Date: Fri, 29 Oct 2004 21:48:41 -0400
From: Dana Beal
Subject: MMM 2004 #53: How Kerry Exposed Contra Coke; Sign up Now w. 83
Other Cities on the Global Marijuana March May 7, 2005!

Important: get your city on the list for the Global Marijuana March, May 7, 2005!

So far we have confirmed 83 cities:

Albany

Albuquerque

Athens

Asheville

Auckland

Bergen

Berlin

Boone

Boulder

Buenos Aires

Burlington

Capetown

Chicago

Chico

Christchurch

Cincinnati

Colorado Springs

Columbia

Darwin

Des Moines

Detroit

Dover

Dublin

Dunedin

East Lansing

Eugene

Fayetteville

Frankfurt

Ft. Smith

Hartford

Hachita

Houston

Kansas City

Kristiansand

Lethbridge

Lexington

London

Los Angeles

Mexico City

Missoula

Montreal

Moscow

Nashville

Newark

New Paltz

New York

Nimbin

Ogden

Oslo

Paris

Peoria

Philadelphia

Phoenix

Portland

Potsdam

Prague

Raleigh

Rapid City

Reno

Richmond

Roanoke

Rosario

Rostock

San Francisco

Sarasota

Savannah

Spokane

Stavanger

St. Louis

Stockholm

Tallahassee

Tampa

Thunder Bay

Toronto

Traverse City

Tromsoe

Trondheim

Tucson

Tupelo

Upper Lake

Vancouver

Washington, D.C.

Wilmington

There is also some international MMM networking going on at
this CannabisCulture.com message forum:

http://www.cannabisculture.com/forums/postlist.php?Cat=&Board=current

-------------------------

*****!!!Global Marijuana March--May 7, 2005:  Updates,  Reports!!!*****

From: farid@...

Dear Dana,
Read This. Here is the time for a different drug policy. I hope your compatriots will see in that wind a way to avoid the beastard Bush... Please US citizens be aware of the "US drug War under UN flag" is like the "US oil war under Terror flag", not anymore shared by europeans and others. Do not miss the train !
Best regards
FARId

-------- Original Message --------
Subject:     [eurodrug] Former Interpol Chief becomes Prohibition basher
Date:     Wed, 27 Oct 2004 21:46:18 +0200
From:     Alejo Alberdi <ibert@...>
Reply-To:     eurodrug@yahoogroups.com
To:     <eurodrug@yahoogroups.com>



Former Interpol Chief Denounces law-enforcement-dominated Drug Policy in
French daily Le Monde
version française

Senlis Council press release, 26 October 2004

"The opportunity has been missed to profoundly reform a dangerous and
obsolete legal framework and replace it with a modern and effective policy"
Mr Kendall said.

This Article can be found at
www.lemonde.fr/web/article/0,1-0@2-3232,36-384367,0.html

In an opinion editorial that appeared today in the French daily Le Monde
entitled, "Drugs: War lost, New Battles", Raymond Kendall, the Honorary
Secretary General of Interpol, declared that the law-enforcement-dominated
international policies that have been in place for several decades have
failed to protect the world from drugs. He highlighted the fact that
"cannabis has become a common substance with high rates of consumption,
sometimes more easily accessible than tobacco" and that the distribution of
ecstasy and of cocaine is increasing steadily despite the enormous resources
allocated to the criminal justice system for the "war on drugs".

These policies can today no longer live up to the success of more innovative
mechanisms known under the name of harm reduction that have shown
considerable success with regards to the control of tobacco, alcohol and
heroin consumption. He referred specifically to a recent study in the UK
which found that "every £1 spent on health care saved £3 that would have
been spent on the criminal justice system". Raymond Kendall added that "with
regards to heroin, the medicalization of dependant drug users and the
prescription of pharmaceutical opiates have led to an 80% decrease in
overdose deaths, noticeably limited the spread of epidemics and sharply cut
the delinquency of drug addicts. The number of heroin addicts has also
significantly decreased due to the recent advances in realistic
detoxification processes, and because illegal drug supply has moved towards
a 'medicalized' market".

He regretted however that these innovative policies are often attacked by
the international institutions that apply the heavily US-influenced and
"obsolete" international conventions, adopted since the 1960s, in a very
restrictive manner.

"Although I am not personally in favour of the legalization of drugs, the

general feeling is that the opportunity has been missed to profoundly reform
a dangerous and obsolete legal framework and replace it with a modern and
effective policy," declared Mr Kendall in relation to the unpublicized
release this summer of the five-year plan of the French Inter-ministerial
Mission for the Fight Against Drugs and Addiction (MILTD) which did not meet
the expectations of drug specialists.

He called for Europe to take the lead in the international movement for the
modernisation of drug policy and the reform in 2008 of the three conventions
which presently govern international drug control.

Raymond Kendall will speak publicly in Paris on drug policy on the occasion
of the Paris International Symposium organized by the Senlis Council and SOS
Drogue International: "Local Innovations and Global Challenges", the 25 and
26 of November 2004 at the Regional Council of Ile de France.

Raymond Kendall is the Honorary Secretary General of Interpol (he was
Secretary General from 1985 to 2000) and President, OLAF Supervisory
Committee (European Union Anti-Fraud Office.

http://www.senliscouncil.net/modules/media_centre/opeds/02_oped

---------

From: rbirkett@...

