Globally,  tobacco has been welcomed into nearly every country for decades,  regardless of the health risk involved.  The United States has cornered the market distributing American made cigarettes all of the world.  Nicotine has proven itself to be as addictive a substance as any known to man.  Let’s all take a deep breath and re-think the laws that have been put in place, with hidden agendas.  Unlike tobacco,  marijuana needs no additional chemical processing to be ready for distribution.  I’m expecting the giant tobacco industry to shift gears the moment the legislation goes into effect,  and attempt to control the marijuana business.  Hopefully not.  International and domestic tourism will also grow to new heights.  Much like the cafes of Amsterdam,  those seeking the legal justification for smoking pot will travel to “Cali”. 

I’m wondering what the strong arguments against the legislation will be,  and more importantly where they will come from?  Perhaps the church,  a coalition of religious organizations,  questioning the morality of the proponents.  I was raised catholic,  and just can’t imagine the Vatican taking a hard line against this proposal.  The church is being overwhelmed with huge problems regarding sexual abuse of children by some priest.  Moreover,  the constant cover-ups and lack of full disclosure to proper authorities,  make it impossible for the vatican to take the “moral high ground”.  Some law enforcement agencies may want to challenge the legislation.  I’m convinced that all of their concerns will be based on logistics.  The who,  when,  where, and how people will be allowed to smoke pot?  Little doubt that the administration has done its’ homework and has those answers.  The Board of Education must have a seat at the table to assist educators attempting to explain this new reality to children.  Truthfully,  the only real change will be the ability to purchase the weed in a store,  as opposed to some dark alley.  The legalization of cannabis won’t create a “reefer madness” societal response.  Those that smoke will continue burning weed,  on the other hand those that don’t will not be lining up at the smoke shops.  I believe that many people gave up smoking pot out of fear of losing their jobs,  as many corporations began testing employees randomly for drug use.  Civil servants (police, fireman, etc.) could not smoke and keep their jobs.  However,  alcohol abuse and dependency is alive and well,  living in the very fabric of our work force.  I’m inclined to believe that some folks would change their allegiance from alcohol to marijuana.  I could be wrong,  but many of these type of questions may soon be answered.

In 1937,  the Marihuana Tax Act became the law of the land.  It was the first piece of legislation to begin the process of criminalizing  the use and possession of marijuana.  The legislation itself was actually a ploy to encourage people to secure a government stamp,  for possession use or sale of the weed.  The government would provide a handful of stamps,  thus controlling the substance and its revenue.  In 1939,  MayorFiorello La Guardia of New York City commissioned a study of marijuana, conducted by the New York Academy of Medicine.  Some of the findings may surprise some readers. Although some of the remarks are particular to NYC,   others are worth mentioning.  The study found,  “the practice of smoking marijuana does not lead to addiction in the medical sense of the word.  Another finding states,  “marijuana is not the determining factor in the commission of major crimes”,  unlike alcohol.  I found the following statement most profound, ”the use of marijuana does not lead to the use of morphine or heroin or cocaine addiction and no effort is made to create a market for these narcotics by stimulating the practice of marijuana smoking”.  The people in the great state of California may take the first step in creating a global discussion regarding present-day drug laws.

Throughout the rise of the Inca civilization in Peru,  coca was reserved for use by it’s royal family.  It is general knowledge that chewing the coca leafs,  although non-addictive, have many effects similar to the processed form known as cocaine.  Growing high in the Andes the leafs were called,  ”gifts from the gods”.  In the mid 1800s,  coca leafs were beginning to be processed,  isolating the active ingredients.  We all know that Coca Cola contained small amounts of the drug when it was initially introduced and marketed.  Peru,  Bolivia,  and Columbia are the most efficient “producer” countries with regard to this expensive commodity.  Thirty-five years ago during the Iran/Contra debacle in Latin America,   the US government assisted the resistance covertly.  The US congress would not allow the Reagan Administration to support the “contras”,  in their war against the Sandinistas in Nicaragua.  Without the backing of the US congress,  the administration had to use alternate funding practices to bankroll the war effort.  As the story goes,  six American hostages being held by the Lebanese group Hezbollah,  would be released if the US would provide arms to Iran.  Some of the profits from the sale of weapons to the Iranians,  would be appropriated to the contras.  What does all this have to do with cocaine?  During subsequent investigations of this Iran/Contra Affair,  it has been intimated that the CIA and Contras were trafficking cocaine in the USA,  as part of the war funding effort.  In the mid ’80s after FBI probes and press investigations,  the Reagan administration admitted to involvement in these actions.  To what extent was the involvement,  we’ll never know.  Gary Webb,  an investigative journalist reported in the San Jose Mercury News,  that the Nicaraguan contra received assistance from the CIA to move large shipments of the drug to US ports.  He further asserts,  that the “crack cocaine” epidemic that brutalized inner city America during the 1980s,  was a direct result of these shipments.  In Webb’s book,  Dark Alliance he chronicles the involvement between the CIA and the contra,  along with lots of cocaine distribution.  Cocaine is a drug on wars.

