Legalization of Marijuana

Years ago people didn't think of marijuana as a harmful drug, but as a very useful material. The fiber of hemp is used for paper, fuel, fiber, food, and medicine. From these there are thousands of possibilities for using hemp. Even George Washington encouraged people to sow the Indian hemp seed everywhere. It wasn't until 1937 that marijuana was prohibited for the first time under federal law. It was called the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937, signed by F. D. Roosevelt in Pennsylvania. Now as we enter the next millenium, the citizens of the United States want that law removed. After 5,000 years of medical use why should we look down on marijuana? It's high time people realize the good marijuana does. Are we ever going to see an end to the almost 70 year old prohibition? Let's take a look at what's being done in the U.S. to end this once and for all.

During the 1970's, eleven states decriminalized possession of small amounts of marijuana. Today 35 states have passed laws supporting the use of marijuana for medical purposes. When smoked, marijuana relieves pain and nausea, stunts the growth of malignant breast tumors, protects the brain cells of stroke patients from being killed off, and helps people suffering from cancer, AIDS, glaucoma, menstrual cramps, and depression. It has also been scientifically proven that marijuana has little to no addictive properties and little potential for abuse. Yet marijuana is still in the same group as LSD, cocaine, and heroine.

The relatively new medical marijuana law, Prop. 215, was passed in California in 1996 by 56% of the voters. The initiative states that criminal statutes won't apply to patients, or a patients caregiver, who possesses or cultivates marijuana for the personal medical purpose of treatment for a serious illness, upon the written or oral recommendation of a physician. This is confusing because people who are covered by this initiative are still being arrested and treated like criminals. Let us now focus on...