CLICKHEREx

I tried and failed, probably due to a Javascript problem. It can be helpful to have disposable email addresses at places like hotmail, to minimise spam.

http://www.news.com.au/national/nsw-act/premier-mike-baird-rolls-up-on-legal-medicinal-cannabis-he-would-support-his-family-using-it-if-they-were-terminally-ill/story-fnii5s3x-1226998015806 * Premier Mike Baird rolls up on legal medicinal cannabis: He would support his family using it if they were terminally ill 18 hours ago July 23, 2014 1:10AM Terminally ill Dan Haslam with his wife Alyce. Source: News Corp Australia THE legalisation of medicinal cannabis in NSW looks ­increasingly likely with political leaders backing the idea and Premier Mike Baird confirming he would support his wife and children using marijuana if they were terminally ill. Mr Baird, Deputy Premier Andrew Stoner and opposition leader John Robertson last night indicated provisional support for legalising the drug for medicinal purposes, so long as key concerns over regulation and supply are ­addressed. The Greens also support it. The move comes after Mr Baird spent an hour with ­cancer patient Daniel Haslam, 24, who was told in 2010 he had only months to live. Mr Haslam’s plight was ­revealed recently in The ­Sunday Telegraph. READ DAN HASLAM’S STORY HERE Dan Haslam / Picture: Facebook Source: Facebook His retired-nurse mum Lucy and father Lou, a former head of Tamworth’s police drug squad, started buying him cannabis and insist it has helped him fight the disease. “The Premier related to our story and told us that if it was his wife or children, he’d want it available for them,” Ms ­Haslam said. “He said he supported us and I think he sees it as an ­opportunity for NSW to lead.” Tamworth MP Kevin ­Anderson will table a private member’s bill next month to make it legal for registered terminally ill patients or their authorised carers to possess up to 15g of cannabis. Coalition MPs will not get a conscience vote. Mr Baird said he was struck by Daniel’s “determination and courage” but raised concerns about the supply and regulation of medicinal cannabis. A spokesman for Nationals Leader Andrew Stoner said he supported the concept but had the same concerns as Mr Baird. Mr Robertson said: “I ­acknowledge there remains practical and regulatory issues that need to be worked through in this area.” The NSW Nursing and Midwives’ Association and the Cancer Council supports the drug’s use for medicinal ­purposes. The Australian Medical ­Association has acknowledged cannabis’s “therapeutic potential” but says more research is needed. Premier Mike Baird. Source: News Corp Australia WHAT DO YOU THINK? Do you support legalising medicinal marijuana? Tell us below Originally published as Medicinal cannabis in NSW looking more likely Comment on this story *

I'm assuming that you're posting similar threads in all the Aussie cannabis forums at http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en-AU&source=hp&q=forums%3B+cannabis%3B+au%3B+list&gbv=2&oq=forums%3B+cannabis%3B+au%3B+list&gs_l=heirloom-hp.12...4002.12074.0.13884.8.8.0.0.0.0.1051.2862.4-1j1j1j1.4.0....0...1ac.1.34.heirloom-hp..5.3.2053.57YT0Dtzd_U I'll post about this tomorrow at aussielegalhighs.com.au & legalhighsforum.com.au and leave the rest to you.

http://www.bluelight.org/vb/threads/731333-Goodbye-to-the-Godfather-of-Psychedelics-Sasha-Shulgin-Now-“Tripping-in-the-Cosmos” FunctionalOlfactio View Profile View Forum Posts Private Message View Blog Entries View Articles Add as Contact Bluelighter -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join Date Jun 2013 Posts 176 Yesterday 02:54 Originally Posted by University of Berkeley Alumni Magazine Goodbye to the Godfather of Psychedelics: Sasha Shulgin Now “Tripping in the Cosmos” By Laura B. Childs They came by the hundreds to Berkeley this past weekend to pay their respects to the man they called Sasha—the Berkeley-bred chemist nicknamed the Godfather of Psychedelics. Alexander “Sasha” Shulgin, a controversial iconoclast who pioneered the use of psychedelics for self discovery and synthesized Ecstasy in the 1970s and some 200 variations of it in his lifetime, died of cancer on June 2 at age 88. “He was the first scientist who was a chemist, who worked at Berkeley, who had impeccable credentials, and yet he believed what I believed,” said an attendee known as Mr. Natural, himself the subject of a 1960s counterculture comic. Confined to a wheelchair, Mr. Natural took BART for the first time in 30 years Saturday to attend the public memorial for his old friend. Traveling from San Francisco’s Haight Ashbury neighborhood—where the elderly music teacher/artist/scientist spends most of his time—he joined the throng filling the seats at the Berkeley Community Theater. “Sasha’s work is by all objective criteria worthy of the very highest academic honors, Nobel Prize kind of stuff, but such honors are impossible as we struggle as a society to learn how to balance the complexities that are stirred up by the power of psychedelics,” said UC Berkeley neurobiology lecturer David Presti during the hour-long memorial service. “It was too big to be done in a multimillion dollar laboratory. It instead required an alchemist’s den, a courageous spirit, a careful focus of intention, and a goodly dose of mystical insight. Then the stuff of legend happened. Thank you, Sasha.” The turnout included scientists and artists, professionals and idlers, the young and the old. Some dressed to the nines, others in shorts, sandals and socks. Many long haired, most grey-haired. All personally touched by Shulgin’s work. “Today I am a vice president at Google. Thirty years ago, I was a kid in the Midwest who knew there must be something more,” said Bradley Horowitz, one of the speakers. He said his journey began with psychedelic chemistry. “When I think of Sasha’s work, I think not only of the brilliant chemistry but also the contribution in legitimizing these experiences, making them supported, shedding the stigma, shedding the misunderstanding of society and making them open and available to people who are genuinely curious and want to know who they are. So on behalf of one kid in the Midwest and all of us who know, thank you.” For years, Shulgin’s work was isolated to his backyard laboratory. He once had a strong relationship with the Drug Enforcement Administration, often assisting with drug trials and providing expertise on the subject. But that changed when his compounds moved from the laboratory to the rave party scene in the 1980s. Reports of bad reactions, fatal overdoses and negative long-term health effects fueled political outcry. Some critics blamed Shulgin. In 1986, U.S. authorities classified Ecstasy, known as MDMA, as a Schedule 1 drug, which has “no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.” The DEA cut all ties with Shulgin. The biochemist spent the rest of his life defending his compounds, publishing countless papers about their therapeutic effects. He remained a dichotomous figure. The New York Times described him as “both a rogue and a wizard, a legitimate scientist and a counterculture hero.” The Guardian wrote: “It was not Shulgin’s intention to launch a global drug culture, nor to have that compound consumed with such abandon by millions of people. But it was his connection with this drug that made him a folk hero for the counterculture, known as the “godfather of ecstasy”, and a folk devil for many outside it.” Shulgin cautioned about the repercussions of psychedelics. “Use them with respect as to the transformations they can achieve, and you have an extraordinary research tool,” he wrote. “Go banging about with a psychedelic drug for a Saturday night turn-on, and you can get into a really bad place.” Family friends, colleagues and kin painted a picture of a hero, a savior. Shulgin applied science to develop a deeper sense of spirituality. He spent his life seeking truth. Shulgin’s research assistant, Tania Manning, explained how he taught her to “make friends with my shadow.” The message from Ricci and Jack Coddington, who traveled from Hawaii to attend the service: “We are forever grateful. Mahalo.” Scott Bodarky compared the late chemist to Socrates and Galileo, calling him the last Renaissance man, a “citizen scientist working in a shed out in the yard fueled by his curiosity, the love of the truth.” Mr. Natural also remembers him as having a dirty old boy’s humor. The oft-smiling Shulgin “really liked double-entendre and triple-entendres and if it bordered on the edge of something sexy, that was even better,” he recalled. He loved puns, palindromes, limericks and wordplays. Mariavittoria Mangini remembered one of his favorite jokes, about Gandhi, who walked barefoot, ate very little and suffered from bad breath. “This made him a super calloused fragile mystic hexed by halitosis,” she delivered the punchline, which elicited a roar of laughter from the audience—a reaction generated less from the bad pun itself than from the nostalgia for his sense of mirth. But most of all, Shulgin loved his Ann, his second wife, with whom he shared the latter half of his life. Together they wrote PIHKAL: A Chemical Love Story, an autobiography/psychedelic recipe book. Several speeches mentioned Shulgin’s everlasting love for his wife, noting how he would walk out to greet her every time she arrived home. After the ceremony, Ann sat at the center of a courtyard gazebo from which white linen blew in the wind. She was surrounded by her children, grandchildren and close family friends, while guests feasted on a potluck. Melodies from a duo of sitars wafted through the air. Inside there was a traditional tea service. Shulgin’s work has always combined spirituality and science. Mr. Natural sees it as combining the old world and the new world; he recounted how Shulgin would seek out shamans and witch doctors to see if the drug he synthesized matched one that they had been using for centuries. Where many chemists might look down on “soft” scientists such as psychiatrists, Shulgin insisted hard and soft science went hand in hand. He is credited with introducing MDMA to psychologists in the late 1970s. John Harrison, an addiction treatment specialist from San Diego and Shulgin memorial volunteer, said he sometimes uses psychedelics in his practice. “Some people think it’s snake oil,” he explained before the service, “but it’s in you.” The memorial’s participants noted that although Shulgin was no longer with them, he would be be forever be immortalized in his compounds. “It breaks my heart that we’re missing him now, but somehow it seems that Sasha Shulgin is now tripping in the cosmos somewhere,” said Paul Daley, a research chemist at UC Berkeley who worked closely with Shulgin. “Somehow I also have the feeling that I’ll be running into him again. I’ll probably recognize him in whatever form he’s taking, so I just want to let Sasha know, I’m keeping my eye out.” Posted on August 4, 2014 - 10:15am http://alumni.berkeley.edu/californi...n-now-tripping

