Good friends of DAPS, Sihardcorepunk.com, posted a wonderful piece about pot I just have to share.
Don’t be surprised if you see more posts concerning this topic from me in the near future. I’m quite interested and concerned about this issue.
Whether you are a marijuana user/patient or not, it does not change the literal sense that the facts are indeed… facts. The idea of legalizing this highly debated drug has always [can’t say always, it’s been for a very long time but always doesn’t make sense] been a social issue. In recent years, however, the reformation of marijuana law has been a common reoccurrence in the U.S Congress. This past election year, the citizens of 12 out of 13 states passed new pro-marijuana legislation. The time for change is here!
Before we begin, I want to clear up a few misconceptions on marijuana that opposers seem to lack factual information on.
1. “Weed is a drug. Drugs are bad.”
Alcohol is a drug as well! It’s also proven to be more harmful than pot. Each year, alcohol is attributed to 50,000 health related deaths. While marijuana has not been clinically proven to be fatal to your health, its effects can result in injury or in rare circumstances, death. This is similar to the amount of deaths caused by the effects of alcohol. There have recently been proposals to treat marijuana with similar regulations as alcohol. This would make sense, considering the responsibility needed when using either of the two.
Cannabis is also as medicines around the world. It can be used to treat severe pain, nausea, and as an appetite stimulant, which is especially good for HIV and cancer patients. Recently, it is even believed that it may help to protect the body against some types of malignant tumors.
Marijuana is not habit forming, does not cause any permanent physical damage and is no more potent than it was in the 1960’s, therefore it is no more dangerous now than it was then.
2. “Pot is a gateway drug.”
There is no scientific evidence that suggests that pot makes you want to try other drugs. In fact, statistics have shown that over 75% of marijuana smokers never try “harder drugs”.
3. “Legalizing marijuana would cause more of younger kids to smoke.”
To get an idea of what sort of social effect that the legalization of marijuana would have on the country, we can look to the Netherlands and Australia. There, studies have proven that legalization of marijuana had not increased the usage among teenagers and young adults. In fact, while the number of adults smoking marijuana in the Netherlands is consistent with the number of smokers in the United States, the number of people under the age of 18 who smoke is lower.
And last, but not least…
4. “Smoking weed kills brain cells.”
Simply put: There is no scientific evidence that suggests that long term or even high dose marijuana smoking causes permanent brain damage.
Now that that’s been taken care of…
It’s become no secret that everyone from the big wig on Wall St to the unionized labor worker are all feeling the “economic pinch”. It only makes sense that we, as a country, must find new and inventive ways to boost this economy.
Upon his recent election, President Barack Obama pledged to take a hard look at current drug laws in the country. This came to be after being hard pressed with statistics from pro-marijuana members of congress, as well as organizations like NORML (The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws), explained how $10 billion of tax payers money was being wasted on arresting and prosecuting people on marijuana charges, and another 1.2 billion a year on keeping 60,000 people in prison. Not to mention the federal funding for raids in the 13 states who currently have state wide legalized medical marijuana providers.
While it may not seem like much, this is a huge step in the right direction. Medical marijuana laws are a whole debate on their own, but just focusing on the economic and social stand points; there are enough common sense reasons to legalize marijuana on a national level.
Currently, by most rankings, marijuana crops are valued at over $10 billion (per year) in America, and within the top 5 cash crops in the country. Marijuana is also the third most used recreational drug, falling short only to alcohol and tobacco (which have both been proven to be more harmful than our subject.). Our government SPENDS over $12 billion annually on failed marijuana prohibition. It doesn’t take an economist to figure out that this is an absurd waste of tax payer’s money, while we could be making almost as much as we are currently spending.
We can even see how a legal marijuana market can help to steer our young away from more harmful drugs, such as cocaine and prescription pills. By legalizing the product, we will be taking it out of the hands of street dealers. The only reason marijuana can be considered a “gate way” drug is because often, the people who sell marijuana also have an “inventory” of other drugs to offer to impressionable teenagers. Just like drug dealers don’t sell cigarettes or alcohol, they would no longer be able to control the marijuana market.
Aside from revenue brought in from taxes alone, you must consider also that this would create an entire new industry. Millions of new jobs would be available, which would lead to a boost in our economy in a time when we can use it more than ever.
Legalizing marijuana is clearly becoming a perfect option for taking a big step towards turning our economy around, as well as allowing the American people the freedoms that they expect.
Recently, President Obama was asked what his stance on marijuana legalization was. Unfortunately, he downplayed the question and turned it into a joke. If you would like to take part in letting the president know that this is not a joking matter, please take a moment to fill out this letter, which will be sent to him.
References:
http://www.drugpolicy.org
http://www.norml.org
- Cory Nelson
What do you guys think? Would legalizing pot benefit or hurt the country? Would it help California get those dolla-dolla bills, yo? Would it make this stupid country even MORE retarded than it already is? Tell me, because I need to know.
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I’m pretty apathetic to whether it should be legalized or not. I don’t do it, but I don’t care if other people do.
If it does become legal, it won’t be during the Obama era. He’s going to steer clear from it, in my opinion.
The problem with Ian Barry, is that, while he may have made perfectly good points during his speech, his final act made his legitimate essay look like a piece of high school stoner bullshit. He knew (or should have known) the reaction he’d get from the crowd. “LOL, this dude is nuts, bro. Dude, weed is the shit.” “Haha, look at this retard smoking a spliff in the auditorium.” Weak. All it did was cause a ruckus, not a “hey, let’s think about what he said” session. Lighting up the joint for effect was not really effective in driving his points home. It just reinforces stereotypes that stoners are dumb kids.
It should be legal to grow, legal for serious medicinal use, and Illegal to sell.
I think it should be Legal to grow a garden for personal use. But if Phillip Morris ever mad it into a product like Ciggarettes, they would put all kinds of Chemicals in it and Nicotine to make it physically addictive. I seriously think it would be used as psychological warfare to subdue the minds of the people. Its important to regulate who controls the perception of what marijana is and what it isnt, because that will determine how we use it. Will it fit into our culture as a symbol of the people?…Of togethernes, freedom and independence.? Or will it be processed, and used to make people too passive to defend thier freedom? >> Support Selective Legalization!!