This one is right out of Old Hippie’s infamous stash of little-known facts.
In the process of doing some historical research, I found some interesting tidbits. Today is, at least according to one source, exactly 75 years since the U.S. House of Representatives passed the dangerous and illegal Marihuana Tax Act of 1937, based largely on out-and-out racism, lies, and perjury right on the floor of Congress.
I call it “dangerous and illegal” to deliberately counter that same phrase, used by government propagandists ever since then, to characterize cannabis: a plant that has not only never killed anyone but has helped millions of people medically, as well as saved many others from real addiction to real dangerous drugs like opiates and alcohol.
Dangerous it was, because it brought in the beginning of the War On (some) Drugs, which has killed literally thousands of people. And illegal it was too, because — thanks to the great Timothy Leary for fighting it all the way up to the Supreme Court — it was declared unconstitutional on May 19, 1969.
And that brings us to the surprising fact that for almost a year and a half, at the very height of the Sixties (when I was going to Woodstock and smoking my head off and such), there was no valid Federal law against marijuana! Because Nixon’s “Drug War” law (boo, hiss) — the one that came up with the Federal “drug schedules” that harm Americans to this day — didn’t take effect until the end of October 1970.
Hey, we got along just fine for that 18 months…what do you say we try it again?
Estimates show that marijuana is America’s number one cash crop. However, marijuana remains untaxed. This is a new source of income for our nation, an income we desperately need.
Over 500 of the nation’s top economic professors have shared their opinion in supporting the removing the prohibition and imposing the taxation and regulation of marijuana as a way to slow the federal deficit.
Ending marijuana prohibition would save the US $7.7 BILLION annually. That is nearly as much as Congress’ proposed Budget Control Act. Think of the jobs it would create, the court time I would save and the jail space it would free up for actual criminals.
In this current economic state the floor should be opened to debate at the very least
Sign the petition below. Also, create a group, this will connect every member directly to their elected officials.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_tUy6fylQs
Gee, I hope you remember to come back with that link…