Why Marijuana should be Legal

By Renato Ferraz

Why Marijuana should be LegalBy Renato FerrazLast Update: 10/15/2003Pre-discussions and opinions prior to litigation and an addition to prior testimony

New Approach:Focus on Marijuana (illegal) vs. Alcohol (legal) and Economic ValueDiscussions:

Introduction Brief Backgrounds and History (where they come from, etc.) Effects and issues concerning our society - Moral, Economic

Values and Health Dealers want Marijuana to remain illegal and tax-free How educated are the people who make the laws and the

public in general? Are they skeptical? Can the lawmakers explain why marijuana is illegal and why

they think it should remain that way Preference and choice Fear of speaking out from fear of conviction What has been done to legalize Marijuana and why all has

failed Current status, Laws (federal, state and local) and cited laws

(when it was legal in the past) and non-represented laws Comparison chart between Marijuana, Alcohol and some

other factors (pros and cons relating to Moral, Economic past and projections and Health issues and census) on all discussions and The Scale of Logic theory.

Who is more of a criminal What is marijuana currently compared to? Fear of Change Other notable points Marijuana laws should mimic the alcohol laws My experience working within or for the government and

doing business with the government I’m not afraid to admit when I made a mistake and factors

Citing prior testimony The lives the current marijuana laws have already ruined Putting the government on trial Making them agree one marijuana issue at a time (instead of

just yes to Marijuana…) All the anti-drug campaigns are already in place Propose giving the new marijuana laws a test run Financial statistics showing tax revenues using alcohols Don’t let them blow it off

IntroductionMany Americans have made valiant efforts for the

Legalization of Marijuana for many years since the 1930’s only to constantly produce failing results and not bring out the more obvious logical factors that should be considered, coupled with seemingly jaded and/or ignorant lawmakers or the people who control the lawmakers. One approach is focusing on the economic value and loss of revenue from potential retail sales. Another approach is comparing Marijuana to Alcohol to prove that the Marijuana laws are contradictory. In a side-by-side comparison, alcohol has a much longer list of negative or more negative aspects than Marijuana.

BackgroundsMarijuana is a natural plant (not man made or can not be

patented), which grows from an actual sphere-like seed unlike weeds, although some consider it to be part of the weed family and it can grow in many settings concerning crop rotation and does not necessarily need the practice of crop rotation. Marijuana creates several different products in industries such as paper, clothing, rope, oil, beauty care products, forms of fuel and obviously consumed via smoke for recreational and medical purposes. Marijuana has stood the test of time and has been used for recreational and industrial purposes for hundreds of years, which is a proven fact.

Alcohol is a liquid, which is and can be produced and/or processed from several types of plants and trees. Alcohol creates several different products in industries such as beverage, fuel, medical, and household cleaning products. Alcohol has stood the

test of time and has been used for recreational and industrial purposes for hundreds of years, which is a proven fact.

Effects and issues concerning our society - Moral, Economic Values and Health

The issues that always seem to be focused on, concerning Marijuana are Moral and Health issues and the negative economic drain it creates and seldom considered is the potential positive economic value it has.

Concerning the Morals of recreational Marijuana use, it is considered morally degrading by many people (armed with the fact that it is illegal) to use Marijuana for recreational purposes and meanwhile, many of these people have no problem with alcohol (armed with the fact that it is legal) being used for recreational purposes and also on the contrary, recreational alcohol use is also considered morally degrading by many people and again, is legal. A notable fact is the bible we swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth with in a court of law has a verse that says god has provided the people of earth the herbs and seed bearing plants to use.

Concerning Health issues, recreational Alcohol consumption causes a statistically and significantly larger amount of medical complications compared to the few Marijuana causes. It has been theorized by many people that Marijuana opens the door to people to experiment with new or more powerful drugs, which is only partially true, because my observations have proved that Alcohol if anything is guiltier of that, due to the fact that you lose more inhabitations and is proven by common slang such as when you hear the term “beer muscles”. Recreational Alcohol consumption has caused a statistically and significantly larger amount of deaths compared to Marijuana. People can drink themselves to death with alcohol in one night and there has never been a case of death from people smoking Marijuana or in other words smoking themselves to death.

Concerning the positive potential economic value, Marijuana sale for recreational use has the potential to produce tax revenue equal to, or superior to the tax revenue that alcohol produces and would relieve the economic strain it has on law enforcement

economics. Marijuana sale for recreational use can significantly increase the value of farm real estate as well as increase agriculture industry. Marijuana sale for recreational use has the potential to increase international trade, import and export and open more avenues of international political and economic relations as well help the economy in these troubled times we currently live in. it is obvious tax payer money is being spent to enforce seemingly contradictory laws.

Dealers want Marijuana to remain illegal and tax-freeDomestic as well as international dealers want Marijuana to remain illegal because of the undocumented cash it produces and the easy ability to launder it and evade taxes. It would also displease international drug dealers because of the losses of business it would cause or importing fees that would need to be paid legitimately at customs although it is notable that they would have a leading edge in legitimate production.

How educated are the peopleConcerning credibility, Is everyone telling the truth? – It seems these days that believing what you hear or read is still a gamble, such as contradictory research we see today, such as a new study that excessive amounts of salt on food is good for you when in the past it was considered a health risk and is still somewhat instilled. Are people who contest the legalization of Marijuana truly educated, have they really done their homework? Should they believe everything they read and hear? I know I do not believe everything I read and hear; otherwise I would have bought the Brooklyn Bridge by now. I am not saying any existing research data is right or wrong, I simply believe Marijuana consumption affects some people differently in the same way alcohol consumption affects some people differently, which can have both positive and negative experiences from one individual to the next.

Can the lawmakers explain why marijuana is illegal and why they think it should remain that way

Many lawmakers and citizens have firm opinions about marijuana, which seems to come more from ignorance and blindly believing in the law itself, but when reviewing the process of testifying before lawmakers, the lawmakers ask all the questions and expect answers as well as trying to shoot down or belittle the answer

of the testifier. We must ask and probe how educated the lawmakers are, perhaps without warning during a hearing.

Preference and choiceMost marijuana smokers typically have consumed alcohol

and those who have, prefer to smoke as an alternative to drinking. A notable fact is that alcohol is the only choice for recreational consumption in the USA and Marijuana should be a second choice for recreation and alcohol out-weighs Marijuana in negative aspects. Mixing the two together does not make much of a difference simply making you tipsier and the feeling alcohol creates dominates the feeling Marijuana creates.

Should recreational alcohol be illegal?NO, It is part of American society as well as the global society and will probably never fade away as well as marijuana.

Fear of speaking out from fear of convictionMost people (lawmakers, law enforcers and citizens alike)

have fear to speak out in favor of marijuana because it can label a person a junkie or dopehead and possibly incriminate them and also because of the fact that it is illegal and it could ruin a persons career or social status as a result among the people who look at marijuana users as degrading, simply because it was frowned upon in the 1930’s and made illegal and they blindly believe in the law with very little knowledge to back up what is negative about marijuana. For example in the year 2003goverment organizations have been trying to crack down on doctors who prescribe marijuana and take their licenses away as well as a complete loss of respect.

