I grew up in a pot smoking culture.  My parents smoked pot openly around me.  My friend's parents smoked pot.  In NYC where I spent most of my childhood, people smoked pot walking down the street.  It was no big deal.

I lived on St. Marks Place in the East Village, there wasn't much that I didn't see. My friend who lived down the street had a 3rd floor walk up and we used to spend time at her apartment or mine almost everyday.  Her father was a cabbie and her mother was Puerto Rican.  I don't know why this was important but they always managed to slip it in there, I sort of remember her but I know she was Puerto Rican.  They kept a porcelain jar with a lid filled with perfectly rolled joints.  Every so often they would make us stand there while they showed us the jar, took the lid off and threatened us with bodily harm if we ever, ever touched them.  Besides, they told us, they counted them.  They would know.

Because I haven't been living under a rock, I've noticed some changes about societal attitudes towards pot.  We all have.  Many states have legalized it and some states won't arrest you if you have a small amount.  Our president has smoked pot, and he did inhale, and he didn't deny any of it!!!  There are pro-pot movies now - Harold and Kumar, Pineapple Express.
 So I don't understand the vehement, uninformed, closed minded, opposition to legalizing marijuana and growing it right here in the U.S of A.

There has been some talk here in Iowa of legalizing the growing of marijuana for medical purposes.  I'm all for it. People are suffering.  Farmers are suffering, why not give them a profitable crop?  I really think the way things are done now are going to have to change.  It's time to think outside of the box.  Think way outside the box.  Fuck the box, get a circle.

The main argument I hear over and over is that it is a gateway drug and leads to other drug use.  That may be true, but in my experience people who want to do drugs are going to do drugs.  It doesn't really matter which one they start with.  Lots of drug addicts started with alcohol and look what legalizing that did.  Created a huge billion dollar industry.  With taxes hooked onto the price of each bottle, can, glassful, or mug we buy.  America could use the tax revenue.  We're in trouble.  America is teetering on falling from atop her perch.

The medical aspects alone should be enough to legalize Marijuana.  It's proven to ease pain, anxiety, and nausea.  The plus side being that it is all natural, not created by a huge pharmaceutical empire.  Very minimal side effects, and it works.

Hmm, we're in trouble.  We need a solution.  What?  We can grow a hearty, sustainable crop with many uses and a high value?  We can grow it organically and not poison the earth?  Nobody has to go to jail for having it, growing it, or smoking it?  Nah, we can't do that.  Somebody may get addicted to drugs someday.

In honor of my old home state New Jersey, which just passed legislation to legalize Marijuana for medical use.  Right On!