The Human Cost of Marijuana Prohibition, Part 1
Comments (39)
July 16, 2008
July 16, 2008
In this first part of “The Human Cost of Marijuana Prohibition,” we hear from Marisa Garcia, a student whose experience with a drug misdemeanor has left her without financial aid, and from MPP’s own Rob Kampia, who tells us not only about his own experiences in jail, but also about those of several others who were not so fortunate. Click here for part 2.
The opinions expressed below by our viewers and posters do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Marijuana Policy Project. These views are those of the individual authors alone. MPP does not condone or support the illegal use of marijuana. We do encourage open and frank discussion, but if a comment has been posted that is in some way significantly inappropriate, please e-mail us at socialnetwork@mpp.org to report it. Thank you, and we're looking forward to what you think!
39 Comments, Comment or Ping
Mr. Cash
I can’t think of a more counterproductive plan than stripping people of education for the “crime” of possessing a plant that grows wild in this country.
We have seen government run amok and we need to reign it in.
Stop the drug war!!
Jul 19th, 2008
Mike
The whole thought criminalizing a plant is crazy, and the whole thought of my parents sending me to rehab all the way in Minnesota is crazy. its gonna suck, and ruin the rest of my summer all because i like to get high, and it helps me sleep, and makes me happy.
Jul 21st, 2008
420 Wesley
wow when i hear things like this i am utterly disgusted that honest good working people are harmed in ways i find unimaginable, for such a petty crime. but also LOTS AND LOTS of people say oh my god its just a plant and because of that reason it should be legalized , but any educated person would say, “well opium is just a plant!”. also cocaine is produced from the leaves of another plant. i think people need to take a different approach than to say its just a plant, and look on the way more positive side of marijuana like medical use in SO many different ways. marijuana alone solves tons of my problems. bad acid reflux, TERRIBLE insomnia, depression, and anxiety are 3 of the main reasons that marijuana has helped me, also as well as just making me a brighter more open person. i can only hope one day our government will open their eyes as i have.
Jul 24th, 2008
D-Gamer
This is Non-sense! Oh but if she wanted to get in the military,..That would be OK!!! for sure! It’s true!
Jul 25th, 2008
Donegal
It’s so enraging to watch my government waste money on an unnecessary war against a practically harmless drug. Not only that, but they are denying the medical benefits of it to countless citizens suffering needlessly every day.
Jul 28th, 2008
Wendy Frederick
Why are we wasting billions of dollars arresting non violent offenders for marijuana when there are truly dangerous drugs being sold and used often in the commission of a violent crime? This has got to stop! Get some sense!
Aug 19th, 2008
Haywood Jablome
Just make sure you are all voting…. that’s the biggest problem with marijuana users I know, not enough of them vote.
Aug 19th, 2008
Steve
Thanks to people like Rob Kampia we are incrementally getting “our” government to function rationally. Thank you Mr Kampia for all you are doing for medicinal cannabis supporters. I have been very active in voicing my support for The Marajuana Policy Project’s campaigns regarding my political representatives in Austin, TX.
One more case: Charles Neville saxophonist with The Neville Brothers was sent to Angola Prison in Louisianna on a five year sentence for possession of two joints! Charles Neville served the whole five years for daconian policies we are now responsible for changing incrementally. Thank you again Mr Kampia for joining the other professionl careered people ie attorneys, politicians, and doctors making big differences for cannabis users.
Aug 19th, 2008
JOE
What we have here is failure to communicate. Now I dont like it anymore than you. Thats the way the Govt.treats us like coolhand Luke for admitting weve smoked it. Well I for one admit Ive smoked it and I inhaled . AND I GUESS THAT MAKES ME A BIGGER PERSON THAN BILL CLINTON WHO LIED AND SAID HE DIDNT INHALE SO HE COULD RUN OUR COUNTRY AS COMMANDER AND CHIEF.WHEN YOUR PRESIDENT OF THE USA YOUR COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF THE DEA TOO!
Aug 19th, 2008
Brinna
With all of the folks who use cannabis for medicine, recreation and sacrament, what will it take to bring this discussion into the mainstream?
