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Sangetsu (Offline)
Busier Than Shinjuku Station
 
Posts: 1,346
Join Date: May 2008
Location: 東京都
06-18-2009, 01:59 AM

Quote:
Originally Posted by burkhartdesu View Post
It's funny that something not taxed by the Federal Government is considered a 'gateway drug' -- but something that the Government profits from, and is clearly more dangerous, doesn't have this title.

Caffeine, Tobacco, Alcohol, prescription medication-- they surely aren't the gateway drug.


Personally, the Japanese government (and all governments, for that matter) could benefit greatly from Marijuana legalization (Considering California raked in 14 billion in revenue).

Since Japan has little renewable exports, the hemp industry is the perfect outlet... Paper, seed, clothing, rope, medicine-- all could be made in Japan!

Recently the Japanese government has labeled hemp, "okay as rope, not as dope." - which is a step in the right direction.

But the idea isn't widespread because of harsh titles and misinformation.




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In 1999, the National Institute on Drug Abuse commissioned a major study on medical marijuana conducted by the venerable Institute of Medicine, which included an examination of marijuana's potential to lead to other drug use. In simple terms, the researchers explained why the gateway theory was unfounded:

Patterns in progression of drug use from adolescence to adulthood are strikingly regular. Because it is the most widely used illicit drug, marijuana is predictably the first illicit drug most people encounter. Not surprisingly, most users of other illicit drugs have used marijuana first. In fact, most drug users begin with alcohol and nicotine before marijuana -- usually before they are of legal age.

There is no conclusive evidence that the drug effects of marijuana are causally linked to the subsequent abuse of other illicit drugs.
It would be fair to point out that the garden variety hemp used to make ropes and such contains so little THC that smoking a bushel of it would not get you high. Hemp plants come in 2 sexes, male and female, male plants contain only scant traces of THC, and even female hemp plants contain a negligible amount. The marijuana plants grown for drug use are hybrid female plants which have been highly cultivated.

As for "conclusive" studies, the IPCC reports on climate change says there is not "conclusive" evidence that Global Warming is caused by man, and there are many who say there is no "conclusive" evidence that the Holocaust occurred. The problem with the word "conclusive" is that it is anything but; the definition is relative to the opinions of those who use it.

And as for "profiting" from taxes on alcohol or tobacco, the health costs outweigh the tax revenues, which results in a net loss to the economy. At the moment the government is trying to tax tobacco out of existence, and guess what? Cigarette smuggling is becoming popular.
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