USVI NORMAL SNUBBED BY AVIS

DntW8up. Sorry for being needlessly argumentative. I totally agree with your position.

I have been following this thread for some time now, and i do agree with Dnt'W8up. I think they should legalize it for any adult over the age of
21, just like alcohol. I have not smoked since I was young, 20 years ago. I do believe that if you are terminally ill or suffer chronic pain, you should be able to puff a way.For chronic pain patients it's about the same or better than all the drugs pain doctors prescribe. If your dying of cancer, why not smoke, if it makes you feel better or takes away the pain.

As far as pain medication(oxycotin, oxycodone,etc..) you are more likely to over medicate and die of an overdose. I have heard of very few people dying of an overdose of mj.

I have heard of very few people dying of an overdose of mj.

That is because there has never been a documented, proven human death from an overdose of marijuana, where the marijuana is the clear cause. Usually the subject has taken other drugs, or has previous, contributing medical issues.

You should all watch this documentary, where many respected men and women talk about the prohibition of marijuana:

The Union: The Business Behind Getting High

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1039647/

Google "Ld50 of marijuana" and this is the first page you will get:

http://www.druglibrary.org/schaffer/library/mj_overdose.htm

4. Nearly all medicines have toxic, potentially lethal
effects. But marijuana is not such a substance. There is no record in
the extensive medical literature describing a proven, documented
cannabis-induced fatality.

8. At present it is estimated that marijuana's LD-50 is around
1:20,000 or 1:40,000. In layman terms this means that in order to induce
death a marijuana smoker would have to consume 20,000 to 40,000 times as
much marijuana as is contained in one marijuana cigarette. NIDA-supplied
marijuana cigarettes weigh approximately .9 grams. A smoker would
theoretically have to consume nearly 1,500 pounds of marijuana within
about fifteen minutes to induce a lethal response.

From the same site:

The non-fatal consumption of 3000 mg/kg A THC by the dog and monkey would be comparable to a 154-pound human eating approximately 46 pounds (21 kilograms) of 1%-marihuana or 10 pounds of 5% hashish at one time. In addition, 92 mg/kg THC intravenously produced no fatalities in monkeys. These doses would be comparable to a 154-pound human smoking at one time almost three pounds (1.28 kg) of 1%-marihuana or 250,000 times the usual smoked dose and over a million times the minimal effective dose assuming 50% destruction of the THC by smoking.

Their estimates of 1% THC in marijuana and 5% in hashish is off. High grade marijuana today averages between 12% to 15% THC. So say you have the strongest weed just about possible, at 20% THC. This makes the theoretical lethal does by a 154 pound human being come in at about 2 1/2 ounces, eaten all at once. I seriously do not think anyone that took this amount could keep from throwing up.

Keep in mind - they tried to kill monkeys and dogs with oral doses and were unsuccessful:

An LD50 was not attainable in monkeys and dogs by the oral route. Enormous dose levels (over 3000 mg/kg of Delta 9 THC) were administered without lethality to most animals. A dose of about 1000 mg/kg THC was the lowest dose which caused death in any animals

Remember, they injected the animals, that died, with pharmaceutical THC, which goes by the brand name of Marinol.

A case report (Nahas, 1971) of an attempted suicide by smoking hashish, recently in France is even more anecdotal. An individual was reported to have smoked consecutively ten pipes of hashish containing approximately 200 mg of Delta 9 THC each before losing consciousness. But recovery occurred after supportive treatment.

Here is the wikipedia entry:

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

From another article:

According to the groundbreaking 2003 medical report Death by Medicine, by Drs. Gary Null, Carolyn Dean, Martin Feldman, Debora Rasio and Dorothy Smith, 783,936 people in the United States die every year from conventional medicine mistakes. That's the equivalent of six jumbo jet crashes a day for an entire year.

Bottom line is, there are much easier ways of killing yourself, if you are so intentioned. I think if I had a choice, I would choose a gun. Injected opiates second, although I hate needles - heh, needles are pretty much my only phobia, and I have been known to pass out when a nurse takes a blood sample...

