Conservatives Attack GPC: 55% Canadians Side with Green Policy of Legalizing Marijuana
Following the release of the Green Party’s Vision Green, the Conservative Party’s website began attacking our policy – because the Green Party calls for legalizing marijuana.
While Conservatives think this is a vulnerability for the Green Party in fact the majority of Canadians agree with our position. And the Green Party is the only major federal party to have the courage to advocate legalizing marijuana -- which we've been advocating for 20 years.
By keeping marijuana illegal, the Conservatives believe that the 10 million Canadians who have smoked pot are all criminals and should be treated accordingly. Mr. Harper would like to see jail sentences for them all.
Prohibition has clearly failed: legalizing marijuana and controlling and taxing it just like alcohol and tobacco would take billions of dollars away from organized crime and gangs.
Harper wants to talk tough on crime -- but what's funding crime? Where do biker gangs and organized crime get their money? Billions, upon billions of dollars from marijuana. If you really want to fight crime Mr Harper, cut off their funding!
Legalizing marijuana and taxing and controlling it just like alcohol or tobacco is such a good idea that the right wing Fraser institute released a report recommending it! The report basically endorsed the Green Party's position. See http://www.fraserinstitute.org/commerce.web/product_files/Marijuana.pdf
The majority of Canadians support legalization. In a November 2004 poll by Ipsos Reid, 51% of Canadians agreed that Canadians should not suffer a criminal record for marijuana possession. An SES poll in February 2003 showed support for this position was even higher at 69% see http://www.sesresearch.com/library/polls/POLNAT-W03-T113.pdf. The SES research shows that the only group of voters who fundamentally disagree with this were Canadian Alliance supporters (the precursor to the Conservative Party before it took over the Progressive Conservative Party). So Mr Harper is ruling Canada not based on Canadians values but on the values of the Reform Party and the Canadian Alliance.
In June 2007 an Angus Reid study highlighted how 55% of Canadians believe marijuana should be legalized. Read about it at http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/view/16300 or download the entire study at http://www.angus-reid.com/uppdf/ARS_Drugs.pdf. I've also attached the file to this blog (see below). On page 8 of the full study you can see that 59% of Conservatives supporters oppose legalizing marijuana (see line below blue highlighted line). Again, the Conservatives want to rule Canada based on what Conservative supporters want -- not what Canadians believe is right.
So the Conservatives’ attack on the Green Party are only reinforcing why the Green Party is so essential to public discourse in Canada. The GPC is the only party that has the courage to speak out on this issue on behalf of 10 million Canadians.
Legalizing marijuana would save $500 million a year of police and judicial system resources to focus on real crimes –- crimes of violence, gun crimes, gangs and sex related crimes -- rape and child pornography.
The Facts:
• The LeDain Commission was set up by the federal government in 1969 as the Commission of Inquiry into the Non-medical Use of Drugs. It issued four reports including one in 1971 on cannabis, which recommended that simple possession of cannabis and cultivation for personal use be permitted, but importation and trafficking remain a crime. LeDain was Dean of law at University of Toronto's Osgoode Hall when he headed the commission and later a Supreme Court justice. The heart of the study asked the question, “why should cannabis be treated so harshly compared to tobacco and alcohol?" LeDain. Even back then, “the public saw those current laws as a tremendous injustice."
• "Scientific evidence overwhelmingly indicates that cannabis is substantially less harmful than alcohol and should be treated not as a criminal issue but as a social and public health issue."
– Senator Pierre Claude Nolin, On Sept. 4, 2002, the special Senate Committee on Illegal Drugs released its final report, which recommended that the government make smoking pot legal and wipe clean the records of anyone convicted of possession.
• 10 million Canadians who have smoked pot or hash (according to Statistics Canada 2004). Mr. Harper would like to see all these people in jail and having criminal records.
• "Our policies that we build around this drug are far more harmful than the drug itself."
– Eugene Oscapella, executive director of the Canadian Foundation for Drug Policy, Sept. 4, 2002. By keeping marijuana illegal, says Oscapella, Canada's drug laws support organized crime and terrorist groups around the world.
• Three million Canadians used marijuana in 2002, according to Statistics Canada – about 12% of Canadians older than 15.
• $500 million savings to the enforcement and justice systems. These reductions of cost to Canadian criminal justice system would come from reduced cost in courts, jails, and police efforts.
• Even the right wing think tank, the Fraser Institute study calls for legalizing pot. This study is so important that i have posted it as an attachement below. So even think tanks that historically support the Conservatives don't even agree with thier position and instead support the Green Party's position.
Legalizing marijuana would add $2 billion to government coffers and deprive criminals of pots of easy money:
If the government were to regulate and tax the marijuana production industry, the report suggests little would change, except where the money goes.
Stephen Easton, a professor of economics at Simon Fraser University, wrote the report for the Fraser Institute, a right-wing think tank. In British Columbia alone, Easton estimates, there are 17,500 grow operations.
"If we treat marijuana like any other commodity, we can tax it, regulate it, and use the resources the industry generates rather than continue a war against consumption and production that has long since been lost," Easton said.
Easton estimates the B.C. marijuana industry is worth $7 billion. Those caught are rarely charged. Those convicted rarely go to jail.
More Facts:
Less than one per cent of marijuana users who are caught by police. More than half get off with a warning.
49,639 Canadians were arrested for marijuana-related crimes in 2001 (possession and other charges), according to Statistics Canada. Of this number roughly 30,000 were charged with simple possession.
600,000 Canadians have criminal records for marijuana possession, according to the Justice Canada.
To read the full Vision Green go to http://greenparty.ca/files/VisionGreen_GPC_oct1507_rev1.pdf
Jim Harris
Former Leader, Green Party of Canada
Chef ancien, Parti Vert du Canada
e: jim@greenparty.ca
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| Angus Reid 2007 10 17_DrugStrategy.pdf | 113.98 KB |
| Fraser Institute on Marijuana.pdf | 293.6 KB |
- Jim Harris's blog
- Login to post comments
Search
Email Updates:
Media Releases
- Media Release | 07-Feb-2010
- Statement | 05-Feb-2010
- Media Release | 05-Feb-2010
Comments
a simple caveat
I don't have a big problem with legalizing pot except that I do not want to see it used in the same fashion as tobacco. If it can be used other than smoking it, fine, but I don't want to see arguments later about second hand pot. Brownies, Ok, cookies, ok, but lets not light the damn things up.
I personally think this
I personally think this policy would create a dramatic reduction in personal and property crime, because it would instantaneously cut out about 30-40% of the internal profits of organized crime in this country. It would also remove the gateway effect where the same people selling pot are often the same people pushing meth and cocaine.
As a candidate, I want to be vocal about this but I am afraid this will stereotype us as the "marijuana party?" I love the conservatives attacking us on Peace, Pot, Protectionism, and Parking tickets because it puts it in context of other issues.
I love the messaging: "Tax Cannabis," as it doesn't sound soft on drugs, not draconian. What do other people think, is there much votes to be gained by taking a lead on this or will it marginalize us.
Dan Grice
Candidate for Vancouver Quadra.
www.VoteGrice.com
604-725-8913
These opinions and ideas are my own, but I grant you the right to implement them.
the policy is sound
Friends ask me what I think as someone who's run for the GPC in an election. I tell them my personal opinion is the same as the federal policy of the GPC: decriminalize and regulate marijuana in the same we did with alcohol or tobacco. Most of my friends support this and think it makes good sense. A few people I've talked with are of the more libertarian position that marijuana should be legal and the government should ignore it. I disagree, but this is something that I've been able to state my position on and everyone that I speak with - even converted conservatives fed up with Harper - respect this as good policy.
Canadians are siding with the GPC in many many policy areas and the more we can get our policy ideas out to the public the more support we'll get.
... they fight you, and then you win.
It can certainly sound scary to suggest legalizing marijuana, but let's remember that tobacco cigarettes have been legal for a long time and the real reduction in usage was due to proper anti-smoking campaigns and making smoking in public places illegal. Rates of smoking have gone down so much in the last decades that even smokers who are not tempted to quit are often ashamed to be smokers, and it is socially acceptable to make fun of the bad habit!
There are many studies out there, but some reveal that a large percentage of Canadians have smoked pot at some point during their lives. By using the same prevention and discouragement techniques as for tobacco, I believe we would have no marijuana smoking problem, and we might actually end up reducing rates of marijuana smoking.
Jonathan Meijer
Gatineau
Frank De Jong has a great line on this
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/OntarioVotes200...
"He also admitted having smoked marijuana, although he 'never exhaled.'"
John Ogilvie
What will criminals turn to next?
I understand the argument that legalizing marijuana will cut off crime ring cash flows, but I am not certain that this argument will make a lot of difference in the long run. Criminals tend to find funds any way they can, and I wonder if cutting off their marijuana cash won't just make them turn to something else. I think this may be a logically weak argument, as it sounds like: "If the criminals make money from it, let's make it legal so they stop making money!" If this argument were to be extended to other substances or objects that they make money on, we would be facing a lot of social problems. So, I also understand why some people aren't jumping on board due to this aspect of the legalization argument.
Alina Abbott
Candidate nominee
Chatham-Kent-Essex
Crime
Making possession of marijuana illegal has caused the greatest amount of hardship and lack of choice in medical treatment and it has created criminals where no real crime has been committed. Using an herb to get rid of pain shuld not be a crime. Putting the material in the hands of organized and unorganized crime puts an otherwise lawful citizen in a bad situation, open to black mail and loss of social status and all the other things related to incarceration. I do not care what any adult puts into their body for recreational purposes, within reason, especially an herb that has no known fatalities THROUGH OVER 5000 YEARS OF RECORDED HISTORY. I don't smoke, drink or do drugs, but I am not going to force my views on anyone. My main reason for wanting the drug form of hemp legalized would make all the red tape around the growing of industrial hemp moot. It is not just the money the bike clubs make off it that funds other illegal activities, it is also the wasted police resources, full jails and wasted court time that all comes out of the taxpayer's pocket. Savings alone would but the government's budget in the black in a week. I say tax it and put that money into rehabs and other social programs or just let people grow whatever the heck they want. Taxing it would at the very least satisfy the people in our society that feels we need some controls. Either way, I am sick and tired of paying for more police than we need and larger jails than we need and wasted court time. Bite the bullet and legalize it already!!!
Greens and cannabis
Greetings:
I have quite a bit to say on this issue and always will, but first off.
Thank You to YOU.
The Green Party AND its membership !
just for having the guts to address this very important issue and the travesties that come with it and as I have been witness to everyday just as a "outed cannabis reformer."
I can tell you all we are on the right track , without a doubt and that this will win us maybe even a seat or two or more.
The Harper strategy with regards to this issue will most definitely bleed the conservatives badly.
I know ,they know and you should realize it.
I am a long time poster at blogging Torrie's(where one poll question even has 3 cannabis using conservatives saying they should turn themselves into police themselves hahha)
and maple leaf and can say most definitely we are creating the issue of the election outside of the environment and have been stealing very many conservative votes. The mentality of prohibition is also in Afghanistan and our policy re: poppies and Senlis is again the sane and correct choice.
I will never look at Flanders field and poppies the same ever.
That's why they are attacking US.
It is because they know something that we obvious should start realizing.
This is a polarizing issue and we can reap loads of support from people most prone to agreeing with VISION.
If you all think we will or should appeal to 100% of the voters I will disagree most definitely.
Dan
We can not with any credibility act like we understand or think that these cannabis using people are weak or addicted and slaves to their drug.
I have used cannabis for 23 years.On and off.
I was 27 with 2 kids the first time I tried it and it probably saved my life.
It sure helps since my accident. I was hit head on by a sober man in a loaded fencing truck flying straight at me in my lane may 25 2000.
This is for sure going to boost us up higher in the polls and show voters we are definatly more than just a one issue party , big time and I salute all of us for this fabulous policy.
I am the most hopeful I have been since I started my battle to RE-LEGALIZE cannabis ! 16 years ago.
(and its not decrim ,god I hate that term)(decrim does nothing to address supply)
Did any of you see the wonderful documentary about cannabis and emery on the CBC last night?
Emery is a self promoting ass who I have much history with but his is a sovereignty issue and plays right into this issue and the conservatives.
The policy actually is really just a Bush/Reagan/Nixon house of cards as the States themselves really holds the keys here and in my mind could end up doing a complete 180 degree turn themselves on cannabis right after the next presidential election ,mark my words.
The state of California just announced that the legal medical cannabis production and income just exceeded wine production in California for the first time.
I don't think there are more sick people in California than there are wine drinkers do you Dan?
We will win with this policy and do look like the most sane and compassionate choice for Canadian voters.
We in fact will see our biggest support from the non voters.
Yes! ,the disenfranchised , the down trodden , the why bothers.
But and its a very big but we will also, YES,YES, YES get a huge number of votes from closet smoking cannabis conservative voters yes big time !
Thank you all!!
juror.ca
endprohibition@telus.net
More than just a crime issue
One thing I should point out is the other reasons for marijuana legalization. For example Ethanol, clothing, and paper can be made from the none "pot" part of the plant. The paper is stronger and uses far less chemicals to create than typical pulp paper. The clothing is stronger and hemp/marijuana uses way less chemicals than cotton (which if my memory serves me right is almost 50% of all pesticide use). anyway I just figured I'd add that... The enviromental benifits alone make it more than worth our while... Also we have 3 times the number of children smoking marijuana than holland. Dealers don't ask for ID. I know this will seem strange to some people but legalization will probably reduce use if you go by the only empirical evidence avalible. Well back to the campaign here in Saskatchewan. Cheers and happy 420
Hemp
It is already legal to grow hemp in Canada...
Hemp
Yes it is legal to grow hemp if you have a ton of money to put up and the fortitude to deal with all the red tape and let people on your and any time they want to to "Test" your hemp. I would like you to put a few seeds in the ground around your house and see if a) some punk steals the plant or b) the cops will show up and arrest you for growing marijuana. Can you realistically say Hemp is legal for everyone? - I thought not...
Michael
Candidates should be held to a different standard.
My question is more regarding messaging and how to ensure that we break the stereotype of being "the marijuana party", while at the same time supporting the cause.
