By Clay Thompson | Arts and Life Intern
Ever since President Joe Biden recently pardoned American prisoners for federal possession of marijuana, it seems that’s all anyone has been able to talk about. At this point, I am so tired of the back and forth about legalizing marijuana in the United States; let’s just do it already and get it over with.
Let’s be real for a second. It really is only a matter of time before marijuana is legalized in America anyway. According to a recent poll done by POLITICO and Morning Consult, almost two-thirds of voters supported Biden’s pardoning of nonviolent marijuana offenders. Additionally, in a Good Rx Health peer-reviewed article, it stated that marijuana — unlike alcohol, which is already legal to consume in every state in the United States — has medical and health advantages that alcohol does not.
No, my entire argument is not going to revolve around the reasoning that alcohol is worse than marijuana and that’s why it should be legal. That’s only a part of my argument.
We all know that alcohol, just like marijuana, can be addictive and cause intoxicated or uninhibited behavior. Both can, yet one is legal, while the other can be penalized with prison sentences in some states. Both are vice items; I think most of us can agree on that. But why the double standard for alcohol being legal and not marijuana?
Personally, I think the stigma surrounding marijuana being a drug makes it sound much more intimidating than a drink. We “drink” all the time, whether it is alcohol or not, but taking drugs has a much more negative connotation.
Go ahead: Try saying “I’m having a drink” versus “I’m taking a drug,” and just see which one sounds worse. I’ll wait.
Just kidding, I won’t. Marijuana, if legalized, can also help America financially. Imagine a world where recreational marijuana is taxed.
That much tax revenue from that many products and that many people could significantly help America when it comes to balancing the budget — more money for roads, infrastructure and education. Hopefully, marijuana being taxable by the government means less tax money you have to pay out of pocket when tax season rolls around.
Marijuana has also been a very big help in the medical field, as patients struggling with PTSD or cancer are often prescribed marijuana to help treat their symptoms or pain. Some states have made it legal to use marijuana for medical purposes. Others have made it legal for both medical and recreational purposes.
At the very least, I think marijuana should be legal in every state for medical purposes. It has been proven to be helpful, and as long as the medical community exercises due diligence in making sure it isn’t abused, marijuana can help many Americans struggling with their health.
Also, legalizing marijuana means more business and more jobs for people. Of course, I would hope those new jobs require mandatory drug tests (wink, wink, nudge, nudge). Legalizing this product could create many new jobs in production, retail and even marketing.
However, as a caveat, I would like to say that similar to alcohol, I am definitely an advocate for strict regulation of advertising for vice products, including marijuana. No marketing to children, and no making light of what marijuana can do for people who use it regularly. It should be treated with caution, especially when used recreationally.
Let me be clear here for a moment about my own beliefs. I hate marijuana. I can’t stand the smell or what it does to people. As someone who used to live in California — where it is legal to use marijuana both medically and recreationally — I have never intentionally used marijuana, but that didn’t keep many people from blowing it in my face all the time.
Once again, I am still a staunch supporter of strict regulation of alcohol and cannabis. I do think that once it’s made legal, crimes like driving while intoxicated should carry much harsher sentences. If we are going to allow these products into our lives, we need to make sure that people know the consequences that can come with abusing them. Mandatory rehab or prison time for criminal offenses while intoxicated seems like a fair trade for making sure people don’t abuse drugs.
What I have come to realize is that with marijuana and alcohol — which I also do not intend to use — people are going to use it anyway. Why should I spend so much time trying to keep them from having it, when they are going to get it anyway?
For some people, it can mean the difference between a life of constant pain or not. For many, they just want something to take the edge off every now and then. While I can’t say that I relate, I do understand.