In 2010 Afghanistan leads the world in production of the Poppy plant.  This is extremely relevant as the US continues to prosecute a war in this region.  With billions of dollars being generated by the sale of this potent drug,  purchasing weapons,  intelligence,  and manpower makes this enemy formidable by any standard.  Funding the Taliban’s jihad against the west,  heroin is the drug on wars.  The mighty US military,  should be moving through this country with relative ease.  However,  the monopoly that the drug lords of Afghanistan enjoy will continue for quite some time.  As long as the plant can continue to generate revenues in the billions,  we will see our brave soldiers die.  These are all very complicated dynamics.  The mere fact that these drugs exist and are being purchased and sold on international markets,  like automobiles,  motivates me and many others to look at the options.  Policy changes on a global scale could put a huge dent in the blood baths experienced world-wide.  Personally I’d like to blog about the “drug on health care”,  or the “drug on education”!  As for our global society,  drugs have funded enough wars.

Alcohol, is perhaps the single most widely accepted drug in the world. Most countries allow the use of this drug all  in settings. However all of the fore-mentioned problems that would stem from illicit drug legalization, occur everyday in alcohol -related incidents. In the US,  most violent crimes are perpetrated while under the influence of alcohol. During prohibition the illegal abuse of this drug created a similar problem,  in terms of organized crime cartels controlling its distribution. Territorial wars and the like, made law enforcement agencies work overtime to try and protect the public, as well as prevent the drug from being abused across the country. Eventually our government re-evaluated prohibition and yesterdays “drug dealers”,  became legitimate business people. We all know someone suffering from the effects of alcoholism. Scientist continue to look for physiological pre-dispositions to determine whether or not genetics play a role in alcohol dependent individuals. The damage done to the human body abusing alcohol is devastating. So why then is one drug tolerated, while others are not? Ask fifty people this question and you’ll get that many different responses.  I believe it all comes back to politics.

I continue to be hopeful going forward as fourteen (14) US states now have enacted legislation leading to the use of “medical marijuana”. We as a society are moving in the right direction. Yet while the states pass laws legalizing the use of medicinal pot, the federal government continues raids on farmers crops that would provide for patients’ needs. This administration has much on their proverbial plate. Moreover, the stalemated Congress certainly cannot be counted on to lend any type of real assistance to this issue. Tapping into the international community is our best hope of seeing significant change, with regard to a global approach to legalization. I imagine that during these economic times, governors of these fourteen progressive states, understand the revenue that would be generated, just by selling marijuana to those legally able to purchase it. I realize that the concept of across the board legalization of illicit drugs sounds tentative to many, but watching the nightly news describing the effects of the wars going on between rival syndicates is totally inhumane. Countries all over the globe are experiencing the backlash, as the fighting and killing of innocent and the guilty continues to numb the human race.  We as Americans pride ourselves on the freedoms that we advocate and enjoy.  Let us lead the global society into a world,  where governments and not gangs,  industries and not cartels,  adults and not children manage this worldwide business!!

Recently many cable news networks are talking about the legalization of marijuana. Although this is a step in the right direction, lets keep it real. Decriminalizing or even legalizing “grass”, in America is not the answer to the GLOBAL drug dilemma. The producer countries, like Afghanistan, Columbia, Peru, Bolivia (not members of the G20), and consumer countries, Canada, United States, United Kingdom, China, Russia (all members of the G20) must start a dialog that goes beyond the fears of political suicide, and societal backlash. Clearly the time is at hand for these world organizations to throw caution to the wind, and address this mammoth global concern.

