Cannabis has been in our history since the beginning of America. One of the laws in the original Jamestown settlement required the colonists to grow hemp. The Constitution of the United States was drafted on hemp paper. George Washington grew hemp on Mount Vernon. And now cannabis is an illegal drug that results in over 850,000 arrests a year and costs taxpayers over ten billion dollars annually. This is probably because marijuana is the third most used recreational drug, behind alcohol and tobacco. One hundred million Americans have admitted to using marijuana, and twenty-five million have smoked in the past year. In addition, those who want to see marijuana legalized account for fifty percent of the population while those who oppose it make up only 46 percent. In light of this, it is no surprise that when the United States government released its new petition site “We the People,” American citizens expressed their immediate urge to see marijuana decriminalized.
The new site, “We the People”, is a government-run petition website that allows citizens to voice their opinions in a more direct manner. However, it does not always mean that those voices are heard. When the website was released on September 1st, 2011, there were immediately petitions that rose through the ranks. Among these few starting petitions were eight separate petitions that called for a reform on marijuana laws, and each quickly gained the 5,000 signatures required. A month later, after the petition gained almost 75,000 signatures, Gil Kerlikowske, a former police chief, issued a response that angered most of the marijuana-using community. A copy of the petition and the response issued can be found here:
https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions#!/petition/legalize-and-regulate-marijuana-manner-similar-alcohol/y8l45gb1
Users are angry at this response for several reasons. Mainly, they are angry because the response does not answer the question about legalizing it in a manner similar to alcohol. When compared to alcohol (or tobacco for that matter), almost all of the arguments cited in the response become null and void. The people who signed the petition just want to know why alcohol and tobacco consumption is still legal when use is much worse for your health than consuming marijuana. Tobacco kills 435 thousand people a year, and alcohol kills 85 thousand. The mortality rate of marijuana, however, is zero.
http://drugwarfacts.org/cms/?q=node/30
My questions are: what do you think about marijuana and why do you think that? State all of your opinions and experiences with the drug.
Also, if interested, this is a response to Kerlikowske from Norml.org, a pro-marijuana organization.
http://blog.norml.org/2011/10/29/white-house-response-to-normls-we-the-people-marijuana-legalization-petition/
The new site, “We the People”, is a government-run petition website that allows citizens to voice their opinions in a more direct manner. However, it does not always mean that those voices are heard. When the website was released on September 1st, 2011, there were immediately petitions that rose through the ranks. Among these few starting petitions were eight separate petitions that called for a reform on marijuana laws, and each quickly gained the 5,000 signatures required. A month later, after the petition gained almost 75,000 signatures, Gil Kerlikowske, a former police chief, issued a response that angered most of the marijuana-using community. A copy of the petition and the response issued can be found here:
https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions#!/petition/legalize-and-regulate-marijuana-manner-similar-alcohol/y8l45gb1
Users are angry at this response for several reasons. Mainly, they are angry because the response does not answer the question about legalizing it in a manner similar to alcohol. When compared to alcohol (or tobacco for that matter), almost all of the arguments cited in the response become null and void. The people who signed the petition just want to know why alcohol and tobacco consumption is still legal when use is much worse for your health than consuming marijuana. Tobacco kills 435 thousand people a year, and alcohol kills 85 thousand. The mortality rate of marijuana, however, is zero.
http://drugwarfacts.org/cms/?q=node/30
My questions are: what do you think about marijuana and why do you think that? State all of your opinions and experiences with the drug.
Also, if interested, this is a response to Kerlikowske from Norml.org, a pro-marijuana organization.
http://blog.norml.org/2011/10/29/white-house-response-to-normls-we-the-people-marijuana-legalization-petition/
Post written by Will Morgan.
I have never used or have even come in contact with marijuana. I know nothing about how to use it and I do not plan on ever learning anything of its use. I have never thought of using the drug either. Even though everyone says it does not do anything to you. It has to, if it didn't then it wouldn't be considered an illegal drug. I do not see the point in putting that into your body unless it is for medical purposes only. I think the drug should stay illegal.
ReplyDeleteFive years ago, Portugal decriminalized the use and possession of heroin, cocaine, marijuana, and other drugs. Since then, the number of deaths, related to the use of these drugs, has decreased. The way the policy is set up is, those in possession of a small amount of whichever drug are set up with a counseling program to optimize the success rate of being drug free.
ReplyDeleteIn the US, many teenagers who do drugs see it as another way to defy authority, appear tougher towards their peers, or to go against their parents. If marijuana were to be legalized, it would eliminate those reasons most teenagers decide to smoke and would create a less 'romanticized' reason to do drugs. Once something that was illegal becomes legal, it looses its appeal, and therefore would halt people smoking and legalization of marijuana would provide to be beneficial.
