MAPTalk-Digest Wednesday, December 3 2008 Volume 08 : Number 084
001 [FWD] Nat Geo's Explorer: Marijuana Nation tonight, Dec. 2
From: Richard Lake <>
002 Legalize drugs, gain $77 billion
From: Allan Erickson <>
003 A Plan For Ending Drug Prohibition
From: R Givens <>
004 from LEAP
From: Allan Erickson <>
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Subj: 001 [FWD] Nat Geo's Explorer: Marijuana Nation tonight, Dec. 2
From: Richard Lake <>
Date: Tue, 2 Dec 2008 11:31:04 -0800
http://www.monstersandcritics.com/smallscreen/reviews/article_1446200.
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Subj: 002 Legalize drugs, gain $77 billion
From: Allan Erickson <>
Date: Tue, 2 Dec 2008 16:47:57 -0800
Legalize drugs, gain $77 billion
http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/local/rodricks/blog/2008/12/
legalize_drugs_gain_77_billion.html
ae
http://morningdonut.blogspot.com/
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Subj: 003 A Plan For Ending Drug Prohibition
From: R Givens <>
Date: Wed, 3 Dec 2008 11:00:00 -0800
Step One Cut Off The Propaganda
Before getting too excited about the prospect that the Obama
administration will reform America's drug laws, we need to think
about the best way to approach the situation.
Foolish and reckless actions could spoil things so lets think before we act.
The first question is where to begin.
The first step is to directly determine Obama's positions and then
educate him to the full truth. This is probably the easiest part of
the equation since Obama has pledged CHANGE and exhibits a measure of
understanding about drug prohibition.
The real question is how to achieve repeal without political
disaster. Never doubt for a moment that the forces profiting from the
current drug policy will mount a ferocious defense of the status quo
that profits them so mightily.
What to do first. First cut off the propaganda machine. The ONDCP
should be shut down entirely or they should be forced to tell the
exact truth. No more reefer madness.
Tax breaks for phony Public Service Announcements (PSAs) about drugs
should be cut off or they must tell the truth. Support for the
Partnership for a Drug Free America et al is eliminated. All support
for these propaganda outlets must be cut off.
This can be done several ways. One would be a law demanding
scientific accuracy in any government policy. The lies have to go. No
doubt a clever legislator can set up serous obstacles to continuing
drug war propaganda.
The main thing is to cut off the flow of disinformation.
That will make it possible to quickly educate the public to the truth
about drugs and the policies used to "control" them.
In line with this thinking, a direct study of drug prohibition should
be launched with the idea of making binding recommendations for
future policy. The study should only take six months!
Something similar to The National Commission On Marihuana And Drug
Abuse Marihuana: A Signal Of Misunderstanding: SCIENTIFIC
OVERSIMPLIFICATION
http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/Library/studies/nc/mis2_12.htm
could be used to do the job.
The National Commission study itself would do for marijuana except
that critics are sure to say "that stuff is 40 years old, we cannot
rely on that." (As though the truth changes with time.)
Moreover, announcing a NEW study would get a lot of media attention
that the drug war is headed for serious revisions. The results of any
serious study of America's drug crusade can only produce the same
results as all of the preceding examinations of the drug war- namely
it is a counterproductive policy that demands complete revision.
Instead of immediately rushing forward we can do more by using wise
tactics. We must reset the public attitude about keeping drugs
illegal before making bold moves. This can be done in a few months if
the Obama Administration wants to do it.
Never underestimate the resistance sure to come from the lazy no good
lawmen, drug testers, prison builders and district attorneys who
profit from the drug crusade.
Pitting them against science puts the drug warriors squarely behind
the 8-ball. Especially after their propaganda is eliminated.
R Givens
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Attachment: http://mapinc.org/temp/10A7zy8pmG0QA.html
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Subj: 004 from LEAP
From: Allan Erickson <>
Date: Wed, 3 Dec 2008 12:55:32 -0800
The following posted by Tom Angell on the LEAPstaff list.
ae
http://morningdonut.blogspot.com/
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> Just got a follow up call from Bernd, the Reuters columnist, who
> encouraged us to get as many folks as possible commenting below his
> piece. The more comments, the more likely Reuters editors are going
> to be interested in Bernd writing about this issue in the future.
> Let's try to include links to http://www.WeCanDoItAgain.com in our
> comments so folks can see our action alert.
>
> Bernd's column is at
> http://blogs.reuters.com/great-debate/2008/12/03/einstein-insanity-
> and-the-war-on-drugs/
>
> Let's help him help us by putting up a lot of comments, yeah?
>
> More stories to come later today and tomorrow.
>
> Tom
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End of MAPTalk-Digest V08 #84
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