It's a new DAWN

I've remiss in crusing the blogs and newsletters lately, so here's a sampling.

At the essential Drug WarRant Pete does the reading on the new report from the Drug Abuse Warning Network. This is the annual listing of alleged drug related emergency health crises. Pete puts their methodology to the test and unsurprisingly finds it lacking. He follows up with some dark humor regarding alleged marijuana suicide attempts. Pretty hard to commit suicide by cannabis since there is no lethal dose. Might be fun trying I guess.

Pete also links to an especially good op-ed penned by Froma Harrop.

The Harm Reduction Journal has a new study out debunking the prohib myth that marijuana is harmful to adolescent brain development.

Analyses were performed on brain MRI scans from individuals who were frequent cannabis users (N=10) in adolescence and similar age and sex matched young adults who never used cannabis (N=10).

Conclusions: Frequent cannabis use is unlikely to be neurotoxic to the normal developing brain.

NORML reports on yet another study proving the ONDCP's anti-marijuana ads are not only ineffective, they actually encourage teens to experiment with the plant.

The invaluable Drug Sense Weekly is always a must read. This is my favorite story of the week and let it serve as a reminder to all that it's not the 60s anymore. The world is full of meddlers who will turn you in for boasting about your plants.

Eckerd Employee Summons Police After Developing Pictures
A Statesboro man was so proud of his crop, he photographed it and went to a local drug store to have the pictures developed.

Unfortunately, his bumper crop was marijuana, and police arrested him Tuesday as he went to pick the photos up.

Statesboro Police Capt. L. C. Williams said Byron Charles Mattheeussen, 21, Acorn Lane, photographed his healthy marijuana plants - 42 in all - and took the pictures to Eckerd to be developed. When the photo lab technician saw what the subject of the photos was, she called police.

The moral being, if you must photograph your plants, get a digital camera and color printer and even then think twice. The photos could be used against you in the future.