2008 Woodie Awards
'Why not pot?'
Kevin Conner
Issue date: 2/18/08 Section: Op-Ed
I will tell you why. In 1910, Mormons who lived in Utah began traveling to Mexico and coming home with marijuana. This upset the Mormon Church, who quickly voted against the plant's use in their communities. Because the Church and the state of Utah were so united, the first prohibition of marijuana law was passed there in 1915.
Now, states' rights are states' rights, and the Constitution clearly lays this out. The big issue comes into play today because states are losing these rights to reverse their laws against marijuana use, due to the federal governments' ban against the plant. This ban, which is in no way tied to criminal offense or medical history, was passed under the guise of a "tax law," called the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937. This "tax law" required all those who possessed, transported or grew marijuana to obtain a 'marijuana tax stamp' to be able to do these activities. The kicker comes in here: The federal government printed only a few of these stamps. And, to get a stamp, you had to already have the marijuana in your possession. That meant you were breaking the law to get a stamp by not having a stamp! All this was being implemented during that strange time in history when the big 'pot scare' was on in United States.
Why was this prohibition a tax law? You may be asking. Well, as the Constitution states, "Congress shall write no law," - which is a laugh these days - but back then they still had some sort of audacity to uphold the real writings of our founders. So it is a tax law.
I now direct your attention to our country today. Countless cases have been popping up regarding Federal involvement in states issuing medical marijuana. During these 'stings,' our federal government sits outside of medical marijuana facilities and arrests old women and men with glaucoma and muscular dystrophy for possession of marijuana. The purpose of the Constitution was to stop this sort of nonsense from happening by giving the power to the states. But since 'we' decided to ignore that our states are losing their rights to govern themselves. Medical marijuana is no threat to our national security. It is no threat to anything. Who cares if people are smoking a joint to relieve whatever ails them? I surely do not.
Now, states' rights are states' rights, and the Constitution clearly lays this out. The big issue comes into play today because states are losing these rights to reverse their laws against marijuana use, due to the federal governments' ban against the plant. This ban, which is in no way tied to criminal offense or medical history, was passed under the guise of a "tax law," called the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937. This "tax law" required all those who possessed, transported or grew marijuana to obtain a 'marijuana tax stamp' to be able to do these activities. The kicker comes in here: The federal government printed only a few of these stamps. And, to get a stamp, you had to already have the marijuana in your possession. That meant you were breaking the law to get a stamp by not having a stamp! All this was being implemented during that strange time in history when the big 'pot scare' was on in United States.
Why was this prohibition a tax law? You may be asking. Well, as the Constitution states, "Congress shall write no law," - which is a laugh these days - but back then they still had some sort of audacity to uphold the real writings of our founders. So it is a tax law.
I now direct your attention to our country today. Countless cases have been popping up regarding Federal involvement in states issuing medical marijuana. During these 'stings,' our federal government sits outside of medical marijuana facilities and arrests old women and men with glaucoma and muscular dystrophy for possession of marijuana. The purpose of the Constitution was to stop this sort of nonsense from happening by giving the power to the states. But since 'we' decided to ignore that our states are losing their rights to govern themselves. Medical marijuana is no threat to our national security. It is no threat to anything. Who cares if people are smoking a joint to relieve whatever ails them? I surely do not.
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Viewing Comments 1 - 6 of 6
Lisa LaRocco
posted 2/18/08 @ 8:24 PM EST
I couldn't agree more. I have written a research paper and given a persuasive speech on why marijuana should be legalized, at the very least for those who use it for medical purposes. (Continued…)
Jeff
posted 2/18/08 @ 10:57 PM EST
Very good points and I agree whole heartedly with you that cannabis should be legal for medical and recreational use. It is evil, cruel and sadistically insane for a government to prohibit the use of a drug that is non addictive non fatal and does not spawn a myriad of other fatal diseases while legalizing alcohol and nicotine the 2 true gateway drugs. (Continued…)
Buzzby
posted 2/19/08 @ 3:21 PM EST
"Countless cases have been popping up regarding Federal involvement in states issuing medical marijuana. During these 'stings,' our federal government sits outside of medical marijuana facilities and arrests old women and men with glaucoma and muscular dystrophy for possession of marijuana. (Continued…)
Melanie
posted 2/25/08 @ 3:45 PM EST
Plain and simple common sense. We have slept through the takeover and now we are owned. Serfs, still toiling to feed the master, just a new master now. (Continued…)
Robt.D.McKenzie
posted 2/26/08 @ 9:18 AM EST
www.helium.com/knowledge/61885-tycoons-drugs
Peer reviewed writing on topic.
Drug addiction treatment
posted 5/23/08 @ 12:23 PM EST
You have some good points here but I think you are missing something... would you care if your kids smoked marijuana? I would sure do. Smoking marijuana may be just a step today towards smoking harder drugs tomorrow. (Continued…)
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