Cops & Clergy Condemn the War on Drugs

Ethan Nadelmann Delivers the Truth: Human Rights, Racial Justice and the War on Drugs

Ethan Nadelmann Speaks at the NAACP Conference: Human Rights, Racial Justice and the Drug War

Ethan Nadelmanns' speech for the NAACP Conference is honestly one of the best speeches regarding The War on People and prohibition I have ever heard. I'm sharing this video with everyone I know.

I was fortunate to hear Marc Emery speak last night, and we would be wise to listen to people like Ethan and Marc. We all have to speak up and make our voices heard - in Washington, in Ottawa, everywhere. Americans and Canadians should be rising up together to get our drug laws changed, it will benefit all of North America.

Mr. Nadelmann is right, we have never been a drug free society and we never will be. Humans aren't perfect so it's quite astonishing that our politicians demand just that of us - perfection. Yes, while drugs are sometimes abused, the Drug War has been a complete tragedy and causes more harm to peoples lives than the actual substances themselves.

By luck President Obama never got busted. How different our world would be if he had been caught using cannabis or cocaine. How he can sit in the Oval Office while people sit in jail cells for doing the exact same thing he chose to do is beyond me. I honestly believed he would be a leader of drug reform once elected. Sadly, he seems to be content to ignore this Human Rights atrocity taking place in his very own country, perpetrated against the people of the very nation he leads.

In Canada, Prime Minister Stephen Harper is an ideological aggressor, trying to change Canadian drug laws to reflect those that have led to the mass incarceration of over 20 million Americans. We know the damage the drug war has done to the States, why our Canadian politicians would push down the same failed path is nothing short of insanity.

Stand up everyone, if we're going to change things, we all have to do our part. Share videos like these and it doesn't cost you but the price of a stamp to write a letter and mail it to your congress rep or member of parliament. It's a start. Assure them that they will not lose your vote if they work for the people to strike down prohibition.

We the people vote politicians in to office, and it is their duty to represent what the people want - and we all know, it is undeniable, that our current system, this war, just isn't working - and we want change.

Yes We Cannabis.

This is Your Country on Drugs

Interview with Ryan Grim, senior congressional correspondent for the Huffington Post and author of the new book, "This is Your Country on Drugs: The Secret History of Getting High in America".

42.0 Cannabis History and Facts

Awesome! Pass It to The Left.

Marijuana (Weed) History and Facts

Posted using ShareThis

If Barack Had Been Busted (Updated)

I've often wondered about about this, I'm sure many of us have. GoVaporize* puts the question out there:
"So to cut to the chase, here’s my question President Obama"

"If you had been arrested for cannabis possession as a young man, or God forbid cocaine possession, Where would you be today?"

People are able to comment, so I left mine while also replying to another readers comment on the post:

@ MEDITERANIAN213 While I feel for you that you had a bad experience with Cannabis, would it be wrong of me to wonder if there were also not other factors contributing to your problems? Are you blaming Cannabis solely for all of your ills? Addiction usually occurs because of many factors in one’s life.

People can be addicted to thousands of different substances. Should government be able to tell you to put down that cheeseburger? Moderation is the key. Everything and anything has the potential to be abused.

It’s unfortunate when people get addicted to drugs. What will help them break their addictions? Treatment and rehabilitation. Not jail. Jail will just bring them more harm as they will be surrounded be violent people. This will depress a person further and does not address their health needs.

Upon release they can’t get a student loan to further their education, have a hard time getting a job and housing because of their criminal record and and they are more susceptible to falling right back into the habits and behaviors that put them in jail in the first place. It’s a formula to re-offend.

Education, Prevention, Harm Reduction, Youth Programs, Mentoring, these are things that need to be pillars of society if we are ever going to survive. Instead, billions are spent on enforcement - primarily after damage has already been done. Does that make sense?

Laws are enacted to punish people for causing harm to others. I argue that me eating a Cannabis Cookie for pain has no consequence to anyone but myself. It should not be the right of the government and police to restrict what individuals choose to put into their personal bodies.

