Research on Psychedelic Drug Prescriptions Not Solution to Mental, Physical Problems Thank God for the '60s and all it brought to American history books: bell-bottoms, tie-dye, troll dolls, Chinese fire drills, Woodstock, Twister, lava lamps, free love and LSD; God Bless America. Though many of these fads have faded out - some that are not missed, i.e., the bouffant hairdo and platform shoes - hallucinogens are coming back for another trip ... no pun intended. Once taboo, hallucinogens are now being tested for medicinal purposes, as they are thought to cure the negative side effects of depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, life-threatening anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and addiction to illegal substances. Just a thought, but how are people suffering from cocaine addiction going to get better by replacing their kilos with shrooms or LSD? Kind of an oxymoron, don't you think? [continues 401 words]
Dear Editor, In the Jan. 15 issue of The Daily Gamecock, the editorial "US demand for pot funds drug cartels" tells the reader that because of Americans' heavy use of marijuana, a war in Mexico is being fueled like no other. The author talks about how there are large killings and acts of evil going on in the name of drug profiteering. After reading the editorial, I thought to myself about how mainstream marijuana has become. There have been movies, songs and even magazines dedicated to it, making it clear Americans have made a stand that they believe marijuana should be something that is accessible to all free Americans. So this brings me to my point. I disagree that these drug wars are happening because Americans are buying marijuana. I believe that if the U.S. Federal government were to legalize marijuana then not only would they be able to tax it and make money, but at the same time they would be able to completely end these terrible drug wars. I will stand by that statement. If it is legalized, it would open up new jobs for Americans in dispensaries, as well as create opportunities for American farmers to begin growing a brand new crop to bring in newfound revenue (which we all can agree is hard to come by these days). Because of it being legalized, the Mexican drug cartels would have nothing to fight over. Americans would make their own marijuana or buy it from an actual company that supplies it to them. On the topic of how hazardous it is to your health I would say that I would rather smoke pot than drink alcohol. I would rather smoke pot than smoke tobacco. I will stand by both of those statements. [continues 197 words]
Prisoners charged with possession should face alternate punishment that doesn't charge taxpayers According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, 12.4 percent of federal inmates are serving for marijuana related charges. For the conservatives who are so ardent about supporting Joe-taxpayer but at the same time want to crack down on marijuana users, it seems a bit hypocritical. Luckily, not a lot of voters go that far in the thinking process when casting their ballot. They've been programmed to think taxes, marijuana, gay marriage and France are all evil. It isn't just conservatives who should take a closer look at the issue, however. According to the latest Gallup poll concerning how many Americans support marijuana legalization in 2005, 60 percent of Americans were in favor of continued illegalization. 77 percent of conservatives and 60 percent of moderates are against legalization while 36 percent of moderates and 54 percent of liberals in favor of legalization. Keep in mind, though, this is not decriminalization, but legalization. [continues 346 words]
Lott claims lack of evidence as primary reason for revoking allegation against worldwide sensation Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott has decided not to pursue possession of marijuana charges against 14-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps after the swimmer was shown in a photo smoking from a bong in Columbia last November. Lott said his department lacked the physical evidence necessary to charge Phelps, despite the overwhelming proof that the incident occurred. "We had a photo and him saying he was sorry for inappropriate behavior. He never said, 'I smoked marijuana.' We didn't have physical evidence," Lott said. [continues 494 words]
Leon Lott is doing his job. After the eight arrests he's made in the aftermath of Phelpsgate, there's no doubt about that. But is the Richland County sheriff just trying to keep his reputation from going up in smoke? Is he going for the gusto solely because he's in the limelight? These are legitimate questions, and while we can't know Lott's motivation, certain elements of the story do not check out. It makes sense that he's pursuing Phelps's case. After the photographic evidence practically fell in his lap, he would have been a fool not to follow through. But the head-scratcher is his insistence on tracking down these eight others. [continues 148 words]
