CNN Rehashes the THC Potency Debate
May 19th, 2009 by RickIn an ongoing attempt to cover the explosive marijuana issue and the seemingly demise of the war on drugs, CNN’s Anderson Cooper talks about the supposed new THC potency, showing interview clips of Bruce Mirken of the Marijuana Policy Project and John Walters, dinosaur former drug czar.
John Walters starts it off:
You have more people getting in trouble because there is a wolf in sheep’s clothing here.
This is probably the first honest answer that’s come out of this man’s mouth in a long time — although some people will keep it in the context of him referring to the higher potency of weed and others will know exactly what I am talking about when it comes to drug crusaders that need to take a long walk off a short pier.
The study that all this new information is originating from is through a Mississippi University that tested thousands of strains and have claimed that the THC level has risen to an all time 30 percent within marijuana. Just last year the THC level was supposedly 10.1 percent.
Bruce Mirken sees the new THC potency issue as more rhetoric from the government and opposition:
They’ve used these sorts statistics every year going back twenty or thirty years as an attempt to scare people. Oh my God, it’s a whole new marijuana, it’s way more potent, be afraid. It’s nonsense then and it’s nonsense now.
Mirken believes that if the claims were true, then a more potent marijuana would be a good thing:
THC is essentially non-toxic, so in some ways a higher potency marijuana is actually healthier because the main heath risk associated with marijuana is the respiratory harms of smoking and when it’s more potent people smoke less.
Walters, disagrees:
There’s no evidence of that, if anything the higher potency creates a greater risk of dependency.
Walters goes as far as saying that more and more people are winding up in the emergency rooms and that users may lose control, have trouble concentrating and sleeping — teenagers especially may feel suicidal. This, of course, is all bullshit, as the next day at the MPP website, Mirken commented on his interview at CNN and showed that Walters is a liar.
In a study entitled Vaporization as a Smokeless Cannabis Delivery System: A Pilot Study, published in the Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, researchers at University of California, used marijuana with THC levels of 1.7%, 3.4% and 6.8%. The study was to compare smoking and vaporization so the participants were taken through a “standardized puff procedure.”
Mirken writes:
Although the high-strength marijuana was four times as potent as the weakest, it produced a peak plasma THC level only about 20% higher, smoked or vaporized. This, the researchers wrote, suggests that either less is absorbed at the higher potency levels or there is “self-titration of THC intake,” meaning that “smokers adapt their smoking behavior to obtain desired levels of THC.”
Final note, Mirken brings another example to light of the mainstream news not telling the whole story:
I was disappointed that perhaps the most important thing I said to the interviewer didn’t get on the air. If potency is a concern, there is an obvious solution: Regulate marijuana as we do alcoholic beverages, and require the cannabinoid levels to be listed on the label. If consumers know what they’re getting — as they do now with beer, wine, or Bacardi 151 — they can adjust their behavior to avoid unpleasant surprises.
CNN Legalization Debate Redux
May 13th, 2009 by RussThough somewhat discouraged by its recent aborted attempt to have an intelligent discussion about weed, CNN put its ‘A’ team together to see if it could vault to the cable news network lead by presenting a single coherent thought. Led by the glamorous grey-maned Anderson Cooper, the tete-a-tete featured a mismatch for the ages:
Harvard Econ Professor Jeffrey Miron versus Bush-appointed drug czar, John Walters. The exchange resembled something like a debate between Martin Luther King’s unblemished soul, and a moldy sack of russet potatoes. To paraphrase a few of the highlights:
Miron:
Though drinkers have access to very potent types of alcohol, the vast majority drink mild forms and do so responsibly, and that is exactly what we should expect of marijuana users.
Walters:
You just ran a study about students who were killed in an elementary school in Chicago… Marijuana!
Cooper:
Are you implying that marijuana was the cause of these killings that we reported in a completely unrelated and unlinked segment?
Walters:
Listen, it’s very simple. I’ll free associate for a moment: Rape, murder, marijuana. Did you see that? The word marijuana just came out of my mouth right after murder.
Miron:
There’s not a shred of evidence that says that legalizing marijuana would increase violence. It’s prohibition, not marijuana creating the violence. It’s preposterous to say otherwise.
Walters: (drools on self)
Why I Won’t Miss John Walters
November 11th, 2008 by Perry
Only weeks left in office, and John Walters, Bush’s Director of National Drug Policy, is working harder than ever on the propaganda machine.
Days after a former pothead was elected president, Walters began a campaign with a new slogan about how there’s not that many jobs out there for potheads. Nevermind that the premise is so dumb it actually seems like its satire.
2008 Election Final Results
November 5th, 2008 by Perry
Defeated by a vote of roughly 60 to 40, the groundbreaking initiative would have moved California further towards decriminalization than any other state in the union. While Prop. 5 advocates lost, they may have reason for optimism considering the 40 percent of the vote it had garnered. Surprising, considering all of the resources dedicated to its defeat, like basically everyone in California with a badge, MADD, John Walters and his unethical use of federal resources to interfere with a state election and Charlie Sheen, who of all people was the spokesperson.
