Reluctantly, it must be said the vote by El Paso City Council representatives to discuss legalizing drugs makes sense. Prohibition in the 1930s did not work, nor will the continued criminalization of drugs work in today's society. People are going to use drugs whether legal or illegal, and we may as well accept this fact as much as we may dislike it. Taking the profitability out of selling drugs will reduce or eliminate drug-related violence, though other societal problems come about as a result. Legalize drugs, make them affordable, and tax them for sources of revenue instead of letting the drug cartels reap huge profits. [continues 102 words]
Dear Editor, Does everyone recall the fable "The Emperor's New Clothes?" The story was so simple, a con man used the arrogant ego of a closed minded ruler to sell him something that didn't exist. We, the citizens of America, are that ruler and our Government is the con man. The scam that we have been taken in by is the so called "war on drugs." This "war" has only one true purpose and that is to desensitize the public to an ever increasing government intrusion into their lives by claiming the intrusions are needed for the public good. [continues 333 words]
The high-polling Greens want the legalisation of cannabis for personal use to be on the negotiating table during any post-election coalition talks with Labour. However, Greens co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons said her party would not be making marijuana law reform a bottom-line for entering a coalition. "There is only one bottom-line - no release of GE outside the laboratory," she said. "On other matters we hope to make progress by negotiation. I can't predict the outcome." Her comments follow an offer from the Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party not to stand against her in highly marginal Coromandel if the Greens make legalisation of marijuana a "fundamental issue" to be dealt with in coalition talks with Labour. [continues 175 words]
Don't hold your breath for a speedy rewrite of the cannabis laws. The odds are stacked against that happening before the next election. The puff has gone out of parliamentary momentum to amend the legal status of cannabis and decriminalise possession of small amounts of the drug. In the first flush of excitement of a new Government, the Prime Minister and others made bold statements about decriminalising. A straw poll of MPs by TVNZ's One News in March revealed that a narrow majority favoured such a change. [continues 955 words]
Jim Anderton will vote against any move by Parliament to liberalise the law on marijuana. The Deputy Prime Minister revealed his stance yesterday in a speech opening Alcohol and Drug Treatment Week, saying that MPs should listen to school principals "in despair" about the effects of marijuana on children. He also cited research which had shown that cannabis made those vulnerable to psychotic illness even more vulnerable. Mr Anderton has long expressed deep concern about mental illness and youth suicide. One of his daughters took her own life in 1993. [continues 200 words]