I have no problem supporting a pro-legalization stance, and would be hypocritical to say otherwise, but I don't want that to undermine our ideas surrounding carbon taxes, decentralization and other important green stances.
Candidate for Vancouver Quadra.
www.VoteGrice.com
604-725-8913
These opinions and ideas are my own, but I grant you the right to implement them.
I don't understand the problem----
I don't understand the problem. The last time I ran all the candidate except one admitted that they had smoked reefer in their youth. At that point the issue just dried up and blew away in our community. I don't know about your community, but I've never heard anyone associate the Green Party with the "marihuana party".
"There is always an easy solution to every human problem--neat, plausible, and wrong." H.L. Mencken
I have no problem with this
I have no problem with this policy, and have sent out press releases and letters to the editor expressing my support for legalization in the past. I will also not lie about my own occasional activities. If we talk about crime, I think this issue is really a strong differentiator. My point was not aimed at hiding this fact or obscuring the support, but at making sure our support is placed within the proper context and that we refer to it as "cannabis" instead of "marijuana", as the later has negative connotations.
One of our biggest problems we have is with the name of the party, and trying to ensure that people understand the Green movement refers to open and sustainable politics and respect for natural systems rather that any one specific issue.
Dan Grice
Candidate for Vancouver Quadra.
www.VoteGrice.com
604-725-8913
These opinions and ideas are my own, but I grant you the right to implement them.
no problem
If industrial Hemp was free to grow in everyone's back yard without fear of theft or incarceration, that would be the greenest and most sustainable move we as a sociaty can make.
A key obstacle is popular concern about untestable impairment
There are 2 key obstacles to re-legalising pot:
a) Public concerns about stoned drivers who can't be caught using
a "breathalizer"-like device, and
b) Politicians' fear of retribution by the Americans.
It is a mistake to assume that a high public usage rate of pot and some positive polls on the issue equate to a genuine public desire to make it legal.
People trust themselves to smoke pot responsibly but they don't trust others.
It's very much like the phenomenon of how each person thinks that he/she is an excellent driver while everyone else is a careless idiot.
Canadians want pot possession to stay illegal as a small misdemeanor or a ticketable offense, because they believe it allows them to smoke without legal repercussions if they are careful, but keeps a lid on the prospect of roads full of stoned drivers.
So, in order for the public to feel that pot is fully equivalent to alcohol, in terms of risk to public safety, they need a portable gadget that makes testability of impairment possible.
As for problem (b), while secondary, it's a big one too.
America is our largest trading partner, and we are afraid to do any small thing that differs from their approach to governing. Any deviation from the American way results in disproportionate punishments from them, especially when a Republican is in the White House. We suffer from a kind of Stockholm Syndrome here, which is making us adopt more and more of their ways, ultimately leading to an end to any unique Canadian identity.
But I've seen this fear oscillate, it gets bigger and smaller, and so if problem (a) is ever taken care of, then the best time to put forth a legalisation bill will be at a moment when Canadians are in a mood to stand up for their beliefs (remember the old "Bush is a moron" days?).
No need for tech
There is no need for a roadside breathalyzer for marijuana.
To create one would lead to an excessive reliance on that (and the current version) to screen out those who are impaired only due to alcohol or THC. It would miss those on any other medication, illegal drug, or simply fatigued. How do you breathalyze for someone who is too tired to drive?
The answer is to get away from 'tech' 'solutions' and do roadside tests that actually tell you if a person is impaired (whatever the reason) or able to drive.
There are the traditional ones police used before they had roadside breathalyzers, or newer electronic simulators that can test reflexes, concentration, and other key driving requirements. All you need to know is if someone is impaired - the specific reason is less important.
This call for roadside tests is a red herring from opponents of legalization trying to get around the rights, harm reduction, or other more compelling arguments.
(Besides, studies show that those who are driving stoned on pot are usually drunk, too).
Erich Jacoby-Hawkins
Barrie, ON
The views I express on this blog are purely my own and should not be construed to represent the official position of the Green Party of Canada - the same goes for all other people's posts & comments.
Inspector Gadget
I agree; a general test for impairment of reflexes, concentration, coordination, etc. would be better than separate devices that test each source of impairment.
Either:
a) a gadget, or
b) a scientifically-proven and properly taught and regimented test protocol that minimizes subjective judgment by police,
would be fine.
If I'm reading the public sentiment correctly, though, then the anti-legalisation lobby has won the argument about the need for some kind of roadside test, insofaras the availablility of such a test would be a condition for legalisation.
I don't think we can fight this argument because the counterarguments have too many steps for journalists to understand, and so I suspect it'll be a quicker path to legalisation to put forth the message "we have the technology" (if indeed we actually do).
For a non-tech roadside test, we'd have to be very careful about any protocol that allows for too much subjective judgment by police as to whether or not an infraction has really occurred. The driver's reactions and responses would have to be measured in a reliable way, and compared to standards that are based on lots of good evidence that these measures are very strongly correlated to the abilty to drive safely.
It's likely, though, that any protocol that has these characteristics would be too difficult for many police officers to use.
And this means we're back to gadgets again.
point b.
Many people in the US are fighting the government tooth and nail, to the point of sueing the feds for the right to grow industrial hemp and they are winning several legal battles. It is only a matter of time. Now we have to look into a quick test for "Highness".
either it is policy or it isn't?
With all due respect Dan ,
But I expect you will park the car as well ?
No alcohol , etc? hahha
I know I will hear that is "illegal" etc etc,,
Even though to the biggest chunk of the population here in Canada, Ontario, the law technically doesn't even exist anymore with the 2 recent court cases that you wont hear about but all possession charges there should and probably will be just thrown out like before.
But then when it was the same in 2002 or 2003 when the police just ignored that news item , said they would and just charged ahead saying they don't care the law was struck down.
The law was reversed by another judge until now.
I think , like in my fight(and what brought me to the GREENS) what I do with out hurting anyone with and to my body ,on my own time , is my business and quite frankly this attitude should be a party policy as well.
I may get a tattoo some day (actually never)would that be a problem Dan?
I am not doing this to go out and pretend to be another ndp or liberal , sorry , call me if we all ever really get to the point our so called policy is saying we are at.
Sadly Dan , elderly people on legal drugs are killing more people on the high way than cannabis or just by flying into Richmond high rises and a lot are just that ,, accidents.
It will get worse trust me and we should be calling for renewals by doctors for drivers and flyer's over 70 years old(they have political power don't they?)
It isn't about health or safety this issue,,,it is about human rights like abortion , your right to die with dignity and personal freedom from intrusive governments.
Victimless crime forcing us through our own tax dollars to destroy families and arm criminals.
For us to turn away from the spirit of our policy it to me a sham and a shame.
The way you differentiate yourself from the marijuana party DAN ,if you really need to as they are part of us now! and folding in to us every day , but just look at the person and say we are called THE GREENS!
Simple.
I know what you are really saying like a lot of GREENS do
"Can we just keep going up in the polls , but not really do anything about the hidden slavery in Canada by not addressing those peoples silly issue?
Oh why does the Green have that silly policy , dam ,eh?"
Well I can tell you we are where we are in the polls because of policies like these and thousands are joining just for that one guaranteed.
Other wise there is no need for the GREEN party vote when you think about it, as they all say they are Green now and will try to drain our natural support.
This policy sets us a part and it will now grow us more than you may all believe.
Yes, this will shed our one issue role with out a doubt and cause a historic breakthrough by bringing the non voters in , if and only if we play it right.
The proliferation of drugs or impairment have nothing to do with the spirit of our policy and just like the re-legalization of alcohol
the re-legalization of cannabis will be shown with in one year later to be like it was a non event.
We already have people killed on highways and always will whether we stand up as the sane party on drug prohibition or not.
The device they (police)need is called a camera by the way , which they already have and can obtain even hand held ones way cheaper than helicopters that they can now watch you and your wife through the walls with.
Now with infrared technology installed on them.
this quote****
Canadians want pot possession to stay illegal as a small misdemeanor or a ticketable offense, because they believe it allows them to smoke without legal repercussions if they are careful, but keeps a lid on the prospect of roads full of stoned drivers.******
Just floors me as it isn't what our GREEN policy SAYS !!! and its not even true!
I think we as a party will look pretty stupid and can be decimated over credibility if we back track in any way on this issue.
It used to be the law in the United States that you had to grow hemp and yes Mike Fornssler good point because yes I have a ton of information to cover all our needs that way , but voters are smarter than that and they know why we have this policy ,, maybe we should as well.
I am available to help educate or just help all of us in the questions we will all receive by providing links of information anytime.
Leap.cc for example , a group I belong to Law Enforcement Against Prohibition
http://www.leap.cc/cms/index.php
I have been at this battle for 16 years now and through 2 provincial elections as well as got the BC ndp to finally adopt this policy even though they then turned cowardly by not using that policy with Bill 25 and we quit and are here now.
Tell them Dan that George Washington ,Ben Franklin and Paul Revere all smoked it every day and then came up with and wrote the declaration of independence on it,, Freedom from tyranny.
Well they did , and that's history and a lot more than you think did the same thing and actually still do!!
Carl Sagan ,Trudeau ,Clinton , Chretien, Bush ,haha Willy Nelson.
A lot have come out of the closet.
SO SHOULD WE !
Why do we need GREEN if we are no different than the rest and just cowards????
Newton North Delta Green ,, proudly still
604 930 5059
juror.ca
endprohibition@telus.net
you forgot one
you forgot to include that Canadian Icon Pierre Burton RIP.
Just to be clear here
Quote Dan **
Another thing that the party should be clear on is that all Green MPs and candidates will be prepared to obstain from cannabis use during the writ (campaign) and as well as when the legislature is in session if they are elected. While I think the laws are unfair and unjust, I also think it is the mandate of those who make the laws or desire to become parliamentarians to be prepared to obey the law in their entirety. As an individual you should have the right to enjoy personal freedoms, but as a legislator you have the responsibility to use discretion in all of your activities.
I hope all nominated candidates make that commitment to their party and to those that support and nominate them.
***** end quote
I am finished my day Dan and have the time to just say one thing or ask one thing.
I heard that the Green Party may have ended or helped to end the war against gay marriage here in Canada as early as 1997,,some one can maybe help me with this please?
Anyway I was wondering Dan , if our members in your view at that time , should have pledged to not have sex with their partners because of the criminality of their personal choice while they stood up as experts in their persecution and also as Candidates for the Federal Green Party ????
Its a given that you will not find me drunk some where giving out all your face book passwords during my election campaign , I promise.
But I give you this example Dan because as you know we have met a few times and you have always been very cordial to me without maybe knowing something and as I have already said I have used this substance for going on 24 years and probably did every time we have met , through out some where in the day and to me quite simply it is no more a harm or concern than coffee at worst.
Still not any where as bad as alcohol and the part you never consider in all of it , is just the average user ,the one whole joint thing just once in a while out of the blue.
Well it just never happens that way for me.
What happens is I can function without Tylenol 3's eating my stomach.
Or how about those when it only results in a new blue experience called police charges for that.
There's a whole lot in our " Vision Green" , besides saving Canadian children from jail educations and ruined lives and families over VICTIMLESS crimes, but for me there is no such thing as a clean environment with out solving the first one that starts at my eye lashes.
Maybe that's my part in all this , to contribute here and I have no problem trying to help all the members of what I consider the best Political Party in Canada right now because quite frankly I love our whole policy book and more importantly its tone.
Sorry if I do sound a bit rammy ,,
I am, especially on this issue , but for all the right reasons and all of them honourable.
Cheers
juror.ca
endprohibition@telus.net
Harder drugs and GREEN POLICY suggestion
Greetings Fellow Greens,
Well I hate to be a thread killer so I will add something here.
At some point more of you will become sick of addicts on street corners and innocent lives taken by not only criminal stupidity but by police as well as we have seen.
If we truly are what I thought we were when I joined and moved the people that I have moved to the Greens by explaining their guts and fortitude we will eventually have to take the rest of our blinders off and look at some of my teams other ideas that will no doubt help in this country.
I often say to people why is it that you would rather pay 120,000 a year to jail someone instead of 10,000 for affordable housing or 20,000 for that and an education?
I ran in two provincial elections in B.C. and last years Presidential NDP election in Quebec City calling for the legalization of all drugs not because I want to see the proliferation of drugs,,,no need the drugs are already out there more than most here realize but to bring awareness and to point out other alternatives and cheaper costs to tax payers.
I would always get these few afterwards who would come up to me all puffed up and rammy as they would get in my face and start loosing it on me for my view and telling me about them , their dad , mom , uncle who spent 10-15-20 years loosing jobs and marriages and even lives over their battles with cocaine , heroin ,meth ,etc and that I was just stupid to say legalize all drugs.
Their jailings , shattered lives , families and abuse were not to be trifled with or their battle for sobriety belittled.
I just looked right back at them and said they were right! Jail did not and does not help. It does not treat addiction.
It only reinforces the negative esteem that caused the first experimentation or muffling of the real reasons behind their drug use in the first place.
I told them that there was no where to turn unless you were already at bottom and just a street junkie and that YES !under my plan those people WOULD HAVE RECIEVED HELP , YES , REAL HELP , THE VERY FIRST YEAR that they were aware of losing control to their weak choices.
Fear of jail does nothing but cause more drug addiction.
Jail itself does as well.
We of the GREEN Party are the only ones it seems aware of the fact that there has never , EVER been a prison built on this PLANET that illegal drugs have not been found IN ! , so how then will we keep drugs out of schools ?
Had some people that really got what I said and got all teary eyed.
Actually they joined the GREENS!
The drugs are already there people and will be there in far greater numbers until we stand up as the only brave Party in this country , it seems and speak about these other silly policies being used against Canadian citizens with and by Our Own Tax Dollars.
I have for years written about something we have tried to get off the ground here in B.C. and we as the GREEN Party should be calling for the funding of this as well.
Please forgive how I post this information as it is a paste and some one who knows our policy could change it to what is right , please but I ask all to read this just for yourselves and your own families.
Again I hope my style does not alienate members.
I am very involved in somethings that I do not see really addressed in a way to actually make a difference with people besides causing us all more harm.
I don't want to see another Boxing Day shooting of an innocent girl on my TV.
