Friday, August 14, 2009

Marijuana

How is this still illegal? Not too far from my cabin yesterday there was a raid. The news was nice enough to post a photo of officers surrounded by the plants like some horrible Super Troopers mockery. According to the Buffalo News, "Law enforcement officers in the Southern Tier seized 157 marijuana plants from various locations in Allegany County as part of a marijuana eradication program, the Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force reported Wednesday." The tool reporting the news said that officers have been flying over the southern tier looking for crops and that the value of the crop in the picture was estimated at over one-million-dollars. How much does this "marijuana eradication program" cost? This program sounds like a waste of money. And not to mention the money they just threw away by busting on that crop!

Think about if the government grew their own crop and sold it to the ever yearning American public. With marijuana being "the largest cash crop in the United States, generating an estimated $36 billion market" the debt in this country would dwindle down to nearly nothing in just a few years. OK, so that would fix that problem...now what about the countless people in this country without jobs? Well, someone is going to need to take care of these crops. And growing marijuana isn't like growing grass seed. You can't just find yourself some dirt and sprinkle seeds. The plants need constant care and attention in many different aspects. Would the legalization of marijuana guarantee everyone a job in this country? No way! But there would be hundreds of thousands of job openings. And why not go even further and have it be an option for farmers! Then folks could buy locally grown dope for support (where applied of course). Green for green for green! Legalized or not, people are still going to smoke pot. If the government sold marijuana it would be a safer marijuana. Buying marijuana illegally comes with the risk of it being cross contaminated or laced with harmful drugs. There is nothing you can do when you buy laced weed. You can't go to the cops and have the dealer arrested for selling you pot that was laced with angel dust. You'll both end up in prison! The government can control and get rid of the risk, creating a purer marijuana...a fresher marijuana. And best of all...no more schwag!

So we've solved the debt crisis and we've created jobs for the unemployed American people...now for the nitty gritty, the health problems. Not with marijuana! In fact, (and these are facts) marijuana is a healing medicine. Studies have been made that found marijuana has been proven to treat AND prevent glaucoma, vomiting, nausea, depression, anxiety and pain associated with just about anything. Let's take a closer look at this...

What do you take when you feel nauseous? Pepto Bismol? Take away the name "Pepto Bismol" and here is what you are putting into your body: benzoic acid, flavor, magnesium aluminum silicate, methylcellulose, red 22, red 28, saccharin sodium, salicylic acid, sodium salicylate, sorbic acid, water.

Have the blues? Doctor prescribe you Zoloft? I guess what you need to make you happy is some dibasic calcium phosphate dihydrate, D & C Yellow #10 aluminum lake (in 25 mg tablet), FD & C Blue #1 aluminum lake (in 25 mg tablet), FD & C Red #40 aluminum lake (in 25 mg tablet), FD & C Blue #2 aluminum lake (in 50 mg tablet), hydroxypropyl cellulose, hypromellose, magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose, polyethylene glycol, polysorbate 80, sodium starch glycolate, synthetic yellow iron oxide (in 100 mg tablet), and titanium dioxide.

How about just a headache? Or maybe you pulled a muscle and need some aspirin: acetylsalicylic acid, carnauba wax, corn starch, hypromellose, powdered cellulose, triacetin.

Jesus, it's no wonder the entire world is doomed to get cancer! Look at all the chemicals we are putting into our bodies! Wouldn't you rather have a product that came from a seed that was planted in the ground? An herb. Oh, what's the word I'm looking for? Oh yeah....ORGANIC. I'm sure that you are worried about lung cancer or other respiratory problems. There has never been a correlation between marijuana smoke and lung cancer. Studies have been made and tobacco is without a doubt causes cancer. Actually, marijuana has been proven to PREVENT lung cancer in some cases. While smoking pot is the most harmful way to take the drug, it's not the only way. Vaporizers are often sold with prescriptions of marijuana. And weed can be added to just about anything! Brownies, cookies, cakes, breads, tea, ice cream, chocolate...even butter! Marijuana can also help or prevent breast cancer, multiple sclerosis, head and neck cancers and even help with tumors. Marijuana is non-addictive and there is no withdrawal. You cannot overdose on marijuana. Again, why is this illegal? It's no wonder it's called the miracle drug.

