Ok Pot.com

by Sunfrog1

Legalized Marijuana?

According to government estimates, there are about twenty-eight million regular users of marijuana in the United States.  Although marijuana is illegal in most countries, it is the most commonly used drug of choice for many people.  Marijuana use has become so widespread that motions to legalize and regulate the substance have gained traction and popular support from many people.  Here are some of the pros and cons of legalizing marijuana.

Practically all advocates of legalized marijuana agree there should be some regulation of the drug due to its hazardous nature.  Many people compare marijuana to tobacco and alcohol and advise similar restrictions as those substances.  Others suggest even stronger taxation and regulation by the medical industry will limit marijuana’s usage to “medical purposes”.  There are several states, such as Montana that already have passed or are considering rescinding restrictions against marijuana.

Opponents of legalized marijuana point out that in 2004 when Montana passed the law legalizing “medicinal marijuana” there were “119 approved patients on the state’s medical marijuana registry.”  Today, there are 11,000.  This drastic increase, 3,000 of which is just since January of 2010, buttresses the serious concerns of individuals who are concerned that legalizing marijuana, even for medicinal use will only increase the amount of people dependent on the substance.

Supporters of marijuana counter that it is not an addictive substance.  Listverse recently declared that “there is nothing in cannabis (marijuana) which causes physical dependence.”  However the National Institute of Drug Abuse disagrees and states that marijuana can be the cause of “heart irregularities, lung problems and addiction.”

One of the most commonly used arguments for legalizing marijuana isn’t the medicinal value.  Surprisingly it is a simple economic argument.  This argument says that marijuana should be legalized “so it will reduce the workload of police who can concentrate on other crimes, and it could also provide many jobs that currently don’t exist by creating an industry of commercial growers and producers.”  The idea of legalizing marijuana so it can be taxed and controlled is a very appealing solution to many lawmakers struggling to balance budgets.  California introduced a bill in 2009 that would place a tax on marijuana growers, wholesalers, and retailers.  The bill would add an estimated 13 billion dollars a year to the state’s coffers.  This has turned into the “Tax Cannabis 2010 Initiative” that may go on the ballot this year if enough signatures are collected.  The question remains though, is controlling and taxing marijuana the best solution?  Should marijuana be legalized?

Think of what gambling did for Las Vegas. Or the tourist industry in Amsterdam. Why don’t some of the po-dunk states capitalize on this?
Small as in population, you know. Actual people as opposed to desolate wasteland.

What do you think the best plan is to get pot legalized? What’s something everyday people can do to help?
I don’t smoke it.

Getting arrested won’t help. The idea is to decriminalize it. And we have to do that in the minds of Americans before we can do it in the courts. How?
It’s better to try and change a corrupt system than flee from it, otherwise there will come a time when there is no sanctuary left.