Los Angeles Marijuana Clinic Blog

Medical Marijuana:AIDS Patients in a Controlled Study Had Significant Pain Relief… AIDS patients suffering from debilitating nerve pain got as much or more relief by somking cannabis as they would typically get from prescription drugs — and with fewer side effects — according to a study conducted under rigorously controlled conditions with government-grown pot.

In a five-day study performed in a specially ventilated hospital ward where marijuana patients smoked three marijuana cigarettes a day, more than half the participants tallied significant reductions in pain.

By contrast, less than one-quarter of those who smoked “placebo” medical marijuana, which had its primary psychoactive ingredients removed, reported benefits, as measured by subjective pain reports and standardized neurological tests.

An argument has raged for many years regarding the benefits of medicinal marijuana and its use in the treatment of chronic pain. Chronic pain caused not only from diseases, but pain caused by the treatments provided by modern medical treatments for conditions.

It is clear that modern pain medications are not sufficient for the long-term treatment of chronic pain. Short-term treatment with modern prescription medications such as Vicodin, Oxyconton, and other forms of opiates is just that short term.

Many doctors feel that these patients who suffer from chronic pain are in need of a new form of treatment that can assist their quality of life over the long term. Medicinal marijuana is one of those treatments that many doctors across the nation swear will make these patients' lives better.

Dr. Bill McCarbert, M.D. states that Cannabinoid medicines appear very promising in the line of long-term treatment of chronic pain. He also is open with the information that he believes that the use of Medicinal Marijuana holds controversy and prejudice due to the relation of Medicinal Marijuana and illegal drug use.

Dr. McCarbert clearly states that cannabinoids actually work; they provide genuine symptom improvement not just an intoxication of the patients. Dr. McCarbert's comments come from the past 20 years of research that shows cannabinoid receptor systems identified in the most primitive animal forms in the world called CB! And CB2 receptors are affected by the use of marijuana. With this interaction between marijuana and CB1and CB2 it lessons the chronic pain of the patient.

On Disabled-World's website they state, “Marijuana is one of the most beneficial and therapeutically active substances know to man and available in natural form to man.” Claims that cannibus has been in use as a medicinal purpose for around 4,000 years as found in the ancient India writings. Medicinal marijuana has been used for many disorders since it's beginning such as insomnia, headaches, gastro disorders, chronic pain and there is indications that medicinal marijuana has been used in the past during child birth for pain relief.

The evidence found during studies performed by Janet E. Joy, Stanley J Watson, Jr.; John A Benson, Jr. of Washington, DC, Division of Neuroscience and Behavioral health Institute of medicine. 1999. 259p. Chapter 4 states, “The available evidence from animal and human studies indicates that cannabinoids can have a substantial analgesic effect on pain.”

The IOM report indicates that these following patient groups should be targeted for further clinical studies of medicinal marijuana:

Chemotherapy patients; certainly those being treated for the mucosistis, nausea, and anorexia.

Postoperative pain patients, to test the use for nausea and vomiting caused by opioids and see if this is reduced.

Patients with spinal cord injury, peripheral neuropathy pain, or post-stroke pain
Patients with chronic pain and insomnia

AIDS patients with cachexia, neuropathy, or significant pain problems caused by AIDS.

With this information is it clear that the use of Medicinal Marijuana will be helpful in many cases where chronic pain is debilitating and make those patients who suffer from this pain have a better quality of life.

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Medical Cannabis is nothing new, despite the current groundswell of laws making pot legal for medical uses. Here's a quick fact file on cannabis and its medical history.
1. “Marijuana” is a Mexican term that originally was applied to low-quality tobacco.
2. Cannabis was cultivated in China for therapy (and recreation) over 4,700 years ago.
3. More than 20 prescription medicinescontaining marijuana were sold in U.S. pharmacies at the turn of the 20th century. Pot-based medications were commonly available until 1942, when cannabis was stricken from the U.S. Pharmacopeia, the official compendium of drugs considered effective. From 1937 to 1942 the federal government collected a tax of $1 per ounce for such drugs.
4. About 17,000 studies on marijuana and its components have been published, according to the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, an advocacy group, but fewer than 20, all of them small, have included human subjects.
5. The federal government is in the pot-growing business. Under a federal contract, the University of Mississippi in Oxford cultivates marijuana for use by researchers, who have to be cleared by the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
6. The plant has nearly 500 chemical compounds, called cannabinoids.
7. Fourteen states and the District of Columbia have legalized medical marijuana: Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington. But patients in these states face federal prosecution for using it—or for growing or possessing pot for medical purposes.
8. Federal law prohibits physicians from prescribing or otherwise actively supplying patients with the drug. But in 2002 the U.S. Supreme Court backed an appellate court ruling that physicians who discuss it with patients, or provide oral or written recommendations, are protected.

Section I: The Relationship

The relationship I am examining is as follows: Using marijuana excessively will decrease a persons chances of being successful in life. Within this statement are many ideas that society holds as true. Many studies have been done because of this idea. Organizations and groups exist because this statement is held to be true. As an issue that is of the utmost importance to so many, I feel the need to understand how this came to be and why.

We need to first examine the relationship. We need to dissect and define each and every part to better understand what we are dealing with. For starters we will look at the variables within the relationship. There are two main variables like any normal hypothesis. There is the independent variable (the variable within a relationship that is responsible for change) and the dependent variable (the variable that is being changed). In the relationship I am researching and examining, the independent variable is “Using marijuana excessively”. The dependent variable is “chances of being successful in life”. With the two variables defined, we can now examine what type of relationship is before us.

Using marijuana excessively will decreases a persons chances of being successful in life. Within that sentence lies a very special word. The word “decrease” is very powerful, because it represents a sense of direction in the relationship. When a relationship has a direction attached to it, it is called a directional hypothesis. If the word “decrease” was replaced with “effect”, the hypothesis would be correlation. If it can be proven that the independent variable (using illegal substances) comes before the dependent variable (chances of being successful in life), and that the independent is the key factor for change in the dependent variable, the relationship becomes causal. The nature of this relationship however is just directional. The word “decrease” suggests that the as marijuana is consumed at large amounts, chances of being successful fall.

Establishing that the relationship I am examining is directional, we can examine how it is directional. There are two types of directional relationships; those that are positively related and those that are negatively related. A relationship that is positively related is when the independent variable and dependent variable rise and fall together. A relationship that is negatively related has the independent and dependent variables moving in opposite directions of one another. As one increases, the other decreases. This is the type of relationship that I am examining. As marijuana use increases, chances of being successful in life decreases.

To recap: the independent variable is “using marijuana excessively”; the dependent variable is “chances of being successful in life”; the hypothesis, or relationship, is correlation; and the two variables are negatively related.

Section II: Researching the Relationship

This section details all I have found out about my relationship, and how I came to find it. I will first start by explaining the steps I have gone through each time to find information, whether it yielded results or not.

The first step is to conceptually define each of the variables. The independent variable (using marijuana excessively) is conceptually defined as such: the action of consuming copious amounts of cannabis. The dependent variable (chances of being successful in life) is much more difficult to define because it needs to have both face and content validity, thus the following: the probability of having a happy, fulfilling life, whether physical, mental, emotional or spiritual. These definitions allow a for a great deal of face validity. They are logical and get to the core of the hypothesis. The definitions also show content validity, for they allow for many interpretations to successfulness. The definitions are clear and concise, yet broad enough to encompass everything. Normally, the second step is to define the variables operationally, so that they can be measured. Yet I am not actually conducting an experiment, so there is no need to define my variables operationally. I am not measuring anything, so the need for this is out.

The second step is to begin researching our relationship. To begin researching this idea, I started simple. If most people know that using marijuana excessively is bad for you, there must be things out there today that tell us so. My starting point was simple; Google. In Google's search bar I typed ” marijuana excessively bad for you?”. The following results were enormous. The first item that appeared on my search was about kids health. The third item however caught my attention. It was by sciencenews.com. At Science News, I found references to a scientific study saying that smoking marijuana “could increase the risk of heart disease” (Ghose). Good start, and I have another thing to look for. Within the article, the name Molecular Psychiatry popped up. I went to Google and searched for it. It turned out to be a massively large website.

I decided to go about searching for “drugs are bad” on Molecular Psychiatry's website. This is where I came across a dead end. Everything seemed to be about schizophrenia. I decided to broaden my search, and just use the word “drugs”. I found something interesting, about opiates on prenatal brains. A major roadblocked came up however. I was not able to view it, because a subscription was needed. So I checked the library. We did not have a subscription. It was time to go about this differently.

About this time during my research, I changed my relationship. Originally, I had “Using illegal substances decreases chances of being successful in life”. I decided to narrow it down, and look at “Using marijuana excessively decreases chances of being successful in life”. The amount of information available upon illegal substances was staggering, and to much for a paper such as this. By looking at just marijuana, and using it excessively, I thought I could show how main stream conscious thought had come to be how it is. I began to search therefore for marijuana. This returned a more reasonable, though large, amount of results. I had a better place to start.

Starting at Google again, I tried a different tactic. I searched for a specific; “what studies say marijuana is bad for you?”. This started to get me some results. I found a study dating back to 1894 done by the British in India. I found a website that lists the Major Drugs and Drug Policy. From what I can tell, the list is very detailed and has many studies and reports up until the year 2000.

I decided to start chronologically, because I had been able to find what seemed to be the very first, and most comprehensive study, about cannabis. I started with the The Indian Hemp Drugs Commission Report. Within this report is a summary written by a Tod H. Mikuriya, M.D. This summary has three main parts; Physical Effects, Mental Effects and Moral Effects. During the Physical Effects summary, Mikuriya says, that “the moderate use of hemp drugs appears to cause no appreciable physical injury of any kind” (Mikuriya, Physical Effects). They go on to talk about using hemp drugs a great deal, or in excess. Mikuriya says that “he excessive use does cause injury ” (Mikuriya, Physical Effects). Continuing with this idea, the Commission concluded that “excessive use tends to weaken the constitution and to render the consumer more susceptible to disease” (Mikuriya, Physical Effects). This seems to be the earliest place where the excessive use of marijuana is said to be detrimental to a persons health.

During the Mental Effects summary, Mikuriya concludes “that the moderate use of hemp drugs produces no injurious effects on the mind” (Mikuriya, Mental Effects). However, Mikuriya finds that “in the case of specially marked neurotic diathesis, even the moderate use may produce mental injury” (Mikuriya, Mental Effects). Mikuriya continues by saying that “xcessive use indicates and intensifies mental instability” (Mikuriya, Mental Effects).

Finally, Mikuriya touches upon the Moral Effects that smoking or using cannabis has on an individual. They conclude that using moderately “produces no moral injury whatever”, but “xcessive consumption… both indicates and intensifies moral weakness or depravity” (Mikuriya, Moral Effects).

