Comments on: The Great Mormon Marijuana Myth http://www.keepapitchinin.org/2009/01/09/the-great-mormon-marijuana-myth/ Where our past is never very long ago Sat, 11 Feb 2012 21:41:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Ardis E. Parshall http://www.keepapitchinin.org/2009/01/09/the-great-mormon-marijuana-myth/comment-page-3/#comment-100837 Ardis E. Parshall Wed, 21 Sep 2011 21:34:51 +0000 http://www.keepapitchinin.org/?p=507#comment-100837 Given Dale Gieringer's connection to this post and topic, his comment is posted. This is not an invitation for other commenters to argue for the legalization or decriminalization of marijuana. Keepa's comment policy still applies. Given Dale Gieringer’s connection to this post and topic, his comment is posted. This is not an invitation for other commenters to argue for the legalization or decriminalization of marijuana. Keepa’s comment policy still applies.

]]> By: Dale Gieringer http://www.keepapitchinin.org/2009/01/09/the-great-mormon-marijuana-myth/comment-page-3/#comment-100826 Dale Gieringer Wed, 21 Sep 2011 21:24:47 +0000 http://www.keepapitchinin.org/?p=507#comment-100826 As the author of "Forgotten Origins of Cannabis Prohibition in California," I read with interest your story on the "Mormon Marijuana Myth." Your conclusions are largely the same as mine: the first cannabis laws were mainly the work of progressive-era pharmacy reformers, not anti-Mexican sentiment or religious bigotry. You are incorrect to state that I attributed "California’s law to anti-Indian, anti-Mexican immigrant prejudice." In fact, I deliberately avoided making that conclusion. My basic thesis has always been that government pharmacy regulators are primarily to blame, as I state in the conclusion of my article: http://www.canorml.org/background/caloriginsmjproh.pdf By the way, my article also documents the fact that the Utah pharmacy board sought to copy California's anti-cannabis law in devising its first anti-cannabis act in 1915. As in Utah, there is no evidence of any public concern about marijuana in California when the pharmacy board first moved to outlaw it (indeed, the law doesn't even mention "marijuana" but rather Indian hemp). The law was purely an act of bureaucratic self-assertion by the newly rising class of pharmacy regulators. Hence it has always been my contention that the marijuana laws are a crime-creation program designed to make jobs for drug cops and bureaucrats (and incidentally drug dealers), who to this day remain the laws' staunchest supporters. As the author of “Forgotten Origins of Cannabis Prohibition in California,” I read with interest your story on the “Mormon Marijuana Myth.” Your conclusions are largely the same as mine: the first cannabis laws were mainly the work of progressive-era pharmacy reformers, not anti-Mexican sentiment or religious bigotry.
You are incorrect to state that I attributed “California’s law to anti-Indian, anti-Mexican immigrant prejudice.” In fact, I deliberately avoided making that conclusion. My basic thesis has always been that government pharmacy regulators are primarily to blame, as I state in the conclusion of my article: http://www.canorml.org/background/caloriginsmjproh.pdf
By the way, my article also documents the fact that the Utah pharmacy board sought to copy California’s anti-cannabis law in devising its first anti-cannabis act in 1915.
As in Utah, there is no evidence of any public concern about marijuana in California when the pharmacy board first moved to outlaw it (indeed, the law doesn’t even mention “marijuana” but rather Indian hemp). The law was purely an act of bureaucratic self-assertion by the newly rising class of pharmacy regulators.
Hence it has always been my contention that the marijuana laws are a crime-creation program designed to make jobs for drug cops and bureaucrats (and incidentally drug dealers), who to this day remain the laws’ staunchest supporters.

]]> By: Joe Shmo http://www.keepapitchinin.org/2009/01/09/the-great-mormon-marijuana-myth/comment-page-3/#comment-26590 Joe Shmo Tue, 14 Sep 2010 07:56:58 +0000 http://www.keepapitchinin.org/?p=507#comment-26590 1.To Carol Taylor, Irregardless isn't a word. :) 2.They are to be called Latter Day Saints, not "mormons" as is the common usage. 3.This Blog is obviously DOA, but i had fun reading it, thanks :) 1.To Carol Taylor, Irregardless isn’t a word. :)
2.They are to be called Latter Day Saints, not “mormons” as is the common usage.
3.This Blog is obviously DOA, but i had fun reading it, thanks :)

