NORML -- Working to reform marijuana laws

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Obviously, it would be easy to start listing off some of the more obvious and negative aspects to marijuana prohibition – over-crowded prisons for simple marijuana possession, patients that must rely on expensive and potentially dangerous pharmaceutical drugs to treat their conditions, the potential for violence erupting in back-alley drug transactions, etc.

But we have another downside that is just as important – the damage being done to many of our national forests by large-scale pot plantations. See this NORML post about the problems of Pot ‘Plantations’ On the Rise.

Pot farms have been discovered in 61 national forests in 16 states this year. None of the crop harvested from these illegal farming operations is providing any revenue to our state and federal governments. Yet we’re paying unknown amounts of wages to workers charged with eradicating these crops being guarded by heavily armed farmers? Where is the sense in this?

Can the governing powers not see that if marijuana is legalized, then cannabis can be grown in controlled situations? Can the governing powers not see the taxes they could be collecting from the regulated sale of cannabis? Heaven forbid we would consider putting criminals and their criminal operations out of business, right?

Here is a story about an estimated $6 million dollars worth of marijuana being eradicated in one such illegal grow. What could Sampson County and North Carolina made in taxes, if this cannabis had been grown in a regulated operation?

Excuse me, I need to go check today’s news and listen to our elected officials cry about our nation’s failing economy.

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Don’t you believe it for an instant!

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‘Like everyone else, you were born into bondage, born inside a prison that you cannot smell, taste, or touch. A prison for your mind. Unfortunately, no one can be told what the Matrix is. You have to see it for yourself. This is your last chance. After this, there is no turning back. You take the blue pill and the story ends. You wake in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill and you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes. Remember — all I am offering is the truth, nothing more.’ The Matrix, written by Andy Wachowski & Larry Wachowski

I bet you have never thought of yourself as a debt slave, have you?

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The U.S. government is waging a hopeless war against drugs. Taxpayer dollars are being spent at record rates to stamp out the transport, production, availability and use of drugs. And anyone with half a mind can see the war is already lost. But Uncle Sam just keeps shoveling money into the failed effort. For forty years, the American taxpayer has paid for nothing, as the very drugs President Nixon set out to eradicate in 1969 are still right here on American streets. In larger quantities, higher levels of potency and often at lower prices.

So can someone please tell me – what are we fightin’ for?

Marijuana was federally prohibited in 1937. The 2007 National Survey on Drug Use and Health reported 14.4 million respondents admitted to using marijuana at least once in the previous month. 2.1 million persons stated they had used marijuana for the first time in the previous 12 months. That works out to an average of approximately 6,000 marijuana initiates every single day.

Does this sound like we’re fighting a winning battle to anyone outside the employ of the DEA?

When are the lawmakers in this country going to wake up and smell the smoke? Isn’t it about time we decriminalize (at the very least) or legalize (now you’re talking) marijuana so our various police agencies can get on with arresting real criminals? When was the last time you saw someone in court on a jaywalking charge?

I really admire Jessica Peck Corry for making the observation that we spend only $10,000/annually to educate our children, but we spend $30,000/annually to incarcerate people arrested for pot. Take the time to read this page at Mom Logic. Give that first paragraph some second thought, because it really makes a lot of sense.

You can read another interesting article from Ms. Corry on this page.

I have just read Ms. Corry will be a NORML speaker at the 2009 NORML National Conference being held in San Francisco, CA from Thursday, 24 September 2009 through Saturday, 26 September.

And how are we waging a successful war on drugs when a National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse report clearly shows it’s easier for teens to buy marijuana than beer?

That is certainly marijuana prohibition working at it’s finest there, wouldn’t you say?

The marijuana industry in this country continues to grow, despite the best efforts of Congress, the White House, the DEA and all other law enforcement agencies. Why are we not legalizing marijuana, regulating its sale and collecting taxes on those sales?

President Obama, you promised this country change, as you campaigned for the Presidency with the battle cry of, ‘Yes We Can’. How about we start saying, ‘Yes We Cannabis’? Let’s get marijuana sales moved into the proper places and not dark alleys with dealers armed to the teeth. Let’s allow the sick and suffering of this country to benefit from the medically-proven relief of cannabis. Let’s start taxing the sale of the natural and God-given plant to help infuse this country with the revenue it so dearly needs. When 95 million Americans, including Presidents Clinton, G.W. Bush and Obama, admit to using marijuana, then let’s stop wasting money on this silly war the taxpayer doesn’t want to pay for anyway.

How about it, Mr. President? Are you listening?

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