Marijuana Prohibition Is Unscientific, Unconstitutional, And Unjust

Either politicians must believe it's career suicide to back the pro-marijuana crowd or they must be some of the most ignorant BLEEPS around....

Or they like hanging out with lobbyist.....

a reply to: Krazysh0t

In a perfect world Cannabis would be legit and taxable and alcohol would be prohibited. Again.

I have seen the damage that Cannabis has done to the mind but if it was regulated and distributed responsibly then it will be far less dangerous than alcohol. The problem is taxation-I've heard valid remarks from people who have said the only reason why it shouldn't be legalized is because of the potential taxes imposed and I agree to a point.

The legislation is the biggest hurdle, What constitutes as a legal amount of pot? I can buy 10 cases of beer without fear but If I buy 10 ounces of Northern lights will I be charged with possession with the intent to sell?

If Cannabis is to be legalized there needs to be a lengthy discussion.

a reply to: Thecakeisalie

Colorado and Washington seem to have figured it out. To me, when people try to claim that figuring out tax laws for marijuana is impossible just says that they think it is too hard and don't want to think about it. If we put our mind to it, we can figure out the fairest way to distribute marijuana so that the government gets its cut and everyone else is happy.

Just like every other issue, it's 100% political. The welfare of the public is the last thing on their agenda. If you want someone to blame, blame the alcohol and tobacco lobbies.

originally posted by: Krazysh0t
a reply to: Thecakeisalie

Colorado and Washington seem to have figured it out. To me, when people try to claim that figuring out tax laws for marijuana is impossible just says that they think it is too hard and don't want to think about it. If we put our mind to it, we can figure out the fairest way to distribute marijuana so that the government gets its cut and everyone else is happy.

The problem with taxation is it's open to vulnerability. 'more people are smoking, so lets choke them!' so they will rise the taxes to generate revenue and before you can say Maui Wowie a dimebag costs a fortune and we could be back to bootlegging. The same thing happened with cigarettes, nowadays the penalty for selling bootleg tobacco is greater than selling cannabis because the government can't wet their beak.

originally posted by: jaymp
Just like every other issue, it's 100% political. The welfare of the public is the last thing on their agenda. If you want someone to blame, blame the alcohol and tobacco lobbies.

Pharmaceutical companies chime in with "hey, don't leave us out"....

a reply to: Krazysh0tExcellent post. A great article you found. I really had no idea how it was illegal other than the act in 1970.

originally posted by: PhoenixOD
a reply to: Boadicea

All drops need fertilizer which is mainly oil based.

Not necessarily. If the intention is sustainability, then all one must do is model your agriculture as closely to nature as possible. Regarding hemp, a system of animal/crop rotation on open fields with scattered trees is probably needed to keep fertilization from quickly leeching out. Considering how a savanna is maintained naturally is probably the closest model needed to emulate. Joel Salatin uses a similar method to sustainably grow beef. There would be a net mineral loss that the deep roots of the nearby trees could help mitigate but after a long time the land should be left to restore itself in the absence of a major effort to return our waste products to our soils.

That is, again, if the intention is sustainability. The idea that we need to start manufacturing the crap out of hemp so we can further compete on a global market is born out of the same thinking that infinite growth models come from. It's a phantasm, and it's unscientific. What we need, on every level, is to design systems so our outputs and inputs equal out to zero. The closer to home the better/easier. So the idea of growing hemp in the same manner as the rest of our consumables, as you rightly put, is improbable. But all that does is illuminate what changes should be made to the rest of humanity's infrastructure.

a reply to: Thecakeisalie

But here's the difference, with bootleg intoxicants, you have the CHOICE to break the law when you buy. You can either buy legally or illegally. So the people who don't mind doing it will still buy illegally to save a buck and the ones who want to be on the up and up but smoke pot will still buy it legally.

Do you know how easy it is for me to obtain moonshine liquor? I live in Baltimore and I can get it with minimal effort, and not that store bought crap (yes there are liquor stores that sell moonshine), but the REALLY distilled GOOD stuff. I still buy most of my alcohol legally though.

originally posted by: InverseLookingGlass
a reply to: Krazysh0t

Couldn't agree more with your OP.
Wrong on so many levels. It could only be the result of a partnership between government and corporations.

You nailed it.

a reply to: SlickMcFavorite

There are many problems with growing hemp that are not widely known. Quite simply there are cheaper and easier crops to grow that produce better products. There are many countries where it is legal but farmers choose to grow better crops.

Its really that hamp is related to cannabis that people are so bothered about trying to legalize it.

a reply to: PhoenixOD

The Top 5 Reasons Why We Should Grow Hemp

Hemp as paper: Hemp won't just save trees, but paper made from Hemp is stronger and more durable.

Hemp as a fuel: Hemp is more sustainable and burns cleaner than any other fuel.

Hemp to renew soil: For one, hemp grows in abundance. But more importantly, when plants grow they deplete the soil of some natural vital nutrients, hemp however revitalizes the soil.

Hemp as a fiber: Hemp is one of the strongest plant fibers. The venerable fiber is extremely resistant and rugged and has been used by sailors to hold ships and sails. In fact, Betsy Ross sewed the first American flag from hemp.

Hemp as food and care: Hemp seeds can be eaten or used as edible oil and provide an incredible source for protein. It can also be grown where other plants won't because it is so durable. The oil can also be used for hair and skin care and detergent.

