Should marijuana be legal?
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There are far more people dying from alcohol abuse than there are people dying from marijuana.
Like John F Kennedy once said “I dream of things that never were and say, 'Why not'?” So now we ask - why should marijuana be illegal? Isn’t it less dangerous than alcohol? If liquor that was once illegal can become legalized, so can marijuana. Some would argue that banding the use of marijuana is a violation of our free choice. We should have the right to exercise our free choice under the constitution; especially if our actions do not pose a threat to ourselves or anyone else in our society.
There are far more people dying from alcohol abuse than there are people dying from marijuana. When was the last time anyone heard someone died from smoking too much Bob Marley (pot)? This might not ever occur; such incident simply hasn't been heard. On the contrary, Bob Marley (pot) has been proven to treat spinal stenosis. Gary Wenk, PhD, Professor of Psychology & Neuroscience & Molecular Virology made this statement in a Nov. 19, 2008 at Ohio State University "Scientists are high on idea that marijuana reduces memory impairment"
Another concern with marijuana becoming legalized relates to job performance. We know that nicotine is worse than marijuana in the sense that it increases the chances of lung cancer while marijuana does not. However, some have argued that it does but those studies have been found to be not accurate. According to a recent study by the University of California, marijuana does not increase the risk of lung cancer. But however, it does give a high that cause employees to be a little delusional. And since this condition can be present among employee, those who work in the industry where driving employer’s vehicles are part of their daily activity should not be permitted to drive while under the influence. Knowing that it can cause an effect on reaction time which is necessary while driving, it would be wise for employees not to smoke it while at wok or the day before.
The next argument that can be raise on this issue, is how can hemp which fall under the same category as Marijuana be legally distributed and sale throughout the country, while marijuana remained a psychoactive substance. Doesn’t hemp contain the same level of tetrahydrocannabinol as marijuana? Although arguments can be made to prove the opposite, no arguments can prove that hemp has no tetrahydrocannbinol in it. And since it does, how much of it is consumed will depend on tea spoon per serving if sold in a powder form. From this point on, most minorities has no idea as to what hemp means. Hemp is not sold in the hood, and since hemp is never mentioned on the news, very few people know about its benefit.
Hemp can only be found in some upper class neighborhood and it’s not because it’s too expensive. Why? Because hemp and marijuana has some similar beneficial ingredients that can help the body heal. They can both help reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease. According to the dietitian Diana Young, her research indicated that " polyunsaturated fatty acids has been found in such neurodegenerative disorders as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, and it has been suggested that a diet with a proper balance of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids may help delay or reduce the neurologic effects of these diseases."
Now can we say that hemp is bad for our lungs? According to bigeye.com “Scientists have shown that smoking any plant is bad for your lungs, because it increases the number of `lesions' in your small airways. This usually does not threaten your life, but there is a chance it will lead to infections. Marijuana users who are worried about this can find less harmful ways of taking marijuana like eating or vaporizing." And like marijuana, hemp can also be smoking since its nature is in a plant form.
Let’s not fool ourselves here; keeping marijuana illegal is good for business. Had marijuana been legal, the government would not have been able to control its distribution. This is not liquor, you don’t have to brew nothing here – it is a plant. All that is needed is marijuana seeds and a piece of land, so in that sense legalizing marijuana would have created many gardeners. Every teenage kid in the hood would be walking around with a hand trowel.
Like any other healthy herbs, how much is distributed is depend on demand and supply. Which mean, if we're to legalize marijuana distribution, we would have simply open the door to an existing market for buyers to purchase their products without any civil penalty? And since the market already exists, marketers would only focus on packaging the pot in a way that attracts consumers. Now, being that marijuana is illegal, supply is limited but not control. Which then enhanced more people to want this limited drug, this thereby increased demand. Imaginatively, where supply is at 50% demand is at 150% which then cause price for pot to remain constantly high.
Tradition teaches us that “where there’s a will there’s way” meaning no matter what the government does, pot will always be selling as long as people want it. Except that it would cost more when it’s illegal than if it were to become legalize. This perhaps is the incentive that encourages government to keep it illegal, because if it were not, medical marijuana would not have been so expansive and the drug industry would have made very little profit from it. In a sense we can say that the drug industry is selfish because they don't want to share the wealth. I would doubt that this idea is not lobbied against every time it is contemplated on government table for legalization.
Now let us assume that pot becomes legalized – what would happen? Well, supply would have increased while price would decreased until it reaches an equilibrium where supply satisfied demand 50/50. Now let say citizens begins to gardenize their own marijuana plants. This would increased supply causing price to decline even more. Would it be good for business if the government were to legalized it, well it would all depends on the marketing gimmick of those who wished to sale it. Under competitive rivalries only companies that can best strategize their marketing gimmick survived.
It is reasonable to assume that if we must legalize marijuana, we can’t band its production. We can’t say to our citizens that it’s OK for corporations to sale it to you but it’s not Ok for individuals to mass produce it. If government were to make a claim as such, it would not be valid, if the possibilities are there for us to produce our own than why not?
Although distribution would be hard to control, if sold at a reasonable price, it can help boost the economy, especially in cities where it would be difficult to produce. If we're thinking in term of small business then legalizing marijuana may be viewed as an opportunity for small local farmers to level up with the loss they have suffered throughout this recession. If we don't produce our own marijuana plants, we'll end up losing anyhow, because those who experience the urge for it, will get it at any means necessary. It's either we make the profit or let the Mexican have it, because either way marijuana will be sold.
However, they can be different method in which marijuana can be marketed. And those methods would be good for competition while at the same time increase marijuana production and sales throughout the cities. Marijuana is a profitable business, one that is good for our economy; we should not wait for too long, we've waited long enough.
- Does Smoking Marijuana Cause Lung Cancer? Marijuana and Your Lung Cancer Risk
A look into whether smoking causes lung cancer. - Marijuana and Hemp Information
Hemp Is Not Pot: It's the Economic Stimulus and Green Jobs Solution We Need - Hemp: Nature\'s Forgotten Nutraceutical - Iowa Avenue
Hemp: Nature's Forgotten Nutraceutical - http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/viewanswers.asp?questionID=130
Can marijuana help treat Alzheimer's disease?
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I say legalize it!!!
I am all for legalizing marijuana . I think medical marijuana Is just fine . And It would definitely bring In some much needed tax revenue , If you put a premium tax on It like they do alcohol and cigarettes . And you are right coolbreezing It Is less harmful then alcohol and our neighbor to the south could probably get an Industry going that could bolster Its economy and create jobs In Mexico and save some lives from those vicious cartels .
yeah the cartels are very very bad...they have corrupted most of the mexican government.
HI! C.C Riter
If you don't mind sharing some of that Hemp please don't hesitate to holla.
Lamatadora said “I say legalize it!" and John F Kennedy replied “Why not"
Hi! Tony you right - the Mexican maybe able to make an income out of that. Perhaps the outcome can help ease illegal immigrants in this country a bit.
HELL YES!I'm tired of hiding to smoke weed!I know why they made weed illegal in the first place and now it's illegal just becuase!Just becuase some man loves having the power to say no to grass!I think breastfeeding infants should be illegal too becuase it cuases my tits great pain!!!I swaer infants murder millions of nipples everyday and we're not doing anything about it!?JOIN ME IN THE CUASE TO BANN BREASTFEEDING AND SOAR NIPPLES!(=
I just probably ruind everyones chance of toke & choke...either way I'm going to do it...maybe you can waste more space in prison on a girl with an oppinion!=)
420 'til the day I die!!
I'm for mothers breatfeeding their child Elizabeth - I don't think your reason is good enough - some would say that it's a selfish reason.
