Pubdate: Tue, 03 Feb 2015
Source: Jakarta Post (Indonesia)
Copyright: The Jakarta Post
Contact:  http://www.thejakartapost.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/645
Author: Michael Balderstone

SUCKED IN BY AMERICA'S DRUG WAR

It's hard for me to comprehend how beautiful ancient Asian cultures, 
which have lived harmoniously with the earth for centuries, got 
sucked into this shameful and unholy American-led "war on drugs". 
It's actually a war on any drug that is not owned by the 
pharmaceutical industry - Big Pharma - and of course that includes 
nature's best pain-relieving plants: the opium poppy, cannabis and 
the coca plant. Now look at the illegal trade in heroin, pot and coke.

Ask any doctor; opium is the best painkiller on earth. But Big Pharma 
wants control of pain relief because that's the most profitable 
business around. People spend their life savings trying to get rid of pain.

This war on drugs, started by America less than a hundred years ago, 
is rooted in greed and corruption and lies. It was always about 
monopolies and profit and its use-by date is up. It's time we 
reviewed our whole attitude toward drug use, which is truly a health 
issue and nothing to do with being a criminal.

Humans always have and always will take drugs to try and feel good, 
or God, if you prefer. Hardly a crime.

Michael Balderstone President, Australian Help End Marijuana 
Prohibition (HEMP) Party

Nimbin, Australia
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom