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Legalize It, Don't Criticize It

Page history last edited by April Sopczak 13 years, 4 months ago

Yes on 19

 

The other day, as I passed the flock attending Bill Clinton’s appearance, I stumbled across a little-old lady requesting signatures for a petition. The petition was to put a proposition on the ballot to possibly legalize the use of medicinal marijuana. I really tried to stifle a laugh when she approached me, the best I could do was grin uncontrollably while I signed away. I offered her some advice to further her cause by taking the petition booth to Eckerd College a few miles down the road (ranked number two in the Reefer Madness survey conducted every year). Later, as I continued to my psych class, I kind of mulled over what had just happened and grew both sad and angry. I was sad because this poor woman was fighting for something most of us take for granted every day: her well being. She sought relief from pain, caused by whatever reason (glaucoma, kimo therapy, rheumatoid arthritis, what have you). This wasn’t a 20 something year old fighting for a cause hoping to pave the way for legalization. Immediately after feeling sorry for this woman I became immediately infuriated that in a country that preaches individual Liberty, The Pursuit of Happiness, and was founded on anti-big government sentiments can deprive this woman of her medication. Let’s not be fooled here, she sought MEDICATION, not the desire to get high for kicks. This little encounter encouraged me to take a look at some of the pros and cons of marijuana usage and evaluate the decision by our government make the substance illegal.

Cons:

Ø  Many people who believe the substance should remain illegal believe that if we do legalize marijuana we would be sending a message to kids that doing drugs is OK. ( This is already reflected in the pill industry. Many adolescents and young teens are abusing this pill industry, and many are dying because of the lax  medical legalization of pills. Although, in my opinion pills do a lot more damage than marijuana. Better chance of addiction, and a bigger impact is done on the physical and mental body of pill abusers than do marijuana abusers. )

Ø  The belief that the State has a need to protect the health of the people and do whatever is in their best interest. 

Ø  The fact that, and I quote, “A good-chunk of the population finds it immoral.”

Ø  The belief that marijuana is used as a stepping stone to more harmful drugs (i.e. the Gateway Drug effect).

Ø  The belief that legalization would make marijuana more available to the young.

Ø  The belief that legalization would attract more consumers instead of lowering the demand.

Ø  Some believe that a dealer of marijuana will sell to children, despite regulations, because they will do anything to make a buck.

Ø  The belief that marijuana is an addictive drug and “robs” people of the ability to make an informed decision and hence eliminating their “free will”

Ø  The impact of drug use on society as a whole i.e. increased healthcare costs, driving under the influence, violence associated with drug use/distribution, clean-air acts, child neglect, and other third party effects

Ø  The belief that marijuana has no medicinal use

Ø  The negative effects marijuana has on cognitive abilities.

Pros:

Ø  The amount of income from sales tax on marijuana could assist in the stabilizing of the economy.

Ø  Crime associated with the smuggling and illegal distribution would fall, due to the lack of demand of the product from shady gangs and dangerous cartels.

Ø  The fact that marijuana offers relief to people suffering from many different health problems i.e. eating disorders, glaucoma, rheumatoid arthritis, etc.

Ø  The belief that if marijuana is legalized, demand for the product will decrease because of the vanquishing of the taboo of smoking marijuana. (We can see that this holds true in countries that have already moved to legalization: Portugal, Amsterdam, etc).

Ø  The fact that legal prohibition does not decrease the demand, which it has actual increased steadily even though the costly War on Drugs has been waging on.

Ø  Lowering of the cost of the product and thus leading to less drastic measures to obtain it.

Ø  The fact that products that are proven to be highly addictive and unhealthy are readily accepted in society (alcohol, sugar, tobacco etc.)

Ø  The belief that in a democracy it should be a personal choice for an individual to have the freedom to make in their own lives and prohibition of such a demanded product just further constitutes the illusion that is our freedom.

Ø  Obesity and heart disease are the leading killers and sources for health disorders in this country, but the idea of banning fast food or limiting how much a citizen can consume seems down-right communist.

Ø  Through legalization, corruption in the government can be lowered and the racket run by charging and prosecuting misdemeanor offenders can be eliminated.

 

This list is rather concise and touches on some of the popular pros and cons. If you would like to do more research I’m certain you can find articles upon articles on this topic. Form an opinion, take a stance, and fight for what you believe is right.

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