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  The Marijuana Prohibition
Posted by FoM on August 22, 2001 at 12:48:36 PT
By Dr. R.G. Lampart, Contributor 
Source: Jamaica Gleaner 

cannabis The United States declaration of independence in 1776 states inter alia "We hold these truths to be self evident that all men are created equal and are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights, among these the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. To secure these rights Governments are instituted among men deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed."

Here is the very essence of democracy.Harold Laski, that brilliant director of the London School of Economics, knowing that the created are also endowed with the desire to change and that the desire comes from some inherited force within, postulated further:

"Laws", he said "do not change people. People change and laws are promulgated to regulate change".

In the pursuit of happiness men are constantly changing, hair styles, dress, habitat, eating habits, smoking, drinking, playing. Leaders said Laski must be cognisant of this inalienable right and be prepared to institute changes in the existing laws accordingly.

New knowledge

Up until 1934 marijuana was widely used and tolerated whether rightly or wrongly for its medicinal and recreational social values. Between 1934 and 1937 new knowledge came to light concerning certain effects that the plant had and the discoverer of these effects thought it only right to let the public know about them. Here is a quotation from his autobiography. He was at the time the director of the Bureau of Narcotics.

"The narcotics section recognises the greater danger of marijuana due to its impairment of the mentality and the fact that its continued use leads directly to the insane asylum. As the situation grew worse I knew action had to be taken to get proper control legislation passed. By 1937 under my direction the bureau launched two important steps.

First, a new plan to seek from Congress a new law to place marijuana under federal control. Second, on radio and major forums and the New York Herald Tribune I told the story of this evil weed of the fields, river beds and roadsides. I wrote articles for magazines. Our agents gave hundreds of lectures to parents, educators, and social and civic leaders. In repeated broadcasts I reported on the ever increasing list of crimes including rape and murders. I continued to hammer at all the facts. I believe we did a good job. The public was alerted and the laws to protect them were passed both nationally and at the state level".

This was the genesis of the Marijuana Tax Act which made it a prohibited substance in 1937. The leaders in power then had no choice but to abide by the constitution and the democratic code to protect by all means those by whose consent they were placed in power from the users of marijuana whom they saw as rapists, murderers and raving lunatics.

New light

But what of our leaders today. Much change has taken place since then. An enormous amount of new light has been shed on the plant. It is by no means the same product that was placed before the public in 1937. A sizeable proportion of the population both here and in the USA are convinced by the simple method of trial and error that the presenters to the public of the effect of the plant were mistaken in 1937; that in the pursuit of happiness they find great satisfaction in smoking the plant today. Some have even gone as far as to use it in their religious services. The present leaders have no choice but to protect that right and at the same time institute whatever restrictions are deemed necessary to protect any other who may be in danger or even inconvenienced by the exercise of that right.

The prohibition of marijuana which in the light of the knowledge then was understandable is in the light of the knowledge today unacceptable and unconstitutional and the law must be repealed. This is basically what the Commission has found and said. Failure to do so is an abrogation of the sacred trust derived from the consent of the governed. The Prime Minister has no other choice.

I think it is a pity that the US Embassy spokesman spoke so quickly, for a closer look at the US situation would have shown that the leaders there have no other choice either and should have advised accordingly. The last UN convention on this matter of which the commissioners were fully aware was in 1988. In today's global village and technology with knowledge increasing exponentially much more is known now than in 1988. I believe the Prime Minister should in the light of all this call for a new convention. In this he would be well supported.

It may be of interest also to note that the man more than any other who was instrumental in the passage of the 1937 law died regretting the role he played. Perhaps by then he also had begun to see more light. Now in pleasant contrast Joe Clark, former Canadian Prime Minister, and now Leader of the Opposition, has come out openly for decriminalisation saying that he is concerned about being part of a system which makes a young man go through life with a criminal record because of a spliff.

I myself who have never in my entire life tried even a spliff find it very sad that there are leaders here of a country which in 1962 in her presentation to the world as an independent nation spoke of human rights and introduced the concept of a special year of human rights being added to the world's calendar who have failed to recognise that the whole marijuana issue has more to do with constitutional rights than any other single factor.

Source: Jamaica Gleaner, The (Jamaica)
Published: August 22, 2001
Author: Dr. R.G. Lampart, Contributor
Copyright: 2001 The Gleaner Company Limited
Contact: feedback@jamaica-gleaner.com
Website: http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/

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US Backlash Against Ganja
http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread10640.shtml

Decriminalise it, Says Ganja Commission
http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread10627.shtml


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Comment #10 posted by Doug on August 23, 2001 at 08:33:29 PT
Trite but True
Actually, Lehder, I don't know how trite your statements are, especially in the mainstream (or straight) media. But there are certainly true and you stated them very well. Keep up the good work.

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #9 posted by Lehder on August 22, 2001 at 21:59:50 PT
hi, dddd
and thanks. i know i don't always answer you, but i'm always very happy to see you here, like everybody, i'm sure. you're one colorful and incisive commentator who puts a fine spin on a deadly serious campaign. take care.
--------

i'll say it again:
marijuana does not make you wet your pants, it does not make you drunk or crazy, it does not make you lose your balance, it does not make you wreck your car or hit your wife or abandon your children. it does not give you a hangover, it does not make you late for work or lazy. it does not make you abuse your kids, it does not fry your brain or make you angry or stupid or make you wanna fight and it doesn't make you puke.

if you don't believe me, ask any decent cop.



