MSGID: 1:153/757.0 b4a45ae7   
   REPLY: 1:229/426 6A43FCD1   
   TZUTC: -0800   
   CHRS: LATIN-1 2   
   >I'm the same way, I just can't stand it that something that was never really a   
   > "problem" before, is now a problem, in that it must be taxed, it has stupid   
   > shops all over Toronto with no regulation as to how many per block or keeping   
   > them away from schools, parks, libraries etc.   
   > Thats always been my biggest complaint with the pro-pot crowd; they never   
   > think ahead, they never have considerations about how pot may impact   
   > others or those that would not quite appreciate it... in short they are   
   > incredibly selfish.   
   > We used to live in a small apartment building where a lovely neighbor living   
   > downstairs constantly smoked pot. The smell was everywhere in the common   
   > hallway and stairwell. Very inconsiderate. My daughter at the time was   
   > young and totally put off by it, disgusted and embarrassed to bring home   
   > friends from school. Now she's 16 and thankfully still has no interest in it.   
      
   Yup -- it's up to all humans living in groups together to be aware of others   
   &  their interests/limits & to live reasonably accordingly. . .   
      
   The reason pot became so all-fired illegal in the USA is because they had a    
   buttload of special police trained & on salary, from Prohibition, & students   
   of history know that if you have a standing army, you MUST use it to wage   
   war,  else it will turn on YOU.   
      
   Part of the enthusiasm, of course, was that smoking marijuana was primarily    
   known as a black activity, associated with the music style of the speakeasies   
      
   In Canada, we sought to support our neighbours tot he south (it was the    
   diplomatic thing to do) but our primary motivation in illegalizing MJ was to    
   attack the Chinese immigrants in Vancouver, who enjoyed openly hanging  out   
   in  perfectly legal opium dens.   
      
   Making opium illegal was the basic goal, but all smokable recreation was    
   included, as it turned out, as it's easier t maintain a stranglehold on the    
   poorer elements of society, & the police can use possession of small amounts   
   as leverage to lean on people to get names and information all the way up the    
   organised crime chain (organised crime as in private sector not government)   
      
   Then, yes the hippie generation noticed that hemp, in the same family as    
   marijuana, has many uses that would be a great boon to society & the world in    
   general.  The problem was these proponents were most often filthy & high   
   while  promoting the good scientific benefits of hemp. This, natch, turned off   
   those  leading big industry.   
      
   In the USA, it was Hearst, of Hearst Publishing, specifically who saw hemp as   
   a worthy competitor to his millions of acres of pulpwood forests, making them    
   essentially worthless, so he used his money & influence to get Congress to   
   make the whole cannabis family more illegal than even cocaine & heroin!   
      
   Success.  (For one greedy billionaire in a small period but Loss for millions    
   of others for hundreds of years.)   
      
   & thus you have a corporation-run oligarchic plutocracy in a nutshell.   
      
   Q: What do you call a snake that works for the government? A: A Civil Serpent.   
      
   Q: What's the difference between the government and private sector's   
   organised  crime?   
   A: The MAFIA can turn a profit!   
      
   --- BBBS/Li6 v4.10 Toy-6   
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