what is the big deal with marijuana??? Shouldn't it be legalized already??

Question

Someone can die from a single episode of alcohol consumption. No one has ever died from ingesting to much marijuana in one sitting. People get drunk, get into fights and kill others while driving under the influence. People get stoned, eat, giggle and relax. But you may say... oh smoking is harmful... yes it is VERY harmful... but cigarettes are worse and they're legal... so what gives?? anyone wanna add to this. and to any one that does resond... please respond intelligently and logically and if you are going to disagree please provide your reasons for disagreeing

Answer 1

I did the government marijuana studies in the 1960's. This was a controlled study that lasted 3 months. They set up two societies that were kept apart. One side smoked placebos and one side smoked what I would now consider mediocre pot. The smoker side was found to be more industrious and creative.

Pot is NOT harmful to the human body or mind and does NOT pose a threat to the general public. Marijuana is very much a danger to the oil companies, alcohol, tobacco industries and a large number of chemical corporations. Various big businesses, with plenty of dollars and influence, have suppressed the truth from the people.

If marijuana was utilized for its vast array of commercial products, it would create an industrial atomic bomb! Entrepreneurs have not been educated on the product potential of pot. The elite have conspired to spread misinformation about an extremely versatile plant that, if used properly, would ruin their companies. :

All schoolbooks were made from hemp or flax paper until the 1880s; Hemp Paper Reconsidered,

It was LEGAL TO PAY TAXES WITH HEMP in America from 1631 until the early 1800s;

George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and other founding fathers GREW HEMP; Washington and Jefferson Diaries. Jefferson smuggled hemp seeds from China to France then to America.

Benjamin Franklin owned one of the first paper mills in America and it processed hemp. Also, the War of 1812 was fought over hemp. Napoleon wanted to cut off Moscow's export to England;

For thousands of years, 90% of all ships' sails and rope were made from hemp. The word 'canvas' is Dutch for cannabis. 80% of all textiles, fabrics, clothes, linen, drapes, bed sheets, etc. were made from hemp until the 1820s with the introduction of the cotton gin.

The first Bibles, maps, charts, Betsy Ross's flag, the first drafts of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were made from hemp; U.S. Government Archives.

In 1916, the U.S. Government predicted that by the 1940s all paper would come from hemp and that no more trees need to be cut down. Government studies report that 1 acre of hemp equals 4.1 acres of trees. Plans were in the works to implement such programs; Department of Agriculture
Quality paints and varnishes were made from hemp seed oil until 1937. 58,000 tons of hemp seeds were used in America for paint products in 1935; Sherman Williams Paint Co. testimony before Congress against the 1937 Marijuana Tax Act.

Henry Ford's first Model-T was built to run on hemp gasoline and the CAR ITSELF WAS CONTRUCTED FROM HEMP! On his large estate, Ford was photographed among his hemp fields. The car, 'grown from the soil,' had hemp plastic panels whose impact strength was 10 times stronger than steel; Popular Mechanics, 1941.

Mechanical Engineering Magazine published an article entitled 'The Most Profitable and Desirable Crop that Can be Grown.' It stated that if hemp was cultivated using 20th Century technology, it would be the single largest agricultural crop in the U.S. and the rest of the world.

In the 1930s, innovations in farm machinery would have caused an industrial revolution when applied to hemp.. Hemp, if not made illegal, would have brought America out of the Great Depression.

William Randolph Hearst and the Hearst Paper Manufacturing Division of Kimberly Clark owned vast acreage of timberlands. The Hearst Company supplied most paper products. He stood to lose billions because of hemp.

In 1937, Dupont patented the processes to make plastics from oil and coal. Dupont's Annual Report urged stockholders to invest in its new petrochemical division. Synthetics such as plastics, cellophane, celluloid, methanol, nylon, rayon, Dacron, etc., could now be made from oil. Natural hemp industrialization would have ruined over 80% of Dupont's business.

Andrew Mellon became Hoover's Secretary of the Treasury and Dupont's primary investor. He appointed his future nephew-in-law, Harry J. Anslinger, to head the Federal Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs. Secret meetings were held by these financial tycoons. Hemp was declared dangerous and a threat to their billion dollar enterprises. For their dynasties to remain intact, hemp had to go. These men took an obscure Mexican slang word: 'marihuana' and pushed it into the consciousness of America.

