Legalize it!

Are we really that brainwashed that we can't think for ourselves? Are we really that shortsighted that we can't see truth or even note a lie under our own noses? The graphic novel I'm reading in English class Persepolis mentions that during her time in Vienna, Austria Marjane Satrapi uses marijuana with her friends during a confusing and dark period of her life. Since the dawn of man we have used herbal remades to cure ailments from stomach aches all the way to the Black Plague, (which essential oils played a big part in getting rid of.) Yet when we as humans self indulge and go overboard with something, we fall in to our self serving bias saying, "it couldn't be me that went out of control, it must be the "drug" I'm taking." Marijuana, cannabis, pot, reefer, what ever you want to call it has gotten the bad rap of being a "drug" ever since the propaganda Reefer Madness hit in 1936; existentially this gave the white collar America something to fear and war on. Later it gave hippies and youthful America in the 1960's and beyond something to laugh at as most of the clam's it made are so far-fetched that one can't help but laugh. Why are most Americans so quick to jump on the bandwagon about this herb? Simple, money! First and foremost a drug, as defined by pharmacology texts, is "a chemical substance used in the treatment, cure, prevention, or diagnosis of disease or used to otherwise enhance physical or mental well-being." Where marijuana does carry chemicals such as THC, many naturally grown products carry complex chemical compounds that change the body's natural chemistry; does this make an apple a drug? Besides one might argue that any natural substance has a more complex chemical compound that the body likes and will use for a longer period of time. "Man made drugs" are extremely simplistic in their chemical makeup which makes them easy and cheep to manufacture, but yet half of these you have to trade risk of drowsiness, heart attack, stroke, constipation, a nervous eye twitch, and gods know what else just to relieve your allergies; not to mention the chance for addiction where marijuana is non addictive physically, (admittedly people can become mentally addicted to it but hay, we also have food and alcohol which can become mental crutch's as well.) Anyone would be able to grow marijuana as it is such an easy adapting plant thus making it harder to regulate and tax upon the legalization of it, (yes the government has to see a benefit for themselves and not just the people before they make ANY decision.) As long as the DEA sees no potential gain for themselves they will never banish the prohibition war against this most useful plant, which is a crime in itself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eX2HHRE-m8o