A recent Fortune Magazine article, “How Marijuana Became Legal” should give Constitutional activists some great ideas on how to approach other issues where the federal government is outside the scope of their constitutionally-delegated powers. Here’s an excerpt:
Over the years the government’s position has become progressively more embattled, if not untenable.
Thirteen states now have laws that let residents use marijuana medicinally, typically to alleviate chronic pain (particularly nerve pain caused by diabetes, AIDS, and hepatitis); manage movement disorders and muscle spasticity (especially for multiple sclerosis patients); as an anti-nausea and anti-vomiting agent (for those, say, undergoing chemotherapy); and as an appetite stimulant (yes, as in “the munchies”) for those with wasting diseases like AIDS and cancer.
Another 15 states are weighing legislation or ballot initiatives that could turn them into medical marijuana states by next year.
My view of this is less about marijuana in particular, and more about the method it’s becoming de-facto legalized in America. This is not happening because a bunch of activists are marching on D.C. or calling federal legislators, or lobbying the federal government in any way.
The moral of the story? Ignore the federal government. You can be far more effective when you do.
The fact is that hemp grown for fiber, whether by George Washington in 1790, by Kentucky growers in 1935, or by English farmers in 1994, has never contained psychoactive qualities. If one were to roll leaves from an industrial hemp plant into a cigarette and smoke them, no euphoric effects would be experienced even if a thousand hemp cigarettes were smoked.
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Join us in California by donating or volunteering for the California Cannabis Initiative who is working hard at bringing us The LEGALIZE, REGULATE, AND TAX MARIJUANA INITIATIVE of 2010 to the ballot box. Lets end this senseless war that has drained our local, state and federal treasuries and has destroyed more families and lives than any drug itself could have ever done.
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Then I stand corrected. I’m sorry for misunderstanding your article. OH and thanks for the interview with Paul, GREAT JOB!
I have several friends (and fellow Cannabis consumers), that will talk about how great it’ll be once Cannabis is re-classified from a Schedual 1 narco. I usually interrupt their day dream with a question like,”Oh so you’ve written your congress people, you’ve called the President of the US?” Astoundingly, NO they haven’t.
I write (and get responses) so much that my wife is afraid I’ll get on the radar. I told her, “I don’t want to be a blip on the screen, I wanna take up the whole damn thing!” I would love an oppertunity to stand up in front of the President and Congress to tell them, “I am 1 in a hundred thousand responsible US citzens that consume Cannabis, and by this personal choice am labeled a criminal because of some draconic laws based on racism and greed!”
Sorry bout that I’ll get off my soap box now. Hahaha
“This is not happening because a bunch of activists are marching on D.C. or calling federal legislators, or lobbying the federal government in any way”.
No lobbying?! Are you kidding me? Have you never heard of NORML, the MPP, or LEAP.cc? And these are the big ones! There are tons of tiny “Grass Root” movements going on in every state.
EVERY SINGLE DAY, I send messages from my local government, and State Reps, all the way up to the Commander and Chief himself (and all stops in between).
I urge anyone interested in ending Cannabis Prohibtion please visit the above mentioned sites, or sign the petition found at: http://marijuanalobby.org
Daryl, the point is not that people are not getting active…the point is that it’s happening state-by-state and not through some organized campaign targeting congress. the national method isn’t as effective as the state method.
If you want some further info, you might be interested in my recent podcast interview with NORML’s Deputy Director, Paul Armentano.
HempisUseful –
I agree that industrial use should be legalized immediately, and with little resistance. The troubles are that 1) there is spirited resistance simply through association with drug-cultivated Cannabis; 2) drug legalization advocates are too often loath to give up this argument as a point in favor of recreational legalization. I happen to be in favor of recreational, legal, regulated marijuana use and ready to have that debate without the crutch of “hemp is industrially useful” but I’m in the minority on that side of the argument.
No one gets high from hemp. Start with re-legalizing hemp. Hemp produces oil and fibers. Oil that can be consumed, and burned, without adding greenhouse gasses. Hemp diesel works just as well as oil diesel, without the added pollution. We could grow our own oil fields, with oil you can cook with. Why is this illegal? It makes no sense.
Thanks for feedback and insight here. A few points:
Change – yes it is. State by state there certainly is a move towards legalization. There’s now 13 states with medical marijuana laws, and 15 more considering them. That’s moving a lot faster than any efforts focused solely on the feds.
Hemp – there are efforts, from my understanding, to do the same with hemp on a state level as is being done with MJ. Would be interesting to learn more about that, though.
Hi, This is Laura Murphy in Bozeman Montana. I have the first license for industrial hemp in Montana and we will be grow it this spring.I'll be In L.a. next week and hope to meet with you. Look me up in google hemp news and check out my non profit http://www.montanahempfarmers.org
I don’t know why they’re pussy-footing around on this. They should have legalized the stuff years ago. The fact that they legalize booze and tobacco, two of the most toxic and destructive drugs known to man, and haven’t allowed legal use of cannabis (has never killed anyone. Ever.) is the prime example of the hypocrisy of this nation.
Legalize. Tax. Regulate. Get over your opinions and let people enjoy what God gave them.
WAKE UP AMERICA!
Is marijuana becoming legal?? ..I live in Georgia and that sounds like a pipe dream!