Presidents and Ignoring Commissions Advice on Drug Policy
- David Bearman, M.D.
In 1971 President Nixon and Congress appointed a 13-member commission, The Schaeffer Commission (aka Nixon Commission on Marijuana and Drug Abuse) to develop effective drug policies. Even though Nixon had publicly admonished the commission not to legalize marijuana. They went ahead and recommended legalizing marijuana.
The National Commission on Marijuana and Drug Abuse was chaired by the former Republican Governor of Pennsylvania, Raymond Schafer. They issued their report on March 22, 1972 which concluded that, "The most notable statement that can be made about the vast majority of marijuana users – experimenters and intermittent users – is that they are essentially indistinguishable from their non-marijuana using peers by any fundamental criterion other than their marijuana use."
Nixon’s National Commission on Marihuana (sic) and Drug Abuse called for ending the criminal arrest and prosecution of adults for possession or use small amounts of marijuana. The National Commission on Marijuana and Drug Abuse concluded:
"The criminal law is too harsh a tool to apply to personal possession even in the effort to discourage use. … It implies an overwhelming indictment of the behavior which we believe is not appropriate. The actual and potential harm of use of the drug is not great enough to justify intrusion by the criminal law into private behavior, a step which our society takes only with the greatest reluctance."
Nixon’s marijuana commission also found that neither the marijuana user nor the drug itself could be said to constitute a danger to public safety. No matter. On an Oval Office tape, Nixon says to his Chief of Staff Robert Haldeman, "You know, it's a funny thing. Every one of the bastards that are out for legalizing marijuana is Jewish. What the Christ is the matter with Jews, Bob? What is the matter with them? I suppose it is because most of them are psychiatrists."
Meanwhile the English take on marijuana was a little less hysterical. The matter was studied by a special committee, The Wooten Committee. In 1969 the Wooten Committee concluded that 'the long-term consumption of cannabis in moderation has no harmful effects'.
"Having reviewed all the material available to us we find ourselves in agreement with the conclusion reached by the Indian Hemp Drugs Commission and the New York Mayor’s Committee that the long-term consumption of cannabis in moderate doses has no harmful effects." - The 1966 U.K.’s Wooton Report
In 1976 President Carter campaigned on the issue of federal decriminalization of marijuana. At that time, several states had recently decriminalized marijuana. Carter campaigned for relinquishing federal criminal penalties for possession of up to one ounce of marijuana. Carter’s drug czar, Dr. Peter Bourne, did not view marijuana or even cocaine, as a serious public health threat.
"Penalties against possession of a drug should not be more damaging to the individual than the use of the drug itself. And where they are they should be changed. Nowhere is this more clear than in the laws against possession of marijuana in private for personal use … Therefore, I support legislation amending Federal law to eliminate all federal criminal penalties for up to one ounce of marijuana."
- Jimmy Carter (President of U.S. 1976-1980) – Message to Congress 1977
Ironically these libertarian sentiments from the late President Ronald Reagan suggest the government has overstepped their bounds on this one.
"Government exists to protect us from each other. Where government has gone beyond its limits is in deciding to protect us from ourselves." Ronald Reagan, U.S. President.
Who's Who in Medical Cannabis - Mark Bowman
Mark Bowman was born and raised in the Bronx, NY and is currently living in Wantagh, NY.
He studied at New York School of Interior Design and Queensborough College.
He has worked as:
Port Securityman First Class, U.S. Coast Guard
President of Eclectic Furniture
President at Instant Furniture
President at Fundamental Designs
President at JayMark Product Representatives
Executive Director, Compassionate Associates
Mark is a retired business owner having successfully operated his own company for 40 years. However, retirement is not in his blood.
So he decided to seek out new challenges and new experiences. This is why he has several ongoing internet projects.
He developed a wholesale copier business (http://www.JayMark-LLC.com) that offers the lowest prices and quickest delivery on commercial copiers nationwide.
In addition, he serves as the Executive Director for CompassionAssociates.org. Compassion Associates is a New Jersey-based, not-for-profit organization which was founded by individuals who are concerned for patients in New Jersey who will benefit from the legal, medicinal use of marijuana.
Mark Bowman is the AAMC New Jersey director.
What's New
Alabama: Considering a medical marijuana law.
HB642 - The Michael Phillips Compassionate Care Act of Alabama
Arkansas: Considering a medical marijuana law.
Connecticut: Considering a medical marijuana law.
Florida: Medical marijuana petition drive underway.
Idaho: Considering a medical marijuana law.
Illinois: Considering a medical marijuana law.
