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Petition Tag - marijuana
61. Stop the extradition of Marc Scott Emery 
On September 28th, 2009, Marc Scott Emery surrendered himself to Canadian authorities and is currently awaiting extradition to the United States of America for sentencing on politically-motivated charges of "Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana", "Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana Seeds" and "Conspiracy to Engage in Money Laundering".
To qualify for extradition under the Extradition Act, the offence involved must meet a specific threshold of having resulted in a jail sentence of two years or more had it taken place in Canada.
Furthermore, as long as the person’s political "offence" in the requesting country was non-violent, Canada will refuse to surrender the individual to the requesting state.
For a synopsis of the Canadian Extradition act, please see:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/crime/extradition.html
Marc Scott Emery is a political prisoner being sought for his role in helping to finance marijuana activist groups in Canada and abroad calling for decriminalization and an end to marijuana prohibition.
62. Marijuana reform and legalization
Legalization ( End Prohibition ) and Reform ( Current Laws ), of the current laws and policies which govern the use of Marijuana in the United States, it is time to seriously look into abolishing Prohibition of Marijuana, and change the laws accordingly to this issue.
Each and every year medical science has stated that the use of marijuana is safer than alcohol,and should not be listed as a narcotic, is not as addictive as once was thought, and has far more uses in the medical arena in the treatment for patients either terminal,or chronic, and safer as a alcohol alternative. With current standing laws more than 800000, people this year have been arrested, and many either white collar or blue collar workers, taxpayers and voters such as yourselves their lives destroyed, jobs lost.
Laws like these are not a deterrent, with more than 100 million plus users of marijuana and growing each year there has to be Open mindedness, and change. More money 10 billion yearly, and more over a trillion since President Nixion was in office for the war on drugs, this money which could've been better spent on programs for schools, parks, the poor, etc. the time is now to tell our representatives that it is enough, it is a time for change.
63. The Legalization of Marijuana In Ontario
It has been put off enough and I want it done! I want legalization of marijuana in Ontario.
Marijuana is an amazing plant, Literally everyone benefits from marijuana or the sale of marijuana in some way whether you realize it or not.
I would be more than happy to send anyone the information they need for me to persuade them to sign my petition!
justice.colwell@hotmail.com
30 seconds can make a big difference if everyone puts in that 30 seconds :)
Mr. Weldon Angelos has the unique distinction of being sentenced to 55 years as a first time, non-violent offender. He was convicted of selling marijuana and having guns present.
The sentencing judge, Judge Cassell, stated that he regretted having to send Weldon Angelos to prison for 55 and said it was cruel, unusual and irrational.
He also cited other known cases where the sentencing had been far less for much worse crimes, such as:
• 24 years: airplane hijacker
• 19 years: bomb-detonating terrorist,
• 13 years: beating someone to death in a fight
• 15 years: three-time child rapist
• 11 years: raping a 10-year-old child.
Thank You
Ben Valdez Jr.
Chairman, Free Weldon Angelos
65. The Cultivation and Circulation of Marijuana
I beleive that Marijuana should come into American legislation due to the fact of it being healthier and more economic then any other industry out in America today.
I also believe that it should be a medicine and a recreation use in the entire population as is alcohol and tobacco.
66. The Reformation to the Marijuana/Cannabis Prohibition
The following citizens of the State of New York, hereby demand the legalization of the non-monitored, mildly-regulated use of Cannabis sativa. The disapprovement marijuana has seemingly shrunk; the approval of Cannabis has seemingly increased.
67. Legalization of Marijuana To Save Lives and Tax Money
Marijuana should be legalized for several reasons.
Reason number one, people are being put in prison for minor possession of marijuana, not only does this fill up prisons, it can ruin ones chances of getting a job in the future even though they are a non-violent offender.
Reason number two, marijuana was criminalized because a politician who was supported by alcohol companies made marijuana look bad during the alcohol prohibition, so that alcohol would be legalized and marijuana would be criminalized.
Third reason, although people can legally get medical marijuana, until the recreational use of marijuana is legalized, the DEA can bust and medical marijuana patient at any time, thus sending innocent people with illness' into prison. Recently, a 66 year old cancer patient was busted for cultivation of marijuana, even though he had a license to grow, and is now facing felony charges. My final point is that around $9 billion of tax money is spent on incarcerating and trials for those arrested for marijuana possession.
If marijuana is legalized, regulated, and taxed it would bring in an estimated revenue upwards $10 billion. Also, the cultivation of hemp would be a lot easier if marijuana were legalized, also new bio-fuels could be created from this hemp.
68. Legalize Marijuana in Canada
Marijuana users are determined to stand up to the injustice of marijuana probation and accomplish legalization, no matter how long or what it takes to succeed. Despite the threat of arrests and a variety of other punishments and sanctions marijuana users have persisted in their support for legalization for over a generation.
