USA WAR ON DRUGS

[Guest Wilderbud]

I believe that cannabis users and users of other illicit drugs need to work together.... why?

 

because most people who use other illicit drugs also use cannabis

 

because we are all effected by the same laws

Stop trying to induce cannabis users into your 'needles for all' bullshit! YOU should join MarijuanaAustraliana.net - WE should not join your site!

 

Marijuana is 'considered a soft drug' in the dictionary and in Law!

 

No definitions found for "gunja"...

 

http://law.gov.au/

 

Help end marijuana prohibition.

 

http://hemp.on.net - too bad they chose South Australia only and it was a screw-up [they decriminalized organized crime].

[99waystofuckyou]

Gail you're spot on about Canberra. I live there too and they seem to spend an exorbitant amount of money on the city just to keep it relevant so it doesn't crumble into a ghost town and embarrass australia.

[garywmeyerhoff]

Stop trying to induce cannabis users into your 'needles for all' bullshit! YOU should join MarijuanaAustraliana.net - WE should not join your site!

 

Marijuana is 'considered a soft drug' in the dictionary and in Law!

Where do you get "needles for all"???????

 

I am saying three things:

 

1. Every human being should be treated with dignity and respect, free from stigma and discrimination and should have full access to the services that they need to assist them to function in our society.

 

2. No matter what you do, or the government does, you will not stop people using and experimenting with illicit drugs, and some of them will inject drugs. It is attitudes like yours that mean that people get really fucked up, as they aren't able to talk to people about what they are doing. Society just wants to sweep it under the carpet.

 

If you would prefer that your 15 year old daughter learns about illicit drug use from some seedy bastard in his loungeroom (or bedroom), then cewl, help maintain the status quo...... :angry: ....... If you would prefer that young people talked openly to their family about their drug use, and had all of the information they needed to make an informed decision, lobby for drug law reform.

 

I have seen one to many dead 14 year olds to support your position here Wilderbud.

 

3. Sure, there is the perception that cannabis is a soft drug, and governments in australia do treat it differently to other drugs, in terms of what amount is commercial or traffickable.

 

But the federal government and state and territory governments are saying that the cannabis of today is stronger than the cannabis of the 70's , and it is causing suicide and psychosis.

 

The coroner in the NT in 2001, blamed 4 suicides on cannabis - "it was a cause not a factor."

 

You are deluded if you think that lobbying for decriminalisation of cannabis will make things better for the potheads.

 

But the misuse of drugs acts still apply to all cannabis users, their homes can still be raided with drug warrants, assets seized, children taken off them by welfare.....

 

In the USA, cannabis offenders make up the vast majority of drug war prisoners.

 

The war on drugs is a class war and a race war - and the war on cannabis, believe it or not, is the same war. It all comes from the same place, the same people.

 

We need to look at what we have in common - not what makes us different. We are all effected by the war on drugs.

 

I am not trying to induce anyone to use needles. I am trying to induce the government to end prohibition.

 

PS: Are you only a stoner if you don't use other drugs? In my circle of friends, everyone smokes dope, and everyone uses other drugs too, whether they be legal like alcohol or tobacco or illegal.

[Guest Wilderbud]

Are you only a stoner if you don't use other drugs?

1. You cannot function in society when you are a heroin or amphetamine abuser and use of these drugs [in any form] leads to abuse via their addictive quality.

 

2. If you really feel this way then quit using a needle in your sites [is it only a site?] logo and put a poppy head and/or whatever speed comes from [maybe even a fermenter and still].

 

3. I said nothing about police, politicians, scientists or media. I will tell you that marijuana is stronger these days also and from personal experience even though Ive smoked for only 10 years.

 

Cause? A lot of things can cause someone to be suicidal! Should we all stop communicating because some people can be talked into commiting suicide [ie. Heavens Gate cult]?

 

Propaganda, propaganda, propaganda.

[Guest niall]

Are you only a stoner if you don't use other drugs?

1. You cannot function in society when you are a heroin or amphetamine abuser and use of these drugs [in any form] leads to abuse via their addictive quality.

Err, Wilderbud - you can abuse cannabis and not be able to function in society just as easily. Addiction is not causally linked to abuse, you can be addicted to many things and still function perfectly well in society. Alcohol is far more harmful than heroin.

 

2. If you really feel this way then quit using a needle in your sites [is it only a site?] logo and put a poppy head and/or whatever speed comes from [maybe even a fermenter and still].

 

Why are you so focused on NAP's logo, and their support of injecting drug users? Why are you using my site as some kind of wedge to keep our communities apart? You don't seem to know a lot about other drugs, or drug abuse and the underlying problems that link all of them together under prohibition. As defensive as you are about cannabis, why is it so hard to understand that users of other illicit drugs have an equally valid point - that we really are all in the same boat here?

