I received this email the other day from a friend of a friend who was mass emailing, and it made me stop to ponder. A month or so ago, I watched a documentary about cigarettes, alchohol, and marijuana which I believe was on Discovery channel. Whichever channel, it was intriguing. A man lost his mother to the ravages of alchohol, his father to cancer caused by cigarettes, and yet both are legal. Marijuana has only claimed lives in the sense of people being put away from using it, not in terms of cancer caused, nor drunk driving type episodes, and yet a national campaign is waged against it? Why?He made some good points about finances, politics, and governmental involvement in drug trade and financing military actions. All very interesting and seemingly conspiracy theorist wet dreams, and yet he provided much proof. I believe there is a copy of his video online, I should find the link.
Anyway... the following email also gives me pause for thought. Marijuana has less side effects than most of the medicine my doctors prescribe for my chronic illness, and yet they can't prescribe it to me because it is currently against federal law. Even when I lived in California, where some cities have legalized the use of medical marijuana, I didn't take it nor did my doctor prescribe it, for that reason. She said something to the efffect of, "I can not officially recommend medical marijuana, although eating it certainly would be healthier than smoking it. I would be legally responsible for prescribing a substance which is against federal law." Your city or state may support it, your doctor may wish he or she could prescribe it, but our country does not. WHY?Perhaps there is good reason. But so far in my studies, I am finding little actually vaild reasoning other than the general desire by companies which manufacture drugs, who worry they would not be able to make money on it. Visions of Bayer sponsered Marijuana fields just crack me up. Is it part of our future? Well if Barney Frank has his way, perhaps.
We are told Pot users are criminals, malcontents, and generally the bane of our existence, and yet a large proportion of Americans have tried it, and are in fact leaders in our country. Hypocrisy much anyone?
Those who support the use of medical marijuana sing it's praises and yet those who oppose it's use in any form claim it is dangerous? What are we to believe? I found an interesting book which I browsed through the other day, and it says it will tackle just these problems. I may have to stop in at Barnes and Noble to pick up a copy. The title is Understanding Marijuana, a new look at scientific evidence by Mitch Earlywine and is published by Oxford University Press. Then maybe I would have clearer evidence to back up my internet based beliefs. After scouring through the websites of those for and against, I am left feeling largely that Marijuana should be of the same class as alcohol. As it is in Amsterdam.Sheriff Joe Arpejo of Phoenix, AZ states that legalizing marijuana has caused rampant crime in Amsterdam and that people are laying on the street doing drugs everywhere. Yet even in videos on the "Holy HIGH day of April 20th" when pot smokers flock to Amsterdam, I have not seen such crowds as you would have to step over. Perhaps some day I shall investigate the Amsterdam phenomenon in person. But until then, I will believe those who have been that tell me in fact, there is no need for people to be lurking about on the street, when they can comfortably walk into a coffee shop and order a pot brownie with some kava kava tea. Their jails are not being overcrowded by people who broke no law other than getting high, and let's face it. Pot heads are chilling out on their couch, enjoying their peaceful ponderings, they are not robbing your bank. Sheriff Joe seems to be buying into the myths rather than investigating for himself.
So after all these caffeine induced ponderings, I think I have determined that I do in fact feel the prohibitions against marijuana are much like the alcohol prohibition of yesteryear. And I do think we would be better off legalizing it's use rather than spending so much wasted time and effort chasing responsible users. Hence my forwarding this along, even tho it's a day late:
LET’S MAKE APRIL 21 A DAY THAT CONGRESS NEVER FORGETS!NORML needs you to call your Congressional Representative on Monday, April 21, and deliver the following message:
“Millions of hard-working Americans use marijuana. Most consume it responsibly, in the privacy of their own homes, and in a manner similar to alcohol. Why then are we spending millions of dollars each year to arrest these otherwise law-abiding individuals? It’s time to end the madness; it’s time to stop arresting responsible marijuana consumers. I urge you to support House Bill HR 5843, an ‘Act to Remove Federal Penalties for Personal Use of Marijuana by Responsible Adults’.
(You can contact the office of your US Representative directly dialing the Congressional Switchboard at 202-224-3121.)
After you have done so, we also ask that you please e-mail this message to Congress. Simply click here http://capwiz.com/norml2/issues/ale
Imagine the ‘buzz’ on Capitol Hill as thousands upon thousands of phone calls and e-mails begin pouring in to the Congressional offices in support of legalizing marijuana. Never before has the marijuana law reform movement made this sort of political statement to Washington; we intend to make it a statement that our elected officials won’t soon forget. As I said at the opening of this letter, we truly will be making history!
Sincerely,
R. Keith Stroup, Esq.
Founder
National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws
legal@norml.org
A few websites for your perusal:
http://www.marijuana.com/
http://www.nida.nih.gov/infofacts/marijuana.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marijuana
http://www.ehow.com/how_2110600_medical-marijuana-california.html
1 comment:
Hello !
Post a Comment