@Craig – glad I wasn't too weedy. Although it might just be a matter of time before the bodily decline can be traced back to that incident.

@Kyle – it was…

It was a saturday morning, we were having a hair-of-the-dog in the Bowling Green (as was) and for the price of another jug I stupidly accepted the challenge.

Wow. You're really cheap.

I killed off any disposition to becoming a regular smoker by trying (admittedly drunkenly) to drink one of those suckers.

Not the time to tell you about the friend who uses that shit as a (semi-) organic weedkiller?

I killed off any disposition to becoming a regular smoker by trying (admittedly drunkenly) to drink one of those suckers.

Stewart, tell me you used to live in Chch and your name is actually Steve, because I'd hate to think there were two people who'd done this.

those jars full of water and alcohol and cigarette butts that pubs thought were a great idea

I killed off any disposition to becoming a regular smoker by trying (admittedly drunkenly) to drink one of those suckers. It was a saturday morning, we were having a hair-of-the-dog in the Bowling…

Yer, but you might find your self

Like totally editing man, when you find yourself you can go look for other things. Still, keep warm, don't want to catch a cold.;)

An abiding memory from Toy Love's Australian sojourn –
Setting up in The Astra Hotel,

.
Of course that was my local. (but no gees linctus for us)That it is now, an old peoples home. We used to joke that the same people are back there, just a tad older.…

Another advantage of Gee's Linctus (the morphine cough preparation) is that it is sweetened with honey, and it tastes delicious.

An abiding memory from Toy Love's Australian sojourn –
Setting up in The Astra Hotel, above the beach at Bondi, (I think it might be an old…

So, did you hold your nose and scull the bottle in one go?

From memory it's still less than one morphine sulphate tablet.
Opiates are randomly brilliant anti-tussives. They have an effect in the central nervous system that suppresses the cough reflex, rather than soothing the throat. Another advantage of…

I've just had an awful cold. I went to the doctor and among my complaints I mentioned I had a bad cough. He prescribed me a suitable bad-ass cough syrup that has morphine in it. Yeah, morphine. Not enough to go to a special place, but enough…

Madam, I'm Adam
Too hot to hoot
No lemons no melon
Too bad I hid a boot
Lisa Bonet ate no basil
Warsaw was raw
Was it a car or…

(Tho"'it's splendid to note that Sarah Palin wont probably even be getting back Nome...)

Of course as dedicated PAS Posters you will all know our that backs are held to the wall by flour and water paste...

PAStafarians embrace semolina string theory!

All grist to the millet for the master mashers...

...all is revealed to the [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasta|Gnostic…

PAS tafarians

RB revealed as the Flying Spaghetti Monster?
Way to piss off little p.

Spoken like a true Pastafarian

PAS tafarians in the can abyss.:)) Neil Young at the mo, Harvest Moon. Happy 4th July America.

I've been a 'cannabis criminal ' for a long time.

Me too. I made sure to get extra toasted this weekend in tribute to the above-mentioned hypocrisy, and had a very nice time listening to the Jackson Five, Zeppelin, Small Faces, France Gall, Morricone, Amedeo Tommasi, Mario Molino, Mink Deville,…

His blog should be called blue-blooded-quack , the guy ( I presume he's male ) talks crap and seems to believe reefer maddness myths .................. he also seems to…

http://www.macdoctor.co.nz

As for the cost, it's really not that dear. Inflated compared to what? What is the value…

I've seen people go through chemo.

I've seen them die from cancer.

I think getting 'baked' is very secondary to the actual symptoms of disease which can be alleviated by the…

Eminently possible; but I don't care why he came 'round, just that he has. And in his next stint in government, I'm going to hold him to it.

Fair enough and good luck. :)

Dr Johnathon 'fingers' Coleman ( he gave the fingers to sick cannabis users ) was quoted in the newspaper as saying the last thing NZ needed was more…

Well, I was more wondering whether Mallard's deep concern for tightly-drafted legislation was more a flag of convenience under which to (as Russell put it) "avoid talking about the issue."

Eminently possible; but I don't care why he came 'round, just that he has. And in his next stint in…

70% heritable is much higher than I thought.

