Marijuana is far too volatile a substance.  So let’s look at it from a Medical perspective:

      There’s a good percentage of the population who react oppositely to what you’re always told.  Instead of relaxing, laughing a bit, they become paranoid, panicked and even violent.  While Smokers generally suggest this is a mere “1% of the population,” as per the NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) rhetoric, it’s simply not true.  Medical professionals generally agree the percentage is around fifty percent, and even higher when used together with alcohol and even some non-prescription drugs.  
     There’s also the rhetoric that it’s less harmful than cigarettes, which is entirely untrue.  Marijuana features a much higher level genotoxicity, and is capable of causing errors in genetic replication at eight times of the rate of cigarettes.  Genotoxins can lead to tumors, and can passed on in the form of birth defects.  As for the generally held myth that it contains less tar than cigarettes, even best-case scenario, a single joint contains eight times the amount of tar — along with 50% more carcinogens — than an entire pack of Camel Lights.

     Past the obvious and immediate health effects, you end up with the “high” effects.  Unlike Alcohol, which is legal, the effects of Marijuana vary too greatly per person, and there’s no way to guage a “recommended dosage,” or how long the effects will last.  While a shot of alcohol relies on a “high” based on a purely biological trigger — cellular osmosis — and will fully run its course in around four hours, the effects of Marijuana come from inhibiting neuron reception and asphyxiation, with long-term daily use causing permanent and irreversible brain damage.

     Pretty much what you end up with is that only Weed Smokers and NORML say it isn’t harmful, when there’s plenty of medical data to the contrary.

     Several Politicians have gained voters by claiming they support Marijuana Legalization.  Unfortunately, these are usually the exact people who intend to make money from it.  Every weed smoker in the United States says, “Never trust when someone says, ‘We’re from the Government and we’re here to help you.’”  Unfortunately, they seem to throw out that logic for the first Senator who says he’s going to push for Reform…

     Of course, when faced with this kind of information, smokers end up showing off the long-term effects of their escapism: diminished emotional capacity and stunted conflict resolution skills.  

     And if you don’t believe me, just watch the comments…

Check out more information about Marijuana at the U.S. National Institute of Health and the National Highway Transport Safety Authority.

     On Tuesday 9 May 2000, Marijuana reform took a knee in the groin from the New Zealand Parliament. In what the media has referred to as a “late session,” an additional tax was imposed in the form of a $1 NZ per pack increase in the cost of cigarettes.

     The public outcry is increasing daily. All I’ve heard on Talk Radio for the last three mornings were complaints about the issue. The few callers supporting the measure have had their arguments shot down quite intelligently by others. Some have protested the sheer cost of a pack of cigarettes, stating that pre-tax prices were nearly expensive enough to be unaffordable. It seems that a good number of non-smokers also protest, speaking vehemently about Government overspending and arguing that the NZ economy has continued to drop against the US dollar despite many other new taxes created in the last year; comparisons to newly imposed gasoline and road taxes were sideline topics.
     The paranoia and anger of other callers compares the current Labour government to that of George Orwell’s 1984. Their prophecies range from home grown tobacco and black market cigarettes to complete bans on public smoking and Gestapo-esque raids of pubs that allow it.

     Government claims the price increase is due to the burden on the Health Care system caused by smoking. That’s all fine and good, but using Marijuana is also smoking. And since this is an attack on Smoking, it nullifies any hope of Marijuana reform, doesn’t it?
     Some say “If marijuana is legalised, they’ll tax the Hell out of it and get their money for Health Care.” This avenue was already discussed. Statements made by MP’s and committees alike have agreed that increasing the street value of Marijuana to compensate will only increase the currently shocking amount of illegal sales by independent growers and dealers.
     And of course, repealing a law they’ve just passed would make them lose face in the sight of the public, wouldn’t it?

     Me? I’m sitting here enjoying a Dunhill and thinking… This brings the price of cigarettes to roughly the same price as a small bag of wonderfully aromatic Northland Marijuana…

     Can’t do it, tho… Damn allergies.