DEA raids medical marijuana site while ignoring nearby crack houses

Seams the DEA have their priorities a little screwed up!

At around 2:20 pm, City Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi, who spearheaded San Francisco's new medical dispensary regulations, arrived. "The DEA and the Bush administration need to understand that San Francisco is committed to upholding patient's rights to medical cannabis," said Mirkarimi. "I have no idea why they are doing this, they hold all the cards. No matter what egislation we craft, we always have to look over our shoulder."

source: www.ontherecord.org...

Amazing. Doesn't the DEA have better things to do? What about heroin, crack, coc aine, meth-amphetamines, ecstacy, prescription drugs like oxycontin, etc.? Instead, they go after a place that is legally, according to the city supervisor, growing marijuana for medical purposes.

Seems Mr. Bush doesn't know how to fight a war within the United States either! The war against drugs. Just like he went after the wrong man in Iraq, he goes after the wrong drug for the wrong reason right here on his own turf!

[edit on 1-1-2006 by Excitable_Boy]

Man, the war on drugs has been screwed up since conception.

Billions of dollars spent every year, yet the prisons continue to fill exponentially. More war, more drugs. Its not quantum physics, its not working.

LEGALIZE IT! (The Chron I mean)

It's funny...this is coming from an ex-coc aine user. That's right.....Dubya used coc aine in the past and perhaps still does?? Those presidents certainly don't get much sleep.....

But you think he'd have a grasp on SOMETHING. But this guy has no grasp on anything!

People do more time for drug possession than they do for rape and murder in this country. What's the deal with that??

Excitable_Boy, good to see you again.... Good topic too!
The government wastes so much money going after MJ, a substance that has never killed anyone. Never debilitated anyone. Has thousands of great commercial uses that would generally improve our way of life.
I fail to understand why they don't just give in and legalize it. The prices would come down, the thrill would dwindle, they could tax it.
All that and I don't even smoke it.

The government needs to get their priorities straight!

They will NEVER legalize it because the CANNOT tax something that grows out of the ground.
It would work the same way if we could grow asprin, or pepto, or Vicodin. Why in the hell would anyone pay drug companies thousands for something a 10 year old can grow in the backyard, or livingroom?

Marijuana would make a lot of our "medicines" obsolete. Its medicinal uses alone are so numerous it would destroy the drug industry. It helps everything from nausea, headaches, bodyaches, ADD, ADHD, arthritis, as well as literally hundreds of other muscle, ligament, joint, and nerve ails.

It isnt quite a cure-all, but how many of us would continue taking some chemically created compound for things like back pain, headaches, or arthritis if you could just smoke, or eat an herb that grows naturally around the entire planet?

It has been demonized by the same industries that pump us so full of medicine that we are all spending thousands on medical care, only to die of cancer.

Just relax...and take another pill. They have one to make you skinny, heavy, happy, relaxed, hungry, and on and on and on...

Originally posted by DaFunk13
They will NEVER legalize it because the CANNOT tax something that grows out of the ground.

Wait a minute there Doctor.
Correct me if I am wrong but tobacco is a plant and it grows in the ground.
It is also the most heavely taxed substance known to man.

I still see what you mean though about the drug companys keeping it illegal.

Most of all I think the alcohol producers might have their hand in the pot too. sorry!

How did I know someone was going to mention tobacco?

The tobacco you guys spend 6 bucks a pack on and the tobacco you can grow in your backyard are entirely different things. Believe me, a lot of people probably tried growing their own way back when and realized that it just isnt the same.

Same goes for brewing your own beer, making your own brandy, and building your own clock radio. The end product is not the same. Not even close. A little maryjane on the otherhand...

The reason why Marijuana is illegal, is the fact that if it was legal, hemp would be legal too. If my history serves me correctly, a guy got a patent for a machine that harvested hemp, Hemp can be made into a whole bunch of stuff, but that was stuff that grew naturaly. Now at the same time a guy found the uses of Synthetics, which have to be made. For those who don't know what Synthetics are, its plastic. Now the guy who found the Synthetics, knew the president of the US at the time. He got the president to make Marijuana illegal (Hemp). And from then on out the government lied about the uses of Marijuana and the "evil" effects it has on people.
Like Marijuana makes people kill each other. Like yeah right. If that was true all the hippies and potheads would be in prision for murder and not possesion.

