What would Our Founding Fathers Think?

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Much discussion of "weed" has recently appeared on this board. I thought I would share an interesting piece of historical information--food for thought (or smoke for your brain:-)

Dr. Burke, president of the American Historical Reference Society and a consultant for the Smithsonian Institute, counted seven early presidents as cannabis smokers: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, Andrew Jackson, Zachary Taylor and Franklin Pierce. 41 "Early letters from our founding fathers refer to the pleasures of hemp smoking," said Burke. Pierce, Taylor and Jackson, all military men, smoked it with their troops. Cannabis was twice as popular among American soldiers in the Mexican War as in Vietnam: Pierce wrote to his family that it was "about the only good thing" about that war.

Good they cannot see us now!!
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posted on Wed, Jun 11, 2008 07:30 PM
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Pothead Presidents byuptown2 months ago (0 votes) (report abuse) (reply)
Is there conclusive evidence all these presidents inhaled?
Also, in reading the list, I can't help but wonder what was with John Adams?
RE: Pothead Presidents byberrymountain2 months ago (0 votes) (report abuse)
I am laughing! You responded to just my question. "Were the founding fathers inhaling, or not?"

Seriously, is there proof they were sitting around smokin' up the stuff?

Also, C'mon...These guys, well some, had slaves and isn't there also a bit about "All men created equal?" So, the argument doesn't work at all. Because if that were true, we could say slavery is fine and justified. It isn't and never was.

Course, in England not so long ago, they were beheading, stretching and quartering people, public hangings by the hundreds, etc. How long ago were the Salem Witch Trials, where a handful of young girls ( I won't say ladies...) were inciting others to burn women at the stake who were "witches."

The Mayflower "pilgrims," wanted to come to America and practice "Freedom of Religion." Yet, these hippocrits wanted ONLY their religion practiced in the "New World." They ostracized others who came to the "New World," who didn't believe the same way.

For Pete's sake, don't use the founding father's as an excuse to do anything. We'd be in worse shape than we are today!