[blabs]

Let's get ready to rumble

In the red and blue corner, we have free-thinking, independent minded, self-ruled, freedom fighters who believe in the right to make their own choices, choose their own destinys, and live with reasonable laws and limits

In the brown shirt corner, we have totalitarian, heavy-handed, jack-booted, police state, thought control egomaniacs who know whats best for you and have answers for everything, and wish to law you to the death.

This bout is scheduled to last a lifetime as the forces of freedom are continously being challenged by the power hungry.

Good luck, and may freedom prevail!

[Tijeras_Slim]

It may be a miracle fiber, but obviously cannot replace tinfoil for hatmaking.

[Michael Goldsberry]

I think I'll have a martini.

[Piquaboy]

Brain dead pot smokers, speak up!

[theDentist]

So ingesting smoke into your lungs isn't dangerous to your body? More good news for the Tobacco industry!

[flashbunny]

If the pro-legalization crowd just kept to the facts and the unconstitutionality of the federal WOD,they might win the converts.But going for the giant conspiracy-theory angle never works. It just makes people think you are crazy, no matter if you're right or not.

[Mudflaps]

It's a conspiracy!

Now, where did I put that bag of Fritos...

[xrp]

For you ingestion errr digestion.

[tomakaze]

*Cough* the only arguement you really need, is that there is no authorization, anywhere in the constitution that gives the federal government the authority in this regard.
all this "conspiracy" business (whether protions of it are true or not) and econut claptrap is gonna generate is lot of finger pointing and shouts of "Hippy!" "TINFOIL!" etc.

[WhiteGuy]

Good article, excellent points.

[R. Scott]

I don’t buy this explanation. I believe the real reason is that pot became an icon for the Hippie Generation, and with all the money spent demonizing it, and our glorious “War” on drugs the US Government would be loath to admit it really is an innocuous drug.

[Delta 21]

From private rich guys using the government to prohibit their competition, to government keeping it that way to justify a very large portion of its employment base and income, You are right.

I believed this all when I first read about it when I was 15, and I believe it all today.

[DouglasKC]

The first Bibles, maps, charts, Betsy Ross's flag, the first drafts of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were made from hemp; U.S. Government Archives.

Point me to an authoritative source for any of these. An authoritative source is NOT a pro-legalization website that makes these claims.

[yoswif]

Powerful central governments run by two political parties that agree they should run a powerful central government is great for giant corporations and powerful special interests. They can pay the party leaders to get one of the most valuable agricultural products in history (hemp) morphed into a deadly weed (marijuana).

How much would commercial forest land owned by giant forest products corporations be worth if America's family farms were meeting a significant portion of America's fiber needs with commercial hemp? How much market share would oil companies lose if hemp based lubricants were allowed to compete with petroleum based lubricants?

How much would the U.S. Litigation Industry lose in lawyer fees if hemp were legal? How much would the U.S. Incarceration Industry lose in taxpayer funded government checks if hemp were legal?

Powerful political parties are not designed to protect the individual liberty and promote the private property rights of citizens. Non-partisan elections at all levels of government is the only conceivable way for a democracy to protect individual liberty and promote the private property rights of citizens. In a democracy, political parties should be lobbying organizations and nothing more.

[D Rider]

...hemp linen.

This is stupid. Hemp is not linen. Linen is another plant.