A Drug Warrior Falls On Her Sword
For all Connecticut's faults, let's give credit where it's due: my state appears poised to become the thirteenth in the nation to allow the use of medical marijuana. Most of the legislators support it. But a local semi-alternative journalist (whose name sounds hauntingly familiar) interviewed one who does not and, after failing to get a straight answer as to why medical-pot patients belong in jail, asked point-blank how long a particular one should be incarcerated.
Turns out drug warriors dislike such questions. Huh. Who knew?
Turns out drug warriors dislike such questions. Huh. Who knew?
posted by Jennifer Abel at 4:11 AM
30 Comments:
Went and read your newspaper story; you write very professionally, and it's an excellent piece as well. I'd have loved to have seen the look on the legislator's face when you asked her about the guy's prison sentence. "Not for a legislator to decide", huh? Why not - they seem to want to decide everything else for us.
On another note - I was noticing your email address at the paper. The first part of it is a combination of your first initial and your last name - or jabel. If one were to pronounce that with a French "J", it would sound very pretty. Also rhymes easily. Like... m'belle, Jabel, who yells and rebells. Oh well. ;-)
So, I guess that alcohol isn't bad for you according to the legistlative logic? It's only a suggestion that it alters your perception and causes cirrhosis of the liver? Nah, that's not it at all...perhaps if marijuana had a corporate sponsor that spent billions of dollars promoting the substance it would be seen as okay?
Yes, there are other things that can be used to ease pain. Let's go back to the days when my mother was in the hospital with a broken nose...they packed it with cocaine. Perhaps if the marijuana was administered only by medical staff in an actual medical facility there would be an acceptable difference (in addition to the really happy chubby nurses with an endless case of the munchies)?
"Perhaps if the marijuana was administered only by medical staff in an actual medical facility there would be an acceptable difference..."
Perhaps you've hit the nail on the head right there. How is anyone (like a medical facility or a drug company) supposed to make big money off something that can be grown in anyone's backyard and processed and used right in the home without any trained medical attendants?
Perhaps you've hit the nail on the head right there. How is anyone (like a medical facility or a drug company) supposed to make big money off something that can be grown in anyone's backyard and processed and used right in the home without any trained medical attendants?
If you REALLY want to work to that end, check out this. I've been trying to figure out the math to let me go there for a while. Still figuring.
Like... m'belle, Jabel, who yells and rebells.
You ain't seen nothin till you've seen Jennifer at the H&R after the VT incident.
"You ain't seen nothin till you've seen Jennifer at the H&R after the VT incident."
I did.
Is it leagal to grow and smoke your own tobacco?
Wow! Jennifer,
You're like John Stossel without the cheesy moustache. ;~)
"Is it leagal (sic) to grow and smoke your own tobacco?"
Don't know why it wouldn't be - tobacco farmers grow their own and some of them probably smoke it as well. Has to be cured first, of course.
(Hot damn! My HTML tags worked!)
It's illegal to sell the paper wrapers down here in South Texas...I can't speak for other areas. That could make it a little hard to grow and smoke your own.
It's not illegal to sell rolling papers in Texas - not unless they changed the law in the last seven or eight years. I rolled my own up until eleven years ago and I live in Texas.
Besides, you could always smoke it in a pipe.
" Like... m'belle, Jabel, who yells and rebells. Oh well."
...and raises hell! Yes, "ma belle, these are words that go together well."
This is yet another one of those laws that they changed about 3-5 years ago. Their thinking was that the wrappers are linked to illegal drug use as nobody ever rolls their own tobacco. Stupid, I know...but you cannot buy them any longer. Local authorities had a raid on Planet K shortly after the law went into effect to try and get the point across; though, it didn't really work.
Geez, what are all those heads over in Austin gonna do?! ;-) I know of a substitute for rolling papers that works reasonably well - for tobacco anyway. It's the wrapper that a drinking straw comes in at some restaurants. It's a very thin paper tube that continues to smolder after it is lit - just like a Top or Bugler cigarette paper. Keeps your cig burning.
I really enjoy your work. "Gonzo libertarianism" is a concept with which I am very pleased!
though, it didn't really work
The raid didn't work, or the point didn't get across?
