How Marijuana's Natural Positioning Between Tobacco And Alcohol Hinders Legalization

Within the past week or so I posted about the four `marketing categories' of all people concerning cannabis http://realheavypolitics.blogspot.com/2009/06/cannabis-like-all-products-has-four.html, and, in that post, I noted how the vast majority of all people fall into the Trier-Rejector category, and, the Aware Non-Triers category. I also noted how the media `markets' `pot issues' to each of the categories - including users of marijuana (for users, they use the scare tactic such as `this is your brain on drugs').

So, now, turn your attention to the products of alcohol and tobacco - the `legal' recreational `drugs' that are marketed to society (with controls by the government for disclosure of danger on tobacco, and alcohol, and age and tax controls on both).

As you know, in recent years, the government has `come down' further on many areas on tobacco, and doesn't allow its use in closed public places in many states. Some have even suggested extending that prohibition on public usage to include ones personal car. All of these anti-smoking laws have been done in the past 15 years, seemingly out of nowhere, on upwards of 20-25% of the United States adult public who smoke tobacco (up to 1/3 of adults in some countries use tobacco, 1.1 BILLION adults worldwide) - by a few goodie twoshoes. And, nearly all of it done without a peep of protest.


Indeed, I don't remember even ONE protest march in favor of restricting adult usage of tobacco in places such as restaurants and bars - not one. EVER. This just goes to show how politicians can do the bidding of insurance companies and more.

(I'm reminded of the saying involving `them coming for you' -- and how society doesn't react until it's THEM who is being `come for'. In this instance, the tobacco smokers didn't react when the pot prohibition was passed decades ago and continued to ignore the pot smokers targeting by the governments.)

But, even as a known product that kills (the WHO says 4.5 million die worldwide each year from long term tobacco use) - commercial marketed tobacco has been able to starve off the final level of government control - that of making it illegal. (I say `commercial marketed tobacco' (CMT) because CMT is altered in many ways from `straight - unaltered' tobacco -- so, in many ways - we really don't know if TOBACCO is really extra dangerous or is it the additives that keep it burning.) It remains as the approved recreational `smoking product' - even if nicotine is addictive and creates a temporary minor buzz.


And, as you know, you can still find tobacco brands advertised in magazines. And, finally, tobacco has been a big supporter of lawyers in recent years attempting to fight back the multi-hundred billion dollar lawsuit it is living under. Indeed, these are the `terms':



Financial Provisions
States were to receive over $206 billion over 25 years:
Up-front payments - $12.742 billion.
Annual Payments, beginning April 15, 2000 - $183.177 billion through 2025.
Strategic Contribution Fund, 2008-2017 - $8.61 billion.
National Foundation ($250 million over 10 years).
Public Education Fund (at least $1.45 billion 2000-2003).
State Enforcement Fund ($50 million, one-time payment).
National Association of Attorneys General ($1.5 billion over next 10 years).

Then, on the other hand of legal recreational drug use in America, we have alcohol - a proven killer of innocent people on our nations highways due to misuse - and, a drug implicated in domestic violence and as having long term health effects. Additionally, as a HARD drug, many people die yearly from an extreme intoxication level of just one consumption setting. (I define hard drugs as drugs that can be used in one day to overdose to a death level. Obviously, with this standard, pot and tobacco, are NOT hard drugs.)

But, regardless of all of the known negatives listed above - alcohol remains legal in most places for adults over 21. Indeed, alcohol is even permitted to advertise on TV - with some restrictions - and of course on radio, print, and billboards. And, obviously, alcohol is legal for one main reason - people like to be able to alter their own consciousness - ie: to get high(er). People like to use things that alter their reactions and perceptions. And, of course, alcohol is legal because PROHIBITION didn't work. Oh, BTW, the alcohol industry is one of the biggest supporters of our political candidates and parties.

So, we have one heavily taxed product that is the allowed recreational smoke (tobacco - over 350 billion cigarettes smoked a year) - and one heavily taxed product the allowed recreational high (alcohol). Both of which are `heavily taxed' (indeed, up to 400+ communities have a local tax per pack on tobacco - up to 2.68 per pack in Chicago-Cook County) and both of which would be in competition with a product that could be grown for almost free in any home.

And, then, we have pot. A free natural medicinal plant used - never marketed - that does or satisfies what BOTH of the currently legal recreational drugs do. Compared to tobacco - it provides a flavored smoke that gives a small buzz (low THC would obviously be marketed.) And, compared to alcohol, - it provides `the high' desired by many drinkers. Indeed, the `high' is so controlled compared to the alcohol high - that many NON-users of illegal cannabis - may indeed prefer this method of seeking a recreational high - if it were legal. Consequently, you cannot tell me that both of these marketed products don't feel threatened. Let alone pain killers or sleep aids marketed round the clock on TV.

Indeed, I think the media inherently KNOWS - that it's media dollars are threatened by real legalization (as it is unlikely that legalization would include promoting via advertising)- likewise, both legal recreational drugs know it would affect their market too. And, everyday, we see the skew in the coverage of every pot issue by the media - to every human issue raised by the war on drugs. The position of the media and the politicians now and for the last 3 plus decades has been "we don't need another legal recreational drug."

In fact, the ultimate reason for the media and government NEVER covering pot usage as a personal `right' - may have to do with the fact that IF a third recreational drug was `legalized' like pot --- would someone `push' for a fourth recreational drug and so on. Also, with legalization, the government and media would have to admit to being `wrong' on one aspect of the war on drugs - which would open questions about being `wrong' about `other drugs -or the whole thing'. And, as we know, the prison industry is one of the few job growth areas in America - and fits in with the bloated government control politicians love.

The purpose of this post has been to highlight the obvious connection to how pot would affect legal recreational drugs, the taxes collected on them, and politicians and media who are compromised by their connection to the legal recreational drugs.

Links used for this post and more:

http://thewhitedsepulchre.blogspot.com/2009/06/guess-who-helped-write-new-tobacco-bill.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tobacco

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5819a2.htm Federal and State Cigarette Excise Taxes --- United States, 1995--2009

"It's true. Starting in July, Dutch folks will not be allowed to smoke cigarettes in bars, restaurants and cafes, including in the coffee shops famous for selling soft drugs. But, and this is a big "but," smoking marijuana or hashish will still be legal!" http://www.legaljuice.com/2008/06/pot_yes_tobacco_no_1.html

Tobacco, Liquor Firms Keep Party Donations Flowing - http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1P2-650096.html

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_percentage_of_americans_smoke_cigarettes

Is Idaho Ready for Medical Marijuana? - http://www.tenthamendmentcenter.com/2009/06/10/is-idaho-ready-for-medical-marijuana/