Recently I’ve been encouraged by the conversations going on in California. It seems as though the decriminalization process with regards to the growing and medicinal use of cannabis sativa (marijuana) are at hand. Various legislation has been introduced over the years, complicating the process. However, the efforts of legalization supporters and pot farmers, continue to make significant advances toward their goal. The legalization or even the decriminalization of marijuana, would be a major step in the right direction.

As I watch the arrival of the various dignitaries being announced to the platform, it dawns on me that the attitudes and tolerance levels of the American people are clearly evolving. Drug users former and perhaps present, are sharing the platform with other VIPs. A former crack cocaine dealer is on the platform with the Congress of the USA and the states’ governors. Also on the platform are presidents, forty-one, forty-two and the “decider”, forty-three. This could not have happened twenty years ago, there is a new set of rules in America. Drug use and addiction has permeated every economic, racial, social and educational barrier. Typically, those with means will never serve any time when busted for possession. On the other hand the middle and lower class users and addicts are destined to “paying their debt to society”.

While writing this post a major cable news network reported that the half brother of the president, was arrested on marijuana charges in Kenya. He was subsequently released. Later that day the same network reported that a famous Olympian, arguably the greatest athlete of our time, was photographed while smoking pot. Is this really news worthy? I wondered how many of those reporters and editors are pot smokers? Why are these stories important, as we face the most challenging economic downturn in the past fifty years? These “news” stories are at best gossip, and should be permanently phased out of the news cycle. It seems as though we would all be better served if the legitimate news entities would report the stories effecting our lives, as opposed to stories aimed at destroying the lives of individuals. What do you think? Please leave some feedback.

Afganistan has produced more opium to date since the ousting of the Taliban, then ever before. According to some statistics they are producing 93% of the worlds supply of opium, the plant grown and used for the production of heroin. Although the Karzai administration says, it is committed to fighting the drug lords and reducing production, when huge fortunes are at stake,  history will repeat itself. In most third world “producer countries”,  these drug lords are not only criminals, they are also business men and women building  schools, funding infrustructure for communities, and paying off high level government officials for protection. The revenue from the drug trade provides the “ways and the means”, to purchase weapons, manpower,  and intelligence that helps fund the jihad against “the west”.

In Bolivia President Evo Morales was elected in 2006, he’s also a former coca farmer. The United States has spent over 90 million dollars to help fight cocaine production, but has seen little return on the bucks. The US program which hopes to convince the coca farmers to begin to grow other crops, instead of the coca plant used in processing cocaine, is a tough sell as you might imagine.  Recently, in the southern jungle of Bolivia, police busted the largest drug lab ever found in this, the third largest cocaine producing country in the world. President Morales says he, “wants to change the way Washington tries to eradicate the crop”.

Peruvian cocaine believed to be one of the most potent ever produced, saw a steep decline in production during the mid 1990s. The slow down which lasted about six years, is now a thing of the past.  The DEA mirror agency in Peru, called Devida, reports huge growth in the production of the coca plant since 2003.

Despite the death penalty sentence applied in China for nonviolent drug offenses, traffickers continue to move large amounts of illicit drugs there. As China “the closed society”, becomes more capitalistic in it’s approach to the world economy, they are rapidly becoming another huge consumer society. Drug lords with monies abound are funneling all types of designer drugs, along with the usual suspects, heroin, cocaine, and pills of all types into the “peoples republic”.

As we look at the countries of Africa, we generally think of the starvation of the people, civil wars and tribal conflicts. On the other hand blood diamonds and its revenues fund militia groups, and other radical movements. West Africa has increasingly become the drop off point for drugs headed to Europe, before making their way into the western markets. In Kenya, the drug infested ghettos give rise to a generation of youth becoming drug addicted, often as young as 7-9 years old. Usually in the cases of these youth, as with many kids around the world, the initial attraction is to “fit in”, feel grownup, or to otherwise do what seems to be the status quo. Like in other third world countries, or even developed countries for that matter, officials have no idea how to combat this rising trend! As noted earlier in this article when large amounts of money is driving the momentum, sophisticated syndicates learn various ways to continue the trafficking in the face of serious law enforcement efforts. Still other African countries along the eastern coast and South Africa are experiencing a significant increase in local usage as well as trafficking.

