Pubdate: Sat, 17 Sep 2011
Source: Nation, The (Thailand)
Copyright: 2011 Nation Multimedia Group
Contact:  http://www.nationmultimedia.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1963
Author: Eric Bahrt

MARIJUANA 'WAR' IS NO LAUGHING MATTER

I Was Sitting in a Movie Theatre in San Francisco, California in 1974
Howling With Laughter As I Watched the Insane Movie "Reefer Madness",
Which Was About the "Horrors" of Smoking Marijuana.

I never laughed so hard in my life.

Today, over 35 years later, the "war on drugs" is still a joke. But
it's no longer funny.

It's not funny when over 2,500 people - many who were not even
connected to drugs - were murdered in extrajudicial killings during
Thaksin's demented "drug war".

It's not funny when a young man in America was sent to jail for
possession of marijuana and then gang raped. While the madmen who run
the drug war believe marijuana will destroy a young man, getting gang
raped and possibly getting Aids is [seemingly] no big deal.

It's not funny that over US$1 trillion has been wasted on a drug war
that has accomplished absolutely nothing, when that money could have
been used to build drug rehabilitation centres, schools, hospitals,
and homes for the poor - which could have shown young people that they
have better options than buying or selling drugs.

It's not funny that anti-drug lunatics would deprive people in
excruciating pain of their medical marijuana.

It's not funny that health authorities would rather see thousands
(indirectly, hundred of thousands) of people die of Aids than give
junkies their own needles.

No, dear readers, I am no longer laughing. In fact I am nearly crying
because this is another example of how humans can be horribly cruel as
well as incredibly stupid.

Eric Bahrt

Pattaya
- ---
MAP posted-by: Richard R Smith Jr.