Time to tax and regulate marijuana
TORONTO (CUP) — Marijuana is all
around us. More Canadians use marijuana
than residents in any other country in the
world — about 11.4 per cent of the population.
Most students either use it or know someone who does, despite knowing it is an illegal drug in this country and that there could be legal repercussions for those caught possessing, growing or selling it.
While there are some who are legally allowed to use it for medical purposes, critics nevertheless argue that smoking the plant could lead to addiction, heavy drug use, brain damage or even psychosis. These supposed symptoms are well circulated, but marijuana is not really as harmful as critics argue it is.
There is a far lower risk of addiction when compared to alcohol or tobacco. In fact, according to research by Jack Henningfield and Neal Benowitz, two addiction specialists, pot's addiction potential is no greater than caffeine.
Cases in which a marijuana user may become hooked on a much harder narcotic exist, but this could be due to marijuana's prohibition. Because marijuana is illegal, potential consumers must make purchases via the black market and interact with potentially shady individuals.
The black market exposes cannabis users to harder drugs. If marijuana were legal, it would eliminate such exposure. Furthermore, there have been no conclusive medical studies to prove that pot leads to brain damage or psychosis.
Of course, smoking anything is harmful to the lungs, but vaporizing — heating the plant, but not combusting it — is a less harmful alternative to smoking. Contrary to popular belief, marijuana does not have more cancer-causing agents than cigarettes.
About 40,000 Canadians die each year from tobacco-related illness, but there are zero deaths attributed to marijuana. About 8,000 Canadians die each year from alcoholrelated deaths, including over 100 Canadians lost to alcohol poisoning, but marijuana has been proven to be non-toxic.
In other words, a person cannot overdose on cannabis.
Our government wastes valuable resources arresting, prosecuting and jailing so-called “criminals” for simple marijuana possession, spending millions each year. Instead of addressing the issue of marijuana use, the police should focus on serious crimes.
We should tax the plant in the same manner we do alcohol or tobacco and use the revenue for various provincial or federal projects. If the government handled marijuana, we'd be better assured it would stay out of the hands of minors. After all, drug dealers don't check ID, but the government ensures merchants do.
Many licensed medicinal marijuana users complain about how difficult it is for them to acquire their medicine, though it seems high school students can buy pot without much difficulty. If anti-marijuana laws are in place to keep weed out of the hands of minors, then those laws have definitely failed.
Legalizing marijuana will only benefit Canada. Tax revenue will provide a muchneeded boost to our economy, the sick will have an effective medicine and shady drug dealers and the black market will take a bigger hit than our overworked police force could ever generate.
According to a 2002 Senate special committee, drug policy “must be structured around guiding principles respecting the life, health, security and rights and freedoms of individuals who, naturally and legitimately, seek their own well-being and development.”
In other words, choice is a cornerstone of a liberal democracy, so we should be able to choose our method of insobriety. That same Senate special committee concluded their report by calling for the legalization of marijuana, a motion since ignored by the House of Commons. According to an Angus-Reid poll conducted in 2010, 53 per cent of Canadians believe marijuana should be legalized. It's about time our government finally listened to the wishes of its citizens.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
Most students either use it or know someone who does, despite knowing it is an illegal drug in this country and that there could be legal repercussions for those caught possessing, growing or selling it.
While there are some who are legally allowed to use it for medical purposes, critics nevertheless argue that smoking the plant could lead to addiction, heavy drug use, brain damage or even psychosis. These supposed symptoms are well circulated, but marijuana is not really as harmful as critics argue it is.
There is a far lower risk of addiction when compared to alcohol or tobacco. In fact, according to research by Jack Henningfield and Neal Benowitz, two addiction specialists, pot's addiction potential is no greater than caffeine.
Cases in which a marijuana user may become hooked on a much harder narcotic exist, but this could be due to marijuana's prohibition. Because marijuana is illegal, potential consumers must make purchases via the black market and interact with potentially shady individuals.
The black market exposes cannabis users to harder drugs. If marijuana were legal, it would eliminate such exposure. Furthermore, there have been no conclusive medical studies to prove that pot leads to brain damage or psychosis.
Of course, smoking anything is harmful to the lungs, but vaporizing — heating the plant, but not combusting it — is a less harmful alternative to smoking. Contrary to popular belief, marijuana does not have more cancer-causing agents than cigarettes.
About 40,000 Canadians die each year from tobacco-related illness, but there are zero deaths attributed to marijuana. About 8,000 Canadians die each year from alcoholrelated deaths, including over 100 Canadians lost to alcohol poisoning, but marijuana has been proven to be non-toxic.
In other words, a person cannot overdose on cannabis.
Our government wastes valuable resources arresting, prosecuting and jailing so-called “criminals” for simple marijuana possession, spending millions each year. Instead of addressing the issue of marijuana use, the police should focus on serious crimes.
We should tax the plant in the same manner we do alcohol or tobacco and use the revenue for various provincial or federal projects. If the government handled marijuana, we'd be better assured it would stay out of the hands of minors. After all, drug dealers don't check ID, but the government ensures merchants do.
Many licensed medicinal marijuana users complain about how difficult it is for them to acquire their medicine, though it seems high school students can buy pot without much difficulty. If anti-marijuana laws are in place to keep weed out of the hands of minors, then those laws have definitely failed.
Legalizing marijuana will only benefit Canada. Tax revenue will provide a muchneeded boost to our economy, the sick will have an effective medicine and shady drug dealers and the black market will take a bigger hit than our overworked police force could ever generate.
According to a 2002 Senate special committee, drug policy “must be structured around guiding principles respecting the life, health, security and rights and freedoms of individuals who, naturally and legitimately, seek their own well-being and development.”
In other words, choice is a cornerstone of a liberal democracy, so we should be able to choose our method of insobriety. That same Senate special committee concluded their report by calling for the legalization of marijuana, a motion since ignored by the House of Commons. According to an Angus-Reid poll conducted in 2010, 53 per cent of Canadians believe marijuana should be legalized. It's about time our government finally listened to the wishes of its citizens.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