[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #8 posted by dddd on August 22, 2001 at 21:12:09 PT
Lehder
..You are quite right on....

I appreciate your excellence!...Keep on keepin' on

sincerely....dddd

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #7 posted by Lehder on August 22, 2001 at 20:49:52 PT
journalists pro and con misrepresent marijuana
Up until 1934 marijuana was widely used and tolerated whether rightly or wrongly for its medicinal and recreational social values

Many simplistic statements like this one, from warriors and reformers alike, shortchange the herb and its multifarious benefits. The author, who boasts of having never smoked, evidently is under the impression that marijuana either is used only for relief by the dying or else rather irresponsibly for giggles and to get some sort of a "drunk" from it.

Most of us, though, know that marijuana is more often than not used seriously and that it enhances productivity, creativity and thought. Musicians, scientists, writers, poets and many many others use marijuana responsibly to improve their work, their relationships and their lives in general.

Grinspoon shared the joints with [Carl] Sagan and his last wife, Ann Druyan. Afterward Sagan said, "Lester, I know you've only got one left, but could I have it? I've got serious work to do tomorrow and I could really use it."
http://www.tfy.drugsense.org/SAGAN.HTM

Read what else Carl Sagan and many others have said about the useful benefits of marijuana:
http://www.tfy.drugsense.org/SAGAN.HTM

I think the absurd prejudice that marijuana can be responsibly used only by the grieviously ill arises first because it's commonly but incorrectly called a "drug." Marijuana is not morphine; it's an herb. It is not addictive, it's not a soporific - though it can relieve insomnia, and it is not disabling in any way.

Second, people liken it most unfairly to alcohol. Alcohol truly has no reasonable use; alcohol is used purposefully to induce a degree of loss of control in the drinker, a loss of social and personal control which drinkers find enjoyable and are expected to manage somehow in order to be regarded as "responsible drinkers" or "social drinkers." Those whose experience with mind-altering materials is limited to alcohol, I think, do not appreciate that marijuana could not be more different from alcohol. It does not produce any manner of a loss of self control. Nor is it in any way whatsoever a form of "escape" from reality. Marijuana enhances ones experience of reality in useful, beneficial and productive ways. It is not possible to become drunk, obnoxious or belligerent by smoking marijuana as is so commonly observed with alcohol.

I know that all these statements are trite and taken for granted by anyone who has ever smoked marijuana even two or three times. But so many articles like the present one misrepresent marijuana that I wish a few more journalists would get the story straight.

Marijuana smokers do not have a brain disease, they are not addicts, they are not insane, they do not need "treatment", they do not seek escape, they do not have a death wish, they do not want to poison themselves, they do not hate themselves AND THEY ARE NOT CRIMINALS.



[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #6 posted by E. Johnson on August 22, 2001 at 18:23:52 PT
Marijuana and race
Dr. Lampart is making a very generous choice of quotations from the autobiography of the architect of American marijuana prohibition.

Another thing this man being quoted was known to say was:

"Reefer makes darkies think they're equal to white men."

This what was it really was about to him, the rest is revisionist nonsense.



[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #5 posted by FoM on August 22, 2001 at 18:23:10 PT
PoisonedFor4YrsSoFar
Thank You PoisonedFor4YrsSoFar,
There has never been and never will be a time where there is no injustice in my opinion. We are imperfect people so it's impossible. All the things that create bad situations comes from emotions like greed, jealousy and revenge etc.
Unless we can put those things aside more wars will happen but the wars will just shift in some other direction. This is just my thoughts and I hope they make sense.

PS: I am afraid if I take my mind off of the news I'll miss something that's really important so I pay attention. A Lot of people read C News and I try to stay alert for all of you.

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #4 posted by PoisonedFor4YrsSoFar on August 22, 2001 at 17:14:27 PT
What injustice will we address when this is over
I think when the local papers come out
for legalization that is an indication
that the war is about won. If the stance
were really unpopular they would not take
it because they would lose readers.

I like Martha's poem: it seems like
Martha never takes a day off. Do you think
the day will ever come when there is no
injustice?


[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #3 posted by FoM on August 22, 2001 at 13:31:21 PT
Motto
Maybe we need a motto. How about:

We Love Cannabis and We Love The World
Please Just Leave Us Alone
We'll Do You No Harm
So Please, Return The Favor

I'm only kidding but it would be nice to be able to say something like that.

[ Post Comment ]

 
Comment #2 posted by Ethan Russo, MD on August 22, 2001 at 13:17:57 PT:

Anslinger Deserves to Roll in his Grave
What the article did not say was that every bad thing that Anslinger said about cannabis was a contrived falsehood. The laws were based on false pretenses and have no basis in fact.

[ Post Comment ]
 
Comment #1 posted by TroutMask on August 22, 2001 at 12:59:10 PT
Justice
Justice is about to take a giant leap forward in Jamaica. This will be a very important domino, imho. Every country that legalizes makes it easier for the rest.

-TM

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