If Prohibition is your answer, You are asking some very stupid questions.
Posted by December | Posted in MEDICINAL CANNABIS, MISC. | Posted on 20-11-2009
Tags: antiquated, medical, medicinal, MEDICINAL CANNABIS, MISC., Prohibition, reform
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According to a study from NORML, Marijuana has been smoked by 95 million Americans. And an estimated 8,120,045 people use marijuana habitually with over 100 uses per year. Since 1965 20 million arrests have been made in the name of marijuana, and it has cost taxpayers an almost countless mountain of money. The government has spent billions of our dollars, fighting the very thing that Americans gladly pay for, each and every day.
Marijuana has proven and substantial health benefits and it has been shown to ease tension, relieve stress, treat PTSD and help countless other disorders. Marijuana isn’t a cure all, not by a long shot, but this antiquated sentiment that marijuana is poisoning the minds of our youth is about as outdated as the notion that alcohol is harmless.
*Marijuana costs us, Joe Taxpayer, Billions. That’s with a B. We chase, prosecute, and house millions for marijuana related offenses and continue to do so, despite the overwhelming marijuana movement. One person being jailed for a victimless crime is one too many, and our jails are filled with them. Prison systems are full and private prisons have been sprouting up across the country to keep up with the demand to house marijuana related offenders while people who do truly stupid things are let out of jail to make more room for the kid caught growing a plant in his basement closet. (Paris Hilton, drunk driving?)
*Crime only pays criminals because we allow it to. Taxing marijuana could reroute billions of dollars back into our struggling economy, end a failed war on drugs, and provide priceless relief for millions of struggling and disabled citizens. It will also put the drug cartels of foreign countries on the run, because let’s face it, no one would be smoking brick weed if the plant was available in your own backyard. The black market drug trade (akin to alcohol prohibition’s organized crime movement) flourishes in place of a legalized, taxed and regulated market.
*Marijuana is the intelligent choice for pain control. The government has offered marijuana in pill form, so that they can profit 
from this anti-inflammatory analgesic pain relieving plant while refusing to admit that the medicinal benefits are valid, proven, and logical. What they cannot deny is that it helps millions every single day, despite the social stigma and legal status.Marijuana can provide regulated pain control without obscurring your ability to function. You can parent your children, love your spouse and fight your pain, can you say that about opiates?
*It remains illegal in (far too) many states and the war on drugs has failed to slow, let alone stop the use and distribution of Marijuana anywhere in the United States. 90% of the money allocated for the war on drugs is used to prosecute marijuana related crimes, leaving 10% for all other drugs including heroin, methamphetamines, cocain and the tsunami of crimes related to prescription medications. More people die from prescription medications in one day, than people who have EVER died from overdosing on marijuana, the number of marijuana overdoses has been ZERO for thousands of years. More people have died from alcohol in the time it has taken you to read this post, than have ever died from marijuana.
*To allow marijuana prohibition we are telling the government that we would like them to regulate what we can put in our own bodies, a basic human right of choice. I do not care what you do with your body, and I’d appreciate it if you didn’t care what I did with mine.
Here are some things you might not know, and the answer to the longstanding question, Should we push for marijuana reform?
*Marijuana costs us, Joe Taxpayer, Billions. That’s with a B. We chase, prosecute, and house millions for marijuana related offenses and continue to do so, despite the overwhelming marijuana movement. One person being jailed for a victimless crime is one too many, and our jails are filled with them. Prison systems are full and private prisons have been sprouting up across the country to keep up with the demand to house marijuana related offenders while people who do truly stupid things are let out of jail to make more room for the kid caught growing a plant in his basement closet. (Paris Hilton, drunk driving?)
*Crime only pays criminals because we allow it to. Taxing marijuana could reroute billions of dollars back into our struggling economy, end a failed war on drugs, and provide priceless relief for millions of struggling and disabled citizens. It will also put the drug cartels of foreign countries on the run, because let’s face it, no one would be smoking brick weed if the plant was available in your own backyard. The black market drug trade (akin to alcohol prohibition’s organized crime movement) flourishes in place of a legalized, taxed and regulated market.
*Marijuana is the intelligent choice for pain control. The government has offered marijuana in pill form, so that they can profit from this anti-inflammatory analgesic pain relieving plant while refusing to admit that the medicinal benefits are valid, proven, and logical. What they cannot deny is that it helps millions every single day, despite the social stigma and legal status.Marijuana can provide regulated pain control without obscurring your ability to function. You can parent your children, love your spouse and fight your pain, can you say that about opiates?
*It remains illegal in (far too) many states and the war on drugs has failed to slow, let alone stop the use and distribution of Marijuana anywhere in the United States. 90% of the money allocated for the war on drugs is used to prosecute marijuana related crimes, leaving 10% for all other drugs including heroin, methamphetamines, cocain and the tsunami of crimes related to prescription medications. More people die from prescription medications in one day, than people who have EVER died from overdosing on marijuana, the number of marijuana overdoses has been ZERO for thousands of years. More people have died from alcohol in the time it has taken you to read this post, than have ever died from marijuana.
