High Times
October 18th, 2007Why exactly is marijuana illegal?
I have asked myself this question over the years and the best answer I had come up with previously was “Well, obviously, because the government is retarded.â€
Now, generally when trying to justify certain actions or positions of our government, this answer is quite accurate. But certainly there has to be more to this apparent stupidity than I’m seeing. There must be some minds much greater than my own, which have studied quantified data from the scientific community and upon thorough analysis have come to the collective conclusion that marijuana is harmful to modern society and is possibly a threat to national security.
It has to be… How else can the strict laws governing its possession and usage with harsh punishments be justified? I should have seen this before, it is so obvious.
Never wanting to just assume something to be true, I sought out to prove my theory.
So, what are the names of the great scientists and medical researchers responsible for convincing the American government that marijuana is the root of all evil?
Expert #1 : Cotton Industry.
Expert #2 : Tobacco Industry.
Expert #3 : Elite Theory
Historically, the United States has relied heavily on the cotton and tobacco industries. In the early Twentieth Century special interest lobbyists from these groups heavily influenced their elected representatives to control the competition. In this case, hemp production (with or without THC) was seen as a threat to cotton, while any ingestible THC would directly threaten the more easily controlled, or more importantly, taxed, alcohol.
Elite Theory, which argues that a small minority, comprised of members of the economic elite and policy-planning networks, hold the most power no matter what happens in elections in a country, ensured the eventual criminalization of cannabis.
Similarly, attempts to control immigrants (Mexicans in the early 1900s) and the counter-culture (hippies and protestors in the 1960s) all but ensured the continued prohibition of the herb.
So, what justifies the continued criminalization of marijuana?
Is pot “dangerousâ€? Well, dumbass, anytime you inhale smoke from any burning object you’re introducing toxins into your lungs. Of course it’s “dangerousâ€. However, your choice to smoke marijuana is not dangerous to me – so it’s none of my business, nor should it be any of the government’s business.
What about driving a motor vehicle after using this intoxicating substance? We already have laws which prohibit driving under the influence of any substance, so this is already covered.
Is it addictive? THC is not chemically addictive. It could be argued that pot, or the process of smoking it, is psychologically addicting, but not any more than tobacco products, and quite possibly less so.
Think for a moment about the number of citizens in 21st Century America who have been legally prescribed anti-anxiety drugs containing chemicals manufactured in labs by corporations. Remembering basic psychology you might recall that anti-anxiety and anti-depression drugs are one in the same. We’re talking about a minimum of 30% of the population. Read the labels on those drugs. Now, are these safer, or more effective, than a natural herb? Why does the government send you to jail for the use of one drug, while it fully endorses the distribution of a far more potent one with an unproven track record.
Even more scary – Read the whitepapers from any major pharmaceutical manufacturer sometime and pay close attention to how serotonin inhibitors work. A hint: They don’t know. This is not an attempt at humor, it’s fact and something else you might want to familiarize yourself with if you’re one of the tens of millions who have been prescribed such medication. The drug companies know that certain chemical block serotonin, but they don’t know how. Nonetheless, it’s put into common medications which have become standard issue to anyone with a personality beyond that of a zombie. Hell, it’s just your brain functions we’re talking about here. No big concern, right?
This pretty much blows the whole “pot is illegal because it’s dangerous†theory right out of the water.
So, what does it really boil down to? This is not a Pro-Pot or Anti-Pot issue. Sadly, the logic revealed here is nothing more than the usual infringement upon your personal freedoms and liberties by the government, under the usual guise of “protecting you”.
Just remember that in the official government thesaurus “protect” and “control” are synonyms.
There are many sources far more credible than Blog About Nothing (as hard as that may be to believe) from which anyone with an interest can expand their knowledge of this topic. I encourage you to do so. I did, and in doing so I was able to finally be at peace with my original assessment…
Our government is retarded.
October 18th, 2007 at 1:53 pm
one of the major reasons it is illegal is becuase the people who sell it don not generally pay taxes on it. there is a tax stamp for its sale. I have seen it. It is like the stamps on the bottom of a pack of cigarettes. If the government cannot make money from the sale then its sale is criminalized.
October 18th, 2007 at 5:37 pm
Don’t forget, there’s no where in the constitution that says the government can control what you carry on your person, nor can it control what you decide to put into your body. It can prevent the sale, but not the use or possession of.
October 18th, 2007 at 6:31 pm
I whole heartedly agree that marijuana should be legal. I do not agree with you; however, that “anti-anxiety and anti-depression drugs are one in the same”. My reasoning for this is because I have Anxiety Disorder. I can take Xanax, which is a depressant and not an anti-depressant. I can not take anti-depressants because they will immediately send me into an anxiety attack. The same falls with marijuana. If in fact I smoke the cannabis substance, the same side effect occurs as with the anti-depressant. As far as why the government will not allow it use: I will have to say because it is too easily grown for personal use and they would not make a dime from it if in fact it were legalized. That is all…good day.
October 18th, 2007 at 7:05 pm
You are all wrong, it is more sinister than you think, users of cannabis are collateral damage, with users I do mean all users of the plant not merely the smokers.
It is forbidden because of hard lobbying by the DuPont company, the reason was that they wanted to get rid of hennep growers because they invented all sorts of chemical wires to make rope.
Some of your founding fathers were hennep growers but the US became and still is unbelievable corrupt.
The balance shifted from the chosen government to the rich elite families during the trail west and the lawless era in which these families became predators of the worst kind.
This elite have caused a lot of misery among common people everywhere in the world and they are still doing it today (same family as back then).
