Grassley on drugs

“We are not afraid to entrust the American people with unpleasant facts, foreign ideas, alien philosophies and competitive values. For a nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its people.” ~John F. Kennedy
    
Two weeks ago, the United Kingdom’s chief drug adviser, Professor David Nutt, was “sacked” by home secretary, Alan Johnson, for criticizing government drug policy and saying – among other things – that marijuana is less harmful to individuals and society than alcohol and tobacco.
   
“The whole process of determining drug classification has become quite complex and highly politicized,” said Professor Nutt, chairman of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs at a lecture in July. Indeed!
   
On this side of the Atlantic, U.S. senators are deliberating over a bill introduced by Sen. Jim Webb, titled The National Criminal Justice Commission Act of 2009. The bill would set up a commission to conduct a comprehensive review of the U.S. criminal justice system and make findings “To improve public safety, cost-effectiveness, overall prison administration and fairness in the implementation of the nation’s criminal justice system.”
   
When working to fix our broken criminal justice system (which has an incarceration rate five times the world average), Webb said, “nothing should be off the table.”
   
Well, not in Sen. Chuck Grassley’s book. Last week, Grassley introduced an amendment to Webb’s bill that would censor members of the Commission from even discussing “The decriminalization of any offense under the Controlled Substances Act or the legalization of any controlled substance listed under the Controlled Substances Act.”
   
When Jason Clayworth, writer for the Des Moines Register, asked if the amendment would also halt discussion on medical marijuana, Grassley had this to say: “Yes, the extent to which it would be decriminalization, the answer is yes.”
   
At the urging of fellow senators, Grassley eventually pulled the amendment. Nevertheless, his stance on our failing war on drugs was sent loud and clear: let’s not talk about it.
   
Now, I can’t say that legalizing or decriminalizing drugs will solve our nation’s drug problem; however, I can say with absolute certainty that censoring expert advice won’t help anything. It will only serve to further inundate our citizenry with lies built upon political propaganda.        Let me provide an example: In 1937, Harry Anslinger, Commissioner for the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, introduced the Marijuana Tax Stamp Act. He testified before Congress saying, “marijuana is the most violence-causing drug in the history of mankind.” Congress passed the bill despite opposition from the American Medical Association.        Eleven years later in a 180-degree turnaround, Anslinger spoke before a strongly anti-Communist Congress claiming that marijuana rendered its users not violent at all, but so peaceful – and pacifistic – that the Communists could and would use marijuana to weaken our American fighting men’s will to fight.
   
With more than 750,000 Americans arrested last year for possessing this pacifist-rendering drug, I’m not a bit surprised that the number of incarcerated drug offenders has increased 1,200 percent since 1980. During that time, state spending on corrections rose six times faster than spending on higher education.
   
In light of these staggering statistics, I urge lawmakers to keep an open mind when reforming our decayed criminal justice system – with nothing left off the table.
   
On a lighter note, I want to applaud the Iowa Board of Pharmacy for holding public hearings to examine the scientific and anecdotal evidence regarding the medical use of marijuana. Also deserving of applause are the state and federal drug czars, who said they favor science over politics in the Iowa debate on medical marijuana.
   
Maybe the drugs czars can teach Grassley a thing or two – that is, if he will clean the waxy political rhetoric out of his ears.
 

6 comments

Jeff

Tue Nov 17 2009 23:48

I actually ran across this article searching for the anti-inflamatory effects of marijuana for medicinal use. I suffer from Ulcerative Colitis, an inflamatory bowel disease similiar to Chrons. Funny thing is, I only started having the symptoms a few years after I stopped smoking marijuana recreationally. I am 41 and was diagnosed at 40. Although the disease can affect any age group, it usually peaks between ages 15-30 and then again at age 50-70. I really wonder if my use of marijuana over my lifetime had some affect on preventing the disease from rearing it's ugly head. I think more research should be done, but some of the research and testimonies I have read suggest that it may have had something to do with it. I am a different person now and I will not take the illegal route to test that theory. But, if it can alleviate or prevent my symptoms, It would be nice to have that option legally. Right now I have to take medication daily, including an enema every night. Now I don't know about you, but I would really prefer to smoke a joint before bed rather than the medication and enema. The symptoms are under control for the moment, but if they increase at all then the next step is Immunomodulators, which require close monitoring and can have bad side effects. I already had to use Prednisone for one particularly bad flare up and the depression and mood swings it caused me were horrible. Then, of course, there is the potential to need a section of my colon removed. Not something to look forward to there. I guess the point here is if using marijuana for a medical condition such as mine can be beneficial, what is the harm? It has been used for treating different symptoms for hundreds, maybe thousands of years. Some of the things I have been prescribed to help me with this have had much worse effects than marijuana ever had.

Jeff Krueger

Mon Nov 16 2009 21:37

Mr. Foreman,

On second thought, I would very much like to speak with your father. Could you E-mail me his contact information or have him call me.
My E-mail address is jak9486@uni.edu and my phone number is (641) 430-0307.
Thanks and have a good day.

Jeff Krueger

Mon Nov 16 2009 21:28

Mr. Foreman,
While I respect your opinion that Grassley may be right on a number of subjects (as I also agree that he is often right and looking out for the well being of the general public), I cannot in good conscience allow Grassley's proposed (and revoked) amendment to censor expert advisers go unnoticed. As a journalist, it is my job and my duty to enlighten the public on the doings of our high ranking officials. If you disagree with my writings, I suggest that you write a letter to the editor (I know Nikki is always looking to hear from readers). But please avoid any ad hominem (personal attack) arguments like the one you just wrote against me.
As for your father, I am sorry that Grassley treated him in such a way and discouraged his protesting. Please give him my best. And though the act of protesting may never change anything by itself, gathering with like minded people to rally behind a cause can help to fuel movements that lead to a better world. I offer up a quote from Margaret Mead, cultural anthropologist, to support my case:
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
With that, I leave you to your thoughts. Good day, Sir.

Randy Foreman

Sun Nov 15 2009 23:02

You know something bud. Let me tell you a story, My father went to the University of Northern Iowa around 1969. He was hot against the war at the time and there was Chuck Grassley. My father remembers Grassley being asked about the anti-war protesters and Grassley said the students needed to get back to class. My father hated that at the time but years later he told me respected Grassley for saying that. One day maybe when your brain isn't filled with the haze of marijuana smoke you too see what my father saw of Iowa's Senior Senator that he more often than not turns out to be right.
Randy Foreman
UNI Class of '99
BA Political Science and Public Administration
Washington, DC

RevRayGreen

Thu Nov 12 2009 17:59

Chuck needs to know marijuna is not a drug and is the safest pain reliever out there, and should he ever get cancer it would be a viable option for him.

Kevin

Thu Nov 12 2009 17:52

I was in law enforcement in Iowa for more than a decade before returning as a non-traditional student. I hope to graduate next month; Criminology Major / Sociology Minor. I now believe, in most minor drug possession cases, that counseling or treatment would be more beneficial than incarceration. Maybe Grassley should take a class or two?

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