I wrote this post a year ago on my previous website d+eco and wanted to post it here so more people read it. After I saw the documentary
The Union: The Business Behind Getting High, I had to share my thoughts about the film. So if you didn't read it the first time, here is your chance.
Not only is this film eye opening it is very resourceful, as a documentary should. Filmmaker Adam Scorgie explores the issues of marijuana and hemp in the United States, Canada and beyond. There are tons of interviews with people behind the underground market as well as experts in criminology, the economy, psychology, politics and medicine. He even talks with some pop culture icons such as Tommy Chong and Joe Rogan. There is such a great amount of facts, opinions and ideas in this film that it should inspire everyone who has a mind of their own and believes that the people of this country should come first. We were all born with a brain. Therefore, we should use it.
First of all, I am sick and tired of hearing about how horrible marijuana is. Wake up people! It isn’t. Let big business and the government brainwash you some more. Come on, I thought we were smarter than that. For something so horrible it sure was popular since the beginning of time and considering it is a natural resource we should use it to our advantage instead of robbing it of its power and amazing ability to help this planet and the people living on it.
Since 4000 BC hemp was used to make clothes in China and in 2727 BC it was first used as a medicine in every part of the world. Seems like they got the picture! Damn, those Chinese....always ahead of the game.
Now lets cut to the 19th Century when hash gets very popular. In 1840, medicine with a Cannabis base was available in America. Jump to 1936 when Reefer Madness, a film about the effects of marijuana, came out with hopes to scare young people from using it. A year later the Marijuana Tax Act was passed making Cannabis illegal in the Unites States. Then 1972 comes around and good ole Nixon is president. He appointed the Shafer Commission (National Commission on Marijuana and Drug Abuse) to research the drug. Their research was so successful to this day it is the most comprehensive review of marijuana ever conducted by the federal government. What were the results?
Well, lets just say they came back talking about legalization. I guess all that research finally proved the rumors wrong. Marijuana wasn’t so bad after all. Good to know! Sadly enough, but not surprising, Nixon shut down the Commission months before their report was issued. Is it reported that he said it would look bad if the results were different from what the government has been stating. Unbelievable! Well, another reason why Nixon was such a fantastic president...
Despite all that nonsense, the Commission did issue a report. That report stated that marijuana did not cause crime or violence nor lead to harder drug use. It also mentioned that it does not cause mental or physical abnormalities. Their conclusion: “Marihuana's relative potential for harm to the vast majority of individual users and its actual impact on society does not justify a social policy designed to seek out and firmly punish those who use it." There you go. Now we get the idea! Their major recommendation was the decriminalization of possession or non-profit transfer of marijuana. Considering they did the research and know first hand, who should we listen to? Them or Nixon?
Well after this report was issued our beloved president was clearly pissed off. He went on a rampage with his idiotic beliefs and spread lies and garbage all over the place. He declared his attack on marijuana more than ever. He believed the Jews were behind legalization, especially jewish psychiatrists, and claimed the Communists were using it as a weapon. He felt that homosexuality and marijuana were immoral and the enemies of strong society. (that one made me laugh) To top if off, his approach to drug education was just as horrible,”Enforce the law. You’ve got to scare them.” All this crazy talk and you would think Nixon was the one on drugs!
Did his scare tactics really work? Well, he didn’t really scare them into not smoking marijuana but he did ruin a lot of lives in the process. One year after all his statements there was a huge increase in arrests. A 420,700 increase! If you were living during the 70’s you know first hand how it was back then. All those people trying to live free and be happy. Fighting for their rights every chance they got. And why? Because the government is constantly trying to take them away!
Since NIxon, about 15 million people have been arrested for marijuana offenses. As you can see this was the start of our freedom going down the drain. Not to mention our money! Who do you think pays for all that jail time? It's called taxes and we are all stuck paying them.
My question is...what about cocaine, heroine, crack, and crystal meth. These are the drugs they should be worried about. Not to mention, cigarettes and alcohol!!! These are the real killers, not marijuana. There has never been a case of death caused by marijuana. EVER! But tobacco is the leading cause of death in the United States killing 435,000 people a year and alcohol coming up third with 85,000. Oh and heres another great bit of info. Guess what substance kills 7,600 of our people a year? Aspirin. Yep, thats correct. So all these years your doctor told you to take an aspirin a day to reduce the risks of heart failure was obviously some bad information. They probably forgot to mention that it deteriorates your stomach lining and makes you more at risk for ulcers and GI tract bleeding. Fun!