The accepted wisdom was about 25%.

What do you guys mean exactly by x% heritable?

Um, yes... Isn't a select committee stage meant to work on "faults' in the legislation under consideration? Sorry for being a bitch on a Friday avo, but its not as if Mallard's had any problem voting to advance poorly drafted legislation before.

Minor errors, sure, but we've seen what happens…

Grant Robertson gets a qualified pass because, well, he's barely been in the place for six months.

And also because he says he voted for it on the assumption that it could be rewritten by the committee. He's consistent there.

Interesting discussion re Turei Bill and motivations for voting on it from Trevor M at Red Alert

So, here's what Mallard has to say:

I’m not opposed to having a debate on the issue but my view is that any debate would have been diverted towards the obvious faults in…

70% heritable is much higher than I thought.

The accepted wisdom was about 25%. Would be interesting to look at the new evidence and see if the heritability is being compounded by environmental issues, similar to Jim Flynn's argument that genetic predispositions attract a certain type of environment, inflating heritability…

Green co-leader Tariana Turia ... I guess all those Maoris look the same.....and their funny little names all look the same too. Turei/Turia, it's sooooo confusing

Well, I guess it would be when you've outsourced your subs and fact-checking has gone the way of debutante balls.

Enjoyed that article in…

However, I heard a…

/Still, most of the genetic contribution to schizophrenia, which is estimated to be at least 70 percent heritable, remains unknown.

70% heritable is much higher than I thought.

The inter-tidal zone between the dance floor and table space provides endless entertainment – from afar ....

After all, when you come back from the bar you need some where to rest the 3 jugs you're not currently drinking.

There's a reason that 'last drinks!' is plural.

Speed of action and the patient's ability to control dose would be the benefit — although you'd also get that from an aerosol.

It is active more quickly, but it's relatively unusual to try to provide that speed outside of hospitals (where it's usually achieved by IV). The only other…

Re Media7; I enjoyed it so much I almost went out and bought a Gardening Magazine.

Tables and carpet

Tables are an important feature of Dunedin pubs. After all, when you come back from the bar you need some where to rest the 3 jugs you're not currently drinking. Kyle also noted the importance of tables for the purpose of table-sucking. To be fair. This is…

So they need corridors, and there must have been a law in the 60s that Corridors in Pubs Must Be Lush.

I'm just looking for an excuse to go to the pub early.

I watched Media 7 for the first time last night (now it is on Sky) and the bits I heard (through crying baby) were really good.

So did I... and I enjoyed the 3/4 that I saw. The MySky record function cut off the last 1/4

So they need corridors, and there must have been a law in the 60s that Corridors in Pubs Must Be Lush.

Carpet in a pub should be of the thick, highly absorbent variety.

I keep thinking of pubs as having wooden or other bare floors, but you could be right. Okay, I'll go do some ...er, research...

but by taking their pleasures away. Humanity at it's finest, puritanical, and sad.

And we have many many centuries and an underlying hypocrisy ( we are all sinners) to perfect this pathetic state of affairs.

Carpet in a pub should be of the thick, highly absorbent variety.

And for bonus points, it should have an unfeasibly busy design on it so that it...

...hides the puke stains, preferably feature random specks of orange and yellow.

But after a while, the "E" just isn't enough anymore. Then you inevitably progress from Evidence to Rational Conclusions. Once you get on to "R", there's no coming back...

Too bad the P comes before the R.

And then they get you hooked on this "evidence" stuff. Before you know it, you'll be so desperate you'll do anything for some "E" ...

But after a while, the "E" just isn't enough anymore. Then you inevitably progress from Evidence to Rational Conclusions. Once you get on to "R",…

Ah, yes, the first symposium DVD is always free, isn't it?

And then they get you hooked on this "evidence" stuff. Before you know it, you'll be so desperate you'll do anything for some "E" ...

And if you like what you see, we can send you a DVD with more footage from the symposium

Ah, yes, the first symposium DVD is always free, isn't it?

I watched Media 7 for the first time last night (now it is on Sky) and the bits I heard (through crying baby) were really good.

In fact, we've only had TVNZ7 for a couple of days and I have already watched an interesting documentary, Media 7 and…

It's also the view of the New Zealand Drug Foundation, which takes an evidence-based approach.