They refuse to give up their long quest for justice because they believe in the fundamental values of Canadian society. Prohibition has failed to silence marijuana users despite its best attempts over the last generation. The issue of marijuana's legalization is a persistent issue that, like marijuana, will simply not go away.
Marijuana will be legalized because marijuana users will continue to fight for it until we succeed.
69. If alcohol is legal why not marijuana?
Just look it up on the Internet and the facts will be all around it this is also where i got most of my information from.
70. Save Our Economy: Legalize Marijuana in California! Support A.B. 390
Students for Sensible Drug Policy is asking for your support of Assembly Bill 390, the Marijuana Control, Regulation, and Education Act -- the first bill ever introduced to legalize the sale and use of marijuana in California.
As introduced, this groundbreaking proposal would raise over $1 billion in annual revenue by taxing the retail production and sale of marijuana for adults over 21 years of age.
The bill would not alter existing legislation on the use of medicinal cannabis, nor would it impose new taxes or sanctions on the medical cultivation of cannabis.
Assembly Bill 390 proposes to make California the first state in the nation to enact a rational public policy for the control and regulation of marijuana. Please show your support for this measure by contacting your California Assembly members and urging them to support the Marijuana Control, Regulation, and Education Act.
71. Decriminalization of the Use and Possession of Marijuana in the State of Maryland
This petition's goal is to show the voice of the people of the state of Maryland. By today's common knowledge, there is outstanding proof that Marijuana has been for many years misunderstood and people were uneducated and forced into believing that it was extremely harmful.
Most of these forced ideas were backed by our government. Which has made people believe even to this day that marijuana not just harms but even kills. Yet there are 0 documented deaths caused by the plant. By common knowledge half a million U.S. citizens die from Tobacco, no record of a death or even proof of the cause of cancer from marijuana. 71 people are killed each day in alcohol related accidents in the U.S. compared to the 0 from marijuana. I long for a safer place for me, my family, my friends, and even my children and their children and so on.
With the Decriminalization of Marijuana in the state of Maryland we could do our part to cut down on the mass amounts of deaths each year from alcohol and tobacco, save and put mass amounts of money spent on the "War on Drugs" to good use such as schooling, health care, etc. and save the mass amounts of people who don't deserve to be in jail the right they are being declined to live a normal life, see their husbands, wives, children and other family, and allow them to be FREE.
Do your part, make our state a safer and better place to live in.
Marijuana was legally used as far back as 7000 B.C. In 1937 marijuana was made illegal because it is considered a gateway drug, it used to be associated with oppressed social groups, and the government can't make a profit off of it.
The legalization of marijuana would be useful because regardless of the fact that it is illegal, people are going to continue using it. Legalizing marijuana would help with this because there could be restrictions, and regulations regarding the use of the drug, and there should of course be warnings regarding the drug.
The legalization would also allow for the money being used to jail people due to marijuana related arrests.
It has been proven over and over again that marijuana is not a lethal drug,yes,it may not be good for children, and yes sometimes you can be irresponsible with it,but its the same case with Alcohol,and has similar effects..
Marijuana is the third most popular recreational drug in America (behind only alcohol and tobacco), and has been used by nearly 80 million Americans. According to government surveys, some 20 million Americans have smoked marijuana in the past year, and more than 11 million do so regularly despite harsh laws against its use. Our public policies should reflect this reality, not deny it.
Marijuana is far less dangerous than alcohol or tobacco. Around 50,000 people die each year from alcohol poisoning. Similarly, more than 400,000 deaths each year are attributed to tobacco smoking. By comparison, marijuana is nontoxic and cannot cause death by overdose. According to the prestigious European medical journal, The Lancet, "The smoking of cannabis, even long-term, is not harmful to health. ... It would be reasonable to judge cannabis as less of a threat ... than alcohol or tobacco."
74. Canadian Government should Cover the Cost of Vaporizers for Medical Marijuana Patients
Respectfully, to the Legislative Assembly,
Heavy cannabis users may be at greater risk of chronic lung disease - including cancer - compared to tobacco smokers, studies suggest. This has been one of the arguments against marijuana use.
As a patient, that is concerning. Marijuana is a very effective medicinal tool for those who are unable to either tolerate conventional medicines or find conventional drugs ineffective. For those of us, where marijuana is our medicine, we should have the safest delivery of it.
Countless studies have been done on the Volcano Vaporizer and is proven to be the most effective appliance available.
Medical conditions that require specialized equipment are covered by the government. Our medical requirements are equally as important.
