Pubdate: Fri, 01 May 2015
Source: Observer, The (CN SN)
Copyright: 2015 Carlyle Observer
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/GIuYUc1y
Website: http://www.carlyleobserver.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2915
Author: Kelly Running

Seeing things differently ...

SHOULD MARIJUANA BE LEGALIZED?

The other day as I scrolled through my Facebook the usual
advertisements popped up, but I also saw numerous references to 420,
April 20. Now I'm not sure how that time/day was chosen, but similar
to people drinking and saying, "It's five o'clock somewhere," a 420
culture has developed surrounding marijuana.

This sparked our topic of debate this week, should marijuana be
legalized?

As I began researching the topic it became evident that a lot of money
surrounds the production and sale of it. According to one article I
came across, cannabis is actually the largest cash crop in the United
States. If it were legalized more people could benefit from the
production of marijuana and hemp. Although the article said that
Canada and some European countries have developed industrial hemp
production it could further be used in numerous other forms including
use as bio-fuel. It would also allow for the diversification of crops
grown allowing farmers to have a wider range of produce. Currently it
is a specialty crop in Canada.

Legalizing marijuana would allow more farmers to cultivate hemp and
the whole of the industry, both currently legal and illegal, could be
taxed by the government. This money could be used for a variety of
programs or initiatives in our country.

If worried about growing the crop, I think marijuana would lose its
novelty of being grown quickly. Did you know that Tasmania, Australia,
is the world's largest producer of opium for pharmaceutics? That's
right growing poppy is a part of their economy. Opium is a much
stronger drug, but although the white crops speckle the countryside,
the only story I heard while there about something getting into the
crop that shouldn't be was a wallaby. Apparently it just spun circles
for awhile, had a nap, and continued along with its day.

Obviously there would be the few that would go out and try to steal
some, but ultimately that is criminally punishable as theft if
marijuana were to be legalized, while the act of trespassing is also
punishable.

If legal, then arrests for marijuana wouldn't be of concern, and
policing can focus on more serious matters. There are also the costs
associated with the entire legal system and going through the court
systems=C2=85 It's really taking time from police, lawyers, and clogging 
up
the legal system.

Through researching this topic I discovered that studies show alcohol,
which is legal, causes more issues than weed. It's been measured that
marijuana's toxicity level to humans is minimal when compared to
alcohol and tobacco products. Marijuana overdoses are, according to
the study I was reading, nearly impossible.

Marijuana also has proven medicinal properties. Medical marijuana
provides relief from pain, nausea, and many other symptoms with very
few side effects. Different strains of marijuana can also come with
different levels of THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol), this is the part of
the plant which induces the "high" associated with smoking cannabis.
By breeding the plants in certain ways marijuana can be made in
different potencies for different prescriptions needed.

The ability to make different potencies actually means that if
legalized the government could put restrictions on this aspect of
legal marijuana for recreational use as well. The same way that there
are limits put on the food industry for how much trans fat is allowed
in a product.
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MAP posted-by: Matt