EDIT: and oh yeah, the large disparity in information is mainly because legitimate research into the subject of marijuana has been blocked, time and time again. We need to do research on this drug, as it shows signs of having many potential medical uses, never mind all of the industrial uses.

I guess I don't understand why the "can you overdose from it" piece is relevant. If you ingest Drano you die, but Drano is legal. If you eat too much bacon you will eventually "overdose" and clog your arteries which will result in death.

There are many things you can kill yourself with if you put it in you're body. It is up to YOU as a responsible adult to not put things in your body that will kill you.

That is my whole problem with the drug war in general, it says that human beings aren't free to decide what they want to put into their own bodies. Hence they don't "own" their own bodies. If I don't own my own body what am I? I am certainly not a "free" man. It is the principal of the drug war that I find so repulsive as it is the antithesis of freedom.

Sean

Marijuana is a narcotic which can lead some people to become addicted.

Not to many people addicted to drinking Drano.

Control over ones Life and even Death decisions without obstruction from Government is the "Ultimate Freedom". While some like to make a great fuss about less Government, they do like to be there with their own Government intervention.

Is Marijuana a Narcotic?

Legally speaking, Marijuana is NOT a narcotic. Marijuana is essentially Cannabis and thus Cannabis
is not a narcotic either. The definition of the word Narcotic can be a noun or an adjective. There are ways
marijuana could be used in speech as being a narcotic, but the word in legal terms would not apply.
In the federal controlled substances act Marijuana is listed as a non-narcotic. Cocaine is also NOT a
narcotic. However, opium and heroin are narcotics.

From: http://www.narcoticnews.com/Info/Marijuana/Information_Marijuana.html

And:

What is a "narcotic" drug?

The first thing you should understand about the word "narcotic" is that it is used incorrectly more than it is used correctly. One good, quick way to tell whether someone actually knows anything about this subject is to listen to their use of this word. If they tell you that marijuana, cocaine, and meth are "narcotics" then count them among the vast legions of totally clueless people on this subject.

The word "narcotic" comes from the Greek word "narkos", meaning sleep. Therefore, "narcotics" are drugs that induce sleep. Specifically, that means the opiates such as heroin, morphine and related drugs. This is the correct meaning, so you should accept no other.

Cocaine and meth are not "narcotics". They are "stimulants", the exact opposite of a "narcotic". They cause people to be more awake and more active, not sleepy. Calling them :"narcotics" makes as much sense as calling coffee a "narcotic".

The classification of other drugs such as marijuana, alcohol, and others is open to question. (That is a subject for another page.) Some might call them "tranquilizers", "depressants", or even "hallucinogens". Marijuana and alcohol may even have a tendency to induce sleep at times. However, calling them "narcotics" simply shows a lack of understanding of the different effects.

The problem is that US Government officials, and others who enforce and support drug prohibition, tend to refer to all illegal drugs as "narcotics". They do that for three major reasons.

One reason is that they are genuinely ignorant about these drugs and their effects. That may sound like a strange thing to say about our top drug law enforcers -- people supposed to be the top experts in this field -- but I can assure you that it is 100 percent true. After years of talking to them, I haven't met one yet -- from the official United States Drug Czar to the local narcotics officers on the street -- who could pass the most basic factual quiz on the subject.

The second reason is that "narcotic" sounds dangerous and makes good headlines. Consider how attractive newspaper headlines would be if government officials proclaimed the dangers of "tranquilizers" (which narcotics are, in some respects). It just doesn't have the same sex appeal.

The third reason is that it blurs the line between things like marijuana and heroin. Police can't take a lot of credit for busting someone with an ounce of pot, so they call it a "narcotics bust."

Watch for how people use the word "narcotic". It will tell you instantly whether their opinion on the subject is really worth the puff of air it takes to speak it.

