here it is, tell me what you guys think! \t \t Cannabis Sativa, also known as marijuana, is quickly coming to the forefront of American politics and popular culture. After nearly seventy five years of prohibition, the strongest movement to legalize the plant is at it's strongest point. Medical marijuana has become legal in 13 states, with more states pending legislation. This April 20th, cannabis users around the country participated in smoke outs to protest the laws which put non-violent drug users behind bars, while violence on our southern border increases every day. Our economy is in shambles, yet hemp, a plant with no psychoactive properties which can produce clothes, food, biodiesel, and paper, remains illegal. Legalization of marijuana in the United States would greatly improve health care, drastically reduce our prison population, and solve our gang violence and economic problems. \tMarijuana has been used by humans since pre-history. Cannabis residue has been found in ancient pipes in China, Mesopotamia, and the Americas. Scientists have been unable to find an LD50 (the amount of a substance which would kill 50 percent of subjects in a test) for THC, the active chemical in marijuana. Essentially, it is physically impossible to overdose on the drug, making it safer than alcohol, tobacco, Advil, and potatoes (eating 10 raw potatoes can cause a toxic reaction). Marijuana has been scientifically proven to reduce the size of cancerous growths, reduce the involuntary muscle spasms in persons with Multiple Sclerosis, and ease the pain of many diseases which cause chronic pain. Pharmaceuticals such as Hydrocodone, Oxycontin, morphine, and other opiates cause addiction even in small doses, while cannabis is not habit forming. As a naturally occurring plant, it can be grown by anyone, allowing patients to avoid the obscene costs of patented medications. Clearly, cannabis is a safe and effective medication alternative for countless illnesses and diseases. \tThe last three presidents of the United States have all admitted to using marijuana. The largest private landowner in the US, and owner of CNN and countless other media outlets, Ted Turner, smokes a joint (marijuana cigarette) every day. Richard Branson, founder of the Virgin empire, which encompasses record labels, cell phone service, and space travel, smokes cannabis with his son on a regular basis. All of these highly successful, influential, and brilliant people would not be anywhere near where they are today had they ever been convicted of even misdemeanor possession. Nearly 50 percent of United States citizens over the age of twelve have admitted to using marijuana at least once in their lives, while 50 million (16 percent) have used it in the last month. There have been 20 million marijuana arrests since 1974, most only for simple possession. Privatized prisons are the fastest growing industry in the US today. The United States contains five percent of the world's population, yet has 25 percent of the world's prisoners. Non-violent drug offenders are faced with mandatory minimum sentencing, which forces jail time. These kind of punishments are cruel and unusual. Indeed, the punishment for a crime must fit the crime itself. When rapists and murderers are constantly being given parole, yet is not even considered for non-violent cannabis users, something is seriously wrong with our justice system. \tCartel violence on the border with Mexico is growing. Mexico's president has repeatedly urged US politicians to consider legalizing marijuana. Approximately 60 percent of the major Mexican drug cartel's funding comes from marijuana sales in America. Legalizing the drug would effectively cripple the cartels financially. Without the majority of their funding, they would lose a great deal of their power and influence. Additionally, many of the dangers associated with the black market would be taken out the picture in terms of people obtaining marijuana, creating a safer market for cannabis. US citizens are kidnapped from their own homes and held for ransom by these evil cartels, and the violence is reaching deeper and deeper into American territory. Legalization of marijuana would deal a huge blow to not only the Central American drug cartels, but also American street gangs who make their money off of selling it. Legalization is the obvious solution in this important issue. \tHemp is the male cannabis plant, and has no psychoactive properties, meaning that one cannot get high from it in any way. Hemp is extremely durable and has countless uses. One acre of hemp can produce four times as much paper as one acre of trees, yet takes 4 to 6 weeks to grow, as opposed to 20 years for trees. The US Constitution and the Declaration of Independence were both written on hemp paper. In Jamestown during colonial times, it was mandatory to grow hemp by law. Interestingly enough, hemp was a legitimate currency to pay taxes with up until its criminalization in 1937. Hemp oil can be used for health products, in cooking, and for biodiesel. In fact, the diesel engine was originally designed to run on hemp oil, not petroleum. Hemp clothes last significantly longer than cotton, and are much cheaper to produce than cotton. Hemp is so cost effective, and the products so diverse, that it is not unreasonable to think it could singlehandedly solve our economic woes. \tOpponents of legalized marijuana claim marijuana is addictive, causes users to move to harder drugs, will increase drug use, and make it easier for children to obtain. These arguments are all illogical and fallacious. Marijuana has been scientifically proven to not be addictive. One might say, “but what about all the people in rehabilitation for marijuana use?†Many people convicted of possession are given the choice to either go to rehab, or jail. Obviously, they choose rehab. 90 percent of marijuana rehab patients are there involuntarily. The gateway theory has been disproved many times. There is no chemical in cannabis that makes a user want to move on to harder drugs. The statistics used to create the theory took heroin and cocaine users and saw how many of those users used marijuana. With that kind of faulty logic, one could assume milk is a gateway drug for alcohol, because all alcohol users have used milk. 1 out of 104 cannabis users move on to cocaine, while less than 1 out of 104 move on to heroin. Legalizing marijuana will not increase drug use. In Amsterdam, where it has been decriminalized, drug use has actually gone down since. Minors can currently obtain marijuana more easily than they can alcohol, simply because alcohol is regulated by the government. Liquor stores check id, but no drug dealer will check id, and will sell to anyone, no matter how young. \tLegalizing marijuana could fix our overcrowded prisons and help countless sick and healthy people alike. It could jump start our economy, and help get rid of the national debt. It could eliminate the violence on our border, and usher in a new era of peace and compassion in the United States. Legalizing marijuana is clearly the right thing to do in these tough times.
I know this is an old post, but still a great paper. The only thing I would say about it is that you list 0 sources in it, even though the info is more than likely true