cannabisnews.com: Marijuana Should Remain Illegal





Marijuana Should Remain Illegal
Posted by CN Staff on November 01, 2004 at 08:32:55 PT
By Dr. Paul M. Worrell
Source: Anchorage Daily News 
Proponents of Ballot Measure 2 contend that marijuana is innocuous enough that it shouldn't be the government's business if adults want to smoke it. They say prohibition wastes money and doesn't work, and they argue that legalizing and regulating the drug will get rid of the black market. This will protect kids from drug dealers and keep otherwise law-abiding adults out of jail, they say.
One of these arguments for legalizing marijuana, a powerful psychotropic drug, is that it is less addictive than alcohol or nicotine, and certainly not as dangerous as cocaine and heroin. It's not "as bad" as tobacco or alcohol, so why ban pot use when these other substances are legal to use (and abuse)?Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. The devastating effects of alcohol-related injury and violence are widely known in Alaska communities, where many villages have indeed banned alcohol use and sales. To boast that marijuana is the "lesser of evils" in terms of public health consequences is not a convincing argument for legalizing its use. Because, like tobacco and alcohol, marijuana is not a benign drug. Marijuana use can lead to poor motivation syndrome and increased rates of schizophrenia and depression. Its use can lead to lung diseases such as asthma, emphysema and even lung cancer.For children and adolescents, whose brains are still developing, the use of psychoactive drugs is especially worrisome. Legalizing another addictive substance will increase the supply available to adolescents. It also sends the message that pot smoking is condoned.In addition, marijuana is a gateway drug. Physicians treat thousands of patients for illnesses related to drug abuse. Almost all say their drug use started with pot smoking. The use of marijuana needs to be discouraged to protect individual and community health, not encouraged by legalizing the production, use, exchange and sale of the drug. Snipped: Complete Article: http://www.freedomtoexhale.com/illegal.htmSource: Anchorage Daily News (AK)Author: Dr. Paul M. WorrellPublished: October 30, 2004Copyright: 2004 The Anchorage Daily News Contact: letters adn.com Website: http://www.adn.com/ Related Articles & Web Site:Yes on 2 Alaskahttp://www.yeson2alaska.com/A Drug-Abuse Researcher Says Vote Yes on 2 http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19743.shtmlMarijuana Initiative Heats Up Electionshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19741.shtmlAlaskans To Vote on Legalizing Marijuanahttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread19738.shtml 
Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help




Comment #13 posted by dr slider on November 02, 2004 at 10:01:06 PT:
I got your syndrome right here
I put "amotivational syndrome" in the same category as "seasonal adjustment disorder" (SAD) as an attempt by shrinks to keep people out of the rhythms and cycles of life that our souls feel, and in to the cycle of death that the overlords must maintain to continue this insane and temporary geometric growth.For sure, making sure Aunt Clara can drive two blocks to buy slave labor cheap new clothes that she doesn't need cannot be anyones true calling.I'm amotivated alright.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #12 posted by lilgrasshoppah77 on November 02, 2004 at 08:13:14 PT
I find that the best way to cure "amotivation"
Is to crush the sufferer (or would-be sufferer, as the case may be) under the iron boot of fascism, and destroy their hope and will by imprisoning them, and impoverishing them... so that, in prison they can become acquainted with the true meaning of dispair and deprivation."As soon as I get out of prison," they'll say, "I'll get a job... start a family... live a long, happy, prosperous life with a nice four bedroom, two-and-a-half bath bungalow in a nice neighborhood with kids, grandkids and assorted pets."What's wrong with this picture? Oh right! Marijuana doesn't take any of that away. Prison does. Prison doesn't add to the quality of people's lives. Weed does. The prohibitionists have it completely backwards (try to contain your shock and awe for now).Weed doesn't cause "amotivational syndrome," but even if it did... throwing people in jail won't stop that!
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #11 posted by observer on November 01, 2004 at 16:58:13 PT
content analysis
[7]
The devastating effects of alcohol-related injury and violence are widely known in Alaska communities, where many villages have indeed banned alcohol use and sales.
(Sentence 7) re: "violence" - The rhetoric of prohibition asserts that insanity, crime, and violence are caused by drugs, or are controlled by prohibition. (Madness,Crime,Violence,Illness (propaganda theme 2) http://drugpolicycentral.com/bot/pg/propaganda/theme2.htm#2 ) re: "communities" - Prohibitionists assert that the survival of the community, society, the nation, the world, etc. are at stake. Only continued and increased punishments for drug users can be contemplated, because, say prohibitionists, society will otherwise fall apart. (Survival of Society (propaganda theme 3) http://drugpolicycentral.com/bot/pg/propaganda/theme3.htm#3 ) 
 
