The chart above comes from Project SAM, and their source is the NSDUH (National Survey of Drug Use and Health).
The chart above comes from Project SAM, and their source is the NSDUH (National Survey of Drug Use and Health).
Our task is truly formidable. And it’s not simply a matter of rational people debating pros and cons. No, we’re dealing with myriads of folks whose minds have been altered with marijuana- whether it be addiction, or habitual use and desire that’s not quite addiction. Their minds are unidirectional. That is, no rational argument in the world can dissuade or enlighten them. It’s all about access to marijuana regardless. Anything goes whether it be environmental damage, water depletion, forest fires, cop shootings, bombings, serial murders, crimes against humanity in Mexico, etc. They will deny and obfuscate, and even worse, not even care. They essentially worship marijuana.
Anybody out there suspect the 9/11 terrorists were programmed with the cannabinoids in conjunction with radicalization? I am curious to know what data there is and what others’ suspicions may be. But only for the sake of clear, rational , open-minded and imaginative thought that considers all possibilities , not for an anti-marijuana agenda or sensationalization.
One consequence of marijuana legalization is the drug cartels are now pushing more of the harder drugs, cocaine and heroin.
By the way, some authors are suggesting the death toll in Latin America to date, that is the narcotics wars resulting from satisfying American demand, may be a bit over half a million now. Half a million- fathom that. More killed than we lost in either WWI or WWII or even the Civil War for that matter.
No doubt much of this Holocaust can be attributed to corruption in Latin America, the gangs and cartels, of course, but then again, Americans have the money and are demanding these drugs.
To the above, let me add that a lot of “cool people” in America do have blood on their hands for being part of this Holocaust in Latin America. These folks come from all walks of life, from rich to poor, and they are demanding and paying for these illegal drugs. Many Latin Americans, whether connected to the drug trade, or simply innocent people, are paying gigantic toll for OUR American indulgences. Hollywood stars, rock music, Wall Street types, executives, etc, we are finding cocaine for instance is infiltrating the party lifestyle among all these groups. Many do pay the price by becoming addicted, and sometimes commit suicide. This is all to say it’s a wicked process all around.
Nonetheless, for whatever unexplainable reason, rational, intelligent Americans are simply looking the other way, and ignoring this horror. No one is being held accountable. In fact, instead popular culture simply adores and respects these individuals that are our icons as though they are upstanding, respectable and honest people. They get caught with illegal drugs, like marijuana or cocaine, usually get light warnings and probation, yet our society continues to praise and respect these stars. For whatever reason, illegal drug use always gets a free pass in the minds of the American public.
Take a concentration camp guard from Nazi Germany for instance. Even to this day, we search out those guards and bring them to justice, often with prison sentences. And many of those guards can assert they themselves never killed anyone. They were just there following orders and doing their job.
So what difference is it really that many folks who indulge in illegal drugs, especially the smuggled drugs such as cocaine and heroin, any less guilty in their association with the gangs and cartels that murder people? Should there not be shame for being involved in an illegal activity that in turn results in others being tortured and murdered?
If someone cheats on their income taxes and gets caught, they are punished and society does not regard them favorably. Yet with illegal drug use in America, which actually does result in tortures and murder of Latin Americans, there is simply no national outcry at this horror.
To quote physicist Enrico Fermi “Where is everybody?” The great line of his referred to the possibility of extraterrestrial life. Fermi’s Paradox suggests if there is other life out there, then there would necessarily be other civilizations so far advanced beyond ours that their presence could be detectable. But is not, so it makes you wonder. Are we truly alone?
Here, I am asking others, ANYBODY out there, any casual readers that happen along, whoever, to please chime in with comments. It doesn’t matter if you agree or not, no problem, just I feel any kind of debate or discussion about the potential harms of a “marijuana nation” real or imaginary, here or even at the national level, could only help enlighten our society to make intelligent decisions about our future. The pros and cons of marijuana legalization and acceptance, considering where we are headed, should be part of our national discussion and within the conscience of every single adult American. Hence: Where is everybody?
Also, I have noticed the bold and insightful dialogue from Christine Tatum in Colorado: http://www.westword.com/news/anti-pot-zealot-christine-tatum-co-authors-gazette-marijuana-series-6611923
She makes a wonderful poignant, point for reporters and investigators of any violent crime. For whatever reason, most reporters and journalists consistently seem reluctant to consider and report if there are any marijuana or other drug connections.
And it’s simple: ASK THE QUESTION!
“She (Christine Tatum) makes a wonderful poignant, point for reporters and investigators of any violent crime. For whatever reason, most reporters and journalists consistently seem reluctant to consider and report if there are any marijuana or other drug connections.”
This of course refers to any of the innumerable senseless and violent crimes we are seeing today, and whether or not the perpetrators of these crimes were drug abusers. Seeing the ridicule Don Lemon got regarding his journalistic observation
that marijuana was in the air at the Ferguson, MO riots this last year. After all, aren’t professional journalists obligated to report FACTS. I mean, that’s their job or so one would think.
That episode was actually highly instructive. It indicated the intentional bias in the national media to ignore the role marijuana and other drugs might possibly play with the minds of dangerous criminals. (Far better politically to blame guns, racism. etc., I guess.) It indicated that likely large portions of the left leaning media are intent on getting marijuana nationally legalized. Otherwise reporting such ‘inconvenient facts’ might imply that marijuana could be a big factor with violence or the potential thereof. And lastly, it indicates for all of us how pervasive marijuana use is in some circles.
