Robert Celt
New Member
In York, conference voted to create a regulatory framework for cannabis. This is a move that I wholeheartedly support and I'd like to draw on the example of Colorado to explain why.
On the 1st of January 2014, Colorado fully legalised cannabis for recreational purposes. Within four months they raised $10 million dollars in tax revenue which they invested in education and infrastructure.
Crime dropped by 10% and violent crime dropped by 5%. The marijuana industry also created thousands of jobs and by October unemployment was at its lowest since 2008.
Colorado also legalised marijuana for medicinal purposes meaning that people suffering from ailments such as chronic pain and cancer could effectively alleviate their pain without fear of prosecution or risking their freedom.
For the people of Colorado, cannabis has very much been a wonder drug and they quickly discovered that you don't have to smoke weed to feel the benefits of legalisation.
Economic, societal and medicinal benefits aside, for me the case of legalisation boils down to one core issue: liberalism vs. authoritarianism.
Liberalism is about making decisions based on evidence and rational thinking, not misinformation and prejudice. Liberals believe that if you're not hurting anyone, what you do in your spare time is your business and yours alone. Liberalism puts control of people's lives in the hands of the people themselves and trusts them with it.
I'm proud that my party joined me in casting the liberal vote, voting to create a regulatory framework for legalising cannabis. In doing so they reaffirmed my strongly held belief that the Liberal Democrats are the part of evidence-based policy, the party of putting control back into the hands of the people, the party for liberals.
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Liberalism Vs. Authoritarianism In The Debate Over Cannabis
Author: Ben Lawrie
Contact: Liberal Democrat Voice
Photo Credit: Bloomberg
Website: Liberal Democrat Voice
On the 1st of January 2014, Colorado fully legalised cannabis for recreational purposes. Within four months they raised $10 million dollars in tax revenue which they invested in education and infrastructure.
Crime dropped by 10% and violent crime dropped by 5%. The marijuana industry also created thousands of jobs and by October unemployment was at its lowest since 2008.
Colorado also legalised marijuana for medicinal purposes meaning that people suffering from ailments such as chronic pain and cancer could effectively alleviate their pain without fear of prosecution or risking their freedom.
For the people of Colorado, cannabis has very much been a wonder drug and they quickly discovered that you don't have to smoke weed to feel the benefits of legalisation.
Economic, societal and medicinal benefits aside, for me the case of legalisation boils down to one core issue: liberalism vs. authoritarianism.
Liberalism is about making decisions based on evidence and rational thinking, not misinformation and prejudice. Liberals believe that if you're not hurting anyone, what you do in your spare time is your business and yours alone. Liberalism puts control of people's lives in the hands of the people themselves and trusts them with it.
I'm proud that my party joined me in casting the liberal vote, voting to create a regulatory framework for legalising cannabis. In doing so they reaffirmed my strongly held belief that the Liberal Democrats are the part of evidence-based policy, the party of putting control back into the hands of the people, the party for liberals.
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Liberalism Vs. Authoritarianism In The Debate Over Cannabis
Author: Ben Lawrie
Contact: Liberal Democrat Voice
Photo Credit: Bloomberg
Website: Liberal Democrat Voice
