Clinton Must Discuss Marijuana Prohibition During Mexico Drug Summit
WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is leading a cabinet-level delegation, including Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen, to Mexico City for a two-day conference that will focus on ways the United States and Mexico can “break the power” of drug-trafficking organizations.
The talks come just one week after the execution-style killing of three people, including two American citizens and their unborn baby, linked to a U.S. Consulate in Mexico. Since Dec. 2006, there have been 18,000 killings in Mexico, with no end in sight. According to the Justice Department, Mexican cartels now operate in 230 American cities.
“Officials have already shown they are not serious about breaking the power of Mexican drug cartels, since they have refused to acknowledge the unrivaled role marijuana prohibition has played in lining the pockets of these murderous gangs who are now—by all indications—targeting Americans for assassination,” said Aaron Houston, director of government relations for the Marijuana Policy Project. “The only way to ‘break the power’ of these gangs is to regulate marijuana and remove it from the criminal market. According to our own government, the cartels make 70 percent of their profits from marijuana sales in the U.S. It is unconscionable that officials continue to support a policy that funnels billions of dollars to groups who are now murdering Americans.”
During a visit to Mexico City in March 2009, Secretary Clinton said the United States has a “co-responsibility” to confront Mexico’s growing violence because “our insatiable demand for illegal drugs fuels the drug trade.” Former leaders of Mexico, Brazil, and Colombia have all called for an end to prohibition in order to stem the violence. In December 2009, the Wall Street Journal reported that growing numbers of U.S. and Mexican officials say privately that regulating marijuana may be the only solution to the current crisis.
“No policy will ever extinguish the demand for marijuana,” Houston said. “Officials need to do the right thing by acknowledging prohibition’s role in this horrific carnage, and finally ending this failed policy.”
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The Drug Cartels are not the only ones making money off of the war on cannabis . If only it were that simple. Actually, the profits abound, and they are all around.
See the list here:
http://www.open.salon.com/blog/brinna_nanda/2010/03/18/follow_the_money_who_loses_it_if_marijuana_is_legalized
Using Internet Explorer web browser: http://jsknow.angelfire.com/home
With All Other Browsers: http://jsknow.angelfire.com/index.html
The following message is directed to any prohibitionist, in case they dare to show their ignorant and miserable faces here:
If you support prohibition then you've helped trigger the worst crime wave in history .
If you support prohibition you've a helped create a black market with massive incentives to hook both adults and children alike.
If you support prohibition you've helped to make these dangerous substances available in schools and prisons .
If you support prohibition you've helped raise gang warfare to a level not seen since the days of alcohol bootlegging.
If you support prohibition you've helped create the prison -for-profit synergy with drug lords.
If you support prohibition you've helped remove many important civil liberties from those citizens you falsely claim to represent.
If you support prohibition you've helped put previously unknown and contaminated drugs on the streets.
If you support prohibition you've helped to escalate Theft, Muggings and Burglaries.
If you support prohibition you've helped to divert scarce law -enforcement resources away from protecting your fellow citizens from the ever escalating violence against their person or property.
If you support prohibition you've helped overcrowd the courts and prisons, thus making it increasingly impossible to curtail the people who are hurting and terrorizing others.
This means you should know better. We both know that that there is a big different between zero drug prohibition and decriminalization of soft-drug (Cannabis, mushrooms, etc).
The government should protect its citizens from harmful substance not only things like DDT or PCB`s but also hard drugs ( heroin , XTC, meth).
Will I am against the “ war on drugs ” because it’s a war on poverty . The USA is mentally not ready for the legalization of soft- drugs .
First off, in a country where the discussion about sex - education is still raging. Open and free drug-education will not be possible. This is the cornerstone of drugs prevention. Without this there can`t be legalization.
Secondly free and accessible rehabilitate is also a problem. In the only first world country without universal healthcare universal rehab will not be politically possible.
And lastly, the legalization of Cannabis must be done nationwide not state by state or it will create chaos (think of drug tourism, etc) There are plenty of states that will resist federal drug legalization laws .
Even in the Netherlands we still haven’t found a Permanent solution to the drugs legislation problem and we have being working on that since 1976. This is because of international agreements and complaints.
but remember smoking a joint a day, keep the problems away
You appear to be living in some strange parallel universe, one where prohibition actually works.
Your opposition to proper regulation of these harmful substances is both vague and unsubstantiated. The black market --due to prohibition-- is worth 350, 000 million dollars. Why do you wish to give terrorists and dealers a free ride?
Here is part of the testimony of Judge Alfred J Talley, given before the Senate Hearings of 1926:
"For the first time in our history full faith and confidence in and respect for the hitherto sacred Constitution of the United States has been weakened and impaired because this terrifying invasion of natural rights has been engrafted upon the fundamental law of our land, and experience has shown that it is being wantonly and derisively violated in every State, city, and hamlet in the country."
