HashberryDlux
420 Member
Representitve Paul,
I have been reading about your work with HR 2306. I feel very strongly on the subject and the issues we could solve with the federal decriminalization of Marijuana. To be honest, the arguments against the herb make no sense. If the government regulated Marijuana as they do alcohol, I believe we could turn the issues to our favor. The only arguments I've recieved by anyone on the subject seem to be the following.
1. Crime would increase due to intoxicated individuals.
- If Marijuana was sold to individuals as alcohol, where would the issue lie? Legalized Marijuana would be cheaper than the dealers so suddenly the dealers have no interest in selling making no money meaning one of two things.
A. They begin trying to push "heavier drugs" (i.e. cocaine, heroin, extasy).
B. They go out of business.
- "Pot" in my opinion is alright for recreational use if there were set restrictions and knowledge was spread. If it were legal to smoke in your own home just as alcohol and restrictions were enforced by something like a traffic ticket or higher penalties for offenses like alcohol then why could we not accept that? Why should alcohol be legal when Marijuana is not? "Pot" is surely no dangerous than alcohol, no liver disease, colon cancer, breast cancer, alcoholic hepatitis or Cirrhosis, just to name a few. Also have you ever really heard of a "stoner" going crazy and beating his children/spouse or killing his family?
2. Marijuana is a gateway to said "heavier drugs".
- I can't believe this argument. I have known many people who smoke Marijuana on a daily basis and have nor ever will touch a real "drug". Saying "pot" is a gateway to heavier drugs is like saying all beer drinkers will eventually drink liqour. Recent studies have shown ( Study says marijuana no gateway drug - ScienceBlog.com ) that drug use is more inclined by availability and, to be rather blunt, ignorance. A good portion of my friends who smoke marijuana on a daily basis don't drink alcohol and/or smoke cigarettes. It is because they have educated themselves and have been educated on the truth of marijuana and it's proper use.
I have thought of this a while and can see only positives with the legalization of Marijuana. This "war on drugs" would be a great asset to this country if it would wage war on actual drugs. The money spent on cracking down on innocent users could be used as well, as the tax money from the sales of "pot" could be spent on that war or maybe pulling ourselves from the enormous debt curently engulfing this country.
People say there is no medicinal value of smoking marijuana. I have first hand knowledge that is not the case. I lost my father and brother to cancer, my mother is fighting breast cancer and what remains of my immediate family live together, all working full time just to scrape by, nearly losing our house in foreclosure. As I my father and brother slowly declined in health, many times they would not have an appetite due to their health issues. As my brother would go through chemo for lymphnode cancer, he had to drink Ensure to provide his body the nutrients he had no appetite to eat, that is unless he smoked marijuana as many health specialists would recommend. Aside from apetite, it does wonders for pain also. Who knows what other benefits this may include.
In addition to smoking Marijuana, it also has innumerable uses as hemp. Hemp can save countless money for everyday items made from foreign bought substances. The restriction of Marijuana grown to have no "drug" value and which cannot be smoked is completely irrational and unintelligent in my opinion and also of many people I speak to.
I have many thoughts on the subject and would be more than open to sharing them with you. This prohibition has got to stop, we need the jobs, the income and the freedom to choose. I am glad to see we still have some government officials fighting for the true rights of the people. Thank you for taking your time to read this submission of my opinion and I hope for a positive outcome for your efforts.
I have been reading about your work with HR 2306. I feel very strongly on the subject and the issues we could solve with the federal decriminalization of Marijuana. To be honest, the arguments against the herb make no sense. If the government regulated Marijuana as they do alcohol, I believe we could turn the issues to our favor. The only arguments I've recieved by anyone on the subject seem to be the following.
1. Crime would increase due to intoxicated individuals.
- If Marijuana was sold to individuals as alcohol, where would the issue lie? Legalized Marijuana would be cheaper than the dealers so suddenly the dealers have no interest in selling making no money meaning one of two things.
A. They begin trying to push "heavier drugs" (i.e. cocaine, heroin, extasy).
B. They go out of business.
- "Pot" in my opinion is alright for recreational use if there were set restrictions and knowledge was spread. If it were legal to smoke in your own home just as alcohol and restrictions were enforced by something like a traffic ticket or higher penalties for offenses like alcohol then why could we not accept that? Why should alcohol be legal when Marijuana is not? "Pot" is surely no dangerous than alcohol, no liver disease, colon cancer, breast cancer, alcoholic hepatitis or Cirrhosis, just to name a few. Also have you ever really heard of a "stoner" going crazy and beating his children/spouse or killing his family?
2. Marijuana is a gateway to said "heavier drugs".
- I can't believe this argument. I have known many people who smoke Marijuana on a daily basis and have nor ever will touch a real "drug". Saying "pot" is a gateway to heavier drugs is like saying all beer drinkers will eventually drink liqour. Recent studies have shown ( Study says marijuana no gateway drug - ScienceBlog.com ) that drug use is more inclined by availability and, to be rather blunt, ignorance. A good portion of my friends who smoke marijuana on a daily basis don't drink alcohol and/or smoke cigarettes. It is because they have educated themselves and have been educated on the truth of marijuana and it's proper use.
I have thought of this a while and can see only positives with the legalization of Marijuana. This "war on drugs" would be a great asset to this country if it would wage war on actual drugs. The money spent on cracking down on innocent users could be used as well, as the tax money from the sales of "pot" could be spent on that war or maybe pulling ourselves from the enormous debt curently engulfing this country.
People say there is no medicinal value of smoking marijuana. I have first hand knowledge that is not the case. I lost my father and brother to cancer, my mother is fighting breast cancer and what remains of my immediate family live together, all working full time just to scrape by, nearly losing our house in foreclosure. As I my father and brother slowly declined in health, many times they would not have an appetite due to their health issues. As my brother would go through chemo for lymphnode cancer, he had to drink Ensure to provide his body the nutrients he had no appetite to eat, that is unless he smoked marijuana as many health specialists would recommend. Aside from apetite, it does wonders for pain also. Who knows what other benefits this may include.
In addition to smoking Marijuana, it also has innumerable uses as hemp. Hemp can save countless money for everyday items made from foreign bought substances. The restriction of Marijuana grown to have no "drug" value and which cannot be smoked is completely irrational and unintelligent in my opinion and also of many people I speak to.
I have many thoughts on the subject and would be more than open to sharing them with you. This prohibition has got to stop, we need the jobs, the income and the freedom to choose. I am glad to see we still have some government officials fighting for the true rights of the people. Thank you for taking your time to read this submission of my opinion and I hope for a positive outcome for your efforts.
