Tag Archives | Marijuana

More Than Half the US Supports Legalisation of Cannabis

By on December 7, 2012 in News 19

Picture: NARA (PD)

“Some of my finest hours have been spent on my back veranda, observing as far as my red eyes can see toking on a big fat f–king bong! Yeah, that’s right you f–kers in the future, suck it up. I smoked weed like a motherf–ker! Go Google it!”

- Thomas Jefferson[1]

The legalisation of cannabis meme seems to be reaching its tipping point. The Volokh Conspiracy reports:

A recent poll conducted by Democratic-leaning Public Policy Polling indicates that 58% of Americans support the legalization of marijuana. This is consistent with other recent survey data showing that public opinion is moving in a pro-legalization direction. In 2011, a Gallup poll showed 50% support for legalization for the first time. As with other recent surveys, the PPP polls finds that support for legalization is highest among younger people. But this is a generational effect in which each generation is more supportive of legalization than the one that came before, rather than a cohort effect in which the young are pro-legalization, but quickly turn against it once they get older.

… Read the rest

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DisinfoCast 36: Adam Scorgie, “The Union: The Business Behind Getting High”

By on December 5, 2012 in News, Podcasts 2

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Filmmaker Adam Scorgie (The Union: The Business Behind Getting High) joins the DisinfoCast to discuss the ongoing national dialogue regarding marijuana in light of its historic legalization in Washington and Colorado, and how much has really changed in the years since The Union‘s release. We also discuss The Union‘s follow-up, The Culture High, and where we might be heading in terms of ending prohibition.

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‘The Union: The Business Behind Getting High’

By on December 4, 2012 in News 5

In advance of my DisinfoCast interview with Adam Scorgie, I’d like to share his well-known documentary The Union: The Business Behind Getting High with our readers. Scorgie and company were kind enough to upload the full version to YouTube. Many of you may have seen this, but if not, get ready for an infuriating but enlightening look at the hypocrisy and ineffectiveness of the United States’ continuing prohibition against marijuana.

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How Pot Became Legal in Colorado and Washington

By on December 3, 2012 in News 18

Picture: "Lots of Marijuana" Cannabis Training University (CC)

Looks like the “counterculture” shoe is on the other foot. Pot is going mainstream. Here’s how it happened:

Via Christian Science Monitor:

In the late-1980s heyday of the anti-drug “Just Say No” campaign, a man calling himself “Jerry” appeared on a Seattle talk radio show to criticize U.S. marijuana laws.

An esteemed businessman, he hid his identity because he didn’t want to offend customers who — like so many in those days — viewed marijuana as a villain in the ever-raging “war on drugs.”

Now, a quarter century later, “Jerry” is one of the main forces behind Washington state’s successful initiative to legalize pot for adults over 21. And he no longer fears putting his name to the cause: He’s Rick Steves, the travel guru known for his popular guidebooks.

“It’s amazing where we’ve come,” says Steves of the legalization measures Washington and Colorado voters approved last month.

… Read the rest

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Hear Beloved Children’s Poet Shel Silverstein Sings about Weed, STDs and Masochistic Babies

By on November 28, 2012 in News 4

I grew up reading Shel Silverstein’s Where the Sidewalk Ends. It was a major part of my childhood. What I didn’t know at the time was that good old Shel had another side…an adult side…although in retrospect the freaky beard and bare feet should’ve given it away. The cartoonist/writer worked for Playboy in the sixties, documenting his trips to Fire Island, Haight-Ashbury and other places with a reputation for the risque. He also had a pretty serious career as a singer/songwriter who wasn’t afraid to tackle topics like pot (“The Smoke-off”) and venereal disease (“Don’t Give a Dose to the One You Love Most”) in a light-hearted, oddball way. His album Freakin at the Freakers Ball is a prime example of Silverstein’s bawdier side, featuring tracks like “I Got Stoned and I Missed It” and “Masochistic Baby”.
Here’s a few tracks from Freakin at the Freaker’s Ball. RIP, Shel, you are missed.

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“In Colorado, Pot Got 50,000 More Votes Than Obama”

By on November 26, 2012 in News 13

Picture: Torbe Bjorn Hansen (CC)

“The people have spoken, the bastards” – Dick Tuck

A dillema has arisen in America, a country which can rightly claim to be one of the greatest democratic nations in the world.

“The Justice Department has a big decision to make” reports Carrie Johnson for NPR in relation to the fact a clear majority of people have voted in favour of the decriminalisation of cannabis. The article contains this silver bullet of truth, perfect for your average potheaded activist:

“on Election Day, more voters in Colorado and Washington cast their ballots for marijuana legalization than for President Obama”.

It’s a good extensive article which summarises the political power play now at work in the belly of the democratic machine. However it ends with the line: “Justice Department [...] officials are reviewing the initiatives and [...] for now, nothing has changed”. Read/listen to the full report here: Will U.S.… Read the rest

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Is Marijuana Bad For You?

By on November 25, 2012 in News 38

The very fact that mainstream media outlets like The Week are asking the question means we’ve come a long way since the days of Reefer Madness, but needless to say their conclusion is predictable:

How does marijuana get users high?
When marijuana is smoked or eaten, a chemical called tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, is absorbed into the bloodstream, activating proteins in the user’s brain and spinal cord. This produces short-term psychoactive effects, including euphoria, a heightened state of awareness, and a sharp appetite. It’s a high many Americans enjoy: One in three admits to having tried marijuana, and 5 million use it almost every day. Already allowed for medical use in 18 states, marijuana has just been legalized for recreational use in Colorado and Washington state. But even as pot moves toward mainstream acceptance, questions persist about its long-term effects on the mind and body. “We know surprisingly little about marijuana, given its widespread use,” said Jonathan P. Caulkins, a policy expert at Carnegie Mellon University.

… Read the rest

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Why Cannabis Doesn’t Make Most People Psychotic

By on November 21, 2012 in News 47

Picture: Psychonaught (PD)

If you sit toking on carrot sized joints all day every day it’s almost inevitable you will encounter problems when trying to live a productive life. However, it’s an often noted fact that plenty of people live that lifestyle and do not go round the proverbial bend. For years this has confused people when, on the other hand, there are some who clearly lose the plot after getting into the habitual ‘wake and bake’ mentality.

Lies and disinformation are a fact of life when it comes to illegal recreational substances. However, this story from Live Science, has a certain ring of truth about it:

People who smoke pot may be at increased risk for psychosis if they have a certain genetic marker, a new study finds.

The results show people with this genetic marker who use cannabis are twice as likely to experience psychosis compared with those who use the drug but do not have the genetic marker.

… Read the rest

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