The Web is humming with stories and discussion from the aftermath of President Obama's response to questions about drug legalization during last Thursday's YouTube forum. While his words this time around are a bit more encouraging than previous signals from the administration, I would strongly suggest that we all, including the president, cut through the platitudes and get to the truth about marijuana prohibition.
If, as the president suggests, it is time for a "serious debate" about legalization, let's get to it, starting with a few questions that beg for truth:
Why, with record federal deficits and states teetering on the edge of bankruptcy, are we spending billions on yet another failed Prohibition that is accomplishing nothing other than making criminals out of millions of otherwise law-abiding citizens and fueling drug cartels that threaten our fundamental national security? Is it not time to try something different?
Despite lip-service, about the need for treatment, harm-reduction and other strategies to address drug use as a health issue, why do the federal government's actual policies and budget still treat the situation as almost entirely a law enforcement problem? Let's end the unworkable marijuana prohibition and put our money where our mouth is. Let's solve the problems like border crime. We can do it with pot legalization.
We need to deal with some simple truths. How do we reconcile the fact, that in a supposedly free society, it is legal for a responsible adult to purchase and consume alcohol, while purchasing and consuming marijuana is a crime? I, along with millions of other Americans, are still waiting for a credible answer to that one.
Mr. President, I would suggest the debate has already begun, thanks for joining in. The Feds have been ignoring this issue for far too long.
Again, I will tell my story. I smoked pot from 73-00. In 2000 I had to begin seeing a pain specialist for chronic pain which was later dx'd as fibro/cfs & started on opiod medication. Here it is 10 years later & I'm still on narcotics for pain, muscle relaxers for spasms, sleeping pills to help me sleep, anti depressants to help me deal with the depression when I know that most of my pain, nausea, sleep & depression would be relieved by smoking marijuana.
It is time to recognize that marijuana is not nearly as bad as the opiods that millions of us take for these painful conditions.
Please get your heads out of your asses & look at the real truth!! Lets do what needs to be done to end the prohibition of marijuana & save the jail space for serious offenders, not just pot smokers that are trying to make their lives alittle bit better.
Jo Ellen Woodall
Oklahoma
Here's one thing we used to make for pain, seizures, and other maladies:
http://antiquecannabisbook.com/chap4/Lilly.htm
I'm pretty sure the corporate person who made this is still around.
http://www.cowanauctions.com/auctions/item.aspx?ItemId=69382
I wonder what the doses were/are?
How about a "war on radiation" We could lockup all the people that made money on building x-ray equipment, nuclear power plants and atomic weapons!!
How about that false equivalency.
Think it's silly?
Look what happens when you just know a few people that used to import canibus.
http://www.lifeforpot.com/
http://www.johnknock.com/
Yeah...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=soOrFdIWbDc
I don't want to live in a tyranny. Legalize Marijuana, please.
and the sooner the better.
Right. Marijuana, like alcohol, has been consumed legally by mankind for at least 3,000 years. The fraud of marijuana prohibition, perpetrated principally by Harry Anslinger in 1937, is only a recent pimple in man's productive relationship with the hemp plant. But growing knowledge of the truth has applied a big dab of Clearasil. 8^) - It'll be better soon.
1) Legalizing Marijuana & Industrial Hemp -- This is a no-brainer -- it must be done to help save the economy, millions of citizens, and the environment
2) Legalizing all other illicit drugs -- This is a bit more complicated. Prohibition does not work, but I don't think we're quite ready for legalized crack, heroin, or meth. I think we need to decriminalize these other drugs, but I don't think there's much support for fully legalizing them.
Gary Johnson for President 2012!
The people are asking for freedom in exchange for some taxes.
The inventors need to be free to develop new uses,, like bill gates in his garage.
The Farmers need the freedom to plant hemp as they rotate crops.
The folks in pain can have some relief from the pain and the jailer.
The people that would rather have a toke than drinking that alcohol stuff could do so without fear.
The States and communities could benefit from additional tax revenue.
The cops could concentrate on the real bad guys,, murder, rape, robbery and other socially unacceptable behavior.
The need or demand for Mexican pot would stop, since we can grow it here in the USA.
I am sure this list of benefits could get quite long with a little creative thought.
Lets get this prohibition thing fixed.
The monstrously destructive, counter-productive fraud of mariuana prohibition has achieved ZERO positive effects. It has only caused vast amounts of crime, violence, corruption, death - AND has consigned more than 20 million good Americans to second-class citizenship FOR LIFE!
There is no domestic issue more important than stopping what future historians will rightly call the American Inquisition. - If the Dems won't do it. Then whoever WILL do it, will accomplish the greatest good for America in a CENTURY!
Once achieved, freedoms must continue to be defended; around the world, increasing numbers of people are standing up in favour of legalizing cannabis in some way. As America led the way in the prohibition of cannabis in the first place, it is to be ferverently hoped that this nation will also play a big part in reversing the process.
http://hashmuseum.com