The war on marijuana is in the twilight of its life and. The recent push for the legalization of marijuana in places like Oaksterdam, CA have started forcing people to witness the benefits of the pot market. A report published in the Oaksterdam newsletter stated that in 2008 alone the small society that is known as Oaksterdam, has generated 3 billion dollars in tax revenue for the state of California. Oaksterdam, Located in the heart of Oakland, was once a rundown part of town where no business could prosper. Today it is a shining metropolis with several new businesses, most of which owe their success to the marijuana trade. Recent California law has made it so marijuana use for medicinal purposes is legal. The issue arises when federal agencies like the DEA decide to crack down on harmless prospering communities, Raids often occur at head shops and distribution centers threw ought California. The federal law trumps the state law which is stupid because these are legal taxpaying Americans, being shut down by organizations that are not willing to except change.
The primary reason that the government does not fully legalize marijuana is because it would result in a major restructuring of the justice department. For instance, if pot was legal they would have to close a good percent of law enforcement agencies such as the DEA. It would cause thousands of federally employed people to lose their jobs. Law enforcement has more important responsibilities than arresting 750,000 individuals a year for marijuana possession. The current restrictions on marijuana basically attribute to wasting jail space, clogging up court systems, and diverting time of police, attorneys, judges, and corrections officials away from violent crime. Police should spend more time and effort trying to catch murders, thieves & rapists instead of marijuana users.
If our government had an ounce of sense they would legalize marijuana and tax it the same way they tax cigarettes or alcohol. The current economic situation would see massive benefits with the infusion of millions of dollars in tax revenue gained from the marijuana trade. Marijuana for medicinal purposes is an excellent idea, but legalization for recreational use is what the government needs to do. Marijuana is not a lethal drug and is safer than alcohol. If a consenting adult can is allowed to buy and consume a seemingly endless supply of alcohol, they should be allowed to purchase pot legally. Fifteen thousand people die annually from alcohol related causes, yet in recorded history there has not been a single case of some one dyeing from marijuana.
The point is simply that the current restrictions on marijuana are a joke. There is no intelligent reason why marijuana remains illegal. The government claims that legalization would lead to chaos, and an extreme increase in drug related crime and young Americans dyeing left and right. When the reality is the government and society as a whole would have a lot to gain from the legalization of marijuana. The movement for the legalization of marijuana is here to stay, and it grows stronger each day.
I agree with what your saying, I think if the government lagalized marijuana organized crime would go down and I think that less people would get into non organic drugs.
Greg,
The prison-industrial complex is also against the legalization of marijuana. There are many privately run prisons in this country. Most of their inmates are non-violent drug offenders. If the government changes the laws regarding marijuana, many of those insititutions would have to close. For example, the prison Tommy Chong was sent to is a privately run prison and is the biggest employer in the area. However, providing jobs for communities is not sufficient reason to continue our destructive drug policies.
Aimee
If marijuana was legal and the private prisons for drug offenders got shut down we wouldnt have to fund those prisons, I think if they shut them down it would put more money in our pockets.
