Brazzil

it is absolutly arcaic and dumb to keep marijuana legal. the medical health benifits have been proven over and over. it is one of the biggest cash crops of any in the world and could seriously jump start economies. all this profit is in the hands of illegal drug dealers now.

i like the idea of having drug zones for the other drugs. this "war on drugs" simply just doesnt work . hard drugs are dangerous,but, people are taking them en mass anyway.if they had these legal zones, people who go through hard drug binges should be considered "sick" and directed to treatment also.anything is better than throwing millions of dollars on war on drug programs that just dont work...and , its ridiculas to incarcerate drug users or sellers..again that is a huge drain of money and recources . prisons should be for people commiting violent or rip off crimes on people , not for drugs. that is another area...take the profit motive and then the territorial protective drug gang killings out of the hands of drug gangs and the city violence that is rotting brazilian cities will go down a lot.

yeah, alcoholic abuse is a living hell for anyone around it.how society can legalise it, and keep marijuana illegal, and even embrace it with huge advertisements about its virtues is bizzarre.

the hypocracy in society about this is just proof that things arnt going to change for the better in a long time. there are massive solutions for these drug law bs war and alcohol problems , but, the world isnt ready to really address it...

and to think, brazil, all this drug law bulls**t came out of the usa from the anslinger act in the thirties , talk about antiquated arcaic bs....why , when so many brazilians dont want to be under some usa thumb ,do they get in line hook line and sinker about antiquated drug laws , dictated by that horrible , imperialistic,world dominating,bully the united states of america ?

that is in the first paragrah not the head title

n July 2001, Portugal introduced a new law, Law 30/2000, which significantly changed the legal response to drug users. The new law decriminalized the use, possession and acquisition of all types of illicit substances for personal use, which was defined as being up to ten days supply of that substance. These changes did not legalize drug use in Portugal. Possession has remained prohibited by Portuguese law and criminal penalties are still applied to drug growers, dealers and traffickers. The main features of these changes were:Ending the use of penal sanctions for drug possession •(previously, offenders had been liable to fines or up to a year in prison).Introducing a system of referral to Commissions for the •Dissuasion of Drug Addiction (Comissões para a Dissuasão da Toxicodependência – CDTs).The CDTs are regional panels made up of three people, including social workers, legal advisors and medical professionals, who are supported by a team of technical experts. The police refer people who are found in possession of drugs to the CDTs. authorities have successfully refocused their supply reduction efforts on large-scale operations, rather than street level deals involving small amounts of drugs. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache3oUjpSpVm4J:www.idpc.info/php-bin/documents/BFDPP_BP_14_EffectsOfDecriminalisation_EN.pdf.pdf portugal decriminalizes drugs&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=br

The data show that, judged by virtually every metric, the Portuguese decriminalization framework has been a resounding success. Within this success lie self-evident lessons that should guide drug policy debates around the world.

http://cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=10080

SO TRUE !!!!

Just look at Brazil, where criminals rarely end up in jail.
And when they do, they are freed after 1/6th of their jail term...due to good behavior !

Then one wonder why Brazil has one of the World Highest Crime Rate.
Look no further than......Your decriminalization framework has been a resounding success !!!!

Ohhh you were talking about drugs ? Then just check how Brazil shines on the Worldwide drug scene. Nooooo not the pharmaceutical drugs where Brazil is nearly NON EXISTENT. But on cocaïne and similar drugs.

but...but.....the Brazilian decriminalization against children and youths petty thefts is also a resounding success....Worldwide !
- petty thefts street children are killed by your deaths squads. And rarely are deaths squads members or whole gangs...ARRESTED !
- street children sniffing glue practices has been successsfully decriminalized since day ONE. Did that reduced their sniffing ?
- On the other hand, when a young mom, aged 20, is arrested because she stole a tube of butter, she is rightly sent for 4 years in jail.

Viva Brazil !

Read the data for the past 7 years from PORTUGAL. It shows the result of the decriminalization of all drugs. It demonstrates that the myth that if drugs are decriminalized for personal use it will cause increased use is patently fallacious. Try to focus.

http://cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=10080

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/

are the same. Aes seems to be suffering from short term memory loss and is repeating himself. Go figure (i.e. how does that happen to someone his age?)

sure....idiot AES !

