Would You Vote To Legalize Marijuana In The United States?
I think it would solve alot of problems. The government could tax it to help settle budget problems and there would be less dealing and crimes on the streets. Besides don’t the police have better things to do than to worry about marijuana? Do you think we will ever live to see it legalized?
http://www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/AGE…
Hemp fiber paper resists decomposition, and does not yellow with age when an acid-free process is used. Hemp paper more than 1,500 years old has been found. It can also be recycled more times.
US Dept. Agriculture
Industrial Hemp in the United States: Status and Market Potential
HEMP FACTS
1) Hemp is among the oldest industries on the planet, going back more than 10,000 years to the beginnings of pottery. The Columbia History of the World states that the oldest relic of human industry is a bit of hemp fabric dating back to approximately 8,000 BC.
2) Presidents Washington and Jefferson both grew hemp. Americans were legally bound to grow hemp during the Colonial Era and Early Republic. The federal government subsidized hemp during the Second World War and US farmers grew about a million acres of hemp as part of that program.
3) Hemp Seed is far more nutritious than even soybean, contains more essential fatty acids than any other source, is second only to soybeans in complete protein (but is more digestible by humans), is high in B-vitamins, and is 35% dietary fiber. Hemp seed is not psychoactive and cannot be used as a drug. See TestPledge.com
4) The bark of the hemp stalk contains bast fibers which are among the Earth’s longest natural soft fibers and are also rich in cellulose; the cellulose and hemi-cellulose in its inner woody core are called hurds. Hemp stalk is not psychoactive. Hemp fiber is longer, stronger, more absorbent and more insulative than cotton fiber.
5) According to the Department of Energy, hemp as a biomass fuel producer requires the least specialized growing and processing procedures of all hemp products. The hydrocarbons in hemp can be processed into a wide range of biomass energy sources, from fuel pellets to liquid fuels and gas. Development of biofuels could significantly reduce our consumption of fossil fuels and nuclear power.
6) Hemp grows well without herbicides, fungicides, or pesticides. Almost half of the agricultural chemicals used on US crops are applied to cotton.
7) Hemp produces more pulp per acre than timber on a sustainable basis, and can be used for every quality of paper. Hemp paper manufacturing can reduce wastewater contamination. Hemp’s low lignin content reduces the need for acids used in pulping, and it’s creamy color lends itself to environmentally friendly bleaching instead of harsh chlorine compounds. Less bleaching results in less dioxin and fewer chemical byproducts.
9) Hemp fiberboard produced by Washington State University was found to be twice as strong as wood-based fiberboard.
10) Eco-friendly hemp can replace most toxic petrochemical products. Research is being done to use hemp in manufacturing biodegradable plastic products: plant-based cellophane, recycled plastic mixed with hemp for injection-molded products, and resins made from the oil, to name just a very few examples.
by LIAR-KIL
on 17. Dec, 2009
Yes
by redphish
on 17. Dec, 2009
Absolutely.
I recently did a lot of research on cannabis, and the more I read, the more shocked I became that it is illegal. I recommend “Why Marijuana Should Be Legal” to anyone who doubts the ridiculous misconceptions and lies perpetrated by anti-drug organizations and the U.S. government. It is extremely concise and informative.
by Jeremy
on 18. Dec, 2009
While I would gladly vote to legalize, I believe one of the biggest stumbling blocks to the success of true legalization is the very “government tax”concept you mention. It’s a weed, it grows anywhere. Unlike tobacco, which is processed, blended and packaged, or alcohol which is made from other substances (fruit, grain, etc.) fermented and packaged, marijuana (more correctly called cannabis) is a natural product. You grow it, pick it, dry it and smoke it. End of story. It grows anywhere and doesn’t require further processing before use, and that is the biggest reason the governement would have a time of it if they tried to tax it. In order to tax, you need control. How does one control a weed that anyone, anywhere in the world, can grow indoors or out?
That said, legalization in and of itself would cause drastic reductions in the funding required by this arcane law. Law enforcement could spend their money better protecting folks from real criminals. Our courts and jails would be less crowded. Rehab centers could concentrate on those people who are truly addicted to various drugs rather than fulfilling a legal requirement for people who opt for rehab over jail time when caught with this fairly benign plant. DARE and similar programs could lose the propaganda they preach about pot and perhaps lend truth to what they teach about truly dangerous drugs. I believe the only reason they call pot a “gateway” drug is because once kids discover the lies they’ve been told about pot, they think everything else they were taught is a lie so they go on and try other, more dangerous substances.
More states are recognising the medical benefits of the drug, more and more countries throughout the world are decriminalizing. Responsible adults should be able to use cannabis responsibly. I vote “Yes” and HOPE to see it legal in my lifetime!
by CS
on 18. Dec, 2009
i think it should be legal because it’s safer then alcohol and that’s legal so why not have weed legal
no i don’t think i’ll live to see weed legal and i’m only 18
by J
on 18. Dec, 2009