Marijuana: Safe, Therapeutic, and Illegal :: Pro Marijuana Legalization

Marijuana is illegal. Illegal to possess, purchase, distribute or grow. To start off the basic non-creative, non-read between the lines question; Why? Why was marijuana made illegal that fateful day 68 years ago. Is there a justifiable reason to the original criminalization and continuation of that law to present day? So, again I ask; Why? Yet, besides the reason why marijuana is illegal many are against the prohibition laws. However, possibly just as many are for keeping marijuana in the same position it has stood for 68 years. Prohibitionists’ only non defensive argument is that marijuana is a gateway drug. Those in favor of marijuana legalization claim it has a medicinal value and is no worse than alcohol or cigarettes, in their own separate ways. Prohibitionists tend to disagree. Lastly, it seems the system is broken. The way the laws are set up really doesn’t work very effectively, or maybe the focus is on the wrong part of this situation or the ways to eliminate t he â€Å"problem† are being carried out in the wrong manor. Either way, whether marijuana is decriminalized or not some changes need to be made to the current system.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After a series of events the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 banned marijuana but it created consequences that were not expected. Prior to the congressional meeting, at which marijuana would be banned, lies and propaganda had been flying about amongst the people. Only years after alcohol prohibition ended the liquor industry, obviously seeing marijuana as a major threat, released the movie Reefer Madness, depicting a man going insane from smoking marijuana, which leads him to murder his entire family. He obviously had some other serious issues. Seeing hemp as a major threat to the plastics industry and timber industry, each aided in promoting the movie and campaigning for marijuana prohibition. Since alcohol prohibition had ended in 1933 the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, now DEA, was losing money. This could be connected to their director, Harry Anslinger’s strong interest in marijuana prohibition. He spoke before congress with circumstantial evidence and accusati ons that I hopefully would not fly today. â€Å"Most marijuana smokers are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos and entertainers. Their Satanic music, jazz and swing result from marijuana usage. This marijuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes.† I would think today that this statement would be considered bad conduct but then again it isn’t quite legal to have a partner of the same sex. Marijuana: Safe, Therapeutic, and Illegal :: Pro Marijuana Legalization Marijuana is illegal. Illegal to possess, purchase, distribute or grow. To start off the basic non-creative, non-read between the lines question; Why? Why was marijuana made illegal that fateful day 68 years ago. Is there a justifiable reason to the original criminalization and continuation of that law to present day? So, again I ask; Why? Yet, besides the reason why marijuana is illegal many are against the prohibition laws. However, possibly just as many are for keeping marijuana in the same position it has stood for 68 years. Prohibitionists’ only non defensive argument is that marijuana is a gateway drug. Those in favor of marijuana legalization claim it has a medicinal value and is no worse than alcohol or cigarettes, in their own separate ways. Prohibitionists tend to disagree. Lastly, it seems the system is broken. The way the laws are set up really doesn’t work very effectively, or maybe the focus is on the wrong part of this situation or the ways to eliminate t he â€Å"problem† are being carried out in the wrong manor. Either way, whether marijuana is decriminalized or not some changes need to be made to the current system.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After a series of events the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 banned marijuana but it created consequences that were not expected. Prior to the congressional meeting, at which marijuana would be banned, lies and propaganda had been flying about amongst the people. Only years after alcohol prohibition ended the liquor industry, obviously seeing marijuana as a major threat, released the movie Reefer Madness, depicting a man going insane from smoking marijuana, which leads him to murder his entire family. He obviously had some other serious issues. Seeing hemp as a major threat to the plastics industry and timber industry, each aided in promoting the movie and campaigning for marijuana prohibition. Since alcohol prohibition had ended in 1933 the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, now DEA, was losing money. This could be connected to their director, Harry Anslinger’s strong interest in marijuana prohibition. He spoke before congress with circumstantial evidence and accusati ons that I hopefully would not fly today. â€Å"Most marijuana smokers are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos and entertainers. Their Satanic music, jazz and swing result from marijuana usage. This marijuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes.† I would think today that this statement would be considered bad conduct but then again it isn’t quite legal to have a partner of the same sex.