This is what the NETHERLANDS have done for several decades.
Had this reduced their consumption over these decades ?
Why then have they decided recently to close their "coffee shops"....in your experts views and analysis ??????


Hmmmmmm...AES...most of the time, your common sense keeps me....LAUGHING ! Keep focusing the way you do !

Hey slick read the article, read the data, the science. You can read graphs. Read about, treatment and interdiction. Sometimes Ch.c. you mistake your perception of yourself as being less than a fool. It has nothing to do with the Netherlands, or Italy or Spain. It has to do with the project in Portugal. The Portugal paradigm. http://cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=10080 Its like Roubini compared to you.

Sure...idiot AES !
Have you not read and swallowed thousands of Brazilians scientists and experts analysis that Brazilian sugacarne ethanol was profitable at US$ 35.- oil equivalent ????????

Short memory about our disagreement on that subject, in the past ????

First stupid question : why was then your sugarcane ethanol industry generating losses...when oil was at well over US$ 100.- ????????
Question already asked to you more than once, but you never answered...of course ! How could you do so ?
I just remind you that the 2008 daily average oil price was at very close to US 100.- per barrel. It should have been a Bonanza...if the scientifically proven maths...WERE correct !
Now proven...that only idiots swallowed these BRAZILIANS CHEATING MATHS ANALYSIS ! I am talking specifically about idiots like you...AES !

Second stupid question : why in your view, the Netherlands have decided to close their "coffee shops" ? To increase their consumption of drugs...using your own proven SCIENTIFIC analysis....coming from Portugal ?

Since the above article is on alcohol, let me tell you CHEERS !!!!
Sniff deep and several times daily...the ethanol vapor !
Even cheaper than sniffing glue !

Ohhhh and why dont you for once, yes just for once, answer to my above arguments on sugarcane profitability determinded by the world greatest brazilians experts, and on the Netherlands decision to close their "coffee shops" ?



Finally..... just tell a lie 10 times and 10 % of the crowd will believe in that lie. Tell a lie 100 or 1000 times that same lie and 98 % of that crowd will believe in that lie.
Brazil told thousands of times that ethanol from sugarcane is profitable at US$ 35.- oil equivalent...and no doubt you were part of the 98 % crowd !

Feel free to continue following the crowd ! That is the only thing that differentiate losers from winners !

Ohhhh and dont forget the most important : KEEP ME LAUGHING !

Ohhhh and dont forget the most important : KEEP ME LAUGHING !

Mein Kamaraden, nothing is a laughing issue and as usual you duck the debates when specific questions are addressed to you and instead of giving some alternative solutions, you come out with your numbers to prove that the solutions proposed by others (especially the ones without white skin and blue eyes) will not work. This has always been your tactics to bully others, which IMHO, is not bad at all! The latest episode is to question the program set up by the Portuguese Government to bring down the drug abuse in their country and which was explained by our distinguished fellow blogger, AES. Were it to be set up by the Swiss government, you would be applauding and shoving it down the throats of all other countries, including ours.

Since you don't accept anybody else´s solution other than yours, my question:

WHAT DO YOU propose to do with those 310,000 Dekaseguis?

Please do not say that "It is Robinhook´s problem" or that of the Bimbo next door. Unless people like us give some suggestions to our rulers, they are incapable of thinking (a fact well known) and solving (if at all they have any intention to do so) any problem.

Cheers.

Sell drink is forbidden to who is less than 18.
(in the teory, of course)

But here the marijuana is ilegal and this don't work too.

the "drug war" isnt working.first and foremost, people will do drugs no matter what.that is what is fueling a gigantic underground economy. it is bigger than anyone of us can imagine.

people have to weigh , on the one hand , in the case of marijuana, sure , maybe some more people would start if it was legal.

but, look at the other side of being ilegal. a huge undergound sub world is created, putting unbeleivible profits in ilegal hands. these people then infiltrate the police , the legal system , any thing that can be bought, they can buy it.people are incarcarated for just poscedian of marijuana. we pay huge money to keep huge amounts of people in jail.a very high percentage of criminals in jail are only because of drug use. what a huge drain on society.

society accepts the automobile as legal. it massacres hundreds of thousands of people around the world every year. is marijuana that bad ?

alcohol is a gigantic destroyer of people and society.it is legal and much more dangerous than pot

ciggarettes are more addicting than heroin, and kill thousands of people every year.

marijuana should be out righ legal. then, i could see drug zones like this article talks about. everything could be regulated. im not sure about out right legalisation of hard drugs. but people are doing them in huge numbers, creating an unbeleivible demand and sub economy. surly they can figure out a more creative way to have it in society than out right ilegality.

all this becaue of the anslinger 1930's antiquated arcaic tax act

isnt about time for a change ?