 
[8]
To boast that marijuana is the "lesser of evils" in terms of public health consequences is not a convincing argument for legalizing its use.
(Sentence 8) re: "evils" - Unless the drug "war" is fought, claims the rhetoric of prohibition, an evil "epidemic" of drugs would be unleashed upon an unwitting public. (Demonize, War (propaganda theme 6) http://drugpolicycentral.com/bot/pg/propaganda/theme6.htm#6 ) 
 
 
[10]
Marijuana use can lead to poor motivation syndrome and increased rates of schizophrenia and depression.
(Sentence 10) re: "schizophrenia" - Drugs, claim the prohibitionist, cause insanity, violence, and terrible sickness. (Madness,Crime,Violence,Illness (propaganda theme 2) http://drugpolicycentral.com/bot/pg/propaganda/theme2.htm#2 ) re: "Marijuana use" - Prohibitionist propagandists repeatedly assert that "use is abuse." Details about "using" as opposed to "abusing" drugs are ignored. (Use is Abuse (propaganda theme 4) http://drugpolicycentral.com/bot/pg/propaganda/theme4.htm#alluseisabuse ) re: "can lead to", "lead" - Prohibition propagandists try to smear targeted drugs by announcing they are "gateways" to other truly wicked behavior. (Use is Abuse, Gateway (propaganda theme 4) http://drugpolicycentral.com/bot/pg/propaganda/theme4.htm#4 ) 
 
 
[12]
For children and adolescents, whose brains are still developing, the use of psychoactive drugs is especially worrisome.
(Sentence 12) re: "children" - Prohibitionists play on parental fears by exaggerating the dangers to children of drugs. Adults must be jailed (reason prohibitionists), because kids might be corrupted with drugs. (Children Corrupted (propaganda theme 5) http://drugpolicycentral.com/bot/pg/propaganda/theme5.htm#5 ) 
 
 
[13]
Legalizing another addictive substance will increase the supply available to adolescents.
(Sentence 13) re: "addictive" - Drugs, the prohibitionist explains, are a wicked bane on modern man. Why if not for the noble drug war (i.e. jailing drug users), exclaims the propagandist, then people will run amok, and violence, death, psychosis, and plague shall cover the land. (Madness,Crime,Violence,Illness (propaganda theme 2) http://drugpolicycentral.com/bot/pg/propaganda/theme2.htm#2 ) 
 
 
[15]
In addition, marijuana is a gateway drug.
(Sentence 15) re: "gateway" - Some drugs, claims the rhetoric of prohibition, are "gateways" to other, "harder" drugs. (Use is Abuse, Gateway (propaganda theme 4) http://drugpolicycentral.com/bot/pg/propaganda/theme4.htm#4 ) 
 
 
[17]
Almost all say their drug use started with pot smoking.
(Sentence 17) re: "drug use" - The rhetoric of prohibition will assume that "use" and "abuse" are identical. (Use is Abuse (propaganda theme 4) http://drugpolicycentral.com/bot/pg/propaganda/theme4.htm#alluseisabuse ) 
 
 
[18]
The use of marijuana needs to be discouraged to protect individual and community health, not encouraged by legalizing the production, use, exchange and sale of the drug.
(Sentence 18) re: "community" - Because of prohibition (prohibitionists assure us), society is protected: the community is safe, and the nation is saved. (Survival of Society (propaganda theme 3) http://drugpolicycentral.com/bot/pg/propaganda/theme3.htm#3 ) 
 
 
[19]
Marijuana is already the most widely used illicit drug among youths in Alaska, with nearly 50 percent of high school students surveyed in 2003 reporting they used marijuana at least once.
(Sentence 19) re: "youths" - "The inflaming of this fear about the fate of our own children [makes] it difficult if not impossible for most Americans to take a careful and reasoned look at our drug policies."[W.White,1979] (Children Corrupted (propaganda theme 5) http://drugpolicycentral.com/bot/pg/propaganda/theme5.htm#5 ) 
 
