For Some In The Third World, Marijuana Is The Only Thing Keeping Families Alive
Joe | Aug 15, 2012 | Comments 0
I came across a very interesting story online yesterday from The New York Times about poor people in Swaziland growing cannabis plants to make ends meet. Swaziland has the world’s highest rate of HIV, meaning a lot of single mothers and grandmothers taking care of large amounts of children.
“Without weed, we would be starving,” explained Khathazile, who asked that only her middle name be used and took in her 11 orphaned grandchildren after her daughter died. Khathazile grows Swazi Gold, a highly potent and valuable strain of marijuana that is sought after in the thriving drug market of South Africa, which is right next to Swaziland.
But technically Khathazile is a criminal, and would be in just about any country in the world. According to government officials in every country – people who don’t need to worry about starving to death – she’s not allowed to do that. She should let her entire family die before breaking the law.
That’s what our Drug Czar would tell her. President Obama wouldn’t tell her that of course…he would lie to her face then have the DEA burn down her marijuana plants.
And the United States policy on drugs is why marijuana is illegal in most of the world today. We give countries money in aid, and they do what we say – or the money dries up. And the less marijuana grown around the world, the less competition that big American pharmaceutical companies have to face from a superior medicine.
But it’s just a plant. Those who have never had to worry about money or being sick can sit on their pedestals and judge others for what they do, and even tell them to stop doing it or go to jail.
“I cannot abandon these kids,” Khathazile said. Doesn’t she realize that she is hurting Big Pharma in her own small way? Or does she not care about Big Pharma because she lives in Swaziland and has real life to deal with on a daily basis?
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Filed Under: Exclusive Web Content • The War On Drugs
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