Legalize Marijuana - Ideas for Change in America

here is a post i just found that may be interesting here. http://www.420girls.com/420/forums/cannabis-news/5190-10-reasons-get-high-about-marijuana-2009-a.html

10 Reasons to Get High About Marijuana in 2009 Okay, it is only February, and more people this year have already died from peanut butter than pot.

Seriously, when you think about what has crossed the pages of our nation’s conscience in the past month, you have to wonder why we are all not getting high.

With thanks to Michael Phelps, I have 10 good reasons to believe drug law reform will ‘take’ this year. Here is why:

Number One: The President
First of all, we elected a president who has admitted inhaling, and whose half brother just got arrested in Kenya for possession of marijuana. Growing up in urban Chicago, and having come from Hawaii, home of ‘Maui Waui,’ we have a man in the oval office that has an herbal background.

I am therefore not intimidated that, on his third day in office, while he was working on a nationwide economic stimulus package, some renegade prosecutors raided a medical dispensary in California. Those ugly efforts will cease soon enough. I am encouraged by President Obama’s prior public statements that such raids are counterproductive and provide illusory answers to real problems.

Number Two: The Medicine
Just as I was exploring the placement of my mom into an assisted living facility for early stage Alzheimer’s patients, I see a study released by Ohio State University this month. The research is indicating that marijuana has some potential capacity to reduce brain inflammation, which plays a role in Alzheimer’s. Mom, those brownies might taste differently next week.

While evidence showing the benefits of marijuana in multiple sclerosis cases has been advancing significantly, work in Alzheimer’s disease is still in its infancy. Still, another recent study performed at the Scripps Research Institute in California found that THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, inhibits the formation of a brain plaque that is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease.

Number Three: The Politics
If you light up a joint while walking down High Street in Medford, Massachusetts, not much is likely to happen to you. As of Jan. 2, Massachusetts became one of 12 states that have decriminalized marijuana possession to some extent. The new civil penalties for possession of less than 1 ounce include a $100 fine and forfeiture of one’s stash for those over 18 years of age. Minors will receive the same fine and be required to attend drug education classes.

In city after city, and state after state, once silent minorities are becoming vocal majorities and voting to enact legislation freeing marijuana from unjust law enforcement. When given the chance, we are winning the war against prohibition. Legislators in Michigan, Connecticut and even Florida are starting to re-introduce bills to lower penalties for pot. The whirlwind is commencing; just ask anyone in a dorm room within a wave of the White House after the inauguration.

Number Four: The Media
Marijuana has gone mainstream. Media outlets are no longer hiding in the shadows afraid to produce honest reports about the culture of marijuana. We are less likely to see commercials of pot smokers having their brains grilled in a frying pan. We are more likely to view legitimate programming which produces truths rather than trash about your stash.

One such report was featured on NBC news last week, a snippet of an hour long production on MSNBC entitled ‘Marijuana, Inc.’ Focusing more on economics then the sociology of pot, the well-supported report inescapably concluded that marijuana commerce is here to stay and unlikely to change. As even the NY Daily News said, “When it comes to marijuana, a whole lot of people voted some time ago to just say yes.” Ask the cast of the award winning Showtime series, ‘Weeds,’ which captures a growing American spirit.

Number Five: The Public
Even the Department of Health has said that 95 million Americans have over the age of 21 have tried marijuana at least once. Everyone except Bill Clinton has inhaled. The anti drug warriors have a hard time explaining to the average adult in the 21st century that millions of Americans are wrong when they light up every day.

It is normal to smoke pot. The vast amount of marijuana users today are parents choosing to calm down instead of liquor up, not just kids, looking to get high after class. Of course, they are too, adults treating arthritis, patients using it for multiple sclerosis, or people with HIV fighting a wasting syndrome. Pot smokers cross ethnic, sociological, and economic boundaries.

Number Six: The Celebrities
There is a lot of reason to hate the celebrity culture, paparazzi, and people who get their daily pulp from finding out where Brittany Spears went shopping. As more media types get busted with pot, the less newsworthy it becomes. The public could care less. An arrest for pot is not a career-ending event. As I finish this piece and send it off for distribution, I am watching Snoop Doggy Dogg being interviewed on ESPN for the NFL Countdown to the Super Bowl. It does not seem to have hurt him. And guess what Michael Phelps got caught doing this weekend? Toking off a bong!

Macauley Culkin, Bud Bundy, Willie Nelson, Art Garfunkel, and Al Gore’s son also make the High Subscription List. So do Allen Iverson, Matthew McConaughey, Whitney Houston, Oliver Stone, and even Queen Latifah. All have posted bail for pot. They are not doing too badly for themselves. Go visit Celebstoner for more prime examples of the intersection of celebrity and cannabis.