I don't want to hear more bodies are being found in high rises or that kids are being poisoned by biker gangs with RAID on cannabis.
I don't want to hear how B.C. RCMP DARE Officers are found dead with evidence of long time heroin and cocaine use and had no where to turn but jail.
I dont want to hear about doctors or dentists , etc committing suicide because there really is no where to turn.
WE CAN CHANGE ALL OF IT !
Health Features
Publish Date: October 25, 2007
The quest for the ultimate cure for addiction
http://www.straight.com/article-115404/the-quest-f...
_____________________________________________________
If we truly are the Party not too afraid to speak up as the sane voice , maybe we should in fact start by calling for the funding of Ibogaine treatment as a medical covered expense.
I wrote as the clinic started that the majority in the first groups treated were actually doctors and dentists so we are only helping the country by standing up with this sane policy.
I hope others respond and that I am in fact not a thread killer as I have all our interests at heart and pray for a great GREEN victory maybe more than a lot here because I deal with the misery of these types of citizens everyday and it would break most people hearts to see what I have.
Maybe have a look at this story as well.
_______________________________________________________
http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Edmonton/2007/10/2...
Cop on coke case cracked wide open
Judge lifts publication ban on court exhibits
By TONY BLAIS, COURT BUREAU
Freedom of the press and upholding the openness of the Canadian court system has trumped the privacy issues of a cocaine-addicted former undercover RCMP officer.
An Edmonton judge yesterday vacated a publication ban issued in an ongoing drug trafficking case and granted Sun Media access to exhibits in the proceeding.
Included in the court documents was information confirming former RCMP Const. Steve Gillespie was addicted to crack cocaine while working as an undercover officer for the Integrated Response to Organized Crime unit.
_________________________________________________________________
There should be sane policies put forward by somebody
Thank You all.
juror.ca
endprohibition@telus.net
My thoughts and experiences on this
Thanks John for your thoughts and info. Great comments everyone!
There was a discussion in the GPC listserve on Jim's blog above and I've copied my comments from that discussion to this comment thread.
- - - - -
(from the GPC members listserve):
I've somehow found myself involved in a public debate with the local Conservative MP on the issue of drugs, crime & their 'strategy'.
The local Nanaimo paper did an article on the drug strategy and ask for public comments, so I sent a letter to the editor that was published. Then the CPC MP wrote a reply to my letter and named me, and he got it published in the paper. So I sent a letter in yesterday in reply to it, and I expect it will be published.
Here they all are.
- - - - -
I'd like to give thanks to the Harper government for a new 'war'.
Like in the USA where the 'war on drugs' has been ongoing for decades, this Canadian effort will likely create a few jobs in the areas of law enforcement. We will, over the long term, likely need to build more jails (as they have needed to do in the USA) in order to house
non-violent offenders. Never mind that incarceration will cost more and is less effective than rehabilitation; Mr. Harper clearly believes that his plan will win him more votes. These fellow Canadians – these neighbours, coworkers, family and friends of ours – they're only addicts after all, right? Mr. Harper says we should lock 'em up!
Treatment and rehabilitation sounds too 'nice' for the Harper government. Although treatment and rehabilitation are proven to be effective, long term incarceration sounds braver & more prideful. Thank you Mr Harper for choosing to charge into a war on drugs in Canada, something the USA has already failed to win.
I am a recovered addict with seven years clean & sober. I've just brought my family to Nanaimo, and soon we'll be purchasing a house. I managed to make it out of active addiction, disease free and with no criminal record. This is largely due to the community support and addiction recovery services that were available to me prior to getting clean. I'm not shy about this fact; I'm proud of the man I am, and I'm grateful to be living in this country with a history of giving and sharing that shows we take care of ours.
Thanks Mr Harper for trying to take these opportunities away from other Canadians.
Cameron Wigmore
Nanaimo, B.C.
-30-
- - - - -
Then James Lunney, the Nanaimo-Alberni MP from the Conservative Party
replied with this (edited because I don't want to type the whole thing
out):
---
...I'd like to clear up misconceptions... unfortunately, Mr. Cameron Wigmore must have missed the details... more than two-thirds of the funding is alloted for prevention and treatment programs... must have missed Harper's statement "if you're addicted to drugs, we'll help you. If you sell drugs, we'll punish you"...I congratulate Mr. Wigmore for his success in overcoming his own addictions. With our new anti-dgur strategy's commitment to prevention and treatment, we hope to give others that same opportunity.
- - - - -
Then I just had to reply to him, and I sent a copy to the local MLAs, the Nanaimo-Cowicham MP, and all of the other local papers...
- - - - -
The following is a response to the letter to the editor written by James Lunney in which he mentions my name and my own previous letter.
I've copied this to you all as I think this is an issue that is worth a bit more attention.
-start-
To the editor,
Thank you Mr Lunney for your reply (Nanaimo News Bulletin, Oct 23) to my own letter on the subject of the Harper government's drug strategy.
You point out that "more than two-thirds of the funding is allotted for prevention and treatment programs". Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan recently noted that enforcement has been well-funded for many years, and said treatment and prevention will require a much larger investment.
Most addicts subsidize their addiction by selling drugs. You and your political party tell us that you want to incarcerate criminals and
rehabilitate addicts, and that would be great if it were true. It's misleading and untrue for Harper to say he's offering a hand up out of
addiction while at the same time getting tough on crime. I believe they call this talking out of both sides of your mouth.
Mark Townsend, Executive Director of Vancouver's safe injection site Insite, describes Harpers plan as "depressing". Mr Townsend stated in
the Vancouver Sun that B.C.'s share of the $32 million set aside for treatment over the next two years amounts to about $1.6 million a year, enough to run 10 detox beds for a year, not including ongoing treatment. With at least 4,000 IV drug users in Vancouver, Townsend said it would take 50 to 100 years to treat the addicts we have today with the money being offered.
The Edmonton Journal reported that a group of criminal trial lawyers calls the Harper government's promise of mandatory jail sentences for drug pushers repugnant electioneering. "This is about a callous, callous effort by Mr. Harper to win votes and get a majority," said Brian Hurley, president of the Edmonton Criminal Trial Lawyers Association. "To do something as significant as to change the criminal code in a way you know is not going to be helpful, for pure electioneering, is just repugnant."
Studies for Corrections Canada have shown that imposing minimum terms can harden small-time criminals, making them a bigger danger when they
get out.
Mr Lunney, are you telling us that even though mandatory minimum sentences are known to be ineffective, and the funding designated for treatment is woefully inadequate, this push by Harper is somehow going to be good for Canadians?
Sincerely,
Cameron Wigmore
Nanaimo, BC
-30-
reference links:
Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan & Mark Townsend quotes:
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html...
repugnant electioneering:
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.h...
more info:
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=93...
- - - - -
So that's it. If my latest letter above does get printed I'll have to call Mr Lunney directly and discuss the subject with him. I'd rather develop a positive relationship that come across as a thorn in his side.
Prohibition on alcohol didn't work, and now that it's taxed and regulated people don't go to jail for trying to sell it. The USA counts marijuana as a substance worth sending someone to jail over. This hasn't reduced its use.
- - - - -
(from the GPC members listserve):
It seems to me that Harper has chosen to focus on crime and drugs, even though the national crime rate is down, and his drug plan is less a plan to reduce harm and rehabilitate and more a plan to incarcerate.
He's awfully good at framing, and in this case, they try to say they'll 'help addicts' while 'punishing dealers'. His plan does NOT help addicts to overcome addiction, and what Harper did was frame addiction as a crime issue rather than a health issue.
Now Canadians follow along with this frame in mind, wondering if it's better to reduce the amount of criminals on the street or be tough on crime. The health aspect of addiction, and the social aspect of marijuana prohibition are discarded, and once Harper sets the tone with his frame, it's very difficult to argue on his terms and win.
It might not sound very fun, but I think marijuana should be dealt with in terms of social implications, rather than Harpers crime frame or the stereotyping of the Greens as 'pot-heads that want their grass'. If we continue to reframe the discussion by comparing pot prohibition to alcohol prohibition we will win minds. If we focus on decriminalizing, regulating and taxing marijuana, we will be seen as realistic.
If we pull marijuana out of the crime debate and put it in the health debate we can avoid the trap of being seen as 'against tougher penalties for criminals' or 'focussed on a special issue of legalizing pot even though it's unhealthy'. That's the 'with us or against us' thing that Harper does quite often.
I wanted to also mention that I understand that not everyone who drinks alcohol is an alcoholic, and not everyone who smokes pot is an addict. I've met a few people who've had a serious problem with drugs, and their drug of choice was actually marijuana. Same thing with alcohol. Many people drink alcohol and can take it or leave it; they don't obsess over it or consume it compulsively. Some do. It applies to marijuana in the same way.
If decriminalizing marijuana isn't specifically an issue of debate, then let's not make it one. I think that's a fair thing to say. During the election we'll have so much to cover at the candidate forums and in interviews that decriminalization of marijuana will likely not even be brought up, except for maybe by the occasional reporter or 'green-hostile' supporter of another political party ("the Green Party is just the 'pot party", or something along those lines) and if it is brought up, I hope we can properly respond.
This subject seems to fit into the Green Value of Social Justice. If Harper makes crime and addiction a subject of national debate, and he sets the pace with his own frames, how should we react? Rather than be reactionary if and when the federal election hits and crime is still on the minds of Canadians, I'd like our party and candidates to be able to comfortably reframe the subject of drugs and addiction as a health issue. I'd like the GPC to have clearly stated its positions on crime and on addiction (done in Vision Green - hooray! :) and I'd like our own party members to understand that the Green Party's policy of decriminalization and regulation of marijuana is an important step in the path away from the hopeless 'war on drugs' that can never be won.
- - - - -
(from the GPC members listserve thread):
The line that separates cocaine, heroine, crystal meth, PCP, synthetic opiates, and the lot from alcohol and marijuana is that many people consume and enjoy alcohol (and marijuana) with no ill effects put upon society or their own selves (aside from the obvious fact that neither are actually 'good' for a person to consume). I have an aunt that drinks wine once in a while at family dinners. I have an uncle that smokes pot once in a while at BBQs. When it comes to the other substances, there is no 'casual user'. They are so harmful and addictive that they are easy to separate from alcohol or marijuana.
Marijuana isn't a softer drug, and neither is alcohol. In fact alcohol causes an extreme amount of pain and suffering in Canada and throughout the world, through excessive consumption and the long term health effects. I'm drawing the line here based on personal experience* (see below) that marijuana is a less addictive and less harmful drug - but not using the argument of beneficial specifically although it could be said that it's beneficial - and therefore could be placed alongside tobacco and alcohol in a separate category from the other harder drugs.
Organized crime is related to drugs and addiction, but let's keep the two subjects separate for the moment. I'm discussing the decriminalization and regulation of marijuana from a health and societal viewpoint, not a criminal one. If we are discussing crime, then yeah, organized crime and ALL drugs are connected, but I'm not saying that decriminalization and regulation of marijuana would reduce organized crime. Others might be, and I probably could make the same point, but it's a whole other area of discussion that is related but separate and I don't think it needs to enter the debate at this point. It puts the whole subject back on a crime and justice frame instead of a health and societal wellness frame.
With marijuana, like cigarettes or alcohol, the vast majority of consumers can take it or leave it, and their consumption of it causes far far less harm than the criminalization and incarceration of a marijuana user.
As far as addiction to hard drugs and the relation to alcohol or marijuana (the 'gateway' concept) I think that if someone is predisposed to addiction and is looking to 'escape from the realities of life', they'll pick their poison and that's that. If there was no alcohol or marijuana, many people would go straight to other more addictive substances, and many already bypass alcohol and marijuana and do get addicted to hard drugs. Many of them were never trying to escape the 'realities of life', but they found themselves trapped in addiction. Again this applies to alcohol and marijuana, but from my own experience and from the studies I've seen, marijuana doesn't destroy lives like crystal meth does.
It's not alright for underage Canadians to consume alcohol or cigarettes. I think the same thing could be said of marijuana. This won't make the 'legalize it' members of the Green Party happy, and on many subjects I take the 'less government intervention Libertarian position' (but the opposite is true for other subjects) but I don't support legalization of marijuana without regulation and taxation.
*personal experience*
I had personal troubles with addiction for about 10 years starting at the age of 14. I stopped using drugs - including alcohol - in 2000. Since then I have not used drugs at all and have no desire to do so seven years later. I participate in outreach to addicts and speak at high schools on the subject of drug and addiction awareness.
For more info see:
http://greencameron.blogspot.com/2006/08/green-par...
- - - - -
DRUGS SELL WHY ? BECAUSE THEY WORK !
Cameron
Good job and great letter I hope it gets published!
I would ask your opponent why they want to put cannabis growers in jail for 14 year minimum sentences under the new crime bill when you live in a province with based on United Nations reports some of the highest(no pun) % of cannabis using VOTERS IN THE WORLD !
And probably why we named it Nanaimo hahhaha
Back to reality , but most of you may not realize what will happen under Harper's new bill " TO CHANGE THE CULTURE " 14 years for growers ,
I see someone getting shot and I hope Harper knows that and feels the shame he should when it happens.
Also just as a Beetle fan I felt sorry for Harper's son and could just see Stephen explaining safe sex to his children,,NOT!
I wrote this the night of the last election,,,
COMING SOON !!
TO A CITY NEAR YOU !!
HARPER'S HOLY-IER THAN YOU TOUR !!
Its arrived and given us a front row seat if we are up to it.
The rewards are plentiful and I would love to pin him myself in a debate ,,trust me.
By the by.
Sharing a joint in this country is trafficking by the way.
14 years for that? Really?
I don't think so Mr Harper.
Change your own culture to one of peace and trust and not Pain and misery and tax burdens for private penitentiaries.
I will say this as well , there is no physical addiction with cannabis and much information out there to document this.
We have smashed and ruined lives with gambling yet we are not all removed from that vice and using our own tax dollars to protect the small % who will lose their lives over it.
People themselves destroy peoples lives don't they especially their own ? and get this , it then must almost then be just a natural educational tool wouldn't it be?
Drugs , including legal ones and even the worst one , sugar ,to me are merely the selected tools they use. Like gambling, working too hard or driving too fast just all a matter of degree and based on each individuals own perceptions.