As for me, I have sent copies of the first page the patent (#6,630,507) that was awarded, not by, but to the United State Govt. which claims that cannabis is effective in the prevention and treatment of a wide variety of diseases including stroke, trauma, auto-immune disorders, Parkinson’s, HIV dementia and Alzheimer’s to each one of my elected representatives asking them to support legislation which will decriminalize cannabis. And asking them to justify their position if they refuse. I hope everyone reading this does the same.
Aug 19th, 2008
Patti
Lets see, people go to jail for a plant that has been around long before this government was ever in existence to call it a drug, yet BUSH gets away with Treason, war crimes, mass murder on 911, stripped the constitution, etc etc. Sorry people but bldg seven was demolished according to its owner, however that was NOT the first story we got. Research it. 911Truth.org. So another words, they get away with anything, you go to jail for a plant, that they declare a drug yet they want you on their man made drugs to rake in the billions. Hymm, whats wrong with this picture. Sounds like facism to me.
Aug 19th, 2008
Peter
I need to get out of this country.
Aug 19th, 2008
ruth feldman
I just visited MPP-TV for first time; viewed several videos.
Milton Friedman is cogent and convincing; what a waste of money and time for “a victimless crime” in which both buyer and seller willingly participate! Basic freedom dictates that each person may put into his/her body what is chosen.
And Noah Brozinsky’s ‘No deaths from marajuana overdoses” was a fresh, pointedly reasonable statement of the physical, natural, salubrious properties of this remarkable plant which, if ‘discovered’ today, would be hailed by scientists as a breakthrough healing substance.
I’m glad I’ve discovered this site for its thoughtful and informative approach to this unnecessary, costly, punitive, prohibitionary censorship of marajuana use.
Aug 19th, 2008
Larry
My name is Larry and I have a story to share. I was considered upper middle class up until 2002 in California. In April of that year I was hit by a drunk while I was sitting at a red light, was taken by backboard to the hospital. To jump forward, I ended up needing major open back surgery requiring a 7 day hospital stay. The results were not what we hoped for. I was in even more pain after the surgery, and still am, along with serious neurological problems. Now I am in a very low income bracket with my Social Security Disability and I now spend most of my time in bed, and a few hours a day in my wheelchair, as I can only stand for a couple of minutes and walk very short distances with a cane.
In my state, we passed Proposition 215 the medical marijuana initiative making it legal to possess small amounts of marijuana for pain relief and nausea for things such as chemotherapy. Unfortunately, the local officials acting in coordination with the DEA continue to raid and harass both medical marijuana facilities and patients who need medical marijuana to ease our pain.
I am afraid to go to a doctor to get my prescription and ID card for fear of being arrested and sent to jail. I am on very high doses of narcotics for my pain including Fentanyl and Norco, which help, but not completely, and of course I am addicted to both, suffering severe withdrawal symptoms every four hours or so. I know from others who have had life changing events like losing limbs, or people like my wife who is recovering from cancer that marijuana helped them dramatically with their pain and suffering.
I want to avail myself of that medicine, but I am a law abiding citizen and I will not go to illegal sources to get what I need to help me lead a better life. I hope no one reading this will have to go through what I do, I just wish the federal government would let my state act according to what the voters of California voted for so that I would not have to be a criminal to get medical help.
Please help all of those who suffer by contacting your legislators and tell them to help keep the federal government out of what should really be state business as voted on by the citizens of their state. Try to remember that if you or your loved ones ever need medical marijuana to help them, they won’t be able to if we the people fail to act to ensure access to the help we need.
Sincerely,
Larry M
Aug 19th, 2008
Jenji Kohan
I believe it was Albert Einstein who so eloquently stated, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” If only the leaders of this country were wise enough to reflect on historical attempts at prohibition and relate this data to marijuana prohibition and the War on Drug Users, we wouldn’t be doomed, once again, to repeat the mistakes of the past.
It seems we lack the intellectual capacity to extrapolate on the data generated by scientific research. Sometimes I feel like I’m in that movie Idiocracy, surrounded by commodified ignorance and stupidity. I think the bottom line here is that people fear change, and no one likes to accept when they were wrong. God, give us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, the courage to change the things we can, and the wisdom to know the difference.
