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LightShedder
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Illegal drugs do not exist
#14372642 - 04/29/11 01:26 PM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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Casey William Hardison is an entheogenic activist, unauthorized researcher and psychedelic chemist. He is currently six years into a 20 year prison sentence for manufacturing LSD, DMT and 2C-B. Having studied the UK and International drug laws very closely, Casey argues here, why there is no such thing as an ‘illegal drug’ and why it’s important to understand this.
Uncritical, unthinking discourse hampers the amelioration of the seemingly intractable problems of current drug policy, law and praxis, both international and domestic. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the use of the mythological phrases “legal drugs” and “illegal drugs”. No instrument of law makes a drug or substance unlawful; rather, drug laws make some human actions regarding some drugs unlawful.
Drug laws regulate people, not drugs!
Careful attention to language re drugs is important because it is our liberties that are being regulated and taken away; so when we refer to drugs as “illegal” or “legal” we conceal the effect drugs laws have on the individual and the community under a seemingly harmless phrase which has no bearing on reality.
The Commentary on the 1971 UN Convention on Psychotropic Substances made it clear three decades ago that, with respect to penal provisions, drug laws regulate human action:
“article 22 [of the 1971 Convention] uses a general formula for defining actions to be subject to penal law, while article 36 [of the 1961 Single Convention] employs for that purpose in the first instance the enumerative method and only in a supplementary way a general formula”. (United Nations, 1976, page 346, emphasis mine)
What “actions” does Article 36 of the 1961 Single Convention enumerate? Article 36(1)(a) says:
“Subject to its constitutional limitations, each Party shall adopt such measures as will ensure that cultivation, production, manufacture, extraction, preparation, possession, offering, offering for sale, distribution, purchase, sale, delivery on any terms whatsoever, brokerage, dispatch, dispatch in transit, transport, importation and exportation of drugs contrary to the provisions of this Convention, and any other action which in the opinion of such Party may be contrary to the provisions of this Convention, shall be punishable offences when committed intentionally, and that serious offences shall be liable to adequate punishment particularly by imprisonment or other penalties of deprivation of liberty”. (United Nations, 1961, emphasis mine)
The “punishable offences” described above are property activities with respect to drugs. In effect, drug laws control property rights. Thus, drugs legislation regulates humans and not drugs. This makes sense; drugs will not obey; drugs have no agency.
Hence the UK Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (“the Act”) regulates persons who import or export, produce or manufacture, supply or distribute, and possess certain “dangerous or otherwise harmful drugs”.1
And as neither the phrase “illegal drug” nor “legal drug” appears in the Act: we should stop using these phrases immediately. What people often refer to as “illegal” drugs are actually, in law, “controlled drugs”, s2(1) of the Act; alas, “controlled drugs” is yet another misnomer as they are far from controlled.
However, all this begs the most important question: why are some “dangerous or otherwise harmful drugs” designated as controlled by law and other equally (or more) “dangerous or otherwise harmful drugs” are not? On what rational and objective basis are such distinctions made?
The UK Government’s response to the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee’s 2006 report “Drug classification: making a hash of it?”, Cm 6941, said:
“The distinction between legal and illegal substances is not unequivocally based on pharmacology, economic or risk benefit analysis. It is also based in large part on historical and cultural precedents”.
If we exorcise the mythological phrase, “legal and illegal”, from this sentence, it reads:
“The distinction between … substances is not unequivocally based on pharmacology, economic or risk benefit analysis. It is also based in large part on historical and cultural precedents”.
So when we discuss and analyze the “drugs problem”, let us remember that alcohol and tobacco are drugs. And let us also remember that the (un)intended consequences of a “War on some people who use some Drugs” is exactly that: partial, unequal, and unjust.
Follow and support Casey at www.freecasey.org
Find out more about this argument and issues surrounding drug law at www.drugequality.org
http://www.cannabisni.com/uk-cannabis-news/1933-illegal-drugs-do-not-exist-by-casey-william-hardison
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LightShedder
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So when we discuss and analyze the “drugs problem”, let us remember that alcohol and tobacco are drugs. And let us also remember that the (un)intended consequences of a “War on some people who use some Drugs” is exactly that: partial, unequal, and unjust.
Word.
