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river
Forums Junkie

Location:
Land of Oz
Registered:
June 2004

Re: Drugs vs Alcohol

Tue, 26 April 2005 11:21

Hi,

draven wrote on Sun, 17 April 2005 10:24

"I'm trying to think about why marijuana wasn't legalised yonks ago."

It is in some countries, such as Holland. It has been decriminalised in 12 states of the USA.

The USA illegalised MJ in 1937. It wasn't due to noble reasons such as health or anything like that. Essentially marijuana was banned because it provided a tool for harassing the people amongst whom its use was popular, such as ethnic minorities - such as blacks and hispanics. The American people were informed that they'd go insane and crazy if they partook the drug.

The USA likes to exert its ideals and influence on other countries and that is why Australia (amongst other nations) has adopted similar laws.

In Holland, where MJ is legal, only 3% of the population smoke it, and their students consistently achieve some of the best education results in Europe. If there are serious problems caused by legalising MJ, then 25years of the Dutch experiment has not revealed what they are.

A study in 1999 in the USA ("Marijuana and Medicine: Assessing the Science Base") on MJ concluded that...

- marijuana has some well established medical uses,
- it does not lead to harder drugs (gateway or stepping stone theory)
- it's addiction potential is not very serious and
- it's side effects are within the range tolerated for other legal medicines.

The psychological dependance rate on MJ is about 2%, which is far less than the rate for alcohol.

Marijuana is not illegal because of what we know about it but because of what people can be made to believe about it. Most people have no personal experience with marijuana and rely on what they are told by the state and the mass media. Those who know better from personal experience do not stand up and speak out, for fear of being prosecuted for breaking the law.

The government doesn't want to change the law either, since the fear of arrest is useful. It makes many citizens stay quiet. Politicians like citizens who don't cause them trouble and so does the police. Politicians can always use drug abuse as an excuse for all kinds of social problems that they are unwilling to address. By playing on people's fears of drugs politicians can justify new laws that ristrict civil liberties and give the state more power. Simply put, drug prohibition creates fear and fear helps to manipulate and control people. Don't kid yourself by thinking it's banned due to health reasons.

Hemp has been cultivated by man for thousands of years. It's been smoked, turned into rope and clothes and many other useful things. It's a very versatile plant.

seeyuzz
river

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