I know and knew people you would never ever suspect as addicts because they just never ran out of a supply.
We all have made mistakes and changes and decided things our selves.
One mans poison is another mans blessing or so you have all just heard but Cameron yours sounds very multi drug related and I do consider alcohol a drug but still as I have said personally to you nothing to do with the real problem most times and more family issue related like in the majority we have found.
Cannabis to me or even alcohol is of no more importance than my other personal choices for other so called treats in my life.
Its prohibition and stopping the needless pain and suffering created from it that are my vices and my passions.
There is no such thing as a cannabis over dose , its medically impossible.
Your body has receptors for components of the cannabis plant and yet does not for certainly things like alcohol which actually kills cells.
We will win with our policy because it is a black or white issue.
A polarizing issue as I said.
I support legalization with regulation and taxation just like alcohol but I also support my right for homemaking wine and beer with out swat coming in my home because this wine is just grown in dirt.
Like alcohol and cigarettes minors are obviously excluded and I am old enough to decide for me thanks.
There are still very many breaking the laws around alcohol ,in fact they still are because again the government gets stupid and goes over the tipping point in reasonable taxation.
I do not believe in sin tax unless I always will now get a private room in hospitals for the thousands I paid as a cigarette smoker when we treat people for skiing accidents or when that chute just doesn't open ,ouch.
Yes,
If my crop is not ready I am free to pick up an ounce of cannabis with my beer that I get because I have given up trying to make it at home where its always hopeful to turn out good and really never does.
Thank you Cameron for sharing that personal story and for doing what you are doing despite it. I hope to show you that it is the individual and not their poison that matters and I will help you anytime.
604 -930-5059
Like Jesus I believe its not what you put in to your body that counts its what you think of what you put into your body that matters.
all problems in human existence
stem from esteem issues
more often than not just the lack of any esteem
Awareness my friends , is my shadow , my strength , my comfort
We must be on the right track just because of who is attacking us if you really ,,really think about that!
Bring It On Harper !
juror.ca
endprohibition@telus.net
Friday nights at county fairs
I spent several weekends this summer campaigning at rural county fairs. Everyone told me to bail from the Fri/Sat nights, because the fairs are swarmed by young people. I didn't :-)
Two points, based on many conversations.
1) Green Party support is insanely high among young people. 25% is the number from the Student Votes exercise, supported by various polls.
2) Lots of young people use the marijuana issue as their quick sanity test. If you are stupid enough to stil be fighting "the war on drugs" then you're not worth talking to.
I just finished campaigning provincially, and I did OK (6th highest votes in the province). This is what I consider a second-tier issue. I don't step up to the microphone and say vote-green-because-we-will-decriminalize-marijuana. But when someone asks about it I answer very forcefully.
Most Popular Blog?????
Greetings:
I , just as a Green Party member would like to point out that when people do come to the GREEN site here and happen to hit popular blogs and find then that this thread or Blog is no where to be found in that list , well it does look strange to maybe more than me because it is mysteriously omitted.
I don't know how it works here so that may be normal , still odd.
I would have a problem with the Green Party just removing this policy from their Green Vision Policy Book even if it was a overly disturbing issue to the majority of members here or even where it is discovered that they are ashamed of it as a policy.
I don't believe that is the case here really but based on no responses and a ton of views it just may be that not have all have the facts and don't know which way to look at our policy.
I have people coming here and sending others to join based on this thread and it now shows as the biggest viewed thread with our members on our 30 day list.
I seem to have killed this thread as I went ahead and explained my view about what I have learned about this issue and how I think it will help us.
I didn't want to kill the thread to do that.
I would really like to hear the comments or concerns some of you really may have , anyone ?
Even if its negative as I can not address concerns until you voice them.
Thank you
juror.ca
endprohibition@telus.net
I should add this link......
Greetings All,
Obviously this one should have been maybe just added in here to fill in any blanks.
http://www.greenparty.ca/en/node/3790
I see this issue "is" a polarizing issue and the tripling of our vote in the by-election is proof of our growing support.
Imagine what will happen to and with the Green Party political buzz around the coffee rooms once Ms May actually says our policy in the TV Leaders Debates and the media who have blatantly ignored the issue since last October when we officially released it find Canadians supporting us much more anyway.
I just cant wait!
http://ridings.greenparty.ca/article285.html?&MMN_...
juror.ca
endprohibition@telus.net
Related International News
Green MP in New Zealand welcomes "national conversation" on cannabis
Green MP Metiria Turei today welcomed the Drug Foundation calling for a "national conversation" on cannabis.
Ms Turei said the foundation was the ideal organisation to run such a debate because it was respected for its evidence-based, non-partisan approach to drug policy.
"The drug debate in New Zealand very quickly becomes dominated by fear and anxiety," Ms Turei said.
Legalize Cannabis policy bashed at Conservatives own website !!
Greetings Greens,
Had this thread had this original title we would have had it as a top thread here and it would have replaced the other cannabis thread in size scope and importance.
I for one after fighting my own stigma for 17 years understand why it wasn't used and I again must point out we are ourselves stopping our selves from growing faster with this large polarizing issue.
I having just gone through a ndp deja vu moment here with the Greens want to say I am again proud of the Greens for the immediate concern and resulting action shown by some of you in the Green Party....BRAVO !!
I am going to add to this post with other cannabis related news and information just to help educate us all from the self perceived stigma backlash that we perpetuate ourselves needlessly.
juror.ca
endprohibition@telus.net
Medical uses of Cannabis
***see the video links on the bottom please**
Greetings Greens,
Here is something for any members who may be elderly or ill or know someone who is.
Its from a group I belong to.
See below.
Last week, Administrative Law Judge Marry Ellen Bittner, ruled that
the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) should issue a license
to Massachusetts plant biologist, Dr. Lyle E. Craker, which would
allow him to grow cannabis for research purposes. Judge Bittner stated
in her long-awaited 87-page ruling that issuing such a license would
be "in the public interest."
We would hope so. The DEA and those promoting cannabis prohibition
have numerous times declared cannabis to be of limited medicinal
value due to a perceived lack of scientific research. Just in the
last five years alone, we counted more than 12 studies that
reported in the media the possible effectiveness of marijuana in
treating such debilitating conditions as:
1. Alzheimer's Disease
POT MAY BE BOOST TO OLDER BRAINS : New York Daily News (NY) : October
19, 2006 : "Anti-inflammatory compounds in pot deflect the memory loss
associated with the illness Alzheimer's] and could ultimately slow its
progression, said psychology Prof. Gary Wenk of Ohio State
University." http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v06/n1421/a04.html
2. Cancer - Brain Tumors
REPORT SUPRESSED THAT MARIJUANA COMPONENTS CAN INHIBIT CANCER GROWTH :
The Coastal Post (CA) : November 1, 2004 : "Clinical research touted
by the journal of the American Association for Cancer Research that
shows marijuana's components can inhibit the growth of cancerous brain
tumors is the latest in a long line of studies demonstrating the
drug's potential as an anti-cancer agent."
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v04/n1518/a07.html
3. Epilepsy
CANNABIS 'COULD HELP EPILEPTICS' : BBC News (UK Web) : October 4, 2003
: "Further evidence has emerged that an ingredient of cannabis could
help prevent epileptic seizures."
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03/n1520/a03.html
4. High Blood Pressure
ISRAELI RESEARCHER LOWERS BLOOD PRESSURE WITH CANNABIS COMPONENT :
Jerusalem Post : June 14, 2006 : "A new method for lowering blood
pressure with a compound that synthesizes a cannabis ( hashish or
marijuana ) plant component has been developed by a Hebrew University
doctoral student in pharmacology."
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v06/n771/a02.html
5. Hepatitis C
US CA: STUDY: MEDICAL MARIJUANA CAN HELP PEOPLE WITH HEP C : Bay Area
Reporter : September 21, 2006 : "Medical marijuana can help people
with hepatitis C stay on treatment longer, leading to better outcomes,
according to a study published in the October 2006 issue of the
European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology."
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v06/n1262/a01.html
6. Multiple Sclerosis
STUDY SUGGESTS MARIJUANA MAY EASE MS SYMPTOMS : Sacramento Bee (CA) :
November 7, 2003 : "A marijuana pill appeared to relieve some of the
symptoms of multiple sclerosis in the first scientifically rigorous
study of the strongly debated drug."
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03/n1756/a04.html
7. Nausea - Chemotherapy
ONE DRUG, TWO TAKES : Los Angeles Times : May 1, 2006 : "For nausea,
the panel examined about a dozen studies that looked at THC or
marijuana's ability to quell nausea during chemotherapy. For example,
in one study, 56 cancer patients who did not respond to other anti-
nausea and vomiting drugs were given marijuana. More than one-third
rated the plant as moderately or highly effective."
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v06/n546/a05.html
8. Nausea - Morning Sickness
MORE PREGNANCY HIGHS THAN LOWS : National Post (Canada) : January 17,
2006 : "Almost all of the B.C. women surveyed at the University of
Victoria and University of British Columbia said smoking marijuana
helped curb the nausea of pregnancy."
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v06/n076/a05.html
9. Pain - Peripheral Neuropathy (in AIDS) SMOKING POT REDUCES PAIN,
STUDY SHOWS : Washington Post : February 13, 2007 : "AIDS patients
suffering from debilitating nerve pain got as much or more relief by
smoking marijuana as they would typically get from prescription drugs
-- and with fewer side effects -- according to a study conducted under
rigorously controlled onditions with government-grown pot."
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v07/n177/a01.html
10. Pain - Post surgical
CANNABIS 'REDUCES SURGERY PAIN : BBC News : June 2, 2006 : "A cannabis
plant extract provides pain relief for patients after major surgery,
research has shown." http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v06/n722/a07.html
11. Psychosis
CANNABIS 'COULD REVERSE PSYCHOSIS' : Daily Telegraph (UK) : December
1, 2005 : "AUSTRALIAN researchers believe cannabis, a drug believed to
increase the risk of psychosis, may also be able to reverse psychotic
behaviour." http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05/n1879/a03.html
12. Schizophrenia
MARIJUANA MOOD SWING : NOW Magazine (CN ON) : September 21, 2006 :
"The strongest data out there is that CBD [a component of cannabis],
in strong enough doses, controls schizophrenia."
http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05/n1879/a03.html
Those who need to persuade policy makers about cannabis' medicinal
value should present this list to them. A formatted PDF of it can be
found here: http://drugsense.org/flyers/cannabisstudies.pdf
While you're at it, please note the source from which this list is
derived. DrugSense (http://www.drugsense.org/) has been archiving
articles like these since 1996. Our DrugNews Archive
(http://drugnews.org/) now contains over 175,000 newspaper, magazine,
and Web clippings on all aspects of drug policy, including studies
about medical marijuana.
If you find this list useful, why not help the organization that made
it possible? DrugSense is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that is
dedicated to accuracy in the media concerning drug policy topics. Your
donation is tax deductible to the extent provided by law.
Donating is quick and easy. Just visit this link:
http://www.drugsense.org/donate
-------------------------------------------------------------
or this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yj72e5q61Fs
-------------------------
Medical marijuana for ADD and its good for kids!
or this one....
http://americanmarijuana.org/clip.mice.tumor.gif
A quick note just to add these .... in my mind this says that what was spent on 70 year old women or men through the medical system for 3-6 years trying to heal open wounds with every """legal remedy and medication """ was a huge waste of TAX money , when 2 dollars worth of cannabis oil healed them in 30-90 days.
http://www.phoenixtears.ca/album.html
just watch the pictures as they do change
juror.ca
endprohibition@telus.net
Cannabis (pot) and driving !!! The Real and disappearing story
Hello again.......
I wanted a separate post just for this one.
If you have ever wanted to really know about cannabis (pot) and driving.
This just in from the BBC.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Z5jkYvKscw
The studies he refers to were what resulted in Great Britain saying you drove better on cannabis than you do sober.
They were done on simulators.
The government of Australia (the only other one to study cannabis) found the SAME !
This video had to fight to make it to mainstream as it saw spamming and hacks the likes of which the Pentagon would never see. It kept disappearing and being removed as to keep people in the dark.
The network of free thinkers kept it alive in their computers and keep posting it.
The issue of impairment needs addressing not shake down or harassment techniques.
Cheers
juror.ca
endprohibition@telus.net
"The Hour" TV SHOW Gets us Greens VOTERS !!!!!
The Union !!!
No it doesnt mention us ......
BUT I KNOW LARRY CAMPBELL IS TELLING PEOPLE !!!!!
http://www.cbc.ca/thehour/video.php?id=1956
We may just find this is the issue that makes history for us as all the rest are old school cowards ..... still.
Thank You George !
juror.ca
endprohibition@telus.net
Video history
Greetings Greens,
Here is the Senator I spoke to as they released their report almost 6! years ago
.....................................................
Legalize pot smoking, senators say
chives.cbc.ca/IDC-1-69-652-3585/life_society/marijuana/clip9
********Should pot be sold at corner stores to anyone over 16? Some of Canada's most senior politicians think so. The Senate Special Committee on Illegal Drugs final report says marijuana is less harmful than alcohol and should be governed by the same sort of rules. And it recommends wiping clean the record of anyone already convicted of possession. The Canadian Police Association calls the report "a back-to-school gift for drug pushers." *******
then from almost 4 years ago......... some silly "cowardly type" politicians ....
layton had just been on Pot TV just month's before saying "legalize cannabis in coffee shops" and here comes across as obviously hypocritical.... he sounds like he maybe lied to us then. If he wasn't just lying here.
harper also says "he was too DRUNK !!"" to smoke any cannabis.........bizarrely and probably TRUE !!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mnXwqdf7f4
Cheers
juror.ca
endprohibition@telus.net
Thank you Adrianne Carr !! .....& the Digg link
Thank you Adrianne Carr for the press.
http://www.metronews.ca/uploadedFiles/PDFs/2008020... (page 3)
ANDREW FIFIELD
FOR METRO VANCOUVER
Drug use medical issue, not criminal: Green Party
Federal Green Party deputy leader Adriane Carr hopes that the end of the United Nations Beyond 2008 conference in Vancouver yesterday will offer lessons for Canadian drug policy.
“What is clear to me is that the track we are on is wrong,” Carr said. “We need to redirect our resources away from punishing people and toward treating them for what is a medical, not a criminal, issue.
The war on drugs has been costly, ineffective and simply bad policy.”
Carr said that the Green Party is supporting delegates to the two-day conference who advocate the regulation and taxation of marijuana.
-------
Also please use this link to spread this thread...thanks
http://digg.com/politics/55_Canadians_Side_with_Gr...
Cheers
juror.ca
endprohibition@telus.net
apples to apples
Just to make sure we are comparing apples to apples here;
I understand that $500 million will be saved by the enforcement and justice systems if marijuana is legalised. These reductions of cost to the Canadian criminal justice system would come from reduced cost in courts, jails, and police efforts.
But what about the medical side of things?
When pot is decriminalized, even if it is taxed, simple economics say its price will go down and therefore guarantee increase in use. Yet a study recently came out indicating that consistent use of pot does more long-term physical and mental damage to the body than consistent cigarette use.
The same thing goes for the Canadian study suggesting that smoking marijuana while pregnant is an effective way to combat morning sickness.
You conveniently failed to mention that researchers note the findings are far from conclusive, not to mention that the study had weaknesses - the subjects were all predisposed to feel cannabis had benefits, they were reporting on past experience and there was no control group. An experiment with no control group is simply bad science and would never stand up before a science committee.
The study mentions that only minuscule cannabis use during pregnancy hasn't shown to put the baby at risk of birth defects. "Two or three puffs" only was what they tested.
So we know about the savings, but conversely, what are the ramifications in costs for public health? Not just that, but do economic arguments stand up when one takes a look at the cases of damaged health over the long term? Can one blame the foregoing of utility if there are more valuable concerns? Or, in other words, is money more important than health?
Greens hold a double standard when we criticize government and companies for evaluating the environment on economic profit, and then we turn and judge human health and life on an economic basis.
It's good that the Green Party is committed to seeing the issue fairly debated, but we want to make sure we have our facts straight and can reason through this properly.
Some apples are not like others
When Prohibition ended, did alcohol use, and the costs, social and financial, increase? I don't know that usage of something automatically goes up with a decrease in price. For example, many kids 'do pot,' or more of it, because it's forbidden. If marijuana usage did increase, it might also be because many people currently self-medicate with legal antidepressants of all kinds, but switch to marijuana because it's cheaper, legal, and, I think a case could be made, less detrimental than many of the legal options.
The First Nations people managed marijuana use for millenia without detriment to their society, and it was free. Granted, our modern societies lack the community restraints the First Nations had, but the real problem seems to be our attitude toward drugs of all kinds, from pot to Prozac. We overdo everything, from consumption to drugs.
Brian Gordon
Nominated Candidate, Esquimalt-Juan de Fuca
Green Party of Canada
Trained Presenter
An Inconvenient Truth
People - Planet - Prosperity
The New Green Economy
Applesauce !!!
Well said Brian
And yes those costs increased.
Of course others go away completely and new ones come into play.
No one talks about the ignored siphoning of old ladies gambling away their kids inheritance as gambling ..casinos and suicide are a none starter in any media.
We had costs to ourselves when gambling was illegal and now its like it was never illegal.
No one is shot over debts to a bookie on a saturday night and no innocent bystanders shot.
Still no drive by shooting that I know of at Liquor stores.
There were more people drinking alcohol at the end of prohibition than before it started yes but our costs should have nothing to do with anything though.
We cant change the law because we spend too much convicting ...ruining ...bankrupting and jailing them.
We need to end the prohibition because it is the human thing to do verses what has been tried so far.
Do we want to be just like the Americans who jail more based on population than anyone else on the planet?
2 million in US jails ....60-70% drug related...... In my mind its probably higher if we include legal drugs like alcohol in these statistics.
We also should never consider this to solve our crime problem because again in my mind we do not have a crime problem ...we have a drug problem
The way to deal with it is to undermine the crime exploiting the dumb laws at our expense and put our money our cost to the right places like Ibogaine treatment as a health insurance covered option.
Again I as an outed reformer have many come tell their stories and as even Canada's Senators heard some of it they rightly came to the conclusion to simply legalize......it isn't about this cost or that cost as cost is natural anyway.
As I have said based on even police chiefs claims that drug crime costs 70-80% of their budgets ...when we Greens quadruple the effectiveness of police departments over night when we simply create the equivalent of the Lottery corp and turn criminals into government employees providing cash flow for tax payers by legalizing cannabis for example ....do you really believe they will lay off any police??? hahhahha
16 billion spent on Afghanistan killing people and rebuilding squat while children buy a coke a cola in their towns with grams of opium as cash...back home we of course still spoon fed the input from corporate control.
OK so I will just say I look forward to us raising this issue as the bravest party and when the electorate who are smarter than the others give credit reward us for it ...... I for one will rejoice.
Coffee break over......
juror.ca
endprohibition@telus.net
Links to this study ...PLEASE !!
Greetings Greens,
I didn't know some one had posted here.
There's so much I could say and don't even know where to begin.
***** Yet a study recently came out proving that consistent use of pot does more long-term physical and mental damage to the body than consistent cigarette use.***** quote Mr. Craig Ketchum
Hahahaha.....Can I have your links to this study please?
I can show you thousands of studies dating back decades to prove other wise.
I simply say ..... SIR !!!
SHOW ME THE BODIES !!
Where are they?
The DEA or RCMP would have paraded their bodies around like the preserved LENIN..... for years if they yes truly existed.
I myself have already stated I have used cannabis for a quarter century.
My blood pressure and cholesterol levels are that of a 25 year old.
I remember more information and events than any of my none cannabis using friends.
And in some circles I am considered brilliant......what ever that truly means as to me we are all equals.
Hmmm yet a pot smoker....something isn't quite right here... it is?
As far as being laid back... like cannabis users are supposed to be...
I would like to see what I would have accomplished with out using cannabis if I already do more than most I know.
The tactics used to way-lay this issue.... if they were used the same way in other issues would be seen for what they really are to most quite quickly. Hog wash is what I say.
Myself having been at this so long I recognize these types of thoughts for what they really are instantly.
This issue is not a health issue.
Its not a money issue(16 billion spent in Afghanistan? killing people)
And it is not being considered by us Greens just to save a paltry 500 million.
I am tired of young thugs driving Hummers and carrying handguns paid for by wilfully negligent politicians.
The department of Justice every year hands out millions of dollars to only certain law firms to prosecute drug cases...coincidentally they all used to be the law firms who gave big contributions to political parties as well.
I am so terribly offended and its not even your own fault Craig as I don't really know what you know or believe but I will say that the costs to me even if I forget about the millions in assets they caused to be stripped from me when I was FRAMED by an accused child raping corrupt policeman ....but it all pales in comparison to what this stigma has really cost and still costs me to this day.
I was denied running for the leadership of the BC Green Party a few months ago because of my bogus criminal record ..for example. Yes the one I just told you I am completely innocent of.
What do you think this issue has really cost me for going on 17 years now?
I am to this day denied jobs ..loans ...even candidacies all over some thing I in fact didn't even do. You need to take responsibility for your record to obtain a pardon...(and pay a lot of money)how does one do that if they are actually innocent?
And in the only country where this pardon would be needed (the USA) its not even really acknowledged as they do not stop turning away grand fathers at the borders with 20 year old cannabis pardons.
The Harper government killed the only Canadian government money ever set aside to answer these types of questions ....4 million in research money earmarked for cannabis research .... I wonder why ...maybe only their morality? To me a lack of morality actually.
The costs to health care in my mind are maybe why its still illegal...as no one would be going to see their doctors any more...hahha
I am sorry but I see so many even with in the Green Party that maybe might feel better with Harper as I know he would continue beating people like me.
Ignorance is no excuse to enable Canadian citizens to be smashed and ruined over victimless crimes with their own tax dollars.
SHOW ME THE LINK MR. KETCHUM....PLEASE.
Because I for one am tired of them just trying to ketchum hahhaa over harmless activities while being ignored by political parties who welcome their votes but believe them less than others and just expendable.
P.S. The media recently just reported that cannabis stops breast cancer cold....how much would that save the medical system?
They also reported that a placebo was just as effective as an antidepressant
Think about that one while we give companies that produce these drugs billions. And realize the most prescribed drug to Canadian children is Ritalin...but then be told that if you smoked Ritalin it would then have to be called Chrystal Meth as they are almost the same formula(slight difference for a patent)
When the Green Party does actually RE-LEGALIZE cannabis ...I believe the costs in our medical system would in fact go way down actually.
Simply from my association with the 2000+ legal medical cannabis permit holders who used to cost the tax payers millions and millions in health and legal pharmaceutical expenses and today cost us near nothing.
Put that in your pipe and smoke it.
You would be shocked I am sure to realize that millions and millions of Canadians are or have been cannabis users and they deserve more respect than they are given.
All of you please...answer just this one question honestly with yourselves...
Is alcohol safer legal or illegal? That's why we the Greens will stand as the only sane and compassionate political party on this issue.
( did you watch that video I posted here in "what if the greens had a cure for cancer" with "Run from the Cure" a documentary with 30 terminal cancer patients now all cured and thriving?
What do you believe we just saved there and what will their continued combined contribution bring Canada? Never mind just those new 30 votes for us Greens)
P.S.S.
As I said to Jim Harris yesterday and as he chuckled
I thought I should post it here.
Why do you all believe we are not allowed to vote on line?
We can file and pay our taxes ...all our bills.....confess or create crimes...yet we cant vote on line...
why do you think that is ???????
BECAUSE WE WOULD !!!!
Cheers
juror.ca
endprohibition@telus.net
The point was...
Mr Shavluk,
I believe you have not caught the point of my comment, which was to examine the arguments and examples contained therein to make sure that the side we as a party are taking is factually sound and morally justified and economically rational. You mistake me, sir, for someone who is out to get you. You are also mistaken when you assume I "would be shocked I am sure to realize that millions and millions of Canadians are or have been cannabis users and they deserve more respect than they are given". Tell me now, why would you assume this?
In any case, as your examples are many, and they are laid out slightly erratically I will have difficulty replying to all the information you have kindly included, so I will just make a few salient points instead.
As for your physical and mental condition, you sound as though you 'suffer' from remarkably good health, possibly carried over from exercise and healthy living? And if "in some circles you are considered brilliant", I would not be at all surprised if you have not indeed always been brilliant. Would you deny this, or would you attribute your health and your intelligence to the drug you smoke?
Next, I believe you when you say you can show me "thousands of studies dating back decades to prove otherwise" but it's a known fact that unlike many intoxicating substances, cannabis is not a single substance but contains a large number of different components; over 420 have been identified to date. It is still unknown how many more ingredients are involved, and thus it is extremely difficult to gauge the effects, so I regret to suggest the scientific implausibility of 'proving' anything in the "thousands of studies" you have mentioned, sir. On the other hand, there are studies which say the complete opposite. This is probably why it is still debated!
The list of studies you can look at which back up my statement are listed below. I apologize if you cannot read all of them in full-text as I have access to university databases.
The most significant phrase out of the study I recalled was this:
"Marijuana smoke has been found to contain more cancer-causing agents than is found in tobacco smoke". So the bodies are there, but they are not dead bodies, because not enough time has passed between the findings of this study and the mortality of individuals who would have been studied.
Here are a few more studies you can look at.
http://www.well.com/user/woa/fspot.htm
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleUR...
http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/ongoing/marijuana.html (fact sheet)
http://jcp.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/42/11_... (Effects on babies prenatally exposed)
http://www.parl.gc.ca/37/1/parlbus/commbus/senate/...
which states that it has not been proven that cannabis prevents cancer, indeed if cigarettes and pot are both used the risk may in fact be much higher.
Along with you, I believe the US government is far too harsh with their penalties for the drug.
Did I ever say I didn't?
Hmm. What else.. I don't see what relevance your statement about placebos has with the discussion on marijuana, but I will just say that placebos are as effective as antidepressants only because antidepressants are effective, taken on their own, in severely depressed patients, which is a tiny percentage of the whole number of people on antidepressants. Counseling, in conjunction with antidepressants, is the only treatment that shows long-lasting benefits to patients. The results from studies that affirmed this were released recently, and information was circulated in newspapers, you can look for it.
As for cancer patients, I completely agree with you there. I think it is now widely known how marijuana can be used for medicinal purposes by cancer patients to alleviate the pain, etc.
I'm not trying to prove you wrong. I'm trying to make sure we look at all the facts, and the fact that you are adamant about derailing every argument in opposition is not the needed approach.
Thank you, sir.
ps. what is "breast cancer cold"?
Derailing arguments?
Craig,
Derailing arguments
Is that what you call it?
I will disagree with this view of yours as well.
I don't consider my self brilliant.
I was making a point ....as even you can see that I have horrible grammar skills for one thing (or just lazy)and have many flaws as do all of us.
Its easy to find flaws if that's all you are looking for.
Easy to justify any view.
Hitler didn't kill all those people himself....it takes gutless enablers to be led as well. The human animal should have a lot of shame and appears to with what is perpetrated in today's day and age.
Negative esteem begets negative esteem.
I looked down your list of links and saw the DEA involved one (or more)and quite frankly it tells all I need to know with you.
I did see the Senate committee link and as one who actually spoke to these senators at the actual hearings..well I know what they finally came out and said in conclusion in 2002......LEGALIZE CANNABIS !
I just want to ask you if you as a Green member will acknowledge our actual policy or would you remove it from our policy?
It seems obvious to me your view of this issue and as I know the real reasons and how and why cannabis became illegal ..... I will just stand on our actual policy and say you should either accept it ...change it or reconsider being Green.
Leading people down some DEA road of saving them by jailing them is to me repugnant and maybe some one else should speak to you on it.
This is not a health issue and never has been.
No one has died from cannabis and for you to say there hasn't been enough long term use is a joke or the subjects are still around and haven't come in to the medical system yet so we should continue with the jail and torture 800 thousand Canadians live with is again repugnant to me.
Any one else want to maybe say something?
I am Green and as such I try to limit my exposure to toxic substances.
I do think its cool they have identified 420 substances in cannabis though ....what with 4/20 and all being my favorite holiday hahhaha
Do you know how many substances are in the Tar Sands pollution?
In your face as you drive down the 401?
In a host of other legal things and this reasoning would have those hurt in skiing accidents denied health care or the fat blamed and jailed over the same costs ....sorry this argument is again just a smoke screen.
Mothers milk (the real gateway drug) is unfit for human consumption.
Yes I await your links sir.
When I think of the torture I have endured ....I to this day literally vibrate with repulsion at what really goes on in the guise of helping people or the blatant financial slavery allowed to openly fester wasting so many lives.
I must stop today for fear of my passion offending others and let history run its course.
In my mind your view will just go the way of the dinosaur and rightly so.
P.S.
it was reported that one of the 420 hahaha things I and 3 million other Canadians likes in cannabis is stopping tumors from growing.
In my links to run from the cure there is evidence that cancer tumors were eaten from the outside by one of cannabis's 420 substances.
Cheers
juror.ca
endprohibition@telus.net
both sides
Dear Mr. Shavluk,
Your dismissal of me as a thinking human being and a Green supporter astonishes me. If this is how you are going to respond to a view that simply challenges your own (out of mere questioning!) then I don't know what more we can say.
When you say my "view will just go the way of the dinosaur and rightly so", I think you forget that my comments were first to raise an issue of examining our own policies from both sides. I know it's hard to evaluate oneself, but at the same time I realise its necessity. We, the Green Party can be right about re-legalising marijuana, as you say, of course we could be! But we need to discuss it fully too, especially given 55% and not higher. That's not even a two-thirds majority.
Indeed, the Senate Report you mentioned, which I found via your site, has undergone four revisions over the years! I'm sure you are happy that they finally came to the conclusions they arrived at - but it took re-evaluation! If you will not afford me the same luxury, then that is a real shame, because it would not be me who is closed-minded.
You insist that you have me all figured out from the fact that I have read a few studies that challenge your view (and mine, for all you know!)
Lastly, sir, with all due respect, if you are not going to lay out an argument that can be easily followed, prepare to encounter criticism, don't make me out to be the bad guy by pointing out inconsistencies - if, for example, you were running again for the leadership of the BC Greens I would want your speeches, letters, and arguments to be concise and neat. Right?
So whatever the case may be, I apologize for the offence I may have caused you, and I wish you the best.
Craig Ketchum
I to apologize for my passion...
With all due Respect Craig,
Mr Harris is being cautious and conservative in his choice of statistics as I can show you the Macleans magazine results that show over 70% of Canadians want the cannabis issue dealt with. Or the Globe and Mails polls also at over 70%.
We only added even the word marijuana to this thread after heated debate and in my mind dealing with the same attitude even some Greens have.
The Senate Report said what I said it did and I assume you found this out as true ....since 2002 quit trying to again spread disinformation.
I don't need to lay out an argument ...as you say ...as it is ALREADY OUR POLICY !!
I don't have to convince you that the policy we already have should be implemented.
It is our policy NOW!
I must say I am very passionate about this issue because of my past obviously and only here in fact because the Greens have said what they have Re: Legalizing cannabis for adult use and ending the gun enabling willfully neglectful government policies we have lived with for decades.
If I wanted to stay with cowardly pretend slavery end-ers I could have stayed with the ndp on their executive.
All of us from the Marijuana Party are actually the most Green people I know
In fact we are naturally Green as we have been preaching many of the policies we Greens have now for a very long time.
I have screamed from the wilderness for almost 17 years about what I personally have been through and know no one really cares until it happens to some one they know.
I have heard all the time ..."well you must have been doing something""
Well this is true but not in the way they meant as what I did was attempt to find out if what my tenants were telling me held any basis in fact.
That they were being abandoned at the power plant outside Saskatoon and many just froze to death before making it back to the city.(pre-Stonechild)
Again please review what our actual Green policy is and then you may see that the road you were going down was in my mind redundant and only mean to denigrate my earlier posts.
Again this would be very offencive to some one like me and I really am not trying to offend anyone.
As I say I do apologize to you for failing to educate you in a way that doesn't set you against me....I am sorry.
There is a lot of politically based dis-information out there just to continue the status-quo.
The drugs are already there. The people who will be put in jail for mandatory minimum sentences are Canadian children and they should have rights.
I agree with the Green policy and I hope and pray people start to see that it is the right solution as the alternatives are full of pain suffering and wasted tax dollars for no real reason.
But before you do go away ....yes to make sure I give you the credibility you would deserve but I say again Craig ....
PLEASE POST YOUR LINK !!
THE ONE YOU MENTIONED.
Just open it and show us that part you mentioned.
I believe at this juncture it is for sure extremely important that we see this link ...I mean as it pertains to your credibility.
I will await your next post with baited breath so I can properly deal with the terrible information this link of yours suggests.
I just hope it isn't anything DEA related or again credibility comes into question or whether I was just having my posts denigrated.
Cheers
juror.ca
endprohibition@telus.net
from the outset..
Mr. Shavluk,
This argument has come so far round from my first comments on a measured approach, which were the specific and only thing I wanted to say. Everyone knows just as well as I that studies have, in the past, indicated contradictory things - anyone with Internet can look and see. You are right when you point out that recent recommendations favour the re-legalisation of marijuana because the links they found between severe health setbacks were not as strong when compared to cigarette smoke (I still can't find any comparing it to non-smokers).
And I am so very glad that it is such an affordable remedy for the effects of cancer.
And lastly, I'm not contesting that it's our policy, sir. I am very well acquainted with Vision Green and reference it every week in research and communications projects for the Green Party. That was never my argument at all.
From the outset, our arguments missed each other like ships in the night and I have nothing more to say on this matter. I just wanted to make sure our approach was not biased. If that is frowned upon then I will say no more.
UN DRUG TREATIES
Greetings Greens,
As we wait for Mr Ketchums links lets take a moment to examine a largely used argument against ending prohibition here in Canada.
It goes kinda like this ""we Canadians are tied up by UN TREATIES and as such cant end the slavery we perpetrate against our own citizens with their own tax dollars."" hahhaha
The conservatives will use it against you as candidates so I need all of us to see this.
Dan Gardner . Closed minds
Dan Gardner, The Ottawa Citizen
Published: Friday, March 07, 2008
http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/columnists/sto...
So there you go.....I must say Steven Lewis was ....after I paid the $200.00 dollars at the last ndp convention to be able to speak to him ...well he looked like a deer in your head lights as I explained the SENLIS Councils remedy to end the drugwar in Afghanistan.
I came away from the 5-10 minute talk thinking he was a complete coward and a hypocrite in his views...acting like Layton... as he has some moral high ground over trading soldiers lives for legal safe commerce.
I have never seen him with the same respect as I had previously...sorry to those still fans.
He having been the UN Envoy dealing with Aids in Africa knows very well that Africans could really benefit from all the opium he would get by licensing the Afgany farmers as we had done in Turkey to end violence there in 1972.
Sadly Afghanistan could only provide half of whats needed as Africa has 28 million AIDS suffers.
People are not what they seem ...... more often than not.
To me Steven Lewis and the ndp are wilfully negligent in the drugwar
Politicians for prohibition are also POLITICIANS FOR ORGANIZED CRIME !!
juror.ca
endprohibition@telus.net
Decolonisation
IMHO, the single most important reason for legalising pot is to make a symbolic statement that Canada is not a colony of the US and needn't adopt all the same policies (especially failed ones). Also, to make a statement about Democracy.
Drugs are a hot-button issue (not without good reason, since frequent intoxication obviously increases the probability of making bad decisions).
Nonetheless, the power to take away the individual's right to enter a state of intoxication is an inappropriate kind of power for the State to have.
Putting an end to this degree of State power over the individual makes a statement about Democracy (public power) that the Americans need to hear.
--
Humans have learned nothing from history ... not even the fact that they've learned nothing from history.
Intoxication?
Greeting Greens,
My ..My ...MY....Time flies after your vote triples doesn't it? haha
Howard....I would agree with some of what you say.....but this...
Quote*** Drugs are a hot-button issue (not without good reason, since frequent intoxication obviously increases the probability of making bad decisions)*****
Well only if you are referring to how and when power intoxicates someone.
Frequent ? hahhaha
I would read your ever your explanation of the above comments would be....what with being familiar with the human animal and all and knowing bad decisions come with the territory whether being intoxicated hahhaha by a candy bar or a burger ....or NOTHING !!
The only times I was ever actually intoxicated ....twice ....
resulted in one thing .....I was convinced to never drink or allow myself to drink that much ever again....its been 24 years since then and I wont even point out it just happens to also coincidentally be when I first tried cannabis.
Now if you meant something against me or my words here an explanation of such would I am sure be met with equal enthusiasm ......almost with intoxicated abandon hahhha.
Oh and thanks for your comments
Cheers
http://ridings.greenparty.ca/article285.html?&MMN_...
juror.ca
endprohibition@telus.net
Do we not get time to edit any more?????
the above statement should have said.....
Frequent ? hahhaha
I would read what ever your explanation of the above comments would be....what with being familiar with the human animal and all and knowing bad decisions come with the territory whether being intoxicated hahhaha by a candy bar or a burger ....or NOTHING !!
People make bad decisions even stone cold sober.
Intoxication like impairment is dependant on each persons abilities to get intoxicated.
I would agree with your statement with regards to alcohol at least.
As you can smoke all the cannabis you want and not get any higher or dead as alcohol will do.
Still cannabis is not intoxication for me.
Why is our longer editing feature gone ????????
Anyone?
http://ridings.greenparty.ca/article285.html?&MMN_...
juror.ca
endprohibition@telus.net
Huge Support For Legalization
Thanks to John Shavluk for pointing out the HUGE popularity of this very professional discussion.
I was disappointed at the level of Green support for opposing Bill C-26. So many Greens thought that we should minimize or hide support for legalization like the cowards in the NDP.
I was disappointed that Dan Grice refused a $450 donation from Canadian hero Marc Emery who is fighting for our freedom and his life.
Hopefully GPC leadership will respond to the grassroots support for legalization and oppose C-26 and repeal C-2.
Dan Mick
Huh!
The GPC was proud to issue two press releases, one Jared wrote opposing C-26 in December following the announcements and one I help authored opposing the extradiction of Marc Emery.
http://www.greenparty.ca/en/releases/21.01.2008
http://www.greenparty.ca/en/releases/04.12.2007b
As well, Elizabeth was unequivocal on support for the legalization of Cannabis at all of the events she hosted in our riding and even agreed to a video for activists:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=te1Uy-Kn2MY&eurl=ht...
I did receive donations from cannabis activists as well as anti-seal hunt activists! I'm sure it will be published in my official campaign statement, although elections Canada may not publish individual donations below $200. I think they all came in $150 bank transfers.
I did unintentionally offend some activists when I asked a pro-cannabis blog to correct a statement that said the marijuana party that donated to us. However, as I later explained, the only reason this was said was because we cannot legally accept money from other organizations and I had to be clear that all donations followed election laws and could only come from people. But we did gladly received funds that came from individuals!
I also mentioned my opposition to bill C-26 on my first CKNW debate, which one can listen to here:
http://www.dangrice.com/?q=node/146
Anyways, I really cannot understand why I or others are being questioned regarding our support. If I was quite, why would Vancouver's largest weekly newspaper mention that as part of my endorsement?
http://www.straight.com/article-135666/the-usual-s...
Dan Grice
Candidate for Vancouver Quadra.
www.VoteGrice.com
604-725-8913
These opinions and ideas are my own, but I grant you the right to implement them.
Huh?
Are you claiming you didn't turn down a $450 donation from Marc Emery?
..
http://forums.cannabisculture.com/forums/ubbthread...
The only donation I intentionally turned down was an older ladies who came to me with $60 in cash, and I had to explain to her that election law only allows us to take $20 in cash.
PS, its fairly poor form to
PS, its fairly poor form to be talking about individual donations, specific campaign activities, hr issues, volunteers and such online.
Even if you have issues with aspects of the campaign, it is better to keep it in generalities and focussed on what we lessons we should move forward on. While most of this stuff will become public knowledge, its also important to remember that donations under $200 do not need to be published and as sometimes the donors may specifically have donated less than that amount to keep their names out of print.
While I also believe in being very open about my activities and my campaign, it is also important to be tactful as there may be some specific activities which we want to keep fairly internal. We have the GPC-Gen email list which other parties do not have access to. Some of the postings you have been making may risk taking away a competitive advantage if we have developed a new methodology of running a GOTV campaign. Keep that in mind as well.
Dan Grice
Candidate for Vancouver Quadra.
www.VoteGrice.com
604-725-8913
These opinions and ideas are my own, but I grant you the right to implement them.
The Campaign Mistakes Are What Hurt The GPC
I believe that the mistakes that I am exposing are what is really hurting the party, and the GPC has tried to fix them your way and obviously has not. It is time for a change in course.
I have been very clear that I want Greens to know how poorly things are going so that we can ALL take part in the discussion of what needs to change (not just a few individuals). I wouldn't have to post any of this if Greens would stop making excuses and hiding or minimizing their failings.
If you think that the NDP, Liberals, Conservatives, or Bloc are fooled by us claiming "victory"--they are not. They know enough about campaigning to know how badly we are doing at it.
Spies and wandering eyes
Just so no-one is deceived, I'm quite sure other parties are able to penetrate the lax security of our email lists like gpc-gen and gpc-members - if nothing else, then by sending someone with $10 to become a member.
However, the main difference between the lists and this blog is that the blog can be viewed by any curious person wandering by with no particular effort. This is a place where (I expect) lots of potential Greens check us out before joining (or not). Therefore, nasty specific personal accusations, attacks, or discussions of confidential topics like specific donations (other than your own) is inappropriate and would be better undertaken on the lists, if at all. Attack language, aggressive posturing and taking people to task over disagreements in terminology or focus are likewise unlikely to achieve positive goals.
This is an excellent area for constructive criticism. It's unlikely we'll let any tactic or strategy slip that the other parties will use against us - they are already far better than us at organizing and getting out their votes, so they are unlikely to suddenly adopt our largely untried or unproven suggestions no matter how great they sound. In fact, most of the organizational improvements we should make involve learning & doing what the other parties have been doing for years. (Although we should continue to learn policy from what they haven't been doing for years).
