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Zilos

haha, move it to the 'never ending thread' catagorie, im sure this will be debated for a long time

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ovidduke_no_cop

Well cigarette kill 400,000 people a year, marijuana - 0. In 10,000 years marijuana has not been able to be acredited with one death. 735,000 citizens went to jail for it per year but not one death.
Apparently, etymologists confirmed that 'kineboisin' (also spelled 'kannabosm') referred to cannabis used in a holy ointment. Therapeutic uses were described in Indian medical texts before 1000 BC and in Chinese herbal Ry-ya in the fifth century BC. It was listed in the Pharmacopeias of several countries including the USA, until its demise in the thirties. It has analgesic, anti-emetic, anti-inflammatory and sedative properties; it is also a laxative and hypertensive. An excellent nutritional source, it has a delicate, nutty taste and is great in salads and Tabouli. Must be kept refrigerated and best used within six months. Hemp was once grown widely in North America, until the thirties; Thomas Jefferson and George Washington were both hemp farmers. It has a long history of use and is a valuable commercial crop; the seeds have excellent nutritional value and the foliage can be used as cattle fodder. In the textile and paper manufacturing industries, the cloth is extremely durable and versatile. The cellulose pulp for paper products is far more environmental than that of wood, due to its fast growing nature. How many more forests do we have left!? Hemp can also be used in building materials and the car manufacturing industry and before the invention of electricity; hemp oil was used in lamps for lighting. Its cultivation, unlike cotton, is extremely environmental as it requires no special fertilizers or insecticides. Its long roots reach down into the soil and draw nutrients and minerals to the surface, so conditioning the soil.