75. Move Hawaii Medical Marijuana Registration from Department of Public Safety to Department of Health
The registration database of medical marijuana patients in the State of Hawaii is currently located with the Department of Public Safety (DPS), Narcotics Enforcement Division. In July of 2008 the Department of Public Safety released the entire database contents including the names, addresses, grow locations, physicians, and medical condition to a Big Island reporter thereby proving itself unreliable in overseeing this confidential information.
Since medical marijuana is currently illegal under federal regulations and medical marijuana patients live in fear of federal prosecution, it does not make sense that the registration database is in the hands of any form of law enforcement.
Because of the confidential medical contents of the database, the Department of Health should be in charge of this registry.
76. Honolulu Police Department to Adopt Written Medical Marijuana Policy
The Honolulu Police Department does not currently have a concise written policy concerning medical marijuana, which leaves gray areas in the interpretation of the Hawaii Medical Marijuana Law.
The Hawaii County Police Department adopted a written medical marijuana policy which leaves little room for doubt when it comes to medical marijuana, and affords the patients the protection that the medical marijuana law intended.
The Hawaii County Police Department medical marijuana policy can be viewed by visiting their website: http://www.hawaiipolice.com/misc/medical_mj_rules.htm
77. Hawaii Law Enforcement Should Not Enforce Federal Laws
Municipal and state law enforcement officers are sworn to uphold Hawaii State Law and not federal law. The Hawaii Medical Marijuana law is in conflict with federal law and confuses law enforcement officers as to which laws they should enforce and uphold.
The California Attorney General issued a statement which alleviated this confusion within California by stating that California Law Enforcement officers were to uphold State Law and local ordinances and not federal law.
Local and state law enforcement officers are hired to enforce local and state laws. Federal laws are not their concern. Only federal law enforcement officers should be enforcing federal laws. For this reason, local and state law enforcement officers should take no part in enforcing federal laws, which include assisting the DEA on their raids of medical cannabis patients.
78. Kaiser Permanente Should Allow Equal Medical Treatment
In the Hawaii Region of Kaiser Permanente, physicians are not allowed to recommend medical marijuana for their patients by regional policy. If the same person were a member of Kaiser in either California or Colorado, their physicians would be able to recommend medical marijuana if they feel it is needed.
In Hawaii, Kaiser members are receiving a different standard of medical care than their counterparts in California and Colorado receive. The members physician that normally treats the patient for their condition is the best person to determine if the patient would benefit from treatments including medical marijuana.
Several studies conducted by Kaiser Permenente themselves have proven the safety and effectiveness of medical marijuana, yet the Hawaii Region members are being treated unfairly and denied access to appropriate medical care.
79. Create Safe Access To Hawaii Medical Cannabis Patients
Hawaii passed the Medical Marijuana law in 2000, but has never set up a safe and legal way for the patients in Hawaii to receive their medication. Medical marijuana patients are required to risk their personal safety by obtaining their medication through the black market.
Acts of violence including the murder of Ken Gorman, a medical marijuana patient in Denver Colorado, and the murders of as many as 19 other legal medical marijuana providers around the country are ever present when patients are forced to grow their medicine in their homes, or visit often-violent street drug dealers to obtain their medication.
80. Support Naturally Occurring, Controlled Substances - Victoria
note: sign down the bottom of the page please =)
Many of our greatest industrial, natural resources as we all know come from plants. The aim of this petition is to speak out against the controlling of valuable naturally occurring chemicals in some of our most controversial plants due to the intermingling of our governments and corporations and more recently miss-information within our media.
Aside from industrial use many controlled plants/compounds have various medicinal applications (like that of; Symphytum (Comfrey), Lobelia, Gelsemium, Ephedra, Coltsfoot). Many of these controlled substances are even used for the rehabilitation of chemical drum depenancies.
Industrial applications include; textiles, materials, bio-degradable plastics, fuel, rope, construction materials, & many many many more.
I am initially going into detail on one plant in-particular, and probably the most controversial due to the extent of its recreational usage.
Thank you very much for taking the time to check this out.
Every signature is greatly appreciated and does count.
– Rael Lovell-Gamble
Hemp - Wikipedia
Hemp (from Old English hænep, see cannabis (etymology)) is the common name for plants of the entire genus Cannabis, although the term is often used to refer only to Cannabis strains cultivated for industrial (non-drug) use.
Industrial hemp has many uses, including paper, textiles, biodegradable plastics, health food, and fuel.[citation needed] It is one of the fastest growing biomasses known,[citation needed] and one of the earliest domesticated plants known.[1] It also runs parallel with the "Green Future" objectives that are becoming increasingly popular. Hemp requires little to no pesticides,[2] no herbicides,[3] controls erosion of the topsoil,[citation needed] and produces oxygen. Furthermore, hemp can be used to replace many potentially harmful products, such as tree paper (the processing of which uses bleaches and other toxic chemicals, and contributes to deforestation), cosmetics, and plastics, most of which are petroleum-based and do not decompose easily.
