Marijuana, as a plant, has been used in religious rituals, medical practices, and as a social cohesive for thousands of years. It was in the early 20th century that the prohibition on marijuana in Europe began, and ever since then, advocates have been trying to argue that the plant should be legal for a variety of reasons.
Some of the reasons that advocates in favor of legalization give hold a lot of water, while others may be lacking. In this article, we are going to take a look at some of the arguments for legalizing the plant, and discuss whether they are strong or not. So, if you are interested in cannabis, its use in different industries, and personal use of the plant, stick around.
Marijuana as Medicine
A lot of research has been done regarding the cannabis plant. Medical scientists, researchers, and professionals have come to some incredible conclusions regarding the medicinal benefits of cannabis. Of course, their discoveries are not new. Cannabis has been used in medicine since the ancient era. For example, the Shennong Bencaojing, a Chinese medical text from 1 AD, names cannabis as noble herb.
Even today, there are plenty of people who sell low THC hemp tea as a stress-relieving herbal tea. An example would the www.hempions.com website, where you can purchase such an item. However, what medicinal benefits does cannabis actually have, if any? The truth is, marijuana has been linked to certain positive results.
The big one is that marijuana has a positive effect on cancer patients who are being treated with radiation. The effects of chemotherapy can be quite severe, but, through the use of medicinal marijuana, many get through them a lot easier than one would expect. Marijuana can also help people struggling with depression, social anxiety, and has even been shown to reduce epileptic seizures.
These are just the stuff that we know about cannabis’ positive, medicinal properties. If the plant were to be legalized, researchers could study it a lot harder, and a lot more in depth. If they were given that opportunity, who knows the kinds of things that they may discover regarding cannabis and its medicinal properties? But, not only that, they also might be able to discover any negative side effects, thus, ensuring a safer way to consume the plant.
Ensuring Public Safety
The state should also consider the public benefits of marijuana legalization. If early 20th century United States has thought us anything, it is that prohibition does not work. In fact, it causes more harm than good, due to the rise of black markets and criminal activity. The rise of criminal empires in the 1920s and 1930s resulted in a huge problem for the USA, that they are still dealing with today.
People are going to smoke cannabis, whether it is legal or not. The only difference is that they will not be getting the plant from legitimate sources. Of course, this could result in bat batches or, worse yet, marijuana cut with who-knows-what else. On the other hand, if marijuana were regulated and sold in government-approved stores (much like alcohol or tobacco), these problems would be fixed.
It is a government’s duty to keep its citizens safe. If we take a look at the USA, we can find that 17% of the residents smoke cannabis. While it may not seem like much, it is more than tobacco smokers, who only make up 10-11% of the country’s population. Obviously, there is more interest in marijuana than in cigarettes. Which, also, brings us to our next point.
The Economic Benefits
It is difficult to ascertain whether the 17% is accurate, as many might feel pressured to lie about their cannabis consumption, due to fear of legal reprimand. So, in truth, the number could be higher. This means that there is a greater economic incentive to legalize marijuana, than cigarettes. Any government should consider the economic benefits of legalizing cannabis, especially with research showing that, overall, it is less dangerous than tobacco.
The most obvious economic benefit of legalizing marijuana is that it would lead to tax revenue. Any country that legalizes cannabis would then have to tax the stores and thus earn revenue from the business. We only need to look at countries like Germany, or US states like Colorado, to see that taxing marijuana stores results in billions of dollars in tax revenue.
It doesn’t just stop at tax revenue though. Cannabis stores are physical establishments, just like any other store. That means they need a staff, which means job creation. Even if pharmaceutical professionals are the only ones who can sell the product, there is still a need for a delivery team, cleaning professionals, and more. Job creation is an important aspect of economic growth, that is rarely considered. In this case, it would be hugely beneficial.
Criminal Justice Reform
Finally, we have the criminal justice reform argument. People who make this argument claim that marijuana legalization would reduce incarceration rates, and lead to the expunging of records for those who’ve been incarcerated for marijuana use. Not only that, but it would allow police officers to focus on serious crimes, such as theft, murder, and assault.
While the argument does begin with the right idea, there is the problem that it only works in tandem with all the other arguments. We first must convince anti-cannabis advocates of the benefits of the plant, before we can get them to consider criminal justice reform. In either case, the three above arguments are all superior as a way to convince somebody to support cannabis legalization.
Last Thoughts on the Matter
Already, plenty of European countries, American states, and Canadian provinces are in the process of de-criminalizing or legalizing cannabis. It may not be too long before the plant becomes publically available all over Europe, for medical and recreational uses. Should that come to pass, we believe that people will see a great increase in economic boon, as well as much safer platforms for purchasing marijuana.