]]> By: Ardis E. Parshall http://www.keepapitchinin.org/2009/01/09/the-great-mormon-marijuana-myth/comment-page-3/#comment-20620 Ardis E. Parshall Fri, 19 Mar 2010 02:05:15 +0000 http://www.keepapitchinin.org/?p=507#comment-20620 If you had taken the time to scan through the comments, Carol, you might have picked up on the fact that Pete Guither, the author of the Salon piece, took part in our conversation. He made several changes in his Salon article as a result of this Keepa post, correcting several errors, softening a few others, and doing me the courtesy of acknowledging that I disputed his version; he even linked to this Keepa post in a gentlemanly acknowledgment of my challenges to his theories. So the Salon piece you read today does not read as it did a year ago. I quoted it accurately then. It has changed in the meantime. Your understanding, not my scholarship, is faulty. Your apology -- you do intend to offer one, don't you? -- will be cheerfully accepted. If you had taken the time to scan through the comments, Carol, you might have picked up on the fact that Pete Guither, the author of the Salon piece, took part in our conversation. He made several changes in his Salon article as a result of this Keepa post, correcting several errors, softening a few others, and doing me the courtesy of acknowledging that I disputed his version; he even linked to this Keepa post in a gentlemanly acknowledgment of my challenges to his theories.

So the Salon piece you read today does not read as it did a year ago. I quoted it accurately then. It has changed in the meantime. Your understanding, not my scholarship, is faulty.

Your apology — you do intend to offer one, don’t you? — will be cheerfully accepted.

]]> By: Carol Taylor http://www.keepapitchinin.org/2009/01/09/the-great-mormon-marijuana-myth/comment-page-3/#comment-20616 Carol Taylor Fri, 19 Mar 2010 01:08:37 +0000 http://www.keepapitchinin.org/?p=507#comment-20616 in the first paragraph it reads in part "Keepapitchininny bfwebster spotted this paragraph in a 2003 Salon post:" "However, the first [US] state law outlawing marijuana did so not because of Mexicans using the drug. Oddly enough, it was because of Mormons using it". I actually read that article first. thats NOT WHAT IT SAID. IT SAID: "However, one of the first state laws outlawing marijuana MAY have been influenced, not just by Mexicans using the drug, but, oddly enough, because of Mormons using it. if you cant even get it right your wrong! thats how gossip goes around. one person changes the truth to make it sound better or worse that the actual facts... in an effort to make themselves the good guy. I am assuming your a mormon, irregardless, its sinful to gossip. so repent and move on in the first paragraph it reads in part “Keepapitchininny bfwebster spotted this paragraph in a 2003 Salon post:”

“However, the first [US] state law outlawing marijuana did so not because of Mexicans using the drug. Oddly enough, it was because of Mormons using it”.

I actually read that article first. thats NOT WHAT IT SAID. IT SAID:

“However, one of the first state laws outlawing marijuana MAY have been influenced, not just by Mexicans using the drug, but, oddly enough, because of Mormons using it.

if you cant even get it right your wrong! thats how gossip goes around. one person changes the truth to make it sound better or worse that the actual facts… in an effort to make themselves the good guy. I am assuming your a mormon, irregardless, its sinful to gossip. so repent and move on

]]> By: Steve C. http://www.keepapitchinin.org/2009/01/09/the-great-mormon-marijuana-myth/comment-page-3/#comment-18155 Steve C. Sat, 19 Dec 2009 03:35:52 +0000 http://www.keepapitchinin.org/?p=507#comment-18155 Yeah, Ardis. Sure, you're not advertising pot paraphenalia I've heard that one before. :-) Yeah, Ardis. Sure, you’re not advertising pot paraphenalia I’ve heard that one before. :-)

]]> By: Velikiye Kniaz http://www.keepapitchinin.org/2009/01/09/the-great-mormon-marijuana-myth/comment-page-3/#comment-18151 Velikiye Kniaz Fri, 18 Dec 2009 18:03:54 +0000 http://www.keepapitchinin.org/?p=507#comment-18151 Ardis, Just typed in that website and it isn't selling marijuana paraphenalia, it's a sex site. I wanted to know what cobalt blue, inside out glass peanuts were also. I envisioned that they were some kind of "munchie" for potheads. Perhaps when they are in the midst of their "high" opening a peanut shell becomes too hard a task and the cobalt blue dazzles them. As to the glass, well, I was hoping that referred to the clear colored hard candy that can be made at home. (Remember the "broken stained glass" candy of 30 to 40 years ago?) Anyway, Sister A., best remove that site address poco pronto. [I had replaced the actual address that was part of the email with nonsense letters, Velikye -- you don't think I'd advertise a link to an actual pot site, do you? :) -- but didn't realize that my made-up site was a real address! Thanks, and I'll edit that name again, hopefully to something that really doesn't exist. -- AEP] Ardis,
Just typed in that website and it isn’t selling marijuana paraphenalia, it’s a sex site. I wanted to know what cobalt blue, inside out glass peanuts were also. I envisioned that they were some kind of “munchie” for potheads. Perhaps when they are in the midst of their “high” opening a peanut shell becomes too hard a task and the cobalt blue dazzles them. As to the glass, well, I was hoping that referred to the clear colored hard candy that can be made at home. (Remember the “broken stained glass” candy of 30 to 40 years ago?) Anyway, Sister A., best remove that site address poco pronto.

