~Carl Sagan
You know, when I first thought about doing this particular blog entry, I knew that there would be a decent amount of research involved! But, I figured I could probably more or less get some basic facts down, provide the sources, and then make as compelling an argument as possible for legalization based on these.
But the more research I did, the more research was made available. One search would yield several results, and I wound up reading, and using, a hell of a lot of these. Many of them are listed below, so that if you choose to explore this argument on your own, and weight the pros and cons of legalization, then come up with your own, independent and informed decision, these links could prove beneficial. As always, I encourage you to do your own research. This is a very important issue, one that is increasingly coming to the fore. I think that it is going in one clear direction, as well: towards legalization. In fact, I would go so far as to say that universal legalization is basically inevitable. When the facts become clearer, it seems to me that any real justification for continuing the long-lasting marijuana prohibition will be largely discredited, and the policy and thinking will seem like dinosaurs. Like relics from the past that we can no longer afford to indulge in.
Of course, that is just my personal slice of opinion. Review the facts, and judge for yourself. But please continue to read. Some of the facts might be not only revealing, but downright startling. And again, please feel free to do your own research and verify these things. If there are any inaccuracies, please do bring them to my attention, and I will seriously look into it and, if need be, acknowledge my mistake and make the necessary changes, as well as thank you personally for pointing these out. And, as always, I welcome any feedback, questions, or concerns.
I wrote a part of this article much earlier, over the course of months now, but I kept getting bogged down. As it turns out, this was the most that I have ever worked on, and researched for, a blog entry. It was not easy, even if I initially approached it with a very relaxed attitude, thinking it would be easy enough to ship out some fairly decently written blog with just a sprinkling of facts. Not getting bogged down in facts, you know, but employing them as effectively as possible. But it did not quite work out that way. There was so much that I really wanted to write about this topic, and so many facts and statistics that seemed necessary and/or helpful. As a result, this took quite a long time, and I kept finding myself coming back to it, again and again. It is an issue that I personally have tried to more or less keep abreast of since either the late eighties or early nineties, when I began to seriously consider the issue. As the years passed, and more information was forthcoming, it seemed more and more obvious to me that the right course of action for the country to take would be legalization.
Yet, this position was dismissed as extreme by a majority of people. It was not as taboo perhaps as it used to be, but it was still something that warranted snickers and derisive comments by some, if the topic was actually broached. The country did not seem ready.
Still, right is right. I watched on the news as, every now and then, some activists would suddenly take action, and get noticed. Chief among these was Woody Harrelson, he of Cheers fame. He did not shy away from being active, and I saw him being arrested (at least if memory serves correctly) a couple of times or so. But the issue needed more than a celebrity or two, who could easily be dismissed by a skeptical public.
So, why now? Why am I writing about this particular issue, and at this particular time?
Well, one thing would be, simply stated, that today is my birthday, and I am publishing this, finally, as a birthday gift to myself. I had the weight of perfection, or rather expectations to make it perfection, entirely self-imposed, on my shoulders. This blog is not perfect, but it is fairly thorough, given that it is only a few pages worth of a blog entry on an important subject (at least to me it is and, hopefully after reading it, you will at least understand why, if not outright agree). When you work on something over the course of months, you really do want and hope for (and maybe even expect) perfection, don't you? Yet, whenever I look at this blog, there always seems so much more that I need to do, and frankly, I want to be released from that. This post keeps popping up at or near the top of my unpublished list, and there was always that little push of pressure, of urgency to get this thing done with already. So, by publishing it, it is done. I may revisit the subject again sometime, if (or more like when) new facts that feel necessary to share emerge. But to make as strong a case as I can make for legalization of marijuana was the point, and I think that this was done, more or less. It would be best for the environment, probably would be a solid source of tax revenue, would limit the destructiveness of the "War on Drugs" (it seems that we're always at war with something, doesn't it?), as well as get a few more people out of the overcrowded prisons in the United States (and surely other countries). It would produce better paper and clothes, and again, all of it would be beneficial to the environment. When you look at the pros, it is really hard to take the so-called "cons" seriously, since they either seem more based on speculation and fear than on reality, or since they often tend to not amount to more than simply knee jerk reactions from heavily ingrained and long-held attitudes about this particular subject.
