Taun, on 07 August 2012 - 02:31 PM, said:
You would think that (if this is true) the alcohol lobbyists would see the opportunity, and push for legalization then corner the market in distribution/ marketing of the product - after all, someone will...
That would seem logical but because it is so easy to grow, it would be literally impossible to regulate it.
I'm old. I quit smoking years ago because of social/professional reasons...but I have never lost my appreciation for the benefits of this natural thing.
Of course, just like any "thing" it can be abused to the point of detriment....I just think it is silly to make it so painfully illegal that we have thousands upon thousands of inmates over this thing.
As a Libertarian, I say...make it legal...make people get a license (as I said, I am against this but this is my "noble" attempt at compromise). I think the good earth provides many things just like this and we may as well let nature be nature.
An example....early in this countries development....they found out that certain mushrooms were psychedelic...they literally tried to 'stamp" them out....they then found their efforts actually caused the spores to spread and made 'more" mushrooms available...so they quit. You cannot stop the human curiosity....people will research and investigate....it is what we do. I say....let people. Some will not like it and others will....we are sentient beings...allow us to explore for our own edification.
I have done just about everything you can think of at one point or another. Some things I did not like and moved along...others...I found to be quite helpful and literally therapeutic....each and every human should have the right to explore these things for themselves. What is good for me might not be good for you....what I do not appreciate, you may love with a passion.
It is in us to explore....the land, the seas...the mind and the limits of reality.....why is this so bad?...it is what we do. hell we just dropped billions of dollars to explore a place (Mars) that none of us will ever get to see....but that is a good thing. and the capacity for individuals to explore reality is just as important and just as real.
I am not advocating certain things we know are absolutely bad...that is the whole point of doing research....Meth, coke....heroin...angel dust...we know what comes from this. What i am saying is...there really is a difference and we need to acknowledge that and let people be free to explore. Errr....I know...I am prob barking up a dead tree....some folks will never see that there really is a difference....that this whole "natural" versus "man-made" ....there is a reason the "man-made" fails. Nature made everything for a finely tuned, orchestrated ballet...it all works if we adhere to her rules and limits.....
Oh well....some will get it and some will call me a lunatic. I have aged beyond my "exploratory" days...but I will never forget them or the value they held....we need to allow all humans the right and ability to explore those regions of time and space.