As I’m sure everyone knows, the Marijuana debate is hot right now. But beyond the positive medical ramifications of legalized medical marijuana, there is so much more that could come from the end of weed prohibition.

At a time when so many people are out of work, or in need of supplemental income, there’s a whole new industry out there, just waiting to be grabbed. In a legalized world with farming, people can be given jobs of all sorts. Trees could be spared, as the stalks of the plant make excellent everything. Hemp protein and textiles are already out there, Isochanvre (a by-product) is used for building materials. Seed oil is used in food & fuel. Current farmers can rotate the crops with corn, keeping the soil healthy. The industrial benefits are as numerous as they are varied. It is THE biggest undocumented cash crop in the US. If government was smart, they’d realize the unlimited potential, legalize it, tax it like alcohol and let everyone be happy that wants it. People wouldn’t have to go to jail for it, leaving room for the real criminals. There’d be a lot of planting going on, which is good for the atmosphere. There wouldn’t have to be so much de-forestation, good for well…forests.

During prohibition, folks in-the-know went to their local Speakeasy for adult beverages and “fun”. It took a while, but ultimately, everyone saw that the law did not work and they repealed it. As a direct cause of prohibition, organized crime became stronger, or at least wealthier, due to boot-legging. (A big shout-out to the Kennedy clan.)

Our friends Rockefeller, Reagan & Ed Meese are responsible for the idiotic, archaic laws and thinking behind “The War On Drugs”. They classified weed in with the chemical shit-storms that are cocaine, crack, heroin, PCP and speed, and people have spent years in jail for smoking a joint and having some grass on them. They are responsible for mandatory screening, which is a slippery-slope to a witch-hunt, in terms of employment. I could go on for days about this topic, but I am really trying to make another point, so we’ll save it for next time.

Think about it. They created a “war” on drugs. And what happened? What did it fix, exactly? I remember having acquaintances that used uppers, downers & cocaine in high-school. My personal belief is that this war was an excuse for the US Government to make money. Every now and again, someone had to take a fall, to give the impression that they were succeeding, but business was going on as usual. Bullshit.

And now, for the part of the conversation most of my Hippie friends care about: recreational use. My personal take on this is, LEGALIZE IT! It is not a gate-way drug unless the user already has those intentions. The argument is that “Kids will be able to get it!” Surprise folks – they get alcohol and tobacco, despite the laws and rules. Human nature is, if you have a mind to do something, you WILL find a way. Apply the alcohol laws & rules to marijuana. Have shops monitored for under-age use, like they would in a club. Do the best you can do to prevent it. Just like Alcohol and Tobacco. In recent years, the folks I see for 4:20 companionship are at least 20 years younger than me. THEY have it. And they’re always surprised, at first, to find that I will have a treat. 

  

A recap of benefits:

• 100’s of medical uses, well documented.
• Textiles
• Construction products
• Paper & packaging
• Furniture
• Food & feed
• Compost
• Energy & Biomass
• Cordage

And, here’s a bit of history, courtesy of Rowan Robinson’s Great Book Of Hemp:

• The sails Columbus used on his famous voyage were made of hemp cloth.
• The original drafts of the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution were written on hemp paper.
• Egypt, Rome, Greece, India, Africa, China, Afghanistan, ancient Jews – have used hemp for thousands of years.
• Thomas Jefferson smuggled hemp seeds from Europe.
• Henry Ford designed a car “grown” from hemp and other crops, and designed it to run on hemp fuel.
• George Washington was a hemp farmer, and according to surviving correspondence, he preferred to smoke hemp leaves rather than drink alcohol.

When the first President of The United States of America endorses something…maybe it’s time to re-think your position. Seriously, with the way people cherry-pick the Constitution and its Amendments, you would think George Washington would hold some heavy weight with everyone.

Works Cited

Robinson, R. (1996). The Great Book Of Hemp. Rochester, Vermont: Park Street Press.