Another of my favorite quotes, “Dissent is the highest form of patriotism.”
Aug 19th, 2008
kenneth
i’m gonna lead a march to D.C. We will show them we mean business!
Aug 19th, 2008
pks8000
This is redicilous…!
Aug 19th, 2008
Mikki Tenj
I didn’t realize you were from Pennsylvania, Rob. The drug war has proven itself to be a political witch hunt by which agents can deliver it to your home and then put your life at risk for their taxation/ fining to the local treasury. The Mayor Cheye Calvo ( Berwyn Maryland) home invasion and pet slaying has prompted me to take action and contact the Cheif of police, Calvo and the Governor of Maryland with demands the drug war stop. The excessive violence to ‘control ‘ peoples choices is a greater risk to American lives than the drug itself. King George, UK would be pleased with the ‘drug war’ which is why in American it must cease. Nixon really was a crook… a crook of personal freedom.. since the controlled susbtance acts resurfaced under his corruption.
Keystoners United for The Law of NAture the Psychoactivity really is. - Declaration of Independence.
Aug 19th, 2008
dph
The use is restricted do to a scientists breakdown of components contained in thc.They make many drugs from the plant.Now you no the reason for there lack of compassion ,its about makin $ from the many drugs that are made from the weed.
Aug 19th, 2008
Wm. Scott
There has got to be a way to sue the policy and law makers for the horrible collateral damages, deaths US sponsered civil war (in South America) and the misery caused by this insane war. “Harm Reduction”, some decriminalization and regulation are what a responsible Gov’t would do, especially in a free society.
The only way to help end this insanity is for people to start filing civil suits for huge amounts of punitive and actual dollar damages against those responsible for the policies in place.
Now I believe legislators and other policy makers are supposedly immune to such charges. However victims, both those directly and those affected indirectly can sue the cities and law enforcement of those cities and counties responsible for the damages. Whether or not these suits are successful or not is not the only outcome. If millions of Americans file charges, in a few years it will bring attention to the national mind set. It will also create historical proof of gross incompetence against those responsible and will tarnish their lives for future historian to view.
The only way to end this insane drug war is to “break the bank” of our Gov’t and those responsible. By doing so, law and policy makers will carefully pay attention to the details, the negative impacts and the far reaching consequence of their laws and policies. This will enable law and policy makers to reevaluate their decisions so they may either modify or repeal laws that cause more harm than good.
Everyone makes mistakes. Even Gov’ts. That’s fine. However when a mistake is done over and over again with dire consequences and damage to society, it becomes criminally negligent. It may not be a bad idea for all victims to file a complaint of gross incompetence to a local authority or to some official agency for a matter of record. Maybe even gain momentum to actually file charges against those responsible.
People, we Americans have got to end this insanity. We must bring real accountability to our law and policy makers. The damage alone to the credibility and trust of our judicial system will take generations to repair.
We must teach our leaders that trust and respect are earned, and not bullied.
To think the money squandered in one year could have repaired and updated the New Orleans levee system, preventing the Katrina disaster. This example should be a red flag for us Americans to stand up and demand our will onto our leaders.
Aug 20th, 2008
auggie
hey, wesley420, it is just a plant you pick it and eat, smoke, or vaporize it the other plants you mentioned have to be processed to make cocaine or morophine and I think we should be able to posses coca leaves and poppies and grow them for medicinal use. If a few people want to to abuse the gifts the gods gave us then so be it.
