Colorado and Washington Legalize Marijuana: Bad Idea

November 19th, 2012 | Add a Comment

It has come to my attention that in the recent election, voters in 2 western states have voted to legalize the use of marijuana for recreational purposes. As a marijuana addict who is just getting comfortable with the idea of life without the drug, I find that hard to believe. My first question is why? Answers from advocates of the new laws range from “It will cost the state less money, not prosecuting people for possession” and “it will raise tax revenue” to “it’s harmless” or “it’s less dangerous than alcohol”.

Sadly, like almost everything else in American politics, it boils down to money. In Colorado, the sale of marijuana can be taxed up to 15% to generate more state revenue. That money is slated to go toward the building of public schools, which is a good thing, but that does not make smoking marijuana a good thing.

As a recovering marijuana addict, I find the idea repulsive. Marijuana can cause psychotic episodes, panic attacks and anxiety. It zaps the user of motivation to do anything in life, but smoke more marijuana. The drug is highly addictive and highly intoxicating. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, long-term marijuana abuse can be addictive. Much like alcohol, marijuana addicts allow their lives to slowly slip out of control and they don’t even realize it. Hardcore users are those that smoke or eat the drug every day. They are the problem here, and legalizing it will only increase the amount of hardcore users.

The kinds of marijuana that are now widely available for abuse are much more potent than what was available in the 1960’s and 1970’s when marijuana was introduced into the mainstream of America. Because of this potency, all of the active ingredients in marijuana that make it psychoactive are very long-lasting. Their effects can be felt days after they are ingested and they can stay in someone’s bloodstream for months. Take it from, a recovering addict who has smoked marijuana for almost 12 years.

Another hot issue that revolves around states legalizing marijuana is that it puts state law in direct conflict with federal law. I hope that the feds use this opportunity to catch the drug manufacturers who are behind this debacle. In the midst of this scenario, these hard-core marijuana producers will emerge from the shadows that they have been hiding in for a long time thinking that they are safe. I sincerely hope that once they come out, the federal government will nab them and haul them in for federal prosecution. They are crooked profiteers, standing to make millions and even billions off of money that will come in from the sales of the drug.

I only hope that idiotic stoner’s from all over the country leave where they are living now, in places such as California, to join their counterparts in these drug fueled states. Then there will be less of them polluting the gene pool in places where people are still in their right minds. I was a hard-core stoner for a long time, but I was never proud of it. These are the kind of people who are proud of their drug. They are sick and they don’t even know it. They are like alcoholics, and need to get help not be encouraged.

Since this all comes back to money, how pathetic are things that our federal government allowed our national economy to slip so far down that it would come to this. These cash-strapped states have now turned to criminals to fund their education programs. I really hope we get our priorities straight and fix our economy without turning to harmful substances as the quick fix solution. Though it may solve the short term financial problems, it will create far more severe problems in the long run.

Sources: http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/marijuana-abuse/how-does-marijuana-use-affect-your-brain-body, National Institute on Drug Abuse