Legalization of Cannabis

War, sickness, and other devastations are present in today’s society and many people in todays over all population are unaware that a plant is a major factor in such occurrences. Instead of trying to make a lie true to benefit corrupt individuals in the government, we the people should take matters into our own hands and see that cannabis has far more beneficial aspects to legaalizing cannabis than destructive ones to contribute to and better todays world. It seems preposterous that stems, seeds, leaves, and buds can have this big of an impact on the modern world. More individuals are surprised to be informed that marijuana has been in humanity for years.

·2737 B.C.- Emperor Shen Neng of China referred to Cannabis as a “superior” herb in the worlds first medical text ·1400 B.C.- the Hindus in India mentioned as “sacred grass” and is one of the first most sacred plants in religion. ·450 B.C.- Cannabis is consumed by Scythians and Thracians and fine linens are made from hemp. ·100 B.C.- Chinese make paper for hemp.

·1150 A.D.- Europe’s first paper mill is started from the use of hemp. ·1379 A.D.- The prohibition of cannabis consumption amongst the poor is given by Emir Soudon Sheikoundi of Joneima, ·1563 A.D.- Queen Elizabeth of England declares that owners with more than 60 acres of land must grow hemp. ·1776 A.D.- The U.S. declaration of independence is drafted on hemp paper. ·1895 A.D.- the name “Marijuana” is introduced by Sohora Mexico by Pancho Villa’s supporters. ·1910 A.D.- African Americans use “Reefer” in New Orleans jazz clubs, said to be influencing white people. ·1912 A.D.- Victor Rolson writes, “Essay on Hasheesh” and possibilities of putting control on cannabis use are first raised. ·1929 A.D.- As a part of a move to oust Mexican immigrants, the Southwest makes cannabis illegal.

·1930 A.D.- 1,200 hash bars in New York City. Racism towards Mexicans, Asians, and African Americans lead the cry for cannabis to be outlawed. ·1944 A.D.- Doctors who carry out cannabis research are threatened with imprisonment by Harry J. Anslinger, the first commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics. ·1960 A.D.- hippies, Vietnam veterans and pop fans adopt Cannabis. ·1961 A.D.- Marijuana is agreed to be made illegal by 100 countries in the U.N. ·1971 A.D.- U.S. president Richard Nixon declares “The War on Drugs”. ·1976 A.D.- U.S. president Ford bans medical research on cannabis. ·1989 A.D.- president Reagan and Bush declare war on cannabis. Urine testing is introduced. An ounce of marijuana becomes more than an ounce of gold. ·Worldwide prohibition leads to organized crime in the cannabis market and makes huge profits. ·1991 A.D.- THC receptors are found in the brain.

·1992 A.D.- UK government issues licenses to grow cannabis for industrial uses or scientific research. ·1996 A.D.- Proposition 215 makes California the first state to legalize medical marijuana under state laws. ·2003 A.D.- Canada is the first country to legalize medical marijuana. ·2006 A.D.- FDA issues a statement denying that marijuana has any medical benefits at all. ·2007 A.D.- Harvard University studies show THC cuts tumor growth in common lung cancer. ·2009 A.D.- proposal of marijuana legislation could save the economy as it didalcohol in 1933. Obama influences the U.S. Justice Department to announce that federal prosecutors will no longer pursue medical marijuana users and distributors that comply with state laws. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=n1bjwqWrsN8)

Since cannabis was already frowned upon in American society due to racial discrimination, it was easy to sway the opinions of society in the early 19th century. By making the use of cannabis unacceptable, it was effortless to make Mexicans, African Americans, and even Asians hated and driven out of the country. In 1936, the musical “Reefer Madness” was produced. In this production, marijuana use is said to lead to manslaughter, a hit and run accident, attempted rape, and linked to insanity.

All of which put fear into the public and eventually led to the 1937 Marijuana Tax Act. Both occurrences meant the downfall of all forms of cannabis, even hemp. In 1948, the government came to the realization that they made cannabis illegal for the wrong reason. Instead of cannabis causing people to become violent, as portrayed in “Reefer Madness,” it made them pacifists. The communists would use it to weaken Americas will to fight. This made congress vote it illegal for the exact opposite reason they outlawed it to begin with. Over the course of 70 years, little has changed. (http://www.legalize.org/history-of-cannabis-prohibition/)

In 1974, Ronald Reagan says the Heath/Tulane study is the most reliable scientific study on cannabis and releases it to the public. The study concluded that brain damage was an inevitable side effect of smoking marijuana. Monkeys were pumped with 30 joints a day and began to asphyxiate and die after 90 days. By counting the brain cells of both the monkey who had been subjected to cannabis and the one who hadn’t, brain damage was determined.