Aug 20th, 2008
soberworld
o.k. Here’s why financial aid isn’t given to drug users. THEY ARE BAD INVESTMENTS!!! I’ve personally invested in several young people struggling to stand on their own and work their way up in the world. Guess what! The ones who incorporate marijuana into their lifestyle, become enabler-seeking con artists who never pay back what they’ve been given and end up becoming burdens to everyone around them. Perhaps that’s because all they want to do is get high. Granted there are exceptions to the rule and the pro-drug propagandists love to trot them out, but let’s face it. The stories of most drug users don’t have a happy ending until or unless they stop. And I really don’t want my tax dollars going to sending potheads into space. I want to know that the expensive equipment we’re sending up there is in the hands of someone who can understand it while sober. All you’re showing me here is a bunch of people who should be well aware of the consequences of their actions. If you go to school, you should have heard somewhere along the way that marijuana is illegal and you can go to jail for it. Let’s not pity these people who knew exactly what they were doing. You make it sound like the government is encouraging you to get high and not telling you its illegal before they lock you up. Seriously, if we need to propagandize a cause celeb, why not tackle poverty or AIDS or hunger or education. This whole debate seems like such a waste compared to those things.
Aug 20th, 2008
Brad
As long as the federal government has made enemies of those of us who like marijuana (as did presidents Washington and Jefferson, who also liked it) it is time to relate to our current federal government as did Washington and Jefferson did to their oppressors.
They want enemies? They’re making them.
They snoop, storm, fine, jail, and kill us. What do they deserve in return for this ongoing, cruel, stupid, systematic injustice?
Are we victims or Americans?
Aug 20th, 2008
Will Ozier
The drug laws, especially regarding marijuana, in the US are as irrational and unfounded in objective medical science and social considerations as possible. It is long past time to rewrite the drug laws, decriminalize, personal use, and provide the legal framework for the growth, distribution, packaging, sale, and taxation of recreational marijuana. We certainly have a functionally proven model with alcohol, and marijuana is far less toxic - and dangerous - than alcohol.
Aug 21st, 2008
breeze
Want to know why we are still spending $$$ on the so-called drug “war”?
Follow the money!! And see who is getting rich from the war, the arrest & the suffering.
It’s ALWAYS about the money…
Aug 21st, 2008
Wm. Scott
Dear Larry,
Your story is so typical of a Gov’t gone amuck. Your story only serves to enforce the notion our law and policy makers are incompetent and criminally negligent.
I would suggest to you. to file a complaint with you local law enforcement agency or some official agency even though they are part of the problem. File a law suit and charge them with criminal misconduct or any other crimes they have committed. Sue them for 200 billion dollars. We must “break the bank” of these agencies because that is the only place where they will listen. Hurt them where it hurts.
Unfortunately your complaint and suit will probably go unheard, however it will be matter of public record and if more people would sue those that are responsible eventually it will catch the attention of the public. And hopefully in time maybe even put some of these criminals in jail and receive monies to help the victims of the drug war.
You may even sue congress and other legislators. Unfortunately I believe they are immune to such suits. However it will tarnish their record and give future historians a view of the gross incompetence. Who knows maybe in years to come tomorrow’s victims may receive compensation.
The only way for this to work is for those victims to “make noise” and to bring attention to this gross abuse in our social infrastructure.
You may even suffer at the hands of those in power and be persecuted but we will hear you. Write to your local newspaper and maybe even get several people together and by bill board spaces with slogans and other information about this gross incompetence of our law and policy makers. There are people that will hear you and people that will help. It will be a hard battle but we must not show any mercy until this insanity ends. We must ensure that this will never happen again in tomorrow’s history by forcing our leaders to pay attention to the details and consequences of their decisions.
As I said earlier in another post, “Everyone makes mistakes. Even Gov’ts. That’s fine. However when a mistake is done over and over again with dire consequences and damage to society, it becomes criminally negligent.” Also by breaking the bank, law and policy makers will carefully pay attention to the details, the negative impacts and the far reaching consequence of their laws and policies. This will enable law and policy makers to reevaluate their decisions so they may either modify or repeal laws that cause more harm than good.
My heart goes out to you and the many victims of this insane drug war. Those that are sick and those affected horribly by the collateral damage by this narcophobe war machine.
I’m not a lawyer and not sure how to file charges, but I hope a lawyer reading this may help and alert the proper people in the legal system.
