cannabisnews.com: Let's Get Grip On Marijuana Let's Get Grip On Marijuana Posted by FoM on May 31, 2001 at 08:29:44 PT By Lyn Cockburn, Sun Media Source: Calgary Sun Oh, for God's sake, legalize the stuff. I am weary of the whole marijuana argument. It does nothing but promote time-wasting discussions at dinner when other more sensible things could be debated. Marijuana is not heroin; neither is it cocaine. The point is that for all the energy we put into tracking down cannabis criminals, we could be using that same amount of time fighting against those who troll our schools seeking to hook kids on hard drugs. However, I hasten to say that this is not a column about legalizing anything but marijuana. And yes, I did inhale. Don't now, but did. And it was fun while it lasted. And I'd hate to think I could have gone to jail for getting high, for buying marijuana, for sharing marijuana. Moreover, I'm not interested in seeing the people who grow the stuff going to jail, either. Something else I'm bored with is silly arguments over whether marijuana is "good" or "bad." It is neither. Just like booze. Both marijuana and booze are simply there, to be used not at all, moderately or excessively, used recreationally or medicinally, for fun or as an excuse. Yes, they can be misused. So can food, shopping and sex. In fact, almost anything can be overdone, especially by those of us who tend to be obsessive or who have what may be called an "addictive personality." A friend in Vancouver can't stop gobbling chocolate bars, a fact that has resulted in a rise in his weight and his cholesterol -- but neither he nor his doctor is considering petitioning the feds to outlaw chocolate. I had trouble with drinking and had to stop -- haven't had a drink in 10 years -- but I'm not about to tell anyone else to stop, nor am I interested in banning booze. Alcohol can be dangerous, people can die from alcohol poisoning, yet, other than during prohibition, nobody ever suggests we make drinking or selling booze a crime -- other than selling liquor to kids. And then there is the biggest addiction of all -- tobacco. If I had to choose a substance to outlaw, it would be tobacco. Not marijuana. Anybody who's ever tried to quit smoking can define addiction -- it is tobacco. Quitting cigarettes was the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. Desisting from drinking was nothing in comparison. Yet the bottom line is I don't want tobacco outlawed, either. Let's just regulate its use to the point where those of us who want to eat dinner in a smoke-free restaurant can do so. The Canadian Police Association does not agree with anything I've just written. When illicit drugs are legalized, drug usage increases, the demand for chemical drugs increases and crime increases," said Dale Orban, the group's spokesman With all due respect to the some 30,000 boys and girls in blue who make up the association, I have two things to say: 1) Phooey and 2) The Association of Canadian Police Chiefs and some RCMP officers are on record as having recommended decriminalization. Besides, this is an attempt to drag out the old slippery slope argument, the one-thing-leads-to-another prediction. Drinking buckets of milk and barrels-full of coffee did not lead me to drinking too much beer -- at least I don't think so ... maybe I'm wrong. I'll have to rethink that one. Where was I? Oh yes, let's criminalize tobacco. Or was it, let's bring back prohibition? Poverty is a problem. War is a problem. The plight of women in Afghanistan is a problem. Addiction is a problem. Marijuana isn't. Let's get a grip and legalize the damned stuff. Source: Calgary Sun, The (CN AB)Author: Lyn Cockburn, Sun MediaPublished: Thursday, May 31, 2001 Copyright: 2001 The Calgary SunContact: callet sunpub.comWebsite: http://www.fyicalgary.com/calsun.shtmlRelated Articles & Web Site:Canadian Linkshttp://freedomtoexhale.com/can.htmGrow Your Own Stone http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread9915.shtmlCannabisNews Articles - Canadahttp://cannabisnews.com/thcgi/search.pl?K=canada Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #7 posted by QuietCrusader on May 31, 2001 at 19:58:22 PT: Outstanding article!! The author would be the perfect antidote to the O'Reilly (not a)Factor. I'm sending this story to every one I know. Click Here for Freedom [ Post Comment ] Comment #6 posted by PastorMark on May 31, 2001 at 18:28:19 PT No Change.. I like this site a lot - I check it every day for new stories. It gives me a lot of false hope, though. Every time I see a story that looks promising (like this), I read another one about the infinite ignorance of the drug war that won't end. As I always say right before I complain, I am not one to complain, but I was pulled over two days ago for doing 64 near a cop who was doing 65. As he was informing me that the speed limit was 55, he stuck his head in my car and sniffed, "Do you smoke marijuana? It smells like marijuana in here." Now, there is no way that my car smells like marijuana. None. Was he trying to trick me? Was he trigger happy? Did he smell the t-shirt he forgot to wash? It doesn't matter why he said it. It made me angry. So I said no and he didn't give me a ticket. Perhaps I'm "flagged" now because a cop thought he smelled something in my automobile. Free country my ass. I'm moving to Canada. PastorMark [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by Zoso on May 31, 2001 at 14:14:10 PT: Hope I hope that more people can think the way you do. I mean its not like you hear of people having a marijuana overdose. The cops should be out there busting herion and coke dealers. Here in my county, at my school, we've had a terrible time with herion, like 6 people dead or something. Yet the cops still continue to bust marijuana users. Is it really that bad, i mean seriously! [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by Dan Hillman on May 31, 2001 at 12:20:04 PT Trolling schools, seeking child addicts. > we could be using that same amount of time fighting against those who troll our schools seeking to hook kids on hard drugs.Oh, really?http://www.salon.com/mwt/feature/2000/09/25/medicate/Headline: Just say yes to Ritalin!Sub-headline: Parents are being pressured by schools to medicate their kids -- or else. [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by Ras James rsifwh on May 31, 2001 at 11:10:27 PT Exodus from "Drug Lord War" The alcohol-tobacco drug cartel is fighting the heroin-cocaine drug cartel over who gets the addicts. Heroin, cocaine, alcohol, and tobacco are all dope. These four drugs go directly to the dopamine section of the human brain...and cause physical addiction. Cannabis Sativa goes directly to the cerebral cortex and stimulates alpha waves used for spiritual thinking.Give all praise and thanks to Jah Rastafar-I who liveth and reignith in I and I. Yes! For Now and I-ternity, Marijuana has manifested as the "Sacred Tree of Life" marking the End of Tribulations. Book of Revelation 22:1&2 [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by Cuzn Buzz on May 31, 2001 at 11:08:26 PT LIGHT Is that the light at the end of the tunnel?Or is it a train?Great piece though.PRAISE JAH! [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by greenfox on May 31, 2001 at 10:49:11 PT Sanity This is the most sane article I have ever read here. Are we really seeing change?-gf [ Post Comment ] Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: