cannabisnews.com: Lighting a Fire Under Tokers Lighting a Fire Under Tokers Posted by FoM on September 03, 2000 at 14:02:25 PT By Licia Corbella -- Calgary Sun Source: Ottawa Sun Well, the reefer reformers were back at it. In one week I received 120 e-mails -- many, if not most of them, unprintable -- from cannabis crusaders who were apoplectic over my column last Tuesday in which I said I was opposed to the legalization of marijuana but in favour of decriminalization. I would have thought such a statement from someone like myself with firsthand knowledge about the topic would hold some weight, but no. Apparently it does not. My personal experiences and observations of those under the influence of the good weed are not valid -- their experiences however are. Clearly, many of these tokers have fried the area in their brain which can discern when someone is exaggerating in an effort to be funny. I talked about my memory not being what it once was as a result of marijuana use. I believe that to be true, since I had an almost immediate loss of memory ability during my druggie days, which took place a very long time ago. I also believe there has been some lingering affect to my memory. Having said all that, I still have a pretty awesome ability to recollect things -- better than most -- but I was just trying to be funny. If I failed, I apologize, but lighten up. More than a few of the pro-pot crowd's letters indicate that they also don't seem to understand what I mean by decriminalization versus legalization, so allow me to explain. I liken the decriminalization of marijuana to having speed limits on highways. When I speed and I am caught I get a ticket and pay a fine. If I don't want to chance the fine I don't speed. Speeding is illegal, but it is not criminal. Now, many of you pedants out there will undoubtedly write back espousing the virtues of no speed limits as found on Montana freeways and which once existed on German autobahns and Italian highways. Italy and then Germany did away with that free-for-all highway rule because the carnage of innocents was becoming an epidemic. So back to pot instead of pot holes. If I were a legislator I would advocate instituting rules that would make possession of two grams or less of marijuana perfectly okay -- as long as it's not smoked in public. Anything over that -- up to say, 10 or 15 grams, would warrant a fine. Any amounts above that could warrant a higher fine and a kilo or more would or could lead to criminal charges. Something like that. I'm just throwing out some arbitrary numbers but that's the idea. It sounds reasonable to me. Heck, tobacco smokers pay taxes -- hefty ones at that -- so a few fines now and again is something most pot smokers can surely afford. If they're too poor to pay a fine, then they clearly can't afford marijuana. As for those folks who require marijuana for medical reasons, they should be exempt from ever being fined for simple possession and should be able to get their drugs from a pharmacy, where quality could be monitored. For those who advocate for legalization and decry decriminalization, I guess my question is what do you want to gain? Money is my guess. Legalization would not solve anything. It would simply legitimize yet another potential social evil that would be of detriment to our youth. Clearly, if some company was trying to get tobacco legalized today, it would never happen. The problem is tobacco is too entrenched in society. Adding yet another vice to society's list of what's okay will only ensnare more vulnerable kids. After all, people don't start smoking at the age of 30 -- they start when they are kids. The same goes for drugs. Many of the other writers also said that the only reason why marijuana is viewed as a gateway to other drug use is because currently you can only buy marijuana from drug dealers who push other drugs on their customers. That is partially true. But for most who go on to experiment with harder drugs, it's the drive to seek out new highs that launches them into the world of harder drugs -- not some drug dealer. A couple of letter writers talked about how unfair it is for people to spend decades behind bars for smoking pot. "The idea of someone spending a decade or two in prison for rolling a doobie makes me sick," wrote the man. So here's my challenge to you. You find me one person in Canada who has spent 10 or 20 years in prison for rolling a joint and I will write a very good article about that. That indeed would be an enormous injustice -- considering serious rapes warrant often less than four. Needless to say, I won't hold my breath. Not only does such a person not exist now, they didn't exist in the past. I called a veteran prison guard I know about this and he said in his 16 years with Corrections Canada he has never seen or heard of anyone incarcerated for simple possession. This same prison guard spent about three years as a guard in provincial jails -- where the sentences are all two years or less and he said again, he never met one person who was in jail for simple possession of any drug, never mind marijuana. So, I guess I was wrong. Some stoners do understand exaggeration. They're prone to it. By Licia Corbella -- Calgary SunR-mail: licia.corbella cal.sunpub.comPublished: September 3, 2000Source: Ottawa Sun (CN ON)Copyright: 2000, Canoe Limited PartnershipContact: editor sunpub.com Address: 380 Hunt Club Rd. Ottawa, Ontario, K1G 5H7Website: http://www.canoe.ca/OttawaSun/Forum: http://www.canoe.ca/Chat/home.htmlRelated Article:Believe Me, I Do Knowhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread6841.