This study was done by the Indian Hemp Drugs Commission of 1894. Undertaken by the British government, the main goal was to ascertain whether or not the cannabis drug is harmful to people, and how so. The British interviewed civil servants and doctors, people who used the drug, and those who had experienced people using the drug. The Commission's Report totaled at 3,281 pages and is said to be “the most complete and systematic study of marijuana undertaken to date” (Mikuriya, Introduction). The summary which I have taken information from was done by an M.D. of San Fransisco, California, named Tod H. Mikuriya. Mikuriya continues and says that “t would be fortunate if studies undertaken by contemporary commissions, task force committees, and study groups could measure up to the standards of thoroughness and general objectivity embodied in this report” (Mikuriya, Introduction).

The first major study on using marijuana came before the turn of 20th century, uses well known research techniques, is valid and reliable. Within the Commission's report are many testimonies to how the excessive consumption of cannabis by smoking is bad for a person physically, mentally and “morally”. Through the act of deductive reasoning, I have come to the conclusion that using cannabis will decrease your chances of being successful in life by hurting you physically, mentally and emotionally (morally). This is (as far as I can tell) the first place that science has concluded that using cannabis is “bad for you”. This is the “lab it was discovered in”.

The third thing we need to look at is how this idea was “sold” to the public. How did this information make it's way into the public? How did it get out of the lab? When did it get out of the lab and, important for my relationship, when was marijuana made illegal?

The best place to start is with the last question just posed. When was cannabis made illegal? I. again, start at Google and ask directly. The fourth link down from the top caught my eye; Marijuana Timeline: A History of Marijuana. This looked like what I needed. Scrolling down the page, I found the date that cannabis was made illegal within the United States. In 1937, The Marihuana Tax Act was passed by Congress.

This was as good a place as any to begin. I returned to Google and searched for The Marihuana Tax Act. Predictably, Wikipedia was the first link. I decided to use it however, because, I felt I could probably find “more credible” websites with the same information easily from Wikipedia. Going to the bottom, I found the references section and choose one that looked credible. Upon visiting the druglibrary.org, I found that the act was voted on and passed by the 75th Congress. It was time to visit Thomas.

I went to the Library of Congress's website, and I searched for “The Marihuana Tax Act”. I found nothing. This was because I was looking in the current Congress, not the 75th. I did an advanced search and put in a specific time frame: 01/01/1937 to 12/31/1937. The Marihuana Tax Act (1937) was the next thing I entered. Yet I came across a problem. I could not look at the records of Congress beyond the 93rd Congress. As I was 18 Congresses away from the one I needed, I decided to go back to druglibrary.org.

At druglibrary.org is the full text of the Marihuana Tax Act Of 1937. This was what I needed. The Act states that a person in possession of any part of the plant shall pay taxes. These taxes vary greatly depending on which part of the plant is being sold or shipped. Yet in SEC. 12, any person who violates any provision of the Act can be “fined not more than $2000 or imprisoned not more than five years” (Marihuana Tax Act Of 1937, SEC. 12). This is the first place where a penalty or fine is imposed on the use, growth or possession of cannabis. Though it is to technically levy a tax, those that do not follow the taxation guidelines within the Act will be fined heavily. The guidelines are so strict, and so arbitrary, that very few, if any, would be able to follow the Act.

With the understanding when and where cannabis was made illegal in the United States, we can trace back to the original study down in India by the British. On druglibrary.org there are several links to other sites detailing the history of marijuana and the origin of laws. Following one, I found The Forbidden Fruit And The Tree Of Knowledge: A Inquiry Into The Legal History Of American Marijuana Prohibition.

In The Forbidden Fruit, Bonnie and Whitebread write that New York City passed laws in 1914 making the possession and sale of cannabis illegal. In 1915, Utah follow suit. In fact, the first three states to make marijuana illegal were all west of the Mississippi and were all destinations of Mexican immigrants. Bonnie and Whitebread go on the say that the laws were racist in intention and there were “pointed references to the drug's Mexican origins, and sometimes vociferous allusion to the criminal conduct inevitably generated when Mexicans ate “the killer weed.” Bonnie and Whitebread continue and write of newspaper coverage at the time saying there was little to none.

Following the steps from 1937 to 1914 where the very first laws were passed at the local level, begins to give a clues to how we know. Why these laws were passed is very different. Bonnie and Whitebread break this up into two categories; west of the Mississippi and east of the Mississippi. In the west, the main reason was racism against Mexican immigrants. In the east it was the idea of “Substitution” as Bonnie and Whitebread titled their section devoted to the east.

Mexican immigrants have been coming to the United States since we owned the land west of the Mississippi and north of the Rio Grande. With this immigration came the stereotype that Mexicans smoked cannabis, and it was a drug that made them violent. Specifically in Colorado in 1929, there was a violent murder of a white girl by her “by her Mexican step-father” (Bonnie and Whitebread, Rationale in the West: Class Legislation). This attracted a large amount of media attention, and it was learned that the man smoked cannabis. Upon interviewing him further, authorities learned “he had been without the weed for two days before the killing of his step-daughter” (Bonnie and Whitebread, Rationale in the West: Class Legislation). This was looked into more intensely, and it was reported that “his supply of the weed had become exhausted several days before the killing and his nerves were unstrung” (Bonnie and Whitebread, Rationale in the West: Class Legislation). Bonnie and Whitebread go on to state that “public perception of marijuana's ethnic origins and crime-producing tendencies often went hand in hand” and “more [so in the] volatile areas of the western states” (Bonnie and Whitebread, Rationale in the West: Class Legislation).

The legal status of marijuana today in the east came from a much different source. In 1914, New York City passed a law making drugs, that we recognize today as “hard drugs”, illegal. Marijuana was not one of these. They did make it illegal soon afterwards however. The reasoning was to rid of a substitutive substance. The New York Times said that marijuana “was not used in this country to any extent while it was easy to get the more refined narcotics” (Bonnie and Whitebread, Rationale in the East: Substitution). The Times also furthers this idea in saying the very next day that “he inclusion of cannabis… among the drugs to be sold only on prescription is only common sense. Devotees of hashish are now hardly numerous enough here to count, but they are likely to increase as other narcotics become harder to obtain” (Bonnie and Whitebread, Rationale in the East: Substitution). Bonnie and Whitebread go on to conclude that few people used cannabis and that its use was “expected to increase as a direct result of the restriction of opiates and cocaine” (Bonnie and Whitebread, Rationale in the East: Substitution). The drug was not fully illegal however. It was available for medicinal purposes until 1927, when the New York Times “reported that a Mexican family was said to have gone insane from eating marijuana” (Bonnie and Whitebread, Rationale in the East: Substitution).

If we take what Bonnie and Whitebread have to say as true, and they are well documented, then it seems the making marijuana illegal was not a result of any scientific research, but because of racism and a fear of addicts using it as a substitutive substance. It seems that the findings of the The Indian Hemp Drugs Commission Report played no role whatsoever in outlawing marijuana. It seems that as another substance that would intoxicate a person, it was just assumed it was unhealthy, and therefore needed to be made illegal. In Bonnie and Whitebread's conclusion, they say that “no state undertook any empirical or scientific study of the effects of the drug” during this time period. (Bonnie and Whitebread, Conclusion).

Now that we know how marijuana was made illegal, we can look at how it was brought to the publics attention that it was harmful to use. During the time it was made illegal, 1914 up until 1937, was a time of great change in America. During this time alcohol was deemed illegal to make, buy or sell and transport. The changing face of America and how it approached substances in general was obvious. Prohibition of all substances was called for by many groups. Marijuana was just another of these, and it was made illegal.

After finding that the original laws to make marijuana illegal were not scientifically based, I still needed to know how the idea got from the lab into main stream culture. I decided to take a closer look at the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937, and see if science is used to justify it. To do this, I needed to research the man who was behind it, Harry Anslinger. Searching for him was easy, as by Google. Wikipedia, again, started as a jumping off point where I found a plethora of sites to visit. I reached a site called drugtext.org which has some actual hearings on the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937.

Bonnie and Whitebread analyzed the proceedings and concluded that there were three major things Anslinger used a rationale to outlaw cannabis. His reasons were that dogs were tested with it and found to have a change in personality, newspaper articles that told of violence and murders and a report done in Louisiana linking the drug to jail populations. Again, pure science was left out, and it is still not explained how the relationship I am researching came to be.

Faced with another dead end, I decided to look in the opposite direction. Maybe I was looking too deeply into the past, and I needed to examine closer decades of the 20th century. I began looking at different chapters of Bonnie and Whitebread's comprehensive study. I came across a chapter about the 1950's and Harsher Penalties. This seemed to be along the lines that I wanted, so I began to research. During the late 1940's and 1950, there seemed to be a dramatic increase among “hard drug” addicts that were teenagers. These findings spurred legislators to create harsher penalties for users of the drug. During this time, “marijuana seemed to be along for the ride” (Bonnie and Whitebread, Marijuana and the Boggs Act). Further along in Bonnie and Whitebread's section on Marijuana and the Boggs Act, a judge is quoted as saying that men become beasts and that it destroys life. Society seems to think that marijuana is bad for you, but it is based on assumptions that are unfounded. From 1937 on, these assumptions are only built upon.

Finally, I found what I seemed to be looking for. Bonnie and Whitebread had written a chapter called The Public Discovers the Truth About Marijuana. During the 1950's marijuana was punished more harshly, along with every other controlled substance. This along with a general shift from lower class to middle class use changes peoples perspective on the drug. During the mid and late 1960's many professionals, professors, students and others began to use and experiment with the drug. During this time use became rampant because of a “lack of medical proof of the allegedly evil effects of its use” (Bonnie and Whitebread, Emergence of Medical Opinion). Studies were preformed during this time, and they were found to have the same findings as the Commissions report done in India sixty years before hand. These studies were not widely published works however, and did not fully emerge into main stream consciousness as they were supposed too.

I have one more idea on how to find out how we know that using marijuana can reduce our chances of being successful in life. My idea is to look at the advocacy groups themselves, and find out when and by whom they were founded. I will start with one of the most commonly known ones, DARE, or Drug Abuse Resistance Education. As with all searches, Google is the primary engine. DARE's website pops up immediately. I found their website pathetic and pointless. They did not have a section about their history. Going back to Google, I search for the “history of DARE”. There doesn't seem to be a history.

I decided to search “history of drug prevention programs” and see what came up. Educational and prevention programs came up that were formed by the government and advocacy groups. Yet none of them really said that one specific thing was their reasoning for coming together, other than the prevention of drug abuse.

Section 3: So How Do We Know?

So how do we know? There does not seem to be one specific thing that has links laboratory knowledge to main stream consciousness. It seems that the knowledge of using marijuana can be bad for you has trickled into society. Widespread use of marijuana has been prevalent in our society since the mid to late 1950's. Yet, it seems that, possibly as early as the 1970's, and definitely as late as the 1980's, we have known that the consumption of cannabis is unhealthy for a variety of reasons. There are several main reasons for why I believe that we as a society hold this relationship to be true.

The first reason we hold the relationship to be true has to do with cigarettes and the Surgeon General's warning. The Surgeon General has deemed that smoking cigarettes are dangerous for a human beings health. On every tobacco product is a label from the Surgeon General, warning about the health risks one takes when they smoke. Why would it not follow suit that smoking a similar substance have similar effects upon one's health? This idea became very prevalent in the 1970's, and, particularly, the 1980's.

The second reason is the gateway theory. The gateway theory states that “use of… marijuana… increases the likelihood that people… will… be at greater risk for taking “heavier” drugs” (Ellen- Christensen, wiseGeek). This theory links marijuana use with harder drugs, well known to be exceptionally bad for health, and heavily addictive. The linkage of marijuana has happened since 1914 when New York City banned it for it's substitutive possibilities. It happened up through the years, and was linked with all other illicit substances in 1971 when Richard Nixon declared the War on Drugs (War on Drugs, NPR).

The third and final reason is the War on Drugs. A large part of many Presidents domestic platforms (War on Drugs, NPR), the War on Drugs has always linked marijuana with every other illegal substance. This is probably the largest factor for “How We Know”. The constant political maneuvers made by candidates has brought the War on Drugs to the publics attention, and with this, marijuana. More than anything else, though in very subtle ways, the government has brought about public perception of a controlled substance. Through government run organizations such as D.A.R.E., we have been taught from an early age that marijuana is bad for your health, whether physical, mental, emotional or spiritual.

Overall, there is no one thing that has caused public conception of marijuana as it is today. There were studies about cannabis, yet none were brought to the publics attention as the ones about tobacco were back in the 1960's. Overall perception that using marijuana excessively will decrease a persons chances of being successful in life is taken as fact. Scientifically, it is supported, yet there does not seem to be any one thing pointing to the research done. The research seems to have been done for researches sake, and not for the betterment of humanity. This might not have been the intention, but this is the reality. When marijuana was first made illegal, it was based on racial prejudice and class differences, and for the ease of lawmakers. It is defended nowadays by a highly controversial theory that it leads to highly addictive chemicals, and the idea that smoking anything is detrimental to a person's health.

The idea that using marijuana excessively will decrease a persons chances of being successful in life is believed in main stream society today. The link between our laws and perceptions today and the very first conclusions by British scientists in 1894 seems to be lacking in a very large way however. If the government wishes to continue it's approach to cannabis, they should use science to back it up, and attack it as they have attacked cigarettes. By linking the laboratory to main stream thought, they bolstered their case one hundred fold. By not doing so with marijuana, they have made their case one hundred times harder.

Works Cited

Bonnie, Richard J., and Charles H. Whitebread. “A New Rationale - The “Stepping Stone” Theory.” Home | drugtext. http://www.drugtext.org/library/reports/vlr/vlr5.htm (accessed April 23, 2009).

Bonnie, Richard J., and Charles H. Whitebread. “Legal History of American Marijuana Prohibition - Table of Contents.” DRCNet Online Library of Drug Policy. http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/library/studies/vlr/vlrtoc.htm (accessed April 22, 2009).

Bonnie, Richard J., and Charles H. Whitebread. “The Public Discovers The Truth About Marijuana.” Drugtext. http://www.drugtext.org/library/reports/vlr/vlr8.htm (accessed April 23, 2009).

CommissionREPORT OF THE INDIAN HEMP DRUGS COMMISSION, 1893-94. “Indian Hemp Drugs Commission Report - Effects of Marijuana.” DRCNet Online Library of Drug Policy. http://druglibrary.org/schaffer/Library/effects.htm (accessed April 21, 2009).

“D.A.R.E..” D.A.R.E.. http://www.dare.com/home/default.asp (accessed April 23, 2009).

Ellis-Christensen , Tricia. “What is the Gateway Drug Theory?.” wiseGEEK: clear answers for common questions. http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-gateway-drug-theory.htm (accessed April 23, 2009).

“FindLaw: U.S. Constitution: Eighteenth Amendment.” FindLaw: Cases and Codes. http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/data/constitution/amendment18/ (accessed April 22, 2009).

Ghose, Tia. “Science News / Drugs: Still Bad For You.” Science News. http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/32068/title/Drugs_Still_bad_for_you (accessed April 21, 2009).

“Google.” Google. http://google.com (accessed April 21, 2009).

Johnson, Janet Buttolph, Jason D. Mycoff, and H. T. Reynolds. Political Science Research Methods. Washington, D.C: CQ Press, 2007.

“Marijuana Timeline - A History of Marijuana - Concept420 - Marijuana Entertainment and Information.” Welcome to Concept420 - Growing Marijuana, Pictures, Drug Testing Help and more!. http://www.concept420.com/marijuana_cannabis_history_timeline.htm (accessed April 22, 2009).

Special Thanks is given to Erowid, a well known website that chronicles drug use and laws about drugs.

NPR. “Timeline: America's War on Drugs : NPR.” NPR : National Public Radio : News & Analysis, World, US, Music & Arts. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9252490 (accessed April 23, 2009).

“THOMAS (Library of Congress).” THOMAS (Library of Congress). http://thomas.loc.gov/ (accessed April 22, 2009).

The Internet. “Harry J. Anslinger - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.” Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Anslinger (accessed April 22, 2009).

The Internet. “Marihuana Tax Act of 1937 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.” Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1937_Marijuana_Tax_Act (accessed April 22, 2009).

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Roget's II The New Thesaurus, Third Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2003.

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Well, first off, there are many active ingredients in Medical Marijuana, which is to say it is not a single drug molecule, such as alcohol or cocaine, rather a combination of more than 400 diverse chemical components. In fact, they're so different that 60 of them (called cannabinoids) are exclusive to marijuana.

While we're discussing numbers, let’s point out that the primary mind-altering cannabinoid is a little item by the name of delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol, or “THC”, for short. It's this chemical that triggers marijuana's main drug reactions and in turn effects the body and the brain.

THC is a mind altering compound that breaks up into at least 80 different byproducts (or metabolites) prior to being eliminated from the body… Which can take a while.

The mood altering process starts as soon as the medical cannabis THC enters the bloodstream, and begins zeroing in on Cannabinoid receptors (anandamides) in the brain and the central nervous system.

Marijuana is a very misunderstood drug. The controversies on legalization are far too confusing and they vary in different states. What do you do if your doctor prescribes it to you for an illness that you have been diagnosed with? With cancer, glaucoma and other major illnesses that would benefit from the use of marijuana, why would anyone try to stop something that helps increase appetite and decrease pain? On the other hand, law enforcement has been trying to get a handle on reducing crime involving the illegal use of “pot” for years now. Recreational use is still a no-no. Cultivation is a major no-no. Unless, of course, a doctor says you can. So, basically, the controversy will continue about the medicinal use, pros and cons thereof and legalization of marijuana, which would, in turn, benefit the government tax issues if it were controller or just continue being a general nuisance for the men and woman of law enforcement?

Although marijuana once was legal and considered to have no medical value by the American Medical Association, it hasn't been legal in years now. There have been a handful of states, approximately 11 total, including California, that were able to get it legalized on the state level, most of which have been since overturned. What is it going to take to prove its medicinal reasons as well as its reasons that the government would make money off the taxes, if it were regulated and get this country out of our national deficit? There would be less crime on the streets and because our government would regulate it, it would be safer than what it is right now.

At present, marijuana is classified under the Controlled Substances Act as a SCHEDULE I drug, one that has no medicinal value and may prove addictive. Advocates for the drug want the federal government to reclassify marijuana as a SCHEDULE II drug, one that physicians can legally prescribe, despite its potential for addictions. Morphine is an example of a SCHEDULE II drug.” (Fackelmann, 1997).

The legalization of marijuana would bring a great deal of revenue for our government from the taxes of its sale, as well as the money that would be saved in the anti-marijuana campaigns. “The government spends $8.26 million dollars a year to try to keep marijuana off the street.” (Miller, 2008). With Government Regulation handling all the growth and sales of “cannabis” or marijuana, the jails would be less crowded with inmates charged with possession, as well as, free up the police men and women to extend that energy into catching criminals that are committing serious crimes. The drug consistency would remain the same and therefore be safer for those that are using the drug. Deaths related to smoking pot are found because alternative additives were added to enhance the enjoyment, not because of smoking “pot”. It is because of that fact, that with the government legalizing it and growing it in a controlled environment, those people that later could or previously developed an addiction to it would be able to get the help that they need. Whether it is addictive or not, requires more research and studies.

Using marijuana for medicinal purposes can and does provide the relief for those that use the drug in controlled and responsible circumstances. The people that benefit from the use of marijuana would be cancer patients going through the trauma of chemotherapy, muscular sclerosis patients, AIDS patients, arthritis sufferers or anyone with chronic pain, all benefit from the use of marijuana. Chemotherapy treatments lead to very strong side effects, such as vomiting and nausea, which make patients very weak. It's difficult for patients to eat, which in turn causes weight loss. With weight loss, weakness and vitamin deficiencies occur due to a lack of nutrients in their system. Smoking pot relieves the stress on their bodies and increases their appetite which makes it easier to eat. That alone seems enough to warrant further investigation. Multiple Sclerosis (MS) affects the functions of the nerves in the brain and the spinal cord. If anyone ever watched Montel Williams on daytime television, you would have heard his opinion about the benefits. He does not smoke the marijuana; he takes the THC pills that are derived from the cannabis plant. Just a few of their symptoms can be severe fatigue and depression, extreme debilitating muscle spasms and even paralysis. “Many wheelchair-bound patients report that they can walk unaided when they have smoked cannabis. Patients also report that they find smoking herbal cannabis better at controlling their symptoms than synthetic derivative. Cannabis may even retard the progression of the disease.” (Marijuana-The Forbidden Medicine, Grinspoon, 2007)

Next is a direct quote from an electronic article from the Associated Press website. This particular article goes into detail about the comparison between prescription medicines and the effects of medicinal marijuana. The facts are that addiction and the side effects of prescription medicines are very well known. It is also a well known fact that with many prescription drugs, another prescription drug to counter act the side effects of the original prescription drug are not unheard of as well. “After weighing the pros and con's of both medicinal marijuana and prescription drugs, short of eliminating prescription drugs altogether, I don't see how we cannot promote and legalize the use of marijuana as a medicinal aid.” (Heard, 2008).

Another important piece of research that was discovered is how many different types of drugs are on the market that has actually been derived from the marijuana plant. As well as those that has been derived from the synthetic version of the marijuana plant. There is also a drug that is found are similar to those found in marijuana, but not exactly found in the plant. Sativex is a drug manufactured by GW Pharmaceuticals, that phase III clinical started in the year 2006. It's suggested medical use is “Treatment of neuropathic pain and spasticity in patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS); Analgesic treatment in adult patients with advanced cancer who experience moderate to severe pain” and its Cannabis Related Properties are “Mouth spray whose chemical compound is derived from natural extracts of the cannabis plant” (Medical Marijuana ProCon.org Web site).

