This is a really big deal to me as a father of 2. I don’t like that my kids can’t play outside. I don’t like that the cops are never around when they are desperately needed. And I don’t like that my city would risk losing what little resources we have in the way of law enforcement.

I submitted a few questions early on about marijuana legalization and how the revenue could be used to supplement our law enforcement and education programs (another area of concern in Jacksonville).

Let’s see how the conversation went. You can catch the whole thing here, but I wanted to talk about some of the more relevant points.

The questions were presented by David Hunt. Keep in mind that these questions and responses are taken from the chat portion and are not direct quotes. However, the video shows them to be of the correct context and sentiment.

Sheriff Rutherford: For 17 years Jacksonville has been 1 or 2 in the murder rate. Why are we raising more killers here than anywhere else in this state?

I want you to keep this in mind as this is one of the more important points to me. I’m a law-abiding citizen of Jacksonville, and I would like to think that being so means I may raise my family without harm. Unfortunately, this isn’t true. My neighborhood specifically has been on a downward spiral that I’ve personally witnessed over the last few years. More on why in just a few.

Sheriff Rutherford: Over 4,000 people in Jacksonville had been to jail 5 or more times
Sheriff Rutherford: Drug court is one of the best drug treatment programs in the country, bar none. And it helps stop that cycle of in/out of prison. Many are now productive members of society.

If you don’t know much about drug court, it’s basically a movement wherein a substance abuse offender would be directed into treatment instead of incarceration. This sounds great on paper, but it costs a lot of money too.

This is not to say that we shouldn’t have treatment programs, rather that we shouldn’t be marking every person who smokes pot as criminals.

It goes like this:

• You get arrested because your neighbor smelled marijuana and the cops used it as probable cause to search your home.
• They haul you in because you are now a threat to society.
• The judge says “you can go to jail, or you can go to a treatment facility.”
• You are pretty sure that all jails are comparable to ‘OZ’ and decide that roughing through a treatment center would better fit your lifestyle.
• Blamo. Your, and my tax money hard at work.

As far as becoming productive members of society, who is to say they weren’t before you busted them? I know many people who work full time (some with additional part time jobs), spend time with their families and pay their taxes. They like to smoke marijuana every once in a while (some of them nightly after the wife and kids are in bed) to help them unwind from the society that we’ve created.

This is a bad person? This person deserves to go through the legal system wasting countless hours and resources? He or she deserves a record that will follow them for the rest of their lives? For what? Because they took part in an action that allowed them to relax with absolutely no negative impact on the people around them.

I find it funny that this system is praised by officials when it suits them, but when they need a different point of view they use it as a scare tactic to keep marijuana illegal.

The DEA will use the rise in admissions to treatment centers as proof that marijuana usage is out of control. And that they need more funding for the war on drugs. Sheriff Rutherford: I believe in the residential portion of the drug treatment program and have used forfeiture money to continue to fund that.

Hunt: Can’t you just seize your way of out of this problem?
Sheriff Rutherford: laughs. We seize about 1.2 $1.3 million per year, and that goes right back into our programs.
Hunt: Are you saying that $1.2 million is cash, assets, or both?
Sheriff Rutherford: Both.

Make sure you read that carefully. Approximately $1.2 million in seized cash and property is in turn used to fund the drug court program. I can guarantee you that it isn’t enough money to go around. We seriously barely have a new courthouse, and countless millions have been dumped into that.

Let’s take a different look at the same situation. Let’s say marijuana use is legalized, regulated and taxed.

First, no more drug court, at least in the same way it is now. No more high dollar judges and lawyers pulled away from an already stressed system for pot use. There, we just freed up some of the money I’m handing you people every 2 weeks.

Also, that money seized from crimes. Sure, it may go down a bit becuase you aren’t stealing all the stuff marijuana user bought (and paid tazes on). But, all of it goes to the Sheriff’s office.

Now that marijuana is legal, it is taxed. This is money that goes back into the system (hopefully we can spare some of it for our schools too).

Estimates from California put the revenue generated from teh legalization of marijuana at about $1.4 billion. Yeah, that’s a ‘b.’ Sure, Florida isn’t quite as large as California; their population doubling ours. So, using poor, simple math we could argue that Florida would be looking at about $700 million in generated revenue.

If I have $700 in my pocket, I would gladly give the Sheriff $2. See where I’m going with this?

But what about the crime?

Sheriff Rutherford: The decrease in murder rates are largely because we got “dopers” off the street
Hunt: Is the decrease in crime because of a decrease in drug use?
Sheriff Rutherford: Absolutely
Sheriff Rutherford: If people will go online to jaxsheriff.org and look up our 2006 murder study, one of the stats is that 55% of our murder victims died in high-drug trafficking areas. That’s one good clue.

I’m a bit disappointed that a man in law enforcement looks at the numbers this way. This is his reasoning for not agreeing to the legalization of marijuana.

55% of the murder victimes died in high drug trafficking areas. Wouldn’t it be nice if those areas didn’t exist?

Let’s take a walk into my fantasy world again and imagine that instead of the need to deal with real criminals, I could simply go to the store and purchase a joint, in much the same way I do a pack of cigarettes. They check my I.D., I pay my price and the state makes money.

A large chunk of the revenue generated illegally drops because they don’t have anymore marijuana customers. Yay for me.

He “got dopers off the streets?” Actually, he didn’t. Sheriff Rutherford soon continues that:

Hunt: Has violent crime been spreading to other areas?
Sheriff Rutherford: Actually, it’s around those drug-dealing areas. We have identified those areas.
Sheriff Rutherford: We are attacking those particular areas. There is some displacement, including Sheriff Beasler in Clay County saying Duval County is chasing some down to Clay.

