[Senate 'Nanny State' Inqury]

Yeah, I thought that looked good. I wasn't sad that Mike Baird got a few heckles either. 

 

Anyway, the original inquiry is wrapped up - probably indefinitely due to the early election. Now I guess it's time to slowly & painfully get reform on the agenda at the state level - even a conversation about reform would be a step forward for NSW! If and when I become aware of any new coordinated actions in this area, I will pass the information on (though Responsible Choice or Glaukus will probably beat me to it).

 

In the meantime: 

• write to your MPs (I'm thinking of doing some stock letters that people could use).
• think about throwing a high preference or two toward progressive parties at the election - (oh -  we should do a drug-reform how-to-vote!)
• If you're a student, join/start a chapter of Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) - not enough of these in Australia!
•  Support the work of people like Alex Wodak, David Caldicott, Stephen Bright etc.

 

[Are You Morally Modified?]

Also: When you take acetaminophen (paracetamol), you don’t feel others’ pain as much: https://news.osu.edu/news/2016/05/10/empathy-reliever/

(Sorry, haven't had time to find the actual article).

 

 

[Senate 'Nanny State' Inqury]

If nothing else, we can ask governments to enact the recommendation of the committee:

 

that the Australian Government, in conjunction with the states and territories, undertake an objective assessment of prohibition, decriminalisation, limited deregulation and legalisation, including a full cost-benefit analysis, based on the outcomes of these options in other parts of the world. 

 

 

[Senate 'Nanny State' Inqury]

Ah yes, 3.19 - 

The committee notes that relaxation of laws in relation to marijuana would be more difficult to achieve at a Commonwealth level rather than by the States, given Australia's adoption of a number of international treaties. 

This is what I put together from what the TGA people said and the questions the senators asked: Growing legit poppies for commercial opiate production is worth about $200 million per year. Our ability to participate in the legit market is sanctioned by a not-so-progressive International Narcotics Control Board (INCB). If we were to legalise at any level, but especially at a Federal level, then this INCB could say we were in breach of the Single Convention and revoke or curtail our share of the worldwide opiate quota. Since other countries are jealous of our approx 50% share of the licit world market, there would be considerable back-room pressure to screw us if the opportunity arose.  

 

So, difficulty with international treaties =  threat to $$$ and tasmanian rural votes. 

 

Look, I'm not the only one who is disappointed. VAADA - the Victorian Alcohol and Drug Association - is pretty pissed about being quoted out of context to justify a lack of action. 

 

The committee did cherry-pick the evidence to try to suit themselves. What is good is that the evidence was, for the most part, so reasonable, that they could not make a super-negative conclusion. 

 

It was an interesting process, and I'm glad I was involved. Next time something comes up at a state level, I, and other members, will be ready. 

[Senate 'Nanny State' Inqury]

Interim report of of this committee is out http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Economics/Personal_choice/Interim_Report_c

 

I know it's not a total blockbuster in terms of excitement - especially the recommendations, but it's a start. Even a recommendation that governments should take a hard look at more progressive policies is a step forward. I note also that even the dissenting Liberal senator was in favour of medical cannabis - again, this might seem lame, but coming from a conservative that's something. 

 

 Time to get to work on our respective state legislatures.

[is there something wrong with the "who's online"]

Maybe anon peeps aren't counted as a subset of members?

 

What about 0 guests? Is that accurate?

[Medicinal cannabis legalised in Victoria, child epilepsy patients to be given access from 2017]

Actually, let me rephrase that. 

I'm having trouble thinking of anywhere that has really pursued legalisation where this:

the common citizen gets nothing, pharmaceutical companies will monopolize, lobby politicians to pass regulations and laws to diminish competition and the commoner who relaxes by imbibing herb will be as much a criminal as they are today.  

has come to pass. If anyone has a cannabis-specific example of this, the please share it - so that we can stop it from happening here!

