-Caveat Lector- Forwarded E-Mail Message Sun, 24 Sep 2000 10:50:09 -0700 MN: US CO: 2 PUB LTE - Black Helicopters -------------------------------------------------------------------------- [EMAIL PROTECTED] (MAPNews) posted: Newshawk: Colo. Hemp Init. Project http://www.levellers.org/cohip Pubdate: Thu, 14 Sep 2000 Source: Boulder Weekly (CO) Contact: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Address: 690 South Lashley Lane Boulder, CO, 80303 Fax: (303) 494-2585 Website: http://www.boulderweekly.com/ Authors: Rob Graffis, Laura Kriho BLACK HELICOPTERS Wayne Laugesen's article "Black helicopter invasion" was a good report on how the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, local law enforcement and the National Guard team up to fight the war on cannabis in Boulder County (Wayne's Word, Sept. 7-13). Laugesen reports on one recent day in Ward when the Boulder County Drug Task Force, hovering in unmarked helicopters, spied and confiscated 27 cannabis plants from one house. I can't imagine how much it costs to run a helicopter and personnel eight hours a day for a two to three month harvest season, but you can be assured your tax dollars are working hard. Surely, it must be worth your money to confiscate 27 plants from someone's personal stash? The DEA's cannabis eradication program is in full swing in Colorado. I've heard complaints from all over the state about low-flying, unmarked helicopters terrorizing people, children and animals. But what is it that they are really eradicating? A 1998 Vermont State Auditor's report evaluated the DEA's Cannabis Eradication/Suppression Program. The Vermont report revealed that over 99 percent of the 422,716,526 total marijuana plants eradicated nationwide by the DEA in 1996 were "ditchweed." The DEA defines ditchweed as "Wild, scattered marijuana plants (with) no evidence of planting, fertilizing or tending" what we call "industrial hemp." While marijuana contains from 4 to 20 percent THC (the psychoactive chemical), industrial hemp or ditchweed contains less than 1 percent THC. In fact, industrial hemp that was recently confiscated illegally by the DEA from Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota contained less than 0.01 percent THC. The Vermont Auditor's report found that the DEA spent over $9 million on marijuana eradication efforts in all 50 states in 1996. (This figure does not include the cost of state and local participation.) So most of the money spent on the war on cannabis really goes to eradicate ditchweed, not commercial marijuana. I would like to ask the Boulder County Commissioners how much local taxpayer money is spent on eradication programs, and do they think the programs are worth the cost? County Commissioner Paul Danish has been an outspoken critic of the war on drugs, and many people would like to hear his assessment of the issue. For more information on this issue, see www.norml.org, www.mapinc.org/drugnews and www.levellers.org/cohip. Laura Kriho, Nederland ---- Regarding Wayne Laugesen's article about the black helicopters over Ward, I'm not really surprised that the National Guard would issue two military "huey" helicopters and two detectives from the Boulder County Drug Task Force so they can look for marijuana plants growing on people's front porches. Detective Burness thought the helicopter rides were "fun," and was excited he "saw a black bear on the backside of one of the Flatirons." I'm impressed, especially when it comes at the tax payer's expense. In 1989, I was visiting a relative in the U.S. Virgin Islands. I saw a military helicopter hovering over his property, and he casually told me it was a "marijuana helicopter." St. Croix is a small island which is only about 25 miles long and 5 miles wide, and frequently visited by hurricanes. It is a speck compared to Puerto Rico, and a molecule compared to Jamaica. It is not exactly the stuff marijuana export islands are made of. True, some people do grow it there, but mostly for themselves, not for export. During that visit, I walked through "the bush" with some friends of mine. We came across a quarter acre field that was bulldozed to the dirt. Some locals explained that the authorities found marijuana there, and took it upon themselves to not only remove the plants, but to plow it (including a small building that was on the premises) to set an example. I was wondering how much money is spent on these joyrides just so officials can hold up a couple of marijuana plants for a newspaper photographer and say "We're winning the war on drugs"? Rob Graffis, Boulder __________________________________________________________________________ Distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance�not soap-boxing�please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'�with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds�is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. 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