Alcohol causes 35,000 deaths in America each year. No-one has ever died from effects of marijuana. Domestic abuse and violence often has it's origins in alcohol consumption. Marijuana has not had this effect. So, why are we driving people to drink?Marijuana is SAFER, by Steve Fox (MPP), Paul Armento (NORML), and Mason Tvert (SAFER) (Chelsea Green Publishing $14.95) Part history lesson and part activism handbook, this volume provides a full range of facts to counter the empty "just say No" prohibition arguments that have been given too much credence to date.
Broken down into 3 parts, the authors first cover The Choice: Marijuana vs. Alcohol, looking at the differences to both person and society from the effects of usage. Available studies and anecdotal stories of Frat Row and drunken brawls after sporting events have led to the realization that the continual promotion of alcohol to celebrate has had much more damage than promoting marijuana would have. Here is a great recap from their website.
Former Seattle Chief of Police, Norm Stamper has written the intro and (sadly after) his retirement has become a leading voice in the Legalization movement. Here is a short video from him.
Choice Interrupted examines covers the history of Reefer Madness and the consequences of following the zero tolerance policies. Last year SAFER published a "WANTED" poster that pointed out the fact that Cindy McCain's money came from alcohol and the hypocrisy of a major manufacturer of alcohol funding her husband's presidential run to further advocate for marijuana prohibition.
Freedom of Choice breaks down traditional arguments and shows that marijuana use could be an alternative and not an additional vice. This section gives you a good basis for advocating locally and enlarging the discussion.
Recently our local paper ran a story of a 15 year old boy who died of alcohol poisoning. I'm certainly not for encouraging children that young to partake of anything, but it can't be denied that our society's continued glamorization of alcohol contributed to the young man's death. And if you think 15 year olds can't get their hands on either substance, well, dream on.
On Monday night at 6pm, I'll be joined by Mason Tvert to discuss Marijuana is SAFER in Second Life. We have a new reading hall just down the street from the bookstore. Join us at Lacamas Hall for an eye-opening evening.
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I personally know people that have smoked reefer for 40 years, and they are NOT addicted to it.
ReplyDeleteFortunately, most people in Australia realise that marijuana causes schizophrenia. Even 20-something nurses who I work with, party girls who think nothing of relating tales of how they got SO drunk and chundered at the kerbside, laugh and titter when we get a patient on the ward who's been identified as a "cannabis abuser."
ReplyDeleteAs a strong, strapping male nurse, I'm often assigned to work with these drug-driven deviants, in case they should crack a mental and become uncontrollable. No one's done that during the four years I've worked at the hospital, but I'm always ready!
Luckily, most young Aussies prefer to go to the "beer barns" -- downtown clubs that can pack in more than 1,000 punters -- where they stay on their best behaviour.
Thanks Bukko! Spot on!
ReplyDelete/me waves at RealityZ! (that's a second life Fist Bump)
Bukko, No doubt the presence of a "strong, strapping" male nurse is what has kept the "drug-driven deviants" subdued. Talk about job security, I'm envious.
ReplyDeleteBukko, No doubt the presence of a "strong, strapping" male nurse is what has kept the "drug-driven deviants" subdued. Talk about job security, I'm envious.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad the word "strapping" came through. I was worried that people might mis-read it and see "strap-on." But it's the female nurses who do that.
Keeping people orderly is easier when one speaks with the growling-RRRRR accent of an American. It's the same tone that people here hear on the TV shows from slaughter-happy soldiers, gun-toting policemen and psychotic mass murderers. And that's just the news segments! Don't get me started on the American CSI-type fiction programmes. Having an American accent is what it must have been like to speak with German inflections in 1943. Fear breeds respect!
The job security is marvelous. Wiping poo off old peoples' bums wasn't my first choice of careers in life, but it has enabled me to live wherever I choose in the English-speaking world. (And who'd want to live in one of those unfortunate countries where they speak something else, eh?)