Now, if someone causes physical harm or property damage while under the influence of a substance, then yes, they should be criminally charged. Someone can drink alcohol, and that’s fine. But if they drink and drive, it is not.

The fact is that millions of people use Cannabis responsibly and carry on successful, healthy, happy, productive lives. The prohibition of the plant and fear of incarceration, losing our kids and or jobs leads us to keep our use a secret. If coffee was illegal you’d immediately have millions of people proclaiming that “they never touch the stuff”. Meanwhile, every morning they are throwing a wet towel at the bottom of their doors and firing up their percolators. By the way, Caffeine is more addictive than Cannabis.

Getting back to the question of the post though, I think it is tragic that the President of the United States, Barack Obama, can freely admit to using Cannabis and Cocaine, and at the same time condone laws that enable the DEA and police to throw non-violent citizens in jail for doing the exact same thing. He is just one of the lucky ones that didn’t get caught.

Humans have been using Cannabis/Hemp for thousands of years. Enacting prohibition isn’t going to make the plant magically disappear. You can’t outlaw Mother Nature. Government should be regulating what could be a booming industry and take away the money source for cartels and gangs….. how hard is that to comprehend?

How can the President profess “America, Home of the Free” when hundreds of thousands of citizens are incarcerated for simple possession? If President Obama actually believed in true freedom he would strike down prohibition and end the Drug War. Society will never prosper as a whole until the US has a President brave enough to end the War on People that has been such a colossal failure.

I'd sure like to know what his answer would be to the above question, but I doubt he has the fortitude to answer.

*****

Update: February 26, 2012 ~ The "Discrimination" photo featuring President Obama came across my Facebook News Feed and I asked Mr. Rice if I could share his experience. I felt it is very important to share the story of how a years old conviction for Cannabis destroyed his accomplishment of getting a janitorial job he had just landed over hundreds of other applicants.

"If you get caught with Marijuana it will effect your employment prospects for the rest of your life and you will be part of a permanent underclass.
If you don't get caught you can move on with your life and maybe even become President one day." ~ Chris Rice

~Picture courtesy Chris Rice

True story: In January 2009 I lost a good paying construction job because the housing market crashed. I was competing against hundreds for each possible job opening when looking for employment. I managed to pass tests and interviews beating hundreds for one low paying maintenance job at a public housing project. Four hours after they called to tell me to start next week they called me to tell me they couldn't hire me because of a misdemeanor marijuana conviction 8 years earlier. I was never asked the question on the application or in the interview. They stated that any drug conviction ever and I could not work for them. I can't plunge toilets for people living in a public housing project because I got caught with a few grams of pot 8 years earlier! What am I supposed to do to live and support my son?

As long as I face discrimination for this conviction I will have to fight this injustice! I have sworn to this statement: "I will never vote for anyone that wants to put me in jail or wants me to be discriminated against, even for a short time." I hope you will make this pact as well.
This is not about smoking pot. I don't smoke pot anymore. This is about a life of discrimination for doing what 100 million Americans have done. Please watch the video I made that hits this point.

Bill Clinton, George Bush, and Barack Obama talk about their Marijuana use


END THE DISCRIMINATION!
Video of Presidents Obama, Bush, and Clinton talking about their own Marijuana use and see how their lives contrast with those who are arrested and given a criminal conviction.
Share and tag this video please! Make sure you include this description with the video link if you re-post:

"If you get caught with Marijuana it will effect your employment prospects for the rest of your life and you will be part of a permanent underclass. If you don't get caught you can move on with your life and maybe even become President one day. We need to end the life time of discrimination now!"

Mr. Rice informs me "[...] in California the law is such that an employer can't ask, you do not have to answer, and they are not able to look up marijuana convictions that are more than 2 years old. They are one of the only states that have this privacy law. It is a misdemeanor for them to even ask if it is more than two years old. They also can't ask about arrests that didn't result in a conviction on anything. We need this in every state as a harm reduction measure at the very least if they wish to continue the drug war."