Friends and activists-

It can very disheartening to see others get recognition for things a person
pours his/her heart, time and money to nurture and grow into successful
endeavors. While I don't want to take away anything from anyone who has also
poured their heart, time and money, and, gets the recognition they are due,
I would like to recognize the contributions of ALL of the people who made
Proposal C and the Hash Bash a reality and a success.

Recognized and unrecognized activists in chronological order

HASH BASH
1973  Perry Bullard (state rep who smoked a joint at Hash Bash, nearly
censured by MI legislature)
1988  myself (revived Hash Bash from near death with the help of High Times,
MC)
1988  Steve Hager (High Times and originator of the "Hemp Tour")
1988  Jon Gettman & NORML (MC)
1988  Mark Amicone (UM student activist - procured permits)
1989  Don Fielder & NORML
1989  Jesse Walker (UM student activist - procured permits)
1990  Thom Harris (MC, "I Grew Hemp" originator, Freedom Fighter of the
Year)
1990  Rick Engel (UM student activist - procured permits
1991  Julie Gros-Louis (UM student activist - procured permits)
1993  Adam Brook (poured heart, time and money into HB, Coordinator of UM
NORML, MC, publicity, hashbash.com, Freedom Fighter of the Year)
1993  Tom Ness (publicized HB in Jam Rag)
2003  Josh Soper (UM student activist - procured permits, UM NORML)

PROPOSAL C
2000  Jim Hudler (who suggested libertarians circulate a MMJ petition)
2000  myself (author of draft language in 2000 and final language of Prop C)
2000  David Raaflaub (libertarian attorney who assisted in refining the 2000
language)
2000  JP DeNoyer (who started Prop C, MMAAYS, and collected many signatures
in 2000 and nearly half of Prop C signatures)
2000  Charles Goodman (who led the 2000 signature drive)
2003  Chuck Ream (poured heart, time and money into Prop C, Treasurer of
MMAAYS, raised money, coordinated signature collection, printed signs and
lit)
2004  Marijuana Policy Project (major funding)


-Rich Birkett

PS I want to invite Willie Nelson to speak at the 2005 Hash Bash. Good idea?
Other suggestions?

To: rbirkett@...

From: Dana Beal <dana@...>

Subject: Hash Bash

Do you want Hash Bash listed as the kick-off event of the Spring Offensive?

Noticed yr list of unsung heroes.

Dana/cnw

From: rbirkett@...

Dana-

Such a decision is too important to not first elicit the opinions of other
Michigan activists. I've already sent out an email doing just that. I'll let
you know what the consensus is soon. Sorry I haven't done this sooner.

-Rich

********************

*****BUSHWHACKED!!*****

***********************

http://www.pollingreport.com/wh04gen.htm

http://www.electoral-vote.com/pred/

http://www.monsterslash.org/

How John Kerry Exposed the Contra-Cocaine Scandal

http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/102604B.shtml

Disputed Iraq Explosives in Place After Invasion, Video Shows

http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/102904Y.shtml

Marijuana Arrests For Year 2003 Hit Record High, FBI Report Reveals

Pot Smokers Arrested In America At A Rate Of One Every 42 Seconds
 
October 25, 2004
 
Washington, DC:  Police arrested an estimated 755,187 persons for
marijuana violations in 2003, according to the Federal Bureau of
Investigation's annual Uniform Crime Report, released today. The total is
the highest ever recorded by the FBI, and comprised 45 percent of all
drug arrests in the United States.
 
"These numbers belie the myth that police do not target and arrest minor
marijuana offenders," said Keith Stroup, Executive Director of the
National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), who noted

that at current rates, a marijuana smoker is arrested every 42 seconds in
America.  "This effort is a tremendous waste of criminal justice
resources, costing American taxpayers approximately $7.6 billion dollars
annually.  These dollars would be better served combating serious and
violent crime, including the war on terrorism." 
 
Of those charged with marijuana violations, 88 percent - some 662,886
Americans - were charged with possession only.  The remaining 92,301
individuals were charged with "sale/manufacture," a category that
includes all cultivation offenses - even those where the marijuana was
being grown for personal or medical use.  In past years, approximately 30
percent of those arrested were age 19 or younger.
 
"Present policies have done little if anything to decrease marijuana's
availability or dissuade youth from trying it," Stroup said, noting that
a majority of young people now report that they have easier access to pot
than alcohol or tobacco.
 
The total number of marijuana arrests for 2003 far exceeded the total
number of arrests for all violent crimes combined, including murder,
manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery and aggravated assault. 

 
Marijuana arrests for 2003 increased 8 percent from the previous year,
and have nearly doubled since 1993.

 
"Arresting adults who smoke marijuana responsibly needlessly destroys the
lives of tens of thousands of otherwise law abiding citizens each year,"
Stroup said.

 
In the past decade, more than 6.5 million Americans have been arrested on
marijuana charges, more than the entire populations of Alaska, Delaware,
the District of Columbia, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont,
and Wyoming combined. Nearly 90 percent of these total arrests were for
simple possession, not cultivation or sale. During much of this time,
arrests for cocaine and heroin have declined sharply, indicating that
increased enforcement of marijuana laws is being achieved at the expense
of enforcing laws against the possession and trafficking of more
dangerous drugs.

