Narconon’s “The More You Know” Shit Pile
May 20th, 2009 by RickThis video irritated me beyond words. As usual the same marijuana “facts” are listed to give it that outlaw rebel status. The words “bad drugs” were used half a dozen times as it slowly began to ring in my head by the end of the clip.
The main philosophy that comes from the video is derived from the international organization Narconon, whose manifest centers around drug rehab and prevention. Their source of methodology comes from the work of L. Ron Hubbard, part of the same work that fueled the cult religion of Scientology.
The irony and sheer audacity behind this video is that they emphasize their attack on marijuana and not meth, which runs rampant in the state of Georgia. The story that the girl tells sounds like a meth story. They even have a website that they show at the end of the clip that deals with meth. The production was spearheaded by the Douglas Sheriff Department and like typical law enforcement they focused on the dreaded “bad drug,” marijuana.
Thanks to them, the producers have a bright future in replicating crap like this for Fox. Talk about meth and its effects in the next video clip and marijuana will seem like a recreational drug that happens to alleviate certain medical conditions.
Canada Reports Drug Use High, Crime Low
May 20th, 2009 by Russ
Something is rotten in the state of Canada. The country’s national statistics agency, Statistics Canada, recently reported that while the overall crime rate is at a 30-year low, drug arrests are at a 30-year high. Befuddled Canadian officials could only speculate as to any causes for the huge discrepancy.
Several possibilities could explain this phenomenon:
- Some sort of Brave New World-esque ‘Soma’ drug has pacified all of the canucks simultaneously. Good old burglary and assault just can’t compete with the vast psychotropic pleasures offered by this new substance.
- Someone at the provincial police department thought they might try only enforcing drug crimes for a decade or three. After all, why go through all of the legwork of investigating and pursuing actual violent criminals when you can simply hit up your local street corner and do some drug rips? Easy in, easy out, arrest rates stay up, and no homework for the cops.
- Every single Canadian criminal is now safely behind bars.
To be fair, #3 can’t be the case. As it turns out, Statistics Canada reports that almost half of all drug charges in 2007 were stayed, withdrawn, or dismissed. Furthermore, 2 out of 3 of all of the record-tallying drug arrests were for marijuana.
It would seem that the nation of Canada has proved that there is little to no association between drug use and crime (as the heightened drug use has corresponded with the lowest crime rate in memory.) Also, it appears that due to the remarkably low crime rate, there is virtually nothing for the Canadian police to do with their time other than harass weed smokers (who inevitably are released without charge.)
There are few things more dangerous than hicks who are both bored and heavily armed. Perhaps the National Curling and/or Hockey League should expand their recruitment — for all our sakes.
Scientologists Fund Delusional, Anti-Drug Website
May 6th, 2009 by Russ
Evolving is never an easy thing.
Just when it seemed that our popular culture was finally moving in the direction of reasonability when it came to drug policy, the wingnuts and looney-bins began to craftily come out of the woodwork. The Foundation for a Drug Free World has recently launched a series of snappy video pieces aimed at the horrors of addiction and abuse. Unfortunately, the foundation isn’t very forthright about the fact that it is run and funded by the notorious Scientology cult.
These videos run the gamut from warnings about weed use to Ritalin abuse. And kudos to them for lumping both legal and illegal substances in the same boat when it comes to potential dangers. Unfortunately, the group’s insight abruptly ends there. The videos have the feel of a Guy Ritchie knockoff artist remaking Reefer Madness. My favorite tidbit is the anti-heroin ad, which depicts a young girl caught up in a smack-fueled rage, heaving television sets and clawing the walls in her room. Let’s just say that these videos aren’t heavy on the realism-aspect.
Of course, this would all just be run-of-the-mill Drug Warrior bunkum if it weren’t produced by lunatics. The Scientology affiliation really adds some unintentional comedy value to these pieces. When your entire worldview is based on the drunken ramblings of a science-fiction/fantasy author, perhaps you shouldn’t be the one casting the first stone.
- Africa
- , AIDS
- , Drug Abuse
- , HIV
HIV Drugs Create Black Market in South Africa
December 12th, 2008 by Perry
Explaining a number of detrimental side effects, health and welfare workers are becoming increasingly concerned with system-wide abuse of HIV drugs.
Tooli Nhlapo, a documentary filmmaker with an African broadcasting company, was shocked when he saw students in junior high and below, grinding a drug that’s part of a powerful “cocktail” of medication, and then smoking it for its hallucinogenic effect.
Tooli Nhlapo said:
They take a pill and grind it, until it is a powder. Some also mix it with painkillers and others mix it with marijuana. They showed me how they roll it and smoke it.
The demand grows out of control and as corrupt hospital workers sell the medication on the streets where it is much more valuable, HIV patients say shortages are becoming a serious problem.
Doctors also say abuse of one of the medications could result in a tolerance, which could result in jeopardizing the effectiveness of other drugs. To be clear, this only affects people who already have HIV or might contract HIV in the future.
For much more in-depth analysis, check out the BBC article.
