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Stall Tactics Kill Hundreds of Bills
Members of the Democratic Caucus spent the last several days holding the Local and Consent calendar hostage in order to avoid consideration of the Voter Identification bill. Tuesday night was the deadline to hear bills on the major or general state calendars. This means that every bill that was not heard by Tuesday is effectively dead. In order to revive bills, representatives could amend the proposals to a related bill on the local and consent calendar, or 2/3rds of the Representatives could vote to suspend the rules to consider a bill.
Before the stalling began, every bill that was set on the calendar moved through the process in the proper fashion and deserved consideration. Unfortunately, members of the Democratic Caucus decided to use parliamentary maneuvers to bring business on the House floor to a standstill for five days straight. The intent was to ensure that the voter identification did not make it to the floor for consideration. They succeeded in preventing consideration of the Voter ID bill, but the result was the death of hundreds of great bills that were not even considered.
Does this apply to HB 3680?
Petition On change dot org – click my handle (above) for web link.
To: the President of the United States, Members of the U.S. Senate and Members of the U.S. House of Representatives, see more…your Governor, Members of your State Senate, Members of your State House, the President of the United States, Members of the U.S. Senate and Members of the U.S. House of Representatives
Started by: Phillip Cornwell
The responsible use of alcohol was ended by the 18th Amendment on January 29, 1919. This amendment was repealed by the 21st Amendment on December 5, 1933 when the state of Utah ratified it. The reason for the repeal of the 18th Amendment was because the U.S. Government realized that prohibition only created more problems than it solved. Drinking rates grew higher, crime increased. Millions of dollars were made by bootleggers and moonshiners who didn’t care if they were following the law or not. The most dangerous part about drinking was the criminal element involved with it’s manufacture and/or sale.
Today we have a similar situation. In 1937 the U.S. passed the “Marihuana Tax Act of 1937″. ‘The Act did not itself criminalize the possession or usage of hemp, marijuana or cannabis, but levied a tax equaling roughly one dollar on anyone who dealt commercially in cannabis, hemp or marijuana. It did, however, include penalty provisions and a complex Regulation 1 codifying the elaborate rules of enforcement marijuana cannabis or hemp handlers were subject to. Violation of these procedures could result in a fine of up to $2000 and five years imprisonment. The net effect was to make it too risky for anyone to deal in the substance until World War II required the United States Department of Agriculture to make its 1942 movie “Hemp for Victory”.’ – from the Wikipedia Article Marihuana Tax Act of 1937.
This act was later deemed unconstitional by the Supreme Court in 1969 during the case Leary v. United States because it violated the 5th Amendment since a person would have to incriminate him or herself to obtain the tax stamp required by law.
The government then passed the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) in 1970 and placed Marijuana on the List of Schedule I drugs. This means that it meets the following requirements:
(A) The drug or other substance has high potential for abuse.
(B) The drug or other substance has no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States.
(C) There is a lack of accepted safety for use of the drug or other substance under medical supervision.
If this were true then why is Marinol, a synthetic version of THC, the main active ingredient in Marijuana, only on the List of Schedule III drugs? To be on that list it meets these requirements:
(A) The drug or other substance has a potential for abuse less than the drugs or other substances in schedules I and II.
(B) The drug or other substance has a currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States.
(C) Abuse of the drug or other substance may lead to moderate or low physical dependence or high psychological dependence.
This list also includes drugs like Tylenol 3 and Anabolic Steroids. So why is Marijuana illegal because of THC and Marinol is legal even though it’s synthetic THC?
End the Prohibition of Marijuana in the United States.
1.
This petition ends on Apr 20, 2010.
NEXT WEEK ON CNN AC360: ‘America’s High’
Can the U.S. afford to make pot legal? Can we afford not to? We’re keeping them honest on both sides of the argument. All next week, 10 ET…………………………………AND THIS SITE REALY NEEDS TO POST MORE,IT LOOKS LIKE YALL GAVE UP,LOOK JUST DONT POST THIS COMMENT AND USE THE CNN ‘America’s High’THING AS YOUR NEXT POST
This was posted on May 15th. Is there any other Texas news on Cannabis. Ive looked everywhere and could not find anything. So I come to you for information.
Thanks.