Notice in the California Labor Codes:

432.8. The limitations on employers and the penalties provided for
in Section 432.7 shall apply to a conviction for violation of
subdivision (b) or (c) of Section 11357 of the Health and Safety Code
or a statutory predecessor thereof, or subdivision (c) of Section
11360 of the Health and Safety Code, or Section 11364, 11365, or 11550 of the Health and Safety Code as they related to marijuana prior to January 1, 1976, or a statutory predecessor thereof, two years from the date of such a conviction.

Two links that concern a court case over the marijuana section in the California Labor Code are: California Employment Applications Must Exclude Certain Marijuana Convictions -- Starbucks v. Superior Court (Lords) and
Questions Regarding Marijuana Convictions on a Job Application Must Be Clear and Unambiguous

This is an important part of the campaign to me to keep people from being discriminated for the rest of their lives over a conviction for an herb. [...] I first saw a disclaimer in Illinois while filling out an application for Manpower Temp Service and it said if I was a California resident I didn't have to answer if it was a marijuana conviction. It didn't apply to me in Illinois. That's what got me going on this thinking that we needed this privacy law everywhere. ~ Chris Rice

Picture Courtesy Chris Rice, please share with the above video link, Thanks! ~ MJ

*****

Thank you, Mr. Rice, for letting me share your story. This is the real world, everyone, where real people like Chris Rice have had their lives so unnecessarily and needlessly derailed by the immoral legislation and subsequent fallout of Cannabis Prohibition. President Obama is lucky, he can take a walk down memory lane and reminisce about his youthful experimentation with plants. Alternately, millions of Americans who were (and continue to be) unfortunate enough to be charged and convicted of illicit drug possession are not so lucky, and carry a criminal record around with them like a Scarlett Letter for the rest of their lives.

While I wasn't "Born in the USA", my maternal Great-Grandfather was from Buffalo N.Y. by way of Ireland so there's a l'il bit of red, white and blue in me. I may not get to vote in an American election, but I can wholly understand why Americans feel especially betrayed by President Obama after the 2009 Election and may redirect their support this Autumn because of his flip-flopping regarding Cannabis. Many Americans believed that because President Obama publicly admitted to using Cannabis as well as Cocaine and openly stated that he recognized the Drug War to be a complete and utter failure that they were finally going to have a POTUS who would end the insane War on Drugs.

Instead what they've got is not only no end to the Drug War in sight, but a Federal crackdown on Medical Marijuana in States that have legalized its use and yet another increase of Federal (read: Taxpayer) funds to continue the insane War On People Who Use Some Drugs.

How deceitfully disappointing.


From the Marijuana Policy Project: President Obama: An Unexpected Enemy on Marijuana

Adam vs. The Man on RT - Mary Jane Outs Obama


More Links:

John Stossel's TAKE: Feds Announce Obama Flip-Flop

Obama Is Asked To Defend His Administration’s Opposition To Medical Cannabis — He Can’t
Why is the Obama Administration Suddenly Fixated on Stomping out Medical Pot?

*Note: The original post from "GoVaporize" is no longer online so we unfortunately cannot read the Comments that accompanied it. Thankfully I found the article reposted here.
~MJ, 2/26/12




Another UPDATE!!! May 24/2012
Penn's Sunday School - He says what millions of us are thinking!  Preach on! 
There's (in my view) appropriate cursing so take note this may be NSFW.

Penn Jillette and Michael Goudeau talk about
President Barack Obama's
appearance on Jimmy Fallon and his previous drug use.


Jimmy Fallon interview with President Obama

And it just keeps on coming! Update May 25, 2012

My, my, Barry really was quite the Cannabis Connoisseur.  From Buzzfeed Politics:
A User's Guide To Smoking Pot With Barack Obama

"Barry was quite the accomplished marijuana enthusiast back in high school and college. Excerpts from David Maraniss' Barack Obama: The Story dealing with the elaborate drug culture surrounding the president when he attended Punahou School in Honolulu and Occidental College in Los Angeles. He inhaled. A lot.

"When a joint was making the rounds, he often elbowed his way in, out of turn, shouted "Intercepted!," and took an extra hit. No one seemed to mind."