Transnational criminal networks target Pacific; Australia looks to expand jobs to counter criminal elements https://au.news.yahoo.com/a/24658330/transnational-criminal-networks-target-pacific-australia-looks-to-expand-jobs-to-counter-criminal-elements/ By Australia Network Political Editor Catherine McGrath August 7, 2014, 8:38 pm Australian law enforcement agencies are concerned that criminal networks are increasingly targeting Pacific nations. A meeting in Canberra to discuss the issue has heard an outlawed Australian motorcycle gang has set up a branch in Fiji as it expands its illegal activities. The CEO of the Australian Crime Commission, Chris Dawson, and Australian Federal Police (AFP) Deputy Commissioner Michael Phelan said authorities are looking at increasing cooperation with Pacific nations to address the growing crisis. "Eighteen months ago one of the outlaw motor cycle groups known as the Rebels established a chapter in Fiji, not there just to ride motor bikes," Mr Dawson told the seminar. "They are described as an organised criminal network and are a key focus of law enforcement... they have expanded footprint globally and Pacific is one area of that. "No doubt that is a concern to the Pacific states." Hosted by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, the panel discussion also featured Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Brett Mason, and the Regional Representative for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Jeremy Douglas. Pacific used as 'staging point' for organised crime The Pacific is now a route to move drugs from the Americas. Mr Dawson says recent arrests have been made over the alleged importation of large quantities of drugs that have transited through the Pacific to Australia. The AFP is concerned about the lack of the rule of law and corruption as a driver of crime in the Pacific. AFP Deputy Commissioner Michael Phelan says Australia is the market for drugs and the Pacific has become a "staging point" because of its proximity. "If you look at the region and you look at organised crime as a business, then the market for serious and organised crime in our part of the world is us, is Australia," he said. "It is the biggest market for drugs and the source of capital for organised crime. The closest to us and part of our front door is the Pacific. "The only reason the Pacific is used as a staging point for either narcotics importation or the facilitation of money laundering and so on is because of the porous nature of the Pacific and issues such as the rule of law. "We see organised crime specifically exploiting those opportunities. Opportunities of corruption, opportunities of the proximity to Australia, for example you bring bulk (drugs) into Pacific islands then use small craft into Australia." UNODC wants to engage Pacific nations in programs it runs that can assist in countering transnational crime. Its regional representative for South-East Asia and the Pacific Jeremy Douglas says the UN can support local governments. Australia looking to help empower Pacific nations The Australian Government is considering expanding employment opportunities for Pacific Islanders in Australia to help grow economies and provide a counter to criminal pressures. Senator Brett Mason says that without economic growth the Pacific will remain a target for international crime syndicates. "What you want is to empower Pacific Island nations," he said."They want themselves and their own people to be empowered. "We already have a seasonal workers program here in Australia where Pacific Island nations' workers come and work often seasonally picking fruit and vegetables and they send back remittances to their nations. That has worked very well so far. "In the past there has been a lot of discussion from all parties in Australia about extending that more broadly and that will be part of the ongoing discussion,I think, in the Pacific." Senator Mason says labour mobility programs in Australia could help build economic viability in the Pacific. "It is part of a conversation about transnational crime more broadly that we are having in the Pacific." Senator Mason says it is a complicated issue due to immigration and labour laws and no timetable or targets have been set.

4 Aug 2014 Source: Columbian, The (WA) Website: http://www.columbian.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/92 Author: Jim Kennedy STATS ASCERTAIN PROHIBITION FAILED In a Los Angeles Times article appearing in The Columbian on July 29, "Pot: U.S. sees profound cultural shift," Stuart Gitlow, president of the American Society of Addiction Medicine, is quoted thusly: "When you look back at Prohibition, what you see is that per-capita use of alcohol dropped by more than 50 percent; as a result of that, alcohol-related deaths dropped considerably as well. Prohibition was an enormous public health success." This is where the adage about not believing everything you read fits. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, alcohol-related deaths increased during that period from 1 per 100,000 in 1920 to 4 per 100,000 in 1928. Also, crime was rampant during that period as is indicated by this quote from Henry Hilfers, the then-president of the New Jersey State Federation of Labor ( before the Senate, May 1926 ): "The Volstead Act has been the direct result of creating more crime in the state of New Jersey than there ever has been before." Shame on Gitlow for perpetuating a falsehood. Alcohol prohibition was an abysmal failure. I'm rather bemused it appears nothing was learned from that catastrophe. Jim Kennedy Vancouver ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I've been watching the TV documentary series "Prohibition", which clearly showed that it was a monumental failure, that in New York alcohol use actually increased, police and politicians were corrupted wholesale, ogranised crime / the Mafia became institutionalised, and many other people also went blind from wood alcohol (methanol) in bad liquor (which is one of the things that's currently occurring in Bali, and the rest of Indonesia, from Arak, which often is extended with methanol). It actually began from racist ideology; the white Anglo-Saxon protestants organised politically and passed the Volstead Act to repress the Irish catholics and Germans, who often liked a drink. A fascinating series, with parallels to drug prohibition; another, even bigger, resounding failure; it's on SBS1 & SBS HD at 1.50 a.m. on Fridays, but check out your local guide. As the lady said many decades ago, following its repeal: "You can't legislate morals". "Those who don't learn from history are condemned to repeat it"

http://www.bluelight.org/vb/threads/731482-Fewer-Teenagers-Are-Using-Pot-Now-That-Colorado-Has-Legalized-It poledriver Today 11:25 Fewer Teenagers Are Using Pot Now That Colorado Has Legalized It DENVER (Reuters) – The number of Colorado high school students who believe marijuana is harmful has fallen since the state legalized recreational pot, while teen use of the drug has declined slightly during the same time, health officials said on Thursday. Colorado and Washington became the first U.S. states to legalise the possession and use of recreational marijuana by adults in ballot measures approved by voters in 2012. Retail marijuana stores opened in Colorado on Jan. 1 and in Washington last month. Alaska, Oregon and the District of Columbia will vote on legalization initiatives in the fall. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment said that in a survey it conducted of 40,000 teens, 54 per cent believe use of the drug poses “a moderate to serious risk” to their health, down from 58 per cent polled before the vote to allow recreational pot sales. The survey found that one in five students admitted using marijuana within the last 30 days, down from 22 per cent of those surveyed in 2011. One-third said they have tried pot. Dr. Larry Wolk, the Colorado health department’s chief medical officer, said in a statement that more young people will likely experiment with pot because of legalization. But cigarette smoking by teens is declining at a faster rate than marijuana use, he noted, due to efforts to curb its use. “As with tobacco, youth education prevention campaigns will help ensure adult legalization of marijuana … does not impact the health of Colorado kids,” Wolk said. “We know what works to protect young people from unhealthy substances.” Bob Doyle, chairman of the Colorado chapter of Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM), a group opposed to legalization, said his organisation shares the health department’s concerns about “the negative impact” pot is having on the state. “The good news is the majority of communities in Colorado have a ban or moratorium on commercial marijuana businesses, and we hope that trend continues,” Doyle said. Cont - http://www.businessinsider.com.au/r-...zation-2014-07 --> Pmoseman Bluelighter Join Date Jan 2013 Location United States Posts 1,365 Today 11:34 Same thing happened in Portugal; as far as I'm concerned, this was as predicted. Will there be an increase in overall new users ("lifetime use") and a decrease in heavy users?

