The Feds are addicted to pot, even if you're not.

[RainDog]

http://blog.norml.org/2010/05/24/marijuana-arrests-continue-to-drive-drug-treatment-boom/

Nearly six out of ten people admitted to drug ‘treatment’ for marijuana are referred there by the criminal justice system, according to a just-released report by the US Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Association (SAMHSA).

In 2008, 57 percent of persons referred to treatment for marijuana as their ‘primary substance of abuse,’ were referred by the criminal justice system. For adolescents, nearly half (48 percent) were referred via the criminal justice system.

By contrast, criminal justice referrals accounted for just 37 percent of the overall total of drug treatment admissions in 2008.

“Primary marijuana admissions were less likely than all admissions combined to be self-referred to treatment,” the study found.

Since 1998 the percentage of individuals in drug treatment primarily for marijuana has risen approximately 25 percent, the report found. This increase is being primarily driven by a proportional rise in the percentage of criminal justice referrals. According to a previous federal study, the proportion of marijuana treatment admissions from all sources other than the criminal justice system has been declining since the mid-1990s.

http://www.alternet.org/drugs/144243

According to a widely publicized 1999 Institute of Medicine report, fewer than 10 percent of those who try cannabis ever meet the clinical criteria for a diagnosis of "drug dependence" (based on DSM-III-R criteria). By contrast, 32 percent of tobacco users and 15 percent of alcohol users meet the criteria for "drug dependence."

Nevertheless, it is pot -- not booze or cigarettes -- that has the federal government seeing red and clinical investigators seeing green. As I reported for AlterNet last year, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), which overseas more than 85 percent of the world's research on controlled substances, recently appropriated some $4 million in taxpayers' dollars to establish the nation's first-ever Center for Cannabis Addiction. Its mission: to "develop novel approaches to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of marijuana addiction."

Courts, in order to not spend a lot of time on victimless "crimes," have people arrested for mj pay a fine and attend drug treatment programs. People are labeled as "drug dependent" when they really aren't - this perpetuates myths about cannabis use.

I hope Californians will lead the way for the rest of the nation, as they have done in the past on many issues, to begin the end of prohibition.

[skeptical cynic]

1. I don't know anybody who want to use marijuana in Alaska who

doesn't just go ahead and do it. The Alaska Supreme Court has ruled that possession, growing, and use of limited amounts of marijuana is protected under the privacy clause of the state's constitution.

I do know people who would use marijuana if they were not subject to random drug testing under DOT or employer programs. I know a few people who chose, after obtaining their teaching degrees and credentials, not to teach because it interfered with a lifestyle that include recreational drugs. And I know professional scientists and engineers who pass up high industry salaries and work for the State of Alaska for the same reason.

For me, the incentive is strictly financial. I get paid well but work in a job where I am subject to random DOT drug tests, so I've made the financial decision to pass on the stuff until it isn't in my interest to "obey the law" anymore. I'm looking forward to the day when I can sit on my porch with a nice glass of ice "tea."

I guess what I'm saying is, the laws aren't based in reality and aren't respected of followed, except on pragmatic grounds, by any thinking person I know. They cost billions to enforce and fill the prisons with non-criminals when the cells could be more justly filled with the occupants of Wall Street offices. Worse, keeping marijuana illegal makes criminals out of otherwise law-abiding citizens, and creates an underground economy the hurts far more people than if could possibly claim to help.

Time to abandon stupid laws written and enforced by stupid people.

[RainDog]

2. Yes. Federal and state clashes on prohibition will force the federal govt to end prohibition

I think we're close to the tipping point on this issue, but who knows. There are many wealthy and powerful interests who would benefit by continued prohibition (including laid back growers and drug cartels.) ...but also pharmaceutical companies, oil companies...

however, if the groundswell of American voters is there, none of these entities can stop progress and an end to prohibition.

[skeptical cynic]

4. Local/state legalization and decriminalization, along with just

ignoring a bad law, will ultimately end the prohibition.

[Webster Green]

3. 4 million for Cannabis addiction?

The NIDA are some brain-dead mutherfuckers.

[RainDog]

6. That was in 2008.

According to NIH's request for applications,

"1)Cannabis-related disorders (CRDs), including cannabis abuse or dependence and 2) cannabis induced disorders (e.g., intoxication, delirium, psychotic disorder, and anxiety disorder), are a major public health issue. ... 3) Nearly one million people are seeking treatment for marijuana dependence every year and 4) sufficient research has been carried out to confirm that the use of cannabis can produce serious physical and psychological consequences.

