The issue at hand is legalizing marijuana. Many countries including British Columbia, Switzerland, and Amsterdam have made marijuana a way of life to where there are marijuana cafes, menus and parties. Two years ago, Colorado was the first state in the lower 48 to legalize marijuana. From there other states such as Oregon, Washington, and Alaska have legalized weed for recreational usage, while other states like California, Nevada, Maine, and Washington D.C. have legalized it for medicinal purposes only. The question is: what's all the hubbub abut anyways when it comes to legalizing it? Well it depends upon who you're asking. You notice most western states are all on board with the legalization of marijuana in some sort of form. Wyoming, Idaho, and Texas will hopefully jump on the bandwagon. However, there are NO southern states that are board, and because of the placement of the "Bible Belt", the likelihood of legalizing marijuana isn't high (I promise that wasn't a pun). The uppity lawmakers and state governments have their heads too far up their asses to care about how much this could actually benefit their states financially.
If you can't tell, I'm a marijuana legalization supporter. I support marijuana a lot more than alcohol, and I'm a drinker. Let's look at marijuana for a couple different aspects. First, medical. The benefits and advantages of marijuana have far exceeded any disadvantages of using it for medicinal purposes. Research has shown that it has been very helpful and, in some cases, vital for auto immune diseases such as arthritis, epilepsy, Multiple Sclerosis, and quite a few others. In fact, it was also shown to treat depression as well as anxiety. For those with migraines, studies have shown to reduce pain or at least act as over the counter medications that would normally treat it such as Aleve, Tylenol, or the like. Now, I don't one hundred percent know this for a fact, but I've been told this can even treat chronic respiratory ailments such as asthma, which I have. It has been said that THC, the chief component within marijuana also acts as a bronchodilater, which means that it opens up the lungs as good or better than most inhalers. Glaucoma patients also have great benefits in the sense that marijuana can slow down the process of possible blindness. Also, according to businessinsider.com, patients that suffer from gastrointestinal diseases in inflammatory bowel diseases such as ulcerative colitis and the very crippling disease of Chrohn's Disease have been shown to have benefited from marijuana usage. Likewise, people who suffer from Parkinson's Disease can benefit from good ol' Mary. Tremors and shakes associated with the disease get decreased greatly by the calming effects of marijuana and the THC component.
If you think about it, those who drink excessively or who have severe drinking problems can greatly cut back on drinking by taking marijuana. We've all seen just how alcohol can harm more so than help (although I'm down with the whole wine a day thing). With marijuana, it actually helps more than hurts. With that being said, let me go into the recreational benefits of using Mary. We've often heard musicians state that marijuana helps creatively. When it comes to writing songs, many look to marijuana to help get creative juices flowing, and helps them writer's block. Although short term memory can get affected, it also releases inhibitors, thus allowing the brain to be more relaxed and open to more things. Also, statistically, crime gets reduced. Marijuana's effects of relaxations prevents anger and thus violent tendencies get greatly reduced. In terms of addiction, one can obtain substance abuse if too much is used, but that's any drug. Research has shown, however, that addictive personalities aren't as highly drawn to marijuana as with alcohol. Long term effects are real when done in excess, however once again, that's the same with any drug. In fact, there's a far greater likelihood of long term effects from excessive alcohol and prescription drug usage than with marijuana. In stuck up society, the prototypical stoner is lazy, can't get or keep a job, and does nothing with their lives. The fact is that there are people that are in prominent roles and careers such as judges, lawyers, doctors, and even presidents, as Presidents Obama and Clinton have admitted to weed usage in their pasts.
I'm begging for politicians and government officials to make marijuana (medical and otherwise0 legal, for from a financial aspect, the payoff would be amazing. The taxes would benefit schools much like state lotteries and there would be many more upsides. The funny thing is that many of the people who look down on marijuana users are the same ones that drink and they find nothing wrong with putting alcohol in their bodies when they're actually doing more harm to themselves than if they were to light a joint or two. It's mostly church people or the overly religious. Do your history. Marijuana was actually used in Biblical days as cannibus was used during certain practices and rituals. Let's not get hypocritical. For all these reasons and more, I'm becoming a strong advocate for my stoners and my medical marijuana users. Hopefully come April 20 (that's 4-20, the national stoners day), more states will adapt this practice and see the bnenefits. Funny nothing is being said about excessive alcohol use though right?
That's all for now cats and kittens. Thanks fro riding along and will see you next time. Until then, light one up for me too! I'll leave with you a true stoner classic. Afroman's platinum single "Because I Got High", just a little something to get you laughing today, as it did me in 2001.
