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| All The Right Reasons |
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Posted by CN Staff on September 28, 2006 at 19:07:01 PT Editorial Source: Reno News & Review 
Nevada -- This is not to advocate for pot smoking, but frankly, pot smoking probably does less harm to a person's brain than two hours of watching The Simpsons, The Family Guy, American Dad and The War at Home or a half hour shopping at the mall. It certainly causes less damage than a Friday night at the Green Room with some of our newsroom staffers.Be that as it may, we here in the RN&R's editorial department haven't offered knee-jerk endorsements of the marijuana legalization efforts that have been made in Nevada over the years. We did endorse the medical marijuana initiatives, and we recommended a yes vote on Question 9 in 2002, but we didn't endorse the marijuana initiative in 2004, mainly because it didn't make it to the ballot--since somebody over there forgot to turn in a bunch of signatures. Not pointing fingers, we're just saying. The fact is, the prohibition against marijuana has to end in this country, and that's why we endorse Question 7 (Regulation of Marijuana Initiative), which will make possession of up to one ounce of Mary Jane legal in Nevada for people over 21 years old. OK, there's more to it than that, check out -- http://www.regulatemarijuana.org/ With all the important things we have to worry about, it doesn't make sense to spend one more cent of resources persecuting a mostly innocuous and private activity. Don't prohibit it, regulate it. American citizens have been irreparably harmed by the so-called War on Drugs. There are dozens of reasons for ending prohibition and not that many for keeping it. Hemp, the nice, friendly face of the illegal, serrated leaf, which has thousands of potential green-business uses, got caught up in the reefer madness, and our environment is the worse for it. Maybe the rehabilitation of the illegal twin will help the hemp industry move in the right direction. Many people have had their lives ruined by the criminal system that enforces draconian marijuana laws. Law enforcement has taken a decidedly un-American attitude toward personal property associated with drug users and distributors. Wouldn't it be fun if law enforcement treated corporate, white-collar criminals and businesses the same way? The reason marijuana is a "gateway drug" is because it's illegal. People who sell marijuana illegally for profit (as opposed to just maintaining their own stash) are just as likely to have heavy drugs, like crank or heroin. That's the "gateway," the availability. Otherwise, the real gateway drug is alcohol, and America doesn't just endorse that drug, we practically swim in it. The amount of money this country has spent attempting to eradicate a weed is incalculable. You want to eradicate illegal marijuana growing in Nevada? Encourage growth of hemp. The low-THC pollen will cross-pollinate with the female pot plants making the next generation of plants decidedly less smokalicious. Source: Reno News & Review (NV) Related Articles & Web Site: Regulate and Control Marijuana A Question of Consequences Smoke Screens - Las Vegas City Life Ballot Initiative: Internal Poll Finds Support Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help |
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| Comment #7 posted by Wayne on September 29, 2006 at 05:38:11 PT |
| It effectively argues the prohibitionists on all the fine points. It will be hard for John Walters to argue this one without delving into the same old s**tpile. Fantastic writing! [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #6 posted by mayan on September 29, 2006 at 05:19:37 PT |
| I see that you beat me to it! May Colorado AND Nevada be the first states to put nails in the coffin of cannabis prohibition! [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #5 posted by mayan on September 29, 2006 at 05:16:52 PT |
| The SAFER blog has posted a great LTE which made it into the Boulder Daily Camera. The blog also has a picture of the dangerous Amendment 44 flyer being held by Mason Tvert! http://safercolorado.org/blog.html THE WAY OUT IS THE WAY IN... Mike Berger/Matthew Rothschild 9/11 Debate - Part 1 (mp3): http://www.911truth.org/911truthmedia/Audio/Dino_Costa-9-28-06-hour_1.mp3 Mike Berger/Matthew Rothschild 9/11 Debate - Part 2 (mp3): http://www.911truth.org/911truthmedia/Audio/Dino_Costa-9-28-06-hour_2.mp3 The Great 9/11 Cover-up and Pakistan Connection: http://www.911citizenswatch.org/modules.php? op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=955 Pilots For 9/11 Truth: http://www.pilotsfor911truth.org/ Scholars For 9/11 Truth: http://www.scholarsfor911truth.org/index.html Veterans For 9/11 Truth: http://www.v911t.org/ [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #4 posted by global_warming on September 29, 2006 at 04:41:19 PT |
| Colorado should repeal prohibition Colorado was the first state to vote to repeal alcohol Prohibition in 1932, and we have the chance to be the first state to vote to repeal cannabis (marihuana) prohibition with the passage of Amendment 44. In 1932, forward-thinking Colorado citizens put an initiative on the ballot to repeal alcohol Prohibition. It passed by 56 percent of the vote. However, in 1937, Congress enacted cannabis prohibition via the Marijuana Tax Act. Cannabis prohibition created a new black market in cannabis, which has led to the same violence and corruption seen in the alcohol Prohibition era. It also gave rise to government agencies like the Drug Enforcement Administration, which not only use your tax dollars to arrest and imprison non-violent cannabis users, but also to actively campaign for cannabis prohibition in our democratic elections. In over 10,000 years of almost constant human use, cannabis has never caused a single overdose. It is safer than aspirin and has many more medicinal uses. In 1988, the DEA's chief administrative law judge called it the "safest therapeutically active substance known to man." Cannabis, like alcohol, should be legal for adults to use in the privacy of their own homes for recreation as well as medicine. It is prohibition that causes harm to society, not the substance. Alcohol Prohibition lasted only from 1920 to 1933, a mere 13 years. Cannabis prohibition has lasted an amazing 69 years. Why has it taken so long to learn, again, that prohibition doesn't work? In 2005, Denver voters ended cannabis prohibition for small amounts possessed by adults in the city. In 2006, Colorado voters have the chance to do the same thing. Let's uphold our proud tradition as a bellwether state and be the first state to vote to repeal cannabis prohibition and end this failed policy. The last day to register to vote is Oct. 10. Bring your friends to the polls on Nov. 7 and vote yes on 44. LAURA KRIHO Nederland http://www.safercolorado.org/blog.html [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #3 posted by FoM on September 28, 2006 at 20:53:38 PT |
| That's ok. It's easy to miss articles. All it takes is one or two articles that spur discussion and other articles can get overlooked. http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread22135.shtml [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #2 posted by Dankhank on September 28, 2006 at 20:37:18 PT |
| It's been around a while ... [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #1 posted by Dankhank on September 28, 2006 at 20:35:27 PT |
| http://alternet.org/drugreporter/41037/ I usually like what Neil Peirce writes ... [ Post Comment ] |
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