Pubdate: Thu, 14 Aug 2008
Source: Vankleek Hill Review, The (CN ON)
Copyright: 2008 The Vankleek Hill Review
Contact:  http://www.thereview.on.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2419
Author: Russell Barth
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v08/n768/a05.html
Note: headline by Newshawk

GOOD WORK!

The Editor,

"St-Isidore seed dealer experimenting with hemp" demonstrates the
ridiculous way the government interferes with progress, and how they
demonize marijuana in an effort to forward their anti-hemp agendas.

Marijuana already has dozens of proven medical applications, including
the treatment of depression, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, arthritis,
glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, epilepsy, post traumatic stress disorder and
muscle spasms, among others. Recent science out of Germany even shows
how cannabinoids (found in marijuana) stimulate the body's production
of TIMP-1, which helps healthy cells resist cancer invasion.

I am a big hemp promoter myself. Ethanol, for example, would be viable
if Ontario farmers grew hemp instead of corn. In fact, I think every
farmer on the planet should be required to sow 10 per cent of their
fields as hemp, as it was during George Washington's day.

The demonization of marijuana (the smokable kind) is a propaganda tool
to make the public fear hemp, which is a serious threat to Big Oil and
their control over the price of absolutely everything.

Marijuana itself is a threat to big the pharmaceutical industry. "Pot"
isn't illegal because it is dangerous; it is illegal because it is
very safe, very cheap and medically versatile.

History shows that pot was criminalized in Canada in 1923 based on
supposed dangers to society that never existed. We have the
controversial Emily Murphy to thank for our war on certain plants.

There are still some people who actually think we should not use hemp
at all because "it might send the wrong message to youth" about
marijuana use. A ruse by any other name....

Look at it this way: imagine if the tobacco lobby had such stroke with
the government they managed to convince them to criminalize apples.
Same deal here.

I find it absurd that a crop like hemp is next to impossible to get
permission to grow but I am so glad to hear hemp is making a comeback
and that your paper is actually reporting it. Good work!

Russell Barth

Nepean, Ontario
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin