“I do not smoke marijuana and I do not care for people who do smoke marijuana. What is of concern to me is democracy. For democracy to thrive in our nation, citizens are given the right to vote for or against an issue. If a matter like legalization of marijuana attracts different opinions, citizens can take it to the ballot where everyone is allowed to vote for what they believe is ethically correct. In this case, the majority of voters felt that legalization of marijuana would be good for the country. For that reason alone, I stand here in full support of legalization of marijuana. That would be the most democratic course of action the country’s administration can take.
A number of people have opposed the new laws and have raised a number of issues: increase in marijuana abuse by teenagers and they are concerned this will encourage the use of marijuana thereby fuelling the drugs trade. These concerns are understandable because no one wants any of his or her family members or friend to become a marijuana addict. However, they should rest assured of the fact that there are going to be rules and regulations on marijuana consumption. Just like alcohol, there would be laws that will stipulate the legal age for marijuana consumption. The laws will go further to stipulate the amount of marijuana considered legal to consume for recreational purposes. According to (allvoices.com), the states of Colorado and Washington have both legalized marijuana consumption and production using clear and logical laws; they are doing just fine.
And sure we cannot ignore consumption of marijuana for medical purposes (Disabled World News, 2012). According to research carried out, some people think most people who use marijuana for medical purposes just look for an excuse to abuse the drug. They might want to reconsider that opinion because marijuana is used to regulate pain and nervousness associated with a number of illnesses. Marijuana can be used to relieve muscle spasms, relieve chronic pain, reduce interlobular pressure inside the eye, suppress nausea, in weight loss programs to increase or restore metabolism and also in AIDS patients to reduce the nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting from the condition itself and the medications as well. Furthermore, one has to apply for a card allowing them to purchases medical marijuana legally (Gieringer, Rosenthal, and Gregory, 15).
As for fuelling the trade of marijuana, there will be a number of rules and regulations applied to the cultivation of marijuana. One will not be able to convert his thousand hectare farm from cultivating corn to cultivating marijuana
A number of concerned citizens think that the only people that will benefit economically from legalization of marijuana are drug lords. But according to www.allvoices.com legalizing the recreational use of marijuana, would hurt the drug cartels. This in turn would help combat the menace of drugs. The legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes will in turn attract a huge number of tourists. According to theweek.com, the marijuana cafes in Holland do at least a year. This generates about $503 million in tax revenue. Like in Amsterdam, these tourists will fund an arena they can legally consume marijuana. This will earn more revenue for the country at large.
Apart from the economic gain, there is also a social advantage to consider. Most elements in the society are regulated better when there are clear laws that concern them. Production and consumption of marijuana will be better regulated using the laws that will be passed. This way it will be easier to deal with outlaws wanting to abuse marijuana production or consumption. The provision by law to allow recreational use of marijuana is an added advantage because it stipulates how the drug is to be used. This will take care of the privacy and space of the people who do not intend on using the drug. Thank you for listening.
Work Cited:
allvoices.com "Colorado and Washington legalize marijuana – what will happen to the drug lords? ." Breaking News, Current Events, Latest News and World Events at allvoices.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Dec. 2012.
CBS News "Poll: Nearly half support legalization of marijuana - CBS News." Breaking News Headlines: Business, Entertainment & World News - CBS News. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Dec. 2012.
Disabled World News "Medical Marijuana for Pain and Depression." Disabled World News and Disability Information. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Dec. 2012.
Gieringer, Dale H, Ed Rosenthal, and Gregory T. Carter. Marijuana Medical Handbook: Practical Guide to the Therapeutic Uses of Marijuana. Oakland, Calif: Quick American, 2008. Print.
