What are the Reasons for the “War on Drugs”?

Is the prohibition of marijuana and the resulting drug war simply a way for the government to increase corporate profits?  The government has been all to eager to de-regulate when that would increase profits and since 1937 has been just as eager to over regulate,  to the point of criminalization when it comes to marijuana.

Marijuana was made illegal by the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937.  The reason given in testimony by the first American drug czar Harry J. Anslinger  was “The primary reason to outlaw marijuana is it’s effect on the degenerate races.”  In other words minorities and in this case mainly blacks are ruining our society with their jazz culture and we (white people) are scared.  The unspoken reason was the desire of wood pulp corporations to run hemp farmers,  a much more efficient plant to make paper from,  out of business.  It worked.  Why else would hemp,  which is cultivated in European countries to this day and does not have the intoxicating effects associated with THC,  also have been outlawed?

Through the years marijuana prohibition has had a detrimental effect on society but a had a very positive effect on corporate profits.  The prison industrial complex had the potential for 775,000 new inmates last year,  delivered to them through arrests for simple possession alone.  The lawyers,  who are necessary because of the intolerant laws in place,  received potentially 775,00 new cases.  Mercenary companies like Blackwater make millions a year in the training of DEA agents and foreign countries drug task force teams.  Arms companies make millions a year in the sales af arms to countries like Mexico and Colombia to help in their dug wars.  Insurance companies have manipulated business’s into drug testing by lowering insurance rates and as a result a person who smokes marijuana on a Saturday could have a work related accident on Thursday,  be drug tested,  have the marijuana from days ago show up and not only be fired but can be held financially responsible.

The pharmaceutical companies have been pushing anti-depressants and the like on the population for years now when marijuana could have the same effects without the cost and harmful chemicals,  not to mention it’s a bit hypocritical to tell little Eric “drugs are bad,  here take this Ritalin.”  Chemotherapy patients could use marijuana (and do in some states) to counter the effects of chemo.  It helps both to stimulate appetite and decrease nausea.  Glaucoma patients can use it to remedy the pain associated with the disease.  (I’m reminded of a quote I once heard from a Blackfoot Indian woman suffering from glaucoma “The Creator does not make mistakes and no human being,  a creation of the Creator has the right to ban another natural creation of the Creator”  I’m not a religious person but that sounds reasonable to me.)  As is sufferers of these diseases,  and many others,  only option is harsh chemicals sold at a profit through insurance companies,  who also take a profit.

Hemp is an extremely vigorous plant.  It does not require the use of fertilizers and pesticides.  It can be used for paper,  rope,  cosmetics,  supplements,  and food.  It’s seeds could act as a major source of bio-diesel and its leaves and stems can be used for ethanol much more efficiently than corn.

How many separate corporations are making money on prohibition just in that statement?

Number one would be the oil companies and corporate farms.  Oil is the main ingredient in the making of fertilizers and pesticides.  Oil is also used in cosmetics production.  The corporate farms that live off corn will fight tooth and nail for any law that increases their profits.  While they could switch their crop to hemp,  so could many small farmers.  Since much less labor and capitol is required in the cultivation of hemp over corn or soy the corporate farms would see a vast decline in the pseudo-monopolies they have created.

The processed food and fast-food corporations are able to sell their food as cheap as they do by buying artificially cheap corn from corporate farms.  Processed and fast foods are largely reliant on corn.  Almost everything they produce is either based essentially on corn or at the very least sweetened with it (partially hydrogenated corn syrup, how often does that show up on an ingredients label?).  This cheap corn is available through overproduction.  Just think of how many fields of corn one sees compared with tomatoes.  We grow so much corn we give massive quantities to other countries without ever directly effecting our own supply.  This ruins any attempt at private family farming.  Corn is no longer priced at a level required to produce it.  Some local farmers in Ohio have told me they will need to get near record prices for their crop this year just to keep their head above water.  The corporate farms are able to make profit not only because of the massive production but also because of lucrative tax subsidies.

When it became necessary during WWII the government mandated to some extent the growing of hemp,  the whole state of Kansas was practically covered in the stuff.  However as soon as the war was over it was outlawed again.  It’s funny a plant good enough to help win ‘the good war’ isn’t good enough to help stimulate the economy today.

Regarding the financial crisis; we are told by the Party Leaders that anything and everything is on the table to fix the problem.  We may have to cut back on social security benefits.  State and local governments are cutting a variety of social services for lack of funds.  Yet the futile $10 billion a year war on drugs is not even mentioned on the chopping block.  I’m not even arguing the extra revenue that could be realized if it was legalized,  just the revenue we could quit wasting by ending the war.  The majority of adult marijuana smokers in this country are taxpaying citizens,  arresting them,  potentially removing them from the workforce,  has a negative effect on the economy.  In an economic downturn the ending of arrests for non-violent drug crimes would be positive.  Of course tax breaks for business’s are definitely on the table and seem bound to be a part of any stimulus that passes,  surpirse surprise.

Yet,  none of these facts matter.  If a person is against marijuana legalization it is largely based on myths and propaganda.  These myths and propaganda are put forward by the government,  the same government passing laws to increase corporate profits,  not a hint of a conflict there.  The only argument I’ve heard for prohibiton that is not contradicted by facts is the corporate profit argument.  Everything in our government anymore seems to be targeted at corporate profits,  I believe the drug war to be just one more example of this.  As the free,  seemingly no strings attached bailouts of financial companies when compared to the stiff rules targeted at workers contained in the automotive bailouts make obvious there is little the Party Leaders won’t do to help profits at the detriment of  the financial security of common people.  Of course they’ll do all they can if it only requires the outlawing of a plant.  Meanwhile real crime rates fall,  prison populations rise,  and roughly 10 million people in this country are labeled criminals because they prefer marijuana to alcohol.