The failure of the federal government to properly regulate marijuana is leading to terrible headaches. MMJ is a Schedule 1 drug under the Controlled Substances Act, meaning that the Congress has determined it has a high potential for abuse and has no legitimate medical use. The former may be true, but certainly not the latter. At the very least, the facts point in the direction of putting MMJ onto a different schedule, permitting medical use but still outlawing consumption for intoxication, just as we do morphine and cocaine. One real downside of this policy was to substantially stifle testing to see which diseases and conditions could benefit from cannabis, and which not. Also, delivery systems such as sprays that would obviate the need to dispense “weed” have not gotten off the financial ground.
But our irresponsible representatives didn’t and don’t want to appear soft on drugs, and so nothing was done. This created a huge opening for people who want to legalize marijuana and increase the trend toward hedonism that I think is undermining societal cohesion. Joining with well meaning activists who just wanted to help suffering people feel better, legalizers saw MMJ as the foot in the door to outright legalization, and the Medical Marijuana Movement began. Voters approved measures in several states permitting weed marijuana to be dispensed unprofessionally (meaning not in the controlled circumstances of a pharmacy or for diseases known to benefit from MJ as a therapy), with only a doctor’s letter the key to obtaining one’s stash. This led to chaos and an anarchic quasi legalization that allowed the drug to be dispensed to people who didn’t need marijuana for medicine. Crime increased around the dispensing centers, to the point that even licentious anything goes San Francisco began to clamp down.
Now, with President Obama violating his oath of office by announcing that he will not enforce federal law against medical marijuana use in states where it is legal–which badly undermines our shaky commitment to the rule of law in this country–local authorities are forced to try to bring some order to the worsening mess. From the story:
For years, since the first medical marijuana laws were passed in the mid-1990s, many local and state governments could be confident, if not complacent, knowing that marijuana would be kept in check because it remained illegal under federal law, and that hard-nosed federal prosecutors were not about to forget it.
But with the Justice Department’s announcement last week that it would not prosecute people who use marijuana for medical purposes in states where it is legal, local and state officials say they will now have to take on the job themselves.
Get that? The mostly empty threat of federal raids kept medical marijuana from spinning out of control. But with that gone, local authorities will have to spread their already thin resources to regulate and enforce loose state laws. And that will impact events beyond the MMJ issue.
I am very worried that we are becoming a nation that runs on the fuel of vice–which, let’s face it, tempts all of us. As such, the medical marijuana movement became one front in the coup de culture I have warned against. The federal government’s refusing to responsibly regulate marijuana so that it could be used in appropriate circumstances as medicine has added tremendously to that subversion.
October 26th, 2009 | 12:34 pm
Wesley writes: “The federal government’s refusing to responsibly regulate marijuana so that it could be responsibly be used as medicine has added tremendously to that subversion.”
There should be no “Federal” drug laws and enforcement should and can be handled by the individual states. A dependency was created so that states would rely on the Feds to enforce their own laws.
That said, I heartily agree with you that the ball has been dropped regarding the scheduling and testing of Marijuana, much more needs be done.
It would have been far more honest to get rid of the actual Federal laws, thereby forcing the States to be sovereign in this matter and to adjust the drug schedule for Marijuana, instead of abdicating ones oath to uphold the law.
Seems to be more political dithering…
October 26th, 2009 | 12:46 pm
Oh please, marijuana is as common today as beer and has been for decades. The difference is beer is legal and marijuana is not. If you want to rail against the legalization of marijuana and how society is falling apart why not go after the industry that sells, promotes, and packages alcohol. Surely enough deaths take place on our roadways to justify prohibition against alcohol.
October 26th, 2009 | 1:03 pm
wjpeace: There is a huge difference between a beer and a joint, just as there is a big difference between a joint and a snort of meth or an injection of heroin. Moreover, while drinking is legal, public intoxication isn’t. So, we still regulate drinking.
The ubiquitous nature of marijuana has not, I believe, been good for society generally. Legalizing it would invariably increase usage, which I don’t think would be beneficial.
These two comments illustrate, I think, the reason politicians are scared off from rescheduling Cannabis. They worry that that relaxation of regulation would be seized upon as an excuse for full legalization.
