Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Marriage For All

The US Supreme Court has decided that the right to marry does not depend on gender.

Any single adult can marry any other single adult.

Those opposed to anything gay, particularly those who make a living off their opposition, are writhing on the floor. They'll find something new to do. The rest of us seem to be celebrating the happiness we see around us.

It may be that the world sees a larger message: that the arbitrariness of societies - and of governments - can be changed. The good will of the people can be made the law of the land.

Monday, July 06, 2015

Is Pot Legalization The Next Gay Marriage?

Five years ago, a gay couple in the U.S. wanting a full legal marriage could do so only a in handful of states. In the rest of the world, there were only a few countries - mostly in Northern Europe - where a gay marriage could be celebrated.

Today gay marriage is becoming universal.

Today in this country if a newly married couple strolling down the street wants to share a joint to celebrate their union, they can do so only in a handful of states. In the rest of the world, there are only a few countries, mostly in Northern Europe, where people can freely and legally smoke marijuana.

Tomorrow, full cannabis legalization may become universal.

While the players are different and the politics not the same, the similarity between the two revolutions is remarkable.

With both, there were half-way measures.  Civil unions united gays, but it wasn't marriage. Medical marijuana programs allow some to smoke, but it isn't freedom for all. Just as "separate but equal" failed to provide racial justice, civil unions and medical marijuana fail to provide full access to what should be one's rights under the law.

Both involve arbitrary laws that assume false realities. Denying gay marriage limited the freedom of as much as ten percent of the population. Denying use of cannabis limits the freedom of the whole population.

This limit to our freedom may change. A majority of Americans favor full legalization. In Congress. members in both parties are calling for full legalization of cannabis.

As the 2016 election approaches, Democrats may realize that pot legalization initiatives will draw Democratic voters to the polls. Republicans may decide to beat them to the punch and legalize it before they can attract the new voters.

One can only hope.

And this insanity called the drug war can come to an end.


Wednesday, July 01, 2015

The End Of The Leonhart Era At DEA

Drug warrior Michelle Leonhart has resigned as head of the DEA.

A resignation under fire - she failed to fully investigate the subversion of DEA employees at sex parties in Colombia. Congress wants to talk.    

04/21/15  DEA chief to step down, Congress probes sex party leaks

She was a Republican holdover. Getting a replacement through Congress was not an option.

She leaves a remarkable legacy. Studied ignorance, for example:


Mal-administration. A suspect was locked in a cell. Nobody fed him. Nobody cared:

"For 13 of the 14 years I have worked on this issue, when the DEA came to a hearing, committee members jumped over themselves to cheerlead," said Bill Piper, a lobbyist with the Drug Policy Alliance, a pro-legalization group. "Now the lawmakers are not just asking tough questions, but also getting aggressive with their arguments."

Cannabis Heals

Cannabis is perceived by the FDA as having no medicinal use. So they put it in their "worst drugs" category:
" ... drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. Schedule I drugs are the most dangerous drugs of all the drug schedules with potentially severe psychological or physical dependence."
No currently accepted medical use? Google ("Cannabis Heals").  And find...

       23 Health Benefits Of Marijuana

What research has learned to date:

Cannabis can be used to treat glaucoma, reverse tobacco damage, help control epileptic seizures, decrease the frequency of childhood seizures, stop cancer from spreading, decrease anxiety, slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease, ease the pain of multiple sclerosis, treat muscle spasms, lessen the harsh side effects from hepatitis C treatment and make the treatment more effect, treat inflammatory bowel diseases, relieve arthritis discomfort, keep you skinny and help your metabolism, improve the symptoms of lupus, and spur creativity in the brain.
" ... a recent study in Israel showed that smoking a joint significantly reduced Crohn's disease symptoms in 10 out of 11 patients, and caused a complete remission of the disease in five of those patients. "
It "reduces pain and tremors and improves sleep for Parkinson's disease patients. Particularly impressive was the improved fine motor skills among patients."
It helps veterans suffering from PTSD.
It helps protect the brain after a stroke.
It might protect the brain from concussions and trauma.
It can help eliminate nightmares.
It reduces the pain and nausea from chemo and stimulates appetite.
It can help people cut back on drinking.

The post at the link above includes links to the research studies that have demonstrated the different benefits of cannabis.

Google ("Cannabis prevents") and you get

   20 Medical Studies That Show Cannabis Can Be A Potential Cure For Cancer


How much longer can the FDA with a straight face keep cannabis classified as a hazardous substance? It's just going to get more and more embarrassing as time goes on.

In June, 2014, "DEA Asks FDA To Consider Rescheduling Marijuana From Schedule I Drug

Good for them. And did anything happen? Ehhh.

If the health of people in the states where recreational marijuana is made legal improves, then there may be massive interest in total legalization. At some point, the FDA is going to need to respect established science.With a blush, perhaps.