Marijuana was not only legal in this country until 1937, with the implantation of the Marijuana Tax Act making it illegal, but there was a law in Jamestown Colony since the early 1600’s ordering farmers to grow Indian hemp seed, a type of marijuana.
Many who have not tried marijuana make judgments on this innocent, naturally occurring plant. Many claim it is immoral to use this helpful herb. The morality usually comes from the right wing God fearing folk. Didn’t God create all plants? For what purpose would God create an evil plant? No, this plant is not evil or immoral; it was a politician that made it immoral and illegal.
Marijuana is an ancient plant that has been used for various building, religious and medicinal purposes. Archeological sites in China have discovered hemp rope dating back to 4000 BC. Hemp has been used for rope, clothing and paper though out history. Many of the early US legal documents such as the Declaration of Independence were written on hemp paper. Many tribal cultures still use marijuana in religious ceremonies because they feel the euphoric effect brings them closer to the spirit world. Marijuana has been used a medicine to treat many different aliments such as headaches and various neuroses. It has been effectively used as an anesthetic also. Today medical marijuana is used to treat glaucoma and to increase appetite in chemotherapy patients.
Marijuana has legitimate medical uses yet it is illegal. Drinking alcohol and smoking tobacco have no medical uses except to keep doctors in business treating their destructive process. Yet those two more dangerous drugs are legal. There is only one reason for this and it is political.
A man by the name of Harry Anslinger decided to make a job for himself by creating the Drug Enforcement Bureau. This was during the early thirties and marijuana was still legal in the US. This was also during the time of prohibition when alcohol was illegal. It was also during the great depression which brings us to the cause of marijuana’s becoming illegal. Harry Anslinger’s primary pursuits were chasing down heroin and cocaine. These drudges were not enough of a problem to justify an entire federal bureau. He needed a new evil to chase. In the south western states there was a large illegal Mexican worker population, much like today, which coincidently smoked marijuana. The local US citizens of these south western states resented the Mexicans being there taking jobs that were in short supply because of the depression. The state legislators needed to get rid of the Mexicans and Harry Anslinger needed a new drug to chase. It was a match made in, well not heaven, just in the south western US. A smear campaign was started and marijuana became public enemy number one.
All types of lies were started, like it makes you a homicidal maniac, it makes black men rape white women and it causes insanity. Nothing was too outrageous to be said in order to get rid of this harmless weed. This was all made up for a political agenda.
Marijuana is a very calming drug that makes people peaceful, unlike alcohol which makes people violent. Marijuana has never been proven to cause cancer like cigarettes and the ill effects of smoking can be overcome by using a vaporizer instead of inhaling the burnt smoke. Marijuana can be cooked into food and ingested with no ill effects to the lungs also.
Yes, marijuana is a drug, but it does have its uses. There are drugs prescribed by doctors every day that cause you far more damage than marijuana. Even over the counter medications can cause serious health problems. Tylenol taken in excess can cause liver failure and Motrin can cause kidney failure. All you have to do is watch the TV commercials and listen to all the side effects a supposed treatment can cause you to realize that commercial drugs are no safer.
Marijuana is not the problem it is made out to be. The people that are abusing it have other problems that cause the abusive behavior. If they did not use marijuana they would use something else. There are many people who use marijuana regularly with no ill affects whatsoever. These are the people who are happier. They have less mental problems because they have a better source of relief than alcohol, cigarettes, Prozac, Xanax, Buspar and a host of others. These legal drugs do the same thing but are less effective with worse side effects. Let us legalize a safe natural substance that will help people with out negative side effects of other more dangerous and less natural drugs.