Marijuana Out of the
Closet
Marijuana, just the name brings up a
myriad of emotions in people. It is constantly in the headlines
should it be legalized or left behind closed doors where it has been
for the last century. There seems to be such a stigma associated with
the use of marijuana. I am a certified therapeutic herbalist, in my
experience the use of it is wide spread. I have never met any people
that are totally against it use. The people that I know who use are
hard working, hold down jobs, and are good citizens. It is their form
of medicine to relax and unwind. They are not plagued with suicidal
thoughts and violent mood swings like others who are prescribe
antidepressants. To some people it is just an illegal drug that gets
people high, yet it is so much more than that. It is an herb that has
been used for centuries not just socially but to cure many of man's
ills. So why has this herb been so unfairly prosecuted?
The war on drugs particularly
marijuana is relatively a recent event. In America between 1842 and
the 1890's a powerful concentrated extract of marijuana was the
second most prescribed drug. In the early colonies it was require
that all that all farmers grow hemp. Hemp was used as legal tender
from 1631 to the early 1800's. The US constitution, the Declaration
of Independence, the original Levi jeans and Old glory were all made
from hemp.
William Randolph Hearst reigned over
the newspaper industry. He owned large tracks of standing timber.
Harry Anslinger was appointed to the newly formed federal bureau of
narcotics in 1931. Together they produced a smear campaign against
marijuana and hemp. They used the prejudiced of the times, by
attacking Mexicans and Negroes. They claimed that the evil weed was
the most powerful violent inducing substance know to mankind. This
led to the passing of the marijuana tax act in 1937 which made it
illegal to grow, sell, buy, or distribute marijuana, hemp included.
In 1970 the controlled substances act lumped together marijuana and
hemp as schedule 1 drugs in the same category as heroin and LSD.
Marihuana comes from the family of
herbs know as Cannabaceae. This family includes four varieties
Cannabis indica, cannabis ruderalis, cannabis sativa. and humulus
genus (hops). Hops is one of the main ingredients in beer. Cannabis
sativa is the plant that most people are familiar with. The plant
that produces hemp is a variation of c. sativa.
Marijuana therapeutic properties are
divine. The plant is a tonic, intoxicant, stomachic, antispasmodic,
analgesic, narcotic, sedative, and anodyne. Seeds and leaves are
used to treat cancer and scirrhous tumors. The decoction of the root
is said to help remedy hard tumors and knots in the joints. Today
therapeutic use of cannabis is used for depression,glaucoma, nausea,
pain, muscle, spasticity, multiple sclerosis, appetite loss
associated with AIDS and cancer treatment.
When used properly there are virtually
no side effect with Marijuana,except for the high of course. Not all
people experience the pleasuring effect that most users do. If people
don't experience the pleasure effect it has been my experience that
they simple don't use it. Marijuana can be psychology addictive.
Chronic users may suffer from asthma and withdrawal systems.
There is no reason that marijuana
shouldn't be legalized for adults. I believe it is our right to use
plants as medicine or recreationally whether or not they are
cultivated or grown naturally. All herbs have a rightful place in our
pharmacopeia. In Germany, Australia and other countries you can not
use any natural growing plant with out a prescription from a Doctor.
It is all goes back to control. We have the right to use what we want
to heal ourselves, no one has the right to tell us otherwise. We
should be able to be sovereigns of our own bodies. Marijuana and all
herbs should continue to be medicine for common people like they
always have been. It is time for Marijuana to come out of the
closet.