Sincerely,
Wm. Scott
Aug 21st, 2008
sandy valencour
I have seen the sick that need pot for medical reasons. Our state legalized medical marijuana but that didn’t stop the police from busting the place and REMOVING THE COMPUTERS AND FILES. They didn’t get much pot but the ACLU stepped in and made them return everything. I am all for anything that helps the people that need it including my aunt (died), mom (died) and now my sister and she does need it very bad. However, my sister lives in AZ not WA. I have heard husbands threaten to burn the house down if they find pot as it is illegal and “leads to heroin”, something I was told as a kid in an ignorant world. This administration has a war on pot and only pot as it is a nice safe bust but they are too chickens… to go after the dangerous killing drugs out there on the street. And the street value they put on it is all lies so they look good. Hell, if it made that kind of money, I might think about supplimenting my social security:) I personally don’t like pot for myself but it can be a real life saver for those that need it. We need a grassroots movement to get it legalized throughout the US.
Aug 21st, 2008
dph
Thank you sandy,what you state is true and the ones on this site for recreational use should remove themselves,unless you are sick and need such medicine.I have rhuemotoid arthritis&more from a long term infection.I have no ins and cannnot afford care.Soberworld must be a narcsissist for his comments of no reality of truth never trust an N.
Aug 22nd, 2008
diskora
dont abuse what God put here for us to use wisely…
Aug 25th, 2008
RainMan
We as human beings and law abiding citizens of this nations should have the right to grow, smoke, sell, whatever we can produce to generate income. It’s a good piece of business to grow you own weed and avoid paying the high ridiculous prices set by the Mob. The Mob is runned and supported by this government, the Bushes, Cheney’s and McCain’s are part of the Mob, duh!!! They should sent them all to jail instead of messing up the little singular man/woman trying to make a decent living and minding our own beeswax, enough said!!!
Aug 25th, 2008
ChemicalSolutions
Good god. i had no idea that america is so crazy about marijuana. i live in nz and even though marijuanas illegal here know way in hell would ANYONE EVER get anything even as harsh as a night in jail. i got fined 20 dollars for smoking cannabis in a smoko room at my local police station ha. i couldnt imagine being thrown in jail just for marijuana, in fact there would probably be a nationwide outcry.
Aug 25th, 2008
Candi Cooper
That film makes my heart ache. I am sad for the people that go through all that pain.
Candi
NeverGetBusted
Sep 4th, 2008
Domingo A Torres
I would like to reply to Soberworld’s comments. I am sixty one years old and I was a soldier during the Viet Nam Crisis. I was discharged honorably and I was a outstanding soldier. I did not start smoking Marijuana till I got out of the service. Reason why I took up to smoking the plant was because I did not like alcoholic beverages. They made me six, overly aggressive, and incoherent. Throughout the many years that have gone by I have heard everything that Soberworld has said about some people that smoke Marijuana and attend some higher education institution. I do agree with him, but only to the extent that some people, some of the time do what he said, but not everyone, since there are some that are students and get along just fine and graduate, without problems. However those who he talks about are not the majority of the responsible people who he does not know that smoke, who also are accomplished, successful and intelligent people.
Soberworld is one those very people who will degrade just about anything that she or he will does not understand or is not compatible with. He falls under the category of the bigots who control this world, for the power to kill and create hate between one another. His or she’s antagonistic truth is just that, being a antagonist who contributes to perpetuate hate in the world, as he believes that one has to be above and in total control over everyone else, and thinks that is not his or she’ equal. He or she is no different than a racist, or a homophobic. It is people like this that the world eventually will come to judge as it has done with the racist, once they see the light and purpose of why God made this plant His holy plant to be use as He intended to be use. The truth of it all is that millions of people in the USA have experience the truth that marijuana has revealed to them and its not the negatives thing they say about Marijuana. Marijuana is the one cash crop in the USA, and to that I would say that there must be allot of hidden people out there smoking it responsibly, because if what he or she said is true of everyone, our country would have collapsed along time ago.
Sep 5th, 2008
Domingo A Torres
For those reading my comments on Soberworld, I must apologized for some of my grammar mistakes. This website does not provide an editing option or tool. I want you all to know that my grammar mistakes do not reflect my writing ability, just because I am a marijuana sympathizer or user. At the time that I wrote my first comment, it was at the end of the day after working severals sixteen hour days within hard labor to restore my deck, before the season changes and the possibility of hurricanes appearing within my location. Physically and mentally I was very, very tire, but I just could not keep myself from commenting on what Soberworld had wrote.