The value of hemp as a plant cannot be stressed enough. So why isn't it widely grown commercially anymore? It is mainly due to a huge industrial conspiracy (Jack Herer; The Emperor Wears No Clothes-Hemp and the Marijuana Conspiracy 1991). Technology had put hemp in a position were it could have replaced wood as a raw material for paper. In 1937 DuPont patented a new process for making paper from wood. They were also involved in synthetics, munitions and processing cellulose. The newspaper giant Hearst, also had interests in timber/paper. The two industrial giants set about launching a massive smear campaign against hemp. Calling it Ô the killer weed from Mexico Õ and renaming it 'Marijuana'. Their combined political clout soon turned public opinion against hemp and laws were enacted to entrench their vested business interests. The growing of hemp became illegal and still is, in North America. Hemp oil and steamed (to prevent germination) seeds are legal. A member of the Cannabinaceae family, native to Asia and the Middle East, it can grow up to two meters high.
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THE ORIGINS OF CANNABIS AND CIVILIZATION.
Cannabis hemp has been an adjunct to the growth and development of the human race for the last ten to twelve thousand years. It has occupied a central position in the history of civilizations, past and present. It¹s known to have provided fiber from 8,000 BC with medicinal uses being recorded in 4000 BC. Other sources confirm that hemp textiles have been dated from 10,000 years ago,(approximately the same time as pottery was invented and preceding metalworking). Up until the 1900¹s hemp remained the world¹s primary agricultural commodity. Hemp has been inextricably related to human development and well-being throughout history. Professor Hui-Lin Li, an economic botanist from the University of Pennsylvania states: textile fibers are next to cereal grains, in importance to the founding of human culture. Carl Sagan in the Dragons of Eden agrees, and speculates that the cultivation of hemp may have led to the invention of agriculture and thereby to civilization. The Encyclopedia Britannica of 1856 supports this idea: It is not as a narcotic and excitant that the hemp plant is most useful to mankind; it is an advancer rather than a retarder of civilization, that its utility is made most manifest. Its great value as a textile material, particularly for cordage and canvas, has made it eminently useful; and if we were to copy the figurative style of the Sanskrit writers, we might with justice call it the "accelerator of commerce" and the "spreader of wealth and intellect." For ages man has been dependant upon hempen cordage and hempen sails for enabling his ships to cross the seas; and in this respect it still occupies a most important place in our commercial affairs. THE
HISTORY OF HEMP.
Cannabis sativa is a tall, robust, dioecious annual that grows from three to fifteen feet high and is one of the oldest cultivated plants. Originally native to Central Asia, it has since spread to every inhabited continent, region and country. Herodotus, a Greek historian, circa 450 BC mentions it, talking of the hempen garments, made by the Thracians, as equal in fineness to flax. He makes further mention of the Scythians¹ use of the plant to "purge themselves after funerals". Other classical writers to mention it include Homer, Ovid, Pliny, Virgil, Livy, Martial, Gallien and many others. First classified botanically by the Swedish naturalist Carolus Linnaeus in 1753 in Species Plantarum . The 1856 Encyclopedia Britannica demonstrated the ubiquitous nature of cannabis. In China it is known as ma; in Sanskrit it is known as goni, sanu or shanapu; Persic, canna; Arabic, kannah or kinnub; Greek, kannabis; Latin, cannabis; Italian, canapa; French, chanvre or chanbre; Danish kamp or kennep; Lettish and Lithuanian, kannapes; Slavonic, konopi; Erse, canaib; Scandinavian, hampr; Swedish, hampa; German, hanf; Anglo-Saxon, haenep; and English hemp. Other terms for hemp include the Japanese, asa; Bulgarian, kenevir; Turkish, nasha; Syrian, kanabira; Polish, konopi and penek and Albanian, canep. Hemp is common to the "New World" as well, having been introduced early in the European colonisation of Central and South America. Jamaica (ganja, kaya) Mexico, (mota), Guatemala, Belize, Columbia and Brazil (diamba or maconha) all have long histories of production and use. It has played a significant role in the traditional cultures of at least one tribal group in Brazil, the Tenetehara, since their first contact with African slaves from Angola at least ten generations previously. Its use in Africa is widespread, in Nigeria and West Africa, Egypt, Morocco (kif), the Middle East, Malawi, the Congo and Southern Africa (dagga).
THE HEMP INDUSTRY
The development of the hemp industry in America can be traced from the time of the Puritans, who noted it grew "twice so high”. The industry was stimulated by legislation in Virginia in 1619 ordering farmers to grow hemp. Massachusetts followed in 1631 and Connecticut in 1632. During shortages in Virginia between 1763 and 1767 you could even be jailed for not growing it! Hemp was legal tender from 1631 till the early 1800¹s so as to encourage its cultivation; the colonists could even pay their taxes with it! By 1850 there were 8,327 hemp plantations (of a minimum size of 2,000 acres). The situation was similar in other parts of the world. In 1533, Tudor King Henry VIII imposed a stiff fine for not growing hemp with Queen Elizabeth I licensing agents by Letters Patent to form drug squads "in reverse" in 1563. , whilst Russia was the worlds¹ largest exporter and major supplier to the British Navy from 1740 to 1800. Hemp was vital to the British Empire, as it underpinned its naval power till the age of steamships. Between 1851 and 1855, the UK imported about 245,000 tons of hemp in addition to domestic production. It is unsurprising therefore that the suitability of the new Australian colonies for hemp was considered early on.
In 1845, Francis Campbell, a notable academic of the day, conducted small scale experiments. From this he determined that the loamy soils of the river flats from the Hunter river to Grafton provided an ideal climate. Cultivation continued in NSW until the mid 1890¹s at least. Hemp¹s importance had diminished in England by the beginning of the 19th century: following the decline of local independence and the destruction of the village economy, which resulted from enclosures of the common lands, engrossing of farms and the rising power of manufacture and centers of capital Unable to take advantage of industrial scale processes, it left its mark on the landscape with names like Hempstead and Hempnall, reflecting village life and industry that were intimately related to hemp cultivation. This is common in American place names also. The labor intensive hemp industry suffered throughout the world in the early 1900¹s as the newly mechanized cotton industry, synthetic products and cheaper Asian imports of inferior fibers undermined it. The introduction of decorticators capable of harvesting, stripping and separating the fiber from the pulp promised to overcome this however. By 1937, the hemp industry was undergoing a resurgence following mechanization, with acreage planted to hemp, having doubled every year since 1930. That year, against the wishes and advice of the American Medical Association and others, it was effectively banned in America, with the introduction of the prohibitive $100/oz Marijuana Transfer Tax Act (HR 6906).
THE PROHIBITION OF CANNABIS
Cannabis hemp was never prohibited because of any real "drug problem" in the U.S. When banned in Australia its use recreationally was almost unheard of. The prohibition and attempted eradication en masse of non-psycho-active fiber hemp, along with the drug variety, suggest more sinister motives. The available evidence points to vested interests, cooperatively acting together, to pressure legislators into banning cannabis to suit their own ends. These included the Du Pont corporation, Randolph Hearst and his tabloid newspaper chain (both with mutual interests in wood-based pulp technology and forest resources), and Harry J. Anslinger, the former Assistant U.S. Commissioner for Prohibition, and the newly promoted head of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics. He was appointed by none other than his uncle-in-law, Andrew Mellon. Mellon was then the owner, and largest stockholder of the sixth largest bank in the US; The Mellon Bank of Pittsburgh, Anslinger and Hearst began a vitriolic, racist and sensationalist propaganda campaign in Hearst¹s papers (of which Reefer Madness, Marijuana: Assassin of Youth and Weed with it's Roots in Hell were just a part to whip up a climate of fear and hysteria regarding this "devil weed". Unsurprisingly, it was sponsored by the United Brewers Association.
In 1937, Anslinger testified before Congress saying: Marijuana is the most violence causing drug in the history of mankind. Anslinger¹s testimony included racist remarks such as "colored men with big lips", luring white women with jazz music and marijuana, "with the result of pregnancy" and shocked the Southern dominated Congressional Ways and Means committee who enacted the Marijuana Transfer Tax Act in 1937.
This was fuelled by racism against Hispanic and black minorities, and conflict surrounding the "medicalisation" of the patent medicine industry.
Meanwhile, nylon fibers had been developed between 1926-36 by Wallace Carruthers, a noted Harvard chemist working with an open-ended research grant from Du Pont. The process to convert coal and oil to nylon was patented in 1937, the same time as Du Pont developed new sulfate/sulfite processes to make paper from wood pulp. According to corporate records, this would then account for 80% by volume, of all its¹ railroad freight for the next 50 years. The President of Du Pont, Lammot Du Pont, had this to say:
Synthetic plastics find application in fabricating a wide variety of articles, many of which in the past were made from natural products..... Consider our natural resources; the chemist has aided in conserving natural resources by developing synthetic products to supplement or wholly replace natural products "
Coincidentally" at the same time high volume machinery to separate the bast fiber from hemp hurds became state of the art, available and affordable, "marijuana" was outlawed.
This action ranks with the other great corporate heist of the era, the privatization and subsequent closure, of electric public transport systems in many cities, by a conglomerate of Firestone Rubber, General Motors and Goodyear.