This refers to an earlier post: "Mystery surrounds THREE DAY police 'drug' raid on 43-year-old light plane after it made bizarre journey from the US to Australia via Guam and the Philippines" http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/illawarra-regional-airport-at-albion-park-used-to-import-guns-and-drugs-police-say/story-fni0cx12-1227015921543 Mark Morri Crime Editor The Daily Telegraph August 07, 2014 12:00AM Police go over a US-registered Swearingen Merlin 3 twin-turbo prop plane at the Illawarra Airport, Albion Park / Picture: Dean Lewins/AAP Pilot Bernard Stevermuer / Picture: Simon Bullard. Pilot, 43, charged with being part of crime gang Police broke up ‘sophisticated drug network’ Eight-seater plane was bought in U.S. for $400,000 Flew around world before arriving at Port Kembla A TINY regional airport 80km south of Sydney was used by a major international crime syndicate to ­import guns and drugs for distribution throughout southwest Sydney, police ­alleged yesterday. Port Kembla court heard the syndicate allegedly spent more than $400,000 buying an eight-seater plane in the US. It was then allegedly flown around the world before entering Australia at Port Hedland. It ended up at the Illawarra Regional Airport at Albion Park where it was seized by police Wollongong pilot, Bernard Stevemuer, 43, has been charged with being part of a criminal organisation and dealing with the proceeds of crime. He made a brief appearance yesterday to have his bail conditions altered. His part in the syndicate was allegedly uncovered during an investigation by NSW detectives from the Middle Eastern Organised Crime squad which began in April. “Through an ongoing ­investigation police were able to establish that this syndicate was under control and direction of Darren Rispen, known as Buzz, and Yousseff Sammak, known as Joey,’’ the documents said. “It was established (they) were responsible for orchestrating an established, sophisticated well-respected drug manufacture and distribution network operating throughout southwest Sydney.’’ The pair were also ­alleged to have links to outlaw motor cycle gangs. Illawarra Regional Airport at Albion Park, where the drugs were imported. Picture: Simon Bullard Police documents allege the syndicate used Stevemuer and a finance company, Mortgage Kingdom at Five Dock, to purchase the plane in the US which was flown to Malaysia before heading into Australia. “It is alleged that the ­accused, along with a ­another man were responsible by the syndicate to obtain the plane from US into Australia for the purpose of facilitating the (supply of) prohibited drugs and firearms. “It is alleged this importation took place around Friday, June 27, 2014.’’ Port Kembla Police Station and the local courthouse. Picture: Supplied It was also alleged Stevemeuer appeared to come into a large amount of money and offered to buy a business at the Illawarra airport for $1.5 million. The sale fell through when he wanted to pay for the first instalment with $300,000 in cash but allegedly would not tell the ­vendor where the money came from. On July 8 police raided the airport, arresting Stevememuer and impounding the plane. Police claim they also found cash inside his vehicle, which was near the hangar.

http://www.bluelight.org/vb/threads/730297-A-Man-Got-High-on-52-Different-Drugs-Then-Drew-These-Trippy-Self-Portraits 26-07-2014 02:42 A Man Got High on 52 Different Drugs Then Drew These Trippy Self-Portraits neversickanymore View Profile View Forum Posts Private Message View Blog Entries View Articles Add as Contact Senior Moderator Recovery Support Science & Technology -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join Date Jan 2013 Location babysitting the argument in my head Posts 10,552 26-07-2014 02:42 A Man Got High on 52 Different Drugs Then Drew These Trippy Self-Portraits * http://www.ryot.org/bryan-saunders-self-portraits-drugs/765053/4 * ^Slide show and short article IV morphine RECOVERY FORUMS ~~~ADDICTION GUIDE~~~ CONTACT ME^Slide show and short article IV morphine --> Zerrr Bluelighter Join Date Oct 2010 Posts 404 26-07-2014 07:54 Classic I want one.. IV Cocaine

http://www.bluelight.org/vb/threads/731316-Since-marijuana-legalization-highway-fatalities-in-Colorado-are-near-historic-lows Join Date Dec 2010 Posts 278 Today 00:09 http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/t...historic-lows/ Since Colorado voters legalized pot in 2012, prohibition supporters have warned that recreational marijuana will lead to a scourge of “drugged divers” on the state’s roads. They often point out that when the state legalized medical marijuana in 2001, there was a surge in drivers found to have smoked pot. They also point to studies showing that in other states that have legalized pot for medical purposes, we’ve seen an increase in the number of drivers testing positive for the drug who were involved in fatal car accidents. The anti-pot group SAM recently pointed out that even before the first legal pot store opened in Washington state, the number of drivers in that state testing positive for pot jumped by a third. The problem with these criticisms is that we can test only for the presence of marijuana metabolites, not for inebriation. Metabolites can linger in the body for days after the drug’s effects wear off — sometimes even for weeks. Because we all metabolize drugs differently (and at different times and under different conditions), all that a positive test tells us is that the driver has smoked pot at some point in the past few days or weeks. It makes sense that loosening restrictions on pot would result in a higher percentage of drivers involved in fatal traffic accidents having smoked the drug at some point over the past few days or weeks. You’d also expect to find that a higher percentage of churchgoers, good Samaritans and soup kitchen volunteers would have pot in their system. You’d expect a similar result among any large sampling of people. This doesn’t necessarily mean that marijuana caused or was even a contributing factor to accidents, traffic violations or fatalities. This isn’t an argument that pot wasn’t a factor in at least some of those accidents, either. But that’s precisely the point. A post-accident test for marijuana metabolites doesn’t tell us much at all about whether pot contributed to the accident. Since the new Colorado law took effect in January, the “drugged driver” panic has only intensified. I’ve already written about one dubious example, in which the Colorado Highway Patrol and some local and national media perpetuated a story that a driver was high on pot when he slammed into a couple of police cars parked on an interstate exit ramp. While the driver did have some pot in his system, his blood-alcohol level was off the charts and was far more likely the cause of the accident. In my colleague Marc Fisher’s recent dispatch from Colorado, law enforcement officials there and in bordering states warned that they’re seeing more drugged drivers. Congress recently held hearings on the matter, complete with dire predictions such as “We are going to have a lot more people stoned on the highway and there will be consequences,” from Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.). Some have called for a zero tolerance policy — if you’re driving with any trace of pot in your system, you’re guilty of a DWI. That would effectively ban anyone who smokes pot from driving for up to a couple of weeks after their last joint, including people who legitimately use the drug for medical reasons. It seems to me that the best way to gauge the effect legalization has had on the roadways is to look at what has happened on the roads since legalization took effect. Here’s a month-by-month comparison of highway fatalities in Colorado through the first seven months of this year and last year. For a more thorough comparison, I’ve also included the highest fatality figures for each month since 2002, the lowest for each month since 2002 and the average for each month since 2002. As you can see, roadway fatalities this year are down from last year, and down from the 13-year average. Of the seven months so far this year, five months saw a lower fatality figure this year than last, two months saw a slightly higher figure this year, and in one month the two figures were equal. If we add up the total fatalities from January through July, it looks like this: Here, the “high” bar (pardon the pun) is what you get when you add the worst January since 2002 to the worst February, to the worst March, and so on. The “low” bar is the sum total of the safest January, February, etc., since 2002. What’s notable here is that the totals so far in 2014 are closer to the safest composite year since 2002 than to the average year since 2002. I should also add here that these are total fatalities. If we were to calculate these figures as a rate — say, miles driven per fatality — the drop would be starker, both for this year and since Colorado legalized medical marijuana in 2001. While the number of miles Americans drive annually has leveled off nationally since the mid-2000s, the number of total miles traveled continues to go up in Colorado. If we were to measure by rate, then, the state would be at lows unseen in decades. The figures are similar in states that have legalized medical marijuana. While some studies have shown that the number of drivers involved in fatal collisions who test positive for marijuana has steadily increased as pot has become more available, other studies have shown that overall traffic fatalities in those states have dropped. Again, because the pot tests only measure for recent pot use, not inebriation, there’s nothing inconsistent about those results. Of course, the continuing drop in roadway fatalities, in Colorado and elsewhere, is due to a variety of factors, such as better-built cars and trucks, improved safety features and better road engineering. These figures in and of themselves only indicate that the roads are getting safer; they don’t suggest that pot had anything to do with it. We’re also only seven months in. Maybe these figures will change. Finally, it’s also possible that if it weren’t for legal pot, the 2014 figures would be even lower. There’s no real way to know that. We can only look at the data available. But you can bet that if fatalities were up this year, prohibition supporters would be blaming it on legal marijuana. (Interestingly, though road fatalities have generally been falling in Colorado for a long time, 2013 actually saw a slight increase from 2012. So fatalities are down the year after legalization, after having gone up the year before.) That said, some researchers have gone so far as to suggest that better access to pot is making the roads safer, at least marginally. The theory is that people are substituting pot for alcohol, and pot causes less driver impairment than booze. I’d need to see more studies before I’d be ready to endorse that theory. For example, there’s also some research contradicting the theory that drinkers are ready to substitute pot for alcohol. But the data are far more supportive of that than of the claims that stoned drivers are menacing Colorado’s roadways. CLARIFICATION: I wrote that “we can test only for the presence of marijuana metabolites, not for inebriation.” That isn’t quite accurate. This is true of roadside tests. But a blood test taken at a hospitals can measure for THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. That said, even here there are problems. Regular users can have still have remnant THC in their blood well after the effects have worn off. Regular users can also have levels above the legal limit and still drive perfectly well. In Colorado, a THC level of 5 nano grams or more brings a presumptive charge of driving under the influence. However, references to “marijuana-related” accidents in studies, by prohibitionists, and by law enforcement could refer to any measure or trace of the drug. So when officials and legalization opponents talk about increases in these figures, it still isn’t clear what any of this means for road safety. http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/t...historic-lows/ --> CLICKHEREx Bluelighter Today 16:39 Thanks for that; been waiting for the early figures. My prediction was that there may be a slight increase in the first year, as some people began using both marijuana and alcohol, while others made the switch completely, and both groups would have had to go through a period of adjustment, with a reduction in following years, but I'm pleasantly surprised to find out that I seem to be wrong. Nobody should use alcohol, and / or other drugs and drive under their influence, but I'd much prefer to be on roads with drivers impaired by marijuana, than alcohol, cocaine, opiates, meth / ice, and other amphetamines, or most other drugs. The rest of my prediction was that, over the next decade, the road toll should continue to reduce, then slowly plateau.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-08-05/alleged-large-scale-cannabis-operation-found-after-bushfire/5650978 Updated Tue at 11:17pmTue 5 Aug 2014, 11:17pm Photo: Cannabis was found in a shipping container buried on a property. (NSW Police) Related Story: NSW fires destroy houses in Clarence Valley Map: Grafton 2460 A large-scale hydroponic drug operation has been discovered in a shipping container buried underground near a house destroyed by a bushfire on the New South Wales North Coast. Police said a shipping container holding more than 100 cannabis plants was found intact, buried just metres from a home destroyed by fire last weekend in Kremnos, south of Grafton. Detective Inspector Darren Jameson said it was a large-scale hydroponic cannabis-growing operation. "Investigators went back to the premises today armed with a warrant, and have seized well over $600,000 worth of drugs, being cannabis," he said. "Apart from the 118 cannabis plants allegedly seized, we've also seized over 1 kilogram of cannabis leaf." Photo: Cannabis plants allegedly found in a shipping container. (NSW Police) [ Note the 1000 W metal halide bulb visible in the background ] Detective Inspector Jameson said a 68-year-old man is facing drug cultivation and supply charges. "He's been taken to Grafton Police Station and is currently assisting police with our inquiries," he said. "He will be charged with cultivating a commercial quantity of cannabis plants, he's also going to be charged with supplying cannabis, and he'll be bailed to appear at Grafton Local Court on the 15th of September." Detective Inspector Jameson said while the Kremnos fire is believed to have been deliberately lit, it is not suspected to have originated on the property. "It was a victim of the fire itself, and there is no indication anywhere to suggest the fire started on that property," he said. "But our investigations are still ongoing in respect to the fire."

