cannabisnews.com: Legal or Not? Debate Continues About Marijuana Use





Legal or Not? Debate Continues About Marijuana Use
Posted by CN Staff on February 01, 2007 at 10:03:44 PT
By Tamara Sharman
Source: Daily Journal
Illinois -- Marijuana. It's the top cash crop in the United States with a price tag of $35.8 billion. It's been tried at least once by 40 percent of Americans age 12 and older. Should the personal use of this commonplace yet controversial drug be legalized in the United States?"I don't see anything wrong with it," said Bonnie Quigley of Bradley. Quigley does not use marijuana, but she views smoking marijuana as "pretty much the same thing" as the legalized activity of drinking alcohol.
"I don't see why you couldn't sit at home to smoke weed," Quigley stated.Paul Schmidt of Chicago favors legalizing marijuana. He believes that would bring government rules that make cannabis safer for users by regulating strength and eliminating pesticides."It should be regulated by the government and managed the same way they manage alcohol and tobacco," Schmidt said.Schmidt views drug abuse as a societal and a medical issue more than a criminal matter. He notes the high number of arrests for marijuana violations."It doesn't seem right to me to make criminals out of that much of the population," Schmidt said.In 2005, police across America arrested a record-high 786,545 people for marijuana infractions, according to the FBI."Arresting hundreds of thousands of Americans who smoke marijuana responsibly needlessly destroys the lives of otherwise law-abiding citizens," National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws Executive Director Allen St. Pierre complained in a press release.Forty percent of the drug arrests made by Kankakee Area Metropolitan Enforcement Group agents in 2006 involved marijuana, Director Bob Bodemer said.Kankakee County prosecutors filed marijuana-related charges in approximately 234 cases during 2006, according to Chief of Felonies Ed Pentuic. Last year, prosecutors charged about 240 cases for narcotics such as heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, Ecstasy, etc., Pentuic said.Prosecutors and police call marijuana a "gateway" drug."It can make people comfortable with narcotics usage, which may escalate into larger or more serious drug usage. Most people don't go out and smoke crack the first time they use drugs. They don't go out and shoot heroin the first time they use drugs," Pentuic said."Marijuana is not a dangerous drug because it's illegal. It's illegal because it's a dangerous drug," Bodemer stated.By The Numbers:52.4%Increase of potency of seized marijuana from 2000 to 20052,546 kilosMarijuana seized*2,623 kilosCocaine seized*786,545Arrested for marijuana crimes in the U.S. in 2005* In Illinois during 2005Source: U.S. GovernmentSource: Daily Journal, The (IL)Author: Tamara SharmanPublished: February 1, 2007Copyright: 2007 The Daily Journal Publishing Co., L.L.C.Contact: editorial daily-journal.comWebsite: http://www.daily-journal.com/NORMLhttp://www.norml.org/CannabisNews -- Cannabis Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/cannabis.shtml
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Comment #5 posted by Dankhank on February 01, 2007 at 15:22:14 PT
squidbillies ..!
who coulda forgot them?I lived in Georgia for ten years 'till I got drafted and started my world travels. I know of what you write ...Oh, yea ... Lucy, Daughter of the Devil ... man ...Christmas Wars ... half-Santa/half Frosty ... crazy stuff ...Peace to all who share ...
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Comment #4 posted by Wayne on February 01, 2007 at 13:47:59 PT
Re: Dankhank #2
I like Squidbillies myself. It reminds me of growing up out in the sticks. Morel Orel, Robot Chicken, and Family Guy are my other perennial favorites. Aqua Teens is pretty amusing as well, but now maybe AdultSwim will get more viewers now because of all this 'terrorism' nonsense, and deservedly so.
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Comment #3 posted by observer on February 01, 2007 at 11:25:34 PT
Why is Marijuana Illegal?
Forty percent of the drug arrests made by Kankakee Area Metropolitan Enforcement Group agents in 2006 involved marijuana, Director Bob Bodemer said. ... "Marijuana is not a dangerous drug because it's illegal. 
It's illegal because it's a dangerous drug," Bodemer stated.A nice soundbite Bob, but it is another lie.
Many people assume that marijuana was made illegal through some kind of process involving scientific, medical, and government hearings; that it was to protect the citizens from what was determined to be a dangerous drug.The actual story shows a much different picture. Those who voted on the legal fate of this plant never had the facts, but were dependent on information supplied by those who had a specific agenda to deceive lawmakers. You'll see below that the very first federal vote to prohibit marijuana was based entirely on a documented lie on the floor of the Senate.You'll also see that the history of marijuana's criminalization is filled with:  * Racism  * Fear  * Protection of Corporate Profits  * Yellow Journalism  * Ignorant, Incompetent, and/or Corrupt Legislators  * Personal Career Advancement and GreedThese are the actual reasons marijuana is illegal.see: Why is Marijuana Illegal?
http://blogs.salon.com/0002762/stories/2003/12/22/whyIsMarijuanaIllegal.html etc.I wonder if this is the same Bob Bodemer drug-war fellow? KAMEG Director Msgt. Bob Bodemer, KAMEGNon-Emergency Number: 1(815)933-1710email: kameg keynet.nethttp://www.kankakeecountysheriff.com/drugs.htmRemember: he's not doing any of this for his career, the money, the generous government benefits or retirement. And least of all, the drug war isn't never ever used by sadistic police who want to whack a few peaceful potheads. Oh no. This is all for the kids. To save the children. That's the only reason Bob Bodemer is forced (forced, I say!) to jail momies and daddies for pot. To save the children. Yeah, that's the ticket. Maybe LEAP could talk some sense into him. But then he would have to admit he was wrong jailing all those potheads, wouldn't he? 
http://LEAP.cc - Law Enforcement Against Prohibition
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Comment #2 posted by Dankhank on February 01, 2007 at 10:31:27 PT
fear the Mooninites ...
anyone taken a look at Adult Swim?They have a wide variety of stuff, something for everyone?probably not ...I like Futurama and Aqua Team Hunger Force ... so I know of the Mooninites.also, Morel Orel, Cowboy Bebop when-it-was-on, there are some shows, now, with some truly gorgeous animation ...don't fear the Mooninites ... they are crass and bad-mannered, just tell them to go away ...:-)http://www.adultswim.com/index2.html
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Comment #1 posted by konagold on February 01, 2007 at 10:28:42 PT:
LTE help
AlohaThis article allows for commentshttp://www.westhawaiitoday.com/articles/2007/01/31/local/local01.txt#blogcommentsif a few folks would add a comment [up to 50 word] it would boost the comment count and keep this article up for further comment for weeks as letter response count places it higher in the 'top blogs' attachment to EVERY article. Currently we are at nine; a count of 13 is last on the list the topic Iraq War with 54 comments has been on the top of the blog list since 11/17/2006 Please be polite and civil Choose a handle and post please help us change our local government through higher focus and attentionMahalo for your kokua [help]AlohaRev. Dennis Shields
http://thereligionofjesuschurch.org
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