Coconut Madness!

[greenbuddha]

 

US MP: OPED: Coconut Madness

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URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v10/n961/a04.html

Newshawk: Herb

Votes: 0

Webpage: http://mapinc.org/url/XBZUCwpQ

Pubdate: Thu, 18 Nov 2010

Source: Saipan Tribune (US MP)

Copyright: 2010 Saipan Tribune

Contact: editor.tribune@saipan.com

Website: http://www.saipantribune.com/

Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2666

Author: Jim Rayphand

 

COCONUT MADNESS

 

The ongoing debate over the legalization and/or decriminalization of marijuana is perhaps the best, most recent illustration of our society's vast undercurrent of bureaucratic hypocrisy. I for one am relieved to see that at least one local politician has the coconuts to put the issue on the table and dare to suggest that people have the right to "cultivate, possess, and transport marijuana for personal use" bar none. Putting aside the cash crop, revenue implications and the sheer madness of vilifying marijuana while we openly celebrate and promote the distribution of tobacco and alcohol, the idea of criminalizing the existence and use of a natural herb is simply absurd. Why should people have to go to jail for cultivating anything as common as a weed? You see, contrary to popular sentiments, the primary issue at stake is personal freedom-we're talking about a person's ability to put a seed in the ground and grow a plant, not some contrived weapon of mass destruction. The next thing they'll be telling us is that our traditional, herbal medicines are morally wrong-they too are mostly harvested from plants that grow in our soil. You see, cultivation of medicinal herbs and other plants is an inherent right and a way of life for most islanders.some of us still believe in the natural healing powers of Mother Nature.

 

The notion that marijuana poses some kind of threat to the moral fiber of our society is ultimately as ridiculous as suggesting that betel nut or coconuts do the same. Yeah that's right, I said coconuts...the mainstay of island living, but also the unwitting source of a great buzz in falupwa ( tuba ), the other natural high if you will. Betel nut also generates another kind of high. So, if it's the buzz that we fear and the primary argument against marijuana, then why not criminalize the cultivation, possession and transportation of coconuts? Maybe someone should introduce "An Act to End the Coconut Madness." Ridiculous, right? You see none of us would presume to support a ban on coconuts or betel nut simply because it can be intoxicating. Yet, despite the fact that marijuana grows as naturally as any coconut tree and regardless of the documented benefits of marijuana, our society maintains that possessing it is a jailable offense.

 

Whether common knowledge or not, marijuana has long been a crutch for numerous people with various types of disabilities, including our own local elders. For some, it serves as the only accessible alternative to overpriced painkillers and/or appetite enhancers in the wake of an often debilitating and painful fight against cancer. Not everybody can afford expensive prescriptions, but just about anybody can water a plant. Others find it therapeutic and calming in the storm of a turbulent psychological breakdown, again as an alternative to artificial doses of overpriced psychotropic drugs. Beyond that, there is available literature on the benefits of marijuana for patients with multiple sclerosis and AIDS. If allowed to cultivate their own, people could avail of these benefits for free. To be sure, there are some indisputable, detrimental effects of marijuana, including but not limited to negative effects on short/long-term memory as well as other effects similar to those resulting from alcohol usage. But the point is not everyone will use marijuana just because it's legal. The same is true for tobacco and alcohol. It is and should be a personal choice without fear of incarceration.

 

As for the politicians and their recent deliberations on the issue, any watered down version of a legalization bill restricting marijuana to "medicinal use" only ( i.e., prescriptions from a doctor and RX manufactured pills ) is little more than a new link in the ever- tightening chain of restraints at the hands of big government and powerful pharmaceutical companies. Why do we need permission from them and why should we have to pay them for something we can cultivate and harvest for ourselves, if we so choose?

 

Finally, on the myth that the CNMI stands to lose millions of dollars in federal grant funding if marijuana is decriminalized, well it's just that, a myth. Eliminating a criminal statute on the possession and use of marijuana has no bearing on an employer's right to establish and implement policies for a drug-free workplace in accordance with required assurances. In other words, even if marijuana were legal, employers receiving federal funds do not have to allow its use by its employees; in fact, they can bar it as a condition of employment.

 

"Things are not the way they use to be-I won't tell no lie. One and all have got to face reality now. I try to find the answers to all the questions they ask though I know it's impossible. There is a natural mystic blowing through the air. You can't keep 'em down. If you listen carefully you will hear.'bout the natural mystic blowing through the air" ( Bob Marley ).

 

For more on issues relating to the needs of individuals with disabilities, please contact the NMPASI Office at ( 670 ) 235-7273/4 [voice] / 235-7275 [fax] / 235-7278 [tty] or contact us on-line at HYPERLINK " http://www.nmpasi.com" www.nmpasi.com.

 

Disclaimer: NMPASI adheres to standards of a drug-free workplace as required by federal law for recipients of federal grant funds. Above opinions are solely that of the author and do not necessarily represent the opinions of anyone working for or associated with NMPASI.

 

Jim Rayphand is the executive director of the Northern Marianas Protection & Advocacy Systems, Inc., or NMPASI.

 

 

MAP posted-by: Matt