Fact of the matter is, it was not long ago when this was taken by most people, quite literally, as a laughing matter. It was a funny discussion to contemplate this, but no more than that. After all, only stoners really made such a case (at least in public), right? So, the subject was easy to dismiss for most people.
Somehow or other, things began to change. Medical marijuana was at first dismissed by many, but when the seriousness of the health benefits began to be known, opinions were swayed. It alleviated suffering, and that was no laughing matter. Little by little, one state after another legalized marijuana, albeit for medical purposes only.
But soon, the inevitable question of whether it should be legalized overall, even for recreational uses, began to pop up. It was not quite as laughable by now, and in fact, more and more people were seriously discussing the issue.
And then, of course, last year. Specifically, the 2012 election. Of course, the main election news story was the run for the White House, which came down to President Obama, seeking a second term, and his opponent, the Republican candidate, Mitt Romney. And of course, the Congress, and who would either get, or retain, a majority, and where. And what it would all mean.
But there was another issue that suddenly was taking center stage, as well. Legalization was an election issue in three states - Colorado, Washington, and Oregon. And many people, even outside of these three states, were watching, and watching closely.
Of course, we all know what happened. A majority of the electorate proved in favor of legalization in Washington and Colorado. In Oregon, not so much. Many said that there would be challenges, and were skeptical that the federal government's authority would not simply clamp down on these seemingly newly won rights for residents of these states. Yet, low and behold, almost a year has passed, and the legalization still holds. At least, for now it does.
Moreover, the issue is coming to the fore on a national level, and this time the talk is not relegated to merely three states. Earlier this year, for the first time ever, a majority of Americans polled were in favor of legalization of marijuana.
And the Department of Justice recently admitted that regulating marijuana legally would be better than it being available strictly on the black market, at least in some cases. (for more on that particular article, just click on the link below).
http://justsaynow.firedoglake.com/2013/09/10/doj-admits-regulated-marijuana-industry-can-be-preferable-to-the-black-market/
No longer is this issue dismissed so easily as a joke. People are finally asking the question: why was marijuana specifically banned, when there are so many other things that are at least as harmful, if not more so. The arguments that marijuana can be harmful is not new, of course. But it is my understanding, according to the research that I conducted, that there is no proven link to the notion that smoking marijuana kills brain cells. Yes, smoking marijuana may cause cancer, or advance it. But so does smoking, and we have long known this. And there are other ways to use marijuana then merely smoking it. It is not the marijuana itself that may cause cancer, but the smoking part of it, and that is not a minor distinction. Neither is the fact that smoking itself has not been outlawed (at least not yet). It may be banned in restaurants and workplaces and other public places, but you can still easily but a pack of cigarettes, or pipes and tobacco, if you want to (and provided you are of legal age). That means that the hypocrisy of this argument against legalization is wrapped up in some convenient half-truths at best, and downright hypocrisy at worst. And as for using it for the paper it produces, why not? It could prove very beneficial indeed to the environment (more on this later in this blog entry), and we really need to start taking those kinds of issues seriously.
So, why not legalize?
Well, it has been getting increased coverage in the news, and the issue seems to be coming to a fore. Perhaps it's simply time. Sometimes, some issues seem to be like that, and right now, marijuana is being reevaluated like never before. It probably would have been an unthinkable thing not all that long ago. I remember it being seen as a joke in the nineties, when I first met some actual activists for it. Many dismissed those who wanted it legalized as "potheads" and hopelessly out of touch, much like they did "environmental wackos".
But the winds of change have apparently reached American shores. Suddenly, more and more people are taking the environment very seriously, and now, somewhat surprisingly (at least to me), more and more people are beginning to change their minds about legalization of pot.
