Here’s a short news report from today’s Sukkiri Morning show about California’s Prop marijuana legalization ballot measure Prop 19.

As the only American in the studio, Professor Robert Campbell of Tokyo University is asked to comment on the story. Despite the fact that he’s spent the last 25 years in Japan, he seems to know a bit about the issue. He correctly points out that “medical” Marijuana has very easy to obtain in California for some time now, noting that there is no evidence supporting the gateway drug theory. Despite having pretty much admitted that the arguments in favor of keeping marijuana illegal are groundless, Campbell says he is opposed to legalization because there’s no need to increase upon the social problems that legal drugs like alcohol and tobacco already cause. He also fears that foreign students in California could end up bringing pot back to their home countries.

japanprobe.com

A new study in The Lancet rates the harmfulness of 20 psychoactive drugs according to 16 criteria and finds that alcohol comes out on top. Although that conclusion is generating headlines, it is not at all surprising, since alcohol is, by several important measures (including acute toxicity, impairment of driving ability, and the long-term health effects of heavy use), the most dangerous widely used intoxicant, and its abuse is also associated with violence, family breakdown, and social estrangement. A group of British drug experts gathered by the Independent Scientific Committee on Drugs (ISCD) rated alcohol higher than most or all of the other drugs for health damage, mortality, impairment of mental functioning, accidental injury, economic cost, loss of relationships, and negative impact on community. Over all, alcohol rated 72 points on a 100-point scale, compared to 55 for heroin, 54 for crack cocaine, and 33 for methamphetamine. Cannabis got a middling score of 20, while MDMA (Ecstasy), LSD, and psilocybin mushrooms were at the low end, with ratings of 9, 7, and 6, respectively.

reason.com

The human consumption of psychoactive drugs, such as marijuana, cocaine, and heroin, is of even more recent historical origin than the human consumption of alcohol or tobacco, so the Hypothesis would predict that more intelligent people use more drugs more frequently than less intelligent individuals...

Given their extremely recent origin and thus evolutionary novelty, the Hypothesis would predict that more intelligent individuals are more likely to consume all types of psychoactive drugs than less intelligent individuals. Once again, as with alcohol consumption, the fact that the consumption of psychoactive drugs has largely negative health consequences and few (if any) benefits of any kind is immaterial to the Hypothesis. It does not predict that more intelligent individuals are more likely to engage in healthy and beneficial behavior, only that they are more likely to engage in evolutionarily novel behavior.

psychologytoday.com

Alcohol is more harmful than heroin or crack when the overall dangers to the individual and society are considered, according to a study in the Lancet.

The report is co-authored by Professor David Nutt, the former government chief drugs adviser who was sacked in 2009.

It ranked 20 drugs on 16 measures of harm to users and to wider society.

Heroin, crack and crystal meth were deemed worst for individuals, with alcohol, heroin and crack cocaine worst for society, and alcohol worst overall.

bbc.co.uk
old zack

Kiffen in Kalifornien wird nicht erlaubt: Die Wähler des Westküstenstaates stimmen gegen die Legalisierung von Marihuana. In dem Volksentscheid ging es darum, ob die Droge zum Genuss konsumiert und in kleinen Mengen angebaut werden darf. Auch in anderen Staaten gibt es Volksentscheide. So wird es in Denver keine UFO-Kommission geben.

Nach US-Bundesgesetzen ist Marihuana eine illegale Droge. Ein Dutzend Bundesstaaten, darunter Kalifornien, Oregon, Alaska und Hawaii, machen allerdings für medizinische Zwecke eine Ausnahme. Die Wähler in Arizona und South Dakota stimmten jetzt dagegen, auch in ihren Staaten Cannabis als Medikament für Patienten zuzulassen.

n-tv.de
Kiffen in Kalifornien bleibt verboten
Kalifornier stimmen gegen Legalisierung von Marihuana
Kiffen wird in Kalifornien nicht legalisiert
Kalifornische Initiative zur Legalisierung von Marihuana scheitert

The Obama Administration did not concern itself with discussing Proposition 19, the ballot initiative that would legalize marijuana in the state of California until the end of August when it became clear the bill was gaining voter support. Since then, perhaps in response to the media coverage touting Prop 19 as the beginning of the end of marijuana prohibition not just in California but across the country, it’s been a different story. There have been announcements from the Drug Czar and from letters from Attorney General Eric Holder and now there is the new marijuana fact sheet on the White House drug policy website.

worldmarketmedia.com

As Californians go to the polls Tuesday night, they won't just be deciding the future of marijuana in their state - the vote may also rattle the booming B.C. bud industry.

Californians will vote Tuesday during the midterm elections on Proposition 19, which would allow adults 21 and older to have up to 28.5 grams of marijuana and to grow pot at a private residence in a space as large as 25 square feet for personal use.

globalwinnipeg.com

The Iowa Board of Pharmacy took action Tuesday to recommend that state lawmakers approve marijuana as a drug with medicinal purposes.

The Board of Pharmacy agreed to recommend to lawmakers that they re-classify marijuana from a Schedule I to Schedule II drug. The new classification would mean that marijuana still has a high potential for abuse, but would be considered accepted for medical use in treatment.

msn.com