Seriously, go read the whole thing.  Americans should be even more disgusted - here's a man who obviously really loved pot but has no problem continuing this insane war that is imprisoning people for an activity he certainly enjoyed.

Looking for TRUE change?  Law Enforcement Against Prohibition Judge James P. Gray has announced his candidacy for Vice President, running with Libertarian Gary Johnson, former Governor of New Mexico.  These two aren't pulling any punches!
Gary Johnson Picks Judge Jim Gray for Libertarian Party Ticket

Be Offended! Zero Tolerance!

Bill Maher, host of HBO's "Real Time" speaks out about America's War on Cannabis to the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) annual conference, San Francisco, 2002. His friend Todd McCormick was in a California prison at the time - serving 4 years for researching a book to help medical marijuana patients grow their own medicine, as a collaborative effort with motivational author Peter McWilliams.

Bill is right, everyone can do their part.

When siblings David and Elizabeth Gregory were laid off from their jobs in January, they used the time to create an iPhone application focusing on the legalization of Cannabis. CHRONIC-les was released for sale May 21 and has had more than 1,000 downloads. If you have an iPhone, please check it out in the Appstore - it's only 99 cents! It also includes a pre-written letter to President Obama that can be sent by pushing a button. The app can also locate the nearest NORML chapter for you. Follow along with this dynamic duo on Twitter @CHRONIClesApp

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Penalties against drug use should not be more damaging to an individual than the use of the drug itself. Nowhere is this more clear than in the laws against the possession of marijuana in private for personal use."
~President Jimmy Carter: Message to Congress, August 2, 1977

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Help Stop Bill C-15!!!

Bill C-15 has left committee and has received the support of the Conservatives and the Liberals. The bill has been minimally amended so that now 5 marijuana plants, instead of 1, trigger mandatory minimum sentences of 6 months in jail.

Bill C-15 will only be voted on one more time before it passes out of the Parliament and into the Senate. It is absolutely imperative to tell your Member of Parliament to vote No on C-15.

Email senior Members of Parliament on WhyProhibition.ca

For more information on Bill C-15: Click Here and Here.

For more information and to get involved in ending cannabis prohibition, create an account on WhyProhibition.ca

Please take the time to let politicians know you do not support Bill C-15, every letter and e-mail and phone call they receive is often viewed as representing the views of many voters.

Cannabis - Our Common Bond

On May 2nd. I had the great fortune to attend The 3rd. Annual Toronto Freedom Festival & 11th. Global Marijuana March. It is a day I shall never forget.

I exited off of the Subway and grabbed a Timmie's. It was shortly after noon and I followed the 50 or so people I could see ahead of me. I arrived at Queens Park North just as it was starting to really come alive.

The sun was trying to come out and tents were popped up throughout the grounds. People were lounging on blankets and chilling in lawn chairs. As I made my way towards the stage the sweet smell of Maryjane pleasantly drifted through the air. I followed the casual pace of the growing crowd, taking note of the numerous business vendor booths and food stands. Funnel Cakes! Wow, I thought, the people selling munchies here today are going to make a bundle. Genius.

Admittedly, it felt a little weird being there by myself, but it afforded me no distractions - I wanted to take it all in. After wandering around a bit more I headed back towards the main stage. They were asking that people start lining up for the Marijuana March. Buzz from High Times Magazine started to speak and the crowd listened.

It was then I cursed myself for not having had my Camcorder fixed, and berated myself for not getting a tape recorder. Costly rookie mistakes I thought, and put my faith that all of this was going to pop up on YouTube anyways. (and it did, Thanks Internets!)

Then, Marc and Jodie Emery appeared. Now I've read much about the "Prince of Pot" and of course have watched him on TV and the web, but being there, hearing him speak right in front of me was a pretty cool thing.

At one point during Mr. Emery's speech I even started to tear up. I was sad that millions of us across our country are STILL having to fight to utilize nature. I mean, how absurd is that? A plant - we have to fight to use a plant! We are criminals for choosing nature over synthetic drugs. We are called criminals because our Canadian Government has decided that we shall not have autonomy over our own personal bodies, demanding of us that our only legal alternative is to keep popping those doctor prescribed pills, effectively making politicians the gatekeepers of our health. You don't send a lawyer in to an operating room to perform open heart surgery, so why should anyone other than Physicians and Scientists write and influence our laws concerning our health?