With all the research that has been done and the findings that smoking pot would bring relief to the terminally ill and may even put a dent in our national deficit, what would the harm be to try it? If anyone that has ever witnessed the good that it does when it is prescribed legally for a loved one, there would be no debate. Will they give the terminally ill patients a vote? Or maybe the doctors that prescribe it to them to ease their pain and promote their appetite? Maybe we should give the good people in our law enforcement agency a vote, so we could free up the jails that are so overcrowded and wasting taxpayer's money….again. Legalize it to control it, collect the taxes on it, free up our jails for our law enforcement so they can actually prosecute real criminals and let the people that it would be prescribed for live out their lives more comfortably and with less pain. The other alternative would be to keep it the way it is now. How is that working for us? You be the judge.

REFERENCES

MILLER, T. (2008), PROS OF MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION, RETRIEVED FROM KAPLAN LIBRARY, 2009.

GRINSPOON, I. (2007), MEDICAL MARIJUANA USES. “MARIJUANA, THE FORBIDDEN MEDICINE.” RETRIEVED FROM KAPLAN LIBRARY, 2009.

FACKELMANN, K (1997), MARIJUANA: USEFUL MEDICINE OR DANGEROUS DRUG, CONSUMERS. 80, 15.

(6/30/2008) PHARMACEUTICAL DRUGS BASED ON CANNABIS. RETRIEVED 01/2009 FROM MEDICAL MARIJUANA PROCON.ORG.

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As emotions over medical marijuana and the locations, and numbers of the dispensaries allowed heats up in every city across the state of California… There is still no greater place to live. In one afternoon a properly documented marijuana patients can visit a marijuana doctor, be evaluated, and with 30 min be on his or her way looking for their new favorite medical cannabis club. Of which there are more than a few to choose from.

Even though the bill was approved on November 4th 2008 and it has technically been legal to use marijuana for medical reasons since December 4th 2008, the law will take full effect on April 4th 2009.

For people suffering from such medical problems and diseases as cancer, aids, hepatitis C, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, crohn's disease, cachexia, severe and chronic pain, seizures, epilepsy, muscle spasms, and multiple sclerosis this comes as welcomed news. Those who oppose the use of medical marijuana are now facing the fears they have been imagining. Now those who have been taking tons of other medications in order in the attempt to keep their pain at bay for even a few hours can now get the relief they so desperately long for. With this law passing people who have left the state or have been thinking about leaving the State of Michigan in order to go to one of the other twelve states where medical marijuana has already been legalized can move back home to their families and friends or now never leave.

Now there are plenty of restrictions on who can legally use marijuana and why they can use it, so it is not like just anyone can go and get some marijuana and say they are using it for medical purposes. Some of the restrictions are how much a person can have in their procession at one time. For Michigan this is up to two and one-half ounces of usable marijuana and twelve marijuana plants kept in an enclosed, locked facility. They can also have a caregiver to cultivate the marijuana for them. If they choose to have a care giver then the patient may only have the usable marijuana around them and the plants are with the care giver. Another restriction is that the patient must have a written certificate from a physician.

Many people who welcome the legalizing of marijuana for medical purposes are either one of the people who need it, as they have built up a tolerance to the heavy pain medicines or they know someone who can now be pain free for a little while because of using medical marijuana. Majorie Russell, a professor at Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing, said the measure passed in Michigan because large numbers of Baby Boomers either have personal experience or know someone who has gone through chemotherapy or suffers from chronic pain. “That changed a lot of attitudes,” Russell said. As someone who does know others living with constant pain, I am glad to see that my home state of Michigan is now one of the thirteen states where people can use marijuana for medical purposes legally.

As you can see even though some are opposed to this newly passed law, many more are welcoming the law with open arms. So which state will be next, only time will time.

Sources:
http://www.wndu.com/home/headlines/41544002.html
http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/viewresource.asp?resourceID=881
http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/03/medical-marijuana-midwest-michigan.html

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California electorate is divided over an initiative on the November ballot that would legalize marijuana for recreational use.The Public Policy Institute of Ca. poll out Wed (05/19/2010) found t 49 percent of likely voters would support legalization of cannabis, while 48 percent oppose it. The poll has a margin of inaccuracy of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

The state of California already allows medicinal use of cannabis, but would become the first state to legalize recreational use if voters approve the initiative.The poll found that Democrats and independents are far more likely to support the initiative than Republicans. Not overly surprising. Support also is higher in the Bay Area, while L.A. and the Central Valley remain divided.The survey found that men are more likely to favor legalization than women.

Among the many excuses some people (especially young people) use for their utilization of marijuana is that is it not a “hard drug” like heroin or crack, and that it is not addictive- just a recreational drug. This is false thinking. What is worse, there are some people who believe that advertising the dangers of the drug will do a lot to dissuade young people from either trying or continuing its use. “For many years, the anti-drug movement in America has been using public service announcements (PSAs) to deliver messages about the dangers of drug use…A… study, however, indicated that teens don't pay attention to the ads or don't feel that the message is real to them. Communicating the truth about drugs to our nation's youth requires more than just a message…Many young people are told that drugs are dangerous, but not how or why” (Anon 12). The sad fact is that many young people today are merely disaffected by what adults tell them, because these youths feel that their lives are overly controlled by older people who do not understand their needs and motivations.

There are many people who believe legalizing the use (and sale) of marijuana- other than for approved medical purposes, would reduce arrests and not increase usage. They tend top be wrong about this assumption. “Drug abuse alone cost an estimated $55 billion in 1998 (excluding criminal justice costs), and deaths directly related to drug use have more than doubled since 1980. Would increasing this toll make for a healthier America?” (Walters A10). Walters also points out that by removing penalties and reducing price, would increase drug demand. Make something easier and cheaper to obtain, and you increase the number of people who will try it. Those who want to legalize marijuana love to point out that the Dutch decriminalized marijuana in 1976, with little initial impact. But as drugs gained social acceptance, use increased consistently and sharply, with a 300% rise in use by 1996 among 18-20 year-olds.

Strict control of marijuana may not be sufficient to stop usage. And, what is worse, the drug- like it or not- even affects non-smokers. “The idea that marijuana affects only the people who smoke it is just one of the myths surrounding the drug. Kids who are hooked on marijuana do become less motivated to study, be active, and hang out with their friends and family. But the effects of marijuana go much further. 'If teens are frequently on drugs, they are likely to miss out on the emotional highs and lows of their teenage years,' says addiction expert Ronald Kadden, a psychologist at the University of Connecticut's health center” (Tucker 11).

Local authorities all across the country have made a concerted effort to make sure that marijuana trafficking in schools (or on school property) is eliminated. “Nearly two-thirds of teenagers say their schools are drug-free, according to a survey…But it's good news, bad news for parents, because the survey group of a thousand 12-to 17-year-olds also says that marijuana is as easy to get as tobacco and even easier to buy than alcohol…Although parents listed drug use as their biggest concern, 35% say they have “little influence” over whether their teen uses drugs, up from 25% in 1999, and only 51% of parents described their children's schools as drug-free” (Patrick A8).

The thesis that marijuana should be more tightly controlled tends to lead to the argument of legalization. Again, this is a specious argument for many, especially in the medical field, who see the dangers of ever-younger kids smoking or, somehow, using marijuana. It is not the old wives' tale that the use of pot may lead obviously to use of harder, more addictive drugs. It is that drugs are drugs, and therefore dangerous within their own sphere. A good case can be made for controlling marijuana only for medical, not general use. “Most arguments for legalization in all its different forms start with the contention that the “war on drugs” has been lost and that prevailing criminal justice and social policies with respect to drug use have been a failure. To support the claim that current drug policies have failed, legalization advocates point to the 80 million Americans who have tried drugs during their lifetime. Since so many individuals have broken drug laws, these advocates argue, the laws are futile and lead to widespread disrespect for the law. A liberal democracy, they contend, should not ban what so many people do” (Kleber and Califano, Jr. 4). The fact remains that all the multi=million dollar campaigns to discourage use of marijuana and criminalization has only ended up that teens claim they are not smoking for fear of getting caught. There seems to be little concern about health problems or addition, merely being afraid of getting caught, going to jail or, at the very least, being out on trial, getting fines and probation. Kleber and Califano (2006) claim that legalization of marijuana, cocaine, and heroin for adults would mean that increased numbers of teenagers would smoke, snort, and inject these substances at a time when habits are formed and the social, academic, and physical skills needed for a satisfying and independent life are acquired.

Despite many authorities and medical practitioners' beliefs that marijuana is (or may be) harmful, more and more Americans tend to not feel that strongly: “Never before have so many Americans supported decriminalizing and even legalizing marijuana. Seventy-two percent say that for simple marijuana possession, people should not be incarcerated but fined: the generally accepted definition of 'decriminalization.' Even more Americans support making marijuana legal for medical purposes. Support for broader legalization ranges between 25 and 42 percent, depending on how one asks the question. Two of every five Americans–according to a 2003 Zogby poll–say 'the government should treat marijuana more or less the same way it treats alcohol: It should regulate it, control it, tax it, and only make it illegal for children” (Nadelman 30). Nadelman (2004) makes some good points: He explains that Marijuana prohibition is unique among American criminal laws. No other law is both enforced so widely and harshly and yet deemed unnecessary by such a substantial portion of the populace. Police make about 700,000 arrests per year for marijuana offenses. That's almost the same number as are arrested each year for cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, Ecstasy, and all other illicit drugs combined. Roughly 600,000, or 87 percent, of marijuana arrests are for nothing more than possession of small amounts. Millions of Americans have never been arrested or convicted of any criminal offense except this. Enforcing marijuana laws costs an estimated $10-15 billion in direct costs alone.

“This is clearly an overreaction on the part of government. No drug is perfectly safe, and every psychoactive drug can be used in ways that are problematic. The federal government has spent billions of dollars on advertisements and anti-drug programs that preach the dangers of marijuana–that it's a gateway drug, and addictive in its own right, and dramatically more potent than it used to be, and responsible for all sorts of physical and social diseases as well as international terrorism. But the government has yet to repudiate the 1988 finding of the Drug Enforcement Administration's own administrative law judge, Francis Young, who concluded after extensive testimony that “marijuana in its natural form is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man” (Nadelman 32).

Controlling marijuana use is not legalizing it. But, simplistic as it sounds, a strong effort must be made by the medical establishment to once and for all determine whether marijuana, for recreational use, is not dangerous or addictive. This is not something for politicians, churches, teachers or even parents to determine. There are warnings on cigarette packs, but people still smoke (although in fewer numbers). Alcohol can be dangerous to some, yet people- including young people, still drink. Just look at fraternity and sorority keg parties in many colleges. Taxation on cigarettes and alcohol brings in billions of dollars to state and federal governments. How many more billions could be garnered by the controlled sale of marijuana? Nadelman, among m any others claims that the bigger battle, of course, concerns whether marijuana prohibition will ultimately go the way of alcohol Prohibition, replaced by a variety of state and local tax and regulatory policies with modest federal involvement. All those anti-marijuana ads pretend to be about reducing drug abuse, but in fact their basic purpose is sustaining popular support for the war on marijuana. What's needed now are conservative politicians willing to say enough is enough: Tens of billions of taxpayer dollars down the drain each year. Control the sale and use of marijuana, yes! Make sure that it does not affect the health, intellectual and physical abilities of young people, and, especially, don't make marijuana a choice due to peer pressure. The danger may be more social (or anti-social) than physically harmful. There are too many dangers in our world affecting young people. Marijuana, wantonly used, is surely one of them.

