The legalization of Marijuana would benefit people with
medical issues, create a market for the government to sell it, use hemp to
create paper and fabric, and is safer than alcohol and nicotine which in turn
could be sold at gas stations which would have an age limit of twenty-one. On
the scale of drugs, marijuana falls into the bottom category of least harmless
and least addictive. Under federal law, the use and possession of marijuana is
illegal, but in some states is legalized for medical purposes. The issue is
whether or not the drug should be legal or not. When smoked, the user gets a
sense or feeling of high, which is caused by the active ingredient in pot, THC.
The plant grows in the ground and is all natural unlike alcohol. Many people
argue today whether or not the drug affects the body in a bad way. Cannabis
could save the United States money by freeing up prison space which can save
tax payers money being wasted on such petty offenses. The United States should
be more worried about harsher drugs and much more severe crimes than marijuana
cases.
Taken From Laist Interview |
Taken From THCFINDER |
Weed Like Wine |
profiting huge amounts
of money by setting a tax that could greatly help with the national
debt.
“If we substitute a tax on marijuana cigarettes equal to the difference between the local production cost and the street price people currently pay--that is, transfer the revenue from the current producers and marketers (many of whom work with organized crime) to the government, leaving all other marketing and transportation issues aside we would have revenue of (say) $7 per [unit]. If you could collect on every cigarette and ignore the transportation, marketing, and advertising costs, this comes to over $2 billion on Canadian sales and substantially more from an export tax, and you forego the costs of enforcement and deploy your policing assets elsewhere.” (Source)
This would greatly affect the economy because on every
pack of marijuana cigarettes sold, there would be a tax going to the government
to help pay for the debt that we are in. There is a good amount of supply and
demand, and if it were legalized, the demand would go up, therefore fluctuating
more money into the economy. There always is a problem when buying from a
dealer because there is a risk of getting caught by the police. If it were
legalized, more people would be a lot more comfortable going to the store to
buy it causing higher demand. It can also be cooked in food, which is a
lot safer than smoking it. With the money gained from taxing the drug, it could
be put towards rehab centers for people who are addicted to the drug and need
help with quitting much harsher drugs. Also, profits could go be wisely spent, and
cops could focus on much more dangerous things like gang violence, organized
crime, and violent criminals.
Another benefit from marijuana is using hemp that comes
from the plant. The peak time that the hemp industry was booming was during the
1800’s when Ben Franklin and George Washington used it to plant. It was mostly
grown along roadways and country sides. “Industrial hemp produces a variety of
products which have been used by nearly every culture for thousands of years.
Worldwide production of industrial hemp has decreased since the end of World
War II. However, increased efficiency in industrial hemp cultivation and
production, coupled with a growing market
for environmentally friendly products, has created a promising future for
industrial hemp products” (Duppong). Hemp could be categorized as the most
useful plant in the entire world. It has been used in the past and now is
illegalized for no reasons other than the fact that the government associates getting
“high” with the plant. The use of the plant includes paper, fuel, textiles, and
concrete. “Hemp seeds are
drug-free and extremely nutritious. They can be eaten whole, pressed into
edible oil like soybeans, or ground into flour for baking. They are one of the
best sources of vegetable protein” (Anon).
HEMP |
If hemp were legal,
the United States could use the product to build road ways, highways, and
interstate systems. “Society can benefit from the hemp plant's attributes
such as oxygen production, hemp's dense root structure, and hemp's nutrient and
nitrogen production back into the soil” (Meintz). The chemicals from hemp can
be used to treat over hundreds of known diseases and the most world-wide;
cancer. “We could make an estimated 50,000 products ranging from building
composites, cellophane, dynamite to shampoo, textiles, twine and yarn”
(Meintz). Did I say anything about seeds? The seeds and hemp oil can be used in
foods that are very healthy. “Food products
range from hemp butters and oils to protein, powders, power bars, breakfast
cereals, pastas, tortilla chips, and beer” (Kolosov). Why not legalize
something that has so many positive effects on the human body. It seems that
there are many other dangerous things that are legal for human consumption out
there that cause cancer and liver damage. The effects of marijuana on the body
are by far safer than alcohol and nicotine.
The legalization of marijuana could benefit
many people such as the government, people in jail for possession, and people
who use the substance to help alleviate pain caused by the disease they have. "An associate medical examiner in New York City, that the extensive autospy experience with hundreds of marijuana users he was unable to find any evidence of physical deterioration caused by marijuana" (Fine). In the end, there are more facts that prove that marijuana is safe. The medical uses that come along with the substance is astronomical. By legalizing pot, the economy could profit greats amounts of money to help pay with the national debt. Patients with medical issues would also benefit with a new medicine on the market. All in all, marijuana is proven to be safe, can benefit medical users, and the economy would improve with the use of hemp and money that comes along with the sale and use of marijuana.
Where do you stand? |
Works
Cited
Fine, Ralph Adam. (1970). Mary Jane versus Pennsylvania: The day the supreme court heard the
arguments for and against the legalization of marijuana. New York: The
McCall Publishing Company.
Shohov, Tatiana. (2003). Medical use of Marijuana: Policy, Regulatory and Legal issues. Hauppauge,
New York: Nova science Publishing Inc.