American Drug War 2

A movie about Drug War casualties. Note the bit about cannabis as a cancer blocker that shows up in passing. You didn’t know that cannabis combats cancer? Here is a news story on the subject.

A pair of scientists at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco has found that a compound derived from marijuana could stop metastasis in many kinds of aggressive cancer, potentially altering the fatality of the disease forever.

“It took us about 20 years of research to figure this out, but we are very excited,” said Pierre Desprez, one of the scientists behind the discovery, to The Huffington Post. “We want to get started with trials as soon as possible.”

The Daily Beast first reported on the finding, which has already undergone both laboratory and animal testing, and is awaiting permission for clinical trials in humans.

Desprez, a molecular biologist, spent decades studying ID-1, the gene that causes cancer to spread. Meanwhile, fellow researcher Sean McAllister was studying the effects of Cannabidiol, or CBD, a non-toxic, non-psychoactive chemical compound found in the cannabis plant. Finally, the pair collaborated, combining CBD and cells containing high levels of ID-1 in a petri dish.

“What we found was that his Cannabidiol could essentially ‘turn off’ the ID-1,” Desprez told HuffPost. The cells stopped spreading and returned to normal.

And of course all I care about is getting high – according to some commenters.

If Republicans don’t get on the ball the Democrats will crush them on the subject.

But libertarians and liberals get it.

I am encouraged by the surprisingly bipartisan coalitions that backed recent state victories for marijuana legalization, gay marriage and prison sentencing reform. Maybe we all can get along.

What makes these coalitions so remarkable is how much their members disagree on almost everything else.

That happy thought brought liberals together with libertarian tea party conservatives in Colorado and Washington to put marijuana legalization over the top in each state.

The Colorado cause benefited from vigorous fundraising and, among other supporters, a high-profile endorsement by former U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo, a libertarian Republican and tea party favorite.

That reminds me of a TEA Party rally I attended 2 1/2 years ago. I met some anti-abortion folks who were also friends of my family – our kids wen to school together. When I asked them if they supported Government action on the abortion question they said, “Absolutely not.” Here is something I said back then and I still hold to it.

I really like the idea of conservative groups that understand the difference between changing the culture and changing the laws. There are limits to what law can do. Did I mention the Drug War?

It looks like America is well on the way to getting the law out of the drug problem. I’m doing my best to spread the attitude that the law is not a very good tool for solving most social problems. And, Hallelujah, it looks like I’m having some effect.