Mamabudz

Hi Ovid:

Try not to post the identical answer in 2 threads.

The information though is a wonderful compilation of some of the most recent work on the ethno-botanical and economic history of our favorit plant.

Kanebosm is one of my favorite biblical references -- right there in Exodus -- and my "bible" is in Hebrew so it really "says" it too

Hugz,

Mama Budz

ovidduke_no_cop

Before I'm censored by the cops that control this site like niteshift. Let me add that the prison system gets $47,000 per inmate per year and they just got busted here for recieving 8-9 million dollars budget for 235 inmates. Biggest money maker for every state and most inmates are in for victimless crimes. As Ovid (the poet/philosopher) put it something dosen't become a crime until you make it one. No law ever gave anythind to anyone, they all take away. If they made sodas illegal tomorrow you'd be a criminal for drinking one. The law wasn't justified but it's still the law. At least for the terrified citizens. Read this:

"I must believe the officer"
How many times have we heard this in court? How does this work? The Constitution say all equal in a court of law. Why do they say ‘until’ proven guilty instead of ‘unless’ proven guilty? Why would an officer be more believable than I? There was a cop in Albuquerque that raped several women, not one, several women. The law says that we have the right to drive to a safe place if an officer wants us to pull over. This means any lighted area with witnesses or even the police station if you can. How many of you think you can? I myself believe that I would be run off the road and several officers would beat me to death. Knowing this would you exercise this right? If you call any of the law enforcement agencies they'll just tell you to call someone else and days later you'll still not had an answer. No law agency will supply you with tools to inhibit their reign of terror.
I brought up the case of the officer that raped several women but that's just recently. This has been happening for a while. It's not just big city stuff either. A Cloudcroft officer was arrested for abusing his son. The officer who killed himself on Florida Ave. was being investigated for stealing and dealing drugs.
It isn't just the police that are so trustworthy and honest. An ex Ruidoso Downs judge decided after 17 years to see if all was forgotten in his molestation case. It wasn’t and he was arrested for molested two girls.

NEW MEXICO CITIZENS LIVE IN FEAR OF THEIR POLICE
When the supervisor of the Albuquerque Police Department's Cold Case Squad criticized the grieving mother of a homicide victim for questioning the actions of "an impeccable police department," the families of over a dozen New Mexico murder victims decided to take a long look at that "impeccable" department, as well as other investigative agencies in the Albuquerque area. What that group has uncovered underscores the headline in the Albuquerque Journal, “The citizens of Albuquerque are afraid of their cops.” Honest police officers are almost as intimidated as the public -- afraid to speak out against their colleagues and supervisors for fear of retaliation against themselves or their loved ones.

