By Ariel Urena Source: Technician Online If marijuana were to become legalized, it would have three main functions: industrial use, medical use and personal/recreational use. Before I get into the reasons I support its legalization, I'll list a brief history of cannabis in the United States. * During the 1770s, patriots could be jailed for not growing cannabis; it was considered an essential crop in order to ensure economic independence from Britain. George Washington and Thomas Jefferson grew hemp on their plantations. * Hemp was used to make paper, rope, fabric, ship sails and paints. It is one of the world's strongest natural fibers and is more naturally resistant to insects and disease than cotton. * Hemp was legal tender for money for more than a century in the United States. * Cannabis was widely used for medical purposes throughout the late 1800s until cocaine became a more popular pain reliever; many Victorian women became addicted to cocaine, which was considered a more feminine pain-relieving drug than cannabis -- http://addictionology.com/chapter1/Aldrich.PDF * In the early 1900s, smoking cannabis became increasingly visible among African-Americans and Mexican-Americans of the Southwest. In fear, Southwestern and Southern states prohibited the use of "marihuana," as Mexicans called it, for recreational purposes. * In 1936, a propaganda film, "Reefer Madness," was released, claiming that marijuana leads youth to kill, rape and listen to jazz music. * In February 1938, Popular Mechanics prints an article called "New Billion Dollar Crop," which hails that the new decorticator, a machine that can remove hemp fibers from the rest of the stalk, will make hemp the new American cash crop. This invention put paper manufacturers with large timber holdings, such as Kimberly Clark and Hurst Paper, in financial jeopardy -- http://www.cannabis.com/untoldstory/pmpage1.shtml * In 1938, Congress passed the Marihuana Tax Act, which made the growth or consumption of cannabis for any purpose illegal. And so, the reasons I am for the legalization of marijuana: Industrial Use: * Hemp, a specific species of marijuana, is composed of less than 1 percent tetrahydrocannabinol -- (http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=5447 * Hemp produces a higher yield per acre than cotton and has a growing cycle of 100 days. * Hemp seeds provide more protein than soy. * According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, you can produce four times as much paper from an acre of marijuana than an acre of trees. Marijuana can be harvested at a quicker rate than trees. * Hemp yields four times the amount of cellulose you can get from a corn stalk. Cellulose is used to produce methanol, which has been used to power cars. Hemp has the potential to reduce or eliminate our dependence on oil -- http://jackherer.com/ * NAFTA and the United Nations recognize hemp as a commercial crop. The European Union subsidizes farmers who grow hemp, and it is currently being grown for commercial use in Canada -- http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=5447 Medical Use: * Marijuana can be used to treat glaucoma, to relieve pain and nausea, to prevent some malignant tumors, and to stimulate the appetite of those suffering from AIDS and eating disorders. * Marijuana is legal for medical use in 34 states, although federal law prohibits doctors from prescribing it. * The European medical journal The Lancet stated, "The smoking of cannabis, even in the long term, is not harmful to health. It would be reasonable to judge cannabis as less of a threat than alcohol or tobacco." * As a plant, marijuana cannot be corporately patented as a chemical. If made legal, marijuana could become one of the cheapest medicines available. Miscellaneous: * Marijuana is non-toxic and cannot cause death by overdose. Fifty thousand people die each year from alcohol poisoning, and 400,000 die each year from tobacco use. There are no documented cases of death caused by marijuana use. * If made legal, marijuana could be regulated as alcohol and tobacco are. A legal age for marijuana use could be established. * More than 60 percent of Americans support the legalization of marijuana. * One should not drive or operate heavy machinery under the influence of marijuana any more than under the influence of alcohol. * Marijuana consumption is safe when used by responsible adults. * Criminalizing marijuana users and growers takes resources and jail space. We waste time, money and manpower by prosecuting those who use marijuana. Technician Online is running a poll asking N.C. State students how they feel about the legalization of marijuana. Marijuana should be legalized, and it seems that nearly 70 percent of you would agree. For more information on this topic, Ariel suggests reading a copy of "The Emperor Wears No Clothes" by Jack Herer. Responses are welcome at: midnitelamp55@yahoo.com Source: Technician, The (NC State University) Author: Ariel Urena Published: November 25, 2002 Copyright: 2002 The Technician Contact: opinion@technicianstaff.com Website: http://www.technicianonline.com/
I have to say that you make some excellent points, you know i have no problems with people smoking marijuana, i am a user myself, what i cant stand are these polititions (sp), and other people who make these remarks about marijuana without ever using, or even researching about it, they just take what they get from the media and base everything on that. I'v herd some people say that if it were legalized, it would be cheaper and there for more people would smoke it so the country would be like a big cluter f*ck, if that was true then how come most of the countries in the world have it legalized and their crime rates are lower, there is less murder, and they seem to be doin just fine with it legalized. I also think it would help our economy (sp) while its illegal right now milions are spent on keeping it off the streets, which as you can tell has no effect on its use, yet if it were to be leaglized the country would make millions and millions of dollars. I personaly dont see why it is illegal, my views are that it is a lot worse then alcholo (sp) and tobacco, and i dont understand how it can be illegal while those two products (which kill hundreds of thousands a year) can be legal.