cannabisnews.com: Pot Smokers Aren't Terrorists





Pot Smokers Aren't Terrorists
Posted by CN Staff on May 05, 2004 at 18:16:18 PT
By Adrian Aguila, Guest Columnist
Source: Orion
Yes, I inhale. I am one of more than 100,000 California medical cannabis patients. I use cannabis, marijuana, pot or whatever you want to call it, to alleviate symptoms from post-traumatic stress and bipolar disorders. Cannabis allows me to forget about my neuroses and live a productive life as a student, volunteer, and activist.The U.S. government likes to paint cannabis as an evil monster, but that is not true. Most taxpayers are tired of billions of dollars being spent to wage a drug war that's done nothing but widen the profit margin of drug dealers and placed millions of cannabis users in prison. Many people think it's time to legalize cannabis; why does the Drug Enforcement Agency insist on maintaining these outdated laws?
The United States has prohibited cannabis since 1937. Our government created propaganda to scare Americans into criminalizing cannabis. Anti-cannabis ads depicted smokers as crazed criminals, like in the propaganda movie "Reefer Madness."According to the documentary "Grass," Harry Anslinger was responsible for the spread of horror stories that demonized cannabis users as rapists, violent criminals and murderers. Anslinger, the commissioner of the U.S. Bureau of Narcotics from 1930 to 1962, also stated that cannabis use was spread by racial minorities like black jazz musicians and Chinese and Mexican immigrants. In fact, the term marijuana, a derivative of Maria Juanita -- meaning the Virgin Mary -- was first used by Anslinger as a way to associate the plant with Mexicans.Before Anslinger got on his anti-cannabis bandwagon, the plant had been used industrially for many purposes: medicines, tonics, a plastic-like material, clothes, ropes and canvas. You could even use it for energy. Farmers used cannabis as a rotation crop because of its natural ability to keep the soil nitrogen rich, reversing soil depletion. Henry Ford even developed a car that had a cannabis-based body that could withstand a crowbar beating without denting. With all its positive uses, it's a mystery why cannabis remains illegal. People against legalization argue that it is harmful, it kills brain cells, makes you stupid or lazy and, in a catch-22, it should be illegal because it's illegal. These reasons aren't hard to prove irrelevant: The Institute of Medicine's 1999 report "Marijuana and Medicine" said dependence on cannabis is relatively rare and less severe compared to other drugs. Their studies didn't show that cannabis caused brain damage. Check out www.ccrmg.org for more info.Looking back at prohibition, we realized criminalizing alcohol did not stop consumption but drove it underground, making many people richer through black-market sales. Prohibition made money for corrupt law officials, bootleggers like the Kennedy family and owners of secret speakeasies where people could illegally buy alcohol. Cannabis should not be treated any differently.Cannabis consumers have families, do volunteer work, pay taxes and -besides a love for the herb -- are law-abiding citizens. Yet they are routinely discriminated against because of their decision to use cannabis for medical, spiritual, social or other personal purposes. Cannabis consumers are not second-class citizens. The discriminatory ban on cannabis use needs to end now.If cannabis remains illegal, its consumers will be demonized and remain criminalized forever. If the Victory Act passes, cannabis users could be designated as terrorists, along with all illegal drug users, even if you are a medical user. I don't want to find myself being "safe housed" in Guantamano Bay for an indefinite amount of time just because I am vocal and honest about my medicinal marijuana use. The DEA says cannabis is dangerous. But the only danger I've ever encountered is persecution by our government. We need to stop the elite ruling class from lying about the dangers of cannabis. We need to step up, circulate petitions and vote to pass a new compassionate cannabis law that underscores the need for this helpful plant. Source: Orion, The (CA Edu)Author: Adrian Aguila, Guest ColumnistPublished: May 05, 2004Copyright: 2004 The OrionWebsite: http://www.orion-online.net/Contact: opinioneditor orion-online.netCannabisNews -- Cannabis Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/cannabis.shtml
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Comment #6 posted by afterburner on May 06, 2004 at 06:45:25 PT
Meanwhile, the Real Terrorists as mayan Warned
CBC (Canadian Broadcast Corporation) rebroadcast last night an episode of The Fifth Estate called 'Conspiracy Theory' "The myths around Sept. 11, 2001, and the war on Iraq." The documentary examines close Bush family ties with the bin Laden family before, during, and after 9/11. Then, when I click into today's Toronto Star, I find an article about a new film by Michael Moore exploring the same topic: Moore battles Disney in film feud
May. 6, 2004. 06:14 AM"Firebrand filmmaker Michael Moore says his new documentary Fahrenheit 9/11 is sure to upset the U.S. government 'big time' with its allegations of links between President George W. Bush and terrorist Osama bin Laden, but that's no reason to censor it."  [Full Story] http://tinyurl.com/324cw
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Comment #5 posted by tokenitallup4162 on May 06, 2004 at 05:52:50 PT:
MARIA JUANITA
 I wonder how this all plays into the political realm. I can,t help but think that WE THE PEOPLE are being tossed around like a big bowl of salad, in a bar, some where!!! I can,t believe we would allow our government to keep shaping us into something, what , I havnt a clue!!! I thought our democracy was founded on FREEDOM!!! now, they want to come up with more existing laws against the DISABLED POEPLE!!! by tossing in more rediculious propaganda on top of our already, demised system!!! Using this medicinal marijuana is far better than the pain pills, I eat daily!!! it,s better to get the munchies, than to puke!!! it's better to have a smile, than a frown!!!it's better to laugh out loud, than to just, simply die away!!! MORE VOICES!!! MORE VOICES!!!
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Comment #4 posted by FoM on May 05, 2004 at 20:26:22 PT
RasAric
The law you speak about probably will be made in time. The Internet has been the best thing to happen to the regular people of the world. Everyday we get enough news on tv that we can find more details and make sense of what is happening on the Net. We sort thru things and form opinions as to what is true or just sensational. Many web sites like CNews have the articles and comments archived. We are putting a big puzzle together. It will take time to get all the pieces and see where they fit but we will complete that puzzle and history will have a record.
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Comment #3 posted by RasAric on May 05, 2004 at 20:12:53 PT
With Regard To the Last Paragraph.....
I agree whole-heartedly that we need to step up, circulate petitions and vote to pass a new compassionate cannabis law that underscores the need for this helpful plant.....Let me also add that we Need to pass a law which holds any and all government employees/public servants accountable for lying to the public. To frequently these people are running for office based on a platform of lies. When a government employee lies to the public they should be held criminally accountable!!!
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Comment #2 posted by Petard on May 05, 2004 at 19:22:01 PT
Very lucid
For a brain damaged, memory impaired, terrorist, this writer sure can convey himself well. Yep, best git this un to Gitmo fast afore somebody hears him. Can't have these libruhls speaking. Hey, maybe the Supreme Court oughta gag him, ya know, under the laws of the land and all. Ain't they able to do that under the Constitution nowadays? At least in the Divided States of Bush they can.
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on May 05, 2004 at 18:30:26 PT
Very Well Said
It's true.
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