Marijuana and its Legalisation Dilemma: To Be or Not to Be.
Marijuana has always been a dilemma to the lawmakers with respect to its legal status with the possession and consumption. The question has perplexed lawmakers and has generated heated debates and divided the society. Based on the history of the ongoing debate, we can safely assume that society will always be divided between those who oppose the legalisation and those who welcome it. Irrespective of their choices we have seen some strong polarisation on the subject, mostly based on perceptions and myths and not facts.
To legalise or not to legalise Cannabis
Cannabis has always been popular and has always been used as a medicine too. It’s been smoked, been eaten, its juices used for the therapeutic values by external application over inflammations and its leaves being used to bandage and wrap against cuts, bruises, certain skin problems and internal problems too. However the myths and the taboos against Cannabis have always prevented an objective scientific study of the plant and have stopped its results to be thrown open for public study and consumption.
As a result, the legal status of Marijuana has always been demanded by certain segments of the society and its regular users and opposed by some who are either scared by its potential for unchecked usage or have some vested interests in keeping the whole production and supply phenomenon under the table and hence illegal. The marijuana trade worldwide has been pegged at over 100 billion dollars, most of which has been illegal so far. The amount of money it can generate by legalising it is enough to support many small farmers worldwide and improve the rural economies albeit under proper supervision and strict quality control and regulation over its cultivation and supply channels. Moreover, high levels of quality restrictions and adherence to its prescribed processes can assure the end user of Marijuana a product free from adulterations and keeps the weed from being laced with harmful chemicals which ends up being a product grievously injurious to the marijuana end users health.
In countries or states where it is legal to consume Marijuana in many forms, Marijuana has added to the economy of the country or the state being a steady cash crop. It has also been a boon to the careful farmer being an assured source of income and has been a steady source of tax to the federal and the state governments. On the other hand, it has removed the fear of illegal trade and reduced the criminal aspect of such a trade and hence made the society safer by all means possible. It has been one of the major talking points of the proponents of legalisation of marijuana trade as well and is well worth considering.