http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2014/aug/06/drug_war_chronicle_needs_donations raising awareness of the consequences of prohibition Drug War Chronicle Needs Your Support by David Borden, August 06, 2014, 09:11pm, (Issue #846) Drug War Chronicle needs your support to continue to our work of informing and empowering the drug policy reform and legalization movements. Please make the most generous donation you can to ensure the Chronicle can continue! We continue to offer the following items (as well continue other items through our donation form's drop-down menu): E-Book: "After Legalization: Understanding the Future of Marijuana Policy," by John Walker of Firedoglake. Read our review of the book, by Drug War Chronicle editor Phil Smith, here. Donate $12 or more to StoptheDrugWar.org, and we will email you a code and instructions for downloading After Legalization (epub or mobi format). Author-Signed: Dr. Carl Hart's "High Price: A Neuroscientist's Journey of Self-Discovery That Challenges Everything You Know About Drugs and Society" -- now for a reduced minimum donation amount of $35. (Author-signed copies will be sent for as long as current stocks last. After they run out, we reserve the right to send unsigned copies if necessary.) For a minimum donation of $40, you can request both High Price and After Legalization. For any premium order, make sure to specify your request using our donation form's drop-down menu, or use the comment box for any special instructions. Although we've asked for the above-listed minimum donation amounts to qualify for these gifts with your membership, I also hope you'll donate more if you can afford to. Things have changed in the drug reform funding scene, making our organization more dependent on membership to continue our programs. Also note that donations to StoptheDrugWar.org can be tax-deductible, supporting our educational work, or non-deductible, supporting our lobbying work. (Note that selecting any gift items reduces the amount of your donation that is deductible -- which with a smaller gift amount can be most of it.) Donations can be made by credit card or PayPal at http://stopthedrugwar.org/donate, or sent by mail to P.O. Box 9853, Washington, DC 20016. If you are donating by check, please make it payable to DRCNet Foundation (if tax-deductible) or Drug Reform Coordination Network (if not deductible). If you wish to donate stock, the information to give your brokerage is Ameritrade, (800) 669-3900), DTC#0188, and account number 781926492 for tax-deductible gifts or 864663500 for non-deductible gifts -- please make sure to contact us if donating in this way. Thank you for supporting drug policy reform at this time of amazing opportunity but continuing challenges. Working together we can and will change things for the better -- in fact we already are. Sincerely, David Borden, Executive Director StoptheDrugWar.org Washington, DC http://stopthedrugwar.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unfortunately I'm not in a position to donate, although I did earlier this year at Erowid.org, have given 2 carloads of food & winter clothing for the homeless, and will contribute to Swags.org later. Hopefully though, some of the forum members would be better placed to make a modest donation.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/pa/article-2710819/MAN-DIES-AFTER-SMOKING-LEGAL-HIGH.html#ixzz39fjOvwZl 30 July 2014 A man has died after smoking herbal incense, police said. The 44-year-old, who has not been named, became suddenly unwell and collapsed moments after smoking the substance, sold under the name Eclipse, a "legal high" described as herbal ecstasy. He was taken to hospital and died on July 25, six days after smoking the substance while in the Northern Quarter of Manchester city centre on the afternoon of July 19. Police say his exact cause of death has not yet been established, but there are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances surrounding his death. However, police are still investigating the death and have issued a warning to other users of "legal highs", which have been involved in a number of previous fatal incidents across the country. Eclipse is marketed as herbal incense and described on the internet as herbal ecstasy. Detective Sergeant Mark Astbury of Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said: "While the circumstances surrounding the man's death are very much ongoing, we know for certain he became very unwell soon after smoking the incense and are working with the coroner to establish the full circumstances. "Eclipse and other such herbal incense, while often marketed as not for human consumption or inhalation, are surreptitiously sold by retailers and frequently consumed by users as so-called 'legal highs'. "Faced with what we know, we feel it is important to send out what will appear to most to be an extremely obvious safety message. "Put simply: do not smoke herbal incense. It is not for direct inhalation and you do not know what effect it will have on your wellbeing." Latest figures from the Office of National Statistics show a sharp increase in drug-related deaths involving "legal highs" from 29 in 2011 to 52 in 2012.

http://www.bluelight.org/vb/threads/731289-Electric-Zoo-Attendees-Will-Be-Forced-To-Watch-Anti-Drug-PSA-Before-Entry edgarshade Bluelighter Yesterday 13:52 Gothamist With reader comments Embattled EDM festival Electric Zoo's been trying to combat concert drug use after two attendees died after taking MDMA and methylone last year. And as promised, they've launched an anti-drug PSA campaign that attendees will be subject to before entering concert grounds. It'll work about as well as that anti-pot episode of Saved By The Bell you watched once, but at least this one's in HD! The so-called "Come To Life" campaign, created specially for the three-day Labor Day weekend festival, features a two-minute PSA called "The Molly," directed by Dexter creator James Manos, Jr. According to founders Laura De Palma and Mike Bindra: "Our message to concertgoers is simple: The Electric Zoo experience is exceptional and worth being present for. Molly can cause you to not only miss the moment, alienate your friends and have an overall adverse and unpleasant experience…but can also make you sick and can even be fatal." And if you avoid Electric Zoo like the plague, but are still itching to see this anti-EDM anti-drug PSA, never fear—it leaked online last month. Behold: The only way this could make you want to attend this festival less is if upon ticket purchase, you were forced to watch that horrendous Dexter series finale over and over and over again, but this time the whole debacle is soundtracked by Skrillex. http://gothamist.com/2014/08/05/elec...o_drug_psa.php --> --> S.J.P. Well, that was painful to watch. Burnt Offerings I'll have some of whatever that guy had! --> pofacedhoe Moderator Join Date Mar 2008 Location reason 7 Posts 4,905 Yesterday 19:32 cringe but slightly true lol. to be fair he didn't go mongy or gurn enough --> drug_mentor Join Date Jul 2006 Location Australia Posts 6,010 2 minutes of my life I will never get back, what a shitty, pointless and (I am guessing) completely ineffective video. Australian Drug Discussion Guidelines subotai Join Date Mar 2014 Posts 4,955 somebody got paid to make that let that sink in for a minute --> Frydea Bluelighter Join Date Aug 2011 Location Southern California Posts 141 Today 02:31 Hahaha so hilarious! crimsonjunk Join Date Nov 2008 Location Alabamastan Posts 3,781 Blog Entries 72 Well I'm convinced I'm never taking drugs again. Thanks electric zoo! --> xstayfadedx Bluelighter Join Date Jan 2011 Location Pistolvania Posts 14,343 Blog Entries Lol and that's why I will never go to ezoo.… sorry, the lineup isn't that great for the amount of $$$$ they charge for tickets, and now this? The afterparties in the city for ezoo have always been better than the actual ezoo. --> ro4eva Join Date Nov 2004 Location Um, at the potato range? Serving up my weapon of mash destruction? Posts 2,837 Blog Entries 8 "Don't miss the moment - be present." I'll pass but thanks. "Avoid the risks." So, be sure to test my stuff. Don't overdo it with the dosage. Stay hydrated - preferably with a sports drink such as Gatorade. Take breaks between dances. Go with friends I can depend on if there's a problem. Don't consume alcoholic beverages. Try not to smoke. Take some low dose Aspirin + Xanax with me just in case. Don't roll and drive. Did I miss anything? ------------------------------------------------------ That was somewhat unsettling to watch - awkward laugh. However, I was expecting much worse to be honest. Was convinced he was going to collapse, and so forth...