It Would be This Easy to Grow Hemp (If it Were Legal)

The hemp plant is incredibly easy to grow, requires little pest control and is well suited for American climates. According to the Hemp Industries Association, there are only about eight known pests out of a hundred that can cause serious problems for hemp. This means that even non-certified organic hemp crops can use significantly fewer—if any—pesticides, herbicides or fungicides.

a reply to: Thecakeisalie

I liked your post in this thread.

Re: taxation -- Here in Canada they are working through that by establishing (experimenting) with different business and health models. Here is one way I see they can regulate revenue/taxation and also maintain or establish some parameters that involve the Ministry of Health which will act as silent watchdog for the government along the lines of $, ethics and laws.

In fact, I have been brainstorming with some business colleagues about this because I see money making potential.

In Toronto, we have always had legal registered smoke shops. The rules are simple: 1) You must "spin up" there (no pre-rolled). 2) You cannot roll one up for another person 3) You must smoke only on the premises. 4) You must buy something from the cafe off the menu.

Basically, it's similar to the city of Amsterdam model.

I know in the States, this model exist and expands beyond the above (Colorado and Washington State ---Beautiful places, btw!) have legalized it.

I'm against smoking it in public or anywhere one sees fit. It is illegal to consume alcohol outside of an establishment here as well.

Shucks, smoking cigarettes on outdoor restaurant and bar patios is illegal here. The proprietors gets fined, therefore it is always enforced by the establishment. Smoking indoors is illegal everywhere here in Canada....even in Casinos. Sure when these laws were first implemented it caused a fuss and debates about freedom and fairness, but at the end of the day, it has produced a healthier and cleaner environment for the public. As a smoker, I actually embrace it despite the inconvenience (and humour in doing so) of having to go stand on the side walk right beside the patio as I continue my conversation with my friend seated on the other side of the hanging flower pots and black iron fencing. Comical really.

Legalizing it is not an issue here. As a teen, cops turned a blind eye to it. I had one officer "roll up on me" back in the day as I was parked in a back ally way, he put down his window and calmly looked me in the eye (fully aware of what I was up too) and said, "You're in my spot...". I apologized, started my engine and got the heck out of the man's spot.

Rambling now...

Check this link out if you have the time:

www.cannabisclinics.ca...

a reply to: Krazysh0t

You really have to ask yourself if this is such a miracle crop why are the countries where it is legal not growing more of it? Lots of people read stuff like the Huph post has printed and just believe it without looking into it any further, mainly because they think hemp is a lot to do with high thc producing cannabis.

This is from a real farming website:

That “activists” have rallied behind hemp is, of course, mainly due to its relationship to marijuana. The plants are cousins — both are cannabis. Not that hemp should ever have been illegal, but it’s hard to imagine that if flax or jute were for some reason illegal, such a large, politically-tinged campaign would be organized around legalizing either of them. As with any political movement, hemp activism has generated tons of wildly exaggerated claims, such as when a Daily Kos writer in 2011 declared that “Industrial Hemp can save America.”

Its environmental footprint is relatively small. It requires few pesticides and no herbicides. It’s an excellent rotation crop, often used to suppress weeds and loosen soil before the planting of winter cereals. On the other hand, it requires a relatively large amount of water, and its need for deep, humus-rich, nutrient-dense soil limits growing locales.

And hemp cultivation is highly labor intensive. Loflin, the Colorado farmer, took to social media to recruit 45 people to help him harvest his crop by hand over a weekend. “Use of a mechanical combine,” the Denver Post reported, “would have harmed the plants’ stalks.” That’s one reason prices are so high — about six times the cost of wood pulp. Hemp is an annual crop, which means it must be stored in order to be processed throughout the year, further adding to the cost of using it — and to the incentive for using something else.

But “thriving” doesn’t mean “huge” — not by a longshot. Worldwide, only about 200,000 acres of land were devoted to hemp cultivation in 2011, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization, with that number being “flat to decreasing” in recent years in the 30 countries where hemp is cultivated. Meanwhile, in North Dakota alone, flax was harvested from more than 315,000 acres (95 percent of the U.S. crop) in 2012, according to the Agricultural Marketing Resource Association.

Why Legalized Hemp Will Not Be a Miracle Crop

a reply to: Krazysh0t

Exsctly. It quite literally grows like a weed. Its harder to kill than dandelions! With proper crop rotation practices youve got yourself a momey making enterprise thats good for the environment and has a ridiculius number of uses. It may be the most beneficial and versatile plant in the planet and its so far beyond easy to grow that anybody can get in on it. And depending on the latitude you live at, its possible to get 2 grow seasons in a year as well. Someone with just a few acres could solve their fuel issues for quite awhile or power a generator to keep off of the electric utilities for a couple of quick and easy examples with minimal fertilizers and little impact on the land and soil. It really is a no brainer.

a reply to: PhoenixOD

Sounds like a problem with current technology and not really the problem with the plant. So we need to develop better tech to harvest the plant? If the peoples' of the past could make it work easily, then we should have no problems with it either.

Also the article admits in it that hemp is still illegal. Clearly the demand for hemp isn't that high, that's why even in countries that have legalized it, they aren't producing that much of it. Trust me, if the demand were to exist, farmers would find a way to grow and cultivate it.

a reply to: Krazysh0t

You are just talking about one point of course. The people of the past didnt have the cheaper alternatives we have today.

a reply to: jhn7537


lol. I had forgotten all about them. Probably the worst of them all. My mind goes back to that old Chris Rock joke (Sorry, no Michael Scott reference coming)

"The government wants you addicted to THEIR drugs."