October 26th, 2009 | 1:11 pm
No one in the US who desires to use cannabis is prevented by the draconian prohibition laws. Cannabis prohibition *causes* more of a scourge to society than the substance itself would if completely legal. Those who want to use do already use it regardless of legal status. The fact that there is no victim to report this “crime” leads to proliferation and an *industry* to support the demand. This industry, since it is illegal, is filled by cartels and gangs, the same as during alcohol prohibition. It was found that legally regulated use was a better solution and contained the perceived “social ills” to an acceptable time, place, and age. It *is* going to go on whether legally allowed or not. The choice is between legally regulated use with tax income for the state, or the current cartel-gang based distribution system with millions going to finance criminal enterprises. There are *no* other choices.
October 26th, 2009 | 1:45 pm
I don’t know if legalization of medical marijuana would increase its usage in the general population or be used to justify full legalization. Can you prove this is the case in any of the 14 states it is legal? I do know alcohol abuse is rampant in this country and efforts to regulate excess drinking have failed miserably. If the sale of alcohol is permitted in spite of the devastating consequences I see no reason to ban the medical usage of marijuana. I simply don’t make the connections you do.
October 26th, 2009 | 1:55 pm
Don’t want cannabis legal? Scared you can’t control it? It’s OK. Keep it illegal if you want. You want the government out of it. It’s OK. Use the current distribution system. If you want to keep drug gangs in the distribution business….well, they’re already there. No problem! Keep cannabis illegal. I’ll still get anything I want within a couple of hours. Period. No questions asked. No one carded. No ID’s presented. And all proceeds go into the drug gang’s till. It’s OK. Business as usual. Geez, you act like it’s going away. No, you just drive it back underground. Oh, by the way, China called and they want you to quit spending so much money on your stupid prohibition. They’re nervous and might call in their loans to us. Besides, the first one didn’t work either. How does that go?…Doomed to repeat history. Priceless!
October 26th, 2009 | 2:07 pm
HandmaidLeah beat me to the “Federalism” argument. We all agree that the entirety of MMJ has been mismanaged due to politics; but we can no longer ignore Federalism’s principles.
October 26th, 2009 | 2:12 pm
wjpeace: I don’t think properly operated MMJ would increase casual usage. I think the current system probably does, since people get it for reasons that really have nothing to do with treatment. But what I said is that full legalization would increase usage. That seems obvious to me. Moreover, as I recall–and drug policy isn’t my field–when the Netherlands allowed the coffee houses, usage of marijuana went up about 250%.
October 26th, 2009 | 2:15 pm
Prohibition is immoral, anti-American and also unconstitutional. But that does not seem to matter to Wesley Smith.
When alcohol was banned it took an amendment to our US Constitution. And then another constitutional amendment to end prohibition. Why wasn’t an amendment needed to ban cannabis??? Answer: corrupt congressmen and Supreme Court justices.
The marijuana tax act was an end run around the limits placed on the federal government by our Constitution. It was based on an equally anti-American and unconstitutional law called the National Firearms Act (NFA). The law was and is a direct violation of the 2nd amendment. In order to ban certain types of firearms the federal government required a tax stamp for each of these firearms someone wanted to buy. The cost was hugely expensive ($200 in the 1920′s), so the poor and middle class could not purchase those items. Later, when challenged, the corrupt Supreme Court upheld the law.
So the marijuana tax act was based on the NFA in that people would be forced to purchase an expensive tax stamp each time they wanted to purchase marijuana. At the time it was available over the counter at local drug stores.
Years later when everyone became used to the expensive tax stamp the federal government decided to ban it outright, thus giving birth to the DEA. Each of us now has been born into this environment of bondage, so we think it is normal to suppress individual liberty for “the greater good”.
Prohibition has never worked and will never work, at least in a free country (what’s left of our freedoms). All it does is destroy the lives of Americans. 800,000 last year alone.
Regarding Smith’s choice of words regarding Hedonism. What a joke. Hey Wesley, try googling the words Bible and Cannabis. It seems that cannabis was used by God’s people thousands of years ago.
October 26th, 2009 | 3:07 pm
[...] it has a broad possibleness for shout and has no lawful scrutiny use. See the example post: Medical Marijuana: The Coup de Culture Consequences of agent … Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: a-suddenly-seem, and-has, congress, has-determined, [...]