http://www.bluelight.org/vb/threads/731341-Breathe-on-labels-to-know-if-drugs-are-counterfeit neversickanymore Today 04:05 BREATHE ON LABELS TO KNOW IF DRUGS ARE COUNTERFEIT Kate McAlpine August 6, 2014 Counterfeit drugs make up to one-third of the pharmaceutical drug market in some countries. To fight back, researchers in the US and South Korea have developed labels that reveal an image when activated by a breath of air. Fake drugs, which at best contain wrong doses and at worst are toxic, are thought to kill more than 700,000 people each year. While less than 1 percent of the US pharmaceuticals market is believed to be counterfeit, it is a huge problem in the developing world. “One challenge in fighting counterfeiting is the need to stay ahead of the counterfeiters,” says Nicholas Kotov, professor of chemical engineering, who led the University of Michigan effort. VERY TINY FEATURES’ The method requires access to sophisticated equipment that can create very tiny features, roughly 500 times smaller than the width of a human hair. But once the template is made, labels can be printed in large rolls at a cost of roughly one dollar per square inch. That’s cheap enough for companies to use in protecting the reputation of their products—and potentially the safety of their consumers. RELATED ARTICLES ON FUTURITY Photovoltaik California Institute of Technology Full spectrum boosts solar cell power PureMadi5_1 University of Virginia Clay tablet purifies water for months Horowitz science_1 University of California, Santa Barbara Superconductivity, Einstein team up “We use a molding process,” Shyu says, noting that this inexpensive manufacturing technique is the same used to make plastic cups. The labels work because an array of tiny pillars on the top of a surface effectively hides images written on the material beneath. Shyu compares the texture of the pillars to a submicroscopic toothbrush. The hidden images appear when the pillars trap moisture. “You can verify that you have the real product with just a breath of air,” Kotov says. The simple phenomenon could make it easy for buyers to avoid being fooled by fake packaging MOLDED IMAGES Previously, it was impossible to make nanopillars through cheap molding processes because the pillars were made from materials that preferred adhering to the mold rather than whatever surface they were supposed to cover. To overcome this challenge, the team developed a special blend of polyurethane and an adhesive. The liquid polymer filled the mold, but as it cured, the material shrunk slightly. This allowed the pillars to release easily. They are also strong enough to withstand rubbing, ensuring that the label would survive some wear, such as would occur during shipping. The usual material for making nanopillars is too brittle to survive handling well. The team demonstrated the nanopillars could stick to plastics, fabric, paper, and metal, and they anticipate that the arrays will also transfer easily to glass and leather. This work is reported in Advanced Materials. The university is pursuing patent protection for the intellectual property and is seeking commercialization partners to help bring the technology to market. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the National Science Foundation, the Korea Ministry of Science, Information and Communications Technology and Future Planning, the Ministry of Knowledge Economy, and the Korea Evaluation Institute of Industry Technology funded the project. http://www.futurity.org/labels-count...-drugs-743142/

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-08-06/security-laws-abbott-browsing-history-not-collected/5652364 * By political correspondent Emma Griffiths Wed 6 Aug 2014, 6:40pm Video: Tony Abbott talks about new terrorism laws, data retention plan (ABC News) Prime Minister Tony Abbott has sought to allay concerns about the impact of new security laws on privacy. The Government announced yesterday that it would draft legislation to compel telephone and internet companies to keep metadata - information on customers' calls and internet use - for security agencies to access. This morning, Mr Abbott said authorities would be able to see what internet sites people were viewing. "It is not what you're doing on the internet, it's the sites you're visiting," he told Channel Nine. "It's not the content, it's just where you have been, so to speak." But later Mr Abbott said the metadata to be collected would not include people's browsing history. "We are not seeking content, we are seeking metadata," he said. He used a metaphor to explain that "metadata is the material on the front of the envelope, and the contents of the letter will remain private". Are you concerned about the Government's plans to compel telephone and internet companies to keep metadata? * "All we want is for the telecommunications companies to continue to keep the person sending the information, the person to whom the information is being sent, the time it was sent and the place it was sent from," he added. Liberty vs security The crux of the privacy concerns over mandatory data retention is this: knowing that someone might be watching makes us act as if someone is watching, writes Matthew Beard. The Prime Minister's office later clarified that web-browsing history is considered content, not metadata, and authorities need a warrant to access it. Metadata would also include the basic information about a phone call, such as the caller's location and the number they call. It does not include the content of the telephone conversation. Federal Cabinet has given "in-principle" approval for new laws to require companies to keep the information for a certain amount of time, but the detail is unlikely to be known until the legislation is finalised later this year. Many companies currently keep metadata, but it is understood the federal laws will mandate the information be retained longer. Brandis says metadata helped in Jill Meagher case But Attorney-General George Brandis, who is working on the draft laws, says he wants to make sure content is not included. What the Government says about 'metadata' and 'content' For web browsing, "content" is anything user generated, eg: typing in a URL, clicking through to links or a Google search. "Metadata" is information the system automatically puts in around the user-generated content, eg: IP addresses, number of visits to a site and length of time on a page. An IP address viewed in the metadata would show a person visited a certain website, but would not show what specific pages they visited there, if they wrote anything there or viewed videos. Currently, authorities can request access to metadata from telcos/ISPs, but they require a warrant for access to "content". Read the full explanation "We want to maintain the sharp distinction between metadata and content," he told Sky TV. "Sometimes that distinction is blurred and that's why we are developing protocols to try and ensure the integrity of that distinction is maintained." The Attorney-General was pressed to explain that distinction, especially in terms of internet use. "What the security agencies want to be retained is the electronic address of the website that the web user is visiting - it tells you the address of the website," he said. "When you visit a website people browse from one thing to the next and that browsing history won't be retained and there won't be any capacity to access that." He added that, while this was "at its heart a counter-terrorism measure", the move would also boost the general crime-fighting ability of authorities. "The fact is that access to metadata is an extremely useful criminal investigative tool," he said. "When Jill Meagher was murdered in Victoria a little while ago it was access to metadata that assisted Victorian police in tracking down her killer - with a warrant. "I've discussed this matter with my counterpart in the United Kingdom who tells me this is also used to track down paedophile rings." Former federal police officer turned academic Nigel Phair says retaining metadata is a powerful tool on its own, without access to the "content". "In many instances for law enforcement and national security organisations that metadata is more important and more valuable than the content itself," he said. But Human Rights Commissioner Tim Wilson says the proposed changes are a threat to privacy. "I dismiss the idea that metadata is just an irrelevant part of the discussion so long as it doesn't relate to content," he said. Liberal frontbencher Stuart Robert says he has no problem with people's web-browsing history being stored. "Not at all, keeping in mind Google already stores your browsing history as it is," he said. Government needs to clarify definition of metadata: iiNet Telcos have resisted the proposed security law changes, with Australia's second-biggest broadband provider, iiNet, saying a data retention system would cost it alone around $100 million. The company's chief regulatory officer, Steve Dalby, told ABC's PM program last month that what is missing from the debate is the Government's definition of metadata. "[What's missing is] some specifics about what is going to be retained," he said. "When we talk about data retention, it can be everything from a very small amount to a mind-boggling amount of data that is generated when people use telecommunications services - whether that's telephony, which is on the low side, or it's the internet, which generates massive amounts of metadata." Mr Dalby says iiNet received "confusing information" from the Government. "We have a briefing paper from the Attorney-General's Department that goes back a few years that is very broad, and talks about a great range of metadata that should be collected and stored for up to two years," he said "On the other hand, we've got comments from the Attorney-General himself that talk about telephone companies collecting routine metadata for the telephone billing purposes. "We've got something in the middle of that which talks about collecting all the internet metadata, but somehow having the content stripped out of that. Metadata contains content. "You know, we are confused. We need some clarity." Mr Dalby says telcos have received feedback that the Government will not cover the cost of data retention. "What the Government plans to do is to have the ISPs foot the bill for the collection, the storage, the safekeeping of that data and then when a law enforcement officer requires a search for some specific item then they will pay, I think, something like $25 a pop," he said. Laws to crack down on home-grown terrorism Other laws to crack down on home-grown terrorism will come before Parliament when it resumes later this month. The Terrorism Foreign Fighter Bill will make it an offence to travel to certain locations the Government deems to be of "terrorist activity" unless the person can prove it was for humanitarian or family reasons. The Government will also seek to broaden the laws to cover the prohibition of 'terrorism', rather than an individual act of terrorism, and make it an offence to promote or encourage terrorism. Audio: Concerns grow about broad reach of proposed spy powers (The World Today) The criteria for authorities to be granted control orders and search warrants will also be loosened. Australia's spies are welcoming the Government's push to introduce tough new laws to tackle home-grown terrorists, but civil liberty groups say the likelihood of attacks is being exaggerated. Barrister and spokesman for the Australian Lawyers Alliance, Greg Barns, says the most concerning thing about the new bill is the attempt to lower the standard of proof for certain offences committed overseas. "It's a gross undermining of a fundamental right that everyone has in the criminal justice system," he told ABC's The World Today program. "And particularly so when one considers that the penalties, when found guilty of terrorism offences, effectively are from five years up to life. "What you're going to find here, if you lower the standard of proof, you will get innocent people who will go to jail." More on this story* What does the Government say about metadata? AFP calls for more access to metadata to snare criminals Civil liberty groups suspect terrorism threat exaggerated _______________________________________________________________________________________________ Although they may not be seeking the actual content of the interactions on websites, or conversations on mobile phones (at this stage) they will use it to target and investigate such usage, and the people involved.

