Pubdate: Tue, 02 Nov 2004 Source: Lumberjack, The (CA Edu) op=3Dmodload&name=3DPagEd&file=3Dindex&page_id=3D690 Copyright: The Lumberjack Newspaper, Humboldt State Univesity, 2004 Contact: http://www.thejack.org/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2736 Author: Tara Apperson, Copy Chief Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/opinion.htm (Opinion) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/decrim.htm (Decrim/Legalization) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis) THE MARIJUANA CONSPIRACY President Rollin Richmond thinks marijuana should be legalized. I agree with him. In an October meeting with The Lumberjack staff Richmond said, "My own personal view is that marijuana, like alcohol, should be legalized and should be taxed." Marijuana is illegal for political reasons, not legitimate health reasons. Marijuana is far less harmful than alcohol, or even cigarettes. For those who don't agree with the recreational use of marijuana, just look at the hemp industry. Hemp is one of the strongest natural fibers in the world. It can be used for over 25,000 industrial products, including rope, plastic, cosmetics, textiles and paper. Up until 1937, when the Marihuana Tax Act was passed, the production of hemp was highly legal and successful. Even Presidents Washington and Jefferson grew it as their primary and secondary crops, respectively. When it became apparent that hemp was threatening the oil and timber industries, a tax was passed on it, making it very unaffordable to grow. This act effectively began the marijuana prohibition, instead of letting people grow it here we imported hemp from other countries. Next came WWII. After Pearl Harbor, imports of hemp from the Philippines were cut off, and the U.S. government started encouraging citizens to grow it again. There is even a movie about it called "Hemp for Victory" produced by the USDA in 1942 to promote hemp production. Of course, after the war, the hemp industry was quietly shut down again. Hemp and marijuana are different varieties of the cannabis plant, but the U.S. government no longer recognizes them as such, since the passage of the Controlled Substances Act in 1970. The act states that cannabis is illegal altogether, therefore prohibiting the growth of hemp, even though hemp can be grown without THC, the psychoactive agent contained in marijuana. According to drugsense.org, 610,879 people have been arrested for cannabis related crimes this year. U.S. citizens are wasting tax dollars on keeping people in prison for something that shouldn't even be a crime. This is not to say that children should be smoking pot, or people should be allowed to drive and smoke pot. But it is to say that the same regulations that apply to alcohol should apply to marijuana, and hemp should be a resource grown in the United States. Marijuana does in fact have its negative health facts; one joint has the same amount of tar as about four cigarettes according to the American Lung Association, but marijuana isn't even on the list for top causes of death. The drug war facts Web site states, "The leading causes of death in 2000 were tobacco (435,000 deaths; 18.1% of total U.S. deaths), poor diet and physical inactivity (400,000 deaths; 16.6%), and alcohol consumption (85,000 deaths; 3.5%)." Following these are microbial agents, toxic agents, motor vehicle accidents, incidents involving forearms, sexual behaviors and finally, all illicit drug use. Notice how illicit drug use (as a whole) is at the bottom of the list. President Bush has spent a few billion dollars on eradicating marijuana from this pristine country, but if you ask me, he is wasting his time and our money. Yes, there needs to be regulations and restrictions, and yes, there are health risks, but marijuana is by no means a threat to our culture as a whole compared to alcohol, cigarettes and other drugs. It is even historically recognized for its medicinal value. It was famously used to treat Queen Victoria's menstrual pains. In states where it is legal for medical uses, it is used to treat nausea from chemotherapy, increase appetites of HIV and AIDS patients, epilepsy and migraines, among with many other things. So, if you are in agreement with this column, stay educated on your rights, and lobby for them. The criminalization of cannabis is a political conspiracy, and it is absolutely ridiculous for these reasons and many more.