The Founding Fathers must be rolling over in their graves. Under their plan, individuals were to have maximum freedom to make decisions for themselves, and citizens were to retain their power to make most decisions about crime and punishment at the state level. Not so much anymore. A few weeks ago, federal drug agents raided 11 medical-marijuana centers in Los Angeles County. The U.S. attorney's office said they violated federal laws against the cultivation and distribution of marijuana. [continues 325 words]
Sick citizens should have access to cannabis. When I read that Rhonda O'Donnell called the bill "compassionate" ("Medical Marijuana Act up for review," Feb. 6), I was reminded of its Biblical implications. "But whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?" (1 John 3:17). Stan White Dillon, Colo. [end]
Since the implementation of the Medical Marijuana Act last spring, Rhonda O'Donnell, a 44-year-old former registered nurse with multiple sclerosis, has used marijuana to alleviate her pain without fear of breaking the law. O'Donnell, the first person in Rhode Island to apply for the Medical Marijuana Program, praised the therapeutic effects of marijuana. "It's instantaneous cooling of the burning," she said. "I don't need it that often, but when I do, it works for me." [continues 899 words]
DRUG ABUSE presents such danger to public health and safety that it requires its own war, the War on Drugs. The tangible results of three decades of this war are a quadrupling of nonviolent prisoners, resulting in a steady diversion of state funds from drug treatment and to the prison system. No price is too dear for our health and safety, but health and safety are expensive to maintain. The cost of our current abuse-prevention system, when measured in the lives lost to prison and a chronic lack of treatment available to a growing user population, is painful for its victims and expensive for taxpayers to bear. When the policy stakes and costs are high, leaders demand an accounting, to ensure progress on important policy objectives and to control the costs of a critical program. [continues 599 words]
One year ago, Rhode Island became the 11th state to legalize marijuana for medical use. Since then, more than 350 patients and caregivers have applied to become card carrying medical marijuana users. Will legislators be willing to continue the program? Rhonda O'Donnell smokes pot. No, she doesn't have a bead curtain guarding the entrance to her bedroom and, no, she doesn't sit up late with Bob Marley and the munchies. O'Donnell, 44, has multiple sclerosis. She uses marijuana to control the pain, stiffness and burning in her legs associated with MS. She started smoking pot over the last year, after the Rhode Island General Assembly passed legislation legalizing the drug for medicinal purposes. She is one of almost 200 Rhode Islanders who have signed up for the program so far. [continues 971 words]
WEST WARWICK - The group of West Warwick High School students sat around drinking, laughing and talking. The SADD truth is that they were drinking Gatorade, eating cupcakes and enjoying one another's company. The group of about 20 students is trying to get the word out that drugs and alcohol aren't needed for teens to have a good time and they said that is one of many reasons they revived the Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) organization. One of the founding members, junior Chelsea Carlson, said the students wanted to revive the group because they needed to get the message out there and they needed someone their fellow students could relate to. [continues 601 words]
PROVIDENCE -- The Rhode Island Affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union sued General Treasurer Paul J. Tavares yesterday, challenging new regulations that allow his office to deny or reduce compensation to crime victims who have been convicted of unrelated drunken-driving or drug-dealing offenses. The treasurer administers the state's Crime Victim Compensation Program, which pays claims to crime victims, under certain conditions. Over the past two years, Tavares has adopted regulations that authorize him to deny or reduce compensation if, in the preceding five years, crime victims have been convicted on charges of driving while intoxicated, selling or delivering drugs, or possessing drugs with the intent to sell or deliver them. [continues 876 words]
To the Cigar, A great person and dear friend of many was arrested with many others in a recent drug bust on campus. This person was not a drug dealer. He was not a threat to society. Despite this, he was taken from his room at three o'clock in the morning by the police, who had a warrant for his arrest. In the bust, our friend was taken down and seven other students were arrested for selling drugs to undercover police officers. Although several counts of dealing crack, hallucinogenic mushrooms, ketamine, cocaine and marijuana were among the charges against the students, our friend was accused of "one count of delivering marijuana." [continues 898 words]
To the Cigar, I'm a little confused as to why this whole drug bust is such a huge deal. The police spend so much time and money building up cases against these kids, when liquor stores all across the country sell drugs on a daily basis in broad daylight. This information might be a little startling at first glance but the last time I checked, alcohol and tobacco are drugs. You may now stop your internal dialogue. I'm not sure as to how you can have a "war on drugs" by excluding certain, coincidentally taxed ones. Either you make all drugs illegal or you shut the hell up. [continues 136 words]
To the Cigar, I'm writing about Redford Givens' outstanding letter: "America's war on drugs a failure" (Dec. 1). According to Edward Behr the author of: "Prohibition: 13 Years That Changed America," prior to the era known as alcohol prohibition, there were about 300 legal alcohol distilleries. During our alcohol prohibition era from 1920 to 1933, the authorities shut down more than 179,000 illegal distilleries. For every legal alcohol distillery that operated prior to the prohibition era, about 600 illegal distilleries were shut down during the prohibition era. [continues 58 words]
CRANSTON -- A group of health officials and law enforcement representatives came together yesterday to raise awareness of a drug plague that they say has so far spared much of New England but will come. The spread of methamphetamine use and addiction has ravaged other parts of the country, said U.S. Attorney Robert Corrente. In Hawaii, for instance, methamphetamine addiction has surpassed alcohol abuse, he said. We want "to get out in front of the problem and be prepared when the problem is here," Corrente said. [continues 420 words]
