Pubdate: Wed, 24 Jan 2007
Source: Kalamazoo Gazette (MI)
Copyright: 2007 Kalamazoo Gazette
Contact:  http://www.mlive.com/kzgazette/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/588
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v07/n040/a10.html
Author: Clifford Shaffer

WEB SITE PROVIDES MARIJUANA HISTORY

When Zak Kusz gets to college, his professors will probably refer him
to better information on marijuana.

He will discover that marijuana laws were the product of ignorance and
nonsense. Marijuana was originally outlawed for two major reasons:
Racial prejudice against Mexican immigrants and other minorities and
the fear that heroin addiction would lead to the use of marijuana --
exactly the opposite of the modern "gateway" myth that Zak has repeated.

An "expert" on marijuana once testified in court that marijuana
could make your incisors grow six inches and drip with blood. He went
on to say that, when he tried it, it turned him into a bat. The United
States government has had an openly stated campaign to tell tall tales
about marijuana since 1937, so it is little wonder that high school
students are misinformed.

The history of the marijuana laws is a tale so absurd, readers can
have a good laugh by reading it at 
http://druglibrary.org/schaffer/History/whiteb1.htm.

Clifford A. Schaffer

Agua Dulce, Calif.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Richard Lake