Legalize Marijuana? Check Yes or No.

A CNBC article posted on April 20, 2010: Why We Should Not Legalize Marijuana  is somewhat one sided at best.  The article does not reveal an author, but sites numerous citations at the end of the article.  I believe the authors intended audience are older middle class possibly wealthy conservative Americans.  The author believe the use of marijuana is just as destructive to society as alcohol and tobacco and should not be legalized.  If the US Government legalizes marijuana is would only promote recreational use.

The article uses the gambling analogy as a vice that was previously legalized by the US.  "Legal gambling sets the stage for illegal gambling just the way legal marijuana would set the stage for illegal marijuana trafficking."  The article does not provide any statistics on the growing number of people or entities that have been convicted or sentenced for illegal gambling.  So the reader is too assume that author has personal knowledge of illegal gambling rings existing at that time.

I believe that the article also fails to point out the benefits of legalizing this drug.  Proponents for legalizing marijuana for medicinal reason argue that the drug can be an effective treatment for people with cancer AIDS, multiple sclorosis, epilepsy, and glaucoma.

The article does however make a good argument in stating that the drug is not the most abused illegal drug (although there is no statistics on this statement either).  Proponents fail to realize that the greatest price tag of the drug is not that it is illegal, bu that it is the outcome from the use of the drug itself.  In other words, people who smoke marijuana are less likely to contribute to society in a good way.

In general, I believe that the legalization of marijuana will benefit the US.  The drug will be taxed and regulated.  And yes, legalizing this drug may lead to more potent marijuana and possible higher use, but that will have to be dealt with by new laws.  The fact that marijuana is an effective treatment for cancer, that alone for me is a great reason to legalize.  I myself have had many family members die from cancer and would one day like to see if this drug may lead to other effective treatments.