Public Address | Cafe | Hard News: This is Your TV on Drugs

Kumara Republic

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 17:33:48 +1300

It will be interesting to see how the US Federal Govt react to the States easing their cannabis laws! #peace

I believe Bill Maher once asked, which stoner is more dangerous?

Islander

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 17:26:40 +1300

Im really sorry to hear that Islander, I think for people with severe depression if the correct drugs are prescribed and they work, that is a good thing. I am more concerned with the wave of Prozac etc being prescribed for people as an antidote for normal glumness.

Thanks Nick…

greenlove33

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 16:49:56 +1300

I would…

Islander

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 14:17:20 +1300

Even for the small percentage of people SSRIs work for there is a hellish ‘discontinuation syndrome’ or fiending withdrawal in laymans terms, something most GPs never seem to mention.

4 of my immediate family have necessarily* been on SSRIs for severe clinical depression – 2 still are.
In our experience…

greenlove33

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 10:08:25 +1300

I would have no problems with SSRIs etc if they actually worked as a medication. A lot of studies have shown them to be a placebo, another lot of studies have been paid for by the Big Pharma companies to try and show their effectiveness.

Even for the small percentage…

Ian Dalziel

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 07:17:03 +1300

huff and puff...
...and then American drug policy easing off
its grip on the rest of the world.
I imagine they'll ease off cannibinoids if they can ramp up the spread of antidepressants, SSRIs etc – what a country create the stress, supply the 'cure', happy PharmaCorporations all around. Despite…

Chris Waugh

Sun, 16 Dec 2012 23:06:02 +1300

But does the FBI go after pot anyway? Seems a bit small-potatoes for them.

Large scale interstate commerce? Or is that the province of the DEA? Why does America have so many police forces, anyway?

greenlove33

Sun, 16 Dec 2012 20:31:52 +1300

That really is good news. Pretty sure Barry O was a stoner in his youth. Be nice to see the federal
pressure come off the situation in the States. And then American drug policy easing off its grip on the rest of the world. South America are already bucking lol.

BenWilson

Sun, 16 Dec 2012 19:24:37 +1300

It would probably be much less direct. The President appoints the directors of the FBI, so presumably has a lot of influence over them. An FBI ignoring the Administration's position is one risking a big broom. But does the FBI go after pot anyway? Seems a bit small-potatoes for them.

Rich of Observationz

Sun, 16 Dec 2012 19:04:44 +1300

I saw that. Can he actually do that? If a DEA or FBI agent decides to go round busting Coloradans, can the President direct them to desist?

Rob Stowell

Sun, 16 Dec 2012 16:56:09 +1300

The last three US presidents smoked pot when young. Obama was the first to talk about it honestly. Even before the election he backed gay marriage. I think we'll see more openly where Obama stands on a range of issues now there's no election to consider.

BenWilson

Sun, 16 Dec 2012 16:39:37 +1300

This is actually pretty big news.

Also pretty good news.

Russell Brown

Sun, 16 Dec 2012 12:10:14 +1300

Interesting. Obama has been interviewed about marijuana legalisation and — contrary to most predictions — says it "wouldn't make sense" for the federal government to pursue pot busts in Colorado and Washington.

This is actually pretty big news.

tussock

Fri, 14 Dec 2012 01:53:23 +1300

And we’re not going to learn much from [Drug Bust] at all.
I don't know about that. Most of my more conservative relatives have been surprised to see that a lot of pot growers look just like poor single mums with a lot of mouths to feed, and aren't exactly…

greenlove33

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 18:41:05 +1300

I really enjoyed the latest issue of the NZDF’S Matters of Substance. I was shocked at the graphics that accompanied the article about cannabis however, the NZDF needs a new supplier, the weed pic looked like rugged, rugged bush weed. And Im pretty sure the joint was a tobacco roll…

Shulgin

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 18:06:58 +1300

TV shows are like...well let's say Aladdin's Cave..are like ....well like a trip to Switched On Gardener...funny how the jury found 2 of 5 guilty, but then again I didn't shit through 9 weeks... opps I mean sit through, of embarrassing tripe from the NZ Police...well done operation Lime and…

Angus Robertson

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 12:30:22 +1300

Like gay marriage rights vs. DOMA.

