Evangelical patriarch Rev. Pat Robertson has long been a leader in the conservative movement advocating for a better civil and moral society. But his recent support of marijuana legalization couldn’t be more wrongheaded.

“I really believe we should treat marijuana the way we treat beverage alcohol,” Robertson said last week in an interview with The New York Times. “I’ve never used marijuana and I don’t intend to, but it’s just one of those things that I think: this war on drugs just hasn’t succeeded.”

“It’s completely out of control,” Robertson added. “Prisons are being overcrowded with juvenile offenders having to do with drugs. And the penalties, the maximums, some of them could get 10 years for possession of a joint of marijuana. It makes no sense at all.”

Robertson’s arguments are wrong on each and every fact. First, regulating marijuana like the way we regulate alcohol (or cigarettes) will only result in the increased use and abuse of marijuana, particularly among youths. As the late, great political scientist, James Q. Wilson, put it, “The central problem with legalizing drugs is that it will increase drug consumption.” Arguing that adding a dangerous substance to the legal marketplace will reduce its usage is to renounce all common sense. Does Robertson truly believe that addicts and first-time users will be curtailed once the substance they seek becomes easier to obtain?

To stay on alcohol for a moment: There are about 79,000 alcohol-related deaths each year. The Center for Disease Control calculated that excessive drinking cost the United States $223.5 billion annually and the government pays more than 60 percent of these health care costs. Is that really the model that Robertson would recommend for the betterment of society?

The Household Survey of Substance Abuse tells us that alcohol, more than tobacco and illegal drugs, is the most used and abused drug among youth. Why is that? Because alcohol is legal; drugs are not. Alcohol is easily available; drugs are less so. Alcohol is culturally acceptable; drugs are, for the most part, stigmatized, in large part because they are illegal. Robertson has long respected the importance of the law and the culture. It is a grave error for him to abandon that now.

As for his other claims, the 2011 World Drug Report paints a detailed picture of marijuana abusers. Among cannabis users in treatment in the United States, 80.5% are not married, 90% have obtained an education of 12 years or less; 25% are unemployed and 46% are not in the labor force (of which 55% are students). Of the cannabis users who entered treatment services from 2000 to 2008, nearly a quarter report psychiatric problems. In addition, new research suggests that driving under the influence of marijuana could double a person’s risk of getting in a serious or fatal car crash.

Why should we promote the legalization of a substance that can irretrievably harm our children’s brains and makes our citizens less intelligent, less productive and less safe? Open and unrestricted drug use cannot coexist with a free, safe and productive society.

Moreover, Robertson’s claim that our prisons are overflowing with marijuana users are wildly exaggerated. The U.S. criminal justice system is the largest referral source for drug treatment programs. And, the large majority of inmates in state and federal prison for marijuana have been found guilty of much more than simple possession. The Office of National Drug Control Policy, for example, recently reported that of all the inmates in state prisons, 0.3% are arrested for offenses involving only marijuana possession.

Contrary to Robertson’s view, we have had successes in the fight against drugs. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, 700,000 fewer teenagers used illicit drugs in 2010 than a decade earlier, a 16% decline. From 2000 to 2010, current marijuana use by teens has dropped 9%, methamphetamine use by teens has plummeted 60%, LSD use has dropped 50%, and current cocaine use among high school seniors has dropped 38%.

There have been other important victories, too. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, with the help of the Partnership for a Drug Free America, America’s policymakers and opinion shapers got tough on drugs. Through movies, television, mass media, and, yes, sermons, America sent a message: Drug use is not culturally or morally acceptable and it will not be tolerated. The nation was committed to defeating the cocaine epidemic, and it did.

We have much work left in our own fight against drugs. We need more drug education and prevention classes in schools, more rehabilitation and treatment centers, and more resources for law enforcement officials. But all this is for naught if our nation’s leaders, including its religious leaders, undermine and abandon the cause.

During a recent trip to Mexico, Vice President Joe Biden was right to reject the idea of legalization. “There is no possibility the Obama-Biden administration will change its policy on legalization,” he said. It’s time for a new bipartisan coalition committed to defending our children and our future from the dangers of drug abuse and addiction. Surrendering, like Robertson suggests, is not an option.

Editor’s note: William J. Bennett, a CNN contributor, is the author of “The Book of Man: Readings on the Path to Manhood.” He was U.S. secretary of education from 1985 to 1988 and director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy under President George H.W. Bush.