Prop. 9, which called for a bigger say for victims in sentencing, passed, and Prop. 6, which called for more spending on law enforcement, failed, which means California voters want tougher penalties, but to spend less money to regulate more criminals.
The latest reports on Prop. 8, are that 52% of Californians have voted Yes, with 95% of districts reporting. Although that’s not a definitive pass, the chances of 8% of the remaining precincts swinging the result are very low.
More relevant results after the jump. Continue Reading
Welcome to the United States of Anthony
October 29th, 2008 by Perry
The United States of Marc Anthony?
“Obsessed” with marijuana re-education? So is the United States of Anthony.
No idea what that is?
The United States of Anthony is a blog of my own wisdom – thoughts, theories, concepts, and ideas – on whatever I feel like talking about on any given day.
Current Obsession: Marijuana (Re)Education
Despite the cheesy intro, the US of A is a pretty cool blog with some interesting stats, tips and viewpoints.
One example is Anthony’s response to drug czar John Walters claim on C-SPAN that finding people in jail for “first-time nonviolent possession of marijuana… is like finding a unicorn… because it doesn’t exist.”
Time to bust out the unicorn stats:
- 2005 – 786,545 unicorns
- 2006 – 829,625 unicorns
- 2007 – 872,721 unicorns
- 2008 – 680,014 unicorns
He also has more practical info, like tips for an essential marijuana smoking kit and some accessory suggestions, like:
A kit can’t be a kit if all of the pieces don’t have a home!
Too true. In my opinion, the case is all-important. I like something small, light and portable. Also, it has to be inconspicuous – a la the box from the last time I had to replace my dropped cell phone.
Anthony favors a small, hard plastic case with a lock. A solid approach if you’re surrounded by shady characters.
Keep up the good work man!
Drug Czar Backs Decriminalization… in Mexico
October 28th, 2008 by Perry
The Marijuana Policy Project surprised itself today, when the group found themselves in the unusual position of congratulating John Walters on drug policy initiative. The director of the National Drug Policy recently backed efforts in Mexico to pass legislation which removed criminal penalties for possession of small amounts of marijuana.
MPP executive director Rob Kampia said:
I can’t believe I’m actually saying this, but John Walters is right. [...] We heartily second his support for eliminating criminal penalties for marijuana users in Mexico, and look forward to working with him to end such penalties in the U.S. as well.
Well I wouldn’t think the MPP is holding its collective breath on that last one. After all, hypocrisy is what our national drug policy is founded on, so Walters’ move should surprise no one.
Drug Czar Oversteps Bounds
October 17th, 2008 by Perry
The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform recently criticized Office of National Drug Policy and its director, John Walters, for his involvement in partisan activities.
His recent lobbying efforts against Proposition 1 in Michigan, which would legalize medical marijuana in the state, was cited by the committee as a perfect example of someone going way above and beyond their scope of responsibility and intervening in violation of the Hatch Act.
This act clearly states federal and D.C. employees may not:
Walters’ participation in the election violates most of the above. We’re providing a link here to file a complaint about a Hatch Act violation, if you are so inclined.
Drug Czar Achieves Epic Fail
October 9th, 2008 by Alex
Turns out that government agencies don’t like being called out on their absolute failures. What a surprise right? Since the ONDCP (Office of National Drug Control Policy) hasn’t come close to achieving its stated goals, the top brass has decided to just say they have and hope no one does a fact check.
People such as Scott Burns, the Deputy ONDCP Director, are saying that drug use in America is down dramatically since 2001. Hmmm, not according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
A recent article on AlterNet cites just a few of the failures of the Bush administration’s drug policy:
ONDCP has not even come close to meeting its goal of reducing illegal drug use by 25 percent by 2007 in any age group. In fact, among adults, overall illegal drug use actually increased 4.7% from 2002 to 2007. Teen marijuana use is down a bit but still remains common: One in nine (12 percent) 14- and 15-year-olds and one in four (23.7 percent) 16- and 17-year-olds used marijuana in 2007.
Nothing spells success like ~25% of teenagers having admitted to pot use! Or how about getting contradicted by your own government’s studies? Ouch.
The best part is the amount of taxpayer dollars this agency has wasted since drug czar John Walters’ ascension to the position. Here’s what the ONDCP has commissioned since the start of his reign:
- 127 anti-marijuana TV, radio and print ads
- 34 marijuana-focused press releases
- 50 studies from the ONDCP (and other govt. agencies) for anti-marijuana campaigns
All in all, this is another lesson in the manipulation of statistics. Just like the issue on marijuana busts and street pricing, the government is taking faulty data and using it to improperly shore up their anti-drug arguments.
Fight back by learning the facts.
[image via WWNYTV.net]
