The legalization of marijuana has been blown way out of proportion in the last few decades.
Think about all the parents, professors and leaders of this country. They all grew up in an age that was pretty “groovy” and “psychedelic,” but most of them turned out just fine.
Today, marijuana is viewed as being addictive, dangerous and a gateway to harder drugs.Yet on Tuesday, Colorado and Washington residents became the first two states to legalize marijuana for recreational use.
The issue seemed to be overlooked this year, but that is probably because American’s as a whole were more concerned with the economy, health care and the national debt.
However, it did not fly under the radar for many young Americans voting for the first time, who definitely exercised their opinion that the legalization of marijuana should not be a big deal.
With more young people voicing their opinions, the old fashioned, conservative and elderly citizens are getting outnumbered.
Behind alcohol and tobacco – both legal in the United States – marijuana is the third most popular recreational drug.
Instead of refusing to acknowledge this fact, our laws should reflect this reality, because marijuana is less dangerous than alcohol or tobacco.
With the prohibition of marijuana, it is costing the government billions of dollars which could be used elsewhere. These costs include the campaigns and propaganda used against marijuana, law enforcement and the prosecution of lawbreakers.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 37,000 deaths are caused from alcohol each year in the U.S.
Alcohol is one of the most toxic drugs, and can lead to death from overdose.
Marijuana on the other hand is not nearly as toxic and would take a thousand times the dose to have the same effect to kill someone. To this day, there is no report of someone dying from marijuana overdose.
Violent crimes can often be initiated through the consumption of alcohol. Instead of being aggressive, marijuana has the opposite effect. After smoking marijuana, users often feel more relaxed, happy and enjoy whatever situation they are in, whether it is a movie, party or concert.
Unlike alcohol, which is just for recreational use, marijuana has actually been documented as a helpful drug when used for medical purposes. It can be used as a natural medicine that is safe and can help people suffering from several diseases. That is why 18 of the 50 states have legalized the use of medical marijuana.
The prohibition of alcohol can be closely compared with what the U.S. is dealing with now. Although the consumption of alcohol was never illegal, in the coming years, marijuana will follow and be legalized. Our children will never remember a time when smoking was not legal.
The U.S. is known for fighting the “war on drugs,” but many countries in Europe have strayed from this approach, and instead see it as a health issue rather than a criminal one.
If our country viewed marijuana this way, it would make a lot more sense and save money.
It is only a matter of time before the rest of America realizes that the legalization of marijuana will actually do more good for our country than the bad it is doing now.
With the huge step that Colorado and Washington took, they voted to regulate the production, possession, distribution and recreational use of marijuana for people 21 and older.
Marijuana use should not be a crime.
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