The Truth About Marijuana
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The Stories You Were Told
Before you even read this, or dismiss it, open your mind. The Stories you were told were not entirely accurate. In fact, even today, you are being spoon fed the nonsense the government has been feeding you since the 30's. Not that some of it isn't absolutely true. It's just that there is a whole lot you do not know because you were never told. Some people are so hooked on the information they won't even open their minds to hearing any information to the contrary.
In fact, most people will imagine that if I am writing this I am probably typing some on my laptop and then taking a few hits off my bong, then typing some more...truth is, many supporters of Marijuana do not actually smoke it. Some have never smoked it and never would. They are supporters because they have seen the benefits marijuana has had on their friends or loved ones with various illnesses or severe pain.
I don't have some goal of converting non-supporters or convincing anyone of anything. I just want the truth to be out there. Frankly, more and more people support the medicinal use of marijuana every day. The so called "war on drugs" that has cost our country billions and has done virtually nothing to stop drug use whatsoever, is consistently losing at this game. Although I am relatively certain they would try to convince the public that is not true. However, this "war" has been going on for decades and aside from the more mild and non-addictive drugs like marijuana you can still easily locate heroine, cocaine, crack, all kinds of hallucenogens, and of course benzos (xanax and the like) that are sold with prescriptions, they are available at a much higher street price of course.
Lets Debunk a few Myths...
Very few people ever get into car accidents or end up in the emergency room because they smoked a joint. Chances are if they got high, they didn't even have the energy to get into the car in the first place. When I as a kid I remember driving on the parkway with my friend Suzie. Suzie was driving. I never drove stoned. (Yeah I smoked Pot, it was the 70's and I was a closet wild child). I Didn't trust myself driving stoned plus I was always easily distracted. All I had to do was see something shiney and sparkly and would start mentally driving toward it or be so distracted I would just stare at it and lose track of what I was doing in the first place.
Some friends of mine were so hyper-focused on pot, they actually drove better. Suzie drove slower. We were perplexed as to why those rude drivers kept flying by us and honking their horns and even occasionally yelling at us. Apprently even in the right lane you have to go somewhat faster than 25 mph.
So no, pot smokers do not generally cause car accidents. Do not confuse the very legal alcohol drinking and driving issue with marijuana. Oh but drinking and driving is not legal AnnMarie. Really? Because people do it every single day and alcohol is legal. Alcohol also causes liver disease, marijuana does not cause liver disease. Oh and marijuana is NOT legal like alcohol. Why you ask? Let me give you a very REAL history of marijuana a little later okay? Right now we are debunking some myths. Just some, I cannot possibly address ALL of them in one Hub.
Marijuana is a "Gateway" drug. Hmmm...really? No.
Most users of heroin, LSD and cocaine have used marijuana. However, most marijuana users never use another illegal drug.
There has been no consistent relationship between the use patterns of various drugs. In fact, as marijuana use increased in the 60s and 70s, Ah I remember it well, heroin use declined. And, when marijuana use declined in the 1980s, heroin use remained fairly stable.
For the past 20 years, as marijuana use-rates fluctuated, the use of LSD hardly changed at all. Cocaine use increased in the early 1980s as marijuana use was declining and during the last few years, cocaine use has continued to decline as marijuana use has increased slightly.
In short, there is no inevitable relationship between the use of marijuana and other drugs. In the Netherlands, although marijuana prevalence among young people increased during the past decade, cocaine use decreased—and remains considerably lower than in the United States. Whereas approximately 16% of young marijuana users in the U.S. have tried cocaine, the comparable figure for Dutch youth is 1.8 percent. The Dutch policy of allowing marijuana to be purchased openly in government-regulated "coffee shops" was designed specifically to separate young marijuana users from illegal markets where heroin and cocaine are sold. Apparently, this works quite well. I have been to Amsterdam, loved it. Had my nose pierced there.
My best friend Claire, god rest her soul, became a heroin addict in her 30's. Prior to that nightmare, she had always been an A student, worked through college, became a psychologist and never smoked a joint in her life.
Here is a good one. Marijuana causes cancer. No, cigarettes cause cancer. What? Cigarettes are legal? I know!! Apparently crap that can kill you is legal and crap that mellows you out and makes you less hostile and aggressive is against the law!! In any case, truth is, marijuana does NOT cause cancer. On the contrary, recent studies by actual real scientists in 2007 found that marijuana, yes pot, actually has benefits!! Yes, benefits that fight cancer. Don't believe me? You can look it up. I will even tell you where. It's pretty damn easy to find.
Now, the 2007 research. Printed in ScienceDaily (Apr. 17, 2007) — "The active ingredient in marijuana cuts tumor growth in common lung cancer in half and significantly reduces the ability of the cancer to spread, say researchers at Harvard University who tested the chemical in both lab and mouse studies." The active ingredient is called Delta-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Apprently this works on highly aggressive lung cancers that are resistent to chemotherapy.
Did you know that cannabinoids are naturally produced in our bodies? But it is true and the experts at Harvard University also confirmed this:
"THC that targets cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2 is similar in function to endocannabinoids, which are cannabinoids that are naturally produced in the body and activate these receptors. The researchers suggest that THC or other designer agents that activate these receptors might be used in a targeted fashion to treat lung cancer"... See? I told you.
Wait, there's more. It's not just for lung cancer anymore...
Researchers learned that cannabinoids have been associated with anti-carcinogenic effects, which are responsible in preventing or delaying the development of cancer.
This article was originally published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute Advance Access and online on December 25, 2007:
"Cancer cells that were treated with combinations of cannbinoids, antagonists of cannbinoid receptors, and small interfering ribo nucleic acid of 'siRNA' to tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1) were assessed for invasiveness, protein expression, and activation of signal tranduction pathways". Yeah, I know, I don't understand it either, but wait, there's more...
The biggest contribution of this breakthrough discovery is that the expression of TIMP-1 was shown to be stimulated by cannabinoid receptor activation and to mediate the anti-invasive effect of cannabinoids.
Okay so what they are saying is that they learned that treatment with cannabinoids, one of the active ingredients of the medicinal side of marijuana, has been shown to reduce the invasiveness of cancer cells. Prior to now the cellular mechanisms underlying this effect were unclear and the relevance of the findings to the behavior of tumor cells in vivo remains to be determined. hmmm...
But in fairness, recently studies have linked testicular cancer to marijuana. However, they consistently say MAY increase risk for testicular cancer and nothing has yet been determined to be conclusive.
Okay so clearly we understand now that marijuana does not cause lung cancer, on the contrary. Cigarettes however, do still contribute to lung cancer. Cigarettes have carcinogens and marijuana does not. See the difference?
We already know that Marijuana is used to increase the appetite of cancer patients. As usually after chemotherapy they have no appetite and tend to waste away. Smoking gives them an appetite, which in turn gives their bodies the minerals and vitamins they need to build up their immunities. Chemotherapy kills everything, not just the cancer. As I type this the medical communitiy aggressively seeks alternative methods to chemotherapy to cure cancer. Marijuana has shown some positive effects that may help in the treatment of certain cancers without slowly killing what good cells the patient has left.
Additionally, marijuana works on pain receptors. In the United States, Sativex is being studied in large randomized trials in cancer pain that has not been adequately relieved by opioids. (Sativa is a certain kind of Marijuana, not all marijuana has the same levels of Sativa). Three early and six pivotal controlled studies in the United Kingdom demonstrated positive results treating chronic pain of various origins including neurologic pain, various symptoms of multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and cancer pain. Initial results show improvement in pain for more than one year despite lack of effectiveness of the opioids. Common adverse effects of Savitex have included complaints of bad taste, stinging, dry mouth, dizziness, nausea or fatigue.
