Before our class discussion about the legality of certain drugs, even though I thought it was unnecessary to illegalize marijuana, I figured that I just didn’t know the facts and that the government must have had some legitimate reasons. However, after my on-line research, I am completely baffled as to why marijuana is, indeed, illegal.
Marijuana (Cannabis) was first made illegal in Utah in 1915 because the church disapproved, and other states followed suit, but for different reasons. There was much discrimination and racism towards the Mexicans during this time period, and many people believed that everything that the Mexicans did was for wrong reasons, and that they only wanted to empower themselves. People believed that after the Mexicans smoked, they would think that they owned the plantations they worked at and some government officials were quoted, “When some beet field peon takes a few traces of this stuff… he thinks he has just been elected president of Mexico, so he starts out to execute all his political enemies..All Mexicans are crazy, and this stuff [marijuana] is what makes them crazy.” Along with racism towards Mexicans, there was also racism towards African Americans, especially southern jazz musicians, in whose music and lifestyles marijuana was quickly integrated. The federal government, once again, thought that their control was diminishing and that the “African Americans felt that they were equal.” Another misconception was that the word “assassin” was derived from “hashish,” another word for marijuana, and that those who used it could be convinced to murder enemies.
Henry Aslinger, who worked for the Bureau of Narcotics, decided it would be good to add marijuana to the list of drugs that the government was trying to outlaw. He enlisted the help of William Randolph Hearst to use yellow journalism to make the idea of banning marijuana a nationwide effort. Because the hemp (marijuana) plant had many uses, including for cloth, rope, and especially paper, Hearst, who used timber, didn’t want to compete against it for his newspaper material. Additionally, he abhorred the Mexicans and was ready to employ any means to make them look bad. The Marijuana Tax Act was passed in 1937, making it illegal in the United States of America.
The reasons for which marijuana has been made illegal are completely irrelevant to the actual effects of it when used as a drug, and there was no research done during that time to back up the claims that it was harmful. Whether or not marijuana is a gateway drug is still under debate, and much research is underway, but since it will still take many years for absolute results, experiments are also being done with lab rats. So far it seems that it is only a recreational drug, similar to alcohol or tobacco. It has even been proven to be less harmful in the long run than cigarette smoking and has not been linked to lung cancer. The hemp plants have many uses, but legalizing it now will most likely only guarantee its use as a drug. Still, I think it should be legalized until any confirmed results have been found.
References:
Quotes from: http://blogs.salon.com/0002762/stories/2003/12/22/whyIsMarijuanaIllegal.html
and other information from:
http://www.marijuanaaddiction.info/news-left.htm?aid=49
http://www.marijuanalibrary.org/gateway.html
I know most of us if not all of us have friends that have smoked marijuana so we should know the consequences it has on people. Every time I have seen someone high they seem really happy and mellow which is not bad, it could even be compared to being drunk. I know that all of us have seen someone drunk and most of the time they are really happy, in my opinion if alcohol is legal than marijuana should be too. Even though I have never really smoked marijuana, I know a few people who smoke it so much they probably drink liquids less than they smoke. However, they seem perfectly healthy and some of them even smoke before taking major exams and receive straight A’s, which only goes to show that marijuana does not really affect the brain. I even know a person who smoked marijuana for health purposes and it did miracles for her, she had broken her leg and was in a lot of pain so she would smoke to relieve that pain. Marijuana is used as a pain reliever with many medical diseases so why can it not be used for every person in pain as a legal pain reliever.
I am really glad that boxstar had time to search where marijuana originated from and why it became illegal. I never really understood why it is illegal because it does not have as many long-term affects as alcohol and tobacco, which are both legal. I am really happy with what happened in Massachusetts, even though marijuana is not legalized no one goes to jail for having it in possession.