If anyone else is interested, you can go to this link to follow the progress (or lack there of) on HB 902– http://www.legis.state.tx.us/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=81R&Bill=HB902
and HB 164— http://www.legis.state.tx.us/BillLookup/BillStages.aspx?LegSess=81R&Bill=HB164
apologize, it was posted on May 16.
Petition to President Obama on Change.org
End the Prohibition of Marijuana in the United States.
This petition ends on Apr 20, 2010
Petition to the President has 10,000 signatures. Add yours today!
http://criminaljustice.change.org/actions/view/legalize_marijuana
As much as it may itself seem a fanaticism to compare Drug Warriorism with Nazism, the analogy is factual.
During 2006 the total Federal, State, and local adult correctional population — incarcerated or in the community – grew by 159,500 persons to over 7.2 million! The growth of 2.3% during the year was about the same as the average annual increase in the correctional population since 1995 (2.5%). About 3.2% of the U.S. adult population, or 1 in every 31 adults, were incarcerated or on probation or parole at year end 2006.
I believe authoritarians are manufacturing and manipulating public fears about drug use in order to create a police state where a much broader agenda of social control can be implemented, using government power to determine what movies we may watch, determine who we may love and how we may love them, determine whether we may or must pray to a deity. I believe the war on drug users masks a war on democracy.
After all, what is the vision of a Drug-Free America? Millions in prison or slave labor, and only enthusiastic supporters of government policy allowed to hold jobs, attend school, have children, drive cars, own property. This is the combined vision of utopia held forth by thousands of drug warriors. News media and “public interest” advertising tell us this is the America for which all good citizens yearn.
The drug war is reminiscent of Nazi Germany. Do as the state tells you or be imprisoned. Remember, the punishment does not stop after release, the charge(s) brought against you will haunt the rest of your life. Jobs and housing will be denied. You will be relegated to a lower “caste” in society.
Future History will paint a bleak picture of this type of fanaticism. It is no crime (yet) to speak out against these types of policy. We should do so while we still can. We are dealing with fanatics and the only thing a fanatic understands is opposition to the party line.
Comments work fine.
I prefer Pot Patriot myself…
Dear Friend:
Thank you for contacting me regarding efforts to legalize marijuana. I welcome your thoughts and comments on this issue.
As drug use continues to rise in our country, especially among our youth, we need to send a message that all illegal drug use is dangerous and will not be tolerated. I believe that we can win the war on drugs, but we will not do so by legalizing marijuana or encouraging its use for any purpose.
I appreciate hearing from you and hope you will not hesitate to keep in touch on any issue of concern to you.
Sincerely,
Kay Bailey Hutchison
United States Senator
284 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-5922 (tel)
202-224-0776 (fax)
http://hutchison.senate.gov
Denver:
Colorado has become one the most progressive conservative states. Marijuana is legal for medical use and simple possession has been downgraded to a fine and no jail time. The sky did not fall, overall use and teen usage has not increased. Here is an article I found interesting and would like to share it with the republican and conservatives in our own state of Texas. The author is unknown.
……….
Republican vs Democrat regarding cannabis reform.
……….
Let’s backpedal to reality. In 2001 John Andrews, then the president of the Colorado senate and a conservative Republican sponsored (wrote) a bill that became CRS 18-18-406. A conservative majority voted it into law, and it was signed by a Republican governor (Owens). This is the law that made an ounce or less no more than a $100 fine and a petty offense (no criminal record).
Prior to this reform, a person with no criminal record could easily end up in prison for up to 9 years for having a joint in the ashtray of their car. What was noted by Andrews and other conservatives (there are Democrat conservatives) was that the costs of keeping an inmate was about $50 a day. It’s currently $72 per day. In 2001 that meant a jail sentence for minor possession could cost the taxpayers up to $164,000.
Fiscal conservatives (I are one) want to end the drug war because its an amazingly stupid waste in so many ways.
Mark Udall (Democratic US Senator from Colorado), though known to have been popped for pot in college, has a terrible record on marijuana and the drug war as a whole. In 2005 he wrote a two page response to a Boulder NORML group letter explaining why he has been voting for funding the drug war. He wrote it, not some aide in his office.
At a NORML meeting in Longmont in 2006 members of SAFER (http://www.saferchoice.org/safercolorado06/) got a big surprise after insulting Republicans as a whole. About two thirds of the membership working on petitioning for amendment 44 were registered Republicans.
————
On this note, are there any groundbreaking conservatives here in Texas who would take up the banner of reform?
