Police Officials Discuss Legalization of Drugs With UC Students Two retired police officers spoke to University of Cincinnati students Tuesday about the potential benefits to legalizing all forms of drugs. The Students for Sensible Drug Policy at UC invited officers from the Law Enforcement Against Prohibition group to speak at Zimmer Hall, where approximately 20 students participated in a question and answer session. Peter Christ, a retired police captain from Buffalo and co-founder of LEAP, said there are both active and inactive police officers who believe law enforcement isn't the best way to combat drug usage in America, and if anything, it exacerbates the problem. [continues 233 words]
The Libertarian candidate for Ohio's first congressional district hosted a rally promoting his platform Monday. "We got a lot of issues on our platform," said Jim Berns, the Libertarian candidate. "But [gay marriage and legalization of marijuana] are two very important ones, because students at the University of Cincinnati can relate to these two." Berns has run for public office 13 times as the Libertarian candidate and won two primaries, he said. The UC College of Design, Art, Architecture and Planning laboratory manager's beliefs on gay marriage and the legalization of marijuana will help him garner the support of young voters, he said. [continues 273 words]
Studies Show That While Smoking Marijuana Can Help to Open Up The Lungs, It Can Have More Toxins Than Smoking Cigarettes. Two recent studies have found that while smoking marijuana can help to open up the lungs, it can have more toxins than smoking cigarettes. For more than 20 years, the University of California, San Francisco and the University of Alabama have been collecting research and medical data on marijuana smoke in relation to tobacco smoke and its comparative effects on the human respiratory system. [continues 312 words]
The United States officially declared a "War on Drugs" in 1971. Despite other narcotics posing much greater risks to public health, efforts have been focused largely on the prohibition of marijuana. After all these years, supply and demand for marijuana has only increased (as well as organized crime, incarceration of nonviolent offenders and costs to taxpayers), leading many to the conclusion that the government is fighting a losing and unworthy battle. This is why many individuals and organizations, such as Students for Sensible Drug Policy, support drug policy reform. [continues 337 words]
Results from the University of Cincinnati's Institute for Policy Research show that a strong majority of Ohioans polled support prescribing medical marijuana. The figures, published May 8 from the Ohio Poll, reported, "73 percent of Ohioans say they favor (either 'strongly' or 'somewhat') allowing Ohio doctors to prescribe medical marijuana." The poll was conducted from April 16 to April 27, using a random sample of 818 Ohio adults via telephone. The demographic reported to be most in favor of prescription marijuana were respondents between the ages of 18 and 29. [continues 423 words]
Cincinnati's Worldwide Marijuana March was held in front of the Hamilton County Courthouse May 3. A smoky assembly of spectators, activists, vendors and dealers gathered to share their thoughts and opinions on the illegality of marijuana. I'm not going to rant about the absurdity of some of the activities, such as "coolest sign contest" or the lighting of a 4-ft joint (which subsequently broke, inviting a horde of sticky fingers pinching as much of the apparently legal substance as they could into their decorative-fanny packs). [continues 529 words]
Industrialized Hemp Would Alleviate Oil Dependency, Raise Farm Profit With an election just around the corner in 2008 we as young Americans are most concerned with our futures as well as the next generation. Hot topics on Capitol Hill are global warming, dependence on foreign fuels and the search for a renewable fuel source. All of which could be solved with the utilization of hemp. In July 2005, Cornell University published a study saying it is not economical to produce ethanol or biodiesel from corn and other crops. The study confirmed what other studies have shown in the past. The vegetable sources that are currently (legally) available are insufficient. Hemp is the only proven source for economical biomass fuels. [continues 458 words]
I'm writing about: "Speakers debate pros, cons of legalizing marijuana" (10-10-05). Should marijuana be legalized? It seems to me that this is the wrong question. The question should be: Should marijuana remain unregulated, untaxed and controlled by criminals? Due to marijuana being illegal, it is only sold by criminals (criminals who sell much more dangerous drugs like cocaine and methamphetamine). They often offer free samples of more dangerous drugs to their marijuana customers ("gateway effect"). In a regulated market, this would not happen. Do the readers know of anyone who has been offered a free bottle of alcohol when legally buying beer or wine? Probably not. If we regulate, control, and tax the sale and production of marijuana, we can then close the gateway to hard or dangerous drugs. Kirk Muse Mesa, AZ [end]
Former DEA agent Robert Stutman expresses stern concern about the fact that virtually all marijuana trafficking takes place behind closed doors by unidentified and mysterious players (Speakers Debate Pros, Cons Of Legalizing Marijuana, Oct 10). Some of that unmonitored and unregulated commerce makes its way into the coffers of organized criminals and on an international basis, possibly provides a modicum of funding for terrorists. Thanks, Mr. Stutman, you've just illustrated the major reason to legalize marijuana. We need to remove commercial distribution from the uncontrolled illegal market and take it off the streets. Marijuana consumers would be happy to make their purchases from a licensed, regulated dealer just as over 150 million Americans currently do when purchasing the drugs of alcohol, tobacco and pharmaceuticals. Legal drug dealers do not present undue danger to police or to our neighborhoods. These dealers make their presence known to police and regulators. They do not knowingly sell to or recruit minors to sell their products. [continues 88 words]