Some of what has been done to legalize Marijuana and why all has failed

Among the misplaced focus of factors, One part is because Marijuana has been compared and associated to violence, prescription drugs and controlled substances in many of the arguments and has seldom been compared to alcohol in detail, which is presently legal and has been for quite some time. Another is the lack of Marijuana education on the parts of government lawmakers and the impression they are giving which is that they simply believe in something “old fashioned” blindly, in connection with not always providing actual provable facts and simply taking someone’s word

for it and providing mostly theory with uncertainty. Another reason they fail is because the testimonies have failed to describe or focus on the economic success it can bring on our great nation’s citizens and on the contrary they historically have tended to focus on the financial costs of enforcing the present laws.

Another reason is because the testifiers never ask the lawmakers to present their facts they use to justify the laws prior to their testimony, which would give the testifiers more ammunition to provide a strong argument and dispute those so called facts provided by the lawmakers that seem more to be theory than facts.

Current status, Laws and cited laws and non-represented lawsCurrently marijuana is illegal to possess or sell for

recreational purposes Nationally and there is a fraction of the states such as New York in which it is decriminalized to the extent that if you get caught smoking in public you get a fine or summons similar to drinking beer in public view but on the contrary your not allowed to buy or possess it and cultivating marijuana for personal use is extremely limited as well.

There was no problem with marijuana from the day this country was founded until the 1930’s when it became a byproduct of the prohibition of alcohol. There were promotional videos encouraging people to grow victory gardens of marijuana to provide to the government for industry such as rope during the war.

If you know about the Boston tea party, the bottom line was no taxation without representation and I think the same should apply to marijuana in consideration of the standing laws; I have not been able to find the reasons why marijuana is illegal, which prompts me to question the representation or logical reasoning for them.

Comparison Chart

Subject

Moral / Social Marijuana: Alcohol:

Does not induce violence, more likely to induce relaxation

Known to induce violence domestically and socially

and calmOffensive in Public Offensive in Public

Less likely to cause domestic or social damage

More likely to cause domestic or social damage

Common place for large percentage of the adult population

Common place for large percentage of the adult population

Small demand for rehabilitation

Large demand for rehabilitation

Rehabilitation process is relatively short and usually self induced

Rehabilitation process is long and drawn out

Referenced in positive ways in the Bible

Referenced in positive and negative ways in the Bible

Mental Health Effects and Risk

Marijuana: Alcohol:

Short term memory loss for long term users

Long and short term memory loss – people are known to wake and not remember how they got there – both long and short term users

Paranoia, loss of mental focus and self consciousness

Loss of sensory equity or awareness

Slight Loss of inhibition

Extreme loss of inhibition

Better ability to DUI although we are not advocating it

Has taken countless lives from DUI and has strict laws for those who DUI

Short term Depression

Depression

Physical Health Effects and Risk

Marijuana: Alcohol:

A person can not A person can drink

smoke themselves to death

themselves to death

Relaxes the eyes while under the influence

Discoloration of the eyes (whites of the eyes turn yellow) from long term use

Unproven claims to cause cancers

Various types of cancer – kidney, mouth, stomach and is proven

Aphrodisiac Impotence

Enhances senses Creates numbness

Dry Mouth - dehydration

Dry Mouth - dehydration

Induces Hunger (munchies)

Induces Hunger , Nausea and vomiting

Induces Coughing Induces Urination

Induces Sleep Induces Headaches

No Hangovers Hangovers

Does not Induce Involuntary eye movement

Induces Involuntary eye movement (the spins)

Addictive – less than alcohol and tobacco

Addictive (to the point of disease in some cases)

Economic Effect - Present

Marijuana: Alcohol:

Generates small Tax Revenue

Generates Large Tax Revenue

Creates a limited range of industrial Businesses and jobs - has the potential to achieve what alcohol can +

Creates a broad range of commercial and industrial Businesses

Serves a limited range of commercial and industrial

Serves a broad range of commercial and industrial markets

marketsTax Money is spent on enforcing the laws, apprehension and jailing

Tax Money is spent to monitor and maintain laws and regulations

The bottom line is marijuana is safer to consume than alcohol when it comes to physical harm it inflicts.

Census StatisticsCensus Statistics cannot be 100% accurate in the case of illegal drugs because most people who do them generally would not admit to anything that would incriminate them unless they become apprehended or get caught. The charts below show data from census.gov published documents.

Who is more of a criminalSince coming to the conclusion that alcohol has more

negative aspects than marijuana concerning Morals and Health, I believe it is safe to say that anyone who drinks alcohol is more of a criminal than a marijuana smoker and yet marijuana is illegal and alcohol is not.

Statistics we wish we could provide accuratelyHow many government workers drink alcohol ranging from FBI, DEA, Politicians, Judges, etc. - those people should not be pointing any fingers.

What is marijuana currently compared to?It is some times considered “dope” by police officers, which often brings drugs like heroin to mind. It is also in the category of cocaine and that marijuana leads to experimentation to those caliber drugs. Ask a lot of drug addicts if they were drunk when they tried a hard

drug and chances are they were. A notable fact is marijuana has seldom financially ruined people’s lives.

Fear of ChangeLets face it, when people get comfortable, they like things the way they are and the result is sometimes fear of change. We need to look fear in the eye and take action in spite of it. (Tony Robbins)

Other notable points The constitution was written on hemp paper The bible they use in many courts of law advocates using

seed bearing plants The native American Indians smoked it in their peace pipes

to create peace Past presidents of the USA have smoked it Marijuana does not require crop rotating and can grow in

many types of soil Below is an example of negative media all because of

marijuana being illegal more than its physical harm and in retrospect is pure irony because a Bar of all places is complaining, and it is all do to them associated with something illegal and on another hand it is being glorified on the hit show “sex and the city” on HBO.

New York, NY  

Village Bar Sues To Keep 'Sex And The City' Off The AirNEW YORK, 9:25 p.m. EDT August 1, 2003 - The sassy girls of "Sex and the City" were facing the possibility that Sunday's upcoming episode might be canceled.

But all is well.

In the episode, a character goes to a bar called Down The Hatch to buy some marijuana.

But the real Down The Hatch, which is located in

West Village, went to court to get the show changed or blocked.

The owners of the bar claim the show disparaged them in the upcoming episode by suggesting one of the characters went to a bar with the same name to buy marijuana.

But sources close to the story said Friday night said that HBO is removing their name -- and the show will go on.

Marijuana laws should mimic the alcohol lawsCurrent alcohol law should be a template with necessary adjustments for marijuana law such as:

Tax Revenue Age restriction DUI or DWI Commercial Licensing Codes and regulations Import / Export

My experience working within or for the government and doing business with the government

In life in general people are people in the sense that they just want a job and a paycheck. I worked at the IRS and have spoken to plenty of other federal bureaucrats such as EPA and FBI and have come to this conclusion. Alarmingly often people in these government organizations are told to do things that simply do not make sense or have the most awkward type of logic. For example I have over heard a manger tell his rookie revenue agent if he doesn’t know what he is doing, act like he knows what he is doing and refer

to him (the manager) for answers and when casually conversing with other staffers they did not find this to be a surprise and sometimes tried to justify it which leads to the question if the manager knows the answer and does he put the law into his own hands and guess at that point, there has also been a situation that the IRS missed out on tens of millions of dollars because the top managers and politicians cared more about closing the case on its deadline which sometimes makes the blame go up the chain of command rather than down. There is also the reorganization factors that the government wants hire more private sector companies because they know or interpret the laws better than they do.

So who is acting like they know what they are doing and who is not? How do we really know?