 
[23]
Do we really believe opening the door to commercial enterprise will decrease marijuana use among children and adolescents?
(Sentence 23) re: "marijuana use" - Prohibitionists try to hammer in the idea that 'all use is abuse.' The rhetoric of prohibition needs to deny that many people can use currently illegal drugs without abusing them. (Use is Abuse (propaganda theme 4) http://drugpolicycentral.com/bot/pg/propaganda/theme4.htm#alluseisabuse ) re: "children" - Being a prohibitionist means you can never shed too many crocodile tears for the "children". (As you lustily jail or kill their parents for using drugs.) (Children Corrupted (propaganda theme 5) http://drugpolicycentral.com/bot/pg/propaganda/theme5.htm#5 ) 
 
 
[24]
Are we prepared for the increased public health risks that legalization will pose?
(Sentence 24) re: "health risks" - Prohibition propaganda rarely misses an opportunity to link crime, violence, and insanity with "drugs". The propagandist insinuates that prohibited drugs cause evil, and if it weren't for "drugs" bad things would not exist. (Madness,Crime,Violence,Illness (propaganda theme 2) http://drugpolicycentral.com/bot/pg/propaganda/theme2.htm#2 ) re: "legalization" - With God on Their Side (prohibitionists assure us), only the continued rooting out of the sinful drug users (total prohibition) will do. All else is portrayed as the slippery slope to total legalization of all drugs for toddlers. (Total Prohibition or Access (propaganda theme 7) http://drugpolicycentral.com/bot/pg/propaganda/theme7.htm#7 ) 
 
 
[27]
There is no good reason for decriminalizing marijuana.
(Sentence 27) re: - Any mention of lessening the harshness of drug laws is portrayed as a sinful "legalization". Only total prohibition (or more jailings) will be righteous. (Total Prohibition or Access (propaganda theme 7) http://drugpolicycentral.com/bot/pg/propaganda/theme7.htm#7 ) 
 
