With a political system that hardly resembles a democracy, it can become quite frustrating as a people to be so far ahead of our government. Let’s look at cannabis prohibition, as we so often do here at TheJointBlog. Cannabis prohibition is a cynical policy that’s failed beyond any reasonable argument, for a large number of reasons that we need not delve into at this point. This prohibition – this…travesty of justice, is becoming clearer than ever to the average individual throughout the country. In fact, who would of thought just a few years ago that at this point the majority (or at least close to it) of the country would be supportive of legalizing cannabis? The tides have been swinging towards sanity. The truth is on our side.
In fact, under www.whitehouse.gov, in a system setup for “We the
People” to petition President Obama and our Federal Government, the number one issue by over 20,000 signatures is legalizing and regulating marijuana. There are three other cannabis and hemp related petitions in the top ten. The President has opened up a venue for the country to speak, and they’ve clear as glass said that they want a new approach to our cannabis laws. You would think that this would open the eyes of President Obama and our government, but instead – It’s sent them into panic mode.
Recently it was announced by four U.S. Attorneys from the U.S. Department of Justice (Eastern District in California), to the disgust of anyone who respects freedom and the dignity of our citizens and sick individuals, that they will be ignoring aspects of California law and will be more aggressively pursuing medical cannabis as a high priority:
“The California marijuana industry is not about providing medicine to the sick. It’s a pervasive for-profit industry that violates federal law. In addition to damaging our environment, this industry is creating significant negative consequences, in California and throughout the nation. As the number one marijuana producing state in the country, California is exporting not just marijuana but all the serious repercussions that come with it, including significant public safety issues and perhaps irreparable harm to our youth.”
In the announcement:
“This is not an idle threat. … What we’re trying to do is send a message as broadly as possible. … We are serious about enforcing federal law. … We are not just talking about it, but we are doing something about it. … Prosecuting marijuana cases is a higher priority now.”
In other words, the cannabis legalization movement has gained far too much attention and medical cannabis is proving to be far too beneficial, which our Federal Government doesn’t like, as our “leaders” are continuing to be shown as uneducated and dictatorial for refusing to acknowledge a need for change. In fact, this announcement comes at a coincidental time – not long after a recent study (one of the first of its kind) which indicates that crime is actually less likely to occur near medical cannabis dispensaries – maybe yet another new piece of information that the government fears.
We’ve reached a point in which the prohibitionists in our government have no where to turn. They’ve all but lost the battle, but recklessly refuse to admit defeat, and with billions backing them (I risk being cliche mentioning how YOU are funding this), they’ve decided to continue to force their hand of intimidation, hoping without any regard to reality that it will somehow destroy the movement. It’s almost frightening at times the utter disrespect laid down upon our citizens, both the ones directly impacted by these policies, and those who are simp
ly lied to and given false information in order to help spread the misguided and morally bankrupt idea that cannabis should be illegal.
However, regardless of how much they attack, the public is waking up. This is not a movement that will go away, and those who stand behind cannabis legalization and the benefits of cannabis will continue to do so, for the sake of a future made better through removing the prohibition of a plant that never should of been prohibited to begin with. This is a time when those who are supportive of reform must standup strongly and loudly against such corruption that would punish people for a harmless act.
–TheJointBlog