A media blitz of 'yellow journalism' raged in the late 1920s and 1930s. Hearst's newspapers ran stories emphasizing the horrors of marihuana. The menace of marihuana made headlines. Readers learned that it was responsible for everything from car accidents to loose morality. Films like 'Reefer Madness' (1936), 'Marihuana: Assassin of Youth' (1935) and 'Marihuana: The Devil's Weed' (1936) were propaganda designed by these industrialists to create an enemy. Their purpose was to gain public support so that anti-marihuana laws could be passed.

Examine the following quotes from 'The Burning Question' aka REEFER MADNESS: a violent narcotic, acts of shocking violence, incurable insanity, soul-destroying effects, under the influence of the drug he killed his entire family with an ax, more vicious, more deadly even than these soul-destroying drugs (heroin, cocaine) is the menace of marihuana!

In the 1930s, people were very naive; even to the point of ignorance. The masses were like sheep waiting to be led by the few in power. They did not challenge authority. If the news was in print or on the radio, they believed it had to be true. That has been the downfall of America. Innocence used against itself. These people kept the stories alive and told their children. Here we are today.

Congress banned hemp because it was said to be the most violence-causing drug known. Many great problems could be reversed if we industrialized hemp. Natural biomass could provide all of the planet's energy needs that are currently supplied by fossil fuels. We have consumed 80% of our oil and gas reserves. We need a renewable resource. Hemp could be the solution to soaring gas prices.

Hemp has a higher quality fiber than wood fiber. Far fewer caustic chemicals are required to make paper from hemp than from trees. Hemp paper does not turn yellow and is very durable. The plant grows quickly to maturity in a season where trees take a lifetime.

ALL PLASTIC PRODUCTS SHOULD BE MADE FROM HEMP SEED OIL. Hempen plastics are biodegradable! Over time, they would break down and not harm the environment. MEDICINES SHOULD BE MADE FROM HEMP. We should go back to the days when the AMA supported cannabis cures. 'Medical Marijuana' is given out legally to only a handful of people while the rest of us are forced into a system that relies on chemicals. Pot is only healthy for the human body.

WORLD HUNGER COULD END. A large variety of food products can be generated from hemp. The seeds contain one of the highest sources of protein in nature. ALSO: They have two essential fatty acids that clean your body of cholesterol. CLOTHES SHOULD BE MADE FROM HEMP. Hemp clothing is extremely strong and durable over time. You could hand clothing, made from pot, down to your grandchildren.

There is only one enemy; the friendly people you pay your taxes to; the war-makers and nature destroyers. With your funding, they are killing the world right in front of your eyes. HALF A MILLION DEATHS EACH YEAR ARE CAUSED BY TOBACCO. HALF A MILLION DEATHS EACH YEAR ARE CAUSED BY ALCOHOL. NO ONE HAS EVER, EVER DIED FROM SMOKING POT!! In the entire history of the human race, not one death can be attributed to cannabis.

Our society has outlawed grass but condones the use of the KILLERS: TOBACCO and ALCOHOL. Hemp should be declassified and placed in DRUG stores to relieve stress. Hardening and constriction of the arteries are bad; but hemp usage actually enlarges the arteries.which is a healthy condition. We have been so conditioned to think that: Smoking is harmful. That is NOT the case for passive pot.
Ingesting THC, hemp's active agent, has a positive effect; relieving asthma and glaucoma. A joint tends to alleviate the nausea caused by chemotherapy. You are able to eat on hemp. This is a healthy state of being.

The stereotype for a pothead is similar to a drunk, bubble-brain. Yet, the truth is one’s creative abilities can be enhanced under its influence. The perception of time slightly slows and one can become more sensitive. You can more appreciate all arts; be closer to nature and generally FEEL more under the influence of cannabis. It is, in fact, the exact opposite state of mind and body as the drunken state. You can be more aware with pot.

The pot plant is an ALIEN plant. There is physical evidence that cannabis is not like any other plant on this planet. One could conclude that it was brought here for the benefit of humanity. Hemp is the ONLY plant where the males appear one way and the females appear very different, physically! No one ever speaks of males and females in regard to the plant kingdom because plants do not show their sexes; except for cannabis.


To determine what sex a certain, normal, Earthly plant is: You have to look internally, at its DNA. A male blade of grass (physically) looks exactly like a female blade of grass. The hemp plant has an intense sexuality. Growers know to kill the males before they fertilize the females. Yes, folks...the most potent pot comes from 'horny females.'

…POT IS ILLEGAL BECAUSE BILLIONAIRES WANT TO REMAIN BILLIONAIRES!