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ReplyDeleteI believe marijuana, like alcohol and tobacco, can be dangerous. I do not believe marijuana is any more dangerous than the other two, and therefore I do not see why it is illegal and the others are not. All three drugs do have effects on one’s body, and therefore certain regulations should be followed. I believe if marijuana were to be legalized, there should be an appropriate age regulation applied to the purchase and consumption of the drug, just like the laws associated with alcohol and tobacco. Since arguments use the development of the brain as criteria to not legalize the drug, the age regulation should be in the later twenties when the growth of the brain ceases, as explained in one of the articles. Also, I believe that the issue of public use of the drug should have similar rules to those of tobacco and alcohol. I believe that the drug should not be smoked in buildings or certain areas (ex: parks, carnivals, beaches, anywhere tobacco or alcohol is prohibited), and I believe that being “high” in public should be prohibited, like public intoxication. Driving, operating machinery, etc. should also remain illegal while under the use of marijuana. Further restrictions must be made, and if the appropriate precautions are taken, I believe marijuana should be legalized.
ReplyDeleteI am in the same boat as Kim is in how I have never used marijuana. I have friends that have used marijuana though. From what I have heard though and from this article, marijuana is not nearly as harmful to the body than alcohol and tobacco. Granted just because marijuana isn't as bad as those drugs, it doesn't mean it is necessarily good for you either. This fact does raise good questions though about the law. Does it make sense that a drug that isn't as bad for you as drugs like alcohol and tobacco, is illegal when those drugs are? I don't see any real reason why other than there is a stereotype that now goes with marijuana. There is a negative stereotype that those who use marijuana abuse it and that it is a worse drug than cigarettes. Marijuana is less addictive and according to the article and studies it is the cause of zero deaths compare to the hundreds of thousands. I agree with Katelynn that I think that marijuana should be legalized but only to a degree so that people don't abuse it or grow it to sell it.
ReplyDelete"We The People" was setup to get popular ideas to the White House. The petition for legalized marijuana (regulated like tobacco and alcohol) was BY FAR the most popular petition on the website. For the White House to response to such a popular topic like it is a joke, really makes me feel like "we the people" have no say in what the government actually does.
ReplyDeleteMarijuana is currently listed by the federal government as a Schedule I drug, which means that it is the most dangerous drug and has no medical uses. Seriously? It's listed as a schedule I drug when no one has ever died from it and there are numerous studies that show clearly has medical benefits. What's worst is that according to the federal government marijuana more dangerous than cocaine, oxycodone, and methylphenidates, which are all listed as schedule II drugs. These schedule II drugs people overdose and die on everyday. So how is it that Marijuana is a Schedule I drug, when cocaine, oxycodone, and methylphenidate are schedule II drugs?
Marijuana is less harmful for you than alcohol and tobacco. I have personally done all 3 and find that marijuana is by far the safest of the 3. Tobacco: becoming highly addicted and eventually get lung cancer. Alcohol: liver damage, drunken violence, and drunk driving. Marijuana: sit peacefully on the couch for 4 hours and watch TV. How is marijuana still illegal? We're wasting precious money by throwing people in jail for this... our own citizens we are falsely labeling criminals for this. It is not right.
@Kim Martin, I'd just like to summarize what you said: "I have never smoked nor come in contact with marijuana, I'm completely ignorant of it besides the fact that people who actually do it tell me it doesn't affect you, but I'm going to place complete trust in the government. They should make choices for me." I don't know where you plan on drawing the line. I guess if the government started forcing you to have a certain major, work a certain job, have a certain pay, eat certain foods, and live in a certain area, you'd be cool with it, based on the logic you applied to marijuana. Amirite?
ReplyDeleteThis post is getting trolled pretty hard, Will. This is really funny but not the place for it haha. I can't believe they finally got to us out of all the college blogs.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, there's no general positive use for marijuana outside of medicinal purposes. It's simply a recreational activity otherwise, but then again, so are alcohol and tobacco. I think it's easier to use marijuana to alter consciousness or perception than alcohol, so it will affect more people more frequently. Because of this I think it should stay illegal since I feel like there would be a surge of people not thinking straight, which would lead our society to a decline of work ethic at the very least. I've been close friends with many people who use marijuana and in some cases even closer than friends. I've witnessed the effects of the drug on their lives, personality, and the clear change between how they are "sober" and high. They are in no way "bad people"; they're actually some of the best people I've ever met. But I'd much rather be spoken to when I feel like they're really there. I really hate when people overuse the drug and are on a constant high. They’re a different person when that happens, and it disturbs me to see them so out of it.
I have never smoked the drug myself, but I’ve been around it and have experienced a few unintentional, second hand highs. Those who use the drug love it; those who have no understanding hate it. However, I’ve spoken with people who grew up when the drug was most popular, and they admitted to using it, but they have since stopped when it was time for them to grow up, raise children and work. They are now rather embarrassed for having done it and they feel like they will be thought less of if named. They describe the overuse of marijuana as a juvenile phase that is difficult to get out of. So for the sake of the maturity of our society and future generations, I believe it should stay illegal. If it were to be legalized, it should be regulated as Katelynn explained.
In response to Kim, I also agree with Shaun. You openly admitted to being completely unknowledgeable about marijuana, which is fine. If you don’t know, you don’t know. But you could’ve researched to heighten your contribution.