White House Response to Legalize It Petition

[puffinpass]

all this shit pisses me off cuz I know that if everyone would come together we could create change. But no, we are all stuck in our small meaningless lives and will be too busy watching tv, or some stupid shit. We will always be trampled on and ignored by our gov't. I'm tellin u..."UNITED STATES OF CORPORATIONS" it's not our country Everything has been corrupted for so long, nothing will change until everything has fallen apart and by then it will be too late. this country is screwed, and everyone is miserable...I just wanna smoke some bud legally while u fuckhead politicians drive this country to its pitiful demise. Can I just have one cookie please? Just one ounce of freedom please?

 

[memphis man]

maybe we should start another petition that states something to the tune of if your not going to legalize mmj on the grounds that it has no med value and is harmful for your health then we would also like alcohol illegal again since its worse then mj and his scientists have already proved it

 

[memphis man]

that would piss off the entire usa and somethin might happen lmao

 

[puffinpass]

I was thinking that too...lol, i mean its only fair right?

 

[StellarP]

Strange how the Government spends 24 hours a day trying to circumvent the very document they are to protect and uphold...............

Cheers
StellarP

 

[Preacher]

one could take that point by point and everything is either false or "so what?"

You rang?
I wrote a draft of exactly this last night to review and post it this night. So here it is.

From the White House response naturally. Requoted here for my convenience and responded by paragraph, respectively by sentence because it really burns my cannolis when people on various websites reply to quote tags sentence by sentence, chopping up the page.

When the President took office, he directed all of his policymakers to develop policies based on science and research, not ideology or politics. So our concern about marijuana is based on what the science tells us about the drug's effects.

According to scientists at the National Institutes of Health- the world's largest source of drug abuse research - marijuana use is associated with addiction, respiratory disease, and cognitive impairment. We know from an array of treatment admission information and Federal data that marijuana use is a significant source for voluntary drug treatment admissions and visits to emergency rooms. Studies also reveal that marijuana potency has almost tripled over the past 20 years, raising serious concerns about what this means for public health – especially among young people who use the drug because research shows their brains continue to develop well into their 20's. Simply put, it is not a benign drug.

Like many, we are interested in the potential marijuana may have in providing relief to individuals diagnosed with certain serious illnesses. That is why we ardently support ongoing research into determining what components of the marijuana plant can be used as medicine. To date, however, neither the FDA nor the Institute of Medicine have found smoked marijuana to meet the modern standard for safe or effective medicine for any condition.

As a former police chief, I recognize we are not going to arrest our way out of the problem. We also recognize that legalizing marijuana would not provide the answer to any of the health, social, youth education, criminal justice, and community quality of life challenges associated with drug use.

That is why the President's National Drug Control Strategy is balanced and comprehensive, emphasizing prevention and treatment while at the same time supporting innovative law enforcement efforts that protect public safety and disrupt the supply of drugs entering our communities. Preventing drug use is the most cost-effective way to reduce drug use and its consequences in America. And, as we've seen in our work through community coalitions across the country, this approach works in making communities healthier and safer. We're also focused on expanding access to drug treatment for addicts. Treatment works. In fact, millions of Americans are in successful recovery for drug and alcoholism today. And through our work with innovative drug courts across the Nation, we are improving our criminal justice system to divert non-violent offenders into treatment.

Our commitment to a balanced approach to drug control is real. This last fiscal year alone, the Federal Government spent over $10 billion on drug education and treatment programs compared to just over $9 billion on drug related law enforcement in the U.S.

Thank you for making your voice heard. I encourage you to take a moment to read about the President's approach to drug control to learn more.

P1: maybe he should have fucking listened to the panel about cannabis Nixon appointed then dismissed then.