Wait, so you never got them “off the streets.” You just pushed them to other streets. Awesome. If you aren’t from around here, Clay County isn’t exactly far away either. Simply pushing them somewhere else doesn’t actually help anything.

The Sheriff explains that removing the criminals is the goal, but getting them out of the city is the “next best thing.”

Actually, that’s not the next best thing. That’s not a thing at all. That shouldn’t even be on the table. Sure, you are the Sheriff of Jacksonville, and that should be of your main concern. But above that you are an American. And if America goes to shit because of your type of thinking, do you really think Jacksonville will be the bastion of hope?

And what of those “areas” you talked about. Apparently my street wasn’t one of those areas a few short years ago, but it is now. I wonder if the Sheriff’s office has re-established what those areas are now that they have forced violence into neighboring communities, and if they will ever take on those new areas. I wonder how long it will be before they understand that it’s an uphill battle to be reactive. We need to think proactively.

I don’t think Sheriff Rutherford has any military experience. When faced with an enemy with resources over which you have the power, you don’t fight said enemy head on. You take their resources.

Okay. It’s obvious that I’m just getting emotional now, so I’m going to end the post with this:

For so long as you recklessly spend your money and resources on a battle that you can not win, you will make no progress.

And Jacksonvillians, for as long as we have people like this in authority, we will continue to have economic problems and increased crime. They aren’t approaching the situation with any logical thought, but reactionary and perpetuated mis conceptions. Remember this when it’s time to vote.

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I submitted a few questions on his views on marijuana use in Jacksonville, and posed a few points on how marijuana legalization and taxation could not only help directly with the budget, but also in the decreased man hours spent on the “victimless crime.”

My questions were as followed:

I would like to ask Sheriff Rutherford’s opinion on marijuana legalization. I know it’s a larger topic of discussion, but I would like to know his views as an officer of law enforcement.

Does he feel that marijuana use in Jacksonville is an appropriate crime on which to spend precious man hours and resources. Does he feel that the use of marijuana among responsible adults in Jacksonville is a problem the deserves more or less attention?

Would it not be beneficial to legalize the use of marijuana, at least medicinally to allow people to attain and use it without breaking the law, thus taking a large chunk of the profits and power away from criminals? Would the taxes gained from such an effort not help the Sheriff’s Office, which is in dire need?

I hope he receives these questions and takes a moment to answer them.

I can tell you that, as a citizen of Jacksonville the crime in my area is getting noticeably worse as time goes on. We are talking violent crimes. Just down the road from my humble abode (where I live with my wife and infant daughter) a man with a gun forced his way into the house of an elderly woman, stole some of her stuff, and bolted.

Sure would have been nice if we had more cops (say what you will about JSO officers) that at least have the availability and ability to make their presence known. To patrol the streets with more consistency, instead of spending countless hours and dollars booking some guy for toking up.

I’ve had my share of run ins with the law around here, but those were usually due to actions on my part. As sided as we may seem at times, I would rather have them around than not.

To take more of them/their resources away takes us backwards, not forward.

There have been several stories of drug busts in Jacksonville lately, and it seems those resources could have been better spent with the increasing amount of shootings and violence.

As you may have heard I am in the works of getting petitions signed for PUFMM.org the weekend after this.

I am doing so in hopes that the legalization of marijuana, even medicinally at first will help to take the power away from people like these, and put it back into the hands of the people.

Let’s be realistic about it. Legalization will come. It’s a natural progression that a society moves gradually beyond ignorance of the past (unless you forget them, mind you).

I would rather we put a rush on it while we still have a sheriff’s department to speak of.  Let’s stop wasting their time and our money; while crime gets worse. And let’s tackle some of the more important issues.

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I read a story from The Vancouver Sun this morning about a few issues smokers and non-smokers have with the current state of the law on medical marijuana use, and when and where one may smoke up.

Actually I got it from High Times, but they took it from TVS so I thought they deserve a link.

Basically, the anti people restrictions on where someone may smoke marijuana, and the pro folk see this as another barrier between them and their rights.

Seriously?

You Get What You Ask For

In almost any given article asking for the legalization of marijuana, another drug is often pulled into the picture; alcohol.

We always tell of how dangerous alcohol is in comparison to marijuana. We feel that we should have the same rights over our own bodies as those who like to get drunk.

And we should.

But have we forgotten about the restrictions on drinking alcohol? We can’t have open containers in public (at least here in the U.S.), we can’t drive while drunk and we can’t show up to work in an incapacitated state.

So when we are told that we can’t smoke a joint in a public park (one of the examples in the above article), we bitch and complain about it? Does that make sense?

Don’t Be A Dick

In thinking about alcohol and the right to do to your own body as you see fit, let’s talk about one major difference. Alcohol doesn’t have a negative impact on the people around you; unless you jump into a car, but that’s a different problem.

Smoking does. I’ve smoked cigarettes like a chimney since I was 15 (about one half of my life). I know they smell and taste like crap. I like the right I have to smoke as I see fit, but I respect my fellow man too much to smoke in his face simply because I want to.

So what’s the difference with marijuana? Just because you like it, doesn’t mean everyone else does. I love the idea of getting high and spending a few hours at a park to enjoy God’s creations. So, do it before you go.

I can’t think of a justifiable reason to impose my smoking on the other people who would also like to enjoy the same park.

Plenty Of Time

To the dismay and disbelief of the anti-marijuana crowd, most of the people who use for medicinal purposes are genuinely in pain. I can appreciate that.

For 2 year prior and leading up to my mother’s death from cancer, I was there every day. I know first hand the impact that this shit disease has on people. And don’t get me started on the “treatments.”

She felt horrible all day, every day.