Source: William Bennett CNN 14th March 2012

After only a few years of usage, crystal meth can devastate a user’s health.
A GP in the Dungannon District has warned parents of the alarming rise in illegal drug abuse among young teenagers. “GPs are seeing an increasing number of patients with drug problems and unfortunately this is showing up in kids of as young as 13 or 14”, he said.
“There is a combination of the old drugs such as cannabis and cocaine and some of the newer drugs such as methedrone. “One of the problems is people seem to have the idea that these newer “designer drugs” are safe. However, they have a number of side effects Severe nosebleeds have been reported after snorting as well as anxiety and paranoia.
“There is also the risk of over-stimulating the heart and the nervous system, which would increase the chances of having a fit. “They can also become a gateway to other drugs. Another problem with these newer drugs is that the long term effects are unknown as they have not been around long enough to have been properly studied. “If you have any concerns with drug misuse you can contact your GP for advice. There are also a number of helplines to contact for confidential advice. An excellent local service is Breakthru in Dungannon. “They offer guidance and counselling for drug and alcohol problems. Their number is 02887753228.
Drug dealers in the Coalisland area are giving free doses of crystal meth to young teenagers.
The drug is an intensive stimulant with disinhibitory qualities. It can either be snorted or injected, or in its crystal form ‘ice’ smoked in a pipe, and brings on a feeling of exhilaration and a sharpening of focus. Smoking ice results in an instantaneous dose of almost pure drug to the brain, giving a huge rush followed by a feeling of euphoria for anything from 2-16 hours.
Overuse can bring on paranoia, short term memory loss, wild rages and mood swings as well as damage to your immune system. Overdosing can lead to severe convulsions followed by circulatory and respiratory collapse, coma and death. Some people have died after taking small doses.
The mix of chemicals, method of use and the user’s lifestyle can do serious damage to the mouth (‘Meth mouth’), with teeth rotting to the gum line as a result of the meth vapours.

Source: www.tyronetimes.co.uk 11th March 2012

Mexico’s violent drug cartels have reached the streets of Britain, France and the Netherlands, according to US immigration officials, with undercover British agents undergoing training in El Paso to combat the problem.

Three members of Britain’s Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) met US agents on the Texas-Mexico border this week in a bid to put a stop to cartels taking hold on Britain and Europe. The British agents spoke about surveillance tactics, special operations teams and cybercrime units, according to a US immigration officials.

On Thursday, they watched how ICE investigators tore apart a car where a cargo of marijuana was found at the Paso del Norte Bridge in this West Texas city. The agents are expected to head to Miami next week to learn about port operations in the US.

“The most important lesson that we have shared with SOCA, is that if they are not prepared to deal with the Mexican cartels, they will spread like a cancer and will entrench themselves in the economy and community in an attempt to ‘legitimise’ their illicit profits.” Oscar Hagelsieb, an agent at the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations office, said. “They must also be aware of the violence that will undoubtedly follow.”

US authorities believe Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel has drug distribution networks in England and has established footholds in France and the Netherlands, among other places in Europe, he said.

Mexican crime groups have previously made attempts to establish a presence in Europe, Mr Hagelsieb added, “but not to the scope we are seeing now. The Sinaloa is the first cartel that can have an impact worldwide.”

SOCA was created in 2006 and is responsible for investigating drug trafficking, criminal organisations, cybercrime, counterfeiting, the use of firearms and serious robberies. In a statement read by one of the British undercover agents, the agency said it wanted its agents to come to El Paso as “it’s always better to be exposed to the problems and the environment first hand.”

“We want to learn from the special agents about the local, regional and international impact of the widely reported scale of drug trafficking that takes place across this border,” the statement said.

The British agents were also interested in how El Paso has managed to remain one of the safest cities in the US even though it’s across the Rio Grande from Ciudad Juarez, a city afflicted by one of the highest murder rates in the hemisphere.

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations collaborates with local agencies, targeting specific criminal groups and gathering intelligence on them, Mr Hagelsieb said. “We are able to intercept them at points of entry before they cross back and forth.”

Source: The Telegraph March 2012

A pill that makes alcoholics want to drink less has been developed by scientists for the first time, a conference has been told.

The drug is thought to work by blocking mechanisms in the brain that give alcoholics enjoyment from drink and so helps them fight the urge to drink too much. It only needed to be taken when people were going out where they might be tempted to drink alcohol. Alcoholics taking the drug and having counselling more than halved the amount of alcohol they drank per day and binged on fewer days. The findings were presented at the European Psychiatric Association (EPA) congress in Prague.

The drug, developed by Lundbeck pharmaceutical company, called nalmefene is not licensed yet and is currently going through clinical trials. There are other drugs on the market that make addicts ill if they drink any alcohol at all but this is thought to be the first aimed at reducing the amount of alcohol consumed. Side effects included dizziness, nausea, fatigue, sleep disorder or insomnia, vomiting, cold-like symptoms or excessive sweating.

Dr David Collier, of Barts and The London School of Medicine, Queen Mary University of London and an investigator in a nalmefene study, said: “The people volunteering for these trials had real problems with alcohol dependence, most had never sought help before, and others had tried and failed with abstinence strategies – stopping drinking for good.”

“Abstinence is the right option for many people, but not everyone wants to do that, and in those that do try, it helps only about half of them. From our experience in these trials, reducing alcohol consumption to safer levels can be a realistic and practical treatment goal for people who are dependent on alcohol, that can bring many short- and longer-term benefits to health.”

“These trial results suggest that the combination of medication and counselling could offer a new option for people in the UK not currently treated for their alcohol dependence.” There are thought to be 1.6m people addicted to alcohol who are not currently being treated.