http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/2014/08/the-governments-drugs-strategy-is-miles-behind-todays-drug-dealers/ 4 August 2014 New powers to tackle the huge growth in ‘legal’ highs are set to be introduced. Dame Sally Davies, the chief medical officer, is said to be pushing for the most radical move, a blanket ban on all psychoactive substances. My heart sinks. Do those at the top of government really think that a blanket ban will solve the problem? The evidence doesn’t suggest so: prohibition very rarely reduces drug use. So why do they think that an even more extreme level of prohibition will help? New varieties of ‘legal’ high will be invented and put on sale on the internet. Many of these drugs are already imported from foreign websites, and it’s hard to see how this ban can stop this from happening. The emergence of ‘legal’ highs presents a good opportunity for the government to reassess Britain’s creaking drug laws. But no, rather than seize that opportunity, they’ve grabbed the sledgehammer. This unsophisticated approach won’t reduce drug use, and it certainly won’t make ‘legal’ highs any safer. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nick Wallis • a day ago Ireland tried this in 2010. Irish youth are now some of the biggest consumers of NPS (Novel Psychoactive Substances) in the European Union. Down here in Australia, three states have introduced similar legislation to Ireland. New South Wales defined ‘psychoactive substance’ to refer to any substance (other than those exempted - ie. tobacco, caffeine, alcohol) which stimulates or depresses the central nervous system, resulting in hallucination or significant disturbance or change to motor function, thinking, behaviour, perception, awareness or mood, or creates a state of dependence. This broad-reaching legislation has not yet been tested in the courts, so it's hard to tell how well it will hold up, but according to their definitions there are a number of potentially unintended consequences of this legislation, including: Banning all plants that contain DMT or other similar tryptamines, which includes Australia's native wattle which can be seen on our national emblem. Avocado (among other things) contain cannabinoids that appear to be banned under the legislation. Many cheeses also contain cannabinoids and opioid-like substances that are technically banned under a broad reading of the legislation. The other part of this legislation is that: Direct or indirect advertisement or promotion of a psychoactive substance for consumption, supply, sale or on how to acquire one is considered an offence. This is broadest in South Australia, where it is illegal to promote something with words that MAY give another person the idea that it might get them high (So... what of Red Bull's "Gives You Wings" campaign???). This legislation is usually touted as a 'reversal of the onus of proof' by legislators. To be clear: Reversing the 'onus of proof' requires that there must be a possibility to prove that something is of a certain level of safety. This is IMPOSSIBLE under this kind of legislation, because it ASSUMES that any psychoactive effect (other than those randomly exempted) is a moral, social a health/welfare evil that must be stopped AT ALL COST. This is the presumption of prohibition. It is a MORAL one, not a scientific one. And it sits on VERY shaky moral grounds that have very, very few valid propositions backing it up. Shift the psychoactive paradigm. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- And how exactly is "significant disturbance" defined? What of herbal relaxants / anxiolytics (anti anxiety products, such as passionflower, valerian, and kava, or non herbal ones, such a 5-htp, or herbal antidepressants like St. John's Wort?

http://www.bluelight.org/vb/threads/731232-Anal-rape-Just-another-tool-police-use-to-fight-the-drug-war ... View Profile View Forum Posts Private Message View Blog Entries View Articles Add as Contact Bluelighter -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join Date Dec 2010 Posts 277 Today 02:07 http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/t...-the-drug-war/ Great reporting here from ReasonTV about those awful anal cavity search stories in New Mexico. Given that you know what happens when the cameras stop rolling, the security video is absolutely chilling. As the video points out, the cops’ obsession with anal cavity searches is odd, given that there’s no reason for someone to be smuggling drugs that way if they aren’t crossing a border. Not surprisingly, these abuses are also being incentivized by anti-drug grants from the federal government. It’s also useful to stop and reflect on the bigger picture here. The government believes it has the power to forcibly enter your body in the name of preventing you and others from getting high. If you’re innocent, tough luck. Oh, and they’re going to send you a medical bill for your troubles. These searches were illegal. And Timothy Young and David Eckert were at least compensated (by taxpayers). But as I wrote in a piece for Huffington Post last year, the fact that they’re illegal doesn’t stop them from happening — and not just in New Mexico: There have been other cases in Texas, Wisconsin, Massachusetts and Michigan. If you or I illegally penetrate someone’s anus, we’re culpable for criminal sexual assault. But if a police officer illegally penetrates someone’s anus, or orders someone else to do it, it’s just a misunderstanding of the law. No one is to blame. The cops who ordered these searches not only weren’t arrested, they weren’t disciplined in any way. The judge who signed off on the warrant in the Eckert search is protected by absolute immunity. Same for the prosecutor. The hospital staff who perform these “searches” are also committing ethical violations. But they too are unlikely to face any sanctions because they’re complying with a police request. This especially true with requests that come with a warrant. http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/t...-the-drug-war/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- #2 ... View Profile View Forum Posts Private Message View Blog Entries View Articles Add as Contact Bluelighter -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join Date Dec 2010 Posts 277 Today 02:10 Not to mention the incidence of rape in American prisons, and the way police utilize prison rape to scare you into compliance. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- #3 'medicine cabinet' View Profile View Forum Posts Private Message View Blog Entries View Articles Add as Contact Bluelighter -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join Date Jun 2006 Location Baltimore Posts 6,414 Today 03:54 Sounds like its one big excuse for cops to do their favorite thing, fuck someone's ass. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- #4 TheLostBoys View Profile View Forum Posts Private Message View Blog Entries View Articles Add as Contact Send Email Bluelighter -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join Date Aug 2010 Location East Coast Posts 3,733 Today 07:45 Its only gonna get worse.......you will be shocked just how bad it will be in the world in 10 years with police brutality, etc....... Only way to stop this BS is for us to stand up to the massive agression we've been kept to for many years. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- #5 ... View Profile View Forum Posts Private Message View Blog Entries View Articles Add as Contact Bluelighter -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join Date Dec 2010 Posts 277 Today 08:11 I think the wide availability of video cameras, coupled with the internet, is the beginning of a very subtle revolution against the oppressive State. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- #6 slimvictor View Profile View Forum Posts Private Message View Blog Entries View Articles Add as Contact Moderator Drugs in the Media -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join Date Dec 2008 Location "Darkness cannot be dissipated with more darkness. More darkness will make darkness thicker. Only light can dissipate darkness. Violence and hatred cannot be removed with violence and hatred." - Thich Nhat Hanh Posts 6,382 Today 14:01 The issue is whether the government has control over your body. War on drugs says no. Therefore, anal rape is just part of the bigger picture, which includes making certain substances illegal. Abortion, too. Suicide, as well.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-08-05/more-than-180-defence-force-members-sacked-for-misconduct/5647980?pfm=ms By Alex McDonald Updated Tue at 1:29pmTue 5 Aug 2014, 1:29pm More than 180 members of the Australian Defence Force were sacked in the past year for misconduct ranging from the use of prohibited substances to serious sexual offences, new figures show. Among those forced out of the military was the alleged ringleader of the so-called Knights of the Jedi Council, Hastings Fredrickson, who has appeared in a Sydney court to face six charges of using a carriage service to offend. Eighty-nine dismissals from the army involved the use of prohibited substances. More than 50 others had their service careers terminated for other forms of misconduct and unacceptable behaviour, while a further 15 were sacked for civil offences. The vast majority of members sacked in the past year came from the Australian army, with 138 of its members dismissed by the ADF. Twenty-six Navy and 18 Air Force members were sacked. These dismissals or "involuntary separations", as Defence calls them, were not necessarily related to abuse, a Defence spokesman said. The military aspirations of former Australian Defence Force Academy cadet Daniel McDonald were finally extinguished in November last year. Norway's mixed-sex experiment A Norwegian army experiment to create a gender-neutral Arctic battalion could have implications for the Australian military, Foreign Correspondent reports. The cadet at the centre of the Skype scandal was found guilty in the ACT Supreme Court of committing an act of indecency and using a carriage service in an offensive manner. Fredrickson and more than a dozen others allegedly shared explicit videos and emails boasting about their sexual exploits with unsuspecting women. An initial Defence investigation cleared them of wrongdoing but Fredrickson, a former commando turned reservist, was later charged by NSW Police. He was issued with a termination notice by Defence in July last year, which he did not challenge. His military career was terminated in September. Sacking prior to court case completion 'grossly unfair' Fredrickson's lawyer Peter Woodhouse would not comment on the specifics of the case but said, in some instances, Defence has been too hasty to sack some members. He described as "grossly unfair" any decision to cut short someone's military career before a case had run its course in the civilian system. "It's something that we're seeing more frequently than we used to," Mr Woodhouse said. "We're concerned that it might be coming at the expense of giving due process and procedural fairness to these military personnel that are under investigation." Mr Woodhouse said some of those whose military service is terminated struggle to find other work. "Many military people are career military and they don't have any other skills to fall back on," he said. "When their career in the military is terminated, they're lost effectively."