 
"Marijuana legalization would remove this behemoth financial burden from
the criminal justice system, freeing up criminal justice resources to
target other more serious crimes, and allowing law enforcement to focus
on the highest echelons of hard-drug trafficking enterprises rather than
on minor marijuana offenders who present no threat to public safety,"
Stroup said.
 

Later this fall, the NORML Foundation will be releasing a comprehensive
report examining the nature, extent and costs of marijuana arrests in the
United States. The report will feature state-by-state analysis of
marijuana arrests by race, as well as an economic and geographic analysis
of US marijuana arrests.  Further information on NORML's forthcoming
report is available by contacting the NORML Foundation at:
media@.... 
 
 
YEAR                          MARIJUANA ARRESTS
 
2003                                        755,187
2002                                        697,082         
2001                                        723,627
2000                                        734,498
1999                                        704,812
1998                                        682,885
1997                                        695,200
1996                                        641,642

1995                                        588,963

1994                                        499,122

1993                                        380,689
 
 
For more information, please contact Keith Stroup or Paul Armentano of
NORML at (202) 483-5500.

NORML Foundation
1600 K Street, N.W.
Suite 501
Washington, DC 20006
202-483-5500 (p)
202-483-0057 (f)
www.norml.org
foundation@...

-------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------

Join the Kerry Marijuana Decrim Thread:

http://forum.johnkerry.com/index.php?showtopic=61002&st=435

farmerTom
  Yesterday, 04:56 PM
 

 Post  #451

Suicide,

People commit suicide all the time, many are on drugs-alcohol. But the underlying reason for depression is generally an overwhelming insecurity. Their support network needs to stay attuned to the feeling of the person and try and get them into a social setting where they can get feedback. Some people do in fact have chemical imbalances, and situational traumas that can lead to self destruction. Pot and alcohol users as a whole are really in it for the party, at least at first.

What I've seen from hardcore "stoners" is they are lazy by nature and avoid confrontation. They use pot and alcohol as a fantasy escapism, and refuse to accept facts that are different than their own opinion. Many people that do drugs didn't start using them as a crutch, or to hide from personal problems. They started doing drugs for acceptance, adventure, and to party. But as time went on they started avoiding situations that required effort with the "crutch". Occasional users on the other hand just like the thrill or rush of the high, same with alcohol.

But suicide, no. Look at the situation the people are in, an overbearing person in their life that they feel they can't escape. A feeling of utter dependence on a person or a thing. Suicide is when a person thinks that all hope is lost, or sometimes its the ultimate revenge they can get to someone who is close.

Pot smokers have a memory problem, and build up fatty tissues around the snapse that make them slow to respond verbally. Wo dude..............

The culture is not always a good environment because the majority are involved in one crime or another. Not all pot smokers are criminals, not all criminals are pot smokers.....its more that the "soft drugs" in this country are available in the underworld, not at a bar.

Holland has a very successful program except, everyone and their mother go there on "pot" vacations. Get all the rowdy tourist out, loose all the over the border customers, and you have a very realist solution to a giant problem. period!

FarmerTom

 Oct 25 2004, 05:27 PM

A snapse is part of the neural network of your brain. It is a part of the messaging system. There are dendrites, snapses, and >>I forgot the other main components   (neurotransmitter), but any chemical/electrical/physical changes in this communication system doesn't let it continue to evolve naturally.

http://www.rism.org/isg/dlp/ganja/analyses...icine%202b.html

http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761578...sychology).html

Extreme judgemental site over presumptions and minor changes in behavior>>>
http://mitosyfraudes.8k.com/INGLES-2/Mari.html

 http://www.viterbo.edu/personalpages/facul...p431_addict.htm

To make a long story short alcohol does kill brain cells, is a masive depresant, and a major motor function inhibiter. But pot does take it toll too.

dougkeenan

 Oct 25 2004, 05:53 PM
 

I thought you meant "synapse;" now I'm sure (is English your native tongue?). Sorry, none of those sites you link mention fatty tissues building up around synapses causing verbal slowing. Are you making that up or just leaping to a conclusion?

farmerTom

 Oct 25 2004, 06:04 PM

Can't find a reference now, something I read 20 years or so ago.

Maybe this will suffice:

http://66.102.7.104/search?q=cache:CCYfElV...marijuana&hl=en

farmerTom

 Oct 25 2004, 06:11 PM

QUOTE
We have no research available that can inform us about the combined effects of smoking cannabis and sniffing petrol in either the long term or the short term.  The effects of cannabis use (or the use of other drugs) on a background of petrol sniffing are not known.

boom...............................no wonder! 

dougkeenan

 Oct 25 2004, 07:35 PM

 

QUOTE(farmerTom @ Oct 25 2004, 06:04 PM)

Can't find a reference now, something I read 20 years or so ago.

Maybe this will suffice:

http://stage.cecnsw.catholic.edu.au/admini...chersmanual.doc

Sorry it doesn't - there isn't anything in it about any verbal slowing. Next to nothing was known twenty years ago about endocannabinoid research anyway so whatever you read would be obsolete today.

