Hemp—From First Rate Citizen to Outlaw—A History
I do not use marijuana but I do wear hemp clothing which is much cooler in high temperatures and lasts far longer than cotton. I also eat organic shelled hemp seeds which are one of the best sources of omega 3 fatty acids, high in plant based protein, contain significant amounts of vitamin E complex compounds and trace minerals. (Note: eating these seeds will not cause you to test positive for marijuana on drug tests.) Although clothing and hemp seeds are sold in the U.S., they cannot be legally grown here.
Hemp used to be a major agricultural industry in the U.S. George Washington and Thomas Jefferson grew hemp! Huh? The Declaration of Independence was drafted by Jefferson on hemp paper. It was used to make canvas, and the word canvas itself derives from cannabis. Ships—including the Mayflower—outfitted with hemp sails and ropes, carried European settlers to America for hundreds of years.
Maps, Bibles and books were all made of rag bond paper that had a high hemp content from recycled clothes of homespun hemp and from sails, ropes and tents made of hemp. The collection and recycling of rags for paper was an industry for hundreds of years in Europe and a lesson to us on the importance of paying attention to recycling in general. Hemp is far superior to corn as an alternative fuel.
So what happened? How did hemp become illegal and demonized? Follow the money. Wealthy American families, the DuPonts, the Mellons and William Randolf Hearst were in competition with hemp.
Hearst owned timber rights for millions of acres of forest land, the raw material for newsprint. Newsprint was made with hemp because it is superior to using trees and used 1/4 the acreage.
DuPont had patents for numerous synthetic products that hemp is competitive with. Oil interests are also in competition with hemp. Most synthetic products including plastics can be made with hemp or other plants which are renewable resources and recyclable.
Harry Anslinger, the virulent racist who headed the Bureau of Narcotics and spear-headed the campaign against “demon marijuana” was married to the niece of Richard Mellon of the Mellon banking family.
Tobacco—450,000 deaths per year
Alcohol—150,000 deaths per year
Prescription drugs—100,000 deaths per year
Caffeine—10,000 deaths per year
Cocaine & heroine—5200 deaths per year
Aspirin—1000 deaths per year
Marijuana—0 deaths per year
Below: Dr Ron Paul on marijuana and the tyrannical state
Prison-Industrial Complex: Prisons are Big Business
Today, major financial interests have been responsible for converting the U.S. prison system from public to private. Private companies such as Haliburton build the prisons and companies such as Wackenhut Corrections Corp run the prisons.
Our representatives in congress as well as many other Americans (pension funds, etc.) are invested in these prisons. Our congressional representatives pass laws which they know will increase the prison population and their investments in these prisons. Congress has also passed legislation which exempts members of congress from this type of insider trading.
Many individuals guilty of marijuana offenses are people who have committed nonviolent offenses. Instead of community service, fines, or drug treatment, they are sentenced to a prison term, by far the most expensive form of punishment.
Enforcing marijuana laws and jailing offenders is a multi-billion dollar a year business that employs tens of thousands of people. Companies building and running prisons, as well as the individuals invested in prison stocks, have an interest in increasing the amount of people sent to prison.
Mainstream opinion considers drug addiction to be largely a public-health problem, not an issue for the criminal courts yet legislators continue to make laws requiring mandatory prison sentences for some drug offenses. Mandatory prison sentences benefit those invested in prison stocks.