The Insanity of Marijuana Prohibition

It is time for marijuana laws to be changed. The present day laws are out of step with reality. Theyare not effective. They punish people who are not a threat to society. They cost more than they are worth. The money could be spent on better things than enforcement.
Most people in the US and Canada support a relaxation of the prohibition laws. Many US states have passed medical marijuana laws that permit medical use of the plant. Marijuana law enforcement is a low priority for law enforcement in many parts of Canada and the US.
More and more often, local politicians are coming out against prohibition. These people see the immediate effects of prohibition. It is their budgets that pay for law enforcement and imprisonment. They understand the insanity of spending tax dollars to accomplish nothing.
Insanity has been defined as doing the same thing again and again and expecting different results. This is what our elected officials have been doing. It has become cheaper, more potent and more widely used since being criminalized. That was never the goal. Nevertheless, we continue to spend taxes on prohibition. Clearly, the policy is insane.
It is possible that the policy was simply ill-concieved in the beginning. With time, however, self-serving interests in prohibition have developed. Tough on crime politicians benefit by demonizing marijuana. The police get funding to fight marijuana usage, production and distribution. Corporately, marijuana prohibition is beneficial to the liquor and tobacco industries.
As positions hardened and usage increased one other interest benefitted as well. Fortunes were made by criminal elements. Not surprisingly, along with the crime came violence.
While criminals, corporations, law enforcement and politicians reaped the benefits of prohibition, many ordinary citizens were hurt. Small amounts of cannabis could lead to a criminal record. A criminal record can hamper job prospects and travel.Worse, millions of people have been incarcerated.
It's about time we admitted that prohibition hurts good people, and benefits the wrong people. Prohibition has not worked.The harm done by the plant is miniscule compared to the harm wrought by prohibition. Given that prohibition has resulted in wider usage, cheaper prices,increased potency, rich criminals, more violence and wasted tax dollars, its clear that the time to repeal the laws has come.Most important, the responsible adult citizens of both democracies, Canada and the US, want prohibition repealed. The time for action is now.

Soil composition

You might find the structure of garden soil interesting. A good fifty percent of what we think of as garden soil is just vacant space. Another forty-five percent is made up of eroded rock particles. Organics, dead and alive, make up the rest, about 5%.
What the garden soil is made of is the garden soil composition. Some soils are clay-based, others are sandy, loamy or silty. Just as different materials have different characteristics and properties, so to do the components of soil influence the soil's properties.
Understanding the concepts of structure and compsition allows the grower to create the optimal growing medium. Doubling the amount of organic material is simple, as we're only moving from 5% to 10%. We can ensure that there is adequate room between the soil particles to keep air and water available to the roots.
Plants like a wide range of environments and do better in some than in others. A plant that thrives in wet, acid soil won't do well in dry, alkaline soil. Marijuana likes well drained soil on the lighter side, with a PH between 5.9 and 6.4.
Clearly, what you want is a soil with a ph of about 6.0, that drains well. Digging soil up out of your backyard might work, but it probably won't have everything you need. Buying commercial potting soil will get you closer, but it's still not perfect. The easiest solution is to make your own soil.
This is quite easy. Good structure and composition are the goals. The internet has many good recipes to help you.
You can start with commercial potting soils. Add vermiculite or perlite to improve drainage. You improve moisture retention with peat moss. The marijuana will thrive.
You can also add organic material to improve the nutrient values. Examples that are suitable are chicken or steer manure, or compost or worm castings. Fresh manure may be too strong, so use composted stuff. Check the ph of the finished product before you plant.