The Best Tonic is Chronic
... it were legal. “On October 14, the U.S. Supreme Court, by refusing to disturb an appeals court ruling, gave its stamp of approval to doctors who want to recommend weed to ease their patients’ pain or nausea. In the U.S. nine states have enacted laws permitting marijuana use by people with cancer, AIDS and other wasting diseases” (Hardy). “Marijuana can be used to treat glaucoma, to relieve pain and nausea, to prevent some malignant tumors, and to stimulate the appetite of those suffering from AIDS and eating disorders” (Urena). If legalized, marijuana could become one of the cheapest forms of medication on the market. It is said marijuana can lead to lung cancer so it can’t really be made a medicine (CFT). However, marijuana does not have to be smoked for the results of the drug to occur. If ingested or vaporized it is harmless to the user (“Reasons to Legalize”). Marijuana is said to cause automobile accidents because it affects vision, judgment, and many physical skills (“Marijuana”). This may be true, but not to the extent the government makes it to seem. When they say that in 17% of vehicle accidents, marijuana was tested in one of the drivers, they do not mention that marijuana stays in the human body for up to thirty days. The driver could have smoked the marijuana two weeks earlier, but it is still blamed for the accident. If legalized, operating a vehicle under the influence of marijuana could be just as illegal as driving drunk (Urena). Responsible marijuana users, just like responsible drinkers, know not to drive while under the influence. Hemp is one of the most versatile products known to man, with over 25,000 known uses (“Reasons to Legalize”). Hemp could dramatically change our environment for the better if it were legalized. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, four times as much paper can be produced from an acre of marijuana than an acre of trees. Marijuana can also be harvested at a quicker rate than trees (Urena). If the same hemp paper that was used in 1916 was used again today, it could replace 40%-70% of all pulp paper. One acre of marijuana can produce one thousand yards of cloth that is three times stronger than cotton (“Why to Legalize”). Hemp can also be used to produce methanol, which has been used to power vehicles. The fuel would produce 83% fewer emissions than diesel gasoline (“Why to Legalize”). If marijuana were legal, the government could tax the drug as they do alcohol and tobacco. This alone could launch our country out of debt. Instead of spending 1.2 million dollars a year on drug prevention, the government could be making ten billion dollars a year if marijuana was legal. An estimated 500,000 people are arrested each year on marijuana charges. The time and money used to make these arrests could be used to hunt for real criminals, not a few people getting high in their own homes (“Why to Legalize”). Releasing all the people in jail for marijuana related charges would also free up jail space. Legalizing marijuana would also create more jobs for the unemployed in our nation. Just trimming the dried flowers takes an experience trimmer ten hours per pound. This job pays about fifteen dollars an hour in Canada (Hardy). Some say that marijuana should stay illegal because it ...