cannabisnews.com: Marijuana Smokers Still Toke Despite Illegality





Marijuana Smokers Still Toke Despite Illegality
Posted by CN Staff on September 19, 2003 at 17:49:27 PT
By Shaun Pour, Opinion Columnist 
Source: Daily Cougar 
Holy cannabis. This stuff is everywhere, so what's the big dilemma? Oh yeah… it's not legal. There are still a lot of bureaucrats and bored politicians who still honestly believe that marijuana is dangerous. Usually, their only arguments pertain something to the likes of it's harmful effects on the body or how it hurts the nation's youth. Moreover, the main beef is that the supposed addictive nature of the substance will get you to experiment with more extreme drugs. I'll wait until you're done laughing before I continue. 
I base my life on one philosophy: If it doesn't affect anyone else, then do it. More and more people, especially college students, are beginning to see that marijuana is everywhere, and will stay that way. Weed, ganja, dank, Mary Jane, hash; the countless slang for marijuana is just another indicator of just how common it is. How many of you reading this article could get some marijuana right now if you wanted to? Better yet, how long would it take you to get it? The truth is that it's practically easier to get your hands on some sticky green than it is to go to the local convenience store and buy some Trident. Now, it's gotten to the point where marijuana is treated less like a drug and more like a joke. Smoke and Toke, High Times and the countless cluster of businesses that don't sell marijuana, but sell accessories, challenge legislation. And God bless them for that. What's more dangerous than someone high on marijuana? I'll take bar-hoppers for $500 Alex. Millions of people suffer from the effects of alcoholism, so why not outlaw alcohol? Every possible danger that comes with marijuana is just as possible with alcohol. Driving while intoxicated, health problems, addiction and change in behavior are all risks of both substances. The difference is, we expect individuals to be responsible with alcohol, but it should also be the case with marijuana. Amsterdam's citizens relish in the fact that they can enjoy marijuana, even in the airport. Responsibility is key because it lets us do whatever we want, even if it means hurting ourselves, without hurting others. It's a brilliant concept, but there are still people who can't quite get it. I mean, is it just me, or does anyone else cringe with frustration anytime a truth.com commercial comes on? People choose to smoke cigarettes like they choose to smoke pot, but tobacco is more harmful than marijuana. In the grander scheme of things, maybe it's just in our nature to deviate from a constant perspective. And until we finally say yes to legalizing marijuana, people are going to continue doing it illegally, because it's just how we are. President Lincoln once said, "Prohibition…attempts to control a man's appetite by legislation and makes a crime out of things that are not crimes." Maybe we can learn from our mistakes. Complete Title: Marijuana Smokers Still Toke Despite Its Illegality Source: Daily Cougar (U of Houston, TX Edu)Author: Shaun Pour, Opinion Columnist Published: Vol. 69 - Issue 17 - September 17, 2003Copyright: 2003 Student PublicationsContact: dclettrs pop.uh.eduWebsite: http://www.uh.edu/campus/cougar/CannabisNews -- Cannabis Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/cannabis.shtml
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Comment #9 posted by FoM on September 26, 2003 at 09:08:16 PT
VitaminT
Thank You! That is so cool that CNews was mentioned! 
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Comment #8 posted by VitaminT on September 26, 2003 at 08:58:06 PT
FoM
The following two letters were published in the Daily Cougar, one mentions C-News!Volume 69, Issue 22, Wednesday, September 24, 2003
Opinion 
 Letters to the Editor When Shaun Pour's opinion piece ("Marijuana smokers still toke despite its illegality," opinion, Sept. 17) popped up on www.cannabisnews.com, I felt a strong twinge of Cougar pride. The government's 66-year-old war on marijuana has long sought to criminalize a consensual act where no person is harmed. Most Americans are simply unwilling to be ruled by such foolish and arbitrary laws. Freedom and responsibility -- these are the principles that govern the American heart and mind. May it ever be so. Viva Libertad! Heyward Dixon 
Alumnus, Class '99, architecture ------------------------------------------------------------As Shaun Pour observed in his opinion column "Marijuana smokers still toke despite its illegality" (Sept. 17), the most notable thing about marijuana -- aside from government sponsored fairy tales -- is that the people who use it tend to behave so much better than with alcohol. It's been 30 years since this alum (MA, sociology) was toking from time to time with virtually all of my classmates. During my later years at the University of St. Thomas, it was no different. In those decades we've seen 15 million or so people arrested for marijuana offenses. It's sort of like making foreign cars illegal and arresting someone for driving one because it has better brakes and steering. What passes for logic in the drug war would be: "If Fords are legal and they cause accidents, why should we add to the number of drivers and accidents by making Japanese cars legal?" Prohibition is a costly rain dance, a ritual based on magic rather than science, that merely diverts attention from the real problems of drug abuse and discredits most efforts at useful drug education. Jerry Epstein 
executive director, 
Drug Policy Forum of Texas 
C-News thread17359
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Comment #7 posted by Rev Jonathan Adler on September 20, 2003 at 16:55:28 PT:
Freedom to Help or harm one's self.
