Observer's Prohibition Propaganda Picks

Here's our analysis of an article from Jennifer Lawson Zepeda, richly decorated with all eight of the classic prohibition propaganda themes.

Those wicked "potheads," explains Jennifer, -- "drug addicts in denial" -- are a murderous bane on human life as we know it.

Funny though: one thing Jennifer forgot in her classic screed. She forgot to mention anything about that teensy-weensy detail of prison and incarceration for those evil "potheads".

Why do prohibitionists have such bad memories that they forget to mention jail or prison so often?

The Effectiveness of Drug Enforcement "To justify the expenditure of scarce public funds for drug enforcement..." (Ronald E. Brooks, 2007?)

Reefer-madness, terrible illness and every woe shall surely follow should adults not be jailed for using pot. Another prohibitionist wonder hits all eight of the eight classic prohibition propaganda themes in this little gem.

A different leaf I went to college, all whilst many of my friends turned into potheads ...moving on to harder drugs ... Like other pro-pot advocates ... Marijuana is a dangerous drug and should never be decriminalized. ... Marijuana smoke contains 50 percent more cancer-causing materials than tobacco smoke and has been linked to both pre-cancerous growths and to cancer. Research has also long implicated cannabis as an exacerbating factor in mental illness. ... (By Richard Collins, Sept. 15 2004)

This article from American Daily actually does a good job of dispelling all eight of the eight classic prohibition propaganda themes. It mentions and refutes the drug war propagand themes, one by one.

It s Well-Past The Time To Decriminalize Drugs Let's examine a common argument from liberal opponents of decriminalization: That drug dealing has devastated their communities and increased crime. Let's admit to some self-evident facts. First, that drug abusers are "criminals" solely as an artifact of the controlled substances laws: Either because they're caught using drugs, or because of the high cost of drugs that forces users to rob, steal, or prostitute themselves. The high cost of drugs is itself solely an artifact of it's illicit status! (By Gary Krasner, 06/19/2004)

The local prosecutor parrots back ONDCP "jail-the-pothead" talking points, adding a few of his own to use all eight of the eight classic prohibition propaganda themes.

Legalizing drugs: Rest of story research shows a link between frequent marijuana use and increased violent behavior... it does contain over 400 chemicals that can increase the risk of cancer, lung damage ... of 16 million drug users in America, about 77 percent use marijuana... crimes in our communities are drug related ... (Sunday, January 05, 2003 6:00 AM EDT )

Government kindly requests we denounce our neighbors to the secret police. The drug war is fought for the survival of society (community) in this piece.

'Undercover' war waged in 2002 It ruins their family's assets. It leads to theft, robbery, and prostitution. It's is creating a nightmare situation in all our communities." ... pleaded for community involvement in anti-drug efforts. ... from all areas of the community. ... he depends on information from people in the community ... Citizens for a Drug Free Community, ... there is a need for people to come forward and help in the fight against drugs. (Sun Dec 22 13:48:57 2002)

Much angry protest and classic reefer madness from Florida's prohibitionist drug czar, Jim McDonough. Uses most of the (NIDA) recognized prohibition propaganda themes.

A weed by any other name smells the same (United States) The marijuana normalizers - as in, "let's make marijuana use normal, or acceptable" - loved it; so did some of the press. .. Marijuana, all by itself, is a dangerous drug. .. There is a strong correlation between marijuana use and schizophrenia. (Sun Dec 15 16:51:32 2002)

B.C. Solicitor General Rich Coleman packs remarkably many propaganda themes into every sentence.

Coleman declares war on drugs We have a drug that is 20, 30 times more potent than it was in the 70s ... I want us to go out and fight the war on drugs because it's hurting our kids, it's hurting our communities (Wed Dec 11 15:58:41 2002)

This gem manages to use all eight of the eight classic prohibition propaganda themes.

New programs aimed at preventing youth drug abuse (United States) Students in rural areas are much more likely to use drugs than their urban counterparts. "We continue to understand more about the pathways into drug use and how important it is to intervene early. (Wed Dec 04 11:42:32 2002)

for more, see: drug war propaganda