That being said, the effects of even decent weed can last from 2 to 4 hours, and more with the good stuff. So I ask, if you are in that much pain what the hell are you doing in public that lasts so long to require another toke?

I know. I know. Things happen and you have to accommodate life sometimes. But I don’t know of a dispensary that doesn’t offer some sort of consumable THC product.

If yours doesn’t, there are just under a hogillion (fake, exaggerated measurement of amount for drama purposes) websites that will show you just how to make the brownies or pills or any number of other treats at your own home.

Either way, you don’t have to smoke it.

Hypocrisy

At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how you cut it. Gripes like this are hypocritical. We complain all too often of the freedom-preventing laws imposed by people who disagree with us.

We hate that we aren’t allowed to do something simply because someone else doesn’t want to, regardless of the lack of impact it has on others. We want freedom over our own bodies.

So why would we in turn impose our beliefs on those around us?

Instead, continue the fight for freedom and liberties, but respect your fellow bipeds.

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We start with 2 members of the U.S. House of Representatives. 2 gentlemen with views that can only be described as polar opposite, especially in regard to civil rights and marijuana legalization specifically. We look at Congressman Barney Frank, and Congressman Mark Souder.

Congressman Barnett “Barney” Frank

Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts’ 4th district

In 1987, Congressman Frank became the second openly gay member of the House of Representatives and is described as “one of the brightest and most energetic defenders of civil rights issues.”

We start with him as he was recently interviewed by Esquire on the legalization of marijuana.

I personally like him for his answer regarding his opinion on how long it will take to see the end of this silly prohibition:

“There’s no point in my guessing. Why would I want to guess? We’ll have a rational discussion, and we’ll see where it goes from there.”

This is a guy that doesn’t play the game based on hopes and dreams. He’s a hard worker and fights for the rights he (and I) believes in.

On a cool side note, Frank has a view on outing gay republicans, on which he commented:

“I think there’s a right to privacy. But the right to privacy should not be a right to hypocrisy. And people who want to demonize other people shouldn’t then be able to go home and close the door and do it themselves.”

See where I’m going with this? It’s safe to assume that Congressman Frank doesn’t much care for hypocrisy. How many people shun and fight for the criminalization of marijuana use, only to go home to toke up themselves?

Congressman Frank is the author of H.R. 2592, an attempt to stop the federal government from intervening with states’ marijuana laws.

All around, this is a guy I want making decisions. He seems to make decisions on policies as they may impact others. You’re gay? That’s cool. You’re a gay guy who further promotes hateful laws? Not so cool.

I can’t write enough on how much this guy has done and continues to do for the American people. Research him. You’ll like him too.

Congressman Mark Souder

Member of the U.s. House of Representatives from Indiana’s 3rd District.

I decided on checking into Congressman Souder as he was of mention in the above interview with Congressman Frank.

A strong supporter of the “War on Drugs” and the author of the ‘Aid Elimination Penalty;’ a provision that suspends federal financial aid eligibility to college students convicted of drug-related offenses.

He feels of the program:

“The Drug-Free Student Loan amendment is designed to discourage drug use among students, as a student who knows that his financial aid could be suspended if he’s convicted of a drug crime will be less likely to use or deal drugs in the first place.

The provision puts in place specific ineligibility periods for various drug-related crimes, leading to indefinite suspension for conviction of multiple dealing or possession crimes. At any time, however, a student can regain eligibility if he or she satisfactorily completes an approved drug rehabilitation program and passes two unannounced drug tests.”

As much as I hate to rely on WikiPedia, they state that:

“The law has affected more than 200,000 students, including 9,000 Indiana students — one in every 200 applicants from that state.”

I found it interesting that he also seems to think that:

“…the destruction in your brain cells, is more like coke or crack than it is like the old time marijuana.”

and

“…a marijuana user is very seldom just a casual marijuana user.”

It’s obvious that Mr. Souder isn’t exactly educated on the subject and allows his own irrational, pre-conceived notions direct his actions.

Congressman Souder was the chairman of the House Government Reform Subcommittee on Criminal Justice, Drug Policy and Human Resources; in which he had authorizing jurisdiction over the White House Office of National Drug Policy. In December of 2006, President Bush signed into law the ONDCP Reauthorization Act which reauthorizes the office of the Drug Czar for five years. Souder wrote and introduced the act.

Make no mistake about it. People of this kind are very dangerous as they make decisions that affect the rest of the country, and he makes them with little regard of that affect. These are the guys that start the problems we, as a nation are forced to deal with.

And The Winner Is…

I’m not going to do that. There will never be a winner or loser (unless one of them actually attacks another in a fight to the death) as these are battles with no ending fight. Even once marijuana is legalized, there will still be people who persecute others. There will always be holes in laws and injustices done against the citizens of this country.

So, no winners or losers. Just glances are both sides of the fight.

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I give to you my open letter to our politicians requesting a real discussion.

If you aren’t living in Florida you’re lucky enough to be in a state that isn’t so far behind the times that you often wonder if the rest of the country even takes you seriously (”CHADS” anyone?).

We have some of the harshest laws in regard to marijuana use and possession and it’s mostly thanks too the politicians in our state.

The Laws

In Florida, possessing anything over 20 grams is a felony. Admittedly, I am not too sure how much that is in regard to amount of smokeable substance, but I did okay in Math and Science, and the hair on my head weighs more than 20 grams (I’m bald).

House Bill 173

During the 2008 Legislative Session, a law sponsored by Senator Steve Oelrich from Gainseville and Representative Nick Thompson from Ft. Myers was passed as House Bill 173. It was officially signed into law by Governor Charlie Crist soon after.

Now, to be fair the law targets the cultivation of 25 or more plants with the intention of distribution. 25 plants is a lot (at least to me) if you’re talking personal use. That being said, it does carry a felony charge and jail time.