This article is well written and says volumes. If the Federal Government truely represents us and the constitution, why don't they entertain the possibility of recognizing the state's medical rights and the religious rights also claimed regarding sincere cannabis use? The result would be more complete freedom for all and some good side effects. Some of the best times lay ahead! Just think.
More revenue, more socialization and prosperity, more healthy people who self-medicate to PREVENT illness, more freedom of choice and expression regarding cannabis use and last but not least, public safety, instaed of a War on Us!. Peace Out! Helicopters were intended for medical use only!
Hawaii Medical Marijuana Institute
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Comment #6 posted by Arthropod on September 20, 2003 at 07:23:30 PT:
A Bible observation
Prohibitionists kind of remind me of the story of the prodigal son. They have taken their inheritance of the government and squandered it by persecuting all manner of people (blacks, gays, women, cannabists, the list goes on).
One day they will realize that without the people (the money from their inheritance) they have nothing to live with. They will have to come home to the father to regain a chance at life, and realize that the money was never truly theirs in the first place.
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Comment #5 posted by Jose Melendez on September 20, 2003 at 04:27:31 PT
terrorizing cannabis prohibitionists?
somehow that sounds like fun...
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Comment #4 posted by The GCW on September 19, 2003 at 19:32:25 PT
reggaemylitis
Let's look at the basic math.You are correct. But that is not the whole truth.The superplant is not nearly as harmful as terrorizing cannabis prohibitionists would like citizens to think.You indicate cannabis is harmless, which is correct. But let's take the truth further. Cannabis is in fact better than harmless! Cannabis is benificial! But that is not the whole truth either.Cannabis can heal the nations! That is the truth. The Biblical truth. You know the peace sign / the circle with the "chicken foot" that the "hippy commi fags" loved in the 70's? Well that was the old peace sign. Now turn that peace sign right side up and it looks like the tree of life. The last page of the Bible says the tree of life will heal the nations.PEACE FOR A NEW CENTURY!I mentioned the judges verdict in Alaska which occured a week or so ago, and friends agree if they allow citizens all across America to have 4 oz. of the tree of life, We would all be growing it and We all would be more peaceful! That would lead to less and less support for America killing around the globe. Then the Muslums would be less interested in killing Americans because they don't hate Americans, but rather, they hate the evil devil. etc. etc. etc. The Ethiopian Coptic Zion Church says: people like to smoke cannabis because it makes them feel closer to God, but they don't realize it and they just enjoy the buzz....I have the authority to help everyone know, that YES, cannabis makes us feel closer to God, and that is going to help heal the nations.Urantia indicates the tree of life has special powers for some people. The Bible indicates the tree of life's power is not there for murderers. John 14-16 indicates the "spirit of truth" is not available to those who disobey Him, and He sums up the commandments by indicating to obey the commandments is to love Your brother. You can not love Your brother and kill Him at the same time. Everyone is Our brother!Of course Bush does not care for Christ, and would rather continue His habit of killing. The taste of blood is hard to discard.And Bush, Your card is up!The spirit of truth exposes the spirit of error.When You use cannabis, say a prayer and thank Christ God Our Father, the Ecologician for KANEH BOSM, cannabis, the tree of life. And when You pray, ask the Ecologician to help YOu know the truth as He wishes for YOu to know it! I promise if You are an Obedient Christian, He will show YOu all things!And by the way... there are only 2 kinds of people on all earth: Obedient Christians and disobedient Christians! Most cannabis users are very obedient type people and only need to believe, and ask for what Christ promised 2,000 years ago. That spirit of truth, is Your confirmation. That spirit of truth is the communication system that Christ died for Us to have, 2,000 years ago and it's time that We now get it. So let's do!That spirit of truth exposes cannabis prohibitionists as the disobedient people that they are. And Bush is their leader.It is time to overcome the churches!"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradixe of God."This is Paradise, at least it will be once We heal the nations. The churches offer great support in perpetuating cannabis prohibition, because of failed clergy."Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying." 
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Comment #3 posted by The GCW on September 19, 2003 at 18:52:38 PT
JSM
Yes.The terrorizing cannabis prohibitionists are running out of ignorance. Cannabis is no longer thought of as the devil weed. Because We call 'em on it! & Because they did not create cannabis!!!!&!Cannabis prohibitionists are Biblically lost.  
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Comment #2 posted by reggaemylitis on September 19, 2003 at 18:47:24 PT:
...
i dont like the idea of the federal government telling me what i can and cannot do with myself. when will people see that by making marijuana illigal, its just gunna create a lot more problems than if this harmless plant was just legal. even if your not a marijuana smoker, your rights are still taken away. and about 10 billion dollars a year is wasted on keeping marijuana out of america, but it doesn't seem to be working now does it.
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Comment #1 posted by JSM on September 19, 2003 at 18:02:08 PT
Nice article
Is it just me, or are we seeing many more positive articles and much less of the probibitionists. Anyone else notice this trend?
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