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Should Cannabis be legalized as a medicine?
The rich biodiversity of plants in nature has provided humans many medicines to prevent and cure sickness and disease. The use of cannabis as a medicine continues to gain acceptance within the scientific and medical community, with Connecticut early this month joining 16 other states to legalize it for medical use. Case studies continue to support the value of cannabis as a medicine to ameliorate various ailments ranging from glaucoma, multiple sclerosis, AIDS, Parkinson's, chronic pain, and nausea associated with cancer.
Despite scientific evidence supporting medicinal qualities from cannabis, much controversy surrounds outright legalization for medicinal use. While many states currently allow cannabis as an alternative to traditional medicines, the FDA continues to classify cannabis as a schedule I drug subjecting patients to possible fines and/or imprisonment under federal law.
Can cannabis find a place in today's society as an alternative medicine, or are possible unforeseen consequences too great to allow this plant for medicinal use?
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Erik Schoof
It is estimated that the state of California is missing out on about $15 billion in revenue from legalization. This is in just sales and taxes alone. Consider the fact that there would also be an industrial boon resulting in the creation of new jobs in the sales, cultivation, distribution, and marketing aspects. Given the fact that the US faces an incredible amount of debt at this time, the government needs to be proactive in its search for new streams of revenue. Not only would there be the taxable income from individual states, there could, and should be federal luxury taxes as well, similar to those on alcohol and tobacco.
Take into account the reduction in cost of the war on drugs and the federal government could be earing billions annually from a simple piece of legislature. I do believe that there needs to be regulation and control if legalization were considered. Fines, taxes, and penalites must be applied. But, simply apply the rules that govern alcohol to marijuana, and there is a system set up for the government to manage, and mitigate the risks that will come.
The pro-marijuana groups, such as NORML, have a mantra of "Tax my weed legally, please". This simple statement shows that there is a growing social drive, a willingness to pay any and all taxes levied, and a growing market that needs to be tapped. This source of incomes should not be ignored.
Nathan Heidt
Erik Schoof
For years I have spoken about how the government needs to strip itself away from the special interest teat and go back to its roots. Of the people, for the people, by the people. Instead, the government has degenerated into an elitist organization with the will of the common man no where in its sights. Even the Democrats, who claim to care for the middle and working classes, all come from well to do socialites.
It has been ages since someone in big government has actually cared, and acted upon, the needs of the commonwealth. Instead the entire system has become gummed up with the backscratching of special interest groups and the "good-old boys club". It has all become a homogeneous blob.
If the people were actually represented I believe that not only would we see the decriminalization of a common plant, but we would see a paradigm shift towards a system that aims to take care of its citizens though socialized programs, including health care.
Now, don't for a second think that I am in favor of Socialism and Big-Brother. However, last I checked, my big brother has always looked out for my well being, no matter the cost to himself.