REFERENCES:
Anonymous: “Repetition & insight help dissuade teens from drug use” Park
Ridger IL: Professional Safety.: Nov 2003 .Vol.48, Iss. 11

Kleber, Herbert, and Califano, Joseph A., Jr. “Marijuana: Panacea or Pandora's Box” World and I , National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University., Jan. 2006

Nadelman, Ethan A.: “An End to Marijuana Prohibition- The drive to legalize picks up” National Review July 12, 2004

Patrick, Robert:: “The Nation; Annual Teen Drug Study Finds Mixed Results; Survey: Most schools are free of illegal substances, but pot is easier to buy than liquor, students say” Los Angeles Times, Aug. 21, 2002

Tucker, Libby: “Burnings myths: This teen has lost friends to marijuana. Here, he teams up with experts to bust common myths about the drug” Scholastic Choices, Jan. 2005, vol. 20, i. 4

Walterrs, John P.: “Don't legalize drugs” New York: Wall Street Journal. (Eastern edition). New York, N.Y.: Jul 19, 2002.

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Well, the day both anticipated and feared by the medical marijuana community came today, when the new Los Angeles county law regulating Marijuana Dispensaries took effect.
A steady parade of filed into City Hall and paid their $324 registration fee, then were placed on the priority list of collectives that will be contacted within a month and notified if they are eligible to continue operation as a medical marijuana dispensary.
It was uncertain; however, what the outlook is for the more than 440 dispensaries that opened after the City Council imposed a cessation in November 2007. Many are ready to close, while still others hold out hope that a June 18 court hearing will topple the city law and allow them to continue operation.

Bayonne has nothing on Middlesex County, New Jersey when it comes to marijuana cultivation. New Jersey lawmen say they uncovered the largest and by far, the savviest, marijuana cultivation operation in the history of New Jersey and they have police officer Thomas Lucasiewicz to thank for it.

It was a regular day on the beat for officer Lucasiewicz. Well, that's how it started. As the officer strolled along his beat, he caught a whiff of burning marijuana in the air. The mighty aura was too strong for the officer to think it was just a couple of kids blowing a marijuana joint.

So he followed his nose… all the way to a home in an affluent Middlesex neighborhood where he noticed a thick stream of smoke spewing from the chimney of a single-story ranch style home.

Little did he know that his schnoz had just led him to uncover a rather large and sophisticated cannabis operation. The largest in the history of the State of New Jersey.

After Officer Lucasiewicz's backup arrived, he knocked on the door and found Thu Nguyen, 44, home.

Turns out, Nguyen was doing some heavy weeding.
He was burning the unusable parts of the cannabis plants by burning them in the homes fireplace. He never thought it would bring the law to his door.

Nguyen was placed under arrest and the officers began their search. After they realized the magnitude of their find, they called in the New Jersey State Police.

The search of Nguyen's home netted police 1,064 plants which had been growing under artificial lights in areas that were set up in the basement, a bedroom and the master bedroom. Officers also uncovered 50 pounds of packaged marijuana in the homes garage.

That search led to the raid of six additional homes - all rented - in Old Bridge, Manahawkin, Millstone Township and Manalapan where police found a multitude of indoor cultivation equipment. Police seized $65,000 in cash from four of the homes; 3,370 plants and 115 pounds of harvested marijuana.

Nguyen, a Canadian citizen, is being held at the Middlesex County jail in lieu of a $1 Million bond.

In all, six people have been arrested thus far, but police say more arrests are pending.

Those arrested during the raid were all of Vietnamese descent, but it is not known whether they were related. They have been charged with theft of services for bypassing utility meters and maintaining a marijuana-growing facility. Three people are at large and police believe they may have left the country.

Tuan A. Dang, 35, of Port Monmouth and Ngoc H. Bui, 35, a naturalized U.S. citizens were both arrested February 18 at the Millstone Township raid and were also charged with maintaining a marijuana-growing facility and other crimes. Both remain incarcerated at the Monmouth County jail in lieu of a $1 million bond.

Sgt. Steve Jones, a New Jersey state police spokesman, said “They (the homes) each had been turned into pot factories.”

“These were not run-down houses,” said Jones . “These were high-end homes in affluent neighborhoods. Several of them were worth in excess of $1 million and rented for $4,000 a month.”

State Attorney General Paula Dow said, “While law enforcement in New Jersey has encountered high-tech indoor marijuana growing operations in the past, we have not seen anything to match the volume of production of this criminal enterprise.”

Sgt. Jones said illicit growers usually don't operate out of their own homes because they know that if they are caught, and own the home where the drugs are found, the home is then subject to forfeiture by the Government.

The pot growers had even remodeled portions of the homes in order to accommodate vents and duct work they had installed in order to better harvest their cannabis. There were 16-inch holes cut into the floors and ceilings.

BAYONNE DRUG BUST IN JANUARY
In another historic pot-bust, Bayonne police on routine patrol in Constable Hook seized a monstrous load of marijuana in January.

Two police officers noticed a suspicious minivan with it's rear doors ajar and backed up to a tractor trailer with out-of-state license plates. Known to be an area privy to vehicle break-ins, the officers decided to investigate.

As they approached the truck parked at 65 New Hook Road, several people ran. Police then heard what sounded like drilling coming from inside the truck. When they looked inside, they found a man cloaked in a miner's helmet with a lamp holding what appeared to be marijuana in cellophane wrapping.

Gordon Peters refused to exit the trailer and threw the package to the ground. Police searched the rest of the truck they found $3,000 in cash and later found another man, Jason Peters, age 21, who was hiding in the truck's cab.

As the police searched the tractor trailer, they noticed a large wooden crate with several bundles of marijuana inside.

The tractor trailer held (31 bundles) 595 pounds of marijuana. It's street value was estimated at $2 Million.

Gordon Peters, 42, of Miramar, Florida was arrested along with his son, Jason Peters of Miami, Florida. They were charged with possessing over 25 pounds of marijuana within 500 feet of a public walkway. Bayonne Municipal Judge Cheryl Scott Cashman set bail for the father/son duo at $250,000 for each.

The historic bust was credited to officers Samuel Garcia and Domenico Colabraro.

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A young Montana man who was mauled after he smoked marijuana and entered a pen to feed a grizzly bear at Great Bear Adventures Park where he worked was awarded workers' compensation benefits. “When it comes to attacking humans, grizzlies are equal opportunity maulers; attacking without regard to race, creed, ethnicity or marijuana usage,” Judge James Jeremiah Shea is quoted as saying in the Flathead Beacon. “Hopkins’ use of marijuana to kick off a day of working around grizzly bears was ill-advised to say the least and mind-bogglingly stupid to say the most. However, I have been presented with no evidence by which I can conclude that Hopkins’ marijuana use was the major contributing cause of the grizzly attack.” I wonder if this young man will know qualify for a medical marijuana card?

Ever since the “Above The Influence” commercials, I have been questioning why everyone frowns upon marijuana and believes that it makes you do such horrible things. My personal experiences with marijuana have always been pleasant ones. At one point in my life, I was an avid weed smoker. I smoked at least one blunt each day. I found that the weed soothed me. It made me feel calmer, more relaxed, and very insightful and creative. I cannot recall one time that I had a negative experience and I had smoked for three years straight.

What I experienced with marijuana is something that I have never experienced with anything else. It calms you down and it even helps increase one's creativity. Studies have shown that the alpha brain waves increase slightly when one is under the influence of weed. The alpha brain waves are connected to human creativity. Not to mention, the herb calms you down and is even a natural pain killer. Weed has been prescribed to many patients who have multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, glaucoma, and even patients who are going through chemotherapy in order to increase appetite and help them gain weight.

Contrary to popular belief, cannabis does not make you more susceptible to other drugs. This has been proven by a number of different studies and loads of research. In fact, in the 1970's, studies showed that when certain cities decriminalized marijuana, the number of emergency room visits due to harder drugs had decreased substantially as opposed to the cities that did not decriminalize the herb. Also, the number of people who smoke reefer on a regular basis haven't even touched another drug. Weed could be the end of harder, dangerous drugs.

Weed is not addictive. For some reason, many believe that the drug is extremely addicting. If anything is addicting, it is cigarettes and prescription pills. It is a proven fact that caffeine is more addicting than marijuana yet it is legal. If anyone can prove that ganja is even remotely addictive, it shouldn't even be able to be used in an argument to keep it illegal because alcohol, cigarettes, prescription pills, and even MSG are all addictive but they are legal and publicized like crazy. So many of us complain about car accidents and murders that are caused by these addictive substances but do nothing about it. But whenever weed is brought up, everyone is against it despite there being no statistics to show that it is even nearly as harmful as legal drugs.

Did you know that in order to overdose and die from marijuana, you would have to consume 40,000 times the amount that it takes to get you high. For example, if you need one bowl to get high, you would need to smoke 40,000 more bowls in one day in order to die from marijuana intoxication. This is not even humanly possible.

I bet you didn't know that no fetal injuries or deaths have been reported due to marijuana use. Studies show that when a pregnant woman consumes marijuana, it has no significant effect on the fetus. There is no substantial increase or decrease in weight, heart rate, length, or even brain development.

We are all paying taxes for overcrowded prisons. Did you know that the majority of offenders are in prison for marijuana offenses? These are not even violent criminals but yet they are locked away with murderers, theives, and rapists because of a few sacks of weed. It's a naturally occuring plant!

Emphysema, lung cancer, cancer of the throat, cancer of the mouth, or heart disease have not once been linked to marijuana use. In fact, marijuana is said to stimulate the immune system in a postive way, helping it fight infections. Marijuana even expands airways which is why many asthma sufferers look to the herb for relief.

Why would the government keep such a plant from us? Probably because the healing effects and benefits of marijuana are much greater than the manufactured drugs that are being prescribed all over America. Did you know that the pharmecutical companies are one of the greatest money-makers in the United States? God forbid we legalize marijuana so that people can grow it and enjoy it's health benefits. God forbid these companies cannot tax it and make money off of it. This is why it remains illegal. They are making money off of the drug through prisons, taxes, drug dogs, and so much more that it's ridiculous to even get into.

