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Since 1937 the US government in cooperation with state, federal law and, at the time, newly formed and still current drug enforcement agencies have waged a relentless and costly war on Cannabis and cannabis users with no real conclusive evidence to support their claims against the plant or its users, citing it produced temporary insanity, aggression, psychosis and an entire slew of out right lies and half-truths. Still, our glorious powers that be cling to those ancient, outdated and false myths not realizing that the Constitution which they claim to uphold and defend, yet violate time and again, was originally written on paper made from hemp. Even the Bible was once printed on hemp paper. In fact, Thomas Jefferson and George Washington grew hemp on their plantations. They certainly didn’t tell me that in school!

Marijuana is currently a schedule 1 drug under US drug policy, meaning, by federal definition, it has no medical or industrial use whatsoever, despite being disproven over and over since 1972, not to mention the 5,000 years of recorded hemp use in history and to current knowledge not a single death directly attributed from its use as a medicine or a recreation. The affects of Marijuana on the human body are far less dangerous and harmful than alcohol or tobacco. Around 50,000 people die each year from alcohol poisoning or alcohol related incidents or illnesses, everytime you imbue (drink) alcohol it destroys brain cells, amongst other things, pot doesn’t. Similarly, more than 400,000 deaths each year are attributed to tobacco smoking. Marijuana smoke does not contain nearly the amount of cancer causing agents or chemicals found in tobacco. By comparison, marijuana is nontoxic and cannot cause death by overdose or increase your risks of developing serious or potentially fatal lung conditions. According to the prestigious European medical journal, The Lancet, "The smoking of cannabis, even long-term, is not harmful to health. ... It would be reasonable to judge cannabis as less of a threat ... than alcohol or tobacco." Marijuana also poses less of a danger to the human body than caffeine, prescribed pharmaceuticals, even OTC aspirin brands. Not only that, but Marijuana prohibition causes more problems than it solves and ruins thousands of more lives than it supposedly tries to save and costs American tax payers billions every year. DEA agents raid state-sanctioned despencaries in California, arrest doctors, growers, patients and raid the homes of the sick and terminally ill. In 2006 over 80% of marijuana violations were for possession alone by offenders. Why not keep those cells and dollars open to be spent on real criminals? It cost on average around $30,000 annually to feed, clothe and shelter a single inmate. I don’t know about you, but I would rather my tax dollars be spent keeping real criminals in prison or repairing roads, building schools and programs that benefit humanity. Minor marijuana infractions should not merit the consequences involved. College students should not loose scholarships or the availabilty of financial aid for school nor should honest people be denied or loose their jobs because of misdemeanor pot offenses. I myself was a victim of prohibition’s indescriminate tactics and totalitarianism. I lost my scholarship, and was evicted from my dorm complex not to mention placed on academic probation and cited a restraining order for those dorms on top of an $1,100 fine, all in spite of the fact I maintained a 3.4 GPA while I was a student. All for possession of an empty baggy, and an empty package of papers.

Medical and general marijuana research is impeded by the limited availability and regulation of samples by drug agencies as well as a negative media frenzy. How can we learn the truth when our "free" country denies or suppresses information on the benefits of marijuana and hemp and the media networks feed on "reefer madness"? Even if industrial hemp was legalized by the Federal Government that alone would create a multi-billion dollar industry that would stimulate our slowing economy and provide jobs for thousands of hard working, honest people. Not too mention help save our Planet by creating "eco-friendly" products. Its one of the best renewable recources we could ask for. Thousands of medicinal and commercial uses and it will grow naturally almost anywhere! No pesticides or anything like that, just dirt, water, a mild climate and sunlight. Marijuana is wholesome, and its medicinal and responsible recreational users are not criminals but victims of an increasingly overbearing drug war and a similar governing regime. Federal prohibtion laws are fueled by propaganda and speculation, not hard evidence. The laws should be abolished, with marijuana legislature granted to the independant states to decide. I don’t advocate the use of marijuana nor do I condone its use, necessarily, because I feel that its something no one should touch until the age of 18 or older, because of the degree of responsibility and awareness needed for responsible adult use. Anyone who has told anyone that pot is a dangerous and addictive substance with no benefits at all, is a liar or severly misinformed. I at least hope you or someone will read this and hopefully gather something useful from it.

Take a gander http://www.drugpolicy.org/marijuana/factsmyths/

Justin_M's blog

I'm right, you're wrong and thats that.

Justin_McDonald

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