What is interesting is that nausea usually decreases with marijuana and is used specifically for this purpose as well. Marijuana in general has always caused dry mouth, fatigue, some dizziness and munchies.
"Munchies" are uncontrollable cravings to eat everything in your house. If you have a teenager and have noticed that on certain occasions he/she has come home eaten all your left overs, a pint of ice cream, and an entire package of Oreo's while polishing off a gallon of milk, odds are they were stoned. Cereal, oh yes, Cereal is also a big stoner favorite.
Marijuana is addictive. Well, actually, marijuana has NO addictive properties so it cannot be physically addictive. However, one can convince themselves that they are addicted to rubber duckies if they want to and my youngest son is convinced he is "addicted' to Coca cola and insists this each time he wants some. "Mom, please" he pleads "I NEED IT!!!". Of course, he is not addicted to it, he just enjoys drinking it and I usually do not let him. This only makes it more attractive.
Still, as I stated earlier, we can convince ourselves we are addicted to anything and Marijuana is no different. But since Marijuana gives one a feeling of "relaxation" or what is classified as a "high" or "good feeling" sensation, we can very easily convince ourselves that we need, what we merely want. My son does not NEED cola, he WANTS it. He LOVES drinking it. We can get addicted psychologically by telling ourselvs that we NEED what, in reality, we just really really want. We really really want that relaxing high. We in no way need it and our bodies do not crave it.
How Did this Happen???
So you might be asking yourself, "Why did they make pot illegal anyway?" Or you might be asking ME. Okay, fine, I will tell you why, because I doubt you know. I mean, do you know most people don't even know that pot was LEGAL in this country and we had smoking cafes just like they do in Amsterdam? It's true. In fact, in the 1600's it was illegal NOT to grow pot. Of course it was called Hemp then and used for a wide variety of purposes; clothing, paper, food, rope, incense, you could even pay your taxes with it. Your Taxes!!
Not like Hemp wasn't around much much longer. It was believed that in 7,000 - 8,000 b.c. fabric was made from dried hemp weed.
Of course it went through Europe first and only began to be smoked in 900 -1000.
It wasn't until 1492 that Cannibas Sativa came to America, thanks to a man named Christopher Colombus. Oh, and George, as in Washington, grew Hemp as his primary crop in 1797.
In 1876, the Sultan of Turkey gave marijuana to the United States as a gift. By 1880, Turkish smoking parlors were opened all over the northeastern U.S.
How Green Was My Country?
Back when we grew Hemp and used it for paper, instead of trees, Mr Ford also invented a vehicle made from Hemp Plastic. It was his first Model T and it ran on Hemp ethanol.
Sooooo.....why is this not considered a form of "green" ing our country? If we are serious about "saving our planet" then why not use the logical green venue of Hemp? The use of Hemp is not the same as marijuana. You cannot smoke Hemp and get a "high" from it. We could be using Hemp to keep our forests green, and to cut our dependence on oil. Why are we so interested in researching soy and corn when we know for a fact that Hemp is a most reliable resource?
Because it's Hemp? Well no, because of a man named Aslinger. An ignorant man who loved propaganda and not necessarily truth. During the last few years of Alcohol Prohibition (1919 - 1933) in 1930, Aslinger became the first commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics. A very ambitious little prohibitionist who waged an all out war on Marijuana.
It wasn't hard to do, understand by this time marijuana had largely become associated with the jazz musicians who were of course, black. Newspapers said that marijuana made black men "look white men in the eye" and "look at white woman twice". Apparently this freaked out white people as I guess at this point in time this was considered "aggressive black behavior".
The Harrison Act had already outlawed Cocaine and Opiates but that wasn't enough for Mr. Aslinger who was going to clean up our country. He did this by working to make marijuana illegal on every level. He did that by using racism and violence to get everyone's attention. It always does doesn't it?
Aslinger read something called the "Gore Files" at the time and it actually said in these files and this is a direct quote:
“There are 100,000 total marijuana smokers in the US, and most are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos, and entertainers. Their Satanic music, jazz, and swing, result from marijuana use. This marijuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes, entertainers, and any others.”
“…the primary reason to outlaw marijuana is its effect on the degenerate races.”
The "Degenerate races"...get that?
Okay, so Aslinger, the hate monger has an agenda. And Americans in the 30's were not the sophisticated, educated, intelligent people they are today. Yes, well, these are people who believed the government never did anything those "other governments do" and everything you read in the paper was true. Aslingers job was not going to be that difficult.
And as additional insurance to that end, he had Mr. William Randoph Hearst and his newspapers to help him out - and Hearst had good reason to help, he hated mexicans first of all and on top of that he was heavily invested in timber to support his chain of newspapers. He didn't need the development of hemp paper as competition. And lying and telling racist stories of Mexicans using weed and becoming violent sold those newspapers of his. This was a match made in heaven.
So Hearst and Aslinger strolled together through Yellow Journalism, racism and lies and oh, how could I forget, with the Help of the Pharmaceutical companies and their money, fighting the evil devil marijuana was a breeze. Why would the pharmaceutical companies care? Because they already knew by the use of cannabis based (legal) drugs in the early 1800's that this could become a problem for them.
So with all that money, legal pull and racism and lies, Aslinger managed to get the bill to illegalize marijuana in August 1937. Another little known fact was that the AMA was against it. But Aslinger, in his brilliance, managed to misconstrue the AMA's opinion on marijuana and use it to his advantage. Based on the lie that the AMA was FOR the bill to make marijuana illegal, he got the bill passed.
Oh yes, and the simple fact that Americans were the greenest people on the planet.
And the bull goes on....
The propaganda machine continued to churn into the 1960's. But in spite of that the college students didn't seem to be detered. By 1965 an estimated 1 million Americans had tried marijuana. However, by 1972 over 24 million Americans had tried marijuana, maryjane, weed, pot, smoke...clearly marijuana was gaining in popularity.
And then along came Nixon and his "war on drugs". People actually started getting arrested in droves for smoking, selling or just carrying marijuana.
Did you know about Don Crowe? He was a Twenty-five year old Vietnam veteran. Don Crowe was convicted of selling marijuana to an undercover cop. It was his first offense and the amount of marijuana was under an ounce. He was sentenced to 50 years in prison. No that wasn't a type-o, I didn't accidently add a 0. 50 years! Nowadays you commit murder and you are out in less than 10.
In 1972, The National Commission on Marijuana and Drug Abuse released a report which would be the most comprehensive study on marijuana ever done. The commission took the position that smoking marijuana in one's own home should not be criminalized. Nixon threw the report in the garbage can without ever reading it. Let me get this straight Dick, watergate good, marijuana bad...hmmm...
The DEA is coming!! The DEA is coming!!
In 1972 the scawey, scawey Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) was born. They were allowed to enter homes without knocking, gather intelligence, so called, on anyone, and do illegal wire tapping too!!
By the time Reagan became President middle class American adults were pot smokers and were fighting against the "machine" to get the truth out. But Reagan was just as ignorant about it as Nixon.He was going to be the big drug super hero. But he got about as far as Nixon did. No real strides were made in stopping the drug machine.