P2: yes, granted, cannabis has an addiction rate. Do you know what else does? Literally everyfuckingthing defined as a drug. Weed addiction is at about five percent. Alcoholism, double that.
Respiratory disease? Yeah no. A study funded by this very government debunked that shit, along with the "weed causes lung problems" argument (which I'll admit, even I was surprised when it was proven it doesn't).
Cognitive impairment? No shit Sherlock, it obviously disrupts people in the short-term. K the brain doesn't stop developing till the mid twenties. Seems like a pretty goddamn good reason to keep alcohol limited to the 21+ crowd, doesn't it? After all science shows it's way more mindfucking than weed. And gee it's a good thing every sane/major pro-weed lobbying group is pushing for weed to be a 21+ drug.
Potency? Yeah your own goddamn branch of government says the opposite. Pardon me for a moment.
THE FDA SAID PURE THC HAS AN EXCELLENT SAFETY RECORD. IN 1999
Ahem. Now where were we.
Voluntary drug treatment? Bullshit. Most of that is teenagers forced into rehab either by the courts or by intolerant parents who catch them lighting up. I've gotten what you might call "too high". People do not voluntarily go to rehab over that shit. They simply pass out (at one-fourteenth the LD50 by the way). Hell, my mother could tell you as much. She was an LCDC not all that long ago and very few were admitted to rehab for weed. The few that were basically ended up betrayed by relatives and shipped to her as a get out of jail in half a year card.
Visits to the ER? Also bullshit. I know what they base that statistic on- they drug test people who come into the ER for any reason, very often being involved in a traffic accident (whether perp or victim), and if THC is in their system they file it under "marijuana related". While completely disregarding for statistical purposes whether large amounts of alcohol are also in their blood (usually, yes). They then say the THC levels therefore mean they were high therefore mean weed caused ER visits, all the while implying weed is somehow inherently dangerous and completely raping the causal order in order to get the sort of statistics they desire.

P3: you know what? I agree. I absolutely agree. Why? Because smoked weed is far from the most efficient or safe delivery system for cannabiniods. Vaporized weed, on the other hand, is most efficient and bypasses the (still theoretical) harms smoking the herb creates. Doctors tend to highly recommend it. As for you wondering how I could agree with the second half, it's simple: neither the FDA nor the Institute of Medicine is going to find any good in weed because all US research has to be approved by NIDA, which has stated outright that they don't want to look at the positives.

P4: funny, every single shred of evidence that exists in the world refutes this (with the possibility of exactly one pro-medical weed state). Otherwise, all the pro-weed states, Holland, and Portugal disagree with you here. And granted, while none of these places are full legalization, they show a pretty damn clear trend that social costs go down when legal status goes up. Hell, if weed is such a menace, just try and find how much social harm it did all on its own while legal for all of mankind before the twentieth century- after all, the plant predates the existence of our species. Can't? Fascinating.
Quick aside: the opium wars in China were created because Britain had quite the thirst for tea and they needed to addict the population to something they'd consider valuable. If weed were anywhere near as addictive I'm pretty sure my history book would refer to this period as the cannabis wars.

P5: this is actually a pretty awesome idea! Reform addicts through rehab by treating a public health problem as an actual health problem. And stop murderous cartels from coming at us. It's just a damn shame how the government's working in cahoots with the Sinola cartel (which came into the mainstream news no less!) while denying the non-violent offenders the right to vote, get college grants Obama was fortunate enough not to need, or get a job as I've been increasingly noticing in job applications- they turn you down if you've been so much as arrested for anything ever. Diverting into treatment still means a damning rap sheet.
Yes, treatment works. Absolutely. Interesting how the tone shifts to all use/abuse in general here. Comprehensive reform says precisely dick here. I could argue for legalization of everything till my face turns blue but that's not the fucking issue, is it?

P6: oh, I really do hope you've turned the majority of funds to education. But considering all that I know about your policy on weed (including the actual budget adjustments the DEA has received) I'm not exactly holding my breath.

P7: suck my balls Holder, I encourage you to take a moment to listen to the voice of reason to find out why you shouldn't be sleeping soundly at night.


So yeah, you're pretty much right xmobotx. Most of it is "bullshit" sprinkled in with a bit of "so what?".
Edit: I showed this to a lovely Skype contact of mine and this was her reply: "that poor lad got pwned so hard, I do hope you know you caused a suicide". Oh, I do hope so.

 

[guest86120975]

"marijuana use is associated with addiction, respiratory disease, and cognitive impairment"

A: So is alcohol and tobacco.

"significant source for voluntary drug treatment admissions and visits to emergency rooms"

A: So is alcohol. Only, the ER admissions for marijuana are related to panic attacks; whereas admissions due to alcohol are related to serious accidents or coma due to overdose.

