Make drug use safe and legal

Reducing drug abuse is a noble goal. It will not be achieved by locking users of unsanctioned drugs in cages. It will not be achieved by "zero-tolerance" laws. It will not be achieved by stormtroopers breaking down doors and shooting suspected drug users, or by imprisoning sick people who find cannabis the only effective medicine. It will not be achieved by creating a "drug exception" to the Bill of Rights.

It can be achieved by recognizing that drug use is normal human behavior. It can be achieved by education (accurate education, not the propaganda they hand out now!) and by making treatment available for addicts who want it. It can be achieved by removing the laws that punish users of drugs that are in many ways more benign than alcohol or tobacco. It can be achieved by removing the "forbidden fruit" status of currently illegal drugs. It can be achieved by freeing market forces which will drive the development of new drugs, with reduced deleterious effects.

The lesson of history is clear: Prohibition doesn't work.

This is an old collection of files I've accumulated that pertain to drug policy. Opinions expressed are those of the authors, and are not necessarily mine or those of my service provider.

Most of this information is from the late 1980s or early 1990s and may be outdated. It is preserved here for your browsing pleasure.

It is not my intention here to encourage the use of any drug, currently legal or currently illegal, but only to provide information. It is quite possible to fall into unhealthy patterns of use of any of the substances discussed here. (Of course, the same can be said of beer, cigarettes, TV, and sex.)

• Friedman.WSJ.editorial - "A War We're Losing", by Milton Friedman, Wall Street Journal, 3/7/91.
• GQ.article - "Valley of the Nerds", from the July 1991 issue of GQ Magazine. Cool article about the use of Psychedelics in the Computer Industry.
• LSD.article - Abstract for "A chemistry for world peace," Willam H. McGlothlin, Journal of Drug Issues, Spring 1985, 225-245.
• cocaine.babies - Contrary to popular belief, cocaine causes few problems during pregnancy. From The Weekly Newsmagazine of Science: SCIENCE NEWS November 9, 1991; Vol. 140, No. 19, p.302.
• economist.articles - "Drugs policy: The enemy within," "Bring drugs within the law," and "High and hooked" from the Economist.
• heath - Information on the flawed cannabis studies of Dr. Robert Heath. From Paul Hager.
• ibogaine - An ibogaine article from the July 4, 1992 issue of The Philadelphia Inquirer, and "Ibogaine: A Psychedelic Treatment for Drug Addiction" from March 1992 High Times.
• marijuana-myths-new - Paul Hager's paper on marijuana myths (There's also an old version here.)
• prohibition-history - A history of drug use and prohibition based on the Appendix of Ceremonial Chemistry by Thomas Szasz.
• wp.tokers.quiz - "One Toke Under the Line: Pot Quiz for Justice Wannabes" from the Washington Post.
• wisotsky.essay - "Crackdown: The Emerging Drug Exception to the Bill of Rights" by Steven Wisotsky, plus notes from Dirk Van Cleave.
• wod.in.school - "Libertarian, 12, irks the brass: 7th grader's drug war views negatively recieved at school" from San Jose Mercury News.
• war-on-drugs-aclu - American Civil Liberties Association letter regarding the War on Drugs.
• war-on-drugs-borsr - "Bill of Rights Status Report" by Eric Postpischil, 1990.
• war-on-drugs-const - "The Drug War and the Constitution" by Paul Hager, 1991.
• war-on-drugs-europe - "Europe's Drug War Targets More Deadly Menace Than Narcotics" by David Beers. Harm reduction policies in Europe.
• war-on-drugs-facts - 1990 amicus curiae brief from Jeffrey M. Blum, Associate Professor of the University of Buffalo School of Law, arguing against the erosion of constitutional rights in the name of the War on Drugs.
• war-on-drugs-problems - "American Drug Policy: What's the Real Problem?" by Joe Germuska 1989.
• war-on-drugs-refs - Two interesting news excerpts posted by Lamont Granquist.
• PCP.and.violence - Excerpt from Drug Abuse and Drug Abuse Research, 1991, an annual report to congress by the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, regarding PCP and violence.

The following files contain information about the extraction, preparation and consumption of certain drugs. This information is for educational purposes ONLY!

Some of the activities described may be illegal, dangerous, or both.

I'm going to repeat that, because it's important:

Some of the activities described may be illegal, dangerous, or both.

I disclaim any liability for any use of the information found here.

However, we cannot have a meaningful discussion of drug policy if we do not have basic information such as how easy it is to grow cannabis; or the relationship between cocaine, freebase cocaine, and "crack"; or how psychedelic drugs can be obtained from common ornamental flowers. It is also my hope that the information on growing and consuming cannabis may be of use to those using it out of medical necessity.

• cocaine-howto - Preparation of freebase and "crack" cocaine
• hooka - Design of a "gravity bong"
• m.g.extraction - Extraction of lysergic acid derivatives from morning glory seeds
• marijuana-consumption - Methods of consuming cannabis
• marijuana-growing - "Gorrila Growers Guide"
• marijuana-hash - Extraction of hash oil
• marijuana-howto - More methods of consuming cannabis
• rock - How "crack" cocaine is made.