Mental Health Update

In response to the "Pothead Menace" article May 05 2005,

Your tone seems naive, not that I am having a go at you, but to ask if there is an agenda on regulating mary jane governmentally...seriously man.

I come from Australia, here is a little info I have discovered about pot regulation, which may or may not be fact...though seemingly convincing.

On an Oz government website for the Department of Health and Ageing in 2004, a statement read:

Marijuana has been inaccurately historically associated with a middle eastern group by American researchers of the 1930's. This group was called "The Assassins" whom carried on themselves hashish. This group was known to have been politically expressive and especially with violent demonstrations and actions over opposition.

My own government continues to say that ths 'dangerous'group allegedly carrying hashish must therefore be victims of action by this 'dangerous drug' called hash.

Hence the presence of C.sativa from the 18th -19th century gradually became assumed globally through the mighty presence of America Super Powerism as a 'Dangerous Drug'.

Further to reinforce this theory, I have found on another Oz site - Mardigrass 2000.com.au (I think), a chronological presentation of hemp in Australian national evolution.

To put a long story short, Australia was the first country, not the yanks...to prohibit pot. We did this in the late 18th century due to our British empire conflicting with China over Opium and the need for Naval hemp in the Napoleonic Naval Blockade. We regulated pot along with opium as it was a commencing social problem, as now Cannabis with its over 2000 species (and only 2 percent do not hold high THC concentrations) was historically and accidentally discovered to have narcotic properties by a bloody journalist for the Colonial Gazette of the 18th century.

In answer to your second statement, I agree with marijuana being an influence towards mental health possibilities of dementia and disease, but this situation will only ever manifest through substance abuse and the personality of the user. Cannabis usage in moderation does not have in my opinion a profound impact upon mental disposition, I know because I smoke pot irregularly and I am studying to become a counsellor.