I don’t have as much of a problem with the law itself because I know we will eventually fight through it (you can indeed cure stupid, it just takes time). The problem I have is a lot of the reasoning behind the law provided by Rep. Thompson and Senator Oelrich. The usual mis-information and poor logic.

So, though I think 25 plants is a lot for personal use, it does show that these are the guys that make decisions. And from them, I want real answers. More specifically, because Charlie Crist signed it into law, I really want answers from him.So I sent the questions to him via email.

Give Them To Me

What I want are real answers. No double talk, no political speak, no dodging/deflecting, etc. Just real answers as to why such a law was created which pulls us further from the future. I want real answers to the followup points. I direct my letter to Governor Crist specifically, but if anyone would like to take part in the discussion, I would be more than happy to open it to them as well.

I wouldn’t mind doing so via email, which would allow for time to think about answers and questions as the conversation grows.

My Expectations

Admittedly, I am not well educated in the realm of politics. I’m not sure if I’m even barking up the appropriate tree. I can’t actually tell you the difference between a governor and a senator. But, I am a resident of Florida and more importantly America. I have opinions on a matter that I feel is important enough to warrant attention. I have kids that I would like to raise in an America not governed by fear or ignorance. I’m just a regular guy who wants answers.

So, I would be amazed if I get a response. I would be blown away if he actually agrees to answer questions. I am 100% sure that I won’t actually get any real answers. I would really love to hear them, but I’ve been lucky (unfortunate) enough to deal with this state before, and the odds of something coming from this are very low.

However, I hope that this will at least get others to think about these things when voting time comes. I hope that perhaps somewhere there is a politician that can help lead Florida to a better position.

No offense to Governor Crist, but maybe we can get someone into office who thinks for the future with an educated stance as opposed to the perpetuation of mis-information.

If anyon in the anti-legalization crowd is interested in taking part in this discussion, please feel free to do so.

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And I really don’t understand that.

I see all these debates on Youtube, and read the many ‘back-and-forths’ in the tons of articles I get throughout the week, but they all contain the same information, and end in the same manner. Nobody has an answer to my question; is there a good reason to keep marijuana illegal?

Every time we see an article on this topic, we see the same questions. We then usually see the same responses. Then we see an answer to that response, but that’s it. It never seems to go any further. Why not?

Following are a few examples of common arguments, the responses and the lack of answers.

Marijuana Is Dangerous

You often hear how dangerous marijuana is from the government. They usually have “studies” to prove this as well. The problem is, the pro-legalization crowd answers with a dissection of those studies and where they fault. Then, we share our own studies that show the exact opposite of their claim.

Sometimes we even see the conversation move towards the governments own FDA-approved drug; Marinol. Marinol is basically Marijuana, but you don’t smoke it. Seriously, that’s the difference. Same amounts of THC and all.

Then there is silence. I never see the government respond to this fact. I never hear them try to explain themselves.

Buying Marijuana Contributes To National Crime

Another argument the government seems to get all hushy about is the fact that buying/selling marijuana contributes to crime. The picture they like to paint is that if you buy marijuana, you are providing money to people that fight for their black market share. These people kill others over money, etc.

The problem we have with this is the fact that the prohibition of marijuana is what causes the crime, not the use. We usually respond that “if marijuana were legal and regulated in much the same way alcohol is, then there wouldn’t be such a black market.” And this is true. There were a ton of violent crimes commited in conjunction to alcohol distribution during its prohibition. But you don’t hear many stories like that anymore. Why? Because the government stepped in and regulated it, and there was no need for a black market.

Again, silence. I want to hear someone talk on that point, without any double talking or attempts at word-play. Just answer that. If prohibition has created crime in the past, and was alleviated by the legalization of alcohol; and prohibition is causing the crime now, then what say you?

Marijuana Is A Gateway Drug

We hear this one time and time again. Marijuana is a gateway drug, and if you smoke weed for a while, you will want to try other drugs.

The thing about this claim is that I haven’t seen a study, even of the fake sort that would back this claim up. It reaks of Anslinger’s fear tactics.

However, we have a different view. In 1995 marijuana use took up around 77% of all illicit drug users in America. 77%. That’s the number of people that use marijuana, but not other drugs (not including alcohol or tobacco). So, out of all the drug users in America, 23% of them are using drugs other than marijuana. Hmmm….doesn’t quite sound like a gateway drug to me.

Also keep in mind that the number of marijuana users has, and will continue to climb among adults. The use among kids and teens has been on the decline. So, it would seem that marijuana is indeed NOT a gateway drug.

I never hear them respond to that. Even in the video I mentioned in another post, that same fact was posed to FBI Director Robert Mueller, with no response (other than the goofy “dammit I’m stuck” look on his face).

Marijuana Users Entering Into Treatment Are On The Rise

This one is true, but with a twist. The government likes to tell you that around 62% of the teens in drug treatment centers are there because of marijuana.

What we like to say is “well, yeah. That’s the choice I would make too.” You see, when you get busted for minor possession, sometimes you get “lucky” and the judge will tell you that you can serve time, or you can go to a treatment center for your “problem.” What would you pick? This is becoming more common with the amount of officials that have a vested interest in filling such facilities (commissions for doing so).

It appears that prohibition again is the culprit. But again, we don’t hear what the government has to say about that.

This Isn’t Just The Government

The real problem is that this isn’t just the government spitting propoganda, it’s the whole country. Every time you get into a discussion with someone about this, they too are left with little to no answers. This is because they are only repeating what they heard in school. Unfortunately, the government has a monopoly on that front as well.

