Community Commentary: As a native New Englander, I've followed New Hampshire's brewing debate over marijuana law enforcement with close interest. As someone who has examined the impact of marijuana laws on human behavior for more than a dozen years, I'm supportive of those who wish to reclassify minor pot offenses from a criminal misdemeanor to a civil fine. According to government surveys, an estimated 98 million Americans - -- nearly half the U.S. population -- have smoked marijuana. Clearly, criminal prohibitions outlawing pot possession have done little to curb Americans' desire for, use of or access to this drug. Conversely, enforcing this prohibition has incurred significant fiscal and emotional costs. [continues 588 words]
KITTERY, Maine -- A rash of heroin use and drug dealing arrests throughout the area this year is an "obvious indication" that drug is on the rise, say police. According to Kittery Detective Steve Hamel, that increase is being caused by a combination of falling heroin prices and an increase in the use of gateway drugs like OxyContin and methadone. "In the past year and half we've seen a large increase in heroin arrests, and heroin use as well," Hamel said Thursday. "The price is cheap. You can get a bundle of heroin for $50." [continues 662 words]
SANFORD -- An emergency moratorium ordinance preventing a methadone clinic from locating in Sanford's Mid-Town Mall went into effect Tuesday, Dec. 4, following a unanimous vote by the Town Council to approve it. The emergency measure will expire in March, giving councilors and town officials time to review and address existing regulations and zoning ordinances that would apply to medical clinics and methadone clinics. The action by the town council came as a result of inquiries from Colonial Management Group, LP, in Manchester, N.H., which proposes to set up a methadone clinic in Sanford. The Florida-based company currently operates a methadone treatment center in Bangor and three in New Hampshire. [continues 748 words]
Portsmouth Forum Explores the Question PORTSMOUTH --The New Hampshire Civil Liberties Union held the first of what they hope will be many forums across the state Sunday afternoon addressing student rights and K-9 drug searches in schools. Executive Director Claire Ebel said after a search at Portsmouth High School last year, where students were told to put their backpacks in the hallway so K-9 drug dogs could search them, she received many calls from outraged parents, students and educators about what they viewed as a violation of student rights. [continues 455 words]
EXETER -- Republican presidential hopeful John McCain said he's satisfied with his campaign's financial health during a stop in the state Saturday afternoon. With the third quarter fundraising deadline approaching today, McCain's numbers are expected to be lower than his Republican rivals, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani. But McCain said he expects to do fairly well. "Money doesn't matter that much. How you do in Town Hall meetings ... matters," he said. [continues 557 words]
To the editor: I'm writing about "DARE program holds first Rochester Middle School," published June 18. Common sense tells us that the DARE program should deter our youth from using illegal drugs. But it doesn't. DARE graduates are more likely to use illegal drugs -- not less. Common sense tells us that the Earth is the center of the universe and our solar system. But it's not. Common sense tells us that prohibiting a product should substantially reduce the use of the product that's prohibited. Actually, prohibition tends to substantially increase the desire for the product that's prohibited. [continues 91 words]
ROCHESTER -- Hundreds of seventh-graders made history recently when they became the first middle school class in the city to graduate from the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program. "I tell the kids that you'll always be the first," DARE instructor and School Resource Officer Don Funk said. "This is groundbreaking and high standards have been set." The DARE program, which gives kids the life skills they need to avoid involvement with drugs, gangs, and violence, has been available to fifth-graders since 1990, but it has not always been offered at each of the eight elementary schools in the city. [continues 357 words]
Joyce Nalepka, in her letter "Anti-marijuana editorial lauded" of April 9, says nothing to defend her notorious prohibitionist stance. Nalepka (nor the Foster's editors who wrote the editorial she responded to) cannot actually defend the prohibition to which she (they) subscribes. Our war On (some) drugs -- Prohibition II -- is the longest running fraud ever perpetrated by our government upon us and your foolishness is part of it. Cannabis is medicine: -- It is, as stated in 1988 in the words of DEA administrative law judge, Francis Young, "one of the safest therapeutic substances known to man." [continues 171 words]
To the editor: This letter is in response to one that appeared on April 5, "Anti- marijuana editorial lauded.' As a retired New Jersey state trooper with 12 years as an undercover drug narc, I've got a sobering response to letter writer Joyce Nalepka's suggestion that leaving the marijuana market on the street is preferable to a legal, regulated system. Based on my experience as a cop and that of my many colleagues who make up the membership of our international organization, we know that an illegal drug market stimulates distribution to minor-aged kids, while also increasing the direct involvement of minors in sales. This is especially true when talking about marijuana, when our teenagers tell us that obtaining pot is much easier than getting access to regulated drugs. [continues 146 words]
To the editor: "It is also worth noting that despite the 1996 legalization of medicinal marijuana in California, proponents have not been able to produce convincing scientific evidence of their claims - evidence that by now should be widely accepted by the medical community if it existed." ("Anti-pot message needs to be louder," Foster's April 4) You surely know that the medical journal Neurology recently published a study demonstrating the efficacy of marijuana on neuropathic pain. Thus, your disingenuous article exposes you as a hypocrite with your own hidden agenda. John R. Malmo Attorney at Law Fresno, Calif. [end]
