History


Thanks to Cliff Schaffer (http://www.calyx.com/~schaffer) for posting this:

Date: Sun, 11 Feb 1996 19:21:23 -0800
From: "Clifford A. Schaffer" [[email protected]]
Subject: History of the Drug Laws

This is a short history of the drug laws by Professor Charles Whitebread of USC Law School. It is easily one of the best and most entertaining histories I have ever read by one of the leading experts on the subject. It is the transcript of a speech he gave at the 1995 California Judges Conference.


The History of the Non-Medical Use of Drugs in the United States
by Charles Whitebread
A speech to the California Judges Association 1995 annual conference
This session is going to be about the history of the non-medical use of drugs. Let me say that, because this is going to be a story, that I think will interest you quite a bit. The topic is the history of the non-medical use of drugs and I think you ought to know what my credentials are for talking about this topic. As you may know, before I taught at the University of Southern California, I taught at the University of Virginia for fifteen years, from 1968 to 1981. In that time period, the very first major piece that I wrote was a piece entitled, "The Forbidden Fruit and the Tree of Knowledge - The Legal History of Marihuana in the United States." I wrote it with Professor Richard Bonnie, still of the faculty of the University of Virginia. It was published in the Virginia Law Review in October of 1970 and I must say that our piece was the Virginia Law Review in October of 1970. The piece was 450 pages long. It got a ton of national attention because no one had ever done the legal history of marijuana before. As a result of that, Professor Bonnie was named the Deputy Director of the National Commission on Marihuana and Drug Abuse and I was a consultant to that commission.

As a result of Richard's two year executive directorship of the National Commission in 1971 and 1972 he and I were given access to both the open and the closed files of what was then called the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs, what had historically been called the Federal Bureau of Narcotics and what today is called the Drug Enforcement Agency. Based upon our access to those files, both open and closed, we wrote a book called "The Marihuana Conviction- The Legal History of Drugs in the United States" and that book went through six printings at the University of Virginia press before being sold out primarily in sales to my friends at the FBI over the years. It is based upon that work that I bring you this story.

Snip...........  Go to link

Chris

Yes. Legalized and taxed. Regulated and distributed wherever tobacco products are sold.

HS1

Quoted: Yes. Legalized and taxed. Regulated and distributed wherever tobacco products are sold. HS1

+1

Decriminalized.

And where is that Aw Shit Not This Again picture?

Just make the punishmest real low.  Like a ticket.

Legalize it already. I want to buy a pack of Marlboro joints just for the hell of it. Only down side is, we can expect welfare rates to go up. And forget about social security.

+1

Quoted: Quoted: Yes. Legalized and taxed. Regulated and distributed wherever tobacco products are sold. HS1 +1

+2

I would only support it if we got rid of our welfare state, if you fuck up then you should pay the consequences.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Yes. Legalized and taxed. Regulated and distributed wherever tobacco products are sold. HS1 +1 +2

+3

No hangover, just the munchies!

NO !

Quoted: Decriminalized. And where is that Aw Shit Not This Again picture?

+1

Quoted: Thanks to Cliff Schaffer (http://www.calyx.com/~schaffer)...

If you'd bothered to read the available materials you'd know that ...




(paging shotar)

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Yes. Legalized and taxed. Regulated and distributed wherever tobacco products are sold. HS1 +1 +2

+3

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Yes. Legalized and taxed. Regulated and distributed wherever tobacco products are sold. HS1 +1 +2 +3 No hangover, just the munchies!

+4

Highstrung is right on target.

Legalized, tax free, and no regulation other than possible making it illegal to sell to kids without their parent's permission.

Quoted: Legalized, tax free, and no regulation other than possible making it illegal to sell to kids without their parent's permission.

It may do some kids good lmao. Stoned little kids just sleeping. How cute.

I used to smoke weed when I owned the strip club. Now I couldn't see myself sitting around smoking  chronic.

NO !

+1

Quoted: I'd rather see alcohol outlawed rather than pot.

Yeah, let's take away booze and see what happens...

Legalize it ALL...   Land of the free....right?  Of course, personal accountability and responsibility need to come into play.


-HS

If the governement will close all methodone clinics, eliminate all drug counseling, and basically stop funding even 1 cent of the money that goes to treat drug abuse, then fine, legalize it....but I dont want a penny of my taxes going to some asshole loser drug addict because they are too weak to quit their filthy habit.

Also, I'd like to see a law on the books that would enforce mandatory capital punishment for anyone that is high and causes an MVA with injuries. If some hippie gets stoned and runs a kid over on a bike with his VW microbus, I want the guy dead.

Since none of this will ever happen, I guess my answer is NO! (the 60's are over)

No pot should stay illegal, there is a reason why in all 50 states its illegal

Quoted: It's not legal here but not criminal either. Possession of personal amounts is like a traffic ticket. I think Alaska adopted the law too. Oregon was trying to get something going too. I'd rather see alcohol outlawed rather than pot.

Oh come on, think about how boring this board would be if alcohol were outlawed!






Oh, and yes, pot should be legalized. No doubt about it. It is no more dangerous than booze. Plain and simple. Those who would argue otherwise, generally have never been around it and thus argue from ignorance.

I have never seen the appeal of smoking weed, but I do know I would rather deal with a pothead than an alcoholic any day.

Legalize it.

Tax it.

Let everyone profit from it and not just the criminals as it is now.

Anyone who really wants to argue this should read The emporer wears no clothes By Jack Herer. It will really open your eyes and do a lot to convert the staunchest non-believe.

www.jackherer.com/

Quoted: It's not legal here but not criminal either. Possession of personal amounts is like a traffic ticket. I think Alaska adopted the law too. Oregon was trying to get something going too. I'd rather see alcohol outlawed rather than pot.