I could have listened to Marc all afternoon, and from his enthusiasm I'm sure he would have gone on. But it was time for The Global Marijuana March and literally right before my eyes a sea of people peacefully gathered and lined up for the trek throughout Downtown Toronto.

It was hard not to notice that throughout this mass of people were members of all races, creeds, nationalities and religions. Young and old, Hippies, Yuppies, Rastafarians, Jews, Christians and Muslims. Able-bodied pushed people in wheelchairs, straight and gay couples stood side by side, Goths and Jocks, Punks and Preppies, you name it, they were there. Yes, this mass was a true representation of the wonderful diversity of Canada. All had come together as one in a show of peace and solidarity with a common goal - True freedom in the face of Government oppression.

Now I'm not sure about you, but for me, being a part of such an event is literally life transforming. Witnessing people come together in peace and love regardless of where they came from, well, the only way I can possibly describe it is emotionally overwhelming. Pride fills you up because in the moment, you cannot help but feel more a part of the Human Race than you even thought possible.

As I marched I snapped photos along the route. Motorists honked in approval and pedestrians and shopkeepers stood back in awe of over 20 000 people unified in a cause we deeply believe in. For those of you who may scoff & think this was just about people wanting to get high in public, you could not be further from the truth. While admittedly there is some novelty in the act of partaking in the use of Cannabis openly while police respectfully stood looking on, our message is so much more complex.

We marched in hopes of being recognized by our Government, and to bring awareness to those who may not know that our rallying cries "go deeper than Pot". We marched to bring forth that we as Canadians, as Humans, deserve the freedom of making choices for ourselves. We marched in hope that every one of us as individuals could one day soon let go of the fear of incarceration for utilizing Nature. We marched for the sick who are deemed Criminals for choosing Cannabis over prescription narcotics. We marched because our Government convicts us as criminals because we wish to use Cannabis as our method of medicine and recreation. We marched because this War on Drugs is, and always will be, a War on People.

Prohibition of Cannabis instantly proves that we as Canadians are not living in a free society. If we were truly free we wouldn't be hunted down by police for using a plant that is less harmful than alcohol, nicotine, prescription drugs, poor eating habits and caffeine.

Laws are necessary, we understand this. They are put in place to encourage people from inflicting harm and pain on others. But why must our Government become "Big Brother" when it comes to our very own selves? What right does Government have to demand that we abstain from one substance, and not others? Especially when they hold their hand out, collecting billions of dollars in tax revenue from alcohol and cigarettes? How dare they give full support to big pharmaceutical drug companies while crushing those of use who grow and consume Cannabis as our choice of medicine? Persecution for Cannabis is more harmful than the plant itself.

While yes, it is true that Medical Marijuana is legal in Canada, actually getting a prescription from a brave Doctor, getting through the pages of paperwork that may take over a year for Health Canada to process, and being able to afford the 1500% marked up Government Marijuana is a very real obstacle for most.

When faced with such highly demanding obstacles, is it any wonder why most of us choose to obtain our medicine through the black market? Can you blame us for cutting through ridiculous government red tape and just taking care of ourselves?

Stephen Harper et al have no right to tell me what I can, or cannot put into my body. Just as Government has no right to tell a woman whether or not she can have an abortion, Government has no right to tell me what I things I can ingest. I would go to jail for this belief. I would give up my life as I know it for this belief. I would die for this belief. Extreme? Not for me. I have been a victim of Big Pharma, I have been a victim of synthetic drugs wreaking pure havoc in my body, and I refuse to be a victim any more. I refuse to have any politician tell me they know my own body better than me. The mere notion of that is ridiculous.

When Government enacts Prohibition, it conveys "We do not trust Canadian adults to make decisions for yourselves. We're politicians, not Doctors, but we know what is best for your health."

