The Legalization of MJ on CNN Lou Dobbs

Lou Dobbs Tonight - Partial Transcript
Source: CNN

The war on drugs in this country is being fought at the federal, state and local level as law enforcement officials try to crack down on drug smuggling and drug sales. But what you might find surprising is what's happening in some of the wealthiest circles in this country. Private donors are spending millions of dollars to promote the decriminalization and legalization of marijuana.

Bill Tucker reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BILL TUCKER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's just a plant, that's all. Not a dangerous drug. It's a children's book, where farmers grow it and parents, doctors, mayors, even presidents use marijuana. It's aimed at 6- to 12-year-olds.
The publisher says the book is not intended to promote marijuana use but to create dialogue between kids and their parents about "the plant."
DAVID KRAHL, DRUG-FREE AMERICA FOUNDATION: It's just a plant. That completely normalizes and completely neutralizes any message that there might be anything hazardous associated with using.
TUCKER: The self-published book was funded with partially provided by the marijuana Policy Project.
Decriminalization or outright legalization of marijuana has some colorful and very high profile people on its list of supporters. John Sperling, head of the largest online university in the world, the University of Phoenix. Financier George Soros, who provides roughly one-third of the funding for the Drug Policy Alliance's $7 million a year budget. He supports decriminalization and medical marijuana.
Peter Lewis, chairman of Progressive Auto Insurance, who supplies about one half of the funding for the marijuana Policy Project's $8 million a year annual budget supports legalization and regulation along the lines of tobacco and alcohol.
Opponents of drug legalization are quick to point out the deep pockets of the pro-pot side of the argument, which is equally quick to respond.
ROB KAMPIA, marijuana POLICY PROJECT: I have to laugh when people think that we're a well-funded legalization machine. My response to that is hey, I would take the government's budget over our budget any day.
TUCKER: At total, Kampia estimates that about $25 million is spent advocating on behalf of marijuana every year.
(END VIDEOTAPE) TUCKER: As of today, marijuana is legal for medical use in 11 states, and Christine, another dozen states are expected to soon be considering legislation that would make it legal in their states, as well.
ROMANS: OK, so where does the -- I've heard it called the anti- prohibition movement, the pro-pot lobby.
TUCKER: Right.
ROMANS: Where does this lobby fit, I guess, on the political spectrum?
TUCKER: On the political spectrum, it probably would surprise a lot of people. These groups do give money to candidates. They go to Democratic, by and large, get the majority of them. But a number of Republicans on that list, as well.
And tomorrow night, we're going to take a look at the list of who is getting money from these groups and supporting them in their pro, you know, drive to push this legislation through.
ROMANS: And the folks who are really pushing to sort of end drug use among our youth, do they say that by having this pro-pot lobby out there, that it's somehow hampering what they're trying to do?
TUCKER: Well, yes. And they're very disturbed. Because, as you would expect, the Nancy Reagan crowd, in essence...
ROMANS: Right.
TUCKER: ... the just say no group. And when you say to them, but there's 100 -- we spend $100 billion at the federal and state level right now, fighting the war on drugs.
ROMANS: Right.
TUCKER: Their response is that's not enough money. We need to be spending more money, and we need to be educating people about the dangers of these drugs. And we should not be moving in the direction that a lot of the country is in fact moving in, which seems to be a friendlier stance toward marijuana.
ROMANS: All right, Bill Tucker, thanks so much. We'll look forward to that tomorrow. Thanks, Bill.
That brings us to the subject of tonight's poll. Do you believe marijuana should be legalized in this country? Yes or no? Cast your vote at LouDobbs.com. We'll bring you the results later on in the broadcast.
Tonight there is clear evidence of how our broken border with Mexico is an integral part of the country's drug problem. A Mexican man was arrested at the Nogales point of entry into this country after authorities found more than 2,700 pounds of marijuana hidden among produce pallets on his truck. The driver was a member of the Free and Secure Trade Program, which makes it easier for so-called low-risk participants to transport goods and services across the border quickly. The driver's credentials for that program have now been revoked.
Complete Transcript: CNN.com - Transcripts
Do you believe marijuana should be legalized in this country?

Yes -- 80% -- 14572 votes

No -- 20% -- 3664 votes
Total: 18236 votes
Poll Results: CNN.com QuickVote
Source: CNN (US Web)
Program: Lou Dobbs Tonight
Airdate: February 19, 2007
Copyright: 2007 Cable News Network, Inc.
Contact: CNN.com - Contact Us
URL: CNN.com - Lou Dobbs Tonight


Here is the Youtube version for you to enjoy. It could on the whole have been a better piece in my opinion but at least the poll shows me that there is hope yet.
YouTube - The maijuana legalization movement





and Microdot

Now this time they brought out the other side..... IE Government...
They were puting out the propaganda that the governemnt has spewed for years.
Their Expert was from the Brookhaven National Laboratory, (Government Agentcy) which is owned by the Department of Energy.

Here is a quote from the website:
New MicroMRI Facility Expands Lab’s Brain-Imaging Capabilities

UPTON, NY - The U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony on November 16, 2004, for the latest addition to its Center for Translational Neuroimaging: a high-resolution micro magnetic resonance imaging (microMRI) laboratory. The new $1.76-million facility will be devoted to non-invasive, small-animal brain-imaging research, mainly using mice and rats, to uncover the mechanisms underlying drug addiction, Alzheimer’s, autism, and other diseases of the brain. It was funded by the New York State Office of Science, Technology, and Academic Research (NYSTAR); the Office of National Drug Control Policy; Stony Brook University; and Brookhaven Lab.

here are a few other bullshit studies to move forward the government's position.

Study Examines Role of Cannabinoid Receptors in Alcohol Abuse
Science Blog -- Brookhaven National Lab Named Drug Addiction Study Center
ScienceDaily: Study Examines Role Of Cannabinoid Receptors In Alcohol Abuse
NIDA - About NIDA - Welcome

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Here is the e-mail I sent to Lou Dobbs on the subject.
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After watching the special on marijuana, I can not count the ways that the Man from Brookhaven National Laboratory is wrong. It's a government agency and of course they are going to put forward the government’s propaganda. Have you noticed that they no longer fund studies for marijuana research at US Universities?
I wonder why that it? It's because the Universities were proving the Government wrong at every turn. The Government has been lying to us about Iraq, what makes you think they are going to tell us the truth when it comes to marijuana?
I happen to be a Dues paying member of both MPP and NORML, and contrary to the position of your guest, we are not about legalizing all drugs… It’s a bald faced lie that your guest was telling you and the audience.
Also Short term memory loss only happens while one is high and you gain all of it back once you are sober again. As far as paranoia, it is strain specific and has to do with the fact that we fear arrest every time we light up.
Myself, I’m a medical user who if it weren’t for marijuana I would not be walking. The Pain I suffer on a daily basis can only be helped by the use of marijuana; I have Hepatitis C and can not take many pain medications because of the detrimental effects to the liver.