*To allow marijuana prohibition we are telling the government that we would like them to regulate what we can put in our own bodies, a basic human right of choice. I do not care what you do with your body, and I’d appreciate it if you didn’t care what I did with mine.
Keep your laws off of my body
End Marijuana Prohibition today.
© 2009, AntiSoccermom. All rights reserved to the original author unless stated otherwise.
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AntiSoccermom is an alternative parenting site for those of us that refuse to parent within the constraints of modern society. Covering everything from parenting to pot-politics, there is always something new to read. Check out AntiSoccermom's Radio show at JohnDoeRadio.com and catch up with her on facebook. 
Marijuana prohibition is killing this nation.
I use marijuana to control my migraines and back spasms. All they are doing by prohibiting MY use of marijuana is sending me to where I can get it, and the government could use the money right now. I would be more than willing to pay them if they would take the money, but they won’t, and its sad. Why? Because they think its a “gateway” drug and that it leads to people doing other illegal drugs. It doesn’t, and I’m a walking testament to that.
Thanks Liz! I am the same way, I dont drink alcohol or caffeine and Id never use illegal drugs, I smoke pot to treat the pain of RA under doctors orders and Ive never been healthier.
Your welcome =) I’ll admit to occasionally drinking alcohol, but I don’t drink in excess. Caffeine on the other hand, I have to have in the morning before functioning can begin. Suffice it to say, my mom walks in my room with a cup of coffee when she hears my alarm go off, and won’t let me leave until I’ve taken a few swallows. But eh, that’s not the point. I don’t do other drugs (heroin, LSD, etc) I’m leery of even touching the Ibuprofen anymore because of what that stuff does to me, and some of the pain killers they prescribe are even more dangerous than the illegal drugs. And the fact that government would rather have me take those than smoke some pot to take the edge off speaks volumes to their complete and utter lack of common sense. I’ve lost weight since I went off the “doctor” prescribed pain meds, I can move better than I did before, and my mood swings (I’m bipolar) aren’t nearly as bad as they were before. In fact, my therapist has reduced my meds to next to nothing since I’ve stopped taking the pain meds. Its stupid really, but there isn’t much I can do except call my reps until they’re tired of hearing from me, right?
Your welcome =) I’ll admit to occasionally drinking alcohol, but I don’t drink in excess. Caffeine on the other hand, I have to have in the morning before functioning can begin. Suffice it to say, my mom walks in my room with a cup of coffee when she hears my alarm go off, and won’t let me leave until I’ve taken a few swallows. But eh, that’s not the point. I don’t do other drugs (heroin, LSD, etc) I’m leery of even touching the Ibuprofen anymore because of what that stuff does to me, and some of the pain killers they prescribe are even more dangerous than the illegal drugs. And the fact that government would rather have me take those than smoke some pot to take the edge off speaks volumes to their complete and utter lack of common sense. I’ve lost weight since I went off the “doctor” prescribed pain meds, I can move better than I did before, and my mood swings (I’m bipolar) aren’t nearly as bad as they were before. In fact, my therapist has reduced my meds to next to nothing since I’ve stopped taking the pain meds. Its stupid really, but there isn’t much I can do except call my reps until they’re tired of hearing from me, right? Oh and something is up with your comment box. I click on say it and it says I can’t submit my comment until I type something, which I (clearly) already have. I have to click on preview and then say it, and then it’ll work (hopefully). At least that’s what I did last time.
That is so great to hear, there are more medicinal benefits than the government will acknowledge and its so frustrating! Colorado allows for the medicinal use under doctors supervision, once my doctor got to the point where we were unable to treat my pain (for refusing opiates) and I was being hospitalized repeatedly for surgeries with the need for strong pain medications, we talked openly about the options. Ive lost over 100lbs since getting off of opiates and I can parent my kids for once! I feel very lucky to have this option and I want to fight to give that option to other people who are willing to educate themselves on the medicinal properties.
I hope you are feeling better!
So, when I got arrested, I had a friend ask me “Well, who were you hurting?” and I responded, puzzled, “. . . no one? . . . myself?” At which point the friend said “There you go. You were arrested and put in jail to stop you from hurting yourself.” His point being, all laws are to to prevent someone being hurt, even if they are the only ‘victim’. How thoughtful!
And to think it was legal at one time
The founding fathers didn't seem to have a problem with it.
It’s a compelling argument, but I don’t think the last paragraph fits at all. Don’t get me wrong, I agree with the rest, but throwing in the pro-choice style statement about “our bodies” doesn’t mesh with the mention of the statistics about harder drugs and alcohol. Stick with the benefits and wasted costs of prosecution.
the "powers that be" back when…..they let alcohol and cigarettes be LEGAL, the 2 worst THINGS and addictive also in the whole WORLD.
I will share this well written article, in the hopes that more will read. I hope others will share it too!
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