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bigmike7104
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Quote:
The UK Government’s response to the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee’s 2006 report “Drug classification: making a hash of it?”, Cm 6941, said:
“The distinction between legal and illegal substances is not unequivocally based on pharmacology, economic or risk benefit analysis. It is also based in large part on historical and cultural precedents
so the government even admits it's not completely based on science.
-------------------- Over thinking, over analyzing separates the body from the mind Withering my intuition, missing opportunities and I must Feed my will to feel my moment drawing way outside the lines
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MolecularConcept
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Re: Illegal drugs do not exist [Re: bigmike7104]
#14372888 - 04/29/11 02:27 PM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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Beautiful. To bad nothing will ever be done about it. It just keeps geeting worse.
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bigmike7104
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Quote:
Drug laws regulate people, not drugs!
i'm not sure how this is a shocking statement, like it was just realized. isn't it obvious the drug laws make it illegal for people to do the drugs.
-------------------- Over thinking, over analyzing separates the body from the mind Withering my intuition, missing opportunities and I must Feed my will to feel my moment drawing way outside the lines
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LightShedder
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Re: Illegal drugs do not exist [Re: bigmike7104]
#14373077 - 04/29/11 02:57 PM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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He just puts it in a tightly legal manner that should be convincing to judges, lawmakers etc.
And I think it's shocking that they clearly state that it is based on cultural precedence rather than on science/reason.
It's like shit, how long did slave-owners tell themselves what they were doing wasn't right until they stopped? (some of them at least consciously knew it was wrong but because it didn't negatively effect them they managed to continue it.) I can't help but wonder when common sense and logic will infiltrate our laws so as to make the world truly free.
Edited by LightShedder (04/29/11 03:11 PM)
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bigmike7104
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Quote:
I can't help but wonder when common sense and logic will infiltrate our laws so as to make the world truly free.
probably when either enough people desire that, or when politicians stop acting like politicians.
-------------------- Over thinking, over analyzing separates the body from the mind Withering my intuition, missing opportunities and I must Feed my will to feel my moment drawing way outside the lines
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LightShedder
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Re: Illegal drugs do not exist [Re: bigmike7104]
#14373222 - 04/29/11 03:22 PM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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Both of those things might never occur.
Scratch that. Probably will not occur. Maybe enough people desiring but I still think it will be a minority so long as the propaganda machine is in place. Catch 22 there because, it will remain in place until the laws change. And the laws won't change till the people change. The people won't change till the propaganda changes. The propaganda won't change till the laws change. And the laws won't change till the people change. The people won't change till the propaganda changes. The propaganda won't change till the laws change. And the laws won't change till the people change. The people won't change till the propaganda changes. The propaganda won't change till the laws change. And the laws won't change till the people change. The people won't change till the propaganda changes. The propaganda won't change ti.....
Yeah u get it already
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bigmike7104
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i don't think that's necessarily true. it will just take a while. look at increasingly favorability for marijuana legalization which has gone up by like 30 percent in the past 40 years, also as time goes on more and more people are realizing the harms and futility of the war on drugs.
-------------------- Over thinking, over analyzing separates the body from the mind Withering my intuition, missing opportunities and I must Feed my will to feel my moment drawing way outside the lines
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Humility
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Re: Illegal drugs do not exist [Re: bigmike7104]
#14373510 - 04/29/11 04:22 PM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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I don't think it's going to take a while, I believe it's already happening.
You can't roll back decrim in California, it'd be neigh impossible. There are numbers that exist now. These industries pump out many thousands of dollars in taxes and are a boon to their communities (except when 3 fools get stabbed up outside a dispensary).
There are politicians, non-profits, and almost a majority of California voters supporting full legalization.
The only way to roll this back is literally by genocide. You would have to kill anyone and everyone associated with this culture, make illegal a bunch of new behaviors and you'd have to be incredibly oppressively violent in doing so for it to work.
And even if you do this, you're fucking up a lot of money, and money is what it's all about to them anyway. Money and power.
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LightShedder
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Re: Illegal drugs do not exist [Re: Humility]
#14373624 - 04/29/11 04:46 PM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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Quote:
Humility said:
The only way to roll this back is literally by genocide. You would have to kill anyone and everyone associated with this culture, make illegal a bunch of new behaviors and you'd have to be incredibly oppressively violent in doing so for it to work.
