Category: Newsweek

The only thing that could make marijuana prohibition a greater tragedy would be if we failed to learn from it, because, as George Santayana, the Spanish-American philosopher, said: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Or something like that.

Consequently, below is a slightly updated article I published on MarijuanaNews.com (now offline being edited) in 2003.

I hope readers will see a relevance to the broader political context today.

In April of 2003, the entire Drug War establishment seemed to be in a major panic over the prospect of Maryland lowering the penalty for possession of one ounce of cannabis to a $100 fine for people who can prove medical necessity.

Frankly, the bill was such a farce that it would have done little to help most patients, but one would think that it was making cannabis mandatory for toddlers. Why such a reaction to such an inconsequential bill?

Also See: Two Word Explanation for Marijuana Prohibition: Bad Journalism – CBD Seniors

Full article here:

https://www.newsweek.com/amplify/war-cannabis-cult-what-can-we-learn-about-american-politics

The Covid pandemic is getting worse by the day, threatening our already overburdened healthcare system. The economic consequences are being compounded by renewed retail shutdowns, uncertainty about schools opening, racial tensions, and the crazier than normal political campaigns, and, frankly, President Trump acts weirder by the day.

“Shelter in place” orders have many people asking, “What shelter? What place?” And there is a record-breaking heatwave.

At the individual level, people are wrecking their lives by having public meltdowns caught on camera.

Full text here:

https://www.newsweek.com/amplify/if-studies-show-cannabis-effective-treating-depression-improving-mental-health-then-we-really

A few months ago, I wrote a column, Seniors Have Even More Reason to Deman End to Cannabis Prohibition, lamenting the fact that the Alzheimer’s Association seems to be ignoring the possible benefits of cannabis for Alzheimer’s patients.

At the most basic level, Alzheimer’s symptoms are very stressful for patients and that creates even more stress for their families and caregivers, which magnifies the stress for the patient. Ironically, the prohibitionist stereotype for marijuana users is “mellow, dude”. And yet… Nada.

Read full article here: https://www.newsweek.com/amplify/does-alzheimers-association-hope-we-will-just-forget-about-cbd

“Collateral Damage” is a military term for the unintended consequences of an action, and, as I like to say, “the law of unintended consequences is the only law that always works.”

President Trump’s astonishing war on the U.S. Postal Service is an excellent example in that it hurts major parts of what is considered his “base”, Seniors, rural communities, small businesses, and veterans, and they are especially vulnerable during the pandemic.

Seniors are the most vulnerable because so many of us depend on the USPS to deliver prescription medications. According to the National Council on Aging, “Approximately 72 percent of low- and moderate-income seniors report having a chronic condition…” which means that they are exceptionally vulnerable to the loss of dependable postal service.

More here:

https://www.newsweek.com/amplify/trumps-war-postal-service-harms-his-base-seniors-rural-communities-veterans-small-businesses

As the House of Representatives battles the Senate over another round of economic support for the pandemic-ravaged economy, Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi (D. CA) urged that the legislation include a provision that would allow cannabis-related businesses to have bank accounts. Mitch McConnell, the Senate Majority Leader doesn’t like it.

As the MarijuanaMoment.com reports, “The majority leader, who has consistently railed against the inclusion of cannabis banking protections in the House COVID-19 bill, said on the Senate floor that Pelosi is “still agitating for strange, new special interest carve-outs for the marijuana industry and even claiming they are COVID-related.”

“She said that, with respect to this virus, marijuana is “a therapy that has proven successful.” You can’t make this up,” he said.

See more here: https://www.newsweek.com/amplify/republicans-mock-pelosis-statement-that-medical-cannabis-relevant-pandemic-economic-stimulus

We couldn’t make this up. Unfortunately, we don’t have to. Using CBD products is now a crime in the military, as per Pentagon tightens restrictions.

Yep. Thanks for your service, but you are now a prisoner of the Drug War.

According to the pro-veteran website, Connectingvets.radio.com

A memo from Acting Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Matthew Donovan dated Feb. 26 reads:

“Substance misuse by service members is a safety and readiness issue, and the Department must remain vigilant in addressing emerging threats, including those that come from new products and sources.”