I’m not afraid to admit when I made a mistakeSometimes when you do not know all the facts or the possibilities it is easier to stand corrected and I think this is what many political figures need to do and realize the truth instead of blindly defending the past that in contrast is not a long time in reference to its past.

Citing prior testimonyPeople have testified in congressional hearings numerous times for many years only to fall on deaf ears. They have testified with focus such as medical and recreational.We need to discuss and criticize it. There are 9 documents for federal or national reform available from NORML, we need to break them down and reassemble to argue on a national more than local.

The lives the current marijuana laws have already ruinedRight now compared to the extremely negative impact that recreational alcohol consumption creates, the laws does not pose the same threat that marijuana does, for example: DUI with alcohol poses a measurably greater threat than marijuana (if they are not mixed), sentences in some states seem beyond logic and reason almost to the point humanity considering its past.

Putting the government on trialI think there is more than a need for just litigation and congressional hearings, I think we need to file a suit against the government and

put it on trial for the wrongful marijuana laws in light of these revelations.

Making them agree one marijuana issue at a timeWe need to impose logical line of questions that they would agree with one step at a time such as: do you agree there is a need for more tax revenue to government organizations for concerns such as national security and more questions along those lines, and pointing to marijuana for help. Direct and indirect

All the anti-drug campaigns are already in placeAs much as there is anti alcohol drug campaigns advertised there is currently the same for marijuana use and the difference is that one is legal and the other is not.

Propose giving the new marijuana laws a test run maybe for 10 years or soInstead of trying to carve it in stone why not propose putting it into a time frame because it will be given the chance to be proven.

Don’t let them blow it offI have read many news paper articles and saw interviews on TV featuring politicians and they do not seem to give solid reason it should remain illegal by blowing off the idea saying it’s a bad thing but not really backing it up.

Below: Alcohols Financial statistics showing tax revenuesThese recent statistics from government publications can be used as a template to show the potential financial gains from recreational or personal use marijuana sales, both for the government and commerce alike.

TAX AND FEE RATES

Information Purposes Only- Actual tax or fee may vary according to a person's circumstances.

Go to: Beer, Wine, Distilled Spirits, Tobacco Products, Tobacco Paper, Firearms and Ammunition,

National Firearms Act Tax, Special Occupational Tax, Explosives License Fees, Firearms Licensee Fees

Who to Contact and Where to File - Alcohol, Tobacco and Excise Tax on Firearms and Ammunition

 

PRODUCT TAX TAX PER PACKAGE (usually to

nearest cent)

Beer Barrel (31 gallons)

12 oz. can

Regular Rate $18  $0.05

Reduced Rate $7 on first 60,000 barrels for brewer who produces less than 2 million barrels

$0.02

Wine Wine Gallon 750ml bottle

14% & Under $1.071 $0.21

Over 14 to 21% $1.571 $0.31

Over 21 to 24% $3.151 $0.62

Naturally Sparkling $3.40 $0.67

Artificially Carbonated

$3.301 $0.65

Hard Cider $0.2261 $0.04

(1 $0.90 credit, or for hard cider $0.056, for first 100,000 gallons removed by a small winery producing not more than 150,000 w.g. per year. Decreasing credit rates for winery producing up to 250,000 w.g. per year.)

Distilled Spirits Proof Gallon 750ml Bottle

All$13.50 less any credit for wine and flavor content.

$2.14 (at 80 proof)

Tobacco Products 1000 units Pack of 20

Small Cigarettes

$12 - 1993 to 1999

$17 - 2000 to 2001

$19.50 - 2002 and beyond

$0.24 - 1993 to 1999

$0.34 - 2000 to 2001

$0.39 - 2002 and beyond

Large Cigarettes

$25.20 - 1993 to 1999

$35.70 - 2000 to 2001

$40.95 - 2002 and beyond

$0.50 - 1993 to 1999

$0.71 - 2000 to 2001

$0.82 - 2002 and beyond

Small Cigars

$1.125 - 1993 to 1999

$1.594 - 2000 to 2001

$1.828 - 2002 and beyond

$0.02 - 1993 to 1999

$0.03 - 2000 to 2001

$0.04 - 2002 and beyond

  1000 units Each

Large Cigars 

12.75% of sales price but not to

exceed $30 - 1991 to 1999

18.063% of sales price but not to

exceed $42.50 - 2000 to 2001

20.719% of sales price but not to

exceed $48.75 - 2002 and beyond 

$0.03 maximium - 1991 to 1999

$0.04 maximium - 2000 to 2001

$0.05 maximium - 2002 and beyond

  1 lb.  1 Ounce

Pipe Tobacco 

$0.675 - 1993 to 1999

$0.9567 - 2000 to 2001

$1.0969 - 2002 and beyond

$0.04 - 1993 to 1999

$0.06 - 2000 to 2001

$0.07 - 2002 and beyond

Chewing Tobacco

$0.12 - 1993 to 1999

$0.17 - 2000 to 2001

$0.195 - 2002 and beyond

$0.007 - 1993 to 1999

$0.011- 2000 to 2001

$0.012 - 2002 and beyond

Snuff$0.36 - 1993 to

1999

$0.51 - 2000 to

$0.02 - 1993 to 1999

$0.03 - 2000 to 2001

2001

$0.585 -  - 2002 and beyond

$0.04 - 2002 and beyond

Roll-your-own Tobacco

no tax - 1965 to 2000

$0.9567 - 2000 to 2001

$1.0969 - 2002 and beyond

no tax - 1965 to 2000

$0.06 - 2000 to 2001

$0.07 - 2002 and beyond

Tobacco Paper 50 units 50 units

Cigarette Papers

$0.00751 - 1993 to 1999

 $0.0106 - 2000 to 2001

$0.0122 - 2002 and beyond

$0.00751 - 1993 to 1999

$0.0106 - 2000 to 2001

$0.0122 - 2002 and beyond

(1 Tax only applied to papers in a book or set of more than 25 papers.)

Cigarette Tubes

$0.015 - 1993 to 1999

$0.0213 - 2000 to 2001

$0.0244 - 2002 and beyond

$0.015 - 1993 to 1999

$0.0213 - 2000 to 2001

$0.0244 - 2002 and beyond

 

Firearms and Ammunition Tax

Pistols and Revolvers10% of sale

price

Other Firearms and  Ammunition11% of sale

price   

National Firearms Act Tax

Tax

Transfer Tax $200 each, except $5 for "any other weapon"

Making Tax $200 each   

Special Occupational Tax Annual Tax

Annual Tax

Retail Liquor Dealer $250

Wholesale Liquor Dealer $500

Brewer $1000 or

reduced rateof $500

Alcohol or Tobacco Producer$1000 or

reduced rate of $500

National Firearms Act Class 3 - Dealer $500

National Firearms Act Manufacturer or Importer

$1000 or

reduced rate of $500

Nonbeverage Drawback Claimant $500

Industrial Alcohol User $250   

Explosives License Fees

Original for 3 years

Renewal for 3 years

Manufacturer $200 $100

Importer $200 $100

Dealer  $200  $100

User  $100 $50

User (limited)  $75 N/A

   

Firearms Licensee   Fees

3 Year License

Dealer$200 for first 3 years/ 

$90 for renewal 

Importer $150

Manufacturer of Firearms

$150

Manfacturer of Ammunition

$30

Destructive Device Dealer

$3000

Destructive Device Manufacturer2

$3000

Destructive Device Importer2

$3000

(2 Includes Armor Piercing Ammunition)