"Studies also reveal that marijuana potency has almost tripled over the past 20 years"

A: Overall it's probably true, but so what? What is the difference between drinking one beer and one shot of 100 proof alcohol?

"Simply put, it is not a benign drug"

A: Alcohol kills people every day from overdoses. Marijuana does not kill people.

"we ardently support ongoing research into determining what components of the marijuana plant can be used as medicine"

A: Translation: "How can we bottle marijuana as a pharmaceutical drug in order to charge you $3,000 per month for it?"

"neither the FDA nor the Institute of Medicine have found smoked marijuana to meet the modern standard for safe or effective medicine for any condition."

A: Where in the Constitution am I obligated to participate in Western medicine? Also, marijuana does not have to be smoked.

"As a former police chief, I recognize we are not going to arrest our way out of the problem."

A: Then does that make you schizophrenic since you continue to direct law enforcement to arrest people?

"Treatment works. In fact, millions of Americans are in successful recovery for drug and alcoholism today."

A: apples and oranges.

"Our commitment to a balanced approach to drug control is real. This last fiscal year alone, the Federal Government spent over $10 billion on drug education and treatment programs compared to just over $9 billion on drug related law enforcement in the U.S."

A: Your balanced approach includes prison for someone who has been minding their own business. Aren't you just a lovely little darling?

 

[LiLWaynE]

GILDO the DILDO

 

[Tony Aroma]

I especially like the FDA argument. It's always been one of my favorites. I can just see them snickering every time they discuss it. Of course the FDA hasn't approved cannabis. Duh! It's a schedule 1 controlled substance which, by definition, has no medical value and therefore cannot be approved by the FDA. It can only go through the research and clinical trials necessary for FDA approval if it is rescheduled. Which it can't be because it's not FDA approved.

BTW, all those groups that are quoted as being against legalization are not really. Their statements are taken out of context. The Institute of Medicine and the NIH may be against outright legalization at this time, but they actually support rescheduling so the necessary research can be done. The feds always fail to mention that aspect of these organizations' positions.

 

[guest86120975]

Instead of just asking when we're going to legalize it, people need to start framing the question in a different way in order to shed light on the hypocrisy. For example, "every argument that has ever been made against marijuana could also be applied to alcohol and/or tobacco multiple times over. Why do you support such an arbitrary condemnation of marijuana, especially when the punishment is often so severe and costly." Also, keep in mind that certain popular arguments amongst supporters have little to no basis in reality and/or persuasion, such as the ever popular "legalize and the economy will be fixed" one.

 

[kmk420kali]

One of the best arguments is something I heard Ron Paul mention--
That it is Illegal...to make drugs illegal!! That is why they had to install the 18th Amendment for the first Prohibition...because they KNEW it was not allowed under the Constitution--

 

[Aksala]

The governments job is not to protect us from ourselves...it is to protect us from the government..

 

[dagnabit]

and the cheerleader says:
"but obama don't have no say so"

 

[SpaceKiller]

man that aint even obama, when you hear former police chief, the FDA and the bullshit institution of medicine thrown in obama has no say in that shit im sorry.. the stupidity is enough as it is without blaming people who cant control this crap.

sadly all the people who can have a say are having their pay rolls checked ahead of time so they think twice.

same response to it we have been for over 20 years...? but last time i checked the potency has always been the same?? i dont know what kind of marijuana they were getting..

of course a former police chief would respond. how typical. no not a doctor.. or people who werent payed off by the federal government to keep their mouths shut.

FUCK THE USA! FUCK THE FDA! FUCK THE INSTITUTE OF MEDICINE! YOU ALL ARE A BUNCH OF FUCKING LOW LIFE CROOKS.

how does alcohol always slip by? that is the gateway. every person i know who has done hard drugs on this planet didnt start with fucking marijuana they started with tobacco and alcohol. most kids cant even afford marijuana for that to even make sense but best believe there is alcohol or tobacco lying around in their parents house somewhere.

the effects of alcohol are almost as bad as opiates or even crack and methamphetamines if used in the same context but ok lets just keep ignoring the fact a huge majority in rehab are in because of alcohol abuse.