Some of what you say makes sense. This particular claim does not. 

climbingthegreatbluecliffs

 Oct 25 2004, 09:55 PM
 
i was unable to find anything about marijuana's negative (slowing) effect on nervous signals, in brain (or specific areas of it) or otherwise. I would think that if an effect, like slowing of the speech, is observed it might be due to psychological factors (partially or fully due to the frequent use of cannabis). However in my interaction with 'stoners' i must conclude that psychology, and the abuse of other substances play a much larger role than marijuana, which become more a status symbol than anything else, in the external expressions of the individual who has incurred that label.

Seriousyear

  Oct 25 2004, 11:20 PM

Okay, the bottom line on damage done to the brain by intoxicants, as it was explained to me by someone who studied neurological science, prepping to be a specialist in brain function and disorders (I believe he was a anasthaeseologist at the time), Alcohol kills millions of brain cells, doesn't matter if its one drink or ten, alcohol terminates cells that aren't regenerated. Thus, alcohol is similar to brain damage-imho. Now, cannaboids already exist in brain tissue, as they exist in different parts of the body in a different chemical element. When one uses a cannaboid stimulator, such as marijuana or running/jogging for example (think of the function of the pituitary gland, andrenalin rush)- it excites this part of the brain, it doesn't kill brain cells.

I quized in laymans terms if the man was telling me that any amount of alcohol in the blood stream kills brain cells, and that the opposite is true of cannabis, marijuana merely shakes them around a little bit, but doesn't kill brain cells- as alcohol does. He confirmed, that marijuana doesn't harm brain cells, it only "shakes them up a bit." Alcohol destroys the cells to a point where they aren't capable of being repaired- therefore, the cells die. And this, he added, is the reason many people experience a hangover the morning after using alcohol. I have never had a hangover using marijuana, and he said it was because my brain wasn't under stress in trying to repair cells that were damaged or dead as with someone who uses alcohol to extreme.

So, I quit drinking alcohol altogether, except on rare occasions - usually when at a social function and I just want to fit in, literally. If I drink just one single beer, I immediately get a pounding headache, similar to a migraine- so I definitely abstain from alcohol. I know that two drinks a day are supposed to be good for most people in some manner, but I can't do it, it just makes my head feel like its about to explode. Marijuana, no side effects- only soothing feelings of euphoria, and it helps with my depression. I am able to see things in a different positive light, sometimes even helping my brain to create new ideas/solutions that are quite functional in the real world, solutions to problems that I would NOT have seen otherwise. And definitely NO side effects, ie- hangover, headache, stomach aches, vomiting or diarrhea- as I get with booze.

If I drink, its like my body starts rejecting everything good about alcohol, and focuses on the bad- thus I feel like I have been mauled by a large and furious grizzly bear. It also effects my mood in the same way- no euphoria, just plain anger and a spiraling downward depressed feeling- a type of despair or sadness that is hard to describe. But that is my body chemistry, not everyone else, though I am sure most people have encountered a mean/angry drunk at some time in life, haven't they?

IDB

Short-term memory loss due to cannabis has nothing to do with the build-up of metabolites in fatty tissue--the metabolites in question, the ones that get you snagged in a piss-test, are almost entirely inactive--but can be traced instead to pot's well-known effect of suppression of REM activity. This effect, which in middle age can worsen into chronic insomnia, results directly from THC's depletion of pineal melatonin as part of the action that gives you the characteristic "clear" serotonergic high that you get with the first joint of the day. You know--the one where you get sudden ideas that are so strong that you forget your train of thought and just have to sit there.

What you'e doing is getting a sudden upsurge of serum melatonin (5 methoxy-triptamine) in the bloodstream, which daylight converts into a form of seratonin. The problem is, for each joint thereafter you get about half as much "high" and twice as much of the "stoned" effect--which is directly from the cannabidiol, which 10 years ago was thought not to do anything, but is now known to stop stroke and prevent the build-up to tolerance to the THC.

Some one who's "chronic"--chasing that ever-decreasing THC effect to the point where they don't dream at night, trash their short-term memory, and lose their ability to concentrate--can easily reverse these effects by doing sublingual melatonin, 1 to 5 mg., just before going to sleep or as-needed during the night. Because melatonin is short-acting (4 hrs.) and is completely metabolized (it's a food, not a drug), there is no hang-over. And somewhat counter-intuitively, it breaks the "chronic" syndrome, with the person suddenly finding they need to smoke a whole lot less to get the same high, while maintaining a much higher level of function so far as memory and attention are concerned.

The secret is that the non-sublingual melatonin, the hard tabs or the capsules that you swallow, don't really work to upregulate REM, since the liver knocks off the methoxy group, and the hydroxy is a whole lot less active. No, you need the hold the sublingual (I like peppermint) under the tongue for about three minutes, before pushing them up with a bit of spit above your two front teeth between the lip and gum. The molecule is like Casper the Friendly Ghost in its ability to go through cell walls--straight to pre-frontal cortex for those technocolor dreams.

On another note, melatonin is also especially useful for insomnia incident to detoxing from hard drugs. The following conference is really pretty important, and accessible to people in the South and mid-west....