I think by legalizing marijuana this will only open the doors to more crimes of violence and a more of a broader door to different kinds of drugs being used even more frequently!
mdawson17
Hi! MD Awson17
Well, the same argument you made above could also be made for nicotine or alcohol. If what you said was accurate, the use of alcohol should have created the same effect. If it did, then one can ask why alcohol legal why marijuana remains illegal is. You can't argue that marijuana should remain illegal while studies have proved its side effects to be minuscule compare to alcohol. You would have to compare the side effects and determine from this stand point which one is worst than the other. It is obvious the reason why marijuana is illegal has nothing to do with its side effect because if it was many pharmaceutical drugs would have been removed from the shelves of pharmacies.
mdawson17, I guess you don't know any pot users. Marijuana makes people more peaceful and it's not physically addicting. I have been aroung heavy pot users all my life, I smoke occasionaly and I've known plenty of heroin users. It's quite easy to tell an addict from a pot head. I'm sure you would be surprised to find out that marijuana is actually the most harmless psycoactive substance known to man. Also, it's not up to us to decide what marijuana might do to people. No one needs to ask permission to grow a God given herb that can help them to either feel better, ease their sickness or make nontoxic products like paper, plastic, clothing and building materials. The marijuana prohibition is an obvious violation of individual rights to security and personal religious beliefs. The only reason why we debate this is because we are so used to the government ignoring the Constitution that we ourselves forget to allow eachother to be free. Prohibition has always been a crime against the people and ending it will actually begin a wave of reviving constitutional law across the board. http://www.nycamp.org
AMEN - MDDAWSON, I should really add the prefix MD before your name - because really, you truly know what you're talking about. And you right - I don't know that many pot head and I myself don’t smoke marijuana. So in that sense, you do relatively have a better experience with the herb than I do. The government wants us to believe that it's dangerous to us and as I indicated in my article, the reason is always because of profit. They are studies that have shown the herb to produce side effect that can make the user delusional but how true that is, I don’t know.
All I can say if cigarettes, which kills people who don't even smoke, can be legal I can't see the whole danger clause people apply with marijuana being logical. Besides if pot was legal it would help a lot of economies of some developing countries in South America and Africa by giving them a crop they could export to the states. Of course like Chris Rock has said, that's probably why it isn't legal. Some people tend to mix up what your laws are suppose to do which is prevent your society from collapsing on itself, not eliminating having experiences. If anyone can really give a good logical explanation on how smoking marijuana causes society to collapse I'll probably change my stance, but note it has to be MARIJUANA ONLY NOT MARIJUANA LACED WITH PCP OR COKE. If you're going to go there then you might as well say outlaw cigarettes with their nicotine and tar add ins.
Yes it should the only reason it isn't because the government can't make profit off it. Plus tobacco is a million times worse and they say weed is harmful 3 people in 30 years died from weed counting for the millions that die from tobacco each year.
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Not every one who support the legalization of marijuana are pot head by the way. And even if they were, they wouldn't be anything wrong with it.
Ras'pect
Nice hub...very well thought out! I say legalize it. The burden it would lift off of the prison system alone would be worth it!
OF COURSE it should be legal! It's effects are not as destructive as alcohol (by a LONGSHOT) and EVERYONE smokes it. People are going to get high, I mean, if we found out that huffing water got us high AND had no negative side-effects, they would outlaw water in a heartbeat.
What a cruel world.
No, it definitely should NOT become legal and here is why: http://stop-smoking-weed.org
I have mixed feelings on the topic, but I now think legalization would be the best course of action. It was legal in Alaska until the 90s and never lead to serious problems. Pot is less harmful than booze and criminalizing it just makes more crime. If the money spend on enforcing those laws went to something more useful....
the thing that we need to do is not leagleiz we need to fight for decrimanalizing not the other the bigest thing that the gov whants is control if we still let them controll pot meaning taxes and how we purches age of use and all the same laws of alchol we need to comp with them we all talk about nonpartisen politics but are not willing to practice what we preach if we work with them they will be more willing to work with us and this is coming from a republican pot user
it didnt fit the whole paper. so if you could delete the comment that would be great :) and just check out my hub, i posted it there. the name is Nick Pfister.
title - Our Only Hope, Legalize marijuana
Thanks for your comment Nick - your wish is my commad.