From: http://www.druglibrary.org/gh/what_is_a_narcotic.htm

Due diligence, Uttica....just FYI....

Myth: Marijuana is Highly Addictive. Long term marijuana users experience physical dependence and withdrawal, and often need professional drug treatment to break their marijuana habits.

Fact: Most people who smoke marijuana smoke it only occasionally. A small minority of Americans - less than 1 percent - smoke marijuana on a daily basis. An even smaller minority develop a dependence on marijuana. Some people who smoke marijuana heavily and frequently stop without difficulty. Others seek help from drug treatment professionals. Marijuana does not cause physical dependence. If people experience withdrawal symptoms at all, they are remarkably mild.

United States. Dept. of Health and Human Services. DASIS Report Series, Differences in Marijuana Admissions Based on Source of Referral. 2002. June 24 2005.
Johnson, L.D., et al. “National Survey Results on Drug Use from the Monitoring the Future Study, 1975-1994, Volume II: College Students and Young Adults.” Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1996.
Kandel, D.B., et al. “Prevalence and demographic correlates of symptoms of dependence on cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana and cocaine in the U.S. population.” Drug and Alcohol Dependence 44 (1997):11-29.
Stephens, R.S., et al. “Adult marijuana users seeking treatment.” Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 61 (1993): 1100-1104

St. John Tradewinds 07/12/09

NORML VI Chapter Hopes To Change Local Marijuana Laws
Written by Jaime Elliott
Sunday, 12 July 2009 17:25

NORML VI hopes to allow medical marijuana use.

While battling the effects of multiple sclerosis, a Maine resident helped lead the charge to get medical marijuana okayed in that state.

“We started a state association to ensure safe access to medical marijuana and then we got a National Organization for the Reformation of Marijuana Laws (NORML) chapter started,” said David Knowles. “Two years into it with the help of NORML and their attorneys, we developed a petition to allow the use of medical marijuana and decriminalize possession of one and a quarter ounces or less.”

“It didn’t pass the first time, but it did finally pass in the early 1990s,” he said.

Knowles has now called St. Croix home for the past six years and he’s brought his conviction to allow medical use of marijuana to the Virgin Islands. He’s starting a local chapter of the National Organization for the Reformation of Marijuana Laws (NORML) and is hoping to start the movement to change Virgin Islands law.

The St. Croix resident started a discussion on a local internet message board which drew a lot of comments, he explained.
“The message board discussion went on for a couple of pages and I realized that a lot of people have strong opinions about the issue of medical marijuana,” said Knowles. “On the surface the islands seem like a conservative place, but when you look under the surface, I think there is a lot more personal use than anyone really talks about.”

There is a wealth of information regarding the medical benefits of marijuana and decriminalizing possession of a small amount of the herb would save the territory a lot of money, according to Knowles.

“There is a lot of positive medical research which has been conducted into the beneficial use of marijuana,” he said. “There is an incredible amount of information out there in respected medical journals by doctors’ associations and international health organizations.”

“Even though it’s disguised by all the borrowing, our government’s finances are in dire shape,” said Knowles. “And it’s simply a shame to think about how many young people are getting a record for marijuana possession. It’s time to change things.”

The medical marijuana and decriminalization movement is not new and has gained momentum lately with 14 states having passed legislation which allows small amounts of cultivation and possession as well as use by individuals who are prescribed the herb.

Through NORML VI, Knowles hopes to decriminalize a small amount of marijuana for personal use and cultivation, allow free access to medical marijuana and respect the rights of people who use the herb during religious services, he explained.

“We want to start out small and get some medical laws passed with a really small amount decriminalized,” said Knowles. “We’re getting our goals together and we want to develop a consensus of opinion. Fourteen states allow medical marijuana use at this time and basically we want to join them.”

“We want to get an amendment to the present law which will include provisions for a small amount of cultivation, possession and medical access with associated paraphernalia without penalty,” Knowles said. “We’d like to start by making possession of one ounce or less by a responsible adult a civil offense. That is the ultimate goal and I think it’s a realistic goal.”