So, I ask you. Do you believe everything you hear? If you use some of these reasons as to why marijuana should be illegal, can you answer my rebuttals? If so, please do so. These questions are burning inside, and I think they are what fuels the pro-legalization crowd.

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I thought it would be interesting to dissect their list of myths and facts, so here goes.

Marijuana Myths & Facts: The Truth Behind 10 Popular Misperceptions

Marijuana is harmless

They start by stating:

Marijuana harms in many ways, and kids are the most vulnerable to
its damaging effects. Use of the drug can lead to significant health,
safety, social, and learning or behavioral problems, especially for young
users. Making matters worse is the fact that the marijuana available
today is more potent than ever.

Interesting. First, note that the use of marijuana among teens is down according to a study comparing numbers from 2002 and 2006. This is due in large part to the number of educational programs that have been created over the last decade. These programs are not like the D.A.R.E programs that use failed scare tactics in often failed attempts. These are programs like NYC DanceSafe that  focus more on education than “just say no” programs. Even the United States General Accounting Office will tell you:

DARE had no statistically significant long-term effect on preventing illicit drug use.

Reference

This is what we pro-legalization/decriminalization citizens want. We don’t want to put this stuff in the hands of kids any more than we would want to do so with any other drug (including alcohol, tobacco or prescription drugs meant for adults). Many legalization proposals you see even ask that some of the money gained from taxing marijuana be dedicated to education the young.

So, kids are still vulnerable no thanks to the programs the government insists on piling our money into. However, we are beginning to win that battle (the one the government should be helping us with) on or own. And I believe the groups that are working will continue to do so.

As for the health problems associated with marijuana, according to  a study by the Department of Psychology, Carleton University, Ottawa:

Current marijuana use had a negative effect on global IQ score only in subjects who smoked 5 or more joints per week. A negative effect was not observed among subjects who had previously been heavy users but were no longer using the substance. We conclude that marijuana does not have a long-term negative impact on global intelligence.

A very recent study also debunked the “pot causes mental illness” claim. I also talked about depression and schizophrenia in an earlier post in which I discussed a few studies on the effect marijuana has on mental illnesses.

Marijuana is not addictive

It was once believed that marijuana was not addictive; many people still believe this to be the case. But recent research shows that use of the drug can indeed lead to dependence. Some heavy users of marijuana develop withdrawal symptoms when they have not used the drug for a period of time.

I find it interesting that in one statement, they use both the words “addiction” and “dependence.” Do some research and you will see that there is a big difference in these things. Generally speaking, dependence means that if dosage of a drug is ceased or lowered too quickly, you will experience withdraws. This is normal. Addiction (again, generally) means that a person would increase their dosage without the consult of a professional.

As you can probably imagine, there aren’t many drugs, legal or otherwise that wouldn’t have some sort of impact on a regular user is completely stopped or weened from dosage too quickly. Ever know someone that quite smoking, or done so yourself? Remember the air of anger, irritability and general crankiness?

Again, this is where the opposition seems to get hung up without understanding what it is we want. We are pushing for the use of marijuana as done so by responsible adults. The same thing we want in regard to tobacco or alcohol. The only thing that can help addiction/dependence is education.

So, look at it this way. People who desire to smoke marijuana are obviously doing so regardless of its legal status. The government is failing on that front. What we want is to make it legal, while pushing for education for our kids and those in need so that it is saved for responsible use. Well, the government is failing there too.

In that same section, the “facts” state that:

More teens enter treatment each year with a primary diagnosis of marijuana dependence than for all other illicit drugs combined. Currently, 62 percent of teens in drug treatment are dependent on marijuana.

I love it when I hear this. My response is always the same:

So let me ask you. Would you rather go to a rehab center for a few weeks or dedicate a few weekends to it, or would you rather go to jail?

I’m not the smartest guy in the world, but I’m confident that I know the answer before I ask it. I do so because that is most often the option given to teens who are being convicted of use or possession. Either go to jail, or a treatment center.

It seems to me that these numbers are not as much a result of marijuana use, as they are the direct result of the government’s actions against “perpetrators.”

Marijuana is not as harmful to your health as tobacco

Although some people think of marijuana as a benign natural herb, the drug actually contains many of the same cancer-causing chemicals found in tobacco. Puff for puff, the amount of tar inhaled and the level of carbon monoxide absorbed by those who smoke marijuana, regardless of THC content, are three to five times greater than among tobacco smokers.

Boy oh boy do I love this argument. Let’s start with their incredible ability to play with words in order to get the message they want.

…the drug actually contains many of the same cancer-causing chemicals found in tobacco.

Yeah, so does coffee, potato chips and a ton of other products deemed “safe” by our government.

This statement is also a little funny:

Puff for puff, the amount of tar inhaled and the level of carbon monoxide absorbed by those who smoke marijuana…

…the daily smoking of relatively small amounts of marijuana (3 to 4 joints) has at least a comparable, if not greater effect” on the respiratory system than the smoking of more than 20 tobacco cigarettes.

Here’s the thing about marijuana. Because it’s so safe to self-regulate usage (you can’t overdose), smokers have the ability to throttle up or down their usage. 3 to 4 joints is a lot if the potency is even decent. And this is all supposed to be smoked in the few hours between getting home from work and going to bed? Not likely. However, the common cigarette-smoker smokes at least a full pack (20 cigs) per day.

At the end of it, even if the consumption of cigarette smoke and marijuana smoke were so different, puff for puff, then that would logistically make marijuana safer. Wanna get high? Take a few puffs. Wanna quench that nicotine addiction (yes, addiction)? Gonna have to burn through that whole pack, today.

Just to hammer home the point, note that it is impossible to overdose on marijuana. You can’t smoke enough to kill the human body (unless, perhaps, if you are in the middle of an asthmatic fit. In which case, would you be smoking a cigarette at this time?).