http://www.bluelight.org/vb/threads/728796-Synthetic-cannabis-not-medicinal-EU-top-court-says straightrazor View Profile View Forum Posts Private Message View Blog Entries View Articles Add as Contact Bluelighter -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Join Date Dec 2013 Posts 66 Today 04:00 The EU's top court says designer drugs that mimic cannabis, which are already illegal in many countries, cannot be classed as medicinal. If a drug is not "medicinal" then it can be sold until it is blacklisted. Many new synthetic "legal highs" have appeared in recent years, making it hard for authorities to control them. Internet drug sales have boomed. The case arose because two German vendors of such drugs were convicted for selling unsafe medicinal products. One was jailed for four and a half years, the other given a suspended sentence. They could not have been prosecuted under anti-narcotics laws because at that time synthetic cannabinoids were not illegal. The European Court of Justice (ECJ) was asked by Germany's Federal Court to clarify the classification of such drugs. The case now goes back to the German courts. ECJ rulings are binding across the European Union. Classing a drug as "medicinal" means that it cannot be sold legally until it has undergone scientific trials - an authorisation process that usually takes years. Studies show that synthetic cannabinoids are chemically different from the cannabis used in some medical therapies. Nearly half the 50 US states have legalised medical cannabis - or marijuana - including for use by cancer patients. Cannabis is an illegal class B drug in the UK, as is Spice - one of the brand names used for synthetic cannabis. In their ruling, the judges in Luxembourg say synthetic cannabinoids generally cause intoxication and the effects can range from intense excitement to hallucinations, as well as nausea, heart-racing and disorientation. The court says the term "medicinal product" cannot apply to "substances which simply have the effect of modifying physiological functions but are not such as to have any immediate or long-term beneficial effects on human health". http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-28243083

http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/new-drug-testing-machines-now-in-the-hands-of-wa-police/story-fnhocxo3-1227012743906?nk=0c0ad7a76d20f1b06a30d312ba46151a PHIL HICKEY PerthNow August 04, 2014 10:20AM DRIVERS have been put on notice with new state-of-the-art drug testing machines now in the hands of WA Police across the state. More than $1.3 million has been spent upgrading WA Police’s drug testing capabilities through the purchase of 20 Dräger drug analyser machines. The new machines will be available to regional officers as well as metropolitan cops. The $1.3 million has also been spent on new mouth swab kits which can give officers preliminary drug test results in just 3-5 minutes. “The enhanced capability to conduct drug tests and apprehend drug driving offenders will contribute to the reduction of people killed and seriously injured in crashes that involve drug impaired drivers,” WA Police said in a statement issued today. Drivers found to have illegal drugs in their system can be fined up to $500 and cop three demerit points Those found to be impaired by illicit drugs while driving can be fined up to $2500 and be banned from the roads for a minimum of 10 months. State Traffic Enforcement Superintendent Mike Peters said the message about drug driving is simple: “Don’t take illicit drugs or any other drugs which may impair your driving,” he said. “Don’t allow friends to drive if you suspect they may have taken drugs, just as you would stop them from drink-driving.”

http://www.naturalnews.com/046163_cancer_is_curable_now_documentary_Gerson_Therapy.html * July 25, 2014 by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger (NaturalNews) We live in a world of outrageous lies fronted by corporate interests, but one of the fundamental undeniable truths of biology is that cancer is curable. The cures have been known for decades, and they're readily within reach of people everywhere. But we are not allowed to have any knowledge of these cures for the simple reason that the cancer industry is a multi-billion-dollar industry that needs disease to stay in business. Today, I invite you to watch a documentary called "Cancer is Curable NOW" by Marcus and Sabrina Freudenmann who now run the Truly Heal website. Three years after its original release, the full documentary is available on Youtube as shown below. A high-definition version is only offered on Programs.NaturalNews.com for sale, which helps support the filmmakers and Natural News. The direct link on Youtube is: Learn from the wisdom of over 30 holistic health experts Cancer is Curable NOW pulls together wisdom from more than 30 international holistic professionals who have been working passionately in the field of cancer alternatives -- doctors, scientists, researchers and writers from around the world. Most of us have probably heard about many of these experts in books and on television, but this documentary brings their knowledge together and condenses the most important elements into a 90-minute documentary that will forever enlighten you on the REAL cures for cancer. To create this film, Marcus and Sabrina interviewed a vast array of experts from both the English-speaking world and foreign locales, such as doctors from cancer clinics in Mexico and Germany. The documentary allows viewers to experience the treatments used in the top clinics around the world such as ozone therapy, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, insulin potentiated treatments and all the forms of hyperthermia -- AND hear the top doctors from these clinics explaining in depth how each treatment works. Watch the FULL, free documentary here* Learn more from the filmmakers at www.TrulyHeal.com Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/046163_cancer_is_curable_now_documentary_Gerson_Therapy.html#ixzz38eu4AwHs

