man smoking medicinal cannabis go free! Aren't you sworn to an oath to uphold the laws and arrest him for such an offense?"

Officer D Onut "I have been arresting people for using marijuana for almost 2 decades. It has been part of my job setting up those who use marijuana and putting them behind bars. I was told by my superiors how marijuana is bad for people and causes them to use harder drugs. That marijuana had no medicinal benefits. If I had not seen it for myself, that marijuana really does have medicinal benefits I would of arrested that man."

Killer Bud "Well if this is your first time seeing cannabis being utilized medicinally, maybe you ought to consider doing some research online. Their are lots of sites which provide tons of information on medicinal applications of cannabis."

"Considering the DEA maintains that cannabis has no medicinal value, and seeing for yourself that it actually does, do you feel lied to by the people who are behind the enforcement of cannabis prohibition?"

Officer D Onut "Actually yes I do." I am supposed to uphold the law, but when I see a law is wrong, and is causing millions of people being arrested over a lie our Dept of Justice is telling everyone.... Well it's upsetting! I just want to do my job, but how can I when the people that sign my check are lying to police officers all over the country?

Killer Bud "Officer D Onut, do you realize that the Dept of Justice is being accused of helping launder money for drug cartels through our banks? That they have sold guns and ammo to drug cartels which have been used to kill hundreds of Mexican's? That they are using our military to guard cannabis and opium fields in Afghanistan? At the same time the Dept of Justice receives billions of tax dollars every year to fight the war on drugs. Giving local sheriff departments hundreds of thousands of dollars for incentives to increase marijuana arrests. Seizing peoples hard earned property assumedly obtained from drug deals and auctioning it off for even more money?

"They get away with this, because of a simple lie. Cannabis has no medicinal benefit..."

"Do you realize that by doing your job arresting people with cannabis possession and growing, you are betraying your oath to protect and serve the American people who are really signing your paycheck?" If a law is not just why are so many police officers enforcing it?"

Officer D Onut "I guess I never saw the big picture, but what am I supposed to do? I have to do my job and feed my family, pay bills just like everyone else does."

Killer Bud "That is the million dollar question, what can you do? I suggest joining an organization like Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) You mentioned you almost got 20 years on the books, when you retire join them and help make this right."

"Unfortunately it is not a good idea to be an advocate for LEAP on active duty. Police officers and other branches of law enforcement have been terminated from their jobs when they realize how messed up prohibition is, and are open about their opinions."

I respect the fact that you were open minded enough to see that cannabis can be used medicinally, and was willing to give that man a free pass. I know the next guy most likely won't be so lucky, because you have no choice and have to enforce this unjust law, but hopefully one day this law will change."

I approached the man in the truck, to protect his identity I'm calling him Joe the Farmer.

Killer Bud "Joe the Farmer, I can't believe what just happened here. What is your reaction to being allowed to walk away free after openly smoking medicinal cannabis in front of a police officer?"

Joe the Farmer "I was pretty scared to be honest, but I had to do something to stop my seizure before it got worse. I have been on all sorts of anti seizure medications, and nothing works like cannabis."  "I think the fact that he saw the transformation right in front of his eyes probably had some sort of impact." I don't know..... All I know is as soon as my buzz wears off I am getting the hell out of here in case he changes his mind."

"Cannabis really does have medicinal benefits, and it is so frustrating having to hide in the shadows to relieve my symptoms when they occur." "I am not hurting anyone, I just want to be able to medicate in peace."

Killer Bud "My back is starting to hurt, I think I am going home and medicating myself...."

-------------- I wish this really happened, but no law enforcement officer is going to risk his job and do the right thing. No matter how unjust the law is.