Answer 2

I was in debate in high school and this was actually a very common topic. Part of the problem with the legalization is that the government won't have the control over taxing. Anyone can grow marijuana in their backyard - the government would want their cut. As it is, they make more money with fines and drug busts than they would legalizing it.

I completely agree that alcohol and cigarettes are more harmful - remember, they tried to make alcohol illegal - it didn't work out to well! Unfortunately, there are too many people against it that it's not going to ever be legalized. You can't exactly vocalize a push to legalize either!

Answer 3

All that crap about Mary J being a gateway drug is BS - Hundreds of studies show that cigarettes are more of a gateway substance than pot. Over 90% of kids who tried pot, tried cigarettes first... Every study out there shows that there is ZERO evidence of physical addiction - While there is evidence of potential psychological addiction, the fact is, those with addictive personalities can become addicted to most anything - cigarettes, alcohol, etc - More money is lost on health care to cigarette related illness & alcohol related illness than marijuana by a huge margin - The fact is, the US govt. spends billions each year fighting something that poses very little health risk at all, when in fact they should be legalizing it & taxing it. This country really needs to get with the program... stop believing all the anti pot propaganda from the right wing & realize all the good that legalizing & taxing pot will bring to this country...

Answer 4

I think it should be legalized. but at the very least it must be decriminalized.

-its just as harmful (or safe) as alcohol and tabbaco

-it will decrease crime because clerks at gas stations will sell it and not street thugs

-taxing it will bring in a lot of money (and like alcohol growing/making your own will be illegal)

-there will be less deaths from tainted/laced product.
(and the plants will be monitored so they are safer than the current illegal product. for instance the joints will probally have filters like cigarettes.)

ADDITIONAL RESPONCES:
we don't ban things because some people abuse them

adults can't be forced to give up things they are mature enough to handle because there are immature children

caffine diminishes ones reaction time like marijuana does- but people can drive pumped up on soda and coffee and energy drinks

Answer 5

If pot is so harmless, why are record numbers of teenagers requiring drug treatment as a result of smoking skunk, the highly potent cannabis strain that is 25 times stronger than pot sold a decade ago.

More than 22,000 people were treated last year for cannabis addiction - and almost half of those affected were under 18. With doctors and drugs experts warning that skunk can be as damaging as cocaine and heroin, leading to mental health problems and psychosis for thousands of teenagers, The Independent on Sunday has today reversed its landmark campaign for cannabis use to be decriminalised.

Please see the full story at
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/health_...

This major newpaper pushed for the legalization of pot and now they apologized and said they are wrong.


EDIT 3/23/07

It amazes me that when a major newspaper in Europe points out that pot is addictive and apologizes for their stance, you get bad rating. Are all of you on dope?

Answer 6

I have access to unlimited quantities of all kinds of pot. if the government legalizes it, it will be dirt weed that is taxed beyond belief. The store won't 'front' it to me, and they won't deliver. As a pot smoker, I say NO to legalizing it. After having been cought three times with it, and not even getting a ticket, I can assure you, you aren't going to jail for it. However, I am law abiding in every other way, so when they run my license...it's clear.

Answer 7

Then in 20 years the government will be between the same rock and hard place they are in now concerning tobacco:They absolutely know that it is killing people but because of the huge economic impact it would make, they can not outlaw it.

Answer 8

I would just like to say I agree with Barbara L's answer she took the words right out of my mouth.
I know of a woman in Brazil who grows hemp, she is pushing here 90's, she uses hemp for everything, including the stalks for furniture and for fencing to corral her livestock, to make clothing, shoes, blankets, draperies, to heat her home, to shade her home, for medicinal purposes; making tea, a soothing wound paste, asthma related symptoms, to fight cholesterol, as an anti-aging agent. This woman looks like she is in her early 60's, she is a robust woman, and very intelligent, we call her Grandma! Yes our Grandma utilizes hemp, just as our ancestors did.
By the way GREAT ANSWER Barbara L.!

Answer 9

NO!
they are already making Cigaretts illegal
why should they make that crap legal??
no reason that people need a reality cruch legalized
its sad enough alcohol is legal
its not even safe for my kids to be transported
they may be killed cuz of some selfish drug addict/alcoholic
because they wanted to get high and drive (its proven that marijuana slows your reflex ability) or decides to get drunk and drive
what a sad society we live in that people actually want to make the world more dangerous for our youth!

Answer 10

Chasing marijuana is the biggest waste of resources yet...other than the war in Irak....

Answer 11

Of course it should. Just more hypocrisy from the right, claiming they want smaller government yet try to control every aspect of our personal lives.