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Military.com Forums Hot Topics & Current Events General Discussion Morals, Stupidity, and serving the world|
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Lead Moderator Post War Iraq  Hot Topics Moderator mainedawg72gmail.com   |
The Marijuana Tax Act
1937 saw the passage of the Marijuana Tax Act in the United States. Harry J. Anslinger (Bureau of Narcotics Commissioner) testified in hearings on the subject that the hemp plant needed to be banned because it had a violent "effect on the degenerate races". This specifically referred to Mexican immigrants who had entered the country, seeking jobs during the Great Depression. The law passed quickly and with little debate. The American Medical Association (AMA) protested the law soon after, both on the grounds of actual disagreement with the law and the supporters' lies on the subject. Anslinger and others had claimed the AMA had vocalized support when, in fact, the opposite was true. The passing of this law, along with the subsequent lies regarding the effects of cannabis, have been deemed both a conspiracy and a racist act directed at Mexicans. Although the latter is true, some (such as Jack Herer) have argued that the law was passed in order to prohibit industrial hemp from becoming a competing industry with paper and cotton, but more importantly, newly discovered plastics (DuPont's Nylon), and the fuel industry. |
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Lead Moderator Post War Iraq Hot Topics Moderator mainedawg72gmail.com |
Early drug laws
Perhaps the earliest recorded example is the prohibition of the use of alcohol under Islamic law (Sharia), which is usually attributed to passages in the Qur'an dating from the 7th century. Some Muslim scholars assert that this prohibition actually addresses only the abuse of alcohol, but they do not have sufficient numbers or authority to override the familiar total prohibition. Although Islamic law is often interpreted as prohibiting all intoxicants (not only alcohol), the ancient practice of hashish smoking has continued throughout the history of Islam, against varying degrees of resistance. A major campaign against hashish-eating Sufis was conducted in Egypt in the 11th and 12th centuries resulting among other things in the burning of fields of cannabis, and the public torture of hashish users. Religious intolerance was also the motivation for drug prohibition in Christian Europe. In a move interpreted as support for the efforts of the Spanish Inquisition against the Arabs, in a 1484 fiat Pope Innocent VIII banned the use of cannabis. The persecution of heretics in the form of witch hunts also gathered momentum around this time, and frequently targeted users of medicinal and hallucinogenic herbs. The Inquisition proceeded apace in Meso-America and South America, where peyote (péyotl), ololiúqui, toloáche, teonanácatl and other sacred plants of the Mexican culture were prohibited as works of the devil. In Northern Europe, the Protestants were also responsible for passing drug laws motivated by religious intolerance, according to Stephen Harrod Buhner. Buhner argues that the 1516 Reinheitsgebot, which stipulates that beer may only contain water, barley and hops was a "reflection of Protestant irritation about 'drugs' and the Catholic Church". Unlike the typically stimulating herbal blends widely used at the time (e.g. gruit), hops cause sedation and reduce libido. The exclusive use of hops had been compulsory in France since 1268. Coffee almost followed the same fate as cannabis as its use spread from Ethiopia through the Middle East to Europe. Its use was banned in the Middle East on numerous occasions as conflicting with Islamic law, but eventually it came to be accepted. The introduction of coffee in Europe from Muslim Turkey also prompted calls for it to be banned as the devil's work, however Pope Clement VIII sanctioned its use, declaring that it was "so delicious that it would be a pity to let the infidels have exclusive use of it". In late Qing Imperial China, opium imported by the British East India Company was vastly consumed by all social classes in Southern China. Between 1821 and 1837 imports of the drug increased fivefold. The Chinese government attempted to end this trade, on public health grounds. The effort was initially successful with the destruction of all British opium stock in May 1839. However, to protect this trade, the British declared war on China (First Opium War). China was defeated and the war ended with the Treaty of Nanking, which protected foreign opium traders from Chinese law. A related American treaty promised to end the smuggling of opium by Americans. It took until the next Opium War for the trade to be legalized. The resulting trade purportedly set into motion a chain of events that would lead to the massive Taiping Rebellion. |
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Lead Moderator Post War Iraq Hot Topics Moderator mainedawg72gmail.com |
The Harrison Act
This was followed by the Harrison Act, passed in 1914, which required sellers of opiates and cocaine to get a license (which were usually only distributed to white people). While originally intended to require paper trails of drug transactions between doctors, drug stores, and patients, it soon became a prohibitive law. The law’s wording was quite vague; it was originally intended as a revenue tracking mechanism that required prescriptions for opiates. It became legal precedent that any prescription for a narcotic given by a physician or pharmacist – even in the course of medical treatment for addiction - constituted conspiracy to violate the Harrison Act. In the Supreme Court decision Jin Fuey Moy v. United States, 254 U.S. 189 (1920) the court upheld that it was a violation of the Harrison Act even if a physician provided prescription of a narcotic for an addict, and thus subject to criminal prosecution. The initial proponents of the Harrison Act did not support blanket prohibition of the drugs involved 1. This is also true of the later Marijuana Tax Act in 1937. Soon, however, licensing bodies did not issues licenses, effectively banning the drugs. The American judicial system did not initially accept drug prohibition. Prosecutors argued that possessing drugs was a tax violation, as no legal licenses to sell drugs were in existence; hence, a person possessing drugs must have purchased them from an unlicensed source. After some wrangling, this was accepted as federal jurisdiction under the interstate commerce clause of the U.S. Constitution OK, I'm done for now on laws and why we do things the way we do. |
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DEATH FROM ABOVE |
Hey Dawg, Kinda long winded there, but I learned something.
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Lead Moderator Post War Iraq Hot Topics Moderator mainedawg72gmail.com |
People forget that all drugs were legal once.
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Sarcastic Member |
The tax laws were struck down as unconstitutional. Timothy Leary argued before the Supreme Court that they violated the clause about self incrimination. You could not get a tax stamp without having the drug in your possession, but could not legally by the drugs without a tax stamp.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: mainedawg, |
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Member |
I have used it in my past too. I have of people who break into a house and steal others game consoles, jewelry, and any other valuables to pawn and get money. I have personally seen a friend of mine get hit by a car because the person behind the wheel was high, I have seen many people in my town alone go to jail for being high while driving, and even more people get into minor and a few major accidents. Most of these people are people the family knew, but a few were friends of mine when i was younger!!! Not to mention a friend of mine in high school, was my boyfriend, who killed himself on a ATV because he was high and hit a tree.... they basically had to scrape him off...so yes, in a way...weed does kill people, because it DOES impair their judgment and ability to think and that is when people get hurt, or hurt others. He is a difference. He is my strength. He is a brother. He is a hero. He is a father. He is a son. He is what will protect when we are scared. He is a friend. He is a husband. But most importantly, we must not forget what he chose to be... a MARINE!!! |
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Lead Moderator Post War Iraq Hot Topics Moderator mainedawg72gmail.com |
Did you use Timothy Leary as a source of law.. I'm told he made the best acid of anyone. |
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Highly Experienced Member Old Fart #00  |
I smoked it once. It made me want to rape, pillage and murder.
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Member |
Please tell me you're joking here. Right? I've been a victom of crime because of a person with a pot habit. I've seen a young person break almost every law except rape and murder to get pot..not coke, not herion, not hash, but POT... You friend either live in a dream world or aren't being honest. I can't even imagine how anybody could say that. People, both criminals and good get killed everyday from POT. Read the facts and myths so you'll know what you're talking about. |
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Member |
it's just a waste of time... for those who are just plain happy with their life in its self, you will know what I mean. Most people on here are happy with life and themselves, they don't need pot to make them that way or to to give them whatever it is pot heads feel they are missing!
He is a difference. He is my strength. He is a brother. He is a hero. He is a father. He is a son. He is what will protect when we are scared. He is a friend. He is a husband. But most importantly, we must not forget what he chose to be... a MARINE!!! |
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Sarcastic Member |
No, but the man did successfully argue his case before the US Supreme Court. I never sampled his wares, so I cannot offer an opinion. I hear that his stuf was used as the sacrement at the the Neo-American Church. |
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Member |
After leaving active duty I became a police officer for a large agency in California and spent 6 years there. I moved south and have been a cop for a small agency in AL for nine years now. I understand that a lot of people will say that my career choice might bias my opinion on this issue, so I will try to stay away from opinion and discuss some facts.
In response to some of the earlier posts in this thread: Yes, I have pulled people over and arrested them for driving under the influence of marijuana. Obviously I have no idea it's not a typical "drunk" driver until after I have made contact, but the objective symptoms of marijuana influence are usually pretty obvious. The DUI laws in most states cover alcohol and drugs, so if the officer has probable cause to believe the driver is under the influence of marijuana, he can make an arrest. Yes, we have tests for marijuana and they don't require any specialized equipment. It simply takes powers of observation, training, and experience. Most police academies should be teaching this. A person under the influence of marijuana will display different symptoms than a person under the influence of alcohol or opiates or cocaine or other drugs. Basically, when I am building a case for marijuana influence, I look for the obvious odor coupled with red, bloodshot or glassy eyes, a stuporous or euphoric expression, horizontal gaze nystagmus, lack of balance or coordination, etc. Can each symptom individually be explained by other factors? Yes, but put together they make a good case. Marijuana has been suggested for medicinal purposes, but it is the ingredient THC in the marijuana that is basis for the argument. THC is available in pills and suppositories, and one company is reportedly developing a patch. These forms negate the need to "toke one". In other words, cancer patients can get the nausea relief and appetite stimulation without the negative affects associated with smoking MJ. I have worked numerous traffic collisions, some minor, some serious, some fatal. If the driver is under the influence of marijuana and gets arrested, the arrest report will simply read "D.U.I." in the block for charges. Arrest reports are routinely released to the media, so if they report on a collision that was news worthy, they will report that the driver was arrested for D.U.I. Most readers or viewers seem to assume that it was alcohol to blame instead of drugs since alcohol is most commonly associated with D.U.I. Now for some personal observations, and again I will try to stick to experience and try to leave opinion out of it... I have done a lot of work with youth, schools, and juvenile courts. I have had numerous conversations with parents of teens who say that their child has suddenly changed. Grades drop, social circles change, and the occurrence of what they call "bad decisions" increases. Sometimes it is just puberty but more often than not, it is because the kid has been experimenting with drugs. Teachers also see changes when kids start using. Bright, apt pupils become less attentive, less responsible, and more forgetful. I absolutely believe the discussions of marijuana as a "gateway" drug. Will every teen who experiments with marijuana become a crack head or a meth freak? No, of course not. But "weed" is seen as harmless by many teens and some learn that if it feels good and has no immediate negative affects, why not try a pill? As far as the arguments that marijuana should be legal because it is less lethal than alcohol, I only have this observation. Alcohol will often make the drinker nauseous from overuse or abuse. Most adults are limited in the amount they can drink, because after a point their body will reject further ingestion. (I know it is different for everybody, binge drinkers, alcoholics, etc. This is a general observation) In my younger days I remember a couple times leaving the E-Club or NCO club only to make it as far as the nearest toilet so I could puke my guts out. I learned a valuable lesson on responsible drinking. Then there is the hang over the next day. Drinkers often have an immediate negative impact. Marijuana doesn't seem to cause nausea, hang overs, etc. It causes euphoria, memory loss, increased appetite, and drowsiness. Afterwards the user may experience depression. So based on my observations it would seem that marijuana is more dangerous than alcohol because there is less motivation to use it in moderation and to use it responsibly. (Maybe that was opinionated... Sorry, I promised I would try to remain unbiased) Anyway, this post is geeting too long, so if you have read nothing else, or are skipping to end for a summation, let me say this...  Do your own research and get facts, not rumors and opinions. If you don't believe the DEA, or the National Cancer Society, or the National Institute on Drug Abuse, or the other agencies that warn against marijuana use because you have some sort of a big brother conplex, try this... Go to the websites of hospitals and health care professionals. See how many of them discuss marijuana and warn against it. It is often called the "safest" recreational drug, but that doesn't imply it is harmless. Before you decide to spark one up, consider this also... Will you ever apply for a job that will ask about drug use? Will they use polygraphs on applicants? I have been polygraphed in conjunction with hiring. Somewhere, in somebody's filing cabinet, they know everything...  |
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NOOOO!!! AAAARRRGGGHH!!! NOOOO!!! Don't say stuff like that! You know how addicted I am! S7 |
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Member |
that was the smartest post on here, thank you...I agree 100%...I have seen friends go down the wrong path, I started on weed, went to coke, and went to meth...where I overdosed 3 times before I found the Lord and did a 180 with my life by choice. I know that not everyone will do this, but a great majority of our youth do, and if the youth are the future...what does that leave us? I have seen friends die either because they overdosed, got hit by a car of someone under the influence, or be cause they were the one driving a car under the influence....I am so glad you posted what you did, You said it perfectly....people need to realize it does happen, A LOT!!! He is a difference. He is my strength. He is a brother. He is a hero. He is a father. He is a son. He is what will protect when we are scared. He is a friend. He is a husband. But most importantly, we must not forget what he chose to be... a MARINE!!! |
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Member |
So... Why is it that you guys were allowed to learn for yourselves that drugs were harmful - But don't want to offer anyone else the same opportunity?