"Currently, there are no medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of CRDs. Given the extent of the use of cannabis in the general population, and the medical and psychological consequences of its use … there is a great public health need to develop safe and effective therapeutic interventions. The need to develop treatments targeting adolescents and young adults is particularly relevant in view of their disproportionate use patterns."

1. Cannabis abuse = getting sent to drug treatment because of an arrest.

2. Cannabis induced "disorders" = intoxication. Since cannabis has anti-anxiety effects, I would imagine any anxiety might be related to #1.

3. the one million seeking treatment? See #1.

4. on the other hand, the U.S. will not fund research that looks into beneficial effects. However, there have been studies that demonstrate the useful effects: anti-depressant, anti-anxiety, neurogenesis, relief of symptoms of brain disorders like MS and CP, relief of nausea, help with appetite and mood in cancer patients... I have to wonder if any drug that had this many beneficial side effects and so few documented negative effects has ever been marketed to the public. (some people, as with anything else, do not respond in a typical fashion and do show negative effects and should not imbibe cannabis.)

that 4 mill is just another way tax dollars are WASTED in the war on cannabis. not to mention all the money WASTED on court costs. not to mention all the money WASTED by people who have to pay a pharmaceutical company for a synthetic product of some kind that's less effective for them, with more harmful side effects. not to mention the money that is WASTED by not simply treating pot growers like wineries.

[PufPuf23]

5. Marijuana laws at this point are mainly to create another class of the "different"

for institutionalized bias.

I do not support driving or at work nor providing to children.

In my life p** has been an anti-gateway drug (except coffee) as I have never used hard drugs, have used hippy drugs (as a child of the 60s and not since still legal ecstacy 30 years ago), never used tobacco, and alcohol has never been an issue. The only drug jones I ever get is what my doctor prescribes me in my old age.

I don't drive, work (except recreational working like my garden), grow, traffic, or even party (now). I smoke mostly solitary in quiet moments in nature or reading or to ease sleep, or, if not solitary, with a lover or dear old friends.

Its easy to come by where I live (medical marijuana state. Humboldt county, CA) - I live rural and 5 of my 7 closest neighbors grew (with med cards) last summer -- I didn't and neither did my 93 year old summer only GOP neighbor (that I argued about my hair length and Vietnam in the late 60s and I am probably his best company know during his summer stay from LA, CA), and the Assembly of God minister (who laughs about it as much as I even though he is a Palin fan). I get more than I want from gifts and mutual favors from old friends.

Back in the 90s, the common joke in my social set in a university town is we had hid our smoking from our parents and now our kids.

Back in 2003 I worked in a job that required a test and abstained easily but the job sucked because of the selfish people there and I quit.

[truedelphi]

12. In my family we had spaghetti every Thursday night.

By the time I was twenty, I had smoked my first joint.

This pot smoking soon led me to eating more than my share of pizza and other tomato based products.

So it is easy to see that if we want to eliminate marijuana use, we should BAN TOMATO products, as they simply spiral out of all control!

[PufPuf23]

13. That Italian food jones will get you every time. lol

[RainDog]

7. for anyone who's interested, an excellent link to scientific and medical studies of cannabis

http://www.cannabis-med.org/index.php?tpl=page&id=18&lng=en

[truedelphi]

14. But is this good or bad for the fate of marijuana legalisation efforts?

The M$M continues to use as its sound byte that no one anywhere has ever had a medical use for marijuana.

So on that end of things, it is good -= maybe that lie will be banished. (The fact remains that even twenty years ago, marijuana was helpful for glaucoma.)

But as more and more cannibinoids are utilized in studies and proven for their efficacy, does that not mean that BiG Pharma will tighten its grip?

I will always believe that the President coming out over the last month AGAINST marijuana legalization means that one of Rahm's buddies connected to Big Phara.

[truedelphi]

15. Oh and thank you for that link.

I found it very helpful.

[asdjrocky]

8. Good work here Rain Dog.

I blame Herst.

[RainDog]

9. you guys in CA should call it the "Rosebud" campaign

or maybe not - the reference would probably be too obscure...

but just thinking about Hollyweird and Welles and the movie considered the greatest by so many and the way that Citizen Kane lost his soul when he lost sight of the value of his rosebud.

I'm with CA in spirit, if not in geography. :)

[asdjrocky]

11. And we are with you my friend,

Hang in there! After legalization, we start work to remove it as a schedule one narcotic.

[slay]

10. Bwhahahah! That's the great thing about marijuana (well one of them) - it's NOT addictive

maybe psychologically for some people, but I've been an addict before where I was physically addicted to a strong drug at one time and literally HAD to have it. Pot isn't like that at all. I notice no withdrawls from weed - what a waste of money. Cannabis addiction... :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

Lets cut the bullshit and legalize it already!!! :smoke: