ENCOD FAILS TO REPEAL DRUG LAWS

[Don Quixote]

hi all

remember the ENCOD petition some of us signed???

well sorry to be the bearer of bad tidings but .....

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THE ENCOD BULLETIN ON DRUG POLICY IN EUROPE
NR. 8. AUGUST 2005
BUILDING THE CRITICAL MASS
Democracy is in serious danger not when some few people attack her, but when the
authorities do not defend her. If the response of the US government on the assaults of
11 september 2001 had been to isolate and capture the ones who were responsible,
there would be less people in the world today who dream of repeating these acts.
However, with the giant witch hunt that has killed at least 150.000 Afghan and Iraqi
citizens, United States and its allies have started a fire that will not die out easily.
A perverse vicious circle has appeared. The climate of insecurity is used by authorities
and mass media to increase the repressive approach towards social issues, like
migration, or like drugs. Thus, democracy and freedom are being attacked by those
who claim to defend them.
At the same time, the force behind any democratic society is transparency. The trust
that citizens have in their authorities will depend on the latters’ capacities to explain
their decisions, based on evidence that is referring to objective realities. In their current
drug policies, governments are doing exactly the opposite.
In the Netherlands, as a result of the tolerant policy towards cannabis consumption and
distribution, the percentage of 15/16 year old people who regularly consume cannabis
is much lower than that of neighbouring countries. The average age of initial heroin use
in the Netherlands is among the highest in Europe. A majority of Dutch lord mayors and
of the national parliament wants cannabis to be legalized. However, Justice minister
Donner does everything in order to turn the clock backwards. Early July, Donner
released a study according to which 80 % of the owners of coffeeshops in Amsterdam
has a criminal past, the majority of them – what a surprise – for violating the legislation
on drugs. As the backdoor of the coffeeshops has not been legalised yet, these are
forced to provide themselves on the black market. Criminalising the coffeeshops,
Donner hopes to re-start a battle that was lost many years ago. Though he will not
succeed in that, the debate on legalisation of cannabis continues to be paralysed.
In the United Kingdom, the conclusions of a study on the impact of current drug policies
that was carried out by a Strategical Unit working directly for prime minister Tony Blair
were published on 1 july, two years after they had been released. Among others, the
Unit determined that the profits of drug traffickers are so big, that police needs to
capture between 60 and 80 % of the drugs flow into the country in order to have any
impact. Until now, not more than 20 % has been confiscated. Likewise, the study
concluded that in spite of the interventions of the past 15 years in each stage of the
drugs chain, “cocaine and heroin consumption has increased, prices have fallen and
drugs continue to arrive in the hands of users ".
During the electoral campaign in early May this year, Blair wrote in an editorial in “The
Sun”: “I have spent eight years fighting the war against drugs in our country. I know
better than anyone that we have a long, long way to go.I promise, however, to step up
our efforts if we get the chance””
Then finally, in the end of June, the new Action Plan on Drugs of the European Union
for the years 2005 to 2008 was approved. As we reported before, the Council of
Ministers and the European Commission, when writing this plan, refused to apply the
conclusions from the evaluation reports that were published by their own institutions.
They also ignored the recommendations of the European Parliament and the voice of
local authorities, experts and civil society organisations involved in the drugs issue,
who, in the past months, have expressed the urgent need to change the prohibitionist
approach and establish the space to explore innovative strategies.
Only because of the complicity of mass media, whose coverage of the drug issue is
limited to stories that are meant to entertain people, these events have gone by almost
unnoticed. But that does not make them less alarming. The sad conclusion is that in
current drug policy-making, evidence and truth are not important, nor are arguments, no
matter where they come from.
As a consequence, those who advocate European drug policies that are more human,
just and effective, most face the urgent challenge of building the critical mass. It is
inevitable that this critical mass will grow, as our societies become more conscious and
critical in general. But if we want to have some impact on the public and parliamentary
debate, and above all, succeed in our main objective, which is the modification of the
UN Conventions at least in 2008, when they need to be evaluated again, it is time to
give this critical mass, at least inside Europe, a concrete shape.
To build a critical mass means in the first place to overcome the differences that so
often paralyse our own movement. The diversity among researchers, health workers,
consumers of different drugs, their relatives, hemp entrepreneurs and social activists
from different European countries, cultures and social layers, appears to be a twoedged
sword. It makes our message more credible and legitimate, but it can also
reduce the efficacy of our actions and the interest of potential new allies and members.
On the other hand it is necessary to make optimal use of our ressources. We need to
connect all people who have a particular knowledge and availability to work in the
different tasks that need to be done: fundraising, maintaining a presence on Internet
and in the media, research, make lobby activities etc. Actually tens of activists are
involved in this work throughout Europe, and we need to establish a concrete structure
to facilitate a co-ordination between them, as well as a common objective.
It is ENCODs objective to maintain a framework for all those who wish to contribute to
this process, that should be aiming at a strong presence of the critical masses in Viena
in March 2008. There, all forces that resist the creation of imaginary enemies in order to
justify wars that are unwinnable, and demand social and peaceful solutions to the
problems of this world, should focus upon. It is not victory that matters, it is the effort to
obtain it.
Joep Oomen
www.encod.org

democracy? civilized rule of law? NAH.
_________________
One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, "My son, the battle is between 2 wolves."

"One is Evil. It is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf wins?"

The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

[Don Quixote]

yeah i know - too long to read!

basically , although they did not succed on this occasion they are re-grouping for another attempt in 2008 when these maters come up for review again.

thats one petition i will definately be signing.i recomend that you check out the following site and sign their petition link is here :-

http://www.encod.org/

i am number 54861 on page 2744 with a sneaky 'advert' to our ministries of course :-))

reverend ian daly

PEACE - HOPE - KEEP THE FAITH.

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[Don Quixote]

PLEASE NOTE :-

ALL CREDIT FOR FINDING THIS PETITION GOES TO BRO.PROJECTPEACE.

fairs fair.! i didnt find it , he did.
_________________
One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, "My son, the battle is between 2 wolves."

"One is Evil. It is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf wins?"

The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

[RogerChristie]

Hello Don Q and Ferre and cannabis friends all over the world,

Aloha. What to do about this news? How to feel? Well, I'm laughing now, thanks to some help from my harvest sacrament! (End of that question.) What a grand joke. What a play. What a free-will choice to make, yes?

And I'm giving thanks for this ministry!!! For each of you reading this. I love you! You really help to make my day - every day. You, we, us together give me a connection, we make-up a sacramental community. Thank who-ever or whatever that there are some of us on this planet right now at the very same time who understand this practical spiritual truth about the plant of renown, cannabis. We love it and it loves us. It feeds our body, mind and soul. Simple. Profound.

We're not waiting for someone else, for anyone else, to make this crucial life decision for us - be it a President, or a Pope, or some nameless beauracracy of knuckleheads in Europe.

Hal-le-fuck-in-lu-jah!!!!! The Cannabis Kingdom has come - right here and right now. I'm lighting-up this moment in special honor of this post and how happy I am to exercise my spiritual and religious freedom with cannabis sacrament. I inhale to celebrate. Again!

The debate is long over for most of us. We win. Period. Bingo. Check-mate. Game over.

The U.N. Declaration of Human Rights, the Constitution of the U.S.A. and the Constitutions of every State in the U.S.A. already have 'religious freedom' built-in. Is cannabis cultivation and sacramental use a "religious activity"? Of course it is!

We 'get high' with cannabis; be it smoking, drinking, tincture, holy oil or whatever method you choose. Since "God" is the most high, and "God" is on-high', it's easy for me to understand that I 'get high' - to be high - to say hi - to "God".

Signed, 'Your highness', :-}

Roger


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[Don Quixote]

yeeeesss !!!!!!! every single word of what Brother Roger Christie said!!!

to the letter !!!

MIND BODY AND SPIRIT. !!!

deepest respect and love to you brother !!!

free will

free mind

free spririt.