 

Yes big pharma, and big money in general will try to make more money. But this does not have to mean the average person who wants a toke in the comfort of their home will get screwed. Colorado is not ideal in many ways. But it's true that people are making a lot of money there, and that you can grow your own if you are so inclined. 

[Medicinal cannabis legalised in Victoria, child epilepsy patients to be given access from 2017]

Maybe. But it hasn't played out that way everywhere else that has gone down the legalisation route. 

[LSD won’t stop men from beating women - thoughts?]

My thoughts exactly!

 

[LSD won’t stop men from beating women - thoughts?]

Maybe I'm missing something, but this article seems to conflate the cause of domestic violence with how one might reduce its incidence. For example we could disagree on the cause of domestic violence, but it still might be an empirically verified fact that use of psychedelics correlates with a lower rate of this violence (as this article suggests: http://www.newstalk.com/LSD-and-psychedelic-drugs-may-fight-domestic-violence-says-scientific-study ) Hence, we would disagree on how to interpret the results, and on the experimental design of future studies. But none of this would change the correlation. The trick is to figure out whether or not this relation is causal (and in what direction) - does LSD cause you to be less violent, or does being less violent make you more likely to use LSD? 

[Post your word of the moment]

Stumpy

[Proposed change to DMT legislation in Australia]

Yes it's interesting, but not necessarily in a good way - see the more extensive discussion of this in the News section here:

Please take the time to read the the replies further down. 

[Post your word of the moment]

Amplituhedron

[Chat down?]

OMFG - guess what appears to be working again! <___base_url___>/uploads/emoticons/default_biggrin.png

[#PsychedelicsBecause]

Thanks for trying to reflate my ego, I'll be Ok. I had just come across this and I was all like 'wow there's this new thing' but it wasn't that new, that's all. That, and too much time on social media has over-inflated my sense of immediacy I think.

 

Anyway, I really enjoyed the video and it's been nice to see people from a broad and, at times stereotype-breaking range of backgrounds standing up and saying either that they've used psychedelics or support their use. The number and breadth of organisations that are backing this is impressive too.

 

I'm not an expert in these things, but IMHO, this seems like a good way to start. Clearly the people behind this are playing a long game - get the conversation and awareness going for a while (a year perhaps), then start to focus in and ramp up to specific calls to action for supporters to take. This second step is essential, and I'm going to follow the progress of this with very keen interest. (As an aside, I've recently seen the best web-based enabling of contacting a politician for a campaign site, but that's another story.)

 

Anyway, I'm working up to joining in with this publicly. I just need to work out what I'm going to say - I might be able to get away with being unconventional (controversial even), but I won't be forgiven (professionally) for sloppy reasoning. I'd need a whole essay to say everything I wanted anyway. I know it's symbolic, and that it might not achieve anything, but for some reason I feel it's worth doing. Is this what optimism feels like? <___base_url___>/uploads/emoticons/default_newimprovedwinkonclear.gif

[#PsychedelicsBecause]

Ok, so this has been happening for a week or so now -  and because I'm the least coolest person here, everyone will have heard about this already.
 
But just in case you hadn't:
 
http://psychedelicsbecause.org/
 

#PsychedelicsBecause Social Activism Campaign

 

Psychedelics and psychoactive plants and fungi have been used for millennia by people and cultures across the globe for healing, insight, reconnecting, expanding consciousness, and spirituality. Today, these long-known benefits are also being validated through the lens of scientific research.
Despite this, in the United States and most countries, unless you’re in a protected religious group, psychedelics are banned and listed under Schedule I (“no currently accepted medical use”) or the equivalent, making them completely illegal, punishable by lengthy imprisonment, or worse.
It’s time to speak out using the tools we have at our fingertips: social media. Add your voice to the campaign to bring depth, diversity, and vision to the conversation around #PsychedelicsBecause these substances hold tremendous promise when used responsibly.