Sorry...Sorry....

IT IS YOU JOAO AND MANY OTHERS IN THIS SITE DUCKING CONSTANTLY THE DEBATES !
YOU never answer to specific questions.

Such as, you too Joao, were 1000 % blinded with your thousands of Brazilian experts and their irrefutable scientific maths that Brazilian sugarcane was profitable at US$ 35.- oil equivalent.
Short memory on that disagreement we had ?
NOW YOU TOO JOAO, should explain why ALL your ethanol producers
lost money when oil was at over US$ 100.-

And same for why the Netherlands who decriminalized soft drugs for decades decided to close down their "coffee shops" !
Hopefully you know what a "coffee shop" is in the Netherlands !
They dont sell much coffee...if you did not know !

Concerning your "WHAT DO YOU propose to do with those 310,000 Dekaseguis?"
Just refer to my other thread which specifically answered to your question...with clear and concise answers !
If you need more, no problem, just ask, but only after having read my arguments.
May I remind you that such discussions had already taken place between you and me a while ago ?
I told you why Brazilians Companies or schools dont hire foreign engineers, managers, bankers, teachers etc etc.
YOUR specific answer JOAO was that YOU (Brazilians in general) dont like to be told what to do !!!!! Short memory as usual Joao ?
Quite sad, because in the meantime the know how is transmitted to China and other Asians countries who easily beat Brazilians in education, technology and even in infrastructure construction.
Somewhat funny that many Asians countries are eager to hire foreigners to learn more....when most Brazilians like you Joao are 1000 % sure they are not only better than Asians countries but also 100 % sure that you not only belong to developed countries but even surpass them...by now !

Ohhh and AES,you Joao, and many others on this site, also trusted in the irrefutable scientific analysis that due to China and India oil demand thus prices could only go to US$ 200.- !
In those days I stated are we in a PoP or PoP ? Peak oil Production or
Peak oil Prices.

With my natural sarcasm I must state that the oil production was down... but...but....DUE TO A CUT IN PRODUCTION..AT THE FAUCET AND DECIDED FROM THE PRODUCERS...NOT AT THE WELL PRODUCTION CAPACITY. OTHERWISE OIL PRICE WOULD HAVE GONE TO US$ 20.- OR EVEN BELOW !

WHY DO YOU (and others as well) ALWAYS DUCK THE DEBATES I PUT ON THE TABLE..and avoid challenging my SPECIFIC arguments ????????
You just criticize my overall arguments but rarely challenge my specific arguments. Somewhat very very very easy !

Sad but true that

- drunk or not Brazilians are one of the worst cars drivers on earth.
Therefore putting at risk the live of others.....innocents.

- Brazilians males tend to have enough money for their own alcohol, cigarettes, and money to go to brothels, but not enough money for their wives and kids well being !

- And another sad fact, proven by several articles published on this site, is that Brazilians are quite violent physically with their women partners and children, most of the time due to alcohol !

Joao or whoever, I challenge you to prove me wrong !

Last but not least of you Joao... accusing me of ducking the debate....you better re-read the sequence of the threads.
It was AES who started the thread with...decriminalize marijuana...in an article with DRUNKARD for headline.
Thus I answered to AES comment.
Why dont you FIRST accuse AES of ducking the debate ?????

Once you said it all Joao...that your middle name is INCOHERENCE !

And my own middle name is CARTESIAN ! Because everything that has not a Cartesian analysis can only be Incoherence !
Proven time and again !

1) ARE YOU SO SURE THAT YOUT RULERS WILL LISTEN TO YOUR/MINE/OTHERS IDEAS ?

2) WHO HAS ELECTED YOUR RULERS ? ME ?

3) In answer to your questions
- good education is a right to everyone, not a privilege like in Brazil
and sadly also like in the USA.
- a government is not supposed to create wealth for its citizens. A good government is supposed to create a good environment so that entrepreneurs can bloom and shine !
- Brazil does the exact opposite. They create a massive administration that controls just about everything with their administration forms and rules that create millions of unproductive jobs, instead of letting entrepreneurs bloom and shine.