To the Cigar, Noel Marandola is correct about drug prohibition - it is a cruel and worthless policy. [Editor's note: Marandola wrote the letter to the editor "SSDP rallies support for medical marijuana" in yesterday's issue.] America's drug crusaders perpetrate the illiterate attitudes responsible for a drug crusade that causes a hundred, nay a thousand times, the damage done by the drugs themselves. Demanding life destroying prison sentences for a crime where there are no victims is morally reprehensible. Especially when we learn that there was no such thing as "drug crime" before the drug warriors put their prohibition laws on the books. [continues 402 words]
To the Cigar, Welcome back from the Thanksgiving holiday. In this time of thanks and as the holidays are quickly approaching, we can't forget how lucky we as college students are. We are the privileged. We as students have the world at our fingertips. We have the power to organize and affect change. Unlike most of the population, students often find themselves with extra time on their hands, let's say to party. I can say that I have rarely met any college students who don't enjoy their rights to privacy and right to party. Yes, that is a right. These rights are not always free. People, organizations and grassroots movements have paved the way and secured these, among other even more important rights and privileges we all enjoy. [continues 839 words]
PAWTUCKET - If the theory is that keeping kids busy is the key to keeping them out of trouble and away from the temptations of drugs, then the schoolchildren's performances to mark the end of Red Ribbon Week were the proof. More than 100 award-winning youngsters from city schools put on skits, recited poems, rapped anti-drug lyrics and - in the case of award-winning Woodlawn Catholic Regional School - performed a costumed play complete with smoke machines and a Marley-style ghost in showing countless creative ways to illustrate their anti-drug themes in performances in the City Council chamber at City Hall. [continues 517 words]
To the Cigar, Thanks for publishing the story about Norm Stamper, the former chief of police of Seattle ("Former cops says war on drugs 'failed,' advocates legalization"). I'd like to add that just over four years ago, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition didn't exist. Today they have more than 5,000 members and several hundred of their members are current or former drug warriors. Why do so many current and former drug warriors want to end our drug prohibition policies? Could it be that they know from personal experience that our drug war is counterproductive and not winnable? Could it be that they know from personal experience that our drug war is a complete and total waste of money? Kirk Muse [end]
A member of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, Norm Stamper, came to the Memorial Union Friday night to discuss the legalization of drugs. Students for a Sensible Drug Policy sponsored the discussion and following forum. LEAP is composed of current and former judges, police officers and other law enforcement officials that feel current drug policies have failed. Stamper has worked in law enforcement for 34 years and was the chief of police in Seattle. He said the drug war is a colossal failure and is the most dysfunctional policy since slavery. [continues 539 words]
Police tell us that, at least so far, the reported discovery of a methamphetamine lab in a Coventry home is an isolated incident. Let's hope so. Authorities have charged a Warwick resident and a Coventry resident in their investigation, in which police said they found a Shady Valley Road home full of ingredients used to make the drugs. We commend the authorities involved for acting quickly, and successfully coordinating efforts among various levels of law enforcement - because if they hadn't, the results could have been disastrous. [continues 246 words]
The World Would Be Better If Caffeine, Tobacco, Alcohol And Illegal Drugs Did Not Exist. Period. Even the most 'harmless' of these substances have possible side effects that can ruin your life or kill you. Caffeine kills two-dozen people every year through nasty heart complications, and makes the rest of the world merely unbearably cranky and insomniatic. Marijuana, arguably the safest drug ever discovered from a purely physiological point of view, has moderate users showing significantly higher incidence of schizophrenia than the general populace (although whether its cause or effect is anyone's guess). While recent research shows that it might not be a carcinogen, putting that much burnt tar crap in your lungs can't be healthy. [continues 963 words]
Thank you for raising awareness of the Higher Education Act's denial of student loans to youth convicted of drug offenses ("SSDP mobilizes against Higher Education Act," Sept. 13). Instead of empowering at-risk students with a college degree, HEA limits career opportunities and increases the likelihood that those affected will resort to crime. Speaking of crime, convicted rapists and murders are still eligible for federal student loans. Most students outgrow their youthful indiscretions involving drugs. An arrest and criminal record, on the other hand, can be life-shattering. After admitting to smoking pot (but not inhaling), former President Bill Clinton opened himself up to "soft on drugs" criticism. And thousands of Americans have paid the price in the form of shattered lives. More Americans went to prison or jail during the Clinton administration than during any past administration. [continues 87 words]
In addition to those patients, 129 "caregivers" have obtained state cards that allow them to supply up to five patients each with marijuana for medical purposes. When Rhonda O'Donnell took her first puff of marijuana -- her first, that is, since her teen years -- the effect was immediate. "I'm a nurse," said O'Donnell, 43, of Warwick. "I was shocked." Her legs often burn with pain from multiple sclerosis, an illness that also forced her out of her beloved job at Rhode Island Hospital. But when she took that first hit of marijuana, she felt a cooling sensation moving up her legs. In seconds, her legs "felt like normal legs just sitting there." [continues 952 words]
Inside Rhode Island
