Post by Del Snavely on Nov 13, 2009 11:35:13 GMT -6
LTE by Del Snavely
As I read the report of the DEA not being able to approve the growing of a "controlled substance" on such a "large scale" within a 7 week guideline, I wanted to laugh, but then I thought, how tragic the whole thing is. Not just for these two farmers who lost their money to the DEA, but for all of us. I thought, in many ways we have been suckers for 35 if not 70 years. We have been duped with "incorrect information" into believing that "one" plant is the most evil substance on earth. We just can't bring ourselves to believe that this plant does everything that all the "crazy legalization" people are saying it does. Or could we?. Let's look at this logically.
As a farming community with agriculture as our primary form of export, we should understand the workings of plants and animals pretty well. The US Government thinks that marijuana is all the same. This is true to the same degree that a Rottweiler and a Chihuahua are both the same dog. There are over 600 sub species and hybrids of this plant. They have been studied all over the world, except in the US. Some are used as fiber and oils for the hemp industry. Some have natural medicinal properties and some make delicious food. We haven't even scratched the surface yet.
We need to understand what was done to this plant with the "Marijuana Tax Act of 1937", and the "Controlled Substances Act of 1972", when our existing laws were enacted. Prior to that time, this plant was used in every form, for thousands of years, all over the world. I find it strange that the only one to fight for this plant in 1937 was the "American Medical Association", yet the first person arrested for it was a "farmer". The Shaffer Commission recommended a reclassification of "marijuana" down to a Schedule 2 drug in 1972 to President Nixon so that research could be done. He chose to ignore their recommendations and start a WAR. Well, 35 years, 7 Presidents and Hundreds of billions of dollars later, there has been no change in the use of this herb and the DEA still doesn't even know the difference between smokable cannabis and hemp. I find that to be extremely ironic since the rest of the world is so well informed. In 2005 over 200,000 marijuana plants were irradicated in the US. 98 percent of those were feral hemp from pre '37 hemp farming. There has been much learned about the cannabis plant in the past 35 years. I expect we'll have to learn eventually. Whether we like it or not.
This action (or non action) by the DEA shows exactly why we need to change the "marijuana" CANNABIS laws here in this country so that we "can" do more research and learn more. So that we "can" grow a high yield crop and make our own fuels, food and cloth. So that we "can" help people and stop arresting sick people who use cannabis as medicine. So that we "CAN" regulate this plant.
Del Snavely
As I read the report of the DEA not being able to approve the growing of a "controlled substance" on such a "large scale" within a 7 week guideline, I wanted to laugh, but then I thought, how tragic the whole thing is. Not just for these two farmers who lost their money to the DEA, but for all of us. I thought, in many ways we have been suckers for 35 if not 70 years. We have been duped with "incorrect information" into believing that "one" plant is the most evil substance on earth. We just can't bring ourselves to believe that this plant does everything that all the "crazy legalization" people are saying it does. Or could we?. Let's look at this logically.
As a farming community with agriculture as our primary form of export, we should understand the workings of plants and animals pretty well. The US Government thinks that marijuana is all the same. This is true to the same degree that a Rottweiler and a Chihuahua are both the same dog. There are over 600 sub species and hybrids of this plant. They have been studied all over the world, except in the US. Some are used as fiber and oils for the hemp industry. Some have natural medicinal properties and some make delicious food. We haven't even scratched the surface yet.
We need to understand what was done to this plant with the "Marijuana Tax Act of 1937", and the "Controlled Substances Act of 1972", when our existing laws were enacted. Prior to that time, this plant was used in every form, for thousands of years, all over the world. I find it strange that the only one to fight for this plant in 1937 was the "American Medical Association", yet the first person arrested for it was a "farmer". The Shaffer Commission recommended a reclassification of "marijuana" down to a Schedule 2 drug in 1972 to President Nixon so that research could be done. He chose to ignore their recommendations and start a WAR. Well, 35 years, 7 Presidents and Hundreds of billions of dollars later, there has been no change in the use of this herb and the DEA still doesn't even know the difference between smokable cannabis and hemp. I find that to be extremely ironic since the rest of the world is so well informed. In 2005 over 200,000 marijuana plants were irradicated in the US. 98 percent of those were feral hemp from pre '37 hemp farming. There has been much learned about the cannabis plant in the past 35 years. I expect we'll have to learn eventually. Whether we like it or not.
This action (or non action) by the DEA shows exactly why we need to change the "marijuana" CANNABIS laws here in this country so that we "can" do more research and learn more. So that we "can" grow a high yield crop and make our own fuels, food and cloth. So that we "can" help people and stop arresting sick people who use cannabis as medicine. So that we "CAN" regulate this plant.
Del Snavely
