[420 Girl]

"Make the most you can of the Indian Hemp seed and sow it everywhere." President George Washington, 1794

The time for decisions on medicinal use and legalization or even complete prohibition reversal has come. With the storm of America’s newly privatized elections bearing down on us from a distance and in lieu of rising tensions at America’s borders, career politicians are closely examining the risk factors associated with taking marijuana reform to an official platform. With the compassionate use acts passing in California and amidst 13 other states recent displays of apparent succession, politicians have no choice but to consider the votes of those in favor of marijuana reform with respect to the upcoming elections. Medical use, but more importantly marijuana, has always been just a question of politics.

The Ebers Papyrus (ca. 1,550 BCE ), an ancient Egyptian papyri, is one of our earliest ancestral concordances and it references the medicinal value of marijuana. In fact, Egyptologists like Lise Manniche are finding that the Egyptians made references to, “plant medical marijuana,” in many texts dating back to the eighteenth century BCE. . Surviving texts from India reflect that cannabis’ psychoactive compounds were recognized and used for a variety of ailments including headaches, insomnia, gastrointestinal disorders and pain experienced while child-birthing. Researchers have also found evidence of marijuana in civilized society in ancient Greece and can date it to as early as the eighth century by way of medieval Islam’s. During the United States formative years the first President George Washington stated that we citizens should, “Make the most you can of the Indian Hemp seed and sow it everywhere.” In modern review of this statement and amidst society’s ever-growing desire to end cartel violence, create jobs, and regulate the booming business of marijuana, marijuana and politics are all the buzz.

Mexico’s former President Vicente Fox recently stated that the current policy regarding marijuana is not working. The fact is it’s not working for either country, both of which are seeing cartel violence escalate alongside drug seizures and the costs of enforcement. Mr. Fox said in an interview by CNN, “I believe it's time to open the debate over legalizing drugs. It must be done in conjunction with the United States, but it is time to open the debate. It can't be that the only way is for the state to use force.” This comment comes amidst headlines that read, “Three members of U.S. consulate in Mexico gunned down by drug cartel hit-squad,” and, “Drug cartel retaliation suspected in Mexico shootings.” Three former Chief Executives, all members of the Latina American Commission on Drugs and Democracy, mirror Fox’s views on the topic of reform.

Escalations of violence by drug cartels are not unprecedented when we look at the prohibition of alcohol in the 1920’s. A violent but profitable black-market existed during prohibition, also known as the “Noble Experiment,” and a profitable black-market has presented itself yet again during America’s prohibition of marijuana. After prohibitions repeal in 1933 the black market proceeds from alcohol consumption no longer went to organized crime but were utilized by government officials by way of taxation, and states were given the right to individually govern alcohol under the twenty-first amendment. Predictably, states are exerting their rights under the same amendment in an effort to lay claims to the flourishing market of marijuana.

Fourteen states in the US have thus far legalized marijuana for medicinal use. California’s Proposition 215, also known as the “Compassionate Use Act,” passed in 1996 with an overwhelming 5,382,915 votes in favor of legislation granting marijuana medicinal value. The city of Oakland, CA facing a deficit of $31 million and an unemployment rate of 17% is seeking economic refuge in medical marijuana estimating that their newly legalized marijuana factories would net as much as $38 million in taxes and fees. In an article, “Oakland, Seeking Financial Lift, Approves Giant Marijuana Farms,” Malia Wollan a writer for the New York Times asserts that, “If the plan receives final approval, the city would begin issuing large-scale production permits in January.” “As the industry continues to emerge and grow, we know that other cities are looking at this,” said Councilwoman and mayoral candidate Rebecca Kaplan. Bruce Fein, former Associate Deputy Attorney General and General Counsel to the F.C.C. under President Ronald Reagan stated, “This is a fundamental issue of states’ rights. Marijuana should be treated just like alcohol, regulated and taxed – there could be a windfall for the US economy.”

Windfall indeed, marijuana has become an election agenda with many young voters paying attention to marijuana reform and placing emphasis on it. Organizations like the National Organization for the Reformation of Marijuana Laws (NORML), the People United For Medical Marijuana (PUFMM) and Students for Sensible Drug Policy are growing increasingly boisterous. A campaign recently launched by Firedoglake, in collaboration with the SSDP and Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP), called “Just Say Now,” aims to spend $500k to mobilize young people in key battleground states. The theory is that the upcoming elections will see young voters in greater numbers at the polls if marijuana is on the ballot.

Members of “Just Say Now” might say that “Just Say No,” was just a lie. The politics of marijuana, however controversial, are very real and require our attention. For both those who support and those refusing to recognize the legalization of marijuana, the time is now to get involved. Legislation concerning the political and socioeconomic nature of marijuana in the US is on the desks of Senators and Congressman alike. The medical use of marijuana is, of course, all a question of politics now isn’t it?


NewsHawk: MedicalNeed: 420 MAGAZINE
Source: Helium - Where Knowledge Rules
Author: Beau Glover
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Website:Medical use of marijuana is all a question of politics - by Beau Glover - Helium


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