They do anything for money, even selling or killing family members.
October 18th, 2007 at 7:19 pm
I just left a comment that I think I accidently deleted but didn’t want to retype all of that if you have comment moderation on. Hence the second comment. If you DO have on comment moderation, I didn’t finish my last sentence and would like too. If not, I’ll retype it again later…
October 18th, 2007 at 8:09 pm
Okay, let me try this one more time.
First of all, I was just wondering where the hell your commenters come from. They don’t have a trackback or a link back to their own blogs. Usually people who comment on blogs have a blog of their own or at least some kind of website. Funny. Oh wait, did they come from that “Lesbians who like to pee on each other” website? Now it all makes sense.
Second of all, if I just ran across your blog and didn’t already know you, there is nothing here that would make me come back for more. It seems so generic and sterile these days. I don’t see anything of “YOU” here. And I think I know you well enough to make that statement. Every post is something I can read in any newspaper or online any day of the week. There’s no personal touch. And while I also know you well enough to understand why you do that. I don’t understand the point of putting time and effort into something that’s not personal. Why bother? For a writing “exercise”? Then why not put more effort into it?
My eyes started to cross after the first paragraph (and I wasn’t even stoned) and you completely lost me when you started spouting “theories”. Why not relate one of YOUR personal experiences of marijuana use? Or how it would personally affect YOU if it were legalized? We all know you’ve been there and done that. Tell us about it. I know you have the wit and the humor to make this post 10 times better. What I don’t know, is why you don’t put the effort into doing so. And THAT is why I don’t comment anymore. It’s nothing personal. I just know you can do better and THAT is why I commented today.
October 18th, 2007 at 10:06 pm
NOT that you really care about my opinion. just sayin…
October 19th, 2007 at 1:56 pm
Melanie - Contrary to popular belief, not everyone has a blog or website to promote. Also, the Mommy Blogs are down the hall and to the left. If you’re looking for “Oh, I woke up this morning and little Jenny puked all over me, yadda, yadda, yadda…” then you’re on the wrong site. I’m not here to share “personal experiences” with strangers on the Internet. Additionally, writing about such “personal experiences” can’t possible bode well with potential employers, etc. But, I understand your concern and I’ll refund your entry fee. In the meantime, I’m off to check out all of those other “newspapers” and “online” sites that are covering necrophilia and Zombie Cheerleaders from Hell.
Daffydil - Thanks for your input Sharon. My comparison of the drugs mentioned was anecdotal at best. I’m sure you are correct.
FatHed - Hmmm… Good point about the constitution. Unfortunately, in the modern U.S. society, the Constitution has become practically irrelevant.
Lizzy - I am aware of the marijuana tax stamp (admittedly only since the past 48 hours though) and I’m sure there’s some validity to this. As opposed to tobacco, for example, marijuana is relatively easy to grow yourself (especially where you live!), thereby eliminating the potential tax revenue. On the other hand, I have brewed my own beer which was also quite easy. So why doesn’t the argument carry over to alcohol?
Nobody - I agree with the “corruption” part…
October 19th, 2007 at 2:52 pm
Ha! Ha! YOU’RE such an arrogant asshole!
First of all, I have NO doubt that you know where the mommy blogs are because I know of two that you read and comment on ON A REGULAR BASIS. And as you well know, they are not all about how “little jenny puked on me this morning”. I am sure I don’t have to point you in the direction of RSM’S blog to prove my point on that one
In fact, her current post is probably one of the best posts I’ve seen in a long while. That shit’s funny, I don’t care who you are.
Secondly, Why in the world would you tell a potential employer about your website? Or better yet, why in the world would you even use your real name on a blog like this. I would be more worried about stalkers and crazy, psycho bitches coming after me before I would worry about an employer. You know, if I were you…
Thirdly (I don’t even know if that’s a word :(), you don’t have enough money to refund my entry fee
Fourth, I can stand in the supermarket checkout line any day of the week and read about zombie cheerleaders from hell and necrophilia. Hell, I can even read about the dogface boy or the lobster boy or how this person or that person was abducted by aliens and analy probed (those are the people that were ONLY abducted in August though…) So you are not unique in that arena. As for the rest, Michael Vick, football, marijuana legalization and what celebrities looked like when they were young…they’re all out there in one publication or another and frankly they are boring. And obviously not just to me, proven by the fact that you don’t have tons of comments on those posts.
One website I Do find interesting though, and one that has the potential to be really cool, is one that I think you might have heard of. It’s called Death etc. Unfortunately, some blogtator has taken that domain hostage and just let’s it sit there to rot in obscurity. Which is a total waste to me. Especially since I came up with the idea first and I thought it was going to be a joint effort. That’s where your Zombie Cheerleaders from hell and Necrophilia posts should be.
And fifth….I adore you…even when you’re asshole…
p.s. as far as any refund of entry fee goes….I’m sure other and possibly more interesting arangements can be made
October 19th, 2007 at 3:37 pm
Tell me more about these “crazy, psycho-bitch, stalkers” of which you speak. You know any personally?
Hmmm…. Maybe I’ll research those for my next post. Great idea! Maybe interview one. What’s your phone number again?
October 19th, 2007 at 3:53 pm
LOL! Yeah I know one personally. She’s fuckin’ scary man…
Isn’t my phone number programmed into your phone already?
October 25th, 2007 at 9:37 pm
There was this movie, I think it was called ‘Grass’ although I am not sure because I watched it during my stoner days but they had a lot of interesting information about how weed’s prohibition came about.