Tell Oprah to talk about legalization!

never thought about that. imagine how many women that watch that show would follow like sheep.

 

This is true, partly.

But you also have to consider this from Oprah's point of view. What kind of impact would doing something like this have on her image?

 

Meh, you're talking about one of the richest women in America. She really has no reason to not always speak her mind.

Here's mine (I had to spend more time watering it down than I did to write the original! How annoying!)

Mrs. Winfrey,

My name is ********* and this Fall I'll be a Junior at the University of Michigan where I'm a double-major in Economics and English. In addition to a myriad of other hobbies which include reading, writing and playing music, I'm also a recreational user of marijuana. Stereotypes would lead you to believe that smoking marijuana is in fact all I do, that I have no motivation or drive to succeed, that my friends and family take a back-seat to smoking marijuana. This could not be further from the truth.

When I smoke I do not get violent or make poor decisions like some do when they drink, nor do I sit in a stupor saying 'dude' to myself. I relax peacefully from a hard day of work. I reflect upon my day, my life. Marijuana does not allow me to 'run away from my problems'. Rather, it forces me to confront them, and truth be told, it is both extremely therapeutic and helpful to be able to see things in such an altered state.

The Prohibition of marijuana costs US taxpayers billions annually and while we don't have less marijuana use since prohibition's start, we certainly have more crime and violence; any substance forced into the black market winds up in the hands of criminals. Nowhere in the US is this fact more visible than on our Southern border where violence from Mexican drug cartels is beginning to spill over. As a result of marijuana's illegality we have drug dealers in our schools and drug dealers don't ask for I.D. When I was in high school it was infinitely easier to get my hands on marijuana vs alcohol, and I can't imagine that's changed much.

This is a serious problem and those who laugh it off as a concern only of burnt-out hippies have little respect for our country and its people. I urge you to bring some of these facts to light and at the very least get a dialogue going across America. You have done great deeds in the past Mrs. Winfrey, and it is my hope that you will continue to do them, even when it means confronting a controversial subject.

 

I was thinking about this the other day, if she was on our side, game over, it's legal tomorrow. Her audience is a large chunk of the "won't somebody please think of the children" pot is evil housewives. But if Oprah told them it isn't they would start wearing hemp and making brownies.

The downside if it backfires we are fucked. If we pressure her enough and she disagrees she could talk negatively on air about it and cement that hatred into her audience.

The way to approach her on this seems to be from the keeping it away from children and racist propaganda angle.

 

Make the point in your messages to her that minors are getting much easier access to it due to prohibition. State that prohibition has only increased the availability of cannabis to our children. I think what most people who are uninformed about cannabis believe is that if it was legalized everyone and their brother would be smoking a doobie the next day. What people need to know is that almost everyone who would use cannabis (in a legal setting) have already done so. Chances are if you aren't using cannabis but have tried it you aren't avoiding it because it is illegal but because you just don't like the effect it has on you. These people in turn aren't going to automatically change their minds when it becomes legal. This is what the average person must understand and what the DEA often misleads people on. Usage rates won't skyrocket because they are already so high. Some people, who were fearful of the law, may start using in a legal setting. It is just like alcohol prohibition, people didn't suddenly stop drinking when it was made illegal, and when that amendment was ratified every single person didn't instantly become an alcoholic. Also establish to the Oprah staff that the gateway effect is a phenomen that only occurs in a system of prohibition and can not be attributed to cannabis.

 

Here is what I just sent:

 

I sent mine! I only hit the drug cartels and the teen usage going up because it is illegal. If it was legal teens would have a harder time getting their hands on it.

 

Sent mine, even though, I acted like I was a person of African descent...



"Reefer makes darkies think they're as good as white men." - Harry J. Anslinger. Anslinger was the father of our modern day "War On Drugs". How long are we going to let this racist drug war continue that disproportionately imprisons minorities and ruins many lives? "Prohibition goes beyond the bounds of reason in that it attempts to control a man's appetite by legislation and makes a crime out of things that are not crimes. A prohibition law strikes a blow at the very principles upon which our government was founded." - Abraham Lincoln. The United states holds 5% of the worlds population, yet we imprison 25% of the worlds incarcerated population. Mostly due to our incessant pointless, winless drug war. 6000+ people are dieing in Mexico every year, because we wont legalize a less harmful drug than both Alcohol and Cigarettes, Marijuana(the mexican sounding word Anslinger gave it to make whites fear it) or Cannabis. Legalizing, Regulating and Taxing Marijuana (our biggest cash crop) would bring in billions in revenue (you could fun obama's entire health care plan from its taxes) and regulating it, with age restrictions would keep it out of the hands of our precious children. This was Obama's #1 topic on change.gov and I think it would be a great topic to hold your show about. "

 

I obviously support this idea, but I highly doubt Oprah would consider talking about it on air. God forbid she damages her image, which is why a lot of big time celebrities seem to avoid it.

 

Oprah Winfrey is not an ordinary celebrity; she could stop working today and she'd be fine
WikiAnswers - How much is Oprah Winfrey worth

This woman is worth 2.7 billion dollars. She has no reason whatsoever to do anything to protect her 'image'. Celebrities have to avoid it because god-forbid executives at Universal Studios won't want to put a marijuana supporter in their movies... At the same time, though, that's not even true; look at Woody Harrelson for example, Cheech, Chong. There's no reason not to speak out against prohibition, especially for Oprah.

 

Damage her image? the bitch is a multi-billionaire!

 

She wouldn't even have to come out in favor of it all she would have to say is "Many people are calling for an open debate on the subject of marijuana, including Gov. Schwarzenegger, Rep, Paul, Rep. Frank, ect...We thought we should take a look at the subject and see why legalization of marijuana is gaining so much support recently."

She can play the moderator and never give her views.

 

Mist425: perfect

 

Hell yeah, I wish she would have the Emperor on her recommendation list. I have also contacted Oprah about this, although it regarded hemp oil, and that 2,000 character limit really sucks. I had to cut my message by at least three times, but probably more.

 

right. and it needs to be mentioned that the proper truth could be taught in schools about marijuana - in a more of an "sex-ed over abstinence" type of teaching program. Instead of just teaching "you shouldn't smoke it," they could teach the (very few) dangers that could arise.

While I agree that Oprah supporting the cause would probably have it legalized tomorrow, I think writing is kind of pointless, as she won't publically support this - not unless it starts gaining a lot more public support.

 

Oprah is the most powerful woman in America. I love this idea. However, I think people should focus on how marijuana became illegal. There were clearly racist motivation behind marijuana prohibition.

Check out my blog, A Signal of Misunderstanding for all the reasons why I think marijuana prohibition is coming to an end!!

 

I was right about to write a letter up, when I spotted this at the bottom in the terms and conditions:

So... Its probably not going to make a difference.