Thanks for the plug Russell!

For more of the Drug Foundation's 'evidence-based' drug policy stuff check out these new video clips – all of which are edited highlights from our February '09 Drug Policy Symposium:…

Carpet!! In a pub??

It soaks up the beer and leaves that lovely dank smell (see Chicks a couple of years ago, the Crown Hotel, any other classy joint).

Carpet in a pub should be of the thick, highly absorbent variety.

And for bonus points, it should have an unfeasibly…

marijuana vapourisers.

expensive but worth it to be rid of teh cough.

Staff routinely point out to people that these devices are very efficient and to go easy on dose — and people routinely come…

Metiria's part but frankly the bill presneted to parliament looked like it had been drafted by someone who had been high for weeks.

And you can tell this because...?
Or does this just sound good.
It makes you sound like Wille Jackson or Micheal Laws more that anything.

]]> Fri, 03 Jul 2009 08:49:05 +1200 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-drugs-and-sex/?p=119492#post119492 https://publicaddress.net/system/cafe/hard-news-drugs-and-sex/?p=119492#post119492

He selfmedicated and, I won't say his appetite returned to normal, but at least he could eat.

From memory, there is a manufactured drug that's tested somewhat better than cannabis for appetite stimulation — but its side-effects are markedly more unpleasant. In this case, cannabis does actually do the job…

poking smot

Is that a spoonerism or a potism

For medical purposes, I'm not really sure what the benefits are of smoking it, as opposed to a controlled dose in a tablet

Speed of action and the patient's ability to control dose would be the benefit — although you'd also get that from an aerosol.

It's one thing to…

Carpet!! In a pub??

It soaks up the beer and leaves that lovely dank smell (see Chicks a couple of years ago, the Crown Hotel, any other classy joint).

Tables!! At a pub??

What is Dunedin coming to?

Tables are required so you can make people 'table suck' their spillage. No table it ends up on the floor and gets soaked into the carpet …

Carpet!! In a pub??

we may also find small groups of people who are genetically susceptible to poor driving in the coming years.

We've already found them. They're called teenagers. Fortunately, the genes mutate with age, as a consequence of the thing called maturation. But the howls of outrage if you try and suggest…

But what we can't do is insist we have all the answers and things are just fine as they are.

truer words...

It's a bit rich when prohibitionists state that criminalizing cannabis by way of simply confiscating the drug when found in possession with no follow up plan, is some…

Russell, you seem to suggest that select committees are the only place in NZ where evidence can be found; the evidence on marijuana and schizophrenia is already out there, some of us have read it and it looks bad for Metiria.

Yes, I've read it too. It's important research, but…

In fact,…

I thought we were all too lazy to leave the couch. :)

except to turn on the knives.

140 times more likely to go on to use hard drugs

Since most users of 'hard drugs' use them recreationally, and tend to give them up without ever becoming addicted, I'm not sure what that statistic proves, really...

'let us smoke pot crowd'

We gather in crowds? I thought we…

if something is likely to be harmful to a small percentage of people, ban it and fuck the consequences. even if the overall consequences of prohibition to society are far worse than the original harm likely to be caused.

they have the solution and yes,…

And if there had been a bit of work on drafting a half useful bill then a lot more of us would have voted for it. I don't know whether it was laziness or a lack of judgement on Metiria's part but frankly the…

A lot of the evidence came from the Dunedin…

...too right who wants the Government controlling yer chemicals – as Huxley wrote to Orwell in 1949:
__"Within the next generation I believe that the world's leaders will discover that infant conditioning and narco-hypnosis…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LowgcnM3NOI&NR=1

Probably NSFW – but good for Peter Jackson fans – do "Tube-on" and check out theses guys nifty "Crispiin Glover & David Lynch – Blockbuster"...

Oil's well that ends swell...
oh yeah! Shell,…

Also very disappointing the Nats can bloc vote on a "conscience" issue.....

