This country sits on the edge of its seat waiting to see who makes the next move. There are medical professionals proving that the use of cannabis is not only beneficial but negligent not to utilize. Close to half the United States are passing medical use laws in direct contradiction with an almost naïve assertion of the government that cannabis is not only illegal but an evil and devilish substance. Two states, with more to follow, are passing blanket recreational use laws. Then there are companies like Google who are secretly aiding medical marijuana advocacy groups. Every major company with something to gain wants in on the ground floor to be able to claim that they were behind it all the way, if, it ends up becoming legal. If however it does not, they want to be able to claim impartiality. So the quiet donations and gentle nudges in the right direction are happening more than one would think.
So who will be the first major public supporter? Who will be the pioneer of the new movement? Who will be the Steve Jobs of marijuana legalization? If a company like Google musters the courage to stand openly behind a movement that has never been more obviously in the right direction, more would surely follow. There would be some in the beginning who would cry out against the bad decision of a bias California group, if only to keep up appearances. However, the people would speak out as well. The truth would shine through, most likely to the major benefit of the original trailblazer. If history has taught us anything, it is that what the public sees and the truth, are rarely the same.
Despite what the public is fed through the mainstream media, one can safely assume today that the majority consumes marijuana in some fashion; that politician who speaks out against marijuana, goes home and loads his pipe; the cop who confiscated a stash, but instead of turning it in, hits his favorite bong. It’s a very new concept for cannabis to be considered illegal, when one considers the scope of marijuana history which reaches back to the beginning of Traditional Chinese medicine. It is all money and perception. The moment it becomes legally accepted for one to be open about its use, more people than many think will turn out to be secret smokers. This, however true it may be, should not be the issue’s focus.
The reality is that there are three very different topics that accompany the idea of legalization. When discussing the idea of smoking marijuana, the topic is a civil rights issue. A government should not be able to tell anyone what they can or cannot do within the privacy of their own home, as long as it does not harm or infringe on another, despite how one may personally feel about. When debating the idea of medical use (which does involve smoking in most cases but primarily involves natural use of the plant) it becomes a medical malpractice issue of not allowing those who have a genuine medical need to use a substance that could potentially be their cure, based on current findings. The third being the most relevant and important: the topic of hemp. Even though it does not contain enough THC to get a person high, for deceitful reasons of monetary gain, it is considered a schedule one substance when cocaine and meth are both considered schedule two, or less dangerous with more medical benefits (which is absurd to say the least). Hemp has the ability to not only offer huge medical benefits of its own but can provide a vast number of products that can literally save our country from its downward spiral of dependency. Our government has fought for decades to keep these lines blurred so when one thinks on this topic, all they picture is smoking weed.
With so much ambiguity within the debate of marijuana it becomes hard to fight for medical use or hemp cultivation and not end up with the uneducated masses thinking the fight is about the need to smoke. The movement needs that large supporter to come forward and turn the tide. To advocate the truth of what is being fought for; the future of our country.
Follow the change. Be the change.