To date the DEA and the US Government has spent well over 30 billion on their "war on drugs" and needless to say, it hasn't helped much, at all. This is a war this country is losing and with good reason. The efforts are based in the wrong place. Instead of chasing down marijuana plants and proudly declaring how that farmer won't be growing pot for a long time, why aren't we stopping the cocaine, heroin and LSD? Why are we running after a plant instead of the drugs that actually kill people? Drugs that truly destroy lives and much faster and more thorough than marijuana ever could. Truly addictive drugs with no positive purpose whatsoever.
Wouldn't our tax dollars be better spent on, oh I don't know, chasing real drug lords instead of pot dealers on Main street? Finding ways to get farmers to grow hemp and use it as it was used in the beginning? Continue research to discover the many medicinal and constructive uses of marijuana?
Judge Francis Law, a DEA administrative law judge, held hearings on the medical benefits of marijuana. He found that marijuana has a clearly established medical use and recommended that it be reclassified as a prescription drug. However, no action was taken to reclassify marijuana based on Law's findings. But that was the 70's.
In 1996, California passed Proposition 215, the first U.S. medical marijuana law. Today Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington have passed medical marijuana laws. Several other states are also considering legalizing medical marijuana.
Currently marijuana activists are working for marijuana reform and fighting for medical marijuana laws. The U.S. National Institute of Health spent $1 million on medical research to investigate the therapeutic effects of synthetic chemicals that mimic the effects of smoking marijuana. At Temple University, research is also being done on synthetic marijuana.
Meanwhile, the U.S. government, which supposedly has no horse in the medical marijuana race, has patented medical marijuana. US Patent 6630507 was assigned to the United States of America, as represented by the Department of Health and Human services on October 7, 2003 and protects "Cannabinoids as antioxidants and neuroprotectants."
mmm hmm...
The Whole Truth and Nothing but the....
Truth. Such a rare commodity these days, well I guess always really, judging by the research I have done. I am exhausted at all the propaganda I came across during this reserach. They are still telling the "makes you unable to learn and retain information" nonsense and could affect your growth.
D.A.R.E. to keep kids off drugs. In my area they go school to school and talk to children about the evils of drugs. Well, mostly pot and alcohol. They went to my 11 year olds school to talk to him and his 5th grade peers.
They said drug could stunt your growth and causes cancer. My son raised his hand to protest these lies and said outloud that Pot does not cause cancer but actually can help cancer patients. They shut him up quickly and would not allow him to speak again.
He slammed the car door and immediately began to talk when I picked him up that day.
"Well mom" he said "They're still lying to kids about pot".
"Who is 'they' honey?"
"Those stupid cops that do the D.A.R.E. stuff. They talked to my class today and they wouldn't even let me talk, I was trying to correct them and they wouldn't let me say anything".
I laughed "Oh my God honey, they're not going to let you tell the truth to a bunch of 5th graders, they tell them whatever they can to keep them from smoking pot."
"You're not against Pot are you mom?"
"Well, I think of it much like most people think of alcohol, I think it is your choice if you are 21 and older. But it isn't a choice a child can make honey".
"But do they have to lie? Wait, wait, mom ...Alcohol kills people, they drive drunk and it's bad for your liver..."
"I didn't say I thought alcohol was okay, I said that pot should be treated the same way. 21 and over. Honey, I don't think its a good idea to tell the police what you know about pot and how do you know so much anyway?"
"The Internet".
Maybe the internet should be 21 and over.
I must say there was a great deal I could not write regarding the complete history of marijuana as this hub would have gone on forever. It was never my intention to give the pro's and con's or to reiterate the nonsense that has been circulating for decades. It was my intention to oppose the majority of inaccurate stories about marijuana in addition to the facts that no one ever talks about as to why it is illegal in the first place. I just thought it would be nice to get the "other side", you know, the one with some truth in it.
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there is no doubt that marijuana is a good chronic pain suppressor. I have (seen) plenty of evidence of that. There is also no doubt excessive use tends to lead to almost chronic paranoia. Again I have seen and experienced plenty of evidence of that. The problem is abuse. Isn't always? for everything? including fast food? And that in my mind and experience is associated with when a substance becomes a culture, ably helped by a paranoid attitude towards it in society as a whole. The same paranoid attitude so prevalent and rife in north america towards alcohol, much less so in europe where we "learn" drinking from a younger age as something which should be done but done in moderation and self-controlled. I'd never heard of fetal alcohol syndrome until I came over here... With the exception of scandinavia of course, at least in my time there, where government attitudes are similar to north america , and the effects are or were clear for all to see. That doesnt mean nobody drinks to excess in (the rest of) europe, it does happen. Just much less than over here and out in the open, unlike here where it is "hidden and private", and the effects are chronic, leading to yet more societal paranoia.. a vicious circle.
A fine hub! Corporate drug companies have lobbied against pot for years. Pot would replace a tremendous amount of man made drugs. Many people would grow their own pot = much less money for drug companies.
May herbs that have healing capabilities are totally ignored my the medical community. They want the populous to buy pills and use their treatments. Keeping pot illegal is about money...it always has been.
it is also true Tom that "big tobacco" has for decades deposited and registered all kinds of "trade or brand names", just in case or for when it becomes legal to manufacture and sell marijuana cigaretes lol..... no unified front against "drugs" in corporations here :)
Hi Resspenser - That is horrible about your step-son. I am and have always been against driving while impaired, by anything. Which is why I never drank or got high and got behind the wheel of a car. I just preferred playing it safe. I do not understand why others don't think the same way. It just isn't worth it.
The issue with marijuana is that there are so many positives and negatives. And no one wants the responsibility. Particularly politicians. Which may be irrelevant as long as Phamaceutical companies keep financing campaigns to keep it illegal anyway. Thank you for your comment my friend...
Hi Paul - Thank you for coming by. Yes, I agree pot being illegal does feed the paranoia which tends to exist with use of certain types of marijuana to begin with.
I am wondering if perhaps Americans in general seem to have a problem with "moderation" and "self control". Many cannot seem to do this with alcohol so there is not reason to believe they will do it with marijuana. However, simply because it is illegal changes the fact that this occurs about as much as prohibition stopped people from drinking.
Hello Tom!! Yes, i agree. It is clearly in the best interested of the drug companies to keep pot illegal, as they would do with any other herbs that have medicinal uses and again you are correct, there are many that do. But they are not even "evaluated by the FDA" because of this reason, with the exception of just a few. And the AMA is the one that tries to get these done as there only interest is finding what will treat or help their patients as oppossed to the pharmaceutical companies. People will absolutely start growing their own, but many won't and there will still be money in it. Now, if the government puts a tax on that we will be out of debt in no time, no time at all...
BRAVO !!! VERY EXCELLENT ARTICLE! I believe many more should read this and actually get some facts about the plant ( herb ).
I think it should be legal in every state for medical useage. I am disabled and on medications that are far more dangerous for my body and health than the marijuana plant.I also truly believe if it were legal to posess in certain quantities for personal use, we would not have so many deaths , what I am gettting at is alcohol and driving is an instant disaster and too many people die every day due to a drunk driver, but have you ever heard of anyone or gotten the statistics for death by marijuana use and driving?. There are none.Marijuana is far safer than alcohol and many other legal chemicals if you look into the actual studies.
I guess I could go on and on, but I will simply stop here. GREAT WORK and VERY INFORMATIVE FOR EVERYONE.
