Leagalization of Marijuana and Hemp
...that’s nine zeros, ($10,000,000,000-$14,000,000,000) on drug task forces, drug prevention programs, and government agencies with the specific task of drug enforcement. There are ridiculous and hefty sentences for the cultivation of plants which may only weigh up to a pound after dried, with an average jail time of ten years to life while rapists and people convicted of manslaughter have a average jail time of five through ten years in prison. Marijuana accounts for forty two point eight percent of all drug arrests, eighty three percent of these arrests for simple possession. A person is arrested every forty-one seconds and last year alone (2004) approximately seven hundred and seventy one thousand people were arrested. That number is more than all the arrests for violent crimes combined. (http://www.thehemperor.net/nontesters/thehemperor/hemp.html) But, marijuana is still the number one cash crop in America although it has a ghastly legal standing. Does that alone not prove that this so called “War on Drugs” is a complete failure? Not to mention all the money wasted and the laws against this plant, the use of it has not decreased. With these billions upon billions of dollars the government wastes they could help society as a whole. The government could issue medical coverage for many families with this money, pave roads, and spend money to protect its citizens, not convict them of petty non-violent crimes. Hemp, a subspecies of marijuana with a very low THC content (THC is the active chemical which causes the euphoric sensation associated with it) can be made into various useful materials ranging from fuels to paper as well as a food with more useful protein and amino acids than soy beans contain. Hemp is a plant that is mature in around one hundred and twenty days and than can be cultivated to make practically anything trees and oil can produce. On an annual basis, one acre of hemp will produce as much paper as two to four acres of trees. From tissue paper to cardboard, all types of paper products can be produced from hemp. Global demand for paper will double within 25 years. Unless tree-free sources of paper are developed, there is no way to meet future demand without causing massive deforestation and environmental damage. Furthermore it can make clothes from jeans to tee shirts, which are currently made mostly of cotton which is a very unstable plant and needs and uses nearly half of all the pesticides used in the world. Hemp on the other hand does not need pesticides, uses moderate amounts of fertilizers and water, and is frost resistant, meaning that it can be cultivated in all 50 states. Lastly one acre of hemp will produce as much fiber as two to three acres of cotton. Hemp fiber is stronger and softer than cotton, lasts twice as long as cotton, and will not mildew. (http://www.cannabis.com/untoldstory/hemp_2.shtml) Marijuana is a legitimate drug for the sick; it can induce an appetite in people undergoing chemotherapy while reducing their nausea. It can ease the debilitating pain and suffering of AIDS patients along with helping people’s eyes who suffer from glaucoma. This drug can help reduce the pain from migraines and headaches and many forms of arthritis. This drug can be so useful. Can you imagine the cost of a prescription pill that could help as many people as it can? The sick need this drug. It has been proven safe for use and a reputable medicine by over one hundred laboratory tests. Is helping the people that can’t be helped with conventional medicines not a priority for the government? With marijuana legal, the government could also reap the benefits. They could tax it as they do with tobacco and alcohol. The government although has another agenda which would be cover up and misinform citizens so these horrible users could be lo...