I'm fine with banning alchohol now that I stopped using it.

just kidding (+1)

Quoted: If the governement will close all methodone clinics, eliminate all drug counseling, and basically stop funding even 1 cent of the money that goes to treat drug abuse, then fine, legalize it....but I dont want a penny of my taxes going to some asshole loser drug addict because they are too weak to quit their filthy habit.

As someone who used to smoke quite a bit, and spent lots of time around potheads, I have never met a single person chemically addicted to weed.  I haven't touched the stuff in over 10 years, and wouldn't start tomorrow whether it's legal or not.  With that said it should be 100% legal for anyone of legal age, and the legal drinking age should be lowered to 18, or the vote and draft should be raised to 21.

And how about the medical costs that you already pay for for junkies who ARE chemically addicted to tobacco and alcohol?

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Yes. Legalized and taxed. Regulated and distributed wherever tobacco products are sold. HS1 +1 +2 +3 No hangover, just the munchies! +4

+5, and legalize mushrooms while you're at it.

No pot should stay illegal, there is a reason why in all 50 states its illegal

The dems would argue there is a reason assualt weapons were banned in all 50 states as well.

Whats amazing is some of the replys coming from people on this site... Seeing how most of us take pride in having an open mind. I see replys in other threads talking about "propaganda this, propaganda that" then some of you post replys that sound like those damn anti-pot comercials...lol...


Yes it should be legalized, taxed and sales enforced the same as tobacco and alcohol

Quoted: Quoted: If the governement will close all methodone clinics, eliminate all drug counseling, and basically stop funding even 1 cent of the money that goes to treat drug abuse, then fine, legalize it....but I dont want a penny of my taxes going to some asshole loser drug addict because they are too weak to quit their filthy habit. As someone who used to smoke quite a bit, and spent lots of time around potheads, I have never met a single person chemically addicted to weed.  I haven't touched the stuff in over 10 years, and wouldn't start tomorrow whether it's legal or not.  With that said it should be 100% legal for anyone of legal age, and the legal drinking age should be lowered to 18, or the vote and draft should be raised to 21. And how about the medical costs that you already pay for for junkies who ARE chemically addicted to tobacco and alcohol?

When I was a kid I smoked my fair share...beleive me, Im not saying that it makes someone a bad person. I would also agree that weed is no more harmful, and probably even less harmful than alcohol. That being said, I dont want to subsidize someone elses poor choices. Same goes for alcohol....if you get loaded and kill someone with your car, to me, that is criminal negligence....is it as bad as pre-meditated murder? Of course not....but its not excusable either.

I would support weed being legal, or any other drug for that matter, so long as society isnt made to suffer as a result of the poor choices of those that choose to take drugs.

I dont care what someone does on their own time on their own property....but if they are in public, they better not be a danger to me or my family.

Legalize heroin too, I don't care

You fools!!!


HELL NO !!!

If you think achohol is safer than pot then maybe you are already stoned.

Thought it was??? I really don't care what other people smoke...because it isn't my brain in their head. But while your at it...ban some of those presciption drugs.

MT

No...give a mouse a cookie, and he'll ask for a glass of milk.

If I wanted to sit in my house and smoke marijuana all day long, it's nobodies business but mine.
Just the same way it's nobodies business if you sit in your house and drink alcohol all day long.
It's time for alot of people on this board to realize that the government has no right to control your body any more than they do your guns.

Quoted: No...give a mouse a cookie, and he'll ask for a glass of milk.

[liberal] Exactly, this is why we need to stop the AWB from sunsetting.  Next thing you know is that they will want to legalize school children buying atomic bombs[/liberal]

Hell yes, it should be legal.

So...who's stoned and/or smoking right now as they post on this thread??


SGat1r5

Quoted: Quoted: Yes. Legalized and taxed. Regulated and distributed wherever tobacco products are sold. HS1 +1

+1
If abortion is legal until the beginning of labor, and homosexuals can get "married", what the hell is wrong with smoking some reef?
Put it this way, if you had a teenage son, what would disturb you more, to find out he was smoking weed or to find out he was doing guys?
Most likely, the one that disturbs you less is the one that's illegal.
And that's just WRONG.

Quoted: If I wanted to sit in my house and smoke marijuana all day long, it's nobodies business but mine. Just the same way it's nobodies business if you sit in your house and drink alcohol all day long. It's time for alot of people on this board to realize that the government has no right to control your body any more than they do your guns.

Well said.  I don't want to smoke it, legal or not, but it's a personal decision for those who do.  As long as they don't bother me, I say knock yourself out.

No.

Quoted: Legalize it already. I want to buy a pack of Marlboro joints just for the hell of it. Only down side is, we can expect welfare rates to go up. And forget about social security.

WTF??????

Quoted: Yes. Legalized and taxed. Regulated and distributed wherever tobacco products are sold. HS1

I agree completely.

Quoted: If the governement will close all methodone clinics, eliminate all drug counseling, and basically stop funding even 1 cent of the money that goes to treat drug abuse, then fine, legalize it....but I dont want a penny of my taxes going to some asshole loser drug addict because they are too weak to quit their filthy habit. Also, I'd like to see a law on the books that would enforce mandatory capital punishment for anyone that is high and causes an MVA with injuries. If some hippie gets stoned and runs a kid over on a bike with his VW microbus, I want the guy dead. Since none of this will ever happen, I guess my answer is NO! (the 60's are over)

Do you feel the same about DUI relating to booze?

Quoted: No pot should stay illegal, there is a reason why in all 50 states its illegal

Yeah, it's called "they are making a shitload of money from the war on drugs".

Quoted: I have been to Holland and I say no thanks to Tokerville.

Doesn't Holland have a lower Cannabis use rate than America?  I thought I heard that one time.