Simple Marijuana arrest leads to government banning free speech:
http://blog.norml.org/2009/07/07/simple-marijuana-bust-leads-to-government-banning-free-speech/#comments
Where are we headed with this America? Our government has declared war on its own citizens.
Production, Analysis, & Distribution of Cannabis & Marijuana Cigarettes
The National Institute on Drug Abuse is soliciting proposals from qualified organizations having the capability to (1) grow, harvest, analyze, store and distribute GMP grade cannabis (marijuana) on large and small scales; (2) extract cannabis to obtain purified phytocannabinoids including delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-9-THC), analyze, and store; (3) prepare marijuana cigarettes and related products; and (4) distribute marijuana, marijuana cigarettes and cannabinoids, and other related products for research and other Government programs upon NIDA authorization. Offeror must possess suitable and secure DEA approved outdoor and indoor growing facilities, research laboratory with appropriate analytical instruments, and experienced personnel to conduct the project tasks. Appropriate DEA approved secure facility for manufacturing of marijuana cigarettes, and their storage, and DEA Schedule I registration for marijuana and THC are essential. NIDA anticipates a 1-year with four 1 year options cost reimbursement type contract will be awarded. Additional quantity options for manufacturing cigarettes may also be required. In order to handle substances under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970, it is mandatory that offerors possess a DEA Research Registration for Schedules II to V and demonstrate the capability to obtain a DEA registration for Schedule I controlled substances. All studies must be carried out under pertinent FDA regulations, such as current Good Clinical Practice (cGCP) and current Good Laboratory Practice (cGLP) regulations. The pertinent FDA’s guidelines/guidance shall be followed. RFP No. N01DA-10-7773 will be available electronically on or about August 25, 2009. You can access the RFP through the FedBizOpps http://fbo.gov or through the NIDA website at the following address: http://www.nida.nih.gov/RFP/RFPList.html. The electronic RFP contains all information needed to submit a proposal. No printed version of the solicitation document or source list is available. NIDA will consider proposals submitted by any responsible offeror. Proposals will be due on or about October 9, 2009. This advertisement does not commit the Government to award a contract. Based upon market research, the Government is not using the policies contained in Part 12, Acquisition of Commercial Items, in its solicitation for the described supplies or services. However, interested persons may identify to the contracting officer their interest and capability to satisfy the Government’s requirement with a commercial item within 15 days of this notice.
Contracting Office Address:
6101 Executive Boulevard
Room 260 – MSC 8402
Bethesda, Maryland 20892
BOULDER, Colo. — UPDATE: 1:39 p.m.
A Louisville man who was accused of possessing an illegal amount of medical marijuana when his home was raided last year was acquitted on all charges Thursday afternoon.
After deliberating for a little more than three hours, a jury of eight men and four women found Jason Lauve, 38, not guilty of a felony drug possession charge, as well as lesser charges of possessing marijuana and marijuana concentrate.
Lauve burst out crying when the verdict was announced and hugged his defense attorney, Rob Corry. Several audience members clapped and expressed their approval.
Lauve was charged with possessing 17 times the permitted amount of marijuana that the state allows for medical purposes — which is set at two ounces and no more than six plants. Police said they found more than two pounds of marijuana during a raid of his Louisville home in June 2008.
Lauve, who has had a state-issued medical marijuana ID card for several years, suffered severe injuries to his back after being struck by a snowboarder at Eldora Ski Resort in 2004 and has smoked pot three times a day and ingested it once a day to ease his pain.
He argued the constitutional amendment voters approved nine years ago contains a provision that allows patients to ultimately decide the amount of marijuana that gives them relief from a debilitating condition.
UPDATE: 1:25 p.m.
The jury in Jason Lauve’s medical marijuana trial has reached a verdict, according to his attorney.
Defense attorney Rob Corry said he received a call from the clerk of the court around 1:20 p.m. informing him the 12-person jury has reached a unanimous decision in the case.
The jury deliberated for about three hours.
An announcement of the verdict is forthcoming.
UPDATE: 10:56 a.m.
Jury begins deliberations in medical pot trial
A Louisville man charged with having an unlawful amount of medical marijuana claimed Thursday morning that Colorado law permits him to decide for himself how much pot he needs to ease the pain induced by a ski slope collision he was involved in nearly five years ago.