Just as family discussions or party caucus meetings are held behind closed doors, there are equivalents for us. Transparency means governance is accessible to those who wish to be involved, it doesn't mean open feuding or shouting matches in the front yard. I wouldn't jump to conclude that our lists can't be effective avenues for more hard-hitting criticism unless one has actually tried it there.
Erich Jacoby-Hawkins
Barrie, ON
The views I express on this blog are purely my own and should not be construed to represent the official position of the Green Party of Canada - the same goes for all other people's posts & comments.
Personal Attacks
I agree that personal attacks (like these two) have no place here.
http://www.greenparty.ca/en/node/4316#comment-4345
http://www.greenparty.ca/en/node/4322#comment-4348
The Whole Truth
The Friday before the election, (March 14):
In the words of Marc Emery, "Tell your candidate not to turn down money." Gricey, we discussed the donation of $450 and you finally said you would accept it--except you didn't know what to spend it on. You said it would go into the EDA bank account. I believe this was a separate donation as we were still discussing it after the post from Emery that you have referenced. Several people quit the campaign because they didn't think that a candidate that didn't know what to do with a donation in the final days wasn't worth supporting.
How does an underfunded campaign that had trouble fundraising not know what to do with money on the weekend before the election?
Your words are telling, "The only donation I INTENTIONALLY turned down..." Was it an accident?
Always accept, but can be hard to spend
I always accept a contribution, and would even if I had already spent my limit. There are always more elections coming, or I could even generously transfer to the party or some other riding's candidate. We have to take the long-term view in financing. (Gotta work on soliciting bequests, too - no contribution limit there - just hard to make the ask.)
On the other hand, spending money at the last minute is very difficult if you haven't already set it up. Blackouts are a serious problem. Friday before election Monday is too late to set up any print or radio media buys (they would have to run before Monday), too late to put in a print order unless you have a real friend (and a shortage of literature). It's a bit too late to try to hire more canvassers or such, if you wanted to. (I suppose it could go to pay for an unscientific automated phone poll, but we already know how you feel about that, eh?)
Spending unexpected money effectively in the last week is tough; on the last weekend, almost impossible. If you want, you could perhaps list some realistic ways to usefully spend $450 that came in the last Friday - keeping in mind that a cheque or credit card contribution won't even have cleared until after the polls close.
On the other hand, any serious campaign should actually be in deficit by this point, so last-minute fundraising is actually early payment on your campaign debt. Debt-based campaign spending is something I'll try to address in a specific blog post, as it is an important issue of its own. Any candidate who truly 'gets it' will plan to overspend in a controlled way during the campaign to pay it back after.
Erich Jacoby-Hawkins
Barrie, ON
The views I express on this blog are purely my own and should not be construed to represent the official position of the Green Party of Canada - the same goes for all other people's posts & comments.
GOTV
http://www.budget.ca/en/cars/
GOTV link
Dan, I don't get it. The link in your GOTV post goes to Budget Rent-A-Car. Did you intend something else? You can edit the post to make changes.
Jim Johnston,
Lambton-Kent-Middlesex
Opinions expressed are my own.
Last minute donation
Again.....
Please all of you remember the only reason that that particular donation even came in was because one of my team successfully planted our poll showing Dan with a chance to win.
It scared the hell out of that individual and the donation does not have real intent or any real good wishes for us...it was damage control completely!
We had and I personally had attempted to get help for Dan Grice from that donor for over a year and that donor had attempted to stab Green Party support until he was moved to help for fear of looking like a complete hypocrite.
Any that want the real story of the cannabis community or our efforts please just ask.
Cheers
http://ridings.greenparty.ca/article285.html?&MMN_...
juror.ca
endprohibition@telus.net
Thanks, John
I was in the BCMP office trying to drum up some suport when an e-mail came in about the poll. Thanks John! : D
For heaven's sakes.. drop
For heaven's sakes.. drop it.
We gladly received donations throughout the campaign, but I don't recall the context of any conversation but its certainly not relevant to larger questions, unless you consider how to keep your candidates from wearing themselves to oblivion by standing in the rain for three months straight, living on power bars and juice for the final week, and maintaining sanity at all points. Yes, having a dedicated personal assistant to be with me at all points would have been a good early investment. It was in our original 35 day budget, but we decided to divert that money into other areas such as final weekend GOTV campaigns, mass voice mail outs, a final weekend newspaper placement and hiring students for UBC. Some were poor expenditures, we will gladly admit, but others were definitely worth while.
"How does an underfunded campaign that had trouble fundraising not know what to do with money on the weekend before the election?"
We had enough money for signs, literature, and such and still had a few thousand pieces of literature to give out at that point. Our budget would have likely have put us in the top 5% of Green campaigns in 2006, but in the bottom 5% of Liberal campaigns. Effective fundraising is a huge issue for all Greens. We had lots of $50 and $100 donations, a few $200 and $400 donations, but very few large donations. We received a few thousand during the campaign and got small loans from the party, but these were too late to put into major expenses such as hiring staff, an in office riding, and much more.
Unfortunately, it takes time to build up a donor base. The previous campaign in the riding ran a $500 campaign, so historic data was limited. Don't get me wrong, we had older historic data, but when you call up donors from 2 years ago to find out they died, it does put a damper on things.
Now we have an identified support base 10x and its time to build up it. This is a conversation WE SHOULD HAVE. But it does not have to be done in the context of pointing fingers.
Alas, had I received $10,000 in donations on the final weekend of the campaign, they would have basically yielded no higher of a vote result than happened. Would certainly have helped us next time, but you can't run ads on election day, and two days is not enough lead time to have major expenses printed up. The cutoff for newspaper publishing was about 4 days previous, the radio usually takes a day or two to get a spot finalized, but could only have run them on Sunday.
Dan Grice
Candidate for Vancouver Quadra.
www.VoteGrice.com
604-725-8913
These opinions and ideas are my own, but I grant you the right to implement them.
C-26
I am glad that you supported legalization, Dan.
When it comes to the rest of Greens, supporting the opposition to Bill C-26, I only know of one out of probably 100 Greens that I contacted joined the protest. I was told by many that they didn't want to be associated with drugs. Greens could have done more, and we will get another chance, soon. I hope there is more of an effort by more people.
Our own policy?
Yes we should try to improve ourselves and not just argue.
But we should be allowed to get there naturally and I don't care that Joe Public can see it ..in fact it will grow us as Greens and not as same old same old's...Do you understand what I mean by that?
Yes even some with in the Greens are still completely afraid of the cannabis issue.
I believe we can make history by embracing the tone our policy projects.
It isn't about the proliferation of drugs.....it is about being Green ..open...compassionate...honest...caring and environmentally smart!
All environments are important as to me the judicial system of Canada is the equivalent of a toxic dump openly grown and encouraged.
Nice to see all this action here I must say as I have been here talking to the walls for 5 months hahhaha.
Cheers
From here...............
http://www.greenparty.ca/en/node/707
Greens and BILL C - 26 !
Submitted by John Shavluk on 10 December 2007 - 11:02pm.
Greetings Greens:
With all due respect Jim , but I would like to comment to your post.
#1) Your point about addiction is irrelevant based on the peer reviewed studies I have seen and even if you are correct in that there is a psychologically addictiveness to cannabis I would say so what? .... as there is the same thoughts to do with TV , sex , food and a host of other harmless activities ... whats the point?
As using a reason like that to justify jailing people as just a way to save them from themselves or from some withdrawals is like using a shotgun to kill a fly. The DEA likes to point out the high number of kids in treatment for cannabis use in the united states but then always fails to mention that if they did not go in to it they went to jail.
I also know there is no treatment for cannabis or any other drugs ....really ...beyond just the individual themselves ultimately.
#2) There are references in the bible widely believed to be speaking about cannabis and its oils ...again ones interpretation is key.
Many , many references out there and I can provide the links or one actually straight to a friend of mine who published a book about that very topic.
That said the whole bible is a matter of interpretation to some people , isn't it?
#3) These driving a car & impaired comments.
Well myself I want impairment legislation as the focus rather than a random bodily fluids search and the resulting national body fluids data bank wasting billions of dollars.
Police can be further trained to just better recognize impairment and already have cameras to prove it.
I prefer that ,for sure instead of syringes , swabs or bottles of urine.
As I have said some would be surprised to find many elderly people impaired even from their own legal pharmaceuticals causing accidents and deaths on the roads.
And as cannabis can stay in the body for a month or more at a time all we are really doing is creating millions more stigmatized so called criminals needlessly as their actual level of impairment is what needed to be addressed or looked at.
# 4) Your comments about cancer and cannabis are also something quite up in the air with me especially after recently losing both my Mom and my best friend over just the last few months and then myself speaking personally with people "cured" of the same exact cancers while I sat and watched them both die. Yes, to me needlessly.
The link to the people I spoke to and have spoken to for years about this is...
http://www.phoenixtears.ca/jcj.html
(Jim is the fellows name here. I have also even sent it to some other Green members)
and the whole site
( you may have to put it directly into your browser, strangely)
http://www.phoenixtears.ca/
As my mom and my friend faded and died I argued with them to try this remedy and in my opinion the illegality of cannabis contributed to the needless deaths of both of them as they both could not get past "the laws the law".
We contacted the Canadian Cancer Society and were told " The Canadian Cancer Society spends 0... THATS RIGHT "ZERO DOLLARS" on natural remedies for cancer".......I was and am still shocked as that one rolls around my mind daily.
The man involved Mr. Rick Simpson is now awaiting sentences for "curing" 30 such terminal cancer patients in Nova Scotia and the Veterans Legion there that helped him even lost their charter(it was in the newspapers)
I have heard that the husband of one of the terminal women he saved has now said he will pay for an appeal.
#5 "Cannabis does not cause crime" well Jim to me that is true.
Prohibition itself causes all the crime and it because of the complacency of the main stream political parties will now get very much worse , mark my words.
Politicians for prohibition are also Politicians for organized crime.
I know of no drive by shootings at liquor stores.
Right now I am helping to organize a National Day of Protest set for Dec 17 2007 at every Member of Parliament's office and working tirelessly to call attention to the fact that Bill C- 26 will , based on just who I have met with in even the Green Party in the last year, qualify quite a few of them as criminals and targets them needlessly.
3 people smoking a joint is now going to qualify as organized crime in Canada.
One cannabis plant or 199 matters little as it is now a guaranteed mandatory minimum sentence for having them...why not grow the 199 then?
Please everyone ask your MP why he wants to target 3 million Canadian cannabis users with criminal records and actually create a real demand for organized crime to then fill.
Just the new money now going to be needed to prosecute and jail all of these citizens, when I know we supposedly have no money for even hospitals or Canada's hungry children yes it disgusts me.
So much more I could say but.....
I wish the Green Party would say something about Bill C-26 to help and yes stop this travesty coming ...and as for the rest .....well...
I would just prefer to leave it at your initial comments !
"There are fundamental reasons why marijuana should be legalized in Canada."
I agree..thank you!
Cheers
juror.ca
endprohibition@telus.net
http://ridings.greenparty.ca/article285.html?&MMN_...
juror.ca
endprohibition@telus.net
Greens Are Different
Another great point, John. All parties say they are different, but we act different. With stories about the police searching the Tory offices and Stephen Harper not talking to media (as always) it is good to show that there is one party that is working on transparency.
How we operate as a Party will reflect how we operate in opposition--and how we will govern.
your kidding..
Dan turned down half a grand from Mark Emery?
Who is Dan Grice to turn down a donation from Mark Emery...
I cant believe that.. Wow.. Im super pissed off right now.. I'm gonna stop typing before I post something Dan will regret..
Unfortunately Not, James
In the last weekend of the election, I had a meeting at the BCMP HQ that got us a handful of volunteers. Most of them quit the next day as a result of how the GPC BC Office was running things. I was astonished when Dan Grice said he didn't know what to do with the donation. We have a lot of work to do...
James
You were at 4/20 under cover last year and have heard me on this issue.
Where do you get your opinion from and what exactly is it based on?
I find it ridiculous and uneducated as far as the cannabis issue is concerned.
emery has hurt or set back this movement by some of his stupid ego driven antics..yes he has also raised some interest in this issue but sadly through his untimely poorly thought out remarks like his sexual stories in news paper about cannabis and his calling for the removal of 70 year old voters from health care benefits while running in Abbotsford hahhahaha as I sadly stood in a provincial election with him.
Also for all his preaching of so called hard fighting I always pointed out how silly it was to just plead guilty and look like a hypocrite in Saskatoon over possession (read all about that bizarre turn of events as his lawyer hahhahaha mistakenly plead guilty is his version )and lets face it if he really ever wanted to overgrow anything he could have been the cheapest seed seller not the most expensive.
Dont tell me about emery I know all about it and then some.
So much I could say ...so lets leave this poor sad chap out of it shall we please?
The truth will all come out and we should not be involved.
We dont need emery and never have.
http://ridings.greenparty.ca/article285.html?&MMN_...
juror.ca
endprohibition@telus.net
Thank you Dan Mick
Dan
Yes thank you and I agree with your statement about us Greens hiding from growing by really being afraid of our own huge polarizing vote getting issue.
Mr Harris has still not acknowledged what I said as I fought to add the word cannabis(I will settle for the derogatory term marijuana) to this thread title and as it in fact has gone from 3000 hits to 5600 in a month I guess what I said was correct. Too bad we didn't start it labeled the right way or maybe we would have hit 20% in the elections.......is my thought.
If we do appear as cowardly as the ndp we should continue to expect the same votes as them...myself I would obviously like us Greens to be what we sadly just pretend to be ...NEW WAY OVER DUE HOPE FOR CANADIAN CITIZENS !!!!
I still cant think of a party I would rather be working in having met people like you Dan Mick , Dan Grice and yes Mr Jim Harris.