This is an issue that I have addressed before, but it has frequently been in the news lately again, so I just figured I would write about it again. Also, given that I just wrote a whole blog entry on the anniversary of the closing of the Woodstock Music Festival, back in 1969, it kind of seemed that marijuana was a fitting topic of discussion, you know?
It is in the news today again, in New Jersey and New York City. In New Jersey, Governor Christie just made the decision to send back a proposal to make medical marijuana more accessible. he agreed in principle to expand it, but stopped short of one key element that advocates say would be essential to truly making it more accessible: edible marijuana. This follows a very public confrontation in which he was confronted by a man with a sick son, who asked the governor straight out to make it more accessible. When this man was getting buried in an avalanche of rehearsed political dialogue by the governor, he shouted out words that were guaranteed to make the headlines, as he shouted out, "Please don't let my daughter die!"
Yet, the hypocrisy involved never fails to startle.
Recently, a politician who favored some pretty harsh punishments for the use of medical marijuana was himself caught in a car with possession of marijuana. Allegedly, there was a smell of recent marijuana smoke evident when he was pulled over, according to police.
It appears that, far from simply being damaging or addictive (marijuana actually is not addictive at all), the benefits of marijuana seem to be so overwhelming as to seem almost unreal and exaggerated.
Truth be told, however, the benefits are indeed many. Conversely, the logic behind keeping it outlawed seems to be increasingly, and transparently, skewed and short-sighted, not to mention counterproductive.
Here are some of the benefits of marijuana:
Argument # 1- Legalization Would Be a Benefit to the Environment - It is good for the environment, and leaves the least detrimental ecological trace for producing various consumer products like paper, clothes, and drugs. In fact, it is completely natural, and so not really harmful to the environment at all. It makes me wonder how it could ever have been banned in the first place. Marijuana grows at a much faster rate than trees, and thus, used as paper, marijuana would be a drastic improvement over trees being used for paper. How much faster? Marijuana grows ten times faster than trees! Marijuana will grow very tall - taller than humans! And one acre of marijuana will produce as much paper as four acres of trees would. And remember, marijuana grows much faster than trees, and with no detrimental effects to the soil, to boot! It used to be used as paper in the past, and not just by some obscure guys making their own paper, either. Marijuana is capable of being an important source of good quality paper, and it grows back far faster than trees, which means that we would not have to clear our forests quite so quickly. The fact that marijuana would be beneficial to the environment is something that seems to have been well hidden away from the public for quite some time now, but the truth is slowly coming out. Also, let us not forget, marijuana has far more uses than just to be used as paper, or to get stoned with. It could end, or at least strongly limit, deforestation. Marijuana also can be used to make biodegradable plastic, which also would be beneficial for the environment. It could also possibly help us end our addiction to coal, oil, and gas! And in this day and age, we really should be able to act upon that knowledge, and do what's right. The days of government simply telling us what to do, or to believe, and us blindly believing and following like children or sheep are over. The facts are in, and the special interests involved here (hint, the paper industry) might not be happy about it, but if we want to get serious about improving the quality of life on this planet, and not using up so much of our valuable resources, then the discussion about legalizing marijuana had better become more serious, and not seen as some kind of a gag or joke.
Argument # 3 - Marijuana Can, and Should, Be Used to produce Superior Clothes - This, too falls, under the umbrella of the betterment of the environment argument, I think. Yet, it stands independently in this post, because it is important for people to know. Marijuana can be used to produce clothing. Perhaps you have seen such clothing stores, as I have (online, and once or twice in person, but they were more like vending tables than actual stores). But let's get more specific than that, even. If we compare marijuana to cotton, we find that cotton requires more water, and twice as much land, as marijuana. So, how much less water, specifically, would marijuana require, as compared with cotton? Well, 9,758 litres of water per kilogram for cotton, compared to 2,123 litres of water per kilogram for hemp. Plus, hemp fibers are four times stronger than cotton! Unlike cotton, hemp would not require pesticides and herbicides, which would make these clothes not only cheaper, but healthier to produce. Finally, much like the production of paper creates severe deforestation, and much like sugar cane can ravage and even destroy the soil for a very long time to come, cotton takes a considerable toll on the land, and pollutes water. Hemp does not. These are the facts, convenient or not.