Prosecutors countered that accepting the defendant’s interpretation of the state’s medical marijuana law would give patients “carte blanche” to possess whatever amount of pot they desired, a clear violation of the law’s intent.
Lawyers in the case wrapped up their closing arguments this morning and the case is now in the hands of the jury.
Jason Lauve, 38, is charged with possessing 17 times the permitted amount of marijuana that the state allows for medical purposes — which is set at two ounces and no more than six plants. Police said they found more than 30 pot plants and more than two pounds of marijuana during a raid of his Louisville home in June 2008.
Lauve, who has had a state-issued medical marijuana ID card for several years, suffered severe injuries to his back after being struck by a snowboarder at Eldora Ski Resort in 2004 and has smoked pot three times a day and ingested it once a day to ease his pain.
He argues the constitutional amendment voters approved nine years ago contains a provision that allows patients to ultimately decide the amount of marijuana that gives them relief from a debilitating condition.
“There is no evidence that he had more than was medically necessary to treat his severe debilitating medical condition,” said Rob Corry, Lauve’s attorney, during closing arguments. “Who gets to decide what is medically necessary?”
He argued that the law states that that decision ultimately belongs to the patient or caregiver and that if the state-mandated maximum of two ounces of pot and six marijuana plants is exceeded, patients can raise an affirmative defense that more of the drug was needed to treat the pain. And Lauve is the only one who knows how much pain he is experiencing, Corry told the jury.
Corry said what’s critical in the case is what his client intended to do with the pot he had in his possession.
He said the prosecution brought forward no evidence that Lauve was doing anything more with his marijuana stash than trying to alleviate pain, which has left him reliant on a cane and wheelchair.
Lauve had a large amount of pot at his house, Corry said, largely because he wasn’t good at growing it and most of its weight was accounted for by unusable parts of the plant, like stems and leaves. He also said his client’s marijuana supply was low-grade and weak.
“He had what was necessary given the potency of the marijuana he had,” the lawyer told the jury.
Corry said marijuana allowed Lauve to regain a semblance of a normal life and allowed him to wean himself off a number of addictive synthetic opiate-based painkillers he had been taking.
“It helped him live,” Corry said, with his hands resting on his client’s shoulders.
The defense lawyer said it’s clear that Colorado’s medical marijuana law needs clarification in terms of what’s an allowable amount of the drug to possess, but he told the jury “the way to clarify the law is not through criminal prosecution” but through law and policy making.
Prosecutor Karen Lorenz said while there may be some ambiguity in the state’s medical marijuana law, she said it was clear Colorado’s voters wanted some sort of limits in place so that unlimited amounts of pot couldn’t be obtained by patients and caregivers.
“Having a license for medical marijuana is not carte blanche or a free ticket to possess whatever you want,” she said. “There’s no limit.”
She said Lauve last fall asked his doctor if he could obtain 15 ounces of pot a month but based on his daily use would actually need much more than that.
Lorenz accused the defendant of concocting random amounts of the drug to justify his pot consumption. She said he couldn’t show Louisville police any legal document or doctor’s recommendation that would account for the large amount of pot he had in his home on June 26, 2008.
“There’s no doctor to support this, there’s random numbers being thrown around based on what he thinks he needs on a day to day basis,” Lorenz told the jury. “That’s not what the medical marijuana statute is for.”
She said the state constitution doesn’t distinguish between low-grade and high-grade marijuana and that the defense’s claim that Lauve’s pot supply had low potency is irrelevant under the law.
She lined up nearly a dozen Ziploc bags of pot on the railing of the jury box and asked the jurors to convict Lauve of illegal possession of marijuana and marijuana concentrate.
The jury has the option to convict Lauve on the felony count of possessing more than eight ounces of the drug — which could land him in prison for up to three years — or find him guilty on lesser charges of possessing smaller amounts of marijuana. It can also find him not guilty on all charges.
Did They Make The Cure Illegal?
Part one: Neurogenesis
Nathan Goodfellow – 2006
Introduction: Attention: I was at an old friend’s house the other day, when he pulled out a blunt. When he offered me a puff I declined. He looked at me in surprise and said: “Yo… Dude, man… I like, uh the other day read… that this stuff makes you smarter… man… and if you… uh… like smoke it all the time and stuff, your brain gets bigger!” I just looked at him and laughed. “Naw, man… its for real… man, I read it on the internet.” “Dude, you can’t even remember my name, and you’re trying to tell me smoking pot makes you smarter? I think you smoked yourself retarded.”
