Why should Marijuana be legal?
From Norml:
Marijuana is far less dangerous than alcohol or tobacco. Around 50,000 people die each year from alcohol poisoning. Similarly, more than 400,000 deaths each year are attributed to tobacco smoking. By comparison, marijuana is nontoxic and cannot cause death by overdose. It would be reasonable to judge cannabis as less of a threat than alcohol or tobacco.”
Prohibition does not work. We tried it with alcohol and it gave crime a huge boost, and did not stop consumption. The same thing is happening today with marijuana. Here is what LEAP (Law Enforcement Against Prohibition) has to say about it.
What is said about the health effects of marijuana range from “totally harmless” to “more harmful than tobacco because smokers will hold the smoke longer”. Here is John Morgan, co-author of Marijuana Myths, Marijuana Facts talking about the health effects and why he still believes it should be legalized.
Why is marijuana illegal? The short answer is politics and racism.
Marijuana has been used against minority groups since it started coming here from Mexico about 1910 when the Mexican Revolution spilled into the southwest. It was later used to vilify other minority groups, particularly blacks and Latinos in the east.
From the Shaffer Library:
In 1927 one Texas lawmaker said on the floor of the Senate: “All Mexicans are crazy, and this stuff (referring to marijuana) is what makes them crazy.”
In 1930 Harry J. Anslinger was appointed director of the newly created Federal Bureau of Narcotics. Here is how he felt about it: “There are 100,000 total marijuana smokers in the US, and most are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos, and entertainers. Their Satanic music, jazz, and swing, result from marijuana use. This marijuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes, entertainers, and any others.”
Dr. A. E. Fossier wrote in the 1931 New Orleans Medical and Surgical Journal: “Under the influence of hashish those fanatics would madly rush at their enemies, and ruthlessly massacre every one within their grasp.” If he was referring to the Hashshashin, the medieval Shia Islamic sect of militants of Iran from which we get the word hashish, then he should be reminded that they were blood thirsty warriors with or without the extract of marijuana.
That was in the early days of the “drug war”. The list of lies goes on and on from there. Misinformation has been the primary weapon against marijuana because there are few others.
Col. Garland Williams, head of U.S. Narcotics Enforcement in 1949: “All perverts may not be marijuana smokers, but practically all marijuana smokers are perverted.”
The following excerpt is from Reefer madness: The history of marijuana in America
Sen. Daniel: Now, do I understand it from you that, while we are discussing marihuana, the real danger there is that the use of marihuana leads many people eventually to the use of heroin and the drugs that do cause them complete addictions; is that true?
Mr. Anslinger: That is the great problem and our great concern about the use of marihuana; that eventually, if used over a long period, it does lead to heroin addiction. …
Sen. Welker: Mr. Commissioner, my concluding question with respect to marihuana: Is it or is it not a fact that the marihuana user has been responsible for many of our most sadistic, terrible crimes in this Nation, such as sex slayings, sadistic slayings, and matters of that kind?
Mr. Anslinger: There have been instances of that, Senator. We have had some rather tragic occurrences by users of marihuana. It does not follow that all crimes can be traced to marihuana. There have been many brutal crimes traced to marihuana, but I would not say that it is the controlling factor in the commission of crimes.
Sen. Welker: I will grant you that it is not a controlling factor, but is it a fact that your investigation shows that many of the most sadistic, terrible crimes, solved or unsolved, we can trace directly to the marihuana user?
Mr. Anslinger: You are correct; in many cases, Sen. Welker.
Sen. Welker: In other words, it builds up a false sort of feeling on the part of the user so that he has no inhibitions against doing anything, am I correct?
Mr. Anslinger: He is completely irresponsible.
Most of us recognize what a load of bullshit that was. No data to back up such statements, but then they are even willing to blame “unsolved” crimes on evil drugs. It’s easy to figure out which side you would have voted for if you wanted to be reelected.
There has been much publicity and support regarding medical use of marijuana for various ailments. The following video offers it as a solution for ADD. Could it be any worse than the drugs we are stuffing our kids with now?
From NORML:
Couldn’t that money be better spent? Legalization would create jobs, increase tax revenues, decrease crime, and make room in jails for real criminals. Why should this flawed battle continue? I am tired of hearing that it is too hot an issue for politicians to handle. I say it’s too hot to not handle. Drug Policy Alliance has some ideas for action where you can help.
I won’t quote the full history of drug laws here, that’s been done by others better than I ever could. If you want to know all the details, you can read from an extensive library at DRCNet Online Library of Drug Policy here: www.druglibrary.org
Another source for reviewing the arguments: www.medicalmarijuanaprocon.org
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October 3rd, 2007 - 12:47
Added more ridiculous negative claims and testimony regarding treatment of ADD using marijuana.
October 1st, 2009 - 02:40
There has been so much confusion around Marijuana with all these laws that have came about. People need to understand that it is basically prohibition in the worst way. We are trying to bring the best resource for Medical Marijuana Users all over the World.. Starting in California!