It’s one of the most controversial substances we, as a
country, are faced with. The same substance that lands struggling U.S. citizens
in jail and supports devious underground crime rings can also be used to
produce thousands of other products in a manner that is both economically and
environmentally friendly. This substance has also been proven to aid in
patients dealing with cancer and has been deemed no more harmful to the human
body than alcohol or cigarettes. The legalization of marijuana is a pressing
and contentious issue, but its benefits would surely outweigh any of its flaws.
Living in a country burdened with a painfully depriving
economic situation, I believe that the legalization of marijuana would provide
the U.S. with incredible benefits. Because the
substance is illegal, prices are extremely high and without any police
involvement, the drug rings in charge of distribution are free to do business
as they please. If legalized, marijuana will be sold at a much lower price, discouraging
habitual users from resorting to stealing. This will also provide the
government with the opportunity to tax this product as they do cigarettes and alcohol,
and its taxation will likely generate a colossal amount of revenue to greatly
strengthen our economic situation.
Government involvement would help to significantly cut back
on the crime rings that traffic the drug into this country. With open
competition and lowered prices as their opponent, drug cartels would
essentially lose all of their business. Government regulation would also allow
for the drug to be distributed through a safe and clean operation that would
provide a greatly reduced risk to consumers. With crimes involving marijuana
becoming minimized in the legal system, the energy and focus of law figures
such as police officers, judges, juries and lawyers would move on to tackle
much more serious crimes, such as rape and terrorism. This freeing of space in
the American justice system would also help to speed up the wait time for more severe
court cases.
In addition to all of the benefits listed above, one of the
most powerful components of this substance is its versatility as an alternative
resource. The material can be used as an environmentally friendly and
economically sound substitute for making construction material to build homes,
thermal insulation, stronger paper, clothing and around 25,000 other products. Dating
back to the 1930’s, businesses had been referring to marijuana as the “new
billion dollar crop” for its powerful resourcefulness. And yet, previous legal
restraints courtesy of the U.S. government never allowed for this product to
flourish.
Our government currently allows a natural substance that
would provide financially friendly and greener alternatives to resources to
remain illegal. With the substances providing such immense benefits to our
government, it almost seems contradictory to keep such a hidden jewel banned
from our lives. In a time where our country needs to now, more than ever, become
inventive in healing our economic wounds and leading the way in the quest for
an environmentally healthy world, I believe we need to deny our past misguided notions
towards marijuana and embrace the bountiful gift we have laying at our feet.
I agree with your stance entirely. I think that the legalization of marijuana's benefits would surely outweigh possible flaws. In our current economic situation, I think that it would be quite helpful to legalize marijuana. If we recognize the possibilities after legalizing marijuana, we could take huge advantage of many opportunities.
ReplyDeleteWith the end of Prohibition, there were a lot of people facing the unemployment line. They looked around for something to replace the Demon Rum, and came up with Reefer Madness. They got funding from all the industries that would have been harmed by a "billion dollar crop" from hemp.
ReplyDeleteThere are a lot of vested interests that find it profitable to maintain the current status quo. Some states are attempting to fight back. It'll be interesting to see if it causes a second Civil War to break out. Consider what would happen if the governor of California called out the state National Guard to defend pot growers and dispensaries from the DEA. And then a Republican President attempted to nationalize the Guard (like Kennedy did in 1962) -- but the Guard refused...
Redmen- This is the first argument in favor of the legalization of marijuana that has really convinced me. I am so impressed! Personally, I am very much against marijuana in any form or under any circumstance, but you presented it in such a beneficial way by bringing in government involvement and taxes. A similar argument can be made for the legalization of prostitution - taxing the heck out of it and regulating it. Because, at the end of the day we aren't going to stop people from selling themselves or smoking marijuana. The smart thing to do is turn the negative behavior into the governments control and profit from it - they may as well, right? One point that you brought up that I haven't heard before (and really liked) was how it can help the judicial system by unclogging the courts. Great point! I am pretty firm in my opinion of marijuana just bad - but you have opened my eyes to a new perspective. Perhaps I should re-evaluate my stance.
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