"It has made potential drunkards of the youth of the land, not because intoxicating liquor appeals to their taste or disposition, but because it is a forbidden thing, and because it is forbidden makes an irresistible appeal to the unformed and immature. It has brought into our midst the intemperate woman , the most fearsome and menacing thing for the future of our national life."
"It has brought the sickening slime of corruption, dishonor, and disgrace into every group of employees and officials in city, State, and Federal departments that have been charged with the enforcement of this odious law."
TESTIMONY OF JUDGE ALFRED J. TALLEY, JUDGE OF THE COURT OF GENERAL SESSIONS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK
http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/HISTORY/e1920/senj1926/judgetalley.htm
Jelle; there is not much time left to prevent a disaster of biblical proportions. If you can't understand why prohibition is so harmful, then may I suggest you do some real research on the subject.
Ok I live in Amsterdam (the Netherlands / Europe). In Amsterdam there are 241 Coffeeshops ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabis_coffee_shop ) that selling Marijuana. I like a coffeshop called the “Softland” because of their good weed. Coffeeschops are licensed by the mayor and have to pay business tax and Value Added Tax. But the production en distribution of marijuana is illegal . There is no reason there can`t be Prohibition and regulation at the same time and furthermore prohibition is regulation.
You said that: “Your opposition to proper regulation of these harmful substances is both vague and unsubstantiated”
Well this is because I live in a country were the use of drug is legal but the production and distribution isn`t. If we only look at Past month prevalence of marijuana use (ages 12+) in my country 3% and the USA 6% or the in Incarceration Rate per 100,000 populations my country 100 and the USA 760. You would say legalizing of drug works, BUT (and this is a big one). We have a better working drug prevention, 97% of high school students get drug- education and 90% of all drug addicts have Access to universal healthcare (rehab) and Social Security. There is even a program for medical heroin for longtime addicts. This means these people don`t have to steal beg or borrow money to fuel their addiction this has lead to lower drug related crime rates . The USA thus not has this kind of a social safety net, nor wants to build one. Without this there can`t by legalization of drug. Furthermore we will never ever legalize heroin, cocaine or designer drugs because of the public health risks. And these are the drug used to fund terrorist and guerrillas like the Taliban (heroin) or FRAC (cocaine).
Then off course there are some practical problems if the USA would legalize marijuana tomorrow the biggest winners will by the people with a production and distribution network. This means the drug dealing criminals of today will be respected businessmen tomorrow. The first step must be decriminalization of drug user. The second step must be free and accessible rehab and then the last step is legalization of some drug like marijuana.
P.s
The reason that my country has not legalized marijuana is international agreements if the USA would legalize marijuana it must withdrawal from the “Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs” and that will by a big foreign relation disaster. Going van the policemen of the world to a narco-state is bad PR.
But that's cool!
You're telling us that heroin is already regulated in Holland and that because of the hash cafes, marijuana use is far lower than the USA.
So what are you really trying to tell us? That you actually agree with me but are too stoned to realize it?
Ever heard of The “Purple Gang” which were founded by the sons of Russian Jewish immigrants, and led by the four Bernstein brothers, -Abe, Joe, Raymond and Izzy,. They started as just average child delinquents, snatching candy , cookies and fruit from local stores, and other kids of their own age. They graduating, thanks to Prohibition, which brought the swift breakdown of “ law and order ” and the convenient location of Detroit, to hijacking bootleg liquor from other less violent gangs, and rapidly expanded on their other pastimes of extortion, kidnapping and armed robbery . They were particularly savage; it was common practice for the Purples to take a load of liquor and shoot whoever came with it. Even Capone wisely decided it was better to trade with them than to fight them.
With the Detroit River less than a mile across and with thousands of coves and hiding places along the shore and among the islands, it was a smugglers dream. Cargo was towed beneath boats, underground tunnels and underwater cable delivery systems were built. There was even a pipeline between a distillery in Windsor and a Detroit bottler.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m013NT0u7bs
Clinton Must Discuss Marijuana Prohibition During Mexico Drug Summit?
Rather she should discuss marijuana legalization during Mexico Drug Summit!
MPP is now launching an initiative in AZ that will prohibit ANY self cultivation unless they live more than 25 miles from a dispensary. This makes MPP the enemy of all activists and Mexicans.
Because the only way we will destroy the Cartels is if we can grow our own Marijuana: no taxes , no regulation and no limitation.
Rob Kampia has admitted to sexually assaulting his own employees and he is the head of MPP!!! The AZ Initiative is proof that he is also assaulting every Marijuana Activist in this country as well.
Join the revolution of activists that are now behind the real solution to the mayhem in Mexicon and the arrest of nearly a million Americans each year:
http://www.newagecitizen.com/MERP.htm
And read this article specifically:
http://www.newagecitizen.com/MERP/RelegalizeNowObama36.htm
Sorry, but MPP is doing absolutely no such thing in the state of Arizona or anywhere else for that matter.
Rob Kampia's issues are his own and have nothing to do with what the MPP does for the Marijuana movement.