AV>Unfortunately, there are many people in the U.S., who through a
AV>vested interest in maintaining public anti-drug hysteria or by
AV>having bought into that hysteria, maintain that marijuana is an
AV>absolute evil.
On the other hand, I have one book put out by a union which
included in its membership those who were corrections officers and those
who worked in other places where prisoners were kept.
They knew first hand what the use of marijuna did to those in custody at
the time. They printed this book for the use of parents in dealing
with their kids.
That union is Local 519, Public Safety Employees, a labor union
affiliated with Service International Union and AFL-CIO.  It had a total
membership of around nine hundred people, most of whom were King County
Employees who worked in jobs that were directly related to law
enforcment.
The book is entitled "Marijuana and the Family, 1984".  It was paid for
by advertisements from business owners in the Seattle area, all kinds of
business folks.
  Unlike tobacco and alcohol, which are legal,
AV>the federal government classifies marijuana as a Schedule I
AV>substance -- equivalent to heroin, and people are sentenced to
AV>prison for decades and have their property confiscated by the
AV>government for growing or possessing less than a pound of it.
AV>In fact, fishing vessels have been confiscated due to police
AV>finding a just-measurable amount of marijuana in the possession
AV>of a crew-member but unknown to the owner and captain.
AV>Prohibition has helped government grow, become more powerful,
AV>and been very lucrative for it.  Consequently, there is a
AV>substantial interest in demonizing marijuana and other substances.
AV> > [However,] _the criminalization of
AV> > marijuana use may itself be a health hazard, since it may expose
AV> > the consumer to violence and criminal activity._
AV> AF>  Here I would agree 100%. All narcotic drugs should be legalized
AV> AF> (and the proceeds used to treat those who want to be treated and
AV> AF> to bury those who don't). I wonder how much of the alcohol or
AV> AF> tobacco taxes are used for this purpose.
AV>Here in Alaska (which now has the highest tobacco tax in the U.S.)
AV>the tobacco tax statute directs that all taxes be used to fund
AV>public education -- and then the politicians make self-righteous
AV>noises about how those who smoke tobacco, do not have private
AV>health insurance, and have health problems are a drain on the
AV>public health treasury.
AV>Bests,
AV>Alex
AV>---
 * SLMR 2.1a * Back Up My Hard Drive? I Can't Find The Reverse Switch!
                 
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