  This was last updated on November 23, 1999

DEA StatisticsDrug Seizures

Emergency Dept. Drug Mentions: Cocaine,Methamphetamine, Marijuana, Heroin, MDMA (Ecstasy), PCP, OxyCodone

DEA Arrests (Domestic)

Calendar YearNumber of

Arrests

2002 27,635

2001 33,539

2000 38,957

1999 39,500

1998 37,762

1997 33,628

1996 28,922

1995 24,931

1994 22,858

1993 21,432

1992 24,219

1991 23,396

1990 22,611

1989 24,881

1988 24,728

1987 22,543

1986 19,693

Total 443,600

Source: DEA (SMARTS)

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  DEA Drug Seizures

Calendar

Year

Cocaine

kgs

Heroin

kgs

Marijuana

kgs

Methamphetamine

dosage units

Hallucinogens

dosage units

2002 61,594 705 195,644 118,049,279 11,532,704

2001 59,426 752 271,785 124,532,740 13,756,939

2000 58,627 546 331,964 129,622,961 29,306,453

1999 36,167 351 337,832 76,621,124 1,716,954

1998 34,448 371 262,176 62,907,212 1,075,257

1997 28,630 399 215,348 116,143,493 1,100,912

1996 44,765 320 190,453 74,648,735 1,719,096

1995 45,326 876 219,830 139,540,464 2,768,165

1994 75,051 491 157,182 139,500,284 1,366,817

1993 55,158 616 143,030 92,608,266 2,710,063

1992 69,323 722 201,507 48,498,483 1,305,177

1991 67,016 1,170 98,601 21,882,289 1,295,874

1990 57,031 532 127,694 46,358,120 2,826,966

1989 73,592 758 286,167 174,849,333 13,125,010

1988 60,826 730 347,306 108,919,418 16,706,442

1987 49,668 512 629,892 24,179,401 6,556,884

1986 30,333 371 599,166 32,602,774 4,146,224

Source: DEA (STRIDE)

Dea.govIn the year 1987, the DEA states 629,892 kilograms of marijuana was confiscated or siezed, translated into pounds is 1,388,674 and if you multiply it by the average street price of $3000 at present time, the result is a $4,166,022,000 business and it is notable to remember that, that is simply the number from people that got caught, so that is not the real numbers, they are the number of seized pounds of marijuana.

Historychannel.com search results (8/3/2003):In the drug abuse section that was a link in the results, one notable factor is how marijuana comes up in sequence with cocaine and crack and that is contradictory in comparison to alcohol or compared to any of those drugs.

http://www.historychannel.com/perl/print_book.pl?ID=100018

1 - Marijuana

Marijuana or marihuana, drug obtained from the flowering tops, stems, and leaves of the hemp plant, Cannabis sativa (see hemp) or C. indica; the latter species can withstand colder climates. It is one of the most commonly used drugs in the world, following only caffeine, nicotine, and alcoholic beverages in popularity. In the United States, where it is usually smoked, it also has been called weed, grass, pot, or reefer.

The Plant

C. sativa grows as a common weed in many parts of the world, and drug preparations vary widely in potency according to climate, cultivation, and method of preparation. C. indica is a shorter, hardier variety with rounded blue-green leaves, grown in Afghanistan for hashish. Most marijuanas grown in the United States since the late 1980s are hybrids of the two and yield a much more potent product than the marijuana of the past. The resin found on flower clusters and top leaves of the female plant is the most potent drug source and is used to prepare hashish, the highest grade of cannabis. The bud of the female plant, called sinsemilla, is the part most often smoked as marijuana.

The Drug

The effects of marijuana vary with its strength and dosage and with the state of mind of the user. Typically, small doses result in a feeling of well-being. The intoxication lasts two to three hours, but accompanying effects on motor control last much longer. High doses can cause tachycardia, paranoia, and delusions. Although it produces some of the same effects as hallucinogens like LSD and mescaline (heightened sensitivity to colors, shapes, music, and other stimuli and distortion of the sense of time), marijuana differs chemically and pharmacologically.

The primary active component of marijuana is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), although other cannabinol derivatives are also thought to be intoxicating. In 1988 scientists discovered

receptors that bind THC on the membranes of nerve cells. They reasoned that the body must make its own THC-like substance. The substance, named anandamide, was isolated from pig brains in 1992 by an American pharmacologist, William A. Devane.

Marijuana lowers testosterone levels and sperm counts in men and raises testosterone levels in women. In pregnant women it affects the fetus and results in developmental difficulties in the child. There is evidence that marijuana affects normal maturation of preadolescent and adolescent users and that it affects short-term memory and comprehension. Heavy smokers often sustain lung damage from the smoke and contaminants. Regular use can result in dependence.

The Legalization Question

With the increase in the number of middle-class users in the 1960s and 1970s, there came a somewhat greater acceptance of the view that marijuana should not be considered in the same class as narcotics and that U.S. marijuana laws should be relaxed. The Drug Abuse Prevention Act of 1970 eased federal penalties somewhat, and 11 states decriminalized possession. However, in the late 1980s most states rewrote their drug laws and imposed stricter penalties. Opponents of easing marijuana laws have asserted that it is an intoxicant less controllable than alcohol, that our drug-using society does not need another widely used intoxicant, and that the United States should not act to weaken UN policies, which are opposed to the use of marijuana for other than possible medical purposes.

Medical Uses

Controversy surrounds the medical use of marijuana, with proponents saying it is useful for treating pain and the nausea and vomiting that are side effects of cancer chemotherapy and for restoring the appetite in people with AIDS. Although its active ingredient, THC (synthesized in 1966 and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 1985) is available by prescription in pill form, proponents say it is not as effective as the herb and is more expensive. The Office of National Drug Control Policy has opposed legalization of the medical use of marijuana, citing law enforcement issues and the possibility that some would use it as a pretext to sell marijuana for nonmedical use. Proponents,

disregarding the law, have set up networks for the distribution of the drug to people who they judge will be helped by it and continue to lobby for its legalization for medical use. Voters in several U.S. states have approved initiatives intended to legalize marijuana for medical uses, but such initiatives cannot protect medical users from federal prosecution. A 1999 government-sponsored study found that marijuana appeared beneficial for certain medical conditions. Because of the toxicity of marijuana smoke, however, it was hoped that further research might lead to development of new delivery systems, such as bronchial inhalers.

History of Marijuana Use

Marijuana has been used as an agent for achieving euphoria since ancient times; it was described in a Chinese medical compendium traditionally considered to date from 2737 B.C. Its use spread from China to India and then to N Africa and reached Europe at least as early as A.D. 500. A major crop in colonial North America, marijuana (hemp) was grown as a source of fiber. It was extensively cultivated during World War II, when Asian sources of hemp were cut off.

Marijuana was listed in the United States Pharmacopeia from 1850 until 1942 and was prescribed for various conditions including labor pains, nausea, and rheumatism. Its use as an intoxicant was also commonplace from the 1850s to the 1930s. A campaign conducted in the 1930s by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Narcotics (now the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs) sought to portray marijuana as a powerful, addicting substance that would lead users into narcotics addiction. It is still considered a gateway drug by some authorities. In the 1950s it was an accessory of the beat generation; in the 1960s it was used by college students and hippies and became a symbol of rebellion against authority.

