All across the news today are reports of 420, marijuana, legalization, medical usage......ad nauseum. For the most of what I've heard, I'm appalled at the continued use of outdated propaganda on the subject and the virulent use of poll statistics that supposedly show that over 50% of Americans are against legalization. I've seen and heard news reporters trying to use, abuse, and explain smoker slang, snicker and make very bad jokes, and in general refer to anyone who might partake as a "stoner". The right wing wackos are hijacking our day of celebration and making it into a vehicle of ridicule. And at the end of this day of pot bashing, they'll find some alcohol to drown themselves in to try to hide from their own idiocy. I object!
So, let's talk a bit about the history of why marijuana is illegal in this country. Brace yourself - I'm about to present some facts and even encourage you, the reader, to research for yourself. I know this might be quite a shock but I'm sure you can handle it.
As our country was nearing the Great Depression, the people of Texas began to get upset at the lack of jobs. They started blaming the Mexicans for taking jobs that Americans should have (sound familiar). Let me point out that these same folks brought in the Mexicans as farm labor because of the low wages they could pay them. Now that the country is falling apart, they want to blame the Mexicans and get them out of the country. Enter Harry Anslinger for the government. What came next was the plan to make marijuana illegal because this was something that was attributed to the Mexicans. Once it was illegal, they could deport the Mexicans. This was just the beginning of a long and deceitful campaign against marijuana. This is just a snippet of the history involved and I encourage you to do your research on the subject. I would also like to note that the Native Americans of our own country found this herb beneficial long before the Mexicans got blamed for it.
Following is a reprint of an article I wrote previously on the subject. It's relevance hasn't changed and I don't think that I could say it any better than I did here.
Ok folks, how about some real talk on this subject. First of all, marijuana and hemp are not the same. You could smoke hemp all day and not feel a thing except maybe sick. The hemp plant does not contain the levels of THC that the marijuana plant does.
Now that we've clarified the difference, let's talk usage. The hemp plant has uses from food to products. It is one of the only plants on earth that has so many uses. How about this. We put the farmers back to work by growing hemp instead of being government subsidized to let their ground lie fallow. Then we put the factories back to work making products from this hemp. Then we can actually have a product to export in this country.
This would put lots of people back to work in our country making great and earth friendly products. What products does the US currently export? Having trouble thinking of any? Maybe that's because we have very few left and we are importing more and more from China (at great risk to our health and economy).
If you've ever tried to buy hemp products, you will notice how costly they are. That's because there are few places exporting hemp and it is hard to get it in this country. Thus, local growth and production lowers the cost for everyone and puts the US back on the world market. Do a little research as to why our country quit producing hemp. You will find it was influenced by the major money holders of the time such as DuPont who found that hemp products were damaging the sales of the petroleum based products that they produced.
Now, marijuana. Most people are just plain ignorant on this subject. They have been fed lies for so many years that they just go around repeating them till people believe them. Again, do your research as to why this became illegal in this country and ask yourself why.
Marijuana is a god given plant and, used appropriately, has a lot of benefit without a lot of side affects. Careful now because the big pharmaceutical companies don't want you to know or believe this.
The key is moderation. A person can abuse anything - food, drugs, alcohol, gambling, each other etc. The key is always moderation - whether you use it for medicinal or recreational purposes.
We have more people in this country on meds like antidepressants, pain killers etc than ever before. Who directly benefits from this? The pharmaceutical companies. They don't want you to be able to use a plant to help you because there's no money in that for them.
Marijuana is safer than alcohol as far as a recreational substance goes. You don't see people smoking pot and starting fights, beating on their wives and kids, tearing up places etc.
I believe the key here is regulation. Instead of making it illegal, maybe the government should just control it (they like to do that you know). Let the government grow it (farmer's that are gov't regulated), package it and distribute it. (More jobs here) Then, it can be sold with the same controls as alcohol and with viable taxes that will help our country and its people.
Next, let's let anyone who is in jail or prison based solely on marijuana out. End of the over crowding of our prisons. That would give us room for the real criminals - rapists, killers, child molesters (maybe a few politicians). You have to ask yourself why we have over crowding in the prison system. Maybe because it is a for profit system. That's right; people are making money on it. So, the more people in it the more they make. Can we say corporate control?
Ignorance, my friend is the root of all evil. I hope that I have shed just a bit of light on this highly controversial subject and that maybe I've made a few of you think for yourselves and better yet, a few more will actually do their research and find the truth behind it all. Make your decisions wisely, based on truth not propaganda and maybe start the path to a better world for us all. Marijuana and hemp are not the evils they are made out to be.
