The government... the natural enemy of the counter-culture. The government regards the counter-culture as an enemy because they free their minds. The government also considers marijuana as a drug despite the evidence that marijuana has great medicinal value. The new age of government in the US displays itself as a peace-loving, friendly superpower. I was arrested over the summer with a Quap in my car in Clinton Hill, NY. I was given two years probabtion after a jury of my peers struggled with the decision to send me away for a short term in a low-security. As members of a community who is unfortunately faced with discrimination because of cannabis consumption, most know what people turn to during probation... spice and alcohol. I've been smoking weed since I was a young adult, never have I wanted to smoke spice. Since my probation I've smoked it a handful of times and its made me sick to my stomach. A government who is ignorant enough to allow people to consume chemical bypass instead of a plant is not fit to make decisions of my health and quality of life. I plan on lobbying in New York for the recreational use of natural cannabinoids. TL;DR On probation, upset that the government is ignorant enough to allow synthetic weed but not the real thing.
Counter culture creates this image of the government because they need to counter something in order for their egoic minds to feel they are standing up for something. If they actually freed their minds, they would realize they don't actually have any enemies. The idea of an enemy is a contradiction to a freed mind. Consumption wasn't your issue with a quap, sorry. I don't know people that turn to spice, and alcohol is ok if you don't have a consumption dependency (which, by the way, can apply to marijuana also). And let's face it here, the problem isn't the probation or the people that put you on it. The problem is consumption dependency. With that said, lobby away my friend.
Eh, don't think ignorance or spite are too much of an issue. Legalized marijuana could be pretty tough on a lot of their 'good friends' though.
They're not ignorant on the issue they know damn well what positive things come from marijuana..its just more profitable for them to paint it as an evil weed and ban it so that people have to pay money for more things such as paper, rope, clothes, building materials, medicine, ect. As Opposed to growing it and being able to generate those things on your own. Theyd rather have you go out and spend money on the product they are manufactoring and put their money into. The problem with weed in their eyes is that its easy to grow so people would be growing it themselves and you cant really tax a plant in someone's backyard. Its all about money when talking about the govt.
Also from a medicinal stand point, the pharmaceutical industry would definitely feel threatened. They have a patent lock on information that something in cannabis stops the spread of cancer and basically makes cancer kill itself off.
I don't understand why they don't 'legalize' it by doing the following: - Give licenses to certified growers ( under supervision so quality and safety is maintained ) - Sell it in special stores, maybe in drugstores with a minimum age of 18 ( strongly regulated ) - Earn tax over sales - Use that money to educate people in school about weed and/or drugs and alcohol. It would be better than illegal but still bullshit because hemp should be legal and you should be allowed to grow everywhere and anytime. There are also alot of uses of hemp( food, fuel, paper ), but many are a 'threat' to big companies and capitalism. It's also alot cheaper than the resources we use today. ( But less money for the big companies wich results in less power )