cannabisnews.com: Give Legal Marijuana a Chance





Give Legal Marijuana a Chance
Posted by CN Staff on March 18, 2008 at 05:24:37 PT
By Kristofer Karol, Daily Press & Argus Reporter
Source: Livingston Daily 
Michigan -- It's a question that has local law enforcers and residents at odds: Should marijuana be legalized for medicinal purposes in Michigan?That's certainly a question that bears some investigation, and there is plenty of information out there to pretty much stake your claim one way or the other.
Law enforcement will say the issue's pretty straightforward: Legalizing marijuana for medicinal uses and growth at home could lead to a bigger pot problem, with joints getting into the wrong hands and stoners roaming the state looking for a good 24-hour diner because they "have the munchies" at 2 a.m.Supporters contend pot has been used for centuries for medicinal purposes and, if a dozen other states already legalize it, why not Michigan? By that logic, Michigan should also re-establish the death penalty and permit prostitution.But, why stop at medicinal use? What about legalizing marijuana for everyone? Is it a smart move, or one that could devastate the state and country? Put an End To Pot The opponents of legalizing marijuana use can point to a report from the Office of National Drug Control Policy to back their stance.The report, located at www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov, refutes a popular claim often made by proponents of legalization that by allowing people to smoke pot, America's overcrowded jails will be eased.In fact, the report notes that, in 1997, the percentage of total state inmates being held for possession of marijuana only was 0.7 percent.The authors of the report contend most people being incarcerated for marijuana possession are either chronic users, dealers or are also in jail for other non-drug-related offenses.Even so, only 2.7 percent of all offenses involved marijuana, the report notes.Talk to the medical experts, and they'll say one joint has four times more cancer-causing tar in it than one filtered cigarette.The U.S Department of Health and Human Services also claims that in 2002, almost 120,000 people were admitted to U.S. emergency rooms for marijuana-related problems, an increase of 139 percent from 1995. Lastly, in 1999, more than 220,000 people entered rehab to kick their marijuana addiction. Pot For The People The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws rebukes the addiction claim, citing a 1999 U.S. Institutes of Medicine report that shows less than 1 in 10 of marijuana users become regular smokers.Putting that into context, the study states 15 percent of alcohol consumers and 32 percent of tobacco users exhibit signs of drug dependence.NORML also states you can't die directly from a marijuana overdose.Then there is drugwarfacts.org, which states there are plenty of other things that kill more people each year than marijuana use.In 2000, there were 435,000 tobacco-related deaths in the United States, 365,000 attributable to poor diet and inactivity and 85,000 linked to alcohol.That poses the question: Should alcohol be banned again? How about tobacco? Maybe fast-food restaurants instead of marijuana?And how else are you going to enjoy your Grateful Dead record? With a cigarette? I don't think so... The Analysis Before I get into the nitty-gritty of the argument, let's get something out in the open: I've neither had a joint, nor do I have any desire to have a joint. It just doesn't appeal to me.That said, quite frankly, the statistics don't support the assertion that legalizing marijuana will ease the prison system.It's a shame, given that recently released studies show Michigan is one of four states that spends more on its prisons than colleges and that more than one in every 100 Americans is now an inmate.However, the proof also isn't there to show legalizing marijuana is going to create a perverse subculture of pot junkies. There are side effects to smoking pot, comparable to tobacco and alcohol, but hardly at the level of cocaine or other illegal hard drugs.Simply put, legalizing marijuana for all seems only fair and should at least be given a shot.After all, if alcohol sales could be banned in the 1920s and early '30s and later be reinstated, there's no reason why marijuana couldn't be given a chance. If it fails, then revert back to the way things were and everyone can go on with their lives.Source: Livingston County Daily Press & Argus (MI)Author: Kristofer Karol, Daily Press & Argus Reporter Published: Tuesday, March 18, 2008  Copyright: 2008 Livingston Daily Press & ArgusContact: http://tinyurl.com/2yq8msWebsite: http://www.livingstondaily.comRelated Articles & Web Site:NORML http://www.norml.orgState Should Not Violate Federal Law http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread23742.shtmlPot for Medical Use on Ballothttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread23727.shtmlMed Pot Proposal On Its Way To Ballothttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread23725.shtml 
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Comment #7 posted by FoM on March 20, 2008 at 19:46:28 PT
The GCW
Keep on keepin on! Good job.
