Public Safety Was Never Reason For Making Marijuana Illegal

Those statistics may be pretty shocking to some (since marijuana use among Blacks is no higher than use among Whites), but they are not unexpected for those of us who know the real reason behind marijuana laws in the United States. The government has been lying to the American people for many decades now (regardless of whether Republicans or Democrats were in power). They have been trying to convince Americans that marijuana was a public health issue, and had to be illegal to protect Americans from its effects.

That is simply not true. You cannot die from a marijuana "overdose". Marijuana is not addictive. It is not a "gateway" drug. Marijuana does not have any harmful side-effects (like alcohol, tobacco, and almost all legal drugs). And several studies have shown that those driving after smoking marijuana are not more dangerous than drivers who have used no drug at all. In short, there is no health issue with marijuana and never has been (unless you count the beneficial medical uses for marijuana).

So, why was marijuana made illegal if it has no health risks? It was for social control -- especially among minorities who showed some independence and refused to accept their lot (as defined by the White power structure). It was extended for use against young Whites in the 60's and 70's, as the youth underground also refused to accept the dictates of that same power structure, but it was always primarily intended and used as a tool of social control against minorities.

The above statistics in the graphic just shows that the intention and use of the marijuana laws has not changed. It is still a tool to be used to control minorities primarily. If  this was not true (and our legal system was fair), then there should be a larger number of Whites arrested than Blacks -- since there are more Whites than Blacks in this country, and the use is about the same percentage among both groups. But that is not the case.

The marijuana laws were passed as a tool of social control when this was still an openly racist country. And it is still being used that way, because even though the racism is not as open as it used to be, it still exists. I know many, especially those on the right, don't want to admit that -- but it is the truth. The marijuana laws have always been a racist tool for control, and it is time for this country to get rid of them.