Number Seven: The Growers
In speaking out against rescheduling marijuana so as to remove it from its classification as dangerous, the most significant point that the Office of Drug Control Policy makes is that today’s weed ‘is not your grandfather’s pot.’

Exactly! It is not, but they miss the mark when they say today’s pot is ‘stronger.’

Today’s pot is also cleaner, safer, and healthier to consume. From vaporizers to hydroponic labs, the marijuana grown and consumed today is more precisely cultivated, carefully processed, and lovingly manicured then the mold-encased, dried-out weed we grew up on decades ago. That pot was often delivered to Americans from overseas after being buried in the dark, musky cargo hulls of ships for weeks at a time.

Now that Americans grow our own marijuana at home, we do not hear stories on a daily basis about people smoking rat poison or buying oregano. We have returned to the roots of our forefathers, lest we forget that George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison all grew hemp. They did not turn out too bad, either. Today’s pot growers are the new revolutionary farmers.

Number Eight: The Police and Jails
Sadly, the criminal justice system in America is teeming with serious crimes and violence against Americans. A Department of Homeland Security must necessarily focus on threats from abroad. From drive-by shootings to corporate white collar crime, the jails in our country are simply not capable of housing all those who should arguably be locked up. So law enforcement has to prioritize. Building jails and keeping people in prisons costs more money than communities can afford. Pot smokers are the residual beneficiaries.

The necessities of twenty first century law enforcement have reduced pot to secondary priorities. More and more cities are encouraging cops to treat simple pot possession as a civil traffic infraction and just write a ticket. As those progressive initiatives take hold, pot prosecutions will diminish and pot users will be treated more fairly.

Number Nine: The Non Profits
The wealth of non profit organizations advocating drug law reform is growing exponentially. We are not just NORML anymore. Benefactors like Peter Lewis and George Soros have underwritten drug reform movements the way Hugh Hefner once helped NORML. The Marijuana Policy Project, Students for a Sensible Drug Policy, the Drug Policy Alliance, and Law Enforcement Against Prohibition are just a small sampling of honorable groups fighting to change the public perception in the way drug consumers are viewed and treated. If you enhance their efforts today, there is less of a chance that you will be bonding yourself or your child out of jail tomorrow.

Number Ten: The Internet
There is no better way to end this column then to point towards the awesome power of networking to generate partnerships for the common good. Overnight, hundreds of thousands of reformers can be linked for a specific goal, a targeted protest, or unified voice to speak out for or against a new law or proposed regulation.

The NORML blog and podcast draws hundreds of thousands of Americans daily who would otherwise never be reached but for the arm of the ‘Net. Stopthedrugwar.org, Marijuananews.com, and cannabisnews.com are amongst the target specific Internet resources drug law reformers can access instantly. There are too many more to mention.

Finally, the Internet has spawned networking groups where activists, organizers, and reformers can synthesize their partnerships and causes. And there is always something new unfolding.

It’s Up to Us!

For too many years, pot smokers have been political prisoners, captive to repressive government and a rolling tide. 2009 represents a renewed opportunity to make the waters of justice run our way again.

Suggested by jeffrey C oldman on 02/08/2009 @ 12:04PM PT

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Force the Democrats to Change!

The war on drugs was created by the Republicans and Democrats TOGETHER. Richard Nixon, in collusion with the Dixie-crats, created the war on drugs as a cover to re-invigorate Jim Crow so as to neutralize the electoral empowerment of the Voting Rights Act. And as an underhanded means to attack the social and political nonconformists of the anti-war movement. This is what the right-wing CULTURE WAR is all about. Always has been and always will be.

The leadership the two dominance parties still, to this day, maintain the war on drugs as a means of mass disenfranchising poor minorities and marginalizing political dissidence and social disaffection. In other words opposition to the conformist dictatorship of the religious right that dominates American politics.

I have learned from experience in these past forty years that the Democrats ignore their dedicated followers expecting their blind support and not really caring what the core of the party thinks about anything. Acting on this I quit the Democratic Party in 1996 and changed my registration to Independent. Since that time the Democrats have courted my vote assiduously.

On a mass political basis this is proven out with California Prop 215 and other laws where reformers turned away from Democratic lack of support and acted independent of the wishes of the Democrats. Drug policy reform started to win public support and electoral plurality when it stopped listening to the Democratic Party.

The Democrats are screwing with reformers on this web site too. Drug policy reform, that has demonstrated massive support, has been morphed into the more generic criminal justice. There is no representation of drug policy reform on the front page of this site. They are subverting and neutralizing drug policy reform. Trying to co-opt your energy back into the Party where they can shut you up. DON'T LET THEM DO THIS TO DRUG POLICY REFORM!!!!!