- Just think about your entreprises taxes. A Brazilian medium size company needs 2400 hours per year...to figure out and fill the many tax forms and pay them. You are ranked World Second Worst...after Cameroon !
In developed countries and even in some emerging nations, that same size company would need from 20 to 50 hours ! A far cry from 2400 hours needed in Brazil !

- develop your railroads,paved roads and rivers infrastructure. Quite needed to transport cheap goods that you produce and then transported by trucks for hundreds and even thousands of kilometers !
If you could go from place A to B at twice the speed and half and even less the trucks maintenances costs, this will make a huge difference for your producers profits...and transporters profits ! No doubt !
This would even reduce your oil consumption bill by a lot.

- ALSO Hire foreign teachers in your HIGHER EDUCATION ! THEY KNOW FAR MORE THAN YOUR OWN TEACHERS !

- Hire foreign engineers, and your machineries and various infrastructure will not only be a better quality and more competitive but will also last longer.

- Eliminate your overall taxes with tax credits for R&D ! Without Heavy R&D a country or a company has Noooo healthy long term future. The gigantic Brazil doesnt have ONE single drug company in the BOVESPA 65...while even India and China have relatively large drugs companies !

- Of the BRIC members only Brazil has Nooooo cars manufacturers ! Normal...if you dont invest !

- Cut not only your Selic rate far more agressively, but also do street manifestations that your rates for cars, mortgages,consumers goods and overdrafts are the world highest or at least not far from it...ON AN AFTER INFLATION BASIS !!!!!!! This would not only create far more demand locally, thus increasing your total jobs, but this would also makes your entreprises outside of your state controlled or owned companies far more competitive for exports. Despite your apparent exports prowess....the prowess was only due to the fact you measured your prowess against a declining US dollars. But there is no such prowess when measured in LOCAL CURRENCY....contrary to what you believe !

- Find a successful economic model ELSEWHERE, and copy it to some extend as much as possible. South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Germany, Canada, Finland, Sweden, China, Switzerland are good examples. USA is not a good example...in my view ! Norway is also not a good example despite what you may think or read. After all Norway is like Kuwait....full of oil and nothing else !
France, UK, Spain, Italy, Greece, Portugal, Turkey, Russia,India and many others are also very bad examples.
They are a bunch of losers over the next decades just as they have been losers over the last previous decades !

- And finally as I stated more than once in my arguments, it is not what you have in your grounds that counts...but what you do with it.
My country has Noooooothing underground but is one of the wealthiest country on earth. Same for Japan and Germany. But also to some extend for some emerging nations such as Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea !

Feel free to ask for more ! I never duck a debate...contrary to you and others !

"Its like Roubini compared to you"
So true...for once.
You have just proven how little you know about Roubini !
HE HAS BEEN BEARISH ON BANKS.....SINCE 2003...AT THE START OF THE BULL MARKET.
Unfortunate for you that you did not knew him by then.
You would have been wiped out easily...at the top in 2007 !
Thus finally being right is of no value if first you lost your shirt and some more !

When were you the most bullish on oil and grains ? Right at the top...if your memory is not drown in ethanol !
This too is scientifically proven. Just re-read your own words and statements written by yourself and with your own keyboard !
I even remember that in October or November you specifically said it is time to add new savings. Meaning you lost nearly ALL your previous investments...by definition. Otherwise there was no need to ADD NEW MONEY !!!!!

I told you AES, losers like you will perpetually need to add new money to their investment accounts...to try to recouo their previous huge losses.
Dont change anything in your investments style. Suckers buyers are needed when prices are bubbling !
Same for your scientifically proven maths developed by Brazilians experts stating that Brazilian sugarcane ethanol was profitable at US$ 35.- oil equivalent ! RIGHT AES ? SHORT MEMORY...ONCE MORE....ABOUT YOUR OWN VISION AND PAST ANALYSIS !!!!

Let me conclude and say this : THANKS GOD, I DID NOT FOLLOW THE VISIONS OF IDIOTS LIKE YOU AES AND..... SO MANY OTHERS !!!!!!!
AND CONTINUE TO WORK VERY HARD...AND SEE YOUR INVESTMENT ACCOUNT NOT GROW...EXCEPT WITH NEW SAVINGS PUT AT PLAY AND RISKS !