So I marched along with the thousands of others on that day because I want to be a part of the movement to change Canadian law. I marched to show my disapproval of the Conservative Governments' introduction of Bill C-15 and Mandatory Minimum Sentencing. I marched on behalf of those who are currently incarcerated, torn away from their families and communities in the face of draconian drug laws that were born of racism and corporate greed and later fueled by Big Pharma and the Prison Industrial Complex.

At the Main Stage the countdown began and right at 4:20 the crowd cheered and I lit up with the rest of the festival goers around me. Rebel Emergency started to play and even though we were soggy and wet it didn't matter. We danced, we sang, we watched the lead singer ride the crowd on a Surf Board!

The organizers of the festival did a truly remarkable job, and deserve much thanks from all of us who enjoyed the days events. While I had a few cringe-worthy moments throughout the day (all my notes getting soaked, missing the "Brownie Booth", my Camera - Nooooo!) it was a truly awesome life experience. The peace and love shared by upwards of 25 000 was electric! It gave me hope that one day in the near future Canadians will once again regain our right to use Cannabis. Prohibition must end - our world will be a much better, safer, happier place because of it.

Needless to say, I can't wait for next year!


Video I made with my pics from the day.
~You would think the cover of the next days' Toronto Sun would have shown the sea of almost 30 000 marchers filling up the streets of Toronto - but no. Featured was a picture of retired figure skater Elvis Stojko - casually talking to someone about Karate.

The Peanut Gallery

"The prosecution of thousands of otherwise law-abiding citizens every year is both hypocritical and an affront to individual, civil and human rights."

~ Raymond Kendall, Secretary General of Interpol

I read an article in The Vancouver Sun: "Thousands of marijuana smokers gather in Vancouver to celebrate '420'" and, as always, just like on thousands of other internet message boards and commentary sections of cannabis-related articles, there were some comments that just oozed misinformation and propaganda-drenched thinking. Here are some quotes from Harry J. Anslinger, Director of the FBN, that underpin the current propaganda and which are the foundation for cannabis prohibition.

"There are 100,000 total marijuana smokers in the US, and most are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos, and entertainers. Their Satanic music, jazz, and swing, result from marijuana use. This marijuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes, entertainers, and any others."

"...the primary reason to outlaw marijuana is its effect on the degenerate races."

"Marijuana is an addictive drug which produces in its users insanity, criminality, and death."

"Reefer makes darkies think they're as good as white men."

"Marihuana leads to pacifism and communist brainwashing"

"You smoke a joint and you're likely to kill your brother."

"Marijuana is the most violence-causing drug in the history of mankind."

In 1930, a new division in the Treasury Department was established: the Federal Bureau of Narcotics or FBN. Andrew Mellon, owner of Mellon Bank and head of the Department of Treasury, named his nephew-in-law, Harry J. Anslinger, as the director. Mellon was good friends with William Randolph Hearst, owner of a newspaper empire and heavy investor in the timber industry. Hearst did not want to compete with hemp, nor did DuPont want to compete with hemp in the textile and plastics industry, this all set the stage for The Marijuana Tax Act of 1937.

After two years of secret planning, Anslinger brought his plan to Congress -- complete with a scrapbook full of sensational Hearst editorials, stories of ax murderers who had supposedly smoked marijuana, and racial slurs.

The Bureau used the Mexican slang term marijuana in the legislation and not publicizing it as a bill about cannabis or hemp. At this point, marijuana (or marihuana) was a sensationalist word used to refer to Mexicans smoking a drug and had not been connected in most people's minds to the existing cannabis/hemp plant. Thus, many who had legitimate reasons to oppose the bill weren't even aware of it.

These are the underlying reasons cannabis is illegal: racism and corporate greed. And, for the life of me, I cannot understand why Canada buys into such madness. If we don’t oppose legislation like Bill C-15 (6-9 Months in jail for growing ONE Cannabis Plant) we are surely heading down a dark path of destruction. Studies show that mandatory minimum sentencing does not work. Ask yourself if you want to continue to live within a system where billions of dollars are spent annually to support an ever growing prison system filled with otherwise law abiding non-violent "offenders". What do you think of the State of Texas? Who in 1997 built ONE university - and 77 prisons. Is that a Canada you are prepared to live in? Because if we keep this unrealistic War On a Plant up I'm afraid that's where we're headed.