Americans Should Stop Smoking Weed to Prevent Mexican Bloodshed, Make Step Towards Legalization A couple of weeks ago, The Daily Gamecock featured an editorial that stated that U.S. demand for marijuana funds drug cartels in Mexico. Students reacted with letters to the editor and the online version was besieged with comments. Most of these students recognized that their use of pot fed the violence in Mexico, yet they failed to take any responsibility for it. Almost ubiquitous among these comments was the suggestion that the government legalize weed. It is true that if weed were legalized, Mexican drug cartels, which mainly rely on marijuana, would be dealt a lethal blow and many U.S. problems would evaporate. But the responsibility for the bloodshed in Mexico can't be entirely blamed on our government. We buy the product. We are the consumers, and in a capitalist society, the power of the dollar is often more influential than the power of the vote. [continues 344 words]
British Tabloid Exposes Photo Of Olympic Champion Inhaling From Bong While In Columbia U.S. Olympic champion Michael Phelps apologized for his behavior after a photo of him inhaling from a marijuana pipe during a house party in Columbia surfaced Sunday. The photo, which was published by the British tabloid News of the World, was reportedly taken when Phelps visited Columbia in November, during which time he received a standing ovation from the crowd during a USC football game. One of Phelps's agents released a statement in which Phelps apologized for his actions. [continues 510 words]
If you've ever taken a class that dealt with material culture, you know that a T-shirt is much more than just a shirt. It was born in a factory somewhere, likely overseas. It was transported a distance to reach the retailer, likely a long distance. It finally arrived at the retailer and you bought it, likely because you appreciated its look or low price. So, for a politically mindful person, the decision over which shirt to buy takes into account more than just brands, sales and funny one-liners. Where was the shirt made? How much are the workers in that country paid? Was it made in a sweatshop? Was child labor involved? These are the questions you should ask about all the items you purchase, and not just the legal ones. [continues 226 words]
Many Uses For Plant Could Create Emerging Industries Within U.S., Around Globe Did you know that there is one product that can be used as a source of fuel, food, clothing, paper, medicine and other random things such as fast food containers? This source can be grown from sea level to 6,000 feet above sea level in environments that have little rain because it mainly needs sunlight to grow. As it grows it actually replenishes the nutrients in the soil, helping the land become rich again even if the soil is malnourished to begin with. [continues 337 words]
Legalizing Narcotics Could Provide More Oversight, Regulation On Substances With today's faltering economy, many people are wondering what can possibly cure these economic hard times. Besides the obvious need to cut out some of our billion dollar military budget, the United States currently spends about $40 billion on the War on Drugs, which many mayors, police commissioners and others feel has failed. At the United States Conference of Mayors held in Los Angeles, mayors of the largest cities in the U.S. said a new plan for the War on Drugs needs to be drawn up since the current plan is only prolonging the problem. [continues 370 words]
If I greatly exaggerated the dishonesty of a known liar, would it make sense to believe me even though I'm dishonest because my message is generally correct? Unfortunately, the AboveTheInfluence.com ads make as much sense as the previous sentence. More unfortunately, they aren't alone. In one ad, a teenager locks the door to his room and gets out a bag of weed. The story takes a weird twist when he builds a cocoon around himself and wakes up as a middle-aged man. You hear his mom's voice yell, "Marty, did you take out the garbage like your father told you?" [continues 373 words]
Regarding Thomas Moore's March 17 column, "Drug stances dominated by previous conceptions," the drug war is in large part a war on marijuana, by far the most popular illicit drug. If health outcomes determined drug laws instead of cultural norms, marijuana would be legal. Unlike alcohol, marijuana has never been shown to cause an overdose death, nor does it share the addictive properties of tobacco. Like any drug, marijuana can be harmful if abused, but jail cells are inappropriate as health interventions and ineffective as deterrents. [continues 112 words]
