"REEFER MADNESS - 2010" : } The Dangers Of Marijuana : } Introduction

"Reefer Madness 2010":


Enough is enough already! It's like Orson Wells, "War of the Worlds", never went away. A myth that lingers... but a myth that hurts many people in so many ways. Marijuana Prohibition hurts people. And that's the one moral I believe in. "Do Not Hurt Others".

I believe the laws against cannabis are, to be blunt, completely "BOGUS." The laws prohibiting use and it's status as a "stepping stone to harder drugs", are anecdotal, and not based on any sound scientific research. In fact, what genuine research has actually shown, has produced a far different medicinal/recreational case than what many claim, calling it the "demon weed".

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The next few posts will conclude my "Cannabis Series"... I need to go back to the "History of cannabis' post, which is unfinished, but within these final few posts I will explore in, a literary sense, the dangers of marijuana, as seen today in 2010 - approximately 75 years since ganja/cannabis got renamed "marijuana", as an affront to Mexican immigrants, legal or not, in my opinion.

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This fall, Californian voters will cast ballots to determine whether cannabis should be legal for personal use. The surveys say, a majority of Californians support legalization. Most recently, despite threats from the state government, Massachusetts reduced possession of under an ounce of cannabis to the same as a traffic fine, and I read recently, the police usually let the people keep their weed.

Several states have legalized cannabis to some extent. But there is still a lot of misunderstanding as to what cannabis is, how it can be a a legitimate Federal Schedule One drug, and yet have obvious medical value; why exactly is it considered dangerous enough to authorize SWAT raids on families with children present? When the only crime committed is possession and use by adults in the privacy of their home.

I hope to address these questions and issues in the following posts.

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I know some may view this subject as being adult in nature, but may I suggest it's much more than that? When federal and state governments use the claim that cannabis prohibition is just and reasonable, because legalization will send the wrong message to those underage, and promote the use; not only of cannabis, but all other "street drugs", the message is wrong. A article I read a year or so ago actually found tobacco was the "stepping stone drug", but it gained no real attention, except to myself. 

The subject is one of teaching about drugs, legal or not. I almost died from alcohol poisoning at age 16... I had no idea how dangerous it could be. I got hooked on tobacco at age 14. Still am, and have quit countless times, for as long as 3 years, over the past 40 years since then.

Alcohol, as the 18th amendment proved, is non-prohibitive, which means, it can't be outlawed as it's a virtual impossibility. 100 years of Temperance movements beginning in the 1840's, and ultimately, it was total failure... Tobacco, which contains the narcotic drug: nicotine, would be equally non-prohibitive. Add in the societal acceptance of said drugs, and their popularity, you can see why they are rarely the topic of danger that street drugs are. Except for the "canned warnings" on the bottles and packs, we largely ignore them.

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Cannabis continues to this day to inspire so many people... and movies - think "Harold and Kumar" , and so many books. People, from everyday stoners, to Olympic Greats, like Michael Phelps, stars like Willy Nelson, Woody Harrelson, Sarah Silverman and Bob Dylan. Millions of Americans enjoy cannabis... and many have nothing to do with "hard drugs".

Based on my own survey (bottom of this blog), not only do the majority wish it were legal, but they prefer it to alcohol. According to research available at LEAP.cc , 99% of cannabis users have no interest in hard drugs.

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There is a vibrant, rich and hilarious history behind marijuana prohibition, beginning during the 1930's. That's interesting to consider. There is also a great tragedy that's been unfolding since then, and despite the best scientific and logical minds, we can't seem to get past the stereotypes. The harm suffered by American citizens due to "marijuana prohibition" is far, far greater than the alleged harm your average user is accused of causing. Yes, there are dangers with cannabis... as with everything, including drinking too much water. But with cannabis, it all begins with:

William Randolph Hearst, the magazine mogul, who was very active in promoting the anti-marijuana sentiment back in the 1930's. The reason: alleged prejudice towards Blacks and Mexican (illegal) immigrants. Modern DVD's can be found like the following, where you can see the fine art of anti-marijuana propaganda from back in the 30's. The reality is anything but what you'll see. And in my following posts I will attempt to clarify what the dangers of cannabis truly are. I provide a primer, below the following image.

