Here's news from a different front, the medical marijuana debate. Thanks to the Marijuana Policy Project for letting us know of yet another scandal in the White House: use of public funds for political purposes. Below is a synopsis of how they are nailing the Repug contenders on their continual use of lies to promote themselves (and line their pockets via big Pharma). As always, I've highlighted in bold text that should make you scream! Enjoy!
On Monday, Congress passed an omnibus spending bill that funds the White House drug czar’s ad campaign at only $60 million for 2008. This figure is down from $99 million for 2007 ... and is considerably less than President Bush’s request of $130 million for 2008. In fact, since 2002, the lobbying efforts of MPP and a host of other organizations have helped to achieve a 66% reduction in funding for the White House’s ad campaign.
[…] The bill also admonishes the drug czar — and his Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) — for travel for political purposes on the taxpayers’ dime. In the months before the November 2006 elections, the drug czar and his deputies traveled to 20 events to help vulnerable Republican members of Congress get re-elected — illegally spending taxpayer money to do so — including two trips to Nevada to oppose our ballot initiative to end marijuana prohibition entirely.
The bill chastens, “The Committees are aware of instigations of travel by ONDCP officials that may have occurred for political purposes and caution the Director and other high-ranking officials that travel shoul
d occur for official business reasons only, not for political gain ...”
Giuliani, Romney, McCain Offered $10,000 to Prove Their Statements on Medical Marijuana — December 6, 2007
MANCHESTER, NH -- At a press conference in front of Rudy Giuliani's Manchester headquarters this morning with a massive mobile truck billboard in tow, a representative of the Marijuana Policy Project joined two New Hampshire patients to challenge presidential candidates Rudy Giuliani, John McCain and Mitt Romney to back up their statements regarding medical marijuana with scientific evidence, offering the legal maximum $10,000 campaign contribution to any of the three who can prove that their statements are true.
[…] The bill also admonishes the drug czar — and his Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) — for travel for political purposes on the taxpayers’ dime. In the months before the November 2006 elections, the drug czar and his deputies traveled to 20 events to help vulnerable Republican members of Congress get re-elected — illegally spending taxpayer money to do so — including two trips to Nevada to oppose our ballot initiative to end marijuana prohibition entirely.
The bill chastens, “The Committees are aware of instigations of travel by ONDCP officials that may have occurred for political purposes and caution the Director and other high-ranking officials that travel shoul
d occur for official business reasons only, not for political gain ...”Giuliani, Romney, McCain Offered $10,000 to Prove Their Statements on Medical Marijuana — December 6, 2007
MANCHESTER, NH -- At a press conference in front of Rudy Giuliani's Manchester headquarters this morning with a massive mobile truck billboard in tow, a representative of the Marijuana Policy Project joined two New Hampshire patients to challenge presidential candidates Rudy Giuliani, John McCain and Mitt Romney to back up their statements regarding medical marijuana with scientific evidence, offering the legal maximum $10,000 campaign contribution to any of the three who can prove that their statements are true.
[…] Since appeals to science, compassion and common sense haven't worked, we're talking to them in a language we know they understand -- campaign contributions. If Giuliani, Romney or McCain can back up their claims that medical marijuana isn't needed or is too dangerous, we'll give their campaign $10,000, but if they can't, they need to stop lying."
Any responses from the campaigns will be evaluated by an independent panel of medical experts. An image of the billboard along with full details of the challenge and relevant scientific data are posted at http://www.medicalmarijuanaworks.org/.
In responses to questions posed by New Hampshire voters at campaign events, all three leading Republicans have claimed that marijuana is either too dangerous for medical use or not needed because adequate substitutes exist -- claims that are contradicted by published scientific data. In letters being delivered today to each of the three candidates, Kampia cited their specific statements and challenged them to supply proof. In his letter to Giuliani, Kampia wrote:
"We find it notable that you dismiss marijuana as too dangerous for medical use, while your law firm represented Purdue Pharma -- the makers of the highly addictive and toxic opioid OxyContin -- given that the company paid $634.5 million in fines and penalties for misleading doctors and patients about the drug's abuse potential, and given that a growing body of evidence suggests that medical marijuana can reduce the use of such highly addictive opioid painkillers."
Complete copies of all three letters and a photo of the mobile billboard are available from MPP director of communications Bruce Mirken, at 202-215-4205.
http://www.mpp.org/
Go to the MPP site for ways to get involved. Here’s one way to help the cause and also purchase last minute presents:
When you shop at major online retailers, such as Amazon.com, Gap.com, and many others, you can have a portion of the cost of your purchase automatically donated to MPP — without adding to the cost of your purchase. To get started, simply register with http://www.igive.com/, and then enter MPP as your cause (cause ID = 2564). Then, shop with any of the hundreds of participating merchants and a portion of the purchase price will be sent to MPP. This won't increase the cost of your purchases by even one cent.
Any responses from the campaigns will be evaluated by an independent panel of medical experts. An image of the billboard along with full details of the challenge and relevant scientific data are posted at http://www.medicalmarijuanaworks.org/.
In responses to questions posed by New Hampshire voters at campaign events, all three leading Republicans have claimed that marijuana is either too dangerous for medical use or not needed because adequate substitutes exist -- claims that are contradicted by published scientific data. In letters being delivered today to each of the three candidates, Kampia cited their specific statements and challenged them to supply proof. In his letter to Giuliani, Kampia wrote:
"We find it notable that you dismiss marijuana as too dangerous for medical use, while your law firm represented Purdue Pharma -- the makers of the highly addictive and toxic opioid OxyContin -- given that the company paid $634.5 million in fines and penalties for misleading doctors and patients about the drug's abuse potential, and given that a growing body of evidence suggests that medical marijuana can reduce the use of such highly addictive opioid painkillers."
Complete copies of all three letters and a photo of the mobile billboard are available from MPP director of communications Bruce Mirken, at 202-215-4205.
http://www.mpp.org/
Go to the MPP site for ways to get involved. Here’s one way to help the cause and also purchase last minute presents:
When you shop at major online retailers, such as Amazon.com, Gap.com, and many others, you can have a portion of the cost of your purchase automatically donated to MPP — without adding to the cost of your purchase. To get started, simply register with http://www.igive.com/, and then enter MPP as your cause (cause ID = 2564). Then, shop with any of the hundreds of participating merchants and a portion of the purchase price will be sent to MPP. This won't increase the cost of your purchases by even one cent.
