Letter to Mr. Rudd P.M.

[medcanaware]

I have taken the liberty of commenting on a few statements that were made on the subject of Cannabis while you,Mr Rudd, was Labour Leader. Your status had changed, but probably not your views. Please bear with me as I unburden my views.

"Labor leader Kevin Rudd, who also went to Burgmann, said yesterday that smoking marijuana was never part of his scene".
(This is your personal choice, Mr. Prime Minister. Your human right to choose, just as it is your human right to choose the psychoactive drug ethanol when and as often as you so wish).

"I've always had a very tough line on this stuff — really, really hard line," Mr Rudd told the Nine Network. "I'm in John Howard's camp on this one. We have a unity ticket."

Having a unity ticket does not make it right. Many people have 'unity' tickets on the fact that they take a really, really hard line on e.g. homosexuality, single parenthood, women in trousers, alcohol, 'blacks', other religions and so on. Many people had a unity ticket with the Inquisition on so-called heretics. Many people had a unity ticket with Hitler, Stalin and others who killed, imprisoned, made to feel lower than the low etc. anyone they didn't agree with or like, but it didn't make it right. Many people had a 'unity' ticket with those who took the babies away from the aborigines and single 'white' mothers.

"Senator Minchin's views are also quite different today and he actively discourages smoking marijuana".

Smoking anything is not good for you. BUT...cannabis does not have to smoked. These days many people vapourise, eat it in many varied foods, sprinkle it on their food as a spice, drink it as a tea and make tinctures and ointments out of it.

"I have three children" (continued Sr Minchin). "One is in primary, one is in secondary and one in tertiary, and I do spend a lot of my time explaining to them the evils of consumption of marijuana, and do as I say, not what I do," he said.

It would be interesting to know exactly how anti-illicit campaigners spend their time expounding the dangers and evils of the psychoactive drug ethanol, the drug caffeine, the myriad of prescription drugs that are taken from 3 months old through until death and the evils of nicotine.

Alcohol deaths in any one year (avge 3000); Cigarette delivery system deaths in any one year (avge 16,000); caffeine (tr-methyl-xanthine) deaths - (300); prescription drug deaths (10,000); OTC drugs (1,000) and NSAIDS (2,000)

Do the children know these stats? Or do children only get told that alcohol is a 'drink' but cannabis is a 'drug'. No wonder they are confused. (Adults think it's a 'drink' too).

Do the children get told the truth that alcohol kills and is toxic? Alcohol turns into acetaldehyde in the body and is 8 times more toxic than alcohol itself, and unless the liver is very healthy and only an ethanol drug dose per hour is put into the body, the liver has a hard time detoxifying it?

Do people get told that Cannabis does not kill of its own volition, is non-toxic (only the smoke is toxic IF smoked) and has been used victoriously as a medicine and quite safely as a recreational drug for over 5,000 years? (NO drug is 100% safe - including the 'legal' ones. The word 'legal' does not make something safe, healthy or good for you)

If not, why not? Is it because the Government does not want their drug associated with the word drug (which is why it's a 'drink' no matter how many problems it causes...or rather the people cause who consume it) and they do not want Cannabis associated with the word medicine, food, drink, socialisation, enjoyment etc. Those terms are only reserved for the favourite psychoactive drug of most Australians.... ethanol.

Term for this? - hypocrisy in democracy.

There are millions of people in Australia who agree with people being able to choose to use cannabis as their choice of drug (whether recreational or medicinal). We held an 8 day campaign in 2008 and were amazed at how many people of all ages (the eldest we spoke to was 84) felt that the laws for Cannabis were outdated and very, very wrong. Yes, some people abuse cannabis, but some people abuse ethanol (very addictive), caffeine (very addictive), nicotine (very addictive) and even prescribed and OTC drugs. They abuse food and practically all lifestyles. But, just because SOME abuse, does not mean (and should not mean) that everyone who chooses to use responsibly gets punished for it!

People under the age of 18 should not use cannabis, cigarettes and neither should they use ethanol nor, in my opinion, caffeine. And don't get me started on drugs like Ritalin, Panadol etc that are given to our tiny, tiny children as if they were the best thing since sliced bread. Over 18...well, people should have the human right to make their own choice. Parents don't have rights over a child once it gets to 18 and neither should the Government (except for real criminal activities).