5th National Harm Reduction Conference Nov 11-14, 2004
Astor Crowne Plaza Hotel
New Orleans, LA.

http://www.harmreduction.org/conf2004/c2004preconf.html

Our Session is--

November 13, 2004

 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm
 Special Session (3 hours)
Ibogaine

 Room IBERVILLE
Moderator: Patrick Kroupa,  MindVox, Miami, FL

New Directions for Ibogaine Research
 Deborah C. Mash, Ph.D., University of Miami, School of Medicine, Miami, FL

 A Clinician's View of Ibogaine Detoxification
Jeffrey D. Kamlet, M.D, Florida Society of Addiction Medicine, Miami, FL

 Ibogaine: To Have or Have Not. A Review of the Historical, Legal and Ethical Implications of Returning Control of Ibogaine to Drug Users.
 Howard S. Lotsof, Dora Weiner Foundation, New York, NY

Ibogaine and Harm Reduction for Non-Injection Drug Users
 Dana Beal, Cures Not Wars, New York, NY

 Ibogaine: the Case of a DEA Agent in Times of Voodoo

 Peter Cohen, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands

 18-methoxycoronaridine, a Literature Review

 Jonathan Freedlander, Towson University, Baltimore, MD

 Developing an Outcome Study of Ibogaine Therapy

 Valerie Mojeiko - Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, Sarasota, FL

****!!!IBOGAINE TREATMENT NOW $1500 IN HOLLAND--CALL SARA, 0113134-624-1770 !!!****

From: Jeffgd1@...

Hello Ibogaine list
I am lucky enough to be able to say that I am scheduled to do an ibogaine treatment in the very very near future.
I have a concern that I hope one of the knowledgeable medical people out there can look at and comment on....perhjaps off list if that is preferred.

I have had an EKG that looks normal and all my blood work pertaining to liver function looks fine as well.  The only thing that concerns me and may concern the provider is a very high tryglyceride count... I have been prescribed medication for this as part of an ongoing attempt to reduce this number but i have not started to take it yet as i do not want to introduce any other chemicals into myself before the ibogaine treatment. (not sure how smart that sounds *s*)
 The exact level is approximately 600 and the norm is about 120 (sorry not sure of the units) in other words I am about 5X normal.
 Is this something that should preclude me doing the treatment?
 I am very very motivated now, I am on workers comp from a minor accident at work (I am an electrician on large new construction projects) and have the time. I am doing the treatment to be done with the Methadone that I am on now and have been on for 9 years at about 50 mgs I want to experience life without the opiated haze that I feel is stifling my emotional growth and more.
Thanks
 And please understand I feel very awkward in looking for medical advice on the free ..if I am out of line here just say so. I just figured that here on this list  there may be people (DR's/MD's??) with medical knowledge along with access and understanding of this very specialized subject.
 Thanks again
 Freak Free!
 Vote Free
Jeff

From: Schmoolyboy@...

 Having a very high triglyceride level (and yours is not all that high) has no bearing on being treated with ibogaine. Cholesterol lowering drugs should be stoped at leat 10 days prior to takinng Ibogaine as they are metabilized by the liver and can effect the conversion of Ibogaine to Noribogaine. Hope this helps and good luck.

From: Schmoolyboy@...

Roxicet has acetominophen (tylenol) in it. Tylenol should be avoided before taking Ibo and by any one with hep c, or other liver problems. it is very hepato toxic. oxycodone come in 5 and 15 and 30 mg dosages and has nothing in it but oxycodone. Oxy-IR (Instant release) is also pure oxycodone, kinda like short acting oxyco

From: seanettley@...

Preston: congradulations on the success of your party. I hope you sell a million books-and that even the less thin of your dancers achieves success (ha, ha). I really wanted to attend, and I got quite cranky about having to leave, but had worn time constraints into the ground. 

 Martee, I'm so happy you got hooked up technologically. Your posts have been great. You, too, Sean and Marc. Thank you all.

I'm greatful for this list. Peer support is #1, especially if it's all you can get, but even if it's not. I wish I'd known about this list when I did mine:

Probably had 1 hour of sleep in 10 days (not much after that for a while) and almost too weak to walk, had to retrain myself. Left my session to go back to a very unstable situation-staying with a woman w/ 7 yr old twins, no money, plus her boyfriend and a friend, plus my friend (massive props for sticking with me), windows open 24/7 in October, in the north. Almost forgot to mention that "Billie Jean/Beat It" was played at top volume for a few hours a day (not the world's greatest prescription).

 I'm too sensitive to reality to call it a worst case scenario! but it was pretty bad (got into a better place and grass and mushrooms helped, eventually). I'm only putting this forward to say that it was all worth it. I can't stress that enough. For anyone who's about to take the plunge, or who has just done it and has to go home to some form of shit and crap-it's worth it. Please wait it out (be it residuals, insomina, bullshit 'friends', family, whatever) and give yourself the chance you've worked so fucking hard for, don't waste your effort!

 Good luck, everyone!

Thanks to everyone I've met and spoken to. I've been inspired by you all a hundred different ways.

love and see you next year,

L

From: jamilah@...

Dear Sean,
 
Here are my thoughts on the issue, as I managed the care of hundreds of HIV and Hep C folks before I changed jobs. The major side effects we watch for when using HIV meds are lactic acidosis (caused by NRTI's) and symptoms that result from combining the protease inhibitors with other drugs that are metabolized using the cytocrome P450 pathway.