See more here:

https://www.newsweek.com/amplify/drug-war-vs-us-military-cbd-might-help-brain-damage-they-cant-shampoo-it

he early film star, Mae West, said, “Too much of a good thing can be wonderful.” Obviously, she wasn’t talking about tourism. Before the pandemic, many of Europe’s major cities were choking on crowds. Venice probably had the worst of it, with gigantic cruise ships sailing up the Grand Canal disgorging thousands of tourists all at once into the narrow already overcrowded sidewalks. And Barcelona’s La Rambla had become crushed that they had to ban tour groups from the Mercado.

Decades ago, when I first went to Amsterdam, it was still somewhere between seedy and raunchy, two of my favorite things, but there were no lines in the coffeeshops or the museums. Last year, the sidewalks were jammed and locals were complaining about noisy crowds late in the evening, especially around the so-called “Red Light District”, which is actually the oldest part of the City. Of course, alcohol (AKA drunk Brits) was a major part of the problem.

Read more here:

https://www.newsweek.com/amplify/how-legalizing-cannabis-can-bring-back-right-kind-tourism

The major purpose of legalizing the production and sale of recreational cannabis (beyond decriminalizing possession) must be removing it from the contraband markets.

Keeping marijuana as contraband is a subsidy for criminal organizations, and consequently a source of corruption in law enforcement in the U.S. and violence in Latin America.

Also, having marijuana in the same distribution channels as that of hard drugs creates the real “Gateway.” Of course, contraband markets have no quality control, so the products may be contaminated with dangerous substances.

And finally, contraband markets don’t pay taxes or otherwise benefit legal businesses the way alcohol subsidizes the restaurant business (which certainly needs all the help it can get.)

Read more here: https://www.newsweek.com/amplify/prohibition-20-making-mess-marijuana-legalization-just-get-out-way

For most young people, a mouthwash is just for freshening their breath, but for Seniors, gum (periodontal) disease is an increasing problem as we age.

Marijuanamoment.net reports, “In a recent study out of Belgium, researchers reported that cannabinoid-infused mouthwash was just as effective at killing certain plaque-related oral bacteria as chlorhexidine, an active ingredient in many prescription mouthwashes.”

The study actually involved two different cannabinoids, one with CBD and another with CBG (cannabigerol), but neither contained the psychoactive THC.

See more here: https://www.newsweek.com/amplify/cbd-mouthwash-study-has-implications-far-beyond-word-mouth-especially-seniors

Ah, here we go again. America is being rocked—sometimes literally—by riots, looting, as well as peaceful demonstrations, protesting yet another unarmed African American being killed by the police for Breathing while Black. Given all of the stress on African American communities, hard hit by both the Pandemic and its economic consequences, no one should be surprised.

Wall Street may think that America isn’t broke, but “the street” knows that America is badly broken. Unfortunately, the African American leadership has its own problem. They only have one thing—race—in common with “the street”, but otherwise they are part of America’s entirely dysfunctional political system.

They remind me of the story about a left-wing leader, Alexandre Auguste Ledru-Rollin, during the failed French Revolution of 1848, who saw a mob rush by and said, “There go my people. I must find out where they are going so I can lead them.”

Read full article here:

https://www.newsweek.com/amplify/dont-mention-drug-war-americas-elite-would-rather-follow-mobs-lead-people

When I read that the Mayor of Minneapolis was booed off the stage at a rally when he said he opposed abolishing the city’s police force, I was reminded of the 19th Century British Historian, Thomas Carlyle’s description of Classical Liberalism (American Libertarianism) as “Anarchy plus a Constable.”

Frankly, I think that talking about “abolishing” or “defunding” the police simply delays making the difficult decisions that have to be made about the Drug War, and especially marijuana prohibition, and the other ways that the police have simply had all of society’s problems dumped on them.

Read full article here:

https://www.newsweek.com/amplify/abolish-police-no-we-need-drug-warriors-go-back-being-peace-officers