[I had replaced the actual address that was part of the email with nonsense letters, Velikye -- you don't think I'd advertise a link to an actual pot site, do you? :) -- but didn't realize that my made-up site was a real address! Thanks, and I'll edit that name again, hopefully to something that really doesn't exist. -- AEP]

]]> By: Ardis E. Parshall http://www.keepapitchinin.org/2009/01/09/the-great-mormon-marijuana-myth/comment-page-3/#comment-18142 Ardis E. Parshall Fri, 18 Dec 2009 09:25:46 +0000 http://www.keepapitchinin.org/?p=507#comment-18142 I suppose this post with its continued popularity is responsible for the "Hempy Holidays" email just received in the Keepa mail box: <blockquote>substitutedfakesitename.com Wholesale Headshop - Pipes, Bongs, Bubblers, Grinders, all the smoking tools you need! December 17th, 2009: Shipping has been cut in half! Only 2 weeks left to use promo code "substitutedfakesitenamedeal" and save 20% on your order! (ends Dec. 31st) Check out our popular new Cobalt Blue glass by entering "cobalt" in the search bar at http://store.substitutedfakesitename.com Get Glass Peanuts for 2 bucks each in bundles of 7 and Inside-out Peanuts for 5 bucks each in bundles of 7 using the "substitutedfakesitenamedeal" promo code (ends Dec. 31st) </blockquote> I don't even know what any of that stuff <em>means</em>!! Cobalt-blue inside-out glass peanuts?? Uh, okay. I suppose this post with its continued popularity is responsible for the “Hempy Holidays” email just received in the Keepa mail box:

substitutedfakesitename.com Wholesale Headshop – Pipes, Bongs, Bubblers, Grinders, all the smoking tools you need!

December 17th, 2009: Shipping has been cut in half!

Only 2 weeks left to use promo code “substitutedfakesitenamedeal” and save 20% on your order! (ends Dec. 31st)

Check out our popular new Cobalt Blue glass by entering “cobalt” in the search bar at http://store.substitutedfakesitename.com

Get Glass Peanuts for 2 bucks each in bundles of 7 and Inside-out Peanuts for 5 bucks each in bundles of 7 using the “substitutedfakesitenamedeal” promo code (ends Dec. 31st)

I don’t even know what any of that stuff means!! Cobalt-blue inside-out glass peanuts?? Uh, okay.

]]> By: Pot Law News Thread - Page 93 - MassCops - Massachusetts Law Enforcement Network http://www.keepapitchinin.org/2009/01/09/the-great-mormon-marijuana-myth/comment-page-3/#comment-14290 Pot Law News Thread - Page 93 - MassCops - Massachusetts Law Enforcement Network Fri, 11 Sep 2009 20:14:04 +0000 http://www.keepapitchinin.org/?p=507#comment-14290 [...] and a speech to the California Judges Association (sourced below). Mormon blogger Ardis Parshall disputes this.) Other states quickly followed suit with marijuana prohibition laws, including Wyoming (1915), [...] [edited: link to pro-pot blog deleted] [...] and a speech to the California Judges Association (sourced below). Mormon blogger Ardis Parshall disputes this.) Other states quickly followed suit with marijuana prohibition laws, including Wyoming (1915), [...]

[edited: link to pro-pot blog deleted]

]]> By: The History of Marijuana http://www.keepapitchinin.org/2009/01/09/the-great-mormon-marijuana-myth/comment-page-3/#comment-11955 The History of Marijuana Sat, 27 Jun 2009 03:52:24 +0000 http://www.keepapitchinin.org/?p=507#comment-11955 [...] However, one of the first state laws outlawing marijuana may have been influenced, not just by Mexicans using the drug, but, oddly enough, because of Mormons using it. Mormons who traveled to Mexico in 1910 came back to Salt Lake City with marijuana. The church’s reaction to this may have contributed to the state’s marijuana law. (Note: the source for this speculation is from articles by Charles Whitebread, Professor of Law at USC Law School in a paper for the Virginia Law Review, and a speech to the California Judges Association (sourced below). Mormon blogger Ardis Parshall disputes this.) [...] [...] However, one of the first state laws outlawing marijuana may have been influenced, not just by Mexicans using the drug, but, oddly enough, because of Mormons using it. Mormons who traveled to Mexico in 1910 came back to Salt Lake City with marijuana. The church’s reaction to this may have contributed to the state’s marijuana law. (Note: the source for this speculation is from articles by Charles Whitebread, Professor of Law at USC Law School in a paper for the Virginia Law Review, and a speech to the California Judges Association (sourced below). Mormon blogger Ardis Parshall disputes this.) [...]

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