  
Ibogaine has been studied to see if it uses this pathway, and it doesn't seem to :
 
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=9698290
 
nor does 18-methoxycoronaridine, an ibogaine analog:
 
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=12019193
 
The main drug interaction from Ibogaine, from what I understand, is the risk of Torsades do Pointes (TdP). Here is a list of meds that do have that side effect,
 
http://www.arizonacert.org/medical-pros/drug-lists/drug-lists.htm#
 
and only one HIV meds (foscarnate) is listed on the "possible" TdP list. I was surprised methadone is on this list, as a definite inducer, and it's well known that persons getting Ibogaine are often on methadone, and I haven't heard of the incidence of TdP being  higher in those folks. But maybe Howard could speak to that.
  
Anyway, as I remember HIV infection was listed as a contraindication, but Sara says she treats (if I recall) and i don't see a special reason why not, if the CD4 is decent  (over 300) and a low viral load. Risk of staying drug dependant versus benefit of getting clean would have to be weighed...
 
I would be interested in knowing how your CD4 and viral load compare to before your Ibogaine treatment, although changes may or may not be related to the Ibogaine.
  
Hope this info is helpful...
It was nice getting to meet you briefly at Preston's...
Peace,
Jamilah
 

From: fakeplacebo@...

Hi Randy,
How are you? It's very nice to hear that You can be able to sleep as you want.
  
I'm preparing for my treatment. It will be around two weeks alter so I want to learn that how you feel after Iboga treatment? Do you feel happy and energic? I wonder about "after Iboga Psikology". Do you feel totaly normal? Please give me some information.
 
Best Regards
FakePlacebo

From: BiscuitBoy714@...

FakePlacebo, I'm probably not a good judge of normal. I've got some issues but who doesn't. I got treated for a methadone addiction 3 weeks ago last Friday. You're not on methadone are you? I hope not. Methadone seems to be the hardest to kick. I was on 60 mgs. a day. I have a lot more energy than when I kicked meth without Ibogaine. I don't quite feel normal but I'm not sure what normal is. I couldn't sleep well for at least 3 months last time. If sleep pattern is any indicator I'd say I am doing pretty good considering. I know one thing. I have never felt comfortable straight and I have had two 2 year periods of sobriety (one forced) and I hated every minute of it. I don't feel that way now. I think I can make. I want to make it. I have entirely too much to do. But, as Frank said, there is much work still to be done. I highly recommend Ibogaine treatment. I'll answer any questions. Off list or on.   Randy

From: UUSEAN@...

 Hi Jamilah,

 It was really nice meeting you at Preston's party. BTW I had a great time, unfortunately I had to leave early as I had work early the next day, and was having transportation concerns. Thanks so much for the info on HIV and ibo.  These questions are cropping up regularly in the NY metro area so it is great to have some science behind one in attempting to answer them. Yes, for me the risk of continuing my crack and H use certainly did not compare with ibogaine risk.

 My t cell did go up substantially post ibo (570-675), my liver enzymes dropped from 400-15. So my doctor and I were really happy with the numbers. As you said, there is no definitive way to correlate ibo and good numbers, although I am certain that interrupting addiction (crack, dope and booze) is certainly going to lead to a healthier immune system in any case, so in this way the ibo TX was certainly part of my healing. Viral load stayed the same at about 1900.

 Am so damn pleased that Jasen and Jeff are getting treatment soon, please continue to keep posting as the hour draws near.  And I do have candles ready. Thanks to all who lit candles for me.  It was so wonderful to feel that worldwide love as I was being treated. 

 Been so busy living life after crack/H slavery that I do not get post as often as I used too, but it sure is nice to back with you Mindvoxians. Perhaps some of you can get to New Orleans for the harm Reduction conference. Ibogaine is a main feature.

 Take care all for now. To those in the trenched, be strong. No matter where you are in the struggle whether waiting for treatment or having just shot up, don't let any one tell you are any less a human being deserving of love and compassion just cause you have an addiction. A sane world would be sending more light your way instead of the shit that so many of us are handed.  On the one hand in the US, for example they way we have a disease, then they lock us up in huge numbers for supposedly being sick. Makes me sick any way.:)

 I'm out.

 Stay strong.

 Peace y'all,

 Sean

From:     ptpeet@...