And even if you do this, you're fucking up a lot of money, and money is what it's all about to them anyway. Money and power.
lol it's not genocide only because they're not Directly murdering the o es they oppress. They sure as fuck don't think twice about giving someone life in prison for hash oil!!!
Money and power? You must have your figures off. "there is far more money to be made off of drugs remaining illegal than there could possibly be from legalizing and taxing"
That's a fuckin quote from the drug czar and there's countless sources for evidence proving the governments not only involvement, but plain controlling and regulating the importation of banned substances. They supply these drugs and keep the prices sky high while adding on millions annually in court/bail/lawyer/prison construction costs. I mean I could go on but seriously you think the politicians strive for money and power is going to work in favor of drug legalization???
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LightShedder
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We've had 5 presidency terms in a row now in America where the president was an admitted "illegal" drug user in their life. Clinton didn't inhale, bush couldn't deny his history with cannabis and cocaine, and Obama basically glorifies his cocaine and cannabis use in college in his book.
Neither one of these presidents (the TOP position in this country, were talkin TOp of the TOP) decide to consider their fellow citizens freedom and liberty by ending prohibition even though they have committed the same acts. Why? You be the judge. I personally smell something fishy goin on.
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Humility
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People are motivated by incentive.
There is no wealth creation in illegalizing drugs. There is cash transfer. You fine people, you pay people to watch people (0 production) pay people to bust folks upside the head and steal their gear and pay a few dozen other people money for filling various positions (judge, prosecutor, stenographer, COs, etc. etc. etc.
All of this activity is bankrupting "America". These people make money and then spend it on goods from China or India or Taiwan or they pay large corps to provide services such as gas, heat, electric or financial services and percentages of that money wind up in the hands of people who never spend it.
Legalizing cannabis alone would create hundreds if not thousands of new industries. Legalizing cannabis would "create" wealth. Keeping drugs illegal only effects money transfer (and yes I meant effect and not affect).
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LightShedder
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Re: Illegal drugs do not exist [Re: Humility]
#14373683 - 04/29/11 04:58 PM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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Wow. You mean you charge an innocent drug user to create AND pay for a job by keeping them illegal. I'm not making this up, it's an economic FACT that there are far more jobs in keeping drugs illegal(they're still being produced, you are just talkin bout taking away thousands of jobs by legalizing) and far more money in keeping them this way. That's honestly indisputable. I'm lazy and on my phone or else I would cite you literally 100s of articles/links offering proof.
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bigmike7104
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yes there would be lots of federal workers out of jobs, but how is there far more money in keeping it the way it is. were spending at least 20 billion dollars every year on the war on drugs. medical marijuana in only 15 states is already a billion dollar industry. imagine all drugs completely legal in all states.
-------------------- Over thinking, over analyzing separates the body from the mind Withering my intuition, missing opportunities and I must Feed my will to feel my moment drawing way outside the lines
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LightShedder
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Prison-industrial complex. Guards, maintenance etc.- THRIVING business supporting thousands of jobs Court system-THRIVING Take away non-violent drug charges and thus system crumbles. Take away nonviolent drug charges and ur left with a minute fraction of murderers rapists and thieves which are very hard to capitalize off of. Bail bonds-THRIVING thanks to nonviolent drug charges Legal defense-THRIVING. Make drugs legal, and your ruining thousands of lawyers careers who have specialized in "drug charges". Drug prices-sky high thanks to legal status Probation officers-many a PO would be lost without their routine of collecting innocent civilians urine. The list is endless but tell me a job opening that would occur by legalizing anything. And do t say production because they're already being produced!
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LightShedder
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lol you guys really think the government is missing out on the sale money from drugs? They ship em here, they collect ALL drug money eventually via unrelated taxes anyway, they keep the cost up, and I dint know about you but myself and EVERY cannabis user I know in states like Texas etc. Have given thousands to courts for possession charges. Not to mention probation attorney fees! That's not considering the fact that they ALSO make the money in the first place at an incredibly inflated price.
Cmon guys it's not rocket science. Those silly "20 billion dollars a year" figures are propaganda lies to create a sense of an incredible burden that drugs are placing on an already troubled economy.
