By Nikki Walls, Ms. Major Blazer
@Ms.Major Blazer
In a country that prides itself on individual freedoms, it is absurd that it is still under debate whether cannabis should be legalized. Of course it should— not just medical use, but recreational as well. It’s well-documented that cannabis is less dangerous than alcohol and tobacco. Instead of spending superfluous and outrageous amounts of money on the disastrous “war on drugs,” we could raise much-needed tax revenue for schools and other social programs that are being cut by the current government. No more lining the cops and courts’ pockets. Let’s put an end to overflowing jails full of non-violent citizens by putting more focus on crimes that actually hurt people. Let’s add job growth and crush unemployment. Marijuana legalization leads to fewer secret tokers that have a stake in straight society having to lead double lives.
It’s silly locking people up over drugs that are demonstrably beneficial to society. Recreational drugs, alcohol, and tobacco kill half a million Americans a year, combined. Marijuana’s death toll is zero. Alcohol leads to domestic and social violence. Marijuana does not. Alcohol and tobacco are both addictive, with painful and sometimes life-threatening withdrawals if you stop using them. Marijuana is less addictive than your morning cup of coffee. Withdrawal symptoms for heavy users are minor and only last a few days.
Support for legalization has risen among all age groups – particularly those under 55. Americans under 35 show the strongest support. Three in four adults between 18 and 34 support legal marijuana use, as do six in 10 Americans between 35 and 64. While seniors remain the one age group for whom a majority still think marijuana use should be against the law, the tide of legalization is changing dramatically and the clock is ticking on prohibition.