The ONLY WAY to get the Democrats to listen to you is to threaten their majority and sanctimonious self-assurance. they do not listen to their sycophants. They do listen to detractors and opponents. Squeaky wheels get the attention of the Democrats.

I recommend that drug policy reform Democrats change your voter registration to Independent and tell the Democratic Party why you have done it. Tell them that when the Democratic Party, as a party, adopts drug policy reform and Harm Reduction that you will support the Democratic Party. Stop sending them money. Stop voting for their drug warrior candidates.

Suggested by P R on 02/08/2009 @ 08:54AM PT

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Cannabis, along with all drugs targeted in the war on drugs, is illegal because many of the 535 members of the United States Congress want it that way. But they are all that stands against drug policy reform. when we change the minds of a majority of that 535 members of congress we change the policies.

Here is how to do that.

In the immediate there are two bills in the congress now that would decriminalize personal use of cannabis and stop the federal law enforcement from their egregious attacks on medical marijuana in the 26% of our states that have created laws to regulate medical use.

H.R.5842 http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c110:H.R.5842:To provide for the medical use of marijuana in accordance with the laws of the various States.
(Hosted page for H.R. 5842 at Aid & comfort bloghttp://mysite.verizon.net/aahpat/aandc/hr5842.htm)

H.R.5843 http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c110:H.R.5843: To eliminate most Federal penalties for possession of marijuana for personal use, and for other purposes.
(Hosted page for H.R. 5843 at Aid & comfort blog http://mysite.verizon.net/aahpat/aandc/hr5843.htm)

Writing to your representatives and senators in congress to take up and pass these two bills is the quickest way to CHANGE.

Additionally, as a means of giving impetus to these bills, take advantage of these tough economic times by lobbying your state legislatures to do two things: 1 reschedule cannabis to a summary ticket offense (they can't legalize outright without congress). And 2. pass a state legislative resolution instructing your state's U.S. congressional delegation to take up and pass the two bills, H.R. 5842 and H.R. 5843.

Rescheduling simple possession in the states would reduce criminal justice costs and increase local citation revenues. State legislatures sending resolutions to your congressional delegations gives state legislative support for decriminalization at the federal level.

The reasons the state legislatures should do this are;

1. Reduce the costs of criminal justice.

2. Start the process, at the state level, of regulating the cannabis markets to create jobs, direct tax income into state treasuries and deprive gangsters of billions of dollars in tax free subsidies in the form of pot income. Most important, regulation of the cannabis market puts sales into the hands of responsible licensed and regulated members of the community who would better respect American values to keep drugs out of the hands of kids.

Under the current policy the only morals and values in between kids and drug sales are the morals and ethics of addict dealers and gangsters. So to best protect children from drug sales America should legalize and regulate cannabis sales. Send the message to children that we are now protecting them, with the strongest regulatory institutions in our society, from the addicts and gangsters who would harm them.

Suggested by P R on 02/08/2009 @ 06:20AM PT

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LEGALIZE IT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Suggested by kevin mcronald on 02/07/2009 @ 10:33PM PT

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The Government made alcohol legal and tobacco! Which causes all kinds of illness's. mary jane should be legalized like alcohol or any other substance. If anthing was to be less damaging to society it would be MJ. Alcohol causes liver damage, cigs cause cancer. They've got nothing on MJ!! My feeling is that the reason our leaders keep Bad stuff legal is it creates jobs for other people. when a drunk driver kills someone, JOBS..When a person gets cancer..JOBS. There's really no profit to be made if MJ was legal. except the tax man, yyeeeaa the tax mannnnn and your working for no one but me.. TAX MAN!!

Suggested by dave scott on 02/07/2009 @ 09:18PM PT

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Some PEOPLE are lazy, some PEOPLE are not.
-->Whether one is lazy or not does not depend on whether one CHOOSES to smoke Cannabis or not;
--> that Marijuana Makes people "lazy" is one of the Mass Media Myths:
-->Mass Media have robbed people of choice with respect to what they think. They have done this by killing off as much of the "competition" as they can in attempts to eliminate all other views.
-->"We are all prisoners. Some of us have windows in our cells and some of us do not." ~Kahlil Gibran
-->Finding and implementing ways to make more "windows" (multiple entendre) is the foundation of any effective advocacy coalition.
-->The more people we can get on broadband, the more windows we can create for the CIRCULATION of the LIFEBLOOD called TRUTH thru-out the body of humanity.