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THE DANGERS OF CANNABIS/MARIJUANA:

#1) The premise and reality that law enforcement in many parts of the country are "addicted to marijuana"... to the drug enforcement money provided by the federal government. Without this money, law enforcement would crumble. That according to the two articles/links that follow. And the average cannabis user, is caught in the "cross-fire", is LE's favorite target, with a huge disparity between Blacks and Whites incarcerated and in trouble with the law because of this feeding frenzy. I'm not making this up... Read about it below:

Law Enforcement Addicted to Marijuana: FOX NEWS, and here: The WALL STREET JOURNAL

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To be continued...

BOBKAT'S 4TH OF JULY CELEBRE - HISTORY 1776

Yes I celebrate the 4th of July... I also know somethings about the history, the founding of our Country...

There were 13 colonies in America in 1776... of the 13, 12 voted with the Declaration of Independence. It was a radical, and defiant document... against the King of England who oversaw all of colonial America. It was a document that was signed by our founders, like John Hancock, whose signature was "most flamboyant", and Ben Franklin, who by then was age 70: it was Franklin who famously said: “We must all hang together, or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately.”  It is that document, this defiance as American's that we celebrate.

This document also most clearly establishes the intentions and concerns that led to who we are  as Americans today, and our "fathers" original goal. Principal among them is this irrefutable truth:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."


When we talk about what is right or wrong, when we bicker among ourselves, point fingers at those who don't "think or act" like we do, we need to celebrate the fact that there are differences among us, as was the original belief among our forefathers, that led to the goal of this country, and learn to be tolerant of our differences, to work together.

From the following link, you can see Abraham Lincoln also believed, the key to understanding the US Constitution lay in using the Declaration of Independence as the source for interpretation  and understanding of the US Constitution.

Recent Supreme Court matters have often raised the question of how bound justices are to absolute "judgement of law based on law, and many senators believe justices to be mear instruments to make judgments. I strongly disagree. Supreme Court Judges, as all judges, must consider in both concretely and objectively, the truth. To do this based upon the key - our Declaration... the reason we are Americans today..

WIKIPEDIA LINK:
 "The passage: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident...' has often been used to promote the rights of marginalized groups, and (has) came to represent for many people a moral standard for which the United States should strive. This view was greatly influenced by Abraham Lincoln, who considered the Declaration to be the foundation of his political philosophy, and promoted the idea that the Declaration is a statement of principles through which the United States Constitution should be interpreted."

What have we accomplished in "Pursuit of Happiness"? Do we care about others as we do ourselves? Have we "voted" in a way that acknowledges the rights of others, though their pursuits are sound, though maybe not what we pursue.

Enabling an individual, which includes yourself, to be able to be happy, is a challenge when considering how strongly we feel about our own principles. How willing are we to accept those different from ourselves? The problem with the "civil rights " movement was it established laws and regulations, it failed to provide basic human rights... to make clear, there is no such thing as racism... it failed to emphasize that point.

Benjamin Franklin wasn't kidding about being strung up and hung! They were taking a very real risk! You didn't defy the King of England back then, and not hang by a rope until dead.

The American Revolution succeeded... not that everyone was in favor of it. Of course not. And that continues until today... it's what makes our country unique. Our ability to compromise, reason, accept, listen to, understand, and forgive... and become advocates and activists. It is the American Way.

What makes you happy?


HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!!

Source:SD.GOV

INTERMISSION and GEORGE the Cat...

I'm going to post a short Intermission...

After "Getting Stoned on Sarah Silverman", I have to admit to having had a rebirth experience. I felt myself in my 20's again, but I know I'm not that. The experience nonetheless was rewarding. Imagine - a world of politicians, and no Sarah Silverman's... or Mary Janes... yeah... tough world... but Sarah is here... and Single... ahhh - to dream is to hope.

Expect more humor and satire in my next posts.... I've been thinking...

In the meantime... until then...

Here's a picture of George (yes, I called him Twearth previously, and he's not named after G. Bush, Jr.; he's named after George Harrison, the Beatle).

