SMOKING POT AND TALKING RUBBISH
What do Julia Gillard, Tony Abbott, Malcolm Turnbull, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama and a 14-year-old boy from Morisset Park, NSW, have in common?
All have smoked cannabis.
But only the 14-year-old has ended up detained in an Indonesian immigration facility and may soon be on his way to Kerobokan prison in Bali. Just for the crime of smoking dope. Not only that, the anonymous boy is said to be likely to receive a lesser punishment because his blood and urine tested positive for cannabis.
If this does not make any sense to you, don’t worry.
Since it was introduced in 1925, global cannabis prohibition has been like a Ponzi scheme, built on ever increasing scientific fraud and irrationality.
Lester Grinspoon, Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard University, said: “there is something very special about illegal drugs. If they don’t always make the drug user behave irrationally, they certainly cause many non-drug users to behave that way”.
The idea of prohibiting cannabis around the world was agreed at the Second Opium Conference in Geneva in 1925.
Cannabis was not on the agenda for this meeting but the Egyptian delegation claimed cannabis was as dangerous as opium and should therefore be subjected to the same international controls.
No formal evidence was provided about the harms of cannabis, nor were conference delegates briefed about cannabis.
Nevertheless the delegates agreed to ban cannabis around the world.
Australia was represented at the meeting so Canberra officials then told the states and territories what they now had to do. The NSW Under Secretary of the Colonial Secretary’s Department wrote back to Canberra that the omission of that drug [cannabis] from the operation of the Act would have been of small moment, but having been considered by the conference as required to be included, it might perhaps be as well, if practicable, to bring it within the purview of the dangerous drug laws.
In 1937, Henry Anslinger, Commissioner of the US Federal Bureau of Narcotics, declared “there are 100,000 marijuana smokers in the US, and most are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos and entertainers. Their Satanic music, jazz and swing, result from marijuana use. This marijuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes, entertainers and any others”. Now you know. Authorities cannot prevent the inevitable, but they can delay them.
Fast forward four score years and global cannabis prohibition is starting to fall apart.
This week the 2011 results of the annual US Gallup poll were announced. Since 1969 respondents have been asked annually “do you support the legalisation of marijuana?”.
Opponents had always outnumbered supporters but the gap has been shrinking steadily, especially in recent years.
In 1969, 84 percent opposed and only 12 percent supported legalisation. In 2006, 60 percent opposed but 36 percent supported legalisation. In 2010, 50 percent opposed and 46 percent supported legalisation. This year, for the first time, supporters outnumbered opponents: 50 percent supported and 46 percent opposed legalisation. The Californian Medical Association also came out in support of taxing and regulating cannabis.
Australians do not seem to be big fans of criminal penalties for trivial cannabis offences.
In the 2010 National Drug Strategy Household Survey of people over the age of 14 years, of those who have a view on the matter 67 percent opposed cannabis possession being a criminal offence and 69 percent supported the medical use of cannabis.
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23 Responses to this article
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MP October 24, 2011
Is this guy an actual medical doctor? It seems that he’s quite flippant about the risk of mental illness (which can be very profound, as I have seen myself) & overly concerned about lost revenue through taxes.
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dramaqueen75 October 24, 2011
yes, many things the god doctor says are factual and make sense, but i think we need to consider two further points.
Firstly, articles like this imply that cannabis is a drug commonly used by many Australians. Whilst some Australians smoke dope, the percentage of people who reported using cannabis recently was only 10.3% in 2010
source – http://www.aihw.gov.au/publication-detail/?id=32212254712So, I would like to remind people to beware of “normalising” dope and thinking of it as a common drug of choice for most Australians.
The other thing to consider is that while many of us would not like to see cannabis users, especially the young, subjected to criminal convictions we also don’t support legalisation of marijuana. We all know of the chronic health problems caused by smoking cigarettes and we are learning more about the mental health issues that can be exacerbated by marijuana use for people with a pre-disposition.
So, by all means think about continuing the trend to de-criminalize cannabis but not legalise. There is a big difference
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Dramaqueen75 October 24, 2011
The good doctor, not the god doctor, lol.
I just ask people to consider this-
What if someone came along now and they had discovered “tobacco”? It’s a product that makes people feel more alert and stimulates the nerves. It seems to be like strong caffeine. The producer can make a lot of money from it because it is addictive. Its growth and production can generate wealth for the whole economy. Sounds great. However, these days responsible governments have drug regulations. We would insist on research to prove that the product was safe, or in the very least had an acceptable level of harm. In the case of tobacco we would not legalize it once the health risks were revealed.So, it’s too late for tobacco, the horse has bolted. We can only try to discourage people and implement restrictions on its use.
We still have that chance though with dope. Would doctor Wodac welcome the increase in bronchial disease and lung cancers if marijuana became a legal product?
