Marijuana, Cannabis, Ganja

Sumber dan Keterangan lebih lanjut: wikipedia

English:
I am baffled, why governments prohibited cannabis? Because it cause harm to the people? Seriously?

Check the chart on the right. Cannabis is less addictive than alcohol or tobacco. The physical harm of cannabis is also less in comparison with those 2. And I didn't even compare it with cocaine or heroine. Heck, even when we compare soda and cannabis, cannabis is still the less harmful one!

So? Why you could buy Marlboro, or even Jack Daniels, in a 7-11 next door while cannabis seller are threatened with jail? Why cola is an ordinary drink while cannabis is illegal? And this happens not only in Indonesia, but in most part of the world.

Hmm ... my guess the reason behind this is similar for the reason behind the campaign against condom: our society is still obsessed with masochism! We still think that somehow worldly pleasure is something that we have to avoid, that misery is part of spiritualism, that suffering is sign of civilization, yadda yadda yadda. This is not about "protecting the young," this is about "making sure that young people do exactly as I said!" it's about control, about power, about making sure nobody could enjoy worldly pleasure freely. What else differentiate cannabis with tobacco and alcohol?

Yup, this is a sad fact: even developed countries still has this masochism as their basis for regulation.

Here is a suggestion for any government, especially American: legalize cannabis. Tax it heavily like you taxed tobaccos. This will partially end "The war on drugs," saving millions, if not billions of dollars, while creating new source of income. I heard you have this "Deficit problem," so why don't you make sure every single stoner pay you some money?

Any harm caused by cannabis is similar to any harm caused by alcohol, e.g: drunk driving, and a stoner is less likely to do many brutal things that a drunk could do, e.g.: physical attack, rape, etc. So, instead of prohibiting cannabis, it is better to e.g. prohibiting "going high" behind the steering wheel. Just like how to minimize the harm caused by alcohol, not by prohibition, but by creating a law that no drunkard may drive.

So, what are you waiting for America? Start legalizing marijuana and reaped the benefit!


Bahasa Indonesia:

Saya tak habis pikir, kenapa sih yang namanya ganja dilarang? Karena merugikan masyarakat? Apa betul?

Coba perhatikan grafik di pojok kanan atas. Lihat baik². Ganja/Cannabis itu memiliki kemampuan menyebabkan kecanduan LEBIH RENDAH daripada alkohol atau tembakau. Efek buruknya pada tubuhpun LEBIH RENDAH daripada alkohol dan tembakau. Apalagi dibandingkan dengan kokain dan heroin. Hei, bahkan ada yang membandingkan soda dengan ganja! Kejutan, soda ternyata lebih merusak!

Terus? Kenapa warung disebelah rumah saya bisa menjual rokok tapi semua penjual ganja langsung dibui? Kenapa cola dianggap minuman wajar sementara ganja dicap barang haram? Gilanya lagi, ini bukan cuma terjadi di Indonesia saja, tapi di sebagian besar dunia! Kenapa sih semua orang terobsesi melarang zat yang lebih ringan daripada alkohol atau tembakau sih?

Hmm ... tebakan saya ini kembali lagi ke argumen saya tentang kondom, yaitu masyarakat kita terobsesi pada masokisme! Yup. Ini dia yang membedakan ganja dengan nikotin dan alkohol, "kenikmatan" yang diciptakan ganja jauh lebih kuat.

Yup, pemerintah² negara majupun masih terobsesi pada masokisme, pada ide bahwa menjauhi kesenangan otomatis adalah kebajikan. Menyedihkan. Sangat menyedihkan.

Saran buat pemerintah: legalisasi ganja. Tarik pajak dari semua penjualan ganja, sama seperti pemerintah menarik pajak/cukai tembakau dan alkohol. Katanya pemerintah sedang butuh uangkan?

Semua mudarat ganja, serupa dengan mudarat alkohol. Mengemudi dengan mabuk misalnya. Dan seorang yang sedang "high" akibat menghisap ganja malah tidak seberbahaya seorang pemabuk. Misalnya, seorang pemabuk bisa jadi agresif, sementara seorang "stoner" tidak akan agresif. Artinya, daripada melarang ganja, mudarat ganja bisa kita hapuskan dengan melarang "high" di tempat dan waktu tertentu, misalnya ketika mengemudi. Sama seperti langkah negara² Barat mengurangi mudarat alkohol dengan melarang pemabuk mengemudi.

Jadi, tunggu apa lagi? Saatnya kita melegalisasi ganja dan tarik manfaatnya!