These “Above The Influence” commercials may be targeted towards young kids, but it upset me because no one gets to hear the ADULT smoker's side of the story. When I smoke weed, I don't make my mother cry (in fact, I usually avoid arguments at all costs). I don't let people draw on me. I don't go out driving my car acting like some kind of fool. I don't lie to people about it. I don't steal or try to murder people. I'm actually quite the contrary when I'm under the influence. I like to talk in a soft tone about random, trivial things. I enjoy getting into deep conversations about the universe, God, the government, and things of the sort. I don't drive because I know that my reactions are delayed and I would be an idiot if I even attempted to. I do not lie about smoking weed because it is not something that I am ashamed of. Heroin and cocaine users lie about what they do. Not me. I'm usually calm, relaxed, reserved, and I like to talk, read, write, watch television, and even study. Reefer helps keep me focused. It often helps me meditate. Sometimes it helps me sleep. Often it helps me gain an appetite when I need it.

Many people who smoke marijuana are not irresponsible children. I know over 50 people who smoke marijuana and do not do half of the stereotypical marijuana smoker things. We smoke in order to relax and gain insight, sometimes even spiritual enlightenment. We smoke to clear our minds. Sometimes we smoke to pass the time. But we never smoke to act like fools. We aren't kids. We are all grown, our brains are fully developed, and we are mature adults. I feel that we should be treated as such.

I understand that some people do not react exactly the same on marijuana as I do (like children) and this is why there should be an age limit on the herb. If the government is worried about cultivation and distribution ruining their regulation and taxes, they should put a limit on the amount one may grow and carry in public. I believe that the same thing should have been done with salvia divinorum. Unfortunately, a few irresponsible teens put videos of themselves using the herb to act like a fool on the internet and it was made illegal in Ohio on April 1, 2009. It is now a felony if you are caught with any amount of salvia, a naturally occuring leafy plant, on you.

The herb is not a drug, but instead, a medicine. The manufactured drugs are what we should be making illegal, not natural herbs like marijuana and salvia divinorum. Marijuana's benefits outweight the risk and this is what should be advertised, not some propaganda. If everyone is going to put out all of this negativity on marijuana, put it out about prescription pills, alcohol, and other man-made substances like fast-food that can potentially kill us (and some already are). The majority of people I know have an occasional toke, sometimes they toke often, but regardless, we are all still on this never-ending journey to figure out why it has not yet been legalized.

Research the reason that marijuana became illegal and you will see where all of the propaganda came from. It may even explain why the herb is still illegal today. It's all about money and power, my friends. It doesn't matter what's in it for us…it matters what's in it for “them”.

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Marijuana-friendly Oakland California is working hard at bring in money by licensing, and taxingmedical marijuana growers. Meanwhile, Oaksterdam “U” which has over 100 employees voted on Friday (5/29/10) to unionize as part of a retail agriculture and community patient care union. The Local 5’s organizer Dan Rush stated that medical cannabis clubs , medical cannabis doctors and the industry as a whole “will get the same respect as law enforcement, nurses, doctors” …. Rebecca Kaplan, Oakland City councilwoman and prospective contender for mayor, told CBS that the unionization was “a good day for Oakland,” the city of Oakland has an unemployment rate of over 17 %.

Green Bay Packers defensive lineman Johnny Jolly is facing felony charges after he was reportedly arrested in Houston for speeding and possession of a controlled substance. According to a criminal complaint, the 25-year-old was in possession of at least 200 grams of codeine after police pulled him over on July 8. He is scheduled to appear in court July 22.

Packers fans held a rally outside of Lambeau Field on Sunday to pressure management into re-instating retired quarterback Brett Favre as the starting quarterback. General Manager Ted Thompson told reporters over the weekend that Favre, who has not yet applied for re-instatement with the league, would be welcomed back but would not be guaranteed the starting job. Favre has reportedly asked for his unconditional release from the team; a request that the Packers do not intend to grant.

Free agent running back Travis Henry reportedly tested positive for marijuana and now faces a 1-year suspension from the NFL. Henry, who last played for the Denver Broncos, tested positive last season but successfully appealed the test.

Police were seeking to arrest former Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Odell Thurman on a warrant for felonious assault. Thurman allegedly broke a man's jaw during an argument about their place in line at Kalahari Waterpark Resort in Sandusky, Ohio.

The Pittsburgh Steelers signed two sixth round picks on Friday; Safety Ryan Mundy and linebacker Mike Humpal. Both reportedly agreed to the league minimum.

The Washington Redskins agreed to terms with second round draft pick Malcolm Kelly, a receiver out of Oklahoma, on Friday. The deal is reportedly for four years and worth $3.36 million. The team also signed sixth round pick Durant Brooks and third round pick Chad Rinehart.

The Oakland Raiders are expected to sign veteran offensive coordinator Paul Hackett as a consultant; according to an Oakland Tribune report. Hackett has worked for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys, Kansas City Chiefs, Denver Broncos and New York Jets.

The Baltimore Ravens have hired Tony Nathan as their running backs coach. Nathan, a former Miami Dolphins running back, was the running backs coach at Florida International University for the past three seasons and was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back coach from 1996-2001.

The Tennessee Titans signed linebacker Stanford Keglar. He was drafted in the fourth round.

The Miami Dolphins signed third round pick Kendall Langford on Friday. The defensive end was a three-year starter and Hampton.

The San Francisco 49ers signed linebacker Larry Grant. He was their final selection in April's Draft.

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U.S. Representative Frank is among 15 members of Congress urging for the Treasury Dept. to set policy that would help facilitate the banks in providing financial services to medical cannabis collectives.

“Legitimate state-legal medical marijuanabusinesses are being denied access to banking services, which does not serve the public interest,” the lawmakers said in a May 20 letter to Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner.

In other words if you are a MMJ collective, or a MMJ Doctor’s office, etc… and in a medical marijuana state, you will be able to get a merchant card services account for your business.

Elicit drug use among adolescents, especially college students, is considered a large problem among society. The government has tried many things to wipe out this problem, everything ranging from “This is your brain on drugs” TV commercials; to student wide random drug testing has been put into effect. These are all consequences of the “War on drugs” instated by the Nixon administration. More specifically, marijuana has been steadily increasing among college students over the last decade (from 41% to 47%) (Mohler-Kuo, Lee, Wechsler). But how large of a problem is it? And furthermore, how prevalent is the use of marijuana among Drexel students? Well from my experiences here over the past months, I can honestly say I had trouble finding students who don't smoke the plant.

I conducted interviews with peers about the subject of marijuana; this is just one of their tales of a typical smoking session. VP wakes up on a Tuesday afternoon, groggy and hungry; he grabs a bight to eat and says “hey, why not find some weed to smoke”. He then calls up his buddies to see if they are willing to split a “bag” with him. Usually at least 2 or 3 friends will oblige, and then VP attempts to procure this bag. Some days are tougher than others to find some weed but it generally takes no more than a half hour to call, meet up with, and buy the marijuana. “The consumption can really vary, whether it be a bowl, or a joint, or a blunt, or any of the above… or all of the above,” explains VP as he drags on his cigarette. Then of course, they meet at one of the various smoking spots to consume the marijuana. “Puff puff pass to the left, in a circle as it should be.” VP says this with conviction. After the friends finish the session, they tend to get the “munchies” and find some food, then lay around in the dorms.

According to one source, marijuana is said to have a direct link to “amotivational syndrome” in which the user is unmotivated in their lives and their achievement of career, academic, and personal goals (State University Blog). When I asked VP if smoking weed effects his schoolwork negatively or even positively, he said “sometimes I smoke some weed and I'm like, Oh My God I can't move. And other times I will be like, grr I'm going to write this paper, PAPER, PAPER, PAPER. And I will do my work and it will be decent.” There is no proof that says that marijuana causes amotivational syndrome, rather the fact that individuals who are not motivated, also tend to smoke weed. This doesn't mean that weed will actually cause one to lose all motivation in life. In fact, some of the world's greatest artists found their motivation and their “muse” under the influence of none other than, marijuana.

When I asked my interviewees how prevalent marijuana use is among their peers they all responded as if most of the people they know partake in smoking. VP had this to say, “Since being at college I have only met one or two people that don't smoke weed.” I think this exemplifies the prevalence of marijuana throughout Drexel. According to one source, illicit drug use among college students has risen from 41% to 47% over the last decade; no such statistic was stated for marijuana specifically (Mohler-Kuo, Lee, Wechsler).

When VP was asked, would he consider himself a “pot-head” he responded that “pot head is such a derogatory term, I like to consider myself a dope fiend.” This exemplifies the humor many smokers find in the hypocrisies of societies judgment of marijuana users. This leads me into the next area I will be examining, marijuana versus alcohol. When VP was asked which he prefers, smoking pot or drinking alcohol, he responded “I would choose marijuana because I can do that at any time of the day, and nobody will judge me about it. And if they do who gives a shit.” When I asked another interviewee, AL which he thinks debilitates his judgment and motor skills the most, weed or alcohol, he had this to say. “Alcohol, by far.” This seems to be the general consensus. Alcohol tends to be more intense than marijuana. When AL was asked which he prefers, he simply exclaims, “Weed! With weed you can literally do absolutely nothing and be completely content with your life.” In contrast with alcohol, which tends to make people want to be more reckless, usually translating to getting behind the wheel of a car, or picking a fight with someone. According to one source, alcohol is by far the most prevalent drug used among college students. In fact about 45 percent of college students report drinking alcohol on a weekly or more basis (Presley, Meilman).

Unfortunately, because alcohol is legal, most students find it to be the lesser of the two evils, and safer than marijuana. This is also due in part to the war on drugs tireless campaign against marijuana specifically. This is sadly just misinformation, in fact according to drugwarfacts.org, 85,000 people die per year from alcohol. Marijuana, in contrast has never killed anybody. There are zero deaths linked to marijuana in history. (drugwarfacts.org). Also, alcohol has a higher risk of dependency than marijuana. College students still drink much more then they do smoke weed.

I asked VP what he preferred, joints, blunts, or bowls, he said without even thinking, “Joints all the way.” But how college students consume marijuana varies and is mostly up to personal preference. I have learned from my time here that blunts tend to be the most popular form of smoking weed on campus, mostly because they are convenient to smoke outside, and they are the perfect amount of cannabis for a small group of friends. A blunt is a cheap cigar, cut down the middle and gutted of all its tobacco, then filled with broken up cannabis and rolled into a slow burning, long joint. The blunt is rumored to actually originate from the city of Philadelphia. When I asked AL what method he prefers, he explained, “I like bongs, but you can't smoke a bong wherever you want, so I prefer a well rolled joint.” A bong is a type of pipe primarily used for marijuana; it has a long wide chamber for collecting smoke, and a water chamber at the bottom. The smoke is drawn down the bowl and stem, and filtered through the water, making the bubbling sound familiar to most “stoners”. Bongs tend to create the largest hits compared to joints or even regular bowls, but because of their large size they are not as versatile as other methods of smoking.

At Drexel, marijuana tends to be a drug mostly used by guys, but I myself know plenty of girls who smoke the plant. I think the reason it seems more prevalent among guys is the fact that Drexel as a very large male population compared to females. Also, many girls believe that it isn't very “lady-like” to smoke weed. So if they do smoke, they may not admit it, or do it often.