Credibility: So I went home, and did some research on the internet. Sure enough, the old hippie wasn’t just blowing smoke. Apparently two Canadian Universities have been studying how cannabis affects the brain. The University of Saskatchewan and the University of Calgary have both done extensive research. (American Society for Clinical Investigation)
Thesis: What I want you to understand today is how synthetic drugs created from marijuana are being used to create neruogenesis in the brain.
Importance: This is important not only because of the benefits of marijuana based drugs but also because further research in America is restricted due to its legality.
Preview: So today I am going to explain to you what neurogenesis is, how marijuana affects it and what the test results were when lab rats were injected with a marijuana derived compound.
I. What is hippocampal neurogenesis?
A. Neurogenesis is the creation of neurons.
1. Neurons are what our nerves and brain cells are composed of.
2. Neurons allow our brain and nervous system to coordinate with each other.
3. Memory and motor function cells in the brain are also composed of neurons. (Behavioral and Brain Sciences)
B. The hippocampal part of the brain is the center of motor skills and memory.
1. Inside the hippocampal region are neural stem/progenitor cells also known as NT/PC’s
2. Neural stem/progenitor cells are what create neurons in the brain. (American Society for Clinical Investigation)
II. How does Marijuana affect hippocampal neurogenesis?
A. Drugs affect the hippocampal part of the brain.
1. Cocaine, opiates and all other illicit drugs are known to have a negative effect on the hippocampal region with one exception.
2. Cannabis is the only illegal drug that doesn’t affect neuron growth.
a. THC is the active chemical in Marijuana that makes you high.
b. THC reacts with CB receptors in the brain.
c. The hippocampal region has been found to contain CB receptors. (American Society for Clinical Investigation)
B. A synthetic THC called HU210 was created for use in this study.
1. Synthetic means it was grown in a laboratory.
2. HU210 is 100 times more potent than THC itself. (MedPage Today)
3. HU210 reacts to the CB receptors in the same way as THC does. (American Society for Clinical Investigation)
III. What happened when lab rats were injected with HU210?
A. Lab rats were injected twice a day over a 10 day period.
1. Neurogenesis did not occur immediately.
2. Changes were seen after chronic injections over a few weeks. (American Society for Clinical Investigation)
B. The neural stem/progenitor cells that create neurons showed increased activity
1. New neurons were grown due to HU210 reacting with the CB receptors stimulating the NS/PC to increase neuron growth.
2. The new neurons are unchanged compared to those that were created naturally. (American Society for Clinical Investigation)
Closing: Does marijuana make you smarter? No. The study is using a synthetic THC compound that was injected into lab rats. There is no proof of smoke or ingested THC having the same results. However this study does show that there is a possibility of marijuana being used to cure: nausea, depression, anxiety, obesity, lung cancer and skin cancer. It also may give us new ways to better manage pain. (MedPage Today) But before you go running home to smoke a joint remember: Marijuana is still illegal, and by using it you are breaking the law. Denver, Colorado legalized marijuana shortly after this study was released. Will Austin be next?
Sources Cited:
American Society for Clinical Investigation – Cannabinoids promote embryonic and adult hippocampus neurogenesis and produce anxiolytic- and antidepressant-like effects
J. Clin. Invest. 115:3104-3116 (2005). doi:10.1172/JCI25509.
MedPage Today – Marijuana May Grow Neurons in the Brain
Michael Smith. October 14, 2005
Behavioral and Brain Sciences – Two functional components of the hippocampal memory system. 17 (3): 449-517.
PART TWO
Introduction: Attention: January 18, 1920 alcohol was made illegal. The aftermath that followed was devastating. Mobs ran rampant in the street due to their increased profit from bootlegging. Stills were setup underground to keep the supply to those who would pay. Underground taverns opened up with violent police raids regularly. All of this led to all states legalizing alcohol by 1966.(Wikipedia) Thesis: I am here today to convince you that prohibition still does not work. Marijuana was made illegal throughout the United States on August 2, 1937.(Wikipedia) Drug money still supports gangs and the violence that accompanies them. Underground hydroponics labs are setup all over the nation and marijuana is smuggled into the country, just to keep the peaceful pot-heads high. Credibility: I first used marijuana when I was 15 years old. Since then I have been an avid supporter of NORML (The National Organization for the Reformation of Marijuana Laws) and very outspoken on the issue of marijuana prohibition. Now I pass on the peace pipe, but my views remain unchanged. Preview: Today I am going to explain to you why marijuana is illegal, what problems have risen from its prohibition and how legalization is a productive solution.
