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Victims of Prohibition

Why is it all of the best magazines come out only every other month? I know of only 4 magazines that I would subscribe to. Mother Earth News, Clean Run Magazine, Best Friends Magazine and most recently, Cannabis Health Journal. They all share a few simmilarities. They all come out every other month, they are all very well done highly informative periodicals in their respective fields, and they all try to educate for a better world. There is a purpose to the work they do, and it shows.

My intent here is to provide some added exposure for a magazine that I feel is the very best in it's field. We have a few magazines dedicated to marijuana, but very few that actually focus on the angle that truly appeals to me. The legalization of marijuana. The others touch on the subject, and at times go in depth, but the issues of Cannabis Health Journal that I have had the pleasure of reading just blew me away with their perspective. Have I mentioned the magazine is out of Canada? Northern perspective is quite refreshing for those of us who feel that the U.S. media outlets are just a bit out of touch with reality. One can never have too much outside perspective. It is also interesting to see the simmilarities and differences that exist between Canadian and American policy, and attitude regarding marijuana.

The following items are snippets of articles from the current issue of Cannabis Health Journal. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have.

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Editorial:
Brian Taylor
Editor

The Canadian Supreme Court decision finding Canadian marijuana laws constitutional, was a psychological blow, if not a strategic set back. Rendering some speechless with indignation it seems to have challenged others to search for new paths to enlightenment. Three out of nine ain't bad, but it shows the need for education, beginning with our children and it places the responsibility squarely on the rule makers, the politicians.

The Goose Creek incident has shaken America; like a drunk waking up in the gutter, Americans saw themselves as hitting bottom. My god we are now arresting our children.

Canadian schools face many of the same challenges that US schools face. Kids want schools to be safe and clean of drugs. Like a microcosm of the larger community, school safety often comes with a price, less privacy, and less respect.

Read the rest of this editorial


Letters

L.E.A.P. in Canada
Thanks for sending me the sample copies of your excellent journal. I have really enjoyed reading them, and have passed a few copies on to a relative who suffers from Multiple Sclerosis and may someday need to seek relief using cannabis. If she ever does, I want her to be able to make informed decisions and the articles and advertisers in the journal will help her do so.

Aside from the journal's content, which is extremely well written and presented, the physical quality of the journal itself - with its glossy paper, excellent typesetting and rich colour is yet more evidence to me that the war on cannabis is in fact already over. Were the responsible use of cannabis not already sufficiently supported within a large segment of mainstream society, the journal would be an underground newsletter printed on smudged 8 1/2" x 11" photocopy paper instead of the high quality visual and intellectual delight that it is. If only our lawmakers could understand this.

Enclosed is my cheque for a two-year subscription. Please keep up the good work!

Sincerely, John A. Gayder, Founding member - Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, St.Catharines, Ontario. E-mail info@leap.cc

Read the rest of the letters


Off the Wire

Principal Resigns Over School Drug Raid
MONCKS CORNER, S.C. Source: Associated Press Pubdate: 01/5/2004 (AP)
A high school principal announced his resignation Monday after coming under fire over a November drug sweep in which police with guns drawn ordered students to the floor. "I realized it is in the best interest of Stratford High School and of my students for me to make a change," George McCrackin said in a statement. School officials asked Goose Creek police to come into the school Nov. 5 after receiving reports of marijuana sales on campus. Police said dogs sniffed drug residue on 12 book bags but found no drugs. No one was arrested. The raid led to allegations of excessive force and racism, because many of the students were black. District Superintendent J. Chester Floyd said McCrackin will be reassigned to a still-undetermined position, but he said McCrackin will probably spend the coming weeks preparing for two lawsuits filed by students over the incident.

Read the rest of the news


Legal Eagle
By John W. Conroy QC, Counsel to the Appellant Caine.

The Supreme Court of Canada appeals - Malmo-Levine, Caine and Clay. Reflections one month later and the implications for medical marijuana users, growers and dealers now that recreational users, growers and dealers have been relegated to the criminal classes.

As I am sure all of you are now aware, on December 23rd, 2003, just a few days before Christmas, the Supreme Court of Canada rendered, what in my opinion, is not only the most disappointing judgement of the Court that I have read in a long time, but also its most political and the most inconsistent with some of its prior decisions. Betting my money on the courts proved to be an unmitigated disaster, not only financially, but also emotionally and intellectually. We were robbed of the victory to which we were entitled!

The court ruled that our Federal Canadian Parliament can prohibit the possession of Cannabis (marijuana) to control it as a psychoactive drug that causes "alteration of mental function", under its broad 'criminal law power', because the use of cannabis clearly raises issues of public health and safety, both for the user and those in the broader society affected by the user's conduct. It held that Parliament is entitled to act, on a reasoned apprehension of harm, even if on some points "the jury is still out" on the existence of any harm at all. They can even criminalize conduct that threatens no harm or even just harm to the particular users.

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Learn from history: Prohibition causes Corruption

Recent developments across Canada remind me of an old adage about history, if we do not learn from it, we are doomed to repeat it.