Barnard

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 12:19:33 +1300

Some of the twister level contortions some of them are going to have to do to come out against state rights because their dislike of marijuana trumps that principle are going to be fun.

It'll be a test of whether the ones who claim to be Libertarian are true to…

Mark Graham

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 11:45:51 +1300

Interesting comment in this interview with a Kiwi paramedic on Afternoons with Jim Mora (getting very good these days). He talks about the affects on his working life once party pills started getting banned and our yoof started returning to alcohol again – not so good...http://podcast.radionz.co.nz/aft/aft-20121203-1508-priority_one_the_life_and_times_of_a_kiwi_paramedic-00.ogg

Would it be possible,…

Geoff Lealand

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 11:31:35 +1300

Sort of Lily in the Sky With Diamonds?

Tom Semmens

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 10:25:47 +1300

New level of brazen

$75??????????????????????

Kyle Matthews

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 09:57:53 +1300

We would certainly see some Republicans line up behind Colorado and Washington State.

Some of the twister level contortions some of them are going to have to do to come out against state rights because their dislike of marijuana trumps that principle are going to be fun.

BenWilson

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 09:44:49 +1300

New level of brazen

Scott Chris

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 09:32:54 +1300

We would certainly see some Republicans line up behind Colorado and Washington State.

Whoever draws the short straw.

Rich of Observationz

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 21:23:23 +1300

The Supreme Court has already found (Gonzales v Raich) that the Federal government has power to proscribe marijuana (or anything else, except guns presumably).

Will de Cleene

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 19:17:39 +1300

I’ve seen speculation that the federal government will pick a case and invite the courts to find that federal law trumps state law. In which case, all hell will break loose.

I hope it reaches the SCOTUS. Considering the Federal Marijuana Program supplying medical users has existed for decades, there…

Russell Brown

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 17:20:46 +1300

Interesting to see what the DEA does.

I've seen speculation that the federal government will pick a case and invite the courts to find that federal law trumps state law. In which case, all hell will break loose. We would certainly see some Republicans line up behind Colorado and Washington…

BenWilson

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 16:57:46 +1300

At some point we will certainly shift to legalise and tax and regulate marijuana and probably other drugs.

One day, the Sheriff, he won't even be a white man.

Angus Robertson

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 16:14:47 +1300

The difference is now moot. On the first Tuesday of November, Amendment 64 to the state constitution passed by referendum: legalising, taxing and regulating the possession and cultivation of cannabis by adults. That’s the next series sorted, then.

Interesting to see what the DEA does.

Bart Janssen

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 16:10:49 +1300

The Colorado example is really interesting. At some point we will certainly shift to legalise and tax and regulate marijuana and probably other drugs. It may take time but it will happen, simply because prohibition does not work well for societies. Prohibition does of course work very well for criminals.…

Barnard

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 15:12:07 +1300

Actually, if the the authorities want to discourage young people from taking drugs, showing Keith Allen taking them on TV is as good a way as any.

In fact just showing Keith Allen on TV drugs or no drugs, would work.

Kumara Republic

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 14:51:05 +1300

It all goes to show that cannabis prohibition is nothing more than a modern-day superstition.

If the other two shows are example of popular television that might take us somewhere in terms of policy, New Zealand’s Drug Bust is simply about policing. And we’re not going to learn much from…

BenWilson

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 14:45:52 +1300

And we're not going to learn much from that at all.

To be fair, I once learned that pies from servos can be dangerously hot.

Public Address

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 14:45:51 +1300

Discussion from blog post.