Licenses for hemp cultivation are issued in the European Union and Canada. In the United Kingdom, these licenses are issued by the Home Office under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. When grown for non-drug purposes hemp is referred to as industrial hemp, and a common product is fiber for use in a wide variety of products, as well as the seed for nutritional aspects as well as for the oil. Feral hemp or ditch weed is usually a naturalized fiber or oilseed strain of Cannabis that has escaped from cultivation and is self-seeding.
Cannabis sativa L. subsp. sativa var. sativa is the variety grown for industrial use in Europe, Canada, and elsewhere, while C. sativa subsp. indica generally has poor fiber quality and is primarily used for production of recreational and medicinal drugs. The major difference between the two types of plants is the appearance and the amount of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) secreted in a resinous mixture by epidermal hairs called glandular trichomes. Strains of Cannabis approved for industrial hemp production produce only minute amounts of this psychoactive drug, not enough for any physical or psychological effects. Typically, Hemp contains below 0.3% THC, while Cannabis grown for marijuana can contain anywhere from 6 or 7 % to 20% or even more.
Comfrey
Medicinal uses
Contemporary herbalists view comfrey as an ambivalent and controversial herb that may offer therapeutic benefits but at the potential risk of liver toxicity.
One of its country names for comfrey was ‘knitbone’, a reminder of its traditional use in healing. Modern science confirms that comfrey can influence the course of bone ailments.[2] [3] [4] [5]
The herb contains allantoin, a cell proliferant that speeds up the natural replacement of body cells. Comfrey was used to treat a wide variety of ailments ranging from bronchial problems, broken bones, sprains, arthritis, gastric and varicose ulcers, severe burns, acne and other skin conditions. It was reputed to have bone and teeth building properties in children, and have value in treating ‘many female disorders’. In past times comfrey baths were popular to repair the hymen and thus ‘restore virginity’. Constituents of comfrey also include mucilage, steroidal saponins, tannins, pyrrolizidine alkaloids, inulin, vitamin B12 and proteins.
Comfrey is a particularly valuable source of fertility to the organic gardener. It is very deep rooted and acts as a dynamic accumulator, mining a host of nutrients from the soil. These are then made available through its fast growing leaves (up to 4-5 pounds per plant per cut) which, lacking fibre, quickly break down to a thick black liquid. There is also no risk of nitrogen robbery when comfrey is dug into the soil as the C:N ratio of the leaves is lower than that of well-rotted compost. Comfrey is an excellent source of potassium, an essential plant nutrient needed for flower, seeds and fruit production. Its leaves contain 2-3 times more potassium than farmyard manure, mined from deep in the subsoil, tapping into reserves that would not normally be available to plants.
There are various ways in which comfrey can be utilised as a fertiliser, these include:
Comfrey for potatoes - freshly cut comfrey should be wilted for a day or two, then laid along potato trenches about 2 inches deep. Avoid using flowering stems as these can root. The leaves will rapidly break down and supply potassium rich fertiliser for the developing potato plants.
Comfrey as a compost activator- include 2-3 inch deep layers of comfrey in the compost heap to encourage bacterial activity and help to heat the heap. Comfrey should not be added in quantity as it will quickly break down into a dark sludgey liquid that needs to be balanced with more fibrous, carbon rich material.
Comfrey liquid fertiliser- can be produced by either rotting leaves down in rainwater for 4-5 weeks to produce a ready to use ‘comfrey tea’, or by stacking dry leaves under a weight in a container with a hole in the base. When the leaves decompose a thick black comfrey concentrate is collected. This must be diluted at 15:1 before use.
Comfrey as a mulch- a 2 inch layer of comfrey leaves placed around a crop will slowly break down and release plant nutrients. it is especially useful for crops that need extra potassium, such as tomatoes, and also fruit bushes like gooseberries and currants.
Comfrey potting mixture- originally devised using peat, environmental awareness has led to a leaf mold-based alternative being adopted instead. Two year old, well decayed leaf mold should be used, this will absorb the nutrient-rich liquid released by the decaying comfrey.
In a black plastic sack alternate 3-4 inch layers of leaf mould and chopped comfrey leaves. Add a little dolomitic limestone to slightly raise pH. Leave for between 2-5 months depending on the season, checking that it does not dry out or become too wet. The mixture is ready when the comfrey leaves have rotted and are no longer visible. Use as a general potting compost, although it is too strong for seedlings.