 

If cannabis prohibition has been a failure, why is it so hard to agree that the same policy is having the very same effect on other drugs and their users? You don't need to like them or their drug, we're not asking this ourselves of mainstream society, we're talking about tolerance and respect for people who have chosen to put certain things into their bodies and who are not harming others in the process. What makes us so different here than heroin/meth/coke users?

[Guest Wilderbud]

AA, I put a post in the Medicinal forum last night that will explain my position.

 

I thought MarijuanaAustraliana.net was our site - I can quote you. Regardles - I did not use MA to keep issues seperated - both sites are not promoting the same ideal AFAIK.

Edited December 6, 2003 by Wilderbud

[Ferre]

If cannabis prohibition has been a failure, why is it so hard to agree that the same policy is having the very same effect on other drugs and their users?  You don't need to like them or their drug, we're not asking this ourselves of mainstream society, we're talking about tolerance and respect for people who have chosen to put certain things into their bodies and who are not harming others in the process.  What makes us so different here than heroin/meth/coke users?

I agree with you, and don't forget that only a very little percentage of the "drugs users" get's addicted or even has a problem with it. Most users you know you don't even know they are. It's the guy that helps you in the shop, the nurse in the hospital, your neighbour. Ordinairy people who sometimes use drugs for recreational reasons. Look at the stats on confiscated drugs.. only a little bit of what is going on is found so this means the consumption must be enormous.

 

Think about this : DO you really think the few junkies in a country consume all those drugs?? NO, it's "THE PEOPLE". But no one will ever admit it.

[dexo]

1. You cannot function in society when you are a heroin or amphetamine abuser and use of these drugs [in any form] leads to abuse via their addictive quality.

 

i was a heroin addict from the age of 15 to the age of 19. from 19 till now ive been on amphetamines. I consider myself a functional member of society--I have a degree, i run my own business, i function[]. you would be supprised how many lawyer, doctors, businesspersons are IV drug users. Im in no way advocating IV drug use, im just saying that you can function in society on drugs.

[garywmeyerhoff]

[is it only a site?]

NAP is not just the website

 

The Network Against Prohibition formed on the 7th March 2002 after a rally held by the Territory Users Forum against the draconian drug house laws and calling for the full range of pharmacotherapies to be available to dependent drug users.

 

NAP comprises drug users and community members who believe that prohibition of illicit drugs is causing more harm to our society than the illicit drugs themselves. NAP members also agree that US govt policy is a major cause of the harm associated with the war on drugs.

 

NAP have conducted many activities since May 2002, and are now a member of the Australian Intravenous and Illicit Drug Users League

 

We hold regular community smoke-ins at Raintree Park in the Darwin CBD. These are essentially drug law reform rallies where people smoke pot. We have had speakers from the Greens on a few occasions as well as other activist groups and community speakers. At the smoke-ins we have a community info stall with info on prohibition as well as health and harm reduction information for drug users. We also provide a free bbq at these events.

 

We have regular stalls at the Nightcliff markets, staffed by volunteers, with info on drug law reform and health and harm reduction stuff.

 

We started the inaugural syringe festival, which has now seen its second year. This is an annual event that aims to challenge the status quo around illicit drugs and stimulate debate, as well as providing a week long party opportunity for participants.

 

We have fortnightly meetings where decisions are made on a consensus basis. We have an office where most of the work is done from and different people use this on an as needs basis. The library also has an extensive reading library available to local drug users.

 

We continue direct action activities to stimulate discussion and debate in the community. Many NAP members have been charged due to various actions. Since March 2002, more than 110 charges have been laid against NAP members.

 

NAP members are defending themselves in court and are using the courts to also stimulate debate about drug law reform. At the moment, we have at least 3 trials in the NT SUpreme Court, a few appeals before 1 Judge, and 1 appeal set to go before the full bench of the nt supreme court in may 2004. All without lawyers.

 

NAP volunteers also do continuing peer education work with their fellow drug users on health and legal harm reduction issues.

 

NAP has also been a major player in the NT media over the past 18 months and has had many national and international media hits. This is important as it is difficult to get the message out about the situation in the NT, especcially with only 1 percent of the population.

 

We also maintain our website, and email list that anyone can subscribe to. Email us if you are interested.

 

NAP is part of a growing network of drug user groups around the world who are struggling for full drug law reform. Our movement is growing stronger despite the current conservative political climate. Many other user groups are taking on an activist role, especcially when decades of lobbying and working with government have failed.

 

If you want links on the US global war on drugs, checkout the drug war stuff on the links page on the nap site

 

Checkout www.napnt.org for more info on NAP or to get our contact details.