That is another really good point in my argument.

It isnt just the medicinal uses of the herb, but the industrial uses of the fibers of the plant. Paper, Cloth, etc...was all once hemp.

Even the constitution is printed on hemp paper. Ship sails were made of hemp. The list goes on. There are literally dozens of industries that would be threatened if hemp/marijuana becomes legal again.

The cotten industry would be obsolete. From what I understand, hemp is a much more suitable material as far as strength and insulation abilities.

The thousands of acres of trees that are killed could be saved; Replaced by a plant that takes a few months to naturally grow to maturity.

And on and on and on...

You want the real reason weed is illegal? It Makes People Stupid!

Pot makes you lazy and dumb, and dispite all the myth crap spread about it you can very well wind up dead because you wreck your car while driving high as a kite. Ever scraped your bowl after going through a few ounces? Yes, that tar is what goes into your lungs, still want to say its harmeless? I've seen first hand people that prior to becoming a frequent pot smoker who could hold excellent conversations and actually keep up with the pace of conversation, but afterwards loose focus of what the discussion is about and cannot make simple logical statements. Its not this wonderful thing that everyone seems to like to believe it is...

While I usually keep my opinions on this stuff semi-private, it being illegal and all, I feel like I need to address your post AltHeaven.

First, Ill be blunt. I used to smoke a lot of dope. I still do smoke quite a bit of dope. I am neither dumb, or lazy. I graduated college with a 3.7 gpa. I read about 120 books a year. I am involved in local politics, and I am a respected member of my community. I also work two jobs, 60 hours a week. On top of that, I volunteer for a lot of local community events like Habitat for Humanity and I tutor a few friends little brothers through some difficult high school classes.

I would call these activities far from "Dumb and Lazy."

I have never been convicted of any crime since I have been an adult. Not even a speeding ticket.

I will hold any conversation featuring a topic I am well versed in. Hell I will hold a conversation about things I know little about.

You are entitled to your opinion, which you have obviously made up, but if you continue to paint all marijuana users with the same broad brush strokes you are going to offend some pretty bright people.

...Like Jimi Hendrix...

Hemp at least should be legalized. Hemp can be breed to have NO THC. (what makes you high) It would be relatively easy to set up large fields hemp which can be tracked and monitored for industrial uses.

Hemp makes one of the best ethanol fuels.

Hemp makes almost twice as much paper per acres as tree's.

Hemp fibers can be used to replace most synthetic plastics.

Hemp fiber again makes a very strong textile. (not great for clothing as it remains somewhat rough even after heavy treatment)

Hemp converts a extremely large amount of CO2 for its size.

Hemp is quite pest resistant on its own, and is rather cheap to grow large scale.


---------------------------------------------------------------

As for marijuana several years back I worked on a concrete construction crew until I broke my neck in a car wreck. (some jackass took left hand turn through moving traffic in front of me) Anyway.. our whole crew smoked pot, including the foreman. We had a few bowls before work, during break, lunch, break again, and before going home. Our crew consistently finished long before schedule getting bonuses and had a impeccable accident record.

Now I currently work as a computer technician for a large facility and still do the same. I've been here 6 years and am one of the highest paid techs they have.

Marijuana while it is definatley bad for your lungs is no where near as bad socially (laziness, inability to do complicated tasks) as alchohol. In fact if you arent sitting there smoking as much as you can take (like dumbass high school / college kids) you can function quite normal and be high.

------------------
Edit...

Actually yes I have smoked home grown tobacco, in many ways I prefer it to store bought nicotine paper. (which is all cigarettes are most US cigars are)

The fact is MJ would easily be taxable as most people would not care to grow it and the commercialized version would always be more potent. Wheter through extraction like with tobacco or just through breeding.

The majority of users would once again fall to buying the taxed good stuff instead of wasitng their precious time growing it.



[edit on 14-2-2006 by Xerrog]

I also run 2 miles almost every morning before work. And as far as the health implications...how fast do you run a 100k? Can you box a full fight without dying of exhaustion? I run a consistent 11.2 100, and I make my 2 mile marker in 13 minutes @ 6:00 am.

I also swim across a local lake in a charity contest every year. I have yet to place worse than 26th out of around 200-250 people.

Not bad for a pothead, eh?