Lobelia
Cultivation and uses
Several species are cultivated as ornamental plants in gardens. These include Lobelia cardinalis (Cardinal Flower or Indian Pink), Lobelia siphilitica (Blue Lobelia), Lobelia fulgens and Lobelia erinus, as well as some hybrids.
Lobelia erinus, a South African annual plant that includes many cultivated selections in a wide variety of colours. They are grown in beds, large pots, window boxes and in hanging baskets. The plants are most often grown away from sunny hot southern exposures (northern exposure's in the southern hemisphere) in soils that are moisture retentive.
In the Victorian language of flowers, the lobelia symbolizes malevolence and ill will.
[edit]Medicinal use
Native Americans used lobelia to treat respiratory and muscle disorders, and as a purgative. Today it is used to treat asthma and food poisoning, and is often used as part of smoking cessation programs. It is a physical relaxant, and can serve as a nerve depressant, easing tension and panic. The species used most commonly in modern herbalism is Lobelia inflata (Indian Tobacco).[2]
Extracts of Lobelia inflata contain lobeline, which showed positive effects in the treatment of multidrug-resistant tumor cells.[3] Furthermore, lobeline can be modified to lobelane which decreased methamphetamine self-administration in rats.[4] It therefore opens a perspective in methamphetamine dependency treatment.[5]
As used in North America, lobelia's medicinal properties include the following: emetic (induces vomiting), stimulant, antispasmodic, expectorant, diaphoretic, relaxant, nauseant, sedative, diuretic, and nervine.
Because of its similarity to nicotine, the internal use of lobelia may be dangerous to susceptible populations, including children, pregnant women, and individuals with cardiac disease. Excessive use will cause nausea and vomiting. It is not recommended for use by pregnant women and is best administered by a practitioner qualified in its use.
Two species, Lobelia siphilitica and Lobelia cardinalis, were considered a cure for syphilis[6].
Herbalist Samuel Thompson popularized medicinal use of lobelia in the United States in the early 19th century, as well as other medicinal plants like goldenseal.[2]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
Lobelia
One species, L. chinensis (called bàn biān lián, 半边莲 in Chinese), is used as one of the fifty fundamental herbs in traditional Chinese medicine.
Coltsfoot
Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara) is a plant in the family Asteraceae.
It has been used medicinally as a cough suppressant. The name "tussilago" itself means "cough suppressant." The plant has been used since at least historical times to treat lung ailments such as asthma as well as various coughs by way of smoking. Crushed flowers supposedly cured skin conditions, and the plant has been consumed as a food item.
Coltsfoot is a perennial herbaceous plant that spreads by seeds and rhizomes. Tussilago is often found in colonies of dozens of plants. The flowers, which superficially resemble dandelions, appear in early spring before dandelions appear. The leaves, which resemble a colt's foot in cross section, do not appear usually until after the seeds are set. Thus, the flowers appear on stems with no apparent leaves, and the later appearing leaves then wither and die during the season without seeming to set flowers.
The plant is typically between 10 - 30cm in height.
Coltsfoot is native to several locations in Europe and Asia. It is also a common plant in North America and South America where it has been introduced, most likely by settlers as a medicinal item. The plant is often found in waste and disturbed places and along roadsides and paths. In some areas it is considered an invasive species.
Coltsfoot is used as a food plant by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including The Gothic and Small Angle Shades. The Coltsfoot is also worked by the honey bee (Apis mellifera mellifera).
Other common names include Ass's foot, Bull's foot, Butterbur, Coughwort, Farfara, Foal's foot, Foalswort, Horse Foot and Winter heliotrope.
Sometimes it is confused as Western coltsfoot.
Dried coltsfoot is often used as a tobacco alternative, notably in Amsterdam, since the legal status of tobacco was tightened in August 2008.
My thoughts and the reasons behind the start of the outlawing of naturally occurring substances:
The facts are there for those who wish to hear them, from everything from nutrition, medicinal usage, the production of; cothes, tablets (something like 10000% more efficient than chopping down our beautiful slow growing trees), and countless other uses.
Cannabis was the most utilized and paramount of materials employed to make.. well... anything. Another example is that of building materials, the hardest construction material known to man just so happens to be a composite make up of concrete and the fibers of the cannabis plant. 90% of the worlds rope at the time was also produced with the fibers of the cannabis plant. You can even power a car off your plants with current technologies.
Remember, I'm not talking DIRECTLY about smoking the drug, rather about its unsurpassed usability within our society. There are so many other things that cannabis is unsurpassed in so I'll go onto the reasons it was in fact banned.
