Letter: Cannabis' Schedule 1 status is unacceptable

Editor,

On April 21, 1999, the United States of America, as represented by the Department of Health and Human Services, filed for a patent, application number US 09/674,028. On Oct. 7, 2003 publication number US6630507 B1 was published. Entitled “Cannabinoids as Antioxidants and Neuroprotectants,” and U.S. Patent, Hampson et. al., 6630507 was granted to the U.S. Government for medicinal marijuana.

Under Title 21 Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.), Schedule I Controlled Substances are defined as follows: “Substances in this schedule have no currently accepted medical use in the United States, a lack of accepted safety for use under medical supervision, and a high potential for abuse. Some examples of substances listed in Schedule I are: heroin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), marijuana (cannabis), peyote, methaqualone, and 3, 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (“Ecstasy”).”

Now, as annoying as habitual users of cannabis are at times with their obsessive compulsion to use cannabis in its various forms, at the very least they keep the munchies products companies in business. That aside, my personal belief is as more or less normal functioning sovereign individual citizens of the former republic of the United States of America, these folks ought to be able to make that decision for themselves without engendering current legal complications for such behavior.

I also am against the various states semi-legalizing cannabis — in violation of Title 21 CFR — and charging taxes for same. My position is that total unregulated legalization is the only remedy that makes sense and leaves the responsibility of this activity on those with whom it rests — the user, not the government.

I believe the current corrupt system overseeing this substance only engenders more corruption and violence for outlawing what is an otherwise harmless and useful crop plant in its useful form, industrial hemp and its many byproducts. And by the way, New Mexico is uniquely situated to profit from the farming and manufacturing of these many products, and in a sane world this would be a no-brainer.

However, the reality is big pharmaceutical companies cannot make money off cannabis. Indeed, cannabis use directly competes with them, as use of various drugs decreases with increased cannabis use.

Moreover, and more disturbing, various big banks have been caught and fined for laundering money for Mexican drug cartels; Bank of America, Western Union and JP Morgan are among the institutions allegedly involved in the drug trade.

Meanwhile, HSBC has admitted its laundering role, and evaded criminal prosecution by paying a fine of almost $2 billion. The lack of imprisonment of any bankers involved is indicative of the hypocritical nature of the drug war; an individual selling a few grams of drugs can face decades in prison, while a group of people that tacitly allow — and profit from — the trade of tons, escape incarceration.

At the very least cannabis ought to be removed from Schedule 1. It is hypocritical since this patent was issued to the government for medicinal use. Stop the madness of persecuting those annoying chronic users, and release the forces of entrepreneurship for exploiting industrial hemp.

LX Macuahuitl
Daily Lobo reader