If you don't believe me, believ the drug czar himself... "There is far money money in keeping drugs illegal than there could possibly be in legalizing them"
He fucking said that guys. Not for fun. But because it's true.
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bigmike7104
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that's true. makes sense also when you think how the CIA is trafficking drugs.
-------------------- Over thinking, over analyzing separates the body from the mind Withering my intuition, missing opportunities and I must Feed my will to feel my moment drawing way outside the lines
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gamer4life
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It keeps getting worse because we choose to do nothing about. You better believe I send something to a legalization organization somewhere every payday. If I can't be at a gathering for legalization believe me I bet I have a few dollars floating around there. If we don't hurry up and start fighting for our civil liberties then we will lose all of them, slowly but surely. Spread the word to all you know and tell them to spread to all they know and the legalization movement can grow
-------------------- Legalize! Stop putting our children in prisons.
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Humility
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Re: Illegal drugs do not exist [Re: bigmike7104]
#14374039 - 04/29/11 06:18 PM (12 years, 8 months ago) |
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LightShedder you are missing the point. I'm going to say it one more time.
When you take a seed, it's a seed and it's worth very little (relatively).
You plant that seed and it grows into a plant
That plant eventually begins to bud and fruit.
That SEED
the SEED
absorbed water and sun and THE SEED used that energy to grow/CREATE something new.
This is farming/gathering; this is how wealth creation has been done for thousands of years. Lets think of this seed as a machine. This machine produces goods AND new machines all by itself and you don't have to do ANYTHING to it. If you do however invest a portion of time into the process you can receive even MORE goods. Again, seeds produce FREE shit; but you can make MORE free shit by spending a little bit of time/effort.
Some people say that before some guy thought up that last thing, we lived in an idyll. I say that having more food probably solved some problems and created some new ones. At this point I think life works like a seed does, and saying that a seed is doing something "bad" by growing instead of simply "remaining as is" is foolish. I think that the seed should be content to grow, or sit on the shelf for a millennia and in that way the seed wins no matter what ^_^. If you're going to grow, just grow. Don't bother longing for past fantasies of some garden paradise that didn't exist. Life was harsh before we started farming, and life is still harsh here in the 21st century. Life is also however filled with great beauty and splendor.
ANYWAY, now that we're off of that side note let's continue on shall we?
Lets think of the prison industrial complex as another type of "machine". What does this "machine" most strictly "produce"? Well the answer is in part it produces paychecks for some individuals and a dearth of wealth for some other individuals. If you ask someone working in the justice "industry" what their industry produces however, they'll probably report back with "Safety, order and protection".
Now if you read the shroomery with the kind of frequency that I'd expect involves 1.6k posts, you've probably come across many examples of the police, courts, prosecutors and even government figures behaving in many ways that are contrary to the law and are literally 100% inconsistent with safety, order, or protection of anyone other than the State itself, with revenue collection, for any reason that can be mustered, a ubiquitous presence all over this country.
The only good that actually comes from the courts is the arrests of people committing crimes which harm other people or their property; crimes like murder, rape, assault, theft (burg and rob), fraud, voiding contracts, etc. (I think all of this could be handled without the police btw).
It is however a well known fact that the number of individuals in prison for non-violent, often severely petty "criminal" behavior that has been legislated against in the last 50-80 years far outnumber those in for what would be considered "natural crimes", behaviors which are not sustainable and create victims in the form of personal or monetary injury, or of course crimes against property (which belongs to individuals, in effect victimizing the individual).
Instead of a fabrication and replication machine, this is a parasitic, naturally immoral, unjust and vastly unequally applied predatory being. This is not some friend, some symbiotic being that sustains itself from consent. It doesn't produce anything but feces and corpses and only the dung and carrion beetles feed from those troughs (though beetles aren't born, rather they elect to become beetles).
Government simply eats up money. There is very little money left to eat up. Ever played a video game? The regen rate is lower than the damage per sec. Eventually (and soon) the beast will either have to die, or will *have* to change in some fundamental way.
Take a look at this: http://www.kitco.com/charts/historicalsilver.html
View Chart for 1833-1999 and then again for multi-year silver at the bottom 1985-2011
Now if that piques your interest, go read about why things look that way.
Edit: Whoops, fixed the chart info.
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Edited by Humility (04/29/11 07:13 PM)
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