In 1936 Popular Mechanics Magazine hailed the invention of a method and machine tool to drastically increase the viability and speed of the production of hemp and predicted that it would again become the most valuable industrial material. Many people were threatened greatly by this. Then well established bodies including; Herst Paper Manufacturers, Kimberly Clark, and many other Governmentally connected multi-national corporation who also owned large timber holdings at the time. Let alone the force we know as DuPont (Chemical Company) as the processing of cannabis uses only 1/5 as much chemicals as compared to wood pulp processing. On top of that they had just patented a brand new Wood Pulp Solphide Process.
DuPont's previously patented plastic fibers had just surpassed cannabis at #2 fiber just behind cotton. They didn't want any of this to change. Regardless of the impact on our environment. In early American settlements you could even be jailed for NOT growing Cannabis. They realized the incredible importance of sustainability.
Furthermore, on the medical subject; You cannot patent a naturally occurring bio-chemical, It has to be synthetic.
Thanks... Raél
sources:
Common Sense, Care, & Wikipedia :P
http://www.speak.bravehost.com (coming soon!)
81. Remove Cannabis as a Schedule 1 drug
Schedule I is the only category of controlled substances that may not be prescribed by a physician. Under 21 U.S.C. § 812b, drugs must meet three criteria in order to be placed in Schedule I:
* The drug or other substance has a high potential for abuse.
* The drug or other substance has no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States.
* There is a lack of accepted safety for use of the drug or other substance under medical supervision.
In 1970, Congress placed cannabis into Schedule I on the advice of Assistant Secretary of Health Roger O. Egeberg. His letter to Harley O. Staggers, Chairman of the House Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, indicates that the classification was intended to be provisional:
Dear Mr. Chairman: In a prior communication, comments requested by your committee on the scientific aspects of the drug classification scheme incorporated in H.R. 18583 were provided. This communication is concerned with the proposed classification of marijuana.
It is presently classed in schedule I(C) along with its active constituents, the tetrahydrocannibinols and other psychotropic drugs.
Some question has been raised whether the use of the plant itself produces "severe psychological or physical dependence" as required by a schedule I or even schedule II criterion. Since there is still a considerable void in our knowledge of the plant and effects of the active drug contained in it, our recommendation is that marijuana be retained within schedule I at least until the completion of certain studies now underway to resolve the issue. If those studies make it appropriate for the Attorney General to change the placement of marijuana to a different schedule, he may do so in accordance with the authority provided under section 201 of the bill. . .
Sincerely yours, (signed) Roger O. Egeberg, M.D.[1]
The reference to "certain studies" is to the then-forthcoming National Commission on Marijuana and Drug Abuse. In 1972, the Commission released a report favoring decriminalization of cannabis. The Richard Nixon administration took no action to implement the recommendation, however. A protracted struggle ensued in which cannabis reform activists began working through all three branches of government to reschedule the drug.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabis_rescheduling_in_the_United_States
82. Legalize Marijuana In The UK
Marijuana should be legal in the UK. Nuff said, Sign now ;D.
Most people use Cannabis in South Africa, but also tend to go for Harder drugs, such as crack-cocaine, herroin, Tik, LSD etc...
If Cannabis(Dagga) were to be legalized, it would be less a chance for people to be able to buy it from a drug dealer, because they can get it cheaper at an established "Cannabis Shop!!!" I.O.W: Tax for The Government, no profit for Dealers!!!
84. Make Weed Legal In The Unted States Since Drinking Is Legal
weed aka ganja,etc.. is the herb of life
85. Zero tolerance on marijuana
Marijuana causes mental illness it is well documented and if you live with someone who has a mental illness from marijuana you will know how devastating it is for all involved.
Too many people think of it as a soft drug with little or no consequence to the devastation it causes too people effected by the mental illnesses it causes.
SORRY YOU MUST BE 18 YEARS OR OLDER TO SIGN PETITION.
One Moment for Marijuana/Cannabis/Hemp petition 2005
To: U.S. Congress
We ask for the legalization for Marijuana/ Cannabis/ Hemp in the United States.
FACT
· Deaths per year resulting from alcohol: 100,000
· Deaths per year resulting from tobacco: 430,000
· Deaths per year resulting from aspirin: 180- 1000
· Deaths per year resulting from legal drugs: 106,000
· Deaths that have ever occurred in direct result of Cannabis: 0 (that’s right zero)
FACT
· Farming 6% of the continental U.S. acreage with biomass crops (Hemp) would provide all of America’s Energy needs.
· Biomass can be converted into methane, methanol, or gasoline (which could eliminate our ties with the Middle East) at a cost comparable to petroleum and hemp is much better for the environment.
· Hemp fuel burns clean. Petroleum causes acid rain due to sulfur pollution.
· The use of Hemp Fuel does not contribute to global warming
FACT
· Hemp seed can be pressed into nutritious oil, which contains the highest amount of fatty acids in the plant kingdom. Essential oils are responsible for our immune system responses, and can clear the arteries of cholesterol and plaque.
