Marijuana never killed nobody. It is innocent of all violent crime. Actually it has a horde of medical benefits science is discovering near daily. It helps cancer patients, stops seizures. It literally treats insomnia, appetite problems, pain, anxiety, even depression. Most other common symptoms and daily signs of run down too, so why is weed still illegal? Wait, is it? Depends where you live, truthfully.
California legalized cannabis for every reason back in 2016. You can even find a weed shop online. Colorado earlier. Today weed is legal most everywhere medicinally, recreationally, often both. However, it remains illegal nationally, a Schedule 1 drug by the Drug Enforcement Administration, despite what states say or recent hemp laws. It is madness, a crime against humanity, proven wrong by science.
Why?
To most, age-old propaganda still paints cannabis dangerous. Mind-altering, stupefying, gateway to everything. It still takes blame for much societal ill, but we now know better. Patients now know better. Everybody now knows better. Cannabis is not addictive. It is not dangerous, having never killed a soul anywhere before. In fact, it is essential to humanity’s survival post Covid-19. Why legalize? Why now?
Much Worse Is Legal
Weed is notably safer than tobacco, alcohol, and a myriad of other substances that are legal and incredibly hazardous to health. Smoking kills seven million folks each year worldwide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Drinking kills far more, counting direct fatalities too, such as car wrecks. Yet they are legal. Perfectly legal. Now, science shows cannabis safer, harmless actually. In fact, cannabis can help relieve the ill effects of too much drinking and smoking.
No Enforcement Heart
Most enforcement officials believe marijuana should be legal. They have little to no heart for treating it illegally. They know its street value, the need folks have for it. People see it every day, as well as how it helps folks using it, folks from all corners of society. Everyone know its widespread and still growing acceptance of it in the public eye, and are loathe arresting folks for it. Times are changing.
Economic Growth
From recreational weed to breeders craft cannabis strains or testing it in a laboratory, legalizing opens the community to a completely new economy. One that benefits all. It creates jobs, stimulates investment, and creates many other economic opportunities too, such as industrial hemp, extractive sectors, consultants, drivers, and so many others. Previously unemployed find themselves with options.
Therapeutic Potential
The medicinal properties of cannabis are many, legendary, and fast spreading through communities. People are ditching their prescription painkillers and other addictive, harmful drugs in favor of using cannabis instead. According to the National Institutes of Health, cannabinoids have myriad health benefits, and cannabis contains many cannabinoids, as well as therapeutic terpenes too. It is famously analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anticonvulsant, anticancer, antiemetic, anxiolytic, and antidepressant.
Already Legal
Most states have liberalized cannabis laws in some way or another. Some allow it medicinally. Others recreationally. Still others for whatever, as long as you are old enough, usually 21-years or older. The 2018 Agricultural Improvement Act, or just the Farm Bill, legalized hemp at the federal level. There is no reason to keep marijuana illegal just because it has THC. As already established, THC is harmless, in fact safer, than most, everything else is. Keeping cannabis inaccessible is a far greater crime than using it.
Fights Obesity Epidemic
By regulating appetite, we all know about the “munchies,” cannabis helps to tackle the obesity crisis overwhelming the United States. It can balance weight, help to maintain it, and help the digestive and metabolic systems to work properly. Avid pot smokers are slimmer, proven in studies. In this way, weed protects against contracting diabetes, in addition to boosting overall health at the digestive level.
Adds Revenue to Tax Coffers
Not only are the costs of prohibition, enforcement, and incarceration insanely high and more useful elsewhere, but they will save exorbitant sums of taxpayer money. They benefit nobody. Instead, the government can use these monies for good. They can tax cannabis and generate huge income from it. They can then allocate this to debt relief, infrastructure, community, and outreach programs as needed.
People Empowerment
People have long withstood the worst of prohibition. Especially minorities and the youth, who remain primarily disproportionately affected by it. Many end up jailed, lives destroyed, homeless, jobless, and worse, because of a minor marijuana-related offense as a kid. It is time to empower the people. These arrests and this destruction of life is an atrocity unmentioned. Legalization will end this persecution.
Furthering Industry
Cannabis has other benefits besides making one stoned and healthier. It also has industrial applications, crucial for both economic revival and long-term sustainability. Industrial hemp is ideal for making all manner of essentials, from textiles to bricks, fuels, foods, medicines, clothes, and so much more. As a food source, health professionals around the globe are calling it the end to world hunger.
Combats Opioid Crisis
The opioid epidemic is truly a national tragedy. A crisis of untold proportions. The reliance of Americans on prescription painkillers and other pharmaceutical drugs will be their downfall. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, misuse of these highly addictive drugs is a leading cause of death nationwide. It is also leading folks to heroin and other illicit measures. Weed is safer than opioids. It works just as effectively, is non-addictive, and it builds less tolerance, so it works for longer too.
Recreational Weed
Before searching “marijuana near me,” know that it might not be legal in the state where you live. Although many states do allow it, such as California, some, like the federal government, are yet to legalize. If this is the case, you might be able to find a weed shop online that deals in medical marijuana. You will likely need a doctor’s letter of recommendation in this situation, typically easy enough to get.