Not bad at all, and just like those who can be responsible while consuming alcohol there are those who are responsible with the weed...and there are those who dont. And its not a made-up oppinion for the record, during high-school and the beginning of College I was fairly fond of the green myself, but after realizing what it was doing to every single person I knew I made the sane decision and distanced myself from it. For every success story (which oddly enough are the only ones ever told it seems in these discussions) there are plenty of tales that are far from picture prefect.

Originally posted by alternateheaven
You want the real reason weed is illegal? It Makes People Stupid!

BFD!!!

In these stupid times, when we're surrounded by stupid people, its a temporary escape and sometimes it feels good to be "stupid" and laugh at all the STUPID crap thats going on in this world.

The war-on-drugs is a total failure and our big government with its Big Prison Lobby needs to back off and let people enjoy a natural product that really is harmless.

Maximu§

I agree with Maximus?! The sky must be falling.

AltHeaven, you can stick to your assumption that it makes you dumb, but I say that people are pretty much dumb already, and weed just gives them another excuse to be so. I know a lot of really intelligent smokers, just as I know a whole lot of dumbasses with virgin lungs.

Do you know how many prisons are privately owned? Do some googling there and you will start to see the reason for the stiff penalties exhibited by our "War on Drugs." Wars make money, not always for the greater good, but they always make money for someone.

DaFunk......when I get home at night after a hard day of work....after we've had dinner, the kids homework is done and they are in bed....I sneak out to my garage with my cute wife and we each take a tiny Bong hit of the green.

Than we go into the Jacuzzi and fool around and maybe watch a movie afterwards. We laugh and have some fun....its really a release for me and my wife.

The next day I put on my suit and tie....drive my new GT Mustang to my highrise office in Los Angeles (Im vice-president of my company) and I do my work just fine. So Im with you in this regards. Im not "stupid"...I just like to get "stupid" and relax after a crazy day....its like a glass of wine for me.

Your statement about "stupid people with virgin lungs" make me crack up....I know plenty.

Maximu§

And I applaud you for being another honest face on our movement.

Any more people like Max wanna step up so I dont look like some hippy pothead defending an illegal drug?

If I may Dafunk, I wanted to add one more statement.

This thread caught my attention, because I get angry when the US government over-steps its bounds.....busting a pot clinic is not going to make this country any safer, but it will anger alot of people who are watching our government become a dictatorship.

I don't need Uncle Sam telling me its ok to give my ADHD son powerful medications to enrich the drug industry...while telling me its not ok to smoke a little pot that comes from Mother Earth.

The government needs to do the job it was created to do.

Maximu§

Right now I have a friend in jail for shooting someone in the face with a shotgun, like Cheney did, to a friend. Now the dif. is he was blown out of his mind on weed at the time, and also shot a hole in his wall before shooting someone else in the face.

Another friend is a high school drop out, didn't get his GED, can't keep a job, or car, or girlfriend, or friends, as all he does is get high and cut anything in his life that took time out of smoking weed.

Another is happily married to his HS sweetheart, makes 30 dollars an hour just starting out at a computer company place, has his own house, and while he may up to his eyeballs in debt he to smokes weed.

An uncle works for Ford as a designer/engineer of new cars, he makes 60+ an hour, has a wife, a huge freaking house with a pool in the basement, a small arcade of 3 pinball machines, Area 51, and a driving/racing game. a 1967 Mustang he loves more then his wife, or so she says, and smokes weed, with his wife, in their pool.

I don't smoke, any more, but when i did was when I went to a friends house and watched a movie, you can't not laugh at a movie no matter how unfunny it is, from Schindler's List to Deuce Biggolo Male Giggolo 2, you laugh. Even better if it is a funny movie like South Park or Half Baked. But since that friend is in jail for shooting someone in the face I haven't smoked.

Now, lets compare this to alcohol....

One friend went to rehab for alcoholism.
One died in a drunk driving accident
Another one has suffered from alcohol poisoning and nearly died once
A Uncle died while drunk on the job
My father has liver/kidney/whatever disease/damage from drinking
My mom stopped drinking after crashing her van into a tree while drunk

I have never drank thankfully, not even a little wine at a wedding, and am glad I haven't. But hey, I know bad weed and good weed people, but so far all alcohol people are bad alcohol people. Yet alcohol is perfectly legal and weed=Death To America, according to anti-pot people.