Michael Gruber
Rachel Robson
C&C Bullshit
March 20 2009
Policy Paper/Speech
The Legalization of Marijuana
The legalization of Marijuana has become a fairly controversial subject due to ignorance and stupidity. It is commonly thought that weed was originally criminalized through extensive scientific tests, and government investigations, two supposedly trustworthy sources for information. This is not the case. The illegality of weed, as a recreational drug, is unconstitutional, and should, ergo, be changed.
The process of criminalization was similar to that of the prohibition of alcoholic beverages in the early twentieth century. In 1910 California was having trouble with illegal immigration from Mexico, which is weird. To alleviate this problem California passed the first state law outlawing the preparation of hemp or Loco weed, in hopes that it would remove the craziness from the Mexican’s, or get rid of them all together. I couldn’t figure out how this law was supposed to do that, but that was its intent. Other southern and south western states were having the same problems, so they tried the same solution. It clearly hasn’t worked. Mexicans are still crazy as hell, and they continue to break into my country like it’s going to become illegal soon. By 1927 8 states had anti-pot acts.
The other states didn’t have a problem with weed that is until racism became involved. Black people loved their reefer, and their music. As Jazz became more and more popular so did weed. It became an integral part of the music.” As newspapers editorialized, ‘Marihuana influences Negroes to look at white people in the eye, step on white men's shadows and look at a white woman twice’." In 1930 the New Orleans Medical and Surgical Journal published an article on Hashish, a purified form of THC, the substance in Marijuana that runs the show. The article stated "Under the influence of hashish those fanatics would madly rush at their enemies, and ruthlessly massacre everyone within their grasp." Shortly thereafter weed started being associated with violence.
Around this time Harry Anslinger established the Bureau of Narcotics. At this point the only he would only be receiving funding from tax money from opiates and cocaine. This was not enough for him. He launched a campaign against Marijuana. The following are some of his reasons why there should be a federal law criminalizing weed.
"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 the year 1090, there was founded in Persia the religious and military order of the Assassins, whose history is one of cruelty, barbarity, and murder, and for good reason: the members were confirmed users of hashish, or marihuana, and it is from the Arabs' 'hashashin' that we have the English word 'assassin.'"
This is clearly bullshit, but along with some help from a biased media, it resulted in the Marijuana tax act of 1937. The only opposition to this act, or the findings of Ansinger, was the AMA. Ansinger’s brilliant use of irrational fear, and ignorance easily defeated science and reason. That’s it, that is why marijuana is illegal.
If you imbibe Marijuana through drink, or food, there are absolutely no adverse side effects. The bullshit you hear in the media is the immediate effects of the drug. While you are intoxicated you might experience some of these symptoms, BUT THEY ARE NOT PERMANENT. Smoking anything can cause diseases in the respiratory system, but there is no conclusive evidence that eating or drinking it has any permanent adverse effects.
My policy is that there is no law whatsoever regarding Marijuana, and any laws that are in place are abolished, and everyone I know gets ten thousand dollars. The money comes from all those fucking bullshit earmarks, and the other part doesn’t need enforcing. Also this is a federal thing, so any state laws are overruled courtesy of Honest Abe’s war on freedom.
The only reasons people would disagree with this policy is if they are religious idiots, or socialists. It would be unconstitutional to have any laws regarding the use of Marijuana at all. The fact that THC causes intoxication is thought to be immoral in some religions, I don’t care. Screw your religion, that’s my right. Socialists and fools, but I repeat myself; say we should tax the sale of pot. Remember the Boston tea party? That could become the Boston weed party, except then it would be burned, and it we would probably never get around to completely destroying all of it. What I am saying is that any arguments against my policy are unconstitutional, unless they are about the ten grand. In which case I probably don’t know you.
(2009) The History of the Non-Medical Use of Drugs in the United States
Charles Whitebread, Professor of Law, USC Law School, http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/History/whiteb1.htm
(2009) Report 6 of the Council on Scientific Affairs
http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/no-index/about-ama/13625.shtml
(2009)Why Marijuana is Illegal, a history of the criminalization of cannabis http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/hemp/history/conspiracy_toc.html
