OPENING STATEMENT BY NDPA:

This article combines two emails – the first from Herschel Baker of Drug Free Australia and the reply from John Coleman,  President of the Board of Directors of Drug Watch International, and they therefore need to be studied as a collective assessment by experts on this subject.

From: John Coleman <john.coleman.phd@gmail.com>
Sent: 06 January 2026 14:30
To: Herschel Baker <hmbaker1938@hotmail.com>;
Subject: Re:

Herschel, 

Thank you for the very informative report. And yes, there are TV commercials playing in the Washington DC area thanking Trump for closing the border, reducing taxes, and rescheduling cannabis. The ad says that recognizing cannabis as a medicine will end the cartel’s monopoly, help the elderly, and military vets, etc. 

It is truly amazing how often we repeat history, much to our own detriment. In 1858, after two wars fought with China over the importation and sale of opium, produced by the East India Company in India, then a British colony, several treaties were executed between the defeated empire and Western powers having assets and interests in the region. 

The British treaty (there were four separate treaties between China and Russia, China and the U.S., China and the United Kingdom, and China and Russia) was perhaps the most important at the time because of the UK’s opium interests in India and China and the two very destructive wars that had been fought between the ill-equipped Chinese and the well-trained and well-equipped British forces (supported, of all things, by soldiers of the Second French Empire). 

Lord Elgin aka James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin and 12th Earl of Kincardine, was sent by the U.K. to fight the war and, later, negotiate the peace treaty to end it. He was, to say the least, ruthless in war and cunning in peace. In the treaty, Elgin forced the Chinese to continue to accept British imports of Indian opium that, in turn, would be taxed at the port and the monies used to assist persons and families adversely affected by smoking opium. I give Elgin credit for inventing the  theory of Harm Reduction (apologies to Al Lindesmith). 

Elgin’s plan worked horribly because overnight a domestic market in China for producing opium sprung up to compete (successfully) with the taxed and more expensive imported British opium. In time, China became not just an opium consuming nation but a prolific opium producer, as well. 

In 1893, Queen Victoria, responding to growing criticism at home and abroad, formed a Royal Commission to study the opium trade between India and China. In its report to the Queen whose titles included Empress of India, the Commission concluded that, “the temperate use of opium in India should be viewed in the same light as the temperate use of alcohol in England.” The Commission largely ignored the effect of the opium trade on China where, five years later, The Times of London reported that 70 percent of adult males were using opium. 

It would take at least another half-century to undo Elgin’s plan. Beginning in 1949, revolutionary dictator Mao Zedong had to murder and banish millions of addicts over the course of his long reign as head of the PRC to end what Elgin started. 

But not to worry. The cannabis industry today and their TV ads promise that this time around things will be better and making cannabis a medicine will accomplish great things and destroy the cartels. The French have a good saying for this: Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose (The more things change, the more they remain the same.) 

Amazing!

John Coleman

From: Herschel Baker <hmbaker1938@hotmail.com>
Sent: Monday, January 5, 2026 10:23 PM
To: John Coleman -john.coleman.phd@gmail.com
Subject: DOJ could ignore Trump’s cannabis rescheduling order?

Good Afternoon,

1.      It appears that Trump has dismissed the drug prevention network concerns regarding very the harmful effects on America future Generations by strong THC. Please note that both the PAC and MAGA Inc., lists Charles Gantt as its treasurer it appears that MAGA has received $1 million from the marijuana industry.
.,
2.      I believe that Erika Kirk of Turning Point maybe the best approach to President Trump who is trying to move Medical Marijuana from Scheduling 1 because Turning Point is strongly focus on students and this change to a very weak Scheduling 3 is just a money maker for Big Cannabis. Erika Kirk of Turning Point is the one that can lead the debate to President Trump that he has been dupe and con regarding both the Mental and Physical health cause to the community by very strong THC in Medical Marijuana and edibles.

Please note additional information below.
Re: President Donald Trump recent marijuana rescheduling order, some are arguing that it will “destroy” the illicit market and support seniors and military veterans who could benefit from cannabis.
“Trump’s action will destroy the cartel’s illicit black market, expand medical research and ensure seniors and veterans safely receive the care they need,”
The description of the impact of the executive order is somewhat exaggerated, in part because it suggests the rescheduling deal is done. In reality, the order directs the attorney general to expeditiously complete the process of moving marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).

The Justice Department has not given a timeline for when that might happen, and congressional researchers recently pointed out that it’s possible the agency could start the process over again, or decline to move forward all together.

But even if and when the process is finalized, it’s unclear how that would “destroy” the illicit market. Rescheduling cannabis wouldn’t federally legalize it, which advocates have argued would be necessary in order to meaningfully disrupt illegal sales.
The tax parity impact of moving marijuana to Schedule III is one of the more significant reasons industry stakeholders have been pushing for the incremental reform, even if it doesn’t immediately legalize cannabis. Beyond that, a Schedule III designation would symbolically recognize the plant’s medical value and loosen certain research restrictions tied to Schedule I drugs.
Notably, the organization behind the new ad is associated with the similarly named America First Agriculture Action Inc., a PAC that lists Charles Gantt as its treasurer. Gantt is also the treasurer of Trump’s own political committee, MAGA Inc., which reported receiving $1 million from a marijuana industry PAC that’s supported by multiple major cannabis companies.

That committee, the American Rights and Reform PAC, separately released ads in May that attacked former President Joe Biden’s marijuana policy record in an apparent attempt to push Trump to go further on the issue.

Meanwhile, a coalition of Republican state attorneys general are criticizing Trump’s decision to federally reschedule marijuana, saying cannabis is “properly” classified as a Schedule I drug with no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.
Earlier this month, groups of House and Senate Republican lawmakers also sent letters urging Trump not to reschedule cannabis. Trump, however, dismissed those concerns—pointing out that an overwhelming majority of Americans support the reform and that cannabis can help people who are suffering from serious health issues, including his personal friends.

This following link is to a piece is from a pro pot source but sheds light on what is behind the move:.
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/group-with-ties-to-trump-linked-pac-applauds-marijuana-rescheduling-move-in-new-ad-saying-itll-help-veterans-and-destroy-illicit-market/

Kind regards

Herschel Baker
International Liaison Director
Queensland Director
Drug Free Australia

Source:   President of the Board of Directors of Drug Watch International -john.coleman.phd@gmail.com