Hey guys I'm kind of new to site. I have a question for you all. I want your own opinion on why you think mj is illegal? Your own thoughts please.
Mostly due to hemp being made illegal in the 20s. Recreational use of cannabis was very rare before the 20th century, until all the fuss in the yellow press about "reefer" and "marihuana". What's absolutely hilarious about the whole prohibition thing is that if it weren't for it, smoking marijuana would probably now be as common as khat.
Use the search button. Use Google. Both will provide an ample amount of facts about how Harry Anslinger was the driving force, along with traditional American industries such as alcohol and paper, behind marijuana illegalization.
On the Hippies documentary History channel was running before, Marijuana: A Chronic History. They were talking about the Sit-Ins, Demonstrations, etc.. that were happening in the 60's. They couldn't stop them from protesting but they knew everyone smoked so harsher pot penalties would give them a way to stop the hippies. Something like that.. It was a cool documentary.
I know you're requesting that members respond in their own words, but, not alot of movement in this thread thus far - so I'd just like to offer this speach by Jello Biafra on the subject - highly recommended (pun intended). It's a good general overview of the history behind mj prohibition in this country, and Jello's an entertaining and informative speaker: (circa 1990) [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ow3i2iqjW0]Grow More Pot! (pt. 1)[/ame] [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujiqrl32UI4&feature=related]Grow More Pot! (pt. 2)[/ame] Peace!
I think marijuana is illegal right now because of a corrupt and illegal government. (If 'illegal government' makes any sense) The government is a business, too, but because they are the law-makers it's okay to accept bribery from alcohol and tobacco companies to keep marijuana illegal. Maybe the term marijuana is illegal. Maybe if it were under a new name, like, "I am a user of cannabonoids, a.k.a. 'cannab' or 'noids'. Maybe we should suggest that to the government and introduce marijuana under a new light. Get rid of the old terms like weed, pot, grass, and maybe even marijuana. We love this hobby and habit because of the psychoactive properties, so call it like it is.. Cannabonoids. And prove the science behind it, and the history. Then, citizens arrest the government for there illegal activity behind the scenes. It's still illegal because any chance we get on voting, the ones that have a business in it, vote against any forward progression for the rest of us. Prohibition works in there favor. Every man for himself.
i just thought 'illegal government' sounded like an oxymoron. I explained what i meant.. that its abnormal to think of the government performing illegal activities.
Coercion and violent force (aka, crime) applied by a non-government agency is known as theft, or kidnap, or murder. Coercion and violent force (aka, crime) applied by a government agency is known as "taxation", "incarceration", or "capital punishment". Non-governmental misappropriation of private/public funds is known as fraud. Governmental misappropriation of private/public funds is known as "national debt" (and "inflation"). When rubber meets road, government is indeed just institutionalized crime.
From what I heard, it was made illegal because it "made" black people step on white peoples shadows and look twice at white women, meaning it was made illegal for racial reasons.
nice way to put it auto makes sense m3t yeah i think there was a negative connection with mj and African Americans its just crazy that others could put us behind bars how can we let the government do that to us is just nuts
in the 20-30's Marijuana was prohibited originally due to racist reasons..whites hating on the mexicans crossing the border into "their" land.. Then Harry J. Anslinger the Head of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics saw this as an opportunity to advance his career and his new bureau by hopping on the train and continuing to misinform Americans and Congress about the dangers of Marijuana.. Anslinger now dug himself a hole that he could not crawl out of..he decided to stick with his claims of the dangers..then Mayor Laguardia decided to speak out against Anslingers claims about the horrors...Anslinger quickly put the drug into schedule 1 further banning the research of the drug.. fast foward a bit into the 60's and 70's when Vietnam was going on..Nixon came into office and the whole communism vs capitalism war arose..Nixon was a narcissist who thought only his ideas were the right ideas and he could never be wrong. He decided to declare the infamous war on drugs thinking that he could quickly stop the Hippie movement from getting on his ass about the Vietnam War...He also claimed that drugs in general were brought into America to destroy capitalism and promote communism and Americans bought into that bs too...Nixon at the sametime granted research into marijuana with scientists and to his disappointment could NOT find a single reason as to why marijuana should be kept illegal but his pride wouldn't let him and decided to create what we now call the DEA (Federal Bureau of Narcotics on steroids) meanwhile in 1964 the civil rights act was passed jeopardizing the workers union. These white men felt their jobs being threatened by minorities and women. Discrimination continued and it left many minorities out of work..forcing them to sell drugs...This quickly became a game of cat and mouse as cops knew where to look if they wanted to arrest drug dealers (just find the ghetto and start frisking away) Ronald Reagon and Bush Sr. quickly saw this as an opportunity to make some money..eventually leading to privatization of prisons..that's right I said it..privatization of prisons meaning..certain individuals are making money off people going to jail..aka free labor aka modern day slavery Now Marijuana is illegal today because there are alot of companies out there that would be devastated if it was legalized. Firstoff, pharmaceutical companies, alcohol industry, cotton industry and a few others would be hit hard. Marijuana legalization would eventually lead to the legalization of industrial hemp. Industrial hemp would completely bankrupt Petroleum companies (no more drilling for oil), nearly bankrupt the timber logging industry, and others.. If Marijuana became legal..there would be MUCH more riding on it than just the freedom to smoke w/o getting harrassed by law enforcement..it would create a HUGE societal impact...in my opinion for the better I can envision a world where racism will be a thing of the past, nations will finally be able to cooperate with each other, leaders will pose for pictures w/ joints in their hands =D, violence will go down tremendously (people profit ALOT from conflict and wars), and overall people will be happier and live longer I also heard that Nixon apparently shredded alot of evidence during his presidency...the main one the research on cannabis that would have legalized it during the whole WaterGate scandal...can anyone confirm that speculation? I also forgot to mention that in 1961...Anslinger managed to persuade 160 countries in the United Nations to sign an Act banning Marijuana in their countries as well