I didn't used to be on the side of the issue, but as cannabis legalization has gotten more and more news coverage, my views have changed. One congressman from Oregon claims that marijuana will be legal nationwide in five years. I think that's too long to wait. My views have more to do with the many benefits to our nation's economy and health as well as prison incarceration than with a desire for more relaxed drug regulation in general.
All drugs, including those considered illicit by the federal government, alter a person's body chemistry in some way. Some drugs do this more dramatically than others. Marijuana is considered by many to be one of the least harmful of these substances. Medical forms of marijuana are even less altering, and the cognitive changes associated with taking the drug can be beneficial, yet it seems that in many states, including Ohio, medical marijuana and recreational cannabis have to be legalized together.
This is very unfortunate. Conditions such as epilepsy and glaucoma can be alleviated if medical marijuana is taken. Some forms of epilepsy, such as Dravet syndrome, are extremely difficult to treat otherwise. Families dealing with this condition and other illnesses have had to move to one of the two states where marijuana is legal to help their loved ones. These states have experienced huge economic growth as a result of the choice to legalize marijuana. People are even booking vacations centered on marijuana. With the entire nation in an economic downturn, the boost in tourism that this would cause would certainly be beneficial if marijuana we're legalized nationwide.
A very large number of American prison cells are occupied by people who are incarcerated for drug related offenses. The more people in the prison system the fewer rehabilitation options are offered and it becomes a more punitive model. This leads to a high rate of offenders without any life skills who leave prison only to repeat criminal activity out of having no other options.
Sometimes news groups spend so much time looking at one side of the story that the other side seems silly. Mother Teresa expressed it best. She said, "I will not go to an antiwar rally, but if you have a rally for peace, invite me." While I don't think legalizing drugs in general would be something I would usually support, there are far more damaging substances that are already legal. The struggle with substance abuse is very real for sure. I'm not denying that. I can't ignore the people who are struggling to stay alive when they could have a simple solution. United States prisons are no longer effective rehabilitation, and the U.S. economy could use the revenue marijuana would generate. Those are facts. We have two examples of our future with marijuana, and it seems like legalization everywhere will help.