THANK YOU :)
Welcome B.C. and thank you so much for commenting. I agree completely, marijuana should be legal to a certain extent. I am sorry that you have issues that make it necessary for you to take many harsh medications. Until we push the pharmaceutical companies aside and demand other resources be researched, these horrific chemicals are all we have. This is why the FDA has to rigorously examine the benefits of natural herbs in general. Many out there are just as good if not better than the chemicals most are forced to ingest for the benefit of the money making companies that just don't really care what we put into our bodies or what it does to us in the long term. I continue to hold out hope and things continue to look better as time goes by...lets not forget we have an up and coming generation that is far more enlightened than the one now or those past. Progress will be made. Take Care BC...
A very excellent Hub. Marijuana has been used for centuries in South Africa too. There was a professor of medicine at a local university who made extensive studies about it and was a passionate promoter of it and a campainer for its legalisation on many grounds. I have just forgotten her name but will do some research soon. I think that it is really absurd that the weed is prohibited but cigarettes and alcohol are legal.
Thanks for writing this and all the research that went into it.
Love and peace
Tony
Hi Tony - Thank you for coming by and commenting. I know, it simply makes no sense whatsoever that things that are as harsh as alcohol and cigarettes and have the potential to kill you are legal and pot isn't. Love and Peace to you too Tony...
I know a couple of pothead type people who are useless but harmless. Much more harmless than your average, say, alchoholic, or other substance abuser. Still, who wants to be a useless pothead?
I also know a couple of people that keep their recreational activities in bounds, on the weekends, much like taking a wee dram of drink or going out to the pub with friends on a Saturday night. It's always nice too keep some perspective and hear all sides of the story.
Thanks for an interesting and informative hub.
Paradise7 - Hello there...yes, exactly. Pothead - bad. People who know how to control it - good. You cannot live with something properly unless you learn to live without it.
Who wants to live a useless worthless life? Those are lost souls. Thank you for stopping by my friend.
All I know is that the friends I had in the 70's who continued to smoke into their adult years are doing absolutely nothing now. Still stuck in the 70's mindset. After I got all the THC outta my system, I had some ambition and certainly no more paranoia. BUT, I do feel it needs to be more widely used for medical purposes. Absolutely. My mother took the synthetic form of THC (marinol) when she had cancer. She liked it and it helped her sleep. So it has it's up and down side.
If I'm not mistaken a person with the last name Rockefeller was a pretty hardcore lobbyist for making hemp illegal. Why does that name ring a bell, and what use for hemp could there be that he would want it gone?? Hmmm. Nice hub!
Ya know I have never smoked weed in my life, I am just a drunk lol. But I have friends that use it for leisure and ones that use it for pain relief. Gotta say you don't write many hubs but when ya do they are worth waiting on.
Dear donotfear - Hello there. There is that issue that many people that try pot do not know how to regulate themselves. This is unfortunate because too much of anything is no good and marijuana is no exception. I have heard a great deal about Marinol and it has been all good.
Thank you for coming by!
Hi Wayne - Interesting...I am going to do some research on any connections between Rockefeller and marijuana being illegal. Thank you so much for coming by and reading my hub!
TattooGuy - You are so sweet. Thank you for your kind words and as always, it is wonderful to see you stop by!!
Though I do not smoke it and will never smoke it, I think it should be legalized. I believe that alcohol is considered "okay" because it is a beverage. Beverages tend to slip under the radar for a while. For example, Coca-Cola used to put cocaine in it. In my opinion, I think that it should be used for medical uses, but not much else. As for cigarettes, they could be cleaned up quite a bit. They add WAY too many chemicals in them. As for cancer, that varies. Cancer occurs naturally in the body. Last year I went to a convention that discussed medicines and new discoveries in that field, and the speaker spoke mostly about cancer. Some people cannot physically get cancer, it is impossible for them to. Those who can, can get their cells to speed it up by doing certain activities (smoking, drinking...).
Unfortunately, most treatments are much more expensive than the average citizen can afford. So pot could be a better alternative to 20 dollars a pill for pain relief. But the government tends to be slow to change. People are still fighting for equal rights, but it hasn't happened yet. Eventually things change, maybe you should write an informed report and present it to your local representatives for consideration. If it's something you really feel strongly about, then go for it.
I love your article moonchild60. Marijuana should be legalize and regulate. But those who benefit from it being illegal will continue to pour million into the pockets of politicians and into propaganda that demonizes marijuana
Great article, full of intellegent info thanks for sharing. see my link I totally agree... http://hubpages.com/hub/Stupidity-AKA-the-War-on-D
take care your new fan
Hi Pheobe - Yes, you are right, change, especially big change, is significantly more difficult to accomplish. It takes a long time. Of course what makes it far more difficult are the people who benefit from keeping it illegal and stand to lose a great deal of money from legalization. Thank you so much for coming by and taking the time to read my hub!!
Hi Jamal - As you see from my comment above, I agree with you completely. It is nice to see you, hope you stop by again soon...
Hello Raguett - I am going to check out your link right now. Thank you for stopping by!
Girl, you sure did your homework on this one. Awesome!
Hey Disturbia - Thanks, I appreciate your coming by and reading it. Hope all is well...
CBS recently rejected an ad from NORML which stated that taxing and regulating marijuana would raise "billions of dollars in national revenue."
Yet they have no problem profiting from the hit show "Marijuana Nation".
Change is happening though. I know the city of Breckenridge, CO recently voted to decriminalize possession of marijuana.
Hi Babyching - Nice to see you. The discrepencies and corporate b.s. is endless. They are scared because they don't want "sponsors" pulling from their shows, the bottom line is their revenue, but they still have the say when it comes to what they want to put on their stations. I know the tide is turning and I look forward to it. Thanks for coming by...
Very interesting hub. I'm not a pot smoker, nevertheless I know a thing or two.
1 If marijuana is made legal every consumer would begin to grow its own so no more money for drug dealers and probably tax collectors.
2 If marijuana is made legal no more money for drug companies as it's cheaper than many legal drugs, and less addictive.
In reality ending the drugs business is pretty easy: like in Holland there could be Coffee Shops and growing pot could be allowed to people, then the simple possession of stronger drugs could be "forgiven" the first time and give an automatic life-sentence the second time. In around ten years drug dealing would simply disappear everywhere. This isn't done for a simple reason: "Ndrangheta" (the mafia from Calabria") alone here in Italy earns around 90.000.000.000 € per year, with that enormous amount of money you can pay everyone, or you can pay someone to kill everyone.
That's the reason behind why they go on fighting drugs and never succeed. Usually they say that they aim to cut the head of the snake, and this is great because in this way you go on TV saying that a drug baron has been arrested and it's possible to leave intact the structure, so that a new baron can appear and business can go on as usual. If instead you cut the body of the snake the head can go nowhere. It's as simple as that.
And all those talks about protecting the young from drugs are useless: in Italy an average of 40-60% of students at high school use drugs and this can only go worse, a simple automatic life-sentence to drug dealers would solve the problem, but probably someone prefers to have a generation of drug addicted, maybe they are easier to control.
Great hub, very well written. Rated up. :)
Hi Hypnodude - Nice to meet you. Thank you for your interesting comments. I had no clue about Italian mafia. I feel strongly compelled to research those guys. I agree everyone can start growing their own, but I am certain that not everybody will be able to do it well. Alot of attention, love and care must be put into growing a "nice" plant. It isn't as easy as just planting seeds. : )
A big thumbs up Moonchild. This is so excellent and brilliantly researched! Found you over on James's hateful homosexual hub so I thought I'd start doing some uplifting reading for a change :) I too have tackled this subject since California State Assemblyman, Tom Ammiano's bill was approved by the State Assembly's Public Safety Committee on January 12th. We'll have to wait until November; however, when the people vote. If it passes, California will become the first state in the union to have marijuana for sale in stores and not just for medicinal purposes. It will also get the state out of near bankruptcy bringing in 1.3 billion dollars a year. BTW I loved your photos! I laughed out loud and I don't even smoke pot (anymore).
Hey Green Lotus - I will have to pop up over to read some of your hubs!! And a former New Yorker too!! Excellent. I am rooting for California to be the first state to sell Marijuana legally. Someone has to be brave enough to be first. That is always the case isn't it? I am telling you, USA has to understand, we are in trouble and good old pot could fix that right quick!! Haha "James Hateful homosexual hub"...I love sparring with James. He is good about it though and very intelligent, otherwise it would be no fun. Thanks so much for coming by!!
Legalize it.............................
You did a great job with this one. Kudos and I'm right behind ya on this. I have known this stuff for years now and you got it right.
This is an outstanding article, my dear. I have always been dead against the war on drugs--what a waste of money, lives, and potential tax revenues. I think all drugs should be legal. After all, whose body is it?! Of course, I have never tried drugs myself. But I think it is a fundamental right to use them if we want to.
Ralwus - thank you my friend. Well, its good to know that some people are aware of the truth. Thank you so much, if you say I got it right, then I must have been right on target!!
James - Always nice to see you. And I am so happy that we are on the same side. Sometimes we are you know. All drugs legal. Interesting point. Everyone does have the freedom to make their own choices as it is their bodies, as you say. I never thought about ALL drugs being legal, but considering people who really want to do them, find them and do them anyway, that is an excellent idea. Perhaps we should acknowledge that we were all given "free will" and let people continue to make their own choices, legally. Wonder if that will ever happen.
Maybe so. I did mean that one would have to get them from a pharmacy, not on the street, so as to end all this gang violence, etc. And, of course, making rehab affordable for those who want help should be one use of the tax revenues.
I think thats a good idea. For people to get them legally. As you say, this would stop the gang violence and the drug kingpins, etc. And another good idea, using tax revenues for rehab for those who wish to get off the drugs. Geez James, good ideas. Still thinking about running for political office one day?
You presented so much information that I never knew before, thanks for giving me knowledge.
I fully agree with every point you make and think that legalisation of weed would benefit us greatly.
One never knows does one? :D
During my college years it was de rigueur to smoke pot...I was the guy that said no thanks and passed the proffered butt to someone else. Watching people fit a roach clip to a scraggly butt and wince as they took a last toke was always stupidity in action for me...Even more entertaining was watching folks take a blast from a bong...No way you can look cool or classy doing those gyrations, plus adding to the pollution of a closed room...I'll take my Absolute Martini, dry, in a chilled glass, thank you...Or a big Red like Jordan, taken in contemplative sips, followed by intelligent and witty conversation...ever observe the conversation in a pot circle..? Not exactly enlightening or penetrating....Larry
LOL!! Larry, I can't even argue with you. I have been involved in and an observer of those pot conversations and there was nothing remotely intelligent about most of them although I remember many attempts at "deep and philosophical" conversations but how far could they really go? Thanks for coming by and commenting. It was nice to see you here.
A pleasure to read! Very informative, I was certainly in the dark on many things!!! Change is certainly needed! Thanks for sharing!!!
If you can handle the truth about smoking marijuana and it's adverse effects, damaging relationships and bringing about a dead-end life, then read this http://stop-smoking-weed.org
Edd - That is nice that James was able to quit smoking, but as a teen he shouldn't have been smoking it in the first place. He was (as I state in my hub) psychologically addicted, as pot has no addictive properties IN it. I am glad he got off that extensive pot usage roller coaster ride. At that young age, kids get used to that "good feeling" from pot and that is why they shouldn't be smoking it at all. 21 and over, just like alcohol and then in moderation, too much of anything is just NOT GOOD. Take care Edd...
I didn't smoke bud until I was 17 and I've been smoking it now for 47 years. I've always wanted to try drugs to find out for myself what all the fuss was about. The lies that are told about all drugs are amazing, which only leads to abuse. To each their own, but I'm pretty sure I'll be burning till I no longer can, I just enjoy it. Peace!!
Hey Justom, Like I have said before, to me it's like alcohol, if you are old enough and mature enough to understand that you have to control IT and IT cannot control YOU, why not? And it is safer because alcohol drinkers tend to drink and drive and pot smokers tend to smoke and do not much of anything else...(except we do love to cook sometimes and should all have our kitchens equipped with fire alarms and fire extinguishers, I will never forget that time I made those french fries, damn grease)...
:) You are too funny!
Well Done, I voted excellent and up. YOU are the reason people are turning away from the media and public for information and seeking information via the Internet from other citizens. When we are built on lies, why should anyone expect the media or government to start being truthful? Great hub and very informative.
It is so sad to me that we as a people don't come togethter and right this wrong now that we know the truth.
You Rock!
What a truly informative hub and James Watkins and others couldn't have said it any clearer. Legalize Drugs and guess what the Pharmaceuticals will go down. They are killing more citizens with the issue of their man made DRUGS but hey isn't that what they are there for to keep the population down. I wonder who ordered that command? Not to speak of the numb braining billions of dollars that are going in their pockets and politicians. Oh and let's not let doctors off the hook here, they are brainwashed by drug companies to promote their TOXIC DRUGS to their patients and get kick backs for doing so. How about paid vacations, membership fees at private clubs. You guessed it all coming from the Pharmaceutical companies. So why legalize marijuana that would only eat at the billions going to the drug companies and politicians. I can write a HUB here so I will stop. What a fantastic hub, I am passing this one around. I am waiting for the day when weed is globally legalized and Hemp is used again. Peace
Hi Saddlerider1 - Thank you for your wonderful comments and you are absolutely on target. Too many people are benefiting from the synthetic drug companies, I have ever heard recently that they want to start going against the Herbal companies because more and more people are taking a holistic approach to their health and oh my, I guess that cuts into their profits. Marijuana is only illegal on bogus lies and manipulation. Legalization would do amazing things and using Hemp as it was used in the beginning would be even better. Take care my friend...
Loved this, Moonchild!
Every last bit, great stuff. I am a bit biased here, yes, but the facts remain the same: there's too much B.S. in the way of the truth when it comes to drug policy.
And if the Internets were to be 21+, do so to the television, too. It's outdated, anyway.
I've no personal interest in marijuana but if it is beneficial and natural, so be it. I'm not qualified to say more about it, probably. I prefer to think clearly - I don't even prefer to take pain meds for dental work.
I have much active dislike for synthetic meds and the obvious effort - no, insistance - by the medical community to impose them on the population, to virually enslave people to them. These definitely can deaden people's minds, if not directly, then by making them believe they are dependent on them because the medics insist they won't be ok otherwise. It's appalling.
Moonchild our Feds want to force us to buy our Vitamins and Supplements across the counter at druggists. They want to put health food stores out of business, so that healthy people are forced to buy them from druggist. Again more money into the coffers of our politicians and pharmaceutical companies. What a sham and shame on them. Dictatorship abounds in North America and they are grabbing us by our throats while they dig deeper into our pockets. Sad very sad.
Nellieanna and Saddlerider1 - I agree with both of you that and I am certain the majority of the public is unaware that the pharmaceutical companies and politicians who they own, have no interest in what is best for America but what is best for their own pockets. Sadly our country remains blissfully asleep while this goes on. The only hope we have as a country are the upcoming generations, their access to the internet and their ability to see through the smokescreens and learn for themselves. But lets face it, the ones with the money are the ones with the power and they win. So I am not that optimistic.
besides the facts on how legalizing would slow down the usage of alcohol and cigarettes; legalizing would also lower the unemployment rate (by hiring farmers scientists, botanists, dispensary employees and so on, lower taxes used on arresting pot users and lower the use of real drugs that harm millions of americans everyday (i.e. heroin, cocain and meth).
to this day there has not been one death contributed by marijuana and one cannot include alcohol in the blood mixed with marijuana. America itself would save billions of dollars a year if marijuana were legal and that money could go to raising teachers pay, child healthcare programs or many other programs out there that could use more funding. it would not be legalizing a drug it would be more of giving the people a choice to use or not use a plant that has been on earth longer than humans themselves. a plant that has been known for meleniums to have great health benefits and be more superior at making paper than wood, making cloths than cotton and making enviornmentally sound fuel than gasoline (which by watching the news for the last 90 days would prove that oil is a menace and should be a thing of the past!!!)
thank you for reading
Omar - Thank you for posting!!! You are clearly well informed regarding the history and usage and benefits of marijuana legalization. Thank you very much for stopping by and commenting, it was greatly appreciated!!
Love this article! Slightly disappointed though. I just wrote a dryer version of this same thing and that's when I noticed your article. Lol.....it's ok though. There's room for two I'm sure.
svencill - Thank you and I am sure you're article is wonderful!! In fact, I will go read it myself!! There is room for a great deal of information on this subject, in my humble opinion. The more the better as the more likely people will come out of the dark... : )
I agree. But hubpages told me my article was too "cliche". LOL. Apparently it had already been done! :)
Ive seen a few vids related to this subject and it's seems that there was more of an excuse to build jails and raise taxes and project lies as truth for a greater future agenda. Shaddow Government
Excellent and informative hub. This conversation needs to be had - the way it is now is too narrow minded.
Sean - Thank you for coming by, Interesting. I have not seen those videos. I wonder...
JBeadle - Thank you for your nice compliment. You are right. This conversation needs to be had, but people are afraid to talk. So they quietly and discreetly try to legalize marijuana one baby step at a time...
Thank you for writing this. Many people do not know the truth of why Marijuana is illegal... racism, religion, politics and money. This truly applauded you for writing this article. You ask the questions that I find myself asking everyday! I have a stomach condition and without smoking I would have died... pretty strange when that makes you a criminal! Very well written and once again.. THANK YOU!
Serendipity88 - I just wish more people would read this and other articles that at least are truthful and you are of course, very welcome.
Hi Moonchild60
This is a commendable hub. You are obviously not afraid of tackling the difficult subjects or taking on established opinion.
Keep on stepping out of the line.
Hi Peter - Thank you very much for coming by and your kind compliment. I am afraid I have never been good at going along with the pack. I am however quite good at getting out of the line, or is that out of line? Does it really make a difference? : )
I think it will be legal again eventually, but it is frustrating now. I tried it years ago, and did not care for it - but I'd much prefer banning cigarettes and alcohol while making pot legal.
Thank you for a great hub.
I agree completely. It was clearly politics and ignorance that made it illegal in the first place. Thank you for coming by Pcunix!!
Great Hub. You Tube search for "the great cannabis conspiracy". Very informative videos on the control of the population.... both the lumber and the gas companies had lots to gain by making hemp illegal..... thus the conspiracy continues.
Is it 4:20 yet?
LOL....4:20 Some of my friends celebrate it as if it were a holiday!! Love it. I have a bad feeling that there are alot of conspiracies the public at large is unaware of. This is clearly one of them. Thanks for coming by and commenting...Oh, and I am going to check out the YouTube vids, thanks for that one!!
Like many other commenters here, I think pot is illegal for many of the wrong reasons -- none of which have to do with the actual effects of marijuana and everything to do with profit, control, and propaganda. That said, reefer heads are generally useless and annoying and often damage their cause by being fuzzy headed bums. The cause needs more clear, focused individuals like you if it's going to get anywhere, otherwise we're just going to keep wasting billions of tax dollars while anyone who wants to get high on anything encounters absolutely no trouble doing so. Thanks for the informative hub.
Hi Doug Turner Jr!! - thank you for coming by and leaving an informed comment. Yes, everything to do with propaganda and profit. Even now, they are trying to say "Your kids are smoking more pot than ever and its much worse than it used to be". Who is putting this out? Pharmaceutical companies? Because truth be told, "kids are doing xanax and oxycoton and other pain pills and whatever they can get high off of out of your medicine cabinet!!" Why don't they put THAT on the news instead of 3 minute bits on pot? Pot won't kill their kids like this stuff will and pot STILL has NO addictive properties and none ARE ADDED. This is something new they have added to their lies. That various things are added to pot that DO have addictive properties and that is simply untrue. They just never cease to amaze me with the need to lie and manipulate. Someone very uninformed but against pot starts these conversations and the sheeple just follow. Take care Doug - hope to see you again soon...
Great Article...in the 1930's Cab Calloway and many other musicians got together and made an album about getting high. Back then, the dealer was commonly referred to as the, Viper Man.
still, many believe the reason Marijuana was made illegal also has alot to do with its nicakname,weed. Weed can grow just about anywhere and the theory was that becasue Uncle Sam couldn't tax it becasue they could not control was the reasoning behind it being made illegal during prohibition.
Around 2000, if memory serves me right, the State of Massachusetts put legalizing marijuana to a vote. 51 against and 49 in favor of.
During President Obama's compaign, he did an interview on the John Daly show. The host asked him about his position on legalizing marijuana and at that time, Obama said he was all for it. Since making it legal in Chicago, they were proud of the fact that their crime rate had dropped 15% and freed up hundreds of bed in the prisons and jails. Granted, we haven't heard a word since, from him, regarding the matter.
Many Americans believe that legalizing weed would actually raise billions in tax dollars from proper production and in fact, a company in Pennsylvania has alrady begun making grow chambers for folks to use at home.
Several states have already approved the legalization of marijuana and in Maine, they have a hemp fest every year. That festival raises thousands of dollars in tax revenue and is a blessing to the tourist industry, there.
Truthfully, I agree with you on the point that politicians avoid the subject simply becasue of fear from the reaction of hardocre conservatives.
One of my other favorite myths is that marijuana is a gateway drug. This is the biggest lie in it all. Marijuana calms a person and aids them in relaxing much like zanax.
However, cocaine has the oppisite effect of making a person hyper. I have never met a person who smokes and snorts, too simply because one would cancel otu the other. As for LSD, thats a different animal and anymore, is really rare. Meth, like cocaine, makes a person hyper for days so why kill that high by smoking. So, someone tell me...what drug is marijuana a gateway to?
Alcohol is deadly and that has been proven as a fact, time and time again and yet it remains legal because it doesn't have any bearing on the pharmacuetical companies profits as owned and operated by the FDA.
However, Marijuana does since users would not need pills to help them relax, deal with stress and to this day, I firmly believe that the FDA is not about our health but about their bottom line.
Wow excellent comment W.K. - I agree with everything you had to say so I really don't have much more to add. You did mention a few things i did not know however and I thank you for those. Particularly about the Masachusetts Hemp Fest. I did not know that. I am going to research that... : )
Great article! I can add that marijuana will never be legalized fully for at least 2 reasons. #1: There is no way to test the level of intoxication at the time (as with alcohol). Pot settles in body fat, which can still show up a month after smoking. Cocaine and alcohol are in the blood stream, so are gone within 24 hours. (So unfair! Seems I should stay high for months! And don't get me started on how this affects drug testing!) Regardless, there is no way to say that Joe Blow is THIS high at THIS moment, like a blood alcohol test can show. Reason #2: The government will never be able to regulate the amount of THC in organic pot like they can alcohol in liquor. Chemistry is what it is: 9 parts water and 1 part ethanol = 20 proof. Two pot plants exposed to the exact same light, water, fertilizer, etc., can have different amounts of THC. So the government will never be able to say that this cigarette will be taxed more, thus cost more, because it has a higher "proof".
I come from Mississippi, where, believe it or not, simple possession is a misdemeanor. No worse than a traffic ticket. Now I live in Sweden, but here, marijuana is on the same level as heroin and cocaine. The drug propaganda has taken hold here, even with the nearness of Denmark (Copenhagen has "coffee shops", too) and The Netherlands. Very frustrating to listen to the crap spewed forth and believed unquestioningly.
What can one do? Keep up the flow of truth and hope for the best!
I have a very close relative who's constantly trying to get this message across. It's great to hear the truth about marijuana from someone else. Great read and much appreciated. :) Katie
Katie - Well thank you for coming by and reading!! I think the least people can do is be honest. About what marijuana really is, what it does, how it can be useful and why it is illegal in the first place. I just can't stand the deceit. I also can't stand the fact that you can smoke cigarettes and drink alcohol, things that can actually kill you, and others, but cannot smoke pot. That alone should be questionable to any thinking person.
You are very welcome Katie!! : D
VERY well put! Everyone should read this.
MP - Thank you ver much for doing so!! It was nice of you to take the time and leave a comment as well. I know this is quite a long hub!! take care my friend...
I was taking anti-depressants in the winter and sleeping tablets in the summer, my whole life I have been backwards and forwards to the gp on this tablet and that tablet. I started smoking pot on and off as one of those growing up stages but at the age of 25 started smoking it full time. The last time I went to the doctors to get some sedatives whilst going through a very stressful time, the gp pointed out to me that it had been 5 yrs since my last tablet request! He then told me that he couldnt condone me smoking it as it was illegal but did have the opinion that it was doing more good than harm, (not the smoking part of it though).
My friend who has Parkinsons desease does not have the uncontrollable shaking as much after a 'yogart' and my friends M.S has slowed since she started with the trials of the effect of cannabis on M.S.
As for drivin! Who wants to drive when its a nice enough day to take a walk after a smoke???
plus, ITS ECO FRIENDLY!!!
Hi Shell!! Thank you for coming by and reading, I realize its a long Hub. But I hope you enjoyed it. I particularly appreciate that you commented because it goes to prove how many positive effects Marijuana has when used for some very serious purposes. I don't understand how these can be overlooked. Alcohol and cigarettes have not been proven to show they are helpful in any possible way. I think this country has things ass-backwards!! Take care now Shell...
Marijuana smoke is harmful because of the way it is smoked. Eating marijuana is not harmful in other words.
Hey Awddude - It can be harsh on the throat which is why bongs and esp. vaporizers are much better. Not to mention Brownies and a plethora of other great ways they have found to incorporate marijuana into food. thanks for coming by awddude!
A truly great Hub. I hope I am not repeating another's comment but "Hash oil" has been proven to cure skin cancer and at one time no doctor would ever leave home without it in his bag as it had so many medical benefits. Please google it and check out the Youtube videos. They also destroyed one of the biggest industries in the US. The rope industry. I still have my hemp climbing rope from performing tree work in the 60's. Nowadays big pharma is the culprit.
Thanks for the article. Lots of info I'll be intrigued to research further into.
I googled "marijuana caused car accidents" and it does pull up many references to it's influence causing accidents. I haven't verified those articles/blogs/facts. But it didn't seem beyond my "common sense meter" to atleast look further into it, even if you never hear about it.... It may be easier (or atleast more standardized) to first check (suspect) alcohol in an accident. California listed many marijuana related accidents.
I'm not suggesting that, even if absolutely true (even if the facts revealed numbers worse than alcohol), marijuana should be illegal based on that alone. (or alcohol should be on that alone as well).... But I just don't think it's never a factor in accidents as the article, and commenters, suggest.
Btw - this isn't based on anything, but do you think marijuana users tend to be poorer? Poorer than what/who? I don't know. I guess poorer than most alcohol users? Point of line of guessing. I wonder if less marijuana users have cars than alcohol users, making less people have wheels to get bound to cause accidents with to begin with.
Also, at a concert the other day, literally (eyeball guess actually), 8 out of 10 of age people were drinking. It is an obsession, drinking, that's an issue by itself. Anyway, people are sad - drink. Celebrating - drink. Need a night cap or edge removed or partying - drink. Point not being the cultural obsession with drinking, rather, the numbers can't be compared - at this point there just aren't as many marijuana smokers. Meaning, let's say 1 out of 100 drinkers cause a car accident. Even if 1 out of every 25 marijuana smokers caused an accident, they would still occur less often because there are less of them. Meaning, it's hard to pull on the numbers and figures side by side.
Alcohol is there and I'm the oddball who rarely drinks. Obviously people can abstain, so even if marijuana becomes legal, I still have a choice. But I bet people sitting on the fence would give it a try, at least. And if the number of users increased, and the effects seemed more mild than alcohol, therefore some non drinkers took to marijuana more than alcohol and it became as socially ok as alcohol (rather than hiding it in ones basement crib), there is a chance that marijuana would cause some of these problems that it's now cited as not doing...
And just as people aren't supposed to drink and drive but attend these public concerts and bars ... And you just know many are atleast "buzzed but in control" on their trek home. The same laws applying, those legally smoking marijuana users have to get home somehow - therefore naturally increasing the smoking users on the road and out socially ... It's not been tested in large numbers socially like that before. I'm not saying it couldn't be tested... But what if the results were bad? And the laws responsibly backpedaled making it again illegal? Who of the new happy users would stand for THAT?
There may be legit reasons that they don't want to test it out socially.
I wanted to play devils advocate on something. I read another of your HuBs which I appreciated - truth about the Hamptons. In which you are or seem miserable .... And stated you hope to move someday from there.
Ok.... Point on pharm companies - the money they are driven by - you'd stated you couldn't move because of the business your husband built. In a sense, you are also motivated by money. In a sense, so much so that you are miserable to live a live maintaining it.
At the least, as you stated, you have obligations keeping you there.
This ties into both that article and this one - the pharm companies aren't much different beinmourned by money, let's say, even if they are miserable. But it isn't just "them". They do employ from that doctorate educated dude to the minimum wage job behind the prescription counter, to the stocker of, not just prescription drugs, but our saloons, tylenols, cough mess etc. It's not just "them" alone.
To the other article... Perhaps some of those snobbish Hamptons folks, vacationers of lifelong locals are miserable (well, you said as much), and stuck. Just like you. Perhaps, too, the Big Pharm companies whether miserable or not, are stuck. Atleast in agreements and contracts for years into the future. Maybe those who started in the business, maybe our grandmas and medicine people had the best of intentions. Maybe they grew because everyone liked what they offered. Maybe we all fed "the beast". But by now, chopping it's head can't just make it go away and it integrates with so much I'm not sure it ever should, atleast in our lifetime.
Separate idea ... Oh but it does tie into something I mentiOned above afterall - ok, so we buy too many medicines? So sometimes to get somewhere the most direct route is not the best. Ie instead of saying what they should or shouldn't sell to us or let us buy, we still do hold the power ... Ie, let's say I take natural coconut oil for a candida infection. It was a healthier choice and bypassed those meds. Let's say I rub a rash with cold compressed sesame seed oil rather than buying a steroid prescription creme. Afterall, it's known to have many vitamins, anti-bacterial, viral, anti fungal properties. Oh and anti inflammatory.
Anyway, point being, there are many alternatives to health problems that can bypass those big pharmacies. And if we didn't but from them and took health into our own hands, they wouldn't have so much power. Or atleast, if dollars do the deciding, they may change their direction and what their offerings are. Ie. Perhaps one day, marijuana.
Meaning, indirectly, even with no direct effort to legalize marijuana, educating the public on alternative health, cures outside of the mainstream, can take place NOW. It's not trying to twist arms. It's just a different direction. (albeit probably just as unrealistic. But this is for academic sake)... Anyway, so people stay healthy, don't need "meds". The pharma crumble (lol. Ok. Not that far), or start dispensing good old coconut oil or whatnot. Oh and if dollars decide and they need to find new dollars, there they go ... "hey! Let's lobby to legalize marijuana so we can dispense it. So we can atleast administer something"....
Just devil's advocate mind you.
Incognito - Excellent comments and thank you for taking the time to come by and read. I like tehe stream of your thinking. It is like a wide open road that goes in many different directions. Are people who smoke pot poorer is an excellent observation regarding the cars and accidents and is in in fact a result of their simply not having the cars to drive. While many believe pot is the poor mans drug of choice, alcohol is cheaper and easier to come by, hence the kids at the concert. I do not know where you live, but at the concerts in NY you are more likely to smell weed than see bottles. Don't get me wrong, they drink here plenty too. But pot seems to be the drug of choice. Seeing as I am in contact with people from literally the struggling poor to the wealthiest, I see what they are into as well. I went to a party at the house of a financial wall street mogul and there was a huka for all to share, pot already in the bowl and being filled regularly. They also had plenty of liquor to choose from and those special people who went into the house for some 'coke'. My husband had a client with an extremely thin wife. I commented to my husband that she was "terribly thin' and he said "it's probably due to all that cocaine, she never eats". I just stood there shocked. But she can do cocoaine endlessy, her husband owns a pharmaceutical company. She will never be out of drugs. In any form.
Then there are the ones with less money who drink and smoke pot because they can't afford the other stuff. Pills go for $20 each on the street; oxycoten, xanax and basically any other benzos you can get your hands on, so that is pretty costly. An 8th as they call it is $60 and that can keep you high longer and you get more out of it than buying say 3 pills. When you don't have alot of money you plan this stuff out. When you are wealthy you don't. Now there is the middle ground. I had a friend who was comfortable and doing well and she then got a heroine addiction and had nothing. Lost it all. You can easily start at the top and work your way down too. She did that and her descent did not stop her addiction or serve as some radical "wake up call". She died over 2 years ago.
I also know a few people who, on pot, have better focus than they ever could without it. I often wonder if they are slightly ADD or something and pot mellows them to the point where they can actually slow down their brains a bit and focus. I have also seen them become more creative and have more thoughts outside the box. They are quicker to come up with solutions as well. Interesting observations but I am not a scientist and cannot say for sure why it occurs. I would guess it is the cannaboids effect on the brain receptors.
So, that said, drinking and driving and smoking pot and driving I think probably have different results; meaning, I would think if we looked into it, drinking results in more fatalities. Although the major concensus now is that it does not, it has decreased, but 'drugged driving' has increased. Heres the issue with that. You can smoke pot today and still have it in your system coming up on some urine test in a week. Maybe you were not even remotely high at the time, but they can say you were. Trace amounts shouldn't count, but it doesn't mean they won't. More to the point, what about LEGAL drugs found in ones system that are so far under the radar, there are no foolproof tests? They can come up as SOMETHING, but they cannot verify what. There are plenty of broad headings that many legal drugs can fall under. And if they are legal then what did you do that was illegal? Like Drunk driving, it is going to take a while to get around this one and even longer than alcohol impaired driving because pharmaceutical companies do not want anyone messing with their drugs either. Seeing as the government is practically owned by these people, they will toe the line and do what the pharm people tell them too. Not the pulic.
I hate the hamptons this time of year. No, I hate the people that come to it and spread their negative hostility. It makes me say things like "I hate". My son who has issues that must be dealt with is 12 and I will never make a sudden more that just leaves him hanging in the balance. My decisions must be made when we are in a good place for him and making choices that will be in his best interest. My kids strongly influence the choices I make. I think in a couple of years this more will be feasible.
Thank you so much for your insightful comments Incognito and do visit my hubs in the future, I look forward to discussing with you further although I doubt we can come to any beneficial conclusions for the masses, it is still enjoyable to do. Take Care...
I am a little surprised that I got no feedback on my mention of Cannabis Oil (perhaps hash oil was misunderstood but the same thing) and cancer but here is a link that everyone should watch and then watch the dozens of other cancer success stories also on YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnR8sL3vOc4&NR=1
Fiskfarm - I am so sorry. I had read your comment and then had to rush off somewhere and never had a chance to go back. Yes, I am sure hashoil or Cannabis oil is good for people. Cannabis/Hash/Hemp have so many (I am told thousands) of healthful and environmental uses its ridiculous that we and the government are not looking further into this. THis could be the answer to several pressing issues in this country. Ignorance is standing in the way of real progress. It's unfortunate. Thank you for coming by and reading and thank you for your compliment. I appreciate it very much!! I will check out your url. I bet my son (a huge hemp advocate) has already seen it!!!
Hi Moonchild60,
I'm a supporter of legalization. I wanted to know about Don Crowe. Do you have a source for this information that would show what prison he went to and his actual sentence? I know he was in jail pre-internet but have not been able to find a valid reference for this fact. Thanks if so, John
Sorry HashCentral but I really don('t know. I could find absolutely no info when I wrote this. I searched and searched. I would love to know what happened to him? I have a feeling there's one helleva story there. It would sicken me to think he did any real time. Truthfully I believe when he was released his left this country.....and who would blame him?
Don Crowe's arrest was reported on ABC News, Wednesday, March 22nd, 1972,(reporters name, David Snell (passed on), and the presiding Judge's name, Stanley Kirk (don't know if living but likely not), not that you would but someone can request a copy of the video, at this link:
http://tvnews.vanderbilt.edu/program.pl?ID=19853
This still doesn't answer the question of the actual time he spent so I will continue to follow up as I think its important that every fact we put out there be validated. Still, its a true statement that it happened. Thanks again Moonchild60, John
STUPID IDEA
resspenser Level 4 Commenter 2 years ago
"All I had to do was see something shiny or sparkly and would start mentally driving toward it......"
I have a step-son who was hit by a drunk driver and possibly the toy he was riding on his sidewalk was shiny and sparkly. (See my hub about Mark Greene)
I just don't think we need to legalize another drug. Most folks who drive impaired believe they are not impaired and it is hard to imagine that pot smokers are any more aware of their condition than folks who drink and drive.
On the other hand my Mother has stage four cancer. It is not in her lungs(yet) but the side effects of chemo have caused terrible pain in her legs. I am not sure that THC is legal for medical purposes in SC or would help this pain but if it would help her I want her to have access to it.
This is an excellent hub. Some of the information I knew, some I didn't. I am sure there will be lots of comments posted here and most will favor legalizing pot. Writers are evil entertainers, are they not? LOL!
Groovy.