Are you somehow "more adult" than other people? If they legalized marijuana tomorrow (Hell, if they legalized ALL drugs tomorrow), nothing in my personal life would change whatsoever (Since we seem to be using personal observations as reasoning here). If I WANTED to do drugs - I'd already be doing them (As it is quite easy to obtain drugs despite their illegality). I don't do drugs now - NOT because they're illegal (I speed on the Turnpike constantly, and that's illegal) - But because I simply do not want to do them. I choose to live a healthy, active lifestyle - And I simply don't feel the need for drugs. However, I still maintain my position of believing it's total bullshit to tell people what they can or can't put in their own bodies - As long as they're not harming anyone else... It just doesn't seem like something that a nation which prides itself on its freedoms would do. And then there are those pesky 400,000+ annual deaths from perfectly legal (and perfectly taxed) tobacco products which we have no problem with. Deaths from drugs... I thought that's what we were trying to avoid? There is no set standard - And I just have a serious problem with that. |
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* |
It is that selfish, stupid attitude which will get my grandkids killed by someone operating under the influence of drugs, or even worst, have some idiot similar to you with your attitude skulking around trying to sell drugs to my grandkids to support an addiction habit. There should be a hunting permit for tracking down and shooting drug pushers and addicts, just like there is for shooting varmints. If there was, I'd make it a full time hobby and shoot all the bastards. Drug abusers are a cancer on society. 80-90% of crime can be traced back to drugs. Most gangs use drug pushing and car theft (for sell to buy drugs marketable drugs) to support their existance - - Liberty does not give anyone the right to engage in activities destructive to the fabric of society, EVER! The selfish, blinders-on, attitude you exhibit explains exactly why today's generation is spiraling America into the toilet! Wandering and Wondering |
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Sarcastic Member |
Damn Libertarians. |
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Quote from nearby thread shows the reality of druggys and the need to get them off the streets:
"We had a police pursuit last night after receiving a 911 call about a man smoking crack inside a car. Stop sticks or helicopter response weren't necessary. We won it the old fashion way. He was so stupid he ran out of gas. The 27 yr old had just been released from jail and was still on probation. He also had cocaine on him and is facing an uncertain future." How many lives did this guy endanger!! What will happen as soon as he gets out of jail again?? Who will he rob/kill to support his habit?? Who will he maim/kill if he gets behind a wheel again?? They should have shot the bastard, since as soon as he runs in an autmobile, he is careless putting citizens at risk of injury/death, just like pulling a gun. And it would save the cost of trial!!  Wandering and Wondering |
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Member |
So... I'm the "idiot", but you're the one who can't seem to read. Let me reiterate: I DO NOT USE DRUGS. Clear enough for you?
That's a great stance: Kill everyone you don't agree with. Let me know how that comes along for you, guy. 
Got any links or articles to back up this claim, sport?
Sounds an awful lot like Prohibition if you ask me. You don't see gangs selling alcohol, now do you?? Yet compare the number of deaths caused by alcohol to the number of deaths caused by illicit drugs and the statistics will speak for themselves. ALCOHOL is a bigger killer than all of them (With the exception of tobacco) combined!
Your opinion. Sorry, but you can't make other people's decisions, gramps.
You say that... Yet ignore the fact that alcohol and tobacco kill over half a million people in our country annually. But no, no you're right... It's me who has the blinders on. It's me who hasn't been paying attention... Riiiiight. Whatever.  Feel free to respond when you wake up. |
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Military.com Forums Hot Topics & Current Events General Discussion Morals, Stupidity, and serving the world