Thanks for your response. Just a quick comment:

Once you said it all Joao...that your middle name is INCOHERENCE !

And my own middle name is CARTESIAN ! Because everything that has not a Cartesian analysis can only be Incoherence !

1)I know what is CARTESIAN and that has been my problem ever since I went to school.

2) I am not exactly incoherent, but CARTESIAN and it gets me into many troubles. I suspect that Lord Augustus also has similar problems.

3) You have to develop a dry (or wry) sense of humor like I have. Never ever let an enemy know that you are his enemy (JD will agree with me).

4)Can you imagine the effect on our economy, when 310,000 "Dekaseguis" returning home, along with many more thousands chucked out by Obama, Gordie, Sarko, Zapatero,Bellrusconi, etc; The situation does indeed look bleak.

5) As for your constant reminder about the price of Ethanol, you may recall Ricardo and me mentioning dozens of times that the entire program was developed as a strategic measure by Geisel/Figueiredo. It did take a different turn and only very few people understand it. Blame it on "Cartesian" way of thinking by the Gens.

Anyway, it was good to hear from you. take care.

Cartesians always get a lot of trouble from Incoherent people !

Just look at me in disagreements most of the time with nearly every member here !

On your ethanol excuse, yess you said it.... but ONLY after oil prices collapsed.
but at times you have a short memory...on purpose...on what you said when you joined this forum !!!!!!

Now about what to do in my above detailed arguments, FUNNY it looks like I had a premonition :
http://bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601086&sid=asppx2RACSso&refer=latin_america

(in one line)

but...but....it clearly looks like a settlement of scores because.....
- Why does the President of a country announces himself the change at the top of a federally controlled bank ? Noooooo reason at all !
- How could a President of a country have the right to name and/or fire
people not under his direct administration ???? A bank never is, even if owned by the government, except a Central Bank.
- Even for a Central Bank those named must be approved/disapproved by a group of lawmakers, congressmen or whatever ! Never by a single person, be it a President !
- Why fire one guy at one federally controlled bank, and not the others banks chiefs also at federally controlled/owned banks ? Are the others better than the one fired ? Of course not. Interest rates by the different banks are published regularly at the site of your Central Bank. Proof that this firing is a personal political settlement of scores.

Last but not least :
- how many times have I written on that subject...and Incoherent people criticized me ?
- Why Robbing Hook is finally taking the lead and the leash...after over 6 years in his reign ????? Funny that he said it is "his obsession" suddenly !Just another of his lie...as usual.
- Just refer to my December 30 or 31 comments. While the financial "experts" expected the Selic rate to end 2009 at 12 %, I said
my own view was 10 % possibly lower. Recently I have said 9 % and posssibly lower.

Even more important to understand now :
- While most people will applaudem I Huuhhh him. Because in reality despite your Selic Rates is relatively low and will continue to go lower, the truth is that your spread (differential)rates against other countries and spread over your own inflation rate....HAS NEVER BEEN THAT HIGH....IN BOTH CASES !

Example before the financial crisis, the U.S. rate was at 5,25 and your Selic at the 12 % area. Or a spread of around 7 % ! Correct ?
Today your spread rate is far far far higher than that. Thus even assuming that at your next or 2 next CB meetings, the Selic goes down to 10 %, your differential will still be nearly 10 % ! thus higher than
BEFORE the crisis !
Do the same comparative analysis against Chile or Australia Central Bank rates...and you will find also that your spread rates INCREASED !!!!! I am not even talking about your banks lending rates INSANE SPREADS......ON TOP..... OF YOUR ALREADY INSANE Selic rates !

How many times have I said it is criminal to issue mortgage rates at the 12-14 % in a 4-6 % INFLATION RATE ENVIRONEMENT ?????????????
And even more criminal to issue lending rates at the 30-35 % for cars, 50-60 % for consumers goods, and 170-200 % rates for overdrafts ??????? Incoherent people criticized me the Cartesian. What else can they do ? If right they were, as I stated, then suffice to write to Robbing Hook and his bankers accomplices for even HIGHER RATES ! More simple there is&was not !

Until proven otherwise masochists enjoy and love to be whipped. And the majority of Brazilians are the most masochists on earth....also until proven otherwise !
The harsher you take them in their rear, many will beg for harsher and deeper. So sadly true !




But....but....but....to be continued !

