WHY SHOULD WE LEGALIZE MARIJUANA?

We can't afford not to. The war against it is lost.

A huge proportion of our society already does it, likes it, wants it
and deserves it. It's already all around us but in the underground
where it's un-taxable and burdensome to society.

If a person can have a beer, glass of wine or whiskey why can't a
person have a joint or pipe load of marijuana?

This is not just about medical use, this is about full legalization
for medical, religious, recreational, industrial or personal uses.

We can purchase alcohol of any sort almost anywhere in our society. It
has few purposes other than medical, disinfection or intoxication
depending on the grade. Drinking any alcoholic beverage is intended
for the purpose of intoxication to some level, also known as
relaxation, recreation or relief of some kind.

The point being: Alcohol, tobacco and marijuana have all the same
purpose when we use it. Relief! Why then is a marijuana user a
criminal and an alcohol or tobacco user not? Complete absurdity!

Marijuana users are woven throughout the fabric of our society just as
Scotch whiskey, wine and beer drinkers as well as cigarette smokers.
Are these substances harmful to us? Yes, indeed on some levels, but
the value, real or perceived, outweighs the risk to most users.

Prescription drugs often have significant negative side effects, but
the good they do outweighs the bad to many people. Alcohol and tobacco
are legal and taxed, with those tax dollars put to good use, as
opposed to marijuana, which is suppressed to the underground.

The appetite for marijuana is no less than that of beer, wine or
whiskey. Accept it, legalize it and tax it.

A person can legally brew their own beer or make their own wine at
home. We can grow all the ingredients to make any alcohol we desire.
We can grow tobacco for our own use. Our society is laced with
breweries, micro-breweries, distilleries, wineries, tobacco fields,
convenient stores (beer and wines are sold in most of these today),
grocery stores, bars, cigarette and smoke shops. They are tolerated by
all, accepted by most, downright embraced by our tax-collecting
governmental agencies. Those receiving or benefiting from these tax
funds like it too.

Why Not Marijuana?

The regulation and enforcement arms of government work to keep these
other trades legitimately functioning and as regulated as possible for
two primary reasons.

The first is to collect tax revenues from the fair and regulated trade
through business and commerce for the purpose of providing funding for
governmental and social services.

And secondly, to keep the part of society that abuses it or that's too
young to participate in those recreational activities from abusing it
through behavioral laws governing our responsible use of these
substances. Nonetheless, they're legal, taxed and accessible to
consenting adults. Why not marijuana?

Why can't we apply that same thought process and logic to
marijuana?

Reasons to Legalize

Here are a few legitimate reasons why marijuana should be legalized
for full use, medicinal, recreational and industrial.

So many of our citizens already use marijuana throughout all levels of
our society. Wake up and look around. If you're really honest, and the
people around you are too, you will discover many entrepreneurs, law
enforcement, social workers, corporate executives, computer
programmers and garbage men alike (only to mention a few) use
marijuana. Similarly, others, and many of those same people, drink
beer, wine and spirits on a daily basis.

Marijuana users arguably cause far less trouble and violence than most
other intoxicant users, this by its very nature.

Potential savings. We can not afford to continue to imprison all these
nonviolent otherwise responsible and productive people. Our jails and
prisons house many inmates guilty of crimes associated only with marijuana.

We are all unjustly paying through the nose for this and it does not
work. It costs way too much to arrest, prosecute and house this
category of criminal who is not really even a criminal. We only go
this path with alcohol abusers who break the rules of use. The same
should apply equally to marijuana users if we live in a truly free and
fair society. As President Obama put it, the definition of insanity is
trying the same thing over and over expecting different results. The
same old thing isn't working -- it is insane! Repeal prohibition of
marijuana the same as was done for alcohol.

The revenue that could be generated through business stimulation and
taxes collected from the marijuana and hemp industry could almost on
its own "bailout" this whole country financially. At minimum, it could
generate billions, yes billions, in economic stimulus and recurring
tax revenue.

Marijuana seeds have much nutritional value aside from the oil
itself.

Associated support industry and business would be spurred as a result
in order to support the marijuana industry.

It's a completely renewable and green resource. Almost every part of
the plant can be used.

Money generated through stimulation of business activity and taxation
of the marijuana industry could do much for our state and national
economy now and into the future.

Numbers to Consider

Following are some conservative but still very interesting numbers to
consider for what the legalization of marijuana cold mean financially
and employment wise across our state and nation.

Los Angeles County alone currently has over 800 medical marijuana
dispensaries; it has 2,650 active retail alcohol licenses for
consumption.

There are 4 primary license category types and 83 subcategories of
seller licenses for alcohol. Therefore, potential for 1,000 potential
pot bars is a very conservative figure to use on a statewide basis.

There are 57 additional counties that have similar licenses, though
I'm sure varying numbers depend on size and population density.

Regulations

Everyone would be required to follow strict regulations for operating
secure pot bar establishments, the same as or better than as is
currently required for bars and restaurants that serve alcohol or
manufacturers of these products. No alcohol in pot bars.

Further, growers will not be threatened by legalization. They can be
as vintners' and microbrewers with private labels and estate-grown
products to furnish the appetite that exists for marijuana. Regulation
and testing for harmful substances applied to the plant could be
instituted to assure public safety.

Job Creation

An average of 10 jobs would likely be created per pot bar
establishment. Some may have only 2 or 3, but others will have 20, 30
or more to run full shifts 7 days a week for larger
establishments.

Economic stimulation and jobs will also be created in secondary
industries as a result of marijuana's full legalization.

Most of these areas of stimulation would be ongoing, thus creating a
sustainable stimulus for a great many people and industries alike.

Renewable Tax Base

Marijuana provides a renewable and sustainable tax base without
raising any existing taxes. It's currently an untapped tax base.

Other current and potential future uses for this plant are a whole new
discussion and possibly hold even greater value than just medicinal
and recreational consumption.

It's already all around us, but too many people have their head in the
sand about it.

Intelligent people should be thinking about how to make this work for
society as a whole.

Accept it! Legalize it! Tax it!