The developments also highlight one of the many evils caused by our current drug policies, official corruption reaching to the highest levels. Because of prohibition, the drug business is extremely profitable. Marijuana (a plant that grows like a weed, pardon the pun) is a multi-billion dollar industry in British Columbia alone, with further billions in profit generated in every other province in Canada. And that is just marijuana; the cocaine, heroin and other drug markets reap major profits each and every day across this nation.

With that kind of money at stake, it should come as no surprise to learn of corruption of police and government officials. From the allegations of massive corruption in the Toronto drug enforcement squad to the suspected links between organized crime and British Columbia bureaucrats (and prominent Paul Martin supporters), we see indications that prohibition-related drug profits are corrupting those in whom we repose our highest trust.

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Cannabis For Children
by Lisa A Kirkman
Lisa A. Kirkman attended the universities of Lethbridge, Calgary & Poona, India majoring in Religious Studies. She was Assistant to the Editor of Cannabis Culture Magazine, Founder & Director of the Sunshine Coast Compassion Club, campaign manager for the Federal Marijuana Party and ran for the BC Marijuana Party in 2001. She is a member of Canadian Cannabis Coalition and Executive Publisher of CannaGuide, North America's first cannabis directory & events guide.

The complexity of issues surrounding medical marijuana use are staggering and the pain of knowing you can do little to help ease the suffering of your sick child is immeasurable. So why do parents choose to or choose not to risk absolutely everything to offer cannabis as a medicine for their children?

In case there are those prohibitionists out there who still believe that medical marijuana is simply an excuse for stoners to get stoned, let me tell you about my son.

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Truth in Schools
Educators for Sensible Drug Policy
E Judith Renaud, M.A. Canadian Chair, Board of Directors

We are an organization made up of teachers openly committed to drug policy reform. We want to encourage open debate between educators, parents, law makers, enforcers and students. Our organization provides an important foundation for reform in drug education.

"Canada has enormous potential to influence drug reform" says Adam Jones, a 21 year old education major at Montana State University in Billings and founder of (TAP) Teachers Against Prohibition, now renamed EFSDP Educators for Sensible Drug Policy. http://EFSDP.org

"When intelligent drug policy is implemented in Canada we cannot ignore the facts because it is so close to home. My point is that Canada deserves an enormous amount of attention, here and now." Jones looked at the education profession and with the help of other activists in the drug reform movement, brought this struggle, through Educators for Sensible Drug Policy, into the ranks of our nation's educators.

Organizationally modeled to a large degree after LEAP (Law Enforcement Against Prohibition) http://www.leap.cc, both groups have much in common. EFSDP and LEAP are both trying to appeal to professions whose members witness the end results of the drug war on a daily basis.

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Logosnote: One other thing that sets this magazine apart is the articles on growing. For the growers out there, you don't want to miss the following articles.

• Growing Hydroponics is Easy (no apparent link for this "Advertorial", click the one below, and scroll up a story)
• Cannabis Clinic
• Weed 101

Subscribe – Delivery right to your door
1 Year – 6 Issues, Canada - $25.00 CDN, USA - $45.00 CDN , International - $75.00 CDN

Your subscription will not only help the Cannabis Health Foundation but you will receive 6 copies per year of one of the most informative resources for medical marijuana, hemp, alternate health and much more.

Call 1-866-808-5566 to order.

or

Visit their Subscription Page

Also, feel free to check out all of their previous issues in the archive.

Go take a look at their work, these people are dedicated to the same cause we are. The magazine is very high quality, and I think you will find that they are very serious about affecting change for the better.

Much thanks for a great magazine. The Cannabis Health Journal staff has produced something very worthwhile here.

Go on now, check it out!

Peace!
Logos

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Brother Logos
The more I learn, the less I know. | Truth doesn't change, only our perception of it does.
THC Ministry | The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ | The Reluctant Messenger of Science and Religion
True religion is real living, living with all one's soul, with all ones goodness and righteousness. --Albert Einstein

Higher Logic

Thanks for the writeup and link. I'm definately going to order a subscription to this, I was on their site for a while just reading all the articles; my kind of style I must admit.

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Suetaz

Ya, this does sound good. Can't beat the price for me. I waste more than $25 on magazines in a year that I don't read all of and it would be nice to have something I really want to read about. Think I'll be subscribing too. Thanks Logos!

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Logos

I like these guys a lot. Actually get to meet them this weekend I hope. Next issue will feature a good friend of mine who founded http://www.SpoCannabis.org, and who is fighting for the medical marijuana users here.

It is refreshing to find a magazine that relates to these issues as I do.

Here is to all that we DO...

Be active!
Peace!
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P.S. Million Marijuana March is this weekend, where do you plan to be? At least go for a walk...

solutions

Excellent magazine, thanks for the post.

I spent quite some time going through their online archives and found some informative articles, like the Cana - Dutch model. The only two countries in the world that currently allow medical use of marijuana, with Canada leading the Netherlands. I'm sure more will follow

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3 monkeys sitting under a coconut tree
discussing things as they are set to be
Said one to the other, now listen you two
there's a strange rumor that can't be true
they say man was descended from our noble race
but the very idea is a big disgrace
no monkey ever deserted his wife
or her baby to ruin their lives.
Damian Marley - Educated Fools