- By how much banks will reduce their insane lending spread rate ?
if by only 2 or 3 %, it will be a minor change. Their spread rates will simply be a little less INSANE....BUT STILL INSANE !

- How are and how far and deep the banks going to respond ? good question isnt it ?
Wellll....to also take the defense of your bankers, they may as well say...."YESSSSS CHIEF ROBBING.....but...but....what are we going to do
with the tens of thousands of people we hired on your instructions order to increase jobs.....but...but....were not only NOT needed......and....and were hired without even being qualified....and that we had to give them a very good salary ??????"

Just think about it ! many tens of thousands people were hired not only in your various administrations...while not needed...and totally inneficient anyway....but still well paid ! Same for your many federally controlled, state owned.....companies and banks !!!!!!!!
Part of your miracle hiring were real mirage hiring over tha last 6 years. They happened....but what are these banks going to do if now they are forced to LOWER their profitability margin...and forced to keep these non necessary people ??????
For a small lower margin.....NO problem !
What about if forced to have a LARGE SMALLER margin..and obliged to keep the same workforce ??????



But...but....but...for the overall economy it would be far more profitable if a HIGH SMALLER MARGIN is allowed ! The numbers of newer jobs in the overall economy will far surpass those fired at the banks.
And it will end up positively in the buying power of EVERYONE IN YOUR SOCIETY...including the profitabilty of your non financial industries and companies, especially your small and medium size companies who anyway create the majority of new jobs just as in all economies.

Just think about it...if you prefer to buy a car with a let say 7-10 % rate which is already not that small...or if you prefer paying 30-35 % rate as you do now ?????
With the difference you could buy a pair of shoes, a nice shirt, many beers....MONTHLY !!!!!!

On your ethanol excuse, yess you said it.... but ONLY after oil prices collapsed.
but at times you have a short memory...on purpose...on what you said when you joined this forum !!!!!!

No, Ch.c. If you recall your memory, in all fairness to Ricardo and me, we were saying even before the oil price collapse that the ethanol program was a strategic move by our Military government. I have even said the sugar cane refineries were financed by the government and the price per liter of ethanol at the pumps was subsidized. If you don't believe me, please locate the articles of Ricardo and read my comments. Yes, I might have said different thing when I joined the forum, because people were stereotyping all the Brasilians and I was merely defending the "Cartesian" Brasilians including myself, though we are becoming extinct species!!

but...but....it clearly looks like a settlement of scores because.....
- Why does the President of a country announces himself the change at the top of a federally controlled bank ? Noooooo reason at all !
- How could a President of a country have the right to name and/or fire
people not under his direct administration ???? A bank never is, even if owned by the government, except a Central Bank.
- Even for a Central Bank those named must be approved/disapproved by a group of lawmakers, congressmen or whatever ! Never by a single person, be it a President !
- Why fire one guy at one federally controlled bank, and not the others banks chiefs also at federally controlled/owned banks ? Are the others better than the one fired ? Of course not. Interest rates by the different banks are published regularly at the site of your Central Bank. Proof that this firing is a personal political settlement of scores.

Last but not least :
- how many times have I written on that subject...and Incoherent people criticized me ?
- Why Robbing Hook is finally taking the lead and the leash...after over 6 years in his reign ????? Funny that he said it is "his obsession" suddenly !Just another of his lie...as usual.
- Just refer to my December 30 or 31 comments. While the financial "experts" expected the Selic rate to end 2009 at 12 %, I said
my own view was 10 % possibly lower. Recently I have said 9 % and posssibly lower.

You got the news a few hours after I did! This does open up some opportunities!! What a pity, I don't have your e-mail

Until proven otherwise masochists enjoy and love to be whipped. And the majority of Brazilians are the most masochists on earth....also until proven otherwise !

Right now the "majority" has fallen down to 70% and lets see how things work out in the next few months. Our friend ASP is on to something and worth listening to him too.

In the meantime, you keep cool and don't get upset over the uncontrollable unfolding events.

Cheers

"Joe" states in his article above: "The only way to control drugs is by controlling the supply, not the demand." I could not disagree more! To get to the heart of the drug problem, we have to reduce the desire and the demand for drugs. That means we must focus on the development of the full potential of the individual, so that people feel good naturally. Inability to cope with the stresses of modern life often leads people to alcohol and drug abuse.

