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Legalize It
Pubdate: Wed, 21 Oct 2009
Source: Bottom Line (Frostburg State University, MD, Edu)
Column: Always Fair, Never Balanced
Contact: http://www.thebottomlineonline.org/home/lettertotheeditor/
Copyright: 2009 The Bottom Line
Website: http://www.thebottomlineonline.org/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/5088
Author: Fabion Seaton
LEGALIZE IT
Why is marijuana illegal? I have been asking myself this for years,
and I still cannot find an answer.
They say, "It's bad for you," but cigarettes are still legal, so that
cannot be the reason. They say, "it would just make driving more
dangerous," but we allow people to drive while drunk as long as they
are below the legal limit. I do not buy any of the justifications that
people give me for marijuana prohibition. There are more benefits to
marijuana legalization than there are detriments.
First, marijuana provides the government with another taxable revenue
stream. Both federal and state governments could impose taxes on
marijuana in order to generate income in this down economy.
According to the CDC, 6.0% of Americans over 12 years has used
marijuana in the last year. Although that number pales in comparison
to the 25 percent of American males who smoke cigarettes, it is still
sizable enough to provide revenue for a government that is currently
strapped for cash.
Second, regulation is safer for America's children than prohibition.
When the government regulates marijuana usage, they have control over
several things.
1. They have control over age limits for usage. If
marijuana was treated in the same fashion that we treat alcohol, less
children would use it, because it would be harder to acquire.
2. They have control over the potency of the marijuana.
Marijuana is getting more potent yearly; The Washington Post said that
locally grown marijuana is sometimes two or three times more potent
that imported cartel-supplied marijuana.
3. There would no longer be a black market for marijuana, so the
associate crimes would decrease.
Since there would no longer be a profit in illicit marijuana
distribution, the dastardly evil-doers who flock to weed farms would
no longer have an incentive to continue their criminal
enterprises.
Third, it would curb prison overpopulation. The fact that there are
American citizens in prison for non-violent possession offenses is
disgusting. When was the last time you met a violent pothead? Potheads
are mellow, sometimes lazy, and always relaxed. It is also illogical.
Take this anecdote as an example: Joe is an average Joe Pothead. Joe
was arrested one day for possession. Due to the draconian drug laws,
Joe was sent to prison with hardened criminals. Keep in mind that Joe
had never committed a violent crime before in his life. His crimes
were victimless. Looking at Joe's story, how could anyone expect him
to leave prison better than he started? Joe will leave prison a worse
person than he began.
Our government is taking nonviolent criminals and placing them in
close proximity with people who have an almost encyclopedic knowledge
of crime. We are creating our own problems.
Although that logic was a stretch, it is not without merit. It makes
no sense to place nonviolent criminals in prison. Who benefits? They
do not benefit from it, nor do the taxpayers, nor does society.
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