Whether an issue is a conscience vote or not is a question for each individual party. Sometimes they all agree, and every MP gets a free vote. Other times, some treat an issue as one of conscience while…

Murderous criminality is a feature of a narcotics industry based on prohibitionism

You do know that Underbelly was sexed up for th' tele?
And that up until the OECD had its first "oil crisis" in the early 70's as good as all profits from Th' Oil went off shore.…

Prohibition creates "criminals" surely it would be cheaper to decriminalise cannabis than to stack prisoners in shipping containers (people don't stack as well…

geological constraints on petroleum extraction coupled with political factors affecting demand and supply bring us to the situation…

My point was that 100% of you cocaine dollar funds murderous criminal gangs, whereas the same can not be said of oil.

That is true. Mining and distributing oil is not illegal, so you don't need to be a criminal gang to do it. But murderous seems to go with…

100% of you cocaine dollar funds murderous criminal gangs

Well, not *quite* 100%. The low-level dealers to whom people pay their money are unlikely to be murderous, surely. It's bad for business at that end of the chain.

My point was that 100% of you cocaine dollar funds murderous criminal gangs, whereas the same can not be said of oil.

Devils advocate – maybe <1% goes to poor subsistance farmers in Afghanistan; which might be similar to the proportion of oil money going to the friendly service station owner-operator down the street, the rest going to "murderous criminal gangs" with names like Exxon, Shell etc.

just about every non-OECD country that is a major exporter of oil is either in a state of civil war or under an extremely corrupt and repressive dictatorship. it may be peaceful for you, but not for the Nigerians, Iraqis, et al

Perhaps I did not make myself clear,

Murderous…

national bloc-voted against, the Greens and ACT (bar Douglas, who was overseas) supported it, and Labour split down the middle, with the younger intake massively voting to send it to committee.

The latter bodes well for the future.

Grant didn't tell me I had to bring a handbag!

Where else do you stash your hipflask?

You do realise that standing takes up less room?

Grant didn't tell me I had to bring a handbag!

Even in a circle. With handbags in the middle.

I think that's what the rugby players are doing on the telly when they 'scrum' – comparing handbags

And as Paul points out, we're growing bigger.

You do realise that standing takes up less room?

Even in a circle. With handbags in the middle.

Where they have booked tables

Tables!! At a pub??

What is Dunedin coming to?

Tables are required so you can make people 'table suck' their spillage. No table it ends up on the floor and gets soaked into the carpet before you can persuade them that they really need to…

Two horses walk into a bar. The first one says "I thought you would have seen that"

The second one says "Why didn't you say something?"
"I did, but I think my voice was a little hoarse"
"Teach you to have that little racehorse just now"
"Your Mama!"
"I wish…

The oil trade is largely peaceful.

you are joking, right?

just about every non-OECD country that is a major exporter of oil is either in a state of civil war or under an extremely corrupt and repressive dictatorship. it may be peaceful for you, but not for the Nigerians, Iraqis,…

Should a joint as part of good parental relaxation or individual medication be a criminal offence in NZ?

That could be interesting considering that 3 times as many people consume cannabis on a regular basis than voted for ACT.
Ahh, the Irony.
Ahh, the Irony Bar.
That reminds me.
Two…

Mr Dalziel, how bouts a riff on Soma for your fellow citizens :)

Profit's would drop through the floor if everyone was allowed to grow their own.

I smell the sweet scent of a CIR.

Should a joint as part of good parental relaxation or individual medication be a criminal offence in NZ?

Great idea Michael.
Sounds to me what a CIR should be for. Politicians don't have the cojones to support decriminilisation of any form. If…

The oil trade is largely peaceful.

Indeed it is. A lot of major oil producers equip and operate brutally effective state security apparatus. And with the sort of resources the oil trade makes available it is hardly surprising that the resulting states are "peaceful".

For example just in the past…

Stimulants for the Stimulus?

Growers for Growth! Don't stash cash, buy stash! We'll settle the hash of this downturn. The seeds of revival are home grown! Hydro powered hydro led recovery! Nip the recession in the Bud!

Should a joint as part of good parental relaxation or individual medication be…

Truth be told we're at a size now where we probably have to book – we decided we were too big even for the newly expanded Inch bar ....