Subject:        Re: [Ibogaine] Re: Jamilah

       
Thanks Jamilah,
   It might go up at DrugWar.com sometimes soon too, but I'm not yet sure. I feel kinda funny writing up my own event, but no one else seems to be, so why not?
;-)))
   The photo is attached- for those not at the party, this is Jamilah, a subscriber to the ibogaine list, giving me the honor of signing her copy of "Under the Influence- the Disinformation Guide to Drugs," at the book release party at Uncle Ming's in the Lower East Side of Manhattan last Thursday night.
  (My Dad sent me some photos, and in most all of them there this big pinkish/peach colored thing in the lower right corner- I think it's his bent pinky. Coincidentally enough, though we aren't related by blood, my Dad and I have both damaged out right pinkies, leaving them bent and off-centered- but they look cool when I'm drinking something, as they give me and he both that sophisticated air, leaving our bent pinkies in the air as we sip demurely from our beverages. It also apparently makes him leave it somewhat in the picture when he takes photographs. (He injured it in that car accident I've mentioned once or twice, the one that introduced me to opiates way back when, and he can't feel his right hand at all, so I'm guessing he simply isn't aware that it's in the way like it is here somewhat.)
   On a completely unrelated topic, Amy Goodman just reported on Democracy Now that marijuana arrests have more than doubled in the US since 1993, and now total more than all arrests for all violent crimes put together. (So that puts this note squarely on topic, as does the next tid-bit too.)
   My friend Kevin Zeese, who was heading up Common Sense for Drug Policy (and might still but I think they're closed as an active org at the moment- just maintaining a website at most for now I think, but please don't hold me to that) is Ralph Nader's spokesperson during this campaign, and Zeese will be on Goodman's show in a little while this morning- not sure exactly what time though, just during this episode anyway- so if anyone else is interested in hearing the reasons why someone so intelligent and friendly and flat out cool would choose to not only vote for but represent Nader to the press this time 'round, please tune in. I myself am still totally undecided. That said, V and I were discussing this last night, both of us voicing our fears that things are just so freakin' bad right now that we both very well might find ourselves violating our principles and voting for Kerry anyway. I mean, he was the lead and almost only one too, pushing for the Iran-Contra investigations, and he did voice strong opposition to the Vietnam War, after actually serving there too, and hell, he does leave me feeling less icky than Bush does- I just don't know yet. I'd hate to do it actually, and I think everyone here knows how I feel about our current "choices" for President, but things really, really suck right now, and I'm having some trouble believing that Kerry is going to do things in the Bush fashion, like for instance insisting that protestors showing up to see him speak be arrested for wearing t-shirts he doesn't like or appreciate, as the Bush crew is and has been already doing.

   Hell, I probabably won't make up my mind for sure until that morning. The polling booth is right across the street at the elementary school outside and below my window, and the screaming, out of control children/students will do their usual best in waking me up bright and early (if I'm not already awake when they arrive) so I'll probably be there with the rising sun to throw the lever for whomever it is I do end up voting for. Kerry did just come out with a somewhat positive statement about Oregon's medical marijuana patients too didn't he, saying he'd keep the feds from raiding and arresting them as they are now? Yes, apparently he did:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2004/10/10/MNG0996S2L1.DTL

So while I personally feel that Kerry isn't really much better (keeping fellow Democrat Bill Clinton's record when it comes to the War on Some Drugs and Users in mind) in many areas, and will probably keep up the killing and destruction for a while, he very well might turn around on Nov. 3 and shed his "I'm kissing corporate/warmongering butt" image and put back on his honorable, "I'm my own man" mantle again. I've been a dreamer for a long time now, so perhaps this is the dream I might be dreaming come Nov. 2. I might still go with the Green candidate, or even Nader, but I'm leaning towards Kerry at the moment, just because I'm so damned frightended of the Bush people.
   I hate this feeling, and I suspect that those in charge of things like that, that I and so many others are getting so worked up over something that really, in the end of the day, isn't that important to the day to day operation of my life, that is really mainly a puppet show no matter how I cut it. Still, I will participate. Am I brainwashed too, regardless of how awake I consider myself?


Peace and love,
Preston Peet

26/04 9:57:10 AM Eastern Daylight Time, rwd3@... writes:



someone educate me in not so metaphysical terms as to what
 this stuff is all about?


 Hello,

 Ibogaine is an ancient natural tribal remedy which was discovered in the Tabernanthe Iboga shrub native to Gabon and other nations in West Central Africa. It has long been used in shamanic rituals of initiation and spiritual quests.

 In more recent times Ibogaine has been discovered to interrupt addiction, usually with minimal withdrawal, and a "true full physiological release from chemical dependency.

 It seems to work by neurochemically transporting the addict to a physically and psychologically pre addicted state.  Pre clinical trials have shown ibogaine to reduce self administration of cocaine, opiates, and amphetamines. Ibogaine seems to reduce dopamine concentrations in the body.  Ibo seems to reverse the dopamine stimulating action of certain highly abusive and addictive drugs by acting as an antagonist. Ibogaine is also thought to affect serotongeric transmission in the brain as well.

 At high doses, ibogaine is capable of producing vision and hallucinations. The visions subside usually after 24 hours into a state of relaxation. The visions sometimes cause a dramatic resurgence of repressed memory; for some this a key in discovering why addiction occurred in the first place.

 Hope this helps. I tired to be brief. There are many on this list who can further flesh this out for you. Just ask questions as you have been.

 Ibogaine treatment helped end a 20 year crack habit and more recently dope habit for me. The opportunity to have addiction interrupted has been nothing short of glorious for me. I am living life free form the chains of needle and crack pipe. It did take two treatments for me. After the second, I really made some major changes which really seem to be helping. In this case the old rule of  removing using people from my life has been essential.

 Best of luck in your search for ibogaine treatment. There are many here who can attest to ibogaine's efficacy and worth.:)

 Peace,
 Sean

From: Schmoolyboy@...

Stop all HIV meds for at least 4 half lives of the drug before taking IBO

From:     digital@...

Subject:        [Ibogaine] CYP2D6 HIV and Ibogaine

       

On Oct 28, 2004, at 1:48 AM, Vector Vector wrote:

You and Patrick cross talk with each other and do male bonding ;) Since
your doing it in public and on the list, could I ask why you won't use
your real name?

This, coming from someone who has been here for years using the name "Vector Vector" ...?  <Insert Emoticon>

You haven't hidden who you are so why schmoolboy?

