From The Hawai'i Tribune Herald
by Gloria Baraquio

I thought I was tired of all this marijuana talk, and really, I was done writing about it. But then I checked my e-mail this week, and my inbox was filled with letters from people all over the world. I'm talking the Netherlands, Singapore, Canada, Washington, Texas and Louisiana. I don't even know how these readers found my column, but they were encouraged that somebody out there was talking about it.

As I opened one e-mail after another, it hit me that this marijuana thing is no small-town Hilo issue. It's a global debate that's really not about marijuana. It has to do with a much bigger picture that involves money and power, health and freedom.

One of the most interesting e-mails I received came from a man who offered me an answer to my question, "Why is marijuana illegal?"

This was his response: "Cannabis is illegal because the government profits from its illegality."

His e-mail went on to say that cannabis prohibition provides job security to drug dealers, drug smugglers, law enforcement workers at every level, lawyers who represent those criminalized, and prison guards who keep the inmate population under control. In addition, pharmaceutical companies, tobacco, cotton and oil are all secure in their industries without cannabis being able to compete alongside with them.

Basically, the illegality of cannabis makes our world go 'round (the way that it does).

Many people are not aware of this, but cannabis/hemp can be used as food, medicine, clothing, building material and gas. And the plant is very easy to grow.

For all these reasons, marijuana has the potential to lead a people to sustainability and independence. That means less or no dependence on health care, welfare, gas stations or any other major corporations.

I was talking to some locals who have been here a long time, and they told me back in the '70s, the Big Island had a thriving economy based on marijuana production. Then when Green Harvest came in and shut them down, tons of people were out of work and put on welfare. And then, supposedly, with marijuana being less available and more expensive, the abuse of "ice" went rampant. Hence the bumper stickers, "Because of Green Harvest, our island is on ICE."

Let me just say this. I'm not trying to get people to smoke marijuana. I'm not even trying to legalize it. But what I would like to see is people asking more questions about something they mostly make assumptions about ... and then making informed decisions from there. Maybe then it would be legal. Maybe then it wouldn't be. But at least then you would know and understand why.

To learn more about the history of marijuana, you can check out http://www.jackherer.com, or read his book, "The Emperor Wears No Clothes." And a great source of information right here in Hilo is the THC Ministry, an organized religion that celebrates marijuana as a holy sacrament: http://www.thc-ministry.org.

Gloria Marie Baraquio is a host, writer and producer for the TV Series "Living Local with the Baraquios" on OC16. Her column appears Wednesday in the Tribune-Herald. E-mail: ' ); //--> This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it "> This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it .

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