The Controlled Substances Act of 1970 classified marijuana along with heroin and LSD as a Schedule I drug, i.e., having the relatively highest abuse potential and no accepted medical use. Most marijuana at that time came from Mexico, but in 1975 the Mexican government agreed to eradicate the crop by spraying it with the herbicide paraquat, raising fears of toxic side effects. Colombia then became the main supplier. The zero tolerance climate of the Reagan

and Bush administrations (1981-93) resulted in passage of strict laws and mandatory sentences for possession of marijuana and in heightened vigilance against smuggling at the southern borders. The war on drugs thus brought with it a shift from reliance on imported supplies to domestic cultivation (particularly in Hawaii and California). Beginning in 1982 the Drug Enforcement Administration turned increased attention to marijuana farms in the United States, and there was a shift to the indoor growing of plants specially developed for small size and high yield. After over a decade of decreasing use, marijuana smoking began an upward trend once more in the early 1990s, especially among teenagers, but by the end of the decade this upswing had leveled off well below former peaks of use.

Bibliography

See J. S. Hochman, Marijuana and Social Evolution (1972); E. Marshal, Legalization (1988); M. S. Gold, Marijuana (1989); L. Grinspoon and B. J. Bakalar, Marijuana: The Forbidden Medicine (1995); publications of the Drugs & Crime Data Center and Clearinghouse, the Bureau of Justice Statistics Clearinghouse, and the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information.

The Expanded Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia Copyright© 2003. Columbia University Press. Used with permission of Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. Except as otherwise permitted by written agreement, the following are prohibited: copying substantial portions of the entirety of the work in machine readable form, making multiple printout thereof, and other uses of the work inconsistent with U.S. and applicable copyright and related laws.

2 - hemp

Hemp, common name for a tall annual herb (Cannabis sativa) of the family Cannabinaceae, native to Asia but now widespread because of its formerly large-scale cultivation for the bast fiber (also called hemp) and for the drugs it yields. Known and cultivated in ancient China, the plant was introduced into Europe before the Christian era. In the United States it was cultivated chiefly in the Midwest. The fiber, retted from the stem, was one of the most important for various kinds of cordage; it was also used in making paper, cloth (canvas and other kinds), oakum for calking ships, and other products. The male and female flowers are borne on separate plants. The chemical derived from the female flowering tops is used

medicinally and is the source of marijuana and hashish. Hemp seed is used as bird food, and the oil from the seeds is used in the manufacture of paints, varnishes, and soap. The dried leaves are used in Asia for a beverage. The word hemp is used in combination for several other kinds of fiber plants, notably Manila hemp and sisal hemp. The true hemp plant is related to the hop, which is used in making beer. Hemp is classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Magnoliopsida, order Urticales, family Cannabinaceae.

3 - Drug addiction and drug abuse

Drug addiction and drug abuse, chronic or habitual use of any chemical substance to alter states of body or mind for other than medically warranted purposes. Traditional definitions of addiction, with their criteria of physical dependence and withdrawal (and often an underlying tenor of depravity and sin) have been modified with increased understanding; with the introduction of new drugs, such as cocaine, that are psychologically or neuropsychologically addicting; and with the realization that its stereotypical application to opiate-drug users was invalid because many of them remain occasional users with no physical dependence. Addiction is more often now defined by the continuing, compulsive nature of the drug use despite physical and/or psychological harm to the user and society and includes both licit and illicit drugs, and the term substance abuse is now frequently used because of the broad range of substances (including alcohol and inhalants) that can fit the addictive profile. Psychological dependence is the subjective feeling that the user needs the drug to maintain a feeling of well-being; physical dependence is characterized by tolerance (the need for increasingly larger doses in order to achieve the initial effect) and withdrawal symptoms when the user is abstinent.

Definitions of drug abuse and addiction are subjective and infused with the political and moral values of the society or culture. For example, the stimulant caffeine in coffee and tea is a drug used by millions of people, but because of its relatively mild stimulatory effects and because caffeine does not generally trigger antisocial behavior in users, the drinking of coffee and tea, despite the fact that caffeine is physically addictive, is not generally considered drug abuse. Even narcotics addiction is seen only as drug abuse in certain

social contexts. In India opium has been used for centuries without becoming unduly corrosive to the social fabric.

The United States has the highest substance abuse rate of any industrialized nation. Government statistics (1997) show that 36% of the United States population has tried marijuana, cocaine, or other illicit drugs. By comparison, 71% of the population has smoked cigarettes and 82% has tried alcoholic beverages. Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug.

Types of Abused Substances

There are many levels of substance abuse and many kinds of drugs, some of them readily accepted by society.

Legal Substances

Legal substances, approved by law for sale over the counter or by doctor's prescription, include caffeine, alcoholic beverages (see alcoholism), nicotine (see smoking), and inhalants (nail polish, glue, inhalers, gasoline). Prescription drugs such as tranquilizers, amphetamines, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, steroids, and analgesics can be knowingly or unknowingly overprescribed or otherwise used improperly. In many cases, new drugs prescribed in good conscience by physicians turn out to be a problem later. For example, diazepam (Valium) was widely prescribed in the 1960s and 70s before its potential for serious addiction was realized. In the 1990s, sales of fluoxetine (Prozac) helped create a $3 billion antidepressant market in the United States, leading many people to criticize what they saw as the creation of a legal drug culture that discouraged people from learning other ways to deal with their problems. At the same time, readily available but largely unregulated herbal medicines have grown in popularity; many of these are psychoactive to some degree, raising questions of quality and safety. Prescription drugs are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Illegal Substances

Prescription drugs are considered illegal when diverted from proper use. Some people shop until they find a doctor who freely writes

prescriptions; supplies are sometimes stolen from laboratories, clinics, or hospitals. Morphine, a strictly controlled opiate, and synthetic opiates, such as fentanyl, are most often abused by people in the medical professions, who have easier access to these drugs. Other illegal substances include cocaine and crack, marijuana and hashish, heroin, hallucinogenic drugs such as LSD, PCP (phencycline or angel dust), designer drugs such as MDMA (Ecstasy), and party drugs such as GHB (gamma hydroxybutyrate).

Motivations for Drug Use

People take drugs for many reasons: peer pressure, relief of stress, increased energy, to relax, to relieve pain, to escape reality, to feel more self-esteem, and for recreation. They may take stimulants to keep alert, or cocaine for the feeling of excitement it produces. Athletes and bodybuilders may take anabolic steroids to increase muscle mass.

Effects of Substance Abuse

The effects of substance abuse can be felt on many levels: on the individual, on friends and family, and on society.

On the Individual

People who use drugs experience a wide array of physical effects other than those expected. The excitement of a cocaine high, for instance, is followed by a crash: a period of anxiety, fatigue, depression, and an acute desire for more cocaine to alleviate the feelings of the crash. Marijuana and alcohol interfere with motor control and are factors in many automobile accidents. Users of marijuana and hallucinogenic drugs may experience flashbacks, unwanted recurrences of the drug's effects weeks or months after use. Sudden abstinence from certain drugs results in withdrawal symptoms. For example, heroin withdrawal can cause vomiting, muscle cramps, convulsions, and delirium. With the continued use of a physically addictive drug, tolerance develops; i.e., constantly increasing amounts of the drug are needed to duplicate the initial effect. Sharing hypodermic needles used to inject some drugs dramatically increases the risk of contracting AIDS and some types of hepatitis. In addition, increased sexual activity among drug users,

both in prostitution and from the disinhibiting effect of some drugs, also puts them at a higher risk of AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. Because the purity and dosage of illegal drugs are uncontrolled, drug overdose is a constant risk. There are over 10,000 deaths directly attributable to drug use in the United States every year; the substances most frequently involved are cocaine, heroin, and morphine, often combined with alcohol or other drugs. Many drug users engage in criminal activity, such as burglary and prostitution, to raise the money to buy drugs, and some drugs, especially alcohol, are associated with violent behavior.