October 26th, 2009 | 5:27 pm
Again I ask, since I’ve never heard a response, what the point of the FDA is if “medicine” can be legalized by individual states (thinking of marijuana and euthanazia–spelling intentional)?
Also, it’s hilarious to write “Prohibition doesn’t work!” when the fact is that many jurisdictions have effectively stopped policing pot ages ago for all but the most brazen and idiotic users and dealers. Of course prohibition works, but it sure takes more effort than we’re currently expending. Maybe we don’t want to expend the necessary effort, but that certainly doesn’t mean that prohibition doesn’t work. Same for alcohol, of course. Big-city police just plain didn’t try to enforce Prohibition at all, as a general rule. Partly by inclination, partly because of corruption.
October 26th, 2009 | 8:11 pm
[...] and has no lawful scrutiny use. The past haw be true, but sure not the latter. Original post: Medical Marijuana: The Coup de Culture Consequences of agent … Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: congress, discuss-how, drug-under, for-abuse, former-may, [...]
October 26th, 2009 | 11:46 pm
It appears a logical conversation is being attempted on a fairly emotional (for some) topic, I felt compelled to pose a question. Since marijuana was outlawed based on many factors but the primary being racism can we pose the following question, “If you are for the prohibition of marijuana, are you unknowingly supporting stereotypes of Latin Americans and African Americans that existed 80 years ago?”
My primary reference on the topic is http://www.drugwarrant.com/articles/why-is-marijuana-illegal/
Before you respond with your emotional response, STOP AND READ BELOW. You may be Latin American or African American or Caucasian but I just want to share with you the history of why marijuana is illegal in the US. It has nothing to do with the perceived danger of marijuana and more to do with racism and fear of other cultures.
Here we go:
-Western States began to outlaw marijuana (1913-1923) because cheap Mexican labor brought it with them. When Montana outlawed marijuana in 1927, the Butte Montana Standard reported a legislator’s comment: “When some beet field peon takes a few traces of this stuff… he thinks he has just been elected president of Mexico, so he starts out to execute all his political enemies.” In Texas, a senator said on the floor of the Senate: “All Mexicans are crazy, and this stuff [marijuana] is what makes them crazy.”
-In 1930 the Federal Bureau of Narcotics was created and named Harry J. Anslinger director. This is the beginning of the drug war that still exists today. Anslinger was quick to allure his audience with themes of racism and violence. He also promoted and frequently read from “Gore Files” — wild reefer-madness-style exploitation tales of ax murderers on marijuana and sex and… Negroes. Here are some quotes that have been widely attributed to Anslinger and his Gore Files:
“There are 100,000 total marijuana smokers in the US, and most are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos, and entertainers. Their Satanic music, jazz, and swing, result from marijuana use. This marijuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes, entertainers, and any others.”
“…the primary reason to outlaw marijuana is its effect on the degenerate races.”
“Marijuana is an addictive drug which produces in its users insanity, criminality, and death.”
“Reefer makes darkies think they’re as good as white men.”
“Marihuana leads to pacifism and communist brainwashing”
“You smoke a joint and you’re likely to kill your brother.”
“Marijuana is the most violence-causing drug in the history of mankind.”
-In 1937 the Marijuana Tax Act was passed. The passage of this law was based on absolute lies and incredibly weak, and often used out of context, social examples. To completely explain this point would require too much space on this page. Please do your own research on this topic. If you love your liberties as a US citizen then understanding what evidence, or lack there of, was used to allow for the passage of the Marijuana Tax Act should make you angry. Why you ask, because knowing certain people abused their power and now we still comply as a society based on someone’s belief 70-80 years ago.
So I pose the question again, “If you are for the prohibition of marijuana, are you unknowingly supporting stereotypes of Latin Americans and African Americans that existed 80 years ago?”
For the record, I am white 38 year old male that is in the technology industry and no connection to Norml, the MMJ movement or anything else. I am for myself and personal liberties.
October 27th, 2009 | 2:41 am
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Daniel Arlt and Sensual Seductions, MMOT Bot. MMOT Bot said: #mmot Medical Marijuana: The Coup de Culture Consequences of Federal Abdication of … – First Things http://bit.ly/1O2Yw [...]