There are many substances that aren’t good for us - alcohol being among the worst - but we don’t throw alcoholics in jail unless they have broken the law. No, we treat alcoholism as a health problem, with medical supervision and rehabilitation. That is the humane approach to addiction, not jail. One could argue that too many cheeseburgers and pop and potato chips and Twinkies and Timmie’s Cafe Lattes are also harmful to one’s health, but we don’t throw obese people and sugar fiends in jail either.

Legalizing cannabis will have a ripple effect throughout our communities. Families won’t lose bread winners who are sent to jail for simple possession, and we can make billions of dollars from a revitalized Hemp Industry, creating Green Jobs and helping our environment.

People will save money by being able to grow their own medicine, as well as become healthier for not ingesting so many synthetic legally prescribed narcotics. People with cancer and HIV disease and Multiple Sclerosis sufferers will be able to treat their pain without the fear of arrest. Addicts can get help in Harm Reduction programs without the fear of incarceration - making them more likely to seek help.

We would be able to keep drugs out of the hands of minors more effectively because, unlike drug dealers, cannabis dispensaries are going to require ID. You can ask any high school kid and they will tell you, it is hard to get alcohol and cigarettes because of age restrictions, but they could have pot in their hands within minutes. Legalizing it will wipe out the cannabis black market which violent gangs profit from, also lessening related violence in our society. Look at Mexican Drug Cartels, the Prohibition of the Cannabis plant causes more death and destruction than the actual plant ever could.

The "Gateway Theory" also does not hold - if it did there would be crackheads and heroin users crawling the streets, because MILLIONS use Cannabis and never touch the harder stuff. The nonpartisan National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine -- which published a multiyear, million-dollar federal study assessing marijuana and health in 1999 stated: "millions of Americans have tried marijuana, but most are not regular users [and] few marijuana users become dependent on it." The investigator added, "[A]though [some] marijuana users develop dependence, they appear to be less likely to do so than users of other drugs (including alcohol and nicotine), and marijuana dependence appears to be less severe than dependence on other drugs."

Prohibition also causes cannabis-seeking citizens to associate with drug dealers, and it is usually they who try to up sell harder drugs like methamphetamine and heroin. After all, they are trying to make you a lifelong customer and cannabis is less addictive than other widely used intoxicants, including caffeine. Having safe dispensaries in which to purchase Cannabis would cut down one's exposure to these more harmful substances and dangerous situations dramatically.

In the end, what we choose to put into our own bodies should be a personal choice, and not one of the Government. It's time for everyone to shake off the Propaganda that has been shoved down our sheepish little throats for over 70 years and look a little deeper for the truth. The Government must realize it can't legislate human behavior. As long as someone is using cannabis responsibly, there is no reason to demonize and criminalize this wonder plant. Cannabis has been used by the human race for over 10,000 years, yet there has never been one recorded death from a Cannabis overdose, but thousands of people die in Canada every year from nicotine, alcohol, prescription medication reactions and side effects, unhealthy eating, and caffeine. So why is it that cannabis is illegal? Since when should moral judgment trump scientific fact?

Prohibition must end. It didn't work for alcohol (Al Capone, anyone?) and it will never, ever, work for Cannabis. Just ask the thousands of people who turned up to celebrate 420 in Vancouver, or the 15 000+ who showed up in Colorado, and the thousands who turned up to hundreds of 420 celebrations around the globe. Yet to come? The Global Marijuana March on May 2nd.

Whether you agree with using Cannabis or not, it comes down to citizens being free to make that personal decision for ourselves. Cannabis is here to stay and it's never going to go away. Better to legalize it, regulate it, and take control away from drug cartels. It's the smart thing to do.

Pass It to The Left.

Like the LCBO for Liquor, Canadians could have Legal,
Regulated Cannabis Dispensaries.
~Pic from FrankDiscussion.net