Yes, hemp is apparently good for making clothes out of. And the best part? When they wear out, you can just smoke them! (just kidding).
Argument # 3 - Marijuana Appears to Have Serious Health Benefits That We Are Only Now Truly Learning About - This is the big argument presently, and it seems almost symbolic of the overall indifference and ignorance that humanity has in regards to what could frankly be the destruction of a wealth of natural prescriptions to illnesses and diseases that we have yet to recognize, let alone tap, in places like the Amazon rain forest. We are only now beginning to really learn about the medical benefits of marijuana, and the list seems actually quite extensive. What is required of us, however, is to open our minds and try to forget about our preconceived prejudices, and that tends to be easier said than done. With the arguments going back and forth about the benefits of so-called "medical marijuana (Canada and the numerous individual states within the United States have now legalized it), surely almost everyone has heard the benefits of marijuana, but there is growing evidence that marijuana actually might cure at least some forms of cancer. At the very least, it provides some strong measure of comfort to ease suffering.
(Check this website for more specifics. It includes the sources behind the claims, for further verification of the potential health benefits that are continually emerging: http://www.exposingthetruth.co/cannabis-cancer/#axzz2gGoVIBfJ)
Argument #4 - The Rationale For Illegalizing Marijuana Was Self-Serving, and Thus Flawed, From the Beginning And really, maybe I should not list this is a benefit, but the question needs to be asked: why was marijuana outlawed in the first place? You might think that it was outlawed a long time ago, historically speaking. But you would be wrong. There are people alive today who can remember the days before it was illegalized. We're not talking ancient history here. And why was it illegalized, and who has kept it illegalized? Here, it seems, we have some powerful lobbies to thank for it, and the crush of disinformation propaganda that has followed, to give marijuana a bad name, and make it strictly like a joke. As you can see, from the arguments listed above, and the arguments that are more and more often on television news stories and in the papers and magazines, it is no joke. The joke is up, and the seriousness of this issue is beginning to bleed through. I think it is because there is beginning to be a greater overall understanding, although that may be wishful thinking. But more and more people are coming around to the viewpoint, or at least challenging the old (and frankly, outdated) ways of thinking about this.
Plus, unofficially and thus off the record, like Carl Sagan suggests, maybe it just helps allow us to dream a little bit. Most people believe that marijuana use often makes the user happier. And really, what's wrong with that? When you see all of the benefits (that I think I have touched upon and illustrated, more or less), it makes you wonder how it was ever specifically made illegal in the first place. Of course, laws and lawyers and policy makers tend to be stuffy people, and there business not only is no fun, but by it's very nature, seems to crack down on anything that may be fun, as well. How much fun can anything be when it is overly regulated to begin with? Sometimes, it is best to simply let things be, and again, like anyone needs reminding, marijuana (or cannabis, or hemp, whatever name you like to call it) is completely natural. It exists in this world, and has existed for a very long time. It is not, as other drugs are, made by people. It is grown by people, and it grows on it's own, as well. There is something truly dumb, highly illogical, and most contradictory in our "civilized" efforts to illegalize something that is a part of nature (unlike, say, alcohol). I don't even think there are any real arguments that can be made against it.
So, if are you interested in finding out more about marijuana, and to weigh the pros and cons of possibly legalizing it, there is plenty of information out there for you. Every single day, we seem to be learning more not only about marijuana, but about a lot of other things that could be beneficial to the environment, as well as to our health. More is revealed as time passes, and we should keep our minds open much more than we have traditionally to our potential best options for a modern society that needs to focus on true sustainability. We can no longer afford to simply allow our past prejudices to dictate modern policies, if these policies are, in fact, harming us. And from the detrimental impact of the "war on drugs", as well as the links with this issue to the "war on terror" (a lot of terrorists received funds from growing marijuana, which is, after all, illegal in most Western countries, but which was commonly sold on the black market nevertheless), to the emerging health benefits that are finally seeing the light of day, to the clear benefits for a healthier environment that marijuana legalization would promote, it is difficult to seriously argue about the merits of keeping marijuana illegal. In fact, it seems to me that it is increasingly an act of being willfully and irresponsibly blind to facts and objectivity. Of course, our society is no stranger to this tendency, unfortunately. But that is a whole other argument.