Marijuana is in fact a drug, there is no denying that. But its effects are not as serious as other hard drugs, or even as alcohol. Marijuana tends to make people silly. I asked AL to give me a story of a time he was high, and he referenced a time he smoked with none other than VP. “We started asking each other random questions, then we started rhyming, saying things like, if you were a mouse, would you live in a house?” They continued in this Doctor Seuss rhyming trend for almost a half an hour. Only taking breaks for their uncontrollable laughter.

Walking around Drexel's campus, it is easy to find someone smoking weed. There are certain spots where smokers tend to culminate. One of which is the benches by race street. Prior to the opening of the Northside Dining Terrace, I would go out to Race Street and literally every bench would be full of people, and a cloud of cannabis will be rising over the horizon. After the dining terrace opened, it seems like the area is less populated, but still, on any given night one could run into a group of smokers or two.

There doesn't seem to be any relation between the types of people smoking, and the place they are smoking. Pot smokers tend to smoke wherever they think its safe, at any given time there can be groups of people from all different social backgrounds. Another place commonly used as a place to smoke is Pearl St. Morally I can't say where on Pearl Street, but since it's a narrow street there is very little wind and plenty of cover; making for a great place to partake in illegal activities such as marijuana smoking.

Another great place to smoke (and my personal favorite) is Drexel Park. It is nothing more than an open field on a hill off of Powelton Ave. There are just a few benches and some streetlights, but it has one of the most amazing skyline views of Philadelphia you can find in the area. Of course, the view is that much more breathtaking when you are under the influence.

The Schuylkill Banks is a long pathway running along the banks of the Schuylkill River. It is frequented by joggers during the day but during the night it is almost desolate. The pathway runs under several bridges such as Market and Chestnut Street. These underpasses provide adequate cover from the pouring rain on those off days where you want to smoke some weed but the weather isn't cooperating. It is the farthest walk of all the spots but it is definitely worth the walk. This spot isn't really frequented by a multitude of pot heads, but has been a choice spot for my friends and I over the last few months.

Of course sometimes the most obvious spots are safe enough to smoke a quick joint at. For example, late at night, one can spot a small group of people forming a crude circle on the steps leading up to Calhoun Hall. This is because the steps are far enough away from the building that not many people walk by, and late at night it is easy to miss a bunch of people sitting on the steps. The few people that walk by always flash a dirty look or a giggle when they smell the sweet marijuana smell permeating through the air.

Smokers tend to go unnoticed. We are an unorganized group of people with a common goal. That goal is of course to get as high as possible. We are walking down the sidewalk, we are around the corner from your workplace, we are eating at your favorite restaurant and we deliver your pizza. Smokers are everywhere, and unless you are a smoker yourself, you may walk by a group or an individual smoking weed and not notice at all. When you are a smoker yourself you can always spot a fellow pot head. It is like a sixth sense acquired from years of marijuana use. The smell is the first thing noticed, then a quick glance around your surroundings will reveal someone passing a small white something to another person, or the sound of someone coughing uncontrollably is another dead giveaway. I spot the person smoking weed and I can't help but smile. I know that smokers will be around forever. The legality of it has no affect on the amount of people smoking marijuana in the world. The alcohol prohibition did nothing but increase the amounts of people dying from alcohol poisoning, and the marijuana prohibition is just putting innocent kids into jail or giving them a record that will stick with them for the rest of their lives. Marijuana will never die. No matter how hard the government tries. Hopefully the prohibition will eventually be lifted, and smokers can finally live in peace without constantly looking over their shoulder. That's the world I strive to live in.

Works Cited

“Annual Causes of Death in the United States.” Drug War Facts. October 2009. Web. 1 Mar 2010. http://drugwarfacts.org/cms/?q=node/30>.

Lalli, Andrew. Personal Interview by Paul Benedetti. 1 Mar 2010

Martindale, Gayla. “Marijuana Use Among College Students.” StateUniversity.com/blog. 21 Dec 2010. Web. 2 Mar 2010.

Mohler-Kuo, Meichun, Jae Lee, and Henry Wechsler. “Trends in Marijuana and Other Illicit Drug Use Among College Students: Results From 4 Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study Surveys: 1993-2001.” 52.1 (2001): n. pag. Web. 20 Feb 2010.

Pathak, Vishal. Personal Interview by Paul Benedetti. 28 Feb 2010.

Presley, Cheryl, and Phillip Meilmen. “Alcohol and Drugs on American College Campuses.” (1992): n. pag. Web. 1 Mar 2010. .

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California electorate is divided over an initiative on the November ballot that would legalize marijuana for recreational use.The Public Policy Institute of Ca. poll out Wed (05/19/2010) found t 49 percent of likely voters would support legalization of cannabis, while 48 percent oppose it. The poll has a margin of inaccuracy of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

The state of California already allows medicinal use of cannabis, but would become the first state to legalize recreational use if voters approve the initiative.The poll found that Democrats and independents are far more likely to support the initiative than Republicans. Not overly surprising. Support also is higher in the Bay Area, while L.A. and the Central Valley remain divided.The survey found that men are more likely to favor legalization than women.

Introduction

Behind the scenes of our own ignorance lurks a beast, which calls himself the father of our country. This beast is known for his fallacies and his rhetorical speeches. He is known to find corners in cover-ups and conspiracies. The evidence against him is incredible and seeks to find an audience uninterrupted by his scare tactics.

In the late 19th century this beast reared his ugly head through a man known as Henry Asslinger who was a powerful figure confined within the form of this vicious animal. He was a known racist against Blacks and Hispanics, and as marijuana made its way from Mexico and was introduced as a recreational drug in the music scene, composed mostly of black jazz musicians, Asslinger realized his opportunity to convince others of his racist views. A mass hysteria ensued, stirred by Asslinger's straw for power.

Under the influence of this beast was also a coalition of business owners who were promised great profit in the downfall of one of man's greatest industrial, medicinal and social treasures on earth. It his here the great beast we know as our government overstepped its bounds in the name of protecting its people.

Acres and acres of hemp were burned down, leaving a smokescreen of manipulation and political propaganda behind them. A new industrial world had begun, built on a toxic chemical known as petroleum. Hemp, which was once a widely used plant utilized for everything from making fiber for clothes, sails, parachutes, paper as well as other useful products like bio-plastic was banned. Instead, it had become known as the wretched surge of marijuana in our youth. It was now a sin, and was the route of all that is evil.

Our very constitution was written on hemp paper. George Washington himself was known to grow fields of it on his plantation

for several reasons, one being his chronic tooth pain. “Make the most of the Indian hemp seed, and sow it everywhere!” (Washington, 1794) The founder of this nation might be disappointed if he discovered that hundreds of years later it was considered a criminal act to grow it or possess it. The truth, no one protected hemp in the constitution because no one ever thought its benefits would be taken away.

Now because the beast had come, everyone yielded in an irrational dumbfounded fear; a fear, that still plagues this country today. The growth of hemp has become a bureaucratic time bomb threatening our industrial and social development. It is time to make the tumors in our brainwashed minds, benign. It starts here with a real education. We will take our country from the beast and put him back on leash where he can protect us from one another instead of attempting to protect us from ourselves. Our personal decisions must remain intact. Prohibitions, like those on marijuana, refuse us of our rights to choose, and hinder our further abilities to learn about moderation and control.

We are in a crisis that we have become ignorant too. From a social stance, our children have been exposed to far more lethal drugs while marijuana peaks through the soils of our street. They are not being taught about personal responsibility, and many use marijuana for recreational use because of its easy access. We cannot keep a substance like marijuana under control if we cannot see it. We cannot guide our children in the right direction when we don't know what streets they are crossing. Marijuana grows within the depths of the darkness of the black market. As a society we are still blinded by this darkness. We must bring it into light where it can be observed.

Beyond the social dilemmas remains an environmental one. If we continue to walk the path of marijuana prohibition, we may have far more environmental issues than we had ever imagined. Our heavens are filling up with toxins. We are filling our landfills with non-biodegradable hazards. We are cutting down all of our trees and destroying our wildlife. We are using non-renewable resources and soon we will be left with nothing but rare consumables. If we continue to abuse our environment in the name of protecting our youth, we may be looking at a future where we remain inside a human manufactured biosphere, which protects us from acid rain and gaseous poisons like carbon monoxide. The issue has already been recognized. We have taken the path of a costly alternative already, with fuel cells and solar panels as well as hybrid vehicles, but we have a much cheaper one, an alternative that was used centuries ago.

All of this has occurred in the name of protecting us from ourselves, because in the eyes of the beast, choice is not an option unless it is made for us. We must take our lives back. We must create a stronger healthier nation and protect our interests not only socially and politically, but environmentally as well. Putting hemp back into our lives will be a start. We must take ignorance by the hand and walk it down the road to the local schoolhouse. We must legalize marijuana and show the beast, we can in fact be a responsible people.

Social & Political Factors

“More than two decades after it was launched in response to the spread of crack cocaine-and in the midst of a brand new wave of methamphetamine use sweeping the country-the government crackdown has shifted from hard drugs to marijuana.” (Dreyfuss, 2005)

The anti-drug war has gone on for years. Time passes and nothing is accomplished accept for a shift into the focus on marijuana and an increase in costs for law enforcement, leaving little funds for the enforcement of more lethal drugs. With costs assessed at $4 billion annually, the growth of marijuana arrests over the 1990's has not decreased its usage or its availability. As reported by the Drug Reform Coordination Network, it has not demonstrated any impact of usage or any reduction of criminal behavior. “Our analysis of criminal justice processing of marijuana use over the 1990s suggests that the contemporary approach is apportioning resources inefficiently at each stage of the system.”" (Drug Reform Coordination Network, 2005)

Lives are literally stolen; prisons are overflowing; the death tolls are rising. Whatever happened to the heroin pusher across the street anyway? He is probably still there. How do we protect your children by throwing them in jail? We aren't teaching them not to use marijuana. We are teaching them to disrespect the law and law enforcement. Repeated offenses can attest to this. “Pot now accounts for nearly half of the drug arrests nationwide-up from barely a quarter of all busts a decade ago.” (Dreyfuss, 2005) Scaring them with sentences longer than those who are convicted of murder doesn't seem to be working.

Maybe we should frighten our youth by telling them that they could be caught in the middle of a drug bust and get shot in a full out shooting spree by the DEA or other authorities. Maybe that would work. DARE to keep your kids off drugs. Marijuana itself isn't going to kill them, but government officials or a scared dealer will. We can't tell our youth, no one has ever died as a result of marijuana usage. We can say, however no one has ever overdosed on the substance.

The Bush Administration might be eager to scare your children, but they are more inclined to use guilt tactics. “The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy spent more than $3 million for two TV ads during Sunday's Super Bowl. One ad asked viewers: ‘Where do terrorists get their money?' The answer: ‘If you buy drugs, some of it might come from you.'” (Bovard, 2002) Now look around the room and see if your children feel bad about the World Trade Center bombings. It might be time to take control and teach your children the truth.

The truth is that by making it more difficult to traffic drugs, the profit on the drugs goes up on the streets, profiting the terrorists. Who's really to blame? “Unfortunately, U.S. drug laws have done far more to empower terrorists than Bush & CO. would like to admit. Drug laws are far more effective into putting profit into narcotics than law enforcement is at taking profit out.” (Bovard, 2002)

Gary Cartwright, a writer for the Texas Monthly states in an article, “By legalizing drugs, the profitability in their sale would evaporate…” (Cartwright, 2005) The incentive to grow hemp for recreational use could diminish with one decision. “Schoolchildren can't buy hard liquor, but hard drugs are as readily available as candy on the black market.” (Cartwright, 2005) If the government legalized pot, not only would the profits recycle into our own country, but also we would be able to better control its consumption.

Though the profitability of drugs still remains, drug costs are at an all time low and drug availability and purity is at an all time high. The governments on its War on Drugs, has been a monumental failure. (Dreyfuss, 2005)

The gateway drug, it is called, a threshold for the more lethal drugs. Our drug czar, Walters will continue to depict marijuana in this way claiming, “Marijuana use, especially during the teen years, can lead to depression, thoughts of suicide and schizophrenia.” (Dreyfuss, 20005) There is absolutely no evidence for this claim, yet the American public is still being convinced of this fallacy.

The “gateway” effect of this drug may in fact have nothing to do with the substance itself, rather it may have to do with the exposure of other more harmful drugs during its sale. The truth is tobacco and alcohol, are more commonly used first.

Marijuana is taking over our streets and causing our kids to do dumb things, another claim made by those who are less educated on the subject. Kids do dumb things anyway. We educate them; teach them to be responsible. They must learn through their own drive for experience. Nevertheless, marijuana is taking over our youth. Its bad enough; alcohol and tobacco are also taking over our youth, why legalize yet another substance people will have to go into recovery for?

Considering that marijuana is not addictive, the better scenario might be to have our children go into marijuana recovery, rather than to be there when they deal with a heroin or crack addiction. If the drug continues to be on the streets next to where the heroin is sold, they might not only be withdrawing from the heroin, but they may have contracted AIDS, because they shared a dirty needle. Coincidentally they might be smoking marijuana to boost their appetite because the marinol, which is an FDA approved drug, containing THC, didn't work. It's backwards bureaucracy.

If marijuana were legal, it would be out of the hands of drug lords and dealers who profit. It wouldn't be next to lethal drugs. You will definitely not die as a result of one puff of marijuana. You could however die after the first inhalation of crack, the first sniff of cocaine, the first injection or snort of heroin, the first inhalation of crystal methamphetamine, and the first swallow of a tiny little club drug. These are the drugs that should frighten parents and these are the drugs the Anti-drug war should focus on. Marijuana has no place next to them. We have a choice as parents to stop the radical regimes of a racist founded reform. It is up to you to teach your children, not the government, so educate them with a complete education, and leave nothing out.

Marijuana is not the greatest drug, but neither is alcohol or tobacco. Not everyone becomes an alcoholic, or a smoker. We must be given the chance to learn responsibility and moderation as individuals. With choice, we will grow, as individuals, as a society, and as a nation. Without it, we will depend on another force to continue their control and we will be left helpless within its grip with no minds left of our own. The tumors of indoctrination will grow, becoming a lethal carcinogen poisoning any ability to make wise decisions.

Still some people are fighting to keep money in the pockets of politicians, under the influence of bureaucratic brainwashing. Petroleum junkies pay ignorance to stick around for the propaganda parade. Drug education is filled with fallacy, rumor and vague ill stated claims. Marijuana remains the focus of an anti-drug war that only acts as a precipitant for lack of respect for the law.

“Dare to keep kids off drugs” is a challenge successfully making false innuendos that create a barrage of confusion for our youth. Their logic is based off of the same unfounded fears that started the marijuana prohibition. It is based off of correlations manipulated to create a supportive statistic. Information is coincidentally left out to create a more persuasive conclusion. It will kill you. It will make you lazy. It will make you insane. It will cause your children to become depressed, and suicidal. It could make your child a schizophrenic. Cut it down, burn it.

Plastered all over DARE's website are headlines like “girl is charged in teen's death; Police say marijuana is a factor”. Coincidentally marijuana was not the only “factor”, but it was one worth mentioning for their purposes. The girl ran a stop sign. She was an inexperienced driver, and a young teenager distracted by friends. The article states significant amounts of marijuana were found in her system. For anyone uneducated about how marijuana is detected through testing, it might seem like a good argument, but if someone understands that marijuana can be in the system for weeks, and blood testing detects inactive metabolites of cannabis and not active metabolites, as well as the fact that lab testing for metabolites is often inaccurate because certain substances give inaccurate positives, it doesn't seem to be a reputable claim. Blood tests tell us how many metabolites are in the system, but it isn't a record of recent intake, rather a record of intake over time. How can the police tie this inconclusive evidence to the case?

If marijuana is truly the cause, a lesson is to be taught. It is a substance that one needs to be responsible about. Even our parents are confused about it though, they have fear clouding their judgment.

Is it really a “factor” without a definition? These questions go unanswered. Seemingly significant information pertaining to the real truth of this case is left out, leaving the reader into a hyper-hysteria about how a teenager smoked some marijuana, ran a stop sign, crashed into a bus, and then killed one of her friends, and left the others badly injured.

DARE may claim that legalization would further confuse our youth. What's more confusing to our youth is the lack of legalization for marijuana while more harmful chemicals such as tobacco and alcohol are available with a little extra tax. Marijuana's adverse effects fall into the same range as those allowable by other legal drugs, yet it is still “too harmful” to legalize.

It is amazing how the government can claim that a substance such as marijuana, can make you stupid, when the government allows tobacco companies to spike tobacco with addictive and harmful substances with little to no penalties, and then spends billions of dollars on a drug war whose focus is on a substance that isn't addictive. The government then has the audacity to claim that the drug is a gateway drug when statistically our youth smokes tobacco and drink alcohol before they engage in smoking marijuana.

These cases have nothing to do with marijuana. They are cases about government control. They are cases about personal responsibility. One must be responsible with marijuana as one must be responsible with alcohol or any other substance consumed that can affect oneself in a potentially negative manner. As a famous comedian once pointed out, “This is not a war on drugs, it is a war on personal freedom…” (Hicks, 1990)

Environmental& Political Factors

It isn't too harmful to legalize. The truth starts here. We are a petroleum-based country and our tankers are already capsized. Thank you President Bush for your kind offering about becoming a non-dependent nation. Put your money where your mouth is, step off your podium and start planting some hemp seeds. Tell the American public if we had fields of hemp we could combine the hemp seed oil with 15% methanol, cheaper and more easily, and make a diesel fuel substitute that burns %70 cleaner than our petroleum based diesel. In fact, the hydrocarbons found in hemp can be used to make a variety of fuel sources. In addition to a reduction in acid rain our conventional fuel plants release poisonous CO2 into the atmosphere while hemp flues maintain a natural O2/Co2 balance. Instead of protecting our youth, you are in fact putting our entire society at risk with an environmental crisis.

Minimum wage is at a stand still, as inflation creeps across the nation in rising fuel costs. People watch as the prices of products rise as a result. Let's tell the American public that companies like Sterilite support your DARE organizations because they are afraid they will be impacted negatively with a decrease in profits if a more biodegradable plastic were made out of a hemp plant's cellulose. Tell them that this technology has been available for years, and about how all of our landfills would have been saved from our countries petroleum based non-biodegradable plastic.

The truth about our dwindling forests is also a concern. More and more trees are cut down to keep up with the demand of paper products. It is such a crisis, that we have measures to prevent their dwindling by circulating the crop. It takes pine trees a 30 year life cycle. That is a large circle of trees to replace. In addition the yield for the fiber produced per acre from pine is only 3 tons per acre. Our solutions never included growing hemp to replace the cultivation of pine fiber at a yield of 12 tons per acre because, despite the fact that the hemp grown for industrial use doesn't even contain enough THC to get an individual high, growing hemp is illegal. Their argument is that if they allowed industrial hemp to grow then cultivators might be able to hide a more potent crop for illegal use, when in fact the crop would cross pollinate damaging the crop used for industry.

We still use cotton. Why? Cotton only yields .03 tons per acre, a large waste of our time and our land. Hemp's yield is not only higher, but hemp holds an additional quality that cotton fails to. As our ozone depletes faster because of the chemicals we burn, the sun bombards us with more harmful ultra violet rays, which is blocked naturally as long as a product is made with more than 50% hemp. Cloth made from hemp fiber is more durable. It is stronger, more absorbent and softer than cotton.

With five to ten thousand people dying of cancer related to pesticides each year you would think that maybe we would think twice about the need to keep our cotton pesticide free. Hemp never needed pesticides, and naturally crowded out other weeds that attempted to invade its space. (Rousell, 2005) Cotton takes up quite a bit of water for its growth, yet hemp requires little water and can grow in cooler climates. Cloth made from hemp fiber requires fewer chemicals than cotton. (Rousell, 2005)

With all of these factors, maybe we should open our eyes and make a change. Hemp is one of the primary renewable resources on earth. Its maintenance is simple, its yield is high and its cycle of growth is rapid. Among usages that would virtually replace polluting petroleum, a variety of other uses can be made out of the hemp plant.

Conclusion

Education and moderation is the key to our survival as a society. We must be wise have compassion and not turn our face from possible dangers. We do not take hot ovens out of our houses because we are afraid it will burn our children. We should not take marijuana out of responsible adults hands because some individuals are irresponsible. We should not take hemp out of our industry because it also produces a natural psychoactive substance. The substance may be as useful as the occasional drink at a dinner party. Teaching our youth responsibility is our job as parents and as a society. It is not the governments.

We must utilize this resource and take a chance and not allow the beast to consume us one by one while it lashes out for power and control. Soon we will be locked in our homes out of fear for ourselves and one another propagated by a hysterical exaggerated government scheme. As long as the government continues to make our laws for us, we will lose more and more freedoms. Everything we fought for, for so long, our personal freedom, will be eradicated in one sweeping glimpse as we look back wondering how it happened. Consider yourself educated. We must act now while we have a choice, and make the right one.

References

Bovard, James. “The Bush Administration's ‘Drugs=Terrorism' Fraud.” The Future Of Freedom Foundation. (2002). April 2002. http://www.fff.org/comment Retrieved from the WIU Library EbscoHost database September 5, 2005

Cartwright, Gary. “Weed All About It.” Texas Monthly. (2005) July, 2005. (pp.86-88, 99) Retrieved from the WIU library EbschoHost database September 5, 2005.

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Editors. “Greatest American Hero: Bill Hicks”. Stuff Magazine. (2003) February 24, 2003. http://www.stuffmagazine.com/articles/index.aspx?id=296

Roussel, Scott , Roussel, Janice. “The benefits of hemp”. San Diego Earth Times Online Posting. 2005 http://www.ecomall.com/greenshopping/sdethemp7.htm

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