America's dope problem only worsened during the following decade. In 1930, we reported that one out of every six people struggled with an addiction to narcotics. To understand how the number of illegal drug users quadrupled in just ten years, we interviewed Dr. William I. Sirovich, a narcotics expert from New York. Dr. Sirovich explained that the Prohibition, which began in 1920, only encouraged people with addictive tendencies to substitute alcohol for hard drugs. In terms of restoring morality to America, the Prohibition totally backfired. Secondly, peddling drugs is a lot easier than smuggling alcohol. Like we reported just a decade earlier, people could sneak coke around in their pockets. Moreover, even though drug addiction affected people from all walks of life, society associated drug use with common criminals and the homeless. Because of the taboo, regular folks were ashamed to seek help for their problems. Sirovich recommended that since most narcotics factories were overseas, that President Hoover call an international convention to "engage in a world-wide anti-drug crusade," perhaps even to start a "narcotics League of Nations." Pictured left is an illustration of Dr. Sirovich, who was also a Congressman, asking representatives to start a bureau dedicated to quashing the narcotics trade.
Read the full story in "Why 2,000,000 Million Americans are Dope Fiends""
Wow. What a profound misinformation campaign has been carried out against cannabis! The PopSci May 1936 article was particularly amusing, as it contained NO science whatsoever, only wild speculation, hearsay, and ridiculous assumptions. I can only hope that PopSci today is much more thorough in their research and exploration.
Articles such as these, which classified cannabis as a narcotic, and grouped it in with genuinely dangerous drugs like heroin and cocaine, contriubted to the misinformation and false assumptions about marijuana which many people still cling to today.
It is stunning that the DEA has not realized the folly of their enforcement policies. One need only look at Prohibition to understand that restricting the sale of a product which presents no immediate danger to the consumer or his surroundings, is both counterproductive and regressive. In fact, alcohol is indisputably much more destructive and dangerous than any possible manisfestation of marijuana.
This falls under the category of trying to "protect people from themselves", which should never be the role of government. When government replaces the role of personal individual responsibility, it is no wonder that careless juvenile behaviour, addiction and irresponsibility run rampant. Additionally, the cost of the "War on Drugs" increases exponentially with no sign of real progress.
As in any War, we cannot possibly hope for victory until we identify the genuine threats and our real enemies. Cannabis is neither.
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After Prohibition, the simple fact of the legality of alcohol in the face of so many far less dangerous drugs shows the FDA to be STILL completely upside down in logical thought and prudent action.
Call me criminal, but I did not care that pot was illegal when it was the only thing letting my grandmother get strength from food to fight for life. And YES. I looked up the supposed illegality of my actions-wanna guess what I found? I found this little clause in law that protects people that are under extreme duress, in fear for your life or the life of another. So while I didn't get busted, I was prepared. The behavior that's been upheld over that little clause makes my getting pot for grandma so she could eat to live look exactly like the mean, petty, nothing issue it was.
I agree as a person needing it for vomiting and nausea
in $6548 this-last/5 weeks and-in excess of, $10k lass month. this is really the best-job I've ever had. I actually started nine months/ago and pretty much immediately was bringing home at least $81 per hour. I use this website,
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