To the editor: The effort to stop caging sick humans for using a God-given plant needs to be louder (Anti-Pot message needs to be louder, April 4,). One reason that doesn't get mentioned is because it's Biblically correct, since Christ God Our Father indicates He created all the seed-bearing plants, saying they are all good, on literally the very first page (see Genesis 1:11-12 and 29-30). The only Biblical restriction placed on cannabis is that it is to be accepted with thankfulness (see 1 Timothy 4:1-5). And, "But whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?" (see: 1 John 3:17). Dillon, Colo. [end]
To the editor: Another interesting fact about hemp: it thwarts illegal pot growers. The very last place anyone would want to grow pot is near a hemp field. The hemp would pollinate the pot, causing it to go to seed. The resulting pot would be useless as a drug, and the seeds it produces would be next-to-useless as well, because the plants the seeds would produce would be too rough for pot and too short for hemp. So, to cut down on clandestine marijuana fields; cover the continent with hemp. Ottawa, Ontario Editor's note: Russell Barth adds that he is a federal medical marijuana license holder in Ottawa. [end]
To the editor: I'm writing about: "Former N. Y. police captain speaks in York about legalizing some drugs" (April 5). Actually, Peter Christ and LEAP (Law Enforcement Against Prohibition) favor the re-legalization of all of our now illegal drugs. For most of our nation's history there were no such things as illegal drugs. For most of our nation's history there was no such thing as "drug-related crime" or even drug dealers as we know them today. [continues 117 words]
To the editor: Bravo to the staff at Foster's Daily Democrat for standing up against the drug legalization movement that is surging across America. Members of these groups that I've spoken to openly admit to their own drug use -- from marijuana to heroin. One of their colleagues spoke to 100 or so students at Coppin State University and when asked, "Why are you trying to tell us drugs should be legalized? It is our black communities that are most damaged by drug use. Have you ever used drugs?" [continues 129 words]
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) - The House voted Thursday to allow farmers to grow hemp - a close relative of marijuana - despite federal hurdles to planting the controversial crop. Supporters pointed out that hemp, which has a very low content of THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, has unfairly been characterized as the same as marijuana. "You don't smoke hemp. A wheelbarrow full would only make you sick," insisted Hopkinton Democrat Derek Owen. "Hemp is one of the oldest and most useful and strongest natural plants known to man," he told the House. [continues 392 words]
Peter Christ Retired Police Captain YORK, Maine - Former police captain Peter Christ spent 20 years battling drugs from behind his badge. Now, the retired, 20-year veteran of the Tonawanda, N.Y., police department is fighting from behind a microphone and with a different message than many may imagine. Christ, who retired in 1989 from his department north of Buffalo, N.Y., is the founder of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, or LEAP, an organization that seeks to legalize and regulate certain drugs, and will speak at the York Rotary Club at 7:30 a.m. Friday. [continues 277 words]
The New Hampshire House acted wisely last week in turning back an attempt to legalize the use of medical marijuana. Unfortunately, the narrow margin by which HB 774 was defeated has given enough hope to supporters that the bill is certain to return. Backers achieved their near-victory by marketing HB 774 as one of compassion. "This is sensible, compassionate legislation that protects our most vulnerable citizens," said Stuart Cooper of the New Hampshire Marijuana Policy Initiative in a press release after the vote. [continues 347 words]
PORTLAND, MAINE A psychiatrist who founded a methadone clinic in Westbrook was sentenced to six months in prison Monday for his convictions last year for prescription fraud. Dr. Marc Shinderman was convicted of writing prescriptions for controlled substances using the name and drug registration number of another physician. Shinderman, who was not licensed to write the prescriptions in Maine, said he thought the arrangement was acceptable. Shinderman also must serve another six months of home confinement during two years of probation. U.S. District Judge D. Brock Hornby also ordered him to pay $35,800 in restitution. [continues 188 words]
Low doses of the main active ingredient in marijuana slowed the progression of hardening of the arteries in mice, suggesting a hint for developing a new therapy in people. Experts stressed that the finding does not mean people should smoke marijuana in hopes of getting the same benefit. "To extrapolate this to, 'A joint a day will keep the doctor away,' I think is premature," said Dr. Peter Libby, chief of cardiovascular medicine at Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital. [continues 380 words]
To the editor: This is in response to an article which appeared April 10 titled, State considers legalizing hemp. Is anyone in your state really taking this Ossipee Police Chief Richard Morgan seriously? He objects to proposals for legalizing hemp stating, Legalization of hemp is really a backdoor attempt to legalize marijuana. You're going to increase the supply, which will lower the prices. That will give kids more access to it. Huh? More access to what? Marijuana? Marijuana is not hemp. Hemp is not marijuana. Marijuana prices won't be affected by legal hemp because marijuana users are funny about not wanting to smoke hemp, a non-psychotropic substance. [continues 133 words]