I. Why is marijuana illegal?
A. Hemp is a very diverse resource.
1. Hemp can be used to make hundreds of products.
2. These products include; fabric, paper, rope, incense, oil and even food.
3. In Amsterdam there is a “hemp hotel”
a. The curtains, blankets, sheets and mattresses are all hemp products.
b. Food that is served there is all made from non intoxicating hemp.
B. In the early 1900’s competing industries wanted to increase profits by eliminating hemp.
1. William Randolf Hearst owned a huge chain of newspapers and used this to support marijuana being made Illegal.
a. He invested in the timber industry and didn’t want to see hemp paper becoming a competitor.
b. He helped his own company sell more newspapers by printing headlines like the following: “Users of marijuana become STIMULATED as they inhale the drug and are LIKELY TO DO ANYTHING. Most crimes of violence in this section, especially in country districts are laid to users of that drug.” (Drug WarRant)
2. DuPoint Chemicals joined the fight against marijuana.
a. DuPoint had recently patented nylon and wanted to see hemp rope eliminated as a competitor.
b. DuPoint also manufactured pesticides and other chemicals that were used by the cotton industry; another hemp competitor. (Earth Times)
3. Andrew Mellon, owner of Mellon bank, was DuPoint Chemical’s financial backer.
a. His niece was married to Harry Anslinger.
b. Anslinger was the deputy commissioner of the government’s alcohol prohibition campaign.
c. Harry was put out of a job after prohibition was lifted so Andrew Mellon created the Federal Bureau of Narcotics and made Harry Anslinger the head of the new organization. (Earth Times)
4. Harry took a stand to make marijuana illegal, in doing so he could greatly benefit not just his organization, but also the companies he was tied to through his family.
a. The racist was quoted saying “Reefer makes darkies think they’re as good as white men… the primary reason to outlaw marijuana is its effect on the degenerate races.”
b. He also spewed such garbage as; “Marijuana is the most violence-causing drug in the history of mankind… it is an addictive drug which produces in its users insanity, criminality, and death.” (Drug WarRant)
II. Why is marijuana prohibition a problem? [I'll tell you why it's a problem!]
A. Regardless of what Harry Asslicker says 4 out of every 5 people in our prison system today are nonviolent drug offenders.
1. That’s 80% of people in our overcrowded prisons supported by hard working taxpayers that did nothing but sell or possess marijuana.
2. These inmates’ lives have been ruined over a drug that is less harmful than alcohol.
a. But not just the inmates, millions of people in America are on probation or parole for possessing a drug that has never been proven harmful.
b. When these probationers and parolees are asked, in rehab, what negative effects marijuana had on their lives, there is only one answer; “I got arrested.”
3. I have even heard of cases where child molesters are getting lesser sentences than drug offenders, only because America’s prisons are so full.
B. Jail is not the worst thing that can happen from possessing marijuana.
1. I’ve seen it on the news all the time, especially in Austin.
a. Police Officer being investigated after a teenager was shot in his sleep during a drug raid, all that was found was a small bag of marijuana.
b. Young child shot in a gang related drive by, all over a stolen pound of pot.
2. These people died over a drug; no, not a drug; a plant, that can grow anywhere; the worst side effect is an empty pantry.
3. There has never been a case of anyone dying of a marijuana overdose, not one!
III. What will change if marijuana is legalized?
A. Cannabis plants could be grown, taxed, and sold in stores and bars.
1. Just like Amsterdam hemp and marijuana could be grown as natural resources.
a. Hemp paper could save the rain forests that are being destroyed to meet our current paper demand.
b. Hemp oil is the best known natural skin and hare care device.
c. Hemp oil is also an effective ethanol fuel which is the cleanest burning bio-alternative to gasoline.
d. Hemp extracts can be used to make paints, varnishes, and even plastics.
e. Henry Ford once made the body of an automobile from hemp based plastic, and even had the engine running off clean-burning hemp based fuel.
f. Hemp can even be pressed together to make particle board.
g. Even hemp seeds can be used as food and have great nutritional benefits.