Australia which lies geographically outside the major shipping lanes, still sees a rise in the amount of illicit drugs coming into their country, primarily using “mules”. (persons ingesting drug filled balloons) Research shows that the country’s illicit drug problem is present, but certainly not to the degree of the western nations.

Russia’s drug problem has been on the rise for years with no signs of slowing down. Like China they are quickly becoming rivals with the USA regarding consumption. The geographic location has traffickers coming into the country from every direction and bringing all types of drugs. The various crime syndicates have a strong hold on distribution, consumption and trafficking.

Pakistan has a serious addiction problem because of neighboring Afghanistan’s exportation of a powerful form of heroin. Remember we are discussing a country whose culture is rooted in the Muslim religion, and even alcohol is illegal. By all accounts this society is now dealing with the illicit drug scene on a very serious level.

I’d like to give some history about as many countries as possible but already the patterns of use and abuse, corruption, addiction and crime are apparent. Basically all of the fore mentioned nations are experiencing monumental consequences as a result of the pervasiveness of illicit drugs. The so called war on drugs has long since failed, and governments on a global scale continue to be non-responsive to their respective citizenry. We all have family members or close friends that deal with drug use or abuse to some degree or another. At the same time we would not call those close to us criminal, or social outcast. The fact is, that we as a global society must begin to address this unspeakable issue in real terms. Sure we should be tentative and careful. But history has shown us that the problem cannot be eradicated merely by “just saying no”. Nor will it subside by putting users and addicts in prisons and jails. Illicit drugs by definition are a “brand”. They will be marketed, advertised, bought and sold. Farmers in the third world will continue to grow crops to feed their families. Billions of untaxed dollars will be generated by syndicates and other organized crime groups. They will wage wars against government entities that wish to put an end to their organizations. How long shall we “chase our tails”? Once, while living in Washington DC nearly twenty years ago, I was having this conversation with a federal prosecutor, he looked at me as though I was insane and said; “you can’t really be this irresponsible”. Over the years I’ve come to the conclusion that we are all being irresponsible about this issue.

During the weeks and months ahead, I’ll be looking at more countries and showing just how widespread this problem truly extends. I’m addressing a human problem effecting all of us collectively. The solution, should one exist, will be defined by a majority. I am proposing either legalization or at the very least decriminalization. I believe even a government not functioning well could manage this business better then its being done. We must stop the sale of these drugs to the youth whose bodies are still unable to metabolize these chemicals, without doing irreversible damage. They don’t even have a chance in life. We must be able to evaluate the other substances that are used to process the drugs. Presently the labs being used in the Amazon and in similar locations are not subject to any type of quality control. Moreover, anything can and will be used to provide additives necessary to complete the process. Often pulverized animal bones or something similar may be added. We live in a free society in the USA. Most countries make allowances for cigarette smokers, alcohol abusers, and other types of high-risk behaviors. If we are truly a free people, then the government should not legislate one form of poison over the next. I’m sure the tobacco and alcohol lobbyist are well heeled on capitol hill. It would also stand to reason that the powerful pharmaceutical lobby would spend millions to keep illicit drugs from becoming legal. Imagine how that could profoundly impact their business.

Let’s take control of this industry!! We can use its’ huge profits to educate youth on the dangers of abuse. We can monitor the processing and add quality control measures. We will take the power away from the entire illegal apparatus. Syndicates, cartels, para-militaries, extremist, and all those using the profits of the illegal trade will begin to fade. Street crime will subside in cities around the world. In major cities across America, teenage dealers are making one-thousand dollars a day at the low end. Little wonder why the territorial shootings and gang wars exist, and are never ending. Let’s send them to school rather then to prison or their grave. Without the “ways and the means”, these kids could not afford the bullets for their guns.

Let’s debate the pros and cons, for a new approach to this all inclusive dilemma. Finally, I’d like to say that I’m not advocating the use of illicit drugs, because I want people just getting high. Clearly, that decision is being made whether or not folks have legal permission or not. I’m merely arriving at a conclusion after decades of failed policies and false hopes. Perhaps we as Americans can take the lead on this, and open a serious dialog that won’t end until we have a solution. During these very painful economic times, perhaps the new source of revenue is an illicit commodity right under our nose!! This is a debate, all comments are encouraged and welcome!!!