Just for kicks, check out this article.

I also don’t buy this argument because the government is all too happy to give you the “OK” on the usage of drugs with which you can actually overdose or seriously become addicted. Refer to this document showing the difference between marijuana and FDA approved drugs.

I’ll draw your attention that in a period from 1/1/97 to 6/30/50:

1. There were 0 cases of death to which marijuana could be directly attributed.
2. There were 10,008 deaths to which to which FDA APPROVED were directly attributed.
3. 279 deaths occurred in which marijuana was thought to be a “secondary” suspect (someone got stoned and fell off a bridge).
4. There were 1,679 deaths of the same caliber credited to FDA approved drugs.

We don’t even have to pull numbers comparing to alcohol poisoning and other related deaths.

Marijuana makes you mellow

Not always. Research shows that kids who use marijuana weekly are nearly four times more likely than nonusers to report they engage in violent behavior. One study found that young people who had used marijuana in the past year were more likely than nonusers to report aggressive behavior. According to that study, incidences of physically attacking people, stealing, and destroying property increased in proportion to the number of days marijuana was smoked in the past year.

Yeah “not always.” First, note that there are a ton of strands out there. A large chunk of which have been used and cultivated for such a long period of time and by many people, that they are nationally known (like selecting a brand of cereal over another).

These strands all have a different effect on different people. There are even courses a grower in an approved state can take to learn what strands and types of marijuana to use for different moods or ailments in a medicinal setting.

Research shows that kids who use marijuana weekly are nearly four times more likely than nonusers to report they engage in violent behavior. One study found that young people who had used marijuana in the past year were more likely than nonusers to report aggressive behavior.

Statements like these are generally useless anyway due to the number of people that use/have used marijuana. Basically, it isn’t difficult to find different types of people in a social regard when the pool from which you pull is so large. It would be like saying “all the carbon-based life forms we studied have a history of violence.”

The studies they used also have a heavy reliance on reporting. This means that it wasn’t actually a study on the behavor of these individuals, but they had to ask questions and get answers directly. How many kids do you think mixed the truth just a bit.

I know I used to be a 15 year old boy (not smoking by the way), and aggression was pretty common. That’s when boys physiologically become men. Hormones do that to a guy.

As for the more serious instances of violent behavior like attacking people and stealing; this stems from the fact that the industry as a whole is run and regulated by people with no respect for the law. This is such a deep topic, but think about the details that must be involved.

Criminals sell and distribute a product in a black market. The people that buy the product have to associate with them on some level. Because the industry isn’t regulated, and disputes can not be solved by taking someone to court, violence is sure to ensue. This is an environment caused by the prohibition of marijuana, not its use.

Think about the violence associate with the prohibition of alcohol. Now, think about the violence due to marijuana before it was illegal (just over 60 years ago). Oh, you can’t recall that situation? Either can I. That’s because it wasn’t there.

Legalize weed, and disputes go to the courts for mediation, people have the option to buy if from an authorized dealer; which in turn will reduce the profitability in such that most dealers wouldn’t be criminals, but start shops. And now that they are making money legally with the support of the government, they don’t even want to sell to kids. Think ‘purchasing cigarettes’ again.

Marijuana is used to treat cancer and other diseases

They start with:

Under the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970, marijuana was established as a Schedule I controlled substance. In other words, it is a dangerous drug that has no recognized medical value.

This is faulty logic. There was a time when women couldn’t vote, and people could legally own slaves. Law does not equal justice or distinguish between right or wrong. You can’t use the law for a reason to have said law.

Whether marijuana can provide relief for people with certain medical conditions, including cancer, is a subject of intense national debate. It is true that THC, the primary active chemical in marijuana, can be useful for treating some medical problems. Synthetic THC is the main ingredient in Marinol®, an FDA approved medication used to control nausea in cancer chemotherapy patients and to stimulate appetite in people with AIDS. Marinol, a legal and safe version of medical marijuana, has been available by prescription since 1985.

Wow. Not only do they admit that THC can be useful in some treatments, but they immediately use it as a reason to plug an FDA approved drug.

How do you get a drug to become FDA approved? Other than playing with money, you have to test and prove a certain set of results and implications of use. So where did they find this “THC?” Oh, guess it had to be in marijuana. And they deduced that THC can be useful. Instead of admitting that marijuana is not as harmful as they want it to sound, they decided to make a drug they could sell.

Marijuana is not as popular as MDMA (Ecstasy) or other drugs among teens today

Recent survey data show that about 15 million people—6.2 percent of the U.S. population—are current marijuana users, and that nearly a third of them (4.8 mil lion people) used the dr ug on 20 or more days in the past month. Among kids age 12 to 17, more than two million (8.2 percent) reported pastmonth marijuana use. By contrast, fewer than 250,000 young people (1 percent) reported pastmonth use of hallucinogens, and of that number, only half (124,000) had used MDMA.

Well that’s the point isn’t it? Marijuana is very popular among teens. They get it because we have laws forcing people to sell it illegally to anyone they can. This makes it an underground industry (wanna guess where teenagers like to play?). If we let the government and the people regulate its distribution and use, wouldn’t we then be able to better control who possesses the drug? Again, like alcohol.

And again, that’s the point of education. If the government were more concerned with the well-being of the people as opposed to saving face, they would implement more programs built on educating than on scare tactics that don’t work (and waste tax-payer money).

You know, firefighters often induce fires in a controlled environment. One of the reasons for doing this in certain places is because of the likelihood that a fire will start naturally is high, and if not controlled would be disastrous.

Firefighters know that certain things are going to happen, whether we want them to or not. It’s best to take a proactive approach and control what we can to save lives.