Taking open-minded look at recreational use could change common opinion I would like to begin with a disclaimer: I do not encourage anyone to use, distribute or otherwise get involved with drugs. Drug use is often a terribly destructive aspect of both personal and family life. Drug use, and more specifically, habitual drug use, is a serious matter that is not to be trivialized. That being said, I feel that many people have an extremely skewed perspective of recreational drug use. As I define it, recreational drug use involves the use of a drug or drugs in an appropriate atmosphere in the free time of an individual. Recreational drug use is not habitual. In other words, if you are truly a recreational drug user, you don't feel a need to use. It is simply a want. [continues 323 words]
School Control Over Student Speech at Stake During Arguments WASHINGTON-A high school senior's 14-foot banner proclaiming "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" gave the Supreme Court a provocative prop for a lively argument Monday about the extent of schools' control over student speech. If the justices conclude Joseph Frederick's homemade sign was a pro-drug message, they are likely to side with principal Deborah Morse. She suspended Frederick in 2002 when he unfurled the banner across the street from the school in Juneau, Alaska. [continues 182 words]
Legislation could bring new meaning to phrase 'rolling a fatty' in time Let's face it, banning trans fats extends government power much too far into the private sector for comfort and takes nanny state-ism to a new extreme. Give people the choice to be fat if they want - at least, that seems to be how many people on campus feel. But many of these pro-personal responsibility advocates don't speak out against anti-drug legislation, and that just doesn't make sense. [continues 354 words]
If students ("Students With Drug Offenses Lose Financial Aid," Wednesday) are convicted of murder or rape, they'd still be eligible for financial aid in school; this creates another facet of the Higher Education Act and aids policy discrimination that doesn't get mentioned by government supporters. Even if not convicted of a felony, but a misdemeanor, and charged for possessing the God-given plant cannabis (not a drug), one could lose their financial aid. Would students have lost financial aid if caught with alcohol? This provision of the Higher Education Act is bad policy that should be amended or terminated. Stan White [end]
Students who checked "yes" on the FAFSA application saying they have been convicted of a drug-related offense automatically lost federal financial aid in the form of Pell Grants, Stafford Loans and potentially state financial aid as well, but they may be able to win it back. For charges of possession, the first offense is loss of financial aid for a year. Second offense is two years and for a third offense, financial aid is suspended indefinitely. The policy has been in effect since 2000, when an amendment was added to the Higher Education Act, which was passed in 1965. [continues 400 words]
ST. LOUIS - Teenagers who drink, smoke and use drugs can derail their brain development and set themselves up for lifelong addiction. And parents who strictly monitor their teens' behavior are one of the most influential forces preventing kids from using drugs and alcohol. Now that might not sound like news to you. But truth is, until recently most of what science has known about addiction in teenagers has been extrapolated from research in adults. Now, new brain-imaging studies have shown that the teenage brain is a rapidly changing organ and doesn't work the way an adult brain does. Researchers now believe that drugs and alcohol can disrupt that massive renovation of the brain during adolescence, making it more vulnerable to drugs and easier for teens to get addicted. [continues 485 words]
This week's news that inhalant use among 12- to 17-year-olds is up is a disturbing anomaly in an overall downward trend in national drug-use statistics. While government programs to dissuade young Americans from trying illegal drugs have had mixed results, they have at least done a good job of educating potential drug users about the dangers of such activities. But while the work of the Office for National Drug Control Policy has centered on gateway drugs such as marijuana, they believe lead to the use of other substances, it appears they have neglected to inform teens and pre-teens about the risks of inhalants. [continues 207 words]
WASHINGTON - The hair, saliva and sweat of federal workers could be tested for drug use under a government policy proposed Tuesday that could set screening standards for millions of private employers. The proposal will expand the methods to detect drug use among 1.6 million federal workers beyond urine samples. It is being implemented with an eye toward the private sector, however, because it would signal the government's approval for such testing, which many companies are awaiting before adopting their own screening programs. [continues 530 words]
