Stay the Course: The Fight For Marijuana Legalization Continues

Stay the Course - The Fight For Marijuana Awareness

By Ryan Cristián

Guest writer for Wake Up World

With the recently released statement from the U.S. Department of Justice, some feel the battle for marijuana legalization has been won, however the war for this country’s future is just beginning. The DOJ is claiming that it will allow states with strict cannabis laws in place to continue with their present course of marijuana sale and production, as long as they create “a tightly regulated market” and are strict in the enforcement of said laws; not legalizing marijuana, but choosing not to enforce the federal law themselves. It’s a hypocritical move, and there in lies the problem…

By keeping marijuana illegal, and on the controlled substance list, the Feds are intentionally not allowing cannabis to be researched and developed on the large-scale level of which this country is in dire need. The typically ambiguous wording of their statement is reminiscent of the Patriot Act, allowing the government to interpret what they feel to be “robust controls and procedures” or “tightly regulated” (of which both are repeatedly used) on a case to case basis and thereby continuing their attempt to control the flow of information and production.

Most those involved in the Marijuana Movement are happy to take the ground that the Federal Government has given up by claiming they will stay out of state business if the state rigorously enforces strict cannabis laws. Unfortunately, marijuana, as well as hemp, continue to remain incorrectly categorized on the schedule 1 controlled substance list. This category is for substances that are thought to be addictive, with no medical value, both of which are dramatically and categorically untrue in regards to cannabis. It has been made clear that the movement is very passionate about one’s right to freely and recreationally smoke marijuana, but the true course of cannabis and its path to reviving this country lies within its medicinal and industrial uses — both of which are vast, and factually undisputed. Despite what one would hear if choosing to listen to typical anti-marijuana propaganda, cannabis has the ability to cure cancer and naturally alleviate many other serious conditions.

Stay the Course - The Fight For Marijuana Awareness - Uses for Agricultural Hemp

(For more information, please see Wake Up World’s Cannabis and Cancer research pages.)

Hemp on the other hand has been utilized by the United States since its inception and can out produce every other resource available without the harmful side effects for the planet. It can be grown and harvested in a matter of months and enriches the soil for future agricultural crops. Not to mention that it is almost absent of THC and incapable of getting a person high. This too is factually undisputed. Those that stand to lose their interests in the current timber or oil industries, as well as many others, do not want to see these harmless plants legalized (and their profits lost to alternative natural resources) no matter how much more productive they are or in how many ways it can save the planet.

With deforestation, pollution, dependency on foreign oil, oil spills, non biodegradable products piling up, and medications that cause more harm than good, Americans are slowly heading toward environmental and personal collapse. It may seem unlikely, even impossible, that one plant could solve all of this, but the research is there for those willing to see the truth instead of the manufactured lie. It will take a very long time to climb out of the hole that America has dug for itself, but cannabis is the answer to many of the most important questions facing this country today. Those answers have nothing to do with smoking, and completely revolve around the vast possibilities continuing to arise from this plant.

Move-Over-Cotton-and-Say-Hello-to-the-‘Forbidden’-Crop-That’s-Taking-the-World-by-Storm-Thomas-Jefferson-Hemp-Quote

The more marijuana is studied, the more Americans begin to see just how truly versatile this plant is on a medicinal and industrial level. Those fighting for the legalization of marijuana must not stop with this small legal advance but rather rise to their true heights now that the goal is near. The government’s patronizing attempt to pacify the masses with their, “We will just look the other way” tactic, is just that, a tactic; a gift of leniency from the proverbial parental figure graciously allowing the people to do what no one has the right to deny them. It is their hope that the momentum will die off with this small victory, and the movement will not be seen to fruition.

Absolute and total legalization of cannabis in medical as well as industrial aspects of American culture is the end game, and all who want a future with this planet must stay the course.

About the author:

Ryan Cristian

Driven by a desire for accuracy, chef and alternative news stalwart Ryan Cristián has a passion for the Truth. As founder and Editor-in-chief of The Last American Vagabond, he understands that Americans want their news to be transparent, devoid of the opulence frothed out by today’s Corporate Media. A cultured and insightful man with a worldly sense, Ryan’s unjaded approach offers common sense to the individual racked by the ambiguous news cycle – a vicious and manipulative merry-go-round that keeps trenchant minds at a manageable distance from the truth. Avid writer and editor by day, Truth seeker by night, Ryan’s reality defines what it means to be current.

“Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see.” – John Lennon

You can follow Ryan’s work at:

Recommended articles by Ryan Cristián:


If you've ever found value in our articles, we'd greatly appreciate your support by purchasing Mindful Meditation Techniques for Kids - A Practical Guide for Adults to Empower Kids with the Gift of Inner Peace and Resilience for Life.

In the spirit of mindfulness, we encourage you to choose the paperback version. Delve into its pages away from screen glare and notifications, allowing yourself to fully immerse in the transformative practices within. The physical book enriches the learning process and serves as a tangible commitment to mindfulness, easily shared among family and friends.

Over the past few years, Wake Up World has faced significant online censorship, impacting our financial ability to stay online. Instead of soliciting donations, we're exploring win-win solutions with our readers to remain financially viable. Moving into book publishing, we hope to secure ongoing funds to continue our mission. With over 8,500 articles published in the past 13 years, we are committed to keeping our content free and accessible to everyone, without resorting to a paywall.