This document presents a history of marijuana legalization and argues for its legalization. It discusses how marijuana was made illegal in the 1930s and the myths around its dangers that are not supported by evidence. The document claims that prohibition has failed and legalizing marijuana could generate tax revenue while reducing crime. In summary, it advocates for legalizing, regulating, and taxing marijuana to generate billions for the government while decreasing criminal activity and prison populations.
2. History Largest agricultural crop in the world Hemp: Fabric, Medicines, Lighting Oil, Paper Fun Fact: First 2 copies of the Declaration of Independence were written on hemp paper Early 20th century yellow journalism surfaced (Reefer Madness) Depicted blacks and Mexicans as beasts who smoked Marijuana and played devils music Lead to 1937 Marijuana Tax Act
3. History/1937 Marijuana Tax Act Banned: Marijuana, Hemp, and Cannabis Medicine This and Reefer Madness lead to the downfall of Marijuana Popular Mechanics Magazine, was even coming out with an article entitled (New Billion Dollar Crop) If you wanted to buy Marijuana, you needed a stamp
4. History Cont… In WWII was legalized, then illegalized afterwards Questioned later on by Congress Illegal for wrong reason Not violent but passive Made it illegal for opposite reason as before
5. Big Business and Prohibition B.C. Marijuana brings in $7 billion alone annually 85% of that sold to U.S. “Prohibition has never worked” Senator Larry Campbell Former member of RCMP Drug Squad “Tree of Knowledge”
7. Dr. Heath/Tulane Study 1974 Ronald Regan says the most reliable scientific sources proves it kills brain cells Monkeys pumped with Marijuana 30 joints/day started to die after 90 days 6 Years of requests for the study specifics 30 joints/day for 1 year Vs. 63 columbian joints through a gas mask within 5 minutes over 3 months (Suffocated)
8. Dr. Heath Study Cont… 2005 suggested that it stimulated brain cell growth(Xia Zhang University of Saskatchewan) Didn’t receive any attention
9. Marijuana and Cancer Government funded program “May or Should” Not one case of lung cancer from Marijuana Moderate use, can paralyze cilia, non radioactive Inhaling smoke “Hasn’t been around that long” Recently found, no cancer
10. Deaths by Substances Cigarettes killed more people than… AIDS Heroine Crack Cocaine Alcohol Car Accidents Fire Murder COMBINED
11. Death by Substances Cont… Cigarettes kill ~480,000 people/year Government subsidies Grown with radioactive fertilizer More people die from caffeine and aspirin O.D. Not ONE death from Marijuana alone – Dr. Lest Grinspoon, MD (Professor Emeritus, Harvard Medical School) 15,000 joints in 20 minutes to O.D. Good Luck
12. Marijuana and Addiction More kids in rehab for addiction Taken to court and asked “Rehab or Jail” Rehab they consider you addicted DEA says look at all these kids 3% of people in rehab are their voluntarily No addiction but can be habitual
13. Gateway Drug Never found anything in Marijuana that makes you want more - John Conroy, QC (Criminal Defense Lawyer) 1/104 marijuana users use cocaine >1 use heroine. >1%
14. Useless to Society 50 million smoke Marijuana in U.S. Steve Jobs (Apple) smoked Marijuana when making the computer Ted Turner (CNN) developed CNN while using Musicians BILL CLINTON Virtually every presidential candidate admitted to trying it at least once
15. Crime and Violence Norm Stamper, PhD (Seattle Chief of Police, 1994-2000) – Ample evidence of the harm of Alcohol but none for Marijuana Domestic Violence, Theft, etc… Where is a good example…Alcohol Prohibition
16. Alcohol Prohibition and Marijuana Everything got worse Gave birth to organized crime (Al Capone, Machine Gun Kelly, Lucky Luciano) Alcohol poisoning went up 600% during prohibition More violence with marijuana, criminal to sell it Marijuana oz. for oz. worth more than gold
17. Marijuana Prohibition Growers don’t want it legalized…hmmmm Hurts their business Growers and Government But why… Oh, that’s right
18. So What Can We Do? Very Simple Solutions Regulate Tax Control
19. Outcome Lower crime rates Billions of dollars to be put into the government Less money spent on jails (1/6 in federal system for marijuana) ~5 Billion spent/year All I see are positives
20. Details Government should decide tax amount License, hard to get and easy to lose No driving while high, work, etc… Money for schools, highways, hospitals, etc…