I am very sadden about all the horror experiences, that our government puts on none violent or none criminal citizens through, just because they have Marijuana in their lives. The fact is that our world put people into all kinds breathing hazards justified for the sake of progress or capitol gain. We breath in smog, micron particles of all types of sanded composite materials at factories. We breath all types of hazardous waste materials. For the sake of patriotism, we educate our children within higher educational institutions, only to send some of them to war and get maimed, killed or diseased, but this is Ok with our government. Marijuana is the least of our worries in this world, but our government has made it a priority to use it to destroy people’s lives. The government’s abuse in destroying people’s lives because some who can and prefer the use Marijuana over the use alcohol is just as abusive as one who abuses and does not respect the responsible use of Marijuana itself. God put this plant here for a good reason and not just to make rope out of it.
There are people who prefer not to use Marijuana and I respect them for it. I do not advocate or promote for these people to use it or try it. However I advocate to please respect mine and others wishes to use it responsibly. I have good reasons for its use within my life. I work physically very hard and sometimes at the end of the day rather than having an alcoholic drink to unwind and relax my mind and body I will smoke a small amount. I do not buy or keep any large amounts of this product within my home, because it is illegal to use.
I have arthritis throughout most of the joints within my body and have to sleep with prescription pain medication in order to keep from waking up during my sleep time. Marijuana relieves the tensions in my muscles and the mental distress of everyday living. I enjoy the sexual enhancement and romantic sensitivity that it brings within my intimate sessions with my partner and at times the meditated state and prayer with my God. God does not condone the personal use of Marijuana. What He does condone is the improper use and abuse of just about anything that He has provided for us in this world. What needs to be done is to educate people on how to and when one can use Marijuana and for what purposes.
Do not be fool by the play in words though the anti-drug commercials targeted for young people. And yes young uneducated people will abuse just about anything they experience as different and enjoyable to them. In comparison to natural substances such as peyote, mescaline or magic mushrooms, which dramatically alters one mental out look and behavior, Marijuana is a natural unadulterated product, which offers a mild euphoric feeling, but with one’s mind coherent of the ones surroundings, just as it is. It does not extremely alter one’s perception of things, but only in a good sense. Marijuana is not addicting as opiates or an addicting narcotic such as cocaine or meth and whatever else is out there on the streets, that man’s chemist have conjured. Marijuana should not be put in such a devastating category, as narcotics, as this is an exaggeration of the facts.
As such discrimination and incarceration is a favorite abuse of our higher society to maintain the upper hand in controlling and threatening the population and costing the tax payers billions of dollars that can be better used as Soberworld has said, for bettering our educational institutions, health and social programs for the needy. There are just so many better uses for the money the USA spends against Marijuana, which does not even impact against the truth that has been revealed to the people that use Marijuana responsibly.
Sep 5th, 2008
Domingo A Torres
Our USA as much as I love it, I must say that its government’s politicians are so critical of other countries crimes to humanity, but our politicians themselves are hypocrites in that they do the same to their own citizens making them criminals with these frivolous laws so as to destroy their lives and then expect them to be patriotic every fourth of July, where our so call freedom is celebrated. Stop this none sense, and get for real.
Who are these people who influence our politicians to act on these types of laws that waste our tax payers money. I do believe if the people who created slavery and passed laws towards racism where alive today, they would be judged as criminals towards humanity. As such all politicians who had a hand and supported in passing these types laws should be judged as criminals and be incarcerated as such, so they can feel what is like to have one’s live destroyed. And yes we should form a nation wide class action sue, against our policy makers within the federal level and put them through trial in a court for acts against humanity.
Sep 5th, 2008
Domingo A Torres
Today, the cities and states that live within the cold climate season changes, are scrambling to find reserve funds to assist those who will not be able to afford the high heating cost of oil, natural gas and electricity to heat up their homes during this winter, not speak of those winters that will follow during the following years to come. The US deficit is over 9 Trillion dollars and its lower and middle class citizens are going broke and giving up their mortgage homes, because it just too much to handle financially. Giving up one’s property means less taxes coming into the treasury department in all cities and states.