Here are some links that I found helpful and informative, and which might help you, too. This is not a definitive list, however, and I would encourage anyone and everyone to do their own research, and make up their own minds once all the facts present themselves.
http://whycannabisshouldbelegalized.weebly.com/index.html
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Marijuana-LegalizationWhy-It-Should-Happen/257931367631423
http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/lists/top-10-marijuana-myths-and-facts-20120822
http://www.nature.com/npp/journal/v26/n6/full/1395868a.html
Here is a JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) exploring any links to smoking pot and lung cancer. The conclusion? "These studies were not able to demonstrate a relationship between marijuana smoking and a diagnosis of lung cancer." But don't take my word for it. Read for yourself:
"The Association Between Marijuana Smoking and Lung Cancer" by Reena Mehra, MD, MS; Brent A. Moore, PhD; Kristina Crothers, MD; Jeanette Tetrault, MD; David A. Fiellin, MD Arch Intern Med. 2006;166(13):1359-1367. doi:10.1001/archinte.166.13.1359.
http://archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=410634
Below is a link to a part of a report from the Institute of Medicine that suggests that marijuana use does not generally lead to use of other, harder drugs:
"In the sense that marijuana use typically precedes rather than follows initiation of other illicit drug use, it is indeed a "gateway" drug. But because underage smoking and alcohol use typically precede marijuana use, marijuana is not the most common, and is rarely the first, "gateway" to illicit drug use. There is no conclusive evidence that the drug effects of marijuana are causally linked to the subsequent abuse of other illicit drugs."
http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=6376&page=6
10 Facts About Marijuana:he Association Between Marijuana Smoking and Lung Cancer
http://www.drugpolicy.org/drug-facts/10-facts-about-marijuana
Here is an article that, far from causing cancer, suggests that marijuana could in fact cure cancer:
Can Cannabis Cure Cancer? posted by Tim Lubej August 27, 2013
http://www.exposingthetruth.co/cannabis-cancer/#axzz2gGoVIBfJ
"Marijuana Legalization Could Save U.S. $13.7 Billion Per Year, 300 Economists Say" an article offered by the Huffington Post Posted: Apr 18, 2012 2:16 PM EDT Updated: Apr 18, 2012 2:16 PM EDT:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/17/economists-marijuana-legalization_n_1431840.html
http://www.khq.com/story/17525950/marijuana-legalization-could-save-us-137-billion-per-year-300-economists-say
Another article available at the Huffington Post (but actually from the Daily News) that discusses the benefits of legalization. Links to both the Huffington Post and The Daily News can be found below:
"The Real Benefit Of Legalizing Marijuana" The Daily News | By ADAM EDELMAN Posted: 03/29/2013 8:28 am EDT
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/29/the-real-benefit-of-legal_n_2978203.html
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/marijuana-tax-state-revenues-higher-article-1.1301948
Here is yet another link to the Huffington Post, a very informative article featuring the authors of a book on this issue ("Marijuana Legalization: What Everyone Needs to Know" by Jonathan P. Caulkins, Angela Hawken, Beau Kilmer, and Mark A.R. Kleiman) The Huffington Post by Matt Ferner Posted: 09/04/2012 8:28 am Updated: 09/04/2012 12:43 pm
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/04/marijuana-legalization-research_n_1850470.html
Here is an article that mentions some of the health benefits, specifically, that legalization of marijuana would prove helpful with:
http://www.ibtimes.com/%E2%80%98medical%E2%80%99-marijuana-10-health-benefits-legitimize-legalization-742456
Some other websites, that take a more cautious approach, or which outright come out against legalization of marijuana. Hey, you have to be informed about both sides of the debate, right? Fair is fair, so let's here both sides of the argument, and at least consider what they are saying, and what their reservations, or possibly fears, are:
LiveScience:
http://www.livescience.com/24559-marijuana-facts-cannabis.html
http://www.livescience.com/24554-medical-marijuana.html
And here's another great quote, with a touch of humor, by the late, great Carl Sagan, on the subject of legalization of marijuana:
The US should legalize marijuana, tax it, and send all the proceeds to NASA. NASA would inspire kids to explore the universe and pot would inspire adults to explore the universe.