Effective programs for reducing alcohol and drug abuse, such as the Transcendental Meditation program, are available. They need to be implemented on a massive scale in order to turn the tide in Brazil. The pathetic "War On Drugs" in the US has been enormously costly and has been a huge failure, because it did not provide preventive programs which reduce the desire and demand for alcohol and drugs. Brazil would be wise to learn from this bitter lesson.


In his article, Joe flirts with the idea of legalization of drugs. Although the legalization of drugs would substantially cut drug-related crimes, only about 20% of total drug-abuse costs in the US are crime related, and I doubt it is significantly different in Brazil. The remaining 80% of costs are tied to health, absenteeism, lost productivity, etc. Therefore, the legalization of drugs, even if it increased drug use slightly, could result in increased costs that would overwhelm any crime-related savings.

Apart from economic considerations, long-term use of even mild hallucinogens like marijuana has been shown to decrease EEG coherence -- the orderly and integrated functioning of the brain. Brain wave coherence is linked to intelligence, creativity, learning ability, academic performance, moral reasoning, psychological stability, and emotional maturity. Marijuana is toxic to the brain and to the liver, according to an eminent doctor I knew when I lived in India. (He is trained in Ayurveda--the world's oldest system of natural medicine.) They have known the toxic effects of marijuana for thousands of years. Legalizing drugs would send the wrong signal to the populace, implying that drug use is not that harmful.

At the same time, outlawing narcotics has not proved effective in reducing their usage. Working in the "Presidio de Mulheres", a women's penitentiary in Sao Paulo, I saw first hand the injustice of incarcerating relatively decent college girls busted for having a small amount of marijuana, with hardened criminals. But Brazil can cut its burgeoning prison population dramatically by decriminalizing nonviolent drug offenses, directing such offenders to drug education, prevention, and rehabilitation programs.

But these programs have widely different degrees of effectiveness. A statistical meta-analysis of 198 independent treatment outcomes found that the Transcendental Meditation (TM) program produced a significantly larger reduction in tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drug use than standard substance abuse treatments and prevention programs. (The meta-analysis controlled for strength of study design and included both heavy and casual users.) Whereas the effects of conventional programs typically fall off rapidly within 3 months, effects of the TM program increase over time. Total abstinence from tobacco, alcohol, and non-prescribed drugs ranged from 51% to 89% over an 18-22 month period. The effects of the TM program are based upon fundamental and naturally occurring improvements in mind and body. (read the study in Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly 11: 13-87, 1994; International Journal of Addictions 26: 293-325, 1991).

just because you know one doctor you think his statement should be the word ? there is overwelming evidence that marijuana has tremendous medical properties that can help people. i suggest you go to www.marijuana.com and do some research....im not going to go in there and drag a bunch of facts over here to make your argument look dumb...just find out yourself

huge amounts of people who have cancer treatments cant get releif from any other drug except marijuana...there are many other properties that have good effects on the body.there is too much positive information on it to have some stiff arguments negate its benifits.there are so manythings in our everyday life that kill brain cells , marijuana is harmless compared to some things we allow in society.

where i agree if people can discover natural things to open up their minds to bring inner peace and tranquility, its ridiculas to make marijuana ilegal when you have alcohol, ciggarettes and the automobile legal...it just doesnt make any sence

your stiff take on marijuana ruins your argument.legalise it and teach people how to find these natural cures.i dont agree with your theory the costs of medical treatments out weigh the reason to legalise it

Hi. I know this has nothing to do with this article, but I need some help. I work with a few fantastic Brazilians, but there's a bit of a language barrier. I am (sucessfully, but slowly) learning Brazilian Portuguese, but they have asked me for websites that I can print words, phrases, greetings, anything to help them with BP to English translation. It's easy for me from English to BP, but much harder to help them the other way around. If anyone knows anything that can help, please contact me!
Delso922@yahoo.com
Thanks!