Knowles has been in correspondence with Governor John deJongh and Delegate to Congress Donna Christensen, neither of whom support changing local marijuana laws, he explained.

“The way to change the law is through a citizens’ initiative, which is basically a petition,” said Knowles. “To get it going we need a few thousand signatures and then if we can get signatures from 51 percent of all voters in the Virgin Islands, the initiative can’t be vetoed or even changed by the senate for at least three years.”

The group is currently still organizing a board of directors and establishing its non-profit status. A website is in the works and Knowles hopes to have an official NORML VI kick-off in August.

“Hopefully by August we’ll be a NORML chapter and we can start a membership drive and watch the organization grow,” said Knowles. “We’ll be writing letters to senators and doctors and see if we can get any response.”

For more information or to join NORML VI email usvinorml@gmail.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit http://groups.google.co.vi/group/normlvi.

Marijuana is a narcotic which can lead some people to become addicted.

Not to many people addicted to drinking Drano.

All the more reason to be an adult and not put it in your body! Having the freedom to do something and wanting to do it are 2 very different things.

It seems that an effective approach would that a portion of the high taxes levied on drugs (including alcohol and cigs) went into a fund that paid for people's rehab. An "insurance" policy if you will for those that do become addicted to help them get out. To me this seems far more rational then the approach we are taking with the war on drugs, an approach that has failed for many years.

Sean

has anyone here contacted the aclu yet to see what they have to say about this?

No one from USVI Norml has to my knowledge. We understand that it is not a violation of our rights as they are not a government entity, but does reek of the Avis' hand-picking their advertisers to meet their own agenda. I find it quite "funny" that they will report on incidents of arrests which are marijuana related, but blatantly refuse a paying advertiser their forum. Perhaps someone knows a reporter for the Avis that is willing to do a news article on us (as a new Not-For-Profit Corporation started in the VI) as the Tradewinds has. For anyone interested, I can be reached at 340-244-9179 or by email at usvinorml@gmail.com.

Linda Adler
President, USVI NORML
www.usvinorml.org

and so i guess why the bitching about 1st admenment rights, they dont have to do anything,it's their right and yes they're being hyporcits by advertising certain things but hey it's their right,start your own paper or get over it,it does no good to complain about them,like i said start your own paper and ridicule them

trw,
We are up in arms about it. While this is an important issue, there has been much work being done to further the cause both locally and on the national level. I'm not saying we are finished with this, just that sometimes the bigger man is the one who walks away. And at the moment that is what we have done. It's not out of our thoughts - just forging on despite their decision to target a specific audience.

Ignorance is no excuse for keeping the public sheltered. Had they contacted us and asked what our stance and mission is, and then decided to not publish the article, perhaps it would be different. Do they know what we stand for? I think it is very funny that they silently stereotyped the group by their actions. Funny because I am not a marijuana user. I have seen people's lives improved tremendously through the medical use of cannabis. Pharmaceuticals (especially some of the newer ones) have more severe side effects than the conditions they are treating. I had a friend die way to young in life due to taking Lipitor and tylenol. We are not stoners just looking to be legal. We are people who have serious medical conditions who feel that there is a better treatment option out there that has already been legalized in 13 states, with decriminalization laws passed in 15 - and more are in the process as we speak.

This is a very basic summary of our goals:

About Us
USVI NORML is a group of concerned citizens working to reform marijuana laws in the US Virgin Islands.
Our goals for reform are:
1. Legalize Medical Marijuana for citizens with specific chronic diseases. Establish guidelines for it’s use, possession, cultivation, procurement and distribution.
2. Remove legal penalties for citizens who use marijuana as a religious sacrament. Establishing guidelines in order to protect the religious rights of the citizens.
3. To decriminalize the possession of between 1 to 2.5 ounces of marijuana. Any penalty for possession of this quantity would result in a civil ticket and fine up to $250.
4. Underage offenders are mandated drug use/abuse counseling—with costs to be offset by fines collected from violators of the these laws.

