Dishonesty in the drug war

Rocky Mountain News ^ | September 14th, 2004 | Paul Campos

[cryptical]

Even by the abysmally low standards of truthfulness employed by public health officials in regard to drugs in general, and marijuana in particular, these statements are remarkable for their dishonesty. The claim that today's marijuana is thirty times more powerful than the "schwag" once enjoyed by our current leaders is true only in the Clintonian sense that it isn't 100 percent false.

The money quote, in my opinion. The problem that John Walters (and other drug warriors) have nowdays is the same problem that Dan Rather is having, you can't just peddle the big lie anymore and expect people to believe you.

[FesterUSMC]

[rhombus]

Here we go... we'll see the usual posting from the "two wrongs don't make a right" morality crowd versus the "don't tell me what's right and wrong" libertarian crowd. But let's go, I do enjoy the debate.

[eno_]

Consider that Asa Hutchinson used to be Drug Czar. Now he runs "border security."

No matter what you think of the Drug War, you have to believe that people like Asa Hutchinson are from a species of poisonously treasonous evil people.

John Walters will blandly look you right in the eye and lie. About anything. Pure EVIL.

[FesterUSMC]

I don't have a comment on the article i just like the picture

[cowboyway]

"Individuals who used cannabis by age 17 years had odds of other drug use, alcohol dependence, and drug abuse/dependence that were 2.1 to 5.2 times higher than those of their co-twin, who did not use cannabis before age 17 years."

snip

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12533121&dopt=Abstract

[ellery]

What I want to know is why we insist on calling our government officials "czars." Drug czar, intelligence czar... Since when is "czar" a favorable or even neutral term? Why is our government openly using a term that is synonomous with "tyrant?"

It's a small point, but I have to wonder whether it indicates the wrong mindset among the people we've hired to govern.

[rhombus]

Correlation does not prove causation.

[rhombus]

"early access to and use of cannabis may reduce perceived barriers against the use of other illegal drugs and provide access to these drugs."

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12533121&dopt=Abstract

In other words if I find out all the hoopla is overblown, I'm going to tend to disbelieve other warnings about other illegal and legal drugs. Similarly, if Dan Rather tells me a lie, I'm going to disbelieve other things he says too.

[rhombus]

What I want to know is why we insist on calling our government officials "czars."

I think it's part of "the buck stops here" syndrome. In the face of an ever growing federal bureaucracy, people want easy answers and someone to blame when things go wrong.

[Leisler]

The price of drugs continues to decline. The quality increases. A six pack of beer is more expensive.

Thanks government.

[I Blame the Parents]

I'll bet all those young cannabis users tried tabacco first, then moved on.

If we're going to ban drugs, let's start with the original sin that leads to all the others ...

[Gingersnap]

"...is the crack of marijuana" (Snicker!)

When are these people going to wake up to the fact that millions of people have actually smoked pot and they know for a pure fact that it's not a "killer drug"?

This is like saying 100% of heroin users ingested a carbonated soft drink within 3 months of using - 7Up "experimenters" beware of danger!

Hyperbole - the Un-Argument.

[longtermmemmory]

I see more as an MSM to pigeon hole FR as drug legalization wackos.

This happens every time some good PR goes to FR.


(BTW oreily has also officially jumped the shark, recent commecial has him attacking "rightwing radio".)

[lugsoul]

Milk?

[USNBandit]

Walters, who is upset by signs that Canada is implementing a rational policy in regard to marijuana.

If Vancouver B.C. is a shining example of a rational drug policy, then count me with the irrational. I was looking around the popular section of downtown looking for a restaurant and had 6 people try to sell me dope in less than 30 min.

[Gabz]

You don't really believe that bunk, do you???

[ellery]

Then shouldn't it be the "drug whipping boy" or the "intelligence scapegoat?" Czars historically are NOT accountable to the people...

[rhombus]

I was looking around the popular section of downtown looking for a restaurant and had 6 people try to sell me dope in less than 30 min.

Well if they put it on the menu, they'd put the street entrepreneurs out of business.

[dljordan]

Our government likes authoritarian labels. They invoke fear and hopefully obedience in the serfs.