To the Editor: It isn't just Nelsonites (Nelsonites Watching Pot King Marc Emery's U.S. Saga, NDN Aug. 4, 2005); there are also many Americans watching that do not support America's discredited cannabis laws. It is regrettable to witness the United States persist in this anti-Christian activity, attempting to prohibit, persecute and exterminate cannabis and the cannabis culture. George Bush's dream to cage Emery for selling plant seeds is pathetic and uncivilized and must not be allowed. Stan White Dillon, Colorado [end]
I found serious yet amusing the two Journal Star stories of Aug. 1, "Mexico now top supplier of drugs" and "Wave of Mexican immigration is growing in the northeast." Am I the only one who sees the connection and the danger? Your taxes pay for housing, feeding, schooling, jailing and medical assistance to these "illegal" waves. But because big money wants to save a buck and George Bush and the neocon axis of evil want to make a buck and not break the law to hire cheap lawn care, they want to give visas and drivers' licenses to these folks. Not until every American is employed should another of these folks come into these United States. Bring our troops home and put them on the Mexican border for national security. But that's a whole different subject. Or is it? Kurt Heiser Pekin [end]
Editor: Remember last year when the RCMP brought up some Texas cops to practise arresting people on Canadian soil, and how it all came out only because they slipped up by unwittingly arresting a Vancouver cop? Well, now we know why they brought the Lone Star State cops north. It truly was a rehearsal for the coming arrest of Canadian citizens. Marc Emery has been the first and I'm willing to bet he won't be the last. Do you smoke pot? Are you outspoken about U.S. President George Bush, the Iraq war and just how far U.S. Vice-President Dick Cheney's friends in the war industry will go? [continues 147 words]
U.S. Navy Undercover Agents Take Part In Sting Operations In Victoria VICTORIA - A defence lawyer says undercover work performed in Victoria by the U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service in an effort to discourage drug dealers from selling to sailors is just the latest attempt to get Canada involved in an American initiative. Robert Moore-Stewart, who represents a client recently charged after one of these stings, said the practice amounts to Canada getting co-opted into the U.S. war on drugs. "It's really signing up for one of George Bush's wars," said the Victoria lawyer. "We are taking orders from the big guys down the street, and we are supposed to be in charge up here, not them." [continues 272 words]
Undercover Agents Target Drug Dealers Selling To Sailors The U.S. navy -- in an effort to discourage drug dealers from selling to sailors -- routinely plays undercover cop in Victoria. The undercover work performed by the U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service is under the command of Victoria police, who make any and all arrests. But Victoria defence lawyer Robert Moore-Stewart, with a client recently charged after one of these stings, said the practice amounts to Canada getting co-opted into the U.S. war on drugs. "It's really signing up for one of George Bush's wars," said Moore-Stewart. [continues 400 words]
Undercover In B.C.: Sting Operations Under Command Of Canadian Police The U.S. navy -- in an effort to discourage drug dealers from selling to sailors -- routinely plays undercover cop in Victoria. The undercover work performed by the U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service is under the command of Victoria police, who make any and all arrests. But Victoria defence lawyer Robert Moore-Stewart, with a client recently charged after one sting, said the practice amounts to Canada getting co-opted into the U.S. war on drugs. [continues 432 words]
Two sales, two tales, both questionable and very scary. Last week, we saw the U.S. orchestrating the arrest of Marc Emery for the sale of marijuana seeds. This week, we see the sale of Terasen Gas to an American right-wing extremist who is a huge financial supporter of George Bush and his ideology. Forget the issue of gas supply. The more important question is: What direction will Terasen's corporate citizenship now take? Where will its funds go? All the things that make us proudly Canadian are hanging on a precipice. These include our role as peacekeeper rather than warmonger, pro-choice rather than no-choice, equal rights versus no rights. The hungry giant to the south is slowly gobbling us up, and we're not even batting an eyelash. Wake up, Canada. Shelley Kean, North Vancouver [end]
Letter writer Kenton Henry's comments ("Medical marijuana use is for states to decide," Viewpoint, July 7) were right on target. President George Bush and his Office of National Drug Control Policy insist that marijuana is no more useful than heroin as medicine, despite the testimonies of several thousand doctors and several hundred thousand patients in the 11 states which permit patient's legal access to their medicine. This does nothing but turn otherwise law-abiding medical patients into criminals. Patients and doctors have been trying to get Washington to listen. Their cries are falling on deaf ears clogged by ardent drug-warrior propaganda. [continues 96 words]
To The Editor: Thank you for the common sense attitudes of Lee Monnet. Most important was his insistence that the U.S. Congress should pass legislation which would restrain federal agents from arresting and prosecuting patients in states which allow legal access to medical cannabis. That's in contrast to the unrelenting stance of President George Bush's Office of National Drug Control Policy. The ONDCP, the Drug Enforcement Adminstration (DEA) and federal Drug Czar John Walters insist that cannabis is of the same medical value as heroin. By leaving cannabis in Schedule 1 (illegal to prescribe or possess for any reason), they define all patients who use it to be criminals. Further, Walters and the DEA believe that patients who legally use cannabis with a doctors recommendation in the eleven states with such legal access should be subject to arrest, prosecution and time in federal prison. [continues 74 words]
The illegal drugs business rakes in more money than 88% of the world's countries. It brings untold deaths and misery to millions. If you were burgled recently, drugs were probably the cause. Isn't it time governments tried a new way of dealing with the problem If your house was burgled last year... if your mobile phone was nicked in the street... if you have bought a dodgy copy of a computer game or DVD... then you have probably been sucked into one of the world's biggest businesses - the drugs business. [continues 1173 words]