If you or anyone you know are interested in joining or supporting us privately or publicly - you can find the member registration form on our website - www.usvinorml.org. If you have questions, feel free to reach me at 340-244-9179.

i agree with your points but start your own paper and leave the avis out of it and take the name avis off this thread,they have violated no ones rights, it's an awful paper and broadhurst did spend 60 bucks on 4 steaks the other day at the store(plaza) but she's violated no ones rights

"...Avis' hand-picking their advertisers to meet their own agenda..."

Pretty much all publications do this, as promoting agendas and spreading "correct" thought about matters are some of the benefits of owning a publication! 😀

I have two thoughts that I don't think have been brought up, and should be addressed to help everyone get comfortable with the idea of MJ legalization:

1) In a vacation area, if MJ becomes legal, is there a fear that the "wrong" people will be attracted to the area? I'm guessing that this is what politicians (and perhaps Avis) are worried about... Woodstock 2010 on STX! I'm not saying that it's a valid argument, but without a very good answer to this question, it's too easy to use this fear tactic. So, what's the answer to this question? It would be nice to see that crime rates actually dropped in states that legalized MJ, or some other way of showing no increase of "deviant behavior". BTW, Woodstock 2010 on STX sounds really nice to me... maybe a slightly scaled down version.

2) The other argument that could possibly be raised is:
- we mandated seat belts because the medical costs were too great for the individual, and the rest of us had to bear the cost.
- if people believe (for whatever reason) that there could be huge medical costs to MJ use/abuse, then the rest of us will have to bear those costs also. I think this is why the argument to allow any of us to ingest anything we want doesn't quite work... the responsibility ends up spilling over to the rest of us because we don't want to leave the person "hanging" (and hospitals are probably required to treat everyone anyway).
- so, are there statistics that show that the majority of health related issues of MJ are handled perfectly fine by existing insurance systems? Or, can it be shown that there are no chronic, debilitating health related issues with MJ? I understand that alcohol and tobacco certainly have their health problems, but that might not be a strong argument for MJ legalization.

EngRMP,

Good points, especially the first one. Because MJ is not legal in many other places you do have a point that people would come here for one reason and one reason only, to get high. Not what we want to attract. This is of course now changing as CA and other states are now legalizing MJ and I suspect that the novelty effect will dissipate over time. I see how it would be a bit scary to be the first one to "jump" and why a gradual approach over time to a more rational drug policy is desired by many.

In regards to your second point, this is why alcohol/cigs are taxed so heavily. One could do the same for MJ/other drugs with a portion of those taxes set aside to pay for the costs drugs place on society. Subtract the costs of running the war on drugs and add in the cost of taxation of drugs and I'm going to guess that the cost is way less than the revenue/savings legalization would bring. I've ready studies that back up this claim, would have to dig to cite them.

Of course you're second argument is also my main fear of socialized medicine, once you give politician's control over our health care you have given up you're claim to potentially any freedom. But that's for a different time/thread.

Sean

Full legalization will have to happen on a national level if it happens. There is a bill in Congress (HR2943) that would remove federal penalties for possession of up to 100grams, leaving the decision for prosecution to the states. Another bill (HR2835), The Medical Marijuana Patient Protection Act of 2009, would not seek federal cases against medical patients that are in medical marijuana states.

When considering legalizing medical marijuana you need to step back and look at it as medicine. People who medicate with cannabis do so not to get high - but to relieve symptoms - some of which are caused by pharmaceuticals. Melissa Etheridge spoke to this in her interview with Anderson Cooper in his special on medical marijuana. She told him that when you use marijuana to relieve symptoms, you get relief - not a high. You are able to function again.