This study was the basis of the government. 6 years later, after numerous requests on how the study was conducted, it was finally released. Dr. Heath pumped 63 columbian strengthened joints through a gas mask within 5 minutes for three months, instead of administering 30 joints a day for a year. After a certain amoount of time the brain shut down because no additional oxygen was pumped through the mask. If you suffocate, your brain cells are going to die due to lack of oxygen, which is exactly what happened to the monkeys. So the results of suffocation were linked to the effects of cannabis use. (http://www.art.net/~hopkins/Don/hemp/prohibition/no-clothes.html)

The real war on marijuana was launched in 1972, when president Nixon said, “everyone of the bastards that are out for the legalizing marijuana is Jewish.” A lot of information that supported cannabis was recalled for the Library of Congress and major universities and destroyed. The Shafer report written by a republican govenor stated that marijuana was harmless and was given to Nixon. Nixon ripped up the report and launched the war on drugs anyway.

During the beginning of the “War on Drugs,” troopers and other law enforcement officers were made detectives. Cannabis smokers were their only target because of the Vietnam war protests. By arresting all of the protesters for smoking cannabis, there was no Vietnam war protest. President Nixon’s war on drugs was really a war on cannabis.

The goals of prohibition were to reduce both the supply and demand of drugs. Cannabis prohibition is a complete failure in both cases. In 1937, there were an estimated 55,000 cannabis users, now there are an estimated 50 million of them. No matter what the legal state cannabis is under, it will not have any effect on the growing smokers.

Looking back in history, at the prohibition of alcohol, it led to organized crime, disreguard to the law, and disreguard to police activity. It was the cause of crime and violence and alcohol poisoning went up 600%. Prohibition strengthens organized crime because you must be a criminal to sell the product. The high risks people have to take when dealing with cannabis creates an artificial value of the drug because its illegal. The criminals are drawn to the money, money is the reason behind people getting murdered. Thus, prohibition causing violence. (http://www.alternet.org/drugs/144115/the_war_on_weed:_marijuana_is_basically_harmless_–_the_monumentally_stupid_drug_war_is_not/)

Having marijuana be taxed, regulated, and manufactored is the best option. High dealers wouldn’t be able to compete, making greedy growers/dealers eliminated. Its easier for marijuana to be in the hands of kids because drug dealers don’t ask for an ID. Alcohol and tobacco, on the other hand, are more challenging to aquire because it goes through a regulated establishment. If you can’t control the sale of a product, you can’t keep it out of the hands of kids. (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-9077214414651731007)

The #1 killer that beat out aids, crack, heroine, cocaine, alcohol, car accidents, murder, and fire combined is tobacco. It has 430,000 deaths per year and is grown with radio active fertilizer and recieves government subsidies. The #2 killer is alcohol. Caffine has 1- 10,000 deaths a year and 7,500 deaths occur annually from pain relievers such as asprin. 0 deaths have ever occured from cannabis throughout history.

Dr. Donald Taskin, UCLA came out with a study verifying that cannabis smoke does not cause cancer even in long term use. Its different than the Nicotine and other elements in tobacco smoke, which do cause cancer. There has not been 1 case where lung cancer is caused by cannabis alone. There are no cases of cannabis smokers getting brown lung syndrom, emphysema or any other illness.

You have to smoke 15,000 joints within 20 minutes to intake a toxic amount of THC. There have always been a range of THC levels through out different strains of cannabis. For example, back in the day Columbian marijuana alwayshad a higher THC level than Mexico’s. These strains and levels have been around the world for years and now America is growing plants with the THC levels Columbia was 20 years ago. That doesn’t mean we’re producing unheard of THC levels.

There is no property in cannabis that pushes one to another drug. It’s like saying drinking milk will lead to drinking alcohol. 1 out of every 104 marijuana users uses cocaine, and less than 1 use herione. The black market throws the hard drugs and the soft drugs together. If you have a dealer that is selling cannabis and every other drug, then he might offer you something storonger. In this case, it is because of the black market and prohibition that people are exposed to trying these other drugs. There is a gateway effect, but it is caused by prohibition. “The Union” is another name for the under ground industry. Here’s how the system works: 1.the home or land owner- doesn’t take on much respinsibility. He is just the legitament owner of where the grow operation will take place.

All he has to do is pay his mortage. his hands are clean because he can claim ignorance if the grow operation is busted. 2.the contractor- the home owners 50/50 partner. He provides the equipment and hires the grower or grows himself. 3.grower- known as the “fall guy.” If the operation is busted he takes the fall. 4.clippers- prep the plant for distribution by cutting away the excess leaves and stems. Hired at about $20 an hour. 5.Weed broker- not always required but sometimes the contractor needs someone to buy his product and sell it for him. Whena weed broker is hired the cannabis is usually headed to the U.S. The broker will buy the product for $1,800-$2,000. 6.the border jumper- is hired by the weed broker. He’s the risk taker and is well paid. Once the product has reached the brokers connection in the United States, it will earn about $3,000 per pound. The further south it goes, the more it makes. If it reaches somewhere like New York City, the value is about $3,500-$6,000 per pound. Stricter laws demand higher prices.