I would also like to see Politicians stand before the myriad of medical sufferers who choose to use cannabis instead of, (or as well as), prescribed drugs and say, "Well, you know it works for you and we've heard many testimonies of it working for people, but we are not going to let you have it. We will continue punishing you, even jailing some, take your medicine away from you and instead tell you that you have to only take our prescription drugs even if you get side effects, they don't work for you or you don't want to put our toxic drugs into your body".

Is this the FAIR GO FOR ALL we have heard for years in Australia, Mr. Prime Minister? Is this how a DEMOCRACY should be run - by people dictating to others what they can and can't do with their own lives? Is this a HUMAN RIGHT to force people to kow-tow to what 'you' believe even when they believe something else?

I, personally, do not use cannabis (although have used it twice in the past 4 years to get rid of inflammation of the gum/abscess...and yes, it worked exceptionaly well), BUT....I (with others) am an advocate for the law being changed and for the Government and so-called 'anti-drug' people to stop socially segregating the people, treating them differently, punishing them, fining them, calling them derogatory names like 'loser', 'd-ckhead', 'drug addicts', 'junkies' etc. for doing something they do themselves, and that is to take a psychoactive drug for recreational purposes or medicinal purposes.

You say that you are in unity with Mr. Howard on the subject of Cannabis, well Mr. Howard once said, "It is not the role of Government to tell the people what they can and can't do with their lives". And, you yourself, Prime Minister stated, "Australians must not kow-tow to anybody when it comes to freedom in this country".

Isn't it time that the Government started being in unity and taking notice of all its people and not just some? Isn't it time that the Fair Go For All really meant that, and not just a Fair Go for Some? Isn't it about time that the draconian laws on all choices (except murder etc) were changed, just as over the years the draconian laws on homosexuality, sex outside of marriage, certain books, colour, religion etc. have been changed?...and thank God they have, or you'd have our prisons full of non-criminal people (just like parts of the U.S. and other countries still have).

 

[Somewhat-damaged]

Very well written. I agree with everything you say. Have you actually sent the letter?

 

[hoptis]

And when did the PM make those statements?

 

[MindlessBilly]

I like your letter but good luck changing the point of view of world leaders. There is much more to the reason why drug laws are the way they are than meets the eye. Its quite obvious the government does not care about our health or rights!
What i dont understand is why the governments of the world are not jumping at this idea with the current state of finances around the world, imagine all the money that could be made from taxing illegal drugs.

 

[Sykik]

Great letter, but I agree with Hoptis that you need to have the references with your quoutes, and references with your averages, once you attach them to the bottom of the letter, with appropriate reference formatting, it would complete your already pretty sound logic.

Good work.

Personally I think THC can induce drug induced pscyosis, i've seen it first hand, but you don't include that in your letter, not saying that ethanol can not, just its not good omitting some bad signs. Check the "up in smoke" report a couple of years back.

 

[permastoned]

Good shit right there.

Agreed with the referencing, it is something you MUST DO in a situation like this otherwise anyone could write a letter willy nilly and make up as much fake shit as they wanted.

2 Things for the sake of being picky, but it makes a difference to how the letter comes across, especially in the opening and closing statements.

"I have taken the liberty of commenting on a few statements that were made on the subject of Cannabis while you,Mr Rudd, was Labour Leader." should be WERE rather than WAS

"and thank God they have, or you'd have our prisons full of non-criminal people (just like parts of the U.S. and other countries still have)."

Change NON-CRIMINAL to INNOCENT.

Keep up the good work, more people should send letters like these.

 

[Ignatius J.]

Should be Labor and not Labour also.

 

[psytaco]

I like your letter but good luck changing the point of view of world leaders. There is much more to the reason why drug laws are the way they are than meets the eye. Its quite obvious the government does not care about our health or rights!
What i dont understand is why the governments of the world are not jumping at this idea with the current state of finances around the world, imagine all the money that could be made from taxing illegal drugs.