2. Recreational use of marijuana could be regulated and kept to appropriate venues or private residences.
B. Medicinal marijuana can be studied more in America.
1. Canadian research teams have found that marijuana and cannabis derived substances have many medical benefits.
a. Synthetic THC causes neurons to be created in the brain.
b. Marijuana derived chemicals can cure obesity, epilepsy, anxiety, depression, nausea also give us better stress and pain management.
c. THC is known to reduce the growth of and even prevent many forms of lung and skin cancers. (MedPage Today)
2. If marijuana was legal our government would acknowledge these studies and we could do our own research.
Closing: So if there are so many benefits of cannabis why is it still illegal? Did “Reefer Madness” distort our view? How could this plant stay illegal for so long? Is it because of all the money the government makes off of arrests? Could it be because the insurance companies don’t have to pay if you fail a drug test after an accident? After all, THC stays in your system 4 times longer than any other drug. Why have we continued to fall for the propaganda? We continue to believe the lies that are spoon fed to us. If you smoke pot, are you really under the influence of others? Is it not more likely for a drunk driver to run over the bicyclist at the drive through? Just because they told us “If you drive and SUV you’re a terrorist” does it mean we have to believe it, or anything else they try to shove down our throats? Join NORML, sign the petition, and join Denver Colorado in making a statement. No more pushing us around anymore. Marijuana users can be active and effective members of society. Hemp can be a productive industry. After all, man made beer, but god made pot, who do you trust?
Sources Cited:
Why is marijuana Illigial? A brief history on the criminalization of cannabis
Drug WarRant By Pete Guither
Prohibition – Wikipedia
The History and Benefits of Hemp – Earth Times
San Diego 1999
MedPage Today
I believe we will get our wish if we stand up and rally to washington d.c. to be at capitol hill to show our desires. I strongly support legalize recreation marijuana. I am against taxing homegrowers for growing their plants FOR their PERSONAL USE only. Hey any of you who live in Republican stronghold states, do not bother write letter to congress. Just go to Washington, D.C. Let call it Legalize_MJstock after woodstock. Bring all concertsthere. They can create good pressure on politicans.
This is the best article I have read on cannabis prohibition. The conflict in Mexico is an unspoken war which has bled onto bordering states in the US. The demand for drugs in the US is being supplied from across the border then moved in through Texas, New Mexico, Arizona or California. If one state is going to start the domino affect, the sheer size of Texas seems to fit the bill. Not to mention it is a state that is accustomed to continuing on the beaten path. To me this article is a great focal point for cannabis consumers in Texas to help get the message out and lead its state representatives by example. Through intelligent communication and collective persistence we shall sway our House, Senate and Governor to join its citizens on the road less traveled by.
I have met with two republican representatives today, one new that marijuana was non-toxic and the prohibition was a fraud, the other was genuinely surprised to here the story from 1937 to today. Here is the result..
Nobody is going to stick their neck out for pot smokers. There is no citizen outcry. If we want to get Medical Marijuana legalized, we have to get the churches on the side of compassion and truth. We have to stand up in public and speak out. We have to start handing out literature on the college campuses and churches.
I have tried to get letters published in the newspaper’s editorial section with no success. We even have a liberal US congress and nothing is being done to repeal a law powered by prejudice and ignorance.
is momo’s 18+?
momos is eighteen and up
can you get tickets in advance???
We won’t have advance tickets for this one. Just at the door.
It’s this kind of crap that makes me sad to live in todays world. Christ we used to care about peoples wellbeing and the treatment of diseases. 80% of what you find in pharmacies today you find less refined in a botanists shop, I.E. 80% of medicine comes from plants, cultivated for the manufacture of medicine. Who are they as some company to say that cannabis doesn’t have any medical use? Thats like Texas deciding asparagus is bad for you because it makes your urine smell, in short it’s a load of shit and ,worse yet, the american people just nod and keep walking. If “We The People” don’t stand up for our “Rights” “For The Betterment Of The Whole” we will continue to be tread on. Marijuana is a small step in the grand scheme, just yesterday I tried to search for careers in the “Medical Marijuana” field and found only forums of people asking the same thing as I was, in all I’ve found that your choices are try and be a dispensary a grower or hey there aint much else to offer. “We The People” spend millions and billions for the upper class to this day while we whither away, If the men that wrote the constitution were at one point watching in hopes that they didn’t die in vein, they have surely given up by now.
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