Saturday, June 29, 2013
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Opinion - By Monte Styles: Celebrities Continue to "Popularize" Drug Abuse, Especially Marijuana and in Miley Cyrus Case "Molly" as in Ecstasy
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| Monte Styles Motivational Speaker, Trainer, Educator Former Assistant U.S. Attorney |
It seems that a new celebrity joins the "Pot is Fun" campaign on a daily basis. This is contributing greatly to the fiction that marijuana is harmless and therefore should be legalized. If you are unaware of this phenomenon, simply look at the current media frenzy over Miley Cyrus' revelations about her own drug use and her wildly popular and bizarre music video entitled "We Can't Stop" (with numerous drug references and over 36 MILLION views on YouTube).
Anyone who has watched her transformation from Hannah Montana to a druggie has to be frightened for her and all of the young people who idolize her. Last night, Cyrus discussed her marijuana-based friendship with Snoop Dogg on the Jimmy Kimmel show (a confessed pot smoker himself). "We're more alike than you think . . . we're very similar," she said, to which Kimmel quipped, "That's because he's so high, he doesn't know what his name is." "Me too, so it’s fine. We both are," she responded, laughing. "That’s why we get along so well, I guess."
The audience went wild with enthusiasm.
Last week I had the opportunity to speak at the annual conference of the Association of Idaho Cities on the topic of "The Impacts of Marijuana Legalization" which included a summary of all of the cultural influences inflicted upon our young people by the pot lobbyists and other lovers of weed.
In a question/answer session at the end, one public official mentioned the success of "shock and awe" messages used in the fight against methamphetamine and tobacco (proving that drug education really works when we do enough of it). I wholeheartedly agreed with this and noted that, in my experience, ADULTS are often overwhelmed when presented with all of the cultural influences surrounding their children. Although each of these can viewed as "relatively harmless" by themselves, the effect is shocking when viewed as a whole.
My opinion is that the "shock and awe" part of the drug legalization fight is to show people what is actually happening in our culture through books, magazines, fashion, pot products, social media, cultural icons, celebrity endorsements, movies, television (even cartoons), music, websites, games, and blatant advertising by those who stand to make billions off of the pot culture. When adults are shown the real world of their children, they are often motivated to act (meaning fight against legalization through increased prevention and education).
In the book, The Heart of Change, the author points out that change doesn't occur in society unless there is a sense of urgency. Like the pictures of meth addicts and lung cancer victims, popular culture can be used to identify a sense of urgency in communities that are otherwise prone to apathy on the subject. But they must first be made aware of what is happening.
Several decades ago, our country fought back against the popular culture of the 60s and 70s, and we had success in reducing overall drug use in America until pro-pot billionaires and national pro-drug lobbying organizations began a system-wide destruction of drug education - along with the abrogation of duty by our elected officials.
Someday, when we come to our senses, the proponents of pot will be vilified like the tobacco industry, but not before we lose additional citizens in a stupefied haze of high THC content marijuana smoke. Until then, let’s do everything we can to wake America up before it is too late.
Monte
Stiles is a Motivational
Speaker/Trainer/Educator
Former Assistant U.S. Attorney
Organized Crime/Drug Enforcement Task Force
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
United Nations Releases 2013 Drug Report
The World Drug Report presents a comprehensive overview
of the latest developments in drug markets. It covers production, trafficking,
consumption and the related health consequences.
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Opinion, By Alexandra D. Datig: Don’t Know What to Think about the Drug Legalization Debate? You’re Not Alone.
By Alexandra D. Datig, Los Angeles, California -
For the last two decades there has
been an increasing dialogue about whether or not marijuana and even cocaine
should be legal. Some policy makers, people in recovery and treatment believe that if pot were legal, it would help those who are trying to rebuild
his or her life after addiction. By loosening criminal penalties this would make it easier for offenders to get a job, a student
loan and so on. Yes, these things should
be made possible, but not by condoning drug use.
During my 12 years as a citizen
advocate, I have been taking part in the anti-drug legalization dialogue for
some time. Over the years I have learned
that there are only few people who understand the struggle of recovery. Usually it is the people who have seen
someone die from drug addiction or alcoholism or have been in treatment
themselves. Rarely and almost never have I
seen people in recovery come out in the marijuana debate. During my journey in what is seen as a highly
complex discussion, I have seen policy wonks advising society to get treatment. I have seen alcohol drinkers recommend people
in recovery speak out and share their experience. I have seen influential figures in recovery
stay silent when some of the best opportunities for sharing his or her
experience, strength and hope in recovery were before them. On one occasion, I have even seen a prevention
organization whose mission it is to work with people in recovery slam the door
in my face because of all things, I was a human trafficking survivor. As a woman in recovery of
more than 14 years, I have also been threatened by drug legalizers and manipulated by some people who were supposed to be on my side. All this for trying to inspire
recovery as recommended by the Office of National Drug Control Policy. Sure makes you wonder if all the right people,
with the right level of experience are at the forefront making the right arguments for our
citizens. Thankfully, I am proud to be working with some of those who understand their work.
