I have long said that the 12 Step program needs to be brought into the 21st Century, as it's basic text has not been revised since 1957 and was published in 1934, which means it was written during alcohol prohibition. While it has worked for some, most people seeking recovery are not able to stick with cold-turkey sobriety, while dealing with life on life's terms. U.S. Drug Czar R. Gil Kerlikowske makes some very good points in this L.A. Times article on what he believes recovery from addiction should be. Only a few months ago, Director Kerlikowske added recovery to the National Drug Control Strategy, alongside criminalization, treatment and prevention. It's been a long time coming, as the 12 Step program's success rate at the community based level is only between 3-7%. As someone who is now almost 14 years in recovery, I am glad we are changing the way we see recovery. More in this L.A. Times Article
Medical Marijuana May Expose
Consumers to Dangerous Bacteria and Fungus; Doctors Should Be Held Accountable
Los
Angeles, September 17, 2012 – Following a two-day tour with Lieutenant Rick Ko
of the Fresno County Sheriff’s Department, Alexandra Datig has given her
eyewitness account of California’s Central Valley marijuana grows. Today, Datig released a documented account of
what she saw on the opinion page “Nip It In The Bud USA” (www.nipitinthebudusa.org). The short documentary is also available on YouTube.
Datig said; “California’s
medical marijuana laws have been exposed as a scam. Under existing laws, no one is held
accountable, while California has become the marijuana trafficking capitol of
the United States. Ninety percent of
California’s marijuana is being exported to other states and other countries. All this, made possible mostly through
recommendations by California doctors.”
John Lovell, lobbyist for
the California Narcotics Officer’s Association and the California Police Chiefs
Associations saw the footage and said; “Every policy maker should be required
to see it.”
Calvina Fay, Executive
Director of Drug Free America Foundation and Save Our Society From Drugs had
this to say: “This video reveals very
specific public health risks associated with the cultivation of
marijuana. It shows that patients may be unknowingly ingesting dangerous
toxins. We definitely need more resources like this video to help educate
the public about the widespread contamination caused by these criminal
enterprises.”
Former Los Angeles City
Councilman and California State Senator Nate Holden, who served on the Board of
Public Safety with the City of Los Angeles for eight years, saw the
presentation and said; “The FDA and the USDA is now aware how medical marijuana is being
cultivated in an unsafe and unhealthy environment. They should immediately take action to
protect the health, safety and welfare of our citizens and eradicate these
marijuana grows and jail the cultivators who put in jeopardy
our health, safety and welfare.”