Effects on the Family

The user's preoccupation with the substance, plus its effects on mood and performance, can lead to marital problems and poor work performance or dismissal. Drug use can disrupt family life and create destructive patterns of codependency, that is, the spouse or whole family, out of love or fear of consequences, inadvertently enables the user to continue using drugs by covering up, supplying money, or denying there is a problem. Pregnant drug users, because of the drugs themselves or poor self-care in general, bear a much higher rate of low birth-weight babies than the average. Many drugs (e.g., crack and heroin) cross the placental barrier, resulting in addicted babies who go through withdrawal soon after birth, and fetal alcohol syndrome can affect children of mothers who consume alcohol during pregnancy. Pregnant women who acquire the AIDS virus through intravenous drug use pass the virus to their infant.

Effects on Society

Drug abuse affects society in many ways. In the workplace it is costly in terms of lost work time and inefficiency. Drug users are more likely than nonusers to have occupational accidents, endangering themselves and those around them. Over half of the highway deaths in the United States involve alcohol. Drug-related crime can disrupt neighborhoods due to violence among drug dealers, threats to residents, and the crimes of the addicts themselves. In some neighborhoods, younger children are recruited as lookouts and helpers because of the lighter sentences given to juvenile offenders, and guns have become commonplace among children and adolescents. The great majority of homeless people

have either a drug or alcohol problem or a mental illness-many have all three.

The federal government budgeted $17.9 billion on drug control in 1999 for interdiction, prosecution, international law enforcement, prisons, treatment, prevention, and related items. In 1998, drug-related health care costs in the United States came to more than $9.9 billion.

Treatment

Treatment of substance abusers depends upon the severity and nature of the addiction, motivation, and the availability of services. Some users may come into treatment voluntarily and have the support of family, friends, and workplace; others may be sent to treatment by the courts against their will and have virtually no support system. Most people in drug treatment have a history of criminal behavior; approximately one third are sent by the criminal justice system.

Both pharmacological and behavioral treatments are used, often augmented by educational and vocational services. Treatment may include detoxification, therapy, and support groups, such as the 12-step groups Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, and Cocaine Anonymous. Nonresidential programs serve the largest number of patients. Residential facilities include hospitals, group homes, halfway houses, and therapeutic communities, such as Phoenix House and Daytop Village; most of the daily activities are treatment-related. Programs such as Al-Anon, CoAnon, and Alateen, 12-step programs for family and friends of substance abusers, help them to break out of codependent cycles.

Some treatment programs use medicines that neutralize the effects of the drug. Antabuse is a medicine used in the treatment of alcoholism. It causes severe and sudden reaction (nausea, vomiting, headache) when alcohol is present. Naltrexone is used in alcohol and heroin abuse. Other programs use stabilizing medications, e.g., methadone or buprenorphine maintenance programs for heroin addiction. Acupuncture has been successful in treating the cravings that accompany cocaine withdrawal and is being used with pregnant substance abusers to improve the health of their babies.

For every person in drug treatment there are an estimated three or four people who need it. Many who attempt to get treatment, especially from public facilities, are discouraged by waits of over a month to get in. Evaluating the effectiveness of treatment is difficult because of the chronic nature of drug abuse and alcoholism and the fact that the disease is usually complicated by personal, social, and health factors.

Fighting Substance Abuse

Efforts at fighting substance abuse are dictated by the attitudes of the public and their perceptions of a substance's dangers. These attitudes may be framed by personal experience, media portrayals, news events, or drug education. Most drug enforcement is local, but the international and interstate nature of the drug trade has gradually resulted in more federal involvement. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), created in 1973, is responsible for enforcing federal laws and policies and coordinates information sharing between agencies. Approaches to combating the drug problem have traditionally focused on reducing both supply and demand.

Supply Reduction

The policy of supply reduction aims to decrease the available amount of a drug and make its cost prohibitively high due to the short supply. One strategy for supply reduction is the passage and enforcement of strict laws that govern the prescribing of narcotic drugs. Other strategies are aimed at disrupting drug trafficking. In general, heroin and the other opiates come into the United States from SW and SE Asia, Central America, and Colombia, cocaine from South America, marijuana from domestic sources, Mexico, Colombia, and Jamaica, and designer drugs from domestic clandestine laboratories. The Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement is charged with interdicting smuggled drugs that come in across land borders, the U.S. Coast Guard with interdiction on the seas. Other attempts to disrupt the flow of drugs involve the seizure of clandestine labs, arrest and conviction of drug dealers and middlemen, and international efforts to break up drug cartels and organized crime distribution networks. Asset seizure is a controversial but effective strategy that allows authorities to confiscate any profits derived from or property used in drug

trafficking, including cars, houses, and legal fees paid to defense attorneys. Eradication of crops was the strategy behind the spraying of paraquat on Mexican marijuana crops in the 1970s. Some attempts at reducing drug production by creating more lucrative markets for nondrug crops in drug-producing areas also have been made.

Reduction of Demand for Drugs

Attempts to reduce the demand for drugs in the main involve education and treatment. For the most part, responsibility for education falls to local schools and for treatment to local public hospitals or private treatment centers. The federal government gathers statistics and provides funds for treatment and rehabilitation programs. Certain laws are designed to promote education of the public (e.g., those requiring warning labels on cigarettes and alcoholic beverages), and all states have Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) laws. Other drug laws attempt to reduce the demand for drugs by imposing stiff penalties for drug possession, manufacture, and trafficking. Drug testing in the workplace has been a controversial measure, weighing productivity and the safety of the workers and those for whom they are responsible against an individual's right to privacy, but it has resulted in increased public awareness. Some grassroots groups have had a profound effect; MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) was instrumental in raising the drinking ages in many states.

Legalization and Decriminalization

The concept of controlling drugs is a relatively recent phenomenon, and one that has been met with limited success despite the billions of dollars spent. Some people argue that if drugs were legalized (as occurred with the repeal of Prohibition), drug trafficking and the violence it engenders would disappear. Some contend also that with government regulation dosages would be standardized and dangerous contaminants eliminated, making drugs safer. It has also been suggested that resulting lower prices for drugs would preclude the need for criminal activity to raise money for their purchase, and that billions of dollars saved from supply reduction programs could be put toward education and treatment. Nevertheless, a substantial majority of Americans polled have thought legalization a bad idea.

Those opposed to legalization believe that removal of deterrents would encourage drug use, that people would still steal to buy drugs, and that many drugs are so inexpensive to produce that there would still be a black market.

Decriminalization is the elimination or reduction of criminal penalties for using or dealing in small amounts of certain drugs. Attitudes toward decriminalization change with the times and with actual and perceived dangers involved. Many localities decriminalized marijuana in the 1970s-and many reinstituted stricter laws in the 1980s.