But that should leave us all to wonder,
who are the good guys anyway? Who are
the bad guys? If you’re arguing in favor
of drug use, you’re arguing for an increase in crime and the building of more
prisons which is the last thing we need. This has been a proven fact and
while they should, none of the legalization experts will argue about this being a major sticking point of the legalization debate.
If you’re advocating prevention and
educating communities not to meddle with drugs in the first place, then you’re
definitely one of the good guys. If
you’re providing training to aid and curb the staggering recidivism rate with
effective re-entry programs, then you are not only a good guy, but you may be
on to something.
According to the Bureau of Prisons, the recidivism rate
for offenders on probation and parole is 66%. That
means after three years, people who leave prison are sent back to prison usually
due to a probation or parole violation over a technical offense or a crime violating
parole. The Los Angeles Times, recently
reported that California's state prisons are at 151% capacity! Truth in Sentencing laws mandate criminals
serve out more of their full sentence and are not let out early due to good
behavior. Therefore, more offenders are
crowding America’s prisons, some of which are old and run down and barely
inhabitable. The U.S. Department of Justice reports “there is extensive
evidence of the strong relationship between drug use and crime,” noting that
drug users report more involvement in crime, people with criminal records are
more likely than those without criminal records to report being drug users, and crime rises as drug use
increases. But this does not mean that a
criminal record causes drug addiction.
Those of us who have been in recovery for a long time know it is the
other way around. Drug use causes high
risk behavior that can result in crime causing a criminal record.
It is time the value of those
in recovery is seen as an effective tool to aid the social perception of what
causes crime and dangerous behavior. A wealth of information lies within those who understand how to put his or her life back together after addiction and all that comes with it. Yes, I know it is not a pretty argument but it is a whole lot better
than thinking legal drugs will solve all our problems when in fact it will make them WORSE. In my experience it is not whether something
is legal or illegal. Chances of succeeding
and feeling great about life are far greater if drugs and alcohol are not part
of it.
Monday, June 24, 2013
Sunday, June 23, 2013
Saturday, June 22, 2013
Michelle Bart Interview with Gloria Loring: Powerful, Thoughtful and Inspiring Words for Surviving the Journey of Life
Listen to internet radio with Voices for Justice on BlogTalkRadio
Official Website for Gloria Loring: www.glorialoring.com
Official Website for Gloria Loring: www.glorialoring.com
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Chairman Royce Reacts to Administration’s Human Trafficking Report as Secretary of State John Kerry calls Ending Human Trafficking "a Priority"
For Immediate Release
June 19, 2013
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Chairman Royce Reacts to Administration’s
Washington, D.C. – Today,
U.S. Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA),
Chairman of
the House Foreign Affairs Committee, reacted to the State
Department’s 2013 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report, which catalogues
abuses of modern-day slavery throughout
the world. This year’s report, for the first time in the history of the
Trafficking Victim’s Protection Act, downgrades China and Russia to Tier 3
status, the lowest category, in which countries may face U.S.
sanctions. In the report, the State Department also downgrades
Cambodia, from Tier 2 to a lower tier referred to as “Tier 2 Watch List.”
Chairman
Royce said: “The
State Department’s TIP Report is a mixed bag. On the one hand, after I
have long called for such action, the State Department today has rightly
downgraded some of the world’s worst human trafficking offenders. This step is long overdue.
Despite this welcome development, other countries known for their egregious
human trafficking records, like Vietnam and Laos, have not
been downgraded, and Cambodia should be ranked even lower, in Tier
3. The Cambodian government is clearly complicit. Pulling punches
in tier rankings impedes efforts to curtail trafficking. Unfortunately,
today’s report shows that much work remains to be done to combat this
modern-day slavery and offense against human dignity. Twice as many
countries were downgraded than were upgraded since last year.”
The
State Department’s annual report monitors 188 countries’ anti-human
trafficking efforts. The report ranks countries from Tier 1 to Tier
3. Due to limits set by Congress in 2008, the Administration is no
longer allowed to “park” countries on the “Tier 2 Watch List”
indefinitely. Now, if countries have not made significant efforts to
comply with minimum trafficking standards, they must be downgraded to Tier
3. Twenty seven country rankings (14% of the total) have worsened since
last year.
For
years, Royce pressed the Administration to downgrade Cambodia, in 2010 offering
legislation condemning the government’s corruption and the role it plays in
furthering human trafficking.
NOTE: Last month, Chairman
Royce held a Committee hearing to examine
innovative local and private sector initiatives to combat human trafficking
around the world.
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Secretary of State John Kerry calls Ending Human Trafficking
"A Priority" for the World and for the Country
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