This is not unlike marijuana. It’s getting into the hands of the people that want it, regardless of what we do about it. I would much rather regulate and control the burn than attempt to fight a 4,000 acre wildfire with a garden hose. But, that’s just me.

There’s a big box on the page of the document that says:

Even supporters of the legalization and medical marijuana movements agree that kids should not be using the drug.

I feel like a broken record, but yeah. We sure don’t. Just like we don’t want our kids drinking beer or smoking cigarettes. The government has an awesome history of painting marijuana smokers as these evil fiends and demons; waiting outside your door to snatch your kids up and ruin them forever. Just look at the quotes that appear in the upper right of this site. These are usually by H.J. Anslinger. He was the first person to fight marijuana on a federal level (and eventually the cause of its prohibition). I mean, look at those quotes. They are simply disgusting and a blemish on the record of American government. We really need to stop that now.

Actually the rest of that whole part is one giant reason to regulate and govern marijuana. Sometimes I wish I were slimy enough to get into politics. With that quality I think I would do well because I also seem to be a bit smarter than these guys. I would rule them as their king.

If I buy marijuana, I’m not hurting anyone else

Think again. Despite its reputation as the herb of peace and love— and despite claims that smoking pot is a victimless crime—marijuana and violence go hand in hand. Marijuana trafficking is a big, violent business, whether the plants are grown on foreign soil or cultivated in basements, backyards, and farms in the United States.

Same as above.

Seriously, as their king!

My kids won’t be exposed to marijuana

Your kids WILL be exposed to marijuana. This is where we agree. Again, with my views on education. This is apparently where we disagree.

There’s not much parents can do to stop their kids from experimenting with marijuana

We agree here too. This is like saying there isn’t much parents can do to stop kids from drinking beer. The weight falls heaviest on parents. I hope you see that we can’t rely on our government to ensure the safety of our children. We need to take care of that as parents of our children.

My son is of age to discuss drugs. Not quite old enough to get into detail, but old enough to tell me as his father to start getting him ready. I explain it as I do many other things in regard to his age.

You see cussing on T.V.? Don’t do that. We talk about respect and responsibility, etc.

You see people fighting on T.V.? Don’t do that We talk about wars and why they are caused, how hurting someone physically impacts them emotionally as well, and we talk about standing up to protect yourself and others who are weaker than you.

You see that guy doing drugs on T.V.? Don’t do that. Because of his age, we don’t talk about the stuff I talk about here. Instead we talk about the consequences of actions and decisions we make regarding our bodies. We don’t get into the difference between alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. Instead we talk about how all of those carry a consequence and the degree in which they can impact our lives when abused.

Just to make sure his mind as aware that things aren’t always what they seem, we immediately topics of our faith (Christianity) and how there were laws persecuting us. I don’t directly mention the correlation between my rules and that idea, but when the time comes to educate him further I want him to more easily understand the situation.

So you see, there is plenty a parent can do to stop their kids from experimenting with marijuana. But there’s even more they can do to educate them and give them the strength they need to make the right decisions as they apply to their lives.

The government sends otherwise innocent people to prison for casual marijuana use

The numbers speak for themselves. In 1997, according to the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), only 1.6 percent of the state inmate population had been convicted of a marijuana only crime, including trafficking. An even smaller percentage of state inmates were imprisoned with marijuana possession as the only charge (0.7 percent). And  only 0.3 percent of those imprisoned just for marijuana possession were first time offenders.

Here’s the thing. Most people who end up in jail indeed are not there for “marijuana only” offenses. In reality, there aren’t many people in jail for any ’single’ offense, rather many.

Guys in jail for murder are not there for a single murder charge. They are there for murder, manslaughter, intent to harm, and many other offenses that tie into the crime(s).

In an effort to increase revenue and prosecutions, the legal system is built on compounding crimes in an effort to gain higher convictions.

Recollect if you will, the drug stamp tax. There was/is a stamp that drug dealers are supposed to purchase to place on their product when they sell it. This is a way for the government to make money from sales of drugs. But drugs are illegal, right?

This stamp does nothing to change the legal implications with selling. However, if you get caught selling without that stamp, then guess what charge you get to carry to the courthouse? That’s right, kids. Tax evasion.

Hey, that sounds like the way they got some other guy that was selling something illegal. Who was that? Well, you can go to WikiPedia, or you can just know that it was Al Capone. The authorites could never quite get him on the alcohol charges, but they found that he wasn’t paying taxes. That gave them enough to arrest him, then get the warrants needed to find more inforamtion to convict him.

See how that works?

So even if their numbers are correct, question how many people go to jail for minor marijuana offenses with tacked-on charges.

Well there you have it. I hope this helps you understand a bit more about the things our governemnt tells us in regard to these drugs.

I want you to keep in mind that not everyone in our government feels this way. There are more and more elected officials speaking out about this prohibition every day. The same for the cops. Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP) is a collective of law enforcement officers who see things the way we do. So, there aren’t any bad guys and good guys in this fight, just opposing sides.

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Mr. Mueller had only the same, tired excuses with him; but Congressman Cohen was prepared.

Check it for yourself:

I went to Congressman Cohen’s website in an attempt to tell him how impressed I was with his message and that I appreciate his help in the fight, but was unable to actually send the message as the site seems to crap out on me. So, I will share my message to him here in hopes that someone will get it to him.

Congressman Steve Cohen,

I selected the topic of “education” from the options of this message as I feel it applies to what I have to say.

And what I have to say is, thank you.

I have recently become very interested in the topic of marijuana, and more specifically its prohibition. I just watched a video of your discussion with FBI Director Robert Mueller on YouTube, and I am impressed, sir.