 
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #10 posted by FoM on November 01, 2004 at 16:43:40 PT
MikeEEEEE
You're welcome! I believe we will have good news tomorrow on different fronts. What an exciting time this is. I plan on posting articles into late tomorrow until we know the results from the different issues.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #9 posted by MikeEEEEE on November 01, 2004 at 16:33:37 PT
Thanks FoM
I hope we have some real positive progress tomorrow.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #8 posted by FoM on November 01, 2004 at 16:27:05 PT
MikeEEEEE 
There was a poll on this papers site and I believe it was 57 or 58 percent in favor. The poll is down now.http://www.frontiersman.com/
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #7 posted by MikeEEEEE on November 01, 2004 at 16:19:40 PT
Ballot Measure 2 
What are the polls (people) saying on this issue?
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #6 posted by b4daylight on November 01, 2004 at 14:16:10 PT
Get A Real Doctor
"Because, like tobacco and alcohol, marijuana is not a benign drug. Marijuana use can lead to poor motivation syndrome and increased rates of schizophrenia and depression. Its use can lead to lung diseases such as asthma, emphysema and even lung cancer.Do we really believe opening the door to commercial enterprise will decrease marijuana use among children and adolescents? Are we prepared for the increased public health risks that legalization will pose? Are we willing to go down the same road we traveled with alcohol and tobacco, accepting yet another burden on public health and safety? Dr. Paul M. Worrell is president of the Alaska State Medical Association."Reading the following is this really true.Well one he does not tell you how many people have 
Schizophrenia, depression, lung diseases, asthma, emphysema, or lung cancer. For all we know there maybe no known cases (documented) which involve Marijuana. Because he is a doctor after all and uses scientific data. So what he just said. I could say thisSugar is by far the leading cause of dental deterioration - cavities in teeth, bleeding gums, failure of bone structure, and loss of teeth. Sugar is the main cause of diabetes, hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia. It is either a significant or contributory cause of heart disease, arteriosclerosis, mental illness, depression, senility, hypertension, cancer. It has an extremely harmful effect in unbalancing the endocrine system and injuring its component glands such as the adrenal glands, pancreas and liver, causing the blood sugar level to fluctuate widely. It has a number of other extremely damaging effects on the human body.Now we do not ban sugar do we?
Once again with out the numbers it is hard to compare it with something.Second of all sugar looks worse than Marijuana.
The problem with prohibition is we do not know what marijuana does. Which poses a risk on the public? His second statement. Well Doctor read the latest reports and you will see it is harder to get and use Alcohol than Marijuana by teenagers. So Yes by the data it will reduce the usage by making it hard to get. Are we prepared for increased public health risks that legalization will pose? Could it be worse than those public health risks imposed with out regulation as to what really is in the drug and the drug war crime it brings, or is it going to be that much greater with all the people smoking now anyways?Look over to Holland for your 30 year study. Are we willing to go down the same road as tobacco and Alcohol?
Accepting another burden on society.This guy acts as if their these drugs are not burdening society right now. 
Secondly we are able to study the two legal drugs, and inform the people with accurate and reliable information to give them a choice. Marijuana is understudied and bias by what is accepted. By giving them the same choice they have to vote you empower them to gain knowledge, and strive to make sure they can make the right choice. Your job is to inform and practice.
Not reduce choice, and pose a risk to the public by not providing the materials to make an accurate and calculated decision on Marijuana.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #5 posted by Hope on November 01, 2004 at 13:46:08 PT
outstanding philosophy!
"The political philosopher, John Stuart Mill wrote: "The only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others. His own good, either physical or moral, is not a sufficient warrant. He cannot rightfully be compelled to do or forbear because it will be better for him to do so, because it will make him happier, because, in the opinion of others, to do so would be wise, or even right.""
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #4 posted by The GCW on November 01, 2004 at 13:16:48 PT
A good LTE.
US AK: PUB LTE: Inconsistent PrinciplesThe political philosopher, John Stuart Mill wrote: "The only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others. His own good, either physical or moral, is not a sufficient warrant. He cannot rightfully be compelled to do or forbear because it will be better for him to do so, because it will make him happier, because, in the opinion of others, to do so would be wise, or even right." I agree with Mill. He echoes the views of our founding fathers. I also agree with our Alaska Supreme Court Justices, who are sober and serious-minded people, not "hop heads" or outsiders. In Ravin v. State, our Supreme Court looked at the legitimate concerns about the effects on society of the individual use of marijuana. The court concluded that these societal concerns are insufficient to justify unlimited government intrusion into the rights of an adult to privately consume marijuana. It also concluded that the state of Alaska did not have the right to prohibit marijuana use in the home. However, according to Mill, and I believe our founding principles, marijuana should be legal for an adult to buy, own and then use in their home if they so choose. Interestingly, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson grew cannabis on their plantations and cannabis was sold over the counter for personal use. In fact, marijuana was a legal commodity in the United States through much of our history. The fact is that concrete scientific research has shown that marijuana is less dangerous than alcohol. Now alcoholism causes cirrhosis of the liver, and the reason we know this is due to scientific research demonstrating cause and effect. No scientific study has found that marijuana has such extreme health affects and the evidence is to the contrary. To prohibit marijuana but not prohibit alcohol is inconsistent with Mill and our founding principles. Proposition No. 2 is about the rights of an adult citizen and the limits of government in a free society. Vote yes on 2. Joanna Pippenger Fairbanks http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v04/n1554/a08.html?397
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #3 posted by AlvinCool on November 01, 2004 at 10:25:31 PT
What if
Ok lets follow this guy and say what ifWhat if kids couldn't get marijuana for any reason what so ever.What drug would fall into it's place and what would that do to society. I never see this asked
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #2 posted by cloud7 on November 01, 2004 at 08:58:51 PT
...
Every anti who believes marijuana should not be legal because of the harm done by tobacco and alcohol should not be able to look themselves in the mirror unless they mount an effort to reschedule both as schedule 1 drugs. Anything less is hypocritical. There is no excuse for grudgingly accepting the use and consequences of these two drugs and believing that having them legal is the best option, but believing any user of any other drug should be jailed.
[ Post Comment ]


Comment #1 posted by global_warming on November 01, 2004 at 08:54:29 PT
More Probibitionist Nonsense
"Because, like tobacco and alcohol, marijuana is not a benign drug. Marijuana use can lead to poor motivation syndrome and increased rates of schizophrenia and depression. Its use can lead to lung diseases such as asthma, emphysema and even lung cancer."Maybe so, but are these reasons to lock a human being in a jail, to cage him and deny him his freedom??I din't think so..
gw
[ Post Comment ]


Post Comment