The Saga of American Civil Rights Violations
In the mid 20th century marijuana was illegalized. Not because of it's effects, but because of the tobacco company's greed. Don't get me wrong, I love my RJ Reynolds products, but the tobacco industry's greed knows no bounds. When marijuana started to become a popular thing, the tobacco industry saw it as a threat to thier profits. They used thier money and power to force the legislature to criminalize it. If marijuana was illegal because of it's effects, tobacco and alcohol would also be criminal. Marijuana is truthfully no worse for you then having a few shots of jager and a cigarette. Of course, it impairs you ability to operate a vehicle by most standards, but so does alcohol. Marijuana, no matter what you hear, is not addictive. I smoked for marijuana for many years and quit it in a day. I just outgrew it. Tobacco, however, I cannot quit.
So, having said that, here are the reasons marijuana should be legal.
1) Illegal marijuana is a civil rights violation. What one does in the privacy of his own home is his own business, as long as it brings no harm to another. Those who choose to smoke should not be criminally prosecuted.
2) Legalized marijuana would keep it off the drug trade market, thus keeping it totally seperate from harder, more dangerous and addictive drugs. This would turn it from a gateway drug to a terminus drug.
3) A very large percentage of prison inmates are in for marijuana related offenses. Not only would legal marijuana allow these wrongly convicted criminals to go back to thier lives, but relieve alot of tax dollars spent in the prison system.
4) Legal marijuana would be highly taxable. This would highly increase state tax revenues, easing taxes off non marijuana smokers. The tax on marijuana could bring millions of extra dollars to the state.
5) Marijuana has some very powerful healing powers. It is a very good medication for a great many diseases such as AIDs, glaucoma, arthritis, and terminal cancer. This medication is not allowed to many sufferers in states in which it is fully illegal even for medical uses. This is an injustice for all those who could be using it to heal or overcome a disease.
Those are the five biggest reasons I can think of off hand, and I'm sure theres several more. Ways to implement legalization is outlined by the Marijuana Reform Party of NY, or the MRP. Some ways they suggest are to have similar laws to that of alcohol. It would be possible to buy small amounts of marijuana in licensed shops and legal to carry in small amounts as well. It would be illegal to drive under the influence of marijuana or to smoke it in public. Legal marijuana helps everyone, smoker and non smoker alike. It would help lower taxes and lower crime among other things. If you are a New York state resident 18 years of age or older, check out the MRP website and maybe register to vote as an MRP member. Thier website is http://www.marijuanareform.org/index.php.
So, having said that, here are the reasons marijuana should be legal.
1) Illegal marijuana is a civil rights violation. What one does in the privacy of his own home is his own business, as long as it brings no harm to another. Those who choose to smoke should not be criminally prosecuted.
2) Legalized marijuana would keep it off the drug trade market, thus keeping it totally seperate from harder, more dangerous and addictive drugs. This would turn it from a gateway drug to a terminus drug.
3) A very large percentage of prison inmates are in for marijuana related offenses. Not only would legal marijuana allow these wrongly convicted criminals to go back to thier lives, but relieve alot of tax dollars spent in the prison system.
4) Legal marijuana would be highly taxable. This would highly increase state tax revenues, easing taxes off non marijuana smokers. The tax on marijuana could bring millions of extra dollars to the state.
5) Marijuana has some very powerful healing powers. It is a very good medication for a great many diseases such as AIDs, glaucoma, arthritis, and terminal cancer. This medication is not allowed to many sufferers in states in which it is fully illegal even for medical uses. This is an injustice for all those who could be using it to heal or overcome a disease.
Those are the five biggest reasons I can think of off hand, and I'm sure theres several more. Ways to implement legalization is outlined by the Marijuana Reform Party of NY, or the MRP. Some ways they suggest are to have similar laws to that of alcohol. It would be possible to buy small amounts of marijuana in licensed shops and legal to carry in small amounts as well. It would be illegal to drive under the influence of marijuana or to smoke it in public. Legal marijuana helps everyone, smoker and non smoker alike. It would help lower taxes and lower crime among other things. If you are a New York state resident 18 years of age or older, check out the MRP website and maybe register to vote as an MRP member. Thier website is http://www.marijuanareform.org/index.php.