SUGGESTION: Add BroadBandAdvocacy ActionAlertLinks
to MPP, DPA, LEAP, Norml, etc etc and to all
RElegalizationofCannabii-species@dvocacies.RoCs.sites**
------------------------------------
** [ ( NotIntendedAS@link );
translation: Advocacy Sites for
RE-legalization of Cannabis species (RoCs)*]
* meaningful profound figurative puns "encripted":
hint, think "OS" as in computers.
hint, think SOLID-ARITY (a seeming contradiction, koan-esque)
hint, think MUSIC
hint, think FOUNDATION
_____________
YES RE CAN !
(sic) lol 'scuzeme;wasthatbad?

Suggested by Ani L. Schwartz on 02/07/2009 @ 02:24PM PT

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Let's tell the children the truth. About using Cannabis, and about it's history in America, and the world. Let's tell the truth, no more hiding, no more lying, lets be honest with our children, and the world. I am.

Suggested by James Yarger on 02/07/2009 @ 10:08AM PT

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Legalize it. Give our farmers something to grow. Take away the street gangs number one scource of income. Tax it. Create age limits. End prohibition. End ignorance on the issue. Marajuana should be legalized for recreational purposes not just medical.

Suggested by ryan g on 02/07/2009 @ 02:29AM PT

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To start off I'd say one of the most Beautiful things in life is CHOICE. Choice to me is freedom and to choose to use marijuana or not is a beautiful thing. It is sad to see that people are willing to fight and bash this plant because they were to condition to believe that it is bad and have no clue or arguement why even if their love ones tell them its bad without reason and just accept the fact(from their point of view) that it is bad. I have family members who have died from cigarettes and I think this would be a method to curve it. There is no stories of someone dieing or getting sick from smoking or ingesting weed, only side affects that are minor. Legalizing will not create new recruits to this, just another experience to see if its something you like or not, again CHOICE. Im not fighting for the good of marijuana just for my freedom of choice. Lastly, stoners now have an opportunity to make a difference and save the economy by stimulating income. Only downfall to stoners is some are lazy to fight for their right to smoke herb, and yet again some are not. CHOICE!

Suggested by GT Blade on 02/07/2009 @ 01:00AM PT

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Hi everyone, You know what really bothers me? The lack of willingness to band together in a coalition that will be willing to fight for the legalization of Medical Marijuana. It seems once a municipality or a state has relaxed their policies they slowly forget that the FDA/DEA still has the ultimate say in what happens. The plant is considered a schedule I substance and will be under Government control until we are able to convince the legislators that they HAVE to change the provisions of it's use. I have beat my head against the wall talking in forums and trying to convince them that this is what is needed, not just a tacit approval of the local powers that they will look the other way. Unless we are willing to get serious and take this issue to our leaders and either make them change it or vote them out of office, they will continue to do business as usual. I am as far as I know he first person in the state of Ky willing to stand up and say yes I did this and have placed my freedom on the line for it. I hear so many profess that they are committed to change but when push comes to shove, it suddenly seems they disappear. Well I am in this for the long run, come what may. We need people to help us in this state but it seems no one is willing to step outside their sphere of safety and join our ranks. I am finding that by being vocal and telling my story and being honest about it that I am slowly gathering a few members to www.k4mm.org and it will continue to grow. I have had more success with the people of my age 60+ than I have of the younger ages to be willing to listen and learn. It really makes me question whether the folks who have vowed their commitment are truly interested in anything other than their own well being. I do really thank those who have been willing to join our forum and believe me there will be many more. But to those in states that have decriminalized the plant I warn you that the big Pharmaceutical companies have a lot of power and will do everything they can to stop it from ever becoming truly legal. We as individuals have to be willing to urge the legislature to change the scheduling or the power will stay where it is. Obama has already stated he will NOT make it legal. Unless we make that push to get it into the medical community where it can be proven as a valuable and viable tool for those with needs for it. The rules will remain the same. This is not a knock on anyone, I am just stating the truth as I see it. The feds are fully aware that it can be grown mostly anywhere but it is really only in the states that have good growing conditions that it is at it's best. Otherwise it has to be in a controlled environment and that can be found by a simple power consumption check or at night a FLIR. I urge everyone to get their respective legislators off their duff and make them change the old boy network. Fear is a powerful tool and the large industries see it as a threat to food, clothing, fuel, Medical, and many other uses. Please don't stop nor ever rest. We have to be ever vigilant and keep fighting till we see what is really the element of change. The first step in rescheduling the plant from I to II. Physicians do not want to see it legal because it would make their patients better and they would lose money. I thank everyone who has been kind enough to help me and appreciate the efforts you are putting forth. Please urge others to keep working, Maybe a battle has been won here and there but the war is still raging on.Sincerely,Bob SilveyModerator, www.k4mm.org.

Suggested by bob silvey on 02/06/2009 @ 11:36PM PT