Dear Editor: Re: Letters, Far too liberal, May 25 edition. Mr. Kelley's condemnation of Canadian newspapers for bashing George Bush is only semi-justifiable. In essence, how can our country support a man who has waged an illegal war and shamelessly mixes his own ideals with the politics of a nation. Also, his allegation that Canadians are too liberal for wanting to legalize marijuana and for allowing same-sex marriage is absurd. For one thing, it's not us who are too liberal, as he is far too conservative. The legalization of pot has been proven to reduce crime rates. [continues 194 words]
There Are Others To Blame For Our Woe The bullshit propaganda that gay people are fed by the straight media is horrifying. But not nearly as horrifying as the bullshit propaganda we quite happily feed ourselves. Tweakers: How Crystal Meth Is Ravaging Gay America is a perfect example of negative propaganda being fed to a gay audience under the guise of yet another wake-up call to a community that is "destroying itself." This time the alarm is being sounded over crystal meth, also known as crank, tina, ice or chalk. It is yet another drug that is being blamed for the many terrible things that sometimes happen in our community, like crack cocaine or PCP were for earlier generations. [continues 1079 words]
Thanks for your wonderful editorial on the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on medical marijuana, "High court muffs ruling on medical marijuana" (June 7). I hope Rep. Paul Ryan, an ardent supporter of the current federal policy of arresting and jailing patients for using cannabis medicinally, read it. While the Supreme Court's punting of the medical marijuana issue to Congress was a cop-out, that branch of government did create this problem in the first place. In 1970, Congress passed the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), wrongly classing marijuana as a Schedule 1 drug with no medical use and a high abuse potential, despite the fact it had been safely used by millions of humans as medicine for millennia. [continues 231 words]
The common sense expressed in your June 11 editorial, "Where is the compassion," is a real breath of fresh air. It's a refreshing 21st-century contrast to the unrelenting stance of President George Bush's Office of National Drug Control Policy. The ONDCP, the Drug Enforcement Adminstration, and federal Drug Czar John Walters insist that marijuana is of the same medical value as heroin. By leaving marijuana in Schedule 1 (illegal to prescribe or possess for any reason), they define all patients who use it to be criminals. [continues 85 words]
Well, after hearing two thirds of the Supreme Court voted against medical marijuana, it proves one thing: They're just as ignorant concerning the medical value of pot as George Bush is concerning stem cell research. It's pretty sad when anyone can tell a doctor with years of medical school what to prescribe to their patients. We are being ruled by idiots. St. Helen [end]
To the Editor: You would think I would have learned by now to never believe a word a politician says. I distinctly remember George Bush spouting off during the debates on how the federal government needs to acknowledge states' rights. But, as with everything from the Iraq war to global warming, he once again "misled" the nation. Now the federal government wants to be able to prosecute those who use medicinal marijuana. Even Justice Clarence Thomas, a stalwart Republican, wrote he could not fathom our forefathers interfering in this matter. I have listened to all sides of the argument, but I have yet to hear the truth about why they wish to keep it illegal. As with everything else in our country today, just follow the money. [continues 179 words]
NOW it's up to Congress. The U.S. Supreme Court recently upheld federal drug laws that permit prosecution of marijuana use for medical purposes. The court said the authority was squarely within Congress' power to grant. If that's the case, it's up to Congress to change the application of the federal drug law to make exceptions for medical marijuana. The House will soon vote on an appropriations amendment that would prohibit the Justice Department from spending money on drug enforcement when the targets are patients using and growing marijuana to ease suffering from a variety of painful conditions. A similar amendment failed last year despite growing bipartisan support. [continues 444 words]
Dear Editor: Thanks for your editorial Wednesday on medical cannabis, cliche headline notwithstanding, "Court ruling was dopey." The court clearly failed to follow the Constitution in its ruling, and Justice Stevens seemed to have not read the briefs in urging medical marijuana supporters to take the issue to Congress, where multiple attempts to resolve this have been scuttled by the GOP majority. However, Congress is squarely to blame for creating this problem in 1970, by passing the Controlled Substances Act, wrongly classing marijuana as a Schedule 1 drug with no medical use and a high abuse potential. [continues 271 words]
U.S. Supreme Court Delivers Setback for Medical Marijuana In a decision that will probably shed more confusion than light on the increasing popularity of marijuana for medical purposes, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Monday that state laws permitting the drug's limited use do not protect individuals from federal prosecution. The decision was widely interpreted as a defeat for marijuana proponents who waged efforts in 10 states over the past decade to allow the drug's use for relief in a variety of illnesses, from glaucoma to severe reactions to chemotherapy. But many of those same proponents say that marijuana use is now so widespread, especially in California, that federal enforcement efforts will be token at best. [continues 976 words]
(Editor's note: The Supreme Court ruled Monday that doctors can be blocked from prescribing marijuana for patients in perpetual pain.) Contrary to what some will be saying about the U.S. Supreme Court's 6-3 ruling on medical marijuana, this narrow technical ruling does not invalidate medical marijuana laws now in effect in 10 states. Neither does it invalidate local ordinances allowing medical marijuana, including Madison's ordinance, or those passed in 2004 by Detroit and Ann Arbor, Mich., and Columbia, Mo. [continues 434 words]
