Numbers never lie

Checkout this article I came across on an anti drug website, very interesting about the rise in drug use among the youth.Lax

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=127746216

StonedEmaculate

When looking at Americas past and present infatuation with marijuana? Mainly looking at the period of time between the first federal criminalization of marijuana in 1930; and jumping forward to present time 2010, there has been enormous change in politics and culture and the overall. Yet, the question I have is how much has our society transformed when it comes towards its views on marijuana? And are there any polls that go that far back in time, the oldest poll I was able to find was from the 1980s. The poll administered by CBS asked 1210 random people across the country if their close friends/family smoked pot. Only 38% said yes, whereas 60% said no. Jumping forward to present day, a similar poll was conducted by the Pew Research Center in march of 2010, out of 1500 phone interviews 40% said yes and 58% said no. Bring forth the question how much has our society really changed?

Putin Blame on Sweet Mary Jane

I recently came across an article in the LA Times about a suspect in the killing of a North Carolina police chief’s daughter. More importantly I would like to point out the fact that there is a HUGE bias towards marijuana. Within the article it pointed out the fact that the suspect who comes from a troubled background who has been in and out of prison. Moreover, the article states

Harvey told authorities he first drank alcohol at age 7. At age 12, he began smoking marijuana, which he would smoke daily until he was 28, he said. He tried cocaine for the first time at 13 and used amphetamines and hallucinogens in his teens, though he says he stopped using those years ago. He advanced to heroin at 18 and first smoked crack at age 30, according to a January 2008 pre-sentencing report for violating his probation

." I am pretty sure that if you start drinking booze at 7 you are not going to amount to anything, and second why even bring up smoking pot? Every kid at some point in their lives dabbles in it. I truly believe that not only is our government misleading the American public about marijuana, but so is our media. For too long there has been this black shadow of death that has been cast on marijuana. Going back to when I was in grade school (I do not believe that the time to experiment with drugs is when you are 12 wait until you are in college) and the DARE program, stating how pot was a gateway drug to other drugs such as heroin; I find this statement totally absurd. Yet being the American public we have bought into to it like saps. By no means am I bad mouthing the American public, but I would like to think that being the most prosperous nation in the world that we might be able to see through the smoke and mirrors.

I guess the United States Government learned nothing from the 18th amendment (prohabition of alcohol)

I thought that I would share some recent info about Marijuana that I found on above the influence .org. This happens to be the United States current anti drug campaign to steer kids away from various illegal drugs. Here are some of their statements about marijuana; Marijuana is addictive. More teens are in treatment with a primary diagnosis of marijuana dependence than for all other illicit drugs combined.

Source: Treatment Episodes Data Set (TEDS) 1992-2002, SAMHSA, 2006http://www.abovetheinfluence.com/facts/drugs-sources.aspx

I would like to make it clear that I believe that certain drugs such as heroin, cocaine, PCP, and various similar drugs are bad and do not condone any use of them. But I do find it pretty funny that marijuana a naturally accruing species of plant which has been around as long as man is labeled as being "bad" for you. Granted there are various other drugs that are freely available to the public that are "just as bad" if not worse for your health then pot. Why is it that once you turn 18 you can buy tobacco and when your 21 you can purchase alcohol? Both of these products can be addictive and can kill you. Yet, how come our government doesn’t do the same thing with the legalization of cannabis? by legalizing it not only could our government regulate and tax on the sale of Marijuana, it would also decrease the amount of inmates within our federal prison system, not to mention save the American tax payers millions of dollars which is spent trying to enforce this. To put it bluntly the Federal government is losing the war on marijuana, much like it lost the war with the 18th amendment, the prohibition of alcohol. Instead the 18th amendment created a black market for alcohol that created the rise of gangs and violence. It should also be brought up that the black market alcohol was not regulated by any federal administration, in which thousands of people died as result of drinking poorly made alcohol. Doesn't this Sound similar to the current case with marijuana, I do.  No granted this is just my opinion, but when looking back at history mainly the 18th amendment, I find that by making a widely available product that has no significant health risks, and provides numerous citizens pleasure, why try enforcing something that you cannot? Hopefully after reading this post I have made you the reader rethink your stance on the legalization of marijuana.

U.S. Support for Legalizing Marijuana Reaches New High

U.S. Support

Publish Post

for Legalizing Marijuana Reaches New High

Above is a link to a recent poll conducted , in which public support for the legalization of marijuana is at an all time high of around 44%. The poll also breaks down public suport for the legalization and taxation of marijuana by region.

Above is a picture of Micheal Phelps the record breaking Olympic swimmer smoking Marijuana. Now you maybe asking your self OK so what is the big deal? Well, to be perfectly honest with you nothing, except for the fact that in the United States possession of marijuana is a crime. The purpose of this blog is not to persuade you or tell you what to believe. The purpose is to expose to you the United States tax payer how much it is costing you to enforce a "drug" that is no more dangerous than alcohol . Instead the government should get involved in cashing in on this "cash crop", with taxation as a pose to spending millions upon millions of dollars enforcing something that is already widely available to the public. Please check back regularly for more updates

Creation of this blog and reasoning behind it

 I am a senior political science major at Illinois State University. I have been required for one of my classes to create a blog about a certain issue facing our society. For my issues I have decided to talk about the United States stance on Illegal drugs, with my main focus being marijuana .  Please check back regularly  for updates