They still sell rolling papers in the Houston area. Here's a website for a local shop.
http://www.cityslick.net/Hobbies-and-Craft-Deals/Zig-Zag-Smokeshop-33-14-0-0.html
Here's another place in Houston that sells papers:
Allbrandssmoke.com
(713) 893-6489
www.allbrandssmoke.com
14781 Memorial Drive, Suit 1326
Houston, TX 77079
Also, don't forget the paper wrappers of single roll toilette paper. (jailhouse cigs - you don't wanna know.)
The point didn't get across from the raid...the store hid their "stashes" behind the bongs and all the plant growing equipment that was left untouched. Yes, this is were the most serious of tomato growers come for all of their highest quality plant food and grow lights...the bongs are needed to test the soil. The only thing not needed is rolling papers (I mean, who rolls tomato leaves?).
Also, don't forget the paper wrappers of single roll toilette paper. (jailhouse cigs - you don't wanna know.)
Ok, just out of morbid curiousity, and understand I'm not a smoker in any form so I may ask dumb questions...what the hell are you talking about?
what the hell are you talking about?
Once upon a time in Texas all prison inmates were issued a monthly allowance of "makin's" - loose tobacco (such as Prince Albert, Bugler, etc.) and rolling papers - for "makin'" their own cigarettes. Occasionally one would run out of papers and would need a substitute. As any long time smoker will attest, not all paper is equally suitable for rolling cigarettes. Commercial toilette paper (such as is used in institutional and public restrooms)comes individually wrapped in a very thin, lightweight paper that makes a very good substitute for rolling one's smokes. It's main drawback is that it has no stickum or gum on it...but depending on what one is rollin' and smokin', that's not necessarily a disadvantage. ;-)
(and no, moose, I hain't never been in da joint.)
Possession in a school zone mandates a two-year minimum sentence, and Boucher strongly supports drug-free school zone laws.
You should have asked Boucher how he felt about mandatory minimums. This excerpt sort of implies that he is for mandatory minimums, but I am not sure that is the case. You may have "stolen a base" on this part. His "we're not the judiciary" comment would seem, on the other hand, to imply that he is against mandatory minimums. Would have been nice to hear a direct, explicit answer from Boucher on the mandatory minimums issue, instead of having to guess what he thinks about mandatory minimums.
Dave W. said...
You should have asked Boucher how he felt about mandatory minimums.
You didn't RTFA, did you Dave?
From Jennifer's article:
Because, she says, it’s bad for children and young teens to smoke marijuana.
Boucher is a woman, Dave.
Boucher is a woman, Dave.
I stand corrected on this nitpicky point. The rest of what I said stands. It would have been nice if Jennifer's follow up question, after the long pause and response would have been:
[b]Ms.[/b] Boucher, how do you feel about mandatory minimum sentences, then?"
Obviously it is too late for Jennifer to go back and re-do the interview, but I am sure she will have many more opportunities in her journalistic career.
A lot of what I wrote was cut before publication, Dave. Don't make the mistake of assuming too much.
Wow, I've been busy these last 24 hours. My phone-sex story got BoingBoinged and Farked, so instead of doing actual work I've been doing vanity searches for myself on blogs and Websites.
I am pathetic.
Commercial toilette paper (such as is used in institutional and public restrooms)comes individually wrapped in a very thin, lightweight paper that makes a very good substitute for rolling one's smokes.
So you're talking about not the toilet paper itself, but the wrapper it comes in?
As I said, not being a smoker, acceptability of paper for smoking hasn't made it on my radar.
Amazing what one finds that they know nothing about.
So you're talking about not the toilet paper itself, but the wrapper it comes in?
Yup!
A lot of what I wrote was cut before publication, Dave. Don't make the mistake of assuming too much.
I know how frustrrating that can be. Be that as it may, what I really hope for is the idea to work out the contingencies before the adversarial interview next time.
I can make them think you are a true ass. For certian ppl, that is the best approach.
I know what kind of answers shills like Boucher will give before they give them. Really, I do. I have the follow-up questions b4 the interview starts. Totally key.
I know what kind of answers shills like Boucher will give before they give them. Really, I do. I have the follow-up questions b4 the interview starts. Totally key.
Nothing like going in with an open mind and free of a bunch of pre-conceived notions, huh?
Really good article, Jennifer.
I doubt anything will come of it, but I'm trying to get my local papers to reprint it. While not even vaguely local news where I live, the general thought-processes are very relevant.
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