Top Eight Reasons Conservatives Should Love Medical Marijuana

 @Tommy_Collins  @LegitQuestions  @raystern I have complained numerous times about Mr. Stern inserting his own political bias into his articles. 

As far as I can tell, this article and others he has written about the subject of hemp (and it's constituents like cannabis and sativa) reflect that Mr. Stern is of the opinion that hemp is not a serious subject because it is something liberals smoke to get high (apparently not considering the fact that many conservatives also get high on pot). 

This totally ignores the important contributions of hemp to our environment, economy, jobs and healthcare.  While not a panacea for the troubles afflicting us in the above areas, it (hemp) provides a good first step for reducing our dependence on oil, coal and nuclear power (all sources of extremely toxic pollution), decreasing the human contribution to global warming gas production (hemp removes global warming gases from the environment and the assist to farming as a rotational crop reduces the need to tilling fields), creating jobs and healthcare products for our society. 

Turning the issue into a joke about people getting stoned avoids having to deal with all these extremely important issues related to hemp.This Vally Fever bills itself as 1000mg of News.  Yet, Mr. Stern's opinion soaks through the article.  Making a serious subject like hemp legalization into a joke is a common tactic of the anti-legalization forces to render the topic a "that was funny" type article, promoting the readers to think of the subject as not serious, but nonetheless worthy of a chuckle or two.Another "tell" is his allegation that the Republican party of the prohibition era was considered "conservative" while the Democratic Party was considered "liberal" on the issue of Prohibition.  This was not the case at the time.  It was in fact, the Republican Party which was considered the more liberal of the two parties at that time (1850 to 1920 was the period of time in the US in which Prohibition was pursued and became law).  Prohibition was considered a liberal cause, pushed by the morality police and so-called "do-gooders" - it was titled the "Great National Experiment".  It was the Democratic party which opposed Prohibition and was the more conservative of the two parties.  Woodrow Wilson, a democrat, vetoed the Prohibition Amendment but his veto was over-ridden and it became law in January of 1920.

The progressives of that time were urging that alcoholism and the abuse of alcohol should be treated as a disease and a public health approach be taken - not prohibition and criminal penalties.  This is the position our Society has now adopted for alcohol abuse and addiction.  It is the position that should be taken for all recreational drugs, legal or illegal.  Recreational drug abuse (alcohol is used as a recreational drug JUST LIKE POT - just a lot more dangerous) is actually a disease and can be treated.Being able to relate history means knowing what the words liberal and conservative means. Todays conservatives like to make up new meanings for the words every time one of their "heroes" decides to flipflop on an issue. 

Using the terms liberal and conservative to apply to whatever positions you happen support rather than what they actually mean is a very important skill liars and fear mongers use.   One can be liberal on issues and there are usually different positions, liberal and conservative, taken by a single person on the range of issues affecting society today. 

Mr. Stern, I would like you to actually approach this issue in a serious manner and produce and article worthy of your skills as a journalist (they are obvious). 

Watch "Hemp for Victory" here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jokV8xlJTNE

 @LegitQuestions  @raysternWow, somebody with the intestinal fortitude to almost apologize. Impressive.

 @raystern  And I guess I was a little harsher than I needed to be.  I impugned "your writing" but it was really just this article that threw me.

 @fairymagic13  @LegitQuestions Thanks for your opinion, Legit. My aim is to please, so I'll try to do better next time. As to fairy's comment, I will never deny being conservative or liberal.

 @LegitQuestions  @raystern Ray Stern is a conservative.