People who truly use cannabis as medicine treat it like medicine - they take it for a specific reason, at certain intervals. Bombi has quoted and listed many links that speak to the negligible side effects encountered by medical cannabis users, as well as studies that speak to it's benefits for many diseases. It is this false belief that it is a "narcotic" (which it's not) and that it is horrifically harmful to you (which it is absolutely not) that will be dispelled thru education. Also false is the perception that people that use cannabis are just a bunch of stoners or are "the "wrong" people".

You speak of the fears of attracting the wrong people to a vacation spot because of legalization. There are 13 United States that have already legalized medical marijuana. There are 11 more that currently have pending medical marijuana legislation. There are at least 15 countries around the world that have either legalized medical cannabis use or decriminalized the personal use of cannabis. Some of these countries may sound familiar as some of our tourists - Germany, Spain, Italy, Canada, Australia, Belgium, The Netherlands, Chile. These are just a few. So, as the trend of medical cannabis legalization and decriminalization continues to spread across the United States and the World, do we then chose not to respect those people by not offering reciprocating legislation here - in essence telling them that we don't respect their tourism to our Territory? And with tourism being 70% of the GDP in the USVI, and with an expected drop in tourism by 30% this year, are we looking to cut our throats even more?

These people will spend their vacation dollars somewhere. Why would we not offer them one of the most beautiful places on earth to visit and be allowed to maintain their medical regimen? As the number of medical users grows do you not think that these people will make their travel plans around where they can legally medicate? Of course they will. So, maybe a cruise won't be what they take next year for vacation (because they'd have to stop their medication). Maybe instead they'll try going to California - where some dispensaries will honor your physicians recommendation allowing you to use and purchase your medicine there. Or maybe they'll stay in their own home state and save money. With our economy being so tourism heavy, why wouldn't we want to consider the impact that other states and countries decisions will have on our tourism industry? In the 13 United States that have legalized medical marijuana there are over 300,000 registered medical patients. There are 11 more states pushing for legalization right now. It is a factor that can't be ignored.

On another note ; there is a great movement in Canada regarding using cannabis to successfully treat cancers. You can find out more here - http://www.phoenixtears.ca/.

One Love,
Linda

Don't be naive. If marijuana were legal in the VI of course it would attract the "wrong people".

In fact those "wrong people" would be so attracted to the VI that they would certainly move here. They couldn't have a steady job. Work is hard enough to find here plus they are high everyday!

So they have to break into peoples homes to support their habit. I guess if it ever becomes legal, I'll buy stock in security systems.

Findings from dozens of government-commissioned and academic studies published over the past 25 years overwhelmingly affirm that liberalizing marijuana penalties does not lead to an increase in marijuana consumption or affect adolescent attitudes toward drug use.

http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=3383#intl_studies

http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=5440

Obviously you don't grasp the difference between legalizing pot (would need to be done Federally) and legalizing medical cannabis. Not just anyone can get the documentation they will need to legally be able to use, etc medical cannabis.

Medical cannabis frees many people of their medical symptoms and allows them to be much more productive - not as you say "high everyday". They are fighting to remove the stigma that is still associated and enforced by comments such as yours.

Cannabis Tourism: Which U.S. Neighbor will find the “Pot” of Gold first?

Amsterdam Coffeeshop: The Living Model for Successful Cannabis Tourism
As the United States government continues its failed war on drugs, and continues to perpetuate the lies that have supported the government’s armed warfare against its own citizens, it’s no wonder why they are reluctant to do the right thing and put an end to the “war on drugs”. Why hasn’t the DEA or the President changed its policy of lies long ago, say in 1988 when the DEA’s own Chief Administrative Judge, Francis L. Young published his decision in a 2-year case to drop marijuana Schedule I status? In his decision of over 70 written pages, Judge Young clearly stated that the evidence showed that cannabis was not the dangerous drug portrayed by the government, and that there was enough scientific evidence that marijuana did have medicinal therapeutic value to warrant rescheduling marijuana. So why was he overruled and why was the war on drugs and primarily against marijuana escalated? The answer is corruption, pure and simple.

