I don't even know where to start with this. It's genuinely THAT absurd of an argument. To discuss the issue of the legalization of something, we must first understand it's prohibition, getting these mixed up is analogous to being for or against the death penalty being applied to a person without knowing what crime he committed. So, the most important question we must ask ourselves is when and why did marijuana become illegal? Well, it turns out that marijuana was first prohibited with the Marijuana Tax act of 1937. In Congress, the testimony appealing for it's prohibition gave examples of how this substance made "degenerate Spanish-speaking residents" even more of a menace, and how pretty young white women were falling victim to their seduction through the drug. Among lots of other factless claims, they also listed impotence as one of the potential side-effects of marijuana use.
The FDA currently lists marijuana as a 'Schedule 1' drug, along with Heroin, magic mushrooms and more. This group is reserved for those substances that have a very high risk of abuse and addiction and that have absolutely no medical value whatsoever. How could that be, you may ask, when such an increasing number of people have been using marijuana to treat symptoms associated with the fighting of cancer, or with a myriad of pathological conditions and their subsequent side effects from the treatment with prescription mediciation. Well, it just so happens there's never been a formal government study on the medicinal benefits of cannabis; therefore, there are none. This is the flawless logic employed by the federal government of the United States of America.
The opposition to legalization are majorly religious organizations, or the conservative right, which buy into the government's [uncorroborated] arguments that it's a "gateway drug" and legalization will just enable more use. I think this is just silly. First of all because we already know what happens when you prohibit a substance and try to make it inaccessible. You drive up the price, create the perfect conditions for the black market to seize control, and worse of all we see a sharp increase in the rates of violent crime and imprisonment. Prohibition doesn't work. You simply can't make a substance, and the demand for it, disappear into the air; much less so when we're talking about a plant, a weed actually, that will literally grow mostly anywhere. It's not sensible to think about further prohibition. Regulation and taxation is the only viable option.
Now, if you're still not convinced, I'd like you to take a look at the history of cannabis. It's been a major cash crop for centuries, it's one of the most multi-use plants in existence, it's easy to grow, and it's also one of the strongest natural fibers. Originally, in colonial America, a royal decree by King James I ordered all land owning colonists to grow 100 acres of hemp specifically for the purposes of exportation. George Washington and several other founding father grew hemp in their estates, and the Constitution of the United States of America (which seems to keep depreciating in value and integrity) is written on hemp paper, and is one of the reasons why it's preserved so well.
I really don't know what else to say other than inform yourselves as much as you can, and try and see through the propaganda. Reach your own conclusions. Marijuana is a hot subject recently and we really need to have a clear memory of history to break free of this imposed 'Reefer Madness'. It's silly. There's simply too many benefits outweighing no real, tangible reasons opposed to legalization. But that's just my opinion.. here's some great documentaries and a few images to help make up your minds, including the 1936 propaganda film 'Reefer Madness'. Please enjoy responsibly.
The opposition to legalization are majorly religious organizations, or the conservative right, which buy into the government's [uncorroborated] arguments that it's a "gateway drug" and legalization will just enable more use. I think this is just silly. First of all because we already know what happens when you prohibit a substance and try to make it inaccessible. You drive up the price, create the perfect conditions for the black market to seize control, and worse of all we see a sharp increase in the rates of violent crime and imprisonment. Prohibition doesn't work. You simply can't make a substance, and the demand for it, disappear into the air; much less so when we're talking about a plant, a weed actually, that will literally grow mostly anywhere. It's not sensible to think about further prohibition. Regulation and taxation is the only viable option.
Now, if you're still not convinced, I'd like you to take a look at the history of cannabis. It's been a major cash crop for centuries, it's one of the most multi-use plants in existence, it's easy to grow, and it's also one of the strongest natural fibers. Originally, in colonial America, a royal decree by King James I ordered all land owning colonists to grow 100 acres of hemp specifically for the purposes of exportation. George Washington and several other founding father grew hemp in their estates, and the Constitution of the United States of America (which seems to keep depreciating in value and integrity) is written on hemp paper, and is one of the reasons why it's preserved so well.
I really don't know what else to say other than inform yourselves as much as you can, and try and see through the propaganda. Reach your own conclusions. Marijuana is a hot subject recently and we really need to have a clear memory of history to break free of this imposed 'Reefer Madness'. It's silly. There's simply too many benefits outweighing no real, tangible reasons opposed to legalization. But that's just my opinion.. here's some great documentaries and a few images to help make up your minds, including the 1936 propaganda film 'Reefer Madness'. Please enjoy responsibly.
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