?... Why ask whY ...?


.:vector:.

--- Schmoolyboy@... wrote:


Stop all HIV meds for at least 4 half lives of the drug before taking

IBO

This message -->

On Oct 25, 2004, at 6:44 AM, Jamilah wrote:

Dear Sean,
 
Here are my thoughts on the issue, as I managed the care of hundreds of HIV and Hep C folks before I changed jobs. The major side effects we watch for when using HIV meds are lactic acidosis (caused by NRTI's) and symptoms that result from combining the protease inhibitors with other drugs that are metabolized using the cytocrome P450 pathway.

  
Ibogaine has been studied to see if it uses this pathway, and it doesn't seem to :
 
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=9698290

Sean asked a question, Jamilah gave an answer based upon her opinion.  The conclusion she derived from reading that link up there, is the EXACT OPPOSITE of what the abstract she is quoting, actually says.

...

"The primary metabolite arises via O-demethylation at the 12-position to yield 12-hydroxyibogamine. In this report, evidence is presented that the O-demethylation of ibogaine observed in human hepatic microsomes is catalyzed primarily by the polymorphically expressed cytochrome P-4502D6 (CYP2D6)."

...

"Thus, it is concluded that ibogaine O-demethylase is catalyzed by CYP2D6 and that this isoform is the predominant enzyme of ibogaine O-demethylation in humans."

...

CYP2D6 is the PRIMARY pathway by which ibogaine is metabolized, and anything that competes, is not good.

PLEASE keep in mind that this is a discussion list.  Many people have conversations, share their opinions, or just hang out, interact, rant, and communicate.  This does not necessarily mean that the answers which are given are correct.

Over the years there are a variety of individuals who have actually written the monographs people are quoting -- and sometimes misinterpreting -- here, who answered questions about their own work, which has appeared in peer-reviewed journals.  There have been numerous occasions where someone DID actually ANSWER A QUESTION THAT WAS ASKED.  Directly and exactly.

For the most part what happens after that is someone will say sumthin' like, "But my brother's, wife's, cousin's next-door-neighbor once read a book, which said something completely different.  I think..."  And then, the person who gave the correct answer will land on, "Well, ya know what, someone asked a question.  I know the answer.  I gave the answer.  Instead of thank you I have half a dozen idiots starting an argument with me, so why don't I just not bother.  I can certainly find something more entertaining to do with my free time."

This is in reference to Yet Another CYP2D6 conversation which occured a while back, not this one.  Everybody has been polite this time.  Which is very cool.  Thank you.

The answer Mistah schmoolY gave is correct.  He does know exactly what he's talking about.  Many of you pretty much know who he is.  Probably he has reasons for not wanting to directly attach his name to any statement made here.

And please try to keep in mind, that there are many people here who could easily answer a variety of questions that are posed.  For the most part, nearly all of them are M.D.s or Ph.D.s; they are not activists or participants in the Holy Crusade.  They are not being compensated for their time.  And probably they don't want to chat -- much less argue.  So...  Just be decent to each other.

Thanks,

Patrick

p.s., You can obtain further information about Healing Transitions by calling their office at: 1-888-426-4286.  They may, or may not, be the right choice for you.  A relatively complete list of treatment providers lives here:

http://www.ibogaine.co.uk/options.htm

From: Schmoolyboy@...

If your liver enzymes are more then 2.5 X normal, you should get a expert medical opinion from someone who understands the pharmaco kinetics of Ibogaine prior to Ibo treatment.

Proven to help the liver are Vit C, Vitamin E, Silymarin and Silybin (the active ingredients in milk thistle [sorry if these are not spelled correctly.
  
 
Life Extension makes good quality sily stuff. Why take milk thistle when the other alkaloids it contains are of no benefit.
 
The most important variant on ones EKG is the QT interval  and the QTc (QT corrected for heart rate) If the QTc is prolonged, Ibo can be a risk. No meds that are QT prolongers should be on board prior to taking IBO. Many common meds and foods are QT prolongers i.e.; grapefruit and quinine.
 
Ventricular ectopy on an EKG is also important (extra irregular beats from the hearts ventricles-bottom pumps). The best way to check this is by a 24 hour holter monitor (essentially, a 24 hour cardiogram) . Atrial ectopy (extra beats from the hearts atrium or top pumping chambers is okay ). Ischemia (lack of blood supply to the coronary arteries) is always a worry.

Hep c is of no concern, unless the liver is not healthy and this would show elevated liver enzymes at least 2 1/2 above normal. It's not what disease you have but what condition your liver is in that is of importance.
 
 

I don't share much and don't get to check the list very often as I travel a lot but I hope this info is of some value to someone. If it's not and you guys want me to shut up-just say so and I will cease and desist.

To join the Mindvox ibogaine list just send an email to ibogaine-subscribe@... if you please.

Nothing more to it. You don't have to write anything in the subject or text area.

-------------------------------------------------------------

From: tents444@...

http://www.corporatism.netfirms.com/mmmall.htm This page just created! Please forward and distribute widely.

348 MMM cities worldwide since 1999!
 

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----end of forwarded email----

Million Marijuana March. MMM. Cannabis Liberation Day!
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To subscribe to that email list send a blank email to:
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