Thursday, July 16, 2009

Legalize Marijuana


California is a state whose economy seems to be headed straight for the toilet (if it's not there already.) The state is billions and billions of dollars in debt. Unemployment there is one of the highest in the country (over 10%). Rents are out of control, and many of us have left or are leaving the state to find better opportunities. California needs something to get it back on its feet.

So some democratic politicians came up with an idea: legalize marijuana.
(see story here: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090716/ap_on_re_us/us_marijuana_taxes)

I think this is a great idea, but why stop at California? Legalize it in every state (although I doubt that will happen.)

If California can make an estimated 1.4 billion dollars by legalizing marijuana, I say go for it. Arnold "Governator" Schwarzenegger wants to cut pretty much every service available to poor and low-income residents to pay of the states debt. Why do that? Why should those people suffer for something they had nothing to do with? Did the poor contribute to the housing crisis? Hell no. They can't even afford a house. So why punish them for this? Find other ways to make money, like legalizing pot.

Cigarettes are legal, and in my opinion, a lot more dangerous and addictive than marijuana. Alcohol is legal too, and is just as bad. Marijuana, on the other hand, has often been used as a medicinal drug and has proven very beneficial for those people suffering with cancer.

Also, think about how much money will be saved in the legal system. No more prosecuting people for petty drug crimes like possession of marijuana.

If this country wants to bring itself back from the financial abyss that we're in, and be a more progressive, forward thinking nation, we should implement this as soon as possible.

And no, I don't support it because I'm some stoner pot smoker. I only tried it once, many many years ago, and all I can remember from it was getting a sore throat.

2 comments:

  1. I agree Ken. It should have been legalized a long time ago.

    The one concern I have, and this is not a reason not to legalize it, is what happens when the drug lords in Mexico and the USA have no market for their marijuana anymore? Will they go legitimate? Maybe so, if they are growing and harvesting it.

    But I was worried about the existing drug wars down near and at the border getting bigger.

    I cannot imagine. It'll be interesting to see it if they do legalize it.

    It's silly that it hasn't been legal, and it'd be a help to California to legalize it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Mary Jane is illegal because God does not want a bunch of stoners soiling his America.

    ReplyDelete