Bill Status of SB1381
Indiana: Considering a medical marijuana law.
Iowa: Considering a medical marijuana law.
Kansas: Medical marijuana petition drive underway.
Marijuana Bill Reaches House
Cannabis Compassion and Care Act
Maryland: Considering a medical marijuana law.
Bill Status of SB 627
Massachusetts: Considering a medical marijuana law.
Minnesota: Considering a medical marijuana law.
Missouri: Considering a medical marijuana law.
HOUSE BILL NO. 1670 - An Act relating to the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes
Cottleville Mayor Don Yarber hopes Missouri legislature passes medical marijuana law
New Hampshire: Considering a medical marijuana law.
New York: Considering a medical marijuana law.
North Carolina: Considering a medical marijuana law.
North Carolina Medical Cannabis Act
Ohio: Considering a medical marijuana law.
HB 214
Pennsylvania: Considering a medical marijuana law.
HB 1393
South Carolina: Considering a medical marijuana law.
South Dakota: Medical marijuana petition drive underway.
Tennessee: Considering a medical marijuana law.
Texas: Considering a medical marijuana law.
Wisconsin: Considering a medical marijuana law.
The Jacki Rickert Medical Marijuana Act
Featured Recipe - Pecan Sandies by Jay R. Cavanaugh, PhD
Road Cookies for the Canny Bus
I love pecans. You can't live in New Orleans without developing a serious pecan habit. In the Big Easy (or Big Sleazy to the locals) we put pecans in everything but red beans and rice. You'll find these tasty nuts on fish, in candy, cakes, stuffing, and, of course, cookies. Nurse Nancy Wife and I started out to make some sort of Russian Tea Cake but ended up closeted with pecans. We started with those big lovely organic pecan halves, Tillamook sweet cannabutter, turbinado sugar, confectioners sugar, bourbon vanilla, and flour. Later we're going for the ultimate treat, canny pralines but that's another recipe J
This recipe is a little tough because it uses only cannabutter as a source for fat. No straight butter here, only the real deal green stuff. That means that it's tough to get good consistency in the cookies and Pecan Sandies have to have some snap or they're just not Sandies. All of this only means that you've got to use your eyes and touch to make certain the dough is not too moist or dry but like baby bears porridge, just right. We love to experiment and that means that sometimes the cookies don't come out the way we thought. That's OK, just make more and eat the crumbs!
Ingredients:
1 cup pecans ground into small chunks (and a little bit of pecan flour)
1 cup Better Bud Butter
2 cups of all purpose flour (maybe a bit more or less depending)
½ tsp baking powder
1 tablespoon of bourbon vanilla extract (try it - you'll never use the old vanilla again)
1 cup turbinado sugar
½ cup sifted powdered sugar
Directions:
Cream the cannabutter and sugar together in a mixing bowl. Make sure the mixture is nice and smooth. Add the vanilla while creaming. Sift together the flour and baking powder and gradually add to the butter/sugar cream with gentle mixing to avoid lumps. Add the chopped pecans. Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. While you wait for the dough to completely chill do something responsible like cleaning up or chores because you won't be able to do much after you try the cookies.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll golf sized balls which you then gently flatten a bit in the palm of your hand. Place the flattened balls (one-third of an inch thick) on a nonstick ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes at 300 degrees or until slightly firm and brown (it's hard to tell since these Sandies are SO green). Remove from the oven and very gently place on a rack to cool. While still hot dust the Sandies with sifted powdered sugar. If you try to roll them in powdered sugar while still warm they will crumble. Once these Sandies cool they will harden. Until they firm up they don't like to be touched. Please be patient.
Ingredient Note: Recipes for Pecan Sandies abound and have quite a bit of variety in the amounts of ingredients used. Don't be afraid of using a bit less sugar or a bit more flour to get these puppies right. The two constants are one whole cup of bud butter and one whole cup of pecans. You might want to jazz these Sandies up with a bit more bourbon vanilla and/or a dash of graded cinnamon.
Potency Note: Warning! If you check the total volume of ingredients of Sandies versus our other cookies, you'll find that they are just about three times more powerful by weight. We discovered this obvious fact by crumbling our first batch, eating the crumbs, and being forced to retire early. Yum! Nancy Wife points out that Pecan Sandies are basically just sweetened Better Bud Butter and Pecans with enough flour to hold them together and enough powdered sugar to get your hands sticky.
Recommended Beverage: Earl Grey or English Breakfast tea for mornings or afternoons. When serving Pecan Sandies as a desert treat, you might want to try a chilled Syrah or even a good aged tawny Port.
Store out of the light in an airtight container.