History

Humans have used drugs of one sort or another for thousands of years. Wine was used at least from the time of the early Egyptians; narcotics from 4000 B.C.; and medicinal use of marijuana has been dated to 2737 B.C. in China. But not until the 19th cent. A.D. were the active substances in drugs extracted. There followed a time when some of these newly discovered substances-morphine, laudanum, cocaine-were completely unregulated and prescribed freely by physicians for a wide variety of ailments. They were available in patent medicines and sold by traveling tinkers, in drugstores, or through the mail. During the American Civil War, morphine was used freely, and wounded veterans returned home with their kits of morphine and hypodermic needles. Opium dens flourished. By the early 1900s there were an estimated 250,000 addicts in the United States.

The problems of addiction were recognized gradually. Legal measures against drug abuse in the United States were first established in 1875, when opium dens were outlawed in San Francisco. The first national drug law was the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906, which required accurate labeling of patent medicines containing opium and certain other drugs. In 1914 the Harrison Narcotic Act forbade sale of substantial doses of opiates or cocaine except by licensed doctors and pharmacies. Later, heroin was totally banned. Subsequent Supreme Court decisions made it illegal for doctors to prescribe any narcotic to addicts; many doctors who prescribed maintenance doses as part of an addiction treatment plan were jailed, and soon all attempts at treatment were abandoned. Use

of narcotics and cocaine diminished by the 1920s. The spirit of temperance led to the prohibition of alcohol by the Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution in 1919, but Prohibition was repealed in 1933.

In the 1930s most states required antidrug education in the schools, but fears that knowledge would lead to experimentation caused it to be abandoned in most places. Soon after the repeal of Prohibition, the U.S. Federal Bureau of Narcotics (now the Drug Enforcement Administration) began a campaign to portray marijuana as a powerful, addicting substance that would lead users into narcotics addiction. In the 1950s, use of marijuana increased again, along with that of amphetamines and tranquilizers. The social upheaval of the 1960s brought with it a dramatic increase in drug use and some increased social acceptance; by the early 1970s some states and localities had decriminalized marijuana and lowered drinking ages. The 1980s brought a decline in the use of most drugs, but cocaine and crack use soared. The military became involved in border patrols for the first time, and troops invaded Panama and brought its de facto leader, Manuel Noriega, to trial for drug trafficking.

Throughout the years, the public's perception of the dangers of specific substances changed. The surgeon general's warning label on tobacco packaging gradually made people aware of the addictive nature of nicotine. By 1995, the Food and Drug Administration was considering its regulation. The recognition of fetal alcohol syndrome brought warning labels to alcohol products. The addictive nature of prescription drugs such as diazepam (Valium) became known, and caffeine came under scrutiny as well.

Drug laws have tried to keep up with the changing perceptions and real dangers of substance abuse. By 1970 over 55 federal drug laws and countless state laws specified a variety of punitive measures, including life imprisonment and even the death penalty. To clarify the situation, the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970 repealed, replaced, or updated all previous federal laws concerned with narcotics and all other dangerous drugs. While possession was made illegal, the severest penalties were reserved for illicit distribution and manufacture of drugs. The act dealt with prevention and treatment of drug abuse as well as control of drug traffic. The Anti-Drug Abuse Acts of 1986 and 1988

increased funding for treatment and rehabilitation; the 1988 act created the Office of National Drug Control Policy. Its director, often referred to as the drug czar, is responsible for coordinating national drug control policy.

Bibliography

See H. Abadinsky, Drug Abuse (1989); H. T. Milhorn, Jr., Chemical Dependence (1990); D. Baum, Smoke and Mirrors: The War on Drugs and the Politics of Failure (1996); M. Massing, The Fix (1998); J. Jonnes, Hepcats, Narcs, and Pipe Dreams: A History of America's Romance with Illegal Drugs (1999); publications of the Drugs & Crime Data Center and Clearinghouse, the Bureau of Justice Statistics Clearinghouse, and the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information.

The Expanded Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia Copyright© 2003. Columbia University Press. Used with permission of Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. Except as otherwise permitted by written agreement, the following are prohibited: copying substantial portions of the entirety of the work in machine readable form, making multiple printout thereof, and other uses of the work inconsistent with U.S. and applicable copyright and related laws.

Research from Equalrights4all.comMarijuana & the Bible

And I will raise up for them a plant of renown, and they shall be no more consumed with hunger in the land, neither bear the shame of the heathen any more. -- Ezekiel 34:29

"The Lord said unto me, 'I will take my rest and I will consider in my dwelling place like a clear heat upon herbs.' " -- Isaiah 18:4-5

Jesus • Medical Marijuana • Relevant Quotes"Lord, when did we see thee sick or in prison and came unto thee?" And the King will answer and say unto them, "Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethern, ye have done it unto me." -- Matthew 25:39-40

Go forth, and visit a prisoner today. http://www.hr95.org/

What is the Word of God on the Cannabis plant?

The hemp plant (scientific name: cannabis, slang: marijuana) is one of the many useful herbs "yielding seed after its kind" created and blessed by God on the third day of creation, "and God saw that it was good." (Genesis 1:12) He gave hemp for people to use with our free will.

God said, "Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed which is upon the face of all the earth.…To you it will be for meat." … And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. (Genesis 1:29-31) The Bible predicts some herb's prohibition. "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times, some shall … speak lies in hypocrisy … commanding to abstain from meats which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. (Paul: 1 Timothy 4:1-3)

The Bible speaks of a special plant. "I will raise up for them a plant of renown, and they shall be no more consumed with hunger in the land, neither bear the shame of the heathen any more." (Ezekiel 34:29) A healing plant. On either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare 12 manner of fruits, and yielding her fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. (Revelations 22:1-2) A gift from God.

How was cannabis used in Biblical times and lands?

Cannabis was used 12 ways: clothing, paper, cord, sails, fishnet, oil, sealant, incense, food, and in ceremony, relaxation and

medicine. For so the Lord said unto me, "I will take my rest and I will consider in my dwelling place like a clear heat upon herbs. For afore harvest, when the bud is perfect and the sour grape is ripening in the flower, he shall cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks and take away and cut down the branches." (Isaiah 18:4-5)

What about cannabis today?

Hemp today has thousands of uses. Modern technology has devised many new uses for the hemp plant&emdash;like biomass energy, building materials, fuel, plastic and so on. Hemp is ecological and

its seed is among the best food crops on Earth. Selected varieties produce flowers that provide an herbal relaxant and a spiritual tool. Its herb is used globally as medicine.

Does the Bible discuss drugs?

Alcohol is the only drug openly discussed in the Bible, so it must serve as our reference. Wine is drunk during religious occasions such as Passover &emdash; the Last Supper of Jesus and His disciples. It remains a sacrament in modern church services.

Jesus began his public life by miraculously turning water into wine at the Wedding at Cana (John 2:1-10) when the reception ran out. The Bible distinguishes between use and misuse. It says, Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts. (Proverbs 31:6-7) but Woe unto them that … follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them! (Isaiah 5:10)

Yet the simple joys of drinking were also sung. He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth; And wine that maketh glad the heart of man and oil to make his face to shineth. (Psalm 104:14-15)

Did Jesus speak about choice?

He said not to criticize other people for their habits. "Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; that which cometh out of the mouth defileth a man." (Mat. 15:11) The apostle Paul wrote, I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. … For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. (Paul: Romans 14:14,17)

Did He speak of government?

Jesus said to keep church and state apart. "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar's and unto God the things which be God's." (Luke 20:25) As we have seen, it was God, not

government, who gave man the herbs to use. And it was government that put Jesus to death.

Property forfeiture laws?

