I read this article today. It concerned the war on drugs in Mexico, and the new president elect's participatory strategy to fight it.
Since 2006 War on drugs has caused 100,000 deaths in Mexico.
About 4 paragraphs into the article, I read this:
"Recently released government figures place Mexico's total homicide tally from 2007 to 2011 at 99,632, a number that will easily surpass 100,000 by the time President Felipe Calderón ends his term."
Back in the 1990's, I lived in El Paso for several years. I spent many trips across the border and never once felt uneasy walking around Juarez with my family or by myself. I even got to spend a lot of time in Mexico when I was a kid back in the 1970's with my mom and step dad. It was quite a wake up call to be introduced to a completely different culture compared to suburban America with my Luke Skywalker hover pod action set.
I saw children begging for money, old ladies that would superstitiously turn away from a passing glance in fear of getting the evil eye. People living in homes made out of palm fronds and dirt floors.
I remember seeing a solstice festival at some Aztec ruins with people spinning around upside down hang by a rope tied to their feet way up in the air. I met really nice people in Mexico, and it has always been a positive experience that I have fondly looked back upon. So, I have had in interest in watching what has been going on in Mexico for many years.
Nowadays, I wouldn't go to Mexico if you paid me.
What is often neglected (Especially in our current elections) is the big picture of the America's war on drug policies in one country adversely affecting surrounding countries.
I am worried about what our next President of the United States will do to fix cannabis policies.
Considering Mitt Romney has roots in Mexico as well, you would think he would be enlightened enough that he would realize how our policies in the United states have negatively affected Mexico. 100,000 deaths in less than 6 years is not insignificant.
I wonder what Mitt Romney would tell the next President of Mexico if he got elected? " I'm sorry President Enrique Peña Nieto, don't waste my time with that silly insignificant drug war issue." His current foreign policy to our neighboring country is execrable.
Mitt Romney is not even altruistic towards the disabled either. Check out his contemptuous reaction to being questioned by a man in a wheelchair about his policy towards medicinal cannabis. He is totally against cannabis reform even medical.
So in a nutshell Mitt Romney does not care about our peoples health issues. I bet if alcohol was still prohibited, he would not end alcohol prohibition under his watch either.
As far as president Obama goes, he has been the Hypocrite in Chief regarding cannabis reform.
- Between giving executive privilege to Eric Holder over the whistle-blowing incident called Fast and Furious, and over 300 people dying because the guns were intended for drug cartels.
- The constant attempts of ignoring cannabis policies when Americans speak out to discuss the issue in his public town-hall forums online.
- The closings and raids of legal medical cannabis dispensaries. While promising as a candidate to honor states rights concerning cannabis.
- Denying in an interview in Rolling Stone magazine, that he did not have the ability to change cannabis laws on his own. Which is completely untrue!
President Obama can reschedule cannabis with a stroke of a pen using executive privilege. He only uses that card when his main guy in the Dept of Justice gets his ass in a sling over selling guns to drug cartels.
- By the time President Obama finishes his first term as President of the United States, 3.2 million people will of been arrested for cannabis prohibition.
-During this election so far President Obama has not gone on the record regarding anything about the war on drugs. It has seemed like it has been purposely avoided by him. I guess 100,000 deaths, and 3.2 million cannabis arrests must seem insignificant to him as well.
The other option we have is the third party candidate. Libertarian candidate for President Gary Johnson has a more worldly view on the war on drugs and has a good record as Governor of New Mexico.
I recently got a chance to listen to him speak at the demonstration area at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, NC this past week.
Gary Johnson is on the right track, and hopefully other politicians will come around to his way of thinking regarding cannabis policy. Gary Johnson is on the ballot on all 50 states. Unfortunately he does not have a very good chance at all of being elected.
In the end, it is my hope that Gary Johnson succeeds in bringing cannabis reform into the light much the same way Ron Paul did when it came to bringing attention to the Federal Reserve and having it audited.
The world is walking away from America's policies on the war on drugs. A global commission on drug policy, backed many many world leaders, was recently shunned by the United States. We are no longer looking like a legitimate freedom caring nation in the eyes of the world.
Sure there are other important matters to the country that should come first. Everyone wants more jobs and a stable economy, but cannabis reform shouldn't be ignored. It is not an insignificant issue.
In summary, I do not see any change in the right direction in this Presidential election. People will succumb to being force fed the lesser of two evils and the status quot will endeavor to persevere.
More and more states will become cannabis friendly, but our Federal Government will not.
That leads me to this. Until we can change cannabis laws we can legally challenge them.
Cannabis arrests don't have to mean easy money for the government if more and more people challenge the law in court.
Do like NJ Weedman did, and encourage your friends and other activists to stand outside a courthouse with signs explaining Jury Nullification. He utilized the internet and social media to gain support to help contest his marijuana possession charges.
Or consider this before you take a plea deal...
How about contesting the evidence?
When one is arrested for marijuana charges, regardless of the circumstances or what the person believes he/she possesses, the prosecution has to subsequently scientifically prove the presence of marijuana in any seized substance. The most commonly used test is the Duquenois-Levine. But studies have showed, the Duquenois-Levine test does not prove the presence of marijuana. Theoretically then, if the defense attorney working with an expert, challenges the “proof,” the case should be dismissed.
Consider contesting the evidence before a plea deal, and if the judge admits the evidence. then try to utilize jury nullification in the court.
If you would like more information on locating a drug test expert witness to contest cannabis charges, fill out the contact form on the link below.
BEAT MARIJUANA CHARGES.COM