Good point. There are many reasons why drugs are illegal and I would say that health concerns are not the primary reason.
The illegality of drugs allows countries such as the US to interfer in the politics of other countries (in some cases using the military). Just look at how much effort the US puts into funding particular governments with weapons and crop erradication in colombia and afghanistan. It is a means of asserting influence covertly. They give weapons and erradicate the cash crops of groups like the taliban and FARC (south america), so that these groups have reduced finances to act in ways that are against US interests. Also this allows them to have a certain amount of control over the groups or governments it supports with weapons nad cash to fight drug production.
Further, and a bit more cynically; drugs like LSD, MDMA, marijuana promote a bit too much free thought and less in the way of productivity which is not good if a government wants to keep you under control. Further, certain drugs have traditionally been associated with migrant groups and/or subversive elements (beatnicks, hippies, anarachists) so the illegality of drugs means these groups are easier to persecute and control in an indirect manner.
Even though drug illegality does not work (and all politians know this) - it has gotten to the stage that any government wanting to decriminalise or legalise drugs would be committing political suicide. Most voters wouldn't go for it because they have been fed the 'drugs are bad' shit for decades now, and the opposition only has to jump on it as a moral panic and they could easily win an election. Just look at want governments do with 'moral panics' such as terrorism, immigration, asylum seekers etc., drugs and law and order are used as equally powerful political tools.

 

[drug_mentor]

Good letter man, sadly the cunts never will pay attention to this. They are set in stone with their opinions and imo Australia will never be a world leader in cannabis legislation or any other drugs for that matter. There is mounting support in the US for legalization of cannabis and hopefully it goes ahead, but Australia will never legalize until the US does, as soon as they do we will follow them like sheep as we do with everything else.

 

[medcanaware]

In answer to the question on whether we have sent this letter or not, the answer is YES. We don't expect a reply, but one nevedr knows. We have been writing to the Government and various drug bodies for 5 years now (a few times a year).

Also, thanks for the gramar lesson.
The change was an oversight on my part. It had originally read, "....while Mr. Rudd was Labour leader", but then I made it more personal and sent it to him, while forgetting to change the was to were.
As for Labour......point taken....I'm English, and my automatic response is to write Labor with a 'u' in it. Will have to watch that in future.

Mr. Rudd and Mr. Howard did say those things and Mr. Rudd would remember it as we've mentioned it many times in letters past to them. Not sure exactly when they were said (we just have them under 'quotes' on the computer), but they were definitely said....as were many other quotes by Mr. Howard on the subject of personal choice.

 

[danzaman]

I'm sorry, but that letter was poorly written. Grammatical errors aside, it is not clear what you are even arguing for until the final third of the letter. Then when you do, it is lost amongst ramblings about freedom and 'innocent prisoners'. You need to state your case clearly from the outset of what will be a concise, relevant piece.

Not presenting any evidence in support of your argument that cannabis can be used in the treatment of pain ensures you can be ignored. That you claim smoking marijuana may have helped your mouth abscess does not constitute proof. I'm sure a brief search of PubMed would yield some useful information - after all, 'medical marijuana' has been trialled in other parts of the world, seemingly with success. If you want to change legal and health policies, you are going to need mountains of evidence of marijuana's efficacy, and probably more so proving it has minimal side effects at 'medicinal' doses. You do not provide any evidence of the allegedly millions of cannabis users in the Australian population either.

Another major flaw in your letter is promoting the dangers of alcohol (and for that matter, prescription drugs). This has absolutely no relevance to your argument. That alcohol is dangerous does not make marijuana safe. Furthermore, the government is running an advertising campaign across all mediums on this point.

Reminding Kevin Rudd of his own statements about the dangers of marijuana is suicide. Asking him to draw on his own negative experiences and emotions about the drug will only allow him to view your letter from the same negative perspective.

Finally, making broad references to Hitler and Stalin when discussing anything less than genocide is offensive and makes you look desperate.

I apologise if this critique is offensive to you and I genuinely applaud your initiative and respect your values. However, if you are serious about having marijuana decriminalised, you must adopt professionalism in your approach. Serious lobby groups (who don't stop at letter writing), draft letters dozens of times, and subject them to rewrites by multiple writers and editors. I'm sure any letters you write in the future will be happily critiqued by like-minded bluelighters first!

 

[sir pacman]

I liked it. Good work.

If only people who use this website were the majority. Until that changes then nothing will. Governments are only interested in staying in governent and keeping the majority happy.

Hopefully in my lifetime I will see some changes in policy but not holding my breath.