I know I need all of you to really fulfill my agenda and actually I like you all. That's why I try so hard to get this thread read and spread out there as to me this issue is way bigger than we even will aggressively create and until we do we are just one of the same old same old dancing for the same fickle vote.....I want the 40 % who never see the need to vote as it doesn't matter....with them we would be the government based on reality as harper has what 35%
Cheers Dan and yes thanks for just saying something here as I feel like I am talking to myself even though we have how many members here?
http://ridings.greenparty.ca/article285.html?&MMN_...
juror.ca
endprohibition@telus.net
Fighting for Freedom This Weekend 4:20
Why would Greens hide from an issue when the vast majority of Canadians agree with us? Only 10% want jail time for possession of cannabis, if I remember correctly. The majority want regulation (legalization).
April 20 (420) is coming up and last year 10,000 people showed up in Downtown Vancouver to break this US sourced law. Greens are happy when 100 show up for an environmental protest. I think it is a big mistake to not take up that cause in a more vocal matter.
One of the greatest criticisms is that we are a one issue party. We need other issues to champion. I think this should be one of them. It will be a tough battle at first, but it will pay off long term. The people and morality are on our side. We all want to be free.
No hero to me!!!!!
With all due respect but if Dan Grice did turn down a donation from emery I would have wholeheartedly supported that move.
In fact I would praise that move as exposing a hypocrite.
I also don't believe it for one second as emery himself even brags about giving it ......even though I know it actually came..... in fact from his employees own pay checks as yes... I would visit them regularly and educate them at "emery's Ego-plex" hahaha ...next door to the Green office.... every time I went into Vancouver.
He gave maybe ... $150.00 dollars and that is even another story I wont go into.
He spends more than that on pot alone every day.
Its all about emery in reality as I have the testimony of many he has worn out his welcome with.
Lies ..slander...the allegations are very numerous.
I wont go into it here too much as I have a pending law suit against his organization, dana larsen( his clone ) and the BC ndp leader but I spent 8 years helping the clown prince of pot and could quite quickly explain a couple of things that would result in all of us distancing ourselves from emery and his self possessed world.
After his horrible treatment of me at his own website and even if I over look the fact that he personally ripped me off financially as he broke his word with me well I still tried to help him ..well we (my team) rose to the challenge anyway and after urging Ms May and then actually getting that fabulous press release from her October 11 2007 calling for yes LEGALIZED CANNABIS emery in his warped views of his own self importance just deleted it from his so called cannabis activism magazine site.
Its the emery show and always has been.
He has no credibility with me or my group...quite the opposite and NEVER WILL EVER AGAIN.
In fact its the same sadly with very very many people I could name.
He has tried to sidetrack our support for over a year and only came out with a forced Green statement after he fell for the planted bogus poll #'s at his own site.(we scared him into it in my view)
I have years of what are now deleted posts from his own site that would also open all your eyes to his true demeanour.
He is also "a conservative opportunist" as the ndp used.... as they turned him down to help them in any way shape or form.
I gave him thousands of dollars and yet never received a cent from this great so called hero of the movement as I fought politically for years through 3 parties.
Sadly to me he is simply a unneeded liability...a joke ..... He has never been an asset in my work to re-legalize cannabis and only caused me grief or embarrassment.
Yes he takes credit for many things...some he is even responsible for so I don't wish him dead...just in a USA jail as he seems to be trying to get to even supporting and praising libby davies as she calls for harper to get back to the table and help give emery a 5 year sentence...hahhahha
He thinks he is Gandhi or some such egotistical garbage.
No if we can we should avoid any further involvement or effort for or with this untrustworthy fellow who really is only working for really just himself.
It saddens me to have to say all this but I believe every word.
And by the way the volunteers were from my group of cannabis activists and friends and I can name them all.....the fact that they hang out at emery latest law loop hole cash exploitation machine doesn't make them his team...thanks all the same!!!!
If others were there again you should ask them if they are emery people next time instead of assuming they are as it would be insulting to some as the cause is way bigger than emery no matter how much he tries to scream other wise.
I hope I don't ever have to refer to this person again on a Green post!!!
By the way last year at 4/20 I gave a Green speech and made the ndp cower as I explained laytons cowardly move to block my further work with them as a nominee after my challenging their presidential election in Quebec city only to mention the word cannabis exposed them as hypocrites.
Look at what has happened to layton since...he is insignificant and it will soon be proved.
I know what we are doing is and will work and will be there again like always to keep all honest to do with our realities!!!
Cheers
Marc Emery and Donna Dillman
John, I don't know what your issues with Marc are and I am not choosing sides. We can have a chat in a more appropriate place than these blogs, if you like.
I would say that by Marc Emery risking his safety and freedom for our benefit makes him a hero regardless of any flaws he may have. I don't know much about Donna Dillman either, but I do know that she risked her life on a hunger strike for the benefit of every one of us. I don't need to know more about Marc Emery or Donna Dillman to call them heroes.
Risks his life?? oh come on !!!!!
He is no Steve Kubby!!!
How the hell do you think he ever risked his life?
You should read people that are the real hero's of cannabis reform
Tom Forcade or Keith Stroup(the reason I am involved)
I am sorry but any involved in this issue would take a real offense to any emery hero worship here as it really isn't the complete truth.
I will tell all everything anytime and can back up all.
Lets leave emery out of what I consider a great deal of my work as to me he is not even worth knowing and only tried to hurt the Green efforts until a month ago over his own thoughts of irrelevance if Dan pulled off an upset...its the truth and all can look and see it themselves.
If you don't want me talking trash about emery don't bring trash into a thread I have sweat-ed blood and tears putting together please! There is a whole lot more and always has been to the cannabis movement than emery BY FAR!!!!
cheers
http://ridings.greenparty.ca/article285.html?&MMN_...
juror.ca
endprohibition@telus.net
Killer weed???? (Copy)
I felt this video says somethings better than what had been said here even though yes...its posted in our video thread GVC
Sorry for the duplication maybe we can delete the other if its a problem
Cheers
"" ALL OF THE PLANTS WE'VE JUST SEEN........ARE A PARTIAL LIST OF THOSE THAT ARE TOXIC AND CAN CAUSE YOU SERIOUS HARM.......EVEN DEATH '''
"" THEY ARE ALL AVAILABLE OVER THE COUNTER AND ARE NOT REGULATED IN ANY WAY ""
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_c4w9jtwECA
Canada's drug crime bill brings calls for caution from U.S.
Greetings,
Here's a little Mandatory Minimum Sentence information.....
If we do fail with our message of sanity to deal with Canada's drug problem maybe some of you can come visit me in jail as I waste your tax dollars being fed clothed and housed all on your dime yes while I sit there and think about getting out and then still using harmless plants through out my life......I may even eat lettuce. Broccoli ?
Hm mm I guess maybe you can also then pay to fix my teeth ...yes well I waste my life there and Yes ...why not !maybe also cover the costs of me to become a jail yard lawyer ...yes ....there's me just awaiting appointment at the bar with my eventual release. sigh haha
Then I would be maybe a little more effective politically maybe as most MP's of any consequence seem to be lawyers. Don't they? Hm mm...hahaha
What the hey ...whats $80,000 - $120,000 dollars per year to such a good cause?...
For profit prisons must be next ...eh?.
I wonder which conservatives company will have to build those ...eh?
And well I was jailed I didn't instead collect the welfare maximum of $6,000 just to keep me at a survival level some believed was meant to get people off the streets ...No taxes paid for the ones who were paid for what they did before losing jobs to go in to jail (there something wrong here)
Some day ...Yes..I heard they may just instead spend $20,000 a year for me for affordable housing and a little help with an education assistance..instead of that horrible waste mentioned above ....
Yeah some guy told me it was the Green Party who suggested it and as we laughed at how we had heard it all before it was then pointed out that they were saying that they would not be going to just unexpectedly crumble and Yes really stand up and actually raise a sane voice!
Green is the way....OR PAY !!!!
A lot don't vote.....and a lot like that a lot!
I want to disappoint them ALL big time!
Cheers!
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=d8b6d1d3-b649-4f79-94d1-dbb39f4d0df7&k=87580
juror.ca
endprohibition@telus.net
$40.00 Dollars worth of cannabis costs citizens their home!
I actually know these two guys.......they even took their house away too for $40.00 WORTH OF CANNABIS.
Bizarre we have no real rights in Canada!
http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/article/358494
April 23, 2008
Barbara Brown
The Hamilton Spectator
(Apr 23, 2008)
Church of the Universe founders Walter Tucker and Michael Baldasaro are battling the Department of Justice, which wants the pair jailed for two years and their assembly's east Hamilton headquarters confiscated.
Tucker, 75, and fellow minister Baldasaro, 58, were convicted by a jury on Nov. 28 on five counts of trafficking in marijuana, which church members have used as a sacrament for the past 30 years.
The charges were laid after a Hamilton police officer, posing as a woman from Winnipeg who was new to town and down on her luck, visited their Barton Street East church in May 2003.
Tucker was convicted of three counts of trafficking in marijuana, the total quantity amounting to a few grams worth about $40. Baldasaro was found guilty on two counts involving 2.5 grams, or about $30 worth of pot.
Federal prosecutor Lou Strezos is seeking to have the property, worth about $98,000, forfeited to the Crown under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.
At his sentencing hearing yesterday, Baldasaro argued the property belonged the Assembly of the Church of the Universe and not to him or Tucker. He said police and prosecutors have claimed the church was a sham and its sacrament an excuse to smoke pot, but have never called an expert witness to dispute the church's legitimacy.
"I put it you, your Honour, that when alcohol was illegal, nobody asked the Pope about the sincerity of his religion," Baldasaro told Superior Court Justice John Cavarzan.
Defence lawyer Peter Boushy argued it was one thing for the Crown to seek the forfeitures of marijuana grow operations where property owners stood to make hundreds of thousands of dollars in the proceeds of crime. It was another matter entirely, he said, for the Crown to seize the primary residence of two aging men who had sold $70 worth of pot to an undercover cop.
Tucker said if the Crown could evict him and Baldasaro for selling a little marijuana, "then every house in this country where people smoke marijuana and pass it to each other is in danger. And I don't think that's what the law intended."
Prosecutor Strezos is expected to argue when the hearing resumes today why the repeat offenders should be jailed and their property seized.
bbrown@thespec.com
http://ridings.greenparty.ca/article285.html?&MMN_...
juror.ca
endprohibition@telus.net
"Run from the Cure"........- Movie - The Rick Simpson Story
A new link for a one stop view of this documentary
Again I would try it for cancer now knowing this....wouldn't you?
http://www.phoenixtearsmovie.com/
Cheers
http://ridings.greenparty.ca/article285.html?&MMN_...
juror.ca
endprohibition@telus.net
Canada's Real Number # 1 Cannabis activist........Tommy Chong
Greetings Greens,
I hope its ok to grow the thread and provide things that would help educate any voters who were interested.
So if you get the chance watch.........
Canada's Number # 1 Cannabis activist........Mr. Tommy Chong !!!!!!!!!!!!
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ist0RiLaj5c
Tommy Chong appears on Alex Jones' nationally syndicated radio show to discuss the recent FBI raid of Spectrum Labs and the seizure of 10,000 DVDs. Also on the show is Kevin Booth, creator of American Drug War: The Last White Hope; Josh Gilbert, creator of a/k/a Tommy Chong; and Matt Stevens, owner of Spectrum Labs.
media
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmB-qKzliYc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EizOv6q-GvQ&feature...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1G6_WkPDi9A
"AKA TOMMY CHONG"
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2104027629...
part 2
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6501456119...
(disclaimer:do not be confused and think shavluk is the green party talking...hahha)
http://ridings.greenparty.ca/article285.html?&MMN_...
juror.ca
endprohibition@telus.net
MONTEL WILLIAM SLAMS CONGRESS
Greetings,
OK so I will add something else.
Maybe some of you have heard of this guy?
And how he ties in here?
The biggest discriminatory issue in Canada effecting what? some say 3-10 million Canadians ? Unfortunately ignorance runs very much rampant still in 2008.
Its so obvious the hypocrisy to some one like me....sad its still misunderstood by so many.
I understand it as I was 27 when I first tried it.
Druggies!! ....oh wheres my slurpeeeeee!!!(and they don't get it)
Never threw one cannabis user out of the bar as a bouncy or as a bar owner......yes so very many on alcohol that I can not give you a number.
I hope I don't get arrested on this coming July 1 st celebrating being Canadian and yet still dealing with my daily pain because I just use a plant grown in the ground and not some concoction from the forces I as a Green member am trying to enlighten and still have to fight.
But then I again remember that to me yes..its all medicinal.
Some have no need what with their drug being work ..money or religion.
I think anyone who hasn't tried cannabis is probably very much less aware of their inner ego and what it is doing or not doing to further its own owner.
Belief is the most powerful force in human existence.
Happy Canada Day! Green Party
Maybe some day we will all be free and yes...not at risk of arrest for our choice of lettuce.
To me its like mothers being arrested for breast feeding in public...some thing some would yes also like to see.....makes you wonder about people if people have that view ..you know?
Cheers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00XZ_XgeIq4
(disclaimer:do not be confused and think shavluk is the green party talking...hahha)
http://ridings.greenparty.ca/article285.html?&MMN_...
juror.ca
endprohibition@telus.net
Legalize cannabis is our Policy !!! Ms May says!! (copy)
((((Duplicate post! for educational purposes))))
http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=irWNED6qJow&feature=...
I had this out there before unedited and raw since we got it ....and only at two cannabis sites.......I have since finally learned to edit!
Vote Green Party!
(disclaimer:do not be confused and think shavluk is the green party talking...hahha)
http://ridings.greenparty.ca/article285.html?&MMN_...
juror.ca
endprohibition@telus.net
Ok so it needs a little something to go to 3rd place hahhaha
Hello.......
Yes ...yes ...yeah I know ...with so many posts on it ...it makes some just curious...hahha..yeah that must be it ...eh?
They are reading it for some reasons...even with all the posts ....some even in all your riding's.
Over look the title of this little you-tube clip please and have a listen ....very soon into it...please.
Its not really about the title.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aBYjb-hd84
3rd place in our blogs soon !..... I would say ...yes at least til Jim posts again on his other one ...on polls and the now done party
As I say I believe this issue and its environment are important!
Cheers all
(disclaimer:do not be confused and think shavluk is the green party talking...hahha)
http://ridings.greenparty.ca/article285.html?&MMN_...
juror.ca
endprohibition@telus.net