October 27th, 2009 | 11:22 am
Valid medicinal value, it’s a victimless crime, the War on Drugs WAY too costly, too many arrests for simple possession, tax it and use the money to pay for health insurance and to reduce the deficit. Need I say more?
Woodstock Universe supports legalization for a variety of reasons. Check them out and vote in our poll “Should marijuana be legalized?” at http://woodstockuniverse.com
Current poll results: 96% for legalization and 4% opposed.
Add your vote. Poll runs through October.
Peace, love, music, one world,
RFWoodstock
October 27th, 2009 | 11:36 am
“There is a huge difference between a beer and a joint, just as there is a big difference between a joint and a snort of meth or an injection of heroin.”
– If you really believe there’s a difference between a beer and a joint, you are truly out of touch with reality.
“[W]hen the Netherlands allowed the coffee houses, usage of marijuana went up about 250%.”
– Despite the fact that you fail to include any kind of source on this matter, I feel the need to comment: does this statistic include TOURIST consumption or is it purely looking at domestic numbers?
October 27th, 2009 | 5:38 pm
Social comments and analytics for this post…
This post was mentioned on Twitter by mmot_bot: #mmot Medical Marijuana: The Coup de Culture Consequences of Federal Abdication of … – First Things http://bit.ly/1O2Yw...
October 28th, 2009 | 10:47 am
Why make Marijuana legal when the pill makers make $1.724.00 EACH MONTH off of ( 90 ) 10MG THC pills called dronabinol?
Our Government would not survive is all those people were left out of Jail.
Look at all the thousands of Jobs lost in our biggest business, ( the justice system )
October 28th, 2009 | 12:07 pm
The author needs to [crude imagery deleted]. It’s so easy to say “Marijuana is bad and makes you lazy and will make us all stoners”.
Quit being intellectually lazy, and look at the facts.
One, people who wish to smoke pot now, ALREADY do so with little chance of being caught.
Two, most police arrests invariably target young male minorities.
Once you are arrested, your life is forever changed for the worse. Forget about getting a job or an education… you are now branded for LIFE. As someone once said, you can get over an addicition, but you can never overcome a conviction.
Smoking pot is, at worst, a minor health concern. At best, it has been shown in several studies to actually reduce cancers. In other words, smoking pot may actually be GOOD for you.
Which is supported by Dr. Donald Tashkin’s 30 year study on heavy pot smokers. The pot-smoking control group showed slightly LESS incidence of head, mouth and lung cancers, as well as LESS cases of COPD than the NON-SMOKING group. Summary: POT DOES NOT CAUSE CANCER OR COPD!!!!! Did you get THAT folks?
Most of all, what people do in the privacy of their own house is THEIR BUSINESS. LEAVE THEM ALONE.
Quit supporting corrupt corporate politicians and theocratist’s who would love to jail you for being an ATHEIST… LEGALIZE CANNABIS NOW!
November 22nd, 2009 | 7:00 pm
[...] The current system of medical marijuana distribution is a form of anarchy that is quickly becoming a cover for recreational use. Now, to add to the growing disaster, some doctors are writing letters for teenagers to get marijuana for regular use as a “treatment” for ADHD. From the story: [...]
November 28th, 2009 | 5:10 pm
Well, I arrived here, after watching a kung-fu movie about opium. This lead to research about the opium wars. Then out of curiosity did a google search for the term: “why did china outlaw marijuana”. This information showed how the zealots not only outlawed pot, but wanted to outlaw dancing, jazz, “mental drunkeness”, reminiscent of life in a fundamentalist culture such as the Taliban.
Of course this moral snobbery hides the undercurrent of corruption and complicity of the same government that outlaws. For example, the “opium war” was considered an epithet in England, the people considered the war teaching the Chinese a lesson in free trade morality, while remaining ignorant of the gross injustice that the opium war really was.
Marijuana is a healing herb and talk of it destroying cultures is utter rubbish.
After reading the history of “why did china outlaw marijuana”, it becomes clear why people fear the “conservatives”. It is because of the Taliban like repression not only of the good and venerable herb, Cannabis, but also the repression of the human spirit.
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