There are several medical uses, ranging from seizure prevention to pain relief to diet help for cancer patients. The newest research is being conducted on PTSD patients, and it seems to be a promising lead, although more research is needed. Based on the medicinal aspect, marijuana should be at minimum treated like controlled medication prescribed by doctors and regulated by the FDA for purity and efficacy.
In terms of harm, its non-toxic and you cannot overdose. Its not as biologically detrimental as cigarettes (perhaps only due to quantity, no one smokes 20 joints a day), and cigarettes are a massive industry here. It is not physically addictive like nicotine is. Consenting adults can decide for themselves if they'd like to put nicotine into their own bodies. Cannabis has not been linked to cancer like tobacco has. Based on that, it should be treated like a normal consumer good.
You also need to consider the cost of enforcing prohibition. How many educated, productive citizens are in jail because of the current marijuana laws? What does this do to the ability to enforce other, more serious violent crimes that actually have victims? It costs more to imprison a person than to send them to an Ivy League school, per year.
I'll stop with the black market aspect. Currently there are major cartels and organizations that import this drug along with harder drugs across our borders. This obviously brings deadly violence and associated crime, and funnels large amount of money into their coffers. Colorado is a shining example of replacing the black market with small businesses, and that state has not fallen apart into anarchy, in fact they tax it heavily and use the proceeds for things like education.
Look back at the original reasons for cannabis prohibition and ask if they are still valid today (or if they ever were).
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Totally OK with it. And I don't even smoke it.
I'm for it and I think it would benefit society.
I'm going to leave my personal opinion out of it.
There are several medical uses, ranging from seizure prevention to pain relief to diet help for cancer patients. The newest research is being conducted on PTSD patients, and it seems to be a promising lead, although more research is needed. Based on the medicinal aspect, marijuana should be at minimum treated like controlled medication prescribed by doctors and regulated by the FDA for purity and efficacy.
In terms of harm, its non-toxic and you cannot overdose. Its not as biologically detrimental as cigarettes (perhaps only due to quantity, no one smokes 20 joints a day), and cigarettes are a massive industry here. It is not physically addictive like nicotine is. Consenting adults can decide for themselves if they'd like to put nicotine into their own bodies. Cannabis has not been linked to cancer like tobacco has. Based on that, it should be treated like a normal consumer good.
You also need to consider the cost of enforcing prohibition. How many educated, productive citizens are in jail because of the current marijuana laws? What does this do to the ability to enforce other, more serious violent crimes that actually have victims? It costs more to imprison a person than to send them to an Ivy League school, per year.
I'll stop with the black market aspect. Currently there are major cartels and organizations that import this drug along with harder drugs across our borders. This obviously brings deadly violence and associated crime, and funnels large amount of money into their coffers. Colorado is a shining example of replacing the black market with small businesses, and that state has not fallen apart into anarchy, in fact they tax it heavily and use the proceeds for things like education.
Look back at the original reasons for cannabis prohibition and ask if they are still valid today (or if they ever were).