The government and the pharmaceutical companies own the friggin world. Its a sad thing when people in power brainwash and manipulate the public into believing its false statements and accept their undeniably crude behavior. Aren’t they supposed to look out for us? Do you really think the masterminds behind the pharmaceutical companies care about the people taking the drugs they produce? They don’t. If they did there would be more talk about natural cures instead of popping a pill in your mouth every 4 hours!
There have been hundreds of tests done on natural products and plants that prove they help sickness and disease. But why don’t we hear about them? Because big business is too busy burying the information and clogging your brains with what pill to take next and what kind of surgery you need. If we were to use natural cures more often there would be no need to use prescription medicine as much. That would really make the government and pill companies upset. Not to mention, not as rich! They would rather skin you of any intellect you may have and rob you of your hard earned money than see people actually get healthy and cured! This is such a great country, huh?
The facts:Marijuana is an amazing plant. Not only does it have medicinal purposes but it is a natural resource as well. Hemp can be used in so many ways. Its one of the strongest industrial fibers in the world. It is the most durable and doesn’t stretch over time like cotton and also superior to other textiles when it comes to comfort. The more it is used, the softer it gets and it never wears out. It is also naturally resistant to mold and ultraviolet light. On top of all that, hemp is more water resistant so when you dye it the fiber holds color better than any other fiber, including cotton. It seems like hemp is really the fabric of our lives!
Put fashion aside for a minute. All those qualities I mentioned are already fascinating. But here are more important facts about hemp.
A hemp crop grows extremely fast. It can produce 250% more fiber than cotton and 600% more than flax and thats using the same amount of land! Why is cotton our main fiber when it uses enormous amounts of water and chemicals to produce? Does our planet really need to suffer for our stupidity?
Another reason why hemp is important is it also leaves the soil in excellent condition and never destroys it. As they grow, hemp plants shed their leaves over the topsoil adding rich organic matter. Farmers have stated to successfully cultivate hemp crops on land that is over 100 years old! Thats amazing. So not only can it be used for clothing, furniture, paper and other accessories but it can also help the planet and our society as well.
It may seem crazy but industrial hemp can also be processed into building materials such as concrete and stone as well as plastic, cardboard and even bio-fuel. Yes, I said bio-fuel. There is the answer to our huge oil problem. Is anyone doing anything about it? Of course not! Why are we letting this happen?
Why kill off our forests when we can create hemp paper.
Why depend on other countries for oil if we can use our best natural resource to make our own?
Why spend billions on cultivation, imports and unnecessary procedures when we can grow endless hemp crops around the country and make our own consumer products for once?
Isn’t it time we realize the amazing possibilities of this plant? Just erase everything bad you have heard about marijuana. I know it may be hard but if you are a true American and care about this country you will open your eyes and really see what is happening before you. Look around people. See all the violence and crime? The murders and disease? All the problems we have with this economy and education? Where are we going? There seems to be so many issues to focus on and yet marijuana always seems to be pegged as such a horrible drug that destroys society. Thats crazy!
Here and now I state that marijuana should be decriminalized and legal for medicinal purposes. I declare that it should be legal to grow and produce hemp products in the United States. How dare they take our right away to grow a natural substance! Or smoke it. I don’t know about you but I thought this was America.
I can say first hand, all the years I have smoked marijuana, it has not affected my life in a negative way nor has it caused me to go crazy. A whole 13 years of smoking people. I am still the smarty pants I always was. I may not consume it much anymore but I will always stand up for it.
And for all you people who enjoy destroying the earth with your synthetic clothes and man made items. The people who love paying taxes on new prisons and criminal budgets. All of you who choose to believe that this miraculous plant is as horrible as “they” say. Take one last look at the American flag, put your hand over your heart and while you state the Pledge of Allegiance, say thanks to Betsy Ross for being smart enough to make the first US flag out of hemp.