Ladies and Gents please check Nick's paper on the hope of legalize marijuana.
Everytime a America initiates a war on something, they ultimately do more harm than good.
The war on terror, war on crime and the war on drugs only makes us less safe and increases crime.
I have never done a drug in my life, but I can see legalization as a more beneficial option.
Alas, it is too difficult to regulate. Every Tom, Dick and Harry can grow that stuff in their home. Perhaps the Federal government could require licenses for those who wish to grow it in their home (as they do with alcohol).
I'm all for legalizing. I have trouble sleeping at night and marijuana helps me sleep. I have been told that it is just in my head or that i am dependent on marijuana, but the truth is nothing helped me fall asleep before marijuana. Peace and Pot!
If entire civilizations can live off of it then why not us? Look there have been studies done on marijuana for the last 50 to 60 years. There is not one solid shred of evidence of the stuff causing cancer, yet there are several out there that show some of the ingredience can shrink tumors as well as be good for the body. So my question is how can a substance cause and cure cancer all at the same time? Wouldn't it cancel itself out? The only reason why hemp is illegal is because this one substance could replace so many products that those in power would lose money in what they have invested in. We can create burning fuels that burn absolutly clean emissions, we could replace every single plastic container thus ridding our problem of harmful toxins in our containers for food AND stopping the pollutions that plastic causes all over the world because hemp is biodegradable, we could quit using trees for a number of products like lumber and paper( once made from hemp and much stronger than what we have now), we can make clothing, produce more oxygen than trees and yes might even have a cure for cancer. All this and much much more from one single plant. Seems clueless not to legalize it if you ask me. P.S. FACT: the majority of pot smokers out there have never tried any other drug except pot, some don't even smoke cigarettes or drink, and have never had any problem walking away from it. the true gateway drug is the almighty Marlboro, the most addictive drug on the planet is nicotine and kills more people than any other drug combined so quit lying to our children about it and get educated.
Well...I've gone to parties when I was younger and the alcohol most always gets heated arguments or fist fights going. Never a fight at a pot friendly party. My husband had a heart attack and went to an emergency room. The cardiologist asked if he smoked. He said "Only pot." The dr. said "You old guys smoking pot are the most healthy I've seen. But I woudl suggest to eat brownies instead of the smoke. By the way, it's not a heart attack but just a bad case of GAS!"
Keep up your most enlightning hubs cool baby!
LEGALIZE IT because smoking bud is the best thing every, not just to get high but to have fun relax and enjoy awesome sex!! Keep
blazing and maybe we might change their minds
Just because a group of people did not like that cannabis was taking a little money out of their pocket, they decided to get everyone hooked on tobacco instead and completely slander Marijuana with false facts and racist opinions. I am sure everyone agrees with me when i say the birth of Aslinger was one of the worst events that america could ever face.
Classic argument. Still relevant, still logical. And I'm still completely for legalization
C. C. Riter 3 years ago
"Scientists are high on idea that marijuana reduces memory impairment" i wonder if that pun was intetional? LOL I have hemp rope, hmmm amybe I should whack off some and try smoking some. I was a ubiquitous weed at one time and the man in charge of its eradication was forlorn to see it as far as the eye could see along the Potomac River in DC. He said it was an impossible feat nd he didn't want a thing to do with it. Powers that be soon interend and changed his thinking putting the scare of Mexicans high on pot into his mind along with many other Americans. It was felt that the blacks who smoked it were bad enough but the threat of Mexicans high on that wicked dope on the weekends was just too much.
I feel it was a mistake and it needs corrected. thanks for a good subject and great hub