He warned us about seizure and forfeiture laws. "Beware of the scribes which …devour widows' houses…. The same shall receive greater damnation." (Luke 20:46-47) Jesus, too, was a victim. The soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part. (John. 19:33)

What about the Drug War?

Blessed are the peacemakers. (Matthew 5:9)

It was God who created cannabis hemp and told mankind to use "every green herb" on Earth. The Bible speaks of mercy, healing and a persecution of God's children. They persecute me wrongfully; help thou me. (Psalms 119:86) Prisons and drug wars do not save souls. The Lord… hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound. (Isaiah 61:1)

What should the ministry do?

Teach God's truth. Warn your congregation that the war on marijuana is unchristian and must be ended. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you, that you will be no priest to Me … for I desired mercy and not sacrifice. (Hosea 4:6, 6:6)

Remember: Every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused if it be received with thanksgiving…. If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine. (Paul: 1 Timothy 4:4-6)

Summary analysis of the foregoing discussion

What does the Bible say about marijuana? The Bible says that God created hemp for people to use "as meat," (ie, to consume), that its seed oil is to be used as an ointment, and that cannabis is "to be received with thanks-giving of them which believe and know the truth." Paul also warned that some people would "speak lies in hypocrisy" and prohibit us from using it.

It also says that we "shall not bear false witness" about people who use cannabis, nor judge them because that judgement is reserved to the Lord. The Lord hates those who speak lies and sow discord among brethern. For those people harrassed and imprisoned for using cannabis rightfuly, Jesus offers these words of comfort, "Blessed are those persecuted for righteousness's sake: For theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven."

What would Jesus do regarding medical marijuana?

Despite common knowledge and widespread scientific support, the federal government has for nearly 30 years kept cannabis in schedule 1 as a deliberate way to deny patients access to medical marijuana. This includes people suffering from asthma, cancer, migraine headache, chronic pain, spasticity, glaucoma, arthritis, and provides relief for many other conditions. As a result, people at various locations across the USA have had to risk and suffer years in prison for providing medical marijuana to patients as an act of compassion and personal conscience. What would Jesus do? He chose to break the law in order to heal the sick.

"At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn, and his disciples were hungered, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat. 2) But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day 3) But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was hungered, and they that were with him? … 10) And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered, And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him. 11) And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it and lift it out? 12) How much

then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days. 13) Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other. 14) Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him. 15) But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence, and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all; 16) And charged them that they should not make him known." (Matthew 12: 1-2, 10-16) (also see Mark 3, Luke 13, John 9)

Should people give blind obedience to government?

Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, 2) Why do thy disciple transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread." 3) But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? … 7) Ye hypocrites! … 12) Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? 13) But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. 14) Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind, And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. (Matthew 15:1-3, 7, 12-14)

Passages from the King James Bible that are relevantto the legal and moral status of Cannabis sativa, L.

And the earth brought forth grass and herb yielding seed after its kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good. (Genesis 1:12)

God said, "Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to everything that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so." And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. (Gen. 1:29-31)

(No prohibition of cannabis or any other drug is made in the Ten Commandments: See Ex. 20:1-17)

(Cannabis is mentioned in Ex. 30:23 but King James mistranslated it as 'sweet calamus') :Moreover, the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 23 Take thou also unto thee principal spices, of pure myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet cinnamon half so much, even 250 shekels, and of qaneh-bosm [cannabis] 250 shekels, 24 And of cassia 500 shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, and of oil olive an hin: 25 And thou shalt make it an oil of holy anointment, an ointment compound after the art of the apothecary: it shall be an holy anointing oil. 26 And thous shalt anoint the tabernacle of the congregation therewith, and the ark of the testimony, 27 And the table and all his vessels, and the candlestick ahd his vessels, and the altar of incense, 28 And the altar of burnt offerings with all his vessels, and the laver and his foot. 29 And thou shalt sanctify them, that they may be most holy: whatsoever toucheth them shall be holy. (Exodus 30:22-29)

* As one shekel equals approximately 16.37 grams, this means that the THC from over 9 pounds of flowering cannabis tops were extracted into a hind, about 6.5 litres of oil. The entheogenic effects of such a solution -- even when applied topically -would undoubtedly have been intense.

He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth; And wine that maketh glad the heart of man and oil to make his face to shineth. (Psalm 104:14-15)

The Lord said unto me, "I will take my rest and I will consider in my dwelling place like a clear heat upon herbs, and like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest. For afore the harvest, when the bud is perfect and the sour grape is ripening in the flower, he shall cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks and take away and cut down the branches. (Is. 18:4-5)

And I will raise up for them a plant of renown, and they shall be no more consumed with hunger in the land, neither bear the shame of the heathen any more. (Ezekiel 34:29)

(Jesus:) "Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man." (Matt. 15:11)

One believeth that he may eat all things. Another…eateth herbs. … Let us not, therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brother's way. I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. (Epistle of St. Paul: Romans 14: 2,3,13,14,17)

Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times, some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused if it be received with thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereupon thou hast attained. (Paul: 1 Timothy 4:1-6)

And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielding her fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. (Rev. 22:1-2)

Other relevant quotes:

Intoxication:

Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise. (Prov. 20:1)

Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish and wine unto those of heavy hearts. Let him drink and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more. (Prov. 31:6-7)

"Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them! (Isaiah 5:10)

(Jesus' first miracle was turning water into wine at the wedding at Cana: See John 1-10. He also served wine at the Last Supper.)

Prohibition:

(Jesus:) He said unto them, "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar's and unto God the things which be God's." (Luke 20:25)

"Then came Peter to him and said, "Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, "I say not unto thee until seven times: But until seventy times seven." (Matt. 18:21-22)

(Jesus:) "If a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand." (Mark 3:24)

(Jesus:) He saith unto them, "Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him.... That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man." (Mark 7:18-20)

Forfeiture:

As troops of robbers wait for a man, so the company of priests commit murder in the

Persecution:

Thy commandments are faithful: They persecute me wrongfully; help thou me.

way by consent. (Hos. 6:9)

(Jesus:) "Beware the scribes which desire to walk in long robes and … the highest seats in the synagogues and the chief rooms at feasts; Which devour widows' houses, and for a show make long prayers: They shall receive greater damnation." (Luke 20:46-47)

Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part. (John 19:33)

(Ps. 119:86)

(Jesus:) "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are those persecuted for righteousness' sake: For theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:9-10)

(Jesus:) "The King shall answer and say unto them, 'Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethern, ye have done it unto me." (Matt. 25:40)

Tolerance:

These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue and hands that shed innocent blood; An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief; A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethern." (Prov. 6:16-19)

(Jesus:) "But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, Bless them that curse you and pray for them which despitefully use you. And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek, offer also the other, and him that taketh away thy cloak, forbid not to take thy coat also." (Luke 6:27-29)

Truth:

A wise man will hear, and will increase learning: and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels. (Proverbs 1:5)

If a ruler hearken to lies, all his servants are wicked. (Prov. 29:12)

Judgement & Punishment:

The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison to them that are bound." (Is. 61:1)

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you, that you will be no priest to Me…for I desired mercy and not sacrifice. (Hosea 4:6, 6:6)

(Jesus:) "Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgement ye judge, ye shall be judged: And with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?" (Matt. 7:1-4)

(Jesus:) He beheld them and said, "What is this then that is written, 'The stone which the builders rejected, the

same is become the head of the corner'?" (Luke 20:17)

If you think America doesn’t need a bunch of potheads in the country, too late, and we are missing out the money it makes too.