cannabisnews.com: Marijuana Legalization Would Help Society





Marijuana Legalization Would Help Society
Posted by CN Staff on April 08, 2005 at 06:57:58 PT
By S. Kyle Pauly
Source: Badger Herald
Wisconsin -- Madison has seen a lot in its time: crazy Halloween nights, champion football teams, protests up the wazoo, the Mifflin block party and homeless by the hundreds. The list could continue infinitely, but I bet one thing you’d thought it would never see was a conservative lobbying for the legalization of marijuana.What has the world come to?
While I’ve been repeatedly reminded by liberals on campus of how stupid and completely incompetent my viewpoints are, I realize here I’ll be bashed from both sides. However, I honestly feel this is an issue which our government has been idle on for far too long, so I’m going to let my ego take a hit. For the record, I don’t smoke, so this isn’t coming your way because I want an easier time while getting high.I’m sure we’ve all heard the reports: marijuana is no more detrimental than cigarettes or alcohol; in fact it is not even addictive. Yet beyond the glaring hypocrisy of its illegality in comparison to cigarettes and alcohol, marijuana could not only let the stoners peacefully get high, it could also be of service to society.Yes, that’s correct — legalizing marijuana could improve our society. Doctors have long been arguing for the allowance of marijuana, at least in a medical setting, as it has been shown to reduce the pain associated with numerous diseases as well as lessening the nausea associated with chemotherapy.Beyond the hospital, marijuana could serve as a pot of gold for our nation’s debt. Californians seem to really enjoy their Mary Jane, and not wanting to have to hide their “criminal” ways there has been the greatest push in California for the legalization of marijuana. Yet, behind the dreadlocks, marijuana-leaf patches and all other stereotypical markings stands some pretty compelling data. It was found that legalizing marijuana would save “over $156 million in law enforcement costs for arrest, prosecution, trial and imprisonment of marijuana offenders.” Also taxing marijuana at $1 per joint and marketing it in a way very similar to alcohol could bring in between $8 and $13 billion per year, according to a report by the State Office of Narcotics and Drug Abuse to the California Legislature.Furthermore, surely the government can’t prohibit marijuana solely on the basis of safety. Cigarettes kill 440,000 Americans every year, and we are all well aware of the dangers of alcohol. If it were legalized, strict laws would have to be enforced, just as with alcohol and cigarettes.Plenty of people now are lighting up and very rarely do you hear of problems created by these light-headed folk.While many stereotypes surround the use of marijuana, there are plenty of people who smoke regularly and don’t fit into such simple characterizations. Walk down State Street on any given day and you’ll likely smell that distinct aroma. There are numerous law-breaking citizens in Madison who should be jailed, fined or both according to current laws, but many of these people are productive members of society. They’re students, doctors, legislators and — dare I even suggest it — policemen. They come from all walks of life and, in the eyes of our government, are criminals.It is time to legalize marijuana. The prospective economic gain is too great to pass up. Why not let Walgreens employees monitor the distribution and content of marijuana instead of dealers on street corners? Not only would the economy benefit, but the risk associated with laced marijuana would subside.Will legalizing marijuana really change the dynamics of our country? No. The liberals will all keep doing what they’re doing, anyway. And who knows? Maybe a few conservatives could light up, and we could all just get along.S. Kyle Pauly -- spauly badgerherald.com -- is a pre-med sophomore majoring in biology.Newshawk: MayanSource: Badger Herald (Edu, Madison, WI)Author: S. Kyle PaulyPublished: Friday, April 8, 2005Copyright: 2005 Badger HeraldContact: editor badgerherald.comWebsite: http://www.badgerherald.com/Related Articles:Dowland Wants Marijuana Legalizedhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20313.shtmlLegalize Marijuana, But Not So I Can Smoke Ithttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread20201.shtml
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on April 08, 2005 at 14:34:00 PT
Another Good Article
Thank You S. Kyle Pauly!***For Entertainment Purposes OnlyFor me this is a great way to wrap up the week. I sure appreciate Rust Radio.http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/rust/message/123294
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