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #9 posted by dddd on September 04, 2000 at 14:14:03 PT fun I am convinced that simple "fun",and frequent laughter,is very healthy,and a significant factor in increasing physical longevity ,and quality of life. Even if one hits rock bottom,in ill health,or a trauma of the mind,,laughter will always release some sort of natural, and benificial chemical hudu/mojo items into your system....same's true for crying,,,,but it's not as fun..........dddd [ Post Comment ] Comment #8 posted by FoM on September 04, 2000 at 13:19:24 PT Hi dddd! I'm just laughing along with you! I am just having fun because your post was so good! That's why I said why. We do that all the time around here when they come on and talk about memory loss. We go what did they say! I believe having short term memory loss is a wonderful thing for a married couple! They forget what they were fighting about! LOL! The ultimate peacemaker! La La La La!Peace, FoM! [ Post Comment ] Comment #7 posted by dddd on September 04, 2000 at 13:12:49 PT because.. FoM..I assumed your saying you "forgot",what your comment was,,,was refering to the weed affecting ones memory thing in the article,and my previous comment.....Even if it was unintentional,,,it still made my day....JAH works in strange ways. Keep on keepin' on........LOL.............dddd [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by FoM on September 04, 2000 at 11:35:39 PT You're Welcome and Thank You! Hi dddd! Glad I made your day but why? LOL! [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by dddd on September 04, 2000 at 11:13:03 PT ya got me on that one FoM That made my day FoM....thanx I was trying to remember to not forget what I thought I wouldn't be able to remember,in case I forgot,,after that I became even more spaced out when I was trying to decide which of these two statements is more true;a)I want what I need.b)I need what I want.JAH shine on you FoM................dddd [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by FoM on September 04, 2000 at 08:35:38 PT Hi dddd! Hi dddd!I wanted to make a comment but I forgot! LOL! Have a nice day!Peace, FoM! [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by dddd on September 04, 2000 at 04:04:35 PT blame It's rather sad that Ms.(?),Corbella,has decided to blame inadequacies in her memory,and/or intellect on the two or three reefers ,rolled with seeds and vines,with Zig-Zag"Wheat Straw" papers,that she was handed at a Mamas' and Papas' concert in the late sixties....You could kill just as many,or probably more brain cells driving around L.A. for a day. It's a cheap ploy to make the feeble attempt to justify things that were stated,as being said in jest,and make the arrogant implication that the readers were somehow intellectually challenged by not recognizing her lackluster attempt at jocular concepts.And of course,I find the,"lighten up" thing quite repugnant. I'm pushin' fiftie,and I've smoked bales of weed since my early teens.I will not argue that there may indeed be a possibility that I've lost a few marbles from marijuana,,but it's much more likely,that an equivelent,or greater amount of gray matter was diminished from massive quantities of alcohol,smog,,drinking milkshakes too quickly,and getting a dreaded "ice headache/brainfreeze",,(which by the way,is not good for brains),,,not to mention numerous other factors that affect ones gray matter. It is a lame argument,and excuse to blame marijuana use in years past for a bad memory.....................................so there............I admit,,,,my memory's kinda shot,,but I know many people who have never touched weed,or drugs,who are the same.............dddd [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by Rev Happy on September 03, 2000 at 16:53:50 PT Mothering vs. Founding Fathers I still take the opionion that we are a free country in America, as compared to Canada, and our government has no role in protecting us from simple pleasures, or vital medicine.It is quite communistic to consider the benifits to society before the liberties of the individual. It also seems that, as available as the GOD given herb is, that regulation of cigerettes and alcohol make pot easier to get through prohibition.The current laws hurt more then the supposed crime. Legalize Michigan [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by kaptinemo on September 03, 2000 at 14:59:45 PT: Such rapier-like wit...NOT! It seems that the Sun papers of Canada have embarked upon a new shtick in order to sell their rags; they take a controversial subject, make light of its proponents, then backpedal at the criticism they receive and protest that it was 'all in fun, guys, lighten up'. (Notice: this is almost exactly the same phrase and context in which Ms. Williamson had taken in *her* riposte to our criticisms: 'Lighten up'. They're not only getting bold, they are getting sloppy, thinking no one would pick up the verbal doppelganger. There's nothing wrong with *my* cannabis-influenced memory, Ms. Corbella.)The best term to describe this tactic is baiting. In the same way you tease a dog by dangling something in front of it, showing it what it wants, eliciting its attention, the Sun papers have been guilty of making a public stand that is sure to rile members of the readership. Then, when they have received sufficient negative feedback, they feint and shift, and say it was all in fun. All the while decrying those who level legitimate criticisms as being illiterate, thin-skinned rubes who can't take a joke. And thus are trying to devalue the message by casting aspersions upon the messenger.Yes, all in fun. While neatly sidestepping the fact that people are suffering and dying all the while for lack of their medicine. Which if they are unfortunate enough to get caught with, the terror of prison is added to their already weighty burden. Ha, ha... very funny, Ms. Corbella. But as my Dad used to say, never tease an old dog. He might have one bite left in him, and being an *experienced* old dog, he knows to go for the throat. I would ask our Canadian friends to consider a boycott of the Sun papers for their behavior in making light of the suffering they support wirh their stance and their ridicule of cannabis users in general. Because in this case, they have a bigger target to go after than the throat...like their wallet. 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