Many businesses are indirectly effected by the union. Carpenders supply things needed for a grow room, Electricians do the circuting, hydroponic stores handle lights, nutrients, soil, and other equipment needed. Seed sellers sell seeds, real estate agents provide houses for the growers, and bankers handle money. Lawyers provide counseling on how to make drug money look legit and keep busted growers out of jail. The electric company makes money off of the excessive lights. The police make money off of ceizing dealers assests and everyday businesses have money funneled into them because growers and dealers like to spend money — on everything.

Though the union causes some economical gain, the prohibition of cannabis is causing tax payers to spend billions of dollars. In 2005, an estimated $7.7 billion is spent annually by the U.S. government to enforce marijuana prohibition. 88% of all cannabis arrests are simply for possession. 750,000 people are arrested for cannabis possession, that number rivials the number of arrests for murder, rape, robbery, and aggarvated assault combined.

The conviction will track you your whole lifetime. If you get caught with 1 joint, you can’t get a student loan or grant to go to college. If you’ve been convicted of murdering or raping someone, you can still get the loan.

There are more people in jail now than ever before. Jails in America are on of the most fastest growing indrustries, you can make more money building prisions than any other type of investment. America has 5% of the worlds population, and 20% of the worlds prisoners. 45,000 prisoners are in state and federal prisons because of marijuana violations in the U.S. (not including local of county prisons.) There were 786,546 marijuana arrests in 2005. In the late 80’s there were 5 privately ran state prisons, by 2005 that number reached 260. The California Department of Corrections budget rose from $923 million in 1985 to $ 5.7 billion in 2004.

Another obstical for cannabis is the pharmaceutical companies. In 2005, prescription drug sales rose 5.4% to $251 billion. The pharmacuetical companies are threatened by cannabis because it is natural and over 200 different medical conditions respond to it favorably. Marijuana is most effective at its natural form. No product out there provides as many medical benifits as cannabis.

To make money in a pharmacuetical company you must have a drug patinted. By synthisizing and owning particals and compunds, you make a profit. In 1930, you couldn’t patint a plant. Having citizens own this plant would mean a loss of money to pharmaceutical companies.

The government supported a drug company to take a synthetic THC and put it in a capsule to use it orally. They called it Marinol. This THC in Marinol is exactly the same 21 carbon molecule that is in herbal marijuana, but it is not the same as medical marijuana and there is no guarantee you’ll get the same results. You can make a synthetic THC in a testube and it will have the same number of atoms and the same arrangement, but you can’t put the electron spins together and the subatomic corks in that compound in the same waya biological enzyme system will put them together. They’re trying to make marijuana into medicine because it is medicine, but pharmaceutical companies are trying to put it in a pill form to make a profit out of it. People with aids have said it is no help to there sickness.

Frances Young, the DEA’s own judge made this statement, “Marijuana, in its most natural form, is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man.” Even with all of the scientific studies and statments, marijuana still remains a schedule 1 drug. Under that category its said to have no medicinal value.

Many papers and journals in todays medical schooling are provided by pharmacuetical companies who don’t want marijuana to be legal. Many students are bribed with dinners, trips, and money from drug companies. New doctors look for drug companies to tell them what to prescrib their patients. That’s why doctors become bias to pharmacuetical companies. There are 1,274 lobbyists in Washington for pharmacuetical companies; more than two for every congress member.

Hemp is the most robust, durable, natural fiber on the face of this earth. In 1883, and many years before, cannabis was the largest agricultural plant in tthe world. Fabric, lighting oil, medicine, paper, and fiber came from hemp. The first marijuana law to ever exisit in the United States was a law ordering farmers to grow hemp. Benjamen Franklin used it to start one of the United States first paper mills. Hemp is, and was, considered a billion dollar product. The 1937 Marijuana Tax Act led to hemp to be illegal, even though it had no considerable amount of THC in it.

Hemp is an excellent source of biofuel. Every hemp crop unleashes oxygen, the same amount of oxygen you lose when it burns off. This makes a cycle and ends the greenhouse effect. Hemp is illegal because it is in the same plant species as cannabis. Marijuana causes people to think and question things. Things like the war in Vietnam, the separation of blacks and whites, womens rights, or the gulf and oil wars. Sometimes it even brings people to question why man made nature illegal. Cannabis is benifitcial to society in unimaginable ways, and it should undoubtablly be made legal. ( most of this information came from http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-9077214414651731007)