Thank you for becoming educated on a topic yourself, and standing up for what is truth and fact rather than baseless, illogical belief. And thank you for pressing the matter in such a setting.

As a non-smoker, and a child who effectively lost a father to addiction, I fully understand and believe (because of actual scientific proof) that marijuana is far less dangerous than the majority of other drugs; including alcohol. It is the mis-use that is dangerous (which could be said for scissors) and the prohibition that causes a hostile environment by creating and perpetuating an underground market.

I wish with very much conviction that you would move to Florida. No offense to our elected officials, but they don’t see things as I do.

So as worthless as it may be in the real world, you will forever have my make believe vote.

Thank you again,
Josh Garner

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Just a bunch of lazy potheads that want to get stoned and not get in trouble. That’s how the whole country would be if we legalized it.

I’m not going to attack all the horribly wrong and misinformed parts of that statement, but I do want to talk about the weird stereotype, and how it has a negative impact on the movement as a whole.

As with every topic in life, a few bad apples spoil the something or other. I’ll share a couple of my ideas on how we can solve some of the perception problems on our end.

We Only See Pictures of The losers

Well, this has a topic of discussion all by itself. What makes a “loser” in the visual sense? Does he look goofy, with his hair frazzled and tongue sticking out?

My point is, you can’t judge a person by their look anymore. Really, you shouldn’t have been able to do so for some time now, but I’m a kid of recent years and I take no responsibility for the sins of my father. Too many times have we seen “punk kids” run companies to record breaking success and become, and maintain, status as leaders of thought.

So I agree that the goofy kid you see at Hempfest, wearing little more than shorts and the dreads that God gave him might not fit into the crowd you hang with; and that’s cool. But he just might be the next innovator of our time. So let his actions/words speak, not his nipple rings (seriously though, doesn’t that hurt?).

Solution:
I’m an old spirit, and carry a lot of old-fashioned views myself. If you want to make headway in fighting for the legalization of marijuana (or any area requiring that you propose an idea to others), try to carry yourself with regard and respect for others. If you see me when I’m not on the clock, you would think I just left prison. At family events, I clean up a bit. At work, I’m shaven and pressed.

If you are going to put yourself in front of someone arguing the legalization of marijuana, don’t give them another reason to fight, there are plenty of those already.

The Stoners on T.V. Can’t Even Hold a Conversation

Unfortunately, this one I agree with. There are tons of videos on YouTube containing the opinions and facts shared by very respectable people. Completely coherent and relevant conversations taking place with people that really know their stuff, and show it. Which ones are sent to my inbox? The ones with a guy so lit up he can barely answer a question posed.

This is compounded when an interviewer realizes the state of mind of the interviewee, and pounces on an unsuspecting pothead who believed he was going to spread the truth and end this fight once and for all.

You have to remember that you are playing in their arena, and for so long as marijuana is illegal it is their game. It wouldn’t be difficult to find videos of completely clean and sober people who can’t hold it together to speak their mind coherently, but that’s not what makes the cut. The media loves to prove their point, and if they can really hit it home by demeaning someone else, they will do so.

Solution:
Put the bong away for a bit before you go on T.V. We are fighting for the legalization of marijuana as used by responsible adults, are we not? Would you go onto an interview drunk? I hope not. Present yourself while your mind is sound and ready to ward off the teeth of some news anchor looking to make a name for himself.

Look At All the Criminals In Jail

They are taxing our society both morally and financially. This statement, in a black and white sense, is 100% true. All those potheads in jail are killing our personal piggy banks and when they come out, they are no better than they were when they went in. You know why?

Because they weren’t “bad” when they went to jail in the first place.

People are going to jail in record numbers because of minor “offenses.” In our society, jail is synonymous with “bad guy.” Well, wouldn’t it make sense to make a virtually harmless drug legal so those people aren’t going to jail; costing you and me a ton of money, and actually producing criminals from otherwise law-abiding citizens? I think so.

Solution:
No easy way around this one. Gonna have to play things safe. It starts with you. Keep quiet about your recreation until it’s time to speak. Don’t share the location of your crop until you can sell it via the Internet. All in all, don’t go to jail.

I know this is a hard one but we seem to live in a world of mediums right now. Some of us are going to jail, some of us are speaking and protesting and some of us sit lazily watching reruns of ‘Threes a Company.’ Instead, we should live in a world of extremes (not physically, vocally).

Let’s be mindful that what we are doing is still illegal, and try not to brag about our farm to that pretty girl (who always seems to be the daughter of a DEA agent). And when it’s time to vote or make our voice heard, let’s make sure they hear it in China.

All The Potheads I Know Don’t Amount To Anything

With the number of people who use marijuana, it’s not hard to find a group of people that smoke pot, and are relatively unsuccessful. You can say the same thing about Honda Civic owners. All the Honda Civic owners I know don’t make a lot of money. What about, hair? All the people I know with hair on their heads are lower-class. See where I’m going with this?

This is more of a social discussion and relies heavily on your environment. What if you asked the same questions of someone who often consorts with upper class people. They would say “all the people I know with hair on their heads are wealthy.”

There are simply too many people that smoke marijuana to lump them into a single group.

Solution:
Be successful. Well, that’s not really fair. I don’t really have a solution that you can use on a personal level, but use the argument above as a base for conversation. If that doesn’t work, send your opposer to this list of 10 Successful Potheads.

They will likely say “well those people are the exception to the rule.” There’s isn’t much you can do to combat ignorance. You can either attempt to explain that a large group of people use marijuana and there are going to naturally be social divides, or you can tell them to wait until it’s illegal and they find that all their “successful” friends have been toking up all along.

Anyway, these are my 14 cents (inflation). My boss is looking at me real funny like, so I have to get to work now.

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