Speyside wrote:In my mind this is a discussion. I am trying to understand another's point of view. I find I do not agree with that point of view. No big deal. What I really would like to understand is why this is an issue for Carl. Again, trying to understand someone's point of view even if I don't agree with it.
I understand both sides. However I do not agree with what can be considered the over reach of the guberment, and it's hypocrisy regarding certain substances.
In the simplest terms, I think it is ridiculous for a guberment to outlaw a plant without actually conducting the scientific research. God (or what ever you believe in) provided these plants for a reason, and for a guberment to think it knows more than God without doing the research takes a holier than thou attitude.
Outlawing Kratom is very reminiscent of Harry J. Anslinger's propaganda against MJ.
CBS News wrote:The problem was, there was little scientific evidence that supported Anslinger’s claims. He contacted 30 scientists, according to Hari, and 29 told him cannabis was not a dangerous drug. But it was the theory of the single expert who agreed with him that he presented to the public — cannabis was an evil that should be banned — and the press ran with this sensationalized version.
The second component to Anslinger’s strategy was racial. He claimed that black people and Latinos were the primary users of marijuana, and it made them forget their place in the fabric of American society. He even went so far as to argue that jazz musicians were creating “Satanic” music all thanks to the influence of pot. This obsession eventually led to a sort of witch hunt against the legendary singer Billie Holiday, who struggled with heroin addiction; she lost her license to perform in New York cabarets and continued to be dogged by law enforcement until her death.
“The insanity of the racism is a thing to behold when you go into his archives,” Hari told CBS News. “He claims that cannabis promotes interracial mixing, interracial relationships.”
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/harry-anslinger-the-man-behind-the-marijuana-ban/
Nicotine cause more deaths per year than Kratom, but it is legal (so far).
Gary Oldman got nicotine poisoning after smoking $20,000 worth of cigars while making Winston Churchill film. Any substance legal or not can be abused.
An estimated 88,000 people (approximately 62,000 men and 26,000 women) die from alcohol-related causes annually, making alcohol the third leading preventable cause of death in the United States. The first is tobacco, and the second is poor diet and physical inactivity.
https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/overview-alcohol-consumption/alcohol-facts-and-statistics
I'm sorry many can not see or understand the hypocrisy of the US guberment in regards to what "drugs" or plants are legal, and what they outlaw… and why.