Day: October 22, 2001

~ FmH

“In the latest move in the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) quixotic crusade against cannabis in any form, the agency has published administrative rules that effectively “ban the consumption of food products containing hemp oil, hemp seed, or any other product containing any quantity of THC — no matter how miniscule. THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is the primary psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, but is found in only low concentrations in cannabis plants bred to produce hemp. A common formulation for gauging the consciousness-altering capacity of hemp is “you’d have to smoke a joint the size of a telephone pole to get high.”

In announcing the rules, DEA chief Asa Hutchinson explained that “many Americans do not know that hemp and marijuana are both parts of the same plant and that hemp cannot be produced without producing marijuana… While most of the THC in cannabis plants is concentrated in the marijuana, all parts of the plant, including hemp, have been found to contain THC. The existence of THC in hemp is significant because THC, like marijuana, is a schedule I controlled substance. Federal law prohibits human consumption and possession of schedule I controlled substances. In addition, they are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration for medical use. The rules that DEA is publishing today explain which hemp products are legal and which are not. This will depend on whether the product causes THC to enter the human body. If the product does cause THC to enter the human body, it is an illegal substance that may not be manufactured, sold, or consumed in the United States. Such products include ‘hemp’ foods and beverages that contain THC. If, however, the product does not cause THC to enter the human body, it is a non-controlled substance that may lawfully be sold in the United States. Included in the category of lawful hemp products are textiles, such as clothing made using fiber produced from cannabis plant stalks. Also in the lawful category are personal care products that contain oil from sterilized cannabis seeds, such as soaps, lotions, and shampoos.” Drug Reform Coordination Network

~ FmH

The All Species Inventory: “A Call For The Discovery of All Life-forms On Earth… The aim of the All Species Inventory is simple: within the span of our own generation, record and genetically sample every living species of life on Earth. This audacious goal will be accomplished by using one billion or more dollars of philanthropic wealth to fund and train a network of local collectors and naturalists throughout the world, and to employ the latest in information technology to manage this surge of bio-information.”

~ FmH

Yesterday was Jam Echelon Day — why in the world over a weekend when people are less likely to be using the net I don’t know — but it’s probably not too late anyway, since disseminating awareness about Echelon sounds like a more realistic purpose of the event than actually jamming the system:

The primary goal of Jam Echelon Day 2001 is to raise public awareness of the existence of Echelon and stimulate scrutiny of the world’s government agencies that operate it.

We are offering substantial resources for people to educate themselves about Echelon and what it is capable of. This is an educational campaign sponsored by concerned netizens that value personal privacy and firmly believe that everyone has a right to privacy without government intrusion.

The 2001 “Jam Echelon” campaign has kept the name of it’s 1999 predecessor both to honor a great idea and to state an ideal. We acknowledge that the current level of technology being utilized by the Echelon group far exceeds our ability to actually impact it in this manner. We do not intend, nor do we encourage attempting to overload Echelon’s surveillance systems with spam.

In the past, different organizations and individuals have sent out mass emailings using “keywords” designed to trigger Echelon’s filters. In reality, it is unknown if this tactic actually jammed up Echelon’s systems but it is likely that this would only produce an abundance of Echelon related spam and be counter productive. It is our opinion that more can be accomplished by sending people to one of the Jam Echelon mirrors for information.

Our recommendation for action on October 21st is for you to email everyone on your personal mailing list informing them of the existence of Echelon. Then, direct them to one of the “Jam Echelon” sites [full list at the linked site –FmH] for further information. Include some of the “keywords” in your email; it can’t hurt. Who knows? We might get lucky.