NBPA Voices Disapproval for New Drug Czar
December 4th, 2008 by Perry
Not due in office for at least another six weeks, President Obama’s cabinet decision has already triggered some preemptive signs of concern.
The National Black Police Association, and other nonprofit organizations, recently wrote a letter to Obama voicing concerns over news that Rep. James Ramstad (R-Minn.) would be Obama’s Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, commonly referred to as the “drug czar”.
The NBPA cited Ramstad’s past opposition to medical marijuana, needle exchange and sentencing reform for drug users as their main objections with the choice.
Excerpt from the letter:
While we applaud Representative Ramstad for his courageous and steady support for expanding drug treatment access and improving addiction awareness, and honor his own personal and very public triumph over addiction, we have strong reservations about his candidacy for the drug czar position.
While Ramstad is generally considered a “rank-and-file” Republican according to his voting history, he also has a record of bi-partisan effort, which may have been a factor in his nomination.
Obama has yet to publicly respond to the letter.
MMJ vs. Starbucks: San Fran Showdown
November 18th, 2008 by Perry
Click me for full BS impact.
In its last few desperate days before what we can only hope will be a complete overhaul of its regime, the ONDCP is trying to spread as much disinformation as it can.
The office recently tried to spread the claim that there were more medical marijuana dispensaries than there were Starbuck’s locations in San Francisco. Knowing San Fran, who would ever believe that?
Here’s the link to the ONDCP’s erroneous article and further explanation of their shoddily pieced together map.
Regardless of your feelings on Starbucks, because I have no idea why people spend $5 on a cup of coffee, consider the fact that it’s not even close to true. Who knows where the government gets its statistics from, or why it continually chooses scare tactics that are completely ineffective?
The feds contend there are 98 marijuana dispensaries in San Francisco, compared to 71 Starbucks Coffee shops.
The Department of Public Health lists 24 dispensaries in the city that either have permits or are trying to obtain one.
Don’t let the door hit you on the way out ONDCP…
Marijuana Ads I Like
November 18th, 2008 by Perry
The good folks at the Marijuana Policy Project put together this great ad in response to some of the more ludicrous claims by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP).
Here’s the story behind the ad, now I just want to see one with Obama in it.
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]