I think conscience votes should be removed and replaced with intelligence votes. "Conscience" doesn't quite seem the right word a lot of the time.

http://dimpost.wordpress.com/2009/07/02/high-times/

Where they have booked tables

Tables!! At a pub??

What is Dunedin coming to?

Should a joint as part of good parental relaxation or individual medication be a criminal offence in NZ?

Discuss.

Russell, I think you have confused Monbiot's characterisation of the EU proposal as being what he thinks. It isn't. He goes on to say:

Sorry, perhaps I wasn't clear enough. That wasn't what I was trying to say.

Buying cocaine is directly supporting the murderous criminals who control coca production. Putting petrol in my car is not akin to supporting the US invasion of Iraq.

OK, try another one. That coltan ore they mine using dubious labour practices in the D.R. of Congo, which is used to make…

Putting petrol in my car is not akin to supporting the US invasion of Iraq.

You can make some links though. Lots of companies that benefitted massively from the invasion seem to have sent a lot of money into the campaign coffers of various politicians.

More so if you buy…

But unfortunately there is no such connection between being Recessed and Baked.

Stimulants for the Stimulus?

What, are they toaster-ovens or something?

There's a market for micro-chipping toaster ovens? My local vet would love to get in on that.

The other possible policy is to legalise and regulate the global trade. This would undercut the criminal networks and guarantee unadulterated supplies to consumers. There might…

- The police, who risk losing their budgets for fancy helicopters to haul in cannabis from forests, undercover cops and other extra personnel (and by extension, the prison service, who risk losing a large number of their clients)

Has anyone considered the wisdom of LEAP?

I could see NZ doing well out of 'cannabis tourism' if we legalised it. Get the tour groups at immigration, micro-chip them

???

What, are they toaster-ovens or something?

It would take a politician with the cojones of a ram to seriously propose an end to prohibition.

While on the other side, it take absolutely no courage at all to score easy points condemning an end to it. Same goes for all condemnation, come to think of it. Waggling…

Hmmm. Yeah, OK, probably true, but aren't there a lot of goods we rich westerners buy which cause suffering elsewhere?

Danielle beats me to the punch (again.)

Quite so. Even just considering Colombia, you can't even buy Coca-cola without tacitly supporting this sort of thing:

In Carepa in north-western Colombia, Coca-Cola…

I could see NZ doing well out of 'cannabis tourism'…

Green co-leader Tariana Turia ... I guess all those Maoris look the same.....and their funny little names all look the same too. Turei/Turia, it's sooooo confusing ...

As someone who has mixed up both Turei/Turia and John Carter/David Carter I don't think it's a huge deal, or a racial issue…

Green co-leader Tariana Turia ... I guess all those Maoris look the same.....and their funny little names all look the same too. Turei/Turia, it's sooooo confusing ...

Not half as confusing as those who have never stood for a Maori seat i (Lockwood Smith, Nick Smith, Phil Goff, Phil Heatley,…

Yeah, OK, probably true, but aren't there a lot of goods we rich westerners buy which cause suffering elsewhere?

Indeed. When I read that, my first thought was that a lot of the negative consequences that Monbiot talks about are direct results of the prohibition structure. These things are not…

Just because the world sucks doesn't mean you can't start *somewhere*.

You're right, you're right. I think watching King Leopold's Ghost last week caused some kind of disturbance in my force. Good christ on a bike, that was dispiriting.

Or, to put it another way, for so long as prohibition dictates the ugly means of production.

Getting rid of prohibition in a legal sense is not the only problem for politicians. There are the other stakeholders in the illicitness to consider:
– The police, who risk losing their budgets…

If commissioning murder, torture, slavery, civil war, corruption and deforestation is not a crime, what is?

Hmmm. Yeah, OK, probably true, but aren't there a lot of goods we rich westerners buy which cause suffering elsewhere? Example: isn't oil similar? It indirectly causes wars, corruptions, environmental damage, all manner of…

Green co-leader Tariana Turia ... I guess all those Maoris look the same.

and their funny little names all look the same too. Turei/Turia, it's sooooo confusing ...

Ironic Bar, (opposite railway station), 5.30pm onwards. There's a couple of tables reserved for us.

If you're in Dunedin tomorrow, come along !

Feel free to e-mail me for more info.