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Comment #6 posted by The GCW on March 20, 2008 at 17:51:05 PT
US MI: PUB LTE: Report Truth On Medical Pot
US MI: PUB LTE: Report Truth On Medical PotPubdate: Thu, 20 Mar 2008Source: Livingston County Daily Press & Argus (MI)http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v08/n299/a05.html?397REPORT TRUTH ON MEDICAL POT What kind of medical expert ( column, "Give legal marijuana a chance," Tuesday ) claims any amount of cannabis ( marijuana ) has more cancer-causing tar in it than cigarettes? There's not one single dead body to show cannabis causes cancer in over 5,000 years of documented use, while cigarettes on the other hand kill over 1,000 Americans daily. Sounds more like experts at prohibition and the Livingston County Daily Press & Argus should check their claims and report the truth. XXX
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Comment #5 posted by John Tyler on March 18, 2008 at 20:15:21 PT
consider the source
It’s funny when you see articles that cite this or that prohibitionist group as some kind of legitimate source of information. That is like using the KKK as a source of information on racial questions.
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Comment #4 posted by afterburner on March 18, 2008 at 10:41:12 PT
Partially OT: Law Reform & Big Pharma Threat
Our Most Important Legislation Ever.
Friday, March 14, 2008.Dear Supporter,I am excited to announce that the Drug Policy Alliance Network (DPA’s lobbying arm) is sponsoring a ballot measure in California that represents the biggest sentencing and prison reform in United States history.
http://www.drugpolicy.org/news/031408nora.cfm
Excerpt: "The measure would also make low-level marijuana possession an infraction--equivalent to a traffic ticket--rather than a misdemeanor, a sentencing change that could affect 40,000 people a year and conserve millions of dollars in court resources for other, more serious cases." &&&Branding Pregnancy as Mental Illness: Immediate Consumer Action Needed to Stop Mothers Act 
Monday, March 17, 2008 by: Byron Richards 
http://www.naturalnews.com/022853.html
Excerpts: { The Mothers Act proposes sweeping and dramatic changes in the delivery of pregnancy care by all health professionals. It demands that health professionals indoctrinate pregnant women into mental health treatment options for mild depression-like symptoms experienced during or following pregnancy, including moderate symptoms they call "baby blues" which they say affects 80% of pregnant women. In other words, this is a massive federate health mandate to get the majority of pregnant and nursing mothers on psych drugs – a new target market for Big Pharma. ...Rather unbelievably up to this point is that the cause of defeating this legislation has fallen onto the shoulders of one young mother, Amy Philo. When she struggled with postpartum stress she was placed on the very same psych drugs advocated for use in the Mothers Act legislation. She began having violent thoughts towards her child and suicidal thinking. ... }
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Comment #3 posted by fight_4_freedom on March 18, 2008 at 08:58:44 PT:
Lack of detailed information
-The U.S Department of Health and Human Services also claims that in 2002, almost 120,000 people were admitted to U.S. emergency rooms for marijuana-related problems, an increase of 139 percent from 1995. Lastly, in 1999, more than 220,000 people entered rehab to kick their marijuana addiction.-And what are these marijuana related problems? They don't seem to care to include any detail into why they were in there for marijuana related problems. I wonder why?And of course forget to mention that most of those 220,000 people entering rehab for marijuana chose to do so as an alternative to jail. Wouldn't you rather go to a nice little rehab center instead of being locked behind bars with violent offenders?
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Comment #2 posted by ekim on March 18, 2008 at 07:52:02 PT
why no mention of cannabis arrests costs
http://cannabisnews.com/news/23/thread23392.shtml
Why $42 billion? Because that's what our current marijuana laws cost American taxpayers each year, according to a new study by researcher Jon Gettman, Ph.D. -- $10.7 billion in direct law enforcement costs, and $31.1 billion in lost tax revenues. And that may be an underestimate, at least on the law enforcement side, since Gettman made his calculations before the FBI released its latest arrest statistics in late September. The new FBI stats show an all-time record 829,627 marijuana arrests in 2006, 43,000 more than in 2005.
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Comment #1 posted by The GCW on March 18, 2008 at 07:15:16 PT
Experts?
"""Talk to the medical experts, and they'll say one joint has four times more cancer-causing tar in it than one filtered cigarette."""-0-These are not experts of cannabis. They are experts at prohibition and using less than the truth to support their cause.Example: there is not one single dead body to show cannabis causes cancer in over 5,000 years of documented use.Cigarettes on the other hand kill over 1,000 Americans daily!Some experts.Expert liars is more accurate. Ignoids! Luciferous life!Earth would be blessed if it were cleansed of those lower and evil forms of life.-0-Cannabis prohibitionists are more dangerous to America and earth than cannabis could ever be.Perhaps earth would be a safer place if cannabis prohibitionists were exterminated rather than the relatively safe, good God-given plant.Cannabis prohibitionists are devastating earth.!!!!!!!!!!!!Cannabis prohibitionists are no better than molesters, rapists, murderers and thieves etc!
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