I can't believe that marijuana is not legal for medicinal purposes. It makes no sense and it's ass backwards. It's time for the pharmaceutical companies to take a fucking hike and let the farmers take over. And who's to say that the pharmaceutical guys and gals still can't make a profit off marijuana? Just like any other kind of medicine or drug, there are many variations. Kind of like how there are different types of Tylenol out there: extra-strength, PM, migraine, etc. There are many different breads of marijuana. Some strains are more potent than others. The pharmaceutical companies could create hybrid plants that target a certain medicinal use. Another win-win situation! Doesn't it seem odd to you that the government has made a plant illegal? I sure wish they would make poison ivy illegal! They say you can die from eating a poison ivy leaf. Can't die from eating marijuana! Why in the world would they make something that grows in the ground, that can't poison you or really harm you in any way...yet cure pain?

So really, why is marijuana illegal??? A little history for you guys, if you're anything like my grandma (she always said, "let the dead rest in peace") then feel free to skip this paragraph. Why marijuana is illegal in the United States of America....according to wikipedia. The Marihuana Tax Act in 1937 is claimed to be the reason why the herb is illegal in the states. There are many people who think that the Marihuana Tax Act either isn't the only reason or just a cover. Some people think that it's because of a conflict between the paper and chemical industry that needed to keep it illegal for their best interest, or that the pharmaceutical companies needed to keep weed illegal as well for their own similar reasons, or that it was just pure American racism towards the Mexican and African immigrants that were stereotypically known for smoking pot. Maybe we were jealous of their funny cigarettes?

I touched on just about every subject pertaining to the legalization of marijuana except for one. Should marijuana be legalized for recreational use? Here's what I think. Yes. If cigarettes and alcohol are drugs used for recreational use...that can kill you, then I don't see why not marijuana can't be legalized since it doesn't kill you, of course. But if marijuana becomes illegal than it should hold similar laws to alcohol and tobacco. I do not think that one could smoke marijuana just anywhere. Like cigarettes, there should be laws created that designate smoking areas where smoking is permitted. Smoking lounges could be built, kind of like a bar for alcohol, so smokers could try homemade pot food, different kinds of marijuana and socialize just like at a bar. This would create even more jobs! Think of how many bars there are in this country! And the thing about marijuana is that it tends to make some people hungry, so why not open a smoke lounge with a kitchen to feed the happy customers! Oh and they'll be happy. Unlike alcohol, marijuana relaxes you and won't make you pick a fight for no reason with the guy next to you. However, I wouldn't want people to leave these lounges high to get behind the wheel of a car. Marijuana is still a drug and does impair judgement. There is no way, presently, to test for Marijuana immediately like a breathalyzer does for alcohol. Massachusetts recently decriminalized marijuana, so instead of going to jail you get a ticket (you pay the ticket and you're free). But when asked how the police were going to monitor the streets with high driving citizens one said, "If we pulled over someone, and we smell weed, then we have to determine if and how intoxicated this person is. We would perform the basic sobriety tests because it doesn’t matter if it’s weed or booze or whatever. If something is impairing your ability to drive and we feel it is unsafe for you to be behind the wheel, then we are going to take you in." That seems fair enough to me until a device is out there to be a little more accurate. But in all honesty? How many people have the energy to go anywhere when they are high? That's why pizza can be delivered!!!

All and all I strongly feel that marijuana should be legalized. Help the country, the economy and the people.


BAN POISON IVY!!!!!!! BAN POISON IVY!!!!!!!!


No comments:

Feeling Ambitious? Read These Too! (sorry for all the LOST posts)