· The byproduct of pressing the oil from hemp seed is a high quality protein seed cake. It can be used to bake into cakes, breads and casseroles. Hemp seed protein is one of mankind’s finest, most complete, and available-to-the body vegetable proteins.
· A Vegan or vegetarian can get all of the days required protein from a handful of hemp seed.
FACT
· Hemp is the oldest cultivated fiber plant in the world.
· Low-THC fiber hemp varieties developed by the French and others have been available for over 20 years. It is impossible to get high from fiber hemp. Over 600,000 acres of hemp is grown worldwide with no misuse problem.
· One acre of hemp can produce as much usable fiber as 4 acres of trees or two acres of cotton.
· Trees cut down take 50-500 years to grow, while hemp can be cultivated in as little as 100 days and can yield 4 times more paper over a 20 year period.
· Until 1883, from 75-90% of all paper in the world was made with cannabis hemp fiber including that for books, Bibles, maps, paper money, stocks and bonds, newspapers, etc.
· Hemp paper is longer lasting than wood pulp, stronger, acid-free, and chlorine free (Chlorine is estimated to cause up to 10% of all Cancers).
· Hemp paper can be recycled 7 times, wood pulp 4 times.
· Hemp particleboard may be up to 2 times stronger than wood particleboard and holds nails better.
· Hemp is a softer, warmer, and more water absorbent, than cotton and doesn’t stretch out.
· Half of the U.S. pesticides are used to treat cotton, while hemp has a natural pesticide.
FACT
· Almost any product that can be made from wood, cotton, or petroleum (including plastics) can be made from hemp. There are 25,000 known uses for hemp.
· For thousands of years virtually all good paints and varnishes were made with hemp seed oil and/or linseed oil.
· One acre of hemp produces as much cellulose fiber pulp as 4.1 acres of trees, making hemp a perfect material to replace trees for pressed board, particle board, and concrete construction molds.
· Heating and compressing plant fibers can create a practical, inexpensive, fire-resistant constructions material with excellent thermal and sound-insulating qualities.
· In 1941 Henry Ford built a plastic car made of fiber from hemp and wheat straw. Hemp is biodegradable, as synthetic plastic is not.
FACT
· Presidents Washington and Jefferson both grew hemp. Americans were legally bound to grow hemp during the Colonial Era and Early Republic.
87. Legalize Marijuana in America!!!
This is a petition on legalizing Marijuana, weed, pot, ect. all the same. Any
way I know im not the only one who thinks weed does nothing to you
really except make you calm and relaxed. So why is it illegal? They think it is
going to kill us. Well its not marijuana has not killed anyone under the influence
of it but look at alcohol many people die at the use of that and it is still legal
with an age limit, so why not marijuana. It is not a gate-way-drug none of my
friends have ever used anything besides marijuana and many of them have
been smoking for 5 years so if its really that bad for you why are they still alive?
In many point of veiws if marijuana was legal then the crime rate would go
down. Look at what happened in the 60's yeah it was still illegal but alot of
people still smoked it and the crime rate was still low. It is our choice on what
enters our bodys.
The legalization of marijauna must be done. The legalization can benefit the economy especially in its' latest recession.
One in six people are incarcerated for marijauna related charges. There are at least two million people in jail today. That makes for about 333,333 people in jail for marijauna related charges for life.
There is something wrong there. When there are murderers who get out of jail instead of harmless marijauna users and sellers.(Learn more from Eric Schlosser) It costs anywhere from 15,000 to 30,000 to keep one person incarcerated for one year.
Legalize marijauna for the economic health and use it for something more productive.
89. Legalize Marijuana in Canada
Marijuana has been illegal in the United States and Canada since 1930. For most of human history, hemp has been used as means on making clothing, paper, rope and housing. It has been used as oil, fuel and food. The plant's known uses goes back as far as 7000 B.C and it was legal as recently as when Ronald Reagan was a boy. The hemp plant was introduced to the United States in the early 1600's but did not reach public awareness as a recreational drug until the early 1900's. America's first marijuana law stated that every farmer was "ordered" to grow Indian hemp seed.There were several other "must grow" laws over the next 200 years (you could be jailed for not growing hemp during times of shortage in Virginia between 1763 and 1767), and during most of that time, hemp was legal tender (you could even pay your taxes with hemp.
