Ok some of you may not like hearing this but this is my opinion, but I'm pretty drunk right now and this popped in my head after watching a few episodes of some shows that focused on laws and what we the public may think of them. So I've read about how marijuana is illegal because some political leader guy saw how cheap it is to make hemp products compared to its lumber substitute. But think about it this way. We live in a democratic society, which I consider myself lucky to have been borne in. I live in Canada not the USA, as most of you do. But we both share a similar system of government. There are counsels that are appointed to make sure both (of course i mean separately not as a whole) our governments don't end up like a dictatorship, in which one person makes all the decisions. You would assume they all had opinions on the legalization of marijuana, and the must of had their reasons for voting against it. I think they were probably thinking about the people it would affect. Think about this, it takes 1 farmer to tend to a crop of plants but 3 times as many lumberjacks to produce the same amount of product to support our needs. Sure it may seem easy enough just to have farmers grow hemp and marijuana but what about the lumberjacks? Having an uncle who works in the lumberjack industry and having worked with him a few times, I know its far from an easy job. He knows nothing about any other field of work other then chopping down trees. I work in communications, if I so must as mention something as simple as terminating a cat 6 cable (which anyone with an internet connection should know how to do) he draws me a blank stare. Why? because he has no idea what I'm talking about because he's never worked in communications. All he knows is chopping down trees, if a farmer could do what he and his closest friends can do then hes out of the job. We need to think about how this would affect others, if my uncle loses his job he loses everything. He would have to train in a whole new field of work, but at 46 he really can't afford to do that. If legalization of marijuana means other HUMAN BEINGS losing their method of supporting their families basic needs then is it really worth it at all. I know it sucks, I smoke the herb on a daily basis, and I understand how both my uncle and my dealer need to support themselves somehow. I'd hate to see either of them out on the street. What I'm saying is you need to see this from everyones point of view, not just your own. There are alot more people it would affect then stoners. Its not as easy as saying there you go its legalized, its a slow transition. It'll take time, but in the meantime we (not talking about everyone I know some of you see it as it is) should just stop bitching about "THE MAN" out to get us. Lets face it the government has better things to do rather then worrying about what a bunch of stoners are doing in their spare time. I know alot of you have families to support, as do I, but you have to think, whats more important? Your recreation or the life of another human? We have to look after each others basic needs before we should worry about our own recreation. The government isn't out to get you, and they could truly give two shits about what you do in your spare time. It just needs a bit more time. Its a harsh reality but its true. Thats what I have to say, I'd love to hear others opinions, theres more then one side to every story.
One thing I forgot, if the government is out to stop our fun, then why is alcohol legal? Which is by far a much more potent (and in its current form) much more unhealthy drug?
Sorry, I don't sympathize with your (or your uncle's) situation. 1. You are talking about the destruction of trees vs. the annual cultivation of a crop. Why would I support the destruction of such an important life force that takes a large amount of years to grow back, rather than supporting a crop that is good for our environment and so useful? 2. Hemp is a very versatile plant that has many uses. It would create many jobs in many different markets, and it would create more jobs than it would end. 3. Employment is not an acceptable excuse to choose one resource over another if that resource is safer and more efficient.
They are just going to have to learn how to grow and sell bud legally then. The right of the people can no longer be denied to preserve the drug war... dealer or cop. And people will still need wood, lumber jacks, what few are still employed seasonally, are relatively safe in that respect.
Its what happens, sucks to be a coal miner when we switch to energy sources that don't require the burning of fuel but what the fuck can you do? That's part of the economy, it changes and you either adapt or get fired. That's how it works...
Do you know how many lives have been ruined because harmless people enjoying cannabis are thrown into prison, and can now not get a good job because of it? Far less than there are lumberjacks. lets keep destroying the forest, to save a small line of jobs, instead of solving real world problems. Industrial Hemp would be the #1 cash crop, creating way more jobs than it would destroy. Your being quite selfish to be against legalization for that reason.
Why is alchol legal? Are you serious? BECAUSE PROHIBITION DOESN'T WORK Never has, not since adam and eve (if you believe in that sort of thing)... the forbidden fruit.
Exactly I didn't even touch on the cannabis smokers aspect of it, since most of his argument against weed was referring to how industrial hemp would "ruin" lumberjacks.
So, because the gains in efficiency and productivity from the legalization of industrial hemp would put your lumberjack uncle out of a job you would oppose this step forward? Every advancement in this world results in some people being forced to retrain, but the benefits to all outweigh the inconveniences of the few. Let me ask you a few questions... Should the development of refrigeration have been put on hold because it would put icemen out of work? What about the internet, should we have held off on adopting this technology because it might hurt some travel agents? I could go on, but I think the point is clear. There is great harm being done to the hundreds of thousands of people arrested each year and the millions more who live in fear of losing their jobs, families, homes, scholarships, and freedom, as a result of this prohibition. Not even taking into account the benefits of legalization, the removal of these harms alone is enough of a reason in my book to support legalization.
If they made weed legal, the government would set up it's own industry. AKA your uncle Billybob is fucked unless he wants to go work for them.
Few things... first of all, for those arguing that we're clearcutting forests, there's also tree farms that are harvested in circulations, are there not? It's not always cutting down forests. Another thing, however. It is true some lumberjacks might lose jobs but I don't think they all would lose their jobs, honestly. It's not like the lumber industry would be disappearing altogether. And if anything, a lot of those people who might lose jobs could be compensated, possibly brought into the hemp market too, just learning how to cultivate a different vegetation. People seem to be too afraid of change, while we all know the only constant in life IS change. I can understand how traumatic it must be to lose a job that has been your life, but the thing is, it happens. I think it's due to the nature of a consumerist society- if we went back to loose trade and 'bargaining' (I'll trade you my wood for some chicken to eat), maybe we'd be better off. Haha just an idea.
It was fucking illegal after the temperance movement in the 1900s (illegal from 1919-1933) and then they saw that making it illegal was simply giving rise to large mafias that controlled entire cities and that led to territorial disputes/bloodshed plus FDR realized it could help bring in tax revenue once the Great Depression hit.. Ugh that's like basic history, you learn that shit in what 9th grade American history? The government isn't out to ruin our fun at all, they are out in the interest of big business. They get shit ton of revenue from keeping alcohol legal (and when it was illegal almost everyone still drank) and industry is telling them keep hemp illegal because it may replace some inefficient industry...such as paper from trees, corn for E85 Ethanol, MMJ would replace aspirin, etc.
The rate that we are cutting down trees is much faster that the rate that we are trying to replace them. Why is that? Because it takes one day to cut down a tree (many trees in fact), but it takes many years for trees to grow back. Here is a great article that talks the effects of using trees for paper vs. the benefits of using hemp. Hemphasis.net ~ Hemp Paper vs Tree Pulp Paper
Some of the statistics don't add up. I really don't believe that only 5% of forests here are virgin. But perhaps I'm wrong, maybe one day I'll be motivated enough to look that up. But I do agree with you on the whole here.
Good find, reading that wikipedia article now. I suppose human nature had a lot to do with that map. Argh, outstanding.