Now, as a concerned citizen about violence and the relationship to drug abuse, as ALL rational, conscientious Americans should be, why is our nation not exploring how marijuana could be adversely affecting the minds of potentially violent people? The obvious is being ignored: Are mind altering drugs such as marijuana, actually altering their altered minds? Obviously the minds of psychotic criminals are altered, and they are using marijuana so often, it seems so obvious to wonder if marijuana abuse itself was a factor in their mind alteration. Maybe, and here’s a real brainer, if they were not using so many drugs, and their minds thus did not become adversely altered (as in schizophrenia), then maybe many of these heinous atrocities would not occur!
The first step is “asking the question”! Then we can understand that a correlation between violence and past marijuana abuse exists. And then as more and more throughout society understand this astonishing correlation (it really is so amazing it will knock you on the floor!), then maybe some might inquire further and push national scientific research to a much greater degree than currently exists to understand what if any, medical causation there may be. And who knows, maybe our nation might proceed with caution regarding marijuana legalization and acceptance. How many soccer moms, for instance, want to risk their children’s mental health, or risk the potential for them to become psychotic and eventually, perhaps homicidal? (As in the case of James Holmes.)
(Sorry about the tone of “Duh” sarcasm, but it is pretty basic reasoning we, ie our society, seem to be missing somehow.)
I was travelling a bit a couple of weeks ago, so I simply researched with my cell phone internet several of the most recent US murders to see if drugs were involved. But couldn’t report them here. And of course, most did involve prior drug abuse. I even did a Google search with the leader of “Boko Haram and hashish”, who has been in the news lately, possibly killed, maybe not. Sure enough, as very predictable, this murderous nutcase (read his bio if you have any doubts), is a pretty regular user of hashish.
Where ever there is wickedness in the world, the ever presence of marijuana, or its derivatives, also makes a presence. Pure chance? I think not, and there are numerous medical research papers illustrating how marijuana and other drugs adversely affect the brain.
In once case, I think in Mississippi, an otherwise sane young man used meth, then went on a killing spree and killed five people with an ax. He turned himself in with great remorse saying he deserved to die, admitted to the crimes and stated clearly how the meth distorted his brain to the degree he went on to commit mass murder.
So now I am wondering what percentage of our society might think the atrocity was purely chance and had nothing to do with temporary psychosis induced by drugs? The reason there would be doubt or denial is this admission would potentially chisel away at the rock solid defense of the marijuana lobby. That is, if one drug can do that to the brain, what if people start to wonder if massive amounts of THC could do that also, if not instantaneously as is documented in Colorado, but also cumulatively over months or years.
The one murderer I could not make any documented connection to drugs whatsoever was the recent killer of five cops in the Dallas, Texas area, Micah Xavier Johnson. Are we to presume his record is squeaky clean regarding substance abuse?
Oddly, no mention is made whatsoever, yet in my humble and admittedly biased opinion, I’d say it’s a virtual certainty he did abuse drugs, specifically marijuana or hashish, and very likely while serving in a non-combatant role in Afghanistan for eight months.
He claimed to have been suffering from PTSD, which might be the source of his mental derangement that lead to the murders. Recall, he was retaliating against ‘police brutality’. Some might argue that a non-combative role could not induce PTSD, but one of the vets at a website I was reading, makes a plausible case that those in the rear of a combat zone can be very vulnerable to mental health issues like PTSD because they are not trained and ready for the horrors of combat, plus there are episodes of very violent occurrences in those regions from booby traps, suicide bombers and so forth.
So on the one hand we could simply (and naively) conclude Johnson suffered PTSD, was angry against police brutality, and then lost it in a suicidal mass murder of cops, and thus supposedly we are left with the simple explanation. Thus, “End of Story”.
Well, NOPE in my opinion. This individual must have also abused drugs, and the main source of his mental illness was NOT so much PTSD if any, but marijuana and hashish abuse. The PTSD was cover, and likely an excuse to self-medicate, or simply abuse marijuana, AS MOST CASES ARE. (And I am not downplaying or dismissing real, genuine cases of PTSD, please understand.)
I speculate Johnson developed or exacerbated and underlying schizophrenia (the army records show he had shown he had some problems), and as his marijuana abuse progressed in civilian life in conjunction with his pent up anger (at cops or at whatever), he saw the world in a distorted way from his drug problem, finally snapped and went on a killing spree.
My two cents opinion anyway. Thoughts anybody out there?
Bingo! This is a big one. Regarding the most recent shooting in Houston, a mall shooting by alleged perpetrator Nathan Desai.
Was just about to give up, but finally found the link to marijuana. Apparently his neighbors reported the odor from his apartment. Wow, Come on, tell me if this is not smoking gun!
Seems like a nice, normal guy, maybe had some business problems, maybe not, then suddenly snapped.
Excerpt From :
http://abc13.com/news/desai-showed-dramatic-changes-over-past-months/1527771/
“As officers were searching DeSai’s car, a notebook emblazoned with a swastika was found in his bag. There was apparently more Nazi gear in his apartment.
“We did find some old nazi emblem and also some other paraphernalia where he lived,” Houston police homicide detective Dwane Ready said.
Some who saw the notebook on abc13 said it may be a Hindu symbol, rather than a Nazi emblem
A former client who had been in his apartment said desai collected old weapons but never saw any Nazi material.
There were also reports of heavy pot use in DeSai’s apartment.
“The information we would hear from other owners is that there was a marijuana odor that was pretty strong coming from his unit,” Delgado said “We had numerous complaints about that.” ….”
————————————————
So predictable, another link among many that points directly at marijuana abuse. He probably had some developing, underlying psychosis and exacerbated it by marijuana abuse to the point his sickened mind directed him to seek some form of vengeance on society.
We no longer allow comments after new blog posts. Too bad as this comment would go well with the article about the Washington shooter.
Thank you for bringing it to our awareness.