Why is Marijuana Illegal?
Many people assume that marijuana was made illegal through some kind of process involving scientific, medical, and government hearings; that it was to protect the citizens from what was determined to be a dangerous drug.
The actual story shows a much different picture. Those who voted on the legal fate of this plant never had the facts, but were dependent on information supplied by those who had a specific agenda to deceive lawmakers. You’ll see below that the very first federal vote to prohibit marijuana was based entirely on a documented lie on the floor of the Senate.
You’ll also see that the history of marijuana’s criminalization is filled with:
* Racism
* Fear
* Protection of Corporate Profits
* Yellow Journalism
* Ignorant, Incompetent, and/or Corrupt Legislators
* Personal Career Advancement and Greed
These are the actual reasons marijuana is illegal.
Read more here.
This is a very good read. Plenty of history and political details regarding how marijuana/hemp went from being mandated by the government (Washington’s main crop at Mount Vernon was hemp.) to being it’s biggest whipping boy.
I am constantly amazed at the absurdity that is our drug policy in this country. Prescription drugs list “early or worsening death”, but that’s acceptable, while marijuana, which has not one death directly attributable to it, is the “devil’s weed” and will destroy society. How can anyone still believe that tripe?
With the economy in the mess that it is, it is completely ignorant to continue to waste vast amounts of money, time, and human resources to prosecute, jail, and penalize otherwise responsible, productive adults.
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