http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2014/08/government-reportedly-authorises-mandatory-data-retention-scheme/ * Luke Hopewell Today 11:15 AM Despite the ongoing objections of big industry players and privacy advocates from both sides, the Government’s National Security Committee has reportedly signed off on a proposal that would compel ISPs and telcos to retain customer metadata for a period of two years. Update: PM Tony Abbott Confirms: We’re Getting A Data Retention Scheme To ‘Fight Terrorism’Proposed amendments to the Telecommunications Interception Act have long been under consideration by the government, which would require ISPs and telcos to collect, store and provide access to the metadata of its customers. Said metadata would be used at a later date by law enforcement agency to help solve crimes. According to a News Limited report, the NSC signed off on the proposal this week, after a “marathon” meeting in Canberra yesterday. Members of the National Security Commission include the Prime Minister Tony Abbott, Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss, Treasurer Joe Hockey, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and Attorney General George Brandis just to name a few. At a special hearing into the proposed changes to the Telecommunications Interception Act last month, iiNet — arguably the loudest dissenting voice in the data retention chorus — argued that the proposal to retain data on customers was “un-Australian”. Ahead of the hearings, iiNet’s chief regulatory officer Steve Dalby said that the data retention proposal isn’t unnecessary: “The focus of this data retention proposal is not crooks; it’s the 23 million law-abiding men, women and children that will go about their daily lives without ever bothering law enforcement. Those 23 million customers include my 93-year-old mum and my 12-year-old niece. We don’t believe that is either necessary or proportionate for law enforcement. “We’ve seen no evidence that justifies surveilling inoffensive customers on the chance that, two years later, some evidence might help an investigation. It’s the equivalent of collecting and storing every single haystack in the country, indexing and filing all the straws, keeping them safe for two years, just in case there’s a needle, somewhere. We don’t know if there’s a needle, but there might be. I say forget spying on my mother and niece and get on with chasing the crooks, The Greens have added their concerns to the debate, with Greens Senator Scott Ludlam previously stating that it treats all citizens like suspects. “Data retention as envisaged by the Government will entrench huge databases that can be mined for precise patterns of our movements, purchases, interests, friends, and conversations. This interception, copying, recording and disclosure of our data is a means to retroactively police the whole population. We are citizens, not suspects. Conservative think tank, the Institute of Public Affairs, has echoed those statements today in a scathing release on its website. Writes Chris Berg of the plan: The federal government’s proposed mandatory data retention scheme will be repressive and expensive. It is a fundamental threat to all Australians’ privacy and online freedoms.” Mandatory data retention treats all Australians as suspected criminals, storing away records of their internet activities just in case, in the future, they are accused of criminal activity. Far from a targeted anti-terrorism measure, data retained under the government’s policy will be available for any law enforcement agency pry into. Despite these concerns, Coalition government heavyweights reportedly authorised the scheme in the interest of fighting home-grown terror threats. Spy agencies and police forces from various states and levels have been looking for a data retention scheme for a number of years to help in solving tough crimes. We’ll now have to wait and see what the data retention plan looks like when it’s drafted in the form of an amendment to the Telecommunications Interception Act. [Daily Telegraph] ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I note that in the US, information about drug use seems to be filtering through from their National Security Agency to the Drug Enforcement Agency, so what is going to stop our ISP data supposedly stored to protect us from terrorism from being handed over by our National Security Commission to the federal, or state police? Big brother is watching YOU!!! Many comments by those concerned are here*

http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=000157 The graphics are better viewed onsite. Some medical cannabis users have encountered drug testing for employment, school, traffic incidents, legal requirements, etc. In some cases, having medical approval for marijuana is accepted, in others, it is not. While some tests seek to determine if the "parent drug" is in the system (such as THC), others test for drug metabolites 1, which are produced by the body's chemistry after a drug is ingested. This can present problems for some patients who test positive for THC metabolites, yet they may not have used marijuana for several weeks. When medical use is not accepted by authorities, some patients may be vulnerable to arrest and sanctions depending upon the outcome of these drug tests. The following chart examines the four testing methods currently in use, and what that may mean to medical marijuana patients. Criteria Urine Blood Saliva Hair 23 Tests for parent drugs, or for drug metabolites? 1 Metabolites Both Parent Drug Metabolites Length of time marijuana can be detected by this type of test Between a few days and several weeks Usually a few hours after past use, sometimes 1-2 days Usually a few hours after past use, sometimes 1-2 days Approx. 90 days after past use Length of time needed after use before can be detected in test 2-8 hours Immediately Immediately 5-7 days Currently used in "driving under the influence" tests? Yes Yes Not in U.S., used in some European countries. No Currently used in employee or pre-employment tests? Yes Yes Yes Yes Currently used in student testing? Yes Yes Yes Yes Permitted as court evidence? Yes Yes Yes Yes 1 The term "parent drug" refers to the identifiable psychoactive compound of a controlled substance. For cannabis-based drugs, this is known as THC. Drug metabolites refer to those substances produced by the metabolism (body's chemistry) after a drug is ingested. Though the presence of metabolites in blood or urine is indicative that a certain drug may have been previously consumed, not all metabolites are psychoactive. Marijuana's metabolite, THC-COOH, is not considered psychoactive. Detection of this metabolite does not indicate or prove that the parent drug is still in they body. The U.S. Department of Justice states that a positive drug test result for the presence of a drug metabolite "does not indicate... recency, frequency, or amount of use; or impairment." 12/92 U.S. DOJ, Bureau of Justice Statistics. The U.S. Department of Transportation states that while a positive test for drug metabolites is "solid proof of drug use within the last few days, it cannot be used by itself to prove behavioral impairment during a focal event." 2 Hair testing detects "drug molecules permanently entrapped in the hair following ingestion." 3 "tudies have found dark-haired people are more likely to test positive for drugs because they have higher levels of melanin, which allows drug compounds to bind more easily to their hair." 8/24/05 Associated Press Thanks to Paul Armentano, Sr. Policy Analyst, NORML, and his report "You Are Going Directly to Jail" (PDF 235 KB) and to Psychemedics Corporation, for information compiled for this chart.

30 July 2014 Last updated at 20:16 Tor attack may have unmasked dark net usersBy Leo Kelion Technology desk editor The ability to unmask Tor's users would undermine the reason people use the service Developers of software used to access Tor - an otherwise hard-to-reach part of the internet - have disclosed that an attack on the network may have unmasked users for five months. The Tor Project said that it believed the assault was designed to de-anonymise the net addresses of people operating or visiting hidden sites. However, it said it was not sure exactly how users had been "affected". The project added that it believed it had halted the attack on 4 July. Tor allows people to visit webpages without being tracked and to publish sites whose contents does not show up in search engines. The Tor Project said it believed that the infiltration had been carried out by two university researchers, who claimed at the start of July to have exploited "fundamental flaws" in Tor's design that allowed them to unmask the so-called dark net's users. The two security experts, Alexander Volynkin and Michael McCord, had been due to give a talk at the Black Hat conference in Las Vegas next week. However, the presentation was cancelled at the insistence of lawyers working for their employer, Carnegie Mellon University. The Tor Project offers web browser software that can access the hidden sites on the Tor network "We spent several months trying to extract information from the researchers who were going to give the Black Hat talk, and eventually we did get some hints from them... which is how we started looking for the attacks in the wild," wrote Roger Dingledine, one of the network's co-creators, on the Tor Project's blog. "They haven't answered our emails lately, so we don't know for sure, but it seems likely that the answer to [whether they were responsible] is yes. "In fact, we hope they were the ones doing the attacks, since otherwise it means somebody else was." A spokesman from Carnegie Mellon University declined to comment. Illegal activityTor attempts to hide a person's location and identity by sending data across the internet via a very circuitous route involving several "nodes" - which, in this context, means using volunteers' PCs and computer servers as connection points. Encryption applied at each hop along this route makes it very hard to connect a person to any particular activity. To the website that ultimately receives the request, it appears as if the data traffic comes from the last computer in the chain - known as an "exit relay" - rather than the person responsible. Tor hides a user's identity by routing their traffic through a series of other computers Tor's users include the military, law enforcement officers and journalists - who use it as a way of communicating with whistle-blowers - as well as members of the public who wish to keep their browser activity secret. But it has also been associated with illegal activity, allowing people to visit sites offering illegal drugs for sale and access to child abuse images, which do not show up in normal search engine results and would not be available to those who did not know where to look. Two-pronged attackThe Tor Project suggests the perpetrator compromised the network via a "traffic confirmation attack". This involves the attacker controlling both the first part of the circuit of nodes involved - known as the "entry relay" - as well as the exit relay. By matching the volumes and timings of the data sent at one end of the circuit to those received at the other end, it becomes possible to reveal the Tor user's identity because the computer used as an entry relay will have logged their internet protocol (IP) address. The project believes the attacker used this to reveal hidden-site visitors by adding a signal to the data sent back from such sites that included the encoded name of the hidden service. Because the sequence of nodes in a Tor network is random, the infiltrator would not be able to track every visit to a dark net site. Tor can be likened to an onion because of the many layers through which it sends data Tor also has a way of protecting itself against such a danger: rather than use a single entry relay, the software involved uses a few relays chosen at random - what are known as "entry guards". So, even if someone has control of a single entry and exit relay, they should only see a fraction of the user's traffic, making it hard to identify them. However, the Tor Project believes the perpetrator countered this safeguard by using a second technique known as a "Sybil attack". This involved adding about 115 subverted computer servers to Tor and ensuring they became used as entry guards. As a result, the servers accounted for more than 6% of the network's guard capacity. Two researchers had planned to reveal a way to unmask Tor users at the Black Hat conference This was still not enough to monitor every communication, but was potentially enough to link some users to specific hidden sites. "We don't know how much data the attackers kept, and due to the way the attack was deployed, their... modifications might have aided other attackers in de-anonymising users too," warned Mr Dingledine. Several government agencies are interested in having a way to unmask Tor's users. Russia's interior ministry is currently offering a 3.9m roubles ($110,000; £65,000) prize to anyone who cracks such identities. It says it wants to protect the country's "defence and security". A report by the German broadcaster ARD suggests US cyberspies working for the NSA have also made efforts to overcome Tor's system, despite the fact the Tor Project is partly funded by other US government departments. And leaked documents released by whistleblower Edward Snowden also indicate the UK's GCHQ has attempted to track Tor users.