Yes, it’s real folks… And no it isn’t me.
Courtesy of the Library of Congress
So what magically changed between 1945 and today?
Legislation of morality does nothing but take the burden away from personal responsibility. Making it illegal hasn’t stopped it at all and, in fact, has given rise to a thriving community of criminals. Apparently we’ve learned nothing from prohibition. The similarities are blindingly obvious, yet somehow the exception in this ban.
What was once a business that was taxed just as alcohol was, suddenly became the demon of society.
But the big difference between alcohol isn’t the substance itself. It’s the culture that gave rise to its widespread popularity. It’s the customers and producers and their lifestyle. And not one of these categories matched the politicians’ view of the upright citizen who would brew, licensed, alcohol.
How is the person high on alcohol any less of a danger than the one on Ambien or Johnnie Walker? Let’s re-ban alcohol and institute new bans on prescription medication then. We are all for equality under the law, aren’t we?
And the claims that “Buying marihuana will help terrorists”? And I suppose Al Capone was Gandhi back then? The “terrorists” go for whatever makes them the most money in a short period of time. For all we know they’re probably renting houses to former owners of foreclosed homes. Maybe we should ban renting as well.
The reason they’re able to channel money away is because it’s illegal to produce here. And all for a century old bias. You want to stop the money flow? Stop making it illegal and tax it instead. You will never ever prevent people from doing whatever they please so might as well solve two problems at once.
Disclaimer
I am in no way condoning the use of drugs (illegal or otherwise). I’m merely pointing out the glaring hypocrisy between the eras.
With all their flaws, the government just a half-century ago saw the wisdom of taxing a vice to bring in revenue. Not all old ideas are obsolete.
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thirteenth amendment…
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thanks… i didn’t know marijane used to be legal.
OT.
by the way, there was a time when different sexual orientation other than man and woman was illegal and against the law.
Boozilla’s on a roll today. The criminalization of marijuana is quite an interesting story. Check out the big chemical company cabal after WWII to find out why. The intentional misrepresentation of what cannabis does is what is REALLY criminal. It has tremendous medicinal properties; under a certain temperature the psychoactive properties do not come into play, but the anti-inflammatory, pain relieving and germ fighting ones DO. Maybe it’s illegal because? All you have to do is GROW it. No processing. No white powders. No cutting and adulteration. No real money to be made by…hmmmmm.
If not the variety that makes you high, then just plain ol’ Hemp that you can make rope, clothes and even biodegradable PLASTIC. There’s a truly Green industry.
Even Henry Ford created car parts from Hemp.
It’s really such a shame because they could be licensing sales right here. But yes, there won’t nearly be as much money to be made as from conventional drugs… The type that causes patients with depression to commit suicide, for example.
So many countries have allowed industrial growing, it makes you wonder if these puritanical beliefs are effectively causing the U.S. to become a third rate nation.
I think so, really. Plus hemp seed is an excellent source of protein and EFA. Just for starters. And, as Sherman Alexie commented in one of his stories, if everyone SMOKED marijuana the world would probably be a nicer place.
Still. One has to wonder just what the thought process is here, after all. The US is, apparently, quite the puritanical hypocrisy in action. Which is leading it to be, in fact, third rate. So, thanks to Purity, a good source of fiber, material, protein, all kinds of things, that can be economically produced as well…..nunh unh. Can’t have it.
Weird, if you ask me.
California will be voting to leglaize Marajuana in November 2010. The state stands to tap the untaxed billions now going to the underground street sales of MJ. The state of California voters will probably vote ‘no’ the first time around as they did on proposition 13 in 1972. It took the length of time to grow twenty four crops before it became a voting issue again and again the Voters turned it down. It was only when Dr Fry of Cool, California wrote the current medicinal marijuana law which is controlled by the Cannibis stores (like ABC stores) last week I bought a gram of Purple Urkle, and eighth of Purple Urkle, two Purple Urkle Clones and a Cookie which is a 4 way cookie(don’t eat a whole one) My total cost was less than $80.00 and the state will charge around $400.00 for the same sale. my point is watch what California does and wait five years for it to come your way.