Andrew Langford, Chief Executive of The British Liver Trust said: “We are genuinely worried about the increasing numbers of people from all walks of life with alcohol problems who are functioning seemingly well with their lives yet have built up a need for alcohol. Many feel that they need to drink just to feel normal, increasing potential negative effects on their physical and emotional health, including liver disease such as cirrhosis and liver cancer.”

In the study, nalmefene was used as needed by the patients, who took one tablet only when they perceived that there was a risk of drinking alcohol. Both the nalmefene and placebo groups of the study received counselling to maximise their motivation to reduce their alcohol intake, and ensure they continued to take the medicine.

Over six months in the trial the average amount of alcohol consumed per day reduced from 84g per day – the equivalent to a bottle of wine – to 30g per day or a large glass of wine. The number of days they drank heavily reduced from 19 to seven in those taking the drug alongside counselling.

The large study was conducted with 604 patients in Austria, Finland, Germany and Sweden.

Source: www. WiredIn.org.uk 6th March 2012

Next November, Californians will ballot on allowing people 21 years and older to possess, cultivate and transport cannabis for personal use, as well as enable its commercial production and sale. Professor Keith Humphreys of Stanford University School of Medicine’s psychiatry and behavioural sciences departments, discusses the potential consequences.
He recently returned to Stanford after a one-year stint in the White House as a senior adviser on national drug control policy – and was a key speaker at the UK/European Symposium on Addictive Disorders in London last May.
Click here for related facts, also CannabisSkunk Support.
Q: There are estimates that, with legalisation, marijuana use could rise 50-100 percent%. Are those projections reasonable?
Humphreys: We know very well from other commodities that if you make something illegal, the price of it goes up. And when you make it legal, it becomes much cheaper. So the findings are credible. Why they’re scary is that big drops in price tend to affect mainly people with less disposable income… teenagers, the unemployed, other people who have just a small amount of extra money. This will drop marijuana to something they could easily afford to do on a daily basis.
It is not just legalising consumption; it is legalising production. That means you’re going to have an industry, like the tobacco industry, that will have lobbyists and marketers and lots of money. In fact, I wonder if tobacco companies might go into this business. They are well-positioned. They have the outlets and the pricing power. It will become a mass-produced, very cheap product.
Q: But the proposition also allows people to grow their own marijuana…
Humphreys: For the vast majority of people, if there’s a refined product in a nice package down at the store that costs 1/10th as much, and you don’t have to water or worry about sunlight, then they will buy it.
Q: What about the argument that taxing marijuana will provide much-needed revenue?
Humphreys: We should be legalising child pornography and human trafficking? There’s lots of awful things that raise money, and that doesn’t make them right. The second point is that taxes never recoup the harm from substances. If you look at all estimates of alcohol and tobacco taxation, it never even touched a fifth of the amount of health damage. So you get a little money in the short term, but in the long term, someone’s got to pay for car accidents and kids flunking out of school and things like that.
Q: What about the notion that by legalising it you take it out of clandestine operations?
Humphreys: You will probably get rid of some gun violence, for example. But look at the example of a tobacco company. You could have substantially more death. There’s lots of ways to do violence in this world. You can weaken government regulations in a way that results in thousands of people dying.

In terms of its medical use, I have compassion for patients; I was a hospice worker for many years. But I don’t feel that’s the typical person getting medical marijuana. A paper in the Harm Reduction Journal that profiled about 4,000 such people said the prototypical patient was a 30-year-old male who had been smoking pot for about 15 years and wasn’t seriously ill – that group is riding on our compassion for the people who have Aids, MS or cancer.
To me, it’s a pretty big jump to go from saying that this plant has some medical value, to saying that its consumption — and also its production and advertising — should be legalised.

Source: Addiction Today August 6th 2010

The Government’s Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs has got an application to ban Methoxetamine (Mexxy) as two people in Leicestershire lost their lives due to the drug. The police and health advisors have advised that the people should not take the drug.

A woman, who was 59 years old from Leicester and a man, 32, from Melton Mowbray were found to be dead in February. The drug was said to be the safe alternative to the class C drug ketamine. However, it did not stand up to its expected levels. It is a form of legal high, which is taken as a party drug.

It is said that the drug will be taken off from the shelves in a few days and till then people should not take the drug. The drug is even available for £17 a gram on the net, so there are chances that people start ordering the drug from there.

Families, who have lost their loved ones due to the drug, were of the view that the drug should be banned straight away. Campaigner Maryon Stewart has also lost his teenage daughter Hester, due to the drug called GBL. It was then banned and then it was said that Mexxy is a safe drug. However, the drug has found to be on the same lines of GBL.

The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs said that they have passed an application under which a temporary ban will be issued for a year. It is said that there are more than 40 legal highs available in Britain. The count has gone up from 13 to 40 in few years, informed experts.

After repeated incidents, it is expected that all new committed should be formed to check the efficacy of drugs. Home Office Minister Lord Henley said, “We have become increasingly concerned at the potential harms of Methoxetamine, and continue to work with our drug experts on the ACMD to decide on the best way to protect public health”.

Source: www.topnews/us 7th March 2012