Quotes

from Harry J. Anslinger, director of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, during the senate hearings that produced the Marijuana Tax Stamp Act of 1937 (which made cannabis illegal):

"Marihuana is the Mexican term for cannabis indica. We have adopted this Mexican terminology, and we call it marihuana, which means good feeling. This drug is as old as civilization itself."

from Unimed Pharmaceuticals, Inc., the makers of Marinol (2003)

“Chronic abuse of cannabis has been associated with decrements in motivation, cognition, judgement and perception. The etiology of these impairments is unknown, but may be associated with the complex process of addiction rather than an isolated effect of the drug. No such decrements in psychological, social or neurological status have been associated with the administration of Marinol* for therapeutic purposes.

from The 40th anniversary edition (1985) of Dr. Spock's Baby and Child Care:

"The use of marijuana is in a distinctly different category from that of the more dangerous drugs. There is no element of physical addiction. Though marijuana has been accused of causing many kinds of physical and psychological disability, and though no one can promise that any substance will never be found harmful, the fact is that up to the time of this writing the only damage that has been proved is the lowering of sex hormone and sperm count among males who use it amply and regularly. Young people keep up with the news about marijuana, and only lose confidence in adults who make exaggerated or discredited claims. It certainly is true that marijuana is much less dangerous than tobacco and alcohol which kill and incapacitate tens of thousands each year. I’m not advocating or justifying the use of any drug. If we had a happier society with fewer tensions-- which I believe we could have-- people wouldn’t need to soothe themselves with any drug. I’m only suggesting to parents that there is no presently known reason to become panicky about the occasional use of marijuana."

from The Report of the National Commission on Marijuana, 1972:

"We are of the unanimous opinion that marijuana use is not such a grave problem that individuals who smoke marijuana, and possess it for that purpose, should not be subject to criminal prosecution. We conclude that the criminal law is too harsh a tool to apply to personal possession even in the effort to discourage use."

from The Indian Hemp Drugs Commission, 1894:

"The Commission are prepared to state that the suppression of the use of the hemp drugs would be totally unjustifiable. It is established to their satisfaction that this use is very ancient, and that it enters into social customs; that it is almost without exception harmless in moderation, and perhaps in some cases beneficial; that the abuse of it is not so harmful as alcohol; that its suppression , involving the extirpation of the wild hemp plant, would in some tracts be a matter of great difficulty; that such a measure would be extremely unpopular, and would give rise to widespread discontent; and, finally, that, if successfully accomplished, it would lead to the use of more hurtful stimulants. The utmost that is necessary in regard to this product that it should be brought under more effective control, but absolute prohibition is entirely out of the question. Under all the circumstances the Commission now unhesitatingly give their verdict against such a violent measure as total prohibition in respect of any of the hemp drugs."

from The Indian Hemp Drugs Commission, 1894:

"If the restriction imposed by government is counterbalanced by a corresponding increase in smuggling no advantage is gained but, on the contrary, a moral wrong is done to the community apart from the annoyance necessitated by such restrictions. Again, if the restrictions lead to the use of more deleterious substances, or even drive the people from a habit the harm of which is known to another of which the evil maybe greater, they are no longer justifiable. The policy of government must be tempered by all these considerations, and the neglect of any one of them may lead to serious error."

from President Jimmy Carter:

"Penalties against a drug should not be more dangerous to an individual than the use of the drug itself; and where they are they should be changed. Nowhere is this more clear than in the laws against possession of marijuana."

from Glenwood Smith:

"Hemp is not illegal because of marijuana; marijuana is illegal because of hemp. In the same sense, marijuana is not illegal because it is dangerous; marijuana is dangerous because it is illegal!"

from The Consumers Union Report on Licit and Illicit Drugs*, 1972:

"Marijuana. It is now much too late to debate the issue: marijuana versus no marijuana. Marijuana is here to stay. No conceivable law enforcement program can curb its availability. Accordingly, we offer these seven recommendations.
(1) Consumers Union recommends the immediate repeal of all federal laws governing the growing, processing, transportation, sale, possession, and use of marijuana.
(2) Consumers Union recommends that each of the fifty states similarly repeal its existing marijuana laws and pass new laws legalizing the cultivation, processing, and orderly marketing of marijuana–– subject to appropriate regulations. In particular it will separate the channels of marijuana distribution from heroin channels and from the channels of distribution of other illicit drugs–– and will thereby limit the exposure of marijuana smokers to other illicit drugs. Even more important, it will end the criminalization and alienation of young people and the damage done to them by arrest, conviction, and imprisonment for marijuana offenses.
(3) Consumers Union therefore recommends that a national marijuana commission be established to help provide the states with needed research information, to monitor the various plans evolved by the states, and to build, eventually, the best features of those plans into federal marijuana legislation.
(4) Consumers Union recommends that state and federal taxes on marijuana be kept moderate, and that tax proceeds be devoted primarily to drug research, drug education, and other measures specifically designed to minimize the damage done by alcohol, nicotine, marijuana, heroin, and other drugs.
(5) Consumers Union recommends an immediate end to imprisonment as a punishment for marijuana possession and for furnishing marijuana to friends. The imprisonment of youthful marijuana users has not curbed marijuana smoking. It does more harm than good. What it tells young marijuana smokers, in effect, is something like this: "We will continue to imprison you for marijuana offenses because scientists are searching feverishly for some justification for imprisoning marijuana smokers, and they will no doubt find one some day." Even if marijuana ultimately proves as damaging as alcohol, which seems very unlikely, imprisonment is hardly the treatment of choice for users.
(6) Consumers Union recommends, pending legalization of marijuana, that marijuana possession and sharing be immediately made civil violations rather than criminal acts.
(7) Consumers Union recommends that those now serving prison terms for possession of or sharing marijuana be set free, and that such marijuana offenses be expunged from all legal records."
*For obvious reasons, this book is out of print.

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