Dear Editor,
Amidst reading Trudeau’s Throne Speech, I read of his intent to “legalize, regulate and restrict marijuana”. This reminded me some people’s legitimate concerns about this plan of Trudeau’s. I would like to ease some of their concerns by putting this plan into some perspective.
In my opinion it was not wise for the government of Canada to ban a plant that had been one of humankind’s staple crops and source of much benefit. Cannabis hemp was the earliest recorded crop cultivated by humans on this Earth, over 5000 years ago in China. Soon thereafter it was noted in the early Chinese herbals as a very beneficial plant/herb for many human maladies.
The early European explorers/pioneers/settlers all arrived here on ships powered by wind caught by hempen sails, held in place by hempen ropes and rigging. It’s a long paddle across the Atlantic. Without cannabis hemp, there would be no Canada.
When the Government of Canada banned cannabis hemp and “marijuana” in 1938, they were telling farmers with “Land Patent Grants” from the Crown what they could not do on their land. They could no longer grow fiber for twine, rope, textiles, etc. They could no longer grow hemp for seed to make lamp oil, chicken feed, food, etc.
Tens of thousands of products were identified as being able to be made of hemp fibers in Popular Science magazine in 1937. Instead of prospering farms and the rural economy, the oil, poisons, and pharmaceutical industries grabbed a monopoly on the future. This, in my opinion, was not wise action by the “leaders” of the time.
“Marijuana” is a Mexican name of the psychoactive variety of cannabis having high THC. It was used by media propaganda to give the impression of an invading threat, rather than saying they were intending to shut down the hemp industry. In the preceding 4000+ years of the human – cannabis relationship, there were no known problems recorded.
I’ve heard the old propaganda of marijuana being a gateway drug. This has no truth to it, except by making this formerly common plant illegal, it created a black market for it. When teenagers and others tried this “forbidden fruit” and found the propaganda to be lies, they often figured that the information provided about other more addictive plants and illicit pharmaceutical drugs was likely also lies. They thus sampled them as well when marijuana was not available. The government lost integrity and credibility in their eyes.
With legalization, I would like to see active education about the benefits and challenges of imbibing marijuana. We actively inform people about alcohol and now is the time to do the same for marijuana. Perhaps getting former and active users to share stories about why they first tasted it, why they stopped, why others continued use, when was/is the best and worst times and conditions to step outside your normal reality, etc etc
I’m not advocating use of cannabis marijuana, rather, being aware that “one person’s medicine is another person’s poison, and vice versa”, I am advocating for fact based cannabis education of Canadians, renewed activity in scientific research….. and for moderation of any chosen use of marijuana. Set and setting are very important. Like any inhaled smoke, it does destroy Vitamin C in the human body, which then needs active replenishment.
To your good health,
Robbie Anderman
Killaloe ON