Now I am one who believes that Marijuana should be a free growing plant as God provided it that way for people to use responsibly as it was intended. Not everyone gets cancer by smoking tobacco and not everyone gets cirrhosis of the liver by drinking alcoholic beverages or even become alcoholics. However it has been proven that many people who overindulge in just about anything including healthy foods are affected adversely in some way or another. I can go on with the truths of this line of thinking, but the point I am trying to make is that God’s says “Let my holy plant grow and let it be used by those who need it, as I intended it to be” The point here is that the USA gov. does keep allowing and taxing the sales of fire arms, tobacco and alcohol, which have been proven to be deadly to some, but it has made illegal the substance of Marijuana which has never been proven to kill anyone, if not in association with some other drug or alcohol involved.
The fact of the matter is that many lobbyist push for laws of (soberisms) or purity, which is an idealistic delusion. The very fabric of our flesh is never pure, nor will it ever be according to scientific and biblical scripture. Yes there are some who always abuse just about anything including Marijuana, whether it be legal or not. What I propose is to make it legal and add a reasonable sales tax for it, to help those in need. I suggest that as long as a doctor can give one the go ahead to be a user, an ID card should be provided tracking it sales to whom. New laws will have to take place in accordance with its use; such as a public nuisance laws under the influence of Marijuana, one will be warned the first time, will be fine a minimal fee the ssecond time or incarcerated over night. Driving soley under the influence of Marijuana will also have minimal fines. No can be allowed to work around dangerous equipment under the influence of Marijuana and so on. The Id card will track abusers and they will be dwelt with under an abuser law which desecrates the purpose of Marijuana. One can not be allowed to mix the substance of Marijuana with other medications unless approved by ones medical doctor. Before receiving the Id card there should be provided a short course on how to, where, and when and for what purposes one can use Marijuana. Of course if not priscribed by a medical doctor, there should be a youth age restriction for its use, with severe penalties involve for the deterance of their use. This is because young people do not have enough maturity to have learned why one must respect the use of Marijuana. One more thing, smoking Marijuana in public places openly, where there are people who do not smoke should be illegal and penalized with a fine. Night clubs should have a well ventalated designated area for such things and should be prohibited to sell it to those drinking alchol in their facilites. I have heard and read all the pros and con arguements about this subject and I have concluded that Marijuana is no different than anything else God has provided for us in this world to use wisely. I rest my case.
Sep 6th, 2008
Domingo A Torres
As a consumer of any product, if and when Marijuana becomes legal, one should educate themselves with the pros and cons of the product. Educational material should be provided and with this material I suggest providing a educational class on the subject, where as after completing the class, a tracking ID card should be issued, that will allow computer Id and permission to buy the product. One should consult ones primary care physician, before submitting. Growers for marketing, sellers, and distributors should be licensed accordingly and of course all should maintain quality control standards and sealed packaging. The licensing tax for growers, sellers and distributors should provide additional tax revenue. The customer sales tax would be another additional tax revenue, along with all other by products such Marijuana paraphernalia. The Marijuana Market will also provide jobs and government funds to assisted the needy in this country. Legalizing Marijuana in this way may put some people like the DEA employees, criminal prison, lawyers, and courts out of work, but it will provide many others with work and save this this country’s tax expenditures, billions of dollars that can better be used for energy research, education etc.
Sep 9th, 2008
Domingo A Torres
May I add that in no way should medical doctors become a judge or poster in behaving as a dictator towards the Marijuana user by their health test service. He should not become a controlling agent in who should have and who should have not, may it be out of personal discretion or bribed to reject a patient. Rejections has to come from the record of the patient who indicates strong signs in reason towards a rejection. A document of rejection or permission from a doctor’s test will have to be constituted within law that there will be no liability to the doctor or any of the Marijuana providing bodies, when one chooses to go ahead against the rejection. As such it is the accepted permission document that will be requested upon ones application to be documented for a Marijuana user Id Card.
Sep 9th, 2008
Reply to “The Human Cost of Marijuana Prohibition, Part 1”