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Rachel October 24, 2011
This is a tricky one. I know people that smoke “dope” and I have to say I do think long term use alters the chemical balance in the brain and of course it does have all the down sides similar to tobacco i.e lung cancer etc.
However I also know of people who are in extreme pain and use it for its medicinal uses and swear it helps.
As it stands now the drug is extremely expensive and is lining the pockets of the petty criminals who deal it. It is also a drug of choice to a lot of unemployed people and like any drug, it is costly, and bites a large chunk out of their centrelink benefit. Which is OK if they choose this for themselves but if there are other family members such as children or spouses that have to miss out on basic needs because of their parents or spouses habit, it is extremely unfair.
More effort should be put into helping those give up the “dope” habit and looking at why people start any type of drug to begin with. There are many people who smoke dope and would love to give it up but don’t know where to go or are too embarassed to admit they smoke marijuana to seek help.
In the end it doesn’t really matter if it’s legal or not. It really only effects the price of it,and even then, if the Government think they can get the same price per gram as the dealers do, it will probably still be expensive. Maybe even more expensive!. If people want it badly enough they will get it no matter what! -
Shiralee October 25, 2011
Yes for medical reasons use dope, otherwise you can choose to be a crimminal looser or or not. I choose not and any person who wants to be associated with me can choose to be in my life or be a crimminal. You can’t have both.
PS I know of 2 regular drug user who have mental illness’s who more than likly wouldn’t have if not for illegal drugs, and 3 families introuble due to addicotion and I wouldn’t wish their problems on my worst enemy. -
Wendy Harmer October 25, 2011
There is a great article on the Punch today that recommends listening to the experts. http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/fooi-11-listen-to-the-experts-they-know-their-stuff/
Dr Alex Wodak is an expert ( look at just a snippet of his CV here) that’s why I’m listening and why I asked him to write this article.-
Dramaqueen75 October 25, 2011
Hi Wendy
If we could separate the legal issues from the health issues then Dr Wodac’s arguments make logical sense.
The complication here is that we can’t separate the two issues. The evidence is in regarding the health risks of smoking- inhaling smoke into the lungs is dangerous to delicate lung tissue and transports chemicals into the blood stream where they effect the circulatory system and the cells of almost every part of the human body.Perhaps marijuana is less addictive than nicotine, perhaps dope smokers may not be compelled by their addiction to smoke every 20 minutes or so, however we need to acknowledge that most dope smokers inhale more deeply into the lungs than cigarette smokers and are more likely to hold the smoke in the lungs longer. In addition, cannabis doesn’t burn consistently on its own and needs to be mixed with tobacco to smoke it conveniently.
Legalising dope would certainly break the “business model” of criminals but it would also take away one of the best disincentives we have to restrict the growth in number of users.
Nicola Roxon explained in a speech just last week that the cost to Australias health budget from smoking is five times more than the revenue the tax in tobacco products brings in. Do we really want to consider adding another smoked drug and resulting health risks into that equation?
Rant over, again
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Kid October 25, 2011
Prohibition successfully erased thousands of years of historical evidence regarding marijuana use from the minds of the public. Those with an agenda to push have been trying to justify it ever since.
Hasn’t anyone else noticed how so many studies of marijuana use focus only on heavy daily users? One a few years ago looked at users who did five cones a day! I know many users and they all agreed this was excessive. It’s like studying the effects of alcohol by looking only at alcoholics and then claiming that the smallest level of alcohol consumption poses the same level of risk.
The method of use ie smoking is a separate issue. The benefits are worth pursuing.
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Deborah December 6, 2011
I’m late coming to this talk but I did read the article when it first appeared on the site. Currently, I’m not against marijuna legalization. I’d just love even more unbiased information on it. It’s hard to find a Doctor like Dr Wodak who is willing to present a balanced view. Generally, articles in the media are extremely biased — against legislation of marijuana and often presented as being the trigger for serious mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and I’m not sure that is true. I used to smoke marijuana but gave it up after a couple of years because I thought it made me more anxious. There has been literature that supports the theory that marijuana also leads to anxiety/depression disorders. Now, many years later, looking back to childhood I can see I was always an anxious person and that perhaps the reason I liked marijuana is that for a couple of years I experienced relief from anxiety because of my use of marijuana — self medicating – but that possibly it eventually stopped working for anxiety and anxiety ‘broke through.’ just like many prescription drugs will stop working after a while. Much of the info on marijuana on the net is against it, too, although it has it supporters.
I’d love to read more medical opinions about this emotive issue. Especially, I’d love to read the opinion of someone like Dr Goude (sp?) head of St Vincent’s Emergency Department, Sydney He and his staff get to see the more dire results of illegal drug use and I just wonder what his opinion would be. I’d also like the opinion of psychiatrists as well. Plus social workers and people who work with people living with the fallout of drug addiction. I just wonder how greatly marijuana features when no other drugs, including alcohol is involved.
