The legalization of marijuana or cannabis has been a long-standing debate not just in the United States, but the entire world. Despite being regulated since the 16th century to sell marijuana, this has been a very sensitive topic that lawmakers are tackling right now.
Making it harder is several states that made it legal while some decided to remain illegal. Several countries legalized cannabis both for medical and recreational use. Should cannabis be legalized?
Here’s Why Marijuanas Should Be Legal
Yet, there is a huge majority side on legalizing cannabis without restrictions, here are some valid reasons why it should be legalized globally.
Zero deaths linked to overdose
It has been debunked countless times that cannabis can kill a person by overdose. Cannabis has no lethal effects on the body other than minor effects. A person has to consume up to 40,000 times of cannabis to succumb to overdose. Currently, there is no recorded mortality due to cannabis overdose in the world.
Safer than other regulated drugs
Cannabis has fewer side effects compared to other drugs as it has lower health risks combined than tobacco as well as alcohol use. While alcohol is responsible for countless death each year that are both direct and indirect such as liver disease, drunk driving, and other alcohol-related incidents, cannabis, meanwhile has no recorded death.
There is a low to medium risk in consuming cannabis and despite increasing the dosage of it, there are far fewer bad effects compared to tobacco and alcohol.
It is not as addictive compared to other drugs
A lot of people have the wrong impression about cannabis that once you take a hit; you’ll never get off its hook. However, this is not completely true and this is one common myth that’s been busted many times already. Only 10% of cannabis recreational users have been diagnosed with addiction while people who use illegal drugs such as heroin and cocaine have 25 to 30% of adults who are sadly got addicted. Also, it was found out that tobacco is the number one most addictive substance in the world, while alcohol is in second place.
It helps cure insomnia
Many cannabis strands help cure different sleeping disorders. These were proven many times in various studies. Strains that contain higher CBD than THC are well-known as potent tranquilizers that instantly relax the body and free it from bodily discomforts. For frequent cannabis users, this is what they called being “stoned”. For people who are suffering from insomnia, this helps them get sleepy in an instant without any distractions.
It has tons of medical benefits
One of the main reasons, why cannabis is being pushed to be legalized, is because of its medical benefits that are known to alleviate various symptoms of many dreaded diseases. Cannabis has been manufactured in many forms so that physicians can prescribe it to their patients. There are claims that cannabis can help alleviate symptoms of people suffering from AIDS and HIV. It can also help people who have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), nausea, chronic pains in muscle, bones, and joints, and many more.
There are also claims that cannabis can help fight cancer cells while relaxes the muscle of people suffering from seizure attacks due to epilepsy. It’s also been proven that it helps people with Alzheimer’s disease, Crohn’s Disease, and Dravet syndrome.
Additional revenue and new industry
Legalizing cannabis federally can generate more than $130-billion based on tax revenue from 2017 to 2015. This is projected based on the reduced peak business tax rate that has dipped according to estimates.
The legalization of cannabis will also result in an additional industry mainly based on cannabis product manufacturing, aside from the usual dispensaries, farms, and pharmaceutical companies that will thrive once this will be legalized.
Helps reduce the cost of law enforcement
In the United States, the federal government annually spends more than $4-billion for law enforcement agencies that are specifically tasked for cannabis alone. However, legalizing cannabis will significantly reduce the overall cost. To add more, erasing cannabis from the controlled substance list will also reduce any associated cost in terms of court hearings and cases.
It will generate more jobs
Since legalizing it will open up a new industry focused on manufacturing, farming, and pharmaceuticals on cannabis, it will generate thousands or perhaps millions of jobs across the US and the world. This will increase the demand for experts and professionals in different existing industries that can help in producing and manufacturing cannabis. This will also benefit different types of businesses that will surely create a huge positive impact economically for any country that fully legalizes cannabis.
Decreases the number of incarceration
Since cannabis is illegal in many states in the US and countries around the world, there are thousands of cases related to it that result in incarceration. If cannabis will be legalized, it will free up many overcrowded prisons that will significantly cut the cost of maintaining these facilities coming from none other than the taxpayer’s money.
It contains nutritional value
Aside from medicinal benefits, cannabis contains a high nutritional value. Nutrition such as calcium, iron, and omega 3 are the most common found in cannabis. This can be specifically found in hemp, a substance that is found in cannabis that is used for various products particularly food.
It can be used for personal hygiene
Cannabis can also be manufactured not just for medicinal purposes, but also for beauty products and personal hygiene products. You might not know, but cannabis, using CBD oil or hemp oil is manufactured for soap, essential oils, body lotions, moisturizers, and shampoos that all have various positive effects.
Conclusion
You might be thinking right now that there are many reasons why cannabis should be legalized. Well, it is on its way if people continue to advocate about its positive impact rather than creating a stigma to this miracle plant. So, here’s why marijuanas should be legal.