Police in New Mexico have a long and on-going track record of murder, bank robbery, kidnapping, extortion, sex crimes, burglary, drug dealing, aggravated battery, auto theft, fraud, brutality, entrapment, the planting and/or destruction of evidence, intimidation of witnesses, and - above all - the cover-up of crimes committed by police officers. According to the battered wife of Deputy Scott Finley. a member of the Bernalillo County Sheriffs Department's elite Crime Suppression Unit, when she threatened to call 911 to report a vicious beating. her husband's response was: "Go ahead and call. How can you break the law when you are the law?”

This corruption is in no way limited to cops on the street. It exists at management levels and extends to the very top echelons of New Mexico law enforcement:
Lt. John B. Gallegos, supervisor of the APD Internal Affairs Unit, was caught burglarizing a liquor store while on duty.

Deputy Darryl Burt, senior officer in the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Department Gang Unit, was charged with kidnapping, criminal sexual penetration, and other felonies in connected with the traffic stop of a 24-yr-old male, as well as 34 counts of sexual assault and extortion of a 16-yr-old boy. He was also found guilty of drug trafficking charges.

APD Officer Andrew LeHocky sicced his 80-pound attack dog on a homeless woman who was asleep at the time. This was the same Andrew LeHocky who had just been named "Officer of the Month."

APD Sgt. Mike Garcia, supervisor of officers assigned to public schools, was indicted on sex charges involving a 12-yr-old girl, who was staying the night with one of his daughters

The APD Intelligence Unit, under the supervision of Sgt. Joseph Polisar, was accused of illegally creating and maintaining secret dossiers on innocent political figures. The only possible use for such dossiers would be to exert influence and pressure on those politicians. When the existence of the dossiers became known, they were burned to prevent their inspection. Sgt. Polisar was subsequently elevated to Chief of Police.

Mamabudz

Ovid:

Niteshift, who in fact is a police officer and a member of the community posting predominantly in the Protecting Your Rights thread. He is an active member of the Police force in a metropolitan area of the US and a former member of the Armed Forces of the US.

He is neither an Administrator nor Moderator for Marijuana.com.

Control of the site is run by the Administration who can be contacted on the Marijuana.com Feedback forum.

Just want to make sure everyone is clear on that point.

Mama Budz

 

troublemaker_42

Hey, you're back Oviduke_No_Cop.....last I knew you were here under yet another alias and said you wouldn't be back to this "cop-controlled" site. Guess you lied, just like you did when you said I was a cop. I should have known better....to think a troll would leave on their own free will........

troublemaker_42

Sorry for going off-topic in the above post. I agree that it is'nt "harmless", for the reasons mamabuz mentioned. i too have lost a job, been forced to pay (IMO) outrageous fines, and now have a criminal record for possession of....THREE JOINTS (less than a gram!!). Now, I have a college degree that isn't worth much of anything to me, since I'm now a "drug user" because of my possession charge. Nevermind the multitude of good things I could bring to many places of employment. ONE possession charge has disqualified me from a good many jobs, either officially or unofficially. Some places won't hire people with any record, and others say a conviction MAY not disqualify you, but in such cases, I have yet to recieve even a callback. I guess, in essence, marijuana isn't really that harmful. However, the laws surrounding its possession are extremely harmful. Take it from someone who knows!

TEDMOR

Troublemaker

You are not alone. 2 million Marijuana arrests over the past 3 years is about 2 million too many. Mamabudz has a very good list of the most significant "harms" that can result from the prohibition of Marijuana. But don't get too discouraged. There are companies that will hire and ignore simple possession arrests. In some states, I believe, it is easier to get simple possession arrests removed from the record. Some of you with direct knowledge about this should comment. If you are arrested, be sure to get a good lawyer who will look into options that do not leave it on your permanent record, something like adjournment in contemplation of dismissal. Then, after a period of time, it can (or is supposed to be) thrown out. Even violation arrests in decriminalized states can come back to haunt you. The Marijuana culture wars are a national tragedy that needs to be corrected.

SuperJJ85

I voted Yes.

However, I know that the truth is nothingis actually "harmless". I chose to vote Yes because I know that cannabis is as harmless as, say toast. Toast, like everything else we eat/consume has a toxicity level (including WATER!). The toxicity level of toast is comparable to that of cannabis.

When bread is toasted, the cooked bread carries carcinogens. Almost all partial combustion (like toasting toast, smoking cannabis, etc.) gives off carcinogens.

The key is moderation. If I sat out to it multiple loaves of toast every day, without stopping - I bet I could reach the toxicity level of toast and become very sick, and possibly die from it. However, I'd really have to want to kill myself by eating too much toast - a very unlikely situation.

SuperJJ85

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teentoker420

Don't sound much like a toker " do marijuana"