George is now around 7 yo, loves the outdoors, and is the perfect home and barn-yard cat...  he oversees two - three dozen free-range chickens... keeping the farm rodent free. He's received several medals (treats) already, and one big scare... one where I thought he was a goner.

But we found him, as dusk crept down in a pouring, cold rain... after an hour or more of searching in the nearby woods, with what seemed like a faint "meow" coming from what seemed, another dimension...  I narrowed him down to a certain area; my house-mate was searching elsewhere nearby.

It was really hard to look up... but I forced myself, trying to look up into hundreds of branches. The rain blurred my vision, my eye-glasses useless. But I saw him... So small up there on a branch... a15 pound cat, looking like a 5 pound drenched cat. He was perched at least 15 - 20 feet up tree, too scared to move.

We had to go to the barn, get a ladder and stretch up to reach him, and avoid getting ripped to shreds - he was scared. We figure a local predator like a bobcat, coyote, or fox scared him up the tree. The good news - much nature-smarter now... a very good cat.

George; 7 yo; 18lb; Adopted from the SPCA 2008

Paid to sleep on the job... when not protecting our property from rodents.

George is doing a Good Job!


My kind of work...

ICE 9.1 - STONED ON KURT VONNEGUT, JR., and HERMANN HESSE

My apology to Mr. Vonnegut... Kurt Vonnegut, the writer... for getting to him so late. I'm just getting around to acknowledge him, and the profound influence his novels had on me during my 20's, the 1970's... Hesse too.

I remember "Ice Nine" in particular, A story within the novel, "Cat's Cradle". The whole world turns to ice, due to a "stable polymorph" introduced into water. Everything dies... within hours, or minutes. And it happens, in Cat's Cradle. Can't help but compare it to the tragedy in the Gulf of Mexico - the "BP Spill".


Not exactly something to feel good about - stoned or not. In ICE NINE the world freezes completely. In the Gulf, everything turns to oil.

WIKIPEDIA LINK:
"Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. (pronounced /ˈvɒnɨɡət/; November 11, 1922 – April 11, 2007) was an American novelist who wrote works blending satire, black comedy, and science fiction, such as Slaughterhouse-Five (1969), Cat's Cradle (1963), and Breakfast of Champions (1973). He was known for his humanist beliefs as well as being honorary president of theAmerican Humanist Association. He is widely considered one of the most influential American writers of the 20th century."

Vonnegut speaking in 2004

One of the effects of Vonnegut's books are how they blend together.. I've read and reread his novels, "Slaughterhouse five", for example, a novel with a very personal view of WWII. What gets me stoned is not because I have a rush reading Vonnegut, but rather... a connection - a high from connecting and living the stories. Like an out of body experience.

My mentor during the 1970's, Professor DS,  suggested that not only should I reserve some books for when I'm older -like over 50... but reread the ones that touched you when you were younger., back then in my 20's.


I can think of one novel in particular that I saved - by Hermann Hesse' , "The Glass bead Game"... I remember only that unlike his other novels, of which I read them all, "The Glass bead game" was mathematically challenging. I wasn't able to climb that peak, back then. But, soon... I will.


Authors like Vonnegut, Hesse, can heighten awareness, influence thoughts, change behavior. It's just like getting stoned on "marijuana". The only difference is that cannabis often provides a temporary, nitrous oxide effect (laughing gas), a rush of sorts... but then these novels do much the same... providing a high, and euphoria, as well as esoteric experiences.


WIKIPEDIA LINK: 

Hermann Hesse... maybe not what you picture for a spiritual guide... but similar to Vonegut, they're masters.

Hermann Hesse in 1927

"Hermann Hesse (July 2, 1877 – August 9, 1962)...  was aGerman-born, Swiss poet, novelist, and painter. In 1946, he received the Nobel Prize in Literature. His best-known works include 'Steppenwolf', 'Siddhartha', 'Narcissus and Goldmund', and 'The Glass Bead Game(also known as Magister Ludi)'. Each explores an individual's search for authenticity, self-knowledge and spirituality."


My own epiphany:

"What's that that makes us who we are? So elusive as to pay it no mind... you can ignore it, or embrace it. If you "embrace it", "IT has a right to BE too! You are not a god. You do not own it. If you ignore it, you ignore yourself, which in effect is taking your life for granted."