Sound Off: Your comments 6/18/09
Editor's Note: Our “America’s High: The case for and against pot” story was a major topic of discussion among our Thursday night AC360° viewers. Questions were raised about why marijuana was initially made illegal and viewers offered economic and environmental benefits of legalizing marijuana. After reading some of the comments we have received, we’d love to hear what you have to say:
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If marijuana was legal it would create jobs, unclog the court system and jails. Would allow each state to receive more taxes from the drug. This is a natural herb when did it become a bad drug?
I find it utterly amazing Anderson hasn't done a special on why Marijuana was made illegal in the first. There's only one more day on this special and he hasn't mentioned any of the other benefits Marijuana has, like for Industrial use. Maybe he might make time tomorrow.
Your coverage has been honest and unbiased, presents the facts, and allows people to make up their own minds. Which is what our government should do.
I am wondering why there has been no mention of the other benefits of legalizing marijuana, besides the medicinal reasons, for example: One acre of hemp would produce around 50 drums of oil around the same price as one drum of crude oil, or that if used for paper materials it would almost eliminate the need for cutting down our forests. There are many wonderful benefits, and much money to be made by making this a viable industry.
Thank you for your balanced reporting on "America's High- The case for and against pot." I was very surprised to find such open minded reporting on this issue on a mainstream news outlet. I always enjoy your reporting, and really appreciate bringing this issue into the national spotlight.
By making drugs illegal we are CREATING crime both within our own borders and in other countries. Why do we have the right to do this? The UN should have a meeting on whether to keep drugs illegal. Reversing these laws could do a lot to create jobs for people who need them and to reduce horrible crimes like they have in Mexico, etc.
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Why doesnt CNN put a poll on it’s front page and keep it there for a week. Let’s see the numbers.
I dont think they will. CNN knows the truth. Most people will say legalize it.
CNN…. I dare ya. I triple dog dare you to put a poll. YES OR NO.
Everybody knows you have to do a triple dog dare. Even Anderson knows that.
I too appreciate the media attention to this law that creates so much crime.
But it's not balanced and unbiased.
The story about the house growing pot had nothing to do with the 2 sides for or against legalization.
All it's going to do is scare people against it even more and create more bad stereotypes for people that don't know anything about it.
Very disappointing.
Another industry is Textiles which has used hemp legally for years. Imagine the durable clothing that could be made from hemp. I agree with the writer that you have just started to open all the advantages of marijuana.
Quoted from The Marijuana Library:
"Did the Founding Fathers of the United States of America smoke cannabis? Some researchers think so. Dr. Burke, president of the American Historical Reference Society and a consultant for the Smithsonian Institute, counted seven early presidents as cannabis smokers: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, Andrew Jackson, Zachary Taylor and Franklin Pierce. 41 "Early letters from our founding fathers refer to the pleasures of hemp smoking," said Burke. Pierce, Taylor and Jackson, all military men, smoked it with their troops. Cannabis was twice as popular among American soldiers in the Mexican War as in Vietnam: Pierce wrote to his family that it was "about the only good thing" about that war. "
Funny thing; your summary here lauds your unbiased reporting. The actual blog, though, is rife with comments about the one-sidedness (negative) in your reporting. Are you as selective in your comment summaries as you are in the reporting? Does the bias or producer-pleasing ever end on CNN? Anderson, do you smoke (or use in other modes)? What is your PERSONAL view of the legalization issue? That would be honest reporting.
It has long been thought that marijuana was a common herb until the Hurst newspaper industry campaigned against it as it might be a competition in the use of trees for paper. The campaign colored marijuana as an "evil". As a result the forests are used for paper when a simple, useful alternative, hemp, is illegal.
Further, underground marijuana operations make excellent incomes that could be part of the mainstream economy. The evils of marijuana do not come close to the evils of sugar, white flour, alcohol, cigarettes. And yet the American society is stuck in an idea of marijuana as evil that was started by a newspaper owner.
Last night's show was great. Thanks!