I should have stated that the eminent medical authority I spoke with is one of the most revered experts from the world's oldest and most complete system of natural medicine, ayurveda, which has been revived by His Holiness, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. He represents over 300.000 ayurvedic doctors, and the collected wisdom of thousands of years of knowledge. I should also have stated that he said that marijuana is medically useful (it is actually one of the most important medicines in the ayurvedic pharmacopia). However, the quantities used in medical treatment are much less than those used recreationally. Getting stoned is toxic to the brain and to the liver. Would you give poison to a child? I'm all for getting high....naturally. And the natural highs one is capable of getting FAR surpass any chemical one. Trust me. I know. Try Transcendental Meditation. It is more effective, and no toxicity.

and as i said, its great if people could be aware of it and have the choice to do it...

for every doctor that has one theory i can produce 5 with the opisite. please dont play games with me as though you have the doctor god of authority of what humans should or shouldnt do...i dont like doctors to be honest with you..i dont care if its dr jesus h christ

unless you hitler march everyone into tm camps, there is no way you can get every one to do it. it is up to the individual...

lets face reality at how drug enforcement, incarcaration for drug use and the billions on drug wars , just isnt working. the carnage of drug wars is unbeleivible...the amount of money untaxed in ilegal hands is unbeleivible....

tell your god doctor i get high watching the finest booty on the beach...it traquilizes me more than any tm can...trust me, ive tried and been around it all and nothing works more in the world, nothing takes the phsycic pain away better , nothing eases the pain of everyday hurt , frustration and deception better than admiring the semi nude shape of the sex you prefer the most , comparing inner cheek symetry...en mass in a public space on a beach in the fresh air and waves....do you hear me ? nothing works better than that !!!

No reason not to enjoy 200% of life: 100% outer material, 100% inner spiritual.

ASP: You descry the failure of the so-called "war on drugs". You say "there is no way you can get every one to do it [Transcendental Meditation, or other proven programs]. it is up to the individual...". I agree. Do you think a parent should teach a child what is good and not good for them? Don't you think government should make available proven programs that help people feel good naturally instead of the dead end route of drugs? Whether people take advantage of these programs is, of course, up to them. TM got thousands of us away from drugs because it was a better scene. But not everyone chose to go that route. They have their free will....

what i am addressing is that so many people go after these illegal drugs that its an imposible tide to stop.i mean really, its just unbeleivable how many people go after these drugs.it is bigger than a lot of countries gnp , an absolutly enormous underground economy. it also is crazy to incarcerate people for drug use.

it just seems ridiculas to outlaw them in society.if it was brought into society, people could be educated about it and understand that drug use is a symton of someone struggling for happiness inside.

these millions of people would be brought into society and it could be monitored and people who needed help or alternatives, could get directed to tm , or the life expanding mode of self improvement of their choice.

drug phases are the best pools of humanity for tm to draw on to find practicioners. the way to show people there is a better way or evangelical church or what ever that person needs after they burn themselves out.

better to have it above ground and people have the freedom of choice with the proper education . i mean these millions of drug users are in an underground ,unregulated , uneducated as to its effects on the body, and are basicly in a no mans land of outlaw territory. and they come by the millions...and it could be your son or daughter or cousin or uncle or sister or brother or father and mother etc

let drug users find their way into society and get choice and help if they want it

Decriminalize drugs. Legalization is not necessary or advisable since there are programs that are really effective in eliminating drug abuse:

To preview a video(6 min) of the dramatic story of how students' behavior (including a huge reduction in drug abuse) in a Wisconsin school was transformed with a healthy diet:
http://www.responsibletechnology.org/GMFree/EducationalMaterials/WatchVideos/index.cfm

See the video clip showing film director David Lynch visiting the City of Children in Belo Horizonte where he meditated with 4,000 students. http://dlf.tv/2009/city-of-children/

These are just two of many programs that get kids to feel great naturally....the only true way to solve the drug abuse problem.

Making drugs legal did not work in the Amsterdam or other countries. Again, marijuana is toxic to the brain and liver, so more poison available to our kids is not the answer. And it would be admitting our failure to provide programs that really do give the glow of life that is the only real solution. Providing these programs on a massive scale is now the task we must wholeheartedly committ to.

There is a bar on every corner so the whores have a place to work.
Getting then drunk. and then avantage of them. Some will even leave their wifes. It is the foreigner that are prayed on. I find Rio a sleezy dirty crime ridden city. The whores are looking for men of any kind that will pay their way. But it is allowed. The whores don't mind if their married they will pull their pants down for dinner. Then claim a sob story. I tell everyone I know to stay away from there.
Just a bunch a drunks that craw home every nite. Beggers with their hands out. Gun shooting going on everywhere. Many of marriages have been failed because of the agressive whore that are there. Keep then drunk is their job. It helps the bar and helps the whores.
Go to famous seafood restrauted and all you see or men with the whores. Sick sick............