IM SO OUT OF THIS LUNATIC COUNTRY. SICK OF THE LIES, I HAVE SMOKED MARIJUANA ALL MY LIFE AND NEVER ONCE ENDED UP IN REHAB OR HAVE EVER ABUSED OTHER DRUGS. MARIJUANA KEEPS ME FROM DOING HARD DRUGS, AND TRUST ME THIS CROOKED ASS BULLSHIT IN OUR GOVERNMENT IS A GATEWAY ITSELF. NOTHING MAKES A PERSON WANT TO GET FUCKED UP AND TRY TO GET AWAY FROM THIS SHIT HOLE PLANET THAN A BUNCH OF CROOKED BASTaRDS RUINING EVERYTHING FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF A LIL CASH IN THEIR POCKETS!

yea 70k of those people who signed the petition were clearly all signing it from within rehab institutions. fucking most moronic shit i have heard all year.

i cant believe that DICK HEAD FORMER POLICE PIECE OF SHIT said we base this off ideology. what a fucking smug piece of shit.

whats sad is everyone keeps blaming obama. obama aint doing shit and cant do shit if he wanted to, if you dont believe vote for Ron Paul and see how quickly his shit will get shut down also.

i almost wish obama just never even brought it up, ever since legalization was brought to attention on a bigger scale for once. things have been getting worse now even cali has nothing.

i mean wheres the proof of alcohol companies and tobacco companies paying billions to make sure marijuana is never legalized? where is the investigation into that shit? why isnt the DEA itself being investigated every fucking day because they way they have been doing shit lately speaks nothing but Cartel to me.

honestly where do people think all these drugs they recover from raids are going? trust me they arent being wasted and they arent not making money off them.

 

[CheddarProf]

Obama just scored a lifetime supply of Marlboro Red's from Philip Morris.

 

[resinryder]

So the basic message is the same as its always been......Drugs are bad, umkay!

 

[SpaceKiller]

i hate this country not because of marijuana but this crooked shit goes through everything. it effects everyone, anyone who has been to third world countries knows why they are broke as shit is because America has taken everything from them every fucking time it leads back to this shit hole country. people wonder why the rest of the world hates us.

thats why this country is so fucked up too much control and too much money that is unaccounted for doing nothing other than feeding the corruption. the term "blood diamond" is the perfect example, its so pathetic how much money we make off diamonds and none of that goes to the country we actually get them from, they are suffering killing each other like wild dogs while we pay them barely anything for their most successful resources.

at any rate im too livid to keep typing ill just keep ranting on and babbling about shit that will never change in this country unless like i always say something drastic happens and we all stand up and say fuck this shit together. not these small groups like NORM or these small rallies on the steps.. i appreciate the efforts but its going to take a lot more danger to accomplish this task.

no offense seriously i respect anyone who has tried dearly but i think everyone can see the only way it will change.

 

[Tony Aroma]

Does anybody know if the group response to several cannabis-related petitions included the one about industrial hemp? I know the government doesn't distinguish, but in terms of petitions, marijuana and hemp are two completely different issues.

 

[Tony Aroma]

man that aint even obama, when you hear former police chief, the FDA and the bullshit institution of medicine thrown in obama has no say in that shit im sorry.. the stupidity is enough as it is without blaming people who cant control this crap.

I respectfully disagree. The Justice Department (the ones causing much of the trouble in CA) and the Drug Czar answer to the president. He is ultimately responsible for the actions of the executive branch of the government. The president is where the buck stops.

When the folks out in CA say the president didn't initiate the new crackdown, they're trying to get him off the hook but missing the point. The fact that this sort of thing is happening without the president's involvement makes him look even worse to me. If he lets's it continue and doesn't stop it, he's just as responsible. If he really doesn't know about it, then he's incompetent.

Also, see my earlier post. The Institute of Medicine and other organizations cited in the Drug Czar's propaganda are not to be blamed. They can't help it if their statements are distorted and taken out of context. None of those organizations actually support current drug policy even though the feds would like you to believe they do. Although it would be nice if they would speak out when they were misquoted.

 

[vta]

Spacekiller..I can respect your views but Obummer IS the one to blame. HE is The Boss. He can fire and hire anyone he wants to. Shit he hired Gil. He hired Holder. He's is in control!