~ Carl Sagan
Not everything revolves around the United States, of course. Here are some links about news from other countries, where legalization is also an ongoing debate:
In Canada:
"Legal marijuana: How could it work? Interim step of decriminalization not the answer, say advocates for legal pot" by Daniel Schwartz, CBC News Posted: Sep 4, 2013 6:10 AM ET Last Updated: Sep 4, 2013 6:05 AM ET:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2013/09/03/f-marijuana-legalization.html
Uruguay First To Fully Legalize Marijuana posted by Michelle Pearl August 13, 2013
http://www.exposingthetruth.co/uruguay-first-legalize-marijuana/#axzz2cgQ5IZ3V
Marijuana Ruling Could Signal End of Prohibition on Pot by Colleen Curry of ABC News, August 31, 2013:
http://news.yahoo.com/marijuana-ruling-could-signal-end-prohibition-pot-151612677--abc-news-topstories.html
"Huge Step Forward For Cannabis Advocates As DOJ Won’t Interfere With States’ Legalization" by T. Steelman August 30, 2013 4:48 am
http://www.addictinginfo.org/2013/08/30/holder-says-doj-will-allow-colorado-washington-to-implement-marijuana-legalization-laws/
Here is an interesting article that I found about one medical expert who's mind was change about marijuana:
http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/08/health/gupta-changed-mind-marijuana/index.html
This link below is about a hypocritical politician from New York, Assemblyman Steve Katz, who consistently voted against medical marijuana, yet was pulled over and found with marijuana that he had apparently smoked. The story is "Anti-marijuana New York assemblyman busted for weed possession" by David Edwards of The Raw Story:
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/03/15/anti-marijuana-new-york-assemblyman-busted-for-weed-possession/
Articles on Governor Christie of New Jersey, and the marijuana question in the Garden State:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/17/nyregion/christie-amends-marijuana-restrictions.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/15/chris-christie-medical-marijuana_n_3764492.html
http://hotair.com/archives/2013/08/15/father-confronts-christie-on-medical-marijuana-please-dont-let-my-daughter-die/
Here is an article about the argument of legalization being brought up in several states (as well as the District of Columbia), and a bit of background information on these stories:
http://www.policymic.com/articles/50955/marijuana-legalization-11-states-on-the-cusp-of-going-green
Below are links to some recent articles from earlier this month, regarding the issue of legalization of marijuana:
"Pot fans cheer Tuesday's historic Senate hearing" by Bill Laitner, Detroit Free Press, September 10, 2013
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/09/09/senate-hearing-marijuana/2790917/
Here is a recent article "Feds Have No Viable Legal Challenge to Marijuana Legalization, Deputy A.G. Concede" by Jacob Sullum, Contributor to Forbes:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jacobsullum/2013/09/10/the-feds-have-no-viable-legal-challenge-to-marijuana-legalization-deputy-attorney-general-concedes/
Another recent article on the subject from the Arizona Daily Star, "Expanded marijuana legalization effort coming" By Howard Fischer Capitol Media Services:
http://azstarnet.com/news/state-and-regional/expanded-marijuana-legalization-effort-coming/article_77958ec4-1fcb-5b65-85bc-d8b4d3245972.html
This was a very helpful and informative website with a ton of recent articles on the subject, and it seemed necessary to add it here:
http://justsaynow.firedoglake.com/tag/marijuana-legalization/
Finally,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MESZh-_uyUQ
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