Today’s Good News: 10 Reasons To Legalize Marijuana
3 Cheers to Alternet for printing something about common sense drug policy. High Times magazine has provided these points as part of its 420 Campaign strategy (check it out here). High Times’ points are way too wordy and not clearly ranked, so I will paraphrase them for you in the order I would choose.
10. Marijuana will be legalized eventually because its many users will keep fighting - so why not do it now?
9. The lies and distortions required to justify marijuana prohibition damage the credibility of public health officials, teachers, scientists, and police.8. Legalization would encourage development of hemp as a non-food biofuel and valuable agricultural product.
7. Legalized marijuana would reduce the flow of money from the American economy to international criminal gangs.
6. Marijuana prohibition, just like alcohol prohibition before it, has failed to stop or even curb the drug’s use or sales.5. Prohibition raises drug prices, making drug dealing more lucrative than honest work.
4. Punishment for marijuana use has fallen disproportionately on blacks and Hispanics, and amplifies the racial discrimination in our criminal justice system.
3. Pointless marijuana arrests take resources away from prosecuting serious violent crimes. On the other hand, legalizing marijuana and taxing sales would provide resources.
2. Marijuana is far less dangerous and addictive than alcohol or tobacco, and it’s not just or reasonable to penalize its use more heavily than theirs.
1. Marijuana does good things for people, including providing pain and nausea relief when other drugs don’t work.
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