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Alberto Rosso February 16, 2012
Nobody in their right minds would encourage the use of any drug including marijuana – and alcohol for that matter.
However the War on Drugs policies that have been implemented throughout much of th world has been a disaster.
Portugal has implemented innovative decriminalisation laws which appear to be have positive effects.
The web site of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) is worth reviewing.
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blue February 16, 2012
I am married to a verbally abusive alcoholic. I wish he’d have a toke instead of his drinks each evening and I’m sure life, for me, would be a hell of a lot nicer. Nicer for him, too, probably.
Why isn’t alcohol made illegal? Probably because the great majority of Australians would scream ‘no’ and it would probably be the one thing that got them all moving to storm the barricades of the law makers protesting against criminalization of alcohol. So many Aussies drink, you’d think they’d understand that there are many Aussies that would like to have a smoke of marijuna and do it completely legally and be able to go to their licensed store to buy it just as anyone over the age of 18 can go to their local bottle shop to purchase alcohol and know that they are getting quality control of the product..
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melissa February 17, 2012
My father was a violent, abusive monster whose brutality escapated when drunk, in the process damaging the lives of several people, very proundly. I, like Blue wish he had a tke instead.
Let’s get some perspective on te way the law treat drug issues. So ofte a rapist or child molester will get a very scant sentence, a vastly lesser punishment than a person who was using ‘ drugs’ or seeling drugs to willing consumers. -
Sean March 27, 2012
As an Australian teenager I am surrounded by abusers of alcohol. Alcohol is proven to do more damage to you than using marijuana, but as mentioned earlier, can you imagine what would happen if the government banned alcohol in Australia?? We would turn a majority of the population into ‘criminals’ who would seek ‘underground alcohol’
Is it even the governments place to make such a ban? It shouldn’t be up to the government to decide what we can and can’t do where it is a personal choice for many.People should be educated on BOTH sides of the story, then choose for themselves. Not be brought up on “smoking marijuana is definitely going to cause you serious bodily harm” (the ad campaigns never show the majority of people that ENJOY using it for some reason…)
If there is such strong support for marijuana decriminalization, why are the punishments so severe? If it is on the edge of being made legal there shouldn’t be jail terms attached to it’s use?
57, 000 arrests were made last year in AUS relating to marijuana, yet the leaders of BOTH major political parties have used it AND both are running the country!
The whole ‘War’ is silly, stop mucking around and decriminalize it.
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Hempanon April 5, 2012
Good one Sean, it was great to read a post like your’s written by one of today’s teenagers.
Dr Wodak was involved with the Australian21 report released on Tuesday as were a number of other prominant Australians including Bob Carr.
Bob has posted a about his position which now must come through his Foreign Minister filter and you can read it here.
http://bobcarrblog.wordpress.com/2012/04/05/drug-policy-reform/#comment-5768Check it out.
I commented on the blog and it’s copied below.
hempanon permalink
April 5, 2012 3:01 pmYour having a bob each way here Bob but let’s just leave it simple.
I am a male baby boomer who has used cannabis for 40 years. I don’t drink, other than a glass of wine with dinner probably 5 times a week. I’ve never injected drugs intravenously. I’ve snorted cocaine twice and years ago I occasionally yielded to a dexamphetamine temptation if it was produced at a party. Way back in the day I took far to much LSD when we were all tuning in, turning on and dropping out but that was over 30 years ago.
Since then cannabis has been to the fore in both my recreational and medicinal regime and I use it as a colleague might use a whiskey or two in the evening. My drug won’t give me a headache, in fact I’ve known it to make one go away as recently as yesterday.
I want to be able to continue as I have lived for 40 years unmolested. I also want to be able to grow enough so that I know what is going into my body at a price I can afford and I want to be able to use it as a medicine for ailments that arise as we get older.
Yes, the problem is filled with minefields but I don’t see my part in the saga as being a problem to anyone, even myself. So what needs to happen to turn my furtive illegal habits into what they should be, normal activities in my everyday life?
That’s what I’d like to know Bob and fortuitously, the Nimbin Mardi Grass is being celebrated on the first weekend in May. I believe a couple of retired NSW politicians are attending and I’m sure you would be warmly welcomed. Doubtless you’d be hailed as a hero, especially if you could see a way to solve my problems with the failed war on drugs. You can be sure that there will be thousands of people there with the very same concerns as mine.
Of course I understand why you might not be able to make it, haha.
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Freja Leonard April 16, 2012
The mistake that many people make here is to suggest that repealing unworkable cannabis (and other drugs) prohibition leads to increased use and society condoning drug use. Each drug that is currently illegal has had use surge under prohibition – being illegal doesn’t stop people using, it just makes them criminals. It also creates a powerful financial incentive for black marketeers to come up with new and more addictive drugs.
Endorsing decriminalisation – even legalisation – is not the same as endorsing drug use.