So if this extremly versatile plant was so useful, then why did it become illegal? It all started in the 1900's, the western states developed significant tensions regarding the influx of Mexican-Americans. The revolution in Mexico in 1910 spilled over the border. Later in that decade, bad feelings developed between the small farmer and the large farms that used cheaper Mexican labor. Then, the depression came and increased tensions, as jobs and welfare resources became scarce. One of the "differences" seized upon during this time was the fact that many Mexicans smoked marijuana and had brought the plant with them. However, the first state law outlawing marijuana was not because of Mexicans using the drug. Oddly enough, it was because of Mormons using it. Mormons who traveled to Mexico in 1910 came back to Salt Lake City with marijuana. The church was not pleased and ruled against use of the drug. Since the state of Utah automatically enshrined church doctrine into law, the first state marijuana prohibition was established in 1915. The other states quickly followed suit.
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 the eastern states, the "problem" was attributed to a combination of Latin Americans and black jazz musicians. Marijuana became an indispensable part of the music scene, even entering the language of the black hits of the time. Again, racism was part of the charge against marijuana, as newspapers in 1934 editorialized: "Marihuana influences Negroes to look at white people in the eye, step on white men's shadows and look at a white woman twice." Another fear tactic used is that Mexicans, Blacks and other foreigners were snaring white children with marijuana. By the 1930s, the story had changed. Dr. A. E. Fossier wrote in the 1931 New Orleans Medical and Surgical Journal: "Under the influence of hashish those fanatics would madly rush at their enemies, and ruthlessly massacre every one within their grasp." Within a very short time, marijuana started being linked to violent behavior.
Harry J. Anslinger recognized the Bureau of Narcotics as an amazing career opportunity-- a new government agency with the opportunity to define both the problem and the solution. He immediately realized that opiates and cocaine wouldn't be enough to help build his agency, so he latched on to marijuana and started to work on making it illegal at the federal level. Anslinger immediately drew upon the themes of racism and violence to draw national attention to the problem he wanted to create. 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."
"You smoke a joint and you're likely to kill your brother." ......
With all this said, i think we can clearly see that marijuana was unlegalized solely because of racism. Canada followed suit with America within the same time period for the same reasons.
90. Legalize Marijuana in the United States
Marijuana has been illegal in the United States and Canada since 1930.
For most of human history, hemp has been used as means on making clothing, paper, rope and housing. It has been used as oil, fuel and food. The plant's known uses goes back as far as 7000 B.C and it was legal as recently as when Ronald Reagan was a boy.
The hemp plant was introduced to the United States in the early 1600's but did not reach public awareness as a recreational drug until the early 1900's. America's first marijuana law stated that every farmer was "ordered" to grow Indian hemp seed.There were several other "must grow" laws over the next 200 years (you could be jailed for not growing hemp during times of shortage in Virginia between 1763 and 1767), and during most of that time, hemp was legal tender (you could even pay your taxes with hemp.
So if this extremely versatile plant was so useful, then why did it become illegal? It all started in the 1900's, the western states developed significant tensions regarding the influx of Mexican-Americans. The revolution in Mexico in 1910 spilled over the border.
Later in that decade, bad feelings developed between the small farmer and the large farms that used cheaper Mexican labor. Then, the depression came and increased tensions, as jobs and welfare resources became scarce. One of the "differences" seized upon during this time was the fact that many Mexicans smoked marijuana and had brought the plant with them. However, the first state law outlawing marijuana was not because of Mexicans using the drug. Oddly enough, it was because of Mormons using it. Mormons who traveled to Mexico in 1910 came back to Salt Lake City with marijuana. The church was not pleased and ruled against use of the drug. Since the state of Utah automatically enshrined church doctrine into law, the first state marijuana prohibition was established in 1915. The other states quickly followed suit.
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 the eastern states, the "problem" was attributed to a combination of Latin Americans and black jazz musicians. Marijuana became an indispensable part of the music scene, even entering the language of the black hits of the time. Again, racism was part of the charge against marijuana, as newspapers in 1934 editorialized: "Marihuana influences Negroes to look at white people in the eye, step on white men's shadows and look at a white woman twice." Another fear tactic used is that Mexicans, Blacks and other foreigners were snaring white children with marijuana. By the 1930s, the story had changed. Dr. A. E. Fossier wrote in the 1931 New Orleans Medical and Surgical Journal: "Under the influence of hashish those fanatics would madly rush at their enemies, and ruthlessly massacre every one within their grasp." Within a very short time, marijuana started being linked to violent behavior.
Harry J. Anslinger recognized the Bureau of Narcotics as an amazing career opportunity-- a new government agency with the opportunity to define both the problem and the solution. He immediately realized that opiates and cocaine wouldn't be enough to help build his agency, so he latched on to marijuana and started to work on making it illegal at the federal level. Anslinger immediately drew upon the themes of racism and violence to draw national attention to the problem he wanted to create. 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."
"You smoke a joint and you're likely to kill your brother." .............
With all this said, i think we can clearly see that marijuana was unlegalized solely because of racism.