 

This campaign aims to actively:

 

Share stories humanizing the diversity of psychedelic users

 

Increase awareness around the benefits of psychedelics

 

Shift public attitudes and Reverse decades of negative stigma surrounding psychedelic and psychoactive drugs

 

Educate people about current scientific research

 

Promote psychedelic harm reduction by understanding the true risks and how to manage them

 

Help end arrests, incarceration, and criminalization associated with global drug prohibition

 

Unite psychedelic, drug policy reform, and harm reduction movements

What You Can Do

1. Share your story and spread the message on social media using #PsychedelicsBecause

*Disclaimer! We realize outing one’s personal use of psychedelics is a potentially risky act and not all of us have the ability or privilege to do so. Be smart. Be safe

2. Join the community in New York City on April 19th (Bicycle Day:) for a group bike ride and storytelling in front of the UN, while they hold a Special Session to address the state of global drug policy (UNGASS 2016)

 

I know not everyone puts much stock in social media campaigns (and for good reason). But I think it wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing to raise awareness, challenge stereotypes and all that stuff. Check out the website and decide for yourself.

 

http://psychedelicsbecause.org/

 

[at0m's digital OPSec guidelines]

TBH, anything I'd install would mostly (hopefully) be used as a substitute for the now non-functioning forum chat, so security isn't a massive deal.

[Medicinal cannabis legalised in Victoria, child epilepsy patients to be given access from 2017]

This sort of legislation can appear to be a rearguard or delaying action - hoping to appease the average voter so they don't push for greater change. But, there are rumours about Victoria government possibly considering going further - so it seems like a good time to keep campaigning. 

[at0m's digital OPSec guidelines]

A reasonably secure desktop messenger client - that doesn't require a linked phone like the signal client - is exactly what I'm looking for.

[How scientists fell in and out of love with the hormone oxytocin]

I fell out of love with oxytocin when I read this:

Further experiments by De Dreu’s group indicate that oxytocin can also reduce prosocial behavior toward out-group members where this helps one’s in-group. Administration of oxytocin to subjects before their participating in a group-based financial game induced ‘tend and defend’ reactions: it increased trust and cooperation within groups, but also increased noncooperation with (although not aggression against) members of other groups when this helped to protect one’s in-group (De Dreu et al. 2010).

This work suggests that the so-called ‘prosocial’ effects of oxytocin might be more aptly characterized as ‘pro–in-group’ effects, because the hormone can in fact induce antisocial behavior when this conduces to the interests of one’s in-group. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4398979/)

[Post your word of the moment]

Metachoric

[Going to church tomorrow for the first time]

Ha, we both know the hot married girl is part of your motivation <___base_url___>/uploads/emoticons/default_newimprovedwinkonclear.gif

Seriously though, do take care.You think they send young hot people door-knocking for the fun f it? No. They send the people best suited to that area - always older Jehovah's here as my suburb is mostly retired folk. That said, they usually mean well and are not as predatory as some of the evangelical mega-churches.

Anyway, have fun <___base_url___>/uploads/emoticons/default_innocent_n.gif

[Chat down?]

I still miss the chat <___base_url___>/uploads/emoticons/default_sad.png

[Meet up: Sydney, Central Coast, Newcastle]

Don't think I can make it on Easter weekend - family things and all that. Camp close to Sydney - I know a few of us were already thinking about this <___base_url___>/uploads/emoticons/default_biggrin.png

[Cannabinoid Profiles - THC, THC-A, THC-V, CBD, CBG, CBN, CBC & Terpenes]

I appreciate change's viewpoint on this - the pursuit of both fairer drug policies and better medicines is better served by good evidence than magical thinking. I'm not saying anyone here does this, I just don't think anyone benefits from people who do the equivalent of claiming that cannabis can cure a wooden leg.

That said, I think there is excellent science going on. I'm looking forward to seeing if companies like Eybna http://www.eybna.com/ can back up their claims in due course, and actually make some money in the process.