Since the war against cannabis, or marijuana was launched in the 1930’s for corrupt reasons of personal profit and white supremacy, it’s no wonder why the various agencies of the federal government stand firm to deny all reasons even to accept marijuana as having proven medicinal value. Why? Because the federal, state, and local government agencies have profited from a multi-billion dollar lunch ticket fighting the “killer weed.” If the Congress voted to legalize marijuana today, it would have a huge impact on law enforcement at all levels, and you would hear a huge outcry by law enforcement agencies declaring the downfall of America. Lucrative careers have been built on the foundations of the war on drugs, and those individuals will do everything in their power to be sure the cash cow continues.

I’ve just returned from a week in the Netherlands, and I can tell you the Dutch society is alive and well, the people as always are going about the business of every day life, and even more importantly, they are clean, well-mannered and exude genuine happiness. There is none of the depravity that those who oppose legalization or even rescheduling of marijuana predict would happen if our nation’s marijuana laws were relaxed or even abolished. And judging by the crowded trains, streets, and restaurants, nobody I spoke with complained about the horrible economic times. The coffee shops are also doing fantastic business, and because they no longer allow coffee shops that sell cannabis to also sell alcohol, I can tell you that all of the coffee shop patrons that I’ve ever seen are well-behaved and I have never ever witnessed the same types of drunken-disorderly incidents that you often see in an alcohol bar.

The problem with Amsterdam though, is the 7 – 12 hour flight to get there from the United States. I’ve often wondered why one our close neighbors hasn’t taken advantage of its location and developed a lucrative form of “cannabis tourism” aimed specifically at the tens of millions of U.S marijuana smokers? Add to that, a potential to develop “medical tourism”, offering cancer treatment centers and a wide range of other clinics for which patients find not only their medical treatment but can also benefit from the medical relief patients get from marijuana.

A country like Canada, Mexico, or the Bahamas, could make billions of dollars per year if they developed a coffee shop system, to help develop their tourism. At a time when the entire world is feeling some of the effects from the global economic downturn, cannabis tourism dollars would be an immediate shot in the arm.

Instead of fighting a bloody battle against the drug cartels in Mexico, the Mexican government should begin granting licenses to cannabis farmers, and begin develop a legitimate trade of high quality appellation controlled cannabis for consumption in their government regulated coffee shops. People in countries like Mexico get mixed up in the black market, because there are few economic options for the average citizen. In a country like Mexico, the economic boon that could be started through cannabis and cannabis-related medical tourism would finally give the Mexican people the opportunity to earn a lucrative legitimate living through a respectable business as a coffee shop owner, supplier, or worker.

Mexico’s biggest problem would be to fight and restrain the corruption which for so long has robbed their average citizens of real economic opportunities. On the other hand, countries like Canada or the Bahamas could easily implement a legitimate branch of cannabis tourism, without the corruption, and provide new opportunities for huge numbers of their citizens. Hotels, restaurants, and transport companies which are surely feeling the economic pinch could be revitalized by developing cannabis tourism and suffering resorts could be turned into medical treatment facilities which could supply organically grown, and safe medical marijuana as an alternative to expensive pharmaceuticals that carry the baggage of a host of debilitating side-effects.

The days of Reefer Madness, and the 1930’s mentality are over. The first country that can think outside of the DEA created box could reap huge benefits from cannabis tourism and medical treatment for many years to come, because the United States and the vast majority of its 50 individual states are far from relaxing our marijuana laws despite a growing wave of public support to do so.

There’s only one thing that burst that countries bubble, and that would be if the Native American’s decided to do it within the scope of their sovereignty. Many tribes are already rich from running gambling casinos in states where gambling is illegal, what’s to stop them from opening coffee shops and growing cannabis on their reservations? One thing and one thing alone, their own Reefer Madness mentality.

Have you ever been to Amsterdam? Coffee shops there are MUCH less of a community annoyance than bars.

Sean